"Really, thank you, Ancestor!" Mara said playfully, her tone carrying the warmth of a child despite being a grown woman herself. Her fondness for the woman before her was evident, as if she were returning to a time when she could be carefree.
Her ancestor chuckled, pleased by Mara's reaction. "Then you should prepare. I will assist you."
Hearing this, Mara immediately nodded and focused on absorbing more natural energy, refining it into primordial essence. She meticulously filtered it, strengthening her foundation with every breath. But as her absorption rate accelerated, she couldn't help but mutter in amazement.
"Amazing! Ancestor, your cultivation method is incredibly powerful—I can feel my body heating up!" she exclaimed, astonished by the sheer force of the suction pulling in energy. She turned to look at her ancestor with reverence, feeling as if she had unlocked a new understanding of cultivation.
Her ancestor noticed the admiration in Mara's gaze but ignored it, continuing to guide her toward the perfection of the Primal Nexus Realm.
"Focus. Do not let yourself be distracted," her ancestor instructed.
Mara quickly snapped out of her awe and nodded, concentrating on her breakthrough. Hours passed, and soon, the flames flickering around her body intensified—a clear sign that she had reached perfection. An opportunity to break through had arrived, filling her with excitement.
"Incredible! This cultivation method is truly amazing!" Mara marveled. She had only been at the peak stage earlier, yet now she had perfected her realm in mere hours. The sheer speed of her advancement left her stunned.
Her ancestor nodded in acknowledgment. "This is the Dust-to-Divinity Mantra. A single-use cultivation method that forcibly elevates your mediocre talent to something… more decent."
Mara blinked, a hint of regret appearing in her eyes. "It's really a one-time use? That's too bad..."
Noticing her disappointment, her ancestor smirked and said, "You should be grateful. This technique defies the Heavenly Restrictions, forcefully refining your talent. Without it, you would have remained average."
Mara laughed instead of getting offended. "So my talent looks that mediocre in your eyes?" she said playfully. But deep down, she was grateful—this power meant she could stand on her own. No longer would she need to rely on Althea, who had provided for her without expecting anything in return.
A silent vow formed in her heart: One day, I will be strong enough to protect her.
"Enough dawdling. Prepare to receive my next method," her ancestor said, waving her hand.
A flood of memories surged into Mara's mind, forcing her back into a meditative state. Heat radiated from her body as her aura intensified, pushing her toward her next evolution.
As the transformation began, the Ascension Tower trembled. The immense suction force of her breakthrough disturbed the balance of energy, and soon, thunder rumbled in the sky. Dark clouds swirled ominously above the tower, as if the very laws of the God Realm rejected her forced advancement.
RUMBLE…
Lightning coiled through the heavens, shaking the very foundation of the tower. The disturbance was felt by many cultivators in the midst of their own breakthroughs.
"Damn it! What's happening?!" someone exclaimed from within a private cultivation chamber.
More voices followed, filled with confusion and fear. The thunder's oppressive might sent shivers down the spines of even the most confident youths, their instincts warning them of impending disaster.
Meanwhile, Mara remained immersed in her advancement, unaware of the chaos outside. A tiny flame ignited beside her ascendant core, growing with each breath—signaling her transition into the Inferno Realm.
Her ancestor, however, sensed the Heavenly Laws resisting the change and acted swiftly. Soul power surged from her form, enveloping Mara's aura, concealing her presence from divine scrutiny. The storm above the Ascension Tower faltered, unable to pinpoint the anomaly.
"Hmm... The Heavenly Restrictions have grown stronger and more sensitive," her ancestor murmured, an uneasy look crossing her face. "Could this be related to those two geniuses at the rankings…?"
Her mind drifted toward a lingering sense of unease, but she dismissed it, refocusing on Mara's advancement.
After hours of intense refinement, Mara's aura finally stabilized. She had successfully broken through. Her destructive essence solidified, and a new force coursed through her body—the Infernal Mantle had formed.
Slowly, she opened her eyes, the flames within them flickering dangerously.
"So this is the power of the Inferno Realm…" she whispered, her voice tinged with excitement. She clenched her fists, feeling the sheer force of destruction flowing within her. The winds today felt different—stronger, wilder.
"Getting stronger… it's such a strangely addictive feeling," she mused, looking at her ancestor in awe.
Her ancestor's expression darkened. "Do not let arrogance blind you. The God Realm's laws tempt cultivators into this mindset, leading many to their deaths." Her tone was filled with warning, as if recalling something from the past.
Mara shivered at her words, instinctively discarding any reckless thoughts of challenging someone stronger.
"Really, Ancestor? This feeling is overwhelming… like I could trample anyone beneath my feet," she admitted, still marveling at the sensation.
Her ancestor's voice turned solemn. "What you feel is an illusion. Your will must not waver. If you allow this power to consume you, your downfall will be inevitable."
Mara understood the weight of her words and nodded. "Don't worry, Ancestor. I won't let it get to my head," she reassured.
Her ancestor smiled approvingly. "Good. Now, are you satisfied with what this ancestor has done for you?" she teased, her voice carrying a rare trace of playfulness.
Mara grinned. "Very satisfied! I can now control any fire—I can command or create flames at will." The thought of manipulating fire thrilled her, especially after seeing how Inferno Realm Gods used it effortlessly.
Her ancestor chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Yes, you can control fire using destructive essence. But remember—foundation matters. If you encounter someone with a stronger foundation than yours, you will still lose."
Mara nodded seriously. "I understand. My Primal Nexus abilities still remain, right? I can still use the five elements?"
Her ancestor confirmed, "Yes. Your core has only evolved, not changed. You may still use those abilities as they have already integrated into your foundation."
Mara sighed in relief. She enjoyed combining elements to create spells and had worried she would lose that ability upon ascending. Knowing it remained intact reassured her. Without wasting time, she resumed her meditation, further stabilizing her realm.
Her ancestor watched in satisfaction, gazing at Mara with growing fondness.
Meanwhile, in the 19th Heaven Palace…
Ella and Olivia remained blissfully unaware of the disturbance they had caused. Their days had been simple—eating, sleeping, and occasionally training.
Today was no different, except for one thing: Scillia had prepared a cake.
The moment Olivia saw it, she devoured it instantly, leaving Ella and Scillia frozen in disbelief.
A week passed, feeling like nothing more than a fleeting moment. Now, Ella and Olivia sat at a table on their balcony, admiring the mystical landscape of colorful trees, cascading waterfalls, and luminous flora below.
Ella, casually scooping a piece of meat with her fork, suddenly recalled something.
"System, you mentioned a new function, right? We don't have anything to do right now, so let's try the Celestial Summoning Field. It allows us to summon people, doesn't it?"
DING!
[The twin hosts may enter the Divine Space at any time. They may peer across realms and summon an individual using the Celestial Summoning Field.]
▶ [Yes]
▶ [No]