The rest of the day proceeded as planned. The Martial Exchanges continued without any further incidents, and nothing else of interest occurred until Karn finally returned home. As he stepped down from the carriage, one of the guards hurried toward him.
"Elder Karn! A subordinate of Strategist Li Xiang came by and asked me to give this to you." The guard presented him with the Sect Knowledge Hall plaque.
"Koko... So that brat Xiao Cheng finally fulfilled his end of the agreement." Karn chuckled. The timing caught his attention.
’That strategist Li Xiang... He only prepared this plaque after I agreed to stand in for the Martial Exchange. If I had refused, I doubt he would have been nearly this generous.’ Karn accepted the plaque and glanced at it briefly before putting it away.
He had acquired quite the haul today. It was time to see exactly what he had received. Karn reached into the storage ring and pulled out a spirit stone.
The small stone contained a dense concentration of spiritual Qi. During his time in the sect, Karn had learned that spirit stones were one of the most commonly traded resources among cultivators. They could be used as currency, but their true value came from the spiritual Qi contained within them.
’I suppose I should try it myself.’
Karn circulated his Qi and drew a strand of spiritual energy from the stone. A faint crack appeared across its surface as the Qi within began flowing into his body. The air around Karn became noticeably denser before the Qi slowly dispersed.
’Interesting.’ He placed the spirit stone aside.
The next item was the Black-Rank cultivation resource. Karn’s expression changed slightly when he pulled it from the storage ring.
It was a strange purple-black stone. Tiny sparks of lightning occasionally flickered across its surface, and each spark carried a faint sense of dread and power.
According to what Li Xiang and Elder Cho had explained, cultivation resources were natural treasures formed under rare and mysterious circumstances. Each one contained a unique Dao. When a cultivator’s cultivation technique resonated with that Dao, the resource could greatly accelerate their cultivation.
For example, a cultivator practicing a lightning-based cultivation technique could use the stone in Karn’s hand to greatly increase their cultivation speed. Unfortunately, Karn had little use for this particular treasure.
’Lightning Dao...’ His cultivation technique relied upon the Dao of Time. The lightning contained within the stone had almost no connection to either.
Karn placed the stone aside and reached for the final item. The moment he pulled it from the storage ring, his expression became curious.
It was an incomplete armament created by Blacksmith Jin. According to Elder Cho, spirit blacksmiths were extraordinarily rare within the cultivation world. Their ability to forge armaments allowed cultivators to obtain power far beyond what their cultivation alone could provide. Zhao Long who Karn had fought was also using an incomplete armament during his fight against Karn.
An incomplete armament possessed an innate ability capable of drawing upon the Qi in the user to unleash a martial technique. Karn turned the incomplete armament over in his hand.
’An item that can use the Qi in the surroundings to perform a martial technique...’ His interest slowly grew.
The incomplete armament in his hands was a staff. A walking staff that seemed like it was created in passing. It’s ability on the other hand was quite unique.
In addition to its durability, the staff possessed an innate ability: Withering of Time.
The staff could store condensed fragments of the River of Time by consuming the user’s Qi. When released, the stored River of Time rapidly accelerates the passage of time upon whatever it touches. A small amount may cause wood to wither or a metal to rust. A greater amount can age a living creature’s body.
However, the stronger the target’s cultivation, the greater the amount of stored River of Time required.
Karn could also sacrifice lifespan as fuel to store the river of time but it was too dangerous and both Elder Cho and Strategist Li had advised against it.
"Don’t use your lifespan unless you’re prepared to pay the price, Honorable Elder." Karn remembered strategist Li’s warning.
’The staff came at the perfect time.’ Karn thought about the saber that had broken in the fight against Zhao Long. The effects as Karn tried it were not as miraculous as it sounded.
His tier two cultivation allowed him to turn the wood in the courtyard slightly darker even after he used up all of his Qi in the strike.
Karn then turned towards the rewards the system had given him, distributing stats as he saw fit.
Charm: 30 --> 40
As Karn distributed the stats. His body suddenly started heating up and in response immediately sat down in a meditative pose as per his instincts of a cultivator. He closed his eyes and circulated the Old Man’s Cultivation Technique. The spiritual Qi surrounding him began to move.
At first, everything was normal. Qi entered his body through his meridians, circulated through his cultivation technique, and slowly gathered within his dantian. But this time, something was different. Karn could feel something beyond the Qi.
Time.
The world around him seemed to slow. The falling leaves above his courtyard became motionless. The flames of the nearby lanterns stopped flickering. Even the sound of insects seemed to stretch into an endless note.
Karn opened his eyes.
For a brief moment, his God’s Eye saw its flow. Every object possessed a faint trace. The wooden table. The stone beneath his feet. The trees surrounding his courtyard. Even his own body. Everything was moving along an invisible river. The River of Time.
"So this is the Dao of Time." Karn’s expression became solemn.
He reached out his hand. A single leaf drifted toward his palm. The moment it touched his fingers, Karn felt an indescribable sensation. He could sense the leaf’s past. He could sense the moment it had grown from its branch. He could sense the countless days it had spent beneath the sun and he could sense the future waiting for it.
Karn’s eyes widened. He suddenly understood. Cultivation was not merely the accumulation of power. It was understanding the laws that governed power.
Karn’s breathing slowed. Until...
...BOOM!
A massive surge of Qi erupted from his body. The spiritual Qi surrounding the courtyard was violently pulled toward him. The leaves that had been frozen in the air suddenly fell. His meridians trembled.
His dantian began to change. The Qi inside it compressed again and again until it changed in color itself.
He continued circulating the Old Man’s Cultivation Technique until the Qi became denser.
CRACK!
A faint sound came from within Karn’s body. It was as if something had shattered. Karn’s eyes remained close but his gaze brought terrifying pressure. His white hair and robes fluttered violently despite there being no wind.
"So this is Tier One." His lips slowly curved upward.
The system suddenly appeared before his eyes.
Ding!
Breakthrough Requirements Fulfilled.
Cultivation Realm Advancement: Tier One Martial Warrior.
Qi Quality has undergone a fundamental transformation.
Dao comprehension has reached the minimum requirement.
Congratulations, Host.
You have entered Tier One.
Karn stared at the notification until another notification appeared.
Ding!
Hidden Requirement Discovered.
The Host has comprehended a compatible Dao.
Dao of Time - Initial Understanding
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