Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

After getting a set of black robes similar to Shin Xuanji’s, Yan Zaizen was finally looking the part of being Han Genji’s disciple. His feelings complex. However, with that old monster out of the way, he may be able to try to escape. At least, that’s what he originally thought until he learned of Shin Xuanji & Lin Feilin’s cultivation bases, Peak Qi Revolving and Initial Essence Formation respectively. Just Shin Xuanji would be enough to restrain him, let alone Lin Feilin.

He walked over towards Lin Feilin, only to feel chilled by her eyes, and feeling awkward. Normally, Yan Zaizen wouldn’t be this awkward around a woman, but this girl’s chilled aura felt like being in a blizzard.

What man scorned her?

"Uh...Sis...um..." His words just came out awkward, not to mention he didn’t know how to address her. According to disciple etiquette, he should call her by the number she became inducted under the dirty old man, and then her name. However, he didn’t know her number or her name.

Seeing his plight, Shin Xuanji stepped forwards. "Sixth Sister Fei, I shall take my leave." Looking towards Yan Zaizen, he added, "Ninth Brother Zai, please be careful." Then, while maintaining that smile, he took off towards a door that seemed to be his quarters. Lin Feilin didn’t even respond back or give him a glance at his words, her indifference was out of this world.

Seeing this, he was both thankful and curious. Thankful for informing him of the proper way to refer to this Senior Sister of his, but also curious about the many doors in this wide hall. He didn’t know he was in a cave, and thus figured he was in some odd palace with almost a hundred doors. All of them identical except the one in the center of the room that was larger than most. He assumed that was the exit.

"Uh, Sixth Sister Fei?" He inquired.

"Your cultivation base is too low. Your Qi foundation lacks stability. Your body isn’t developed and hasn’t fully healed. We’ll focus on your Conceptual Law." Her ice-cold voice revealed all of Yan Zaizen’s shortcomings, causing him to grimace at each of her words. However, when he thought about it, especially what she wished to focus on, he felt even more depressed.

In the myriad realms, cultivation base was secondary to concepts and laws in determining one’s talent. One’s cultivation base can be improved with resources, their foundations strengthened with resources, but concepts and laws were based on individual comprehension. Not to mention, they differ vastly from person to person. It’s highly unlikely that two individuals comprehending the same law would have the same concepts.

Laws are individual characteristics of the world and its inner workings. One sees the world’s surface with the eye and its inner core with the soul. By comprehending the world’s inner workings in its essence, one would be able to draw upon its power to achieve varying effects. Laws were more general, typically indicative of a broad idea. For example, the Law of the Sword, Five Elements, or Yin-Yang.

They were also divided into different grades, typically another indication of strength and complexity: Mortal, World, and Imperial. Mortal-Grade indicates a law that’s an aspect of a whole but not independent, such as the Sword, Bone, Blood, or Decay. World-Grade has in abundance and conforms with the natural world, such as Gravity, Five Elements, or Space. Imperial-Grade laws are those that have existed at the initiation of the myriad realms and are the highest level of law one can comprehend, such as Spacetime, Yin-Yang, or Samsara.

While a concept is a person’s personal comprehension of the laws, it can also relate to a specific legacy of a sect or personal path. The Sword Law is the world’s law of the Mortal Sword, but each person’s comprehension may form differing concepts such as the Flowing Sword Concept or Tyrannical Sword Concept. They have their unique strengths and weaknesses, therefore being rather broad, but their overall strength enhancement would be similar.

Each Conceptual Law is determined by five levels and four successes. Similar to the Immortal Herculean Art in that regard. The levels were Nascent, Force, Manifestation, Domain, and Sovereign. While the four successes are Initial Success, Minor Success, Major Success, Perfection.

Yan Zaizen however, in sixteen years of cultivation, hasn’t developed his own concept. This quite literally meant he was trash of his generation.

Seeing his reaction, Lin Feilin’s indifferent gaze couldn’t help but show a little bit of disdain and surprise. Assuming that his concept was only Mortal Grade, and in its early stages of development, hence his embarrassment, Lin Feilin demanded. "Show me your concept."

Hearing that cold voice, he woke up from his depression and could only feel helpless.

"I-I don’t have one." He responded dejectedly.

"?"

"..."

"What?"

"Yeah."

"You don’t have one?"

"..."

Seeing his lack of response, Lin Feilin was now thoroughly surprised. This person before her was literal trash. Why did Master pick him to be his disciple? She couldn’t help but think. She gave Yan Zaizen a closer look at his foundations. Her previous assessment was spot on. This youth was trash beyond trash. However, considering that her Master chose him as his disciple, he must have something about him, so she’ll simply go through a checklist of talents.

"Show me your strongest art." She demanded coldly.

"..."

Arts were divided into three categories, five classes, four grades, and four successes.

Three categories: Qi, Martial, and Soul.

Qi Arts related towards arts utilizing energy, Martial Arts are bodily arts using vital energies built up within one’s body, and Soul arts are arts using soul energy.

Five classes: Internal, Aura, Manifestation, World, & Divine.

Internal refers to self-contained art, typically one that relates to themselves/internal/channeling. An example of an Internal-Class Martial Art would be an art that enhances one’s strikes or defends against them. Aura-based would use one’s specific energy to create an aura/domain to affect or enhance one’s abilities/affect your opponents. Similar to the Gravity Art from Fei Shiyan, who was killed by Han Genji.

Manifestation arts means to manifest your attacks or defenses into a solid construct, either Vital, Qi, or Soul-related. World-based are attacks that affect a grand scale. Divine-Based arts are unique arts with miraculous effects that are outside of standard means, typically forbidden and requires a cost for being used. The forbidden art Fei Shiyan used in his bid to escape Han Genji was a Divine-Based art.

Four grades: Low, Standard, Superior, and Pinnacle.

Four successes: Initial Success, Minor Success, Major Success, and Perfection.

With a deep breath, rotating his cultivation base, his aura skyrocketed to the peak he could at the Initial Qi Revolving Realm. He performed the Yan Clan’s internal-class, low-grade Qi Art - Great Yan Fist. This art had been practiced to the minor success stage, and therefore his strongest art. He slammed his fist into the ground, causing very little noise or any sort of disturbance.

His eyes widened.

So tough!

However, Lin Feilin’s thoughts differed.

So WEAK?!

He looked towards her in anticipation. She coldly looked at him, this time with even more of an icy-gaze.

She said only one word, "Trash!"