Chapter 5: Choice.

Inner demon…Inner Demon…Inner Demon…

These words kept repeating in Shuang Dao’s head as he looked at the sword in front of him.

He did not know what was going on, the world around him started darkening as he felt deep headache. He could not take his eyes from the sword as he kept staring at it.

Old Man Shu’s words were injected with Spiritual Energy which pierced his mind and went straight to his heart.

The world around him slowed down as he felt his heart beat increase.

His head started spinning as he felt like himself going crazy.

The more he stared at the sword the bigger pain he felt.

Old Man Shu strongly patted Shuang Dao on the shoulder and he got back to reality. Shuang Dao shook his head as he was getting over it.

“Something happened when you were little and since then an inner sword demon possessed you. Maybe you saw someone dear to you killed by a sword. Instead of being afraid of swords you got obsessed by them like some devil. This even influenced others around you, your will-power is too strong and so you were not willing to face your true self.” Old Man Shu spoke seriously as he looked Shuang Dao in the eyes.

Shuang Dao trembled, “No I love swords!” Shuang Dao said as he kneeled and tears started rolling from his face. He remembered someone getting his head cut off by a sword when Shuang Dao was very little, but he could not remember the face or clear figure of the person. The only thing he knew, is that the person was very dear to him. Being able to remember something when he was around 1 year old is already extremely shocking and it meant that it was deeply imprinted into his mind. One either completely forgets about the bad things that happen to one, or it is implemented in to one’s mind.

“You have two choices right now Shuang Dao! You either forget the way of the sword and choose different path or become a demon possessed by the Dao of the sword! THERE WILL BE NO TURNING BACK AND YOU WILL FOREVER LOOSE YOUR COMPANIONS!” Old Man Shu shouted as he looked at Shuang Dao.

“No, I love swords! No! No! NO! NO!” Shuang Dao started screaming as he was blinded by his inner demon.

Shuang Dao grabbed the sword next to him and started swinging it like a madman as tears fell from his eyes.

“BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! DO NOT LET THE INNER DEMON CONTROL YOU!” Old Man Shu shouted as he looked at Shuang Dao, unfortunately inner demons can only be handled by your true self and so he could not help Shuang Dao directly. All he could do is help Shuang Dao engage is inner self.

“Shut up! Shut the fuck up!” Shuang Dao shouted as he swung his sword towards Old Man Shu like a madman.

Old Man Shu neither quickly nor slowly took hold of the sword. Holding the sword in the hand while retreating few meters he blew on the sword and the sword was blow away by the wind! The whole sword turned to dust.

“Give me my sword!” Shuang Dao shouted like a devil with horrendous voice.

…

At this time Solitary demons were still peacefully hibernating in the baths not suspecting a single thing.

Shuang Dao continued to punch and kick Old Man Shu, but without any success.

Suddenly something clicked in Shuang Dao’s head, “FUCK OFF!!!!!!!!!” he started screaming with all his power even his hair floated for a second before turning back to normal. It was the power of his spirit, his inner self.

“What an astonishing will to go against the heavens! He could not accept the fact that someone dear to him was killed with a sword so he tried to control the sword like a madman. It’s as if he wanted to possess the sword and destroy it thoroughly so that no one else in the universe could use sword ever again!” Old Man Shu was speculating in his mind, throughout his thousands of years he had seen too many things, but he never seen such a will. A will that just a simple human possesses!

“Sword is the only way!” Shuang Dao shouted looking towards left and then next moment he looked at his right, “I hate the way of the sword!” It was as if he was talking to himself.

“You can’t destroy Dao of the sword it’s invincible!” Shuang Dao looked at his left, the he looked at his right, “I will destroy you fucking heavens and make it so that no one can use a sword ever again!” Shuang Dao punched his left side of the face as he knocked himself out.

Inside his mind Shuang Dao was standing in front of another himself, but the other one was holding a sword in his hand.

“It’s time for you to behave like a good kid!” The true self of Shuang Dao spoke and punched his Inner Demon in the face.

Blocking the punch Inner Demon clicked his tongue and stabbed Shuang Dao in the heart.

Shuang Dao smiled as his heart was pierced, “You are forgetting that you are in my world!” Shuang Dao shouted as pushed forward sword going out of his back.

Standing right in front of Inner Demon Shuang Dao pierced with his hand Inner Demon in the heart and grabbed the Inner Demons heart he pulled it out like a savage.

“You are me and I am you! SO SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Shuang Dao true self shouted as he stepped back and the inner demon fell on the ground while he took out the sword with another hand. Then he put Inner Demons heart inside his chest where the sword was pierced before.

“I am you, and you are me! We need to cooperate you piece of shit. You do know the immensity Heaven and Earth!”

After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea Shuang Dao finally awoke, his eyes clear and no longer clouded by the Inner Demon.

He lifted his head and looked at Old Man Shu, “T-thank you for helping me… I could not control it anymore, but it seems like ever since I saw you yesterday and how powerful you were. I entered completely new world, before I was just a frog in the well, your aura shook my inner self and that’s why I was able to free myself…” Shuang Dao spoke as tears fell from his eyes, he still could hardly think that he even affected others with his inner demon.

“I must tell my companions, and if they want they should change their weapons… It was only because of me that their eyes were clouded.

Old Man Shu nodded as he looked at Shuang Dao, “You made the right decision, now you must find a weapon that suits you the best.”

“No…” Shaung Dao suddenly spoke and he looked at Old Man Shu who was momentarily startled by Shuang Dao words, “My weapon will be my body and my body alone.”

Old Man Shu gasped, after all, humans and humanoid like creatures heavily relied on equipment, because of their achievement in enchantment as well as the unique materials that this plane possess. He had never seen anyone fighting without any kind of enchanted equipment even some beasts use them. Although Spirit beasts had naturally much stronger body then humans and so they were very proud and would not use any kind of equipment just their body.

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“How are going to do that?” Old Man Shu spoke as he looked at Shuang Dao curiously.

“I don’t know but I will definitely do it!” Shuang Dao shouted confidently as he looked at Old Man Shu with resolution on his face.

Old Man Shu sighed as he remembered a saying, ‘Ignorant people are not afraid of anything.’ But then he remembered something, he remembered that this brats control over his body is the highest he had ever seen in a thirteen year old! Actually by seven! Yun Ji’s control over his body and everyone else’s in the team were extremely high and they were young geniuses that’s for sure. But Shang Dao broke all the limits!

Suddenly Old Man Shu’s eyes went blank as he remembered the most fascinating thing as he started laughing.

“SHUANG DAO THE HEAVENS ARE HELPING YOU!” Old Man Shu shouted and unexpectedly a book appeared his hand, it was actually the foundation technique that he wanted to teach these brats. It was the strongest foundation technique that he has ever seen. Unfortunately it didn’t go further than foundation, but he was sure of one thing. The one who created this technique died, because of this technique!

“Shuang Dao do you know that there are three paths that all beings pursue? One is the path of Pneuma energy, another one is Qi energy and the third one is Spiritual Energy. Spirit can be manifested in 5 different elements just like Qi and Spiritual energy, but the difference is that Spirit focuses on the mind while Qi focuses on your Dantian! Qi is the essence of the blood, while Pneuma is the essence of your inner true self! But both of them has to get the energy from the universe. Spiritual energy is not any different, but only spirit beasts can pursue it, as they are the ones who have Spirit Core. However Spirit Core contains both Pneuma energy and Spirit energy. That’s why Beasts are unable to actually cultivate Pneuma energy and only Spirit energy. When one kills the beast, Pneuma energy escapes the body as it is deeply connected to your soul. That’s why when one dies some of the Pneuma energy travels with you towards reincarnation. Making so that the more powerful you were in your last life the more powerful you will be in your next life, and it doesn’t matter in what form you are reborn. Humans and other beings however has four cores! They have three Qi cores and one Spiritual Core! They are both the paths of walking bomb as they accumulate more and more energy in the end manifesting into different forms.

But what would happen if one relied on strengthening one’s body and mind without absorbing the energy of the universe into their cores? Every single thing has Pneuma and Qi/Spiritual energy, normal people accumulate Qi and Pneuma energy over the years but of course because they are not strengthening their cores enough it finally leaks which is, ‘natural death’. What would happen if one would have cores so strong that they would never be braked? The answer is immortality!

This is the dream of every single expert! Through arduous practice and the energy of the universe one can strengthen your container but if one practises Qi then one is unable to strengthen the spirit too much and vice versa. So one of the containers will eventually burst and you will die. What would happen if you would suddenly stop absorbing that Qi and Spirit energy? Would that mean your core would never burst?

With this technique we will know if it’s possible or not! For me it’s too late, but for you it’s not, you might be the only one who can cultivate this technique. It all depends on your luck.”

As Old Man Shu said so he threw the book at Shuang Dao who cached it as he stumbled a little bit.

Shuang Dao’s head was dizzy as he looked at the Manual in his hand, “Twelve Gates book.” Its name was.

Opening the first page there was an image of rabbit and under it written, “Rabbit Gate.” It started with, “The first gate of rabbit is something everyone can achieve, but whether you can achieve higher Gate depends on you.

Requirement for achieving Sheep Gate: Control status 50 or more by the day your age hits number 13. In other words the time it takes for the sun orbit the plane 4,732 times. If the requirement is not met by then, it means you have no chance to achieve higher Gate. If one practices this technique even if the requirements not met then they will be able to put the rabbit gate but will never be able to put on the seal of higher grade

Still! I believe that my technique is definitely number one foundation technique under heaven! Although I died trying to comprehend the next Gate after Sheep gate, but I believe that someone with my notes and knowledge will finally be able to achieve it.”

Besides the definition of how to train this technique and these words there were 5986 other pages which showed that 5986 people were trying to comprehend the higher gate then sheep but no one succeeded in the end. Although if one looked at their notes like some kind of trend every single one of them wrote their control at the age of 13, it’s as if they were proud. Every single one of them was 50! It’s as if that was the limit, the limit heavens themselves has set. However, Shuang Dao reached 57! Shuang Dao’s birthday was just two weeks ago and back then it was same as now 57, he even felt that soon he will be 58 in control.

Every single 5986 of them were geniuses of their eras. Through millions of years they tried to comprehend the higher gate but no one succeeded. In the end because it caused so many geniuses to die from trying to achieve it, that the book was sent to be destroyed, but apparently it wasn’t.

“How come none of them were able to comprehend the higher Gate?” Shuang Dao looked at Old Man Shu curiously.

“Maybe it doesn’t exist or maybe it was limit chosen by the heavens, and achieving higher level is like going against the heaven.” Old Man Shu spoke as he looked at Shuang Dao curious of his reaction.

“So many of them tried, that means that it definitely exists.” Shuang Dao spoke confidently as he was excited.

Shuang Dao then looked at how to train the technique.

“In order to achieve the Rabbit gate one has to train 5 specific techniques. Spliting! To split perfectly in half a military longsword with both of your hands and feet.

Drilling! Bing able to pierce military armour with feet, hand and ankles.

Crushing- Being able to withstand 100m crashing waterfall for ten minutes. While being hit to every part of the body be able to withstand ten military men with strength, agility, control and endurance stats being over 90 for ten minutes. Being able to withstand a hit from a cannon ball which is hundred meters away from you.

Pounding! Being able to explode with the power equivalent to that of a canon with punches and two canons with your feet.

Crossing! Being as fast as Spirit leopard and agile as Spirit rabbit!

One can use various techniques to achieve these result but that is just secondary. The purpose of this technique is to put a seal and strengthen Qi and Pneuma Cores so that they would not absorb Qi and Pneuma energy! Of course that is the bad thing of this technique, because you would be unable to ever cultivate Qi or Spirit energy! There is a catch to this technique. When one puts these gate seals on the cores some phenomenon appears and you unlock the limitations of your body meaning you can surpass the limit of all your stats. You can acquire much bigger stats in total with the Rabbit Gate and you also double your life span as well as increase the circulation in your body of Qi and Spirit energies. Once you reach other requirements you can then seal your cores once again with Sheep Gate and be able to break the limits once again! At the same time you double your life span once again and your Qi and Pneuma energy circulation in your body increases again. Your Qi and Pneuma cores are then strengthened. Until you reach your limits again after putting on rabbit gate you will not be able to awaken.” Shuang Dao was completely confused.

“What is this awakening that the manual is talking about?” Shuang Dao asked Old Man Shu curiously.

“Awakening refers to the moment when you reach the limit of your stats you are then able to absorb Qi and Pneuma through created techniques. Which in this case means that you would need greater amount of total stats before you can absorb Spirit and Qi in your body. Which is actually a good thing because once you reach limits, one is basically not able to improve any more through any kind of method as you reach your body limit. After this you would have to use various cultivation techniques to improve further which means that your limit is naturally bigger that of other people, around double actually!”

Shuang Dao nodded with his head and continued reading.

“This technique is actually not as useless as you think right now, because you can open seal gates put on your cores! This increases your stats by 81% and the second gate increases by another 18%! But that is only for ten minutes in total. Additionally every Gate has its specialty when you open the Rabbit gate you are then able to increase your agility by another 72%. This puts a great strain on the body so you must keep all of your stats in equilibrium! This is because of another phenomenon that happens when one opens these gates. The less you try to improve your stats the more other of your stats increase. Meaning that you can actually focus on specific stats instead of always having specific equilibrium that you have to maintain. It somehow contradicts the stats in general it’s as if when you put more and more gates the more blurry status window becomes. I have noticed that after you put on Rabbit gate your status inaccuracy is 10% and with sheep gate it’s around 20% inaccuracy.

At the same time you cannot use any cultivation techniques when using my technique or it will make it that you won’t be able to achieve higher grade. If you already got Rabbit Gate that means when you reach your limits and met the initial requirement then you can put on Sheep Gate. If you gain one stat through cultivation then you will render forever incapable of putting on Sheep Gate, which would probably be the same for all other Gates if you create them. ”

Shuang Dao stopped reading there as his head was already spinning and he didn’t know what was going on, he could barely understand everything.

“Now then, Shuang Dao it’s up to you whether you are able to walk this path or not."