180. Two Sides of the World – A Year Later
A year later:
[Television Debate: Should technology interfere with Cultivation]
(Just look at what the West had achieved in the past hundred year. They have already entered the age of digitization. Every day, new ideas are being transformed and competing with each other and had significantly improved both the lives of common men and soldiers. Just two hundred years ago, how many brave warriors died defending us from these beasts coming out from these cursed spatial tears. And just how many…)
(I think Dr. Leonard is completely missing my point. I never said I’m opposed to these innovations brought to us by technology. In fact, I feel sorry that the viewers we have across the kingdom is unable to appreciate the colors of your bowtie tonight because they are only allowed to have black and white TV.)
[Distinct audience laughter]
([Moderator] If I may interrupt, then . . . can Dr. Schmitt elaborate his point.)
(I’m sure the Mages protecting us from higher levels of Spatial Tears are aware of how beautiful lives have improved over the past century especially in the west like what Dr. Leonard said, and I’m not denying that. But if you observe closely, the closer we get to these Class S Spatial Tears, the lesser and selective the influence of technology is. Now why is that?
Look at our kingdom for example. Take Runic Guns as an example. How many lives could have been saved if every soldier is equipped with one instead of bows or swords? No matter how obvious this fact is, the most powerful of mages have yet to break their silence on this matter. Is it because they love seeing people die? Maybe they take joy in watch someone get eaten by those monsters? No! I’m sure there is a good reason for it and I’m not defending their decision but all I’m saying is, there must be a reason. Consequences that we may not understand. Maybe a harsher truth we regular men won’t understand or maybe something it’s too early for the public to know.
There is a saying that goes, there are things better left unknown.)
(Sounds to me that they just want to maintain the structures of powers and it disappoints me that you, a man of science, who should be pursuing truth, is proclaiming that we should stop discovering the unknown. It is with this kind of reasoning that you still see people eating Beast Cores to enlarge their genetalia.)
[Distinct audience laughter]
([Moderator]Ha ha ha. Gentlemen, I must admit, this conversation had been very amusing. For now, let’s take a break while we collect the questions from the audience. Please remember our topic for tonight, “Should technology interfere with Cultivation?”
We’ll be right back after a few commercials!)
*Slurp!
Clay loudly sipped from a bowl of hot soup. Almost a year had passed since Master Kraus took him in and he had just finished his daily task of mastering basic Runic Inscriptions and part of his daily routine, he would turn on the only form of entertainment available which is a black and white TV.
Similar to earth, televisions have their own set of programs aired everyday and through watching that Clay discovered that some parts of the world are already using cell phones. And just like the speakers of the debate being broadcasted, the country he is living at is part of eastern kingdom close to the border where digital technology is banned the more people go eastward.
From his observation, after a few hundred more years, either this world’s civilization will regress or embrace the gift of technology.
Clay had his fair share living between barbaric nomadic tribes to the most developed civilization and while he did not get the chance to study and enjoy those technologies, he still have an idea why science and technology is not allowed or rather too early to meddle in the affairs of this world’s cultivation.
Take A’U planet for example. While many parts of the planet is highly developed, majority of the planet is left alone for magical monsters to thrive. And it is not to protect nature, but purposely preserved for warriors to be nurtured.
In the cultivation world, be it Mages or Spiritual Qi Practitioners, while technology plays a vital part in uncovering the world and the universe, clash of civilizations hostile with each other is a common occurrence and Mages or Cultivators who rely solely on advanced weaponry will be the first to fall.
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He still remembered his encounter with Sven Norkata (Chapter 142). A cultivator raised in an advance civilization and so young yet have displayed ferocity and deadly killing intent of an experienced cultivator. Such cultivator could not have been refined by peaceful society. He must have been thrown into a wilderness teeming with terrifying beasts, an environment subjecting one’s body to the extreme in order to comprehend the ultimate power only gods can have, Dao.
Dao, even to this new world, it still as elusive as ever. Clay had been observing everyone within the military base he had been brought to and he had not seen a single person who can manifest the mysterious power. Despite everyone holding swords and had been trained in Spiritual Qi, not one can display Sword Dao.
There was this one night four months ago during the opening of a Spatial Tear where he was woken up after feeling a trace of familiar aura. It was almost incomprehensible and only lasted for a few moments that he had not have Dao during his previous life, he may not have noticed it. However, that ripple of energy is not really the Dao he is familiar of but the resemblance is almost the same. Similar to how Spiritual Qi manifest in this world, he knew it is still Spiritual Qi but of different from due to the difference in the Law governing the universe.
From what he has observed, unlike his previous lives, the dominant energy in this world is mana and it is probably the reason he has yet to spot a Dao user. Maybe it does but mana being superior, it probably is not worth pursuing.
*Sigh
Clay let a long sigh. Tomorrow, having mastered basic Runic Inscriptions, he will be brought to another place and take the Erindal Mages admission. He can only hope that school will give him answers to enable his cheat once more.
Meanwhile, on window not far from Clay, Master Kraus is smoking a cigar. On his left hand are five tiny metallic coins the size of index finger nail all inscribed by Clay. When the coins are magnified, the surface would reveal weird symbols and if there is something common on them, it is the line drawn at the center dividing the coin in half, a line which is a property of spells most compatible with Level I Mages. Should those coins have two parallel lines, then it would be spells compatible for Level II Mages, triangle for III, square for IV, pentagon for V, hexagon for VI and so on.
Master Kraus is in deep thought. He believes that if Clay had a few more years, the boy should be able to master Level II Inscriptions or maybe even lesser. Being an Inscriptionist himself, they key is being able to carve the basic Runic Patterns. The rest will be a matter of deriving the same logic in order to carve Level II patterns.
He remembered when he was deemed to have potential to become Mage Apprentice. Had he known that one can pass the admission by being able to inscribe Runes, he would rather gamble on that chance. He knew how difficult it is to become an Inscriptionist as he himself took four years to successfully inscribe a basic Fire Ball Rune but to undergo gruesome combat training only to fail on the lowest level of the admission ceremony, it had become a nightmare he had always wanted forgotten.
Kraus turned his head towards Clay. Who would have thought that the boy deemed to have no chance and given up on by Royal Military themselves would miraculously made it. Even he did not expect much and thought that Clay would follow his path however on the twelfth month, the boy greeted him with a successful Fireball Rune.
For a moment, envy took over him. That feeling of jealousy almost consumed him he would do anything to acquire Clay’s talents. But he knew too well his golden days are over and can only curse and blame the heavens for being unfair.
Tomorrow, he will accompany Clay to the test. As he smoke puffed out of his nose, he just hopes Clay will remember him in the future.
The following morning, Kraus and Clay travelled together and after a few hours, they finally arrived at the base of an unknown mountain. Just like an ancient shrine, there is a wide stairways leading to the top.
As more and more people arrived, the place started to become crowded. There are currently more than 70 children all below the age of 12 and the youngest among them is 9 and each kid is accompanied by an adult.
All these kids have been gathered across three dukedom regions and every kid present today all have qualifications to become Official Mage Apprentice and each one had been groom by their own respective teachers.
“Now remember, when you go up there, locate the workshop for runic inscriptions and immediately carve the five runic spells I thought you, okay?” Master Kraus kneeled on one knee so he could see Clay’s face. Their meeting was short and was not enough to establish real connection however, if Clay fails today, he doesn’t mind adopting him. Otherwise, this will be his goodbye.
“Mhhh” Clay nodded and ignored the brawny hand patting his head.
“Tell me again what they are?” For the first time, Master Kraus put a smile on his face.
“Fire Ball, Water Ball, Air Bullet, Earth Jet, and Lightning Arc”
“Good, good. Now remember. After carving them, insert them into the five Wand Sticks and if anyone takes it away from you, use it to attack them, got it?”
“Mhhh”
As soon as Clay nodded, he heard a loud voice
(Alright everyone, have your candidates climb the mountain whenever they are ready. If they fail because they don’t know what they are doing, then it is your fault. Is it unfair? Yes, it is and it is your fault. Now move along.)
“When they give you your identity tag, make sure to exchange your initial points to Beast Spirit Essence, okay? Don’t you forget it, okay?” Kraus reminded one last time before letting Clay go. “See you in six months.”
Not long after, Clay was in the middle of the stairways. He turned around and looked below to where Kraus was standing. He has yet to know the contents of the examination but seeing the confident Kraus, he knew it won’t be difficult to pass the test.
Seeing that Kraus was looking at him, Clay smiled before turning around.