•••

Inside the floating island, Grandpa Doehring scanned Astrallis intently with his spiritual sense waiting for any irregularities.

At this moment, the Pinnacle Elder sensed a slight fluctuation of Qi below Astrallis’ navel. For the first time in centuries, the Pinnacle Elder felt a terrible sense of nervousness forming, lighting a communication talisman he called for Astrallis’ family.

•••

Inside Astrallis’ soul-space, tumultuous changes were occurring. A spiralling golden coloured tempest formed above the matching golden-haired child; the incorporeal figure stepped forward into the gale. It gradually corroded the spiritual form, its form amalgamating with the raging essence tornado with, as a result of the ethereal figures amalgamation, archaic Primordial Runes began to appear along the perimeter of the storm.

The tornado’s spiral moved towards the direction of Astrallis’ heart and gradually embedded itself within the pericardium layered above the heart. A scene of harmonious fusion occurred at the molecular level within Astrallis’ body, the runic formations perfectly fusing within his molecules.

“Good job my descendant, at such a young age you managed to comprehend the final runes within your body, your future achievements are limitless.” An imperial voice spread throughout the void within Astrallis’ soul-space.

“Although you cannot respond to me currently, I am what your seniors call the ‘Astral God’, I left some of my spiritual sense within the last primordial runes in your body. Although I knew you’d manage to comprehend the runic formations, I never thought you’d do so with such haste.”

“I shall leave you with an opportunity, but before that let’s wait for you to pass through to the Qi-Gathering Realm.” The Astral God informed slowly.

•••

Outside, in reality, an adorable young child with long surreal golden hair, dressed in a long white robe with gold trimmings, was seated at the centre of a hexagonal essence gathering array. Around the hexagonal formation were several people, all waiting in nervous anticipation for Astrallis’ breakthrough.

“Father, I’ve never seen you have such an expression on your face before,” Snickered Amelia standing next to Astrallis’ father, Cestra.

“Husband, placate your concerns. My master is here, with her comprehension in the Way of Life no harm will come to our child," A celestial looking woman, with the aura of an angel, gently comforted her love.

“Haha, what can you expect it's his only son!” Laughed a boisterous Grandpa Doehring, attempting to hide his anxiety, which was at the same level as Cestra’s.

Suddenly, the essence of the air became excited and began moving with an unprecedented speed towards the centre of the essence gathering array. Golden Astral Qi coalesced below Astrallis’ navel, beginning the formation of Astrallis’ dantian. As the intake of Astral Qi increased, the runic infused molecules began to release archaic patterns on Astrallis’ jade-like skin, flashing vibrantly in a paroxysm of colour.

Within Astrallis’ newly formed dantian lay a vast void, at the centre was a Dwarf White Star of Astral Qi. This White Star was the culmination of Astrallis’ comprehension of the primordial runes within his body, the comprehension of the pericardium was the final push needed for Astrallis’ formation of his dantian.

Within his dantian a rainbow of colourful Qi began to permeate the void; a plethora of apparitions started to dance around his dantian; god beasts, nymphs and so many more. These apparitions were the manifestations of the laws contained within the Way of Astral that Astrallis had managed to comprehend; Astrallis had only touched the surface of the Way of Astral and apparitions were already forming – a clear sign of one favoured by the Astral.

The essence around the floating mountain started to become even more disturbed, rampaging towards the grotto, at this point many members of the sect began to notice this phenomenon. Ancestors broke off their meditation and started to surround the celestial mountain, in the air, in curiosity, with disciples standing on the ground gazing upwards.

“Everyone, my disciple Astrallis Ether is in the midst of breaking through, please do not disturb him.” An old yet authoritative voice echoed throughout the mysterious realm.

“Oh, my! So, it’s junior-brother Astrallis breaking through, he’s not yet even five years old, and he’s already caused two large disturbances within the sect, and one of one those times he wasn’t even born yet!” Shouted out a scholarly-looking Senior Disciple.

“Yes. Senior-Brother Gu is the wisest.” All the disciples around him nodded their heads as if this is only natural.

The increased rampaging essence began to pour into Astrallis’ dantian with destructive speed, the apparitions within his dantian began to fade intermittently, while the firmament started to crack as the speed of the essence became uncontrollable for the dantian.

In reality, Astrallis face became pale-white, blood leaking from his lips.

“No!” Jasmine, Astrallis’ mother, began to race forward but before she managed to enter the array, a force stopped her in her tracks.

“Wait. I understand your concern, but you will cause more damage than done already if you stop Astrallis, you must let your son pass his own tribulations,” Stately said the Pinnacle Elder, his aura receding back into his body.

“Jasmine, we must believe in our son. He has already caused so many miracles, I’m sure he can repeat it this time as well,” Comfortingly said Cestra grasping Jasmine’s hand.

“En.”

At this time within Astallis’ dantian, chaos reigned supreme.

“How can I stop this or mitigate the damages.” Astrallis thought inwardly, racking his brains for an idea.

The Astral God just looked on, from Astrallis’ soul-space. For one to prosper and reach the peak of cultivation they cannot always rely on other people, today is the first time Astrallis is solely relying on himself. Experiencing this at a young age is a significant boon for his future maturity.

At this time Astrallis had a ridiculous thought, “Who said I have to mitigate the damage, why cannot I take this essence rampaging around dantian for my own?”.

Astrallis began to think of the White Star’s life that he just witnessed. “That White Star stressed quality of quantity, purity over chaos, a balance of Yin and Yang. Within the final moments of the fight, when the Red Giant exploded sending a black hole towards the White Star, the White Star instead of destroying the spacial anomaly amalgamated with it instead. And from that, it used the newly generated blackhole to absorb the chaotic essence of the Red Giant and purified it and took it for its own.”

An explosion of comprehension sounded off in his mind, Astrallis’ eyes-flashed with a certain light.

Within his Dantian, a miniature replica of himself formed and began a fusion with the White Star. With Astrallis’ newly comprehended laws of the Way of Astral, the fusion happened without a hitch. A flamboyant corona of white light formed around the miniature Astrallis. Essence began to form around the Five Viscera and Six Bowels of his body, eleven blackholes emerged from those eleven points and began absorbing the chaotic essence in his dantian.

“It works!” Astrallis shouted inwardly in glee.

The blackholes inundated the surrounding area and using the same method as the Dwarf White Celestial Star, began to refine the large quantity of essence into pure Qi.

Quality always beats quantity.

In the grotto, the paroxysm of unusual runic formations on Astrallis’ skin only increased. Gradually he started to levitate in the air, moving upwards.

“Everyone move back, I need to open up a hole in the cave for Astrallis.” Barked the Pinnacle Elder.

The Pinnacle Elder waved his hand a flat precise circle above the climbing Astrallis opened up, allowing a pathway for him to levitate into the sky. The party quickly followed Astrallis into the air, flying underneath him in case of an emergency.

“Look! Junior-Brother Astrallis is levitating in the sky! What're those colourful runes on his skin?” The scholarly- looking Senior – Brother Gu shouted incredulously, ultimately losing his scholarly demeanour.

Before he managed to receive a reply. An imperial aura burst out into the surroundings, invoking feelings of worship and subservience.

The entire Secret Realm was dead-silent, thousands of sect members staring incredulously at the imperial aura that Astrallis was emitting.

A few weaker disciples even began kowtowing towards him.

An aura of an imperial deity escaped from within Astrallis’ dantian. His long blonde hair flailing in the wind, that boyish face of perfection, those piercing magenta coloured eyes as well as an imperial aura. Astrallis was just like a young deity, commanding subservience.

Using the newly promoted Qi-Gathering Realm Qi as stairs he descended to the floor, not a pin drop could be heard, the regal golden Astral Qi creating a stairway fit for a Celestial Sovereign.

Just as quickly as it appeared, Astrallis withdrew the imperial aura back into his body. His piercing eyes glazed over returning to his adorable and innocent visage.

Turning to look towards the sky, Astrallis shouted out in an excited voice, “Mom, Dad, Grandpa Doehring, sisters. Look I just broke through to the Qi-Gathering Realm.”

Arms in the air jumping around without a care in a world, just like a child his age should.

Everyone on the scene found it impossible to compare the current Astrallis to the young deity of earlier.

The only person who took no notice of the difference was Astrallis mother, Jasmine.

“You silly child! Why would you do something so dangerous?”, Jasmine appeared in front of her son pulling him into her embrace, tears in her eyes. “Do not do that again! My heart can’t take it.”

Astrallis looked at the ground sheepishly. Only now did he notice the crowd of people looking at him with incredulous eyes.

Turning towards everyone, he gave a deep bow. “I’m sorry Ancestors, Senior and Junior brothers and sisters for disturbing all of you during your cultivation.”

Many people in the crowd gave an approving nod while thinking inwardly, “Such an impressive child, he holds such an imperial aura within that little body, while still remaining humble.”

“Everyone, please go back to your cultivations; Astra’er needs to consolidate his insights and realm.” The Pinnacle Elder’s voice echoed throughout the Secret Realm.

Without waiting for a response, Astrallis and his family disappeared only a slight spacial disturbance to show where they had once been.

•••

Back in Grandpa Doehring’s humble abode, Astrallis’ family surrounded him all giving him in-depth looks.

They had just heard what Astrallis had just experienced. If there is anyone you can trust with full certainty within the Ethereal Grotto Sect, it is without a doubt your family.

While the rest of the family was overjoyed with Astrallis’ achievement, Grandpa Doehring had a stern face thinking inwardly, “It seems he really has been chosen by the Astral God, to be the future Imperator of the Plane.”

“Alright; Mom, Dad, Grandpa, sisters. The Astral God’s spiritual sense is still waiting within my soul space, he has something to show me.” Stated Astrallis with gravitas.

Without being able to hear a reply, Astrallis’ consciousness was sucked into his soul-space.

“Were you going to keep me waiting?” A stern voice chastised.

“Definitely not Esteemed Astral God. I didn’t want my family to worry, so I informed them of my experiences quickly.” Astrallis hastily replied.

Although the Astral God may seem irritated, the Astral God was quite amused watching his little creation create disturbances large and small. Especially the faces of the sect members, the Astral God was inwardly drunk on their expressions.

“Enough. I have something to show you, let's see if you are able to garner any comprehensions from this,”

With an elegant wave of the Astral God’s arm, a rising sun began to creep over the periphery of the void from the east. Bright streams of orange flame began to spread out into the void, lighting up the darkness.

“Watch closely now.”

A Cosmic Inferninum Seraphim began to rise at the same time as the sun, initially invisible due to being in conjunction with the sun, it’s excellent wingspan spreading out indefinitely into the distance.

A heliacal setting.

Astrallis stared intently at the wings of the rising seraph, as it rose with the sun nearing the apogee of its arc. Astrallis gradually fell into comprehension, his mind glazing over.

Multiple images of the Cosmic Inferninum Seraphim’s flight path, as well as movement, flashed through Astrallis’ consciousness. A constant repetition of new flight paths appeared within his soul-space; each time Astrallis garnered more esoteric laws from the action of the Seraphim.

Gradually a pair of faint Astral Qi wings with a wingspan of four meters spread out from behind Astrallis’ back.

A name appeared within his consciousness, ‘Heliacal Rising from the East’.

•••