NOVEL NEXT Chapter 224: Core's Truth
Lucas stood in the heart of the closed Abyss Hole, the oppressive silence pressing in on him from all sides. The dark vastness around him seemed to stretch endlessly, swallowing any noise.
In his hand, he held the small transparent marble core, now completely drained of its Abyss Mana and in a blank state. The eerie, ghostly glow from the core barely illuminated his face, casting faint shadows in the darkness.
He studied it for a moment, his gaze narrowing in thought. "So now that it's in this blank state, how exactly do I use it?" Lucas asked, his voice steady but tinged with curiosity.
The system responded almost instantly, its tone dripping with mock arrogance. [Oh, look who's finally asking the right question. Took you long enough.]
Lucas sighed, rolling his eyes at the system's typical condescending attitude. "Just answer the question."
The system chuckled, clearly amused. [Fine, fine, impatient much? But before I tell you, let me ask you—do you even know what a core truly is?]
Lucas tilted his head slightly, momentarily confused by the question. "Isn't it just... something like a heart? It pumps mana into the body, right? Keeps you alive?"
The system laughed, a sharp, almost taunting sound. [Oh, sure, like that's all it is. Cute how you oversimplify things, host.]
Lucas frowned, feeling a mix of intrigue and irritation. "What are you getting at? What's the 'real truth' about a core?"
The system's voice turned sly, like it was revealing some grand secret it had been keeping for far too long. [Glad you asked, because it's about time I educated you, you clueless brat.] It paused for dramatic effect, clearly enjoying the moment.
[At the lower stages—let's say up to 8-star—yeah, a core's like a heart. Pumps mana, keeps you going, blah blah blah. But...] the system's tone shifted, becoming darker, more serious, [everything changes when you hit 9-star.]
Lucas's eyes narrowed, sensing the shift in tone. "Explain," he said sharply, his patience wearing thin but his curiosity piqued.
[At 9-star,] the system continued, savoring each word, [the core evolves. It's no longer just this little engine that keeps the mana flowing. It becomes... drumroll... the source of life itself.]
Lucas blinked, confusion settling in. "The source of life? What do you mean by that?" He frowned, clearly struggling to understand the gravity of the statement.
The system's voice turned smug, as if Lucas's confusion only fed its sense of superiority. [Let me spell it out for you, genius.]
The system's voice lowered, almost conspiratorially. [If your soul is destroyed right now, what happens to you? Come on, this should be an easy one even for you.]
Lucas responded without hesitation, his voice firm. "I die, obviously. The soul is the essence of life."
The system practically burst with smugness. [Ding ding ding! We have a winner!] it mocked, its tone dripping with sarcasm, as though Lucas had answered the most painfully obvious question imaginable. [You've grasped the basics. Congratulations.]
Lucas's brow furrowed, sensing the system's teasing wasn't leading anywhere good. "But... you're saying that's wrong?" he asked, a deeper confusion settling in.
The system took a dramatic breath, clearly enjoying the chance to drag this moment out. [Oh, so wrong, my dear host.] It paused, savoring Lucas's puzzled expression. [The soul may be the essence of life, sure, but it's not the source of it.]
Lucas narrowed his eyes, his patience thinning. "Not the source? What are you getting at?"
The system chuckled, pleased with itself. [Oh, I'm so glad you asked.] It reveled in drawing out the suspense, clearly loving the power it had over Lucas's growing curiosity. [Alright, let me break it down for you in a way even you can understand.]
Lucas tensed, knowing the system was about to drop something big but also irritated by its constant condescension. "Go on then," he muttered, his voice edged with frustration.
[A core,] the system began, its tone suddenly more serious but still smug, [when you're at the 8-star level and below, sure, it's like a heart, pumping mana and keeping everything running. Pretty straightforward stuff. But once you hit 9-star... well, things get a little more interesting.]
Lucas's attention sharpened, a faint frown creasing his brow. "Interesting how?"
The system's voice lowered, almost as if sharing a secret. [When you reach 9-star, your core stops being just a simple mana pump. It evolves. It turns into something far more important—something far more powerful. It becomes the actual source of life itself. Literally.]
Lucas blinked, momentarily at a loss for words. He stared down at the core in his hand, his mind racing to catch up with what the system was saying. "Wait... the source of life?"
The system continued, its tone filled with a kind of triumphant arrogance, as though it had just revealed the universe's biggest secret. [That's right, genius. Once your core hits 9-star, it doesn't just sustain life anymore. It creates it.]
Lucas's grip tightened around the core, his confusion deepening. "So... if the core becomes the source of life, what does that actually mean for the cultivator?" he asked, his voice more serious now, sensing the weight of what the system was implying.
The system, now relishing the moment, spoke slowly, as if Lucas needed each word carefully spelled out. [It means, dear host, that once the core becomes the source, even if your body is completely destroyed, even if your soul is obliterated, as long as your core is intact, it will recreate your soul and rebuild your body.]
Lucas's eyes widened, his heart pounding as the full implication of the system's words hit him. "Recreate... my soul?" he whispered, almost to himself.
The system's tone was now more serious, though its arrogance still shone through. [Exactly. This, my friend, is the path to immortality. At the 9-star level, you're no longer bound by the normal rules of life and death. As long as your core remains undamaged, you cannot truly die. You'll just keep coming back.]
Lucas stared at the core in stunned silence, his mind reeling. He had never imagined such a thing was possible. He had always believed that the soul was the foundation of existence—once it was gone, that was the end. But now, the system was telling him there was something even deeper.
"So... the 9-star level is more than just a massive power boost," Lucas muttered, his voice almost reverent. "It's... the gateway to immortality."
The system chuckled darkly, clearly enjoying Lucas's awe. [Yes, indeed. When a cultivator reaches this stage, their core no longer just pumps mana—it creates life itself. This is the ultimate secret of the immortal cultivators you've heard of in legends.]
The system's voice softened, almost like it was sharing a secret it had been holding back for far too long. [And trust me, once you hit that level, everything changes.]
Lucas's mind raced, trying to process the enormity of this revelation. "So... I could lose everything—my body, my soul—but as long as my core survives..." His words trailed off, the depth of the knowledge sinking in. The core wasn't just a power source. It was life itself.
[That's right, host,] the system replied, its voice dripping with satisfaction. [The core is your true essence. Everything else—body, soul—that's just decoration. Once your core evolves, you'll be able to walk the path of immortality. As long as your core remains intact, you'll never truly die.]
Lucas exhaled slowly, his hand still gripping the core. The path ahead was far more profound and dangerous than he had ever thought. His goal of 9-star was no longer just about gaining power—it was about transcending death itself.