CHAPTER 174: A NEW LEVEL

In a cave-like hall where the ceiling seemed limitless, a creature was kneeling on the cold, damp ground. Even in that state, it was five times larger than an average human being.

And beside it was another creature which also looked creepy but with a human-like head. Its rest of the body was like a monster that would crawl out of a dungeon though.

In front of them, an orb was hovering in the air. And from within a huge ominous monster’s face was glowing.

From within the orb, the monster’s voice echoed. "How is the progress?! How long do you still need to turn that planet into our soul seed? We don’t have much time."

Though the voice was coming from the orb, it was intimidating enough to shake both the creatures kneeling in front of it.

"My lord. It’s almost done. Give us 100 more years and it would be completely done." The gigantic monster said while trembling. And the other one didn’t even dare to move.

"100 more years?! Had you been doing nothing and only sleeping? How come you still need 100 more years?!" it roared.

The gigantic monster slammed its head into the ground pleading, "Lord, have mercy. We have been trying our best. All those techniques are already inherited. Resources are also being utilized to the maximum. But still, the species on this planet is strong. They are almost at their brink of extinction but they will always remain a great threat and if we try to hasten the process it may totally be jeopardized."

"Last 20 years. That’s all I will give you. If you fail to do it by then, be ready to face your doom.

With a whoof sound, the orb turned normal and fell to the ground.

Finally, both creatures slowly raised their heads.

"Make sure the process is progressing quickly," the gigantic monster said, looking toward the human-headed one.

"Master, I’m trying," the human-headed monster replied. "But humans have completely stopped entering higher dungeons. And in the low-level ones, where we’ve sent improvised soldiers using seeds, while we’re able to collect a few hunters in some places, in many others, our chimera monsters were wiped out."

The gigantic monster let out a furious roar.

"I don’t care how you do it. Just complete the task however possible."

The human-headed monster lowered its head in fear.

"Yes, Master."

————-

Inside the hunter’s guild....

The environment was lively.

The hunters were chatting in groups, the aroma of food mixing into the air. Altogether, it created a pleasant atmosphere.

"How did Gideon’s team suddenly start performing so well? Weren’t they in a pretty average position even before that incident where three of their hunters died?" one of them said while gulping down ale from a wooden mug.

A female hunter sitting beside him added, "In the last three months, they’ve cleared at least over 25 D-rank dungeons. Totally inhuman."

And it wasn’t just at that table. Many others around the guild were also talking about Gideon’s party.

It had been three months since Melissa woke up and Lilith joined their team. Since then, they had been clearing dungeon after dungeon without pause. They were lucky that they hadn’t encountered another abnormal dungeon so far.

But despite their success, many members of Gideon’s team still felt a little down.

Because even after three months, one thing hadn’t changed...

Logan still hadn’t returned from wherever he had gone.

————

Inside his room in the inn above Delicia, Logan was seated in a lotus position.

Sunlight that was peeping through the window bathed him.

His legs were crossed, hands resting gently on his knees, eyes shut. Not a single twitch, not a single breath wasted. Dust had settled on the corners of the room, but not on him. For 4 whole months, he had maintained this position. Unmoving. Focused. Isolated.

The world outside had faded from his mind. There was only silence... and the slow, steady rotation of the Void Soul Sutra.

Spiritual energy from the Spirit Nectar still pulsed within him. Even now, after all these months, it hadn’t run dry. About 91% of the spiritual energy was done refining and still 9% was left.

He kept cultivating. Slowly refining the remaining portion.

Thin traces of white mist leaked from his pores. The ground around him had long since cracked, unable to withstand the energy that kept growing.

Inside his dantian, the flow of energy had reached a critical point. The golden Qi pool had expanded, vibrating violently with every passing second. Each meridian glowed faintly, reinforced by the constant rush of refined energy. His flesh, bones, and soul had already undergone countless micro-breaks and rebuilds.

And now... he was at the edge.

Close to another breakthrough. He kept circulating the Qi. Any moment now and he would rise to the next level of cultivation.

’Grandmaster realm.’

Time ticked by and he kept doing the same rhythmic breathing.

And then.....

Suddenly....

Boom!

A silent, internal quake.

His entire body shook once. Just once. But that was all it took.

A wave of powerful Qi burst out from within him. It shot upward like a pillar of light, tearing through the ceiling before fading into the sky.

Inside the room, the air froze.

The pressure vanished.

Logan slowly opened his eyes. They glowed faintly, like an aura emanating from them.

His whole presence had totally changed. No longer chaotic or suppressed. It was calm. Deep. Like the eye of a storm.

"Grandmaster realm! Finally," he whispered.

His voice was low, steady. The words carried weight.

He didn’t smile. He didn’t jump. There was no celebration.

Only stillness. Acceptance.

After all, this was just one step.

He looked down at his palms. The veins beneath the skin pulsed with power. Every inch of his body now felt connected, to the world, to the energy around him, and to something even deeper. His control over Qi had reached a different level.

And yet...

"It’s good, but I shouldn’t lose myself celebrating," he muttered. "I still have a long way to go."

He then closed his eyes again. He didn’t want even a single bit of that spiritual energy to go to waste.