Chapter Sixteen: Rewards of Blood and Sacrifices
Darkness fell for a moment, and then the woman's laughter erupted, quiet but full of meaning:
"You were going to ask that eventually, weren't you? No one walks the path of cultivation without wondering: What do I get in return for all this pain?"
She approached with slow steps, and space itself shook with her words.
"Listen well, boy, the rewards aren't equal. They only come when you prove yourself before certain levels."
She raised her hand, and a glowing image of meridians appeared within a translucent body.
"The first two levels… the ordinary and earthly meridians… have no reward. They are merely the foundation, the first building blocks. Like the roots of a tree: necessary, but they bear no fruit."
Then she raised her finger toward the three lines that shimmered a deep cyan hue:
"But when the Celestial Lines are opened… that's where the true journey begins. Those who survive the catastrophe are rewarded with a Divine Power. Something beyond description… It could be a Divine Sword that comes to you whenever you need it, an Eye that sees the unseen, or a Flame that devours souls. It's not just a skill, but a power that touches the laws of Heaven itself."
The air shook, as if her words conjured awe of the unseen.
"That's why it's called Divine, because it grants you something that an ordinary mortal could never dream of."
Her tone suddenly changed, and she pointed to the fourth line glowing with a deep blue light:
- "As for the line of sages... here, the reward rises to another level. When you survive the test of the River of Time, you are granted a sage ability. These abilities are not just power... but consciousness. They can control time or control space, they can hear the voices of spirits or reveal the secrets of hearts. And what's even more astonishing... this ability is conscious, meaning it's not inanimate, but an entity that thinks, speaks, and sometimes even guides or argues with you."
Ling Yu shuddered, almost incredulous at what he was hearing. A conscious ability? A power that speaks to him and becomes an eternal companion?
But the woman didn't give him time to catch his breath. She pointed to the last line, which glowed a majestic golden hue, surpassing anything he'd seen before:
- "And finally... the Imperial Line. Here, your very body is being recreated. And when it emerges from the catastrophe, it doesn't emerge the same way it entered... but is born with an advanced conscious ability, stronger than anything before. It not only accompanies you, but grows with you, evolves, and changes. And over time... it may reach a level where it is equal to or even stronger than a sovereign, and is completely loyal to you."
A mysterious smile spread across her lips:
- "Imagine... having a conscious companion dwell within you, protect you, fight with you, and grow with you. That is the reward befitting those who dare to open the Imperial Line."
Ling Yu's heart trembled. He felt as if he were seeing doors opening to worlds he never thought existed. Every word she spoke made the dream bigger... but also the catastrophe greater.
The woman didn't continue, but looked at him for a long time, as if deliberately letting him sink into his own imagination.
And so the chapter ended... with her final words still ringing in his head:
"A conscious companion... Damn, this ability isn't a conscious companion. It's like a domineering father who kills anyone who thinks of harming you."