The Immortal Cave

Darian stared at Astra as she studied his father's immortal cave with great interest. Rather, she studied the spring with great interest.

"It even has a spring of spirit water," Astra said. "Your father is fortunate to have this as his immortal cave. There are many cultivators who would kill for something like this, and that is not a euphemism."

Darian didn't respond and continued to stare at Astra in stunned silence. What..? How…? Why…? Astra was here. At Mt. Wind Dance. That should have been impossible. Defensive formations protected Mt. Wind Dance, barring anyone who wasn't a clan member, a spirit beast tamed by the clan, or a servant from entering. Darian didn't know how strong the formations were, but they should've been enough to keep Astra out. At the very least, if she did break through them, she would've alerted someone. Yet here she was, without anyone but Darian the wiser. Otherwise, there would've been an outcry.

"How did you get in here?" Darian asked, befuddled.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "You opened the door and I walked in. Isn't that how it's supposed to work?"

"No, I meant how did you get past the formations protecting Mt. Wind Dance?"

Astra gave him a disdainful glance.

"I am a cat. I go where I please."

Darian grew worried. If there was a flaw or opening in the formations protecting his clan's home, he needed to tell the elders. At the very least, he needed to tell his father, who would then go tell the elders. If Astra could get in, so could an enemy.

Seeing Darian's expression, Astra rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry," she said. "The formations protecting your home are fine. I just happened to have some special tricks up my sleeve to sneak in. Anyone else would have a much more difficult time. As I said, I am a cat. That is all I will say on the matter."

Darian didn't buy her answer for a second, but he let the matter rest for now. Later on, he would tell his father, and ask for his discretion on the matter. While his father wasn't as influential as he had been before the injury, he was still at the Element Collection stage. Few in the clan could match him in power, and only Darin Wind Dance, the clan head, surpassed him. Perhaps he could have the formations checked as part of some sort of inspection.

"Why are you here then?" Darian asked.

"What do you mean why? One of my responsibilities is to train and guide you. I can't very well do that if I'm lazing about in your secret realm, can I? Since you can't, or won't, go there for now, it falls on me to come here." Astra started grooming herself. As a cat spirit beast, Darian didn't know if she needed to, or if she did it as an affectation. "Honestly, you should be grateful I'm going through all this trouble on your behalf. It's all so tiresome."

Darian gave her a flat look.

"Astra-…" he started to say.

"Auntie," Astra said, interrupting him.

"What?" Darian said in bewilderment.

She poked his calf with her paw. It hurt, but caused little actual damage. Darian sucked in a breath and rubbed the spot she poked.

"Auntie," she repeated. "Since you're Senior Sister Nova's disciple, and a future member of our sect, that makes me your aunt. You will refer to me as such." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "I suppose you could call me Aunt-Master Astra, but that's too formal for my tastes. Call me Auntie, or Auntie Astra."

Darian stared down at her, not sure how he felt about calling a cat his aunt. Still, she had a point. In the world of cultivation, sects and schools generally regarded each other as family and addressed each other as such. It was similar to how his clan worked, but he knew there were differences. As someone who had never visited a sect, let alone joined one, he just didn't know what those differences were.

Still, it felt weird to him to call Astra his aunt, and not just because she was a cat. She didn't have the right bearing for it in his eyes. That said, he just couldn't reject her words outright. She had helped him a lot after all. Besides, he didn't want to offend her. She was much stronger than him.

"Can I call you Elder Sister or Big Sister instead?" Darian asked after some thought, trying to compromise. "After all, I'm not a member of the Dawn and Dusk Sect yet."

"Rejected," Astra said right away. "You will join our sect in the future, and you should build good habits now." She sniffed. "Hmph. Since you tried to haggle with me like some common stall vendor, I will give you a lesson in manners for every lapse on your part."

As she said that last part, she stretched and revealed her claws before retracting them. The threat was clear. Darian's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Yes, Ast-…I mean, Auntie," he said through gritted teeth.

Astra grinned at him.

"Good. You're learning. We'll save your first lesson for later."

The thought of the potential damage those claws could do to him sent shivers down Darian's spine. Ordinary cats were troublesome enough, and Astra was no ordinary cat. He was beginning to wonder if Immortal Nova's inheritance was worth it. The answer was yes, of course it was, but it did come with some drawbacks. The benefits still outweighed them.

"Actually, Auntie Astra," Darian began. "Since you're here, perhaps you can answer a few of my questions about cultivation."

He had meant to ask his father, but had forgotten.

"Let's head to the spirit spring," Astra said. "I'm tired of just standing here."

With that, she started sauntering towards the spring of spirit water. Darian walked by her side. Since she hadn't said no, he asked his questions anyway.

"Why is the progression of The Nine Gates of Destruction different from other cultivation techniques?" he asked. "At least for the Foundation Establishment stage. I don't know about the rest of it."

When cultivators cultivated, they did so by progressing towards and breaking through several smaller realms within the stages of cultivation. These small realms were like stepping stones. A cultivator had to advance through each one before moving onto the next, and they had to do so in the right order. Otherwise, their cultivation might deviate and become flawed. If the deviation was bad enough, the cultivator might end up being unable to progress without fixing it.

For the Foundation Establishment stage, cultivators progressed through the small realms by refining and tempering various parts of their being with spirit energy. These parts were: the Heart Aperture, the Eye Aperture, the Ear Aperture, the Nose Aperture, the Mouth Aperture, the meridians, the bones, the muscles, and finally, the internal organs. After that, in order to break through to the Energy Gathering stage, cultivators needed to form a dantian, allowing them to store more spirit energy within their bodies, as well as refine it.

In The Nine Gates of Destruction, the progression was different. It was: the Heart Aperture, the Eye Aperture, the meridians, the Ear Aperture, the Nose Aperture, the bones, the Mouth Aperture, the internal organs, and then the muscles. Darian wasn't sure what effect these differences would have, or why they were there in the first place. He hoped Astra could clear it up for him.

Astra didn't respond right away. Instead, she walked up to the spirit spring and drank from it. When they neared it, Darian noticed that the spring had an aura as well. Like with the plants earlier, it was weaker than a cultivator's, though he could feel the spirit energy in it from further away. The aura felt like life and vitality.

"Oh, this water is refreshing," Astra said with obvious relish. "And the spirit energy it contains is of a high quality too. It's something even someone at my level can use." She gave Darian a sideways glance. "If I had regular access to this spring, I might be more willing to fulfill my duties, as tiresome as they are. I do get so thirsty."

She couldn't have been more blatant if she tried. Darian crossed his arms as he glared down at her.

"This isn't my immortal cave," he said. "Access to this spring is not mine to give. I can ask my father, but that's all I can promise."

He had already planned to tell his father about Astra's incursion, so it fit in with his plans. Astra looked thoughtful for a moment, before she shrugged.

"Fine," she said. "I can accept that. It's disappointing, but life is full of disappointment. And unlike some cultivators, I don't bully my lessers and steal from them." She paused. "Unless they have something I really want. Or if I'm bored. Or if I just feel like it really."

It would have to do.

"To answer your question," Astra continued. "The Nine Gate of Destruction is a special technique. I would explain how, but at your level, I doubt you would understand most of it. It would just go over your head. Let's just say that it is based on principles that most other techniques aren't, and to make it work, Immortal Nova had to deviate from the usual path of cultivation." She chuckled. "She would get so frustrated as she created this technique. Since she was creating it from scratch, she had to suffer through a lot of trial and error. Whenever it became too much for her, she would flatten a mountain range or two to vent her frustration. It was pretty amusing to watch."

Darian stared at Astra in amazement. The more he heard about Immortal Nova, the more terrifying the woman became in his mind. The thought of anyone destroying mountain ranges just to relieve frustration sent shivers down his spine. However, it also warmed Darian's heart to know that he practiced a technique created by his master. It was an odd contradiction.

"Thank you for telling me this, Auntie," he said. "It eases the doubts in my heart."

"I'm not done," Astra said. "Since you have me lecturing, I might as well finish. If nothing else, you should know what effects this deviation from the usual path will have on your cultivation. But first, sit down. I'm tired of looking up at you. It annoys me."

Darian sat down in front of Astra and crossed his legs.

"For most cultivators, doing things like this would create flaws in their cultivation, flaws that might become crippling or fatal," Astra said. "However, because of how The Nines Gates of Destruction is structured, the way it progresses will only strengthen your cultivation." She pulled out the golden-bronze scroll that contained The Nine Gates of Destruction technique. She unrolled it and pointed to the stances of the Fists of the Mortal Flame. "Notice all the threes."

It took Darian a moment to grasp what she meant. There were a total of eighteen stances within the Fists of the Mortal Flame, a multiple of three. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the stances were three sets of sixes, which themselves were multiples of three. One set of stances was defensive in nature, while the other two were offensive. There were differences in the offensive stances that set them apart from each other, making them two separate sets instead of one big one. Darian looked at the supplementary techniques, and saw that they also came in threes. For example, the one that coated one's hands in flames had three variants.

"Three is an important number," Astra said. "A sacred number. The three realms. Body, mind, and soul. And so on. One of the reasons why The Nine Gates of Destruction is a high-tier technique is how much it resonates with the number three."

"Nine," Darian murmured. "Another multiple of three."

"Exactly. The first three Gates form one set, the second three form another, and the last three also form a set. This applies to the small realms as well. Each stage will have a number of small realms that is a multiple of three. Most relevant to you, in the Foundation Establishment stage, every third part of your being that you refine and temper will give you a bigger boost compared to the others."

Darian frowned.

"How do you mean?"

"Every time you advance, your entire being gets stronger to one degree or another. The part you refine receives the most benefit. For example, when you open your Eye Aperture, your vision and eyesight will become significantly better. Your eyes might even receive a special ability. However, when you refine your meridians, they will become stronger, relatively speaking, than your eyes will when you open your Eye Aperture. Do you understand now?"

Darian took a moment to think about her words. Trying to parse through it all gave him a small headache.

"I think I do," he said slowly. "If I were to compare myself to a cultivator at the same level, when I refine my meridians, my bones, and my muscles, those specific parts will be stronger than theirs?"

"Yes. Best of all, the effect is cumulative with every advancement you make. There isn't too much difference at the lower levels, but the stronger you get, the wider the gap becomes. Once you reach my stage, your strength will eclipse that of others of the same level. As someone who also practices this technique, I speak from personal experience."

As this all sank in, Darian almost couldn't believe it. The Nine Gates of Destruction seemed too powerful. As someone used to being powerless, it was difficult to swallow.

"The downside to greater rewards, of course, is that they come with greater risks," Astra continued. "Should you attempt to refine one of those three parts and fail, it will cripple you. While you might recover with the help of special medicine, your chances are low."

Oddly enough, Astra's words comforted Darian, despite the direness of her warning. The Nine Gates of Destruction was a powerful technique, but its practitioners paid for that power. Greater rewards came with greater risks. Rather than scaring him, however, the thought lit a fire in his heart. It was a challenge, one that he would overcome. He would either succeed and grow in power, or fail and live the rest of his life as a cripple.

A smile spread across Darian's lips.

"In that case, I should train hard so that doesn't happen," he said, standing up.

Astra stared at him, before shaking her head.

"I tell you that you might cause irreparable damage to yourself, and you grin like a madman. You and Senior Sister Nova are suited for one another." She sighed. "Not that I'm much better myself. I said something similar when I was in your shoes. It would be hypocritical of me to condemn your enthusiasm."

Darian walked to the center of the immortal cave and began his breathing exercises. Perhaps it was because he had already opened his Heart Aperture, or because of how dense the spirit energy was in the cave, but he fell into a meditative state faster than usual. He then began going through the stances of the Fists of the Mortal Flame, drawing in spirit energy as he did so and circulating it throughout his body. Like with yesterday, Darian felt pressure all over his body. It wasn't as intense as it had been yesterday, but it wasn't something to underestimate. After the spirit energy made a full circuit, he directed it towards his Eye Aperture.

While a part of him wanted to repeat yesterday's performance and force his Eye Aperture open, Astra's words had tempered his eagerness. What was the point of training to become stronger if he ended up crippling himself in the process? Instead, he decided to take it slow and steady today. Thankfully, his ability to direct and control spirit energy was much better than it had been before, speeding up the process.

While going through the stances of the Fists of the Mortal Flame, Darian also noticed the differences between the three sets of six. It was one thing to see these differences on the scroll, and another to experience them for himself. The first set was the most aggressive. It focused on overwhelming one's enemies with explosive power in each strike. The second set was also aggressive, but it focused on targeting an enemy's weak points and exploiting them. The third set, the defensive one, focused on dodging, blocking, or intercepting enemy attacks. Despite their differences, the stances were created to be used together, flowing from one to the other, their strengths complimenting each other.

As his awareness and skill with the stances increased, Darian used them more effectively. The spirit energy flowed better, and his ability to direct it rose. The pressure on his body didn't decrease, and in fact increased, but he could handle it better now. Soon, he lost himself in the rhythm of his movements. Strike, move, block. Repeat. His body, mind, and soul changed little by little, round after round, almost imperceptibly so.

"All right," Astra's voice called out as he finished a round. "That's enough for today."

Her words pulled Darian out of his meditative state. His body trembled with exhaustion, and his knees shook. Sweat poured down his back and covered his entire body. Not just sweat either. The black sludge of his impurities coated him as well, though there wasn't as much as there had been yesterday.

"Tsk." Darian was disappointed in how little progress he had made compared to yesterday. He wanted to keep going, to push himself further. "Astra, do you have any more of those Body Temp-…"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Darian felt a sharp pain cut into his left calf. He fell onto his ass. Astra stood nearby, one of her paws raised.

"What was that for?" Darian asked.

"You didn't call me Auntie," Astra said. "I told you what would happen if you didn't."

Darian glared at her, before examining his leg. His trousers had been cut. Beneath them, Darian saw five long scratches running across his calf. While they stung, looking red and angry, they didn't bleed all that much. Even as he watched, the scratches started to clot and scab over.

"Consider that a warning," Astra said, poking him with her paw. "And no, I don't have any Body Tempering Pills, at least not any that you can use. The ones I have are of a high quality, and are for emergencies only. The more you use within a short amount of time, the less effective they are. If you take too much too soon, they won't have any effect at all. If you want any, either find some lower quality Body Tempering Pills or make them yourself. Even then, I recommend waiting a bit so you get the most out of them."

Darian listened as he tore part of his trousers off and used it to clean his wounds. He didn't know if the impurities he purged from his body could infect them, but he didn't want to risk it. A poultice might help. Or maybe not. The scratches started to fade, healing faster than he had expected.

"Wait a moment," Darian said as he thought over Astra's words and connected them with yesterday's events. "What would have happened if I had failed to open my Heart Aperture yesterday?"

She had given him several of those Body Tempering Pills. If they were for emergencies only, then had yesterday been an emergency?

"At best, you would have severely injured yourself," Astra said in a scolding tone. "At worst, you would have died. Do you now see how much of a reckless fool you were?"

An icy claw gripped Darian's heart as he realized just how close he had come to ruining his life. He would have ended his cultivation path before it could even begin, and that was the good outcome.

"I see," Darian said, swallowing. "I'll make sure to be more careful in the future."

"See that you do," Astra said, poking him with every word she spoke. "Your ambition and spirit is commendable, but it doesn't mean anything if you ruin yourself in the process. Just be glad I was there to help. Senior Sister Nova would have killed me if I had let anything happen to her disciple."

"I know, it's just…" Darian paused for a moment. "I have so much catching up to do. Everyone else in my generation is already halfway through the Foundation Establishment stage, and a few are even further. Some have already crossed over to the Energy Gathering stage."

Astra sauntered over until her face was inches from Darian's.

"Listen here, young Darian. The road to immortality is a marathon, not a sprint. Some will move along it faster than others. That doesn't matter. What matters is persistence and perseverance. Never forget that."

Darian heard her words, and agreed with them, but that didn't stop him from feeling dissatisfied. His friends were so far ahead of him, he despaired of ever catching up to them. Would he ever be able to stand by their side as an equal?

Astra snorted as she looked at him.

"Youth. In one ear and out the other. Oh well, you'll figure it out on your own, or you won't. I've done my part. The rest is up to you."

Darian nodded and stood up, unsure of what to say to that.

"Will I see you here tomorrow?" he asked instead. "I plan on training here every day if I can."

"Don't worry, young Darian," Astra said. "I'll be here. Someone has to keep an eye on you until you can look after yourself." She brushed against Darian, her body radiating heat. "Goodbye for now."

With that, she disappeared without a trace. Given what he had already seen her do, Darian wasn't surprised. He just stood up, dusted himself off, and headed towards the immortal cave's exit.