The tunnel extended into narrow darkness, pitch black. The ceiling was high and scorched, dug by a much larger creature, and the thick walls surrounding him bore the scars of his fight with the Fire Tigress. Charred segments filled with the diamond patterns of a net were held firm by jagged and segmented rock— evidence of his impossible attack. Dark magma lay where segmented rock had once settled, and a few claw marks gouged deeply into the stone. The swordsman found it daunting, somewhat, to know that all that prevented a literal mountain of stone from crushing him was the structural integrity of the tunnel, though the absolute spatial awareness granted by his domain gave him much comfort. He walked through the tunnel, his mind still partly in the battle.

He glanced down at the messages that hovered in his peripheral vision. Their transparent borders responded to his subconscious, beginning to enter the corners of his vision as he walked through the cavern, stepping over rocks blackened by flame.

Alex swiped his hand, bringing the panels into clearer view.

[Rare materials have assimilated with your body]

[Nascent Body: 17 > 18%]

[You have defeated [Error - Non-System Entity detected - Quantifying…]

[Quantification Accepted.]

[You have defeated level 0̴̰͈͖̊͋0̴͎̟̣̈́̐0̵̠͉̥̔̊̈0̴̰͈͖̊͋0̴͎̟̣̈́̐ Fire Tiger - N̴͚̻͑͠ͅu̷̲͕̙̤a̶̡̝̝̦̹͓͌͛n̲l̶̡̫̬͕i̥é (Qi Gathering: Ninth stage) - (D) - Experience penalty due to level difference.]

[Experience Assimilated.]

[Qi: 63 > 598]

The leap made him pause. He’d pushed himself to his limit and beyond, and now he saw the experience as proof of how vast the gap had been. Five hundred thirty-five points were gained in a single fight. Typically, gains like this would take weeks, even months of steady training. He imagined the time saved. His mind calculated what this meant. Under normal circumstances, twenty-two days and seven hours of focused cultivation would be required to reach this amount. And given that within the sect it was impossible to cultivate nonstop for days on end, it was likely that it would have taken double or triple the time, or perhaps even more to achieve such quantities of Qi. The traditional approach would demand endless patience and routine, spending every waking moment between his responsibilities on nothing but cultivation.

But the battle had provided it instantly.

I would have had to defeat 2990 beasts at the first level of Qi gathering 299 second-level beasts to get the same amount, he realised. This growth, condensed and intense, shifted everything. Something that could only be achieved through encounters with the most powerful of beings and beasts.

But there’s limitations. Of course there are, he thought, looking at the numbers. He had read that spirit beasts of the first level required one or two years' worth of Qi to Tigress’s level, ninth-stage Qi Gathering, cultivated for decades. At least two, to reach that stage of power. The tigress, Nuānlié, must have held two decades of cultivation also.

Twenty years.

That would lead to a reservoir of at least 175,000 hours of Qi. And yet Alex had only gained just over 500. His system had allowed him only a fraction of her energy, and judging by the much lower gains from defeating lower cultivation spirit beasts at lower levels, the fraction of power he’d gain from weaker creatures was even less.

Barely a fragment. This limitation puzzled him. Why did his system cap the amount he could absorb from opponents? Why did the cap increase the higher the opponent's cultivation?

This new system incentivises hunting the strong, he realised with eyes widening in the darkness of the tunnel. The answer seemed clear—power this immense wasn’t easily claimed. He needed to hunt more creatures of her calibre, creatures that could force the system to release more of their energy, a way to reach deeper into his enemies’ reserves.

Kinda wish it would’ve absorbed more of her power, he found himself grumbling internally. Even ten years of Qi would’ve been welcomed, the equivalent of the effects of a sect's precious pills.

He shook his head. His reserves and the power he could bring to bear through techniques had just increased by roughly eight times. He was already defying the rules of cultivation. There was no way he could complain.

His eyes drifted, moving on to the next panel.

[Skill ‘Bloodforged’ has utilised soulbound weapon ‘Eclipse’ to ritualistically absorb a fragment of their essence (0.001%). A faint infinitesimal imprint of the prowess displayed by the defeated enemies during combat has been imprinted.]

Alex recalled feeling a rush of not bloodlust or rage, but control, mastery, and poise. It had flowed through him in a brief and fleeting wave. He’d felt it in his stance as he walked, a slight shift in balance, a steadiness he hadn’t had before, causing his movements to become slightly more measured and his steps to carry a firmness that applied something close to constant balance, or perhaps preparedness before it settled, fading into the background to operate on a subconscious level.

Bloodforged. The skill only worked for the duration of Eclipse’s summoning, but so long as the blade existed outside of his soul, the skill’s benefits were his to claim. It let the soulbound weapon absorb something beyond raw Qi— a trace of the Tigress herself, but not one without value. Her expertise, her poise, her mastery in combat—they lingered within him now, a part of him. Though faint, for a moment he had felt its impact.

It left him wondering what might be possible if the Bloodforged skill grew stronger. What if it could absorb more than mere fragments? What if the percentage it absorbed increased beyond 0.001%? How far could Bloodforged evolve? That question surfaced in his mind. Could he develop it to draw out even more of the spirit beasts’ essences, beyond mere fragments? He imagined what his path might look like if he could capture entire skill sets, entire levels of mastery. Each enemy would become a mentor of sorts, offering up their expertise to be moulded into his own. Each opponent would bring a new layer to his technique, a new set of instincts to master.

But would I even be me after all that? He wondered, imagining what it would be like to integrate with 30, or even 50% of another being. It doesn’t take just skills or reserves— it consumes and integrates a part of their being. How long would it take until his psyche became overshadowed by an amalgam of those he absorbed? Perhaps he would even become absorbed himself, a drop of water in a lake of psyches.

It would turn Eclipse into a cursed sword that possessed its owner with another being entirely when grasped.

And then what would stop him from never unsummoning the blade?

Alex shuddered at the thought. Suddenly he found himself grateful that the skill only absorbed the tiniest fraction. That way he would always be himself, just improved. I guess the skill’s not so bad as it is, no wonder its description didn't mention mastery, he concluded.

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[Skill ‘Absolution’ has utilised soulbound weapon ‘Eclipse’ to absorb unique and higher blood types: Spirit beast - “level 0̴̰͈͖̊͋0̴͎̟̣̈́̐0̵̠͉̥̔̊̈0̴̰͈͖̊͋0̴͎̟̣̈́̐ Fire Tiger - N̴͚̻͑͠ͅu̷̲͕̙̤a̶̡̝̝̦̹͓͌͛n̲l̶̡̫̬͕i̥é (Qi Gathering: Ninth stage) - (D)]

Strength +130, Endurance +70, intelligence+50, Wisdom +130, Dexterity +220]

He let out a low exhale, marvelling at the numbers displayed.

Wow. His steps slowed, shock at the stat growth from just a few seconds of blood absorption gripping him. Strength, endurance, wisdom—each increased. But dexterity stood out the most. Two hundred twenty points. From mere moments before her death.

That’s 33 levels worth of stats, he calculated with interest. If the gains from even a few litres were so drastic; how much more could I gain with gallons more?

“Or what if I’d taken it all?” He spoke the words to the empty cavern, the sound fading into the cracks between the stones.

Eclipse’s bipedal form could consume barrels more of her flesh and lifefluid. If he’d absorbed all of it, the entire corpse—the increase would be monumental.

The idea settled into something tangible. An objective. To seek spirit beasts of even higher cultivation levels, to claim their essence, to grow with each victory. He could feel the ambition take root, his path forming more clearly than ever before. Victory over Nuānlié had been a beginning, a glimpse of what he could become.

“Eclipse,” he muttered, glancing down at the weapon in his hand. It was a conduit, a link between him and his opponents, and a bridge that allowed him to draw power from them. The blade itself was changing, adapting with each life it absorbed. He wondered how much it could handle, how many essences it could contain, and if there were limits to how many powers it could wield without breaking.

Purposefully, he shifted his grip on Eclipse, and another thought bubbled up. There was a feeling, almost instinctual, that told him his weapon had more to give, secrets still hidden within its cold, gleaming metal. “Is there more?” he asked quietly, though he knew the answer wouldn’t come from words.

He felt the answer would come only through continued use, through pushing the limits of what Eclipse could do, and of what he could do.

[Phoenix leap - Mastery 72 > 100%]

[System Message: Skill Mastery Achieved!]

[E-Grade Skill: Phoenix Leap removed!]

[Assessing Skill Evolution…]

[Completed.]

[D-Grade Skill - Phoenix Cascade (Active) gained!]

[D-grade Skill 1: Phoenix Cascade (Active): Like a phoenix in perpetual motion, you cascade through the battlefield with unmatched speed and precision. By manipulating internal and external mana, generate multiple platforms simultaneously to propel yourself in any direction. Each platform Enables the user to perform a powerful leap, evading or engaging enemies with the agility of a Phoenix, easily overcoming obstacles. Rapidly shift between platforms to adjust course mid-leap, and maintain momentum or instantly redirect with quick, precise steps or fast bursting leaps. Platforms form and dissipate at will, allowing instant directional changes. Each platform holds a 1 second cool-down period. The number of generated platforms is dependent on factors that enhance the user's spatial awareness and bodily control, such as the dexterity or intelligence stat. Higher levels of mastery grant an increase in the number of generated platforms and the amount of acceleration each platform provides. At peak mastery, the user becomes able to perform complex ground and aerial manoeuvres while continuously adjusting direction on any surface until their mana is depleted, able to freely control the battlefield as a Phoenix would.

Current Leaping platforms: 50]

He finally discovered what happened when a skill reached 100% mastery. It evolved to open up endless possibilities. Astonishment crossed his face as he stared at the screen, voice low. “So, that’s what happens at full mastery,” he muttered. He wasn’t sure whether the evolution was fixed or dependent on him and how he used it. He wasn’t even sure if the increase in grade was guaranteed, as where some skills mentioned grade increase at higher mastery, others didn’t. Phoenix Leap’s original description had not mentioned such a possibility. His mind combed over the possibilities, how it could be deployed with the precision he required.

He allowed himself a moment, standing still, gaze fixed on the display.

Phoenix Cascade.

Even the name held weight, and he felt it resonate with a power he hadn’t fully grasped. He’d activated it once—instinctively, before the cooldown had snapped into place, letting him feel the transformation. The memory burned vividly in his mind, the cascade of motion fresh as though he were still in its thrall.

It had been nothing like Phoenix Leap. There was no need to ground himself, to search for solid footing with each movement. Instead, platforms had erupted at his command, each one aligning precisely as he’d shifted his weight, like pieces of a puzzle snapping into place around him. His body had responded to every thought, every desire to change direction, each platform emerging to catch his step just as he’d imagined it.

He’d felt… free.

It felt as if a door had been thrust open, one he hadn't known existed. Phoenix Leap had always been a straightforward skill—high jumps, powerful movement, but it was ultimately just a single limited burst. But now...now it was something else entirely.

An assault. A continuous, relentless movement. If Phoenix Leap had been a strike; Cascade was a storm.

He exhaled in excitement, and his fingers fidgeted with anticipation, but the cooldown kept him still. Two hours. Trying to test the skill with his mana dormant was futile, but his body itched with the anticipation to experience it again. Not to repeat what he’d done before—no, he could feel the difference even now, in the way his body seemed primed, attuned to the memory of that last leap before the cooldown. His movements during cascade’s use had been precise and mechanical, the platforms responding to not just his will, but his soul—each activation perfectly timed and aligned with the next.

Fifty platforms, but that was at 1 foot of my domain, wasn’t it? He thought as he paced the stony ground. There may be fewer platforms the further my domains expands. I’ll have to test it once the cooldown ends, he decided.

He glanced back at the system screen, rereading the details of the skill.

[…At peak mastery, the user becomes able to perform complex ground and aerial manoeuvres while continuously adjusting direction on any surface until their mana is depleted…]

“Until my mana is depleted…” he murmured, and a thrill ran down his spine. This skill would drain him, he realized. Not just in stamina but in every drop of mana he had. Phoenix Leap had used barely any mana, but this? Phoenix Cascade was an extensive drain.

I’ll have to increase my wisdom and intelligence to handle it, he concluded.

In the darkness of the tunnel, he met a dead end.

He held Eclipse tightly, the truth of the universe connecting with the blade as he allowed his mind to drift beyond reality to focus on his understanding of change and impermanence. He studied the rock in front of him, seeing it as nothing and everything, a formation created by time, constantly reshaped by the forces around it. He held that thought and swung his blade. He focused his intent and struck with his Dao’s enlightenment, watching as the weapon glided through all as if carving through soft tofu, widening his path forward. The rock parted under his blade, becoming something it had once been in some places while transforming into what it would be in others; nothing.

He stepped forward, the path deepening with each movement.

A soft and low thrum of pain in his skull brought a slight wince. It was the beginnings of a Dao-induced headache, something he hadn’t felt since his system had upgraded. If he continued, it would grow into something completely debilitating.

But it didn’t matter, because he sensed that he had finally reached the tunnel's end.

The final strike sent a spray of rock flying and clattering in all directions, dust particles glinting like scattered gems in the sudden burst of light. He blinked against the brightness streaming through the exit, eyes adjusting to the pale wash that spilled from the opening.

There, a figure stood. A familiar face, loose-limbed and casual, as if he'd simply strolled out of a sunlit meadow. It was a face Alex had expected to encounter again at some point along his journey through the test.

Jin.

Jin leaned back, head facing the sky and elbows jutting out as he laced his fingers behind his head. His grin was slanted wide beneath bright eyes that glinted with something unreadable as they stared up at the wall of debris that blocked the cavern and reached the sky. He took an easy step forward.

Alex’s feet shifted subconsciously as his eyes landed on his missing companion.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Alex took in Jin’s form. Unscathed. Relaxed. Without a speck of dust or blood on him after everything they’d been through.

“You actually made it,” Jin called, his voice slipping through the air like silk snagging on a branch as he approached. “What’d you use, that golden world treasure of yours?” His fingers returned to nestle behind his head, and a slow whistle cut through his lips as he approached. “Very impressive.”

Alex punched him with everything he had.