Grimoire of Duality

Chapter 6: Animus Path

Isn't normal to want? Wanting to see, to hear, to smell, to taste, to touch, and to love. How human that was? As feeble as it is fleeting.

-Six Desires

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As the moonlight spilled through the window, Lex can be seen sleeping soundly in his bed. He seem contented with the result of his awakening. Being a cultivator of two paths is something extremely rare even in the vast cultivation world. Just the chance of someone awakening their talent in one of the path is rare, much more with two paths. Though not impossible, the percentage is unimaginably small.

His achievement tonight showcased his monstrous talent. Of course, the road of cultivation is long and full of trials that talent alone cannot bring him far. Determination, perseverance, and hard work are equally important.

For now, all of those are for the future. Lex comfortably drift through his dreamland where he is the protagonist of his story.

“Brace yourselves my comrades, for we are about to face the evil dragon. Onward!”

It seems like he is having the fight of his life and ready to save the world… in his dreamland at least, or so it should be.

Lex slumbers, uncaring and unknowing of the journey that slowly unfold before him as well as the destiny that awaits him.

The two paths that are currently presented to him from the New Moon Ceremony brought by his awakening  are the Martial Path and the Arcane Path, one that focuses on the physical body while the other focuses on the mind. One which relies on brawn while the other  relies on the elements.

These two are part of the three major paths in cultivation and are more commonly seen as compared to the last one. When it comes to rarity, cultivators are the most common, taking up about seventy percent of the world’s cultivators, truly a significant number. This is followed by the cultivators of the Arcane Path which is about twenty five percent while the remaining odd percent are those cultivators of the abstruse last major path, the Animus Path.

Aside from the cultivation of the body and the mind, the rarest Path is the cultivation of the spirit.

Only the gifted can cultivate this path successfully and one can only hope to be granted the opportunity as it is extremely rare.

The Path of cultivating the spirit is called Animus Path. And someone who cultivate this path utilize the mystic energy known as Anima.

In summary, Pneuma is for Martial Path,mana for Arcane path and Anima for Animus Path.

Some items can enhance the cultivation like enhancing the sturdiness of the body, others can increase focus for mana channeling and some can elevate the spirit.

In the dreamland, Lex somehow feels gaining control 

"This... Where am I?" he internally asked himself as seeing the scenery extremely bizarre with hazy, dream-like mist.

Walking inside his dream felt surreal to him. The scenes are constantly changing seemingly without pattern.

He tried concentrating his thoughts by thinking of a place he is familiar with, his house.

Soon,the scene slowly changed and somewhat depicted his house but was so hazy it might disappear.The dream is extremely unstable.

Just a minute shift in his thought can cause massive change.

Then, a moment of inattention cause the dream to crumble and return into dream-like mist.

Since it is his first experience and he doesn't know anything with regards to this phenomenon, he just treated it as a realistic dream.

He tried to refocus and conjure his house again but his Spirit got drained easily and he later lose control of his dream.

Lex was forcefully extracted from his lucid dreaming and went back to sleeping soundly.

Soon, dawn arrive and he was woken up by his biological clock.

He felt refreshed from a good sleep, feeling his spirit invigorated. He sat on his bed, feeling like he should had done something but cannot recall any of it.

"I think it is related to cultivation. I should ask father about the different paths," Lex murmured to himself.

After getting out of bed, he freshen up and quickly look for his father.

"Good morning, Father. Can I ask you something? There are three major paths in cultivation. I am curious about the last one."

Lex greeted his father before asking him more about cultivation.

Sitting in the study room, Nyshof stop writing abruptly after hearing his son's inquiries.

He contemplated deeply,in his eyes seeming looking through a very distant memory.

Then, he look into his son's eyes and ask him, "Son, you should be familiar with what to cultivate in both the Martial and Arcane Path, right?"

"Yes, Father. For Martial Path, one cultivates the Martial Heart and strengthen the physical body and for the Arcane Path, one cultivates the Arcane Rune and sharpen the mind. What's the matter?" Lex hesitatingly replied, unsure why his father suddenly talking about it.

"You should know that human is made of three components: body, mind and spirit. The body is the vessel, our anchor in this physical realm. It house the Six Desires."

"The mind is the instrument, it enables us to connect with the world, understand it and shape the elements around us. It is where the Seven Emotions originates from," Nyshof paused, letting Lex process this.

After letting Lex grasp his point, he continued, "As for the spirit, it is such an abstract thing and not many succeeded in understanding the full extent of it. However, some progress have been made."

"The spirit is sheltered within the vessel and can command the instrument. It is the ultimate of the three human components and it holds our memories, experiences and insights.It also related to the Eight Endless."

"Moreover, some theorize that it connects us to a realm beyond. Hehe. Anyway, that's what I remember from our Ro-, i mean library," Nyshof finished his recount.

Lex was somewhat puzzled with his father's last statement but immediately brushed it off since he has more pressing matters, so he asked, "You mean father that cultivation of the spirit is pissible?"

Nyshof nods.

"Since the body and mind can be cultivated, why can't the spirit too, right?" Nyshof lightly remarked.

"However, if the ratio of Invokers and Martial Cultivators are extreme, the cultivators of the spirit are the rarest among the three. Meaning it will be extremely difficult for one to awaken with this aptitude," Nyshof said,

He further explained what the Animus Path is and what Animas are.

Nyshof speculated that Lex is just excited about starting his road to cultivation

On the other hand, Lex did not think so because there appears to be a memory he vaguely remember.

‘Dream?’

Then, he subcosciously lowered his head but still can not grasp it. This seemingly unfruitful contemplation made him cast this thought at the back of his mind.

‘Whatever, it is not even related to me right? Anyway, I should focus on my Martial and Arcane Path’

He further resolves.

He ask his father how can he cultivate his spirit and he answered, "All I know is it can be cultivated in different means depending on the person"

"Anyway, you should seize the opportunity to cultivate if you can. Then, just like how one needs to form their Martial Heart and Arcane Rune for the Martial Path and Arcane Path respectively, for the Animus Path, one must form an Astral Body," Nyshof said.

"Well, you don’t need to be too concerned. Focus first on your own path. But I must warn you. Cultivation path is filled with danger and you must stay prudent in your path especially if you want to attain great success. I, your father, will always support you," from Nyshof's words, Lex can feel fatherly love and support.

Lex bowed and thanked his father before walking out of the study room.

Behind him, his father's eyes glistened as he muttered, "Our son has grown up well, Selene."