The Ultimate Passive Paradigm [LitRPG Adventure, Epic Progression]

Both sides froze at what was unfolding before them.

The centipede-human halted its wooden drill, staring intently at the human before it.

"What are you?" it couldn't help but blurt out.

The one being questioned offered no answer.

Nathan raised his hand to examine it, bewildered by everything unfolding around him. He seemed to be enveloped by a thin layer of white and black smoke. Energy streams flowed back and forth like river currents. Ambient mana drifted toward him at an incredible speed.

Triggered [Mind of Tranquility]. One credit given.

Triggered [Mind of Tranquility]. One credit given.

Triggered [Mind of Tranquility] x 10...

He raised his hand to his head, feeling nauseous as his body churned with unfamiliar sensations. Then he regained his balance. When he used spirit vision to observe, he couldn't help but be amazed.

The coating around him was jagged and sharp. Serrated protrusions sprouted from his head, pointing upward like spikes. A vague stone-like formation appeared on his chest.

He looked like his Titan transformation under full Berserker state, but without gaining any height.

"What is happening?" he asked himself.

Inside him, black particles drifted one by one toward the black hole, drawing mana from the opposite side, mixing and colliding to create a new energy source.

He was even more shocked to realize his cultivation speed was being unleashed, as if his entire body had been freed from tons of weight pressing down on him, accelerating like a racing car. The sluggishness was gradually being completely replaced.

He clenched his fist and struck forward. A powerful punch sent the centipede-human crashing to the ground, creating a crater more than a meter wide.

A wave of exhilaration spread through his entire body—a strength he had never possessed before. Like when he transformed into the Titan. Nothing could stop him. Nothing could block his path. A straight road forward.

Grinning, Nathan attacked again. Each punch carried [Amplifying Strike] and [Flowing Strikes], making the air explode with thunderous booms. He fell into an intoxicated state, fighting until he forgot heaven and earth.

His opponent counterattacked, continuously using its legs to deliver lethal strikes. When Nathan broke them, it would conjure new ones and thrust forward without concern. Its shell-like armor glowed when receiving energy, resisting Nathan's fierce blows. However, under the relentless assault, even its proudest defense showed signs of failing.

Nathan grew more ferocious with each strike, the energy coating around him responding to his will and transforming. His hands could become blades, then immediately shift to gauntlets with spikes at the knuckles, then transform into needles. He experimented continuously, targeting the centipede-human's joints. He injected small spherical masses into its surface.

Using an energy shockwave, he pushed his opponent back, creating distance between them.

He snapped his fingers once. The small energy bombs detonated in sequence.

The centipede-human was engulfed in black and white smoke, passively thrown from place to place. When it ended, its entire body was bleeding, a mixture of red, green, and thick black fluid dripping to the floor.

Its previously smooth face was now covered with scratches, its two fangs chattering against each other, its antennae drooping listlessly.

"What are you?" it glared and asked again. "Why don't you go mad when absorbing so much demon energy?"

Nathan frowned. Demon Energy. This was exactly what Zeryn had warned him never to touch that day he received [Titan's Descendant]. Yet now he felt it was like part of his body. Something necessary.

More importantly, [Mind of Tranquility] wasn't triggering like the uncontrollable madness from Berserker state—without control, without thought. It was more like mental chaos when trying to adapt to a new component of his body. He figured that gradually, he could control this energy after overcoming this initial resistance. A resistance from his human nature against the Titan bloodline changes that had altered him at a fundamental level.

A new him was emerging.

Nathan wouldn't waste words on a detestable entity like the centipede-human. Especially when fighting made him hungrier and thirstier for more. Demon Energy must be limited in this place. And all of it resided within that wretch wearing red armor under the moonlight.

With a whoosh, he was beside his opponent again, hands and feet deploying attacks with open palms to increase contact area, accelerating the absorption rate.

"No," the centipede-human screamed. "You cannot do this!"

Nathan could see the monster growing weaker. Techniques requiring significant energy were becoming increasingly difficult to perform, and its recovery ability was laughably slow. Looking at the two holes in the human's stomach, its face became even more frustrated when it could plainly spot that the bleeding had stopped and healing had begun.

Nathan had neutralized all the negative effects of Demon Energy on ordinary Cultivators.

Realizing the situation had completely changed, the centipede-human once again used black sand from below, combining it with its wood aspect to form tendrils that bound Nathan in place.

It wasn't attacking anymore, but had decided to flee.

Nathan naturally wouldn't let that happen. Saw blades formed around his body, cutting through the bindings. What had been difficult before was now easy with the newly absorbed energy. The black hole in his spirit world seemed to operate at full capacity when demon energy was being used.

With several clicking sounds, the centipede-human stretched its body to five meters long, then turned its human head around to run. Its entire form writhed as it vaulted over village houses, seeking to hide.

"Don't even think about it," Nathan said contemptuously.

His legs coiled, placing a mixture of mana and demon energy under his feet. Both Physical Cultivation and Spirit Cultivation were used simultaneously.

Like a massive cannon, he crashed through wall after wall as if they were paper. Smoke and dust rose thick under his impact.

When everything cleared, he had pinned the centipede-human near its tail. Its insect legs flailed wildly, trying to break free.

Knowing escape was impossible, it made a decisive choice, using an internal mechanism to sever the crushed section and continue running with blood trailing behind, black energy smoke rising along its path.

This time, Nathan shot straight up high, his arms tensing, energy flowing behind his back. His hair, wrapped in black smoke, stabbed straight into the sky. In midair, he gritted his teeth and roared.

Boom!

He shot straight down at an incredible speed; wind exploded behind him. Then continuous tremors occurred as he landed. Buildings collapsed under the impact. Wall after wall toppled onto neighboring structures. Earth was gouged up. Water sprayed everywhere from the deep underground supply system. Trees fell askew.

Through the dim dust and cover of night, one could see a human standing upright, his hand gripping the neck of a grotesque entity with shattered shell layers, one of its legs severed to the knee and dangling with bloody, mangled flesh.

Nathan had exhausted the energy mixture. Ignoring his enemy's struggles, he raised his hand, creating a suction vortex. Black smoke visible to the naked eye flowed straight toward him.

The centipede-human tried to open its mouth, groaning weakly.

"Please. Spare me."

Nathan acted as if he hadn't heard, continuing to increase the intensity. His goal was to store more demon energy to continue Spirit Cultivation training, and simultaneously to save Gideon. He wanted to see if draining what was considered this widespread poison would save the young man or not.

The centipede-human thrashed more violently. Its shell gradually darkened, losing vitality. The two antennae on its head were losing their rigidity, becoming droopy and shorter. The fangs protruding from both sides similarly retracted. The joints once protected by wood dissolved into small fragments like ash.

"I beg you," it managed to say in a weak voice. "Let me become your servant. I know your secret. Don't you wonder why you can use demon energy?"

"What do you mean?" Nathan tilted his head and asked.

"I wanted to kill you when I was still a large centipede because I knew you could absorb demon energy," it said wretchedly. "I apologize."

"And?" Nathan said coldly.

"That's because I knew I was threatened from within my soul by your existence. Your appearance made me want to kneel and submit."

"And this is how you treat someone superior to you?" Nathan asked suspiciously.

"This is the demon way. Consume or be consumed. Please forgive me, Your Supremacy. But once I submit, I will be absolutely loyal."

Nathan wouldn't change his perspective just because he was addressed with a lofty title.

"Fine then." He nodded. "Get out of there!"

"What do you mean, my master," the centipede-human stammered.

"Get out of Gideon, right now."

"I will become useless without a host body."

"I said," Nathan snarled, "get out!"

Hearing this, the centipede-human resisted one last time, then sighed when it realized its entire body was powerless.

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Gideon's mouth opened. From inside shot out a small red centipede.

Gideon returned after the grotesque features disappeared. However, his entire body was a mess due to the wounds he'd suffered from Nathan's attacks. At the joints of his arms and legs were deep wounds. Bruises covered his body as his clothes had been torn, revealing a frame that had become gaunt. Clearly the centipede demon had not only devoured mana, but also the young man's life force. His hair was disheveled, covering eyes that had closed.

Nathan sensed through spirit vision that there was still breath to be saved.

The centipede writhed in Nathan's palm, unable to speak anymore. He could see its hesitation through its twisting movements and waving antennae.

It wanted to possess his body but feared causing trouble. So it tried to raise its upper half, swaying its head as if to show its smallness and submission.

Nathan crushed it with all his might.

A small crunching sound rose from his hand. The monster's flesh was torn apart by his mana into small dust. The weak protective shell was as if it didn't exist at all.

A piercing scream rang out.

An indignant and angry voice echoed around them.

"You will pay for this. My father will come for you, you wretched human."

Nathan didn't care. He couldn't accept a subordinate who had devoured an entire village and children. The probability of being bitten back someday was very high. As for the secret of this energy forbidden widely in the cultivator community, he still had Darkan to consult. So the fewer who knew about this matter, the better.

Without further thought, he knelt down to care for Gideon. He dropped healing water from his Spatial Ring onto the unfortunate young man's lips. Then he proceeded to bandage the wounds.

Above him, crackling sounds rang out.

Reinforcements had arrived.

Three transport vehicles landed one by one in the wide courtyard.

The first looked like a large rectangular container. When it fell with a loud thump to the ground, one side opened to let a team of more than ten people in blue uniforms run out. In their hands were small guns, swords hanging at their sides. At the center was someone wearing bright silver armor. The strength radiating from this team leader announced to all that he was a genuine Tier 3 cultivator.

From beside them jumped down from a giant winged lion five disciples of Verdant Spire Sect. All their uniforms were the same, still bearing that red hue. However, four people respectfully walked behind a stern-looking young man. Similarly, he radiated terrifying pressure around him.

Cloud Glider carrying Qingfeng landed last. She placed the children lying scattered on top of the small hut that fit just right. They were all frowning uncomfortably despite being lost in sleep, unclear what nightmares had occurred in their homes.

One person from the Verdant Spire Sect disciple group approached to assist Qingfeng when they noticed the archer's pale face and unsteady gait.

Nathan stood there, eyes looking at the victims lying scattered on the ground. Their entire bodies had been drained dry. The poison that had transformed them into containers for demon energy had created a horrifying, unforgettable scene. The village head, Elder An, seemed like he would turn to smoke with just one touch.

"What happened here?" the police team leader asked.

Team members had spread out, using equipment to scan and collect all information as well as store evidence.

"Demon," Nathan said, believing such an answer was sufficient to assess the situation.

He also couldn't hide this matter, nor did he have reason to hide it. The situation needed to be thoroughly understood to develop solutions for the children caught in such a place. His resistance to Demon Energy didn't mean others could do the same. Take Gideon, for example—after checking him over, residual damage was still present, lurking around. The healing process would take quite a long time.

The captain with short-cropped hair and a stern face couldn't help but become dismayed when he heard Nathan speak.

Without waiting for further explanation, he immediately moved to the tree to investigate after using spirit vision.

At this point, the Verdant Spire Sect disciple group approached. The leader with a long face and sharp chin gestured toward Nathan.

"I will take command from here," he said in a condescending voice.

Nathan narrowed his eyes, not bothering to care. Since the matter was finished, no one could make him obey. If they had arrived earlier to prevent the disaster, he would know to listen. Now there was no reason anymore.

He turned around, lifting Gideon, wanting to take his friend to rest somewhere better.

"Hey," the Tier 3 disciple called out irritably. "I'm talking to you."

"And I'm not deaf," Nathan snapped. "Now isn't the time for who gets the credit. Show some sense and shut up."

"You—" The Tier 3 pointed his finger, anger spreading across his face, making every expression contort.

The disciples following him similarly wanted to step forward and scold.

But Nathan had raised his hand to stop them, signaling for everyone to be quiet.

He turned his head, looking in one direction, then ignoring everyone, he carried Gideon toward the sound of groaning he heard.

Meida's formerly plump face had been replaced by gauntness beyond recognition, her cheeks sunken deep as if starved. Her full figure was now shriveled inside loose, baggy clothes.

Her eyes were dim as if unseeing, but she smiled when she heard footsteps.

"Gideon, is that you?" she said, her voice weak, broken, hard to hear. "You escaped?"

Nathan knelt down, speaking gently.

"It's me. But Gideon has been saved."

"Nathan?" Meida reached out searching and he grasped her hand. The coldness made him shudder despite having [Cold Resistance Aura]. "You really came back. You understood my meaning. How wonderful. Gideon is alright. The boy is alright, isn't he?"

"He will be fine," Nathan assured her. "You wanted to save Gideon?"

"Yes, for a long time," Meida's voice was distant. "I truly love that boy. I'm just a human, a lonely woman, after all. How could I not develop feelings for that chubby face always looking to me for protection?"

Nathan knew this woman was crying. But only dust fell from the corners of her eyes. No tears remained.

"So I was very happy when the boy left here," Meida said, "away from this cursed place of Emberwood. I wanted him to go far away. I prayed for that."

"But why didn't you tell him directly?"

"If only things were that simple," Meida said bitterly, coughing once.

Nathan thought the woman couldn't speak anymore, but she gathered more strength.

"Let me see Gideon."

Nathan placed the woman's hand on the young man's face. She caressed Gideon like he was the most precious thing in her life.

"I couldn't tell the boy because once I told him, everyone here would die," Meida broke down. "I spent all those years finding medicine to stop the poison inside Gideon and everyone else. But it had little effect. At most it prolonged this dying breath like me now."

Then Meida turned her head, eyes looking straight at Nathan as if she knew exactly where he was.

"Then you appeared. I don't know what happened when I accidentally let something slip. But afterward I was overjoyed because I had helped you become suspicious of everything. You saved my child."

"And the children too," Nathan said. "Though not completely."

Meida's dry lips curved up, revealing gums with no teeth left, a joyful sob rising in the night.

"So I still did well, didn't I? I reduced the dosage for the children. But oh! I was still the one who gave them this poison. How could I hope for salvation?"

Meida continued stroking Gideon's face, her hand caressing his eyebrows.

"Help me with something, Nathan," she said increasingly weakly. "Tell Gideon that I love him like a real son. His parents killed my daughter. I hated them. But I never hated the boy. An innocent child caught in adults' nightmare. He has suffered enough. Help me, Nathan?"

"I will pass along your words," Nathan confirmed.

"Thank you. You really are a good boy. I truly wish I could have properly hosted Gideon and his friend. What am I saying? There was no place for happiness for me. I was greedy wanting to protect the villagers while also sheltering Gideon. And in the end, nothing came of it."

Then Meida turned her head, looking toward the ancient tree that had lost nearly everything to the centipede's absorption.

"I'm coming to join everyone."

With a soft sigh, Meida truly passed away. Her hand fell limply to the ground.

Nathan sighed, placing the woman's hand on her chest, arranging her in a dignified position.

"Why didn't you try to save her?" a Verdant Spire Sect disciple who was also Tier 2 like him approached and asked.

"I already told you," Nathan said wearily. "Demon Energy. If you can solve it, then join in."

The Tier 3 team leader also nodded. Though displeased with Nathan, he signaled for his teammate to step back and not say more.

The police team leader returned, his face grim.

"There really is Demon Energy presence. What appeared here?"

"A demon," Nathan replied coldly.

"Of course I know that," the team leader frowned. "I need to know what it looked like, what type it was for my report."

"Sorry," Nathan said. "Too much happened tonight."

The team leader, despite being Tier 3, maintained a good attitude even when dealing with a young man suitable to be his son.

"It's alright, I understand. But we'll need your cooperation in the investigation process."

"What do you want?" Nathan asked.

"Footage of this place."

"Establish a PsiLink channel," Nathan said.

After a while, he had transmitted all the recorded footage to the police. However, he still didn't send everything to avoid revealing that he was the one using demon energy.

The police team leader concentrated on reviewing it briefly while sending it to his team members to watch.

Currently, a perimeter had been established around the village. A group of people entered the cave that had once been the centipede's dwelling to investigate. The bodies of nearly a thousand villagers were arranged neatly along the path, kept away from the collapsed areas.

"Nathan," the team leader's voice was heavy. "I need full footage of this event."

"Do you share all your secrets?" Nathan narrowed his eyes and asked.

"No," the team leader shook his head. "But since this strange entity appeared, you coincidentally stopped recording?"

"Heat of battle," Nathan shrugged. "I couldn't control the stability of PsiLink. Besides, do you have sufficient authority to know Verdant Spire Sect secrets?"

The police team leader stiffened, knowing he was poking into deep waters.

What puzzled him endlessly was the fact that the centipede-human had been eliminated. This conclusion didn't come from the recorded footage but mainly from investigating the mana wave disturbances around here, the environmental and structural destruction.

The interference from demon energy presence was fact. The readings had increasingly confirmed this. Then when expanding the investigation scope, there were no signs of escape or spatial disturbances. Advanced equipment could detect even the smallest disturbances from Cultivator manipulation of Tier 4 and below. Higher than that would create something absurd—how could a Tier 2 cultivator survive against someone so much stronger? That would only be possible with protection but should still be injured or restrained, not intact like this.

So the team leader concluded that Emberwood's deity had been completely eliminated. At the same time, he was suspicious of this young man. Exposed to demon energy without any signs of crisis. Even in past reports, there were no similar incidents.

Using this line of reasoning, the team leader was questioning whether Nathan was either an accomplice or also an entity similar to the centipede-human.

Nathan tried to remain calm, knowing this sharp team leader already suspected him based only on incomplete data here. He had predicted this beforehand, so what he needed to do now was stay composed and not show any hesitation in his actions.

The moment of silence also put a smile on the face of the Verdant Spire Sect disciple leader, as if he too had guessed something.

"Nathan," the team leader said. "You can call me Jun. And I need you to come with me for more detailed testimony about this incident."

"Isn't what I provided through PsiLink enough?" Nathan asked.

"Sufficient," Jun smiled. "But we'll need to analyze or verify some hypotheses. So we'll need your cooperation. This is standard procedure."

"That's right," the Tier 3 from Verdant Spire Sect interjected. "Nathan, you need to go with them."

"What if I don't want to?" Nathan didn't back down.

Hearing this, Jun pressed his lips together silently, glancing at the Tier 3 equal to himself.

"Senior Lin," Nathan said after finding information about his reinforcement team, "you are overstepping boundaries."

Lin frowned, seemingly knowing where things were heading, which made him appear even more irritated.

"You're still just an Inner Disciple," Nathan said boldly. "Don't forget your position when comparing yourself to a Direct Disciple. I respect you for having higher cultivation level. But giving orders? Don't delude yourself. Even Sect Leader Alaric Tethras would handle this matter carefully. Do you think you're higher than him?"

Being told this, Lin lowered his eyes, his sharp chin seeming to want to stab into his neck, glaring at Nathan. Apparently his desire to make things difficult for Nathan and claim credit for this mission was becoming increasingly distant. Resolving demon-related incidents would greatly enhance Lin's reputation. Plus he would receive many contribution points.

Jun saw the situation and understood he couldn't get more involved. As a skilled police officer, he had his own purposes with this case. A demon appearing in Caelindor's territory! If Jun led this case and brought answers to the leadership and people, the resources flowing to him would be immeasurable.

However, neither side could do anything about the great obstacle before them. Though not highly capable, his status far exceeded everyone else's. The police captain still clearly remembered Elder Darkan's wrath toward all of Maelivar just months ago.

Nathan made a respectful gesture toward Jun.

"Forgive me for having to interrupt this procedure. But this incident will be decided by my master and Sect Leader Alaric Tethras on what steps to take next. Once they agree, I will be at your office to assist in every way possible. But not now!"

Nathan understood that once he fell into other forces' hands, there was a possibility, however small, that he couldn't escape. So the most comprehensive approach was to let higher-ups decide for him.

The police team leader also bowed, feeling less uncomfortable when receiving necessary respect. This was the major barrier in the cultivator world. Police handling cases involving disciples of sects or members of large organizations were always handcuffed like this. Behind them were existences too terrifying, requiring the utmost care and finesse. Jun had experienced this situation too many times to know when to back down.

He greeted everyone around once then returned to his Tier 2 subordinates waiting for orders. A lengthy report awaited his completion.

Nathan glanced at the other disciples, said nothing, and carried Gideon to board Cloud Glider.

He wasn't bluffing but truly wanted to use the fastest speed to return and report to Darkan and Alaric.

He believed this matter was far from over.