C2 Teachings of the Divine
Yuan Liu seemed to be seeing Chen Dutian for the first time, recognizing a temperament he had only ever witnessed in Chen Dutian's father, Chen Dou.
"Young Master, aren't you going out to have fun anymore?" Yuan Liu, upon hearing Chen Dutian's response, understood that he had things figured out. Despite his concerns, he couldn't help but ask with a cheerful smile.
"No more playing around; I'm off to cultivate," Chen Dutian replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. Based on his past life's memories, today was the day he would have wreaked havoc on several shops. But this life was different. With the threat of annihilation looming, he certainly couldn't afford to cause trouble for anyone.
"Fetch me all the Awakening Pills in the house; I need them," Chen Dutian commanded.
"Young Master!" Yuan Liu exclaimed, taken aback. He had just thought his young master had turned over a new leaf, becoming more like his father. Yet, in an instant, he seemed to revert to his old ways.
From the moment of his birth, Chen Dutian was deemed unable to cultivate due to the absence of a Power Node, which was why his parents had indulged his wild behavior.
For a warrior, the initial step in cultivation is to open the Power Node. With the Power Node activated and the Martial Spirit gathered, one is recognized as a true warrior. This allows one to harness the spiritual energy from all around, fortifying the body and soul, and gaining the strength to face hundreds or even thousands, to soar through the skies, and to wield the elements.
Without a Power Node, one could never hope to cultivate into a true warrior.
Chen Dutian had been tested at birth by Chen Dou's request. Lacking a Power Node meant he was destined to remain a mere mortal, incapable of becoming a true warrior.
"Rest assured, I've got it all planned out," Chen Dutian declared with confidence. The notion that Power Nodes are innate is a misconception held by the Phethia Dynasty due to their position at the fringes of the myriad realms. It was simply their ignorance.
Everyone possesses a Power Node and the inherent potential to become a warrior, provided they have the means to unlock it.
Chen Dutian, of course, had a Power Node. If not, he would never have been able to ascend through the ranks of cultivation to the pinnacle of the myriad realms and claim the throne as emperor.
"Young Master, you mustn't recklessly consume the Awakening Pill," Yuan Liu said with a resigned smile. Chen Dutian's sudden desire to awaken his Power Node and pursue the martial path filled him with pride, but without a Power Node, how could he possibly awaken it?
Yuan Liu left unsaid that the Awakening Pill was crafted specifically to break the constraints of the Power Node. Its potency was fierce, and overindulgence could indeed be lethal.
"I'm well aware of what I'm doing. I'm also fully cognizant of our family's current predicament. It seems many would relish seeing us wiped out. Until my father returns, as the sole male of the household, it's my duty to hold the fort," Chen Dutian declared.
"You truly have changed, Young Master," Yuan Liu said, his face alight with relief. The Chen Dutian of old was given to indulgence, squandering his days in frivolous pursuits and occasionally flirting with the local maidens, never sparing a thought for the plight of the House of Protector.
"Last night, I dreamt a deity bestowed upon me the knowledge to unlock the Power Node and gather the Martial Spirit," Chen Dutian claimed. "Confronting Qin Fan at the door earlier was also divinely inspired."
"May the heavens bless and protect the Young Master," Yuan Liu exclaimed, his demeanor shifting to one of profound devotion as he knelt, tears streaming down his face.
The notion of receiving martial arts instruction from a deity in a dream, leading to sudden fame and ascension, was not mere myth or fantasy but a tangible reality.
Take, for instance, Chen Dou, Chen Dutian's father, who was once a mere warrior. His martial prowess surged after a divine dream, eventually earning him the title of Lord Protector for the Phethia Dynasty.
Chen Dutian was well aware of the nature of these divine encounters. He needed a plausible explanation for his abrupt awakening, unlike in his previous life when the devastation of his family and the shock that followed had spurred him to break through the Power Node's shackles.
The Teachings of the Divine come in two forms. The first occurs when a warrior's physical form perishes, but their Martial Spirit lingers, roaming the cosmos. Should it find a compatible host, it will inhabit their body. By a stroke of fate, if the Martial Spirit is awakened, the host will dream of its original owner, learning their martial arts techniques and potentially gaining additional benefits.
To put it simply, the Martial Spirit had already been integrated by this fortunate individual.
Chen Dou found himself in precisely this scenario.
Another situation involved a martial arts expert passing through an area and, on a whim, bestowing a favor on a commoner or finding a promising apprentice to take under their wing. However, before committing, the expert would test the potential disciple's character, often imparting martial arts knowledge through dreams.
Chen Dutian, in his past life, enjoyed engaging in such acts.
Of course, Chen Dutian hadn't actually received any divine teachings; he merely concocted an excuse for his sudden foray into martial arts training. Should anyone probe into his past, they would find nothing.
Yuan Liu promptly delivered the Awakening Pills that Chen Dutian required.
The Awakening Pill is an essential pill for warriors to unlock their Power Nodes, enhancing the likelihood of a successful opening.
The House of Protector kept a stockpile of Awakening Pills.
Yuan Liu brought over a substantial batch of over a hundred pills, sufficient to aid over fifty warriors in successfully unlocking their Power Nodes.
"Young Master," Yuan Liu began, pausing as he looked at Chen Dutian. Despite Chen Dutian's claim of divine tutelage, Yuan Liu harbored doubts, given his young master's track record of unreliability. He hoped this time wouldn't end disastrously.
"Relax. I've got my whole life ahead of me, not to mention countless charming ladies to woo," Chen Dutian said with a sly grin, taking the Awakening Pills into the cultivation room and leaving Yuan Liu outside to smile wryly to himself.
"Regardless, I must inform the Madam upon her return. Hopefully, it's not too late," Yuan Liu murmured to himself.
Unconcerned with Yuan Liu's thoughts, Chen Dutian entered the cultivation room and locked the door behind him. The door could only be opened from the outside by someone with enough strength to break it down.
"In my previous life, even though I ascended to emperorship, my cultivation was flawed, which ultimately led to my downfall. Now, with a second chance at life, I have the opportunity to make new choices," Chen Dutian mused as he casually emptied all the Awakening Pills into the bathtub.
He allowed the hundred-plus Awakening Pills to dissolve.