Ascension of the immortal Asura

'The World Dimension Seed can be taken?' John thought, stunned by the very concept that something that had been the source of a world could be taken.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice filled with emotion sounded out next to John, completely different from the monotonous tone of the artifact spirit.

John snapped out of his thoughts instantly, completely caught off guard by the new voice.

'How could someone make their way into this dimension?' he thought, glancing to the side. Slight surprise appeared on his face as he saw a familiar figure hovering in the void right next to him; the Grand Abbot.

The Grand Abbot stared forward, his eyes lingering on the World Dimension Seed, his face filled with wonder.

"No matter how many times I see it, I'm still filled with wondrous awe every time I come here," the Grand Abbot said. He finally shifted his gaze from the World Dimension Seed, and towards John. A small smile appeared on his face as he inspected John for a moment.

"You've done well to get here, child," the Grand Abbot said, his voice warm like an elderly grandfather. John didn't know how to reply to that praise, and so he just nodded his head, acknowledging the praise.

"That battle of yours was quite inspiring," the Grand Abbot said, "the whole world is talking about it already."

"The whole world?" John asked, confused. How could the world know about the battle already.

'Surely the Astral Emperor didn't spread the news of what had happened to others,' he thought.

The Grand Abbot smiled again, noticing John's confusion.

"Yes, the whole world," he repeated. "All the battles during the final trial were shown to those gathered outside. Several million watched as you defeated Asuros."

John grumbled, his mouth pulling to the side slightly.

"That's going to be a headache to deal with," John grumbled out loud. The whole world now knew about him, his talent, and even his most secretive battle arts. Instead of feeling happy about the attention, he felt it was just going to cause more trouble for him in the future.

"You're not happy about this?" the Grand Abbot asked curiously. "Your fame is being spread throughout the land like wildfire. You are already the most famous person on the continent."

"What's there to be happy about?" John said flatly. "Fame just brings more headaches, and I have enough headaches to deal with already."

The Grand Abbot studied John curiously, and then nodded his head in approval.

"Your attitude befits a true genius," he said. "Most geniuses seek glory and fame above all, but a true genius seeks strength above all else."

John nodded his head in agreement, although he remained silent. His thoughts were chaotic at the moment. There was the Asura, the World Dimension Seed, and now the rest of the world knowing about him. Too many headaches, not enough time to deal with them.

"So what do you think?" the Grand Abbot suddenly asked.

John looked at him confused, and then noticed the Grand Abbot was staring at the World Dimension Seed.

"It's beyond amazing," John said, feeling awe every time, he stared at it, "but how can such an amazing thing be taken by someone like me? And how can it even be used? And if I manage to take it, what will happen to the world? Surely something that acts as the source of the world is too important to remove?" John asked a flurry of questions, his mind seeking answers.

"So many questions," the Grand Abbot said, still staring at the World Dimension Seed. He remained silent for a moment, as if thinking of how best to answer the questions John asked.

"World Dimension Seeds are the source of all worlds," the Grand Abbot said. John nodded his head. The artifact spirit had already told him as much.

"Each World Dimension Seed is different. Some are chaotic. Some are calm. Some are dormant. Some are dead. Each World Dimension Seed has its own personality so to speak, which also shapes the way the world forms around it," the Grand Abbot said.

"The most rare of all World Dimension Seeds, is the one you are staring at right now. The sentient World Dimension Seed."

"Sentient?" John exclaimed. "The Seed is alive? Can it think, speak?"

"Yes, and no," the Grand Abbot replied. "This World Seed is alive, but not in the way you and I are alive. It would be more apt to say it has motivations or goals that it instinctively strives to fulfill."

"Goals? What goals?" John asked curiously, shifting his gaze back to the world seed for a moment.

"To grow. To create new worlds. To create the ultimate world, the perfect world," the Grand Abbot said, his gaze profound.

"It wants to create a perfect world? How does it go about doing that?" John asked curiously.

"Indeed," the Grand Abbot said. "Such World Dimension Seeds are the most rare, and also the most valuable."

"Valuable? How?" John asked, wanting answers.

"Because, only this type of World Dimension Seed will allow itself to be claimed by one it deems worthy. Only this type of World Dimension Seed can be used by a cultivator to aid their cultivation journey. It is perhaps the singular most valuable treasure in existence for cultivators below the World Expansion Realm," the Grand Abbot said.

"It's that valuable?" John asked. While the claim was an incredibly lofty one, he didn't doubt the Grand Abbots words. The Grand Abbot nodded, confirming his question.

"As for taking this World Seed," the Grand Abbot continued. "That will not adversely affect the world. Removing a World Dimension Seed before the world has fully formed will halt its growth, resulting in its death, but this world has been complete for quite some time. It's become self-sustaining, and thus removing the World Seed will not throw it into ruin. Quite the opposite, in fact. When a World Dimension Seed is removed from a fully formed world, the world will naturally create a new World Seed."

John felt relief when he heard this. While he did want to obtain the World Dimension Seed, he didn't want to doom an entire planet for a singular treasure. Since that was not the case, he felt at ease.

"If the World Dimension Seed is so amazing, and since the world can reform one anew now, why isn't the seed claimed more often?" John asked curiously.

The Grand Abbot smiled.

"It is not I, nor the Divine Source Monastery that decides who obtains the seed, but the World Seed itself," the Grand Abbot answered. "Hundreds have taken the Divine Realm trials since this World Seed formed, and dozens managed to make it this far, but none were deemed worthy by the World Seed. Each was cast out from this realm without the opportunity to claim it. The same might very well happen to you, should you not be worthy in the eyes of the World Seed."