Aurelius and the old man ventured into the heart of the Nevada Forest, a sprawling evergreen wilderness shrouded in a perpetual chill. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth, and the towering trees, with their thick canopies, cast long shadows that danced on the forest floor. This forest was a sanctuary and a battleground, home to a myriad of beasts, some of which had reached the formidable Soul Acupuncture Opening Realm, reigning as the undisputed monarchs of this realm.
As they delved deeper into the forest, Aurelius and the old man encountered various creatures, each more fearsome than the last. Soul Refining Realm beasts prowled the underbrush, their eyes gleaming with latent power and primal instinct. The forest seemed alive with unseen threats, and the tension was palpable as they moved stealthily through the dense foliage.
Their journey took them to the heart of the forest, where they came face to face with a boar unlike any Aurelius had ever seen. This was no ordinary beast; it was a Soul Acupuncture Opening Realm boar, standing as tall as a man, its presence alone commanding a wide berth from all other creatures. The boar's tusks were long and razor-sharp, glinting menacingly in the dim light filtering through the trees, capable of tearing through tree trunks with a single swipe.
The boar lay on the forest floor, its massive body partially hidden by the undergrowth. The moment Aurelius and the old man stepped into its territory, it sensed their presence. The boar rose to its feet, muscles rippling under its bristled hide, and let out a thunderous roar that echoed through the forest. It was a sound filled with challenge and dominance, as if to say, "Do you dare to challenge me in my own domain?"
Aurelius felt a shiver run down his spine at the sound, a mix of fear and exhilaration. The old man, however, remained unfazed, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the powerful beast before them.
"Stay alert," the old man murmured to Aurelius, his voice calm but firm. "This boar is not like the others. It's a king of this forest, and it will not take kindly to intruders."
Aurelius nodded, gripping his weapon tightly, his heart pounding in his chest. The boar snorted, pawing at the ground, readying itself for a potential battle. The tension in the air was thick, and every muscle in Aurelius' body was taut with anticipation.
Aurelius nodded, gripping his weapon tightly, his heart pounding in his chest. The boar snorted, pawing at the ground, readying itself for battle. The tension in the air was thick, and every muscle in Aurelius' body was taut with anticipation.
"Remember what I have taught you," the old man said calmly, his eyes never leaving the beast.
Aurelius nodded again and stepped forward, recalling the lessons the old man had drilled into him.
First Lesson: Analyze
With a thunderous roar, the boar charged, its massive tusks aimed straight for Aurelius. He sidestepped just in time, feeling the rush of air as the tusks missed him by inches. With a swift motion, he countered, bringing his sword down on the boar's tusk. The blade met the tusk with a resounding clang, barely scratching its hardened surface.
Aurelius thought quickly, "The tusks are incredibly hard and its speed is immense."
The boar, undeterred, spun around and thrust its snout at him, attempting to catch him off guard. Aurelius leaped into the air, slashing his sword across the boar's thick hide. The blade skidded off its tough skin, barely leaving a mark.
"The hide is thick and resilient," Aurelius realized. "Attacking its legs might be my only chance."
With a new plan in mind, Aurelius focused on the boar's hind legs, the source of its powerful propulsion. As the boar charged again, he dodged to the side and struck at the boar's hind leg, aiming to sever the tendons.
The boar roared in pain, a terrifying sound that reverberated through the forest. It unleashed a menacing aura, a tangible wave of energy meant to paralyze its prey. The pressure was immense, making it hard for Aurelius to move.
Aurelius nodded, gripping his weapon tightly, his heart pounding in his chest. The boar snorted, pawing at the ground, its muscles tense and ready to spring. The tension in the air was palpable, and every fiber in Aurelius' body was taut with anticipation.
The old man's voice broke through the charged silence, calm and authoritative. "Remember what I have taught you."
Aurelius nodded again, stepping forward to face the formidable beast. The lessons the old man had drilled into him echoed in his mind, guiding his every move.
Second Lesson: Overcome the Fear
The injured boar's roar was unlike anything Aurelius had ever heard. It reverberated through the forest, carrying with it a primal, terrifying aura that pressed down on him, making it difficult to move.
"When a beast releases its aura," the old man's teachings came to him, "it is the culmination of its slaughter and confidence. To overcome it, you must face it with bravery and a will stronger than death."
Aurelius felt the fear clawing at his mind, threatening to consume him. His body trembled, but he forced himself to focus, using the aura's pressure to push himself harder. His soul purity and body refinement surged as he fought against the overwhelming dread.
The boar charged again, and the fear intensified, nearly breaking his spirit. In that critical moment, a voice echoed in his mind—a voice both familiar and strange, urging him to defy his fate and break the chains that bound him.
Driven by this newfound resolve, Aurelius felt a surge of obsession to conquer the aura. He broke through its oppressive grip, his will burning brighter than ever.
Third Lesson: Courage
As the boar bore down on him, Aurelius had no time to react. He took a decisive step, his heart aflame with courage, and swung his sword with all his might. The clarity of his purpose and the intensity of his spirit coalesced into a powerful force.
In that instant, Aurelius felt his sword resonate with his will, enveloped in a luminous sword Qi. He struck at the boar's neck with precision and power, slicing through it and ending the beast's life. The boar's body collapsed, and a surge of soul energy burst forth from its acupuncture points, turning the area into a blessed land.
The old man shouted, his voice filled with urgency and pride, "Use this opportunity to cultivate and break your shackles to reach the peak!"
Aurelius wasted no time. He sat cross-legged on the ground, channeling the abundant soul energy into his body. The old man stood guard, his aura radiating a warning to any nearby beasts, ensuring Aurelius could cultivate in peace.
The forest around them was a blend of life and death, danger and tranquility.
As Aurelius absorbed the soul energy, he felt it coursing through his veins, intensifying his soul purity and refining his soul body. Each breath he took seemed to draw in more of the ambient energy, infusing his very essence with power. Gradually, he became aware of a barrier within him—a soul shackle, a formidable blockade that every cultivator faced on the path to perfection.
Aurelius focused, channeling all the energy he had absorbed into this barrier, pushing against it with all his might. The shackle resisted, its presence like an unyielding wall. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he concentrated harder, using every ounce of his strength to breach this metaphysical boundary. The barrier remained stubbornly intact.
Summoning his willpower, Aurelius visualized his sword Qi, forming it into a powerful vortex within his soul. He infused this vortex with the accumulated soul energy, creating a maelstrom of force. With a final, determined push, he directed this concentrated power at the barrier, launching an explosive blast.
The barrier trembled, cracked, and then shattered under the onslaught. A surge of energy flooded his being, wild and untamed like a storm. Aurelius absorbed this energy, feeling it purify and refine the last 1% of his soul, completing the process. The moment perfection was achieved, a delicate flower pattern appeared on his forehead, glowing softly—a symbol of his attainment in the Soul Refining Realm.
Light energy enveloped his soul, creating a protective shield against future soul attacks and filtering out impurities. The sensation was both exhilarating and serene, a profound transformation that left him feeling invincible and cleansed.
The old man approached him, a proud but stern expression on his face. "Congratulations, kid," he said, his voice steady. "You've reached perfection in the first level, but remember, this is just the beginning. Don't let arrogance blind you. The Seven Lords of the Underworld and the Thirteen Dukes achieved perfection at every level. You are still far from their realm."
Aurelius nodded solemnly, absorbing the old man's wisdom. "Master, I vow to reach perfection in every realm," he declared, determination burning in his eyes.
The old man smiled, a rare warmth in his gaze. "Good... good. That's how my disciple should be," he said, patting Aurelius on the shoulder. The bond between them, forged through trials and triumphs, grew stronger in that moment, setting the stage for even greater challenges ahead.
The old man continued, "What are your plans, kid? Now that you've reached perfection in the first realm, you can easily break through to the second realm, right?"
Aurelius thought carefully before replying, "There are many things I want to do—accumulate more merit points, increase my status as a knight, pay the residence fee, and more. But honestly, I don't have a proper plan."
The old man nodded thoughtfully. "Since you don't have a proper plan, why don't you listen to what I have to say?"
Aurelius nodded in agreement.
Seeing his response, the old man continued, "You still have a long time before you reincarnate. If you focus solely on cultivation, you could reach your goals much earlier than intended. My suggestion is, why don't you use this time to cultivate a secondary profession?"
"When you reincarnate, you won't have as much time to cultivate a secondary profession. So, my advice is that with each realm you break through, try to cultivate a secondary profession relevant to that realm. Plus, you can earn a lot of money that way."
Aurelius thought about it and said, "I will follow that method."
One month later, Aurelius sat cross-legged in his room, the old man by his side, carefully observing for any complications. Aurelius began the second level of the cultivation technique given by the old man—the Soul Acupuncture Opening Chapter.
As he circulated the technique, a large vortex began to form above him. The vortex flowed from above, channeling energy to his right arm. There are 8,000 acupuncture points in both arms, and the soul energy traveled to one of these points, slowly refining it.
The tightly closed acupuncture point began to widen under the constant influx of soul energy. As the energy poured in and refined the acupuncture point, it grew larger and more stable. Once the acupuncture point stabilized, the remaining energy filled it completely.
After completing the process, Aurelius slowly opened his eyes. The old man approached him and said, "Congratulations, kid, you've finally become a second realm expert. There are a total of 180,000 acupuncture points in a soul. You'll need to open all of them to reach perfection. Understood?"
Aurelius grinned slyly. "Who do you think I am, old man? I'm your disciple. Reaching perfection is the basic thing."
The old man chuckled. "Good... good, kid." Then he froze, realizing what Aurelius had said. "Did you just call me 'old man' again?" he growled, chasing after Aurelius playfully to kick his ass.
Year 350
"Kid, I didn't expect you to be talented in alchemy. You've reached the peak of the first level," the old man said, admiration evident in his voice.
Aurelius smiled, replying, "Alchemy is similar to research work. Back in the day, I used to study microorganisms to find cures. Here, I observe the subtle changes in fire, handle the herb solutions carefully, refine them to reduce impurities, and finally create a pill."
Year 450
"Damn, kid, you really have a knack for secondary professions. Even in formation techniques, you've reached the peak of the first level," the old man remarked, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Why don't you try other professions too, kid?"
Aurelius took the suggestion seriously. "Sure."
Year 550
The old man shook his head in amazement. "How can it be? You're talented in blacksmithing too."
Year 650
"Kid, you're breaking my heart. Now taming too? Why don't you just defy the heavens?" the old man said, half-joking.
Aurelius replied earnestly, "Sure."
The old man sighed, shaking his head. "Damn, I don't know if you're serious or not."
Year 750
"It seems you're good at talismans too. Ah, kid, you've done a good job, but I think it's enough for now. It's been a long time since you were out. Go to the mission hall and complete some missions, mainly those involving fighting and killing," the old man advised.
Aurelius nodded. "Sure."
"How many acupuncture points have you refined, kid?" the old man asked.
"I've refined both arms and legs for now. I've started on the body," Aurelius replied.
Aurelius then embarked on a journey from the Southern region to the Western region, where the succubus thrived. He traveled to the Northern region, dominated by fallen angels, then to the Eastern region, home to demons and devils. After 250 years, he returned to the Southern region, where mixed races dominated.
After a millennium in the underworld, Aurelius called the old man to meet him upon his return home.
"Hey kid, how was the journey?" the old man asked as he arrived.
"The journey was mind-opening. I encountered different races, cultures, and foods," Aurelius replied, his eyes glowing with wisdom, confidence, and passion.
The old man smiled, seeing the transformation from the naive youth he had first met. "Good, kid. Now that you have enough merit points and meet all the requirements, you can skip two statuses and become a knight."
"Yeah, I've been waiting a long time for this," Aurelius said, a determined smile on his face.
"By the way, kid, I forgot to ask. How is the acupuncture opening going?" the old man inquired.
Aurelius sighed. "After all the traveling, I've only been able to open half of the body acupuncture points."
"Don't worry, kid. You have plenty of time," the old man reassured him.
After discussing his journey, Aurelius left for the mission hall to upgrade his status. Meeting with the employees, he explained his purpose and was promptly taken to the manager who could change his status to knight.
As Aurelius entered the manager's office, he was greeted by a familiar face. "Hello, Mr. Aurelius. I hope you haven't forgotten me?" Siddharth, who has now promoted to manager, asked with a smile.
"Of course not, Siddharth. How could I forget the first person I met upon arriving in Chile Town?" Aurelius replied warmly.
After a few formalities and discussions, Siddharth reviewed Aurelius' records and approved his status elevation.
With congratulations exchanged, Aurelius left the mission hall and headed to the residential hall, where he paid 50,000 merit points to settle some of his debt for residing in the underworld.
After settling his affairs, Aurelius returned home, ready to prepare for the next steps in his journey. The years of training, exploration, and mastering various professions had equipped him with knowledge and skills that would aid him in the challenges to come.