Aurelius then turned the page to the next section, which delved into the intricacies of talent. It mentioned that in this universe, talent is divided into six categories: Chaos, Primordial, Celestial, God, Spiritual, and Mortal. Each category is further subdivided into four levels: Initial, Mid, High, and Peak.
The text elaborated on the significance of these talents, explaining that they paralleled the realms of cultivation. For example, a Mid-Mortal level talent could only reach the 4th to 6th level of the Mortal realm, whereas a Peak Mortal talent could reach the 10th level, the pinnacle of the Mortal realm. Without extraordinary opportunities, those with Mortal talents would remain confined to the Mortal realm for the rest of their lives.
Aurelius turned to the next page, where the talents and their costs were listed:
- Chaos Talent : Peak - 10000, High - 9800, Mid - 9400, Initial - 9200
- Primordial Talent : Peak - 9000, High - 8800, Mid - 8400, Initial - 8200
- Celestial Talent : Peak - 7000, High - 6800, Mid - 6400, Initial - 6200
- God Talent : Peak - 6000, High - 5800, Mid - 5400, Initial - 5200
- Spiritual Talent : Peak - 4000, High - 3800, Mid - 3400, Initial - 3200
- Mortal Talent : Peak - 2000, High - 1800, Mid - 1400, Initial - 1200
As he looked at the list, Aurelius's jaw dropped. The cost of talents was significantly higher than that of races. He pondered the implications and came to a realization: "Being born as a dragon, elf, or any other race doesn't make a difference if one lacks talent. A good starting point alone won't ensure reaching the pinnacle."
Contemplating his options, Aurelius understood that selecting a powerful talent would be crucial for his success in the spiritual realm. It wasn't just about the race; it was about the potential to grow, to transcend, and to achieve greatness. With this newfound insight, he resolved to use his merit points wisely, balancing his choices between race and talent to maximize his potential in his next life.
After contemplating his options, Aurelius suddenly realized he was missing something. A thought clicked in his head: the cost. If he remembered correctly, he had only 9999 points of merit. After deducting 1000 for basic residential status, 2000 for transferring to the spiritual realm, and 500 for choosing the human race, he would be left with 6499 points. With this amount, he could only afford a mid-celestial talent at best.
The realization left him feeling depressed. Collecting his thoughts, he started searching for another way. As he turned the page, he found a section on a unique talent not mentioned with the previous ones: evolutionary talent. This talent, categorized as peak mortal, allowed the person to reach the peak of the mortal realm and then use their secondary spirit to combine and create a new spirit root.
For example, if a person was born with an evolutionary spirit root and a fire spirit root, upon reaching the peak mortal realm, they would combine both to produce an evolutionary fire spirit root. The advantage of this spirit root was its potential to evolve and surpass even chaos talent given the right herbs and opportunities.
Aurelius read this with awe and hurriedly looked at the cost: 4000 merit points. Although it was a lot, considering it was primarily a peak mortal talent, he felt he had no choice but to go for it. It was his best chance to maximize his potential in the spiritual realm. With newfound determination, Aurelius decided to choose the evolutionary talent, knowing it offered the best possibility for growth and transcendence in his next life.
Left with 2499 merit points, Aurelius carefully examined the remaining talents listed in the book. There were sections for body and soul talents, but due to his limited merit points, he skimmed over the higher-cost options. After some consideration, he selected two talents that each cost 1000 points. For the body, he chose the spiritual talent known as the Five Element Body. For the soul, he opted for the spiritual talent called the DayNight Soul Body.
Despite the many intriguing options in the sections on providence, family, luck, and other aspects of destiny, Aurelius decided to forgo them due to his dwindling points. He rationalized, "I can save the remaining points for the future. Who knows when they might be needed?"
After finalizing his plans and gathering all the necessary information for his reincarnation, Aurelius glanced at the time. Realizing he still had one day left, he shifted his focus to other books in the library. Among the countless volumes, he found "The Ascendant Codex of Underworld Hierarchy." Its cover was adorned with dark, intricate engravings depicting the layers of the underworld, giving it an aura of ancient mystery. The book noted that the underworld he inhabited was the lowest level, and that the spiritual realm, celestial realm, and primordial realm each had their own interconnected underworlds. Surprisingly, the king of the underworld ruled over all these realms simultaneously.
Gaining some understanding, he looked into other books such as "Ethereal Cultivation Chronicles" and "Foundations of Realms." The covers of these books were equally captivating. "Ethereal Cultivation Chronicles" featured a serene, ethereal design with glowing runes and celestial beings, while "Foundations of Realms" had a majestic cover depicting the vast, interconnected realms of existence. Each book was fascinating. Though he didn't read them thoroughly, he skimmed through them to gain a better understanding.
There were also books on various professions such as "Alchemy," "Formations," and "Blacksmithing," each with covers reflecting their contents—alchemy with swirling potions and mystical symbols, formations with geometric patterns and arcane glyphs, and blacksmithing with glowing anvils and enchanted hammers.
After glossing over these books, he found an intriguing one titled "Current Times." The cover of "Current Times" was elegant and modern, with sleek lines and a cosmic backdrop. This book contained news regarding the spiritual realm and stated that the current time was the Modern Time, 4th Era, ninety-nine million two hundred fifty thousand years.
The book described how the universe had gone through four major epochs: the Chaos Time, the Primordial Time, the Ancient Time, and now the Modern Time. After the Primordial Time, the universe split into three realms. The Primordial Realm became a closed realm, preventing many peak experts from breaking through to higher cultivation realms. The Spiritual and Celestial Realms were divided, but if a person reached peak cultivation in the Spiritual Realm, they could break through and advance to the Celestial Realm.
This division gave rise to the Ancient Time, an era filled with chaos, brutality, and violence. Many sought to seize the opportunity to become the dominant power. This chaos lasted for ten eras until nine clans rose to power and created order, ushering in the Modern Time and ensuring peace.
Just as Aurelius was about to turn to the next page, the guard who had brought him to the library called out, "Aurelius, it is time to go to the Reincarnation Hall."
Aurelius hurriedly placed the book back on the shelf and walked towards the guard. "Thanks for waiting. Let's go," he said.
As Aurelius and the guard left the library, the book, due to his rushed placement, fell from the shelf, landing open on a page about the Modern Time's evolutionary spirit roots. The text explained that the division of the universe had led to flaws in the management of these spirit roots. Once sought after, evolutionary spirit roots had become crippled because those born with them no longer had a secondary spirit root to combine with, preventing the formation of a new, powerful spirit root.
A shadowy figure emerged from the dim recesses of the library, moving with an eerie grace. Cloaked in darkness, the figure's form was indistinct, a mere silhouette against the flickering light of the library's ethereal lamps. Its eyes, glowing with an otherworldly light, seemed to pierce the shadows around it.
With a swift, almost ghostly motion, the figure bent down and picked up the fallen book. Carefully, it closed the book and placed it back on the shelf.