One, Five... Seven born from Six!?

Recalling the fierce battle he'd won against the Immortal Spirit, Al meticulously cleaned both of his swords. He found himself within a stoned room designed for the cultivation of Wills within the energy plane. 

His thoughts were consumed by the memory of the intricate sword dance he had acquired while wielding Midnight Abyss. Though those movements were now beyond his reach, the lingering sensation still coursed through him, urging him to form his own imitation as perfect as his recollection would allow.

"Lapaptzi... What kind of enlightenment could a sadistic psychopath attain?" Al pondered, his mind drifting into its darkest corners. But his contemplation was abruptly interrupted by a series of knocks echoing through the room.

Al set aside his swords and walked up the stairs to the entrance of his housing unit. Elissa stood there, her demeanor impatient. This time, she had no dragon mask, revealing her face framed by long, jet-black hair. As a cultivator within the Spirit Domain, the passage of time had been kind to her, preserving her youth.

"You ready? I don't have much time," Elissa stated bluntly, her tone brimming with urgency.

Al gestured for her to enter, and as they descended the stairs, he stole a glance back at Elissa. "I guess my first question has to be, what's up with the skimpy armor?" he inquired, a touch of curiosity in his voice. Elissa emitted a soft chuckle, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "It allows for better movement. Why? Does my choice of dressing distract you?"

"Actually, a little, yeah," Al admitted, a slight grin tugging at his lips, before he led the way into the room illuminated by the soft glow of light stones set into the ceiling. Elissa paused in the middle of the entrance, striking a pose that accentuated her curves. "Well, take a good look, because it's never happening," she declared with a playful wink.

Al turned towards her, his smile widening, before laughing loudly. It had been a long time since someone else had managed to draw a laugh from him. "The path Will is best traveled alone. A cultivation partner could prove counterproductive," he replied, a small, genuine smile gracing his features.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Elissa quipped, sauntering into the room and taking a seat across from Al. "Anyways, what other questions do you have for me? That are about cultivation," she added, steering the conversation back to more serious matters.

Al had taken some time to ponder his questions, and in the end, he had just one burning inquiry. "Have you ever heard about the One which is always three becoming Five, which create Seven?" Al asked, his gaze steady on Elissa. Her eyes sharpened, she was surprised that Al possessed any knowledge of this esoteric concept.

"You have the last part wrong. It's Five splitting into Seven, not birthing it. Six is the one that births Seven," Elissa corrected, her tone carrying a note of certainty. Al was utterly taken aback. "Wait, so you've heard about this?" he exclaimed, astonishment coloring his voice.

  Elissa nodded before elucidating. "In the God Leaves, a recognized disciple is anticipated to cultivate all the way to the Spirit Domain of the Mortal Chasm. Upon achieving this, an Immortal is designated to guide them towards enlightenment regarding the 48 laws of the Mortal Chasm. Our 23rd Supreme Seed is none other than the Supreme Immortal King Godfrey," 

As Al absorbed this newfound understanding, the pieces of a puzzle he'd long contemplated began to fall into place. Yet, amidst this clarity, a question took root in his mind: Why had Benjamin shared this information with him when he was still confined to the Physical Domain of the Mortal Chasm?

Elissa mirrored Al's curiosity. Her eyes fixed on him as she voiced the question that echoed in his own mind. "Where did you even hear about such a thing?" she inquired, genuinely intrigued. Al took a moment to contemplate before responding, "It doesn't matter. So you say Five is split into Seven, how so?"

Seeing that he had settled on his question, Elissa proceeded to shed light on the concept. "The way it was explained to me was that the Sun represents One, the Five embodies Light, and the Seven are the individual waves that collectively form Light." She paused taking some time to make sure what she was saying was correct. 

"When Light passes through a glass pyramid which is Six, the Seven are birthed. These Seven, combined with the Five, result in the Twelve. When you add the one, which is three you have the entirety of the Sun. This is called the 16 Rayed Sun. These represent the various manifestations of the One, which is also the Three, and further encompasses the Five and the Seven," she expounded.

Al's mind seemed to whirl, caught in a tempest of newfound knowledge. Elissa's explanation presented a paradigm starkly different from his existing comprehension. Yet, in this apparent contrast, a strange resonance seemed to emerge.

"You also mentioned that Seven is birthed by Six. What did you mean by that?" Al persisted, his determination akin to a boxer unwilling to throw in the towel. Elissa was taken aback by Al's interest in something she knew he couldn't possibly comprehend through a single conversation.

"Six conceals the Void Cube, which opens up allowing Five to enter. Five is then crossed into the open Void Cube and its six faces. When the interlocked Void Cube seals shut, Seven is born from the connection of the closed Six. Five, the Light, the perfect son of the Sun, which is One, serves as their sacrifice. The void cube, which embodies the true essence of all Matter, stands as Mother of Seven. This, Alexander, is the sacred union of the Son and Mother, Sun and Matter," Elissa expounded, her words carrying a weight of profound significance.

As she spoke, the room seemed to hold its breath, enveloped in the gravity of her revelation. The esoteric knowledge hung in the air, pregnant with a sense of ancient wisdom and an amalgamation of connections that Al could only begin to grasp.

Al's mind was no longer a whirlwind; it had been tossed into a blender and reduced to liquified pulp. Yet one sentence stood out with crystal clarity: "This... this is the source, the material plane and energy plane where our Wills are rooted..."

Elissa beamed at him, her eyes shining with enthusiasm. "Yes! Most cultivators spend decades pondering over this before it even begins to make sense. That's why we refer to them as the entities Ai and Oou, but their true essence is Three and Six." 

Her excitement was palpable, as if she relished the opportunity to delve into such esoteric matters. "What grants us the ability to grasp the 48 laws that compose the Mortal Chasm is the Threefold principle and the Seven emanations."

Al gently interrupted Elissa, his voice carrying a note of urgency. "Please, give me a day or two to breathe. This is all a lot to process. Before today, I only had One, Five, and Seven to contend with," he requested, his tone earnest. 

Elissa's smile was understanding, her eyes reflecting a shared sense of contemplation. She, too, had only recently begun to fathom the intricacies of the threefold principle, while the seven emanations remained unknown to her. 

"Well, with that out of the way, let's discuss what exactly I'm going to need from you," Elissa stated, her tone turning more serious. Al nodded, his focus completely on her.

"Approximately ten years ago, during the Rakh-ahtan's second attempt to invade Earth, the architect of the Nation of New Ark, 'A.R.M.', managed to gather intelligence on the approximate numbers of the invaders. They number just over 2 million. Their plan is to weaken Earth before their final assault," Elissa explained, providing a crucial context to the period during which Al was held captive.

He had a sense of where Elissa might be heading, and he interjected, "And you want to try and reduce their numbers to earn some credit with the God Leaves."

Elissa stared at him, a mixture of confusion and disbelief on her face. "What? No, that's idiotic and suicidal. But if we can uncover how, where, and when they will try to cripple Earth's defenses, I can then inform my King Godfrey. The final invasion will be decided by those in the God Chasm. The only thing we can do is ensure there are no unknown surprises." She spoke with a conviction that left no room for doubt.

Al nodded, realizing that his perception of the God Leaves and of Elissa might have been skewed from what he had initially assumed. 

"If we happen to stumble upon something that proves pivotal in indirectly aiding the six Gods, it won't go unnoticed. And if nothing comes of it, that's fine. But nothing risked, nothing earned," she stated, a determined glint in her eyes.

As Al gazed at Elissa, he could see the resolve burning in her eyes. The question that had lingered had been answered, but there was something he desired even more than answers. Retribution against Lapaptzi. As long as she lived, his mind would never find peace.

"If I help Elissa, I might just end up running into her," Al contemplated silently. He then turned to Elissa, a smile playing at his lips. "Well, whatever it is you need, I'm willing to assist. However, I'm going to require better compensation," he stated firmly, making it clear that his aid would come at a price.

Elissa gazed at Al, her curiosity piqued. "What is it you want? I can arrange for an abundance of merits," she offered, but Al shook his head, declining her offer.

"No, I know those who are Recognized disciples of a God Leaf, have access to rare items. Things like secret breathing techniques and such. What I want is a unique longsword crafted for someone with Stubborn Will, like myself," he declared.

Elissa's grin stretched from ear to ear. "You got it!" she exclaimed. In the Supreme Leaf, one of the most prevalent Wills was Stubborn Will, making weapons designed for it relatively easy to obtain. In fact, she already had a particular weapon in mind that she had reserved for him on his next mission.