Tenth layer

Jack was Damian's main training partner. He had already reached a great achievement in this technique. Damian in return helped Jack train [Fallen weeping willow movement art], although he also sparred with his other brothers and a few other family members.

The council had reached a consensus. Each family member would have to fight at least once every two days in order to familiarize themselves with fighting. They had decided on this, as they needed actual combat experience against an array of different opponents. Even if many practiced the same techniques, they were many different ways to use the same techniques.

So far, Damian had gotten the hand of the set of sword movements. Despite that, they were not nearly fluid enough to say he had reached the small achievement. To Damian, that was fine, though. He had only been practicing the sword set for two days. Not every moment of his day was dedicated to training in this art. He still had to cultivate and train other arts, as well as meet with the council.

From the moment Damian had reached the fifth layer of Qi condensation had only needed to sleep four hours every three days; that was enough to wake up feeling refreshed.

The interactions between the council were amicable. They really didn't have needs at the moment. However, certain tasks were assigned to family members depending on their abilities. Once they returned to Earth, they would need an array of people to perform tasks ranging from building, food, administration, education, security and so much more.

Damian had worked a summer in a library, and therefore had experience organizing books. That was why he would be the head librarian. This sat well with Damian. He would have tons of free time to cultivate.

As weeks passed, Damian continued to improve, both in his cultivation and technique training. He had, at last, achieved the small achievement in the [Ten Thousand Jade Swords Make One Copper Sword art]. Regarding his cultivation, he was ever so close to breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm. The pond that once sat in his Dantian was no more, now a great lake was inside his Dantian. Damian felt he could no longer store more Qi inside of him.

He wondered if, like in some novels, the mythic tenth layer of Qi condensation existed. The knowledge Tian Long provided contained no information regarding the tenth layer. He felt a hunch the tenth layer existed ever since he reached the peak of the ninth layer. The manual only mentioned nine layers. If he attempted to reach that mythical layer and it didn't exist, he didn't know if he would become a cripple or if he would need to start cultivating from scratch again. The hunch in his heart told him he was right, and if it actually worked, then he would become far stronger.

Damian thought about whether to try for the tenth layer or to go straight to Foundation Establishment for days. Last night, he decided the potential rewards from the risk were worth it. Today he went further away from the view of the family. After using his movement technique for ten minutes, he soon found himself several kilometers away from the camp. He stood atop a small hill covered by trees.

Damian sat and circled his Qi as he had done in the past according to the [Heavenly Chaos manual]. He like days before felt he could no longer increase the amount of Qi in his Dantian. Damian directed his Qi to break toward the barrier instead of condensing his foundation pillar. He did what he had done, breaking any other layer. However, the barrier didn't even budge, but Damian didn't give up. He continued to attack the barrier.

After half an hour of trying to break the barrier. Damian stopped to think. "Maybe I need to swirl the Qi inside my Dantian into a vortex. That will create centrifugal force far stronger than creating waves to attack the barrier."

The waves created by Qi were not weak. They carried the momentum of the Qi inside the Dantian. However, a vortex increased the momentum of the Qi, creating a greater centrifugal force.

So with those thoughts in mind, Damian rested a few moments and began swirling this Qi. After a few tries, he found out it was difficult. It required not only precise control to maintain the vortex and not make it collapse into itself. It also required enough concentration to maintain the speed of rotation.

Damian swirled his Qi first, slowly taking in the Qi behavior, then he increased his rhythm.

One rotation… five rotations… twenty rotations...

Soon a small vortex appeared in the center of his Qi lake. it ever so slowly became bigger and bigger; until the vortex was spinning at a vertiginous speed.

Damian used part of the momentum of the vortex to attack the barrier. Nothing happened. He didn't use all the momentum, as that would have collapsed the vortex. The attack was as strong as the strongest wave he had produced.

He didn't stop there. He continued to build up momentum in the vortex. As he reached a climax of speed, he continued to strike the barrier every three breaths time. unlike the twelve breaths of time that took him to produce his most powerful Qi wave.

Now, although the barrier didn't break, it at least reacted to the strike. The barrier expanded ever so slightly before returning to almost his original place. Damian didn't notice this until he attacked the barrier a thousand times. He knew the space the barrier had left empty would return to normal once the vortex stopped. However, this space allowed him to increase the centrifugal force by a little, creating stronger attacks.

Time passed and Damian figured that even if he didn't break the barrier to the tenth layer. He had an opportunity in front of him. The barrier would return to normal once he stopped attacking the barrier, but if he cultivated now, it would force the barrier to remain where it was. As he began to once again cultivate as he continued to barrage the barrier with attacks.

-AGHRRR-

Damian felt excruciating pain as he cultivated, increasing the amount of Qi inside his Dantian. He slipped off for a moment before he did his best to regain control of the swirling Qi. Fortunately; the barrier didn't straight away return to its original size. However, Damian felt he had lost at least the advancement of the last half hour.

If there was one word Damian thought defined him, it was resolute. He had decided he would do this, and he would see it to the end. He would live with the consequences of his actions, whether they led him to greatness or to despair.

Damian continued to cultivate, this time he was more prepared for the pain. A gaze filled with resolve adorned his face at this moment. He did his best to multitask. After what felt like hours to him, he had grown somewhat numb to the pain, allowing him to focus more on his attacks. Ever so slowly, his Dantian that before, no longer accepted Qi; now while swirling in a vortex, welcomed the new Qi.

Although difficult to do, Damian continued cultivating while attacking the barrier. Without noticing, hours passed. Without noticing, Damian entered a trance.

Like that, one day passed. Two days. At the end of the third day, Damian returned from his trance as he noticed the barrier full of cracks all over it. The pain returned far stronger this time, but Damian didn't withdraw as he stood his ground. A seed of doubt appeared in Damian's mind. Was he going against the laws of heaven? Should he stop what he was doing? Would he incur the wrath of heaven?

Damian felt all his senses screaming at him to stop. He, however, was a man who saw his decisions through. As if to confirm the doubts plaguing his mind, Damian heard it.

-Rumbling.-

Damian could not part his concentration to see the tribulation clouds forming high above him. He knew they were there. It yet was a warning. If he stopped now, he knew instinctively that the cloud would dissipate, but if he continued and broke to the tenth layer. The lightning would strike him down.

He knew from the novels he had read, the tenth layer of Qi condensation was an act against the heavens, as the heavens forbade anyone to walk the same path as the heavens. The events taking place right now confirmed the heavens indeed were jealous of humans following its steps.

***

Tian Long had been meditating since he sent the families to the realm he had created. Suddenly, he opened his eyes as he felt the tribulation lightning forming inside his realm. He observed the situation surrounding Damian.

"Interesting. Although some have already stepped into the Foundation Establishment surviving their tribulation lightning. This is the first person to attempt to break to the tenth layer. Although I'm sure he will not be the only one." muttered Tian Long to himself. A small smile creep into his face. He reminisced about his own tribulation lightning. When he reached the tenth layer of the Qi condensation realm.