During the process of entering the Spirit Cycle Realm, there were two steps that must be accomplish.

The first step was gathering all of one's natural energy and condense it all into a sphere. This sphere was called the spirit core and thus, this first stage was also referred to as the spirit core phase. The second and next step was called the core rotation phase because, as the name infers, cultivators must be able to rotate their core naturally.

The first phase of entering the Spirit Cycle Realm isn't difficult, however, to have the core rotate naturally and constantly wasn't easy. Condensing a spirit core requires a vast amount of energy. However, as long as you have enough energy, you can form it.

However, having enough energy to form a core wouldn't be suitable once a person enters the core rotation phase. When the core of a cultivators starts to rotate, the natural energy that formed the spirit core would be released to the outside world and return to nature. This very point is the exact reason why many cultivators have a hard time entering the Spirit Cycle Realm!

If a person used the minimum required amount of natural energy to form a spirit core, within a week of them staying in the core rotation phase, most of the energy that formed the core would've returned to nature and thus, they would returned back to Body Transformation Stage 9. Although they dropped a few levels, the cultivators could trained back to the two phases again. However, because they failed once, the foundation that they built up to the two phases were damaged and so, even if they were to succeed the second time, they wouldn't be able to reach their fullest potential.

But, even if they were to succeed, there was still a high chance that they would enter Body Transformation again. The main goal of Spirit Cycle was to rotate the spirit core constantly and quickly into a vortex. Every "cycle" in the Spirit Cycle represented how many revolutions a spirit core could go through in a minute and thus, the more "cycles" a cultivator was at, the faster the spirit core would rotate and the more natural energy would be released.

With so many discouraging factors, it's no wonder that the ratio of cultivator to mortal is 1:1000. However, the path of cultivation has existed since the beginning of time. Long, long, long ago, cultivators found three ways to prolong the process of the energy release.

The first method was the most basic and that was to meditate and absorb natural energy. Although cultivators lose energy from the rotation of their cores, they are able to absorb energy faster than it's released. This method was the cheapest way to prevent the energy release, but it was only sustainable for those at the low cycles of Spirit Cycle. At a certain cycle, the average being 10 cycles for most cultivators, the cultivator wouldn't be able to absorb natural energy at a fast enough rate to sustain the spirit core.

The second method was the most common method and that was to study a cultivation manual. For those of middle, decent, or high cultivation families or clans, cultivation manuals were their foundation! Cultivation manuals all had special ways for a cultivator to train. However, there were different classes and grades of cultivation manuals and the difference in a grade or class could determine your future.

The last method was the most expensive and dangerous and that was to absorb more natural energy than what one's body could contain. The natural energy that form the spirit core is based on how much natural energy is in one's body and shouldn't exceed more than one could normal handle. The only time when cultivators hold more energy than other are because they're dual refiners of body and energy or have special blood and genes.

In the case of Jiufeng, who was about to breakthrough to the Spirit Cycle Realm, he was going to use the third method with the help of Qin Daozi. Although he hasn't reach the ninth stage of Body Transformation in energy refining, the purpose of the Body Transformation Realm was to allow cultivators to developed a strong body to hold and contain large amount of energy to condense a spirit core.

In truth, one could only be considered a cultivator if they reach Spirit Cycle. Historians believe that in ancient times, Body Transformation didn't exist as cultivators were naturally borned with spirit cores. However, more and more mortals were gaining the ability to cultivate and thus, Body Transformation was created. But, this is still a theory among cultivators.

With the Half-Step Spirit Cycle Realm body, Jiufeng's body would obviously be able to maintain and control more energy than most of his peers and so condense a superior spirit core. However, to Qin Daozi, simply having a "superior" core doesn't amount to much. So, to help his "little brother" he took out the Frozen Skytears, liquefied natural energy that were condensed from the elements in an absolute, freezing cold environment.

.....

Within a room of the Cultivation Hall, Jiufeng sat before three floating droplets of blue liquids. A layer of thin white mist surrounded the three drops that emitted a horrifying chill.

Looking at the Frozen Skytears, Jiufeng took a deep breathe before gathering all of the natural energy in his body. He willed into a single point in his chest, but just before the heart. In less than five minutes, all of the natural energy within him formed a small, transparent orb.

It was his spirit core. However, this spirit core had a nuance of purple in it which came from the Violet Air. Just this spirit core alone was enough for Jiufeng to be at the top of his generation. But this was just the start.

Now after forming the core, Jiufeng took a tiny, tiny amount of natural energy and sent it to one of the Frozen Skytear. The moment his energy came into contact with it, the Frozen Skytear blasted out a chilling wave that turned the whole room into a freezer, but Jiufeng managed to took it.

It entered through his mouth and he allowed it to go through his bloodstreams until a tiny blue drop of liquid was now before his spirit core. However, by doing so, the Frozen Skytear released a large amount of icy energy that was spread throughout his body.

Layers of frost appeared on him and Jiufeng felt his entire being numb. At this moment a tiny stream of golden energy appeared inside him.

"Don't worry about the numbness or frost. Concentrate on extracting the natural energy from the Frozen Skytear." Qin Daozi said calmly.

As the golden energy spread throughout him, the icy pain that Jiufeng felt was slowly vanishing. He sent another stream of energy into the Frozen Skytear and then pulled it into his spirit core.

Then, an earth-shaking battle between him and Frozen Skytear took place within his spirit core!

The Frozen Skytear was constantly thrashing and slamming into the membrane of the spirit core. However, Jiufeng was constantly pouring his natural energy into it, doing his best to suppress it. But the Frozen Skytear was a miracle of nature. It contained the power to freeze the world and sealed all life in ice. Even with the help of Human Emperor Qin Daozi, how could a mere child who hasn't reach Spirit Cycle yet truly suppress and refine it with ease?

Tiny cracks appeared on the core as Frozen Skytear continued to slam into it. However, Jiufeng disregarded it all and continue to pour his energy into it. After two hours, the Frozen Skytear completely submitted and then dispersed into a blue gas.

The blue gas swarmed and churned in spirit core. The tiny cracks that appeared on his core were restored and now, a blue hue was added to the purple core, giving it a now new bluish-purple color.

Jiufeng opened his eyes and then took a deep breathe. He then started to concentrate and maintain his core. Half an hour flew by and then he opened his eyes again.

"Yes!" Jiufeng punched the air. "I've finally refined the first Frozen Skytear."

"Yep, but there's two more to go so take a ten seconds break and then start refining the second one." Qin Daozi materialize in front of him and said with a big, bright smile.

"Ah!" Jiufeng gripped his head and banged it on the ground. However, he had no choice and begun to refine the last two Frozen Skytears shortly after.

.....

Night flew by and the morning sun was beginning to rise again. As the sun rises, Jiufeng walked out of the Cultivation Hall and walked for ten minutes before sitting down at a secluded area with dense trees.

As he cultivated the [Violet East Air Scripture], the spirit core in his body was rotating madly as he absorbs the Violet Air. However, as he sat there, a powerful aura was released from him. It was an aura of otherworldly quality, filled with power and nothing mundane. It was the aura of Spirit Cycle!

After he absorbed the three Frozen Skytears, Jiufeng's spirit core transformed from a transparent, purple core to a blue-purple core that was thick and dense in natural energy! At the same time, his body gained a bit of muscle and he was now slightly taller than he was before. His features were also more defined and handsome than before.

As of this moment, Jiufeng was in the Spirit Cycle Realm for both his body and his cultivation base!

Time flew by once again and once he was done cultivating, Qin Daozi materialize before him.

"Ah...it sure is nice being outside again." Qin Daozi melancholy said.

"Big Bro, how fast do you think it'll take me to reach Spiritual Vortex?" Jiufeng stood up and stretched his arms.

"Hm...most likely within half a year."

"Half a year?!" Jiufeng shouted. "Are you sure I'll be able to cultivate so quickly?"

"Of course. However, you can cultivate even faster." Qin Daozi rubbed his right hand slightly.

"What do you mean?"

Qin Daozi said nothing as he pressed his right index finger onto Jiufeng's forehead.

"Jeez, you have too many OP techniques and skills now. Even I didn't have so many stuck in my head when I was your age. Well, since I'm your cheat, it's only natural that you have so many."

As he spoke a stream of knowledge was being transmitted to Jiufeng's head.

[Receiving Cultivation Art!]

[Cultivation Art Identified! Cultivation Art: Pathless Origin Grimoire!]

"Make sure to learn this cheat-art well. Okay, protagonist?" Qin Daozi smiled gently.

However, his last words weren't received by Jiufeng. The world around Jiufeng completely disappeared, replaced with endless space. Just with his eyes, he could see thousands of stars and sense the presences of many more.

But, Jiufeng wasn't focus upon the stars nor the endless space. Rather, he was looking straight ahead. His eyes were locked onto the figure of a man. Although he couldn't see the man's face, he see could the man's long blue hair which blew without any wind, his tall and strong stature, as well as sense his ethereal and godly aura.

Within the blue haired man's right hand was a golden coin with complex symbols and designs that looked far more beautiful than any building or architecture in Everdawn Academy. The man flipped the coin and the moment it landed it his hand again, it transformed into a golden staff.

Under the stunned views of Jiufeng, the man then threw the staff and it morphed into a golden spear! It struck into his forehead, but he didn't bleed. In fact, he didn't even feel pain.

Rather, the moment the golden spear went through his forehead, the endless space and stars around him transformed again. He was now in a vast, empty, black void. Here, there were no stars and not even the endless space. He felt that although this black void was vast and boundless in size, it was also small. Very small, in fact.

However, in this black void, he saw a book. It was colored black, had white sheets, and hard-covered. There was no title, no author, and no words.

Despite its irregularity, Jiufeng picked up the book and opened it. As he turn the book cover, he was greeted with the words: Pathless Origin Grimoire.

However, these words didn't stay for long as the black ink on the first page morphed into a new line. These new words were of a completely different language that Jiufeng couldn't identify. Just when he was about to call for Eden, the words once again morphed into a language that he knew.

As he look at the translated words, he eyes became saucer as he read the title.

"Solomon's Diary: Tale of the First King of Humanity.”