Mystic Land
Liu Zhang walked towards the Elder, Liu Du, and arrived in front of the old man. Elder Liu Du was a wizened, elderly man with a wrinkled face and long, white beard that flowed down to his chest. His eyes were a piercing, bright blue, and seemed to see right through to a person's soul. He wore a simple, flowing robe of shimmering gold, adorned with intricate patterns and symbols that spoke of his high status within the cultivation community. As Liu Zhang stood before him, he could feel the weight of the Elder's gaze upon him, as if he were being judged and evaluated with every step but the lingering effects of focus & tranquility of the earlier Meditation still remains and he gave no emotional reaction.
The old man, noting the stoic expression on Liu Zhang's face, nodded slightly and gestured towards a nearby chair. Liu Zhang walked over and sat down. The chair was a simple wooden affair, with a plain, unadorned backrest and a seat cushion that had seen better days. Despite its unremarkable appearance, Liu Zhang found it surprisingly comfortable, the wood creaking slightly under his weight as he settled in.
Elder Liu Du spoke, his voice surprisingly strong and commanding for his age. "Do you remember the Meditations we practiced at the Academy?" Liu Zhang nodded in response, recalling the hours spent in quiet contemplation and focus. "Good," Elder Liu Du said, his bright blue eyes piercing into Liu Zhang's own. "Now, close your eyes and take a deep breath. I want you to clear your mind and focus on the sensation in your chest." Liu Zhang closed his eyes and did as he was told, inhaling deeply and letting the air fill his lungs.
As Liu Zhang closed his eyes, he was enveloped in a darkness that seemed to stretch on forever.
Elder Liu Du, observing that Liu Zhang had followed his instructions, gave a satisfied nod before speaking again. "What do you see?" he asked.
Liu Zhang replied, "Darkness."
Elder Liu Du replied, "In the midst of this darkness, try to visualize what you should be seeing if your eyes were opened. Imagine the room around you, the furniture, the people, the sounds, and the smells."
As Liu Zhang focused on the Elder's words, he began to see faint sparks of light flickering in the darkness of his mind's eye. Slowly but surely, the sparks coalesced into an image of the room, as if he were seeing it through a thin veil. He could make out the shapes of the furniture, the other disciples seated around him, and the Elder's wise, weathered face. He could hear the faint murmur of voices and the rustling of robes, and he could even smell the faint hint of incense in the air.
"Now focus the gaze of your visualization upon your chest" Liu Du ordered as he placed his palm upon the gap in between Liu Zhang's chest. "Beyond what lies the Chest, the heart!" Liu Du again ordered.
Liu Zhang began to focus on the sensations in his chest. At first, all he could feel was the rhythmic beating of his heart. But as he concentrated, he began to sense something deeper, something beyond his physical body.
Liu Zhang's visualization suddenly heightened and the images became incredibly vivid, as if he were actually gazing upon the sensory world. He saw a land full of diversity, a place that seemed almost otherworldly.
In the north, the land was covered in snow-capped mountains, the peaks piercing the sky like sharp knives. The air was crisp and biting, the winds howling through the valleys and gorges. It was a harsh and unforgiving place, a land of ice and cold.
In the south, the land was a tropical paradise, with sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters. Palm trees swayed in the gentle breeze, their fronds rustling softly. The air was warm and humid, the scent of flowers and saltwater filling the air. It was a place of beauty and tranquility, a land of sun and sand.
In the east, the land was a vast desert, its sandy dunes stretching out as far as the eye could see. The sun beat down mercilessly, the heat almost unbearable. It was a land of endurance, a place where only the strongest and most resilient could survive.
In the west, the land was a lush, verdant forest, its trees tall and green. The air was fresh and clean, the scent of pine and earth filling the air. It was a place of life and abundance, a land of mystery and magic.
Despite the vast differences between these regions, they all seemed to coexist in harmony, as if each one played a vital role in the balance of the land. Liu Zhang couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as he took in the beauty and wonder of this mystical place.
Each of these regions seemed to pulse with energy, as if they were alive and breathing. And in the center of it all, there was a vibrant, glowing core, a source of light and power that seemed to pulse with a life of its own.
It was the Seal which represents the limit of an individual's Cultivation. Breaking the barrier of the Seal signifies a major milestone in the journey of Cultivation. It is the moment when a cultivator breaks through to the next level, ascending from Prowess—9 to Prowess—8.
The Seal was classified into five based on its colour. The colour of one's Seal determined the difficulty of breaking through it, as well as the maximum amount of Worldly Essence that could be absorbed by their Mystic Land. The most coveted Seal was the Golden Seal, which was relatively easy to break and had a ninety-percent absorption capacity. Next was the Light Seal, with a seventy-percent capacity, followed by the Grayish Seal with sixty-percent, the Dark Seal with fifty-percent, and the Green Seal with forty-five percent respectively.
Ascending into a higher prowess of Cultivation comes with it the expansion of one's Mystic Land as well as being able to absorb Worldly Essence of greater quality and thus is able to subdue & control Spiritual Remnants or Spiritual Artifacts of the same prowess.
Liu Zhang approached the seal through his gaze. As he drew closer to the Seal, he could feel the sense of something beyond it.
Liu Zhang gazed at the seal, which was a glowing, swirling barrier that seemed to shimmer and dance before his eyes. The color of the seal was a bright, dazzling grayish hue that spoke of its power and strength. It seemed to pulse and vibrate with energy, as if it were alive and aware of Liu Zhang's presence. The seal was surrounded by a halo of light, which seemed to radiate outward in all directions, casting a warm, welcoming glow over the surrounding landscape.
And as he gazed through the Seal, he was suddenly consumed by a surge of energy that seemed to fill every inch of his being. He felt as though he were being lifted off the ground and carried away on a wave of pure, raw power.
. . .
He suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Elder Liu Du staring at him with a knowing gaze. "Grayish seal, not bad," the old man said, his voice laced with approval. "You may go back." He then turned to the next person in line, calling out their name.
"Liu Zhang, grayish seal. Next, Liu Xiao Bo."
Liu Zhang stood up from the chair and nodded in response to the Elder, bowing slightly as he walked back towards the crowd. His face was etched with a contemplative look, as if he were deep in thought but he brought back his attention to the present sensory moment then composed himself and adjusted his posture.
"Not bad, Liu Zhang. You've got some Grayish Seal in ya." Liu Bao Li greeted Liu Zhang as he walked towards the crowd and then patted his shoulders. The average Seal the Cultivators of Liu Clan had was the Dark Seal thus making Liu Zhang's Grayish Seal something above average in this place.
"Yes, I heard you also have a Grayish Seal in you?" Liu Zhang nodded and then similarly patted plump and wide Liu Bao Li, "We've got the same Seal then zuhahahaha but don't you find it strange that people celebrating their Seals? Why would you celebrate over the fact that you have a barrier in ya?" Liu Bao Li replied and started a conversation.
"That reminds me. It is similar to a hated person of the crowd suddenly being suspected and brought by the Guardians for inspection. Let's take for examples that the suspected crime is rape and murder and it was announced. The crowd will comment that 'I hope he goes to prison', isn't it just the same as hoping that there were really people raped and murdered?" Liu Zhang thoughtfully responded thoughtfully and brought up a particular issue.
"Ya've got some insights there brother! Emotions shouldn't blind you into seeing the truth of the matter! Have you got your flesh-carving yet?" Liu Bao Li seeing that the conversation was too serious switched to a different topic.
"I've got to get it carved first see you!" Liu Zhang replied as he took a look at his palm which doesn't have a flesh-carving in it yet then made his way towards the person which etches the tattoo.
"Hmm? Liu Zhang right? A Grayish Seal, hand over your palm." The middle-aged man said as he gazed at Liu Zhang with piercing eyes. Liu Zhang nodded and held out his palm, offering it to the man for inspection.
The man pressed his thumb against Liu Zhang's palm then closed his eyes, as if he were trying to visualize something. A faint, non-physical energy flowed from the man's heart, down through his veins, and into his thumb. As he focused, the energy coalesced into a glowing, swirling design that materialized on the left palm of Liu Zhang.
The tattoo was a simple yet intricate design, symbolizing the number nine. The lines were thin and precise, curving and swirling around each other in a complex pattern. The color of the tattoo was a muted, grayish hue, matching the color of Liu Zhang's seal.
"Great! Was that your Soul Remnant?" Liu Zhang asked the man in curiosity, examining the newly carved tattoo on his palm.
"Yes," the man replied, "My Prowess-One Soul Remnant, a tattoo-etching soul I found during the Soul Hunt in Northern Mountain. I need to visualize the sensory world with my eyes closed in the midst of darkness while also visualizing what the tattoo would look like while also activating the Remnant Soul within my Mystic Land which consumes Worldly Essence." The man paused then continued, "The visualization shall flow to my thumb and then transform into something sensory. It isn't so useful in battle but the tattoo has formed a code which can be scanned by other Soul Remnants to prove that you're a Liu Clan Cultivator. It is a manifestation of one's status and identity specially when traveling to lands outside our Clan."
—
Soul Remnants are the Souls left behind by deceased beings, whether they be beasts or mortals. When the spirit of a deceased being rises up and leaves the body, the Soul remains, hence the name 'Soul Remnant'. These Souls are often unconscious and in a blank state, but they retain the natural instincts of an 'existence'.
The characteristics, beliefs, values, and desires of the body the Soul Remnant came from forms a specific power or ability for the Soul Remnant in which the strength of it is also dependent on the prowess of the body it came from. For example, if the body was a Prowess—7 Cultivator, the Soul Remnant will be a Prowess—7 Soul Remnant and can only be subdued, controlled, and powered by Prowess—7 Cultivators or Worldly Essence of a quality that Prowess—7 can absorb.
There also exists a type of Soul Remnant known as Soul Artifacts. These are Souls that had a strong connection with an item they possessed and their Soul Remnant fused with that item at the moment of their death. Soul Artifacts are often much stronger than regular Soul Remnants, as the process of fusion not only involves the fusion of the item and the Soul Remnant but also the deceased body's Mystic Land, the Soul Remnants the Mystic Land possessed is also involved in the fusion and thus many Soul Remnant forcibly escape their hosts body whom they know has a strong connection to an item when they see their host is close to death due to their natural instincts as an 'existence', the Worldly Essence the body have is also involved as well as the dead body itself, only the Spirit rise up and escape this fusion.
Soul Artifact can take many forms, from weapons and armor to magical relics and even entire structures. They are highly coveted by Cultivators for their immense power and versatility, and are often passed down through generations as treasured heirlooms.
The Tattoo Etching Soul Remnant likely originated from a being with a deep desire to leave their mark on others, both literally and figuratively. They may have been an artist, a leader, or perhaps even a revolutionary. Regardless of their profession, it is clear that this being had a strong and unwavering vision that they were driven to share with the world. This determination and passion manifested itself as a this Soul Remnant, capable of etching intricate designs onto the skin of others. It is a testament to the strength of this being's conviction and the enduring legacy they left behind. The identity of the possibly a Cultivator has been left in the dust and only his Soul Remnant was found in the Northern Mountains. It is a great shame that their memory has been lost to time, but the legacy they left behind in the form of their Soul Remnant lives on.