Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse

Chapter 343: Entering the Second Level

Jack sat in silence. Darkness enveloped him, a thousand gravities pushed him down. Burning pain filled every inch of his body, but he endured it.

The small amount of life energy was finally fused into his body. Without giving himself a moment to hesitate, he dragged another out of the Life Drop and started fusing it as well. The pain returned. The hours passed.

For the last two weeks, Jacks days had been almost completely filled with body tempering. Cultivators of his level didnt need to eat or sleep, but the mental burden of this process was too much. Every day, he practiced body tempering for twenty hours and slept four. As soon as he woke up, he started all over again.

If he wanted to defeat Don Cranxiao within a month, he couldnt afford to slack off.

By this point, Jacks mind was in a permanent haze. His entire body felt sore and burning, his bones swollen, his muscles cramped. Yet, his willpower was like a fierce inferno, boiling in the depths of his soul and pushing him to keep going. As torturous as this practice was, the feeling of strengthening himself was addictive. It reminded him of the early days, when he could advance at breakneck pace by killing a few handfuls of goblins.

After two weeks, his progress was nothing to scoff at.

As the new thread of life energy was completely fused into his body, Jacks eyes cracked open. He summoned his status screen.

Strength: 2305

Dexterity: 2305

Constitution: 2300

Mental: 200

Will: 200

He was overcome with feeling. Just two weeks ago, his Physical substats were all stranded around seventeen hundred and fifty. They had increased by five hundred and fifty in two weeks.

This sort of progress was extreme! In the D-Grade, the System gave ten stat points for every level-up; this was the equivalent of fifty-five levels, but he actually hadnt leveled up once. He remained at 249, the peak of the D-Grade.

These new stat points were not awarded by the System; they were something he achieved himself. The status screen was just quantifying his strength so the System could have a better understanding of him. He suspected that, given his outlaw status, the System might not reward him with stat points even if he did level up in the future.

Still, this was something he wondered about. Since he had been clearly outlawed, why did the System still support him, even with things as minor as showing him his status screen?

It made little sense. The best explanation he could come up with was that the System was not omnipotentit operated around and was restricted by certain principles.

For example, Earth was currently outside System space. The cultivators there could still access their status screen and level up, but they could not use most System functionsincluding the Inspection, Faction Shop, and telepathy.

Jack could only guess that the System implanted a mini System core inside every cultivator, using it to monitor their strength and increase it as needed through level-up stat points, skills, or Dao breakthroughs. That mini core kept operating when it had no contact with the wider System, but it could only perform a small number of functions. Basically, everything internal to the cultivator, and nothing external. It was like a smartphone not connected to the network.

For Jack, that had both positives and negatives. He could not be traced by the Hand of God, nor could the System harm him in any way. At the same time, the people of Earth had lost many useful functions, and new cultivatorslike babiescould not be inducted into the System. Jacks children had no status screens yet.

But those were drawbacks he could live without. The System was not the only way of progressit was just a method of facilitating advancement and streamlining the Dao. With proper guidance, cultivators could still grow strong, if a bit slower.

And, who knows? Jack had already discovered how the System enhanced the bodies of cultivators. If he could perfect his understanding and imitate that process on a wider scale, perhaps he could even form his own System!

Of course, that was too far into the future. For now, he could barely enhance his own body through the strength of the Life Drop, and that was good enough.

Within a mere two weeks, his strength had increased by leaps and bounds. Every aspect of his body had been strengthened by around thirty-five percent. Given that his titles still worked as normal, he had an effective Physical of almost five thousand!

To the current Jack, the thousandfold gravity of the Cathedral was just like a normal humans gravity on Earth. It added no extra strain whatsoever. He had already stopped using the Dao to resist it and relied on his body.

In pure stats, even middle C-Grades might not be able to match him right now. And this was just the beginning. The only downside was that his method of body tempering was becoming less and less efficient the more he rose, but that was okayit remained a massive boost.

Despite the pain wracking his body, Jack was in a great mood. Finally standing up, loud cracks were released from everywhere across his body.

Oh? Dorman said, opening his eyes. You finally decided to stretch your legs?

Kind of. Jack didnt hide his happiness. My body tempering has proceeded smoothly. I am now far stronger than I used to, and since Cranxiao will be here in a few hours, I want to test something out.

Dorman nodded. Thats great, he said.

Jack had not hidden his body tempering from his friends. He couldnt, anywaythe stormy Dao collisions in his body were easily detectable.

Brock was sitting on the cabins meditation mat. He did not open his eyes, too engrossed in cultivation, but Jacks gaze was filled with approval as he looked over. He could sense the brorillas power slowly but steadily climbing. By now, he shouldnt be too far from the peak of the D-Grade. Dorman was only slightly behind.

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Not wanting to waste any time, Jack opened the door and exited. The Cathedrals bleak landscape was as empty and colorless as everyet, standing here so effortlessly was exuberating. Jacks steps had a spring to them.

Cranxiao had once declared that he would stop by every month to beat up Dorman. That was an underhanded method to sabotage Jacks cultivation, but how could poor Cranxiao expect Jacks monstrous advancement? It had only been one month out of their three-month agreement, yet Jack was ninety-percent certain he could win right now.

When Cranxiao arrived in a few hours, Jack would fight him on the spot. Anything less would have a negative effect on his Dao, limiting his current strength and future cultivation.

Before that, however, Jack wanted to test something out. His steps crossed the empty landscape and brought him to a building that resembled an ancient Chinese pagoda. It had seven levels, each multiplying the Cathedrals already overwhelming gravity by a factor of two.

Jack had visited the Heavy Pagoda a month ago and spent half an hour at the first level. That had already pushed him to his limit. However, as the 950th ranked disciple, he had another half hour to use.

Luckily, nobody had overtaken his ranking in this past month. Even if they had, Jack was confident in claiming a position far better than 950 if he visited the Ceaseless Murder Globe right nowit was just that he didnt want to reveal his strength before fighting Cranxiao.

The Envoy responsible for the Heavy Pagoda, a human woman who looked like a muscular old lady, opened her eyes as Jack approached. He didnt have a good impression of her; back when Cranxiao beat up Dorman right in front of her, she had done nothing.

Hello, Jack said. I am Jack Rust, ranked 950th. I would like to access the pagoda.

She nodded as her eyes closed again. You have half an hour.

Without responding, Jack looked at the entrance to the first level. Then, he took a stepand soared!

The Envoys eyes snapped open. A peak D-Grade could fly in the Cathedral? Even many C-Grades couldnt do that! Before she could overcome her surprise, she saw Jack ignoring the pagodas first floor and heading directly for the second one.

Wait! she shouted. Every level redoubles the gravity. If you enter the second one, you might die!

Thank you, but I have already decided, Jack replied, firmly setting foot on the second levels doorstep. The Envoy no longer spoke but kept her eyes on him; if he was overwhelmed by the second level, she would rescue him before his organs were ground to paste.

Yet, she watched slack-jawed as Jack pushed open the heavy stone sealing the second floor and walked inside, closing the door behind him. He had not collapsed.

The Envoy kept staring at the door for a good ten seconds before finally shaking her head. A peak D-Grade that could fly in the Cathedral and survive the Heavy Pagodas second levelthat was abnormal.

***

Jack was not as composed as he looked. The pagodas second level was a new world of pressure. If it was him from a month ago, he would have immediately collapsed. Right now, he could barely hold on. His teeth were chattering, and his legs were shaking. He couldnt take this pressure for more than a few minutes.

A faint gust of Dao guided him to the nearest empty meditation mat, but Jack ignored it. He stepped to the side of the entrance and immediately sat down cross-legged. Not only could he not reach the mat, as his legs would give out first, but he also didnt need it. He wasnt here to cultivate. He was here to consolidate his body tempering.

Throughout the last month, life energy had been continuously fused into his body. That had the effect of increasing his strength and durability, but it was also not a perfect process. Jacks control was lacking; there were many dregs and residues, or even places in his body where the life energy had been unevenly distributed. That greatly affected his combat prowess. It imbalanced him, ruined the harmony of his body, and disturbed his control of the Dao.

However, Jack had noticed that the Cathedrals gravity had a beneficial effect to those imperfections. It constantly pressured his body downward, slowly washing them away. If that was not the case, Jack would need to stop often and smoothen out the life energy in his body, which would delay him.

Unfortunately, even the thousandfold gravity was not enough. Over a month of tempering, Jacks body had accumulated many imperfections that needed to be fixed. He could spend a few days to do it himselfor, he could see if the pagodas increased gravity could have a stronger effect.

Right now, he was enduring four times the Cathedrals gravity. His body weighed over three hundred tons. It felt like a giant was sitting on his shoulders, trying to make him one with the floor. Even his organs were in pain as the flesh around them barely held on.

Jack gritted his teeth and endured it. His Dao could reinforce him, but he only used it to protect his organs. He wanted to withstand the pressure with his body, grinding out the imperfections.

As he sat there, time lost its meaning, and the pain mounted. His bones were rubbing against each other. He sported internal lacerations that his regeneration quickly healed. It was like his body was trapped between two large grinding stones trying to turn him into dust.

Even his heart was barely beating. This gravity was the maximum he could endure.

Of course, if the other disciples currently at this level knew that he was using only his body to endure the gravity, they would cry out in protest. They were mostly middle C-Grades, and even they had to constantly cycle their Dao!

***

Outside the pagoda, the Envoy was no longer cultivating. She was constantly checking the control screen of the pagodas formationas soon as that peak D-Grade fell unconscious, it would inform her so she could go in and rescue him.

She was certain that moment would come soon.

However, one minuted turned to three, which turned to ten. The Envoy could only gaze at the screen with disbelief as an entire half hour eventually passed. At that point, she suspected the formation had made a mistake. Perhaps that talented D-Grade was already dead.

If that was the case, she would be in deep trouble. The Church didnt care if their disciples got beat up, but if one of them died under her watch, they would never let the matter rest.

The Envoy decided this wasnt a risk she could take. She flew up and was about to open the second floors door when it opened by itself. A human man walked outhe had dark hair and brown, piercing eyes. His purple robes clung to his body, while sweat matted his hair and forehead. However, while his appearance itself was nothing extraordinary, there was something to his aura that gave the Envoy pauseit was deeper, somehow. Heavier. Primal.

This was not the kind of aura a D-Grade should have.

As she stared at him, lost in confusion, the D-Grade spoke up. Oh? You came to welcome me? That is very thoughtful, thank you.

The Envoys face scrounged up. Someone like her would obviously never come to welcome a mere outer disciple, but what could she say? That she thought hed be dead?

Your monthly time allotment is used up, she responded drily. Please return next month.

Thank you for the reminder. I absolutely will.

The peak D-Grade floated to the ground and walked away. Though he seemed exhausted, he didnt have trouble walking. In fact, the Envoy suddenly realized there were no Dao fluctuations coming from that boyhe was resisting the Cathedrals gravity with just his body!

How? was all she could think as she watched him pace away. His name wasJack Rust? Wasnt that the Head Envoys protege?

I will remember that name. Next time, I should be more friendly. There is no reason to make enemies with someone who might become a future Envoy.

As for Jack, he really was exhausted as he walked away, but his face was beaming. Spending half an hour at the pagodas second level had ground away most of the imperfections in his body. Now, he would rest a bit to recover his power, and when Cranxiao camehe would be in for a surprise!