System S.E.X. (Seduction, Expansion, eXecution)

Chapter 723: Chapter 723: The Path to Manifestation

The Great Ancestor of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion looked at their bitter expressions and let out a soft, dry chuckle. "Do not feel poorly. To initiate our pact, I will grant each of you one more vial. You must truly understand the profound value of these potions. At our high level of cultivation, a single dose is capable of completely recharging our spiritual energy and suppressing the most severe hidden wounds, allowing our natural recovery to finally heal us completely. But for our descendants—as long as they possess a single lingering breath of life—this potion will drag them back from the gates of the underworld, fully restored."

He slid three more pink vials across the table. The three leaders quickly took them, their prior hostility evaporating into deep, respectful gratitude.

"Now that we have discussed the benefits, let us address the obstacles," the Heavenly Sword Great Ancestor continued, his tone turning sharply serious. "There are three primary problems we must confront. The first is that the extraction site for the core resource is guarded by a seemingly endless army of the undead. I personally descended into the upper layers of the abyss. Before I could go deep, entities emerged that were strong enough to actively contest my path. There were so many that I was ultimately forced to execute a tactical withdrawal."

The three leaders sat up straight, their faces paling. The Great Ancestor of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion might not be known for having the highest physical endurance or the ultimate defensive barrier, but his Sword Dao was universally recognized as the definitive, absolute attack power of the region. If a horde deep below could withstand his lethal strikes, there was no way the rest of them could easily slaughter their way through.

"As you well know, my combat style is somewhat fragile when facing overwhelming horde tactics," the old man admitted flatly. "Therefore, I require the Great Ancestor of the Black Mountain Sect to utilize his supreme defensive arts to anchor the vanguard, allowing me to focus on cutting down the high-tier threats as we descend. Furthermore, the deeper layers contain entirely unknown variables. We do not know what awaits us, and I honestly do not believe we possess the strength to fully conquer the tomb."

He leaned over the tactical map, pointing a withered finger at the cave entrance. "Our objective is strictly to secure the first subterranean tier. We must avoid activating further defensive arrays or opening the main sealed gates. I am certain that something truly terrifying slumbers in the lowest depths. If it has not emerged to slaughter us, it is only because powerful ancient chains bind it within the structure. We must be careful not to accidentally break those seals."

He paused, a faint, calculated gleam in his ancient eyes. "Moreover, the young medic who discovered this recipe has informed us that with sufficient raw resources, he can refine an even more potent version of this divine medicine—one that could potentially allow all of us to successfully break through our current bottlenecks to the Dao Manifestation Realm."

The moment the words Dao Manifestation Realm hung in the air, the three ancient leaders felt their hearts stop. They had languished at the absolute peak of the Sea Mist Ascension for centuries, living like withered mummies in the dark. The prospect of finally ascending to the true Dao Manifestation Realm was a supreme obsession that instantly set their ancient hearts ablaze with frantic anticipation.

The three ancient leaders instantly fell into a frenzy, their voices overlapping as they demanded to meet the young genius behind the divine potion. The Heavenly Sword Great Ancestor raised a withered hand, nodding slowly. At this stage, there was no longer any need to conceal the boy’s existence. They would eventually find out anyway, especially given his recent legendary exploits in the border town. Every major faction maintained an extensive network of spies within the other sects; it was practically a tacit agreement among them.

"I will introduce him to you after our meeting," the Heavenly Sword Great Ancestor said, cutting through their excitement. "For now, let us finish discussing the critical strategic points. The primary reason I want to subjugate this subterranean zone immediately—and the reason I demanded you bring your entire fleets—is because I received a highly confidential intelligence report. Princess Isabella has discovered a mystical ancient artifact. King Alric is actively considering naming her the Crown Princess. We do not know the exact nature of what she found, but we know it has completely rewritten the political chessboard."

The Great Ancestor of the Evergreen Sect leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "Who leaked this information to you, and how reliable is it?"

"It came directly from Prince Alaric," the Heavenly Sword Great Ancestor revealed smoothly. "Our Pavilion shares deep, mutually beneficial ties with him. He personally warned me that his brother, the Fourth Prince and former heir Valerius, is desperate to prove his worth and is currently extending his claws toward the northern territories. My intention is simple: if we deliver these divine potions to Prince Alaric, he can completely reverse his political decline and secure the throne."

He reached into his sleeve and placed a crimson-tinted parchment onto the table. "Here I have a covenant signed by Prince Alaric in his own essence blood. If he ascends to the throne with our backing, he will grant our four factions the official title of Guardians of the Realm. This grants us absolute independence and recognizes us as sovereign allies of the crown to confront any external threat."

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From this moment forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.

Note: These are only the ranks mentioned so far to avoid spoilers.

Body Refinement Realm

Skin Refinement / Bone Refinement / Organ Refinement

Spiritual Gathering Realm

Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation

Spiritual Core Realm

Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core)

Spiritual Soul Realm

Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion

Golden Core Realm

Prime Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction

Spiritual Sea Realm

The Melting Tide / The Tidal Horizon / The Sea Mist Ascension

Dao Manifestation Realm

The Incipient Dawn / Laws of the Domain / Reality Shatter

Spiritual Transcendence

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

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Sword mastery levels

Sword Intent.

Sword Aura.

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