The magnificent sight of 15,000 swirling masses of condensed Qi were orbiting around a massive dantian that dwarfed the Qi Cyclones 5 to 1.
Azmond took one good look at this sight and could not help but be left in awe at the beautiful view before him.
The Qi Cyclones orbiting around Azmond's dantian were 2000 meters in diameter, and the huge dantian in the center trumped even the Qi Cyclones. As it had reached a size of 9999 meters!
Azmond was clearly very satisfied with this result, which took him months to accomplish. An amount of time that would have taken at least 10 times that, if not for Azmond's companion.
"This result is very pleasing to the eye, indeed," Azmond began to speak with an emotionless tone. "But I feel as if something is missing, or rather that something is needed to complete this big ol puzzle that is my Dantian space." Azmond took one last look at his Dantian space and couldn't help but speculate that something was indeed missing for his Dantian to be considered 'Complete'.
"My Dantian stopped at 9999 meters after all, a very auspicious number if I have seen one." A quip came out of Azmond in the form of indifference as he pondered deeply on this matter.
After 10 minutes of brooding over the subject, Azmond had come to the only conclusion that made any sense to him. "I must need to breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage to find what I am missing," Azmond's knowing voice resounded out. "Or, in my case, the Quantum Foundation Establishment Stage."
"Since whatever is missing inside of me has nothing to do with the current me, I guess I should focus on cultivating instead." A resolute expression formed on his face as he continued to cultivate.
Or, that's what was originally supposed to happen.
But fate seemed to have other plans in store for Azmond. As a faint, shining light overtook Azmond's vision even whilst in a deep state of cultivation,
"...Hmm?" A puzzled expression appeared on his face as he opened his eyes and saw something.
Something different...
"Was that sign always there?" Confusement overtook his features as he saw a sign that seemed like it was fading in and out of reality.
Azmond got up off the ground and began walking in the direction of the sign that almost seemed to be calling his name.
*Step* *Step*
His barely audible footsteps were the only thing making any noise, as the whole world seemed to go silent as Azmond inched ever closer to the elusive sign.
"The Tree of Life?" He was at a distance where he had clear sight of the fading sign as he spoke the only words he saw.
"Is that the name of this tree?" Azmond came to a swift conclusion, as that was the only logical answer.
"The Tree of Life is quite the haughty name for a tree slightly larger than the rest." An indifferent tone sounded from him as he closely inspected the evanescent piece of wood with a unique name carving.
"This tree must not be as simple as it seems; I knew there had to be something special about this odd thing. I noticed as soon as I got here that this tree was the only sort of forest growth in the vicinity. I just didn't know what exactly made this seemingly normal tree so special." A small frown emerged on Azmond's face as he was a little frustrated over not being able to understand the anomaly that was the 'Tree of Life'.
"Maybe I should touch the sign if I wish to understand the secrets that surround this garden full of spiritual stones dozens of times their average size." Azmond's expression turned into a resolute one as he scanned the entirety of the huge tree with his eyes before moving his hands toward the elusive sign.
A sign that seemed to have some sort of connection with Azmond. A connection that he didn't quite understand...
'Why would a tree called the 'Tree of Life' located in the middle of who knows where be calling out to me? I came here solely to cultivate and watch after My Little Ice Flower, but this oditity seems to have different ideas on what I should be doing here.' His thoughts drifted a little before his index finger made contact with the fading, semi-translucent sign.
A few seconds pass...
Nothing of notice happens to Azmond. However, he continues to wait patiently.
Another 30 seconds pass, and still, nothing of interest has transpired. This was when Azmond finally started to question his theory a little. "Was I wron-" but just as he was about to doubt himself,
A sudden flash appeared, and Azmond disappeared from his spot.
.....
In a mysterious space in a place unknown to most in existence, A handsome man in a long white robe was lying down on a vast expanse of shallow ocean water. An ocean surface that would make one think it stretched on for miles. As no border or edge to this dimension could be seen with the naked eye,
The man who held a resemblance to a fallen immortal began to wake up. "... I wonder how many times this is going to happen to me before I'm ultimately able to stay awake throughout the teleportation." Boredom filled Azmond's heart as he analyzed his surroundings, hoping there was something that could make up for his lethargic mood.
However, he was left disappointed, as the only thing he saw was a small hut on the surface of a wide expanse of shallow ocean.
A shallow ocean with a layer of space above it that somehow prevented the water from touching anything. Even Azmond's body and clothes were no exception to that rule, as not a single part of him was wet.
"This place is boring, but at the same time, quite intriguing." Conflicted emotions were dancing around inside his thoughts as he got up off the ocean floor.
Azmond proceeded to elegantly walk toward the only thing other than water inside this place.
That something being a very small, inconspicuous hut—a hut that one wouldn't even bat an eye to in the outside world.
However, a sudden interest in the tiny hut began to form inside Azmond as a weird glint was beginning to form inside his eyes.
"I believe this place is a lot more special than it seems, just like that tree outside. Nothing is ever to be taken at face value. If I had a proper mother in either of my lifetimes, then I believe she would say the same thing." A melancholic aura began to permeate around Azmond as he thought about the family that he never had.
But before that emotion could fester inside his heart, He shook his head a little to regain focus before continuing toward the small hut.