Training

"—Wait, Valenmist?"

Aurelius snapped his head behind, looking at the man in disbelief.

'No way…'

[Goodmorning, kiddo. It's good that I didn't have to wake you up.] 过

True to his doubts, the all-familiar voice came out of the middle aged immortal with the appearance of a vagabond.

With a sword hanging behind his back and a confident air swirling around his mass, Valenmist floated, akin to a spiritual existence, well he is one. 

But how was he outside? Shouldn't the man be in his mind?

As though expecting his reaction, Valenmist wore a smug expression, one seemingly that says 'caught you'.

That face was enough for Aurelius to realize that the man was intentionally playing with him.

"...No, not at all."

Seeing that, Aurelius bit his lip, forcing down the surprise inside him. The man clearly wanted him to be shocked in disbelief early in the damn morning.

Otherwise, why did the old fart wear a smug and annoying expression? For the sword immortal of his dreams, he seemed to be widely different….

Regardless, the petty side of him wanted that to not happen.

'I'll play your game, old fart. Is this revenge for yesterday?'

With his hands slightly trembling, he grabbed the mug of coffee and let its heat calm him down. 

Aurelius sipped on the mug, his eyes closed.

"...Oh hey, Valenmist. Fine morning we are having today, right?"

[Oh? I didn't think of you to appreciate a good morning, kid. But why do you seem like you want to ask something?]

"You're imagining things."

[So, you won't ask any questions?]

"...Since you can exit my mind, does that mean you're going to leave now?"

As soon as the man managed to go outside his mind, that was the first thought that came through him. His first and ultimate worry.

Yesterday, Aurelius might've been all-too happy about that thought. But after his deal with the sword immortal…

Of course, he was curious about how the man did go outside. But that wasn't as important as what now.

[Huh… I didn't expect that question to be the first thing come out of your mouth.]

Valenmist said with a warm smile.

[When I tried to move 10 meters away from you, I kept being returned to your mind. But… nevermind that, now that you're awake, let's start your training.]

"Thank god…"

Aurelius murmured, sighing in relief before he realized something wrong. His brows furrowing in bewilderment, he raised his head.

"Huh? What do you mean training its 3 in the mor—"

Before he could even react, through magical and inexplicable bullshit, Valenmist, despite being mere spiritual mass, contained force and strength that carried his entire body.

"Wait—how could you eve—"

[No time. Training first.]

"Ah fuck! I still have things to d—"

[Training first.]

"My coffee….!!"

***

Soon, Valenmist, while carrying Aurelius on his shoulder, arrived at an enclosed space painted of pure and untainted white.

The white room was empty and desolate, aside from the mock wooden sword and other weapons stationed by the walls.

[Alright, this should be a good place to train.]

Valenmist said, abruptly dropping Aurelius to the ground.

Bam—!

"Ow," 

Aurelius scowled, feeling a bit of pain from the impact. Rubbing his back, he reluctantly stood up from the ground.

"How did you even find, and much more, enter this room? This is my personal training room! There should be a facial recognition process in the door!"

[Huh? Facial-what not-now? I just phased through it.]

Aurelius paused.

'Phased through walls…?'

Of course, he smacked his thigh. The man was a friggin ghost or spirit—but if that was the case, how the living hell was the man able to touch him?

[Alright, alright. I can see you want to ask many questions, but now is not the time! Train first!]

Hearing that, Aurelius groaned. It was 3 AM in the morning…

"Even if you say that… how am I going to train to beat Miracleborns?"

[By your description of Miracleborns… it's impossible for a normal person to beat them. That's why you're going to unlock your spirit core first.]

"And so? Can you unlock it? How?"

Spirit core, what not. Aurelius had no need to ask. Basic xianxia stuff, probably a rephrased spirit root or something.

[I can unlock it right now—]

"Neat, unlock it then, master."

[—But I'm not going to do that. That's a waste. You're my disciple, having a plain or flawed spirit core is a disgrace.]

Okay now he was a bit lost. Aurelius wore a bewildered expression while staring at Valenmist.

[You're evidently confused, so listen up. I'll only explain this once to you, alright?]

"But you're my master? Isn't it your job to answer any question I have regardless how many times?"

Ignoring him, Valenmist sat in the air with his legs crossed and began his explanation.

[The universe overflows of energy, all kinds of them. Most races, especially humans like us are able to live because of vital energy, otherwise known as the most basic energy. But merely being able to live is not enough to survive in this world…]

Aurelius listened attentively.

[...And thus, to get stronger. We possess or absorb spiritual energy, known as the power of the universe. Different people, different ways of using spiritual energy. But to us cultivators, we do the latter. We absorb, digest and integrate spiritual energy.]

[But to do that, we must first open our spirit core. The invisible organ that connects us to the universe. The spirit core is located inside our body, linking our three life systems. Mind, Body and Soul. It is in between the Vessel of Mind and the Profound Soul.]

Unconsciously, Aurelius touched the center of his body.

[Spirit cores have different kinds, but the most popular one people start with is the plain, empty one. There's a saying from my world, "A spirit core defines a person's path, that's why at the start it's empty and plain. But it changs when they decide their path."]

Aureliues raised his hand, confused about something.

"I'm following… but if that's the case, why won't you unlock mine then?"

[Impatience is a deadly sin. I was just about to get there,]

Valenmist chopped Aurelius' head with his hand, causing a scowl from the black haired kid.

[You see, unlike them. You have already decided your path. And that is the path of the sword. Before you unlock your spirit core, we will first let it recognize that your path is the Art of the Sword.]

"...And to do that?"

[Well, your body is well defined… unexpectedly. So we don't need to train it for the moment. It seems you just don't waste your time reading those dual cultivation scriptures beneath your bed—]

"Wait, what?" 

[—And shoo, go grab that wooden sword! Let me see your talent in the sword.]

While still confused about the mentioned scriptures, Aurelius reluctant followed the man's orders.