[Please choose between three options...]
﹂ 600 days of Pure Cultivation Experience
﹂ 60 days of Pure Enlightenment State
﹂ 6 days of Time-Dilation Training
Cedric stared blankly at the three glowing lines of text in his mind.
For a moment, he was genuinely stunned. This time, all three options were absurdly valuable. His brows slowly furrowed as he weighed them, as thoughts spun rapidly.
Six hundred days of Pure Cultivation Experience meant he would instantly gain nearly two years' worth of tempered familiarity with every technique he was currently practicing. Not only the Solar Battle Circulation Art, but also the Solar Body Tempering Art and the Solar Severing Blade Art. With that much accumulated experience poured directly into him, he might very well comprehend the second, third, fourth, or even fifth form of Solar Severing Blade Art in one leap. His combat strength could skyrocket in a single step.
But the second option was just as tempting.
Sixty days of Pure Enlightenment State.
Just thinking about it made his heart thump. Enlightenment State is a rare, mysterious condition in which a warrior's perception soars to terrifying levels. In that state, thoughts become crystalline and clear, bottlenecks melt away, and even the most obscure cultivation insights can be grasped as naturally as breathing. Difficult techniques flow like instinct; martial concepts that once appeared vague suddenly align into perfect order. With sixty full days of such clarity, breaking through to the Intermediate or even Advanced Stage of Awakening Realm was not impossible. There is also a possibility that he may even touch upon the Earthen Soul Realm.
His gaze then fell on the final option.
Six days of time-dilation training.
As he focused on the text, information flooded his mind.
If he chooses the third option, then during the next six days, time around him would slow by a factor of one hundred. For him, six days of cultivation would become the equivalent of six hundred days in the outside world. He can either practice the blade art or learn other techniques really quickly in these six days. He can also raise his cultivation.
In fact, the third option, six days of Time-Dilation Training, could almost be seen as a combination of the first two. During that period, he would be able to gain both experience and cultivation at the same time. However, it still wasn't exactly the same, because the final results would depend entirely on how much effort he invested during those six days.
Cedric exhaled slowly. He was confused as to which option to choose.
Experience, enlightenment, or time.
All three were precisely what he needed. None of them felt expendable. For the first time, he felt genuinely hesitant, even a little torn, as his heart swayed between the three choices.
"This is troublesome," he muttered wryly to himself.
Cedric mulled it over in silence for a long while. In the end, he chose the second option.
No matter how he analyzed it, sixty full days of the Enlightenment State carried the greatest, most versatile value. With that, he could not only deepen his understanding of the Solar Severing Blade Art, but he could also refine his foundation, stabilize his realm, and push his cultivation further in the enlightened state. It was the only choice that advanced both power and comprehension at the same time.
As he thought of this, a faint light flickered across his eyes.
'With sixty days of enlightenment, my strength would definitely increase tremendously.'
But, after choosing the second option, instead of triggering it immediately, Cedric quietly dismissed the interface and fell into deeper thought.
Old Blue would return in a month to collect the next shipment of Skybolt Crystals and deliver new resources. If Cedric suddenly disappeared into sixty straight days of enlightenment, he would miss that visit entirely, and that would invite suspicion. Mining Station 12 could not be left without oversight, nor could Julian's forces be given a reason to question him.
He exhaled slowly.
"I can't shut myself away for two months' worth of time, at least not yet."
So he suppressed the urge to use the reward right now.
Fortunately, the system didn't force immediate activation. Every reward could be stored securely within the system's space, waiting patiently until he decided the moment was right. Whether he wanted to use a portion now or all of it later, the choice remained entirely his.
"Fine. I'll save the Enlightenment State for when it matters most."
With that decision made, the tension in his chest eased.
---
Cedric slipped back into the rhythm he had forged for himself.
Each morning, he began with the ⧼Solar Body Tempering Art⧽, driving his cells once more into that controlled state of overload. Muscles strained, bones hummed, and the faint crackle of internal pressure spread through his frame as energy was forced to refine his body again and again. When the exhaustion crept in, he would transition seamlessly into the ⧼Solar Battle Circulation Art⧽, guiding cosmic energy through his meridians with practiced precision, restoring what he had burned while subtly elevating his foundation.
Once his strength stabilized, the blade appeared in his hand.
The room walls bore the marks of countless slashes as Cedric practiced the ⧼Solar Severing Blade Art⧽ tirelessly.
Days blurred into weeks.
His aura gradually thickened, becoming steadier and deeper. Each cycle of cultivation made his Cosmic Energy denser and purer. Eventually, during one session of circulation, Cedric sensed a faint pressure, which was like a gate waiting to be pushed open. He felt that as long as he pushed open this gate, his strength would increase again. In simple words, if he wished, he could now take the step into the Intermediate Stage of the Awakening Realm at any time.
However, he didn't break through immediately. Instead, he suppressed the urge for advancement.
Standing up, he took out the Tier-3 Alloy Blade and started ⧼Solar Severing Blade Art⧽ again.
By the time night descended, he was already drenched in sweat. But he didn't stop.
Suddenly, as his blade descended, power gathered flawlessly on the blade. The Cosmic Energy condensed into a radiant arc, humming with suppressed ferocity. The strike carved through the air, leaving a molten trail before vanishing in silence.
In that instant, Cedric mastered the Second Form of the ⧼Solar Severing Blade Art⧽.