Pathway

Leaving the class, Ju Feng didn't pay much attention to his fellow house of light disciples. His mind was on the spectacle of the sword, and the true light that elder Wang Xiu displayed. If that was a tiny part, what would the full one be? As it was, it already looked magnificent and scary. It reminded him of his mother's fire display. True powers.

When Ju Feng got back to his room, he took out his parchment and started writing. Sword enlightenment, sword purity, one with sword and one with the universe. True light enlightenment, purifies, first of existence, its the universe core. Become one with it, you become one with the universe. Combine the two?

Ju Feng stopped writing, and took out one crystalline. Crushing it in his mouth, he began to cultivate. His dantian was getting deeper and deeper, but he continued to cultivate as they had told him. Although he was still at the early stage of Lianchi, his Chi was now at a ridiculous amount and quality. The astral primal technique had expanded and deepened his dantian, making him gathered and circulated many times the amount of Chi he would have needed. If it was another technique he was using, he would have advanced to the Zhuji stage already.

After preparing himself, Ju Feng left his room for the evening class of elder Ju Long, of the house of lightning. They were only three new disciples of the house of lightning. The other two had already arrived when he came, just before the appearance of elder Ju Long. He watched as the other two students also introduced themselves.

"Yuan Chun Hua, house of lightning."

"Fu Yingjie, house of lightning."

Elder Ju Long nodded, and continued.

"If I ask you, what do you understand of the word 'sword'? You will say for slashing for killing. But, under the Dao of sword, sword is a symbol of righteousness and justice. It's a discipline used for conquering, reckless passion, ignorance and aggression. A true swordsman wield a sword with a calm and peaceful mind. That is why the heart of a swordsman must be filled with compassion and humility. Without that, the sword will be recklessly dangerous. We don't see the sword as a killing weapon, but a source of energy that flows through our body parts. Like the Chi energy. The sword is a way of gaining enlightenment."

Elder Jun Long raised one finger.

"Lightning on the other hand, is a symbol of the might of creation. It's beautiful yet destructive. That's why we wield it with calm and peaceful mind, without that, lightning will be recklessly dangerous. Lightning is the image of our countenance, it strikes away the impurities in our spiritual advancement. Accepting lightning and understanding it, will make the consciousness move you forward into more personal and spiritual freedom. This will clear the mind of its inner violence, and you'll live in a state of inner peace."

He halted for a moment to materialise his sword which began to produce blue lightning. The expansion of the lightning made the disciples fearful before returning to normality.

"The caveat of it is that, sword is a mighty weapon and lightning is the manifestation of the true power of the universe. Combination of the two? Understanding this will unravel the deeper truth so that you can rise out of not knowing to being enlightened. Embrace the opportunity to expand your consciousness, and see your place in the Universe in a totally new way."

He rounded up his words.

"Put my words in your hearts. I will see you in the next class."

After the evening lecture of elder Ju Long, Ju Feng went back to his room and sat down in a lotus position, lost in thoughts. There was no other choice, and no other words for it. He had to get more powerful. He would study hard, and practice harder. He would meditate hard, and cultivate harder. Snapping back to the present, he popped another tiny crystalline into his mouth, and started cultivating using the astral primal technique.

Since joining the Last-Sword sect, he had consumed two tiny blue crystalline. A number that was simply too much for him. And with the way he was getting more chi energy, he felt he could break to the late stage of Lianchi sooner than he thought before.

During the two weeks that followed, Ju Feng had consumed one more tiny crystalline. It was during one of the nights that felt the Chi in his dantian was about to explode after his dantian had refined high amount of Chi, and was still refining it.

After a time, his dantian exploded, and golden light steadily emanated from his body. He had reached the Ningchi stage, the Chi condensing stage. At last, he had pushed past the late stage of Lianchi which had affected the blue crystalline he had. Only two of the blue crystalline, of hundreds of millions of years, was left with him. Even at home, the crystalline had depleted.

The first three stages of cultivation were the easiest. They were the Juchi, Lianchi and Ningchi stages. All those three stages were mortal cultivation levels. Immortal cultivation started from the soul foundation stage of Zhuji. Heavenly tribulations for cultivators would begin at the Zhuji stage.

He would get there, as long as he could avoid early death. But right now, he had done it. He had pushed himself hard for the past few weeks, but he had done it.

Titan's torso!

He was now a Ningchi cultivator.