The days passed just like that, and soon the veils of darkness covered the sky, with the two moons of Shinmya and the colorful stars overlooking the lands.
Ethan didn't dwell on the questions flooding his heart, mind, and dreams.
Instead, he focused on the tasks at hand.
This was the third night of his training and the final round before he would get to choose one of the cultivation techniques from the Sect.
From that point onward, nothing else would matter to him except becoming stronger every day, stronger than he had been the day before.
If he kept bringing up unwanted questions again and again, they would only hinder his growth.
As he had done for the past two days, Ethan used the potions and sprinted to the training area to begin.
The effects of the potion lasted for around four hours, and he spent the entire time training his reflexes, sword techniques, and ensuring his body had adapted to fighting with the sword.
Sword intent filled his entire system, and unlike yesterday, there wasn't even redness on his skin.
His body had completely adapted to sword intent.
He could wield it many times without his body breaking down.
Of course, this was only thanks to the potion, which constantly healed his body and kept it in top condition.
Once it wore off, he would return to his usual state.
Even then, he would still be able to use the sword much longer than before, just not as long as when under the potion's effects.
Thanks to his high adaptability, he had reached peak condition.
After training for around three hours, he returned to the residential area.
"Three days is already pushing it… I'm starting to feel the effects of sleeplessness," Ethan sighed as he took out a small vial containing a black potion.
He didn't drink it immediately.
Instead, he sat in a lotus position for a few minutes, checking for abnormalities in his body.
Fortunately, he found nothing.
After confirming, he drank the black potion known as the [Undo Potion].
The purpose of the potion was simple.
It removed the effects of any other potions Ethan had consumed that day, leaving behind no remnants.
As soon as the effects of the [Undo Potion] kicked in, it erased the [Clarity Potion], [Rapid Recovery Potion], and [Body Support Potion] from his system, returning his body to its normal state.
Ethan waited several minutes until an uneasy feeling struck him, letting him know the numbness had vanished.
The [Undo Potion], unlike the others, had one negative effect, and it was a disgusting one.
As the potion fully took effect, his eyes widened, and he rushed to the toilet, where he vomited four mouthfuls of black liquid.
The rancid stench assaulted his nose, leaving him nauseated.
It took him a couple of minutes to clean up and a few more to settle his stomach.
Soon after, he felt his senses returning, every sensation he had lost under the potions for the past three days. Another five minutes to freshen up, and he was back to normal.
Standing naked in front of the mirror, Ethan examined himself and nodded in approval.
"My physique is in great form. It makes me look even more attractive. I have to admit, my appearance is looking hot."
His eyes shifted downward toward the proud "iron pole" between his legs, and he nodded once again, satisfied with its... magnificence.
In his past lives, Ethan had learned one undeniable truth: appearance matters.
It opens doors in unexpected ways.
With beauty, power, and brains, one could stand above all.
He already had beauty and brains; only power remained.
Once he had that, he would be prepared for the eternal life ahead.
Looking outside the window, Ethan sighed and rubbed his eyes.
Now that the clarity potion's effects had faded, the exhaustion he had ignored for three days came crashing back.
He hadn't slept once since waking up in this world.
He had already pushed his body to its peak.
Further training his mortal form would yield little.
What mattered now was speed and agility, not bulk or brute strength.
It was time to shift his focus toward immortal cultivation.
Even though his body had been refreshed by the potions, his mind carried the weight of three sleepless days.
His thinking was sluggish, his focus fraying.
Rest was fundamental to all living beings, even immortals.
Ethan had learned this the hard way.
"I should get some sleep…" he muttered, before collapsing into bed, where he slept for ten straight hours until the first rays of sunrise touched the horizon.
...
After ten hours of good sleep, Ethan woke up feeling refreshed.
He did a few minutes of stretches before freshening up and getting dressed.
After around twenty minutes of running, he reached the central palace, where sect members were gathering for the third and final class.
Ethan could see the class was crowded; it seemed everyone attended this one since it was not just the last class, but also the moment when they would get to choose a cultivation technique.
Even those from prominent forces came, despite already having cultivation techniques inherited from their families or kingdoms.
The sect had a rule: even if new members already possessed a cultivation technique, they were not allowed to begin cultivation until they passed the sect's requirements.
Ethan joined the class among the others, ignoring the attention he was getting, which was considerable.
The reason was simple: he had displayed sword intent and defeated five new sect members on his own.
Ethan was sure that after today, the attention would turn into harassment and conflict.
Once everyone began cultivating their physical attributes, explosive power would surge through every level, giving them the confidence to try to ragdoll him.
When that time came, he would have to be ready to fight back.
No matter how much his physical strength improved, he could not compete against those who wielded Qi.
After just a few cultivation breakthroughs, they would already surpass the power of ordinary humans.
Not to mention, once everyone began Qi cultivation, he would not be the only one capable of using sword intent.
He would lose the only edge he currently had.
The playing field would inevitably tilt toward balance unless Ethan got stronger through cultivation as well.
Worse still, he was alone, while those who wanted to harm him had numbers on their side, along with the resources provided by their powerful backers.
"Well, resources will not be a problem once the Dancing Library is unsealed…" Ethan muttered, as he spent the next two and a half hours listening to Instructor Mayu lecture on Spirituality.
As explained earlier, Spirituality was what connected the physical body with the soul.
Without it, a cultivator could not cultivate, perform sword intent, use techniques, or even access inherited abilities from their bloodline or lineage.
Nothing Ethan did not already know.
After class, Instructor Mayu led the sect members to another massive building.
There, three elders awaited them.
Behind the elders were a dozen tables, neatly laid out with books bound in different colors and marked with unique symbols.
In front of them stood nine familiar crystals, along with a larger colorless crystal, the same one used during the entrance exam to test Qi attunement.
This time, however, it would be used to determine their Qi nature.
"Cultivation techniques, huh?" Ethan smiled at the sight, though he quickly noticed one of the elders, a woman, silently observing him.
"The time has come for the new sect members to choose your cultivation technique," one of the three elders announced, sweeping his gaze across the crowd.
"Now, one by one, step forward and place your palm on this colorless crystal." He gestured toward the larger crystal at the front.
"We will determine your Qi nature. Based on that, you will be given several Qi cultivation techniques to choose from."
"Usually, we test your physical requirements by putting the new sect members against each other in combat, but the sect has decided not to do that this year. Why, you might ask? The reason is that the sect has chosen to turn it into a tournament, which will take place one week from today," the elder continued.
"In this one week, I advise the sect members to grow as strong as possible using the cultivation techniques you will be given, because the tournament promises a wealth of resources as prizes based on your performance."
"The rules and structure of the tournament will be announced the day before it begins."