Old Ye was anxious, to say the least, when he found out about the World Tree’s fruits, “Young lord, I’m certain that you have eaten one. Did you find any seeds?”

“Hmm yes. I’ve kept it since it came from a treasured fruit.”

“What about the other fruits? If you could spare Old Ye with one, I’m guessing that young lord has even more?”

From the old immortal’s understanding of this boy, he does not doubt that Kairos is rather generous to his friends. So if there are a limited amount of fruits, it would be unthinkable for him to receive one before them.

“Yes, although only some of the fruits have a seed, I have been given them all.”

“Good, good. It is normal that the treasured tree’s seeds are rare, and they can turn into powerful artefacts when forged with the proper techniques. And the fruit’s flesh itself can be turned into pills, but the method to make those things has been lost. Just remember, no matter if there is a seed within, you mustn’t take the risk of letting it touch the ground.

When you ate the fruit, did you feel anything different?”

“I’ve risen from Mid to Peak D rank and have all my meridian channels enhanced” he replied honestly.

“Huh… Mid? Peak?

Boy, what is this grading you are talking about, I am unfamiliar with it.”

Boy? Old Ye is calling Kairos so rudely! Hmph!

“HIIIIIHHH, Sorry!! Young lord, spare this old one.”

“Haha, Aisa, don’t tease him anymore. His information is helpful. Elder, if you are uncertain of ranks, then how does the immortal world measure cultivation?”

“Hmm… All cultivation classification in the three realms are set in nine stages, only by breaking past the ninth stage could one transcend their realm and enter the next. In the heavenly language, the number ten means complete and perfect, such is the rule.

Young lord, why don’t you tell me the ranks your empire is using, and let this old one be enlightened?”

Kairos thought for a moment and explained in a mystified tone, “Come to think of it, Saint Empire splits the ranks into nine as well. From Triple S down to F rank. Each rank is further split into three grades, Entry, Mid and Peak. We do have lower ranks than that from G to J, but those are later additions, and there isn’t much difference between them. Also, it is rumoured that those that could go beyond Triple S would be able to enter the immortal realms. It seems that the number of ranks matches up, even the transcending part, but what of the grades?”

“You say three grades? In the immortal and divine realms, each stage of cultivation is further split into nine minor stages. They are three initiation stages, three apprentice stages and three master stages. Perhaps, these might be the three grades you have spoken about.

There will be very little difference between each minor stages, especially in the mortal realm, so I am not really surprised that your land separated it into Entry, Mid, and Peak. But, later on, you’ll discover that every step of progress is a crawl, and every increase in minor stage makes a tremendous difference.

Young lord, after you ate the fruit, is that all that happened?”

“The increase of three minor stages and the change in my energy flow was all that occurred that I’ve noticed. Is there something wrong with that?”

“An improvement of your meridian channels is as expected from eating the fruit of life. Its flesh will give enhancement to the body, altering the talents that one is born with. But, just an improvement of three minor stages?

You might not know, but even a leaf from the treasured tree is potent enough to increase several minor stages of cultivation. The amount of energy from one fruit should at least raise a practitioner for several major stages, or ranks as you call it. Even turning a mortal into an immortal in one go isn’t too odd for the Yggdrasil fruit.”

“It’s that incredible? Then why didn’t the others gain that much effect?” A shock ran through the boy. Although the others who ate the fruit had a greater increase in cultivation than Kairos, no one of them had any considerable improvements like what the immortal said.

“Could it be because of Origin Cultivation Method, or the Origin Energy? But the energy of the fruit is obviously a pure source of life force, and our cultivation method directly uses that type of energy. It should not clash, so what is the problem? Aisa, do you know?”

Oh~ that’s easy! Kairos’ martial arts is a superior art to anything in the world~!! So, of course, the way it uses energy is more refined than the other techniques. Hehe.

This is the first time the dragon answered a question in detail, and the boy noticed a twinkling in her eyes. Wisdom that seemed hidden within her.

“A more refined method of using energy? Did our cultivation methods do more than what we thought?”

After a quick mental conversation, Kairos immediately sat down and began his cultivation, ignoring the look from Old Ye. With burning curiosity, he sent his Soul Perception into his own body and started scouting what changes occurred.

At this time, the immortal that is right in front of him could see nothing. Then suddenly a vortex surrounding the boy began draining the energies rapidly from the surrounding into him.

“Whoa! What is the young lord practising? This amount of power is flowing into him!”

Before Old Ye could blink, Aisa already dragged him out of the room. Holding the bigger human easily by the scuff of his robes, and dropping him nearby like how a mother cat deposits her young.

Old Ye~ Wait here

Then with a flash, she reappeared by the boy’s side.

Originally, Kairos had no intention to create such a turmoil and he simply wanted to see where did the energy he absorbed go. By all rights, merely taking in a little ambient Heavenly Energy to refine he would not activate a cultivation process, and therefore outsiders should not be able to find out any secrets from the practitioner.

However, in his focus to seek the truth from within, the very heaven and Earth responded to him, and this became a whole other situation. Kairos had gone right into a deep trance.

Sixteen different coloured orbs came out of the ground, obediently hovering next to him, and then in a flash, they fused into one and turned into a thick darkness that spreads in a circle around him. Within that darkness, brightly glowing gas of a prismatic hue filled it.

Then, Kairos’ soul stepped into a mysterious realm.

He felt his consciousness left him and entered a beautiful place with lights, unlike anything he had seen before.

The very ground he stood on is made of brilliant gold, yet despite all its glory, it somehow did not hurt his eyes. The high walls before him are made of huge crystals, deep and rich in every colour, with a pattern that seems to mean something yet escapes him.

And there is that feeling of great tranquillity that washed over him, filling him with a gentle warmth within. In this place, he felt no danger, no hostility, no evil, and in their stead, there is a calm and constant bliss, that is gentle yet so revivifying.

“Everything simply feels so…. right…. in this place. Just where am I?”

“You are home,” an unexpected voice answered his thoughts, it was a powerful yet gentle voice.

“Who are you?”

“I come with many names, but you should know me as the ‘True Lord’.

Kairos shook his head when he heard that title.

“No matter, you will know soon enough.

You came here seeking the truth behind your cultivation method. Let me assure you, it is a technique superior to any in the land you are in.

Hmm…? I see… You also wish to know about where the fruit’s life force has gone? Hahaha… That is a silly thing to be curious about. Well, what do you think cultivation techniques do?”

MIND READING?!

Kairos was in utter shock, he hadn’t said a single thing, yet the other party seemed to under him. But considering that this is a being which dared to call himself the True Lord, he shouldn’t be surprised at such an ability.

The True Lord didn’t seem to mind his internal struggles and waited patiently for his reply.

“It increases the cultivation level?”

“You spoke correctly, but what exactly is cultivation, why would cultivators become stronger from sitting around and meditating?”

Kairos thought for a little. This is a question that he had not asked himself before, but suddenly, an answer came to him from the recesses of his soul.

“Cultivation is mastering the universe. Regardless of learning from battle or from mediation, it enriches the person, and allows the user to bend energy with their will.”

“A good answer,” The voice said with no hint of surprise, “Then how do you become more adept at it and reach the top?”

His eyes widened in surprise. While the question sounded so rudimentary, it is also exceptionally complicated at the same time. How many practitioners could answer this? As in, honestly give the correct answer for one to reach the top?

Is it by practice? By luck? Powerful artefacts? Or perhaps having an unmatched latent talent?

Somehow, he felt that from poking in the dark, these are not the answer the one called True Lord wants.

“Heh heh. You are a little bit off. I shall tell you the answer then, and this will also let you understand why the Origin Cultivation Method need that much energy, compared to other techniques, to strengthen yourself.

Remember this. No matter what path a practitioner take, the only way to reach the top is by having a strong Dao.

Dao, in itself, is merely a path. And a cultivation method will only help you on your way – either opening it wider, giving you the strength you need, or creating more pathways, but whether you take it or not is entirely up to you.

An excellent cultivation method will strengthen your inner energy, giving you the vigour to go forward. A superior cultivation method will also strengthen your flesh, opening new roads in front of you that you never had before.

However, my cultivation, the one that you are using also enhances your soul, refines your blood, tempers your flesh, remoulds your talent and most importantly… It will give you the dominance above all that are named.

As you continue to practice, you will be able to realise this into reality, so do not disappoint me by dying mid-way.

Finally, before you return. The last question for you to think about: For what reasons do you seek power?”

When Kairos blinked his eyes, he is no longer at that beautiful place but already back in his room at the Solitary Blades Clan. The True Lord said whatever he wanted and threw him back to reality.

He looked about curiously and only saw Aisa looking at him.

“Indeed. Why do I want more power?”