Chapter 168 - Paths
Caelum revealed himself to Serafall looking intently towards her. She was exude an aura of someone who always find joy even how tough the situation is and always believed doing what she wanted. Caelum thought of giving a kaleidoscope if he interact with her more and more. He glances observing her power only to found she was only around the strength of an peak high class devil which still strong the current era. The super class devil still doesn't exist at this point in time.
"Ah sorry I was just only saw you doing something weird. I'm Caelum, nice to meet you."
"It's alright, Caelum-chan. Call me serafall sitri and I am a magician in training!"
Caelum recalled that the four great devil hadn't been established until few hundred years after the civil war which is why Serafall's last name was still Sitri and not leviathan. He smiled from the words magician in training and chuckled how she was obsessed in magical girl even though it still hadn't existed.
"Magician in training? Maybe you can call yourself a magical girl."
"Magical girl? That does a nice ring to it, Caelum-chan!"
"Oh I see you found a new friend, Caelum."
Penemue soon arrive where they were and saw serafall who quickly introduced herself to them. Caelum chatted with Serafall while Penemue watched the two knowing that her lover already targeting the young girl. He decided to show her anime of a magical girl using a futuristic cellphone that gain Serafall curiosity questioning him about it and told her it was from their land. She knew that Caelum was from the tempest mythology but doesn't discourage her from interacting with caelum.
The show began and upon seeing the screen it had instantly caught her interest seeing the magical girl showcasing their power defending the world. Serafall cling to caelum body unbothered by the fact she was letting herself be all over some stranger but didn't feel any of it and only fixated on the show. Caelum didn't know what to make of it seeing how the woman obsess in childish show but doesn't mind it considering Maria(His sister best friend) was obsess in magical girl. He thought the two may be perfect friends if they meet each other.
"Woah! Is that it!? Can you give me that artifact and teach how to use it so I watch of that show!?"
"Sure I don't mind but how about you give us a tour?"
"Really is that all of it, Caelum-Chan!?"
Serafall didn't hesitate to give them a tour of the underworld where the resident were living in peace but knew that there is currently a civil happening within their faction. Caelum wondered the place seeing the devil were no different than the humans from the human world with some suffering from starvation. The people were looking at them curious but felt comforting aura which was Caelum divinity helped them be at eased in his present. He was known to be benevolent god that descended on the battlefield of the great war and helped those that are in trouble times which became true because of 'faith'. It was similar to Dream energy and dream law but take much longer yet manageable in a large scale.
After a while, Caelum gifted her the phone receiving a tightly hugged him and went on her way to fight in the civil war. He only waved goodbye without forgetting to give her protection talisman that he made recently after continuously studying the Nuwa painting. It allowed her to teleport where he is if her life is in any critical danger.
He had a wish from when sapphire gave him three wishes when only the affection of the woman that reach a hundred that would give him the ability to teleport to where are. Caelum could easily stopped the civil war right there and then but what good would it do when he always fix their problem. Nonetheless, he would stopped it if the perfect chance arises. Caelum went into his sea of consciousness and decided to fix his current problem that his form was too eye catching.
Caelum with his [Essence of crafter] created a puppet that appeared himself without the added horns and long ear with only long hair and his handsome face. It would allow him to avoid showing his divinity too much and enable him to explore the human world without problem. He was able used shapeshifting yet the encroaching effect of his aura won't disappear and always catch people's gaze. Of course, it wasn't entirely his intention and was actually trying to increased his mental energy via manipulating the puppet with his mind. He was able to use avatar all of them is link with one another without Separation but using a puppet would entirely rely on mental energy. The puppet isn't much below his true strength therefore doesn't need to worry.
"Now then that's finish I should train my blade intent…"
He brought out hundred million clone all at once then trained in each type of weapon to increased his intent in the weapons. Caelum could feel every swings, stab and piercing action that cut through the wind. The image of the sharpness of weapon within his hand burying deep into his mind and heart. Caelum stopped his training removing weapon yet did the same action and felt the sensation never fading as if the weapon was still in his hand. Afterwards, he decided bring Zither which made him recall the show kung fu hassle and quickly tried a technique that was used by blind zither user.
Caelum touch the Zither and began to play beautiful music that made the surrounding to feel in harmony that the sound of koi fish swimming on the sacred pond and the breath of the dragons were in line with the note of his Zither. He was only using the thought of 'Blade' which was more difficult due having countless shape be it a sword, spear or a dagger. This is the reason why it took longer than how it should do due to complexity of a the 'Blade intent'. Caelum needed to remove the unnecessary thought and think the motion of a 'Blade'.
He pulled the strings of the Zither that gradually intensify its sound and afterwards flew something into the peach of immortality and slice through the thick and vigorous tree. Caelum excited that he was able to apply the 'Blade intent' but this moment of bliss cut short due to how he loss a bit of focus. Deciding to train other power, Caelum halted his Intent training and went to increased the Koi fish which had gradually increasing their scales. The dragon hovering in the sky were remaining slumber and caelum was able to unlock half of the golden scales from the golden dragon.
Caelum knew that the number of dragon would be around 49 with the first nine would be in his [Divine Nine Dragon Cauldron]. Their scales can be extracted but the cause of loosing his connect to it yet this would give him materials to create weapon that increased the physical prowess of the user and unleased a devastating power. He then went looking into his [Primordial Yuan dan] and saw the constants circling of yin and yang. It had all of his profound energy even the dream itself was within it which made him wonder that Dream has also opposing side which are nightmare. Dream would be a yang and nightmare would be yin.
He then reorganize the knowledge that gain from old Jade emperor which had extensive knowledge about immortal arts, Martial arts(philosophy included), Alchemy, Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. The three major path of Chinese philosophy had their own merits in each one takes but none had drawn Caelum attention. They have the ability to increase someone spiritually by practicing their teaching which made it difficult to decide which path suited him.
'I don't like buddhism that much….'
Buddhism was focus of have self-restraints which doesn't possibly suit him of how lustful and ambitious he is. However, the four noble truth which are The truth of suffering (dukkha) The truth of the cause of suffering (samudaya) The truth of the end of suffering (nirhodha) The truth of the path that frees us from suffering (magga) and the eight fold paths that consists of Right understanding (Samma ditthi) Right thought (Samma sankappa) Right speech (Samma vaca) Right action (Samma kammanta) Right livelihood (Samma ajiva) Right effort (Samma vayama) Right mindfulness (Samma sati) Right concentration (Samma samadhi).
This are can be used in mental cultivation and increased the mental energy as well as spiritually and even intent. However, the most suited caelum was Taoism which already has all the way in the path of defying heaven. This consist of countless teaching of cultivation to attain immortality and become the universe itself. The path itself was what sun wukong(in real life myth) to attain immortality in the cause of facing tribulation by the heaven. He would used to improve his cultivation and spirituality by following the path without restraints.
Finally the Confucianism is similar to buddhism but doesn't restraints too much and focus in self-cultivation and self-redemption. It focus on removing the heart demon which is many ways different one another but it will end in becoming profound individual and having strong will to never bend down unto others. It was a great spiritual cultivation for caelum as the golden rule of this teaching is 'Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you'.
Caelum understood it that he will always pay kindness with kindness and evil will evil. It was his philosophy that continue this day, however, he also follow that if it's too far and refused to reach his hands are not worth saving. He decided to focus on Confucianism as it was best suited for him then Taoism afterwards apply few of the Buddhism teaching into his path.