Once Jin's minor injuries were healed, one of the Ryu healers came to work on his arm. He began to circulate his own spiritual energy through the lock in a certain pattern. As he did so, the seemingly solidified energy evaporated as if it had never been here. Jin couldn't help asking: "What was that?"

The healer, being aware of this kid's standing, of course, answered him with a smile: "This is a spiritual locking technique. You force your energy inside a place, solidify it and lock it in place. It is one of the early techniques taught in the seven clans"

Jin nodded as he picked his spear back and moved to the arena once more. As he did so, he pondered. He had never made the spiritual energy 'solid' before. How could one do that? He would have to ask Hae-Hyuk later. This seemed like an important and useful technique to learn.

And now, he had to focus on the next opponent...Another elder of the Ryu clan? Fair enough. As the organizer, they probably granted themselves some benefits for fairness's sake. Regardless of who came up, to Jin, it was a welcome addition.

The battle went on in a similar fashion as the previous one with this man using the same technique as his fellow clanmate though sealing a hand this time. The technique itself was the same but the lock seemed different. It wasn't the rules behind it that had changed. Jin could see that it was similar but there seemed to be differences. Very small ones. As he asked the healer after being trashed and sent there, he got his answer through some teasing: "Do you think every door will have the same locks?"

This was an obvious answer if one pondered about it but it remained unexpected precisely due to how obvious it could seem. It seemed like every cultivator used a different lock when using his technique...Which meant that a different key would be needed every time.

As he got up once more and faced another elder of that clan, he understood that understanding how to 'unlock' himself was a necessity. After that, he kept on suffering in the hands of Ryu clan elders throughout the twelve hours allotted to sparring in the arena. Every time he lost. And every single time due to this locking technique. He wasn't able to stop them from closing in on him and always suffered a defeat as soon as they managed to get one touch in.

After Hae-Hyuk's small speech to end the day's battles, he left with his three disciples. Sophia had seen everything and, to be honest, wasn't envious at all. She saw how the two were completely wasted as they had tough times even walking back. Not because of injuries since they were healed but due to mental fatigue. Min-Su was especially pathetic. He looked like a corpse.

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As they reached the mansion, she hurriedly left to find Min-Su's sister to play outside. Hae-Hyuk had allowed it beforehand specially for the first day. She would have to train again from tomorrow on... She wasn't going to spend her holiday on the two tired boys.

Min-Su went to his room right away and fell on it. But Jin didn't. He stayed in the garden where Hae-Hyuk went to take a seat. They had a panoramic view of the sky outside the floating island. Sometimes, they could witness space cracking or distorting, it was quite beautiful in its own way.

Hae-Hyuk was obviously aware of Jin's presence and waited for him to speak. He didn't wait long as Jin went straight to the point: "How did you solidify spiritual energy, Master?"

Hae-Hyuk counter-asked him: "You witnessed it many times today, how do you think it is done?"

Jin sighed and said: "I have no idea. I wouldn't ask otherwise"

Hae-Hyuk chuckled as he answered him: "Of course, you do not. It is a technique beyond your realm. Do you know of the three states of things?"

Jin wasn't quite sure where Hae-Hyuk was going so he shook his head sideways and waited for Hae-Hyuk's explanation: "All things that make our reality can be separated into three states which are namely gaseous, solid and liquid"

Jin nodded. Now, that was something he knew. It wasn't different from back in his old world. Hae-Hyuk noticed this and asked him: "What do you think can cause a change in the three states?"

Jin answered right away: "Temperature"

Hae-Hyuk nodded as he said: "That's a valid answer but incomplete. The true answer is the 'element' which is why this is a technique beyond your realm. To be precise, these people from the Ryu clan are experts in the Sealing Element"

Jin asked: "How do I do it, then? I can't use the elements with my realm of cultivation"

Hae-Hyuk agreed with him: "Yes, you can't. That's it. You can't use that technique. But it doesn't mean that you can't find a way to derivate a technique from it. One that you can use"

Jin pondered for a moment. The locking technique of the Ryu clan was based on the sealing element and he couldn't use it. The understanding and use of elements could only be done after reaching the tenth stage after all... This only left the three states. He asked: "What about the three states?"

Hae-Hyuk explained: "This is what one will learn after reaching the 20th stage and what will truly turn a cultivator into someone who assimilated with nature. Liquid fire, solid thunder, gaseous earth... From there, the surroundings become the cultivator's home. You won't be able to control the states of elements without being able to control the elements, Jin"

It was true that it seemed impossible in this way but there was something Jin couldn't quite understand. He had asked about the spiritual energy not the elements... Weren't they two different things? He pondered for a few moments under the watchful gaze of his smiling teacher.