Chapter 119 – Level ⑤ Is Only the Beginning

Volume 3: Rising Winds and Clouds

"Ding! Welcome to the Promotion Challenge Space."

The familiar Stun sensation and familiar surroundings gave Wen Yu a feeling he had not experienced in a long time.

He studied the recognizable space around him while listening to the Notification Tone beside his ear.

"Ding! Between the Host's early Level 4 stage and Peak Level 4-including kills by the Soul Beast-the Host killed 865 Level 5 creatures and 14,589 Level 4 creatures. Creatures at Level 3 or below are not counted. Matching Promotion Challenge difficulty…"

"Ding! Between the Host's early Level 4 stage and Peak Level 4, the number of Demonic Creatures killed far exceeded the requirement for Promotion. Promotion difficulty has therefore been reduced by ninety-nine percent. The Promotion Challenge will begin in thirty seconds. Please prepare."

"Tsk, tsk…"

Wen Yu made a strange sound as he regarded the Promotion Challenge Space with mixed emotions.

"The Ruler even knows exactly how many Demonic Creatures I've killed. That surveillance is everywhere."

Perhaps the Ruler had planted some sort of back door in the Exchange Pillars. Evidence of that could be seen on the Battlefield Between Two World. Or perhaps the Ruler had calculated the number from Wen Yu's Points. None of that mattered.

The most important fact was that Wen Yu was now constrained by the Ruler. Put another way, every Class Holder was constrained by the Ruler.

Yet viewed from the opposite direction, humanity could not survive without the Ruler's Exchange System…

That was the real problem. In Wen Yu's eyes, the Ruler unquestionably had some conspiracy in mind, and no one knew whether the Class system was ultimately good or bad. Even so, no one could escape this vicious circle.

At least, not yet.

He thought through a jumble of possibilities without reaching any useful conclusion. Then he casually activated his Soul Realm Space, released Xing and One-Eye, and silently waited for the challenge to begin.

…

Thirty seconds passed in the blink of an eye.

The space before Wen Yu rippled, and a scrawny Black-skinned Demonic Creature crawled out.

It stood less than a meter tall. Its aura did not resemble that of a Level 5 creature at all. It felt more like a Level 3 Demonic Creature.

As Wen Yu stared in confusion, the Black-skinned Demonic Creature charged him with claws bared and teeth snapping. Wen Yu slapped it on the head.

Blood, flesh, and brain matter flew everywhere. The Black-skinned Demonic Creature had actually died from a single slap.

"Was it really Level 3?"

Wen Yu raised an eyebrow in confusion. Only when the Notification Tone announced the end of the Promotion Trial did realization dawn.

Apparently, reducing the difficulty truly had reduced it to an absurd degree.

A golden pillar of light descended from above and enveloped Wen Yu and the Little Soul Beast. At the same time, a Notification Tone rang out.

"Ding! Congratulations, challenger. Challenge successful. Promotion commencing."

Bathed in golden light, Wen Yu felt warmth spread through his entire body, bringing a deep sense of comfort.

Before he could carefully experience the changes within him, a series of creaks came from the Little Soul Beast beside him.

Wen Yu spun around.

Under the influence of an unknown power, the Little Soul Beast's originally spherical body was being kneaded flat, stretched, and rounded at random. Yet not only did it release no mental waves of pain, it radiated an emotion of pure comfort.

After a while, Wen Yu's physical transformation was complete, but the Little Soul Beast remained immersed in the golden light.

Wen Yu waited silently for its Promotion while listening to the Notification Tones in his mind.

"Ding! Congratulations, challenger. Challenge successful. You have advanced to become a Level 5 Class Holder."

"A Level 5 Class Holder's Physical Attribute can only be enhanced with Level 5 Magic Crystals. The upper limit is 2,000 points. The channel for exchanging low-level Magic Crystals for high-level Magic Crystals has been closed. At the same time, the Exchange Pillar will provide exchanges between Attribute Magic Crystals and Special Attribute Magic Crystals of the same level at a ratio of ten to one."

"Ding! Due to the special nature of the Soul Master Class, the challenger has not obtained a Skill."

"Ding! Congratulations. The challenger's Soul Beast has advanced to Level 5. Its Physical Attribute limit has risen to 2,000 points, and it has obtained its fifth Skill."

"Dark Siphon (S-Rank, Active Ability): The Host may cast Dark Siphon on a target within two hundred meters of the Host's body. Dark Siphon places a mark directly upon the target and inflicts negative effects including Slowing and Weakness. It continuously drains the target's stamina and Blood Essence to restore the Host's injuries and stamina. Dark Siphon may be broken by dispelling or special-category Skills of S-Rank or higher. Dark Siphon automatically ends if the target moves more than ten thousand meters from the Host. Only one Dark Siphon may be active at a time."

"Ding! The Host's Fifth Soul Realm has opened. The Host may contract a fifth Soul Pet. Please note: the success rate of a Forced Contract depends on the difference in strength between both parties. A Soul Pet seeking a Voluntary Contract has a one-hundred-percent success rate. However, the Host cannot contract a Soul Pet above the Host's current level."

"Ding! After a contract fails, the Contract Ability cannot be activated again for three days."

"Ding! If a contracted Soul Pet dies, the Host will suffer a violent Soul Shock, and that Soul Realm will enter a Collapsed State. The Soul Realm may be restored through Nourishment with High-Quality Magic Crystals. Only after Nourishment is complete may the Host contract another Soul Pet in that realm."

"Ding! Congratulations. The Host has risen to Level 5. Level 5 Class Holders will form the backbone of the resistance against the Demon Race. Please work hard to increase your strength and continue climbing toward the summit."

"Ding! Solemn warning: the form of the next Promotion Trial will change. Its specific form and difficulty are unknown. Please prepare."

"Ding! Level Shackles have been activated."

"Level Shackles: A protective measure jointly established by the Ruler and the Will of Earth to prevent excessively high-level members of the Demon Race from emerging through the Demon Realm Gates. The protection zone encompasses the entire Earth battlefield. When the first Demon Realm Gate opened, the level limit was set at Level 5. No living creature above Level 5 can appear within Earth either. When the Demon Race breaks the Level Shackles, every Class Holder at Level 5 Peak will receive a Promotion notice."

"Ding! The Host has been identified as Human Sequence 2. This identity will receive its corresponding privileges during Promotion Trials. The Sequence identity's authority inside Treasure Lands has also increased. The precise authority varies by Treasure Land. Please review it personally inside each Treasure Land."

"Ding! The Sequence identity now has access to a wider range of items at Exchange Pillars. Please review the newly available item categories personally."

"Solemn warning: Level 5 is only the beginning. Host, do not forget your original purpose. Fight for your Mother Planet!"

Wen Yu remained silent for a long time after the enormous series of Notification Tones ended.