The power of the cave

  Kyle rolled his small shoulders as his mind processed the situation. Trapped in confined darkness, beat being thrown into the midst of a demon horde any day. Unlike the previous visitors of this cave who wept, begged and prayed, the seven-year-old stood silently while soaking in his surroundings.

  His first observation came from within. The small scroll lazing inside his sea of consciousness churned. The scroll, which normally needed a month to rotate a full cycle, completed the same task in one breath.

  “This place is rich in spiritual power. I required two years of constant, daily meditation to simply repair my physical body. Even now I haven’t unlocked the pre-cultivation step. Lack of pills and spiritual power has stagnated my cultivation.”

  Kyle remained on alert as his mind processed this startling information. He knew the pre-cultivation steps needed to be done before one stepped onto the true path of cultivation. Due to the lack of pills, body strengthening baths, and potions, he could only use a different method to progress. This was usually achieved by Sages who attained enlightenment.

  If one understood the concept behind cultivation, they gather spiritual power around their mind core. During the enlightenment, one would develop a focal point in their sea of consciousness. This seed usually took the form of a symbol, image or figure.

  The seed through meditation will harness spiritual power and channel it along the body through physical passages like the blood vessels and nerves. The pre-cultivation step using this method was time-consuming, required large amounts of spiritual power, and normally progressed at a rate ten times slower than normal methods.

  The benefits, however, were recorded as astounding. Since the body was nourished with pure spiritual power, it lacked the impurities and became known as the perfect vessel. The foundation of such a body surpassed others within the same level of cultivation by eons. Enlightenment did not grow on trees, hence the Golden Continent had not seen a perfect vessel for over millennia.

  “Can I be one of the few immortals with a perfect vessel?”

  Sensing no threat nearby, Kyle assumed the meditative pose and began harnessing the spiritual power of the cave. During this time, he realized that he could hear nothing from the outside. He also found out that a faint dark but reflective light bordered around the darkness, giving him the impression of being confined in a large box.

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  Not one to waste valuable time, nor question logic, Kyle harnessed the spiritual power until his conscious sea became filled to capacity. He then utilized the knowledge he learned to allow the energy to seep across his body. When he exhaled a puff of foul-smelling air from his lungs, he knew one cycle of meditation had been completed.

  Keeping constant watch for any strange movement and signs of the exit in between cycles, Kyle continued. For someone who had sat under a waterfall for three years to master a secret body tempering skill, this was nothing.

  The limits of being human soon reared its head. First, he felt the pangs of hunger and thirst. Luckily he had kept the water pouch Fatty handed him. As a warrior who had battled in the Great Desert, he only wetted his lips before securing the precious liquid.

  The second problem made him curse within the dark walls. Immortals usually feasted when they wanted to enjoy themselves. Once they formed a solid Gold core, they were exempted from this mortal-like attachment.

  What goes in must come out…

  Kyle had no idea how long he remained in isolation. He sipped water, cultivated, and used one of the corners as his designated toilet. Thankfully the box cleansed the scent just as it provided him with air.

  Having turned into an emaciated figure, Kyle barely had the strength to raise the water pouch to his cracked lips. He was in the process of accomplishing this task when he felt like a hook grabbed him around the waist. Under a tremendous force, he was ripped from the darkness into dazzling light.

  “Kyle, Kyle what the hell happened to you? Phew, you look and smell like… maybe I shouldn’t touch you.”

  “Fatty? Hand me the water pouch. How many days have you waited here for me? Such a good friend.”

  “What the heck are you babbling about? Did you hit your head inside that cave? You only went in there for about half a breath!”

  Fatty replied while watching the frail boy sip and wet his dirty face with water. The pouch had slightly less than half of the water remaining in it. As for why someone notoriously strong like Kyle would turn into this state, the little fatty had no idea.

  “Help me up.”

  “Ah, you stink Kyle. Do I have too?”

  “The hell, Fatty. You aching for a beating?”

  Kyle kept his eyes closed to acclimatize to the brightness of the day. He felt the reluctant hold from his companion who lifted him up. Halfway through, Fatty dropped him to the rocky ground.

  “Ah, the cave Kyle, the cave is gone. We’ve been cursed by Nightmare Valley.”

  Opening his watery eyes, Kyle sprawled among the three sheep watching the dust from Fatty’s flight.

  “What the heck? This damn guy is a firm believer of all the tall tales...”

  Glancing at the cave, Kyle only saw a rocky wall. He grabbed a pebble and tossed it towards the wall. The stone smacked the wall and dropped to the floor.

  “Huh.”

  The boy frowned and then raised himself with the staff. Chipping slowly, he stumbled out from the hidden alley.

  Fatty sat wheezing while clutching his sides on a flat rock. No matter the fright, this little miser didn’t forget the dead wolf. Kyle smirked on seeing the small trail made when the boy tried to drag the wolf.

  “You bastard, you left me but you still remembered money?”

  Fatty shot him a righteous look.

  “You think I’m looking for gains? I planned to share this money with Aunty and Uncle. We would burn incense here for you every year…”