C4 Cultivating the Necromancy
Sitting on the bed, Ye Xuan's youthful face was etched with shock. His mouth hung open slightly, and his eyes were wide as he struggled to grasp the situation. He had always believed he was just a child from a humble household, with parents who were nothing more than hardworking, ordinary folk. The revelation that their lives were entangled in such profound cause and effect was unexpected.
Ye Xuan's small hands clenched firmly, his expression growing resolute. "Mother, don't worry. I will dedicate myself to my training. Father and I will bring you home, and our family will be whole again."
Having overcome the obstacle that had halted his cultivation and having learned why his mother had to leave, Ye Xuan resolved to redouble his efforts. Starting today, he would train diligently to reunite his mother with his father and himself.
"I wonder how powerful my father is? He must be quite formidable to have left me such a cultivation method and to have embedded such an ingenious teaching technique within the scroll. Yet, Mother still chose to leave to protect us, which means the strength of her people must be even greater," Ye Xuan mused, his lips pressed together before he declared with conviction, "But I will not give up. I'll strive to become a force to be reckoned with. Mother, wait for me. I will earn the recognition of your people for Father and me, and we will bring you back."
Ye Xuan had gained much from the blue scroll; his cultivation level had soared directly to the third level of the Whispering Souls Realm, thanks in part to the pure spiritual energy within the scroll. Once Ye Xuan had fully absorbed it, his vital force had advanced by two whole levels.
This must have been his father's doing, a preparation to ease the arduous path of cultivation. The main issue had been the Abyss Devouring Rune within him that had previously stalled his progress, squandering precious time.
His mother likely feared that his rapid advancement would become the talk of the town and eventually reach the ears of her clan, leading to dire consequences. To prevent such an outcome and to safeguard his life, at least until he came of age, she had placed the Abyss Devouring Rune to curb the speed of Ye Xuan's cultivation.
Moreover, the blue scroll contained the teachings of necromancy, a legacy left by his mother for him to discover.
When discussing necromancy, one cannot overlook the esteemed and revered profession on the First Continent—the Spirit Weaver. If you were to inquire about the most sought-after profession across the entire continent, the answer would be, without a doubt, the Spirit Weaver. Why is that? The weapons we use daily, the precious elixirs, and the rune circles that can harness cosmic energy to accelerate cultivation—all of these are crafted by Spirit Weavers. It's fair to say that Spirit Weavers are in high demand wherever they go.
The scroll detailed the introductory methods for practicing necromancy, as well as several Spirit Circles. These were composed of both first and second level Spirit Circles, totaling five in all—three of the first level and two of the second level.
For a beginner like Ye Xuan, who had not yet started his training, this information was more than sufficient.
He then began to learn the most fundamental aspects of necromancy, starting with the basics.
The first step was to establish the Wraithhold and gather the Astral Force. The Wraithhold serves as a reservoir for the Astral Force, much like the Qi Sea stores vital force. The Spirit Realm itself is the cornerstone upon which the Spirit Circles are built.
Under the guidance of a Spirit Weaver, the Spirit Realm can be manipulated to form a variety of potent Spirit Circles.
Operating a Spirit Circle requires immense soul perception; the stronger the soul, the more powerful the control over the Spirit Circle.
Condensing the Spirit Realm is one of the simplest methods to enhance soul perception. Given the complex nature of the Spirit Realm's internal structure and the constant changes on its surface, careful construction is necessary to complete the Spirit Realm.
Ye Xuan set about establishing the Wraithhold following the instructions on the scroll. Opening the Wraithhold was not overly challenging—it merely required creating a space within the body capable of holding the Astral Force, akin to the Qi Sea.
Ye Xuan followed the scroll's instructions to begin the process of opening the Wraithhold. However, as he got underway, he was struck by the complexity of the task.
While it wasn't particularly difficult to create a space within oneself similar to the Qi Sea, such a feat is typically achieved with guidance. Ye Xuan, lacking direction and with the scroll as his only aid, found the endeavor to be quite challenging.
Moreover, the space created to house the Astral Force had to coexist with the Qi Sea of the Profound Palace without conflict. It needed to stand alone, free from any mutual interference. Otherwise, if the Wraithhold failed to form and the Qi Sea of the Profound Palace sustained damage, it would result in a loss on both fronts.
Following the instructions on the scroll, Ye Xuan harnessed his faint Soul Power to penetrate his body, cautiously and incrementally carving out the Wraithhold adjacent to the Qi Sea of the Profound Palace.
Initially, the task of creating even a tiny space proved to be incredibly challenging. Each attempt left Ye Xuan drenched in sweat, forcing him to pause and recuperate. Once the weariness in his soul had somewhat abated, he resumed his efforts to expand the Wraithhold.
After much perseverance, he successfully established a Wraithhold capable of containing the Astral Force next to the Qi Sea of the Profound Palace.
Yet at that moment, the Wraithhold was devoid of any Astral Force. This was because, although Ye Xuan had managed to create the Wraithhold, he had not yet begun to cultivate the Astral Force, leaving the space empty.
Ye Xuan massaged his forehead, dispelling the lingering sense of fatigue. "Once I cultivate the Astral Force, I can begin to form the Spirit Realm," he mused. With eyes closed, he meticulously reviewed the cultivation techniques for the Astral Force etched into his memory.
His breathing steadied, each inhalation and exhalation following a rhythmic pattern. Suddenly, small light balls resembling glowworms materialized around Ye Xuan. Guided by his will, these orbs entered his body and converged within the newly formed Wraithhold, hovering in its confines.
Over time, the glow around Ye Xuan intensified, but he absorbed each light ball into his body. Inside the Wraithhold, the energy from the light balls grew increasingly concentrated. With a mere thought, they began to coalesce and merge, eventually transforming into a pale blue seed within Ye Xuan's perception.
This was the Spirit Seed!
The Spirit Seed was the progenitor of the Astral Force. The more robust the Spirit Seed, the more potent and refined the Astral Force it generated, and consequently, the stronger the Spirit Circle it could create.
Once Ye Xuan began nurturing the Spirit Seed, allowing it to grow stronger over time, he found himself able to harness an ever-increasing amount of Astral Force. Upon closer examination, one could discern a faint, barely visible golden pattern within the pale blue Spirit Seed—a hallmark of a novice in the art of necromancy. It's only when this golden pattern shines bright and clear that one can be acknowledged as a true Spirit Weaver, albeit at the first level.
After a brief respite, Ye Xuan resumed his seated position, cross-legged, to further refine his connection with the Spirit Realm. He focused on the fragile Spirit Seed he had recently forged and began the meticulous process of cultivating the Spirit Realm. The task required precise control of the Astral Force within a confined space, methodically condensing it into the Spirit Realm step by step. He had to carefully manage the interaction and overlap of the Spirit Realm fragments, using a portion of his soul perception to prevent any collision of Astral Forces that might destabilize the Spirit Realm and thwart the condensation process.
This intense concentration persisted for around half an hour, leaving Ye Xuan with hurried breaths and a sweat-drenched face. Despite the sweat trickling down his forehead and stinging his eyes, he remained unblinking, his gaze fixed on the nascent Spirit Realm before him.
At last, as the final fragment took its place, Ye Xuan successfully condensed a complete Spirit Realm. Exhaustion was etched on his face, but the sheer elation of his achievement diluted the fatigue significantly.
With a sense of accomplishment, Ye Xuan admired the Spirit Realm hovering above his palm. A smile crept across his lips, eventually blossoming into a joyful laugh that filled the room.
After some time to recover, Ye Xuan got back to work, continuing to condense the Spirit Realm to enhance his proficiency.
As dusk approached and the red sun neared the horizon, Ye Xuan finally ceased his efforts, lying on his bed. His repeated practice had significantly improved his skill. He wiped the sweat from his brow and, noticing his clothes were drenched, he rose from the bed and headed for the bathroom. The sound of running water soon filled the air, and moments later, Ye Xuan, freshly clothed, stepped out.
The young man was tall and lean, with jet-black hair that fell casually over his slender shoulders. His eyes were as deep as ancient pools, and his resolute face exuded a calm and unflappable air, along with an air of scholarly elegance.
He gently shut the door of the wooden cabin and looked up at this place, the place where he had lived for so many years. Despite the reluctance in his heart, he knew he had to keep the promise he had just made—to bring his mother back.
Though he felt a deep attachment, Ye Xuan was not a man of indecision. With determination, he turned away.
In the glow of the setting sun, his silhouette stretched long and lonely, adding a touch of melancholy to the scene.
From behind a tree, a middle-aged man emerged, clad in black with hair to match. His features were sharply defined, his gaze as profound as the night sky, and his eyebrows dark as ink. His frame was commanding, his presence imposing. His broad chest conveyed the might of a man who could stand against ten thousand.
A gourd was suspended from his waist.
He appeared to have been standing there for quite some time, evidenced by the fallen leaves that adorned his clothing.
His eyes followed the departing figure of the young man, filled with a tender affection.
He watched until Ye Xuan's form vanished from his sight before reluctantly withdrawing his gaze.
With a sigh, the man in black turned from the wooden cabin. The space before him shimmered, opening into a spatio-temporal tunnel.
He stepped briskly into the tunnel, and as it closed behind him, the man in black vanished from sight.