Infinite leveling in cultivation world

Tian Jue stepped through the main gates of the Exchange Center.

From the outside, the building appeared to be a three-story stone hall, no more than 5,000 square feet, with slate-blue tiles covering the roof and jade-lined windows gleaming under the morning sun. Yet the moment he crossed the threshold, the illusion shattered.

Inside, the structure was vast and boundless, with rows upon rows of floating shelves, glimmering storage arrays, and translucent walls that shimmered like glassy dimensions stacked upon one another. The ceiling stretched beyond vision, and he could feel the spatial distortion pressing gently against his senses.

"At least a Tier 5 Array Master," Tian Jue thought with admiration. "Maybe even higher."

As he walked deeper inside, his presence didn't go unnoticed. His outer disciple robe, embroidered with a faint silver insignia, caught the eye of several outer disciples and attendants.

One of the staff—a young man with a jade badge—approached swiftly, bowing politely.

"Greetings, Junior Brother. May I ask if you're here to exchange points?"

Tian Jue offered a brief nod. "Actually, I want to understand how to earn points first."

The attendant chuckled softly, his expression warming.

"Smart choice, Junior Brother. Most outer disciples rush to spend what they have without learning how to gain more."

He handed Tian Jue a thin jade slip, pulsing faintly with information. Tian Jue pressed it to his forehead, and rows of tasks flooded into his mind.

📜 Sect Point Earning Methods:

Herb Gathering (location & difficulty-based)

Guard Duty (outer regions; 8th-layer Qi Refinement minimum)

Herb Cultivation (points scaled to rarity & grade)

Ore Exchange (quality-based)

Beast Exchange (meat, core, blood essence)

Mission Completion (assigned via Mission Hall)

Craftsmanship (weapons, tools, array plates, talismans)

Array/Alchemy/Smithing Services

Tian Jue nodded as he absorbed the information. "I have a beast I want appraised."

He summoned a storage token and released the sealed corpse of the Four-Eyed Monkey, its frame battered but mostly intact. The beast exuded a lingering feral aura—clearly a mid-tier spiritual beast.

The attendant's eyes widened slightly. He walked around it, assessing its wounds and lingering qi.

"A rare one… Four-Eyed Monkey with royal bloodline. If it had reached Core Formation, it would've been worth a fortune."

He paused, shaking his head with a small sigh. "Still, not bad. For the meat: 5 points. The core: 10 points. Blood essence, if unused, would've been another 20 points."

Tian Jue raised a brow. "I already used the blood essence."

"A shame," the attendant muttered. "Still, that's 15 points total."

Tian Jue nodded and completed the transaction.

Including his monthly stipend of 50 points, Tian Jue now had 65 contribution points to his name. He browsed through the catalogue—rows of glowing screens and floating item projections—and mentally weighed his options.

Among the highlights:

Tier 2 Qi Gathering Pills (Refined grade)

Tier 2 & 3 Herb Seeds

Manual for Cultivating Tier 3 Herbs

Earth-Grade Weapon

Various ores, talismans, and lesser pills

He pondered for a moment. "I should focus on improving long-term returns. Pills for faster cultivation. Seeds for self-sufficiency. A weapon, in case of missions."

Without hesitation, Tian Jue made his choices:

1 vial of Tier 2 Qi Gathering Pills

Assorted Tier 2 & 3 Herb Seeds

Manual: Cultivation of Tier 3 Spiritual Herbs

1 Earth-Grade Weapon (sheathed, unseen)

He spent all 65 points precisely.

The attendant beamed, clearly pleased to have completed a high-tier transaction.

"I've packed all your pills, seeds, and manuals in a sealed pouch."

He then handed Tian Jue a jade token, etched with a character for 'Earth' on its surface.

"Take this to the Refinery Section, located across from this hall. They'll issue your weapon there."

Tian Jue took the token, tucking it inside his sleeve. His eyes swept over the Exchange Center one last time, mentally filing away the information he'd gathered.

As Tian Jue stepped into the Refinery Section, the temperature climbed noticeably. A dry heat filled the air, and the faint scent of molten metal and burned spirit ash lingered.

To his left, seven smithy rooms lined the hallway, each one glowing faintly behind reinforced stone doors. Echoes of hammers striking metal rang through the walls in rhythmic pulses—cultivators and blacksmiths hard at work refining spiritual tools.

At the counter ahead, a calm-looking disciple in grey-blue robes looked up.

"May I help you, Junior Brother?"

Tian Jue nodded and passed over the jade token he had received earlier.

The disciple examined it, then stepped out from behind the counter and gestured politely.

"Please follow me. The Earth-Grade weapons are secured further inside."

They passed through a layered array barrier, which shimmered with silver-blue runes as they entered. Tian Jue's eyes narrowed slightly, mentally tracing the formation.

A spatial-anchoring array combined with a soul-resonance seal… definitely Tier 4 or higher.

Beyond the array, a wide armory opened up—walls lined with neatly placed racks of weapons, each resting on pedestals or set within floating displays. Every weapon pulsed faintly with restrained spiritual energy.

They stopped in front of a section labeled Earth-Grade Armaments.

There were fewer than two hundred weapons—most of them swords, as expected. A few spears, axes, halberds… and just one or two unusual choices. Each weapon bore a nameplate carved in refined jade, indicating not only its name but sometimes even the blacksmith who forged it.

Tian Jue's eyes lit up for a moment. But instead of rushing, he silently inspected each piece, walking row by row like a scholar studying rare scrolls.

Then he stopped.

A thick-headed hammer, shaped from gleaming silver alloy, caught his attention. Its handle was wrapped in blackscale hide, and its size clearly indicated it was not made for average cultivators.

He picked it up. The weight immediately surged into his arms—around 350 kilograms—but he didn't even flinch.

"What's this one called?" he asked.

The disciple glanced over.

"That's Silver Guard."

Tian Jue chuckled softly. A wide, almost nostalgic smile appeared on his face.

"So the blacksmith named it after their intent."

When weapons reached Earth grade, they were no longer mere tools. The blacksmith's will—their belief, purpose, or emotion—would imprint upon the forging process, and that intent would shape the weapon's name and temperament.

Tian Jue ran a hand along the hammer's dense silver head.

Forged from heavy silver—an excellent conductor for qi. Durable. Perfect for channeling force.

But…

"Too heavy for most," he murmured. "No wonder the name sounds like a joke to some—Silver Guard. Like asking the cultivator to be a turtle… unmoving and defensive."

But to Tian Jue, the name wasn't mockery. It was resolve.

He gripped the hammer tightly, letting his qi pulse through it. The weapon vibrated, resonating faintly—not rejecting him.

"This is good enough," he said. "I'll take this one."

The disciple hesitated, glancing at the heavy weapon, then nodded and marked the exchange.

"Done. It's yours now, Senior Brother. The hammer will register you as its recognized owner after three blood drops."

Tian Jue nodded, pressing three fingertips to his palm and letting a few drops of blood seep into the hammer's surface. The silver metal briefly glowed with soft warmth before dimming again—bond complete.

He slung the weapon over his back with practiced ease and turned toward the exit.

"Thank you," he said flatly.

"Be careful, Senior Brother," the disciple called behind him. "That hammer doesn't like weak hands."

Tian Jue smirked but said nothing.

Then it won't be a problem.

To be continued...