She expected disgust or concern.
Instead, Nova's face lit up with genuine happiness.
The expression transformed him—made him look younger, more human, less like a perfect statue. Luna found herself momentarily distracted by how that smile changed his features.
"That's perfect," Nova said, his enthusiasm clear. "May I have it, Sect Leader?"
Luna frowned. "You understand what I just said? The corruption—"
"Won't be an issue for me," Nova interrupted, then seemed to remember himself. "I mean... I believe my physique will protect against such effects. And I have methods to refine what the technique doesn't."
His physique blocks corruption? Or is he planning to modify the technique itself?
Luna had to know.
She moved to another cabinet, this one sealed with spiritual formations. Her hands moved through complex signs, unlocking the protections one by one. Inside sat dozens of jade plaques, each one emanating different types of qi.
She selected one that pulsed with dark energy—death qi and soul qi intertwining in a way that made the air feel heavy.
The plaque itself seemed to drink in light, its surface a deep black that absorbed rather than reflected.
Earth tier and above techniques did that. Once a technique reached that level, it touched upon the laws of reality itself. The text didn't just describe principles—it affected the world around it. The stronger the emanation, the higher the grade within that tier.
This one was peak Heaven tier. One step below Supreme.
Tiers for spells techniques and skills
Yellow → Black → Red → Purple → Earth → Sky → Heaven → Supreme → Primordial → Dao → Origin → Eternal → Chaos
Luna held it out. "Soul Devouring Art. Use it carefully."
Nova took it eagerly, almost reverently. The moment his fingers touched the jade, his eyes unfocused slightly.
Luna watched, curious despite herself.
She expected him to take time studying it, perhaps days to comprehend its intricacies. Heaven tier techniques were—
Nova's spiritual energy flared.
The jade plaque in his hand began to glow. Not with the dark death qi it had emitted before, but with multiple colors—streams of different energies flowing through the text as Nova's consciousness manipulated it directly.
Modifying a technique through spiritual qi manipulation. The method itself wasn't unusual—any cultivator could adjust jade plaque techniques that way.
But the speed...
Ten seconds. Twenty. Thirty.
The energies stabilized. The glow faded.
And the qi emanating from the plaque had completely changed.
Luna's composure finally cracked. Her eyes widened, her mouth opening slightly in shock.
Where before there had been only death qi and soul qi, now she sensed a complex mixture—sword intent, soul energy, death qi, yin essence, purification essence, and more, all woven together in intricate patterns.
And the intensity...
"Peak Supreme tier," Luna whispered, her voice barely audible.
Nova looked up, smiling. "I think I did a decent job. The base technique was excellent—I just added refinement and purification stages. Oh, and I incorporated it into a sword technique. Early Supreme tier for the sword art itself."
He spoke casually, like he'd done something simple.
Luna's mind reeled.
What he just did would be impossible for most Immortal Ascension cultivators. Those are experts who've lived for thousands of years, who've touched the peak of cultivation in this realm.
And he did it in seconds.
"My comprehension seemed to have increased," Nova had said earlier.
That was the understatement of the century.
Nova's expression turned thoughtful. "The modified technique works like this—when a killing strike lands, the sword extracts and refines the enemy's soul simultaneously. The consciousness data is erased, leaving only pure soul essence. Then the wielder absorbs it, strengthening their own soul. The degree of mastery determines the rate of refinement, degree of purity and absorption efficiency."
He held out the jade plaque to Luna. "Here, Sect Leader. I'd like to ask another favor."
Luna took the plaque mechanically, still processing what she'd witnessed.
"Could you sell this at an auction?" Nova asked. "The resources I'll need for cultivation will far exceed normal amounts. A Peak Supreme tier technique should fetch enough to support my advancement for a while."
He paused. "And as payment for your trouble, I'd teach you the technique personally. It might be useful for your own cultivation."
Luna stared at the jade plaque in her hands. A Peak Supreme tier soul-sword technique. Created in seconds from a peak Heaven tier base.
The issue was that - this wasn't a normal Supreme tier technique, it was a technique that could enhance the soul before reaching spirit transformation realm, with no upper limit. This was technically classified as a secret art.
The auction houses would go insane bidding on this. Major sects would empty their treasuries. This single technique could fund Nova's cultivation for years, possibly decades.
"You're giving this to me?" Luna asked carefully. "To sell on your behalf?"
"Yes, Sect Leader. I trust you'll negotiate fair terms."
Trust. He trusts me.
After three hundred years of treating him like furniture, he still trusted her with something this valuable.
Luna nodded slowly. "I'll handle it. The next Continental Auction is in a months. I'll ensure it's featured prominently."
"Thank you, Sect Leader."
"Now," Luna said, settling into a meditation posture. "Teach me this technique. I want to understand what you've created."
They talked for hours. Then the hours stretched into a full day.
Nova explained the technique's principles with perfect clarity. Every modification, every design choice, every subtle interaction between different types of qi. He broke down complex concepts into understandable pieces, demonstrated applications, answered Luna's questions with patience and thoroughness.
Luna, for her part, contributed her own understanding. Her centuries of cultivation experience, her deep knowledge of laws and intents, her mastery of the Primordial Yin-Yang Fusion Scripture—all of it came into play as they discussed the dao together.
It became a true exchange. Not teacher and student, but two cultivators exploring profound truths together.
Luna felt her understanding of laws deepening. Concepts she'd struggled with for decades suddenly became clear. Her Ice Law, Water Law, and Lunar Law—all three already at peak level—gained new dimensions of comprehension. She wasn't advancing in raw power, but in understanding. The kind of insight that would make her future breakthroughs smoother, her techniques more refined.
Nova, meanwhile, absorbed everything. Every insight Luna shared, every principle she explained, every technique she referenced in passing—all of it integrated into his understanding instantly. She could see it happening, see the moment comprehension clicked in his eyes.
His Intent mastery had been solid from all the techniques he'd memorized. But now he was touching true Laws. Not just understanding them intellectually, but beginning to comprehend them at a fundamental level.
By the time they finished, Nova had advanced seventeen different Laws from complete ignorance to early Law comprehension. Things that should have taken centuries to understand, processed and integrated in a day. His forty-three Intents had also sharpened, refined through the lens of Law understanding.
All of his Laws were at early level—barely scratching the surface of what Laws could do—but the foundation was solid. Given time and resources, he could advance them further.
Luna's own progress was less dramatic but still significant. Her peak-level Laws had gained depth and nuance that would have taken decades of isolated meditation.
Finally, as evening approached, they both fell silent.
"I need to consolidate this understanding," Luna said quietly. "And you should do the same."
Nova nodded. "Yes, Sect Leader."
He stood, bowed—that same measured gesture of respect—and moved toward the door.
"Nova," Luna called out just before he reached it.
He turned back.
"That physique of yours," Luna said carefully. "Whatever it is... I've never seen anything like it. Your comprehension alone would make you the most talented individual on this continent. Combined with everything else..."
She paused, choosing her words with care.
"Be very, very careful who learns about this. The resources I can provide are substantial, but they're nothing compared to what other major sects or hidden ancient clans could offer. If they discovered you, they'd either recruit you at any cost or eliminate you as a potential threat. A True Self Realm cultivator like myself is powerful, but there are Mahayana Realm experts who could crush me. And above them... well, let's just say this continent has deeper waters than most realize."
"I understand, Sect Leader."
"Do you?" Luna's eyes met his. "Because I'm not sure I do. What you did today—creating a Supreme tier technique in seconds—that's not just talent. That's something that shouldn't exist in this realm."
Nova held her gaze for a moment, and Luna saw something in his eyes. Knowledge. Understanding. Secrets he couldn't or wouldn't share.
"I'll be careful," he said simply.
Then he was gone.
Luna sat alone in her chambers, the jade plaque containing Nova's technique resting in her palm.
She'd gone from seeing him as a necessary burden to recognizing him as potentially the most dangerous individual she'd ever encountered.
And in three days, she'd need to dual cultivate with him again.
The thought no longer filled her with reluctance.
Instead, she felt... anticipation.
Luna closed her eyes and began to meditate, working to consolidate the insights from their dao discussion.
But part of her mind kept circling back to one question:
What exactly have I bound myself to?
And why did the answer excite her as much as it terrified her?