The old man hearing this snorted and said.
“Nonsense, even though not all humans use our way of cultivating, all things born in this Universe have an Innate Dharma. It’s just that we humans are the only race to have figured out a way to unlock ours. As for you brat, you might be too young to awaken yours. Usually, youths on the Eastern Continent would start feeling theirs at around twelve to thirteen.”
“Then…”
“Not to worry, not to worry. Who do you think your Master is? I know a way to unlock your Innate Dharma early, just hold still and try to keep your screams to a minimum.”
“Wah-What?”
Sol sported a terrified expression as the old man went around him to place a hand on his back.
“Brat, you’re not going to die, all I’ll be doing is using my own Innate Dharma to stimulate yours to awaken. While I’m sending power through your meridians the pain will only last for a split second… just that during that spilt second it’ll feel like you’re experiencing the pain of being burnt alive in the underworld.”
“WHAT?!”
Sol heard his Master’s last sentence despite his muttering and cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
“Ready?”
“I-URGH!!!”
Sol didn’t get time to finish his sentence, as he suddenly release a wretched scream.
Hot.
Sol felt like his skin and flesh was being burnt off leaving nothing but his bare bones. All the nerves in his body were trembling nonstop, the pain was torture, it was unbearable.
However, just as Sol felt like he couldn’t take it anymore, the pain suddenly vanished.
But Sol’s body shook before he limply collapsed on the ground; his tongue hung loosely out of his mouth while his eyes glazed over.
Seeing this, the old man paused.
“Hmm, did I not do it right? Perhaps I needed to inject a bit more power.”
Sol’s body violently jerked, but he was too weak to move away from his Master’s incoming hand.
Tears welled up in Sol’s eyes as he looked at his Master with a pleading expression, but the old man simply huffed and said.
“Such weak mental fortitude, and you call yourself my disciple? This pain should be nothing… even though it’ll hurt more the second time… Ehem.”
Sol almost broke down crying upon hearing that. His Master was definitely trying to kill him!
However, as the old man’s hand went to grab Sol, a green shimmering light suddenly pushed his hand away.
“Oh? Looks like one time is enough.” ｂ𝚍ｎｏ𝚟ｌ.
The old man then looked at Sol eagerly, filled with immense excitement.
‘I never thought I’d find such a perfect disciple. Not only does he have a great aptitude to inherit my Martial Arts, but he also has a high affinity for the Earth and Metal Elements. All my body strengthening techniques are based on these elements, so this brat will also inherit those… But, why is the color green?’
Upon that last thought, the old man realized that the color shimmering around Sol was weird.
If he hadn’t gone senile yet, the old man was sure that the Earth and Metal Element were yellowish-golden and black respectively. The only time a green color appeared was… was…
The old man’s thoughts trailed off and his expression slowly turned ugly. Even as the green light from Sol’s body increased in intensity, it could not light up the dark look overcoming his face.
As the green light from a limp Sol increased to its zenith, it lit up the forest for several tens of meters in all directions.
Perhaps if someone other than the old man was here they would be crying out in alarm. This would be because the light from this Innate Dharma awakening was too bright.
Even among the people currently enrolled in the Martial Alliance Academy, or those outstanding youths slightly older than Sol set to enter. Only a handful of them had an Innate Dharma awakening like this.
However, since it was the old man, he merely look on with a disgusted expression.
As the blinding green glow began settling down, a small tree could be seen within the light.
But this tree seem to be a projection, and as the light fade away so did it.
What remain after the green light faded away was a green seed with a small sprout coming out of it. The seedling itself seems to be between incorporeal and corporeal.
The scene depicted as it appeared was an optimistic feeling that said, ‘Despite being a seedling, I have the potential to grow into a towering tree!’
However, the old man could care less.
“What utter bullshit is this?!!”
The old man started swearing like a drunken sailor.
After screaming all the obscenities he could think of, the old man glared at this seedling radiating optimism and roared.
“TRASH!! Complete and utter TRASH!!
“I have never seen an Innate Dharma this useless in all my years of living! Where is that wretched Beast?! It’s that thing, it’s definitely that bastard that corrupted my disciple!!”
The old man then frantically began looking around to find Little Zeel; never stopping his cursing fit as he did.
Meanwhile, Sol regained a bit of strength to lift himself up.
As he did, he turned to look at the seedling. Instantly a feeling of familiarity welled up in his heart. He could even feel a vague connection to it that was only getting stronger as time went by.
Sol also discovered something else as well. He could feel a strange energy in the surroundings caressing his face.
Sol hurriedly took off the bandages and allow his body to fully dwell in this feeling. He didn’t know what this energy was but there was an abundance of it. Currently, it felt like he was bathing in a warm spring river.
Sol couldn’t help but release a pleasant moan as a result.
The old man turned to see Sol’s actions and he walked over and smack him across the head.
“Damn brat! What are you doing moaning like a woman spreading her legs in bed?!”
With a pained expression, Sol rubbed his head and said.
“But Master, it’s just that-”
Smack!
“Damn brat, are you trying to rebel against your Master now? What, just because you awaken this trash Innate Dharma you think you can show off or something?”
Sol upon hearing this felt indignant.
But the words of his Master caused a confused expression to appear on his face before he then asked cautiously.
“But Master, I thought you said to not underestimate any Innate Dharma no matter how they look or seem?”
The old man glared at Sol when he heard that and raised his hand to smack him over the head once more. However, a tree root suddenly sprouted from the ground and wrapped around his hand.
Little Zeel then leaped in front of Sol to angrily stare at the old man.
The old man glared back hatefully and said.
“Damn beast, you planned this, didn’t you? All those times you were healing that brat, you were changing his Innate Dharma to this trashy thing.”
With a simple tug, the old man snap the sturdy-looking tree root and walked towards Little Zeel.
Little Zeel who was putting on an angry expression, held a hint of fear in his eyes as he took small steps back.
“Wait, Master!”
Sol hurriedly yelled as he picked up Little Zeel and retreated.