The innate will technique includes a stage that requires the user to create and manifest what is known as an internal heart demon.
Internal demons can be summarised as "heart devils" or "heart demons." Unlike standard demons or devils, these are the practitioner's negative emotions and mental barriers that hinder their training and cultivation. In some cases, internal demons can even attack the practitioner from within. If the practitioner fails to resist them adequately, it may result in energy deviation.
The internal demon created by the innate will technique stems from the practitioner's ego, rather than negative emotions or mental barriers. This ego subsequently transforms into the practitioner's drive for power.
Moreover, the more powerful a practitioner, the more formidable these heart demons would become. Once these types of dreamlands appeared, or in a critical moment when trying to make a breakthrough, these heart demons might appear to haunt the practitioner and cause problems. If they suddenly manifested, it was possible that a practitioner's consciousness could be hijacked by said heart demon.
This applies to both naturally occurring heart demons and those formed through the innate will technique. The key difference is that for heart demons created using this technique, remaining true to one's ego can lead to faster breakthroughs without encountering bottlenecks.
If an 'innate heart demon' is created with an arrogant ego, the practitioner will become arrogant in all their actions, regardless of the circumstances. Straying from this personality will only lead to problems for the practitioner.
Alaric believed that this particular aspect of the technique would only hinder his future development. He felt that having his personality shaped by a factor he couldn't even choose for himself was a recipe for disaster. However, after listening to Old Tian, he realised that this factor is an essential aspect of the technique that cannot be ignored.
Since this created ego would be a significant boost to his will, he would have to create it.
Lost in his thoughts, Alaric didn't notice Old Tian getting up until he approached and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"We need to leave, young Alaric. We're going to visit an old friend of mine," he said softly.
Snapping out of his thoughts, he straightened his shoulders and stood up. A friend of the old man could only be someone very powerful, someone at the top of the food chain.
Without hesitation, he followed the older man.
"Who are we going to visit, Old Man?"
"Remember when I told you about a known method to reduce the flaw of a blessed?"
Of course, he remembers; how could he forget such a detail? He had tried asking the man after their discussion a month ago, but got no reply, saying he would know when the time was right. 'I wonder what changed.'
"The first blessed appeared a thousand years ago. It was the first time in this era after the culling. Naturally, we practitioners were happy with this occurrence as we had realised the world was slowly dying."
"That happiness did not last long, though, as we came to find out he had an especially nasty flaw, one that made others believe he would eventually become a problem if not handled properly. We couldn't just kill him, for we thought he was our only hope in combating whatever calamity."
He chuckled softly at the memory.
"In retrospect, he was quite astute. He never disclosed information about the Usurpers or how one could become one. He also kept quiet about the subsequent emergence of eleven more blessed. The truth is, sharing that knowledge might have put his own survival at risk."
"Nonetheless, driven by a lack of alternatives, we set forth on a quest to find ways to lessen the impact of his flaw. This journey took us through the ruins of the old world, consuming a considerable amount of time and resources. Thankfully, our perseverance paid off, and we eventually unearthed a powerful solution."
One thing he conveniently failed to mention was that he wasn't one of the people looking for a solution; he had his own problems that took his attention. For the past ten thousand years, he had been in seclusion, trying but failing to find a solution to his troubles. He supported the endeavour but was unable to participate in it.
"We found a powerful ritual, one that binds two individuals together intrinsically, sharing strengths and burdens. This allowed the blessed to share their flaw with one individual who would also share their strengths. It was a mutually beneficial ritual to perform. It was so beneficial; if it weren't for the cost to perform such a powerful ritual, it would have become common practice today."
"Isn't it fascinating how, through adversity, we can discover such profound solutions? It's a reminder that hope and collaboration can lead us to amazing breakthroughs."
"The friend we are going to meet has a very talented student about your age who is well-suited to be your 'life partner'. We are going there for that."
Alaric was taken by surprise for a moment before moving along.
They stepped downstairs, paid for their tea, and began heading toward the exit.
As soon as they stepped outside, Alaric, who had expected to find himself in a bustling city, was caught off guard to discover he was standing at the top of a snow-covered mountain. The overwhelming pressure nearly caused his legs to give out.
This sort of thing had been happening consistently over the past month. Old Tian would teleport them without any warning. Even with his keen eyesight, Alaric could never anticipate when it would happen.
"Tch," he clicked his tongue in annoyance, noticing the mischievous expression on the old man's face.
"Heh, this is the Heavenly Archives world, the planet where the Heavenly Archives are located. This mountain is where my friend resides," Old Tian explained.
He began walking forward, his feet barely sinking into the icy snow. Alaric watched closely, trying to mimic his movements and analyse every detail.
This had become standard practice over the past month. The old man never asked about which aspect of Alaric's abilities had been enhanced by the blessing; he seemed to have figured it out himself. Whenever they had the chance, he performed martial techniques that Alaric could easily observe. As a result, Alaric learned many excellent techniques that hadn't been available in his past life.
They walked for about an hour, during which Alaric fully mastered the movement technique he had just observed Old Tian using, before arriving at an open field that stretched for kilometres. The icy, cold temperatures were absent from this region; in fact, it radiated warmth that felt unnatural for the area.
In the middle of this unusually warm region stood a cabin big enough to house a family.
It didn't take long for them to reach the doorstep, where they stood waiting.
Confusion etched on Alaric's face.
"Aren't you going to knock, old man?" he asked.
"She is not inside, so we will have to wait," Old Tian replied.
Before arriving in front of the mountain, he already scanned the entire area, including inside the cabin and found no one present.
They didn't have to wait long, as a voice suddenly emerged beside them.
"What do you want, Tian?"
This startled Alaric, making him jump back slightly. Despite having evolved his eyes, allowing him to see and perceive details spanning hundreds of kilometres without straining his mind, he hadn't detected someone getting this close.
Standing next to them was a beautiful woman wearing a long, bright blue robe. Her black, waist-length hair flowed freely in the wind, and she looked at Old Tian with a complicated expression.
Alaric, being Alaric, tried to analyse her but came up with nothing, just as he always did with Old Tian.
This action, however, elicited a response from her. Her beautiful brows furrowed as she turned her attention away from Tian to the startled young man.
"You should be careful about whom you choose to observe, young man," she warned, her voice smooth yet sharp like polished steel.
Alaric stood frozen, the surprise of her response washing over him like a sudden storm. It dawned on him how Old Tian had known about his unique ability. His unwitting actions had inadvertently unveiled specific details of his talent, unwinding a thread he hadn't meant to expose.
With a practised grace, he clasped his hands together and bowed his head slightly, his heart racing. "Please forgive my rudeness, senior."
At that, the tension in her furrowed brows eased, revealing a hint of warmth in her expression. "You must exercise greater caution in the future. Not every practitioner is as forgiving as I am."
Using any form of detection or analysis on a fellow practitioner is considered a grave affront, capable of igniting a violent backlash.
"Thank you, senior. I will certainly keep that in mind," he replied, his voice steadying as he raised his gaze.
It was then that he noticed a small figure peeking shyly from behind her. With a hesitance that seemed almost palpable, the figure emerged, revealing herself completely.
'What manner of creature is this?' Alaric marvelled, his mind racing with curiosity.
It wasn't merely her long, elegant ears or the delicate way she avoided his gaze that left him in awe. Old Tian had already shared tales of Elves and their dark-skinned kin, leaving Alaric somewhat prepared. Yet, the gentle aura surrounding her still caught him off guard, filling the air with an enchanting mixture of intrigue and caution.
What honestly surprised him was how cute the six-year-old was. She had white hair, dark, beautiful skin, and puffy cheeks, wearing dark clothing.
The young, shy girl suddenly felt an unknown chill and took a step back, hiding behind her master.