First Legendary Dragon: Starting With The Limitless System

Lumi floated near, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

[Master, your Sea of Consciousness is extraordinary, so this path suits you perfectly!]

Orion smiled gently, nodding. 'Exactly my thought. Let's delve deeper.'

He turned the page to the section labeled <Branches of Spirit Arts>, noting carefully each of the categories.

"First, <Spirit Contracts>," Orion began, studying the beautifully illustrated diagrams of spirit sigils.

<Summoning and binding contracted beasts requires carefully crafting a Spirit Sigil within the Sea of Consciousness. Apparently, most practitioners can only manage up to three contracted beasts at their same level.>

Lumi tilted her head thoughtfully.

[Only three? But Master, your Sea of Consciousness is massive—surely you can handle far more?]

Orion chuckled lightly, nodding thoughtfully. 'Likely, but let's not rush. The book specifically cautions against attempting to contract spirits beyond one's capacity due to severe soul backlash.'

He continued reading: 'High-ranking practitioners can evolve or fuse their summons, although such practices are incredibly rare and difficult. The book provides detailed instructions on summoning a basic Spirit Contract suitable for practitioners up to Tier 3 Awakening Grade.'

Lumi hummed curiously, hovering close to the diagrams.

[Master, imagine contracting a powerful spirit—how amazing would that be!]

Orion smiled gently, eyes bright with anticipation. 'Perhaps soon, Lumi. Let's master these basics first.'

Moving onward, he reached the second branch:

<Spirit Communication allows understanding and dialogue with all sentient beings, whether beasts, artifacts, ancient constructs, or even sealed souls. This ability is essential for calming spirits, negotiation, or uncovering lost knowledge.>

Orion paused, intrigued by the illustrated runic symbols representing the basic Spirit Language. 'So there's a universal Spirit Language practitioners must learn. The book includes basic phrases and simple grammar structures necessary for preliminary communication. It's fascinating.'

[Hehe, maybe you can talk with that Cow-Dragon directly, Master. But she seems to know the common language as well.]

Orion chuckled softly. 'She's not a simple weapon spirit after all. But well, matters not. I will gestate my Realm Guardian's spirit someday—it will come in handy then.'

Next came Spirit Sense. Orion's attention sharpened, carefully absorbing the descriptions: <Practitioners can detect soul signatures, spiritual threads, hidden curses, or malicious intentions. Advanced users perceive even residual emotions or lingering echoes from the past.>

Orion thoughtfully murmured, 'This… this could be quite useful regarding Seraph. Not only to know if she has a curse or not, but also to know her emotions.'

Lumi nodded enthusiastically.

[You'd see through her right away, Master!]

Thinking about a few things for a moment, Orion continued onward to Soul Techniques, noting immediately the caution in the author's tone:

<These arts directly impact an opponent's soul—examples include Soul Pierce, Dream Bind, Karma Burn, and Echo Slash. Such techniques are devastating against cultivators who neglect proper soul defenses. Yet practitioners must first ignite the Life Fire within the Sea of Consciousness before safely practicing even basic Soul Techniques.>

Orion paused briefly, his expression serious. 'So this is what Grandma meant by Life Fire, huh? Looks like it's quite dangerous. I'll ask her for advice later.'

Finally, he reached Spirit Imbuement. His eyes lit up, fascinated by the possibilities outlined:

<Spirit Artists collaborate with Runesmiths to create Spirit Weapons—items with their own consciousness, self-growth potential, memory retention, and emotional bonds. Without Spirit Artists breathing 'life' into them, these weapons remain mere tools.>

Lumi clapped her hands excitedly.

[Master, that would be incredible! A weapon that can grow and evolve alongside you!]

Orion shook his head. 'There must be restrictions. Otherwise, it's pretty impossible to grow alongside the user indefinitely. Well, we need to look further into this later.'

The final section summarized why Spirit Arts remained exceptionally rare, emphasizing the necessity for a powerful Sea of Consciousness, high soul strength, and innate spiritual sensitivity.

Few cultivators possessed even rudimentary perception of spiritual threads, let alone mastered these skills safely.

Orion closed the book momentarily, leaning back comfortably in his chair. His mind buzzed excitedly with possibilities, eagerly processing the incredible potential of the Spirit Arts.

He imagined himself wielding such techniques, communicating with spirits, sensing hidden dangers, and crafting powerful Spirit Weapons.

After a brief pause, Orion reopened the book, carefully studying the diagrams and instructions for crafting a basic Spirit Sigil to summon a contracted beast, diligently memorizing every detail.

He repeatedly practiced the foundational Spirit Language phrases aloud, growing accustomed to their elegant yet unfamiliar sounds.

Hours passed steadily, the sunlight shifting gently through his window. Orion's dedication kept him focused, meticulously absorbing the details and carefully building his foundational understanding.

Occasionally, Lumi offered playful remarks, keeping the mood light and enjoyable.

Eventually, Orion felt fully satisfied with his thorough comprehension of Spirit Arts at the Awakening Grade, up to Tier 3.

He exhaled contentedly, closing the beautifully bound book.

Lumi bobbed cheerfully, clearly proud.

[Master, your dedication is truly amazing! You've learned three entire side professions' foundational books in mere days!]

Orion chuckled softly, standing slowly to stretch his slightly stiff limbs. 'Those were quite fun. Especially the Spirit Art one. Not only did it open a whole new path for me, but it also helped me to know about the Spirit Language.'

'Now, the next step will be choosing which of these professions to cultivate first.'

Orion exhaled gently, leaning back from his desk with a thoughtful sigh as he placed the book back inside his storage ring.

Outside, the sky had darkened, stars slowly piercing the dark night, their distant glow reflecting softly through his large window.

Deciding to sort through his thoughts, Orion rose slowly and walked toward his spacious bed. He lay down comfortably, closing his eyes as the day's study sessions replayed vividly within his mind.

The three paths of Runesmithing, Alchemy, and Spirit Arts unfolded clearly in his mind, each uniquely appealing.

Runesmithing fascinated him with its precise craftsmanship and profound magical potential, while Alchemy held versatile and invaluable utility in refining potions and herbs that could augment his cultivation.

Yet it was Spirit Arts that intrigued him most deeply, especially given his naturally vast Sea of Consciousness.

The sheer variety of abilities—from contracting powerful spirits, communicating with entities, sensing hidden dangers, to wielding potent soul techniques—excited him immensely.

He smiled faintly, already envisioning the possibilities.

He remained lost in quiet contemplation for a while until a gentle knock sounded at his door, accompanied by Rina's soft voice, "Young Master, dinner is ready. Everyone is waiting."

Orion opened his eyes slowly, rising gracefully from the bed. "Thank you, Rina. I'll be right there."

Upon reaching the dining hall, he was warmly greeted by Selene, Eldric, and Fiora, the scent of delicious food filling the air.

As they settled into dinner, Orion turned toward Selene, his voice calm yet genuinely curious. "Grandma, earlier I came across something called 'Life Fire Ignition' in the Spirit Arts. Can you explain more about this Soul Training Path?"

Selene's eyes brightened thoughtfully. "Oh, you already read about Life Fire Ignition? It's an essential milestone for cultivating the soul."

She began calmly, "The first stage is Life Fire Ignition. The Life Fire is awakened within your Sea of Consciousness, appearing as a flickering spiritual flame. At first, it's shapeless and unstable, providing basic soul awareness and resistance against low-tier illusions."

Orion nodded thoughtfully. "So it enhances clarity and offers foundational defense for the mind and soul?"