54: Chapter 54 Amazing Rewards

The moment the sixty-first light gate lit up, Zhang Wen looked at the halo that was even more dazzling than the previous sixty, a bitter smile playing on his lips.

"The Peak of the Microscopic Realm was already pushed to the limit, and now the Penetration Realm?" He shook his numbed wrist; he didn't need to think much to know that entering would mean being instantly defeated.

With his mind made up, Zhang Wen no longer hesitated. He tapped his finger in the void, and the rune for forfeiting the challenge lit up. Almost simultaneously, an emotionless, ancient voice echoed from deep within the Hundred Refinements Pagoda, vibrating through every inch of space like a tolling bell: "Trial ended, calculating rewards."

"Trialist: Zhang Wen. Identity: Freshman. Current Cultivation: Forming Realm Peak."

"Levels Cleared: 60."

"Comprehensive Performance Rating—SSS Grade."

When those last three words fell, the entire floor seemed to tremble. Zhang Wen's pupils constricted slightly; he didn't know what this rating meant.

"Reward: 60 levels of stacked cultivation, to be distributed immediately."

Before the voice finished, a cluster of golden light patterns exploded beneath Zhang Wen's feet. Countless streaks of golden light, as dense as physical matter, surged up from the soles of his feet like molten lava pouring into his limbs and bones. His cultivation, which was already at the tipping point of the Forming Realm Peak, was instantly shaken by this power. His Meridians felt as if they were about to burst, and his bones emitted fine "creaking" sounds.

"Not good!" Zhang Wen's heart tightened. Almost instinctively, he performed a hand seal, and the Mind-Cultivation Technique of the Myriad Force Thunder Guidance began to operate at high speed in his Sea of Consciousness.

Spiritual power galloped along specific routes, like ten thousand horses being reined in, forcefully bringing that violent golden energy onto the right track.

The vortex in his Dantian spun frantically. Under the wash of golden light, his originally turbid spiritual power became increasingly condensed, even faintly showing thunder patterns.

"Boom—"

As a muffled explosion erupted within his body, Zhang Wen felt as if the top of his head had been lifted off, and a sense of coolness shot straight into the clouds.

The invisible barrier of the Forming Realm Peak shattered like thin ice. The torrent of spiritual power surged through, washing out deeper channels in his Meridians.

He subconsciously opened his eyes, and a flash of Lightning Radiance flickered in his gaze. His vision, which had been blurred from exhaustion, became incredibly clear, allowing him to see even the minute runes engraved on the distant light gate.

The golden pillar of light at his feet slowly receded. As the last wisp of golden light merged into his palm, Zhang Wen clearly perceived that the spiritual power in his body had settled into a brand-new form—rounded and condensed, carrying a majestic sense of power as it circulated. This was exactly the characteristic of the Subtle Realm.

He tried clenching his fist. The wind from his fingers brought a slight whistling sound as it cut through the air, at least thirty percent sharper than before.

"The cultivation of 60 stacked levels... actually allowed me to break through directly to the Subtle Realm?" Zhang Wen muttered to himself. His fingers brushed over the faint blue Meridians surfacing on his wrist due to the surge in spiritual power. A hint of lingering fear flashed in his eyes, followed by an irrepressible excitement.

If he hadn't promptly circulated the Myriad Force Thunder Guidance to steady his mind, that wave of power impact just now would likely have left him with shattered Meridians.

"Reward: SSS-grade spear technique—Myriad Thunders Coiling Dragon Break!" The mechanical voice of the Hundred Refinements Pagoda continued to echo.

"Reward: One Thunder Pattern Amulet, capable of withstanding a full-strength strike from the Domain Realm!"

"Reward: One thunder beast bone ring—"

"[Bloodline Resonance]: Greatly increases the speed of Thunder Element Cultivation Techniques;"

"[Pain Conversion]: Converts the swelling pain in the Meridians during cultivation into numbness, reducing the risk of Qi Deviation;"

"[Concealment]: Lightning Radiance is normally restrained, but during battle, electric arcs can burst forth around the fingers;"

"[Additional]: Ten cubic meters of storage space."

"Detected that the trialist has broken the Freshman record since the construction of the Hundred Refinements Pagoda; triggering an extra reward."

Zhang Wen's heart stirred. He was already quite satisfied with his current gains and hadn't expected there to be more.

"Extra Reward: The trialist may enter the Hundred Refinements Pool to Cultivate!"

"The trialist can choose the timing to enter the pool—enter immediately, or save it for later use?" The voice of the Hundred Refinements Pagoda vibrated.

Zhang Wen's fingertips stroked the hot thunder beast bone ring. "Next time. I need to properly organize these rewards."

Before the voice finished, a world-spinning sense of dizziness suddenly seized him.

When he opened his eyes again, twilight had already washed over the tip of the Hundred Refinements Pagoda, and the sunset was dyeing the clouds into molten gold.

"Is it evening? Perfect, I should quickly use the taiyi soul nurturing dew that Master gave me."

Faint, imperceptible electric arcs appeared at Zhang Wen's toes. His figure pulled out an afterimage in the twilight, and in an instant, he rushed into the detached villa.

He leaped onto the rooftop terrace in a few steps. The evening breeze blew in, carrying the scent of plants. The taiyi soul nurturing dew in the Glazed Cup in his hand shimmered with a moonlight-like glow.

Zhang Wen's knuckles tightened slightly on the Glazed Cup. When the taiyi soul nurturing dew entered his throat, it felt like swallowing a mouthful of crushed moonlight.

While the crisp scent of herbs and wood was still swirling on the tip of his tongue, a warm current of air had already surged down his throat toward the top of his head, like a jade spoon carrying a thin layer of frost gently scraping across his parched Sea of Consciousness.

Just as he was about to concentrate and feel it, that airflow suddenly exploded. It wasn't a violent impact, but rather transformed into ten thousand silver stars, drilling deep into his Divine Soul's pathways.

The originally gray barriers at the edge of the Sea of Consciousness took on a jade-like luster when illuminated by the silver stars. The heavy mist lurking in the corners melted away like morning dew under a warm sun.

The thunder beast bone ring suddenly grew slightly hot. The phantom of the thunder beast on the ring's surface let out a low roar, but instead of releasing electric arcs, a layer of pale blue halo enveloped the Sea of Consciousness.

The stinging pain that should have appeared with the surge in Soul Power now turned into a numbness like being soaked in warm water. Even the fragmented stray thoughts in his mind became as clear as if they had been filtered through a fine sieve.

With his eyes closed, Zhang Wen could clearly "see" the Soul core suspended in the center of the Sea of Consciousness.

The Soul core, which used to be as dim as a dusty pearl, was now being spun by the silver stars. Its surface cracks healed at a visible speed, and the Soul light it emitted grew three times stronger, illuminating the entire Sea of Consciousness as bright as day.

The sound of the evening breeze passing over the terrace, the shouting from the distant streets, and even the vibration of insects' wings in the grass fell clearly into his Divine Soul's perception, several times sharper than usual.

Zhang Wen let out a long breath, his thumb stroking the patterns on the thunder beast bone ring.

A faint warmth still remained on the ring's surface. If that swelling pain, which felt like it would tear his Divine Soul apart, hadn't been converted into a numbing sensation by the bone ring, he would likely be rolling on the terrace by now.

He slowly stood up straight, the evening breeze lifting the hem of his robes. The spiritual power in his body was still at the steady Early Stage of the Subtle Realm, but his Sea of Consciousness felt as if it had been washed by a clear spring—it carried the crispness of jade striking jade when used, and his perception could easily touch the trajectory of a flying insect's wings a hundred meters away.

This Soul Power had already reached the threshold of the Peak of the Microscopic Realm, even showing signs of surging toward the Penetration Realm.

In an eighteen-year-old body, such Soul Power was contained.

Zhang Wen watched the last ray of sunset sink into the distant mountains, and a low laugh escaped his throat, carrying a bit of self-mockery and a bit of bewilderment.

The chirping of insects around him gradually rose, making this whisper seem exceptionally light: "Could this be... the taste of a Genius?"

The voice fell into the wind, which didn't even bother to give an echo.

(My symptoms are as follows: no appetite, unable to sleep... please follow me to save my life! My clothes are getting looser, but I have no regrets; I am worn out for her sake!)