After my breakthrough to Body Tempering - 6th Layer, I headed toward the center of the Secret Realm. That's where the strong ones would gather—and where the most Orb Fragments would be.
The spiritual pressure thickened with every step.
Soon, the sound of clashing blades echoed through the mist.
I leapt into a tree and crouched on a branch. Below, two cultivators clashed fiercely—both at the Core Formation - 2nd Layer. Sparks flew as their swords collided, their techniques graceful yet lethal.
The battle was fierce… but brief.
One cultivator managed to land a critical blow, impaling the other through the chest. The defeated man collapsed, blood soaking into the earth.
The victor panted heavily, blood dripping from a wound on his side.
I dropped down from the tree silently and stepped into view.
"Hello, brother," I said, voice calm. "Give me your Orb Fragments, and I'll let you live."
The man turned, surprised. His eyes narrowed. "Oh? You'll let me live? And what if I say… no?"
I smiled, drawing my sword. "Then you'll have to fight."
He took a stance. "Fine then. Let's fight."
But before we clashed, I saw him pull a pill from his pouch. With my Senior Alchemist knowledge, I instantly recognized it—a temporary Spiritual Surge Pill. It would boost his cultivation… but came with a harsh backlash after a short time.
I stepped back, narrowing my eyes.
His energy surged—he shot up two entire levels, now at Core Formation - 4th Layer.
Our blades met in a storm of energy. I struck with calculated precision, but he deflected every blow and returned with ruthless counters.
One of his slashes caught my shoulder—blood sprayed, and pain burned through me.
But I endured.
I needed time—just until the pill's backlash hit.
His power swelled further. Every strike shook the earth beneath us. But I gritted my teeth and launched myself backward.
Now.
I channeled energy into my palm and shouted:
"Earth Seal – Five Hand Palm!"
The air trembled.
From the skies, five massive glowing palms descended, one after the other.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each palm crashed into him with thunderous force, pulverizing the earth and smashing through his spiritual defenses. On the fifth strike, his body crumpled, broken beyond repair.
Only his space ring and scattered Orb Fragments remained.
Ding
You killed Core Formation - 4th Layer Cultivator – XP Gained: 3200
Ding
Current XP: 9157
I collected the spoils:
[Orb Fragments +89]
---
Only six hours remained in the competition.
I moved quickly, hunting for more cultivators.
That's when I spotted a man lying on a stone, arms crossed behind his head, wearing a silver mask. He looked like he was... sleeping?
I approached cautiously.
"Hey, brother," I said. "Why are you sleeping out here?"
He cracked open one eye and replied lazily, "Ah, it's boring running around for those damn fragments."
I raised an eyebrow. "Then how do you plan to reach the top three?"
He stretched, then sat up. "Simple. I wait. When people find me… I kill them and take their orbs."
I chuckled and sat beside him. "So I found you. That means… we fight?"
He stood up and cracked his neck. "Yeah, guess so."
I scanned him with my senses—Core Formation - 6th Layer.
He unsheathed two blades.
"Dual swords?" I muttered.
He smirked. "Yup."
"Tch. This is gonna be a pain…"
We clashed.
His strength was overwhelming. Each strike of his dual swords forced me back, my arms trembling under the pressure.
"You're strong," I admitted, panting.
But I wasn't done yet.
"System," I muttered. "Activate Sealing Orb."
Ding
Sealing Orb Activated.
Opponent's cultivation temporarily reduced to match Host's level.
Uses remaining: 4
Suddenly, his spiritual pressure plummeted.
He staggered. "What? My cultivation… dropped? Body Tempering - 6th Layer?!"
I grinned and raised my sword. "Let's see how well you fight… on even ground."