47 Clouded Realm

As soon as Astrallis and Eversnow entered the clouded area through the portal, the spear which had helped them breakthrough to this realm disintegrated.

The apparitions fractured into innumerable pieces of dust that entered the bodies of the duo, their bodies tingled in a sensation. When the euphoria of the pleasure hit a high, the two moaned in pleasure, while Eversnow's back arched and shuddered.

While in this sensational state the techniques that they activated to fight through the waves of Elsyian Solders deactivated, Astrallis went back to his original size while his wing disappeared.

The exhaustion that should have followed from the activation of numerous techniques did not occur. Instead, the essence from the clouded realm flooded into their Qi passages revitalising them.

Eversnow's face became as red as a strawberry, she wanted to hide her face in embarrassment, but to her dismay, there was nowhere for her to go.

Astrallis chose to ignore her actions as to not give her any more embarrassment, instead he looked inwardly with his spiritual sense. To his jubilation, the laws had integrated into his diamond-like bones and muscle structure.

Activating no techniques and only using his World Wandering Realm cultivation base he shot forward with speed considerably faster than his original max speed before he participated in the Art of Dance.

While moving, he performed a set of fist and kicking techniques, his hands and legs leaving afterimages in their wake.

Astrallis clinched his fist in excitement, "Wonderful. My speed in both movement and attacks have increased by around 30% per cent. The Art of Dance is incredibly profound; it's a pity the next time I'll be able to activate it will be quite a fear years from now; I also need to find someone whos constitution is similar to mine."

Once Astrallis had completed his thoughts, he turned to look at the cloudy area around him. Clouds both corporeal and ethereal in nature floated around him, myriad of colours shone throughout the clouds giving the feeling as if they had ascended to the realm of immortals.

By this time Eversnow had collected herself and moved next to Astrallis, an inquisitive look on her face.

Even though the high from the integration of the apparitions was over the two realised that their minds were still in a state of hypersensitivity; all their thoughts were more precise than they had ever been before.

From as far as the eye could see multicoloured essence flowed towards them from around the clouded realm, the essence covered their bodies rejuvenating them and enhancing all their senses.

"This is brilliant; what a surreal scene. My body is filled to the brim with energy," Eversnow sighed in amazement.

"Indeed. Let's move forward and see what we can find." Astrallis replied.

The two began to move through the clouded area marvelling at the sights of the clouds and the flowing stream-like water that ran between the cloud formations.

Astrallis and Eversnow eyed the different coloured clouds in concentration, Eversnow felt attraction to specific clouds.

Astrallis soon remembered the words that grandmother Anemone had passed to him.

"Each cloud corresponds to a certain element, and by digesting these clouds, we will be able to form a slither of Immortal Qi that relates to that element. At the same time, our comprehensions of the element will increase," Astrallis slowly informed the beautiful girl beside him.

Hearing this a look of realisation appeared in her eyes, "It makes sense, I've been trying to think why I felt an attraction to the blue and white shades of clouds. They must be water, ice and life correspondingly."

While Eversnow was talking about her findings, an odd look passed Astrallis' handsome visage.

'Odd, I do not feel the same level of attraction to these clouds as Eversnow. Although the carmine clouds do draw me a little I have a feeling that they won't have the same effect as usual; at least they won't increase my comprehensions of the elements.'

Astrallis soon came to a stop, his face turning even odder.

Eversnow carried on walking not noticing the oddities of the man beside her: "If I can absorb these I can improve by leaps and bounds. Life and Water should help my Lilies; Ice…"

Listening to Eversnow blacklines began to form on Astrallis' face.

At this point, Eversnow walked up to a blue cloud, and a placed her hand into it. The cloud immediately moved into her, almost as if it was happy to be absorbed. It began to cover her skin and permeate into her molecular level, and as a result of her current hypersensitive state, she was able to instantly gain new comprehensions for the Way of Water.

Seeing what was happening to Eversnow, Astrallis did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Turning around Eversnow finally noticed the oddities of the current Astrallis, for the first time since she met him his earthshattering face wasn't composed.

"Astrallis… What's wrong?" Eversnow asked slowly, only something that could overturn the heavens could cause such an expression on his face.

"Ah… Um," Astrallis began to choke on his words.

"What is it?"

"I… I can't sense any of the elements."

Eversnow fell over.

------

After a few moments, Eversnow composed herself.

"Are you being serious Astrallis?"

"Yes, yes I am."

"Do you mean that you cannot sense anything from these clouds? Or as in you cannot sense any elements at all?" Eversnow asked trying to clarify the situation.

"Both." Astrallis bought his hand to his face, initiating what the netizens of the Cosmic-Data-Array would call a 'facepalm'.

"Wait. How!? How have you managed to reach your current realm without realising you cannot sense the elements?"

"I use to be able to sense the elements when I was younger, but when I was eight, I comprehended a higher level of Qi. A Qi which is known as Dharma Qi, and although I noticed something happening to me I just chose to ignore it," Astrallis slowly said.

Eversnow's eyes became wider listening to Astrallis' words.

"Although I didn't dare admit it to myself, I always thought that in certain places my sensory abilities were improving, but in others faculties, I was regressing," Astrallis said as he pulled two chairs out of his space ring for Eversnow and himself to sit.

"This…," Eversnow stopped speaking not knowing what to say. After all, she was only a junior not yet even sixteen years of age, and even if Astrallis approached her seniors with this problem, they wouldn't be able to help.

Astrallis sighed as he sat, for the first time since he was eight he felt his state of mind become disturbed. But at this moment, the golden obelisk tattoo on his head shone with a bright light, and a calming sensation entered his mind and eventually spread around his whole body.

His restless mind gradually calmed down, he slowly closed his eyes and became quiet.

Eversnow noticing this decided it was best to not disturb him, she moved back to the clouds and began to slowly absorb the vapours that corresponded with her elements.

A few moments became hours and hours became days. It was impossible to tell the time in this paradise-like world; where one would walk on clouds and drink floating streams.

During this time Astrallis has been in deep introspective thought, continuously asking himself questions and searching his body with his spiritual sense. His body had also been subconsciously refining the essence with the realm and improving his cultivation base; he had already reached the peak of the World Wandering Realm.

This was not the only thing to happen during this period. Eversnow had been perpetually refining the clouds and improving by leaps and bounds, she had even managed to form a slither of Immortal Qi in her dantian that would help her tremendously when she attempts to ascend to Immortality.

The two had also noticed that the longer they stayed within this clouded realm the pressure they experienced increased correspondingly.

'Dharma, it encompasses everything and is within everything, but at the same time because it encompasses everything it has an innate arrogance, a pride which cannot be tarnished.'

'I see, although Dharma Qi is miraculous and many levels about other forms of Qi, it also has its limitations. Except, these limitations affect the user. The pride of Dharma Qi has prevented me from learning other elements, and at the same time it has been influencing my mind to not think about them as well.'

'My Dharma Qi is combined from both my Buddha Qi and Astral Qi, it can affect both the corporeal and incorporeal. I thought it was almost omnipotent, alas I didn't realise from the very start it has been influencing me.' Astrallis thought to himself.

Astrallis slowly stood up as to not disturb Eversnow, 'At least I found this out know. Otherwise, the consequences could have been catastrophic.'

The longer Astrallis stood, the higher the pressure he experienced became. He had already tested how far he could move around the area a few days early, but the pressure was too much for him to bear.

'It's a pity, this would have been a great chance. Well, at least I had some enlightenment.'

Astrallis gazed out across the clouded realm longing in his eyes, to have such a treasure before him and to not be able to use it was worse than never seeing it in the first place.

Sensing his longing, the golden tattoo on his head shone with light and a small ethereal obelisk formed in front of him. The obelisk slowly floated there and began to rotate, and while turning, it started to suck in the different coloured clouds. After a few moments, the Artefact of the Mandate of Balance dematerialised.

Astrallis almost shouted out with glee once he saw this, he looked into his consciousness and saw the obelisk slowly floating in front of his Soul-Being. He tried to touch the Artefact with his spiritual sense, but his sense immediately vanished upon reaching it.

A meek voice appeared in his mind after his spiritual sense vanished, "These clouds are beneficial for me, they will allow me to gather some of my energy again. Do not worry, I will leave some clouds for you so that you can comprehend Immortal Qi at a later date…"

"Are you the spiritual being of the Artefact?" Astrallis asked quickly when he noticed that the voice was becoming weaker.

Alas, there was no reply.