Chapter 314 - Favorite food?

After getting inside, Caelum was immediately greeted by the large open space of the apartment. It was a minimal place with a glass window having a balcony that oversaw the city. 

He nodded unaffected by the quality of the room as he's not someone who takes pride materialistic unless he made them like a weapon. 

The place had necessary furniture and appliances such as an oven stove and refrigerator that did not store anything. Caelum had already eaten and didn't have to make his dinner.

Deciding on meditating rather than sleeping promptly went to the balcony where the perfect conditions allowed him to train his mind and body.   

Upon clearing his mind from any strain of thoughts immediately explored his connections to the sealed energy and power. 

The transitional period of his body causes everything to be utterly in chaos, unable to even bring out a wisp of energy from his reserve. 

Yet he had found that his Painting skills remained and allowed him to produce the illustration from earlier. If he hadn't stopped then the painting would gain mystical ability.

He tried to explore his body to find another issue through every cell, blood, bone, viscera, and muscle finding nothing else has changed.

Caelum deeply scours his mind regarding everything regarding martial art to the deep root of every philosophy. He was in the landscape where it was linked to his Sea of Connection. 

It was a metaphysical place within his mind that was not his Sea of Consciousness. You could define the places as the conscious mind while the Cea of Consciousness is Sub Consciousness. 

He had unlocked it after training but now it's sealed and only relied on his Consciousness to train himself. Caelum took a while as the instant recall is severely weakened. 

There are over 180+ known martial arts, 30+ hidden martial arts, 2 known Taijutsu, and a few 100+ variants of the styles. Caelum scores them all deep to this Sea of Memories that suddenly the accumulated knowledge and technique gradually solidify before he could feel reaction deep within his Jade Pagoda.

The sound of the door clicking as every knowledge manifests itself into a flawless book. A heavenly library if you will. 

'Fascinating, if that's the case then I'll call it Library of Heaven's Path.'

Caelum acquired access to this section of the library allowing him to dilute time as it was only his Subconsciousness and consciousness being linked. He was still unable to reach the first two floors but it was enough.

It took him exactly over ten 10,000 years worth of time dilution before his mental state is slowly dwindling due to the instability between his consciousness and subconscious.

However, everything was enough to understand, and buried everything deep in his conscious mind. He opened his eyes, acquiring the important aspect of Martial art. 

'It's morning already? Might as well practice and see what I've learned.'

Caelum stood up seeing the break of dawn briefly stretching his bones and muscles and moving the furniture to create any space to train. 

Afterward, he took a stance while deeply thinking about the core principles and history of martial arts. Everything is rooted in the theory of Yin and Yang which Caelum had already understood but never in his Martial Art.

The most profound Martial art that deeply based their movements and principal was the Tai Chi arts. 

'Dao gives birth to One

One gives birth to Two

Two gives birth to Three

Three give birth to ten-thousand things [meaning All Things]

The ten-thousand things carry yin and embrace yang

They mix these energies to enact harmony.'

He had understood the mystery hidden in their words. It could correlate with dimension where upon reaching the 3rd dimension could reach boundless numbers and everything carries the Yin and Yang.

His mind was empty, his body was filled, mix them then everything and nothing meets.

He grasped the boundless and endless power of the Martial art circulating the flow of his body.

While his mind was clear and empty, his body was gradually being filled with an abundance of boundless and endlessness. He applied the principles to every strike and movement even into his breathing. 

'In softness there is firmness and in yielding there is strength. Hollow to solid, Hollow within Solid, Gentleness against Brute force.'

Those witnessing the change would gasp in shock when Caelum's slow movement yielded power, despite the lack of motion. The stillness and gentleness that contain firmness and brute force.

He was able to trap power within his body using the theory of Hollow within solid. Caelum smirked, reaching the peak of mathe ster level straight to a Grandmaster comparable to Doppo Orochi.

Firmament Paragon Art Small Success Stage!

His Martial art acquired everything that it had lacked and now only needed to use in further nurturing his technique. Caelum halted turning behind and found that his footwork had greatly improved.

At the start, it had left a visible footprint into the flooring but gradually the more his mastery improved the less footprint was produced showing the level of control over his power. 

He had been able to draw out every potential energy within his body, storing them for future use.

Caelum went into the nearby wall before planting his hand afterward and removed it only to reveal a handprint was created into a concrete wall.

He simply places his hand without any momentum before the stored forces are released. 

'I'll find Doppo how I fair myself to him. He did tell me that he knew someone well versed in blades could help me.'

Caelum went to take a quick rinse before changing clothes that fortunately were present within the place. It was a simple shirt and cargo pants. 

"Now, let's head out and buy some food."

His stomach growls heading out to purchase some food when he notices Nino had gone up early. She slightly blushed to see his newly rinsed face and hair.

"Good morning, Nino-san. I didn't expect to be up this early."

"Good morning, Caelum-san. I usually wake up since none of my sisters can cook decently."

"Oh, that's how it is? As for me my fridge is empty and heading out to buy some take or something. How about where are you headed?"

"I was going to buy some eggs cause we ran out."

"Ah, if you don't mind, can I accompany you? This early, there is bound to be some scum running around."

"I-I don't mind."

She felt her face heat up from his genuine concern. They headed their way to the supermarket that was not far from the apartment.

Along the way, Nino always took glances while hearing the people about them being a couple. She always blush when their bodies are too close. 

"I forgot to ask this but do you have a phone number?"

"Oh it's xx xxxx xxx"

Caelum added her number to the phone then messaged to save the number. After receiving the number, Nino quickly saved the number. 

Once they arrived at the market, Caelum bought a lot of food, putting them to the chart. 

"Say, what's your favorite food?"

"It's a dish exclusive to our country called Sinigang. It's like a Miso soup but focuses more on the sourness that can be cooked by a wide array of meat, typically from pork, chicken, shrimp to even crabs. How about you?"

"Uhmm Pancakes."

"That's also my favorite snack."

Though it was only stall-bought pancakes with butter and sugar that tasted bland still it had left a deep impression on him and had been obsessed with it when he was a child.

[A/N: Dammit covid! The stall bought them from having to be shut down! Fuck you covid!]

"Really!? That's good…"

"Did you say something?"

"Ah! It was nothing. *cough* I'm interested in a dish of yours?"

"Well, I was planning to cook using this ingredient. Though I'm missing a few key components, this substitute would do. Hey how about I help with breakfast? I'm quite good at making pancakes."

"Are you sure? Don't you have any plans today?"

"Nah, I could do that later, and at least I could for the meal last night."

"If you insist then, I'm quite excited to taste your pancake."

Nino gave a small smile that Caelum was unaware that it was rarely seen by anyone. He was the only man that she had gotten to have a proper conversation with. 

After paying for their groceries, Caelum saw that she bought quite a bit and would struggle to bring them alone.

"Hey, I'll help you with that."

"No, it's alright I could handle it."

"Nino, I know you can but I can't call myself a man if I can't help you. So allow me and it's not like a struggle." 

She wanted to refute but her groceries were alright carried by Caelum along with his own. In the end, Nino followed him back to their Apartment.

"Hey, isn't that the guy who beat us!? A boss that's the guy who messed with us last night!"