Breakfast was indescribable—tasty and exquisite. Finished with it, Prince Kael and his maids headed to the training ground. On his way there, he met a lot of members of the Palace Guards, who all bent their knee. Each one looked at their new Prince with a burning gaze.
"My Prince, everything is ready!" Selene met Kael. "Please, take a seat, and we can start with the theory of cultivation."
There was a tea table with some snacks prepared.
"I guess having tea is a universal thing in any dimension," Prince Kael thought to himself.
"So, first of all, we will start with the history of cultivation. Nobody knows exactly when it was first practiced; in countless worlds—the Abyss, Old Demon, and Human Worlds—everyone managed to research cultivation."
"Old Demon World?"
"Yes, it is our original homeland. Approximately two epochs ago, the Old Demon and Human Worlds collided, merging into one." Selene took out some books and shared them with Kael.
"Here are records of the world, a rough description of the history. The earliest epoch recorded is called the Prehistoric Era, followed by the Ancient, Warring, Ascending, Great Collision, Golden, and finally, our current Dormant Era."
"Why is the current one called the Dormant Era?" Kael didn't like the sound of that.
"Because after the Golden Era, where every corner of the world was filled with great geniuses, sons and daughters of Heaven, the current one lacks it. The level of Spiritual Qi has also decreased, and the Laws of the Universe are obscured."
Hearing Selene's explanation, Kael fell into thought. He was pondering if he was born into the wrong era, having the talents he had now but not being able to utilize them against great geniuses. Just the thought of this pained him.
"We can discuss history later; Her Majesty will arrange a teacher for you to answer all the questions. Now back to the cultivation theory. I'll start with the first 10 steps: Qi Essence, Meridian Cycle, Inner Spark, Spiritual Resonance, Spiritual Manifestation, Origin Forging, Unchained, Spirit Gate, Soul Palace, and finally, Ascension."
Prince Kael got overwhelmed with the number of cultivation ranks, and from how Commander Selene said it, it seemed there were higher levels as well.
"Are there stronger realms?"
"It's too early for you to know them, and it would only hinder your progress," Selene warned the boy in a serious tone.
"Then how strong are you, if I may ask? Are you above the Ascension realm?" Kael knew she wasn't, but to give one a compliment was never a bad idea.
Selene giggled. "My Prince, I am not. My power is at the Spirit Gate realm—the eighth step. But please be careful in the future. In the world of cultivation, it is considered a sign of bad manners to ask someone you don't know well about their strength, especially trying to gauge it with your divine sense."
"Thank you for your warning; I'll keep it in mind."
She smiled at the boy and continued, "Let's start with the first realm. It is the hardest and the easiest one, a wall between mortals and immortals. For Qi Essence, one needs to sense the Spiritual Qi of the world."
Commander Selene stood up from her seat and walked to the center. Then she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The next second, Kael felt the wind; it blew past him, towards the woman.
It started swirling around Selene and slowly transformed into a white strand of smoke, seemingly fragile but containing a lot of power.
"This is Qi, in its simplest form, My Prince. After one feels and communicates with it, the practitioner must refine it according to their cultivation technique into a tamed strand of energy."
Kael watched, mesmerized. It was beautiful—not compared to the views of the Astral plane, but still beautiful. Something deep inside him trembled, feeling the excitement of sensing the presence of raw energy nearby.
"It must be my Immortal Root," the boy thought.
"The next step, after they've finished all cycles of refinement according to the cultivation technique, is the Meridian Cycle. In our bodies, there are passages for the flow of Qi; in these passages, there are gateways like crossroads." Selene finished her words, and the next moment, nine orbs of light appeared on her body.
"These are Meridians opened by me during my second stage. There are three lower, middle, and upper ones. Each Meridian enabled me to utilize more spells and martial arts. My body is getting used to the presence and the flow of Inner Qi."
"Are there only three Meridians of each type in our bodies?"
"No, there are more, and each race has its unique body structure. That is why inheritance is very important; without it, one is like a blind man treading an unknown path."
"Is it possible to open all Meridians?"
"Who knows, maybe it is. At least I've never heard about that."
A dangerous thought surfaced in Prince Kael's mind; a new trait unfamiliar to the old Charles from Earth started acting out—arrogance.
"Following the Meridian Cycle is Inner Spark, when the practitioner turns their tamed Qi into their flame, Source Flame. It is a powerful source of energy, a huge contrast to the previous level."
Kael waited for a demonstration, but seconds flew by without anything happening.
"Are you waiting for me to show you?" Selene asked shyly.
"Can't you?"
The atmosphere turned awkward. A gust of wind hit Kael's face.
"Apologies, My Prince... demonstrating the Source Flame externally requires a level of control that might damage the surroundings here," Selene admitted, her tone tinged with embarrassment. "However, once you reach this stage, you will understand the profound transformation it brings."
Kael nodded, memorizing all the information. "Thank you, Selene. Your explanations have been enlightening."
Selene smiled, regaining her composure. "You're welcome, My Prince. Remember, patience and persistence are key in cultivation."
Kael felt a surge of determination. "I understand. Let's move on."
Selene stopped him. "This is enough for now, Your Highness. Learning more details about higher realms is useless. Now, it's better for you to try yourself. Her Majesty asked me to bring you over to the Royal Library to choose a cultivation technique suitable for you."
"How does one choose their cultivation method?"
"All cultivators believe in fate and destiny; the library will guide you and listen to your instincts."
"It is a very unreliable method," Kael thought inwardly. "Destiny and fate... good thing I made preparations for that."
He remembered a heart he merged with a lot of fate-related talents; now his choice seemed even more crucial.
Kael stood up, brushing off any lingering doubts. "Alright, let's visit the Royal Library then."
Selene led the way, her demeanor now back to its composed and confident self.
The library was located in the inner part of the Palace, a restricted area where only a very few have access. The Royal Library stood majestic, a fortress of dark stone adorned with intricate carvings and towering columns, its grand entrance framed by luminescent vines and a celestial stained-glass window. It had six floors in total.
"I am not allowed to follow you beyond this point," Selene stopped. "You go alone, My Prince."
"Thank you, Selene."
"Remember to trust your instincts. You are free to spend as much time as you want inside; however, only the first floor is needed for you. Initiating chapters for cultivation methods are there."
"I understand."
Prince Kael took a step forward. Inside, the sheer size and majesty of the library left him in awe. Rows upon rows of ancient scrolls and books lined the walls, each containing the secrets to unimaginable power. He could almost feel it at the tip of his fingers.
What caught the boy's attention the most were several rows of crystal balls; he saw ancient characters inside, changing and overlapping each other.
Curiosity piqued, Kael approached the crystal balls. Each one seemed to hum with an energy of its own, drawing him closer. As he neared, the characters within began to shift more rapidly, creating intricate patterns that seemed to call out to him.
"Dragon's Veil Path... Eternal Flame Doctrine..." The child browsed through the glass balls, scrolls, and manuals.
"Let's calm down and think logically. There are too many books. What do I need first of all? What do I want to achieve?" Kael fell into thought. "Maybe... Should I test my other talent?"
He pressed the orb against his forehead. Immediately, a cultivation method appeared in the boy's sea of consciousness—Shadowborn Conqueror Method.
This technique followed the path of shadows and domination, first refining the strands of energy into a special form tainted by darkness. Later, it allowed one to dominate and corrupt living beings.
Inside his mind, Kael appeared in an empty white space. He looked at his body; everything was the same just as a few seconds ago. The boy didn't waste any time; he sat down in a lotus position and started breathing according to the method.
He wasn't sure if in this space it was possible to sense or cultivate Qi, but it didn't hurt to try. Not even a moment passed before Kael quickly felt the presence of immense energy beside him, almost suffocating. All of this was due to the wonder of the Teachings of Millennia talent—a simulation space he had created in the Void to test techniques instantly.