Hello, dear readers! Here's chapter 102! Hope you'll enjoy it!
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Bright Star City, Bright Star Island, Flowing Stars Archipelago, Earth
Demian's P.O.V.
Time passed, as swiftly and silently as a light breeze in Autumn. A week later, the last piece of understanding naturally fell into place, completing the 'puzzle' he was wracking his brain on, which brought a light smile to Demian's face. After taking a deep breath, he stopped circulating his Cultivation Technique and opened his eyes. "Nine Flawed Runes comprehended, 100% of Inner Energy converted into Elemental Energy of Peak Pure quality... I can now say that my Energy Cultivation is a resounding success!" After pondering for a brief moment, he wondered. 'But I still can't break through to Flawless Quality. Going from 99% purity to 100% is really tough. It feels even harder than going from the Refined Quality Energy I started with a few months ago to the Peak Pure Quality I'm currently at... Maybe I should ask Teacher if he has some insights? I can also use that opportunity to ask him about Intent now that I finished comprehending the Nine Flawed Runes.' The four known Stages of Purity were: Flawed (From 1% to 33%), Refined (From 34% to 66%), Pure (From 67% to 99%), and last was Flawless with 100% Purity. The higher one went, the bigger the difference in raw strength and the harder it was to refine one's Energy with the last 1% that separated 99% and 100% Purity representing a massive chasm. At least, that was what the information he read in the Information Jade.
With a slight thought, a few droplets of Water Elemental Energy appeared before his eyes, floating in a circle, combining and separating in a fascinating dance. 'Although I can't be entirely certain without proper comparison, my Spells' power should have caught up with my physical strength. In other words, average Mid Foundation Building Cultivators can now be crushed easily. And that's without having practiced the new Spells Teacher gave me...' Another thought, and the droplets disappeared as if they were simply illusions. 'It's strange, though... I already condensed my Inner Energy into the Peak Energy Rain Stage, but it doesn't feel like I've reached the limits. Can I go beyond it without breaking through to the next Rank?' Although most Cultivators tended to use either Low, Mid, High, Peak, or First through Ninth Levels when speaking of Cultivation Base, each Major Level in each Rank had specific phenomena with distinctive characteristics used to identify one's progress. In the Chi Gathering Rank, one started by gathering Spiritual Energy located inside one's Lower Inner Core into a Mist, condensing it to the limit three times to turn the Mist into Drizzle. Condensing it three more times transformed it into Rain, and after another three condensations, one reached the limit of the Rank, the so-called Peak of Chi Gathering Rank. Filling the Lower Inner Core to the limit, condensing the Energy, breaking through the Core's inner barrier to make it grow and house even more Energy, and thus repeating the cycle again. Although sounding dull, the benefits one received, whether it be in power or longevity, made it well worth the effort.
From what he learned, the Stage of Energy Rain was the limit, and any further progress pushed one toward the next Rank. However, as soon as he refined his Inner Energy to the Peak Pure Quality, Demian sensed the appearance of a potential secondary path that he may be able to take without having to reach the next Rank. It was vague, merely an impression, but it was there nonetheless, and as someone who trusted his instincts, he could not ignore this new development. 'Using pure logic, if I reach that vague Stage, it should make me stronger and deepen my foundation... I'm sure there's a price for it, like harder Tribulation, bottlenecks, slower Cultivation, etc., but it's not really a problem for me, is it? I mean, with a Perk like mine, it'd be a waste not to pursue the extreme limit of each Rank, right?' Pausing his pondering for a second, he then decided. 'Whatever the case, it's not something super urgent since I'm not planning to go through my Tribulation right away. I still need to perfect my other two Cultivation Systems, after all.' Indeed, the reason why most Cultivators were stuck at the Peak of Chi Gathering Rank was either because they were incapable of sensing their own Tribulation due to a lacking foundation or were simply too afraid to go through it for the same reason. After all, even geniuses could be struck dead if they took things lightly, let alone random people with flawed foundations. As for Demian, his accumulations were so deep that only a light push was needed for him to break his bottleneck and trigger his Tribulation, the hardest part being not to do it. But why would he choose quick success over long-term success? It was much better to increase his accumulation, which would not only increase the benefits he would receive when passing the Tribulation but also give him a head start when reaching the next Rank. 'And it's not like I'm particularly pressed for time...' He thought before standing up and walking back inside his bedroom, a pair of shoes and a short-sleeved shirt materializing on his body.
That was a neat trick he perfected during the last week after improving his own understanding of the Void Ring's characteristics. With a few tests, he learned that the principles behind the Tier 2 Item were actually 'Void Dimension' used to store Items and 'Void Displacement', which was the action of taking out or bringing in objects from the 'Void Dimension' through the use of Void Energy. Void Energy was very elusive for someone with such a low Cultivation Base like him, and something that was usually only touched upon when one reached the Peak of Core Formation (Tier 3). Fortunately, the Array inscribed inside the Ring did the heavy lifting, and he only needed to command it, similar to a remote control for a TV, making it easy to move objects in and out of the Ring. However, using the latter to make a shirt appear directly on his upper body took a bit more skill and spatial perception, something he, fortunately, did not lack. Thus, the skill was mastered, and Demian could finally clothe himself with a simple thought. 'Technology truly can't beat magic!' He joked inwardly while his steps led him outside the central courtyard before moving toward the main house with a slow stride as he let his mind soak into the tranquil atmosphere. That was a habit he had started since his first contemplation on his Endless Tide Heavenly Technique. The reason behind the new practice was a realization he had: 'If those Runes work as a sort of roadmap to the workings of Universal Laws, then contemplating Nature should also give a significant boost to my own understanding, right? It'd be like mixing theory and practice into one and getting more than the sum of the two.'
With his goal being the Tide Intent, it would have been better for him to observe the Sea's movements. Unfortunately, the Sea was not exactly close to their Mansion, the latter being located in the Inner City. However, only the Outer City, a few hundred kilometers away, had access to the Sea. To be fair, it would not take that much time to travel there with the Mansion's means, such as asking one of the Foundation Building guards to bring him there or book a taxi, which was something that actually existed in a city of Cultivators like Bright Star City. He could also use his own mastery of Water Elemental Energy to 'walk through the air' until he reached one of the three main ports or the beach outside the City proper. However, all of that was not really necessary for the moment. For him, even the simple act of observing a stream of water flowing along could bring him some comprehension of those Flawed Runes. Although how to go beyond his initial understanding and condense an Intent was something that eluded him, despite having access to Profound Runes. It felt a bit like having a mathematical problem and its answer, but not having the steps leading from the former to the latter, increasing the difficulty of understanding by a lot. 'No wonder only those with decent comprehension can use Higher-Grade Techniques.' He randomly thought while immersing his mind in the world.
A few minutes later, as he finally reached the entrance of the main Courtyard, where his Teacher and Aunt Ling resided, his mind exited his 'Comprehension State', bringing a thought to the forefront. 'It feels like I'm groping my way into the dark. I can tell I'm making some progress, but how much and how far I still need to walk is impossible to tell.' After standing still for a second in pondering, Demian then shook his head slightly and resumed walking through the small gate separating the Mansion grounds from the house's interior. The house's layout was pretty similar to their own Guest Courtyard, although much bigger, as it also housed several maids with different backgrounds and Cultivation. Having gone into 'Monk mode' for a week, however, Demian only met a few of them during meal time when one of them came to cook for the four Mikhailovs or chanced upon one of them cleaning his own room. To be honest, he could have done it himself and even suggested the idea, but it was instantly shot down by the simple reply from the woman called Chen Yue: 'If the Young Lord doesn't let us do our jobs as maids, then what use are we?' The intense look in her eyes at the time had instantly made Demian drop the idea of taking care of the House by himself.
'With Magic, maids are truly a useless luxury... Oh well, it's not my money, any...' His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when the figure of a woman entered his sight, prompting him to nod at her with a smile and ask in Chinese. "Hello, Miss Chen. How are you doing on this fine afternoon?" The Asian beauty sporting a composed expression returned a light smile before replying in the same language with a slight bow of her upper body. "I am very well, Young Lord, thank you for asking. I hope your stay in the Serene Mansion has been enjoyable so far." Nodding his head, he replied while wearing a wry smile. "It has, of course. But I already told you, Miss Chen, there's no need for any Young Lord nonsense. Just call me Demian, it's enough." Shaking her head, she replied firmly. "It's not possible, Young Lord. Proprieties need to be followed." Feeling a bit exasperated, he thought wryly. 'No wonder Aunt Ling is so frustrated with you...' Out loud, he remarked in a defeated tone. "Fine, then. Just call me whatever you want." Ignoring the glint of victory in her eyes, he chose instead to move on to the reason he came to the main house in the first place. "Anyway, Miss Chen. Do you know if Teacher is available? I have a few questions about Cultivation to ask him." Despite Sergei allowing him to come and go, Demian did not want to bother the couple if he did not need to. After all, putting himself in their shoes, he would not appreciate his own student disrupting his alone time with his wife (Wives?). At least, not too often. People needed their own space, and being a human-shaped nuke capable of manipulating reality had no incidence of that fact.
With a respectful nod, Chen Yue responded. "The Lord is currently chatting with the Lady and should be available. I will go ask him." She then turned and walked inside the house with measured steps, displaying the perfect mastery she possessed over her own body, something that not every Tier 2 Cultivator, even at the Peak, mastered, if the people he saw at the Relay Station were any indication. When he thought about it, it made sense, as most Cultivators focused on the Energy System, which only needed one to master Spells and not Body Techniques. Not only that, but for each breakthrough, the sudden surge in strength would definitely have a great impact, forcing them to spend time retraining to regain the perfect mastery of their own body. Although that was merely his guess, most people would probably focus on growing their Cultivation Base instead. Perfected horizontal training was clearly only for geniuses and not for average Cultivators, as increasing one's longevity was the most important for everyone. As for himself, despite a short Cultivation journey, he went the completionist route, doing his best to constantly try to perfect every aspect of his strength, and body mastery was something he always practiced, whether alone or by sparring with the two Mikhaiilov sisters. Especially Bryn, that battle maniac xianxia protagonist. When he thought of the woman's Cultivation progress in that one week, he felt both happy and exasperated, but quickly shook that thought away as his perception caught Chen Yue's presence returning.
A few seconds later, the woman exited the main building and stated with a smile. "The Lord agreed to see you. You may follow me." Without waiting for him to say anything, she turned back and started walking toward the place she had just come from. Shaking his head slightly, he followed along as a wry thought surfaced in his Mind. 'She's a nice woman, but really too much of a stickler for 'hierarchy'. Unless one is into 'maid-play', she's a bit too much. The women in my family are truly much more to my taste... Speaking of which... with all those maids around him, does that mean Teacher is into 'maid-play'...' As that last thought appeared, he immediately squashed it into oblivion while adding inwardly. 'Whatever Teacher and Aunt Ling do with their maids is none of my business. No way I'm putting my nose into that. My plate is already more than full dealing with my own romantic relationships!' After a brief contemplation, he, as a mature man, assigned the blame to Seraphine. She was definitely the one responsible for his previously pure Mind being corrupted with all those perverted thoughts now appearing in his head. 'Right. Definitely not my fault...'
While his mind was full of random thoughts, the two walked through the front building, separating the Outer Courtyard and the Inner Courtyard, where the rooms used to welcome visitors for a simple visit, for a meal, for tea, etc., were located. As for his Teacher's private quarters, it was at the back of the building, which gave the couple a lot more privacy. However, the latter was not their destination. Instead, it was a beautiful gazebo standing in the middle of the Serene River, linked to the shore by a beautifully crafted wooden bridge. Inside the wooden structure was a simple wooden round table with a few chairs set around it. Disposed on the table itself were snacks, a teapot filled with fragrant tea, and a clay jar with a black liquid that smelled strangely close to coffee but with an added spirituality. Every piece of food and drink emitted Tier 2 fluctuations, refreshing the young man's image of what being lavish was. 'No wonder they told me that Tier 2 gear means nothing to them. Is the difference between Tiers really so huge?' He briefly wondered as his eyes moved toward his Teacher's seated figure, the latter's right hand holding a cup of what smelled like fragrant coffee to his lips while his green irises, directed in his direction, sparkled with appreciation inside. Seated on a chair by the older man's side was the attractive, short-haired Feng Ling, radiating an Aura of unfettered freedom, something that would make most men feel inferior, with only powerful and confident men like his Teacher capable of fully appreciating the sort of woman she was. 'Funny how Seraphine's Aura has begun to resemble hers. I guess Teacher and I have similar tastes in women: powerful, loving, and not adhering to convention.' He thought, amused.
Suddenly, Ling's teasing voice reached his ears, pulling him back from his inner contemplation. "An hour earlier and you'd have met little Sera and Liya. Funny how the three of you chose the same day to consult us." Her words brought a small smile to his face, prompting him to respond. "I did feel Sera moving in this direction earlier, but I was about to finish comprehending the last Flawed Rune of my Cultivation Technique, so I didn't accompany her." As the woman made an understanding gesture, Sergei set his cup down on the table and commented with a cocked brow and a joking tone. "After not seeing you for a week, I was beginning to wonder if something had happened to you." Demian was about to explain himself when Ling interjected with a half-teasing, half-heartfelt remark directed at him but involving her husband as well. "See, kid, you're his first personal student, and after seeing that you apparently didn't need his help, he started to think he was a useless teacher." Those words made the two men freeze for a very brief moment before Sergei moved his gaze toward Ling and, with an expression of light reproach matching his tone, stated. "You didn't have to tell him that, Darling." However, the older woman simply giggled and did not respond. Not wanting his Teacher to misunderstand, Demian explained a bit hurriedly. "It's nothing like that, Teacher! It's just that the information you gave me was very complete, so I progressed very quickly. Without your help, I wouldn't have gained so much!"
Turning his gaze back toward the young man, Sergei regained his calm smile and commented with a small, reassuring gesture. "There's no need for you to explain. Worry is something that naturally surfaces when you become responsible for other people's well-being. It'll resolve itself after a while. Anyway, take a seat first and ask all of your questions. I'll answer as well as I can." After a light nod, Demian found himself a seat facing the two of them and started to explain his predicament. "Actually, I have four problems. Sort of... The first is the fact that my Inner Energy has reached 99% Purity, but I don't know how to reach 100%. It feels like there's a big wall in front of me, and even using my Cultivation Technique to refine my Energy doesn't do anything, despite the fact that I comprehended Nine Flawed Runes. My second problem is linked to the first, which is the fact that I don't really understand how to condense an Intent. I know that I need to blend my understanding of the Nine Flawed Runes, but I don't know how. My third problem is that after reaching the Peak of the Energy Rain Stage, I felt as if there was another Stage beyond it, but still in the Chi Gathering Rank. I'd like to know more about it. And my last question is about how to cultivate a Special Physique. I've also reached the Peak Elementary Grade, but it feels like there's something missing and I can't put my finger on it."
After asking all of his queries, Demian grabbed the cup of Spiritual Coffee that Ling prepared for him and took a sip, his attention on his Teacher's next words. "Mmhh. They're all reasonable questions. Let me explain, then."