Chapter 18: Opening the Spiritual World

Old Man Black turned to look at Blacky. “You’re quite lucky. However you will need more than just luck to train.”

Old Man Black was looking at Blacky sternly. While he was foolish at times, he was not an idiot

Blacky grimly nodded his head.

“The fact that you’ve only been making breakthrough with pills is a joke.” Old Man Black continued.

Blacky frowned, he felt insulted. “The disciples of sects always use pills to train.. It’s just that I’m too poor to afford them.”

Old Man Black darkly eyed Blacky. “I’m not saying that it’s wrong. But you shouldn’t expect pills to lead you through life. I gave you the Book of Spiritual Warrior, did you read it?”

Blacky nodded. “Yes.. But with my talent-”

“Enough!“

Old Man Black began to shout, his face red. “I don’t want to hear any bullshit about talent! To become strong you need more than just talent! Do you want to be useless forever? Do you want to live a life of regret? Is your life so great that you must preserve it at all costs?”

Blacky didn’t know why Old Man Black was raging at him. “But..”

“No buts!” Old Man Black snorted. “If you’re going to train, aim for the stars! Fuck talent, and fuck resources! No one will help you unless they benefit! That is life, if you want something, you must take it!”

“Ok.” Blacky answered weakly.

“Ahh.” Old Man Black sighed. “I don’t expect you to understand what I’m saying. You’re still too young. Just keep it in mind for the future.”

Old Man Black walked towards the cave. “Come.”

Blacky entered the dark cave, this was the home he grew up in.

Old Man Black sat down at the center of the cave with his legs crossed. “Are you ready to make a breakthrough?”

Blacky nodded. “Yes.”

Old Man Black eyed Blacky who sat down in front of him. “Breaking through the middle stages of the spiritual warrior isn’t simple. It requires opening a new world within your body.”

“To be more precise this can be considered a spiritual awakening. As for the world you open, it will be a place where pure energy gathers.” Old Man Black slowly spoke. “Once you become a late stage spiritual warrior this energy can be converted to elemental energy, do you know anything about this?”

Blacky carefully listened to what Old Man Black said. “Sir Raven told me once you choose an element you can never change it.”

Old Man Black replied. “Elemental warriors will not be able to. However spiritual warriors can collapse their spiritual world, and then create a new one. This method has many side effects, but it’s still better than choosing an element you have no affinity with.”

“I like the shadow element.” Blacky said randomly.

Old Man Black snorted as he replied. “Now is not the time for that. Prepare to breakthrough.”

Blacky shrugged. “What should I do?”

Old Man Black replied. “Shut your eyes. Take deep breathes. Do this for ten minutes. Think of nothing, only on your breathing.”

Blacky shut his eyes and began to meditate.

After ten minutes, Old Man Black reached out with his index finger, placing it on Blacky’s forehead.

“The spiritual world is right here. Visualize a pure world. In this world only elements exist. Your mortal body is of earth, it restricts you. All that exist in this world are formed from the elements. All may be false, only the elements are true.”

Blacky listened to Old Man Black speaking with a low voice. His eye lids twitched momentarily. He thought of the warm feeling he had when he consumed pills. Then the feeling of his body absorbing the heavenly energy, from the golden leaf. He even remembered the injury he received from Cool Breeze. His body was heavily injured, yet he felt no physical pain at that time. Blacky fell into a daze.

Old Man Black’s finger trembled. His eyes appeared to be shocked. He was only showing an example to Blacky, he didn’t expect Blacky to breakthrough on his first try. Old Man Black took one more glance at Blacky before he exited the cave.

Blacky lost track of time. One day and one night, passed.

Blacky opened both of his eyes. The world in front of him was completely white and empty. There was nothing at all in this world. Even his body didn’t exist. This place was his spiritual world.

…

Raven returned to the mountain, he found Old Man Black sitting on the cliff outside.

“Did Blacky breakthrough?” Raven asked.

Old Man Black shook his head. “No.. He’s opening his spiritual world.”

“WHAT?!” Raven eyes squinted in shock.

Old Man Black also found his own words hard to believe. “I just told him to try it out randomly..”

Raven glanced at the entrance of the cave with shock. “Only first grade geniuses from sects can open their spiritual world during the third level. Are you sure about this? “

Old Man Black nodded.

..

Blacky blinked his eyes and found himself back inside the cave. He stretched out his arms and yawned. His bones cracked and he felt his body become lighter.

Blacky walked out of the cave, he saw Old Man Black and Raven outside.

Raven directly appeared in front of Blacky. “Did you open your spiritual world?”

Blacky replied hesitantly. “I think so.. Whenever I fall into meditation I appear in this empty space. It’s completely white, with no end. I don’t know, maybe it’s my imagination.”

Raven eyes opened widely, in his hand he held out a spatial ring. “Wear this.”

Blacky put the ring on his middle finger. It was the same one that Cool Breeze gave him.

Raven’s tone was filled with anticipation. “Now.. Imagine that your spiritual world is within this ring.”

Blacky found Raven’s actions strange. He shut his eyes for a moment, and then three white pills appeared in his right hand.

Raven’s eyes almost popped out of his eyes. “Blacky you’re a genius!”

Blacky looked at Raven with a blank expression. All he did was open his spiritual world, it wasn’t too impressive right?

Raven laughed joyfully. He pulled out a small note and waved his finger across it.

“Did you open your spiritual world then made a breakthrough?”

Blacky replied honestly. “Yes, I broke through when I woke up.”

Raven began to murmur. “White Devil said he would consider taking in a disciple. If he knows this.. It’ll virtually be set in stone!”

Blacky saw Raven summon another crow but wasn’t too interested. He began to play with the spatial ring. He noticed that there was a strange place in the ring. He estimated that it was a hundred feet long and wide. He inserted a few things inside, and then removed them.

Old Man Black was standing on the side, looking at Blacky like he was a monster, he coughed slightly.

“Raven did you bring the two martial techniques?” Old Man Black spoke to Raven.

Raven nodded after sending out the crow. “Yes, I got a spear technique called ‘Thousand Assault’. It’s a fairly basic spear technique.”

Old Man Black didn’t appear too interested in this. “And the movement technique?”

Raven smiled slightly at this point. “The movement technique I’ve got is of top grade. It’s the best that the bounty hunter association can offer.”

Blacky’s eyes lit up as he heard this.

Raven continued to speak. “The technique is called ‘Infinite Glide’. It’s so great that even elemental warriors use it. It’s said if one can reach perfection with this technique, they can glide through the sky.”

Old Man Black spoke up from the side. “And the crystal sand?”

Raven smiled slightly. “I’ve got it as well, don’t worry.”

After saying that Raven handed two books to Blacky.

Blacky looked at the first book which had a spear on the cover. The second book had a terrifying black snake on it.

“The infinite glide technique is based off of the movements of a nether snake. They blend into their surroundings, silently stalking their prey. Once they strike there’s no dodging it.” Raven explained.

Old Man Black clearly knew the value of this technique. “Blacky this technique is priceless. While there might be a better movement technique out there, you won’t be able to use them. Carefully read through this book. I’ll prepare a place for you to train it.

Raven and Old Man Black didn’t have anything else to say, they descended down the mountain together.

Blacky felt mournful as he stood on the cliff with two books in his hands.

“But.. I’m hungry..”