Chapter 36: Chapter 36- Irregular Innate Dharma

“So, brat, are you happy that you decided to become my disciple?”

The old man said that with a grin, and Sol smiled as well. He had to admit he was happy he took his Master’s offer.

Even though he was terrified of his training methods, the alternative was Sol being on his own while being blinded by rage and the desire for revenge.

But being with his Master, Sol was able to calm down and focused all his scattered resentment into getting stronger. He had a path before him now. He couldn’t imagine what would have become of himself if he hadn’t met this old man.

“Master, you spoke about your self-created Rune Technique, is it really that amazing?”

Sol could see that his Master really cherished this Runic Technique, so much so his eyes instantly brighten up when he mentioned it.

Given a chance to gush about his Rune Technique, the old man didn’t hesitate to do so.

“Haha! Brat, let me tell you what’s so amazing about my Runic Technique. To simply put, Aether is not the only source of Energy in the Cosmos. Aside from that you have Mana, which is also known as Celestial Energy as it is energy that originates from the Stars. Then you have Holy Energy, or Faith Energy, that comes from the Gods and is cultivated by their followers.

“Now with that said, these are the main types, there are many more, and even the main ones have many variations. However, one thing that all these powers have is that it has a specific system to cultivate them. So, a person who cultivates Faith Energy can’t cultivate Mana.”

After saying this, Sol saw the look in his Master’s eyes increase before he said.

“However, my Runic Technique, ’The Seven Runic Paths of Samsara,’ can allow anyone to cultivate any type of energy they desire.”

Sol knew where his Master was going with the explanation, but still hearing it caused a wave of shock to flood his heart.

The old man seeing Sol’s shock smirked and held his hips while puffing out his chest.

“Haha! That’s not all brat; my Runic Technique also consists of the very essence of all Runic Techniques. All the many Runes I’ve studied and created have been put into this. After learning my Seven Runic Paths of Samsara to a certain level, you’ll be able to create runes without any hand seals. Merely a thought is enough.

“I spent my entire life creating this Runic Technique, it is my life’s work that I will cherish even more than my own child. In fact, I treat it like my child. I’ve only ever shared it with two other people, now you will be the third and last.”

The old man then stared at Sol with an expression Sol couldn’t decipher.

“Now, with the basics out of the way, it’s time for you to test out that Innate Dharma.”

The disappointment the old man felt when this thing first appeared was gone, and what replaced it was eagerness.

There was an overall grading system given to Innate Dharmas, from Tier 1 to Tier 9. From the old man’s estimation, the Innate Dharma Sol awakened was the highest one someone can achieve.

Tier 9!

Though that was when it first awakened, as it was now, it looked like a Tier 1 Innate Dharma.

“Wait Master, you haven’t explained how the Sakrians cultivated yet.”

Sol suddenly exclaimed.

TSK!

The old man suddenly clicked his tongue loudly.

“Brat, I’ve explained so much already, don’t you want to start cultivating?”

The old man couldn’t believe he was more eager for Sol to start his cultivation than Sol himself. Even though the old man had found such a gifted disciple, he was short on time, so he had to slightly rush Sol’s training.

Sol in response to this said.

“I do, but this is all so new to me that I can’t help but want to know more.”

Of course, Sol wanted to start his cultivation journey, but his curiosity for the outside world had been piqued.

“Also, Father said that having strength without understanding it will only cause harm.”

The old man paused at that.

He wanted to get angry, but his disciple was showing interest in learning from him. Instead of getting angry shouldn’t he be excited?

After releasing a sigh, the old man calmed down. His disciple was right; he was rushing things too much.

“The Sakrians have extremely deep roots in the assassination world. All their Techniques and Martial Arts revolve around how to kill from the shadows. Aside from that, they aren’t much different from the Arkadians. I’ll provide you with some books with further explanations of the outside world, are you satisfied with this?”

Sol nodded.

“Alright, then let’s start. The first thing you should do is try to sense Aether Energy using your Innate Dharma.”

Sol paused.

“Master, don’t I need an Aether Absorption Technique?”

The old man shook his head.

“For now, you’ll first try to sense Aether and get used to it, not cultivate it. And you should now, I can’t teach you an Aether Absorption Technique?”

“Why?”

Sol was confused.

“That’s due to the uniqueness of everyone’s meridians channels. Even though the acupoints in a human’s body are located in the same places, aside from the twelve main meridians, the meridian channels leading to these acupoints vary from person to person. So, one must study their own bodies and create their own Aether Absorption Technique. Only then can they guide Aether through their meridians and unlock their acupoints. As for someone creating a universal Aether Absorption Technique, the person would need to know the variations of meridian pathways of every single person alive and will be born in the future. Unless that person is some all-knowing being, that is simply impossible to accomplish.”

“So… the children in the Academy created their own Aether Absorption Techniques too?”

“Usually, the ones who aren’t from a notable background create their own, but for the ones that are from prominent backgrounds, they have their elders create one for them.”

The old man paused here but then continued.

“Look brat, in truth I could create one for you, but it wouldn’t make sense for me to do so. My Seven Runic Paths of Samsara and my Barbarian Race’s cultivation method works similarly as you’ll need to use your meridians as a canvas and carve runes inside your body. Not to mention the unique state your body is in because of that strange energy. It’s best if you create your own Aether Absorption Technique while getting a better understanding of your own body.”

“I understand Master.”

Sol said as he nodded.

“Now, try to sense the Aether Energy. I’ll create a Rune to gather it here.”

The old man was about to form a hand seal to create the necessary rune formation, but Sol suddenly said.

“Ah! Master, I think I already sensed it.”

The old man looked taken aback at that. While wearing a strange expression, he said.

“Brat, what are you saying? I haven’t even created the rune formation to gather the Aether Energy here yet.”

“But Master, I really did sense it.”

The old man’s hands forming hand seals dropped before he explained to Sol.

“That’s not possible. The barrier blocks out any and all energy from the outside world. It’s only just recently that Aether Energy from our Eastern Continent, as well as Mana from the Western Continent, started to seep into the Ibbian Mountain Range. That’s why I need an Aether Gathering Rune to collect scarce amounts that are already in here. Brat, are you sure you felt it?”

“I…”

Sol paused and wore a hesitant expression. When his Innate Dharma first awaken, he had felt a warm energy at the time washing over him. He assumed it was Aether Energy, but upon hearing his Master’s explanation, he was beginning to think he was wrong.

Meanwhile, the old man was frowning in thought. Sol hadn’t retracted his seedling Innate Dharma, so he carefully observed it.

Then suddenly, the old man’s expression froze. He had grasped something, but this something he grasped caused his heart to start beating rapidly.

The old man looked at Sol with immense incredulity and skepticism as he said.

“Brat, if this old man is right, then what you sensed wasn’t Aether.”

“It wasn’t? Then what was it?”

The old man rubbed his gray beard and then said after a while.

“The only energy here in abundance is the energy unique to this Mountain Range. It’s called Spirit Essence by the natives, right?”

“Oh…”

Sol said, not really understanding the implications of what his Master had just claimed.

However, if anyone from the Eastern Continent had heard the old man’s words, they would have looked at him as if he had gone crazy to spout such nonsensical words.

An oblivious Sol watched in surprise as his Master suddenly began tugging on his beard until his hand came away with more than a few strands.

The old man’s face increasingly changed expressions, before he yelled.

“This is impossible! How can you sense the Spirit Essence in this Mountain Range?!”

The old man was trying hard to comprehend this situation, but even with all his knowledge he couldn’t.

“Unless… Unless this Innate Dharma is an Irregular Innate Dharma?”

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