bookpub Chapter 367: Next Steps
Chapter 367: Next Steps
Lassim steadied his cultivation as he folded the last pocket of space, landing on the grounds of the Tempest’s Cradle’s Skybound Village.
The familiar storm’s rain and lightning seemed to rush to meet him, their energy blending seamlessly with his own storm-like spirit pressure.
He straightened, taking a moment to adjust his robes and ensure the spare gateways were still attached and held securely to the special magic pouch on his belt.
The installation of the teleportation gateway had gone as planned, and the memory of his departure from the Sect Headquarters flickered briefly in his mind.
He could still picture Rlyis’s amused smirk and the faint surprise in his master’s eyes at the sight of [Storm’s Dance] through the use of his spirit sense.
But the task and goal to revolutionize the world was partially complete, and now, Lassim’s priorities shifted as the additional gateways could be built over time as the Astrium Veinstone deliveries were made to Eno and Rlyis.
The remaining 5 and a half months or so until the Elder Summit loomed ahead.
"Time to focus entirely on cultivation." Lassim said aloud to himself as he moved.
Leaving the village area and arriving at the East Grove, the harsh environment barely fazed him.
The once-punishing winds and lashing strikes of lightning no longer felt like an external force of nature but even more like an extension of his own storm-like presence. Each crackling bolt carried an almost calming massage, resonating with the lightning elemental portion of his fused mana coursing through his veins.
He took a deep breath and settled into his usual meditation spot, underneath the roots of a storm leaf tree where the ground bore the scorched marks of countless targeted lightning strikes.
The air was charged, dense with the overwhelming lightning mana that made this portion of the floating island so attractive, as he sat cross-legged and laid his halberd across his lap.
The wind screamed through the sparse canopy of Storm Leaf trees and the gaps between the roots of the tree, yet Lassim remained unshaken and unperturbed, his mind laser-focused on absorbing the mana around him.
For hours, Lassim cultivated in silence.
The lightning storm above struck repeatedly, each bolt feeding and hastening the process of adding the storm-like energy within his inner heart world’s whirlpool to be converted.
His body, once ravaged by the environment, now welcomed its assault, growing stronger and more attuned with every passing moment.
The dense mana swirled within his whirlpool, "steaming" and transforming into filling the clouds above and making the entire atmosphere denser.
Through the gap to the void his constellation pulsed faintly, sending more void energy through the gap to add to his fused mana and make up the fabric of the inner heart world.
Mari and Zaphy assisted the process on their own and even reinforced their triple lines of bonds, especially the still fairly new bond between the two of them that appeared when Lassim fused his mana.
Still, his thoughts drifted as the time passed. The mysteries of the future advancement to the Spirit Transcendence stage loomed in his mind, drawing his curiosity.
He didn’t understand the basics—the intricacies of the process were a mystery. Of course he knew he needed to continue to pass the rest of Spirit Ascension level 8 and then level 9 before reaching peak 9th level, but after that? All he did know was that Spirit Transcendence cultivators all had a white halo above their heads with layers that signaled what level they were at within the Spirit Transcendence stage. Adding layers from 1 up to and through 9 in total, just like the previous stages all having 9 levels up to this point.
His unique situation and cultivation path only added to his uncertainty. When he advanced to Spirit Ascension he had complications with his soul crystal being too sturdy as it was created with the basis of divine mana. He eventually needed the Leviathan’s scale to break it just to advance and passed Ava’s God’s Trial just to obtain it.
He had a sinking feeling that although he’d reach peak Spirit Ascension in probably two or three months of straight meditation… His advancement would also have a troubling and unique issue once again.
The perfectly stable, lifelike constellation within his Inner Heart World and that shone bright floating above his head, a creation more perfect and unlike any other, would the next stage not be just as troublesome?
As the storm continued to rage around him, Lassim made the decision to seek answers on the actual process.
He rose from his meditation, the winds tugging at his robes as he pulled out his communication disc.
"If I can learn what I need to do, then it should be easier to predict what kind of problem I’ll possibly face, I think…"
He remembered the kind and helpful "Senior brother" and one of the few Spirit Transcendents that were staying within the Tempest’s Cradle.
He tapped out a message to Varen, the cultivator who had once given advice to him and told him about the East Grove, sharing valuable insights into the Tempest’s Cradle.
Lassim: Brother Varen, I hope this message finds you well. I have questions about the Spirit Transcendence stage and was hoping to see if you could tell me more. Please let me know if you’re available to meet.
Lassim waited briefly, watching the runes on the disc for a response, but none came.
Frowning, but deciding to be proactive, he pocketed the disc and turned his thoughts toward the Re
"Do you need some help? I think I can make it easy to get the message across to them as well. One of my elemental companions is a type of Thunderbird too. She might be able to explain things and I can stick around to fight off the wyrm too." Lassim asked, his storm-like spiritual pressure naturally building in anticipation.
Varen smirked faintly. "I won’t say no. The wyrm has been circling nearby. If you’re up for it, I could use another set of eyes to watch for it while I reinforce the arrays around the nest. That idea to have your companion explain things would make it a lot easier too, if they’re up for it."