’Black Lotus Guild... As far as I know, they didn’t have this ability,’ Lyra thought to herself, her gaze fixed on the black flas spiraling around Max as they devoured the mana pool without restraint. Her eyes narrowed with a trace of curiosity and unease.
She had long suspected Max’s connection to the Black Lotus Guild from the Lower Domain. It wasn’t just a guess—it was sothing she had quietly confird through his aura, his fighting style, and above all, those distinctive black flas.
Only those with a certain bloodline, a trait passed down in secrecy from the ancient era from the Black Lotus Guild, possessed flas of that color. It was a mark, a signature of their legacy.
And in the Middle Domain, there were few who didn’t know the legend of the Black Lotus Guild—once a peerless force that had stood at the pinnacle of strength, rivaling even the strongest empires and palaces.
But that was a different ti. Centuries of decline had stripped the guild of its forr glory, and now they barely qualified to stand beside the seven overlord forces. Their current strength was a shadow of what it once was.
And yet, Max—this young man from the Lower Domain, bearing the black flas of the Black Lotus—he was sothing different. His techniques, his aura, even his presence, felt more dangerous than anyone she had ever t.
And now, watching him absorb the mana pool so effortlessly, using black flas that moved with a devouring hunger far beyond the Black Lotus Guild’s known abilities, Lyra couldn’t help but question everything she thought she knew. ’Has the Black Lotus Guild been hiding this ability the entire ti... or is Max sothing else entirely?’
Woosh!
Just then, a powerful surge of energy rippled from Max’s body, montarily distorting the air around him and catching Lyra’s attention once again. Her eyes widened slightly as she felt the abrupt rise in his strength. ’He already reached the 9th level of Expert Rank?’ she thought, stunned by the speed of his progression.
She had expected him to improve, but this was far beyond her imagination. The rate at which Max was devouring the mana from the pool was monstrous—unnatural even.
’I wonder... how many lotus petals he will bloom when he awakens his Divine Path Lotus for the first ti,’ she pondered, her heart filled with both curiosity and anticipation.
Just as the thought passed her mind, another wave of energy pulsed outward. Her breath hitched as Max’s strength surged once more—he had broken through to the 10th level of Expert Rank, the peak of his current realm.
Inside the pool, wrapped in the spiraling black flas, Max’s expression remained calm, but his heart brimd with satisfaction. ’Finally... I’ve reached the peak of Expert Rank,’ he thought silently, eyes still closed in deep focus.
Yet, he didn’t stop. He knew the breakthrough to the next major realm—the Master Rank—would demand a massive amount of energy. So, without the slightest hesitation, he let his black flas devour the mana with reckless abandon, drawing every last drop of essence from the glowing pool.
Hours slipped by like grains of sand. The world outside darkened as night cloaked the sky. The pool glowed dimr and dimr, its essence thinning under Max’s insatiable draw. Then suddenly—
Boom!
A thunderous explosion of energy erupted from the heart of the pool, shaking the entire cavern. The black flas burst outward and scattered like stars before fading into the darkness.
At the center of the broken pool, Max now stood tall, his aura completely transford. The once calm energy around him had grown deeper, more refined, more oppressive. He had stepped into a new realm.
Max had officially broken through.
He was now at the 1st level of Master Rank.
’I’m at least five tis stronger than when I was at the 8th level of Expert Rank,’ Max thought as he slowly clenched his fists, feeling the raw, unfiltered power flowing through his veins like molten fire. Every inch of his body pulsed with newfound strength—his bones denser, his muscles tighter, and his energy more refined.
He took a long, deep breath, and even that seed to shake the air subtly. If he were to face Noah now, Max was certain... certain that he wouldn’t even need to rely on the edge of invincibility from the Sky Shattering Invincible Sword Art.
Just the sheer power of his level 2 Concept of Severing Sword alone would be enough to slash Noah’s seven buddha palms into dust—instantly, decisively.
’Can I push to level 2?’ The thought flickered in his mind like a tempting spark. But as his gaze drifted around, reality settled in. The mana pool—once a glowing, serene source of incredible power—was now dry, cracked, and utterly ruined. His breakthrough to the Master Rank had consud it entirely. Not a trace of that brilliant blue mana remained.
A pang of regret tugged at his heart. That pool was a treasure, one that countless people would’ve fought over, one that could’ve elevated four or five other geniuses. And he had drained it alone.
But the regret didn’t linger long. He knew that the mana pool, even if left untouched, wouldn’t have lasted long. The density of mana had already begun to thin when he’d stepped into the final phase of his advancent. In the end, it was either use it all now or waste what remained. He had chosen the path forward. And with that, he didn’t look back.
"Huh? Where is your Divine Path Lotus?" Lyra’s voice echoed through the cave, filled with confusion and an underlying note of concern as she stepped closer, her eyes fixed on Max with a puzzled frown. The mont she spoke, the air in the cave seed to still, and even the remnants of mana lingering in the atmosphere quieted.
Max turned toward her, eyebrows furrowing slightly as he noticed the change in her expression—solemn, serious, and very unlike the calm confidence she usually carried. Her gaze was sharp and searching, like she was trying to solve a mystery that didn’t make sense.
Max tilted his head, unsure of what she ant. "What do you an by Divine Path Lotus?" He asked curiously.
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