Mystical Journey

The whole of the field of white, complemented with a sea of blue flowers, and like the sweet fragrance of flowers, a sense of calm and joy filled the air.

The both of them faced each other, on their knees in the middle of the white stone yard.

Garen started to explain the theory behind the Explosion of Heavenly Spirit. This secret technique made use of the manipulation of finger methods to concentrate the qi onto a specific point. It would then excite a particular part of the body, which would instantly increase the strength and vitality of the user.

The explosive strength was 150% stronger than one would be able normally muster.

To Andrela, this enhanced explosive force was definitely a killer weapon. His speed would increase, along with his Vitality. It was perfect for him as it would make up for his weakness, which was being unable to increase his speed due to the load on his body.

To pay Garen back, Andrela decided to pass down one of his secret techniques; Three Star Convergence to him.

Other than sleeping and eating, both of them spent their remaining time teaching each other what they knew of their secret techniques.

The Three Star Convergence, a secret technique that had little side effect, was invented by Andrela from scratch. Similar to his Blink, it was the type of technique that he would usually not be passed down to others, but In this case, he considered it returning a favor with another.

This technique, which was of the instantaneous, explosive type, was something Garen had enquired of before.

It was a tri-simultaneous attack, which carried three times more destructive power than usual. Andrela had depended on this to injure him, past his Body Hardening Technique.

While they were trying to learn the secret techniques, Garen started preparing his medicine to learn the Golden Statue Technique as well.

He decided to invest points into secret techniques as he was not able to increase his attributes at the moment.

Both of them continuously learnt from each other for the next few months. Both the secret technique’s training regimes were very complicated. On the one hand, the Three Star Convergence required an external force to progressively stimulate a hidden part of the arm, and on the other hand, the Explosion of Heavenly Spirit required one to constantly reduce the casting period of the explosion. Furthermore, he had to use the Finger Method with extreme precision to avoid any backfire that could cause him severe injury.

After they got a grasp of the the tricks of these secret techniques, they slowly broke out of the learning daze.

Garen finally got hold of the Three Star Convergence technique with the help of Andrela. Based on the requirement shown by the skill pane, this technique required both basic sword techniques and Celestial Circle Secret Technique to be at advanced level in order to achieve the prerequisite.

However, Garen successfully modified the Three Star Convergence to suit his uses, with the help of Andrela. Andrela was not called a genius for nothing, either, as he was already able to use the basics of Explosion of Heavenly Spirit for actual battles. When they both sparred, Garen estimated that the current Andrela was on par with the talented Clark of the Crimson Sand Sword.

A few days later.

Both of them started talking about Palosa’s 179 secret techniques; the terrifying secret technique called the 99 Regressions. It made the White Bird Fist became the true White Bird Holy Fist. He was viewed as a Saint as his fist technique was beyond that of the normal realm.

"There should be something above the secret techniques." Andrela thought. "White Bird Holy Fist must have came in contact with this thing before being able to invent such advanced secret techniques like 99 Acute Airholes and 99 Regressions."

"You’ve said that you were pursuing something that was beyond the limit before. Don’t tell me you’ve found something?" Garen repeatedly placed his hands in the stove to burn both of his palms to accumulate more power into his Fiery Claw.

"I do have some lead." Andrela nodded. "There are a few legendary ancient secret techniques which have the effects that I’m looking for. I’ve been looking for it high and low during the time I’ve closed myself away from the rest of the world, and I finally found some clues."

As their relations had become better than ever, they’ve stopped hiding secrets from one other.

"I found out from an ancient bible that an ancient Grandmaster of Combat called Torres knew a secret technique that allowed him to shrug off any fatigue. He once fought for three days and three nights without pause. After that, he travelled far away into the enemy’s headquarters and started again. His endurance was definitely appalling."

Garen was alarmed. At his current strength, he was able to battle with all his might for a few hours at best before he started to feel tired. He couldn’t even hold on for a day, much less three.

"What’s the clue that you speak of?"

"I found a very well hidden connection." Andrela smiled. "You should have come across the Blood of Eternal Life, right?" He continued as Garen nodded.

"The Blood of Eternal Life is the blood essence of the Everlasting Beings. This is where we draw a connection to the blood of the non-human clans."

"Non-human clans?"

"That’s right. At present, there are already a few non-human clans that we know of; namely the werewolf, catmen and mousemen. Any others have left no trace. I have understood their respective clan’s histories through my friends from within them. I have discovered a new clue by comparing their histories." Andrela reached his hand out and started drawing on the white floor.

He finished drawing a simple relations chart very quickly.

"According to the records of the non-human clans, all their ancestors have their own genetic abilities. Some of their abilities are very similar to the secret techniques used by the Grandmasters of Combat in the ancient bible."

"What you’re saying is that it is very likely that the secret techniques created by the Grandmasters of Combat mimic that of the non-human clan’s genetic abilities?" Garen asked.

"No," Andrela shook his head with respect. "I’m not finished yet. My biggest discovery wasn’t this, but another matter."

"Oh?" Garen was stunned that this was not the biggest discovery.

Andrela focused his aura and released in an instant, forming the gigantic black word ‘ten’ behind his back, which thoroughly covered the whole colosseum.

"Just to keep this between us." He softened his voice.

He spoke of his discovery softly after stabilizing his aura and confirming that no one was eavesdropping their conversation.

"I suspect that the secret techniques that we have been using are magic spells originating from the warlocks from the fairy tales! They were the ones who obtained their genetic abilities via a special stimulation method."

Although Garen’s expression didn’t change, excitement bubbled in his mind.

While Garen had witnessed the werewolves, demon hunters, telekinesis and secret techniques with ridiculous effects, he thought that he was currently in a world where the modern society was not as technologically advanced as earth. Now Andrela told him that warlocks once existed in this world and that the secret techniques were traces that they had left behind.

"Do you have proof!?" He directly asked.

"Of course I do." Andrela nodded. "Technically, my Blink is not a secret technique from the Celestial Circle Gate. It was obtained from an ancient sect. To learn this secret technique, one would require the blood of a prime male lion and draw 81 special characters onto the body."

"Isn’t this superstition? Did you really do it?"

"Of course. I thought it was superstition as well, and I ignored this step to go directly for the steps to learn the secret technique. However, there was no effect." Andrella recalled and said. "I thought that the secret technique had complications, or that the physical body of the ancient people had some slight difference with that of ours. However, the effect showed itself within a short time after I’d decided to try it once!"

He continued as he saw Garen focusing all of his attention on him.

"After that, I saw the same characters in a fairy tale’s history. The same characters I used to learn the technique."

"You could have tried to see if there are still any effects if you changed the character slightly."

"Of course I’ve tried it. There won’t be any effect if I modify it." Andrela shook his head. "According to the fairy tale, the characters represented the lions in their time. I’ve been interested in the fairy tales related to the warlocks ever since, and I’ve started collecting information everywhere. I came to a shocking theory about when the first secret method came about."

"What theory?" Garen listened carefully.

"There is a high chance that warlocks once existed in this world. I have seen a record in an ancient book that does translations of ancient fairy tales." Andrela paused.

"It was written that: the warlock had enslaved species that were not their kind, and called them demons. They have ruled the world for a hundred million years."

Garen churned his brain as he tried to recall the legends of warlocks of this world.

"If they really did exist, how did they meet their demise, being such strong creatures?"

"I’m not so sure about that. However, I still suspect that our secret techniques originate from the warlock’s magic spells."

"What’s your plan?" Garen looked at Andrela, "If it’s true, what do you plan to do?"

"I have marked down certain ruins that may be rewarding to us. I plan to invite some friends with certain capabilities and explore them together. Although these ancient ruins have been explored countless of times, we may find something new if we have a clear target in mind."

"Furthermore, The sea is vast, that there a lot of areas that humans have yet set foot on. There must be something for us to discover." Andrela spoke softly to Garen as he looked at him. "On another note, I suspect that the immortal palace and the Behemoth Gate are most likely searching for the truth of the history, and a solution to go beyond the limit in the dark, just like me. They are just using the Eternal Blood of Life in the ancient ruins as an excuse."

Garen pondered for a bit.

"How many people have you actually recruited?"

"If you agree, there will be 2 including me." Andrela answered in all seriousness.

"Stop the nonsense." Garen was speechless since Andrela rarely joke. "I have no problem with it as long as you show me you have something to go on. Who else are you exactly trying to recruit?"

"The proof is simple. I can show you the information that I’ve gathered. All of the information can be traced and validated from the Federation’s library, and some private libraries as well. The information of the secret techniques and the history of the non-human species can also be validated. There are no falsification in the information but it would take a lot of time and energy to connect them together."

"As for who else to recruit, I have one in mind that is qualified to pursue what’s beyond the limit. He has also attained the pinnacle of the human strength as well. The humans from the Stonecliff Continent have sworn loyalty to the Immortal Palace, and the Behemoth Gate has been recruiting people with potential so that they can attempt to train them themselves. There are still a few Grandmasters of Combat who were not on friendly terms with the Behemoth Gate and Immortal Palace." Andrela reached out his hand and carved a name onto the floor.

‘Stephan Ralph’

Garen looked at a name that was unknown to him.

"Who is he?"

"He is mentally ill, and is not from the same district as us. However, he is the strongest and most horrifying hypnotist. Rumor says that you could be hypnotized just by hearing his voice and be caught in an illusion if you interact with him. He was the one who caused the appalling nine one four incident in Galantia, which resulted in a few thousand deaths. He had also once founded a terrorist organization in the Fivestar continent and has been listed as the fourth most dangerous individual by the three major countries.

He was able to hypnotize both others and himself. Nicknamed as the King of Nightmares, when his body was hypnotized his physical body would reach the utmost limit." When Andrela was describing this person, he had a faintly complicated and embarrassing look in his eyes.