Imaginary Space.
Kiana's subspace did not go unused. She placed entrances and exits anyone could use. The spirit vein inside reached the threshold of peak fifth grade.
Inside this blessed fairyland, two people stood mid-air.
One of them is a silver-haired girl. Her hair is carefully styled into two drills. The other one is a girl with gray hair. She sported a two-layered eastern garb.
Today, Shenzhou's Immortal Phoenix is destined to truly become an Immortal.
"The isolation of the vacuum space is sufficient to control collateral damages. The concentration of honkai energy remains at zero. No external wills can be detected within the ten thousand kilometer radius."
Numerous projected screens surrounded Bronya. The phantoms of the stars glittered around her. Using their influence, she set up a miniature array capable of detecting changes up to a major realm above hers. It was something brought by her mind technique's [Great Accomplishment].
"Got it. Thank you."
"Hm."
The two stoic girls did not speak much. They already knew what to do next. Their communication with Shi Tian by using Tao Gifts as morse codes did not go to vain.
Fu Hua soon entered a meditative state. Five minutes later, a surge of spiritual qi came from her. Her Golden Core breakthrough began.
First was the evolution of her physical body. All of her 'mortal bones' are shed, turning them into pure-jade. The deepest bone marrow is flushed out and obliterated by the torrent of strong spiritual qi. It is replaced by a golden marrow. Each drop is filled with countless Tao Patterns.
Bone barrow, bone, flesh, internal organs…
All of them are swept by the raging tide of spiritual qi as they transform into a higher-level.
Once it was done, Fu Hua's entire being glowed with bright white light. She achieved the physical breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm just like that.
Just then, an urge for her soul to break through the Golden Core Realm emerged. She was forced to begin the first step, the integration of soul, crystal dantian, and spirit roots.
'It is this.'
Shi Tian warned them about it. He left a lot of jade slips within the orphanage.
One's mind and body can be broken through the Golden Core Realm first, but this 'imbalance' can inflict injuries to the cultivation—disharmony, per se. One's entire being will begin to force a breakthrough to "fix" this imbalance.
The best way to breakthrough is to start the soul and body/mind breakthrough simultaneously. The soul breakthrough can be delayed slightly, allowing the body and mind to break through first. These two breakthroughs can then help in the soul breakthrough.
Fortunately, Fu Hua is more than skilled at pulling it off.
Her mind's breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm was completed. It helped her complete the second and final steps of the soul's Golden Core breakthrough.
One hundred revolutions formed a flawless Golden Core.
Hum-!
Buzz-!
It was no longer the fluctuations of wind, but of space. The trembling of her eyelashes, her soft exhales, the slight twitching of her finger… They are all accompanied by dao rhymes.
Rumble-!
Fu Hua opened her eyes and swiftly left the imaginary space. She paid her tribulation no heed as she began her upward ascent to the skies.
Fifty thousand kilometers were traversed in a blink of an eye. She found herself in outer space. Underneath her, the large oblate spheroid could be seen.
"Immortals."
She swept away all the complex thoughts in her mind. Immortal cultivation gave her too many surprises. It is the most ideal power in Fu Hua's mind. Not even the Honkai's complexity could match its potential.
Her gratitude towards the man who presented it to her is immense. So much so that she does not know how to repay him.
Thinking of his words…
"Think of it once we resolve Honkai's threat. We'll have all-day long to think, won't we?"
Fu Hua heaved a sigh.
"To resolve the Honkai…"
The thunderous roars of the lightning tribulation soon filled her ears.
*****
Despite being separated by fifty thousand years, the reactions of humanity towards the terrifying Golden Core tribulation remains the same.
Schicksal's Headquarters ushered in an unprecedented silence. More than half of the satellites they sent for scouting were scrapped by the thunder field.
For Schicksal, the world's "leading" anti-honkai organization, it is a crisis like nothing before.
Tests have fed back information. The sheer power of the Golden Core tribulation can pierce straight into the Earth's core. Its consequences are unimaginable.
Amongst the silent valkyries, one of them could not stop trembling.
'NO!'
The Herrscher of Domination felt nothing but the purest fear.
No matter how much she schemes…
No matter how many Herrscher Authorities she has…
She won't stand a chance.
Her head hung low as she looked at the Herrscher Authority belonging to the Herrscher of Corruption. Through schemes, she managed to single-out the 'life' born out of the void.
Possessing both Dominance and Corruption, she was supposed to be the most terrifying Herrscher. She already has hundreds of 'back-ups' throughout the world. More than 90% of the world's information systems are in her grasp. Only the ones at the forbidden zones—places of Anti-Entropy—are spared.
At this moment, her control over Schicksal's Headquarters made her more confident about winning.
Only…
'How can I win..?!'
No matter how hard she thought, she could never imagine a force that can kill the one who can instantly form a five thousand kilometer lightning field.
'Maybe it will work? I can still do this…'
She started busying herself with reviewing the cards she held.
Unbeknownst to her, she has been plotted long ago.
Within the vast expanse of the African desert, a Schicksal branch continued with the experiments about the Sea of Quanta. They operated directly under the Overseer's command. Only his most trusted personnel knew about this operation, though they remained in the dark regarding the Herrscher's intrusion.
"To infect all technological creations… It is a deep hole you dug, old friend."
"..."
Otto looked at the orange cube in his grasp before it disappeared.
The greatest disaster within these past five months came from the sudden intrusion of the "Herrscher of Corruption". He noticed it firsthand and decided to abandon the majority of Schicksal, leaving behind a few branches with isolated networks. This action saved these branches.
The said Herrscher only knew the "Otto" who spent his time on the Floating Isles.
With a perfect cover, he relentlessly studied the Second Divine Key's effects. Whatever noise they made can be thrown to Anti-Entropy. Though his situation is far from the ideal, he is willing to work with it.
Months of research passed.
It bore fruit and made him realize some things in advance:
"...Second Herrscher. Her power is what I need."