Chapter 45: Perfection Stage of Nether Realm

With the Amethyst Aura pulsating around him, Reese settled into a comfortable position, ready to begin his cultivation. However, as he prepared to channel the energy, a sudden realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.

"Hold on a minute," Reese muttered to himself, furrowing his brow in consternation. "I can't cultivate with these impurities ruining my clothes again."

With a determined nod, Reese wasted no time stripping off his garments, leaving him completely naked in the privacy inside the Amethyst Orb. As he glanced down at his bruised and battered body, a wry smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"Well, at least I won't have to worry about ruining another set of clothes," Reese mused, his voice laced with amusement.

With his attire discarded, Reese returned his focus to the task at hand, settling back into his cross-legged position. Closing his eyes, he began to draw upon the power of the Amethyst Aura, his mind clear and focused as he dove into the depths of the Divine Amethyst Art.

As the radiant energy flowed through him, Reese could feel the healing properties of the Aura working their magic, soothing his bruises and restoring his vitality with each passing moment.

As Reese dove deeper into his cultivation, waves of pain surged through his body, testing his resolve and determination. Without his master by his side, he knew that he had to rely on his own strength to endure the agony and push through to new heights.

Gritting his teeth, Reese fought against the searing pain, his muscles trembling with the effort as he focused every ounce of his being on the task at hand. With each passing moment, he could feel the energy of the Amethyst Aura coursing through his veins, fueling his determination and propelling him forward.

And then, just as he thought he could bear it no longer, Reese felt a profound shift within him. A surge of power washed over him, and he knew in that moment that he had reached the major stage of the Nether Realm.

A triumphant smile spread across Reese's face as he basked in the glow of his achievement. Despite the challenges and hardships he had faced, he had emerged stronger and more resilient than ever before.

"I did it," Reese whispered, his voice tinged with awe. "I've reached the major stage." 

Encouraged by his success, Reese continued to cultivate with renewed vigor, his determination unwavering as he pushed himself to new heights of strength and enlightenment. Days passed in a blur as he immersed himself in the transformative energy of the Amethyst Aura, his body pulsating with newfound power with each passing moment.

After days of intense cultivation, Reese's body hummed with the residual energy of the Amethyst Aura. With a contented sigh, he finally ceased his meditation, allowing his senses to return to the present moment.

As he inspected his body, Reese's eyes widened in astonishment at what he saw. A subtle glow enveloped him, emanating from within as if his very essence had been transformed by the power of the Amethyst Aura. And then, to his utter amazement, he noticed a faint shimmer running along one of his meridians.

A surge of excitement coursed through Reese as he realized the significance of this discovery. Opening a meridian was no small feat—it marked the beginning of the perfection stage of the Nether Realm, a realm of power and enlightenment beyond his wildest dreams.

Unable to contain his elation, Reese laughed aloud, his voice echoing through the dome as he marveled at the magnitude of his achievement. "I've done it!" he exclaimed, his heart racing with exhilaration. "I've reached the beginning of the perfection stage!" 

Reese shook his head in disbelief, his mind racing with thoughts of the unexpected turn his cultivation had taken. He had anticipated reaching the peak of the major stage of the Nether Realm, but to ascend further into the beginning of the perfection stage was beyond his wildest expectations.

"I didn't think... I didn't think it was possible," Reese muttered to himself, his voice tinged with awe. "To think that the Amethyst Aura could propel me this far... It's truly incredible."

"But there's still so much more to learn," Reese mused, his eyes alight with determination. "I won't rest until I've reached the full extent of my power," Reese vowed.

With the realization of his ascension to the perfection stage of the Nether Realm sinking in, Reese couldn't help but feel a surge of curiosity. He pondered aloud to himself, "I wonder how many memory fragments I can unlock now..."

Closing his eyes, he focused his thoughts on accessing the hidden depths of his mind, where the fragments of his memories lay dormant.

After a moment of intense concentration, Reese felt a subtle shift within him, a sign that he had succeeded in unlocking another layer of the memory fragments. Opening his eyes, he couldn't contain his excitement. "Yes! Another one!" he exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face.

But the question still lingered in his mind, driving him to push further. "I wonder how many more I can open?" Reese mused.

Reese continued to go deeper, each fragment unlocking with newfound clarity. He was inundated with a flood of information that rushed through his mind like a torrential river.

"Whoa," Reese murmured, his eyes widening in amazement as he absorbed the wealth of knowledge streaming into his consciousness. "This is incredible."

The memories surged forward, each one offering glimpses into forgotten skills and forgotten experiences, filling Reese with a sense of wonder and excitement.

"Wow, there's so much knowledge here," Reese remarked, his eyes scanning the memories flashing before him. "I never imagined I'd have access to all of this."

Yet, amidst the excitement, a pang of disappointment tugged at Reese's heart. "But... Pill Refining and Array formation?" he muttered, furrowing his brow in frustration. "I don't even have the materials for these, let alone know if they exist on Earth."

Then a grin spread across Reese's face as he stumbled upon a particularly intriguing memory fragment.

"Ah, now this is what I'm talking about," he exclaimed, excitement bubbling in his voice. "The ability to infuse any weapons and armors with Amethyst Aura? A mid-level Lila technique at that; I will call it Amethyst Astral Forging. Now, that's a game-changer!"

His eyes sparkled with newfound enthusiasm as he envisioned the possibilities. "Imagine having a sword that can slice through steel like butter," he mused, excitement evident in every word. "Or a shield that can withstand the fiercest of blows!"

Reese's mind raced with ideas as he contemplated the potential applications of this newfound knowledge. "This changes everything," he declared, determination coursing through his veins. "I may not have all the answers yet, but with this, I can make a difference."

With renewed purpose, Reese set his sights on mastering this technique. Reese stood up from the center of the Amethyst Orb, and a sense of excitement coursed through him. The knowledge of a new technique fueled his determination, and he was eager to put it into practice. 

Reese paused mid-motion, a look of realization dawning on his face. Glancing down at himself, he couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation.

"Well, this is awkward," Reese muttered, shaking his head in amusement.

With a sheepish grin, he felt a flush of embarrassment creeping up his cheeks. The impurities clinging to his skin only added to the comical scene, turning him into a makeshift mud sculpture.

"Note to self: always remember to put on clothes before practicing new techniques," Reese mused aloud, unable to suppress a laugh at his own expense.

Then Reese returned to the comfort of his rented home to take a bath. He also noted that he would buy five blue barrels to fill them up with water and transfer them inside the Amethyst Orb when he had the time.

As Reese finished his refreshing bath, he went back inside the Amethyst Orb to check if he had made a significant improvement in his strength after breaking through the Perfection Stage of the Nether Realm.

Focusing his mind, Reese first tested his spiritual sense. Closing his eyes, he extended his awareness, feeling the subtle energies of the orb around him. A smile graced his lips as he sensed a vast radius of approximately 120 meters, a considerable improvement from before.

Opening his eyes, Reese shifted his focus to testing his speed. With a burst of energy, he dashed forward, the ground blurring beneath him as he accelerated. "Whoosh!" he exclaimed, feeling exhilarated as he clocked in at a remarkable 105 kilometers per hour, three times faster than he had ever been.

Next, Reese decided to test his agility and leaping ability. With a powerful spring in his step, he propelled himself upward, soaring through the air with newfound grace. "Wow!" he exclaimed mid-air, marveling at the distance he covered—18 meters, a feat that surpassed his previous limits.

As Reese landed gracefully back on the ground, he could not help but smile widely. However, one test remained—the measure of his strength. Frowning in concentration, he pondered how best to assess this aspect of his abilities within the confines of the orb. Reese decided he would find another secluded area again to test his strength. 

Without another skill to practice, Reese sat down and tried to comprehend the new technique, the Amethyst Astral Forging, but he remembered that his Arnis skicks were destroyed when he used it to smash on Serpenthia's head. "It looks like I have to ask for another set from Mr. Lopez again." Reese chuckled, wondering what Mr. Lopez's reaction would be after needing another weapon.

"It seems I've made significant progress," Reese mused aloud, addressing the empty space around him. "But there's still much to learn." With that, Reese went back to his rented home.