CHAPTER 14 : SECOND AWAKENING

Within the depths of the Crystal Cave, a hallowed sanctum of ancient power, the air crackled with anticipation as the clan leader's voice resounded like thunder against the crystalline walls.

"Elders, assume your positions," his command echoed, commanding reverence from all who stood witness to the sacred rite.

Among the youths, only Hao Tian remained conscious, his heart aflutter with excitement at the unfolding ceremony. Yet, beneath his excitement simmered a fierce determination, a flame that burned brightly in the depths of his eyes.

With measured grace, the clan leader advanced, his presence a beacon of wisdom and authority amidst the swirling energies of the cave. In his hands, he cradled an egg-shaped stone, its surface gleaming with an ethereal luminescence that seemed to pulse with the very heartbeat of the earth.

Approaching Zhen, who sat in serene meditation upon the giant lotus, the clan leader's gaze held a weighty solemnity, a silent acknowledgment of the momentous task that lay ahead.

Locking his gaze at Zhen, the clan leader chanted;

"In the realm of mortal essence doth dwell,

A being crafted in threefold tale to tell,

Body, soul, and spirit entwine as one,

By ancient decree, under celestial sun.

From earth's rich loam the body is wrought,

A vessel of clay, in worldly thought,

From heavens above descends the soul's gleam,

A divine spark, in celestial stream.

The spirit, essence pure, from realms unseen,

Kindled by the eternal, in radiant sheen,

In awakening's dance, ordained from high,

Each part unfolds 'neath the vast sky.

First stirs the spirit, with mystical fire,

A beacon divine, to heights aspire,

Then the soul, with its celestial call,

Echoes of eternity, within its thrall.

Last to rouse, in the dawn's soft light,

The body emerges, from deepest night,

Bloodline flows, a lineage ordained,

In earthly realms, its presence gained.

Yet the soul's awakening, a journey profound,

In sacred depths, its mysteries found,

For in its rise lies the Almighty's gift,

A treasure divine, uplifted swift.

Thus, in this trinity, humanity finds its place,

A tapestry woven, in timeless grace,

Body, soul, and spirit, bound in accord,

In the symphony of creation, forever adored."

With a solemn command, the clan leader extended his hands towards Zhen, who remained immersed in his meditative trance. "Elders, now," he intoned, his voice a reverberating echo within the sacred chamber.

Listening to the commands of the clan leader, the elders of the four major factions quickly surrounded him, their movements synchronized with an ancient harmony. As the spirit stone crumbled to dust within Zhen's grasp, they joined hands in unison, their collective energy intertwining to form a vibrant green aura that enveloped them in its ethereal embrace.

Within this luminous cocoon, their focus converged upon the egg-shaped stone held by the clan leader. Illuminated by the radiant glow of their collective power, the stone pulsated with a divine luminescence, its very essence suffused with the ancient energies of the Crystal Cave.

With a surge of transcendent force, the stone broke free from the clan leader's grasp, guided by the luminous trail of the elders' verdant aura. With a graceful arc, it soared towards Zhen's awaiting brow.

As the stone hovered over Zhen's head, a shimmering yellow-golden aura radiated from the clan leader's hand, infusing the crystal with a divine energy. With a mesmerizing display of transformation, the egg-shaped stone dissolved, giving way to a head-sized crystal that emanated a pure white brilliance. Within its depths, layers of colors swirled like celestial nebulae, casting an otherworldly glow that rivaled the moon itself.

"Remarkable," remarked an elder, awe coloring his voice. "Some spend their entire lives without the chance of a second awakening."

Elder Mei nodded in agreement, his expression grave. "Awakening the spirit and body is fundamental, but to awaken the soul... few are granted such a rare opportunity. It's the will of gods"

"The kid is like the leader, blessed by the gods as their own," Elder Zhong proclaimed, his voice carrying the weight of reverence and awe as he beheld Zhen's remarkable feat.

"Indeed, you speak true, Elder Zhong," chimed in Elder Chi, his words resonating with a deep sense of acknowledgment. "In my years, I have borne witness to the awakening of souls on only two occasions: first, the leader himself, and second his eldest son," he declared, his tone tinged with a mixture of admiration and humility in the face of such divine grace, "And now he is the third one I witness".

The frustration etched on the clan leader's face was palpable, a testament to the weight of responsibility resting upon their shoulders.

Meanwhile, Hao Tian observed the unfolding spectacle with wide-eyed wonder, his astonishment mirrored by a tinge of jealousy. "Incredible," he muttered, his voice tinged with a mix of admiration and envy at the revelations unfolding before him.

As strands of pure white energy emanated from the hovering crystal, a hushed reverence filled the chamber. With ethereal grace, the luminous tendrils wove a delicate tapestry of power, enveloping Zhen's form in a cocoon of radiant light. Each filament danced with purpose, caressing his being with a celestial touch that transcended the boundaries of mortal understanding.

With bated breath, the onlookers witnessed as the energy coursed through Zhen's body, infusing every fiber of his being with its divine essence. With each passing moment, the aura intensified, weaving a symphony of transformation that pulsed with the promise of newfound potential.

And then, as if guided by an unseen hand, the luminous strands coalesced at the space between Zhen's eyebrows, a focal point of transcendence and enlightenment.

Inside Zhen's sea of consciousness, turbulent waves surged from all directions, unsettling the tranquil depths.

"What is happening? Why I don't feel the connection anymore? Is he ..." the spirit of astral splendor sounded tense, its celestial essence rattled by the intrusion. Soon it's attention was grabbed by something else, "Huh, an external source of soul power," anger tinged its voice, its domain violated by an unknown presence, and lost connection to it's user, stoking a defensive fury within.

As the white strands of energy infiltrated Zhen's sea of consciousness, the spirit erupted in fury. "You mindless soul energy, dare trespass into my domain!" thundered the spirit, its voice resonating throughout the ethereal sea.

In a swift retaliation, the spirit unleashed its soul power, striking the energy strand with a deafening boom. The strand shattered into dust, scattering across the tumultuous sea and exacerbating its turmoil.

"Curse this energy, seeking to harm my domain even in defeat," the spirit growled, its anger unabated.

Outside, the clan leader recoiled in shock as the spirit's retaliation reverberated through the spiritual realm, he took a few steps back .

"Clan leader!" The urgency in the voices echoed, but all movement halted as the clan leader raised a hand in assurance. "I am fine," he assured, straightening his stance. "This boy's soul resists the energy, seeking to destroy it."

Silence fell at the leader's words, tension thick in the air. "Isn't there another way?" Hao Tian's voice quivered with concern.

The clan leader's smile was gentle, yet harbored a steely resolve. "Fear not, it would take tenfold to harm me."

Unsatisfied, Hao Tian's gaze turned lethal, a storm brewing within. 

"Elder Zhong asked, "Leader, what next?"

"<sigh >, I have to endure this burden until this kid absorbs the energy. There's no other way. If he resists, I'll bear the consequences," said the Clan leader, his voice calm, his gaze unwaveringly fixed upon Zhen.

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In the boundless expanse of empty darkness, a solitary spark of light flickered, its gentle glow piercing through the void as it journeyed deeper into the abyss. Within its ethereal embrace stood Zhen, a lone figure amidst the consuming shadows that surrounded him.

"Am I dead?" Zhen's voice echoed softly, resonating with a sense of weary resignation. "Again, <sigh >" he murmured, the weight of eternity pressing upon his soul. "What a waste of time it was, yet still... was far more memorable."

A strange smile graced Zhen's lips, devoid of warmth, happiness, spite, anger, or hatred. Its solemnity transcended human emotions, yet unmistakably, it was a smile.

As if stirred by the tumult of his contemplations, a voice, resonant and ethereal, emerged from the depths of the enveloping darkness, its tones carrying the weight of divinity and the whisper of celestial winds. "Niyamtrak" it called out, a herald from realms beyond mortal ken.

Zhen's gaze darted about the obsidian shroud that surrounded him, seeking the source of the otherworldly address with lack of any emotions. "Who speaks?" he ventured, his voice a mere whisper against the vast expanse of nothingness, yet receiving no immediate reply.

"You have triumphed in the crucible of your first trial," the voice proclaimed, its words a symphony of heavenly resonance that reverberated through the void. "Behold, the gift bestowed upon you: the skill of the Warrior's Stance."

amessage flashed in front of him.

[skill : Warrior's stance]

"What?" Zhen's incredulity spilled forth into the darkness, his query hanging in the air like a prayer unanswered. Yet, the voice persisted, unfurling a message before him, its luminous script a beacon in the abyss.

[Knowledge : Pharmacy ]

[skillset Completion : 1/3 ]

[Would you like to continue Y/N:]

"But... didn't I die?" Zhen's voice quivered with uncertainty, his words echoing into the emptiness, seeking solace in the void. Yet, the silence remained unbroken, offering no reassurance, no validation to his query. "Perhaps it's a fragment of memory," he reasoned, his expression stoic despite the storm of doubt raging within.

"Let's depart for now," he declared, "There are questions that demand answers, and that spirit shall provide them."

"No" he replied in a plain tone.

[Would you like to exit the memory? Y/N]

"What kind of question is that... Yes," Zhen muttered to himself, his response tinged with both bewilderment and a hint of resignation, as if acknowledging the absurdity of his own query.

"Niyamtrak, declares to exit the trial. Exiting in 3..2..1," announced the disembodied voice, its command echoing through the caverns of his mind with an air of finality.

In the next instant, Zhen found himself standing at the sea his own consciousness. "Niyamtrak, huh, what?" he mused, his thoughts swirling amidst the enigma of those words. "Where did that come from?" he wondered aloud, the echoes of uncertainty reverberating through the labyrinthine corridors of his mind.

"And messages in the end , it more looked like a high tech device, blue screen with white text." he continued, "Could the earlier civilization have such technology. It's amazing ". 

But soon, all of Zhen's contemplations were shattered by the ominous sight of a colossal wave hurtling towards him, its watery mass bearing down with relentless force. "Oh, that looks bad," he remarked in a tone devoid of panic, as if confronting impending doom were a mundane affair. With calculated swiftness, he moved aside from the path of the oncoming deluge, his movements fluid and precise.

Gazing skyward, Zhen beheld tendrils of white energy converging upon him, their spectral glow a haunting specter against the backdrop of the beautiful scene of sea of consciousness. Yet, before they could ensnare him, an invisible barrier intercepted their advance, halting their ethereal march.

"You have completed your trial," intoned the spirit, its voice a whisper in the currents of the astral realm. "Very well, then. Assist me in dispelling this external energy," spirit requested, it's words a command veiled in the cloak of determination.

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**Niyamtrak : Master or Authority**

Mass release (SUNDAY) :

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200 stones = 4 chaps

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