Chapter 90: Ancient Martial Sect

Arthur immediately distributed all the newly acquired attribute points among his five aspects before heading deeper into the island. However, he couldn’t shake the strange sensation lingering in his mind. An unusual aura seemed to spread across the island, faint yet distinct, as if something hidden within its depths was calling out to him.

"What could this be?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes as he followed the mysterious sensation.

The island was surprisingly beautiful. Unlike the dense forests he had encountered elsewhere, the trees here were scattered across the land, allowing sunlight to filter through their branches. Different varieties of fruit grew on them, while colorful flowers covered patches of the ground. Birds chirped occasionally overhead, and gentle sea waves washed against the shore, creating a soothing melody that blended perfectly with the rustling leaves.

"Not bad at all. I should establish a shelter here as well. This place would make an excellent vacation spot."

Arthur smiled with satisfaction. Considering the resources at his disposal, constructing a comfortable shelter would hardly require any effort. He could even transform the island into a private sanctuary where he could relax whenever he needed a break from cultivation and his other responsibilities.

However, the mysterious aura interested him far more than the scenery, and he had no intention of leaving before discovering its source.

Activating his movement technique, Arthur rapidly crossed the island and soon arrived at its center. The strange sensation had grown noticeably stronger along the way, yet there was nothing unusual in his surroundings. He couldn’t see any special plants, formations, buildings, or treasures that could explain the phenomenon.

Frowning slightly, he released his divine sense and carefully scanned the surrounding area. His perception spread through the ground, examining everything beneath the surface until he finally discovered something unusual. Approximately ten feet below the soil lay a strange crystal, barely the size of his fist. Despite its small appearance, it radiated the mysterious aura that had attracted his attention.

"So, you’re the source of this sensation."

Arthur’s interest immediately intensified. Without wasting any time, he manipulated the surrounding earth and dug out the buried object. A moment later, a fist sized crystal appeared in his hand. Its surface was smooth, and a faint red glow occasionally flickered beneath its seemingly ordinary exterior.

The crystal didn’t resemble any treasure he could remember encountering in his previous life. More importantly, his instincts as a Primordial were telling him that he had stumbled upon an extraordinary opportunity.

"System, appraise this item."

[Ding! Appraisal will require 100,000 Divine Gold.]

Arthur’s eyes widened in disbelief. For a moment, he wondered whether he had misheard the system’s notification. After all, appraising an Epic grade item in the outside world usually cost around ten Royal Gold, while even a Mythical grade item could be appraised for approximately ten Divine Gold.

Yet this seemingly ordinary crystal required an astonishing 100,000 Divine Gold.

"That much? What exactly is this thing?"

His curiosity increased several times over. The system had never demanded such an outrageous amount for an appraisal without a reason. Whatever he had discovered, it was clearly far beyond the treasures he usually encountered.

After a brief hesitation, Arthur made his decision.

"Do it."

[Ding! Appraisal completed.]

[Name: Inheritance Crystal]

[Grade: God Tier]

[Function: This crystal contains the inheritance of The Ancient Martial Sect that once flourished within the Divine Sun Cosmic Empire. The sect was destroyed three billion years ago. Before its downfall, its members sealed their cultivation techniques, divine arts, accumulated knowledge, memories, and hidden treasure locations within this crystal, waiting for a fated successor to discover their legacy.]

[Activation Requirement: Possess the strength of a Saint before reaching the age of twenty.]

Arthur’s expression changed dramatically as he read the information.

"An ancient martial sect from the Divine Sun Cosmic Empire?"

He had never heard of such an inheritance in his previous life. Even with his extensive knowledge of the future and experience as a powerful expert, this discovery was completely outside his expectations. A sect that had existed three billion years ago and preserved its entire inheritance for a successor was certainly no ordinary organization.

But what surprised him most was the activation requirement.

One had to possess the strength of a Saint before reaching the age of twenty. Such a condition was ridiculously difficult, especially considering how many cultivators spent centuries or even millennia advancing toward that realm. Even among exceptionally talented individuals, reaching such a level at such a young age would be almost unimaginable.

"Could it be that nobody ever fulfilled the requirement?"

Perhaps the crystal had remained buried on this island for countless years because no suitable successor had appeared. Either way, Arthur had no intention of letting such an opportunity slip through his fingers.

"How do I activate it?"

[Ding! Infuse your mana into the crystal to activate the inheritance.]

"Good."

Arthur immediately sat cross legged on the ground and held the crystal between his palms. Gathering his mana, he began channeling it into the mysterious object. At first, nothing happened, and the crystal remained completely still. Then, without warning, a brilliant flash of red light erupted from its surface.

Before Arthur could react, the light rushed toward his forehead and disappeared directly into his brain. At the same moment, the crystal turned gray, its mysterious glow vanishing entirely before its structure disintegrated into countless particles of dust.

Arthur initially felt nothing unusual. However, the next instant, an unimaginable flood of information surged into his consciousness. Countless cultivation techniques, martial arts, divine abilities, and memories began merging with his mind at an astonishing speed.

"Ahhhhh!"

Arthur let out a painful scream as the information overwhelmed his consciousness. His spiritual attributes were already far beyond those of ordinary players, allowing him to withstand mental pressure that would overwhelm most people. Nevertheless, the sheer volume of information contained within the inheritance was simply too enormous.

It was as though countless individuals were simultaneously forcing their entire lives, experiences, and accumulated knowledge into his mind. His consciousness struggled desperately to process everything, but the pressure continued mounting until he could no longer endure it.

Within moments, Arthur lost consciousness.

...

Nobody knew how much time had passed before Arthur finally opened his eyes again. The first thing he noticed was the extraordinary calmness within his mind. His eyes, which had once contained sharpness and ambition, now appeared as tranquil as the endless universe, as though they had witnessed the rise and fall of countless civilizations.

He remained motionless for several moments, silently organizing the memories that had merged with his consciousness.

Through the inheritance, Arthur had witnessed millions of years of the ancient martial sect’s development. He had seen its earliest founders struggle to establish their cultivation paths, watched successive generations refine their techniques, and experienced the countless battles and breakthroughs that had transformed the sect into a supreme power.

The memories were so vivid that he felt as though he had lived alongside those people himself. He had witnessed their victories, failures, friendships, and determination to reach the pinnacle of cultivation. Their countless years of research had produced an astonishing collection of martial techniques and divine arts, many far beyond anything Arthur had previously encountered.

However, the most shocking memory came from the sect’s final moments.

Arthur had witnessed the day an unknown existence attacked their territory. The sect’s experts mobilized their forces to resist the invader, including powerful beings whose strength was comparable to the emissary from the Erebus temple. Yet their combined efforts proved utterly meaningless.

A terrifying sword light emerged from a crack in space, descending upon the sect with overwhelming power. The countless defensive formations collapsed, and the mighty experts who had once stood at the pinnacle of their civilization were annihilated like insignificant ants. In a single devastating strike, the supreme sect that had dominated its era was reduced to nothing.

"What kind of realm does someone like that belong to?"

Arthur’s expression turned solemn as he recalled the terrifying scene. Based on the memories he had witnessed, the destructive power contained within that single sword strike was sufficient to annihilate thousands of galaxies instantly. It was a level of strength that challenged his understanding of cultivation itself.

"What a terrifying existence. Even the most powerful beings I’ve encountered seem insignificant compared to that monster."

For a while, Arthur remained silent, trying to comprehend the enormous gap between his current strength and the power he had witnessed. Yet his solemn expression gradually disappeared, replaced by an excited smile that he could no longer suppress.

The inheritance had given him access to countless martial techniques, cultivation methods, and divine arts. Some were suitable for his current level, while others could support his advancement into realms he had previously considered distant goals. More importantly, this knowledge would help him overcome obstacles that had troubled cultivators throughout history.

"Hehehe! With these techniques, reaching the Demigod level within a year might not be impossible. If everything goes according to plan, I might even reach Legendary Level 100 and become a true god!"

Arthur could barely contain his excitement. It felt as though someone had handed him the keys to an enormous treasure vault filled with opportunities. Although possessing these techniques didn’t automatically grant him the strength to master them, he now had a clear path forward and the knowledge required to pursue it.

Then his expression slowly changed.

Remembering the ancient sect’s final moments, Arthur’s eyes turned cold. The people whose memories he had inherited were no longer merely strangers from a distant age. Their experiences had become part of his consciousness, and he felt a deep connection to their fallen sect.

"Don’t worry, seniors. My brothers and sisters, I will avenge you someday. This is my promise."

His voice was quiet but resolute. He didn’t know who had destroyed the Divine Sun Cosmic Empire’s ancient martial sect, nor did he possess the strength to challenge such an existence yet. However, now that he had inherited their legacy, he would eventually uncover the truth and settle their unfinished grievances.

After making that vow, Arthur stood up and checked his communication device. The moment he saw the information displayed on its screen, his eyes widened.

"Three days?"

He had remained unconscious for three consecutive days while absorbing the inheritance. The discovery left him momentarily speechless. He had expected the process to be mentally exhausting, but he hadn’t imagined that it would consume so much time.

"Damn it! I need to hurry up and gather the materials required to forge the Divine Ashura Body!"

Arthur immediately recalled an extraordinary technique he had discovered among the inheritance. It was a divine body cultivation method that complemented his Shadow God class exceptionally well, allowing him to strengthen his physique and unlock abilities ordinary players could only dream of possessing.

According to the inheritance, successfully cultivating the Divine Ashura Body would transform his physical constitution and allow him to access higher order energies, including Hell Energy. It would also grant him an extraordinarily resilient body with powerful regenerative properties, alongside numerous other terrifying abilities.

With the Divine Ashura Body combined with his Shadow God class and the countless techniques he had just obtained, Arthur could already imagine how terrifying his future strength would become.