Search for Power

"But why is my physical strength so high?" Thinking back, even Thorin and Rai both have about a hundred and fifty thousand pounds of physical strength, and he doesn't believe that there are more talented people in the Free Immortal Sect, and even the Southern Desolate Lands. His judgment comes from comparing Rai to himself, and Thorin being roughly equivalent to Rai. So, his strength is almost double theirs, which puzzles him a bit; could he be that much more talented than them?

"It's because of your dragon bloodline. Dragons aren't seen as among the most powerful creatures in existence for no reason. They excel in everything, even surpassing races that specialize in certain attributes: Intelligence, talent, spirit, elemental energy, and physical strength, ranking at the top for each of those. Their greatest strength, however, lies in their elemental energy and physical strength; I can only name a few races that can rival them in those attributes amongst countless worlds. Not to mention, dragons also have a strict hierarchy. The lowest-ranked dragon bloodline would be at the peak heavenly level and would make one a genius that stood at the peak of a regular world. Then you have higher grades as you go up in nobility and bloodline purity, the strongest being the royal clan in the dragon clan, which is the origin of your bloodline. It is therefore not a coincidence that you surpass Raizel and that boy you just met; you will find it hard to meet another that will rival your strength and elemental power in the future just by the basis of your dragon bloodline. Rai's mystic lightning bloodline is an elemental type, the reason why he received such a boost in strength is that it's of a very high level and because he has another bloodline that hasn't yet awakened but still affects him, that is also a powerful physical type."

Old Dai took the time to explain why Kaelen had such overbearing strength early in the Xiantian realm.

"As you get stronger, your physical strength will also keep increasing. Every stage in the Xiantian realm, you will get around twenty thousand pounds of strength, ten thousand for each breakthrough, and ten thousand from activating the dormant dragon bloodline; though you've awakened it, its latent power is still mostly unexploited because you need to grow to fulfill its full potential."

Listening intently, Kaelen nodded.

Still, it surprised him that Raizel also had a second bloodline, like he did. He wondered when their second bloodlines would awaken.

"What about my strength when I activate my bloodline?" Thinking back at his last strike, he felt his power soar when his bloodline activated.

"It should double your strength in exchange for greater energy expenditure; a two-time increase in power will bring a two-time increase in energy expenditure, so try not to use it unless cornered. You get most of the benefit of the bloodline through your immediate strength and talent anyway; activating is a crisis moment aide," explained the old master.

"Okay. Hey, how come you didn't tell us about the reverse refinement of the heart?" He was curious about this, as Old Dai wouldn't let go of an opportunity to make them stronger.

"Because you two didn't need it, really. The major physical boost you get is mostly beneficial in the Xiantian phase, giving you a huge advantage over the others; however, that's for the average genius. After Xiantian, that physical boost will not matter much as you will get a constant physical upgrade from your bloodline if it's a high enough rank. For you and Rai plus that boy, the boost would become useless as you would be invincible in the Xiantian realm even without it, a fifty-thousand pounds difference in strength or even five hundred thousand doesn't really matter in the latter stages when you can decimate a whole mountain weighing millions of pounds in seconds. Although you guys are physically strong, physical power is but an aspect of your strength; just like your spear mastery can improve your strength a lot, there are many other avenues, so do not become complacent because of it and make sure you train in everything; that is the requirements to become an unparalleled expert."

The old man took the time to teach the boy as he explained.

"Ohh, that makes sense. I will," nodding, Kaelen goes silent as he enjoys the feeling of the breeze in the sky.

Sensing the boy's silence, the old man goes into deep thought as he looks at the boy beside him.

"Kaelen."

"Hm?" Kaelen looks at him.

"Do you wish to be powerful?" With a serious expression, Old Dai asks the teenager.

"Yes." The latter answers with a firm tone.

"Why?" Inquiring further, the old man demands a reason for his wish to have power.

Taken aback by the retort, Kaelen falls a bit silent. He looks at the bottomless sea below him and then at the endless sky above him.

He takes a deep breath.

"Because the world is so vast; there are good people out there, and bad people as well. This world is one where power is a necessity for survival; if you're weak but living amongst mortals, you may live a safe life, but at any moment, a beast invasion or two powerhouses fighting or even a world-ending catastrophe, and you're but a lamb waiting to be slaughtered as casualty. Grandpa Dai, though I can't tell how powerful you are, I know you're incredibly powerful, yet you seem to worry all the time and have many regrets you can't change. If someone as powerful as you is facing adversity that can leave you helpless, then I must be even stronger, so I can never be put in a helpless situation…"

As Kaelen speaks, the old man's face softens, his gaze saying many things as he looks at the boy.

"But you know, Grandpa Dai, I really just enjoy cultivation, challenging myself, meeting powerful people and learning from them or even better, fighting them. I enjoy swinging my spear endlessly as my arms begin to hurt and my skin falls out: because when I do, my mind does not think about anything else. I'm just another cultivator fighting against heaven's law, reaching towards enlightenment. I do not wish to have power over people. If people wish to follow me, I do not want it to be solely based on my power alone, but because they want the same thing I do and wish to accompany me on my journey."

Kaelen continues speaking as he opens his heart to his parental figure.

Seeing the maturing boy, Old Dai's aged eyes brighten as tears form on his lower eyelids. "You're just like your parents. A pure-minded yet conscious kid who sees the world for what it is," he thinks to himself.

"Old Dai, do you think wanting power is bad?" Having finished answering, Kaelen wondered what the old master thought of his answer.

Thinking for a bit, the old Daoist closes his eyes. When ready to answer, he opens them back as he looks into the distance.

"It depends. Wanting power and gaining it through your own efforts or taking it from others, those are two very different things. Wanting power to protect versus to rule are also different things. Attaining power is a double-edged sword; you may become blinded by it, failing to see what you value the most or you may find out that attaining it brought many responsibilities that were so heavy to bear that in the end you feel powerless; unfortunately, your power makes you the only person who can bear them, and people will expect you to, especially if they know you want it. The wisest men know not to court power as their ultimate goal because they may resent releasing it when it becomes too much to bear. Often times, the ones who deal with power the best are those who attained it unintentionally; because they never searched for it or made it their priority, it becomes but a tool to reach their true objective and never do they become enslaved by it, tossing it aside when it has played its role."

"The ones who deal with power the best are those who attained it unintentionally…" Listening to his answer, Kaelen repeats what the aged Daoist said.

"If I obtain power, I will make sure to use it mindfully, without losing sight of what's important." He mumbles to himself and perhaps to Old Dai as well.

"Hm. Good." Hearing his words, Old Dai smiles as he nods approvingly.

…

The next day, in the Ascending Dragon Mountain

Today was the second class since the boys had entered the sect.

In the same classroom as the last time, about twenty teenagers sat cross-legged in front of Teacher Long, waiting for the beginning of the class.

Amongst the kids, Raizel and Thorin sat beside each other as they murmured back and forth.

"It's been four days, do you think he'll be back for the class?" Thorin asks Rai.

"Don't know. I doubt it though, since he would need a week to break through as we did unless something special happens…" Rai answers as he shrugs his shoulders.

"Alright, we'll begin today's lecture." Finally, Teacher Long spoke, gaining everyone's attention.

"Wait!" Suddenly, a shout is heard as an incredibly dashing boy is seen running towards them.

He wore a red-yellow garb that matched perfectly with his amber skin and auburn hair. His chest and arms were uncovered, exposing his youthful and fairly muscular body. Standing at 1.80m tall, he gave the impression of being near the end of puberty, but his still slightly innocent, blazing crimson-amber eyes gave his age away.

Indeed, it was Kaelen who had been brought back in time by Old Dai for his class.

"Sorry, I'm late." An embarrassed smile hung on his lips as the handsome boy apologized. After awakening his Crimson Emperor Dragon Bloodline, Kaelen's already very handsome appearance became even more attractive; an additional beastly yet noble aura that couldn't be masked emanated from his body, it was almost tangible. If beasts were amongst the other students or if some had a beast bloodline, they would find theirs suppressed by the imperial aura released by the boy.

Plus, the other recent breakthroughs such as the Initial Spear Mastery and the Heart Spirit formation also added a polarizing sharp yet serene aura to him. His body now a mix of different aura had a deeper sense of mystic that would eventually drown many women in it as he grew into a man.

His changes were so drastic that his classmates failed to recognize the new boy from last class.

"Hey, who the heck is that?" Someone whispered to a classmate.

"I don't fkn know. Do I look like I know anything?" the classmate answered.

"Yeah, you're right. You don't." Someone said.

"Say that again, you bum." The classmate shouted in a low voice, enraged.

"Did we have someone so outstanding before?" Someone else said.

Murmurs like this could be heard amongst other students as most found it difficult to recognize Kaelen.

"Kaelen!! You're back. Come, we left a place here for you." Two teenagers shouted his name, as Rai and Thor called out to him, indicating him to sit next to them.

Besides Rai, were Xue Qing and the third prince, who looked at Kaelen with a hint of surprise as well.

"What the heck? How does someone already so handsome get that much cooler in four days and my pig ass keeps gaining weight?" Tang Hao thought to himself.

On the other side of the class, a blue-haired girl was staring at the boy who just entered the class.

"That boy, how can his countenance change so much in a few days? He's so hot." She can't help but blush a bit as she realizes her thoughts.

Besides her, a tall green-haired swordsman saw her staring at the late dude, and a displeased expression painted his face, as he looked at Kaelen with a hint of jealousy.

"Alright, everyone settle down. Kaelen take a seat. Be careful not to be late again." Teacher Long reinstated silence within the class as he gave Kaelen a warning.

"This boy, now that his bloodline awakened, I can feel the suppression even more than before; were it not for the wide chasm between our cultivation levels, it would be even more apparent; what a domineering bloodline indeed." Thinking to himself, the teacher took a deep breath, as he kept his calm on the outside, but shock raged inside him.