The Star Dou Forest greeted Jingliu with a pressing silence. The air was heavy, yet the woman remained unaffected. Her long, pale blue hair, as bright as glacial ice, cascaded past her slender shoulders, a stark contrast to the deep black blindfold that concealed her gaze. Her attire was a fusion of a ceremonial gown and a warrior's armor; dark blue fabric with intricate silver patterns covered her chest, centered on a sky-blue gem, while jet-black armor with sharp silver accents encased her arms and legs.
In her arms rested a white bundle, swaddling a peacefully sleeping infant. It was as if Jingliu's embrace was the safest, most comfortable place in existence. To her, this baby was everything, especially after arriving in this new world. Her past felt like a mere reflection on water; this child was her new reality.
The wind, the scents, the energy—all of it was just data. Her calm, sharp mind processed every detail of her surroundings.
The instructions she had received were clear: direct sunlight, fertile soil, and isolation. She moved without hesitation, her steps nearly soundless. Within minutes, she arrived at an anomaly—a tranquil clearing in the heart of the savage forest. She paused, scanning her surroundings for a final confirmation.
Without a break in her fluid motion, Jingliu stepped into the center and knelt with graceful precision. Carefully, she brought the bundle closer to the warm earth. From within the blankets, a pair of sleepy eyes peered out, clear and unnervingly calm. This was Lian Yang, an infant with black hair and healthy, pale skin, yet his gaze held an intelligence that did not belong to a baby.
As if sensing the perfect moment, Lian Yang focused his entire will. His eyes narrowed with an impossible concentration. It wasn't the look of a baby, but that of a twenty-five-year-old man executing a complex blueprint—a design born from his Martial Soul, Yggdrasil.
A child under six shouldn't know of their Martial Soul, let alone feel it. But this infant was an anomaly from another world, with unimaginable aid.
A dual process occurred in an instant.
The Shroud of Power wrapping him ceased to be mere cloth. Under Lian Yang's will, its fibers glowed with a soft green light, transforming into the Shroud Flora—a living weave of leaves and roots. Immediately after, the tip of the Shroud Flora detached, solidifying into a tiny seed as it fell, and embedded itself into the ground, pulled by the earth itself. The process was silent and swift.
The Shroud of Power would have disintegrated upon separating from its host, but the Three-Piece Suit perk allowed it to become independent, functioning as an extension of Lian Yang. Though this would use one of the three slots he could use to create separate parts, it was worth it. Besides, he could always purchase another slot after earning more credits.
The dual exertion left Lian Yang mentally exhausted, his body still too fragile. His concentration shattered, and he immediately fell into a deep, limp sleep, his breathing even and calm.
Jingliu felt the subtle shift in energy. She rose to her full height, her faith in the plan absolute. "It is done." The soft whisper was barely audible.
Without a backward glance, she turned and vanished back into the forest's shadows, as quickly and quietly as she had come.
On the ground they left behind, the seed immediately sprouted. The pure life aura it radiated began to transform the clearing into a sacred oasis. This calming energy drew Spirit Beasts from all around to dwell in its peace, creating a safe zone that had never existed before.
It took a few years, but this phenomenon, of course, did not go unnoticed by the true rulers of the forest. Di Tian, the Black Dragon King, sensed the presence of this powerful anomaly. Recognizing the immeasurable potential of the nascent world tree, he carefully relocated it to the very heart of the Star Dou Forest—its safest, most protected core region.
Three years passed since that relocation.
In its new location, the false world tree's growth became a marvel. It now towered as the supreme entity in the entire forest, its peak piercing the canopy to touch the clouds. Its impossible scale forced Di Tian and Bi Ji, the Emerald Swan, to work together. They shrouded the colossal tree in a powerful, permanent illusion, hiding it from the prying eyes of the outside world and any potential threats.
But the true source of its power was no longer bound to the soil. Its roots had burrowed deeper than mere earth; they had torn through the thin veil of reality itself, beginning to draw pure cosmic energy directly from the cracks in space.
-+-+-
Six years after the seed was planted, the name Jingliu had become a legend in the world of Spirit Masters. Her fame exploded not because of her youth or striking appearance, but due to a single event that shook the continent's most powerful fighters. She had defeated the Sword Douluo, Chen Xin, with a single sword strike.
The world gave her a new title: Moon Sword Douluo. From then on, offers to join major factions—from the ambitious Spirit Hall to the wealthy Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan—poured in. All were coldly refused. Chen Xin, who felt he had found a path to enlightenment and a breakthrough after witnessing a glimpse of her swordsmanship, cast aside his pride to beg for her tutelage. That, too, was flatly denied.
Now, Jingliu resided in a villa on the outskirts of Soutuo City.
The building itself was an anomaly. With its clean architectural lines, wide glass walls, and elegant, minimalist design, the villa looked like a fragment of the future placed in a world still bound by tradition.
Jingliu's steps were silent as she moved through the villa's quiet corridors. She headed directly for a room that served as both an office and a command center. It was spacious and sparsely furnished, dominated by a large desk of dark metal and a massive window that offered a panoramic view of the forest outside.
Behind that desk, Bronya Rand sat with a perfectly straight back. Her pale lavender hair was intricately styled, and her amethyst-hued eyes were focused on a stack of documents, analyzing each line with incredible speed and precision.
"I'm back." Jingliu's calm voice broke the silence.
Bronya looked up, her serious gaze softening slightly. "Welcome back."
No more was said. Both were individuals who valued efficiency, and the bond they had forged over the past three years made pleasantries unnecessary. Jingliu had just returned from a solo trip to the Extremes North, a frozen wasteland half a continent away, to acquire her sixth spirit ring. She had completed a journey that should have taken months in a matter of days. To the world, it was an impossible feat. To Bronya, it was impressive, but entirely within her expectations for the woman before her.
Jingliu allowed a moment of silence before finally asking, "Where is Lian Yang?"
"In the basement." Bronya replied without looking up from her papers.
Jingliu nodded. The laboratory was shielded; that was why she couldn't sense him.
Bronya finally set down her pen and looked at Jingliu properly. "I'll go with you. There's a report I need to deliver to you both."
Bronya stood, her movements flowing with a practiced grace. She stretched her stiff limbs, causing her exquisite curves to press against her shirt. She then left her desk and fell into step with Jingliu, their footsteps nearly silent as they descended a spiral staircase hidden behind a sliding wall, heading toward the laboratory below.
As they walked, the striking contrast between the two women became ever more apparent. Jingliu, the Moon Sword Douluo, was the embodiment of cold, dangerous beauty. Her pale, ice-blue hair cascaded against the black blindfold that hid her lethal gaze, marking her as a warrior whose beauty was as sharp as her blade. Beside her, Bronya projected a different aura: one of quiet authority and regal grace, reminiscent of a more mature, dignified version of herself from another world, a Herrscher who had found her truth.
Bronya's appearance was a study in precision and feminine power. Her long, pale lavender hair was styled in intricate braids, revealing the elegant nape of her neck. She wore a high-collared, form-fitting grey dress that hugged every curve of her body perfectly, accentuating her ideal hourglass figure. The dress cinched at her slender waist before flaring out over her full hips, creating a silhouette that was both powerful and graceful. With every step she took, her exquisite curves swayed gently, a subtle detail that asserted her undeniable femininity amidst her commanding presence. Both were visual masterpieces, their beauty so extraordinary it felt almost unreal in this world.
The path led them to a vast subterranean chamber, a laboratory that looked more like a research facility from the future. Its walls were made of sterile white metal, and the air was cool with the faint hum of working technology.
In the center of the room stood the source of all the power in this villa: the Cyber Tree.
It was one of the manifestations of Yggdrasil's roots itself. Lian Yang had summoned and drawn one of the roots from the colossal world tree hidden in the Star Dou Forest.
The root had been transformed into a technological marvel. Its surface was no longer bark but an intricate lattice of circuits that pulsed with a soft blue and green light, beating like a digital heart. From it, smaller tendrils spread out in all directions, making it look like a tree with leaves of energy particles, while others connected to energy terminals on the floor. Transparent holographic data panels flickered around it, displaying streams of code, energy diagrams, and ever-changing star charts.
To Bronya, this wasn't just a tree; it was a living piece of digital art.
He really outdid himself this time, Bronya thought with a flicker of pride.
The sound of their nearly silent footsteps was enough to alert the figure sitting cross-legged beneath the tree. Lian Yang, now a six-year-old boy, opened his eyes. He wore simple clothes—a white t-shirt and shorts—that contrasted with the futuristic environment around him.
He stood up and turned. Upon seeing the two women, his dark eyes lit up with surprise and delight.
"Bronya! You finally left your office! And Master!" he exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across his face. "You're back? I didn't expect you so soon!" He ran towards them, his enthusiasm pure and unrestrained. His boots clattered loudly as he ran.
Bronya raised an eyebrow, a faint, amused smile playing on her lips. "And you, it seems, used your freedom to skip training again."
The boy stopped in his tracks, his smile faltering slightly as he felt Jingliu's gaze, which, though unseen, felt heavier than usual. A familiar look of guilt crossed his face.
Feeling cornered, he hastily changed the subject. "W-wait! I have something for you!" With feigned excitement, he dashed to his workbench and retrieved two objects. He returned and presented them proudly, one in each open palm, as if they were the greatest of treasures. "Look! I managed to make them!"
In his hands were two devices that Bronya and Jingliu instantly recognized—smartphones. However, these were not devices made of metal and glass. They both looked like exquisitely carved crystal slabs, each with a unique design.
For Bronya, the device was made of a deep amethyst crystal, its surface carved with incredible precision into the motif of a butterfly whose wings spanned the entire back. For Jingliu, the device was of a pale sapphire blue crystal, adorned with an elegant carving of a crescent moon and embellished with tiny, twinkling stars.
Bronya took her device, her fingers tracing the smooth carvings. The concept of a smartphone itself wasn't surprising to her, but seeing it here, created by a Lian Yang who should have no prior knowledge of such technology, was impressive. "How did you...?"
Lian Yang beamed with pride. "It was easy! Thanks to my Martial Soul! Brahma's Brain let me think of all the designs and circuits in a flash. Then, Cyber Angel and Shroud Cyber helped me write all the code, it felt like playing with building blocks. And for the material," he pointed to the crystal in Bronya's hand, "I used Shroud Xeric to shape it from a raw crystal block I had in the lab!"
The simple explanation revealed the incredible synergy of his abilities—a fusion of three different Martial Souls he had acquired from the Waifu Catalog. Bronya looked from the crystal smartphone in her hand to Lian Yang.
"It doesn't have all the features yet," Lian Yang added quickly, "but at least we can communicate from a distance now. It's just... I need to spread Yggdrasil's roots further across the continent. The tree acts as the data center and server, so the wider its reach, the stronger the signal."
The implications of that statement were immense. A private communication network powered by a false Yggdrasil and linked to his own Martial Soul and Shroud of Power. Bronya felt a small, genuine smile of pride finally touch her lips.
Jingliu picked up her pale blue smartphone. For the first time, an expression approaching softness graced her usually cold features. "Good work, Lian Yang. Thank you." She paused, then added in a tone that allowed no compromise, "But this doesn't mean you can skip your training tomorrow. In fact, it will be harder."
Lian Yang's beaming face immediately fell. He knew exactly what "harder" meant in Jingliu's dictionary.
Fortunately, Bronya stepped forward, effectively saving him from the topic. "The training can wait." Her tone was final. "There is a more pressing matter. It's the report I wanted to deliver." She looked at both Jingliu and Lian Yang. "We've received a formal invitation from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan."
Jingliu tilted her head slightly, a gesture of interest.
"Ning Fengzhi invites us to attend the Martial Soul awakening ceremony for their main clan's children in a few days," Bronya continued. "Including his own daughter."
At the words "sect master's daughter," Lian Yang's expression shifted. A powerful curiosity, like that of a fan about to meet a favorite fictional character, flashed across his face. Bronya caught the change with her sharp eyes but chose not to comment.
"The invitation is technically for you, Jingliu." Bronya clarified, her tone slightly ironic. "They seem to assume all inhabitants of this villa are your retainers. An understandable assumption, given your reputation."
Jingliu just gave a soft snort, a sound that conveyed her disinterest in clan politics. "I have no business with them."
"The final decision rests with you, Lian Yang." Bronya shifted the focus to him. "But consider this: this visit could be a business opportunity. We have a large production capacity in our hidden factories, yet we only have a few small shops in Soutuo City. Forging a trade partnership with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan could be a strategic move for 'Schicksal'."
Lian Yang tried to suppress his enthusiasm. The business opportunity Bronya presented sounded good, of course, but the real prize was something else. This is it, he thought, the chance to meet Ning Rongrong and 'capture' her. Getting her as a waifu would grant a huge credit from the Waifu Catalog. The business reason Bronya provided was the perfect cover. He nodded gravely, trying to look like a wise young leader. "You're right, Bronya. This is an opportunity we can't afford to miss. We'll go."