CHAPTER 405: SURPRISE

The group didn’t hesitate and bombarded the Dual Headed Lion with their attacks. Realizing it was outmatched, the dual-headed lion let out a furious roar of desperation, its twin mouths glowing intensely as it attempted a final assault.

However, Orion’s blade flashed swiftly and decisively, executing Blazing Execution Arc with perfection.

The brilliant flames cleanly decapitated both heads simultaneously, sending the massive body collapsing lifelessly onto the cold stone floor.

The group stood silently for a moment, looking at the fallen beast. Arya exhaled softly as she seriously said, "This is problematic. Even the beasts at the outer area of this Maze are at Tier 7, I don’t know what we will find inside."

Sylvia nodded thoughtfully, her calm voice tinged with caution, "Indeed. A peak Tier 7 beast this early in the maze doesn’t bode well."

Orion knelt calmly beside the lion’s fallen body, reaching carefully past the corpse toward a hidden alcove behind.

Within it grew a single High-Grade mana herb, pulsing faintly with dense energy. Orion glanced briefly at it before casually tossing it into his storage ring, clearly unimpressed.

Elias chuckled softly at Orion’s nonchalant gesture, "Not even sparing it a second glance, huh?"

Orion shook his head calmly, standing back up, "It’s useful, but needs processing. Nothing worth celebrating now. Let’s keep moving."

The group nodded unanimously, turning their attention back to the deeper labyrinth paths. Hours passed seamlessly as they pressed forward cautiously, encountering several more fierce battles.

Each victory gave them a treasure, either useful for them or going into Magi’s pocket. The treasures were not limited to just herbs but also some natural rare ore and mysterious fruits that could purify mana or even expand the mana channels.

But they were mostly useless for Orion as his mana was incomparably pure and his Mana Channels had already expanded beyond what these fruits could help him.

Occasionally, Magi’s eyes glittered excitedly, assessing the spoils of their battles, meticulously cataloging potential profits.

Soon, the group arrived at a wide chamber, where a small pond lay at its center. As they drew closer, the milky-white liquid came into view, and Orion and the rest of the group froze in stunned amazement, their gazes fixed on the gently rippling surface that radiated pure, dense mana.

Kale took a deep breath, his voice barely a whisper. "An Origin Mana Pool..."

A wave of excitement swept quietly through the team. The atmosphere was heavy with excitement as each member felt their hearts quicken at the discovery of this pond.

Orion slowly exhaled, even he had to admit that he wasn’t expecting to discover an Origin Mana Pool in this place.

He calmly turned around and addressed the rest of the group, "Let’s rest here and absorb all the Origin Mana we can. Nyss and Sylvia, this is your chance to attempt a breakthrough to the Seventh Level."

Sylvia and Nyss exchanged brief glances, slight excitement reflected clearly within their eyes as even they didn’t have the luxury to use such a high-level resource.

Without wasting a second, everyone moved closer to the pool’s edge, each carefully taking a seat around the pond.

Rina and Fiora quietly stepped back, taking guard positions slightly behind the group. Both had already reached the Seventh Level, and if they were to absorb mana from the pool, their dual-path cultivation would likely drain it entirely, leaving nothing for the others.

Orion chose a position near the center, sitting cross-legged as he closed his eyes.

He took great care to suppress and control his potent bloodlines, ensuring they would not greedily consume the mana meant to aid his companions. He had experienced firsthand how overbearing his bloodlines could be.

Silence soon enveloped the area, broken only by the soft, rhythmic breathing of the cultivators around the Origin Mana Pool.

Minutes seamlessly turned into hours, as the powerful mana slowly permeated their bodies, refining and nourishing their Sea of Consciousness and physical forms.

Suddenly, after a long period of deep tranquility, Nyss’s body trembled slightly, releasing a powerful surge of pressure that instantly washed over the group.

The rest of the team immediately reacted, quickly standing up and moving aside to give Nyss room for her breakthrough.

Sylvia, however, remained deep in meditation, utterly immersed in her cultivation and seemingly unaffected by the external disturbance.

Orion reacted instantly, stepping in front of Sylvia and effortlessly blocking the intense pressure emanating from Nyss.

As he calmly observed Nyss, he couldn’t help but feel a trace of surprise, ’Well damn, I didn’t expect Nyss to break through first. I really thought Sylvia would be ahead.’

At that moment, Lumi’s thoughtful voice resonated within Orion’s mind,

[Nyss is indeed more talented than Sylvia in terms of innate potential, Master. After all, Nyss walks dual paths. While Sylvia might match Nyss due to her sword cultivation now, when both eventually ascend beyond the Ninth Grade, their gap will inevitably widen dramatically.]

Orion thoughtfully nodded, mentally replying, ’Sounds about right. I might have to think of a way to get them all on the Dual path. Otherwise, they won’t reach the heights I expect of them and won’t effectively support my future goals.’

Curiosity surged in Lumi’s voice as she asked, intrigued,

[Master, do you have something special planned for all of them?]

Orion inwardly smiled gently, a subtle yet confident expression spreading across his face as he quietly replied,

’Why else would I invest so heavily in them? I could certainly explore these ruins alone and far quicker at that. Yet I choose to nurture them precisely because I can’t do everything myself forever. And yes, I do have a plan, though it’s still a bit too early to be certain of the details.’

Hearing Orion’s words, Lumi fell into thoughtful silence, carefully considering Orion’s hidden intentions. Orion, however, turned his full attention back to Nyss, who was on the verge of completing her breakthrough.

A few moments later, the surging aura around Nyss began stabilizing. The turbulent waves of mana gradually subsided, leaving behind an intense yet controlled energy that signaled the completion of her breakthrough.

Nyss slowly opened her eyes, exhaling a steady breath as a satisfied expression filled her face.

The other members shared impressed glances, excitement and competitiveness clearly igniting within their eyes.

Sylvia especially felt the subtle pressure, her sword aura fluctuating briefly as if responding to Nyss’s achievement.

Without another word, the group quickly settled down once more, their determination renewed. They resumed their absorption of mana with even greater intensity.

Two days passed quietly within the maze as the group diligently cultivated. Gradually, the pure, dense mana within the pool diminished until finally, not a single trace of its profound energy remained.

By that point, not only Nyss but also Sylvia and even Arya had successfully broken through to the Seventh Level.

Now, three genuine Ascendant Stage experts stood among them. The group collectively opened their eyes, their gazes sharp, filled with renewed vigor, confidence, and excitement for their strength.

Orion, sensing their subtle changes, stood up slowly, calmly stretching his limbs. He glanced around at everyone, observing their heightened spirits and the subtle yet undeniable confidence radiating from each of them.

He smiled warmly and asked, his voice clear and encouraging, "So, how does it feel? Reaching the Ascendant Stage isn’t something anyone can take lightly. Even among the students of the Academy, you would be ranked high."