Bright Star City, Bright Star Island, Flowing Stars Archipelago, Earth

  Omniscient P.O.V.

  From the Light itself to the brain-rattling thunder, from the dark, heavy clouds to the massive downpour, his mind catalogued every thread of information, trying to find the connection between every phenomenon and capture the spark of insight that kept eluding him.

  Seconds went by.

  Then minutes.

  Hours had come and gone without much success.

  After all, if it were that easy, wouldn’t every cultivator be able to reach perfection in Martial Arts?

  Even Demian, with all his advantages, was having trouble piercing that layer of fog, feeling as if the barrier was impossible to breach.

  As the morning sun slowly rose and the Storm mostly abated, a wry expression appeared on the young man’s face.

  Indeed, despite pondering on the problem for a full day, he had ultimately failed.

  Shaking his head slightly, he mumbled. “I know I’m close, but I can’t seem to grasp it...”

  Contemplating for a few seconds, he wondered out loud. “Could I be wrong? Force, Force, what is Force? Maybe if I take the problem from another angle, I’ll glean something...”

  What was the basic definition of Force?

  ‘Something that influenced movement... Energy transmission... Kinetic Energy... Vibration... Wait! Vibration!’ He exclaimed inwardly.

  Feeling as if he was on to something, he continued. ‘Technically, Aura should be some Electromagnetic Field, capable of being influenced by Vibration. The reason why I never really paid attention to my own Aura is that it’s something Innate, just like moving your hands or walking. You don’t need to think about it. Instead, it just comes naturally. But to transform your Aura into a Flood Dragon’s, I would need to tweak that vibration I emit naturally...’

  As soon as the young man grabbed onto one thread, it felt as if the whole ball of yarn was untangling itself, leaving only a clear and smooth understanding.

  ‘So why can I naturally comprehend a Water Intent, but not a Martial Art Intent? Sure, I have my Perks and the Chaos Soul Ring, but still, it should also work for the second one. Unless...’

  A myriad of ideas kept appearing in his mind, pushing him closer and closer to a breakthrough.

  ‘What’s the difference between the two? One is Water, so an Element, and one is... A Beast? Is that why? But Beasts should still be closer to Humans, right? Or is that the problem? A Beast is too close to a human, so there are some compatibility problems, forcing me to adjust...?’

  He speculated while his gaze moved around the garden, taking in the peaceful sight of mystical trees, lush bushes, and colorful flowers.

  ‘So... Elemental Intent is more... basic...? Or fundamental? That would make it easier to integrate... It shouldn’t be the only reason, though. Maybe... Maybe it also fits better with the mainstream cultivation system. After all, from the Chi Gathering Rank to the Transcending Tribulation Rank, it’s all about altering the body to become closer to the Elements, boosting not only a cultivator’s power, but also their lifespan and control over the fundamental Elements. But Martial Arts is different... At least the one I’m practicing. It’s a bit of a side path, going horizontally before rising vertically. It actually adds a layer of complexity where it’s not needed.’

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  Letting out a sigh at the sudden understanding, his expression then turned complicated.

  ‘So in the end, although I can’t say it’s a complete waste of time, going beyond Minor Accomplishment won’t boost my power level much. I mean, my Physique is already beyond an average Beast at the same level, and from what I can tell, the Flood Dragon Fang Martial Art can’t refine it further. That’s unless my Main cultivation advances further, of course. But then, with the combination of my Perk and my Heaven-Grade Elemental Cultivation Technique, my body will definitely improve further, so it’s actually redundant...’

  Rubbing his eyes briefly, he mumbled.

  “I guess I have to accept the fact that my dream of becoming a Martial Artist is pretty much dead in the water. I’ll have to stick to being a Mage, then... Well, at least I’m not the glass canon type. More like a magic swordsman, I guess.”

  Pausing for a second, he then mumbled, his deep blue irises showing a tinge of red and gold as the sun rose slowly in the sky.

  “I wonder if there are some other worlds where Martial Arts is the mainstream power system...”

  Shaking his head, he remarked.

  “Forget it! Even if that’s the case, it does nothing for me. Instead, I should decide what to do with my training. Should I keep at it, or just go for my Tribulation?”

  Knowing that there was not much use in following that route, Demian’s choice was pretty easy to make.

  ‘Let’s go through the Tribulation. I’ll probably end up half-dead, but my Perk should fix that problem. Although I do wonder if the Tribulation will take into account my Perks or not. I mean, since I’m the so-called Immortal-Grade talent, it’s bound to reach a pretty high level in terms of difficulty, but if it can sense my Perks, then it’ll probably switch to nightmare mode instantly...’

  Indeed, that was the reason why he chose not to break through right away, but instead tried to find a way to boost his combat power as much as possible.

  It was truly a vicious cycle, where the stronger you were, the deadlier the Tribulation.

  No matter how powerful you became, that damn Tribulation would sense it and grow fiercer to match your current power level.

  Truly testing one’s bravery.

  ‘No, the Heavens shouldn’t be able to sense those Perks and my Chaos Soul Ring. I mean, just the name Chaos says a lot. At least, in the novels I read in the past, Chaos was pretty much at the top. The Perks should be of the same level, right?’

  A hint of fear was growing in his Heart before he coldly stomped it out and declared inwardly in a bid to convince himself.

  ‘Fuck it! It’s only the weakest Tribulation, and I’m already scared. What about those at Rank 5 or 6? Or even the Immortal Tribulation? If I keep thinking like that, I’ll die in vain from lifespan exhaustion.’

  As the memory of the previous day surfaced in his mind, he added.

  ‘I’ve so much to live for, so many expectations on my shoulders, others’ and my own, so I can’t chicken out.’

  Chuckling slightly, he mumbled absentmindedly.

  “I’m basically living the dream now, so what’s a bit of danger compared to that, uh?”

  As his mind fell into a daze, he was suddenly brought back to the present when he felt three familiar presences walking towards him, with one of them commenting playfully.

  “At least you’re self-aware, Babe.”

  A slight thought, and his cross-legged figure vanished and reappeared standing in front of the trio before he asked, a warm smile on his face. “You three slept well?”

  The three of them nodded before Sera, Liya, and even Bryn, believe it or not, gave him a light kiss on the lips, stunning the young man for a brief moment before the matching smirks and glances at each other gave away the fact that those three’s sudden affectionate gestures were an agreed-upon plan from the three of them.

  To be fair, it had become pretty common for Seraphine, as kissing was pretty much the most safe-for-work thing they did together.

  However, it was different for the others.

  In any case, Demian was not one to complain when he was the one receiving the rewards, so instead of acting embarrassed, he licked his lips suggestively while teasing.

  “Having three delicious breakfasts brought to me directly is truly the best.”

  Seraphine and Adeliya giggled briefly, though a light red hue quickly painted her fair cheeks, while Bryn’s lips rose slightly, with her own golden cheeks turning much darker.

  With a slight thought of his, the damp grass below their feet lost its moisture, prompting him to gesture for them to sit down with him.

  Once everyone was comfortably seated close to each other, Sera asked curiously.

  “What were you talking about when you mentioned facing dangers?”

  As Adeliya took out a wooden tray with some snacks and drinks, Demian responded. “I was talking about the Tribulation. I...”

  The young man then went on to explain his struggle with Martial Arts and his worry about his Tribulation sensing his Perks.

  After finishing his ‘story’, he turned his gaze toward Bryn and questioned.

  “How about you?”

  Cocking her brow, she retorted, confused. “What about me?”

  With a wry smile, he asked again.

  “I mean, have you noticed that problem with the martial Art you practice?”

  With a look of realization, she remarked.

  “So that’s what you meant.”

  Pondering for a brief moment, she then shook her head and said.

  “Not really. But my Soul, Martial Art, and Magical cultivation technique are all integrated into one technique. It’s not like yours. So maybe that’s your problem?”

  As something came to her mind, she added.

  “Also, it can only be cultivated by someone with the Golden Jade Giant bloodline, and the purer the bloodline, the better its effects and the easier it becomes to reach a higher level.”