Chapter 403: Awakening Within the Twin Realms

"Ah! The process is really this complicated?"

Marcus could not help blurting it out, half surprised and half impressed. The deeper he learned about the preparations behind this journey, the more he realized how much thought had gone into it.

Then his mind drifted to Liam Windrunner, the King of the Mountains. Even though Liam had openly doubted Marcus’s chances of obtaining the Bodhi Stone, he had still prepared the Twin Realms Sanctuary as an alternative reward long before they arrived. That alone said more than any praise ever could. Liam had expected failure, yet he had still made sure Marcus would not walk away empty-handed.

’Looks like he really did want me to succeed.’

"Thanks," Marcus said sincerely.

Liam snorted under his breath. "Kid’s got a conscience after all," he muttered, feeling a quiet flicker of satisfaction he had no intention of showing. Out loud, however, his tone remained casual. "Don’t thank me. This was arranged by the Harmony Peak Sect and Elder Wind."

He folded his arms, expression perfectly neutral, revealing nothing of his true thoughts.

"We’re here!"

After more than an hour of walking through the winding mountain tunnel, Elder Wind’s voice echoed from ahead. The moment the words fell, Marcus felt the world shift around him. The narrow stone passage opened suddenly, and the scenery changed so abruptly that he stopped in place.

"Damn..."

"This is incredible."

Before him lay the very heart of Harmony Peak.

A colossal underground cavern stretched endlessly in every direction, vast enough to hold an entire army. The ceiling soared into darkness, disappearing far beyond sight, supported by ancient pillars carved directly from the mountain itself.

Along the walls stood rows of massive stone niches, each framed by intricate formations. Towering murals depicted beasts, sages, and forgotten battles, while solemn animal statues stood guard as if they had been watching over this place for centuries. The air itself carried an ancient weight, heavy with history and quiet authority.

Yet none of that compared to what occupied the center.

A gigantic black-and-white Twin Serpent pattern rotated slowly across the cavern floor, its opposing forces spiraling together in perfect harmony. Streams of black and white mist rose from the formation like living breath, spreading through the air in soft waves that blurred the boundary between reality and illusion.

Marcus was already stunned, but the sight grew even more unbelievable as the mist condensed. The swirling energy twisted upon itself, shaping into enormous phantom dragons of black and white light. They coiled through the cavern, weaving silently through one another, their bodies formed entirely from condensed natural energy that pulsed like a living heartbeat.

No wonder this place was forbidden ground.

The Twin Realms Sanctuary truly lived up to its name. The energy density here was so overwhelming that it no longer remained invisible. It manifested, took shape, and moved with will of its own.

"So... Liam," Marcus said, eyes fixed on the formation, excitement creeping into his voice, "do I just stand on that Twin Serpent pattern and let the energy wash over me to unlock my class?"

He could already imagine stepping into that sea of dragon-shaped energy. Honestly, just witnessing this place felt worth the entire journey.

Liam stared at him, then slowly pointed toward the massive formation. "In there?"

The confusion on his face made it clear Marcus had misunderstood something fundamental. Liam let out a long sigh before explaining.

"That formation is the convergence of everything Harmony Peak cultivates. All the natural energy gathered here flows into that core. It’s unbelievably powerful. If you were Level 80, you could absorb a portion of it for cultivation." He paused, giving Marcus a flat look. "At your current level, you wouldn’t last five seconds. The energy would overwhelm your body, tear through your channels, and you’d lose at least ten levels before collapsing."

Marcus immediately took a step back. "...Yikes."

A chill ran down his spine. Good thing he had not rushed blindly into things back inside the Mystic Turtle’s Tomb. Dominion clearly offered opportunities everywhere, but it never handed out power without a price.

So natural energy absorption had strict level requirements. No shortcuts, and no free rewards.

He was about to ask about Goldie when Liam continued speaking.

"Back in the Mystic Turtle’s Tomb, I used an Earth-Wind Spirit Cave to evolve a pet. If you want your companion to evolve the same way..."

"Pet evolution?" Marcus quickly summoned Goldie.

The Shadow-Stained Gryphon King appeared beside him in a ripple of shadowed wind, feathers gleaming faintly under the sanctuary’s light.

Liam’s eyes sharpened as he examined the creature. "Wind affinity... good compatibility. The Earth-Wind Spirit Cave could work for it." He nodded slowly, then added, "But not yet."

After checking Goldie’s status, Liam explained further. "Pets follow the same rules as players. They need to reach Level 80 before safely absorbing natural energy. Using natural energy to power-level is possible, but the risk is severe. Failure brings heavy penalties. The higher the level and the stronger the affinity with the energy source, the lower the risk becomes."

"Level 80..." Marcus repeated.

By the time he reached that level, the opportunity might already be gone.

Seeing the disappointment creeping onto Marcus’s face, Liam spoke again before the silence settled too deeply.

"But that restriction isn’t absolute."

Marcus looked up immediately.

"Certain rare treasures can bypass it," Liam continued. "Special items, ancient scrolls, divine artifacts. For example, the Wind Spirit Orb. With something like that, a player or pet could enter an Earth-Wind Spirit Cave and begin absorbing energy immediately."

"Exactly," Elder Wind added, stepping forward with a faint smile. "According to legend, the Goddess of Dreams once possessed a Super Divine Artifact known as the Ephemeral Mirror. It allowed its wielder to absorb any form of natural energy effortlessly while dramatically amplifying the results."

The old man sighed, nostalgia flickering across his face.

"Our Harmony Peak Sect once held a Divine Artifact called the Harmony Core. With it, even those below Level 80 could cultivate safely within the Twin Serpent formation. But it was lost during the war against the Demon Clan a century ago. Since then, entry into the formation has been restricted. Only those who reach Level 80 or master the Seventh Layer of the Harmony Scripture may enter."

Marcus exhaled slowly.

So much for unlocking his second class by bathing directly in that overwhelming energy. If he could not even step into the formation, then what exactly had Liam brought him here for?

"Liam... what’s the plan, then?"

For a brief moment, Marcus imagined himself mastering the Harmony Scripture and blasting through seven layers of cultivation in record time. The fantasy lasted exactly one second. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Liam pointed toward the cavern wall. "Over there."

He led Marcus toward one of the large stone niches carved into the mountain.

"These niches are auxiliary energy chambers," Liam explained as they walked. "They’re constructed along the natural flow of the Twin energies and reinforced with formations to regulate the pressure. Harmony Peak disciples use them for controlled training."

Marcus peeked into several chambers as they passed. Inside, young disciples sat cross-legged in meditation, surrounded by gentle streams of black-and-white mist. Compared to the violent energy at the center, the flow here felt stable, refined, and manageable.

"We’re here."

They stopped before an empty chamber.

Liam stepped inside first, followed by Elder Wind. The interior was quiet, the air dense yet calm, the energy flowing like a steady current rather than a raging storm.

"Stonehaven," Liam said, turning toward him, "you should be able to withstand the energy level here. Elder Wind will channel the Twin energy into your body to prepare your foundation. After that, I’ll use the Bodhi Stone to awaken your second class."

Marcus took a breath and stepped into the chamber after them, the faint mist curling around his feet as the sanctuary door closed behind him.