Sam was met with a notification along with a tide of essence. It wasn’t enough for a level, a sad truth of life as an E Ranker. Eventually, his strategy of leveling on the essence of beings that should have been his superiors would fail, as the gulf necessary would be impossible to bridge. As a B Ranker, it would probably take the death of an A Ranker to gain multiple levels. That was a gap Sam wasn’t sure if he could ever cross, no matter how many titles and Daos he gained. If the gap between F and E Rank was an ocean, and D and C Rank an entire solar system, then the difference between a peak Ascendent and a Divine Tier cultivator would be as wide as the void between universes.
You have completed the Jaded Jungles: Layer 8! (Challenge Mode)
You have upgraded a title!
Twenty-Seventh Floor Obliterator: Ancient-> Twenty-Eighth Floor Obliterator: Ancient
Not content to breeze through the paltry difficulty of the base Tower of Transcendence, you have proven that you are capable of greater things. In defeating the tenth floor of Challenge Mode, you have overcome a hurdle that few could at your level. In defeating the twentieth floor, you have further proven your might.
Bonuses: +56% to all stats
Then came the instructions for the next level of the Tower.
You have entered Floor 9 of the Jade Jungles(Challenge Mode)
Your exploits have freed Vallenar from a significant portion of its invaders, but you have begun to draw the eyes of the Voidrot itself. Beware, for its champion approaches. In the meanwhile, prove yourself beyond a shadow of a doubt by driving the Voidrot back to its key point of entry on Vallenar: The Astral Pit.
Completion: 0/1
Rewards: Title Upgrade
Before he gave any serious thought to his next objective, he checked his stats.
Sam Atlas
Human: E Rank
Enlightened Tier
E Rank
Class: Lesser Dao Paragon
Level 157
(321 stat points unspent)
Strength
2950
2.25x
Constitution
2546
2.20x
Resilience
2544
2.20x
Dexterity
2485
2.25x
Intelligence
2633
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
2.20x
Wisdom
2705
2.20x
* Health 57288/57288
* Mana 59243/59243
* Stamina 66380/66380
* Karma: 54
* Road to Zenith
Stage 2
* Dao
Dao Echo of Inspiration
Dao Seed of the Avenger(Second Step)
* Skills
1x Rare, 2x Epic, 5x Legendary, 6x Mythical, 2x Ancient, 1x Primal, 1x Unique
* Titles
1x Legendary, 3x Mythical, 3x Ancient, 1x Transcendent
* Temporary Titles
1x Epic, 1x Legendary, 1x Mythical
* Dao Heritage
Dao Incarnation of Existence(Second Step)
* Party
None
* Skill Branches
* Lightning Neurons (Level 2)
Iron Body(Level 2)
Iron Bones (Level 2)
Muscle Density Enhancement(Level 1)
Basic Weapon Knowledge: Blunt(Level 1)
Dao Resonance(Level 1)
Karmic Cycle(Level 1)
Lucky(Level 1)
Increased Blood Flow (Level 1)
* Weapon Style
Flowing Water Style
* Weapon Mastery: Brotherhood Stage 6
* Elemental Affinities
Earth: 15% Mastery
* Elemental Boons
Elemental Infusion: Stoneskin
* Quests
The Sacred Bond: Impossible
Engines of the End Times: S
* Professions
Smith: Apprentice Stage 9
Dao Smith: Apprentice Stage 9
There was little to do but bask in their glory for a few moments. He had no need to allocate any of his free points yet. They would be coming in handy later in the Tower, but even with the special challenge the System had created for him and the Overlord, he was hardly in any danger. Perhaps the Voidrot Champion the System had mentioned would be more of a struggle, but this was only the third floor.
A few hours later, Sam stood in the middle of the training hall of the Locus Tree, explaining his latest quest to his allies. “According to my quest, there’s something coming, more dangerous than any of the Voidrot Guardians. Something that was referred to as the Voidrot’s champion.”
“That is concerning,” Bronvar replied, a grimace stealing across his bark-covered face. “We’ve only ever seen the Guardians before. While the Voidrot itself is far more powerful than any of us can hope to defeat, it is unable to concentrate much of that power down to a planetary level.”
“I certainly hope not,” Sam said, shuddering slightly. “If that happened, I would have to accept that the System wants to kill me.”
“The World Tree is wise,” one of the Guardians, whose name, Sam had recently learned, was Makaria. She was the one who had made the rather pointed comments about her interest in Sam earlier. “If it wants to kill you, it would hardly go in such a roundabout manner. More importantly, you are far too talented. Why would it waste someone like you?”
“I guess so,” Sam answered. “If all goes well, I will be leaving soon, with more challenges to come. I want to make sure Vallenar is safe before then.”
Bronvar smiled. “You show uncharacteristic compassion for an Outsider. In the records, your kind only did the bare minimum to complete their quests. Most saw us as side characters as best, or as constructs of the World Tree at worst. Some of them even tried to kill us for essence.”
“Bastards,” Sam spat, shaking his head. “I wish I could say that cultivators were unilaterally honest, but the truth is the exact opposite. Few are the E Rankers that can resist the siren call of easy power.”
“Well put,” another one of the Guardians declared, reminding Sam of the ever encroaching effects of his increased Intelligence. Such a sentence would never have left the mouth of the depressed employee at Ron’s Diner that he had once been. Now he talked like the cultivator that he was.