As Harry made his way out, several disciples blocked his path.
"Let him go. That's an order," Logan commanded, still lying in the ring, using his ice element for first aid.
Despite their hesitation, none of them dared to override Loganâs decision.
Exhausted and drained of Qi, Harry knew he had to retreat and organize his rewards before he collapsed. His body was running on fumes, and if he didnât rest soon, he was certain he would faint.
However, that wasnât the most pressing issue. He could feel his Qi surging, yet his body cultivation remained stagnant at Foundation Building Level 8.
Sensing the urgency, he sprinted toward his room.
On the way, he hastily checked his system screen.
---
[Congratulations! You have completed the Quest.]
[Rewards: Instant Level Up]
[Congratulations! You have ranked among the Top 100.]
[Bonus Rewards: Mastery Token Ã1]
[You have reached Elemental Master Level 1.]
[Generating a suitable element for youâ¦]
---
Harry didnât even have time to wish for a rare element. Under normal circumstances, he would have prayed for something extraordinaryâperhaps the elusive Death (Necromancy) or the coveted Time Element.
But right now, survival was his priority. His skin was already beginning to tear apart, and the only thing keeping him from succumbing to the pain was his Iron Body Technique. Unfortunately, even that had its limits.
Liam, Blake, Tyler, and Gracie had followed him, sensing that something was terribly wrong.
By the time Harry reached his room, blood was already dripping from his lacerated skin.
Panic set in. "What do I do? No⦠No⦠That wonât work. This wonât work either!" His mind raced frantically, searching for a way to stop his body from ripping itself apart.
Gracie was the first to recognize the phenomenon. Though rare, she had read about it beforeâit happened when cultivators consumed high-level resources beyond their body's tolerance.
But that didnât add up. Harry had just fought an intense battle; he hadnât taken any cultivation resources.
Liam, Blake, and Tyler were equally perplexed.
"What the hell is happening, Harry? Are you about to explode?" Tyler asked, running in circles in sheer panic.
Liam, realizing the gravity of the situation, bolted out of the room in search of an elder or a healer with a suitable element.
---
[Congratulations! You have acquired the Space Element.]
[Element: Space]
[Skills Unlocked:]
(1) Space Barrier - Level 1
Generates a protective barrier around the user, capable of blocking physical attacks and projectiles.
Upgrade Cost: 2 Stat Points
[New Skill Unlock Cost: 10 Stat Points]
[Stat Points Available: 25]
---
Desperation filled Harryâs eyes as he scanned the system screen. He had been hoping for a skill that could save his life, but none of the available abilities seemed useful in his current predicament.
Just then, a wave of relief coursed through his body. The excruciating pain momentarily subsided.
He looked up and saw Gracie, her hands glowing faintly, using Soul Drain on him.
"I⦠I canât keep this up," she panted, sweat dripping down her face. "This will only delay the inevitable. You have to do something if you want to live another day."
Harryâs breathing steadied as his mind cleared. He considered his options.
The Mastery Token was useless in this situation. That left him with only one gambleâhis newly acquired Space Element.
He had two choices:
1. Unlock a new skill for 10 stat points and hope it could save him.
2. Upgrade his existing skill, Space Barrier, and bet that the higher level might provide a solution.
His thoughts became sharper as Gracie continued draining his excess Qi. He reviewed the information on Space Barrierâthen, a wild idea struck him.
What if I create a Space Barrier inside my body to contain the rampant Qi?
He quickly skimmed through the skill description again.
Damn it! The skill only works externally⦠But what if I upgrade it?
He glanced at Gracieâshe was at her limit. Her body trembled, her clothes were drenched in sweat, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
Gritting his teeth, he made his decision.
---
[Congratulations! Space Barrier has leveled up.]
[Space Barrier - Level 2]
Increased size and durability.
Can block stronger physical and elemental attacks.
Upgrade Cost: 5 Stat Points
---
A splitting pain tore through his mind. Harry let out a bloodcurdling scream as knowledge about the Space Element flooded into him.
For a moment, he felt as though he had wielded this power for centuries, yet at the same time, he was still a novice.
Gracie, assuming his cries were due to physical agony, tried to continue Soul Drainâbut her body had reached its limit. With a final gasp, she collapsed from exhaustion.
Harry, however, wasnât done yet. The pain in his mind had eased, but his body was still breaking apart.
This was his last chance.
With unwavering focus, he attempted to generate a Space Barrier within his body, compressing the chaotic Qi.
This was no simple taskâit was something that took centuries of mastery to perfect. Even a minor miscalculation could rupture his organs.
But for some reason⦠it felt natural to him.
With extreme precision, he formed the internal barrier.
---
Meanwhile, Liam and Tyler helped Gracie onto a chair.
Tyler, who had attended a few medical classes, recognized the symptoms.
"Sheâs suffering from overuse exhaustionâher mind was pushed past its limits," he explained. "She just needs rest."
But their focus quickly shifted back to Harry, whose body continued to tear apart before their eyes.
ThenâBANG!
The door burst open as Aiden entered, an elder following closely behind.
The elder took one look at Harryâs condition and rushed forward. Raising his hands, he summoned a radiant white aura that enveloped Harry.
For the first time since this nightmare began, a soothing sensation washed over him.
But something about it felt off.
His senses dulledâhis pain, his awareness, even his instincts were fading.
Harryâs eyes widened in alarm. What kind of ability is this? If used in battle, it could completely cripple someoneâs ability to fight!
"Don't worry," Aiden reassured Tyler and Blake. "He's the best healer in the academy."
Noticing Gracieâs condition, he handed her a recovery pill.
"She should wake up in an hour or two."
Suddenly, Aiden felt his Qi being drained. He looked downâGracie's hand was still glowing faintly.
"Oh, crap! She's still using Soul Drainâsubconsciously!"
A burst of golden light flickered from Aidenâs body, suppressing the techniqueâs lingering effects.
Blake watched in amazement. "That must be Aidenâs elemental abilityâ¦"
---
Meanwhile, Harry remained locked in deep focus.
Though his pain had lessened, his battle wasnât over yet.
The last step of his gamble was to refine his body cultivation by steadily releasing the excess Qi and reinforcing his internal structure.
One wrong move, and he wouldnât survive the night.