Star Gate

Chapter 844: Domain (II)

“Teacher, I really didn’t mean it like that,” Li Hao said with resignation. Yuan Shuo didn’t care either way.

“Just keep in mind that while my Five Styles is less than ancient knowledge, it is most suited for the world today and modern humans!” Yuan Shuo said calmly.

There was nothing to argue about the fact that his secret art was not as impressive as that of ancient techniques. His, however, was more suited for modern humans.

“I told you last time that the aura does not exist in a vacuum.” Yuan Shuo frowned. “It melds with heaven and earth, summoning the winds and rain like it is an esoteric, arcane ability. Everything in the world is attached to the aura!

“Dao is not of the person. You need to know that you have not reached the step of defining dao by yourself!” Yuan Shuo looked at his student. “I am gratified that you modified a method and created the supernatural characters. That means you have your own thoughts, which is wonderful. As your teacher, I also have your best interests in mind. The key to the Five Styles method lies with incorporating the aura into heaven and earth!

“As they say, a just cause enjoys abundant support while an unjust cause finds little support. This saying is also related to the cultivation of martial masters and the aura. Do not keep the aura hidden away all the time. There are advantages to that, but also drawbacks...

“You should know that being of this world, you will ultimately return to it. When martial masters die, their aura scatters through the world for later descendants to comprehend...”

“So you mean...” Li Hao suddenly grasped some of what his teacher was saying.

“Heaven and earth is nature, as is dao!” Yuan Shuo intoned. “You have some reflections, but you have not yet reached that stage. Keep in mind that this world is much stronger and much more natural than you!

“It’s not good for your auras to remain in hiding forever. You’ve only refined the auras into your body. I wanted you to refine them into your supernatural locks before, but your locks have been devoured. Some changes need to be made, you can no longer walk the path of refining the spirit. You need to change to a new medium for the Refiner of Spirit level...”

“Wait, teacher, it’s more that my auras have discovered the secondary dimension that the supernatural locks reside in. I’ve recently assimilated them into that area...”

Yuan Shuo blinked; Li Hao quickly explained his latest discovery. The old man sank into deep thought once more. So the secondary dimension was where the supernatural locks resided. He’d rather underestimated his disciple.

“Concealing the intent within the keys... that makes sense,” he said after a while. “But that is not a suitable course of action for the current you. I recommend that you nurture your auras outside your body in your current state.”

“Outside my body?”

Yuan Shuo summoned a gout of flame with a grasp of his hand, then raindrops a second later. “Nurture them outside, within the world! Meld them into heaven and earth! I’ll study the secondary dimension that you mentioned. I don’t have experience in this area, but I have experience in nurturing auras.

“There is wind, fire, and water in the world. All of this is where the aura stems from. The auras of heaven and earth are the strongest auras. Your auras are just a tiny portion of this vast expanse. You must conscientiously comprehend it all and incorporate it into yourself so that you can become part of this world!

“Your current state is an even better proposition!” Yuan Shuo smiled. “Since you’ve created the supernatural characters, it will be much easier for you to nurture your auras and others. Your auras aren’t strong enough, after all.”

“How do I do that?” Li Hao didn’t quite understand.

“Did you sense the ripples of the earth when you comprehended the earth aura, a certain kind of rhythm...?”

Li Hao nodded.

“That’s it then,” Yuan Shuo chuckled. “You can enter that state once more and incorporate your earth aura into the rhythm. You will be part of the earth from then on.”

The old man reached out and flared a killing intent. “Look, this is the metal aura! I’ve incorporated all of my auras into the world lately. I mentioned this to you when I taught you the Breathing Method of the Five Styles, but I didn’t explain the concept that clearly. You yourself also didn’t view it with much importance...”

Li Hao looked around sheepishly. How was I supposed to know I should research it?

“Also, I sense that your auras are somehow melding together,” Yuan Shuo said in a strange tone. “Have you learned something else that is forcing them together?”

Li Hao knew that this had to do with events of Evenround Martial. He had indeed tried fusing his auras together, but he’d yet to fully succeed.

Yuan Shuo knew he’d guessed correctly when he read the expression on the young man’s face. However, Li Hao couldn’t confirm it for his teacher since there was a restriction on sharing that knowledge. The old man didn’t mind.

“Your assimilation is a bit forced, but it’s a good sign. You’ll be able to easily complete the process once you incorporate them into the world. Try comprehending the auras again once you have that foundation. Why do wind, fire, water, and electricity coexist in the world? They are auras of nature, how do they live in tandem? Put yourself in the shoes of heaven and earth and use your imagination. If you were the world, how would you integrate them into your body?”

Li Hao bobbed his head up and down, which drew an eye roll from Yuan Shuo. “What are you just nodding for? Try it!!”

The young man jerked with awkwardness. His teacher’s temper was poor lately, there was no sign of the charitable man that he once was. But... should he give it a try? After some consideration, he assessed his five supernatural characters. The one of ‘earth’ might be more suitable. So was he supposed to become part of the world and sense the ripples of the earth?

He recalled his mental journey when he first grasped the earth aura and immersed himself back in it. Ripples started undulating over the ‘earth’ character; they called out to the earth. The ground beneath the Skystar Commander Office seemed to tremble—mundanes would not feel it, only martial masters with the aura would be able to sense a nebulous something.

The ground was shaking in rhythmic fashion. Meanwhile, a peculiar scene played out in Li Hao’s mind’s eye. Was the shaking of the earth... its breathing? And where was his supernatural character supposed to be nurtured?

“Follow the ripples of the earth, your character is part of it,” came Yuan Shuo’s voice in his ear. “It exudes its own ripples. Utilize the ripples to incorporate the character via a natural fashion...”

The supernatural character undulated with ripples as Li Hao took in his teacher’s instructions. The ripples between the character and the earth gradually melded as one. He opened his eyes when the ripples disappeared and the character within his body also vanished.

However, he could sense it beneath his feet. He wasn’t sure as to exactly where it was; it might be inside the ground. It might just be going for a ride as it followed the ripples. How interesting! He’d never tried this before. In this moment, he truly felt that he’d become one with the earth.

Li Hao vanished when his feet shifted. He reappeared in front of the great hall—earth bending!

The young man blinked. This was a supernatural skill that he hadn’t known before. He didn’t mind that he couldn’t employ it as this wasn’t learned supernatural knowledge. It was an innate talent. He felt that his lack of fanfare into entering the supernatural domain might’ve been because he went straight to Arcanus from being a martial master.

However, now he understood that it was because he hadn’t understood the supernatural enough. He could now bend the earth!

“This is the true supernatural character, the true Arcanus level!” Yuan Shuo smiled. “Your auras were limited by yourself before, so how were you an Arcanus? Is the Arcanus level simply an explosion of strength?

“Your thinking was too narrow!” Yuan Shuo shook his head. “Earth bending is just the most basic skill. Do you know how long it took for me to travel here from Silver Moon? One day! If it wasn’t for Jadelight slowing me down, it would only take me half a day to traverse five thousand kilometers! This is what it means to be an Arcanus!”

He was rather displeased and contemptuous at the modern iteration of Arcanus. “This is a good name for the cultivator level and the rightful name since this is a level of the esoteric and obscure, but these supernaturals erroneously shift their focus to an eruption of strength at this point. They forget the core nature of being supernatural! Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“A flare in strength is the basic, the myriad of changes is the core of being an Arcanus! How are you to be one without becoming part of nature? They can do so when they’re weak, but not when they’re strong. Do you know why?”

“That’s... right... I’ve noticed that the Arcanus powerhouses lack the earth or wood bending skills they possess at the lower levels. Why is that?”

“Because their self consciousness has grown stronger!” Yuan Shuo explained. “Their potential wasn’t under control before, but they manage to bring some of it to heel at this level. But they turn their back on nature when they do so!

“Supernaturals may not have an aura, but that doesn’t mean they lack a dao! They have their own dao, but when they seek to control more of their body, the further they travel from dao!”

Li Hao nodded, then suddenly smiled. “Teacher, do you mean that if I incorporate all of my auras into nature, I’ll be able to transform into anything and do everything?”

“The caveat is that you have to comprehend endless auras first!” Yuan Shuo pinned as well. “Try the other characters and then try fusing them once they’re all part of the world. Follow the natural order of things. See how the earth and water interact, how earth and plants work together, then how light and darkness supersede each other...”

Li Hao continued to nod. His teacher brought new inspiration each time he appeared. The young man tried incorporating all of his characters into the world and slowly discovered something new. When his five characters were part of nature, he suddenly discovered an enclosed space around him of the five elements. Metal, wood, water, fire, and earth existed in his surroundings.

It took the work of a thought to feel that he’d been isolated, then the work of another thought to vanish on the spot. The earth’s rhythm was apparent in front of him. He vanished on the spot with a flash, then reappeared at the entrance to the Inspectorate.

Chen Zhongtian immediately appeared when he sensed a visitor; he was surprised to see Li Hao pop out. The young man looked at him and vanished when the old man thought of offering a greeting.

“What the?” blinked Chen Zhongtian. “Space?”

The old man frowned and extended his senses with confusion. Earth bending? He didn’t get it. Was Li Hao improving again?

......

Li Hao returned to the Skystar Commander Office; Yuan Shuo was drinking tea again.

“Teacher, it’s strange, there seems to be... something... after the five elements are incorporated into the world...” mentioned the puzzled young man.

“It’s your domain!” laughed Yuan Shuo. “Have you sensed that you’re trapped in a small world? Don’t think too much about it, that’s the domain of your perspective! It is your unique world!”

“An inner world?” Li Hao murmured to himself.