The moment Mira stepped through the door, she felt herself being sucked into a force much greater than she could comprehend. It was as if she had plunged headfirst into a spiraling wormhole. Her limbs flailed uncontrollably as the churning energies around her threatened to tear her apart.
To anyone else, the sensation might have been utterly terrifying, a descent into a chaotic abyss. But Mira was different. Her spirit was indomitable, forged in the crucible of countless trials and adversities. She wasn't going to let herself be tossed around like a leaf in the wind.
Using every ounce of her cultivation strength, she tried to take back control from the maelstrom to stabilize her position. It felt like trying to swim against a tidal wave. But as she struggled, Mira caught a glimpse of what surrounded her.
It was magnificent. A microcosm of a universe sprawled before her eyes—galaxies, nebulas, stars, and voids—all contained within this pathway. The colors, the swirling patterns, and the radiant light were otherworldly, a beauty that could drive one mad.
Yet, for Mira, it wasn't just about admiring the scenery. It was about surviving it.
'Fuck fate! And fuck luck! I refuse to let go of what is rightfully mine because some ancient asshole wanted to dick around! If I can't have it, then I'll be damn sure to kill whoever does!' She declared.
She'd gone through too much shit over the last however many days she was stuck here to be cucked at the very last moment! Everything here was too important to give to some random.
The Guardian's voice suddenly echoed in her mind, sounding more distant and scattered than ever. "To your left! Head towards the densest concentration of energy. That's where the legacy resides!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Mira focused her sights on a radiant point of light in the distance, pulsating with an intensity that outshone everything else. If that was her destination, then she would get there, no matter what.
She began to manipulate the World Core within her, trying to convert its harmonious energy into a force that could propel her through this cosmic maze. Every muscle, every fiber of her being strained to shift her trajectory towards that beacon of light.
But the wormhole wasn't making it easy. It seemed to be alive, shifting and morphing as if it were reacting to her intentions. Pathways that looked clear one moment became convoluted the next. Stars would suddenly shift, and galaxies would spiral in unpredictable patterns.
Mira gritted her teeth. It felt like a tug-of-war between her will and the universe's whims.
Yet, amidst the chaos, something incredible happened. Mira began to sense the rhythm of this miniature universe.
Just as she had reshaped her soul space before, she now found herself subtly influencing the direction of the wormhole, bending it, albeit slightly, to her will.
With the newfound connection, Mira's perception changed. The wormhole, once a source of chaos, now became an entity with a heartbeat, a living cosmos that breathed and resonated with her own soul. The galaxies swirled and shifted in a delicate balance that she was beginning to comprehend.
Harnessing this understanding, she began to weave between constellations, slip through the heart of nebulas, and ride on the tidal forces of star clusters.
She could feel the dense energy drawing closer, its pull more potent than before. But, there were moments when the universe would resist, and the pulse of the wormhole would clash with her own intentions, and she would be thrown off course.
It was during one of these moments, when a sudden vortex spun her around that she saw them—shadows.
Fleeting, ethereal forms darting between galaxies, their very presence causing distortions in the wormhole's fabric.
The realization hit her: she wasn't alone in this journey. Whether they were remnants of the past or active contenders, others were also traversing this cosmic pathway.
This added a new layer of complexity. While she tried to maintain her path toward the beacon, she also had to be wary of these shadowy entities. They seemed to sense her too, their movements becoming more purposeful, more deliberate, converging towards her.
A sharp voice pierced through her concentration. "Mira!" The Guardian warned. "Those are the Soul Seekers—entities left behind by the Progenitors to guard the legacy. They are drawn to powerful souls. You must evade them!"
Taking a deep breath, Mira expanded her senses even further, now acutely aware of the positions and trajectories of the Soul Seekers. She weaved through the cosmic maze, avoiding them, but it was evident they were getting closer.
Drawing upon the best concealment Technique she knew, Mira released a burst of energy, camouflaging her presence. At that moment, she felt like she could finally break through the barrier and reach the 6th Stage of the technique, Worldly Aura.
With the help of the World Core, her understanding of Creation and Destruction, and her extremely versatile meridians, Mira blended her aura, heartbeat, energy flow, and physical body with the world around her.
For a moment, she became a phantom, blending seamlessly with the cosmos around her. It bought her a few precious moments as the Soul Seekers seemed momentarily disoriented.
Using this advantage, she pushed forward with renewed vigor, the beacon now appearing vast and blindingly close. The harmony between her and the universe grew stronger, and with a final, decisive burst of speed, she emerged from the wormhole.
She tumbled on the ground but was immediately surrounded by an aura of resplendent light.
Stabilizing herself, she hopped to her feet to gather her surroundings.
Where she landed wasn't very large, about the size of a neighborhood block, and there was nothing on it but green grass, a large spire on each corner, and a temple in the middle.
The spires were completely black and released streams of iridescent energy toward the center, where the temple stood. The energies converged above it and descended inside the building like a cascading waterfall.
The temple stood tall and majestic, made of white and gold stone with depictions of ancient beasts created on colored glass. It gave off a relaxing aura as if the concept of peace and quiet was created here.
'...Did I make it?' Mira wondered, but she instinctively knew she did. Perhaps there were other places that contained the legacy, but she knew she had acquired one of them.
As if she was compelled, she unknowingly started walking toward the temple. When she reached the door, she gently pushed it open, revealing a large empty nave with nothing but an altar at the end of a long red carpet.
The energy from the spires descended on that position, their various energies intertwining into one. She attempted to sense what kind of energy it was, but it was so profound that she felt if she stared long enough, she might get lost in it.
Shaking her head, she stepped forward on the red carpet and continued until she reached the altar.
Mira approached the altar, bathed in the iridescent glow cascading from the spires above. The energies swirled, intertwining and flaring as they met above the altar, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle—no tangible artifact or treasure, just the energy—the essence of the Progenitors' legacy.
She extended her hand towards it, hesitating for a moment. An innate understanding told her that this wasn't just any energy; it was the culmination of the Progenitors' wisdom, knowledge, and power.
As her fingers brushed the streams, a profound connection was established. The energies spiraled around her, caressing her skin, seeping into her meridians, and resonating with her very soul.
Each spire's energy had a distinct characteristic. One pulsed with raw power, another with boundless knowledge, a third with profound wisdom, and the last with an ethereal sense of unity and harmony.
Mira felt a resonance, a profound melding of energies as the myriad streams interwove around her. For a moment, it was as if time stood still, the world narrowing to just her and the spires' legacy. The sensation was gentle, almost like a whisper, guiding her, showing her the paths that lay before her.
She could feel the very fibers of her being vibrating in tandem with the energies, a gentle hum emanating from deep within her core. The power from the spires was not just infusing her, but it was attuning to her, refining her, and preparing her for what was to come.
As the moments passed, the intensity of the energies began to wane slightly, giving Mira the sensation of a gentle descent, like a feather floating back to the ground after being carried aloft by the wind.
With a soft sigh, she withdrew her hand, feeling a lingering warmth where the energies had touched her.
'That was just a touch. What'll happen when I sit in it?' Mira wondered, but she didn't immediately hop in.
First, she came up with a plan. She had to maximize the benefits of this legacy. Whether this was all there was, she didn't know.
However, the energy in front of her was more than extraordinary. It wouldn't be wrong to call it a miracle drug capable of improving one's innate talent.
There was a whole list of things she wanted to do, so she had to go through her own mental checklist.
Fortunately, with her current mind, this only took a few seconds.
After taking a deep breath, Mira steadied her mind and walked into the waterfall of energy, letting it crash onto her before she sat down in a meditative position.
