The Prism Of Ascendance

Sol's hair was disheveled, his complexion pale, and a trail of blood was left behind with every step he took. He staggered around the forest, using the trees as support as he just kept moving, not knowing what lay ahead.

Thud!

Sol tripped on a root protruding from the ground and collapsed to the ground. His body was drenched in sweat and blood, his breathing heavy and his joints badly aching. In such a condition, not only did he need medical assistance, but he also needed time to rest properly and let his regenerative ability kick in.

Sol looked back to the trail of blood and frowned. He wasn't sure how long he had been running, but it was clear he needed some rest. 

He had planned to come out on top in this test and even did well in handling Katherine but right now his situation could be considered worse than hers.

Sol didn't know about the rampant slaughtering of students, so he assumed he was the one with the rotten luck. He gritted his teeth painfully as he crawled in the direction of the closest tree.

Sol sat up and rested his back on the tree. He knew staying at a spot was not advisable, but he also understood that stopping his bleeding should be his priority.

So what if he kept running?

He was getting slower with each passing second, and was getting weaker as well. He was also leaving behind a trail of blood for faster beasts to follow.

Most importantly, he was bleeding badly. If he kept going like this, he would eventually bleed out and die. Sol reached into his robe and pulled out the pendant to give it a good look.

Ding.

[Name: The Prism of Ascendance]

[Weapon tier: 3]

[Type: Artifact]

[Abilities]

[Energy Absorption: The multicolored crystal acts as a conduit for absorbing ambient energy from the surrounding environment, including the elemental essences of earth, air, fire, water, and ether. It draws upon the natural energies of the world, converting them into a potent source of power.]

[Harmonization: As energy flows into the crystal, it undergoes a process of harmonization, blending, and balancing the disparate elemental energies within its core. This harmonized energy radiates outward in a gentle aura, imbuing the wearer with a sense of tranquility and balance.]

[Amplification: The Prism of Ascendance amplifies the innate potential of the wearer, catalyzing their spiritual and physical growth. It serves as a catalyst for cultivation practices, accelerating the accumulation of Qi or mana, and enhancing the efficacy of meditation and training regimens. The amplification lasts for only two hours and requires a twenty-four-hour cool downtime.]

[Protection: The pendant forms a protective barrier around the wearer, deflecting malevolent energies and shielding against psychic intrusions. The harmonized energy emitted by the crystal acts as a beacon of light amidst darkness, repelling negative forces and promoting inner resilience.]

Seeing this, Sol was shocked. He finally understood why Lukas had put so much effort into chasing him down after he snatched this item. He had thought it was valuable at the time, but it seems the artifact exceeded his expectations.

With this, the need for cultivation materials is almost non-existent, especially since it could draw on the energies of the world around it.

"I guess I hit the jackpot this time," Sol muttered with a bitter and weak smile.

He wore the pendant around his neck and shut his eyes. He activated the energy absorption ability and a strong wind began blowing around his location while the multicolored pendant shone brightly. 

Numerous dazzling colors flashed around and Sol knew this would only make it easier for enemies to find him, but he had no other choice.

Leaves were picked up by the wind and spun around him as the world's energy surged around him. Sol suddenly felt lighter and the pain in his chest subsided as he was intoxicated by the feeling of cultivation once again. 

Sol remained in that position for an unknown amount of time and allowed his body to regain its strength before moving to the second phase of his plan. The tightening feeling in his chest seemed to vanish into the background as he absorbed the world's power

After staying for what seemed like hours, he could feel the unadulterated energy of the world flowing through his veins and spreading across his body. He opened his eyes only to reveal pure white eyes while white veins began bulging across his body.

[Amplification activated]

"Hak…" Sol muttered as he channeled his demonic bloodline.

The amplification of the amulet was not as effective as the power of the one, which instantly brought Sol up to the level of a tier one being. Instead, it improved his abilities significantly, but more was needed to push him into the tier one level.

Using the release ability, Sol's skin turned darker and the blood sipping out of his opened wound turned black. While he could feel something going on around his wounds which indicated the healing process had started, he still considered it too slow.

"Gah!" Sol groaned painfully.

The demonic regeneration was unlike the normal regeneration one would dream of. It felt like hot needles were used to bind his damaged skin together and a few seconds into the healing process, Sol felt like a thousand scorching needles had pierced his body, yet his injuries were only twenty percent healed.

The pain was so much, that Sol must have lost his sensitivity towards time. He wasn't sure how much time had passed during the healing process.

The bleeding had stopped, but the wound was still fresh and open. Sol struggled to think even with the pain he felt, and he concluded it would take a few more hours to be completely healed.

Swoosh.

All of a sudden, a spear tore through the wind and stabbed into his left shoulder, causing Sol to cry out in pain. Footsteps of numerous goblins could be heard, and their war cries were louder as they got closer.

"Fuck me," Sol cursed as he gripped his shoulder and felt blood running down from his wound.

He wanted to pull out the wooden spear, but he knew this would only make the bleeding worse. Sol let out pained grunts as he rose to his feet and staggered away, leaving behind a trail of blood as they moved.