After leaving behind the whole fiasco with He Shan, Zhen refocused on more immediate concerns—his clothes and his healing. Thankfully, he was in a cultivation world where even mundane items like the robes held their own mystical properties. The Abyssal Sect is quite generous, even for quasi-outer disciples, Zhen thought, a hint of appreciation creeping into his mind.
The intricate designs woven into the fabric weren't just for show; they were imbued with subtle enchantme...
2024-08-21 15:14:55 +0000 UTC
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Abyssal Harmony Sect.
Devil Ascension Peak.
Hong Tianxia sat on an ornate stone seat, her gaze fixed on the lake before her. The water's surface mirrored the sun at its zenith and the nearby mountains with perfect clarity, a soft red mist curling above one side of the lake, swaying gently in the breeze. Flowers bloomed all around, their vibrant colors and shimmering petals radiating an ethereal light.
Behind her, the pavilion loomed, its elegant structure both a part of the ...
2024-08-20 20:34:04 +0000 UTC
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Target: Valid
His heart raced as he seemed to grasp something profound, but then the sensation was gone as quickly as it came. The elation that surged within him almost made him shout, but he caught himself just in time, aware of He Shan's bewildered expression. "Ah, nothing to worry about, just remembered something," he added hastily, trying to cover up his excitement.
He activated the ability, and new details began to form before his ey...
2024-08-20 17:37:31 +0000 UTC
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Zhen watched as Wang Bo turned and stormed away, his steps heavy with landing with a thud, and the crowd instinctively moved aside, creating a path for him to pass. No one dared to meet his gaze, their eyes fixed firmly on the ground, as if the mere act of looking at him might invite his wrath.
Even as the pain threatened to overwhelm him, Zhen couldn't help but smirk. So this is the power of the ninth realm… He had stood his ground against a stronger opponent, and...
2024-08-20 16:35:04 +0000 UTC
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Regretfully, there was no extra sense as my mana reserves filled to near capacity.
[ Mana: 129 / 130 ]
While I was inching closer to understanding the nature of attunement, the shadows I had hoped to sense remained elusive, it became clear that I needed to shift my focus again. The mysteries of mana could wait; for now, it was time to return to my Sword Mastery.
I would need to think through new experiments carefully, plan my next steps with more cauti...
2024-08-20 07:02:46 +0000 UTC
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But before he could dwell further on this realization, Wang Bo's figure blurred into motion, closing the gap between them in an instant. Zhen barely had time to react as Wang Bo's right hand shot forward, the talons slicing through the air in a vicious diagonal arc aimed directly at Zhen's throat.
Instinctively, Zhen ducked, feeling the wind from the strike rush past his ear. He quickly pivoted on his left foot, bringing his qi-reinforced right arm up in a swift, upward block to deflect...
2024-08-20 02:38:05 +0000 UTC
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"Can't believe Wang Bo's getting pushed back," one voice muttered, just loud enough to be heard.
"Maybe he's not as strong as he likes to pretend," another snorted, the disdain barely masked in their tone.
Zhen noticed the murmurs of the crowd, their dissatisfaction with Wang Bo's barely concealed in their hushed tones.
But not everyone doubted. Scattered among the crowd, there were still those who supported Wang Bo, their loyalty unwavering despite the somewhat clash.
2024-08-20 02:35:39 +0000 UTC
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Eventually, I slowed my pace, the buzz of exertion still thrumming through my limbs. My gaze drifted over Sir Twistopher’s trunk, now a crisscrossed map of cuts and slashes.
Methodically, I began peeling away the extra bark, focusing on the twisted sections that gave the tree its odd, gnarled appearance. Each strip of bark that fell away revealed a smoother, more uniform surface beneath, and there was a strange satisfaction in the act. It was as if I was stripping away layers of frust...
2024-08-20 02:02:20 +0000 UTC
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While fighting the Wendigos was fast paced, it did help with my combat reflexes. I didn't become an overnight Sword Saint, like in those old fantasy tales, but I could handle the sword more easily. Not everything came naturally, but I could discern a direction to train on.
For now, I decided to focus on my grid perception to increase my sword accuracy. The steel sword, patterned with the grid from Spatial Perception, gave me unprecedented details about the edge of the blade and the move...
2024-08-15 01:47:35 +0000 UTC
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Wang Bo's bellow shook the air, and his qi surged, a dark read aura enveloping him. "You’ll regret this, Zhen!" His power didn’t just rise; it exploded, a suffocating wave of force that slammed into everything around him. The pressure of his Qi Condensation realm descended on everyone around.
Zhen stood frozen, his mind racing as Wang Bo's furious roar echoed in his ears. The air seemed to tremble, and suddenly, an invisible force bore down on him like a mountain. His chest tightene...
2024-08-09 09:57:25 +0000 UTC
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Now, I'm in a dilemma about what to do with my spatial perception. Go the grid route or the sense of presence in Spatial Perception?
After pondering for a bit, the answers became clear to me. While the sense of presence was all good and reliable, I had no clue how I got those or how to enhance it further. Familiar with the grid, it felt like my only viable choice. There existed an ideal skill to combine both, but that was just my inner perfectionist whispering sweet impossibili...
2024-08-08 18:11:23 +0000 UTC
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Seeing my own rank gave me a moment of reflection. I had only one token left and twenty-five kills. The numbers seemed small compared to the top contenders, but they represented my first foray into the monthly contribution competitions.
Still, there was only one glaring problem. Even after killing twenty-five high-level monsters, there was no increase in my level. Is the Way of the World so shattered that leveling up has become this hard? Yet, my skills are rapidly increasing, so that s...
2024-08-08 06:03:38 +0000 UTC
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For the next hour, I immersed myself in silent contemplation. The soft rustling of grass beneath my feet and the distant chirping of insects and birds blended into a soothing symphony that calmed my restless mind.
There was no need to rush; having a firm mindset would serve me far better than sheer skill levels. Or at least, I hoped that was how it worked in this world. I let the cool breeze brush against my face, grounding me in the present.
My escape into nature wa...
2024-08-07 17:56:25 +0000 UTC
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The Control Room of the Crystal Tower Dungeon, saturated with the presence of highly dense mana, was bustling with activity. Professors and faculty members looked at Aiden as though he had emerged from a legend. Swamped with handling the entire Academy, he rarely had time for smaller matters, so he was not surprised by their reactions. The whispers began almost immediately as he entered the room.
"Hey, Elara, do my eyes deceive me? Is that Vice Chancellor Aiden?" questioned Talia Storms...
2024-08-06 21:31:24 +0000 UTC
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Zhen stepped back into the shadows, his mind racing. The scene before him was a perfect blend of tension and drama, straight out of the cultivation stories he loved.
Rising quickly means you make enemies just as fast. They see your success as a threat and will do anything to see you fail. The previous Li Zhen had more than his share of those who wanted to see him broken.
Gazing at the unfolding scene, Zhen decided to stay low key in the sect, avoiding unnecessa...
2024-08-05 16:26:44 +0000 UTC
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My heart hammered against my ribcage, a relentless drumbeat syncing with the chaos engulfing me. The air was thick with snarls, roars, and the violent clash of steel. Surrounded by enemies, my sword became a blur, moving instinctively to block and strike, each motion a desperate fight for survival.
Nemo fell with a final, resounding thud, and I stood amidst the carnage, my breaths ragged and shallow. I could feel the subtle hum of Mana Manipulation working in the background, steadying m...
2024-08-05 14:00:52 +0000 UTC
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Li Zhen stirred as a beam of sunlight pierced through a narrow crack in the thatched wall, casting a warm glow across his face. He blinked, slowly emerging from the depths of sleep, his mind gradually becoming aware of the unfamiliar surroundings.
As he shifted, the bed beneath him responded with creaks and groans, each movement causing the old wood to protest. The lumpy and worn mattress offered little comfort, a major inconvenience compared to the life Zhen had once known. He lay stil...
2024-08-05 02:15:02 +0000 UTC
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Zhen’s first priority was to secure an inside job with the sect, but he wasn’t opposed to exploring other ways to make money. Absentmindedly, he found a secluded corner and started going through other money-making schemes.
The distant hum of conversations and the hurried steps of disciples filled the air, but he was oblivious to it all, lost in his thoughts. He extended his fingers, counting the potential methods one by one.
He lifted his index finger, his brow furrowing...
2024-08-04 22:30:02 +0000 UTC
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Still catching my breath from the recent skirmish, I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins, a heady mix of exhilaration and dread from my first kill.
But the appearance of two more Wendigos was like a punch to the gut. I swiveled my head to assess the new threat, my heart pounding in my chest.
Sevvy II and Sevvy III, as menacing as the original Sevvy, moved with a grotesque grace under the eerie blue glow. Their bone-white skin glistened, and their eyes gleamed with ...
2024-08-04 17:47:04 +0000 UTC
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[ Wendigo Lvl. 8 ]
Then the second one entered.
[ Wendigo Lvl. 7 ]
Ah, shit.
The monsters seemed hesitant to fully enter the illuminated area, their movements becoming more cautious. I could see their pale, gaunt forms more clearly now, each detail of their grotesque appearance illuminated by the blue glow.
A low growl from the Level 8 Wendigo, which I'd nicknamed Octo, pushed the Level 7 one, Sevvy, forward....
2024-08-02 13:42:41 +0000 UTC
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As he observed the prisoners, a small group began to form around one particular cell. A tall, broad-shouldered man with a scar running down his left cheek approached Qin Rong's cell. His presence commanded attention, and more disciples gathered to watch the spectacle unfold.
"Well, Qin Rong," the man said with a smirk, his voice dripping with disdain, "I heard the Law Enforcement extracted all the information from you."
Zhen moved closer, drawn by the intensity of the confrontatio...
2024-08-02 04:08:34 +0000 UTC
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Walking once more, I turned my focus to my next quest. For a fleeting moment, the temptation to break the medallion tugged at me, but I resisted. Despite fulfilling the Vice Chancellor's demand, I knew it was valuable training. The improvements came quicker here, and I felt my coordination with the sword growing sharper.
As I neared the forest, the first grand, misshapen tree came into view. Its twisted trunks and gnarled branches extended over a vast area, allowing only a few patches o...
2024-08-01 23:33:21 +0000 UTC
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The sun shined in my eyes, waking me from a restless sleep. With a start, I jolted upright, my heart racing as I tried to make sense of where I was. Instead of the hollow shell of the massive lifeless tree where I’d sought shelter the night before, I saw the clear blue sky stretching endlessly above me.
Where's this? I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the confusion. A sense of unease settled in my chest. Where am I? I took a deep breath of fresh ai...
2024-08-01 22:11:35 +0000 UTC
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Before Zain could react, the soul realm shattered, and a thundering sound enveloped him. One moment, he heard a voice after increasing his Soul stats, and the next, an overwhelming void consumed him, pulling him from reality into a place where time and space seemed to warp and twist around him.
The surroundings started to blend together as if he were entering a madman's painting, morphing into a murky and indiscernible chaos. His senses were thrown off, each one telling him something di...
2024-08-01 05:47:06 +0000 UTC
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After leaving Feng Ling behind, Zhen breathed a sigh of relief as he clutched his Loan Agreement. His mind was a whirlpool of thoughts. This cultivation world seemed surprisingly advanced with believing in future promises. Wasn't the path to immortality supposed to be riddled with constant danger and frequent death? Could the Abyssal Harmony Sect be this stable, or was there something he was missing?
The previous Li Zhen had taken these questions at face value, leaving him with more que...
2024-07-31 03:22:14 +0000 UTC
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'Dying in the Academy's Dungeon isn't permanent.' The blue-eyed stranger's words echoed in my mind. The possibilities swirled around in my head. Could I afford to be bolder, to take risks I wouldn't have considered before?
And then there was also the chance to level up. From the books I had skimmed in the library, leveling could be done in many ways, but most of it is granted by improving your skills, gaining Class, or by monster hunting in dungeons. As t...
2024-07-27 20:30:01 +0000 UTC
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As I fell, my body smashed into the rough wall of the pit. Pain shot through my side as I desperately tried to find a hold, my fingers scraping against the unforgiving stone. The pit was slanted, which slowed my descent somewhat due to the friction against the walls, but I still felt the constant threat of the jagged spikes waiting below.
My heart pounded as I took out the medallion from my pocket, cursing Professor Alaric for this twisted quest. Why had I joined this madness at all...
2024-07-27 18:25:04 +0000 UTC
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I strode to the door and pushed it open, leading to a large outdoor enclosure. Similar to the last one, it was encircled by high stone walls with towering trees standing at the parameter, the ground covered in grass. Large enough to hold hundreds of people.
A vast crowd of second-year students were waiting for the competition to begin. To my right, some students were practicing mock battles, their weapons clashing loudly, and some were chatting and laughing.
I tapped the swo...
2024-07-26 02:48:38 +0000 UTC
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The lecture on skills was scheduled late in the evening, so I decided to check out my new skill book. The competition was after tomorrow, so I only had a day to prepare for it.
Back in my mansion in one of the common training rooms, I sat cross-legged with the skill book in my lap. The skill book stood out among the old, mundane books in the repository I was getting familiar with. For one, the cover was adorned with fractals pulsating with mana, a mesmerizing sight that hinted at its my...
2024-07-25 04:10:53 +0000 UTC
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Li Zhen squinted as the sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow on the cave entrance. The clear blue sky and the warmth of the sun, after a week of seclusion in the cave, felt almost foreign to his skin and irritatingly bright to his eyes.
The cave's Qi Rich air had been dense, almost suffocating with its potent energy, making every breath invigorating.
Now, the fresh, clean air outside felt strangely light and thin in compar...
2024-07-23 04:26:15 +0000 UTC
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