Following Quanhaos return from Tribulation, Sylar had stayed for only a short ti in the celebration that followed. There were many who were curious about the cantrip he had perford, about what he had done with the adamantine, and how he even knew of its na in the first place, but Sylar had been too exhausted to answer all of their questions, since he had just spent several hours observing him without getting any rest of his own. He promised to talk to them when the morning finally ca, but then quickly retired to the guest room for a nice, long rest.
When he was finally fully awake, Sylar considered whether he might have perhaps been a little too impulsive in how he had reacted last night. There could have been several better ways to investigate whether the stone that Quanhao had recovered was truly a chunk of adamantine, and he knew that his chosen thod of confirming its identity might have raised more than a few questions about him and what he knew.
In his defence, he had just spent several hours sitting in self-imposed silence with as minimal movent as possible, all while kept in a stuffy room filled with the overwhelmingly pungent fragrance of incense smoke. With it being well into the dead of night when Quanhao returned, coupled with his growing frustrations about how new questions kept arising when he thought he finally knew sothing, Sylar hadnt been quite in the right state of mind to consider the consequences of his actions.
Now, he was again in a private eting aid at a mutual exchange of information and this ti, there were more eyes on him than during his previous ones. Elder Yang and Elder Hua were both in attendance, joined by their personal ranking disciples Guanzhong and Xingling. Qiyu had insisted on listening in as well, and he saw no reason to deny her. Quanhao was likewise present, since it had been he who had recovered the adamantine in the first place. Besides, he would likely soon progress to beco a ranking disciple as well, now that he had awakened the Second Revelation.
And so, he now found himself seated at a grand table of majestic oak, jade, and ivory, with a haphazard pile of parchnt that he had not yet even begun to analyse laid out on top. The adamantine stone was placed in the centre of the table on top of a small decorative pedestal that had been retrieved soti after Sylar had retired to bed.
They looked at each other, and no one quite knew where to begin.
Elder Hua rolled her eyes as they all waited politely for each other to speak. Oh, please. Dont everyone speak up all at once. She looked at Elder Yang in a deference to his seniority, who made a subtle gesture and allowed her to take charge. Alright, Sylar Spellsight. You want to ask your questions first, or shall we begin?
Well if they were offering
Ill start then, he said, about to raise his first question, but then paused.
Where did he even begin? Nothing about the Planes Beyond ever ca up when Elder Yang had spoken to him of Tribulations, and the cultivators didnt seem aware of their existence. He did want to know just what Quanhao had seen in his Tribulation, but to open with that question seed a little tactless.
Sylar? Guanzhong questioned.
You were calling the rock a Divine Treasure, he said instead. What exactly did you an by that?
If it is willed by the Heavenly Dao, when the spirit returns to the body, one may retrieve a sacred treasure alongside their Revelation from the realm of their Tribulation, Elder Yang explained. Most of the ti, a Treasure only reveals itself to those further down the path of cultivation. Recovering one from a Second Revelation as Song Quanhao has done is not unheard of, but it is rare indeed.
He glanced aside at the two ranking disciples in attendance. Disciple Wu and my daughter are the two most recent mbers of our sect to have successfully overco their second Tribulations, but neither of them returned with a treasure. Elder Hua and I each retrieved a treasure following our respective Third Tribulations that we have since forged into our personal artifacts, now kept in our Hall of Treasures.
Sylar frowned. May I see them?
Why? Xingling challenged, but she was remarkably calm and composed, not bristling as Sylar might have expected. They are the greatest treasures of our sect, Sylar Spellsight, and even we only utilize them in tis of the greatest need. It will be a slight against our predecessors to allow an outsider to witness them.
Theres just sothing I want to confirm by seeing them, but if not, thats perfectly fine, Sylar conceded. He looked next at Quanhao. Can you tell how you obtained this?
What ca next was perhaps the most bizarre tale hed ever heard, which was saying sothing, considering his breadth of experience with the wild stories that traveling adventurers told. It had been interesting to learn that ti did not pass quite the sa way during a Tribulation as it did in the waking realm, but the more Quanhao spoke, the more Sylar beca bewildered.
His initial thought was that sohow, Quanhao had been spirited away to the Elental Plane of Earth during his Tribulation. Many things fit the desolate landscape, the friend hed called Pebbles that Sylar had a sinking suspicion was a Gem Sprite, as well as the small chunk of adamantine that he had recovered. If, indeed, his body were a conduit to the Plane of Earth, then perhaps sohow his spirit had indeed been transposed there?
Many things didnt fit, however. One could not survive for a prolonged period of ti in any of the Planes Beyond without being warped by the primal energies that raged there. Biological life that ventured close to a Nexus of Power were gradually mutated into transcendental beings, such as the Spirit Wolves that he had encountered on his arrival in the Immortal Lands. Unless one readied the right set of protective spells and equipnt and paid due precaution, entering the Elental Planes would tear even an archmages body apart.
Sure, he conceded cultivators had qi but was that truly enough as a form of protection? It took a damned Eighth Level spell for a mage to even cross the threshold into a Nexus of Power, and though he knew that cultivators had powers of their own, he refused to believe that the qi of a cultivator at Quanhaos level could compensate for the most potent of protective spells that one could only dream of casting at Spellsong level.
When it seed that he was finally nearing the climax of the story, however, Sylar knew imdiately that his assumption was false.
Wait. What?
Abruptly, Quanhao paused, when hed been rambling on for the past twenty to thirty minutes.
Huh?
You said there was water?
Uhh well, yeah. It was this huge bog that we found after we climbed to the very top of the mountain maybe stretching on for about another kilotre or so? Quanhao responded. So anyway, then Pebbles and I went into the water, but get this there were these beings of living water that ca and attacked us! I thought I sensed a bit of spiritual energy about them, but it was hard to tell at the ti. So they dragged down, and I
Quanhao continued regaling his story, Sylar listening raptly. What he was describing were Water Elentals, of that he was certain.
But why? If Pebbles was a Gem Sprite, this had to be the Plane of Earth. How could there be a bog in the middle of that Plane? And how could there even be Water Elentals?
It just made no sense. Putting aside the question of how a cultivator might be brought to the Planes Beyond during a Tribulation, why did it behave so strangely?
It was fully possible that the Elental Planes might be different here in the Immortal Lands, Sylar acknowledged. Even then the notion of the Planes bleeding into each other just felt wrong. Each was a representation of the respective primal forces that governed all of existence, and they were each a separate entity that never once intersected with any other. Their mutual opposition was such that in the vicinity of a Nexus of Power, any reagent containing traces of a different type of Essence would slowly but surely have its stored Essence dissipate.
There were too many questions now piling up, and they were all intertwined with one another. What he needed to do was to try and see the big picture, then separate them into individual objective questions, and see if he might have any hypotheses to work on. From there, he would need to see which ones could be tested with the tools and models he had at his disposal.
Even as he listened with growing discomfort at the vivid description of nearly drowning that Quanhao had experienced, he began to work his way through his thoughts. If he took his observations from the night before, and combined them with the new information he was gathering from Quanhaos account
Sylar had witnessed multiple types of Essence being released from Quanhao, and if he truly had been transported to the Planes Beyond, it would fit with the possibility that the Planes sohow intersected and converged, and the Essence within the Planes flowing out through the conduit that was Quanhao. It didnt escape his notice that the sudden spike of Water Essence had occurred near the end of his period of observation: that might correspond to when Quanhao made his way over to the bog.
If that were the case, how was this conduit established? And if the Planes truly did intersect, how could this system remain stable as long as it had? And why would everything crumble away once it was all over, as Quanhao was now putting it in his own words?
Unspoken but easily inferred from the way cultivators so prized these Divine Treasures was the fact that any other object couldnt be brought back from the realm of their Tribulation. He had wanted to have a look at what other treasures the Righteous Heart Sect might have in their possession, so that he could verify his suspicion that these were all innately touched by the ambient presences of the Elental Planes, and hence possessed permanent magical properties that were independent of the magics of Enchantnt.
Then there were the peripheral questions. Why had there been Spirit and Form Essences being released through Quanhao as well? As far as he could tell, neither of the two Planes those two Essence types corresponded to had influenced the manifestation of his Tribulation. It neatly accounted for the question of why the Transcendentals were in such abundance that had bothered him for the ti he had been in the Immortal Lands, but how did that factor in together with the other observations?
There was surely a model that could satisfactorily explain and unify these different observations. He just couldnt yet think of what that might be.
Sylar?
He had been in deep thought, and though Quanhao had already ended his tale with how he returned to the ditation chamber only to discover that the stone remained in his hand, Sylar hadnt spoken another word. It took Qiyu elbowing him from her seat beside him before he realised that a silence had set in.
Sorry, he said, glancing at Quanhao. Just thinking.
What is on your mind, Sylar? Elder Yang probed. Perhaps you might have so opinions of your own from the teachings of your holand?
He was not the only one curious. Elder Hua was still in a nonchalant posture, but there was no mistaking the tinge of interest in the way that her eyes flickered. Even Xingling, who probably wasnt the fondest of him, still waited for him to speak.
I have so ideas, he said slowly. Theyre more just conjectures, really. And even then, Im not sure if I have any way to test them.
Quanhao held the adamantine stone in his hand and waved it about. But you know what this thing is, at least?
Sylar nodded. There wasnt any avoiding this question, and he trusted those in attendance anyway. Adamantine. Its extrely powerful, and in my holand even those that didnt engage in cultivation could use it to fashion weapons and armour that were not only suprely effective in battle, but also bolstered the physical capabilities of their wearers.
There was a downside to that, however. The most famous of skilled fighters wore them to great effect in conjunction with their mastery of armour and blade, and there were certain branches of mage-swordsman hybrids that likewise took to wielding them. However, most generalist mages actively avoided adamantine equipnt. Donning such equipnt restricted their spell-set dramatically, because the lasting presence of the Plane of Earth imbued within adamantine actively opposed anything belonging to opposing Planes, and thus spells that incorporated any Essence other than Earth had an inherent instability to their casting when wearing it.
Adamantine, huh? Quanhao fiddled with it, bouncing it lightly in his hands, and treatnt of the Divine Treasure in so frivolous a manner earned him a look of disapproval from Guanzhong. Wait if you know about this then do you an that everything in that Tribulation realm was real?
That earned him many more looks of keen interest. It was no surprise. From the sounds of things, cultivators couldnt agree whether Tribulation was purposefully designed or simply a thing that occurred. Even if it truly existed or was simply a fignt of a cultivators imagination was a contentious topic.
Unfortunately, this was sothing that Sylar had no clue about. There were many similarities to what he knew of the Elental Planes, but also plenty of significant differences.
I cant really give you a definite answer to that, Sylar said. But back in Resham in my holand, that is we could find adamantine in places where there was plenty of, uh earth elental energy, I think is the term?
Elder Yang nodded, intrigued. Are you saying that your people could collect this Divine Treasure outside of a Tribulation Realm?
It requires due precaution to even think of doing so. The region in question possesses enough energy to tear apart the soul of any unprepared person, Sylar answered. But yes. We could find them, although they are exceptionally rare. There are places where they can be found in greater abundance, but only the absolutely most gifted of us are able to survive the energies raging there.
Hmm. Interesting, Elder Hua said, leaning forward in her seat. Youre thinking that the other Divine Treasures might be the sa, Spellsight?
That was my hypothesis after discovering that Quanhao returned with adamantine, he said. But I still cant explain how he returned with it, or why theres such a big difference between how it is in my holand and here in the Immortal Lands. He looked at them sharply. Are you sure that you cant find a Divine Treasure anywhere else?
The Elders exchanged looks. It might be possible, Elder Yang admitted. Rare treasures possessing blessings of the Dao have been described in places that bear powerful forces of the natural world. But each sect jealously guards any treasures they recover, so
Its difficult to confirm whether a copy of a treasure recovered from Tribulation can be found elsewhere, Sylar finished, and sighed.
Fair enough. Just taking the Elental Plane of Earth alone, there were many prized materials that each possessed different properties. Mithril, adamantine, orichalcum, mantle diamond the properties of adamantine alone even had so degree of variance between individual ores. If each sect hoarded their treasures, it was nigh impossible to demonstrate that the rare Divine Treasures they obtained might have their counterparts at Nexuses of Power that had a sufficiently strong connection to the Planes beyond.
Hey, Sylar! Quanhao said suddenly. Does that an that you also know what Pebbles is?
A Gem Sprite, probably, Sylar said, shrugging. I havent t one before, but Ive read accounts written by those who have. The way you described Pebbles sounds similar.
Wait so you an he wasnt just part of the Tribulation? Quanhao frowned. Do you know how to find him?
I think Pebbles probably does exist, yes. Considering that the adamantine was real, he couldnt see a good reason as to why the elentals present in the Tribulation might not be. And finding him isnt going to be easy. Even with my present competencies in the Spiritual Arts, I wont be able to survive the journey.
Summoning was an option but with his present capabilities, all he could do was summon a Gem Sprite, that may not necessarily be Pebbles. Attempting to locate the precise position of a specific individual and then draw them into the material world required not only expertise in Divination and Conjuration, but also a high-tiered spell.
Even you?
Sylar glanced at Qiyu, who had spoken up softly. Even , he confird. Compared to so of the most talented people that I know of, I still have a long way to go before I ever reach their level.
It was touching and more than a little amusing how that notion seed like an impossibility to Qiyu. There really were far too many parallels between his own apprenticeship and hers.
But where is he? Quanhao pressed eagerly. If I can visit him so day, then
Sylar hesitated. The Planes Beyond were sothing that cultivators had no knowledge of. He wanted to keep his knowledge of Essence relatively secret for now, but as for the Planes
He could probably share a little of what he knew. If ever he wanted to learn more about what they knew about cultivation, it would require an exchange of information.
I could tell you that, Sylar said, but then looked at the two Elders. In exchange, however, I want so information in return.
Oh? Elder Hua spoke, assessing him carefully. What sort of information?
There are two things I want to know right now, Sylar said. First and foremost, I want information on bodily cultivation. Not of the techniques of the Righteous Heart, mind you, he added quickly, seeing Xingling about to protest. I know that the basis of my cultivation is drastically different from your own. What I hope to do is build upon your base of information, in order to determine how best to safely go about my own cultivation.
How do you intend to go about doing that? Elder Yang asked, frowning.
From what I surmise, Qi Deviation is the major risky outco from improperly engaging in cultivation. I would like access to records of your sect that detail anything about those who encountered Qi Deviation, particularly in terms of what elents they were cultivating, and the circumstances in which Qi Deviation arose.
That can be further discussed, Elder Yang said slowly. You must understand, though, that we will have to heavily censor any reference to our sects techniques. You will not have much information to work with, and even if you managed to discover sothing with the knowledge of your holand, I would think it impossible to try and apply it to cultivation relying on a different foundation.
Even so, that is what Im asking for.
It was a long shot, Sylar knew. Essences were distinct in terms of how they behaved. Even the activation thods corresponding to each type of Essence were different, such that mages tended to specialise in spells corresponding to the elent they felt the closest affinity with.
Still, there were general rules that governed Essence Dynamics. If he took a series of observations that the sect held, and combined it with a frawork of Essence Theory, it might be possible for him to theorise a general model for the cultivation of Essence that he could then test.
And your second condition? Elder Hua probed. If we agree to an exchange of information, know that we also expect for your information to be of value to us.
I understand. For his next request, Sylar looked directly at Elder Yang. I want to know more of what you know of Tribulation.
Tribulation? he questioned. We spoke briefly about the subject yesterday. Was there sothing that you wished for clarification on?
I want to know more about what a Tribulation is, he said, and forestalled the incoming response. I know that there is disagreent even among cultivators about the subject. What I want to know are the facts just exactly when it is that a cultivator faces a bottleneck in his cultivation and must undergo a Tribulation, records of how a Tribulation manifests, the types of Revelations gained from them, the elents that their cultivation was based on any information you have, really.
Now they exchanged uncertain looks, a silent discussion passing between them. Guanzhong and Quanhao seed supportive of him, though they also appeared to be confused about what his intentions were. Xingling studied him intently, and there was much the sa expression on her face now that was bereft of the usual prickly coldness she directed at him, just as when he had returned from the battle at the Demons Pass after having achieved the First Comprehension and truly began his path of bodily cultivation.
And what is it that you intend to do with this information, Sylar Spellsight? Elder Yang spoke formally. You may be an ally of the Righteous Heart, but these records are just as sacred to our sect as the artifacts in our possession. We have a duty to protect them. We must ensure that your cause is just and that what we receive in turn is equally of value.
I have suspicions, about what the realm of a Tribulation might be, and this ties in with what I propose to share with you in exchange. Many of the details still dont make sense to , but Im certain that what I do know is essential to begin understanding what a Tribulation truly is. How it arises, what each cultivator faces, and more importantly how they are different will likely be central to any model we can co up with that might explain the nature of Tribulations.
He paused, trying to convey his seriousness.
I want to know why there even exists a cultivation bottleneck, and why overcoming a Tribulation is necessary for progressing past this limit. I want to know why it is that a cultivator only earns a Revelation following a Tribulation. I want to know why it is that one can choose to return from Tribulation before it truly begins to manifest, but not at any later ti. And He looked directly at Elder Yang. For those who turned back from a Tribulation, I want to know how to recreate one.
-x-x-x-
To recreate a Tribulation?
Yang Xingling bristled at that. Sylar Spellsight dared? As one who only just began to practice bodily cultivation, he dared to suggest that he could recreate a Tribulation just like that?
She looked at her father. They both had their differences, but he was still her father. She heard stories of how the Yang Renzhi of old had been a powerful warrior, one who would surely surpass Grandmaster Mu Siying the fabled Mu of the Four Shadows that struck fear in the hearts of the sects enemies. Her father had achieved the Second Revelation by the age of eighteen, and then the Third when he was close to thirty.
He had honed his skills for the next two decades. He had been an undefeatable force in battle, and she had heard the tales of how he had led his fellow brothers and sisters of the sect and their allies within the Penshan Alliance in battle against rogue sects that attempted to establish a presence in Jinxiang.
It was then, when he finally progressed to the bottleneck at the very limits of one who mastered the Third Revelation, that Yang Renzhi faced his first defeat.
On the brink of achieving his Fourth Revelation, and entering the sa realm as Grandmaster Mu himself, he had finally been defeated. Monts after the Tribulation Storm began, it abruptly abated. Those who had been present in the sect at the ti had thought that he had conquered his Tribulation within a matter of seconds, but one look at his pale face and shaking body was enough for any to realise what had happened.
Yang Renzhi, the rising power of the Righteous Heart Sect, whose very na was enough to deter any who walked the Evil Path from stirring trouble in Jinxiang facing his fourth Tribulation, he had done the unthinkable. He had fled from a challenge.
That had all happened before she was born. Her earliest mories of her father had been of him scouring the texts of the sects library, and consulting with experts within Jinxiang and beyond. When she had been but three, he had left on a long pilgrimage, intending to venture beyond the state of Wu to see if the sects of the other states might have so other profound knowledge.
Yang Renzhi had abandoned them. When he returned five years later, her mother who had been by his side and believed in him even when all others thought that this would be where his path ended had been deceased for two years.
He had been almost unrecognisable on his return. Gone was the Warrior who had struck fear into the hearts of their enemies. He was ek and llow, a shadow of his forr self, and he had settled into his new role as Elder of the Sect. From the man who had always sought out new challenges to overco, he had beco the sects custodian, choosing to spend his days providing instruction to disciples of the sect and otherwise secluding himself in his chamber.
Her feelings were mixed toward him. On the one hand he was her father, and even if he could no longer progress in cultivation, he still had all the powers held by one who was at the stage of the Third Revelation and the respect they demanded. Yet, on the other, he had left behind both Xingling and her mother, and returned just like that without a word. She hated how he had beco a timid shadow of the Warrior he once was.
For years, they had shared a rocky relationship. She had dedicated herself to her training, intending to surpass her father in all accounts. Already, she was working her way through the stages detailed in the Nine Unification Processes Scripture, and beginning to progress toward her own Third Revelation.
Yang Renzhi had found a new place in life found acceptance in his new role as an Elder of the sect, and as one who nurtured the younger disciples. He was at peace with himself and as his daughter, despite her frequent disagreents with him, she was thankful that he stopped torturing himself over sothing that could never be accomplished. He had already lost his wife; there was no need for him to suffer more for the single mistake of his past.
But now, Sylar Spellsight intended to open old wounds once more.
To recreate a Tribulation?
She whirled to face her father imdiately. It was clear that Sylars words had struck him deeply. He had his expression well-hidden, but there was an unrest to the flow of his qi as his usual calm broke not that the fledgling cultivator Spellsight would be able to tell that. She recognised the look of false hope in his eyes. It was a faint echo of her earliest mories of her father, when he had dug for the barest scraps of knowledge to no avail.
That is the ultimate goal, yes, Sylar spoke. It will be difficult, of course. It will take an understanding of how a Tribulation arises naturally, and then determining if there exists any ans of artificially forcing a state that closely mimics these unique circumstances.
Gone was Elder Huas usual easy-going expression. Do you think this to be truly possible, Sylar Spellsight? she questioned, a stern look on her face. I have known many cultivators who have failed their Tribulations, both within and beyond the sect. For those who have turned their backs on Tribulation, acceptance of their fate is sotis the far better outco.
Even so Sylar Spellsight spoke. There was a look of conviction in his eyes but was that naivety, arrogance, or a true belief that it was possible? I have to try. Even if I hadnt learned of Elder Yangs past, it is sothing that I must understand.
Why?
Heads turned to face her, and it was only then that she realised she had spoken out of turn.
Why? Sylar echoed. His expression made it seem as though she had asked the strangest question hed ever heard. Does a Scholar really need a reason to try and understand sothing?
A Scholar. Sothing in the way he said the word carried with it a certain sense of weight, and she knew it was more than a general term. It was what he identified with, what the very essence of his cultivation revolved around.
She knew without being told that Sylar Spellsight walked the Path of the Scholar. As far as she was aware, there were no cultivation techniques utilised by the sect that nurtured such a path.
Was it truly possible? As much as she tried to deny it, he did possess knowledge that even her father knew nothing of, and had a proficiency in the Spiritual Arts that she would grudgingly acknowledge as superior to those of their sect.
And if what she suspected about Sylar was true, she doubted he had yet revealed the true depths of his abilities. For all that he seed honest and friendly, and for all that her friends and ntors viewed him as their ally, there was still a certain sense of calculation and cunning about him.
Could it be possible? Could he restore her father to his forr glory?
She didnt know. Even as she settled back into her seat, intently paying attention to Sylar Spellsight as the Elders began their own questions, she promised herself one thing.
If Sylar had deliberately stirred false hopes to her father after he had finally stopped putting himself through undue suffering, she would never forgive him.
-x-x-x-
The Elental Planes are each unto themselves a sphere of existence that lie separate to our own, Sylar lectured. In the middle of the table, he had conjured a series of Minor Illusions, and now there was a central sphere in the middle, that was in turn circumferentially surrounded by four that were each of a different colour. Each corresponds to the elents of Fire, Earth, Water, and Air. Within them are contained the purest states of each elent, and it is believed that each Plane is the representation of a fundantal and primal aspect of creation.
He let the information sink in for a mont. He wasnt sure whether they yet believed his words, but they were polite enough not to interrupt.
Most of the ti, the Planes do not manifest directly in the material world. There are, however, sites where they can begin to bleed through and make a connection into our world. For most cases, these are only minor connections that allow for a mild and temporary flow of power. Other more stable connections exist, and these sites are rich with energies emanating from the Elental Planes. We call these the Nexuses of Power.
He shifted the illusion, and now distorted the base of each of the elental spheres outward and elongated them toward the material world, until at last they made a connection.
At certain sites, however, these connections are strong enough to directly influence the material world and form a gateway into the Elental Planes, he said. At the core of these rare stronger Nexuses of Power is a stable rift into the corresponding Elental Plane. The power embodied by the Plane leaks out into the physical world, and it begins to alter everything in its surroundings to beco more like a representation of the Plane in itself. Adamantine is one such example of such an alteration, and there are those who specialise in recovering it from Nexuses of Power connected to the Elental Plane of Earth.
Ah and you believe that other Divine Treasures might be the sa?
He nodded at Elder Yang. That is the conjecture, yes.
But you think that Tribulation realms might actually be these Elental Planes that youre telling us about? Quanhao asked.
Sylar hesitated. That is one possibility, but no, I dont think so, actually. He looked at Quanhao. No offense but I really dont think that youd be able to survive a trip to the Elental Planes without any protection, and if even those who have yet to receive their First Revelation have to undergo a Tribulation, I really dont see any way that it could truly be the Elental Planes.
What do you think it might be, then?
Thats what I want to figure out from all of this, he said. At the very least, I need to test the hypothesis of whether there is a relationship between the type of cultivation one practices and the manifestation of a Tribulation.
And you want to utilise our records to see if the realm of a Tribulation fits with these Elental Planes that you speak of, Elder Hua surmised, frowning. The idea of it is intriguing, but
But? he prompted.
Tribulations dont always correspond to the elent that one cultivates, ca the reply, and she looked at Elder Yang. Does he already know?
He nodded his head with that sa pained expression from before on his face.
I told you that I turned back from my Tribulation because I saw saw things that I never wanted to see. Saw enemies that I knew I could never defeat with all the strength that I possessed. He breathed in, steadying himself. My cultivation is mostly derived from the elents of fire and water at its core. I thought in my arrogance, perhaps that I had been close to mastering those two elents, and yet, what I saw in there
The master cultivator, who must have faced hundreds of foes with power that Sylar couldnt imagine, looked shaken. Even now, more than twenty years since he had failed his Tribulation, the mory was still firmly etched into his mind.
It was completely unlike the elents that I knew of, Sylar, he said. There was not even the slightest trace of the calmness of water, or the ferocity of fire. What I saw in that darkness went beyond what I thought even possible, and I His words caught in his throat. I couldnt bear it. Even looking at it, I knew I would fail if I continued forward. And so I fled.
Could the Transcendentals be at play here? Sylar had not yet revealed their existence, but
Im sorry, Sylar apologised, but knew that he could not stop here. He needed clarification on Elder Huas words. But is this the exception? Do most Tribulations draw a heavy influence from the type of energies they have cultivated?
Elder Hua nodded. Yes, that is often the case. No two tribulations are ever alike, but they are almost always rich with the energies they have chosen to cultivate with.
So why? What factors made Elder Yangs case different?
It was no good. Sitting here and theorising would do him nothing.
Thats not the only hole I have with my theory, though, he said, looking back at Quanhao. The Elental Planes shouldnt be able to intersect with one another. They are in mutual opposition, and if they were to begin to mix, they would begin to consu and destroy each other. Water doesnt exist in the Plane of Earth, and neither can even the smallest stone exist in the Plane of Water. If one attempted to bring a pebble in, it would soon crumble away into nothingness.
Then there was still the most obvious question of all how could Quanhaos spirit or consciousness simultaneously be in the Tribulation realm, while his body remained in the material realm?
Do you think the knowledge from your holand might be able to explain this? Guanzhong asked.
Perhaps. I need more information, though; concrete facts and examples. He sighed. I think thats about all that I can manage to put together for now though.
They lapsed into silence for a mont.
Xingling spoke first. Perhaps there is one thing we havent yet ntioned. Sylar startled, not having expected her to contribute. I assu that no one raised the point because of how obvious it is, but we should bear it in mind.
Huh?
Even if the sets of teachings and techniques of every sect are different, there is always one point in common. No matter what, if a cultivator does not engage in this, they will never be able to reach their first Tribulation, she said. You should already know this, now that youve achieved the First Comprehension.
Sylar frowned. Was this ant to be so puzzle he had to decipher? He tried to parse the aning in her words, but there was nothing that ca to mind.
what is it?
She stared at him for a long mont, and only then seed to realise that he was genuinely clueless as to what point she was trying to make.
No one told you? She seed surprised at the notion, then shot a glare at Guanzhong. You were just going to let him continue blindly without telling him that he needs to learn to start cultivating his yang energies at this stage?
Guanzhong took a mont to react, but when he finally did, it was with a widening of his eyes and a profound startlent.
I he spoke, chagrined. It it completely slipped my mind. With your Spiritual Arts at such a level, I never imagined that -
Hes the equivalent of a Junior Disciple, Xingling stressed, interrupting him. No, worse than that. Hes soone who blundered his way into the First Comprehension. He knows nothing about it. Even with the need to keep our techniques secret, we have a duty to prevent a guest from having their cultivation crippled.
Guanzhongs embarrassnt deepened with each scathing word that Xingling spoke, but Sylar didnt quite get what was happening here. What are you talking about?
From the Dao ca the One, from the One ca Two, from the Two ca Three, and from the Three ca the Ten-Thousand things, Elder Yang recited.
Ten thousand things, backed by yin and embraced by yang, are infused with qi to achieve the truest Unity, Sylar finished, and looked at them. Yeah, Ive heard that before. How does that relate?
Exactly that, Xingling said. If you fail to cultivate yin and yang, you will never be able to achieve unity with the dao. You will remain at the bottleneck, and you will never progress any further. Your path would end there.
There was a relative softness to her tone as she said that relative being the operative term. It was surprising, but perhaps there was more to Xingling than the impression he had of her.
But yin and yang? The Core Essences? Cultivating them in so way was sohow a prerequisite for a Tribulation to be t?
This was essential information. Perhaps blindingly obvious to a cultivator, in the sa way that he never had to explain fundantal calculus and geotry to any mage, but this was novel information to him. He kept it in mind, but even with that piece of information, it was little more to go on.
Thank you for telling that, he said to Xingling, then addressed the Elders. Do we have a deal, then? Will you allow to access so of your records?
They shared a look. That, again, is a matter for the Grandmaster to decide, Elder Yang said. But I suspect he will not refuse, though he may remove any reference to our sects techniques. If we co to understand even a little more about Tribulation, if nothing else, we may be able to make it safer for our disciples.
Again, it was up to the Grandmaster. Perhaps what Sylar told them of the Elental Planes might help leave a good impression on the man, but from what hed been told, it seed that he placed equal emphasis on action and deeds as he did on talent.
Shall we leave it here, then? It seems like we each have much to think about, and you seem like youre eager to begin doing whatever it is that thats supposed to be. Elder Hua raised a brow, gesturing toward the pile of parchnt that still carried a faint scent of incense upon them. She stood up and stretched, once again the sa laid-back Elder he had t at the Demons Pass, and yawned. Goodness, all that talk got to . Xingling, were beginning our training at three. Dont be late.
And with that dismissal, the discussion broke apart. Sylar would have wanted to stay for longer to catch up with Quanhao, but he knew that Jin would grow worried if Qiyu did not return soon. Besides, he had much on his mind, and he still needed to make sense of the data hed collected from observing Quanhao.
So it was that no more than fifteen minutes later, they were once again at the gates of the Righteous Heart Sect, Huoyang readying the carriage for the ride back down. He and Qiyu were exchanging their goodbyes with their cultivator friends and surprisingly, Xingling was among that group.
Shurui knelt and gave Qiyu a soft hug. Well co visit soon and play, okay? Then, she turned to Sylar. Good luck on setting up your school.
Ohh, boy. With that would co a new set of responsibilities that hadnt been on his mind the entire ti hed been thinking about the latest knowledge he learned. It seed like he would have enough on his plate to occupy all his ti for the foreseeable future.
Co and visit any ti, Sylar, Guanzhong said, then lowered his head. And again Im sorry for forgetting to ntion the need to work on cultivating your yang. With all that you manage to surprise us, it completely slipped my mind that there were things you may be ignorant of.
Dont worry about it; I know that feeling. I still find myself assuming so fundantal basics when teaching Qiyu, only to discover fifteen minutes later that she hasnt understood a word Im saying.
Qiyu snorted she was growing far too comfortable with him, that cheeky apprentice of his and pretended to whisper conspiratorially to Shurui. Its funny to watch him talking to himself. The record so far is a full hour.
Okay, that was a lie, and she knew it. He let her have this victory, though he promised he would repay her with a long lecture on fundantal Essence Theory when they returned.
Cant wait for our duel, Quanhao said, grinning. Once I start getting used to the Second Revelation you best be ready, Sylar, cause Im sure not going to go easy on you!
He winced. Please, please do rember when that ti cos that Im as fragile as a housefly.
He hoped that Quanhao took his words to heart, or that Guanzhong would at the very least clamp down on so of his excitent, because Quanhao looked far too eager for a spar between them. One thing for sure was this he sorely needed to bolster his repertoire of defensive spells, beginning with the Dispersion he was certain he would soon be able to re-derive.
Sylar. Xingling spoke icily. A word?
He looked at her, then glanced curiously at the others. Guanzhong, Yao, and Quanhao looked equally confused and curious, and Shurui was still engaged with entertaining Qiyu. Annoyed, Xingling grabbed him by the hand, and pulled him to one side.
Can I help you? he asked, when she stopped frowning after looking to see that they were out of earshot.
What you said. She looked at him intently. Do you really think you can do it?
A flicker of emotion broke past her usual stony expression for the barest of instants, but Sylar knew better than to ntion it.
It will take ti, but yes; I think that at the very least, I might be able to co up with sothing more comprehensive about the nature of Tribulations, he said. And with that one step will co another, and another, and another and soday, I do think it possible for Elder Yang to return to face a new Tribulation.
She was silent for a long mont, and simply stared at him, assessing his words.
One can have eyes but only ever see the base of Mount Tai, she mused, though Sylar had no idea what the context of it was. It sounded vaguely like so sort of saying. We shall see if you can ever glimpse the peak.
He was about to turn around and reconvene with Qiyu, but then she delivered so parting words.
Know this, Sylar Spellsight, she said dangerously. You think you know my father now, but you have never seen the burdens of his past. If you dare to reopen his old wounds with all your false hopes and empty theories, I will never forgive you.
With that, she departed, heading back to the interior of the sect.
He could empathise with her, truly. No matter their differences, they were kin. If he were in Elder Yangs place, after having spent years trying and failing to find an answer, then coming to accept a new place in life, only to be told that perhaps a way forward might exist it would be torturous to subject oneself to such a cycle.
Still, Sylar had to try. Not just for Elder Yangs sake, and not just for the sake of satisfying his thirst for new knowledge. He wanted to help, that was true but there was sothing even more pressing.
No; his primary motive for pursuing this instead lay in his projection of what he thought might be happening, only taken to its most extre limits. If the Planes Beyond were involved in all of this, and were sohow able to bleed into each other, there was a real potential for a catastrophic outco that may not be confined to the Immortal Lands alone. They were fundantal constants of creation itself, and a grand catastrophe to such a balance would impact all the Planes.
Certainly, this was the most extre scenario, and perhaps it would never co to pass. Still, no matter what, he could leave no stone unturned if there was even the slightest possibility of that occurring whether by accident or purposeful design.
Even as he began his lecture on a more in-depth account of the Elental Planes to his apprentice, these thoughts continued to bother him as the carriage made its way down the mountain pass. Working out a theoretical frawork for cultivation to guide his own path forward, discerning the true nature of a Tribulation, setting up an academy of his own, all while continuing to practice with his spellwork he would definitely have his hands full for the foreseeable future.
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