For the next two days, Yun Che spent his time retelling his journey within the Moon Empress's tomb to Retsu, Mio, and Kon. It wasn't just an explanation—it was a story, recounted between pauses of wind and campfire crackle as Minazuki glided endlessly through the clouds.
The System was still triangulating the Apple of Eden, so Yun Che had to describe everything manually. Normally, he could have shared the System's archives directly, but this time, his voice carried more weight than a set of impersonal files ever could.
Since Cang Yue was still in hibernation, Jasmine was able to step out of his inner world using her gigai—an ethereal vessel that allowed her to take form beside him. Her presence made the retelling complete, her sharp, exact memory filling in details he occasionally left out.
Together, the two of them painted the full picture: the ancient vault beneath the Moon Empress's temple, the endless battles against the elders, and the fateful encounter with the Isu warrior—Ares.
When the story ended, Retsu, Mio, and Kon could only stare at him in disbelief.
They had heard of ancient races and forgotten sects before, but the idea of the Isu—a civilization from another world, more advanced and powerful than the gods themselves—shook them.
And then there was the Apple.
Yun Che explained that the device now obeyed his will alone. It was inert—harmless in his hands—nothing more than a golden sphere of smooth metal.
He reassured them.
"There's no need to worry. It won't run wild like before. The Moon Empress's corruption came from her obsession, not from the Apple itself."
The others exhaled in quiet relief.
The thought that this small object had once plunged the entire Profound Sky Continent into terror was surreal. They were equally relieved to learn that the Apple's influence didn't extend to spiritual or divine beings like Mio, Retsu, or Kon.
Still, the revelation came with a new weight:
there were more of these relics.
Only six of the nine Pieces of Eden remained in this world. One reclaimed and the other five scattered. The last three, Yun Che suspected, had been taken to the Realm of the Gods.
Mio folded her arms, thoughtful. "So… we'll have to grow stronger before we can even dream of touching those."
"Exactly," Yun Che said. "Each piece holds power that can rewrite the world. We can't let them fall into the wrong hands again."
Now, they were heading toward Xuyi's Sanctuary—the Moon Empress's hidden home, high in the mountains beyond mortal reach. From the back of Minazuki, the horizon stretched like a sea of gold beneath them.
The sanctuary, according to legend, was more than just a resting place. It was the final wish of Huan Xuyi—a place where mortals could live peacefully, free from the cruelty and hierarchy of cultivation. A haven for those who chose to remain human.
Its location had been erased from all records, hidden even from the Sacred Grounds. Xuyi had never shared it—not out of malice, but because she feared it would be desecrated.
Yun Che hadn't asked then. He regretted that now.
But the Apple remembered.
By cross-referencing fragments of Isu data with the System's scanning functions, it pinpointed the coordinates—an unmarked valley veiled in spiritual fog, unreachable by normal flight paths.
And so, guided by a mix of ancient technology and divine intuition, Yun Che and his companions made their way to return the Moon Empress to her eternal home.
Since Cang Yue was still in hibernation, Retsu took it upon herself to watch over her body, carefully monitoring any changes in her aura or pulse. Kon, meanwhile, entertained himself by rolling the harmless golden apple back and forth across Minazuki's back, his little paws tapping it like a toy.
Mio, as usual, took advantage of the calm atmosphere to snuggle against Yun Che, her head resting comfortably against his chest. Retsu noticed, her eyes narrowing just a little, a small spark of jealousy flickering behind her calm smile—but she sighed inwardly and let it go.
Mio deserves her moment, she thought. I have him most of the time anyway.
Nearby, Jasmine sat beside them in her gigai, enjoying one of Retsu's neatly packed bentos. The scent of cooked rice and smoked fish mingled with the cool wind as Minazuki glided through the clouds.
After a while, Retsu broke the comfortable silence.
"Yuu-kun, I've been meaning to ask… what happened to that Li Yue girl? Did she lose her life in the tomb?"
Her fingers gently brushed through Cang Yue's hair as she spoke, still keeping an eye on the girl's faintly glowing aura. She remembered the girl's calm eyes and her perfect execution of the Table Hopper technique—something only a few in the world could perform.
Yun Che's expression softened. "No. I pushed her into the teleportation formation before the tomb collapsed—to save her life. She's alive, somewhere in the empire."
Retsu blinked. "You… pushed her in?"
He nodded. "Yeah. She had her own reasons for entering the tomb, though. And you might be surprised when you hear who she really is."
Mio raised her head slightly, curious. "Ehh~? So her name isn't really Li Yue?"
Kon stopped rolling the apple and perked up. "Wait, you mean she was using a fake name this whole time?"
Yun Che chuckled lightly. "Not exactly fake. Just hidden. Her real name is Chu Yueli—a high-ranking member of the Frozen Cloud Asgard. She's also Xia Qingyue's master. You remember Qingyue—the girl I trained before the tournament."
The air grew quiet for a moment as the realization settled in.
Retsu tilted her head thoughtfully. "No wonder she carried that same calm frost as Sister Yuechan. She's from the Asgard too… Wait, did you say Chu? As in—"
"Mm." Yun Che nodded. "She's Little Fairy's younger sister."
That earned a genuine look of surprise from Retsu. "What?! Yuechan had a sister? A real sister?"
Yun Che smiled faintly. "She did. But before Little Fairy joined us, her heart was already sealed by the Frozen Heart Technique. To her, cultivation was everything—bonds, emotions, even family… were distractions. As her ice heart grew colder, she pushed Yueli away until she believed she was truly alone."
Jasmine, still chewing delicately on a rice ball, muttered, "Tch. That technique really is troublesome. It may give clarity, but it robs them of what makes them human."
Yun Che chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah… kind of annoying, actually. But when their ice heart shatters, their cultivation blooms—and so do their emotions. When Yuechan's did, she didn't just regain her power. She regained her sister."
He paused, smiling a little more warmly.
"The two of them reconciled after years apart. Yueli blamed herself for being weak—she thought that's why her sister had grown distant. But now that they've found each other again… that distance is gone. They're family again, for real this time."
Retsu tilted her head slightly, her eyes thoughtful.
"So… she joined the selection just because of that?"
"Hnnn." Yun Che nodded, resting his chin in his hand. "But her Asgard wouldn't have allowed it. She's one of their most valuable assets."
"Assets?" Mio blinked, tilting her head curiously.
Yun Che sweatdropped. His modern-day words had slipped out again. Old habits die hard.
"Uhhh… it means important people," he clarified with an awkward smile. "Anyway, she entered the selection under a different persona to keep her sect from exploiting her. She wanted to grow stronger—strong enough to fight beside her sister as an equal. That dream alone drove her into that tomb."
Retsu's expression softened, her voice low with quiet sadness.
"But imagine if she had died there… Sister Yuechan would have been devastated. She only just regained her emotions. Losing her sister again might have pushed her back into that cold, heartless shell. And if not… she'd have spent the rest of her life searching."
"That's why this lecher saved her life in the tomb," Jasmine cut in suddenly, her tone laced with sarcasm. "And, of course, managed to capture her heart while doing it."
Yun Che sighed, exasperated. "It's not like that. I told you—I only saved her because of Little Fairy. I didn't mean to capture anyone's heart."
"So you did capture her heart," Jasmine replied flatly, emphasizing the word did.
Yun Che groaned. "You're impossible."
"Capture her heart?" Mio purred, tightening her arms around his waist as she looked up at him with mock jealousy. "Mou~ Danna-sama, are we not enough for you?"
"Like I said—it's nothing like that," Yun Che protested, gently patting her head. "I just saved her life."
They knew he wasn't lying. None of them ever believed Yun Che was the kind of man who sought affection recklessly. But the truth was, his actions carried weight. When he reached out to save someone, he didn't just save their life—he touched their heart.
A small act of kindness, a moment of warmth in desperation—those were the things women remembered.
And sometimes, they mistook that warmth for something deeper.
Jasmine crossed her arms, muttering under her breath, "You should really learn that your 'heroic' actions come with side effects, idiot disciple."
Yun Che turned his head slightly, a small smirk tugging at his lips.
"Maybe I didn't think it through… but hey, shit happens for the right reason."
Retsu giggled softly. She placed Cang Yue's head carefully on Minazuki's back before leaning forward and wrapping her arms around him from behind, her warmth pressing gently against his back.
"That's why I love you, Yuu-kun," she whispered near his ear. "You always think about others before yourself. Personally…"—she smiled playfully—"I wouldn't mind a new sister."
Yun Che sweatdropped at her words. "Yeah, I'm not sure how Little Fairy would take that. That woman is her beloved sister, remember? Besides, it wasn't even me who caught her heart—it was Mihawk. In her eyes, I'm just some lunatic who ruined his own wedding."
"Bastard," Kon huffed from nearby, tossing the golden apple into the air with a scowl. "Why are you always the one who gets the girls?"
Yun Che chuckled quietly, rubbing the back of his neck.
But behind that easy smile, a familiar thought echoed within him.
Sigh… I really need to keep my actions in check. Saving someone might feel right, but it always causes something else down the line. I died once because of that same habit.
He looked down at the sleeping Cang Yue in Retsu's arms, her breathing soft and steady.
Still… maybe things really do happen for a reason.
"By the way, you dumbass," Kon suddenly blurted, flicking his tail in annoyance. "Why in the world is my level stuck at seventy? I keep getting this stupid message saying the administrator needs to complete a main mission before I can proceed. What in the world does that even mean?"
His fur puffed up as he ranted. The lion cub had worked hard during that battle, yet his well-earned satisfaction vanished the moment he saw the dreaded Level Cap Reached notification.
"Me too, Yuu-kun," Retsu's voice chimed in from behind him, soft but with a hint of confusion. "I'm also stuck at Level 70."
"Ehh?! You too, Nee-san?" Kon gasped. "I thought you'd hit at least seventy-four after all that slaughter! You carved through big pieces of meat back there!"
Retsu smiled faintly. "Unfortunately, the system doesn't seem to care how stylishly I kill them."
Yun Che sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He'd been expecting this question sooner or later. "Sigh… Both of you hit the same limit I did. It's called the Level Cap."
"Level cap?" the two said in unison.
"Yeah," Yun Che nodded. "The system won't allow us to break past seventy until I complete the next main mission. That means heading south—to the Illusory Demon Realm."
Both Retsu and Kon blinked. Mio looked up from her seat on Yun Che's lap, intrigued, while Jasmine continued munching on her rice ball, silently listening.
"The southern part of the world…" Yun Che continued. "It's a separate continent, far beyond the Profound Sky Continent. The next Piece of Eden lies there. But it's a long way off. If we flew non-stop, it would take us about three months to reach it."
"Three months?!" Mio exclaimed, almost falling off him. "That's too long!"
Even Jasmine frowned slightly. "He's right, though. I still can't open spatial rifts at this stage. Even with Minazuki's speed, that distance is absurd. The planet's size alone makes travel ridiculous."
Yun Che leaned back against Minazuki's warm back. "Which is why we'll need something faster. A transport that can cross the continents in a blink."
Retsu nodded slowly, absorbing the information, while Kon looked more horrified than thoughtful.
"W–Wait, wait, wait," the lion squeaked. "Did you just say Demon Realm?! You want me to go to a realm filled with demons?!"
Yun Che gave him a deadpan look. "They're not actual demons, you plush-headed furball. 'Demon' is just what the Profound Sky idiots call them. The people there are humans—just stronger, and with deeper profound energy pools. Their cultivation is far more refined. The weakest among them are at the Emperor Profound Realm."
"Haah…" Kon let out a long, shaky sigh of relief. "So they're not horned monsters with pitchforks. Thank heavens."
Retsu couldn't help but chuckle softly. Mio, however, was giggling uncontrollably against Yun Che's chest.
"That's what you were worried about?" Yun Che asked, sweatdropping.
"Of course I was, you bastard!" Kon shouted, puffing up again. "I don't have monstrous powers like you three! Do you know how terrifying that sounds from my perspective? Kon-sama finally gets to enjoy leveling up, and what does he get? A stupid level cap!"
He pointed his stubby paw at Yun Che accusingly. "And instead of fixing it, we're sitting here doing nothing! Why aren't we heading to the Illusory Demon Realm right now?!"
"Because," Yun Che said flatly, "I'm not spending three whole months flying across the ocean just to get there. I've still got unfinished business on this continent—and besides, I plan to find a faster way to travel."
Retsu tilted her head. "Faster?"
"Yeah," Yun Che replied, his golden eyes glinting faintly. "I've got a few ideas… but I'll need the Apple's help to pull them off."
"You can just build one using the blueprint mode," Jasmine interjected suddenly, cutting into Yun Che and Kon's argument.
Her tone was casual, but it carried that knowing edge that said she'd been listening all along.
Yun Che raised a brow. "Easy for you to say. And where exactly am I supposed to get the materials for it? The system's crafting recipes are more complicated than a scholar's love life."
He sighed and continued, "It's specific with every single resource, and half of them don't even exist in this continent. It's like—'You need this material to build this other material,' and so on. A big pain in the neck. Besides…" he stretched his arms and smirked faintly, "…at our pace, we'll get there in two years anyway."
"Two years?!" Kon practically jumped, his fur puffing up. "Kon-sama can't wait that long!"
"Deal with it," Yun Che said flatly. "My system, my rules."
Kon instantly slumped onto all fours, looking like a deflated plush toy.
Mio couldn't help but giggle softly at the sight. She always found it amusing how well those two bickered, like siblings in constant competition. But a thought struck her, and she looked up with a curious expression.
Yun Che raised a hand to stop their complaints, his tone calm but confident.
"However, that doesn't mean we're literally capped," he said, smirking faintly. "We can still gain experience points. They just don't show up right now—they're stacking. Once I complete the main mission, the system will release everything we've accumulated and convert it all into levels."
He crossed his arms, the faint breeze sweeping his hair as he continued, "If we stack enough, we won't just break through a single level. It might be five, seven—hell, maybe even eight levels all at once, depending on how much experience we've hoarded."
For a moment, silence hung in the air—then both Retsu and Kon gasped in unison.
"Ehhh?! So we can still gain experience?!"
Retsu's eyes sparkled with renewed excitement, her earlier disappointment gone. "Yuu-kun, that means all our effort won't go to waste!"
Kon immediately started jumping up and down, his tiny lion form radiating energy. "Kahahaha! Kon-sama will grind every beast in sight! Once the cap's lifted, I'll soar straight into legend! You'll see!"
Yun Che couldn't help but chuckle. "Then make sure you don't explode from excitement before that happens."
"Danna-sama," she said sweetly, "why isn't my strength capped like the others?"
Yun Che smiled slightly. "That's because your strength already surpassed the peak of the Sky Profound Realm before we formed our contract. Your cultivation exists outside the system's cap. Same goes for Yue'er."
He paused, his tone thoughtful. "To be honest, I still don't know the full extent of your power, Mio. Even the Azure Dragon feared you back then. You're an enigma wrapped in chaos."
Mio grinned at the compliment, her tail flicking playfully.
He continued, "You also have two cultivation paths—system leveling, and your natural divine one. The second one's trickier, since it's tied to me. If you're low on energy, you can siphon from my essence once a month. It's risky, but it can boost you up by one or even two levels instantly, depending on your condition. Just make sure to tell me before you do it."
Mio's cheeks warmed slightly as she nodded. "Understood, Danna-sama~."
Hearing Cang Yue's name suddenly made her perk up again. "Speaking of which… I wonder how strong Yue'er will become after cultivating that inheritance?"
"Oh, she'll surpass most of us in raw power," Yun Che said confidently. "In two years' time, she'll reach the Peak of the Sovereign Profound Realm."
"Goodness!" Retsu gasped softly. "That powerful?"
Even Kon's jaw dropped. "You mean that shiny feather thing turned her into a monster too?!"
Yun Che chuckled. "Not instantly. Her technique's growth rate is steady, but it's one of the most efficient ever created. It allows her to absorb and refine the energy of the moon itself, purifying her body and elevating her cultivation. It also lets her draw upon moonlight in combat—turning the night into her weapon."
He glanced at the faint horizon ahead, where dusk was beginning to fall.
"To trigger the absorption, she has to expose herself to the moonlight every night. But during a full moon, her progress multiplies several times over. That's the key to the technique."
"Only during full moon?" Retsu asked curiously.
"Yeah. The full moon phase has the strongest energy output. Other phases still work, but at reduced potency. That's why it'll take her about two years to reach peak Sovereign level."
The group nodded, impressed. Even Jasmine's eyes flickered with faint approval.
"That's… remarkable," Retsu said softly. "To think a mortal technique could rival divine arts."
"It's definitely one of a kind since it derives from the Apple," Yun Che agreed. "Anyway, that's why we'll stay here for a while. We've got time to train, hunt, and stack as much experience as we can before heading for the Illusory Demon Realm."
He raised his hand casually, giving a small grin. "So—grind time."
"Hai!!!" Retsu, Mio, and Kon shouted in unison, their voices overlapping like a battle cry.
The air around Minazuki felt lighter as they soared toward the distant horizon. The tension of the past few days had finally given way to something else—anticipation.
Ahead lay the promise of growth, and beyond that, the world's next great trial.
=================
A few hours later, they reached the farthest edge of the Blue Wind Empire, deep beyond any recorded territory.
No city stood within hundreds of miles. The air was thick with spirit energy and the distant cries of beasts; even the hollows here prowled freely, feeding on each other.
It was no wonder no cultivator ever settled in this place.
Then, without warning—
Wooooom.
The Apple of Eden, resting idly in Jasmine's hands, began to glow. A soft golden pulse illuminated her face, and everyone immediately turned toward it.
"Strange," Jasmine murmured, eyes narrowing. "It's never done this before. I thought it was harmless."
Yun Che's gaze sharpened. "It is harmless. But if it's glowing…" —he looked ahead, following the faint resonance— "then it must be reacting to something."
Moments later, they found out what.
As the group turned toward the mountain ahead, their eyes widened in shock. Spanning the entire horizon was an enormous dome-shaped barrier, shimmering faintly with golden light and lined with intricate Isu markings. It stretched so far across the landscape that it seemed to merge with the clouds, enclosing an entire valley within its glow.
"Whoa…" Kon's plushy jaw dropped. "That's one big bubble."
"Man," Yun Che muttered, tilting his head back to take it all in. "That's not just big—it's colossal. That thing could cover a whole kingdom."
Retsu and Mio stood speechless, unable to comprehend the sheer scale. None of them—except Yun Che and Jasmine—had ever seen Isu script before, and to them, the glowing, alien lines almost looked alive.
Jasmine frowned. "Strange. Why didn't we see it before?"
"Probably because it's hidden," Yun Che answered, stepping closer. "It only reveals itself to the Apple's bearer."
As if to prove his point, a bird flew directly toward the golden dome——and passed through it without resistance, as though through mist.
No splash, no shimmer. Just a ripple of light, then nothing.
"So," Mio said softly, awe in her tone, "it only looks solid to us?"
"Exactly."
Before anyone could say more, a system notification appeared in Yun Che's HUD:
====================
[Ding...]Host has arrived near the boundary of the sanctuary protected by an Isu profound barrier.
Advisory: Enter on foot. No aerial entrance detected.
Originally, only powerless mortals may pass through; cultivators will phase through and be redirected.
However, the Apple grants the host and companions passage and immunity to suppression effects.
Note: The sanctuary's inhabitants are powerless mortals.
=====================
Yun Che blinked once, then nodded. "I see. So that's how it works."
He turned to Retsu. "Set Minazuki down here. We'll proceed on foot."
"Hai."
Minazuki descended gracefully, landing in the clearing below. A moment later, its massive body dissolved into streams of light, returning to Retsu's asauchi form.
Jasmine, meanwhile, placed the glowing Apple back into Yun Che's hand. Then her body shimmered, dissolving like red mist before reappearing on his shoulder as a translucent doll size soul.
"Eh?! Sister Jasmine—you can do that?" Mio gasped, eyes wide with curiosity.
"More like the system lets her," Yun Che said dryly.
Jasmine crossed her arms, floating lazily beside him. "I can move freely like this. Mortals and cultivators can't see me as long as I stay in spirit form." She gave Yun Che a sideways glare. "Of course, this idiot never told me about the function earlier."
He shrugged. "You didn't ask, so I didn't tell."
"Hmph." Jasmine looked away, clearly annoyed.
Yun Che cleared his throat. "Anyway… let's focus. We're about to step into Huan Xuyi's sanctuary. I've always wondered what kind of world she built for those she wanted to protect."
"What are we waiting for then? Let's go already!" Kon shouted, bouncing ahead excitedly.
Retsu smiled softly, following behind with Mio.
As for Yun Che, he gently adjusted the sleeping Cang Yue in his arms, holding her close in a bridal carry. Her expression remained peaceful—untouched by the long journey or the wind.
He looked down at her face, then at the golden glow ahead, and whispered under his breath,
"We're here, Yue'er. The place she built… the place she called home."
As expected, the Apple of Eden was reacting to the barrier.
Its golden light pulsed in rhythm with the strange Isu markings—until, at last, the massive dome shimmered and parted before them.
A circular doorway of energy unfolded like rippling water. Layers of golden light dissolved one after another, revealing a glowing tunnel that seemed to stretch endlessly inward.
Yun Che's eyes narrowed. "So the system was right. Since we're cultivators, it shouldn't have opened at all."
He turned the Apple in his palm, watching as its glow synchronized with the tunnel's pulse. "Looks like this thing isn't just a relic… it's a backup key. The question is—if Xuyi was a cultivator herself, how did she enter freely?"
No one answered, because the moment they stepped through—their words died in their throats.
"Beautiful…"
"How could this be…?"
"Oi… oi… it didn't even look like this from outside!"
The reactions came one by one, each filled with awe.
Retsu's lips parted, Mio's eyes gleamed with childish wonder, and even Kon froze mid-hop, his plushy tail stiff.
Before them stretched a realm unlike anything in the Profound Sky Continent.
A radiant sky of endless blue, scattered with drifting white clouds, spread across the horizon. Beneath their feet, a forest of luminous flowers swayed in the breeze, their petals shimmering like crystals under sunlight. Gentle motes of light floated through the air like will-o'-wisps, painting the world in an ethereal glow.
In the distance, a towering waterfall cascaded from a floating island high above, splitting into countless rivers that wove across emerald plains. Birds—golden, silver, and white—soared freely among the clouds.
Even the air felt different here: clean, warm, and filled with an indescribable sense of peace.
It was paradise—a world carved from a dream.
Jasmine floated beside Yun Che, her eyes wide. "That Xuyi… she was already this powerful? To create an entire world like this…"
Yun Che crossed his arms, scanning their surroundings with quiet respect. "She didn't just build a sanctuary—she built a world within one. We're still in the Profound Sky Continent, but this isn't a separate dimension. It's a realm enclosed inside the barrier."
Jasmine frowned. "Yun Che, could this be an illusion? Something created by the barrier to trick intruders?"
He crouched down, running his hand over the grass. It felt cool and soft beneath his fingers. The flowers brushed against his skin, scattering faint particles of light into the air. His Sharingan spun faintly in his eyes—searching for distortions, false patterns, illusions.
Nothing.
He stood, shaking his head. "No. This isn't an illusion. It's one hundred percent real."
Jasmine still seemed incredulous. "Impossible. To shape a living realm like this… you'd need divine-level power. A Sovereign Profound Realm cultivator shouldn't be capable of this."
Yun Che raised the glowing Apple slightly, its reflection dancing across his eyes.
"She had the Apple, toots," he said simply. "With its power—and her imagination—she could turn thought into reality. Inside this barrier, anything she dreamed of could exist. This…"
He gestured toward the horizon, where the waterfall split into rainbows that curved across the air.
"…is the world she dreamed of creating."
"Before she was greeted by the harsh reality of the world," Jasmine finished quietly, her voice carrying a hint of melancholy.
Yun Che nodded, his gaze softening as he looked at the glowing horizon.
"Yeah… The barrier sustained her power because she created it through the Apple itself. For a mortal, this world might've been nothing but an illusion. But for a divine cultivator like her—she could rewrite reality itself. The Apple was her canvas, and this barrier her masterpiece."
He lifted the golden sphere in his hand, its faint hum echoing through the silence.
"Without this thing, we wouldn't even know this place existed. We'd have just… walked through it, never realizing a world like this was hidden beneath our feet."
Mio's eyes sparkled as she spun slowly, taking in the scenery again—the glimmering waterfalls, the soft petals floating in the air, the sound of running streams.
"Goodness… such a beautiful world. I wish that Azure Dragon put me here instead of that cramped little world of his," she said with a playful pout.
Retsu giggled softly at her antics. "Giggle… Mio-chan, I wouldn't mind spending my life here either. Though… living like a mortal might get boring after a few thousand years."
Jasmine folded her arms, still studying the radiant sky.
"Worlds like this aren't unusual in the Realm of the Gods. But to see one here—in the mortal realm—is… impressive."
Yun Che nodded. "True. It's not a separate dimension, though—it's more like a modified pocket of the Profound Sky Continent itself. Still…" He smiled faintly. "I have to agree with you. Xuyi really did something incredible."
He remembered Xuyi's words: how this sanctuary was built atop her old hometown, reborn as a safe haven for mortals—those who could never fight back against the cruelty of cultivators.
Kon tilted his head. "I dunno why, but this realm feels… peaceful. Not like your inner world, though—it's got, you know, a nice vibe."
Yun Che shot him a look. "Bastard. My inner world's still developing. Cut me some slack."
Retsu giggled as Yun Che adjusted Cang Yue in his arms, making sure she was comfortable. Her head rested against his shoulder, her face calm—utterly serene, even in her deep hibernation.
They continued forward, walking through the enchanted forest bathed in dappled light. The air carried a faint scent of flowers, and in the distance, they could hear the gentle rush of water. Every step reminded them that this place—though mortal—was alive in a way the outside world had forgotten.
After a while, Retsu slowed her pace, her eyes tracking a small movement ahead. "Yuu-kun… look. The animals here—"
She pointed toward a deer grazing beside a pond. Its eyes were clear, its movements calm. Yet when she extended her senses, she felt nothing—no profound energy, no spiritual essence. Just life.
"Even the animals here are powerless," she whispered.
"Of course," Yun Che said, glancing at the tranquil creature. "The barrier suppresses cultivation entirely—humans and beasts alike. It turns everything within it into pure mortals. It's probably why the people here survived this long. In a world where beasts grow stronger than men, mortals wouldn't stand a chance otherwise."
He paused, letting the serenity of the place sink in. For the first time in a long while, he felt… peace.
Then—
Rustle. Rustle.
The sound came from the nearby bushes.
Every instinct in the group sharpened immediately. Haki flared invisibly across the clearing as they tracked the movement.
Retsu's hand drifted toward her sword, while Mio's eyes turned faintly red. But Yun Che raised a hand, signaling them to relax.
He had already sensed the energy signature. Small. Weak. Harmless.
"Mortals," he murmured. "No threat."
The others eased their postures but kept their eyes on the direction of the sound. The faint rustling followed them a while longer, cautious but persistent—like something, or someone, was tailing them through the forest.
"Yuu-kun…"
Retsu's voice resonated softly in his mind through Tenteikūra.
He responded almost immediately, his tone quiet and steady.
"Just walk normally. Don't show your cultivation or any strength at all. We don't want to scare it off."
He could have easily used his spiritual sense to scan the entire forest—or taken to the skies and searched from above—but that would defeat the purpose. Flying cultivators appearing over a mortal sanctuary would cause nothing but fear and chaos.
So instead, Yun Che kept his steps even, his gaze forward, and said calmly to the empty forest around them:
"Look, we don't like being followed. Why don't you come out? Don't worry, we won't hurt you."
For a moment, the only sound was the whisper of the wind through the trees. Then even that faded. The rustling stopped.
But the faint signature—the tiny pulse of life hiding in the bushes—remained. Still there. Still trembling.
Retsu's eyes glowed faintly gold for an instant, her Eagle Vision quietly active. "It's not moving," she murmured.
Yun Che sighed softly. "Then I'll have to take a drastic measure."
He carefully lowered Cang Yue onto the soft grass, letting her head rest gently on a fold of his robe. Jasmine floated nearby, arching an eyebrow.
"What kind of drastic measure?" she asked suspiciously.
He didn't answer. Instead, he turned toward Kon with a grin that was just a little too cheerful.
"...Yuu-kun?" Kon froze. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Yun Che's grin widened. "Sorry, Kon."
"Wait—what do you mea—HEY!!!"
Before the plush lion could wriggle away, Yun Che grabbed him by the torso.
"Do me a favor," Yun Che said with mock seriousness, "and give our little guest a proper scare."
"EHHHH?!? YOU DEVIL!!!"
With a single flick of his wrist, Yun Che tossed Kon straight into the bushes.
Thud!
"GYAAAAHH!!!"
A startled shriek followed immediately after—high-pitched, frightened, and unmistakably that of a child.
"Kyaaahh!!!"
The sound sent Mio and Retsu straight into alert, their eyes snapping toward the source.
And then—a small figure stumbled out from behind the leaves, almost tripping as she did.
Retsu blinked, genuinely surprised. "A… little girl?"
Mio tilted her head. "Why would a child be following us?"
No wonder Retsu's Eagle Vision had detected such a faint blue aura—it wasn't hostility at all, just simple curiosity and fear. The intent radiating from the small figure was pure, untainted.
The girl looked no older than six. Her violet robe hung loosely over her tiny frame, tied neatly with a faded cloth sash. A makeshift pouch, fashioned from old fabric, hung across her back. Her long black hair was tied into a single ponytail with a ribbon, with two smaller ribbons holding the sides of her hair in place.
Despite her small size, she was remarkably pretty—big, luminous eyes framed by long lashes, soft cheeks, a delicate nose, and a timid little mouth trembling with fear.
Even Kon, crawling out of the bushes with grass on his face, blinked at her. "You gotta be kidding me… she's the one following us?"
When the girl saw all four of them—Yun Che, Retsu, Mio, and the plush lion—her eyes widened in terror.
She took a step back… then another… and turned to flee—only to find her way blocked by the trunk of a massive tree.
Trapped, she pressed her back against it, clutching her robe tightly in her fists. Her small frame trembled as she looked at them with wide, glistening eyes.
Yun Che exhaled softly and slowly stepped forward, his expression gentle. He made sure to keep his posture low and open as he spoke in a calm, soothing tone.
"It's okay… don't be scared. We won't hurt you. We were just passing through and noticed you behind the bushes. Sorry if we frightened you."
The little girl didn't answer. She pressed her back tighter against the tree trunk, trembling slightly, her wide eyes still locked on him. Despite her fear, there was a quiet strength in the way she held herself—no tears, no cries for help. For someone so small, she had remarkable courage just to follow them this far.
But she hadn't expected to be found.
Grumble… grumble…
The small, pitiful sound broke the silence.
Yun Che's brows lifted slightly, and he couldn't help but smile. The source was obvious. He slowly crouched down and, with one hand still supporting Cang Yue, reached into his inventory. With a soft flash of light, a large, golden-yellow pear appeared in his free hand.
The fruit shimmered faintly in the sunlight—fresh and sweet, one of his cooking ingredients. But seeing this little girl's pale face and hungry eyes, he didn't hesitate.
"Here," he said softly, holding it out so she could see.
The girl's gaze flicked between his face and the pear. Her throat moved as she swallowed hard. The moment the scent of the fruit reached her nose, her small stomach growled even louder.
For a moment, she seemed to forget that the fruit had appeared out of thin air. Her tiny feet shuffled forward hesitantly. Then she reached up, both arms trembling slightly, to take the pear.
She didn't speak—but her wide eyes silently asked for permission.
Yun Che nodded gently, smiling.
The instant he did, she bit into the pear. The juice ran down her chin, and tears welled in her eyes as she ate. The fruit was almost too big for her little hands, but she held on, nibbling hungrily, her shoulders shaking as she tried not to sob.
Mio's expression softened. "Poor girl… she must've been starving."
Retsu nodded, her gaze full of quiet sympathy. "To wander this deep into the forest alone… she's lucky nothing found her first. She's not even a cultivator."
Yun Che sighed quietly, watching the girl devour the fruit with desperate gratitude.
"Yeah. She probably followed us because she was hungry but didn't know how to ask. And I… might've made a bad first impression by, uh… throwing Kon into the bushes."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Teme!!!" Kon's outraged voice suddenly came from the undergrowth as he stomped out, twigs stuck in his plushy fur. "What's your problem?! Throwing me like that without warning?!"
"Eeep!!"
The little girl let out a startled squeak, dropping the half-eaten pear as she bolted behind a nearby tree, peeking at them with frightened eyes.
Yun Che's head twitched slightly, a dark aura flickering behind him as he turned his glare on Kon.
"Great. You scared her off."
Kon froze mid-rant. "Uh… oh. Right. Sorry." He rubbed the back of his plush head, deflating instantly.
Yun Che exhaled through his nose and shook his head. "Sigh… Girls, let's camp here for the night before looking for the sanctuary tomorrow. You've all had a long day."
He gently lifted Cang Yue again and carried her to a wide clearing beneath an enormous tree. With a flick of his hand, a soft blanket materialized, and he laid her down carefully atop it. Her expression remained peaceful—still deep in her hibernation trance.
Retsu found a fallen log and sat down gracefully while Mio began helping him set up a small campfire. Kon climbed back onto Yun Che's shoulder, sulking but quiet now.
"But couldn't we travel farther?" Kon asked.
Yun Che shook his head. "That girl's here, which means the settlement can't be too far. Judging by her size and stamina, she couldn't have walked more than a few kilometers. She probably left home earlier today."
He closed his eyes briefly, extending his haki across the area. The invisible ripple of his perception spread outward, brushing through the trees. No hostile intent. No beasts. Only faint, scattered life signatures deeper ahead—calm and steady.
"Tomorrow, I'll head toward the center of this realm. The sanctuary should be there."
Retsu glanced around the peaceful clearing. "So, the settlement really is nearby…" she murmured, gazing at the little girl still half-hiding behind her tree, clutching the pear like a lifeline.
Yun Che nodded quietly, his tone thoughtful.
"Yeah. And if she's here, that means there are others… people who've lived in this paradise for generations."
"We could try heading toward that giant waterfall in the morning," Yun Che suggested, eyes still scanning the tree line. "If we enhance our Haki coverage from there, we might sense something nearby. Mio, Retsu—prepare your best meal tonight. We've got a little guest to feed."
"Hai, Danna-sama…" Mio replied brightly, already clasping her hands together. Then her cheeks turned pink, and she added dreamily, "You're so kind to that child… You'd make a wonderful father to our future baby." She pressed her palms to her red cheeks, smiling so sweetly that Yun Che could almost see sparkles floating behind her.
"Or my child," Retsu chimed in calmly, smirking from the corner of her lips.
"Eh?! Retsu-chan! That's cheating!" Mio puffed her cheeks adorably as the familiar tension rose between the two.
Yun Che sighed, a tired smile tugging at his lips. These two had probably fought more "food wars" than he could count—battles of flavor, presentation, and affection, all for the prestigious title of Head Wife. It always ended in a draw, but he could tell both of them secretly enjoyed their little rivalry. It was comforting, in a way, seeing them act like ordinary girls for once—free from the killing intent and chaos that usually defined their lives.
He scratched the back of his neck, sweat-dropping slightly. "Hai, hai… I just don't like seeing kids suffer, that's all. Maybe it's because I've had a rough past myself."
Jasmine's calm voice drifted beside him, curious and slightly sharp. "Rough past? You've never told me that."
Her words also caught Retsu and Mio's attention—they both paused from unpacking ingredients, gazing at him.
Yun Che gave a sheepish grin. "I'll tell you girls one day. For now… let's just rest, all right?"
They didn't press further. Retsu and Mio nodded, turning to their work as they began setting up a small campfire. The little girl, half-hidden behind her tree, peeked out curiously. Her eyes widened when she saw the two women pulling cooking utensils out of thin air, as if by magic.
Then Yun Che simply snapped his fingers—fwoosh!—and a stream of crimson flames burst to life atop the firewood.
The girl gasped softly, her mouth parting in wonder. Fire was supposed to be orange and yellow… but this fire shone with deep red light, smooth and mesmerizing, casting warm crimson ripples across their faces.
If cultivators had seen him using Phoenix Flames to cook instead of to fight, they might've vomited blood in disbelief. But Yun Che simply thought: My fire, my rules. Besides, the flames cooked food faster and better than anything else.
Before long, the air filled with the mouthwatering scent of spices and simmering meat.
A faint growl from the bushes reminded everyone that their little guest was still there.
Then, after several minutes, Mio ran toward him, carrying a plate in both hands with a proud sparkle in her eyes. "Danna-sama, look! Look! Retsu and I made something new together!"
She presented the dish with a flourish—a plate of steaming rice drenched in creamy golden curry, rich with potatoes and tender cuts of meat. The aroma alone was enough to make Kon's nose twitch.
"Wooow… smells amazing. What's this?" he asked, hopping up onto Yun Che's shoulder, drooling.
Retsu giggled softly, stepping beside Mio. "Giggle… What do you think, Yuu-kun? This is our specially made curry rice."
For a moment, Yun Che was speechless. These girls never ceased to amaze him. Their culinary experiments always turned out better than the last. Even now, the rich scent had drifted far enough to draw a timid little figure from the shadows.
He smiled slightly and nodded toward Retsu. Understanding immediately, she placed a plate of curry rice near the fire along with a cup of water, then gestured gently at the girl hiding behind the tree.
The child hesitated… then, slowly, she crept forward and sat down beside the fire.
She stared at the plate for a moment, sniffing the air, then picked up the spoon. She hesitated again, glanced at Yun Che, and when he smiled and nodded, she took her first bite.
The moment the warm flavor hit her tongue, her eyes filled with tears. She began to eat quickly, spoon after spoon, as if afraid the food might disappear.
"Eat slowly… we have plenty," Retsu said gently, smiling as she served the others their portions.
They all watched quietly as the little girl devoured her food, tears streaming down her cheeks but a small, relieved smile appearing for the first time. When she finished, she hesitated for a moment before timidly holding her empty plate toward Retsu.
Retsu chuckled softly and refilled it without a word. The girl accepted it, this time sitting a little closer to the group—no longer hiding.
As the night deepened, the barrier's world transformed into something ethereal. Fireflies floated among the trees, their glow mingling with the campfire's red shimmer. The waterfall's distant roar blended with the gentle night wind.
Yun Che leaned back against a tree trunk, his eyes drifting upward to the glittering sky.
For a moment, his mind wandered—back to his first world, where skies like this were nothing but memories of a dying planet. Here, the stars looked pure, untainted… alive.
He breathed quietly. This place… it really is a paradise. Maybe Xuyi's dream wasn't so impossible after all.
Nearby, Mio and Retsu were still fussing over the food, comparing recipes, bickering softly like sisters. Jasmine had gone to cleanse her gigai near the waterfall, leaving him in the soft peace of the moment.
Yun Che's gaze fell again on the small girl curled near the fire, hugging her knees after finishing her meal. The faint smile on her face said everything.
He whispered to himself, so softly none of them could hear:
"At least… someone gets to live in the world she dreamed of."
For almost two years, he had lived as Yun Che—and in that time, he had truly become him.
His journey had diverged far from the original Yun Che's path; every decision, every battle, every bond he formed was his own.He never followed the script of destiny—he rewrote it.
Now, with the system evolving each time he unearthed a new relic, life had almost reached perfection. Yet, deep in his heart, one promise remained unbroken:
to return to his original world once he reached the true peak of existence in this realm.
He gazed quietly at the little girl sleeping beside him, curled up like a small ball near the warmth of the campfire.
Her tiny hands clutched the blanket he had draped over her, the faint rise and fall of her breathing soft and steady.
Tomorrow, he would find the sanctuary's settlement and fulfill Huan Xuyi's final wish—to lay her body to rest here, in the paradise she once dreamed into being.
This was her homeland.
And it was only right that she returned to it.
Snore… snore…
He blinked, glancing toward the source of the noise.
"Tsk… this guy…"
Kon was sprawled across a rock near the fire, sleeping like a king who'd conquered the world—despite having done absolutely nothing all day.
Yun Che chuckled quietly. As much as he enjoyed teasing the little plush fool, he did owe him one after tossing him into that bush earlier.
"Danna-sama… Yuu-kun…"
Two soft, melodic voices brushed his ears.
He turned to see Mio and Retsu approaching, their faces illuminated by the gentle crimson glow of the flames.
Mio carried a round tray, a small cup of steaming tea resting upon it.
"Danna-sama," Mio said sweetly, kneeling beside him, "I've prepared some tea for you."
"Oh… thank you, Mio."
He accepted the cup with a small smile. "I was… lost in thought for a moment."
The two women settled down on either side of him, leaning against his shoulders.
The warmth of their bodies, the faint scent of their hair, and the rhythm of their quiet breathing wrapped around him like a soft dream.
For a brief moment, he thought—maybe this is what peace feels like.
"Yuu-kun…" Retsu's gentle voice broke the silence. "Can I ask you a question?"
He turned to her, sensing something serious in her tone.
"I'm all ears."
She drew a slow, steady breath before speaking.
"Have you ever thought about… settling down?"
He blinked. "Settling down?"
Her gaze didn't waver. "I mean… living as ordinary mortals. In some secluded place, away from all this fighting. No politics, no wars. Just… a quiet life. Raising a family. Having children of our own."
For a second, Yun Che was speechless. He hadn't expected such a question—not from Retsu, who was always so composed.
He gave a small, unsure chuckle. "Oh? Where's this coming from?"
Retsu's eyes softened as she looked toward the sleeping girl.
"Seeing how you cared for that child," she said quietly, "made us realize… maybe somewhere in our hearts, we both long to give that same kind of affection—to a child of our own."
Mio blushed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Mou… Ret-chan… you read my mind again…"
The air around the fire grew still. The crackle of the flames filled the silence as Yun Che took in their words.
He stared into the crimson fire, watching it dance gently, reflected in his own eyes.
"A family, huh…" he murmured. "It sounds… peaceful."
For a long moment, he said nothing more. Then, quietly, almost to himself—
"Maybe, when everything's finally over. When the fighting stops… and when I've kept every promise I made… maybe then, we'll find a place like that."
Yun Che closed his eyes for a moment, thinking of the right words. Then he spoke quietly, his tone calm but firm.
"I've thought about it," he admitted, "but I'm not ready yet. I can make both of you my wives—no hesitation there—but having children right now… that's another story."
Mio blinked, tilting her head slightly. "Why is that, Danna-sama?"
He smiled faintly. "Because part of us still wants to reach the very peak of existence—to become what my world would call max-level players. I want us to achieve that first, before we even think about settling down."
He glanced toward the campfire, his reflection dancing in the flames.
"If we ever bring children into this world, I want them to grow up in peace—not in the middle of battles and chaos. Even if we have the strength to solve conflicts, we can't ignore the families we'd be leaving behind while doing so."
He looked at both of them, his gaze steady.
"When the time comes, I want to be there to raise our children—to watch them grow. I don't want to be one of those fathers who disappears for years and returns only for a few days before leaving again. What's the point of having wife and kids if you're never there for them?"
Then his lips curved into a small, teasing grin.
"Besides… we're still young. All of us. Maybe Mio's a little older, but her mind's still around our age."
"Mou… Danna-sama, I'm still eighteen in my mind!" Mio puffed her cheeks adorably, glaring at him through her blush.
Retsu chuckled softly before nodding in agreement with his reasoning. "Then we'll honor your wish, Yuu-kun. But…" she added, eyes glinting mischievously, "I still want to be the first one to carry your child."
"I'll be the second!" Mio chimed in instantly, raising her hand. "Yue'er can be the third!"
Yun Che sweatdropped. "You girls… really make this sound easy."
Retsu giggled softly. "Ara, we're just… enthusiastic."
He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Still, you should know the truth. For cultivators like us, the higher our cultivation rises, the lower the chance of conceiving becomes. Even if we reach the divine realms, the odds are nearly zero."
"Eh?! That's new to me!" Mio gasped, her face already turning red. "You mean we—"
He grinned wickedly, finishing her sentence.
"—just have to keep trying until one of you finally conceives."
"K-keep trying…?" Mio stammered, steam practically rising from her head. The image in her mind was enough to turn her entire face crimson.
Retsu's cheeks flared just as red, her voice dropping into a shy whisper. "Having… lots and lots of tries with Yuu-kun…"
Both of them fell silent for a moment before the sound of a soft poof! echoed as imaginary steam clouds escaped their heads.
Yun Che couldn't help but chuckle. "All right, that's enough. Let's get some sleep before your heads explode from overthinking. We'll have plenty of tries in the future, I promise."
Then, leaning closer between them, he whispered teasingly in their ears—
"And once we're married… I'll tend to your needs every single day."
"N-needs…?!"
POOF!!!
Both Mio and Retsu's faces instantly turned beet-red, practically smoking from embarrassment. Yun Che laughed quietly as they both covered their faces, mumbling incoherently.
"You two keep teasing me about becoming my wives," he said, smiling helplessly, "so it's only fair I tease you back once in a while."
As the laughter faded, he gazed at them—at the flustered faces of two women who, despite all their power, still carried hearts so pure.
He chuckled softly to himself, though a faint chill ran down his spine at a sudden thought. If I end up with more girls in the future, how am I supposed to keep up with all their… needs?
The mental image of several blushing wives with "hungry" eyes made him shiver again.
Great. It's not the battles I'll be dying from—it's the aftermath.
The girls' embarrassed giggles died on their lips when Yun Che's senses picked up something approaching. He sighed and sat up.
"You know what, scratch sleep. We might have some company."
Retsu's flushed face hardened into business mode. Mio's expression flipped dark, the cartoonish storm cloud of fury settling above her head. "All I want is a peaceful date."
"To think these ants would dare attack us," Mio muttered.
Yun Che calmed them with a look—annoyed, but composed. He'd let the moment go. For now.
They didn't have to wait long. Several signatures, once distant, were suddenly converging on their camp. The group had turned off their Haki for a single breath; that was enough.
A rough, leering voice cut through the trees.
"Hoho, such beauties… looks like tonight won't be lonely!"
A burly man in patched leather armor stumbled into view, his ridiculous handlebar mustache twitching as he leered. His crotch spoke louder than his words since their veils were off.
"My—such beauties!" he declared, staggering as if struck by a fever. "This master ain't seen faces like that in years!"
Men spilled from the treeline behind him—ragged, armed, and just the sort of mountain bandits who'd try anything for a quick score. Swords and spears glinted as they crept into a loose circle around the camp.
"Boss! Don't hog 'em! Share!" one shouted, eyes greedy.
"Mine!" the leader barked back, already imagining himself at the center of some terrible bargain. Then he noticed the sleeping figure beside the fire—red hair, peaceful face—and a fresh, filthy gleam crossed his face.
"A pretty boy and three beauties," he said, licking his lips. "Brat, don't hog them all. Share them with us—we'll treat 'em 'right'." His men whooped.
The sight made Yun Che's lips tighten. He felt an old, half-amused irritation and a very familiar memory: of reaching max level in some long-ago MMO and strolling into starter zones just for fun—only to have a level-one NPC try to mug him. He'd been baffled then. Mortals were still baffling.
These bandits were the same kind of clueless: bold enough to try mugging literal celestials without realizing the consequences. Yun Che, Retsu and Mio rose smoothly, bored expressions on their faces. They stepped forward as one—calm, measured, deadly.
The little girl, who'd been peeking from behind a tree, yelped and scrambled back to hide. Clearly she knew these men. She'd seen them before…and run.
"Boss!" someone hissed. "That's the brat who ran from the village. She's with them!"
"Perfect," another croaked. "Beat 'em up, take the women, sell the kid. Little ones like her fetch good coin."
They moved to encircle the camp, closing ranks, grins oozing cruelty. The leader swaggered to the front and bellowed, cornering Yun Che by posture alone. But Yun Che remained uncowed.
"Brat," the leader thundered, "you won't get away with this. Don't you know who I am?"
Yun Che rubbed the bridge of his nose slowly. He said, flat and bored,
"This is stupid."
The leader's face went purple. "What did you—?"
Yun Che shrugged, practiced indifference in his features. "I came here hoping this sanctuary would be full of kind people. Instead—humans." He inclined his head at the bandits with the faintest, most contemptuous smile. "Same as always."
The leader's jaw clenched; his men laughed nervously. But Yun Che's next words, delivered very calmly, were the final straw.
"Nope. Don't know you. Don't care."
For a blink, time seemed to hang. Then the bandits realized, too late, that they'd misjudged everything: the sleeping beauty, the pretty boy, the quiet girl—and the quiet man who'd just told them they weren't worth his attention.
"Why you—!!! You'll pay for that disrespect! Men—capture them!" the burly leader barked.
He snarled the order, certain his numbers would overwhelm these strangers. He never expected how fast the answer would come.
SWISH.
Before anyone could react, Yun Che blurred forward and appeared at the leader's side. Up close, his face was calm — almost bored.
"You really think numbers intimidate us?" he said softly.
He didn't shout. He didn't charge. He simply punched.
The blow landed in the leader's stomach — not a dramatic, spirit-force-filled strike, just a perfectly placed punch backed by the subtle conditioning of the Great Way of the Buddha. The man's breath exploded from him in a single, ragged sound.
"Huarrkk!" He staggered. Yun Che followed up with a clean, sharp kick to the face. The leader's head snapped; he flew backward and slammed into the undergrowth with a wet crack.
The rest of the bandits froze, eyes wide. The sight of their boss launched into the bushes was enough to make even the boldest hesitate.
"Heh," Yun Che shrugged, amusement flickering across his features. "It's been a while since I got into a street fight."
"Girls, want to join? Don't kill them — you get no experience for that. Let's play with fists." He tossed the words over his shoulder, and like perfectly choreographed counterweights, Retsu and Mio stepped in.
They loosened their kimonos not as seduction but as practicality — freeing their legs for combat. What followed was a breathless display of raw, mortal martial skill: blocks, parries, footwork, and brutal counters. No profound energy flared, no spirit force roared — only the clean violence of bone meeting flesh and momentum throwing bodies.
Retsu moved like a shadow; Mio like a coiled spring. They disarmed men, redirected spear thrusts, and cracked knuckles into ribs. A bandit who thought himself clever bit the dust after a spinning heel found his jaw. Another's sword flew from his hand and clattered useless into the dirt.
They weren't trying to kill — but they were merciless. Every strike sent a man flying, limbs akimbo. The forest echoed with yells of pain and humiliation.
"Huarrgghh! Save me! Mommy!" one cried, scrambling away on all fours.
The three of them worked together with that rare, synchronized ease of people who'd survived a thousand battles. Yun Che's fists snapped out like lightning; Retsu's counters were precise and clinical; Mio's strikes carried uncanny timing that made heads swivel.
Time slowed for the burly leader as he watched the field littered with his men. He crawled from the bushes, face swollen, lips split. Rage warred with disbelief across his features. How could his gang be routed so easily by a "pretty boy" and two women?
Then his eyes landed on the little girl — terrified, frozen a short distance away. A predatory grin split his face.
"Finally," he snarled. He seized the child like a prize, lifting her so her shoes dangled uselessly over the ground. The girl's scream shredded the quiet.
"Bas—tard—" he spat as his swollen mouth twisted into a cruel smile. Around them, more of his men — fresh reinforcements — slipped through the treeline, spurred on by the new opportunity.
For a heartbeat, the three who had been fighting felt the scene shift. The playful, almost nostalgic edge drained from Yun Che's face. This wasn't a spar; it wasn't a joke. A child had been taken.
"Don't move," the leader snarled, squeezing the girl's small head. "Try to fight and she dies."
Yun Che's jaw tightened. The two girls at his side flared, eyes turning hard as knives. The earlier amusement vanished. The camp, which had minutes ago been a place of warm laughter and curry, bristled with danger.
His voice was low and cold when he finally spoke.
"Let her go. Now."
It was not a demand. It was an order backed by a promise — the kind that leaves no room for negotiation.
Outside the barrier, rules were different. Inside, even more so. And the man holding the child just tightened his grip, swallowing the last of his fear and replacing it with ugly confidence. He thought himself clever. He thought he had leverage. He was wrong.
Yun Che's eyes narrowed. In the hush that followed, every bandit could feel the temperature of the air drop a degree — the moment before a storm. The battlefield was far from over.
"Retsu… Mio… I'll take him," Yun Che said quietly. "You two do as you please — but don't kill them."
Both women nodded. They turned as one toward the incoming reinforcements. For the first time since the fight began, a thread of real killing intent slipped free from their calm exteriors. The hair on every bandit's neck rose like a flock of startled birds.
The burly leader's bravado faltered. He clutched the little girl tighter, trying to make the threat look real, but his hands trembled as if gripped by cold iron. Yun Che walked toward him, eyes like coals, a palpable aura of despair rolling off him. The leader's swollen jaw quivered; slowly, he released the child and let her drop to the ground.
"Looks like that kick didn't do much after all, huh?" Yun Che said, his voice cold and low.
Before the man could answer, Yun Che's fist drove into his gut with brutal precision. The leader doubled over, gagging, then took another crushing blow to the face that sent him careening into the trees with an earth-shaking crack. The impact set off a distant explosion of dust and branches.
Yun Che didn't wait. He moved to the little girl at once, but she launched herself into his chest, trembling and sobbing. She clung to him as if he were the very shore after a storm—tears soaking his clothes, tiny fists clawing at his shirt. Relief and fury warred inside him all at once.
Little Fairy, then Cang Yue, Chu Yueli, and now her… He let the thought pass with a soft, bitter sigh.
Behind him, Retsu's lips curved into a cold smile. "Mio-chan, now."
Mio answered with the faintest of grins. Her aura, already ominous, deepened—an unmistakable signal. Both women reached into their inventories and produced ordinary kitchen tools: Retsu a wooden ladle, Mio a solid frying pan. Yun Che couldn't help the corner of his mouth twitching at the absurdity—Housewives' Weapons of Death, indeed.
The bandits, watching from the treeline, scoffed. "They're just women. Grab them!" one shouted.
Mio's eyes narrowed. "You really want me to kill you that badly?" she purred, voice like silk over steel.
Retsu's smile sharpened into something far colder. "You filthy maggots. Shall I pry that mouth from your face and stuff it back in?" she said, sweet as poison.
They moved like dancers. The weapons swung, but the blows weren't the point—their Busoshoku Haki did the work. A shimmering force erupted from the ladle and the pan, sending shockwaves that slammed into chests and jaws without the metal physically touching skin. Men flew as if struck by invisible hammers. The forest filled with the sound of snapped weapons and strangled cries.
Some tried to flee; others clawed at wounds made by force they couldn't see. One bandit's sword shattered mid-swing and the man went down with a crack, his face buried in mud. Retsu's ladle smacked an attacker across the ribs with a ringing clang; he was thrown backward, howling. Mio's frying pan came down like an iron moon, and the air itself seemed to bruise whoever it passed through.
Screams split the air. Men who had howled bravely moments ago now sobbed and crawled, clutching faces already bruised and bleeding. Retsu's ladle arced with clinical precision; Mio's frying pan slammed down with a sickening thud, then sent a second bandit spinning through the dirt.
"I didn't hit you that hard," Retsu cooed almost sweetly as a man flew past her. Her smile — innocent on the surface — made them stagger with real fear. "I hope you don't die by accident."
She worked with elegant cruelty—she didn't aim to kill, but she left men broken and trembling. Mio's hits had a playful cruelty that made the whole thing grotesquely fun to watch. "Ara… pitiful screams," Mio murmured, tilting her head as she watched a bandit try to crawl away.
Yun Che stayed with the child, shielding her with one arm as he watched the spectacle unfold. He felt the girls holding back just enough—they were restraint incarnate, but the ferocity they displayed would leave scars on memory.
The burly leader, half-conscious and furious, crawled back from the undergrowth. He saw his men strewn about, wailing or moaning. Anger flamed into madness in his eyes. He staggered closer and, in a last pathetic attempt at leverage, swung a foot at Yun Che's direction.
That was the moment Yun Che straightened, still holding the trembling girl. He stepped forward, calm as a grave, and with a single precise movement knocked the leader's foot aside. The man stumbled and collapsed in a heap, broken more by dignity than by bone.
Around them the bandits lay scattered, humiliated and terrified, not dead but shattered. The girls whose faces had once been playful and tender now stood with a terrifying, predatory grace—innocence overlaid with a blade-sharp edge. Yun Che glanced at them, some of the warmth returning to his own face as the little girl hidden at his side clung on.
"C'mon," he said softly to the child, brushing hair from her cheeks. "You're safe now."
Retsu crouched and extended a hand to the nearest moaning bandit. "Tell your master," she said quietly, voice like a knife, "if he ever comes near this place again, we will not be so merciful."
The bandit hiccuped out something that might have passed for "Yes," then crawled away on all fours, dragging his shattered pride with him.
They cleaned the camp in silence — not with words, but with the quiet understanding of those who'd just spared lives and, in doing so, forged a deeper peace. Yun Che held the child as she sobbed herself into exhaustion, and for the first time that night, the sanctuary felt like something worth protecting.