Chapter 161: Gazing Into Mysteries

Darcel awoke to a special feeling. His eyes slowly opened as what he would call the sense of liberation crawled into his mind. 

And when Darcel fully opened his eyes, he completely froze.

He wasn't in the gray space nor in whatever place those green diamond shards were. No, what he was currently staring at completely surpassed any visual sights he had ever gazed upon in his life.

Darcel could almost call it a celestial sight. 

He was high, so high above everything and everyone. And what was below him was a beautiful galaxy of planets, stars, comets, and everything in between.

While Darcel knows about higher realms than Mortal realms and the existence of different planets. He never really studied the cosmology of space or how one travels to these different realms and worlds.

He only got to the Verdant Tide planet because of some freak accident caused by that yellow-eyed woman. 

But his perspective heavily changed now. Darcel was enthralled by the beautiful galaxy laid out below him.

There were numerous unique-looking bright stars, all shimmering in radiant colors, drowning a section of the galaxy out with its brilliance. 

Bright shooting comets frequently shot through space, leaving a trail of gorgeous energy in its wake.

And even the planets vastly differ from one another. There wasn't a single planet similar to one another. Each of them differs in shapes, sizes, and colors. 

Darcel couldn't spot just how many planets or stars; he got lost in its vast endlessness. 

Besides the celestial sight he was bearing witness to, Darcel began to subconsciously tight his left hand, squeezing on a soft object. 

While Darcel was lost in awe, he was also feeling an incredible power coursing through his body.

It took a few seconds, but Darcel did eventually turn his attention to his hand. Surprisingly enough, the soft squishy feeling he felt did not go with what was in his hand.

It was the same bright green diamond shard that tried to forcefully invade his soul! 

The green diamond shard appeared to be even more luminous in this space. Its green radiance shimmered, illuminating the whole area around Darcel.

Darcel's gaze got lost in the shine of the green diamond shard now. 

Despite undergoing hellish torture by this thing, he now couldn't help but feel more connected to it than ever. Holding the green diamond shard felt like it was an extension of his entire being. 

While Darcel became increasingly lost in the brilliance of the green diamond shard, two presences managed to drift right beside him.

"This is….it's so eye-opening. This is something I can never forget in my lifetime!" Directly on Darcel's right, he heard the sweet awe voice of Aniela.

Darcel briefly trailed his eyes over to her.

And just like him, Aniela's expression was one of being completely taken aback. Also, like him, Darcel spotted the green diamond shard glistening in her right hand.

Moreover, Darcel also didn't see a speck of injury or blood on Aniela's beautiful face. 

Like she said with her breath taken away, Aniela was genuinely amazed by everything presented before her.

Just staring into the vast region of a galaxy, Aniela felt the wheels turning in her brain. As if it was subconsciously trying to understand something. 

Darcel was assuming since Aniela was here, then that surely means….

"Not just beautiful. I feel like my mind is undergoing a holy wash by witnessing this!" And right on cue, Masami spoke to Darcel's left, her face in similar utter awe.

Darcel trailed his eyes over to her, noticing the green diamond shard shimmering in her hand. Furthermore, Masami had that same clean, spotless face like she just didn't have been through hell and back.

Darcel turned his gaze back to the galaxy of worlds. Just like Masami said, he too began to feel a tremendous change surging in his brain. 

Every comet that shot by, every floating star that brightly glowed, it all was resonating a profound meaning in not only Darcel's mind but also Aniela and Masami's.

As his thoughts constantly swirled about, Darcel's mouth began to open. 

He began to subconsciously utter out, "Every world of all different shapes and sizes. Every star and comet that shoots by….they're all, all are…."

At the same time, while he talked, Darcel's green diamond shard began to lit up even more. His mind was starting to become less muddle, flowing smoothly like a stream of water.

"Are all just so enriched. Enriched, staying above all life, constantly exerting its divine energy. They're all enriched by…." Aniela picked up right where Darcel left off. 

Her green diamond shard began to glow as her mind was broadening her understanding.

"By Positive and negative energy. At least, that's what I think we're feeling. I feel positive sensations coursing through me, joy, love, and all that. And at the same time, I feel negative sensation run through me, hatred, rage, and all that. Yet at the center, I am calm."

Masami felt her mind was on the verge of a very rare breakthrough most cultivators never experience in their lives. 

A mental state breakthrough to break past her current mindset and grow!

As one climbs through realms in regular cultivation, their minds will naturally grow as their comprehension abilities grow. And the higher the realm, the more profound one's mind becomes.

However, this does not mean those cultivators experience a real mental state breakthrough. 

A mental state breakthrough gives one deep insight into all aspects of life, letting one see into the mysteries of the world.

Masami was the only one that faintly knew about this. 

Her grandma sage mentions a mental state breakthrough being for only the divine talents of the whole world. But nothing too deep beyond that.

Although, despite the lack of knowledge, Darcel, Aniela, and Masami were quickly picking up on what they had to do. 

They naturally were falling in line to grasp the so-called, 'mysteries of the world.' They all floated silently, their minds continually evolving at every second.

None of them knew how long has even passed since they just stayed still, floating quietly. 

Their green diamond shards were nearing the peak of their bright glow, and after an unknown amount of time, Darcel finally opened his mouth.

He slowly uttered his words, perfectly pronouncing each syllable of his words, saying, "This is all….a balance of all things. We're experiencing the balance of positive-negative energy."

'CH!!' 

The green diamond shards reached the peak of their luminous radiance! 

For kilometers in the massive region of the galaxy, the bright green shivered drowned out everything.

Simultaneously, Darcel, Aniela, and Masami's eyes turned entirely gray. Constant popping and shattering noises went off in their minds, undergoing a mental state breakthrough.

The trio felt like they were truly undergoing a mind nirvana than just a mental state breakthrough. 

While this process transpired, the green diamond shards lifted from their hands and sailed straight into bodies.

The shards went right in where their hearts would be located, yet neither Darcel, Aniela, nor Masami felt any pain. They floated motionless like statues, absorbing every aspect of this breakthrough.

Time flew by like the wind. 

And slowly, the all-encompassing green shine began to recede inside the trio's bodies. 

Minutes, hours, days, and maybe even weeks passed.

Nobody there would be able to tell the real sense of time passing. But finally after a long time, the green shine entirely receded into the trio's bodies, and their eyes became clear again.

Darcel, Aniela, and Masami began to rapidly blink their eyes. 

After all of that, they truly felt enlightened. It was a mind nirvana they'll never forget in their lives.

However, a wide broad smile still curved up Aniela's lips. "Woah….wow!! Now that's unlike any breakthrough we ever had! It felt so distinct and different from even breaking through by making sweet love!"

Masami immediately shook her head at Aniela's shameless comment. Still, she had to agree on just how profound this breakthrough was. 

"Haah….seriously, it's like we are bathing under God's light. I guess, in the end, those shards were useful beside torture pain."

Darcel was merely smirking after all of this. He was mainly happy since even after a tremendous experience like this, Aniela and Masami's personality stayed the same.

And so did his personality. "Now that's over, I'm wondering when our…." 

Like Darcel gave the cue, a burst of gray energy popped up a few feet away from the trio.

The gray energy quickly formed into a figure. The trio felt relaxed, waiting for the usual mysterious robe figure to come.

But, Darcel, Aniela, and Masami were greatly shocked when the figure finished forming.

It wasn't the stature of a tall being, but instead a really short one. 

The trio could spot long gray hair running past their bodies and a cute face that had its eyes closed. This small figure also wore overly long gray robes that draped past their body.

The one that appeared was the little girl from the ice-cold ocean! 

Darcel, Aniela, and Masami were at a loss for words. They only thought the girl wasn't even real like she was only apart of the trial. But now, staring face to face to her, the girl exuded a whole different presence.

When the little girl fully formed, a God-like power spewed out of her.

She had a presence even more terrifying than the first gray robe figure. 

But, neither Darcel, Aniela, nor Masami could understand. Wasn't this little girl just completely powerless before?!

All they could assume now was that rescuing this girl had some hidden, deeper meaning they didn't even realize. Darcel had also recalled the girl's extreme lightness and how she disappeared from under his arm.

Before any one of the three could get over their shock, though, the gray hair girl shot open her eyes. 

Immediately, they were sucked into the strange yet mesmeric gray eyes.

And it wasn't like the girl just had particular gray pupils. No, her eyes were actually entirely gray! 

The little girl's celestial voice echoed out to them then, saying, "Congratulations. You all managed to form a direct connection and be blessed by the Gray Force. We will meet again, Darcel, Aniela, Masami."

The little girl's voice could be described in one word, Godly. 

Those three green diamond shards absolutely paled in comparison, and that first gray robe figure couldn't hold a candle to this little girl.

Darcel never even felt this kind of feeling from the ethereal voice that probably nestled deep in his bloodline. 

However, before he, Aniela, or Masai could question the girl,

'BOOOM!!!' 

Everything exploded in a rainbow color mass of energy! 

The whole galaxy was covered up, and the trio was swallowed up whole. A snap suddenly echoed out in the middle of the rainbow explosion, and instantly, everything turned into a gray space.

Only the gray hair little girl was left. But a second later, the gray robe figure appeared right behind the little girl. 

It had immediately respectfully kneeled down to the little girl's back.

"Are you sure it was a good idea to let them go? I can admit, even now, I still feel an incredible fear for what they manage to do." 

Though the gray robe figure tried to keep its voice even, there was still a slight quiver about it.

The little girl didn't even turn back to the gray robe figure. Her eyes still lingered on the space the trio was. "Indeed, they managed to accomplish a miracle only a select few did. But not only that, they succeeded almost too perfectly. However, I won't do anything to them. They will come to me eventually."

The gray space fell back into silence. Neither the girl nor the gray robe figure moved a single inch. 

It wasn't until the girl slowly turned around to the gray robe figure, a hint of a smile adorning her lips, telling it, "Let's head back now. We'll need to placate the Deities over the loss of those specific Shards."