Chapter 673: An Opportunity by Lyra

In the Great Ruler Empire, the Mana Condensed Pool was more than just a luxury—it was a necessity for every genius striving to level up to higher ranks.

It was one of the most coveted training grounds in the entire Great Ruler Empire. Reserved for true geniuses, it offered what few other places could—pure, undiluted, heavily compressed mana, almost in liquid form.

It was so concentrated that even the most stubborn bottlenecks could be shattered with focused effort and enough time within the pool. But such a resource came at a steep price—1000 PQ per hour, a cost that only the most determined or desperate could afford.

While ordinary mana could be absorbed during training, it often lacked the density and purity required to make significant progress, especially when one approached the wall separating major ranks.

The Mana Condensed Pool, however, was built precisely for that purpose. The mana within it wasn’t just dense—it was condensed to the point where it flowed like thick mist, rich with power and perfectly aligned for absorption.

Every drop was like a surge of raw energy, refined and potent enough to pierce through bottlenecks that might otherwise take years to overcome. That was why experts from all over the Great Ruler Empire flocked to it, using the PQ they had earned—often through blood, sweat, and dangerous missions—to buy precious hours within its walls.

For them, PQ wasn’t just currency; it was the ticket to advancement. Whether it was stepping from Master Rank to Champion, or crossing the difficult chasm into Legend Rank, the pool was the place where geniuses made their leaps.

It had become a common and accepted part of life within the Empire. Every genius knew—when the time came to make a major breakthrough, you went to the Mana Condensed Pool. There was no shame in it. Only results mattered. And in the Great Ruler Empire, results were everything.

Just when Max was about to make up his mind about using his privilege to enter the Mana Condensed Pool, his holowatch suddenly beeped, drawing his attention.

Curious, he tapped the interface and saw a message from Lyra.

It was short but direct: [What level of strength you currently have?]

Max frowned slightly, puzzled by the sudden question. ’Why is she asking this?’ he wondered, unsure of her motive.

But after a brief pause, he decided to be honest. They had a mutual goal—after all, they were both tied by the oath to win the next Divine Mandate Grand Tournament.

There was no reason to hide anything from her. So he typed back calmly, "I can defeat someone at the 2nd level of Champion Rank if I give it my all."

It didn’t take long before her reply came back: [Good! I have an opportunity for you to level up to Master Rank in one direct swoop. Meet me at the entrance of the 1-star section tomorrow.]

Max blinked, then smiled wide. "An opportunity to level up to Master Rank?" he muttered, a surge of excitement rushing through his veins.

Just moments ago, he had been seriously considering using his privilege for an hour in the Mana Condensed Pool, gambling everything for a breakthrough. He had been desperate for progress.

But now, unexpectedly, Lyra had thrown him a rope. Not just a rope—but a shortcut, and one that came without him having to burn any PQ or privileges. With a faint chuckle and renewed determination burning in his eyes, Max leaned back, his mind already preparing for tomorrow.

"Good." Max exhaled softly, a genuine smile spreading across his face. He was truly relieved.

Although just moments ago he had been on the verge of using his one-time privilege to enter the Conceptual Cave and trade it for access to the Mana Condensed Pool, there had been a nagging hesitation in his heart.

The Conceptual Cave wasn’t just any training ground—it was revered as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, sacred grounds under the banner of the Great Ruler Empire. It was a place where comprehension of concepts, something even the most gifted experts struggled to improve, could be elevated in a miraculous way.

The environment inside the cave somehow amplified clarity, inspired breakthroughs, and helped cultivators push past mental blocks that might otherwise take years to overcome.

The chance of elevating a concept from one level to the next was higher there than anywhere else in the entire Middle Domain. That was why Max felt hesitant to trade that opportunity for something like a breakthrough to Master Rank—even if it was urgent.

And now, with Lyra offering him a separate opportunity to achieve that breakthrough, Max felt like the luck were still on his side. He could save the Conceptual Cave for something even more important—his comprehension of concepts.

He had already formed a long-term plan for that. He would wait until all his concepts had reached the advanced stage of level 2, and then he would step into the Conceptual Cave. If everything aligned, he might just walk out with every one of them pushed to level 3.

That was the kind of future he was chasing—and he wasn’t about to throw it away in haste.

"There is still like half a day left," Max muttered under his breath, determination glinting in his eyes as he slowly stepped into his Dimension of Time.

With so much on his plate, he couldn’t afford to let even a second go to waste. He decided to devote the remaining time to honing the light-based abilities of his Heavenly Luminance Sacred Bloodline—a powerful ability he hadn’t fully explored yet.

Inside the Dimension, time flowed differently. It was the perfect place for focused, accelerated training. His body moved with precision as he unleashed beam after beam of sacred light, each strike more refined than the last. He practiced until the energy around him glowed in harmony with his will.

When the next day arrived, Max emerged from his Dimension of Time, refreshed and a step closer to mastering his bloodline’s brilliance. At the break of dawn, he made his way to the entrance of the 1-star sector, just as Lyra had instructed.

The early morning chill brushed against his skin, but his heart was steady with anticipation. He waited silently, watching the sun rise slowly above the rooftops, bathing the city in golden hues. Time passed.

It wasn’t until a full hour later that Lyra finally appeared. But she wasn’t alone. Walking beside her was an elderly man, dressed in simple but refined robes, with small white hair and white beard.

The moment Max laid eyes on him, a chill shot down his spine. There was something deeply unsettling about the way the man looked at him—not with menace, but with piercing clarity, like a scalpel peeling away every layer of his being. It felt like all his secrets, all his fears, all his potential were laid bare before those ancient eyes.

More than that, the pressure. It was suffocating. Max’s breath hitched. His body tensed instinctively, every muscle alert. It felt like the very air around him had turned solid. He was no stranger to strength—he’d fought powerful foes before—but this was something else entirely.

This wasn’t just strength. It was presence. The kind that only a being who stood above mortals could possess.

’Divine Rank!’ Max’s heart pounded as realization struck him like lightning. ’This person... he must be in the Divine Rank.’ Only someone who had transcended the mortal boundaries of power could make someone like Max—who had battled his way through countless dangers—feel like a mere ant beneath their gaze.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay