5 A week later

Orizo woke up on the cold hard floor of the training hall, the scars along the floor and walls that were present the day before had healed. After the spar the week ago he had gotten closer to Aaron and started training together. Due to Aaron's physique he excelled in crowd control while Orizo's physique mainly increased his bodily strength they trained together and often sparred to find their faults and fix them.

The day after Orizo gained his ability he was taught by Jax that it was a level of attainment in the Internal Path. Jax then explained that there were many paths to the peak and they were loosely connected to two paths, the Internal path and the External path. The Internal path focused on the body and all in it while the External path focused outside the body. Of course the two paths didn't encompass all the various paths to power but it was enough since practically 99% of paths fell within the category.

Orizo spent that day thinking over what path he wanted to take, Jax had given him examples of both paths at various points of their journey and they didn't help Orizo in making his decision. Orizo thought it over and over, and finally decided on the Internal path. Having thought out the pros and cons of each path as well as the influence his physique would cause Orizo believed that the internal path was the right one.

Orizo understood well that his physique boosted his body to an unreal degree, however if he went for the External path he would simply be a mage with a tougher body and as he grew stronger it would lose its value. However if he went for the Internal path he could strengthen his body even more, giving him an even stronger body ahead of his peers.

When Jax heard his decision, he nodded and gave Orizo a few books and told him to study them and that he would test him at the end of the week.

Tomorrow was the test that Jax had set up and he heard from Aaron that they were taking the test together. The books Orizo received were martial arts and a cultivation manual. The manual read Dark Star Manual and the various martial arts contained a movement technique as well as a fighting technique.

The movement art was named Serpentine Art while the fighting technique was named Void stance. In truth the martial arts were not suppose to be given to him this early, however his attainment in 'grasping the earth' allowed him to start learning these early.

The manual taught Orizo on the best way to cultivate with the Dark Star physique, after learning the first level Orizo was able to cultivate ten times faster than when he had the time to try back in the slums.

Orizo memorized the cultivation manual and left it in the drawer by his bedside, Jax had told Orizo that the book wasn't rare but no one had a use for it. Opening the Serpentine Art Orizo read it with giddiness as the art was stronger than he had realized.

The Serpentine Art was an evolving movement art, depending on the individual the art split in many directions. It could evolve into the Drake Art and then into the Dragon Art or it could evolve into a Flying Serpent art then Soaring Dragon Art. The movement art gave examples of the evolution it could take and encouraged the reader to personalize the art. Orizo similarly memorized it but burned it instead afterward, Jax had told him to burn it.

The fighting art taught on basic fisticuffs techniques. Despite this Orizo was most engrossed by this art, similar to the movement foundation book it gave a lot of information and details on basic punches to kicks, the proper way to stand and take a hit, the best way to maximize the strength of a punch.

Over the week Orizo trained in the manual from dinner to midnight and the movement art from morning to dinner with some sparring with Aaron. The fisticuffs foundation art was quickly finished on the day after, having spent it doing the same with the movement art.

Orizo sat in meditation in the middle of the training hall cultivating, the energy around him being siphoned faster than it could generate the pull increased in range until the energy outside the hall was being sucked in too. By this point Orizo had already broken through a couple of times and felt that he had reached a ceiling, however he had no idea what the cultivation levels even were so he was worried about breaking through. Orizo planned to ask Jax after the spar tomorrow and clear other questions he had.

The next morning Jax informed Orizo that the test would start after lunch and let him off after breakfast. Orizo spent the time reviewing his current state, his pros and cons to help him go further.

In the Internal Path, Orizo wanted to specialize in the Body Path, it sought to strengthen the body even further beyond what cultivating would give. His Dark Star physique helped to further his goal on the path since it constantly refined his body. Just over the last week, from when he sparred with Jax until now his body had strengthened almost two times.

However after studying the movement art and combat art and trying them out he realized a flaw to his physique, he realized that his body while gaining strength and weight also pulled his impurities together, causing Orizo to have to spend a lot of mental strength to circulate ki around in his body. Just filling his muscles with ki to strengthen them was incredibly hard, Orizo did not let it upset him thinking that the impurities can be cleansed later. Orizo than focused on an external technique written in the fighting art, it was a simple defensive technique which formed a layer of ki above the skin.

This in theory would have worked if not for the oversight that Orizo was unable to even pull the ki in his dantian out of his body. Orizo thought nothing of it and tried to form it with the ki in the air, only reaching a layer thinner than silk and almost fading on his skin. Still, it gave him hope and Orizo trained on it until he reached a satisfactory result, although the ki was still thin it no longer faded and was a dim pale colour.

Another con he had found in his physique was that he was too physically strong, all the weapons in the hall couldn't hold up to his strength and even the glove Kaguya had gifted him were showing signs of wear and tear. Orizo recognized that he might have to use his body as weapons in the future or find a way to use weapons without touching them.

When lunch came and went Orizo stood in the hall with Aaron to his side facing Jax.

"Ready yourselves, we will spar for 5 minutes. If you can land a hit you pass, any more than that and I'll grant a wish. Within my power of course." Jax said with a grin.

Aaron extended his hand and the ring on his finger flashed, a sword in one hand and a whip in another. Orizo shifted his stance and prepared to execute his movement art.

"Start!"

Orizo shot forward as he used his movement art. Jax side stepped Orizo and jumped as Aaron's whip flew to where he stood. Orizo landed and moved to chase after Jax but he could feel a sharp arc flying towards him Orizo stepped to the side and twisted his body, dodging the attack by an inch.

Orizo could now feel the attack accurately instead of an instinctive feeling of danger due to his training in the ki armor Orizo could sense the energy in the air move around.

Aaron deflected the invisible attack aimed at him with the sword in his hand and attacked again with his whip, evidently he could sense the attack too. Seeing this Jax avoided the whip and exclaimed, "Good! Now lets up the difficulty!"

Jax stretched out his hand and drew a line of ki in the air, the line expanded into a sword which Jax promptly grabbed. Orizo looked on in puzzlement while Aaron looked on in awe. Jax saw their expressions and said, "Not coming?"

Orizo snapped out of it when his instincts screamed, Jax swung his sword at his direction. A bright silver arc left the sword flying at Orizo much faster than the invisible attack. Using his movement art Orizo dodged the arc and moved closer to Jax.

Jax prepared to swing his sword again Aaron's whip flew out and interrupted the act allowing Orizo to get closer.

When Orizo finally got close he was unable to enter his desired range, Jax's sword was simply too fast and Aaron's whip was unable to help him since he was too close. While Jax pressured Orizo from entering his range Aaron's ring flashed again and a spear replaced the whip in his hand, with a running start Aaron threw the spear at Jax and ran after.

The spear flew at Jax's head which he easily avoided moving his head, however this allowed Orizo to close in and throw a hard punch. Jax blocked it with his blade but it caused him to stagger, the strength behind the punch exceeded his expectations. Before he could recover Aaron arrived beside him, the rapier in his hand thrust out.

*Clang*

Aaron's rapier met a dagger, Jax manifested a dagger in his other hand which flew to deflect his son's rapier. Aaron pulled back his rapier and proceeded to shower Jax with thrusts, Orizo circled to Jax's flank and tried to attack him only to be deflected by the sword again.

This whole time Orizo was only using his gloves to block the attacks, seeing Jax distracted by Aaron Orizo gathered his ki armor and pushed forward. Together Aaron and Orizo pressured Jax, but he suddenly twisted his body and jumped away causing Orizo and Aaron to fall onto each other. Jax landing a little away.

Jax's eyes shivered a little when he saw the armor Orizo had donned, despite this he said nothing about it and pointed his sword at the two. Aaron and Orizo quickly scrambled to their feet as they watched the sword in Jax's hand morph into a spear.

Orizo and Aaron didn't let themselves get distracted, glancing at each other they understood each other's thoughts.

Aaron's weapons flashed and were replaced by a bow and arrow while Orizo pushed his movement art further and launched at Jax. Behind him Aaron released the arrow which flew by Orizo's head at Jax.

Deflecting the arrow Jax was met with Orizo's fist, deflecting it another arrow arrived ahead of him. Orizo kicked at Jax as he deflected the arrow, which was blocked by the dagger. More arrows were fired, curving around Orizo as he tried to land a hit.

Jax continued to block the two with ease, before the situation could be changed the five minutes was up. Orizo looked downcast but Aaron held looked like he knew this was going to happen.

"Good, you guys did good. Aaron you still need to deepen your proficiency with your weapons, your current capabilities is too shallow with each one. We will go over your faults later, I have things to do with Orizo go ahead and rest first."

Aaron nodded and left the hall tired. Orizo had asked Aaron about the path he took after their spars together. Aaron explained that he wanted to follow the path the ruby family took, which was the Weapons Master Path.

"Now, as for you... when did you learn to form a mana shield." Jax asked.

Orizo gave Jax a puzzled look saying, "Mana shield? I though it was a ki shield... I just used the energy in the air instead of in my dantian... is there a problem?"

Jax replied Orizo with an incredulous look, "You don't know the difference? Wait do you even know the different energies?"

Orizo shook his head as he waited for an explanation.

"Alright sit down I'll explain things simply for now, you can ask your tutor in detail tomorrow. In this world there are three main energies that we use, mana, ki and chakra. Chakra is also known as life energy or natural energy, anything that lives contain this energy. Mana is the energy that is omnipresent present everywhere even the void. When we refine mana in our bodies it turns into Ki, an energy unique to the cultivator. When you made your Ki armor you didn't use Ki, rather you used the mana in the air."

Orizo carried a worry look at the end and when Jax saw it he quickly explained, "No no no, its fine it isn't dangerous. The act is just impressive not dangerous, it simply means that you have talent in energy manipulation. On another note though why did you not use your Ki instead?"

"I can't move the Ki in my dantian out."

"What?!"

Jax grabbed Orizo's wrist in a hurry and sent his ki to probe his body. With wide eyes Jax let go of Orizo's wrist and then asked, "Have you cultivated before you formed your dantian?"

"No... I didn't there was no one that was willing to teach cultivation."

"So thats why... ha.... Orizo there are multiple levels of cultivation and each cannot be skipped. It is like constructing a building, each level is a foundation for the next. You went from no cultivation to the second level, dantian formation."

Jax brought a cushion to sit on and gestured for Orizo to sit in front, evidently it was a long lecture.

"The Internal and External paths share cultivation levels but each path have slightly different ways to breakthrough. The Mage path is the most common External path while the Swords path is the most common Internal path, they share a lot of similarities with the other paths as well so I will use them as an example."

"So far the Mage path has been pushed to the highest current realm which is the Celestial realm, below it are the Immortal realm then the Mortal realm. We start at the Mortal realm where there are five levels, Circuit Formation, Core Formation, Crystal Body, Enlightened Soul and Sage. Each one is divided further levels."

"After the Mortal realm the Internal and External paths differ in title, External experts will have Immortal in their name while Internal path experts will have God or Deity in their title. The Swords path's mortal levels include Meridian Formation, Dantian Formation, Ki Body, Enlightened Soul and Martial Sage. Similarly divided into further unique levels."

"You will learn about the other realms in due time, for now however it might be detrimental to you to learn about them but if you truly are curious you can ask your tutor. If he decides not to tell you I won't either understand?"

Orizo nodded and asked, "Then what realm are you at sir?"

"Haha, I am in the Deity realms yes keep this in mind alright all the gem family heads are in the middle to late Deity or Immortal realm."

"Alright go back and rest, your tutor will arrive soon."

Orizo quickly got up and thanked Jax. In his room Orizo laid in bed staring at the ceiling, his mind recalled the fight, it felt frustrating, lackluster even. They were unable to win and Jax had easily, without even a drop of sweat.

He understood that Jax had strength beyond even his imagination but he still couldn't help but be frustrated! Orizo had never even seen a peak Mortal realm cultivator so he had no ceiling to compare Jax to, Jax fought so simply that it was simply too frustrating!

Orizo sunk into the feeling of frustration, soon he turned his frustration into his own weakness. Resolving to practice even harder, Orizo cooled his mind and reviewed the fight, the execution of his movement art was worse than when he had practiced and he had committed many mistakes he hadn't before.

Orizo spent the rest of the day mentally training the movement art, his body too tired from the spar. When dinner came Jax didn't eat with the family, Orizo thought nothing of it as he was absent minded thinking about what he could have done in the fight.

The next morning after breakfast Jax introduced Orizo to his tutor in the study.

"Master Adam this is Orizo, Orizo this is Master Adam your tutor."

'Master?' Orizo thought as he felt a weird sensation within him. A sense of closeness, however Orizo did not know this feeling as he had never experienced it. Orizo studied his tutor and Adam was studying Orizo as well.

Adam gave off an ancient and oppressive feeling, Orizo compared it to when he felt it during the spar with Jax and it was different. It felt similar but Adam's oppression felt controlled and deep like a calm lake while in comparison Jax's felt like it was shallow but raging like a river on a stormy day.

Adam wore loose black robes, with his hair reaching his lower back and a clean face with no beard. He looked not a day older than 20, with a youthful figure despite the ancient aura.