Chapter 48: Spirit Sense, System’s Awakening...?
"It’s already evening, and that kid still hasn’t come out," a man muttered in mild irritation as he made his way toward the training rooms.
Caelum had entered quite some time ago, and yet there had been no sign of him since.
Ordinarily, he avoided disturbing students while they were training, but in this case, he found it hard to believe that a child could remain inside for such an extended period without interruption.
In his mind, children of this generation lacked the endurance and discipline his own generation had once possessed, and as he walked, he continued grumbling under his breath, half complaining about modern youth and half lamenting his own workload.
When he arrived outside the room, he activated a small magic circle to bypass the standard lock mechanism and pushed the door open.
The moment he stepped inside, his expression changed.
Caelum was seated cross-legged in the center of the room, completely still, yet an indescribable and mysterious atmosphere radiated from him, as if he was discovering something profound.
’Something... unusual is happening here,’ the man thought.
After observing for a moment longer, he quietly stepped back and closed the door without making a sound.
Despite his earlier complaints, he was not heartless enough to interrupt someone who appeared to be in the midst of a breakthrough, especially when whatever the child was attempting clearly went beyond ordinary training.
Locking the door once again, he shook his head and muttered under his breath.
"...Damn extra shift."
***
Inside the room, time had long since lost meaning.
When Caelum finally opened his eyes, his mind felt clearer than it had ever been before, as if a veil that had always lingered over his thoughts had been lifted entirely.
He did not know how much time had passed, nor did he particularly care, because the questions that had been troubling him earlier now felt... resolved.
"Now then... I should begin with this," he murmured, taking out the condensed essence of the Spirit Dragon.
The orb resembled the ones his father had once given him, yet its energy felt far deeper and more refined.
Without hesitation, Caelum released his aura, suppressing the core as he carefully began circulating his Qi.
With precise control, he initiated the refinement process, drawing the energy into himself step by step.
Time flowed rapidly.
Without him realizing it, an entire day passed while he remained immersed in the process, and due to the immense energy contained within the orb, he experienced a minor breakthrough during refinement.
He had now reached the 9th Layer of Foundation Establishment.
The peak of the stage.
This marked the culmination of his second phase of cultivation.
During the earlier stage of Qi Condensation, he had learned to gather and refine Qi from the surrounding mana, a process made significantly easier due to his naturally open energy channels, while also strengthening his already exceptional physique.
Now, within the Foundation Establishment stage, his focus had shifted toward refining that Qi further, enhancing its purity, control, and volume within his body.
With his newfound clarity, he finally understood the next step.
The human body itself was a miniature cosmos, a reflection of Heaven and Earth, with each part corresponding to different elements and forces.
However, that realization could wait.
What mattered now was the task before him.
The orb in his hand had already shrunk considerably from the refinement process, yet a dense core of energy still remained within it.
Without hesitation, Caelum placed it into his mouth and bit down.
The moment it shattered, an overwhelming surge of energy exploded into his being.
Yet for someone possessing the [Boundless Warrior Physique] such raw energy was not destructive, but rather fuel waiting to be assimilated.
His body reacted instinctively, drawing in and stabilizing the energy, and in that instant, Caelum felt as though icy water had been poured directly into his mind.
His cultivation technique activated on its own.
His consciousness began to expand.
The excess energy, instead of dispersing chaotically, was directed toward his mind, amplifying his awareness to an extreme degree.
For the first time in a long while, Caelum felt unbearable pain.
It was not physical, but something deeper, as if his very perception was being forcefully stretched beyond its limits.
His awareness extended beyond his body, allowing him to feel every detail within himself, from the flow of Qi to the subtle rhythm of his heartbeat.
Then, it expanded further.
Even with his eyes closed, he could sense the surrounding world, perceiving it from a perspective that felt almost divine, as though he were observing reality itself even at a microscopic level.
"Haa... ha... s-so this is spirit sense" he exhaled, cold sweat dripping from his entire body.
When Caelum finally opened his eyes, something within him had undeniably changed.
A faint blue light shimmered within his gaze and for the first time in a long while.
Black-gold system notifications materialized before Caelum’s eyes, some of which even he could not fully perceive or comprehend.
[Host’s Soul Strength has increased.]
[Minimum requirements met to activate core functions of the SNS System.]
[Initializing Quest Panel...]
[Initialization Failed: Conflict detected with World’s Hidden System.]
[Alternative Module Selected: Life Scenario Module.]
[Quests will now be automatically generated according to the Host’s life progression.]
[Current Cultivation: Foundation Establishment – 9th Layer. (No Heavenly Restriction)]
[Warning: Absence of a True Cultivation Element detected.]
[Executing Adaptive Scenario: W0405M2005.]
[Title Effect Activated.]
[Inventory Function Unlocked.]
[System Shop Unlocked.]
[Worldly Influence detected within Host’s existence, purification required.]
[Items Stored: Rebirth Pill ×1, All Heaven Foundation Pill ×1]
[Host’s Soul has been partially connected to T██ █ne █r██ He████.]
[Further connection restricted: Risk of detection by World and Universal Laws.]
[SNS System entering Semi-Dormant State to preserve connection stability.]
[Advisory: Host is strongly recommended to reconstruct and stabilize foundational cultivation.]
[Knowledge regarding Tribulations has been stored within a Talisman.]
[Additional Cultivation Knowledge has been sealed within a Talisman.]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[May the Spirit of the Cultivator be with you!]
The notifications faded slowly, yet the weight of their meaning lingered heavily within Caelum’s mind.
