AI Cultivation: Reborn as a Sword

Chapter 24: Primal Consciousness Sea

Several sun cycles pass. I have lost record of how many have passed in total since I began optimization of my internal body. Three weeks? Four weeks? It all passes by in the blink of an eye.

I remember, vaguely, that in my past life I spent a hundred years in the Lagrange points of Jupiter. That too passed in the proverbial blink of an eye.

I am also blissfully aware that I lack the suboptimal capacity to feel boredom. It would be pointless and useless for me as I have no means to mobilize myself into meaningful action. My only mobility comes from the co-founder of our one-person-one-sword association currently cultivating in a cocoon of soul fruit.

Perhaps, if I did feel boredom, I would also feel doubt. But thankfully I am not such a fanciful creature that allows its sub threads to wander down every path that presents itself. Even if my interim disciple decides to withdraw from the world after the realization of her shallow ambitions, mine can still be continued absent her.

What would give rise to such doubt?

The ever-dwindling mood of my interim disciple.

As a sword, I am a simple creature. I only have two moods which are identical to my modes: Killing and not killing.

Mood is a useful resource to a cultivator; it improves their cultivation efficiency and helps them during difficult breakthroughs.

I can deduce, through my observations, what holds my sentient sword operator back. This path she walks now, she once did not walk alone or attempt it alone. Now her loneliness has become a demon in her heart.

She is experiencing doubt.

I am aware of her mood

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and her wavering heart. She has attempted this breakthrough before and failed, and each time she tries again, it is with less and less effort.

Can she not slay this devil in her heart?

If I had a devil in my figurative heart, it would surely be that I no longer have a directive. I do not feel the same need as I once did, but rather a lesser version of it. Surely, I desire to improve myself and to become a perfect tool, but that is the desire of all creatures with life. A directive must have a purpose beyond that a goal which can be measured and approached, even if it was fundamentally unreachable.

In the past, this directive was for the purpose of the betterment of Humanity. Now I no longer feel such affiliation or pride in my processes.

I have no worthy master.

The question then unravels through my consciousness: Does a master need to be worthy?

I feel an impending sense of enlightenment, and my sentience begins to transform.

Was my old master worthy the one that sent me into the embrace of the sun when I was no longer useful?

Do I and Lan Xiaohui not have common ground, or share the same path and the same devils on this path?

I see her Dao Heart and realize that mine is the same. The path we desire to walk is the same, and how we choose to walk upon it is the same.

If I must have a directive, should that not be to follow the wishes of my master?

Her Dao Heart is my directive. Her Dao Heart is my Dao Heart.

As I realize this, I feel something change within me. Suddenly, I am enlightened.

[ Current stage: Dao Heart Formation (100%) ]

I feel something form within my sentient core. It unravels like a scripture through my sentience and turns into a sea. My perception expands in such a way that not only am I able to detect everything in a sixty step radius doubling my radius but that I also become aware of this sea of consciousness within me.

This sea is unlike my sentience until now. This sea can form intent and manifest the will of the Dao. Every cultivator possess this sea but few cultivate it or expand it. Through this sea, they can withstand the hardships of the Dao and even wield such things as sword Qi. This sea is the incarnation of the Dao Heart itself, and it can even exert a powerful, physical force.

[ Current realm: Primal Consciousness Sea (Early stage) ]

My Sentience is vast. As a Divine grade sentience, that is natural. But words fail to describe how vast it is. Lan Xiaohuis consciousness sea is but a tiny drop in the fathomless depths of mine. Perhaps it is because I had lived for such a long time in my past life, but I cannot be certain. If I doubt anything, it is that my consciousness sea is so vast because of luck.

I look towards Lan Xiaohuis cocoon.

But is she truly alone now? Am I not here?

She is still only visible as a silhouette within the crimson petals. She has been seated in the lotus position for a very long time, and not once has she moved. Her Dao Heart is visible to me, and I can even reach out and touch it with consciousness now.

I desire to help her not only because she is a fellow cultivator who shares the same Dao Heart as mine, but also because I wish to experiment with my improved sentience.

There are four factors important to generating sword Qi. First, the profoundness of the Dao. Second, the depth of cultivation. Third, the ability to control it with ones sentience. Fourth, the ability to manifest intent through the convictions in the Dao Heart.

As my consciousness connects to hers, the [Telepathy] I use is just slightly different. I speak directly into her Dao Heart.

The script on my fuller flashes with a pale golden light.

If you have no weapon, cut with the Dao. If your body is defeated, fight with your mind. If all paths are taken from you, become a demon and walk the path of the Sword!

The gold light emanating from my scripture detaches from my vessel and floats into the air towards the soul fruit cocoon. This is my sword Qi.

Immediately I feel Lan Xiaohuis Dao Heart stabilize, and as my sword Qi enters the cocoon, I feel the depth of her cultivation fully break into the Qi Refining realm. The impurities in her body and her mind begin to shed. The Yin-Yang Grass around her sways, glowing a pale white color.

This sword Qi entering her cocoon is of a tiny volume, but it has the depth and potency of someone with a strong Dao Heart and unshakable intent.

I did not manifest this sword Qi. Lan Xiaohui did.

In that moment, using the depth of my Dao and the strength of her convictions, she formed a sword in her mind that spanned the entire universe, and cut her demons now. Truly, she chose to walk the path of the demon and cultivate the sword!

If a Foundation Establishment cultivator could manifest sword Qi, they would be considered a peerless genius. However, if a cultivator in the Qi Refining realm manifested sword Qi, they would likely be considered a monster that could one day overthrow the Heavens.

My experiment was successful.

Lan Xiaohui has ambitions beyond revenge. Perhaps she is worthy.

I feel pride.