Qi Like Tar

Paike considered what he had been doing looked like to those around him. They were all of a higher realm than he was and probably could feel more than he could, in a way, even if they didn't fully understand it.

So, from their perspective, he had just broken through to Late Topaz and immediately began releasing increasingly powerful bursts of energy. He could only imagine their confusion. Did it look like he was going to advance again? He supposed that would explain why they were all so nervous around him now.

Already reaching Late Topaz after just awakening a few months ago was nearly unheard of. Father was probably the last non-natural cultivator to do it faster than him, and that was so long ago it was more myth than history.

Of course they didn't know about all of Paike's advantages, not that those mattered. Everyone had advantages.

However, Paike thought there was one thing that made it all a lot less impressive. And that was that he was as old as he was. Normally, awakening older was the sign of less talent, and it might be the case in some ways.

But in his experience, the early realms had a lot more to do with dedication, force of will, and endurance than with talent. Coming at that a little older probably helped him a lot; failing while younger could build up heart demons or mental blocks that held a lot of older cultivators back. He didn't have that, but he had been tempered by years of hardships.

If he looked at his age, well then, Paike would be about where those who managed to break through to Topaz were. That he had broken through at all did put him ahead of the vast majority of his age.

None of those were who he compared himself to. He looked over at Taka and found that besides Father, he was the only one who wasn't watching him warily. Instead, his face was a mask of concern.

To him it must have seemed like something was wrong. Like Paike's cultivation was imploding after having advanced too quickly.