C2 Obtaining the Cosmic Oddity

Chu Xing couldn't tell how long he had been unconscious before he finally came to.

"Ah, where is this?" he murmured, rising to his feet and scanning his surroundings. "Why did I pass out?"

He was in an expansive space, shrouded in a gray haze, standing alone at its center.

"Little fellow, it's a pleasure to meet you," a raspy voice echoed nearby. Before him, an old man materialized, his presence commanding despite his age.

His hair was a snowy white, and he was cloaked in a long, gray robe. His eyes, dulled with age, fixed on Chu Xing without a trace of malice.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Chu Xing asked, inching backward.

"You're in my spiritual realm. You may address me as Elder Hsu. My time is short. After overcoming countless obstacles, I've traveled from a distant corner of the universe to your planet," Elder Hsu explained, his voice tinged with nostalgia.

Chu Xing listened, his mind racing with confusion.

"Come to our planet? Is he an alien? But he looks like a Hua national. And those clothes... I've never seen them before. Could this be a scam? Or a kidnapping? Am I dreaming?"

He surveyed the area more closely. It resembled a vast, deserted plaza, with just him and the old man adrift like a solitary boat on an open sea.

Chu Xing's nature meant he wouldn't let his fear show; he stood his ground, vigilant.

"Good, you're composed under pressure, with a steady mind and strong spirit. I don't have the luxury of time to seek out a successor," Elder Hsu observed, speaking more to himself.

"Are you an alien?" Chu Xing feigned ignorance, looking for an opportunity to flee.

"An alien? I suppose that's one way to see it," Elder Hsu chuckled.

His demeanor turned grave as he continued, "I am the Undying Celestial. By chance, I came upon a Cosmic Oddity. Had I secured it, I would've ascended to unparalleled strength.

"But greed got the better of me. When the opportunity arose to claim another artifact of immense power, I pursued it without a second thought, only to be betrayed and hunted down by my adversaries."

"After over 300 years on the run, only my divine sense made it here, and I met my end—body destroyed and path extinguished. Ha, ha, ha..."

Elder Hsu's laughter followed his words.

Chu Xing stood by, his eyes wide and mouth agape, thinking, "This tale is beyond belief. Living for 300 years is unimaginable, let alone fleeing for that long. Have I stumbled upon a madman?"

He lapsed into silence.

Chu Xing couldn't shake the feeling that the old man was mocking his naivety.

Time passed before Elder Hsu spoke again, his voice unhurried, "I chose you because of your formidable mental strength, making you the ideal heir to this Cosmic Oddity. My sole condition is that once you've grown powerful, you avenge me. Can you agree to that?"

Chu Xing, unconcerned with the veracity of the claim, quickly replied, "I promise to seek vengeance on your behalf once I've gained strength."

"Good, now swear it," Elder Hsu insisted, fixing Chu Xing with an earnest gaze.

"Ah, I've really encountered a madman. What kind of place is this?" Chu Xing's heart raced.

"I, Chu Xing, solemnly swear to uphold the legacy of Elder Hsu's treasure. When my power matures, I will exact his revenge and slay his foes, as the heavens and earth bear witness."

Chu Xing aimed to please, choosing his words with care.

Yet oddly, the oath seemed to etch itself into his heart, the memory crystal clear.

"Well done. It's a pity I won't live to see you vanquish my enemies. They've pursued me for 300 years; even a relentless cur would tire... Ha, ha, ha... The heavens do see all, and in the end, they gained nothing." Elder Hsu spat his curse.

"The treasures I leave you are few; my body was destroyed, and only my divine sense carried away the most crucial of my possessions. I've lived a life of solitary cultivation, with little to show for it," Elder Hsu said, his voice now steady.

"Solitude can bolster one's strength, but without allies or influence, one is vulnerable. Had I had either, my fate, even after 10,000 years of pursuit, might have been different. Remember my lesson well."

"That's a valid point." Chu Xing nodded earnestly. "Understood."

"This," Elder Hsu said, lifting his left palm with great effort as if he were holding up all his hopes, "is the Cosmic Oddity." Yet, Chu Xing saw nothing there.

"You mean your left hand?" Chu Xing waited, but Elder Hsu remained fixated on his palm.

He couldn't help but think, 'Definitely a madman.'

"Hmph, concentrate and look closer. The Cosmic Oddity is invisible to the naked eye. It only reveals a faint glow when scanned with mental energy. This object is the stuff of legends, and I came upon it by a fortunate twist of fate." Elder Hsu's voice grew more intense, as if he could hear Chu Xing's thoughts.

"How I acquired it is irrelevant, and you don't need to concern yourself with that detail. What you must grasp is that it represents a universe's beginning. In our hands, it holds infinite potential for growth. Properly cultivated, it could even give rise to a new universe."

With that, Elder Hsu's gaze returned to the center of his palm.

Chu Xing focused intently on Elder Hsu's palm, and before him materialized a faint orb of light, no larger than a marble from his childhood.

He pinched his thigh hard enough to feel pain, thinking, 'This can't be a dream; it's far too vivid.'

Elder Hsu caressed the luminous sphere in his hand. "Now, I shall assist you in absorbing it."

As he spoke, Chu Xing found himself suddenly standing before Elder Hsu. Before he could gather his wits, Elder Hsu raised his palm and gently pressed it against Chu Xing's forehead.

A sensation at his brow indicated something entering, and drowsiness overwhelmed him. Moments later, he lost consciousness.

In that instant, the Cosmic Oddity had passed into Chu Xing's forehead and settled within his spiritual sea.

The spiritual sea, also known as the sea of consciousness, is the most enigmatic part of the human body. Typically, cultivators reach the Nascent Infant Stage before they begin to train their mental energy, though some with innate talent can start earlier.

In fact, everyone possesses a spiritual sea, varying in size. A vast spiritual sea stretches limitlessly within the realm of spiritual energy, while a smaller one might be no bigger than a clenched fist.

Humans have only harnessed a tiny fraction of it, yet it suffices for everyday life.

One's spiritual sea must be vast to a certain extent before the gift of spiritual power can be awakened.

But a vast spiritual sea doesn't guarantee an early awakening; it's shrouded in mystery, beyond human comprehension.

The spiritual sea is engulfed in a gray fog, which only turns white when transformed into spiritual power.

Chu Xing's spiritual sea was an endless expanse of gray, save for a basketball-sized white space at its center.

Once the Cosmic Oddity entered Chu Xing's spiritual sea, it began voraciously absorbing the white spiritual power until none was left.

The Cosmic Oddity then started to pull in the gray mist in great quantities, converting it into spiritual power for its own absorption.

Outside, Chu Xing's brow furrowed, his expression twisted in agony.

Elder Hsu grew anxious as well; he hadn't anticipated the Cosmic Oddity would consume such an immense amount of spiritual power. All that was left was to hope for Chu Xing's fortune.