Chapter 28: The Second Tidal Shift

Bang!

The sudden overwhelming pressure forced Fang Qingyun to one knee. The pitch-black lion fared even worse, collapsing entirely to the ground, a pained howl escaping its maw. Driven mad and heavily drained, the beast was battered by this abrupt assault as if struck by a force of gravity, its bones feeling warped, the pain in its wounds intensifying beyond endurance.

"This is too heavy!" Fang Qingyun's face turned deathly pale. Since the first Tide Transformation, he had hunted many half-demon, half-devil creatures. His spiritual power had increased rapidly, already reaching forty-one points. He had prepared himself, knowing the second Tide Transformation would be severe, but never imagined it would be to such an exaggerated degree.

It must be close to five thousand jin—double the previous weight!

Under this immense pressure, his Source Points activated instantly.

[Source +1]
[Source +1]

"Brutal... so brutal..."

Gasping for breath, Fang Qingyun raised his head with difficulty, eyes fixed on the black lion not far away. Many watching through the surveillance monitors felt a jolt of alarm. Was he still thinking of killing that monster? He was barely clinging to life himself. Had he lost his mind?

Old Li, in particular, paced anxiously in the control room. Many candidates over the years had believed they could endure, only to be forced out without even having the chance to activate their secret treasures to escape the mystic realm.

Fang Qingyun, don't do anything foolish. You already meet all the requirements to become a martial artist—and not just any martial artist, but an exceptional one. Don't take any more risks.

[Spiritual Power +1]
[Spiritual Power: 42]

Bang!

As time passed, his spiritual power continued to grow. Fang Qingyun could hold out no longer—using the last of his strength, he slumped to the ground, back against a great tree, eyes locked on the black lion. Even now, he refused to give up on slaying the beast. He would simply postpone it a little; the creature couldn't escape anyway.

He also realized the importance of mental strength. Not only did it sharpen his focus and memory, but it also fortified his will. The immense pressure brought excruciating pain to his body. Had his mental strength still been at ten points, he might have collapsed long ago. Now, he could hold out a little longer.

Time slipped by.

Another wave of candidates was forced out of the mystic realm. Those remaining were all elites, with a high chance of becoming martial artists. Some were already qualified. Zhao Junhong, Zhou Yi, and others struggled under the pressure as well.

These would-be martial artists who had hunted half-demons and half-devils were also reaching their limits. Some had already taken secret medicines. Still, the Tide Transformation was a blessing—a process that remade their bodies.

Fang Qingyun, though his face was ashen and contorted with pain, felt a secret delight in his heart.

[Spiritual Power +1]
[Spiritual Power: 43]
[Source +1]
[Source +1]
…

"I am growing stronger," Fang Qingyun murmured to himself. By now, he was lying prone on the ground, finding it hard to breathe, his consciousness growing hazy. He knew he needed to allocate some points.

He chose not to add to strength or constitution, but to speed—an experiment.

[Speed +1]
[Speed: 12]

Crack.

His body underwent subtle changes, barely perceptible. The Source Points continued to pulse, and his condition clearly improved. Adding to strength, speed, or constitution would each slightly enhance the other attributes. Each increase was a process of bodily transformation, differing only in emphasis. The environment within the mystic realm primarily targeted strength and constitution. So, to keep himself in a near-death state, Fang Qingyun focused on speed.

It worked—he could hold on a bit longer.

…

"Strange," murmured several of those in the surveillance room—soldiers, the city lord, and admissions officers from various martial academies—as they noticed Fang Qingyun's condition seemed to improve. The Tide Transformation wasn’t over, the blessing hadn’t begun; how could he be getting better? If he had taken a secret medicine, it would make sense, but he had done nothing of the sort.

Was it a matter of constitution? Among the vast human race, there would always be some exceptions. The high-ranking martial artists present, seasoned and knowledgeable, considered that if Fang Qingyun had a special constitution, it would explain his impressive performance.

This realization only increased Fang Qingyun's value.

Damn it.

A number of admissions officers cursed under their breath. His rising value meant his "price" was climbing as well. To recruit him, who knew what it would cost? It was a painful pleasure.

"He's almost at his limit," the city lord said calmly. "Secretary, how much spiritual power does Fang Qingyun have now?"

"About thirty-eight points," the secretary replied immediately.

The city lord's lips curled in a smile. "He’ll reach at least forty points—only the great families can boast such standards."

The soldier nodded. "Exactly. And even in those families, only the direct descendants can achieve this—ordinary members cannot."

An admissions officer laughed. "The key is, this young man isn’t from any great family; his background is clean. That saves us a lot of trouble."

At this, many people turned to look at him.

"What?" the officer asked, perplexed by their stares.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No, not at all," they all replied with a smile, the room falling into a strangely silent tension.

…

[Spiritual Power +1]
[Spiritual Power: 44]

Fang Qingyun glanced at his spiritual power on the system, adjusting his breathing. He had so much spiritual power now that it not only brought crushing pressure but also sped up the rate of increase. This was a blessing, but Fang Qingyun had to focus all his will to avoid dying for real.

He was walking a tightrope—one misstep and death was certain.

He checked his Source Points.

[Source: 805]

From just 488, he had now accumulated over eight hundred, and they kept rising. Every so often, he grew a little stronger. Having the system was truly an unparalleled advantage.

Fang Qingyun thought for a moment and allocated more points.

[Mental Strength +1]
[Mental Strength: 13]

His faltering mind instantly revived.

"Mystic realm pressure? Hah! Let it come. The longer, the better!"

He had no idea how much time passed, but suddenly the pressure lessened. The second Tide Transformation was over.

Fang Qingyun's eyes snapped open. He leapt to his feet and charged at the black lion.

Now was the perfect moment to finish it.

All along, he had wanted to know—what reward would the mystic realm grant for slaying a true demon?