Chương 479: Realm in Chaos (V)

Aww man, look at the kids cultivating in isolation and breaking through-- -- as-fucking-if! What are those assholes doing?! I just know it in my heart that they are breaking through in the middle of a damn battle! I just know it! Ah, damn, there goes that anxiety shot right into my heart. Please, please, just be careful... Yeah. That's not gonna happen.

[Disciple Xi Zhao has manifested an extremely rare Ethereal Sword Spirit; extra rewards are generated] [Disciple Light has manifested the Primordial Foundation, joining the ranks of legendary figures] [...] [Disciple Xi Zhao has obtained a new trait, 'Nascent Sword' (Rare)'; trait 'Temporal Sword' has evolved into 'Heavenfold Sword' (???)] [Disciple Xi Zhao's mortal constitution shifts; there is an opportunity to evolve into Sword-Body Physique] [...] [Disciple Light has obtained a new trait, Seed of Death (???); the trait Eyes of the Mind (Legendary) has evolved into 'Manifest Mind' (???)] [...] [Ethereal Sword Spirit -- a manifestation of a non-linear sword that ebbs and flows between realities; adds a secondary dimension to all sword-based attacks, layering them] [Primordial Foundation -- the topmost form of Foundation; it is said that Dao itself offers a faint trace of a breath to finalize the Foundation's construction. Due to its primeval nature, it supports any and all Dao Paths in perfect harmony] [...] [Nascent Sword (Rare) -- a minute trace of a sword has developed within Xi Zhao's consciousness; a proto form of the Sword Heart trait] [Heavenfold Sword (???) -- penultimate form of this particular sword path, Heavenfold Sword combines a spatial dimension to the temporal one of the Temporal Sword; the greater the mastery of Dao of Space and Dao of Time, the greater the potential for stagnation of attacks. Due to Xi Zhao's lacking understanding, each use will consume an exuberant amount of Qi] [Sword-Body Physique (???) -- a legendary physique first developed during the Imperial Era, perfecting the Heavenly Sword Physique; those in possession of it will never encounter any difficulties learning martial arts related to the sword. Requirements to obtain it, however, are so immense that it is currently impossible for Xi Zhao] [...] [Seed of Death (???) -- Light has captured the faintest hint of Dao of Death, embedding a potential within herself. She has become almost immune to Death-Type arrays, poisons, and formations] [Manifest Mind (???) -- a penultimate form of conceptual Cosmic Mind; unlike the lesser form of Eyes of the Mind, which 'merely' allows for separate instances of one's mind to think at once, Manifest Mind allows for physical embedding of a mind into an existing object. The secondary mind remains perfectly in sync with the original, acting per the original mind's frame. Light currently lacks Qi to separate her mind to such a degree; she must first reach Revolving Core Realm] [...] [...] [Congratulations, Host; your Disciples have achieved immense feats, writing their names in the cosmic tome of Dao. A choice of rewards has been presented] [...] [CHOOSE] [Reward 1: Assortment of rewards per individual achievement; this will include Creation Points, personal trait evolution, random items of appropriate ranks, and a hint toward solving Host's current predicament] If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. [OR] [Reward 2: Your physique evolves into its penultimate form] [Time Remaining: 60s; if a Host does not select within 1 minute, the system will choose at random]... huh.

This is the first time the system had ever put a time limit on this. Why? It could be that it doesn't want me to overthink it (though I don't know why it would think that, as I never took that long to just randomly choose something), or maybe it's just fucking with me, or it's some other, third thing I can't even conceptualize. Regardless, looking at the two rewards...... I get a tingle in my spine, as it were. On the first glance, the choice is obvious: the first reward.

There's a pattern to the system in that whenever it offers a choice between rewards, one of them will likely be of the 'selfish' type. Like a bait of sorts. And the entire reward being just my Physique evolving sounds extremely selfish, countered against an assortment of knickknacks that can be used to empower the kids. But that tingle... it won't go away. Inherently, my physique isn't selfish. Rather, it does abso-fucking-lutely nothing for me. Like, without kids around me, it's entirely worthless.

On the other hand, I have used points and other rewards of the system selfishly. Am I overthinking it? Maybe. Am I just talking myself into it because the word 'penultimate' is so tempting it's giving me a brain worm? I mean, it is just one step shy of ultimate. Haah. Seconds ticked away, but I didn't choose. Even if I knew what I was going to choose.... just a stupid attempt to delay the chance of me being deathly wrong for a bit longer. Ultimately, I chose the second reward.

Come what may, I'll follow these stupid guts of mine to our bitter end. [Reward 2 was chosen] [...] [Sage (???) Physique has evolved into Bodhi Sage Physique (???)] [Bodhi Sage Physique (Dao) -- in the ages before letters and words, before sects and teachings, there stood a single tree beneath which the heavens were understood. Those who sat underneath its vast canopy glimpsed the truth of all things, if only for a moment. The Bodhi Sage Physique embodies the faintest echo of the ancient miracle, manifesting a form that allows others to walk the path of enlightenment. All your Direct Disciples, regardless of where they are, will always naturally align with their correct path; they can never walk the wrong Dao; they can enter a state of Enlightenment at will once every year, and their state will last twice as long as it otherwise would. The existing bonuses of the Sage (???) Physique remain, though their effects also become without range] [Note: there is currently nobody alive in possession of the Bodhi Sage Physique, though there are 3 figures with Sage Physique. All three will immediately recognize your true nature and understand that, by devouring you, they can inherit it. Subduing at least three Sages and accepting them as your Disciples will allow you to realize the final form of the physique] [Good luck!]... wow. Holy shit.

It's still completely useless for me, so it's stayed on theme, at least. Besides that... damn. Honestly, even if 'all' the physique did was make the existing effects of Sage Physique 'global', it would still have been a beyond worthwhile upgrade. And though I don't quite understand the new effects, there is that yearly state of Enlightenment that they can enter, which I'm pretty sure will cause both Long Tao and Lao Shun to hang a noose around my neck until I tell them what the deal is. Oh well.

My gut was right once again. Now, even if they leave to start their own families or sects or merely to adventure a bit, I will be with them, however little. Helping. Like now. Will they be confused when they realize the changes? Ah, if only the physique gave me something like a multi-monitor setup, some popcorn, and a live stream of all the kids right now...... hmm. Maybe it did give me a broken brain. Nah, that shit's been broken for a while. Wow. If these kids here could listen in on my mind...

Yeah, let's not even entertain the thought...