The body cultivation path acted as a cheat-like ability once again.
But that was not all. The Qi Sense Technique played a huge role in the 8th stage as well.
Aksai was finally glad that he had listened to Yelia's words. Otherwise, he would have had to give up clearing the 8th stage even with his alternative cultivation paths.
Aksai pressed on. The silvery glow of his Argent Body Realm Qi enveloped him like a protective sheath, shimring with a tallic brilliance that reflected in the rippling water beneath his feet.
Every muscle in his body tensed, ready to react as he sensed the surge of movent beneath the surface. The silvery qi in his body was riled up, enabling him to exert the physical power of a Foundation Building Expert even with his Spirit cultivation base sealed.
Every second spent on the mysterious lake felt like hours. Aksai had barely spent a minute but he was already aware of the test's subtleties.
"So… that's how it is."
It didn't take long for his suspicions to be confird. The faster he moved, the more frenzied the lake seed to beco. The piranhas launched themselves out of the water with renewed aggression.
Their beady little eyes glead red in the fog. It was as if Aksai was surrounded with a bunch of wild red flowers that knew how to bite.
Aksai was unable to use any water-elent Spirit spells that might have ward off the fish. With a flick of his wrist, he deflected an incoming piranha, sending it flying back into the lake with a small burst of silver Qi. It splashed into the water, lifeless, leaving a faint trail of blood that quickly dispersed in the shifting ripples.
The fog continued to swirl, masking the erratic movents of the fish. Aksai's focus sharpened, every nerve alert as he shifted seamlessly between offense and defense.
With his Spirit storage ring rendered useless in this trial, he couldn't call upon any artifacts for assistance, but he didn't need them.
His martial prowess was more than enough.
Aksai had no doubt in his mind that he would be able to clear the 8th stage as well, thanks to his Argent Boyd realm and the fact that he had listened to Yelia.
However, clearing the stage was not enough for Aksai anymore. Just like in the earlier stage, Aksai wanted to dominate the ranking list that was specially made for the 8th stage.
Aksai did not want any fa. But he would never say no to a bunch of rewards. Especially if the rewards were known to be groundbreaking in their own regard.
As such, Aksai wanted to give his best. All so that he could win more rewards and obtain more benefits from the cave.
Another fish darted at him from his left. Aksai reacted instantly, pivoting on his heel and striking out with a precise, Qi-infused palm attack.
[ Harmony Palm ]
[ White Golden Palm Arts ]
[ Qi Palm Arts ]
The blow hit the fish mid-leap, causing it to burst into a small cloud of blood and scales.
He transitioned smoothly, sweeping his leg to intercept another piranha that lunged at his ankle.
[ Qi Flow Arts ]
The kick sent it crashing back into the water, leaving a crimson splash that painted the surrounding mist in streaks of red.
The fish were relentless, capitalizing on the limited visibility. But individually, they were weak—no match for Aksai's Argent Body realm powers.
Even if a dozen late-stage Spirit Refining cultivators faced this challenge, they might struggle against the sheer number of attacks, but for Aksai, it was an opportunity to practice his martial forms.
He moved faster, striking with his hands and feet in a series of disciplined, flowing movents. Each blow was imbued with the sharp, silvery edge of his Qi, sending ripples of energy outward as he hit his targets.
His injuries from earlier—the first few bites—had already begun to close, the regenerative power of his Qi knitting his flesh back together at a visible rate. Aksai noted with satisfaction that the wounds were healing faster than the piranhas could create new ones.
His Argent Body Realm Qi not only protected him but actively worked to repair any damage. Unbeknownst to him, the SPirit farr was creating another record. Sothing that even the Core Formation and Nascent Soul level disciples of the Holy Land failed to do in the past.
Of course, Aksai didn't just waste his ti fighting with the fish. He also kept moving towards his target, which was the other side of the lake. As far as he understood, the ti one takes to clear the 8th stage needed to be as short as possible for him to get into the top 100 list. His performance in other aspects would determine his place among the first 100.
He surged forward, his feet pressing against the strange solidity of the water, leaving behind a trail of disrupted waves and scattered blood.
[ Harmony Palm: Master-level proficiency ]
[ Qi Flow Arts: Master-level proficiency ]
[ Guardian's Qi: Master-level proficiency ]
[ Qi Sword Arts: Master-level proficiency ]
[ White Golden Palm Arts: Master-level proficiency ]
[ Qi Palm Arts: Master-level proficiency ]
The rhythmic pace of his steps combined with the fluidity of his strikes created a harmony of motion that reflected the true essence of the Celestial Harmony body cultivation technique. The once-pristine lake's surface was marred with splashes of crimson and drifting scales.
Aksai's eyes brightened as his Qi Sense Technique alerted him that the shore was close, just within reach.
Encouraged, he quickened his pace, moving from a fast walk to a light jog. The silvery glow of his Argent Body Realm Qi rippled across his body.
However, at this mont, the water ahead of him shuddered, sending ripples out in concentric waves. The disturbance was different from the usual chaotic splashes caused by the smaller fish.
"Damn it….. Is it sothing like a field boss?"
Aksai's instincts scread at him, and he skidded to a halt, feet planting firmly on the lake's strange, solid water surface. His eyes narrowed as the ripples grew larger, forming a dark, churning vortex that bubbled ominously.
Aksai didn't know that almost nobody had fought with this fish after the 8th stage's inception in the Holy Land Torel. This was because the fish was only supposed to appear when the stage beca very easy for them to clear.
One could say that the big fish was in front of Aksai only because he had started to run towards the shore, which was sothing not even the most monstrous prodigies of the Holy Land Torel were able to pull off.
With a sudden surge, the water split apart, and an enormous piranha broke the surface, launching itself into the air with a force that sent a spray of water cascading around it.
The creature was grotesque—easily three ters in length, with scales as dark as obsidian and jagged, knife-like teeth that jutted out from its wide, gaping mouth. Its eyes were cold, unblinking, and fixed directly on Aksai.
"I hope I get into the first three positions with this fish's kill," Aksai muttered under his breath. Without wasting a second, he braced himself, shifting into a defensive stance. The giant piranha's tail whipped through the air, sending droplets flying as it lunged forward with shocking speed for its size.
Aksai reacted instinctively, channeling his Qi into his right fist. The silvery light around him intensified, crackling with energy as he stepped forward to et the beast's attack.
With a deep breath, he unleashed a powerful punch infused with his martial arts technique, the force of which resonated through the air and sent a shockwave that montarily parted the fog.
The impact was imdiate. His fist connected with the piranha's scaled head, producing a wet, bone-crunching sound. The creature's forward montum halted as its massive body shuddered under the blow.
Cracks appeared along its dark scales, silvery energy seeping into the wounds like veins of molten tal. The piranha let out a guttural, gurgling screech before collapsing back into the water with a trendous splash, sending waves that surged up to Aksai's knees.
He exhaled sharply, shaking out his fist, which tingled with the aftershock of the strike.
"Hmm… although the results are in my favor this ti, sothing felt off. Are there any suitable martial arts for battling against beasts?"
He murmured to himself. He could feel his heartbeat pounding in his ears, but the adrenaline coursing through his veins made him feel invincible.
Without pausing to watch the giant piranha sink beneath the surface, Aksai pressed on. He sprinted the final stretch, the blood-streaked water splashing beneath his feet as he made his way toward solid ground.
The mont his foot touched the firm soil of the shore, the dense fog dissipated, evaporating into thin wisps that floated skyward before vanishing completely.
Suddenly, a neutral voice sounded in Aksai's mind.
[ Congratulations for clearing the 8th stage. The rewards will be offered after taking overall performance of the challenger ]
"What will be the rewards this ti?" Aksai couldn't help but rub his hands in anticipation.
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