Burning the Cosmo (Part Two)

In the end, the one without a Cloth would definitely die, while the one wearing a Cloth would suffer serious injuries at most.

"Now, let me ask you a question first. Do you know what the power of the cosmo really is?" Yuzuriha asked with a smile, testing him a little.

"Hmm..."

Wuxin sorted through what he knew and said slowly, "According to everyone's explanations, the entire world came into being through a Big Bang."

"The Big Bang produced countless atoms and all kinds of particles. They are the building blocks of all matter, including life."

"And that also means we are all part of the universe, and we share the same properties as the universe."

"That is precisely why people say everything contains a cosmo."

"The so-called power of the cosmo is the power produced by the explosion of the cosmo within us!"

"Not entirely correct! It seems there are things you don't understand, too!" Yuzuriha shook her head, a teasing smile appearing on her face.

Over this time, Wuxin had displayed astonishing talent, as though no question could stump him, which had made her a little jealous.

Now that Wuxin could not answer her question, she finally felt much better.

"Please enlighten me!" Wuxin requested respectfully.

The corners of Yuzuriha's lips lifted slightly, and she explained cheerfully, "You only got half of it right."

"All life is part of the universe. We all possess the properties of the universe, so we are born with the power of the cosmo."

"It is only because ordinary people's souls and wills are not strong enough that they cannot harness this power."

"And the essence of this power does not come from the Big Bang."

"The power of the Big Bang is a mighty force that created heaven and earth. We have only mortal bodies. How could we possibly withstand power on that level?"

"Even if the universe within us is only a miniature universe, the power produced by that kind of explosion still isn't something we can use!"

"Right, the power of a cosmic explosion is not something we can withstand or use at all!" Wuxin agreed, rejecting his earlier explanation.

He truly did not know much about the nature of the cosmo's power. He only knew it was a power everyone possessed from birth, but developing and using it required reaching the threshold of the sixth sense.

Yuzuriha looked up at the sky and continued, "The power of the Big Bang is far too dangerous for us to use. The power we can use is, in essence, the more stable force behind the universe's fundamental workings."

"Like the stars in the sky, which move steadily along specific paths through the universe. The cosmic force driving their movement is a stable power."

"I see! The power of the Big Bang cannot be controlled, but the force behind its fundamental workings can be controlled and guided!" Wuxin understood at once, and could not help feeling a lingering fear.

Without Yuzuriha's guidance, if he had explored its use on his own and foolishly created a Big Bang within his cosmo, he would surely have died without a burial place.

"Then may I ask, how should we use this force behind the universe's workings?" Wuxin asked again.

He had carefully sensed his own cosmo. It operated very steadily, like a rapidly spinning top, leaving him no room to intervene at all.

"You just need to make your cosmo active!"

Yuzuriha smiled slightly and said, "In its normal state, the cosmo is extremely stable and does not release any power."

"But as long as we upset its balance a little, its workings will become disrupted, and excess power will spill out."

"We call this 'burning'!"

As she spoke, she took two steps back, then planted her feet and let the smile leave her face.

"Burn, my cosmo!"

At her sharp cry, Wuxin clearly sensed the previously stable cosmo within Yuzuriha suddenly become active. Then a surging power poured out, spreading in all directions as a powerful shock wave.

Boom!

Wuxin could not keep his footing at all and was blown straight off his feet.

Chapter 11: Burning the Cosmo (Part Two)

"So this is how you burn your cosmo!" Struggling to his feet against that powerful, oppressive aura, Wuxin felt no fear. Instead, he grew even more excited.

After the initial demonstration, Yuzuriha stopped freely spreading her cosmo's power and immediately calmed her cosmo. The rampaging power soon stabilized again.

"There's something else I'd like to confirm!"

Wuxin strode forward and said seriously, "If, and I mean if, while burning our cosmo, we draw out power far beyond the limits of what we can control, what would happen?"

Yuzuriha said nothing and simply watched him quietly. Their surroundings immediately fell deathly silent.

Sensing that something was amiss, Wuxin did not rashly speak again and chose to remain silent for the moment.

Only after a long while did Yuzuriha speak. "Actually, with your comprehension, haven't you already guessed the outcome? Why bother asking?"

"Ah..."

"I just wanted to confirm it! After all, this is my first time dealing with something like the cosmo!" Wuxin said with a wry smile.

Yuzuriha sighed and said seriously, "Small as the cosmo is, it is still a universe, after all. The power it contains far exceeds our imagination."

"It is only because the cosmo is normally stable that it poses no threat to us."

"But while burning the cosmo and upsetting the balance of its workings lets us draw out the overflowing power of the cosmo for our own use, it also puts us in danger."

"It is like a double-edged sword!"

"If we have enough ability to control the overflowing power of the cosmo, it will help us defeat our enemies. But if we cannot control that power, it will turn against us and become a calamity."

"However..."

Changing her tone, Yuzuriha smiled. "The cosmo is extremely stable in its normal state. Upsetting its balance and drawing out its overflowing power for our use is no easy task."

"Drawing out cosmo power beyond your own limits is even harder."

"Throughout the entire history of the Sanctuary, such examples can be counted on one hand."

"So, at your current stage, this worry is completely unnecessary!"

"Whew..."

"I understand!" Wuxin let out a long, stale breath.

"Next, let me experience the power of the cosmo!"

He took two steps back, putting a safe distance between himself and Yuzuriha to avoid accidentally hurting her.

After all, this was his first time trying anything like this.

Then he closed his eyes, focused his mental power, and concentrated on sensing the cosmo within him.

Immediately, a sea of countless stars appeared in his perception, just like the real starry universe.

How can I upset the balance of the universe's workings?

Should I use my mental power to shake it directly from the outside?

With a trace of curiosity, Wuxin began his attempt. He shaped his mental power into a pair of large hands, wrapped them around the cosmo from outside, and shook it hard.

Unfortunately, the universe's workings were extremely stable and suffered no interference at all. His shaking was merely wasted effort.

"Huh?"

Wuxin was a little surprised.

Just as Yuzuriha said, the universe's workings are extremely stable. They aren't so easy to shake!

He adjusted his mindset and tried again, increasing the force of his shaking.

Unfortunately, the result was the same as before.

Refusing to accept it, Wuxin kept trying, gradually increasing the force of his shaking. In the end, even after exerting every ounce of strength he had, he failed to budge the cosmo in the slightest.

Something's wrong!

He stopped and began thinking deeply. Normally, once I comprehend the sixth sense, Manas, I should qualify to use the power of the cosmo. This is definite knowledge gained through countless explorations by those who came before.

But now, even after using all my strength, I still can't draw out the slightest bit of cosmo power. There must be something wrong with my method!

After "looking" once more at the brilliant sea of stars within him, Wuxin had a new idea.

Strong fortresses are always broken from within!

Since approaching from outside doesn't work, I'll try from inside!

He immediately reached the large hands formed from his mental power into the cosmo, locked onto one of its asteroids, and tentatively tried to push it along its course.

Hum!

The asteroid wobbled, but under the universe's balancing effect, it immediately returned to its original state.

Though it was very faint, Wuxin distinctly sensed a change.

The instant the asteroid wobbled, the cosmo generated excess power to suppress the abnormal movement, or rather, to maintain its original stability.

But that power was far too weak. The instant it appeared, it immediately dissipated within his body.

Yes, that's it! That's it!

This is the actual method of burning the cosmo!

Overjoyed, Wuxin immediately pushed hard to accelerate the asteroid's movement.

Whether accelerating or slowing it down, either was an intervention in the universe's workings. But for him, speeding it up along its course was undoubtedly easier and required less effort.

As he pushed the asteroid to move faster, the cosmo once again generated new power in an attempt to restore balance.

At that instant, it was like a tranquil lake suddenly surging with waves.

The waves spilled over the dam and truly entered Wuxin's physical body.

He abruptly opened his eyes and spread his right hand.

Immediately afterward, guided by him, a strand of cosmo power carrying a cold, sinister aura slowly manifested in his palm.

"Congratulations! You've successfully grasped the technique of burning your cosmo and officially mastered its power!" Yuzuriha applauded in celebration.

However, as the cosmo power in Wuxin's hand manifested, eerie blue flames suddenly lit up all around him.

With Wuxin's right hand at their center, eerie blue sparks rapidly spread outward, like sparks falling onto dry grass.

In just an instant, countless densely packed blue flames appeared within nearly three meters of Wuxin.

"Is this... ghost fire?"

Yuzuriha froze for a moment, but still quickly recognized those eerie blue flames.