He was one of the Mahayana realm powerhouses hidden in the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets.

Luke was so embarrassed that he was forced to leave seclusion, hide his true cultivation level, and come to Sun Moon Lake to spy on this man named Aether.

"Oswin said that this kid is very unusual, why can't I see it?" Luke muttered, a frown marking his usually calm features.

Michael, standing nearby in contemplation, glanced at the scene with curious eyes, puzzled. "If you enter Sun Moon Lake and fish here without cultivating, then you are a fool. What is there to be afraid of?"

A fishing rod in hand caught Oswin's attention sharply. "Fishing rod? Is it possible that the purpose of this guy's coming here is really just fishing?" His brow furrowed deeply, suspicion warring with disbelief.

At that moment, Alicia's voice echoed softly within Ethan's mind, breaking through the tension like a gentle whisper among storms.

[Congratulations to the owner, you have explored a new area and a new fishing spot—Sun Moon Lake has opened.]

[Fishing for the first time, you can get a mysterious prize.]

[Sir, please finish fishing as soon as possible!]

Ethan sat alone on the shore, far away from the others, calm and quiet, holding his fishing rod.

They watched him for a while, their eyes trailing the seemingly mundane act, until finally, they concluded Ethan was truly fishing. They turned their attention back to the vital task of absorbing the energy circulating within Sun Moon Lake.

This energy—the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, mingled with the essence and energy of both sun and moon—was a treasure beyond price for cultivators. It was a potent force, capable of consolidating cultivation and triggering breakthrough effects. None wasted the opportunity here.

Suddenly, a sharp tug pulled Ethan's fishing rod taut, breaking him from his stillness. With a swift, practiced motion, he yanked the rod upward and out of the water came a massive black fish, scales shimmering like ink soaked in moonlight.

[Congratulations, Sir, you caught a black fish, completed the fishing task, and received the reward: Nirvana Pill × 10!]

[Congratulations, Sir, you are very lucky and have received an additional reward: Heart of Fertile Soil.]

[Congratulations, Sir, it is your first time fishing in Sun Moon Lake and you have won a surprise grand prize: The Remnant Dream.]

[Remnant Dream: The tears of the old king are traceless, and the setting sun illuminates the dream]

Nirvana Pill—just the name sent a thrill coursing through Ethan. It was the essence left behind after a powerful Nirvana realm cultivator had sat in meditation until their death, a distillation of life force that could greatly enhance cultivation and awaken the energy of heaven and earth itself.

Possessing even one was a coveted treasure, increasing the odds of surviving a Nirvana Tribulation by almost 30%. To snatch ten in one go was beyond fortunate—it was a godsend.

Ethan's face lit with a rare, genuine smile. Carefully, he placed the ten precious pills into delicate jade bottles, securing them for future use.

Next, the Heart of Fertile Soil rested in his palm—it was no ordinary trinket but a concentrated essence of earth attribute energy, dense and majestic. Its brown, earthen hue pulsed gently with divine power.

"This earth attribute energy is too rich," Ethan mused, eyes shining with quiet admiration. Compared with previous rewards, this fertile soil's energy was far too potent, hinting at the greatly expanded upper limits of the prize pool now open with the new fishing spot at Sun Moon Lake.

Estimating its power, Ethan whispered, "This fertile soil can probably complete at least half of the progress in the middle stage of the fourth level."

Rarely was Ethan so visibly excited. With care he stored away the soil's essence, already feeling its latent potential.

But it was the final prize that stole his breath—an immortal spiritual weapon, an immortal sword. Though his beloved scythe remained his first choice, a sword for disguise carried its own unique charm.

The blade was a simple, unadorned shaft of silver, devoid of any intricate patterns, as if stripped back to the purest essence of the metal itself.

The name of this sword was Remnant Dream.

A deep sense of satisfaction bloomed within him. "Good sword, good sword," Ethan murmured, cradling it as if it were both weapon and companion.

With the fishing rod carefully packed away, Ethan slipped into the waters of Sun Moon Lake, letting his body float on the surface as he closed his eyes.

The spiritual energy within the lake—energy and essence of sun and power of moon—was unlike common energy. For his kind, it was an unmatched opportunity. It could temper his physical body and amplify the Dharma body's power and even increase his cultivation in the Dharma body realm.

Ethan could sense the other nine cultivators nearby, each absorbing the lake's essence with varying success. Michael, hiding his true strength, was the fastest, closely followed by Seraphina.

But energy in Sun Moon Lake was finite, and the training window limited—just ten days.

If the current trend persisted, Michael would emerge as the winner.

Still, for Ethan, the effect would be slight. Yet, the younger generation of geniuses summoned here from the three great families had gained nothing. How curious. How satisfying.

"This guy, pretending to be a pig and eating a tiger, is a bit interesting," Ethan chuckled inwardly, a dark humor zesting his thoughts.

Seraphina and others soon noticed the disparity. Despite their efforts, they could scarcely absorb anything because Michael was consuming nearly 70% of the lake's spiritual energy and essence of sun and moon.

"Why did Michael of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets absorb it so quickly?" Seraphina's face blackened with frustration, resentment simmering under her powers.

"He almost robbed all the spiritual energy and essence of the sun and moon."

She balanced on the brink of breakthrough herself. The sweet taste of Sun Moon Lake's energy teased her attainments.

If she could wrest even twenty percent of that energy from Michael, it would sustain her for ten days—and not only stabilize her foundation but push her into the middle stage of the Tribulation Transcendence Realm.

Her rank on the Skyreach Territory Heaven's Prodigy List would climb, the gap between her and Ethan narrowing.

Fueled by hunger and ambition, Seraphina threw herself into the battle for energy. Her efforts sparked a competitive spirit within the others, who likewise yearned to claim energy for themselves.

In the turmoil, the eight cultivators began tapping into Michael's reserves, pilfering the precious energy and essence bit by bit.

Michael responded with a dry chuckle, his amusement wrapping around him like armor.

"These losers are really capable," Michael said, shifting into seriousness with a dark glint in his eyes.

A/N:

Extra chapters

100 power stones - 1 Extra chapters

200 power stones - 2 Extra chapters

Capsule - 1 Extra chapters

Massage Chair - 3 Extra chapters

Luxury Car - 5 Extra Chapters

Magic Castle - 15 Extra Chapters

...

Thanks for the Massage Chair: @Sheng_Mei

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.