NoveLight ™
“Anyway, take a look at this for me.”
“Hmm?”
“There’s quite a lot of material.”
Kalstein sent a data packet over to Maxien.
“….”
Maxien spent a moment examining the files he had shared.
After a few minutes, she nodded.
“I’ll need to dig deeper into this, but it seems effective.”
“Really?”
“This… is related to the Ether cultivation method you distributed recently, isn’t it?”
“Exactly. I tailored this version specifically to suit my true form.”
“….”
“Of course, it’s still far from being viable.”
“Hm….”
Maxien took more time to analyze the data, this time with a serious expression.
“Still, theoretically, this has potential.”
“Right?”
“But this…”
“Hm?”
“…Don’t tell me you’re planning to hunt a Single Number…?”
“Hahaha. Who knows….”
Kalstein only responded with a cryptic laugh.
***
The Inner Sanctum of the Flaming Golden Gate
Within the inner sanctum of the Flaming Golden Gate, the aged headmaster sat surrounded by the elders, their expressions somber as they engaged in a dire conversation.
This was no ordinary meeting—it was a discussion that could shape the sect's fate for the next few millennia.
“Haah, what are we to do about this matter?”
“Is there still no news?”
“Well, we’ve heard that the Grand Sealing Formation was successfully deployed, but beyond that…”
A decade ago, urgent news had arrived from the southern continent.
The message spoke of the capital system being obliterated by a rampaging Immortal, a transcendent being suspected of having reached the pinnacle of cultivation.
To stop the threat, high-level cultivators were conscripted.
“Yes, everything was fine up until that point.”
“Indeed, Headmaster.”
“After all, not participating would have risked ostracism from the capital system’s alliances. Besides, the rewards for participation were immense.”
“But who could have predicted such an outcome?”
Like the other great sects, the Flaming Golden Gate had sent most of its senior cultivators to the front lines.
Even the most accomplished were willing to volunteer, enticed by the resources offered to enhance their cultivation realms.
Yet, no one had anticipated what lay ahead.
“They say the northern capital system’s crisis was halted by the Grand Sealing Formation, but…”
“To think they only managed to seal it and not destroy it outright.”
The grim report had arrived recently.
Out of 1,380 participants, only two survivors had returned.
One of them was en route back to the Flaming Golden Gate but was reportedly in a poor mental state, delaying their arrival.
“At least Elder Bang Yeon survived; that’s something to be grateful for….”
“But to hear there’s no telling when he’ll recover?”
“Haah, what are we going to do about the upcoming Heavenly Silk Martial Festival?”
“With the few remaining masters, we’ll barely manage to pull people from their training to even cover our current needs. There’s no time to spare.”
“Haah… the future seems bleak.”
Heavy sighs echoed throughout the room.
The scarcity of senior cultivators was painfully evident.
“It looks like we’re destined to fall behind Dohong Valley again….”
“Those sly cowards didn’t even participate in the Blood Calamity, did they?”
“Well, technically, they couldn’t have even if they’d wanted to, unlike us….”
“Now that things have turned out this way, we’re the only fools left looking….”
“Enough! Let’s stop this discussion here. Continuing will only disgrace the sect’s ancestors further.”
“Haah….”
Despite their long deliberation, no clear solution emerged.
At the Same Time
“So, I’ve finally reached my Resolution Stage?”
[You imbecile! Why are you only waking up now? I thought you were dead!]
“You’re as impatient as ever.”
[How could you sleep unconscious for an entire year?!]
“Ah, the mountains are beautiful, and the air is so fresh.”
[You… you…!]
“Sa—no, Great Master?”
“It’s fine. When we’re alone, just call me like you used to.”
“How could I…?”
[In any case, to achieve Resolution in the middle of narcolepsy… how is this even possible…?]
“Hahaha.”
A voice full of laughter echoed across the scene.
***
"Auto Cultivation Reigns Supreme"
Fumbling—
“Auto cultivation really is the best. Hahaha!”
Finally, Kalstein had ascended past the Accumulation Stage and Condensation Stage to reach the Resolution Stage.
“Hm. This is definitely different.”
He had done it solely through auto cultivation.
The Resolution Stage was a critical milestone where spiritual energy was condensed and refined to a focal point within the body. It was akin to forming a spiritual core, purifying energy, and preparing the foundation for the next stage: the Infant Spirit Stage, where the practitioner would form an essence within their core.
[This is absurd. How could the heavens bestow such fortune upon this fool?]
“Achieving Resolution in just ten years… even with Celestial Root talent….”
It defied all reason.
The final process of condensing spiritual energy into a singular resolution alone typically took ten years.
The human mind lacked the stamina for such relentless focus, making it impossible to condense spiritual energy continuously without rest.
But auto cultivation macros were different.
‘All I had to do was set the logic, and it ran on its own.’
It couldn’t be more convenient. The macro worked tirelessly, without breaks, with full focus, condensing spiritual energy as if he had been working nonstop.
“Hahaha.”
He had reaped the fruits without enduring the labor.
And the results were sweet indeed.
Of course, he occasionally logged in to make minor adjustments, saving him from failing the Resolution Stage.
‘Sure, having Celestial Roots helped, but still.’
Not just anyone could produce these results simply by using a macro.
“Talent really is the best. It’s thrilling! Always something new!”
“….”
[You lunatic….]
The efficacy of the elixirs and pills he had consumed also played a significant role.
Kalstein had established a pill production factory, buying resources using spirit stones he earned through trades.
“Let’s check if the factory is running smoothly.”
The resources were fed directly into the factory he had constructed.
Boom—Hiss—Bang—Clang—
Located just outside his training quarters, the pill factory tirelessly churned out spirit pills.
‘As long as it follows the exact formula, there’s no room for error.’
He had stolen the alchemy techniques and methods from the Demonic Lord of Twisted Beasts.
Given the Demonic Lord’s ridiculously high cultivation, producing pills necessary for the Resolution Stage was a trivial matter.
“Looks good. It’s running perfectly.”
Wooden puppets, animated by Kalstein’s marionette technique, clattered about, following the preset routines without deviation.
The factory’s centerpiece, the alchemical apparatus, handled the most critical steps of the process.
“Fufufu.”
[Haah… What has the world come to?]
“I still can’t believe my eyes,” muttered the Demonic Lord.
The machinery worked with precise heat, pressure, and timing, achieving an impressive 98% success rate in pill production.
“Fufu.”
Kalstein packed the freshly produced spirit pills into a container and left the factory.
[And yet your absurd spiritual energy remains unchanged, even after reaching the Resolution Stage… haah.]
“Right?”
[Do you realize how dangerously close you were? Your ridiculous energy capacity nearly made the process impossible.]
“Well, it worked, didn’t it?”
[You reckless fool.]
His training grounds, equipped with a massive silvery pool perfect for auto cultivation, had been indispensable.
The pool’s absorption efficiency was twice as good as spirit stones.
But now, even that was depleted.
[What else could you expect? You’ve nearly exhausted the energy accumulated there over countless years.]
“Fair point.”
[What in the world is your body made of? To absorb so much energy at just the Resolution Stage—it's unheard of!]
“How would I know if even you don’t?”
[Grr!]
The Demonic Lord had tried tirelessly to uncover the secrets of Kalstein’s body, but the truth remained elusive.
A colossal reservoir of spiritual energy.
Kalstein, however, had an idea of the source.
‘It’s because of that.’
The seventeen explosions he had triggered within his mental domain when he first unlocked his spiritual energy.
Initially, he had been disappointed that he only reached 6th Star Condensation instead of something more extraordinary.
But now, he understood.
‘My spiritual energy is nearly 17 times greater than a normal practitioner’s.’
It was an unprecedented phenomenon—likely never to be replicated.
‘I really am special.’
Even with his limited understanding of this mystical world, Kalstein recognized how exceptional he was.
His body absorbed spiritual energy like a sponge, insatiable and seemingly endless in capacity.
At one point, the Demonic Lord had even expressed concern.
It had been a valid concern.
Reaching new stages might be far more difficult, but the potential benefits were immeasurable.
Naturally, Kalstein’s response had been predictable:
“Too easy.”
For someone who had yet to encounter a true bottleneck, Kalstein found the notion hard to understand—and his results proved his point.
[…You’re insufferable.]
The Demonic Lord was rendered speechless.
Trouble at Maeyoung Pavilion
“Master… I mean, Gahui. If the Flaming Golden Gate learns of this, they’ll be shocked.”
[…Shocked? That wouldn’t begin to describe it. Achieving the Resolution Stage in a mere ten years—this is beyond precedent.]
“Eh, it’s not that impressive.”
Kalstein brushed off the comment, though the scale of his achievement wasn’t lost on him.
[By the way, what’s that behind you?]
“Hm?”
Kalstein turned to see a floating, oval-shaped orb hovering nearby.
“….”
It had followed him all the way here?
Well, it had been the reason he came to this realm in the first place.
It had even accompanied him to the World, so its presence here wasn’t entirely unexpected.
“Don’t ask me. I have no idea.”
[It feels familiar… but I can’t place it.]
“Wait, you know something about it?”
[I don’t! Haven’t I told you before? To seal my soul, a significant portion of my memories were erased.]
“…You’re useless.”
[What?! You insolent—!]
The Demonic Lord’s tirade continued as the wooden puppets in the factory carried out their tasks in the background.
“Anyway, it’s time to head out. I need to learn more about this world.”
[You speak like someone who came from a completely different reality.]
“Didn’t I tell you? I’m the Supreme Overlord of the Universe.”
[At this point, I have no choice but to believe your nonsense….]
“Tsk, tsk.”
Kalstein made his way to the Maeyoung Pavilion, the sole merchant he traded with.
“Huh? What’s going on? Did the pavilion go bankrupt while I was away?”
The previously grand establishment now looked shabby, with fewer visitors coming and going.
At the entrance, a commotion was underway.
A familiar girl stood at the entrance, blocking it with her arms spread wide, while three cultivators radiating killing intent confronted her.
“Ah, it’s Yuyu, isn’t it? She’s grown into quite a lady,” Kalstein said, smiling warmly.
But the situation didn’t seem pleasant.
“Ah.”
Kalstein made a decision.
There was no longer any need to play the hidden powerhouse game.