The first light of dawn cast golden rays across the rooftops, painting the village in a gentle glow. On the roof of the inn, Gao Tian stirred from sleep. He sat up slowly, yawning and stretching his arms as he blinked at the rising sun.
He had slept there the whole night, the stars his only companions.
Rubbing the back of his neck, he stood and walked to the spot where the room window was. With a quiet breath, he leapt lightly and landed inside the room through the open window.
A soft thud echoed as his feet touched the floor.
His eyes drifted to the bed—and he froze.
There, lying peacefully, Shu Yu was still asleep, arms wrapped tightly around Ruler Dog, who nestled against her like a harmless pet. Her breath was calm, her expression serene, and her hand gently rested on the creature's fur.
Gao Tian stared, stunned.
She's holding onto that beast like a little girl cuddling a stuffed animal. That dog… That dangerous creature once terrorized entire regions in my past life. One of the most feared entities in the Immortal World…
Ruler Dog cracked one eye open and glanced lazily at Gao Tian.
Their eyes met.
Gao Tian narrowed his gaze, but Ruler Dog simply turned his head away with regal arrogance, refusing to acknowledge him.
The veins on Gao Tian's forehead twitched slightly.
So arrogant… just you wait.
A faint ripple of spiritual energy began to rise from him, his suppressed rage leaking out.
Sensing the fluctuation, Shu Yu stirred.
Her eyes fluttered open, still hazy with sleep. Without changing her expression, she sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. Her arms instinctively tightened around Ruler Dog.
Her calm gaze met Gao Tian's as she asked in a low voice, "Huh? What happened? Why are you here?"
Gao Tian forced a smile onto his face, the corner of his lips twitching.
"Oh, nothing… I was just admiring the beast. How… cute he is."
Shu Yu tilted her head slightly, a subtle crease forming in her brow.
Why is he suddenly being so nice to my beast? That's not like him.
Gao Tian turned away, still gritting his teeth behind the smile.
I have no choice. I need Ruler Dog. As long as I can use him for what's coming, I'll tolerate this… for now.
He clasped his hands behind his back, pretending to admire the sunrise through the window, while the room slowly returned to quiet.
Meanwhile — Whitefield Forest — Hidden Chamber
Deep within the secluded Whitefield Forest, inside a concealed chamber, Gao Tian's second body sat cross-legged at the center. His flesh shimmered faintly with a tempered glow, the evidence of his cultivation progress. He had already reached the Body Tempering – Sixth Layer.
Behind him, the air rippled with spiritual power. A colossal vision had begun to take form—a dual-figured apparition, divine and demonic. One half radiated golden brilliance, calm and sacred like a celestial deity. The other half crimson, fierce and wild like a demonic.
But before the vision could stabilize, the ground beneath him suddenly trembled.
The second body opened his eyes sharply, the vision vanishing as swiftly as it came. He jumped to his feet as dust rained down from the chamber ceiling.
"What is happening?" he muttered, eyes wide.
The trembling grew worse, like an earthquake churning beneath the mountain itself. Panic sparked in his gaze.
Is the chamber collapsing?
Then—just like that—the Whitefield Chamber vanished into thin air. The intricate symbols carved into the walls, the formation arrays, the faintly glowing runes… everything dissolved. The spiritual environment was gone, leaving only a bare, empty cave.
The second body hit the ground with a hard thud, wincing as he scrambled up.
He glanced around with disbelief.
Where did it go? The entire chamber just… disappeared!
His hands brushed through the air where the formation used to be. Nothing remained.
"Aa… d-did I do something wrong?" he muttered, looking around nervously.
If the real body finds out I destroyed a sacred chamber, he'll kill me for sure!
Just as he was about to panic, his entire body began to emit a soft, white glow. Spiritual light wrapped around him like a cocoon, pulsing gently.
He froze.
"What… is happening now?"
Then, from his belly, a small cube of pure white light pushed itself outward, hovering into the air. It rotated slowly, emitting gentle hums of power.
His eyes widened as the truth struck him.
This cube… this isn't ordinary… is this… the Whitefield Chamber itself?
---
Meanwhile — Fo Fo Village — Outside the Inn
Morning light bathed the quaint Fo Fo Village as Gao Tian and Shu Yu stepped out of the inn. The air was crisp, and a faint breeze rustled through the leaves of trees lining the village paths.
Ruler Dog was perched on Gao Tian's head, looking unusually relaxed as his tongue hung lazily from the side of his mouth. Occasionally, he glanced at Shu Yu, who walked with her usual cold composure beside them.
"We should hurry," Shu Yu said flatly, adjusting the strap of her pack.
Gao Tian turned to her. "Something urgent?"
She shook her head. "No. I just want enough time to explore the city before anything starts."
That's a lie, she thought silently. There's a competition I'm scheduled to compete in. But I don't want to explain all that now.
Gao Tian shrugged and looked toward the road that led out of Fo Fo Village.
"Alright then. Let's go."
They began walking, their footsteps steady on the cobbled path that wound through the village's edge and out into the wilderness beyond.
As they walked, Gao Tian glanced at Shu Yu and said, "Hey, do you know how to fly on a sword?"
She looked at him with a sidelong glance. "Of course I do. Why?"
He stopped walking and raised an eyebrow. "Then let's travel by sword—it'll be faster."
Shu Yu paused. "I wasn't using it because I thought you didn't know how to."
Gao Tian blinked.
His face flattened—calm eyes, expressionless mouth, as if someone had just insulted his soul.
She thought I couldn't? I was the Immortal Emperor in my past life. Sword flight was child's play.
He gave her a quiet, knowing look.
"…I know how."
She gave a small nod in return and summoned a long silver sword, its blade gleaming in the morning sun. As the spiritual energy surged beneath their feet, the two figures rose gently into the air, heading toward Sen City.
High above the forest canopy, the sword sliced through the morning mist like a silent arrow. Beneath them, dense green stretched endlessly, a river of trees flowing beneath their feet. Gao Tian stood on the sword behind Shu Yu, the wind tugging at his robes. Though his cultivation allowed him to maintain balance, the sensation of flying unsupported made him tense. His arms hovered awkwardly at his sides, unsure of where to hold on.
Ruler Dog sat on his head, eyes wide and gleaming. The wind rustled his fur as he turned his gaze across the vast landscape—his first sight of the open world in countless years. For the sealed beast, even the passing of clouds was a marvel.
Shu Yu, silent as ever, sensed Gao Tian's discomfort behind her. Without turning, she said calmly, "You can grab my waist."
Gao Tian froze. His eyes widened, mouth slightly open, and he stiffened like a statue.
Did I hear that right? Is she really letting me touch her waist?
Even Shu Yu herself was surprised by her words. Her expression didn't change, but a rare flicker of doubt passed through her mind. It was the first time in her life she had offered such contact to a man.
Hesitantly, Gao Tian moved his hands forward and gently grasped her waist. His palms met the softness of her robes, and a faint blush rose on his cheeks. The warmth of her body against his hands only made his heart beat faster.
Shu Yu showed no reaction, but her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
In her mind's eye, the past came flooding back— when she was fourteen. Her father had sent her and her team on a mission: eliminate a merchant named Ao Liuzi in Han City. Her teammates, all girls of similar age, were trained assassins like her.
They had flown together, faces covered, eyes sharp.
On one of the swords, Shu Yu/Tianlei Yu stood at the front, and her closest companion had stood behind her. That day, her teammate had leaned forward, wrapped her arms around Shu Yu's waist, and whispered:
"Sister Tianlei, I heard when a boy grabs a girl's waist, it means he truly trusts her."
Back in the present, Gao Tian's voice broke through her reverie.
"Hey… what are you thinking about?"
Shu Yu blinked, pulled from the depths of her memory.
"Oh. Nothing," she replied softly, her voice as calm and cold as always. "Just remembering something."
Gao Tian looked at her, puzzled, but didn't press further. Instead, he tightened his grip slightly to steady himself as they soared ahead—two figures sharing the sky.