In A Cultivation world with an upgrading system

The crimson vale(2)

The patriarch took his seat on the central throne, his expression grave.

"I have gathered you all here today to discuss a matter of great importance," Patriarch Aldric began, his voice resonating throughout the hall. "In two weeks' time, the Crimson Vale Trial will begin."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Darwin's blood ran cold. The Crimson Vale Trial—he'd heard of it in the original Darwin's memories, but the details were fuzzy. What he did remember was that it was dangerous, often fatal, and specifically designed to test young cultivators.

"For those unfamiliar, the Crimson Vale is a secret realm that opens once every five years. It contains ancient treasures, powerful herbs, and cultivation resources beyond measure. However, it is also filled with deadly spirit beasts and treacherous terrain. Only cultivators between the ages of fifteen and eighteen may enter, regardless of cultivation level."

The patriarch's gaze swept across the room. "Every major clan in the region will send their young talents. This is an opportunity for our Azure Clan to prove our strength and secure valuable resources. It is also…" he paused, his expression hardening, "a chance to temper our youth through real danger."

Darwin's heart pounded. So cultivation level didn't matter—only age. That meant even someone at Qi Refining Stage 1 would be thrown in with geniuses at Foundation Establishment. It was essentially a death sentence for the weak.

"All eligible clan members are required to participate," the patriarch continued. "No exceptions. This includes those who have yet to prove themselves." His eyes briefly flickered toward the back of the hall, where Darwin stood. "You have two weeks to prepare. Train hard, and bring glory to the Azure name. Those who return with valuable treasures will be rewarded handsomely. Those who don't…" he left the sentence unfinished, but the implication was clear.

The hall erupted in excited chatter as the patriarch stood and left, his children following behind. Darwin remained frozen in place, processing the information.

Two weeks. He had two weeks to go from Qi Refining Stage 4 to something that could keep him alive against cultivators at Foundation Establishment. The gap between Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment was enormous—like comparing a candle to a bonfire.

As the crowd began to disperse, Darwin felt someone's gaze boring into him. He looked up to see Celeste, his seventeen-year-old sister, staring at him with a peculiar expression. For a moment, their eyes met, and Darwin saw something flicker across her face—was it curiosity? Suspicion?

Then she turned away and followed the others out of the hall, her silver hair swaying behind her.

Darwin released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He needed to be more careful. If even a brief glance had caught her attention, he was being too obvious about his change.

He quickly left the hall and returned to his chambers. Once inside, he locked the door and sat back down on his bed. Two weeks wasn't much time, but with his system and his talent, perhaps it was enough.

He pulled up his status screen again. All his upgrades were used—he would get two more tomorrow when his daily upgrades refreshed. For now, he would have to rely on pure cultivation to grow stronger.

But with his Peak Spirit Root of Wind and Refined Meridian, his cultivation speed was already monstrous compared to normal cultivators. What took others months might only take him days or even hours.

Darwin settled back into his cultivation position and began to circulate his qi according to the Celestial Azure Cultivation Manual's methods. The qi flowed through his refined meridians like water through a wide channel, smooth and unobstructed. With his peak spirit root, every breath pulled in massive amounts of wind qi from the surrounding air.

Hours passed. The sun set, and the moon rose outside his window. Darwin remained in deep cultivation, his consciousness focused entirely on refining his qi and advancing his cultivation. Breakthrough after breakthrough came as his foundation solidified and his power grew.

[Qi Refining Stage 4 → Qi Refining Stage 5]

[Qi Refining Stage 5 → Qi Refining Stage 6]

By the time he finally opened his eyes, it was well past midnight. He had broken through twice more, reaching Qi Refining Stage 6. At this rate, he would reach Stage 10—the peak of Qi Refining—within a week or less.

But would that be enough? Foundation Establishment cultivators could fly short distances, had qi reserves dozens of times larger, and could unleash devastating techniques. Even at peak Qi Refining, he would be at a massive disadvantage against someone like Darvin, let alone Celeste.

Darwin's mind raced with possibilities. Tomorrow, his daily upgrades would refresh. He could use them on his cultivation level to jump ahead faster, or he could upgrade his manual to increase his cultivation speed permanently, or perhaps upgrade his body cultivation to make himself more durable.

Each option had merit, but he needed to choose wisely. Two upgrades per day meant he had to be strategic about what he improved.

He lay down on his bed, exhaustion finally catching up with him despite his increased stamina. His mind continued to work through scenarios and plans even as his eyes grew heavy.

The thought of Darvin entered his mind. His twin brother would certainly be participating in the trial. Would Darvin even acknowledge him? Or would he continue to pretend Darwin didn't exist?

Darwin clenched his fists. It didn't matter. In two weeks, he would enter the Crimson Vale. And when he emerged, everyone would know that the "trash" of the Azure Clan had become something far greater.

As sleep finally claimed him, Darwin's last thought was of Celeste's curious gaze. His genius sister had noticed something. He would need to be even more careful going forward.

Tomorrow, his upgrades would refresh. Tomorrow, he would grow even stronger.

The trial was coming, and he would be ready.