CHAPTER 92: TRANSCENDENT PATH

After all, despite his healed soul, he was still depending on his physical strength quite a lot.

And this kind of talent was a shortcut for him to develop it further.

So he didn’t change his decision regarding the first choice, which meant only the second choice remained to be determined.

Which one should he select?

The second option, despite being slightly useful, was a definite no for him. Since he couldn’t concentrate on refining his soul in this simulation, this kind of slight increase in strength to his soul wouldn’t make any meaningful change to his current condition.

Then, with the sixth option already written off, three remained.

But in the end, Noel didn’t bother considering the fourth option and simply hesitated between the third and fifth options.

Seeing that he had finished refining his first organ in the simulation, Noel had initially planned to select the Strengthened Physical Strength.

But with the High Blood Affinity talent that he would be gaining, he would likely get far better results in the next simulation anyway, so maybe he should select the Destruction Law instead?

To consolidate his understanding over it and cross over to the third rank in the Transcendent Path?

After some careful contemplation weighing the pros and cons, Noel finally made his choices.

[You have selected: High Blood Affinity (Ascended Talent).]

[You have selected: Destruction Law (Initial Understanding).]

No visible changes happened to Noel after he made his choice, but if one were to concentrate and look at him with careful attention, they could see how for an instant, a faint red aura seemed to appear around him, before disappearing completely.

Was it due to the Destruction Law, or the newfound Blood affinity?

Noel, who was concentrating on his Soul Zone that seemed to regain some of its vibrant red color due to his increased understanding in the Destruction Law, didn’t notice it, and neither did he have the mind to find that out.

He felt his condition and how he should have successfully returned to the third rank of the Transcendent Path, Law Bearer, and that was more important than anything else right now.

It was an insignificant step for someone like him, because for people born into prestigious noble families like his own, reaching this particular step really didn’t require much concentrated effort or struggle.

But after regressing all the way back to an ordinary person’s level, returning to the third rank held its own significance.

After all, it’s only at the third rank, Law Bearer, that people walking on the Transcendent Path actually start gaining power far beyond ordinary people.

The first two stages are merely the foundation for what comes next.

How so, one might ask?

Well, it’s simple enough from the descriptive names that can be clearly inferred: the first rank, Soul Initiate, then the second, Law Seeker.

But to explain these things in much more detail regarding the entire Transcendent Path — how exactly does it start? What does it truly include?

One can say it starts from the very first rank, Soul Initiate, and one can equally say it starts even before that crucial point.

It starts from when one is still an ordinary person living a mundane life... and then he suddenly Awakens to something greater.

He gains the ability to sense the presence of his own soul.

The fundamental difference between ordinary people and the awakened starts from that life-changing moment.

But does that automatically mean an Awakened person is already at the first rank?

No, one can only be said to truly be at the first rank when he successfully senses his Soul Zone, not simply his soul’s presence.

And to accomplish that, one can either be born extraordinary with a naturally strong soul that makes the entire process relatively easy, or through specialized teaching passed down in every noble house and powerful faction differently.

But in the end, it all still revolves around the same core concept: to increase your awareness of your soul from that vague, unclear picture to something much more clear and defined, until in the end you finally sense the elusive Soul Zone.

You will carefully refine your senses, ones that could be considered supernatural at this point, until you reach that critical milestone.

Only then, will you reach the first stage, Soul Initiate.

Then? Then you will systematically refine your soul, strengthen your Soul Zone through dedicated practice, and enhance your senses that you painstakingly acquired to sense the said Soul Zone... until finally you are able to link your enhanced senses with your soul properly and completely.

Because at the end of the day, all of these mystical things are things existing outside the normal boundaries of physical reality.

Anyway, after you successfully accomplish that demanding task, then you will carefully hone those said senses until you finally move to the next challenging phase: sensing the Law itself.

Normally, most ordinary people start from elemental things existing in nature — fire, water, wood, wind, or earth.

There are exceptional cases when it’s dramatically different, for example the opponent he fought with yesterday.

It was clearly not something basic or elemental at all.

Obsession — when one becomes deeply obsessed with something specific, he could potentially derive tremendous power from it.

The one he faced; his law probably had something to do with reflection or mirroring.

And in general, starting with that particular kind of law, something that feels far more intangible than the basic elements, is actually significantly harder to master, but he had managed to do it nonetheless.

Regardless, the entire process of trying to catch even a trace of the law’s presence still occurs during the first rank, Soul Initiate.

You are still fundamentally in the process of sensing, after all. But when you finally catch a genuine trace of the law?

Congratulations, you have finally entered the second rank, Law Seeker.

But, that demanding path is for ordinary people. For people from prestigious families? Ones blessed with special bloodlines?

Then this entire process can be dramatically shortened by more than ten times, specifically for the law their bloodline is naturally specialized in.

For example, his powerful Destruction Law!

After his initial awakening, Noel previously didn’t take even one full week until he reached the second rank, after all.

But, he was a special case among special ones. Normally it would still take more.

Anyway, moving on to the Law Seeker stage — it’s here where, instead of pursuing the senses generally, soul specifically, like in the previous foundational stage, here one moves on directly to Law.

You will actively seek to understand the law, to comprehend its mysteries, understand its nature, then systematically fill your Soul Zone with its essence.

The official mastery ranks for the Law make the whole system misleading, especially with the second mastery rank that’s called Initial Understanding.

But at the end of the day, it’s not merely understanding alone.

You are not solely understanding the law in theory; you are actively accumulating its power inside your soul while simultaneously understanding it.

You are gradually filling your Soul Zone with law power directly related to the specific law you are specialized in.

That’s precisely why he has regressed his rank.

After all, with his precious memories returned, and if it’s simply related to understanding. Then, he should have returned to his peak, and more... but, he didn’t.

Let alone returning instantly to his peak, if he were to walk back this path once again, it still should have ben easier... but, that too didn’t happen.

So, why exactly is the accumulation process taking this frustratingly long?

What is the crucial difference?

It’s his affinity.

His natural affinity with the Destruction Law had fundamentally changed.

His experienced mind didn’t, but his affinity changed completely.

What had made him a recognized genius?

One might wonder, but it was his sharp mind combined with his exceptional law affinity.

Noel had possessed an unprecedented affinity, one supposedly only seen in the legendary founder of one of the four major factions, the Star Guardians.

That was the extent of his widespread praise, which he didn’t particularly like, as he felt himself was clearly better.

Well, at this disappointing point? That glowing statement probably changed for the worse.

And.. it’s going to change again later.

Returning back to the second rank, Law Seeker — here one actively seeks the law, understands and accumulates it steadily, then gets intimately familiar with it, until finally one can confidently manifest it with his power in reality.

And if you successfully accomplished that challenging feat?

Then congratulations, you have finally reached the third rank, Law Bearer.

Here, you bear the law’s weight, bear some initially, then bear progressively more, and refine your manipulation and utilization of the law.

It’s primarily an accumulation stage, and it’s the crucial stage where one finally breaks out from the ordinary masses and really starts wielding immense, terrifying strength.

And to reach it, one generally has to go through these established ranks.

Where for those privileged few, it’s far easier.