The moment Elena stepped through the purple light gate, the space around her warped and twisted violently.
Accompanied by a wave of mild vertigo, her feet finally touched solid ground.
It was a sealed void of pure, blinding white.
Inside this pocket dimension, there were no suns, moons, or stars—only a sea of floating Purple Shadow Energy particles, drifting slowly like a celestial river.
The concentration of Shadow Energy here was five times higher than in the outside world!
"Inhale... Exhale..."
Elena took a tentative breath, and the thick Shadow Energy immediately surged through her respiratory tract, flooding her limbs and bones.
Her meridians, which had been somewhat stagnant due to the impoverished environment of the slums, were like parched earth finally meeting a spring rain. They began to greedily absorb the raw energy.
Without wasting a single second, she sat down cross-legged on the spot.
"Let’s test the cultivation efficiency here first."
Elena slowly closed her eyes, channeling the Shadow Energy within her body and initiating the Shadow Breathing technique.
Strands of purple particles were guided into her body, circulating through her meridians in a rhythmic, predetermined path.
Time ticked away, minute by minute.
One hour...
Two hours...
Six hours...
In this white void where day and night did not exist, Elena lost all sense of time. To her, it felt like an eternity had passed.
When she completed a full major cycle and opened her eyes, a system notification immediately flashed in her mind:
[System Notification]
[Attribute Changes]
Shadow Breathing: 36.8% → 37.2% (+0.4%)
Cultivation Time: 6 hours (Outside world: 1 minute)
"Six hours for a 0.4% increase..."
A sharp glint flashed in Elena's clear eyes.
She immediately began calculating in her head.
"I’m still 12.8% away from the 50% threshold required by The Art of Severance."
"At this rate, I need to cultivate continuously inside this space for about 200 days!"
Two hundred days sounded like a long time, but with a 1:360 time dilation—
"Two hundred days in here is barely 13.3 hours outside!"
The corners of Elena's mouth curled into a slight arc, her gaze turning incredibly resolute.
"Three days in the outside world is more than enough time for me."
"Vincent thinks I’m waiting to die in that shack. He has no idea that I have enough time to completely undergo a metamorphosis!"
She closed her eyes again, immersing herself entirely in her frenzied cultivation.
Time flowed like water within the white void.
Day 10.
Only 40 minutes had passed in the outside world.
Elena had fully adapted to the rhythm of training within The Temporal Chamber. She established an incredibly strict schedule: 10 hours of cultivation every day, followed by 14 hours of rest and honing her combat techniques.
[System Notification]
[Phase Summary - Day 10]
Shadow Breathing: 37.2% → 38.5% (+1.3%)
Current Status: [Perfect Environmental Adaptation]
Time Elapsed Outside: 40 minutes
Day 30.
Two hours had passed outside.
The Shadow Energy within Elena’s body had condensed into a thick, surging purple current. With a faint crack, a shackle within her body was suddenly shattered!
[System Notification]
[Shadow Breathing surpassed 40%]
Progress: 38.5% → 40.2%
New Effects Unlocked:
- Shadowweave Control: +20%
- Night Combat Power: +30%
New Skill Unlocked: [Veilwalk]
"Veilwalk!"
Elena stood up, her mind focusing on the new ability.
Hum!
Her body instantly became translucent, as if she were merging directly into the surrounding Shadow Energy. Even her heartbeat and the sound of her breathing were perfectly erased.
"The concealment effect is incredible."
Elena deactivated the stealth state, her eyes bright with joy.
However, as her cultivation deepened, she noticed a significant slowdown after Day 40. Simply relying on the ambient energy in the chamber was no longer enough.
Day 50.
Over three hours had passed outside.
Her Shadow Breathing progress had only reached 42.8%.
"The speed is dropping... My body has reached a saturation point for energy absorption."
Without hesitation, Elena flipped her hand, retrieving the bottle of [Essence of Nightshade] she had obtained from the elder.
She pulled the crystal stopper, and an extremely pure, frigid purple liquid flowed down her throat.
Boom!
A massive wave of Shadow Energy exploded within her, violently nourishing every single one of her meridians!
[System Notification]
[Consumable Used]
Item: Essence of Nightshade ×1
Effect: Shadow Energy Recovery Speed +200% (Duration: 24 hours)
Cultivation Acceleration: +50%
Shadow Breathing: 42.8% → 46.5%
The potent effects of the potion drastically accelerated her progress.
Over the next several dozen days, Elena didn't just focus on her breathing technique. She engaged in high-intensity physical conditioning—performing tens of thousands of push-ups, weighted jumps, and dagger strikes.
Day 100!
Nearly 7 hours had passed in the outside world.
Elena’s body had undergone a radical transformation. Her previously slender frame was now tight and toned, hiding a terrifying explosive power.
[System Notification]
[Attribute Changes - Day 100]
VIT: 15 → 18 (+3)
STR: 18 → 23 (+5)
AGI: 32 → 40 (+8)
Shadow Breathing: 36.8% → 46.5% (+9.7%)
Overall Combat Power: 350 → 580 (+230)
Time Elapsed Outside: 6 hours 40 minutes
Her Combat Power had surged from 350 to 580!
"Only a third of the time has passed, and my Combat Power has nearly doubled!"
Elena clenched her fists, feeling the surging strength in her arms.
The cultivation continued.
However, when Day 150 arrived (10 hours outside), she hit a literal wall.
Her Shadow Breathing stalled at 48.2%. For five whole days, there was no movement at all.
"I’m stuck."
Elena frowned.
No matter how much Shadow Energy she absorbed, the current within her just spun in place, unable to advance even half a step.
She took out [The Elder's Journal] and quickly flipped through its pages.
Soon, she found the answer on the third page:
"Shadow Breathing is a method of slaughter and stealth. If one encounters a bottleneck after 40%, closed-door meditation is no longer enough. The Umbral is born at the boundary between life and death. Only the stimulation of real combat and blood can break the shackles!"
"So I need actual combat?"
Elena closed the notebook.
But in this sealed temporal space, where would she find an opponent?
As if responding to her need, a faint light flickered in the void.
[System Notification]
[Spatial Training Mode Activated]
Summonable Mock Opponents: Shadow Wolf, Shadow Bear
Intensity: Fully Adjustable
Mechanism: 100% realistic pain sensation, zero risk of death.
"Perfect!"
Elena's eyes lit up.
"Summon three Shadow Wolves, intensity set to Medium!"
Hum!
Three patches of black mist coalesced in front of her, transforming into three massive Shadow Wolves with crimson, glowing eyes.
Howl!
The wolves roared, kicking up a gale as they lunged at Elena like bolts of black lightning.
Elena’s figure blurred.
[Shadowstep] activated!
She became an afterimage, narrowly avoiding the frontal pounce. However, the Shadow Wolves were lightning-fast; the other two flanked her from the left and right, their razor-sharp claws tearing through the air with a piercing whistle.
Slash!
Elena failed to dodge in time. Three deep gashes were ripped across her left arm, and an agonizing pain instantly surged through her nerves!
"The pain is so real!"
Elena gritted her teeth, refusing to back down.
Under the extreme stimulation of pain, the Shadow Energy in her body began to boil violently.
"Die!"
Shadowstep triggered again. She instantly appeared behind one of the wolves, her Umbral Dagger turning into a streak of cold light that plunged directly into its neck.
[Lethal Blow]!
Pshhh!
Dark blood splattered as the Shadow Wolf collapsed, dissolving into black smoke.
In the days that followed, Elena threw herself into a frenzy of combat training.
Five hours of high-intensity, life-and-death struggle every day.
Shadow Wolves, Shadow Bears...
New scars constantly marked her body, only to heal during her rest periods.
Her stealth became more supernatural, her dagger strikes more lethal, and the flow of Shadow Energy through her body became smoother than ever!
Day 180.
Twelve hours had passed outside.
Shadow Breathing: 48.2% → 49.3%!
She was only 0.7% away from the 50% threshold.
"This is the final push!"
Elena sat cross-legged in the center of the simulated battlefield. She took out her second bottle of [Essence of Nightshade] and the [Umbrastone] that pulsed with a faint blue light.
She downed the potion in one gulp and gripped the crystal tightly in her palm!
[System Notification]
[Consumables Used]
Items: Essence of Nightshade ×1, Umbrastone ×1
Shadow Energy Charge: 100%
Bottleneck Breakthrough Probability: +80%
Rumble!
An immense surge of energy, like a bursting dam, erupted within Elena!
The Umbrastone crumbled into powder, and pure, flawless Primordial Umbra flooded into her meridians.
49.4%...
49.7%...
49.9%...
Elena’s entire body trembled violently. Dense purple runes surfaced on her skin, and the surrounding Shadow Energy formed a massive vortex, swallowing her whole.
"Break for me!!" she roared in a low voice.
Snap!
It felt as though a shackle within her soul had completely shattered!
A brilliant pillar of purple light shot toward the ceiling, sweeping through the entire dimension.
[System Notification]
[MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH!]
Shadow Breathing: 49.3% → 50.0%
[Milestone Achieved]
Unlocked Title: [Shadowlord]
Effect: Umbral Discipline skill power +25%
[New Ability Unlocked]
Shadow Enhancement (Rank 2)
- Cost: 20 Shadow Energy/minute
- Effect: All Attributes +45%
[New Skill Unlocked]
Umbral Severance (Level 1)
- Cost: 50 Shadow Energy
- Effect: Create 3 Shade Mirages from The Fade, lasting 30 seconds.
[Significant Attribute Boost]
VIT: 18 → 22 (+4)
STR: 23 → 30 (+7)
AGI: 40 → 50 (+10)
Shadow Energy Max: 200 → 300 (+100)
Combat Power: 580 → 950 (+370)
The light dissipated.
Elena reopened her eyes, a dark purple chill shimmering in her pupils.
Her Combat Power had skyrocketed to 950! Moreover, she had unlocked the core skill [Umbral Severance] and the [Shadowlord] title.
"I did it... 50%!"
Elena stood up and tested her new skill.
"Umbral Severance!"
Buzz!
Her body blurred, and two identical black mirages suddenly separated from her sides.
The three figures took up combat stances, their auras so realistic they were indistinguishable from the original.
"Not only that, but Shadow Enhancement has reached Rank 2. When active, all my attributes increase by 45%!"
Elena felt the vast, ocean-like Shadow Energy within her, and her heart soared.
According to the plan, she could stop now and leave the chamber. But Elena looked into the void, her eyes flashing.
Less than thirteen hours had passed in the outside world.
"Since I still have time... why not get even stronger?"
Vincent's Combat Power exceeded 1500, and he held a vast amount of family resources and high-level skills. A Combat Power of 950 was not enough to guarantee total dominance.
"Continue training!"
Elena sat back down, pushing toward an even higher realm.
Day 300 (20 hours outside).
Through continuous high-intensity combat and meditation, her physical body and Shadow Energy reached an unprecedented state of harmony.
[System Notification]
[Phase Summary - Day 300]
Shadow Breathing: 50.0% → 54.8% (+4.8%)
Combat Power: 950 → 1150 (+200)
Day 1080 (72 hours outside—exactly three days).
Elena shattered a simulated Shadow Bear into black smoke with a single punch. Her speed was so extreme that she left a trail of afterimages in the air.
However, once her Shadow Breathing hit 58.6%, the rate of improvement slowed to a crawl, becoming almost imperceptible.
"I’ve reached my current limit."
Elena stopped, exhaling a long breath of turbid air.
The elder’s notes said: "Attempting too much at once leads to indigestion; breakthroughs must be gradual."
Her body’s capacity had reached a saturation point. Continuing to force the cultivation now would be highly inefficient.
Besides, three full days had passed in the outside world!
The Centennial Gauntlet was today!
"It's time to leave."
With a thought, Elena called up her final attribute panel:
[System Notification]
[Final Status - Day 1080]
Shadow Breathing: 54.8% → 58.6% (+3.8%)
VIT: 22 → 28 (+6)
STR: 30 → 40 (+10)
AGI: 50 → 65 (+15)
INT: 20 → 28 (+8)
Shadow Energy: 300/300
Overall Combat Power: 1150 → 1350 (+200)
[Skill List]
- Shadow Breathing: 58.6% (Passive)
- Shadow Enhancement: Rank 2
- Veilwalk: Level 1
- Umbral Severance: Level 1
- Umbral Dominion: Level 1
- Night Vision: Level 3
- Shadow Affinity: Level 2
[Training Summary]
Combat Power: 350 → 1350 (3.86x increase)
Training Duration: 1080 days (3 days outside)
Status: [Conditions for The Art of Severance Met]
Her Combat Power had jumped from 350 to 1350! It had nearly quadrupled!
Although her base power of 1350 was still slightly lower than Vincent's 1500+, with the combination of [Shadow Enhancement] (+45% all stats) and [Shadowlord] (+25% skill power), her explosive combat potential had long since surpassed him.
Most importantly—she was now fully qualified to perform the elder’s mysterious Art of Severance.
"Vincent..." Elena’s gaze was icy. "Are you ready for your nightmare?"
She raised her left hand, injecting Shadow Energy into the ring.
Tear!
the purple temporal gate expanded before her once again. Elena stepped through.
Outside, in the dilapidated wooden shack.
Hum!
The purple light gate appeared out of thin air, and Elena landed firmly on the floor. The gate collapsed behind her.
Stepping onto the wooden planks, Elena felt a brief sense of disorientation. In the temporal space, she had spent 1080 days and nights, enduring countless life-and-death battles and grueling cultivation.
But when she turned to look at the teacup on the table—
The tea had long since gone cold, and a thin layer of dust had settled on the rim of the cup.
In the outside world, only three days had truly passed.
This intense sense of temporal displacement left Elena shaken.
"Ten hundred and eighty days... but only three days out here..."
She clenched her fist, feeling the massive energy within her, primed and ready to erupt.
Click.
Elena pushed open the shack door.
The harsh, bright sunlight hit her face, causing her eyes—accustomed to the white void and umbral hues—to squint slightly.
On the street, many academy students and family servants heading toward The Proving Grounds were passing by. Seeing Elena emerge from the shack, they cast curious or contemptuous glances her way.
"Look, the waste is out!"
"Tsk, she stayed in that room for three days straight. I thought she’d committed suicide."
"Wait... do you guys feel like something’s different about her?"
A student rubbed his eyes, looking at Elena with confusion. "Her vibe changed... she feels cold. Her eyes are terrifying."
"Whatever! What could be different? The trash is just acting mysterious. I heard Master Vincent is already waiting for her at The Gauntlet Halls. She’s dead today!"
Listening to the whispered mockery and ridicule, Elena’s expression remained as calm as still water.
Why would a dragon care about the buzzing of insects?
She was already existing in a completely different world from these people.
Ignoring them all, Elena set off, heading straight for The Archives. Before going to The Gauntlet Halls, she had to find the elder and complete the final step—
Creating her Shade Mirage!
A short while later, in the secluded backyard of The Archives.
The elder, still wearing his tattered gray robes, sat on a small wooden stool, lazily puffing on a dry pipe.
Hearing footsteps, he slowly looked up.
The moment his eyes landed on Elena, his hand froze mid-air.
His previously cloudy eyes suddenly exploded with a terrifying, piercing light!
"This... this aura?!"
The elder sucked in a sharp breath, standing up in shock.
"In just three days... your Umbral breathing has reached this level?!"
Elena stopped, looking the elder directly in the eye. "I’m here."
"My Shadow Breathing has broken past 50%."
The elder stared at her for a long time, suppressing the tidal wave of shock in his heart. Then, he let out a loud, boisterous laugh.
"Good! Good! Good! You truly are an incredible girl!"
The elder turned around, waving his sleeve.
"Follow me to the secret chamber!"
"I will activate the formation for you now... and create your second legendary clone!"