Chapter 464: Breakingthrough the Emperor Realm!

The following days passed without any major disturbances.

Gray spent the first evening at Scarlett’s residence sorting through the rewards he had obtained from the auction.

He had already arranged to receive the cultivation resources promised by Elira, and Scarlett, despite her growing suspicion about his intentions, had honored her own word as well.

The royal families of two rival princesses were now competing to provide him with materials, pills, and access to cultivation chambers.

It was a pleasant position to be in.

Naturally, Gray had no intention of wasting it.

He spent the next few days inside a private cultivation chamber assigned to him by Scarlett’s family.

The room had been built deep beneath the residence, surrounded by layers of defensive formations and thick stone walls engraved with runes.

Even a battle between two Great Rulers would struggle to damage the inner chamber, and the room’s gathering formation drew in enough demonic energy to keep an ordinary cultivator satisfied for years.

For Gray, it was merely convenient.

He sat cross-legged in the center of the formation, his black robe was folded neatly beside him, while several items floated in front of his body.

The first was a sealed jade case containing the Pure Heartseed.

The second was a thin, silver-white piece of metal that seemed almost too delicate to be a weapon material.

Fine strands ran across its surface like silk, and every movement of the light caused them to shine with a faint blue sheen.

The Heavenly Silk Alien Metal.

Gray looked from one treasure to the other before finally reaching for the silver-white metal.

"Let’s start with the weapon."

He had purchased the material for this very reason.

His Rapier had served him well, but as his opponents grew stronger, the gap between his own cultivation and his weapon’s limits had become a problem worth addressing.

A weapon was more than a sharp piece of metal.

At higher levels, it was an extension of its owner’s will, a channel through which mana, intent, and laws could be brought into battle.

A weapon that was too weak would eventually become a restriction, no matter how skilled its wielder happened to be.

Gray had no intention of allowing that to happen.

He drew the rapier and placed it across his knees.

The blade was narrow and elegant, without a name engraved upon its surface.

Its smooth edge reflected the crimson light of the formation, while the faint aura surrounding it revealed its existing grade.

A High Emperor weapon.

It had been a fine weapon when he obtained it, and its quality had already surpassed what most cultivators of the Mortal Plane would ever touch.

However, the Heavenly Silk Alien Metal was a material with a far greater potential than its unassuming appearance suggested.

Gray pressed a finger against the metal.

"Go on, then. Show me what you’re worth."

He released a thread of mana.

The silver-white material shivered.

Swoop...

Then it dissolved.

Thousands of hair-thin strands spread through the air, circling the rapier before settling against its surface.

The strands did not melt or drip like ordinary metal. Instead, they slipped into the blade as though passing through water, disappearing one after another until the entire piece of Heavenly Silk Alien Metal had been absorbed.

For a moment, nothing happened.

KRRRNNG!

Until a clear ringing sound spread through the cultivation chamber, and the formations carved into the walls lit up in response.

The rapier rose from Gray’s knees and floated in front of him, its blade shining with a silver light so bright that the surrounding shadows retreated.

Gray’s eyes narrowed.

The weapon was drawing upon the energy contained within the Heavenly Silk Alien Metal, breaking down its old structure and rebuilding itself from within.

Fine silver patterns spread along the blade, forming delicate lines that resembled strands of woven silk.

They reached the tip, circled the guard, and disappeared into the hilt.

Then the weapon’s aura erupted.

BOOOOM!

A wave of pressure swept through the chamber.

The protective formations shuddered, and a few of the weaker runes flickered before the surrounding array reinforced them.

Gray raised a hand to stop the pressure from spreading any further, keeping the weapon’s aura contained within the room.

The rapier spun once in the air before settling into his waiting palm.

He felt the difference immediately.

The blade’s connection to mana had grown far more refined.

Its structure was stronger, its response to his will faster, and the strange silver strands woven through its body seemed to possess an ability to endure attacks that would have damaged its previous form.

Most importantly, its grade had risen by an enormous margin.

[Weapon Evolution Complete.]

[Unnamed Rapier]

[Previous Grade: High Emperor]

[Current Grade: Peak Monarch]

[Weapon Structure: Refined.]

[Energy Conduction: Greatly Improved.]

[Material Compatibility: Excellent.]

Gray stared at the final line for a moment, then he slowly ran his thumb along the flat of the blade, careful not to touch its edge.

"Peak Monarch..."

His smile widened.

The Heavenly Silk Alien Metal had not merely repaired the weapon or pushed it to the next minor stage.

It had allowed the rapier to break through several grades in one evolution, reaching a level far beyond its previous limit.

For a cultivator who had spent the last few days struggling to find suitable resources, this was an outstanding return on his investment.

’Not bad at all. At this rate, I won’t need to worry about replacing this thing for a long time.’

He gave the blade a light flick.

TING!

The sound was soft, yet it carried a strange clarity through the room. A thread of silver light followed the movement, cutting a thin line into the air before vanishing.

Gray’s expression grew more satisfied.

A weapon at the Peak Monarch grade was no small advantage, especially when combined with his combat experience and his collection of techniques.

He still needed to account for the gap between his cultivation and that of his strongest opponents, but at least his weapon would no longer become a liability when he fought above his own level.

He placed the rapier beside him and turned toward the jade case.

"Now, let’s see whether you’re as generous."

The Pure Heartseed rested inside the case, looking like a small, translucent seed formed from pale gold crystal.

A soft light pulsed within it, while faint streams of pure mana moved beneath its surface.

Even before opening the case, Gray could feel the difference between this treasure and the resources he had consumed during his previous breakthrough.

Ordinary cultivation materials supplied energy.

High-grade pills refined the body and improved the circulation of mana. Rare treasures could strengthen one’s foundation or remove obstacles that would otherwise take years to overcome.

The Pure Heartseed offered something more valuable.

Purity.

Its mana carried almost no impurities, and the energy within it had been condensed to a degree that made ordinary high-grade crystals look crude by comparison.

It was the sort of treasure that would be wasted on someone whose foundation was unstable, since much of its value depended on the cultivator’s ability to absorb and refine it without losing its natural qualities.

Gray, however, had spent years building a foundation so demanding that even an enormous supply of resources had failed to push him beyond the Peak Saint Realm.

His progress was slow because every part of his cultivation needed to advance together.

His body, mana core, spiritual perception, techniques, and other abilities all placed demands on the energy he absorbed.

Advancing one part too far would leave the others struggling to keep up, while taking the slower route meant spending vast quantities of resources for relatively little improvement.

The Pure Heartseed offered him a chance to address that problem.

He opened the jade case.

A warm golden light washed over his face.

For several seconds, Gray simply observed the seed, studying the energy within it through his Spirit Eyes.

The layers of mana were so clean that even the faintest fluctuations stood out clearly.

Beneath them, he sensed a deep vitality that spread through the seed like the roots of an ancient tree.

His gaze sharpened.

’This should be enough.’

He reached forward and brought the Pure Heartseed into the center of his palm.

"Huff..."

The first pulse entered his body.

It was gentle, almost unnoticeable, like a warm breeze passing through an open window. The second pulse followed, and the third spread through his chest before moving into his limbs.

Gray’s breathing slowed.

Golden light appeared beneath his skin, beginning at his palm and spreading along the pathways that carried mana through his body.

The light reached his wrist, moved up his forearm, and branched into countless fine lines that followed the structure of his mana circuits.

His body began absorbing the treasure.

At first, the process was smooth.

The Pure Heartseed released its energy in small waves, allowing his body to refine each portion before accepting the next.

His mana core drew in the pure energy, while his physical body absorbed the remaining vitality and used it to strengthen his muscles, bones, organs, and the countless subtle structures that ordinary cultivators often neglected.

Zooom...

A low hum filled the chamber.

Gray’s skin glowed faintly, and his black hair stirred in the air despite the absence of wind.

The energy around him formed a slowly turning spiral, drawing the mana from the surrounding formation into his body while the Pure Heartseed supplied the pure energy needed to refine it.

His foundation began to change.

The improvement was not limited to his core.

The mana flowing through his circuits grew denser, while the pathways themselves became more capable of carrying that increased pressure.

Crack...

His bones gave off a faint ringing sound as the treasure’s vitality seeped into them, and his muscles tightened before relaxing again, each cycle leaving them stronger than before.

Even his organs were being refined.

Just then, the energy reached his mana core, and the pressure inside his body rose sharply.

THUMM!

His core pulsed.

The entire chamber seemed to fall silent as the surrounding mana was drawn toward him.

The defensive formations brightened, pouring out their stored energy in an attempt to satisfy the sudden demand, but Gray barely paid attention to them.

His mind was focused on the barrier before him.

The final barrier of the Saint Realm.

He had stood at its edge for far too long, stuck at Peak Saint with his cultivation progress frozen at ninety-nine percent.

His foundation had become so refined that almost every breakthrough required a ridiculous amount of energy, and even then, much of what he absorbed went toward strengthening the parts of himself that had fallen behind.

The Heartseed’s pure energy was different.

It entered his body without forcing him to spend as much effort removing impurities, and its vitality supported the refinement of his physical foundation while his core gathered the energy needed to advance.

For the first time since reaching his current level, his body and mana core were moving forward together instead of competing for the resources he supplied.

The barrier trembled.

Gray’s brows drew together as he guided the energy through his circuits, drawing it into his core and compressing it until the pressure became almost unbearable.

The Pure Heartseed began to shrink in his hand.

Its golden light faded with every pulse, but the energy within Gray’s body grew brighter.

The mana surrounding him gathered into a dense spiral, pressing down on the barrier from every direction.

Then the final resistance broke.

KRAAAACK!

The sound echoed through his body.

A wave of mana burst from Gray’s core, rushing through his circuits before spreading into every corner of his body.

The cultivation chamber shook, and the defensive formations blazed brightly as they struggled to contain the surge.

Gray opened his eyes.

Their crimson light was sharper than before, and the pressure radiating from him had changed entirely.

The Pure Heartseed had vanished as well.

"Haaah..."

A final trace of golden light moved through Gray’s chest before sinking into his body.

[Major Breakthrough Successful!]

[Rank: Early Emperor Realm.]

[Foundation Refinement: Complete.]

[Physical Constitution: Improved.]

[Mana Circuits: Strengthened.]

[Mana Core: Expanded and Refined.]

[Energy Purity: Greatly Improved.]

Gray remained seated for several seconds, allowing the last waves of mana to settle.

Then he slowly raised his hand and clenched it.

The air compressed around his fingers.

BOOM!

A short burst of pressure exploded from his fist, striking the floor beneath him and leaving a shallow indentation in the reinforced stone.

"This..."

His eyes narrowed as he looked at the indentation.

It should’ve been impossible for him to do something like this, since even Great Rulers would need a lot of attacks to cause this damage.

Just then... he noticed a faint pink mist leaking out of the indentation before dissipating.

That caused him to remember...

"Oh... The Law of Seduction."

His lips curled up.

He had reached the Emperor Realm, where one could start communicating with the Laws, meaning his refined Law of Seduction...

Could finally exert its full power.