My Infinite Cultivation System-Chapter 56: Martial King realm break through

The shared meal at the Valentine estate was a warm, boisterous affair. Eric, Selena’s father, took the opportunity to introduce the inner circle of the family, his eyes gleaming with a mix of pride and curiosity as he observed the young man sitting across from them.

Alex met every introduction with a polite, effortless smile, his charm working through the room like a silent tide. He was perfectly composed, the image of a rising star who knew exactly how to navigate the complexities of high-society lineages.

As the plates were cleared and the conversation began to wind down into comfortable murmurs, Alex stood up. He offered a respectful nod to the room, bidding farewell to the Valentine family.

"Anna, I’m heading over to meet Grandmaster," Alex said as they reached the courtyard, the cool evening air ruffling his hair. "Do you want to come along, or are you heading back?"

Anna didn’t hesitate for a heartbeat. "I’ll go".

When they arrived, the atmosphere was far from the quiet, scholarly environment one might expect from the world’s premier alchemist. Instead, the halls echoed with laughter and the clinking of crystal. Nolan was throwing a feast.

When the word reached Nolan that Alex had arrived, he let out a bark of laughter. "Invite that brat in! I know his stomach—he’s a bottomless pit when it comes to good food."

Led by one of Nolan’s senior butlers, Alex and Anna entered the grand dining hall. Without an ounce of hesitation or traditional etiquette, Alex bypassed the empty seats and parked himself directly next to Nolan. He reached out, snagging a roasted delicacy straight from the Grandmaster’s personal plate.

"Grandmaster, honestly, I’m not even hungry," Alex said, his mouth already half-full. "I just ate at the Valentine house a little while ago."

Despite his claim, Alex’s hands moved with the efficiency of a professional cleaner. Within seconds, the prime cuts of meat on Nolan’s plate were vanishing into Alex’s mouth.

Nolan’s eye began to twitch. He watched his dinner disappear with a mix of indignation and begrudging affection. "You little brat," Nolan grumbled, signaling a servant to bring more food to replenish his pilfered plate. "Why are you really here? You don’t just ’drop by’ when I’m in the middle of a party."

Alex paused his chewing, looking at Nolan with an expression of wounded innocence that wouldn’t have fooled a toddler. "I just wanted to see you, Grandmaster. Is it so hard to believe I missed your company? Do you really think I have some ulterior motive?"

Nolan snorted, the sound dripping with disdain. "Yes. I absolutely do."

Alex didn’t argue. He didn’t need to. While he continued to munch on the stolen feast, he scanned him.

[Name: Nolan Magnus

Talent: Alchemist (SSS), Alchemy Fire Manipulation (SSS)

Rank: Emperor Level 9

Note: Alchemy fire is a pure white flame, at least 5 times hotter than a standard elemental flame. It is the pinnacle tool for high-level Alchemy.]

Alex felt a little disappointed. He was expecting an Epic grade Alchemy talent. However, he couldn’t deny the utility of the new talent of Nolan.

He started massaging Nolan’s shoulder while copying his new talent. Alex let his SS grade flame manipulation to be upgraded, so no new slot was needed.

His mission accomplished, Alex wiped his hands on a silk napkin and stood up. "Alright, thank you for the meal. I’m heading out, Grandmaster."

Nolan sat frozen, a piece of meat halfway to his mouth. "Wait... that’s it? You really just came here to eat my food and massage my shoulder?"

Alex waved a hand over his shoulder as he led Anna toward the exit. "Told you! No ulterior motives."

Nolan watched them leave, a genuine, albeit confused, smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "That kid is going to be the death of me."

Back within the Celestus house, within the reinforced walls of his training room,Alex sat cross-legged. The Ai was showing him the details of the 5 skills he had chosen.

Regeneration(SS-Rank): A light-elemental miracle. It didn’t just stitch wounds and regenerate organs, it purged corruption and dark energies too, making the user nearly impossible to keep down.

Ice Lance (S-Rank): A terrifying offensive tool. It allowed the simultaneous manifestation of ten crystalline lances, each capable of piercing heavy armor.

Fire Phoenix (SS-Rank): The crown jewel of fire skill. It summoned a sentient bird of prey made of living flame, possessing 50% of user’s total power.

Energy Shield (SS-Rank): A universal defense. It scaled directly with user’s realm, creating a barrier that was as durable as his own physical body.

Spirit Animal (SS-Rank): A tactical masterpiece. It allowed for the creation of five spectral scouts,acting as his eyes and ears in any environment. The animals can reach those places where divine sense doesn’t work. Time: 3 hours.

These skills didn’t have "levels" in the traditional sense. They were tools of pure proficiency. He needed to practice.

So he lost the track of time while practicing. While his proficiency in skills grew, his cultivation base was screaming for release. It had been 24 hours since he activated his 10x cultivation boost, and the energy stored within him was like a dam about to burst.

"Breakthrough," he whispered.

The system pinged in his mind, the numbers blurring as his foundation solidified.

[Cultivation Level: 35]

[Cultivation Base: 15.6 Q / 15.6 Q]

He didn’t stop. He could feel the momentum carrying him forward. "Breakthrough again."

[Cultivation Level: 36]

[Cultivation Base: 156 Q / 156 Q]

Now, he stood at the precipice. Level 37 wasn’t just another number; it was a qualitative leap. This was the transition into the Martial King realm—a stage where a human truly begins to shed their mortal limitations.

At this level, the body no longer required food or water for sustenance, drawing everything it needed from the atmospheric energy of the universe.

Alex took a deep, steadying breath. He looked at his current physical stats before the jump.

[Strength: 3.25 Megaton

Speed: 6,000 m/s

Defense: 9.75 Megaton

Spirit: 1.5 Megaton]

"Breakthrough."

BOOM!

The air in the training room exploded outward, hitting the reinforced walls with the force of a hurricane. Inside Alex, it felt as though a literal iron shackle had been shattered into dust. His veins burned with a new, terrifyingly potent energy. The sheer volume of power gushing through his meridians made him feel as though he could reach out and crush the moon with his bare hand.

He opened his eyes, which now flickered with a faint, crystalline light. He checked the panel.

[Cultivation Level: 37]

[Cultivation Base: 156 Q / 312Q]

[Energy Absorption: 2.187 T/s]

[Strength: 32.5 Megaton]

[Speed: 10,000 m/s]

[Defense: 97.5 Megaton]

[Spirit: 5 Megaton]

The jump was astronomical. His strength had increased tenfold. He felt truly invincible, a king among men. But he knew this was just the start of the climb. He didn’t want to be interrupted by the constant chime of breakthroughs every hour.

"System," he commanded, his voice vibrating with power. "Set breakthrough to automatic until I reach the saturation point of level 45."

The system calculated the trajectory. To reach Level 46 from his current position would take approximately 25 days of continuous, high-intensity absorption.

[Name: Alex Moriarty] 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

[Cultivation Talent: Eternal]

[Attack Prowess: Level 3 Martial King]

Alex had already created the 250 pure beast king cores. He then put the cores inside the wristband.

"Alex? Are you in there?" Elizabeth’s voice came from the outside.

Alex stood up, feeling the floor slightly tremble under the sheer density of his new presence. He suppressed his aura as much as possible before opening the door. "Yes, Mom. Come in."

He sat on the edge of his bed, looking at her. She seemed lighter, happier now.

"Alex, the Vice President just sent word. Our new villa is finally ready," she said, her eyes bright. "He wanted to know if we’d like to move in today, or if you prefer staying here at the Celestus estate a bit longer?"

Alex looked around the room. It was luxurious, but it wasn’t home. It was a guest suite.

"Let’s go," Alex said, a small, genuine smile finally reaching his eyes. "It’s not right to overstay our welcome, even with someone like master. Let’s go say our goodbyes."