Stairway of Spirit and Flesh Unlocked, Bai Cangshu Charges Forward (3K)

Knight Sister slowly lowered her hands, her body shrinking from its mature form back into that of a petite young girl.

She let out a breath and seemed somewhat exhausted. It was the first time Bai Cangshu had seen such an expression on her.

Clearly, appraising the nature of a Stairway’s power consumed far more of her than appraising ordinary materials.

"An impressive Stairway. Even within the entire Space, the length of this Stairway can be considered profound."

Knight Sister planted both hands on her sword. For some reason, her posture made Bai Cangshu compare her to Saber.

He quickly cast aside a few baseless speculations and examined this unfamiliar power system.

No, rather, for Reincarnators and for the Infinite Dimensional Space, perhaps Stairways were the most fundamental power system.

Whether it was Reincarnators breaking through their attribute limits, which was called breaking through the First Tier, or the hidden special reward granted by the Space after receiving an S-rank evaluation—allowing Reincarnators to additionally forge materials and come into contact with God’s Staircase—

Both proved one thing: in this Space that could reach the Myriad Worlds and encounter power systems as countless as the stars, Stairways were the most fundamental force integrating all power systems.

Combined with what the Multi-Faced Star People had said before, Stairways were probably the result the Infinite Dimensional Space had "observed" as an observer.

Through its own observation, the Space had collapsed countless power systems into a unified Stairway system.

Stairway of Spirit and Flesh (11 Tiers)—the Stairway of soul and flesh, a trial of life’s essence.

Special Reincarnator EX051, would you like to unlock… the Stairway of Spirit and Flesh (11 Tiers)?

Bai Cangshu did not unlock it immediately. Instead, he continued asking,

"Miss Knight, after unlocking the Stairway of Spirit and Flesh, can I still continue exploring God’s Staircase?"

Knight Sister seemed to have gained a deep understanding of this Reincarnator’s extremely greedy thirst for power. She nodded.

"God’s Staircase is an incomplete Stairway. Strictly speaking, it is a Stairway with no visible end and no footholds to step on. In the eyes of many practitioners, God’s Staircase does not even count as a true Stairway."

"You will understand this once you unlock a new Stairway."

Bai Cangshu nodded. Because he was overly greedy, he was always especially concerned about descriptions such as "upper limit" and "future potential."

He never worried that he would be unable to climb a Stairway. He only worried that he might choose one with insufficient prospects.

Once he learned that it would not affect the pursuit of the invisible upper limit of God’s Staircase that Knight Sister had mentioned, Bai Cangshu immediately chose to unlock the Stairway.

Confirmed.

Stairway unlocking…

In an instant, beneath the one and a half rings of traits on Bai Cangshu’s right arm, dim veins suddenly lit up.

The next moment, those veins shone with blue-white radiance, spreading from his arm into Bai Cangshu’s body as though electricity had been switched on.

Bai Cangshu unconsciously spread his arms. He felt a powerful, icy force coursing through his entire body.

In an instant, it lit up every patch of skin, every inch of muscle, and even every nerve ending in his body.

He felt his body become light and translucent before abruptly tensing!

Creak—crack!

When Bai Cangshu’s terrifying body tensed in an instant, it was as though steel whips had struck the air, leaving blazing white cloud trails.

Bai Cangshu’s body was enveloped in blue-white radiance, and he directly floated into the air. He felt an unimaginably terrifying energy within him being violently stirred.

That feeling was stronger and more surging than the qi he gained after activating Four Times Kaio-ken, more overwhelming than the wildly rampaging Satsui no Hado after releasing the Killing Intent Restriction.

It was even… stronger than both combined.

That was… the power of the soul!

Among Bai Cangshu’s current attributes, neither strength nor physique was the strongest, much less spirit or agility.

His strongest attribute was energy!

Every time he absorbed various spiritual entities, Bai Cangshu gained an increase. By now, he could no longer remember how many increases he had received in total.

Due to the issue with his special physique, his energy attribute had always displayed as ?.

Yet Bai Cangshu had always found it difficult to mobilize that excessively powerful energy attribute.

It was like the Yellow Springs within his body, flowing quietly but impossible to control according to his will.

At this moment, that dormant Soul Power seemed to be awakening as well.

Knight Sister raised her head and looked at the floating Bai Cangshu, her eyes filled with anticipation.

An 11-tier Stairway was an extremely rare height even throughout the entire Space.

At present, aside from God’s Staircase, whose upper limit was unknown, the highest Stairway speculated to exist in the Space was likely fixed at the level of thirteen tiers.

But that was merely an inference based on the levels of various power systems. No one had yet been able to unlock a thirteen-tier Stairway, much less climb one.

Blue-white veins continuously spread from Bai Cangshu’s right arm across the surface of his body, quickly enveloping him completely.

He was nearly swallowed by the blue-white light when a powerful tearing sensation suddenly jolted Bai Cangshu awake.

He fell from the air and saw that the blue-white veins had stopped at his left shoulder.

It was the Left Arm of the King. This arm had affected his Stairway climb?!

He opened his panel.

Stairway of Spirit and Flesh unlocked.

Climbing the First Tier—Remnant Soul · Decayed Body... Success!

You have gained Aging Resistance (Intermediate), Trait · Soul Return (Soul Power recovery speed increased by 35%).

Climbing the Second Tier—Soul Condensation · Tempered Body... Success!

You have gained Trait · Soul Steel (Rare) (additional increase to soul defense), Trait · Flesh Steel (Rare) (additional increase to physical defense).

Climbing the Third Tier—Heart Flame · Steel Body... Success!

You have gained Special Ability · Mental Flame (B+)—your soul can ignite special mental flames that burn the opponent's spirit and soul. Its intensity is tied to Soul Power and spirit.

You have gained Special Ability · Steel Transformation (B+)—your flesh can change its properties and become a special metal. Its strength is tied to base physique and base defense (currently capable of becoming carbonado). Duration is tied to soul energy.

Climbing the Fourth Tier—Soul Domain · Regeneration... Success!

You have gained Trait · Soul Regeneration (Rare)—even if the soul is injured, it can slowly regenerate.

You have gained Trait · Hyper Regeneration... Reincarnator EX051 already possesses Trait · Hyper Regeneration. Trait enhancement in progress.

You have gained Trait · Instant Regeneration (Extremely Rare)—the moment the flesh is damaged, it begins regenerating. Healing speed is extremely fast.

Climbing the Fifth Tier—Holy Soul · Undying... Failed.

Holy Soul: A perfectly purified soul. Not obtained (unlock progress 13%).

Undying: A conceptual-level immortal body. Not obtained (unlock progress 57%).

The long string of panel messages made Bai Cangshu’s eyes gleam continuously.

He finally understood what Knight Sister meant when she said he would understand after unlocking a Stairway.

Climbing a Stairway itself granted power to the climber!

Every level of the Stairway granted additional power, whether traits, resistances, or even active abilities!

There was no need for any special bloodline. Simply climbing the Stairway of Spirit and Flesh was enough to grant a Reincarnator powerful physical and soul defenses, even powerful and highly sought-after traits among Reincarnators like Hyper Regeneration!

This was the power of a Stairway!

However, Bai Cangshu also understood that it was precisely because he had previously purified his bloodline through his special physique and that dose of Cursed Blood Homology.

That was why he could climb so smoothly now, reaching the Fifth Tier in one go.

Thinking of this, Bai Cangshu simply continued questioning Knight Sister. He had already judged that she possessed independent thought and consciousness, so he spoke to her more as though dealing with another Reincarnator.

"Miss Knight, I assume you have also heard of the First Tier: Attribute Tier, the Second Tier: Energy Tier, and the Third Tier: Authority Tier…"

Knight Sister shook her head. She raised her right hand, as though looking at the rings on her own and Bai Cangshu’s right arms, both set with traits that were Extremely Rare or above, and said,

"Among Reincarnators, fewer than 5% can come into contact with various true Stairways. Those who can fully preserve the possibility of God’s Staircase likely do not even account for 1%."

"Thus, the Space has naturally prepared special Stairways for those who cannot touch the truth—Power Tiers exclusive to Reincarnators."

"First Tier: Attribute Tier. Second Tier: Energy Tier. Third Tier: Authority Tier. Fourth Tier: Heart Light Pulse…"

"And then?"

Bai Cangshu had also heard of these four Stairways and deeply agreed with them. At this moment, he wanted to know how the so-called Power Tiers were divided afterward.

But Knight Sister shook her head.

"There is nothing after that. This false and crude Power Tier system ends here. There is no road ahead."

"When ordinary Reincarnators reach this stage, they have reached their end. If they cannot find a true Stairway, they will eventually become nourishment for others."

Bai Cangshu froze for a moment, then grinned.

That was indeed the Infinite Dimensional Space’s style. Even those whom the Space deemed unqualified would still be utilized in this way.

It used a so-called Power Tier system to let them climb to a stage where they possessed sufficient value, then offered them up to be devoured by more valuable individuals.

He… liked this approach very much!

However, although Knight Sister said that this Power Tier system was merely a false Stairway created by the Space, Bai Cangshu felt it did have unique merits.

Though this Stairway was not detailed enough, it very clearly stratified the power of Reincarnators.

Most of the time, First Tier Reincarnators were simply unable to match Second Tier Reincarnators who had mastered energy projection.

And Second Tier Reincarnators capable of energy projection were even vastly inferior to Third Tier Reincarnators who had mastered special authorities and rules.

The Fourth Tier, Heart Light Pulse, possessed the special power Bai Cangshu coveted—Heartlight!

It was simply that the methods of advancing between each Stairway were unclear, and unlike the Stairway of Spirit and Flesh, it did not continuously grant all kinds of improvements after advancement. Only after each major Tier would it grant gains akin to transcendent traits.

It was like an unfinished house with the framework of a Stairway. It did not provide enough, nor was it detailed enough, but it was still enough for ordinary Reincarnators to use for the time being.

For now, Bai Cangshu planned to improve himself by advancing three Stairways in parallel.

He examined his various panels. There were still many things he needed to do next.

Forge materials, complete the forging of the second ring, and unlock the advancement mission for the Fierce-tier!

Find a way to continue climbing the Stairway of Spirit and Flesh. He already had some ideas. Looking at Holy Soul (progress 13%), he thought of the soul that had been repaired by the Golden Soul Fragment. That was probably one method of obtaining a Holy Soul or purifying the soul.

Finally, cultivation—further cultivation! He would absorb all the "war reparations" sent by the various factions, turn them into sustenance, and enter the realm of Magnetic Field Rotation.

Increase his physique so that he could activate a higher multiplier of Kaio-ken and maintain that Pupil Technique for longer.

Hunt Scarlet Great Sin, increase his total attribute points, and raise the extent to which he could unlock the Limiter!

Bai Cangshu seemed to see countless terrifying powers laid out before him.

I want them… I want them all!