Playing inventor in a cultivation world

Chapter 64: Ariana’s Breakthrough

Half of the bandit base had been frozen solid, with Fellin, Ariana, and Tamar at the center.

The two girls were shivering, while Fellin tried to catch his breath.

Not far from them, three bodies were encased in ice, their expressions showing signs of panic.

"Oh? Looks like you really used all your spiritual energy for this, hm?"

Smiling faintly, Fang approached his brother and gave him a few medicinal pills to reenergize him.

"Woah! And I thought we did wonderful killing that man by ourselves."

Dera’s voice was heard as she skated over the ice with her sister, approaching them.

Fellin straightened, then looked back at the untouched portion of the base.

"There are still survivors in there. We should save them."

Folding his arms, Fang smiled and nodded. "Sure. But you all should rest a bit. I’ll handle the evacuation."

Hours later, they returned to the Snowfolk City along with the now-free captives.

The news that the bandits lurking in the Nightlight Forest had been wiped out immediately spread, and the game of the Soul Cross Sect rose.

The women that had been kidnapped reunited with their families, finally free from the oppression of the bandits.

"Esteemed Disciples, I can’t thank you enough."

The chubby City Lord cried, kowtowing to Fang and the others.

His daughter had also been among the abducted women, and he was overjoyed to have her back.

"It’s alright. I’m glad we could rescue her before any harm came upon her."

Fang said calmly, a faint smile on his lips.

Hearing this, the man stood up and wiped his tears. He gestured to a servant who brought forward a silver chest.

"This is my token of appreciation, along with the neighboring cities whom you’ve helped by your heroic deeds."

He said, opening the chest to reveal dazzling gold lights.

"A thousand gold spirit crystals."

Fang was surprised, while Fellin and the others were shocked.

After a moment of silence, Fang accepted it with a calm expression.

"I have received your generosity. Thank you. If there is anything you might need, kindly reach out to the sect with this token. I’ll surely lend a hand if I can."

Handing the chest to his brother, Fang reached into his robes and pulled out a blue token which he gave the man.

"Haa... I really can’t thank you enough. Will you be joining us for a banquet to celebrate the eradication of the bandits?"

Fang hummed, considering the proposal.

"I’m afraid not. We would be leaving soon."

"Ah, no problem, esteemed guests. Next time, then."

Smiling, the City Lord finally excused himself, closing the door behind him.

"Wahh! A thousand gold spirit crystals? That’s really a lot!"

Dera exclaimed, walking over to Fellin and peeking at the content of the chest.

"Tch. Can’t you be reserved? Granny gives us that same amount every month. So what’re the fascination about?"

Sera spoke coldly, her sharp gaze aimed at Dera.

The black-haired girl snorted. "What do you know? Granny gives us that in a month, but we got this in a single day."

Sera immediately corrected her.

"Yes, we. And it’s not just you and I. We, includes Brother Fellin, Senior Brother Fang, Junior Sister Ariana and Junior Sister Tamar."

Dera’s expression dropped, turning sullen.

"Ugh... I don’t like to share."

Chuckling, Fang walked up to them and patted their heads.

"Yah, yah... you two shouldn’t act like that. We’ll surely share it together."

Collecting the chest from Fellin, the black-haired man separated the spirit crystals into five separate portions with two hundred crystals each.

"Alright. You guys should come take your portion one by one."

Dera excitedly hopped over, putting her own portion into her storage ring. Sera went next, then Fellin.

"Senior Brother, what about you?"

There were only three portions left, clearly meant for him, Ariana, and Tamar.

Fang shook his head with a smile. "It’s alright. I don’t need the spirit crystals. The ones I have with me are enough."

"Is that so..."

Sighing, Fellin reached out and took his own portion. Then Ariana and Tamar came forward as well to take their own shares.

"Ariana, you’re close to breaking through, right? I want you to attempt it before we go back."

Hearing Fang’s words, the others turned to the silver-haired girl with surprised gazes.

"Really? It’s true?"

Dera hopped over, her eyes shining with excitement.

Ariana smiled and nodded.

"Since Senior Brother said I should, I’ll do it now."

She immediately pulled out a mat, spreading it across the floor. Then she sat on it.

From her stash of gold spirit crystals, she took out five, arranging them around her carefully.

’I’ve never cultivated with a gold spirit crystal, but I know they say it’s purer than silver spirit crystals.’

Closing her why, she took a deep breath, then deepened her concentration.

Her pores opened up, and the spiritual energy in the air began entering her body.

The suction force increased, latching onto the gold spirit crystals around her and drawing spiritual energy from them.

The others watched silently, their gazes focused.

’If she successfully makes a breakthrough, we’ll be on the same level.’

Tamar thought, clenching her fist. In her eyes, fighting spirit burned brightly.

’Although it might require some time, I should be able to break through into the Core level of the Advanced Stage soon.’

Fang observed Ariana with interest, noticing how more and more energy was being drawn into her like a vacuum.

’If she truly possesses a Divine Body, it should show a sign after every major breakthrough.’

This was why he wanted to witness her breakthrough. To confirm if she truly possessed a Divine Body.

Minutes passed, and the golden luster of the five spirit crystals had dimmed.

Although they still shone gold, they had darkened a shade further.

Finally, after almost an hour, there was a change.

The wind picked up, blowing around the room with controlled ferocity.

Papers were blown around, and items with little weight began dancing around the silver-haired girl.

"It’s happening."

Fellin whispered, his gaze pensive. The twins also watched with interest, reminiscing their own breakthrough into the Advanced Stage of cultivation.

As more and more spiritual energy was sucked into Ariana, there was a qualitative change in her presence.

It felt like she had suddenly been put under spotlight, and was stepping onto a stage.

On her forehead, a subtle blue glow shone faintly, taking the shape of an open flower.

Seeing it, Fang’s eyes narrowed, and he smiled.

’So she does have a Divine Body, after all.’

The wind gradually settled, fading along with the blue flower on her forehead.

Ariana opened her clear blue eyes, a smile forming on her face.

"I did it."

She was now an Initial Advanced Stage cultivator.

..................

Meanwhile, back in the sect, Seraph had been woken up by a loud bell, and the thunderous voice of a disciple announcing a morning lecture with one of the Soul Peak Elders.

"Ah, damnation."

Complaining, Seraph stretched his body and got off the bed, squinting his eyes and looking outside.

The other disciples were already moving about hastily, preparing for the lecture.

"Is it really that interesting? Elder Cassius’s classes were always boring."

He felt a hint of nostalgia at the mention of that name, subtle but noticable.

["Oh?"] Halo chuckled, ["Looks like you’re finally learning to become human."]

Instead of being offended, Seraph tilted his head and smiled.

"Isn’t that amazing? I wonder how marvelous it would be, being fully emotional."

["Perhaps not marvelous at all."] Halo snorted, its tone flat.

"Whatever makes you comfortable."

Shrugging, Seraph turned off the light bulbs in his room, then took a bath.

He changed into another set of Inner Court Disciple robes, then stepped out of his room.

He was still living in the Outer Court dormitory, so he was the only occupant there.

Turning off the lights by the staircase, he left the building, heading towards the place he believed to be the lecture hall.

There were other disciples heading there too, casting sneaky glances at him.

["They must be wondering how you became an Inner Court Disciple so fast."]

Seraph shrugged with a harmless smile.

’Well, I’m pretty special. After all, I was reincarnated with a cheat system in a cultivation world.’

Halo went silent for a moment, then replied. Its tone was subdued.

["That... actually sounded fitting."]

Not long after the inner court disciples gathered at the front of the hall, the bell rang again, and the doors were opened for them to enter.

Seraph was among the first set of disciples to enter, so he took a seat at the front.

Unlike the modern chairs and tables used on earth, the lecture hall was simply filled with mats for the disciples to sit on.

’Ugh... I should add a table and a chair to my list of upcoming inventions. It’s not comfortable sitting like this for hours.’

Even back in the Moonveil Clan, they at least gave the kids wooden stools to use.

’What a great sect indeed.’

"Welcome, everyone."

A voice calmly spread through the hall, silencing all murmurings. The elder—their teacher—had come.