Back on Wangya Island, the atmosphere within the Wu Clan's council hall was suffocating.
Fury hung thick in the air.
"Just how… how did we fail to destroy the Lunar Blossom Sect?!" one elder roared, his voice echoing through the chamber. "And how are Xue Yin and Zhong Chuke still alive?!"
Another elder slammed his hand against the table.
"Our entire shadow unit… wiped out by two Winter Fairies? How is that even possible? We had no reports of experts in that region!"
A subordinate stepped forward, his face pale.
"Reports from the survivors indicate… two Winter Fairies, supported by a mysterious flying ark."
The hall fell quieter.
"It was fast. Extremely agile. When it engaged, it unleashed continuous bombardment. Our forces described it as… raining hell from the sky."
A pause.
"We lost forty small arks. Only ten managed to retreat."
His voice lowered.
"Elder Wu Chang… was among the fallen."
Silence.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
"And the Hutu Monks?" another elder demanded.
"They failed," came the immediate reply. "They encountered a veiled woman with unknown identity. She deployed a tower-like construct… capable of striking with lightning and explosive force."
The elder's jaw tightened.
"None survived the engagement."
"And the Zhu Family?"
"They attempted to breach the watchkeep," the subordinate continued. "Even their ancestor failed to eliminate Jin Mulan."
Murmurs spread.
"They were intercepted by multiple veiled fairies. The entire invasion force—over a thousand—was annihilated."
"And the Shu Family?"
"…Failed their assassination. Shu Pei Pei remains alive."
A breath.
"All operatives were killed."
The room grew colder.
"Then what of the Qiang State?" a senior elder asked, his tone far more controlled—but no less dangerous.
The subordinate hesitated.
"Of the five thousand deployed… over half deserted."
Shock flickered across several faces.
"When the green lights atop the Northern Mountains activated… panic spread."
He swallowed.
"Some fled immediately. Others were caught in the aftermath."
His voice dropped.
"The lights detonated… triggering a massive avalanche."
A long silence followed.
"Casualties were severe. Most were buried."
A pause.
"Jin Zhuo survived."
"Along with a handful of others."
"And King Alugang?"
"…Deceased."
The words struck like a hammer.
No one spoke for several seconds.
Finally—
"What is happening…?" one elder muttered, his voice no longer filled with rage—but unease.
"We are losing."
Another elder clenched his fists.
"Our Throne-level elders… one by one…"
His voice lowered.
"Even Elder Fang… and several elites…"
"They were found dead… on the beach leading to Xuanwu City."
Silence.
This was no longer a failed campaign.
It was unraveling.
And for the first time—
The Wu Clan felt it.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
"Even the Jin Family has begun reorganizing," one elder reported grimly. "After defeating the Zhu Family, they've effectively become the strongest power in Xuanwu City."
A murmur spread across the hall.
"Other major families are already aligning with them," he continued. "In exchange, their debts are being reduced. Influence is consolidating around Jin Zhuo."
Another voice cut in.
"We've also lost control of the Cang Outer Palace. Xuanwu City is no longer contested—it's fully back under Jin Zhuo's command."
A pause.
"The entire city is being reorganized under him."
The tension snapped.
"Damn it!" an elder roared. "Who are these experts?!"
The subordinate steadied himself before answering.
"They arrived alongside Jin Mulan… and Princess Cang Yue, along with her Imperial Protectors."
He hesitated slightly. "We've identified one of them as Mu Che."
A ripple of recognition spread.
"But the others…" he continued, "remain unknown. Multiple female experts—extremely powerful. We suspect at least two of them are the Winter Fairies assisting the Lunar Blossom Sect."
"Winter Fairies…" another elder muttered. "Do you think Frozen Cloud Asgard is involved?"
"Impossible," someone immediately countered. "Why would one of the Four Great Sects intervene in such a remote region?"
The room fell into uneasy silence.
Then—
"That Mu Che…" an elder growled, his voice filled with venom. "That damn Mu Che!"
His fist clenched tightly.
"Even back then… when he first appeared… he disrupted everything!"
Another elder slammed the table. "We confirmed the kill!"
His voice rose, laced with disbelief and fury. "So how—"
"How is he still alive?!"
"Silence."
The single word fell like a blade across the chamber, cutting through the rising chaos and leaving nothing but stillness in its wake.
Every Wu Clan elder turned at once.
And then—
They froze.
A suffocating pressure descended upon the hall as the main elder rose from his seat. Darkness seemed to coil around him, not as mere aura, but as something heavier—something oppressive. Each step he took echoed with quiet authority, his presence alone enough to silence even the most defiant voices.
He was not merely an elder.
He was one of the pillars of the Wu Clan. One of the rulers behind the shadows. He advanced slowly toward the center of the chamber, his gaze sweeping across them.
"This Mu Che…" he said, his voice low, controlled, yet carrying undeniable weight.
"Who is this man?"
The elders straightened instinctively.
One of them stepped forward, bowing his head slightly before speaking.
"He is… a thorn in the clan's side."
The elder chose his words carefully.
"He appeared roughly five years ago. Since then, he has repeatedly disrupted our control over Xuanwu City."
A faint tension crept into his voice.
"He possesses knowledge… beyond what we understand."
The main elder's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"Knowledge that allowed him—and the Jin Family—to reclaim influence over the city."
Silence followed.
"And?" the dark elder pressed.
The reporting elder swallowed, his throat dry.
"He was… supposed to have been eliminated."
The room seemed to grow colder.
"During our raid, his forces were completely wiped out," he continued. "We confirmed it ourselves."
"He was gravely injured. A fatal wound to the abdomen."
A pause.
"And yet…" The elder lowered his gaze further. "He escaped our final strike."
The dark elder said nothing.
But the pressure in the room increased.
"The last time we saw him…" the elder continued, his voice quieter now, "…he threw himself into the waterfall."
A brief silence followed. "Before we could finish him."
No one spoke.
Ever since Mu Che returned, everything had begun to fall apart.
Plans that had taken years to establish were collapsing one after another. Operations failed without explanation. Assassins vanished. Elders died. Every move the Wu Clan made seemed anticipated, countered, and dismantled before it could take root.
Worse still, every attempt to reinforce their position only accelerated their losses.
Sending more assassins, more elites, more Throne-level experts did not strengthen them anymore.
It thinned them.
The dark elder stood in silence, his expression cold and unreadable as he absorbed the reports. Then, slowly, he spoke.
"So… he survived." The words were quiet, but carried absolute finality.
"This time, we end it properly."
His gaze swept across the hall, pressing down on every elder present. "Mobilize all Throne-level experts. No more half-measures."
A brief pause followed.
"Make sure he dies. Permanently this time."
He turned slightly, his tone sharpening.
"The Mighty Heavenly Sword Region is already watching us. They expect results."
A ripple of tension spread through the chamber.
"They may have powerful experts on their side," he continued, "but they cannot withstand ten thousand White-Masked Beast Essences."
A faint, cold smile appeared on his lips.
"And that number will only grow."
"Prepare the fleets," he ordered.
"The invasion begins in three days."
The words settled heavily over the room.
Once spoken, there was no turning back.
"When the invasion begins, focus on their experts. Keep them occupied. Break their coordination."
His voice lowered, precise and calculating.
"They cannot defend the city if they are forced into constant battle."
A brief pause.
"Once the disease spreads… the entire empire will fall."
Silence filled the hall.
No one questioned him.
"This time," he said, his gaze darkening, "kill them all."
Another pause.
"Bring me Mu Che's head."
His voice dropped further.
"Dead. For real this time."
From among the elders, the former city lord, Li Wuyan rose slowly.
"Do you still have that elixir?" he asked, his voice controlled but edged with hatred.
The dark elder looked at him. "What do you intend to do with it?"
Li Wuyan's expression twisted slightly. "I will use it to kill Jin Zhuo."
His fists clenched tightly. "That man has taken too much from me. This time, I could use the Throne Elixir to kill him."
Another figure stood.
Cang Lingwu.
The former outer king of the Cang Family stepped forward, his son rising beside him. Both had remained hidden on Wangya Island, waiting patiently for this moment.
"Give me one as well," Cang Lingwu said, his voice filled with cold resentment. "I will deal with that cursed child of the Cang Imperial Family."
His jaw tightened.
"My son and I will keep her occupied." His gaze burned with long-held hatred. "Once she is dead, we will deal with my brother… and reclaim the throne of the empire."
To him, there was no hesitation.
Only vengeance.
"Cang Yue…" he muttered, his voice laced with disgust.
"She and her mother… tainted the bloodline that was meant to be sacred."
His killing intent surged. "This time…"
"I will erase that curse myself."
=================
"Che'er? What are we doing out here?" Mulan asked, glancing around at the quiet, moonlit plains.
Yun Che had gathered everyone—his entire group, even Xue Yin—despite the late hour. He had considered bringing Mulan's parents and Bing as well, but the Jin Family estate was occupied tonight. With Princess Aluna of Qiang State present, their attention had to remain there.
This… was something separate.
Something controlled.
They settled into the open grass, the night wind brushing gently past them. Without a word, Retsu raised her hand.
A translucent barrier unfolded.
Kido layered seamlessly into place, sealing the area from sound, energy leakage, and external interference.
"I need to test something," Yun Che said, his tone more serious than usual. "Something that can boost your cultivation."
Mio tilted her head slightly. "Where's Nemu?"
Retsu answered calmly in her mind. "Nemu is in the inner training realm. She's testing the prototypes Yuu-kun requested before we came to Jin Province."
Yun Che let out a quiet breath. "After what we heard today… it's obvious. They're coming from the beach."
His gaze sharpened.
"Nemu's verifying whether those weapons are viable for large-scale deployment. She might look stoic, but…" he gave a faint, knowing smile, "…she's actually pretty excited about it."
Xia Qingyue's eyes narrowed slightly. "Weapons… from your world?"
"Something like that," Yun Che replied. "We're strong—but numbers still matter. Ten thousand enemies aren't something you just ignore. Even six Emperor Profound Realm struggle against two thousand soldiers. Stamina and Profound Energy still matters."
He looked at each of them in turn. "And I don't intend to waste our strength thinning out fodder."
His tone hardened—focused, strategic. "With those weapons are ready, Nemu and I will handle the large-scale battlefield."
A brief pause.
Then—
"You all will focus on the real threats."
The air grew heavier.
"There will be Thrones among them," Yun Che continued. "A lot of them."
His gaze settled firmly. "And I need you girls to take them down."
There was no exaggeration. No dramatics.
Just a clear division of roles.
"As for the swarm?" Yun Che's eyes flickered with a faint edge of confidence. "Leave that to me… and Nemu."
The implication was unmistakable.
"So… part of the reason I called you all here," Yun Che began, his tone steady but deliberate, "is to improve your profound cores. I've already tested this with Little Yue and Sister Yin… so I can say with certainty—it works."
A brief silence followed.
Little Fairy frowned slightly. "Our profound cores… can be improved?"
To her knowledge, such a thing simply didn't exist.
Yun Che nodded. "If you want to stand on the same battlefield as us, this is necessary. You may not match soul cultivators like me, Retsu, or Nemu in technique…"
He paused, letting that sink in. "But in raw power—you can reach our level."
Chu Yueli's gaze sharpened. "And what exactly is different about your level of power?"
Yun Che didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at each of them.
"Tell me something," he said. "Do you believe that even if you matched our current cultivation realm… we would still be stronger?"
Xue Ling spoke first, uncertain. "How… would that even be possible?"
"It is possible," Little Fairy said quietly, her expression turning serious. "I've seen it myself."
Everyone turned toward her.
"Three months ago… when we were together," she continued, "Rascal and Retsu—no matter the situation—even when their cultivation matched ours…"
Her voice lowered slightly. "They felt an entire realm stronger. Rascal was in Peak Earth Profound Realm back then, but he can match me toe to toe without using any of his powers."
Silence settled again.
Yun Che gave a small nod. "That's because our way of cultivation is different."
"In our world, strength isn't just defined by realms."
"It's defined by levels."
He gestured lightly. "Retsu, Kon, and I—we're at Level 70. On this continent, that corresponds roughly to Grand Perfection Sky Profound Realm."
Xia Qingyue's brows furrowed slightly. "Then… I should be Level 70 as well."
Yun Che shook his head.
"No, Qingyue." He met her gaze directly. "You're Level 60."
The words landed heavily.
"But… we're in the same cultivation realm," she said, her voice quieter now. Especially when she knew that perverted plushy, Kon is far stronger than her.
"Yes," Yun Che replied calmly. "In terms of realm, we're equal."
A brief pause. "But in terms of levels…"
His tone sharpened slightly. "You're ten levels below us. To match us equally, you need to be in Grand Perfection Emperor Profound Realm to stand toe to toe with us."
"…"
No one spoke.
For the first time, the gap between them wasn't just sensed—
It was defined.
Qingyue's thoughts drifted back to the arena.
Every exchange. Every clash.
At the time, she had believed the gap came from experience… from technique… from something intangible she could not quite grasp.
Now she understood.
They had been holding an advantage she couldn't even perceive.
Ten levels.
Even when she matched them in cultivation realm, she had still been outclassed—in strength, in pressure, in presence. And yet… neither Yun Che nor Retsu had ever belittled her in the arena.
That only made it sting more.
Because the gap had been real all along.
"So even if you're Level 70, like Little Fairy and Yueli-san," Yun Che continued, "your cultivation would correspond to Peak Emperor Profound Realm."
He let that settle before adding—
"Meanwhile, even if I'm only at Peak Sky Profound Realm… I can still match you head-on. That's the difference levels make."
Mulan frowned, trying to process it.
"Then… my current Eight Level Emperor Profound Realm…" Her voice slowed. "…is still two levels below you?"
Yun Che nodded once. "Yes."
The answer was simple.
Unavoidable.
"Yes, unfortunately," Yun Che said. "Right now, all of you are effectively adjusted ten levels below our levelling ways."
The words were not meant to belittle.
Only to clarify reality.
Then—
His tone shifted. "But that's exactly why we're here tonight."
The air grew still.
"Retsu and I didn't bring you out here just to explain the difference." A brief pause. "We're going to fix it."
Eyes widened.
"We will adjust your profound cores," Yun Che said, voice steady. "Rebuild your foundation… and align your levels with ours."
Silence.
Then—
Mulan stepped forward slightly, disbelief flickering across her face. "You would do that… for us?"
One by one, their gazes locked onto him.
Qingyue.
Lin Yueru.
Little Fairy.
Chu Yueli.
Xue Ling.
Hope—clear, unguarded—filled their eyes.
This wasn't just power.
This was a chance to stand on equal ground.
Not as those who followed behind—
But as those who could walk beside him.
"Yes," Yun Che said simply. "You're part of our group. That alone is enough reason."
His gaze swept across them—steady, unwavering.
"I've already done this twice. First with Little Yue… then with Sister Yin. Through Little Yue, I understood the structure of the profound core. Sister Yin was the test."
He paused briefly since the one with Cang Yue was done by Yuyun and he obtained the process later.
"And it worked."
A shift rippled through the group.
Xue Ling's voice came out softer than she intended. "Then… Yin'er's level is actually…"
Yun Che answered without hesitation.
"Grand Perfection Sovereign Profound Realm corresponds to Level 90. By standard calculation, she should've been around Level 86."
His eyes sharpened slightly. "But right now… Sister Yin is Level 96."
Silence.
Xue Ling froze.
Her thoughts spiraled.
Her sister—who had once stood ahead of her by talent alone—had now ascended even further… surpassed Level 90 and beyond the limits of this world.
Even if Xue Ling reached the peak of Sovereign Profound Realm…
She would still be behind.
Six levels.
Not a gap of effort—
A gap of structure.
A gap of foundation.
"…She…" Xue Ling's fingers tightened slightly.
Yun Che nodded. "Her current strength is three levels less than Mio's."
That statement alone carried weight.
"They've both surpassed the Nine Mortal Realms. At this point, they stand beyond what this world defines as a cultivator."
Mio gave a small, absent-minded nod as she gently fanned herself, her expression calm and detached. There was no pride in her eyes—no excitement, no ambition. Strength, to her, was no longer something to pursue.
It was simply something she had.
"I'm not interested in fighting," she said quietly beside Retsu. "If anything, I'd rather avoid it."
Her tone carried no hesitation, no hidden meaning. It was a simple truth.
"I just want to live peacefully."
Beside her, Xue Yin remained silent, but her thoughts echoed the same sentiment.
Beside them, Xue Yin remained silent, her expression composed but distant, as if her thoughts had drifted far beyond the present moment.
Twenty years.
Twenty years of conflict, endurance, and silent sacrifice. She had carried burdens that were never truly hers—kingdoms, expectations, responsibilities forced upon her by circumstance rather than choice. Through it all, she endured without complaint.
If she wished, she could return now and reclaim the Gesun Kingdom. The power was within her grasp. The path was open.
But she understood what that choice meant.
To take back the kingdom was to bind herself to it once more. To become its protector again. To shoulder its fate, its people, its endless demands. And in doing so, she would once again be forced to divide herself—between duty and the one thing she had only just regained.
Her sister.
Xue Yin's gaze softened slightly.
That path would only deepen the emptiness she had lived with for so long. It would not heal anything. It would only recreate the same distance, the same loneliness she had already endured.
There would be time to reclaim the kingdom if she truly desired it.
But not now.
Not when the cost was something she was no longer willing to pay.
She had fought enough.
Far more than enough.
Power, recognition, status—none of it held meaning to her anymore.
All she wanted now was something simple.
To stand beside her sister.
Not as a guardian. Not as a weapon.
But as family.
A quiet resolve settled in her heart, steady and unshakable. It was a promise she had already made, long before this moment.
For the next twenty years, she would remain by her sister's side.
Not out of obligation alone, but out of choice.
A repayment, yes—but also something more.
A way to live the life she had almost lost.
A second chance… given to her by Yun Che.
In a world preparing for war—where strength determined survival and power dictated fate—the two strongest among them desired something almost absurdly simple.
Peace.
He raised a hand slightly, outlining the structure as if drawing an invisible framework in the air.
"The Nine Mortal Realms are what this continent recognizes as the complete path," Yun Che said.
His voice was steady, instructional.
"Elementary Profound Realm, Nascent Profound Realm, True Profound Realm, Spirit Profound Realm, Earth Profound Realm, Sky Profound Realm, Emperor Profound Realm, Tyrant Profound Realm… and finally, Sovereign Profound Realm."
He let the list settle.
To them, this had always been absolute. Complete. The unquestioned truth of cultivation.
Then he paused.
"But this path has a flaw."
Their attention sharpened immediately.
"There's a gap," Yun Che continued. "A foundational gap large enough to hold ten levels."
His tone lowered slightly.
"It's called the Beginner's Profound Realm."
"Beginner's… Profound Realm?" Qingyue repeated, her brows knitting together.
Yun Che nodded.
"Humans on this continent never cultivate it. Their foundation starts directly at the Elementary Profound Realm."
He gave them a moment to process.
"They skip the first ten levels entirely."
Silence fell.
Not confusion—
But realization.
"A flaw," Yun Che said quietly. "Repeated for thousands of years."
"Generation after generation… no one noticed."
His gaze steadied, carrying a quiet weight.
"That missing foundation…"
"…is exactly what we're about to give you."
The girls stood in silence, the meaning of his words pressing down on them.
This wasn't just new knowledge.
It was a revelation that challenged everything they had ever believed about cultivation.
"However," Yun Che continued, his tone firm, "I can help you bypass that limit."
A brief pause.
"Your true ceiling won't be Level 90 anymore."
Their eyes widened slightly.
"It will become Level 100."
The air seemed to still.
"Your power, your profound energy… everything will extend beyond the natural cap of this world."
He looked at each of them directly.
"That's why I brought you here tonight."
Shock spread across their faces.
They had only just learned that there were realms beyond Sovereign—levels that transcended everything they had known.
And now—
Yun Che was offering to remove the very limiter that bound all mortals.
To push them beyond Level 90.
To Level 100.
"But before I do that," Yun Che added, his voice lowering slightly, "understand this."
"This isn't something I give lightly." His gaze hardened—not cold, but resolute. "I'm offering this because you've chosen to stand with us. Through everything."
A quiet beat.
"You are the people we've decided to trust in this world."
Little Fairy stepped forward slightly.
"You can trust us," she said without hesitation. "You trusted me… and I trust my sister."
Her eyes flicked briefly toward Qingyue. "Just like Qingyue trusts you."
"I can vouch for Ling'er," Xue Yin added calmly. "We are blood sisters. There's nothing between us that needs to be questioned."
"Che'er…" Cang Yue spoke softly, yet firmly. "I trust my protectors. I don't want them to fell behind when my strength surpassed them."
Mulan and Yueru blinked slightly at that, clearly not expecting it—but they said nothing.
Yun Che exhaled once, then nodded. "Good."
"If Retsu, Mio, Kon, and Nemu have no objections…" He glanced briefly at them. None spoke. "Then it's decided."
"We've already entrusted you with Haki." A slight pause. "Now… we entrust you with something even greater."
"Normally," Yun Che continued, "humans in this world are born with a hard cap—Level 90."
"That's their limit. Their ceiling."
"But soul cultivators like us…" He gave a faint shrug. "We were never bound by that limit."
"Through Little Yue," he went on, "we understood the deeper structure of the profound core of humans in this world."
"With that knowledge, Retsu and I reconstructed Sister Yin's foundation." His gaze shifted briefly toward Xue Yin. "She had excess energy due to her condition. Unused and that energy will destroy the Northern Mountain so we used that energy… to push her beyond the limit."
"To Level 96."
The implication hung in the air.
"And now…" He looked back at them. "We can do the same for all of you."
"…Really?" Mulan asked, her voice almost disbelieving.
Xue Ling's eyes shimmered with anticipation.
Qingyue remained quiet—but her focus had never been sharper.
"How does it work?" Xue Ling asked, her voice carrying a rare urgency. More than anyone, she wanted to close the distance—to stand beside her sister, not behind her.
Yun Che glanced at Retsu.
She stepped forward without a word.
Raising her hand, she began to trace glowing circles in the air, each one formed from condensed Ki—precise, controlled.
"Imagine this," she said calmly, pointing to the smallest circle, "is the Elementary Profound Realm."
Another circle formed around it. "This is the Nascent Realm."
Then another. "And so on…"
One by one, the layers expanded outward—True, Spirit, Earth, Sky… until finally, the largest circle enclosed them all.
"Sovereign Profound Realm."
The structure hovered before them—clear, layered, complete.
Retsu's gaze remained steady.
"You cannot break past this outer limit," she said. "Because as mortals, your structure ends here."
A slight pause.
"Against us, even if you reach this level… your effective strength is still ten levels lower."
Silence followed.
Then—
Retsu lifted her hand and pointed to the very center of the circles.
A space untouched.
Empty.
"But here…" she said quietly, "there is a gap."
The girls leaned in slightly.
"To extend your limit, this space must be filled." Her tone sharpened just slightly. "But there is a condition."
"You must be at least in the Emperor Profound Realm." Her eyes moved across them. "And we will take ten levels from your current cultivation… and compress them into this center."
The implication struck immediately.
Little Fairy's brows furrowed. "Then… wouldn't we lose everything we've worked for?"
Her concern was genuine.
To fall from the heights she had reached—to give up her throne-level standing—
That was no small cost.
Retsu shook her head.
"You lose the levels," she said, "but not your strength."
A brief silence.
"Your power remains. Your foundation changes." She gestured toward the center again. "Those ten levels don't disappear. They become your Beginner's foundation."
The empty space began to glow faintly.
"Once that foundation exists…" Her voice lowered. "The limit at Level 90 disappears."
A pause.
"And you gain the right to ascend…" The circles pulsed once. "…to Level 100."
The explanation settled over them like a quiet storm.
They understood now.
If they accepted this—if they allowed their cores to be restructured—they would lose ten levels. But not their strength. Not their power. Their profound energy, their combat ability, their presence… all of it would remain.
Only the structure would change.
Their foundation would be rebuilt.
And their levels would finally synchronize with Yun Che's party.
Qingyue lowered her gaze slightly.
For her, the answer was already clear. This was not about power alone. It was about standing beside him—beside Yun Che, beside Retsu. Not as someone trailing behind, but as someone who could truly keep up.
For Little Fairy and Chu Yueli, the appeal was different.
To carry overwhelming strength… yet appear ordinary. To conceal power beneath calm waters. In a world where strength attracted danger, that alone was an advantage beyond measure.
Plus, their strength would reduce back to reasonable levels, allowing them to mingle in the Asgard without wearing Profound Suppression Artifacts.
For Mulan, Xue Ling, and Lin Yueru, this meant something deeper.
A path forward.
A chance to reach what Xue Yin had already achieved. To break past the limits imposed on them since birth. To step beyond what this world defined as "peak of mortal cultivation."
Silently, both Xue Ling and Chu Yueli shared the same thought.
They wanted to become stronger.
Not out of pride, nor competition—but for something far more personal.
For Nezuko.
And perhaps… for the future they had yet to step into.
For Xue Ling, the path was simple.
She had always chased strength to stand beside her sister. Now, that desire expanded. She wanted to become someone reliable—not just as a cultivator, but as family. Someone who could protect, nurture, and stand firm when it mattered most.
For Chu Yueli, the feeling was deeper.
More complicated.
Her thoughts drifted back to that moment in the tomb.
Mihawk's presence.
His calm, unwavering confidence.
And the words he had spoken so casually.
If he had gone all out…
He could have reached the level of the Sovereign Profound Realm.
At the time, she hadn't fully understood.
But now—
Everything aligned.
He came from the Dead Spirit Realm.
He had defeated her possessed body without hesitation, without strain. What she had once perceived as overwhelming strength… was only a fraction of what he truly held.
And that realization stirred something within her.
This…
This was her chance.
Not to chase after him—
But to stand beside him.
To become his equal.
A woman strong enough to walk at his side without hesitation.
A woman worthy of being Nezuko's mother.
And perhaps…
One day—
His partner.
Unknowingly, Xue Ling had the same thought.
And beneath all those reasons, there was one shared truth.
They wanted to remain here.
Within this group.
This strange, powerful, ever-growing circle around Yun Che—a place where they were pushed, guided, and transformed.
Not just to become the strongest on the continent—
But perhaps, to surpass it entirely.
Yun Che looked at them, his tone shifting slightly—less instructional, more… revealing.
"However," he said, "do you girls know that beyond Level 100… there are further stages?"
A pause.
"Levels that allow you to step into the Divine State."
Their attention locked onto him instantly.
"It's called… the Seven Divine Profound Realms."
"Seven… Divine Profound Realms?" Qingyue repeated softly, the term itself carrying an unfamiliar weight.
Yun Che nodded.
"Yes. And your journey doesn't end at Level 100." His gaze swept across them. "In fact… that's where it truly begins."
A brief silence followed before he added—
"Right now, only Mio and Sister Yin have stepped into that threshold of power."
The words struck like thunder.
"They haven't formally entered the Divine Profound Realm yet," Yun Che clarified, "but their strength has already crossed into it."
Shock spread across the group.
Only Yun Che's inner circle remained composed.
Xue Ling turned quickly. "Yue'er… you knew about this?"
Cang Yue nodded calmly. "I've been with them long enough. They told me."
"Seven Divine Profound Realms…" Xue Yin murmured, her brows slightly furrowed. "Does that mean I've already entered one of them?"
Yun Che shook his head.
"No." He didn't soften it. "Your current level is still within the Sovereign Profound Realm—around the sixth level equivalent."
A brief pause.
"You haven't crossed into the Divine Profound Realm yet."
Xue Yin remained silent.
"But," Yun Che continued, "you do possess power comparable to the lowest tier of that realm."
He raised a finger slightly.
"Strength—but not authority."
"No origin. No divine sense. No true awakening."
"What exactly… are the Seven Divine Profound Realms?" Chu Yueli asked.
Yun Che exhaled lightly.
"In our world, it's common knowledge." He glanced at them. "But for you… I'll give you the foundation."
"The Divine Profound Realm is a higher plane of cultivation—one that transcends mortal limits."
His voice carried a quiet gravity. "Once you step into it, your lifespan expands dramatically. Your power transforms. Your energy becomes… divine."
"You are no longer bound as a mortal."
"You become… something else."
An Ascended.
"In this world," Yun Che added, "the threshold technically begins at Level 90."
A subtle irony lingered in that statement.
Because none of them had ever truly reached that threshold properly.
"As for the exact stages…" Yun Che paused, then shook his head slightly.
"I'll explain them once you reach Level 100." His tone turned firm. "Knowing them now won't change anything."
"Right now, the best any of you can achieve—without intervention—is Level 90."
"The natural limit of mortals in this world."
Then—
He stepped forward.
"Tonight," he said, voice steady, decisive—
"All of you will break that limit."
The air tightened.
Expectation. Tension. Resolve.
"As for how far you go after that…" A faint, knowing look crossed his face. "That… depends entirely on you."
"So… who wants to try first?" Yun Che asked with a faint grin.
For a moment, no one moved. The weight of the decision pressed down on them. This was not just an opportunity, but a risk that could reshape their cultivation entirely.
Then—
"I will."
Little Fairy raised her hand.
"Onee-san…" Chu Yueli's voice carried quiet concern.
Little Fairy turned to her, expression calm but resolute. "Don't worry, Li'er. I trust them."
She paused briefly before adding, "I've been with them for more than three months."
Then she looked back at Yun Che. "Tell me how the process works."
Yun Che nodded. "Retsu and I will perform the reconstruction. Mio will stabilize your body using Haki. We need absolute stillness."
His tone sharpened slightly.
"A single mistake… could cost you your cultivation."
Little Fairy fell silent, not out of fear, but understanding.
Retsu stepped forward, her voice precise and clinical.
"We will puncture your profound core using a Haki needle directly at its center." Her fingers traced a subtle motion in the air. "Then we expand that needle into a channel and siphon your Emperor Profound energy into the core's center."
Her gaze remained steady.
"To safely perform this, you must be at least at Grand Perfection Emperor Profound Realm."
"Because we are extracting ten levels' worth of energy to be your Beginner's Profound Realm."
Little Fairy absorbed it quickly. "Then… you can only do this for me and Yueli?"
"I can do it for all of you," Yun Che replied.
He paused briefly.
"But for Mulan, Qingyue, Yueru, and Sister Ling, I'll need external energy to compensate."
His gaze shifted.
"Especially Yueru."
Lin Yueru blinked in confusion. "Why me?"
"You're currently at Fifth Level Earth Profound Realm," Yun Che said plainly. "Your base is too low."
He continued without hesitation.
"To build the Beginner's foundation, we still need ten levels of Emperor Profound Realm. If your own energy isn't enough, the siphon will draw more to compensate."
The meaning became clear.
"In Mulan's case," Yun Che explained, "losing Emperor-level energy costs one level per layer."
"But once it drops into Sky Profound energy, it takes two levels to equal one."
He let the numbers settle.
"Mulan could lose four levels."
"Sister Ling could lose six."
Then his gaze landed on Lin Yueru.
"You may lose even more than that." A brief pause. "And during the process, you could lose your strength entirely."
Silence fell.
This time, not from hesitation—
But from shock.
"Imagine what that would do to you," Yun Che said, his tone turning more serious as he looked at Lin Yueru. "You might lose everything… and it still wouldn't be enough to complete your Beginner's foundation."
Silence followed.
No one spoke.
Lin Yueru lowered her gaze slightly. Starting over from nothing—especially with war so close—was not a risk she was willing to take.
The weight of reality settled in.
Then Yun Che spoke again.
"I do have a contingency."
That single sentence shifted the atmosphere.
"We can substitute the missing energy… using Emperor Profound Realm beast cores."
A brief pause.
"If anyone has them."
Several of them instinctively checked their spatial rings, but before anyone could respond—
Xue Yin stepped forward.
With a gentle motion, she opened her spatial ring and brought out several radiant cores, each pulsing with dense, refined energy.
"Will these do?"
Yun Che blinked, then let out a small, impressed breath.
"…Sis Yin, that's quite a collection."
Xue Yin's cheeks flushed faintly. "I gathered them during my travels."
She extended them forward without hesitation.
"If they can help… please use them."
Yun Che accepted them, a faint smile forming. "This will save us a lot of trouble. Thank you."
Xue Yin shook her head softly.
"It's the least I can do."
Her gaze shifted briefly toward Xue Ling… then toward the others.
"It's for my sister… and for all of you."
A small, genuine smile appeared.
"My fellow protectors."
With everything prepared, Yun Che stepped forward.
"Lie down, Little Fairy."
She didn't hesitate.
Without a word, she lowered herself onto the grass, her expression calm despite the gravity of what was about to happen.
Mio moved next.
A faint pulse of Haoshoku no Haki spread outward, then tightened—gently but firmly locking Little Fairy's body in place. It wasn't forceful, but absolute. There would be no movement. No interference.
Retsu gave a small nod.
Her hand rose.
A slender needle of condensed Ki formed in the air—thin, precise, and impossibly sharp. It hovered just above Little Fairy's dantian, humming faintly with controlled power.
"This might sting a bit," Retsu said calmly.
================
The Shu Family estate fell into uneasy silence the moment Shu Jiantian returned, his steps unsteady and his robes stained with blood. A dark, creeping poison spread from the wound on his shoulder, black veins pulsing faintly beneath his skin—the lingering effect of Lin Yueru's arrow. Behind him, no one followed. The dozens of Sky Profound Realm assassins who had accompanied him were gone, erased completely.
"Tian'er!!" The cry rang out as elders rushed forward in alarm, their expressions tightening at the sight of his condition. Shu Jiantian exhaled heavily, his face pale but composed as he steadied himself.
"It's useless," he said, his voice low and strained. "Shu Pei Pei is far too strong."
The elders froze, disbelief flickering across their faces.
"How…?" one demanded.
hu Jiantian's gaze darkened. "She's no longer the same. She has already stepped into the mid-level Throne Realm, and she is no longer alone. There are powerful experts protecting her."
"That's impossible!" another elder snapped. "She was supposed to be weak!"
Shu Jiantian shook his head. "We left her alone for too long. She grew. And Shu Ying's descendant… Cang Yue… she is strong as well."
His words weighed heavily on the room, forcing a grim realization upon them all. If they delayed any longer, those two would become untouchable. "We need to deal with them now," he added, his tone turning colder.
Then, despite his injuries, a faint, grim smile appeared on his lips. "But I obtained it." The room shifted. "The Spirit Art," he said, and the elders' eyes widened in unison.
"I had to take a maid hostage to get it," he added without hesitation, as if such methods were trivial.
The patriarch stepped forward immediately. "Good. Extract its contents at once. Get Tian'er treated."
As orders were carried out, the patriarch reached into his sleeve and retrieved a small vial—the elixir provided by the Wu Clan. He stared at it in silence, his grip tightening slightly. If he consumed it, his strength would rise instantly by five levels, enough to crush his enemies without question. But the cost was absolute. His cultivation path would end there, forever sealed at the Eighth Level Emperor Profound Realm. No future. No ascension. No higher path.
It did not matter.
If Shu Pei Pei returned to Shu State, the Shu Family would fall. That outcome was unacceptable. Slowly, he exhaled, suppressing the weight of his decision. First, he would master the Spirit Art. Then, he would act. His gaze turned cold, filled with killing intent. He would personally hunt down Shu Pei Pei and Cang Yue—the bloodline that should have been erased years ago. The Wu Clan's invasion would provide the perfect distraction, and within that chaos, he would finish what had once been left undone. This time, there would be no survivors.
================
The process began.
Under Yun Che and Retsu's control, Little Fairy's profound core was pierced, stabilized, and restructured. Her Emperor Profound energy was drawn inward, layer by layer, compressed into the empty center that had never existed before.
Her level dropped from 80 to 70.
Yet the moment the process completed, the difference was immediate.
Her strength did not weaken. Only her aura.
If anything, it became denser. Sharper. More complete.
Now, she stood on the same foundation and level as Yun Che, Retsu, and Kon.
For the first time, they were equal in structure and strength.
====
Chu Yueli hesitated at first. The thought of willingly lowering her cultivation was not easy to accept. But in the end, she stepped forward.
The process repeated.
Her level fell from 80 to 70.
And just like her sister, her strength did not diminish.
Only her structure changed.
====
Mulan's case was more complex.
She began at Level 78.
After the adjustment, she dropped to Level 68, equivalent to the Eighth Level Sky Profound Realm.
But her presence weaken. Her power remained intact.
To compensate for the missing layers, Yun Che and Retsu supplemented the process with energy drawn from a Throne-level beast core, stabilizing the final two levels needed to complete her foundation.
====
Xue Ling followed.
She started slightly below Mulan. After the reconstruction, her level settled at 67.
Seventh Level Sky Profound Realm.
Two levels above her original levels before she took the XP pill from Mihawk.
Unlike the others, she required an entire Throne-level beast core to complete the process, covering the remaining three levels.
Her Yang Enchantress Body allowed her to absorb and refine the energy more efficiently, reducing the burden slightly, but not the cost.
Neither Mulan nor Xue Ling looked pleased but it quickly changed as their power remained the same.
Their cultivation had dropped.
Even if their strength remained unchanged, the psychological weight of seeing their realm lowered was not something easily ignored.
But for Xue Ling, there was something else.
Now, for the first time, she could see it clearly.
When she reached the Sovereign Profound Realm, she would finally stand on equal footing with her sister.
A price paid for the recalibration of their cultivation.
=====
"You better not be thinking of something perverted!" Lin Yueru shot back, narrowing her eyes.
Yun Che didn't even look at her. "You barely interest me."
"You—!!" Lin Yueru flushed, half offended, half ready to argue further.
"Come on," Yun Che cut her off with a sigh. "Lie down, or I'll knock you out myself."
That ended the debate.
Lin Yueru's case turned out to be the most unusual of them all.
Her level did not drop in the conventional sense. Instead, it was recalibrated entirely.
From Level 55… to Level 45.
None of her own profound energy was touched.
Not a single strand was siphoned.
Instead, Yun Che relied completely on external sources. Five Throne-level beast cores were consumed, their energy refined and compressed to construct her Beginner's foundation from scratch.
The process was inefficient.
But it was the only viable option.
When it was done, her aura stabilized.
Not weaker.
Just… restructured.
With that, the final adjustment was complete.
One by one, their limits had been broken.
Their foundations rewritten.
The invisible ceiling that had bound them since birth—
Shattered.
Their paths no longer ended at Level 90.
Now—
They extended beyond it.
Toward Level 100.
=====
Only one remained.
Yun Che turned toward her.
"Qingyue."
Now, it was her turn.
Qingyue stepped forward without hesitation. She had watched Mulan, Xue Ling, Lin Yueru, and even the Chu sisters accept the process. They had willingly reduced their cultivation to gain the Beginner's Profound Realm, strengthening their foundation so they could surpass Level 90 and eventually ascend toward Level 100. It was the only way to build a true base for entering the Divine Profound Realm without permanent weakness.
She understood what this meant. If they ascended normally, their foundation would forever remain flawed. This was their one chance to do it right.
"So, you're ready?" Yun Che asked.
Qingyue nodded slowly. "Mn… Thank you for trusting me with this."
Yun Che gave a faint smile. "I need you to be as strong as you can be. You have a dream to fulfill."
Qingyue's gaze softened slightly. "When that time comes… I hope you will be there with me. I realize now that I can't do this alone."
"We'll start with this," Yun Che replied. "We'll make you as strong as possible."
She gave a quiet nod and lay down.
Mio stepped forward and released a controlled burst of Haki. Qingyue's body relaxed instantly as she slipped into unconsciousness.
Yun Che and Retsu began the procedure as the others watch from a distance.
Layer by layer, the structure of Qingyue's profound core was carefully pierced and reshaped. The energy from five Emperor Profound Realm beast cores flowed into her, building the new Beginner's foundation inside her dantian.
For a moment, everything seemed stable.
Then her body convulsed.
A pulse of violent energy surged outward.
The air around them twisted and trembled.
"Shit!" Yun Che snapped.
"Yuu-kun! What's happening?!" Retsu's voice sharpened instantly.
"Danna-sama! What is going on?!" Mio stood next to Retsu.
Yun Che's expression hardened as he focused.
"Implosion!"
His eyes narrowed in realization and immediately raised a barrier around them.
"Qingyue has a sustained inner world formed by her previous cultivation structure. That world was calibrated to her old system. Now that her foundation has changed, it's going out of control!"
The pressure intensified.
"If we don't stabilize it," Yun Che continued, his voice urgent, "the small world inside her will start leaking power into her body. If it overwhelms her, the backlash will tear her apart!"
His voice dropped into something colder.
"And if it fully collapses… it will explode!"
"What is going on over there?!" Chu Yueli exclaimed, eyes widening as the energy surged violently within the barrier.
The ground trembled faintly beneath their feet. Waves of pressure rippled outward, distorting the air.
Several of them instinctively stepped forward.
"Wait," Cang Yue said firmly, raising her hand to stop them. "Trust them. If we get close, we'll only interfere."
Her gaze remained steady, though her fingers tightened slightly.
Xue Yin nodded. "She's right. This… is similar to what happened when they saved me."
Xue Ling turned quickly. "Yin'er… then this girl…"
Xue Yin's eyes remained fixed on Qingyue's trembling form within the barrier.
"Yes," she said quietly. "She must have a special constitution."
A pulse of power surged again.
Her expression grew more serious.
"That energy… it's far greater than what I accumulated over twenty years."
A faint breath escaped her.
"…Who exactly is she?"
Inside the blue cubic barrier, the pressure was suffocating.
Qingyue's body pulsed violently, waves of energy leaking uncontrollably from within her. The newly reconstructed foundation was clashing with something deeper—something vast.
Retsu's eyes locked onto Yun Che. "What do we do?"
Yun Che's expression was sharp, focused.
"Her power is leaking because her internal system is still active," he said quickly. "That's how she's been able to use it all this time."
Another surge erupted.
"We need to regulate it," he continued. "Just like how Yuyun limits the Moon energy within Little Yue."
His tone grew more urgent.
"If we don't restrict the flow, the pressure will keep building until it implodes her from the inside."
Retsu's brows tightened. "We don't have Yuyun's spirit for Qingyue."
Yun Che's gaze flickered—
Then shifted.
To Qingyue's waist.
Her sword.
In an instant, he moved.
The Snowflower sword materialized in his hand, its presence cold and pure.
"…We can make one," he said.
Retsu blinked.
"A half-step Origin Realm spirit, like Yoru and Yoruko." Yun Che continued, already channeling energy into the blade. "Something strong enough to regulate the flow inside her and stabilize the system."
The Snowflower Sword began to hum, its surface trembling as strands of energy converged into it.
"Hold her steady," he said sharply. "I'll create it."
Retsu moved instantly.
Her Haki surged, layered with precise control as she pressed down on Qingyue's unstable aura, forcing the leaking energy back inward. The ground beneath them cracked further as the pressure intensified.
"Then hurry," she said, her voice tightening. "I can't hold this much longer."
"I'll help out, Ret-chan!"
Mio stepped in without hesitation.
Her presence alone shifted the balance.
A wave of Haoshoku no Haki expanded outward, then condensed, pressing down on Qingyue like an invisible mountain. Unlike Retsu's precise suppression, Mio's was overwhelming—brutal, absolute, leaving no room for resistance.
The violent pulses slowed.
Not stopped—
But contained.
For now.
Inside the storm of pressure, Yun Che remained focused.
Energy surged through his hands into the Snowflower Sword, shaping the forming spirit within. Threads of soul, will, and structure intertwined, rapidly stabilizing into something new.
Something that would decide whether Qingyue lived—
Or was torn apart from within.
==============
"System! Create a half-step Origin Realm Spirit. Merge the Profound Sword Core with the custom soul!"
Yun Che's voice cut through the chaos as his hands moved rapidly, guiding strands of energy into formation. The system responded instantly, drawing upon its stored materials and frameworks. A spiritual construct began to take shape—refined, precise, and incomplete.
This would not be a full spirit.
But it would be enough.
Qingyue had always been able to control her power instinctively, almost subconsciously. But now, with her entire foundation recalibrated, that natural control had been disrupted. Her internal world no longer aligned with her body.
She needed a medium.
Something external… yet bound to her.
Something that could regulate what she could no longer contain alone.
A soft chime echoed.
===========
[Merging in progress.]
[Select medium for spirit integration.]
===========
"The Snowflower Sword," Yun Che answered immediately. "Use it as the primary medium."
He tightened his grip as the blade began to resonate.
"Make it her Sword Spirit."
The air shifted.
Energy flowed into the blade, threads of soul and structure weaving together as the system executed the command.
===========
[Merging…]
===========
The sword trembled.
Its surface shimmered as if something within it was awakening—something not yet alive, but no longer inert.
Then—
===========
[Designation required.]
===========
Yun Che's eyes narrowed slightly as he focused on the forming spirit within the blade.
"Call it…"
================
The Snowflower Sword hovered above Qingyue, its blade trembling with a quiet, resonant hum.
Then—
The chaos stopped.
The rampaging energy that had been tearing through her body abruptly calmed, collapsing inward as if something had seized control from within. The violent pulses faded, replaced by a steady, controlled flow.
Her aura stabilized.
Her level settled.
The storm… was gone.
"That took a while," Yun Che exhaled, wiping the faint tension from his expression.
Retsu's eyes remained fixed on Qingyue. "What just happened?"
Mio let out a small sigh, rolling her shoulder slightly. "That was a lot of energy. Is this because of that special body of hers? The Nine Profound… what was it again?"
"Nine Profound Exquisite Body," Yun Che replied. "And yes."
He glanced at Qingyue, now completely still.
"It was calibrated to her old system. When we forced a new structure onto her… her body couldn't process the change."
"It rejected it?" Retsu asked.
"Not exactly," Yun Che said. "It got confused. Two systems trying to operate at once."
Mio raised a brow. "And you fixed it, Danna-sama?"
"Yeah…" Yun Che let out another breath. "Took a bit more effort than expected."
The Snowflower Sword slowly dimmed, its presence now calm—anchored.
Inside Qingyue, something new had taken hold.
A regulator.
A guide.
By then, the others had already rushed in.
"Rascal! What happened just now?!" Little Fairy asked, her voice sharp with concern.
Chu Yueli stood close beside her, eyes filled with worry.
Xue Ling and Xue Yin descended quickly, followed by Mulan, Lin Yueru, and Cang Yue.
Yun Che waved a hand lightly. "Rampaging energy. It's handled now."
He nodded toward Qingyue.
"Her body and levels have been fully recalibrated."
A soft breath escaped Qingyue as her eyes slowly opened.
"…Did it work?"
Yun Che gave her a flat look.
"Yeah. Sort of."
A brief pause.
"You almost blew yourself up."
Qingyue blinked, still groggy. "…How?"
Her voice was quiet—but steady.
She wanted to understand.
"Don't worry about it," Yun Che said, waving it off lightly. "We had to create a medium to regulate the power inside your dantian."
He pointed toward her weapon.
"Your Snowflower Sword now houses a living Half-Step Origin Realm Sword Spirit."
"Half-Step… Origin Realm Sword Spirit?" Qingyue repeated, clearly confused.
She wasn't the only one.
The others exchanged uncertain looks. The term itself sounded far beyond anything they understood.
Before anyone could ask further—
A faint glow gathered above Yun Che's palm.
Then—
A tiny figure appeared.
She was small—no larger than a handspan.
Platinum blonde hair framed her delicate, childlike face. She wore a simple white dress, accented with a thin golden belt and a matching choker. Her eyes shimmered in an unusual blend of purple and gold, bright and aware.
And behind her—
Small white wings fluttered gently.
The little spirit blinked once, then looked around curiously before settling her gaze on Qingyue.
The air grew still.
Because what stood there…
Was alive.
"My, how cute!" Retsu said, her eyes softening at the sight. The tiny figure reminded her of Hisa-chan, small and delicate, yet unmistakably alive.
Yun Che held the little spirit up slightly so everyone could see.
"Everyone, meet Lilith," he said. "A half-step Origin Realm Sword Spirit for Snowflower Sword."
The small figure hovered just above his palm, her wings fluttering gently as she looked around with quiet curiosity.
"She's still in an early state," Yun Che continued. "Her form will grow as Qingyue's energy develops. For now… this is her chibi form."
"Chibi?" Mulan tilted her head.
"A smaller, cuter version of a person," Yun Che replied. "Something like that."
The little spirit straightened slightly, then gave a polite, almost ceremonial bow in midair.
"Ah… pleased to meet everyone."
Her voice did not travel through the air.
Instead—
It echoed softly within their minds.
Clear. Gentle. Direct.
A collective pause followed as they all realized what had just happened.
"She… spoke in our heads?" Lin Yueru whispered.
Yun Che nodded. "She's a spirit. Telepathic communication is more natural for her than spoken words."
Lilith fluttered gently before drifting toward Qingyue, hovering close to her.
A faint resonance formed between them.
From that moment on—
Qingyue's Snowflower Sword was no longer just a weapon.
It was alive.
"Lilith," Yun Che said, his tone shifting into quiet authority, "I'm assigning you as Qingyue's spirit sword. Watch over her… and regulate her energy."
The small spirit hovered in place for a brief moment, then straightened midair, wings fluttering lightly as if responding to the weight of the command.
"Hai… leave it to me, Yun Che-sama!"
Her voice echoed clearly within his mind—bright, obedient, and filled with a childlike eagerness.
Then she turned.
Without hesitation, Lilith drifted toward Qingyue, her tiny form glowing faintly as she approached the Snowflower Sword. The blade responded instantly, emitting a soft, crystalline hum.
In the next moment—
She dissolved into light.
And merged.
A pulse of energy rippled outward.
Qingyue's body trembled slightly before settling completely.
Her aura stabilized at once, smoother than before—no longer leaking, no longer clashing. The internal world within her dantian, once on the verge of collapse, now flowed in harmony under a new governing force.
Yun Che exhaled quietly. "That should do it."
Retsu relaxed her stance, though her eyes lingered on Qingyue. "The flow is stable."
Mio stretched slightly, rolling her shoulders. "That was a lot more troublesome than the others."
Qingyue slowly sat up, placing a hand over her chest.
She could feel it.
Not just her power—
But something guiding it.
Balancing it.
"…Lilith?" she called softly.
A gentle voice answered within her mind.
"I am here."
Qingyue's fingers tightened slightly over her chest.
For the first time since the recalibration—
Everything felt… right.
Lilith shimmered softly—
Then, she reappeared again, instead of returning to the sword, she fluttered through the air and landed gently on Yun Che's shoulder. Her tiny wings folded neatly behind her as she looked around, curious and composed.
"How… how did you create something like that?!" Mulan asked, unable to hide her shock.
The others were no different. Their eyes remained fixed on the small spirit, trying to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
Only Cang Yue remained calm.
She had seen something similar before.
Yoru. Yoruko. Spirits born from Yun Che himself. And within her own inner world, Yuyun—the manifestation of the Moon Empress—had long guided her.
To her, this was not impossible.
Just… exceedingly rare.
Now, Qingyue had her own.
Lilith.
A living sword spirit.
Yun Che crossed his arms slightly, his expression steady.
"I didn't create her out of nothing," he said. "She was formed using Qingyue's own essence."
He gestured toward Qingyue.
"She has a special physique. One that allows her to wield far more power than normal cultivators." His gaze swept across the group. "You've already seen it during the tournament."
"The Frozen End Arts."
He paused briefly.
"Those techniques normally require power beyond the Sky Profound Realm just to activate."
Little Fairy frowned slightly. "Energy… can actually be measured?"
"Yes," Retsu answered calmly. "We measure profound or spiritual energy using MP. MP stands out for 'Mana Points'"
"Every technique consumes a certain amount."
Yun Che continued.
"In this world, a normal cultivator, even a talented one, might reach around five thousand MP at the peak of a single major realm."
"There are nine major realms."
"So even at Grand Perfection Sovereign Profound Realm with exceptional talent… that only amounts to around fifty thousand MP."
The number alone was enough to silence them.
"But that's under the flawed system," Yun Che added.
His tone sharpened slightly.
"Now that your foundations have been reconstructed, now that you possess the Beginner's Profound Realm…" He let the words sink in. "You can double that capacity."
The air grew still.
"By the time you reach Level 100," he said, "you can surpass one hundred thousand MP."
No one spoke.
Because they all understood.
This wasn't just an increase in power.
It was a transformation into something fundamentally beyond what this world defined as strong.
"100,000?!" Mulan blurted out, her voice rising in disbelief.
"We can hold that much energy?!" Chu Yueli added, equally stunned.
Lin Yueru leaned forward slightly, eyes shining. "Then… does that mean we can have our own spirit too?"
Yun Che shrugged lightly. "Not exactly."
A collective pause followed.
"Eh?" All of them turned to him at once.
"Qingyue is a special case," Yun Che said, his tone steady. "She doesn't just have high capacity. She has excess capacity."
He gestured toward her, where the Snowflower Sword rested quietly, now faintly resonating with life.
"A half-step Origin Realm Sword Spirit is tied directly to its owner. It grows alongside them. Its strength, its awareness, even its development—it all scales with the wielder."
His gaze shifted across the group.
"But in Qingyue's case… it's not just a bonus."
"It's necessary."
"The spirit regulates her energy," he continued. "Without it, her internal power would spiral out of control again. Plus, her spirit used her energy to live."
He folded his arms slightly.
"For the rest of you, having one right now would be meaningless." A brief pause. "It would just be a talking sword… without purpose."
The girls nodded slowly, understanding the logic.
Even so—
The idea lingered.
A weapon that could grow with them. Think with them.
Live with them.
It was… tempting.
Yun Che noticed, but didn't comment.
"For now, it's not recommended," he said. "Once your additional or excess MP reaches fifty thousand…" He gave a slight nod. "Then I can create one for you."
His gaze returned to Qingyue.
"Unlike her…" He gestured again. "She can support an additional one hundred thousand MP on top of her base."
"Additional… MP?" Qingyue repeated, still processing.
Yun Che nodded.
"A normal cultivator at Level 90 can support around 45,000 MP. Maybe 50,000 if they're exceptionally talented." He continued calmly. "But after recalibration, your limit at Level 100 becomes 100,000 MP. That's already double your original capacity."
"The Beginner's Profound Realm acts like an additional vessel. It expands what your core can contain."
He paused briefly before adding,
"But people with special constitutions… can go even further."
The group leaned in.
"They can hold an extra 50,000 MP on top of that." A quiet breath escaped him. "So imagine 100,000… plus another 50,000."
Mulan's eyes widened. "That's… 150,000?"
Yun Che nodded slightly.
"And Qingyue…" His gaze shifted toward her. "…can go even beyond that."
Silence fell.
"How…?" Mulan asked, almost instinctively.
Yun Che gave a small shrug.
"Why do you think she could maintain her Winter Fairy form for hours?"
That alone answered enough.
Chu Yueli frowned slightly as now she understood why Qingyue could stay in the Winter Fairy Form for extended periods of time. "What exactly is her constitution?"
Yun Che shook his head. "It's not something widely known."
He glanced at them. "Even if I explained it now, it wouldn't fully make sense."
He didn't elaborate further.
"Anyway," he continued, shifting back to the matter at hand, "Qingyue's recalibration caused her excess energy to go unstable."
"That's why it went out of control earlier."
His eyes flicked briefly toward the Snowflower Sword.
"The half-step Origin Realm spirit isn't just a bonus."
"It's necessary."
"To regulate that excess… and keep it from tearing her apart."
"Then… will my sister face the same problem?" Xue Yin asked, her gaze shifting toward Xue Ling.
Yun Che shook his head. "No."
He spoke calmly, but with certainty.
"Her constitution hasn't awakened yet. When it does, it will naturally recalibrate itself according to her new foundation."
He glanced briefly at Xue Yin.
"You had the same issue earlier when we adjusted your core. Qingyue's situation is just… more intense."
His eyes returned to Qingyue.
"You didn't need a spirit because you could already control your excess energy."
A slight pause.
"But Qingyue can't. Not yet."
"Her output is too large. Without regulation, it destabilizes her."
Yun Che exhaled lightly, then added with a faint, almost casual tone,
"Having a lot of stored power isn't always a good thing."
"If you can't control it, it becomes a burden."
He smirked slightly.
"And worse… it turns you into a glutton."
Several of them blinked.
"You'll need to eat a lot to recover that kind of energy," he continued. "Once the recalibration fully settles into your bodies…"
His gaze swept across them.
"You're going to feel extremely hungry." A brief silence followed. "You might be surprised how much you can actually eat."
Then—
His expression softened slightly.
"Even if you don't have special constitutions… this recalibration alone has already increased your capacity far beyond normal cultivators." He looked at them, more serious now. "This isn't something I can just hand out freely."
A quiet weight settled over his words.
"What you've gained tonight…"
"…is not something this world was meant to have."
"I trusted you girls. I really do." Yun Che's voice was calm, but there was weight behind it. "Don't make me regret it."
Before anyone could respond, he stepped forward and lightly tapped the backs of Xue Ling, Lin Yueru, and Mulan.
A pulse of energy surged into them.
Their bodies froze.
Then—
A sudden, overwhelming clarity spread through their meridians.
"This is…!" Mulan gasped, her eyes widening.
Xue Ling's breath caught. "All of my entrances… they're—"
"Open," Yun Che finished.
Retsu spoke calmly beside him.
"Heavenly God's Spiritual Veins."
Yun Che glanced at the three girls. "A gift from us."
The effect was immediate.
Their entire internal circulation transformed. Energy flowed smoother, faster, denser. Gathering profound energy no longer felt like effort—it responded instantly, naturally, as if their bodies had always been meant to function this way.
"It enhances everything," Retsu continued. "Your cultivation speed. Your energy flow. Your release efficiency."
Mulan stared in disbelief, her body still adjusting to the sudden transformation within her.
"This…"
Her gaze shifted between Yun Che and Retsu, then down at her own hands, as if trying to grasp what had just changed.
"Just one touch…"
There was no strain in her meridians. No resistance. The flow of profound energy moved as naturally as breathing—smooth, responsive, alive.
Little Fairy and Qingyue remained silent, but their expressions softened.
They remembered.
This wasn't the first time Yun Che had done something like this.
They had once stood in the same place—shocked, overwhelmed, unable to fully comprehend what had just been given to them.
For Chu Yueli, the feeling was different.
Familiar… but not identical.
That same overwhelming clarity.
That same impossible opening.
Her thoughts drifted back.
To the tomb.
To Mihawk.
The moment he had touched her—effortless, precise—and unlocked something she had believed immovable.
Now, standing here…
She felt it again.
Xue Yin stepped forward slightly, her expression thoughtful.
"As for me…" she said softly, "you already did this when you healed me, didn't you?"
She placed a hand over her chest, feeling the smooth, uninterrupted flow within.
"That's why… everything felt so clear."
Yun Che nodded.
"I had to. It was necessary to stabilize your recalibration."
Xue Yin lowered her head in a respectful bow.
"Thank you, Yun Che. Truly."
Yun Che waved it off casually, as if it were nothing.
"Don't worry about it."
He gave a small shrug.
"You're Little Yue's guardian."
His gaze flicked briefly toward Xue Ling.
"And her sister."
To him—
That was reason enough.
================
As the tension from earlier slowly faded, the atmosphere shifted into something unexpectedly calm.
The girls began preparing dinner together—an unusual sight under the open night sky. Cooking outside like this was rare, almost foreign, yet strangely comforting.
Retsu took the lead.
Tonight, she had decided on something specific.
The five dishes Yun Che had used to win the tournament.
Over the past few days, she and Mio had practiced relentlessly, refining every detail, every flavor, every technique. This was no longer imitation.
This was mastery.
Now, she would test it.
Nearby, the others trained.
The two seized Combat Adjudicators from the Cang Outer Palace stood as their sparring tools, durable enough to withstand repeated strikes.
Some practiced Haki, focusing on control rather than output.
Others drilled the sequences of Mother's Rosario, their movements gradually becoming more fluid, more synchronized.
Xue Yin stood slightly apart.
Her brow furrowed as she concentrated.
Yun Che had already awakened her Haki, but the sudden influx of awareness overwhelmed her senses. Voices, presences, fluctuations—everything bled into her perception at once. If she awakened back in the watchkeep, she will not be able to handle it.
Little Fairy sits beside her, guiding patiently. Among them, only she and Cang Yue mastered Observation Haki to advanced stage.
"Don't resist it," she said softly as she pressed her fingers on Xue Yin's head. "Filter it. Focus on what matters."
Back near the cooking area, Yun Che was busy preparing ingredients for Retsu, moving with practiced ease.
Then—
A faint chime echoed in his mind.
============
[Ding… Faint signal detected.]
============
Yun Che paused.
"…What the?"
He frowned slightly.
"Faint signal?"
The system responded immediately.
============
[Ding… Signal origin identified.]
[Coordinates marked.]
[Recommendation: Investigate.]
============
Yun Che stared ahead for a moment, then let out a small sigh.
"Do I really have to?"
He scratched the back of his head.
"It's probably nothing…"
===============
[Ding… Side Quest Activated.]
[Objective: Investigate the mysterious signal.]
[Rewards:]
XP: 500,000
SP: 100,000
===============
Yun Che's eyes widened slightly as he read the notification. "…That's a lot."
He exhaled slowly, his expression sharpening as the implications settled in. The system rarely overpaid without reason. "It wouldn't offer this much for something trivial," he muttered, his gaze narrowing. A brief pause followed before his thoughts aligned. "…Just like that time. The mysterious princess chased by Hollows."
He turned toward Retsu, who was still focused on her cooking. "Retsu, sweetie…"
"Hai?" she replied, glancing up calmly.
"I need to head out for a bit. The system just triggered a quest."
Retsu tilted her head slightly, her expression curious but composed. "Ara… is it urgent?"
"Not exactly," Yun Che admitted, though his tone remained serious. "But the rewards are too high for a side quest. That means something's off." He gave a small shrug. "I'll check it out."
She nodded without hesitation. "Hai. Leave things here to me." Her voice softened just a little. "If you take too long… we'll come find you."
Before Yun Che could respond, Mio stepped in beside them, her presence as steady as ever. "Going somewhere, Danna-sama?"
"Yeah. System quest," he replied. He gestured lightly, casual but clear. "Like Retsu said—if I take too long, just track me through the system."
"Hai. Understood."
A faint smirk crossed Yun Che's face as he reached out and patted both their heads. "Good girls."
In the next moment, energy surged behind him. Nemu's glider wings unfolded from his back, shimmering faintly beneath the moonlight as they locked into place.
"Ittekimasu."
"Itterasshai!" Retsu and Mio replied in unison, watching him lift off.
With a burst of speed, Yun Che shot into the sky, his figure cutting through the night as he headed toward the faint signal. Within seconds, he was nothing more than a distant streak against the horizon.
None of them noticed—
That another figure had already moved.
Mulan.
Silent. Careful.
Following him… from the shadows.