Aksai steadied his breathing, feeling the burn in his muscles slowly ebb as he read the cascade of notifications.
Each one that appeared in the shimring display brought a new surge of adrenaline.
"Bonus points for the fastest ti? I… I really scored big this ti," he thought, a grin breaking through the exhaustion on his face.
[ congratulations to the challenger for clearing the 8th stage. Calculating the points earned based on performance ]
[ The challenger is awarded with bonus points for clearing the Mortal Agony Lake at the shortest ti in recorded history ]
[ The challenger is awarded with bonus points for not using any Druidic bloodline abilities ]
[ The challenger is awarded with bonus points for attempting to challenge the 8th stage while still in the Foundation Building Realm, which is a first ti in recorded history ]
[ The challenger is awarded with bonus points for clearing the 8th stage while still in the Foundation Building Realm, which is a first ti in recorded history ]
[ The challenger is awarded with bonus points for clearing the 8th stage in the shortest ti possible ]
[ The challenger is awarded with bonus points for clearing the 8th stage using an alternative cultivation path x 1 ]
[ The challenger is awarded with bonus points for reaching the summit using an alternative cultivation path x 2 ]
[ The challenger is awarded with bonus points for scoring 7 digit points in his first attempt ]
When the notifications started piling up with phrases like "first ti in recorded history" and "alternative cultivation path," his grin widened.
It seed the lake had tested him harshly, but it had rewarded him in kind.
[ Requesting the challenger to hold the sect token and recite his na ]
Aksai already knew the drill. He took out the sect token from his storage and held onto it before speaking clearly, "Aksai Everwood."
The token glowed softly, and new ssages appeared in rapid succession.
[ Taking actual recorded ti and bonus points into consideration ]
[ The Top 100 Ranking List is being rearranged ]
[ Updated list as follows: ]
[ The Mortal Agony Lake: Top 100 Ranking List is being rearranged ]
The final notifications rolled in with a dramatic flair:
[ 1st Place - Aksai Everwood - Inner Court Disciple - 4th stage Foundation Building Realm - 1,189,654 Points ]
Aksai's eyes skimd the line below his, where another na appeared:
[ 2nd Place - Al Everwood - Core Disciple - 9th stage Nascent Soul Realm - 487,654 Points ]
"Al Everwood… this man again," Aksai muttered, tapping the edge of the glowing token with his thumb. The na buzzed in his mind like an itch he couldn't scratch.
He'd noticed it before on the 7th stage ranking list, but seeing it here in the 8th stage—with a gap this large—was jarring.
"Wait a minute," Aksai's brows drew together, connecting dots with rapid precision.
"Wait a minute. This man… Al Everwood… he was in 9th stage Nascent Soul Realm when he secured 2nd place in the 8th stage's test? He was only in the 8th stage when I saw his na in the 7th stage's ranking list.
Plus, despite increasing his cultivation base, I managed to beat him with even greater points than before? What is going on?
Does that field boss have anything to do with this difference? I guess… that field boss didn't show itself when the original disciples were trying to clear the test. Or rather, it didn't need to show itself because everyone who challenged the lake didn't have an easy ti."
Aksai recalled the chaotic rush of his final monts on the lake, the sudden ergence of the giant piranha that had lunged at him like a final, desperate defense.
"I really beat the field boss this ti. Was there a field boss in the 7th stage as well? Could I have perford better in my last test? Not that I would go back and check but…."
Aksai couldn't help but chuckle. If that were true, it ant the lake thought he was worth throwing its trump card at. And he had co out on top.
He shifted his focus back to Al's placent on the list. The man's record made more sense now: if he was powerful enough to secure first place on the 7th stage while at the 8th stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, it spoke volus about his prowess and potential.
The sect wouldn't take soone like Al lightly. Aksai could almost picture the elders whispering his na in etings, assigning high stakes missions, and preparing him for greater responsibilities within the sect.
"Everwood Al… he must've been a big deal," Aksai said to himself.
The set of spectral notifications shimred and changed once again while Aksai was busy sorting through his thoughts.
[ The challenger is allowed to choose four rewards for himself for: ]
1) Clearing the Mortal Agony Lake.
2) Clearing the Agony Lake in the shortest ti.
3) Achieving first rank in the Agony Lake Top 100 Ranking List.
4) Killing Queen Demon Teeth Spirit Fish.
Aksai's gaze drifted to the row of rewards below. This ti, there were more than nine gleaming options with detailed descriptions hovering beside them.
The familiar entries brought a smirk to his lips; he'd seen so of these before during the 7th stage's selection. But there were new ones too. As such, he particularly focused on newer entries.
[ 1) Heaven's Spirit Blood Elixir – A potent concoction known to enhance the SPirit cultivation speed of any Foundation Building Realm cultivator by tenfold for one month. It also has residual effects that lasts weeks beyond that. ]
[ 2) Mystic Lotus Essence – A rare treasure that can strengthen Spirit Veins and stabilize Spirit essence flow, perfect for cultivators seeking a breakthrough or deeper enhancent. ]
[3) Adamantine Scale Armor – A set of spiritual armor forged from rare materials, capable of deflecting attacks from even the early-stage Core Formation cultivators for a limited number of tis. Light as a feather, it offered unparalleled mobility without sacrificing defense. ]
[ 4) Stellar Fragnt Blade – A one-handed blade said to be infused with nature energy. It is known for its sharpness and ability to channel and enhance martial arts techniques. Ideal conductor for Qi energy. Ideal to be used by body cultivators, which is an alternative cultivation path. Offered to the challenger after taking his cultivation paths into account. ]
[ 5) Manual of the Azure Tempest Fist – An ancient scroll containing both Spirit and Qi techniques from a very famous sect elder of the sect, known for generating crushing force through air-based attacks. The sect elder's identity is not disclosed for security purposes. ]
[ 6) Divine Insight Pearl – A small, lustrous orb that boosts comprehension abilities, allowing the cultivator to grasp even the most complex techniques or laws within a short span. Ideal to be used by cultivators below late-stage Core Formation realm ]
[ 7) Phoenix Rebirth Feather – A mystical artifact capable of restoring a cultivator from near-death once, channeling imnse life force during critical monts. ]
[ 8) Storage Pouch of the Spirit Wilds – A storage artifact larger than the challenger's current storage ring, imbued with spirit-preserving properties. It can safely contain volatile substances and living specins. ]
[ 9) Crest of the Voidwalker – A unique badge that grants access to a secret area within the sect's territory, where one can train under simulations of battles fought by past masters. ]
Aksai's eyes sparkled as he read each entry, taking ntal notes.
The Heaven's Blood Elixir was the obvious choice if he wanted to accelerate his cultivation, but the Phoenix Rebirth Feather was almost invaluable for its life-saving potential. mories of near misses in previous stages and battles flickered through his mind, making the feather even more tempting.
"Hmmm, do I want the imdiate benefit of cultivation speed or the safety net?" he muttered. Aksai's gaze shifted to the Divine Insight Pearl.
Its potential for comprehension could be just what he needed to decode the more complex techniques in the sect's higher libraries, allowing him to pull ahead of even Nascent Soul stage cultivators in understanding. His Brain Bonsai Formation was effective but it obviously had a lot of limitations. With the pearl's effects, he could almost experience an enlightennt-like state every ti he cultivated.
He leaned back slightly, crossing his arms. "Hmmm. The Stellar Fragnt Blade would be a ga changer in direct combat. But then again, I'm already strong in hand-to-hand. Do I really need to diversify into weapons right now?"
Aksai felt the seconds ticking down, the pressure mounting. He forced himself to prioritize: utility, imdiate gains, and the future.
"Alright, let's start with what's essential," he said decisively, pointing at the rewards:
[ Selection made: 1) Phoenix Rebirth Feather ]
"Can't go wrong with a safety net," he said, a grin forming.
Next, his eyes settled on the Heaven's Blood Elixir.
[ Selection made: 2) Heaven's Blood Elixir ]
"The disadvantages of my mid-grade Spirit Root Aptitude can be ignored for a short period with these resources," he whispered. With two choices left, he wavered between enhancing his combat or strategic depth.
The Divine Insight Pearl glowed enticingly.
[ Selection made: 3) Divine Insight Pearl ]
"And for the final pick…" His gaze shifted to the Crest of the Voidwalker. It would give him the experience he craved beyond the constraints of the typical sect training halls.
[ Selection made: 4) Crest of the Voidwalker ]
There was a reason why Aksai didn't choose any options he had seen earlier in the 7th stage's potential rewards list.
He guessed that the 9th stage's potential reward list would possibly display all the available rewards. He could choose what was best for him at the very end.
Of course, he also knew that he needed to clear up the 9th stage and get into the ranking list first. But it didn't hurt to plan ahead.
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