Writer's Note:

Chapter 6: The History of Cultivation

"Huh. My body really feels great," Guo Yang said as he stretched.

A week had passed since he formed a Yin Yang divine tattoo. He woke up a half hour after the tattoo had formed and spent the last five days adjusting to his new, improved body. It felt so comfortable and powerful, he cringed sometimes. It was as if he were a ghost that found a better host body to inhabit. When he woke up, he learned about the history of cultivation.

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Legend had it that the Mortal Realm, Immortal Realm, and Divine Realm were once one complete realm. There were many versions of how the realms used to be, but the people of the Pangu continent believed in one particular one. Legend had it that the one realm was once known as the Yin Yang Realm. Seven beings, known as the Elemental Sovereigns, ruled over the Yin Yang Realm.

The Yin Yang Realm was peaceful until two Elemental Sovereigns waged war. The Elemental Sovereign of Lightning wanted the seven to be the kings and gods of all life that began to appear in the Yin Yang Realm. The Elemental Sovereign of Fire said that the minor life forms should be free to live as they wished and the two Elemental Sovereigns waged war. Many worlds and species were lost during their clash. In the end, the Sovereign of Lightning was slain and the Elemental Sovereign of Fire scattered its body all over the Yin Yang Realm. The Elemental Sovereigns of Light, Water, Wind, Earth, and Darkness remained neutral through the war choosing to help neither side.

None of the other Elemental Sovereigns discovered the hidden plot of one of their own until the Elemental Sovereign of Darkness made its move. Using its very omniscient life force, it divided the Yin Yang Realm into the three known realms of today. The weaker worlds were divided between an infinite number of galaxies and universes into what is now known as The Mortal Realm. The Immortal Realm contained life forms created by the very Elemental Sovereigns. The segregated realms could allow one to ascend to the higher realm upon reaching a certain level of spiritual cultivation.

The five living Elemental Sovereigns were segregated into the Divine Realm so that no more worlds would be destroyed. It was not a realm of divinity, like some other legends claimed. The legend of the Pangu continent, named after the Sovereign of Darkness, knew the truth: the Divine Realm was actually a prison. It was because Pangu had the power to see into the souls of the other Elemental Sovereigns and discovered that they were dissatisfied with the Yin Yang Realm. They wanted to destroy all worlds and begin it anew. That was why they did not interfere with the war. It was Pangu's sacrifice that saved all life, but Pangu regretted to imprison the Elemental Sovereign of Fire with the others as Fire was the only one without thoughts of utter annihilation of life.

After the death of Darkness, known as Pangu; the true creators of the Yin Yang Realm appeared. It could not possibly be described by legend and was simply known as the Heavens. The Heavens created sixty three Sovereigns, nine for each of the seven elements. They would oversee the Immortal Realm and prevent any life from freeing the Elemental Sovereigns. The only way to be a Sovereign was to kill one. The Heavens made a decree that those of the Immortal Realm could not descend into the Mortal Realm.

The Heavens also decreed that no life form should ever possess the power of the fragments of the Sovereigns. These fragments were golden blood from the bodies of the Sovereigns that fell onto the Mortal Realm. It is said that golden rain signified the death Sovereign. Those who possessed them would suffer tribulations from the Heavens. It was because their fates would be seized by their own hands, their talent for cultivation magnified and would gain power close to a Sovereigns. Such power would sow chaos in both lesser realms. The Pangu continent was said to contain fragments of the dead Elemental Sovereign of Darkness. Only there, would gold rain fall as it was the life force of the Elemental Sovereign of Darkness that divided the Yin Yang Realm into three.

The Immortal Realm was said to contain pieces of the body of the Elemental Sovereign of Lightning. People believed that fragments of that dead Elemental Sovereign also lied in the Pangu continent. One thing was clear: those who gained their power would set the imprisoned Elemental Sovereigns free and sow chaos in the Yin Yang Realm. Not even the Heavens will be able to preserve life if the Elemental Sovereign of Lightning is resurrected.

People believed in the legend as the most powerful practitioners were said to be blessed by gold rain in several records and journals of their respective clans and hometowns. When the day turns into night by the way of black clouds, a tribulation would be preventing the immortal ascension of one who claimed the power of the Sovereigns' golden blood. Only nineteen have been recorded in history. Their fates in the Immortal Realm forever a mystery.

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"No matter how many times I read it, I still can't believe such a thing," Guo Yang muttered as he read the copy of the legend his grandfather gave him.

"Ha. Believe it, Yang'er. The Guo Clan has long believed that we have the blood of one of the two dead Elemental Sovereigns in our veins. It is just buried deep inside us. The earliest record of the clan founder's wife stated that he died upon awakening the power of the Elemental Sovereign of Lightning. The imperial clan also claims that their blood contains that of the Elemental Sovereign of Darkness. Lots of other clans believe their own versions of the legend of the origin of cultivation. Those other legends are all lies. Now, can you guess what the divine tattoos are?" Guo Jing asked.

"Could they be connected to the Sovereigns?" he asked as his two elder siblings entered and sat to listen to the patriarch.

"Correct! Good. I don't know how, or why, but you and Guo Mei both have Yin Yang divine tattoos. Do you know what this means? Divine tattoos mean that your bodies have transcended and possess the power to absorb the power of the Sovereign's golden blood. Each drop of Sovereign blood creates life, even creating mountains, rivers, or forests as they touch the ground. The higher tier your divine tattoo is, the more power you can absorb from the Sovereign's blood. Lesser and ordinary divine tattoos mean you can absorb a small amount of the Sovereign's power, but you are most likely to die from the Heaven's tribulation.

Those who have higher divine tattoos can survive, but those with Yin Yang divine tattoos have the power to potentially rival the Sovereigns themselves. It is they the Heavens fear because if they kill a Sovereign, they have the power to break into the Divine Realm or return to the Mortal Realm. With enough numbers, they can shatter the barrier between realms, reunite the Yin Yang Realm, and potentially aid the Elemental Sovereigns to slay the very Heavens and truly become gods of unlimited power," the patriarch sighed. "You two are in grave danger. Do not let anyone know you have Yin Yang divine tattoos, especially the imperial clan. Lin'er, I strongly believe you will develop a Yin Yang divine tattoo as you have the four basic element attributes. It is you I fear for the most as all people of higher clans know that those with four element attributes are guaranteed, guaranteed, to develop Yin Yang divine tattoos."

"You're scaring me grandpa," Guo Lin said.

"Don't worry. You forming a Yin Yang divine tattoo might not happen so soon. You might even ascend before it does. For now, there is no reason to be afraid," Guo Jing smiled as he tapped his grandson's shoulder. "Guo Yang, behave in school this time. Your first day is truly unacceptable. As your siblings have magical beasts, why don't you head to the magical beast shop and buy one of your own? Owning a magical beast has many benefits to your cultivation."

"How is cultivation classified anyway?" Guo Mei asked.

"Ah, an excellent question. Your parents will handle it from here," Guo Jing said as Guo Feng and Ji Ting arrived, thanking him as it meant Guo Yang had to spend time with them.

"How was my wife's assessment on Guo Mei's transformation?" Guo Jing whispered.

"Too terrifying. Based on what Guo Mei said, I can only believe that a fragment of Pangu actually formed self-consciousness and went inside her. Her power over the darkness element is unrivaled, even turning into dark forms of other elements. She can even fuse lightning into darkness to make true black lightning," Guo Feng whispered. "Mother said she needs to see you and discuss what happened. This is a grave matter."

"Alright," Guo Jing said and left as the parents smiled and sat across their children on the mats spread over the room.

"Children, cultivation is classified into seven levels, much like how there are seven elements," Guo Feng began. "The first level is the easiest to pass, if you have the necessary innate talent to cultivate. Of the three of you, Guo Mei and Guo Yang entered the second level due to their Yin Yang divine tattoos. The first level is known as the Energy Stimulation stage. The second level is known as the Spirit Forming stage. The second stage is when you truly must cultivate with diligence."

"Is it that hard?" Guo Mei asked.

"It is," Ji Ting answered. "Right now, your body cannot contain much spirit energy as you have not created your Spirit Realm. If you meditate and close your eyes, all you see is darkness, like any other mortal. The second stage requires you to create a realm to contain your spirit energy. If you have no element attributes, your spirit realm will be void of any elements, only wisps and mists visible within. Surprisingly, both Guo Mei and Guo Yang have already formed their Spirit Realm and only need to convert their spirit energy to form the elements within."

Within the empty Spirit Realm of Guo Yang was the red serpentine dragon that was his Yin Yang divine tattoo. It currently flew in a circle around the neidan, the marble appearing like a moon while spirit energy it refined appeared as an aurora. Within Guo Mei's Spirit Realm was the giant crimson eye, a halo of darkness around the eye like an ice ring. However, their spirit realms were both void of any elements on the surface.

"The third level is known as Element Adept stage. This is the stage that your father, grandfather, myself, and many people in the city are stuck on. Why? We do not have element attributes. We must cultivate to the peak and forcibly intake pure elemental spirit energy and risk a single tribulation bolt of lightning to gain an element attribute. Otherwise, we are stuck as the practitioner must reach the state known as being one with the elements. Another way is through contracting with a magical beast and waiting for it to reach the fourth level and gain one of its attributes," Guo Feng said. "Red Shadow is at the peak of the Element Adept stage and your grandfather will either receive the fire or darkness attribute. Once he reaches the state of being one with the elements, he can finally breakthrough to the fourth level. Your grandma, Guo Li, is the only member in our Guo Clan's history to reach that level. Now you know why our clan is not that powerful."

"Is this true?" Guo Yang asked the snake as it coiled behind him while he leaned back against it.

"Yes, Exalted One. Human classifications are like this. Contracted magical beasts have our own cultivation with some advantage and disadvantages when compared to free magical beasts, as you had once been," Red Shadow hissed, everyone else just hearing the snake hiss and unable to interpret what it said.

"So it is true. Interesting," Guo Yang nodded as Ji Ting and Guo Feng sighed.

"The fourth level is known as the Meteor Vessel stage. It is in that stage that we can contract with middle ranked immortal magical weapons, armors, and items. You were given low ranked immortal swords and spear, right? You can make, use, or bind middle ranked immortal treasures at the fourth level. It is called the Meteor Vessel stage as your Spirit Realm enlarges and meteors will flash through the skies, possessing holy spirit energy. This is the stage where you convert spirit energy into holy spirit energy, preparing your body to become that of an immortal," Guo Feng said.

"Let me warn you that Tang City's guards are all at the fourth level. The real weapons of the Gold Lotus Armory make middle ranked magical treasures. This is also why nobles have some disdain as commoners decide to join the Lotus City Guards to gain access to middle ranked immortal treasures," Ji Ting said. "As for the fifth to seventh levels, we do not know much of them as our clan has never reached those levels. We only know the names of practitioners who reached those levels. Practitioners at the fifth level are called Earth Mortals, they are called Sky Mortals at the sixth level, and the last level are called Heavenly Mortals."

"The Immortal Realm is the combination of a countless number of planets so don't expect to wander the planets and galaxies in the Immortal Realm. That is why Sky Mortals visit other worlds as they are no longer restricted to the earth of their home planet. It is said that the matriarch of the empire is in the sixth stage, a Sky Mortal. However, she cares not about his clan or this realm and even tolerated the near annihilation of her clan long before it founded the Song Dynasty," Guo Feng shuddered. "Okay, now you know the cultivation levels and the history of how it began. You can all leave for the magical beast shop and help Guo Yang pick a magical beast. Guo Mei and Guo Yang, you must ask the shop keeper about how to raise your magical beasts."

"Okay dad," the two elder siblings said as Guo Yang just nodded and was the first to leave.

"I will be the strongest in this world. I have the power of the Elemental Sovereign of Darkness. I know it," Guo Mei muttered as she stared at the backs of her little brothers.

As Guo Lin pulled ahead, Guo Yang turned back and said, "So that eye in your Spirit Realm is a fragment of the Elemental Sovereign that gained consciousness? Is that how you got your Yin Yang divine tattoo?"

"How do you know that?" she gasped as Guo Lin talked to the guards to prepare an escort.

"You think I didn't see?" Guo Yang smirked. "Which of us least likes to hang out with strangers or our parents? I was there the whole time, watching. You screamed, yet no sound came out. A pillar of light fell, but it was also black light as mine had been. The only difference was I did not hear a shriek in my head. Neither did Red Shadow. It was interesting to hear an alternate version grandpa patriarch told me. You know, it does take more than a half hour to set up a private party."

"You're not going to tell anyone?" she asked.

"Why would I do that? It would spoil the fun. However, you must have paid a price. I just anticipate to witness exactly what it is," Guo Yang smiled and walked ahead.

"He could complicate things for us, for you," a voice spoke in her head. "What do you think will happen if people found out you are destined to harvest souls? You must collect fragments of what I was. Train hard and absorb the other pieces of me."

"He's my brother. I can't kill my own family," Guo Mei shook her head.

"Come now. Practitioners need to let go of the mundane. Forget your mortal relations and pursue the path to true power. Let the whole world know who Guo Mei is. Let them see you in their eyes and worship the very ground you walk on. Let them offer you their souls," the voice whispered. "Let the darkness consume you. Embrace it. Embrace me!"

"NO!" she screamed and everyone turned to her in shock, Guo Yang narrowing his eyes.

"Sis?" Guo Lin said, concerned.

"Sorry. I....I think I need some rest. Go shopping without me," Guo Mei said and ran home.

"What was that about?" Guo Lin asked.

"Maybe that thing females struggle with?" Guo Yang said, thoughts swirling in his head and reached a conclusion.

"Big sister is a girl," Guo Lin nodded. "Never noticed before. She was always training like a maniac."

"She might very well turn into one," Guo Yang muttered as he and Guo Lin entered a carriage and were escorted to the magical beast shop.

"Breaking news! Breaking news!" a boy shouted, Guo Yang ordering the carriage to stop so he could listen. "Breaking news! The imperial guards are coming this way! Anyone who has information of a golden pillar of light that appeared one week ago will be awarded ten million demon spirit coins!"

"What? Guards, get me a paper from that boy," Guo Yang said, a gold paper handed through the carriage window in less than thirty seconds.

"What's wrong, little brother?" Guo Lin asked.

"It seems the emperor is interested in golden pillars. Heh. I suppose it might have been my Yin Yang divine tattoo that alerted them, not Guo Mei's. I'm pretty sure the reward will increase as they would have sensed the Yin Yang divine tattoo of hers using some method," Guo Yang said as he handed the paper.

"What would happen if I formed mine?" Guo Lin asked, knowing his little brother was smarter.

"I think they would marry you off to one of the emperor's children as a measure of control. You know how rich and powerful people are. They always love to consolidate their power and use any means to stay on top. Who knows? Maybe one of the princesses might be pretty? Course, she could be a fat or too short or tall. You can't judge appearances either," Guo Yang sighed.

"Why not?" Guo Lin asked, never having entered a relationship.

"I wouldn't know. I never dated anyone," Guo Yang said, the truth for both lives. "One thing I do know, politics is a dirty thing. No doubt, they must be cunning and constantly fighting to be the next emperor or empress. They might look beautiful, but have a nasty personality. She could be fat, but be the nicest person in the world. Humans have many....layers and can't be judged without an ample amount of time personally analyzing them."

"You know, grandpa said the same thing about herbs in the garden," Guo Lin said, Guo Yang laughing upon hearing the words.

"Remember one thing: the only person you can truly trust with any matter in the world is yourself. You should only ally with the powerful and tolerate them. The weak? Unless they are of use, or potential use, don't bother with them. They will hold you back," Guo Yang said.

"That's a rather lonely thing, isn't it?" Guo Lin asked.

"It was," Guo Yang said, Guo Lin looking at him curiously as the carriage pressed on.