Chapter 550: The Opening of Spirit and Flesh, the Advancing Bai Cangshu (3k)

Knight Girl slowly retracted her hands, and her physique also changed from that mature posture back into the petite form of a young girl.

She let out a breath, appearing slightly exhausted; this was the first time Bai Cangshu had seen her reveal such an expression.

Clearly, the appraisal of the essence of power like the 【Ladder】 consumed her far more than appraising those materials usually did.

"A remarkable Ladder; even within the entire Space, the length of this 【Ladder】 can be considered profound."

Knight Girl leaned on her sword, a posture that inexplicably made Bai Cangshu associate her with Saber.

He quickly cast aside the speculations in his mind that still lacked any basis and examined this unfamiliar power system.

No, it should be said that for Reincarnators, for the Infinite Dimensional Space, perhaps the 【Ladder】 was the most essential power system.

Whether it was the Reincarnator breaking through the attribute Extreme Value, which was called breaking through the First Tier, or the hidden special reward given by the Space after obtaining an S-rank evaluation—which allowed the Reincarnator to perform additional material casting and thereby come into contact with the 【God's Ladder】.

All of this confirmed one point: in this Space capable of reaching the heavens and myriad worlds and coming into contact with power systems as numerous as the stars, the 【Ladder】 was the most essential power that integrated all power systems.

Combined with the previous narrative of the Multi-faceted Alien, the 【Ladder】 was likely the result "observed" by the 【Infinite Dimensional Space】 acting as an 【Observer】.

The Space, through its own observation, collapsed those countless power systems into a unified 【Ladder System】.

【Ladder of Spirit and Flesh (11th Tier) — A ladder of soul and flesh, a trial of the essence of life】

【Special Reincarnator ex051, will you open... the Ladder of Spirit and Flesh (11th Tier)?】

Bai Cangshu did not open it directly; he continued to ask.

"Miss Knight, after opening the Ladder of Spirit and Flesh, can I still continue to explore the 【God's Ladder】?"

Knight Girl seemed to have a deep understanding of this Reincarnator who radiated an extremely Greed Sin for power, and she nodded.

"The 【God's Ladder】 is an incomplete ladder. Strictly speaking, this is a ladder with no visible end and lacking footholds; in the eyes of many practitioners, the 【God's Ladder】 does not even count as a true 【Ladder】."

"You will understand this point after you open the new ladder."

Bai Cangshu nodded. Because he was overly greedy, he was always particularly concerned about descriptions like "upper limit" or "future height."

He never worried about being unable to climb the ladder; he only worried about choosing a ladder whose future was not vast enough.

Upon knowing that it would not affect the 【God's Ladder】—which chased after an invisible upper limit as Knight Girl described—Bai Cangshu immediately chose to open the ladder.

【Confirm】

【Ladder opening...】

In an Instant, beneath the one-and-a-half rings of Tese on Bai Cangshu's right arm, the dim Meridians lit up in an Instant.

The next moment, those Meridians emitted a blue-white luster, extending from his arm into Bai Cangshu's body as if electrified, in an Instant.

Bai Cangshu involuntarily spread his arms, his whole body feeling a powerful, cold energy coursing through him.

In just a moment, it lit up every inch of skin, every inch of muscle, and even every nerve ending in his body.

He felt his body become light and transparent, and then, it suddenly tensed!

Creak~ Snap!

As Bai Cangshu's terrifying flesh tensed in an Instant, it was as if a steel whip had lashed out in the air, creating a scorching white cloud trail.

Bai Cangshu's body was enveloped in blue-white luster, and he floated up directly; he felt an incomparably terrifying energy being triggered within him.

That feeling was more powerful and surging than the Qi he obtained after opening the Fourfold Kaioken, and more torrential than the crazily rampaging Killing Intent Wave after he unlocked the Killing Intent Restraint.

Even... more powerful than both of those combined.

That was... the power of the Soul!

Within Bai Cangshu's current body, the most powerful attribute was neither strength nor Constitution, nor was it Spirit or agility.

His most powerful attribute was energy!

Every time he absorbed various Spirit Bodies, Bai Cangshu would gain an increase; in the end, he could no longer remember how many increases he had obtained in total.

Due to his special Constitution, his energy attribute was always displayed as 【?】.

Yet, this overly powerful energy attribute was something Bai Cangshu had always found difficult to mobilize.

It was as if it were the Yellow Springs within his body, flowing quietly, yet difficult to control according to his will.

At this moment, that sleeping soul power seemed to begin to awaken as well.

Knight Girl looked up at the hovering Bai Cangshu, her eyes full of expectation.

A 【Ladder】 as high as the 11th Tier was considered an extremely Rare height within the entire Space.

The highest ladder currently speculated in the Space, apart from the 【God's Ladder】 with an unknown upper limit, was likely anchored at the 13th Tier level.

But that was only inferred based on the level of the power system; no one had yet been able to open a 13th Tier ladder, let alone climb it.

On the surface of Bai Cangshu's body, the blue-white Meridians continuously extended from his right arm, soon enveloping his entire body.

He was almost swallowed by the blue-white light; the next moment, Bai Cangshu was suddenly jolted awake by an intense tearing sensation.

He fell from the air and saw that at his left shoulder, the blue-white Meridians had stalled.

Is it the 【King's Left Arm】? Did this arm affect the ladder climbing?!

He opened the panel. 【Ladder of Spirit and Flesh opened】

【Climbing First Tier - Residual Soul, Rotten Body... Success!】

【You have obtained Aging Resistance (Intermediate), Tese · Soul Return (Soul power recovery speed increased by 35%)】

【Climbing Second Tier - Condensed Soul, Tempered Body... Success!】

【You have obtained Tese · Soul Steel (Rare) (Soul defense additionally increased), Tese · Flesh Steel (Rare) (Physical defense additionally increased)】

【Climbing Third Tier - Heart Flame, Steel Body... Success!】

【You have obtained Special Ability · Spirit Flame (B+) — Your soul can ignite a special Spirit Flame, burning the opponent's Spirit and soul; intensity is linked to soul power and Spirit】

【You have obtained Special Ability · Steel Transformation (B+) — Your flesh can change its properties, turning into special metal; intensity is linked to base Constitution and base defense (currently can turn into diamond granules), duration is linked to soul energy】

【Climbing Fourth Tier - Soul Domain, Regeneration... Success!】

【You have obtained Tese · Soul Regeneration (Rare) — Even if the soul is damaged, it can slowly regenerate】

【You have obtained Tese · Super-Speed Regeneration... Detected that Reincarnator ex051 already possesses Tese · Super-Speed Regeneration, Tese is being strengthened】

【You have obtained the Tese: Instant Regeneration (Rare and Peerless) — Regeneration begins the instant the physical body is damaged, with an extremely fast healing speed.】

【Climbing the Fifth Tier - Sacred Soul, Immortality... Failed.】

【Sacred Soul: A perfectly purified soul, not yet obtained (Unlock progress 13%).】

【Immortality: A Concept-level undying physical body, not yet obtained (Unlock progress 57%).】

A long string of panels caused a brilliant light to constantly flicker in Bai Cangshu's eyes.

He finally understood what Knight Girl meant when she said he would understand once he opened the Ladder.

It turned out that climbing the Ladder itself grants the climber power!

Every layer of the Ladder provides additional power, whether it be Tese, resistance, or even active abilities!

Without needing any special Bloodline, simply climbing the 【Ladder of Spirit and Flesh】 is enough for a Reincarnator to obtain powerful physical and soul defense, or even powerful Tese like 【Super-Speed Regeneration】 that are highly popular among the Reincarnator community!

This is the power of the Ladder!

However, Bai Cangshu also understood that it was precisely because he had already purified his bloodline through his special Constitution and that 【Cursed Blood Homology】 potion.

That was why he climbed so smoothly this time, reaching the level of the Fifth Tier in one go.

Thinking of this, Bai Cangshu simply continued to press Knight Girl for answers, as he had already judged that Knight Girl was an existence possessing individual thought and consciousness, and thus speaking to her was more like dealing with other Reincarnators.

"Miss Knight, I imagine you must have heard of the terms 【First Ladder: Attribute Ladder】, 【Second Ladder: Energy Ladder】, and 【Third Ladder: Authority Ladder】..."

Knight Girl shook her head. She raised her right hand, as if looking at the 【Ring】 on her own right arm and Bai Cangshu's right arm, which were embedded with Tese of Rare and Peerless grade or higher, and spoke.

"Among Reincarnators, those who can come into contact with the various true Ladders do not exceed 5%, and those who can fully maintain the possibility of the 【God's Ladder】 are likely not even 1%."

"The Space naturally prepared special 【Ladders】 for that group of people who cannot touch the truth, the 【Power Ladder】 exclusive to Reincarnators."

"【First Ladder: Attribute Ladder】, 【Second Ladder: Energy Ladder】, 【Third Ladder: Authority Ladder】, 【Fourth Ladder: Heart Light Soul Movement】..."

"And then?"

Bai Cangshu had also heard of these four Ladders and deeply agreed with them; at this moment, he wanted to know the classification after this so-called Power Ladder.

Knight Girl, however, shook her head.

"There is no more. This false and crude 【Power Ladder】 ends here; there is no path forward."

"Common Reincarnators who reach this stage have reached the end. If they cannot find the true Ladder, they will eventually turn into nourishment for others."

Bai Cangshu froze for a moment, then grinned.

This was indeed the style of the Infinite Dimensional Space—even for those the Space deems to lack potential, it still seeks to utilize them in this form.

Using a so-called 【Power Ladder】 to let them climb to a stage where they possess enough value, then offering them up for more valuable individuals to devour.

He... really likes this approach!

However, although Knight Girl said this 【Power Ladder】 was just a false ladder shaped by the Space, Bai Cangshu felt it indeed had its unique aspects.

Although this Ladder was not detailed enough, it very clearly stratified the strength between Reincarnators.

First Tier Reincarnators are most of the time unable to match Second Tier Reincarnators who have mastered energy projection abilities;

And the gap between Second Tier: Energy Projection Reincarnators and those Third Tier Reincarnators who have mastered special Authority rules is even more massive.

The Fourth Tier: Heart Light Soul Movement even possesses the special power Bai Cangshu covets—Heart Light!

It is just that the channels for promotion between each Ladder are unclear, and after promotion, it does not continuously grant various improvements like the 【Ladder of Spirit and Flesh】, but only provides gains like 【Chao-fan Te-zheng】 after each major Ladder.

This is like a "rough-finished house" that possesses the prototype of a 【Ladder】; it does not give enough, nor is it detailed enough, but it is sufficient for common Reincarnators to use temporarily.

Bai Cangshu temporarily planned to improve himself by using the three types of Ladders in parallel.

He examined his various panels; there were still many things he needed to do next.

Smelt the materials, forge the second Ring to perfection, and open the advancement mission for the 【Xiong】 tier!

Find a way to continue climbing the 【Ladder of Spirit and Flesh】. He already had a few thoughts. Looking at 【Sacred Soul (Progress 13%)】, he associated it with his soul, which had been repaired by Golden Soul Fragments; that was likely a way of achieving what is called a Sacred Soul or soul purification.

Finally, there was cultivation, further cultivation! Absorb all the "war reparations" sent by the various factions, turn them into nourishment, and let himself step into the realm of 【Magnetic Field Rotation】.

Improve his Constitution, allow himself to open higher multiples of Kaioken, and open that kind of eye technique for longer durations;

Hunt Scarlet Sins, increase total Attribute Points, and climb the opening magnitude of the 【Limiter】!

Bai Cangshu felt as if he saw countless kinds of terrifying powers laid out before his eyes.

I want them... I want them all!

(End of chapter)