Enchanted Everwood Farm, Dadangar.
Aksai stepped inside the sophisticated farmhouse at the heart of the Enchanted Everwood farm.
The sight of a vintage yet well-kept wooden interior welcomed him.
Warm hues of polished wood, antique furniture, and cozy decor created an atmosphere of timeless comfort. The soft glow of lanterns added a rustic charm, making the farmhouse a perfect blend of elegance and homeliness.
He found a good spot in the spacious living hall, where a large window offered a view of the lush farmland under the perpetual twilight sky. Aksai sat down cross-legged on a comfortable rug, closing his eyes to meditate.
He focused on his breathing, allowing himself to relax and reach peak physical and mental condition. The tranquil ambiance of the farmhouse and the Everwood farm helped him achieve a deep state of calm.
After a while, Aksai opened his eyes and stretched out his right hand. In the next moment, an old oil painting appeared in his vision, held in a simple wooden frame. This was none other than the Myriad Worlds Painting.
The painting now depicted the lush and vibrant farmhouse amidst the farmland under the twilight sky, mirroring the scene around him. Since Aksai had used the artifact’s powers to return to the secret dimension just recently, the depiction of the painting matched his whereabouts.
“I think it should be safe. The Consciousness Creation Art is not intrusive in nature. It only nurtures a soul inside a target. As long as I am careful not to damage the painting, nothing will go wrong,” Aksai thought to himself.
“What’s more? I don’t think I’m even capable of damaging the Myriad Worlds Painting. I don’t know what kind of treasure it is but it is at least a 3rd-order treasure.
With my Foundation Building cultivation base, not to mention the possibility of damage, I can’t even put a scratch on this painting,” he estimated based on his previous experiences with the painting.
Determined to use the Consciousness Creation Art he had obtained from Mao, Aksai decided to nurture a natal spirit inside the Myriad Worlds Painting. He first took out the Array Disk he had prepared in advance and placed it right in front of him. The disk was intricately designed with complex runes and symbols.
Swoosh. Zoom. Expand.
Aksai made a few hand signs and began chanting a mantra to expand the Array Disk. The disk responded to his commands, glowing softly as it enlarged and settled into a stable formation. The air around him shimmered with Spirit energy as the Array Disk activated, ready to assist in the creation of a synthetic consciousness.
“Maybe I’m a bit greedy. But I don’t have many things to rely on in this world. You are the only gift my late father gave me. Please be safe.”
Holding the Myriad Worlds Painting with some emotion, Aksai began to channel his Spirit energy into the Array Disk. The runes and symbols on the disk lit up, creating a delicate web of energy that enveloped the painting.
He then took out ten talismans and made them fly towards various directions within the formation. Aksai focused on the Consciousness Creation Art, recalling the talismanic patterns and essence equations detailed in the jade slip.
He carefully infused the painting with Spirit energy, guiding it through the web of runes and symbols. The energy began to coalesce within the painting, taking shape as a nascent consciousness. Aksai’s mind was clear and focused, every movement precise and deliberate.
As the process continued, the painting seemed to come alive, its colors deepening and becoming more vibrant. The scene of the farmhouse and farmland under the twilight sky pulsed with an almost tangible energy, as if the painting itself was beginning to breathe.
The synthetic consciousness within the painting started to form, a faint awareness that would grow and evolve over time. Aksai continued to chant, his voice steady and calm, guiding the consciousness into existence. The Array Disk glowed brighter, its energy stabilizing the newborn spirit within the painting.
***
A few hours passed just like that.
The process of the Consciousness Creation Art was slow.
One could see that Aksai sat inside an Array Formation quite different from the regular 2nd-order formations.
This runic circle employed the concepts of Aether energy, featuring two distinct sets of Essence Equations. The light bluish Essence Equations represented concepts of Spirit essence, while the purple Essence Equation runes represented the concepts of Aether essence.
Aksai had used the information available in the Consciousness Creation Art to create this Array Disk and the subsequent Array Formation it cast. However, he had modified the formation using information from Acarnis, a world proficient in soul-related techniques and Aether energy.
He had also integrated tidbits of the Anahat Soul Splitting Technique and other such techniques obtained from a certain possessed ghost to make the modifications. Using his neural link fabric, Aksai fused various concepts to refine the Consciousness Creation Art, making it even more effective.
He believed that, although the Consciousness Creation Art was a genuine soul-related technique native to Dadangar, it had many defects and could use some improvements. Thus, he directly employed concepts and cultivation resources from Acarnis.
This way, Aksai was more confident that the natal spirit he would nurture inside the Myriad Worlds Painting would be even more capable than previously imagined.
Aksai kept watch on the Myriad World Painting using his Spirit Sense. When he felt that a spark of consciousness was getting birthed inside the artifact, he knew it was time.
After ensuring everything was as it should be, Aksai didn’t waste any more time. He expanded the Array Formation further and placed the Myriad Worlds Painting inside an Array Eye in front of him.
Next, he took out a bunch of Aether Crystals from his storage ring and placed them inside the Array Eyes at four different cardinal directions.
He then took out a bunch of Spirit Stones and placed them inside the Array Eyes of four intermediate directions, positioned between the cardinal points.
The Array Formation lit up, exuding bluish and purple light as it was activated using the Aether Crystals and Spirit Stones. The two sets of Essence Equations began to glow, intertwining and harmonizing in a mesmerizing dance of energy.
Aksai took a deep breath, feeling the power of the formation resonating with his own energy. He focused his mind, channeling his Spirit essence and Aether energy through the Array Disk. The runes and symbols within the formation pulsed with life, their glow intensifying.
Aksai continued to chant the mantra under his breath, his voice steady and calm. The synthetic consciousness within the painting began to take shape, a faint awareness forming and starting to develop. The painting pulsed with energy, the nascent spirit within it slowly awakening.
The bluish and purple light from the Array Formation enveloped the painting, stabilizing the newborn consciousness. Aksai guided the energy with precision, ensuring the synthetic spirit would grow and evolve over time.
“This… this is going rather smoothly. Hehe. Am I not a genius?”
As he worked, Aksai couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. The modifications he had made to the Consciousness Creation Art were proving effective, and the combination of Spirit essence and Aether energy was working harmoniously.
He was creating something unique, a blend of techniques and knowledge from two different worlds.
Then suddenly…
Swoosh. Zoom. Boom.
An unexpected surge of energy erupted from the Myriad Worlds Painting. A powerful Spirit Pulse burst forth, so intense that it obliterated the farmhouse in an instant. The once cozy and rustic interior was reduced to splinters and rubble, scattered across the twilight-kissed farmland.
The Spirit Pulse dissipated almost as quickly as it had appeared, an indication that the painting’s internal safety mechanism had been activated, expelling the excess energy out of the secret dimension.
“What… what did I do wrong?”
Aksai gulped in frustration, realizing that something unforeseen had occurred. He shuddered at the thought of the Pulse’s destructive force—had it been directed at him, he might not have survived.
“This… this is getting rather too dangerous for my taste.”
He decided to stop the process but found himself unable to. The Array Formation lit up even more brightly, consuming the Spirit Stones and Aether Crystals at an alarming rate.
To his horror, another consciousness within the Myriad Worlds Painting awoke, ravenously devouring the nascent spirit that had just taken root.
Aksai’s eyes widened in shock. Sweat formed on his forehead as he realized that the painting already possessed a powerful natal spirit, now awakened by his meddling. This ancient spirit, nourished by the newborn spirit, began drawing energy from the surrounding Spirit Stones and Aether Crystals, depleting them rapidly.
The increased consumption of resources put tremendous physical and mental pressure on Aksai. The Array Formation strained under the demand, its brilliance almost blinding.
Aksai cursed under his breath, realizing he had underestimated the painting’s power.
He now understood that the Myriad Worlds Painting was at least a 4th-order treasure, far beyond what he could safely manage as a lowly Foundation Building Expert.
===
AN: Sorry for the single chapter release yesterday and today. I was feeling a bit under the weather and decided to take some rest. Regular two-chapter releases should resume tomorrow. Thanks and happy reading. 🙂