Chapter 54
Spirit Building. It could be summarized as cultivating the spirit like Body Tempering focused on the body. But it wasnt really quite the same. It was the difference between tangible and intangible and at least in the case of the Ninety-Nine Stars there was only one prime tempering in the first half. Other cultivation methods might be organized differently to emphasize different parts, and they didnt even have to categorize things the same way. Body Tempering of course covered the whole body eventually, but the spirit was less measurable.
For the Ninety-Nine Stars, it was divided into seven parts, the final of which would be the prime tempering. With only one area being able to be emphasized, it was more of a matter of what Anton wanted to develop early than what he wanted to later emphasize. Or what he could do. He had no certainty that he would finish the eleventh through seventeenth stars which covered the first half of Spirit Building. He could save something he considered important for a prime tempering or begin tempering it early, allowing it more time to grow to a similar level.
The seven categories were: Instinct, Emotion, Mental Liberation, Earthly Connection, Voice, Intuition, and Spiritual Connection. Just from their names, Anton had little idea what he might want and further study didnt give him a full picture either.
Instinct focused on personal survival. It allowed the cultivator to react to previously unsensed threats and to act with little information. Contrasted with Intuition, which focused more on knowing. It was much more used for reading people and situations, understanding the big picture of how things might work and how an individual might act. Both were important. Instinct allowed the cultivator to do something even if they didnt entirely know why. It could help detect poisons and anything else that affected the body.
Emotion also centered on the inner emotions of the cultivator. Emotional balance could have a great change to the efficacy of energy usage and cultivation. Earthly Connection was being in tune with the emotions of others. Already, there were areas of clear overlap. The same wasnt untrue in Body Tempering. The muscles attached to tendons and bones, skin encompassed everything, and the organs provided services to power and filter the whole body. Everything was made possible by the dantian and meridians circulating natural energy.
Mental Liberation allowed for the resisting of the shackles of outside control. This could be through energy influences or merely a sense of fear. It merely allowed the circumvention of emotions and the like, without stabilizing them or erasing them. It would sometimes be necessary to ignore feelings, though removing them entirely would be harmful. Some emotionless sects existed, but more often than not they ended up going down a dark path which ultimately led to their destruction.
Voice was tied to both inner and outer voice. That is, how the cultivator interacted with themself internally and also how they influenced others. In the latter case, it was basically the opposite of Mental Liberation.
Spiritual Connection allowed the cultivator to be in tune with the world around them. It had less ties to people or even physical matter than the flow of energy. It seemed as if it was important for formation users, though everyone would of course benefit.This chapter's initial release occurred on the n0vell--Bjjn site.
Anton wasnt sure if he could even choose one, and if he did choose cultivating it would be difficult. Hed always had a body. Such a statement was blatantly obvious and unhelpful, except that he hadnt always been aware of the spiritual part of himself. He had grown used to cultivation of his body and the use of energy, but that part of him was still new. Less than a year, out of his one hundred. A hundred and one now, if he were precise.
Instead of trying to logic out what might be best for him in the long run, Anton simply went for what he thought he would have the most luck with. Intuition. He couldnt say he was a master of reading others, but he had some experience with One Step Ahead as written by Elder Kseniya- and in addition to that he had watched her demonstrations. Saying he understood everything that was happening would be an exaggeration, but it was at least something he had some example of in action.
Unlike Body Tempering, there wasnt a clear method of energy circulation that would accomplish what he wanted. There were guidelines, but it was one step more abstracted from the physical world. Anton certainly could feel the energy circulating inside himself and maybe even improving in quality, but he couldnt say he was properly refining Intuition.
Anton breathed a sigh of relief. So he did remember. No. Im new to it.
But youre Devon shook his head. No, that doesnt matter. I thought you were dead. With everyone else. So many people but you were out hunting, werent you?
Fortunately. Perhaps. I couldnt have done anything.
Are you really at the peak of Body Tempering?
Thats right. Due to various circumstances, I will be fighting for the right to purchase you.
Devon smiled and relaxed. Is that so? I was aware of what was happening, but I had no idea one was you. Im glad.
Listen, Devon Anton bit his lip. I just want to say, Ill do my best. But I cant guarantee I will win.
... Its that serious, is it? Devon shook his head. Well. What should I say? I am grateful that you are alive. I certainly want to be free but Ive managed to keep myself alive thus far. Maybe theres a chance to earn my freedom on the small chance that you fail.
Anton scratched the back of his head. I wouldnt say its small
Ive never seen you fail at something you set your mind to, Devon said. Its already crazy enough to believe youre like this. Im confident in your ability.
At least someone has confidence, Anton said. Ill carry it with me tomorrow. And if I dont get another chance, I just want to say I love you. I wont give up on you or any of the others, even if I fail today.
Devon grinned, See? I told you. Dont worry. Ill be waiting. Hopefully, Ill see you tomorrow.