That should do. It’s like the statue was never moved… Awfully quiet up here…
Expanding his senses, letting the world show itself to him. The priests are here… They are just ignoring this area… I guess the snek has some control over them? Is that why they left me alone this whole time? I guess that was odd that I hadn’t had issues with them so far.
Turning towards the dark clouds swirling above the ancestors pavilion. Speaking of issues, he should be fine on his own, right? Maybe I should help somehow… Or would helping with the tribulation hinder his progress in the future? Well, better alive than dead I suppose. I should study this lightning too, not just for my celestial lightning body, but the very nature of tribulation lightning should be profound.
Mmmm, I suppose I have been putting many things to the side. So much to do in my small section of this new world.
Aden looks off to the distant horizon, sitting atop the temple roof.
I’ll see if he needs help, finish my reading, see to the serpent god’s choice, then start experimenting with summoning. Even if I can’t make use of the transportation method, It’s likely a cheap method to acquire “good” food.
Mm, upsy daisy. Time to check with Long, I’m sure he’s fretting over there now.
-
-
“Will he need help?”
Startled, Long jumps back, spinning around while drawing his blade. “Who-!”
“Ah, it is you, Aden. No, your pill has allowed Ancestor Nomura to advance fully prepared.”
Nomura?!
“Have you ever heard of the “Japanese”? Your ancestors name is familiar.”
“Hm? Hmmmmm… I can’t say I have. Were they a widespread family?”
“They were the people of the nation of Japan. Nomura was one of their surnames. I’ll have to ask Nomura himself when he is done.”
Lightning crackles in the clouds, snapping to the center of the storm, explosively gathering. Thunder booms, shaking dust from the ground, rattling the buildings.
“You seem so sure the surroundings will be safe.”
“Tribulations are normally well concentrated, sufficiently enough to further focus with an array. Ancestor has long prepared for his advancement to nascent soul.”
“Speaking of… I wasn’t sure about mentioning this before, but why do you people form a core before a nascent soul? By forming your nascent soul first, you would be able to form your core with a 2nd chance at life in hand.”
…
Long stares at Aden, staring back at long.
“No… Don’t tell me…”
“We… did not know that was possible.”
…
“We thought the force and control needed to form your nascent soul required core formation beforehand.”
…
“How widespread is this belief?”
Long's face relaxes and his eyes widen, realization dawning on his face.
“I have never heard of anyone progressing as you have said… This… This would be an immense advantage…”
“I thought your path of progression was odd when I first arrived, but then your own scriptures confirmed my understanding was correct. So how is it that your world has regressed so far as to put the cart before the horse? Even writings dated after the blood sea did not make this mistake.”
“I- I cannot possibly know how we have erred so greatly…”
“Perhaps I will know after reading more of your books and scrolls.”
Dense light congeals in the center of the clouds, directly over where the ancestor should be in his rear courtyard.
Those clouds are like their own formation, pulling in chi from everywhere. It’s like this whole planet is teleporting its chi into the clouds directly where it all gets converted. The formation of the clouds themselves though… Something is exerting its will on them. It surrounds them entirely, inside and out. A being beyond our level of existence? The world itself? Is this the will of the world? The will of the heavens?
“Do you know of the will that creates these clouds?”
“The heavens, of course. The heavens will controls all.”
Of course, the “heavens”. How could I expect a better answer?
“Do you know what this “heavens” is, though?”
Long looks back to Aden with a face of concern and mostly confusion, as if Aden had said something ridiculously stupid.
“Just as you never questioned the validity of forming your core before your nascent soul, you never questioned the reality of the tribulation? It is no wonder your people regress, there is no search for greater truths.”
“Look there, to the clouds. Watch the flow of chi. Look to our surroundings, do you not see now where the chi comes from? The clouds are merely a formation to take in chi from the entire world. The will that creates and enforces the cloud formation… formation… comes from all around, within and outside the clouds. So what I seek to ascertain now is the nature of this will. Be it natural, or be it artificial? Is it an advanced cultivator? Is this the spirit of the world itself? Perhaps it is just an automated routine imbued into this world.
A flash of intense light blankets the entire land of the cult. A single ripple of immense yet muted force echoes through the surroundings, like a tsunami out of phase with reality. The world silences.
As the light lets up, sound begins to return.
“Are you sure he does not need help?!”
That was far more intense than I had expected, this is something you would see from several realms higher in a novel back home!
Shouting over the roiling winds. “This is not right, something must have happened! The clouds looked odd to begin with!”
“You should have said something then! I’ll make my way in!”
“No, wait-!”
Before Long can stop him, Aden launches towards the epicenter to find the ancestor.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
These winds are so strong! It feels like blades are hidden within, constantly glancing off or chipping my armor!
Where are you old man, where… There!
Sitting in lotus position in the center of the rear courtyard, Ancestor Nomura hovers in stillness, lightning crackling off of him. His surroundings glowing hot and partially melted. Blood drips from the corners of his mouth, his closed eyes aglow with a darkness that consumes light.
That's just the first strike and he's already injured. I don’t know how many more there could be and how much stronger they will get! If I interrupt him, that might do even more damage though!
The light congealing at the center of the clouds doubles in size, the echoes of thunder dusting the surrounding rooftops, shaking shingles free.
Aden glances between Nomura and the Light. I’ll let you take one more, Nomura. If you can’t weather this, then I'm stepping in.
As if acknowledging his will, light bakes the world again. The heatwave melts the surroundings as the shock pushes them back, molding waves into the environment.
The light ceases, and Nomura now sits on the ground. His body charred, portions glowing. Unyielding.
Responding to his persistence, the light doubles once more.
Not this time!
Aden pushes his way towards Nomura, slamming a healing pill into his mouth.
Before the shocked man can react. “Heal quickly! I’ll take it from here, this is too much for you!”
Nomura nods and resumes his lotus position, swallowing and circulating the pill.
The light above doubles once more.
What?! You didn’t even strike yet! What the fuck is this!
A feeling washes over Aden. Rejection. Repulsion.
Staring into the growing star, expanding across the sky. I get it now. The interference of me, an outsider, brought punishment upon him. And for me, it wants me gone…
Well, “BRING IT ON!”
The clouds above fold in on themselves, rolling the edges towards the light. The wind and thunder cease. Everything shrinks to a small dot in the sky. A new sun graces the world.
Aden grabs Nomura and tosses him over the buildings, away and towards Long.
He then grows flesh with runes like crab bait and detaches them.
Let's see who is stronger!
Aden pulses his chi towards the masses of flesh, activating the runes. The silence around becomes deafening, the light blinding, searing heat descends. Aden feels the approaching lightning, guided by an unseen will. The runes ebb with power. Milliseconds in motion, time slows. The sacrificial material begins to reform itself, transforming into a placid body of liquid silver. The lightning inches closer. Steadily, the mirror darkens. The heat pervades ever more. The liquid darkness loses its sheen and appears to fall in on itself. Just as the gaze from something within begins to wash over Aden, the lightning strikes it, piercing through.
Aden’s improvised shield distorts, taking reality with it. Electricity courses through Aden.The surrounding space ripples and contorts. Arcs of lightning snap across his skin. Then darkness explodes, washing over everything. A sense of motion overtakes Aden as he is flung into the unknown.
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Opening his eyes, Aden finds himself adrift amongst the stars.
It seems I’ve made a mistake.
Gazing into the vastness, a blanket of lights and darkness.
It’s beautiful.
I’d never seen it in person.
Perhaps my actions were rash and ill advised for my survival, but I did need a way out of that death world.
Looks like I’m headed for that yellow star…maybe?
I suppose patience is my new friend.
…
This is quite comfortable.
The warmth of the sun, the cosmic rays, an ocean of chi.
So much chi, so much denser… It seems harder to move it.
I need to find a way to mobilize my chi directly with my will, instead of just manipulating my body.
The core I integrated is just crammed up against my own, pushing into the flood of death chi coming out, slowly degrading the core while making a dent in the death chi barrier.
Aden focuses inward, forcefully separating the integrated core.
image [https://i.imgur.com/s01K3Nr.png]
It seems multiple cores wasn’t quite foreseen in the system update, but it's working well enough… Serene Heavens, Rippling Sea Core? Core formation level? Ah, so the guy who showed up last was a nascent soul or higher, and I struggled that much against some peak core formation dude. I’m such a lucky idiot.
Interesting that it has 2 parts to it. I think the way to see the technique is a manipulation of space. Although I doubt that's the way they themselves saw it. They probably looked at large and mighty yet calm waves in an ocean as their example, and applied it to the world. Along with the sudden ferocity that can stir within the waves.
They took a concept with little bearing on what they wanted to do, and still managed to apply their will upon the world to perform in such a way… Is it more or less efficient to understand the details better?
Ugh… It feels like there's a weight on the core. I should have practiced with it more before all of this. Chi moves like molasses here…
Where is here…
Aden looks around, realizing he’s nowhere near anywhere he could have just come from.
How long have I been drifting?
…
I don’t recall that sun being so close…
I can see some planets revolving around it now…
Don’t see any gas giants, a few like mercury, some venus-like ones, a big red planet… and a mostly blue one… It looks like earth… It's definitely not, but does that mean life? It’s got two moons, neat.
Aden slams into a barrier out of nowhere, like a fly on a windshield. His body compressing to absorb the impact like gelatin, nearly flattening him.
Ough, ah, my face is in it. I can’t flip over. What the fuck.
Feeling his body begin to sink in, Aden makes a futile resistance, seeming only to hasten his journey.
Ahg, fuck! What the hell! Shit!
No wonder this place doesn't need gas giants, it's got glass!
As Aden is forcefully pressed through and he begins to feel the other side of the barrier, a motherly voice enters his mind.
“Oh, my child, how did you end up so far from home? This isn’t safe, we can’t have that.”
“Who are you!?”
An invisible blanket wraps around Aden, then gently flings him towards the blue planet.
“Such a strong child. No crossing the barrier though, ok? It’s not safe. Now enjoy your little adventures at home.”
The presence fades, the sudden absence revealing that there was one. Aden reaches the exosphere at speed, then slows down just before breaching, and pops through another barrier.