Lian sat cross-legged in the quiet underground cave, the faint glow of bioluminescent moss on the walls providing dim illumination. Elara lay nearby on a makeshift bed of folded cloaks, her breathing now steady and even. She was still unconscious, but the worst of the damage had passed. Her body was recovering.

He looked down at the device on his left wrist — the Nexus Scan Gauntlet, taken from one of the dead high-ranking enforcers. It was a sleek, black-and-silver band with a small crystalline display. He activated it with a thought, and a soft blue holographic interface projected in front of him.

The gauntlet began scanning everything he had looted.

One by one, items floated up in the air as the device analyzed them, displaying clear information: Name, Grade, and Primary Uses.

Lian watched intently, his void eyes reflecting the blue light.

Scanned Items:

Vitalis Recovery Serum (Medicine Tube)

Grade: D+

Uses: Rapidly heals internal injuries, clears foreign Qi residue, and restores stamina. Effective against killing intent backlash and minor meridian damage. One tube provides 4–6 hours of accelerated recovery.

Aetherforge Qi Crystal (x17)

Grade: C

Uses: High-purity Qi source for cultivation. Can be absorbed directly or used to power artifacts and arrays. Significantly boosts Core Condensation realm breakthroughs.

Shadowveil Cloak

Grade: C+

Uses: High-grade stealth artifact. Reduces Qi signature by 70%, improves silent movement, and provides minor camouflage in darkness. Ideal for assassination or escape.

Thunderstrike Gauntlets

Grade: B-

Uses: Combat gloves that amplify striking power with lightning Qi. Can release chain lightning on impact. Increases physical attack strength by 40% for Core Condensation users.

Soulguard Talisman (x3)

Grade: C

Uses: One-time use protective charm. Blocks a fatal soul or mental attack. Automatically activates when the wearer is in mortal danger.

Nexus Recovery Elixir

Grade: B

Uses: Advanced healing elixir. Repairs severe internal damage, including meridian tears and core strain. Can stabilize someone on the verge of death for several hours.

Voidstep Boots

Grade: C+

Uses: Enhances movement speed and allows short bursts of flight. Reduces noise and leaves almost no footprints. Excellent for pursuit or evasion.

Crimson Flame Pill

Grade: B-

Uses: Temporarily boosts Qi output and physical strength by 60% for 30 minutes. Side effect: heavy exhaustion afterward.

Starsteel Dagger

Grade: B

Uses: High-durability weapon capable of cutting through reinforced armor. Can store a small amount of user Qi for empowered strikes.

Mind Stabilizer Ring

Grade: C

Uses: Protects the wearer’s mind from illusions, mental attacks, and killing intent pressure. Provides minor clarity during meditation.

Lian continued scanning, his expression growing more satisfied with each item. He had gathered an impressive haul — far more than he expected from one night of chaos. The Nexus Scan Gauntlet made everything clear and organized, showing him exactly what he now possessed.

He glanced at Elara again. She was breathing easier now. Some color had returned to her face. He felt a rare sense of relief.

With these resources, their preparation for the Kharvax Prime rift in six years had just become much more realistic. He could train harder, heal faster, and build up their strength systematically.

He kept scanning, sorting the items into different categories in his mind — immediate use, long-term training, trading value, and emergency survival.

The underground cave remained quiet, a hidden sanctuary amid the broken world above.

Power Scale / Cultivation Realms (Quick Reminder)

Foundation Realm (Layers 1–9): Body forging, no external Qi.

Circuit Awakening Realm (Early–Peak): First Qi loop, internal bursts.

Core Condensation Realm (Early–Peak): External Qi release, short flight.

Stellar Circuit Realm (1–9 Stars): True flight, Qi armor, energy projection.

Nebula Dominion Realm and higher: Domain control, galaxy-level power, etc

Power Scale Reminder

Lian Yu: Stellar Circuit Star 1.

Elara Voss: Core Condensation Middle

Keep it as reminders