Blood red characters rapidly crystallized before his eyes before instantly shattering. The world was left vibrantly colored... yet feeling empty and mundane.

"Madness...."

And that was it. Lineir shakily stood up, mentally exhausted, but physically fine. The sealing of the mythical Three Headed Hydra core into his body had been completed... albeit in a way he hoped to never experience again.

"Mei, did you see those characters? What did they mean? When I saw them, I felt... different." Lineir began to walk again, he had been here too long, and he was still too close to the city. Mei answered slowly,

"I haven't ever seen such a thing happen before, but I did see those characters just now, what you see, I can see. They must be related to the Nine Paths of Asura, but I'm afraid that understanding will have to come from yourself. However, I can say for sure that you have successfully absorbed the mythical core. The Three Headed Hydra's spirit and abilities are one with you now. Take your time walking, I'm not particularly worried about you running into a lone Nero Sect cultivator. As a matter of fact...I'm looking forward to it. After years of lost training, what you've been lacking most is raw power. But by absorbing a 4th tier mythical beast core's attributes, you are now far more dangerous than before. Walk slow and learn more about the changes in yourself. I'm confident that even if somehow, your path and some cultivator's paths collide, against the cultivators of this backwater Nero Sect, you will at least be able to escape with your life. Its actually quite funny, they might not know this, but by using the methods I've taught you to draw out the maximum amount of energy from the core, and the power of the mythical beast itself, you could be said to be the lion which is stalked by the rabbit. They may believe they are hunting you... but they are the hunted now."

Lineir at first did not believe Mei but as he walked, he was astonished to discover that inside his Second Heart, great changes had come about. The spin had increased greatly, now he could truly feel a substantial influx of energy from the environment. Nascent energy which was ambiently in the atmosphere was being drawn in by this whirling suction, and inside of him, it felt like a dark and stormy cloud was whirling about spinning lightning amidst the night.

"See kiddo, since you are cultivating according to my methods, as a hybrid lightning and darkness user, you could be said to be at the Late Rising Storm stage now. That core has propelled you straight past the middle, and compared to regular cultivators from lowly sects such as the Nero Sect, you need not even put disciples in your eyes. In fact, their elders are not even in your eyes, only their patriarchs and ancestors could be considered a match for you in one on one combat. Of course, this comes with caveats. This only applies to these backwater sects with no real backing. Greater sects of this land should have methods and materials to create far more dangerous disciples, and their elders will still be far more dangerous than you. This Dracherus City is simply too small a backstop to host such large and dangerous sects. Furthermore, you must be careful to avoid large groups. Until you ascend to the next realm, you will still be susceptible to large groups. Facing them head on would be inadvisable."

Lineir immediately gulped,

"Mei, are you seriously saying I can fight a patriarch! I can't even fly, all those elders can fly, clearly they are far more powerful than I am!" He began to pump his arms and walk faster. "I'm stronger than before, but I'm still no match for an elder!"

Mei laughed endlessly, the sound was quite charming when it was made with no malice,

"No silly disciple, you can fight against these weak patriarchs and even ancestors in one on one combat. The reason you cannot fly while these crappy elders can is twofold. First, my method does not naturally allow you to gain flight at this time. It focuses on the spin of your internal elemental energies, and your future development. A storm must first gather into being before it can traverse the land!" Mei's voice sounded longing, almost nostalgic.

"Secondly, all these lower sect members cheat to appear more formidable to commoners. Their immortal swords are no doubt linked to their patriarchs or ancestors cultivation caves if they have any. By doing so, they can borrow a small amount of power and fly at low altitudes. Make no mistake however, they themselves are weak. You can fight them one on one without any threat. Indeed, even a small group of elders won't have enough power to really do anything to you. I'll tell you a secret. In these sects, most of them are cheats and swindlers! Their patriarchs are rejects of a greater sect or some fool who gained a bit of power through some treasure or underhanded method somehow. They promise power to their disciples with some paltry cultivation methods or what not, but they are really raising them as one would raise cattle!" Now Mei's voice sounded condescending, it positively dripped with revulsion for these 'cheats'.

"Once these disciples become "elder" class, they hand them an immortal sword, and say, look, you can fly! In reality, they have simply reached the minimum power the swindling patriarch or ancestor cares about. While they lend out a tiny bit of power to let elders fly, they constantly absorb bits of these cattle's cultivation base to further their own! The Second Hearts of these lower sects elders are forever doomed to be leeched on and ruined at the critical point in their development! Only in the greater sects is it likely that it is in fact a real reputable sect which actually cares about raising powerful new generations to gain face and honor. That is why you have nothing to fear from these hollow emptied out lower sects! Their elders are simply starving sheep being harvested at all times, only their patriarchs and ancestors can be said to have any skill whatsoever!"

Lineir was so astonished he stopped walking. The great cultivation sects of the land were scams? How could this be? He used to dream of being a cultivator in one of those and gaining endless prestige and power. To realize that so many people were being fooled into thinking they had it all was truly a wake up call.

"Hey... I feel like I understand something..." A mysterious and hidden feeling welled up in Lineir, and his vision vaguely turned slightly red. The feeling was rebellious and disapproving. It wanted change, it did not accept the world, and Lineir felt like he agreed with it. At that moment, an unfamiliar voice called out,

"YOU! What's your business!"