Silence! On the sides, from the beginning of the fight to the end, none spoke. Their eyes were focused, their minds concentrated, each one putting themselves in Scarlet’s or Dante’s situation. Only Arslan and Damon had a different thought in their minds: how to fight them at the same time!
As the fog made its appearance, all of them squinted, analyzing and creating a way to deal with it. Although Kante and Lyra saw this for the first time, they still had the must-have skills to analyze anything they saw. The Empire wouldn’t leave those who put their lives for its betterment to shame!
From the age of ten, they would join Luvi Academy, learning from the most basic subjects to the most advanced by the age of twenty. Some disciples of the sect would descend from the Taurus Mountains, leaving their wisdom. Old monsters, even the likes of previous Emperors, would give ten hours of lessons each year. Some researchers who went to the starry sky to research more would come back, teaching and leaving their wisdom in the care of the students. After all, their Dao teaching has certain effects on those who want to reach the 8th stage of the Mortal Realm.
Within this room, there wasn’t a person who had not been taught by the Luvi Academy! Even their Emperor!
Each member would leave their battles until twenty would be seen by the new generation. They wouldn’t fear that they would know their trump cards, because one, they had never used their iconic and last resort moves, and two, they always made progress!
When they turned twenty, there hadn’t been any cases of students not reaching the 8th stage of the Mortal Realm, Cosmic Resonance! As the name suggests, anything in the universe could be started to be sensed, resonated, and borrowed to be used! Even someone as abnormal as Arslan, with an unknown Bloodline, Innate Talent, and Mutated Existence would have the benefit of using necessary treasures to guide them to reach it!
After they graduated, they would have the entire knowledge of the Empire open to them. After they reached the peak, they would have the choice to enter the Cosmic Alliance, entering the big leagues where Demigods ruled!
Kante and Lyra saw this similar duel happening thanks to it! However, it was clear that they had improved a lot, even though the room made them reduce their power output.
By the end of the duel, the two looked into each other’s eyes with a look before having an uncertain look.
Angel nodded his head approvingly, as if Scarlet had won. Chris recoiled at the useless bloodshed. He thought they had forgotten that this was training and not a death match. It should have been a chill and very safe training session. He looked everyone in the eyes to see who would be his opponent until he saw the cold gleam Angel gave him.
He regretted what he had done before, even if it was little.
Damon and Arslan relaxed after they concluded it wouldn’t be too difficult to win.
“Angel, I’m guessing you want to do a friendly duel with Chris?” Arslan asked, even before Angel could open his mouth.
“If my Emperor commends it, who am I to deny?” Angel said, as if this was an order.
As for those on the stage, Scarlet released her Will, sending and pulling the blood that was leaking from the arm that had been severed. With a control so otherworldly, blood started to dance and coil, creating tendrils that entered the shoulder of Dante. Within a few seconds, the arm had been reattached, however Dante was not happy. Scarlet was even more so.
With a harrumph, Scarlet moved towards the group, nodding towards Arslan. She looked at Angel and told him with her eyes to go all out. Dante started following her from a few steps back, just to be safe. However, seeing Scarlet from behind like that made him create plans to be forgiven.
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Angel moved through the rows until he took a bow, specially created for this room. With how rooms have lesser energy levels, creating arrows with his energy would not be wise. Thankfully, the bow could create arrows.
However, Chris didn’t follow. With a vivid imagination, he started thinking seriously about how to avoid getting hurt. He decided to go all out. He connected to the origin of his Mind Energy at the center of his head and pushed a strand to his heart, connecting with a pair of gloves that started coming into existence from non-existence with each second, and the Will in his Mind Energy started pulling them towards his hands.
In the Mortal Realm's 1st stage, known as the Foundation of Life, cultivators' Existence develop to maturity during their childhood. After that, they acquire their Innate Talents, which every being has inherited since their Primogenitor was created from Chaos, gaining an Eternal blessing to their lineage. The 1st stage is a given as long as a being is not artificially created. However, to reach the 3rd stage, Mental Ascendence, it requires hard work and knowledge. Most focus on cultivation, gaining knowledge to fill their brains with the necessary supplement to birth a spark, right in the middle of their brain. Some even research and test their Innate Talent, analyzing it to the point they can directly birth a Mind Spark, generating Mind Energy.
However, Mind Energy cannot leave the body at this moment. It helps the cultivator have methods they can use innately. To break through to the 3rd realm, Unity of Mind and Flesh, they need to progress and then Unite their Mind and Existential Energy, something every being has the moment they take shape. That is what matures in their childhood. Existential Energy, however, is not separable or moldable. It’s the cumulative force that a being has, whether from blood, cultivation, or inheritance. It determines the existence of a being.
In the 4th stage, a cultivator focuses purely on their physique development, thus named the Essence of Vitality. Vitality is not some energy or force, but a way to determine how a being is physically developed. It’s an aspect of their Existence.
At the 5th stage, they finally reach Mental Fortitude, which allows them the ability to expose their Mind Energy to the outside world without fear of being influenced. At that moment, Telekinesis and similar abilities would be as easy as a blink, and their will becomes a weapon.
From then on, a cultivator can start creating their Life Treasures, basking their Mind Energy in the materials, changing their existence to that of theirs. It would only be a matter of time to have the necessary ritual to embed them into their Existence.
Made from a sleek, dark material that seems to shimmer with a faint, iridescent glow, the gloves are soft to the touch yet incredibly durable, offering a comfortable fit that allows for maximum dexterity and freedom of movement. Adorned with intricate, glowing runes that run along the back of the hand and up the length of the forearm, the gloves pulse softly with a protective aura, hinting at their magical nature.
Chris looked at the bow in Dante’s hand and decided to be more careful, so he activated his Life Treasure’s Armor Growth ability, using more energy as the gloves began covering his whole body.
The armor is sleek and form-fitting, resembling a second skin rather than traditional plate or chainmail. It retains the same dark, iridescent material as the gloves, with the glowing runes now covering the entire surface. The runes shift and change in response to the wearer's movements, creating a mesmerizing display of magical energy.
His most treasured possession in this world, what keeps him safe, is named Guardian’s Embrace. Chris can argue that its embrace is even better than a woman’s, unless that woman is strong enough to protect him.
Not content with merely covering his body, he poured more energy into the gloves, causing them to envelop his head. He then approached the armor rack and added a few more pieces, stacking them. With a few nods, he barely felt safe. Just as he was about to move toward the middle, he sensed a shine coming from Angel’s place. Dread overfilled him, and he looked to see him leaving the training bow and getting the big guns.
With an unwilling look, Chris gave Angel’s Life Treasure a glance, named Sightseeker.
Sightseeker is an ethereal bow crafted from ancient, enchanted wood sourced from the heart of a mystical forest. Its limbs are adorned with intricate, glowing runes that pulse softly with magical energy. The grip is wrapped in supple leather, offering a comfortable and firm hold.
Chris heard that Scarlet came upon the materials in a mystic forest that the forefathers of the Empire left untouched for future generations. Only someone like her would dare to enter. It’s also mentioned that her Life Treasure’s materials were also discovered there.
Their Life Treasures, created solely by them at the age of twenty with all their wealth, are out! Sightseeker can put a hole in an Immortal and make them shed tears just to heal those wounds due to the cost! Guardian’s Embrace can make a mortal sleep without worry, even when Immortals are nearby!