Chapter 244. Time’s up

Jin decided to check his situation after he finished comprehending, because he could feel that something inside him had changed. The moment he carefully sensed his spiritual energy, a strange sensation immediately caught his attention. He focused his consciousness inward, and what he saw surprised him greatly. Within his spiritual energy, it was as if the Devouring Law itself was constantly devouring his spiritual energy. The spiritual energy was decreasing at an astonishing speed, disappearing layer after layer as the Devouring Law continued to consume it.

However, Jin quickly realized that something was different. Although it looked as if his spiritual energy was being devoured, the actual amount of spiritual energy within his body was not decreasing. There was no loss in his foundation, nor did he feel any weakness. Instead, the spiritual energy that was being consumed seemed to be undergoing some kind of transformation.

Jin carefully sensed every change occurring inside him. The more he observed, the clearer the process became. After remaining silent for some time, he muttered to himself, "It seems that the Devouring Law is improving the quality of my spiritual energy. At a particular point, the spiritual energy will completely transform into the first layer of the Devouring Law, where no spiritual energy will be required anymore."

His eyes flashed with understanding as he continued observing the changes. The process was extremely strange, yet it was happening naturally without him having to force anything. He did not interfere with the transformation and simply allowed the Devouring Law to continue its work. After observing it for some time, Jin finally decided to meet his second consciousness.

When he entered the space where his second consciousness resided, Jin was immediately surprised by what he saw. All around his other self was the Devouring Law. It constantly surrounded and devoured him, yet the second consciousness remained completely calm, as if this terrifying process was nothing worth mentioning.

Jin looked at his second consciousness for a moment before speaking, "So you already had the way to comprehend the path that I was confused about for so long."

His other self slowly opened his eyes and looked toward Jin. He merely snorted before closing his eyes once again.

Jin was helpless when he saw this reaction. The personality of this other self of his was completely different from his own. Even though they shared the same origin, the other consciousness behaved in a manner that Jin sometimes found difficult to understand.

However, just as Jin was about to withdraw his consciousness, his other self suddenly spoke.

"I am the second embodiment of your own self, so don’t think that I am a completely different entity."

Jin was surprised by those words. He looked at his other self for a moment before slowly nodding.

"You’re right."

With that, Jin withdrew his consciousness and returned to his body.

When he slowly opened his eyes, he immediately noticed that someone else was present beside Aion. It was none other than Nox.

Jin looked at Nox and asked, "How much time has passed since I started cultivating?"

Nox glanced toward Aion before looking back at Jin.

"It’s been over a month. To be precise, it’s been thirty-five days."

Hearing this, Jin’s eyes widened. He immediately turned his gaze toward Aion and glared at him fiercely. He still remembered how Aion had deliberately teased him when he had said that more than one year had passed.

Aion merely smirked and said nothing.

Jin stared at him for another moment before finally giving up. There was no point arguing with someone who clearly enjoyed teasing him.

"Since it’s time for them to leave, then let’s go and make sure that every one of them leaves that place."

Aion and Nox nodded and followed after him.

The three of them directly appeared inside the ancient cave below the Pagoda of Hope. In front of them was the enormous wheel that had transported the tournament winners into this place. Jin looked around and immediately noticed that all the cultivators had already found suitable places and begun cultivating.

The changes were obvious. Many of them had already achieved beneficial effects from the tremendous vitality contained within the cave. Some had strengthened their bodies, while others had improved their cultivation. Although Jin could see these changes clearly, their individual gains were not something he needed to interfere with.

He simply raised his voice and spoke.

"All the participants, all the tournament winners, may gather in front of the wheel as soon as you can."

His voice echoed throughout the cave.

One after another, the tournament winners stopped cultivating and appeared in front of the wheel. Within a short period of time, everyone had gathered.

Jin looked at them carefully. Their auras were completely different from when they had first arrived. The tremendous vitality within the cave had clearly provided them with an enormous opportunity, and many of them had made significant improvements.

A faint smile appeared on Jin’s face.

"It seems that many of you achieved great results."

The participants looked at one another, and several of them couldn’t hide the excitement in their eyes. Even those who had not broken through a major realm had clearly gained something from the opportunity.

Jin then spoke, "It’s already past the time limit, so let’s return."

With those words, Jin waved his hand.

The space around everyone distorted, and in the next instant, all of them disappeared from the cave.

When they reappeared, they were already standing in front of the arena.

The family members of the tournament winners had been waiting there for their return. The moment they saw the participants appear, they immediately focused on their auras.

The expressions of the waiting cultivators changed one after another.

The improvement was simply too obvious.

The auras released by the younger generation were far stronger than before. Even the elders present could immediately sense how much they had benefited from their time inside the cave.

Some of the stronger cultivators exchanged glances, and shock could be seen in their eyes. Based on the changes in the younger generation, they could estimate that the opportunity they had received was enough to save them eight to ten months, or perhaps even more, of normal cultivation.

Only then did everyone truly understand the value of the opportunity they had almost missed.

Jin looked toward the gathered elders and spoke calmly.

"Seniors, as I said, Pagoda of Hope has great expectations to remove the strange creatures from Virilia. So we are going to do our best to support the younger generation, and I also hope that you all will do your best to assist us when the time is needed."

The gathered cultivators became silent.

The words were simple, but everyone understood the meaning behind them. Pagoda of Hope was not merely providing resources to the younger generation. Jin was also making it clear that when the time came to confront the strange creatures of Virilia, he expected the major forces to contribute as well.

The Taurus elder was the first to nod.

"I understand."

His response was straightforward, and soon afterward, another powerful figure stepped forward.

It was the Axe King.

The Axe King was already extremely powerful and was only one step away from entering the Emperor Realm. He looked at Jin for a moment before asking, "Pagoda Master, is it possible for us to join the Pagoda of Hope and get such opportunities continuously?"

Jin was slightly surprised by the question.

However, he soon smiled and nodded.

"Axe King, as long as you become a member of the Pagoda of Hope, you will certainly get some privileges over what you just experienced."

The Axe King’s eyes brightened slightly.

"Since that’s the case, then I will think about that."

After saying this, he took his leave.

The others also began departing one after another. Some exchanged a few words with Jin before leaving, while others simply nodded and departed with their respective groups.

Among them was Shi Yoman.

Shi Yoman looked toward Jin with a complicated expression. He could clearly sense the tremendous improvement of the cultivator from his Yoman clan who had participated in the tournament. The change was so significant that he could no longer regard Jin as merely a young Pagoda Master who had obtained his position because of circumstances.

This young man was far from insignificant.

Yet Shi Yoman had no words to express what he was thinking.

In the end, he simply turned around and left with everyone else.

After all the participants and their families had departed, the Pagoda of Hope also began clearing up the remaining arrangements related to the tournament.

The matter that had occupied everyone’s attention for such a long time had finally come to an end.

Jin returned to the sixth floor of the Pagoda of Hope together with Aion and Nox. The sixth floor belonged to them, and after returning there, the three of them finally had some peace.

Nox looked at Jin and spoke, "Since we have dealt with everyone, I think there is no need for us to focus on such matters anymore."

Jin shook his head.

"No."

Nox frowned slightly.

Jin looked toward him and continued, "Did you forget the two strange auras that also appeared?"

The expression of Nox immediately became serious.

Those two auras had indeed appeared during the tournament, yet their owners had never participated in the battle. They had remained hidden, merely observing from somewhere beyond everyone’s attention.

Jin narrowed his eyes.

"Those guys didn’t even participate in the battle, and if I’m not wrong, they must be planning something."