‘The power of the mind’, these words constantly replayed over and over again in Xiaoxia’s thought process for the remainder of the day.

Details were not fully forthcoming, as Gu Di himself only knew a limited amount of what it encompasses. As far as he knows, it not only allows for individuals to use spatial movement and spatial communications with their own Ki, it increased the number of innate senses and heightened them to an extraordinary level.

Gu Di emphasized that all Xiaoxia needed now was to practice and train for it to become second nature. He also needed to train how shield his mind too, because If he didn’t, enemies with the same abilities may pick up on his thoughts. This is also one of the reasons why he knew Xiaoxia had gained ‘The power of the Mind’, without being told.

It was like how Xiaoxia managed to hear Gu Di’s voice in his mind, except Gu Di was not doing it subconsciously, and could have shielded it easily. He didn’t, since Xiaoxia was not a threat, and he had to spread his consciousness over a wide area, in order to monitor and guard against trespassers.

It was one of the many additional abilities linked with the innate senses, due to access of the brain’s higher cognitive functions.

Jay on the other hand, could only grasp the fundamentals of the conversation, and grumbled constantly. This was because after thousands of years of trying, he still could not unlock the two meridians in his brain that allowed access to the higher cognitive functions. With this regard, he was like any normal person, unable to communicate with his mind, or apply spatial movement.

No doubt his combat abilities were already beyond outstanding, and Gu Di have complimented him more than once. Jay was still not satisfied, for in the past he have faced multiple enemies who have such capabilities.

During these life and death confrontations, there was a glaring disadvantage, as his opponents could communicate among themselves and move spatially, he only managed to survive by the skin of his teeth, because of his power and superb battle instincts. Therefore he yearned to be able to gained ‘The power of the mind’, just to even the odds out.

“Jay here have the ability to use five elements, which makes him the perfect sparring partner for you,” Gu Di was complimenting Jay and informing Xiaoxia.

“But isn’t he in the Unknown Realm, how would that be considered a perfect sparring partner?” Xiaoxia was asking incredulously, he was only a Grandmaster Realm, and had once seen Jay’s destructive powers.

(AN: reference to Vol 1, Chapter 17)

“There is only so much you can learn fighting against wild beast, and how far you can go without endangering yourself. Jay is perfect because he won’t kill you, unlike a wild beast who will,” Gu Di informed with a thoughtful expression.

For the past seven years, Xiaoxia has been honing his own battle skills and talents against creatures in the wild. It graduated from low level ones to high level ones. He have yet to face those beyond high level.

In the world of Yuan Zhong, wild beasts are categorized into various levels. Xiaoxia was given a detailed description of them by Gu Di, it was the first time he have seen such classifications.

-

Wuming Clan

Strength classification of wild beasts and creatures.

Research data collected in the 19th Era *Updated 73rd Era*

Beasts classification:-

Low Level Beasts – Strength grade 1-9, comparable to Apprentice Ki Realm

Mid Level Beasts – Strength grade 1-9, comparable to Duelist Ki Realm

High Level Beasts – Strength grade 1-9, comparable from Adept to Master Ki Realm

Elite Level Beasts – 3 levels (low, mid, high), comparable form Grandmaster to Unknown Realm

Elemental Beasts – comparable to a full unit of Grandmasters or two Unknown Realms.

Mythical Beasts – strength unknown, 24 species known to exists.

Unique Beasts – strength unknown, 12 different individuals known to exists.

Other Categories:-

Beast Lords – can be found commonly, strength can be up to a ten times higher than their underlings.

Beast Kings – rarely found in most branch-habitats, can only be found in the original main habitat. Possesses the strength of at least two beast lords.

Beast Saint – strength unknown

Beast God – strength unknown

Side note

There are evidence and traces of beasts that can only be categorized as Legendary, no known sightings or actual interactions have been confirmed.

-

(AN: an Era is 1,000 years, refer to time and date compendium.

AN 2: Mythical beasts are not to be confused with Mythical Beings. Mythical Beings are considered superior high class beings and are distantly related to some of the racial beings.)

Gu Di only allowed Xiaoxia to fight against those who were beneath his level, so that his life will not be at risk. If he were to battle beasts who were of similar or higher level, there is no guarantee he will return alive. It was a precaution that both Jay and Gu Di exercised, as they did not always monitor his training.

Unbeknownst to Xiaoxia, both of them have exhaustively surveyed each training area in order to ensure the beasts were suitable, before they left him to his own devices. He was placed in the middle of beast filled lands with nothing but the bare necessities to survive, while having to make his way in the direction they told him to.

He completed each task within a week, and returned exhausted from it. He hardly rested for more than a couple of days, before setting out again. During those sessions, he battled throughout the day, while in the night he meditated before resting.

After a single sequence of repetitions, Jay will handle the debrief, while Gu Di checked for any signs of physical, mental and Ki improvements. They will then relocate and repeat the whole process.

During these seven years, Jay constantly advised him on efficient ways to handle different types of beast. Gu Di on the other hand instructed him in minute details of how to adjust and polish his abilities.

Today will be the turning point, since Xiaoxia attained ‘The power of the mind’. Gu Di have expected it to happen later rather than now, and although he jested it only took Xiaoxia seven years to attain it*, he was in fact really amazed.

This is one of the reasons why he is going to place Xiaoxia under the direct tutelage of Jay, who have experience fighting people with the same abilities. Another was Jay’s combat abilities, which is close to being the best.

But before this was set in stone, Gu Di had another issue at hand. He wanted to show Xiaoxia a new way to handle Ki, so he can practice it while sparring with Jay.

“Xia Er come with me,” he instructed.

Gu Di led Xiaoxia to the back of the cavern, leaving Jay to himself. There he took out a water skin and some items before proceeding to speak.

“Xiaoxia do you know why things started to float around when you gained that power?” Gu Di asked*.

“No, I am still thinking about it,” Xiaoxia replied.

“Look,” Gu Di simply said.

Taking some of the items, he placed them on the ground. It a matter of seconds, they started to float. They hung in midair for a while before gently settling on the ground.

“How did you do that?” Xiaoxia asked in amazement.

“It applies the same principal of your sole plate,” Gu Di answered him.

He went on to explain that not only the spatial devices, but various other technologies in the world of Yuan Zhong are made by copying the abilities of people who had ‘The power of the Mind’.

The technology used for Xiaoxia’s sole plate is called ‘reverse gravity’, it relied on the weight and density of the material. The heavier and denser the material is, the better it can float when reverse gravity was applied.

The items that Gu Di chose where all metals who had high weight to density ratio, and some were made with a mixture of Myalithium*.

(AN: refer to compendium for Myalithium)

At the time Xiaoxia connected fully with his higher cognitive functions, all the items dense enough which surrounded him, began to float. This of course caught Jay’s attention, and from theory knew what it meant. Therefore his expression was not uncalled for, when he realized his Shizhi just upped him in advancing into a further stage.

Taking yet another item from his quantum bag, Gu Di handled what look like a pair of boots. They were unlike any boots Xiaoxia have seen, and have a thick lining of material on its sole.

“Take this, it is a boot that was quite fashionable when it was made. The material on its sole has no name but is made from an alloy with one of the densest material known in this world,” Gu Di said as he handed them to Xiaoxia.

Xiaoxia thanked him, and inspected the boots. They were unusually heavy, and besides the sole of the boots, the other parts where made from some material that was extremely soft and felt comfortable to the touch.

“I do not expect you to immediately learn how to reverse gravity, but once you do, those boots will come in handy,” Gu Di informed him.

After all, Gu Di wasn’t expecting him to pick up everything at once, and picking up spatial communications immediately, on the day he gain the power was something really unexpected. He was really tempted to copy Jay and call Xiaoxia ‘Little Monster’.

Jay started calling him this after the events of the day, and it isn’t clear when he is going to stop. It has already been a whole day since he stopped referring to Xiaoxia as Xia Er or Shizhi.

“Xia Er, tell me what you know about manipulating Ki, Ki vessels and meridians,” Gu Di asked, after passing him the boots.

Xiaoxia nodded and explained in as much details what Instructor Wei had taught him, and while doing so suddenly thought of her. However he quickly dismissed the feeling and went further to explain other things he learnt, including his special meridian and the extraordinary meridian used to remotely control Ki attacks.

“Pfft, those ways to handle Ki and train it are really primitive ways to do it,” Gu Di snorted.

He did not mention about the special meridian or controlling Ki attacks remotely. Over the years he already explained what he knew to Xiaoxia on those two matters.

Gu Di have managed to use his Ki aura on Xiaoxia without a backlash because it was not an aggressive aura, the previous two times that Jay witnessed it happened, was when there was a substantial threat. As long as the Ki helped Xiaoxia in any way, the special meridian will not lash out with the golden aura.

For the matter of controlling Ki attacks, Gu Di unlike Jay, have witness this a few times in the 28 thousand years he has been around. Hence it was not unique, but just uncommon.

(AN: refer to vol 2 Chapter 1, he is in his 28th millennium)

However at this time, Xiaoxia's mind was not on those things, but on what Gu Di just said, “Isn’t this what everyone has been taught? Don’t you and Jay do the same as well?”

“We do not, members of Wuming are all taught another method the moment they become one of us,” Gu Di explained.

“Does this mean I will be one of you?” Xiaoxia asked, it was a question that always nagged at him over these years. He was after all a child who have heard stories about them.

“That depends on the situation, and at the end of the day, it’s all up to you,” Gu Di explained, but digressed, “But that is still too early to say, in the meantime you need to concentrate on just learning, training and practicing.”

Xiaoxia’s determined expression, show that he will.

If there ever was a complain about Xiaoxia, it was that he is extremely studious as well as hardworking. Even during the days at MeisterSchloss, when he was engrossed in his flying thrills with the sole plate, he still spent many a sleepless night learning all about it and tweaking it to pseudo perfection.

There was never a single day in his life, where he have spent in total relaxation. It was always training, studying, learning, experimenting and a host of other stuff that is bound to come up. He was different from other children his age, but he did not know this.

Back at the Academy, he fit in well with Winfrey and the others. He thought they were just like him, but he could not be more wrong. While the others took every single opportunity to skive and relax, Xiaoxia was either in the training hall with Instructor Wei or with Sem for his evening lessons.

It was against the theories of Gu Di, as one of them included resting properly. All these years he mandated the need for rest, but Xiaoxia secretly trained behind his back. Gu Di knew about it, but did mention anything, since it was of little use to force him at that point.

However things have changed since this day, and he was going to ensure it after he explained a few things.

“Look at this,” Gu Di took the water skin and showed Xiaoxia.

He went on to squeeze the bladder, which caused water to flow out from the nozzle. Then he grab it lower in the neck with his other hand, causing water to remain at the upper parts.

“This is what you have been doing, imagining the water here at the upper portion of the neck, is where you have maintained Ki in the Ki vessels. And here you will notice there is nothing between where I grabbed and the remaining water in the bladder, it just like the empty space that is left behind after you filled your Ki vessels with Ki from the reservoir. This gap takes time to fill, regardless if it’s even a micro second,” he pointed to the space between his hand and the bladder.

After that, he systematically poured water out while demonstrating his point till there was no longer any water left.

“Now look here, there is nothing left in the bladder, and what is left is all here at the neck. This is exactly what you have been taught and it is inefficient and really lousy. It is not a safeguard at all. Now I am going to demonstrate something else to you,” he continued.

(AN: reference to Vol 1, Chapter 17 for this as well as the below)

This time he refilled the water skin and repeated the previous actions. But this time, he forcefully squeezed the neck where the water was retained, and it spurted out.

“Imagine this is the Ki you are using from the Ki vessels, what you just saw is your Ki spilling out. Now look at this,” he explained, while further demonstrating.

This time he released his grasp on the neck and forcefully squeeze on the bladder, a larger amount of water came.

“Now this is what you are taught not to do, which is not true. Do you see how much more powerful the Ki is when used directly from the Ki center? Storing Ki in your Ki vessels may seem like a smart way to do things and keep you alive, but it is actually the stupidest idea anyone could think of!” Gu Di exclaimed, by this time Jay have already walked over, noticing Gu Di getting more animated as he delved into his explanation.

Gu Di then constricted the nozzle and forcefully squeezed the bladder again, and this time a concentrated squirt of water quickly shot out from it and went quite far.

“Did you see that? Let’s say the nozzle is the meridian at your Ki center, if you can control the size of it and force Ki through it, the results will be enormous. I hope you understand what I am trying to tell you before I continue,” Gu Di informed him.

“Yes I do, but only partly,” Xiaoxia replied, momentarily distracted by Jay is now sitting on the ground chewing nosily on a meat jerky.

The demonstration Gu Di showed, explained certain things that Xiaoxia understood. It showed that there was a lag in Ki manipulation timing because of the gap between the Ki center and Ki vessels. Every time the Ki level in the reservoir depleted, the gap increased and it took a longer time to reach the Ki vessels.

On the other hand, the Ki vessels were not sufficient enough to deliver the proper power as it exited the meridian. The last demonstration showed that power can be obtained by directly using the Ki from the Ki center through a the Ki center's meridian. It also showed if proper manipulation of the meridian's size is attained, the resulting Ki will have much more explosive power and distance.

“Would this not be a danger for me if I suddenly exhausted all my Ki?” Xiaoxia asked, it was the main thing that he could not comprehend.

Being able to maintain Ki in the Ki vessels was what Instructor Wei taught, as this served as a safety measure against an exhausted Ki reservoir.

“This is what I was going to continue on,” Gu Di replied, and went on, “Xia Er, do you know about the body’s natural Ki absorption?”

“Yes, I was told about this before and learnt it during my days at the academy,” Xiaoxia replied.

He was taught that every life form has the ability to absorb Ki naturally, this is what keeps them alive. Even if a person is not a martial artist and did not cultivate Ki, they could still absorb Ki in a natural way from their surroundings. It helped keep their body functioning properly.

“This is what you are going to train as well, by enhancing its function to its limits, you need not worry about dying from exhausting your Ki reservoir,” Gu Di informed him.

“With your new found power, you will be able to achieve this much faster than normal,” Jay who was just sitting idly helpfully added, while Gu Di nodded in agreement.

Xiaoxia’s eyes were now beaming with anticipation, he can’t wait for the opportunity to learn new things. It was already wonderful he got access to his higher cognitive brain functions, now he did not need to worry about dying from Ki exhaustion.

“So when do we start?” he asked excitedly.

“Not today or this week,” Gu Di replied smiling.

“Huh?” Xiaoxia did not understand, normally any Instructor or Elder would want their juniors to train constantly.

“You my ‘Little Monster’ are going on a vacation with us,” Jay grinned impishly, he had waited long enough for one himself.

Gu Di had discussed plans with Jay earlier, on the need for Xiaoxia to relax and settle his mind. It was one of the theories that Gu Di believed will promote a more conducive mindset, it will be beneficial once Xiaoxia restarted training.

“Anyway, you have been training constantly every day, using even your rest days to train. I have stood by silently for a while now, but now I will not allow it. After all, all work and no play will make you a dull boy,” Gu Di spoke out in a manner that left no room for discussion.