Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 229

Chapter 229: Skyfire Hunt III
It had been over three long years since Aiden first encountered the mystical Skyfire Tree. Throughout this time, he had dedicated himself entirely to understanding and merging with its ancient power. The process was grueling and complex, requiring every ounce of his concentration, knowledge, and willpower. Yet now, after all those years of effort, he had finally arrived at a critical juncture—a moment where everything would either come together or fall apart.

Aiden sat cross-legged at the base of the Skyfire Tree, his eyes closed in deep meditation. The energy of the tree pulsated around him, a warm and vibrant force that seemed to breathe in sync with the rhythm of the world itself. He could feel the power of the tree, ancient and vast, as it reached out to him, ready to merge its essence with his.

Just as Aiden was on the verge of completing the integration, something unexpected happened. A sudden surge of unknown mental energy struck his mind, sharp and insistent, as if it were trying to force its way into his consciousness. It was an energy unlike any he had ever encountered—foreign, yet oddly familiar.

“What is this?” Aiden wondered, his mind racing to identify the source. Despite the suddenness of the invasion, he felt no malicious intent from the energy. It was more curious than hostile, probing rather than attacking.

Aiden hesitated, torn between maintaining his mental defenses and exploring the unknown. He knew that allowing this energy to enter his mind could be risky, yet something about it intrigued him. It reminded him of a past experience, something that felt eerily similar.

Should I let it in? Aiden contemplated, the memory of his encounter with the Monarch of War surfacing in his mind. That time, he had also faced an unknown force trying to enter his consciousness, and it had led to an important revelation. The thought spurred him on, and after a moment of deep consideration, he decided to take the risk.

With a deep breath, Aiden released the mental barriers he had instinctively erected and allowed the foreign energy to invade his mind. The moment he did, his consciousness was flooded with images and sensations that weren’t his own.

He found himself standing in a vast, sunlit field that stretched out endlessly in all directions. The sky above was a clear blue, and a gentle breeze rustled the tall grass at his feet. In the distance, he spotted a lone figure—a farmer, toiling away under the sun. The man was bent over his work, planting seeds and harvesting crops with a rhythm that spoke of years of experience.

Aiden watched silently, his presence unnoticed by the farmer. The scene was peaceful, yet there was something profound about it that Aiden couldn’t quite grasp. The farmer, though ordinary in appearance, seemed to embody something much larger—a connection to the earth, a deep understanding of life and death, growth and decay.

As Aiden observed, the farmer paused in his work, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. He looked out over the field with a sense of satisfaction, his eyes reflecting a wisdom that came from years of labor. There was a serenity in his movements, a quiet acceptance of his place in the world.

Aiden stood there, rooted to the spot, watching as the farmer continued his work. Time seemed to blur, and Aiden felt himself becoming more and more immersed in the memory. He realized that this was no ordinary memory—this was something much deeper, perhaps a fragment of the Skyfire Tree’s own consciousness, or a vision of the essence it sought to impart to him.

What is this trying to show me? Aiden wondered, his mind racing to make sense of the scene. There was something here, something important that he needed to understand. But what?

As the farmer continued his work, Aiden felt a sudden surge of emotion—a mix of contentment, purpose, and an unspoken connection to the world around him. It was as if the farmer’s simple actions held the key to a profound truth, one that Aiden was on the brink of discovering.

And then, as quickly as it had begun, the vision started to fade. The field, the farmer, and the warmth of the sun all dissolved into nothingness, leaving Aiden alone once more, seated at the base of the Skyfire Tree.

Aiden opened his eyes, his mind still reeling from the experience. The foreign energy had left him, but it had also left something behind—a seed of understanding, a new perspective that he could feel taking root in his consciousness.

Whatever the vision had meant, Aiden knew that it was tied to the Skyfire Tree and the power he was trying to harness. The integration was far from complete, but this experience had brought him one step closer to understanding the true nature of the Skyfire and the path he needed to follow.

Aiden found himself replaying the vision in his mind—the farmer planting, reaping, and burying the plants, all within the span of a single memory. The cycle of life and death was laid bare before him, and yet, the true meaning behind it eluded him. He watched every detail, every movement of the farmer’s hands, but no matter how hard he tried, the significance remained just out of reach.

“What am I missing?” Aiden wondered, frustration creeping into his thoughts as he tried to decipher the vision’s message. The more he focused, the further the answer seemed to slip away.

Then, a realization struck him—he was overthinking it. The vision wasn’t something to be analyzed and dissected. It was something to be experienced, to be felt.

“Ahh… I see,” Aiden mumbled, a sense of clarity washing over him. “I was wrong all along.”

He understood now that the key wasn’t in forcing his mind to make sense of the vision but in letting go, allowing himself to move with the natural flow of the energy around him. With a deep breath, Aiden released his mental grip and let his thoughts drift freely through the Skyfire domain. He allowed his awareness to merge with the essence of the tree, observing the plants as they grew, withered, and scattered to dust.

The process repeated itself over and over, an endless cycle of life, death, and rebirth. As Aiden continued to watch, his mind began to align with the rhythm of the domain. His thoughts, his very soul, started to resonate with the process unfolding before him. He felt a deep connection to the beginning and end of life, an understanding that transcended mere knowledge.

Time lost meaning as Aiden’s consciousness slipped into a trance-like state. He became one with the Skyfire domain, his mind harmonizing with the cycle of existence that it embodied. The experience was profound, a silent revelation that spoke to the core of his being.

Aiden wasn’t just witnessing the process; he was living it, feeling the ebb and flow of life and death as if it were his own.

After a full three months in a deep trance, Aiden finally emerged, feeling a profound change within himself. As he looked around, he noticed that the once vibrant underwater cave, once illuminated by the glowing green flames, was now devoid of that eerie light. He could sense that he had successfully integrated with the Skyfire.

Raising his hand, he summoned the Skyfire, now named the Timeless Flame. The ethereal flame danced on his palm, its power resonating with the flow of time itself, capable of accelerating or decelerating time around anything it touched. The air around him seemed to ripple as the Timeless Flame burned, its presence subtly bending the very fabric of reality.

With a focused thought, Aiden willed the flame to slow the growth of a nearby plant. The plant’s movements became sluggish, as though time had almost stopped. Then, with another thought, he accelerated its growth, watching as the plant rapidly matured and withered before his eyes.

Aiden marveled at the Timeless Flame’s power before storing it back within himself. Standing up, he stretched and then gently touched the ancient tree. As if by his command, the massive tree began to dissolve, its form slowly fading away until only a single, long page remained.

Aiden picked up the page, his eyes scanning its contents, but he quickly closed it as a sharp pain pierced through his mind. “Another surprise… a Law Skill,” he murmured, realizing the significance of what he held. The page contained a Law Skill, a naturally formed technique born from the very fabric of the world’s laws.

In this world, Laws are the fundamental principles that govern reality, akin to the code that runs an application. Those who understand these Laws can manipulate the world’s structure, wielding power that can reshape existence and unleash devastating forces upon the world.

Theoretically, a cultivator from the Mortal Realm who fully comprehends a Law could defeat an Immortal Realm cultivator, as long as the Immortal has yet to grasp the same Law. However, such a feat is nearly impossible, as only those in the Divine Realm—far beyond Immortality—can truly comprehend and wield Laws. Immortals, on the other hand, can only comprehend discrete units of these Laws, commonly known as Rules.

Aiden now understood that he had comprehended the Rule of Growth and Decay after watching the visions from the Skyfire. Though not full Laws, these Rules gave him a profound new understanding of life’s cycle, granting him power over the processes of growth and decay.