Maria felt an enormous amount of pressure bearing down on her, but it was unlike any sort of oppression she's ever felt before. It's not like how she can suppress weaker beings while flaring her aura or how Mira can bring people to their knees with her killing intent.
If she were to try and explain it properly, it'd feel more like what she's feeling right now is the world suppressing her or more specifically the Laws that make up the world. She can feel and sense all sorts of mysteries about the Light Law surrounding her, but her comprehension and strength are too weak to resist it.
Maria guessed that even if she were to spend the next decade in this Light Pillar, she wouldn't even scratch the surface of the mysteries contained within this Light Pillar.
Another thing she noticed is the Qi in this Light Pillar is so dense that she can almost see it.
"Sigh… If only there was somewhere here with me to spar with, then this would be the perfect place to cultivate."
Maria couldn't help but sigh regretfully, but a certain Phoenix who was watching her had the sudden urge to beat the shit out of her after hearing her say that.
Elenei would definitely say 'You entered one of the best places for cultivating and comprehending your Dao and you still have the guts to complain!? You can't even fucking stand and you want somebody to spar with?!'
She might even kick Maria out due to her stupidity!
Mira couldn't help but shake her head while listening to Elenei's complaints because she knows that Maria is simply hopeless.
Meanwhile, Maria was still trying to get her face out of the ground and properly sit on the ground, but the mysteries of Heaven and Earth are something a mere ant like her can contend with.
She wasn't even able to twitch her body without it being suppressed!
A few hours later, Maria could only accept her current situation and try to make the most out of it. First and foremost, she needed to progress her comprehension in her Light Dao so that she can at least change positions! Cultivating can come later!
She closed her eyes and started concentrating on comprehending her Light Dao and she was almost instantly overwhelmed by all the information contained within this Light Pillar. She was barely able to understand even 99% of what entered her mind so she could only focus on what she had already comprehended and go from there.
She knew that a chance like this might not appear for the rest of her life so, at this point, Maria decided to just say 'fuck it' and she planned to stay in this pillar until she was either kicked out of the Pillar or kicked out of the Secret Realm.
***
6 Months Later
Inside the Light Pillar, Maria could be seen laying on her back with her eyes closed, but her aura was much different than it was 6 months prior. She still hasn't been able to get up, but at least she was able to role over onto her back rather than her stomach.
She had actually made a breakthrough into the Peak Xiantian Stage of the Foundation Realm and was working her way towards the Core Formation Realm.
Although she spent most of her time trying to comprehend her Dao, with how dense the Qi in the pillar as it was inevitable that she would breakthrough. She barely had to concentrate on cultivating and just breathing in this Light Pillar was more than enough for her to break through to the Peak of the Foundation Realm and into the Core Formation Realm.
That is until she heard an extremely serious voice from Elenei entering her mind.
"Don't break through to the Core Formation Realm in there. The Core Formation Realm might be the most important Realm in all the cultivation Realms and even Immortals don't dare underestimate this Realm or take it for granted."
Elenei explained to which Maria immediately stopped cultivating.
"What? Why? Are there, like, several tiers of cores that can be formed? Even if that's the case, wouldn't I just need a bunch of Qi to form it and be fine? If that's the case, then this place is perfect! I won't find a better place than this Light Pillar!"
The normal idiot Maria was gone and it was replaced by a Maria who actually uses her brain and IQ to the fullest.
"While I don't know the specifics, since you know, I'm not a human and I don't cultivate the same way as you do, but this is only from what I heard from when I lived with my parents in the World of Immortals. While it's true that you probably do need a massive amount of Qi to form an amazing core, you will also need special materials such as herbs or maybe even natural treasures. From what I can remember, there are basically an unlimited number and types of Cores that can be formed. It's all based on several factors such as the foundation you set in the Foundation Realm, your Dao and your comprehension, Elemental affinity, physique, bloodline, amount of Qi used to form your core, any treasures and herbs you used to help, and anything else that might affect it."
What the heck?! Why have I never heard of anything like this back at the Battle Maiden Sect?!"
Maria complained to which Elenei just snorted.
"Hmph! It's because you three bumpkins live in the middle of fucking nowhere! Mira said that the strongest people in your Sect and City were in the Core Formation Realm and even then there were only a few. With your pitiful amount of resources and atmospheric Qi, it's no wonder you've never heard of this. I'm sure if you go travel somewhere that isn't in the middle of nowhere, Foundation Realm and Core Formation Realm people will be a rather common sight!"
"Ugh! Shut up! Who wants to go live in a place with a bunch of shitty kids anyway?! And also, what do you mean there are infinite possibilities for forming my core?! What am I supposed to do with that information?? I didn't even know this was a thing before you brought it up!"
Now Maria was back into idiot mode…
"Why'd you become stupid all of a sudden?! Just go to a fucking city that has this information! I'm sure it's probably public knowledge after all! As for how to form your core? How the hell should I know?! You, humans, have always been rather resourceful and crafty so I'm sure they've come up with a formula for Top-Tier cores. So just ask someone."
"Oh yeah! I never thought of that, but then again I don't want some generic core that someone else can use! The only way for me to step o-I mean spar with Mira is if I form my own unique core!"
"Well, you do you. I'll help you, Mira, and Celaine out with gathering some resources that might be useful in this Secret Realm, but it's best if you study up on how to actually form a core that's unique to you rather than just using random resources and hoping for the best."
"Hehe, Big Sister Elenei, you really are the best! I knew I could count on my beautiful and majestic Big Sister to help me in my time of need!"
"Who's your Big Sister?! I don't want a shameless and idiot Little Sister such as you!"
"Hehe~"
Maria chuckled at Elenei's reaction, but then her face turned a bit serious as she started contemplating what type of Core she wants to form.
However, even after thinking about it Maria still had no idea what to do or where to even start.
Ahh! Whatever! I'll think about it later. For now, I just need to stall my breakthrough and work on comprehending my Light Dao more."
She exclaimed and immediately closed her eyes to try and understand the mysteries this Light Pillar held.
