The days continued to pass relatively 'smoothly'. They were still battered by storms every day and were almost always attacked by some rogue beast, but nothing that they hadn't faced before.
There wasn't much to look at now that they reached the World Sea other than water, so Mira and her companions spent most of their time training.
Hana worked on refining her organs with Mira's guidance. Linnea kept improving her strength, with Dominique joining in with both of them as well, more so as an experiment to see if she could deepen her foundation.
Other than that, Dominique worked with Mira to improve all facets of herself other than her cultivation. Mira did not want Dominique to rush past these stages, as once her foundation was set, it couldn't be changed.
Thus, they took their time to work on weapon techniques and Qi control, as well as her innate abilities and affinities.
As for Elenei and Rhydian, there wasn't much for them to do, so occasionally, they'd fly a bit away from the boat, kill a few strong beasts to eat, and return. Either that, or they'd pick up Mira's leftovers whenever she threw an electrified gravity ball into the ocean.
Lastly, Mira reached the threshold of the 1st Stage of the Soul Transformation Realm and could break through to the 2nd Stage anytime.
However, there was a slight problem. She had reached a bottleneck.
Since her soul was different from others, how she needed to break through was also different.
So, other than mass slaughtering oceanic beasts to supplement her cultivation and teaching the others, she spent most of her time researching the perfect way to break through.
Currently, she's deep in meditation, doing a full body scan with her mind's eye.
'Hmmm… It seems the problem isn't that I can't break through normally. It's that almost every part of myself is intrinsically linked to one another.' Mira speculated.
The Soul Transformation Realm wasn't all that complicated. As she had learned, it was '...a realm where the practitioner's soul underwent a metamorphic change, adapting and evolving to accommodate the cultivator's experiences, wisdom, insights, and Dao.'
Each stage was like a mini-transformation that solidified her path forward.
'So, the essence of my breakthrough isn't just about accumulating Qi or expanding my soul's capabilities. It's about harmonizing every aspect of my being into a singular, cohesive whole. That's the crux of the Soul Transformation Realm,' Mira concluded.
As she delved deeper into meditation, Mira understood that her unique constitution required a tailored approach to cultivation. Unlike others, her soul was not just a passive reservoir of Qi and a place for her affinities to 'reside' but an active, dynamic force that shaped and was shaped by every other facet of her being.
This intricate interplay meant that her journey through the Soul Transformation Realm was as much about internal harmony as it was about power.
The 2nd Stage of the Soul Transformation Realm, Mira realized, was about forging deeper connections between her Qi, body, soul, and Dao.
It wasn't enough to have a strong body, abundant Qi, or even a resilient soul.
These elements needed to resonate with each other, creating a combination of power that was greater than the sum of its parts.
Mira's Absolute Ice Dao played a crucial role here.
To advance, she needed to imbue her soul with the essence of this Dao, letting it permeate her being to both her cores.
This would not only enhance her control over ice and cold but also align her spiritual and physical selves more closely.
The bottleneck Mira faced was not of quantity but of quality. She had ample Qi and a strong soul, but they operated like parallel streams rather than a converging river.
The key to her breakthrough lay in merging these streams, allowing her soul to evolve in a way that amplified her Qi and vice versa.
Mira spent hours in meditation, her consciousness weaving through the layers of her being. She visualized her Qi intertwining with the tangible outer layer of her soul. With each breath, she felt the cold essence of her Absolute Ice Dao seeping deeper into her soul, transforming it, and sublimating its path.
She also worked on refining her body, not through rigorous physical training but through a deep, meditative attunement. She sought to make her body not just a vessel for her soul and Qi but something that was inseparable from her.
Although the Harmonic Trinity Cultivation Technique had integrated into her, that wasn't enough in Mira's opinion.
She wanted more than just a 'soul transformation', but a full body one. That meant she couldn't just passively upgrade her body.
After weeks of meticulous preparation, Mira felt ready.
She sat cross-legged at the head of the boat, the vast expanse of the World Sea around her. Her companions and the crew kept a respectful distance, yet all eyes were on her.
As for being secretive? Mira didn't have that luxury unless she wanted to potentially destroy a section of the boat.
Mira closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath. She focused inward, her mind's eye vividly picturing the convergence of her soul, Qi, and Dao. She saw the frosty blue of her Qi swirling around the core of her soul, each tendril of energy infusing her being with the essence of ice.
Slowly, she began to guide this combined force through her body, starting from the tips of her toes and moving upwards.
As the energy flowed, it left a trail of transformation – her cells vibrated with newfound vitality, her meridians expanded and strengthened, and her soul resonated with a clearer, purer note.
Once she reached her dantian, it seamlessly merged with it, as this was what it was made for.
When the energy reached her heart, Mira paused, concentrating on the critical juncture. Here, the energy needed to coalesce, to form the nexus of her breakthrough.
She envisioned the essence of her Absolute Ice Dao merging with her soul and Qi at her heart center.
At that moment, Mira felt the essence of her Absolute Ice Dao crystallizing in her heart, its icy purity melding seamlessly with her soul and Qi.
The heart, traditionally known as the seat of the soul, became the crucible for this transformation. The icy energy swirled within her heart, forming a vortex of frost that solidified her bloodline, as well as the other aspects of her being.
The confluence of soul, Qi, and Dao within her heart was not just a physical convergence but a spiritual one.
Each beat of her heart sent ripples of this newly transformed energy throughout her body, resonating with her very essence.
As this process intensified, Mira's body began to emit a soft, radiant glow. The air around her turned markedly colder, and ice began to form on the surface of the boat and ocean.
Mira's eyebrows furrowed in concentration. She could feel every part of her being aligning, her soul evolving to accommodate this newfound unity. The Absolute Ice Dao didn't feel so… illusive anymore and felt more real.
The energy at her heart reached a crescendo, and with a controlled exhalation, Mira allowed it to explode outward, flowing through her entire being.
The glow around her intensified, enveloping her in a cocoon of ice and light, similar to what she did with her soul. The boat rocked as waves of energy pounded from her.
As the light receded, Mira slowly opened her blood-red eyes. She stood up, her movements more graceful and fluid than ever, as if she were one with the air and sea around her.
Her companions approached, their eyes wide with awe. Mira smiled–a serene, confident smile that she could only feel from an increase in power.
The changes in Mira were easily noticeable. Her Qi felt denser, purer, and her control over it was more refined. Her affinity with ice was now so deep it seemed as if she could command the very essence of cold itself.
'And to think that it'll only get better from here on out.' Mira thought while clenching her fists and feeling the power roll through her body like a tsunami.
"How do you feel, Mother?" Dominique hopped on Mira and asked.
Mira rubbed her head and smiled, "Powerful."
The group just rolled their eyes at such a vague description, but they knew she wasn't wrong. They could feel it.
Her strength had taken another leap forward.
Suddenly, Mira's expression changed, and she turned to Captain Jorvik, who was staring at her with wide eyes.
"You might want to prepare your crew. It seems my breakthrough has attracted some unwelcome guests." She said with a neutral expression.
'Oh, shit! That's right!' Jorvik inwardly cursed before her barked out orders to his crew. "Everyone! Prepare for battle!"
Mira handed Dominique over to Rhydian and told her to go to their quarters with Hana and Linnea. The wolf nodded and immediately left under Dominique's unwilling gaze.
Then, she turned back to the water with a slight smirk.
