"Celestial Lotus of the Nine Realms?"
The moment the nine-petaled lotus blossomed in his mind, Darian froze. Then, in the blink of an eye, a storm of thoughts surged through him.
The battle he had just witnessed, if it could even be called that, had shaken the very foundation of his soul. Though the vision faded, its awe lingered, gripping his heart with relentless force.
The three terrifying figures who had hunted Uncle Felric and him were each so overwhelmingly powerful that simply recalling them stole the breath from his lungs. Their killing arts were no mere strikes; they were cataclysms capable of tearing apart the very fabric of the void.
With chilling clarity, Darian understood that what he had witnessed unfolded in the cold, lightless expanse of the cosmos—an arena where survival was impossible for all but the greatest cultivators. Yet those three fought as if they ruled that boundless realm.
They crossed galaxies, plucked stars from the heavens, and pursued their prey without mercy.
The memory of those three devastating strikes burned in his mind, impossible to erase. Yet, astonishingly, Uncle Felric had faced them head-on and emerged unscathed.
Perhaps Uncle Felric's strength surpassed even theirs.
"Alaric … so that is your true name, Uncle Felric?"
The golden-armored warrior's voice echoed in the vision, and the name resonated in Darian's mind like the toll of fate.
Taking a deep breath, Darian settled cross-legged on his bed, closed his eyes, and delved into thought.
"Riven," he murmured inwardly, "did you see what just happened?"
"No," came the rumbling reply. "When that blood-dragon-shaped power emerged from your Spirit Core, I sensed something ancient, something terrifying. Before I could warn you, it had already wrapped your soul and drawn you into that strange state.
"But I soon realized it meant you no harm, so I let it be."
Even Riven, seasoned and cynical, could not hide his astonishment. The force hidden within the Blood Dragon Jade far exceeded all expectations. Whatever Darian had encountered left more than an impression—the Celestial Lotus of the Nine Realms now rested within his soul.
Darian recounted every detail—every sight, every sensation. There was nothing to hide.
A silence followed. Then Riven's voice returned, slower.
"To preserve an event from over a decade ago, sealing it within the jade with such precision and power, your Uncle Felric is stronger than I dared imagine."
From Darian's account alone, Riven felt the weight of that long-buried moment.
"According to the golden-armored figure," Darian mused, "they chased Uncle Felric for three years. That means three years before that battle, I was just a newborn.
"Riven, if that is true, then on the very day I was born, Uncle Felric took me—and those three monsters began their hunt. It must be tied to my birth parents."
A faint sorrow tinged his voice. Parents he had never seen, never known.
"But don't fear for him," Riven replied. "That battle was over ten years ago. He survived then. He will find a way again."
Darian nodded, though his brow remained furrowed. "I always wondered why he left me with the Valeblue Clan and vanished. Now I think it was to keep those three away."
The Blood Dragon Jade confirmed part of his suspicions.
He turned the pendant in his palm, its surface warm and smooth once more—the great fortune within spent.
"Riven," he whispered, "I don't think Uncle Felric left me this vision just to send a message. I think he wanted me to have the Celestial Lotus of the Nine Realms."
Nine into one. Each step, a lotus bloom.
Those nine petals, pure and white in the void, shielded him from annihilation. Whether it was Uncle Felric's boundless cultivation or the art itself, Darian could not say, but its power was undeniable.
Though the lotus now resting in his soul was but a projection, the instant he willed his mind toward it, profound intent flooded his thoughts.
Half an hour later, his eyes snapped open, gleaming with wonder.
"The Celestial Lotus of the Nine Realms—nine petals, each a force of its own. When all bloom together, they become one: perfect offense and defense, united in a single will. It's not just a killing art, it's the ultimate shield. With enough power behind it, one could stand undefeated from the first strike."
"'Ultimate shield?'" Riven scoffed. "No, boy. That's no mere technique. It's a divine ability."
Darian blinked. "A… divine ability?"
Riven's tone sharpened. "The Earthshaker Tiger Fist you use now is mid-tier. The Valeblue Clan's Sky-Soaring Dragon Palm is top-tier. Above those are Yellow, Profound, Earth, and Heaven ranks—each tenfold more fearsome than the last. Heaven-rank techniques can topple mountains and drain seas, and even they are rare among the great sects.
"But divine abilities stand beyond even Heaven rank. They are the methods of gods. That is what Uncle Felric has given you."
The words hit Darian like thunder. At last, he grasped the depth of Uncle Felric's expectations.
"Uncle Felric, I will never fail you."
Buzz.
Sacred Path of the Ancients battle energy surged through him, steadying his mind. Fixing the cultivation method in his thoughts, he began.
Buzz.
Power flowed through his meridians. His fingers wove seals like the unfolding of a lotus bloom. Golden-red blood energy roared within him, pushing his limits.
Sweat beaded on his brow.
Buzz.
His hands locked into the final seal. His eyes flared open.
"With a single thought, the flower blooms—rule the world! Open!"
Rumble.
A vast force condensed behind him. The silver Spirit Core shuddered, and a faint golden petal shimmered into existence.
But then—
Pfft.
The energy collapsed. He gasped, drenched in sweat. Failure.
He bared his teeth in a grim smile. "Once isn't enough? Then I'll try again."
Riven watched silently as he failed, recovered, and tried again. Again, and again.
"Without madness, there is no life," Riven murmured. "What a frightening youth."
Until, at last—
"Celestial Lotus of the Nine Realms! With a single thought, the flower blooms—rule the world!"
Buzz. Boom.
The petal blazed brighter than before. As it began to fade, Darian roared—
"Open!"
A surge unlike any before erupted from deep within. His seals locked in place, his eyes burned with light.
Buzz.
The golden petal hung behind him, haloed in sacred radiance, exuding power too vast to measure.
Then it faded.
Darian's lips curved. "Success. The first layer—the Single Thought Bloom."
Even this single layer consumed him entirely. It was a weapon for the direst of moments.
Another trump card. His confidence in the coming Battle of the Thousand Realms flared like a torch.
"Darian, Seraphina Vale, Selene—the time has come. We depart," came Valtor's steady voice.
"So… two days have passed already."
Darian rose, black hair streaming, eyes sharp as lightning. Slinging the Starforged Reliquary onto his back, he strode for the door.