CHAPTER 9 : ASTRAL SPLENDOR ? (LONG CHAPTER)

The full moon hung in the sky, casting a gentle light that illuminated both the forest and the village. Cold winds carried the scent of damp soil and bamboo through the air.

The clan leader, followed by the elder, made their way through the different sections of the village. Despite the late hour, lights still flickered in the houses. In the second section, some individuals were gathered near a small temple dedicated to the moon god, likely offering prayers for the success of their children's awakening ceremonies.The procession moved through the third section, and eventually, all the youths, accompanied by the elders and the clan leader, gathered in front of the village entrance.

"From here, the protection of the village ends. Everyone should stay close to an elder to avoid any mishaps until we reach the crystal cave," announced one of the elders.

The kids, wrapped up in their own excitement, didn't pay much attention to the warning and started chatting among themselves. Enthusiasm sparkled in the eyes of every child that night, except for one figure standing with a plain expression. Zhen's eyes, narrow and barely open, revealed abyssal pupils darker than the deepest night. He continuously focused on the village gate ahead.

"<Sigh > Now, why have they stopped?" Zhen felt the excitement too, but no emotions showed on his face. It looked as if he were accustomed to such events.

Soon, the village gate creaked open, revealing an eerie open field with a stone-carved path leading outward, disappearing into the dark forest beyond.

The clan leader moved ahead, followed by the elders and the youths. They reached the entrance of the forest, where a stone path, dimly lit by lamps on either side, wound its way through the towering bamboo forest. The bamboo shoots rose sky-high, untouched by human hands. As they ventured deeper into the forest, the howls and roars of unseen beasts became more pronounced.

The forest embraced an eerie silence, akin to a graveyard in the dead of night. The winds rustled through the bamboo as if they were the spirits of the deceased, whispering secrets of the unseen.

The excited kids now felt a tinge of fear as drops of sweat formed on their foreheads. Amidst the journey through the bamboo forest, many of them began teasing each other with exclamations of ghost hauntings.

"Have you heard about the widowed woman's spirit that is said to roam this part?" said a kid, imitating a storyteller.

"No," two to three kids who were listening to him replied in unison.

"It is said that she still tries to find her husband and has an interest in young kids," he continued in a goofy tone.

The kids listening to him held onto each other tightly and let out loud shouts. However, an elder overheard this and swiftly administered tight slaps to their faces, instantly silencing them.

"Idiots, do you not realize these are the territories of wild beasts? Are you so eager to meet your demise?" scolded the elder.

Zhen, after glancing at them, moved ahead and, after walking for some time, reached an ancient cave nestled at the foot of a colossal mountain wall. The cave entrance bore intricate carvings, weathered by time, depicting tribal scenes and ancient symbols. Two weathered wooden pillars, adorned with moss and lichen, stood guard on either side of the entrance, each housing a mystical green orb that emitted a faint, ethereal glow. These pillars served both to repel wild beasts and acted as ancient guardians.

As the clan leader ignited the fire above of the pillars, the cavern's interior, adorned with ancient blue and white crystals, came to life. The soft blue light flickered, casting shadows on the cave walls and revealing the passage of countless ages etched into the surroundings.

The clan leader walked ahead, followed by the youths and elders. The cave had curved walls adorned with crystals, creating an ethereal atmosphere. The blue and white crystals covered every inch, giving the cave a mystical appearance.

As they traversed through a narrow passageway, the walls glistened with the soft glow of the crystals. The passage, eight feet tall and four feet broad, eventually led them to an open area within the cave.

The cavernous expanse unfolded like a majestic amphitheater, vast enough to make even the grandest landscapes pale in comparison. The ethereal glow of the crystals painted the curved walls in hues of blue and white, creating a mesmerizing display that seemed to dance with otherworldly elegance. Every inch of the cave was adorned with crystals, their radiant luminosity transforming the surroundings into an enchanting spectacle.

As the youths ventured further, the passageway widened, revealing a breathtaking open area. Here, the concentration of crystals seemed deliberate, giving off a divine, radiant red glow. A pristine lake lay at the heart of the space, its waters seemingly touched by the moonlight filtering through the lotus-shaped opening above.

In the middle of the lake, a colossal lotus unfolded its petals, exuding an aura of sublime beauty. The lotus seemed to float on the glistening surface of the water, framed by the shimmering crystals that adorned the cavern. The open area above allowed the moon to cast its gentle beams, creating a celestial ambiance that left everyone in awe.

As the youths entered this extraordinary realm, a sense of wonder and familiarity stirred within Zhen. "I don't know why, but I feel a strong connection with this place; it feels like my soul is urging me to stay here."

The entire scene was a symphony of natural artistry, a harmonious fusion of light, crystal, and water that transcended the boundaries between the mundane and the mystical.

Soon, everyone moved inside the vast area.

"Elders, please take your family blood with you and stand around the lake. For the kids with no family background, form another ring behind these people," declared the clan leader.

Zhen couldn't help but notice the emphasis on the impact of a strong family background on one's cultivation journey. "It's evident from his words how much influence a robust family background can have," Zhen murmured.

Everyone gathered around the lake, with those from families of significance forming the first layer, and others without such backgrounds forming the outer ring.

"Bestow upon them the spirit stones," declared the clan leader. The elders, cradling rugged bags, nodded affirmatively and began distributing the precious stones to each youth. Though the bags were no larger than a fist, they concealed within them a multitude of hundreds of spirit stones.

Amazement filled the hearts of the youths as they beheld the spirit stones in their hands. "Wow, it's warm; it's my first time holding a spirit stone," exclaimed one kid. Another chimed in, "Me too! It looks just like a pristine crystal, but it emanates warmth when touched."

A girl, with an air of modesty, shared, "My parents never allowed me to touch a single spirit stone."

Mockingly, a well-dressed boy remarked, "Haha, does your family even possess a single spirit stone? For people like you, even a solitary spirit stone would suffice for an entire month."

The countenance of the girl with a humbler appearance fell, and it seemed as if she might burst into tears at any moment.

Zhen observed the interaction silently, his expression unchanged. The disparity between the privileged and the less fortunate was stark, even in the seemingly equalizing moment of the awakening ceremony. He couldn't help but feel a mix of detachment and sympathy for those caught in the web of societal hierarchies.

As the spirit stones circulated among the youths, the aura of the cave seemed to resonate with the energy contained in each crystal. The divine glow of the red crystals intensified, casting a warm radiance across the faces of the young participants. The ethereal beauty of the cave became even more pronounced, as if the stones themselves were enhancing the enchantment of the surroundings.

After distribution of of spirit stones; the clan leader declared "These spirit stones will be your companions during the awakening ceremony. They are imbued with the essence of this sacred place and will aid you in your journey to unlock your potential. Now, one by one come into the lake and sit on the lotus and hold the stones close and focus on the lotus. Let the connection between you and the spirit stones guide your awakening."

The first participant, hailing from the Bi family, stepped forward.

"The Bi family is one of the major factions in the village, alongside Chi, Mei, and the Clan Leader factions," Zhen mused to himself.

The confident kid entered the lake, and with each step, a mini lotus formed beneath his feet, creating a pathway as he progressed. Holding the spirit stone, he sat on the lotus in the middle of the lake, appearing to levitate in a meditative posture.

"The lotus has a hundred petals, each signifying the amount of natural essence in the form of spirit energy that can be stored in your Third Eye or sea of consciousness," explained the clan leader.

"As you focus on the lotus, a space will form between your eyebrows. This is called third eye awakening or sea of consciousness. It is infinitely expansive yet infinitesimally small. The more the petals glow, the higher the amount of spirit energy stored in your third eye, and the greater your aptitude will be," the clan leader guided.

The boy listened attentively to the leader and followed the instructions. Soon, the spirit stone in the boy's hands started vanishing, transforming into visible energy that traveled towards the space between his eyebrows and then entered inside.

"Look, he is shivering," said a girl. "See that sweat on his forehead, he is definitely struggling," added another.

But soon, their talking came to a halt. The petals of the lotus started glowing one by one.

"Look, it has begun," said a kid in the outer ring, and everyone started counting the lit petals. "1... 5... 13... 29... 47... 63, and 67."

The elders confirmed the counting of the petals once the kid stopped absorbing the spirit stone in his hands. The elder declared, "The kid is bestowed with a Second-grade talent."

"Talents or aptitude can be classified from grade fourth, 11 petals to 30, second, 31 to 50, third, 51 to 70, and first, 71 to 90," Zhen remarked. "If a person lights less than eleven petals, he will be deemed as a low life because, with only ten petals or less, the third eye can't be awakened."

Listening to the elder's words, a smile appeared on the faces of the elders and the clan leader. However, along with the joy, political pressure also emerged. The kid happily jumped back to his original place.

"The Bi family has a good star this year," murmured the clan leader to the Mei family elder next to him. The elder nodded, but the struggle to accept was evident on his face.

"Congratulations, Elder Bi," said Elder Mei along with the clan leader. Elder Bi bowed in respect and accepted the greetings.

"Bullshit, it's just drama, a facade they use to cover up what is in their mind. With each high aptitude, the power of the family rises, giving political pressure to other prominent factions," murmured Zhen.

Soon, the youths from other factions came in one by one. The elder announced their faction or family along with the score.

"Mei family, Zai Mei, sixty-two petals, second-grade talent"; "Chi faction, Mo Chi, fifty-nine petals"; "Bi family, Bi Mu, sixty-two petals."

After the announcement of another second-grade from the Bi family, the faces of the other families and factions fell. Tension was evident on everyone's face.

"Leader, we have to do something about this Bi family. Two second grades are a lot of risk for us," Elder Mei said to the clan leader in a very hesitant tone. "I am afraid that with this power, they might get the idea of replacing the leader in the future." As the elder said this, he was met with a punch to his stomach.

"Stop talking nonsense. From what I am able to see, it looks like you already have the idea of replacing me," the clan leader smiled at him in a sinister way, as if he would definitely erase his existence from the land.

"No, your authority, servant is loyal," said the elder while bowing on the floor. No one gave much heed to the situation because the clan leader's tyrant temper was already known to everyone.

"Poor old man Mei, why lick the a*s of a tyrant?" Elder Bi murmured to himself.

The clan leader stood beside the impeccably dressed kid, patting his shoulder with an air of unshakable confidence. "Go," he said, his eyes radiating absolute certainty.

The boy, clad in a resplendent red kimono adorned with a golden overlay, approached the lake. Each of his steps possessed a regal grace, giving off an aura befitting a prince. With round eyes, a tall stature, and an adorable button nose, he captivated the onlookers.

Seating himself on the lotus in a meditative posture, the kid absorbed the energy from the spirit stone. As the process unfolded, the lotus petals began to illuminate—one, then twenty, fifty, and eventually halting at eighty-eight. Shock rippled through the gathering; eyes widened, mouths agape, and a collective gasp echoed through the crowd.

The elder meticulously double-checked the count before declaring, "Hao Tian, Clan leader's son, 88 petals, First-grade talent," infusing the proclamation with a tone of grandiosity.

The shock and worry etched on the faces of other families and factions intensified. A tumultuous commotion erupted, voices blending in discord.

"It's been a decade since a first-grade talent has graced our clan"; "Yes, and look at his nearly perfect score," murmured the Elders and the kids among themselves.

All the elders from various families and factions bowed in unison, offering congratulations to the clan leader. Observing the scene, the clan leader nonchalantly retrieved a fan from his pocket, elegantly fanning himself. The boy gracefully returned to his original position, and the leader, expressing satisfaction, playfully ruffled his hair.

As subsequent candidates from major factions and families approached, the atmosphere remained charged. Out of the initial fifty, only thirty emerged successfully, with the majority falling into the third grade and two to three securing coveted positions in the second grade.

Now, it was the turn of the youths from the outer ring. The elder called their names one by one, and the kids started stepping forward. Unfortunately, more than half of the outer ring youths failed, and only a handful were able to awaken with a third-grade talent.

"Bi Zhen, come ahead," called the elder at last.

As Zhen moved out of the crowd, whispers rippled through the onlookers.

"He is the one blessed by the deity."

"Yes, and many say he is a child genius."

"Why does he have the Bi surname?" asked a curious kid. "People say he is the son of a disowned member of the Bi family," replied another. "Oh," expressed the kid.

"He is the adopted son of that low-life woman and Bi," said Elder Bi with furrowed brows.

"He will definitely be a first grade," said another kid confidently. "How can you be so sure?" questioned another. "Idiot, haven't you heard? The person blessed by the moon deity is destined to create history, and I don't think history can be created by a low-life," replied the confident kid.

"Let's see how good is the blessed one" remarked Tian.

Ignoring the chatter around him, Zhen moved towards the lake and gracefully sat on the lotus. By now, morning had arrived, and sun rays began to illuminate the surroundings.

Zhen crossed his legs and closed his eyes, holding the spirit stone in his hands. As he immersed himself in meditation, a peculiar sensation enveloped him, and he found himself suddenly transported to the enigmatic realm of his sea of consciousness.

"It looks the same as before, this vast blue sky above and this endless sea below my feet," he murmured, his confusion growing. "Now what should I do?" he questioned himself, his surroundings appearing surreal and mystifying.

"I wish old man Vrishni would pop up; at least he told me what these things were about," he muttered, taking cautious steps through the dreamlike landscape.

"It is very similar to the Astral Splendor space, but with a sky and sea." Zhen remarked, still trying to make sense of the ethereal environment.

"Buzz... Buzz," a strange buzzing sound resonated, intensifying his perplexity. "What is that?" he pondered, glancing around in bewilderment.

"System active, Subject verified, Loading system," a disembodied female voice echoed through his sea of consciousness, adding another layer to Zhen's disorientation.

"System active? Subject? Could it be I am under some kind of simulation?" Zhen wondered, his skepticism growing.

"No, Subject 1289, this is reality," responded the voice. "What? How?" Zhen's mind was a whirlwind of questions but he tries to remain calm from the outside.

Multiple screens materialized around him, filling the sea of consciousness like an otherworldly tableau.

"What is this?" he urged himself to stay calm, though the bizarre encounter continued to baffle him.

"Who are you, or what are you?" Zhen questioned, seeking clarity amid the surreal display.

"I am the spirit of Astral Splendor. I got connected to the chip in your head during the spirit linking process with you." the voice replied, deepening the enigma.

"Astral Splendor?" Zhen said, grappling with the improbable revelation. "But wasn't that left on Earth?"

"No, it was destroyed, and it was the only thing that helped you transmigrate while keeping our memories," the voice explained, adding another layer to Zhen's incredulity.

"How? I don't remember such a thing." he asked, desperate for answers. "Data insufficient," the voice replied cryptically.

"If you are the spirit of that artifact, why are you talking like an A.I.?" Zhen queried, trying to reconcile the ethereal experience.

"Subject 1289, a spirit does not possess memory or the ability to speak. Its only memory is its users. It only has consciousness, which can be amended by the user's will. I am able to communicate with you due to the coincidence of the chip attached to me," the voice elucidated, leaving Zhen even more perplexed.

"I transmigrated to a world with superpowers. Is it possible? Or is someone else is keeping me in this illusion?" Zhen pondered, his thoughts spiraling into a realm of uncertainty.

"It's true" the voice assured, heightening the complexity of Zhen's internal struggle.

"Then why did you appear after such a long time?" he questioned, desperate for clarity amid the surreal encounter.

"Subject12..." Zhen stopped the voice. "Don't call me that. I have a name; Vivek will be fine," he asserted, trying to assert some control over the perplexing situation.

"Ok, Vivek. During our transmigration, your soul was damaged by heavenly lightning. Since your soul is the source of my power, I was in a deep slumber until this day," the voice revealed, adding another layer to the mysterious narrative. "While you are absorbing that spirit energy, your soul is mending, and hence I am awakening from my slumber."

"How can I trust this A.I., which doesn't sound like one? I still have doubts about this. But this selective memory loss prevents me from remembering anything, properly" Zhen thought, his skepticism growing.

"Vivek, it is all up to you , to trust me or not ,but I can assure , I will be of great help in an alien environment like this world." the voice reassured, though the ambiguity lingered.

"You are reading my mind again and What is this heavenly lightning?" he questioned, seeking more clarity amid the perplexing encounter.

"Not enough information" the voice replied. "My memory is just a projection of yours; if you can't recall it, neither can I. But there are some exceptions to it as well."

Outside, at the awakening ceremony, everyone's gaze was locked on Zhen.

"Why isn't he moving?" said a kid, his confusion mirrored in the expressions of those around him. "He is continuously absorbing the spirit energy, and see the stone is almost finished," remarked another, the surreal nature of the event intensifying the overall bewilderment.