A/N Thanks for your reviews and support.

Zoran Dawn-Eclipse: thanks for your review, my friend. All good my friend we all have a lot going on.

TigrezzTail: thanks for your review, my friend. Six whole ranks higher. Fan Yu isn't a bad guy. But he will do what is necessary to stop someone if needed. This time it just happened to be Naruto.

DarkRavie: thanks for your review, my friend.

Naruto's POV

A blue crystal was held out to the blond after he finished his chocolate. Fan said, "Take this and focus your ki into it. I want to try something."

Naruto took it confused. The man motioned for him to go on.

Taking a deep breath he focused his ki into the warm blue crystal. It lit up briefly for a moment ice blue with electricity running through it.

Then it began to change. The lightning broke off into nine pieces. They formed a circle each piece fitting perfectly into it.

Out of the formed a giant ice dragon rising through the lighting circle. It roared before finally settling.

Fan said checking the crystal, "Well I'll be damned. I thought it was possible that your ki had begun to acquire a form. I didn't expect this though. A fully formed doesn't soul sea is rare for your age. Now, look at the nine points. With any dragon soul sea, there are points. They represent the seats of the dragon. There are nine in total. For the most part, people only have three or four in their soul sea. To have so many you have a lot of potential."

Naruto asked curiously, "What does this mean for me? What does knowing your soul sea do?"

Fan continued, "When you first start training your ki you learn basic cultivation techniques. Your soul sea will make a form. This is when you would change your cultivation accordingly. If I had to guess you are stuck in trying to break through to the next level. Keep that crystal. As long as you are the only one to use it. It will tell you any changes in your soul sea."

Naruto nodded. Fan was leaving the room the next moment. This left the three children alone and confused. He was only gone for five minutes before he returned.

In the man's hands was an ancient-looking scroll. Fan said, "This will explain the cultivation technique. This should allow you to break through the 25th level. I cant help you with this for my own soul sea is different. Yu Hao when you get to this point I will give you your own crystal. Until then you will just have to be patient."

Naruto bowed as he said, "Thank you sensei."

Yu Hao said, "Yes teacher. I understand."

Fan Yu ordered, "Go. It's late and if I remember correctly the exams for the Apprentice alchemist are in a few days. When you pass that then come back."

Both boys bowed before leaving the faculty. Yu Hao went back to his training while Naruto's focus went straight to the scroll.

On it was a warning telling him not to use the technique unless he had both elements of ice and lightning. To use it against the warnings would result in death.

It went further to say that once he activates the hand signs he must be left undisturbed. The longer he could stay in the cultivation technique the first time. The more control he would have over it.

Another warning lay at the very bottom of the scroll. The words so faded that they were almost illegible.

While using this technique he had to keep his ki and chakra flowing in the correct direction. If it faltered for even a moment he could lose his mind and kill everyone around him.

After several moments of serious consideration, he decided to go with it. The risks were heavy but he could not stay at level 24. Not if he wanted to help his teacher and friend.

The hand signs were dog, dragon, and horse, and dragon again. Then he had to hold the sign of the dragon. That would activate the cultivation technique.

Cultivation techniques as a whole were only written out by those who discovered them. Inscriptions were a dangerous business. A spirit master could lose themselves in it. Insanity would overrun their minds. If the inscription was done wrong then it could destroy the body.

Focusing he began the hand's signs dog, dragon, horse, and dragon. His eyes closed as he felt his elemental kis activate.

Lightning began to swirl around him. The air began to freeze and dense fog filled the space. His breathing slowed in and out while he focused only on his ki flow.

It was erratic and unstable. It wanted to lash out and reverse its flow. The training that he had gone through to control his chakra only helped marginally.

The difficult would only increase from here on out.

Yu Hao's POV

As had become the norm for him he had spent the entire night training. He was too weak to be any use at this point. He was barely making the minimum level for the exams in a month.

Only a moment later he realized how cold the room was. Even with Daydream big brother's natural affinity towards ice.

"That boy," speaking of the Daydream big brother, "Yu Hao be glad that boy is your friend. To be able to control the Black Heaven and Earth technique is said to be impossible. Yet he has been able to keep control all night. There is no way he will make it to classes today. If he can truly train the Nine Seats of the Dragon then there will be only a few children who could match him."

If Daydream said it, it had to be right. So far the ancient spirit beast had not lied to him. If it wasnt for the ice and mental attributed worm he would be useless.

Sighing Yu Hao changed into fresh clothes. With a last glance at his friend, he grabbed his bag. Maybe when classes were over Naruto would be done.

Zhu inquired when he made it to the classroom, "Hao you're alone today. Where is Uzumaki?"

"He started training on a new cultivation technique last night," he answered, "He can't be disturbed until he finishes."

Zhu ordered dismissively, "Take your seat."

They continued their discussion on spirit weapons. They were basic information. If he wanted more on them that would require time in the facility. He highly doubted he would get any experience with the weapons for a while.

When classes ended for the day Zhu called him over and said, "Hao I want you to go to the Alchemist Guild. Tell Uzumaki's master what is going on."

"Yes, teacher."

Finding the Alchemist Guild wasnt difficult. Getting them to let him in to see Ren Xaiofan however was. The man was busy preparing for his student to take his exams.

They refused to let him pass at first. Saying that he was a friend of an apprentice held no sway. Every minute he stood here arguing was wasting time he could be spending earning money selling fish.

Naruto not being a ranked apprentice didn't help his case. None of the masters knew or cared about a foreigner child. To them, Naruto was little more than a nuisance until he proved himself.

When he was finally let through he found Ren Xaiofan studying a large book. It was the size of three of his own textbooks combined.

The man said without looking up, "You are not Naruto. What can I do for you?"

Yu Hao replied, "Naruto won't be making it for studying today."

Xaiofan's head shot up a moment later his green eyes on Yu Hao's blue ones. He asked in a low growl, "Why not?"

"Hes learning a new cultivation technique," he replied. He was not a mouse. He couldn't show any fear to this man. No matter how intimidating he was.

The man groaned, "Now of all times he learning one. Take me to him."

That was how they found themselves in the shared dorm. Frozen air had become electrically charged. It seemed his friend had moved into the second stage.

Xaiofan was studying the scroll that Fan Yu had given Naruto with a frown. Whatever he was finding he didn't like it.

He snarled, "What the hell was Fan Yu thinking?! This is well beyond the capabilities of a Grandmaster. Much less a nine-year-old."

Yu Hao queried curious to know more, "What is it?"

Xaiofan replied blowing out a harsh breath, "It is the Black Heaven and Earth technique. Only a few masters know of its existence in this world. Those that do know it is extremely dangerous. The risk to one's mind is high just trying it. The number of those that successfully have completed all three stages I can count on one hand. Most die in the first stage. But in reality, the dangers don't truly begin until the third stage. Only one percent of those that try to make it to that stage. It's a forbidden cultivation technique because of this."

Forbidden. There were very few cultivation techniques that were classified as such. Most belonged to the dark spirit masters.

Fan Yu must have pulled a lot of strings to get his hands on such a technique. The man was powerful by his own rights. To be a Doulou at his age was extraordinary.

At the same time, he was apart of the Spirit Weapon's Facility rather than the main school. Many masters looked down upon the faculty. They thought only the weak needed such things.

In truth with the weapons fighting those stronger than oneself was more possible. Not guaranteed. Just possible.

Both Yu Hao and Xaiofan were too lost in their own thoughts to notice the subtle changes happening. The ki was retracting back into Naruto but it wasn't becoming less intense. If anything the intensity only continued to grow.

Then it exploded knocking Yu Hao off his feet. Xaiofan was able to keep his feet but only barely.

The ki retracted back into Naruto calming slightly. Xaiofan groaned, "He's entered the third stage. It won't be much longer now. Either he will complete it. Or it will kill him."

Naruto's POV

His breathing was ragged as he continued to focus. Sweat ran down his face with the effort.

His ki was trying to break from his control. With each moment it only got worse. Only the sheer force of Naruto's will allowed him any control.

Inside his ki center, he could feel the ki beginning to form something in the lightning and ice. The scroll had said that he would need to force his ki into a form. One that matched but was slightly different. That would be the final part of this technique.

His ki lasted out in a final effort to break free of the confines of his body. It almost worked but with the last bit of his strength, Naruto wrenched it back. Pressing down upon it lightning and ice worked together to form a roaring dragon in his center.

With that done he opened his eyes to see his dorm room. The windows were fogged with the temperature changes. Slowly the room began to return to a normal temperature.

For his part, Naruto collapsed back onto his bed. He was absolutely exhausted from that. He should have realized that fighting with his ki in such a way would leave him exhausted. Closing his eyes he tried to calm his racing heart.

A warm hand on his wrist startled him into sitting back up. Only for another to press down on his chest. His eyes shot open to find Ren checking his pulse. Slowly he relaxed into the hand holding him down. Ren wouldn't hurt him.

Ren chided not sounding angry just disappointed, "That was stupid of you to try alone. You could have killed yourself."

"I'm sorry sensei," apologized Naruto. He had known the dangers before he even began the technique.

Even if he had died he wouldn't have regretted it. Disappointed in himself for not being strong enough but no regret.

Ren sighed, "You didn't damage your center or your mind. Both of which you should be grateful for. Now get some rest. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."

"I can," he tried to argue.

"No," snapped Ren, "You can't. Doing anything more would be useless right now. It would only hurt your progress. So rest. The exam is tomorrow."

"Yes sensei."