Venix immersed himself in understanding the Heavenly Scholar Technique. Each time he pondered, the concept of Origin Power became increasingly vivid, as if these ideas gently flowed into his mind like a tranquil river.
Every new piece of knowledge sent a light tremor through his heart, akin to finding a key that unlocked doors to a world he had never imagined before.
Beyond his ambition to master the Great Origin Technique, he felt an indescribable joy—a surging delight whenever he achieved a new understanding.
The learning process brought Venix deep satisfaction, like solving pieces of an intricate puzzle.
This was in stark contrast to his school days when thick books seemed like impenetrable codes. Now, every small step felt meaningful, though occasionally accompanied by the frustration of renewed confusion.
“So, this is what Rael must feel when studying passionately,” thought Venix, basking in simple happiness.
Venix allowed himself to sink into the flow of meditation. His mind delved deeply, peacefully, like a still lake, with no distractions except for the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
---
Time flew by swiftly. Two days later, Venix was still meditating in the secluded chamber, accompanied by Grandmaster Ardyn.
Over the past two days, Grandmaster Ardyn had carefully observed him, wary of any sudden, unforeseen occurrences.
Additionally, with Grandmaster Orion's assistance, the Meditation Technique had progressed significantly, nearing completion. All the necessary data had been gathered six hours earlier. However, since Venix appeared to be comprehending something profound, Grandmaster Ardyn refrained from interrupting him.
Another five minutes passed uneventfully.
After hours of exploring the depths of comprehension, Venix felt his mind on the verge of overflowing. He held his breath briefly, giving himself space to absorb all the gathered insights before proceeding further.
He cautiously opened his eyes, as if awakening a new soul from a long slumber, feeling his body reconnect with the Seed of Vulture.
Before him, the system interface displayed his progress:
[Heavenly Scholar Technique (Mastery Lv0): 9.78%]
"Just a little more to reach 10%. But no matter how much I try to understand it, I can't fully grasp it," Venix sighed heavily.
The system’s mention of Mastery Lv0 indicated to Venix that this technique likely had several mastery levels before it could be completely conquered. He suspected that significant changes would occur upon reaching 10%.
“Such a shame,” Venix muttered, shaking his head regretfully.
Yet, even though the result was not as he had hoped, the Heavenly Scholar Technique had deepened his fundamental knowledge of Origin Power. Just visualizing it allowed him to easily identify flaws in the Mortal Cloak Technique he had previously studied and discover ways to enhance its efficacy.
Since there was nothing more to be done at that moment, Venix exited his meditative state and returned his consciousness to his physical body.
Opening his eyes slowly, Venix saw Grandmaster Ardyn sitting in front of him, watching him calmly.
“You’ve awakened. That’s excellent,” said Grandmaster Ardyn with a faint smile. “The data gathered is sufficient. Next, we need you to test the newly improved Meditation Technique.”
“Me?” Venix pointed at himself, bewildered. As a novice in the field of techniques, he felt unqualified.
“Of course. You’re the only person who can directly test this technique!” Grandmaster Ardyn stated confidently.
After a moment of contemplation, Venix agreed.
Grandmaster Ardyn guided him out of the chamber and led him elsewhere.
On the way, Grandmaster Ardyn explained, “Although you haven’t completely eradicated the Seed of Chaos, proving that the Seed Origin can fully integrate with its user is a pivotal step in enhancing the quality of the Seed Origin.”
Venix’s face showed hesitation. “Has no one in history achieved this before?”
“Absolutely not,” Grandmaster Ardyn shook his head. “Your case is quite unique. You lost your Astral Body, which, for most Awaken, imposes limits on their development.”
Venix nodded slightly in understanding.
The Meditation Technique was designed to accelerate the development of the Seed Origin. However, it required the presence of an Astral Body; without one, the technique could only observe and not interfere.
Grandmaster Ardyn continued, “The Seed of Vulture absorbed the essence of the Seed of Chaos. While not in its perfect form, it’s enough for Vulture to sustain the rapid growth of the Seed Origin, reducing the significance of the Astral Body and Meditation Technique, much like when the Seed of Chaos was present.”
He turned to look at Venix, walking beside him. “Many factors contribute to why you can fully control the Seed of Vulture. This is why your role is crucial in maximizing this Meditation Technique.”
Venix took a deep breath. “I will do my best to help.”
The system indicated that this was a Virtual World, and the actions of the people here were immensely aiding him. It would be dishonest to say that Venix didn’t feel gratitude toward this Virtual World.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
With curiosity, Venix asked Grandmaster Ardyn, “Grandmaster... how long was I unconscious?”
Grandmaster Ardyn stroked his chin briefly before replying, “By counting the elapsed time, you’ve been unconscious for 32 days and 17 hours.”
Hearing the answer, Venix’s heart sank.
Time in the Virtual World was identical to that in the real world. This meant a month had passed since the Origin Era emerged in the real world.
In that time, chaos might have spread across the globe.
Shortly after, they arrived at the door of another chamber.
Upon entering, they saw six human figures inside. A formation circle bearing strange symbols was inscribed on the floor. Two such formation circles were present, each with a man and woman seated cross-legged at its core, eyes closed.
On a line connecting the two formations sat Grandmaster Orion, overseeing both circles.
Grandmaster Ardyn and Venix’s entrance caught the attention of three others standing behind Grandmaster Orion.
“That white-haired old man is Old Orion,” Grandmaster Ardyn briefly introduced to Venix.
Venix immediately looked at Grandmaster Orion with a gaze filled with awe and respect.
This was the man who had given him the Great Origin Technique! The very creator of it!
“Well? Have you encountered difficulties with the first part of the Heavenly Scholar Technique?” Grandmaster Orion asked, opening his eyes and gazing at Venix.
Hearing his words, the three others behind him looked at Venix with envy.
Startled, Venix quickly bowed respectfully and replied, “I’ve studied it for some time. But there are parts I can’t understand no matter how hard I try.”
“Memorizing it is straightforward, but grasping its essence is the real challenge,” Grandmaster Orion nodded gently. “Since I’m here, we can talk later, and I’ll guide you in understanding it.”
“Thank you, Grandmaster!” Venix bowed again, genuinely grateful.
After a brief introduction, Grandmaster Ardyn raised their current topic. “How is the progress on the Meditation Technique? Can we achieve our desired outcome?”
"We can't determine that with certainty yet. All we can do is proceed carefully and test it gradually," Grandmaster Orion said, shaking his head before continuing, "The reason the Seed of Vulture bonded so deeply with Venix is due to a profound connection between the two. That bond is one of the key requirements for achieving the kind of results you did with Venix."
"Can the Meditation Technique strengthen the bond between a Seed Origin and an Awaken?" Venix asked curiously.
"It can, but the process is very slow," Grandmaster Orion replied with a faint smile. "Only within the Origin Fragment Realm do Seed Origins feel more alive. However, once they become perfected Seed Origins, their sense of vitality diminishes significantly, almost as if they become more like living machines."
"So... the best way to strengthen the bond between a Seed Origin and an Awaken is during the early stages, before the Seed Origin becomes perfected?" Venix deduced.
"That's correct," Grandmaster Orion confirmed. "On the other hand, I’ll also need your experiences within the Origin Fragment Realm to make some adjustments."
A man standing behind Grandmaster Orion added, "Such as why you chose Vulture over other Seed Origins present there. Was there something unique or any other reason that led you to select Vulture?"
Furrowing his brow, Venix reflected on the past. "If we're talking about uniqueness... Vulture only had one notable trait: its courage in approaching the Seed of Chaos without the slightest fear."
"Anything else?" the man pressed further.
Venix lifted his head and shook it. "Nothing else."
"That's it?" Grandmaster Ardyn looked at Venix in surprise. "Did Vulture display anything else, like unique abilities or similar traits?"
"No," Venix answered, shaking his head again.
"Interesting," Grandmaster Orion remarked with a smile. "When you chose Vulture, was it already a formidable predator?"
"A formidable predator? I think... not really," Venix replied hesitantly.
At the time, Vulture could hardly be called a powerful predator; it was more akin to a skilled thief.
"Tell us everything about how you came across Vulture and chose it as the Seed Origin to nurture," Grandmaster Orion said calmly.
Venix had no objections to recounting the tale and began narrating his encounter with Vulture, from the beginning to the end.
He detailed the scene where Vulture stole prey from a Dragon and showed no fear in entering the Dragon’s territory.
At the mention of a Dragon, everyone, including the two Primecore present, was slightly taken aback.
"A Dragon? Do you possess a Seed of Dragon?" a man asked, envy evident in his tone.
Venix nodded. "The Dragon's power was extraordinary, coupled with its incredibly tough, nearly indestructible scales."
"Why didn’t you choose the Dragon as your Seed Origin?" the man asked again, puzzled by Venix’s decision to select Vulture over the Dragon.
After all, it was a Dragon—a legendary mythical creature with unparalleled strength and unique abilities of its race.
Venix shook his head, letting out a soft sigh. "Of course, I would have chosen it if it were possible. But the Dragon didn’t dare approach the Seed of Chaos’s territory. If I had chosen it and helped it grow stronger, what would be the point if it feared confronting the Seed of Chaos?"
The man opened his mouth, unable to refute Venix’s words.
It was a valid and logical argument.
The Seed of Chaos was the strongest predator in the Origin Fragment Realm. If the Dragon couldn’t even dare venture into its territory, nothing would change, and the Seed of Chaos would remain Venix's primary Seed Origin.
"Fascinating, truly fascinating. You made an excellent choice in selecting Vulture and even managed to defeat the Seed of Chaos in the first round!" Grandmaster Orion laughed as he said this.
Grandmaster Orion understood the Seed of Chaos better than anyone else.
Even if other Primecore listened to his prophecy, they wouldn’t be able to perceive the Seed of Chaos as closely or as clearly as Grandmaster Orion could.
In his dreams, in those prophecies, Grandmaster Orion had seen that the Seed of Chaos was a unique entity, one he couldn’t fully comprehend—more akin to a higher-level existence in the universe.
Grandmaster Orion continued questioning Venix about every detail, scrutinizing even the smallest actions of Vulture.
This interrogation took half an hour before Venix had shared all the necessary details.
Grandmaster Orion fell silent, pondering for a few minutes. Everyone, including Venix and Grandmaster Ardyn, dared not disturb him.
Finally, Grandmaster Orion opened his eyes and said, "I understand why the bond between Vulture and Venix is so strong."
Grandmaster Ardyn’s eyes lit up with excitement. "What is it? Have you found the answer, Old Orion?"
"It’s just a theory, but it’s a plausible one," Grandmaster Orion replied before explaining, "The reason the bond between Venix and Vulture is so strong is that Vulture experienced a significant transformation after being chosen by Venix."
Grandmaster Ardyn frowned. "Every Seed Origin undergoes a significant change after being chosen by an Awaken. What makes this different?"
"Because Vulture ranked among the weaker predators," Grandmaster Orion elaborated. "Vulture lacked the strength to hunt its own prey and resorted to stealing from others, showing it wasn’t a true hunter but rather a thief."
Venix rubbed his nose, feeling slightly embarrassed. For some reason, he disliked hearing Grandmaster Orion describe Vulture that way, even though it was true.
"Thanks to Venix’s presence, Vulture gradually evolved, transitioning from a passive thief to a skilled hunter," Grandmaster Orion continued.
Grandmaster Ardyn opened his mouth, about to say something, but Grandmaster Orion didn’t give him the chance and pressed on.
"Unlike the Seed Origins of most of us and other Awakens, we typically select Seed Origins that are already strong, merely accelerating their evolution," Grandmaster Orion pointed out.
Everyone began reflecting on this and found it reasonable. Even Venix felt the logic in it, something he hadn’t considered before.
"So, to simplify it in layman’s terms, a poor person we help will feel much more grateful and indebted to us than if we were to assist someone already wealthy, whose life wouldn’t change much," Grandmaster Orion concluded proudly.
Venix was stunned by Grandmaster Orion’s words, which likened Vulture to a poor individual.
His heart felt uneasy hearing it, yet everything Grandmaster Orion said made perfect sense!
It wasn’t because of any unique actions by Venix or Vulture but because Vulture was so impoverished that its bond with Venix became unshakably strong!
