Chapter 32 – Rewards

Upon arriving in his cave dwelling, Tian Ling calmly sat in a lotus position, adjusting his breath and relaxing his muscles after the intense conflict he had faced. The silence within the cave was deep, almost comforting, but it was soon interrupted as a translucent screen appeared before his eyes, gently floating in the air.

[Detected that you have successfully helped protect the Misty Serene Sect. You will receive a random Mythical Realm and a bloodline upgrade.]

[Congratulations! You have received the Mythical Realm of the Gods.]

[Congratulations! Your bloodline has been upgraded to: Guardian Bloodline.]

Tian Ling looked at the screen, surprised. A sphere of energy, the size of an apple, materialized in front of him, glowing with a faint golden hue. He couldn't help but lean slightly forward, his eyes examining the sphere as if trying to comprehend the true power it contained.

"This Mythical Realm must be incredible... The size of the portal alone is nearly as large as an entire island. What kind of colossal treasure is this?" he murmured, his voice filled with admiration, though his gaze remained vigilant.

Storing the Mythical Realm in his storage ring, Tian Ling took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the rewards. He then turned his attention to the next reward: his bloodline upgrade. The system echoed in his mind again, and another screen gleamed before his eyes.

[Would you like to inherit your bloodline upgrade now? (Yes/No)]

Without hesitation, Tian Ling raised his hand with determination and clicked "Yes." As soon as he did, an intense light exploded from within his cave, illuminating everything around him. His body was engulfed by pure, overwhelming energy, and he entered a state of deep epiphany, where his understanding of the universe and himself expanded exponentially.

The light radiating from his body was so strong that the entire Misty Serene Sect trembled as if the heavens and earth were being shaken. The power emanating from Tian Ling was so vast that it could be felt throughout the mortal world, causing every conscious being to pause for a moment.

Near the sect, disciples stared at the sky, startled.

"What's happening?" one of the disciples shouted, eyes wide with fear.

"Are we being attacked again?" another asked, his voice trembling.

"Could it be someone from the Dark Sect? How is that possible?!" a third added, trying to make sense of the situation.

Inside the sect's main hall, where the elders and the sect master were discussing reconstruction, the ground shook with enough force to make some lose their balance. Panic quickly spread.

"W-what's happening now?!" one of the elders exclaimed, trying to stay calm but visibly shaken.

"This feeling..." another elder murmured, frowning, clearly perplexed.

"The heavens and the earth are resonating again! This is not normal!" a third added, his voice filled with disbelief.

The elders all began talking at once, their voices full of concern and curiosity. However, the sect master raised his hand, calling for silence. His expression was serious, but he maintained his composure.

"Calm down! This tremor is not from an attack. It's the birth of an unprecedented talent. Something is changing."

The elders exchanged suspicious glances, but the master's words seemed to ease their worries slightly.

"A talent? How powerful must this talent be to make the heavens and earth resonate like this?" one of the elders asked, his expression full of doubt and skepticism.

"I can't pinpoint where this talent is coming from, but judging by the tremor, I can feel that it's coming from within our sect. We must gather the disciples quickly," the sect master said, urgency in his voice.

The elders nodded and quickly dispersed, hurrying to summon the disciples and search for the source of the mysterious power.

Meanwhile, the tremors in Tian Ling's cave began to subside, and slowly, his eyes opened. His pupils briefly shimmered gold before returning to their normal color. He exhaled a long, heavy sigh.

"Dominant..." he murmured, feeling the change within his body. "I can now absorb spiritual Qi even faster than before."

A faint smile crossed his lips but quickly faded as he thought: "Status." Another screen appeared in front of him, revealing his new information.

[Name: Tian Ling

Age: 61

Race: Mortal

Realm: True Soul Realm (Level 1)

Spiritual Root: High Grade

Cultivation Technique: Path of the Inner Flow]

Skills:

Tempestuous Heavens Sword (Spiritual Grade)Celestial Light Steps (Spiritual Grade)Celestial Palm (Mythical Grade)Five Judgment Swords (Immortal Grade)

Equipment:

Boots of Spiritual Slipstream (Spiritual Grade)Dividing Sword (Earthly Grade)Earth Bracelet (Earthly Grade)Sacred Mantle (Earthly Grade)Jade Necklace (Celestial Class Defensive Treasure)

Bloodline: Guardian

"My bloodline became Guardian? What exactly does that mean?" Tian Ling murmured to himself, without receiving a response from the system. He knew the answers would come with time, but curiosity gnawed at him.

He took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and glanced around the cave. The silence was comforting, but he knew he couldn't waste any time.

"It's fine. First, I'll speak with the Mistress and see about placing my Mythical Realm on the island," he decided, more determined than ever.

As he exited his cave, Tian Ling looked toward the Misty Serene Sect. It was in ruins. The victory over the Dark Sect had not come without great losses. Many of the buildings were demolished, and the disciples were tirelessly working on reconstruction.

"I need to work even harder. I can't give my enemies the chance to harm those who are important to me," Tian Ling thought, his gaze hardening as he made his way toward the palace of Elder Mei Lianhua, one of the few places still intact.

Upon arriving at the palace, he was surprised to see that all of Mei Lianhua's disciples were present. He approached his mistress with a curious expression.

"Mistress, did something happen? Why did you gather everyone here?" Tian Ling whispered to Mei Lianhua, cautiously.

"Don't worry," she replied, her voice soft. "An incredible talent has appeared, and we're searching for them. That's why all the elders have gathered their disciples."

"Hmm, I see... I needed to speak with you about something, but I can come back later," Tian Ling responded, already preparing to leave.

However, before he could depart, Mei Lianhua interrupted him.

"Stay. Sit down. I also want to talk to you afterward," she said, in a tone that left no room for discussion.

Tian Ling, surprised by the request, nodded and sat down beside her. The gazes of many disciples fell upon him, but unlike before, no one was shocked to see him sitting next to the elder. Many had already witnessed Tian Ling's strength and deeply respected him.

After all the disciples were gathered, Mei Lianhua stood up and spoke:

"I've called you all here today because an extraordinary talent has emerged, either within the sect or nearby. If any of you are responsible for this, come to me. We will personally nurture you. When you go on missions, remember to search the areas surrounding the sect for other talents."

The hall was silent as the disciples absorbed the gravity of the situation. Everyone knew the earlier tremor was related to this new talent, but no one dared to ask questions. They simply nodded and, after receiving their orders, were dismissed. Mei Lianhua and Tian Ling remained alone in the hall.

The silence was almost palpable, which made Tian Ling slightly uncomfortable. After a few minutes, Mei Lianhua broke the silence, looking directly at him.

Sigh "Who are you really, Tian Ling? Why are you in the Misty Serene Sect?" she asked, her gaze serious and direct.

"Mistress, I am your disciple, and I always have been. I just... got lucky," Tian Ling said, unsure of what else to say.

"Lucky? And your techniques? You don't even cultivate the sect's technique. And the skills you possess?" Mei Lianhua continued, her tone full of doubts.

"It makes sense that Mistress is suspicious... Even I don't know where all these things the system gives me come from. Should I tell the truth? No, that would only bring trouble," Tian Ling thought, weighing his options. He sighed and replied:

"Mistress, I cannot reveal where my skills come from. I hope you understand. But know that I would never bring any harm to the sect," he said, sincerity in his voice.

Mei Lianhua looked at him for a long moment before softening her expression.

"Very well. I hope one day you'll tell me the truth. But for now, let's change the subject. What did you want to talk to me about?" she asked.

"Oh, about that... I received a Mythical Realm, and I'd like to place it on my island. Could you help me with that, Mistress?" Tian Ling asked, relieved to change the topic.

"What? A Mythical Realm? Where did you get that?" Mei Lianhua was extremely surprised, her thoughts immediately turning to the absurd number of treasures Tian Ling seemed to possess.

"Well, Mistress..." he began, but she quickly understood it was something else he couldn't explain.

"Alright, if you don't want to tell, you don't have to. Let's go to your island. I'll help you set up the portal since you've never done it before," she replied, with a resigned sigh.