However, Alex hesitated to attempt it immediately, opting to wait for three more days until his body fully recovered.
In this world, soul cultivation begins after breaking through the Martial Ascendant stage, freeing individuals from mortal constraints.
Upon reaching the Martial Ascendant stage, one's lifespan increases by 200 years, and the ability to fly can be attained through the mastery of aerial skills.
Soul cultivation comprises five levels: Mortal Soul - gray in color, Earth Soul - brown, Astral Soul - green, Heaven Soul - blue, and Eternal Soul - lavender.
To progress to the Soul Resonance stage, a person must elevate their gray soul to 1000 meters, meeting one of the crucial conditions for the breakthrough.
Alex persisted in absorbing the boundless mana from his surroundings, meticulously refining it into pure energy. He stored this energy within his blood, flesh, veins, and bones, all intricately connected with his 6th mana route.
Only when these were full could he awaken his sixth mana route and link it to his core. Alex maintained intense focus to prevent any mistakes in circulation, as a single misstep could lead to the energy entering the wrong pathways.
A minor consequence might result in the expulsion of fresh blood, while the most serious consequence could be instant death.
Despite already possessing impressive cultivation talent, the awakening of his celestial eyes and the surge in soul energy left Alex unable to estimate the extent of his accelerated cultivation speed.
His progress was remarkably swift, akin to growing wings and taking flight. Alex was confident that within one week, he would break through to Foundation Establishment 6th level, a notable improvement from his initial estimate of two weeks.
Despite the extensive cultivation time, his mental energy remained intact—a stark contrast to past experiences, given the demanding requirements of the Emperor Rank cultivation method.
The night swiftly passed, and early the next morning, still in the dim light before sunrise, Alex opened his eyes slowly, maintaining his seated position. Having dedicated the entire night to cultivation, his eyes gleamed with excitement.
Simultaneously, Mia, in the midst of delivering food yesterday, began spreading a rumor among his classmates, suggesting that outer disciple Alex has experienced Energy deviation.
The news was further amplified by his newfound fame after defeating Peter, despite Peter sealing his cultivation at Foundation Establishment 7th level and spread to many outer disciples.
__________________
After a quick wash, Alex was on the verge of stepping outside when a buzzing sound emanated from his academy Jade card.
"Buzz"
"Buzz"
Upon checking, he found hundreds of messages from all his classmates, most of them expressing wishes for his swift recovery.
"Shit! Looks like that girl told everyone about his condition she saw yesterday," thought Alex. He refrained from blaming her, understanding that his state resembled that of someone who had experienced energy deviation.
Alex promptly messaged everyone, reassuring them of his well-being and expressing gratitude for their concern. He also called Lucas to assure that everything was fine.
With the messages dealt with, Alex ventured outside, heading to the academy's Gravity Chamber to hone his swordsmanship skills.
As Alex walked, the hushed whispers of many new disciples echoed around him.
"Is that … Alex?"
"Yes, it's him! He's the one who experienced mana deviation."
"That's why we always have to practice slowly and steadily so that we do not face something like that."
"I think he needs to rest at least for a week to recover from it."
"But with his level of talent, that amount of time is nothing."
"Alas! We cannot blame him. After all, cultivation itself is fighting against Heaven, and you have to keep moving forward."
The crowd buzzed with speculation, and most eyes upon him held pity, as if they were genuinely saddened for him.
Alex, unperturbed, continued walking directly to his destination. He didn't bother to clarify the rumours, recognizing that explanations might not alter their beliefs.
Dressed in white with a long sword strapped to his back, Alex approached the door of the Gravity Chamber Building.
Inside, a gray-haired elder in green robes, adorned with a blue outer elder badge, glanced up from a thread-bound book upon Alex's arrival.
Closing the book, he addressed Alex in an assertive tone, "Are you here to enter the gravity chamber, brat?"
"Yes, Elder Vittorio," Alex replied humbly, his eyes faintly glowing with a purple hue.
[Name: Vittorio Saffron
Race: Dwarf
Age: 1000
Affiliation: Outer Elder of Gravity Chamber, Former Flame Pavilion Lord
Cultivation: Half step Martial Emperor
Bloodline: Infernal Vein Bloodline { DemiGod Rank } ]
"I didn't expect this simple-looking elder to be an expert," thought Alex in surprise, his eyes reflecting admiration. Achieving half-step Martial Emperor in 1000 years was no small feat, making Elder Vittorio an extraordinary genius of his time.
"I am just an ordinary Elder, so you don't need to look at me like that," Elder Vittorio remarked, noticing Alex's admiration and shaking his head with a smile.
"Every Elder of the academy deserves respect, and I am just at the starting point in cultivation compared to all the elders," Alex affirmed firmly.
Elder Vittorio was momentarily taken aback, a glint of satisfaction appearing in his eyes as he observed Alex. Someone of his level could easily discern whether someone spoke the truth.
'Plan success,' thought Alex when he observed the look of appreciation, even though he genuinely expressed his beliefs.
"Elder, I want to go inside the Middle Rank Human-level Gravity Room," Alex suddenly declared in a firm tone.
"Middle Rank Human-level Gravity Room?" Elder Vittorio expressed surprise.
The Human Rank Gravity Room comprised four ranks. The Low rank primarily catered to disciples between Foundation Establishment 3rd level to 6th level. The Middle Rank was for disciples between Foundation 7th level to 9th level. As for the next two ranks, they were designated for Golden Core disciples.
While these three Gravity rooms facilitated the acceleration of cultivating battle skills, extended use was cautioned against due to the significant consumption of mental energy and mana. Consequently, only a few disciples frequented these rooms for regular cultivation.
Although puzzled, Elder Vittorio nodded and said, "Come with me."
"Don't force yourself, brat. If you cannot carry on, you should come out as soon as possible," Elder Vittorio warned him patiently.
Alex nodded in acknowledgment and proceeded to step into the Gravity room.