Xan Li Fang stood motionless within the hallowed confines of the Grand Enforcer's sanctum, the gravitational pull of Jin Sumo's revelations anchoring him to the floor. His intellect raced with a turbulent confusion that eclipsed even the visceral shock of his sudden apotheosis. "According to the Grand Enforcer," Xan ruminated, his gaze unfocused and piercing the veil of the middle distance, "my somatic potential transcends the boundaries of this entire Mortal Realm; yet, my antecedent existence was confined to the Wastelands—a desolate purgatory devoid of Qi and magical phenomena. How could my matriarch have possessed the requisite potency to sequester me, to salvage my existence from such a paradox?"
The final utterances of his adoptive mother echoed in the chambers of his heart, carrying the crushing weight of her ultimate sacrifice: "This is the final assistance I can render; the Heavenly Copying Art shall shield you from their gaze. Preserve your existence." He acknowledged the agonizing logic inherent in her terminal act, yet the insidious doubts of his lineage resurfaced. He was cognizant that he was not her biological offspring, having been adopted at the tender age of ten following the demise of his affluent biological progenitors. He silently contemplated the agonizing, transcendental love that compelled her to such extremities—dispatching him, a mere adopted son, into this perilous, magical crucible. He forcibly sequestered the sorrow. "Master Sumo," Xan articulated, his voice slicing through the cacophony of his internal monologue to seek clarity. "I harbor one final inquiry."
Sumo's shoulders oscillated gently beneath his pristine robes, a subtle, encouraging gesture. "Interrogate the unknown, little friend," he replied, his voice infused with a resonant warmth. "Curiosity is the inaugural stride toward genuine enlightenment." "I remain confounded by the Paths of Cultivation," Xan admitted with humility. "I am ignorant regarding which trajectory I traverse, or the methodology for progression; can you illuminate the fundamental divergences for my edification?" Sumo chuckled, a rich, subterranean sound muffled by his porcelain mask. "Indeed, fledgling. Your cultivation base may be formidable, but your comprehension of the cosmos is merely a newborn's inhalation. Fear not. The cultivation paths are a vast, labyrinthine tapestry, enclosing the methodologies of Saints, Sages, Gods, Celestials, Demons, Devils, Ancient Gods, Heavenly Emperors, the Path of Darkness, and the Dao itself; their distinctiveness lies entirely in the power source and the destiny that buttresses them."
Sumo commenced an exposition of the fundamental paths with the gentle patience of a scholar instructing a novice. He elucidated that the ways of the Saint and Sage are autogenous trajectories; they are the intellectual property of the individual cultivator, necessitating no external inheritance. Conversely, paths such as that of the Gods mandate the reception of a direct inheritance or benediction from an existing deity to facilitate ascension—a literal transmission of divinity. "The Celestials are distinct entities entirely," Sumo continued, "pertaining exclusively to non-human organisms; without the requisite Celestial ichor coursing through their veins, advancement is a biological impossibility."
He then delineated the duality of the sinister paths. "The Demons are entities accursed by their own blood; should you metamorphose into one, you tragically forfeit your sanity, becoming perpetually enslaved by basal instincts and often resorting to forbidden, sanguinary incantations. The Devils, though a phylogenetically distinct dark race, differ significantly: they retain their intellectual faculties and primarily utilize potent Soul and Spirit Magic to subjugate and manipulate other entities." "The Ancient Gods," Sumo intoned, his voice gaining a heavy reverence, "are the eternal, sovereign monarchs of the Divine Ranks. If you aspire to tread their path, you must possess both the Ancient God Bloodline and an Ancient God Weapon; both are mandatory prerequisites. They demand an archaic inheritance and the explicit recognition of the deity, and herein lies the tragedy of that election: once you commit to an alternative path, their sacred gate is irrevocably sealed against you."
"The ultimate powers?" Sumo mused, a look of sublime wonder visibly radiating even through his mask. "Heavenly Emperors and Empresses are typically the direct descendants or inheritors of the grand legacies bequeathed by the Saints, Gods, and Ancient Gods; however, positioned above them all stands the Divine Kingdom." "There exist only seven supreme God King positions within the Divine Kingdom," Sumo revealed, his voice dropping to a hushed whisper. He detailed the pantheon that governs the mechanics of the cosmos: "The First God King is dedicated to the Path of Darkness—the Evil God. The Second is dedicated to the Path of Dao—the antithesis of the Evil God. The Third belongs to the God of Judgment—Asura. The Fourth controls Reincarnation—Life and Death. The Fifth controls Karma—Fate and Destiny. The Sixth controls Destruction, and the Seventh controls Creation."
Xan felt the dizzying, vertiginous scale of the universe expanding within his mind; the knowledge was overwhelming, yet deeply satiating, for he finally understood the immensity of the cosmos and the astronomical stakes of its eternal belligerence. "Master Sumo, what then is my trajectory?" Xan inquired, a newfound solemnity coloring his tone. Sumo smiled gently. "The scroll Marta bestowed upon you was merely a fragment of the most exquisite symphony in existence, an ancient manual utilized by the God of Dao; you are already traversing the Path of Dao." "How may I elevate my rank?" "You possess two exemplary methodologies," Sumo explained. "The first is the arduous, meditative path: by comprehending 'Heaven' and completing your Dao. The second is your unique advantage: the Dao path is one of the few that permits the selection and cultivation of multiple paths simultaneously. You have the potential to become a perfect hybrid. The remainder, young man, you must discover independently, for the greatest odysseys are invariably uncharted."
Xan realized he had acquired all the intelligence necessary to commence his ascent; he possessed his path, his advantage, and his ultimate objective. He expressed gratitude to Sumo and exited the chamber, stepping into the outer hall to process the astonishing revelation that his unique system—the Twelve Essences—was the precise architectural blueprint for the Path of Dao. Xan Li Fang settled onto a bench in the elongated, silent corridor outside the sanctum. While awaiting the conclusion of the elders' private discourse, he turned his gaze inward, analyzing the chaotic universe roiling within his Sea of Consciousness. "I perceived it during my earlier cultivation," Xan thought, mentally stroking the swirling gray sphere that represented his core potency. "My Dao Essence is already in a 'Completed State'; it is flawless, and I cannot fortify it further through conventional means."
He mentioned Jin Sumo's lecture regarding the hybrid nature of his path. "If I analyze Sumo's assertions, the sole method to propel my Dao to a new echelon is to commence cultivating the alternative paths. Currently, I can only fully utilize the Dao Essence, which grants me the Completion Stage of the Yin-Yang Harmony." He observed the other eleven dormant spheres orbiting his core—Fire, Water, Life, Death, Space, Time, and the remainder. "If I can acquire control over these auxiliary Essences, I can attempt to comprehend the 'Heaven' of which Sumo spoke. My objective must be their amalgamation; had the Heavenly Copying Art not disintegrated upon the Tablet's fracture, it might have fused them automatically, but now, I must execute the fusion manually." He sighed, recognizing the peril; merging opposing forces like Life and Death without a guide could detonate his somatic vessel. "I must consult Master Sumo; as the strongest, he must possess a secure methodology."
Xan stood and retraced his steps to the door; eschewing a knock, he simply pushed it open, his mind occupied with complex theoretical models of magical fusion. "Master Sumo, I—" Xan froze. Inside the room, the atmosphere was... scandalously intimate. Lady Marta was leaning against the mahogany desk, and Master Jin Sumo—the terrifying, mask-wearing Grand Enforcer—was standing in compromising proximity, his hand resting gently upon her waist. The air was thick with a tension that was decisively distinct from killing intent. Xan immediately seized the door handle and began to retract it, his face a mask of vacuous neutrality. "Hhh... I perceived nothing." Marta spun around, her visage flushing a deep, mortified crimson; the Academy Goddess, usually the paragon of composure, appeared ready to commit homicide. "You imbecile!" she hissed, spiritual pressure leaking dangerously from her form. "I shall terminate you if you utter a syllable to anyone!"
Xan raised his hands in a gesture of boredom surrender. "It is your private affair; what relevance does it hold for me? I returned merely because I retain a solitary query." Sumo coughed loudly, stepping away from Marta and adjusting his pristine robes, his patience clearly eroded. "Interrogate," Sumo grunted. "How can I cultivate an auxiliary path without compromising my existing Dao Essence?" Xan asked. "If I introduce a new power, will they not reject one another?" Sumo paused, considering the physics of the question, before shaking his head. "I am ignorant," Sumo admitted bluntly. "My path is the Path of the Sage, a trajectory of self-creation and solitude; I do not traffic in hybridizations. You are solitary in that endeavor." Seeing that the technical dialogue was defunct, Xan shifted to his immediate logistical problem. "What regarding the competition discrepancy? You disqualified me."
Marta, having recovered her composure—though her cheeks retained a rosy hue—answered before Sumo could interject. "Do not concern yourself with that; I shall inform Mulo personally that you withdrew for 'special administrative reasons,' ensuring he retains his dignity." She reached into her sleeve and tossed a heavy iron key to Xan, which he caught deftly; it was cold to the touch and engraved with the alphanumeric code [0-54]. "In lieu of the competition, you are assigned here," Marta announced. "Proceeded to Department Zero, Room 54; effective immediately, you are a matriculated student of this academy." "Department Zero?" Xan repeated. He was familiar with the Combat Department, the Alchemy Department, and the Array Department, but he had never encountered a 'Zero' designation. "Depart," Sumo waved him off, clearly eager to resume his private engagement with Marta. "And utilize the knock mechanism next time." "Understood, Master." Xan turned and exited the sanctum, stepping into the crisp air of the academy grounds. He examined the key in his palm. "Department Zero... The nomenclature suggests a locus of tribulation." He oriented himself using the cartographic scroll Mulo had provided and navigated toward the most secluded, dilapidated sector of the campus.