After Lucien left, neither Annie nor Rachel went to sleep immediately.
The room fell quiet, but the silence wasn't peaceful—it was heavy, filled with lingering tension from everything that had just happened.
Rachel leaned against the wall and glanced at Annie, a trace of curiosity flickering in her eyes.
"Lucien's already gone," she said slowly. "You haven't rested properly all night. Aren't you going to sleep?"
"I will… in a bit," Annie replied absentmindedly.
But her thoughts were nowhere near rest.
The dream.
That moment.
It replayed vividly in her mind.
The cold seawater soaking her body… the faint chill clinging to her skin… and the first thing she had seen when she opened her eyes—
Lucien.
Those deep, dark eyes, calm and steady like an endless ocean.
He hadn't looked particularly imposing at first glance, yet when he held her, his arms were firm, unwavering, strong enough to make everything else feel distant and insignificant.
As long as he was there, the nightmare no longer felt terrifying.
Even Freddy's twisted world had lost its edge.
Annie unconsciously touched her arm, as if she could still feel the warmth of his grip.
Rachel watched her quietly.
It didn't take long for her to understand.
Annie had become famous almost overnight after The Princess Diaries, but beneath that rising star image, she was still just a twenty-one-year-old girl.
And when it came to relationships…
Rachel almost laughed to herself.
Annie, who once seriously considered becoming a nun, practically had no experience at all.
Now, after something like this—
Rachel shook her head slightly, a knowing smile forming on her lips.
Seems like tonight wasn't just about nightmares.
Meanwhile, Lucien and Jamie had already returned to their hotel.
Jamie might have been born into wealth, but Lucien now wasn't lacking in money either. Naturally, he chose a high-end suite without hesitation.
The room was spacious and quiet, with soft lighting casting a warm glow across the polished interior.
Lucien lay back on the large bed, exhaling slowly.
"Money really is useful."
In cultivation, there was a saying—wealth, companions, techniques, and land.
And wealth always came first.
Without resources, even the strongest talent would struggle to grow.
Even in battle, a powerful artifact could completely change the outcome.
Tonight's events had proven that well enough.
Closing his eyes briefly, Lucien began to review everything he had gained from defeating Freddy.
The rewards were… substantial.
First came the new abilities.
Two of them.
His thoughts focused, and information surfaced in his mind.
[Summon: Allows remote retrieval or manipulation of targets.]
Lucien raised an eyebrow slightly.
At first glance, it sounded simple.
Too simple.
"Just telekinesis?" he murmured.
That didn't feel right.
Stretching out his hand, he focused his will.
The TV remote resting on the table across the room trembled, then lifted into the air before flying straight into his palm.
Lucien caught it effortlessly.
"Not just that…"
His gaze sharpened.
There was more depth here.
Wind manipulation had already shown him that supernatural abilities weren't limited to their basic forms. They could evolve—expand—be refined into something far more dangerous.
So what exactly counted as a "target" for Summon?
Objects?
Or something broader?
His eyes drifted toward a glass of water on the table.
A thought formed.
Without hesitation, Lucien stood up and walked into the bathroom. He flicked his wrist, sending droplets of water scattering into the air.
They hovered for a brief moment before falling.
Lucien raised his hand again.
"Summon."
A portion of the falling droplets suddenly changed direction.
They gathered midair, condensing into a small sphere of water before dropping neatly into his palm.
The control was rough.
Incomplete.
But it worked.
Lucien's eyes flashed.
A system notification echoed in his mind.
[Summon proficiency increased.]
So his guess had been correct.
This ability didn't just apply to solid objects.
It could influence matter itself.
Even without mastering water-based techniques, he had just shaped liquid into form.
The implications were… enormous.
Lucien slowly clenched his wet hand, a faint smile appearing.
In the future, this ability could evolve into something far more terrifying.
Storms.
Lightning.
Even natural forces—
All potentially within reach.
He exhaled, calming the rising excitement, and turned his attention to the second ability.
[Foresight: Enhanced perception, capable of sensing and predicting imminent events.]
Compared to Summon, this one felt far more subtle.
But also far more dangerous.
Most people had some degree of instinct—a sixth sense that warned them of danger.
With enough training, some could even react to attacks without seeing them.
But this…
This went beyond instinct.
Prediction.
True foresight.
Lucien's expression grew serious.
This ability meant he could avoid sudden danger before it even happened.
Combined with his other powers—
Especially Dream Merge, the ability he had gained within the nightmare—
His combat capabilities had reached an entirely new level.
"More methods," Lucien muttered softly. "Always better."
He couldn't help but recall the time when he had nothing but brute force.
Back then, every fight had been a gamble.
Now?
He had options.
Control.
Precision.
And most importantly—dominance.
Beyond the abilities, there were other improvements.
Wind manipulation had advanced further.
Netherworld perception had reached completion.
From now on, no spirit or hidden entity could escape his senses.
But what truly caught his attention was something else.
[Jade Purity Realm: 1%]
Lucien's gaze sharpened.
The Yellow Court Scripture had finally reached completion.
In its place—
A new realm.
Jade Purity.
In ancient Taoist traditions, that name belonged to a supreme celestial domain.
But here, it represented a new stage of cultivation.
A higher level of existence.
Lucien could clearly feel the difference.
His internal energy was denser.
His body stronger.
His control sharper.
Everything had improved.
If before he had merely stepped onto the path—
Now, he had truly entered it.
A genuine cultivator.
The benefits were too numerous to count.
After reviewing everything, Lucien glanced at the clock.
2 a.m.
Even for him, the exhaustion was beginning to catch up.
After a quick wash, he lay down and soon drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The next morning, he was awakened by a knock on the door.
"Sir, your breakfast."
Lucien opened the door, accepted the tray, and returned inside.
The aroma alone was enough to surprise him.
After taking a bite, he raised an eyebrow.
"Not bad."
Far better than he expected.
Just as he was finishing, another knock came.
This time, it was Jamie.
And he was carrying his own tray.
Lucien looked at him, amused.
"If I remember correctly, your family is quite wealthy."
Jamie shrugged as he walked in.
"My old man has too many rules. Never liked them."
He sat down casually and began eating.
"With me, food's just food."
Lucien stepped aside, letting him settle in.
Jamie's broad frame, jeans, and plaid shirt made him look more like a countryside laborer than the heir to a fortune.
After finishing his meal, Jamie wiped his mouth and his expression turned serious.
Lucien immediately recognized the shift.
Something important was coming.
Jamie looked at him and said,
"Because of you… Annie and Rachel can finally sleep peacefully."