Chapter 724 - 469: Annual Evaluation: The Grandmaster’s Name! (Double - )

Chapter 724: Chapter 469: Annual Evaluation: The Grandmaster’s Name! (Double Chapter)

Song Changming was very satisfied with the performance of his ’Sound Spider’ Witch Soldier Seal. It must be said, it truly lived up to the strange and powerful reputation of the Demon Spider from the Ancient Era.

The Master’s Power lifted everyone up, breaking through this poisonous swamp miasma, soaring into the sky, casting a backward glance.

"Hmph, a place of filth and corruption!"

Before leaving, Song Changming activated the Thunder Seed within him, summoning a mighty Celestial Thunder that turned the marshland below upside down, only then disappearing into the horizon.

Once the dust settled, the marshland was scorched and cracked, with little of the poisonous miasma remaining.

Many poisonous creatures living in this area also suffered an undeserved disaster, turning into ashes under the cleansing Thunder Light.

Much later, some members of the Demon Race finally dared to approach this area, stunned by the now non-existent marshland.

"Such terrifying might of Celestial Thunder, the demons here have really had a stroke of bad luck."

"Indeed, these poisonous creatures recklessly plundered the Human Race without considering the consequences, inviting such a great disaster upon themselves, truly deserved."

"Luckily, it didn’t affect us. The situation is tense lately, better not to capture any more humans."

"Agreed."

"Alright then, I’d best take refuge with my paternal house, see you all in ten years."

"..."

Mid-June.

Marshal’s Cabinet, rooftop.

Song Changming sat casually atop a jade tile.

Tonight’s moon was dim, lacking in Moonlight. If he were to practice the Witch Refining Technique under such conditions, efficiency would be suboptimal.

At times like this, Song Changming would often use Spirit Crystals to refine Qi, tempering his Purple Mansion Essence Blood.

However, tonight Song Changming was not focused on refining Qi, merely quietly awaiting midnight’s arrival.

Soon, his personal interface showed some activity.

[Annual Evaluation: The Name of the Grandmaster!]

[Cultivation Achievement: This year, you reached the Grandmaster Realm in refining Qi, glimpsed the profound truths of the Dao, gained forty strands of Dragon Power through Body Refinement, shattered mountains and rivers, unparalleled in the world, learned the martial art ’Silent Saber’ and mastered it at the basic level, and refined the Witch Soldier Seal ’Sound Spider’...]

[In terms of battle achievements: This year, you vanquished Great Demons, killed Grandmasters, participated in the power struggle between the imperial Family and the Changsheng Clan, saved the collapsing fortress, performing unparalleled feats of heroism...]

[In terms of power and prestige: This year, you ascended to the position of Grand Marshal, obtained the Military Token, commanding military authority, leading an army of millions, renowned and powerful...]

[In terms of family: Few descendants, no successors...]

[Events Involved: 1. Grandmaster Achievement! 2. Power: Second to none! 3. Embers of Changsheng!]

[Please select your annual rewards.]

[1, Life Span +18000]

[2, Life Span -8000, triggered by the blue trait ’Qi Refiner’, gaining the related orange trait ’Celestial Essence Body’.]

[3, Life Span -5000, can enhance the quality of a Spiritual Soldier.]

[4, Life Span -5000, can enhance any Martial Arts Experience.]

[5, Life Span -5000, enhance Grandmaster Cultivation.]

[6, Life Span -1000, attribute points +10]

[Note: Based on evaluation results, four out of the six options can be chosen as rewards.]

For this year’s annual evaluation, Song Changming had high hopes.

After all, this year he stepped into the Grandmaster Realm!

That alone suggested that his annual rewards wouldn’t be lacking.

And indeed, things were as he expected.

Song Changming skimmed through it at a glance. Whether it was his cultivation breakthrough into the Grandmaster Realm, the battle record of defeating the Changsheng Su Family, or the ascent to the position of Grand Marshal in terms of prestige and power, every aspect was a highlight.

This year’s combined rewards are undoubtedly the best since the year of the fierce phenomena and Demon Race invasion.

"Another orange-grade Physical Trait reward," Song Changming’s attention first fixated on the newly available orange trait reward.

Without a doubt, this was a must-choose option.

With six rewards, the ability to choose four allowed for quite a broad selection.

Song Changming pondered briefly and settled on his annual rewards for this year.

As always, he first selected the fixed life span reward.

Eighteen thousand days of life span was quite appealing, perfectly enough to offset the life span consumed by the following reward options.

If not for this, his originally accumulated life span wouldn’t withstand such lavish expenditure.

Then he claimed that orange trait related to the characteristic.

This was noted as a reward triggered by the blue trait of the Qi Refiner.

It could also be said to be an enhanced version of the Qi Refiner trait.

As for the specific effects, Song Changming needed to personally experience them to determine.

After locking in this reward, Song Changming’s panel quickly showed his third orange-level related trait.

A breezy evening gust swept across the rooftop, and Song Changming’s shadow disappeared with it.

In his Marshal’s Cabinet, there was actually a meticulously crafted closed cultivation room.

Constructed with the highest hardness, excellently isolating stone materials, further enhanced by a Level Six Rune Array arranged by Chief Elder Qian.

It can be said that even if the entire Marshal’s Cabinet were reduced to rubble, this closed cultivation room would remain intact.

Nowadays, most times, if Song Changming had significant breakthroughs in cultivation, he would choose to conduct them within this closed chamber to avoid excessive disturbance.

Upon entering, the stone door rumbled shut, sealing the chamber.

A few Nightlight Pearls embedded in the stone walls emitted a soft glow.

Sitting in the center, Song Changming settled into meditation, his heart and spirit immersed, sensing the changes brought by possessing the new trait.

These changes were not intense, more like the gentle accumulation of subtle changes silently, and did not last long.

After an incense stick’s time, the transformative process ended.

"I might have overthought it a little," Song Changming reopened his eyes, muttering to himself.

With a single thought, his Master’s Power started circulating throughout his body, and soon unknowingly triggered the surrounding Spiritual Qi, repeatedly surging back and forth like tidal waves.

Due to the closed chamber’s effect, this Spiritual Qi torrent did not spread outside, only roiling within this chamber.

Moments later, Song Changming calmed his internal Master’s Power, coming to some realizations, and opened his panel to look at the description of the new trait.

Celestial Essence Body (Orange): Innately possesses extreme control over energy, can accelerate energy source absorption and cultivation, greatly immunizes against energy-based damage.

"I see," Song Changming mused.

Saying this new trait is an upgraded version of the former ’Qi Refiner’ trait is indeed accurate.

With extreme control over energy, it speeds up Qi refining cultivation in the Grandmaster Realm while also providing a magic resistance-like effect, immunizing against energy-based damage.

His Master’s Power, an energy form born from the fusion of Gang Qi with his Grandmaster Essence, is also a type of high-level energy.

Just now, he thoroughly experienced what it means to have extreme control over energy.

The same amount of Master’s Power, under this trait’s influence, could exert multiple times its normal power!

Previously, his Qi Refiner trait also enhanced his control over ’Qi’.

In the Innate Realm, the same portion of Innate Qi Aura often allowed him to exert greater power than other Innate Martial Artists.

But after entering the Grandmaster Realm, the Master’s Power he wielded was no longer merely Gang Qi, so the effect of the single Qi Refiner trait was diminished.

Acquiring this orange-grade trait, the Celestial Essence Body, not only filled the shortcomings of the Qi Refiner trait but also offered superior control over energy.

If the Qi Refiner trait gave a onefold Gang Qi power boost to him back when he was an Innate Martial Artist.

Then this Celestial Essence Body gives a threefold, fivefold, even tenfold power boost to the Master’s Power refined from his Purple Mansion Essence Blood!

Such ultimate energy control leads to such ultimate power boosts!

Besides, the trait’s other main function, accelerating energy source absorption, evidently greatly aids his regular cultivation.

As for how it practically plays out, that will depend on the results of future cultivation comparisons.

Furthermore, the energy damage immunity awaits further testing and observation.

Besides, like other physical traits, being newly acquired, the Celestial Essence Body still requires further development and exploration by Song Changming. Once a perfect fit is achieved, only then will its full potency be unleashed.

...