Chapter 256: Chapter 245: Growing Even Stronger

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I fell into the volcano, and the Heavenly Demon didn’t go to rescue me.

He let me fall into the boiling lava, right over the melting Black Steel.

The burning pain was mind-numbingly horrendous.

Yet Temperance made of that pain almost nothing.

I could bear it, so I swam in the boiling, melting steel.

“W-What is this?”

I couldn’t understand what was happening. I breathed the Black Steel, and it melded with me and my entire body.

It was strange; at some point, there was no longer any pain, and the warmth of the volcano was soothing.

Before I could think of what was happening to me, I fell unconscious.

…

“Ugh…”

When I finally regained consciousness and woke up, I found myself wrapped in cold, soft blankets. There was a nice chilly hair gently touching my face, and the air felt fresh and cold, not hot and heavy.

“Hmm?”

I looked around; I found myself inside the palace again. I guess this time I really passed out. Was the whole falling into the volcano some sort of dream I had? There was no way I would have survived that, right?

Even more when I fell unconscious, the Heavenly Demon wasn’t helping me either, so it was definitely a dream. Or not?

I looked into my body; there was not even a single scar after all that training. Even with my healing spells and skills, I was sure I would keep some scars, especially on the sole of my feet.

But I was wrong; there was not a single one left! Did the Heavenly Demon heal me or something?

“Weird, I feel somewhat heavier.”

I usually always felt very light, but now it felt as if my body had become much… I don’t know, big?

Maybe it was because I was just dizzy or something, right?

I walked out of the bed; my feet touching the cold floor felt refreshing. I moved to the mirror.

And then froze.

“Eeeh?!”

I was definitely much taller than before!

At least… I think I went from my 166 to over 175 centimeters!

“T-Ten whole centimeters?!”

My face was still that of a baby girl though, but my body looked slightly more I don’t know, mature? Like I was about to hit my nineteens instead of still being in my early seventeens.

“These didn’t get bigger though.”

I looked at my chest for a few seconds, feeling slightly happy, actually. Having big breasts will only get in the way of my fighting style anyway.

But my arms and legs, my stomach—they had become well-toned; it was a reinforcement that was beyond the system itself.

This was a complete physical ritual of restructuration that didn’t use any Skill assistance or something.

“I-I really fell inside that volcano, didn’t I?”

“You sure did…”

Sepa’s voice echoed behind me as she appeared as a small and cute, blue-colored centipede.

“I did?!”

“Yep, you fell there and… Surprisingly, she didn’t die. I think it was because the whole thing was actually like some sort of Special Ritual, it followed specific Rules and had Steps, each Step you made was a way to… Somewhat control the elemental particles in the air, or as some would call it, the Heavenly Dao.”

“No way! It was a Ritual this entire time! Did the Heavenly Demon set some sort of Domain or Formation to make it happen?”

“Most definitely, I felt a lot of Ki Essence flowing everywhere. You, the burning path, the metal you carried, the volcano—they were all ingredients, part of the same concoction. I think what triggered things to happen was your Frenzy becoming something else.”

“Right…”

And then the System notifications popped up, notifying me of what exactly happened.

[You have comprehended, dominated, and temporarily transformed the [Third Seal: Frenzy] into the [Reverse Seal: Temperance]!]

[The power of Temperance flows through your Ki; you can withstand all punishment into your body. You are one with patience and temperance.]

[Your comprehension over the [Third Seal: Frenzy (Tier 1)] has raised its Tier to Tier 2!]

[Congratulations! The Progress of your [Demonic Seven Cursed Seals Arts (5/7): Tier 1] comprehension has increased to 100% the Martial Arts has Ranked up to Tier 2!]

“Okay, so that happened… So I can flip a seal and make it a Reverse Seal? I had no idea I could summon the reverse of a Seal’s powers too!” I said. “That’s actually really cool!”

“Keep reading,” Sepa said.

“Hm?”

[Through the power of the [Reverse Seal: Temperance], your wounded body that took the burning damage of the [Fiery Path of One Hundred Thousand Hell Steps] has fully absorbed the [Black Heaven’s Steel] after it melted into the lava of the [Volcano of Burning Desires] through the powers of the [Array of Divine Body Tempering]! You’ve successfully undergone {Body Tempering}!]

[Your body’s size, musculature, bones, weight, height, senses, bloodlines, health, and maturity have received a great enhancement!]

[All your Physical Stats have increased by +1.000!]

[You gained +3.000 Ki!]

[Your [Physique]: [Nine Colored Nova Physique (Tier 3: Rank 7)] has absorbed the Divine Treasure: [Black Heaven’s Steel] and has used it to further reinforce your body.]

[Your [Physique]: [Nine Colored Nova Physique (Tier 3: Rank 7)] has Ranked Up to Tier 3: Rank 9!]

[You gained +1.000 Ki!]

[You gained +500 Physical Stats.]

[Your [Physique]: [Nine Colored Nova Physique (Tier 3: Rank 9)] has gained the Additional Ability: [Black Heaven’s Steel Skin]!]

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[Physique]: [Nine Colored Nova Physique (Tier 3: Rank 9)]

A Physique that channels the purity of the Sunlight and refines it with nine different colors from the rainbow, containing the Radiance of the Element of Yang and the Martial Essence of highly condensed Ki within its entire structure.

This powerful Physique allows the user to transform their bodies into a Nova themselves, flaring through their foes with lightning speed and explosive, blinding light.

This Physique will progress through Meditation, Absorption of Pure Sunlight, Yang Energy Cultivation, and Ki Cultivation.

Physique Abilities:

Tier 1: {Sunlight’s Blessing}: Increases Affinity to the Sunlight Element by +100%. Grants the ability to conjure, manipulate, and summon Sunlight to fight, defend, or even heal wounds.

Tier 2: {Starlight}: Your body shines as bright as starlight. You can unleash Starlight as you fight, explosions of light will come as you clash against foes, dealing up to 400% damage based on your Ki Stat.

Tier 3: {Brilliant Nova}: Harness large quantities of Ki into your Physique and become as bright and fiery as a Brilliant, Radiant Nova. Anybody that touches you will receive severe burning damage, and even enemies that are close will have their stats reduced by 20%. You can release Nova Beams against foes that can deal up to 500% damage based on your Ki Stat.

Additional Abilities:

[Black Heaven’s Steel Skin]: Your body has been tempered by the [Fiery Path of One Hundred Thousand Hell Steps], whose wounds have allowed you to easily absorb and replace them with the [Black Heaven’s Steel] through the melting process of the [Volcano of Burning Desires]. Your Physical Toughness has increased by +500%. Reduces Physical Damage taken by -50%. You can resist all Elements and survive without Breathing Oxygen or Eating for a much- longer time than before.

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“No way, and that’s not even a Skill, it's just a new aspect of my own body…” I muttered. “It halves all physical damage? Just like that?! And my toughness is so high… Would a sword break if it hits my skin, I wonder?”

And the best part was that I didn’t need to activate it using any energy or something; it was a passive effect that’ll be always there 100% of the time; it is not even tied to the System. The System is merely showing me what it can do in detail.

“You sure got stronger~ See, it wasn’t too bad!” Laughed Sepa.

“I-I guess so, yeah…” I nodded.

Ding!

[Congratulations! You have Completed the {Optional Challenge Quest}: {Complete the Trial of Frenzy!]

[Rank: SS+]

[This was an arduous Trial that included more self-tempering than fighting for survival. You had to rely on your most unstable power to climb a mountain while constantly burning and carrying an immense weight.]

[However, your tremendous efforts have paid off. Not only has your body been fully tempered, but you’ve gained even more strength, and your Martial Arts have progressed even further.]

[Nonetheless, you’re still halfway through; don’t celebrate just yet; there’s much training left to be done!]

[Completion Rewards]: [10.000 Plot Points] [Black Heaven Ki Pearl Fragment (S+++ Rank)] x1 [White Heaven Ki Pearl Fragment (S+++ Rank)] x1 [Ki Restoration Potion (S Rank)] x1 [Ki Enhancing Pill (S Rank)] x1 [Skill Level Elixir (S Rank)] x1]

“There was even another Quest, huh?” I smiled a bit. “Well, that’s that… Time to start yet another horrible day; wish me luck, Sepa.”

“Good luck! I’ll be watching you do horrible and painful things while I eat popcorn~” Sepa mocked me.

[“Hey, Anna! Are you wielding me or what? Yesterday you spent the whole day away from me!”]

“Yeah, maybe I’ll use you today, you act like a jealous boyfriend, you’re just a dumb sword…”

[“Who are you calling dumb?! It is thanks to me that you’ve survived so far! Hey, where are you going?! W-Wait, please don’t leave me alone! I’m sorry!”]

Gram cried as I was about to leave my room with my Familiars.

“Hah, you two-faced sword…”

I then put him on his sheath and walked away with him.

“Looks like you’re awake, Young Master Anna!” Ying Shen greeted me.

“Oh, Ying Shen! Yes, I am awake!” I nodded. “I wonder though, have you seen Fang Shuan around? Oh right, how are you? You slept the whole day yesterday too…”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Yes, it was quite a harsh trial; I had to rest for too long; I feel ashamed…” Ying Shen apologized. “But I also feel stronger, much more than before. Using those abilities and surpassing my limits… It feels like my total Ki has increased drastically, and my physical strength as well!”

“Nice! I’m raising you well then,” I nodded.

“Raising… me?” he wondered, without understanding what I said. “Oh, right! Lord Fang Shuan has been outside for a while; it seems he requested the Heavenly Demon to teach him ways to temper his soul. And he was sent to a faraway temple to train.”

“Wait what?! I had no idea. Fang Shua just went on his own. He didn’t even tell me anything,” I sighed.

“He did say he felt ashamed of seeing you constantly train and push yourself so much while he was leisurely sitting around idle. He said he felt frustrated and also wanted to do his best!” Ying Shen said. “Please don’t worry, Lord Fang Shuan is someone reliable, strong, and righteous! He will come back even stronger once he undergoes Soul Tempering in the Temple of One Hundred Demon Souls!”

“That temple sounds super dangerous!” I cried. “Master! Where are you?”

I walked around the temple with Ying Shen until I finally found the damn crow; he was leisurely sitting in front of his room’s terrace, enjoying some tea while looking at the horizon.

“My disciple, you’re awake,” he greeted me. “Your Body Tempering went excellently yesterday; you look much taller now. How do you feel?”

“Ah, that… It’s amazing; I feel really strong. Thank you, master,” I bowed to him.

“It was mostly all your efforts,” he said. “Now, come sit down and let’s enjoy some tea before we begin another day of training.”

“Before that… Why exactly did you send my Familiar to some weird temple?” I asked.

“Ah! You mean that brat, Fang Shuan? He said he wanted to grow stronger and also temper himself. Because his body was made of steel and he couldn’t cultivate that, he decided to try cultivating his soul instead,” said the Heavenly Demon. “I sent him to that old temple; rest assured, he’ll come back even stronger.”

“What if he dies though?!” I cried.

“You sure look down on your friends, don’t you, my disciple?” sighed the Heavenly Demon. “Trust his courage, his resolve, and his desire to become strong. He’s doing it all for you, to serve you and help you better; don’t insult his pride!”

“But…” I muttered. “Fine, fine, FINE! Okay… I forgot he’s also from a world similar to this one, so he got that lunatic mindset.”

“Hahaha! You’re as harsh as ever with your words, my disciple. Today’s training will be a hard one too!” He smiled sadistically. “Today you shall face the Trial of Desire and Frustration!”

“Ugh…” I groaned. “Yaaay…”

At least if they were the last ones on the list, I might as well get them done quickly.

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