Dual Cultivator with a cultivation system Chapter 602: Ch-602: A Quest
Previously on Dual Cultivator with a cultivation system...
As his feet landed on the thirty-fifth step, a palpable increase in pressure made him knit his brows. This time, the sensation was akin to countless diamonds attempting to shatter concrete, a stark contrast to the sharp metallic needles he'd felt before.
The elder, who had briefly departed and now reappeared, gazed at Wang Ming with astonishment. 'He had already surpassed the significant threshold at the thirtieth step. I ought to intervene and halt his ascent.'
Just as he moved to take action, a directive echoed in his mind, causing him to freeze mid-motion. 'Cease your interference. I wish to ascertain the absolute limits of my personal disciple.'
'Personal disciple?' the elder exclaimed internally, his body stiffening as he turned to Tian Chenyu, disbelief etched on his face. The notion that the Sect Leader would personally take a disciple was astounding. News of this would undoubtedly ignite intense envy among the other disciples, potentially fueling hatred towards Tian Chenyu, particularly from those who had previously failed to earn the Sect Master's favor.
There had been numerous occasions where exceptionally talented individuals, even prominent Eternals journeying the path of the sword, had sought his tutelage, only to be invariably rejected. The elder couldn't help but ponder what qualities Tian Chenyu possessed that compelled the Sect Master to accept him as a personal disciple.
*Gulp.*
A sudden thought struck him, prompting an involuntary swallow. 'Could it be that he has also imparted the soul cultivation technique to him?'
He was acutely aware of the immense value placed upon the soul cultivation technique, a treasure so rare it could ignite wars between nations governed by Eternals.
Meanwhile, Du Hai calmly savored his spiritual tea, observing Tian Chenyu's progress up the stairs via a crystalline orb. This orb possessed the remarkable ability to display images from any location within the sect's domain. Had he lacked impeccable moral character, he might have emulated certain elder figures who clung to power for decades, using such artifacts to illicitly spy on the female disciples' bathing areas.
'Not bad,' Du Hai commented, a flicker of satisfaction crossing his features at Tian Chenyu's current performance. Then, his eyes sharpened as the scene within the orb shifted.
'Damn it, this is Sword Aura!' Tian Chenyu gritted out, the relentless pressure and assaults intensifying by a factor of a hundred.
Without hesitation, he summoned his sword spirit.
*Roar!*
A colossal phantom of a golden dragon materialized behind him, lunging towards Wang Ming. It enveloped Tian Chenyu entirely, shrouding him in a shimmering, ethereal layer of golden light.
The assembled onlookers watching from the sidelines gasped in unison as the resplendent dragon phantom manifested.
'Heavens above, what in the world was that?'
'That was a sword phantom! As expected of an Eternal and a Core Disciple. But to manifest as a dragon… I've never encountered such a phantom before.'
'Blast it all, my own sword phantom resembles nothing more than a common cat, appearing utterly insignificant. The moment that dragon appeared, mine was practically quaking in fear.'
'Brother, you should consider yourself fortunate to possess a sword phantom at all. I have toiled for decades without even a glimpse of mine. I truly wonder if I shall ever awaken one in my lifetime.'
The majority of the crowd, lacking profound knowledge, had either awakened feeble sword phantoms or none at all. They regarded Tian Chenyu with unbridled envy, having never witnessed or heard of a phantom of such magnificence in their lives.
Only a select few individuals recognized the draconic apparition, their pupils constricting to mere pinpricks. Among those who identified it was the elder.
'Great heavens, could this be the fabled Dragon Phantom? Little wonder the Sect Master chose him as his personal disciple,' the elder muttered under his breath, his gaze fixed on Tian Chenyu ascending the stairs.
Concurrently, certain elders who remained oblivious to Tian Chenyu's selection by Du Hai were already formulating plans to recruit him, aiming to secure him as their own personal disciple. The immense prestige they stood to gain from cultivating such a prodigy would be unparalleled.
The fifty-fifth step.
The sixty-seventh step.
Tian Chenyu continued his ascent with an almost nonchalant grace, as if clad in an impenetrable suit of diamond armor, the onslaughts striking him with negligible effect. However, this effortless progression ceased abruptly upon reaching the eightieth step.
The eighty-first step.
'Fuck!' Tian Chenyu cursed aloud as the oppressive force began to penetrate the protective golden sheen. A searing pain instantly courned through his body, and rivulets of blood started to trickle down his skin.
*Bang!*
Abruptly, one of his limbs disintegrated into a cloud of bloody mist, causing a collective gasp of shock to ripple through the observers. To their utter horror and disbelief, this grievous injury did not impede Tian Chenyu; he persistently continued his climb.
'What in the blazes? Does he feel no pain whatsoever?'
'I had heard whispers that Eternals were cut from a different cloth. While many possess arrogant and overbearing demeanors, their capabilities undeniably justify their pride.'
*Bang!*
Another of Tian Chenyu's arms shattered, yet he pressed onward, reaching the ninetieth step.
'Chenyu, are you unharmed?' Mu Bingxue exclaimed, her eyes widening in alarm upon witnessing the catastrophic injury. She immediately moved to assess his condition, but her astonishment escalated further upon observing the mangled limb regenerate with impossible speed, only to be violently destroyed and then instantly reformed once more.
*Bang! Bang!*
"How can his regeneration be so unbelievable? Though some Eternals possess passive healing, this is far too out of bounds. It must be a specific technique or a physique ability," Du Hai mused, observing with a furrowed brow. He was aware that certain Eternal families boasted passive regenerative capabilities, yet nothing that rivaled Tian Chenyu's. Based on his understanding, the Tian Family did not possess any such self-healing traits, let alone this caliber of regeneration, leading him to surmise it was a unique physical constitution. Despite experiencing pain, Wang Ming remained unbothered. His Immortal Regeneration technique rendered him fearless of limb destruction, as regrowth was guaranteed. His attention, however, was primarily fixated on the unexpected task bestowed upon him by the system. [Quest: Ascend to the Status of Core Disciple] [Objective: Traverse all one hundred steps] [Reward: A single voucher granting free access to any one item within the system shop. This voucher is valid for items up to Level 4 of the Cultivation Shop.] 'This... I absolutely must achieve this.' Countless items in the shop had caught his eye. Acquiring this voucher would allow him to conserve a significant quantity of points, which could then be allocated towards acquiring other essential items.