Silence settled over the village.
Lizarius quietly observed Lian.
His golden eyes swept across him once.
Then—
again.
He wasn't merely looking at him.
He was examining him.
The spiritual qi flowing throughout Lian's body had changed completely.
It no longer circulated as it had before he entered the clam.
Every strand now carried a dense aquatic aura.
Pure.
Gentle.
Yet remarkably resilient.
Lizarius' thoughts quietly formed.
*...The Water Element within him has become unusually dense.*
*Did the Water Essence Pearl successfully awaken his physique?*
Without taking his eyes off Lian—
he spoke inwardly.
*Identify his physique.*
The familiar mechanical voice immediately answered.
**[Scanning target...]**
A brief silence followed.
Then—
**[Physique Identified.]**
**[Aquatic Water Element Body.]**
**[Grade: Mortal.]**
Lizarius remained silent.
The system continued.
**[Description:]**
**[A physique naturally aligned with the Water Element.]**
**[Grants exceptional affinity toward Water Element spiritual qi.]**
**[Greatly improves comprehension and cultivation of Water Element techniques, arts, and abilities.]**
**[Allows prolonged underwater survival through instinctive spiritual respiration.]**
**[Significantly increases compatibility with aquatic environments.]**
**[Enhances recovery and cultivation speed in locations rich in Water Element spiritual qi.]**
Another line appeared.
**[Current Grade: Mortal.]**
**[Growth Potential: Present.]**
**[The physique may continue evolving if provided with sufficient opportunities and suitable resources.]**
Silence returned.
Lizarius quietly organized the information.
*...Mortal grade.*
His gaze remained fixed upon Lian.
*Lower than expected.*
The Water Essence Pearl had refined Lian's body.
He had anticipated something slightly higher.
Still—
his thoughts remained calm.
*...It possesses room for growth.*
*Acceptable.*
He finally spoke.
"The objective has been achieved."
His voice remained as calm as ever.
"There is no further reason for you to remain inside."
Lian lowered his gaze toward himself.
"...Hmm."
He slowly clenched one hand.
Then—
released it again.
The spiritual qi within his body responded almost instinctively.
Gentle currents of blue qi quietly flowed around his fingers before gradually fading away.
A thoughtful smile appeared on his face.
"So..."
"Have I really awakened the physique you mentioned?"
He looked down at his own body once more.
His expression carried quiet curiosity.
*...Strange.*
*I don't remember feeling any major changes.*
He flexed his fingers again.
Nothing felt heavier.
Nothing felt lighter.
His physical strength hadn't suddenly exploded.
Yet...
everything seemed...
More natural.
When he breathed—
he could vaguely sense the moisture lingering within the surrounding air.
The nearby well.
The lake beyond the village.
Even the damp earth beneath his feet.
The Water Element spiritual qi around them felt strangely familiar.
Almost welcoming.
A faint realization surfaced within his mind.
*...So this is what it means to possess a spiritual physique.*
*It's not that I've become a completely different person...*
*It's that the world itself feels different.*
He slowly raised his head.
A smile appeared.
"...It's an odd feeling."
"...But I think I understand."
His gaze returned to Lizarius.
"...Thank you, Master."
"There aren't many people fortunate enough to receive something like this."
Lizarius remained silent.
His expression did not change.
To him—
the result had merely confirmed a hypothesis.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Lian had only just begun organizing his thoughts—
when voices suddenly rose from the surrounding crowd.
"...Wait..."
One villager squinted.
"...Isn't that Lian?"
Another froze.
"...Huh?"
"...It really is him!"
More villagers hurried over.
Within moments—
a crowd had already formed.
Lian's expression stiffened.
*...Ah.*
*I forgot.*
His eyes slowly swept across the enormous split clam behind him.
The crater.
The broken shell.
The tiny white lizard hovering nearby.
Everything...
had happened directly outside the village.
There wasn't the slightest possibility of pretending that nothing had occurred.
An elderly woman pushed through the crowd.
Wrinkles covered her weathered face.
The instant she saw him—
her eyes widened.
"...Lian?"
Silence.
Lian forced a smile.
"...Aunt Qin."
The old woman's eyes immediately reddened.
"...It really is you."
She quickly walked closer.
"What happened?"
"Weren't you staying with your relatives?"
She pointed toward the gigantic clam.
"...Then why did you come out of... that thing?"
Her gaze shifted toward the tiny white lizard.
"And..."
"...What exactly is that creature?"
The surrounding villagers immediately began talking over one another.
"Didn't he disappear almost a year ago?"
"That's right."
"I remember."
"His mother said he'd gone to stay with relatives."
"So why did he suddenly come out of a giant shell?"
"Has he been inside that thing this whole time?"
"What even is that monster?"
"Could it be a spirit beast?"
Lian's smile gradually stiffened.
*...Damn it.*
His thoughts raced.
*How am I supposed to explain this?*
*I can't tell them the truth.*
*But after everything they just witnessed...*
*There isn't even a believable lie.*
Another villager suddenly spoke.
"We should inform the Village Head!"
Several others immediately nodded.
"Right!"
"Call Village Head Wa Shi!"
"This is far beyond us!"
Lian felt a headache coming on.
*...Wonderful.*
*Now even Old Man Wa Shi is going to get involved.*
*I somehow have to explain all of this...*
*Without actually explaining anything at all.*
Just then—
something lightly landed upon his head.
Soft.
Almost weightless.
Lian instinctively looked upward.
The tiny white lizard quietly rested atop his head.
Before he could react—
a familiar fluctuation spread across his body.
The next instant—
the surrounding gasps erupted.
"W-Where did he go?!"
"He disappeared!"
"I was looking right at him!"
"H-How?!"
Someone stumbled backward in fright.
"...Ghost!"
"It has to be a ghost!"
"N-No... he was standing right there!"
Panic immediately spread through the crowd.
Some villagers instinctively retreated.
Others rubbed their eyes repeatedly.
Several children hid behind their parents.
No matter where they looked—
Lian had vanished completely.
Standing only a few steps away—
completely invisible—
Lian stared blankly at his own hands.
Then—
at the frantic villagers.
Realization slowly dawned upon him.
*...Master made me invisible.*
A long breath quietly escaped him.
*...Good.*
A faint, helpless smile finally appeared.
*He just saved me from the most troublesome conversation of my life.*
Lian's expression relaxed.
*...That solves one problem—*
His thoughts never finished.
Without warning—
his feet left the ground.
"...Huh?"
His eyes widened.
The seven blue pearls instinctively tightened against his chest.
"W-Wait—"
No sound emerged.
His lips moved.
Yet his voice had completely vanished.
*...Master?*
*What—*
Before another thought could form—
the scenery around him blurred.
Not because he was moving.
But because everything else seemed to disappear.
The world stretched into streaks of color.
The acceleration was instantaneous.
His stomach lurched violently.
He couldn't even tell which direction he was facing.
Then—
everything stopped.
---
Several mountain ranges away—
at the base of a lonely cliff—
the rocky earth suddenly rippled.
The stone silently folded outward.
A hidden cavern formed within moments.
The next instant—
Lian reappeared inside.
His feet barely touched the ground before his knees buckled.
**Thud.**
The blue pearls slipped from his arms.
They scattered across the stone floor.
Lian stumbled several steps before collapsing beside the cave wall.
He bent forward violently.
"Ghk—!"
He dry-heaved.
His breathing became ragged.
"...Damn..."
Another wave of nausea struck him.
He covered his mouth.
"...I feel like..."
"...I'm about to pass out..."
He retched once more.
Nothing came up.
Only strained breathing echoed through the cave.
Several moments passed before he finally managed to steady himself.
"...That..."
He wiped the corner of his mouth.
"...Master..."
"...You really don't know how to warn someone first..."
His breathing gradually eased.
"...It felt like..."
"...my soul got dragged across half the world..."
He slowly lifted his head.
The tiny white lizard continued hovering nearby.
Perfectly calm.
Perfectly silent.
Lian let out a helpless laugh.
"...So..."
"...Why are we—"
His words abruptly stopped.
His eyes lost focus.
The light within them quietly faded.
His body tilted sideways.
**Thump.**
He collapsed unconscious upon the stone floor.
Silence returned.
Lizarius quietly watched him.
Then—
his crimson eyes slowly brightened.
---
**Nightmare Gaze.**
---
The cave disappeared.
...
...
Endless white.
An infinite world without beginning or end.
Silence stretched endlessly in every direction.
Several moments later—
a figure gradually appeared.
Lian.
He blinked several times.
His brows slowly furrowed.
"...Hm..."
He instinctively looked around.
Nothing.
Only endless white.
"...What..."
"...Where is this?"
His thoughts immediately raced.
*Wasn't I...*
*Just inside the cave?*
*With Master?*
He lowered his gaze toward his own hands.
Everything felt real.
Too real.
There was no pain.
No nausea.
Only confusion.
His eyes continued sweeping across the endless white—
until—
they stopped.
High above him—
a tiny white lizard quietly hovered.
Watching.
Silent as always.
Recognition immediately flashed across Lian's face.
"...Master?"
His confusion deepened.
"...What is this place?"