The Primal Hunter Chapter 1225 - Sacred Meditation

The Malefic Viper conceded that observing Jake’s slow return to consciousness was hardly a thrilling pastime. Normally, he could maintain a connection to Jake’s condition, but in this specific state, even the eyes of a Primordial were barred. Jake’s soul had drifted into a realm governed solely by the system’s authority.

Consequently, he was left to wait restlessly for Jake to finally stir. By all indications, Jake had avoided serious soul damage, and although he was clearly drained, he had fortunately acquired a meditation skill designed to accelerate his recuperation.

Naturally, that wasn't the primary advantage Jake would reap. This upgrade was set to propel Jake’s future progress significantly. The Viper noted that Artemis was aware of this as well, though her concern for his recovery clearly outweighed her interest in his enhanced potential.

It was a quality the snake god found quite endearing.

During the wait, a peculiar thought crossed the Viper's mind. Given that the First Sage had imparted so much knowledge to Jake, wouldn't his Chosen now be considered something of a half-disciple? If so, that would technically make Vilas the senior brother. It was a strange notion, yet he found it amusing, feeling only gratitude that his Master’s transcendent nature had ultimately benefited his own Chosen.

He didn't mean to diminish Jake's own feats, however. Jake had achieved something truly remarkable—a feat the Viper doubted many others could replicate, even with the First Sage acting as a tutor. He had successfully touched upon a realm usually reserved for the gods. While his access was obviously restricted based on the aura he had radiated, the mere act of reaching it was unprecedented.

To be fair, this didn't transform Jake into a demi-god overnight; he had simply moved one tiny increment closer to that state, and he had done so much earlier than anyone expected.

Using a Meditate skill to glimpse into concepts via the system wasn't a privilege exclusive to divinity. Many cultivators obtained skills for this purpose at higher grades, usually centered on their specific path. A water mage might meditate on the concept of water and its related branches; a swordsman would focus on sword-based concepts, and so on.

In those instances, the system acted as a filter, providing limited and curated Records during meditation—essentially feeding them crumbs. It was as if a single, dripping pipe had been installed in their souls, allowing the system to release concepts at its own discretion.

Jake, however, had gained a direct—if limited—link to the vast ocean that served as the primary reservoir. Had it not been restricted, he would have certainly drowned. Even gods faced the danger of losing their identity when navigating the infinite sea of Records.

“Does waking up normally take this long?” Artemis inquired after several minutes passed without change.

“I find it amusing that you think anything about this situation is ‘normal’,” the Viper replied with a chuckle and a shake of his head. “Just give him a moment. You understand as well as I do that time perception in that state is neither logical nor stable. Unlike us, Jake didn't set an anchor before diving in; he just plunged straight through.”

Artemis nodded slowly, joining the Viper in their silent vigil. Several hours drifted by while Jake remained perfectly still. His aura stayed level, showing no signs of energy fluctuations.

Then, roughly five hours after Artemis had last spoken, there was a shift. The Viper sensed a change in Jake’s aura, which suddenly surged with newfound power, bringing a smile to the god's face.

Retracing his steps proved more difficult than Jake had anticipated. He realized this was the final component of his upgraded Meditate skill that he had to master. He needed to map a route between his Soulspace and that strange void that existed everywhere and nowhere, utilizing his Truesoul as the portal.

Fortunately, the return journey was far simpler than the entry. He merely had to move in whichever direction reduced the overwhelming pressure from the colossal gate that was leaking concepts. Jake wasn't certain if he was physically moving or just distancing his consciousness from the conceptual gate, but the method was effective regardless.

Gradually, Jake’s senses began to return. He felt the faint hum of energy circulating through his body, and simultaneously, his Sphere of Perception alerted him to his surroundings.

He sensed Artemis and Villy waiting nearby. They stood there quietly, and Jake smiled inwardly when he felt the wave of relief coming from Artemis as she realized he was finally returning.

Moments later, Jake shifted back into his Soulspace. He found himself standing within the gazebo that once held the First Sage’s tome. A massive plane of golden light had manifested on the far side of the structure; he had just stepped out of it, and he knew instinctively that this was now his permanent link to the strange realm of concepts.

In reality, there wasn't a literal portal there. Everything within the Soulspace served as a representation of Records, and this was simply the way Jake’s mind visualized the process of entering that deep state of meditation. It was a subconscious trigger he had established for himself.

The appearance of the gate wasn't a shock, but what he found inside the gazebo was. Jake had assumed the Legacy of the First Sage would have been exhausted by his enlightenment, yet the tome remained on the pedestal, appearing perfectly intact.

Though he knew he should check his system notifications and savor his new strength, curiosity drove him to open the book first.

He found the pages to be blank. While disappointed, Jake nodded, understanding the logic behind it. The book had likely used the Records left by the Sage to construct that golden path, and—

Wait, he was wrong. As he flipped through the pages, he saw that only the portion he had already mastered was gone. There were still sections he couldn't access yet due to unmet requirements, and despite his attempts, the next chapter remained sealed to him.

Jake shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. He wondered just how many Records the First Sage had left for him and how much he had truly been given. He also questioned if the system was truly comfortable with a transcendent being interfering to this degree. Even if he had used five charges of his Path of the Heretic-Chosen, the trade-off seemed heavily skewed in his favor.

Closing the tome, Jake suspected he wouldn't be able to glean more from it until he reached B-grade. Speaking of which, he had several notifications to review—some confirming his checklist progress and others signaling his proximity to his actual evolution.

He started with the most basic alerts. As anticipated, the system recognized the repair and upgrade of his Palate of the Malefic Viper, granting him three levels.

[Level Up: Palate of the Malefic Viper Level 101 --> 104] [Level Up: Palate of the Malefic Viper Level 102 --> 104] [Level Up: Palate of the Malefic Viper Level 103 --> 104] [Level Up: Palate of the Malefic Viper Level 104 --> 104]

Gaining levels was always welcome, but it was eclipsed by the next notification. Because it was a race skill, his other upgrade didn't grant levels, but Jake was too excited to care. He finally looked at the upgrade he had chased for so long. It was a major milestone that also answered a long-standing question: what rarity existed beyond mythical?

[Serene Soul Meditation (Epic)] --> [Sage’s Meditation of Enlightenment (Sacred)]: Relinquish portions of your self to grasp what lies beyond the veil as your soul takes a half-step toward divinity. Grants entry into a meditative state that restores all resources at an extreme rate. During meditation, you possess absolute command over your energies and soul, allowing unrestricted travel within your Soulspace. By delving deeper, you can connect with the Gate of Enlightenment to explore infinite concepts. Warning: Prolonged exposure to the Gate of Enlightenment may cause negative effects. Due to this connection, you possess extreme mental clarity and calm while meditating. This link also steadily heals the soul, repairing minor damage and flaws. While active, all external connections are severed, and no outside influence can force you out of this state.

This was the definitive Meditate skill. Every standard effect had been amplified to an entirely different tier, and it kept the benefits of his previous skill, like the enhanced mental calm. The ability to mend his soul was a massive boon; while his old skill technically could do so, it was so slow that sleeping was often more effective. Now, meditation was the superior choice for recovery. He even wondered if he could meditate while sleeping.

The Sacred rarity was clearly not just about recovery speed. Jake hadn't even heard of this rarity before, but the description justified its existence. He wasn't sure if Sacred was the standard step after Mythical or if it was a unique classification for mortal skills that touched upon divinity.

His new skill seemed to have earned this rank precisely because of its divine connection. He also finally had a name for the phenomenon: the Gate of Enlightenment. He had wondered if it was just a mental construct, but it was a recognized, named entity. It was a simple name, but an appropriate one.

The ability to witness myriad concepts would undoubtedly speed up his progress, particularly in complex alchemy. While it would help his archery, it was in fields like transmutation or ritual magic where conceptual understanding was truly priceless.

The broad insights he could gain were already proving their worth. Even from his brief exposure, he had picked up subtle nuances regarding nomological laws. These small, Feng Shui-like details would allow him to refine and optimize his magic circles moving forward.

Jake found it slightly humorous that the warning about staying in his Soulspace too long had been replaced by a warning about the Gate of Enlightenment. The danger felt obvious to him, but he appreciated the system's thoroughness.

Ultimately, Jake knew the true power of this skill wouldn't be felt in an instant. It wouldn't grant him immediate omniscience or a massive power spike right away. Instead, it was a foundational tool that would allow his potential to reach new heights, ensuring he remained at the pinnacle of his level.

... Or so he thought. Jake had actually overlooked something. He had felt a surge in power earlier but hadn't pinpointed the source. As he scrolled further down, he was reminded of a critical element he had momentarily forgotten.

Titles.

Specifically, his Prodigy titles. His Mythical Prodigy title was already formidable, but it had undergone a transformation.

[Mythical Prodigy]: A genius who outpaces the curve, grasping even the mythical. Your Path is in its infancy, yet you defy the limitations of your rank. Forging a mythical skill before C-grade is a monumental task and the mark of a legend in the making. Stand proud in your Path. +100 to all stats, +20% to all stats. --> [Sacred Prodigy]: A genius who has moved beyond the curve, refusing to let even the sacred escape his reach. Your Path is taking a distinct shape, defining you as a being who stands at the summit. Forging a sacred skill before B-grade is a nearly unheard-of feat and the sign of a true sacred prodigy. May your Path remain supreme as you move toward divinity. +500 to all stats, +30% to all stats.

Jake had sensed his strength increasing after the upgrade, but given his disoriented state, he hadn't been sure of the scale. Between the level-ups and this, the source of his new power was now undeniable.

The title now provided 400 more flat stats than before, plus an additional 10% modifier that stacked with his other bonuses. Since his total stat multipliers from titles already exceeded 100%, that 400-point boost actually translated to nearly a thousand points in every stat.

To put that in context, Jake gained about 200 stats per race level. This title alone was the equivalent of 18 race levels across his nine stats. In practical terms of pure power, it was worth about five full levels of growth. Jake couldn't help but grin widely at the realization.

In a very short window, he had repaired his Palate, ascended his Meditate skill to a new rarity, and gained a massive title boost. His profession was nearly at its limit, leaving only his class levels behind.

He wasn't worried; he intended to fix that imbalance soon. After all, there was still a dragon that needed hunting. But first, he had two pressing matters to attend to.

First, he had to deal with the "downside" of his new power. Because his stats had jumped so significantly, he needed to brew fresh batches of poisons and potions. His old stock would likely be insufficient for his current level of power—a "struggle" he jokingly imagined all C-grades could relate to.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, he really needed to open his eyes and talk to the two gods who were waiting impatiently for him to finish reading his system logs and being smug.