chapter 83

Without any instructions Hou begun to think of the expression he needed. He was once proficient in flight, even using wings once. He knew the feeling of freedom flight gave him, he yearned for it.

He recalled these emotions and thoughts, using it to body cultivate. He body cultivated and cycled the flight laws in his body.

A feeling of detachment pervaded his very being. He had a small epiphany regarding flight!

'Flight is not against the Earth and drawn to the Heavens. Flight is the detachment from all cages. Through flight, a caged bird becomes free!'

Hou let out a burst of light in his thinking then he started to float. His feet were lifted form the ground slightly, and he felt detached from the surrounding.

He didn't stop there though, in his state of epiphany he had thought of something more. He begun circulating the sun laws at the same time, dual cultivating flight and sun laws to resonate with each other.

'The sun is a marker of freedom, plants grow beyond their confines and animals wake from sleep. The sun allows the breaking of barriers!'

Hou's small epiphany had granted him a technique for freedom. By combining the two laws, he could float higher and detach himself from the anchor bringing him down, gravity.

Like a pant reaching into the sky for the sun, Hou could rise against gravity floating above.

"Amazing! In only a few short moments you gained an epiphany, already creating a small technique! Disciple, you are truly talented. Now give this technique a name, make it truly yours!"

"...Freedom of the Lark. It symbolises breaking free from the restraints of the Heavens and Earth, like a lark escaping from the cage, I am free."

"Beautiful, truly beautiful. This is your first body cultivation technique, it is your's alone treasure it. Instead of Freedom of the Lark, how about calling it the Free Lark Technique?"

"As you say Master Purple Miasma. This is my technique alone, I will treasure it."

"Be proud of the technique, you have done well. Now activate the Cloudy Eagle Divine Wings, you have observed birds before, now you will become one. Like the lark, flap your wings and soar above."

Hou nodded and used his wings. He thought of a bird, the way they take off, he mimicked it as he lifted himself if the ground. He flapped his wings and soar above.

After the initial take off, he floating in the sky with relatively stable latitude. Everytime he fell, he flapped and rose once more. Like a bird he defied gravity but was still ultimately bound by it.

However, using the Free Lark Technique his attachment to gravity had lowered, he was not bound by only the laws of gravity.

That was ultimately what body cultivation had done, bound Hou to a new set of laws which might negate ones in the world. Hou noticed this and felt satisfied, understanding cultivation would only help him.

Nine Clouds Purple Miasma floated into be sky, standing upon a floating cloud. It was a slightly pink cloud.

"This is my divine treasure, simply named a Floating Cloud. As you can see it is tainted pink, this is due to my qi. Like alchemy, treasures can use qi instead of mental energy. Right now your Cloudy Eagle Divine Wings are absorbing your own qi. As with alchemy, through, mental energy is always better. Qi may be tamed but it is ultimately not yours, it cannot be trusted. I only trust it here since we are in the Nine Clouds Sovereign Sect. In a battle, qi is not safe"

"I understand, thank you" Hou said this but he was confused.

'How is qi unsafe, why the caution? There must be other factors that I am unaware of with my limited cultivation knowledge.' Hou put aside the question in his head, noting to ask later.

"Now follow me, stop your technique and treasure. You should not use your limited mental energy reserves until it is needed. For your face, you should be seen flying yourself, that technique you have realised will be useful in showing you off. For now we will walk to the edge of my district then we will fly."

Nine Clouds Purple Miasma swing his hand, slashing into the barrier of clouds surrounding Hou's plot of land. He glided onto the ground and walked through, gesturing for Hou to follow him.

The hole cloud barrier was split, the more solid white marble cloud interior of Nine Clouds Purple Miasma's palace visible. Hou stepped through and less bound, being in that separate space had felt different.

He followed behind Nine Clouds Purple Miasma through the palace as he begun talking,

"This is my palace, it is quite small but adequate. Remember this, it is called the Purple Cloud Pavillion. While the building is white, it is named after me and my purple-pink techniques. You are a head disciple of Nine Clouds Purple Miasma, do not bow to anyone."

"Noone? Not even the other sect elders?"

"Especially them, the only people you bow to is your family, your master, and your sworn brothers. You are the direct disciple of an elder, noone should disrespect you. If anyone does, show them this."

Nine Clouds Purple Miasma threw Hou a token. It was made of a purple crystal material and contained an image of a cloud.

"This is yours now, with it only other direct disciples can be said to be your equal. Do not yield ever. You will meet the other elders and the sect leader...."

For the next two hours Hou listened as Nine Clouds Purple Miasma gave him detailed information on all the important people. Then at the end, he gave Hou a small orb.

"This is a memory retrieval pill. Take it and recall the whole conversation when needed. There are techniques and pills to transfer information but at your level, with this little information, it is easier to teach you manually"

"I will remember to do so, thank you Master."

"Good. Now this is where we begin our flight. We will fly for 3 hours through the sect. We will go through multiple teleport points. We are only flying to legitimise your position, look prideful!"