Ryu's mind projected into his body. This was something those who had just begun on the cultivation path were unable to do, but Ryu could for two reasons. The first reason was because he could now be considered a Half-Step Spiritual Entrance expert. This title referred to the very first true step along the cultivation of one's Mental Realm. Due to the fact Ryu had partially opened his Spiritual Entrance Pulse owing to matters related to his various traumas suffered, he had managed to place a single foot in a realm he shouldn't have opened so early.
The second reason was related to his Origin Flame. Although this flame had no offensive or defensive abilities to speak of, and couldn't even be used as an alchemy flame, its supporting abilities made it so that Ryu didn't care about such disadvantages. Not only did it give him unmatched memory and recall, it made entering states of enlightenment far easier as well. To top this off, it gave passive boosts to its owner's Mental Realm.
Until now, both the Origin Flame and the Northern Heavenly Wind had been sealed within Ryu's dormant soul. But, now that he had successfully transcended the trial of the Phoenix Sky God, he had been given the advantages he gained in his past life as well.
A moment later, Ryu was opened to a startling sight. When he had Spiritual Foundations described to him as a child, or when he read about them in his studies, they were always referred to as a solid mass akin to the most precious metals in the world. Some cultivators had clear Foundations that could be seen directly through. Others had Foundations made of jade or gold, shimmering with beautiful rays of light. Ryu knew that his father described his Foundation as a slab of oppressive rubies, shining a crimson, bloody light.
However, Ryu's didn't seem to match any of these descriptions. Although he could tell that there was a solid mass hidden beneath, his Foundation was a sea of white flames. Not only did it not fit the description of the Spiritual Foundation, it also didn't perfectly align with what Ryu knew about Phoenix Flames.
As far as Ryu was aware, there were three flames of the Phoenix Clan. The first was the Ice Flame, the second was the Rebirth Flame, and the last was the Dark Flame. Respectively, these natural wonders colored blue, red and black. Ryu had never heard of a white flame.
There was another matter that was curious about his Spiritual Foundation as well. Depending on grade, one's Foundation varied in size. A Common Grade Foundation would be about a half meter across at awakening. This diameter became one meter for a Black Grade Foundation, before increasing by one meter for every above grade until the five-meter diameter of the Ancestral Grade was reached.
One might think that these values were too small of a difference between grades, but do consider for a moment that these are the sizes upon awakening. According to the Mortal Realm, there were eight more Rites proceeding this first awakening! And now that Ryu had awoken his memories, he knew that there were actually thirteen Rites total!
For every so-called Rite a cultivator succeeds in, their Spiritual Foundation will double in size. One can see how these small differences in the beginning can very quickly become an insurmountable gap. It is also easy to see at this point why Ryu would be shocked that his Spiritual Foundation was ten meters across!
'This is the power of a Second Awakened Foundation…' Ryu thought.
He was exactly right. Every cultivator who awakened their Foundation for a second time experienced this immeasurable change. The problem was that Ryu was slightly different.
Usually, cultivators don't experience this Second Awakened until they're well along their cultivation path. However, Ryu awakened his at the very beginning! He could experience the sturdiest Foundation possible due to this. While an Ancestral Grade would have a Foundation of twenty kilometers across by the end of their thirteenth Rite, Ryu's would be forty kilometers!
'This mystery isn't one that I'll understand in the short term. Cultivation techniques are all identical until one completes the Pulse Opening realm, so I won't bother choosing one until I am about to enter the Qi Refinement realm. What I need to do now is focus on completing my Rites. Once I reach and complete the ninth Rite, it will then be appropriate to completely open my Body Pulses.'
Without hesitation, Ryu ignored the Memory Jades before him. Instead, he focused entirely on his Martial Forms and succeeding in his Rites.
The truth was that Ryu knew next to nothing about cultivating higher realms, but he had been drilled again and again about the so-called 'Perfect Entry'. This perfect entry referred to the best way to lay a Foundation for a young cultivator and was something Ryu learned as early as he could begin practicing his Martial Forms. This perfect entry was also the reason why Ryu delayed his cultivation to practice his Forms for half a year.
His first task was to reach the limits of his mortal body. On the Shrine Plane, he had accomplished this before he reached seven years old. It wasn't until after his Ceremony failed that he stopped and allowed his body to reach a frail state. Training with Granny Miriam helped this along, but it wasn't enough.
The reason reaching the limits of the mortal body was important was due to the fact that Rites weren't a simple matter. The more talented you were, the fiercer and more dangerous a Rite will be. For Ryu who had a Second Awakened Foundation, it was clear how much pressure he was under.
The next task was to begin Body Realm cultivation after reaching the ninth Rite. This was especially important because the mortal body was incapable of withstanding the Final Four Rites. Each of them was a Devil of its own… It was to the point that unlike the formerly unnamed nine Rites, the tenth, eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth, all had monikers of their own.
To enter the Body Realm, one also had to open Pulses. Each of the Three Realms had their own set, combining for a total of thirteen. Those of the Qi Realm were known as the Six Heavenly Qi Pulses. However, they could not be opened until one completed their Rites. Once one opened a Qi Pulse, it was impossible to go back and finish Rites.
Pulses of the Mental Realm only totaled one, so it had its own namesake: The Spiritual Entrance Pulse. Finally, Pulses of the Body Realm were known as the Six Heavenly Body Pulses. It was the opening of these Pulses – two of which were located in the spine, and four of which were located in the heart – that allowed one to survive the Final Rites.
Even as he went over these matters in his mind, Ryu felt a surprisingly thin barrier shatter as cultivation qi surged toward him. He had begun his second Rite.