Enlightenment

Leone and Maria were greatly shocked by Boris's words. Elowyn, who had been silently listening to the conversation, glanced at Ashan with a questioning look. However, Ashan wasn't surprised.

There's only one way to explain how someone remains young at that age—Physical Enlightenment.

If someone attains this rare state, their body remains in its peak condition until death, essentially granting them eternal youth. However, only humans can achieve Physical Enlightenment, and throughout history, only a handful have managed to do so.

In the multiverse, there exist both supernatural and non-supernatural worlds. The higher-level worlds tend to be more rooted in reality, while lower-level ones possess supernatural elements. More and more worlds are slipping toward the bottom, gaining mystical properties. This world, though not entirely detached from reality, leans toward the supernatural.

In purely realistic worlds, only Mental Enlightenment exists—it doesn't affect one's appearance. However, in worlds like this one, a deep rejection of one's own physical form, coupled with pure understanding, creates a reverse nature rule. When someone fully realizes that their appearance is meaningless and unworthy, their aging process halts at a certain point. It's both a gift and a curse. However, only their appearance ceases aging—their body continues to grow older as per the absolute rules of nature. True immortality remains impossible.

"Seventy years old? How can anyone believe that, Father? If he's really that old, then he's not human," Leone said, raising an eyebrow.

Boris nodded. "I thought the same back then. Even though he told me himself, I didn't believe it at first. But Shayan confirmed it. He had met him decades ago, yet the sect leader hadn't aged a day since. I had no choice but to accept it."

"Are you sure it wasn't magic or some illusion?" Maria asked. "There are high-ranking spirits that can create fake appearances for their hosts."

Boris shook his head. "No, Maria. If it were an illusion, I would have noticed. But it was real—pure flesh and blood."

Maria and Leone fell silent, still trying to process what they had just learned.

"Hah… so there are immortal people too," Leone muttered with an awkward smile. "The world is full of secrets."

"He's not immortal, son," Boris corrected.

"Huh? Then what is he?"

"The sect leader said only his appearance stopped aging. His body continues to grow old, just like ours. In reality, he's an old man, no different from me."

"Hmm… is that so? Did he say how it happened?"

"I asked, but he refused to answer most of my questions. He only mentioned that it happened after a certain incident but didn't elaborate. However, he did say that he discovered someone else like him centuries ago. He never revealed who that person was.

"That was the end of our conversation. But before he left, I asked him one final question—why he revealed his true self to me, knowing I wouldn't be staying there forever."

Maria and Leone leaned in with curiosity. "And? What did he say?"

Boris smiled as he recalled the moment.

"He turned back, smiling brightly, and said: 'A man who has lived his entire life with honor will never betray someone's trust, even if it costs him his life. I see you as such a man, my friend.'"

Leone smirked. "I see why you speak about him with such respect. So, what happened after that?"

"I remained in the sect as a special guest for the rest of my stay. I witnessed its greatness and rise. Over time, the disciples began treating me as one of their own. Their discipline was remarkable. We trained, dueled, and exchanged knowledge freely. I taught them everything I was capable of without holding back. Then, after some time, the sect leader himself began personally training me."

"He did?" Leone asked, surprised. "That's unusual. Did you learn any secret techniques from him?"

Boris smiled. "Martial arts aren't solely about the body, son. The mind plays a crucial role as well. He started by training my mind, and he taught without any greed. Over time, we became friends. His youthful appearance didn't change the fact that we shared similar ideals. But honestly, being around him made me feel like a child again. The way he spoke and taught exuded wisdom far beyond his appearance."

Ashan's eyes gleamed with intrigue. 

A rare human, indeed. If he has reached Physical Enlightenment, then his understanding of reality must be profound. 

"So, did you also learn martial arts from him?" Leone asked.

"Yes, I learned as much as my limits allowed, including some of their secret techniques," Boris admitted.

"You sound like they willingly shared their knowledge with you."

Boris nodded. 

"They did. But out of respect for their kindness, I never physically practiced their techniques—I only analyzed them. Once, I noticed a small flaw in one of their forms and pointed it out to the sect leader. He was delighted by the discovery and even gave me permission to modify their martial arts. After that, I helped him develop a few techniques, particularly ones that were highly effective in weapon combat."

Leone's eyes widened. "Are you saying their disciples are using martial arts that you helped develop? That's insane."

Boris chuckled. "Not all of them. I only contributed a little. But more importantly, through my studies, I developed my own technique—a fusion of swordsmanship and martial arts. It's five times stronger than our family's Circle Slash technique."

Leone stared at him in disbelief. "A technique stronger than Circle Slash? That's incredible! Congratulations, Father."

Boris smiled. "At the time, I was overjoyed by my discovery. But I didn't keep it to myself—I shared it with the sect leader before we parted ways."

"And what did he say about it?"

"He only had to see it once to learn it perfectly," Boris said with admiration. "He praised me for creating such a powerful technique. We made a promise—to only teach it to a worthy successor."

"So both you and The Shadow Palace hold equal rights to that technique."

"Yes, that's how it should be."

Leone grinned. "You used your time there wisely, Father. I'm happy to see that it lightened your heart."

At that moment, Boris signaled a nearby servant to bring something. A large brown bag was placed before him.

"Before I came here, I gathered some gifts for you all. You might like them."

He took out a pair of black metal gloves and a silver-colored sword, handing them to Leone.

Leone examined them closely. "What are these, Father? I've never seen anything like them."

Boris pointed at the gloves. "These can absorb shockwaves and release them, preventing damage to the hand. They're particularly effective when wielding a sword. They have another feature, too—by applying a small amount of aura, you can generate enough force to crack a massive boulder."

Leone's eyes gleamed. "Where did you find such a treasure?"

"When I was in The Shadow Palace, I also visited a few other sects. One of them was the 'Lily Sect', composed entirely of female disciples. Its leader, a renowned warrior named Aria, dueled me for experience. She was so satisfied with the fight that she gifted me these gloves. They exist only in that sect."

"Oh… so this has a high value. But why are you giving this to me, Father? It was a gift for you, not for me."

Boris smiled.

"What would I do with it, son? There's no use for me to keep it. I'm an old man now. I'd rather see you put it to good use."

"Alright, if you say so, I'll use it. So, what about this sword?"

Boris took the sword from Leone, unsheathed it, and handed it back to him.

"Son, look closely at the blade. Tell me what you see."

Leone examined it carefully, his sharp eyes noticing small holes scattered across the blade's surface.

"Father, there are tiny holes everywhere."

Boris nodded.

"Yes. This sword was crafted by a highly skilled artisan. It takes months to forge one. The technique used to make it is a closely guarded secret. When you apply aura to it, the sword releases a force far greater than an ordinary blade. Try it yourself, and you'll understand."

"Thank you for these valuable gifts, Father. I'll treasure them."

Boris nodded with a smile and then turned to Maria.

"I have something for you too. Here."

From the bag, he took out a delicate glass bottle filled with a transparent liquid and handed it to her.

"What is this, Father?"

"Open the bottle, Maria."

As soon as she uncorked it, a rich fragrance of various flowers spread through the room. Maria's cheeks turned rosy as she inhaled the scent.

"It smells wonderful, Father."

"I knew you'd like it. It's a rare perfume from Shenzurai. Its production is limited, and its price is quite high. I had a hard time finding it. The seller told me that if you leave it open, the scent will last for two months."

"Thank you very much, Father."

Boris then turned to Ashan and Elowyn, signaling them to come closer.

"I wanted to bring something special for you both, but since I wasn't aware of your presence, I couldn't prepare anything specific. I promise to give you something more fitting later. For now, take these."

He handed Elowyn a silver mirror and gave Ashan a golden bag.

"What is this, Grandfather?"

Boris smiled.

"Son, this may look like an ordinary bag, but it holds a magical space inside. It can fit something as large as a sofa, yet you'll still be able to carry it around effortlessly. The weight of anything placed inside is completely neutralized."

"That's amazing! I really like it."

"And one more thing."

Boris reached into the bag once more and pulled out a large, circular black crystal.

"I found this while wandering in Shenzurai. I bought it from a gem seller. Something about it felt special, so I'd like you to keep it."

Ashan smirked as he studied the crystal in his hands.

Oh… this is unexpected. I never thought I'd see this again.

To be continued…