5 Meditation (2/2)

I was somewhat brought out of my trance by my door opening. Mother walked through, and seeing me in such a dazed state again, she picked me up and headed out of the nursery.

She was calmer this time and walked with a steady pace. I could see a bit better, white walls inter-spaced with wood pillars, built at right angles to enclose an area.

The light reflecting off the walls dappled like daylight through trees. This area seemed to have access to the outside world. The daylight made me realise that I must have been meditating the whole night.

Mother opened the door to father's study and laid me down on a small bed which wasn't there before. Once again father came over, placed his fingers on my chest and I felt heat pour into me.

This time the heat flowed straight to my core and bounced back. He went back to his desk and brought the glowing crystal over with gloved hands, placing it on my chest.

The glow intensified, and it seemed to be more like a shining light. It illuminated the expression of wonder and surprise on father's face.

I had suspected something the last time this happened, but now I knew for sure. The wave of pleasure signalled a breakthrough. If the last breakthrough was a major one, this was minor.

Mother fed me, stroking my head, while father talked to her in a commanding, somewhat excited tone, showing her the stone. Mother nodded along, somewhat disinterested.

After father finished talking, mother left me on the bed. Father was writing, but seemed distracted, occasionally pausing to cast a fleeting glance in my direction.

The stone seemed to be an indicator for cultivation level at least, but it might have other functions. It was strange that they tested me when I was born, why would you need to know the cultivation level of a baby?

I cast my mind back to my meditation session. There was much I could learn from simply observing my body; the breakthrough was evidence of that. But for now, I wanted to observe father.

He was definitely interested in cultivation, but how strong was he? How could I tell? I knew that I could sense my own qi escaping my body, perhaps I could sense his?

I focused on my hands and could immediately feel my qi. More was leaking now than the last time I checked. I shifted my focus to father. Nothing. I couldn't see or feel anything.

So, I couldn't just focus on him. I racked my brains and remembered Sirius. When we were in his soul space, I could actually see his qi. But how could I do that in this study?

Sirius had forced me into his soul space, and I had no idea how to force myself into father's. And that would only work if he had one.

”There's got to be a simpler way,” I thought.

Maybe I couldn't feel his qi, but what if I could see it? From all that I've read in my past life, channelling qi into your eyes alters your sight, and it couldn't hurt to try.

I began to meditate, heading back to my soul, then racing up. Whether I went through veins or nerves, the pulses followed me. I was clearing the way, unblocking channels as I went.

It was fast if I didn't take any winding side-paths, and I found my way to my eyes. Nothing seemed to happen, so I tried to pull the qi up through the channel behind me.

It started slow, like a raindrop trickling down a window, but as more drops followed, a stream began to form. When the flow reached my eyes, it was powerful, and I felt a burning pain.

The pain ripped me from my meditation and when I opened my eyes, I was met with a shocking sight. Surrounding father was a raging golden inferno.