System S.E.X. (Seduction, Expansion, eXecution)

Chapter 613: The First Pick

"Ethan Brightsword, step forward," said the Chief Instructor. His booming voice echoed off the high obsidian walls of the inner courtyard, laced with a trace of grim amusement.

Ethan casually strolled out of the ranks, his heavy black boots clicking sharply against the polished stone. He unhitched the leather pouch from his belt and tossed it onto the jade counting table. The moment the pouch opened, a brilliant, multicolored array of light erupted into the air, each token pulsing with a distinct, perfectly balanced spiritual frequency.

"Ethan Brightsword: forty-seven unique talisman groups. Total density weight: absolute zero," said the counting disciple, his own hands trembling slightly as he recorded the staggering number. "Priority Rank: One."

"Unbelievable..." said a noble youth in the back, his knuckles whitening as he stared at the glowing display.

"Forty-seven..." said another elite heir, his voice barely a choked whisper. "He didn’t just survive the valley; he harvested every single faction that set foot inside. The sheer audacity..."

The top-tier noble descendants who had sprinted straight to the finish line to keep their counts at a bare minimum of two or three tokens looked as if they had just swallowed a swarm of flies. Their faces twisted into a hideous mix of humiliation and suppressed rage. The very insider secrets they had relied on to guarantee a safe, effortless victory had turned them into the absolute lowest-ranking trash in the entire selection.

"As the top rank, you have the absolute right to choose first," said the Chief Instructor, gesturing toward the massive, ancient bronze doors at the back of the courtyard. "Behind these gates lies the Pavilion of the Nine Swords. Inside, nine ancient, legendary blades rest on their pedestals. Each one contains a unique inheritance, varying from peak core-region techniques to ancient, forbidden sword intents."

"The doors will open for you alone," said the Chief Instructor. "You have exactly ten minutes to select your prize before the next rank is permitted to enter. Choose wisely, boy. Once your hand touches a blade, your fate is sealed."

Ethan let out a low, deeply amused chuckle that made the surrounding nobles shudder. He didn’t even look back at their furious, bloodshot eyes. He simply rolled his shoulders, his piercing amethyst eyes locked onto the ancient bronze doors as they slowly ground open, releasing a dense, suffocating wave of ancient sword qi that sent chills down the spines of everyone present.

"Thank you for the comfortable path, young masters," said Ethan, his voice dripping with pure, dominant mockery as he stepped through the threshold. "I will be sure to leave you the scraps."

Ethan stepped into the vast, silent chamber of the Pavilion of the Nine Swords. The air inside was thick with the scent of ancient incense and a suffocating, dense sword qi that made the space itself feel heavy.

Arranged in a wide semi-circle, nine stone pedestals stood under beams of soft, ethereal light. Atop each one rested a weapon of immense, legendary power.

To the far left, a massive, jagged greatsword carved from volcanic obsidian pulsed with a dark, boiling heat, its edge constantly breathing faint embers. Next to it rested a rapier so thin and translucent it looked as though it were spun from solid ice, radiating a freezing mist that coated its pedestal in frost. The third was a twin pair of curved scimitars, their steel etched with golden wind runes that constantly hummed with a sharp, gale-force vibration. Further down stood a heavy, bronze broadsword weathered by ancient battles, its blade marked with the profound sigils of an old empire. Every single weapon radiated an undeniable, peak-tier core inheritance.

However, Ethan’s eyes casually drifted past the glamorous, glowing blades, eventually landing on the ninth pedestal at the very edge of the line. Resting there was nothing more than a plain, weathered wooden sword. It lacked any majestic aura, looking completely out of place among the legendary steel, like a toy discarded by a child.

[My, my, Master, what a fascinating little inheritance,] said Crul. The ancient, sinister voice suddenly echoed deep inside Ethan’s mind, speaking for the first time in two weeks. [It is quite weak compared to your true potential, but good nonetheless. Walk over to that wooden sword on the side. But do not touch it with your bare hands. Draw your black blade and destroy that wooden toy completely. It will be something good... something truly spectacular for us.]

Ethan’s lips curved into a dark, knowing smirk. Without a moment of hesitation, his hand flashed to his storage ring.

With a low hum, a battered, heavily notched black steel blade materialized in his grip. To the blind elders of the outer pavilion who had observed him from afar, this ruined weapon looked exactly like the shattered Black Ruin Sword—the legendary, broken inheritance blade belonging to the fallen Bright family lineage. However, the true nature of this weapon ran infinitely deeper, harboring an ancient, abyssal depth that no regular cultivator could ever hope to comprehend.

Ethan approached the ninth pedestal, raised the heavily cracked black blade, and brought it down with absolute, merciless force directly onto the wooden sword.

CRACK!

The plain wooden weapon didn’t simply snap; the moment the black steel made contact, the wood violently shattered into a thousand glittering, emerald-green fragments of pure, concentrated spiritual energy. Before the essence could dissipate into the air, a terrifying, gravitational pull erupted from Ethan’s black blade.

The notched weapon let out a greedy, metallic hiss as it violently absorbed every single glowing fragment into its body. The dense energy swirled around the dark steel like a vortex, sinking deep into the metal. As the light faded, several of the deep, jagged cracks running along the length of Ethan’s blade began to visibly mend, the fractured steel binding back together with a newly refined, terrifyingly sharp luster.

-------------------

From this moment forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.

Note: These are only the ranks mentioned so far to avoid spoilers.

Body Refinement Realm

Skin Refinement / Bone Refinement / Organ Refinement

Spiritual Gathering Realm

Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation

Spiritual Core Realm

Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core)

Spiritual Soul Realm

Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion

Golden Core Realm

Prime Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction

Spiritual Sea Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Dao Manifestation Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Spiritual Transcendence

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??