Celestial. Taiyi.
Celestial, in the context of a cultivator's body and bones, could mean many things. But for Caine, it held a singular and precise definition: Distance.
The absolute, unfathomable distance that separated the stars from the earth—their bright luster casting shadows upon the heavens, their radiant forms etched into the night sky, defying the very void of existence.
They were the nurturers of life, the challengers of Heaven.
Taiyi, similarly, carried numerous interpretations, but Caine's vision for it remained steadfast: Totality.
Everything, everywhere, all at once. The convergence of all existence—not into one singular entity, but under a supreme form that dominated all else. A single star reigning over every avenue.
Together, these two ideas forged a meaning only Caine could fully comprehend.
In the cultivation world, names held unparalleled significance, especially for those like Caine who paved their own paths with every step. Names weren't just labels—they embodied power, destiny, and defiance.
If Caine succeeded in forging this bone structure, the power he would wield would be… special.
But, as with all things, it wasn't so simple. If forging such power were easy, the first cultivator would have named their creation the "Absolute God Blood Qi Bone Structure" and ruled over all. Yet they hadn't—not because they couldn't, but because they hadn't dared. In fact, they hadn't named their bone structures at all.
Even now, most cultivators avoided naming their creations. They named only the manuals, and for good reason—fear. Fear of the Heavens above.
Whether Caine understood the risks of his audacity was uncertain. But even if he did, it likely wouldn't matter to him. He had defied the will of this world once. He could do so again if necessary.
Time would reveal whether his actions were arrogance or calculated risk.
***
Sat cross-legged on his bed, Caine was motionless, his breathing even and his heartbeat so faint it seemed nonexistent.
The atmospheric qi of the world, which usually flocked to him like loyal servants rejoicing at the sight of their lord, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, an oppressive stillness hung heavy in the room.
The flow of his blood resembled a wild, untamed river, surging through every corner of his body. His bones, now etched with intricate runes and formations, stood like celestial pillars—supporting the heavens and dominating the earth.
Caine slowly opened his eyes, and a shockwave of qi rippled outward, shaking the room. The silver depths of his pupils now carried an unreadable brilliance.
He exhaled a shaky breath and raised his hand, summoning a thread of blood qi that wove gracefully between his fingers.
'I've eliminated one of my greatest weaknesses—reliance on atmospheric qi.'
Though he could still harness it with his rings, he resolved not to. The higher one ascended in cultivation, the more powerful their dominion over qi became. Considering most of Caine's future opponents would be realms beyond him, it was a flaw he needed to address immediately.
By relying solely on the blood qi naturally produced within his body, he couldn't match the sheer quantity of atmospheric qi—at least, not yet. But in terms of quality? He was now leagues ahead of anything the world could produce.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The sudden, violent knocking on his door shattered the silence.
"Ryder! Get out here! We're late! We've been waiting for you for fucking ages! The monument closes in two hours—we have to leave now!"
A smile crept across Caine's face as his appearance shifted back to that of a blue-eyed young soldier.
"I'm coming!" he called back.
***
A group of soldiers strode briskly through the bustling streets of the Holy Capital, heading toward a towering structure. Their voices carried over the hum of the city, drawing curious glances from passersby.
After all, these were warriors of the Holy Guard—the protectors of the sacred city. How could they not attract attention?
"Damn you, Ryder! If I miss my awakening because of you—"
"It'll be fine," Ryder—Caine's alias—interjected, cutting off the complaint. "We're only five minutes away, and it doesn't close for another hour and a half. Relax." He sighed and added, "Sorry. I got caught up with some things."
"What the hell were you doing, anyway?" one of the soldiers asked, draping an arm over Caine's shoulder. "Were you… you know?"
"What?"
"You know…?"
Caine blinked in confusion, but with a subtle flash of his rings, he peered into the soldier's mind to find the answer.
When he did, he froze.
The soldiers around him burst into laughter, their amusement echoing through the street.
A bitter smile spread across Caine's face as he shook his head. 'Hopefully, I'll find them soon,' he thought, his mind drifting to the image of nine figures. Their faces, filled with trust and hope, lingered in his memory.
"No, I wasn't thinking about her. I told you all—I'm over it. Even if I wasn't—"
"Keep lying to yourself, little man. Weren't you just—"
Their teasing voices and laughter carried on as they continued toward their destination.
The building they approached was known as the Tower of Reconnaissance, or as Most preferred to call it, the Elemental Hall.
Within the Holy Guard, soldiers could attempt to awaken their affinities here, provided they had earned enough merit.
An affinity was an innate attunement to a specific force of existence. The stronger the affinity, the more potent one's control over that force.
Someone with even a minor affinity for fire, for instance, could summon flames effortlessly, regardless of their cultivation stage. But affinities extended far beyond elements.
As Caine had witnessed, affinities could encompass forces like time, space, gravity—or even emotions.
Soran, one of the nobles of the timeless alliance, for example, possessed an affinity called Elemental Rage, which allowed his emotions to dictate his elemental powers. When angry, he commanded flames. When sorrowful, he controlled water. When joyous, he wielded the wind.
Affinities formed the foundation of a cultivator's prowess, a direct reflection of their potential.
As Caine approached the tower with his companions, his thoughts shifted to the path ahead. For him, awakening an affinity wasn't about power, well, not entirely.
This awakening was what he needed to fully complete his bones.