— "Master, when you were reborn in this world, your soul was so incredibly powerful and unusual that no ordinary body could contain it." — The childish voice of the Lunar Umbrella echoed, with a dramatic pause that seemed calculated. As if analyzing her body from head to toe, it continued with disturbing calm:
— "So, your instinct… and I, still dormant… ended up forging a special body during your gestation. That's how your Imperial Lunar Physique was born. Your immense soul power was slowly transformed into it…."
Tang Chun Xi frowned, shock mixed with curiosity :— "Wait… that explains some things, but where are you going with this?"
The artifact, aware of her emotions, continued, its voice taking on a didactic tone: — "As I was saying… I wasn't conscious at the time, but I believe that when the Forge of Creation tempered you, it didn't just remove impurities and strengthen you…" — he paused when he saw her face light up.
— "It also fused into my soul all the vampiric traits that were beneficial to me!" — completed Tang Chun Xi, her own voice loaded with surprise and clarity. The memory of the excruciating pain in the Forge now mingled with a new understanding. There had also been something beyond pain…
Her eyes widened with a feverish gleam: — "According to what I knew about vampires, they had a series of abilities beyond healing… among them were vitality deprivation and a high degree of affinity with darkness!" — Her thoughts raced, connecting pieces of a puzzle she hadn't even known existed: — "So, all these 'non-harmful' traits were enhanced and became intrinsic to my soul. And thus, when my body was forming, those traits became part of it!"
She lifted her gaze, and a phrase resonated in her mind with the force of a divine revelation: — "And this situation, combined with you, made my physique lean toward darkness, the stars, and the moon!!"
If the Lunar Umbrella had expressions, it would have been wide-mouthed, for Chun Xi had grasped his speculation with only a few sentences. He nearly danced with excitement at this, but restrained himself and confirmed:
— "Partly, yes… But I think there are more points. First, the soul—both in this world and the other—is something essentially Yin. Therefore, your body, generated from your 'unusual soul,' became a receptacle of Extreme Yin." — Another pause followed, this time for the information to sink in.
The silence was filled with a faint glimmer of amusement in the Umbrella's voice: — "And thus, your vitality deprivation, evolved affinity, and a few other factors make you, basically, a Super[…] Magnet for everything Yin! And super with a capital S!" — He repeated the last part with childish emphasis, oblivious to the increasingly grim expression on her face.
A cold shiver ran down Tang Chun Xi's spine: — "When you put it that way… and even repeat it… why does it give me such a bad feeling?" — she murmured, her voice almost inaudible. — "That dark aura… was attracted… by my own body?!"
She didn't wait for the answer. From the Umbrella's expression and the logic of the situation, the truth was already clear. — "But… if that's true, why didn't I feel it before? It only started at that moment, didn't it?" — she asked, desperately trying to understand.
— "Your body has always been attracting these Yin energies. However, the Imperial Lunar Physique only awakened recently, and the accumulated energy was imperceptible. It only intensified with your breakthrough… and exploded completely when your mind plunged into that illusion." — The voice turned solemn, stripped of its earlier animation.
Her expression grew darker, though her gaze showed comprehension.
— "As for the second question…" — He continued, now more restrained: — "… as you already suspect, I also believe it's related to the Corrupted. After all, even if your physique absorbs Yin like a sponge, you shouldn't have been nearly overwhelmed! That indicates something else is at play. It's just… I don't know what. We only created the conditions for your physique to emerge. What it's capable of, or what it attracts, is still beyond our knowledge."
— "It was supposed to be beneficial, but this… is terrible." — she sighed, her tone wavering between irony and frustration. — "When my father warned me about the dangers, I knew it wouldn't be easy. But I thought the worst would be being hunted or, at most, turning into a furnace!" — Her voice dwindled into a murmur of resignation.
Tang Chun Xi stopped, thoughtful, then her eyes widened with an idea. A spark of hope lit her face. — "But… wait. You only started talking about all this because of the [Yang Flame Sphere]… so, could it be—?"
The Umbrella answered with unusual seriousness. — "Yes. It's exactly what you're thinking. That ability was created to compensate for and nullify the natural attraction your body possesses! Originally, your physique was supposed to attract and absorb any kind of Yin energy to strengthen itself, even if there was no aura around!..."
His voice became excited, almost like a child discovering a new toy. — "Theoretically, if you had this physique in our previous world… you could have cultivated until you became a goddess! Maybe even saved the universe—or at the very least, leapt to another one!"
— "But no one could have imagined that, in this world, it would become so dangerous. As they say: different world, different rules." — He finished, his childish tone suddenly solemn, like a reminder of the looming danger.
Tang Chun Xi let out a long sigh of relief. At least there was a way to nullify the danger. But before she could celebrate, the Umbrella interrupted with a grim warning: — "Actually, if it weren't for a specific combination of factors, things would have ended catastrophically. Your physique could have spiraled out of control to the point of destroying this entire continent…"
He paused, then added in a calmer, almost pensive tone: — "Speaking of which… you and that boy are really alike. Both of you possess special physiques, and if you hadn't helped each other… one would have died, and the other gone mad."
Tang Chun Xi merely swallowed dryly, unsure how to respond to such a cold, objective statement.
— "But there are two important caveats about this ability." — The Umbrella warned, returning to a serious tone.
— "First: Yang energy only nullifies Yin's attraction, not its absorption. In other words, if some Yin energy enters your body, it will still be consumed. Second: this nullification only works if your emotions are under control. If what happened in that illusion happens again… the effect will be lost."
He paused for a moment before finishing, his voice like a final and stern warning. — "And moreover… If you unleash the [Yang Flame Sphere], the Yang energy will take time to accumulate again. During that time, the harmful traits of your physique will no longer be nullified."
Tang Chun Xi took a deep breath, absorbing every word. The earlier relief was replaced by new anxiety.
— "This ability… shouldn't even exist." — The Umbrella said, now in a contemplative tone, as if reviewing an impossible equation. — "But, by pure coincidence, you have a physique tied to the moon, and that boy, a physique tied to the sun. You were in absolute despair, completely trusted each other, and the final catalyst was that strange book. Together, you birthed the energy of chaos."
— "Good thing you saved the boy!" — he added with relief at the thought of what could have gone wrong had Tang Chun Xi listened to the entire and done as it instructed!
He suppressed that thought, hiding it, and continued speaking: — "But in summary… in a bizarre way… this ability emerged. The boy was also greatly benefited. But it may take a while before he wakes up—judging by his state, weeks."
His childish voice resurfaced, this time curious. — "Why don't you test the [Astral Vision] on him? Maybe it'll say something interesting about him!!"
Tang Chun Xi didn't think it was a bad idea. Testing the ability served two purposes: to test the skill itself and lighten the heavy mood. So, with a thought, a faint purple glow flashed in her eyes before fading.
Ability [Astral Vision] Activated!