Cultivation Through Artifacts

As though lightning just hit his head and he got enlightened, Khal realized something and took a deep breath.

After keeping it inside his lungs for a moment, he opened his mouth and began to blow the air out at a steady, but slow pace.

And to his surprise, just as he did this, the weight on his body began to lessen, while the pain started to vanish slowly!

"It works! I'm a genius! Haha!" laughed Khal wildly, hardly believing his sudden 'idea' had really worked.

He realized what to do the very moment he noticed himself stressed and annoyed over things he usually wouldn't be.

It seemed the key here was the stress. Now that he thought about it, he realized that the weight on his body didn't come because of an invisible power that pushed down on him or because gravity became stronger, but instead because his mind was affected, making him stressed and feel as if his body became heavier and heavier!

It was quite a hard and complicated feeling, but the key here was to calm himself down, soothe his breathing out, and concentrate on his body and feelings.

It seemed he had to remain calm and steady both in mind and heart like an eternal mountain that nobody could disturb no matter what!

Taking one step after another, Khal watched as the mountain's peak came closer and closer, while the pain and weight on his body became less and less!

Every time he took a step, an invisible sensation arose inside his chest almost making him go insane and stressed, but every time that would have happened he forcefully resisted and calmed himself down.

His expression after 100 steps was so solid and calm, that not only no emotions could be seen on his face, but it was almost like he had no soul at all! His complexion seemed serene yet scary at the same time, just like an ancient mountain that seemed peaceful from the outside but once on it, lurking danger could be found in its every nook!

"So strange... I can literally feel myself getting more and more emotionless." thought Khal, but found out with greater surprise that even his thoughts seemed monotone, almost as if he was a robot without any type of feelings!

"So this means I was only half right at the beginning. This Essence Path should be about my emotions and how to control them? How to remain calm in any type of situation, right?"

And exactly as this thought appeared inside his mind, even before he could have taken a single step further, a blinding light suddenly enveloped his body, turning his vision white!

Meanwhile, back in the Arena, everyone watched as Khal was staring blankly at the ground below his feet, almost as if he fell unconscious!

"Did he fall asleep? In the middle of a battle?" asked Jane, seemingly shocked and stupified by the sudden thought.

"That would be ridiculous! Falling asleep while he is about to lose? Not even the most idiot Cultivator in this world would do such a shameless thing!" laughed Raffin as he felt the question was funny, but unfortunately his eyes told otherwise.

"Something must have happened," mumbled Scarlett quietly.

Doubtful whispers and guessings started to sound around the Arena, everyone trying to figure out why Khal was not moving even after several seconds! Hell, he didn't even blink even once yet, almost like he forgot how to do it!

"Do you think he is okay?" asked Liza, finding it also confusing Khal's abrupt change of behavior.

However, Nate could not answer her question in time, as suddenly blinding light broke out from the platform, its source seemingly Khal's left hand!

"What is happening now?" several people screamed up with surprise, covering their faces as the light was almost blinding.

However, there were those few that didn't close their eyes and just simply stared at Khal like some kind of strange phenomenon that shouldn't have occurred.

"This... How is this even possible!" all the teachers, including Jas watched the sight with dumbfounded gazes, none of them believing what they were seeing!

"He opened his first Essence Path? He didn't even reach the peak of his Stage yet he unsealed his first gate!? How could this even be?" Scarlett on the side appeared to be alarmed, hardly believing this could be possible.

Everyone knew that one could only start to unlock their Essence Path once they reached the Peak Phase of the Fifth Cultivation Stage! There were no shortcuts nor cheating as that was a principle that no one could defy!

Yet, right before her and everyone's eyes, Khal not only did overturn this golden rule, but even proved it was wrong! It seemed one could truly open their sealed Essence Path way before the Peak Phase, but as to how or by what means, it was a mystery!

BAM!

A second later, a huge burst together with a powerful shockwave came from below the platform before everything turned silent.

'...'

People began to open their eyes slowly once the glow vanished, but the sight they saw made all of their mouths gaping while their eyes opening extra wide!

Drip... Drip... Drip...

In the silent hall, where even a single pin's drop could have been heard as clearly and loudly as thunder, every Cultivator watched with a stupified complexion as Andre's figure was buried into the wall on the side, his mouth, nose, and ear bleeding, unknown if his life was in danger or not.

'...'

Everyone took a huge swallow in their nervousness and glanced at Khal, who still stood motionless in one place, his expression as solid as rock and as cold as ice; currently, his face and eyes held no types of emotions to the point that it was terrifying!

It was like he was a completely different person, erasing the original Khal completely!

"This is bad news, it seems he was affected by his unsealed Path!" said Jane, her voice now holding deep gravity and worry.

Her statement immediately made all that heard knew what that meant, hence their faces stiffened while their mood turned deadly serious.

Even Logan who stood on the sides all this time seemed to understand what happened and that is why he began to walk toward Khal, but who would have guessed that just as he did, Khal moved and appeared before him, his weapon ready to strike him from the side!

"Not good!" shouted Scarlett, but soon an even greater sight emerged.

With a movement skill that seemed faster than a flash, Logan grabbed Khal's head firmly and with a powerful swing slammed his face right into the platform below!

BAM!

"Will you come back to your senses voluntarily or do you want me to slap you back to reality?" asked Logan in a calm voice, his hand still pushing Khal's head into the debris.