"Ah…"
Liu Ruyu's eyes widened slightly, her expression shifting in an instant.
A faint flush spread across her cheeks as her aura surged.
Then—
Crack!
It was as if an invisible barrier had shattered.
In that moment—
She broke through to Origin Mastery in one go!
Before this, Liu Ruyu had already been at the peak of Soul Dominion, standing just a step away from advancement.
The improvement in her aptitude was like piercing a thin veil—
A breakthrough was inevitable!
Not far from her, Liu Rumei's reaction was just as astonishing.
Her entire body emanated a gentle radiance, and all around her, phantom viburnum flowers bloomed in a dreamy display.
Then—
A hauntingly beautiful melody filled the air.
The sound was ethereal, floating through Origin Mall like a song from a distant world.
---
Bu Lige felt his body lighten, as if his mind was drifting away.
A sense of euphoria washed over him, clouding his thoughts.
For a brief moment, he felt himself sinking into the melody—
No!
A jolt of awareness struck him, and he snapped back to reality, cold sweat dripping down his back.
Just the music alone had nearly bewitched him.
And yet—
This was a harmless effect, automatically contained by Origin Mall's security system.
Even so, as the weakest cultivator present, Bu Lige had almost lost control.
Which meant—
The power behind this phenomenon was utterly terrifying.
Even Yao Ziyan, who rarely showed much surprise, had a flicker of curiosity in her gaze.
This vision…
It was quite extraordinary.
---
After a dozen breaths, the two sisters opened their eyes simultaneously.
Liu Ruyu took a moment to sense her cultivation, her expression brightening with excitement.
Breaking through to Origin Mastery meant stepping into the true ranks of the powerful.
She had crossed the threshold.
Liu Rumei exhaled deeply before turning toward the shop entrance.
With a graceful bow, she spoke with sincerity—
"Thank you, Boss, for this incredible fortune."
Silence.
No response.
---
Because—
Luo Chuan was asleep.
For a moment, the atmosphere grew a little… awkward.
Yao Ziyan coughed lightly.
"Ahem. The boss is always like this, don't take it to heart."
Liu Rumei blinked, then chuckled.
She had poured her gratitude into that bow—
Only to find that the recipient didn't even care.
If this were anywhere else, a favor from a top-tier cultivator would be treated as something priceless.
But here—
In Origin Mall—
It meant nothing at all.
Liu Rumei and Liu Ruyu had always cultivated techniques tied to music.
With their aptitude enhanced, their martial arts and spiritual arts had also risen to a whole new level.
The breakthrough felt like an entirely different realm.
Suddenly, Liu Ruyu turned to Yao Ziyan, her curiosity piqued.
"Sister Ziyan, have you tried the mineral water?"
Yao Ziyan blinked, slightly caught off guard by the question.
"Yes," she replied with a soft smile.
"How much did it improve your aptitude?"
Bu Lige's interest immediately perked up.
After all—
Everyone's gains from the mineral water had been astonishing so far.
---
Yao Ziyan's expression didn't change, but her next words made them all freeze in shock.
"My bloodline improved significantly."
A brief silence.
Then, realization dawned.
The three of them knew Yao Ziyan was part of the royal bloodline of the monster race.
An improvement in her bloodline meant an improvement in her very essence.
But before they could fully process it, she casually dropped another bombshell.
"Actually, I was lucky—my bloodline directly regressed to its ancestral form."
---
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The three of them stiffened, their minds blanking out for a few breaths.
Then—
Their eyes snapped toward Yao Ziyan.
"…What?"
Returning to one's ancestral bloodline—
That was something only found in ancient myths.
A legendary occurrence, the kind that was almost unheard of in modern times.
Yet—
It had just happened, right in front of them.
---
Liu Rumei's breathing halted for a moment as a sudden thought struck her.
Her eyes widened slightly in alarm.
"Wait—"
She turned to Yao Ziyan, her voice urgent.
"I heard that when one's bloodline returns to its ancestral state…
It usually triggers an Ancient Lightning Tribulation, doesn't it?"
The air grew heavier in an instant.
The implications of those words were not small.
For a moment, all three of them stared at Yao Ziyan—
Waiting for an answer.