The night before Alaric’s 12th Birthday

Alaric reclined on his bed but couldn’t drift off to sleep. He was too exhilarated. After all, tomorrow, he would finally gain access to the system and everything would transform.

After waiting for all these years and learning all he could about the system, he was eager to experience it for himself. He could still observe his ‘status screen’ but it was restricted.

The worst part was that since he was unable to access the system, he couldn’t access his ‘Cultivation Sanctuary’ for all these years.

Alaric chuckled at that thought. When he chose that reward option, he hoped it would prove to be immediately beneficial. But fate threw him a curve ball and he couldn’t access his reward for 5 years.

No matter. I’m still in the early stages of my cultivation journey. On a positive note, Alaric was quite satisfied with what he had accomplished so far.

Although he had failed to partially awaken any of the other chakras, he had successfully purified all the 7 chakras of his subtle body - well, technically at least. Except for his root chakra, they were all on the verge of being completely purified and stepping into the start of the awakening phase.

Alaric’s master would’ve sternly refuted the declaration that a chakra cultivator has fully refined his chakras until they were at least partially awakened. This is because tens of thousands of chakra cultivators got trapped between the gulf of chakra purification and partial awakening.

In his case, all of them, except the root chakra - which had been partially awakened - demanded a little extra effort to cross to the next threshold.

For partial awakening, the root chakra and sacral chakra required one to push beyond their physical and emotional limits, continuously. Otherwise known as the path of continuous improvement.

Alaric succeeded in partially awakening his root chakra during his duel exam with Rowan.

Enduring such a grueling experience could also trigger the partial awakening of the sacral chakra in many chakra cultivators. However, he had a more definitive approach - mind-tempering meditation practices.

The solar plexus chakra required an infusion of mana and performing an ancient breathing technique known as ‘Pranayama’ to finalize the refinement process. It was ideal to execute it when forming his mana core.

To complete the refinement process and partially awaken the heart chakra, he needed to harmonize the three qualities or gunas present in all individuals. Balancing the Trigunas - Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas - was essential for advancing in his cultivation journey and empowering his bloodline.

Another method was to follow the path of ‘Bhakti’ - a devotional worship dedicated to a Supreme God. However, this path didn’t resonate with Alaric, so he didn’t dwell on it too much.

Fortunately, there were many paths that led to the same ultimate destination. It was just a matter of when one would achieve their goal.

The throat chakra required him to vocally chant sacred mantras empowered by his determination to practice - ‘Pratyahara’ - withdrawal of the senses.

The five senses were more fickle than the wind. Thus, anchoring one’s focus to a suitable ‘Alambana’ (support) such as a mantra, was extremely important for the proper practice of ‘Pratyahara’ and achieving success.

There were many different types of mantras a chakra cultivator could embrace to finalize the purification process, but not all mantras were created equal. When one no longer had to rely on the support of an external Alambana such as a vocal mantra, they could progress to the next step.

The third-eye chakra demanded him to engage in ‘Dharana’ or Ekagrata (one-pointed concentration) to stabilize the mind so that one could attain the state of ‘Dhyana’ to cleanse the mind.

Unlike what many cultivators presumed due to a lack of proper knowledge and understanding, ‘Dhyana’ was not synonymous with meditation. It was not a practice one could do deliberately.

In his homeworld, these ancient practices were chronicled in ancient scriptures known as the Vedas. These Vedic texts were inscribed in Sanskrit - the language of the Gods.

Unfortunately, a majority of the population was untrained in Sanskrit, and any translation of specific terms such as Pratyahara, Dharana, or Dhyana couldn’t capture their full essence since they couldn’t be translated precisely. It was merely an approximation.

In this context, the term ‘Dhyana’ more accurately signified another term known as ‘The Flow State’ where one encountered no hindrance when engaging in any kind of physical activity in the present moment.

The ‘Flow State’ enabled humans to perform at their peak potential.

‘Dhyana’ was a distinct type of ‘Flow State’ - only there was no physical activity; it was entirely mental. The physical body remained completely still, whereas the mind effortlessly concentrated on a single Alambana.

A chakra cultivator could consciously practice ‘Dharana’, which required mental exertion. Once they became sufficiently adept at this practice, they seamlessly transitioned into the flow state of ‘Dhyana’ where all efforts to still the mind ceased to exist.

It was an inevitable progression - like pushing a ball and observing it glide along the surface for a time. However, eventually, this momentum would dissipate. It was the same with ‘Dhyana’.

Lastly, there were numerous ways to partially awaken the crown chakra. One approach was to persist in practicing Dharana and honing it to progressively dwell longer in the Dhyana state.

After attaining sufficient mastery, this Dhyana state would ascend to the state of ‘Samadhi’ (Complete Absorption), where even your ‘Ahamkara’ (Ego or sense of identity) would dissolve.

It was only then that you could glimpse your ‘True Self’ (Atman) - The Non-Dual Awareness (Brahman).

The state of Samadhi was further classified into many levels, but Alaric didn’t ponder on them for now.

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Another way to partially awaken the crown chakra was to undertake ‘Nididhyasana’ (Vedantic Contemplation).

However, this required the correct understanding of ‘Atman’ and the guidance of a Guru (Spiritual Master) who could assist you in unraveling the profound meaning of the Vedantic cryptic texts and enigmatic statements known as Mahavakyas (The Great Sayings).

Under the blessing of a Guru, when one truly comprehended the essence of the ‘True Self’, contemplating these Mahavakyas alone was sufficient for the liberation of their soul and achieving enlightenment - let alone partial awakening of the crown chakra.

Or so he had learned from his master. In his previous life, he hadn’t had the fortune to encounter a single Jivanmukta (liberated while living) - a True Immortal Soul who was freed from the cycle of birth, death, and karma.

For Alaric, this last phase loomed as his biggest challenge. His master was a tremendously powerful chakra cultivator, but he was not a Guru.

Alaric exhaled a sigh and redirected his focus to scrutinize his subtle body. Each of his chakras vibrated at a distinct frequency of the pranic energy spectrum and pulsed with a unique color, corresponding to the colors of the rainbow.

Starting from the root chakra radiating a vivid crimson to the crown chakra radiating a brilliant violet.

They filtered the prana of his mortal vessel in their respective ways, storing it for future utilization. It would endow him with all the necessary advantages to rise to the top of the cultivation food chain.

Once he gained access to mana, he would be able to fully awaken these chakras to derive more benefits. And, later came the painstaking task of blooming the petals to extract their real value.

Alaric dismissed these thoughts. Instead, he concentrated on his plans for tomorrow.

Lately, he had been training exclusively in the Knight’s training ground. Captain Farrow had finished imparting all he could at this stage almost 6 months ago. Now, they engaged in bi-weekly sparring sessions.

To his embarrassment, Captain Farrow still wiped the floor with Alaric without even shifting from his position.

Sometimes, Alaric liked to channel root chakra energy to catch his stern instructor off guard, but ultimately, it made no difference. On the flip side, Alaric ranked as the third strongest kid in the estate, after Rowan and Therin.

Rowan had advanced significantly after unlocking access to mana. At age 12, when one unlocked the system and mana, they became a Tier 0. At this stage, their objective was to learn how to sense mana and, of course, acquire the three foundational mana skills.

Once they learned sensing mana, the next task involved learning the skills for absorbing and controlling it. Ultimately, their aim was to integrate the three foundational skills into the fundamental mana manipulation ability.

Naturally, some kids were better at mana manipulation due to their innate talent and intellect. However, hard work and knowledge about the correct way to manipulate mana helped a lot.

Once one learned to manipulate mana well, the subsequent goal was to form their mana core to advance to Tier 1. Typically, this entire journey - acquiring the three foundational skills and crafting their mana core - spanned anywhere between 3 months to a year depending on numerous factors.

Rowan succeeded in acquiring the three foundational skills and forming his mana core in 6 months. He was exceptionally gifted and diligent but lacked the proper resources to speed up his progress.

At Tier 1, the objective was to learn how to cultivate and assimilate mana into different aspects of your body and permanently integrate it with your being.

This enhanced the physical strength of your body to an entirely new level. At this stage, it was essential to master as many mana skills as possible to establish a strong foundation.

Of course, there were numerous other considerations that Alaric wasn’t privy to yet.

At age 15, Rowan was almost on the verge of becoming a Tier 2 now.

Therin was the Knight Commander’s squire and the same age as Rowan. However, he was also a minor noble and, therefore, had access to cultivation resources that propelled his progress faster than Rowan’s.

Overall, Therin and Rowan possessed a comparable power level, but Therin managed to secure an edge during combat due to his bloodline.

Alaric released a sigh. No, I have to sleep for now. He clutched his side pillow closer. There will be plenty of time to dwell on this later.

***

Alaric wasn’t sure what time it was, but his sleep was interrupted by a warm sensation radiating through his body. He snapped awake but couldn’t move his body — not even open his eyelids.

However, he could sense the surge of energy coursing through each of his limbs, organs, skin, blood, and bones. The entire process wasn’t painful. It just felt peculiar.

Fortunately, it didn’t last long. When the warm feeling subsided, he heard a high-pitched ding resonate in his mind.

Congratulations! You have gained access to the system. Please, open your status screen for further details.

So, here it is, at last. He felt an immense urge to inspect his status screen that very moment. Almost as if some foreign force was urging him. No use waiting. Let’s see what I’ve got.

Name - Alaric De Vermond.

Age - 12

Stats:

Strength - 18

Agility - 19

Vitality - 16

Mind - 23

Soul - 29

Titles:

Ally of the System (Signature)

Unused experience points - 713

System Rewards Granted - Cultivation Sanctuary

Alaric reviewed his status screen but didn’t feel as enthusiastic as he hoped. The stats didn’t mean anything to him. Hmm…I have to compare these stats with somebody, perhaps Rowan to comprehend them.

Alaric had no doubt that his starting stats were higher than normal due to the gains he derived from purifying his chakras. Of course, the physical training contributed a little bit but not enough to truly make a difference.

He assumed new sections of his status screen would unlock as he progressed through the Tiers and advanced in his cultivation journey, but he would have to be patient for that.

His attention shifted to the title, ‘Ally of the system (Signature)’. As soon as it did, a new window popped up in his view.

Ally of the system (Signature) - You are favored by the system and granted privileges beyond the reach of ordinary users. The effects of this title include an increased skill acquisition rate, enhanced survivability during tribulations, and reduced penalties for actions that might trigger the wrath of the system.

Hmm…what a cryptic description. Alaric understood the part about the improved skill acquisition rate.

That in itself was a major advantage since the number of skills one possessed played a major role in their overall power and progression journey. However, enhanced survivability during tribulations and reduced penalties had some cryptic implications.

Typically, a cultivator could encounter tribulations when they broke a solemn oath or committed something severe to disrupt their karmic balance in order to cheat their way to power. But that was a rare scenario. Now, what might offend the system and provoke its wrath, he had no clear idea.

Perhaps, something like that Anomaly could trigger the wrath of the system.

Alaric shrugged. He eyed over the ‘unused experience points’ section.

Would you like to spend the experience points to level up your stats? Current available points - 713.

Alaric dismissed the system prompt with a mental command. He didn’t want to allocate any experience points to level up for now without discussing these matters with Rowan. Finally, he navigated to the ‘rewards granted section.’

Would you like to access your cultivation sanctuary?

Alaric decided to wait on that matter. Who knew how time functioned in that pocket dimensional space?

He opted to experiment with his cultivation sanctuary tomorrow. Now, it was time to rest. When Alaric attempted to close his status sheet, a sudden ping resonated in his mind.

Error! Unusual cultivation technique detected in the user.

Initiating scan…

Adjusting the status screen to reflect new parameters.