Chapter 1225 Perfected Path (Part 1): The Missing Piece
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Benedict stared at Shin with an astounded gaze. He could not believe how this guy changed so much and become this strong in just a day. From his perspective, this junior seemed to have undergone a series of changes since they met yesterday.
"What happened to this kid?" he mumbled as he looked at Shin while wearing a deep frown.
He was surprised earlier when he saw Shin in front of the professor's house. He was also taken aback when the latter asked him to oversee his training and even invited him for a quick spar. Little did he know that this guy would show him something like this.
Shin did not show him any fancy moves or advanced techniques. He did not even use his Fire Elemental Attribute, nor the Solar Breathing Technique and Golden Immortality Technique.
Instead, Shin showed him a bunch of basic techniques under the Four Symbol Scripture along with the four special Mentalism Methods under it.
At first, Benedict was quite confused about what Shin was trying to show him, but he later realized that it was not about the battle techniques or some sort of special abilities.
He discovered that Shin was trying to show him how smooth and flawless his transition between the four special Mentalism Methods was and how he was able to use the techniques under them without any issues.
There was some awkwardness initially as Shin seemed to be trying to test something. But he later became more accustomed to it as time passed and was able to fight without a problem.
It was also at this moment that Benedict realized that Shin was able to summon a complete Aura Manifestation of this Mentalism.
Shin was having a hard time summoning it before because of the complexity of the Mentalism Method, but he was now able to achieve it without having any issues.
Behind Shin, Benedict could see the translucent apparitions of four divine beasts. A vermillion bird, an azure dragon, a black tortoise wrapped with a serpent, and a white tiger – these four beasts were forming a special battle formation behind Shin while glaring at his opponent.
Even Benedict, who was way ahead of Shin when it came to Mentalism, could sense an overwhelming pressure just by staring at them.
It was at this moment when Benedict realized how strong the Four Symbol Scripture was that Shin was practicing.
The sparring continued for a few more moments which led Benedict to spot a couple of problems from Shin's techniques and battle style. He could not lay his figure on it completely, but he could feel something was still missing.
It seemed like despite how perfect the Four Symbol Scripture was, there was still a missing piece hidden somewhere. It did not give the feeling of 'completeness' like the other Mentalism Methods that Benedict had encountered or known.
Benedict did not know what it was, but he was sure that if Shin managed to find it, this junior would achieve something that most mentalists wanted to reach.
Shin also noticed it and could not help but stop to contemplate. He stopped and supported his chin with his right hand while his elbow was held by the other. He fell into a deep thought, trying to find what he was missing.
He was wearing a deep frown while thinking, but he could still not find what he was looking for. "What is it? Everything is perfect but why do I feel that there is still something missing in it?"
Earlier, during their rehearsal, he had been inspired by 'rhythm' and 'arrangements', which was why he was able to learn how to properly transition between the four special methods of the 'Four Symbol Scripture' without affecting each other.
He was even able to enhance the effects of each technique by using the other techniques that complemented each other. He was reaching the mastery that Grandmaster Benn had set for him.
He might not be there yet, but he was infinitely close to it and just missing something.
Even though he still could not fuse it with the 'Solar Breathing Technique' and 'Golden Immortality Technique', due to his unfamiliarity with them, he was still able to achieve the state that he wanted.
He could even use his Natural State while using all methods of the Four Symbol Scripture, which was great progress already. Yet he was still feeling that he was missing a single piece of the puzzle. And this missing piece was the most important of them all.
"What is it?" mumbled Shin as he was trying to find the answer.
Benedict had some ideas, but even he was not confident with the answer. He could give Shin some ideas, but he chose not to say anything as he wanted his junior to find the answer himself.
After all, the elders always said that 'the answer that you had found yourself was something that you would remember for a lifetime'.
Benedict wanted Shin to discover the answer himself so that it would accompany him forever.
Seeing that Shin was currently in deep thought, Benedict also relaxed before heading to a corner and resting. Given that this junior of his was lost in thought, he suspected that it would take some time before Shin was able to pull himself back to reality.
"Is it because I still have not awaken the rest of my innate attributes? No, it is not like that. This is about techniques and the Mentalism Method itself and not about my Mentalism Path."
"There must be something else. The missing piece must be somewhere else."
Shin repeatedly muttered to himself as he was trying to find the right answer. But despite how hard he tried to think, he could not come up with the right answer.
In the end, he could only sigh in disappointment before coming back to reality. When he came back to his senses, he found out that he was still in the middle of the training room in Professor Henry's house.
Looking around, he saw Benedict lying on the floor in the corner of the room, sleeping comfortably. He could even hear this senior snoring slightly while traveling inside a dream.
Shin then looked at the window and noticed that it was still dark outside. And when he looked at his advanced watch, he realized that it was already half past 12 at midnight. "Oh! It is already this late!? Tsk! Tsk! I have lost track of time!"
With that, Shin did not wake up Benedict and walked out of the training room silently. He was slowly and carefully closing the door when he got out when he noticed that someone was looking at him from behind.
His head quickly snapped toward the direction of the gaze while being on full alert.
On the sofa, under the shade of the night, he saw someone sitting calmly while looking at him in full amusement.
Shin squinted his eyes and focused his Mental Energy on them, activating his unique ocular technique, the True Sight. When he did, the appearance of the person calmly sitting on the sofa was slowly revealed in his vision.
"Professor!" said Shin in surprise as he quickly recognized the other party.
Professor Henry, who just came back from his trip, slightly nodded his head. He then smiled at Shin while saying. "It seems like you have been working really hard these past few days. I heard from Benedict that you are making such huge progress."
"Have you discovered something interesting? I have noticed that your breathing and energy circulation are much different from before."
"I can also feel some interesting changes that pique my interest," the professor paused for a moment before continuing. "You are practicing two new breathing techniques – and both of them have pinnacle potential."
Pausing for a moment, Professor Herny continued. "One of them is the 'Golden Immortality Technique' and you have gained the initial mastery of it already."
"As for the other-… hmm… this is interesting. It is similar to Fire Breathing but has a much better application. It is also possessing some similarities with the other techniques that I have suggested to you, yet it also carries some noticeable differences."
"What is it called?" asked the professor after failing to guess the technique that Shin was using.
Shin was very much surprised at the professor. He did not expect that Professor Henry would instantly see through the techniques that he was using. A single glance was more than enough to identify the changes and progress that he had made since the last time they had met.
Regaining his composure, Shin bowed at the professor before answering. "It is something that I have learned just recently. It doesn't have a real name yet, but I called it the 'Solar Breathing Technique'."
"The breath of the sun. Amazing, amazing. It matches its properties very well. I feel and see why you have given it such a name," said the professor while nodding his head repeatedly.
Then the next words that the professor had said shocked Shin very much. "A combination of the Fire Breathing used by most practitioners and a breathing technique that is used in forging equipment and weapons. Then combining them with a circulation technique that perfectly matches their properties."
"What a very suitable breathing technique for you," the professor repeatedly praised before adding. "I am guessing that you have learned it from the game?"
Shin's eyes turned completely wide as he heard those words. He could not believe that not only was the professor able to identify how he had created the technique, but also guessed its origin completely.
After being stunned for a couple of moments, Shin absentmindedly nodded his head, confirming the guess of the professor.
Professor Henry ignored the silly look that Shin was making and continued to nod his head. "Good! Good!"
"But you don't have to be too surprised. This is not the first time that such a thing has happened. You are not the first person to achieve such a feat either. In fact, it is not that big of a deal either. This will be revealed to everyone sooner or later. However, achieving it is much harder compared to what anyone can imagine."
Professor Henry waited for his words to sink inside Shin's head before continuing. "What I am curious about is why you are practicing the 'Golden Immortality Technique'. Don't tell me, you have already awakened your second innate attribute this early?"
Shin finally snapped out of his daze when he heard that before nodding his head, but quickly shaking it after. "It is half like that, professor. I have not completely awakened my second innate attribute. But I have just discovered what it is."
"The Metal Elemental Attribute, huh?" the professor quickly guessed the attribute without Shin telling him about it. He stroked his brows for a moment before nodding his head. "It is perfect. This technique is perfect for you. I am guessing that Benedict has helped you choose it?"
He nodded his head in confirmation.
Then the professor laughed while hitting the sofa repeatedly. "I knew it. That old fatty must have set it up this way. So, he is still stubbornly believing that 'it' is achievable."
"His stubbornness sure knows no bounds. But I can't blame him either since it is theoretically possible," he muttered as he was able to guess the final stage of Shin's Mentalism Method based on the current attributes that he had and was about to gain.
He then turned to Shin before asking. "So, I am guessing that you are trying to find the missing piece, am I right?"
Shin was suddenly taken aback as he did not expect that the professor would instantly realize his current problem. He then slowly nodded his head, confirming the suspicion of the professor.
Professor Henry smiled before saying. "There is no need to rush. You have to take it one step at a time. You don't have to be too anxious about it. You are already on the right path, so all you must do right now is to be patient."
He then paused for a moment as if he was trying to contemplate something. After a few seconds of consideration, he sighed and added. "Let me give you a little hint. What you lack right now is the 'Link'."
"Link?" Shin confusedly knitted his brows as he repeated the word.
Professor Henry smiled mysteriously before nodding his head. "That is right. The 'link'."
"Season changes but you don't know exactly when. Day and Night swaps but only because you know the sun and the moon rise and set."
Shin creased his brows tightly as he contemplated the words that the professor had given him like a puzzle. He then muttered in a soft voice. "Everything is linked together, but the question is what binds and keeps them together."
He had read those lines from the books that Professor Henry had published. He had read those books before when he was considering which school, where he would enroll in.
Now that the professor had reminded him about it, he felt like he was about to discover the piece that he was missing.
He was close but still too far.
Stubbornly trying to grasp it, Shin continued to think, making him fall into a trance. He felt like the answer was right in front of him, patiently waiting to be discovered.
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