Pathway

Waterglades.

They were rare crystal-clear and transparent water shells. Beautiful as they might appear, they were not the real treasures, but what was inside them. The ever magical and translucent water jellies. Apart from the fact that they were magical and could purify and fortify the power of the soul, they were one of the best delicacies on the mortal plane. He had seen one like that before, when the antique dealers came to their village. Only one was brought to their village, and was already purchased before they could even admire it. 

He had seen, but had never tasted one. His mother had also told him about their uniqueness. That was why they were simply too expensive. He was already relishing the delicious taste and couldn't wait to have a taste. As he was cautiously and gradually approaching the source of the radiance, he was certain he could not be anything more than a waterglade.

As he peered into the shallow and clear water, the size and the shell-like shape of the source of the radiance couldn't make it more obvious.

"Yes. Waterglade."

With a face full of joy and anxiety, he picked it up and inspected it further. It looked a little bit different from the glade which he saw at the market, but the difference wasn't enough to make any major alterations. Once the glades were removed from water, it would be best to consume them instantly. Then, the famous glade-taste would be at its peak. Or, to keep them in a runic container of the same water in order to preserve their taste.

Ju Feng quickly sat down in a lotus position and put his sword across his lap. He pried it open easily and slurped it into his mouth. He could already feel the power of the glade in his mouth. He chewed a bit longer to savour the taste before swallowing it. Truly, that was magically unique in nature. Even tasted better than the striped magical goat. Instantly, his soul received a pure energy surge which made him shivered a little. Five of these jellies, and he could advance to the middle-stage of the Zhuji level.

He closed his eyes and started to meditate for several minutes in order for his soul to fully process the energy of the jelly. After some minutes, he stood up and checked the water channels for more waterglades. While checking for the waterglades, he saw a water lily like the magical lily in their pond back at home. He pulled the lily tuber and was checking it, when his eyes caught a faint blue glow from where the lily tuber was. The tuber was previously over the blue glow. He found the source of the blue light and remove the item. 

Cautiously, he rolled It over in his hand while he continued to examine It closely. It was almost like a waterglade, same shell and size. The only difference was the blue glow instead of white. Ju Feng continued to ponder on the nature of the shell. Maybe it was an ancient waterglade. That would explain the blue glow. It had to be more powerful than the white glowing ones. For him, that was even better.

He found a spot and quickly sat down crossed-leg. His fortune was beginning to come to fruition. After sitting down, he tried to pry it open but he was of no success. How could it be so hard to open? Well, probably because it was an ancient one. The thought of it being an old glade brought his heart palpitations. He decided to use his new sword to open it. Cautious of not making a mess of the jelly, he delicately and gently applied force as he continued to pry it open. He kept increasing the pressure on it, but he still couldn't open it.

Then, he thought. What if he was to push his chi into the sword? Maybe, he could force it open that way. As long as it wouldn't greatly affect the jelly.

Ju Feng continued to push his chi into the runic sword as he tried to force the glade open. After several minutes, he noticed the shell was beginning to loose its closed grip. Anxious of what was to happen, he pressed ahead with renewed vigor. Almost there, he told himself. Finally, he was so happy to hear the sound of the shell opening. 

"Phew." 

That was a difficult one. He had used vast amount of Chi. The second time he had used energy in such a way. The first time was when the demigod had attacked him inside the arena.  He could manage to do that due to the large amount of chi in his dantian. He would ever be grateful for the Timeless-Soul technique of his family.

If not for the large amount of chi energy in his dantian, he would have found it impossible to open. Any cultivator of his age would have found it impossible to open. With the exception of the young demigods. He remembered the powerful display of the young demigods back at the arena. Yes, apart from them.

The importance of the vast amount of the Chi energy available to him in his dantian, couldn't be emphasized enough. It was an invaluable way for him to reinforce his body strength.

He recalled his thoughts, and pried the glade opened. But seeing what was inside, the smile disappeared from his face.

"A coral?"

It was no edible magical jelly. How could he eat a stone seed? He turned the spherical stone-seed around in his hand as he felt the smooth surface. He almost missed the tiny and transparent symbol on the coral and quickly inspected it.

"The Star-Tide!"

Ju Feng shouted in surprise alarm as he bolted upright. A cosmic conchi? A water Cosmic-Conchi shouldn't be here. It should be at the heart of a deep and dangerous waters. Not in a shallow streams like this one. That couldn't be right. And he had actually forced a Cosmic-Conchi open. A Cosmic-Conchi! He could have seriously injured himself, or worse still, he could've killed himself. The kickback from the effect of the conchi's energy would've disintegrated his body if he had continued using force to open it.

Every cultivator knew about the legend of the Cosmic-Conchis. There were various books and scripts that mentioned them, along with many other heavenly and luminous treasures. The Cosmic-Conchis were the orb-like shells which were radiating a variety of brilliant colours according to the elements affiliated with them. The radiant colours were not coming directly from the shells, but from the true treasures inside the shell-like orbs.

Each of these was a total-grade heavenly seed. They were often referred to as the Immortal Beads. They were one of the treasures or artifacts, created by the Adi-Buddhas. They were to give the mortal cultivators the sovereign chance to achieve immortality. 

There were fourteen of those beads crafted by the divine Adi-Buddhas.

Lord Buddha Bhavana created eight heavenly beads according to the ways of the Eight-Fold path. When the eight heavenly beads were aligned, they formed the Dharma Wheel. A total grade luminous treasure.

The Star-Tide bead, crafted from a primordial coral seed of pure essence of water element.

The Spire-Wood, a bead made from a prehistoric lotus seed of virtuous wood element.

The Thunder-Stroke bead, from the ancient silver-moon seed of pure lightning element.

The Light-Flare bead, a product of an archaic amber seed of pious essence of light element.

The Flowing-Flame, made from an ancient redwood seed containing pure fire essence.

The Wind-Storm, from a primal Saffron seed housing virtuous air element.

The  Void-Whispers, a bead made from the Empty-Wood seed of absolute spacetime element.

The Terra-Vale, from a primordial Peach seed of pure terra element.

Lord Buddha Bodhisattva crafted six heavenly seeds in accordance with the Bodhisattva path. Their alignment would form the Bodhi Tree. Also a total grade luminous treasure.

The Dusk-Shadow bead was made from a primeval ebony seed of pure element of shadow.

The Frozen-Ember bead was from an ancient crystal-moon seed of pure ice element.

The Woven-Dream, from the primal Rudrahska seed of virtuous dream and illusion element.

The Metal-Peak bead was made from an ancient bronze-cactus seed of pure metal element.

The Flora-Meadow bead, from an archaic rosewood seed of pure metal element.

The Bone-Gore bead was made from a Titan-Nacre seed of pure necrosis element.

Each of these artifacts, was a powerful high grade heavenly treasure. And when all the fourteen were combined together, they formed a divine treasure. The World of Buddha. The Ultimate Dharma.

"Not good."

Ju Feng said as the words regarding those shell-like orbs, struck his mind like lightning. Where ever a Cosmic-Conchi was opened, the fundamental essence of the guardian protecting it, would be released. These particular ones were guardians of extreme powers created by divine Adi-Buddhas, who had access to the true essence of the universe.

The conchi guardians.

Immortal creatures of pure essence of elements.