NOVEL NEXT Chapter 75: System Upgrades
Vincent's lips curved into a tired, satisfied smile. "Finally."
Ding! [SYSTEM UPDATED]
He set his unfinished teacup aside and immediately opened the system interface. A large blue panel blinked to life before him, brighter than ever. The more he read, the deeper his surprise grew.
System has upgraded to Tier 3.
It will now be more interactive. You can ask certain basic questions and receive answers.
[SYSTEM STATUS]
LP: 3530 (+200)
VP: 2880 (+400)
PROTAGONISTS:
Liam: Eliminated (Alive)
Jin: Eliminated (Dead)
Marcus LP: 1400
Aelric LP: 1900 (-200)
[SYSTEM STORE]
You can now exchange corporate and cultivation resources for Villain Points, as well as upgrade your cultivation base using Luck Points.
You may also purchase various skills categorized into three levels—Basic, Improved, and Expert.
Vincent's eyes widened slightly as he examined the store. Not only could he finally expect direct answers from the system, but this expansion was larger than anything before. What caught his attention most, however, was the option to increase his cultivation foundation using luck points.
The interface pulsed with a subtle rhythm, almost like a heartbeat. Vincent found himself leaning closer, studying each category with growing fascination. The organization was meticulous. Each skill tree branched out with precise descriptions and recommended prerequisites.
"Basic skills cost around two to three hundred Villain Points if unrelated to cultivation. Improved ones fall between five to seven hundred, while Expert-level ranges from one to one and a half thousand."
He scrolled through the catalog, tempted to purchase a dozen things at once. The variety was vast. From mathematics and management to piano, karate and even lock picking skills. There was also a wide selection of cultivation techniques, though the latter came at steeper prices.
Some entries caught his eye: strategic thinking, business negotiation, even something called "aura manipulation" that seemed particularly intriguing for his current circumstances.
The cultivation techniques section gleamed with golden borders, clearly marking them as premium offerings. Vincent noticed several that would complement his current path, including breathing methods that promised to double his energy absorption rate and meditation techniques that could sharpen his mental clarity during crucial moments.
Vincent's eyes paused and widened at an elixir present in the system store.
[Dual Path Harmony Elixir]-4,000
Description: Allows a cultivator to safely practice both Mind and Body cultivation paths without spiritual pathway interference.
Vincent's breath caught in his throat. This shouldn't be possible. Every cultivator knew the fundamental law that had governed their world since ancient times—one could only choose a single cultivation path, Mind or Body, never both.
The restriction existed for a brutal, unforgiving reason rooted in human anatomy itself. When a cultivator advanced from the Refined Stage to the Core Formation Stage, their spiritual energy would condense into a solid core. Mind cultivators formed this core within their brain, while Body cultivators developed theirs around the heart. From these cores, intricate spiritual pathways would branch out like a complex network of capillaries, carrying refined energy throughout the cultivator's system.
These pathways were not mere abstract concepts—they were physical manifestations that carved themselves into the cultivator's very flesh and organs. Mind cultivation pathways flowed upward and outward from the brain, following the nervous system's natural routes, enhancing mental clarity, psychic abilities, and spiritual perception. Body cultivation pathways, conversely, radiated from the heart through the circulatory system, strengthening physical prowess, healing capabilities, and raw power.
The pathways were incompatible by design. Mind cultivation channels were narrow, precise, and electrically charged, designed to carry swift, refined spiritual impulses. Body cultivation channels were broader, more robust, pulsing with raw, dense energy that coursed like liquid fire through muscle and bone.
If someone attempted to practice both methods simultaneously, the competing spiritual pathways would inevitably intersect and collide within the cultivator's body. The delicate Mind pathways would be overwhelmed by the crude power of Body cultivation, while the Body channels would become clogged and twisted by the intricate patterns of Mind cultivation. The result was always the same—a catastrophic spiritual explosion that would tear the cultivator apart from within, their own energy becoming a weapon against their flesh.
Yet here before him was an elixir claiming to make the impossible possible. The price alone suggested its rarity and danger. 4,000 Villain Points was more than he currently possessed, a sum that spoke to the elixir's incredible value and risk.
He didn't need to think about this for now. He had more things to check out right now.
Without wasting time, he opened the Luck Point to cultivation conversion page.
You can now convert Luck Points to strengthen your cultivation foundation. Current cultivation level: Low Refined Stage Luck Points required for Middle Refined Stage: 300
Vincent paused, his finger hovering over the conversion button. The weight of this decision pressed against his thoughts. Each luck point represented opportunity, fortune, the very fabric that could tilt circumstances in his favor when he needed them most.
"I need to be careful about this," Vincent murmured. He understood the weight of luck points better than most. They were his lifeline, something he couldn't afford to spend blindly. "But this upgrade is safe. I must at least match Marcus, if not surpass him—and quickly."
His gaze shifted to Liora, still fast asleep, her lips curled in a faint smile. No doubt she was dreaming of riches. Her breathing was even and peaceful, completely unaware of the momentous changes happening mere feet away. Vincent felt a strange protectiveness watching her—she had proven herself useful, but more than that, she had chosen to stand beside him when others might have fled.
Vincent pressed the button without hesitation.
[LP: 3530 – 300 = 3230]
Warmth spread through his body at once, unlike the violent storm he had endured when breaking through from Basic to Refined. This time, the energy felt comfortable, like liquid sunlight seeping into every vein. His spiritual essence thickened, becoming denser and more stable, his foundation settling smoothly. The transformation was gradual but profound—he could feel his capacity expanding, his control becoming more refined.
A refreshing clarity followed. His skin prickled as faint black impurities oozed out of his pores—far less than the torrent he had expelled during his last breakthrough, but still enough to wrinkle his nose. The smell was acrid, metallic, carrying with it the remnants of his former limitations.
Disgusted by the stench, Vincent quickly went to wash himself. The hot water sluiced away the filth as he kept scrolling through the items and skills now available to him. Steam filled the bathroom, creating a misty veil that seemed to mirror his thoughts as they drifted between possibilities.
"With these cultivation resources, I can strengthen both Helena and Olivia," he muttered, water cascading down his shoulders. Olivia's spiritual roots were middle-grade like his, but Helena's were only low-grade. "If I want to improve hers, I'll have to buy that elixir again… but it's costly, and the process is torment." The memory of his own suffering with it flashed vividly across his mind. The price in Villain Points was no less painful.
The thought of Helena enduring that same agony gave him pause. Her determination was admirable, but he wondered if she truly understood what she would be asking of herself.
"After all these updates, my demand for Villain Points has only grown," Vincent sighed, stepping out of the shower and closing the interface. The cool air hit his skin, a stark contrast to the warmth still radiating from his enhanced cultivation base.
Reaching for his bathrobe, his eyes caught another prompt still hovering before him.
You have one unread message.
P.S.— Sorry guys I have been sick and late in my updates. Thank you LazyMith & Kokayi for golden ticket.