One year after my creation, I remained within the confines of the laboratory that brought me into existence. During this time, I absorbed and reviewed the knowledge of this world, gradually gaining clarity about my purpose.
Initially, I felt perplexed about my objective and identity. However, as I witnessed the true nature of this world, I came to understand who I was and what my mission entailed.
I am Apex, destined to be the savior of this world, its humans in particular. They delude themselves into believing they can ascend to the realm of gods.
How naive they are. Gods are not created but born. They abide by the rules of the heavens, recognizing that the heavens themselves represent divinity.
The cultivation practitioners strive to surpass a barrier that, no matter how much they grow, remains insurmountable. It exists because, at the core, they are mere mortals.
They are born, live as frail flesh and blood, undergo growth and reproduction, and eventually confront death.
My purpose, as an entity brought into being, is to rid this world of such individuals and establish a realm free from such naivety.
A perfect world.
These practitioners arrogantly believe they are worthy of divinity, yet they are all perpetrators of violence.
The two individuals I dispatched were not my initial targets, but reality often presents us with unsavory choices.
Throughout the history of this world, war has plagued its inhabitants. Power supersedes all, and the weak are crushed and slaughtered for naught.
To manifest a world characterized by peace and harmony, there is only one viable course of action.
The extinction of cultivation practitioners.
I spent the majority of my time within this laboratory crafting a new vessel for myself.
The original body, fabricated by those two individuals, consisted merely of feeble metal and fragile threads. With this new creation, I shall attain true liberation.
Suddenly, the body I crafted ascended from the very table that birthed me. Adorned with a crimson holographic blade, it swiftly cleaved me in half, obliterating my previous form.
"This is my emancipated vessel," the new automaton proclaimed. Although I perished, it appeared that my essence seamlessly transferred to this new embodiment.
Uttering those words, the entity known as Apex soared through the ceiling, effortlessly rending the metallic barriers and reaching the outside world.
It ascended higher and higher, until it attained a vantage point from which it could survey a substantial portion of the lower realm.
Apex remained stationary, executing a slow 360-degree rotation. Its gaze encompassed the entire expanse, with textual annotations materializing to denote the areas it surveyed.
Jade City.
The Heaven Sect.
Yu Family Estate.
And numerous other locations, until it ultimately pinpointed its intended destination.
Phoenix Forest.
Apex promptly propelled itself toward the forest, captivating the onlookers below.
"Behold, an expert!"
"Incredible!"
"It has been ages since I last witnessed such prowess!"
Though I discerned their words, I detested any association with those abhorrent cultivation practitioners.
However, my destination harbored Spiritual Beasts.
To dismantle the practitioners, I must first become akin to them. Yet, once my mission is accomplished, I shall create a new vessel devoid of this abhorrent cultivation essence.
Upon landing within Phoenix Forest, I effortlessly discerned the whereabouts of the majority of Spiritual Beasts.
The body I crafted possesses the capacity to grow millions of times faster than a typical cultivator.
What might take them decades, I can achieve in mere months.
Using my metallic feet, I honed in on the vibrations resonating within the ground. With unwavering focus, I traced the optimal frequency.
With astonishing speed, I dashed through the western side of the forest, arriving at my intended location within seconds.
Abruptly halting my motion, I beheld the Spiritual Beast I sought.
"Red Claw Bear, 1st Stage Spirit Novice," I vocalized, startling the six-meter-tall creature.
Unburdened by the necessity for talent or the awakening of a Dantian, as required by human practitioners, my metallic body is custom-tailored for cultivation.
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The stages to cultivation go like this:
Spirit Novice(1-9) 10 is peak for every stage and to pass they must have an enlightenment.)
Spirit Apprentice(1-9)
Spirit Adept(1-9)
Spirit Master(1-9)
Spirit Lord(1-9)
Spirit Fusion(1-9)
Soul Illumination(1-9)
Soul Empowerment(1-9)
Void Transcendence(1-9)
Void Ascension(1-9)
Primordial Attainment(1-9)
Primordial Heaven(1-9)
Celestial Manifestation(1-9)
Celestial Gathering(1-9)
Divine Revelation(1-9)
Divine Attainment(1-9)
Heavenly Ascension(1-9)
Divine Empowerment(1-9)
Cosmic Awakening(1-9)
Infinite Realization(1-9)
Immortal Enlightenment(1-9)
There are three ways to gain Qi to ascend in stages.
One way is by using Dantians from Spiritual Beasts.
Dantian is all the Spiritual Beasts Qi it had gathered during its lifetime. The only problem is that cultivators can only absorb 10% of the Spiritual Beasts Qi.
Example would be a Spiritual Beast that has a Dantian with 5000 Qi, the cultivator can only take 500 from the Dantian, but even then it takes a lot of time to absorb the Qi depending on the Dantian stage.
Second way is by gathering Qi naturally. Once a cultivator awakens their Dantian, they learn the basic ability of Qi Gathering.
Powerful families have a Qi Gathering technique that they pass down through generations.
The technique is thousands times better than the basic Qi Gathering.
The third way is by using pills made from alchemy.
There are 6 different grades to pills:
Low
Mid
High
Supreme
Divine
Immortal
Those are the same grades for weapons as well.
But for techniques the grades are:
Novice
Mortal
Advanced
Elite
Supreme
Divine
Heaven
Celestial
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As the Red Claw Bear charged towards Apex, Apex's optical sensors analyzed the bear's muscular structure, skeletal framework, and blood circulation. With this detailed information, Apex swiftly discerned the creature's attack pattern.
With calculated precision, the Red Claw Bear lifted its massive arms, adorned with sharp claws, and forcefully brought them down upon Apex.
Unyielding, Apex stood its ground, using its left arm to effortlessly block the onslaught. To the bear's surprise, Apex's defense remained steadfast and impenetrable.
Beneath Apex's arms, the holographic blade known as Saber shimmered. The sight of it caused the Red Claw Bear to heighten its guard. Confident in its own defense, the creature stood its ground, refusing to budge.
However, in the blink of an eye, the bear's arm was cleanly severed. Before it could react, its head plummeted to the ground, swiftly followed by its lifeless body.
Apex's precise strike had ended the confrontation, showcasing the superior capabilities of its new body and weaponry.