Aksai's heart thumped in his chest as the spectral letters reorganized themselves into a comprehensive ranking.
His eyes widened as he read through the nas.
[ The Elental Mastery Stairway: Top 100 Ranking List is being rearranged ]
[ 1st Place - Aksai Everwood - Inner Court Disciple - 4th stage Foundation Building Realm - 999969 Points ]
[ 2nd Place - Al Everwood - Core Disciple - 8th stage Nascent Soul Realm - 658887 Points ]
[ 3rd Place - Ziyen Stormbringer - Core Disciple - 5th stage Nascent Soul Realm - 647743 Points ]
[ 4th Place - Shi Sylven - Inner Court Disciple - 9th stage Nascent Soul - 629985 Points ]
[ 5th Place - Emir Emberclaws - Core Disciple - 1st stage Core Formation Realm - 629985 Points ]
[ 6th Place - Ramiya Stoneborn - Inner Court Disciple - 1st stage Core Formation Realm - 629985 Points ]
[ 7th Place - ....]
[ 8th Place - ....]
[ 9th Place - ....]
The list continued to scroll, detailing all 100 ranked nas.
Aksai's eyes were glued to the top, where his na sat in bold. For a brief period, he was too shocked to speak.
"One and only Foundation Building challenger in the list… that's ."
He was the only one on the list who had cleared the 7th stage while still in the Foundation Building Realm. Even during the Holy Land Torel's peak, no Foundation Building disciple had dared to challenge the stairs.
The rest of the challengeres in the list were far more advanced—Core Formation cultivators, even a few Nascent Soul experts. It took him a mont to register just how absurdly out of place he was among them.
"No wonder this stage felt so rigged and dangerous," he whispered, his voice laced with disbelief. "I… I was not supposed to clear this stage in the first place." The corners of his eyes crinkled as he absorbed the implications.
His success was not only rare—it was unheard of.
"I was only able to clear the stage because of my Qi and Aether cultivation. There was no way I would have been able to climb even first 20 stairs relying on my Spirit cultivation alone, which was already sealed at the ti of the test to begin with.
Perhaps there were other Foundation Building disciples of the original Holy Land Torel who might have tried to challenge the stairs. But since they didn't rake in sizable points, they weren't recorded in the list."
There was a reason why only Core Formation disciples and above were usually allowed to challenge the stairs even during the Holy Land Torel's peak. This was because the Core Formation realm would strength one's vessel to new heights. As such, they would be able to defend against the elental attacks during the test even with their cultivation bases sealed.
Of course, the intensity of the attacks would also be adjusted according to one's cultivation. However, the Core Formation realm cultivators and above had natural advatage that couldn't be ignored.
Aksai's gaze drifted back to the rankings, eyes catching on the line beneath his na. Soone with an Everwood na? Core Disciple? Nascent Soul Realm!
"Unbeilvable… What the hell were Nascent Soul Kings doing by acting as re disciples of a sect? How powereful were the sect elders who accepted such disciples?"
The terms felt surreal. He was a re Foundation Building cultivator, and yet he had surpassed figures who would be considered legends in any sect. His breath caught as another realization dawned on him.
"Wait… There are 15 Nascent Soul core disciples in the list! Damn… and the remaining ones are all Core Formation disciples. And most of the Core Formation disciples are close to breaking into the next realm.
Did such an organization really exist in Dadangar in the past? How… how strong was this sect when it was active? And why was it vanished into thin air from this world all of a sudden?
Plus… that 2nd place holder with the sa surna as mine… who is that person? Is… is he related to ?"
The Spirit farr ran a hand through his sweat-damp hair, heart still pounding.
Suddenly, a deep, bone-chilling silence fell over the space. The spectral notifications faded, and the neutral voice spoke one last ti, its tone final and resolute.
[ The challenger has three minutes to choose their rewards. Selection will begin shortly. ]
"Hmm?"
Aksai's pulse quickened, his brows furrowed. "Why the tir this ti? This… this seems unnecessary. Then again… I can't complain if it's for free."
He straightened his back, ignoring the ache in his muscles and distracting thoughts. The rewards of this climb could change everything—and he intended to make it worth every grueling step.
A series of notifications shimred into view in front of Aksai, forming a neat row of spectral choices. He read the introductory text at the top with eager eyes.
[ The challenger is allowed to choose three rewards for himself for:
1) reaching the 100th step
2) reaching the 100th step in the shortest ti
3) achieving first rank in the Top 100 Ranking List. ]
Below this, nine glowing options appeared, each with a detailed description attached. Aksai's gaze darted over them quickly, but he made sure to read each one carefully:
[ 1. Vortex Edge, the Whispering Sword – A legendary weapon-type Soul Artifact, crafted from Celestial Windsteel and infused with the essence of a wind elental. The sword can amplify wind-based techniques and grant the wielder unparalleled speed in battle. It also has the ability to release a devastating blade storm on its own. ]
Aksai was obviously excited for potentially possessing another Soul Artifact. However, he decided to control his emotions before making his decision.
His eyes lingered on this for a mont before proceeding to read the next option.
[ 2. Stellar-Grade Cultivation Tantra: Verdant Rebirth Codex – A cultivation thod exclusive to druids, allowing the practitioner to harness nature's raw energy and infuse it into their core. This codex enhanced the body's regenerative abilities, nurtured spiritual growth, and allowed the cultivator to rge seamlessly with the surrounding environnt. ]
Aksai felt a flicker of temptation. The technique could elevate his druidic abilities to a whole new level.
"Stellar-grade, huh?" Aksai mumured to himself.
"This is indeed tempting but I have to be rational. The technique is an overkill for my current Spirit Root Aptitude. I won't be able to make full use of the technique's effects because the bottleneck would co from my Spirit Root Aptitude itself."
In layn's terms, it was like installing a bigger RAM in a gaming rig and expecting it to perform better when the performance throttle ca from an old-gen CPU. Even though the bigger and better RAM would provide so superficial benefits, it was not ideal to be paired with a CPU that didn't support it's maximum operating frequency in the first place.
In Aksai's case, his low-grade Spirit Root Aptitude was the one that caused the bottleneck that he couldn't get rid of even if he were to practise a stellar-grade cultivation thod. Not unless he upgraded his Spirit Root Aptitude itself.
[ 3. 3rd Order Shiyawu Snakeskin Armor – A unique armor piece made from the enchanted scales of a 3rd Order Venomshade Serpent. It is lightweight, incredibly flexible, and possessed the power to camouflage the wearer's presence, effectively rendering them invisible. ]
"This thing is not a Soul Artifact…. But it's as valuable as a Soul Artifact if not more because of its special powers."
Aksai's lips curled into a half-smile as he imagined slipping past enemies unnoticed. The utility was imnse, but would it be the best pick?
[4. 3rd Order Spirit Vein Diagram – A rare tool that can be used to create a cultivation zone out of barren land. By planting and activating the diagram, one can turn an area into a thriving cultivation ground suitable for Core Formation realm cultivators and below. ]
Aksai's heart thudded.
"Damn…. This thing… sothing like this exists? I… I can use this diagram to turn Erald Cove into a 3rd Order cultivation paradise for myself!"
The strategic advantage this could offer was tempting. His island could be turned into a mini holy land for the Dadangar subcontinent's denizens, attracting powerful allies or enhancing his own cultivation.
[ 5. Qi Sense Technique – A specialized technique for body cultivators. This thod allows practitioners to nurture a Qi Sense, providing a heightened perception akin to a Spirit Sense but tailored for the essence of Qi. ]
"There's… there's sothing known as Qi Sense? Why did nothing like this exist in Martial World Sharang?"
The utility of this was imnse, especially for Aksai's unique cultivation path. His eyes narrowed in interest as he considered how this could give him a significant edge in battle.
[ 6. Beast Core of a 4th Order Stormclaw Direwolf – This gleaming core radiates raw power. Ideal for Nascent Soul alchemists, it can be refined into potent elixirs or used directly to bolster cultivation. ]
"Holy fuuuuck…. 4th orde beast core… Nascent Soul… what the hell will I do with this thing? I don't think I'm even qualified enough to touch that thing with my own hands."
Aksai acknowledged the strength it held but knew it might be less beneficial to him compared to the others.
[ 7. Celestial-Grade Anaadi Soul Nourishing Pill – A pill that, once ingested, would expand one's Soul Space and enhance all soul-based abilities. ]
"Damn… the more I read the more it is becoming difficult for to choose…"
The potential to increase his ntal fortitude and sharpen his control over soul-related techniques was undeniably alluring. The thought of refining his soul-based powers sent a shiver down his spine.
[ 8. Clan Everwood Druidic Array Formation – An intricate array designed to attract and harness nature energy, complete with an extensive theoretical guide. ]
This formation could provide Aksai with a renewable source of natural energy, perfect for his druidic practices. He felt a familiar tug of excitent as he pictured building such a formation in his sanctuary.
[ 9. One-ti Use Pass to Skip the 8th Stage – It guarantees passage directly to the 9th and final stage of the challenge.]
===
AN: Which three rewards should Aksai choose? ;)
User Comments
0 comments from readers