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Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 588: The Physique Stele’s Trial of Intellect · Oct 29, 2026

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Chapter List (921)

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551 Chapter 551: The Irregular 2026-10-29
552 Chapter 552: The Irregular II 2026-10-29
553 Chapter 553: Sorcerers’ Last Stand I 2026-10-29
554 Chapter 554: Sorcerers’ Last Stand II 2026-10-29
555 Chapter 555: Mysterious Old Man I 2026-10-29
556 Chapter 556: Mysterious Old Man II 2026-10-29
557 Chapter 557: Legacy Trials I 2026-10-29
558 Chapter 558: Legacy Trial II 2026-10-29
559 Chapter 559: Walkers of the Heaven and Earth I 2026-10-29
560 Chapter 560: Walkers of the Heaven and Earth II 2026-10-29
561 Chapter 561: Walkers of the Heaven and Earth III 2026-10-29
562 Chapter 562: Walkers of the Heaven and Earth IV 2026-10-29
563 Chapter 563: Kindred Spirit of Knowledge 2026-10-29
564 Chapter 564: Verdantian Alchemy History I 2026-10-29
565 Chapter 565: Verdantian Alchemy History II 2026-10-29
566 Chapter 566: Alex’s Alchemy Innovation I 2026-10-29
567 Chapter 567: Alex’s Alchemy Innovation II 2026-10-29
568 Chapter 568: Zaxan’s Transmutation 2026-10-29
569 Chapter 569: Kindness 2026-10-29
570 Chapter 570: In Fear and Companionship 2026-10-29
571 Chapter 571: Beast Companions Vs Elder Dragon 2026-10-29
572 Chapter 572: The Vow 2026-10-29
573 Chapter 573: Udara’s Acceptance and Changes I 2026-10-29
574 Chapter 574: Udara’s Acceptance and Changes II 2026-10-29
575 Chapter 575: Kavakan’s Killing Intent 2026-10-29
576 Chapter 576: The Weapon of War and Survival 2026-10-29
577 Chapter 577: Havel’s Limits 2026-10-29
578 Chapter 578: Enlightenment; Intent! 2026-10-29
579 Chapter 579: New Trials 2026-10-29
580 Chapter 580: Golem... Puppet... Robot! 2026-10-29
581 Chapter 581: Reach For the Stars I 2026-10-29
582 Chapter 582: Reach For The Stars II 2026-10-29
583 Chapter 583: Pyramid of Elements I 2026-10-29
584 Chapter 584: Pyramid of Elements II 2026-10-29
585 Chapter 585: Pyramid of Elements III 2026-10-29
586 Chapter 586: Inexplicable Tribulation I 2026-10-29
587 Chapter 587: Inexplicable Tribulation II 2026-10-29
588 Chapter 588: The Physique Stele’s Trial of Intellect 2026-10-29
589 Chapter 589: The Physique Stele’s Trial of Intellect II 2026-10-29
590 Chapter 590: Pangea’s Ascension & Verdantis’s Sorcery 2026-10-29
591 Chapter 591: Origin of Berserk Humans I 2026-10-29
592 Chapter 592: Origin of Berserk Humans II 2026-10-29
593 Chapter 593: Dark Choice I 2026-10-29
594 Chapter 594: Dark Choice II 2026-10-29
595 Chapter 595: The Final Trial; One Heaven Sorcerer! 2026-10-29
596 Chapter 596: History of Verdantis I: Gu Mo 2026-10-29
597 Chapter 597: History of Verdantis II: Faith 2026-10-29
598 Chapter 598: History of Verdantis III: Fate & Incentive 2026-10-29
599 Chapter 599: Alex’s Considerations I 2026-10-29
600 Chapter 600: Alex’s Considerations II 2026-10-29

Chapter 588: The Physique Stele’s Trial of Intellect

CH588 The Physique Stele’s Trial of Intellect

***

The sight caused Alex a great deal of worry.

’If only I had Spirit Sight,’ he thought to himself.

Then, suddenly, his vision changed.

Vibrant glows of various colours flooded into his sight.

’Spirit Sight?’ Alex’s eyes widened in shock.

He immediately focused inward on his eyes and realised that his Truth-Seeker Eyes had quietly recovered.

Alex quickly deduced that the rebirth he experienced after the tribulation was responsible for the rapid recovery of his Truth-Seeker Eyes.

With his Spirit Sight restored, Alex examined Zora once more, now viewing her through an entirely different lens.

Around her body, he could see streams of mana constantly leaking outward.

The moment that mana touched the surrounding air, the atmosphere froze, creating a resonance that drew even more Water elemental mana to gather around her.

Under normal circumstances, Alex would have been delighted by such a development, since it meant Zora’s mana control had significantly improved.

However, the situation was not entirely reassuring.

Within the mana she released, Alex could clearly see traces of Yin Energy, intertwined with the mana flowing through what appeared to be the Dragon Kumite method.

Zora stared into his eyes and immediately realised that he had understood what she was doing.

She rolled her eyes at him in her usual fashion.

Then she quickly halted the release of mana around her, allowing the gathered Water mana to disperse back into the atmosphere.

Afterwards, she nodded apologetically to the others nearby.

The trial itself had ended rather abruptly once Zora figured out the method she was currently using to gather Water mana within a volcanic environment.

She had intentionally infused her mana with Yin Energy.

Yin Energy naturally lowered the energy state of whatever surrounded it.

By mixing Yin Energy into her mana and releasing it outward, she cooled the scorching volcanic environment around her.

The surrounding air froze slightly, which in turn caused Water elemental mana to accumulate nearby.

She then used that gathered ambient Water mana in the usual manner to fuel her spells — allowing her to defeat her trial opponent.

In truth, the opponent had barely fought back.

The figure only moved perfunctorily to defend herself while observing Zora, waiting to confirm whether Zora could reliably utilise the method she had deduced.

Once the opponent confirmed that Zora could use the technique as intended, she simply lowered her guard and allowed herself to be defeated.

This immediately triggered the end of the trial, ejecting Zora from the trial space.

Caught off guard by the sudden conclusion, Zora had returned to the Stele Mountain while still unconsciously maintaining the method she had just developed.

She turned toward Alex, who clearly had many questions written across his face.

”Don’t worry. I did it intentionally,” she said. ”I’ll explain later. For now, focus on your trials.”

Alex glanced at her once more, carefully examining her condition.

He noted that although she had used Yin Energy directly through her body rather than through her Rune Tattoo, she appeared perfectly fine, showing no obvious side effects.

Although the mysterious old man had not done anything suspicious so far, it still felt improper to discuss certain matters in his presence.

Besides, now that everyone had completed the trials they intended to take, Alex’s Physique trial was the final one among the Seven Trials of Heaven and Earth.

’After that will come the divergent trial of Heavenly Secrets,’ Alex mused inwardly.

He nodded briefly toward his companions and the old man before walking over to the Physique Stele.

Taking a deep breath, Alex prepared himself.

However, before sending his Spiritual Force into the stele to activate the trial, he paused and stared at the structure through his Truth-Seeker Eyes.

’Mana... lots of mana,’ he muttered inwardly.

Through his enhanced vision, he could see dense streams of various elemental mana constantly flowing into the steles.

’Just how many Sigils must be embedded within these steles if they require this much mana merely to maintain themselves?’ he wondered.

’And if this amount of mana is required simply to sustain them while they are idle... how much mana would be needed when the steles are actually active?’

Another question surfaced in Alex’s mind.

Where exactly was all this mana coming from?

Such a vast concentration of mana could not exist in a place without generating some form of unique natural phenomenon.

’The concealment method of this Heaven–Earth Concordance Formation, as he calls it, must be far more complex than I initially estimated,’ Alex thought.

After gathering what little information he could through his restored Truth-Seeker Eyes, Alex finally extended his Spiritual Force into the stele.

And began the trial.

Alex found himself inside a luxurious building, as evidenced by the potent mana emanating from almost every item within his immediate sight.

Looking around, he realised the room was most likely a study or a library.

’If there’s a study...’

Alex quickly scanned the surroundings— and soon found the owner of the room.

Standing before a large, eastern-style window that stretched all the way to the ceiling was an old yet somewhat muscular man.

Judging from the deep wrinkles on his face, the man appeared to be in his eighties.

However, his body radiated the vitality of someone in the prime of life, exuding a powerful life force that many youths in their thirties might not be able to match.

’An old man with a youthful body, huh...’ Alex muttered inwardly.

The old man stood quietly by the window, reading from a scroll beneath the cascading light of the midday sun.

Alex chose to wait patiently.

Strangely, the usual heavenly voice that announced the nature of each trial never appeared.

Instead, the old man simply continued reading the scroll until he finished it completely.

Only then did he turn to face Alex.

”You have some patience... good,” the old man said as he rolled up the scroll.

He cast Alex a cold, appraising gaze.

A moment later, he nodded expressionlessly.

”Good. I was afraid that old goat’s choice would be a muscle-headed fool like himself. It seems he developed a few functional brain cells after his death,” the old man muttered.

”You appear to be a student of knowledge with at least some measure of intellect. You will do... I suppose.”

Alex stood there, momentarily stumped, unsure how he was supposed to respond.

”You may refer to me as Heavenly Venerable,” the old man continued.

”It is my belief that the path of Heaven and Earth is ultimately a path of knowledge.”

”A fool who knows nothing —who understands nothing about the grand repository of knowledge within Heaven and Earth— has no business walking its grand path.”

”As such, my trial will test your intellectual capacity.”

The Heavenly Venerable walked away from the window toward one of the countless shelves lining the study —easily numbering well over a thousand— and returned the scroll to its place.

Then he turned back toward Alex, the endless shelves of scrolls forming a vast backdrop behind him.

”My trial has two stages,” he continued.

”The first will test your ability to acquire and retain knowledge.”

”The foundation of every intellect lies in the knowledge it possesses.”

”If you seek my approval to become the Legatee of Heaven and Earth, you must prove that you can acquire and retain any and all knowledge presented to you.”

”And for that...”

He gestured toward the endless shelves surrounding them.

”...you must read and memorise every scroll contained within this hall.”

***

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