Ethan accelerated through the winding, fog-laden paths of the Crag of Wolves like a silent gale. Squad after squad of core-region elites fell before his iron fists, their refined techniques shattering like glass against his brutal, overwhelming power. He systematically harvested exactly one token from every distinct faction he encountered, ticulously building a multicolored mosaic of talismans in his storage pouch.
Eventually, he slamd a heavy palm into the chest of a young master from a high-ranking clan, sending the boy tumbling into the dirt. As Ethan reached down to claim his prize, he paused.
The multicolored talismans inside his pouch suddenly vibrated in perfect unison, emitting a faint, warning hum. Ethan’s sharp instincts imdiately decoded the sensation: he had reached the absolute maximum capacity for unique groups. Every single known faction present in the examination was now accounted for in his collection. If he forced another talisman into his possession, the delicate balance would break, and the array’s crushing spiritual gravity would instantly slam down onto his shoulders.
"I have picked this board entirely clean," said Ethan. Let out a low, satisfied chuckle, he withdrew his hand from the trembling noble’s belt and stepped back. "Your garbage tokens are useless to now. Consider yourselves lucky."
Without wasting another breath on the crippled squad, Ethan turned and blurred toward the end of the valley. Because he no longer needed to stop and hunt, his speed reached a terrifying peak, his dark robes cutting through the dense white mist like a phantom blade.
When Ethan finally crossed the threshold of the valley’s exit and stepped onto the grand obsidian plaza of the inner gate, he found a significant crowd already waiting for him.
The absolute top-tier heirs of the highest core families—those who had entered with the absolute bare minimum of talismans and sprinted straight for the finish line without a single distraction—were standing in organized ranks, their expensive silk robes pristine and entirely untouched by blood.
They turned their heads as Ethan walked out of the fog, but to the surprise of the few commoners present, none of the top nobles looked shocked by his arrival.
"Look who finally decided to show up," said a leading young master from a premier house, a cold, arrogant smirk playing on his lips as he crossed his arms. "The great frontier monster took his sweet ti getting through a simple walk in the woods."
"He probably thought he was a genius for exploiting the weight loophole," said another noble mistress, laughing softly behind her silk sleeve. "He didn’t realize that while he was busy playing king of the hill with the mid-tier trash, we simply walked right past the entire trial."
Because they were thoroughly aware of the hidden paraters of the exam, the elite vanguard had confidently expected to beat Ethan to the finish line. In their eyes, Ethan’s delayed arrival wasn’t a sign of dominance; it was proof that his lack of insider information had forced him to waste precious ti and energy fighting his way through, entirely unaware that the true prize of the selection required them to conserve every ounce of their strength for the final stage.
Ethan simply stood at the edge of the ourtyard, his hands resting casually at his sides as he listened to their haughty jeers. He let out a deep, dangerous laugh that echoed ominously against the massive stone gates of the inner pavilion, his piercing athyst eyes scanning their smug faces with the raw, predatory amusent of a hunter looking at a pen full of fat, oblivious livestock.
They waited in the grand courtyard for another half an hour as the remaining participants slowly trickled out of the fog-covered valley. The contrast was stark—while the elite vanguard stood in immaculate, spotless robes, the commoners who finally crawled across the finish line were heavily battered, their clothes torn to shreds and soaked in dark, dried blood from their brutal encounters with the shadow wolves.
Once the countdown officially hit zero, the massive iron-reinforced gates behind them ground shut with a deafening thud.
The high platform shivered as the primary examiners materialized from the inner sanctuary, led by the stern, imposing figure of the Chief Instructor. His sharp eyes scanned the heavily depleted ranks of the surviving applicants.
"Congratulations to all of you who managed to survive the Crag of Wolves," said the Chief Instructor. His deep voice carried a powerful resonance that easily cut through the murmurs of the crowd. "By standing in this courtyard, you have officially earned the right to face the third and final round of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion selection."
"However, things will be handled a bit differently today," said the Chief Instructor, a cold, unreadable smirk breaking across his weathered face. "Unlike in previous years, the selection order for the final trial will not be determined by who crossed the finish line first."
"Instead, your priority rank will be strictly dictated by the total diversity and quantity of the unique talisman groups you currently hold in your possession," said the Chief Instructor.
The mont the announcent echoed across the stone courtyard, the faces of the top noble heirs instantly turned a horrific shade of ash. Their arrogant smirks shattered into absolute panic.
"What?! That’s impossible—" said a young master from a premier clan, his voice cracking as he instinctively stepped forward to violently protest the sudden, catastrophic change in the rules.
But before the words could fully leave his throat, his teammate forcefully grabbed his shoulder and slamd a hand over his mouth, pinning him back into the ranks. Every single noble in the courtyard suddenly rembered the grueso image of the youth who had been effortlessly decapitated out of nowhere just an hour prior. The terrifying, lingering scent of that swift execution still hung heavily in their minds.
Though their blood boiled with raw indignation and fury at having their insider secrets completely flipped against them, not a single soul dared to utter a single word of complaint. They stood in absolute, suffocating silence, their eyes wide with dread as Ethan casually stepped forward to the front of the line, his pouch vibrating with the highest diverse tally in the entire arena.
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From this mont forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.
Note: These are only the ranks ntioned so far to avoid spoilers.
Body Refinent Realm
Skin Refinent / Bone Refinent / Organ Refinent
Spiritual Gathering Realm
Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation
Spiritual Core Realm
Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core)
Spiritual Soul Realm
Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion
Golden Core Realm
Pri Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction
Spiritual Sea Realm
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
Dao Manifestation Realm
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
Spiritual Transcendence
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
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