Spiritual Energy rapidly gathered in Atlas's dantian. The Qi Seed within pulsated with energy, seemingly unable to keep the shape it had maintained since its birth.
The sound of cracks spreading across glass resounded within his body. Atlas gritted his teeth and endured the pain without a sound.
He finally began to somewhat understand what had happened to him. His Qi Seed…was compressing itself.
Although it sounded simple, it was unheard of. Compression wasn't a process that should have been attempted before the Core Formation Realm. With the negligible level of qi control Qi Seed cultivators had, this action was suicide.
Even after entering the Core Formation Realm, it took time and effort to learn how to mold spiritual energy in such a way that it was compressed without being shattered or dispersed.
But Atlas didn't have to compress his Qi Seed. It did the work on its own. And now, at the height of his breakthrough, it was cracking like an egg.
As the cracks continued to spread, wild waves of spiritual energy pounded against the walls of his dantian in a rampage. If it wasn't for him desperately controlling the energy, his dantian would've collapsed, crippling his cultivation.
'This breakthrough…is not…supposed to be…this hard!' Atlas lamented inwardly as he held on for dear life, when suddenly…
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The cracks spreading across his Qi Seed connected, shattering the outer layer. With three loud bangs, two vines of spiritual energy burst from the small egg, expanding until they were large enough to take up all the space in Atlas's dantian.
'This…!'
Although the process was called blooming, it didn't actually have any floral allusion behind it. When a Qi Seed bloomed, it'd turn into the large core that gave the Core Formation Realm its namesake.
But the vines that bloomed from Atlas's Qi Seed seem like they'd ever change into Core form.
Voom!
One of the two vines abruptly lit aflame. The flaming qi converted the qi of the vine, turning it completely into a flame vine.
But the flame didn't hurt Atlas at all.
He looked curiously into his dantian. 'With the shattering of my Qi Seed, have I entered Core Formation Realm?'
He really didn't know. On one hand, the fact that he completed Compression while in the Qi Seed Realm meant the Core Formation Realm became somewhat inconsequential.
However, on the other hand, Atlas didn't feel any major power increase caused by the strange events. If he didn't know any better, he'd have believed he failed the breakthrough.
But that wasn't true at all.
'These vines bloomed in place of my Core. They must have some sort of meaning. If I take my cultivation technique into consideration…'
The Five Element Scripture within the Heavenly Unification Law, this was what he currently practiced. It was the manual he was provided by that damn treasure.
The requirements for that technique to be cultivated to completion were both simple and extremely complicated at the same time.
The main concept was to master all five foundational elements.
And since one vine already took the form of his flames…
'I must learn another element as well. It seems I'll be stuck in the Core Formation Realm until I can do so.'
It wasn't a problem, though. Atlas was already progressing faster than he would've ever thought. Even if he was forced to wait a few years, he wouldn't mind.
But for now…
An incandescent blue light appeared from Atlas's chest. Just as it had done during his previous breakthroughs, that damn treasure formed thousands upon thousands of needles, injecting them into his flesh.
"ARGH!"
Atlas couldn't stop the moan of pain that left his mouth. Every inch of flesh on his body was being repeatedly tempered without fail.
Millions of ants crawled across his skin, he could feel the metaphorical parasitic insects gnawing away at his skin and flesh, breaking them down into their base components.
This form of tempering was the most basic, yet the most effective. It was a continuous process of destruction and reconstruction that would result in the reconstructed material being far stronger than it originally was.
Atlas gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, doing so with such force that he drew blood on both fronts.
But the tempering continued. For hours on end, Atlas was forced to endure an unholy amount of pain. Since the surface area that was being tempered this time was far greater, the time it took expanded equally.
Until finally, the tempering came to an end.
Atlas's pale white skin seemed to have gained an extra sheen to it. As if to attest to this statement, the ground around him was filled with black, gunky impurities.
Stretching his body, he stood up as if nothing happened. Even though the tempering was extremely painful, he was already expecting it after having gone through the process twice in the past.
'I have become stronger once again.' He thought to himself. A light smile surfaced on his face.
Whoosh!
Atlas's fist swept through the air, causing the winds to whip around. He nodded in satisfaction at his current power level.
'Even though my qi does not feel different, I am indeed more powerful than before. This increase…is similar to the peak of Core Formation Realm.'
It wasn't just the simple punch that he considered, it was the weight of the punch. It was the fact that the punch was so casual.
Such a casual punch still held the power to squash a Qi Seed Realm cultivator with a single press.
If so, how strong was he at full power?
Even Atlas was curious to find out, but now wasn't the time.
It was already time for the Mysterious Tomb to open. And this had always been his main goal.
***
"Everyone line up! Be sure to register yourselves at the stations before joining the group!"
"Present your identification token to be granted entry! Anyone without a token will be thrown out without mercy!"
A clamor of voices crescendoed into a cacophony of sounds that encapsulated the encampment Atlas had visited previously. Now that the time to enter the tomb had come, many people were arriving in droves
And of these, perhaps only half were the ones who originally signed up. The rest were those who stole their tokens from others.
In this case, Atlas could be counted lucky. Even if there were Sage Realm cultivators present at the tomb, it was only those who were part of the original raid party. Besides, even if there was a rogue Sage who wanted to join, they wouldn't have to steal a token to enter.
The 11th Floor was still the 11th Floor, and those within were largely Qi Seed and Core Formation Realm cultivators. Not many of them dared to enter as deep into the nameless forest as Atlas did.
Because of this, Atlas was safe from the hidden hands trying to acquire spots in the raid.
"Oh! You're here!"
A familiar voice greeted Atlas when he arrived at the checkpoint. It was the same attendant he met the last time.
"Mm, please complete my registration."
The woman took his token and ran it through the strange artifact on the table. Afterward, she handed it back to Atlas and allowed him to pass.
"The raid party is almost completely gathered, so it won't be long before you enter the tomb. Remember, even though you've reached Core Formation, you must still be extremely cautious!"
"Hm?" Atlas raised his brow. With how deeply he concealed his cultivation, he didn't expect to be seen through so quickly.
But he didn't say anything and walked past the checkpoint, entering the main clearing.
'That woman is not simple…how could such a character be relegated to a mere attendant?'
His curiosity took hold, but he forced it down. He wasn't yet at a level where he could easily involve himself in the business of those experts.
Instead of focusing on them, it was better to focus on the Tower and his personal strength.
And for that, this Mysterious Tomb was a necessity.
Atlas swiftly found himself a quiet corner to wait in, meditating silently until the raid started. But before he could even submerge himself in his meditative state…
"Atlas!"
A heavenly voice with a contradicting tomboy-like cadence greeted him excitedly. He wearily opened his eyes knowing exactly who it was.
"Aria, to think we would actually meet again so soon."
Indeed, the one in front of him was the very same woman he met in the forest many months prior, someone fit to be called his rival.
"Kuahaha!" Artemia laughed wildly when she saw Atlas's expression.
"When you left so suddenly, I got curious as to where you went. Come to find out you were hiding something so exciting! How could you?"
Atlas rolled his eyes.
"Do I have any obligation to tell you? Would any sane person wish to share their treasures with a stranger?"
"Hey! How could you call me a stranger after we went through life and death together? From now on, we're brothers!"
"The battles in the forest could hardly be called life-and-death situations. And I have no desire to become brothers with anyone at the moment, let alone a woman."
"Is there a problem with me being a woman?" Artemia's expression became cold without warning, but Atlas simply shook it off
"There is no sin in being a woman, however, brotherhood is a sacred bond amongst men. I shall not taint this bond by dishonoring the code."
"Tch."
Artemia clicked her tongue.
"Petty details. I'll become your sworn sister then!"
"You will not become my sworn anything. I do not know anything about you besides your name, why should I trust you so easily?"
Artemia finally conceded after continuous rejections from Atlas, but she didn't leave his side.
Luckily enough, it seemed the woman had some tact. Noticing Atlas concentrating on cultivation, she did the same as well.
And while Atlas pretended to ignore her, his thoughts were somewhat racing.
After all, it was extremely difficult to acquire a place in this expedition. If it wasn't for the recommendation letter from the information broker, even Atlas would've failed.
If so, how did this woman manage to accomplish this very feat, and within a mere few hours at that?