# Chapter 1: Reaching Third Rank (Completed)
The dim light in the exclusive room flickered slightly as Su Xiao sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed in deep concentration. Around him, strands of dark blue smoke swirled, gradually being absorbed into his body. This was the process of attribute enhancement, a crucial step for any contractor seeking to break through their current limits.
After a long moment, the smoke dissipated completely, and Su Xiao slowly opened his eyes. A faint gleam of cyan light flashed within his pupils before fading away. He clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within his body—a strength far beyond what he had possessed before.
"Third rank... finally."
He stood up, his movements fluid and controlled. The enhancement had gone smoothly, thanks to the resources he had accumulated over the past few months. The Attribute Enhancement Hall had done its work, and now his base attributes had all reached the threshold required for the next rank.
Su Xiao walked over to the information panel floating in the center of the room. It displayed his current status:
**Contractor: Su Xiao**
**Rank: Third Rank**
**Paradise: Reincarnation Paradise**
**Reputation: Void Tree Reputation - 1,200 points**
He scrolled through the details, noting the improvements. His strength, agility, and endurance had all increased significantly. The most notable change was in his soul strength, which had grown by nearly thirty percent—a direct result of the Golden Skill Point he had invested in his core abilities.
"Not bad," he muttered, closing the panel. "But there's still a long way to go."
The door to his exclusive room slid open, and a small figure darted in. It was Bubu Wang, his loyal companion, who immediately circled around Su Xiao's legs, wagging its tail excitedly.
"Looks like you sensed the change," Su Xiao said, reaching down to pat the creature's head. "We're moving up in the world."
Bubu Wang barked in agreement, its eyes gleaming with intelligence. As a contracted beast, it too had benefited from Su Xiao's advancement, its own abilities having been passively enhanced.
A notification chimed in Su Xiao's mind, drawing his attention to a new message from the Reincarnation Paradise system:
**[Notification: Contractor Su Xiao has successfully advanced to Third Rank.]**
**[New areas unlocked: Central Area - Third Rank Zone]**
**[New missions available: Rank Advancement Trial (Optional)]**
**[Reward for advancement: 5 True Attribute Points, 1 Golden Skill Point]**
Su Xiao's eyes narrowed at the mention of the Golden Skill Point. These were rare and invaluable, allowing him to upgrade any skill to its next tier without consuming normal skill points. He had been saving them for a specific purpose.
"Let's check the skill upgrade hall," he said, turning toward the door. "I've been holding off on upgrading 'Blade Path: Azure Demon' for too long."
Bubu Wang followed closely as Su Xiao left the exclusive room and made his way through the corridors of Reincarnation Paradise. The place was bustling with activity—contractors of various ranks moving about, some heading to the Trade Market, others to the Equipment Enhancement Hall. The atmosphere was one of constant competition and growth.
As he walked, Su Xiao reviewed his current loadout mentally. His primary weapon, Dragon-Slaying Flash, was a blade of exceptional quality, forged from rare materials and imbued with the power of the Azure Steel Shadow. It had served him well through countless battles, but he knew that as he advanced, he would need to upgrade it further.
The Skill Upgrade Hall was a massive structure, its walls lined with countless skill upgrade pods. Each pod was a sealed chamber where contractors could enter and undergo the process of skill enhancement. The cost varied depending on the skill's rank and the desired outcome.
Su Xiao approached the reception desk, where a female worker with a professional smile greeted him.
"Welcome to the Skill Upgrade Hall. How may I assist you today?"
"I need to upgrade a technique-type skill," Su Xiao said, pulling up his skill list on a holographic screen. "Blade Path: Azure Demon. It's currently at Master rank. I want to push it to Grandmaster."
The worker's eyes widened slightly. "That's a high-tier skill, sir. The cost will be significant. Let me calculate..."
She tapped on her terminal, and a moment later, a price appeared:
**Skill Upgrade: Blade Path: Azure Demon (Master → Grandmaster)**
**Cost: 50,000 Paradise Coins + 3 Golden Skill Points**
**Success Rate: 78%**
Su Xiao frowned at the success rate. Seventy-eight percent was decent, but not guaranteed. If the upgrade failed, he would lose the resources without any benefit. However, he had prepared for this.
"I'll use a Golden Skill Point to guarantee the success," he said.
The worker nodded, typing in the adjustment. "Using a Golden Skill Point will increase the success rate to 100%. The total cost will be 50,000 Paradise Coins and 4 Golden Skill Points."
"Acceptable."
Su Xiao transferred the required resources from his inventory. The worker processed the transaction and handed him a key card.
"Pod number seven. The process will take approximately two hours. Please proceed."
He took the card and walked toward the designated pod. Bubu Wang waited outside as the door sealed shut behind him. Inside, the chamber was dimly lit, with a circular platform in the center. Su Xiao stepped onto it, and the system activated.
**[Skill Upgrade Initiated: Blade Path: Azure Demon]**
**[Current Rank: Master]**
**[Target Rank: Grandmaster]**
**[Upgrade in progress...]**
A surge of energy enveloped him, and his mind was flooded with countless images—sword techniques, battle stances, the flow of combat. The skill's essence was being refined, its principles deepened. Su Xiao gritted his teeth as the information overload pressed against his consciousness, but he held firm.
Two hours later, the process completed. Su Xiao stepped out of the pod, feeling a new level of mastery over his blade. The Azure Demon technique was now more fluid, more deadly. He could execute it with less energy and greater precision.
"Grandmaster rank," he said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "That's one step closer to the peak."
He collected Bubu Wang and headed toward the Attribute Enhancement Hall to allocate his new True Attribute Points. The path ahead was clear—he needed to grow stronger, faster, to face the challenges that awaited him in the higher ranks.
As he walked, a new mission notification appeared:
**[New Mission: Third Rank Advancement Trial]**
**[Objective: Defeat 100 Abyss Spawn in the Eternal Light World]**
**[Reward: 10,000 Paradise Coins, 2 Golden Skill Points, 1 Epic Chest]**
**[Difficulty: High]**
**[Time Limit: 72 hours]**
Su Xiao's lips curled into a faint smile. "Eternal Light World... I've heard about that place. It's time to test my new power."