Chapter 228: A Lecture on Laws
Chapter 228: A Lecture on Laws
After spending some more time with Seris, Rhain decided it was time to seek out the answers that had been eluding him.
He headed directly toward the secluded island of Carmilla.
With the crystalline jade token Myrielle had given him, the profound arrays surrounding Carmilla’s secluded pavilion parted soundlessly, allowing him to step inside without the slightest resistance.
The central chamber was not empty.
Carmilla sat lazily at the head of the large circular table.
Surrounding her were several familiar figures: High Preceptor Aldren, Preceptor Krell, and Preceptor Fabian, seemingly in the middle of a discussion regarding the aftermath of the Inner Palace Contest.
"Oh, Rhain, you came at the just right time." Fabian’s face immediately broke into a warm smile as he saw Rhain enter. "I was just about to head down to Residence Number Thirty-Two to pack up your belongings and have them moved to the Core Palace. Since you are here, it saves me a trip."
At the head of the table, Carmilla propped her chin on her hands, her bright, mischievous eyes locking onto Rhain with a teasing glint.
"Speaking of Residence Number Thirty-Two... Preceptor Fabian, when you pack up his things, make sure you dig very, very deep underground. Who knows, you might accidentally unearth something that a certain little thief buried directly into my Academy’s main spiritual vein."
Rhain’s dark grey eyes twitched slightly. So that was what she had meant by "little thief."
With her unfathomable Domain Master perception covering the Academy, she had clearly noticed the massive, subterranean funneling of the Academy’s primary spiritual vein directly into his courtyard.
He coughed dryly, keeping his expression perfectly placid. "Dean must be joking. I merely borrowed a bit of essence. Furthermore, I actually came here today to discuss a completely different matter."
Seeing Rhain deliberately shifting the topic, Carmilla giggled but didn’t press the issue. She waved her delicate hand, signaling him to sit. "What is it?"
Rhain took a seat, slowly calmed down and settled his thoughts.
"It concerns the comprehension of Laws," Rhain stated, his expression turning solemn. "I have successfully perceived the foundational theories of the Law of Spear, and the law of Wind... their structural truths and essence circulation routes are perfectly clear in my mind. Yet, when I attempt to actively manifest and wield the law itself, it completely slips through my grasp. I cannot command even a single percent."
The playful atmosphere in the room instantly vanished.
The High Preceptors and Preceptors exchanged deeply troubled glances.
For a cultivator to perfectly understand a Law yet be utterly unable to wield it was an extraordinarily rare and deeply concerning phenomenon.
It was the kind of bottleneck that could potentially block a genius’s advancement if left unresolved.
"You understand the structure perfectly, but cannot manifest it?" Aldren frowned deeply. "That is highly unusual. Usually, the manifestation is a natural byproduct of the understanding."
Carmilla’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"The Laws of the world are profound and mysterious. It is entirely possible that your theoretical understanding has deviated onto a flawed path," Carmilla reasoned. "An incorrect assumption at the foundational level would perfectly explain why the world’s laws reject your attempt to wield them."
She leaned forward slightly. "Tell me your exact understanding of your laws. Let me see if you have strayed into a wrong path."
Rhain nodded. He turned his gaze toward Fabian. "Preceptor Fabian, you taught me the foundational theories of the Law of Wind. I will use that as my example."
Fabian straightened his posture, listening intently.
Rhain closed his eyes for a brief second, organizing the vast repository of knowledge in his mind.
When he opened them, his voice resonated with a deep clarity.
"Wind is commonly perceived as mere motion—the displacement of air, the force of a gale, or the sharpness of a cutting breeze," Rhain began. "But that is merely its physical manifestation. The true essence of the Law of Wind is not motion. It is omnipresence and unbound freedom..."
Rhain spoke for five continuous minutes, unraveling the deepest, most complex truths of the Law of Wind.
He deconstructed it down to its most infinitesimal concepts, explaining how the law interacted with essence, space, and the world itself.
It was a lecture so unfathomably profound that it sounded less like a nineteen-year-old speaking and more like ancient sage explaining the rules of creation.
When Rhain finally finished, he looked around the room.
No one was moving.
High Preceptor Aldren was staring blankly at him.
Krell’s severe face was frozen in utter shock.
Carmilla’s eyes were blown so wide they were practically perfectly round.
But it was Preceptor Fabian’s reaction that caught Rhain’s immediate attention.
Fabian was standing completely paralyzed.
His eyes were vacant, staring into the empty space in front of him, and his entire body was trembling violently.
Rhain frowned slightly. "Preceptor Fabian? Is my understanding flawed?"
For a moment, Fabian didn’t respond.
Then, his chest heaved.
"Hahaha... HAHAHAHA!"
Fabian suddenly burst into a roaring, ecstatic fit of laughter.
It was a laugh so incredibly joyous, so filled with explosive relief and overwhelming emotion, that tears literally sprang from the corners of his eyes
"Flawed? Flawed?" Fabian shouted, his voice breaking with sheer emotion as he stared at Rhain. "Rhain... I have cultivated the Law of Wind for over a hundred and fifty years! I have been stuck at nine percent comprehension for four agonizing decades! I thought my talent had simply reached its limit, and I would never cross that final threshold to form a Domain!"
He pointed a trembling finger at Rhain.
"But just now... listening to you speak for five mere minutes... the fog that has blinded my soul for half a century has been completely swept away!"
The other High Preceptors gasped, snapping out of their daze.
"Fabian..." Aldren breathed, sensing the qualitative shift in Fabian’s aura.
"I will definitely be able to reach ten percent of the Law now! My dream of becoming a Domain Master will definitely come true!" Fabian declared.
Without a single shred of hesitation or concern for his status as a revered Preceptor, Fabian stepped out from behind his chair and deeply bowed toward Rhain, bending at a perfect ninety-degree angle.
"Rhain, My lifelong dream... of becoming a Domain Master... it will finally come true now. This grace is heavier than mountains! I cannot thank you enough!" Fabian repeatedly thanked Rhain.
Rhain was overwhelmed by the sudden, dramatic outburst.
He quickly stepped forward, helping Fabain up. "Preceptor Fabian, please. You accumulated the foundation yourself. I merely spoke a few words."
"Those few words were more precious than billions of Aetheruim Crystals!" Fabian laughed, straightening up slowly.
Rhain’s mind settled into a realisation.
If his casual explanation could shatter the decades-long bottleneck of a Half-Step Domain Master, it unquestionably proved one thing: his understanding of the laws had definitely no flaw.
His path was perfectly correct.
Carmilla slowly exhaled, looking at Rhain as if he were an entirely different species.
"A Spirit Manifestation Realm youth... just inadvertently lectured a half-step Domain Master into a breakthrough," Carmilla murmured, shaking her head in sheer disbelief. "If word of this gets out, who knows how many Domain masters in the dynasty will beg to become your student."
She composed herself, her bright eyes turning serious.
"Your understanding is not just correct, Rhain. It is astonishingly deep. With that level of comprehension, you should have effortlessly grasped the law and wielded it as easily as you breathe."
"Then why can’t I?" Rhain asked.
Carmilla frowned, tapping her slender finger against her chin.
"There is no universal restriction preventing a Spirit Manifestation Realm cultivator from comprehending a Law," Carmilla spoke slowly, her tone unusually solemn. "The reason most Spirit Manifestation cultivators never achieve it is simply because the Laws are mysterious and profound. Their minds and souls are not developed enough to perceive the truths hidden within the fabric of the world."
Her expression grew deeply thoughtful.
"This tells me the issue is not with your mind or your understanding. It is something else entirely that we aren’t aware of."
She slowly stood up.
"I do not have the answer right now, because I comprehended my first law after reaching the Core Formation Realm, as did every other Domain Master here. But I know someone who has guided a Spirit Manifestation cultivator through this exact threshold."
Rhain’s eyes flickered. "Matriarch Seraphine."
"Exactly," Carmilla nodded. "She personally guided Lyra to comprehend a Domain before forming a Core. I will arrange a meeting with Sera today and discuss this matter. I promise you, I will get you an answer before you enter the Heavenly Ascendent Tower."
"Thank you, Dean," Rhain said, offering a respectful bow.
Knowing that Carmilla would handle the investigation, Rhain felt a significant weight lift from his mind.
He had his confirmation; he just needed the key to unlock the door.
Since there was nothing more Rhain could do but wait, Rhain offered a polite bow to the stunned Preceptors, and spoke a few words to Fabian before leaving.