The tower room was enveloped in darkness. All light seemed to have been snuffed out. There wasn’t the slightest sound. The atmosphere changed instantaneously, it seemed to grow heavy, cold, and damp. If one were to stay here, they would feel their skin begin to crawl. In the darkness, one truly felt alone, they couldn’t see anything. This solitude, for some it drove them insane. For others, they felt a sense of relief, embracing this sensation.
The dangers weren’t prevalent and at the forefront; instead they were more subdued, feelings of fear would well up within. Every moment, there was the need to check the surroundings because of this feeling. Yet, at the same time, within this nothingness it was able to wash away thoughts, if you could embrace it, then you could feel a sense of security.
Lute felt all of this. As he tried to look around, he couldn’t see anything but the darkness. Even the chasm he fell into within the Crimson Tide Mountain Range wasn’t as dark as this. At the least he could still make out silhouettes. But now, he couldn’t even do this. There was nothing but the sound of his breathing and heartbeat.
Instead, Lute closed his eyes, trying to take in every possible feeling. The atmosphere around him was growing heavier and heavier. A cold sweat dripped down Lute’s face. Even with his willpower, fear unconsciously welled up within him. There was the sensation that no matter what he did, he was completely vulnerable, all of his weaknesses felt as if they were exposed to the world.
Focusing on controlling his breathing, Lute sat within this eternal darkness, although he felt naked, there was another sensation. He felt exposed, but there was also a sense of security. Everything would be alright if he hid within the shadows. It was as if the dark was telling him not to ever forget his own weaknesses but at the same time, it also was showing that the dark could be a refuge.
‘This, this feeling feels as if it’s almost in reach, and yet so far away.’
Lute stirred slightly, although it was awkward feeling vulnerable and slightly fearful. He also felt safe, it was a mixture of feelings he couldn’t quite understand. However as quickly as it started, it all ended. All at once light returned to the tower.
Lute inhaled sharply, the heavy atmosphere disappeared all at once. He no longer felt chilled to the bones. But his robes showed some sweat stains. Standing before him was Cal who didn’t show any emotion upon his face. Instead, he expectantly looked at Lute.
“Well, what did you experience?”
Lute came back to reality after hearing Cal. It only lasted a few minutes, but just with that alone, he felt that even if he was at the Peak of the Nascent Qi Realm, he’d be hard-pressed to win in combat against a Spirit Opening Realm cultivator. His only advantages would lie in amount of Qi, its purity, and the strength of his mortal body.
Lute shuddered slightly; forcefully experiencing a Dao before he was in the Spirit Opening Realm had gave him an equally forceful enlightenment. It couldn’t aid him much right now because he didn’t understand much of what he felt, but it would be beneficial in the future nonetheless.
“I am sorry. I was unable to understand most of what you graciously showed me. The most I can tell you is that I felt extremely vulnerable, but at the same time I felt safe and secure.”
A small glimmer passed through Cal’s eyes. Although Lute got hardly anything from this, hopefully it would allow him to sense the Dao of Darkness in the future.
Cal sighed, “Truth be told, I am nearing the end of my life. That is why I stopped teaching and instead waited, and waited for someone like you who has a chance to wield the power of the dark. Call me selfish, but I wanted to search for someone to learn the Dao of Darkness within the Fallen Tide Hall before I passed on. I am probably the only one who wields it within quite a few thousands of miles. As I have said, in the Mortal Realm it is rare to have a cultivator that controls this Dao.”
Listening to Cal, Lute thought he could understand if he compared it to his inheritances. Wielders of the Dao of Darkness were few and far between in the Mortal Realm. Cal didn’t want to simply see it disappear, which was why he wanted to help someone forcefully comprehend it, if even a little. But, Lute had wanted to focus on lightning, so what did Cal see in him?
“Then why choose me? I have already stated I want to wield lightning.”
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Looking at Lute, Cal seemed to shrink, aging in years on the spot. “I am old, far older than most think. I have no hope of breaking into the Qi Overlord Realm. My talent has already been spent. However, I already mentioned your cultivation realm doesn’t mean you can’t completely comprehend a Dao. When I knew that I couldn’t advance anymore, I spent the later portions of my life focusing on the Dao of Darkness. I have been searching since I became the librarian for someone like you. I always asked a disciple the same question I asked you. The reason for this is because although comprehending a Dao is mostly self-taught, you can still search for guidance from others if for example you were to comprehend the Dao of Fire. It is common, many cultivators focus on this Dao, hence they have more resources such as books and teachers to aid in their comprehension.”
As Lute listened, he began to understand. Some Dao’s were easier to learn because they were far more commonly used. Others were rarer and because of this, harder to learn.
“So, at least in the Mortal Realm, there are hardly any records about the Dao of Darkness and even fewer actually manage to comprehend it. That is why it must be self-taught on an even higher level than the elemental Dao’s which seem common on this planet?”
Cal depressingly smiled, although he regretted it, this was the way the Crimson Tide Planet functioned. Most only focused on the Elemental Dao’s, or Dao’s that focused on weapons. But there were an infinite number of Dao’s, however, rather than try to comprehend new ones, everyone went for the status quo and only focused on what everyone else had comprehended. For this planet, it was mostly Elemental Dao’s.
“I originally started to think of you when you answered my question to my satisfaction. Then, after you picked some arts that were extremely compatible with the Dao of Darkness, that is when I decided that even if you decided not to walk its path, I would try to give you the chance if you so wished because I probably wouldn’t have another chance with anyone else in the future. Even now, I feel the last dregs of my life fading. I don’t believe I will be able to live even one more year. But, I don’t want the Dao of Darkness to simply disappear from this planet. There are very few who actually use it. If I had to guess, I would bet the number of Dao of Darkness wielders on this planet won’t exceed fifteen at the most.”
When he listened to Cal, Lute instinctively knew he was telling the truth. Although he attempted to put up an air of confidence and wisdom, Lute could see that Cal truly was old, who knew how long he had lived for. But for someone of his cultivation level which was probably the Soul Opening Realm, maybe even its peak, he seemed quite thin. No, he could even be considered emaciated. His eyes, although they had moments where they blazed with passion, when he looked at them carefully, Lute thought they were dim, and almost lifeless. If Lute truly payed attention to him, he could even see that Cal was involuntarily trembling.
‘If he is at the peak of the Soul Opening Realm, I bet he wouldn’t even have the strength to fight someone at the intermediate levels of this realm. He probably won’t be able to make use of even half the strength he had when he was in his prime. Truly a sad display, I would rather die on the battlefield instead of in a bed.’
With such a thought, Lute stood up and was about to leave. “I thank you for this opportunity, but I must be going now, I have to attend my first classes.”
Lute then began to walk out, but Cal called out to him. “Wait! I have one question before you go.”
Lute stopped in his tracks, and half turned around, staring Cal in the eyes. “What is it?”
“You, are you going to attempt to tread the Dao of Darkness?”
At the question, Lute didn’t immediately respond. Instead he opted to think about the skill books he rented and how Cal said most of them were compatible with the Dao of Darkness, the feelings of being submerged in darkness and his own future.
Finally, with a noncommittal tone, he responded. “Since you have graciously allowed me to feel such a sensation before I entered the Spirit Opening Realm, I don’t see why I couldn’t make an attempt to understand the mysteries within the Dao of Darkness.”
“I see”, Cal then reached into his desk and pulled out a black journal and tossed it to Lute, “Since there is so little knowledge available on the Dao of Darkness and very few have the chance to learn from another, I decided to compile a journal of my insights. Whether you understand them is up to your own comprehension when you enter the Spirit Opening Realm. I fear that I shall die before you reach the Spirit Opening Realm so I wouldn’t be able to personally aid you. Whether you keep it or throw it out, that journal is now yours.”
Opening the journal, Lute saw pages upon pages of words, whenever he looked at the words, he got a sense he was in the domain of darkness again. A cold, damp and heavy atmosphere seemed to saturate the journal.
Closing the book, Lute began to leave the tower. “Thank you for this journal, I will not attempt to throw it out.”
As he left the tower, Lute heard Cal call out one last time, “Remember the vulnerable sensations as well as the secure ones. The dark can be as gentle as it is dangerous. It shows your flaws, but also that it will protect those flaws from being exploited by others. The dark can inspire fear but also awe and respect.”
Lute smiled grimly, ‘The sensations, his words, and this journal. While I believe that I understood them only slightly, it is a drop in the endless sea. All I can do is waiting until I achieve the Spirit Opening Realm and truly step onto the path of the Dao. Lightning and darkness, how could I utilize them both? Then there is the Dao of Slaughter, there is too much that I don’t know. Perhaps Master can enlighten me when she wakes up.’
Skimming through the journal that seemed to have become saturated in the Dao of Darkness as Cal wrote it over the years, Lute walked to his first class. It was an unusual choice, but nonetheless he want to have skills other than combat skills. The first class he chose was Spirit Smithing.