The Insides of the mansion were very spacious. The interior décor was designed in a traditional style with most furniture made of spiritual wood. Calum calmly explored the whole mansion before ending in front of a vast courtyard. It had a field for combat training equipped with wooden spiritual puppets and a garden full of spiritual plants.

Impressive. It's surreal that all of this is to my convenience. Even as the nephew of the Seren Patriarch I've never received such treatment. Then again, the difference between the Seren Clan and the Demonic Saint sect is like that of Heaven and Earth.

As he was pondering upon the differences between powers-that-be. His gaze fell on a beautiful gazebo, located on the west side of the courtyard, near the garden. Getting closer, he noticed that it was made using a purple material. There was a plaque next to it that stated:

Outer Meditation Gazebo.

Hmm…? It is used for cultivation. Well, I might as well try the cultivation method created by the Saint. Though from our conversation, it should be incredibly painful. Nevertheless, for me, pain is merely an illusory concept. It shouldn't affect me.

Calum adopted a lotus position in the center of the gazebo. The words of the scripture flowed freely in his mind. After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and frowned slightly. In the depth of his eyes, a mixture of excitement, curiosity, and septicity could be seen. He stood up and went inside his chamber, in the mansion, to retrieve his father's sword.

Getting back in the gazebo, He retook his previous position. Except, this time, the sword was resting on his palms. He started running the mantra of the Treasure Assimilation Scripture in his mind.

There was a pause. Then his attention was directed inside him, into his conscious mind where he manifested a body. He was floating above a boundless sea, which seemed to reflect his past experiences, memories, knowledge, and thoughts.

Floating in front of him, was his father's sword.

Wonderous! This is my conscious mind! It looks like a world! The projection of the sword… It's exactly as described in the scripture.

Schooling his features, he floated toward the sword. He reached with his hand and grabbed it. As soon as he grabbed it a tingling sensation passed through him. He looked puzzled for a moment and then his eyes shone as he realized that this was the moment he was supposed to double over in agony. He laughed heartily before turning his gaze toward the sword. The sword became more and more illusory, before completely popping out of existence.

As soon as the sword projection vanished, in a darkened room, the Saint opened his eyes from meditation. A surge of joy, so strong it almost sent him in cultivation deviation, passed through him. Quickly stopping his cultivation, he stood up, he almost couldn't believe it.

I sent my consciousness clone to monitor this kid and see if he could cultivate the scripture. But who would have thought that he indeed succeeded?

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When the Saint's clone saw the activity of a breakthrough coming from the kid courtyard, it was so startled that it dissipated instantly. This is why the Saint woke up from cultivation in such an unseemly way. Even the Saint, Calum met was nothing but a clone. The true Saint never left his cultivation retreat until now.

Not caring about his bearing. The Saint blinked into Calum's courtyard, this time in person. Of course, no matter how careless he was Calum wouldn't feel his arrival in his courtyard. After all, they were too far apart as far as cultivation went.

The Saint observed the kid in the gazebo. Calum's body was floating mid-air, surrounded by a keen glow. He was like an unsheathed blade. He still looked as delicate as a doll but now there was an additional sharpness to his bearing enhancing his charm by manyfold.

Suddenly his eyelids twitched. Then his eyes snapped open, and his figure projected numerous sword currents that wrecked the atmosphere. The gazebo would have been done for if it weren't for the especially sturdy material it was made of.

He truly succeeded; I can feel my obsession melting away. My cultivation boundary is advancing. The barriers barring my path have disappeared. Terrific! What a kid! I was not joking when I told him of the pain he would have to endure. Sigh…I almost want to take him as a personal disciple. Sadly, I am not long for this world. According to Heaven's secrets, I should ascend in less than a decade. Still, for a while, I am still in this world. No matter who is it, they can dream about touching him!

Having resolved himself, the Saint cast a deep gaze at Calum and left as if he was never there.

Calum landed gracefully on the floor of the gazebo. He looked at his clothes and became embarrassed.

I should have changed in the sect-issued spirit robe.

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he flourished his token and directed his consciousness inside. As expected, he found a vast space with numerous items. A book, a few scrolls, tens of spirit stones, and a black robe with golden patterns inscribed in the fabric. The latter was what he wanted.

A thought.

It was all it took to retrieve it. In a process that happened near-instantly, he switched clothing and left the ruined robe inside his token. He slipped the token in his new robe and went toward the combat field.

He was very expectant toward his new prowess. He could feel it, a total transformation. Even more than that, the process he went through should be called evolution. As he walked toward the field, he could sense a sharp force in each of his motions, in each of his thoughts. This was a feeling he never experienced before, pure elation due to a breakthrough. He could now understand why people embarked on the path of cultivation despite all its hazards.

Before long he stood before a wooden puppet. Its craftsmanship was very intricate and detailed. It looked like a valiant general of a hundred battles. Pondering on how to activate it, it dawned on him that instead of standing there like an idiot, he could simply consult the guide in his token.

Bringing it out, he quickly perused it, using his consciousness. It must be said that cultivators truly had it easy. As Calum demonstrated, they could use their consciousness in various ways producing supernatural results. Thus, in a record time, Calum found what he was seeking. He then closed the book and put it away.

Returning his focus on the puppet. He used his consciousness to activate the inscriptions inside it. Before he could test his new state, he was interrupted by a bell ring. He took his token out of his robe and injected his consciousness inside activating another one of its functions.

A picture appeared in his mind. Before the gate of his mansion, a middle-aged man with an ordinary face and white hair stood, hands behind his back. Calum quickly recognized the Elder Heris who brought him here. His father's friend. With a thought, the gates opened.

Elder Heris appeared in the courtyard and looked at Calum. Surprise shone in the depth of his eyes. Although it had been four days since he had last seen him, Calum's transformation was too intense. He had already reached the Mastery level of the 1st state of foundation skipping the Initial level.

I shouldn't be surprised, after all, the Saint himself welcomed him into the sect and he was directly accepted as a core disciple. Still, this speed of promotion almost broke his neck. It was too fast!

Despite that, Heris was still happy for the kid of his brother.

"Greetings, Elder Heris, thankfully I didn't disappoint you," Calum said with a smile.

"Indeed, you didn't. Truthfully, do you know how startled I was when I saw the Saint lead you himself to your lodgings?" Elder Heris asked playfully.

"I imagined as surprised as me when the Saint appeared at the end of my trial," Calum answered wittily.

"Oh, you...! Nevertheless, you are now a core disciple of the strongest demonic sect of the Luo Empire. You can dispose of your uncle as you please. If it was not by consideration for you, I would have reduced that piece of sh*t to nothingness." The aura of the ordinary Elder Heris turned malevolent for an instant, reminding Calum that he was indeed an Elder of a Demonic sect. His normal appearance was too deceiving.

"Don't worry Elder, the day my cultivation surpassed his, is the day he dies. For now, he can enjoy his time." Calum spoke coldly.

Elder Heris nodded with gratification, his aura abating.