Chapter 87: The Amethyst Orb Upgrades

As the Amethyst Orb finished extracting the Umbral Force from the lieutenants' bodies, Reese willed it to transform the Umbral Force into Amethyst Aura. From Lakan's perspective, the transformation was astonishing. The dark, foreboding Umbral Force began to shimmer and lighten, morphing into a radiant, purple energy that filled the space with a mesmerizing glow. The entire area seemed to vibrate with newfound power, and Lakan could hardly believe his eyes.

Lakan, still in awe, asked, "What are you going to do with this purple energy?"

Reese responded, "I'm going to absorb it by cultivating."

"Cultivating?" Lakan asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

Reese nodded. "Yes, cultivating is a process where I meditate and draw in this energy, allowing it to merge with my own life force. It helps me grow stronger. By doing this, I can reach higher realms of power."

Lakan's eyes widened in surprise. "So, by meditating and absorbing this energy, you can become stronger?" he asked, still processing the information.

"Exactly," Reese confirmed. "It's a way to enhance my physical and spiritual capabilities. The more I cultivate, the more powerful I become."

Lakan's mind raced with possibilities. "Could I... could I also cultivate this energy?" he wondered aloud, a mix of excitement and hope in his voice. Then he remembered that he didn't have a physical body. He sighed, feeling the weight of his situation.

Reese noticed Lakan's dismay and approached him. "Don't worry," Reese said reassuringly. "Someday, if we find a way to get you a suitable body, I'll teach you how to cultivate. We'll figure it out together."

Reese gave Lakan a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You're not alone in this, Lakan. We'll find a way."

Lakan looked up, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Reese. I won't give up hope."

"That's the spirit," Reese replied, then burst out laughing as he realized he had made an unintended pun. Lakan joined in the laughter, lightening the atmosphere considerably.

Then Reese glanced back at the large amount of Amethyst Aura, including the large portion absorbed from Sigar. Unable to contain his enthusiasm, Reese quickly started to remove his clothes, eager to absorb the Amethyst Aura and attempt his breakthrough.

Lakan watched in bewilderment as Reese stripped off his garments. When Reese was about to remove his underwear, Lakan blurted out, "What are you doing?"

Reese, suddenly aware of Lakan's presence, burst into laughter again. "Oh, my bad, my bad," he said, his face slightly flushed from embarrassment. "I was just so excited about the breakthrough that I didn't think."

Lakan shook his head, a small smile forming on his lips. "Well, I suppose everyone has their own way of preparing," he said, trying to make light of the situation.

"Yes, yes," Reese agreed, scratching the back of his head. He then sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate using the Divine Amethyst Art.

As Reese entered a deep state of meditation, he focused intensely on absorbing the Amethyst Aura. He guided the energy towards his 121st acupoint, the final barrier between him and the Medial Realm. He could feel the resistance, a stubborn blockage that had thwarted his previous attempts at breakthrough. Despite this, he maintained his concentration. "Come on!" He urged, but despite his best efforts, the 121st acupoint took a long time to open, but he refused to give up. 

On the third day of his intense meditation, Reese could feel the energy pulsing around him, resonating with every beat of his heart. He knew he was close to achieving his breakthrough to the Medial Realm, a goal he had been relentlessly pursuing. 'Just a little more,' he thought.

Suddenly, a deafening "boom" echoed within his body, reverberating through his bones and sinews. The force of the explosion was both violent and liberating, a powerful surge that sent shockwaves throughout his entire being. Reese felt an intense rush of energy as the 121st acupoint finally burst open, releasing a torrent of power that flooded his system.

He had done it. He had achieved his breakthrough in the Medial Realm. The realization filled him with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and joy. His senses were heightened to a new level, and his spiritual awareness expanded far beyond anything he had previously experienced.

But Reese knew his work was not yet complete. He continued to absorb the remaining Amethyst Aura, drawing it into his newly opened acupoint. The energy flowed into him, filling the 121st acupoint with potent vitality. However, to his disappointment, the large remaining Amethyst Aura of energy within the Amethyst Orb could only open 25 more acupoints, equaling 126 acupoints.

Then, as Reese looked inside his body, he could see the energy pathways expanding and strengthening, allowing for a more efficient flow of spiritual energy. His skin began to transform, becoming even more flawless and resilient.

After his breakthrough, Reese opened his eyes and looked outside his body, immediately noticing the dramatic changes. His skin glowed with a new radiance, smooth and flawless, as if polished to perfection. His muscles were more defined and stronger than ever, each sinew and fiber imbued with the potent energy of the Amethyst Aura. He marveled at his new capabilities, flexing his arms and feeling the immense power coursing through his veins.

As he examined himself further, he noticed that the impurities expelled during this breakthrough were not as many as during his previous advancements.

"If I was this powerful during the fight with the ten lieutenants, I could have defeated all ten of them in just one minute," Reese thought, astonished by his newfound strength. 

-----

Lakan lost count of how many times he was stunned because of Reese, the transformation was awe-inspiring. He watched as Reese's body absorbed the energy, glowing brighter with each passing moment. The intensity of the Amethyst Aura around Reese was almost overwhelming, and Lakan could feel the power emanating from his friend.

When the loud explosion signaled Reese's breakthrough, Lakan instinctively took a step back, feeling the powerful surge of energy radiating from Reese. The aura around Reese was now immensely powerful.

-----

As Reese reveled in his newfound power, the Amethyst Orb suddenly began to shake. Alarmed, both Lakan and Reese looked around, trying to understand what was happening.

"What's going on?" Lakan asked, his eyes wide with concern.

"I'm not sure," Reese replied, scanning their surroundings.

They watched in awe as the Amethyst Orb began to expand. Reese could feel the space inside the orb growing larger and more spacious with each passing moment. Initially, it was approximately ten kilometers in diameter, but as they observed, the expansion continued steadily.

First, it grew to eleven kilometers, with the boundaries of the orb pushing outward and encompassing more space. Then it expanded to twelve kilometers, with the energy within the orb becoming more concentrated and powerful. The walls of the orb seemed to stretch and grow, accommodating the increasing size.

With each kilometer, the Amethyst Orb pulsed with a vibrant, radiant glow. Reese could feel the energy around him intensifying, becoming more potent and refined. The expansion continued methodically, reaching thirteen kilometers, then fourteen kilometers. Each stage of growth brought a deeper resonance of power and stability within the orb.

At fifteen kilometers, the orb's boundaries shimmered with an ethereal light, marking its halfway point to the full expansion. The space inside felt even more vast and grand, giving Reese a sense of the immense potential that lay within. 

As the orb reached sixteen kilometers, the changes became even more remarkable. Reese and Lakan watched in amazement as the barren ground within the orb began to transform. Small patches of grass sprouted up, covering the once empty space with a lush green carpet. The grass grew quickly, spreading outward in all directions.

Soon after, small trees began to emerge from the ground, their trunks rising steadily and their branches unfurling leaves. The air inside the orb seemed to grow fresher, filled with the scent of new vegetation. The transformation gave the space a more natural, vibrant feel, as if it were becoming its own thriving ecosystem.

The orb continued its expansion, reaching seventeen kilometers, then eighteen kilometers. The energy flow was smooth and constant, and the expansion was seamless. Reese could sense the refinement of the aura, its potency increasing with each increment.

At nineteen kilometers, the orb's glow became even more intense, filling the space with a mesmerizing, otherworldly light. The small trees that had started growing at sixteen kilometers were now more mature, their canopies spreading wider and creating a serene environment.

Then, as the expansion approached twenty kilometers, a small hill began to form. Rising about forty-five meters in height, the hill emerged gradually, its slopes covered in the same lush grass that now carpeted the orb's interior. The top of the hill offered a gentle, elevated vantage point, providing a sense of tranquility and perspective within the newly transformed space. 

Finally, the orb expanded to a full twenty kilometers in diameter, its boundaries now settled and firm. The space inside was vast and filled with incredibly potent and refined energy. The once barren interior was now a lush, verdant landscape, teeming with life and vitality. The small hill stood prominently, adding to the natural beauty and diversity of the environment.

"Is the Amethyst Orb upgrading? It's like a small world," Reese wondered aloud. He felt that not only had the size changed, but the energy within the orb had become significantly more powerful and refined.

Lakan, equally astonished, nodded in agreement. "It seems the orb is evolving along with you," he remarked, taking in the transformed surroundings with wide eyes.

As Reese looked at his surroundings, he noticed two symbols floating above the hill. Curious, he approached the symbols, with Lakan following closely to examine them more closely.

When Reese reached the top of the hill, he got a better view of the symbols. One symbol resembled an intricate hourglass, with swirling patterns that seemed to move in a continuous loop, representing the flow of time. The other symbol appeared as an interlocking set of circles, each circle containing a small star, symbolizing the vastness and continuity of space. Both symbols glowed with a soft, radiant light, pulsating with a mysterious energy.

Reese was fascinated by the symbols and wondered about their purpose. He walked around them, observing the intricate details and trying to understand their significance. Despite his efforts, he couldn't discern their use or function.

Driven by curiosity, Reese reached out to touch the symbols. However, his hand passed right through them, as if they were made of pure light or energy. He tried again, but the result was the same, his hand simply went through the symbols without any resistance. 

Determined to uncover their secrets, Reese decided to use his spiritual sense to discern the two symbols. He closed his eyes and focused his energy, extending his spiritual sense toward the symbols. The moment his spiritual sense touched the symbols, Reese's body straightened abruptly.