Inside the third stage's room, Zhi Rui's body turned red, a puddle of sweat formed beneath her. With the effects of the pill gone, Zhi Rui let go of her body and fell on her back.
The pill maxed out her muscles at the cost of her own energy. she could barely move, but her smile never left her face. Zhi Rui knew just how much stronger she became. She can probably fight barehanded with a level two beast without dying now.
She chuckled while gasping for breath, Her way to cultivation has been limited since the beginning. On the book that allowed her a second chance said. 'Give your soul away, to live again in the flesh.'
The way to achieve immortality had always followed a natural law, with extremely few exceptions.
That law is: One must have a strong soul. But Zhi Rui did not have a soul. She lived solely on the mind and body. Zhi Rui reckoned the cult of lust must have methods ready for her ascendence. Bianca's warm gazed flashed in her mind and Zhi Rui's mood turned cold.
But she thought of her plan for today and how Bianca will be heavily damaged by it. Her mood turned better.
She got up. picked up the level two core she obtained from the first level.
Zhi Rui inhaled deeply. And started her breakthrough to level two.
Slowly it dissolved into her core's walls. the process was fast, the dense red inner energy ravished the level two core. After half an hour Zhi Rui consumed it whole. Her core shined brightly, and her inner energy bubbled like boiling water. Zhi Rui's eyes turned red and she stood up.
Her core together with all the energy in her body, condensed into one red dot. The blood pumped with a speed never seen before, her veins were jumping like thick worms, her whole body trembled. The water on her body evaporated and her skin shriveled up. Zhi Rui dazedly looked up.
The red dot exploded. The energy bombarded every inch of Zhi Rui's body. Every cell changed and transformed. Zhi Rui gasped with her dry throat and fell unconscious.
----
When she woke up from her stupor. Zhi Rui circulated her inner energy to examine her body. She had never felt so healthy, she could feel the power in every inch of the body. She could easily defeat anyone on level two with her body strength alone. And if she fought with everything she could fight on even terms with a level three.
Zhi Rui grunted from the pleasure of a revitalized body.
When she stood up, her body went up into the air by a palm. Back on the ground, she laughed. 'Is this what they call problematic blessing?' her strength was so out of normal she had to adapt to it.
She jumped a few times to measure the strength. Done with the muscles Zhi Rui tried to meditate so adapt to her inner energy. Her mind entered her inner core. Suddenly she was surrounded by her red energy. if before she had the energy of a level three. Now she easily reached a level four in terms of quantity.
Zhi Rui suddenly felt something different, she clearly felt the properties of her ethereal energy and the spirits. Her eyes became dazed, the way the Ying tree materialized its energy, the horrendous ghost's power of frightening and the way it influenced the people's mind.
How those spirits worked and how her own ethereal energy behaved. Zhi Rui was enlightened.
She laughed out loud. Raised her hands in the air. And materialized her energy with properties of a spirit. Somehow combining the property of both she got something entirely different. She looked at her hand with her new empowered vision. a transparent ethereal flame surrounded her hand all the way to her elbow. it exuded the noxiousness and malignancy of an evil ghost couplet with the Ying tree's materialization. Formed a strong defensive and aggressive attack. it wasn't complete. But Zhi Rui figure she'll polish it later.
She breathed in deeply and walked down the stairs.
---------
When reaching the third stage, everything changed like before.
Zhi Rui was standing on a wide dirt street in the slums. She recognized everything, it was the place she lived with her mom. For a second Zhi Rui thought about the floor's test, but seeing the people around looking so real, a spark shined in Zhi Rui's head, and without thinking, Zhi Rui ran, to her dismay, her legs were that of a child. but she still ran through the crowd of people.
Heart beating like a drum, she sighted the brothel she lived in as a child and her mind went spinning with joy. She ran inside brushing pass everything and everyone until she stood in front of a familiar room. the room she was birthed in and lived until her eight years of age.
Zhi Rui tremblingly reached for the door handle. Her breathing went rought and she barely managed to twist it open. She took a step inside and saw it on the small bed. A beautiful woman sleeping peacefully. Eyes moist Zhi Rui slowly and very lightly interlaced her fingers on the woman's mesh of black hair. She knew it was all illusory, but nonetheless, she was happy.
The woman's eyes twitched and she looked at the emotional girl.
Zhi Rui cried. She wanted to talk, but she wanted to hear her mother voice first.
The woman looked worried and opened her mouth. But then she froze, everything froze still. Zhi Rui still in her child form, stared in shock. panic overcame her mind "NO! NO! PlEASE NO!!" she looked around screaming loudly. yet the only thing that happened was the world, started to fade into nothingness. Zhi Rui watched in despair her mother disappearing in front of her. "I-I just wanted to hear her voice.." she sobbed.
Everything became dark. When a woman in a shining white long dress stood in front of the dazed Zhi Rui.
"You were fully conscious of the scenario." The woman stated.
Zhi Rui ignored
The woman continued "Every other candidate's mind became childlike, And I could examine their nature. You see, when an adult mind turns childish the person becomes very honest with their wishe-"
"I don't need your explanations." Zhi Rui cut her short.
Zhi Rui looked at the woman, "It''s too simple, this bunch of test is all simple and straightforward, you don't need to explain it. to be honest you should've made it more difficult. the way it is you are giving rewards for nothing."
the woman shook her head "It's not about good talent, it's about good personality. The burden of my legacy can only be passed for someone with a tough mind and a strong sense of self."
"Enough, just get to your point." Zhi Rui said with exasperation.
The woman frowned at Zhi Rui's rudeness. "Since you could not be tricked I have to test your character myself, but seeing your sincere feeling for your parent, as well as your posture on the stages before, you became my first choice to earn my legacy."
Zhi Rui shook her head giggling, "The others must be really screwed up. to make a disciple of the chaste virtue church to choose me."
The woman opened eyes in surprise. "How did you know?" she asked.
The simplicity, and the rewards system match with what's written in the books." Zhi Rui still dazed spoke.
The woman nodded, her face turned stern. she extended her arms at Zhi Rui, Do you accept to be the one to inherit my will? should you accept you'll be given all my resources and abilities in my inheritance. With it, you can ascent into the venerable level in five years.
Zhi Rui sighed, She knew it was good, but she shook her head.
"Let me see my mother again. then I might reconsider."
The woman's face stifled. "You shouldn't indulge in fantasies, that was merely an illusion born out of your own subconscious desires. One should abstain from the pursuit of what's expedient."
Zhi Rui chuckled, but there was no humor in her voice. "That's were our beliefs strangles each other, I live for the expedient. My very being is molded to the expedient pursues. And when someone like you crosses my way, I feel pity. I understand your reasons fully, I know why one shouldn't indulge in pleasures, I understand the must exist a balance between lust and chasted, a balance between love and hate. I know full well that I'm wrong and that being wicked is wrong. but you see." Zhi Rui smiled sardonically. "I don't give a miserable damn."
The woman frowned and sighed, "I thought you were gonna be the one to receive my legacy. I guess I have to find another."
Without any goodbyes, the woman disappeared. Zhi Rui stood dazedly. the darkness disappeared in its place a common room appeared. But the only thing in Zhi Rui's mind was the intense desire to cut the throat of the woman who cut her dream short.
----
At the second stage, Zheng Li took his prize and went down the stairway. The dark elves did the same.
----
Zhi Rui calmed down and focused on the floor she was in. A room like the others before, except, The stone stele in the middle had golden chains tied around it, and right above it a white statue resembling the woman she just talked, was floating.
Han Fei was also there. Zhi Rui did not say anything, merely waited. after a few minutes. Xunhue appeared, she did not speak, her eyes were as lifeless as before. Guan Jing came down right after.
The statue of the woman shined, and a voice echoed through the room.
"My Name is Roberta. I was a Divine of the chaste church of the seven virtues. today one of you will acquire my legacy." The voice said.
Zhi Rui's eyes turned cold