Chapter 81: The Prerequisite of the Sage
Does emotion possess power?
If one were to suddenly ask this question to someone beside them, without giving them time to grasp the essence of the issue, many might instinctively answer 'yes'. The answer is simple—whether through personal experience, direct observation, or hearsay, most people have personally felt the power of emotions.
Setting aside the almost clichéd tales of a mother, driven by love, lifting a vehicle to protect her child, or a berserker, fueled by rage and adrenaline, unleashing greater strength against an enemy—similarly, beyond the physical realm, there are those who, unwilling to be underestimated, study hard for years fueled by a single breath of determination, eventually entering a prestigious academy; or a prodigal son, moved by grief over a relative's death, reforms his ways and ultimately becomes a successful person... These deeds can all be attributed to the power of 'emotion'.
Love, anger, unwillingness, regret... It certainly sounds that way. If emotions reach their extreme, it seems people can unleash power beyond their imagination.
But can this truly prove that emotion itself possesses power?
Joshua shook his head. This kind of 'emotion' does not inherently possess power; it is merely a trigger, inducing the latent potential within a person.
To use a somewhat inappropriate analogy: when a person is pushed to their limits, they feel they can do anything—except solve math problems.
Through emotion, people can secrete adrenaline, unleashing immense physical strength; they can use emotional restraint to overcome or even eliminate innate laziness and inherent flaws, thereby becoming better individuals... But these are things that the 'body' was already capable of doing.
Math problems are different. If you don't know how to solve them, you don't know. If you suddenly do, it's either because you learned it before and forgot, and emotion triggered the memory, or you are a genius who, through self-deduction, can surpass accumulated knowledge and learn to solve problems without a teacher. The former falls within the category of 'already capable', while the latter is a special case, not within statistical scope.
In other words, 'emotion' does not possess power, but it can stimulate the power inherent in a person. If that power is not inherent, emotion cannot draw it out.
The above applies only to a world without miracles.
"Psionic energy is a power derived from 'thought' and 'faith', a derivative of existential force and divine power... And emotion can indeed trigger psionic energy. In other words, if emotion is regarded as a branch attribute of 'psionic energy', then emotion itself does possess power."
Within the Soul Abyss illuminated by light, countless angers, resentments, and curses echoed. Numerous soul fragments mingled together, giving birth to a distorted power akin to psionic energy... In the beginning, the Glory Force that Joshua called 'Killing Intent Wave' was born from these curses—the wails and despair of enemies, forged by the warrior into a weapon for killing.
Joshua held the curse from the Lunden people. This was the latest 'emotional power' he had received. The light, a mix of black and deep red, was vivid and pulsating.
Regarding this, the warrior fell into deep thought.
"It's not just psionic energy... This power seems to carry a nature similar to life energy... I understand!"
Since the principle was not complicated, even quite simple, Joshua quickly figured out the corresponding mechanism.
In reality, emotion itself still does not possess power. What possesses power is 'psionic energy', the subjective kinetic force born from the First Flame that intelligent life uses to change the world. Any life, even life without a soul, can awaken 'psionic energy'—of course, awakening a soul inevitably means possessing one, which is an iron law.
Just as emotion can trigger adrenaline, making a person stronger, or trigger shame and unwillingness, leading to self-reflection and discipline, emotion can induce the psionic potential latent in all intelligent life, causing it to erupt. This is also a method used by many schools to awaken psionic energy, such as training on the edge of a cliff or under a waterfall, using reactions to danger and endurance of pain to induce psionic awakening through emotion.
Of course, this is not the only method. Psionic energy can generally be divided into two types: the 'Passionate School', which uses intense emotions to drive psionic energy, and the 'Meditative School', which uses an ethereal state of mind to master it. Whether intense emotion or an ethereal mind, the essence is actually 'active' and 'peaceful'—different emotions, but no fundamental difference in essence.
With a calm and objective state, and a peaceful and gentle mood, people can also unleash potential that cannot be unleashed in an irritable state. These principles are all interconnected.
As for life energy... that is even simpler.
After all, this is a world of fire and steel. Any life form derived from Steel Force must inherently possess a certain amount of life energy... Intense emotions can trigger adrenaline secretion. If they are even more intense, triggering the awakening of life energy is not strange—in fact, the first combatants were probably born this way, in ancient times when fighting wild beasts and enemies, emotions pushed to the limit, leading to the awakening of life energy...
As for the power of Joshua's Soul Abyss, the countless curses and the despair and anger contained in the soul fragments, it is essentially an external emotional stimulator. It can induce Joshua to draw out his potential and, by burning the soul fragments of enemies, grant the warrior additional psionic energy and life energy protection. This power seems mysterious, but with Joshua's current level of analysis, it was quickly and completely dissected.
"So, emotion has no power, yet it has power... It can simultaneously trigger 'psionic energy' and 'life energy', a catalyst that changes spirit and matter... Interesting."
Joshua released the Lunden man's curse, letting the black-red lightning bolt sink back into the Soul Abyss. The warrior's expression was thoughtful: "This path, though different from what I imagined, is feasible."
Although it was different from what he initially thought—'emotion' is not an independent, original supernatural force outside of the various transcendent powers—it can serve as a derivative force, giving rise to a new transcendent tradition.
Just as 'Battle Qi' and 'Nature's Force' are transcendent traditions derived from Steel Force, giving birth to 'Combatants' and 'Druids', the 'Path of Emotion' can also evolve from 'psionic energy' and 'life energy' into a unique transcendent power—for example, using faith and will to shape virtual 'psionic matter', thereby achieving self-sublimation and combat... In short, integrating the characteristics of these two transcendent forces, just as spellcasters need to integrate the three transcendent forces of mana, elements, and aether, Joshua felt he could develop a transcendent profession exclusive to 'psionic energy' and 'life energy'.
Joshua extended his hand. With a single thought, various emotional spectrums leaped out and spun in his palm.
[Red: 'Courage' and 'Anger', and the 'Hatred' and 'Madness' hidden behind them. The holder will possess extraordinary strength and explosive power, but is prone to self-harm.]
[Orange: 'Curiosity' and 'Passion', and the 'Greed' and 'Indulgence' hidden behind them. The holder will possess extremely strong inspiration and observation, but is prone to losing control.]
[Yellow: 'Adaptability' and 'Caution', and the 'Fickleness' and 'Fear' hidden behind them. The holder will possess considerable adaptability and defensive power, but is prone to falling into confusion.]
[Green: 'Tolerance' and 'Patience', and the 'Cowardice' and 'Malice' hidden behind them. The holder will possess the best physique and endurance, but is prone to losing themselves.]
[Cyan: 'Determination' and 'Perseverance', and the 'Arrogance' and 'Stubbornness' hidden behind them. The holder will possess extraordinary faith and decisiveness, but is prone to abandoning thought.]
[Blue: 'Calmness' and 'Confidence', and the 'Indifference' and 'Pride' hidden behind them. The holder will possess extraordinary thinking and leadership, but is prone to being out of touch with reality.]
[Purple: 'Devotion' and 'Acceptance', and the 'Jealousy' and 'Possessiveness' hidden behind them. The holder will possess unparalleled coordination and affinity, but is prone to going to extremes.]
And finally, black and white mixed, symbolizing 'Pure Heart', pure 'Hope' and pure 'Despair', pure 'Expectation' and pure 'Curse'.
Whether positive or negative, emotion can trigger power. Because this is a transcendent world, everything has a transcendent correspondence.
Glancing at the nearly complete spectrum classification, Joshua clenched his fist, absorbing the various colors into his body.
"This is indeed an unprecedented cultivation system," he murmured to himself.
Through intense emotions, classified according to the nine different colors on the emotional spectrum, simultaneously triggering 'psionic energy' and 'life energy', transforming them into a new power... This new professional system can completely differentiate into countless professional divisions, similar to spellcasters and combatants. Depending on the type of psionic energy and life energy triggered by different emotions, the professional's areas of expertise will also differ.
Unlike 'Psionic Warriors' or 'Spirit Knights' who cultivate psionic energy and life energy separately, psionic energy and life energy will be mixed within this new transcendent professional system, merging into one... Joshua did not continue to think about this in detail, after all, a completely new transcendent system cannot be conjured up by just thinking in the Soul Abyss. He might later visit the Star Shepherd Great Khan, the Ocean Sage Faina, and the psionic sorcerer families in the Western Mountains, to study with many experts and attempt to open up this new system.
Moreover, there is something more important than creating a new transcendent profession.
"...The High Patriarch of the Takur Annihilation Order seemed to use a similar 'mixed transcendent power'. He built an altar within his own body, summoning vast divine power."
Joshua looked up, staring at the dark boundary of the Soul Abyss. His eyes seemed to pierce through the void. He frowned in recollection: "To counter the power of me and Emperor Amos, the High Patriarch finally mixed divine power with psionic energy, merging them into a new 'Divine Energy'... With this Divine Energy, he was able to unleash the full power of the 'Ultimate Sublimation Aggregate', displaying a terrifying strength far beyond ordinary Legendary experts."
Undoubtedly, in the field of mixing powers, the Takur people have taken the first step! Come to think of it, according to other civilizations, although the Takur Annihilation Order is called an order, there is no 'deity' to worship. They firmly believe in the order's precepts, the prophecy of annihilation, and the vows of self-discipline. This is a super-large void ascetic collective that is close to a religion but, compared to a deity system, is closer to an ascetic order.
Now it seems that the Takur Annihilation Order may indeed have a deity, but this deity is not a humanized 'spirit', but an existence similar to a psionic collective consciousness. It can obtain divine power from the First Flame like a normal deity, but it does not exist as an individual; instead, it is connected to every Takur person who follows the order's doctrines...
In other words, the deity of the Annihilation Order might be the 'Order' itself. Every Takur person is a part of the deity, can obtain a portion of divine power, and in times of crisis, use the special transcendent power of 'Divine Energy'! And the High Patriarch, as the most powerful psionicist, naturally obtains the most and greatest divine power from it.
Seeing through the possible power essence of the Takur Annihilation Order indeed lifted Joshua's spirits, and what was even more exciting was the fact that 'transcendent powers' can indeed be mixed!
In this world, there is no shortage of mages who practice both magic and martial arts, nor of druids and clergy who can use Battle Qi bursts. It is not strange for a warrior to know a few spell-like abilities or even use magic—who doesn't have a few trump cards? Not to mention psionic energy, which can be awakened through bloodline and does not affect the holder's cultivation of other transcendent powers. Psionic mages, psionic sorcerers, psionic warriors, psionic priests—similar combinations of transcendent professions are truly diverse.
But these are merely superficial combinations... It's like a person holding two bottles of alcohol, one beer and one liquor, drinking whichever they want separately. Mixing transcendent powers is different. Ignoring the extremely complex mixing process, to use the simplest and most superficial analogy, it is at least a cocktail, and a very good one at that.
"If I must use an analogy, it feels like nuclear fusion creating new elements, like a supernova explosion producing gold... Although it does not go beyond the periodic table, it is undoubtedly a prerequisite, even an important experience, for 'creating a completely new transcendent power'."
Even Joshua, who had already withdrawn his projection from the Soul Abyss and returned his consciousness to the Silver World, felt a stir in his heart when he thought of this: "Although it is still within the framework built by many Sages, exploring the possibility of this transcendent power will undoubtedly greatly help my future path, even being a necessary prelude!"
Because they lack the information and inheritance of the Sages, and do not understand the truth behind transcendent powers, the Takur people, although they have mastered some methods of using mixed psionic energy and divine power, even integrating psionic energy and divine power into their entire civilization system, they do not understand the significance behind this act. Joshua, through the inspiration they brought and his contemplation of emotion, quickly touched the corresponding threshold.
Although it cannot be proven that this step is the missing realm between Legendary and Sage, expanding beyond a single path of Legendary is indeed a good choice. Joshua has no qualms and naturally does not mind trying other paths besides Steel Force. In fact, he has already cultivated many powers from a higher vantage point through various methods.
Putting the 'Emotion System' into his memo and making a corresponding plan, Joshua set it aside for future detailed consideration.
At this moment, he turned his attention to his own world—the civilization heroes revived from the memories of civilization, and the vast majority of chaotic memories that had been worn away, leaving only a small remnant within the Crystal Obelisk.
[Author's Note: Offline for 8 hours. This chapter should have been posted much earlier.]