Prime Originator

Leon learned much from Arden's diary. To be able to find the diary of a legendary figure, who was much involved in the history of the Nova Empire on their first trip to the second underground floor, he could only attribute it to his good luck.

There were no doubting Arden's talents as a genius runic artificer. However, if he didn't have the guidance of a good master, his attainments in runic artificing would have taken much longer to achieve.

Leon was much more interested in Arden's runic artificer master than Arden himself. Arden's runic artificer master, Balthazar was the most authoritative figure in the runic artificer circle. It could even be said that the foundation of Nova's runic technology was built upon Balthazar's otherworldly knowledge.

Before Balthazar arrived, the runic artificer profession did not exist in the Nova country. But after his arrival, the Nova country became the most powerful country with its leading runic technology.

It was a pity that Arden's master passed away early from old age during Gaia's trying times. Fortunately, he imparted all his skills and knowledge to Arden before his passing. In his diary, Arden had mentioned his immense gratitude to his master for noticing his talents early and taking him in as a disciple.

Leon's interest revolved around the name 'Balthazar'. The name was widespread even back in the Divine Realm. The owner of the name was coincidentally, also a renowned runic artificer. The only difference was that Balthazar was renowned for his infamy.

The half-step Divine King, Balthazar diverged from the orthodox path of runic artificing, which sought to create artifact spirits that would become the lifelong companions of divine practitioners in their pursuit of the everlasting.

Balthazar's way of runic artificing defies such belief by sacrificing the artifact spirits for greater power. The power of the artifact could further be enhanced by feeding off its user's lifeforce. As such, Balthazar's works were labeled as forbidden artifacts.

Naturally, spirit artifacts were much better than forbidden artifacts due to their growth potential to evolve alongside their divine practitioners. However, this requires an accumulation of time and experience, while the power of forbidden artifacts was immediate.

While it was known that Balthazar was hunted for creating forbidden artifacts, the truth was that the other runic artificers coveted his production method and knowledge of forbidden knowledge.

Due to his unwillingness to share his life's work with the self-righteous hypocrites, he was hunted all the way to the boundary of the Divine Realm's core, a naturally formed mega black hole that endlessly swallows anything and everything from the universe.

It was the holy land of cultivation, but at the same time, it was also the most dangerous place to be. If one was not careful, they would be sucked in by the black hole's immense gravitational force.

No one knew what lied on the other side, but they believe all the people got crushed into oblivion. All who had ever ventured inside never returned to tell the tale.

When a person reached the end of their road, they would make a final trip inside. Over time, it became the final resting place of countless divine practitioners.

In life, they swallow countless energy from the universe to cultivate. In death, they return it all back to the void.

When Balthazar was cornered, rather than suffering the humiliation entailed after his capture, he chose to end his life by diving into the black hole.

20,000 years have passed since then, but the story continues to circulate around the Divine Realm. Leon suspected that Balthazar might have reincarnated to the early Nova country.

…

A whole day had passed since the hunting group got trapped in the building. The ever-present trembling on the top floor informed the group that the army of ants outside had not retreated and continued to surround the building.

During this time, the group had another meal to replenish their energy back to the optimum state. Apart from two dare-to-eat gluttons, who weren't afraid of the aftermath, the rest had returned to eating their prepared rations.

After reading the diary, Leon had skimmed over the cultivation books. The ancient civilization didn't rely on pills to awaken and relied on more primitive methods. This coincided with Leon's guesses.

The world of Gaia was completely different from the Divine Realm. It was like Gaia was the Divine Realm after being flipped upside down. Not only was the cultivation system different, but the difficulty in comprehending and controlling the laws was also much easier.

At this moment, Leon was meditating in the center of a small cave dug out by the palace guards, under his request. With his level of perception and divine sense, it might be possible for him to comprehend the earth laws and form his earthseed.

The small cave connected to a much larger cave where the rest of the palace guards could be seen cultivating and the large cave was connected back to the building. This was the result of their one day's worth of cultivating to clear the blocked entrance.

In order not to be disturbed, he had sealed off the small cave from the large cave. In this dark empty cave with only Leon and the cold earthen walls surrounding him.

Leon freed his mind of distracting thoughts and soon entered a state of emptiness. In this emptiness state, his perception was enhanced. Soon, his divine sense began to spread out and covered the small cave, as he quietly studied the earth elements.

The earth element had the characteristics of being sturdy and unmoving. It represented firmness, unyielding to change. In a sense, it was similar to metal, or rather metal was similar to earth. They may have been recognized as separate laws, but they may both belong to another law of higher order.

Perhaps, because he already formed the metalseed, but Leon found it easier to comprehend the earth. Unknowingly, Leon's breathing slowed with the passage of time. He became still and unmoving like a boulder. In this state, he felt he had become the earth.

This change was acknowledged by the world. Within the recess of his sea of consciousness, a budding brown light appeared and found its own spot among his four other elemental seeds of fire, metal, ice, and lightning, as they orbit around his soul core.

With the appearance of this brown light, the stubborn earth elements began to gather into his body on its own accord. They gathered towards the brown light and form his earthseed.

The formation of the earthseed caused a stir in the surroundings, as the earth elements became rattled, before rushing towards Leon with great excitement.

However, Leon remained impassive to such changes for he was still the earth, boundless and accommodating, encompassing everything.

The sturdy small cave began to weaken as the rocky walls began to crumble. At the same time, Leon's newly formed earthseed began to soar in power. The speed of his cultivation was far greater than any other newly awakened 1st step earth-users.

Soon, he entered the 2nd step and did not stop, but continued onto the 3rd step, 4th step and so on. There was no sign of slowing down. He remained in the mysterious state of being one with the earth. In his hands, the earth crystal could be seen, clasped since the beginning of his meditation.

…

Outside, the palace guards were startled by the great change, as Leon's frenzy absorption of the earth elements began to affect and alarm them.

"What's going on? Someone is swallowing up all the earth elements at an incredible rate!" Lutheran, one of the palace guards exclaimed.

"Impossible! How can anyone possibly absorb the earth elements this quickly? We might have accidentally triggered a hidden treasure. Let's look for it!" Another one quickly denied, before adding excitedly. If such concentration of earth elements was collected by one person, wouldn't they be able to shoot straight to the skies in one go? How can cultivation be that easy?

"Behind this wall seems to be where all the earth elements are gathering… but isn't this where his highness is practicing his secluded cultivation?" Damir commented doubtfully, as the group arrived before the enclosed small cave Leon was located in.

"What's going on here?" Zorbek quickly interrogated upon meeting up with the group of palace guards shortly after.

"We're not sure. All the earth elements in the underground seem to have suddenly rushed towards this location, Captain." The group answered.

Zorbek frowned and asked, "How long has the prince been practicing in seclusion?"

"Five days, Captain."

The palace guards did a quick count and answered.

Staring at the enclosed cave entrance, Zorbek fell into a dilemma. He wanted to tear down the wall to check on the prince, but they had been strictly ordered not to disturb the prince. Strictly speaking, he didn't think any human could gather the earth elements at such a monstrous rate, especially not the prince when he wasn't even an earth-user.

Before Zorbek and the palace guards could come to a decision, the enclosed caved entrance collapsed on its own and the light sources from the large cave shined into the small cave, Leon's haggard but stable figure. He had been fasting for 6 days.

Blood veins could be seen all over the prince's body, while the earth elements visibly funneled inside through the glabella.

They could faintly feel Leon's cultivation and became shocked.

"His Highness has already reached the one-star level as an earth-user!"

"Not right. Wasn't His Highness a fire-user… eh? He seems to be a metal-user and ice-user too…"

"Is His Highness trying to practice all the elements!?" Lutheran gasped.

"That's not important! His Highness wasn't even an earth-user before this, but he is already at the level of one star now and it's still climbing! His Highness's body can't take such a drastic increase in cultivation! We have to do something!"

"Stop!" Zorbek barked while looking at the prince with a serious look. "His Highness is at a crucial point in his cultivation. Don't you know how dangerous it is to interrupt someone's cultivation!?"

"But His Highness seems to be in the right state of mind! He seems to be believed he is one with the earth!"

While Leon's position faced them, his mind was not there and seemed to have wandered elsewhere. Lilith frowned with worry as she assessed the situation with the group. Looking at their faces, they were all hesitating, while Leon's body was starting to break down.

…

Who am I? Where am I going? How will I get there? I am a piece of rock… I am a mountain… I am the earth, stable, firm, unmoving and unflinching for all eternity. Boundless enough to embrace all things and the changes time, but I, myself don't change.  I am eternal…

Leon did not feel the pain and burden of his body as his mind sinking deeper into the dark depths of the earth, seemingly forgotten himself.

…

"Two-star level…"

Leon's cultivation advanced again. At the same time, cracks began to appear on his body.

Lilith's silhouette flashed by the corner of Zorbek's eyes as she dashed towards Leon. Zorbek became both shocked and enraged that the beast would choose this moment to act.

"Beast, what are you trying to do! Don't you dare harm the prince!" Zorbek roared.

Ignoring Zorbek's warning, Lilith continues to dash towards Leon.

"Wake up!" Lilith cried.

PA!

A resounding slap swept across Leon's cheeks, interrupting his mysterious state and brought him back to reality.

At the same time, the torrential amount of earth elements suddenly lost its target and disperse in all directions, kicking up a small storm that swept Lilith to the side.

His eyes snapped open from the waves of pangs assaulting his body and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Beast, I'll kill you!"

"Stop!"

Leon halted with a raised hand.

"But that beast assaulted you, Your Highness!"

"Enough! She saved my life!" Leon shouted sternly.

Zorbek shook slightly from the pressure of Leon's gaze and bowed apologetically for being impulsive.

Leon proceeded to sweep Lilith with a grateful look. "Thank you."

Lilith got back onto her feet and dusted her clothes impassively like it was nothing, before asking interestedly, "What happened?"

Leon was drenched into cold sweats like someone just dowsed him with a bucket of water when he tried to recall his experience. It had been far too dangerous just now. He would have lost himself if no one woke him up in time.

Leon brows creased together as he pondered why he would experience such a dangerous situation. There was no mention of any danger in the cultivation books when trying to awaken via communicating with the elements and connecting to it.

After a moment, he shook his head. There was no precedent for his case. He was not normal. He was an irregular in this world.

He was previously a divine state practitioner. Not only does he have a powerful soul and perception, but he had also retained his divine sense and practiced a unique cultivation method that made his body attuned to the five elements.

A normal person would never be able to reach the same level of connection to the elements. His abilities allowed him to connect on a far deeper level to the elements, at least to the point of thinking he was a piece of rock! Thus, they would never experience the same danger he did.

'Fortune and danger come hand in hand. This proverb had never been truer.' Leon mentally sighed.

However, he was not disappointed. This was not a disaster but a blessing. He could see the benefits, despite the damage inflicted upon himself. it was not irreversibly and can be healed with medicine. As he continued using this method, he could cultivate extremely quickly.

Although it was dangerous, he can only blame it on his own inadequacy. If his mind was firmer, he would not have lost himself to the deep connection and he would not sustain injuries if his body was tough enough to withstand the burden.

In the end, he had to cultivate an indomitable will and powerful body, if it wishes to continue using such a method to cultivate. Having finished sorting out his thoughts, Leon said, "I was—"

Rumble…

"Never mind. Is there something to eat? I'm famished. It seems I have been in secluded cultivation for a really long time." Leon said awkwardly with a smile while rubbing his empty stomach.

"It's been 6 days since you shut yourself into this cave, Your Highness. The rations we brought with us have all been finished. There are only ants left to eat. Should I get someone to prepare for you?" Zorbek asked.

Hearing this, Leon's smiled became more forced. He glanced at his stomach before he returned his gaze towards Zorbek and nodded gritted teeth.

"Please."