《Archwizard K’s Journey In The Cultivation World》 Prologue: Beyond the stars. Prologue: Beyond the stars. ck! ck! ck! In the dimly lit hallway of the Crimson Magic Tower, aggressive tters of high heels could be heard. The owner of them was a beautiful woman with hair ck as ebony, skin white as snow, and eyes red as blood. She was the master of this very tower, the world''s strongest archwizard, and the pinnacle of magic herselfKierra Scarlett Aspenova. ''''M-Master! Would you please reconsider your decision?!'''' Following her with hurried steps was a timid-looking young girl, resting several thick books in her arms. ''''No. It is final.'''' ''''But...!'''' ''''I made all the preparations to fill in my space already. There should be no confusion on that part.'''' ''''It''s not about that, Master!'''' Before long, they had reached the ritual room. Kierra flung the door open, revealing the spacious interior filled with ingredient shelves and magic scrolls. ''''Stop.'''' She turns around to stare at her disciple, her blood-red eyes as calm as an undisturbedke. ''''You are not allowed to go inside this room.'''' ''''Ugh...'''' ''''This will be the final goodbye, Angelica. Tell everyone... that it was mildly fun staying with them.'''' Angelica could not help but bite her lips in frustration. Although her master was always harsh on everyone, she was also the one who made them who they were. This is her tower, and yet she was leaving for another world... ridiculous! s, she had no choice but to bid goodbye to her lifelong teacher. The door slowly closed as tears began to fall from the corner of Angelica''s eyes. ''''M-Master! We wille and find you! Just wait!'''' ''''You can''t, idiot... stay well.'''' THUD! Kierra smiled bitterly, looking at the closed door a bit before turning away. As she briskly walked toward the center of the room, where a giant magic circle was drawn on the ground, she used telekinesis to gather thousands of different ingredients and floated them behind her. With graceful and precise movements, the intricate partsnded themselves on various ces of the magic circle, just as the woman reached the center. ''''Heed my call, O Ancient One.'''' Her voice, full of dignity and nobleness, rang through the room. Soon after, the space itself shook violently, and a crack appeared above where Kierra was standing. From the abyss beyond the rift, a giant eye devoid of a pupil opens slowly. [So you have decided] The creature beyond the rift ''spoke'' with a neutral voice, looking intently at Kierra. ''''Exactly, my partner. Will you help me?'''' [I shall not refuse] ''''Many thanks. I also shall not disappoint you with a boring adventure.'''' A soft smile bloomed on Kierra''s face. The creature was powerful enough to devours, but the only thing it sought was entertainmentjust like her. Nevertheless, Kierra began to draw mana from her body, just as the creature was doing the same.

''''It all began in nothingness.''''

''''It all returns to nothingness.'''' The two poured their energy into the magic circle and sessfully ignited a blinding white light from the magic paint. The parts scattered on the ground started to levitate, each linking their energy to a part of the intricate form. They shone brilliantly like stars in the night sky, creating a dreamy scene of a gxy in which Kierra was the singrity.

''''In other words, nothingness is life and yet death.''''

''''In life, we seek joy. In death, we seek sce.'''' Once again, the space itself shook, this time even more intensely than thest. An enormous amount of mana began to swirl inside the room, blowing the shelves away.

''''Beyond space, beyond the stars.''''

''''O Almighty Magic.''''

''''Bring me to a ce of tion.'''' Gradually, it was getting brighter and brighter, just as Kierra''s heart was beating faster and faster. She had longed for an exciting adventure for too long; she couldn''t wait anymore! The light engulfed Kierra.

''''Transcend the stars!'''' Case 1: The awakening. Case 1: The awakening. Central Divine Realm. A woman was awoken by the loud blowing sounds of the wind. Laying on the ratherfortable grass of the vast in, she silently stared at the blue sky. The pitch-ck wizard robe tailored for the master of the Crimson Magic Tower she wore made her stand out in the sea of green, like a piece of boba in the matcha milk tea that she''d drunk the day before. ''''...'''' Kierra raised her hand and spread it out before closing it into a fist. ''''Yes...!'''' She rejoiced. Who would''ve thought that her star-transcending ritual actually worked?! She knew right away that this was not her old world; after all, there was only one yellow sun here instead of four colorful ones. Kierra sat up and grabbed the giant witch hat lying nearbyher favorite piece of clothingand put it on before slowly rising to her feet. ''Let''s take a stock first.'' Firstly, she''d sessfully traveled to another universe entirely, which was good. She couldn''t wait to start exploring this world. But there was a problem: her mana reserve was currently in a state of near depletion. She''d reckon she only had around a tenth of her normal amount. The spells that she could do and the number of mythical creatures she could summon were quite limited. She couldn''t call her partner either; what a drag. Now, that didn''t mean that she was weak. Well, technically yes, but her ''weak'' is worldly different from the normal ''weak''. ''It''s fortunate that my mana circles are still fine.'' She was confident that she wouldn''t lose to any ordinary archwizard, even with only a tenth of her mana pool. And it seemed like the energy familiar to her was present in this world as well, so she could recover slowly over time. Slowly, because her mana cap was simply too high. ''''...Hm?'''' Besides that, though, she also felt another type of energy flowing in the earth, just very faintly. Interesting. Either way, now that she''d grasped the general situation, it was time to find out if there were any people here. Kierra closed her eyes and began to spread out her mana, scanning for energy sources in the radius. Even normal folks had mana inside their bodies, albeit small, so unless they were strong people capable of hiding their mana together with their presence, nothing could escape Kierra''s keen sense. Eventually, Kierra found a rather unusual bunch of people in the distance. Their bodies did not have any mana; instead, there was that same energy that she felt in the earth, concentrated in their abdomens. And they appeared to be... fighting? ''Very interesting.'' Curiosity poked at her brain. Kierra used telekinesis to lift herself into the air before flying in the direction where she felt the energy. Kierra''s witch hat and robe fluttered in the wind. Looking around intently with her crimson eyes, she could see that there were tall mountain ranges surrounding this in. The peaks were all covered with white clouds, but she could easily make out the shapes of different houses and castles on some of them. The scene was somewhat dreamy, if Kierra had to describe it. Before long, she''d finally arrived at the location. On the ground were two wounded women who appeared to be desperately fighting against a group of people. That group of people wasposed of a rtively handsome man, a fierce-looking woman, three more people, and a dignified-looking middle-aged man standing aside. One of the two women shouted something, but Kierra couldn''t understand it. To better grasp the situation, she figured that it would be better to find out what they were arguing about first, though her heart had already tilted toward the two poor-looking women. ''''Come to me, Sylph.'''' Following Kierra''s gentle call, a small orb of green appeared beside her. It was Sylphthe low wind spirit. ''''Grant me the power to understand their words.'''' [Kyu!] The orb danced around a bit, then infused its power into Kierra. ''''How terrible of you, Lightning Tiger Sect! This is daylight robbery! You all should be ashamed!'''' ''''Stop babbling, poor little girls. That pill should not be wasted on trash like you. Hand it over!'''' ''''No! We found it first!'''' ''''How stubborn!'''' ''...That young man sure talks a lot of crap.'' Either way, seeing that the group was about to beat up the two women again, Kierra removed her passive camouge magic andnded right between them. ''''Stop. You lot, fall back.'''' Kierra''s dignified voice rang through the space. The people were all frozen in shock. Not only because they''d never seen someone dressed in weird clothes like her, but also because of the otherworldly beauty that this woman possessed. '''''''' ... '''''''' After a bit of awkward silence, the people finally snapped out of their trance. Did they really freeze in front of this woman?! She didn''t even have a cultivation base! A normal woman! ''''You''d better get out, strange woman. I don''t want to hurt innocent people!'''' The handsome man tightened his hand, holding the sword, and red at Kierra. ''Aren''t you robbing these two girls...?'' ''''I appreciate your intention, but you can''t do anything against them'''' One of the girls tried to grab Kierra''s shoulder, but her hand was caught instantly. ''''You, are you sure you''re being robbed?'''' gulp! There was something in Kierra''s voice that made people nervous. It was as if they were facing a mountain that could never be surpassed. ''''Y-Yes, but...'''' Kierra decided that it was fine to trust these girls for now. She could beat them upter if they were lying anyway. ''''I warned youACK!!''''

?Wind st4? A magic circle was constructed in the blink of an eye before Kierra, and with a flick of her finger, an intense gust of wind came out, blowing the entire group of people away. ''''Ugh... what?!'''' Except the middle-aged man, it seemed. He somehow persevered by stabbing his sword into the ground. Kierra also felt that the mysterious energy helped him block her spell as well. ''''You! How did you do it when I couldn''t feel anything from you?!'''' The man angrily questioned. ''''...?'''' Why should she answer that? ''''No, no way, it can''t be...!'''' The man''s pupils trembled. ''''??'''' What now? ''''Fusion stage...!! Answer me, whose sect''s elder are you?!'''' '''''''' Fusion stage...! '''''''' The two women behind Kierra gasped, snapping out of their confusion after seeing Kierra''s strength earlier. Kierra, meanwhile, felt that this was all too dramatic and sillyshe just wanted to quickly get over it. So she did what any sensible person would, pping the man in the back of his head real hard with telekinesis. ''''ACK?!'''' The man hugged his head, quivering in pain and wheezing. Confusion soon turned into anger; the man burst out every ounce of his qi and began to chant something. ''Oh, this might be interesting?'' Kierra waited patiently in anticipation of the foreign spell, while the two women were shivering in fear. ''''...'''' Well, this is quite awkward. It had been almost half a minute, yet the man was still chanting. If this was a real battle to the death, Kierra would''ve destroyed this man a thousand times over. What was wrong with these people...? Eventually, though, the chant waspleted. ''''I summon you, Great Ancient Dragon of Gold!'''' From behind the man, a long snake-like figure shot itself into the sky and floated there. It had magnificent jaws full of sharp teeth, thick and glossy golden scales, and a pair of fierce slit-red eyes ring at her. In the eyes of Kierra though, it was nothing more than... a big snake. ''How disappointing.'' Kierra sighed and snapped her finger. ''''August.'''' GRAHH!!! A roar so loud that it shook heaven and earth could be heard. From behind Kierra and the girls, a giant beast soared into the sky. It was the Queen Dragon of FireAugust. With her huge wings, blood-red scales, and a menacing mouth that could breathe out metal-melting fire, she was Kierra''s first familiar. KIEEEEEK!! The three people besides the archwizard had their jaws dropped. They stared in horror as August mercilessly devoured the golden dragon with ease, tearing it apart like a simple snack. Kierra nodded in satisfaction. Maintaining August with her current mana was quite wasteful, though, so she called her dragon back right after the golden snake died. ''''Now'''' '''''''' Hiii...!! '''''''' Kierra turned around and was about to console the robbery victims, but she was instead greeted by two cowering girls, who looked like they were about to cry anytime. ''...I really should''ve just beat that guy quickly instead of waiting.'' s. Case 2: White Lotus Sect. Case 2: White Lotus Sect. gulp! Walking meekly behind the strange woman, Bai Qing could not help but gulp nervously. Previously, she and her junior martial sister went out toplete a task from her sect and luckily found a Foundation Establishment Pill. On the way back, though, they were ambushed by the people of the Lightning Tiger Sect. They were tailing them all along! When all hope was lost, somehow this woman appeared and easily took care of those people, including an elder of that sect. She even healed the two. Too strong! ''So this is theposure of a Fusion Stage cultivator...'' Bai Qing and the little martial sister looked at the woman''s back in admiration. In reality, Kierra didn''t even know what a cultivator was, she''d barely calmed the girls down after chasing that man away. Kierra was thanked repeatedly, then got an offer to follow them so they could ''repay this debt''. Needless to say, Kierra agreed. She had nowhere to go anyway. ''''So, what did that man do?'''' Suddenly, Kierra spoke, her step never stopped. ''''You mean...?'''' Bai Qing asked. ''''Literally, what spell did that man cast? I''ve never seen it before.'''' ''''Eh? Erm...'''' Bai Qing pondered. ''''I think he just made a dragon out of his qi...?'''' The three fell into a brief silence as Kierra was processing what in the hell was ''qi''. ''''...Firstly.'''' Kierra said. ''''Calling that thing a dragon is an insult to real dragons. Got it?'''' ''''Y-Yes...!'''' ''''Secondly, exin to me what ''qi'' is.'''' (???) (???) ''Huh?'' The two girls were confused as hell. Was she trolling? ''''So... qi is essentially the life force that exists in all things. It can be cultivated by people who are qualified and be used for many things...'''' Bai Qing exined anyway. ''''The energy inside your body right now is also qi?'''' Kierra turned back and stared at them expressionlessly. ''''Y-Yes. Um... are you testing us...?'''' ''''No?'''' They continued walking. Kierra decided not to ask anything further, mainly because she thought that the scope she was dealing with was much bigger than she''d expected. She wanted a whole session in a calm ce. ''This is exciting.'' In any case, the fact that the people here got stronger by harnessing apletely different energy than mana piqued her interest. And it seemed like they couldn''t feel mana as well. How peculiar. Eventually, the three decided to up their speed by switching to flight. They quickly arrived at Qinling Peakone of the four peaks belonging to the White Lotus Sect, of which Bai Qing was the first disciple. When Kierra flew here, she''d noticed there was some kind of protective arrangement surrounding this whole peak range as well. She could easily break through it, but the structure of it was interesting nheless. ''''Thank you so much for this, elder martial sister!'''' ''''Don''t worry about it; go back and try your best.'''' The little martial sister left with the pill. Bai Qing was already in the middle of the Foundation Establishment Stage, so she didn''t particrly need that pill. ''''Now, now. Please follow me, dear benefactor.'''' Bai Qing turned to Kierra. ''''Alright.'''' Kierra followed Bai Qing into a rtively big house on the peak. The architecture was certainly foreign for the archwizard, but she thought that this wasn''t bad for a poor house. Inside the house, Kierra could feel eight or nine more girls, some staying in their own rooms alone, some gathered in groups. And above all, a woman stronger than all of these girls, including Bai Qing, was in arge room. And that was precisely where Bai Qing took her. ck! ''''Master, I''m back.'''' On the excessivelyrge tatami floor, a woman is sitting serenely in a lotus position. She wore a bleach-white cultivation robe, which was in total contrast with her pitch-ck hair that cascaded down her shoulder to the floor. The woman slowly opened her eyes, revealing a pair of brilliant purple eyeslike amethysts. Those,bined with her exquisite facial and body features, created an unreasonable beauty. ''''So you have.'''' The woman spoke, her voice soft, almost like a whisper. ''''Come inside; I''m sure you have something to tell me.'''' She looked at Kierra. Because Kierra was used to sitting on chairs, not on floors, she made a simple wooden chair and sat down. Besides, she liked looking at things from above. '''''''' ... '''''''' ''''...Let me introduce both sides first.'''' Bai Qing cleared her throat before she spoke. ''''This person here is Yu Chenthe martial master of Qinling Peak, also my master.'''' Yu Chen nodded at Kierra, and Kierra nodded at Yu Chen. ''''And this person is my benefactor, Kie-Kierr...'''' ''''Kierra Scarlett Aspenova.'''' The archwizard corrected Bai Qing, who seemed to be struggling to pronounce her name. Kierra then nodded at Yu Chen, and Yu Chen nodded at Kierra. ''''Yes, so what happened was'' Bai Qing told the whole story to Yu Chen, who quietly listened, only frowning when the ambush was mentioned. ''''...I see. So that was what happened...'''' Yu Chen said quietly; glimpses of cold murderous intent could be seen in her eyes. ''''Don''t worry, Bai Qing; I will not tolerate this kind of behavior from them.'''' ''''M-Master...!'''' ''''I will make them pay the price. Let me use [Divine Sight] to look for them.'''' Bai Qing watched intently, and admiration filled her eyes. [Divine Sight] was a skill almost exclusive to her master, allowing her to peer into far distancesan omniscient eye! Yu Chen''s eyes began to glow intensely. ''''Hm... it seems as though they are back at their sect.'''' Yu Chen said. ''''They seem quite angry.'''' ''''Exactly. And... Hm?'''' The two people of Qinling looked nkly at Kierra, whose left eye now had a brilliant golden color. (???) (???) ''''What?'''' Yu Chen tilted her head in confusion. ''''What?'''' Kierra asked back. ?irvoyance7?a spell that Kierra frequently used. It allowed her to peer into far distances, which... was basically the same as Yu Chen''s skill. '''''''' ... '''''''' '''''''' ... '''''''' Silence filled the room. Bai Qing was seriously thinking about the possibility of the woman in front of her being an Immortal! What bullshit is this?! Yu Chen was equally stunned. She didn''t at all imagine that there would be a day in her life when her skill would be used by somebody else. The silence didn''tst for much longer, though, as Yu Chen had finished looking for her enemies'' positions. ''''In any case, allow me to say thank you, Kierra.'''' Yu Chen bows her head lightly toward the woman in the chair. ''''My disciples are very precious to me; I don''t know how to repay you enough...'''' Bai Qing gasped. She had never seen her master bow her head before, not even to the sect leader! Who was Yu Chen? The genius of the millennia, the Phantom Sword of Yunluo, and the hope of the White Lotus Sect! ''''If so.'''' Kierra replied calmly. ''''I need you to answer me a few questions.'''' ''Let the fun begin.'' Kierra was ready to learn everything about these ''cultivators''. Case 3: A wizard and a cultivator. Case 3: A wizard and a cultivator. '''''''' ... '''''''' Sitting with Kierra alone in her room, Yu Chen was confused, and rightfully so. For saving her precious disciples'' lives, she''d expected Kierra to demand some precious magic tools or pills, and she was ready to pay it, however... ''Tell me everything you know about cultivators.'' This person, whom Yu Chen thought was a hidden cultivator in her Fusion Stage, just asked her to recite the most elementary bits of knowledge... was this a new kind of insult? But upon careful observation, Yu Chen thought there might be more than that. Although the strange woman''s face was always devoid of emotion, Yu Chen had a feeling that she was genuinely curious. She had lived for almost eight hundred years, and this was the first time she had met someone as peculiar as this. ''''I see how it is.'''' Eventually, Kierra spoke up. She''d learned that the people of this world also seek strength, wealth, and fame, but above all, they seek immortality. By cultivating the energy called ''qi'', they were able to extend their lifespans, get stronger, and eventually ascend to a higher realm and be an ''Immortal''. In reality, this concept had somewhat existed back in Kierra''s world as well. If you surpassed a certain level in harnessing mana, you could theoretically stop agingpletely. Kierra herself had also lived for a good five hundred years before she got bored and tried to get here, and she was confident she could exist until the end of time. In any case, through questioning, it seemed as though the people here didn''t have a perception of mana. The question of why remained, and another question rosewhy was she able to perceive qi, their energy? ''''...Um.'''' Yu Chen spoke, breaking Kierra''s train of thought. ''''Are you really not a cultivator...?'''' ''''I am not.'''' Kierra replied. ''''Then, what are you... no, excuse me. My curiosity got the better of me.'''' ''''I don''t mind. I am a wizard,'''' Kierra proudly proimed. ''''I use a different kind of energy instead of qi; you just need to know that.'''' ''''A wizard...'''' Yu Chen muttered. The room fell into silence once again. Both of them were people of few words, and they had a lot to think about in the first ce. ''''...Yu Chen, was it?'''' ''''Yes?'''' ''''I have a proposal for you.'''' Kierra stood up from her chair and walked closer to the window, where she could see the beautiful afternoon in in its entirety. Yu Chen''s eyes followed the archwizard. She felt nervous for some reason. After a brief pause, Kierra turned around and looked at Yu Chen; her eyes seemed to glow with excitement. No, amusement might be more correct. ''''Would you like to join my Wizard Tower?'''' Kierra wanted to erect another Crimson Tower. This time, it would be a ''magic x cultivation'' type of tower. Kierra was excited. ''''...Yes?'''' ''''You can imagine it as a sect for wizards. You see, I used to own one beforeing here, and I want to re-establish it again.'''' ''''But I''m not a wizard...?'''' ''''I can teach you to be one.'''' A slight smile appeared on Kierra''s face. ''''Just in time, I am also interested in your ''cultivation''.'''' Kierra walked calmly toward Yu Chen before putting her mouth right next to the woman''s ear. ''''I can help you get stronger, and you can help me get stronger. Great deal, isn''t it?'''' Kierra whispered, and a hint of coquettishness could be heard in her sweet voice. ''''?!'''' Yu Chen, who always prided herself on keepingposure in any situation, nearly jumped. Kierra''s whisper tickled her brain like no other, making every single strand of hair on her body stand. Her steady heartbeat became irregr, thumping fast and loud. ''''Well, think about it,'''' Kierra whispered once more before retreating. ''''...'''' Looking at Kierra, who was now staring out the window again, Yu Chen could only think Too strong...! That woman''s temptations were like a demon''s, sweet and alluring to no end. She''d barely resisted the urge to push her down...! Meanwhile, Kierra was secretly smugging in her heart. ''Too easy.'' She''d learned in her long life that this was the optimal strategy to achieve what she wanted in a dealpulling the opponent into a trance. She didn''t even need to offer a single strand of hair to the opponent; most of the time, just her voice was enough to ensnare them. In reality, there was only one woman whom Kierra was forced to use this tactic on. She could suppress just about any opponent with her magic anyway. Here, however, she had limited mana, and she wanted to keep an amicable rtionship with these people, so she chose not to go the violent way. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Yu Chen finally spoke up. ''''I am indeed interested in joining, but first, you need to rify'''' THUD!! The door suddenly flung open, and a panicked Bai Qing broke in. ''''Master, it''s urgent!'''' ''''Tell me what happened.'''' Yu Chen immediately stood up, her eyebrows furrowed. ''''The people of the Lightning Tiger Sect havee here for revenge...!" ''''Shameless...!'''' Intense qi escaped Yu Chen''s body. She was enraged. Not only did they dare to ambush her disciples, but now they even had the gall toe here to get revenge after being beaten up?! From the stand on the wall, a sword quickly flew into Yu Chen''s hand. ''''Lead me. I will confront them directly.'''' ''''Y-Yes!'''' Bai Qing replied nervously. It was exceptionally rare to see her master this mad. So the two of themno, the three of themflew out of Qinling Peak toward the entrance of the White Lotus Sect. Kierra followed quietly; she was curious about how Yu Chen would fight. Before long, they could see dozens of people standing right outside the protective array surrounding the sect. Kierra recognized the rtively handsome young man, the fierce-looking woman, and the middle-aged man, among others. They were confronting a few disciples of the White Lotus Sect. ''''You shameless lot!'''' Yu Chennded right in front of the group and shouted; her voice rang loudly but somehow kept its original elegance. ''''You dare toe here after hurting my disciples...!'''' Yu Chen pulled out her sword and began to channel dark energy into it. The sheer amount of energy radiating from her was enough to make some weaker disciples of the Lightning Tiger Sect faint. ''''Everyone, it''s that woman!'''' The handsome young man pointed directly at Kierra. ''''That woman was the one who beat us!'''' Immediately, all eyes were on Kierra. ''Hm, this is quite troublesome.'' In the crowd, Kierra could sense that four people were on a totally different level from the rest, including the middle-aged man with the fake dragon earlier. They were not quite as strong as Yu Chen, though. ''''I see.'''' An old man, who appeared to be their leader, spoke. ''''Phantom Sword, hand over that woman. We have no business with you.'''' ''''Do you think I would let you lot go?'''' Yu Chen immediately shot back. ''''You can''t match all of us. The only hope you have is your bedridden sect leader. Isn''t that right?'''' He sneered. Yu Chen bit her lips. She really wanted to shred these bastards into pieces...! Meanwhile, Kierra was calcting. ''Is it worth my mana to take care of these guys...'' She wouldn''t risk summoning August anymore; it would cost her too much mana. If she were to fight, she would have to finish it quickly with several restrictions, but in return, she could earn the White Lotus Sect''s gratitude, or at least Yu Chen''s, for taking care of her enemies. ''Well, these guys are not much anyway.'' So Kierra stepped up. ''''Keep squirming, insects.'''' Case 4: You wish for a revenge, you get a beating. Case 4: You wish for a revenge, you get a beating. ''''Keep squirming, insects.'''' Kierra''s firm voice rang through the space. Immediately, the disciples of both sects had their faces turned blue. Did she just call the elders of the Lightning Tiger Sect insects?! It seemed as though they would see a woman being ripped to pieces here, and such a beautiful one, too. s. Needless to say, the elders, who were now ''insects'', had veins popping on their foreheads, clearly enraged. They red at Kierra; the pure qi radiating from their bodies made even more disciples faint. ''If you''re going to make them faint like this, why bother bringing them?'' Kierra sighed in her heart. These people, she swore, all had anger management issues. ''''Kierra, let me take care of them.'''' Yu Chen put her hand on the archwizard''s shoulder. ''''You stand back.'''' Kierra firmly said. ''''They came here looking for me in the first ce, and don''t you want to see how amazing my magic is?'''' ''''But...'''' Yu Chen hated to admit it, but she didn''t have the confidence to take care of those elders. She was only in the middle of the Soul Transformation Stage, and they had two people at the same level as her, plus two in the early tier of the same stage as well. No matter how much Yu Chen was stronger than usual, she couldn''t beat them one on four. It was also true that she wanted to see how Kierra would fight. Eventually, Yu Chen spoke up meekly, biting her lips. ''''Please...'''' ''''Good.'''' Kierra nodded contently. ''''Done with your farewell?'''' The old man said annoyedly, pacing back and forth a bit. ''''Let us go to a suitable ce, then we fight.'''' ''''Sure.'''' Kierra began to think that the overly righteous pretense of these people was not too bad now. Back in her world, useless babbling like this would only get you a fireball in the mouth. Three minutester, everyone had moved to the middle of the in. Kierra stood calmly and firmly, facing four elder cultivatorsone middle-aged man, one old man, and two old women. In her head, Kierra was going through the endless selection of spells she could use, although most of her favorite ones were now unavable. Finally, she decided to choose a non-lethal spell, by her standard, mostly because she didn''t want to kill. She had something nned for these idiots anyway. The wind blew. On the other side, the old man Lu Shengzhong, who was the vice sect leader of the Lightning Tiger Sect, was secretly sweating. ''What the hell were you thinking, stupid sect leader...!'' He, as well as the two old female elders, were just fishing peacefully like normal when this idiot, useless piece of newly elected elder came and insisted they ''take revenge for the sect''. Who the hell was going to fight a cultivator at Fusion Stage?! You poked them; you got beaten; you deserved it! Unfortunately, the three couldn''t refuse because the equally useless young master of the sect joined in, and the senile sect leader royally spoiled this young idiot, so the old people were basically forced by him to go kill themselves. (p) He really wanted to punch the hell out of this arrogant brat. s. They also had to survive. Although they looked old, they still had thousands of years ahead of them. Lu Shengzhong nced at the two old women, and they quickly exchanged nods. ''Let''s throw this match!'' Their final hope was to obediently get beaten and hope that the woman wouldn''t kill them, then go back and make the sect leader fight her himself! Their reputation would be damaged, but it was much better than death. ''''Right when this spirit stone hits the ground, we will begin.'''' Lu Shengzhong held out an ordinary spirit stone. As he flicked it into the air, millions of gears were turning in his mind pce. Okay, so he should go all-out for a bit, then pretend to have slipped up, letting the opponent to snap! '''''''' ?!? '''''''' It happened too fast. With a single snap from Kierra, hundredsno, thousandsof magic circles instantly appeared in the air, surrounding the battlefield like a dome. 0.1 seconds. That was the time needed for Kierra''s magic circles toplete, delivering a rain of magical bullets.

?Bullet Hell6? This spell, or rather, a cluster of spells, had pretty good power and didn''t cost all that much mana, so it was a fine choice for Kierra. On the other side, the four elders hurriedly defended by forming shields with their qi. ''Ridiculous...!'' Lu Shengzhong gritted his teeth. What incredible power! By this point, the grass field had be barren from the rain of magicing from Kierra. But it just kept going. Kierra let out a slight yawn, covering her mouth with her palm elegantly. She didn''t need any sleep, but boring fights always had her yawning like this. The old man desperately thought of a way to retaliate, but there was virtually no chance he could survive if he just abandoned his guard for a second. ''Wait, wasn''t we supposed to lose anyway...?'' His brain finally recovered. ''''W-We lost! We lost!'''' Lu Shengzhong''s panicked voice sounded, prompting Kierra to cancel her magic. ''''Well, that was underwhelming,'''' Kierra said, ncing at the audience. ''As expected, they''re mesmerized by my magic.'' Kierra giggled in her heart. With this, they were guaranteed to join her magic tower, yes. ''''It''s not over yet!'''' Suddenly, the middle-aged elder shouted. ''''For the honor of our sectACK?!'''' Lu Shengzhong hurriedly pped the heck out of this fool, instantly making him faint. = ( `*) He almost died right there. ''''I apologize, Lord... Erm...'''' ''''Kierra Scarlett Aspenova.'''' ''''Yes, Lord Kierra.'''' Lu Shengzhong''s voice changed dramatically, on his face now was a capitalist smile. ''''It seems as though we were too arrogant andmitted a sin deserving death against you. If you could please spare us, we will deliver to you our heartfeltpensation as soon as possible.'''' ''''You don''t need to,'''' Kierra responded, her face emotionless. ''''Are you the leader of your sect?'''' ''''N-No, not at all, Lord Kierra.'''' ''''Then go back and tell your leaderI will take over your entire sect in two days.'''' The wind blew. '''''''' ... '''''''' Everyone was speechless, dumbfounded, and very possibly bamboozled...! Granted, the Lightning Tiger Sect wasn''t a prestigious sect at all, but it was still a fine one. However, this woman wanted to take over the entire sect?! ''''What are you dazing for? Go.'''' Kierra put a bit more power into her voice, which instantly sent chills to the elders. ''''Y-Yes!'''' The elders grabbed their disciples, both conscious and unconscious, and quickly ran away. Kierra calmly walked back to Yu Chen and Bai Qing. ''''How was it? Interested in magic yet?'''' She asked Yu Chen. ''''D-Definitely...'''' Yu Chen gulped nervously. ''''Um, if I may...'''' ''''Speak.'''' ''''Could you take a look at our sect leader, perhaps...?'''' ''''I''m no doctor.'''' ''''I know. It''s just... I don''t want to abandon hope.'''' Yu Chen''s face turned bitter at that sentence. The sect leader of White Lotus had been infected with a rare disease thirty years ago. It was tamed at first, but gradually, it ate away the sect leader''s vitality, energy, mind, and everything. Now, she couldn''t even stay up for more than two hours a day anymore. Yu Chen desperately tried to find a way to cure it, but ultimately, nothing worked. So although extremely unlikely, she still wanted Kierraa ''wizard'' that used apletely foreign energy, to diagnose the sect leader. ''''...'''' Seeing the pleading eyes of Yu Chen, Kierra couldn''t help but think about her first disciple. She was weak against these kinds of things. ''''...Well, lead the way.'''' Case 5: Sick master, horny disciple. Case 5: Sick master, horny disciple. White Lotus Sect, main hall. ck! ck! ck! Kierra and Yu Chen were walking in the hallway. The archwizard''s heels ttered rather loudly, catching the attention of people. ''''Hey, who''s that woman...?'''' ''''How the hell would I know? More importantly, why is she together with Master Yu Chen...?'''' Yu Chen had a history of shutting herself inside her room to cultivate for long periods of time, so when people saw her walking around like this with a strange woman, no less, they would definitely have to gossip. ''''Wait, Master Yu Chen. May I ask, what are you doing here?'''' An old man appeared. He looked quite on guard, eyeing Kierra in particr. ''''Elder Xing.'''' Yu Chen replied. ''''I am on my way to meet my master.'''' ''''...And this woman is?'''' ''''She is a powerful cultivator in the Fusion stage; I can verify it.'''' ''''Fusion stage...!!'''' With that excuse, they were able to get past the elder. Yu Chen led Kierra up to the highest floor of the building, where they had to go through another hallway. At the end of it was arge and rtively luxurious-looking door. Yu Chen opened it carefully, revealing a spacious room with all kinds of high-quality things in itbookshelves, worktables, arge balcony, a whole corner for bonsai, and many more. What caught Kierra''s eye the most, though, was a simple white bed in the middle of the room. The design of it was fine, but it didn''t exactly match the ''grandness'' of everything else. Lying on the bed unconscious was a beautiful but visibly sick womana sickly beauty. She had bleach-white long hair and exquisite facial features that shone through the cover of sickness. Kierra frowned slightly. ''''Please.'''' Yu Chen ced two chairs beside the bed, looking at Kierra nervously. ''Did I do something wrong...?'' Kierra, on the other hand, was surprised. This woman in front of her... had mana sickness. ''Interesting, extremely interesting.'' The long-gone fire of passion in the archwizard''s heart began to ignite once again. She finally found something that she was curious about after hundreds of years! How did this woman gain the perception of mana? Howe only she did? Howe she didn''t realize that she was storing mana in her body? Howe ''''Ahem.'''' In any case, Kierra was determined to learn all about this. ''''Yu Chen. Tell me all about the ''disease'' that this woman has.'''' ''''...Her name is Tian Yun.'''' ''''Yes, Tian Yun. Now, tell me.'''' ''''Well... for starters, this disease is called the ''ghost'' disease, mainly due to its symptoms being simr to how a ghost would slowly haunt you and take away your vitality, your mind, and eventually your life.'''' This matched exactly what Kierra knew. Mana sickness was a rtivelymon disease among wizards, especially novice ones, who had to constantly deal with mana. It could be exined briefly as mana getting clogged in certain blood vessels due tock of management, leading to lost functionalities of the body and eventually death if not treated. ''''Continue.'''' ''''The people who were known to have this disease are extremely rare, and unfortunately, no one survived. No one had been able to cure or even slow down its progress remotely.'''' Yu Chen bit her lips lightly. ''''Hm, I see.'''' Kierra nodded calmly in response. ''So there were others.'' Well, that was all Kierra wanted to know. There was nothing particrly more to gain. So she stood up and took off her hat, cing it on the bed. ''''Fortunately for you, I know the cure for this,'''' She said, taking off her outer robe. ''''Really?!'''' Yu Chen eximed; she was beyond bewildered and excited right now. ''''Yes,'''' Kierra replied calmly, unbuttoning her shirt. ''''I will treat her now, so strip her naked for me.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' (???) ''''...Excuse me?'''' Yu Chen was dumbfounded. ''''You can leave her underwear on.'''' Kierra looked calmly at Yu Chen, who was now on fire after realizing that she had been staring at the archwizard''s almost naked body. ''''Hurry up. I don''t like exposing my skin like this.'''' Hearing Kierra''s somewhat irritated voice, Yu Chen snapped out. ''''Y-Yes...!'''' She quickly used qi to sit Tian Yun up and take off her outerwear while repeatedly apologizing in her heart. Then, Kierra, in her mature ck underwear and thigh-highs, climbed onto the bed and sat right in front of Tian Yun. gulp! Yu Chen gulped nervously as Kierra put her hands on Tian Yun''s waist and closed the distance. To fix this problem, Kierra just needed to unclog the blood vessels inside Tian Yun''s body and then create a mana circle for her to stabilize the mana. Touching flesh like this was the optimal methodfast and effectivebut in the eyes of the inexperienced Yu Chen, it seemed quite different. ''T-Their chests are pressing against each other...!'' The room was hot. Nevertheless, Kierra touched her forehead with Tian Yun''s and began to take control of the mana inside the woman''s body. Slowly, she unclogged the spots one by one, using her divine control of mana. Both her and Tian Yun''s bodies shone a dim blue. After only two minutes, everything was clean. Even Yu Chen, who was ''studying'' this treatment intently, couldn''t help but notice that Tian Yun''s face seemed much better. Now was the time to make a mana circle. The first circle was easy to make, but when you reached the tenth onethe highest known to mankind, as Kierra dideverything was different. In any case, Kierra used her own mana to construct a simple circle around Tian Yun''s heart, then began to link it to the beating organ, making sure that the circle was connected with all the blood vessels. She had also noticed a core filled with dense qi located near Tian Yun''s womb. This was the first time she''d had a chance to look at a core, or, as the people here said, dantian, closely. ''''...Done.'''' Kierra pulled away after double-checking Tian Yun''s state. She quickly got off the bed and put on her shirt, leaving the rest on the bed. ''''T-That fast?'''' Yu Chen stared nkly at Kierra. ''''Yes. She should wake up fine in a day or so.'''' Kierra replied. ''''I see...'''' Yu Chen was skeptical. But it was also undeniable that Tian Yun looked much better now. ''''Now, what is your answer?'''' Kierra sat down on the chair again, this time facing Yu Chen. Yu Chen immediately knew what Kierra was talking about. She began to think of what the woman in front of her did in just less than a day. She saved Yu Chen''s disciples. She beat Yu Chen''s enemies. She cured Yu Chen''s master. ''''...I want to join your wizard tower.'''' Yu Chen answered with a determined face. Kierra had done so much for her; if she dared to let her down here, would she be able to call herself a woman of integrity? Absolutely not! Even if Kierra made her go through torture, she would still want to join, just to repay this woman! Yu Chen''s determination rose to the sky and pierced through heaven. At this moment, even the perfectly shaped and milky pair of thighs in front of her could not be a distraction. ''''Good.'''' Kierra nodded contently; her blood-red lips rarely curled up. Yu Chen was momentarily surprised by this change. ''''...Now, please tell me what I need to do first.'''' ''''To be qualified as a member of the wizard tower, you first need to be a wizard,'''' Kierra replied. ''''So I will help you form a mana circle. It is first step to bing a wizard.'''' ''''A mana circle?'''' ''''It is simr to your dantian in nature. I just made one for your sect leader.'''' ''''You mean... you will do the same for me, including the touching...?'''' ''''Yes.'''' This was the most excited Yu Chen had ever been in her life. Case 6: Flesh to flesh. Case 6: Flesh to flesh. ''''Mhm...'''' Inside Tian Yun''s room, Kierra and Yu Chen were nearly hugging each other, standing. This was the first time Yu Chen had hugged anyone other than her parents eight hundred years ago, not to mention in her underwear. Kierra''s body was extremely soft to the touch, refreshingly cold, and had an intoxicating scent that could captivate just about any soul in this realm. Worse, their heights were simr, so Yu Chen was able to admire Kierra''s divine face in close proximity. Needless to say, the martial master of Qinling Peak was beyond flustered. ''''Stop moving.'''' Kierra, on the other hand, couldn''t properly focus on making a mana circle because of how much Yu Chen was wiggling her body. It didn''t help that the woman didn''t have an ounce of mana, so Kierra had to slowly and carefully introduce the foreign energy into her body. gulp! Yu Chen gulped nervously and began to calm herself down. This was just a trial, yes. A trial to be a wizard... ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Silence filled the room. Kierra closed her eyes to focus. It turns out that doing this was much harder than she''d expected, but it was definitely possibleeverything wasfor the best wizard in the universe. The archwizard''s mana began to sip into Yu Chen''s body. Slowly, from the skin to the blood vessels, filling her entire body. Yu Chen herself also felt this. She quickly snapped out of her trance and started to embrace the energy spreading inside her body. It felt as though she was having a cold batha refreshing one. ''So this is mana... incredible.'' They spent five more minutes like that before Kierra decided that it was enough. Now was the real dealmaking a mana circle. ''''Endure it for a bit.'''' Kierra announced simply and went on to fully hug Yu Chen, touching her forehead with the other''s while the rest of their bodies squished against each other. ''''!!'''' Before Yu Chen could be flustered and be even hornier, a scorching sensation hit her chest. More precisely, something extremely hot was surrounding her thumping heart. The identity of it was, of course, the mana circle. Yu Chen steadied her breath once more, trying her best to keep her body, especially her qi, stabilized so as not to hinder Kierra in any way. Fortunately, both were masters at controlling their respective types of energy, so there was no hup. It didn''t take long for Kierra toplete the mana circle. ''''Well, there you go.'''' Kierra pulled away. Yu Chen looked nkly at her hands. She could now control both energies at the same time, although she was significantly less proficient in doing so for one than the other. There was just one problem. ''''...Kierra.'''' Yu Chen called. ''''How... how do I use mana?'''' ''I feel like meeting those idiot disciples again.'' Kierra sighed in her heart. It wasn''t a bad feeling, though. ''''Be honored.'''' She said. ''''This divine bodythe strongest and most supreme archwizard in existencewill personally teach you magic.'''' Yu Chen was momentarily shocked by the sudden disy of pride. ''''Y-Yes.'''' ''''Put your clothes on,'''' Kierra replied. As Kierra was going to Tian Yun''s bed to take her clothes, Yu Chen hurriedly stopped her. ''''Wait, Kierra.'''' ''''What?'''' ''''L-Let us learn in this state.'''' Yu Chen said. ''''Later, I will help refine your qi as well. Then, you would have to take off your clothes again, which surely would be an inconvenience?'''' ''Why a question?'' Kierra smelled something suspicious, but she was ultimately convinced by the idea of starting her cultivation journey. ''''Fine.'''' Kierra walked closer to Yu Chen again. ''''Put out your hand.'''' ''''Alright.'''' Kierra grabbed Yu Chen''s outstretched hand; this was mostly for safeguarding purposes. ''''Now, gather mana into your palm.'''' ''''Mhm...'''' ''''Good, now is the real part. Imagine a ball of fire appearing on top of your palm.'''' PUFF! ''''...!'''' Yu Chen stared in shock as a small fireball suddenly willed itself into existence, burning magically in the air. This felt a bit simr to using qi, but also different; it was much more ''free''. Not to mention the fact that she had only been able to use the dark element until now. ''''Amazing, isn''t it?'''' Kierra''s blood-red lips curled up a bit after seeing Yu Chen''s sparkling eyes. ''''...Please teach me more.'''' Yu Chen immediately replied after realizing the potential of mana. At this moment, Yu Chen thought for the first time in her life ''I could reach the top with this!'' ''''Phew...'''' A little bit over an hourter, Yu Chen was sitting on the chair, exhausted. But on her face was a satisfied smile. It had been so long since she was so enthusiastic about learning something. Yes, ever since her master, Tian Yun, caught the disease... Yu Chen''s smile grew wider as she stared at her master lying on the bed. She could finally see her healthy tomorrow. ''''Rest a bit.'''' Kierra sat on the chair near Yu Chen and calmly pulled out a book from her storage space to read. ''''...Alright.'''' Silence fell. As there was nothing to do, Yu Chen''s eyes couldn''t help but dart to Kierra, who still only had her underwear and thigh highs on. Her brain couldn''t help but want to admire that body more and more. Yu Chen couldn''t help it! In the first ce, while everyone else got a Taopanion, she stubbornly refused any and all advances from everyone for eight hundred years, focusing solely on cultivation. Now? She was kind of frustrated, even though she hated to admit it. It didn''t help that Kierra was just too charming. In an effort to divert the ''excitement'' away, Yu Chen spoke up. ''''Kierra, may I ask, what book are you reading?'''' ''''...An advance book on ancient magical forms,'''' Kierra replied after a brief pause. ''''...I see.'''' In reality, it was just aedy-fiction book. Kierra loved these kinds of stories; they helped her rx. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Shortly after, Yu Chen recovered from the mana exhaustion. ''''Kierra, I am ready.'''' She stood up. ''''Alright.'''' Kierra replied. Yu Chen led Kierra to the middle of the room and made her sit in a lotus position. ''''I will begin now.'''' Yu Chen said with the utmost serious face before wrapping her arms around Kierra''s slender waist, pulling in closer and closer until it became a back hug. (,,>n<,,) Feeling Yu Chen''s hot breaths at the back of her head, Kierra spoke up. ''''...Is this absolutely necessary?'''' ''''...Yes.'''' Yu Chen lied as she breathed. In fact, she was also bullshitting when she said that they needed to remove their clothes for this. In reality, Yu Chen just needed to put her hands on Kierra''s back to help refine her qi; clothed or not, it didn''t matter. ''This is not good.'' Yu Chen was panicking in her heart. She didn''t know why she even did this in the first ce. Was she too lonely...? Nevertheless, what she needed to do now was clear. While feeling Kierra''s body to her heart''s content, Yu Chen began to deliver her own qi into the archwizard''s body, just as she did for her. The process was, more or less, the same. Kierra could faintly feel qi before this, so things went a little bit smoother than earlier, however. With Yu Chen''s help and Kierra''s unparalleled talent in controlling energies, the archwizard''s body was able to easily absorb qi from the surroundings and the woman hugging her. ''''You certainly have talent in cultivation, Kierra.'''' Yu Chen spoke up. It wasn''t a lie. In just a few moments, Kierra was able to open several meridians in her arms and legs, jumping straight from a ''mortal'' to a novice cultivator in the middle of the Qi Refinement stage. There was just one problem. ''Isn''t this too fast...?'' At this rate, Kierra would reach the next stage in no time. Cultivation could not be rushed. One needed time to let the body adjust to its newfound power, so they would eventually have to stop when Kierra reached the Foundation Establishment stage, which meant... ''We won''t be able to stay like this...!'' Worse, if Kierra got the hang of this, no, she definitely would, and then Yu Chen wouldn''t be able to hug her in the name of helping anymore! At this moment, Yu Chen only had one wishfor Kierra to slow down! Case 7: Kierra, the novice cultivator. Case 7: Kierra, the novice cultivator. ''''Phew...'''' Kierra breathed out lightly. Letting qi enter her body was easy enough, but making room for it by further organizing her over-the-top tidy mana flows was certainly a task. She seeded anyway. Now, she guessed that she needed to refine the energy further and make her body morefortable with it before doing anything elsethe same with cultivating mana. She wanted to experiment with this newfound strength as soon as possible. At this moment, Kierra was happy. The same could not be said for the other person, though. ''''...Congrattions, Kierra.'''' Yu Chen bit her lips lightly and pulled away. ''''You have broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage.'''' Yu Chen was happy for Kierra, of course, but she didn''t want this to end in just fifteen minutes...! ''''Good job. I appreciate it.'''' Kierra''s face rxed a little bit as she stood up. ''''Do you still have the energy to show me some moves?'''' ''''...Yes, of course.'''' Yu Chen stared nkly at Kierra, who had walked to the bed and was putting on her clothes. ??? ''Wait, I need to get dressed too.'' A few minutester, they were ready to practice again. ''''Based on my observation over my short life,bat in this realm heavily relies on martial arts mixed with magical abilities, usually in the form of special moves that are unique to the caster.'''' Yu Chen began. ''''Hm. There is a problem. '''' Kierra replied. ''''I don''t know martial arts.'''' ''''Martial arts is not a requirement. It is merely popr.'''' ''''I see. Continue.'''' ''''As of right now, I can only show you some examples of what I usually use. For a cultivator to learn such special moves, they will have to reach a certain threshold of qi control, qi volume, qi refinement, and so on.'''' ''''Fair enough.'''' This was not true for wizards, Kierra thought. Even novice wizards could do serious moves if they were smart enough. Another possibility was that these cultivators were just too dumb to consider strategizing. ''Well, let''s observe for now.'' Kierra and Yu Chen only came out of the room an hour after that. The martial master of Qinling Peak ordered someone to watch Tian Yun closely and report to her immediately if she ever woke up. The two then quickly headed back to Qinling Peak via flying, where they met Bai Qing at the front of the house. ''''Wee back, master, Kierra.'''' She bowed. ''''If I may ask, how did it go...?'''' ''''The sect leader will wake up after a day.'''' Yu Chen happily replied. ''''What good news...!'''' Bai Qing hurriedly excused herself to go in and tell her junior martial sisters this piece of information. The two looked at Bai Qing''s back warmly. ''''It just urred to me.'''' Yu Chen suddenly spoke up. ''''Where do you live, Kierra?'''' ''''Another universe.'''' Kierra replied. She looked up at the sky, reminiscing about her old world. A sentimental hue fell on her face. ''Oh, well. I can probably go back after I recover my mana anyway.'' She decided that it was, in fact, not a big deal after three seconds. Yu Chen, on the other hand, was confused. ''''...Excuse me?'''' ''''...Just know that I currently don''t have a ce to live in this world.'''' Kierra cleared her throat. ''''But I will have you know, I still have my own realm.'''' ''''That is indeed incredible.'''' Yu Chen was genuinely impressed. Not many people in this world had the ability to create realms for themselves, but still... Yu Chen wanted Kierra to have a ''home.'' She didn''t want anyone to live on the streets as she and her parents did eight hundred years ago. So Yu Chen spoke up again. ''''For your effort, I still want to offer you a room in our mansion.'''' Seeing Yu Chen''s earnest eyes, Kierra couldn''t help but nod. She didn''t particrly need a room as she had made her own paradise, a pocket dimension with space magic back in the old world. It was one of the numerous dimensions that she''d made in proud coboration with her partner... wait. Realization. Kierra hurriedly closed her eyes and tried to reach out to her pocket dimensions, where all of her magic tools, scrolls, weapons, elixirs, etc., were. And... ''...I can''t reach most of them.'' Because the majority of the pocket dimensions were heavily linked to her partner, and as of right now, Kierra couldn''t get in contact with it, the things inside the dimensions were as good as gone. ''Tch.'' Kierra cursed in her heart. She only had ess to the ''My Room'' dimension and the junk dimension right now. Thetter one contained mostly defective items, low-grade potions, and such. One of the reasons why Kierra remained so confident until now was that she had a mountain of overpowered items she''d collected over the years that included thousands of mana potions, which she could instantly consume and regain some of her strength. ''I need to get in touch with it soon.'' The mana potions weren''t a big deal; they could only recover a fraction of her mana reserve anyway, but the items were a certain problem. It seemed like she had to do some stargazing tonight. At this point, it was already sunset, so she just needed to wait for a few more hours. ''''Yu Chen.'''' ''''Yes?'''' ''''Mind showing me around this sect of yours?'''' If Kierra wanted to convert these people into proud members of the brand-new Crimson Tower, she needed to know what they were like first. Yu Chen quickly agreed. She led Kierra around Qinlin Peak firstfrom the mansion, the medicine garden, and the hot spring to the isted training area. Kierra liked this ce. She couldn''t properly describe the feeling, but she wanted to at least try living here for a while. Next, Yu Chen guided Kierra around the sects. They went to greet the people of the remaining peaks, the elders, the deacons. Through the halls, the arenas, the small town below the mountains. They went to every single ce that they could. Now standing on the tallest mountain that enabled them to overlook the entire sect, Yu Chen had a warm expression on her face. ''''...It''s a humble ce.'''' She said softly. ''''It is.'''' Kierra replied. It had turned night. The people of the White Lotus Sect naturally had their street and house lights on, revealing a beautiful sight of a lotus burning in the dark background. ''''I see what you guys did with the buildings,'''' Kierramented. She liked the idea of shaping the town like this. It was cheesy, but she could feel the love they put into it. ''''It was master''s idea.'''' Yu Chen smiled, her purple eyes sparkling as they reflected the lighting from below. ''''...Kierra, I really can''t thank you enough for saving her life.'''' Yu Chen was always the top candidate for inheriting the sect leader position. She was the current sect leader''s disciple; she was strong, beautiful, and had a good personality. She took pride in ituntil thirty years ago. When Tian Yun caught the disease, people pushed her even more. They were so sure that Tian Yun would die, so they flooded to Yu Chen. This made her ufortable. She wanted to live and receive her master''s teachings for thousands of years toe, yet... But that ended now. Yu Chen, holding her utmost gratitude, bowed deeply toward Kierra. She was fighting not to cry at this moment for fear that it might seem unsightly. ''''...Yu Chen.'''' Kierra looked at the woman in front of her calmly. ''''Wont you stargaze with me?'''' Case 8: Cosmos, the Spawn of The Universe. Case 8: Cosmos, the Spawn of The Universe. White Lotus Sect, on a mountain near Qinling Peak. Yu Chen and Kierra were sitting on the wooden chairs that the archwizard made a bit earlier. The sky was cloudless, the moon was bright, and the stars were shining brilliantly. Yu Chen sat there nkly, admiring the beautiful sight. She''d been buried in cultivation these years, so taking a breather like this was not bad, she thought. Kierra, on the other hand, was trying her best to read the stars. To begin with, her journey as a wizard started with a summoned creature, then apanied and supported by summoned creatures. One such being that Kierra met was a total surprise for her. In fact, she was so impressed by this creature that she decided not to bind it by any contract, instead treating it like a simple friend, and this was when she''d already be the world''s best. The Spawn of The Universe - Cosmos. No one knew what it looked like, when it was born, how strong it was, and what its purposes were trulyexcept for Kierra. It and Kierra had a lot of simrities. They were both unimaginably strong and equally bored. That was why they coborated to stir the universe up for some simple fun, and they eventually reached this point where Kierra was in a whole different universe. How did Kierra know that it was another universe? ''The star formations here are nothing like ours.'' To call upon the ancient being, Kierra needed to grasp the general star structures of wherever she was so she could urately create an appropriate summon circle. After all, wherever there were stars, Cosmos would always be present; that was what the creature itself promised her. Memorizing millions of visible stars in the sky was virtually impossible, but with a brain like Kierra''sbined with some other techniques, it was not just a pipe dream. Merely ten minutester, Kierra was ready. She stood up and pulled out a can of magical paint, the type that was usually used for summoning. Using simple telekinesis, she began to draw an intricate magical form on the ground. Yu Chen, who was engrossed in watching the stars, got lifted away together with her chair by Kierra because the archwizard needed to paint on the part she was sitting on. ''''??'''' ''Evicted'' from the giant form, Yu Chen could only stare nkly at the concentrating Kierra. Eventually, it waspleted. Standing in the middle, Kierra poured a little bit of mana into the form and began to chant.

''''Born from the sea and the waves, from a cosmic array,''''

''''Shaped by gxies,''''

''''Veiled by nebs,''''

''''Fueled by molten rivers of sma,''''

''''At this moment, I call upon youthe Creature of Stars!'''' As soon as Kierra finished chanting, a burst of brilliant cosmic mana surrounded her. The energy seemed to be recreating the universe itself, swirling around intensely with the archwizard as its singrity. ''''...!'''' Yu Chen, who could now perceive mana faintly, marveled. It was easily the most incredible thing she had ever seen or felt. The cluster of cosmic mana gradually began to shrink itself, gathering in a spot before Kierra. The light cut offpletely, and what remained there was a small sun-like white sphere. It radiated a gentle aura, spinningzily in the air. ''''Cosmos.'''' Kierra smiled. [Kierra] A neutral voice sounded from the sphere. ''''Nice to see you again.'''' Kierra continued. ''''Let us discuss what happened under the stars.'''' [dly] So Kierra went over and sat beside Yu Chen again. After a brief introduction of both sides, Kierra began to recount her story. Cosmos, who was floating beside Kierra''s head, listened in silence. ''''Cosmos, can you ess our pocket dimensions now?'''' [I am afraid notthis universe is foreign to me, so my power is limited] ''''As expected.'''' Kierra noticed her partner''s strength had significantly shrunk since she summoned it, but she asked just to be sure. ''''Do you need any help recovering your power?'''' [It would be much appreciated] ''''Alright.'''' Kierra nodded. ''''Yu Chen, guide me to the libraryter.'''' ''''...I understand.'''' Cosmos was an entity closely rted to the origin of the universe. And in the universe, one thing was constanttime. The reason why it grew to be strong enough to devours was because it existed for a mind-bogglingly long time. But time itself was not necessarily Cosmos''s primary source of power, but the things gained from time were. Knowledge. Cosmos thrived on knowledge. The more it knew about the world around it, the more it became stronger. It seemed to Kierra that this universe had a totally different set of principalspared to her old one; that was probably why Cosmos got weakened. So, to recover Cosmos''s strength in this world, feeding it as much information as possible was needed, and the library was the perfect ce. After rxing on the mountaintop for a little more, Yu Chen guided Kierra to the sect''s library. It was a rtivelyrge and tall building with a total of seven floors. ''''Books here are categorized by how rare or valuable the information they contain is.'''' Yu Chen exined. ''''The higher the floor is, the more precious books you will find.'''' ''''Any restrictions?'''' Kierra asked. ''''I, as the martial master of the Qinling Peak, don''t have any, but the lower disciples have.'''' ''''I see.'''' ''It''s simr to our tower''s library.'' ''''In any case, I can get you permission to ess our entire library. I assume the books are important to your friend, am I correct?'''' Yu Chen smiled lightly at Kierra. ''''They are. I appreciate your help.'''' Kierra smiled back. ''''It''s natural. I still have lots to repay.'''' After some talking with the person in charge of the library, the three entered the building. ''''Cosmos, feast to your heart''s content.'''' Kierra petted the small sphere lightly. [dly] Just like that, they began their journey in the library. While waiting for Cosmos to absorb the information in the books, Kierra went on to read some of the more interesting ones ording to Yu Chen''s rmendations. She was mainly interested in the history of this world, as well as the general powers existing currently. As they ascended the floors one by one, books aboutbat techniques and cultivation methods began to appear more frequently. On the seventh floor, only one bookshelf was avable. ''''These are our sect''s most valuable books, Kierra.'''' Kierra nodded. The protection array was indeed more potent here. While thinking that, it seemed Cosmos had already gone to ''eat'' the books. She noticed her partner was somewhat more enthusiastic than usual. ''''Hm... are they all cultivation methods?'''' ''''Yes. Each sect will have their own unique methods that they have developed throughout the years.'''' ''''Unique, you say...'''' Kierra pondered. ''''Cosmos, are these very good?'''' [Very much soI can recover very quickly if there were more of them] ''''As expected...'''' Kierra scratched her chin; her eyebrows narrowed a bit. ''''...Kierra, don''t tell me you''re going to invade other sects as well...?'''' Yu Chen asked nervously. ''''I don''t see why not.'''' Kierra shrugged. ''''In fact, I changed my mind.'''' Kierra checked her mana reserve. ''Roughly fifteen percent.'' Based on Yu Chen''s descriptions of the Lightning Tiger Sect, she should be able to take care of them easily. ''''Let us capture the Lightning Tiger sect right now.'''' Case 9: Heavenly tiger? More like house cat! Case 9: Heavenly tiger? More like house cat! ''''...You mean right now? In the middle of the night??'''' Yu Chen was bbergasted. She didn''t think Kierra would break her own promise like this! ??? ''''It won''t matter,'''' Kierra replied. ''''Whether I capture them now orter, do you think they can retaliate?'''' Yu Chen pondered for a moment. ''''...No.'''' If she were to be honest, Yu Chen thought that Kierra''s strength might be even more significant than the Lightning Tiger Sect''s leader. And with how confident Kierra was, she couldn''t have been bluffing. ''''See, I am actually destressing them,'''' Kierra said. ''''They know they will sumb to me and are anxious about it, so by doing this earlier, I will shave away some of their stressing time.'''' ''''That... makes sense.'''' ''''Good. Now I''m going.'''' ''''W-Wait! At least let me go with you!'''' ''''Fine.'''' The two flew out the window. Lightning Tiger Sect, main hall. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' A heavy silence filled the room. ''''...Are you telling me all of you got beaten by a single woman?'''' A fierce-looking old man spoke up. With thick, long white hair and a pair of golden eyes, he was the sect leader of the Lightning Tiger Sect and ''The Tiger'' - Kang Jiang. Sitting on the other side were the four elders. One of them was still unconscious due to a mysterious reason, but it didn''t really matter. The remaining three nodded at each other before the old man spoke up. ''''We did.'''' Lu Shengzhong said. ''''We werepletely overwhelmed. And before you ask, we won''t fight her anymore.'''' ''''...'''' In response to the elder''s rather sassy remark, Kang Jiang let out a soft sigh that waspletely unfit with his image. He looked over to the side, where his son and his daughter-inw were trembling. They appeared to be traumatized by this mysterious woman that they had met. In the first ce, where did such a strong persone from? The only exnation was that the woman was an elder of a reputable sect, but then, why would shee to such a tiny ce? There was no answer. s. ''Is this the punishment for indulging my kids too much...?'' But his daughter turned out pretty well; only his son was... ''''...In any case.'''' Kang Jiang spoke up. ''''If she really came, then she would have to face me first!'''' He himself was also at the Fusion stage; there was nothing to be scared of! ''''We won''t ever give up on our sect!'''' Kang Jiang suddenly felt a bit motivated. ''''You won''t?'''' Suddenly, a dignified and rather unfamiliar female voice sounded. When everybody turned their gazes toward the window, where the sound came from, they stumbled upon a strange womanher clothes were unconventional, and they could only see the lower half of her face due to therge hat that she was wearing. This fact was probably why her deep red lipstick was so notable. '''''''' !!! '''''''' Not to mention the young couple, who directly fainted as though they saw a ghost; the others were dumbfounded. V(????)V How did she get past the protection array?! ''''Lightning Tiger Sect, was it?'''' The womanKierra continued. ''''Although a bit early, I havee to exercise my promise.'''' ''''Y-You said it would be two dayster!'''' Lu Shengzhong eximed. ''''Does it matter?'''' Kierra lightly jumped off the window into the room. ''''We will fight anyway.'''' Kierra lifted her head, her blood-red eyes staring at the people, sending them chills down to the bones. ''''Tch!'''' Kang Jiang immediately got into his stand; dense white qi surrounded his body, making his hair and clothes flutter. ''''I request a duel!'''' He shouted. ''''I don''t mind if all of you join in,'''' Kierra replied casually. ''''I don''t need them to defeat you!'''' Kang Kiang rushed forward with his fist. BOOM!! He threw a heavy punch at Kierra, to which the archwizard responded by deploying a simple mana shield. Kierra had already noticed that this man wanted to exclude the others for fear that they might get hurt, evident by his worried nces toward the elders earlier. ''This might be salvageable.'' A faint smile bloomed on Kierra''s face. She willingly let Kang Jiang push herself out the window, creating a free environment for fighting. Now, in the sky, Kierra began to decide what she would use for this fight. As much as she wanted to summon a familiar to defeat this guy leisurely, she also wanted to ''exercise'' a little bit.

?Reflective Counter5? ''''Ugh...!'''' Kang Jiang, receiving a part of his own attack, was blown back considerably. He tried toprehend what just happened, but then ''''!!'''' Seeing the myriads of colorful spells behind Kierra, Kang Jiang hurriedly crossed his arms in an ''X'' shape and made a qi shield. He gritted his teeth, enduring the relentless attacks of his opponent. ''''Phew...'''' He took a deep breath and began to channel even more qi. Thick and sharp ws made from the white energy spurted out of his hands. ''''Special moveHeavenly ws!'''' From that same ''X'' position, his arms shed downward with terrifying momentum, shooting out giant shes of deadly Qi des. They traveled through the air briefly before reaching Kierra. ''Hm, so this is a special move.'' Kierra was unimpressed. Well, she wasn''t looking for a good opponent anyway. She used the same ?Reflective Counter5? spell earlier to bounce back some of the des, causing the sect leader to dodge them around hastily. ''''Kuh...!'''' Kang Jiang grunted. This opponent was even stronger than the sect leader thought. If Heavenly ws didn''t work, then the other ordinary move wouldn''t. He needed to go all out here. ''''You got my respect, unknown cultivator!'''' He shouted. ''''I shall reveal my full strength from now on!'''' BOOM!! A giant wave of white qi burst out from his body, enveloping arge area of the sect. People from below, awoken by the energy wave, flocked outside to look at the sky. ''''It''s the sect leader!'''' ''''Is there an enemy?!'''' ''''What happened to the protection array??'''' ''''Who knows? Let''s hurry up and help him!'''' When the disciples of the sect formed a group to help their sect leader, they were suddenly stopped by a single figure. A serene beauty holding a slender sword was standing in front of them. ''''Phantom Sword...!!'''' ''''So it''s the White Lotus Sect?!'''' ''''Did their sect leader wake up?!'''' Yu Chen slowly pulled her sword out, and her purple eyes shed gently. In the sky. Kierra was waiting patiently for the sect leader to transform. yawn~ She really didn''t like these kinds of things. They made her yawn, which would break her usual image! After what seemed like an eternity, it was finally finished. Floating before Kierra now was a giant white tiger with golden eyes, looking extremely fearsome. GRAHHH!!! The tiger let out a deafening roar, extending its dominant aura to the whole town. ''''I see.'''' Kierra nodded. This was indeed something. Regr spells wouldn''t cut it anymore; she needed something with actual force and something she could properly exercise her body with. So Kierra aimed her hand to the sky and began to will her mana. Vast patches of dark clouds suddenly appeared in the cloudless sky. They were then pulled into a bright spot right above Kierra. ''It''s quite convenient fighting these guys. I can even do dumb shows like this.'' The people marveled. Controlling the weather wasn''t easy in this world. They held their breaths, and then '''''''' !!! '''''''' A gigantic spear thrust through the dark clouds, rapidly descending; its figure looked like a heavenly punishment! Kierra lightly pointed her finger at the tiger, and the spear immediately changed its trajectory. One heavenly tiger and one heavenly spear. The people wanted to see their legendary confrontation! The heavenly tiger, meanwhile: ''I''m fucking dead...!'' Case 10: Novice cultivator Kierra, captured a sect. Case 10: Novice cultivator Kierra, captured a sect. ''Fusion stage, my ass...!'' Although Kang Jiang couldn''t properly feel the energy behind this heavenly spear, he was sure that this woman in front of him was miles stronger than a mere Fusion stage cultivator. The raw power, the aloofness, theposure. Everything about her screamed, ''I am thew!''. Finished. ''You touched someone you shouldn''t, stupid son!'' Kang Jiang''s only wish right now was to somehow prevent the spear from destroying the sect below him. Wishes be a reality if only one could bend the will of heaven. And who was he? A proud cultivator! Heaven''s will or what, he would fold it all! GRAHHH!!! Kang Jiang, in the form of a majestic tiger, let out a dominant roar. He willed everything he hadall the techniques he learned, all the qi he gathered, all the courage he musteredthousands of years of grueling cultivation into one single attack. Against the heavenly spear, the tiger wielded its ws. !!! Apanied by a blinding light that engulfed the whole sect, a deafening noise was heard throughout the space. People from the Lightning Tiger Sect, as well as others nearby, all felt the incredible wave of energy generated from this collision. It was only a little more than a minuteter that they could see again. As they held their breaths and looked up to the sky ''''The Tiger was defeated!!'''' ''''Sect leader!!'''' The proud spear was still floatingzily in the sky, but the heavenly tiger was nowhere to be seen. ''''...You really did it, Kierra.'''' Yu Chen muttered; surrounding the renowned Phantom Sword were numerous unconscious disciples. She calmly looked at the woman with a big hat under the moon with a new appreciation for her prowess. Meanwhile, the woman in question was scratching her chin. ''''Hm...'''' The man she had just fought was not half-bad. He ''forced'' Kierra to bring out a somewhat potent spell to defeat him, which, by the archwizard''s standard, was rather impressive. He could easily enter the ranks of Master back in her old world. Well, good thing she didn''t kill him. He was now stuck to the ground and bleeding quite badly, though. So Kierra waved her hand to cancel the spear. She then flew down and cast a simple healing spell on the man before dragging him leisurely across the street, heading to the main hall of the sect. She calmly passed through the horrified disciples with light steps as though she was simply on a walk. Soon, Yu Chen joined her. ''''Kierra.'''' She called. ''''What will you do about the management of the sect after this?'''' ''''Well, I kept this one alive.'''' Kierra pointed to the unconscious Kang Jiang. ''''The sect will mostly be the same, just under my ownership.'''' ''''I see...'''' ''''And I will leave the punishment for that young man to you.'''' ''''...I appreciate it.'''' Kierra sighed in her heart. Young people nowadays, tch, tch. From the looks alone, she was quite sure the guy had not even reached a hundred years of age. But wait, looks could be deceiving. Now that she thought about it, she didn''t know these people''s age. ''''Yu Chen.'''' She spoke up. ''''How old are you?'''' ''''Me? I''m quite youngpared to others.'''' Yu Chen replied shyly. ''''I''m only slightly past eight hundred.'''' Kierra nearly froze. ''''...'''' ''''Kierra must be well over two thousand, right?'''' Yu Chen asked casually. ''''From your demeanor to yourposure, your strength... I can''t think of you being younger than me.'''' Yu Chen smoothly excluded the fact that Kierra''s underwear was the main factor, giving her the impression of a ''mature'' person. Kierra hesitated a bit but decided to tell the truth. It wasn''t a big deal, anyway. ''''I am just over five hundred.'''' She said. ''''...Eh?'''' Yu Chen froze. '''''''' ... '''''''' Just like that, the two kept walking in silence for another few minutes before they reached the main hall. Kierra now just needed to wake this man up and force him to sign a contract; then, the whole sect would be hers. So Kierra confidently flung the main door open, revealing arge working space with dozens of people panicking around, including the conscious three elders. THUD! Kierra threw the sect leader onto a chair, then used telekinesis to bring over a table and two more chairs for her and Yu Chen. The people stared anxiously as the two settled in, and then Kierra slowly raised her hand '''''''' !!! '''''''' After a loud p to the face of their sect leader, he woke up, and it was time for negotiation.
White Lotus Sect, main hall. A woman was awoken by the bright sunlight pouring in from the balcony. She slowly opened her eyes, revealing an exquisite pair of golden pupils. If Kang Jiang was as fierce as a tiger, then she seemed as fair as though a beautiful white lotus was a personeven though they both had the same hair and eye colors. Tian Yun stared nkly at the ceiling. Her vision was blurry. Her body felt a bit heavy. Her throat was dry. But... why could she feel all of that...? ''''!!'''' Tian Yun shot up in one swoop. She focused her senses to look into her body and ''''...It''s gone.'''' The disease that had haunted her for decades was gone! Not only that, she could now sense another type of energy flowing through her body, concentrating around her heart. ''Is this... is this an enlightenment...?'' o(R?Q)o Tian Yun was overjoyed. She lightly jumped off the bed and walked to the balcony with light steps, humming gleefully. ''''Ah, today is a good day!'''' She opened her arms to wee the warm sun. Thank you, heavenly Dao! With this life that the world had given her, she swore to keep the fire of the White Lotus Sect burning forever! So Tian Yun walked back in and cleaned herself before changing into a nice robe, and now, it was time to announce to the world that she was back! ''''Hm?'''' Before she could fling the door open, a sudden cheer could be heard outside. Curious, Tian Yun poked her head out of the balcony to look down at the town. Arge crowd was formed at the za, and because there were too many people shouting at the same time, Tian Yun couldn''t hear exactly what was going on. Words like ''Lighting Tiger Sect,'' ''captured,'' or ''our'' entered Tian Yun''s ears. ''Wait, was that damn sect bullying us again?!'' Right when Tian Yun was about to puff out her chest and go fight the Lightning Tiger Sect, her eyesnded on the two figures standing on the za stage. One of them was Yu Chen, her dear disciple, and the other one was aplete stranger to her. ''''...!'''' The strange woman with a big hat suddenly nced in her direction. Their eyes met. Exactly 0.1 secondster, Tian Yun found the woman earlier disappearing from the spot. Another 0.1 seconds passed, and now, the woman was sitting cross-legged on the railing right in front of her. The woman was otherworldly beautiful, and Tian Yun could feel a seductive aura hidden behind her oppressive emanation. She looked at Tian Yun calmly, her eyes as red as her lips, which were now slightly curled up. ''''Finally awake, my disciple?'''' Case 11: The Crimson Tower V2.0. Case 11: The Crimson Tower V2.0. ( ;???) ''W-Who is this rude woman...?!'' Tian Yun was beyond confused. Before she could say anything, the strange woman had already jumped down from the railing, now strolling toward her. ''''?!'''' Tian Yun''s cheek was stroked by the woman''s slender hand. She wanted to dodge, but her instinct somehow prevented her from moving away; it was as if she didn''t want to displease the person in front of her. ''''Hm... you seem fine. That''s good.'''' ''''Who are you??'''' ''''The person who cured your disease and your new masterKierra Scarlett Aspenova,'''' Kierra said. ''''Be honored. I don''t take disciples often.'''' Thetter half naturally went over Tian Yun''s head. ''''Y-You cured my disease?'''' ''''Yes.'''' Tian Yun was skeptical. The cultivation base that she could feel from this Kierra woman was only at the beginning of the Foundation Establishment stage. However, that would be impossible since no amateur cultivator could make Tian Yun lose track of them like earlier. ''''I'''' ''''Master!'''' Before Tian Yun could voice her doubt, she was immediately hugged to the ground. ''''Master! You finally woke up!'''' Yu Chen eximed, arms wrapping around Tian Yun''s slender body tightly. ''''How do you feel, master?!'''' Seeing her disciple like this, Tian Yun couldn''t help but hug Yu Chen back. ''''I''m good, I''m totally good, Yu Chen.'''' She said, smiling softly. ''''Rather, I still see you every day, aren''t I?'''' ''''You couldn''t even talk like this!'''' ''''I suppose... I''m back, Yu Chen. Truly.'''' ''I see why they call this the White Lotus Sect now if the sect leader looked like this.'' Kierra turned around to look at the scenery outside while waiting for the two to have their reunion. After forcing the Lightning Tiger Sect to sign a magical contract, which basically could be boiled down to giving Kierra the highest power in the sect, the archwizard let Cosmos explore the library of that sect freely until around half an hour ago. It certainly took quite a while because the library was significantly more extensive than the White Lotus Sect''s. When they finished the library, it was already morning, so they decided toe back here. Cosmos went back to its ce to properly digest all the ''delicious'' information, as it stated. Kierra and Yu Chen announced to the people that they had sessfully captured the Lightning Tiger Sect, which was proven by presenting the sect leader Kang Jiang''s seal. Since Kierra decided to establish her new Crimson Tower with the White Lotus Sect selected as her HQ ording to Yu Chen''s request, it didn''t matter if the people thought the White Lotus Sect captured the other one. ''''Kierra, is the new ''tower'' that you n to establish just a metaphor?'''' ''''No. It will be a real tower.'''' ''''Where would you put it, then?'''' ''''Wherever is fine. I can build it in seconds.'''' ''''Then... can I ask you one thing?'''' ''''Speak.'''' ''''I want you to take all of us as your tower''s members. I believe in the potentials of mana, I believe... it will bring us to a new height.'''' ''''Fufu. You are certainly correct about thetter half.'''' ''''With that, I also want you to make us the second in order after you.'''' ''''That you lot will have to prove yourselves.'''' ''''Of course, if we can receive teachings from you.'''' ''What ambitious disciples I have here.'' Kierra was amused. Back in the old world, her disciples weren''t bad, but none showed as much enthusiasm as this woman. Maybe it was the difference in the mindset of the two worlds'' inhibitors. In any case, Kierra had now achieved her temporary goal of being somewhat ''settled'' in this world. Now, she wanted to take a quick break to recover her mana, as well as do some leisure work like building a new tower, which should be around a hundred floors in total, and make a device that could awaken mana perception for her new disciples. She certainly didn''t want to hug people like how she did to Yu Chen and Tian Yun. While Kierra was lost in her thoughts, Yu Chen finished exining things to her masterfrom how she met Kierra to how they captured the Lightning Tiger Sect in its entirety. ( ;???) Tian Yun was speechless. As much as she wanted to take her time processing what Yu Chen just said, it was the truth that Kierra had cured her disease. So she got up and walked in front of the archwizard. ''''As the sect leader of the White Lotus, I sincerely thank you.'''' She bowed. ''''Without you, I''m afraid I had to leave my precious disciples alone back then.'''' ''''No problem.'''' Kierra responded simply. At that moment, Yu Chen came up behind Kierra; her face looked noticeably happier than usual. ''''Master, you haven''t seen the wonder of magic.'''' She said. ''''If it''s not too much to ask, can you demonstrate for her, Kierra?'''' ''''Hm... alright,'''' Kierra replied. ''''Come with me.'''' Kierra thought it was a good opportunity to raise the new Crimson Tower. So the three took off to the sky, flying straight to Qinling Peak, where Kierra agreed to put the tower nearby ording to Yu Chen''s wishes. While flying, Tian Yun couldn''t help but smile excitedly. It hadbeen so long since she could soar to the sky so freely like this. And it was all thanks to this strange woman... A deep respect for Kierra bloomed inside the sect leader. Eventually, the three reached the foot of the Qinling Peak. They took a good half an hour to survey the area before Kierra decided on a specific piece ofnd. The quality of thend, etc., didn''t really matter. For Kierra, the most important thing was the scenery. Ever since she was a child, she had always had a profound appreciation for beautiful sceneries, and this world was undoubtedly pretty in her eyes. She especially liked the White Lotus Sect at night. Nevertheless, after calcting for a while, Kierra began to channel her mana. The element she would be utilizing this time is earth, more precisely, advanced earth magic with urate mana control. As Kierra aimed her hand forward, a sophisticated golden-brown aura escaped her body. Her robe, hair, and hat fluttered as the result of strong mana swirling around her position.

?Earth Rise5? VROOM!! With a gentle snap of the archwizard''s finger, the earth itself rumbled. ''''W-What?!'''' Tian Yun eximed. She vaguely senses Kierra moving her energy, but this... From the ground, a pitch-ck tower spurted upward rapidly, sending shockwaves out to the surroundings. In no time, it had pierced the clouds, standing proud like its owner herself. ''''So this is the Crimson Tower...'''' Yu Chen marveled. ''''Isn''t this ck...?'''' Tian Yun interjected. ''''Well...'''' ''''A pure red tower would look ugly,'''' Kierra answered instead. ''Besides, there are still some red touches if one looks closely enough.'' Kierra nodded. It wasn''t half-bad. Tian Yun seemed impressed, too. With this, she could now officially start operating this tower. Kierra was excited. It had indeed been a while since she had taught students from the ground up. Case 12: All hail master Kierra! Case 12: All hail master Kierra! The Crimson Tower had been long known as the best in the world. With the most extensive collection of magic-rted books and documentaries, coupled with the best wizard in the world as the tower master, it was a dream for every aspiring wizard to join this ce. As the tower master, Kierra had always maintained a certain level of attention to teaching talents. She would personally inspect the teaching qualities, the infrastructure, the curriculums, etc. To make sure that her disciples always had the best... or at least everyone thought so. In reality, she was just bored. But this gave Kierra a general idea of how to teach students efficiently. White Lotus Sect, Crimson Tower V2.0. It had been a few days since Kierra captured the Lightning Tiger Sect. During those days, she primarily worked on the device that could awaken mana perception for her new disciples, and she cultivated on the side as well. ''''Hm... this should do it.'''' Kierra got bored quickly, so she spent way more time on this one than she needed, but now, it was finallypleted. The device came in the shape of a circr pad that would allow mana to flow from an integrated battery to the user''s body, allowing them to gain mana sight slowly. It was barebone at best, but it worked, and that was all that mattered. Now, it was time to call in her disciples. ''''Sylph, go get them.'''' [Kyu!] The blob of wind flew out the window, delivering the calling order from Kierra. The archwizard''s mana reserve had now reached afortable forty percent after a few days of rest, and she felt like she could properly use magic again. Kierra looked out the window, reminiscing. Back then, she didn''t even think about bing a wizard. She was just a inmoner girl with an ordinary dream of spending her life leisurely. Now, she found herself on top of everything. If it wasn''t for that woman who discovered her talent... ''''...Tch.'''' Thinking about that woman gave Kierra a headache. ''Why do I feel like she''s going to chase me even here...'' Kierra had a bad premonition. But now wasn''t the time for that. Just in time, her disciples had arrived. ''''It''ste.'''' Kierra turned around. ''''Hah... hah... why is it so heavy...?!'''' An exhausted Tian Yun was there. Together with her, around a dozen more people could be seen trailing behind. Yu Chen and Bai Qing were among them. ''''Hm...'''' Kierra pondered. ''''This should be good enough for warmup from now on.'''' The archwizard waszy. That also meant she was surprisingly efficient. She had set up gravity magic all over the tower''s stairs so that everyone climbing it would have a significantly harder time. And this was floor one hundred. With this, she didn''t need to bother warming them up anymore. Kierra felt proud of her own wit. Meanwhile, everyone else: q(A)r q(A)r q(A)r They had to do this every time?!?! Before they couldin, Kierra had already sat down on her chair. The sunlight pouring in from therge window fell onto her backside, making her face seem dimmer, entuating her vivid red eyes. ''''First of all, sit down.'''' The already tired disciples of Kierra didn''t feel likeining anymore. They obediently sat down on the ground. ''''As per the agreement, I will personally teach you lot magic from now on.'''' Kierra began. ''''Be honored.'''' It didn''t take long for Yu Chen to convince Tian Yun to follow her n, especially with the seal of the Lightning Tiger sect leader''s seal in hand. So, the whole sect joined under Kierra''s magic tower. This first batch of the archwizard''s disciples were the ones perceived by Kierra to have the most talent in magic. The most notable one should be the white lotus herselfTian Yun. Kierra looked forward to seeing her grow. ''''Now.'''' Kierra continued. ''''Excluding Yu Chen and Tian Yun, everybody takes turns standing on this pad.'''' The disciples nodded like chickens. Kierra found this to be quite unsettling. Back in her world, every single wizard was in some way entric; the ones withmon sense were actually rare. ''Well, I guess they have good discipline.'' Just like that, the lesson from the archwizard began. Kierra first guided Tian Yun and Yu Chen through some basic spells before moving on to monitor the other disciples. The pad worked as intended. The ten or so girls were amazed at what they felt after getting a basic mana circle. ''''Hm?'''' Kierra suddenly had a question in her mind. ''''Why are there not a lot of men in this sect?'''' ''''Erm... the cultivation methods of our sect are generally more suited for women.'''' Tian Yun replied. ''''...I see.'''' The lesson continued. After around an hour, every disciple was able to chant at least one elementary spell of their element. In the space of wizards, how many elements one could wield entirely depended on their talent. Tian Yun was able to wield ice, wind, and lightning on top of her light roots, while Yu Chen was capable of fire and darkness on top of her dark roots. The rest were all one-element holders. ''''Well done, disciples.'''' Kierra sat back on her wooden chair. ''''Now, let me ask you a question.'''' Everyone waited with bated breaths. ''''Tian Yun. Tell me how you would start a fight.'''' ''''Well, I would first release my qi...'''' Tian Yun trailed off, mostly because she saw Kierra''s eyes change. A hint of anger could be seen in the archwizard''s calm pupils. ''''This is the problem,'''' Kierra spoke up after a brief silence. ''''You lot think you have spare energy to waste.'''' No one dared to speak. There was a certain tone in Kierra''s steady voice that made them infinitely nervous. Kierra continued. ''''Here is a tip to consider. Efficiency is top when ites to controlling energies.'''' The disciples nodded like chickens. ''''Good. Rest time is over. Let us continue.'''' The disciples: (? ѧ)? (? ѧ)? (? ѧ)? That was a break?!?! Roughly ny minutester, everyone came out of the Crimson Tower absolutely fried. Kierra looked out the window once again, admiring the sunset and her incredible teaching capabilities. ''''Why are you still here?'''' When Kierra turned around, she saw a young girl with ck hair and ck eyes. It was Bai Qing, the eldest martial sister of Qinling Peak. ''''Master Kierra, I have something to ask you.'''' ''''Speak.'''' ''''...Could you train me more?'''' ''''Reason?'''' ''''There is a tournament for disciples of various sectsing up shortly. I want to ace it.'''' Looking at Bai Qing''s determined eyes, Kierra was moved. But she also couldn''t outright agree to it; she needed to maintain her image! So Kierra replied. ''''You don''t think you can endure my training for longer, do you?'''' ''''I can! This I swear with my honor!'''' Bai Qing lowered her head. ''''Please teach me, master Kierra!'''' ''''Hm...'''' Kierra pretended to think for a moment. ''''Good. Let us see how you hold up.'''' Kierra was determined to make Bai Qing the champion of this tournament. Flexing her skills through her disciples was always a refined hobby of the archwizard. Case 13: Flashy entrance. Case 13: shy entrance. ''''Hah...! Hah...! Ugh...!'''' ''Too intense!'' Bai Qing screamed in her heart. She didn''t know Kierra would be this harsh on personal training! After just a mere hour, Bai Qing was on her knees, too exhausted to stand properly. It didn''t help that she even trained with Yu Chen before this. ''''Hm...'''' Meanwhile, Kierra herself was pondering. Based on the descriptions Bai Qing provided, the opponents in this tournament werergely on the same level as Bai Qing, with some ahead of her by one or two steps. The tournament was right around the corner. There was virtually no time to train Bai Qing as a wizard to that level, so the solution was obviously tobine both mana and qi utilization. ''''Well, sit up, disciple,'''' Kierra said. ''''I will give you a five-minute rest. In the meantime, watch.'''' Bai Qing did as Kierra said. She looked at the archwizard, who was tapping her lower lip with the back of her thumbKierra''s habit when she was thinking. '''''''' ... '''''''' Time seemed to have slowed down as Bai Qing was drawn to Kierra''s lips because of that particr gesture. Bai Qing learned from her beautician friend that it was quite hard to put such a thickyer of lipstick on someone and still make them look naturally beautiful. The more Bai Qing stared, the more she thought Cut the crap! Her friend must have been a scam beautician! (s)s~kk Just look at this divine beauty! The thick redyer of lipstick matched Kierra''s eyes perfectly, and all of them created a beautiful disharmony with her snow-white skin. Not to mention her absolutely exquisite facial features... Even the Jade Beauty would feel insecure in front of this woman! ''''What is your root type?'''' ''''Ah?'''' Kierra''s question snapped Bai Qing back to reality. ''''Root type.'''' ''''It''s lightning, Ki- Master.'''' ''''And your magic element was water, hm,'''' Kierra said. ''''A decentbination, I suppose.'''' ''''Um... by any chance, you want me tobine them?'''' ''''Why not? I can do it.'''' Kierra spread out her palm. In a smooth motion, tiny zaps of lightning appeared on the left, and a simple orb of water appeared on the right. The former was made using qi, while thetter was mana-made. Following that, Kierra mashed the two together, creating a lightning current. It looked significantly more formidable than usual. ''''The main problem to solve is, again, efficiency. Stand up, disciple. I will personally guide you through it.'''' As Bai Qing slowly rose to her feet, Kierra walked over to the side of her disciple. ''''First, conjure lightning with qi.'''' ''''Yes... is this enoughah?'''' Kierra suddenly grabbed Bai Qing''s wrist. The cold touch from her slender hand startled the martial sister. ''''Focus.'''' Kierra said. ''''I will guide mana through your wrist. Stabilize your lightning.'''' ''''Y-Yes.'''' With a rather nervous heart, Bai Qing continued to receive Kierra''s guidance untilte into the night. Somewhere far from the Yunluo mountain range. ''''Put the box over there!'''' ''''Yes, manager!'''' ''''Who is in charge of the cleaning?! Don''t you see dust piling up all over the ce??'''' ''''Sorry, manager! It was me!'''' ''''Get the hell to work!'''' ''''Yes!!'''' The arena was filled with workers renovating the ce to prepare for the next Sprout Tournament. This tournament was held by the Immortal League, an alliance of immortal sects in the Central Divine Realm, with the purpose of creating friendlypetitions between their sect''s young talents. As years passed, however, this event had be more than just that. It was now the ce for major sects to assert their dominance by showcasing their best talents. Furthermore, all of the top sects were confirmed to participate in this event, so thepetition was fierce. Every year, General Manager Sang of the Immortal League was always stressed during this time. His job was to present the event most spectacrly, mainly to impress the big shots from the top sects who would inevitablye to watch. Last year, he got scolded by one such bigshot because the tea was slightly cold! (p) You bitch! You said you were a master of hell me or whatever, and you couldn''t even heat a teacup?! Ridiculous. ''''s.'''' General Manager Sang sighed and looked up at the starry sky. He just hoped this year would be peaceful. Two days quickly passed, and it was time for thepetition to start officially. Well, at least the reception of it. A lot of the major sects wanted to be the main character of the show, so they would purposelyete to steal all the attention. Once a lot of people started doing it, they looked like a bunch of idiots who forgot the time rather than the main characters, but no one dared to say anything, so they just kept doing it regardless. Over the years, general manager Sang hade to like smaller sects more. They were more honest, down-to-earth, and overall friendlier than most. He especially adored the White Lotus Sect. Obedient disciples, peaceful masters. If he could practice their cultivation method, he would have switched sects a long time ago! While checking in people, he wished for the White Lotus Sect to do well this year. ''I wonder when they woulde. Normally, theye the earliest, but now...'' ''''Woah!'''' ''''Is that the real deal??'''' ''''Why are they this early this year?'''' Suddenly, general manager Sang heard murmursing from the people in the reception room. When he looked in the direction that the people were staring at, he saw a bunch of bald heads. It was the monks of the Shaolin Temple - One of the top sects. ''''Excuse me, could this humble disciple ask for a ce for us to stay?'''' A polite monk asked. General manager Sang was a bit surprised. ''''Oh, of course. Of course.'''' After checking the monks in, he was once again spooked. This time, it was the Emei Sect. ''''Can I have a check-in?'''' A cold beauty asked. She was the master of apetitor, as well as the abbess at the same time. ''''Of course, of course...'''' What the hell was wrong with these people this time...? Did they finally snap out of the main character syndrome? ''''Hm?'''' Continuing the streak, Wudang Sect came right after. Then, Kunlun Sect, the Tang n, and even Mount Hua were there! All of the top six ns came early! ''What a day.'' General manager Sang sighed. By night, almost everyone was present, but he noticed the White Lotus Sect was nowhere to be seen. Usually, Yu Chen the Phantom Sword should have been here with her disciples, but... Night turned day, and today was the first day of the tournament. The arena was filled with people chatting loudly, some making bets on who would win, some predicting who would lose first, and some just rxing in their seats. On top of the regr audience seats was a private observation room reserved for sect leaders or elders who came to watch. Tension filled the observation room. The smaller sects'' people were reluctant to speak, fearing that they might ruin the mood of the bigshots sitting at the front. They just looked out the window down the arena nkly, waiting for it to start. In the arena, General Manager Sang was restless. He didn''t see the White Lotus Sect anywhere! Did they forget the date...? He paced around and paced around until one of the organizers came to tell him to start the show. He sighed. ''How unfortunate.'' ''''Ahem!'''' So he infused qi into his speech, amplifying his cough to make sure everyone heard him. The whole arena quieted down. ''''Wee to the Sprout Tournament, fellow cultivators! Today, I bring you'''' !!! General Manager Sang''s sentence was cut by a sudden roar that seemed to shake heaven and earth. It sent chills to the people, although they didn''t see anything yet. ''''What is...'''' ''''Holy...!!'''' A shadow covered the arena. When everyone looked up, a fearsome dragon was pping its huge wings, looking down at them menacingly. Case 14: Skipping the tournament. Case 14: Skipping the tournament. White Lotus Sect, the night before the Sprout Tournament started. Kierra, Yu Chen, and Bai Qing were on the highest floor of the Crimson Tower V2.0. To help Bai Qing achieve mastery inbining qi and mana, both the archwizard and the martial master of Qinling Peak were present. Thetter was pacing around the room, however. ''''...Can we actually make it...?'''' Yu Chen asked nervously. There were only a few hours left until the fighting bit started, and it would typically take a full day on a Cloud Boat to reach there from the White Lotus Sect. ''''Calm down,'''' Kierra said. ''''If you gave me the right distance, we can easily make it.'''' ''''Your dragon...'''' Yu Chen shook her head lightly. At this point, there was only the option of believing in Kierra. So she kept pacing around some more anyway. Eventually, though, Bai Qing finished the final stage of her training, which was to harmonize the two energies inside her body. Getting up from a lotus position, she moved around a bit before speaking up energetically. ''''Masters, I''m ready!'''' The three nodded at each other. ''''Follow me.'''' Yu Chen and Bai Qing followed Kierra to therge window, where a rxed Tian Yun could be seen sitting on the frame. snap! ''''Kamikaze.'''' Following Kierra''s call, a massive gust of wind blew in the sky, pushing away thick patches of cloud. Soon, a majestic dragon with green scales descended from the space. This was Kamikaze - The King Dragon of Storm. ''''He specializes in controlling wind. And he can move at extremely high speed.'''' Kierra proudly exined as Kamikaze flew in front of them. The sheer size of this mighty beast was enough to make even Yu Chen or Tian Yun flinch. They weren''t sure if they could defeat it alone. [Do you need a ride, master?] A deep male voice sounded from Kamikaze''s mouth. ''''Indeed.'''' Kierra replied. [Then please climb up!] ''''Thanks.'''' So the crew flew onto Kamikaze''s back, and after Yu Chen pointed the direction they needed to go, the dragon immediately took off. ''''Woah...'''' Kamikaze shot himself forward faster than any bullet by utilizing his wind magic. Not only that, he also created a translucent shield surrounding his whole body so the people riding him wouldn''t be blown off. They were moving so fast that the scenery passing by couldn''t even be perceived properly anymore! ''''Slow down a bit, Kamikaze. We have two more hours.'''' Kierra said. ''''Let this girl rest well.'''' [Understood.] So Kamikaze adjusted his flying speed down, keeping the distance in mind. Thanks to that, the rest of the ride was actually very rxing. By the time the sun poked itself up, they could now see the arena clearly. As Kamikaze floated over the arena, Kierra stood up and stretched out in an elegant manner, prompting the others to rise to their feet as well. ''''Thanks for the ride, Kamikaze.'''' Kierra flew over and stroked the dragon''s head. Her hand barely covered a fraction of one of his scales, but the warmth was certainly delivered. You wouldn''t find anyone who treated summoned creatures as well as Kierra! [It''s an honor, master.] With that, Kamikaze flew up into space and reverse-summoned himself, leaving the crew floating above the arena. By this point, they had caught everybody''s attention, spectacrly, no less. ''''Bai Qing, go to them.'''' Yu Chen put her hands on her disciple''s shoulders. ''''Show them what you are capable of.'''' ''''Yes, master!'''' Bai Qing confidently flew to the contestants'' area, and the remaining three also began to move to the observation room. The attendant was shocked to see Tian Yun again after decades, but he let them in regardless. Once inside, Kierra walked side to side with Tian Yun; her demeanor was rxed, her face was calm, and her steps were confident. Then, she suddenly noticed a familiar face. ''''Kang Jiang, was it?'''' ''''Ah, yes, lord Kierra.'''' Kang Jiang hurriedly stood up and bowed his head. Kierra simply nodded and continued her way. q(A)r q(A)r q(A)r She made a sect leader bow that easily?! At that moment, even though people could only sense a low cultivation base from the archwizard, they all thought ''This woman must be a master!'' Among the leaders of the top sects, the abbot of the Shaolin Temple was particrly curious. There were numerous hidden masters with inhumanely strong cultivation bases in the past, and all of them behaved exactly like this! He wanted to talk to Kierra right away, but General Manager Sang''s voice sounded again. ''''Ahem!'''' Kierra threw her hat into the space bag and sat down on her chair, sandwiched by Yu Chen and Tian Yun. ''''There was a small issue, but now, let us begin the long-awaited tournament! The first match is between Bai Qing of the White Lotus Sect and Liao Cai of the Flying Sword Sect!'''' ''''Hm? She fights the first match?'''' Kierra spoke up. ''''That is why I was worried...'''' Yu Chen sighed. ''''Well? I didn''t receive that information.'''' Kierra shrugged. ''''I certainly wasn''t going to arrivete for extra attention purposely. That is reserved for delusional teenagers only.'''' Suddenly, Kierra felt the room getting a bit colder. Tian Yun and Yu Chen beside her seemed to be panicking as well. Meanwhile, the ''bigshots'' all felt like needles were poking at their hearts. Why were they still getting smack-talked in the face even though they came on time this year... Nevertheless, they all turned their attention to the arena, where the match had already begun. Bai Qing''s opponent was from a rtively small sect and was generally on the same level of strength as her, not counting magic. Bai Qing decided only to use a small amount of mana this time, fearing that she would run out of itter. Against the opponent''s flying swords, Bai Qing deployed a multitude of lightnings to hinder their flying paths beforefortably going in topete sword to sword. Bai Qing''s lightning sword collided with the opponent''s regr sword. The result was obvious. Outside of the flying swords, which were easily disabled, the disciple from the Flying Sword Sect had nothing else. Bai Qing quickly imed her victory. ''''Round one of bracket A, winner, Bai Qing!'''' The audience pped. When General Manager Sang announced the next match, Kierra was already bored. Kierra didn''t need to sleep at all, but she still found it beneficial to sleep once in a while just to reset her mind. So naturally, Kierra said. ''''I will close my eyes for a moment. Wake me up when something interesting happens.'''' '''''''' Eh? '''''''' Before Tian Yun and Yu Chen could even react, Kierra had already leaned back into her chair, eyes closed. Watching the archwizard''s steady breaths, the two looked at each other nkly. Just like that, the tournament continues for a while. Nothing particrly special happened until Tian Yun suddenly felt something on her shoulder. ''''!!'''' ( ;?.?) Kierra was now leaning on her shoulder! Tian Yun wanted to do something, but she couldn''t wake Kierra up or let her without support. So Tian Yun, with all the respect she had for Kierra, went full in. She wrapped her arm around the archwizard''s waist and adjusted her position a bit. Now, they were effectively having a side hug. ''Phew...'' Tian Yun was impressed at her quick wit. With this, Kierra should had afortable nap... ''''Ah?'''' When she turned her head to the side, the usually calm Yu Chen was somehow biting her lower lip with a light pout, ncing at the two of them. ''What...?'' Case 15: Go, Bai Qing, Go! Case 15: Go, Bai Qing, Go! A blue lily. That was what the girl held in front of Kierra, together with a promise of eternity. ''''Do you like it?'''' Her affectionate voice sounded. ''''Yes!'''' Kierra replied happily and took the flower. The girl was the total opposite of a blue lily, which meant serenity, but Kierra innocently thought it suited her. Just like that, the two held hands and walked along the lily valley. Holding the flower in her hand, Kierra spoke up. ''''When this war is over... will you stay together with me?'''' ''''Of course.'''' The girl responded. ''''We will build our country together.'''' ''''Mhm.'''' Kierra held the girl''s hand tighter, and the two continued their way, dreaming of a brighter future. ''''ierra!'''' ''''Kierra!'''' Kierra was awoken by someone shaking her shoulders. Opening her eyes, she found herself leaning against Tian Yun''s shoulder. ''White lotus... no. What am I doing...'' It was clear that mental fatigue had caught up to her. She spent three whole months without sleep for the research of the star-transcending ritual, and now she even dreamt of that old fate and mistaking a person for a flower. ''''It''s time for Bai Qing to fight again, Kierra.'''' Tian Yun continued. Kierra slowly adjusted her sitting position, getting out of Tian Yun''s arm. ''''Excuse me.'''' ''''No problem.'''' Tian Yun shed a smile. After giving Tian Yun a nod, Kierra turned to the other side. ''''Yu Chen, you seem relieved. I assume the results were good?'''' ''''Y-Yes? Ah, yes, it was good.'''' ''''...?'''' Ignoring the abnormal Yu Chen, Kierra directed her gaze toward the arena again. There was a giant board showing the results of the matches, in which the archwizard was able to decipher that Bai Qing had indeed advanced to the quarterfinals. ''''This is incredible.'''' Tian Yun said with a smile. ''''Everyone besides our Bai Qing are in the top sects. We had never been this sessful before.'''' ''''I see.'''' Kierra replied. Soon, it was time for the matches to resume again. ''''We have quite a special matchup this time, fellow cultivators!'''' General Manager Sang''s voice sounded. ''''Facing against the best disciple from Emei SectFeng Lingis the rising star of thispetition, Bai Qing!'''' ''''What did he mean by ''special''?'''' Kierra asked. ''''Ah... the Emei Sect''s cultivation methods have a reputation of being the best among those suited for women. And because our sect''s are also...'''' Tian Yun exined as she nervously nced at the abbess of the Emei Sect. Kierra followed her gaze and stumbled upon a cold beauty in the distance. Said beauty turned to them, and their eyes met. '''''''' ... '''''''' For a brief moment, tension hung in the air. Soon, the match started, prompting everyone to look at the arena instead. Both Bai Qing and Feng Ling drew their swords. In quick and precise motions, thetter shot herself toward Bai Qing, and a purple hue fell onto her de. Darkness collided with lightning. In this matchup, Feng Ling clearly had more to show. Her swordy was elegant, yet deadly at the same time, gnawing at the opponent''s mind. Bai Qing''s lightning sword was inferior, so she opted for the hit-and-run tactic instead of confrontation. She carefully dodged every attacking at her, asionally poking Feng Ling a bit before retreating. This made Feng Ling infuriated. Suddenly, the disciple of Emei Sect raised her sword high, and intense qi began to gather around the de rapidly. With a decisive m, the purple air de was sent toward Bai Qing. Unlike standard air des, however, this one changed from vertical to horizontal at thest moment! ''''Kuh...!'''' Bai Qing had no choice but to block the attack. She wanted to save her mana until the final match, but it seemed there was no other way. So Bai Qing confidently jumped at her opponent. While flying in the air, Bai Qing secretly chanted a water spell on top of her lightning attack. Feng Ling felt there was something wrong, but she chose to counterattack right away. With a loud noise, two swords collided again. It was then that it happened ''''?!'''' From Bai Qing''s free hand, a water spear shot out, cleanly prating Feng Ling''s qi armor and punching her guts like a cannon. The proud disciple of the Emei Sect was blown back considerably. As the audience and Feng Ling herself were caught by total surprise, Bai Qing seized the chance and delivered another clean hit toward her opponent, pushing her out of the arena and thus ending the match. ''''T-The winner, Bai Qing!'''' Bai Qing felt a tremendous sense of aplishment. She looked up at her masters, and they nodded approvingly at her. ( ????? ) Meanwhile, chaos erupted in the observation room. The people had somewhat sensed something wrong with Bai Qing''s performance since earlier, but now, it was clear. ''''W-What was that?!'''' Someone in the observation room eximed. ''''Dual roots?!'''' ''''No way, that is not possible!'''' Hearing the people arguing, Tian Yun and Yu Chen couldn''t help but feel proud of Bai Qing. She had actually defeated the disciple from the Emei Sect! While the two were smiling foolishlyTian Yun externally, Yu Chen internallya shadow fell on their face. Turning around, they saw the cold abbess of Emei Sect. She looked at them emotionlessly, but faint hints of fury could be seen in her eyes. ''''You. What was that?'''' She asked the three. Before Yu Chen and Tian Yun could cook up an appropriate answer, Kierra had already spoken up. ''''Go back to your seat.'''' Veins popped up on the abbess''s forehead. ''''I am asking you.'''' ''''And who are you again?'''' Kierra snapped back. The abbess was furious. This woman didn''t even look at her once! So the abbess released her enormous qi, tensing up everyone, and right when she was about to press further, someone ced a hand on her shoulder. ''''Please calm down, abbess.'''' It was the abbot of the Shaolin Temple. Silence fell. Everyone held their breath; even the people outside felt there was something wrong. Eventually, the abbess of Emei Sect retreated her qi. ''''Excuse me.'''' With what, she left the room. Once again, silence fell. The previous tension was still lingering inside the room, but Kierra hardly cared about it. So, just like that, the tournament resumed as usual. After sitting through three more fights, Kierra was finally able to watch Bai Qing''s semifinal match. The opponent, this time, was clearly on guard against Bai Qing''s water magic, but because he wasn''t able to feel the mana moving,bined with the fact that he paid less attention to Bai Qing''s attacks, one water strike to the back was able to take him out. ''''We''re in the final...!'''' Tian Yun eximed. Her heart raced wildly. Finally, her and her predecessors'' dream was going toe true! White Lotus Sect would rise to the top! The other semifinal match was between a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect and a disciple of the Wudang Sect, with the former emerging victorious. Once again, General Manager Sang''s voice sounded, this time, more excited than ever. ''''Fellow cultivators! The final match to determine the winner of this tournament is between Yuan Ning of the Mount HuaSect and Bai Qing of the White Lotus Sect!'''' Stepping into the arena, Bai Qing took a deep breath. She only had one shot, so she couldn''t miss this chance. Case 16: The pride of White Lotus. Case 16: The pride of White Lotus. In terms of raw cultivation strength, Yuan Ning of Mount Hua Sect was significantly better than Bai Qing. He was in the middle of the Core Formation stagea whole stage above Bai Qing. The eldest martial sister of Qinling Peak was beyond nervous. If this were a year ago, she would have been eliminated a long time ago, but now, she stood proudly on stage,peting for the champion title. The pressure was unimaginable. ''''Sister, please take care of me.'''' Yuan Ning bowed lightly. Bai Qing also bowed back. ''''Likewise, brother.'''' The two drew their swords. After a brief silence, it was Yuan Ning who moved first. ''''Hap!'''' He bravely jumped toward Bai Qing despite knowing she had a way to attack stealthily, and Bai Qing herself soon realized why. ''The Plum Blossom sword...!'' Although she had observed him fighting with it before this, seeing the elegant pinkish aura swirling around his sword was simply incredible. Not losing to her opponent, Bai Qing quickly activated her lightning sword. The moment a plum blossom petal touched the tip of Bai Qing''s sword, the battle began. The two threw everything they had into this round. Yuan Ning repeatedly used the Plum Blossom sword techniques, dyeing one half of the arena pink, while Bai Qing upied the other half with a mix of lightning sparks and water torrents. Every second, dozens of strikes were exchanged. Bai Qing, fully immersed, had her limbs move with pure instinct while constantly chanting water spells in her mind to catch up with her opponent. Suddenly, an unusually wet sensation hit her upper lip. Her nose was bleeding. But her opponent was still going strong. The situation didn''t look good, but Bai Qing was determined to push through. She gritted her teeth and forced her mind to concentrate even more, causing her muscles to tear from the excessive movements and her brain to be fried from using too much magic. In the observation room, Kierra was frowning lightly. ''That idiot. Shepletely forgot the efficiency.'' She certainly taught her better than this. But... well, it had only been a few days. Kierra guessed that it was hard to shape her habit that easily. Still, Bai Qing had a chance. If she could just use her brain properly and utilize her advantage... ''''Oh?'''' To Kierra''s surprise, she saw Bai Qing''s mana slowly seeping into the other side of the arena, like a bunch of snakes, and then they connected to each other, forming a dense ball of mana. It was a result of Bai Qing''s utmost effort to create a countery. The ball slowly turned into water from the inside out, gradually forming a huge spear the size of a human, and the tip of it aimed straight at Yuan Ning''s back. ''''That trick won''t work against me!'''' However, noticing the decrease in Bai Qing''s water attacks at the front, Yuan Ning swiftly retreated and turned around to disable the spell preemptively, but then ''''Kuh...?!'''' The spear suddenly burst into millions of needles, and some dozens were able to get through Yuan Ning''s qi armor. ''''ARGHHH!!'''' Suddenly assaulted by a painful lightning zap, Yuan Ning let out a scream. Meanwhile, Bai Qing herself was already preparing the spell to end this match. She squeezed out every ounce of qi and mana in her body and condensed them into a spear, this time, a proper one. She jerked her hand, holding the zapping spear back beforeunching it at Yuan Ning. The spear squarely hit the disciple from Mount Hua, sending them far outside the arena, into the wall, unconscious. ''''Hah...! hah...! ugh...!'''' Bai Qing wanted to copse. She wanted to rest right away, but just a bit more. ''Just a bit more...'' ''''The winner, Bai Qing!!'''' As soon as General Manager Sang''s voice sounded, Bai Qing smiled softly before her vision turned blurry. Right before she fell onto the ground, her body was caught by someone. ''''Good job, my disciple. You are the pride of White Lotus.'''' ''This voice and this smell... master Kierra.'' Feeling a hand stroking her head, Bai Qing lost consciousness. As Kierra teleported back to the observation room with Bai Qing in her arms, she could feel the tension filling the space. So she did what she always did bestignoring it. She calmly put Bai Qing on her chair before casting an ordinary healing spell on her. This would not help Bai Qing recover her qi or mana, but it should help with the torn muscles and the bleeding. While Yu Chen and Tian Yun were proudly petting Bai Qing, someone approached Kierra. ''''Can we speak briefly, Miss Kierra?'''' It was the abbot of the Shaolin Temple. ''''Sure.'''' Kierra replied. ''''My name is Xuanji; nice to meet you.'''' ''''Kierra Scarlett Aspenova.'''' ''''...I am very much interested in the way this disciple performed.'''' The abbot began. ''''May I ask, are you the one who taught her the water techniques?'''' ''''Indeed.'''' Kierra nodded. ''''And before any of you ask, it is not cultivation.'''' Numerous ''What?!'' popped up. ''''Can you rify that...?'''' Xuanji continued. Kierra pondered for a bit before replying. ''''Well? Keep imagining it. It''s more fun that way.'''' Silence fell. Kierra leisurely pulled an additional chair over to her with telekinesis and sat down. ''''...Miss Kierra, would you like to visit our temple sometime soon?'''' Xuanji asked. ''''Is the library avable?'''' Kierra asked back. ''''Not all of it, but yes.'''' ''''Sure. I''ll go when I have time.'''' With his initial goal of making Kierra aware of him achieved, Abbot Xuanji happily retreated. Seeing that, the others were about to jump in when Kierra suddenly stood up. ''''There''s nothing to do here anymore. Let us go back.'''' '''''''' Yes. '''''''' Yu Chen lifted Bai Qing up, and they promptly left the room. Only a suffocating silence remained. Once outside, Tian Yun immediately raised her fists into the air, celebrating the victory that they just had. Seeing this, Kierra couldn''t help but curl her lips up. The sight was akin to a white lotus flower dancing, simply delightful. ''''Then, shall we rent a Cloud Boat to get back, or would you like to travel by dragon?'''' Yu Chen asked. ''''No, either of them takes too long,'''' Kierra replied. ''''Then...?'''' ''''We will teleport back.'''' Long-distance space travel was among the most intricate magic spells a wizard could do. It usually took dozens of high-level wizards just to activate the spell. And although CosmosKierra''s prime space magic aidwas currently unavable, Kierra still had confidence. So the archwizard readied herself. Right when she was about to do a short incarnation ''''Please wait!'''' A voice interrupted her. Turning around, it was the sect leader of the Lightning Tiger Sect. ''''Lord Kierra, I have a favor to ask.'''' Kang Jiang bowed his head. ''''Speak.'''' ''''Could you please grace my daughter with your presence? She has been asking me ever since...'''' ''''That can be der.'''' ''''P-Please! I fear she would destroy the whole sect if you didn''t pay a visit...'''' ''''...'''' Suddenly, Yu Chen grabbed Kierra''s sleeve. ''''I think we should go there briefly. Just in time, I want to check up on that young master.'''' ''''Fine.'''' Kierra sighed lightly. ''''You,e closer.'''' So, the destination of the teleportation changed to Lightning Tiger Sect. Case 17: Kang Shuren. Case 17: Kang Shuren. In the backyard of a certain building, a woman was sitting on the edge of the pond, dipping her feet into the cold water. The woman''s face was exceptionally emotionless. No one was able to tell if she was happy, sad, or somewhere in between, not even her family. She nkly looked at the sky with a pair of brilliant golden eyes, which she inherited from her father. But unlike him, she had straight, mellow green hair instead of fluffy white hair. As she watched the clouds floating by, she couldn''t help but remember the scene that day. Ominous ck clouds filled the sky, and suddenly, a spear thrust itself down to earth, defeating the mighty tiger that she had always admired. She vividly recalled the procreator of the said spear. ''''Hah...'''' Overwhelming. This was the only thing she could use to describe that person. Calm andposed, yet graceful movements, together with such an extraordinary disy of power. Kierra''s image on that fateful day had imprinted into the woman''s mind. She longed for the same power that Kierra had and wanted to stand where Kierra was... ''''...'''' s. It seemed her father was not nearly good enough for Kierra to care. If he couldn''t invite her to the Lightning Tiger Sect during this tournament, her chance of getting to know Kierra early would be ruined. She tried to get into the White Lotus Sect directly a few times, but she got rejected regardless. ''''Tch.'''' (p?_?) Stupid brother. Doing useless stuff... Nevertheless, it would take at least a day or so for her father to get back here. In the meanwhile, she wanted to keep training. As she got up and carefully wiped her feet, she heard faintly amotion going on in the distance. So she quickly got into her shoes and headed in the direction where she heard it. ''The town?'' She noticed a crowd forming at the central za. Curious, she jumped on a tall building to get a proper view, and then ''''!!'''' The woman immediately widened her eyes. Her brother and his partner were kneeling pitifully before a few people in the heart of the sect, no less. Even her father was present but could not do anything. Now, she didn''t care about any of that. Instead, that person was there! ''Kierra Scarlett Aspenova!'' She couldn''t miss this chance. Ignoring anything else, she immediately shot herself at where Kierra was, sessfully turning their attention to her. ''''...?'''' Kierra, who had been watching this young master of the sect apologize to Yu Chen and Tian Yun, was puzzled at the woman''s sparkling eyes. ''''Shuren! You''re here!'''' Kang Jiang hurriedly went over and stroked his daughter''s head affectionately. ''''Father.'''' The woman simply nodded. Kang Jiang then turned to Kierra. ''''Lord Kierra, this is my daughter that I talked about before. Her name is Kang Shuren, and she has always wanted to meet you.'''' ''''Hm. Speak your business.'''' Kierra responded. Kang Shuren pondered. ''''...Could we talk privately, please?'''' ''''Sure. Lead the way.'''' Yu Chen said she intended to wait until Bai Qing woke up so she could hear the young master''s apology directly for the first time, so Kierra had some free time. With Kierra following her, Kang Shuren couldn''t help but feel excited. Her chance had arrived, and she needed to seize it! ''''Hmph!'''' ''''...?'''' ''What is wrong with this kid...'' Not knowing Kierra''s first impression of herself, Kang Shuren happily guided the archwizard into the backyard earlier. Once inside, she took out a chair for Kierra and herself. The two sat down facing each other. ''''Lord Kierra, from that day, I have always admired your might.'''' Kang Shuren said. ''''So please, take me in as your disciple.'''' Looking at the woman bowing her head, Kierra replied. ''''I thought I said your sect would be trainedter?'''' Kierra had no intention of leaving out potential wizards, and this sect was hers anyway, so she announced that she would be searching for disciples here sometime in the future. Kang Shuren lifted her head to look at Kierra with her pleading eyes. ''''I really want to be stronger. Please.'''' From childhood, Kang Shuren was always absorbed in cultivation. She found the idea of improving herself further and further until she became an immortal fascinating. So, she ignored almost everything else and devoted herself to the practice. After more than a hundred years, she was able to build a decent cultivation base, but as of right now, she was encountering a bottleneck. She told all of that to Kierra while carefully watching her reaction. Kierra, most of the time, had an emotionless face, plus this kind of story wasn''t new to her, so the response was lukewarm at best. After thinking a bit, she spoke. ''''This will entirely depend on your talent in magic. As you know, I don''t teach cultivation.'''' ''''I want to try magic.'''' ''''Good. We will see how you do.'''' ''''Thank you.'''' Kierra looked away for a moment. She saw magnificent mountains, spectacr greenery, and good scenery overall. ''''Prepare yourself. I will check your talent in a minute.'''' Kierra spoke. She wanted to appreciate this sight some more. ''''Of course.'''' Kang Shuren replied excitedly, not that her face showed any of it. ''Mission sess...!'''' Internally, Kang Shuren was overjoyed. In actuality, she wasn''t that interested in bing the strongest there was. Sure, she would prefer having some strength rather than not, and she also found cultivation to be mildly fun, but it couldn''t be called her life goal. She didn''t believe she had one until she met Kierra. The moment she saw the archwizard, her whole mind was shifted. Aside from strength, she desperately wanted to be domineering like Kierra! Being able to crush anybody with raw power, dominate their souls and bodies with mere gestures, on top of that, possess an inhumanely beautiful exterior.... how cool is that...! Kang Shuren was determined. One day, she would ''''Shuren, was it?'''' ''''Y-Yes?'''' ''''Tell me, what do you cultivate for?'''' ''''Ah?'''' Kierra, who had suddenly remembered the question Yu Chen asked her disciples the other day, was curious to hear about this woman''s goal. She herself didn''t have one specifically. Yu Chen said it was important in cultivation, so it might be wise toe up with one for herself. Meanwhile, Kang Shuren: !!! ( ) Although she didn''t show, she was sweating buckets. Did Kierra see through her dirty intentions...?! Is this a test, or a threat...? With such questions brewing in her head, Kang Shuren nervously answered. ''''...For myself.'''' ''''borate.'''' ''''I... wanted to find a purpose for my life, something I''m passionate about... and although cultivation didn''t help me find it, I think I do know now. Thanks to magic.'''' ''Thanks to you, Kierra.'' ''''I see.'''' Kierra was satisfied with this answer. Right when she was about to stand up and begin checking Kang Shuren, someone barged into the yard. ''''Bad news!'''' The man shouted. ''''A powerful demon was detected nearby just a moment ago!'''' ''''What...?!'''' Kang Shuren stood up in shock. ''Demon?'' Kierra had gone to war with those things back in her world. So there was something simr even here... Case 18: Confronting the unexpectedly friendly(?) demon. Case 18: Confronting the unexpectedly friendly(?) demon. ''''Tian Yun.'''' ''''Yes?'''' ''''Exin briefly what a demon is.'''' While flying with the subjugation squad from Lightning Tiger, Kierra asked Tian Yun. ''''Um... usually, it is a cultivator corrupted by a certain source, or sometimes their own negative emotions.'''' ''''I see.'''' Tian Yun turned forward again, but her eyes stayed on Kierra. ''What a wonder...'' The white lotus had heard about Kierra from Yu Chen a while ago, but even Yu Chen didn''t know much about the archwizard''s past. Really, she couldn''t imagine where Kierra must havee from. Another reality? Silly idea. Tian Yun shook her head and concentrated on flying again. Meanwhile, Kierra was deep in her thoughts. If what Tian Yun said was true, then the concept of demons here differed entirely from that in her world. Demons back there typically referred to mostly mindless creatures born from pure dark mana or it mixed with other entities. They were unconditionally hostile to anything other than their own kin and universal enemies of the world. This was indeed curious for Kierra. Did the demons here also use dark mana or dark qi? Was that even a thing? Well, she would find out soon enough. As the squad entered the Yunluo mountain range, a wave of ufortable energy hit them. The air felt like it was contaminated, but the squad kept flying ahead. Demons were extremely dangerous creatures in the Central Divine Realmnot only did the cultivator who got turned into a demon have to have a solid cultivation base to withstand the process, but after transforming, they were typically multiple times stronger than the original. Eventually, they reached arge cave located at the foot of a mountain. The air had gotten so bad that many were frowning. Kierra was different, though. For one, she had gotten used to this kind of thing after the Great War with demons back in her world, and more than that, she was curious since this was the first time she encountered this energy. After Kang Jiang spoke to the guards outside, they headed in. Looking at the back of Kang Shuren, who participated in this instead of her brother because he was forced to stay with Yu Chen and Bai Qing at the sect, Kierra felt this was an excellent opportunity. Watching someone fight and use their energy was usually the go-to way of gauging their talent in magic, aside from intelligence. ''''?!'''' Suddenly, there was an eerie squeaking from inside. The squad immediately stopped. ''''Brother, can you scan the area ahead of us?'''' Kang Jiang asked one of the elders. ''''Of course.'''' A little whileter, the elder burst out in a cold sweat. ''''There are so many spawns of the demon!'''' He shouted. ''''Hundreds, no, thousands of them!'''' Everyone was startled. ''''We might be dealing with a disaster-level demon here.'''' Kang Jiang frowned. ''''I hope the aid request won''t be turned down...'''' ''''Let me take care of them,'''' Kierra said as she walked past the group. ''''Close your eyes and ears.'''' As the squad had known of Kierra''s might, they obediently did as she said, albeit still skeptical. Even if Kierra was stronger than Kang Jiang, a demon of this caliber BOOM!!! In the blink of an eye, Kierra constructed a simple explosive spell and shot it ahead. As it flew forward, its form gradually changed from an ordinary ball of fire to a fierce dragon, rapidly devouring its prey on the way. For a brief moment, the cave was lit up before it went silent again. ''''That should take care of the little ones,'''' Kierra said. '''''''' ... '''''''' She could have copsed this whole cave and buried everything in one go, but she was curious, so there was no other way! So, with Kierra leading the way, they continued moving forward. Wait, Kierra was leading the way...? (???)? Kang Jiang, the official leader of the squad, wanted to protest, but in a surge of sagaciousness, he concluded that he didn''t want to be beaten again. On the way, the squad encountered numerous burnt corpses of what seemed to be giant bats scattered all over the ground. Judging from their size and other bodily features, some of the more well-informed elders expressed their concerns over this particr demon. ''''No ordinary demon would be able to create this many monsters of this size...'''' Hearing that, everybody got nervous, including Kierra, but for a different reason. ''I hope that guy isn''t dead yet...'' Well, she could still feel the ominous energying, so probably no. And right after a turn, they saw something. Sitting inside a dome-like barrier was an almost rotten corpse with white hair and greyish skin. It looked like it should be dead, but the distinct red eyes inside the deep sockets of the ''corpse'' were still moving all right. Said eyes immediately fixed on Kierra as she calmly entered therge chamber containing the barrier. The archwizard looked around, and there was nothing other than an old table with a pot of nts on it. The nt appeared dead, with its leaves all withered. Ignoring the corpse, Kierra went straight to the table. She could feel the red eyes following her, but that didn''t bother her in the slightest. Rather, she noticed the ominous energy was the most dense around this withered nt. ''''Hm.'''' As she was about to lift it using telekinesis ''''Kierra!'''' Together with Tian Yun''s urgent shout, Kierra found the corpse now standing nkly beside her. It stared at her intently, not moving an inch. ''''What?'''' She asked. ''''...'''' Not hearing an answer, Kierra let out a sigh and raised her arm to the side. With a simple gesture, a slim mana sword manifested in her hand. It had an ocean blue color, slightly see-through, and left behind vivid traces of mana when swinging as well. Aside from being beautiful, though, this sword could even split a mountain squarely if Kierra used the correct technique. When Tian Yun and the others surrounded the thing with their weapons out, Kierra raised her hand and pointed her finger at its head. ''''Boom.''''

?Wind Bullet4? A gentle whisper from Kierra resulted in a strong and concentrated gust of wind shooting at the corpse''s head. In normal cases, it should have exploded its head altogether or at least sent it to the wall, but this time was different. With its hand covering the head, the corpse was still standing strong even after blocking Kierra''s spell whole. ''Interesting.'' While the squad was freaking out over how strong the demon was, Kierra was intrigued by its attitude. It seemed this thing was here just to protect the nt and nothing else. ''''Shuren.'''' Kierra called. ''''Can you fight this thing alone?'''' ''''I''m afraid not.'''' Kang Shuren''s face was utterly unchanging, as usual, but Kierra could sense the nervousness behind it. So Kierra replied. ''''Just do it. This will serve as a test as well, so do your best.'''' ''''...Ah?'''' Deep inside, Kang Shuren was scared to death. She could feel ominous death energy escaping this strange demon! Couldn''t they just leave it alone if it wasn''t attacking them like this for whatever reason...? ''''Um...'''' ''''I will assist.'''' Kierra pushed Kang Shuren forward. ''''You won''t die. And you all stay out.'''' Kang Shuren had no other option besides fighting. With all her courage, she pulled out her sword and took a battle stance. Seeing Kierra also pointing her sword at the demon, Kang Shuren was suddenly motivated. This was an opportunity to fight together with the legendary Kierra! She was determined to prove her worth and fight a cool battle with the archwizard, but only when the fight began did she realize one crucial problemKierra''s swordy was utter garbage. Case 19: Terrible swordswoman Kierra. Case 19: Terrible swordswoman Kierra. From the beginning of the time, there was a saying ''Nobody is perfect.'' At this moment, Kang Shuren thought it was especially true. Why? Because Kierra''s sword skills were too atrocious...! When the two went in, the demon seemed to have decided to retaliate. It pulled out a dark sword out of nowhere and began to wreak havoc. Its strikes were heavy, its speed was exceptional, and its resilience was unmatched. On top of that, it had an annoying screeching scream that greatly distracted Kang Shuren. She was only at the peak of the Golden Core Stage; who in their right mind would make her fight this thing?! Strangely, whenever Kang Shuren was about to be sliced up by that scary sword, Kierra always blocked the demon squarely. The sight of her effortlessly matching the demon was cool. It made Kang Shuren''s heart beat faster. But when Kierra tried to attack... Just then, Kierra held her sword up and mmed it down clumsily, which the demon easily dodged. ''''?!'''' BOOM!! Even the demon seemed baffled at Kierra''s terrible swordy, but the sheer power behind each strike of hers was noughing matter, as the recent one nearly destroyed the wall. Kang Shuren thought for sure Kierra was ying around, and she showed no sign of getting serious, which meant it was up to her to actually defeat this formidable opponent! ''''Hup!!'''' So Kang Shuren jumped in and shed swords with her opponent again. Looking at Kang Shuren, Kierra quietly evaluated the woman. Her energy control was decent enough, and it seemed her blood vessels and heart were quite suitable for mana regtion. It should be possible to make her a wizard, at least, but whether she was a proper wizard would depend on her calction skills. ''''Ugh...!'''' Immersed in her own thoughts, Kierra did not notice Kang Shuren losing in a strength battle with the demon. ''Oh, she''s about to die.'' So the archwizard blinked forward and stabbed the demon''s sword away. Although she was a wizard, her body was still rtively strongpared to ordinary people due to the natural result of dense mana flowing through her body, so it was possible to match the demon''s strength. Just like that, the two continued to battle their opponent for a while more until Kierra thought it was enough. When everyone, who had been nervously watching since earlier, saw Kierra put away her sword, they simultaneously sighed in relief. They had been itching to shout ''What terrible swordy!'' during the fight, but no one wanted to be beaten up, so they kept their mouth shut. Nevertheless, Kierra pinned the demon to the wall with telekinesis and began a special summoning ritual. Under the people''s curious gazes, she reached into her space bag and pulled out a deer skull. Then, robust mana from the archwizard flowed into the skull, making it float into the air. ''''Heed my call, Ovi.'''' Following Kierra''s call, the brilliant blue mana enveloping the skull burst out before its color rapidly changed to an ominous ck. Two burning red lights shed in the skulls'' eye sockets. ''''What...?!'''' ''''I''m getting goosebumps....!!'''' ''''L-Lord Kierra, what is this?!'''' Ignoring the people''s reaction, Kierra calmly waited for her subordinate to arrive. It only took ten seconds for the lights in the skull''s sockets to stabilize. Then, the ck mana that filled the room gathered under the floating head, forming a slightly transparent, pitch-ck ''body.'' It didn''t have arms or legs, just, a body. Soon, it kneeled before Kierra. [I havee to serve you, master] A deep voice, so deep that it seemed toe from the abyss itself, escaped the creature. The archwizard nodded contently. ''''Long time no see, Ovi.'''' Ovi - Lich of The End. Formed by the coge of resentment from all over the world since the beginning of time, it was one of Kierra''s most prominent summons. Technically, it was not a ''summon,'' but when Kierra defeated the lich and put it under her wing, it practically became one. Befitting a high lich, Ovi had a magnificent armyposed of millions of undead, from simple skeletons, zombies, or ghouls to city-destroying bone dragons. This time, Kierra was curious to see if this supposedly ''demon'' in front of her could be included in that army. [Please give your order] ''''Try to tame that guy.'''' When Kierra pointed to the demon, who had been struggling helplessly since earlier, Ovi quickly stood up and floated over to it. ''''...!!'''' Red eyes met red eyes. Staring straight into Ovi''s intense pupils, even the demon could not help but feel fear. As its pupils began to tremble, a piece of Ovi''s body reached out and grabbed its head. The demon struggled and struggled it did, but there was an invisible force holding its body in ce, so to the average viewer, the scene looked as though it hadpletely surrendered to the lich. KIAAAK!! The demon let out a helpless screech as Ovi''s ck mana seeped into its body. ''''L-Lord Kierra, what is...'''' Kang Shuren tugged Kierra''s sleeve and asked timidly. The others naturally turned to their conversation as well. ''''My subordinate,'''' Kierra replied. ''''It won''t hurt you.'''' ''''I... see?'''' Regardless of Kierra''s confirmation, everyone was still scared. If it could easily take care of such a strong demon, then what would they be... (???)(???)(???) Eventually, Ovi dropped the demon to the ground before turning to Kierra. The lich then shook its head. [I''m afraid thismb cannot be tamed] ''''Any reason?'''' [Its whole being has been taintedno salvation] ''''I see. Good work.'''' As Kierra was about to grab the nt pot, the demon suddenly jumped up again. Although Ovi''s touch had just significantly damaged its mind, it still desperately crawled to the old table. Seeing this, Kierra couldn''t help but be curious. ''''Ovi, do you have ess to this one''s memory?'''' [Yes, master] ''''y it out and cut the boring parts.'''' Kierra leaned back in her chairfortably as Ovi stuck its body on the wall to act as a screen. With everybody looking intently at it, the memory began. The first part was about the person before turning into a demon. She was a rather sessful cultivator in a small sect. One day, when she was walking around, she picked up a small fox demon, and from then on, her life changed forever. With the cute fox demon by her side, she had more and more motivation to cultivate, and for a while, it seemed as though everything was going well until they encountered a corrupted entity roaming around this area. They bravely fought back in the hope that they could somehow contain this anomaly, but ultimately, the fox and the woman all got greatly injured, even the corrupted entity was still alive. This is where the final part began. The female cultivator poured everything into sealing the entity, containing it in a flower pot. As for the fox demon, she used a relic to put it right under this area in a magic capsule for it to heal gradually. From that point onward, the female cultivator would keep guarding this area on her own since she needed to be present to maintain the seal properly. She also tried to reach out to bigger sects for help, but they never arrived. Gradually, ominous energy began to escape the pot nt. The seal couldn''t contain it, and now, even the female cultivator has turned out like this. Even while watching this shback, Kierra could hear some people sniffing on the sides. The people here, they were indeed overly prideful and pretentious, but they had at least lots of sympathy, Kierra thought. Though... ''''...'''' Did she just bully a good person...? Case 20: Resurrection. Case 20: Resurrection. Staring at the female cultivator struggling on the ground, Kierra could not help but feel a bit guilty. She was careless. Kierra frowned and pulled her witch hat down to conceal her face. She didn''t consider herself as the advent of justice or the cop of morals, but she definitely wasn''t an evil person by any means. Nevertheless, she failed to consider the strangeness of this universe and casually made a judgment based on little information. If she hadn''t thought of recruiting this ''demon,'' she would have blown off everything in one swoop, and that would have been a sure disaster. Kierra wanted to save this cultivator, both to make up for this woman and to fulfill her basic duty as a fellow human. She wasn''t confident in practices rted to this field, but she had to try. Only now did she regret not paying attention when the King of the Underworld discussed this topic with her. Regardless, she would first need to eliminate the corrupted entity before anything else. ''''Ovi.'''' Kierra stood up. ''''Can you take care of that?'''' Following the archwizard''s line of sight, the lich stared at the old table briefly. [Please leave it to me] ''''Good.'''' As Ovi stretched out its body to envelop the table whole, Kierra approached the female cultivator. ''''Don''t move.'''' Ignored. ''''I said do not move.'''' Ignored. s, it seemed this person had lost almost all of her reasons. Kierra pinned her on the ground with telekinesis before pouring out her mana. It soon split into thousands of strands and stabbed into the cultivator''s body. This provided Kierra with an urate diagnosis of her body, which turned out to be rather grim. As the condition of the exterior might have suggested, the body waspletely dead. How it could have even been fighting earlier was a mystery, and if Kierra wanted a proper resurrection, she would have to use another vessel to shove this person''s soul in. She reached into her space bag and pulled out various trinkets. These were gifts from the church back in her old world, which she intended to use for a purification ritual. Now, for the vessel... ''''Oh.'''' Now that she thought about it, didn''t she have a phoenix egg that she got from its mother a long time ago? The space bag could freeze the time of the items inside it, so inside the egg should still be something that was in the state of a ''nk'' body. Good. While searching for the egg, Kierra used telekinesis to arrange the trinkets in their correct locations and drew the magic circle simultaneously. When she finally found the egg and took it out, the ritual was also ready. ''Good thing I didn''t scramble this one.'' Considering the massive size of the phoenix egg, Kierra thought it would be a fantastic breakfast. ''...I''m getting distracted again.'' Kierra quietly began to chant.

''''To the King of Underworld, I call.'''' The archwizard''s gentle voice rang through the cave. A brilliant aura of cyan magic burst out from her, making her clothes, hat, and hair flutter. It soon enveloped the trinkets, floating them in the air. Each leisurely swam through the air in its own orbit around the caster.

''''Your ws shall not reach us, nor your temptation.'''' Gradually, the trinkets turned into bright spots of light as they elerated, and the whole cyan aura spun even faster. After just a few seconds, it shrunk into a single dense ball, slowly descending into the female cultivator''s body.

''''Hereby, I vowto defy death.'''' Slowly, a dimly lit ball of light emerged out of the cultivator''s back. It was the size of a head and was tightly sealed by cyan chains wrapping around the surface. When Kierra brought the phoenix egg forward, the ball was immediately absorbed into it. With a simple snap, Kierra canceled the magic and marveled at her own work. ''At least my brain works decently.'' Meanwhile, Tian Yun and the people of the Lightning Tiger Sect were staring nkly at the unbelievable scene. The female cultivator was now wholly motionless. And the ball that just went into... ''''W-Wait, Kierra, what did you do...?'''' Tian Yun stepped forward. ''''Exactly as you are imagining,'''' Kierra replied. (; ) (; ) (; ) This woman... could interfere in the matter of life and death! Without her knowledge, Kierra''s status rose even more in these people''s eyes. Now, they were convinced that the archwizard was an immortalnot an ordinary one, even. Ignoring that, Kierra began to recall. If Kierra remembered it right, the soul should return to normal once the phoenix egg was hatched. So she threw it into her ''My Room'' pocket dimension, where time still flowed normally instead of her space bag. She then sat back down on the wooden chair and spread out her mana, carefully, very carefully reading the area around her. Only then did she find something unusual with theposition of the earth below this room. She had to admit that this relic of the female cultivator was highly effective, able to fool a casual scan of Kierra earlier. But at the same time, the structure of it was at its limit. ''So she was scared of damaging the capsule, hence the reluctance in engaging a fight.'' Just in time, Ovi came back to its liege with good news. [This servant has sessfully absorbed the source, master] ''''Good job, Ovi. You can rest now.'''' [It is my honor] The lich reversed-summoned itself, leaving only the deer skull behind. Kierra put it back into her space bag and announced to the people. ''''The anomaly is gone. Feel free to leave, Lightning Tiger sect.'''' There was a certain attitude in the archwizard''s voice, one that screamed, ''No objection is epted.'' The confused cultivator couldn''t do anything other than obey. ''''Um... what about my test result, Master Kierra?'''' Kang Shuren raised her question. ''''You pass. I will take you to White Lotuster.'''' ''''Yes...!'''' Kang Shuren dly left with her sect''s people. With that, only Kierra and Tian Yun were left in the cave. The former looked below briefly before speaking up. ''''...Tian Yun.'''' ''''Oh, yes?'''' ''''Do you want to go to a hot spring?'''' ''''A hot... what...?'''' In truth, Kierra could peer into the capsule, and for whatever reason, it was a hot spring. The archwizard had been washing herself with water magic for the longest time, so a hot and slow bath right now was too alluring for her. Shooing the others away was also because of this, and as for Tian Yun... Kierra somehow felt like it was fine, probably. ''''There is a hot spring below us.'''' ''''What a rare thing...! Of course, I will dly join you, Kierra!'''' Deep in Kierra''s mind, a bad thought suddenly crept in. ''''...'''' No, she couldn''t be seeing that woman in Tian Yun. Same flowers, different types. It was time to move on... Kierra straightened herself up and set a barrier around the room to prevent anyone from going in or peeking in. Then, she used earth magic to remove the patch of rock underneath her feet, revealing a bunker-like structure that stuck out. Inside there was a hot spring... no, there was the fox, yes. There was the fox demon as well. Case 21: Hot spring and clothes. Case 21: Hot spring and clothes. Opening the capsule was trivial for Kierra. With her might, not even heaven''s gates could stop her, whatever those were. Immediately after the structure crumbled down, a wave of hot and damp heat hit her and Tian Yun. Once that was mostly dissipated, she could see the hot spring in its full glory. It had the shape of a donut, with the middle part being a rock stand of sorts, and on ity a small white fox. It seemed to be sleeping, curled up into a ball. ''''Kierra, what about the fox...?'''' The archwizard, enchanted by the hot spring, didn''t think much before answering. ''''It''ll be my pet.'''' ''''...Okay?'''' Then, the two began to undress. Even though they stood on either corner of the room, Tian Yun couldn''t help but be embarrassed. She had never let anyone see her naked body before, but it would be disrespectful to Kierra if she folded now... ''''...'''' ''Am I overthinking...?'' They were both women anyway, and Kierra didn''t seem to mind it. It was just her being overly conscious. Besides, Kierra had prepared towels for both of them, so the important parts should be safe. After correcting her mindset, Tian Yun happily stripped and got into the towel before turning around. There, she was squarely stunned. Her eyes automaticallynded on Kierra''s perfect curves, ones that couldn''t be hidden by a mere towel, and on her exposed legs and upper chest. The archwizard also tied her hair up, which gave her an overall softer impression. It was... seductive. While Tian Yun was staring nkly like that, Kierra had already dipped herself into the steamy water. The ck-haired beauty''s face instantly melted. ''''Get in.'''' Kierra said as she closed her eyes in rxation. The water was sufficiently hot, and the depth of the hot spring was just right. Kierra could stay here all night. ''''A-Alright.'''' Tian Yun finally snapped out. She also entered the warm water and melted like the other person. While that feeling somewhat distracted her, Tian Yun still had Kierra in her mind. She didn''t know what was happening, and her heart was beating too fast to her liking. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Tian Yun looked over to Kierra again. The archwizard still had her eyes closed. At this moment, a thought suddenly popped up in her mind. ''What if she were to remove those thick lipstick...'' She was curious to see Kierra without such heavy makeup, especially on her lips. So she spoke up. ''''...Kierra.'''' Kierra still hadn''t opened her eyes. ''''Speak.'''' ''''Do you want to try a more... natural makeup?'''' Strangely, Kierra flinched. She frowned for just a brief moment, then appeared to be deep in thought. Eventually, she opened her mouth. ''''...Maybeter.'''' ''''O-Oh, I see.'''' Silence fell. Tian Yun felt like she just made a mistake, but seeing that Kierra didn''t say more, she was a little relieved. So, the two spent the next hour or so immersing themselves in the hot spring. When Kierra finally thought it was enough, she promptly stood up, spooking Tian Yun again with her towel-sticking-to-body scene. Tian Yun felt like her heart was about to explode. In any case, they quickly got into their clothes again, grabbed the fox, and left the ce. Flying in the air, Kierra couldn''t help but appreciate these kinds of rxations. She felt her mind was clearer now, not that it was not previously. Once back at the Lightning Tiger Sect, the two were immediately greeted by a conscious Bai Qing and a rather restless Yu Chen. ''''You two... are you alright?'''' Yu Chen asked. She was quite worried since she couldn''t peer through Kierra''s barrier even with her [Divine Sight] ''''We are.'''' Tian Yun replied. ''''That is a relief... hm?'''' Some minor details couldn''t escape Yu Chen''s eyes. Both of these two''s cheeks were a bit rosy, and the overall atmosphere around them seemed somewhat... hot. Just then, Bai Qing spoke up. ''''What did you two do back there, master, sect leader?'''' She asked innocently. While Tian Yun was somehow nervous about saying it, Kierra responded instead. ''''We went into a hot spring.'''' ''''Oh... how nice.'''' Bai Qing was genuinely jealous. Meanwhile, Yu Chen: !!! ( ) ''H-How could they do that without me...!'' She also wanted to see Kierra without clothahem. She also wanted to rx in a hot spring! This fact boggled her mind. So much so that she kept thinking about it during the trip back to White Lotus, even when the whole sect was celebrating Bai Qing''s victory. That night, after thinking about it over and over for hours, Yu Chen decided to make a move. At this point, she had to admit. She was attracted to this strange woman after only spending a few days together. Yu Chenughed at herself. ''How silly... is this what they call love at first sight?'' She didn''t know if she even had a chance, let alone sess, in bonding with Kierra, but nothing would be done if she just stayed still. At worst, she just wanted to sleep with Kierra to satisfy her lust and be done with ita one-night stand. Yu Chen never thought she would think about this term again after learning it, but here she was. Next morning, the martial master of Qinling Peak went to the Crimson Tower and met Kierra. Yu Chen: ''''Want to go shopping for clothes?'''' Kierra: ''''OK.'''' (???) ''''...Huh?'''' ''''Are we not going?'''' Yu Chen had prepared an essay worth of reasons to convince Kierra, but who would have thought she had epted it right away? She was confused. Nevertheless, the two moved to the town and went into the biggest clothing shop around. In line with her awareness of makeup and style, Kierra had indeed been interested in the clothes of this world. She thought they looked quite beautiful. ''''Hm...'''' Kierra looked around the store. These clothes, just like her robe, were designed to be worn oversized, so she should be more concerned with the design. ''''I think ck clothes suit you the best.'''' Yu Chen said. ''''I agree.'''' Kierra replied. Just like that, the two began to choose clothes for a long time. In this period, Yu Chen was especially troubled. Every time Kierra asked for her opinion after trying on a different outfit, she couldn''t answer it well enough. ''Everything suits her...!'' Saying ''you look pretty'' all the time made her sound as though she was being insincere. Yu Chen didn''t think shopping could be this hard! In any case, there was something Yu Chen noticed while watching Kierra. ''''Kierra... is that hat special to you?'''' Kierra, who was eyeing another outfit, froze. She gently touched her hat for a few seconds before opening her mouth. ''''...Maybe.'''' She replied, leaving Yu Chen puzzled. In the end, Kierra chose a ck minimalist outfit that suited her the most. From afar, it seemed simr to her robe, but close up, it was indeed something the people here would wear. The overall feel of it was good as well. ''''We made a good purchase.'''' Yu Chen smiled at Kierra. When she was about to leave, Kierra naturally stopped her. ''''Huh?'''' ''''We haven''t chosen your clothes.'''' The archwizard said firmly. ''''Purple suits you better than white.'''' ''''Oh...'''' So Kierra spent another hour or so choosing Yu Chen''s clothes meticulously. ''''Hm...'''' Looking at the back of Kierra, who was seriously considering between a light purple dress and a lighter purple dress, Yu Chen''s lips curled up. At this moment, she was definitely happy. If there was just one thing she couldin about... ''Isn''t this taking too long...?'' Case 22: Little fox, big lich. Case 22: Little fox, big lich. Unexpectedly, Kierra was a menace when choosing clothes for other people in the sense that she was too meticulous. In the end, it took them the whole morning to finish picking a few outfits for each other. Exhausted, Yu Chen proposed they eat lunch at a famous restaurant in town. Kierra didn''t need to eat as she could absorb enough energy from mana to sustain her body forever, but she was curious about the cuisine of this world. There was just one problem. Looking at the blood-red tofu dish in front of her, the archwizard was unsure of whether this was a dish made for human or vampire consumption. ''''It is quite good; try it.'''' Yu Chen encouraged Kierra. ''''...'''' (???_??) Never before had Kierra been this intimidated by mere tofu. What a disgrace! So she bravely grabbed the fork and resolutely stabbed a piece of tofu before tossing it into her mouth. It quickly melted inside, and then came the vors. The first five seconds were filled with sweet and spicy; the next five? Burning pain. ''''Ugh...!'''' Kierra''s face contorted as she tried to fight the intense heat of the dish. She held her throat lightly, little tears escaping her moist eyes. Regret hit Kierra like a truck. She shouldn''t have overestimated herself! Meanwhile, Yu Chen was strangely mesmerized by this sight. Seeing Kierra in her vulnerable moment was seriously something else. Her instinct was telling her to protect this woman at all costs, even if she was miles weaker than Kierra. In the end, it took a full ten seconds before she snapped out. ''''Here, have some water...'''' ''''N-No need...'''' Kierra had already been using heal on herself once she judged this would be too painful. It was close to normal now. ''''I''m sorry, Kierra.'''' Yu Chen said softly before turning to the server nearby. ''''Excuse me, could I order something more mild?'''' The server quickly took the new order and went back to the kitchen. ''''Phew...'''' Kierra sighed. So there was indeed something she couldn''t handle... After finishing the meal, they came back to the Crimson Tower, where Kierra''s disciples could be seen training rigorously. The mood of this little sect had been through the roof ever since they received the news about Bai Qing''s victory. Coupled with the fact that this little champion was trained by Kierra, everyone got even more excited over wizardry. Kierra nodded in approval. These people, as she had expected, were well disciplined. If only her old disciples were this good... ''...Oh, well. What else... I should probably check on Cosmos soon. But for now,'' Kierra called Tian Yun and Yu Chen over to a corner for a little chat. ''''I will hatch the egg and wake the fox demon now.'''' She said. ''''Do you two want to join?'''' She wanted to bring them in case those two inside her pocket dimension were hostile due to her not being a native, and now that the hot spring hade off, she was not too eager to gain two more pets anymore. Needless to say, Yu Chen and Tian Yun immediately agreed to her request, especially after hearing about this ''pocket dimension'' of Kierra. They were curious. So Kierra opened a simple rift for them to enter. Upon stepping through it, the two couldn''t help but widen their eyes. Even though they felt the architecture was rather foreign to them, the two-story interior with a ck-and-white minimalist design looked amazing. The materials of the build itself and the finishes were all polished, the furniture had simple yet delicate designs, and it just seemed so... clean. The highlight of this house, though, was definitely therge window taking up almost all of the right side wall. Through it, one could peer through to see a gxy with billions of bright stars swirling around. It had a bedroom, a kitchen, a living room, a shower, and even a mini garden! Yu Chen and Tian Yun suddenly felt extremely poor, even though their residences weren''t bad. It was as though a huge dose of vitamin B was injected into their bodies and souls, overflowing. Vitamin Broke! When the two were busy thinking about how to make more money, Kierra had already sat down on the sofa. She called the two poor women over, and the three of them all focused on the football-sized phoenix egg and the little fox demon on the table. Naturally, Kierra reached out to the fox demon first. Its size was simr to a cat''s, and it had pure white fur, looking very small and cute. If this were Kierra before bing a wizard, she would have done anything to keep it, but now she preferred giant beasts. Nevertheless, Kierra used healing magic to treat the fox''s internal woundsthe only thing left after Ovi sucked the corruption out of it. After only a moment, the little fur ball promptly opened its eyes. Sitting on Kierra''s palm, the creature looked around in confusion. It turned to Yu Chen on the left, turned to Tian Yun on the right, and then turned to Kierra. Exactly three blinks afterward, it sprung itself back onto the table and bared its little fangs. ''''Who are you all?!'''' A little girl''s voice, befitting the small statue of it, sounded. Staring at this ''thing'' with a pair of dead eyes, Kierra felt like it was definitely a headache. So she naturally tossed the exnation to the other two and went for a quick drink. It took a full five minutes for the story to get through because this little fox would just interject at virtually every moment. When Kierra came back, the fox had gotten considerably softer, expressing its relief over the survival of its owner, who was in the egg. Though, it was still quite arrogant. ''''Hmph!'''' The little fox crossed its arms. ''''Be honored, mortals! For you have sessfully saved this precious body!'''' It then went on to babble about it being the mythical fox spirit, how it was the best of its kind, how powerful it was... until Kierra got irritated. ''''Shut.'''' The archwizard used telekinesis to pinch the fox''s little mouth together, preventing it from spewing garbage again. At times like this, intimidation tactics were always the best! So Kierra pulled out the deer skull from her space bag again, startling Yu Chen, who hadn''t seen it before. As Ovi began to manifest in front of the little fox''s eyes, fear filled its whole body. It went from a proud little fox to a scaredy one in mere seconds. Kierra nodded and got right to the questioning. ''''Name.'''' ''''Shen.'''' ''''Race.'''' ''''Nine-tailed fox.'''' ''''Specialty.'''' ''''...Transformation.'''' ''''Good. From now on, you are my pet.'''' ''''Ah?'''' Kierra changed her mind when she heard about its specialty. In practice, the archwizard could alter the light around her and technically transform in others'' eyes, but at the end of the day, it was just a mere illusion. This fox imed to be a nine-tailed one, yet she could only see one, which meant it was currently not in its true form. Kierra hadn''t noticed it at all. It was even more subtle than dragons'' polymorphism... It was a valuable opportunity to learn another skillset for Kierra, but Shen was naturally reluctant. ''''But... I want to follow my master...'''' The little fox said as it stroked the phoenix egg. The previous sassiness was gone, leaving behind just an emotional fox. ''''Your master shall also be my pet,'''' Kierra replied calmly. ''''H-Huh?'''' ''''That phoenix egg was mine in the first ce.'''' Kierra continues. ''''Your master should be grateful I gave her that body.'''' Shen thought it was... reasonable. This way, she could still follow her master, while her master could pay back the grace with her body! That sounded quite wrong for some reason, but Shen didn''t care much. ''''If my master wants to, then...'''' She looked up at Kierra. Just like that, Kierra suddenly gained two pets. Case 23: A new height of power. Case 23: A new height of power. Waking up Shen''s master, who was trapped in the body of an unborn phoenix, was somewhatplicated. In practice, Kierra just needed to wait for the egg to hatch, but this egg was gifted to Kierra right after it wasid, much to her reluctance, and Phoenix eggs could take literally forever to crackfor regr phoenix eggs, that was. If one thought about it, why would a phoenixy eggs in the first ce? Weren''t they supposed to be a truly immortal species who could resurrect infinitely? Turns out, not quite. Theserge firebirds had a secret. A secret so big it would directly threaten their survival if revealedtheir eggs were essentially spare bodies. This was the method phoenixes used to ''resurrect'' back in Kierra''s world. Once their body died, no matter the cause, their soul would automatically be transferred into one of these eggs, thus reviving them. Kierra once got challenged by one of these birds, particrly their very princess, so she promptly beat the crap out of her, then proceeded to track her way to her nest. Kierra was then bribed with this egg in exchange for her silence, subsequently beginning her strange rtionship with the phoenix princess. A rtionship that gotplicated quite quickly... ''''...'''' Nevertheless, the egg in front of her should be ready to hatch right now. Normally, only a phoenix''s soul could enter an egg, but with Kierra''s imitation of the King of the Underworld''s magic, shoving a human soul in was possible. It should be totally fine, probably. Kierra stood up and grabbed the egg, much to the others'' surprise. They followed her to the middle of the room, where the archwizard took out arge nket and spread it out on the ground. When she put the egg on top of it, Tian Yun couldn''t suppress her curiosity. ''''Kierra, is this needed for the hatching?'''' She asked. Kierra turned around with a serious face. ''''No. But if I don''t do this, the liquid inside the egg will dirty my house.'''' ''''O-Oh...'''' So they watched as Kierra pulled out a banana-looking... stick thingy and raised it above her head. Before Shen could even fathom the archwizard''s intention to strike the egg with that thing, Kierra had already pulled her hand down, bringing the banana thing with it. CRACK!! One strike was all it took. The eggshell was cleanly separated, falling to either side lightly and revealing a decently sized bird inside. The little thing had orange-red feathers that slowly shifted toward white the further they went to the tail. From the outside alone, it was definitely a phoenix alright, just... ''''...I see what you meant.'''' Yu Chen said, pinching her nose. There was a weird, sticky liquid clinging to the bird''s body, and it smelled quite bad as well. Right away, Kierra lifted the bird with telekinesis and threw everything left on the ground into her trash bin. After washing it with water magic for a while, she dried it using wind magic, then left it on a nket. ''''...What now?'''' The fox asked as it stared nkly at its supposed master, who showed no sign of opening her eyes. ''''Just wait.'''' Kierra responded simply before she went to the kitchen for a snack. When she casually came out with four cups of vani ice cream, the other three were puzzled. ''''Eat.'''' Upon digging into this foreign dessert, they were blown back immediately. (; ) (; ) (; ) W-What was this cold yet so delicious thing...?! So Kierra quietly sat there, eating her ice cream, while watching two humans and one fox throw their dignity away to devour the cups of ordinary dessert. Once that was done, the baby ''phoenix'' finally moved a bit. Under the eyes of four people, it slowly got up, seemingly confused about the situation. ''''You,'''' Kierra spoke up. ''''If you understand what I am saying, nod.'''' The bird blinked a few times, then nodded. ''''Try to talk.'''' The phoenixes Kierra met could speak while in their bird forms, so in this case, this thing should be able to ''''Chirp.'''' ...Maybe not. Once again, leaving the exnation for other people, Kierra went out to the balcony to watch some stars. There was no wind out here, but one could barely notice any of that when standing before a whole gxy in the distance. Now, this gxy was just a mere illusion, a mimic of the real gxy Kierra''s home was in, but it seemed convincing enough to deceive most people. ''''...Cosmos.'''' Following the archwizard''s call, a sun-like sphere appeared beside her. This time, it was a bit bigger and a bit brighter. ''''What is your progress right now?'''' Kierra asked. [It is nearpletion, my friend] ''''I see. Do you feel any difference in the quality of the knowledge?'''' [Definitely] ''''How so?'''' [I feel this universe has a higher ceiling than ours if these are indeed entry-level techniques as they are made out to be] ''''Hm...'''' This meant that there was definitely someone stronger than Kierra in this world. Someone who could match the strongest in the world and even defeat her... ''''I like it.'''' Kierra smiled. She loved the idea of having topete for the top spot again. ''''Well, if you are almost done with the Lightning Tiger library, then we should move to another one soon.'''' [I appreciate your help] ''''No problem.'''' It was time to visit the Shaolin Temple. After staying outside for a while, Yu Chen came up behind Kierra. ''''She caught up, it seems.'''' ''''I see. Let us go inside.'''' When the two came back into the house, they saw the little phoenix already pping its wings around, inspecting its new body. Seeing Kierra and her dominant aura, the phoenix quickly hid behind Shen. ''''What is her name?'''' Kierra asked. ''''Lan. Her name is Lan.'''' Shen replied. ''''She is... a bit shy, as you can see.'''' Kierra nodded. Now that she had confirmed the two''s survival, it was time to move on. Kierra turned around and told Tian Yun to arrange for someone to take her new pets on a tour of the sect, and she informed them of the necessary information. ''''Of course.'''' The white lotus responded. With that, the little party inside Kierra''s private dimension hade to an end. Kierra spent time cultivating that afternoon on the top of a mountain. ''...This is harder than I thought.'' Kierra thought she was ready to cultivate her level further, but it appeared as though her qi had notpletely assimted into her flesh just yet. Kierra suspected her overly dominant mana flow had something to do with it. Normally, these kinds of problems could be solved by consuming a rare elixir or something simr... ''Wait, what are the artifacts in this world like again?'' Kierra had totally forgotten to inspect them. She was too focused on cultivation. Now, she had read about a few in the library of White Lotus, but those were quite obviously superficial pieces of information. She hadn''t had her hand on a real one just yet. So Kierra quickly got up and began to descend the mountain. It was time for some treasure hunting. Case 24: A trip to Emei. Case 24: A trip to Emei. ''''Artifacts? We don''t have them.'''' ''''...'''' Confronting Tian Yun about the matter, Kierra was immediately faced with the reality of the situation. ''This dirt-poor sect...'' ''''It is quite embarrassing, but our sect is rtively young, you see.'''' Tian Yun scratched her cheek. ''''It has only been four thousand years or so.'''' ''''...'''' So eight times older than Kierra was considered ''young'' here...? Either way, it seemed Kierra had to see another sect for this matter. So she quickly said thanks to Tian Yun and turned away, leaving the clueless sect leader of White Lotus behind. Kierra willed her magic and teleported to the Lightning Tiger Sect instead. Upon arriving at the front gate, she was greeted by the busy sight of the town. The archwizard then caught a guard nearby. ''''Where is the sect leader?'''' Seeing Kierra''s signature witch hat, together with the domineering aura radiating from her, the guard replied nervously, ''''H-He is currently in the main hall, I believe.'''' ''''I see.'''' Kierra shot herself up in the air and flew right into Kang Jiang''s office, just like she did the night she conquered this sect. This time, however, there was not only the sect leader there. Feng Ling, a disciple of the Emei Sect and the abbess herself, sat opposite Kang Jiang and Kang Shuren. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' For a brief moment, there was an ufortable silence inside the room. The two from Emei stared at Kierra nkly, as did the father-daughter pair of Lightning Tiger. Finally, it was Kierra who broke the silence. ''''Kang Jiang.'''' ''''O-Oh, yes, Lord Kierra.'''' Kang Jiang hurriedly stood up. ''''What might you need from us?'''' ''''Do you have artifacts?'''' ''''Artifacts...? We do have one, but what do you need it for...'''' ''''Researching purposes.'''' Kierra wasn''t lying. She was genuinely curious about them. But Kierra failed to realize that artifacts in this world were much rarer than in her old world, thus leading to this situation in which Kang Jiang was hesitant to hand over the sect''s only artifact. ''''Um... the thing is, Lord Kierra...'''' ''''...?'''' When Kang Jiang was about to give up and hand over the artifact, the abbess suddenly turned to Kierra. ''''If you want to borrow an artifact, we can provide one.'''' The abbess said. Kierra was naturally puzzled. ''''Why suddenly?'''' ''''...'''' In truth, Emei''s abbess had been reflecting on herself these past few moments after the tournament. She recognized her action against Kierra that day was rash, and if she didn''t try to mend her rtionship with the archwizard now, the whole Emei sect would lose out on apletely new source of power. She nned toe directly to White Lotus to do it, but who would have thought Kierra would be here, where the Emei sect''s force was sent to aid the demon situation... Nevertheless, the abbess had only one job to do. So, she also stood up and walked up to Kierra. The abbess herself had always prided herself on being a beauty, but before Kierra, she felt like a mere country girl. Scary. The abbess bowed lightly. ''''I might have gone too far thest time. Allow me to apologize.'''' ''''No problem. I am used to it.'''' Kierra replied simply. ''''Rather, you said you could provide me with an artifact, correct?'''' ''''Of course. Follow me to Emei. It is not far from here.'''' ''''Fine.'''' The abbess secretly smiled in her heart. Now that she thought about it, a mere tournament was nothing to be concerned over. She still had lots to learn. ''''Feng Ling, we are going back.'''' The abbess turned to her disciple. ''''A-Already, master?'''' Feng Ling widened her eyes. ''''There is still the demon talk...'''' ''''The demon has been taken care of, and that is all that matters.'''' ''''Understood...'''' When the abbess, Feng Ling, and Kierra were about to leave, Kang Shuren hurriedly spoke up. ''''Master Kierra. Could I move to White Lotus right away?'''' She asked politely. ''''I want to train myself as soon as possible.'''' ''''You have my permission,'''' Kierra replied. ''''Talk to Tian Yun; she will guide you through the process.'''' ''''Thank you very much.'''' Leaving behind the girl who had her back bent and an awkwardly standing Kang Jiang, the three took off to the sky. ''''Now that I think about it, what was your name again?'''' Kierra questioned. ''''It is Mie Xieren. How about yours?'''' ''''Kierra Scarlett Aspenova.'''' ''''I see.'''' Soon, they entered the territory of the Emei sect. As they slowly moved over the town, Kierra marveled. This ce was as big, beautiful, and bustling as many big cities back in her world. ''So this is one of the supposed top sects.'' After a bit, they arrived on top of a mountain, among many others, where arge building could be seen. ''''This is our treasure warehouse.'''' Although there were initial concerns over letting a stranger like Kierra enter this area, the Emei Sect eventually decided to gamble it for the archwizard''s mysterious powera chance to learn it, to be precise. Passing through the numerous guards outside, the three entered the building. The interior of the warehouse was simr to that of museums back in Kierra''s world, which also meant this sect had enough artifacts to disy them as though they were art pieces or historical pieces. There, Kierra saw swords, bows, pendants, teapots, chairs, and even a brush, among other things. It was certainly diverse, and Kierra couldn''t exactly tell the differences between them. She wasn''t skilled enough in qi just yet. Nevertheless, she could already feel some sort of unique energy embedded in each and every item. Based on that alone, they seemed simr to the artifacts she knew. Just then, they had reached the middle of the room, and Mie Xieren turned back to Kierra. ''''Kierra, please sit there. I will personally bring you the items avable for you.'''' She said. ''''I appreciate it.'''' Kierra was satisfied with the abbess''s current attitude. If everyone were as helpful and considerate as this woman, Kierra wouldn''t have had to fight numerous wars in the past. But if so, she would not be her, as everybody knew today. It was certainly a weird moment for the archwizard. After waiting at the table for a while, Mie Xieren and her disciple finally came back, each carrying a wooden tray. ''''Do look at them freely. You can choose one to borrow.'''' ''''Alright.'''' Kierra pondered. There were three items in each tray, for a total of six. She didn''t know what they could do just yet, so she decided to ask. ''''What does this do?'''' ''''This is the Heavenly Poison Dagger. It could generate poison inside the de and shoot it out.'''' So it was quite useless. Kierra could create poison at any time. ''''Hm. How about this one?'''' ''''Thergest-sized storage pendant. It has the volume of a tall building.'''' Her storage space wasrger than that. ''''This?'''' ''''A magical calctor. It couldputerge numbers in just seconds.'''' Kierra was confident she could beat this thing. No use. ''''So what is this golden peach slice?'''' This was clearly an anomaly. Kierra had been eyeing this from the beginning. ''''This... is a part of the Peach of Truth. Whoever eats it will only tell the truth for a day.'''' ''''Do you want to eat it?'''' ''''Yes...?'''' (???)? When Mie Xieren looked up at Kierra, she saw the archwizard was grinning ever so faintly, and her vivid red eyes seemed as though they were shining. ''''...You want me to eat it?'''' Mie Xieren confirmed it once more. ''''Yes.'''' Kierra instantly replied. ''''I know what you want. I can give it to you... if only you eat this.'''' Mie Xieren gulped. It was the first time in a while she felt this nervous facing someone. She couldn''t read Kierra at all! Was this a trap? Would she be scammed by this weird woman? But the offer was too attractive. If Emei could obtain that mysterious power... Slowly, Mie Xieren''s hand reached out to the piece of golden peach. Case 25: The art of gaslighting ft. Kierra. Case 25: The art of gaslighting ft. Kierra. ''''Master...!!'''' Feng Ling hurriedly called out to Mie Xieren, who had already grabbed the slice of peach. She felt as though this was a rash decisioning from her usually level-headed master and sect leader. If Emei''s secrets were to be exposed to the world, then it would be an impossible task for them to reach the top in thousands of years toe. ''''...'''' Mie Xieren froze. She carefully looked at the opponent in front of her once again. Kierra''s facial expression was unchanging; herposure could not be matched by anyone she ever knew. Emei''s abbess felt like she was facing an absolute entity, even if she couldn''t evaluate Kierra''s full strength. ''''...Let me ask this, Kierra.'''' Mie Xieren spoke up with a serious face. ''''What do you stand to gain from this?'''' ''''Entertainment,'''' Kierra replied instantly. ''''Do not joke with me.'''' ''''I am not.'''' Kierra narrowed her eyes slightly. ''''And before you ask, there is no way I will allow you to keep silent. It would not be fun that way.'''' Just like that, the two stared at each other for a while. Eventually, it was Mie Xieren who couldn''t stand the pressureing from Kierra. ''''Ugh...'''' She moaned as she brought the slice of peach to her mouth. ''''Do not worry. I have no intention of ruining your little sect.'''' Mie Xieren ate the peach. No, as soon as the piece touched her lips, it shattered into millions of light dots, then flew into the abbess''s body. ''''A-Ah, she ate it...'''' Feng Ling mumbled and hugged herself. She had a bad feeling about this. Meanwhile, Kierra was delighted. There was nothing more fun than trolling powerful people like this woman. This was yet another refined hobby of the archwizard, one she had practiced thousands of times back in her old world. Nevertheless, it was now time to enjoy the fun. ''''Mie Xieren. Tell me your three sizes.'''' '''''''' Ah? '''''''' q(A`)rq(A`)r Both the people from Emei were stunned. This lustful, evil woman was after their bodies...!! Gazing into Kierra''s blood-red eyes, Mie Xieren''s body involuntarily trembled. Knowing Kierra was a pervert, the abbess of Emei hesitated to give in. Still, the offer of a new power was there. She believed such an overwhelming woman as Kierra wouldn''t do such cowardly acts as lying. She gritted her teeth and grabbed her thighs in frustration. The future of Emei was now dependent on her. ''''...Would you be satisfied with only my body?'''' Mie Xieren asked timidly. ''''No, master!'''' Feng Ling interjected. ''''Please let me...!'''' ''''You stay back.'''' Watching this novel-like drama unfold in real life, Kierra was beyond happy. So, she sat there in silence, staring intently at the pair of master and pupil arguing over who would give their bodies to her. Eventually, it ended in Mie Xieren''s determined victory, and Feng Ling was left in tears, begging to rece her master. It was an emotional moment. The abbess finally turned back to Kierra. ''''...I am ready.'''' She said. ''''Do whatever you want with my body.'''' Facing her, Kierra rarely smiled, making Mie Xieren''s body hair all stand up. It was both beautiful and scary for hera beautifully frightening scene. ''''I only asked your three sizes,'''' Kierra replied simply. '''''''' Ah? '''''''' q(A`)rq(A`)r ''''Say it or not?'''' ''''Ah, um... 82, 60, and... 91.'''' ''''I see.'''' They matched what Kierra was able to observe. Assuming Mie Xieren was a normal person who would be shy talking about their three sizes, this slice of peach worked quite well. Kierra then stood up, much to the confusion of the other two. ''''I want a tour of your sect.'''' ''''Okay...'''' After getting bamboozled, the two were too embarrassed to think properly. Now, they looked like some gloomy guides instead of the pirs of Emei, a sight Kierra greatly enjoyed. Nevertheless, the three began to travel inside the sect. They soon arrived at a rtively big tower. ''''What is this building?'''' ''''...It is where we store regr weapons.'''' Mie Xieren went to say something to the workers, and the three were off again. ''''This field?'''' ''''It''s for people who like to y sports, as you can see.'''' ''''A dedicated one of such caliber...'''' ''''Children... you know, they are our future.'''' Following the abbess''s rather warm gaze, Kierra could see numerous children ying in the distance. Burning the scene into her mind, Kierra nodded lightly. The three continued. ''''How about this one?'''' ''''It is where we craft medicine and such. Although we still can''t match the Tang n, these people are the pride of our sect nheless.'''' Just like so, they traveled across the sect, visiting many important ces in Emei. From a certain point onward, Kierra felt Mie Xieren wasfortable with what she was doing in the sense that she didn''t seem like a person who was being forced to tell the truth. Mie Xieren was proud of her sect, and she was more than ready to sacrifice herself for it. This was what Kierra inferred from their time together. When they realized it, the tour had beenpleted. The three wandered inside the vast librarythest ce they had visited. As they walked along the bookshelves, Kierra broke the silence. ''''Mie Xieren.'''' ''''Yes?'''' ''''Do you love your sect?'''' ''''Absolutely.'''' The answer was instant. There was no hesitation in her voice, either. Kierra smiled lightly. ''''I see your determination. However... you are doing it quite wrong.'''' Mie Xieren was content to sacrifice her own body for her sect''s development, so there was no argument that she was a devoted sect leader. But from what Kierra could tell, the abbess was too fixated on strength. It was not hard to spot her greed for power. ''''I will ask another question.'''' Kierra stopped, prompting the other two to follow suit. ''''Mie Xieren, do you want the people of your sect to be happy?'''' The abbess resolutely replied. ''''Absolutely. What is wrong with it?'''' ''''You see, I can''t spot you in the frame, Abbess.'''' Kierra turned around with a serious face. ''''You are a crucial part of your own sect. If you are happy, people will be happy. This is speaking from experience.'''' The archwizard added. ''''...But I''m...'''' When Mie Xieren was about to say, ''I''m happy,'' her voice wouldn''te out, no matter what. ''''See?'''' Kierra shook her head lightly. ''''Find a way to enjoy yourselves. Life isn''t always about strength.'''' ''''...'''' ''''Master...'''' As Feng Ling grabbed her stunned master''s hand, Kierra turned to the ceiling. ''Well... it''s not like I''m better as a leader.'' She herself was the one who abandoned her magic tower just to pursue some uncertain fun. Well, at least she was sure she woulde back there one day. Passing by the two from Emei, Kierra patted the abbess''s shoulder. ''''Think about it. When you decide what to do,e find me. At that time, I will guide you to a new height.'''' ''''...'''' Kierra slowly took off into the sky. This visit was a great sess. Not only did she troll these two a lot, but she also had Cosmos infiltrate their library. Life was amazing for the archwizard. Case 26: The pinnacle of magic. Case 26: The pinnacle of magic. When Kierra flew back to White Lotus, the sky had turned dark. She stopped in the air briefly to take in the beautiful scenery of a brightly lit lotus before heading toward Crimson Tower V2.0. Upon entering floor one hundred via the window, she saw it was still crowded with people. Her usual disciples were there. Yu Chen and Tian Yun were also there. Even the newly admitted Kang Shuren was there. All of them were training intently, not realizing the arrival of their master. ''''...'''' ''As expected. Magic brings people together.'' No matter their social status or origin, people would always stand together in the pursuit of magic. This was what Kierra realized after being a tower master for hundreds of years. Well, maybe, except for those pets chatting in the corner of the room. And Kierra wouldn''t question why Kang Shuren had a ck blindfold on either. Um. This is normal. The archwizard moved her gaze, this time staring at the starry sky. After unintentionally lecturing the abbess of Emei earlier, a surge of memories resurfaced inside Kierra''s mind. When she used to go to conquest with that woman or when she was leading an expedition team from her tower, she would always look at the sky like this. The gxy that she was in homed her, and its stars were her friends. They would guide her through numerous trials, protect her in dire situations, and lend her their strength in critical fights. Now that she was in another universe, Kierra thought it was time to study the stars seriously. For that, she needed a rxing environment, one that would allow her to concentrate fully. A hot spring. This was it. Kierra quickly decided to build a hot springter that night. When she was absorbed in stargazing, a loud gasp sounded behind her, prompting her to turn around. A disciple of hers seemed to have run out of stamina when circting mana. ''''Hah... hah... oh, g-good night, master Kierra.'''' She greeted her timidly. ''''Mhm. Good work.'''' ''''...'''' ''''...'''' It was rather awkward. Partly because of that and because Kierra''s mood was good today, she decided to give her hardworking pupils some pointers. So she walked up to the disciple and grabbed her wrist. ''''M-Master??'''' ''''Stay still. I shall show you the optimal way to circte mana.'''' ''''Oh... woah...'''' As Kierra established proper flows inside her, the disciple felt like her body was so light it would levitate at any moment, even if she could already do that! With a renewed respect for the archwizard, the disciple began to take note of the way Kierra did it. Soon, more and more people were aware of Kierra''s presence in the room. They were also quite exhausted, so they just stared at the scene. After a while, Kierra released the disciple. ''''Go on.'''' ''''Thank you for your guidance, master Kierra!'''' ''''Mhm.'''' Seeing the disciple hop her way to another corner to practice, others began to flock in. ''''Master, my flows are also broken!'''' ''''Master, I can''t cast my spells well!'''' ''''Master, I''m hungry!'''' Kierra was nearly stunned. She had never seen students this enthusiastic before. And wasn''t thest one totally unrted to magic...? Either way, she couldn''t take care of everyone here. So Kierra did what she was best at aside from magictossing problems onto other people. ''''Go ask her.'''' Kierra pointed to the disciple at the corner. ''''Aw...'''' ''''But...'''' (???) (???) (???) They were rightfully quite upset at that. Silence fell, and everybody just stared at Kierra with puppy eyes, but Kierra didn''t seem to mind them much. Then, one girl suddenly spoke up. ''''Master, could I ask you something?'''' It was one of the more ambitious disciples. Intrigued, Kierra replied. ''''Speak.'''' ''''Pardon me if I mighte across as rude, but... I still don''t know what the pinnacle of magic looks like. So...'''' ''She is right in front of you, sillyhead.'' Kierra sighed. But she also understood the disciple''s worries. This girl must not have seen Kierra fight before, so she didn''t know how amazing magic was. ''''Hm... Yu Chen.'''' Kierra called. ''''Do you know arge area whose terrain I can destroy?'''' ''''Howrge are you talking about...?'''' Yu Chen, who was standing behind the group, asked. ''''At least ten times as big as this sect.'''' ''''Ten...?! That is quite...'''' At this point, Tian Yun intervened. ''''There is one ce. The Land of Death should be a good ce.'''' If Tian Yun remembered correctly, that ce was hundreds of timesrger than this little sect. Kierra, meanwhile, had limited knowledge of it. She read in one of the books that it was supposed to be where evil forces resided, but beyond that, nothing. ''''Good. We go to that ce.'''' Just like that, Kierra swiftly summoned Kamikaze, her trusty ride, and put the whole ss, including the two pets, on his back. Everybody was confused except for some. Yu Chen and Tian Yun were confident of what Kierra was up to. Knowing the archwizard, she would want to assert dominance over the disciples, and they were indeed curious about what Kierra might do. With Kamikaze flying at full speed in the provided direction, it only took roughly ten minutes for them to reach their destination. In front of Kierra now was a vast, in-like terrain without any visible lifeform, and the ground had a gloomy, dark greyish color. She could feel something deep, deep underground, was corrupting the whole region, but she honestly couldn''t be bothered to dig in deeper. So she bid goodbye to Kamikaze and took a deep breath. ''''Watch closely.'''' She spoke calmly to the group before turning to the deadnd. ''''This is the pinnacle of magic.'''' Kierra grabbed the rim of her witch hat and pulled it down lightly, covering anything above her nose. The wind blew. Everybody waited with bated breath. They had no idea what was going on, but just Kierra''s attitude was able to make them nervous. Soon, a gentle wave of mana escaped Kierra''s body. The small ripple quickly turned into multiple billows, expanding rapidly until they covered a vast area around her. It was as if the group were standing on shallow water. Then, the mana formation suddenly froze and remained static for a while. Kierra slowly raised her right hand. snap! '''''''' !!! '''''''' With a single snap, an unimaginable amount of mana burst out of Kierra''s body. Space itself seemed to have sumbed to this disy of raw power, evident in the fact that the atmosphere was actually contorting wildly around the archwizard. Among the strong mana wind generated by the spell, Kierra began to chant.

''''Heed my call, ancient beast of ice.''''

''''Lend me the power to plunge this world into bitter coldness.'''' Kierra''s gentle yet dignified voice rang through the area. As she willed her incredible might, even time slowed down considerably as if preparing for what was toe next.

''''Every life on this earth is vain, for what I desire is eternal beauty.''''

''''Cease all movements of the livings, and bring forth your deadly maw.'''' The absurdly dense mana bubble then copsed entirely into a tiny ball of icy blue energy, floatingzily in Kierra''s palm. The wind stopped. Silence. In the eyes of onlookers, this scene was equally scary as it was mesmerizing. Not long after, Kierra opened her mouth onest time and crushed the orb.

''''Burst forth.''''

?Frost Abyss9? !!! Apanying the deafening sound was a blinding sh. For anyone other than Kierra, their minds went nk entirely, and they were essentially stunned. After God knows how long, senses and reasons finally returned to them. They nearly lost them again the second they opened their eyes. ''''What...'''' In front of them right now was a literal manifestation of an ice hell. Nothing but blue ice surrounded them, even extending out of the horizon. The sole culprit, meanwhile, was standing there, watching the reflections of stars on the clear ice she just made. It was beautiful. Case 27: Hot chocolate and women. Case 27: Hot chocte and women. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' At the border of the Land of Death, silence was heavier than any words that could be muttered. Kierra''s spell, by any definition, terraformed the whole region around the group. The previously barren and dull grey in that once existed had now transformed into a sparkling and frigid terrain, with a shiny surface that reflected light like a giant mirror, on which were the myriads of stars for everyone''s eyes to feast. While Kierra was absorbed in the sight, Tian Yun finally snapped out of her trance. ''''K-Kierra.'''' She called. ''''Speak.'''' Kierra calmly turned around. ''''When will this thing disappear...?'''' Seeing Tian Yun''s rather cautious attitude, Kierra sensed something was up. ''''When I want it to.'''' She replied anyway. ''''Why?'''' The white lotus let out a sigh of relief and proceeded to exin to the archwizard. ''''This crazy spell of yours ought to be damaging the properties of unorthodox folks.'''' Tian Yun gazed into the distance. ''''If they knew who did this, you would be chased to the end of the world, Kierra. And even if you managed to hide it, they would me the orthodox sects and wage war at them for long as this remained.'''' ''''Unorthodox...'''' Kierra quietly pondered. ''''Are they supposed to be people who worship the evils?'''' ''''Largely, yes.'''' ''''Good. I shall leave it like this, then.'''' ''''Ah?'''' (???)? (???)? (???)? In true Kierra fashion, she decided to annoy the crap out of those evil folks anyway. She had a severe deficit of the interesting drug, and she had reckoned a few wars would do the trick. They should be grateful she didn''t unleash an eleven-star spell on this realm, or else half of the would have been blown away. ''''If they want war, I shall give them war.'''' Kierra firmly told the rest. No one was able to refute the archwizard, especially after seeing what she had done to this area. Soon, Kierra got bored of looking at the empty field and once again summoned Kamikaze to return. She could have used teleportation, but at this moment, she felt toozy to construct thatplex spell again. Just like so, another ten-minute ride ensued, and everybody got dropped into White Lotus''s za, some still trying toprehend the scene they had just witnessed. Bai Qing seemed the most impressed. She suddenly had the motivation to train for another thousand years! Eventually, all the other disciples dispersed, leaving behind Yu Chen, Tian Yun, Shen, Lan, and Kang Shuren to follow Kierra. ''''Why are you following us?'''' Shen, who was sitting on Tian Yun''s left shoulder, asked Kang Shuren. On the other side, Lan was also staring down the blindfolded woman. ''''I wish to follow Master Kierra closely.'''' Kang Shuren replied simply. This was genuine. At first, she was just trying to imitate Kierra''s vibe, but now that she had had the first taste of magic and glimpsed the marvel it could create, Kang Shuren became an honest disciple instantly. ''''I see.'''' Tian Yun shrugged. ''''What are we doing anyway?'''' All eyes were on Kierra. She was a natural leader, anywhen and anywhere she went. Charismatic, stoic, and calm. She turned around with her usual emotionless face and immediately dropped a massive bomb. ''''Copting.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' (???) (???) (???) Sorry, what? Was Kierra going to sleep with someone? Or was everybody present going to sleep with each other? Even the pets?? Fortunately, before the misunderstanding could worsen, Kierra rified her intention. ''''Not me. I am going to breed nts.'''' She said. ''''Why are you lot following me?'''' ''''Ah, well, we are curious... perhaps?'''' Tian Yun replied awkwardly. ''''...I will be going now if you don''t want me to'''' ''''Not exactly. You can follow.'''' ''''Oh, okay...'''' Getting the green light, the group followed Kierra into her ''My Home'' pocket dimension. Leaving behind the amazed Kang Shuren, they went out to the garden. This ce was more extensive than expected, with strange nts neatly sowed in rowsmost could produce rare medicine ingredients and other useful stuff. As for Kierra''s intention at this moment, she simply wanted a cup of sweet, creamy, and delicious hot chocte. When throwing herself into this world, she totally forgot about bringing cocoa with her, simply for the fact that she had people prepared for her before that, so she took it for granted. Fortunately, she could still breed two or three species together to create the giant cocoa nt right in this garden. When Kang Shuren joined them, she briefly exined what she wanted to do and took out a box of seeds. With graceful movements, she threw several of them onto an empty pot of dirt and drew her mana. From her outstretched hand, a delicate green aura diverged, plunging into the pot. ''''Woah...'''' ''''That''s incredible, human!'''' The pot lit dimly before the seeds grew into sprouts, where they quickly fused to create a single tree. As Kierra poured her mana in, the tree grew taller and bigger, eventually surpassing its nter and more. ''''Hm.'''' The cocoa fruits were ample and healthy, and the numbers weren''t small. This was a sess. After turning them into actual cocoa powder using a magic procedure, Kierra invited everyone to her balcony to have a drink together. As Kierra had expected, they were impressed right away. ''''So sweet...'''' Yu Chen hugged her cheek. The two pets shared a cup, and they seemed like starved dogs licking a bowl of soup. Even Kang Shuren was smiling ever so slightly. ''''Puhhah...! This is so good!'''' Tian Yun, with a foam beard formed when downing the cup, turned to Kierra. ''''Can I have another one??'''' Sipping her own cup, Kierra calmly nodded. ''''Yay!'''' ''''...'''' ''Well, this is not bad.'' Every time Kierra drank a cup of hot chocte, she remembered that woman. She was the one who got Kierra her first cup, and it became her favorite drink right away. No matter how hard she tried, there was nothing that could bepared to that first cup. As she stared at her own reflection on the surface of the hot chocteher red eyeliners, thick lipsticks, powderKierra fell into deep thoughts. ''...Well, knowing that woman, she woulde to find me sooner orter.'' At that time, she would have to deal with her once again. It was an inevitable pain, but one that Kierra hoped to resolve one day. ''''Kierra.'''' Suddenly, someone gently nudged the archwizard. It was Yu Chen. The martial master of Qinling''s face was rxed, and her lips were curled up. ''''What is the matter?'''' ''''I just want to say thank you for the wonderful time tonight.'''' ''''No problem.'''' "By the way..." Yu Chen blinked a few times, asionally looking to the side. "What is your type?" ''''...Why suddenly?'''' ''''I believe you are not so dense, Kierra.'''' Yu Chen looked straight into her opponent''s eyes. ''''You felt it, didn''t you? My intention.'''' At this point, Yu Chen decided to just go for it. No more beating around the bush, no more hesitating. In the first ce, things were always abrupt and rash in this realm. It was because of Kierra that she got a bit... wiser, one might say. On the other hand, Kierra had no definite answer just yet. She didn''t really know what her type was, and she didn''t know the answer to Yu Chen''s question either. ''''...Just know that I prefer women.'''' ''''Got it.'''' Unbefitting her usual image, Yu Chen suddenly smiled sweetly, surprising even Kierra. She then happily drank the cup, knowing she at least had a chance in this. Meanwhile, Kierra was sighing in her heart. She was a ma to women, she swore. Case 28: Self-created troubles. Case 28: Self-created troubles. A pink diamond. That was what the girl dedicated to Kierra, together with the promise of eternity. ''''Beautiful, isn''t it?'''' Her cheerful voice sounded. ''''...Indeed.'''' Kierra replied calmly and stroked the girl''s head. The girl was an exact match of a pink diamond, which meant tenderness and feminity, but more than that, she was adorable. Just like that, Kierra and the girl held the pink diamond together and spent time quietly in the crystal forest. Lying peacefully on Kierra''sp, the girl spoke up. ''''...We... are going to make it, right?'''' Kierra caressed the girl''s cheek and smiled ever so faintly. ''''Of course. I am here, after all.'''' ''''Um!'''' The girl happily nuzzled her face against Kierra''s touch, dreaming of a brighter future. ''''ster.'''' ''''Master.'''' Awoken by an uninspiring voice, Kierra slowly took a look around her. A familiar interior, a familiar view outside the window. She was in her own bed, in her own house, her own pocket dimension. Searching her memory, Kierra soon found out why she was sleeping in the first ce. She just had an urge. Humans were finicky creatures, changing their minds every weekday. The same happened to Kierra, and that was all. Nevertheless, she noticed a person wearing a maid costume standing beside her bed. It was Vel, her personal maid. Kierra had summoned her the night before to serve her this morning. ''''Would you like a coffee, master?'''' ''''Sure.'''' With that, Vel excused herself to go to the kitchen. Vel wasn''t a human. When Kierra found her, she introduced herself as AEN-35.5, a ''doppelganger.'' Still, she was inherently quite different from the doppelgangers Kierra knew, and she was ced inside a rather strange capsule, so Kierra kidnapped her out of curiosity. From then on, she was named Vel before bing Kierra''s maid and summon. Vel told Kierra that her origin was entirely from another universe, which nted the idea of transcending the stars themselves into the archwizard''s mind. ''I have to thank her and maybe the people who made herter.'' Kierra grabbed her witch hat and went over to the table in a good mood. When Vel brought the cup of coffee to Kierra, the archwizard opened her mouth. ''''Thanks.'''' Vel was speechless for a moment but quickly replied. ''''It is merely my duty, master.'''' ''''Mhm.'''' After that, Kierra got Vel to redo her makeup before exiting the pocket dimension. Right away, a sunny za scene greeted her, and beside the fountain was a ck-haired woman. ''''Oh, Kierra.'''' Yu Chen smiled softly and waved at Kierra. Kierra approached Yu Chen. ''''What happened?'''' ''''You... are quite sharp.'''' Yu Chen replied. ''''Indeed, there is a big incident going on with Emei.'''' Yu Chen wouldn''t usually wait for her like this unless there was somethingwas what Kierra thought. ''''Continue.'''' ''''I think you should be listening directly to Feng Ling as she hade here, specifically in search of you.'''' ''''...Alright.'''' Kierra hoped it wasn''t because of her. Probably not. Um. Soon, the two arrived at White Lotus''s reception room, where Feng Ling and Tian Yun, together with Shen and Lan, had already seated. ''''Senior Kierra!'''' Feng Ling cried when she saw Kierra enter the room. The girl seemed particrly exhausted, and signs of stress were evident in her demeanor. Kierra and Yu Chen sat down. ''''What do you need me for?'''' ''''Please save my master!'''' ''''borate.'''' At this point, Feng Ling bit her lower lip in frustration. ''''She... my master was consumed by her internal demonst night.'''' She said, her voice trembling. ''''Now, the whole sect is in an uproar.'''' If Kierra remembered correctly, internal demons were supposed to be representations of cultivators'' struggles, be it negative emotions or others. This was not looking good. Kierra felt her profound lecture yesterday had made Mie Xieren''s emotions explode or something simr. It was her fault. Nevertheless, Feng Ling bitterly continued. ''''Not only that, but some idiot froze half of the Land of Death yesternight as well!'''' She yelled. ''''We need to prepare for war on top of this...!'''' (s)s~kk Feng Ling was distraught. This unfair turn of events, what did Emei do to deserve it! Meanwhile, everyone other than her was speechless. '''''''' ... '''''''' Tian Yun and Yu Chen nced at each other awkwardly, and the two pets just pretended to y with each other. Kierra, being Kierra, sipped her cup of tea calmly, not showing even a silhouette of emotion on her face. ''''I see.'''' She replied. So it was her fault. Got it. ''''Please, Senior Kierra! The fate of Emei depends on you!'''' At this point, Tian Yun intervened. ''''Wait. What happened to Emei''s allies?'''' ''''We asked for help wherever we could, of course, just... master''s internal demon is vicious. It went undetected for so long, after all. And I... I just have an inkling that Senior Kierra might be able to do something to it.'''' ''''Okay...'''' After a brief silence, Kierra spoke up again. ''''I will do it.'''' ''''Senior Kierra...!'''' ''''However.'''' Kierra firmly continued. ''''I do not do charity. Emei shallpensate me ordingly.'''' ''''Ah, that is for sure! You can rest assured!'''' The archwizard grinned in her mind. With this, she would have a legitimate excuse to capture Mie Xieren, which would then enable her to do the same for the entire sect. Soon, she would have the whole Emei under her feet. Excitement filled Kierra''s heart. It had been a long time since she felt the joy of conquer, and now was the time to reignite it. Not wasting even one more breath, the two quickly departed from White Lotus, heading toward Emei at once. Expectedly, Emei was crowded with busy peoplehalf contributing to tending to the abbess, half organizing an army for the inevitable war looming ahead. Passing through numerous mountains, the two eventually arrived at a rtively small house in an obscure corner of the mountain range. Here, protection arrays were numerous, like trees in the forest,plicated, like one''s blood vessels. Once inside the house, they were greeted with a number of maids, two other people, and the abbess herself lying on the bed. ''''Hm?'''' One of them turned to Kierra, eyes widened. ''''Isn''t this Miss Kierra?'''' ''''Abbot.'''' The abbot of Shaolin politely greeted Kierra. Following that, the other manMount Hua''s sect leaderalso said some lines to Kierra briefly. All of them knew that this wasn''t the time for chitchatting. One just needed to take a nce at the abbess to realize that she was in bad shape. Paleplexion, purple marks all over the face, deteriorating cultivation base. Kierra seriously thought she was looking at another Tian Yun. ''''So, do any of you know the cure?'''' Kierra stepped forward. ''''It is regrettable, but an internal demon of this caliber, I am afraid only the abbess herself can defeat it.'''' The sect leader of Mount Hua shook his head. ''''I am of the same opinion.'''' Followed by the abbot. ''''Is that so.'''' Kierra let out a small sigh before pulling out a deer skull from her space storage. In front of the puzzled people, she calmly floated it in the air. ''Let''s see if this self-proimed ''demon'' can stand properly before the true advent of death.'' Special case: A lewd April’s Fool. Special case: A lewd Aprils Fool. ''Cultivators do not sleep.'' This was the sentiment shared by many folks in the Central Divine Realm. While it was true that most cultivators did not need to sleep, some still chose to do so over having time to cultivate. Of course, they only slept very rarely. This was to reset one''s mind after long days of activities, preventing them from going insane. Yu Chen hated it. She understood that it was necessary, yet she couldn''t help but hate it. After all, she had to dream about unpleasant things when she went to sleep. Her father''s funeral. The day Tian Yun fell ill. The day she almost died. Today, Yu Chen reluctantly closed her eyes, feeling her mind getting close to the limit. Recently, there was that one wizard who loved to mess around, fueling her brain activities as well. ''''...'''' Well, she didn''t particrly hate it. Thest time she had a nightmare, Kierra gave her a pudding, after all! With her mind focused on a single person, Yu Chen drifted into the dream world. The following day, she woke up strangely refreshed. She didn''t dream either. If she did, she couldn''t remember it, and that was a good thing. As Yu Chen tried to move her hand for a bit of stretching, her palm suddenly grazed something soft. Something stic. Warm. Smooth. Better touch it again... wait. ''''!!'''' When she looked to the side, her hand was firmly ced on someone''s ample bosom. Tucking nicely in Yu Chen''s nket was a fully naked, fast-asleep Kierra. The quilt only covered the archwizard''s slender waist, leaving her upper bodypletely exposed. Yu Chen stared at this scene nkly, unable to move. Then, a few strands of ck hair fell onto her hand, tickled her, and made her pull back. ''''Mhm...'''' ''''Ah...?!'''' She tried to pull back. Instead, Kierra resolutely held Yu Chen''s wrist in ce with her hands, yawning a bit before finally opening her eyes. As the pair of hazy red pupils gazed at Yu Chen''s purple one, a sticky and sweet scent seemed to have permeated the air around them. "This naughty hand..." Kierra muttered in a slightly hoarse morning voice, sounding extremely mellow. "Do you still want to? After what happened?" ''''W-What happened...?!'''' When Yu Chen forcefully pulled back and inquired, she realized that she, too, was naked! ''''Hm... was it too intense?'''' Meanwhile, Kierra propped her head up and spoke leisurely. As Yu Chen was busyputing the situation, the archwizard smirked and began to crawl toward her. ''''W-Wait...!'''' ''''What''s wrong? You were so eagerst night...'''' Kierra climbed on top of Yu Chen, letting her hair cascade down and merge with the other''s. Yu Chen instinctively gulped, seeing Kierra''s mesmerizing face right before her eyes. ''''If you forgot...'''' Kierra whispered coquettishly. ''''Let me remind you, my dear.'''' Unable to move, Yu Chen could only anticipate as Kierra lowered her head; two pairs of eyes close together, and then ''''!!'''' Snapping back to reality, Yu Chen hurriedly looked around, only to find herself alone in her room. A full minuteter, she barely realized that it was all a dream! Damn it! (s)s~kk That day, Yu Chen was slightly irritated, yet she could only grit her teeth and follow Kierra around, reimagining the scene from her dream. ''''Hah...'''' ''What am I doing...?'' When the dejected Yu Chen sat in the corner alone, Kierra suddenly approached and sat down beside her. ''''...?'''' At this time, the archwizard casually smiled and got close to Yu Chen''s ear. ''''The dream. I hope you had fun.'''' She whispered. ''''!!!'''' In an instant, a shock akin to a lightning bolt ran down Yu Chen''s bodya mix of excitement, surprise, and embarrassment. Yu Chen suddenly wanted to sleep tonight, as her brain was too overloaded. This was the first day of April. Case 29: The interactive movie experience. Case 29: The interactive movie experience. If someone were to ask Kierra about her most brutal fights in general, one of them would undoubtedly be the Ovi subjugation. The thing before bing her summon was truly a menace. Not only did it not have a corethe thing that stores a lich''s soullike others of its kind, but it also had a terrifying ability to absorb virtually every malicious thing in the world. Facing against Ovi, the world had a realistic chance of being destroyed by it. Worse, at that point, Kierra, one of the two pirs leading the world, hadn''t met Cosmos just yet. The fight was brutally difficult, yet the ones emerging victory were still Kierra and her allies. Though, they did not go unscathed either. Nevertheless, after making Ovi her summon, Kierra''s fame rose to another height, and she became even stronger, effectively eliminating allpetition if they had not disappeared yet. As it stood, Ovi had be a crucial part of Kierra''s strength. Kierra herself was confident that it would be easy to handle this ''internal demon'' thing. Moreover, if one thought about it, weren''t internal demons just insecurities? ''What a joke.'' Kierra let out a sigh, and in front of all the curious people, she quietly called her subordinate. ''''Ovi.'''' '''''''' !!! '''''''' In an instant, an ominous ck aura spreads across the room. It sent chills down the people present, and this effect was only further enhanced when they saw two raging red ''pupils'' appear in the eye sockets of the deer skull. The maids were immediately knocked out, leaving only the abbot, the sect leader of Mount Hua, and a barely conscious Feng Ling. As Ovi manifested fully, the abbot nervously spoke up. ''''Miss Kierra... please exin yourself.'''' He said, hand on his staff. ''''I don''t see the need to,'''' Kierra replied coldly. ''''...'''' Cold sweat ran down the abbot''s face. On the other hand, unlike the abbot, the sect leader of Mount Hua was quick to judge. ''''So you were with the evils all along!'''' He said as he drew his sword, pointing at Kierra. At this point, the archwizard, who was genuinely worried about the state of the abbess, decided that it was not worth wasting time with this guy. But it would be hard to knock him out without affecting the abbess right now. Soon, the course of action was decided. ''''Ovi, examine her.'''' [Yes, master] Heeding the call from its master, Ovi quickly deployed a dome-like shield to iste the abbess together with itpletely. Kierra, meanwhile, turned to the duo. '''''''' ... '''''''' The tension in the room was high. When the two were on the verge of attacking Kierra, they heard a sigh from the archwizard. ''''Do you feel fear?'''' Suddenly, Kierra asked in a mellow voice. The two didn''t answer. ''''I shall take that as a yes.'''' Kierra continued. ''''Use your brain for half a second. If I wanted to harm you lot, you would be buried deep underground by now.'''' ''''...'''' After a considerable amount of time had passed, the abbot finally lowered his guard, followed by the other man. Just like so, the four spent a little more in this awkward atmosphere, but Kierra didn''t care much. [Master, report] ''''Hm.'''' [A parasite-type demon was detected in this woman''s body] ''''Danger level?'''' [B+] ''''Quite weak, hm.'''' For reference, a demon graded B+ was in the realm of Master back in Kierra''s world, and to her, it was basically a toddler. [Would you like me to absorb it?] As Kierra was about to say yes and be done with it, the abbot hurriedly interjected. ''''Wait! She needs to ovee her demon to obtain enlightenment!'''' ''''And where is the proof that she can do it?'''' Kierra shot back. The archwizard was confused. If one actually used their brain, they would immediately notice that the option of leaving the abbess be was stupidly risky. These people could live for thousands of years anyway, so why rush for a power-up? ''''But if you don''t resolve her mental crisis, the demon will definitely appear again.'''' ''''...'''' (???_??) ''These absolute babies, I swear...'' ''''Fine. Fine.'''' Kierra waved her hand annoyedly. ''''I shall resolve her mental crisis, yes.'''' Understanding its master''s intent, Ovi opened a gate leading to the abbess''s inner realm, and Kierra headed right in. Before entering, she didn''t forget to leave ament. ''''Don''t bother doing anything to Ovi. You guys wouldn''t be able to scratch it in a million years.'''' With that, she gave herself to the gate. Upon her vision''s resurgent, a bustling scene of a town greeted her. She was now standing in the middle of a busy roadpeople chatting, walking around, living their livesand it seemed somewhat simr. ''This...'' She could recognize it. The shape of the mountains in the distance and the fact that this was Mie Xieren''s world made it quite obvious that this ce was Emei. Now, Kierra had visited people''s minds before, and the most important thing to do was always to find the owner of the world. They were the key to resolving everything, most of the time. So naturally, Kierra spread her mana around and soon found Mie Xieren, although she seemed quite different. Sitting in the corner of an alleyway was a gloomy-looking kid who looked to be around nine or ten in age. When Kierra approached her, she widened her eyes. ''''H-How did you find me...?'''' She eximed. ''''Of course I did,'''' Kierra replied. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Now that Kierra thought about it, she was terrible at dealing with children. Nevertheless, she pulled out a matcha-vored candy from her space storage and put it in the kid''s hand. ''''You look sad. Have it.'''' She said. ''''Is this poison?'''' The child tilted her head. ''''Maybe.'''' ''''At least deny it...'''' The child tossed it into her mouth anyway. As she enjoyed the strange yet delicious candy, Kierra sat down beside her. ''''What''s your name?'''' Kierra asked. ''''...Mie Xieren. You?'''' ''''Kierra Scarlett Aspenova.'''' ''''What a difficult name.'''' ''''That''s your issue, not mine.'''' ''''You''re so mean, too.'''' ''''...'''' ''''But every adult acts like that anyway.'''' Mie Xierenughed bitterly. ''''Always pushing responsibilities, always disingenuous...'''' ''''Mind telling me what is going on?'''' Kierra interjected. ''''I am new here.'''' ''''What...? You came here without any information... well, whatever.'''' Mie Xieren cracked the candy in her mouth and chewed it intently before swallowing. ''''...This sect... is nearing its doom.'''' Hearing a kid this young talking about big problems like this was a huge red g. It usually meant that the child was raised incorrectly, leading to it being forced to adapt to the world at an early age. ''''Due to internal corruption, Emei is deteriorating.'''' Mie Xieren continued. ''''People hoarding cultivation resources, abandoning education, infighting...'''' She then looked at Kierra in the eyes, her mouth smiling lightly. ''''If you want to find a ce to live, I suggest a ce like Wudang or the capital, anywhere but here.'''' ''''Have you lost hope in Emei?'''' ''''...Maybe.'''' Yet, this woman would be the abbess of the sect and raise it to the top. At this point, Kierra had a good idea of Mie Xieren''s problem, but she still needed to observe more. ''''Mie Xieren, was it?'''' ''''Huh?'''' ''''Take me around the sect.'''' Case 30: A guide to overcome your internal demon ft. Kierra. Case 30: A guide to ovee your internal demon ft. Kierra. A bribe of three candies was enough for the little Mie Xieren to give in. Rolling one in her mouth, she happily took Kierra on a tour of Emei. The archwizard noticed that this child was using some sort of stealth spell, so she also followed suit. First, they arrived at a normal-looking building. ''''This is where we store our weapons.'''' ''''This small?'''' In contrast to the current Emei''s weapon storage, this one was pathetically smaller. When they went to another area, Kierra realized something. ''''What is this grass field?'''' She asked. ''''It''s just a field. No one uses it for anything.'''' Yet there were some cramped spots Kierra had seen before. The nning was awful, it seemed. Next, they arrived at a rundown house. ''''This one... is supposed to be our medicine department, but those idiots ate all the funds, so this is how it looks.'''' ''''I see.'''' Kierra could see the anger in the little girl''s eyes. As they journeyed and stumbled upon various locations, it became evident that the state of the Emei sect was not favorable. Considering the Emei Kierra visited back in the real world, this little girl must have been working hard to change this miserable shape. Noticing the little girl lost in her thoughts, Kierra gently stroked her head. ''''Do you want to change all of this?'''' She asked. ''''Who wouldn''t?'''' Mie Xierenughed bitterly. ''''Yet, I am but a simple child.'''' How this girl was able to find motivation was a curious mystery. Nevertheless, Kierra had not seen the presence of the internal demon yet, so it was time to wait patiently. Just like that, Kierra broke up with the girl, putting a tracking spell on her, before roaming freely around Emei. She visited Mie Xieren the next day, the day afteressentially every day from that point onward. On the first day, Mie Xieren was still reluctant. On the second day, she began to create scenarios on her own. On the third day, she cooked up some simple ns. On the fourth day, she ''''...'''' Watching the little girl develop her resolve day by day was something Kierra could never rte to. Initially, she didn''t have any dreams or grand wishes; she just wanted to live an everyday, happy life. When she came to realize her power, Kierra instantly wanted to reach the top. She was simply this kind of person. In the end, it took the little Mie Xieren a whole month to finally decide on her actions. ''''I shall do it!'''' She shouted. ''''This sect shall flourish under my leadership!'''' At this time, the world suddenly contorted. When it stabilized, Kierra noticed the surroundings hadn''t changed much, if not worse than before. Having experienced this phenomenon before, the archwizard calmly stood up and set out to find the little girl again. Walking on the street once again, Kierra soon stumbled upon arge crowd. She quickly flew to the top of a building to see themotion. ''''others, sisters! Emei is now one step away from death!'''' On the stage was a teenage girl passionately giving a speech. From the fact that she had dark blue hair and red eyesthe same as the little girl and the proud abbessit was apparent that this was Mie Xieren. The little girl had matured quite a lot. Her yful manners seemed to have disappeared, reced by a stoic front and a serious attitude. ''''The once prosperous, once powerful and respected Emei is now being frowned at, chased out, and neglected!'''' Mie Xieren continued. ''''So it is only right that we need to change! By removing those greedy people at the top who are stealing our sry to'''' ''''Stop!'''' ''''Argh, you bunch...!'''' Suddenly, a dozen people stormed in and swiftly apprehended Mie Xieren. ''What a situation...'' Kierra sighed and used telekinesis to remove those people, then brought Mie Xieren up. ''''Woah...! I''m flying... wait, you are!'''' ''''Hm?'''' ''''The strange woman who gave me candies that day!'''' (???_??) ''''At least remember my name.'''' ''''Ah, eh... Kierra, right...?'''' ''''Yes, little girl.'''' After conversing with Mie Xieren a little more, Kierra found out that this was seven years into the future. The soon-to-be abbess, now a teenager, was doing her best to take over Emei. ''''Anyway, it is nice to see you after a long time, Kierra.'''' ''''...Likewise.'''' ''''Then, I have to go now, unfortunately.'''' Mie Xieren smiled lightly. ''''I have an appointment with my allies, you see.'''' ''''Hm. Good luck.'''' The girl''s resolve seemed to have only gotten stronger, but there was also a problem. Kierra sensed an abnormality in her attitude, signaling that the internal demon might have appeared right then. As she was about to trail Mie Xieren, the world, again, glitched. This time, the town definitely grew better, but not nearly to the extent of the real Emei. Mie Xieren was no longer on the street but in a big building near the heart of Emei. Spying on her through the window, Kierra saw apletely transformed Mie Xieren. The way she dressed changed, the way she acted changed, and the way she felt changed. Mie Xieren now was a full-fledged cold beauty with a demeanor that did not lose to Kierra''s own. When conversing with her subordinates, Mie Xieren disyed an overly strict attitude, with a mind full of work and efficiency. She looked lonely and not exactly happy. Moreover, as the woman was immersed in tall stacks of paperwork, Kierra noticed a dark aura following her. This was definitely the internal demon. Then, as if promised, the weird phenomenon happened to the world again. Emei was now flourishing just as a certain girl wanted, yet the very girl was seen sitting gloomily on top of the tallest mountain. Her once vivid red eyes, ones that did not lose to Kierra''s own, seemed dead. Seeing a person''splete transformation over the years was certainly something. Morbid curiosity, that was it. Kierra now understood why people made biographies of her. Nevertheless, she needed to save this poor soul. So she teleported to right behind the abbess, prompting her to turn around. Mie Xieren''s eyes widened for a brief moment. ''''You are...'''' ''''Long time no see, little girl,'''' Kierra replied calmly. ''''Hah. You are about the only one who called me that.'''' ''''Have you achieved your dream?'''' ''''I... I... think I did.'''' [No, you didn''t] The thick mist of something dark whispered into the abbess''s ears. ''''That''s right, I didn''t...'''' [You need to work harder] ''''Of course...'''' [Power, wealth, and honorthose are all you need] ''''Power, wealth'''' ''''Stop.'''' Kierra couldn''t stand it anymore. Perhaps because of the pressureing from everybody when she shouldered the responsibility to fix Emei, perhaps because of the nonstop work from a very young age, or perhaps because of everything that had happened to her, Mie Xieren had cornered herself, forcing herself to be a mere puppet for power. ''...I see now.'' Kierra finally understood it. At the end of the day, both of them were just human. Kierra had better luck with her career, having supportive people around her, while this girl likely didn''t. So this was it. Kierra just needed to be that person to Mie Xieren. The archwizard took a step forwardtwo stepsthree steps. When she was right in front of Mie Xieren, Kierra reached her hands out. ''''...Oh.'''' And hugged her. Case 31: Resemblance. Case 31: Resemnce. Mie Xieren''s life was filled with ck and white. She was an orphan; she didn''t have any rtives, and she didn''t have any property. She grew up relying on a poor fisherman, and even he died, too. In her life, the fisherman and her talents in martial arts were probably the only light illuminating her dark life. Nevertheless, she grew up to be the feared abbess of Emei, standing equal to many of the leaders of other big sects. That came with a cost, however. The process of taking over Emei took Mie Xieren two hundred years. Over time, she faced many challenges, learned about people''s dark sides, and had to keep her guard up at all times. It transformed the once cheerful little girl into a robotic, cold, and calcting woman. Endless work consumed her. Shallow ambitions haunted her. With no one around her to correct her behaviora result of her not building close rtionshipsan internal demon was born. It was the manifestation of her ugly and twisted desires for power, constantly pushing her to focus on it. Mie Xieren herself had also realized something, but she didn''t know what it was exactly. When Kierra gave her advice to Mie Xieren the other day, that was when everything crumbled down. As the abbess of Emei questioned her actions thus far, the internal demon decided to strike. It created an artificial world inside Mie Xieren''s mind to make her relive the whole experience of taking over Emei again; this time, it would intervene right from the start. This would make the abbess more vulnerable, thus helping it take over her body. Needless to say, its n was ruined by the archwizard. When Kierra hugged Mie Xieren, she also used a potent purification spell, one that was able to decimate the thing altogether. After just a brief moment, the world, sustained by the dead internal demon, fell into chaos. The surroundings all got distorted, and tiny ck holes were consuming everything. Only Kierra and Mie Xieren were constant; hugging each other. Eventually, the ce that the two stood on was no longer Emei but an emptynd. Here, the ground was white, and the sky was also white. Emptiness. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Mie Xieren stared nkly into the distance, her heartplicated. Realizing what she had been doing for so long, regret welled up inside her. She finally remembered it. When the man who raised her, the unnamed fisherman, was about to leave this world, he told the little Mie Xieren to live a happy life. Being a kid, she didn''t know what happiness was. When she asked other people what brought them joy, they all said these three thingspower, money, and wealth. She believed it. From that moment, those three things were equal to happiness in her mind. The little Mie Xieren was an ambitious girl. She wanted the people of her home, Emei, to lead a happy life together with her, hence the decision to take over the sect and improve people''s living conditions. Mie Xieren regretted it. Not about her changing Emei, but about the promise with the fisherman. She couldn''t make his wish a reality for so long. ''''...Hey.'''' ''''Speak.'''' ''''Am I... pathetic...?'''' As she asked Kierra with a trembling voice, tears welled up in her eyes. Seeing this, Kierra pulled away and patted the abbess''s shoulder. ''''You are,'''' Kierra replied. ''''An unfortunate kind of pathetic.'''' ''''What...hic...what does that even mean...'''' ''''See? You''re crying. It''s ugly.'''' ''''Hic... ugh...'''' ''''Hah... fine, fine.'''' Kierra made two wooden chairs with magic and sighed. ''''Sit.'''' ''''...Alright.'''' ''''Now, tell me what is on your mind. I shall be a therapist for the moment.'''' ''''B-But...'''' ''''Or do you want me to bring back the demon?'''' ''''...'''' Looking at Kierra''s calm red eyes, ones far more tranquil than her own, Mie Xieren realized that this woman was serious. Just like that, she began to tell Kierra her story, all the while sobbing and sniffingit was as if the abbess had regressed to just being a little girl Kierra had seen the other day. ''''...What... what do you think I should do from now on?'''' Facing this sobby child of a woman, Kierraface deadpanopened her mouth. ''''Isn''t it obvious?'''' ''''Huh...?'''' ( ; - `;) ''''Do it. The promise.'''' Kierra simply said. ''''You are not dead yet.'''' ''''That...'''' ''''Did the internal demon steal your brain cells as well?'''' ''''...'''' Now that Mie Xieren thought about it, why did she have to feel bad anyway? She was now free, which meant she could do whatever she wantedincluding the fisherman''s wish. However, a problem remained. ''''But... how can I be happy?'''' Hearing this almost too innocent question, Kierra quickly activated her con artist mode. On her beautiful face, a sweet, irresistibly sweet smile bloomed; her eyes curved, and her head slightly tilted. This instantly made the abbess of Emei froze. ''Easy enough.'' Kierra thought in her head. If this woman hadn''t been mesmerized by her beauty, then she would have been surprised by her sudden change. A beautiful stun tactic, if she had to say so herself. Nevertheless, Kierra opened her mouth, seizing the chance. ''''For you to be happy, you need to know what you enjoy doing,'''' Kierra said. ''''Do you enjoy working?'''' ''''N... not really?'''' ''''Then, take a break from it. Come to my tower, and I shall help you with it.'''' ''''But Emei...'''' ''''Do you think the proud Emei that you built would copse the moment you are away?'''' ''''...'''' ''''I have experience in being bored, so you can rely on me.'''' ''''You... have a point, yes.'''' Got them. Kierra smiled victoriously in her heart. When this woman went to her tower, Kierra used her other techniques to rope her into joining the Crimson Tower V2.0! With that, the abbess shyly agreed to have a trip to White Lotus. ''''Ovi.'''' Kierra snapped her finger and called her subordinate gently. Immediately, the space around them contorted, and they were promptly sent back to the normal world. As soon as the archwizard opened her eyes, she saw Ovi kneeling in front of her. ''''Good job.'''' [It is my honor] Judging by the sky, it seemed little time had passed. Kierra then reverse-summoned Ovi and turned to the other people. At this point, the abbot of Shaolin and the sect leader of Mount Hua were busy gasping at the sight of the abbess seemingly healthy again. ''''...'''' ''I''ll be waiting for you, Mie Xieren.'' Kierra looked at the unconscious abbess for a moment; a hint of mncholy could be seen in her calm eyes. If she were to be honest, this woman resembled someone she knew back in her old world, except things didn''t end well for that person. Kierra guessed it was good that she was able to save the abbess in time, at least. Then, she silently turned away and left Emei. At this moment, the archwizard suddenly felt a wave of nostalgia in her heart. She wanted to go somewhere alone and perhaps... reminisce. ''Hah... I, too, am turning old.'' Author’s thoughts and an important poll Authors thoughts and an important poll Hi, this is D, otherwise known as Kalliel. First of all, I want to thank all the readers who have shown interest in Kierra''s story. To bepletely honest, Kierra was a character who I didn''t n much for. Let''s say... it was a spurge of inspiration. I didn''t have any major ideas going into the story, yet somehow, I was able to push out some content with her. Not only Kierra, but I also want to expand on other characters in future chapters. Nevertheless, Kierra was and still is a character I find fun to write, and I do n to finish her story at around the 200-chapter mark. Hopefully, you guys will be there with me at the end. For now, it is time for a poll I''ve promised to make in the synopsis. As mentioned above, I created this story almost spontaneously, so I wasn''t sure if I wanted to make it a smut or not. So, the question is: Do you want ''Archwizard K'' to be a smut story? If yes, I will deliver explicit sex scenes (FxF)ter, and if not, I will only ze over those scenes. As usual, the votes on my Patreon page will count as five votes, and the poll will end on 20 April 2024. I hope you have a good day, and I''ll see you on another note. This is D. Case 32: Hobbies. Case 32: Hobbies. ''''...'''' Nostalgia. As Kierra stared into the distance scene, she suddenly remembered. There was a time when she would be atop a mountain, watching the sunset like this. If there were a discrepancy, it would be that before, she had someone to watch with her, and a twilight with four differently colored suns was undoubtedly something else. Nevertheless, she found this frame of time to be fascinating, almost magical. Not only did the scenery please her, but it also provoked a multitude of thoughts, more than she would typically have. Even back in her old world, she would find herself staring out of the window whenever it was this time. For one, it helped her with creating incarnations quite a lot. Often, the archwizard found herself inventing new magic, and it was those times that she woulde up with chants, even if she didn''t necessarily need to use them. It was fun, simple as that. She wasn''t a wordsmith, yet when she cast a spell, it always sounded otherworldly in the ears of others. Kierra called this the ''big magic equals cool'' theory. However, she would still be made fun of for her cringe lines sometimes by a few. ''...Well.'' Maybe this much reminiscing was enough. As Kierra stood up, she looked at the soft orange sky once again. The road forward, she could feel, would be filled with exciting adventures. She was sure she would make beautiful memories in this world. At those times... perhaps she would want to record them and share them with the people of her old worldter. Rub it in their faces. ''''...Hah.'''' With those silly thoughts floating in her head, Kierra turned around and left the mountain. Once back at White Lotus, she and her disciples continued to train, spending time like usual. In this period, Kierra also saw the qi slowly adapting to her body. Maybe it would soon be time for her to cultivate again. A few days quickly passed, and when Kierra was on a light stroll with her pets in tow, a disciple of White Lotus came to her. ''''Someone is searching for you at the front gate, Master Kierra.'''' ''''I see.'''' For some reason, Kierra''s official title across White Lotus had be ''Master,'' not that she wasining. Nevertheless, Kierra came to the front gate shortly after. There, a woman in white greeted her. ''''Kierra.'''' Abbess Mie Xieren waved with a soft smile. ''''Mie Xieren.'''' Kierra nodded in response. ''''I apologize if I took too long. I had to take care of the work rting to the unorthodox sects.'''' ''''Not a problem. Come in.'''' As she and the abbess made their way to Crimson Tower, Kierra couldn''t help but notice something about this woman. The way she dressed had be milder, and her demeanor was also friendlier. Maybe this was her preference in the first ce. As a result, however, it also made her seem less cold, which stopped her from intimidating others when they met eyes. It was a good thing, Kierra thought. When the two reached their destinationfloor one hundred of Crimson Tower V2.0they could see the usual members training. Some honed their mana, some practiced their casting, and some simply rested. ''''Now.'''' Kierra turned to Mie Xieren. ''''You need to be familiar with this ce.'''' So, Kierra started introducing the members of the group. As the abbess''s visit had been announced a few days before, there were no surprises. After introducing everyone and their positions to Mie Xieren, Kierra moved on to exin the avable facilities and her n to help Mie find some hobbies. ''''What do you think?'''' Kierra proudly asked. ''''...Are you just going to gloss over that?'''' Mie Xieren pointed to a certain white-haired woman who had orbs of wind, ice, and lightning swirling around her body. ''''Yes.'''' Kierra replied. ''''It is information only allowed for insiders.'''' ''''Hah... I see you are trying to temp me.'''' ''''Who knows.'''' ''''...Anyway, I would like to begin right away.'''' ''''Sure.'''' As Kierra had promised, the two then proceeded to go through numerous hobbies together. During the morning, they went to the top of the tower to try out some instruments and try drawing the scenery around them. ''''Kierra... you''re good at this. ying an instrument.'''' ''''You are just bad.'''' ''''...'''' When it was lunchtime, they tried to make their own meal with the ingredients they had gathered in the wilderness. ''''Grilled fish... simple yet exquisitely delicious. I love it, Kierra.'''' ''''Bleh. This is garbage.'''' ''''...'''' At noon, the two visited the library to read some entertaining fiction pieces. Mie Xieren chose one of each genre to try, and she didn''t like them all that much. ''''...They are too predictable.'''' Stories of heroes defeating evils, fated romance, and such didn''t seem interesting to the abbess. She saw many of the same in real life anyway. Seeing this scene, Kierra pulled out a book from her space storage. ''''Read this.'''' ''''Mistress Of The Evil Forest.'''' Mie Xieren read the title out loud. ''''This is...'''' ''''It''s one of the books I found in a space capsule. The story is entertaining enough.'''' ''''Space... capsule?'''' Just like that, the two of them spent the whole afternoon crunching through novels in silence. At sunset, Mie Xieren finally finished the first book of the series. ''''Hm... there are quite a lot of mysteries in this.'''' Shemented.'''' ''''You don''t want the author to spell everything out beforehand,'''' Kierra replied. ''''...I was about to say I like it.'''' To this, the archwizard just shrugged. Then, noticing the sky turning dark, the two left the library. While taking a stroll around the sect, Kierra opened her mouth. ''''How was today so far?'''' She asked. ''''Mhm...'''' Mie Xieren pondered. ''''It was enjoyable, but nothing I would consider passion hade up just yet.'''' ''''I see. If so, tell me what you are usually attracted to.'''' Kierra finally thought that this might be too much to go through blindly. ''''Attracted to... maybe... that?'''' Silence fell as Mie Xieren suddenly pointed at Kierra''s face. Realizing her mistake after a whole five seconds, she hurriedly corrected herself. ''''W-What I mean is makeup...!'''' She said awkwardly. ''''I never had a chance to do it properly, so...'''' ''''...I see. Let us try it, then.'''' Ignoring the awkwardness as she had always done, Kierra led Mie Xieren onto the mountain she frequented. Here, at the top, they could see a lit White Lotus city in its entirety under the sea of stars above. The stars were so bright that they didn''t need additional lighting for doing makeup, not that Kierra needed it in the first ce. Nevertheless, Kierra pulled out her makeup tools and began to do the abbess''s face lightly. Considering her demeanor today, Kierra thought it would only be right if she did this. Meanwhile, the one being worked on was rather nervous. Not only was this the first time she would do makeup, but seeing Kierra in her full glory this close made her restless. Although the archwizard might seem distant and blunt at first, she knew Kierra was a good person, from her actions right now to the memories of her conversing with the little Mie Xieren. And when the opponent was this stunning, who in their right mind would not feel a thing? (,,>n<,,) After the makeup was done, Kierra held a mirror before Mie Xieren''s face. Looking at her own face, the abbess was shocked. The slight touches were able to soften her face quite a lot; she seemed like a different person! ''''I like this!'''' She eximed. ''''Is that so,'''' Kierra responded with a rare, soft smile. ''''...'''' ''''What''s wrong?'''' Mie Xieren stared nkly at Kierra. Although today''s program felt like a bully was walking her through hobbies, it was enjoyable nheless. She had done these at least once before, but this time was different. There was someone apanying her. This ted sensation in her heart... perhaps, this was happiness. Mie Xieren smiled. She smiled heartily, hugging her chest. She wanted to remember this feeling in her heart so as not to forget it in the future. ''''Ah, that''s right.'''' Kierra straightened her back. ''''We have a sleepover night with everyone tonight. Do you want to join?'''' In the heat of the moment, Mie Xieren agreed right away. ''''Alright.'''' Case 33: A women’s night. Case 33: A womens night. A sleepover party. This was a concept that Kierra learned from reading all kinds of novels. As for the reason she didn''t have practical experience... Well, for one, she didn''t bother to make a lot of friends, and those who were her friends weren''t the type to indulge themselves in such things, after all. However, the main factor was that it would make either that woman or that woman incredibly jealous regardless of whether they joined or not. As a result, Kierra became genuinely curious about these parties. She wanted to know how they felt. And when she brought up this idea to the group at White Lotus, they surprisingly agreed pretty quickly. ''''Hm~'''' Changing into her ck negligee, one with moderate cover but still showing her curves and decent chunks of her smooth skin, Kierra checked her appearance a final time before the mirror. She spun around. All good. Then, she took out a basket full of alcohol and snacks, among other things, like games to y with friends and such. Just for an asion like this, Kierra prepared many things to enjoy. With an excited mood, Kierra opened the door to her bedroom. As she took a look at the people sitting on her bed, Kierra noticed the atmosphere was a bit awkward. Yu Chen and Tian Yun, together with Bai Qing, sat in a corner while the two pets upied another. On the edge of the bed were Mie Xieren and Kang Shuren, and even they were considerably far apart. ''Maybe they are not used to this yet.'' Kierra thought so and calmly closed the door. Chuck some alcohol down their throat, and the problem should be quickly resolved. When the archwizard turned to the bed again, everybody was staring at her, jaw dropped for some reason. ''''...What?'''' She asked. A brief silence passed, and Tian Yun finally opened her mouth. ''''No, just... your impression is quite different now...'''' At this time, not only was Kierra wearing a rather sensual outfit, one that was drastically different from the robes everyone was wearing, but she also had her makeup removed. Combined with her rxed expression, she looked like a totally different person. The cold and stoic archwizard was no more; instead, a mellow-looking and extremely lovely woman was there. ''''...I see.'''' Nevertheless, Kierra didn''t know how to react, so she perfunctorily replied and climbed onto the bed. She then ced the basket in the middle and called everybody over. Noticing everybody sitting upright, Kierray down to make an example. ''''Lie downfortably.'''' She said. ''''This isn''t a meeting.'''' Just like that, the sleepover party was in full swing. ''''Um... so, what do we do now...?'''' Bai Qing asked. ''''Hm...'''' Kierra pondered. ''''First, eat what you want. Then, we shall discuss ying some simple games. When it iste into the night, we will sleep.'''' Hearing that, Yu Chen and Tian Yun, who knew just how good the food that Kierra brought was, immediately dived into the pile of desserts. Soon, the others joined in and were subsequently impressed by them as well. "Here, " Kand Shuren suddenly raised her hand. "I''ve read many novels before, and one of them featured a party like this. Usually, the topic would be love." A few gulped. They all looked over to the archwizard to see if she liked it or not. ''''...Okay. Let us discuss love, then.'''' Kierra responded. She actually wanted to avoid the topic, but she woulde across as too forceful if she did so when someone suggested it. So it was decidedthey were going to talk about love. The only problem was that no one here had experience in it other than Kierra herself. (???) (???) (???) No good. They can''t make Kierra talk alone! ''''Well, well, let us enjoy some liquor.'''' Hurriedly, Tian Yun took out a bottle of wine from the basket and poured everyone a ss. Then, she began to initiate a story on her own. ''''This is going to be ame story, but... I thought I had a crush on a girl when I was still a teenager, but it turns out I just liked her hairstyle. Heheheh...'''' Everybody took a sip of the wine while admiring the raw courage of the White Lotus and herme story. The wine was strong but surprisingly easy to drink. Up next was Bai Qing. ''''I... I don''t think I ever had a crush.'''' She said, scratching her cheek. ''''I love my little martial sisters more than most, so my only wish is for them to grow up well.'''' Another sip of wine for this wholesome dedication. Then, it was Kang Shuren''s turn. The green-haired girl with a ck bandage over her eyes shook her ss around lightly before opening her mouth. ''''I used to have someone I loved,'''' She began. ''''Every night, I would hear that person ying the flute in the nearby forest. I used to immerse myself in their sounds, sometimes even reciprocating with my lyre. At some point, I had fallen in love with that person and the songs they would y. I felt as though I could imagine them through every note. When I finally mustered the courage to meet them directly, I found out...'''' At this, everybody held their breath. ''''...that this person was just a roon who somehow found a flute.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' ''''I took him home, and he has been my pet ever since. His name is Shai, by the way.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' What an amazing story. This girl should be a novelist at this rate...! Either way, another sip for the great story! When everybody was a bit tipsy, it was also the abbess''s turn. ''''...The only person I''ve loved... is probably myte father.'''' Mie Xieren said mncholically; her mouth curled up a bit. ''''He was an amazing person, always fed me and encouraged me even though we were poor...'''' Another wholesome story. This deserved another sip of wine! By the time Yu Chen had to talk next, the wine bottle was nearly empty. Kierra, just like everyone else, had her face flushed. She intended to take this party seriously, so she disabled her anti-drunk magic beforehand. Her vision was slightly hazy, and she felt like she was floating a bit. Just then, she noticed Yu Chen staring intently at her. ''''My crush...'''' The martial master of Qinling muttered, swaying from side to side. She then suddenly pouted, inting her cheek a bit, and poked Kierra''s arm with her finger. ''Humph!'' She said before gulping the remaining alcohol from her ss and mming her head into the bed. '''''''' ... '''''''' Ignoring that, it was now finally time for Kierra to talk. As everybody waited nervously, Shen, the nine-tailed fox, spoke up first. ''''With looks like yours, having five or six lovers is normal, I know!'''' She said, standing on two feet while moving back and forth shakily. ''''Not five or six...'''' Kierra frowned slightly and sipped the ss once more. The potency of this wine had been proveneveryone was wasted. ''''Then what? Do you have a good face and body but terrible at everything else??'''' Hearing this, Kierra put down her ss and red at the fox a bit, nearly giving her a heart attack before sighing lightly. ''''See for yourself how wrong you are...'''' Then, as if possessed, Kierra moved closer to Yu Chen, who still had her face buried in the bedsheet, and put her mouth close to the other''s ear. ''''Fuuu~'''' She blew gently, startling Yu Chen''s whole body. ''''Do you want to... have some fun?'''' The archwizard''s drunk-ish voice was exceptionally sweet. It had a natural tone of coquettishness in it, and Kierra took full advantage of that. By whispering her words slowly, she was able to send goosebumps down everyone''s spines. For the receiver herself, things were nearly out of control. The event had made her lose every ounce of reasoning in her brain, leaving behind a shell of a person moving with her instincts. And naturally, she pushed Kierra down the bed. Case 34: Serial drunk kisser Kierra. Case 34: Serial drunk kisser Kierra. '''''''' ... '''''''' All of a sudden, the room''s atmosphere got much hotter. Everyone stared nkly at the two women, one on top of the other. Being on top, Yu Chen''s ck hair cascaded onto the bed, merging with Kierra''s own. As the two drunk women looked into each other''s eyes, tension was slowly building up. ''''...What are you doing?'''' Kierra asked. Hearing it, Yu Chen once again pouted. ''''Didn''t you invite me?'''' She said with a snobby voice. ''''That was to prove the fox wrong.'''' ''''I don''t care. You reap what you sow.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' For once, Yu Chen resolutely took hold of Kierra''s smooth, milky-white cheeks and began to close in. At this sight, a few let out embarrassed squeals, namely Tian Yun and Shen. Kierra, being the mighty and proud wizard that she was, kept her eyes straight when facing this opponent. The two''s faces were now mere centimeters away from each other, and they could feel vividly every breath between them. ''This is no good...'' Deep inside Kierra, she knew where this was going. In a way, it was her fault for not ignoring Yu Chen for so long. Soon, she fell into deep contemtion. Should she ept Yu Chen here? The woman before her eyes was definitely beautiful. She seemed elegant and serene most of the time but also clumsy and cute the others. She was charming. Combined with the fact that Kierra had not engaged in a sexual act for decades now, she felt like the pent-up desire within her just exploded. Adding to this was the strong alcohol she had been gulping down since earlier. Kierra was confused. ''''...'''' Still, Kierra was Kierra. She wouldn''t lose herself to something like this. ''Keep it simple.'' Was Kierra in a rtionship? No. Did Kierra hate the idea of embracing Yu Chen? No. So the answer was decided. ''''!!'''' With utmost confidence, Kierra surged upward, pressing her lips against Yu Chen''s. As the pair of violet eyes in front of her quaked, Kierra hooked her arms around Yu Chen''s neck, pulling her even closer. Their bodies were now huddled together, their moist and hot lips sealing every gap between them. Yu Chen was initially stunned, but she soon threw herself inpletely, enjoying the infinitely soft sensation to the fullest. As the two immersed themselves in the act, their bodies squirmed around, their legs tangled, flesh rubbing against fleshit was a fulfilling feeling, as though the missing piece of either of them had just been found. ''''W-Whoa...'''' ''''How bold...!'''' Ignoring all the exmations surrounding them, the two fell further into their own world. At this point, after feeling up Yu Chen''s lips for a while, Kierra decided to take it further. She slowly poked her tongue into her partner''s mouth, subsequently making her body shudder. ''''Mn...!'''' Yu Chen let out a little moan and began to match Kierra, bringing her tongue out. As soon as Kierra felt Yu Chen opening up, she swooped in and immediately mashed her tongue against the other''s, twirling and twisting around it as she liked. She could feel the fast heartbeat of the person above her. Soon, the gentle entanglement became a noisy endeavor as sticky and obscene slurping noises escaped the couple''s mouths, filling the quiet room. Yu Chen felt like her tongue was melting. She noticed her bottom itching, and the more they did it, the more it itched. Yu Chen yearned for it. She thoroughly went in, savoring as much as she could with intense vigor, trying to reach the person below her down to their deepest depth. It tasted like alcohol, but she didn''t mind it. However, as time went on, it was evident that she wasn''t nearly skilled enough to be a match for Kierra. Her mind slowly became blurryshe was being consumed by the pleasure the kiss brought. ''''Mnha... hm.'''' Eventually, it was Kierra who got up first, holding the fainted Yu Chen in her arms. As she looked around, meeting eyes with others who were bbergasted, she slowly and sensually licked the residue of her kiss with Yu Chenthe saliva off her lips, all the while smiling triumphantly. Seeing thispletely different, indecent side of the archwizard, some with weak hearts gulped involuntarily. At this point, Kierra was unknowingly oozing out a special aura of hers, one that was specially and magically integrated into her body and one she would let out when aroused. ''''Do any of you... want to try?'''' She asked, cing her index finger on her bottom lip. In the eyes of others right now, Kierra seemed like a fragrant peach as opposed to her usual image of a thorny rose. Soft, sexy, and delectable. It was hard not wanting to embrace her and shower her with unreserved love. Nevertheless, they were too stunned even to speak, and Kierra, being Kierra, took this quite strangely. ''''I see.'''' She said as her smile got even lewder. ''''So you all are interested.'''' '''''''' !!! '''''''' Goosebumps. Looking at Kierra''s vivid red eyes, the women on the bed felt like they were lying helplessly before a beast. A sexual beast. Just like that, Kierra gently put Yu Chen down and began to crawl to her next victimTian Yun. The sect master of White Lotus was too stunned at the moment, not realizing it until she saw Kierra''s smooth and unexpectedly huge mountains right in front of her eyes. She creaked her neck up to see Kierra''s beautiful face, her beautiful eyesall for her. ''''A-Ah...'''' Kierra gently grabbed Tian Yun''s chin with her hand and closed the distance between them. Unconsciously, Tian Yun leaned forward, and their lips met. Feeling the softness of another person''s lips for the first time, Tian Yun''s body fell weak. Nevertheless, for some reason, she waspletely at ease when she saw Kierra''s face. Just as the atmosphere between the two loosened up a bit, Kierra daringly put her tongue out and viciously invaded Tian Yun''s mouth. She dug around freely, finding the other''s tongue, and toyed with it as she liked. When Tian Yun''s body was about to go limp, Kierra finally pulled away, leaving a sparking string hanging in the airthe proof of their deep connection. After putting the panting little sect leader down, Kierra turned to the girl beside her. Bai Qing. ''''E-Eh?! Ah, no, I...'''' Bai Qing, realizing she was the next target, iled her arms around in panic. ''''T-The thing is, I don''t think of you as a romantic partargh...!'''' She bit her tongue. ''''...'''' Kierra was totally wasted, and she was horny, but she didn''t lose her reasoning. Notpletely, at least. ''''Okay.'''' She replied before aiming at her next prey. Her hawk-like eyesnded on a restless Kang Shuren and an embarrassed Mie Xieren. It seemed the other two were more willing to do it. ''Hah...'' Kierra licked her lips again. This was going to be a memorable night, she thought.
The next morning. Kierra opened her eyes to a familiar ceiling, one belonging to her pocket-dimension house, and half a breast in her vision. She turned around lightly, revealing a mess of entangled limbs and bodies around her. Fortunately, nobody died. However, their flimsy clothes couldn''t make it, resulting in most of them being half-naked, some even fully naked. And the whole room reeked of alcohol. ''''...'''' Frowning lightly, Kierra tried to remember yesterday''s events. At this point, her excellent memory came in, and it basically said, ''You are a bitch'' right into Kierra''s face. She ended up tongue-kissing all of them yesterdaymaybe not the pets, but the humans. In the end, Bai Qing finally couldn''t take it anymore and went in for a kiss as well. ''If that woman were here, she would kill me...'' Suddenly, Kierra felt a bolt of chill running down her spine. Case 35: The correct way to raise a phoenix. Case 35: The correct way to raise a phoenix. ''''Mhm...'''' Sipping a cup of tea at the table, Kierra gazed out the window, where a beautiful, sunny in could be seen. This is her realm, her dimension, so she could change the scenery however she liked. Right then, a gentle breeze came in from outside, blowing her long hair along the way slightly. Kierra turned back to her teacup, where her usual reflection was, and then to the witch hat ced on the table. It is a peaceful day. It is truly peaceful these days. Yes. Kierra nodded to herself as she tried to calm herself down after yesterday''s incident and ignored the mess of people on her bed. As expected, alcohol should be consumed reasonably. While thinking like that, Kierra spent time quietly near the window, basking in the sunlight. After around an hour or so, movements could be felt on the bed. First, there was a disheveled Yu Chen, who seemed to wake up first. She looked around in confusion for a moment, smelling her thin robe curiously. As she turned to Kierra, the two''s eyes met. ''''Ah.'''' In an instant, the memories ofst night surged back into the martial master of Qinling''s head like a tsunami, and in the moment, she couldn''t help but bury her face into the palms of her hands. This act also woke up the others, making them sit up and do just the same as Yu Chen. (? ?????? ?) (? ?????? ?) (? ?????? ?) They hurriedly fixed their clothes and got away from each other. Then, as if possessed, they were simultaneously drawn to Kierra''s bright red, soft, squishy, beautifully shaped lips. As they imagine yesterday again, their bodies involuntarily shuddered. Eventually, it was Yu Chen who broke the ice. ''''Um... aboutst night...'''' She said timidly, eyes on Kierra. ''''...Get changed quickly.'''' Kierra turned back to her tea. ''''It is close to noon.'''' ''''...'''' ''''...What?'''' Kierra looked at the women nonchntly. This time, it was Mie Xieren who spoke. ''''May I ask... just how far did we go...?'''' She asked. With the main question being delivered, some gulped nervously, waiting for an answer. ''''We stopped at just the mouth. Most Likely.'''' Kierra replied. ''''...What do you mean by ''Most likely''? Are you not sure...?'''' ''''I do not know of your habits, but if we went further, there would have been obvious marks all over your bodies.'''' The archwizard dered, shutting down every line of questioning left. ''''Now, get out.'''' As the women, one by one, stepped out of the room while blushing, Kierra sighed. ''So I''ve been frustrated all along... I should probably do it with one of them sooner orter.'' Weirdly enough, this was actually the first time Kierra was without a woman''s embrace in her entire years. She felt a bit free after breaking up with her exes, but it seemed somewhere in her heart that she was lonely. Nevertheless, this matter would need to be taken care of sooner orter. Kierra nodded to herself and moved on. Despite the major awkward event happening the night before, White Lotus of today wasn''t much different. The disciples were all training hard, and Kierra still apanied Mie Xieren on a journey to discover thetter''s hobby. This time, however, two others were joining them. On each shoulder of the archwizard sat a small animalone fox and one phoenix. Theyined that there was nothing to do, so Kierra dragged them with her. Now, leisurely walking on the in near White Lotus, one that Kierra first woke up in, the four enjoyed the warm breeze blowing. Walking was also a hobby, Kierra thought. On this asion, everybody was quiet, perhaps deep in thoughts of yesterday''s debacle. That was when an idea suddenly appeared in Kierra''s mind, and she stopped in her tracks. ''''Now that I think about it, I didn''t teach you your body, did I?'''' The archwizard turned to Lan, the introverted phoenix. The small bird hurriedly hid its face behind its wings, ''''Yes...'''' But it didn''t run away. This was at least a good thing, Kierra thought. Seizing the opportunity, Kierra immediately held a small ss right outside, with the sole student being Lan. ''''First off, do you know what makes your body special?'''' Kierra asked. ''''Um... m-my aptitude in fire magic...?'''' As Lan pped her wings, small fireballs appeared around her, jumping like little fairies. ''''No. It is good to have fire, but the focal point is that you are near immortal. Although you are not a true phoenix, your body is one. It can withstand a multitude of strong attacks well enough.'''' ''''I-I see...'''' ''''Still, you can''t practice dying, so fire is what you will be learning today.'''' ''''Oh...'''' ''''Watch closely. This is an imitation of a phoenix''s undying me.'''' As Kierra willed her mana, a fierce yet somehow tranquil aura escaped her body. The atmosphere around them gradually turned to a pinkish-red color, and a warm feeling enveloped the ce. Kierra''s robe and the rim of her hat gently fluttered in the air, dancing as she gently closed her eyes. Then, a brilliant crimson pattern grew from the top of her head, trailing down her long hair like a tree root, bringing the tail of it a beautiful orange color. ''''Whoa...'''' Soon, three majestic pairs of zing wings sprouted out of Kierra''s back, pping gently in sync. The archwizard opened her eyes, revealing radiant orange pupils that seemed so intense they would burn her opponents off. ''''Expansion.'''' With a simple sentence from Kierra, the aura extended out at a rapid pace, quickly seizing the whole in. ''''Within this domain, my fire reigns supreme, unyielding from any and all interference,'''' Kierra exined. ''''With practice, you, too, can achieve this.'''' When Kierra looked at Lan, she noticed the little bird''s sparkling eyes. It seemed she liked this. Right then, the nine-tailed fox nearby fearlessly jumped on Kierra''s shoulder. ''''You look so cool, human!'''' She cried. ''''Maybe I should make wings when I transform... oh, now that I think about it, when will master be able to turn into a human?'''' At this, Kierra raised an eyebrow. ''''Who said she couldn''t right now?'''' '''''''' Ah? '''''''' Kierra sighed. These idiots... Nevertheless, she proceeded to give Lan some pointers about the manifestation of the undying fire before teaching her to transform. ''''You have to expand your mana beyond your flesh. That is the fundamental.'''' ''''Expand... my energy...'''' The little bird Lan closed her eyes and began to concentrate. Soon, as she directed her mana outward, her body shone a bright light. It quickly grew bigger and bigger, taking the shape of a human. ''''...Eh?'''' Standing before the two humans and one fox right now is... a little girl. This one seemed no older than a nine-year-old, with pinkish-orange hair and a pair of orange eyes, totally naked. Kierra took out some random clothes and threw them at the confused girl. Kierra frowned lightly as she watched the panicked girl in silence. ''This...'' Perhaps because Lan is reborn in that woman''s egg, the two were eerily simr to each other. Kierra wanted to forget the romance stuff by taking a walk out here, but it seemed the world wouldn''t allow her to. ''''Master...!!'''' ''''S-Shen...'''' Nevertheless, seeing the little girl hugging the fox with a shy smile, Kierra thought this wasn''t so bad after all. Case 36: Confession. Case 36: Confession. (o o ) (o o ) (o o ) (o o) On the hundredth floor of the Crimson Tower V2.0, four stupid faces could be seen sitting together on a bench. The apprentice wizards tried not to notice this strange phenomenon since the four were the most prominent of all. They just sat there in a daze, paying little attention to the things around them. As they gazed out the window, they saw a clear blue sky, which inadvertently acted as a canvas for their thoughts and imaginations to project on. The four were all terrible painters. If not... how could they draw only one thing?! A woman who exuded a mature and irresistibly alluring aura. Long, silky smooth ck hair, porcin white skin, melted red eyes, high, cute nose, rosy cheeks, and... infinitely soft, endearing lips. The image of a lewd woman wearing a flimsy nightgown lived rent-free in their minds. ''''...Yu Chen.'''' ''''...What is it, master?'''' ''''W-We didn''t do it all the way, right...?'''' gulp! Yu Chen vividly remembered yesterday''s experience. Her drunk act on Kierra practically caused all that chaos, yet she didn''t feel guilty; no, she was proud. Looking into Kierra''s eyes at the time, Yu Chen knew she was going to do it seriously. If only... if only she didn''t faint... ''''Hah... I don''t think we did.'''' Yu Chen shook her head lightly. At this point, Bai Qing intervened. ''''M-Master Kierra also said so, didn''t she...?'''' ''''She stopped at only kissing.'''' Kang Shuren said, eyescovered eyeson the sky. ''''I was the one who held out for the longest. Seeing us passing out one by one... she eventually lost interest.'''' This meant that if they could keep up with the archwizard, they would have had a wild night together. Just this thought alone made them blush again, and a faint sense of regret mixed with relief arose in their hearts. If there was one person who had a different idea, it was definitely Yu Chen. She only failed once, and who said she only had one chance? Firing up, Yu Chen nodded to herself and steeled her determination. Once she met Kierra again, she would confess! With that in mind, she and the others finally decided that it was enough daydreaming for now and went back to training. Meanwhile, on the vast in beside White Lotus. Kierra was sitting leisurely on a wooden chair, enjoying the breezes passing through. The abbess of Emei was also here, right on Kierra''s left. ''''So fluffy...'''' On the archwizard''sp was a little girl with fiery hair yet timidposure. The fox in her embrace naturally acted as a plushie, entertaining the little girl''s touches. ''''Mie Xieren.'''' Kierra suddenly called. Hearing this, the abbess turned around. ''''Yes?'''' ''''Did you find something you like yet?'''' ''''I... no. Nothing notable as of right now, but... I think with you is fun.'''' ''''With me?'''' Kierra raised an eyebrow. ''''You mean kissing?'''' ''''Ah?'''' Immediately, the woman''s face turned rosy. ''''If you enjoy kissing, then you will love real lovemaking. Find yourself a partner. It shouldn''t be hard with your face.'''' Kierra nonchntly continued. ''''N-No, no, I don''t mean it that way. Just being with you is fun; that was what I tried to say.'''' ''''I see. I do appreciate it.'''' ''''...Rather, do you have experience in lovemaking?'''' ''''I do.'''' ''''How does it feel, actually...?'''' ''''Hm... Fulfilled, pleasurable, and addicting.'''' ''''Ohh...'''' ''''You seem interested.'''' ''''...It would be a lie if I said I wasn''t.'''' At this point, Kierra suddenly leaned her face toward Mie Xieren''s, her lips slightly curled up. ''''Stay with me,'''' Kierra whispered. ''''I shall teach you everything you need to know from the beginning to the end. Your body, your soul. E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.'''' ''''Y-You mean...?!'''' ''''Yes... be a member of the Crimson Tower.'''' ''''Ah?'''' ''''You can get stronger.'''' ''''...'''' At the teasing Kierra, Mie Xieren sighed and questioned herself. Why was she so thirsty in the first ce? She lived thousands of years without touching herself nor touching others, yet only this moment... In any case, it would be best to expel those dirty thoughts ''''Of course, if you are interested inthatendeavor, we can work something out together, I''m sure.'''' Never mind thatthey were all sinful. Just like so, Mie Xieren, fueled by strange delusions, agreed to be a part of the Crimson Tower. This made Kierra exceptionally delightful. Mie Xieren was a talented woman, no doubt. Having her join the tower was definitely a big win. Kierra was willing to sleep with Mie Xieren if that was what it would take. ''''...'''' Hold on, just a moment. Why did that sound awfully simr to prostitution...? No good. Kierra''s mindset had be like this ever since she met that woman. She quickly shook off the thought and continued her rxing session. After some more activities, the sky had turned red, and the sun was about to set. Kierra''s group went back to White Lotus, and the archwizard proudly dered the admission of Mie Xieren, shocking many. With this addition of a big yer in the world''s scene, the Crimson Tower''s members felt an immense sense of pride, and they were motivated once again! When Kierra stood aside, watching over her disciples while nning her actions, a woman in purple appeared in her vision. ''''...Kierra.'''' Yu Chen called, looking straight at Kierra''s eyes. ''''Do you have time?'''' Sensing something unusual, Kierra replied. ''''Yes. Why?'''' ''''I want to speak privately with you.'''' ''''Alright.'''' Just like that, the two left the Crimson Tower andnded at the top of the tallest peak across White Lotus. Simr to when the two first stargazed, the atmosphere here was truly special. The stars were sparkling in the sky, and below, the lit lotus was ignited. The wind blew. As the two''s long hair swayed in the air, Yu Chen spoke up. ''''Kierra. Truthfully... I have something to say to you.'''' ''''...'''' Kierra stared nkly at the woman in front of her. Yu Chen''s cheeks were a bit rosy, her eyes kept diverting to the side, and her hands made some strange movements. ''This... is quite obvious.'' Eventually, Yu Chen gathered enough courage, and she was ready. ''''I... I love you, Kierra.'''' She said clearly. ''''I want us to get together as a couple with the goal of marriage. Would that be okay with you, Kierra?'''' ''''...'''' Kierra stared at Yu Chen''s outstretched hand. The woman in purple was trembling, eyes anxiously ncing at her hand. Kierra''s pretty eyebrows furrowed. ''''I am... sorry, Yu Chen.'''' Yu Chen''s heart dropped. Herplexion quickly turned white, and she bit her lips in frustration. Regardless, Kierra continued. ''''I am currently taking a break from romance.'''' She said. ''''I don''t feel like having a partner again yet.'''' Yu Chen perked up. ''''T-That means...'''' That means Yu Chen still had a chance. She just needed to wait for Kierra to be involved in romance. A year, ten years, a hundred years... no matter what, Yu Chen felt like she was ready to wait. She clenched her outstretched hand, and a smile bloomed on her face. ''''I see, Kierra.'''' She wouldn''t give up. It was about to be a long battle, but Yu Chen didn''t waver. Right then, Kierra spoke up again. ''''Still, if you are interested in a physical rtionship right now, I shall not refuse.'''' ''''Ah?'''' Case 37: Seduction ft. Kierra. Case 37: Seduction ft. Kierra. ''This is quite fun.'' Kierra giggled in her heart. Right, this was it. Kierra had always been a teasera cheerful, easy-going woman. Perhaps somewhere along the line, under pressure from virtually every force in her old world, she had turned into this arrogant, scummy, and shameless wizard. Was it time for her to change back? In this world, no one knew her as the absolute best yet. No one wouldin if she were to be a bit mischievous. If so, couldn''t she enjoy the moment and blend in with everybody else? As she thought about it, her eyes, reflecting the image of a flustered Yu Chen, softened. On the archwizard''s face right now was a bitter smile. Old habits die hard. Kierra knew she wouldn''t be used to acting like her ''newborn'' self right away. If so... why wouldn''t she regress gradually? ''...Let''s do it.'' At this moment, Kierra made a decision that would significantly change her life going forward. She was about to abandon her facade. The Crimson Tower''s master, the almighty archwizard''s mask, would slowly crumble down, starting right this moment. This, she swore under the starry sky! ''''...'''' If it wasn''t for her decision to take a break from her old world. If it wasn''t for the silly yet honest people in this world who eased her up. If it wasn''t for Yu Chen, who reminded Kierra of who she was... If it wasn''t for Yu Chen... Unknowingly, Kierra''s smile got brighter and brighter. It was a rare sight. Just then, Yu Chen finished processing the bombshell that Kierra had just dropped and was greeted with this face. ''''Yu Chen.'''' ''''Y-Yes...?!'''' Kierra got closer to Yu Chen, showing the martial master of Qinling her unparalleled charm at its finest. ''''Have you thought of an answer?'''' Kierra asked softly. ''''Ah? Um... Yes!'''' Yu Chen clumsily responded, diverting her eyes. ''''I-I mean... Yes!'''' "I see. A ''yes.''" Kierra cupped Yu Chen''s chin and turned it forward, making their eyes meet. ''''However... don''t you think it is too boring?'''' ''''B-Boring...?'''' ''''Say... why don''t we y a game? A challenge, perhaps?'''' Kierra continued. ''''You see, every prize needs effort to win, and I consider myself a prize.'''' ''''That''s... fair.'''' Yu Chen couldn''t agree more. If bedding Kierra wasn''t a prize, then the super rare hundred-thousand-year Ginsheng, which was said to be able to skyrocket one''s cultivation base to heaven itself, would just be a piece of trash! ''''I''m d we are on the same page.'''' Kierra smiled sweetly, once again sending Yu Chen''s heart thumping. ''''So... for each advanced spell you can wield, we will do it once. How about it?'''' ''''Advance spell...'''' This was the territory that Yu Chen needed much effort to reach; however... she knew she could do it. For once, Yu Chen was confident. She could do itno, she had to do it! ''''Of course, I won''t be as petty as to make you learn all existing advanced spells. Some of them are quite bad, after all.'''' Kierra said, stroking Yu Chen''s cheek. Her touch was cold, gentle, and somehow seemed lewd. ''''After you have learned the basic ones... let''s say, around forty? We can do it whenever you want.'''' ''''W-Whenever I want?!'''' ''''Whenever you want.'''' (o o) Yu Chen''s third eye just opened. She felt like she understood the universe itself. The heavenly dao? Pfft, just a piece of cake! She was about to fold it in half and then fold it again! ''''Is there such a good thing...??'''' Yu Chen asked nkly. Looking at this adorable creature, Kierra couldn''t help but giggle. ''''Fufu, that is what friends with benefits do, my dear.'''' ''''Friends with benefits...'''' ''''So, are you down?'''' ''''O-Of course!'''' Just like so, under the vivid night sky, with the stars overseeing them, the two formed a bond. Yu Chen grabbed Kierra''s hand and gazed into her calm red eyes. They both smiled at each other. ''''Mhm... please do take care of me, partner.'''' ''''Ah'''' Before Yu Chen could react, Kierra quickly closed in and pressed their lips together. Feeling the devilishly soft sensation on her lips once again, Yu Chen thought a lightning current had just run through her spine. When Kierra pulled away, Yu Chen was left dumbfounded. Her eyes were wide open, and her mouth wasn''t exactly closed either. The archwizard grazed Yu Chen''s lips with her thumb. ''''This lipstick... suits you.'''' She said, smiling. ''''Uuu...'''' Yu Chen nearly copsed. She fixed her head down; the red shade fell even onto her ears. Seeing this, Kierra was even more amused. Who would have thought teasing innocent women was this fun? That night, the two returned to the Crimson Tower amidst the cheerful celebration. Yu Chen tried to act cool, fanning her steaming face, but every time she thought of the woman beside her, it started to get hot again. ''''What were you two doing?'''' Tian Yun asked naively, holding a chicken drumstick. ''''That''s right; what were you two doing?'''' The little fox on White Lotus''s shoulder, Shen, echoed the question. Kierra pondered lightly and simply replied. ''''Bonding.'''' The two tilted their heads. Well, it probably was nothing. Just like that, the celebration continued as usual, and one person had their determination steeled. Yu Chen stuffed her mouth with a piece of chicken before excusing herself out of the party. ''''What is wrong with her...?'''' Tian Yun was puzzled. ''''Let her be,'''' Kierra responded, amusement practically written on her face. ''''??'''' The next day. The party had ended sessfully, and Mie Xieren was to be an official member of the Crimson Tower. In the early morning, Kierra scheduled the abbess for a session of mana awakening. At this, Mie Xieren was puzzled. Not because of the content of the session but the location. ''''...Why are we in your bedroom?'''' She asked. ''''In addition to awakening your mana sense, I want to gauge your talent in detail,'''' Kierra replied seriously. ''''Hm... I see?'''' ''''Good. Now, strip and get on the bed.'''' ''''???'''' After much confusion and exnation, the two finally settled down, sitting opposite each other on the bed with only their underwear on. Feeling a bit mischievous, Kierra opened her arms and spoke coquettishly. ''''Come here.'''' ''''O-Okay...'''' Mie Xieren obediently came over and ran her arms under Kierra''s armpits and around, pulling her into a hug. Kierra reciprocated, hugging the other''s neck. As the warmth of the other person spread through their bodies, Kierra began to move her mana ordingly. The magical energy slowly entered Mie Xieren''s body, bit by bit getting closer to her heart. ''''This is...'''' ''''Mana. Amazing, no?'''' ''''Mhm...'''' Mie Xieren closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of a newfound power entering her veins. Just like so, time passed steadily with the two hugging each other, and by the time Kierra had finished her job, the abbess was close to dozing off. ''''It is done.'''' ''''A-Ah... alright.'''' Mie Xieren''s face was rosy. Afterward, Kierra taught her new disciple a few basic lessons before bringing her out. She sent off Mie Xieren, who was eager to try magic in the training area, and looked to the sky. ''''...'''' Silently, Kierra began to recount the events that had just happened in the past twenty-four hours. All she did was... seducing women. From Mie Xieren to Yu Chen... Kierra didn''t know how to feel about this as a proud archwizard, but she got joy out of it, so shouldn''t she do it again? Just like that, Kierra decided to find Yu Chen and tease her some more! Case 38: Kierra of the dream world. Case 38: Kierra of the dream world. ''''To achieve maximum power output, a direct and constant flow of mana from your heart is needed. This is why choosing where you are shooting the spell from is important.'''' ''''I see...'''' ''''In theory, shooting it from your chest is the most efficient since it is the closest to your heart, but it will be hard to control.'''' ''''Mhm...'''' On the hundredth floor of the Crimson Tower V2.0, Kierra and the disciples were training as usual. It had been a few days since the admission of Mie Xieren, and the abbess had seemingly blended in quite well. Unlike her stern public image, she was an ordinary student here. As Kierra had predicted, Mie Xieren was a woman of talentmagic talent. She had awakened three elementsice, fire, and darknesson top of her top-tier water root. Kierra had paid special attention to her... when she wanted to. Kierra''s teachings were spontaneous yet certainly beneficial. Most of the archwizard''s time was spent doing mundane things that could help her rx. One such ''activity'' was to find Yu Chen, who has been isting herself to desperately master an advanced spell, and tease her. With this speed, Kierra reckoned it would take the thirsty master of White Lotus around a month or two. She felt like a bride waiting for her destined spouse to take her away for some reason. Nevertheless, Kierra sensed the time for her next cultivating session was imminent. By now, her body was almost entirely used to qi, and she was ready to step up her cultivation base. ''''Well, try it some more.'''' Kierra pat Mie Xieren''s shoulder and walked away. This time, she walked up to Bai Qing. ''''How is the progress?'''' She asked. ''''Phew... ah, it''s going good, master.'''' Bai Qing replied, wiping the sweat from her forehead. ''''However... I think I''ll be having a bottleneck soon.'''' ''''Exin.'''' ''''So'''' As Kierra intently listened to her disciple''s worries, she inadvertently noticed something strange. ''''Bai Qing.'''' ''''Yes?'''' ''''What is that on your hip?'''' A shy card was hanging on Bai Qing''s belt. Upon closer inspection, the back of the card had a simple golden grid design etched on ck material, while on the front was a logo of an orange cat drawn in a cartoonish style. ''''Yesterday, I met an unusual orange cat with a stall.'''' Bai Qing began her story, holding the card in her hand. ''''It said that I was the first human it met in this world, so it gave me this as a gift.'''' ''''A cat...'''' Kierra quietly pondered. ''''I see. Did it say what this card was used for?'''' At first nce, Kierra didn''t feel anything special from the item, but when she concentrated her senses, she could decipher that there was an unexined power dwelling within it. ''''Ah, it said that this could be used to create a dream in which the user''s lost memories could be found once again.'''' ''''How intriguing...'''' ''''Um... you can have it, master. I don''t really have a memory I want to recall even if this thing is not a scam in the first ce.'''' ''''I appreciate it.'''' Kierra lightly took the card and put it aside for the moment. For the rest of the day, she continued to teach her students like normal, but the card hadn''t escaped her mind yet. ''Lost memories...'' Kierra was a genius. In addition to her pure intelligence, she also had an excellent memory. Spell formations, rituals, incarnationsshe could remember them clearly, but... There was one memory in particr that she couldn''t recall, no matter what. When it happened, where it happened, why it happenedshe didn''t remember. She only knew that it was somehow incredibly dear to her and that it involved... that woman. ''''...'''' Holding the card in her hand, Kierra silently stared at the orange cat''s eyes. The lighting from the stars above was reflected by the shiny surface of the card, making it sh from time to time. Kierra Turned her head to the sky, sighing. No good. Kierra was too distracted. She was dying of curiosity at this moment. She wanted to know the truth. So, with a fast beating heart, the archwizard poured some of her mana into the object in her hand. It quickly shone a dim blue across the exterior before lighting up violently. Within seconds, Kierra was engulfed by the light. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself standing in a hallway. Outside the window, a pure white space could be seen. Guided by instinct, Kierra moved her feet forward. With each step of her heels, a new scene appeared on either of the sides. The image of Kierra as an innocent child. The image of Kierra as she celebrated her ninth birthday alone. The image of Kierra as she worked in the field, exhausted. The image of Kierra as she read a magic book in secret. The image of Kierra as she slowly grew up. The image of Kierra felt like her life was shing before her eyesfive hundred years. These were all the memories she made on her long journey to the top. As good with memorization as she was, Kierra felt this was fresher than whatever she could recall. After what seemed like an eternity, Kierra finally reached the end of the hallway. There, a sole memory stood out. ''''...'''' In it, a young Kierra could be spotted walking hand-in-hand with another girl of her age. The girl had a confident demeanor, with soft, light blue hair casting down to her waist and a pair of exquisite golden eyes. August Von Lilienthal. Sword Empress. The woman who took care of Kierra when she lost her home, who discovered Kierra''s talent for magic, and who wholeheartedly supported Kierra in her endeavors. Kierra''s ex-girlfriend. Both August and Kierra grew up in the Lily Valleyan ordinary town above the valley entire of liliesyet their dreams were drastically different. Kierra initially wanted a simple and happy life, while August wanted to be the top. Both of them had undisputed, unparalleled talent. Asmoners, the two rose to fame and power over the next decade. Kierra then adopted the surname andst name ''Scarlett Aspenova'' before establishing the Crimson Tower. At the same time, August adopted thest name ''Lilienthal'' after the ce she grew up in and established the Lilienthal Empire. Judging from the clothes and attitude of the two in this memory, Kierra guessed this happened right before the Great War. Kierra and August then were simr to a newlywed couple, always having each other''s backthey were happy together. Suddenly, Kierra, in the memory, stopped in her tracks. She gazed at the sky and spoke. ''''What if... what if we couldn''te back from this war?'''' She naively questioned. At this, the other person gently stroked Kierra''s cheek with her hand. ''''Silly. You and I both know. We will. No matter what.'''' She said confidently. ''''...I can''t help but be worried, Au. I''m afraid of losing you.'''' The young Kierra had a bitter face. ''''What if we were to be lost on the battlefield? What if we were to be separated?'''' The girl held her witch hat and her lover''s hand dearly. August, on the other hand, was still smiling. ''''How cute.'''' She muttered. ''''Listen, my adorable little kitten.'''' August locked eyes with Kierra, with unreserved affection and love overflowing in her pupils. ''''No matter how bleak the situation might be, no matter how hopeless you are, no matter where you are... I will, with all my might, find you.'''' August leaned in under the hat and pressed her lips onto Kierra''s. CRACK!! Right then, the space, like ss, shattered. A light brighter than the sun fell through the cracks, enveloping the lone observer''s vision. Blink. After Kierra opened her eyes again, she found herself standing at the top of her favorite peak in White Lotusunder the stars. The card in her hand slowly disintegrated into fine orange dust and was blown away by the wind. ''''...'''' Kierra nkly gazed at the starry sky. ''So that woman is already here...'' Case 39: Core Formation Stage & Mischief. Case 39: Core Formation Stage & Mischief. Kierra had an inkling. If fate showed her the old memories, one that contained the message, ''I will find you no matter what'' from that woman, it meant that she was already somewhere in this world. August was always at the top of her game. It was not a strange urrence if she had somehow managed to transcend the stars like Kierra did. ''If so, what should I do?'' The answer was obvious. She wouldn''t need to care about August. Eventually, August would find Kierra, but the archwizard didn''t need to fret. She was still Kierra, and no one could control her. ''''...'''' For now, Kierra decided to focus on her strength first. At this point, her mana reserve had more or less recovered, which meant she could now unleash a star-destroying spell onto her opponents. It was an exhrating sensation. Aside from that, there was also her cultivation base. Unlike ordinary cultivators, Kierra had extensive experience in handling energy, so she was able to fill up the quotas for the Foundation Establishment Stage quickly. With little effort, she pushed herself to the top of the stage, then decided to take it slow for maximum effectiveness. Now that her body had adapted to regting qi inside it, Kierra was ready to break through to the next stage. ''Let''s ask someone.'' Kierra''s ego, or at least Kierra''s facade, had a massive ego, but it wasn''t that massive. She also knew when and where to rely on experts for the best results. Yu Chen was immediately written off for the simple fact that she was isting herself to train. That left either Tian Yun or Mie Xieren. As a proper adult, Kierra quickly decided that she wanted both of them. Only kids chose between options. So Kierra did just that, and she called the two over to her bedroom. ''''Kierra, what is this for?'''' Tian Yun naively asked. ''''It is'''' '''''''' !!! '''''''' Right then, Kierra suddenly began to strip. The two watched in absolute panic as the archwizard''s clothes came off one by one, revealing her smooth, milky-white skin and beautiful curves, together with her mature ck underwear. Was this it? An invitation for night activities? ''''I have a favor to ask from you two.'''' Kierra turned around. Perhaps... ''''Can you...'''' gulp! Just perhaps... ''''...Help me break through?'''' ...Maybe not. = ( `*) = ( `*) Now that they thought about it, wasn''t Kierra close to advancing her cultivation base? What the hell were they thinking? However, doubts remained. ''''I see what you''re trying to get to, but... why did you have to strip...?'''' Mie Xieren tilted her head in confusion. Hearing this, Kierra simply massaged her temples. ''''...Yu Chen told me it was necessary.'''' ''''Ah...'''' Yu Chen... Gradually, the image of Yu Chen, a serene, proper martial master inside the two, crumbled. ''''Without extrayers of clothes, the process would indeed be faster, yet it is not necessary.'''' Tian Yun sighed. ''''I see,'''' Kierra replied. ''''If so, I will...'''' Kierra needed to put her clothes on again. She couldn''t bring herself to reveal her body in such a way. Her dignity wouldn''t allow it. Dignity... ''''...'''' ''''Kierra...?'''' As the archwizard was about to pull up her shirt, she abruptly stopped and threw it onto the bed. ''''No matter. Do me in this state.'''' She said, the corner of her lips inadvertently curled up. Kierra''s questionable statement, which could have caused much misunderstanding, greatly confused and embarrassed the other two. It also served as her small step toward finding her old self. Right. The old Kierra, the happy Kierra, was flirty and mischievous like this. A long-forgotten sensation of joy blossomed inside Kierra''s heart. It was beating faster. At this point, Tian Yun calmed herself down before replying. ''''A-Alright.'''' The three climbed on the bed, where Kierra was instructed to sit in a lotus position. Then, Tian Yun and Mie Xieren took seats in front and behind her, respectively. ''''Rx your body and ramp up your qi regtion.'''' ''''Mhm.'''' Following Mie Xieren''s guidance, Kierra began to elerate the qi flowing through her veins and closed her eyes. Shortly after, she could feel two pairs of hands pressing on her lower torso. Tian Yun''s hands were mildly cold, like flowers on a chilly day, pressing against her navel area, while Mie Xieren''s hands were refreshingly frigid, like an ice cream cone, resting on her lower back. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' On the other hand, Kierra''s body felt warm. Pleasantly warm. Springy warm. Transferred onto the other two''s palms was a devilishly smooth and addicting sensation. It was as though the flesh was sucking their hands in. If normal skin was like this, then what would even happen if... Instinctively, Tian Yun''s eyes darted to Kierra''s half-exposed ample bosom and her long, exquisite thighs. For Mie Xieren, it was the bottom that got her. Their hands trembled. If they would just move up or down a bit, they would be tasting, perhaps, the most incredible thing in their lives. (? ?????? ?) (? ?????? ?) ''''...How long until we start?'''' ''''A-Ah, here we go.'''' ''''Yes, rx...'''' Intentionally, Kierra waited for a pretty while before reminding the two of the main business. It seemed they had be aware of this stuff ever since Kierradrunkkissed them. Kierra herself didn''t remember much about that night other than her passionate kiss with Yu Chen, but she could guess that the mouth-to-mouths she gave out were decent. She was confident in bed activities, after all. Right then, Kierra felt two foreign forces enter her body. Following along her blood vessels, Tian Yun and Mie Xieren masterfully directed Kierra''s qione into the dantian, the other out from the dantian. Slowly, the archwizard''s qi condensed into her essence, building up a solid nucleusa core. Being the energy master that Kierra was, the process went smoothly, and she even elerated the rate of core construction by herself. After just a dozen minutes, a stable core had been established inside the archwizard''s body. ''''Phew...'''' Kierra felt as though her body had just been refreshed. This feeling wasn''t too bad. Tian Yun removed her hands and smiled at Kierra. ''''Congrattions on reaching the Core Formation Stage, Kierra.'''' ''''Mhm.'''' That was when Kierra noticed that Mie Xieren hadn''t retreated her hands yet. She turned around lightly to see the abbess curiously gazing at her left, higher back, where the heart was located. The two''s eyes met. Feeling Mie Xieren''s intentions, Kierra casually spoke up. ''''Curious?'''' She asked. ''''Take a look.'''' ''''Ah...'''' Using telekinesis, Kierra moved Mie Xieren''s left hand and pressed it directly onto her flesh, aligning it with her heart. For a while, Mie Xieren was hesitant to look at Kierra''s internal organs, fearing that it might be disrespectful. However, Kierra''s heart, where ten mana circles were allegedly present, was infinitely interesting for her. Now that she had the permission, the abbess bravely guided her vision into Kierra''s body. ''''!!!'''' In an instant, she was struck with a raging headache. Too much information was being stuffed into her head, making it impossible to think clearly. The only thing certain was the mesmerizing scene of ten brilliantly gleaming blue rings, each with its own angle, spinning around Kierra''s beating heart. The sheer oppression she felt from looking at it alone was enormous. Cold sweat ran down Mie Xieren''s back. As a cultivator in the Tribtion stagethe highest in the mortal realmshe had some confidence, yet the very existence of the woman she was touching humbled her whole being. She quickly pulled away. ''''Hah... Hah...'''' ''''Good job.'''' Kierra amusingly patted the abbess''s head. At this point, Tian Yun asked in confusion. ''''W-What just happened?'''' Kierra exined briefly what the abbess did, sessfully stealing the White Lotus''s attention. ''''Can I try it, too...?'''' Tian Yun was eager to see for herself, and Kierra weed it... ''''Sure,'''' Kierra said as she grabbed Tian Yun''s hand and put it on her left breast, grinning. ...In a rather unusual way. ''''?!'''' Tian Yun nearly jumped. ''''A-Awawawawawa...!!'''' ''Fufu, this is so fun.'' Case 40: Kierra the Feline’s bizarre adventures in the White Lotus Sect. Case 40: Kierra the Felines bizarre adventures in the White Lotus Sect. As a self-proimed excellent educator, Kierra was well aware that her presence in front of her disciples could significantly affect their training efficiency. Some might be more eager to train; some might be nervous; some might be embarrassed. Maybe because of the incident a few days ago where Kierra yfully gave Tian Yun a feel of her bosom, the sect leader blushed every time she saw Kierra. ''This is a blunder.'' Who could have thought that Tian Yun was so weak to teases like this? No good. Kierra needed something quick, else she would be a lousy teacher! Right. If she couldn''t monitor them directly, why wouldn''t she use a disguise? A disguise that raised absolutely no suspicion, a disguise that would allow her to move around freely... Cats. A cat. She could turn into a cat! Just like that, intentionally or unintentionally, Kierrapletely ignored the option of using irvoyance and morphed into a cat. The feline version of the archwizard had smooth fur as ck as ebony, eyes red as blood, and a white cor with a sizeable pink diamond attached to it. With each elegant step, the jewel dangled around her neck, gleaming when hit with light. It was a devilishly stylish cat. Kierra jumped onto her table and took a look at herself, now in the form of a beautiful cat. ''Perfect.'' She quickly created a gate and got out of her home dimension, arriving near an alleyway. With the intention of first scouting the area and studying a cat''s behavior, Kierra ventured from building to building, roaming the bustling town. As she walked around, she came to realize that cats were quite rare in White Lotus, surprisingly. Nevertheless, soon enough, she found a chubby tabby catzing around on a tree branch. Kierra leaped onto the tree, awakening the other cat. ''''M-Meow...!!'''' The chubby buddy immediately widened his eyes. Never before had he seen such a beautiful mate! When he stepped forward, Kierra noticed something was wrong and blocked him with telekinesis. ''''M-M-Meow!!'''' As the archwizard listened to his painful wail, she pondered. Were cats supposed to be like this all the time? ''''Pang~! Where are you!'''' While thinking so, Kierra heard a rather familiar voice. Below, Bai Qing of Qinling Peak could be seen looking around, calling the name of something. Eventually, she turned to the tree branch. ''''Ah, Pang! So you were there... huh?'''' When Bai Qing flew up, she couldn''t help but notice a strange cat perching elegantly on the branch. She clearly had never seen this one before... moreover, it didn''t run away like other cats! ''''Cutie, where did youe from~?'''' The martial sister mused. ''''Hm... you reminded me of someone...'''' Bai Qing gently stroked Kierra''s back, feeling up the smooth fur. The archwizard was about to p the hand away, yet she had to keep her identity a secret for now. ''Wait, this is not bad...'' Unconsciously, Kierra closed her eyes and began to purr. Meanwhile, Bai Qing was utterly smitten with this kitten! This cat was clearly specialher instinct was punching at her! ''''Cutie, want some treat?'''' Bai Qing affectionately asked. ''''I have tuna at homefreshly brought!'''' Hearing this, the chubby cat blinked his eyes, confused. She never fed him tuna before?! After a bit of shuffling, the chubby cat rested in Bai Qing''s arms while Kierra perched on her shoulder. Then, the three flew back to Qinling Peak. Walking through the little martial sisters, Kierra became an idol in an instant. They hurried over, fighting to pet Kierra. A cat this beautiful and docile was practically unheard of. When Bai Qing finished feeding the chubby cat, she decided to fly over to the Crimson Tower for some training. ''''Go y somewhere, I''m busy.'''' Bai Qing said to Kierra. ''''Meow,'''' Kierra said no. ''''Don''t tell me... you want to follow?'''' ''''Meow,'''' One human and one catthe two ventured to the magic tower. Immediately upon entering the hundredth floor, Kierra was greeted by a busy scene. Disciples were training diligentlyit was all good! ''''Ah.'''' Kierra quickly jumped off Bai Qing and strolled through the room as she pleased. Her gait was confident, her head was high, and her dignity was overflowing! When she was intently inspecting her students, her body suddenly got lifted by someone. ''''What? Where did thise from?'''' A wild Tian Yun appeared. The white-haired woman tilted her head. The small bird on her shoulder also tilted its head. Only the fox from the other side was confused. Wasn''t this... Kierra? ''''!!'''' With a single side nce from Kierra, Shen, the nine-tailed fox, knew what was up and sealed her lips. Tian Yun pondered for a brief while before shrugging. ''''Whatever, just a cat.'''' She sat down on a bench nearby and put Kierra on herp. ''''But, well... this one looks quite beautiful.'''' Tian Yun also stroked Kierra''s back, feeling up the smooth fur. ''''But red eyes...'''' The White Lotus muttered. Suddenly, she blushed heavily and began to dart her gaze around. As the atmosphere heated up, Kang Shuren approached. ''''What an exquisite feline you are holding, sect leader.'''' She stated. ''''May I pet it?'''' ''''Sure, sure.'''' Kang Shuren sat down beside Tian Yun, and the two began to do their business. Kierra, in the midst of all this, was feeling rather rxed. She didn''t know being petted could feel this good... well, it was not as though she had never been treated like a cat before, even in her human form. The image of a blue-haired woman wielding a sword shed in her mind. ''''...'''' While Kierra reminisced about her past, two more contenders approached. ''''So the sect leader caught it...'''' Bai Qing let out a relieved sigh. She thought it jumped out the window for a moment. Then came Mie Xieren. ''''Hm...?'''' Being a Tribtion Stage cultivator, Mie Xieren could see through Kierra''s casual disguise in an instant. She was about to call when Kierra cast a nce with her eyes slightly narrowed toward her. From the angle, it seemed like Kierra was judging her for some reason. Nevertheless, Mie Xieren understood the assignment. She promptly squatted down and petted Kierra as well! (? ? ??) Kierra was speechless. It seemed that being a cat significantly reduced these people''s efficiency! ''''Still, I wonder who could be this one''s owner?'''' Tian Yun asked. ''''Mhm, especially with this, it can''t be a stray.'''' Kang Shuren lifted the pink diamond lightly. At this, Kierra pushed her hand away, showing caution. ''''Sorry, kitten.'''' ''''Meow.'''' Showing remorse was good. Just like that, Kierra spent the morning with the four of them,zing around while having her fur caressed. When it was afternoon, she slipped out of the tower and came to a cave under Qinling Peak. This was where Yu Chen isted herself. Normally, Kierra woulde in brazenly and tease her a bit, but now, she wanted to know how she trained for once. Passing through the dark tunnel, Kierra was greeted by a spacious chamber. Light creaked in from outside, barely illuminating the interior. In the middle of it, a woman was meditating in a lotus position, regting her mana around. Kierra walked in front of Yu Chen and sat down, observing her face. The archwizard had seen many beautiful people, and Yu Chen was definitely among the top. A serene and untouchable beauty, if Kierra had to describe Yu Chen. In times like these, it was as though she were looking at a divine entity. After a long while, Yu Chen finally finished her exercise and opened her eyes. ''''Phew... huh?'''' ''''Meow.'''' ''''You are...'''' Yu Chen gently lifted Kierra and stared intently at her. The more she looked, the more confused Yu Chen became. ''''How did you bypass the formation...?'''' She asked herself. ''''Well, aside from that... you look awfully like someone I know.'''' ''''Meow.'''' ''''Do you know her? That person looks just like youlofty, ssy, yet unbearably charming.'''' Yu Chen smiled. ''''I''ve fallen into her trap, and I can''t imagine myself getting out.'''' ''''...Meow.'''' ''''But you know what? I think I want to taste her trap. It should be unbearably sweet, after all.'''' Yu Chen hugged Kierra. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' ''Well, this woman is also one of a kind...'' Illustrations. Illustrations.

Kierra Scarlett Aspenova - ''Crimson Archwizard'' Spoiler [copse]

Yu Chen - Martial master of Qinling Peak Spoiler [copse]

Tian Yun - Sect leader of White Lotus Sect Spoiler [copse]

Bai Qing - Eldest martial sister of Qinling Peak Spoiler [copse]

Kang Shuren - Youngdy of Lightning Tiger Sect Spoiler [copse]

Mie Xieren - Sect leader of Emei Sect Spoiler [copse]

August von Lilienthal - ''Sword Empress'' Spoiler [copse] Case 41: Kierra versus martial arts. Case 41: Kierra versus martial arts. ''''Hm...'''' It was probably time to pay Shaolin a visit. Soon, not right at the moment. Sitting on the Crimson Tower''s rooftop, Kierra mused to herself. By this point, Cosmos had digested the majority of Emei''s library. ording to it, the things one could do with these cultivation methods were actually quite intriguing. For Kierra, the more she learned about magic, the more she realized that it was more science than anything. Magic below a certain threshold had its absolute principles, and the more oneprehended them, the more they could thrive. Compared to that, qi-based magic was more of a wish machine. You wanted something magical; you willed it into existence. In a sense, it was more magical than Kierra''s magic. However, many of these cultivation methods required the user to master some form of martial arts or at least body arts. Kierra, being the ultimate nerd wizard there was, didn''t know a thing about moving her body. Sure, her body was mana-enhanced to the point of being stronger than that of most martial artists, but she didn''t know how to utilize it properly. In reality, she didn''t need to. Her magic was more than enough, and even if she wanted to show some moves, she could easily copy the style of her ex, the Sword Empress. It was trivially easy for Kierra. In any case, she also heard that Shaolin was martial arts-centric, so learning a move or two to appreciate them properly made sense. For this, she would have to confide in someone who knew martial arts well. Yu Chen was out of the question, so that left Tian Yun and Mie Xieren. ''''Good.'''' Finishing her ice cream, Kierra bid goodbye to the setting sun and jumped down. At this point, the two were still in the training area on the hundredth floor, as usual. ''''Huh? Martial arts?'''' Tian Yun, who had some sweat on her neck and face, tilted her head. ''''Learning it is good, however...'''' Mie Xieren rubbed her chin for a moment. ''''There are top-tier methods that won''t require any martial arts. They are pretty rare, though.'''' Tian Yun continued. ''''Ultimately, it depends on whether you have enough time to spare.'''' ''''I agree on that, especially with Kierra.'''' Kierra quickly fell into her mind pce. At this point, she could go with the option of finding the non-martial arts methods, or she could just learn some moves. Each option had its own pros and cons, but Kierra ultimately went for thetter one. ''''Teach me.'''' She confidently dered. A mere hourter, Kierra waspletely wasted, panting out of her mind. ''''Hah... Hah... Hah...'''' Kierra was now dressed in a ck uniform, with her long hair tied into a ponytail and her iconic witch hat missing. She leaned against the wall, feeling the life being breathed back into her tattered body. ''''Good job so far, Kierra.'''' Tian Yun approached with a kind smile and a tower. Beside her was Mie Xieren, who nodded approvingly. ''''Okay...'''' ording to these two, Kierra had to master the basics first, including stamina. She was forced to stop enhancing her body with mana and run around the track for twenty minutes straight. It was like hell. Kierra quietly wiped her body clean with water magic and bitterly bit her lower lip. The sight was simr to a kitten who had lost her meal to a roon. ''''Well, well, that was the warmup.'''' Tian Yun patted Kierra''s shoulder. ''''Let us move on to stretching.'''' With that, Kierra began to stretch ording to the two''s instructions. They were worried that Kierra would hurt herself trying the more painful ones like leg split, yet the archwizard had easily done all of them. ''''Your body is quite flexible.'''' Mie Xierenmented. ''''Of course.'''' Kierra proudly snorted. She had tried many obscure positions in bed before; of course, her body would be flexible! After finishing this segment, the ''real'' lesson began. Alternatively, the two sect leaders taught Kierra some basic moves that every martial art used first. Kierra quickly and easily got used to punching and kicking, which further boosted her ego. For footwork, Kierra excelled even more. She was a master of memorization, which gave her an edge in this field. ''''You learn so fast, Kierra!'''' Tian Yun eximed. ''''It''s usual.'''' ''''Mhm. For now... let me demonstrate some moves, and then Mie Xieren will also do the same. You can choose which one you want to learn afterward.'''' ''''Alright.'''' As soon As Tian Yun got into her battle stance, the whole atmosphere around her changed. Instead of the bubbly woman Kierra had seen just seconds ago, there was a refined beauty standing tall and proud. ''''Ha!'''' Tian Yun pulled her fist back beforeunching it forward. As she did that, golden-white qi wrapped around her arm before sting forward. A gust of intense wind formed and bloomed like a flower, directly pounding the space in front of her. ''''Try it for yourself. I''ll help!'''' Enthusiastically, Tian Yun came behind Kierra and grabbed her arms. ''''When you move the body like this...'''' As she kept teaching, her body unconsciously got closer to Kierra''s. It was as if the shy woman the other day was no more. When she eventually realized it, her face burned hotter than the sun. ''''Y-You get the gist...'''' She retreated. Kierra got serious for once and didn''t tease her further. Instead, she focused on performing the move just now. Condensing her qi around her right arm, Kierra lightly punched forward, releasing the energy ording to what Tian Yun had taught her. With a satisfying ''boom!'', the flower smoothly bloomed, warming Kierra''s heart. ''''It is my turn this time.'''' Mie Xieren stepped in and took a stance. She then began a series of moves that was weirdly akin to dancing. Shebined both legs and arms into her performance, always spinning and delivering quick strikes. With each jab, the purple aura of the abbess followed her attack, leaving behind a vivid trail. ''''This is the most efficient set of moves we have.'''' Mie Xieren said. ''''Let me guide you.'''' Just like Tian Yun, Mie Xieren enthusiastically taught Kierra how to begin thebo. She grabbed Kierra''s forearms and closed in, fixing the archwizard''s posture. In the process, she inevitably grazed Kierra''s bosom a bit, which made her nervous. Unlike the impure Tian Yun, Mie Xieren felt uneased because of the glowing heart inside Kierra''s chest... Well, it was a lie if Mie Xieren said she didn''t enjoy the pudding-like soft and slightly damp boobs of Kierra. ''''...'''' The archwizard paid no mind to the obvious and started to move. This one proved to be much harder than what Tian Yun showed. Kierra did it quite awkwardly at first, but over time, she got used to it. ''''Phew...'''' Her forehead was sweating. Her heart was pounding. This feeling of physical exhaustion... didn''t seem so bad when she got to try cool moves like these. In fact, it was rewarding. If she had topare it, it would be simr to when she cracked a magical conundrum. Martial arts was quite fun. After living for more than five centuries, Kierra had learned something new about herself. Case 42: Runaway kitten. Case 42: Runaway kitten. Land of Death. A ce where life could not flourish, a ce of destion, a ce of obsoleteness. Yet, there were those brave enough to dwell in thisnd, not necessarily because they wanted to, but rather, forced to. Among the vast space of nothingness, an borate castle could be spotted. thud! thud! thud! In the throne room, a woman sat calmly, tapping the royal seat''s armrests in regr tempos. The room was eerily quiet, prompting the small sounds from her action to spread far. The woman wore a white shirt with a simrly white jacket draped over her shoulders, afortable yet delicate long skirt, and confident high heels. She sat cross-legged, her golden pupils darting to the distant horizon. One only needed a single look to imagine the overwhelming presence the woman had. The aloofness, the oppressive aurathe signs were apparent. ''''Hm...'''' August hummed lightly, pondering. Now that she had entered this strange dimension, she could indeed feel her lover''s presence from far away. The cute little lovebird, who had recently entered her rebellion phase, always tried to push August away yet bent right away without fail every time the Sword Empress showered her with love. The way she forcefully put on heavy makeup just because August preferred the opposite, the way she dered their breakup only to turn mellow and give in when facing August, or the way she grabbed another woman and touted her as a lover. It was all too adorable. ''Coming all the way to another universe... you never cease to amuse me, my kitten.'' August giggled in her heart, freshening her heavy love for Kierra. August knew she was the undisputed number one in Kierra''s heart and that she had already conquered the other woman''s whole being. Yet August could not help but be annoyedso annoyed, in fact, that her sword was ready to destroy a star! The little kitten had gotten quite bold recently, ignoring her for months on end and now even escaping to this absolute nowhere. Knowing Kierra, it would not be strange if she managed to seduce a dozen women while August was not there to monitor the situation. If Kierra ended up with some random women again... ''''Tch.'''' August frowned, unintentionally releasing a cold, murderous aura that scared the cowering people in the room. Theythe people in the unorthodox factionhad just concluded a meeting to invade the centralnd when suddenly, this strange woman came in from nowhere and seized the whole ce! ''What kind of punishment is suitable...'' Meanwhile, August was diligently thinking of ''punishments'' for Kierra once she caught the archwizard cheating. She tapped the armrests faster and louder, eyes closed. ''''You.'''' August, using her favorite magical itemthe pristine white Gauntlet of Telekinesisdragged the woman who she thought was the leader to her. ''''What is in that direction?'''' Her voice, full of authority, rang through the room. Trembling, the woman looked in the direction August was looking at and pierced together an answer. ''''T-That is centralnd, m-my lord?'''' ''''Call me Your Majesty.'''' August narrowed her eyes ever so slightly, and that was enough to make everyone quiver in fear. ''''Yes, Your Majesty...!!'''' ''''Now, exin what you are.'''' ''''Ah...?'''' (???)? (???)? (???)? The unorthodox people were confused. She didn''t know who they were and still invaded this castle?? Who the hell was this hidden master?! ''''Do I have to repeat myself?'''' '''''''' !!! '''''''' Facing August''s overwhelming presence, they immediately stopped being confused and focused on pleasing this woman first. Just like that, the woman brought forward meticulously exined the situation, not daring to leave out or lie about anything. ''''A sea of ice, you say...'''' August pondered. ''''Yes, Your Majesty. That night, the attack on us was extremely potent, destroying a sizable portion of our infrastructure!'''' The woman pleaded. ''''In fact, the aftermath of it can still be observed!'''' ''''Hoh? Which direction is it in?'''' ''''That way.'''' Right then, August squinted her eyes a little, activating her version of irvoyance. A burst of golden aura escapes her pupil, burning in the air. In her vision, the scene of a seemingly never-ending icendscape appeared. There was no need to take a closer look; August knew immediately that it was Kierra. That girl probably got bored and did this to instigate something. ''''You say they want war, are you?'''' August asked. ''''Yes, Your Majesty!'''' Unexpectedly, August''s face bloomed with an amused smile. Coincidentally, she was also bored at the moment. A little bickering wouldn''t hurt... right? ''I can''t wait to meet you again, my runaway kitten...'' Meanwhile, in White Lotus. ''''Pang~! Where are you~?'''' Walking leisurely in town with Bai Qing, Kierra took a breather. She had been diligently training in martial arts for thest three hours; someone should praise her! In any case, it seemed the chubby cat from the other day had disappeared again. ''''Has it run away again?'''' Kierra casually asked. ''''Yes... hm? ''Again''?'''' Bai Qing raised an eyebrow. Kierra totally forgot that she wasn''t supposed to know this! ''''W-Well, I assumed it.'''' The archwizard cleared her throat, pretending to look the other way. ''''I see...'''' ''''Still, what a rowdy cat you have got, running away constantly like this.'''' ''''I know, right? He likes to roam around a lot...'''' ''Quite troublesome for a runaway cat, hm?'' Kierra shook her head. A cat should stay beside its owner, not run away and worry them! Such bad-behaving cats needed to be punished! ( ) After searching for a bit more, the two eventually found Pang, the fat cat, lying on the same tree branch again. He seemed to have been eagerly waiting for something, resting his face on his paws. ''''Pang, it''s time to go home!'''' ''''Meow!!'''' Pang was heartbroken, yet he couldn''t resist his owner, especially when he was hungry! Being carried like a bag of rice in the air, Pang secretly dreamed of a day when he could meet the beautiful ck cat again. Meanwhile, Kierra had a sneak suspicion, looking at this chubby cat, yet she chose not to believe it. No way. ''''?!'''' It was then that Kierra suddenly felt a chill running down her whole body. A feeling as though she was about to be overwhelmed... This time, she didn''t even need to specte to know where it wasing from. ''Hah... how troublesome.'' Kierramented. She hated thinking about that woman. It made her heart flutter, and she hated it. She should have forgotten her after so long, yet the blue-haired woman always took a corner of her mind. Maybe... it was time for a decisive ending for both of them. That day, Kierra instructed her disciples, and to celebrate a sessful session, she went out for dinner with her usual group. They rented the entire top floor of a famous restaurant, one that gave them a full view of the bustling night city. ''''All of these are mine!!!'''' ''''S-Shen, have some manners...'''' On the long table, Shen proudly hoarded all the steamed buns, chewing like no tomorrow. Beside her, Lan was timidly eating some beans. ''''Yu Chen, how was your progress recently?'''' ''''It is going well, master.'''' Rarely, Yu Chen came out of her cave today. She and Tian Yun sat next to each other, exchanging ordinary talks. ''''Abbess, did you try the infinite mana regtion methods?'''' ''''I did. It was quite useful but required much concentration.'''' ''''Ah, I also tried it!'''' In another corner, Kang Shuren, Mie Xieren, and Bai Qing discussed mana, yearning for a stronger self of theirs. Looking at this scene, Kierra couldn''t help but feel her heart being warmed. She turned to the side and gazed toward the city, wherenterns filled the streets, and people were going on with their lives. ''This... is not bad.'' This was not bad. Not at all. Kierra held her heart dearly, feeling it beat at a regr tempo. She could sense it. Someday, she would inevitably, surely, and convincingly fall in love with this world. Case 43: Unleashing cosmic horror. Case 43: Unleashing cosmic horror. A slightly chilly morning. Kierra was sitting on top of the Crimson Tower, watching the sun creeping up while enjoying her giant cup of caramel pudding. This one was made by her number one disciple, Angelica, so the taste was guaranteed. Maybe a good time to return would be when she ran out of desserts to consume. ''''Hah...'''' Kierra let out a rxed sigh, feeling the wind embracing her body. Her hat fluttered in the flow, swaying gently. It had been quite peaceful recently. Peaceful... ''''...'''' Now that Kierra thought about it... wasn''t this the same as when she was in her old world? She still yed all day and did whatever she wanted, yet her heart was rtively calm, not yearning for entertainment. What exactly was the cause? Perhaps her training sessions. Perhaps the prospect of teasing women. Kierra wouldn''t know, and she wouldn''t care all that much. So Kierra decisively scooped thest piece of the pudding and put it into her mouth. As the dessert melted, vor flooded it, making her let out a satisfied moan. ''''Kierra...!!'''' ''''?!'''' Suddenly being spooked from behind, Kierra almost choked on her pudding. When she turned around, a panicked Tian Yun was there. ''''Mhm?'''' Kierra tilted her head, spoon inside her mouth. ''''Ah.'''' From this angle, Kierra seemed much different from her usual appearance. Her side profile was unquestionably exquisite; then came her rxed eyebrows and the final bossthe spoon. A super innocent-looking Kierra was a top-tier Kierra! (???) At this point, the archwizard finally took the spoon out and raised her eyebrow. ''''What?'''' Snapping out of her trance, Tian Yun turned back to her panicked mode. ''''Ah, there''s an emergency!'''' ''''That being?'''' ''''A demon horde has appeared!'''' Demons again? It seemed Ovi would have some snacks soon. ''''Are they close?'''' ''''No.'''' Tian Yun shook her head. ''''The call for help actually came from Shaolin.'''' ''''Hoh? Shaolin, you say?'''' If Shaolin judged they couldn''t handle it, then the enemies would be quite formidable. Right when Kierrained about her life being too peaceful, this happened. Was god listening to her all along? ''Well, I''m an atheist anyway.'' ''''What do you want to do, Kierra?'''' ''''Of course, we help them.'''' After grabbing Yu Chen and Mie Xieren, the four jumped on top of Kamikaze and headed to Shaolin right away. The direction was provided by none other than Emei''s abbess, and due to the long distance, Kamikaze had the opportunity to soar as he liked. ''''Tian Yun, are there any clues on our opponents this time?'''' Mie Xieren cautiously inquired. ''''The messenger said there was an army. With his attitude, I could almost sense danger.'''' ''''To the extent that Shaolin is calling for help...'''' While the two were exchanging words regarding the enemies, Yu Chen approached Kierra, hugging a sword in her arms. ''''You seem quite calm.'''' Shemented. ''''It is nothing new,'''' Kierra replied. ''''Do demons appear frequently here?'''' ''''Certainly not as frequent as now.'''' ''''So there is something else to the equation.'''' ''''Clearly. I don''t think the unorthodox people have a way to increase the appearance rate, but just in case...'''' This reminded Kierra of the Land of Death. She had learned that those people lived there. Coincidentally, she could also feel, albeit very faintly, the presence of her old fate there as well. ''...No.'' It couldn''t be. August didn''t know how to summon demons. Wiping those silly thoughts clean, Kierra focused on the looming fight. With Kamikaze''s incredible speed, it only took the four around half an hour to enter Shaolin''s territory. Immediately, Kierra could see arge area upied by an almost absurd number of temples. Big or small, they were all there. The scene was somewhat beautiful, but she couldn''t spot many people moving on the streets. ''''It seems they have mobilized most of the monks.'''' Mie Xieren walked up with a serious expression. ''''We need to hurry.'''' By this point, everyone present was able to sense therge-scale battle ahead, not only from circumstantial evidence but also from the intense energy wavesing at them. When they arrived at the scene, it was truly as though they were looking at a hellscape. On one side, around a thousand monks were pushing back the tidal wavea tsunami of grotesque creatures invading the territory. They fought bravely, bringing forward their qi-d fists, painting a golden color across the battlefield. On the other, severalmander figures, who seemed much more powerful than regr demons, stood calmly. They directed the army resolutely, their voices empowered by pure hatred and disdain toward humanity. The demons'' attacks all had an ominous ck hue to them, making the distinction between the two sides quite easy to make. More than anything, the battle between the abbot of Shaolin and a fierce demon took all the spotlight. Each exchange shook the earth and heavens, and they were only getting more aggressive. Kierra narrowed her eyes slightly. Now that she had arrived, she didn''t feel intimidated a bit! Instead, the archwizard was thinking about what spell to use. A shy spell would be nice, just to impress the Shaolin people. What would it be? Meteor Rain? Inferno? Earth Rupture? Frost Abyss? Suddenly, a sphere, one akin to a miniature star, manifested beside the archwizard. ''''Cosmos?'''' [Friend, may I experiment with an exercise?] At this, a grin crept up Kierra''s face. Cosmos probably wanted to test its strength in this realm. Why not? ''''Of course,rade,'''' Kierra replied. ''''It''s all yours.'''' [Much appreciated] When the others were about to jump down and assist Shaolin, Kierra stopped them. ''''A minute.'''' She said firmly. ''''They will be taken care of in a minute. Do not interfere.'''' The archwizard''s voice, although infinitely softer than the intense battle cries below, seemed to hold an immeasurable pressure, forcing the three to shut any intention of opposing her. gulp! A stark difference from her usual yful demeanor. So this was her true charisma... Terrifying! Right when the small sphere floated to the sky, Kierra used advanced telekinesis to pull away the fighters on both sides, separating them with a sturdy mana barrier. Humans and demons stared at each other, question marks popping on their faces. The abbot of Shaolin was particrly confused. He carefully inspected the transparent wall that had just appeared and realized he couldn''t make out its essence. ''''Hey, what happened??'''' ''''What is this wall?!'''' ''''Let me through! I shall demolish all evils!'''' When the voices began to emerge, a strange phenomenon descended. '''''''' ?!? '''''''' Suddenly, the sky turned dark. The abrupt darkness squarely devoured the sun. It was as though a deep veil had covered the whole Central Divine Realm! Then, one by one, sparkling dots began to surface in the sky, quickly filling up the canvas to form a brilliant, vibrant, and eerily alive gxy. !! A prolonged, indescribably unsettling sound filled the battlefield, drowning out even the most passionate scream. A brief silence ensued before a violent rip yelled. In an instant, the fabric of the cosmic was torn to shreds. From beyond the abyss, a terrifying beast of unimaginable size crept out of itsir, grabbing the very corners of space with its elongated, sharp, and slightly crooked ws. Dozens of pairs of blue eyes shone in the dark, illuminating its colossal maw filled with rows of sharp teeth. With a deep grumble that paralyzed every single soul in the vicinity, the cosmic beast of horror descended. Case 44: Cosmos, the insatiable beast of the universe. Case 44: Cosmos, the insatiable beast of the universe. ''It has been a while, my friend.'' Gazing at her old friend in the sky, Kierra couldn''t help but smile. When was it? Ny years ago? A hundred years ago? Kierra couldn''t remember thest time Cosmos descended. However, the terrifying, madness-inducing, indescribably unnerving, and possibly inspiring image of Cosmos was clearly etched into her mind. It was exactly like this. Admiring the sheer might of her friend was something, yet watching others'' reactions to it was even more entertaining. One nce around the battlefield was enough for the archwizard to knowevery soul was petrified. Yu Chen, Tian Yun, Mie Xieren, Abbot Xuanji, and even Kamikaze were stunned. For the demons, things were worse. From small to big, from weak to strong, everyone and everything was still. Time seemed to halt, and space cowered in fear. They all turned to the broken sky, where Cosmos slowly dived down. Passing through the rift of reality, plunging into the realm of mortals. Bit by bit, the people could see the beast''s true form. It has skin as ck and as morous as the starry night, scales thick as a''s crust, and eyes glowing brighter than stars themselves. Then, like a guillotine winding up for execution, Cosmos''s colossal jaw gaped, much to the despair of the souls below. !!! An unimaginable amount of energy was then pulled from the stars around Cosmos, forming a storm of world-ending caliber right in between its teeth and warping what was left of the tattered space fabric. Intense sma chaotically danced in the air, radiating scorching heat to the surroundings. Right as this happened, Kierra also began to wield her own magic. A dense aura of gold escaped the archwizard''s body as she chanted. For the moment, her vivid red eyes were dyed yellow.

''''For today, I sing.''''

''''For the year, for theughter, for the tear,''''

''''Sing for every soul, for every cheer,''''

''''For our children, for humanity,''''

''''Here, I stand.''''

''''Steel me,''''

?Aegis9? In an instant, hundreds of divine spears, ones of clouds-piercing caliber, spurt from the ground, shrouding the demons within. Then, numerous golden threads manifested between them, stringing together with the spears to be a formation of absolute defense. With this, the stage for Cosmos had been set. Kierra nodded gently toward her friend as if encouraging the mighty beast. Not disappointing her, Cosmos soon finished its wind-up, and before anyone could realize it, the massive sphere of annihtion had left its original position, descending toward the ground. Helpless. The demons could only feel helpless, watching the spell that would end their life slowlying at them. One by one, from small to big, from weak to strong, they were helplessly devoured by the sma, the sheer wind tearing their body the shreds, the intense heat disintegrating their very souls. Crash. !!! In an instant, the whole battlefield plunged into deafening silence as blinding light exploded inside Aegis, consuming everyone''s vision. A terrible earthquake sent people tumbling around, and the sheer energy emitted from the st made a sizeable portion lose consciousness. After a long while, the light finally subsided, giving sight back to everyone. CRACK!! CRACK!! CRACK!! Unable to withstand the immense pressure, Aegis''s spears cracked loudly and soon turned into millions of sparking shards, which were carried away by the wind. Right then, they could peer into the aftermath of the battleno, the massacre that had just urred. '''''''' ... '''''''' A crater so deep it might as well reach the other side of the was there. No living organism could have survived it. Whatever was left of the demons had been sent straight to the other side of the world. Having done its job immactely, Cosmos then calmly closed its jaw and retreated to the abyss once again. Right after, the sky returned to its former vibrant color, yet the abyss below did not disappear no matter what. While everybody was beyond stunned, Kierra smirked. ''''Well done, Cosmos.'''' She said to the small sphere that had just popped up beside her. ''''How did it feel?'''' [A tad boring, if I were to be honest] ''''Figured. They didn''t have a chance to begin with.'''' Realistically, the only opponents that could match Cosmos back in her world were herself, August, and maybethatwoman. Still, in this world, there were supposed to be individuals who could bend reality itself into folds with one of their fingers, so Kierra had hope. But for now, these small fry could act as time passes for her. After the matter was cleaned up, Kierra was about to jump down to converse with Shaolin''s abbot when Yu Chen stopped her. "K-Kierra, do you know what just happened...?! " Yu Chen eximed, her face seeming as though she had just seen a ghost. Right then, the other two also joined, piling question after question on Kierra. Patiently, Kierra calmed down the three one by one, then, in her true fashion, simply stated, ''''It is an old friend of mine. No need to be rmed.'''' (; ) (; ) (; ) Ridiculous. Truly ridiculous. At this point, they were certain that Kierra was an Immortal, and even if she weren''t, she would be on the same level as them. These feats could never be recreated by anyone still in this mortal realm. With a renewed respect for the archwizard''s strength, the three quietly swallowed their questions and followed Kierra down. As Kamikaze perched in front of Xuanji, the moderately strong impact caused by the touchdown snapped everyone out of their daze. Kierra lightlynded before Xuanji in a joyful mood. ''''How is it going, abbot?'''' She asked. In response, Xuanji slightly freaked out like others, but he soon recovered. ''''...Was that your doing, Miss Kierra?'''' ''''Technically, not mine. My friend wanted to do a simple exercise, you see.'''' ''''''A simple exercise,'' you say...'''' ''''Right, as I am here already, why don''t you guide me through the sect?'''' At this, Xuanji could only nod meekly, sighing. Who the hell brought that scary beast as a friend?! From demons, a weird woman with weird powers, to now a stupidly overpowered gctic monster. Clearly, something was wrong with this world! When they were about to head back to Shaolin, a sudden jolt halted everyone. A tingling sensation as though an invisible needle was poking ever so slightly at their essence, the very core of their being, could be felt. In an instant, all eyes were on the massive hole that Cosmos''s attack left behind. Before any doubt could be raised, Kierra spoke up. ''''Do not worry much; this is merely a harmless, involuntary reaction of the universe.'''' She said. ''''Causality does not wee my friend. How tragic.'''' As Kierra lightly joked about the situation, the onlookers were sweating cold all over. ''''What did you say?!'''' Mie Xieren grabbed the archwizard''s shoulders. ''''This is bad!'''' ''''Hm?'''' ''''If you try to surpass the Heavenly Dao''s constraints, you will be severely punished!'''' ''Oh... was there something like that?'' Kierra mused to herself. Heavenly Dao. She had heard of this concept many times in this realm, yet she did not yet know whether it was potent. If so, why not test it out at this moment? ''''Heavenly Dao?'''' Kierra smirked. ''''Let''s see if it canpete with a supernova!'''' Case 45: Against the heavens. Case 45: Against the heavens. With her face parallel to the sky, Kierra proudly floated in the middle of the massive pit. Heavenly Dao? What a joke! If the Heavenly Dao couldn''t prevent the Immortals from bing Immortals, then it was simply useless! This time, Kierra was exceptionally confident. She had survived a supernova before, and that was something that could wipe an entire star system away easily. Was the Heavenly Dao going to destroy this realm? Kierra didn''t think so. With a thick barrier of lightAegissurrounding her, Kierra quietly awaited the punishment. Soon, terrible dark clouds began to gather in the sky, filling up the whole atmosphere and turning day into night once again. Intense thunder cracked loudly and constantly, shing fierce whips of lightning among the clouds. The onlookers seriously thought there were dragons for a moment! As everybody gazed worryingly, the heavens finally made a move. A cluster of thunder gathered far above Kierra, rapidly consuming nearby currents to form a deadly orba miniature of lightning. The sheer energy radiating from it was immeasurable, causing everyone to shudder involuntarily. Being in the Tribtion Stage, both Mie Xieren and Xuanji knew how intense the heavenly tribtion could be. It was both a test of strength and courage, and one couldn''t make it no matter what if they didn''t have enough of either. Moreover, the lightning from the heavens represented the way of the universe itself, and one could hardly go against it. Those who could were all tops of the topsthe Immortals living in another ne of existence! Too risky. ''Please make it, Kierra...!'' Meanwhile, the archwizard was deep in her thoughts. As she gazed into the so-called ''heavenly punishment'' above, she calmly aimed her hand toward it. ''This feeling... no doubt. Divine energy.'' Kierra had more or less expected it, but behind this facade of the heavenly was a source of divine energy. She had only seen it once throughout her life, yet it left a deep impression on her. Nevertheless, this strike, being fueled by divine energy, meant that it was much harder to defend against. For good measure, Kierra applied numerous more resistance and defensive spells on herself, utilizing her quick casting speed. BOOM!!! With a deafening explosion, the bolt came down faster than anything could move, raining pure destruction on a lone woman. In the midst of this, Kierra still kept herposure, reinforcing her barriers constantly. One second. Two seconds. Three. Kierra''s Aegis began to crack, and her other spells were also worn out, bit by bit. However, Kierra stood firm. Who was she? The best in the universe! That meant she was even better than the universe itself! In an instant, the archwizard''s heart gleamed a brilliant blue. All ten of her mana circles began to spin at incredible speed, aiding magic throughout Kierra''s body and ramping up her strength by many folds. Resolutely, Kierra began to chant.

''''Sorrowful, kicking the ground strongly,''''

''''Leaping up and raising a finger to the light,''''

''''Click your tongue, defy the wind of this wastnd,''''

''''Sing in the hoarse cries of a newborn through the night,'''' From the depth of her being, an unstoppable will to defy the world itself was born. Rapidly, sparkling stars manifested in the air around Kierra, dancing about in support of her stance against the heavens. The archwizard''s ck robe and hat fluttered wildly as the mana storm spread, yet under those tearing winds were a pair of tranquil eyes.

''''Shine the light of your bruised heart,''''

''''All the way past that frozen star far, far in the distance,''''

''''Break through that stifling air andugh for me, deep within me, once more,'''' Slowly ring from her chest, Kierra''s figure was endowed with an aura of distant stars, dyeing her already fair skin a frozen white and her hair a zing cold blue. On the archwizard''s palm, a small yet infinitely powerful orb formed. It had the appearance of a lone frozen star, radiating both blinding light and a bone-chilling aura. Amidst the never-ending shower of lightning, the frozen star gleamed brilliantly, rays of light escaping the imprisonment of the heavenly strike. Kierra''s blood-red eyes remained constant as she directly red down at the sky; with her hand outstretched toward it, she uttered the final incarnations.

''''Erase it all and fly; fire the shotgun into tomorrow!''''

''''Get it all out; take the oar to the North Star into your own hands!''''

?Frozen Star10? Kierra firmly grasped the star in her hand, and at that moment, immense res of absolute zero were shot out, fueling the whole continent''s atmosphere with cold air. Not only that, the heavenly lightning seemed to have been frozenpletely, leaving Kierra visible to the onlookers. ''''Hah...'''' ''I win.'' When Kierra opened her palm again, the match was set. The frozen star trembled dangerously before bursting out in a cosmic-level explosion, shooting a colossal beam the size of a country into the air, promptly devouring the heavens'' lightning whole and freezing away the dark cloudspletely. Silence. Kierra''s dazzling figure as she bathed in the sunlight was forever imprinted in everyone''s mind. This was unprecedentedly, undoubtedly, and convincingly the first time somebody had sessfully rebelled against the heavens. As the sparkling pieces of frozen clouds rained down, Kierra''s condition slowly returned to normal, and the archwizard let out a sigh. It had been a while since she used a ten-star spell, and it felt like she had worked her mind for an hour straight. Not bad. Meanwhile, everybody below was in a daze. Their brains didn''t have the capacity toprehend the situation just yet! ''''Well, shall we resume with the tour?'''' ''''?!'''' One moment, Kierra was in the sky, defying the will of the Heavenly Dao; the next moment, she was down here, looking ordinary. No one could predict this woman. ''''Oh.'''' Right then, warm rays of sunlight pierced through the remains of the dark clouds, directly pouring onto Kierra''s current position. In front of her, a sole sunflower could be spotted. Grown in the shades, through the turbulent junctures, it still stood strong, gazing bravely at the sun. Mesmerized by an unknown force, Kierra gently dug the entire flower up and put it into her space bag. She would nt this in her garden. For the others, this reaction was somewhat strange, but they didn''t dare to oppose her. After suppressing his immense curiosity, Xuanji finally began the Shaolin tour. Initially, he wanted to use his sect to appeal to Kierra, yet witnessing her previous act, all of it felt silly. What even mattered anymore? Still, Xuanji patiently guided Kierra and herpanies through the sect. Compared to White Lotus, this ce was certainly more extensive and more borate. Walking along the seemingly endless corridors alongside the others, Kierra quietly evaluated the situation. ''''...Mie Xieren.'''' She calmly called. ''''Yes?'''' The abbess reacted. ''''Have there been an instance of an Immortal descending to this realm?'''' ''''Hm... There was. Very scarce, however.'''' ''''I see.'''' ''''But why do you ask...?'''' At this, Kierra gently shrugged, the corners of her lips perking up. She could sense itsomething wasing from the heavens. Case 46: Stalker. Case 46: Stalker. ''''Kierra?'''' Seeing the other three''s puzzled expression, Kierra felt as though she had to exin herself. ''''Something ising down from the realm above us.'''' The archwizard casually mentioned. ''''No, it is already here.'''' '''''''' !!! '''''''' This prompted the three to turn around restlessly, looking for potential dangers. At the moment, there was a chance that an Immortal was there! Yet, Kierra remained calm and continued her way. ''''It is wary of me.'''' Kierra chuckled. ''''What a joke.'''' Making sure the other party could hear it, Kierra coldly sneered. As soon as she sensed her opponent riling up, she turned toward that direction with a snap and locked eyes with it. In her crosshair right now was a woman in a golden robe, standing on top of a building while trying to hide her presence. The archwizard narrowed her eyes slightly; her pupils gleamed with fierce killing intent, sending chills down her opponent''s spine. ''''!!'''' The womanYan Shihurriedly went into hiding once again, sessfully avoiding direct contact with Kierra. Once at a safe distance, Yan Shi sighed in relief. ''What a monster...'' (p?_?) As a newly ascended Immortal, her position in the higher realm was basically a ve! Who asked that monster of a woman to make a fool out of the heavenly, leading to her being dispatched to the lower realm to investigate?! Not only that, when she tried to negotiate, she almost got her ass kicked to the shadow realm instead of the lower realm! Bah! me the heavenly for being ipetent, not herself. Nevertheless, a job was still a job, and the subject of this investigation was truly an intriguing existence. Yan Shi knew her limit, painfully so. She knew she was weaker than that ''mortal'' and that she shouldn''t act rashly if she wanted to keep her measly Immortal life. ''Hm... so she can wieldthattype of energy, huh?'' In this universe, there existed a type of energy unknown to most. Only people of the higher realm and some selected others knew what it was, and the number of people who could handle it properly was a resounding zero. This woman was definitely an anomaly, the type that needed to be monitored. With a newly refreshed sense of goal, Yan Shi continued tailing the archwizard. Meanwhile, Kierra quietly pondered, walking along the corridor. ''She ran away quite fast.'' Upon a brief analysis, Kierra immediately noticed that the woman she had justid eyes on was no ordinary. She was miles stronger than anyone she had encountered thus far and was capable of hiding away from Kierra, even if she wasn''t actively searching. An Immortal was not a joke. Not at all. If an army of these people were to collide with Kierra, she would have no choice but to get a bit serious. But for now, the other person hadn''t posed a threat just yet. With that in mind, Kierra diligently finished the Shaolin tour and sessfully had Cosmos infiltrate their library. In the end, Abbot Xuanji turned to her with a hopeful face. ''''Miss Kierra, this time, Shaolin was saved by none other than yourself.'''' He bowed respectfully. ''''I sincerely pay my gratitude to you and yourpanions who hade to our aid.'''' ''''No problem.'''' Kierra simply nodded. ''''If you have any requests, please tell us.'''' Seeing Xuanji''s genuine attitude, Kierra was actually moved. It was notmon for her to meet people as decent as these monks. ''''Abbot, send a few of yourpetent disciples to my ce,'''' Kierra replied. ''''Particrly, ones that can utilize qi well.'''' ''''May I ask what for...?'''' At this, Kierra raised her hand and cast several elemental spells. Colorful orbs began to swirl on her palm as Kierra smirked. ''''For this.'''' ''''!!'''' In an instant, Xuanji understood what was going on and agreed without waiting for even a second. After bidding farewell to the monks, Kierra rode Kamikaze back to White Lotus, where Kang Shuren, Bai Qing, Shen, Lan, and other disciples were waiting anxiously. ''''Masters!'''' ''''Look! They''re back!'''' Leaving the heroic tales of herself to others to recap, Kierra quietly retreated to the top of the Crimson Tower once again. At this point, the sun was already half-submerged under the horizon, painting the sky a beautiful orange. Today was rather exciting for the archwizard. After all, she had the opportunity to truly exercise after a while. She wanted to reward herself with something. Dessert? She always ate them anyway. Sleep? Kierra wasn''t sleepy right now. That left... Hot spring. After casting a ten-star spell earlier, her body was a bit tired, so hot spring it was. Having decided so, Kierra chose a good location near her tower and began to construct a nice,rge building. Then, she dug the ground out and added ayer of concrete to prevent the water from leaking. With that done, she moved on to decorating the ce a little to resemble a hot spring before finally pouring in some hot water. For good measure, Kierra threw in numerous herbs that could help one recover their body and mind as well. ''''Good.'''' Kierra nodded approvingly. Forter times, she should make a heating mechanism, but for now, it was time to enjoy it. Not before making a changing room and a shower room. She almost forgot that. When everything was finished, someone unexpectedly arrived at the door. It was the oblivious Tian Yun with the two pets. ''''This is...'''' ''''A hot spring.'''' Kierra casually replied. ''''Come in if you want to. Call the others as well.'''' ''''Alright!'''' Kierra lightly shrugged, watching Tian Yununch herself away excitedly. She then washed her body briefly before getting into her bath tower, tied her long hair up, and erased her makeup. As soon as the archwizard entered the hot water, a soothing sensation enveloped her whole body, making her rx. Kierra gently closed her eyes, letting the herbs and the water do the job. A few minutester, one by one, everybody else curiously entered the hot spring. Seeing Kierra in her rxation mode, they didn''t dare make a fuss and quietly entered the water. If there was anything, they were busy admiring the impable bosom of Kierra floating on the water. ''''Hah...'''' ''''This is good...'''' Still, like Kierra, they immediately felt charmed the moment they dipped their bodies into the water. The effect of a hot spring was fascinating. ''''Right, Kierra.'''' Yu Chen spoke up. ''''You said there was something from the realm above watching you, right?'''' ''''Hm? I did.'''' Kierra replied. ''''Did you find out what it was?'''' ''''Ah, I forgot to tell you. It was an Immortal.'''' (???)? (???)? (???)? Excuse me? Sensing the baffled face without even opening her eyes, Kierra chuckled. ''''In fact, it is still watching us from afar, '''' She added. ''''Do not worry. It doesn''t have the gall to confront me right now, immortal or whatnot.'''' ''''Khn...'''' Kierra''s logic was sound; they didn''t need to be scared, yet when she peeked her eyes open, she saw everyone was uneasily covering their chest, perhaps embarrassed that someone was watching them bathing. ''''They are a woman.'''' Kierra continued reassuringly. ''''Still, it is quite ufortable...'''' Yu Chen muttered. ''''Hm...'''' Deciding to spoil her disciples once in a while, the archwizard promptly stood up to cast a barrier around the area, carelessly letting her ample mountains pop out of the overworking bathtower. '''''''' !!! '''''''' The two peaks were inly visible and eye-catching. Combined with Kierra''s celestial state when she cast her spell, the scene could only be described as ''divinely lewd.'' Needless to say, this spooked the audience in a way that they had never experienced before. Some gulped nervously, some couldn''t move their eyes, and some were about to spurt out blood from their noses. ''''Hm? Oh.'''' It was only after the spell was in effect that Kierra realized what she had done. This time, she had unintentionally teased them again. ''Well, this is not too bad, I suppose.'' Kierra loved to unt her perfect body; that was a fact. August would kill her if she were here, though. Case 47: Obsession. Case 47: Obsession. ''''Hah...'''' ''''More speed. Focus on making it flow well first.'''' In the secluded cave below Qinling, Kierra was diligently teaching Yu Chen magic. This time around, Kierra didn''t have much to do except training martial arts, so she decided to visit her first disciple in this world. As Yu Chen began to direct the mana flow ording to Kierra''s instructions, the archwizard noticed the immense difference in magic mastery between the martial master of Qinling and her a while before this. When Yu Chen wanted to do something, she would pour everything she had into making it a reality. ''What amazing dedication...'' Kierra thought, almost to the point of obsession. This quality of Yu Chen reminded her of August. As a sword prodigy, August didn''t allow herself to bezy. She trained day and night, hoping to achieve her dreams for certainty. This image of the woman also motivated Kierra, who was clearlyzier than some, to hone her magic. ''''...'''' ''''ierra.'''' ''''Hm?'''' ''''Kierra?'''' Yu Chen tilted her head, seeing Kierra distracted. ''''I''m done with it.'''' ''''Hm... alright. I was thinking of something else.'''' ''''You did? What was it?'''' Slightly surprised by Yu Chen''s rare persistence, Kierra thought for a bit before answering. ''''I thought you were simr to someone. That person also practiced the sword.'''' She said. Yu Chen was rightfully curious about this. Kierra had never revealed anything about herself except her prowess, so she thought this was an excellent opportunity to get to know the archwizard better. ''''What was that person like?'''' Naturally, she asked. ''''I am simply curious.'''' Facing Yu Chen''s apparent attempt to familiarize herself with her, Kierra surprisingly didn''t feel ufortable like other times. ''''Let''s see. I have known her for a long time,'''' Kierra began. ''''She is arrogant, rowdy, and prideful, yet sometimes soft and... a bit lovable.'''' ''''...'''' Yu Chen instinctively narrowed her eyes, seeing a mncholic on Kierra''s face. When talking about this person, the archwizard''s face automatically mellowed a bit. Clearly, her rtionship with this person wasn''t ordinary! (?~?) Yet, she couldn''t bring herself to ask directly. She didn''t want to risk poking at Kierra''s sensitive spot, so she could only listen quietly as her crush blurted out her feelings. ''''Back in my ce, she was hailed the best swordswoman of all time, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with myself.'''' Kierra continued. ''''I thought you were as hardworking as that person.'''' ''''I see...'''' Yu Chen didn''t feel honored at all! Her brain was screaming at herthis person was undoubtedly a rival of hers! Not only were there enemies near Yu Chen, such as Mie Xieren and her own master, but there was also a mysterious person whom Kierra couldn''t forget? Bah! What a pitiful life. Too muchpetition. But wait, Kierra clearly stated that she was tired of romance for the moment. Wouldn''t that mean that Kierra fell out with that person? ''''...What were you two''s rtionship, may I ask?'''' Yu Chen cautiously inquired. Hearing this, Kierra flinched a little. Did she show that much on her face? In any case, there was no need to stall at this point. ''''We used to be something,'''' Kierra replied. ''''But now we are not.'''' ''''What was the problem...?'''' ''''Hmph. She was too obsessed. With me.'''' Kierra sneered emotionally. Really, August was too much of a woman. To the point that even Kierra couldn''t handle it. If she were to borrow a term from distant worlds, August would be categorized as an ''obsessive yandere,'' the final boss kind. ''''I see...'''' Yu Chen couldn''t help butugh awkwardly. She was relieved that this person and Kierra were done, yet this was the first time she had seen the archwizard express this much emotion. But again, Yu Chen was also obsessed with Kierra, so what was the difference...? Maybe in the way she acted. Yu Chen vowed not to misbehave toward her dearest! o(? ? ??)o ''''In any case, I can show you some of her moves.'''' Kierra adjusted her tone, diverting the topic. ''''Did you know how to use a sword??'''' ''''I do not. This is simply an imitation.'''' ''''Ah, so that was what it was...'''' Yu Chen was a bit disappointed, yet she was definitely curious. Let''s see what this person who was able to get with Kierra was all about! ''''Lend me the sword.'''' Taking Yu Chen''s slender de, Kierra juggled it around a bit to get the feel of the thing. Then, she meticulously got into August''s half-stance. For one, this was what the sword empress invented herself, and although it might seem casual and harmless, few had survived after seeing this form from its original creator. She held out the de, shoulder low, sword''s tip pointing upward fifty-five degrees. In an instant, a faint golden aura radiated from Kierra''s body. The archwizard''s every movement, even the smallest ones, seemed to resonate with the universe itself, blending into the surroundings as though they were nature itself. Kierra took a quick breath before raising her sword above her head. ''''!!'''' Before Yu Chen could perceive it, the sword had already touched the floor, leaving behind a vivid golden trail and a blinding scar on the space tissue itself. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! Loud cracks filled the cave. Slowly but surely, inevitably, fragments of the space began to fall out, disintegrating into millions of sparkling particles. If this reality-bending sight was impressive, then Yu Chen didn''t have a word for what she saw afterward. The abyss. Yu Chen instinctively realized that she was staring at the abyss beyond the crack. Like peeking through a window''s gap, one could see terrifying ws, maws, and mights of cosmic giants looming, floating along the pitch-ck space, wanting to devour everything in their ways. No, it already was sucking everything in. If it wasn''t for Kierra''s protective barrier, the whole cave and maybe more would have been sucked in by this point. ''''That woman was simplythis powerful.'''' Kierra sighed, handing the sword back to Yu Chen. ''''Tearing down the fabric of reality with a sh, and she can do it more easily than eating.'''' In reality, August''s shes were even more powerful than this, but Kierra chose not to shock Yu Chen too much. ''She probably got here by doing this...'' Suddenly, remembering August''s vow to find her, even if she was at the end of the universe, Kierra let out a sigh. In the end, she would have to sh with her ex. ...Wait, why didn''t shee to Kierra yet? The archwizard got a bad feeling. It was like finding out there was a pair of cockroaches mating on her toothbrush! Okay, maybe not that disgusting. ''''Hm?'''' Right then, Kierra suddenly noticed something strange about Yu Chen''s appearance. The martial master of Qinling seemed as though she just had an epiphany. Widened eyes, sparkling pupils. In reality, she was actually enlightened by this scene! As much as Yu Chen wouldn''t want to admit it, this person''s swordsmanship was beyond this world. Literally and figuratively. By seeing this, she had awakened the path to the higher realm of power! ''''I''m advancing...!'''' ''''??'''' Meanwhile, Kierra was confused. What the hell was going on...? Case 48: Racy trial. Case 48: Racy trial. ''Are suddenly enlightenments a thing?'' Kierra thought, following the ever-so-motivated Yu Chen. In her lifetime, everything had to be earned by either effort, talent, or both. Suddenly, gaining an insight into the next stage of power was honestly strange. Strangely suspicious. Kierra wouldn''t say she hadn''t had an epiphany or a sudden inspiration before, but it was definitely not to this degree. Yu Chen seemed exceptionally motivated and eager at this momenta total contrast to her usual calm demeanor. Still, Kierra thought she had to see what this ''enlightenment'' from the ''Heavenly Dao'' was all about. After a while, Yu Chen and Kierra arrived at a small shrine located on an obscure hill. It was right next to White Lotus, surprisingly. The atmosphere here was a bit unusual, as with everything in this realm. A bit misty, a bit dreamy, and a bit eerie. Yet, Yu Chen confidently stepped inside. As she and Kierra walked through the moss-infected stairs, deep purple butterflies began to gather around the martial master of Qinling. They seemed elusive, half-real, half-fiction, and Yu Chen was seemingly a beloved entity to them. Amused, Kierra kept following her for the next few moments. Soon, they reached a small altar at the very corner of the shrine. Strangely, it only had a small floating ball instead of a deity''s statue inside like many usual altars. In fact, this was a trial Yu Chen had found several decades ago, likely an inheritance someone had left. She knew she could advance if she could ovee it, yet she didn''t have the strength to. After seeing Kierra''s version of the space-splitting sh, Yu Chen suddenly felt like she could do it! This time, she was determined to step into another realm! When Yu Chen touched the ball, her consciousness was promptly pulled into another dimension. Here, the sky and earth wore a gloomy purple, and no life could be seen around the immediate area. The moon hung high, brighter than the sun and bearing a menacing shade of red. Amidst the dense mist drowning the realm, Yu Chen resolutely opened her eyes. Her brilliant pupils instinctively shot toward a certain figure in the distance. Serene. Serenely, the silhouette of a mighty swordsman could be seen sitting in a lotus position. Yu Chen could not perceive the person''s face as it had been reced by an ominous ck mist, yet she could instinctively realize that this person was a formidable master, likely one that had imprinted their name in history. She lost to this opponent every single time. ''''Phew...'''' Locking ''eyes'' with them, Yu Chen let out a gentle sigh. This time, for certain, she would emerge victorious! Yu Chen tightened her hand, holding her sword, and began to will her energies. An intense aura radiated from her body, and right then ''''Hyah?!'''' !!! ( ) Yu Chen was jumpscared to death. Why was Kierra here?! Standing leisurely beside Yu Chen was undoubtedly, without a mistake, the archwizard. However, for whatever reason, this Kierra was totally naked! No clothes, no cosmetics, no nothing! Yu Chen could literally see everything... ''Awawawawawawa...'' Yu Chen had malfunctioned. Soon, after looking around a bit, Kierra casually turned to her. Her expression was a bit yful, making her natural charms seem even more irresistible. ''''It''s quite a ce.'''' She mused. ''''A-Are you the real Kierra...?'''' ''''What do you think?'''' ''''...Right.'''' Only Kierra would and could do this kind of thing. Yu Chen sighed in her heart, trying her best to turn her gaze away from the paradise in front of her. Must restrain! ''''I-In any case, why are you naked...??'''' ''''Who knows?'''' ''''???'''' ''''I am not in control of this. I entered this realm following you without other interferences, so it is you who decides what I wear.'''' In an instant, Yu Chen''s face turned beet-red, rising even to her ears. The thought of exposing her desires to Kierra was totally unbearable! ''''Uuuu...'''' She crouched, hands covering her face in shame. Teasingly, Kierra also squatted down to Yu Chen''s level and peeled apart the woman''s hands. She smiled dearly, exposing her wless body in absolute confidence. ''''You like this?'''' She whispered coquesttishly. ''''A-Ah, ahh, um...'''' Yu Chen began to malfunction seriously, with shaky eyes on Kierra''s embarrassing parts. Hallucinations kicked in, and she almost went crazy. Still, she went ''poof!'' and made Kierra wear clothes again. Perhaps, a shred of conscience and sanity fortunately remained. For a while, Yu Chen couldn''t look at Kierra in the eyes. ''''You''re cute at times like these.'''' Kierra giggled, patting the other woman''s shoulder. ''''...Are you like this all the time? When you are with that person?'''' Yu Chen pouted. ''''...Perhaps.'''' Kierra squinted her eyes a little, continuing the mischievous streak. Watching Yu Chen''s jealous face. ''''Well, well, in any case...'''' It was time to get serious again. This was Yu Chen''s important trial, and Kierra didn''t want to interfere in it. After hyping up Yu Chen, Kierra didn''t forget to drop in a suitable reward. ''''If you can do this, I will gracefully let you y with my chest.'''' She whispered into the other woman''s ear. ''''However you like...!'''' ''''Kierra...!!'''' ''''Fufu.'''' Another minute passed, and Yu Chen finally got the chance to act. As she approached the swordsman, the opponent also moved ordingly, slowly rising to their feet. They were a whole two heads taller than Yu Chen, and their sword was bigger than her slender waist. Yu Chen calmly raised her sword and took her stance. The opponent lightly waved over, indicating leisureness. ''''...'''' The wind blew. ''''Hap!!'''' In an instant, Yu Chen''s figure disappeared into the mist. Seemingly from nowhere, bright magaret shes manifested around the swordsman, wanting to dig deep into their thick armor. Yet, when they were about to take effect, the giant de moved at an incredible speed, countering the cuts with ease. Then, the figure abruptly shot toward their far above a fierce sword, revealing Yu Chen and making her fall back. ''''!!'''' As soon as Yu Chen touched the ground, simr skills appeared on her body. Not to let herself be the ughtered sheep, she once again disappeared into nothingness, and the cycle repeated. As the fight went on, the space was bestowed with a vibrant show of invisible swords. Watching this scene from afar, Kierra understood a few things. Firstly, it was apparent that the two used extremely simr techniques, and that swordsman probably created this realm to pass along their skills. Kierra wouldn''t know. In any case, Kierra was fixated on the word ''inheritance.'' Simr to this, renowned masters back in her world also left behind inheritances for other people, specifically strangers. As to why strangers and not family members... they didn''t have them, most of the time. Nerd behavior was prominent in the strong''s circle. If August weren''t there to constantly bomb Kierra with her love, the archwizard would have been one a long time ago. "..." ''Well... should I also find an inheritance?'' Case 49: Visage of the past. Case 49: Visage of the past. ''''Hoh...'''' After watching Yu Chen fight for a while, Kierra couldn''t help but let out an exmation. After only witnessing a mere visage of August''s sword once, Yu Chen had found a way to take the concept and implement it into her own this soon. Each of her strikes cracked a fragment of the space itself, dealing a bit more damage to the opponent. If one squinted their eyes enough, they could see sparkling trails of the space fabric. It was not particrly a good effect for ''phantom'' swords, but Kierra knew it could be fixed in no time. As expected, Yu Chen had the talent. Before long, a whole hour had passed since the two began to fight. While Yu Chen definitely showed signs of exhaustion and suffered numerous wounds, her opponent was not unscathed either. Ruptures started to appear on the mysterious opponent''s mighty armor as a result of continuous damage from Yu Chen. Along the way, they had gradually ramped up their strength, yet Yu Chen was actually able to follow them. It seemed she was exceptionally determined this time. ''''...'''' Once again, watching Yu Chen closely, Kierra couldn''t help but be reminded of a certain woman. The archwizard had a soft spot for hard-working people, perhaps because she also knew how hard it could be to dedicate oneself to something. Her unparalleled strength wasn''t because of talent alone. In any case, the fight would end soon, Kierra judged so. Emerging victorious this time was, fortunately, Yu Chen. She pointed her purple-tinted sword at the kneeling opponent, panting. ''''...Hah... Hah... I won.'''' The swordsman didn''t respond. A brief silence ensued before the world started to copse. Soon, a nk canvas was spread across the realm''s space fabric, leaving only Kierra and Yu Chen as anomaliesno, there was something else present. As Kierra walked to Yu Chen''s side, they both stared at the simple, otherwise rundown house in front of them. Through the window''s crack, they could faintly see a fire''s shadow flickering and the silhouette of a man. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Naturally, the two knocked on the door. After receiving the signal to go in, Yu Chen gently pushed the door, revealing a clean interior, so clean that the only notable thing was a lone sword. They could recognize this sword. Who wouldn''t? After all, it was the same sword the swordsman used to fight Yu Chen earlier. It rested against the bed, and on the bed was a lone old man, sitting leisurely as though he was fishing. ''''Congrattions, little miss.'''' His hoarse voice sounded, carrying lifetimes'' worth of experience. His cloudy grey eyes stared straight at Yu Chen, and at that moment, he seemed to be smiling. ''''You are...'''' Yu Chen cautiously asked. ''''I am but a failed swordsman.'''' The old man replied. ''''One who had the will to surpass the sky yet couldn''t even reach it.'''' ''''...'''' ''''Never mind the gloomy story. Today, I shall finally finish my job in this realm.'''' The swordsman slowly stood up. ''''Little miss, I want you to continue my legacy.'''' "But our fundamentals are not the same." Yu Chen shook her head lightly. "Even if our swords look simr, their essence is not the same." ''''I know. My sword can''t reach the sky, but I believe that you, little miss, who has passed my test, will be able to use it to your advantage and do it in my ce.'''' ''''...Even if they would inevitably be changed?'''' ''''Yes.'''' The old man said determinedly. ''''For every high mountain, there is an even higher mountain. If I can contribute my meager effort to birth that higher mountain, that would be an honor in itself.'''' ''''I... see.'''' Silently listening from the side, Kierra couldn''t help but be surprised in her heart. At first, she thought the people of this world were all idiots with sky-breakingly high egos, but then she met folks like this old man. Humble, honest, and hard-working. Kierra curled up her lips slightly. In appreciation, from a human being to another human being, perhaps. Right then, her eyes met the old man''s. ''''...More than anything, I can see you took inspiration from somewhere this time.'''' The swordsman continued. ''''Was it from this extraordinarydy?'''' ''''Ah, yes, that''s right.'''' Yu Chen nodded. ''''...At first, I was going to give you a final mission to ovee your past, but I changed my mind. Maybe it would be better for you to continue receiving enlightenment from thisdy here.'''' ''''You will teach me your skills once I finish learning from Kierra...?'''' ''''Essentially, yes. Still, we need permission from her, don''t we?'''' When the two turned to Kierra, the archwizard naturally nodded right away. Nothing better than her disciples getting stronger. ''''Why not,'''' Kierra replied. ''''Watch my memories. That would be good enough.'''' ''''Then, allow me to cut a portion of your memories'''' ''''No need. I can do it on my own.'''' snap! With a single snap from Kierra, the space around the three distorted. Rapidly, from left to right, the sky and earth were constructed in virtual blocks, quickly filling the nk canvas. ''''This...'''' Now, they found themselves standing in the middle of nowhere. The sky was grim, the ground was barren and filled with terrible scars, and the atmosphere seemed tense. GRAHHHHH!!! Suddenly, a screeching wail exploded from the distance, and from the direction where it wasing in, an armyno, a sea of colossal beasts loomed over the horizon. They were all creatures of grotesque nature, invoking disgust whenever they went, and standing tall in front of them was a lone armored beast. It had a total of twelve disfigured, unaligned eyes on its face, crooked, sharp teeth, and bulging muscles resembling a mountain. '''''''' !!! '''''''' In an instant, chills ran down the old man and Yu Chen''s spine. Even if this was but a mere visage, they could feel the beasts'' terrible might in full. crack! Right then, a bright yellow crack the size of a human appeared right before their eyes. The space was subsequently torn down, making the way for a woman to pass through. Holding a slender sword tainted with green blood, Augustthe Sword Empress had her eyes firmly on the enemies. She smirked lightly, stretching her wrist in absolute leisure. ''''...Look closely.'''' Kierra reminded the two while gazing at her old lover''s side profile, her voice a bit timid this time. As it was, August held her de to the side, and not even a blinkter, intense me, one that seemed fiercer than hell''s, engulfed her whole figure. The ground cracked in pain, the space begged in tears, and time distorted wildly. The moment August moved her arm, the de miraculously teleported to the other side, leaving behind a vivid trail. Behind that morous afterimage, a deep, severe rift began to form. A crooked line of yellow-white ran from left to right, perfectly aligning with the beasts'' heads. Before they could react, an indescribably disturbing sound reverberated across the ce, and when they realized it, what was left of the army were piles of headless bodiesexcept for their lord. A low grumble could be heard. Still standing, the mighty beast shot herself toward August, yet the sword empress remained calm. ''''What is she doing?!'''' ''''Dodge!'''' She lowered her sword and kept smiling despite the two''s plea. Kierra, meanwhile, sighed helplessly. She knew what would happen next. It was her memories, after all. ''Time for this precious body''s debut, I suppose.'' Case 50: The perfect duo. Case 50: The perfect duo. The beast lord''s punch carried a mountain-wiping force, springing at August with the speed of sound. Yet, the sword empress remained entirely calm. Her eyes remained straight, her posture remained still, and her fighting spirit never wavered. It was as if she had absolute trust in her ability or, perhaps, in someone else''s who woulde to her aid. '''''''' !!! '''''''' Apanied by a zapping screech, a deep blue ray of sma, one that was as colossal as a castle, promptly engulfed the beast. By the time the attack had calmed, it was turned into mere ashes and carried away by the wind. ''''Why aren''t you attacking?!'''' Right then, a familiar voice sounded. A beautiful woman gracefullynded in front of August, grabbing her shoulder and frowning. Her hair was ck as ebony, her skin white as snow, and her eyes red as blood. On her head sat a beautiful ck witch hat,and with her slightly oversized robe, she seemed like a wizard appearing in children''s fairy tales. ''''Kierra...?!'''' Yu Chen couldn''t believe her eyes. Not because she didn''t expect Kierra to appear, but instead because she didn''t know Kierra was capable of looking like this! If Kierra right now was simr to an alluring married woman, then this Kierra was as fragrant and charming as a fresh rose! The lightyer of makeup entuated her initially soft features, and her demeanor was simr to that of a worried, newlywed wife! If Yu Chen had one thing toin about, it would be that Kierra was doing this to another woman. ''Damn you, stupid woman!'' While Yu Chen gritted her teeth in jealousy, Kierra was cringing at her old selfas any person would. Right when she was about to turn the shback off, August opened her mouth. ''''Because I knew you woulde, my love.'''' ''''You idiot...!'''' As Kierra of the past blushed and turned away, present Kierra was stunned. She felt as though a lightning bolt had just struck her. Thinking about it now, it had been almost a year since she had heard August''s voice. Still now, her voice always ''haunted'' Kierra every lonely night, her gentle whispers, her reassuring promises, her... Yet, when hearing it in reality, Kierra was still not used to it. Not used to August''s voice. Theck of it, to be exact. ''Hah...'' Kierra quietly sighed, staring at the flirting couple in front of her eyes. These emotions she felt, these regrets that she held, the people that she met. Maybe it was time to resolve this fate once and for all. ''''Yu Chen, have you seen enough?'''' Kierra asked. ''''A-Ah, I suppose... it''s not quite there just yet.'''' Yu Chen replied, asionally ncing toward the couple. ''''For a moreprehensive understanding of her sword, I need to observe the way she lives first.'''' ''''...I see.'''' As much as Kierra wouldn''t want to expose her past more than this, cultivating Yu Chen''s talent was necessary. On top of that, Yu Chen confessed to her, so in a sense, didn''t she deserve to know more? Yu Chen was open to sharing her past, so why would Kierra not? ''''...Fine.'''' The archwizard nodded. Sensing the atmosphere, the swordsman quickly bid goodbye to give the two some privacy. Afterward, the two women began to follow the duo in their memories. As this battle was one of the ''desserts'' before the ''main course,'' there wasn''t much to clean up, so the two decided to head to their home. As they sat on the sofa, the atmosphere quickly became intimate. August confidently wrapped her arm around Kierra''s waist and took her shoulder as a pillow, closing the distance between them. This made the archwizard flinch in embarrassment, fidgeting with her hands. ''''...What?'''' Past Kierra mustered, sensing her lover''s intense gaze. ''''Nothing. You are just too beautiful.'''' August yfully replied. ''''Ugh... you idiot...'''' Right after, August''s golden eyes gleamed with a certain lust, and she firmly pushed Kierra down the sofa. The two''s breaths intertwined, their eyes locked, and they got right to the kissing action. This time, August was on top, dominantly exercising her power over Kierra. ''''T-This... what...?!'''' As Yu Chen turned to the present Kierra, she was once again shaken. Simr to her, the archwizard also blushed, only, the intensity was much lower. Eventually, Kierra felt the need to defend herself. ''''...I was only twenty-seven here.'''' She said. ''''We were young and naive. Though, it is not as though we did not know where to stop... and...'''' Kierra trailed off, mostly because August had already stripped her old self''s top and was actively feasting on her fair skin. ''''A-Ah, that tickles...!'''' ''''I''ll do this until you are used to it.'''' ''''Hyah...!'''' Kierra and Yu Chen couldn''t face each other for a while. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' In the end, unable to endure watching it anymore, Kierra turned the time forward by arge chunk, convenientlynding the two into the time when August was training. On a vast in, Kierra sat under a tree, quietly observing her lover train. ''''This should be better.'''' Kierra said, sitting down beside her old self. Yu Chen was a bit dizzy when she saw two Kierras next to each other, but she quickly recovered and sat down as well. ''''Hap!'''' SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH! August didn''t use mana this time. She only trained her swordy, and that managed to amaze Yu Chen, who had been wielding a sword for over eight hundred years. She guessed this was a true genius. The young sword empress''s moves were light as feathers, elegant as a swan, yet carried deadly edges to them. In battle, she wouldn''t need to use these a lot, but skipping training them was an insult to her very pride, so she kept doing it for years. ''''...You know.'''' As Yu Chen was immersed in the sword, Kierra suddenly spoke. ''''We were called a perfect duo. A perfect couple.'''' ''''...'''' ''''Both she and I were on top of our games, and we happened to love each other ever so dearly.'''' Kierra continued. ''''...Soon, in the real world, she will definitely find me.'''' Yu Chen nearly jumped at this. ''''What?!'''' ''''Around this time, she said she would find me no matter where I was. She never broke that promise. Not in five centuries. Even when I was in absolute nowhere, even if I was surrounded by mighty foes, even when...'''' ''''That''s...'''' Yu Chen bit her lips. Was the world telling her that the biggest love rival would appear on top of the already existing ones?! (? ѧ)? Ridiculous! Fuck you, Heavenly Dao! Seeing Yu Chen like this, Kierra giggled a bit beforeing closer to the martial master''s face. ''''I believe you can win against her.'''' She whispered before giving Yu Chen a peck on the cheek, leaving a vivid lip mark on it. The receiver was immediately charmed by this gesture. Maybe life was not so bad now! Heavenly Dao, you get to live today! Feeling a bit bubbly, Yu Chen turned around to watch August train again... only to find out that the young couple had somehow begun to make out againin the middle of the wilderness, no less! What was this? A rabbit couple?! Quickly dispelling the thought of Kierra wearing a bunny outfit, Yu Chen began to curse at life yet again. Case 51: Jealous women are troubles! Case 51: Jealous women are troubles! ''''Hmph...'''' ''''...'''' Silently marveling at the creature before her eyes, Kierra was once again reminded of just how troublesome women could be. Yu Chen had now curled up into a ball on the ground, chin between her kneecaps, pushing her inted cheeks up slightly. She refused to look at Kierra in the eyes. Apparently, she became like this after witnessing the archwizard and her old lover making out a dozen times in the span of just a day. Kierra couldn''t quite wrap her head around this. She and August had already broken up, so what did it matter if they used to intimatea bit more than one would say ''frequently?'' ''No, I might need to think about where I am.'' Kierra didn''t mind dating people who had many past lovers. As long as she and that person loved each other, that was enough. However, it seemed the people here valued ''unused goods'' more than she thought. In the end, it didn''t matter anyway. Kierra was a perfect woman, and only a handful could resist her. So what if she had past lovers? Many dreamed of dating experienced women, mind you! Nevertheless, Kierra couldn''t leave Yu Chen like this. Noting in her mind to refrain from showing her past, Kierra crouched down to face Yu Chen, locking their eyes forcefully using telekinesis. ''''So, have you learned anything after witnessing my precious, precious memory?'''' She slowly asked. At this, the martial master of Qinling maintained her pout. ''''...Now I know that you love that woman a lot.'''' Twitch. Kierra''s perfect poker face cracked a bit. ''''Loved.'''' She corrected. ''''Do not get it confused.'''' Daringly, Yu Chen narrowed her eyes and began to talk back. ''''Oh? Is that so? So you think I didn''t see your longing eyes back then?'''' ''''...'''' Speechless, Kierra could onlyment in her mind Since when did this lowly disciple dare to talk back to her master?! (p?_?) ''''Awit hurts, it hurts...!'''' Yu Chen wailed as Kierra pinched her ears, pulling her up a bit. ''''Don''t talk back to your master.'''' ''''Tch...'''' In the end, Yu Chen pouted even harder, and the matter remained unsolved. No good. This wasn''t how it was supposed to be! As a self-proimed excellent educator and master, Kierra had the responsibility to boost Yu Chen''s morale to the top again! She could easily make apromise and let Yu Chen take the win, yet her pride didn''t allow her to. If so, there was only one solution leftto be the pouting one herself. Use poison to defeat poison. This tactic had a 100% sess rate against August, so it should work on Yu Chen. Um. So, Kierra activated the perfect actress inside her, forming a mncholic face in an instant. Slightly droopy eyes, still lips, distant pupils. "...I see." She uttered in an ever-so-slightly trembling tone, appearing pitiful. "So a woman with a past like me is not to your fancy?" ''''That''s not...'''' ''''No. I understand.'''' Kierra shook her head. ''''You can consider the deal the other day null. The kisses that we have exchanged will, from this moment, be forgotten. They won''t count, alright'''' ''''No!'''' As expected, Yu Chen hurriedly grabbed Kierra''s shoulder in desperation, her eyes trembling as though an earthquake had just happened there. ''''I-I was wrong, so don''t make it null...'''' ''Got her.'' Kierra stayed still, giggling in her heart. Once again, she had obtained victory! ''''I want to hear a definitive answer.'''' The archwizard pressed. ''''What is your preference?'''' This time, Yu Chen didn''t hesitate. She knew this was something she shouldn''t mess up no matter what. So, she proudly said, ''''You!'''' ''''Even if I''m a ''used good?'''''' ''''I don''t care! If anything, that only makes you more desirable! And you are not an object, Kierra!'''' ''''You should have said so from the beginning.'''' ''''Okay...'''' After establishing the fact that Yu Chen loved experienced women, the two were finally able to smile at each other again. At this time, the matter of enlightenment was brought up again. ''''...As much as I was jealous of that woman, I do admit she is the strongest swordswoman I ever knew.'''' Yu Chen solemnly held up her de. ''''Through careful observation, I was able to gain much insight.'''' ''''That is good.'''' ''''Thank you, Kierra, truly.'''' Yu Chen tightened her hand holding the sword. ''''Let me show you what I can do now.'''' As the slender woman gently pulled out her sword, a serene and illusive aura seemed to have flowed out of her very essence, creating a purple hue falling onto her silhouette. Blink. In the blink of an eye, her figure suddenly disappeared, and the next moment, thousands of crooked cracks began to form on the fabric of space. The air around them was being sucked in with incredible force, and deadly magenta-colored matter poured out of the rifts, burning everything in its contact to a crisp. ''''Phew...'''' When Yu Chen appeared outside the formation, she lightly sheathed her sword, and the very millisecond it sounded a ck, the marks she left on the air exploded into webs of razor-sharp shes, growing like tree roots and fiercely eating away space itself. Afterward, she looked over to Kierra, waiting eagerly for apliment. If she had a tail, it would have been wagging left and right just about now. ''''Not bad.'''' Kierra nodded. ''''As expected, you have talents.'''' ''''Can we change the condition of the deal from mastering an advanced magic to mastering one of these techniques?'''' ''''Don''t get ahead of yourself,apprentice wizard.'''' ''''Mhm...'''' Yu Chen''s sneaky tactic didn''t work on Kierra. ''''Well, let''s go back, shall we?'''' ''''Sure.'''' But wait, didn''t they forget something here...? Right when the two were about to exit the realm, the swordsman from the other time appeared again. ''''Wait, wait...'''' He calmed the women down. ''''Let me give you my legacy first!'''' ''''Ah, there was that, too.'''' Yu Chen muttered. ''''I totally forgot...'''' (ini) Now that the old man saw what Yu Chen could do thanks to that domineeringdy''s record, he wasn''t sure his legacy would prove any worth! Should he linger in this world to find another sessor...? In the first ce, he had forcefully stayed for too long. He would not be able to face hell''s punishment, even with his power, if he decided to wait for another thousand years or so. Death wasn''t a matter that could be taken lightly. For most people, that was. Over here, Kierra had already seen through the man''s worries and was actively thinking of a way to use his talent efficiently. Kierra wasn''t a swordswoman, but at least she knew which one was good and which one was bad. This old man''s sword was a sword of the ordinaries. The ones who started far behind the starting line simply because they didn''t have the talent. Yet, once in many millenniums, there existed someone like this man who had broken that barrier and rose to be the top. Perhaps, that persistence was a talent in itself. In any case, this man would be suitable to teach the majority the way of the sword, and Kierra wasn''t nning to let this opportunity slip. Hell''s punishment or not, could it win against Kierra? Absolutely not! Case 52: By the seasons. Case 52: By the seasons. ''''Till mountains crumble, Till rivers run dry, Till thunder rumbles in winter, Till snow falls in summer, And the earth mingles with the sky, Not till then will my love die.'''' ''''Hah...'''' ''''???'''' Suddenly hearing an overly sentimental poem from Yu Chen, Kierra turned around and raised her eyebrow. In the first ce, after enving assigning the old man to work at White Lotus, the archwizard apanied Yu Chen to her room as the martial master was about to break through to the peak of the Soul Transformation Stage. The breakthrough took quite some time, but ultimately, Yu Chen did it. Yet, right when Kierra was about to feel proud of her disciple for once, Yu Chen spewed outthiskind of bullshit! ''''Love? What is Love? Go train some more!'''' ''''...Kierra. In life, everyone needs love. It is a must.'''' Yu Chen shook her head. ''''As someone who has lived for almost a millennium, I humbly offer my opinion.'''' ''''...'''' Suddenly, this irritated Kierra a bit. Was Yu Chen trying to flex her age? Was that it? Feeling salty inwardly, the archwizard actually turned on her sarcastic mode. ''''Big talk for a virgin, '''' shemented. Twitch. Yu Chen''s serene face cracked a bit. ''''Hm~... Why don''t you help me graduate that life, then, Miss Experienced?'''' ''''...'''' ''''...'''' In the end, both of them stopped before the conversation took a strange turn. No, maybe it already had. Nevertheless, as the two sat next to each other for a while, they suddenly felt a bit sentimental. This time, Yu Chen was the one initiating. ''''Say... has it been two months?'''' ''''Hm?'''' ''''Since you suddenly appeared.'''' ''''Has it?'''' Thinking back, Kierra herself felt like the time she had spent here was much shorter than that. Time passes faster when you are having funwas it? ''As expected, it wasn''t a bad idea, after all.'' Coming to this world, the archwizard honestly didn''t expect much. She thought she knew everything and that this trip would only result in her drifting in the void for a while, and yet... Fun. It was fun. Cultivating new wizards was fun. Finding a way to improve her power was also fun, and... it seemed there was something suspicious with the ''higher realm'' of this world. Through five centuries of relentless studying, Kierra found out that there was another type of energy a sentient being could wield besides mana and mana-adjacent forcedivine power. As it was, history had shown that divine power was decisively better than mana and that those who had it were hailed as ''gods.'' Unfortunately, Kierra''s homeno, her home universe didn''t have a god in the first ce, so she couldn''t catch a random one and interrogate them. Perhaps cosmic beasts like Cosmos, who were essentially the evils of the universe, thrived because no god existed. Humans ruled the universe, and that was the end of it. So, when the archwizard witnessed the ''heavenly punishment'' containing divine power, she was immediately intrigued. Assuming the one giving out these punishments was a god, what would be the reason? Were they afraid of people rising to be as strong as them? As much as Kierra wanted to rip the world apart to find out the secret right away, she didn''t want to rush it. Besides, she had something else to take care of anyway. The matter with August, for example. If she were not careful, even someone other than August would rush over. Both of them were a pain to deal with... But for now, things were peaceful. ''''Well, I do n to stay here for some more time,'''' Kierra replied. ''''I have initiated a war, after all. I have to finish it.'''' ''''...That is a relief.'''' Yu Chen sighed. ''''Worry not, I won''t try to bail out of our deal by escaping.'''' ''''Yes, yes... thank you very much...'''' After teasing each other a bit more, the two began to stroll around the sect for a change of mood. Different from a while ago, the two had now befortable with each other. Yu Chen could now joke around Kierra and sometimes even make fun of her without fearing for her life, which was a great achievement. As for Kierra, she was simply Kierra. ''''Still, Kierra. How will you take on the unorthodox folks?'''' At this, the archwizard turned to Yu Chen, her face unchanging. ''''I can handle them alone.'''' She dered. ''''My army knows no bounds, and mere creatures of this realm can''t dream of defeating it.'''' ''''O-Oh...'''' ''''The problem is not them.'''' ''''Then...?'''' ''''Remember the woman you saw earlier?'''' ''''...What about her?'''' ''''She is probably going to join that side.'''' ''''???'''' Immediately, Yu Chen fell into deep confusion and panic. Why would Kierra''s ex suddenly turn to the dark side?! Was she saying that they would have to fight that monster of a swordswoman?? ''''But why??'''' Yu Chen quickly inquired. ''''If she''s the same woman I know, it''s definitely to get back at me,'''' Kierra replied nonchntly. ''''Are you two still having a feud...?'''' "N... no, probably. She''s merely jealous of the women around me." ''''J-Jealous...??'''' Wait. Wasn''t this talking about Yu Chen herself?! So she was the root cause all along?!? No, no, no. There were other women loitering around Kierra as well, so... ''''In any case, the war will be fine.'''' Kierra continued. ''''Au won''tAugust won''t do anything outrageous.'''' ''''Oh...'''' (???) This time, it was Yu Chen who became jealous! What was that intimate nickname? And why did she still trust that woman so much?? A bit frustrated, Yu Chen once again pouted lightly, following Kierra''s steps as she gazed at the ground. The gentle wind of autumn blew on the lonely road, carrying a few dead leaves and a hint of the sweet aftertaste she got from Kierra. These times, the martial master of Qinling had many turmoils in her heart, and all of them were caused by this haughty woman in front of her. Truthfully, Yu Chen was still scared. Kierra came like a wind, and she feared that the archwizard would abruptly leave like the wind one day. She had no idea where Kierra came from, and she was reluctant to ask about the matter directly. ''But... what good will it be if I hold it forever?'' At this moment, the two werepletely alone. Just like her confession, maybe if she revealed her intentions this time... ''''Kierra ''''What happened?'''' ''''!!'''' Right then, Yu Chen saw the dangerously gorgeous face of Kierra right before her eyes. When did she get there?! ''''Hm...'''' Before Yu Chen could react, Kierra quickly understood the situation and went in for a quick peck on her lips. ''''I know what you are thinking about.'''' She said calmly. ''''Worry not, I am notthatscummy of a woman, even if I like to y around.'''' ''''A-Ah'''' To finish thebo, Kierra then sealed the victory by pressing her lips onto Yu Chen''s, this time tilting her head and going as deep and as long as she wanted. When she pulled away, the opponent had nearly lost her mind! ''''Mhm... it suits you.'''' Kierra smiled teasingly, tapping her lips while admiring the lipstick she transferred to Yu Chen. (o o) As the victim stared forward in a trance, Kierra giggled and turned away, ted after a prank. ''It''s quite peaceful... but maybe this is not bad.'' Kierra continued her way, excitedly awaiting the future ahead. Day by day, she spent her time quietly in this realm, capturing each and every memorable moment with her disciples. Snow fell, flowers bloomed, and when the sounds of cicadas started to ring across White Lotus as if calling for summer, news about the frontline with the unorthodox sects finally arrived. Case 53: Summer. Case 53: Summer. chirrr! chirrr! chirrr! chirrr! chirrr! chirrr! ''''Mhm...'''' Silently having a mental battle with the sun while refilling her energy by passionately licking a popsicle, Kierra swayed her legs back and forth, her head bobbing slightly, leaving the silky hair dangling behind. Amidst the cicadas'' chirps, the archwizard could see in the corners of her eyes the pitiful people who had to fight the melting heat of summer on the streets. Today, the sun was exceptionally cruel. Truthfully, if one''s skin were to be exposed to this type of sunlight for long, it would take irreparable damage. But who was Kierra? Right, the strongest human to ever exist. A Sun or two, she could easily send it to oblivion! So, to go along with the flow, she chose to ''modify'' her outfit a bit. The robe she used to wear all the time was more than appropriate enough in the sense that it hid basically all her skin while also preventing others from analyzing her curves. To appear that she felt hot even if she had temperature control magic on all the time, Kierra willingly loosened the lower part of her outfit, releasing her immacte feet and even letting her godly thighs run wild. If one had eyes, they could actually catch a glimpse of her dangerous area!or so it has been rumored. For the top, Kierra also didn''t cut any corners. Well, technically, she did. The previously covered chest now had an obscene cut, disying a mesmerizing cleavage to the world. All in all, this was a destructivebo that could annihte any person, male or female. In reality, one such person had just been defeated this way. ''''K-Kierra...'''' From behind, Tian Yun tapped Kierra''s shoulder lightly, prompting the archwizard to turn around. ''''Hm? Why are you like this?'''' Kierra tilted her head lightly, wondering why Tian Yun was holding her nose with a bloody hand. Did she have a nosebleed? ''''It''s because of you, dummy...'''' Tian Yun shook her head and quickly cleaned up the mess, even turning away to avoid ''bursting'' again. ''''In the first ce, why are you sitting on my room''s window...?'''' ''''It has a good view,'''' Kierra replied simply, extending the popsicle toward the woman''s mouth. ''''Ah, thanks...'''' ''''You can have it.'''' ''''Mhm?!'''' Only after sucking on it for a while did Tian Yun realize that this thing was half-eaten! Suddenly, the melon-favored popsicle seemed much sweeter! Watching Tian Yun savoring the popsicle while having her cheeks slightly inted like a small animal, Kierra couldn''t help but giggle. Recently, she felt like her charm level had been getting really good! Maybe in a year or two, she could have a harem of beautiful women here. Thinking back, she hadn''t tried bonding with multiple partners at once before, even if she had done some 3Ps. Perhaps by that time, she would be open to being in a rtionship again. ''''What about the others?'''' She asked. ''''Training, as usual.'''' Tian Yun shrugged. ''''And for the lower disciples...'''' ''''I can see them.'''' Kierra hadplete control of the Crimson Tower, which meant she could observe the disciples training anytime. Lately, both the new ones from Emei and Shaolin performed quite well. Still, they couldn''tpete with the likes of White Lotus''s and Lightning Tiger''s since they had more time under her belt. ''Nine months, was it?'' It had been nine months since Kierra had entered this world. For what she thought would be momentary fun, the Central Divine Realm had actually grown on her quite a lot. Sure, the phenomena happening here were nonsensical, and the people sometimes could be a pain to deal with, but ultimately, it was eventfully fun in thisnd. Moreover, Kierra herself got a power boost! After cultivating for nine months, she skyrocketed to the peak of the Core Formation Stage, making her a decent cultivator, fair and square. In addition, she had been learning the sword from Yu Chen, Mie Xieren, and the old swordsman''s spirit, so she could now make a few simple moves. She wasn''t talented in wielding a sword, but it was fun nheless. If Kierra had only one thing toin about... ''''...Tch.'''' Why isn''t the other side attacking?! For so long, Kierra had been waiting for the unorthodox folks to make a move, yet there had been nothing but an annoying silence. She even went as far as to drop a few more spells that way, yet they still didn''t respond. What a drag. At this point, she was seriously considering attacking first. ''''...'''' Well, maybe not now. She was still reluctant to meet that person. A bit frustrated all of a sudden, Kierra decided to release some steam, and what better way to do it than having some fun with a beautiful woman? ''''Yun.'''' She called teasingly. Suddenly hearing a strange nickname, Tian Yun was confused. ''''H-Hm??'''' ''''My mood has dropped.'''' ''''Um... what can I do for you...?'''' At this, Kierra gently tapped her lips with a seductive smile, prompting Tian Yun to have a realization. Heat rushed to her face like a tsunami, nketing even her ears with an adorable pink. ''''N-Now?'''' She asked with a muffled voice. ''''Yes.'''' ''''Ughn...'''' After squealing around for a while, Tian Yun eventually mustered the courage to perform the act. She shakily put her hands on the window frame and leaned in, eyes shut closed. Kierra thought this was cute. She wrapped her arm around the other person''s waist, supporting her and leaning into the kiss herself. The moment their lips were pressed onto each other, time seemed to have stopped. A melting sensation spread across the two''s bodies as they enjoyed the kiss to the fullest. Yet, this was nowhere enough for Kierra. ''''Hah... hah...'''' Afterward, it was Tian Yun who nearly fainted after a three-minute tongue showdown with the archwizard. ''''Thank you, Yun,'''' Kierra said, licking her lips. ''''Okay...'''' Kierra was very satisfied with the current developments. Although no one except Yu Chen directly expressed admiration for her, she knew that they were interested in her in one way or another. Casual kisses like this were now the norm, and Kierra reckoned she would go further the moment they feltfortable with it. Of course, the outlier, Yu Chen, was beyond thirsty at this moment, yet she still had the deal to aplish. ''Well, it is what it is.'' Just like that, while awaiting good news from Yu Chen, who had turned herself into a cavewoman who only knew to train, Kierra leisurely spent a few days idling about. A certain summer night. Kierra was lying on top of the Crimson Tower, gazing at the stars alone while enjoying the cool breeze passing through. By this time, the cicadas'' sounds had mostly died down, creating an excellent environment to rx. As the archwizard was immersed in the painting-like sky, someone''s head suddenly poked into her vision. ''''Kierra, it''s bad!'''' It was, once again, Tian Yun. ''''What happened?'''' Kierra replied nonchntly, refusing to move from the spot. ''''The unorthodox sects have moved!'''' In an instant, a beautiful yet deadly smile bloomed on Kierra''s face, causing Tian Yun to shudder involuntarily. Case 54: A frustrating challenge. Case 54: A frustrating challenge. Unorthodox sects. These were people who refused to abide by justice, always looking for hical ways to obtain power. Not to confuse with demonic sects, who worshipped the evils and used totally dangerous cultivating methods, though. Typically, annihting thetter was the priority of the orthodox sects, yet the situation in the Central Divine Realm was different. Because the previous generation of the orthodox was practically overwhelmed by the demonic sects, thetter took the opportunity to infect the unorthodox, coaxing, converting, and possibly forcing them to worship the evils. By this time, the two hadbined forces, creating a formidable army full of strong cultivators. In truth, the leaders of the major sects were hurriedly training their disciples in the hope of finding a hero or heroine who could save the worldthat was until Kierra appeared. With the archwizard came a mysterious power, one that could elevate their strength to a whole new level, and of course, no one could deny Kierra''s own prowess. If the rumor that she was as strong as an Immortal was true, this longsting rivalry between the orthodox and unorthodox might just be possible to resolve so long as Kierra wanted to. In short, Kierra was their lightthe hope of the world and the most morous heroine! Currently, the same morous heroine: ''This motherfucker...'' (???_??) Kierra cursed in her heart. This was a super rare asion as the archwizard only let out profanity, even in her thoughts, a few times per year. Pacing back and forth inside the room, the archwizard''s face was slightly crumbling. It had indeed been a long time since she was this triggered! A few minutes prior, she and her usual group were simply discussing the war matter. ording to Mie Xieren, who received the information first, there had been certain movements in the Land of Death. Particrly, a few scouts had reported sightings of war infrastructure being raised near the border. This meant that the war was imminent and that everybody should prepare for it. On this side, the major sects had already mobilized troops to initiate preparations for the confrontation. Now was exactly the calm before the storm. For Kierra, this was nothing unpredictable. Just as she was about to celebrate new toys to y with, a small blue bird flew in from the window. It immediately caught her attention since her detection spell couldn''t identify it beforehand, but most importantly, it was strikingly simr tothatwoman''s messenger. Sure enough, the next moment, a majestic burst of mana engulfed the bird, rapidly turning its body into the shape of a human. Standing in front of the group, with light blue hair cascading and golden eyes, was undoubtedly the sword empress herself. Even through a mere hologram, her majesty could be vividly felt. For Kierra, however, this was certainly a moment of shock. Suddenly, seeing her ex proudly appearing like that, with the same confidence, the same vibe, the same heavy obsession toward herself, she couldn''t help but feel a bit bitter. Not waiting for a response, August von Lilienthal briskly and urately walked right up to Kierra. She raised her hand to pet the archwizard''s chin, but it was immediately dodged. [Still ying cold?] ''''...'''' Hearing August''s voice for the first time in months, Kierra was momentarily stunned. A terribly nostalgic and bittersweet feeling arose in her heart as she furrowed her pretty eyebrows. ''''Took you long enough, August von Lilienthal.'''' Kierra shot back. At this, the sword empress''s smirk disappeared. [I told you to call me by my nickname, didn''t I?] ''''We are not in that kind of rtionship anymore, so keep dreaming.'''' [Is that so? Then I must have slept with the wrong woman back then, hm? Who was the one begging me to continue] ''''Stop.'''' Kierra red, not keeping her murderous intent dormant in the slightest. ''''If you dare to utter a word, I will kill you!'''' [You say that every time, my pitiful kitten.] ''''Shut up.'''' [Both you and I know ita cat shouldn''t disobey its owner.] ''''Get out.'''' [Still, you''re irresistibly cute even when you''re hissing like this... I guess people love cats for a reason?] As August teasingly whispered into Kierra''s ear, the surrounding atmosphere was already trembling. Dreadful pressure constantly escaped the archwizard''s body as if answering her rage, and right when she was about to st the hologram away, August pulled back. [Aside from that.] ''''...?'''' [Although I am happy that we have met again, this time, I must announce: You and I will fight each other very soon.] ''''Yes, and I shall crush you.'''' [Oops, before you get ahead of yourselfI have a proposition.] ''''...Speak.'''' [Since we are not in the same league as the folks in this world, I reckoned we should not intervene much in their business, especially if it determines their survival. For that, I would like both of us to not support them directly in battles, lest they be dependent on us.] ''''Helping or not is my business. Why should I care?'''' [Think about it again, cutie. You also want them to stand on their own, don''t you? By the end of this war, we can settle with each other separately. In the first ce, I have done you a favor by dying this side''s advance until now. All for you lot to make progress.] ''''...'''' [Or... perhaps you are afraid of losing to me?] Instantly, this triggered the prideful person inside Kierra, and in a surge of recklessness, she shouted. ''''No way. I shall do it.'''' [Excellent. To remind you once again, I am very, very angry about you fooling around with these foxes. Once I defeat you... expect a heavypunishment.] As August mentioned it, a dark shadow fell onto her face, and in her eyes gleamed a certain twisted lovea grudgingly terrifying obsession and an unsatiable lust. This made the women in the room quiver in fear, and as for Kierra, she was strangely aroused, remembering what Augustcould do to her body before. By normal standards, Kierra was a top person. This was due to her long-developing pride, her unparalleled power, and her trained bed skills. However, by nature, she was a bottom, reflecting her initially shy and soft personality. In practice, she would only ''lose'' to her very first precious persona top of the topAugust. ''''...Fine.'''' After hearing Kierra''s meek response, August smiled in satisfaction. She took a good look at her treasure onest time before turning away. [Then, we shall definitely meet again. I love you, Kierra.] With that, the sword empress turned into the blue bird again and flew out the window. ''''...'''' ''Me too.'' If this were a few hundred years ago, Kierra would have replied so immediately. Oh, how time had changed... Still! Just how haughty was that bitch?! Did she think that beingsomewhatstrong and possibly winning her in bed gave her the right to bethatarrogant?! (s)s~kk Fuck that bitch! No, not literally! Not in a million years...! Case 55: Ignite the war. Case 55: Ignite the war. After cursing her ex-lover for a while, Kierra eventually regained herposure. ''''Hah...'''' As expected, only that woman was able to shake her this much. Still, now that she knew what to do, the process should be straightforward. She just needed not directly to involve herself in the battles, and that was it. With that in mind, Kierra quickly stroke out of the meeting room ''''Kierra.'''' Yu Chen stopped her with a sour face. ''''Oh.'''' Kierra eximed. Right, she had to deal with jealous women before that. After all that unhinged flirting from August, one couldn''t ignore her and Kierra''s deep involvement with each other, even if they were simultaneously blind, deaf, and stupid. Yu Chen and the others were neither of those three. Still, directly confronting Kierra about this sensitive matter was nothing easy. Yu Chen jumped out in the heat of the moment, but now she had to think of a way not to hurt her crush. ''''...Do you have trouble dealing with that woman?'''' She uttered in the calmest, softest way possible. At this, Kierra furrowed her brows lightly and diverted her eyes. ''''It would be a lie if I say I don''t.'''' ''''Consult meno, consult us.'''' Yu Chen determinedly said, holding Kierra''s shoulder. ''''This should be obvious, but you have helped us immensely, so now, it is time for us to help you.'''' ''''...'''' ''''No matter how strong you are, when you need help, you should seek help. I''m sure you know that, right?'''' The archwizard gently bit her lower lip. At this point, she had to admitshe was having a problem. It wasn''t as though she didn''t know itno, she definitely realized it. That she couldn''t forget her exes no matter what. Even if she determinedly dumped them, she still had feelings for them. It wasn''t because of nothing that she still engaged in intimate acts with August, even after their breakup. In some ways, she didn''t want to bother with them anymore, yet when she met them, her mind and body couldn''t help but yearn for them. It was a dilemma that Kierra had faced for centuries following her initial breakup with August. Now, facing Yu Chen''s unrelenting will, Kierra once again rethought her actions. Yes. Now that she thought about it, she hadn''t talked about this problem to anyone. Maybe, just maybe, if letting it out now could do something... Wait. ''''...But none of you had been in a rtionship?'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' Boom! A p right in their faces. Objectively speaking, why would Kierra rely on a bunch of inexperienced virgins to give her rtionship advice...? ''''Hah...'''' Kierra sighed, suddenly feeling a bit better now. ''''I appreciate the effort, at least. This matter... I will resolve it with Augustter. For now, we should focus on the war.'''' Without any objection to be had, Yu Chen and the others had no choice but to follow the archwizard; heads hung low like a bunch of dejected chickens. Having participated in numerous wars, Kierra knew the first thing to do was to secure the logistics and infrastructure side. Even if rations and such won''t matter much to these cultivators, having supplies of equipment and medical care would still be necessary. That night, she spent several hours working with the sect leaders to establish ns to defend and counterattack the unorthodox sects. While arranging the battlefields in advance, Tian Yun came up with a question. ''''She said that you couldn''tdirectlyinterfere in our battles, right?'''' She tilted her head. ''''Then, would your summons be illegal?'''' ''''My summons are my strength. Therefore, they are considered illegal.'''' ''''I see... Ah, right. Wasn''t one of your dragons named August as well?'''' ''''...I named her after the August you just met.'''' ''''Oh...'''' Facing questionable gazes from the surroundings, Kierra was once again reminded of just how much of a love ve she was. Before the salty feeling took over her again, however, she quickly shook her head and returned to work. Just like that, a few more weeks passed by, with Kierra taking over control of the whole warfare, and soon enough, the tension at the border had reached its peak. Originally, the Land of Death was formed by a strange meteorite''s explosion, which ate away thend''s vitality and turned it into what was present now. So, its shape was undoubtedly round. When the first movement inside it was detected, everyone had predicted that their enemy would focus on one spot to break through and directly attack their stronghold, yet what they encountered was war infrastructure spanning the barrennd''s entire edges. This was a bold move, and it essentially made the war moreplex and costly than ever. ''These idiots...'' As much as Kierra wanted to nuke the whole area with a ten-star spell and be done with it, that would vite the agreement between her and August. That monster of a swordswoman would be able to defend anyway, and then, she would definitelye andpunish Kierra. ''''...'''' Whatever. It wasn''t as though Kierra craved physical touches all the time. Only sometimes. For now, it was the battlefield that Kierra had to focus on. Her opponent this time was actually August, who, like her, excelled at tactics and strategy, not those mindless demon worshippers. When she judged that the time was nigh, the archwizard silently sat back on her chair and activated ?irvoyance?. Immediately, her vision was transferred directly to the battlefield. There, a group of cultivatorsno, a group of wizards could be spotted, standing in formation around a magic circle. At this point, Kierra was quite sure the other side''smander was only waiting for her force to engage first. If not, there was no reason to postpone, considering the unorthodox folks'' impatience. So, feeling a bit salty, she decided to deliver a devastating blow as a signal for war. Among her new disciples, Yu Chen, Tian Yun, Mie Xieren, Bai Qing, and Kang Shuren, whose skills were honed by Kierra herself, were the best. That was why, this time, heeding Kierra''smand, they would perform a joint spell of high mastery, one that met the archwizard''s standard for ''decent'' magic. One by one, the now full-fledged wizards cupped their hands together and began to chant.

'''''''' From the crust of the Earth, we call, ''''''''

'''''''' To the distant space, we wish, '''''''' As it was, a strong wave of mana escaped their bodies, quickly asserting its dominance by causing a storm in the immediate area. A strong wind was generated, squashing the nearby nts as the pressure in the storm''s eye increased, and soon enough, in response to the five''s earnest wish, a bright pir extended to the night sky as if wanting to capture the stars above.

'''''''' For your might to descend upon this cursednd, ''''''''

'''''''' And bring death to all creations! ''''''''

?Meteor Rain7? That night, soldierscultivators of both sides gazed at the starry sky. Following extremely faint screech sounds, tiny orange dots began to emerge on the dark canvas as they quickly and persuasively outshined the stars themselves. This marked the start of the Great War between the good and the evil of the Central Divine Realm. Case 56: Vacant Interference. Case 56: Vacant Interference. The war between the unorthodox sects and the orthodox sects began with a series of deafening explosions. Facing against space rocks carrying insane energy and momentum from being pulled by the''s gravity, arge protective dome was constructed surrounding the Land of Death. Despite this, the relentless onught clearly took a toll on the protective array and its casters. Inside themander''s castle, a tense atmosphere remained. The four directmanders of the unorthodox side, who also held the sect leader position of the four prominent sects withinSilent Arrow, Veiled Rage, Bloody Moon, and Ice Venomstruggled helplessly as they watched their disciples suffer tremendous injuries from overexerting themselves for the array. Eventually, a somber-looking womanthe sect leader of Veiled Rage, couldn''t bear it anymore. She mmed the table with her hand, causing it to almost crack. ''''Your Majesty, we must help them!'''' She eximed toward the first seat, her veil fluttering. ''''I am of the same opinion.'''' A man in ck followed; his blue eyes gleamed with a sharp intent. ''''We cannot afford to lose our precious force like this.'''' At this, the woman sitting on the first seat, with light blue hair as dreamy as the clear sky, mockingly scoffed. ''''Do it if you want to. I''m not holding you here, am I?'''' Immediately, all four sect leaders frowned. An indescribable rage welled up inside their hearts, andints poured out like a tsunami. ''''Your Majesty, we are asking if you could help us!'''' A woman with a huge crossbow on her back said. ''''In the first ce, if we could strike back when they weren''t prepared...'''' Poking at August''s seemingly unreasonable decision to hold back the war, a beefy man dressed in red uttered. Of course, this arrogant was immediately faced with a chill that sent cold to their very bones. ''''I said I won''t help.'''' August dered, narrowing her eyes as she pushed out a mind-crushing amount of pressure. ''''Or... are your brain so useless it can''t remember? Do I need to discard them?'''' '''''''' !!! '''''''' ''''We were wrong! Please forgive us!'''' ''''Please forgive us!'''' Once again, they bowed before the sword empress. August''s orders for them since descending this world were utterly unreasonable. From forcefully taking over themand chain of the whole faction, having them entertain her by summoning esteemed demons as dummies, to revising many crucial practices that defined their identities. Yet, when they tried to turn their rage into actions, their minds instinctively warned them to stop. The primal instinct of fearing death had them standing still in their tracks, unable to rebel against this human. No, this wasn''t a humanit was a monster. Originally, there was another prominent sect in y, but when its sect leader got bold and insulted the sword empress, the whole sect got banished to the shadow realm in an instant. No one could forget the space-splitting sword strike that ttened half of the deadnd. As it was, all four of them hurriedly fled the scene. Even the battlefield was better than being with her! Left behind, August yawned lightly, pulling out a small book. In it, aption of a person''s images could be found. Page by page, they were filled with moments of a ck-haired, red-eyed woman. Looking at these put August at ease. She especially loved the bashful Kierra and the shy Kierra... ''Almost.'' August waited patiently for nine months, all because she wanted some time for the archwizard to train her soldiers as she liked. With this, the sword empress''s side would surely lose, but she couldn''t care less. After all, the only thing she desired in the corporeal realm was a lone woman. Meanwhile, at the frontline. ''''Advance!!'''' With the initial blow being delivered, cultivators, regardless of their power and their position in the hierarchy, shed with each other. From inside the vast and lifeless terrain, thousands of soldiers rushed out with weapons in their hands, each exerting a different spectrum of dark qi. Compared to that, the orthodox''s force was spread thinner due to them having to encircle their enemies. For one, they didn''t try to surround the Land of Deathpletely but instead positioned themselves in a half-circle formation, intending to protect the centralnd only. They even had soldiers arranged further to the sides to prevent the main force from being surrounded themselves. As the orthodox disciples, led by their sect leader and elders, advanced toward their adversaries, they noticed a blue aura gently spread on the ground. Not far away from the inevitable shing point, Kang Shuren and Bai Qingthe two wizards who were not as proficient in offense magic as the otherswere casting arge-scale support magic to the allies.

?Sanctum Of Forgiveness6? ''''This is...'''' ''''It''s a blessing from the Heavenly Dao!'''' ''''Go forth! Subdue evils!'''' In an instant, the allies could feel their bodies steeling up, bing more imprable than ever! Not only that, the cultivators who had already shed with the enemies had their fresh wounds closed in mere seconds, allowing them to continue battling. The unorthodox folks were rightfully baffled. It wasn''t as though they were fighting zombies! Slowly, with advantage after advantage stacking on top of each other, the allies pushed back their enemies, and just when the momentum was at its peak BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! ''''Argh!'''' ''''What the hell?!'''' One after another, exactly four explosions took the battlefield byplete surprise. In one corner, a bloody storm raged. In another, a dome of flying swords seethed. A little further, it rained blue venom. And,stly, a giant holding a mountain-sized sword descended. Once the four sect leaders arrived, the story changed. The people of the Land of Death celebrated, seeing that the tide had turned. Initially, the power scale between the sect leaders of unorthodox and orthodoxcounting the major sectswas equal, which meant that five of the unorthodox were on par with six of the orthodox. Inherently, those using nefarious schemes to power up had better strength, as unfair as it might sound. If they were weaker than normal practitioners, then why bother going that way? However, this time, the bnce was different. One of the five unorthodox sects had been erased, and Emei''s abbess got quite stronger as well. Following their predetermined split, Mie Xieren immediately headed toward the giant armor, while the remaining five top sect leaders went for the other three. Of course, Yu Chen and Tian Yun also apanied them to help. With their newfound source of power, they were confident they could contribute a lot to the war. BOOM!! Right then, the earth shook violently once again, and when everyone gazed toward the direction of the force, an incredible sight greeted them. Floating calmly in the sky was a lone woman of dark blue hair. As her red eyes gleamed brightly, she gently flicked her obsidian sword, causing myriads of water tornados to rise from the ground, eating up people and surrounding the giant. A humongous shadow befell her as the enemy raised the sky-splitting sword above his head. ''''Phew...'''' Mie Xieren took a deep breath, and she began to chant, wielding her mana. Case 57: Goddess of Ice. Case 57: Goddess of Ice. For Kierra, Mie Xieren was akin to an attention-hungry child. She needed to be showered with affection, or else she would be distant againthe line was highly dubious. She was also very dependent on the archwizard, often wanting to apany her or to be a part of her doings. Although Mie Xieren was undoubtedly older than Kierra, she felt like a younger, more juvenile human to her. However, on the battlefield, Mie Xierenthe undisputed abbess of the ever-powerful sect, Emeiwas known as the juggernaut, the apex predator of a thousand wars. Wielding her powerful water spells that stemmed from her top-tier water root, she would sweep thousands of enemies off of the battlefield in a matter of seconds. The figure of a lone woman with her red eyes gleaming a deadly, cold, murderous light had long been imprinted in her enemies'' minds, if they were alive, at least. Faced with such an imposing force, the unorthodox folks couldn''t help but be oppressed. Left and right, the water torrents were still taking out their allies, yet they found no desire to go against Mie Xieren. ''''What are you idiots doing?! Advance!'''' That was if they were not of the same caliber as her. Quickly taking control of the battlefield with her stern voice, a woman standing on top of the giant knight red through her veil. This was Cao Jian - the Sect leader of Veiled Rage. Veiled Rage - A demonic sect taking the route of ''controlled'' berserk to gain temporary power. That said, it didn''t mean that they were weak in normal cases. With the sect leader herself marching on with her signature puppet, the battle resumed soon. As it was, Cao Jian raised her right hand, in turn making her puppet raise its sword, which was as big as a mountain, intending to crush Mie Xieren at once. In response, the abbess lightly flicked her small obsidian sword, gathering mana into its de. Soon, a blizzard suddenly appeared around her, extending outward with incredible speed. A whole section of the battlefield was affected, creating a snowfield that was Mie Xieren''s domain. Within, her red eyes once again shone with a deadly light. ''Watch me, Kierra.'' Pulling both sources of energy inside her and making them swirl around her sword, she kept draining out more and more until thoseyers on the de were as thick as a wall, and the size of it had almost matched the giant''s. For once, she remembered Kierra''s lesson. "Qi and mana do not seem to get along well in nature. When relying on both, one should generally avoid ovepping them. If not careful, this could lead to disastrous consequences." ''''How do you know this...?'''' ''''Experiments. Experiments are every wizard''s origin.'''' She still remembered that day. When Kierra drew a bit of both qi and mana before mashing them together, creating an explosion so powerful she thought the whole building was going to be destroyed. Yet, that showcase made her thinkwhat if she could use this reaction in battles? Suddenly feeling a rush of excitement, Mie Xieren created a b of ice in the air before kicking herself away hundreds of meters, sessfully dodging the giant de and the immense wind currents it carried. Then, she held her sword parallel to the ground, and with a light push, the mesh of mana and qi rushed forward like an avnche. ''What is she doing?!'' On the other side, Cao Jian was panicking. Clearly, attacking when one''s qi hadn''t materialized was a dumb move. The opponent, which in this case was her, could easily intercept it! However, she knew Mie Xieren wasn''t normal, so she promptly created a myriad of arrays to protect herself. Layers of shield appeared in the air, anticipating the attack. Drops of sweat ran down Cao Jian''s back, even though she should be winning right now. It was her instinct screaming at her! As if to prove that premonition, the second the rush of energy came closer to the shield, Mie Xieren narrowed her eyes, simultaneously triggering the transformation of qi to water and mana to ice. Rapidly blooming in the air right now were millions of half-water, half-cial flowers, ones that would soon prove to be as deadly as their creator. The violent chain reaction began at the base, where Mie Xieren could feel her de trembling. Soon after, the two sources'' very natures shed, resulting in colorful sparks running through the whole column. CRACK! Everyone held their breath. !!!!! An explosion akin to that of a dying star took over the battlefield. Blinding light covered the sky and earth, and thend everyone was standing on shook violently. When everything was settled, they found that the proud giant of Cao Jian now had a deep, painfully deep crater on its chestits arms were blown away, lying in pieces on top of the newly formed ice field behind it. ''''Ugh...!'''' Cao Jian herself, also suffered immensely from the attack despite her defensive effort, held her chest in pain. ''W-What just happened...?!'' Peeking through her tattered veil, she could see a rtively exhausted Mie Xieren. The spell was indeed challenging to cast, yet the abbess seemed more satisfied than ever. Suddenly, feeling a mix of jealousy, hatred, and rage welling up inside her body, Cao Jian gritted her teeth. For her, this was unfair. How did Mie Xieren get this strong? How did she, even after all the things she sacrificed to get this power, stay inferior? An uncontroble rage took over her body. As it was, Cao Jian exploded every ounce of qi left inside her body, even absorbing the leftover energy from her puppet to transform herself. An intense aura circted through her body, applying a bone-crushing pressure to the surroundings. Without any warning, she sprung herself toward Mie Xieren, and the two shed. Cao Jian''s movements were ferocious and chaotic, akin to that of a beast, giving her opponent little room to retaliate. Each of her punches, cuts, and hooks contained an ordinary cultivator''s lifetime worth of energy, practically warping the space around them due to how heavy they were. Yet, Mie Xieren stayed calm. With unparalleled fighting experience, she narrowly dodged the wsing her way, squeezing out little counterattacks as she analyzed her opponent''s movement. Utilizing the fact that Cao Jian couldn''t sense mana, Mie Xieren cleverly injected small ice spikes into her counterattacks, slowly but steadily freezing the woman''s body. Under the influence of the bone-chilling frostbite, Cao Jian''s body soon lost its original strength, rendering her more and more helpless and prone to being countered. ''''It''s over.'''' The abbess''s cold voice rang. ''''Not yet! Not until I'''' THUD! Mie Xieren swiftly plunged her sword into her opponent''s abdomen, crisply piercing through her dantian. When she pulled her de out, fragments of red qi mixed with crimson blood sttered. And then, Cao Jian''s lifeless body fell. Mie Xieren let out a sigh and gazed at the sky. She closed her eyes, silently imprinting the battle into her mind. ''Did I do it right, Kierra?'' In her heart, she instinctively yearned for a certain woman. Case 58: Blooming Lotus. Case 58: Blooming Lotus. The fight between Mie Xieren and Cao Jian ended in just a few short minutes. While everybody marveled at the scene where the abbess emerged victorious like a literal goddess of ice, another intense battle took ce on the West side of the battlefield. Here, the sky had forcefully been turned dark, and an ominous, bloody moon hung. ''''Hah...!'''' BOOM!! ''''Tch!'''' Faced against the raging blood tsunami, one that acted almost like lethal acid, a lone man carefully wiped his fingers through his de. As his eyes lit up and his sword pointed forward, plum blossom petals began to manifest. Behind the man, a majestic plum blossom tree arose, symbolizing his incredible understanding of the martial art. When he lightly shed at the tsunami, three giant des bearing a faint pink shade escaped, surging with unyielding momentum. Incredibly, the two forces canceled each other out, resulting in an explosion that subsequently caused a rain of blood. ''''...'''' Although it might seem like a stalemate, in reality, the man still had to defend himself against the blood rain, consuming his energy. Here, it was practically the territory of the deadly blood. The sect leader of Mount Hua - Xianyu Jun, narrowed his eyes. Standing menacingly some distance away from him was a burly man dressed in redLuo Cai, sect leader of Bloody Moon. His bulging muscles weren''t a good indicator of just how vicious and crafty the man was. In this fight, Xianyu Jun knew he was at an absolute disadvantage, yet he had no option but to engage. For one, he couldn''t bring other disciples inthey would just be corpses in minutes. There was no one to me but himself. After all, only he and Mie Xieren were capable of holding one of these four alone. ''''Getting desperate, aren''t you?'''' Luo Cai taunted. ''''Perhaps.'''' Xianyu Jun joked. As the two prepared to go in again, the blood domain was suddenly disturbed. However, the change was so small that Luo Cai barely noticed it. ''''!!'''' When he btedly looked to the sky, an immensely powerful lightning strike was alreadying down his way. He quickly stepped to the side, managing to avoid a portion of the attack. ''''Kuh...!'''' Stabilizing his consciousness and enduring the tingling pain across his body, Luo Cai gazed nervously at the ground, where a pitch-ck crater remained. ''I didn''t sense it at all!'' No, he couldn''t sense it. It was the same thing with the woman who conquered the Land of Death recently. These two both used some strange tricks! Moreover, an attack of this caliber... SWISH!! ''''What now...?!'''' The man once again ducked to the ground, his survival instinct screaming. When he looked up, a purple rift that seemed like it tore down space itself remained. His whole body shuddered, remembering the nightmare known as the ''sword empress.'' Meanwhile, Xianyu Jun eximed with a surprised face. ''''You two are...?'''' Standing on either side of him were Tian Yun and Yu Chen, who had juste to assist in the fight. ''''No time to waste.'''' Yu Chen said calmly, her sword flickered a purple light. On the other side, Tian Yun also wielded her ceremonial sword, which was actually an artifact she obtained directly from the Immortal League. Bearing a golden de, it helped the use with energy outputa perfect item for someone who primarily used their spells like Tian Yun. The three nodded at each other once before both Yu Chen and Xianyu Jun sprang forward, plunging directly toward Luo Cai. Manifesting their powers, the two left behind a purple and a pink trail as they went, and that was when Yu Chen abruptly disappeared. Panicked, Luo Cai quickly deployed numerous defense arrays and held his stance. Before long, he began to sh with Xianyu Jun. The sect leader of Mount Hua, this time with backup, was much more confident, dishing out dangerous moves knowing someone would cover him. Different shades of red filled the scene, and although Luo Cai couldn''t be pushed easily, he was still on edge. ''''!!'''' As if answering his fear, dozens of purple cuts began to appear in the air, and the next moment, he was simultaneously shed from every direction, leaving him with numerous wounds. This urrence left Xianyu Jun stunned. ''So this is the famed Phantom Sword...'' He thought. Without thinking much, he continued to press, cornering the opponent more and more. Luo Cai, without a method to locate Yu Chen, eventually chose to change his tactic. He determinedly exploded his qi, pushing his opponents back before creating two blood tornados and letting them graze the battlefield. From then on, the obstacles kept increasing. From spike-like raindrops to muddy, quicksand-like groundit was much harder to push the burly man. ''''You brought two more to our duel!'''' He shouted. ''''Don''t me me if I do this!'''' With a loud whistle, an army of cultivators d in red armor entered the battlefield. Their strength was nothing to scoff at, causing Xianyu Jun to narrow his eyes. A drop of sweat trickled down his forehead. ''''Hahahahahah! Know the taste of despair, ants'''' BOOM!! Before he could finish his sentence, a violent st of fire hit the army directly, causing hundreds to perish.

?Fire st6? Yu Chen quietly muttered. Then, as if to prove her strength to a certain someone, spells of advanced level kept flying out of her hands, some applied directly to her body.

?Phantom Mask6?

?Domain6?

?Volcano6?

?Dark Matrix6?

?Serpent Of Shadow6? The bloody domain shook as zing fire and venomous darkness obliterated the red army, plunging them into certain despair. After continuously pushing out dozens of spells, Yu Chen wiped her little sweat and gazed toward the sky, her eyes cocky as though telling someone, ''See this?'' On the other side, Kierra, who was watching by using irvoyance: ''''...'''' (???) What the hell. Kierra thought it was strange that Yu Chen hadn''t presented an advanced spell to her in thest nine months for an intimate time, and this was what was going on? More than twenty spells at once? Just how intense did Yu Chen want this to be? On the battlefield, Luo Cai''s body was drenched with sweat. He gulped once, finally starting to think of a way to escape the situation. Yet, before he could even take a step, he briefly saw something white filled his vision. ''''Argh!!'''' The next thing he knew, his head was wrapped around by a flying thunder whip, one that zapped so hard he couldn''t stay sane for a while. Then, apanied by loud buzzing noises, nine lightning spears and six light swords surrounded his body. ''''Die.'''' A certain white-haired sect leader muttered. Luo Cai let out a painful screech as all of Tian Yun''s spells hit him at once, forming a circle of purifying light around his body and nine electric petals spreading evenly outside of said circle. Thisbined spell made for a beautiful reversed lotus flower pattern, which Tian Yun was exceptionally proud of. Seizing the chance, Xianyu Jun and Yu Chen jumped in again, this time pouring everything they had into the moment. As colorful energies swayed on the battlefield, the bloody moon hanging in the sky gradually lost its color, returning to its ordinary color before crumbling awayjust as its owner was. THUD! ''''It''s over.'''' Stabbing her sword into Luo Cai''s abdomen, Yu Chen dered. How body, now filled with charred scars and deep shing wounds, fell onto the ground. Case 59: Delicacy. (R-18) Case 59: Delicacy. (R-18) With two of the unorthodox sect leaders down, the battle quickly became one-sided. Seizing the advantage, folks who called themselves righteous bravely jumped forward, pouncing on their enemies left and right. However, the remaining two unorthodox sect leaders took a bit longer to defeat, even with two orthodox sect leaders handling each of them. Still, they imed victory. Sensing the war was ultimately lost, themanders left in the field unanimously gave out retreat orders. Their goals were to preserve forces and beg the sword empress for helpthat was the only hope. On the orthodox side, Kierra also gave out a retreatmand. By this time, therge-scale buff was almost up due to the casters'' mana pools being depleted, and it was not as though they didn''t suffer damage. Overall, this battle only took around half a dayfar too low of a number for most people, and it was all because of Mie Xieren and the wizards of White Lotus. If lucky, they wouldn''t need two more battles to win the entire war, which was unimaginable for most. Although not a perfect victory, the folks were delighted enough. That night, they threw a banquet to celebrate this victory, and in Kierra''s pocket dimension, a small party was also in full swing. ''''Cheers.'''' '''''''' Cheers! '''''''' Clinking their sses, the usual members quickly downed the fruit juice and began to converse with one another. This victorythis feat was essentially the result of what Kierra had been teaching them for almost a year, so they all felt proud of it. In particr, Mie Xieren and Yu Chen, as well as Tian Yun, were simr to puppies, looking intently at Kierra as if waiting for pets. ''''...Good job, you three.'''' Kierra didn''t give out pets, but she smiled at them, which was a reward in itself. However, one of the three apparently thought that it wasn''t enough at all. After the party ended, everybody bid goodbye to Kierra and exited the dimension... except for Yu Chen. The ck-haired, purple-eyed woman stood firmly near Kierra''s bedroom, leaning against the wall while staring at the archwizard with meaningful eyes. (?) Kierra was puzzled for a moment. What was this? ''''Oh.'''' Then, she realized it the next moment. It should be about the advanced magic bet. In reality, there was an error when Kierra proposed the bet. She didn''t consider that Yu Chen wasn''t her, the Master of All Elements, so the number of spells Yu Chen did during the battle, which was more than twenty, was more than qualified to win the bet. Still, this rascal dared to hide her ability from her master! Suddenly feeling a bit salty, Kierra stepped one foot into her room and turned to Yu Chen. ''''I''m going for a quick bath.'''' She said. Yu Chen blinked. ''''I... see?'''' ''''Don''t ''I see'' with me.'''' Kierra sighed. ''''Sit on the bed.'''' ''''??'''' Completely losing her momentum, Yu Chen found herself obeying Kierra''s word, sitting restlessly on her bed while the archwizard was in the bath. Only after looking around the room for a good five minutes did she realize what this might mean. ''''!!'''' Was this an invitation?! Did she really get the green light?? ''No, no, this was her promise in the first ce!'' Her heart seemed as though it would jump out of her chest anytime. Taking a few deep breaths, Yu Chen cleaned herself with qi and sat down again. Even then, Kierra still wasn''t done with her bath. Bored of ying with her hands, Yu Chen naturally turned to the neatly folded quilt and the pillow on top of it. ''''...'''' In battles, they said one must know the battlefield to achieve victory! Resolutely, Yu Chen dived into the pile of cotton, burying her face in it as she felt the scent of Kierra. Since the archwizard didn''t use perfume, this was as close as it could get to her usual smellrefreshing, a tad sweet, and pleasant. ''''...What are you doing?'''' ''''!!'''' And she was promptly caught red-handed. Letting out strange squeals, the creature known as Yu Chen hid her face behind her hands, eyes shut closed. ''''Hah...'''' Kierra sighed lightly. ''''So impatient. Don''t you think it''s disrespectful to the original?'''' As it was, Kierra actually climbed on the bed, got onto Yu Chen''sp, and pulled her wrists apart, revealing a terribly flushed face. At this point, Kierra only had a short bathrobe on her body, which revealed her deadly cleavage, and she was without makeupYu Chen''s favorite. Suddenly being assaulted by the archwizard''s irresistible scent and her mind-numbing visual, Yu Chen nearly fainted. ''''A-Ah...'''' Yu Chen felt as though her mind was wandering elsewhere, not responding! It didn''t seem real. Letting out a little smirk, Kierra put Yu Chen''s hand on her lower back, hers around Yu Chen''s neck, and they were now officially embracing each other. ''''So?'''' Kierra whispered, her voice dripping like the sweetest honey. ''''On it?'''' This was precisely the breaking point for Yu Chen after enduring Kierra''s teases for months. Almost immediately, she plunged forward, stealing Kierra''s soft lips for her own. In the rapidly heating up atmosphere, the two''s tongues intertwined with each other, ying around with much familiarity as they had done this multiple times before. Still, Yu Chen couldn''t get bored of this hot and fulfilling sensation, and neither did Kierra. ''''Mhm...'''' After separating, Yu Chen took a bit to realize that she could continue, only gazing dumbly at Kierra''s beautiful eyes. Her nervous hand slowly crept up, pulling the bathrobe''s cor down. ''''Oh...'''' And it released a deadly weapontwo of them, to be exact. It wasn''t as though this was Yu Chen''s first time looking at boobs, and it wasn''t the first time she had looked at Kierra''s, yet, to be able to admire them this close was something she dreamt of every time. ''''Good job,'''' Kierra said with a gentle smile, stroking Yu Chen''s head. ''''Continue as you like.'''' gulp! Like a curious child, Yu Chen leisurely grazed her fingers around the two mountains, feeling the shape and the skin to their fullest. Kierra''s chest was perfectly shaped, and it was unexpectedly big when taking out those loose outfits as well. When touching, it gave the fingers a milky smooth sensation, enticing further contact. Unable to resist the temptation, Yu Chen squeezed the mountains heartily, and it was easily the best feeling she''d ever felt. A mind-melting level of softness enveloped her palms, and the warmth from it could seemingly cure any disease. ''''Mhm...'''' Kierra breathed out lightly, keeping on stroking her partner''s head. Meanwhile, Yu Chen, who was immersed in the boobs, quickly got bold and began to knead the doughs as she liked, squashing them left and right as she contemted the universe. ''Ah, the pink...'' She lightly pinched the cherries, causing Kierra''s body to quiver ever so slightly. This shock was also sent to Yu Chen, the nervous girl. After ying with the two peaks for a while, Yu Chen gulped once more and bowed her head. Initially, she couldn''t resist nting a kiss on that beautiful nip and then wholly went in, covering the pink area with her soft lips. By this time, Yu Chen also realized that Kierra was unexpectedly sensitive in this area, which was evident in her body trembling, even if it was barely noticeable. For now, however, she decided to have a taste of this delicacy, brushing her tongue around the nip and then flicking it once. A slightly sweet vor spread across her tongue. It was akin to eating grapesdelicious, but never enough. And, Yu Chen was greedy. When she kept doing that, as if trying to aplish a purpose, her hands also crept down and found themselves indulging in Kierra''s round bottom, causing just as much mischief as they did with the ones above. Finally, after turning and twisting a bit, Kierra, under the constant attack from multiple fronts ''''Mhm...'''' let out a quiet moan. Even if she tried to suppress it, with her unbearably sweet voice pushing to the absolute limit and with the hyper-aware Yu Chen, it was the trigger for something fiercerYu Chen''s beast. ''''Oh?!'''' Suddenly pushed down against the bed, Kierra widened her eyes briefly before regaining her smile. Gazing into Yu Chen''s beastly purple eyes, she guided the other person''s hand toward her thigh and licked her lips. With a slightly reddened face, she yearned. ''''Come here... my little darling.'''' Case 60: Honeytrap. (R-18) Case 60: Honeytrap. (R-18) A room somewhere in the universe. Under the dim lighting from the mana bulb above, two women''s bodies intertwined. Dorning only a thin piece of cloth, which pathetically hung around her waist, not covering anything meaningful at all; Kierra watched in amusement as Yu Chen nervously crept down her legs. gulp! An audible sound escaped the martial master of Qinling. For the moment, she hadplete ess to whatever part of her crush''s body that she wantedthis mere fact made her heart race incessantly. Gazing deeply into between the full, soft thighs, she found herself a bit frustrated as she couldn''t see the part she desired. Looking up, a couple of teasing red eyes met her. Kierra was intentionally pressing her thighs together, which only enticed Yu Chen to a new degree. As if to get back at the archwizard, Yu Chen boldly grabbed both of those exquisite parts and ced her lips on the upper one. She traced her palms across the long lengths, feeling the smooth, warm, and blissfully soft sensation of them. The more she stayed this way, the more she was unconsciously pulled into them. Her lips sunk further into the flesh; her nose pushed onto the skin, and a feeling of tion washed over her. ''''Oh, my.'''' Kierra giggled. She yearned down and stroked the greedy person''s head, closely observing her as she slowly made her way up. Yu Chen kissed, sometimes sucked it lightly, and when she got to the thickness part, she couldn''t help but close her jaw on themlike munching on a giant piece of marshmallow. This seemingly childish action amused Kierra, yet she didn''t know that hidden behind that was a pair of deep purple eyes with naughty intentions. Not letting this heaven-like sensation go, Yu Chen then buried her face deep between Kierra''s thighs, surrendering herself to the ultimate softness. When she inevitably took a deep breath, a mind-numbingly addicting smell hit her. It was fresh like peaches and alluring like roses. Simr to a lost mole trying to find its way back home, she used her face as the drill, squirming around with much vigor. Finally feeling that it was enough teasing, Kierra suddenly opened her legs, allowing the other person''s face to fall directly onto her dangerous area. A ticklish wave ran through the archwizard''s lower half, and she could feel Yu Chen''s mouth kissing her ''mouth'' heartily. Under the surprised gaze of Yu Chen, she wrapped her thighs again, enclosing the pretty headpletely. Being nearly suffocated by thighs and Kierra''s intimate part, Yu Chen felt the intense scent invading her mind, causing her lower body to itch. An unresolved hunger willed up within her consciousness, enticing her to push out her tongue and ''eat'' the thing in front of her. ''''Mhm...?!'''' And that was exactly what Yu Chen did. Reinforcing her righteous desires, Yu Chen fully embraced Kierra''s round thighs with her arms as she firmly slid her tongue into the zing hot slit. She rolled her tongue as she liked, brushing her saliva across the tender flesh as if wanting to mark her own territory. A tingling current ran from her tongue all the way to her deepesther dantian and Yu Chen felt her body burning. Soon enough, a faint, sweet vor appeared, causing Yu Chen to pounce even harder. She proudly swept her tongue from inside to outside, tracing Kierra''s lips and even teasing the little bud on top. Amidst the dormant moans, Yu Chen looked up only to see a reddened Kierra covering her mouth, eyes a little wet as she panted. In reality, this state happened because Kierra was leaving her body run-free, not trying to be something elsethe true Kierra. In Yu Chen''s mind, this vulnerable yet unbearably alluring image of her ovepped with what August said when she proposed the war challenge. A terrible jealousy was born within her mind. ''''Hyah?!'''' A loud, sloppy, slurping noise rang in the room as Yu Chen thrust her tongue into Kierra''s body, causing the archwizard to flinch. The long-awaiting sensation has returned, and it still messed up the woman''s sensitive body as badly as before. She could feel something building up inside her body, ready to explode the moment she let down her guard. Continuing the streak, Yu Chen passionately dug around the spot, enjoying the increasingly slimy and sweet environment that was wrapping around her tongue. Moreover, it was the first time she herself had seen Kierra this shaken, which only fueled her motive. ''''Mngn... hgn...!'''' Under the relentless attack, Kierra soon found herself unable to resist the climax. Her back arched upward as she pushed out her pent-up pleasure directly into Yu Chen''s mouth, leaving her mind wandering in the nkness of ecstasy. Her thighs lost their strength, slowly releasing Yu Chen, who seemed particrly satisfied in front of a still-convulsing Kierra. ''So unexpected...'' Yu Chen thought as she climbed on top of Kierra, licking her lips while admiring the melted face of her crush. She didn''t think Kierra was capable of beingthischarming and desirable. Now that she had seen it, she would no longer want anything but this face. ''''You''re so adorable...'''' For the first time in this realm, Kierra wasplimented with the word ''adorable.'' Yu Chen then quietly kissed the dazed Kierra while caressing her face. Thinking that she would be able to ''eat'' this sweet mess of a Kierra for the whole night, Yu Chen licked her lips once more, but then ''''?!'''' Suddenly, she felt her waist being captured by a slender hand. Kierra exhaled deeply before looking straight up at Yu Chen. ''''My turn.'''' The next moment, Yu Chen was promptly pushed down onto the bedsheet instead. Kierra narrowed her eyes lightly, creating a whole different atmosphere than beforedomineering. The archwizard skillfully unwrapped Yu Chen''s clothes, revealing her equally smooth skin and two ample mountains. Kierra quickly teased the right nip by tracing her index finger around the pink circle, then went right in for a good suck. ''''A-Ah...?!'''' For the first time, Yu Chen knew the feeling of being sucked. A bit itchy, yet still pleasurable. Not long after, she also found her crotch being invaded. From absolutely nowhere, Kierra''s other hand had found its way down there, its naughty fingers running amok. The archwizard teased around the two pads, massaging them skillfully with decisive actions that sent waves of ecstasy across the woman''s body. By the point the ce was wet enough, Kierra quickly slid her middle finger into the slit, pushing up and down just as Yu Chen''s back arched up and down. Being new to this sensation, Yu Chen couldn''t help but let out clear moans, much to her own surprise. For the finisher, Kierra lightly chomped down Yu Chen''s pink nip, causing her to clench involuntarily, and that was when the archwizard struck. She thrust her middle finger and index finger inside, not before using a pain-reducing spell, ripping apart the thin membrane. Then, she rocked her fingers intensely, triggering a massive wave of pleasure that immediately sent Yu Chen to her climax. ''''Hgn...!'''' Kierra smiled at Yu Chen, who was spacing out, drowned in the afterglow of the act. Following that, she simply fell onto Yu Chen, tightly embracing the woman. ''''Next...'''' She whispered. ''''Will you want me to continue, or will you try and... break me?'''' ''''...'''' Needless to say, Yu Chen instantly retaliated, pinning Kierra down the bed. ''''Fufu... how daring.'''' Case 61: Wife. Case 61: Wife. ''''Ugh...!'''' Feeling a little difort in her body, Yu Chen''s furrowed her eyebrows. When she came to consciousness a bit, she btedly realized that her body was soringa sign she hadn''t encountered since she first trained. A bit annoyed, she forced her eyes open. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Wait a minute. This ceiling didn''t look like her room''s... ''''!!'''' As soon as yesterday''s memory returned, Yu Chen sprung up like a shrimp, sitting nkly on the bed with the quilt covering her lower body. Upon closer inspection, not only was she naked, but there were numerous red marks on her neck area! gulp! When she tried to move, her thighs and glutes hurt. Blinking repeatedly as she gazed at her crotch, her mind was filled with the ''stuff'' she did with Kierrast night. Her body vividly remembered what was done to her, which Yu Chen wasn''t sure was a good thing. After a few moments to process the fact, Yu Chen let out a little happy grunt, raising her fists victoriously. She slept with her crush, and this should not be the only chance since the two had officially be ''friends with benefits,'' as Kierra would say. It was a bit disheartening that it wasn''t ''lovers,'' but Yu Chen was satisfied, for now. However... ''Where is she?'' Yu Chen was alone on the bed. She could still smell Kierra''s lingering scent, but the archwizard had left. Right then, a sweet aroma hit her nose. Curious, Yu Chen quickly threw on her outfit and let the smell guide her. Once arriving at the kitchen area, she was almost blown back by the scene. ( _ ) Standing by the counter while humming a song was the archwizard herself. It was Yu Chen''s first time seeing her cook, and it wasn''t even the most impressive thing. From behind, she got to marvel at the sight of Kierra wearing an apron... without clothes underneath! No, there was the sexy ck underwear, but this level of skin exposure was criminal! Moreover, Kierra now had her long hair tied into adorable pigtails, confidently revealing red marks of Yu Chen''s own doings fromst night. Looking at this scene, Yu Chen couldn''t help but mutter. ''''...Wife.'''' It was beyond the image of a sweet, newlywed wife. Unconsciously, Yu Chen stepped forward and embraced Kierra from behind. When she felt the refreshing scent of the archwizard again, her body nearly melted. ''''You''re up.'''' Kierra turned around and met her eyes with Yu Chen''s. Seeing the martial master''s dazed state, she yfully pecked her on the lips once before turning back to the dish. ''''I''m making breakfast.'''' She casually stated. ''''It''s almost done, so settled down at the table.'''' Yu Chen stayed still for a while, stunned at the overwhelming newlywed atmosphere. Thinking back, Kierra seemed quite passionate about it yesterday. They fought intensely for several hours straight, drowned in each other''s bodies. Yu Chen enjoyed every second of it. In fact, she already missedthat side of Kierra. ''As expected. I love her.'' A smile bloomed on Yu Chen''s face. That morning, she spent eating and chatting casually with Kierra, who constantly gave off an alluring aura with her near-naked apron attire. She felt Kierra was seducing her again. Yet, she restrained herself. As much as Yu Chen wanted to chase after that certain bliss once more, her legs were not happy about it, nor were the people waiting for Kierra tomand the war. After getting healing from Kierra to erase the hickeys, she and the archwizard confidently exited the pocket dimension and met with the others. The time was around eight in the morning, and everybody had gathered at themander''s room. ''''Ahem.'''' Kierra cleared her throat. ''''Good work yesterday, everybody. If it goes well, we shall end the war in today''s battle.'''' Hearing this, the leaders of major forces in the room can''t help but smile. Thanks to this person, they could now clean up the unorthodox faction with ease. ''''Before that, however.'''' Kierra continued. ''''If my prediction is right, we will not need to fight.'''' '''''''' ??? '''''''' Was she going to intimidate them with one of those morous spells? If so, why didn''t she do it right at the beginning? People naturally had many questions, yet seeing Kierra''s sudden bad mood sealed their mouthspletely. After a suffocating thirty minutes, something finally happened. From the window, a small bird with light blue feathers casually flew in, catching the attention of some people. It brazenly perched on Kierra''s shoulder, nuzzling its head against her neck as if showing affection. Seeing this, Kierra calmly stood up and went outside. '''''''' ... '''''''' The people left inside didn''t have anything to do except look at each other. Kierra, on the other hand, went to a quiet corner of the camp. ''''What do you want?'''' She asked the bird. Soon enough, the little animal flew in front of her and transformed into August''s hologram. Standing a forehead taller than Kierra, even though the archwizard was wearing heels, August smiled lightly. [We met again, my love.] ''''...State your business.'''' [Not so fast.] ''''...'''' [Do you have anything to say for me?] Suddenly, a pang of guilt hit Kierra''s heart. She inadvertently thought about yesterday''s rendezvous, yet snapped out of right almost right away. She wasn''t August''s girlfriend anymore, so why did she need to care? ''''I have none.'''' She said confidently. Rightfully, August''s face turned cold. [...For one, I know exactly what you did yesterday, little traitor.] ''''So what? Creepy stalker.'''' Seeing Kierra''s dismissive attitude, cross veins popped up on the sword empress''s forehead, and her eyes instantly lost their luster. At this moment, she could hardly control her desire to teleport here in person and put her in a cage so that no one would be able to touch her again. Yet, she somehow restrained. [Hah... in any case, this side has already lost. They will soon raise their white g, so capture them ordingly.] ''''Alright.'''' [And. Tonight at eight, we shall battle it out.] ''''I was waiting for that,'''' Kierra smirked. Finally, it was time for her to put an end to this century-long love struggle. Deep in her heart, Kierra knew that she still longed for August dearly, yet her excessive obsession with the archwizard was somewhat of an issue. In this battle, she would let her heart choose. ''If I want toe back to her side... or if I want to cut this fate.'' [Remember, my kitten. If I win... we will hold a wedding right away, alright?] ''''...Whatever you say.'''' Kierra was confident. August had never been able to beat her anyway. Besides, a wedding with August wasn''t badahem. It wasn''t the worst. [But regardless of winning or losing, I will need to have my way with you for a while. It''s been too long.] Facing August''s brazen attitude, Kierra coldly snorted. ''''As if I would let you. Go find some other women.'''' [You know, this bashful side of youit has been growing on me a bit.] ''''Yes, yes.'''' For a while, the two enjoyed a seemingly normal conversation, casually bantering with each other. Meanwhile, Yu Chen and co. Who had sneaked out to eavesdrop: (???)? (???)? (???)? What was this diabolical amount of flirting? Case 62: Lovers’ quarrel. Case 62: Lovers quarrel. In the past, Kierra and August were practically inseparable. As lovers, they would travel together, eat together, and sleep together. This was natural. However, because they never fought against one another, people had no idea which one was stronger. Was it the Sword Empress whose talents dwarfed those of the best swordsman in history by many folds? Or was it the Crimson Archwizard who shook the world with her sheer genius, reaching the tenth circle at the tender age of thirty? Even after the two separated, this debate continued on. They weren''t sure who would emerge victoriously, yet they knew for a fact that if they fought, even the they were on would face the risk of being decimated. Their power was simply too enormous. Both Kierra and August knew this. As such, when arranging this duel, they unanimously agreed on certain restrictions for both sides. They wouldn''t want to kill this for nothing. Following the agreement, Kierra would only use spells under ten stars; her summons were prohibited, and Cosmos was also banned. As for August, she would refrain from using techniques capable of inflicting permanent damage on the fabric of reality and limit her mana output by a percentage. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Under the starry sky, the two stood some distance from each other. Clutching the brim of her hat, Kierra gently narrowed her eyes. ''''...Be prepared.'''' She said. At this, August unsheathed her sword, smiling. ''''I''m always prepared for you, darling.'''' ''''Still has theposure to flirt, hah...'''' With a slightly annoyed expression, Kierra lightly tapped her heel onto the ground, and at that instance, an intense burst of aura surged out like a tsunami, quickly iming space for itself. Not losing to the archwizard, August also exploded her golden mana, radiating heat and light akin to the sun. Territory. This was a term that referred to a master''s sphere of presence, in which they gained a significant advantage over their enemies. Whoever seized this first advancement would surely be the one standing at the end... if they weren''t these two, that was. As both Kierra''s and August''s territories shed with one another, a massive wave of distorted mana was discharged to the surroundings, immediately ttening the ground to near perfection. No one won. Yet, keeping their territories up was a must. So, the two began to engage in the fight fully. Kierra quickly took off to the sky and began to chant around a dozen spells, trailing a cluster of rainbow formations following her figure. Meanwhile, August''s sword began to glow a tranquil golden. When she lightly took a step forward ck! As soon as the sound of her heel rang, she disappeared entirely from the spot and emerged right in front of Kierra. Her slender sword twitched, and the next moment, it had already made a wide cut across the archwizard''s torso. ''''...'''' However, August felt instinctiveshe didn''t cut anything. The mirage quickly faded away, leaving only a barrage of potent magic bombs behind. Even masters would struggle to survive against this much firepower, yet the Sword Empress lightly raised her mana shield and confidently faced the attack. Just like that, a deafening explosion took ce in the sky, shaking the ground as if an earthquake was running rampant. When August eventually emerged unscathed, she instantly made a wide sh upward, subsequently slicing the meteoring her way into halves. Her gaze was always on Kierra, who floated high in the sky. The next moment, the meteorites rammed themselves into the ground with immense momentum, melting away the rocks and causing a devastating eruption. The whole area was lit up, and amidst the blinding light, August, once again, lightly stepped forward in the air. ''''Hmph.'''' Sensing the Sword Empress''s presence behind her, Kierra turned around and unleashed her spell.

?Ice Prison7? A sturdy cage of ice manifested in a matter of milliseconds. Inside, multiple chains tied August''s limbs, fixing them in ce. One of the first strategies Kierra realized when preparing for the duel was to restrain the Sword Empress. Even though it might look as though August knew teleportation, she was just moving too fast. So, seizing her mobility was crucial. Nevertheless, August''s face was calm. ''''When did you be this lukewarm?'''' She smirked at Kierra. ''''This much is enough.'''' Kierra coldly snorted. ''''Hahah...! Even though you say that, aren''t you just bing mellow while hanging out with those weaklings?'''' August shook her head mockingly. ''''It''s just like when we began dating.'''' In reality, Kierra, in herter years, was ruthless. It was abination of boredom andziness that prompted her to finish her opponents quickly. However, Kierra, in her twenties, was an absolute sweetheart as far as August was concerned. She was kind, sympathetic, bashful, and adorable. ''''Really... you''re making it harder and harder for me to give up.'''' A dangerous glint shed in August''s golden pupils, sending a shiver to Kierra. Before the archwizard knew it, August had vanished within the ice cage. ''''?!'''' Impossible. She didn''t feel anything, even with her absolute mana perception! ''''I didn''t just y around, you know?'''' Suddenly, Kierra felt warmth behind her back. From nowhere, a pair of arms ran above her shoulders and hugged her neck. Assaulted by the nostalgic yet alluring scent from her former lover, and while feeling her body heat enveloping her skin, Kierra felt as though strength was escaping from deep within her. At this moment, not even her proud ten circles of mana could work properly. ''''Lovely.'''' Against this Kierra, August easily cupped Kierra''s pretty chin and turned the archwizard''s face toward hers. ''''...!'''' Kierra widened her eyes as her lips were swiftly stolen. The softness, the warmth, the obsessiveness within that kissit was the same as she remembered. For a moment, her brain nearly melted. A long silence hung in the ce as the two connected. Only after a long while did August finally retreat, licking her lips deliciously. ''''I lost. Let''s stop this meaningless fight.'''' August softly said. ''''It''s been a long time. I want us to enjoy our time together.'''' ''''...'''' Kierra was deep in thought. For one, contrary to August''s kind words, her hand was already creeping into Kierra''s robe, grazing her tender skin on the bountiful mountains. It was painfully clear that August had other intentions. Yet, Kierra found herself wanting topromise. She didn''t feel repulsed at August''s actions when she was supposed tono, she yearned for it, almost instinctively. Wryly, Kierra opened her mouth ''''...'''' And nothing came out. She suddenly remembered the promise she made to herself a while ago: to once and for all put an end to this centuries-long fate. Whether she would tie the knot with August or cut the tie with her, she was determined to figure it out while fighting. At that moment, Kierra felt her mind clearer than ever. Her heart thumped fast and loudly as if encouraging her, and finally, Kierra closed her eyes. ''''I see.'''' She muttered. Mistaking this as a sign of submission, August boldly pushed her hand further inside, and that was when she felt Kierra''s heartbeats... and her mana cirction. ''''!!'''' Releasing herself from the archwizard, the Sword Empress retreated to the side, barely dodging the sma beaming from Kierra''s back. With a rare smile, Kierra turned around. ''''Let''s have a good time, shall we?'''' Case 63: Lady. Case 63: Lady. ''''Lady, won''t you look at me?'''' ''''Pfftwhat was that, all of a sudden? Calling me ''Lady'' out of the blue...'''' ''''Well? I just want to let you know... that you are incredibly beautiful, My Lady.'''' ''''I-I see... thank you, I suppose.'''' ''''Seeing you every day is a blessing, My Lady.'''' ''''Me too. I like seeing you every day!'''' ''''I''m sincere.'''' ''''Huh? Um... ahw-what are you saying now... silly.'''' ''''Fufu... would you like to go on a walk?'''' ''''Alright...'''' ''''Grab my hand.'''' ''''Mhm.'''' Love. This was a concept Kierra had pondered for centuries. It was a strange feelingsuffocating, needlessly dramatic, yet strangely beautiful. When she turned twenty, she had her first taste of love. It was when August suddenly changed the way she treated Kierra. No, maybe it wasn''t sudden. August would frequently probe around the archwizard and attempt more intimate acts, constantly sending subliminal toward her. Even an idiot like Kierra would notice in a short time. Initially, Kierra treated August as a precious big sistersomeone who would support her whenever she needed it and, ultimately, her savior. Yet, she could hardly resist August''s advances. She would feel her heart flutter terribly when faced with the affectionate eyes of ''big sister.'' After a few years, love finally blossomed between the two. They became partners for life, promising an eternity to each other. ''Ironically.'' Kierraughed inwardly. Time was a cruel thing. At some point, her rtionship with August took a grim turn. She wouldn''t know why, how, or when it really happened. Even right now, as she exchanged attack after attack with August, she could not put a rest to the turbulence in her heart. Her colorful magic collided with August''s brilliant sword, and with each exchange, she could see her old lover''s face clearly. A face of longing. Kierra had spent hundreds of years with this woman. There was no way she wouldn''t know what she was thinking right now. She knew that August''s love was as unblemished as the day she confessed, and she knew August was hurting because of their separation. But what about her? Thinking back, Kierra had honestly not been as faithful. A few decades after breaking up with August, she made a new fatea serious one, even if August thought it was just a farce. ''Faithful?'' Not ''faithful.'' She had already dered her breakup. If so, why did she feel like she was cheating? Right, she was still in love with August, no matter what. She still yearned for her warmth, her touch, and her love for centuries. However, what about the second lover? The one who indulged Kierra in an endless rain of sweetness, the one who healed Kierra every time she felt down, and the one who loved Kierra unconditionally. Kierra loved her. That was for sure. So, in the end, what was the problem? The more Kierra asked herself this question, the more conflicted she felt. Was she naturally a fickle woman? Was loving multiple people at once wrong? Kierra was fine with it. She was confident she could love many women at once. However... August. In many ways, August was a bad candidate for Kierra''s current arrangement. If she were to get back with the Sword Empress, Kierra would need her to make severalpromises. ''Alright.'' In an instant, her heart became clear. As soon as she boiled the matter down, there was no reason to hesitate. With a resolute gesture, Kierra swiped her finger horizontally from left to right, leaving behind a blue trail. Heeding hermand, mana began to pour out from her heart, enveloping a vast area. Kierra snapped her finger, and at that moment, a gust of wind so strong it made August''s gait slightly faltered descended. From absolutely nowhere, snow began to fall. It quickly escted to be an intense blizzard, obstructing August''s greatly.

?Blizzard8? August squinted her eyes. As she was about to explode her mana to repel the snow, she suddenly felt her limbs being tied to the ground. In reality, she was being held in ce by numerous metallic chains, ones that were significantly sturdier than thest. ''''What...'''' She muttered. There was no sign of it whatsoever. Even if Kierra got stronger, there should be no way she would miss a mana sign... ''Ah.'' August btedly realizedit was qi. Before she could properly react, however, a figure emerged from within the blinding blizzard. Just like before, Kierra grabbed the Sword Empress''s chin. ''''Hey.'''' She called. ''''Do you still love me?'''' ''''What are you saying? Of course, I still love you to death.'''' August replied with no hesitation. ''''It''s even stronger than before.'''' ''''...Do you still want to... lock me up? Or whatever?'''' Seeing Kierra''s solemn eyes, August chuckled. ''''I wish I could break your legs and put you in a cage so that you would only look at me, my love.'''' ''''That''s violent.'''' ''''I know. If possible, I don''t want to use that method.'''' ''''Can''t you love me like normal?'''' ''''What''s normal for you isn''t necessarily normal for me.'''' ''''My normal, then.'''' ''''...I can try.'''' ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Huh? Wasn''t that... a positive answer? Kierra was stunned. She didn''t know August would justply if she asked for it! Now that she remembered, she might have forgotten to state her reason for the breakup... Her head was dizzy. After a brief pause, the archwizard opened her mouth again. ''''Then... what if I love... other women when I''m with you?'''' In an instant, August''s face turned cold. Her golden eyes lost their luster, and her subtle smile disappeared entirely. ''''It''s not funny even as a joke, darling.'''' Hearing August''s chilling tone, Kierra involuntarily shivered. A pang of guilt hit her heart, and she felt like hiding underground for a moment. Right. There was no way this could work. In the first ce, they had promised to dedicate their whole to the other person, so this was out from the get-go. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' For a while, Kierra just gazed at August''s ambiguous face, contemting her choices. If she chose to cut this fate, she would probably end up with another woman soon, but if she were to embrace August here... If she were to have August by her side... Clutching the brim of her hat, Kierra eventually gave it up to her heart. Gritting her teeth, she retreated her mana entirely, letting the sea of stars shine through between the two again. ''''...I''ll take it.'''' ''''Huh?'''' August couldn''t believe her ears. When she saw the archwizard''s soft smile and somewhat sentimental hints in her eyes, the Sword Empress felt her heart jumping wildly. ''''I''ll be yours again... if you still want me,'''' Kierra added. ''''I won''t look for other women, but you have to keep your promise.'''' ''''Of course.'''' With an inexplicably joyful heart, August threw her sword aside and embraced Kierra. The archwizard also ran her arms around her now lover''s back, and the two stayed still for a long time. The stars shone on them. ''''...Lady, won''t you look at me?'''' ''''Huh... fufu, what''s with you, all of a sudden?'''' The two giggled together. ''''Well? I just want to let you know... that you are the most charming person in existence. It''s a miracle that I can see you.'''' ''''The scale of the worship has gone up.'''' ''''So has my heart for you. It''s inevitable.'''' ''''Cheeky.'''' ''''Don''t you love it?'''' ''''Mhm...'''' ''''Let''s go on a walk. Grab my hand.'''' ''''Alright.'''' Case 64: Coveted. Case 64: Coveted. ''''It''s like that. So, you all can get lost.'''' With a single sentence, the room plunged into chaos. ''''N-No way! I won''t be deterred that easily!'''' ''''Not after what she did to us...'''' ''''Can we reach apromise, at least...?'''' Watching the women squirm around her bedroom like a bunch of children losing their favorite toy, Kierra felt a pang of guilt in her heart. After all, she had been constantly feeding them with affection for almost a year. She hugged them, kissed them, did yful things with their bodies, and she even slept with Yu Chen just yesterday. Even if they weren''t truly head over heels with her, there was bound to be milder love. She felt horrible. She felt like she deceived them all this time. In truth, Kierra loved to receive affection from her surroundings. She was initially a child whom the people around her shunned, so maybe she yearned for love because of that. Losing ties to these women made her heartbroken. Yet, when she thought about the familiar woman holding her hand beside her, maybe it was worth it... ''''I refuse to ept this.'''' A determined voice interrupted Kierra''s train of thought. It was Yu Chen. The martial master of Qinling, who usually wore a serene face, now had her brows furrowed, clearly dissatisfied with what was transpiring in front of her. A woman suddenly appeared out of nowhere and snatched her crush, who she just had a chance to sleep with yesterday. This was basically what Yu Chen perceived. ''''Past lover or not, I don''t care.'''' She dered. ''''You don''t deserve Kierra.'''' Immediately, a cross vein popped on August''s immacte face. ''''Pfftdo you think you are, then? What qualifications do you have?'''' She snorted. ''''Are you strong enough to stand with her, shoulder to shoulder? Do you have inexhaustible wealth? Do you own thergest empire?'''' Suddenly finding herself unable to retort, Yu Chen shook her head and gathered her thoughts. ''''...But you are toxic.'''' She stared forward, her eyes unwavering. ''''You hurt Kierra before, and I don''t want to see her hurt again.'''' ''''What do you know about our centuries-long rtionship?'''' August shot back. ''''in the first ce, she already agreed, and we are a couple already, so you all can get lost.'''' ''''Tsk...'''' ''''Especially you, little sneaky rat.'''' (???)(???)(???) For a moment, everyone shared a sentimentshock. It was the first time Yu Chen was called a ''rat.'' Well, it was probably because of her entanglement with Kierra yesterday. ''''Um...'''' Right then, a certain white-haired woman spoke up. ''''It''s quite a heated topic... I mean, can I ask for a simple favor?'''' She said with an innocent smile, appearing harmless. ''''Continue.'''' August nodded. ''''If you two are fine with it... can I be Kierra''s... concubine? Or something...'''' She trailed off, mostly because of the Sword Empress''s cold gaze directed at her. In truth, Tian Yun was prepared for this. She knew Kierra''s intention of creating a harem, and she thought she would be fine with the position of a concubineor something adjacent to it. If the first seat were Yu Chen, then it would be even more merry. Master and disciple loving the same personwouldn''t that sound wonderful? However, the first person now was quite wrong...! ''''Hah...'''' August sighed heavily,bing her bang backward with her slender hand. For a moment, she appeared as though a troubled lone wolf, involuntarily capturing the heart of another person beside her. ????? ? ?.? Kierra gave a thumbs-up in her heart. Being the ultimate attention and affection seeker that she was, Kierra enjoyed this scene to oblivion. She loved it when people fought over her, and she loved August''s excessively charming expression when she got annoyed. That was why she kept her mouth pursed. Besides, she probably shouldn''t intervene in thispetition anyway. After a brief silence, August firmly pulled Kierra''s waist toward herself and spoke. ''''Apart from this rat and that lotus, do any of you want to be the concubine, too?'''' '''''''' ...? '''''''' What was the meaning of that question...? It was almost as though August would allow it...? Regardless of it, Mie Xieren boldly raised her hand. ''''I am. Being near her is enough for me.'''' She said with a kind smile, shattering the image of a cold beauty in an instant. Yet, this smile was what mesmerized Kierra. She knew it, so she only showed it to the archwizard. ''''That makes two. What about you?'''' As August''s gaze turned to Kang Shuren and Bai Qing, the two stared at each other dumbly. One needed no sharp observation to tell that they were unsure of themselves. Even though they were in the same inner circle as the others, their feelings weren''t concrete at the moment. Kierra herself knew this, and she didn''t force it either. In fact, besides the initial drunk kiss nine months ago, Kierra hadn''t done anything overly intimate with the two. Feeling that the sense of urgency and the fear of August would lead to them making rash decisions, the archwizard spoke up. ''''You two can take time. There''s no need to rush.'''' Her tone was mild, and her expression was kind enough. So, Bai Qing and Kang Shuren dly took the offer, opting out of this petition'' for the moment. ''''Three concubines, hm...'''' August pondered. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' After what seemed like an eternity, when the tension was at its highest, the Sword Empress snapped her finger. ''''Nope.'''' '''''''' ...Huh? '''''''' ''''What? This little kitten is wholly mine, and I don''t want to share her. Simple as that.'''' ''''That''s greedy!'''' Yu Chen yelled. ''''So?'''' At this point, an unsightly re had already appeared on Yu Chen''s beautiful face. She repeatedly tried to calm her mind, yet it proved to have little effect. ''''Well? This conversation ends here.'''' August sighed. ''''We''re here anyway; let''s do a trip around this globe, darling?'''' ''''Ah... that''s alright,'''' Kierra replied. Seeing as though her crush might be taken away forever at this moment, Yu Chen yearned forward and grabbed the archwizard''s hand. ''''Kierra, please.'''' She pleaded. ''''I can make you much, much happier than she can.'''' At this point, it was desperation. Nine months. This was nothing to a cultivator, yet in just those short nine months, Kierra managed to shake Yu Chen''s world so much that she couldn''t give up no matter what. Seeing this side of Yu Chen for the first time, even Kierra hesitated. She should coldly reject her right here, yet she couldn''t bring herself to do it. ''''I...'''' Kierra trailed off, biting her lips. ''''Don''t do that.'''' August stroked Kierra''s soft lips with her thumb, easing the tense woman. After giving her a peck, the Sword Empress turned to Yu Chen. ''''Fine, fine. I shall give you a chance.'''' She said. ''''Let uspete fairly this time.'''' Instantly, the women of Central Divine Realm perked up. ''''But, you are much stronger than us...'''' Tian Yun raised her doubt. ''''I know.'''' August shrugged. ''''That is why we will bepeting... in bed.'''' Ah? (???)?(???)?(???)? ''''Whoever can make my little kitten feel the best will win. How about it?'''' August grinned. ''''B-But, she is...'''' Bai Qing eximed, her cheeks flushed red. ''''Hm? Ah, I''m not so narrow-minded that I won''t let anyone touch her. This rat did it with her anyway.'''' The Sword Empress proimed. ''''I am confident that she will choose me no matter what; that is why I''m giving you this chance. Be grateful, peasants.'''' While everybody was dumbfounded at this overly open-minded ''culture'' from August, Kierra was looking at her lover strangely. Nevertheless, after deciding that Yu Chen would be the first onepeting with Kierra, the three went to the archwizard''s bedroom. That night, they fucked. A lot. The next morning. Yu Chen slumped to the ground in the living room with a ghastly face. ''''It''s over...'''' Case 65: A new path. Case 65: A new path. ''''...'''' ''''What''s wrong, my love?'''' ''''No, just...'''' In the elegantly decorated bedroom, a couple was peacefully spending their time together. Draped in the same quilt, one that carried the two''s scent from yesterday... and another''s, they hugged. August had her arms around Kierra''s waist, pulling the archwizard toward herself for a tight embrace. On their porcin skin, bright red marks of yesterday''s ''battle'' remained. ''''Why did you do that?'''' Kierra asked, allowing herself to lean on August''s shoulder. ''''I don''t know what you''re talking about,'''' August replied with a faint smile, stroking her lover''s back. As if protesting, Kierra pouted. At the moment, she was no longer the renowned archwizard, so she freely pouted. Looking up annoyedly at the blue-haired woman, Kierra grumbled. ''''You keep teasing me...'''' Against this cute creature, August had to resort to her well-trained finger. She poked Kierra''s slightly inted cheek, then closed in for a few kisses. A warm, satisfying sensation filled her heart as she pressed her lips onto the person''s skin. This was love. ''''You know.'''' August closed her eyes peacefully. ''''I love you a lot.'''' ''''I knome too.'''' ''''After losing you two hundred years ago, I realized.'''' ''''...?'''' Suddenly, a hint of mncholia could be seen on the Sword Empress''s face. Sensing an important topic, Kierra pursed her mouth. ''''I loved you. I loved you so much. I could dly destroy the world as we know it if you want me to. I still can.'''' ''''And that''s where I was wrong.'''' ''''I only cared about you and my love for you... so Ipletely ignored your feelings.'''' ''''I asked myselfwhat did I do wrong? I mulled over and over, and I was able to reach the conclusion.'''' ''''I didn''t put your happiness before my greediness. I was arrogant.'''' ''''So, I''m sorry, Kierra.'''' Kierra let out a hollowugh. Right now, she felt as though she was still in the dreand. Thinking back, this whole cultivation thing was ridiculous anyway. When she opened her eyes, she would see her usual office at the top of the Crimson Tower. Her first disciple, Angelica, woulde in right after with a cup of hot chocte, and she would be bored for the next week. ''But...'' Undoubtedly, the warmth she could feel from August was genuine. The words she received were heartfelt. The fast-beating heart was also hers. Eventually, Kierra reached out her hand and stroked the other person''s head. ''''It''s good that you know.'''' She said. ''''And... I might have been harsh on you at times. I''m sorry.'''' ''''Thank you, truly. For giving me a chance.'''' ''''...But why did you allow Yu Chen to join us yesterday, anyway?'''' August was a possessive woman. She, as Kierra knew it, wouldn''t let a soul touch her hair even if they were to offer their already dead body. The world nearly ended when the Sword Empress found out another woman was sleeping with Kierait was that scary. And the same woman was now letting these casual 3Ps happen? She must''ve eaten something wrong! At this, August took a handful of Kierra''s ck hair and sniffed it, seemingly absorbing a divine scent. ''''You want it, don''t you?'''' August smiled wryly. ''''A harem.'''' ''''...!'''' ''''Shh. I know you more than you do.'''' The Sword Empress put her index finger on Kierra''s lips. ''''It''s fine. I''ll let you. As long as you are happy. Just...'''' ''''...Just?'''' ''''Let me be a bit more greedy at times, okay?'''' The woman''s golden eyes were sincere. In an instant, the luster inside those eyes blew away all doubts and concerns haunting Kierra''s heart. She could feel a tangible, indescribable delight welling up inside her, blooming like flowers, constant like waves, and sweet like honey. For the surest answer she could give, Kierra smiled. ''''Of course. You will always be my number one.'''' Then, she kissed her beloved, permanently sealing the fate between the two. This time, for certain.
''''Ugh...'''' ''''W-Was it really that bad...?'''' ''''This is quite concerning...'''' In the living room of Kierra''s home dimension, three stunning women could be seen huddling over at the corner. Dressed in a light robe without much underneath, Yu Chen was currently being consoled by Tian Yun and Mie Xieren. The woman looked like she had gone through hell. ''''S-She was on another level...!'''' Yu Chen muttered. ''''I''ve never seen Kierra like that before...'''' Tian Yun and Mie Xieren gazed at each other, worries apparent in their eyes. Yesterday, Yu Chen went in quite confidently, saying that she would make Kierra ascend to heaven with her fingers... and the result wasthis. ''''She''s a tougher opponent than I thought...'''' Tian Yun mulled. ''''Hm. We need to find another way.'''' Mie Xieren nods with a grim expression. ''''Maybe we need to join forces.'''' ''''That''s a great idea!'''' The white lotus perked up. ''''Could we win if we pinned that woman down and do her as well?'''' ''''Wrong target. But you have the spirit, at least.'''' ''In the first ce, do you even have experience...?'' was what Mie Xieren was about to say, but she felt a presence behind her. ''''Good morning.'''' It was a strangely friendly Kierra. Normally, things like basic greets were promptly skipped when it came to the archwizard, yet she was doing it with a smile today! Kierra''s good mood was almost tangible. Moreover... ''''...Did you guys do it again??'''' Yu Chen asked in disbelief. As powerful cultivators, she, as well as the other two, had their senses enhanced to an unbelievable degree. From the slightly damp hair sticking to her nape, her sightly irregr breathing, her alluring scent that mixed deeply with another''s refreshing one, to the faint blush on her cheeks. Kierra was also a human. Of course, she knew shameexcept she didn''t really know it. ''''Yes,'''' Kierra replied with a smile. ''''Before you ask, it was incredible.'''' ''''Ugh... it''s over.'''' Seeing Yu Chen, who was about to cry, even Kierra felt quite bad. She reached her hand and stroked the woman''s head gently, winking at the other two. ''''About us going forward.'''' When Kierra mentioned this, the three tensed up visibly. ''''I have a piece of good news for all of you.'''' Kierra continued. ''''You see, Au is exceedingly confident in her love for me and my love for her. So confident, in fact, that she dares you all topete with her in that regard. The prize is, of course, me.'''' '''''''' Eh? '''''''' (???)?(???)?(???)? ''''You can freely decide whether to flirt with me or seduce mewhatever you want. She and I wee it.'''' Perhaps notprehending the situation in the slightest, the three spent a bit of time staring forward dumbly. Really? A woman who is willing to let others approach her lover just to prove her love? Was that a thing? However, when they thought about it, wasn''t this incredibly advantageous for them? By nature, they were already a team, so if one were to get the golden seat, the others could naturally take the second and third without a hitch. If one won, all would win. Suddenly, the momentum was overwhelming! Seeing them realizing this one by one, Kierra was amused. August had let her create a harem right away, but she wasn''t going to finish it uninteresting. So, she thought about a fierypetition. ''These three are basically in... so that leaves Kang Shuren and Bai Qing.'' Kierra licked her lips. It was time to seduce more women. Case 66: Tourist. Case 66: Tourist. ''''So, an Immortal is essentially a person who had transcended to the higher ne of existence by oveing the heavenly''s trials and tribtions... erm...'''' ''''What nonsense is that?'''' ''''...'''' ''''Forcing punishments onto people just because they got a bit strong? Isn''t that merely repression stemming from insecurity and cowardice?'''' ''''Even if you ask me that...'''' ''''Normally, one should only be punished by the universe if they try to alter causality. Do you think the likes of you can do that?'''' ''''...'''' It was arrogant, yet none of the cultivators present could refute it. Sitting across the usual wizard crew of White Lotus was a stunning woman possessing an imposing aura. Even though she only wore casual attire, one look into her golden eyes was enough to put just about anyone into their ce. This oppressive atmosphere was even more intense than Kierra''s when she had just gotten to this realm. Talk about Kierra; she was sipping her tea peacefully amidst this tense situation. ''''Haven''t you been here for a while, Au?'''' The archwizard asked. ''''Why are you so oblivious?'''' ''''I wasn''t interested. That''s all.'''' August said with a bored face. ''''Cultivation or whatnot, I only care about you.'''' ''''...Thanks.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' ''''...Well? What do you think happened to the causality?'''' The Sword Empress inquired. ''''Someone might have dared to tinker with thews of the universe... or it had always been this way. Who knows.'''' The archwizard replied. ''''Hm. I forget this was a foreign universe sometimes.'''' ''''Still, there is something suspicious about this ''Heavenly Dao'' I''ve been hearing.'''' ''''Do you want me to cut the sky open so we can find out?'''' ''''...No, silly.'''' (???)(???)(???) Hearing the couple casually talk about destroying the heavens above, one couldn''t help but be bbergasted. However, the five felt somewhere in their minds as though it was actually possible. If it''s these two... ...Probably not. ''''Hahah, that''s a nice joke.'''' Tian Yun nodded sagely. ''''...'''' August was unresponsive. ''''...That''s a joke, right?'''' ''''...'''' ''''R-Right?'''' ''''What do you think?'''' Tian Yun found herself feeling pressured as August smiled at her. Was this a test...? ''''Er... I think'''' ''''I can cut the sky for Kierra.'''' Yu Chen confidently chimed in, sending the ck-haired woman across the table a warm smile. ''''I can do anything.'''' ''''Nice dream.'''' August immediately quipped. ''''Hah! What do you know about my sword arts...'''' As Yu Chen trailed off her sentence, she suddenly remembered a crucial detailher phantom sword right now was essentially a modified version of August''s reality-splitting swordan inferior version at that. Just like that, Yu Chen was teased heavily for a while. Tian Yun, who basically escaped from this fate, sighed in relief. After a while, everyone grew bored of just sitting, so Tian Yun proposed an idea. ''''That''s right, why don''t we lead Miss August around our sect?'''' She said with a smile. ''''I have confidence in my sect, so I''m sure you will like it.'''' ''''That''s a great idea,'''' Kierra replied instead. ''''Chen, Yun, Xie. Can I leave Au to you three?'''' ''''Huh? Why us...'''' ''''Shuren and Qing, would you two mind having tea with me?'''' The archwizard winked at August, to which the Sword Empress simply sighed and nodded. Although a bit puzzling, no one minded this arrangement proposed by Kierra. If there was one question... ''''What''s with those nicknames...?'''' Mie Xieren blinked repeatedly. ''''We''re not strangers anymore. I don''t want to call you all formally.'''' Kierra replied calmly. ''''Oh.'''' The usually cold woman blushed lightly, and it was certainly a sight to behold as she was famous for her beauty. After splitting up, Kierra''s group headed to a famous teahouse in the town of White Lotus. They reserved the top floor entirely, intending for a private conversation. Quietly, Kang Shuren and Bai Qing admired Kierra, who was sitting across the table. The archwizard now had her makeuprgely removed, creating a far more gentle aura aspared to before. She kept gazing out the window with an unreadable expression, invoking righteous curiosity from whoever saw this scene. The more they looked, the more their eyes were drawn to Kierra''s luscious lips. Those pinkish, soft-looking, and delicious-looking lips... they were much more ''kissable.'' Even though one of them had a blindfold on. ''''Let''s not waste any time.'''' Kierra suddenly said. ''''I''m sure you two want to train soon.'''' With the recent victory against the unorthodox faction, the whole world was currently enchanted in a festive mood. Together with that, the spirit of cultivation had been aroused, leading to the birth of a new and more enthusiastic generation of cultivators. ''''Ah, I don''t mind spending with Master Kierra...'''' Bai Qing scratched her cheek. ''''Me too.'''' Kang Shuren followed. ''''I see.'''' Kierra simply nodded. After organizing her thoughts, Kierra spoke again. ''''Today, I want to discuss the matter rting to our rtionship with you two.'''' This was within the realm of expectation. Both of them had already realized this the moment Kierra tried to talk to them alone. Yet, they found this chat quite stressful for some reason. Nevertheless, they braced themselves and let Kierra continue. ''''First, I wonder if you two have the answer ready?'''' Kierra asked. ''''It''s fine if you don''t. It''s only been... what? A day?'''' A day was indeed not enough for something as important as this. However, it wasn''t as though they didn''t think about it. For both of them, the mere idea of embracing Kierra, the most noble and powerful woman they had seen, was irritatingly alluring. The sense of conquer they would experience was bound to be addicting no matter what. Still, there was the problem of their feelings. As long as they called themselves righteous, they wouldn''t want topete for a lover''s spot because of the person''s strength. Bai Qing had always felt like she wascking. She was easily the weakest in the circle, and she basically had no ambition. All she wanted was to live peacefully and raise her cute younger martial sisters while gradually cultivating her strength. So, to step foot into thispetition, she would need to step out of herfort zone and be ready to face the extraordinary. This was the reason she hesitated, although her heart had already yearned for Kierra, more or less. On the other hand, Kang Shuren was fearless. She would easily join thepetition and try her best... if only she were sure of her heart. She initially followed Kierra for her godly cool image and stayed for her unparalleled power and charisma, yet she always wondered if she was charmed by this otherworldly woman. Kang Shuren was inexperienced. ''''...'''' Kierra sighed as she looked at the two, who were shaking their heads. ''Not enough time...'' Yet, she felt like a week had passed by ever since August came here. A night spent with August was bound to be long and exhausting. Perhaps because of the longing she felt after a long time, August literally didn''t let Kierra rest for a moment. Not that she didn''t like it. ''''Well... I''m not intending to create pressure on you two.'''' Kierra said, sipping her tea. ''''I know I''ve been neglecting you ever since that night, but how about we get to know each other slowly from now?'''' ''''You mean...?'''' Bai Qing blinked. ''''Let us go on dates... and such. How about it?'''' A date invitation straight from the greatest in the world. Bai Qing and Kang Shuren were rightfully stunned. Meanwhile, in another corner of White Lotus. ''''Oh, this one looks good.'''' Looking at the unreasonably thin underwear August held up, the trio facepalmed. ''''Isn''t that basically nothing...?'''' Yu Chen asked in disbelief. ''''Why do they have this in the first ce??'''' Mie Xieren looked at Tian Yun with a questioning gaze, which the person avoided right away. ''''Tch, tch, tch. This is why amateurs are...'''' August shook her head. ''''Imagine Kierra wearing this. Mortals would faint at that mere thought.'''' ''''I mean...'''' ''''She will love it when Ipliment her as well. I''ll take this one.'''' As the Sword Empress hummed, the trio couldn''t help but share the same thought ''Won''t she just get beaten at this rate...?'' Case 67: Travel. Case 67: Travel. ''''Hey, honey.'''' ''''A weird nickname came up again... what''s the matter, Au?'''' ''''Do you know what day is today?'''' ''''Eh? It''s not August... so not your birthday... our anniversary is not yet...'''' ''''It''s your birthday!'''' ''''Oh.'''' ''''You always wanted a new hat, right? Imission one for you.'''' ''''This is quite nice...'''' ''''Right? I oversaw the crafting myself!'''' ''''Thanks, Au. I''ll treasure it.''''
''''...'''' ''''Do you like it, honey?'''' Staring at the piece of cloth on the table, Kierra''s eyes turned cold. She was briefly excited as August apparently brought her a present, but this... ''''...Let''s break up.'''' As soon as Kierra said that with an emotionless voice, even the wizard crew couldn''t help but shudder. August herself, however, stubbornly clung to the archwizard, acting as though nothing was wrong. ''''Muh...'''' ''''...'''' ''''Ugh...!'''' ''''Stop grunting. You look like a child.'''' ''''This child is hungry for attention, so spoil me, mama~!'''' Kierra''s eyes quickly turned to a grim color,pletely losing their luster as she looked at the disgraceful image of her lover. As if seriously nudging her for some measly head pats and rubs, August curled up on the sofa, pressing her face against Kierra''s stomach. Although August made it look like nothing, the others in the room couldn''t help but break out in cold sweat. It was utter disappointment that was reflected in the archwizard''s eyes. They were her disciples, so how could they not be upset at that? Mixed with fear was, of course, jealousy. August was too shameless and proactive in her moves that they wouldn''t be able to share intimate moments with Kierra at all! Their initial impression of August was that she was a fierce wolf, but now she seemed more like a fox! Yu Chen, in particr, gritted her teeth. ''''What is wrong with you...'''' Kierra sighed, stroking the smooth, light blue hair that resembled the sky. ''''I''m bored.'''' Suddenly, the Sword Empress turned her head upward, putting Kierra''s hand over her mouth, and said. Indeed, it had been close to a week since August began to live in this ce. In that timeframe, she was taken on numerous trips around the vicinity, yet, unlike Kierra, she didn''t have much interest in scenery and such, so she quickly became bored. ''''If you''re bored, teach Chen some moves.'''' Kierra sighed. ''''Why would I teach my rival?'''' Clicking her tongue at the shameless Sword Empress, Kierra got closer to the person''s ear. ''''If you do it, I will wear the present for you tonight.'''' She whispered. In an instant, August sprung up, cleared her throat, and assumed a serious appearance. ''''Ahem. More disciples are always wee.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' (???)(???)(???) Unexpectedly, Yu Chen got herself an enlightening lesson the following afternoon. Her swordsmanship skills rose rapidly in the span of just a few hours, yet she couldn''t help but feel bitter. She felt like she was selling her crush for it! In the end, Kierra had to soothe the woman again a while after that. ''''Hah...'''' Right when Kierra thought everything would be peaceful, August nagged her once more. ''''I''m still bored.'''' The Sword Empress said with a deadpan. ''''...What do you want to do?'''' ''''Hm... travel, maybe? With you.'''' ''''Travel...'''' Now that Kierra thought about it, she hadn''t had a chance to explore this realm until now properly. Before, she had to constantly fight a terrifying demon called ziness,'' after all. Imagining herself quietly admiring the exotic beauty of another civilization got the archwizard''s heart thumped. Buried in the midst of people, letting the wind guide her through the continent... It was too attractive. ''''Alright.'''' As soon as she decided that, she notified her crew about her n. Surprisingly, it was August who asked if anybody wanted to follow the couple. With every one of them shouting a profound ''yes,'' the trip was bound to be lively... except it wasn''t. As it was, Mie Xieren would need toe back to her sect for work soon, so she promised to catch up with themter in the trip. Tian Yun was the sect leader, so she couldn''t be away for long, either. For Qinling Peak, which was full of young girls, it would be unmanageable if both Yu Chen, the peak''s master, and Bai Qing, the eldest martial sister, were to be absent. So, it was decided through a round of rock-paper-scissors that Yu Chen would need to stay. With her purple eyes full of despair, Yu Chen stared intently at Kang Shuren, who had no responsibility and thus was confidently following Kierra. In the end, there were only four people apanying each other. And it just happened to be two young women and two of the most formidable entities in the world. Sitting inside a carriage, Bai Qing and Kang Shuren couldn''t help but feel nervous. Usually, they would have one of the three ''elders'' to take onmunicating with Kierra and August, but here, they only had each other. To avoid pulling unwanted attention, White Lotus prepared a rtively normal-sized carriage as well, so the distance between them was unnaturally short. ''''So... we''re going to Hanam this time,'''' August spoke. ''''What''s there?'''' Rightfully, the question was directed at the two young women. ''''Erm... that is where the Immortal League is located, Miss August.'''' Bai Qing replied. ''''Immortal League?'''' August raised her eyebrow. ''''It is something simr to the Linoel Federation.'''' Kierra chimed in. Linoel was the name of the continent on which Kierra used to live. At thisparison, August let out an understanding ''Ah~'' before leaning on the archwizard''s shoulder, seemingly losing interest. ''''Is there a reason the sect leader told us to go there?'''' Kang Shuren turned to Bai Qing. ''''Ah... it was too sudden, so she didn''t tell me either.'''' Bai Qing smiled awkwardly. ''''But I think she wants us to see the uing Dragons and Phoenixes Gathering.'''' ''''Oh, that.'''' ''''That sounds like nonsense again,'''' August interjected absentmindedly. ''''You guys really love overly pretentious stuff, don''t you?'''' ''''Ahahah...'''' Bai Qing scratched her cheek, finding no word to refute. ''''Exin.'''' ''''Eh?'''' ''''I said exin.'''' Swallowing a hot breath, Bai Qing diligently recited the information about this event. ''''In essence, it is a gathering of the most promising stars in this generation. There should be a friendly tournament following the meeting as well.'''' At this, both Kierra and August perked up. ''''Didn''t they do that a while ago?'''' The archwizard asked, stroking her lover''s hair. ''''It''s different this time, Master Kierra.'''' Bai Qing shook her head. ''''This tournament is exclusive to the strongest geniuses, whereas the Sprout Tournament was merely for ''talents'' of immortal sects.'''' In reality, there were groups that held power aside from immortal sects. Noble ns and governmentssuch were also thriving in this world. This meant that even more talents would be present and, thus, more potential disciples for Kierra to snatch. ''I see...'' Suddenly, she thought the usually oblivious Tian Yun was quite clever today, not knowing that the White Lotus had no idea about any of thisshe simply wanted the specialty snack of the region, which Bai Qing would buy for herter. Nevertheless, the carriage continued, and it would take a while before they reached Hanam. Case 68: Closest to Heaven. Case 68: Closest to Heaven. ''''Bai Qing, your left!'''' ''''Eh? Wait, where did these ballistaee from?!'''' ''''Activate the emergency defense magic, quick!'''' ''''Okayack! We''re dead!'''' Two young women''s painful wails could be heard in the rattling carriage. Once again, they had lost the magically simted war game that Kierra provided when there was nothing to do. ''''Too easy.'''' August sneered. ''''Mghm...'''' ''''Ugh...'''' They med their losses entirely on Kierra and August''s unparalleled synergy! Goddamn normies... A few days had passed since their journey began. Gradually, they became more and more regretful of the fact that they didn''t choose to go by other methods. Riding a carriage was fine for the first day or so, but it quickly became unbearable afterward. There was nothing to do. In addition, all four of them didn''t need to sleep, making it even more boring as time went by. ''''Who was the one proposing a carriage? This is uneptable.'''' ''''...It was you, Master Kierra. You said you wanted to admire the scenery slowly.'''' ''''Oh.'''' ''''...'''' ''''Ahem. Nevermind that. Here, have some snack.'''' Fortunately, Kierra still had quite a collection of magically simted games that she created back in her old world. Specifically made to pull in the yer''s interest, they were games made to entertain people purely. That was why even Kang Shuren, whose voice and face were synonymous with monotone and nkness, disyed emotions this time. If there weren''t a big blindfold covering her eyes, she would seem just like any ordinary girl. Regarding the blindfold, August actuallymended her for wearing it. Training without sight was considered a hard but rewarding method for a swordswoman, which Kang Shuren was one. Of course, the person herself was simply puzzled, receiving the praise without knowing the reason behind it. She wore it to appear even more aloof and cool than usual, and although it was inconvenient, she quickly got used to it. Strangely, she felt an unusual fondness for the blindfold after almost a year. Now, she considered it an essential item, on par with her clothes or even her sword. ''''Whew...'''' As Kang Shuren cooled her head, she noticed August ncing out the window, her brows slightly narrowed. Soon enough, the Sword Empress spoke up. ''''Darling.'''' There was only one person in this carriage who she would call ''Darling.'' ''''Hm?'''' Kierra lightly responded. ''''Aren''t you going to do something about that little stalker?'''' Seeing the puzzled young women, August added. ''''The one in red. She''s been watching us ever since the beginning.'''' ''''You mean the Immortal?'''' ''''That was the term, yes.'''' Kierra fell into contemtion. Even after half a year, the Immortal woman who had been stalking her never left, but she didn''t do anything in particr either. At some point, it was so peaceful the archwizard thought that she had really gained a stalker fan for a moment. Kierra was honestly indifferent. It wasn''t as though she didn''t have obsessed people following her before. Nevertheless, it might be alright to ask the woman directly. ''''I suppose we can question her.'''' She said tly. Hearing this seemingly casual conversation, Bai Qing and Kang Shuren looked at each other, sweat trickling down their backs. After all, not even the masters in the Tribtion Stage had seen an Immortal before, and now they were going to catch one? Before they could ponder the method to capture such an elusive target, August suddenly thrust her hand into the air. In an instant, the space itself cracked, relinquishing the ce for the Sword Empress''s hand to go in between. Then, the rift gradually widened, apanied by vivid crushing noises. It was roughly the size of a person. This somehow made the two young women feel unsettled. And right to their worries, the next moment ''''Mmph...!'''' !!! ( ) !!! ( ) Held by her throat, a woman dressed in red was pulled out of the rift, struggling in the air. Even with such a pitiful posture, her appearance immediately paralyzed them. First of all, she had an unmistakably immacte, symmetrical, and gorgeous facemostly seen in those with high cultivation bases. In this realm, the more one cultivated, the more they became beautiful. Moreover, there was this uncannily sense of otherworldliness oozing from this woman''s body, so much so that they recalled their first encounter with Kierra or August. ''''Stay still if you don''t want to die.'''' As August''s chilling voice descended, both the woman, Bai Qing, and Kang Shuren shuddered. At some point, numerous seals of worldly caliber had been ced on the woman''s body, and an unshakable barrier had enveloped the inside of the carriage. Afterpletely restraining the Immortal, August abruptly threw her on the ground. ''''Name.'''' ''''Keuh! Kuh! Ugh...! Ah...'''' ''''How fragile. Immortal... pfft.'''' The woman choked again as she stared at August. It was the first time in thousands of years that she had been ridiculed this way. Feeling as though humiliated, she gritted her teeth. ''''I said, name.'''' August narrowed her eyes. ''''!!'''' When the Sword Empress''s hand was about to grab her throat again, the woman finally yielded. ''''Y-Yan Shi! My name is Yan Shi!'''' ''''What are you?'''' ''''An Immortal, of course...'''' Nervous gulps came from the two behind Yan Shi. They were now witnessing a person who had ovee the Heavenly''s tribtions and achieved immortalityan Immortal! It was the end goal of every cultivator. The most coveted position in the entire realm... Yet, even she seemed utterly powerless. Kneeling on the floor, she looked infinitely more fragile than even Yu Chen, a mere master at the peak of the Soul Transformation Stage. Once again, their respect for Kierra and August grew exponentially. ''''Why were you following us?'''' August continued. ''''Why should I tell you?'''' Inherently, Immortals were exceptionally arrogant, and rightfully so since they were so powerful. Yet, her opponents were quite wrong this time. ''''...Is that so?'''' ''''Keuh!'''' Yan Shi''s head turned to the side. She felt her cheek tingling, which it wasn''t supposed to be. A mere mortal... hurt her celestial body. While dazed like that, the elegant, gloved hand held her chin and turned her face forward. What entered her vision was a stunning woman with light blue hair akin to the clear sky and majestic golden eyes. She was looking at her with a disdainful gaze. ''''Uh...'''' Her heart skipped a beat. Somehow, she could feel her chest tightening. It wasn''t supposed to happen. This was clearly out of the ordinary. Regardless of her feelings, however, August pressed the tip of her heel onto Yan Shi''s hand, sneering. ''''You... how truly shameless.''''
In the Central Divine Realm, there existed a small group of people who were held in absolute honor. They were the strongest of the strongzeniths of generationsbined and the living dream of every cultivator. They couldn''t im themselves as Heavenly Venerables as these titles belonged to those in the higher realm, but they were, deservingly, called Heavenly Lords. At the moment, only three Heavenly Lords remained active in the power dynamic of Central Divine Realm, and they rarely stayed in the same space. However, as the world celebrated its victory against the ultimate evil, the three gathered in Hanam to discuss the future of the realm and to simultaneously oversee the gathering of Dragons and Phoenixes. For those witnessing this sight of the three Lords at the same ce, it would feel borderline suffocating. Their auras were simply too radiant, making ordinary cultivators kneel involuntarily. '''''''' ... '''''''' And right now, the very same three Heavenly Lords were tensing up, cold sweat trickling down their back as they stared at the group in front of them. How... did an Immortal get here?! Case 69: Shameless woman. Case 69: Shameless woman. A bit earlier in the carriage. Right after August saw a strange expression shing on the face of the woman called Yan Shi, she turned to her lover, who was absentmindedly looking at the scenery outside. ''''This one.'''' She said. ''''It''s just like you.'''' With a single sentence, she made all four of the remaining people in the carriage flinch. Knowing the boundless arrogance of an Immortal, Bai Qing and Kang Shuren could only huddle in fear, while Kierra was baffled at how honest August was, daring to expose her like that. And needless to say, Yan Shi was beyond shaken. She had never felt this insulted before! In an instant, her pretty face crumbled, and she gritted her teeth in frustration. Her cyan eyes seemed to radiate an unknown aura despite the restraints put on her body, causing her ck hair to flutter. The direction in which those fierce eyes were taking a shot was August herself. However, even as she red, one could clearly see something wrong with her. Her immacte cheeks were tainted with a shameful red, while her eyes were coated in a thinyer of moisture as if she were on the verge of crying. Moreover, her breaths were slightly raggeda sign one would never expect from an Immortal. ''''This little...'''' (`䡪) How dare she look at Au with such an indecent gaze! ''''Ow!'''' With unprecedented bashfulness, Kierra kicked Yan Shi onto the ground, surprising even August. Then, the archwizard stood up and approached the tumbling Immortal. ''''Know your ce, vermin.'''' ''''!!'''' Yan Shi''s mind once again copsed as she staredeyes widenedat the stylish heel sinking into her stomach. Coupled with Kierra''s harsh words that were filled with pure hatred and, most of all, her terribly disgusted expression, Yan Shi felt as though she was entering an abyss. ''W-What is happening...'' For some reason, her body refused to work. Even if she couldn''t move her qi, she should, at least, show retaliation. Yet, she found her hands mped onto the ground helplessly, her eyes kept darting toward Kierra''s thighs beyond the piece of clothes, and a strange sensation was running through her lower body. ''''Hah... hah... hah...'''' While Kierra was looking at Yan Shi puzzlingly together with the other three, she suddenly felt a jolt from her heel. ''''Huh...?'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' Something... came. Kierra was speechless. She retracted her foot, watching in absolute awe as Yan Shi squirmed on the ground, curling into a ball while hiding her face. It seemed she was embarrassed as the heat had run all the way to her ears. ''''Oh.'''' Crap. She stepped into a puddle of thatliquid. For a while, only the shameful squeals of a lone Immortal could be heard inside the carriage. ''''A-Ahem.'''' Eventually, August cleared her throat awkwardly. ''''We have no choice. Let''s take her as a pet.'''' Even though that statement made Yan Shi flinch again, the others were not too impressed. ''''How did youe to that conclusion?'''' Kierra sighed. ''''It''ll be a pain.'''' ''''You made her cum. Take responsibility.'''' Kierra was taken aback by August''s brutal and overly honest response. But then she noticed the corners of August''s mouth were itching to curl up. She was teasing her! ''''Fine.'''' Kierra grumbled. ''''A pet or two, it doesn''t matter!'''' (???)?(???)?(???)? Excuse me? After a series of impossibly outrageous events, Bai Qing and Kang Shuren nodded at each other onest time before shutting their brains off. ''''W-Wait, that was a joke, darling...?'''' August grabbed Kierra''s hand. ''''No. This one will be our pet from now on.'''' And that was how they ended up putting a leash on Yan Shi, an Immortal, and taking her to Hanam. Facing the Heavenly Lords, Kierra casually greeted them with her usual expression, holding the leash''s handle. ''''We came here for sightseeing.'''' She said. ''''Do you have any rmendations?'''' First of all, asking that question to the most respected three in the world was considered hugely discourteous, but Kierra was not just anyone. And it wasn''t as though she hadn''t met them before. For example, one of the three Heavenly Lords, Celestial Plum Sword, was actually just the sect leader of Mount Hua. The Thunderous Lord was the Immortal League''s leader, who held a defensive position in the recent war against the unorthodox faction. And the remaining man was called Vermilion Fist, a martial artist ofmon origin. Not that she cared about them in any way. In fact, the timid woman with a cor beside her could beat up all three of them simultaneously. This fact somehow made her feel quite good. ''''N-Now, firstly, it is nice to see you again, Miss Kierra.'''' Thunderous Lord extended his greeting, cautiously bowing his head. ''''Of course, we wee you here in Hanam, and I would dly share many good spots for you to visit. However... could you perhaps tell me about the venerabledy beside you...?'''' At this point, all three Heavenly Lords were visibly tense. If they had to fight an Immortal here, the whole country might disappear in a day! Unaware of this tension, Kierra casually shook her head. ''''Venerabledy?'''' She scoffed. ''''This is my lowly pet, so don''t mind her. More importantly, where can I find good food?'''' The instance Yan Shi flinched at Kierra''s dismissing words, the Heavenly Lords also flinched. It was aical sight, which the Sword Empress standing behind Kierra enjoyed a lot. Unable to probe further, the Thunderous Lord had no choice but to honestly tell Kierra about Hanam. For a moment, he became an ordinary guide, enthusiastically introducing Hanam''s culture. Satisfied, Kierra''s group left the ce and began to roam the bustling city. Left behind, the three Heavenly Lords could only pat each other on the shoulder, shouting a newly realized fact Let''s not mess with those women!
True to the Thunderous Lord''s words, Hanam was truly a beautiful ce. Here, one could see the world through the realest lens. It wasn''t always about cultivating. Ordinary life was also attractive. Embodying this viewpoint, Hanam showed Kierra a different side of Central Divine Realm''s people that she couldn''t see before. Unlike in White Lotus, where the people were deeply connected to cultivators, Hanam''s citizens lived for themselves. There were not as many traces of cultivation here, yet it seemed even more magical to the archwizard. From children ying ordinary games on the streets, old men ying chess in outdoor teahouses, young men fishing in green ponds, to busy staff shouting inside restaurants. After looking around for a while, Kierra finally decided to head into a shop. ''''Wee to our store! We have the best clothes in all of Hanam!'''' The staff behind the counter could swear she had hallucinated. After all, she should have noticed these women from far away! With such gorgeous faces and that overly conspicuous person on a leash, there was no way people wouldn''t pay attention to them. Were they cultivators? ''''What would you like to buy?'''' ''''Cor. A decent one.'''' Kierra replied bluntly. In fact, the current one she was using was taken from her BSDM gear, so it wasn''t the greatest, appearance-wise. She wanted to change it. However, at this gesture, the others finally realized it. ''Ah, she''s serious.'' Case 70: Young masters are always a pain. Case 70: Young masters are always a pain. In the end, Yan Shi got a brand-new piece of essory that she wasn''t sure she loved or hated. A cor. For pets. Ever since she tasted the unforeseen sense of domination in the carriage, she found her heart leaning toward these two women. For a moment, she thought there were more people besides Kierra and August, but she didn''t care all that much. Growing up as an esteemed youngdy of a prestigious immortal sect, Yan Shi didn''t have anyone who humiliated her this thoroughly before. She was a genius, a cultivating monster since childhood, advancing so fast that she had far surpassed her generation by the time she became an adult. Strangely, she wasn''t considered a Phoenix. The Immortal League at the time thought she was too strong to put beside the other kids. Of course, it wasn''t as though she didn''t encounter someone who would overpower her with a single stare. She was a fresh Immortal, after all. The problem was that... all of them were greasy old geezers. If not old geezers, they were spiteful women whose temperaments resembled that of old witches. On the other hand? August had that mysterious aura of a majestic monarch, able to dominate her steel-like mind with ease and style, while Kierra''s thorny allure, like that of fragrant roses, tickled something terribly immoral yet enchanting inside her. ''Such incredible women...!'' Yan Shi thought as she followed the duo. In fact, during the months she had been stalking Kierra, she had always felt jealous of the women Kierra pampered. She, too, wanted to be dominated, spoiled, and devourered! Dignity? It could eat this punch and die! (? ???) Her dignity had already died and dposed when she climaxed in the carriage. Now, when she inevitably touched the leather cor on her neck, a sense of excitement arose in her heart. It was addictive. ''''Master Kierra, where do we go now?'''' Right then, Bai Qing spoke up. Kierra, who was leading the group, pondered for a bit. ''''Maybe the teahouse.'''' In the Thunderous Lord''s rmendation list, there was a famous teahouse famous for its incredible tea and scenery. The archwizard also wanted to calm her heart a bit, so it should be a good ce. Indeed, the teahouse wasrge, proper, and popr enough that even someone picky like August didn''t mention a thing. ''''Hm? There was dessert here as well...'''' Suddenly intrigued by the dessert selection of this realm, Kierra told Yan Shi to go to the second floor and find a suitable table for the group while the remaining four of them ordered. The first floor was already full of people, which was probably why many tant gazes were directed at them. ''How annoying.'' Kierra had cast a camouge spell, yet she didn''t want to erase their presence altogether. After all, it would lead to inconveniences such as not having people acknowledge them or bumping into people unconsciously. Nevertheless, the four took their time, carefully choosing their preferred dessert to enjoy while the attendant was in a trance, seeing so many beautiful women at once. Afterward, they began to head to the second floor, but something strange was happening there. ''''Don''t be so shy, fairy. I''m sure you will shine the brightest in our banquet.'''' ''''I''ve said it three timesI''m not interested.'''' Somehow, Yan Shi was being tantly hit on by a random young man who looked like he might be a golden spoon jerk. Based on the forced indifference of the people surrounding them, it was probably true. ''Why didn''t you chase him... oh.'' Kierra suddenly remembered that she was the one sealing Yan Shi''s power. Otherwise, that man would have been a pile of mangled meat by now. Yan Shi''s dim eyes were quite intimidating. Sighing, the archwizard got closer to the two. ''''Stop.'''' ''''Who'''' The young man turned around to see the insolent wretch who dared to stop him, yet he was left stunned. An exotic beauty. Paler skin, sharper features, yet equally divine. Whether Kierra noticed the man''s lust or not, she was not having this. Not at all. ''''You dared to touchmypet... arrogant fool.'''' ''''!!'''' Kierra narrowed her eyes, silently releasing a part of her overwhelming aura. An unimaginable pressure befell the young man, forcing him to kneel helplessly on the floor. ''''What are you doing to young master?!'''' ''''Do you know who he is?!'''' A few servants rushed toward them. Kierra didn''t reply. She simply didn''t care. She held the man in the air with telekinesis, and the next moment, she gently flicked her finger at his forehead, sending him through the open window with a powerful st. ''''Annoying.'''' Kierra muttered. After those who followed the man left the building while shouting something, the archwizard finally settled in her seat beside Yan Shi and August. ''''...What?'''' Kierra quietly asked Yan Shi, who kept staring at her nkly. ''''N-Nothing.'''' ''''...'''' The archwizard didn''t pry further. Instead, she turned to the newly served tea and began discussing its taste with the others. ''''I prefer milk ck tea.'''' August shrugged. ''''You only like sweet things, silly.'''' Kierra refuted. ''''This is decent.'''' ''''Whoa... the aroma is so good.'''' Bai Qing eximed. ''''I agree.'''' Kang Shuren nodded. Meanwhile, Yan Shi''s teacup was untouched. The person herself was in turmoil, staring at her reflection. ''She said ''mypet''...!'' Somehow, that simple sentence of the archwizard made her heart run wild. The more she thought about the sudden possessiveness Kierra showed, the more she was shaken. ''Could it be that she was also watching me while I was watching her? Knowing Kierra, it wouldn''t be impossible. No, that''s the only exnation.'' So, Yan Shi began to delude herself. ''Kierra had always wanted me as her pet... ah, so it''s like that. Such an expectedly shy person...'' Blushing, Yan Shi looked at the archwizard with apletely different gaze. Thus, a huge misunderstanding was born. In the end, the group spent quite some time in the streets, enjoying the city to its fullest. Once they were satisfied, they visited the Immortal League''s headquarters for information on the Dragons and Phoenixes Gathering. ''''It''ll be tomorrow, ma''am.'''' A respectful attendant exined. ''''By now, all the candidates should have arrived.'''' ''''Hm. What is the content of this event exactly?'''' August asked. ''''On the first day, there will be a simple tea party where everyone gets the chance to know each other. On the second day, a small tournament between the young prodigies will be opened.'''' ''''That sounds like boring.'''' The Sword Empress clicked her tongue slightly. ''''Darling, wanna go somewhere alone?'''' Although tempted by this offer, Kierra remained firm. She wanted them to attend to give some spotlights to Bai Qing, who should have achieved a far greater strength than those ''geniuses.'' In the end, it was all for her disciples. ''''This event is held once a year, so I want to watch it. We can goter.'''' Kierra spat out an excuse as naturally as she breathed. ''''Ah, she doesn''t love me anymore...!'''' The little guilt Kierra had for Augustpletely disappeared the moment this grown woman decided to fake weeping in front of people. ''How did I raise such a giant baby...'' And to think this baby led the world''s most prominent Empire... Nevertheless, the next day, the archwizard''s party sneakily entered the event hall, upying a table in the corner. ''''Hm?'''' Right then, Kierra noticed the same young man who had tried to flirt with Yan Shi yesterday. She could practically smell the troubles. Case 71: The pride of White Lotus Pt.II Case 71: The pride of White Lotus Pt.II White Lotus sect, morning. Sitting peacefully in her office with her eyes closed, Tian Yun silently enjoyed the sunlight that rained on her. Like a flower, she loved the sun. She hadn''t always loved it; however, ever since she became bedridden due to a certain illness, she longed for the sun. Now, every time she saw it, she no longer sought cover as frequently as ordinary people. In a way, it was close to a form of appreciation for life. Of course, the one she appreciated the most was Kierra, who directly saved her life. The gratitude she had for the archwizard slowly became a form of intimate affection, and somewhere along the line, she realized that she loved Kierra. Her love was ordinary. She simply wanted to spend more time with Kierra, be under her care, and share warmth with her. Kierra was that attractive inside her mind. This time, her crush had gone on a trip that she unfortunately could not follow, so it was quite sad for the white lotus. ''Kierra... I hope you have a great time.'' That was the least she could do for hera prayer. Meanwhile, Kierra: (???_??) ''Should I st this n away...'' She thought as she stared at the young man in front of her. As her instinct was telling her, this guy was trouble, and he indeed was. The moment he noticed her group, he once again went over and flirted... with all of them?! Just how greedy could he get? In particr, she showed great interest in Kierra and August, the two clear outliers in the group. This made Kierra even more infuriated, and August wasn''t any better. Don''t even start on why the archwizard didn''t hide their presence. She didn''t want to be inconspicuous here, where people were supposed topete to prove their strength. In any case, the young man was alone this time around, which was a sign of confidenceing from one of the Dragonshe didn''t need escorts even in this ce. ''''How about it, mydies?'''' ''''Hm... Namgung Jin, was it? Screw off, will you?'''' At August''s slightly bashful tone, Namgung Jin was even more intrigued. He had never encountered such a daring beauty before! She appeared to be an ordinary person without a cultivation base, so he briefly wondered how she got here, but that didn''t matter to him anymore. Needless to say, in this rtively quiet space, every eye was on them. While Kierra and co. were wondering how to get rid of this ''thing,'' Yan Shi timidly pulled the archwizard''s sleeve. ''''You need to smash him in the head strongly.'''' She said nonchntly. ''''I''ve been through this a lot. Only that works well.'''' ''''...'''' Kierra suddenly felt bad for Yan Shi. In any case, it did appear as though she had to destroy the n... no, maybe that would be too much. Giving this guy a good beating should be enough. ''''You.'''' Kierra addressed the man. ''''There is a tournament tomorrow, isn''t it?'''' ''''Yes?'''' ''''If you can win against this disciple of mine, I will ept your offer.'''' ''His offer was going on a boat trip or something...'' Either way, Kierra confidently pushed Bai Qing forward. The fresh young girl who had just reached the tender age of twenty-four was naturally flustered. ''''E-Eh? Me...?'''' She was about to say, ''Why not Kang Shuren?!'' but then remembered that the daughter of the Lightning Tiger was actually over a hundred years old. A hundred and ten, to be exact. Among them, only she was around his age, so she couldn''t deny that she was the only suitable candidate. Biting her lips, Bai Qing could only sigh. Meanwhile, Namgung Jin was puzzled. This girl, her cultivation base barely reached the Core Formation Stage! He could finish her in one strike! After all, he was the sole genius of the prestigious Namgung n, who had reached Golden Core while only being twenty-two. And that was precisely when he made his life''s biggest mistake: Underestimating Bai Qing. By normal standards, Bai Qing was a decent cultivator. But her cultivating talent only stopped at ''decent,'' unlike her magical counterpart. There was a reason Kierra selected Bai Qing as one of her more important disciples. In reality, she had already proved her worth when she defeated the young prodigy of Mount Hua in the Sprout Tournament a few months ago, and that same prodigy, Yuan Ning, was also a Dragon. Unfortunately, he wasn''t present in this hall as he had gone into seclusion. After Namgung Jin agreed to the offer and finally moved away, no one dared toe closer to Kierra''s group. Perhaps the young master of the Namgung n was blinded by lust, but everyone else realized something was wrong from the beginning. Not counting the fact that these women somehow got into the hall itself, there was an abundance of reasons to be wary of them. The most obvious one was... Beauty. The more one cultivated, the more beautiful one became. Their skin would be lustrous, their hair would remain smooth through time, their face and figure would morph to create an ideal ratio, and their voice would change into a captivating one. Generally, ordinary beauties would never reach the level of a cultivation master. With a single nce, they could see that three out of these five women were inhumanely beautiful, which meant that they were probably hidden masters in disguise. After the war with the unorthodox faction, everybody knew that it was won thanks to a mysterious master''s aid, yet unfortunately, few knew that that person was Kierra. Nevertheless, with a slightly tenser atmosphere, the initial gathering continued. After a while, the Immortal League''s leader came out for a short speech before disappearing again, making the asion rtively uneventful. The next day, however, things were different. Many spectators were present to witness the next generation of geniuses, and they were all so-called ''bigshots.'' Through these matches, it would be decided that the best of these prodigies would receive support from them. In a sense, it was an opportunity to make it big for the dragons and phoenixes. Needless to say, the tension was suffocating. ''''Hm? The sword marks of the Heavenly Shura?'''' ''''It''s supposed to be the prize for the winner of this tournament. Ah, the winner gets to see it, I mean.'''' ''''Hm...'''' Sitting at the corner table of the room, as usual, Kierra pondered over Kang Shuren''s exnation. She wasn''t too interested in those, but August certainly was. ''''Au, you want to see them?'''' ''''Why not?'''' ''''Mhm. Bai Qing, win the tournament for me.'''' Bai Qing: ''''...Eh?'''' Why did the demand change?! However, Bai Qing couldn''t do anything about it. Her name had already been registered, and she was going to fight through the matches like any other candidate. ''''It will be a good opportunity for the White Lotus Sect as well.'''' Kierra didn''t forget to add. ''''We can receive more support.'''' ''''Support...'''' ''If I can get more cultivation resources for my little martial sisters...'' Seeing Bai Qing fired up in real time, Kierra sighed in relief. Once again, she realized that the woman named Tian Yun might not be so oblivious and naive as she might have thought. To think this far when sending them here... she had the qualities of a sect leader, through and through. Meanwhile, Tian Yun slumped onto her desk, cheeks inted. ''''Mhm... when will the snack arrive...'''' She longed for the Hanam''s specialty snack. Case 72: Wizardery vs cultivation. Case 72: Wizardery vs cultivation. As per usual, the tournament proceeded quite peacefully. ''Peacefully'' might be a bit misleading since it was intense for the people involved, but when one reached the realm of Kierra or August, hardly anything could stimte their emergency instinct. If anything, they showed interest whenever Bai Qing fought, but that was the extent of it. At first, both the spectators and the participants doubted the young girl of White Lotus. Of course, this was justified since her cultivation base could be considered underwhelming, especiallypared to the others. However, after only a few rounds, they woke up. A few so-called geniuses were swiftly swept away by an unnaturally fierce water dragon created by Bai Qing. Said dragon also had sparks of lightning within its scales, electrocuting the opponents should they dare to approach it. They didn''t understand it. If the Dragon of Shaolin and the Phoenix of Emei were here, they would have taken on the role of a magic tower recruiter and tried to preach the divinity of mana, but s, they were busy training their magic. Nevertheless, when Bai Qing arrived in the ring after three smooth fights, her opponent dared not underestimate the girl from White Lotus again. ''''Sister, please take care of me.'''' Bai Qing politely greeted. ''''...Likewise.'''' On the other side, a somber-looking girl with green hair stood cautiously, sweat trickling down her back. As the daughter of the noble Tang n, she mastered the art of poison and was praised as a one-in-a-hundred-year talent. ''But... how the hell do I win against this monster...?!'' She screamed inside. As it was, she wasn''t confident her poison would be able to prate the dragon''s guard, and if her poison couldn''t, her throwing knives and other small weapons obviously couldn''t either. She didn''t sign up for this! (i?i) ''''For the honor of our n...'''' She muttered. Yet, she was determined to win! As soon as the referee shouted, the Poison Phoenix of the Tang n soared. ring her deadly poisonous knives, she focused solely on her opponent, who only looked unassuming. ''''Here Ieah.'''' In an instant, all the hyping she had done on herself just now vanished as she nkly stared forward, facing the dragon whose head was at least three times the size of her body. ''''How unfair...'''' Those were herst words before she and her weapons got swept away helplessly,nding outside the arenaunconscious. Once again, only silence remained. ''''...Bai Qing of White Lotus emerges victorious!'''' The referee announced. The observers'' gaze was focused on the girl, who was nodding to herself with an excited look. Even if the majority of them were ordinary businessmen and businesswomen, in the sense that they weren''t cultivators, they had heard rumors about a certain sect possessing an unnatural source of power. And the name of that sect was White Lotus. Purity. A sectposed of mostly women, practicing a clean and refined method of cultivation. Looking at the genius of White Lotus, most felt that she fit the image of the sect to the tee. It was as though they were watching over their own daughter. ''White Lotus... I''ll need to make a connection with them. The sooner, the better.'' Just like that, Bai Qing had unintentionally attracted a bunch of supporters for her sect. Aftering back to the table and receiving a head pat from Kierra, Bai Qing merrily went into the ring for the final match. Her opponent this time was, unfortunately, the young master of the noble Namgung n. ''''I thought you were out from the beginning?'''' Different from how she treated other candidates, Bai Qing almost spat out when facing this man. Her eyes were filled with disgust. ''''To go as far as insulting me... you deserve a teaching!'''' ''''Come on!'''' With that, the match enthusiastically began. Like before, Bai Qing immediately conjured a giant dragon from her sword and had it whirl toward the man. Not losing to that, her opponent also summoned a huge lightning current resembling a dragon. Two dragons collided, their bodies ramming against each other as they produced chains of sh explosions. This spectacle was indeed what the people had been longing for, and it was missing in Bai Qing''s matches. ''Golden Core...'' Bai Qing narrowed her eyes. Even though she didn''t want to admit it, this man was probably the strongest among the ones she had fought today. Once again, the opponent was a whole realm above her. The very essence of his attacks was different. However, she was a child blessed with talent in magic and the proud disciple of the pinnacle herselfKierra! If both her swordsmanship and cultivation were inferior, then she must overwhelm him with the thing he didn''t havemagic. Thinking she couldn''t risk letting her precious master go on a date with such a frivolous man, Bai Qing clutched her nerves. As she asserted her presence by bursting out a faintyer of mana, the surrounding area turned a bit humid. Being a cultivator, the young man with the surname Namgung immediately noticed this. ''''Petty tricks!'''' With a crisp zap, his qi filled the arena, pushing away Bai Qing''s water mana. Clicking her tongue, the eldest martial sister of Qinling began to cast magic regardless. Of course, she didn''t have half the confidence Kierra had, so she could only mumble her incarnation.

''''Born from the seas and the earth,''''

''''Tides defy might,''''

''''Destruction reigns.''''

?Tsunami6? ''''!!'''' From beyond the space, a wave so high one couldn''t help but marvel approached. In front of nature, mere creatures had to bow, and as the being who called upon nature, Bai Qing stood firmly in the air, staring down her opponent. Although she had exhausted all her mana this time, she was confident. Besides, there was no surer way to win than this. As if helpless, the man could only continue to resist in futile as the massive tsunami copsed on his body. The water struck the ground so severely that a minor earthquake ensued. Withstanding that kind of force... was nearly impossible at the level of a Dragon or Phoenix. ''''W-Winner, Bai Qing of White Lotus!'''' At the magnificent show of power, a thunderous apud was directed at Bai Qing, the girl who shyly scratched her cheek. When she came back to the table, she saw Kierra smiling at her. ''''I-I did it, Master... uh?'''' Realizing something was wrong with her master''s smile, Bai Qing took a step back. But it was toote. ''''Who told you to deplete your mana in one go, hm?'''' Kierra asked menacingly, catching Bai Qing''s wrist. ''''U-Um... I was just trying to end the fight quickly... maybe? Eheheh...'''' The eldest martial sister of Qinling awkwardlyughed, sweating profusely. ''''Double. Do you agree?'''' ''''...Eh?'''' ''''Two and a half.'''' ''''W-What are you talking about??'''' ''''Three.'''' ''''W-Wait, I''ll take three, I''ll take three!'''' ''''Good. I''ll give you three candies.'''' Bai Qing''s face was priceless as three matcha-vored candies were put on her palm. Right when she felt a wave of relief, Kierra spoke up with a smile again. ''''And of course, three times the training for the next two weeks.'''' ''''Ah.'''' Bai Qing''s candies that day were strangely bitter. Case 73: Swordswomen in their natural habitat. Case 73: Swordswomen in their natural habitat. ''''Congrattions on making history, Fairy Bai Qing. This is the first time a champion who is not of major sects or ns has emerged.'''' The leader of the Immortal League, with a kind expression, lightly tapped Bai Qing''s shoulder. ''''I''m sure White Lotus Sect would prosper.'''' As he added that, he couldn''t help but feel puzzled at the little champion, who looked slightly gloomy for some reason. Lightly shrugging that off, he cast a nervous nce at the people standing behind Bai Qing. Particrly at the domineering couple and the strangely timid Immortal. He wouldn''t know how these women, akin to meteorites,nded in this corporeal realm, but he knew he had to seize the chance for his own sect''s growth by getting in their good graces. So, when they requested to see the ancient sword marks together, he obediently agreed and led them deep into the pce. Upon reaching a massive iron door, one that no ordinary soldiers were guarding, the Thunderous Lord turned around. ''''From here on out, please make yourselffortable.'''' Even if they were to harbor other intentions, he couldn''t do anything either way. Nodding to this, Kierra led the group in. ''''Whoa...'''' The only one who let out a sound was Bai Qing. Yet, she was far from the only one being surprised. Standing proudly in a vast space was a colossal b of jade, on which numerous scars, presumably from sword strikes, were present. As if possessed, Bai Qing, Kang Shuren, and August simultaneously stepped forward and began to analyze them. The looks on their faces were simr to those of children who had just found their favorite toy. Justifiably, since these were left behind by none other than the Heavenly Shura, once hailed as the pinnacle of sword arts in the Central Divine Realm before he ascended to the higher realm. But of course, to Kierra and Yan Shi, two rare magic users in the room, those sword marks seemed no different from a meaningless mess. ''''What a bunch of children.'''' Kierra chuckled. If August weren''t absorbed in the b, she would have refuted, ''I''m no different than you when you find peculiar magic traces, dear.'' Nevertheless, left with nothing to do, Kierra turned her attention to the woman wearing a cor standing beside her. ''''You.'''' ''''Yes?'''' Unexpectedly, Yan Shi was calm. Maybe this was theposure of an Immortal. But when Kierra thought about the same woman in the carriage... um. It was clearly two different people. ''''What exactly is the higher realm?'''' The archwizard asked. ''''Cut out the grandiose parts.'''' Pondering for a bit, the Immortal eventually replied. ''''A separate dimension for people of transcendence, perhaps?'''' ''''Are you aware of the altered...ws?'''' Yan Shi actually knew what Kierra referred to. She was also curious about how the Heavenly Dao worked, and she thought she would get the answer once she became an Immortal... ''''...Ashamedly, I just became an Immortal some decades ago.'''' She scratched her cheek in embarrassment. ''''I was being treated like a servant there, so I don''t know much.'''' ''''...'''' It seemed there was a hierarchy, which Kierra found hrious. Imagine Yan Shi, an actuallypetent cultivator, being treated as a maid... ''...Wait.'' That sounded quite convincing for some reason. Quietly nodding to herself, Kierra suddenly felt her sleeve being tugged. Turning to the side again, she found Yan Shi clutching it with a rather shy countenance. The obvious blush on her porcin skinplimented her averted gaze,bined with a restless mood to touch it all up. From this distance, it was almost deadly. If Kierra hadn''t been used to looking at her face or August''s, she would have been stunned. ''These guys'' looks might prove to be more lethal...'' ''''What?'''' Hiding her inner thoughts, Kierra nonchntly asked. ''''Um... do you n to keep me like this for a while?'''' Yan Shi responded, her voice soft, unlike what she had shown initially. ''''Do you have a problem?'''' ''''N-Noyes, I mean... no.'''' ''''Yes or no?'''' ''''...No.'''' The blush had run all the way to Yan Shi''s ears. If she had a pair of dog ears, they would have been cupped right now. Although it probably wasn''t intended, this appearance made Kierra speechless for a moment. ''...Unexpectedly cute.'' Without much deep thought, Kierra reached out and stroked the woman''s silky ck hair. ''''...What I want to say is that you have sealed my power, so it will seem like I have gone missing to the people above.'''' Yan Shi sighed as she received the touch. ''''They might send more to observe you, and I can''t guarantee that they would be... like me.'''' ''''I know.'''' Seeing Kierra''s lukewarm reaction, Yan Shi guessed that the archwizard had more or less expected this oue. As much as she would like to think that Kierra was willing to sacrifice her safety to secure her, she knew that Kierra was simply fearless. ''Would she reach the Immortal Emperor level... no, maybe not.'' As the title suggested, an Immortal Emperor was someone strong enough to dominate and lead numerous other Immortal, wielding the power to bend the rules of the world to suit themselves. The gap between the two titles was huge, hence the scarce number of the so-called Emperors. Beyond the Emperors were the Heavenly Venerables, who essentially had reached the pinnacle of cultivation. Comprehending the dao perfectly, they were forces that not even Immortal Emperors would want to mess with. Yan Shi had never met a Heavenly Venerable, yet she felt like her mind would copse when standing before them if she were to believe the rumors. As she cast a sneak nce at Kierra, the newbie Immortal quietly evaluated this woman. ''If she could seal my ability in an instant... maybe she''s almost there?'' Then again, Kierra had never revealed her true strength, so it might be possible that she was really at the level of an Immortal Emperor. Not to mention that woman, August... ''''!!'''' Yan Shi''s body involuntarily shivered, registering the domineering woman she had just thought about approaching. ''''How was it?'''' Kierra asked her lover. ''''Pretty intriguing.'''' August rubbed her chin, clearly amused. ''''Whoever left these... was a decent one. Well, it is enough for entertainment.'''' ''''How about you?'''' This time, the archwizard turned to Bai Qing, who was hopping in ce with a strangely excited face. ''''It was incredible...!'''' She eximed. ''''Although I couldn''t understand most of it, I now feel like I have received inspiration!'''' ''''That''s good, at least.'''' As Kierra stroked her disciple''s head, she btedly noticed Kang Shuren, who was staring at the b intently, not moving an inch. Even though her blindfold obstructed almost half of her face, someone as perceptive as Kierra would immediately realize the anomaly. Kang Shuren seemed... dumbfounded. She looked like someone who had stumbled upon a legendary treasure only for it to contain a single phrase, ''The real treasure was the friends you made along the way~~'' or something simr. For a while, Kierra patiently waited for Kang Shuren, and gradually, the others began to catch on as well. ''''I wonder what happened to sister...'''' Bai Qing muttered. ''''Hey, masochist.'''' August lightly called Yan Shi. ''''What''s wrong with her?'''' ''''Er... maybe she realized something? Who knows, she might be the inheritor of the Heavenly Shura, ahahah...'''' ''''Stop the BS.'''' No way, right? Case 74: The Heavenly Shura, now bore the appearance of a tiger. Case 74: The Heavenly Shura, now bore the appearance of a tiger. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' ''''...'''' There was only awkward silence left in the room. Seriously? Was Kang Shuren indeed the chosen one, the inheritor of the Heavenly Shura? ording to Yan Shi, who had a chance to see the Heavenly Shura, the woman was a peculiar one. In essence, she was a wandering swordswoman, a loner, and a certified weirdo. Her personality was... bizarre, to say the least. She would pick fights with people out of nowhere, refuse contact with people, or sometimes do questionable actions as well. However, her talent was real. When she ascended to the higher realm, it was said that she took on whole Immortal sects all by herself, advancing at an unbelievable speed to be one of the most feared forces across the world. She was an Immortal Emperor. Generally, when a swordsman left such deliberate marks on a jade b like this, it meant that the whole thing would serve as a test for potential inheritors of his art. If Kang Shuren could meaningfully absorb the content of this b, she would qualify as an inheritor. It was quite a big deal. ''''Ei, what''s the big deal?'''' August interjected. ''''My sword is superior.'''' Knowing the renowned Heavenly Shura, Bai Qing and Yan Shi doubted it. However, if by any chance... gulp! It was hard to fathom just how incredible it was to stand beside someone stronger than an Immortal Emperor. ''''You should do this as well, Au.'''' Kierra, who was bored out of her mind, said jokingly. ''''I''m not feeling it.'''' The Sword Empress shrugged. ''''My sword should only be passed down to our children.'''' Kierra lightly blushed. The phrase ''children'' made her nervous for some reason. Then, she noticed that Yan Shi and Bai Qing weren''t particrly shocked by August''s statement, which implied that two women could conceive a child. Indeed, both in Kierra''s world and in the Central Divine Realm, there were numerous ways for women to create a child together. ''Somehow, the topic changed to children...'' The archwizard sighed. When she looked toward the direction of the jade b again, she saw a rather... surprising sight. Kang Shuren, the woman whose expression was always utterly nk, was now crying. ''''Hm?'''' Both Kierra and August squinted their eyes. It wasn''t that Kang Shuren''s crying was ugly. On the contrary, it was serenely mncholic, like a fine art piece. However... ''''Pain.'''' Before the two could make any move, Kang Shuren herself uttered. The contrast between her monotone, uncaring voice and her dripping tears created a captivating atmosphere. A bit dramatic, a bit emotional in itself, and... a bit eerie. Right now, she seemed not of this world. As if possessed. Hugging herself as she gazed at the jade b, her body trembled. ''''I sense pain. Oh, pitiful swordswoman, how did you endure such pain?'''' ''''For so long, you had shouldered so much. Loved by the heavens, yet hated by many. Mourning for each you had in, yet keeping their grudges by your heart.'''' ''''...Worry not, for I shall take on your burden.'''' ''''Rest, unnamed swordswoman. From now on... the Heavenly Shura shall be reborn.'''' When Kang Shuren finally turned around, her quivering self was no more. In just a few moments, her aura had drastically changed. With her head high, the woman easily assumed the rank most coveted but few achieved. The aura of an Immortal Emperor. There was this tangible pressure one could feel. As if standing before a mountain without being able to see the top. ''''S-Sister...!'''' Overwhelmed, Bai Qing covered her mouth, her eyes so big they would pop out any second. The other three maintained their silence. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Watching Kang Shuren slowlying her way, Kierra felt a cold sweat trickling down her back. ''What... is this??'' It wasn''t that she was afraid of Kang Shuren''s new strength, but rather... ''''Um...'''' The one speaking was neither Kierra nor August, and it certainly wasn''t Yan Shi or Bai Qing either. Instead, a confused-looking woman emerged from behind the jade b. ''''Last time I remember my story, it wasn''tthatdramatic...'''' With a notable longsword on her back and an inhumanely beautiful face, one could sense that she wasn''t ordinary. In reality, she was the Heavenly Shura herself,ing down from Heaven a bit earlier because of her hunch, which was always right. '''''''' ... '''''''' For a while, six people looked at each other in absolute confusion. Kang Shuren, who just staged a whole melodrama y: ( ;???) She could feel her palms getting sweaty. Who could have thought that the old hag woulde down directly for someone as insignificant as her! For the first time in her life, Kang Shuren was facing her biggest crisis. If she didn''t tread this right, she would risk losing both her potential inheritance and her image! What should she do?! Outwardly, the daughter of the Lighting Tiger bore an infinitely calm expression, yet her mind was practically scrambled. In that intense awkwardness, a sigh broke in. It was Kierra. Being Kang Shuren''s master for nine months, she had always wondered the reason behind her disciple''s strange obsession with shy spells, and now, everything was clear. ''So she wasthattype...'' s. It wasn''t as though those who pursued morous skills and dazzling techniques couldn''t aim for the top. It was just harder with that mindset. Still, Kang Shuren got lucky. At first nce, this newly emerging figure didn''t seem bad. No, that was an understatement. The Heavenly Shura was actually a formidable opponent, even to Kierra''s standards. That was why she and August appeared cautious just a moment earlierthis woman had popped out of nowhere, after all. ''So this is a true Immortal. I like it.'' Kierra could feel herpetitive spirit being ignited. ''''Ahem. In any case, I waited for a long time, my inheritor.'''' The Heavenly Shura''s voice was casual, yet it carried an unmistakably dominant tone, forcing even Yan Shi to falter. As for ordinary folks like Bai Qing and Kang Shuren, their knees were seriously about to give up. ''''I want to get right into business, but first...'''' The next moment, the Heavenly Shura''s silhouette disappeared. At some point, she had arrived in front of Kierra and August as if walking through space. ''''Nice to meet you, precious, precious visitors from another reality.'''' The Heavenly Shura politely nodded, bearing a mysterious smile on her face. ''''My name is Wen Zhuwei, and my title is Heavenly Shura.'''' ''''...Kierra Scarlett Aspenova. A wizard.'''' ''''August von Lilienthal. A swordswoman.'''' Normally, these two wouldn''t bother introducing their full names to a nobody, but Wen Zhuwei was certainly someone deserving of respect. At this point, the Heavenly Shura mumbled the names to herself a bit before scratching her cheeks in embarrassment. She seemed... reluctant. ''''Well... how do I say this...'''' ''''You don''t need to hold back.'''' ''''Really?'''' Wen Zhuwei perked up.''''Mhm... I just want to say sorry... for that.'''' Attention naturally fell onto Yan Shi as the Heavenly Shura''s finger fell onto her. ''''It was something those paranoid geezers nned. If you were to ask me, you two don''t seem hostile at all. There is no need to attach a tail to you this rudely.'''' ''''Finally, someone with reasonable thoughts.'''' Kierra''s mouth formed a slight smile. ''''Thank you for that.'''' Wen Zhuwei smiled back. Surprisingly, they seemed to get along very well. ''''Ah, right. Now that we have cleared up the misunderstanding, can I bring her back?'''' ''''Eh?'''' This time, Yan Shi was the one dumbfounded. Case 75: The Immortals’ realm. Case 75: The Immortals realm. ''''I don''t see the point of leaving her, someone who clearly does not belong to this realm, here any longer.'''' As if piercing through Yan Shi''s thoughts, the Heavenly Shura added. No one could refute her words. In reality, Yan Shi had no reason to stay in the Central Divine Realm anymore. Her mission was over, and she needed to go back to where she belonged to. ''''I...'''' ''''Yan Shi, was it?'''' The pitiful and weak Immortal immediately tensed up the moment Wen Zhuwei called her name. The difference between them was simply too significant for her to rx. ''''We need you, soe back. It isn''t as though you guys won''t meet again, hm?'''' ''''Ah...'''' Kierra could sense something unusual about the Heavenly Shura''s words, but she wasn''t sure what it was exactly. Taking a step back, it also seemed like Yan Shi was... worried about something. ''''Go back.'''' When Kierra pushed Yan Shi''s back, thetter appeared bitter but then obediently walked toward Wen Zhuwei. Kierra wasn''t concerned whether Yan Shi would be hurt since she had marked her with mana, and she also had some other motives. After checking Yan Shi''s condition, which was reverted to normal by Kierra, Wen Zhuwei nodded contently. ''''Thank you for your cooperation. Then, if fate allows, she shall cross paths again.'''' The Heavenly Shura performed a Taoist greeting, not forgetting to add: ''''Though, I would reckon we will meet very soon.'''' ''''Wait a minute.'''' ''''...?'''' Fearlessly, Kang Shuren stepped forward. Thinking that her previously shameful actions had been buried, she wore her usual emotionless voice and expression. ''''What about me?'''' Wen Zhuwei shed a smile. Her glistening silver eyes seemed as though they would pierce through everything in existence. ''''Unfortunately, I do not have time to teach you anything, junior.'''' She said. ''''Still, you can learn my arts from a certain shameless cosmic beast, one that I am sure Kierra over there knew quite well. '''' At this obvious jab at Cosmos, Kierra''s ymate, the archwizard narrowed her eyes quietly. She had somewhat expected Cosmos to y around a bit, but to sneak on an Immortal Emperor... ''You did well, my friend.'' Kierra felt proud. She reassured Kang Shuren before turning to the Heavenly Shura onest time. ''''What is happening up there?'''' Hearing an Immortal, who was supposed to be someone whocked no time, uttering the phrase ''I don''t have time'' was quite suspicious. Clearly, there was some sort of big problem in the realm above. ''''I can''t answer that question, unfortunately.'''' The Heavenly Shura shook her head with a wry smile. ''''However, there is one piece of advice I can give you right nowdon''t get too attached to this world... if you don''t want to be pained.'''' ''''...'''' A heavy silence lingered in the room. This sentence from one of the strongest implied something ominous, and Kierra didn''t like it. ''''Ah, for my precious junior.'''' Completely discarding the serious tone, the Heavenly Shura spoke as if she had just had an epiphany. ''''If you want to advance faster, I suggest practicing a Dual Cultivation method. The more talented the partner is, the faster you will be able to grow.'''' ''''...Okay?'''' ''''Okay. See you!'''' With that, the two Immortals left as if carried by the wind, leaving the four inside the spacious room. ''''D-Dual cultivation...!'''' Bai Qing covered her face in embarrassment, casting nces at Kang Shuren. August patted her shoulder. She felt like she was seeing her adolescent daughter! Even though she never had a kid. Meanwhile, Kierra and Kang Shuren herself were deep in thought. If they were to select the most talented partner for thetter, would Kang Shuren have to sleep with one of the dragons or phoenixes? That sounded quite unpleasant and frankly disgusting. ''In the first ce, I wouldn''t do it with someone I don''t really know...'' Right then, the golden eyes behind the blindfold turned to Kierra. Now that she thought about it... Kierra was already at the peak of the Core Formation Stage, and how long did she cultivate for? Nine months? So, um... Wasn''t she the most talented cultivator, technically? It seemed Kierra also realized this, and the two stared at each other for a while.
rustle! The wind blew strongly under the starry sky, causing loud screeches and drowning out the sound of their boots grazing the grass. Trailing behind Wen Zhuwei, Yan Shi couldn''t shake off this ominous feeling that she had. This was the Immortals'' Realm. It didn''t have a name, as everyone wanted to name it on their own... and they couldn''t agree. Fundamentally, it didn''t look too different from the realm directly below except for a few details. For instance, since it was closer to the stars, the night sky here was noticeably more impressive than that of the Central Divine Realm. Moreover, since only world-ss cultivators lived here, the density of qi in the atmosphere was thicker, causing more and more supernatural phenomena to ur. It felt more mythical, like seeing a world inside a folk tale. Nevertheless, it wasn''t something Yan Shi had particrly cared about. It was just that she noticed these details as she observed the path Wen Zhuwei was leading her on. She recognized it. ''''...Are we going in alone, Empress?'''' ''''Call mefortably. Also, yes.'''' Wen Zhuwei replied. ''''The others... they are busy holding other fronts.'''' Yan Shi inadvertently gulped. Although she had participated in these raids a bit, she still couldn''t get used to them. Soon enough, a differentndscape slowly appeared beyond the horizon, recing the fresh in they were walking on. There, everything was dyed in a lifeless grey, and nothing closely resembled ''life'' could be seen. Instead, grotesque creatures with purple skin, seeming to be messes of randomly fused animals, roamed. Their movements were slow and unresponsive, yet their strength couldn''t be underestimated. Each one of them was as strong as a cultivator in the Tribtion Stage. They were once ordinary creatures, which unfortunately got infested by unknown energying from distant asteroids. Recently, this wave of poisonous energy was infecting the realm so fast and so severely that the Immortals, the supposed pinnacle of all creatures, panicked. Even entric loners like Wen Zhuwei had to work with others. ''''Did you just have disrespectful thoughts?'''' ''''Oh, no, no, no...! How dare I...'''' The Heavenly Shura had an excellent sixth sense. The matter with her inheritor, as well as the matter with the woman who imed to be a ''wizard''... She had an inkling. Kierra... would be the catalyst for a series of unprecedented, unprovoked chaos that would uproot the entire realms. If this world had any hope of surviving, it would be her. Grinning, Wen Zhuwei brushed her hair behind her ear, and the next moment, a pitch-ck blindfold covered her silver eyes. ''For now... let''s have some fun.'' Case 76: Seducing Kang Shuren ft. Kierra. Case 76: Seducing Kang Shuren ft. Kierra. That night, in Kierra''s pocket dimension. ''''So, what is dual cultivation?'''' Facing this innocent question from August, the three women btedly remembered that she wasn''t even a cultivator in the first ce. ''''It''s sex.'''' So, Kierra blurted out, not indenting to hide or understate it in the slightest. ''''One with feminine energy and one with masculine energy engage in intimacy, subsequently absorbing one another''s power and making them stronger... something like that.'''' ''''Aside from sounding quite stupid, won''t that only work with a man and a woman?'''' ''''Who knows?'''' In reality, there were many methods suitable for women to cultivate with each other as well, but Kierra thought it didn''t matter... yet. If she were to bed Kang Shuren, dual cultivation or not, she would have to make her willing to first. It was time to go on the offense. For that, she would need to outline her ns. Generally, Kang Shuren was an introverted and peaceful woman who secretly admired ''cool'' things. To such a person, acting overly flirtatious was poison. Kierra''s seductive acts had an immense effect on just about anybody else but not on Kang Shurennot as effectively, at least. Fortunately, the daughter of the Lightning Tiger and the future Heavenly Shura had shown interest in the female body, so Kierra thought she could do it. The next day, she invited Kang Shuren on a date, which she epted. It was vital that August also allowed it. Because neither of them craved action at the moment, they opted to sit quietly near a pond. ''''Thinking back, I rarely have a chance to talk with you alone.'''' ''''Right...'''' ''''...'''' ''''...'''' The conversation was dry. Usually, neither of them would have to worry about talking topics when they stayed in groups of three or four, or even more, but it was a bit awkward with just two of them. ''''Erm... what was your original world like?'''' Kang Shuren raised a random question. Just yesterday, the Heavenly Shura herself confirmed that Kierra and August were indeed from another universe, so she rightfully became curious. Through the blindfold, she could see the archwizard''s pretty eyshes tremble ever so slightly, reminiscing of a butterfly''s wings pping in the wind. Humans were naturally drawn to beautiful things, and she was drawn to Kierra''s godly face. ''''The most suitable description... right. It was a world of wonder.'''' Kierra replied. ''''It was free of any constraint, so everything developed in a strange yet captivating way. You would see whales swimming in the sky, carrying cities on their back, or warships racing on cloudsspace shuttles burning on mana, fulfilling man''s dream of conquering the vast universe.'''' ''''...'''' ''''Onnd, mana-mutated beasts fought relentlessly for territories while mankind joined forces to thrive. Dragons ruled over the climate; ancient golems guarded the tombs of distant civilizations, and spirits bonded organic creatures with nature. Under the stars of our home gxy, we exist.'''' As Kierra turned to her disciple, she noticed that Kang Shuren was stunned. Even though it was beyond subtle, she could sense that the future Heavenly Shura was... jealous. She indeed was. Merely imagining the scenes Kierra had described made her heart flutter. An indescribably intense yearning for such a fantastic world blossomed inside her. She wanted to experience them. She wanted to insert herself into those stories... She wanted to go on an adventure. For the first time in her life, Kang Shuren realized her ambitions. Although the Central Divine Realm was filled with wonder, the things Kierra told her were too different. It was... Romantic. ''''I want to go there...'''' Unknowingly, her mouth opened. In response to this, Kierra lifted the corner of her mouth. ''''I will get you there.'''' She said,bing through Kang Shuren''s green hair with her hand. ''''As my disciple, you have the right and obligation to visit the original Crimson Tower.'''' Kang Shuren''s heart was beating fast. She didn''t even notice that her mouth was forming a curve, only thinking about arriving at Kierra''s home world. ''''Huh?'''' When she finally snapped out of it, she found a cozy sensation enveloping her right arm. For some inexplicable reason, Kierra was leaning against her shoulder! Kang Shuren''s gaze was fixed on therge witch hat, which sat on herp. ''This is...'' This was an obvious attempt. Otherwise, Kierra wouldn''t press her rabbits against her arm like this! At that moment, all her senses became hyper-sensitive, much to her reluctance. A mind-numbingly alluring scent assaulted her nose, making her mind unable to work properly. This was the first time she had been in such close contact with another person besides her family. Turns out, she also craved human warmth. She had thought she wasn''t interested in romance, but now, it was apparent. With each little movement Kierra made, Kang Shuren felt her heart getting closer to jumping out of her chest. The ck hair tickled her back. The two mountains wrapped her arm, trapping it in an inescapable trance. ''''Don''t be so nervous.'''' Kierra''s sweet voice that dripped like honey pulled Kang Shuren even deeper into the abyss. By the time the archwizard had realized that something was wrong, namely by how much the arm trembled, it was toote. ''''...'''' Kang Shuren malfunctioned. Um... Kierra didn''t expect Kang Shuren''s tolerance to be this low! ( ) So, as any master would, the archwizard lifted Kang Shuren and put her on herp. The little bird-like woman curled up perfectly, giving a nice, soft feeling as Kierra hugged from behind. Coming from a distinguished family, the woman was also well-groomed, so she smelled nice. Her bodily scent leaning toward naturealmost flowerywas Kierra''s favorite. As she stared at the tensed-up Kang Shuren, Kierra couldn''t help but be grateful for August''s choice. If the Sword Empress didn''t allow her to fool around like this, she wouldn''t have the chance to relish these adorable women. As the archwizard was enjoying herself like that, a certain someone was suffering in her pocket dimension. ''Awawawawa...! What do I do?!'' Bai Qing felt like choking. This morning, her master, Kierra, went out with Kang Shuren, so she was, naturally, left alone with August in this spacious yet surprisingly small house. ''''Wanna eat something?'''' ''''A-Ah, it''ll be an honor, Your Majesty...'''' ''''Call mefortably. Let''s go grab something from the kitchen.'''' Which inevitably led to this situation where she was preparing breakfast with one of the strongest existences that she knew. She felt her eyes burning, and it was definitely not the onions that August was cutting. In reality, she hardly knew August at all, so it was beyond awkward. As she stared at the Sword Empress''s slender hands holding the knife, she could imagine her necking off with that if she dared to anger her. ''''You know.'''' ''''Huh?'''' Suddenly, August spoke up, but her tone was unexpectedly soft. ''''Kierra loves meat.'''' She said. ''''We didn''t have them at all back in the slums, and she always dreamed of eating it one day. I''m d we can afford however much she wants now.'''' ''''The... slums?'''' ''''We came from the absolute bottom. She and I... we used to be ragged kids rolling on the streets. It all worked out, though. Somehow.'''' Although August was smiling, her eyes weren''t. Her brightly shining golden eyes were filled with relief and... fear. Perhaps she imagined a future where she and Kierra couldn''t make it. When those eyes darted to Bai Qing briefly, it was apparent that the disciple was tearing up, her face ridden with guilt. Compared to these two, she grew up in a regr household, and her life was rtively smooth. She thought she wascking in spirit and effort. ''''Forget it.'''' August sighed, patting Bai Qing''s shoulder. ''''Take it as an advice. Score some points by making her a meat dish.'''' ''''I-I understand!'''' From that point onward, Bai Qing''s opinion of the ''scary'' August greatly changed. Case 77: A dive into dual cultivation ft. Cosmos. Case 77: A dive into dual cultivation ft. Cosmos. ''''Heh... do you know what herb this is?'''' ''''This one is for headache, I remember.'''' ''''How about that one?'''' ''''That''s a special breed. It can kill all cavities in one go. Kierra made that once she overate sweets.'''' A few days had passed since Kang Shuren was made out to be the heir of the Heavenly Shura. Just like before, the group had been in and out of Kierra''s pocket dimension, going sightseeing here and there in Hanam. If there was one differencepared to the first day... [More chaotic. Stop thinking.] ''''Hah... hah... how can I swing my sword if I stop using my brain...?'''' [It is to make your sword as unpredictable as possible.] ''''...'''' Not far away from the garden where August and Bai Qing stood, Kang Shuren she could be seen practicing her sword. Besides she was an unfamiliar woman with hair and eyes as ck as the abyss. ''Cosmos.'' August narrowed her eyes a bit. She thought Cosmos was simply Kierra''s good friend, but who would have thought that itno, she could transform into a human like this? The more women there were, the more Kierra could seduce them with her vixen-like charm, and that would mean less time for August herself. She merely made apromise to stay beside Kierra, and she didn''t at all enjoy seeing these pests getting with her! Although, this small and harmless-looking Bai Qing was somewhat tolerable. Shaking off those thoughts for a moment, August inspected the movements that Cosmos was making to teach Kang Shuren. The Heavenly Shura''s sword relies on unpredictability to catch the opponent off guard, subsequently making the user get closer and closer to the transcendence stage, where the body and sword became one. It sounded sketchy at best, and it indeed was. This sword could be used to best the majority if learned right, yet it was insufficient for oveing thews of the universe itself... like how August''s reality-bending sword could. ''''Heh.'''' Immersed in her self-awarded glory, it took her a while to register that Kierra had poked out of her room, now hugging her from behind. ''''What''s wrong?'''' ''''Recharging...'''' August''s voice was soft, and Kierra''s voice was even softer. Meanwhile, Bai Qing: (? ?????? ?) Noticing Little Qing''s baffled expression, Kierra hugged her as well. Nothing could go wrong with wholesome skinship! ...Or so she thought. ''''A-Ah...'''' In reality, Bai Qing''s legs were so weak that even Kierra could feel them going out, and the poor girl''s body was heating up so much that the archwizard thought summer had invaded her pocket dimension for a moment. ''''Stay still.'''' Kierra went all out. Now that she had every reason and right to make a harem, she would. Her slightly trembling, coquettish voice reached Bai Qing''s reddened ear in close proximity, blowing a hot breath on her skin. Simultaneously, she stroked the girl''s back so as not to let her lose itpletely. This was what they called punching the opponent while also healing them! As she enjoyed this warm and soft pack of Bai Qing, August''s eyes behind her didn''t seem too warm. It had just been a few days, and this sassy woman dared to be this tant! The more she thought about it, the more she realized that this squirrel-like girl was the most dangerous! That night. While the group was having their usual conversation in the living room, Kierra suddenly recalled something. ''''Right, Cosmos. Do you know dual cultivation?'''' Kierra, who was forced to sit on August''sp, darted her eyes to the woman on her left. Looking closely, Cosmos had indeed chosen a nice appearance. Although her overallplexion was a bit alien, she was a beauty. Moreover, Kierra especially loved the faint stars floating in the ck of her hair. [I am aware of it.] Her voice was also altered to sound more like a woman. This was actually an upgrade since Cosmos''s original voice was quite jarring. ''''Can you teach us the best method, then? It has to be between women.'''' [No problem.] After devouring countless books of this realm and of the realm above, Cosmos now possessed an immeasurable amount of knowledge. Recalling a few cultivation methods wasn''t something hard. For someone aspetent as Kierra, a simple demonstration was enough. Thinking that, Cosmos reached directly for the archwizard''s face. With a seamless, swift, and ever-so-casual movement, she pressed her lips onto Kierra''s. '''''''' ... '''''''' A pair of widened red eyes. Cosmos''s face held no emotion, and her lips were cold, but it felt strangelyforting. Almost... pleasurable. Under the beast of the universe''smand, a stable flow of energy entered Kierra''s body, and another flow escaped from her flesh. A simple, unadulterated loop. Through this constant process, Kierra found her dantian solidifying at a rapid pace, upping her cultivation game massively by the second. [You learned it. There is not much to it other than maintaining a ''pure'' and ''bnced'' flow of qi.] Even after the kiss, Cosmos''s voice held no significance. Anyone could see that she had no affection for Kierra, so the jealousy game was promptly canceled. It took a minute for the archwizard to recover. ''''Ahem... so? Do any of you want to try it with me?'''' When Kierra turned to Kang Shuren and Bai Qing, she unexpectedly found August''s arms around her waist, not moving. ''''What about me...?'''' The Sword Empress asked with droopy eyes, sounding like a puppy in the rain. Kierra quickly resolved this by offering her a kiss. For now, it was these two young cultivators'' turn. Surprisingly, they nodded at each other briefly, and both agreed to this proposal. They knew they were practically trapped in Kierra''s web already, so why refuse the opportunity to grow stronger? However, there was just one problem... ''''Please let me go first this once, Little Qing. Haven''t I been nice to you all this while?'''' ''''No, no, one should be considerate of their junior, and that is only natural, right?'''' Somehow, they were fighting. A bit amused, Kierra quietly took out her handkerchief and wiped off her lipstick. It was ruined by Cosmos anyway. After making them clean, she gently licked her lips once. Unknowingly, this action caught the attention of both Kang Shuren and Bai Qing. Kierra''s bare lips were perfectly sized, soft-looking like puddings, and velvety pink like peaches. They seemed so delicious that the two stopped fighting entirely. Noticing this, the archwizard lifted the corners of her mouth. ''''Au, can you sleep separately for tonight?'''' This one question confirmed it all. In a way, it was an indicator of what woulde that night, and it was also an invitation for the young cultivators. ''''Hah... fine. Remember to wash in the morning... ande to me.'''' ''''Of course, fufu.'''' Getting the pass like that, Kierra slowly rose to her feet and came closer to Kang Shuren and Bai Qing. She gently gave them each a peck on the cheek before patting their shoulder. ''''Dual cultivation... sounds rather boring, isn''t it?'''' She whispered. ''''How about triple cultivation instead?'''' gulp! An audible gulp sounded. Before long, they were dragged to Kierra''s bedroomwillingly. Left behind, August could only sigh while looking at Cosmos. Was this beast doing that intentionally? Either way, it would be a lonely night for the Sword Empress. Case 78: Guiding kittens. (R-18) Case 78: Guiding kittens. (R-18) ''''...'''' ''''...'''' If one looked at the current scene inside Kierra''s room, they might recall the fiery night between her and Yu Chen. This time, two women sat listlessly on the archwizard''s bed, awaiting thedy, who was preparing herself in the bathroom. In contrast to Kierra''s leisure, they were anxious. This was their first time doing anything remotely intimate with another person, and different from how they would like to imagine, there was one more person! It was the legendary threesome that they had only known of from fiction. ck! "" !!! "" Soon enough, the bathroom door opened, and a lone figure emerged from the stuffy steam. Since Kierra had double the work to do that night, she chose to elerate the pace by outright refusing to wear clothes. This resulted in a scene straight out of an erotic book. The freshly showered Kierra heaved out lightly, expelling a hot breath while her milky skin was also being embraced by the white haze. The bathroom''s light was brightthe opposite of the gentle bedlight outsidecreating an almost divine aura, like a halo formed behind the archwizard. However, what made the two cultivators gape their mouths was Kierra''s unapologetic nakedness. With each step, the unexpectedly formidable peaks bounced wildly while the forbidden area below her stomach appeared spotless, clean, plump, and beautifully shaped. Fueled by their thumping hearts, their hands tingled with the desire to jump in and ravage those delicacies. If they weren''t sure before, now they knew. They were attracted to Kierralove or not. Knowing this with her experience, Kierra smirked. ''''You both look cute.'''' With an almost flirty tone, Kierra sneakilyplimented the two, who were in their sleepwear. Before they could respond, the archwizard swiftly sat between them, arms pulling their waists closer to herself. Shoulder touched shoulder, and thigh touched thigh. It was warmer this way. Sensing their tension, Kierra patiently spent some more time easing them up by slowly and methodically whispering sweet words into their ears. ''''Shh, good disciples need a reward.'''' ''''Tonight, just forget about everything.'''' ''''I will guide you through all of it.'''' The two young women, like two obedient kittens, only listened as they leaned onto Kierra''s bare shoulder. Their gazes could not escape her endearing spots, and their hands were barely contained, but they eventually calmed down. As the atmosphere now was good, Kierra turned the more nervous Bai Qing''s face toward hers. ''''!!'''' It was too sudden. When Bai Qing realized it, her whole consciousness was filled with the sensation of Kierra''s lips. The truth was, whenever she got distracted, she would think of the drunk kiss they exchanged half a year ago... and she would yearn for it, intentional or not. Now, with her mind clearer than ever, she was utterly blown away by how amazing a kiss could be. As skillful as Kierra was, Bai Qing''s body quickly copsed under the archwizard''s brutal attack using her tongue. ''''Hah... hah...'''' With her tongue coated in Kierra''s scent, Bai Qing hung weakly on her master''s body. After tasting her first prey, Kierra turned to the other one. Kang Shuren had time to prepare, so she actually chose to go on the offense. She circled her arms around the archwizard''s neck, and the two quickly intertwined. Perhaps the heat from Bai Qing''s kiss hadn''t faded yet; Kierra felt this one ramping up much faster. Or, Kang Shuren wasthataggressive and hungry. ''The Heavenly Shura, huh.'' Unlike Bai Qing, Kang Shuren endured a long streak of attacks, even fighting back for herself a little. With her expressionrgely hidden behind the blindfold, she wasn''t scared. Her tongue would resiliently orbit around Kierra''s, pushing back the invader while trying to take the reward for itself by plunging into the archwizard''s mouth. By the time Kang Shuren finally released her focus, she found herself deeply hugging and kissing Kierra in the bed, each upying a portion of therge bed. She felt Kierra''s intense heat transferred to her skin through those deadly soft melons, her fragrant breaths as she entangled her legs with her own, her passionate gaze... She could feel her crotch tingle. As if to answer this feeling, Kierra''s hand soon crept down Kang Shuren''s sturdy stomach, trailing along her vague abs to enter her absolute territory. The archwizard''s nimble fingers quickly came in contact with the precious spot of the soon-to-be Heavenly Shura. While holding the flinching Kang Shuren, Kierra continued to kiss the woman as she rubbed the damp slit. ''''Mhm...'''' A bit ticklish, yet utterly addicting, as if falling into a trance. Kang Shuren gradually sumbed to Kierra''s touches, losing herself to the pleasure. She could sense something building up down theresomething that would surely send her to oblivion should it manifest. As Kierra was enjoying her share of this exquisite woman, she suddenly felt her bottom being groped. From nowhere, Bai Qing, who was thought to have copsed, hadid down behind her and clung her body onto the archwizard''s. ''''It''s not fair...'''' ''''...!'''' While muttering herints, Bai Qing''s hand fearlessly entered Kierra''s territory from behind. In an unstable state, the timid Bai Qing unexpectedlyunched a devastating attack on Kierra''s moist area, stirring her dormant desire wildly. Since Kierra''s lips were, unfortunately, upied, Bai Qing chose to chomp on the archwizard''s alluring nape instead. She felt her finger slipped into that cave, and out of spite, she kept pushing it in and out. With both of them ascending in pleasure, Kierra remembered the ultimate purpose of this session and poured out qi through her mouth. In response, Kang Shuren, who could barely hold anything in anymore, also pushed out her own. The two energies intertwined, spreading across both women''s veins and flesh, circting through the dantians and rapidly raising their cultivation base. ''''Mhmp...!'''' The peak of this moment was when Kang Shuren finally climaxed. Her whole body shook violently as a stroke of pleasure akin to lightning ran through her bottom, turning her mind nk for a few moments. Finally releasing the future Heavenly Shura, Kierra licked her lips and admired her own creation. With an improved cultivation base, Kang Shureny there with likely unfocused eyes beyond the blindfold and an unsightly opened mouth. From time to time, her back would arch as her body convulsed, adding to the utter euphoria she was in. ''''You...'''' Kierra''s voice was a little raspy, but she needed to address the angry kitten biting her neck first. Removing her with telekinesis wasn''t hard, so Kierra did just that and made hery on top of her body. The kitten''s face was buried between her peaks, creating an endearing image as she hugged the archwizard firmly. ''What should I do with this one...'' Kierra felt illegal for a moment. Something as pure and as adorable as this... Suddenly, the head popped up, and Bai Qing shot her puppy eyes at the archwizard. ''''Master...'''' ''''Speak.'''' ''''Can I kiss your lips?'''' ''''Fufu... you don''t need to ask that.'''' ''''No, your... lower ones.'''' ''''...'''' This kitten was too bold! Case 79: Bedtime story. Case 79: Bedtime story. Deep into the night, Kierra''s bedroom was still filled with ragged breaths and hushed moans. After immersing themselves in dualno, triple cultivation for a few hours, the weaker Bai Qing and Kang Shuren finally copsed from exhaustion. It wasn''t as though their cultivation body couldn''t handle sex, but the process of trading qi itself was draining enough. Even Kierra herself was a bit tired after an extended period of giving out and taking in qi. Shey in the middle of the soft and damp mattress with two women clinging to her arms. ''This is what happiness is.'' She thought. As she had expected, it was an absolute delight ''tasting'' these girls. Although they were equally inexperienced, each had charms of their own, so it wasn''t dull for even a moment. Of course, she still preferred the skillful fingers of August, but that was another story. Holding these two in her arms, Kierra quietly gazed out the window. The usual view of a magnificent gxy greeted her. Suddenly, a wave of nostalgia washed over the archwizard. She used to do this exact movement whenever she finished a session with August... and that womanthe one who seemed even more morous than the night sky... Why was she thinking of her now? In truth, Kierra had already realized it. She identally saw her through Bai Qing earlier. Bai Qing''s spoiled actsher adorable antics dreadfully reminded Kierra of her second-ever lover. ''''Stay still. Sleep.'''' Bai Qing had already fallen asleep, but Kang Shuren somehow prevailed. Seeing her wiggling her body like this didn''t seem right, so the archwizard tried to put her to sleep. ''''Master.'''' However, the disciple herself didn''t feel the need to. Even since she began practicing the method of the Heavenly Shura, her strength has increased manyfold. She was confident she could take on an opponent at the peak of the Nascent Soul right now! ''''Hm?'''' Kierra turned to the blindfolded woman. ''''Can you tell me more about your world? More... detailed.'''' Kierra didn''t feel the need to hide anything, so she decided to spoil her kitten this time. As the archwizard pulled Kang Shuren closer, the girl obediently snuggled into her arms. Since Kierra herself had invited, there was no fault in seeking sce in her boobie! ''''...On the Northern side of the major continent, Linoel, situated a mystical forest.'''' The archwizard began in a soft voice. ''''The trees there were made out entirely of precious crystals. Hence, it is named ''The Crystal Forest.'''''' ''''Crystal... it must look beautiful, right?'''' ''''It is beautiful... for the first twenty minutes or so. Once you have stayed long enough, the excessive light reflected by the trees will threaten to blind you.'''' ''''Oh.'''' ''''For any thief who wants to make a profit by harvesting the trees, blinding light will not be the only thing they have to face. There is a reason it is still existing.'''' ''''Is there a guardian?'''' ''''A bunch of them, yes. The Crystal Forest is home to the legendary phoenix race. Some might even suggest that it is the origin of phoenixes.'''' ''''This world also has phoenixes.'''' With an intrigued face, Kang Shuren quietly rubbed her chin and began fantasizing about the rtionship between the two worlds. Was there a connection? Still, she had read many history books, but none had cited the existence of another realm like the one Kierra was describing. ''''The phoenixes are powerful enough to eliminate just about any target if they were to cross their line.'''' ''''Including you?'''' ''''Of course not. I dueled with the phoenix princess once, and she couldn''t even touch my clothes.'''' ''''Ooh... what was she like?'''' ''''...'''' At this point, Kierra really wondered if Kang Shuren saw through her memory! Why would she suddenly ask about a princess? Why randomly? ''''Hm... she has fluffy pink hair and a pair of fiery orange eyes. Personality-wise, she is also... fluffy.'''' ''''...That makes me want to hug her for some reason.'''' ''''I know. I do, too.'''' ''''Huh?'''' (???)? ''Crap.'' Kierra panicked inwardly. Perhaps because she had let her guard down since earlier, those words easily escaped her mouth! ''''Master Kierra... did you have something with this princess...?'''' ''''...'''' She did! The truth was that Kierra had refrained from thinking about this princess in order to forget her. She couldn''t let herself be distracted by the unattained desire to hug, pet, kiss, and cuddle with that fluffy ball! Once she remembered her name, Kierra felt this puppy-like ex of hers would appear out of nowhere. If Kierra broke up with August because of the Sword Empress''s toxic behavior, then she broke up with her second lover because of her own insecurity. She felt she wasn''t good enough for this cinnamon roll of a person. Was someone distorted as Kierra deserved such pure love? She didn''t think so. ''''...So you did.'''' Kang Shuren''s sulky voice snapped Kierra out of her trance. She didn''t even have the time to marvel at the future Heanvely Shura''s unexpected side as her side chest was mercilessly attacked! ''''At least... tell me who she is.'''' Kang Shuren muttered, feeling salty all of a sudden. She didn''t want Kierra to keep secrets about her past lover, who she clearly still had something for. It was a bit childish, but she didn''t care. ''''I already told you. She''s the princess of the phoenix race.'''' ''''What''s her name?'''' ''''...'''' Kierra felt it was unfair! Kang Shuren had watched Kierra ''get along'' with Bai Qing directly, so what was there to be jealous about? Was this the real struggle of a harem owner? The archwizard sighed helplessly. If Kang Shuren had asked August, she would have gotten the answer anyway, so she could only recite her tragic fate''s name. ''''Like an indestructible crystal forged in immense me, she was a woman whose steps were firm and resolute, yet at times, she was as soft and gentle as the morning sunlight. Her name was...''''

''''Diamante de Soleil.''''
''''Ah, that little puppy?'''' ''''Mhm.'''' ''''Now that you mention her, I think she must have found a way to get here by now, no?'''' ''''Mhm...'''' At August''s insistence, Kierra got ''overwritten'' with the Sword Empress''s scent after a refreshing morning bath, and they were now spending some time in her room. ''''It''s more surprising that she isn''t here, even.'''' August scoffed. Her memory of Kierra''s little lover wasn''t exactly abundant since the archwizard refused to see her often, but Diamante was indeed a lovesick puppy. It was said that when Kierra broke up with her, the sun actually cried out sma tears for a few years... It was a huge disaster for the, and Kierra herself was forced to step up and p the sun on the wrist. ''''What would you do if you were to meet her?'''' ''''Is there even a need to ask? Of course, I would...'''' ''''Take her again?'''' While Kierra looked like she had been caught stealing food from the fridge at midnight, August took the opportunity to pounce on her right away. ''''W-Wait, we need to get up!'''' ''''No, we don''t.'''' It was said that they didn''te out until it was lunchtime. Case 80: The abbess and the white lotus. Case 80: The abbess and the white lotus. The experience in Hanamsted for a total of a month. Near the end, Mie Xieren, who everybody thought that she couldn''t make it, actually managed to reunite with the four and went on a date with Kierra. The date itself was sweet and enjoyable, which was something the abbess wanted, but... ''''...'''' ''''...'''' As Kierra quietly sipped her tea, she felt the surroundings cooling off rapidly. It wasn''t the weather. It was summer, anyway, and she was indeed immune to extreme temperatures. So... how did this happen? When she opened her ruby-like eyes, she saw two demons. On one side, Yu Chen, whose cold irises had lost their color, stared nkly forward, while on the other, Mie Xieren''s burning red eyes were fixated on Kierra... and the two little disciples hanging by her arms. Bai Qing and Kang Shuren were both shaking. It was too cold! At this stage, they really wished the amicable and warm sect leader, the one whose contour greatly resembled a white lotus, would intervene. However... ''''I mean, it isn''t bad, but this is definitely not the best snack.'''' ''''I disagree! How can you resist such vorfulwait! You''re going to gobble all of them up! Didn''t you just belittle it...?!'''' ''''It''s edible.'''' ''''Waahh...! You heartless woman!'''' It seemed Tian Yun was busy being teased by August. Kierra could appreciate it, though, since Tian Yun''s crying face was exquisite. ''''So?'''' Mie Xieren''s distant voice descended. ''''What excuse do you have?'''' ''''None.'''' As shameless as she could be, Kierra replied. ''''Did you forget it, esteemed abbess?'''' The archwizard gently pressed her index finger on her sulent lips as she narrowed her brows, seeming like a seductive vixen. ''''I fully intend to embrace beautiful women as long as I hold affection for them and vice versa. Shouldn''t you me yourself for not being assertive enough?'''' ''''...'''' Mie Xieren gritted her teeth. In fact, she was so sure that she would be the next one after Yu Chen to have a taste of Kierra, yet after mere weeks... she was surpassed by these two immature girls! ''''How about you, little Chen?'''' Kierra''s teasing gaze naturally turned to Yu Chen, who had been silent. Unlike Mie Xieren, the martial master of Qinling felt something more than just jealousy. It was a mix of uncertainty... and perhaps unease. She was still not sure if she would be fine having Kierra sleep with other women like this. Her love was too heavy and possessive for that. ''''...'''' But then, she btedly remembered. Wasn''t August the example of what would happen when one harbored those thoughts? That was right. She needed to prioritize Kierra''s happiness, even if she would suffer a bit more than usual. ''''...Forget it.'''' Letting out a sigh, Yu Chen quietly retreated, leaving both Mie Xieren and Kierra puzzled. After that, the days quickly passed by without many incidents. Days and nights, Kierra was upied with exchanging qi and mashing flesh. As it was a new experience for her, it wasn''t that bad, even if it took a bit of her time. With the sport so widely poprized in White Lotus, it actually pushed the ones who hadn''t been involved significantly. Namely, Tian Yun and Mie Xieren. Thetter was always somewhat assertive herself, but Tian Yun, on the other hand, needed this push the most. Together, they began to probe around the archwizard more often, gathering the courage to hit it off with the vixen... [A-Ah, Kierra...! It feels so good~!] ''''...'''' ''''...'''' However, it almost always ended up like this. With soulless eyes, they could only stare at each other outside Kierra''s room, where the lewd sounds of females drowned in euphoria constantly tormented them. It would be rather fortunate if they could just tell Kierra that she needed to cultivate and stop her. However, what Kierra and the others were doingwascultivating! It was really effective as well! Yu Chen, whom Tian Yun considered her biggest rival, had greatly surpassed her in strength ever since she started sleeping with Kierra. Of course, she could still squeeze herself into Kierra''s schedule, but she didn''t want such a... rushediplete experience. She wanted Kierra to give her proper attention... and love her like she would love a person, not just someone she could sleep with. This sentiment was shared by Mie Xieren as well. As proper humans, all they wanted was that sincere love from their crush. After all, only by showing righteouspassion could one expect to receive the same thing. So, their solution was simple. ''''Let''s sabotage them.'''' ''''Okay.'''' (s)s~kk (s)s~kk Compassion my ass! At this rate, they wouldn''t even be able toy their hands on Kierra''s boobs for a second, let alone sleep with her! As the two were still sect masters of powerful cultivation sects, they quickly took out most of theirpetitors the following days. Tian Yun dumped work on Yu Chen and Bai Qing, while Mie Xieren used her power as one of the most influential people in the realm to have the sect leader of Lightning Tiger Sect call Kang Shuren back. In an instant, only August remained. This opponent was, in many ways, the trickiest to go up against. They knew how terrifying the Sword Empress could be. If August were to take Kierra away, they would likely not be able to do anything about it. Fortunately, August and Kierra weren''t... always doing it. In the afternoon, they finally caught the archwizard as she was strolling the sect''s garden. ''''Kierra~!'''' ''''Kierra.'''' ''''Hm? You two... why do I have a feeling it has been a long time since we met?'''' See?! Kierra even seemed distant! Nevertheless, they quickly utilized this free time to try to seduce Kierra as much as possible. It created a ratherical sight as each of them tightly hugged either one of Kierra''s arms, walking alongside her while chatting fervently. Kierra was a bit puzzled, yet she didn''t mind much. At Kierra''s invite, the three headed into the archwizard''s pocket dimension for an afternoon snack. ''''Woah... this yogurt thing is too good!'''' ''''Indeed.'''' No matter how many times they had Kierra''s snack, they would still be shocked by their exquisite taste. Through frequent parties like this, a myth had been born between the crewwhere did all these snackse from? Kierra''s fridge would seemingly generate them out of nowhere, even if the archwizard hadn''t touched it! ''''In any case... good work, you two.'''' Taken aback by Kierra''s sudden remark, the two didn''t respond for a while. ''''Being sect leaders isn''t easy. Good job doing it so far.'''' She added. As they both took another bite of the dessert, a fuzzy warmth spread across their chest. Even if Kierra might seem cold and arrogant, she truly cared about them. After all, not many people would notice these seemingly obvious, sometimes trivial things. ''''Hey, Kierra, did you know?'''' Tian Yun spoke up with a smile on her face. ''''Hm?'''' ''''I love you.'''' Akin to a flower blooming, Tian Yun''s smile radiated a certain air that was so lovely and precious, drawing Kierra in. While she remained stunned, Mie Xieren also stepped forward. ''''I love you, too, Kierra.'''' Mie Xieren''s smile was a modest one, yet her breathtaking beauty and sincere eyes didn''t allow her to look any less happy. Taken by these two flowers, Kierra was guided to her own bedroom. Case 81: Fragrant. (R-18) Case 81: Fragrant. (R-18) In a dimly lit room, heavy pantings and sloppy noises echoed. Kierra''s bed tonight was also upied by multiple people. It had seen all kinds of ys being carried outwith all sorts of women. The archwizard herself was a bit perplexed, however. It was the first time she had been with Tian Yun and Mie Xieren, and she didn''t know they werethisaggressive! Above, her sulent lips were familiarly ying with Tian Yun''s small and delicate ones, while below, her other lips were the treat of a certain abbess. Kierra''s ruby eyes were sharp. Even in this barely lit room, she could see vividly the steam rising from Tian Yun''s face and body. She was always easy to get embarrassed, and it was exceptionally adorable. Now, even as she exchanged saliva with the archwizard, her body would flinch whenever Kierra''s fingers entered her bottom. Moreover, having her rabbits wrapped around Kierra''s arm was a genius move, even if she did it unintentionally since her crush was so pleased with them. Below, Mie Xieren was as hungry as a shark. Hugging Kierra''s soft thighs to herself, she immersed in the incredible warmth, the fragrant velvet skin without a care in the world. Her tongue, trained after months of kissing, naturally knew where tond itself and how to entice the ''lips.'' Even as someone proficient in ice arts, she couldn''t win against the steamy hot atmosphere down this forbidden area, yet she couldn''tno, she didn''t want to leave it. As she darted her eyes above, she could make out Kierra''s wantonly bouncing rabbits... and her passionate face as she pleasured Tian Yun. The White Lotus, who had been under attack for so long, finally reached her climax. ''''Mhmp...!'''' Seizing this chance when she squirmed in pleasure, Kierra poured out her qi, notifying the other person to do the same. After a few rounds, Tian Yun slumped down, hugging Kierra''s arm tightly while catching her breath. Before the archwizard could heave out a breath to stabilize herself, she felt a weight on her torso. ''''Do me, too.'''' Licking her lips, Mie Xieren gently guided Kierra''s free hand to her drenched crotch, to which the archwizard readily epted. As the abbess leaned forward, her sizable bosom naturally met with Kierra''s, and when she closed in for a long-awaited kiss, both of their precious assets were squashed together. When Tian Yun looked up with an exhausted gaze, she actually saw them fingering each other while kissing! ''It should have been my spot...!'' was what she thought, but she could only hug Kierra''s arm for the moment. Sliding her own hand down Kierra''s smooth forearm, the once pure White Lotus gently ovepped her fingers with her crush''s, putting them between her crotch again. ''''Mn... ngah...'''' For a while, only the sweet moans of a vulnerable, highly aroused woman and other slippery sounds could be heard. Both Kierra and Mie Xieren rocked their fingers relentlessly, intending to bring the other person to oblivion, while their lips couldn''t separate. If they were, it meant that their tongues were connecting instead. Mie Xieren did notice another vor that wasn''t Kierra''s, likely a lingering scent from Tian Yun, but she didn''t particrly dislike it. After all, when faced with a master of kissing like Kierra, her body would surrender itself sooner orter. And true to that, not long after, Mie Xieren climaxed. With the sudden pressureing from the abbess''s wriggling, Kierra, whose crotch had been itching for the long-awaited eruption, also burst. Their hands were drenched, and so was the bed sheet. However, they sessfully exchanged a good few rounds of qi, and their cultivation base could only soar. ''''My turn...!'''' Seizing the opportunity, Tian Yun pushed Mie Xieren aside and pounced on Kierra. The abbess didn''t let herself be swept away either. ''''Hahah... fiery little kittens...'''' The archwizard felt as though spring had arrived in her heart. Being intensely loved by these many people... it was a dreame true for her, who had only been shunned nearly all of her childhood. ''''Come here. I''ll love all of you... just as you all love me.'''' It seemed as though flowers were blooming in the room. Three women, whose love for one another was pure and ripe, exuded a certain aura as if announcing to the world their feelings. It was fragrant. Intoxicated in this mood, Kierra soon found herself and the two kissing... at the same time. It was a three-way kiss, and their lower lips weren''t vacant either. While three tongues were busy twirling around one another, their fingers, as slender and elegant as swans, worked busily to please their loves. Both of Kierra''s arms were upied, and both Tian Yun and Mie Xieren fiercelypeted for their spot in Kierra''s precious ce. Drowned in the heat of the moment, they would spare no effort to satisfy their lust and, in the process, unknowingly brought their cultivation game to another height. By the time the session finally ended, Kierra found herself being a hug pillow for her two little lovers, each peacefully using one of her assets as a cushion. The starlight outside poured in from the window, illuminating their sleeping faces. A sense of fulfillment welled up inside her. It was the same as when she spent time with August or Diamante. A light, cozy nket that healed her soul, a... restful contentment. Maybe... just maybe... this was what she longed for all along. To spend time with her loved ones. With them, maybe the boring every day would turn exciting. And, if so, there was one more integralponent to this equation. Diamante de Soleil. Kierra''s beloved phoenix. Without her, who was akin to afy day''s sunlight, Kierra felt her life could not bepleted. Whether Diamante was contended being one of her many mistresses... was questionable, but Kierra had to try, either way. ''But... to return to Linoel...'' If Kierra were to make her way back, she would risk losing all of her fates in the Central Divine Realm. Finding one universe among countless others wasn''t easy. Linoel''s position could be tracked since Kierra was so familiar with it, but she knew little about this realm. The ''idiot'' August only followed Kierra''s mana signal, so she couldn''t be trusted either. ''''Whew...'''' Letting out a sigh, Kierra sensed a wave of excitement washing over her. If she couldn''t easily move between realities... then she wasn''t strong enough. So, the solution was simple.

''I just need to be the strongest.'' Carrying on such determination, Kierra continued her training regime, busy bedding women and cultivating for days and nights. Heeding the Heavenly Shura''s warning, neither of her crew decided to ck off either. Days turned weeks, and weeks turned months. Through breezy autumn days and snowy winter nights; through warm spring mornings and hot summer noons... Letting the flow of time lead her way, Kierra soon realized that she had spent another year in the Central Divine Realm. Case 82: Their story of a year later. Case 82: Their story of a yearter. The Central Divine Realm was covered in snow. At a certain teahouse, there was a woman upying half of a table on the second floor. She nkly gazed out the window, watching the busy people passing by. As a cultivator, thest thing shecked was time. Letting her thoughts drift, she slowly closed her eyes. Then, she could overhear the other customers'' murmurs. ''''Hey, did you hear the news?'''' ''''What news? You need to be specific!'''' ''''Come on! There is only one so significant I would mention! Didn''t you hear White Lotus Sect''s divine beasts?'''' ''''You mean the legendary nine-tailed fox?'''' ''''No, no. They said that there is another one nowa baby phoenix!'''' ''''A phoenix?! I thought phoenixes disappeared a long time ago??'''' ''''It''s credible!'''' ''''Woah... do you think the Immortal League would go for them? They''d want to hog the precious stuff.'''' ''''Nah, that''s too outrageous.'''' ''''Yeah, you''re right. With such monstrous presences behind that little sect... well, it''s not little anymore, I guess.'''' ''''At this point, I''m wondering why they aren''t Immortals yet.'''' White Lotus Sect. An otherwise unremarkable immortal sect if not for the existence of the Crimson Tower standing within its territory. Thanks to the tower''s master, Kierra, the sect had produced exceptionally powerful cultivators, or wizards, as Kierra would call them, in a short time. Wielding mana, they appeared much more versatile and destructive than ordinary cultivators. This ''wizard'' faction quickly grew to be the dominant in the power scene, bringing them fame and much interest. Outside attempts to interfere all ended in failure as the crew running White Lotus and the Crimson Tower could easily obliterate just about any opponent, not to mention their deep connection with Emei and Shaolin. ''''It''s... about time, right?'''' The woman asked with a subdued voice. ''''Hm.'''' She only received a short answer, but it was enough. When she opened her amethyst eyes, she could see another woman sitting across her. She had long ck hair that flowed to her waist and a wide hat with a lowered brim. Perhaps the hat obstructed her eyes, but it also highlighted her sulent red lips. Kierra quietly watched the streets as she contemted her situation. ''''...'''' Over thest year, through repeated bonding with her beloved partners, her cultivation base soared beyond imagination. She had just broken through to the Soul Transformation Stage, making her one of the top cultivators in the world. Golden Core Stage. Nascent Soul Stage. That was two whole stages in one year! Of course, her partners also got boosted, some arguably more than what she had. Recently, Mie Xieren, who was approaching the limit of the mortal realm, began to show some real strength! That was pure cultivation. If one counted magic... Kierra''s harem could take on the whole world, and the archwizard was proud of them. ording to the information the Heavenly Shura provided, cmity, one of an otherworldly caliber that this world hadn''t seen before, would soon strike this realm. The archwizard was confident. With August and her harem by her side, even if the enemies were unreasonably strong, they could handle them. If there were something that bothered Kierra, it would be Diamante. For a whole year, Kierra hadn''t seen a single feather of the phoenix princess. For the first time in a long while, she felt powerless. If she had obediently opened a gate connecting the two worlds instead of going just by herself... ''''Hah...'''' Either way, Kierra had no choice but to keep trying. She had to get even stronger!
''''Hm...'''' On a certain morning, when everybody else was still sleeping. Kierra stood in her kitchen wearing only her lingerie and a single piece of apron, absentmindedly making breakfast for her loves. Since she had so many women, it was impossible to give them all the love they deserved. So, seemingly small gestures like making them a meal became Kierra''s way of expressing her love. Besides, they absolutely loved it when she appeared ''wifey'' like this. Guided by the food''s delicious scent, one by one, the women slowly gathered. ''''Morning~!'''' August, also wearing little on her body, hugged Kierra from behind, burying her face into her lover''s neck. ''''Good morning.'''' Kierra only responded lightly while the others began to appear. Yu Chen smacked her lips when she saw her spot had already been taken, followed by a sleepy Tian Yun with her eyes practically closed. They didn''t originally need to sleep, but the exhaustioning from having to match Kierra and August''s game was too great. ''''Master... would you like milk?'''' ''''Please...'''' After the pair of master and disciple settled down at the table, a rtively sober Mie Xieren walked in with a ss of iced tea. Through almost two years with Kierra, she had fully embraced her crush''s casual culture, leading to her increasingly informal demeanor. The way she dressed indoors... was something everyone else from the Central Divine Realm needed to gasp at! Finally, there were two younger girls. They couldn''t keep up with the intense bed activities recently, so they were still sleeping. This happened regrly, and Kierra would always wake them upter. ''''Breakfast is ready~'''' Dragging a lethargic August along, Kierra turned around with her food. Upon witnessing the sight of three women, who used to be so reserved and shy, wearing skimpy clothes and acting as though they weren''t embarrassed in the slightest, the archwizard couldn''t help but smile. Of course, this wasrgely due to the fact that everyone had seen all of each other in bed, but it was a big leap regardless! It was now winter, but Kierra''s heart felt like spring. ''''Feed me~'''' ''''...'''' If it wasn''t for this giant baby named August! ''''You''re five hundred years old; you don''t need to be fed!'''' Kierra sternly scolded August. ''''I''ll starve to death, then.'''' Without a care in the world, the Sword Empressthe undisputed leader of the most powerful empire in the world, threw away her dignity and then threw her face at Kierra''s ample bosom. Kierra: (s)s~kk Why does my lover act like a child?! Really, what was the difference? When Diamante did this stuff, Kierra could only see a fluffy dog trying to get its owner''s attention, which was extraordinarily adorable, but when August did it, she felt like a sinister wolf was preying on her instead. If her chest were to be taken anyway, she would rather it be Diamante who took it! Kierra med it all on August. ''This good-for-nothing idiot, only knows how to please women...'' Thanks to her, the archwizard was now sad about Diamante again. Either way, it was a mystery why her beloved phoenix princess hadn''t chased after Kierra''s mana signal. Maybe... she got fed up with chasing Kierra? ''That''s right...'' No matter how heavy her love was, if faced with constant rejection... Realizing that if she ever lost Diamante, it would be entirely her fault, Kierra sighed. She was... stupid. For leaving such a wonderful woman. ''''Eat up, eat up! The first wave will arrive soon!'''' ''''Don''t act like you cooked the meal...'''' Tian Yun and Yu Chen''s banter snapped Kierra back to reality. Losing Diamante was bad enough, but there were more pressing issues that needed to be resolved. At this point, the realm above was already in chaos. Unknown, unidentified extraterrestrial beings were invading that realm in addition to the toxic infection rampaging. This was ording to Wen Zhuwei, the Heavenly Shura. If their predictions were right, the first major wave of these creatures woulde soon. If Kierra wanted to preserve this world... she would need to help the Immortals. Case 83: The calm before the storm. Case 83: The calm before the storm. On the very top of Qinling Peak stood a wooden mansion. This was where the little disciples of Yu Chen resided. Today, it, too, was filled withughter as the girls yed in the front yard. A passing by snowfall had left the ce with a pristine, white snowfield, inviting the young spirits toe and release their yful energy. ''''Be careful not to damage the house~!'''' As Bai Qing breathed out, she saw a white gust of airing from her mouth. Looking at the clear sky, she thought about... just how far she hade. After merely two years, she had btedly realized how powerful she had be. Peak of the Nascent Soul Stage. It was too sudden. With Kierra, she found herself soaring like her body wasn''t her own anymore. It was scary. But with Kierra, she knew everything was going to be alright. Kierra came to this world like a meteorite, leaving her mark deeply and permanently on thisnd, and Bai Qing was grateful she could apany such an incredible person on her unforgettable journey. ''''...'''' More than anything, she became addicted to the archwizard''s touches at night. Merely reminiscing those scenes in her head was enough for Bai Qing to blush. Fortunately, it wouldn''t cause any incongruity since it was winter. ''Life is truly unpredictable.'' She could never imagine that the imposing woman whom she owed her life to two years ago would now be her lifelong partner, and she certainly could never entertain the thought that her master and her sect leader would be joining her. ''''Qing.'''' Talk about the devil. Bai Qing turned around, just to be greeted with an otherworldly beauty, recognizable by her ck witch hat. Letting herself be embraced by Kierra, Bai Qing received several kisses on her cheeks, forehead, and lips. Kierra had been refraining from using lipsticks recently since... there was no reason to use them anymore. So, Bai Qing escaped the fate of being painted with marks of red lipstick. So they stayed like that for a while, sharing warmth during the cold morning. ''''It''s peaceful.'''' Bai Qing remarked, watching the children building snowmen. ''''Hm.'''' Kierra quietly agreed. ''''Shall we go to sister Shuren?'''' ''''Sure.'''' Being the only two who were considered ''young'' in the crew, Bai Qing and Kang Shuren naturally got very close. Kierra regarded this sisterly rtionship as a rare urrence in thendscape of things. In summary, August, Yu Chen, and Mie Xieren always fought against each other for the number one spot. Tian Yun always satfortably at the second spot, and these two young women actually worked together to stay in the race. ''August always came out on top, though.'' There was hardly anybody who could match that monstrous woman. After Bai Qing said goodbye to the kids, the two moved from Qinling Peak to the rooftop of the Crimson Tower V2, where a blindfolded woman with lush green hair could be seen swinging her sword. Kierra especially loved seeing Kang Shuren''s eyes in bed since she usually didn''t show them. It gave the archwizard a sense of... exclusivitya side only she could witness. ''''Hm?'''' However, something about the sight was strange. Not Kang Shuren herself, but the people around her. Normally, Cosmos would be there to teach Kang Shuren the sword of the Heavenly Shura, but now, there was one more person! ''''Eheheh... mistress...'''' ''''...'''' Hugging Cosmos, who stayed still with a nk expression,''s thigh was a stunning woman with silky ck hair and vivid cyan eyes. A quick look at her attire told one that she wasn''t a nobody. And she was, indeed, not a nobody. ''''Uh... Miss Yan Shi...'''' Bai Qing''s tone carried a tangible, obvious disappointment, and rightfully so. Who could have imagined that a mighty Immortal who stood on top of the whole Central Divine Real would behave like this? From time to time, the professional masochist would descend to the Central Divine Realm to deliver news of the realm above. With each visit bringing worse news, she also provided with such... embarrassing shows. She would cling to either Kierra, August, Cosmos and even Yu Chen or Mie Xieren if the situation called for it. ''She wasn''t this shameless originally...'' Watching her ''pet'' crawl toward herself while barking ''Master! Master!'' Kierra''s eyes slowly lost their luster. Out of sheer curiosity, Kierra and August tried to do a night ''lesson'' with her, and... there was a lot of water. ''''Tch... either way, is everything ready?'''' Kierra asked, swinging her long leg to shake off Yan Shi. ''''Yes, of course...!'''' The shameless Immortal, while enjoying Kierra''s full thigh, replied. This was a signal that a pathway to the realm above would be opened for her crew very soon, and Yan Shi was the guide. Kierra could break through anyway, but there was simply no point. ''''Whew...'''' For a moment, Kierra stared at the clear sky, her thoughts wandering.
''''Boo...'''' ''''Please stop making weird noises.'''' ''''...'''' ''''...'''' ''''Boo...!'''' ''''Agh, seriously!'''' ''''Booo!'''' For a moment, the blonde woman clenched her fist in frustration, her sses on the verge of cracking from the sheer pressure her mana release caused. She nearly threw the heavy book in her arms toward the other woman, but she ultimately stopped. ''Stop, Angelica, stop. What would Master think of me if I made a big dent in her ex''s forehead?'' Sprawling out on the table was a silly-looking woman with fluffy pink haira so-called disappointing beauty. Always cheerful, always positive, but also stubborn; however, she would shine brighter than any star could hope to be at times. She was Diamante de Soleil, the phoenix princess. ''''Just how long do I have to wait...?'''' She whined. ''''Just... how long...'''' Diamante''s big, round orange eyes were filled with unshed tears, reserved for her one and only loveher brilliant rose, which she would burn her infinite lives to get, and the lovely vixen, which she would pluck her feathers to warm. It had been close to two years since both Kierra and August vanished. Upon inquiring the Crimson Tower, Diamante was initially rejected due to her no longer being in a rtionship with Kierra, but through sheer stubbornness, she was able to contact Angelica, the now temporary tower master and Kierra''s first disciple. Kierra had traveled to another dimension. Diamante wanted to follow Kierra, but her power was for destruction, which was unsuited for such dimensional matters. So, she had to rely on the disciples'' research to follow the archwizard. ''''I told you. We''re almost there.'''' Angelica replied. ''''Soon... very soon, we will reach master''s ce.'''' ''''Yeah... I believe in you.'''' Diamante quietly clutched the piece of jewelry on her right ear. It was attached to a beautifully craved ruby, which Kierra had given her on their twenty-fifth anniversary. ''''Ki~erra!'''' ''''Dia. How are you doing?'''' ''''I''m good! I just... missed you!'''' ''''A lot?'''' ''''Yeah! So you have to take responsibility and stay with me tonight!'''' ''''Fufu... of course. Tonight, tomorrow, and the day after... I''ll be with you.'''' A wry smile appeared on Diamante''s face, threatening to break the dam and let the tears roll. ''Take responsibility, idiot...'' Case 84: To the realm above. Case 84: To the realm above. Somewhere closer to the sky. In a ce that no one could hardly define, a dozen people sat, each holding enough force to destroy the world as one knew it over and over. Amidst this vast realm, they were the only ones bearing the titles of Emperors. The Twelve Immortal Emperors and Empresses. Even though most considered them entric, none could defy their prowess. However, there was a threat present, one that could make all twelve of them gather. ''''Will it actually work?'''' A doubtful young voice resonated. It came from a spirited man whose face radiated a yful aura. Many were of the same opinion as the man. They weren''t going to put their trust in a group of unknown ''wizards'' from another reality. Hence, pressure was put on Wen Zhuwei, the Heavenly Shura, who proposed this alliance with the visitors in the first ce. Out of the twelve, only three preferred this alliance. The Heavenly Shura, the Witch of Stars, and the Enigma Maskedbasically the three most entric ones out of the bunch. Against the buzz, Wen Zhuwei never extinguished her smile. ''''The question is not whether it will work... but whether we have a choice or not.'''' She said, shutting down all the noises. ''''Do any of you have the confidence to go againstthem?'''' At the mention of ''them,'' none could refute Wen Zhuwei''s statement. Her glistening silver eyes captured their reluctance immediately. ''''You all know we are desperate. Kierra... that wizard. She is our only hope. I hope you are smart enough to recognize that.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' ''''Then, I shall get going now. The frontlines wait for no one.'''' ''''I''ll leave, too.'''' ''''Good luck, guy~!'''' The two other Immortal Empresses followed Wen Zhuwei out. While traveling through the dimensional walls, talks inevitably emerged. ''''Really, I wonder why they are so stubbornly stupid.'''' Witch of Stars scoffed, clutching herrge hat. ''''Isn''t it their egos? Such proud geezers, heh.'''' Enigma Masked shook her head, giggling. ''''What d''ya think, Wen Wen?'''' ''''Stop with the weird nicknames. Other than that, I think they''re just senile.'''' ''''Hahahah! True!'''' The three were determined. Without reaching the absolute pinnacle of cultivation, how could one let the world end? If their strength weren''t enough to eliminate the threats, they would find more people to help. It was actually a stroke of luck that Kierra and her lover arrived here. Without them, all hope would truly be lost. After all... even the only three Heavenly Venerates were corrupted by the extraterrestrial virus. Against them, who wielded absolute power, no number of Immortal Emperors was enough. No one knew when they went out to confront the invaders, but everyone now knew that they would have to fight them. Should the ordinary folks be d that the corrupted Venerables stayed silent? Or would they resent them for perpetually terrifying their minds as they lurked in the shadow? No one knew. ''''...'''' Clenching her fist, Wen Zhuwei headed to the battlefield. Meanwhile, on the Crimson Tower V2''s rooftop. Kierra''s usual crew was gathered, all excited and nervous to be included in this world-saving operation. Following Yan Shi''s incarnation, a sizable gate manifested in the air. From it, one could sense otherworldly energy. ''''Ahem. Before we enter the realm above...'''' Some nervously gulped. As it was, Yan Shi began to exin the environment of the ce they were about to enter. Since the qi density there was extraordinarily high, it was a legitimate concern that some of the weaker cultivators would have their dantians crushed. ''''It is rmended to have a barrier to protect your dantian from the initial shock.'''' Yan Shi said. ''''Afterward, you can gradually get used to the pressure.'''' ''''I''ll cast it.'''' When Mie Xieren volunteered, no one objected. After all, she had reached the peak of the Tribtion Stage, which put her at the very top of the Central Divine Realm''s cultivators. Her qi barriers must be potent! Although there was a smallmotion when the abbess sneakily kissed Kierra once, the group quickly got ready and entered the gate. rustle! ''''Woah...'''' Upon passing through, exmations inevitably came out. Here, it was nighttime, and the sky had no clouds, which meant the stars were exceptionally spectacr. Kierra, who loved stargazing, was also moved. She finally understood why Cosmos said it wasfy here. This vast in was actually where Yan Shi lived, so she invited the crew over to her house to wait for the Heavenly Shura and her teammates toe back. ording to her, Wen Zhuwei would exin the situation in detail and provide her n, so Kierra agreed to the offer. Yan Shi''s house, in the middle of nowhere, was actually quite spacious and clean. Kierra preferred this over something as grand as a castle or a mansion. After bringing out some fruits, Yan Shi obediently knelt before Kierra and rubbed her face against the archwizard''s leg. Since it was amon sight at this point, no one said anything about it. With Yu Chen stubbornly hugging her arm and August taking her waist, Kierra finally felt like she was a proud harem owner. Women fawn over me! ( ) If there were one Diamante sitting on herp, too, it would be perfect, but s. Nevertheless, Kierra and her little lovers spent a while cuddling in the living room, which, given the boldness of August in particr, quickly raised the sexual tension. One by one, shirts were removed, skirts were thrown away, and warm flesh collided with warm flesh. Kierra, being stuck in the middle of this entanglement, could hard feel anything except all the softness surrounding her... and the tickling sensation of Yan Shi licking her foot. It would only need one gesture. One gesture that would cross the line for it to be a full-blown lovemaking session. While everybody else was nervous, only August had enoughposure. Climbing on top of Kierra, she boldly kissed the archwizard. The next moment ''''We''re backoh.'''' The door opened. ''''What''s wrong, Wen Wenoh.'''' ''''Seriously, why are you two blocking theoh.'''' Simultaneously, three Immortal Empresses covered their mouths and blushed, seeing the absurd scene in the house. It took a whole thirty seconds of silence for August to finally release Kierra''s lips. When she rose, a saliva trail was actually present! Afterward, the women scrambled to find their clothes, and it wasn''t until five minutester that everybody was seated properly. ''''Ahem.'''' Kierra cleared her throat, her face devoid of any shame from the previous incident. ''''Long time no see, Heavenly Shura. These two are?'''' ''''...Witch of Stars and Enigma Masked. Immortal Empresses.'''' ''''Witch of Stars?'''' Naturally, Kierra expressed curiosity toward the self-proimed ''witch,'' who flinched the moment the archwizard turned to her. Still, the topic would need to be put off for another asion as Wen Zhuwei urged the group to pay attention. ''''Right now, all three out of three Heavenly Venerables are taken out.'''' She said, inviting worried gasps and furrowed brows. ''''Worse, they are corrupted, which means we need to... fight them.'''' ''''F-Fight a Heavenly Venerable...?!'''' Tian Yun eximed. ''''Is that even possible?'''' Seeing Wen Zhuwei''s reluctant attitude, most couldn''t help but feel horrified. However, in that suffocating silence, Kierra spoke up. ''''It''s fine. We can take care of it.'''' Case 85: On top of the world. Case 85: On top of the world. For a moment, silence befell the room. No matter how confident Kierra was, there should still be a limit. Heavenly Venerates were something of a far, far distant dimension that whatever they could imagine. These beings were closer to walking cosmic-level disasters than just Immortals. Having to deal with them on top of the virus, which allegedly could beat even the Heavenly Venerates, how could one be so arrogant? Nevertheless, there was a certainposure in Kierra''s demeanor. She calmly sipped her tea, posing a smirk as everybody tensed up. ''''Cosmos.'''' Calling the name of her dear friend, Kierra''s ruby-like pupils turned to the woman with a nk expression in the corner. ''''Did you ever meet them?'''' ''''Certainly.'''' Understanding what the archwizard implied, Cosmos continued her recount. ''''They are... manageable at that point. Whether they have gotten stronger... I would not know.'''' ''''Got it.'''' ck! Almost mming her cup down the table, Kierra sessfully startled just about everyone. With eyes sharp as an eagle, the archwizard spoke with a tone full of dignity. ''''In case you all have forgotten... let me remind you.'''' '''''''' !!! '''''''' In an instant, a terrifying aura escaped Kierra''s bodyamon effect caused by the hyperactivation of her ten immacte mana circles. It weighted the surrounding beings down significantly, threatening to crush their very bones. Except for August and Cosmos, the others could hardly breathe. ''''I am Kierra Scarlett Aspenova, the one and only wizard who could uproot heavens and burn down hells. In this realm, in other realmsin every realm, there exists nothing that can rival me.'''' Feeling her celestial body shaken to its very core, the Heavenly Shura unconsciously formed a wry smile. This sheer pressure, as though the whole world were ced on her shoulders, was real. ''''Hmph.'''' Cutting down her mana cirction, Kierra leaned back into the sofa with a cocky look. Soon, she pinched August''s cheeky cheek on the side since its owner had been looking at her quite disrespectfully for a while. ''''Ow, ow, please spare me, my beautiful and incredible wife~!'''' ''''Shut up. Hah... this idiot is quite strong as well, even if she looks like this.'''' Kierra shook her head. ''''Of course, we can''t leave out Cosmos, too.'''' ''''...So, three for three?'''' Wen Zhuwei amusedly inquired. ''''If you want to consider things that way.'''' Kierra shrugged. ''''Either way, just talking won''t solve things. Let us march to the battlefield.'''' ''''Hahah! You''re absolutely right!'''' As the group began to move to the frontlines, Kierra''s crewher harem was surprisingly silent. For almost two years, they had experienced the very gentle side of Kierra, being showered in her tender love so much that they had essentially forgotten how terrifying she could be at times. Kierra''s earlier deration was damming evidence of that. Strangely, they could only feel... immorally satisfied. A being of that caliber was pampering them the whole time... who could dare reject it? For a while, witch-like giggles could be heard among the group. However, such a mood would soon be extinguished as the battlefield drew closer. Even from a distance, one could clearly feel the violent ripples of qi in the air, signaling brutal fights ahead. ''''Qing, Shuren. You two will move together. Shuren will protect Qing while she casts her buff, alright?'''' Kierra tentatively asked the two young women. ''''Roger!'''' ''''Understood.'''' ''''August, Cosmos, and I shall move alone. The rest of you can pair up however you like. Have all the soldiers back to the base. I will then clear out the whole battlefield with one strike.'''' No one objected to the archwizard''smands. Naturally, Yu Chen chose to move with her master, Tian Yun, while Mie Xieren went with Yan Shi as thetter''s lightning attribute paired well with her water one. The three Immortal Empresses had good synergy, so they went with each other. Just like that, the first battle to reim the very frontline and relieve the currentbatants began. To properly prepare for the first major wave, there needed stabilization within the Immortals, which was why they needed to hurry. Fortunately, mana was abundant even in this ne of existence. It made sense if one dug into the origin of mana as they knew it. Mana was a form of energy existing within things in general, which meant that whenever there were things, mana would emerge. Wielding such a beautiful energy, Bai Qing sped her hands and began to pray.

''''O foregone tales'' heroes,''''

''''Blessed saints holding fate''s demise,''''

''''Searching for quests,''''

''''Roaming thend,'''' ''''Before long, they will be their own paths, and thousands, even millions of heroes will walk them.'''' ''''Even though their fate is to be lost, to be stolen away, to disappear someday,'''' ''''They are the very things that cannot be forgotten,'''' ''''And are right here with us.'''' For a moment, Bai Qing''s determined eyes shed a brilliant blue light. Answering her call for help, the spirits of distant heroes, whose stories had been buried deep in the sarcophagus of history, took the form of a colossal mana wave, washing over the entire battlefield as if proving their undying hearts of peace.

?Sanctuary Of Bygone Valor8? ''''This is...!'''' ''''My wounds are healing!'''' ''''It''s a miracle!'''' Suddenly, the Immortals who were tugging with the monsters for their lives felt invigorated, their wounds closing and their muscles bursting with power. However, being the center of such a powerful sanctuary, Bai Qing naturally attracted many of those malicious beings. Kang Shuren, who stayed near the praying woman, could sense many presences approaching. They all had grotesque appearances, seeming to be cruelly Frankensteined together with different mutated animal parts. Their deep, ominous purple skin, paired with their lifeless yet animated eyes, gave off a bad feeling to just about anyone. Pulling out her sword, Kang Shuren took a calm stance. Even if she was only at the peak of the Soul Transformation outwardly, with the help of mana and the Heavenly Shura''s sword arts, she felt like she could take on the world. ''''Come.'''' Meanwhile, August and Kierra were breezing through the battlefield, each spearheading in a direction. The archwizard''s automated projectile magic spewed out hundreds of spells at once, cleaning out multiple enemies at once while she collected the Immortals. Before the group of Immortal Empresses went their way, Kierra made sure to have them give out a retreat order. Since there were so many of these abominations, it would be more efficient just to drop a nuke instead of manually taking them out. However, there were bound to be ones that couldn''t retreatthe woundedor couldn''t receive the order. August, on the other hand, was actively throwing people into the rifts she cut, sending them back to the designated spot beside Bai Qing, where the buff was the most potent. This way, they could help Kang Shuren protect Bai Qing as well. With everybody working together, it only took a few hours for all the soldiers to be rescued, and after receiving the signal, Kierra took off to the sky. Overlooking the vast field of death, Kierra couldn''t help but feel regretful for the originalndscape. Without these pests, it would have been a beautiful grass in, but s... Since it couldn''t be saved anymore... ''Graze it all to the ground.'' In a single heartbeat, Kierra''s mana circles swell rapidly. Case 86: With one strike. Case 86: With one strike. Gathered at the border, Immortals began to marvel at how fast their wounds were healing. Even without feeling the discrete mana flow, they could sense that this magical effect wasing from a lone maiden praying somewhere near the line. The youthful littledy, whose serious face only made these soldiers feel motivated, excluded an out-of-this-world aura. However, without anybody holding out the monsters, the healthynd would soon be invaded. They had obediently listened to the Empresses, but now, they were beyond worried. So, rightfully, one of them approached Wen Zhuwei. ''''Esteemed Empress, may I know your intentions?'''' The entric Heavenly Shura, who only posed a smile as she gazed at the sky, gently opened her mouth. ''''Nothing.'''' ''''Huh?'''' ''''We just need to wait here.'''' Puzzled yet somehow convinced, the soldier followed Wen Zhuwei''s eyes to the sky. Then, one by one, everybody had their eyes fixed in one ce. Meanwhile, knowing Kierra''s choice, Cosmos, now in the shape of a not-so-human-looking woman, slightly narrowed her eyes. The contaminated area spanned hundreds of kilometers, and Kierra... was going to graze it into nothingness. ''Eleven... no, ten-star is enough.'' A ten-star spell must ensue. If so, a barrier of the same caliber must surround the area, lest the healthynd be destroyed because of the archwizard''s might. Seemingly understood this problem, Mie Xieren, Yu Chen, and Tian Yun were scrambling to find the solution. However, Cosmos quickly reassured them. ''''Let me.'''' The unassuming woman silently stepped forward, cing her right foot on the line. '''''''' !!! '''''''' The next moment, an indescribably eerie sensation crept up everybody''s spines, alerting their primal survival instinct. When they looked in the direction of the supposed ''threat,'' Cosmos''s unfaltering appearance entered their eyes.

''''I call upon... the universe''s .'''' In essence, Cosmos was a beast born from the universe''s aging process, earning her consciousness as she consumed more and more matter over billions of years. Her root was the universe itself, and even in this foreign realm, she wasn''t powerless. With neck-breaking speed, a hollow, ck line ran in both directions from Cosmos''s foot, quickly surrounding the whole contaminated region. Then, a translucent barrier was erected, bearing faint patterns of sturdy scales like those of Cosmos herself. ''''...!'''' Witch of Stars, who was well-versed in the matters of the universe, instantly recognized the source behind this surprisingly sturdy barrier. For the moment, she decided to approach Cosmos after this battle concluded. At the same time, in the sky. Overlooking the effort Cosmos had created, Kierra nodded in satisfaction and thanked her friend internally. ''''Whew...'''' The cold wind blew. Within that wind, a strand of overflowed mana flowed. Then, two, ten, a hundred, a thousandthe space around the archwizard was quickly filled with dense mana. Kierra calmly gazed at the abominations on the ground, many of which had barely recognized her existence. Her ck hair fluttered in the air, through which one could see faint glimpses of her thumping heart. All ten of her mana circles were activated, bringing Kierra''s mana veins into a state of hyper-cirction. ''''It''s been a while, my magic.'''' Posing a knowing smile, Kierra began to chant.

''''So, the time hase.''''

''''An unshakable might, standing before death,''''

''''What I''ll engrave in this ce, it''s my soul,''''

''''An identity untouchable for allwith a harmonizing beat,''''

''''Fate will be decided in this single moment.'''' Burning an intense red hue, Kierra''s hand was enveloped in ayer of unextinguishable me, one that was conjured by sucking an immense amount of mana from the archwizard''s veins. Bulging blood vessels, burning pain. Such me must surely invoke catastrophic destruction. As if realizing that, the army of monsters below collectively and disgustingly merged into one giant entitya vaguely humanoid with distorted body proportions. The thing that caused unease and absolute fear to whoever was unlucky enough to see it was extending its ws toward the archwizard. Nevertheless, Kierra continued to chant.

''''That''s why now I''ll pierce through itthe heavy door that seals tomorrow,''''

''''With all my might, I''ll use myself up during thest moment''s climax,''''

''''I''ll pierce through itwith a single blow to the door that denies tomorrow,'''' GRAHHH! At this point, the w, a single finger of which could easily dwarf a castle, seemingly reached her. Facing the unstoppable, inescapable jaw of death, Kierra calmly opened her mouth to recite the finish line.

''''It''s time to take the top!'''' ''''Kierra!'''' Yu Chen roared, striking the barrier to no avail. An unfortunate ending seemed unbelievably close. However, at that moment, someone else stepped forward. ''''No, you don''t.'''' As soon as her heel hit the ground crisply, August unsheathed her sword, drawing an elegant horizontal line in the air. The next moment... there was no ''next moment.'' Before everybody could react to it, the Sword Empress had already sheathed her sword with a click, extinguishing the brilliant glow in her eyes. Instead, an intense quake woke them up. Somehow, the terrifying beast was wailing loudly as its wrist was... missing. The impact was, in reality, from the detached hand hitting the ground. Adjusting her bang as if nothing had happened, August let out an arrogant scoff. Kierra, on the other hand, smiled. Aiming her hand downward, she released the spell.

?A Fool''s Desperado10? Born from a legendary wizard''s desperation to defeat his foe, this spell was first cast using his blood as coteral for the enormous amount of mana it needed. In the end, the man perished, yet his spirit and determination remained an inspiration for many generations toe. Kierra was one such child motivated by this story. So, she had modified the spell to be less lethal and engraved it in the universal spell book, all to honor the man forever. Despite taking a deep nerf,?A Fool''s Desperado? retained its propertyforce cleanse. Most substances existing in the corporeal realm would be fully extinguished the moment they touch the spell''s me. Like now, the small drop of fire norger than Kierra''s palm was falling onto the ground, seemingly powerless against the vastnd. Yet, the moment the collision happened, a st of colossal magnitude set everything within the barrier aze. Even the giant creature and the ones littered on the battlefield could do nothing except wail to their ultimate demise. Heatless, odorless, yet unbelievably deadly. Reflected in Kierra''s red eyes were a dull, lifeless grey. As she watched everything burn down to nothingness, she let out a sigh. ''Good thing Cosmos is here.'' Cosmos''s scales were something that could actually stop this me. Kierra found it out the violent way. But without Cosmos, she wouldn''t have had the chance to demonstrate this masterpiece of a spell. Even if the spell were so destructive, with a finite amount of mana, it would soon extinguish. Case 87: Sword Empress. Case 87: Sword Empress. One by one, the pitch-ck scales of Cosmos broke down as Kierra''s me went out. After all of it, what remained was a truly lifeless, nothingness of a in. Digging her feet through the airy ashes of the ce, Kierra grudgingly walked back to the base. Following a refreshing exercise, whether in or out of bed, Kierra always loved to seek the stars. So, whilst leisurely moving her body, she turned to the starry sky above. ''Those guys will be impressed by this.'' This was only the second time the archwizard had cast a ten-star spell in the Central Divine Realm. Magic of such caliber was exceptionally rare, but it wasn''t the best Kierra could do. It was widely considered that the moment she first cast an eleven-star spell, which threatened to sink the whole continent into the ocean, she had cemented her ce as the most powerful wizard in the world. A twelve-star spell? It was theoretically possible for her, but... the cost might be significant, even for Kierra. With only ten mana circles, eleven-star was already pushing it. ''Should I aim to create another circle?'' It was well-established in general magic theory that beyond the tenth circle, constructing anything of the kind would be virtually impossible to achieve. Even Kierra had to risk her life for her tenth one. If so... how about qi? With the help of qi, Kierra thought she might be able to substitute a part of the energy needed for conjuring a twelve-star spell. If she could realize the perfect form to harvest the energy when qi and mana collide... Unknowingly, a smile bloomed on her face. When the archwizard eventually returned to the base, she was greeted by a whole harem of women surrounding her, praising and hugging her to oblivion. Kierra: This is what a harem is all about! (?`) With one front taken care of, Kierra''s group gradually moved to other ces where their allies'' forces were struggling. Most of the time, it was a breeze with their prowess, and even after wiping out field after field of fiends, their morale and stamina were still decent. However, there was one front where things seemed particrly bad. Since it wasn''t somewhere near a vital point and since the forces were spread too thinly, it was neglected for a while. Thanks to that, an entirely new species of these aliens had evolved. ''''Those look quite... bad.'''' Someone muttered. As Kierra and her crew looked forward, they could see a multitudeentire groups of giants roaming around aimlessly, destroying the already battered terrain with their sheer statue. Not only that, but upon first-nce measurement, the dark power embedded deep within their bodies was dozens of times more than that of ordinary fiends. Not even Kierra knew what this energy was, but she knew it was something an orthodox creature should not possess. Somethingthis malevolent was unseen back in Kierra''s universe. ''Is it rted to why we didn''t have a god?'' Kierra pondered. As an expert on energies herself, she could decipher that perhaps... this type of energy had something to do with divine energy. It was just a guess, and she decided to leave it at that. ''''In any case, let me burn them down for once.'''' As Kierra prepared to take off, someone grabbed her hand. August gently took off the archwizard''s hat and stroked her head,bing through the long hair that had caught a bit of dust. The whole time, it felt to August like she was touching a cat! ''''You''ve worked hard today. Rest. I''ll clean it up for you.'''' The Sword Empress said reassuringly. ''''...Okay.'''' Kierra wasn''t some stubborn prick whose obsession was heroism, nor was she trying to im the most credit. When faced with this rather considerate side of her lover, she knew to step back... and actually rely on her partner. In the past, she was overly relying on August, and August was overly obsessed with her, but now, she believedno, through a year of being together again, she knew it was different. It was morefortable this way. Posing a killer smile that melted not only Kierra''s heart but those of some others, August drew her sword and dashed into the battlefield. With her slender de glowing a faint yet mesmerizing golden, she gracefullynded in front of a group. At the border, Yu Chen and Kang Shuren intently followed the Sword Empress''s silhouette, and even Wen Zhuwei, a lofty Immortal Empress, was forced to pay attention. Being the two who had been taught by August, Yu Chen and Kang Shuren had received a glimpse into the Sword Empress''s unfathomable skillset and expertise she brought. However... no one in the Central Divine Realm had seen her fight properly yet. '''''''' !!! '''''''' So, the moment they felt a deep, instinctual incongruity within their psyche, their eyes widened. A sensation as though the very reality was being ripped apart, allowing something terrible, terrible to descend. Next thing they knew, their view of the monsters was... cracking. Like a piece of ss crumbling, the fabric of reality, piece by piece, fell off into nothingness, opening up a long streak that shed through all of the fiends'' bodies. CRACK!! Sucked inno, they copsed into the depth of the abyss. Some unknowingly stepped back in fear of being dragged into the rift, one that opened up with a casual swing of a lone swordswoman. Only... Kierra stood still. ''You''ve, once again, improved.'' Smiling to herself, the archwizard secretly admired her lover''s strength. If Kierra had something she could pay tribute to, something that helped to tone her actual ego down... it would be the existence of August. August was so exceptionally talented that even Kierra had to worry about being surpassed. ''No, why am I defaulting that?'' August was always improving. There was no guarantee the archwizard could win if they shed. If so... she just needed to train further. August had ultimately denied the path of cultivation, fearing it would affect her singr style of cosmic sword arts, but Kierra could expand her repertoire anytime. For now, she could only watch on as her lover roamed the battlefield, d in that brilliant aura that was akin to a single ray of light in darkness. With every elegant sh, hundreds of fiends were wiped away easily, and the more they jumped in, the more they got obliterated. In a moment of reminiscing, Kierra saw the image of the young empress marching to the frontline, cleaving her enemies away as she led her army. That majestic hue... was what made her so enviable yet so desirable. To be able to monopolize such a person''s love was the biggest honor one could receive. Kierra''s eyes always followed August, both in the past and in the present. ''''...!'''' And, the moment she realized something truly dangerous was approaching her, Kierra dashed forward. Unfolding her wings of mana, the archwizard transcended time and space, bursting toward her love in the blink of an eye. Case 88: Heavenly Venerate. Case 88: Heavenly Venerate. The split of a millisecond. During that period, Kierra traveled dozens of kilometers, shooting through the battlefield like a sh of light. With her mind fully focused, ayer of slowness was applied to her surroundings as she red her presence. Despite that, Kierra could instinctively feel a sense of helplessness. Whatever it was, this iing danger was something not to be underestimated. ''Teleportation... no, not that.'' The decision came within a sh. August would surely notice the threatthat was what the archwizard believed in. She believed in August. If so, she would be better off casting a defensive spell rather than teleportation since it wouldn''t make much of a change even if she got there in timeshe had nothing at the moment. So, pulling out a magic jewel as she flew, Kierra cast apressed version of her signature defensive spell.

?Aegis9? In an instant, thousands of light spears emerged around August, stacking on top of one another in thickyers. Meanwhile, the Sword Empress also activated her defensive stance, plummeting her sword into the ground before erecting a golden barrier. To top it off, pitch-ck scales were manifested, increasing the defense to three-fold. Then, just as August was tearing apart the fabric of reality, a crack appeared in the sky. Before ordinary Immortals could react, something had already broken through the weakened space, bursting down from the heavens and emanating a putrid aura. With a size that rivaled mountains and power that could pierce through the gates of hell, it descended fully on August, flooding the whole battlefield with a thick, destructive substance. Contamination. This was what came to Kierra''s mind as she saw it. However, her heart tightened because of another matterAugust. Was August alright? No, she had to believe. The August she knew wouldn''t sumb to such attacks! ''''Au!'''' Feeling her veins burning up again, Kierra exerted a considerable amount of her mana to cast a few pairs of offensive spells, each holding enough power to wipe a small city off. Fortunately, amidst the sea of dark, nauseous contaminants, gleams of golden escaped. Then, as if expelling the evil, a nucleus in which August held the power emerged. ''''Whew...'''' With a few slight scratches here and there, the Sword Empress seemed generally alright. Befitting the strongest swordswoman, these wounds quickly closed, leaving behind no scars. By the time Kierra arrived, the figure behind the attack had revealed itself. ''''...'''' ''''Love to sneak up on people, huh? Are all of you this cowardly?'''' Against August''s using words, the woman gave no replies. A perfectly carved face, a sense of otherworldliness hardly anyone could match, and a colossal pressure pressing any and all creations to their knees. A heavenly venerate. ''''Empress, that is...!"'' ''''...Yes. Yuwei of Oceanic Divinity.'''' If there was something wrong about this heavenly venerate... it would be the deep, deep purple roots growing from the side of her face. To anyone, it was obvious that she was being influenced by something. Mighty blue waves that heroically unified nearly half of the Immortal world, colorful marine lifeforms that helped defend the realm against outside interferences... now, all of that was gone. What was left of Yuwei, a heavenly venerate, was a soulless corpse whose sole purpose was to plunge the world into utter destruction. With waves of unknown hatred, with a tridentyered with misery. More than sadness for such a loss, Wen Zhuwei was bitter about something else. The Heavenly Shura bit her lips. Even after all these years of constantly improving herself, she still trembled at the sight of these... entities. Facing Yuwei, even at this distance, even when the hostility wasn''t directed at her, her hands were actually shaking. For the others, it didn''t stop at trembling. Most couldn''t stand properly when under such immense pressure, either passed out or incapacitated. Yet, Kierra and August still stood tall in front of those dull eyes that seemed to contain the abyss itself. Without stealing a nce at each other, they knew what to do. ''''Go, Au.'''' ''''Alright.'''' There was a certain harmony in the chaos. When Yuwei began to direct her colossal power, causing a dark tsunami that covered the whole sky to emerge, August shot forward, trailing her sword d in golden. As the Sword Empress willed her true strength, a majestic wave of mana burst from within her heart, creating a domain in which she was the true master. !! At the same time, an indescribably unsettling howl filled the world, drowning out every other sound. Beyond the waves, stars began to shine... before a screeching rip yelled. The beast of the universe had revealed its form. Within mere seconds, Yuwei''s world-ending waves had been pushed back by half, struggling to even cross the territories to invade the ce beyond the border. Onnd, August stood firmly as a wall; in the sky, Cosmos fought back fiercely with her cosmic breath. At this disy of sheer power, many couldn''t help but directly faintif they were still conscious, that was. Even the likes of Mie Xieren were forced to erect a barrier just to withstand the pressure. ''''Tch, is there something we can help?!'''' Yu Chen yelled, feeling her body failing her. ''''Maybe cast a support spell...?'''' Tian Yun blurted out in panic. ''''...No.'''' Mie Xieren bit her lips. ''''We won''t be able to do anything. Those guys... they''re on another ne of existence.'''' This bitter truth hit them the hardesteven harder than the waves of erupting mana hitting their bodies. At most, they were on par with Immortals, maybe a little stronger than them thanks to mana, but ultimately, the barriers of Empresses and Venerates were still there. They knew they didn''t have enough time to trainfrustratingly, yet they could only be helpless. If Kierra had appeared just a decade earlier, would things have changed? Perhaps. But for now... they had no choice but to believe in the three. Meanwhile, Kierra took a deep breath as she stood behind August. At times like this, it was crucial to have someone protecting her... because she was about to make herself vulnerable. ''Heavenly Venerate...'' Genuinely, it was the first time Kierra had encountered such a dangerous opponent. With a seemingly endless, formless body of energy, it would be extraordinarily difficult to eliminate this entity. There was no weakness perceived. god. It was the first thing that came to Kierra''s mind. A god... ''''Hah.'''' She was strangely excited. Raising her arms to the sides, the archwizard initiated her battle procedure. snap! With a single snap, a cluster of roars resonated across the realm. Making their presence known in the sky, the five monarch dragons of the five primary elements joined the battle, immediately taking on the enemies that came out of the tsunami. With her other hand, Kierra pulled out a deer skull, which slowly floated up as red light shed in its eye sockets. ''''Ovi.'''' Ovi - Lich of the End, joined the battle. Commanding hundreds of thousands of undead soldiers, its presence greatly reduced August''s load. Finally, Kierra sped her hands together, and before long, a majestic ck staff the height of her own body was conjured. Stabbing it onto the ground, the archwizard began to chant. Case 89: Sunrise in the night. Case 89: Sunrise in the night. ''The strongest in the world.'' Many imed this title, yet few had seized it for certain during their lifetime. Even Kierra hadn''t done it. It wasn''t that she wasn''t powerful enough. Someone of the same caliber existed, and she wasn''t keen on having a serious battle with them. Nevertheless, for now, she was only the ''Strongest wizard in the world.'' ''Strongest'' was neverpromised, but Kierra herself knewshe was only the strongest ''living organism.'' No matter how powerful one bes, one ought to be humbled by nature at some point. If someone asked Kierra to directly confront a supernova explosion, she would hesitate to im her victory. If someone asked Kierra to name one singr entity whose power was truly unfathomable, she would unhesitatingly say A ck hole. A region in the fabric of space-time where gravity was so strong that not even light, the fastest thing in the universe, could escape. It was, in every way, the very manifestation of a perfect, infinitely strong destruction force. Rather than fear or jealousy, Kierra had always been an admirer. She was fascinated by the existence of ck holes, and she had tried multiple times to replicate their power. Nevertheless, she simply didn''t have enough power to recreate the effect of a ck hole. Compressing an unimaginable amount of mass into a single point required an equally unimaginable amount of energy, and even if Kierra drained her colossal mana pool, it didn''t seem feasible. However, with the help of qi... ''I can do it.'' Again, Kierra''s qi was nowhere enough to perform such a ludicrous task, but she could certainly utilize its inherent reaction with mana. In fact, she had been thinking about this ever since she discovered this fact. And... where would be a more fitting stage for her to turn the idea into reality? So, clutching her staff, Kierra began to chant.

''''Calling upon the universe''s silent reapers.''''

''''The guardians of timethe apex of things.'''' Every time Kierra used a new spell, an unadulterated joy, like that of a child receiving her new toy, emerged. The joy of creation, the joy of unleashing one''s potential... With a smile on her face, the entirety of the archwizard''s mana reserve was released, causing an explosion so bright it dwarfed the starlight for a few moments. Taking the root from her heart, the streams of mana quickly branched out, overtaking the space with unprecedented aggressiveness. The sky was dyed in a brilliant blue color. Feeling her clothes fluttering terribly from the intense wind, Kierra grabbed the rim of her hat and continued to chant.

''''Past the rings of Saturn, across the Milky Way.'''' A quote she got from a book of otherworldly origin. Giving it a sense of scale.

''''Where it reigned by darkness, where we''ll return someday.'''' Giving it a sense of finality.

''''Life is but a flickering fragment floating in the sea of void...''''

''''Destined to return to the darkness along with the stars,'''' In the state of hyper-activation, Kierra''s ten mana circles burned dazzlingly, gleaming strands of blue that escaped her chest. The archwizard''s eyes were focused, vibrant, yet unstained by arrogance. With an amount of mana that could put life itself to a halt, she pierced Yuwei''s tsunami right in the middle. For a second, everything seemingly came to a stop. Nevertheless, the archwizard, bearing a victory smirk on her face, uttered

''''So,''''

''''Be the darkness that devours life and descends before me.'''' In the space where time wasn''t moving, Kierra aimed her slender hand forward.

?Astral Oblivion12? As she closed her fingers, the colossal cluster of mana, now situated squarely in the middle of Yuwei''s waterher bodyinstantly began the process of materialization. Aided by the eruption of a meticulously arranged inner skeleton of qi inside, the unimaginable mass of the densest material Kierra knew expanded, and the sheer energy radiated was enough to engulf everything in a blinding white. Sound couldn''t be heard. It was as though a supernova explosion urred. No, in Kierra''s opinion, it had urred. Recklessly blowing so much mass in one ce did risk devouring the whole into an explosion... however, wasn''t there the perfect cover for that? Yuwei''s ''indestructible'' and ''endless'' waves easily became the ''walls'' to contain the spell''s outburst. Kierra shot a nce at her enemy, who was riding her waves afar, and instantly noticed her expression distorting. ''Got her.'' The ominous tsunami, which was enveloping the realm with a shade of deep ck, now swelled terribly, struggling to escape from the immense reaction within itself. Soon enough, the substance containing corrupt divine power, which made up Yuwei''s body, sharply exploded into countless droplets before being evaporated by the tremendous heat generated from the discharge. With that alone, a good portion of Yuwei''s celestial body was gone. However, the real show began shortly after that. '''''''' ...! '''''''' Within the span of a second, the blinding white glow was turned into a singr pointa concentration of infinite mass that seemed darker than everything else. Apanied by a constant stream of eerie sounds, things were... sucked into the ck hole. Like an unstoppable, insatiable beast, everything was hurling toward the singrity, destined to be crushed until nothing remained. Yuwei''s prided waves, her mighty summons, her absolute proof of divinityher own body was being erased from existence. Yet, the instinct as a Heavenly Venerate shone through even the darkest of situations. On her dying breaths, Yuwei spent her remaining energy and shot a desperate attack at the vulnerable Kierra. ''''Kierra!'''' Immediately, August and Cosmos came forward. Even knowing that taking it might get them infected with this unknown virus, they shielded Kierra. At the moment when breaths were held and minds were paralyzed, a seemingly insignificant rift opened under the starry sky. From it, a small, fluffy shade of pink fell out, followed by a yellow silhouette. ''''Here Ie, my love!!'''' ''''Argh...! Please shut up for a second! My head hurts!'''' In the most critical moment, Kierra was suddenly stunned by the familiar voice. A strand of orange light flickered within her field of view, and when the archwizard gazed up ''''...Dia.'''' Burning brighter than any star could hope to be, a magnificent phoenix descended from space, joining the cosmic family to be the only sun that shone on this exceptionally dark night. The sight made for a spectacr viewlight opposed darkness, yet within that conflict existed a certain harmony. The ck hole copsed everything into itself, creating a ring of light around its body, while Diamante''s immense me was surrounded by darkness. The yin and yang symbol. It was said that whoever was tenacious enough to witness that scene truly received divine enlightenment. However, for the main actor herself, she only had one goal. She was going to burn her life for Kierra. So, she squarelynded on the ground before August and Cosmos, letting the dark bullet pierce her chest. ''''Dia!'''' Kierra desperately yelled, noticing dark streaks growing from the hole in Diamante''s chest as she turned back into a human. Ignoring everything else, Kierra rushed toward her old lover. ''''Dia'''' Case 90: Rise from the ashes. Case 90: Rise from the ashes. ''''Dia!'''' Holding Diamante''s limp body in her arms, Kierra suddenly felt a sense of terror gnawing at her deepest ce. It was the same sensation as when she nearly lost August when they participated in the Great War. As the ck hole had dissipated, silence fell on the battlefield. Kierra took a palmful of Diamante''s pink hair, tightly hugging it with the person herself. On her other hand, she clutched the pink diamond. ''''Please...'''' Without much mana left, all she could hope for was a miracle. In terms of survival, Diamante, a phoenix, was much more proficient than anyone Kierra knew. If there were someone who could repel this mysterious virus, one that even imed the mighty Heavenly Venerates'' body, it would be Diamante. So, Kierra could only pray. Gently touching foreheads with the puppy she loved, the archwizard whispered, ''''Please, Dia.'''' Even as August and Cosmos approached the two, they couldn''t bring themselves to interrupt. The same could be said with Angelica, whose longing for Kierra was no less than anybody else. It was as if a veil had descended. Walking between unknown limbos, Diamante could faintly feel a warmth outside of her consciousness. She didn''t know who gave her that warmth, but her instinct told her that she needed to grasp it. Life and death. Diamante was the noblest of phoenixes, so even if she were dead... she would eventually rise from the ashes and return to life. Sometimes, she called it a curse. Sometimes, she just wanted to disappear. When she couldn''t find a purpose in her life, when she lost her mother to the demons, when she drained herself, working days and nights... But after Kierra came into her life, she was grateful for her immortality. Thanks to that, she would never have to part ways with the love of her lifethe woman who always treated her kindly, whose warm embrace became her nest... As long as Kierra was safe. ''''...!'''' It was time to wake up. A flicker of me was dropped on Diamante''s body. Soon, Kierra contently watched on as the princess''s hair turned sparkling like jewels as it floated. Slowly, her whole body was lifted into the air, holding a morous light that pierced through her dark clothes. When the pink diamond in her hand gleamed a fiery orange, the archwizard could finally let out a sigh of relief. Bit by bit, the streaks growing out of the hole in Diamante''s chest were incinerated by her fire, and with that same heat, she quickly mended the missing part and truly returned to life. Her eyes peeked open as she touched down to the ground, which had been filled with ashes, lingering a fiery shade that signified her immortality. Before her consciousness settled, she was hugged by Kierra. ''''Weh?'''' ''''I''m d you were okay...'''' Immediately realizing the familiar smell, one that she had been missing for so long, Diamante immediately encircled her arms around the fluff that had fallen onto her. While letting out silly squeals unbefitting of the situation, she wantonly enjoyed her Kierra. At this point, she finally thought that everything she went through was worth it! It was even more delightful to see a visibly pissed August standing nearby. Like dogs and cats, August and Diamante hated each other immensely. They just happened to like the same woman. If not, they wouldn''t even want to remember the opponent''s name. ''''I hate fake whiny bitches like this one.'''' ''''I hate cruel snakes like her!'''' Their first conversation was something along those lines. Nevertheless, it was now time to face the aftermath of the battle, and for some, it was time for a reunion. ''''Long time no see, Dia.'''' ''''Long time no see, Kierra!'''' First, the archwizard squeezed Diamante''s cheeks. Seeing the fluffy puppy nuzzles against her palms, Kierra felt even more relieved. Maybe... she wasn''t hated? As much as she wanted to apologize to her, there was another person of interest who stood behind the princess. ''''Ahem...'''' Faking her coughs, Angelica clumsily tried to grab Kierra''s attention. With a face that practically said, ''I want you to notice me,'' she didn''t seem quite convincing. ''''Angelica.'''' ''''...!'''' Nevertheless, she, too, got a hug. As she pondered in bewilderment, questioning why Kierra suddenly became so affectionate, she could feel a group of people rushing over. Singing Kierra''s name, they frantically touched her body everywhere in search of injuries or anything of the like. Seeing this sent chills down Angelica''s spine. ''T-They''ll get themselves killed!'' V(????)V However, contrary to both her and Diamante''s worry, Kierra merely brushed them off, and her demeanor seemed a bit soft, even! What exactly had happened to her over the past two years? For her whole life, Angelica had only known the strict and stoic Kierra, and now that an entirely new side of her master had been revealed, she could feel her curiosity spike. Right then, her azure eyes behind the sses met with Yu Chen''s amethyst ones. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Both of them didn''t know how to feel at the moment. Everybody present didn''t. On top of the absolute monstrosity that Kierra had summoned, there was a bunch of people who didn''t know each other at all. In other words, they needed time to settle. ''''Let''s go back first.'''' Understanding this, Kierra suggested. And so, one big group promptly made their way back to... Yan Shi''s mansion? ''''Um... since when did my house be a meeting spot...?'''' ''''What?'''' ''''It''s nothing, ma''am. My property is my property, and my property is also your property.'''' She was shut off with a single word from August. So, her house became a meeting spot anyway. Usually, Yan Shi could be seen rxing in her cozy guest room, sprawling out on one of the sofas, but today, it was quite cramped. On one side, there was Kierra, who had August hugging her waist from the right and Diamante hugging her arm from the left. Yu Chen sat beside Diamante, and Tian Yun sat beside August. With Yan Shi kneeling on the ground, the picture was perfectly bnced. On the other side, a very irritated-looking Mie Xieren sat between Bai Qing and Kang Shuren, who all had ambiguous expressions. Angelica and Cosmos were also somehow stranded on the same sofa. Finally, the three Immortal Empresses, witnessing this sh of the titans, timidly upied a few small chairs nearby. '''''''' ... '''''''' For a while, only the faint noises of the wind bell outside could be heard. When Kierra finally had had enough of it, she mustered the courag ''Hah? Mustered?'' took the chance to speak up. ''''First of all'''' With a ''poof,'' two small silhouettes appeared. ''''Uwaa!! Is everybody alright??'''' ''''S-Shen! Be quiet!'''' ''''...'''' Kierra suddenly felt like choking this sassy fox. As she promptly shut it off by using telekinesis, however, Diamante noticed something instead. ''''Huh? What''s with this child?'''' Her slender, elegant fingers grasped a trembling Lan, the cultivator who resided in the body of a phoenix. She tilted her head, bobbling her fluffy hair. ''''Is this... our child?'''' Like so, a bomb had been dropped. Case 91: Migration. Case 91: Migration. ''''Look, she''s really my daughter! Did you give birth to her, Kierra?'''' ''''...'''' After making Lan morph into a human, Diamante proudly lifted her ''daughter'' and stared at her with sparkling eyes. In truth, Diamante used to have pinkish-orange hair when she was young, and it gradually turned into a bright pink as she grew up. Other than the hair color, anybody could easily see the simrities between Lan and Diamante. It was a shocking revtion. Even the White Lotus crew didn''t know the origin of the phoenix egg Kierra used to revive Lan. If this fluffy woman''s words were true, would they be Lan''s stepmothers?? ''''Of course not.'''' Kierra sighed. ''''Did you forget the egg you gave me after our first meeting?'''' ''''Huh? Wasn''t that just an ordinary egg? How does this child have a consciousness, then?'''' ''''What do you think?'''' Diamante broke out a silly smile and hugged Kierra tightly, enclosing the little girl Lan between them in the process, ''''I dunno! Kierra is amazing, so I think she must have used some incredible magic!'''' ''''Eek...!'''' Crushed between Kierra and Diamante''s chest, Lan let out a pitiful squeal before turning back into a bird and flying behind Shen, the little fox. ''''Mhm... you might be shy for now, but it doesn''t change the fact that you are my daughter!'''' For some reason, Diamante''s bubbly dialogues with Kierra and Lan greatly eased everyone up. Kierra could sense that on a physical level. In this department, she was actually d that Diamante stayed the same as she remembered. It had been a long, long time since she had felt the phoenix-like warmth on her body; her scent, her soothing voice, her cozy snuggles... more than anything, Kierra could still see Diamante''s love for herself burning eternally as though an undying me. And guilt. A gnawing, intense guilt. Promising to herself that she would apologize to Diamanteter, Kierra soon switched the topic. ''''Ahem. First of all, can you introduce yourself, Angelica?'''' ''''Yes, master.'''' Lifting her sses, Angelica stood up. ''''My name is Angelica, the Crimson Archwizard''s first disciple, and the Crimson Tower''s vice tower master. I was born and raised in Linoel, the continent of prosperous magical and technological wonders. It is nice to meet you all.'''' ''''W-What did you say?!'''' Tian Yun eximed. ''''V-Vice tower master...?'''' ''''Yes?'''' ''''But... I am the Crimson Tower''s vice tower master...?'''' ''Crap.'' Kierra thought. She always thought of the tower in the Central Divine Realm as a V2, yet she never actually told people that. So, it appeared that the crew thought there was only one Crimson Tower. Tian Yun had experience as a sect leader, so Kierra thought it might be a good idea to give her the title of ''vice tower master.'' Before the awkward stare-down between Angelica and Tian Yun could evolve into something more aggressive, Kierra intervened. ''''Angelica is indeed my first disciple. It is also true that she is the second-inmand of the Crimson Tower, which is situated in Linoel.'''' Immediately after that, she smoothly diverted everyone''s attention to other ces. ''''And this is Diamante de Soleil, my...'''' ''''Wife! I''m her wife!'''' Kierra didn''t deny Diamante''s enthusiastic words. She simply smiled, enduring August''s cold rage from behind. ''''Dia is the crown princess of the legendary Phoenix race. Do treat her well.'''' Afterward, she began to introduce the other members to the two, starting from Bai Qing, who she first met, to the three Immortal Empresses. ''''Master.'''' Then, Angelica suddenly kneeled before Kierra, shooing Yan Shi away. This slightly surprised the archwizard, and that was precisely when she struck. "I understand it. I might not have lived for as long as you have, and I certainly do not wield the same magical prowess that you do, but I understand your boredom." ''''...'''' ''''Still, despite all of that... at least don''t erase your trailspletely like this! Do you know just how long it took for us to find this ce?? Even then, it took nearly half of the remaining archwizards in the world just to activate the transportation circle! It''s ridiculous! Ridiculous!'''' Seeing Angelicashing out like a child, Kierra was speechless. Was she always this... talkative? The disciple Kierra knew she was a shy child whose only obsession was magic, yet perhaps through years of being the face of the most esteemed magic tower in the world, she had ''matured.'' ''Well, certainly not in a normal sense, I suppose.'' After all... she was still a child in Kierra''s eyes. The same child that Kierra met some three hundred years ago near a slump, the same child whose eyes sparked brilliant stars when she saw magic for the first time. ''''Master...'''' ''''Good job.'''' Gently, the archwizard''s handbed Angelica''s blonde hair. ''''What you did wasmendable, disciple. Not only did you correctly piece together my magic ritual, but you had sessfully gathered so many wizards to aplish this feat. I''m proud of you.'''' ''''N-No way... who are you?! My master don''t give outpliments!'''' ''''This little...'''' And so, Angelica''s slightly freckled cheeks were pinched. Someughed at thisical scene, and some actually felt bitter. (???)?(???)?(???)? Excuse me? Who was this random girl? Why was Kierra showering her with such sweet words?? This was what was on the mind of the women from Central Divine Realm... except for the three Immortal Empresses. Thetter had already been eating popcorn since a bit earlier. ''''Fight! Fight!'''' ''''Shut up, you idiot...!'''' Once there was something hrious, the one jumping straight in was always Enigma Masked. Before she could do even more devastating damage, the other two empresses hurriedly covered the sinner''s mouthonly to remember that a mask was in the way. ''''Hahah! I''ve never seen a harem situation this entertaining!'''' ''''Huh? Harem?'''' Only Angelica was baffled. Although she looked as though she had many questions, being a respectful disciple, she soon shook it off. ''''Either way, master. Since the coordinates of this have been recorded this time, people will soon arrive here. Those wizards... I think we should prepare a way to deal with their curiosity.'''' Hearing this, Kierra rubbed her chin a bit before curling her mouth into a smirk. ''''No need.'''' Aside from the Crimson Tower, there were a few prominent ones scattered across Linonel as well. Assuming they had coborated with Angelica, they would rightfully be interested in this ''unknown'' world. However, it was Kierra who trailzed first. There was a price she could charge as someone who came first. So... why would she not take advantage of this sudden migration and make those stinky wizards fight these monsters? After the decision was made, the archwizard immediately discussed the n with the empresses, who happily took on the offer to be actors in Kierra''s ploy the moment they heard that more people like her woulde. ''''So, representatives from every tower would be present?'''' ''''Yes, master. It has been a long time since all of us wizards have gathered.'''' ''''Hm... that''s a good thing, I suppose.'''' ''''Ah, this piece of news is for you, Your Majesty.'''' August, who had been dozing off on Kierra''s shoulder, opened her golden eyes. ''''The empire''s knightmander and her special squad will also travel along the wizards, so...'''' ''''W-What did you say?'''' For the first time sinceing to this ce, August stuttered. Case 92: Diamante de Soleil. Case 92: Diamante de Soleil. The Lilienthal empire was first established by August. Uniquely bearing the surname ''von Lilienthal,'' August was undoubtedly the founder of this powerhouse. That much was unquestionable, yet some failed to realize that the country wasn''t built only from her effort. Besides the Sword Empress, there were numerous vassals she recruited from the kingdoms she conquered and, perhaps most importantly, thepanions she made along her journey. Kierra Scarlett Aspenova. Her name woulde up first whenever someone mentioned August''s helpers, and the second name... Valentine von Bismarck. It was said that the stubborn knight was once vanquished by August and had since be her closest vassal. Tales of Valentine roaming the battlefield, fluttering her violet hair and wielding a magnificent ymore as she tore her enemies to shreds have made it into historical textbooks. After the empire''s establishment, Valentine took on the role of a knightmander and loyally helped August expand her country''s influence. Through decades of training neers, she eventually picked apart the most talented ones and created a specialized squad ofbatants, which was still famed across Linoel. ''''That is basically their story.'''' Swallowing a yawn, Kierra leaned back in her seat, letting the listeners form their thoughts on the matter. As she stared at the ceiling, memories of her interactions with Valentine emerged. ''''...'''' It always struck Kierra as strange how August was so scared of Valentine. Sure, every meeting with her for the Sword Empress would end up in work, work, and work, but was there a reason to bethisfrightened? Even now, August could be seen massaging her templesan act Kierra hadn''t seen for at least ten years. ''''Au...'''' ''''Hm?'''' ''''Did you abandon your work...?'''' ''''...!'''' Kierra nearly face-palmed when the Sword Empress diverted her eyes. ''So that was the reason...'' When Kierra parted ways with Linoel, she had at least organized the tower''s work so that the people behind could handle it, but from the looks of it, August probably just ran away at some point. ''''No, look. I only tried to follow you, darling. I didn''t know it would actually work when I shed the sky above the pce'''' ''''Wait, you shed the sky??'''' ''''...I did.'''' ''''This is bad.'''' ''''Arara...'''' Even Diamante was almost horrified, covering her mouth in shock. Meanwhile, the others: (???)?(???)?(???)? Excuse me? Kierra didn''t even show a meaningful reaction when she had to face a Heavenly Venerate, so howe someone like her could utter such ominous words? In truth, Valentine was normally a straightforward, serious servant. However, once she was mad... Even at this point, Kierra still remembered the night when Valentine broke into their bedroom in the midst of their intimate moment and scolded August for not finishing her paperwork. It was quite awkward for the archwizard, being naked under the quilt as she watched her spouse getting reprimanded for almost three hours. That was for not finishing paperwork, and now, August had essentially created a mess and dumped it onto her vassals. Suddenly, she felt sorry for the ministers who would have to overwork themselves. ''''Well... I don''t think she will do something outrageous.'''' Kierra said, trying to console August. ''''Miss Valentine isexceptionallyangry, Your Majesty. I suggest you find a solution before she gets here.'''' Angelica chimed in. ''''...'''' Suddenly, droplets of cold sweat appeared on the Sword Empress''s forehead, and everyone marveled as she, an empress of a nation and the strongest sword user ever to exist, cowered behind Kierra. ''''Nyahahah~! You deserve it!'''' Even when Diamante poked at her, August could only respond with hostile gazes. ''''Come on, don''t pick on her like that.'''' Caressing Diamante''s head, Kierra''s mouth curled into a smile. How long has it been since she had the opportunity to pet her like this? At that moment, the archwizard vowed never to let her go again. Never.
Since it wouldn''t be known when the fiends would attack again, and since Kierra needed a few moments to replenish her mana, the crew promptly returned to White Lotus. Of course, Kierra wasn''t the only one exhausted, so most opted for a well-deserved rest right after they came back. As for the more energetic Angelica, she got a martial sister to walk her through the world of cultivation. ''''Whoa...! It''s been so long since Ist stepped in here!'''' ''''...'''' When Kierra invited Diamante to her pocket dimension, the phoenix princess immediately nodded. After having a simple dessert time, they went to the balcony. Here, the wind gently blew their hair amidst the ever-so-slowly twirling gxy above, and a solemn hue seemed to have descended the atmosphere. The two people looked at each other for a while. Diamante''s orange eyes shook quite nervously, and despite her big smile, she was reluctant to speak what was on her mind. On the other hand, Kierra''s eyes were surprisingly calm. The archwizard had decidedly sorted out her feelings, and it was only a matter of expressing them. ''''Kierra, I'''' ''''Shh.'''' A pair of orange eyes widened. In half a moment, Kierra took Diamante''s body into her embrace whole. Monopolizing this warmth was what Kierra wanted, so she greedily circled her arms around the woman''s torso. Burying her head into Diamante''s shoulder, Kierra parted her lips, ''''I''m sorry, Dia.'''' ''''Huh? What are you talking about? Ah, if it''s about when I took the hit, you don''t have to worry! I won''t die from something like that!'''' ''''...Are you still willing to throw your life away for me like that?'''' Kierra backed up a little, then cupped Diamante''s cheeks once she realized the princess wouldn''t run away. Rather, not appreciating the distance, Diamante actually hugged Kierra backalmost too desperately. ''''I do! I always do!'''' She chirped. ''''I-I love you'''' Before she could finish her sentence, her lips were stolen. Even if her body had registered the infinitely soft sensation and the fuzzy heat transmitting through skin contact, her mind couldn''t keep up with it. After years without Kierra''s incredible touches, even someone as pure as Diamante would crave sexual stimtion. So, without really snapping out of her trance, she dived straight into it. ''''I''m sorry, Dia,'''' Kierra whispered. ''''I''ll never let you go again, so... can we return to what we were before?'''' ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Even throughyers of soft flesh, Kierra''s heartbeats were apparent. As if resonating with them, Diamante''s immortal heart also began to race wildly. Not even a secondter, the princess let out a meek yet determined ''''Um.'''' So, under the starry sky, the two finally smiled at each other and, after decades of separation, were able to make their promises true again. ''''This time... can you promise me an eternity?'''' Unlike her usual jesty tone, Diamante sounded earnest. It was a testament to how precious Kierra was in her heart, and the archwizard certainly noticed it. Holding the pink diamond on her chest, Kierra uttered, ''''Of course.'''' ''''This time... for certain.'''' As the two rightfully began to make out after so long, a sigh escaped somewhere nearby. ''''Another one, huh.'''' August quickly shook her head and walked inside. It seemed tonight would be a cold one for her. Rather than worrying about her position, which was practically guaranteed, it would be more wise to worry about her life when Valentine came. Case 93: Thirst for magic. Case 93: Thirst for magic. The same night. While Kierra and Diamante were reliving their moments outside, a group of women was gathered on the archwizard''s bed. They sat together familiarly in a circle, wearing pajamas and having light snacksjust like any other night. Over time, they had gotten closer and closer as fellow women in Kierra''s harem. As of this point, they were more or less close friends or sisters. Of course, each person would have someone they liked more than the other. For example, Yu Chen and Mie Xieren were always odd with each other, and Bai Qing and Kang Shuren got along exceptionally well, which was true for Yu Chen and Tian Yun as well. Nevertheless, the conversations always flowed well since there were a whopping five of themsix or seven if either August or Yan Shi decided to join, which, at that point, would be quite chaotic. If there were something that never changed, it would be the topics being discussed. Always light-hearted, always rxing... except for today. '''''''' ... '''''''' Silence enveloped the room. With the recent fight, everybody had their own thoughts. Some felt motivated, some felt inferior, and some didn''t know how to feel at all. Yet, there was a universal feeling shared between five people. awe. No matter what, they were all humans. It was embedded in the human genes that they would be amazed by nature. Perhaps that was the key to evoking human curiosityan essential desire to trigger advancement. And just earlier, they had witnessed it closelythe pinnacle of existence. A ck hole. Even though they had never known the concept of such celestial entities, the mere sight of a silent monster literally devouring a Heavenly Venerate was enough to imprint in their mind the visage of absoluteness. They still remembered each and every moment. From the mind-crumbling amount of mana that burst out of Kierra''s heart to the point that the very same thing exploded. Adding to that was the presence of two valiant forces protecting KierraAugust and Cosmos. Like unshakeable walls, they withstood Yuwei''s waves like it was nothing. The third most memorable moment, however, was the copse of a ck hole. The very vivid visual, the abrupt transition, and the fear that btedly came after... The second most memorable moment was definitely the Yin and Yang symbol. Diamante and the ck holebeing cultivators, if they couldn''t feel enlightenment after witnessing that, it would be a disgrace. The most impactful moment? Kierra''s silhouette as she cast the spell. It was the first time the archwizard had pulled out her staff, and it was the first time she had beenthat concentrated when incarnating. Her stance was spotless, her eyes were full of energy, and her smile was endlessly charming. Besides making the five fall for her all over again, it aroused a whole other emotion inside them. The desire to be like Kierra. An admiration for magic. Perhaps it might have surpassed even their instinct to cultivate. So, they were trapped by these thoughts, unable to make a meaningful conclusion with themselves. Overwhelmed. Coincidentally, it also made for quite an entertaining sight. ''''Are you guys summoning a demon?'''' Sipping herte-night drink, August stood nkly at the doorway with her brow raised. This rightfully startled the group, and as they tumbled for an answer, the Sword Empress decidedly seized the initiative again. ''''Want to get stronger, right?'''' As she set her cup on the table, August gazed out the window, chasing the center point of that gxy floating above them. For her whole life, she only looked up to Kierra. A penniless orphan who became the pinnacle of magic through sheer effort and talent. Today, she was once again impressed by her lovely girlfriend. For August, it was only a matter of training, but perhaps for these women, it might seem impossible. So, August ''kindly'' wanted to guide themnot because of kindness. She didn''t want them to be sad. If they turned that way, Kierra might be sad, too. ''''If you want to learn magic, find Angelica.'''' She uttered. ''''Kierra is already busy right now, and she needs rest.'''' ''''By ''Angelica,'' you mean... Kierra''s disciple, right?'''' Yu Chen asked. ''''Learning from a fellow disciple...'''' Tian Yun unknowingly muttered. When she saw that the reactions were quite lukewarm, August felt like sneering. No, she actually sneered. ''''Pfftstop being arrogant for a second, will you? Don''t pull Angelica down to your level.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' ''''Angelica is Kierra''s first disciple. Do you know when their rtionship started? Three hundred years ago. She had been learning magic for three hundred years under Kierra. Let that sink in.'''' Indeed, everybody was beginning to realize what was actually going on. August continued, ''''Angelica is one of the strongest archwizards in the world, and since she constantly had to guide the others that joined after herself... she might be even better at tutoring than Kierra herself.'''' In the span of a minute, all five pairs of eyes were already shining, although August could only see four. ''Good.'' The Sword Empress smiled inwardly. She felt sorry for selling out Kierra like this, but if that meant that she could spend more time with the archwizard, then... Meanwhile, Angelica, who was reading at White Lotus''s library: ''''Achoo!'''' ''''Ange?'''' ''''Ah, I''m fine, Shen.'''' Raising her brow, Angelica muttered, ''''Strange, it''s warm here...'''' At the same time, Kierra, who was eagerly eating ms: ''''Achoo!'''' ''''K-Kierra?! Was there something s-strange?! Ah, maybe it''s too cold out here...?'''' ''''...It''s nothing. Let''s continue.'''' ''''Ah~!?'''' Regardless of such affairs, the next day quickly arrived. ''''Whew...'''' Flopping onto a breezy spot outside, Angelica silently admired the beauty of White Lotus. She had seen the burning lotus the night before. Compared to Linoel''s wild beauty, it certainly felt more mythical in the Central Divine Realm. ''''Hahah...'''' ''Who am I, Kierra Scarlett Aspenova?'' Perhaps through years of being Kierra''s disciple, Angelica had be more and more like her master. However, there was a more urgent matter at this pointqi. She felt an indescribable frustration at the fact that she missed the moment the first twelve-star spell was released, but that was already the past, and Kierra would cast it again anyway. More or less, she was curious about this ''qi'' that her master had mentioned. ''It made [Astral Oblivion] possible.'' It seemed as though Kierra had used it as an enabler for the initial phase of the spell. ''''...'''' Gazing at the cloudless sky, Angelica felt overwhelmed. It was too sudden. Too sudden, yet she couldn''t help but feel excited. The pinnacle... had been the same for many years. Now, with qi, the ceiling could finally move up. First, she would need to awaken ''qi.'' ''''Mhm...'''' But... how was she going to do it? She needed a few talented cultivators, yet she didn''t know where to find them. If she asked Kierra, she would undoubtedly get her some after a few tsundere sentences... ''''Miss Angelica!'''' ''''?!'''' Suddenly, her vision was blocked by a bunch of spirited faces. Each and every one of these visitors had sparkling eyesdetermined, sparkling eyes. Overwhelmed by such enthusiasm, she nearly tumbled backward. '''''''' Please teach us magic! '''''''' ''''W-What??'''' Case 94: The painful road to become the best wizard. Case 94: The painful road to be the best wizard. As it turned out, someone had told these women about Angelica. ''''Her Majesty did...?'''' Unexpectedly, it was August. Angelica initially thought that her master had gottenzy again and tried to dump work on her, but it was actually her master''s ex instead. ''No, they got together again, right?'' Either way, the proposal was certainly attractive. As far as Angelica was concerned, these women were either masters or super masters at cultivating. If she had to teach them magic, it wouldn''t be too presumptuous to ask for guidance back, would there? So, Angelica replied positively, which made the women feel relieved. ''I''ve taught a lot of students, so it''s probably fine. They all quit after a bit, though. I wonder why.'' Nevertheless, with both the master and the disciples happy, the first ss, one held on the breezy in near White Lotus, soon started. ''''Ahem.'''' The five eagerly waited for their new master''s lesson. ''''First of all, I want to look at your mana regtion, mana capacity, and mana efficiency.'''' The disciples nodded like baby chickens. Seeing this, Angelica got even more enthusiastic. ''''Let''s do a warm-up at the same time.'''' She said. ''''The first one should be light, so each of you can shoot ten waves of mana bullets, each wave containing a thousand projectiles. Now, go.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' ''''Go?'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' Before she knew it, her disciples were staring at her weirdly, some even frowning in confusion. Before long, Tian Yun spoke up. ''''Um... do you mean ten? Maybe a hundred?'''' ''''No, a thousand. One zero zero zero.'''' (???)?(???)?(???)?(???)?(???)? Excuse me? It was at this point they realized... that something was seriously wrong. Angelica, who had so naturally pitched the idea of shooting seas of mana bullets as a warm-up, was actually tilting her head as though she was the one who got trolled. Usually, one wouldn''t go past a few dozen as conjuring too many projectiles at once could cause lots of problems. Recing that number with a thousand would definitely screw something up. Even Kierra wasn''t so oblivious like this! After raising such concerns, the five cautiously observed Angelica, who seemed troubled. ''''Hm... but that was how I trained...'''' She muttered. ''''No, didn''t Kierra teach you different ways...?'''' Yu Chen interjected. ''''She taught us less... torturous than this.'''' ''''T-Torturous...?? No way, right?'''' ''''What did you originally n after this ''warm-up''?'''' ''''Er... a twelve-hour binge meditation session, an eight-hour magical stamina course, then I''ll teach the absolute mental endurance technique, which would take around five hours...'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' ''''And then we''ll take a break.'''' '''''''' Only after all that?! '''''''' ''''For around ten minutes.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' Speechless. Somehow, they could sense that this person was an addicta training addict. Nevertheless, when they remembered their resolve, things went from ''absolutely not'' to ''negotiable,'' which was actually an impressive feat. ''''Um... we can decrease the load if you like. I''ll also guide you whenever I can.'''' The five nodded at one another before finally epting their fate. Thus, Angelica''s hellish training regime began. For cultivators, doing strenuous activities for an extended period of time was definitely possible, but it didn''t mean that it was pleasant. Their celestial bodies could handle theck of sleep or anything of a physical nature, but when it came to mana, the mental stress was no joke. ''''Come on, please pay attention!'''' Angelica pped her hands, shouting at the group, who were looping a multitude of mana rings. So, it was crucial to do stamina training before anything else. Of course, Kierra had also taught them the same thing to some extent, yet there was a thing Kierra couldn''t teachmental stamina. Born as a prodigy, Kierra''s brain was more adept at running magic than anyone else''s. So, rightfully, she couldn''t understand the frustrating feeling of mental fatigue when casting, nor could she understand the possible solutions to that problem. As the five would soon find out, there were many things they could learn from Angelica, who wasn''t nearly a genius like Kierra. Fueled by Kierra''s incredible silhouette as she fought the Heavenly, their training continued for days and nights. There was hardly a time when their mana circles weren''t burning, which impressed Angelica, who was used to seeing trainees giving up midway. When they needed rest, at least one or two would stay up to teach Angelica about cultivation, making it fair for both parties. While this alliance was thriving, Kierra herself wasrgely stuck in her house, either having some romantic time with her lovers or legitimately resting. Casting [Astral Oblivion] was undoubtedly an achievement, yet the archwizard had also realized the sheer iplete nature of it. A newly developed magic would have to pass through many rounds of testing before it reached a usable proficiency. However, with [Astral Oblivion], that would take too long and could possibly put her in danger. ''After all, my energy is all drained...'' Both her mana reserve and qi reserve were depleted. It took all of herself just to step on an equal footing with one of those Heavenly Venerates. Of course, she could keep injecting herself with various elixirs to replenish her mana and continue fighting, but at the end of the day, that wouldn''t be perfect. She desperately needed a breakthrough. If, at that time, Diamante wasn''t present, someone would have died. Be it August, Cosmos, or herself. ''The waves...'' The waves. They contained something far more powerful than what Kierra was familiar withdivine power. The power of gods. ''''...'''' Slowly, Kierra reached into the air and pulled out a small, silver-tinted jar. Inside, a sparkling body of water resided, morphing freely as she shook it. This was Yuwei''s water. That somehow sounded quite wrong, but in any case, it was a piece of the Heavenly Venerate''s divine waves. Kierra had discreetly collected it in a type of absolute containment jar, one that was often used by wizards for experimenting. If she could somehow realize the properties of this power and the way to harness it... gulp! It was apparent how much her power would skyrocket. ''''Hm...? What''s that...?'''' ''''Dia. Are you awake?'''' ''''Mhm...'''' Clinging to Kierra''s right side was Diamante, whose fluffy pink hair got ruffled during their intimate moments. With sleepy eyes, the phoenix princess nuzzled into her beloved''s chest, but before she could aplish that ''''Oh... Au.'''' ''''Come here, darling.'''' On the other side, August, who was a tad taller than Kierra, easily pulled the archwizard into her embrace. Diamante''s eyes snapped open, burning with an undying me of jealousy. August''s golden eyes narrowed, piercing an overwhelming aura toward her rival. ''''...'''' Being in the middle of this, Kierra could only sigh. Really, women fawn over me! Case 95: On the quest to divinity. Case 95: On the quest to divinity. Divine power. ording to most documentaries that existed both in Kierra''s world and Central Divine Realm, it is considered a form of energy superior to all others. With it, the user won''t need to worry about virtually anything but their own divinity''s capacity and efficiency. Synergy,patibility, fatigue. None mattered. ''Is such a thing even possible?'' Donning a pair of sses for style, Kierra sat nkly near the window of her bedroom, dangling her ponytail as she thought to herself. In history, most deities were assigned certain nicknamesGod of War, God of Justice, God of Lightning, etc. A popr theory suggested that those gods became gods thanks to their unmatched proficiency at the things for which they became known. In other words, if one could train their most gifted talent to a point, they would ascend into godhood. There was no evidence of this, but from all ounts by known deities recorded, things did seem to work that way. However, Kierra thought there must be a separate trigger aside from just that. First of all, a transition from being a vessel of one energy to being that of another wouldn''t ur out of nowhere. She herself was a living demonstration of this. Kierra believed she was the pinnacle of magic. It wasn''t arrogance. No. It was the truth. The human body could theoretically handle more circles and more mana, yet the brain capacity to execute a, say, thirteen-star spell wouldn''t exist. ''''Hm...'''' For now, she nned to contact one of the Heavenly Empresses to inquire about this problem. She was rightfully resting anyway; better get some of this stuff done. ''''Mnya...'''' When she turned to the noise, a fluffy pink head greeted her. Diamante had a habit of sleeping on Kierra''sp, sticking to her like a big golden retriever. Satisfied, the archwizard gently caressed her lover''s hair. ''''Oh, my. Ponytail? I don''t see this often.'''' ''''Hm?'''' Before Kierra could react, August had already jumped in from behind, wantonly enjoying her nape like a pervert. Detecting her nemesis''s scent, the phoenix(dog) woke up and began to growl at the assant. ''''...'''' This was the reality of Kierra''s harem. Since everybody else was training under Angelica, only Diamante and August were left to apany the archwizard. ''They fight like dogs and cats...'' She secretly imagined a scene of them and her turning into animals. A pink dog who fought a blue cat for a ck fox. That was certainly bizarre. ''''Hah...'''' Nevertheless, that was a good feeling. Who wouldn''t want people to fight over them? Later, Kierra lightly teleported herself to the realm above, sessfully jumpscaring Wen Zhuwei, who was meditating in her yard. ''''...How did you get here?'''' She asked, silver eyes blinking. ''''Why? I can''t be here?'''' ''''...'''' Flopping down in front of the Heavenly Shura, Kierra pulled out a drink and a set of cups. For a while, the two quietly enjoyed the premium wine. ''''Heavenly Shura.'''' ''''...Zhuwei is fine.'''' ''''Zhuwei.'''' ''''Yes.'''' Eye to eye, the archwizard uttered with an enthusiasm none had seen in her before. ''''Do you know about divine power?'''' ''''I see. So even you...'''' The Immortal Empress let out a heavy sigh. Somehow, her silver eyes felt a bit pale today. Noticing this anomaly, Kierra immediately pressed on, ''''What''s the problem? Can you tell me?'''' ''''...'''' Wen Zhuwei remained in silence. Usually, Kierra wouldn''t be this patient when dealing with others, yet this time, she had somewhat realized that the information she sought was put inside a Pandora''s box. After a long internal fight with herself, the Heavenly Shura finally responded. ''''Hah... fine. Can I count this as you owing me a favor?'''' With a satisfied smile, Kierra, of course, replied, ''''No.'''' ''''...'''' ''''I can ask others.'''' ''This brazen vixen...'' Wen Zhuwei wondered why. Dealing with Kierra was such a pain. ''''Anyway. It''s fine. The things I''m about to tell you are extremely confidential. It''s the Heaven''s secret, so to say.'''' Wen Zhuzen solemnly began. ''''From a long, long time ago'''' ''''Tell me the gist of it.'''' ''''...'''' ???_?? ''''From a long, long time ago, there was a god who visited Central Divine Realm.'''' ''''Tch.'''' ''''That was the age of discovery, with people learning the very first steps to cultivation. At that time, the world only contained a natural source of energyqi. However, the man apparently imed that it would be boring that way... and introduced two other sources.'''' ''''Continue.'''' ''''They were divine power, which was sampled right from his flesh, and... mana.'''' ''''...'''' ''''Mana was inherently simr to qi. They both came from nature, after all. Yet, virtually no one could use or even feel the presence of mana. Theorists said that the bodies of the people here just weren''tpatible with it. Over time, the very existence of mana faded from everyone''s consciousness, and that is why no one knows about it today.'''' ''''What a strange man... what was he like?'''' ''''ording to the oldest Immortal who actually encountered him... the man was said to bear the appearance of an ordinary human male. Shoulder-length ck hair, ck eyes. Besides those, there wasn''t anything noteworthy.'''' ''''...Okay, I see. In any case, there is still more to it, no?'''' Wen Zhuwei sighed at this question. It seemed that this portion was where the problemy. ''''Truthfully, I know the way to achieve divinity.'''' ''''...!'''' ''''However... I strongly advise anyone not to follow that path. Not you, especially.'''' In an instant, the archwizard''s surprised face soured. The weather even reflected her mind, getting gloomier by the second. ''''Why?'''' ''''...I did say earlier thatvirtuallyno one could use mana, right? Well... that doesn''t mean there was absolutely no one.'''' The Heavenly Shura uttered, her gaze remaining firm despite the sudden wind. ''''The three Heavenly Venerates.'''' ''''As expected.'''' ''''Right? I thought you would have predicted it. Those three were the ones that actually thrived on mana, stomping opponents with strange ''spells'' of theirs. Of course, they were nowhere near your level, but it was special nheless.'''' Reaching out her hand, Wen Zhuwei spoke solemnly, ''''Promise me, Kierra. That you will consider your choices deeply after hearing this.'''' ''''...Alright.'''' ''''Whew... once a certain level of proficiency on both mana and qi is achieved, one can begin their journey to true divinity by exposing themselves to pure divine energy.'''' Dangerously close. Kierra felt she was one step away from grasping divinity these days, and indeed, she was this close to it. Now that she knew what she needed to do, things became much easier. However, a problem had yet to be mentioned. If there was a reason they gatekept divinity... ''''...Is it because of those fiends?'''' Eyes widen, Wen Zhuwei nodded, ''''Indeed. They... even gods could be corrupted, and once they were, the havoc they would wreak was unfathomably severe.'''' ''''As you know, the virus from outside this''s atmosphere is rather deadly.'''' She added. Extraterrestrial entities whose only mission was to destroy everything. They were the cause of concern to all and the enemy that loomed over the. Merely imagining a corrupt Kierra... was enough to cause Wen Zhuwei to cower. The dark monster who devoured everything indiscriminately. Once she shook that illusion off, the sight of Kierra, who was surprisingly calm as she sipped her drink, entered her vision. Really, how was such a delicate-lookingdy unleashing that kind of power? Case 96: Divergent paths. Case 96: Divergent paths. To be a deity. During the five centuries for which Kierra had lived, this question had certainlye to her mind many times. If she could actually be a deity, what would it be like? Would she have the power to shape civilizations as everyone knew them? Would she be able to merge continents, freeze ocean water, or cause a mass extinction with only her thoughts? Perhaps. Of course, with great poweres great responsibility, but Kierra was prepared to be a cker god any day. And... of course, the archwizard could already do all of the things she thought a god could, albeit with more difficulty. Truthfully, if being a god made those things easier, Kierra would readily embrace it. However... the more she heard about divinity, the more she rejected the idea. Being able to manifest anything into realitythis big selling point of divine powerwas precisely what turned Kierra away. Sure, for those who had an absolute goal they must fulfill, walking on the path of the divine was certainly a good option. Yet, Kierra was, at heart, a wizard. A wizard wasn''t a wizard just because they could cast spells. A wizard must be someone who lived their lives studying manasomeone curious enough to improve themselves through their experiments. In a sense, it was closer to science. If Kierra were to throw away her inherent passion for magical research... would she still be a wizard? Certainly not. Kierra wanted to remain a wizard. That was her identity. ''Besides...'' She just beat a god. Sure, her odds were stacked in her favor, but she still killed a deity. Perhaps even that true pinnacle of magic, [Astral Oblivion], could onlypete with an ordinary god. Perhaps. Still. Still... Feeling her heart thumping as if rejoicing with her mind, Kierra smiled peacefully. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' The wind blew. In Wen Zhuwei''s eyes, Kierra''s image had never been this beautiful. Seeing someone like her, who was usually cocky, this honest with her emotions... it was as though she was a painting itself. ''''Thank you, Heavenly Shura.'''' As the archwizard stood up, Wen Zhuwei hurriedly called, ''''W-Wait.'''' ''''Hm?'''' ''''Do you... n to be a god?'''' With a victorious smile, Kierra uttered, ''''Nope. I don''t need to be a god to beat a god.''''
The opening of the gate between the two worlds was set to be three months after Angelica and Diamante arrived at the Central Divine Realm. During this period, the realm above would try its best to stabilize the situation before the guests arrived. No matter how powerful Kierra''s group was, they couldn''t cover all of the frontlines at once, so support was definitely needed. Meanwhile, the crew at White Lotus was busy training. Under Angelica, who was somehow even stricter and crueler than Kierra, they spent most of their time drowned in sufferingeither being exhausted magically or physically. It wasn''t until two weeks had passed that they finally got a day off. Dragging their barely conscious bodies back to Kierra''s ''house,'' which they got the ''key'' to a while back, only silence remained. At this point, all they wanted was to take the archwizard''s perfect body as a pillow and sleep for an eternity. Still, it would be five or potentially seven people hugging one Kierra, so it wasn''t a very promising prospect. = ( `*)= ( `*)= ( `*) What was all this effort for anyway? Upon entering the house, the first thing they saw was... ''''Kgh...!'''' ''''You idiot, that hurts! That hurts!'''' ''''How about you stop burning me, hm?'''' ''''No! You stop first!'''' Somehow, onedy with sky-blue hair and one with candy-pink hair were wrestling on the floor, their fierce match leaving the furniture in disarray. ''''...What in the world happened here?'''' As they would soon find out, August and Diamante were fighting because... they had nothing better to do. Apparently, Kierra was currently ''locked in,'' so they couldn''t try and bed her like before. ''''Locked in? In what?'''' Tian Yun inquired. ''''It''s a habit of her,'''' August replied, sighing. ''''Once she had set her goal on something, she wouldn''t stop exhausting herself to achieve it.'''' ''''Right, right!'''' Diamante interjected. ''''It looks like she''s trying to push the limit of magic again. My wife is too powerful!'''' The five looked at one another. It was definitely strange. Kierra had only been interested in qi ever since she first came here, but now magic out of nowhere? ''''You guys can admire her studious appearance, too! Don''t bother her, though.'''' The responses to Diamante''s cheerful suggestion were pleasant. ''''Why are you guys fighting, anyway?'''' Mie Xieren blurted out. Inting her cheeks, the pink woman red at August, ''''I told this idiot that I would be better at reducing Kierra''s stress, but she didn''t listen!'''' ''''No matter how you spin it, I am the better one here.'''' August calmly refuted. ''''Nothing beats a warm, nice backhug.'''' ''''Huh?!?! You only want to hug her!'''' ''''What would you do, then?'''' ''''Napping on herp! She told me I was simr to a dog, so that should help!'''' Strangely, Diamante''s argument was convincing. Perhaps August''s reputation as a mean woman helped that. Nevertheless, the crew ignored Diamante and August before walking to Kierra''s room. Beyond the slightly opened door, the warm light of the tablemp illuminated the surroundings, casting a shadow of the person sitting before it onto the wall. Kierra, now having her long hair tied into a ponytail, was busy scribbling on a piece of paper, her focused eyes shielded by ayer of sses. For some time, all five of them were drawn to this rare sight of the archwizard. Her little movements, like twirling the pen, furrowing her brows, or pouting her lips, all made for a perfect ''troubled beauty'' image. Moreover, one look at the numerous mathematical and magical forms written on the whiteboard suggested something deeply advanced. She wasn''t justanytroubled beauty; she was a genius troubled beauty! ''''...What are you all doing there?'''' '''''''' Ah. '''''''' Maybe it was too tant. So, one by one, the women trudged into the room. Like curious little squirrels, they popped up behind Kierra to see what she had written. Seizing the opportunity, some even dared to touch Kierra''s bare shoulders! ''''How did your training go?'''' Nevertheless, Kierra asked, figuring out that she needed some rest, too. She had burned herself thest two weeks, so an hour or two to y would work. When the answers were a bit ambiguous, the archwizard immediately understood what happened. ''''Did Angelica bully you?'''' She turned around and took all five of them into her embrace. For a moment, a mother''s warmth could be felt by this simple hug. Once the floodgate was opened,ints afterints poured out, yet strangely, none expressed any hatred toward Angelica. ''''Good girls. You know what is good for you. That is admirable.'''' So, a few dozen minutes passed by as Kierra quietly encouraged her harem. The crew felt as though they were babies being taken care of, but faced with Kierra''s irresistible voice, they surrendered immediately. ''''Hm?'''' That was when one of them, who was resting her chin on Kierra''s shoulder, noticed the paper that the archwizard was working on. ''The... eleventh mana circle...?'' Case 97: Where the phoenix goes. Case 97: Where the phoenix goes. ''''Hey~!'''' ''''...'''' ''''Hey hey hey~!'''' ''''Shut up, stupid bird.'''' Being mercilessly shut off by an annoyed August, Diamante aggressively pouted, cheeks inted like a balloon. Things were a bit iffy for the princess recently. Kierra had dedicated herself to magic for the time being, which meant no intimate acts were allowed. Instead, she was forced to see this grumpy, cat-like August all day. Moreover, her body was warmer than ordinary folks, so she had already eaten up all of her ice cream while her rival was leisurely enjoying her portion. Ice cream wasn''t Diamante''s first concern, however. It was Kierra. More specifically, the women surrounding Kierra. Honestly, Diamante was dumbfounded when she found out that Kierra had other mistresses besides August. She didn''t know how to feel about it. The situation was so unexpected that even Diamante, who was confident in managing her emotions, was stunned. Confused? Certainly. Jealousy? A bit. Resentment? Not a lot. Relief? Maybe. In the end, Diamante didn''t know what changed Kierra. A particr memory resurfaced. In it, Kierra had just announced her intention to end their rtionship. Diamante desperately clung to the archwizard while totally in a daze, spewing out whatever she could to hold onto her lover. Much of it was pathetic, but one in particr stood out. ''''D-Don''t tell me you fell in love with another woman...?'''' ''''Huh?'''' ''''No, it''s... it''s good! I''ll allow it! We''ll make a harem for you, yeah? And then... K-Kierra...?'''' ''''...'''' The princess still couldn''t forget Kierra''s face as she turned away. It haunted her for a long, long while. Still, what even mattered anymore when she and Kierra had once again connected, right? Right...? ''''...'''' It seemed she had to settle this turbulence in her heart before that. Once prepared, Diamante took a long breath and ''''Ultimate thinking mode, activate!'''' Seizing the chance where August was startled, Diamante swiftly slipped her hand into the Sword Empress''s ice cream bucket and took one for herself. Shoving the stick of melon ice cream into her mouth, Diamante''s confidence rose dramatically. ''''Mhgmmmm!'''' The coldness ran all the way to her brain, and with two index fingers pressed against her temples, the phoenix princess began to run her engine. Seeing this, August couldn''t help but want to p that fluffy pink head a few times, but she held back. She wouldn''t want to cause further trouble for Kierra. ''''Hah...'''' Just imagine having to deal with this idiot for another eternity gave the Sword Empress a headache. Meanwhile, in Kierra''s room. The studymp never went out, and the number of paper on the desk only increased. Kierra had set her goal to be able to cast [Astral Oblivion] semi-regrly. This time around, she had depleted her entire energy reserve just to do that, which wasn''t exactly desirable in a drawn-out battle. To achieve that, she would need to refine her mana output efficiency and mana capacity further. The first condition could probably be satisfied if she swept through all the cultivation manuals in Central Divine Realm. After all, in terms of handling energy, the cultivators with a more extended history would be superior. In fact, she was already doing that during her ''breaks.'' The second condition was harder, however. Kierra''s perfect ten circles of mana were already so over-the-top that current magical theories barely allowed it to exist. If she wanted to go further... She would need an eleventh circle. ''''Hm...'''' This route posed a number of obstacles. Firstly, there was a chance her heart would burst from overexerting itself, regting too much mana at once. Fundamentally, mana circles provided more mana capacity the further they were from the heart, making each circle after thest more valuable than ever. Still, things had a limit. On top of that, the problem of how to install it remained. Traditionally, mana circles were manifested over a long period of meditation in which the wizard would painstakingly construct the new circle from nothingness. Kierra nearly died of brain damage when she did so for the tenth circle. It simply took too long and too much concentration to maintain the existing rings while adding a new one. Leaning back on her chair, Kierra brought the sketch for the new circle up and stared at it for a while. No matter what, the heart was a no-go. There was simply too much risk involved. But if not the heart, then where... ''''Hello...'''' ''''...?'''' Right then, the door creaked open, and a fluffy pinkdy stepped inside the archwizard''s room. As soon as their eyes met, Diamante promptly hopped over and climbed on Kierra''sp. ''''Dia.'''' ''''Mhm...'''' Diamante was like a big puppy. Intentional or not, she loved to rub her fluffy head against her lover''s chest. In a heartbeat, Kierra found her hand already putting the paper away in favor of stroking this little princess''s hair. ''Is she releasing some kind of stimnt...?'' Either way, it was true that she hadn''t rested for a while. Might as well take this time to cuddle... ''''...Hey, Kierra.'''' ''''Hm...?'''' As the archwizard was about to close her eyes, a faint, almost whimper-like sound escaped her pink lover. Still, with her face buried in Kierra''s chest, she spoke, ''''Did you know? You''re... a terrible woman.'''' ''''...'''' ''''You abandoned me for so long, and when I chased you all the way here... you have what? Six other women waiting on your bed?'''' ''''...Dia.'''' ''''This isn''t how you treat a princess like me, is it?'''' Before long, Kierra noticed the inted cheeks pushing on her chest. It seemed this little bird was indeed upset. Despite exposing her nervous heart, the archwizard calmly stroked Diamante''s back. ''''Again, I''m sorry.'''' She whispered. ''''I''ll cherish you from now on. Forever.'''' ''''Forever?'''' ''''Yeah.'''' ''''Even with all the other women clinging to you?'''' ''''Yes. I swear.'''' Afterward, words didn''t get out, yet heat was still properly transferred, bringing lots of emotions along with it. Through Kierra''s thin clothing, a slightly colder temperature reigned, while the opposite was true for Diamante. Yes. ''I need not to neglect these girls as well.'' Perhaps she was too upied with magic all this time, especially now that Diamante was here. It had been a bit since the princess was spoiled... ''''Heheh... your heart is finally calming down.'''' ''''...'''' ''''So you still care for me this much...'''' Suddenly, the archwizard felt embarrassed, even though she promised herself to let Diamante be a bit spoiled. So, she gave up saving her dignity and fully embraced her lover. The soft and warm hug pillow was especiallyfortable for a nap. Maybe this time... ''''I''m amazed every time I look inside your body. Remember that time I fainted after seeing your heart? Now you even have this qi thing hanging near your womb as well.'''' Diamante giggled. ''''It''s like... you have two hearts.'''' ''''...!'''' Kierra''s sleepy eyes snapped open. Two... hearts? Case 98: A beating heart of diamond. Case 98: A beating heart of diamond. ''''A second heart...'''' ''''Kierra?'''' It was certainly a far-fetched idea. Still, it was the only usible solution to the current dilemma. Once Kierra seeded in creating another heart, even if it didn''te close to the real thing, she could draw a lot more mana than usual. Of course, there were numerous attempts by wizards to execute this idea, but it had never been done. Inserting another heart into the body would disrupt the organs as a whole, and connecting it to all the blood vessels was also challenging. Substitute the second heart with another organ? That could work, yet there was still a long-term risk of crushing one''s insides once the circle piled up. Inside the body was a no-go. ''If so, how about another heart that connects to the vessels externally?'' As the archwizard pondered, she suddenly noticed the pink puppy settlingfortably between her chest. For a moment, she felt something, looking at Diamante''s burning eyes. ''''How about... embedding it on the skin...'''' ''''Huh? What are you talking about, Kierra?'''' ''''I''m trying to make another heart.'''' ''''What? Wasn''t that proven to be impossible?'''' The archwizard gently stroked the phoenix''s fluffy head, adoring the round, innocent eyes. ''''It''s not impossible. No one has ever done it before. Just that.'''' ''''Heh... is it dangerous?'''' ''''Maybe.'''' Although worried, Diamante only encouraged her lover. In her mind, Kierra was always a dependable woman, so she trusted her not to put herself in unreasonable danger. Being a supportive partnerthat was the key to getting points! So, wagging her(imaginary) tail, Diamante excitedly nuzzled at her lover. ''''Do you need anything, Kierra?'''' ''''Hm? Maybe a core I can use for the new heart?'''' Traditionally, drawing mana from external sources was epted as a legitimate method for those whocked capacity but were proficient in executing spells. The most used medium for that was mana stones. As its name implied, mana stones were excellent conductors for wizards, yet they were, unfortunately, quite fragile. A mana stone would crumble after only one or two usages, which immediately disqualified it from thepetition. A more expensive yet sustainable option was jewels. Although generally processing a lower affinity with mana, they could be used repeatedly for a while. Not to mention, when under extreme pressure, depending on their quality, they could be destroyed as well. ''''Then, I''d need a mold to swap jewels swiftly...'''' Still, how would she get around the mana circles? They needed something to spin around. Anotheryer of jewel beneath the dispensable ''heart,'' perhaps? ''This gotplicated quickly, huh.'' As the archwizard massaged her temple, a shape of pink popped up within her vision again. Grinning, Diamante cupped Kierra''s cheeks with her palms. ''''Just use the diamond I gave you!'''' ''''No, what are you...'''' Indeed, the pink diamond Kierra got from Diamante was of the highest grade in existence. After all, it was cultivated from ancient times at the heart of the phoenixesthe Crystal Volcano. Evenpared to the best jewels discovered on asteroids and others, this one was superior. In other words, there was nothing more suitable for a second heart than the pink diamond. ''''...'''' Of course, the archwizard knew that from the beginning, yet she wrote it off right after. How could she use such a precious item as a tool? This time, those thoughts were fully disyed on her gorgeous face, and it made the phoenix princess indescribably happy. As for her? Having her gift be a permanent part of Kierra was an honor! ''''Look, the diamond is super good at storing mana and stuff, right?'''' ''''...Yeah.'''' ''''And it''s from the Crystal Volcano! I can still feel a close tie with it, so I can imbue it with a spell of immortality as well!'''' More and more, the archwizard became convinced. Even an ordinary phoenix feather could help a person escape death once, so if the princess of such a miraculous race were to imbue her essence into the jewel... It would truly be an indestructible heart. ''''Y''know, it''s kinda romantic, too.'''' Diamante shyly added. ''''It''s like having a part of me in you.'''' ''''...'''' Blushing, Kierra kissed her puppy-like lover, taking her by surprise. ''''...Alright. I''ll use it well.''''
The pink diamond didn''t have a name. Brushing her immacte skin against the quilt, Kierra raised the jewel in the air, showering it in the mellow light above. It was of an octahedron shape and around the size of arge grape. A light pink color as the base, it gleamed with a multitude of other shiny shades as it received light. ''''This... this is my love for you!'''' Even now, Kierra could vividly remember the moment Diamante gave it to her. During the period of her heart''s turbulence after breaking up with August, it was the phoenix princess''s overwhelming, tender love that saved the archwizard. ''''...'''' Even now, gazing at that naive, childish side profile gave her a fuzzy warmth. Not as hot as the sun, yet moreforting than morning sunlight. ''''...Maiden''s Love.'''' From now on, she decided to call it ''Maiden''s Love.'' A few dayster. After calcting the numbers and experimenting with different approaches, Kierra finally found a usible way to embed the jewel in her body. This time, she was sitting in the middle of the living space, surrounded by curious harem members. No one questioned the reason they were here. After all, Kierra, of all people, was going to get her major power-up at this moment. Even if they couldn''t really get the nitty-gritty of it, they knew it would be a spectacle. ''''Let''s get ready.'''' Putting her treasured witch hat aside, Kierra gently held out the Maiden''s Love. Since she had decided to put it just above her cleavagebetween the corbones, the archwizard lowered the shoulders of her dress, stopping right before anythingtooinappropriate was shown. This earned a few gasps among the audience, yet she didn''t pay any mind to them. For now, she was razor-focused on the jewel. ''''Whew...'''' As she closed her eyes and rxed her mana veins, a sense of equilibrium spread. On the outside, since she didn''t try to contain her mana as usual, much of it came flowing out like a waterfall of smoke. Manipting the energy present in her chest, Kierra slowly opened a cavity for the jewel to enter. Soon, her bone and skin morphed ordingly. Once that was done, the Maiden''s Love was brought into its new ce, carried by a simple stroke of telekinesis. A cold, alien feeling descended. After the flesh closed in, enveloping the jewel until only a portion of it was visible, it was time to move to the next stage. The archwizard''s inner mana veins were split, one by one, before being connected to the new ''heart.'' This was all done manually and meticulously. Time ticked by, and drops of sweat began to form on Kierra''s forehead just as gleaming blue veins began to run from other parts of her body to the jewel. Seeing the archwizard''s hardened expression, the others in the room also got anxious. Nevertheless, they knew they were witnessing something incredible. By now, Kierra''s blood vessels were connected to not two but three ''hearts.'' Ought to be difficult. Eventually, the tedious process waspleted. Kierra initially wanted to establish a few mana circles on this new heart as well, yet, given her physical state, it was probably wiser not to. ''''Kierra!'''' ''''Are you alright?'''' ''''Here, a towel.'''' ''''No, you idiot...! Why would you wipe her sweat?? It''s so sexy!'''' ''''...'''' For now, seeing the pink heart pulsating with a constant beat satisfied the archwizard. Case 99: Just how many circles again?? Case 99: Just how many circles again?? As Kierra quietly appreciated the steady pulses of her new heart, curious little things began to gather around her. ''''Let me see!'''' ''''Tch, you''re blocking the light.'''' ''''Er... can you guys just sit down properly??'''' ''''...'''' It was a bit chaotic. Indeed, they did seem fascinated by this new masterpiece, but somehow, their eyes were strangely... hungry. ''''Kierra, can I touch them?'''' Yu Chen asked, her tone serene as always. ''''...It should be finehm? Them?'''' Receiving explicit permission, Yu Chen happily dived her hands into the archwizard''s bountiful bosom, popping the fruits to her heart''s content. As soon as the overly soft, warm, and pleasantly slippy sensation touched the martial master''s brain ''''Mn...!'''' Unexpectedly, a high-pitched moan escaped Kierra''s mouth. Knitting her brows, the exhausted wizard growled, ''''What... do you think are you doing? It''s still sensitive.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' There was a saying: Everything will look pretty if a beauty is doing it. Indeed, even the displeased Kierra seemed exceptionally alluring. More than scared, the women''s eyes were drawn to that expression, their hearts on the verge of kicking them, telling them, ''What are you doing to her, idiot?! '' Exposed shoulders, damp, milky skin. Exquisite corbones clenching. Faint shades of pink slipping out of Yu Chen''s grasp. ''''Ugh...!'''' Unable to withstand the pressure, Tian Yun clutched her nose, barely preventing fresh blood from spurting out. After Kierra angrily tapped the naughty hands away and pulled her clothes up, things finally calmed down. That was from Kierra''s perspective, of course. The others were on the verge of bursting. ''''...What''s with those looks?'''' Kierra scoffed. ''''What? Are you trying to do it here? With this many people?'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' ''''Totally unmanageable.'''' Suppose the whole rtionship was polyamorous, perhaps. However, when all seven people only wanted to do it with Kierra, the experience would only leave some people frustrated instead. No matter how skilled Kierra was, she couldn''t take care of seven at once. What were they going to do? Licking her thighs and neck while self-pleasuring? ''...Wait, they might do that.'' ''''Me, teacher!'''' ''''Hm?'''' Suddenly, the bouncy pink ball spoke up. ''''You can use clones!'''' Diamante suggested. ''''We can have one Kierra each, and everybody will be happy!'''' ''''...Dia.'''' ''''Yes?'''' ''''I won''t be happy.'''' ''''W-Why??'''' With a smile, the archwizard uttered, ''''Have you ever imagined orgasming with multiplied sensitivity?'''' ''''Ah.'''' Of course, the archwizard had tried many ys with August or Diamante before. However, one seemingly obvious tacticincreasing sensitivitywas always being avoided. On top of disrupting bodily bnce and causing movement difficulties, it could often lead to a decrease in pleasure. This was because of the ''suddenness'' more than anything. Generally speaking, heightened sensitivity was only suitable if gradually trained, not obtained. Constitutions that could make use of the ''obtained'' were rare. ''Subi... maybe?'' The archwizard let out a sigh. Really, why was she thinking about sex all of a sudden? Right, these horny little perverts. ''''Hmph.'''' So, the archwizard proudly sulked, locking herself in her bedroom, never to be seen for a few days. During this time, she diligently exercised her mana, making sure all the mana veins were functioning properly. Once everything was deemed smooth, she moved on to thest step. ''Finally...'' Mana circles. For the first time in human history, a wizard with eleven mana circles would appear. ''''Whew...'''' Sitting on the floor with all her clothes removed, Kierra began channeling her mana. Since the first circle was the easiest yet perhaps the most important one to build, every wizard took it seriously. It served as a base for the subsequent circles toea guideline, to be exact. The more perfect the first one was, the better the others would be. On average, a novice wizard would spend around a day shaping their first circle, but as experienced as Kierra was, she would only need around six hours. Six hours for the most exquisite mana circle. Counting in the effort to calm her qi so as not to cause a spontaneous explosion, it should take around seven or eight hours. While Kierra was busy building up her strength, the others were not cking either. ''''Hm...'''' August, who finally decided that she had rested enough, leisurely grabbed her sword and began practicing in Kierra''s garden. As she sliced a few pieces of the air, her lips parted. ''''Now that I think about it... what about your spare lives, little bird?'''' ''''Huh?'''' Diamante, who absentmindedly watched the Sword Empress nearby, responded. ''''You need to revive quickly. My darling''s shield can''t be used only once, no?'''' ''''Muh...'''' The phoenix princess pouted. ''''Don''t treat me like that. I can shield, I can attack, too!'''' ''''With your meager firepower?'''' (p?_?) Cross veins popped on Diamante''s forehead as she heard the sneer. Even if her specialty was indeed survivability, her me wasn''t anything to scoff at either. ''''Hahahah... aight, aight, I''ll let you taste itthe legendary undying me...!'''' Cold and hot mana began to collide in the air as Diamante approached August. ''''Thinking back, we''ve never fought even once, have we?'''' The Sword Empress said, dragging her de in absoluteposure. ''''Probably? You''re too scared toe at me when I was Kierra''s girlfriend anyway.'''' The princess scoffed, cracking her knuckles. When the tension between the two reached a boiling point, as tangible sparks exploded in the air, the unceremonious sound of a door opening rang. ''''What are you two doing in my garden?!'''' A window situated on the second floorKierra''s bedroom window. Poking out of there was the archwizard herself, angry and naked. ''''Do I need to kick you out?'''' thud! With that warning, the door shut closed. '''''''' ... '''''''' Suddenly, all fighting intent within the two disappeared. At this point, they could only swallow their saliva and retract their mana. ''''...Hey, bird.'''' ''''What.'''' ''''Wanna eat some ice cream?'''' ''''Fine.''''
''''Whew...'''' Sprawling out on the floor, Kierra felt the cold wooden material cool off the heat while simultaneously rxing her muscles. ''I really should have put the heart higher...'' A few more days had passed, and Kierra''s journey to be the greatest wizard continued smoothly. By this point, she had sessfully built five fresh mana circles for her new heart, increasing her mana capacity by a considerable amount. With this pace, she would soon achieve a double as long as nothing happened. It was fine until that point, yes. The calctions were perfect. Yet, what Kierra didn''t ount for was the visual aspect of it. Mana circles were of a bright blue color, simmering into white at the densest parts. When overclocking, they could even shine through human flesh. So, as many as five bright circles had already formed on Kierra''s skin. In the mirror, it looked fine. Kierra was still beautiful. If anything, they gave her a divine looknothing to scoff at. However... ''Nine... no, ten, perhaps?'' The problem was, if they continued to form like this, the tenth circle would ovep her nipples. ''''...'''' No, wasn''t that kind of weird...? Realizing she was worrying about a practically useless problem, Kierra ashamedly threw on clothes and walked outside for the first time in a week. ''''Oh, she''s here!'''' ''''Kierra!'''' ''''Master.'''' Coincidentally, Angelica was also present. After greeting her mistresses, Kierra expressed her intention to go outside. ''''I need some real exercise. Magically, of course.'''' ''''Oh... I''m curious!'''' Angelica eximed. ''''Did you manage to add a new circle?'''' ''''Five of them.'''' ''''...Yes?'''' ''''Five of them. I have fifteen... for the moment.'''' Case 100: Kierra Scarlett Aspenova. Case 100: Kierra Scarlett Aspenova. It was an outrageous story. Most ordinary wizards had four or five circles. Anything above those numbers was considered decent. The absolute limit for those without the title of a ''genius'' was around the seventh or eighth mark. Only a little more than a hundred had reached the ninth, and the realm just above that was of the ranks of legendary. To say that Kierra hadcasuallyreached the fifteenth circle... would be a ridiculous story. However, the mana she held was genuine, and she wasn''t going to stop at the fifteenth, either. If she found no faults or drawbacks with operating two mana hearts at once, the archwizard nned to keep adding more and more hearts to her body until her brain could not keep up with that level of casting anymore. Even then, items like magic staff could help extend that limit further. The possibilities were looking promising. Central Divine Realm. ''''Heh... the weather is so lovely today'''' The world had been peaceful these days. Ever since the unorthodox faction was eliminated, demonic arts had gradually gone extinct, and with the heart and soul of the evil path gone, other criminals were alsoying low for the moment. Walking along an ordinary grass trail, Kierra quietly took in the scenery around her. Mountains spanning thousands of miles. Green ins swaying ever so gently in the wind. A tall, clear blue sky. Honest, hard-working farmers carrying crops on their backs. Busy merchants pulling their carts full of goods. Children chasing after birds. ''''...'''' Soon, this ce''s serenity would be disturbed by that unknown force of evil. Kierra was determined to protect it... but then what? Afterpleting that task and truly rising to the ranks of gods, what would be there for her anymore? Once again, the archwizard was scared of boredom. Say, when shepleted both cultivation and wizardry, what would be left to do? When Kierra asked herself that question, she instinctively turned back to the people who had been following her. August and Diamante arguring. Yu Chen, Tian Yun, and Mie Xieren debating magic. Kang Shuren and Bai Qingughing together. Shen and Lan hovering behind. Cosmos walking quietly aside, observing life. Though often bickering, these women gave off a strong sense of alliance. Thinking back, life with them was always eventful. Even when there wasn''t anything particrly noteworthy going on, watching them gave Kierra the sensation that she wasn''t just wasting her time doing nothing. ''''You seem to be in a good mood, master.'''' Angelica, who was striding near the archwizard, remarked. ''''Is that so?'''' ''''Certainly better than the old you, I think.'''' ''''Better than the old me, huh.'''' Still Kierra Scarlett Aspenova, but a better one. She liked the sound of that. With a slight sigh and a slight smile, Kierra continued on her path, carrying a lighter heart than before.
On a breezy afternoon at the in near the White Lotus Sect, a woman quietlynded. ''''Good afternoon...'''' ''''Too slow.'''' At Kierra''s using remark, Yan Shi happily cowered. As she attempted to kneel and hug the archwizard''s thigh, she was frozen in ce by the other women''s res. Nevertheless, she appeared even more aroused, and it took a good while before everyone could get going. essing the realm above wasn''t too difficult for Kierra. Still, Yan Shi had promised to escort them, so there was no reason to waste her energy. ''''Wee, esteemed archwizard.'''' ''''Mhm.'''' This time, the gathering spot was Wen Zhuweithe Heavenly Shura''s house. Initially started as a mere stroll to exercise some mana for Kierra, the trip somehow turned into a checkup for the realm above. Indeed, it had been a while since the time Kierra defeated the Heavenly Venerate. ''''Thanks to your presence, the other side seems to be afraid to run rampant like before.'''' The Heavenly Shura said, a multitude of tea cups and refreshments swirling onto the table. ''''With the other emperors finally stopping turtling before the corrupt Heavenly Venerates, we were able to reim arge portion of the lostnd.'''' ''''Do you have a map?'''' ''''Of course.'''' Soon, the surface of the oak table itself turned into a surprisingly detailed map, clearly highlighting the locations and points of interest. If the invasion had halfway taken over the realm before, those cancerous spots now only ounted for around a fourth-tenth of the total area. ''''With this pace, we should be closing into their very base right when the gate opens.'''' Kierra nodded, hearing Wen Zhuwei''s exnation. ''''However... there are certain stories on the frontline right now.'''' ''''Hm? What stories?'''' ''''The fiends... they have been getting tougher to deal with.'''' Most certainly, it was because either there was a nucleus that radiated corrupt energy at ground zero or those near the same spot got stronger, corresponding to their exposure time. Whatever it was, the need to clear the cancer of this world was apparent. ''In the end, what is it?'' This curious yet appalling disease, one that targeted divinity. If it came from space... was there a risk that it could someday invade Kierra''s home? No, certainly not. There was no divinity where Kierra once lived. She hoped so. Afterward, Kierra sweetly kissed Kang Shuren once and left her with the Heavenly Shura. ''''Stay here for a bit, Shuren. Zhuwei will give you some pointers.'''' ''''Hey, no, when did I say that'''' ''''She will. Now, go.'''' And so, having ruined Wen Zhuwei''s precious day off, Kierra and her crew headed to the frontline again. Standing before a lifeless wastnd where grotesque creatures roamed, a certain pink-haired woman enthusiastically stretched. ''''Aight! Let''s do a warmup before we jump right in'''' ''''No, isn''t we here to watch Kierra? Why'''' ''''Heh.'''' Yu Chen''s moving lips were put to rest by Diamante''s slender index finger. ''''Naive youngdy, think about it. After Kierra fired her spells... there won''t be anything left.'''' ''''...'''' Little did the smirking phoenix knew, Yu Chen was several hundred years older than her. On another front, Kierra was getting ready, ramping up the mana in her blood. As the hearts beat faster and the circles swole, the archwizard''s body was overwhelmed with a seemingly endless amount of power. Thick, glitter-like white smoke leaked out from her hands'' veins, then being blown by the wind for a mesmerizing effect. Beyond that, there was enough mana to literally crush the space around her body. With a single thought, Kierra gently gathered it in her palm, creating a swirling core of pure mana. ''There seems to be no problem drawing it out.'' Next, it was time to verify the performance.

''''Chain. Crystalize.'''' ?Crystalize3? A basic offensive spell that even novice wizards could cast. Kierra had chosen it instead of an advanced spell simply because it was a non-elemental one, meaning she would be able to monitor her output without the need to keep up with the transitioning process. Sharp spikes grew out of the mana sphere, and when Kierra sshed it forward !! For a moment, everything was engulfed in a blinding st. The intense mana res,bined with the sheer density of Kierra''s power, created a chain of never-ending, exploding crystals. That day, the world was drowned in a sea of glitter. Case 101: Visitors from Linoel. Case 101: Visitors from Linoel. ''''Hm...'''' ''''Master... what the hell is that...?'''' ''''A spell?'''' ''''No, no, I know, but... this absurd output... I mean, I guess that''s what you''d get from having fifteen magic circles.'''' ''''You figured it out.'''' Kierra gently let mana flow through her veins again. Fortunately, nothing seemed to be wrong with her energy cirction. The output itself was sufficient, so now, the only question left was if straining out a high-level spell would hurt something. As the archwizard gazed at the crystal sea she had created, one that spanned endlessly beyond the horizon, she had a sneaking suspicion that none of the monsters in the immediate area had survived the earlier attack. ''''...'''' In the end, the crew decided to move to another part of the frontlines and since the wannabe wizards were eager to show off their newfound strength, they were allowed to go ahead of the group. Like a bunch of animated chickens, they jumped right into the heart of the battlefield, taking on powerful fiends as they go. The only ones left were Kierra, August, Diamante, Angelica, Cosmos, and Yan Shi, who had no business being anywhere else. ''''At this point, one of those guys can rival two fresh Immortals at the same time...'''' The Immortal shuddered, letting out a kettle-like whistle. ''''Scary, scary...'''' It wasn''t certain whether those words were directed at the fiends or the White Lotus wizards, who had convincingly beaten the monsters ever since they ran their mana. Nevertheless, it was apparent that the enemies were getting stronger the more one approached the inner section of the corruption. ''Is there any difference?'' Kierra hadn''t had the chance to face a monster yet since she... evaporated them, but now, she could look at their corpses. Pulling one of the mutted bodies over using telekinesis, Kierra closely scrutinized its very essence. ''''Hm...'''' Aside from it having denser ''corrupt energy,'' as she would call it, the archwizard only found another point separating these guys and the ones she fought a while back. It had a core. A small, crystal-like core with an ominous deep purple color. This phenomenon was rather prominent in the world of magical beasts back on Kierra''s. Usually, it was caused by the creatures not possessing enough intelligence to handle their mana properly, leading to condensed rocks of surplus mana forming inside their bodies. In other words, beast mana stones. Whatever it might be, Kierra''s finding of this core had indeed confirmed the theories she had before. These things get stronger either because of high exposure time or high doses of exposure to corruption. It could have been both. As the archwizard gazed beyond the horizon, an unnerving foreboding hit her.
Contrary to what Kierra had believed, the following days were quite peacefully spent. She devoted most of her time to refining her newly acquired heart, elevating her power stage by stage. During this period, her cultivation base had also unexpectedly rose as well. It made sense since qi went through the same routes as mana, albeit from a different source. ''''Whew...'''' As Kierra slowly rose to her feet, she immediately turned to the mirror. Reflected in the clear surface was the pulsing Maiden''s Love, bringing forth gentle waves across her immacte skin. Around that sparkling heart, six beautiful circles resided. It was indeed an alien look. Still, at some point, she got used to seeing it on her body. Even if there were minor inconveniences, she loved it. After all, it was her lover''s sincerest feelings and the source of her newfound strength... Though, she would be very happy if her lovers stopped teasing it during intimate times just because it was a sensitive spot! ''Talk about them...'' Had it already been three months since Angelica became their mentor? Befitting her first disciple, Angelica quickly picked up cultivation and even got a little dantian for herself. As for the apprentice wizards, they did quite well under that hellish training regime, too. As of this point, most of them had already tip-toeing the height of the seventh circleafter only a few short years. Thinking about it made Kierra proud. She did handpick them, after all. And, of course, they also made progress in cultivation. The master-disciple duo of Tian Yun and Yu Chen finally reached the early stage of the Tribtion ranks, putting them on top of virtually every soul in the Central Divine Realm. Combined with their magic, it would be safe to assume that their power had already surpassed that of regr Immortals. ''Yun already did that quite convincingly before, though.'' Besides those two, there was Mie Xieren, who seemed to be on the verge of truly ascending to the realm above at any time. Her cultivation base had already reached the peak of the Tribtion stage. Emei''s abbess seemed to have even more magic talent, rivaling that of Tian Yun. Recently, she and August even began to spar... ''...She won''t turn into a second Au, right?'' It was worrisome. She couldn''t ''beat'' August, and that was humiliating enough, but Mie Xieren? Really? pping herself on the cheeks a few times, Kierra put on her clothes and went outside. ''''Ah, here''s the main character.'''' ''''Kierra~!'''' ''''Master, the gate is ready.'''' Today was the promised day. The realm above had been frantically preparing for the precious guestsing from another world, yet Kierra felt indifferent. ''Those annoying geezers... they only got this respect because of me.'' ''''Hah...'''' Still, she needed their support to minimize casualty at the frontlines. With heavy firepower, that being the archwizards'' spells, on their side, the war would be much easier to win. Swallowing herint, Kierra followed the messenger, Yan Shi, to the realm above. There, Wen Zhuwei and some other representatives of this realm had already been waiting at a clearing near her house. It was decided that the guests be weed at her manor. ''''Hello, Miss Kierra.'''' ''''Mhm.'''' ''''Miss Angelica, are the preparations ready?'''' ''''Of course. We''re ready tounch right away.'''' While everybody was more or less excited at Angelica''s words, only August and Diamante remained cold. They smacked their lips, thinking how to get rid of those pesky wizards as quickly as possible. The only wizard they liked was Kierra! ''''Please don''t stand too close. Since we will be puncturing a hole through the fabric of reality, it could get dangerous.'''' Nevertheless, numerous eyes were on Angelica as she moved forward, carrying a multitude of different relics. Meanwhile, somewhere in Linoel. ''''Hm... would the little girl truly keep her promise...'''' An elderly man mused, stroking his long, white beard. Hearing this, another man, this time a middle-aged one with fiery red hair, replied, ''''It is not as though she is that witch. Let''s trust in her for now.'''' ''''My, my... you do aware that my nickname is also ''witch,'' right?'''' Out of nowhere, an alluring woman appeared, unting her golden hair as she rode her broom. Her destination was the shining device, the shape of a portal, located in the middle of the room. Through the empty space within the frame, she could see a youthful elf rubbing his chin quietly. ''''Ooh...! This thing is incredible, no matter how many times I get to see it!'''' ''''Agree, agree! She''s not the disciple ofthat Kierra for nothing!'''' Below, two young girls bearing identical appearances ran around excitedly, disrupting the non-existent harmony in the room. Yet, all of them only waited for one thingfor the gate to open. Case 102: Archwizard, doubling as scammer. Case 102: Archwizard, doubling as scammer. ''''By the way, Kierra.'''' ''''Hm?'''' ''''Did little Miss Disciple ever say who was gonnae here?'''' At Diamante''s question, the archwizard nodded, ''''White Tower''s master, Red Tower''s master, Golden Tower''s master, Green Tower''s master, and ck Tower''s masters.'''' '''''''' Ugh. '''''''' Immediately, repulsed grunts were simultaneously let out by both Diamante and August. ''''That annoying red-headed guy ising...?'''' ''''Those goddamn twins...'''' On one hand, Diamante hated the Red Tower''s master, who made it his life goal to pursue the ''most powerful me,'' which, ording to himself, would roughly take a shape simr to Diamante''s. She didn''t see him as apetition; no, she was merely annoyed from being pestered by this guy for so long. On the other hand, August just hated kids in general. Even though she would very much love to see two or three daughters born between her and Kierra, she didn''t like cheeky brats in the slightest. ''How childish.'' Kierra giggled, seeing the grumpy faces of her Linoel loves. It was as though they just ate a gloveful of lemon. ''Well, I didn''t mention that Valentine wasing, too. Looks like Au forgot about her.'' The archwizard felt a bit guilty, thinking that August would soon be captured by the strict knightmander, yet she was also responsible for not letting her lovers go astray. Rest in peace, August. Curious, the others began to join the conversation one by one. Tian Yun was the first person to ask a question. ''''Kierra, are these tower masters strong?'''' ''''Maybe.'''' ''''W-What do you mean by ''maybe''?'''' ''''It depends on one''s standard. By a normal standard, they are indeed very powerful, but by my standard, they are not too impressive.'''' Overhearing this part, Wen Zhuweies forward with a question of her own. ''''By any chance, are you familiar with them?'''' She asks. ''''If so... can you help us negotiate?'''' By any definition, Kierra had fallen in love with the Central Divine Realm. She loved the people, the sceneries, the cultures, the foodeverything. Yet, this love of hers was hardly ever revealed. Only those who stayed close to the archwizard knew how smitten she was. Wen Zhuwei wasn''t one of them. She had merely assumed that being from another world, Kierra would take a neutral stance on this realm''s destruction, meaning she wouldn''t harm it or go out of her way to defend it. Knowing all of this, Kierra only nodded once. ''''Sure.'''' The initial goal was to call for Linoel''s support in exchange for a certain degree of freedom in extracting this world''s resources, be it cultivation manuals or physical goods. However, Kierra knew better than that. For the pesky wizards who always tried to get her knowledge, she would have them fight and never pay them a dime. And so, when Angelica finally finished establishing the portal, Kierra confidently stepped forward. Amidst the suspension, a gentle breeze blew. The first to cross was an elderly man with an impressive white beard. The instant his bodypletely entered the world, his eyes widened. ''''Hoh... this is quite...'''' Like a kid finding a room full of treasure, the White Tower''s master excitedly darted around the area, riding a cane made of light. The others'' reactions weren''t too different. As soon as their bodies stabilized, a wave of inspiration and awe would seem to wash over their minds, turning them back into their young, curious selves. Watching this scene of clearly powerful individuals zooming around, many couldn''t contain theirughter. Some found it endearing, while some found it hrious. August was of thetter.... until she saw a shade of violet passing through the gate. ''''Crap'''' ''''Your Majesty.'''' In less than a moment, Valentine von Bismarck, the one and only knightmander of the Lilienthal Empire, the most loyal and close vassal of August, closed in on her lord. Clutching the Sword Empress''s slender wrist with a palm full of calluses, Valentine coldly uttered, ''''Do you have anyst words?'''' ''''Err... um... do you want an ice cream?'''' ''''...'''' ''''...'''' A chilling fear enveloped the area, the kind that would make even seasoned fighters tremble. ''''Hey, don''t break the house, okay? We''re going to negotiate in there.'''' Kierra nonchntly said. ''''Understood.'''' ''''W-Wait, Kierra? Can''t you help me out a little bit...? We''re lovers'''' The archwizard casually ignored that statement, clutching her hat so as not to let it be blown away by the st. What st? ''''Ugh...!'''' The sting from Valentine punching August in the stomach, of course. ''''Arara...'''' As everybody watched the Sword Empress fly away in a straight line, a group of four people approached them amidst the chaos. They were all elegant women d in shining silver armor. From the swords hanging by their waists, one could infer their upation. One of them, who had a little wind spirit sitting on their shoulder, spoke up. ''''Excuse me. Are you perhaps this realm''s representative?'''' ''''A-Ah, yes. I''m Wen Zhuwei. Formally known as the Heavenly Shura.'''' ''''Nice to meet you, Miss Wen Zhuwei. I am Vivian, a knight under Captain Valentine.'''' ''''Hm... is Valentine the woman with violet hair earlier?'''' ''''Yes. We are all under Her Majesty, the empress, August von Lilienthal''smand.'''' ''''...'''' It took a while for the situation to finally calm down. Everybody gathered inside Wen Zhuwei''s spacious living room for the talk, while August and Valentine were still missing. The tower masters sat on one end, while Kierra and the Heavenly Shura were on the other. Everybody else was behind them, the ones actually doing the deal. ''''So, I''ve heard the details from your cute little disciple, Crimson Archwizard.'''' Golden Tower''s master said, covering her mouth with her hand. ''''You wantourhelp, was it?'''' ''''I want you to rify that as well.'''' Red Tower''s master chimed in. ''''You, of all people, calling for help?'''' ''''Hahah! Aren''t you justzy or something?'''' ''''She''s definitely beingzy!'''' The twins followed suit. Indeed, it was such an unbelievable node that Kierra, who could easily topple the world as they knew it, was requesting support. At this, Kierra only smirked. ''''We''re against gods, that''s why.'''' '''''''' ...! '''''''' Gods. This topic was highly controversial among schrs for centuries, and to bring that into this mess... ''''Let''s be serious here, youngdy.'''' The wise, seasoned White Tower''s master spoke up. ''''Since we have sacrificed our precious time to be here, I won''t tolerate any nonsense.'''' The pressureing from the seemingly frail old man was immense. His silver eyes stared intently at Kierra, and then... ''''First of all, don''t ever talk to me in that tone. You''re younger than me. Secondly, if you don''t have the trust to believe my words, get out.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' Kierra''s furrowed brows said it allshe was annoyed. Nevertheless, as soon as she took out the bottle containing thete Heavenly Venerate''s water, that suffocating atmosphere was reced by a surprised one. ''''See it for yourself.'''' The archwizard smirked, taking in the astonished faces of her soon-to-be victims. Case 103: Homecoming. Case 103: Homing. ''''Qi.'''' Kierra absentmindedly pulled out a strand of qi, weaving it into a rough star shape. ''''To talk about its fundamentals... would be too long, so just think of it as the equivalent of mana in this world.'''' As she observed the tower masters'' expressions, Kierra thought about a question she had long consideredwere citizens of Linoel able to feel qi like she was? So far, the answer was ambiguous. August could sense just a tiny bit of it, Diamante was the same, and Angelica had a small talent for cultivation. It made sense, considering that Angelica was a wizard who regrly handled mana as her main forte. Still, there were too few samples to definitively call it. ''''Hoh... a new type of energy?'''' White Tower''s master eximed, eyes glued on the star. ''''What are its properties? Does it rte to the divinity we''re discussing?'''' ''''I won''t bother exining for now, but it does rte. You need to master both qi and mana to reach true divinity.'''' ''''What''s the source?'''' Green Tower''s master inquired. As an elf who lived for thousands of years, he knew better than to believe anything blindly. Of course, Kierra was a rtively trusted person, even if her temperament was that of a witch. ''''Let me exin.'''' This question was, of course, answered by Wen Zhuwei. She clearly stated her position within the realm, the power she held, and the origin of the knowledge itself. It was convincing. ''''Deites are vastly strong. If one stood before their presence, they could easily be overwhelmed by the sheer aura emitted. This is why we need your help, distinguished visitors.'''' '''''''' ... '''''''' Amidst the solemn atmosphere, where everybody had many thoughts to themselves, Kierra lightly interjected, ''''Those guys are quite decent.'''' She said. ''''Probably stronger than anything our world has to offer, I believe.'''' ''''Really?!'''' ''''How strong?!'''' The twins, who clearly seemed like battle maniacs, nearly jumped at Kierra, yet with dozens of hostile eyes behind the archwizard, their feet refused to move. ''''You guys wouldn''t be able to beat it.'''' Meanwhile, a certain smirk was seen on Kierra''s face. Everybody was familiar with this side of hersit only appeared when she felt immense pride in something she did. A nce at that smug expression. A nce at the vial holding divinity. '''''''' ... '''''''' ''''Did you... meet god?'''' White Tower''s master cautiously questioned. ''''No,'''' Kierra replied. ''''I beat it.'''' Her grin widened, her eyes seductively squintedKierra was indeed being smug. Somewhat, the general mood of the wizards was that of eptance. She was always like this, after all. Still, they thought it was ridiculous. ''''Beat what? The god? With what?'''' In particr, White Tower''s master was critical of Kierra''s statement. Ever since he began his journey to be the number one wizard, he had always beenpared to Kierra, who rose to fame around the time. Of course, despite his relentless effort, he couldn''t quite make it. ''Inferiority, huh.'' Kierra couldn''t understand this emotion very well... until recently. Like it or not, her eyes were opened the moment she saw a real deity descending. It was overwhelming, yet in the end, the very thing she trusted her entire life hadn''t betrayed her. It was ''''Magic.'''' Someone was about to refute. However, upon witnessing the absoluteness in Kierra''s eyes, the only thing that remained was silence. In the end, the discussion continued for a while, and the wizards ultimately agreed to the other side''s proposal. Arge part of this was because they had already reached the end of their path, being top wizards in the entire continent of Linoel, meaning a potential breakthrough was more than valuable. Wen Zhuwei herself nominated herself as a guide for these guests, leaving everybody else behind. Not that anyone would like to follow, anyway. ''''Now then, should we continue our training... oh.'''' Only a step outside of the Heavenly Shura''s manor, the White Lotus crew''s attention was immediately brought to the portal, which was still open. All of a sudden, a sense of suspension arose. They had heard many stories of Linoel, the continent of progressive magical and technological wonders, yet knowing that they could reach that ce within mere seconds of walking... ''''I want to go home for a moment.'''' With an unreadable smile, Kierra softly announced.
The infamous Crimson Tower was located not far from the imperial pce of the Lilienthal Empire. Amidst the pitiful constructions that were forced to be built lower than the pce so as not to be seen as having intentions of surpassing the crown, it was the only one far taller than anything else in the area. For many, it was an unmistakablendmark one could use to recognize the capital of the empire. Today, too, traffic around the one-hundred-floor tower was crowded. In addition to its function as an educational institution, a library, and a defensive beacon, the Crimson Tower was also the manufacturer of mana supplies exclusively to the imperial army. For many, it was their dream to explore the huge tower in its entirety, yet that remained a dream even hundreds of years after its construction. The reason? Well, the upmost five floors were living quarters of the tower master. Ab on the ny-sixth, an indoor garden on the ny-seventh, a gym on the ny-eight, a personal library on the ny-ninth, and a general living space on the highest floor. The rooftop was reserved for when the archwizard felt like sunbathing, which, considering her porcin white skin, wasn''t too frequent. Upon stepping through the portal, Kierra took a long second to observe her surroundings. ''''...'''' She breathed in the air, turned around, and gazed out the window. Was it her imagination? The sky here was bluer than that of the Central Divine Realm. Nevertheless, it seemed as though the cells in her body were enjoying home''s oxygen after a long, long time of absence. At some point, August had stood beside Kierra, holding a nostalgic smile, one that was nearly identical to that of the archwizard. Both of them gazed down at the capital city of Lilienthal, an ember growing in their hearts. ''''As expected, our home is still the best.'''' The Sword Empress uttered. ''''Au... did you manage to escape Valentine?'''' ''''...'''' ''''Go to work.'''' So, after tossing her future wife out of the window, Kierra brushed a lock of her hair aside, letting the wind greet herself and the guests behind. In half a moment, she turned around. ''''Wee, honored visitors from Central Divine Realm, thend of myths and heroism.'''' Pristine ck hair danced in the wind. Kierra extended her right hand just as an airship burst through the clouds afar, leaving behind a faint wave of mana that resonated in the air as it elerated. At that moment, the women from the Central Divine Realm finally faced reality. ''''My name is Kierra Scarlett Aspenova, the one and only Crimson Acrhwizard, the absolute master of the Crimson Tower and the uncontested pinnacle of magic.''''
''''Fufu...'''' ''Those girls are really... impressionable.'' The corny introduction generated a massive wave of curiosity within her harem members, yet Kierra couldn''t afford to guide them personally for now. One, she had to make sure her Tower was running properly after a few years, and two, she had a certain premonition. knock! knock! ''''Come in.'''' ''''Excuse me.'''' An ominous thought. That thought proved to be almost prophetic since what the building manager brought in for report was a small mana stone... One that held corrupt divinity. Case 104: Impending catalysm. Case 104: Impending catalysm. ''''...'''' A heavy silence hung in Kierra''s office. There was only herself in this space. Amidst the piles of documents, the shelves of books, and magical items, lone rays of sunlight gently pierced through. The temperature was just right. Kierra leaned back on her soft chair, watching the dust floating in the air. Everything seemed right. The reports told no anomalies for the Crimson Tower so far. It was granted, considering Angelica took control of it. Kierra would have been relieved, knowing she could now show her loved ones around this beautiful world that she had helped defend. But... it appearedthecorrupt divine. On the archwizard''s hand was a small, purple mana stone, one that was brought by merchantsing from other territories. It was the exact same thing as what Kierra had found in the Immortals'' realm. ''Is there already a source...?'' Meteorites. If anything, it had to have been from meteorites. ''Since when?'' No, in the first ce, how? There was no divinity in this universe. There was a possibility that the corruption got sttered as a result of Kierra''s dimensional traveling, too. No good. There wasn''t enough information. ''''Sylph.'''' [Kyu!] ''''Go and tell Au to prepare an audience immediately. There''s an emergency.'''' [Kyuu!] ''''Cosmos.'''' It was time to get busy.
''''Hah... this is such bullshit.'''' August''s face contorted as she aggressively tapped the armrest. Her gaze, as well as everybody''s, was solely on the shard sitting on top of the table. No one dared to utter a word. It wasn''t entirely because of the Sword Empress''s menacing aura, however. More than anything, they were unable to open their mouths, seeing Kierra''s infinitely cold stare shot into the distance. Yes, even if they wereherharem. Was it because they had been stripped of their cultivation bases in this world? Perhaps. Still, deep in their consciousness, a faint thread of truth remained, guiding them to the absolute final answer. Kierra was a sentimental person, even if she loved to pose otherwise. Unlike August, who only sought and valued humanpanies, the archwizard found attachments in objects, ces, and memories. Linoel was her home. It was where she was born and grew upwhere she fought for and where she chose to settle. Over five hundred years of living in this ce, with countless moments precious. There was no way she would let it be destroyed. ''''Y''know, I''ve just received reports, too.'''' August sighed. ''''New subspecies of monsters have been discoveredtely, all over the continent. Want to know what''s funny? At the same time as this began, a cult was also born.'''' ''''A cult not worshipping demons... but a god. A real god.'''' She added. Gods. ''Goddamn gods.'' ''''Gods this, gods that...'''' Kierra''s unfiltered mutters filled the room. ''''Useless lot who only knows to wreak havoc. Such things don''t deserve the name of divinity.'''' ''''Kierra.'''' ''''Au. Do me a favor.'''' ''''Of course. I''m at your service, darling.'''' ''''Through my channels and yours... let us wage a wara war on gods.''''
''''L-Look at that, master! Is that a floating whale...?'''' ''''We''re floating, too, Yu Chen! These rails w-won''t suddenly disappear, right...?'''' ''''Whoa... it''s so beautiful!'''' ''''Qing, there, too.'''' On the floating rails that ran all across the capital of the Lilienthal Empire, a certain crew of apprentice wizards boarded the magic train. Bearing a very distinct air, they inevitably caught the fellow transmuters'' attention. At this point, they were kindly sent by Kierra to see the world as they liked. ''''I would love to show you around, but as you can see...'''' ''''Worry not. Au and I shall resolve this quickly, and we can be togetherter.'''' None could see a way to refuse that. Not even the shameless Yan Shi was able to utter a spoiled word. After all, the world was at stake right now. If anything, they felt powerless. Now that the women hade to Linoel, where no Qi could be found, merely walking around triggered their paranoid selves. Losing something they had proudly built up for years was shocking enough. Fortunately, they also had a very capable(?) guide following them around. Yes. It was the one and only fluffy woman, Diamante de Soleil. This ball of fluff had taken on the noble role of showing these visitors the amazing sides of the city, and she was happily sulking in the corner of the seat. ''Why do I need to babysit these women...?'' [Next stop: Scarlett za. Next stop: Scarlett za.] [Please use the red door to exit.] ''''O-Oh, are we getting off here?'''' Yu Chen turned to Diamante, prompting the others to do the same. The sulky princess lightly nodded and rose to her feet, leading the bunch of timid baby chickens off the parked train. Now, it was time for them to truly experience the life of Linoel. ''''Mhm... this ce... mhm... was named after our darling... quite obviously. Whew... she contributed a lot in the great war and... nn... see that statue?'''' ''''No, I already guessed that, but... when did you buy so much food?'''' The abbess, Mie Xieren, was genuinely curious about Diamante''s stacks of snacks piling on her body. ''''Moreover, don''t speak while eating.'''' ''''Mind your own... mn... business. You''re not my mom.'''' ''''No, what are you'''' ''''Mie Xieren!'''' ''''Hm? Bai Qing, what happened?'''' ''''Shuren disappeared into the crowd!'''' ''''What?! What about your master and your sect leader??'''' ''''They all disappeared! Even the pet disappeared...!'''' (`䡪) ''''Oh, jeez... anyway.'''' Diamante grumbled, throwing another piece of cotton candy into her mouth. As shemented at her fate, she covertly sought the sky, imagining her beloved''s face drawn onto it. ''Kierra... please save me.'' In another corner of the city. Soft steps apanied heavy ones into the deep alleyway. Soon, the group of people reached an old warehouse at the end of the pathat least, the sign said so. ''Was there even a ce like this in the capital?'' ''''Come in, sister.'''' One of the people urged the young woman, bearing a friendly smile. As he opened the door, others began to focus on the woman, too, adding to the sense of urgency. ''''I''d be honored.'''' Chuckling, the woman obediently went in as per instruction. Upon passing the door, a very different atmosphere hit her. The air was permeated with a certain sweet yet feble bitterness to it, akin to how cigarettes were addicting yet obviously harmful. click! Soon, the door closed, and she was guided by the same people toward a deeper room inside. ''''This is the prayer room. Feel free to spend your time here with His Holiness until he gives you a mission.'''' ''''Of course, father.'''' ''''Any question?'''' ''''No.'''' ''''Good.'''' With that, the escorting group disappeared, leaving the woman with arger gathering inside. ''Now then... what should I do first...'' Within the moss-filled cracks of the stone walls, ominous energy radiated. Under the flickering lights, at the end of the path between two rows of squeaky wooden benches, a lone statue stood. Its benevolent eyes stared directly forward, colliding with those of the woman. For a moment, a red tint gleamed under her sses. Case 105: Undercover. Case 105: Undercover. An hour earlier. Kierra was walking along the streets of the Lilienthal Empire''s capital, taking in the bustling scenes quietly. A in id skirt, a ck shirt, and a beige zer were all she needed at the moment. Oh, maybe the round, rimless sses, too. To the public, ''Kierra Scarlett Aspenova'' still bore the title of ''Missing Archwizard,'' so no one would have expected her to brazenly walk outside like this. Of course, she wanted to keep it that way, hence this half-disguise. And since August was deeply linked to Kierra, she, too, had hidden her return. Preliminary investigation concluded that this new cult had existed for around half a year and amassed an rminglyrge following across the continent. The premise was that a long-forgotten record of the creator god, Eon, had recently been discovered. After reading through it, a few people decided to spearhead the religion, dedicating their trust and beliefs to this god. The ultimate goal of the ''religion'' was to resurrect Eon, at which point the would be blessed with his protection and rise to prosperity. God was merciful. God was kind. God was righteous. People affiliated with the church had experienced many of these asions in which ''God'' helped them through a difficult situation. It wasn''t sure whether these were coincidences or made-ups, but Kierra was irritated either way. The point was that once people epted the idea that God could do these miraculous things, they attributed him to many more things that he didn''t do. ''To discredit all of our hard work over thousands of years...'' It was uneptable. The archwizard wanted to immediately st this cult away. Yet, it wasn''t going to be that easy. First of all, to the outside, they weren''t a cult. Whoever was at the head clearly knew what they were doing, marketing the religion as a harmless, healthy practice with no downsides. There was nothing radical about their ideology, nothing prizing, and certainly nothing of apparent fanatical nature either. If there were any of that, it would be done so cleverly that no one would notice it. For once, their teachings never said that Eon createdreality, but the god''s former name included the word ''Creator,'' so people gave him credit for that. Kierra was certain this cult''s only goal was to spread its influence and get people to believe in Eon. Documents from the Central Divine Realm unanimously agreed that a god''s power grew in ordance with its impact. By advertising themselves as the absolute ''good,'' they had simultaneously made themselves more attractive to the general poption while also building a ster reputation, making them harder to target overall. Even if the government tried to suppress its activities, it would no doubt be criticized heavily, not to mention the ordinary''s protection that was so hard to deal with. It was hard to do it covertly in this day and age when televisions were asmon as any other magical tool. ''''Wee~!'''' Kierra settled in a cozy coffee shop that was packed with people. Fortunately, there was one seat avable. ''''One ck coffee.'''' ''''Got it, pretty miss!'''' The archwizard paid much of her attention to the magical television, keeping her eyes on the news about recent events. As she quietly enjoyed her drink, she noticed a man with a suspicious disposition. He walked around the shop, approaching the customers with a friendly demeanor before giving them a name card. Soon, he came up to Kierra as well. ''''Excuse me, fairdy.'''' ''''Yes?'''' ''''May I introduce you to a wonderful faith? Perhaps you might be interested in it.'''' ''''Hm... sure.'''' Like she thought, this was it. The man presented himself as a priest, one who worshipped the great Eon. She said a lot, but it could all be boiled down todo you want to join us? Of course, Kierra readily epted. Her goal at the moment was to personally find out just how deep this rabbit hole wasnot by infiltrating the organization and rising in ranks, which would take forever. Instead, she wanted to find at least a definite member of them and tail that individual secretly. There were spells for that, and by nature, these people would have to speak to one another in such amunity at some point, so it was realistically the most efficient way to spy. The man paid Kierra''s bill and took her outside, where a few others, who appeared to have been doing the same as the man, joined. That was all that led up to this moment. Standing face-to-face with the statue of Eon, the archwizard lightly squinted her eyes. For now, she had already attached a small spider made from shadow magic to the man earlier and his group. If she waited a bit more, those guys would approach other members of the cult, and that would be when the spiders clone themselves to spread their reachlike a virus. As for these people who had been praying... they seemed like ordinary folks. For once, their conditions were strange. Somewhat subdued, slow, and perhaps unresponsive. Whatever the statue of Eon had filled the room with, it was clearly harmful. So, Kierra lightly whipped out her mana and crushed the statue in an instant. ''''Huh?'''' ''''What was I...'''' ''''W-Where is this??'''' The people, upon regaining consciousness, were confused. Once again, the archwizard lightly tapped their heads with fine threads of mana, extracting a part of their memories before moving them back outside. ''Destroying this ce wouldn''t be a problem.'' In fact, since she knew what she was dealing with, she could now conduct a wide-scale search and destroy these chambers immediately. However, she judged that it would be too rash to do that, so she settled with one for the moment. Afterward, Kierra retreated to her tower, focusing her attention on the little spiders she had released. The broad picture she got was that the recruiters were trying to rope people into ''believing'' in their god, be it through favors or pure faith. ''As expected, Eon is trying to gain power.'' One might ask, was Eon truly evil? After all, it seemed he had only done good things. However, Kierra had seen the corrupt divine''s behavior firsthand. Reckless, mindless, and heartlessthey wouldn''t stay this mysterious for so long. Gods, gods, and gods. ''''Hah...'''' Kierra took off her sses and leaned back on her chair. If nothing changed, she would have to face two more gods in the other dimension and one here in Linoel. Of course, she was confident, but it was a problem if both forces decided to attack at the same time. ''Are they colluding?'' The more she thought about it, the less pleasant this situation became. Still, the archwizard knew better than to mull over unsolvable problems. She quickly got up, went to her bedroom, and began to refine her new mana circles further. It took time for the spiders to spread properly, anyway. ''''...'''' The clock keeps ticking. In the absolute silence of her room, Kierra snapped her eyes open. Her blood-red gaze was fixed on a spot outside the window. There, a in eye floated, watching herself. Case 106: An audience with a god. Case 106: An audience with a god. The Crimson Tower was designed with absolute security in mind. Even if it seemed rtively feeblepared to many, it was well known that virtually none could surpass its magical defense system, one created and tuned by Kierra herself, so when she saw that eye outside her window, she immediately frowned. The eye, posed as an ordinary human eyeball, came straight out of a spatial rift, and upon first nce, it clearly belonged to something foul. ''Seriously, how dare they taint my fresh air with such putrid aura...'' She locked eyes with the entity. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Humans decipher other humans'' emotions through gestures and expressionseven some animals do. However, even without them, one could have a guess on their opponent''s thoughts in specific scenarios. If Kierra had to do so, she would boldly say that the person behind that eye was puzzled. ''''Hey.'''' [...!] After all, she had traced their location just within that short timeframe and teleported to themputting her fifteen circles of mana to their use. Here, in an infinitely dark space, a lone throne satathrone made from pristine, clear-cut quartz. On it, a man calmly posed. He was slim, donning a simple ck suit, while his whole head appeared too hazy for anything to be discernable. To the average observer, it would seem as though his head was a low-burn torch that dispensed white fire. ''''Seems I was lucky.'''' Without hesitating for even a second, Kierra fired up her magic... but couldn''t. It wasn''t until a dozen secondster that she realized where she wasa domain. Domains were long considered to be the signatures of most deities, and extensive records show how effective they could be. Of course, wizards and knights had their own domains, yet they fell short due to fundamental issues of mana versus divine power. It was likely because of this that she couldn''t use magic. ''Another thing to be worried about...'' Despite this, the archwizard remained calm, which puzzled the other entity. [Answer, why are you not frightened?] An indistinguishable voice sounded. The tone might not be recognized, yet through the words, one could get an arrogant impression of the speaker. ''''Why should I?'''' Kierra replied, crossing her arms. ''''State the reason, and I might consider.'''' [Consider? Was being frightened a choice?] The thing sounded extremely haughty but very naive at the same time. A fairparison would be that it resembled a child. Sarcasm didn''t get through it. So, the only choice left was to be honest. ''''Are you Eon?'''' Kierra asked. [Yes. That is indeed my name.] ''''Why did you appear in front of my home?'''' [Curiosity? Yes, that was the word. I was curious to see the one who had extinguished one of my kind.] Perhaps sensing Kierra''s surprise, Eon then directly pointed at her. [You reeks of their blood.] ''''Are you mad?'''' [Why? They are the ones who got killed, not me.] ''''...'''' Kierra didn''t answer. She had nothing to say. Instead, now that she had confirmed what this entity really was, it was time for an unexpected yet convenient inquiryEon''s goals. If it were the old Kierra, she would probably ignore everything else and try to eliminate Eon regardless, yet with her lovers'' world also being threatened, she wouldn''t want to engage in a fight right away. ''''Eon. What are your goals?'''' Kierra asked as she stepped closer to the throne. Her steps created ripples on the ground, and soon, she stopped at a close distanceclose enough for Eon to have to lift his head to look at the archwizard in the eyes. Somehow, Kierra felt a premonition. [To restore the world''s orders.] ''''Meaning?'''' [Humans have been living as the pinnacle of this universe for so long... merely because there wasn''t a divine entity to guide them. But now, I am here.] Almost nonchntly, the god uttered, [So, I shall put everything beneath myself, even if that means vanquishing every creature that gets in my way.] It was a genuine statement containing no malice or ulterior motives. Kierra wanted to resent him, but she couldn''t. ''No, I could.'' me him for being naturally stupid and unreasonably evil like that. This was it. Regardless of whether Eon had something to do with the corrupt or not, this alone destined him to be Kierra''s greatest adversary. Before long, Eon finally lifted his head. [Are you one of them?] ''''What if I was?'''' Undeterred, the archwizard coldly replied. In her eyes, Eon appeared to be contemting something for a brief moment before [Then, begone.] In an instant, a colossal creature rose from the darkness, taking the very essence of the domain as its skin and teeth. As the monster''s burning white eyes lit, its jaw closed on Kierra. Like a baby fish floating before a shark''s mouth, the woman would be shredded to pieces. At some point, Eon had already moved away, watching the scene unfolding with little interest. Yet, for some reason, faced with the archwizard''s eyes that were as calm as ake, he got a slight chill. No matter, that human will die soonor so he told himself. !! [...!] Suddenly, the whole space shook violently. The sky, which seemed to stretch infinitely, cracked, split, and cracked open again. Beyond the torn darkness, starlight began to pour in. One w. Two ws. Slowly yet inevitablylike an unstoppable cmitya beast whose scales mirrored the gxies themselves descended, heaving storms of hot air. The unknown monster frozepletely under the immense pressure. Even Eonpletely lost it for a moment. He sat still on his throne, watching as Cosmos tore apart the monster with ease. Then, those terrifying eyes turned to him. ''''This world doesn''t need a god.'''' Kierra dered. This time, it was the unborn deity''s turn to panic. He sprung to his feet, burning his precious divine power in a hurry, yet even that didn''t seem to flow well in front of world-ending caliber spells. ''''st him away.'''' With a single gesture from the archwizard, a ferocious fire breath that was hotter than the core of stars and brighter than the rings of supermassive ck holes was shot. Everything burned into nothingness. The darkness crumbled, and Kierra''s vision changed. Soon, the archwizard found herself standing in the middle of her room, apanied by a sun-like sphere floating near her shoulder. ''''He got away, huh...'''' Kierra even contributed her hastily cast nine-star spell... but that wasn''t enough, apparently. She could still feel his presence somewhere on this continent. Eon was a slippery opponent. For a while, she stood before the window, gazing out to the gloomy clouds as she grimaced. It was somehow even more unpleasant than before, finding out that she had many problems to be worried about besides raw strength. ''Can I...'' A typical questioncan I do it? Before she could finish asking it to herself, she had already found the answer. Her inner mana circles spun as if excited, while her outer ones glowed, showing their eagerness. When her hearts all said ''yes''... no question should be asked further. Case 107: Racing toward the end. Case 107: Racing toward the end. ''''...'''' ''''...Cosmos.'''' Turning around, Kierra spotted a woman whose hair and eyes were as dark as ink. It was a good thing she had told Cosmos the coordinates beforehand; otherwise, she would have been in big trouble. ''''Did you find out what it is?'''' This question was, of course, referring to Eon. The archwizard had asked Cosmos to investigate the origin of a god''s presence in this world, and today, through a direct encounter with the entity, Kierra thought herpanion would haveprehended all of it. In response, the woman calmly walked toward Kierra; her expression did little to express her answers. ''''The god is born naturally. However, the contamination appears to being from another reality.'''' ''''Is it the Central Divine Realm?'''' ''''I am not sure.'''' ''''That''s... fine. At least we know what it is.'''' And since she knew what it was, she could now razor-focus on tackling itthat was one of her specialties. One of the new problems that had popped up was a god''s power to effectively ban mana usage altogether inside their domain. Aside from the usual melee struggle, this would perhaps be the most fatal weakness for a wizard like Kierra. ''I have to find a way around that.'' She didn''t have a god as her practice mate, but fortunately, she was still stalking the fanatics. She could quite easily get her hand on one of the statues soon. ''Let''s give it a few days.''
As predicted, the spiders'' poption exploded after a few dozen hours or so. rmingly, Kierra had found bases of Eon''s supporters all over the continent. Still, there was no sign of a ''higher-up'' appearing, which was bizarre. ''How are theymunicating...?'' Regardless of that, the archwizard chose a random base and copsed it, not forgetting to bring back a sample of divinitya fragment of the stone statue. It was held inside a special jar, much like how the waves of the deity she defeated were. ''''Hm...'''' The faint energy emitted from the shard was undoubtedly what Kierra was looking for, bearing the same marks as Eon''s. However, divine power was just thatdivine power. Without input from the user, it was wholly useless as study material. What was the mechanism with which Eon disabled Kierra''s mana? The most important question was still unanswered. So, the archwizard sought wisdom from books instead. She huddled inside her private library, skimming through books after books rting to divinity. She even went out of her way to travel to other ces for seemingly useless pieces, namely fairy tales and myths. In the end, all leads pointed to one exnation, which Kierra had vaguely suspected. the power of imagination manifestation. Click, click. The archwizard lightly tapped the table, eyes glued on the fragment inside the jar. Assuming this was how Eon erased her mana... it would be wise to think that there was virtually no way to get past that using ordinary means. ''But then, how?'' ''How can I possibly get through that?'' ''No, there has to be a way.'' A seemingly impable power, one that turned every ideal into reality, ignoring all principles and rules. There had to be a weakness somewhere. Branching out. Everything rtes to everything to some extent, and nothing is truly perfect, so if one looks at it closely enough... ''''A w.'''' Will appear. Right. The power itself was perfect, but how about the user? As far as Kierra could see, Eon''s brain wasn''t the smartest thing in the world. Or at least not smart enough. If Kierra held that kind of power, she would first make herself infinitely more intelligent, and that would grant her everything she wanted. So... she just needed to trick Eon. ''Whew... this will be interesting.''
''''Say, Au, how many people in our administration do you think have been converted?'''' ''''Around seven percent, based on the preliminary survey.'''' ''''That''s an awfully big number...'''' ''''Exactly. And it''s almost all the brains that are swayed. Idiots like uswizards and knightshave strong beliefs in ourselves, so we''re not really affected.'''' ''''Did you just call me an idiot?'''' ''''...Sorry.'''' Normally, the conversation would take on a more light-hearted turn at this stage, with Kierra and August yfullyunching jabs at each other, yet both of them decided not to. After all, they were still in a stressful discussion about the end of the worldone of them. And the others could really, really feel it. They talked about ns to push the idea of the world being built by its own inhabitants through propaganda, education, advertisement, etc. ns to steal entire governments overnight if it meant they could reduce the cult''s influence. All with furrowed brows. These days, Kierra had never been spotted smiling once. It was as if she had reverted to her old self. The women from the Central Divine Realm, who were initially thrilled as they imagined going on dates with Kierra in her world, now could hardly approach their own girlfriend. They knew howplicated things had been, and instead of bothering Kierra, they considerately bothered Diamante instead. For a while, Diamante was responsible for these chicks'' entertainment. ''''Sorry, I haven''t been able to apany you guystely.'''' After the meeting, Kierra spoke to the women, bearing an apologetic smile. ''''Oh, no, no, you''ve been busy, so...'''' ''''We''re the ones who should be apologizing. We couldn''t help at all...'''' ''''Right, right.'''' At the sensible answers, the archwizard meticulously and romantically kissed each of them, turning a few heads tomato-red. ''''Muh...! Where''s my kiss, Kierra?!'''' Of course, the caretaker also got one. ''''...Good luck.'''' Kierra uttered. At that moment, perhaps everybody would have realized what they needed to dogazing into Kierra''s heavy eyes and understanding their crises. For the six women of the Central Divine Realm longing to support their lover and save their world. For Shen and Lan, who wouldn''t long for another encounter with death. For Cosmos, whose love for her hometown easily matched her thirst for knowledge. For August, who had vowed to protect her and her lover''s hometown until herst breath. For Diamante, who didn''t want to lose the things she held dear one more time. And for Kierra, the true protagonist standing in the very center of the spiral of fate, her only way was forward. Merely walking wasn''t an option, and running wasn''t enough. It was a race toward the end. The beginning of the race was unremarkable. Some absentmindedly started training; others simply spent time finding ways to break through. Some were already busy with their work; others trying to make themselves so. Some distanced themselves from the others; some sought outpanionships. Yet, with all of them, the goal was only oneCfor a blissful, happy ending they well deserved. For whatever reason, it was cemented in their hearts that after this hurdle, things would finally settle. Perhaps, once and for all. Case 108: Before the Iris sleeps. Case 108: Before the Iris sleeps. With regards to mana circles and other permanent engraves or inscriptions, Kierra always favored a more meticulous, steady approach. If one didn''t have the patience to refine their own arts, they wouldn''t have the right to wield them fully. However, with how urgent things were, the archwizard couldn''t help but seek shortcuts. ''Shortcuts'' might be an exaggeration. She wouldn''t want to hurt her own growth by doing something stupid. It was in the sense that she wanted to innovate her own way of growing. Being the pinnacle of magic, she was, more than anyone, aware that the science of it hadn''t reached its end yet. Not for a while. Besides her, there would be many more geniuses who had the capabilities to revolutionize the arts further. It had been a few years. She wondered if someone had done it during that time. ''''Whew...'''' After a few days, Kierra was on the verge of finishing the sixth circle or her second heart. Thinking she might need a rest from this strain, the archwizard exited her room. For now, her first goal was to check on the Crimson Tower''s library. As the tower''s master, Kierra, of course, had full clearance on all its facilities, and so did the guests she brought. Amidst the ginormous shelves of books that requireddders to gain full ess, there stood a lone woman with lush ck hair that was distinct from the surrounding red, blue, or brown. ''''Mhm...'''' Yu Chen flipped a page of the book she was reading; her earrings swayed gently as her eyes squinted. ''''Do you need help finding books?'''' ''''Eh, ah... Kierra?'''' The two smiled slightly at each other, keeping their interaction casual. In the end, Yu Chen decided she wanted to apany her lover. Walking along the maze-like paths, they headed toward the center of the floor. ''''What were you trying to look for?'''' ''''Books about the history of magic... maybe?'''' Yu Chen giggled, hugging Kierra''s arm. ''''You were in a lot of those stories.'''' She added. ''''Was it true that you developed a nine-star spell in one day?'''' ''''I didn''t clock it, but it took around one day, yes.'''' ''''I want to learn it. [Hellme]... that sounds powerful.'''' ''''If I have the time, sure.'''' Soon enough, they arrived at a round space without bookshelves. In the middle of it, an borate counter was present, with several people working inside it. Looking closer, it was where matters rted to books were processed. ''''How may I help youwah?!'''' The young womanan apprentice wizard working as a librarianpromptly freaked out when she saw the tower master with her signature sullen look. ''''Do you have the catalog of titles that passed the quality check in thest three years?'''' ''''O-Of course, tower master! I shall prepare it for you right away!'''' ''''Wait.'''' ''''Y-Yes...?'''' ''''Chen, what would you like to read?'''' ''''Erm...'''' The librarian finally heaved out a relieved sigh, receiving Yu Chen''s request instead of a scold. After a brief wait, she brought back a stack of books and a slightlyrger catalog. Kierra skimmed through the list, picking the ones she was interested in. Then, the couple moved to a table in a quiet corner. The afternoon''s dimmed sunlight poured in from the window, dyeing everything a nostalgic orange. As themp flicked on, Yu Chen leaned on Kierra''s shoulder. ''''After all of this ends... let''s get married.'''' The archwizard paused her reading for a moment, ''''...That came out of nowhere.'''' ''''I was meant to tell you this for a bit, but... you know.'''' Yu Chen bitterly smiled. ''''Cultivating is fun. Magic is also fun. Still... I want to settle down with you, living peacefully for a long, long time.'''' ''''...'''' ''''Am I being too presumptuous?'''' Her voice, as soft as a whisper, yet carrying emotions so heavy they made Kierra''s heart tighten. So, Kierra stopped contemting and spoke her heart, ''''Of course, when all of this is over.'''' ''''Would I be the first?'''' ''''...'''' ''''Fufu, I''m kidding. We''ll all do it together, alright?'''' ''All... together.'' Kierra chewed on her lover''s words for a moment. For what she feared the most was losing her loved oneswould it still be the same with someone missing? ''...Let''s not think about it for now.''
In the end, Kierra couldn''t find something that could benefit her at this level. Still, it wasn''t as though the trip was fruitless. She gained a few ideas, which were stopped at mere proposals by amateurs, yet they were more creative than most. Creativity didn''t equal effectiveness, but it was good enough for a refresh. The minds of beginners could produce many noteworthy thoughts, even if the majority of them were useless. She also gained a Yu Chen. ''''Woah... it''s only the second time I''m here, but I love this already.'''' ''''...'''' She quite shamelessly followed Kierra back to her room after their date at the library. She didn''t ask for permissionnot because she was shy, but perhaps as a sign of force. Kierra didn''t say anything about that, anyway. ''''Where do you often train, Kierra?'''' Yu Chen, gaining a wordless permit, flopped onto the fluffy bed and made herself wholly home. Kierra let out a chuckle at this sight. ''Is she trying to assert her presence?'' It was as though a cat was trying to im its owner''s space. A harmless, cozy invasionshe didn''t hate it. So, without much thought, she also made herselffortable, removing her coat and sitting down beside Yu Chen. ''''On the floor, usually.'''' ''''Naked?'''' ''''Naked. Why?'''' ''''I''m jealous.'''' Somehow, the conversation took a strange turn. Kierra took a nce at her mischievous lover, only to see a prominent blush on her cheeks, one that was borderline intoxication. ''Hm... it has been a while indeed.'' It had been a moment since Kierra bedded anyone. It made sense that their lust would run rampant in the process. As she pondered that, at some point, Yu Chen had already inched closer to her, greedily wrapping her arms around the archwizard''s waist. The soft breaths tickled the fair, silky skin. Leaving herself to the urge, Kierra''s hand moved,bing through Yu Chen''s hair, which was as ck as hers. The woman lightly purred, nuzzling against her palm. ''''I''ll bathe first, okay?'''' Kierra asked, kissing her forehead. In response, Yu Chen momentarily paused her movement and... tightened her grip. ''''I''ll go with you.'''' She dered. ''''Aren''t you being too presumptuous?'''' ''''Am I? We''ve seen each other''s all already. Why so shy?'''' ''''...'''' ''''...'''' For a bit, there was only silence in the room. Eventually, they bothughed it off, and together, they headed toward the shower. It wasn''t for certain if there had been a happy ident inside or not, but it did take a while for them to go out. ''''Hah... this is more exhausting than I thought.'''' ''''This is why I told you not to push it. It''s dangerous in that slippery space, too.'''' ''''...Speaking from experience?'''' ''''Ask that blueheadthe rival of yours.'''' At the mention of August, Yu Chen sprung up from the bed, clinging determinedly to Kierra. ''''Don''t mention her. Don''t mention anyone else.'''' ''''You were the one who asked.'''' ''''Don''t care. Let''s... do it again... ...before I fall asleep.'''' Case 109: When the Lotus blooms. Case 109: When the Lotus blooms. ''What a refreshing night.'' Once again, the archwizard was reminded of the reason periods of rest were needed. Now, the following day''s morning, after sending off Yu Chen, she felt a whole lot better. And so it was time for some more brainstorming. The concern at the moment was undoubtedly shortcutsnot necessarily ''shortcuts'' in a traditional way, but more about methods to power up quickly. While the prospects of getting her second heart to be as potent as her first were there, it would take too long for that to be sufficiently done. Clearly, it was better to spearhead other areas, especially now that the vision had expanded greatly due to the jewel on her chest. With such immense raw power that Kierra possessed, a good portion of magical theories would be rendered useless since she had, in many senses, broken the human limit. But what area should she focus on? She had long reached the ceiling in almost every aspect, be it efficiency, incarnation shortening, or spell knowledge. For now, it was something that she needed to figure out. ''Maybe a walk would help.'' Thinking so, the archwizard put on her usual disguise and exited the tower. Upon stepping out of the main building itself, a bustling sight greeted her. A considerable area surrounding the cloud-splitting tower also legally belonged to the ''Crimson Tower'' as a wholeit was a miniature production town down here. Kierra turned away and headed to the little park behind the tower. It was built for stress relief, yet people rarely went there because they had no time to rest in the first ce. ''''Hm?'''' So, it was rather easy to spot a certain white-headed woman roaming around the blueke. While her figure might have seemed insignificant, there was an exquisite air to her that drew the eye in. For Kierra, it was always the lotus attached to Tian Yun''s hair that captivated her. ''''Yun.'''' ''''Nn? Kierra!'''' Seeing her lover, the sect master ran over with a wagging tail, cuddly hugging Kierra to her heart''s content. Simr to many in the same harem, Tian Yun was not the one to shy over expressing affection, and Kierra herself loved that. ''''Out for a walk?'''' ''''Mhm. I needed some new ideas.'''' ''''I see... ngh? This scent... did you sleep with my disciple?'''' ''''...Is it that obvious?'''' Tian Yun, who had just sniffed out the familiar scent, giggled at Kierra''s reaction. ''''That girl likes her perfume a lot, after all.'''' ''''I see.'''' ''''By the way, you look amazing in casual wear'''' As they continued on the walking trail, talks flowed out naturally. It was a total contrast to when they had just met, awkward and stiff. In this regard, one could say Kierra was like that with pretty much anyone. She seemed like such a scary person upon first impression, yet the more one got to know her, the morefortable the dynamic became. ''''Um... Kierra. Can I have a bit of your time?'''' Tian Yun had now be sofortable with the archwizard that she felt she could ask for favors regrly. Like a needy dog wanting its owner''s attention, she always voiced her requests with great sweetness. Of course, Kierra loved it. ''''What do you need me for?'''' She replied, posing a soft smile. ''''I was wondering if you could take me around the city a bit... you know. Miss Diamante is amazing, too, but I rather want it to be you.'''' Inherently weak to spoiled, pretty women, the archwizard nodded at the speed of light. There was nothing too urgent at the moment, anyway. And so, the two headed out to the town, walking aimlessly amidst the countless people. More than being amazed by the modern, robust cityscape, Tian Yun was happy she got to be on a date with her beloved. She tightly hugged Kierra''s arm, keeping the corners of her mouth high. ''What a crazy creature.'' (? ?) Kierra thought as she stroked the woman''s head. If Diamante was a hyperactive golden retriever, then Tian Yun could be another golden retriever... but calmer. She loved both. How could she not? ''''Where do you want to go first?'''' ''''Nn... maybe a tea house? I''ve always been curious about what they have in this world.'''' ''''Sure.'''' The ce Kierra took Tian Yun to was an antique-looking shop somewhere near an alley. Beyond the opened slide door, old wooden shelves sat in rows, and buried between those was an elderly man resting on a swing, busying himself with the newspaper in his hands. ''''Oh, this is where they sell the good stuff! So you do know about tea, after all!'''' ''''Not really. It''s just a coincidence.'''' Indeed, Tian Yun was savvy in this business, while Kierra wasn''t. She truly discovered this shop by ident some decades ago. Upon entering the building, a distinct fragrance hit both women. ''''Wee~!'''' The shop owner turned off the television, which was a dated model, and greeted the two. ''''Good-lookingsses, huh? What brings you both here?'''' ''''Owner, can I take a look at all of the tea here?!'''' ''''Hoh, all of them?'''' ''''Mhm!'''' As expected, only Tian Yun was capable of holding the conversation. Kierra, without much to do, only observed her little lover on the side. Aside from her easygoing personality, the archwizard also greatly enjoyed Tian Yun''s animated expressions. They added so much life to the person herself that it was hard not to enjoy them. Time seemed to elerate as Kierra watched the White Lotus bloom, shocked,ughed, and puzzled. Eventually, Tian Yun settled on buying an exotic tea imported from overseas. Holding the can toward Kierra, she proudly puffed out her chest. ''''Heheh, look at what I brought! I''m sure you''ll like it, too!'''' ''Ah...'' At that moment, like a genuine flower blossoming, Tian Yun radiated an endearing aura with her bright smile, sending Kierra''s heart fluttering. Graceful crescent eyes. Faint dimples growing on the slightly plump cheeks. Adorable bodily gestures. Kierra decided she loved all of them. So, she reached out and kissed the woman''s forehead heartily. ''''K-Kierra...?'''' ''''Shall we keep going?'''' Confused yet unable to oppose her heart, Tian Yun nodded meekly and followed her lover. The impromptu datested from early morning all the way tote afternoon, witnessing the couple breezing through the city, just having some simple, ordinary fun together. At theirst stop, the amusement park, where the sky was painted a soft orange. The two sat on a bench together, watching the sun go down. ''''You know, Kierra.'''' ''''Hm?'''' ''''I know I say this a lot... but I''m truly thankful that you have saved my life back then. Without your mercy... I wouldn''t have been able to enjoy so much, and I wouldn''t have you.'''' ''''I see.'''' Not wanting to disturb the mood, Kierra only replied affirmatively to Tian Yun''s words. She knew better than to start a dispute over something like this. Eventually, when all the talks went out, silence returned. The two held hands, one leaning into the other''s shoulder. It was merely a peaceful moment... but perhaps because of the ongoing circumstances, it felt more precious than ever. In this emotionally tainted twilight, everything seemed to move more precariously, from the slowing clouds to the tired people. ''''Nina, Vivi...!'''' ''''Big bro.'''' ''''You''re back, big brother.'''' Some two benches away, a boy came running to his two sisters, nesting several loaves of bread in his arms. Based on their appearance alone, one could infer many things. For example, perhaps they weren''t too well-off. ''''Ah, was that the boy who sold cotton candy we saw earlier?'''' Tian Yun eximed. ''''Yes.'''' Kierra''s gaze lingered on them a bit. They reminded her of the kids that were together with her five hundred years ago. But then, Tian Yun suddenly spoke up again, ''''Did you know this, Kierra? There''s this one saying In the grovel, none could match lotuses'' gorgeousness. Close to mud, yet unburdened by its fetor. It means that even if theypeople like that boylived in terrible, terrible conditions, they would never forsake their good natures or be tainted by evil thoughts.'''' ''''...'''' ''''You told me your past, right? I think...'''' Gently, Tian Yun took off the lotus on her hair and put it on Kierra''s. ''''...that you are just as graceful and beautiful as those lotuses, too.'''' Bearing a merry smile resembling a blooming flower. Case 110: Myosotis’s wish. Case 110: Myosotiss wish. ''''...'''' Kierra took a sip of her morning coffee as shebed through the still-asleep Tian Yun''s tinum-white hair. Although this White Lotus seemed vibrant and naive at times, one could sense wisdom from the way she carried herself. The sect leader was also well-versed in folklore and tea brewing, as well as other traditional arts of the Central Divine Realm. She would often recite one of these sayings during the time spent with Kierra. Many of them were obvious, good values; others sounded silly, and some simr to this one... were intriguing. ''Surrounded by mud, yet unburdened by its fetor, huh...'' The archwizard got hung up on thatst verse, yet she was unable to figure out why. asions like this were familiar to her, however. It was a signal of a breakthrough. In other words, she was inspired by it on an instinctual level. ''''Mhm... Kierra...'''' ''''It''s still early. You don''t have to get up.'''' ''''Mmkay...'''' After spending a good portion of the morning nursing the baby lotus and mulling over the idea, Kierra decided to go on another walk. She had already explored the city yesterday, so... ''Should I visit the training ground?'' Of course, the tower''s training grounds were extensive. Since the establishment had its own military, it was crucial to have a good infrastructure to aid the wizards'' growth. Usually, they would be packed with apprentice wizards and registered wizards alike. That was within expectations, but Kierra certainly didn''t expect the so-familiar screeching sounds to be heard in one of those areas. ''''Hup...!'''' With a graceful swing of the arm, the slender sword rips through the air, tearing apart the simted target with ease and leaving behind a blue trail. Despite receiving many strange gazes, the sword''s owner appears unfazed, tidying her simmering dark blue hair. The moment her red eyes nced around, those attitudes vanished. ''''...'''' Such was the sheer intimidation of the Mie Xieren. Perhaps Emei''s abbess knew it herself, but she didn''t care to correct them. She didn''t particrly care how people saw her, just... ''''Good morning.'''' ''''Kierra!'''' She just wanted to show her gentle side to her lover. ''''Am I intruding?'''' ''''No. I was wrapping up anyway. Let''s go somewhere else.'''' In fact, it was a lie. She had nned to stay for at least another hour or two, but between swinging her sword and being with Kierra, the answer was clear. So, the two ended up strolling around the city... again. At this point, Kierra was amazed at Mie Xieren''s adaptability. Even Yu Chen or Tian Yun would receive some eyes from the passersby due to their distinct clothing choices. Yet, the abbess had seemingly integratedpletely with the people of Lilienthal, donning modern attire just like them. (???) ''If only she didn''t wear the sunsses...'' They ended up catching everybody''s attention anyway. Not that Kierra cared. ''''Have you made progress recently?'''' Mie Xieren asked. ''''Perhaps.'''' Kierra replied. ''''I''m trying to figure out something.'''' ''''For example?'''' Kierra''s red eyes turned to Mie Xieren''s red eyes. Unlike the others, having the abbess''spany felt more like having a close friend''smore casual, less serious. That was because Mie Xieren, as a person, wanted to be asfortable with Kierra as possible, and she expressed that too clearly. No cutesy shenanigans, no seductive tactics. ''Should I call her an adorable fool?'' Suddenly feeling mischievous, Kierra lightly closed their distance and leaned on Mie Xieren''s shoulder. It was ratherfortable, considering that the opponent was a bit taller than her. Flinch. ''''Well?'''' Kierra entuated. ''''For example... how can I punish the fool who was dense enoughnotto visit her girlfriend when she was having a hard time training?'''' ''''H-Huh?! No, I''m sorry'''' ''''is what a needy kind of lover would say in this situation. I''m not her.'''' ''''...Ah.'''' Realizing she had been teased, Mie Xieren felt an inexplicable urge to poke back at the grinning Kierra, yet she was unable to. ''''I''d rather you not waste your time like that. I''m not doing anything particrly interesting when I''m training, anyway.'''' ''''...I know.'''' ''''And to be serious, I''m trying to find a way forward. Things are quite urgent at the moment, as you know.'''' ''''...'''' For a while, silence enveloped the two''s space. Neither of them spoke, but it wasn''t awkward in the slightest. They were used to this. They kept walking with seemingly no direction in mind, passing through buildings after people, alleyways after streets. Eventually, they were brought to a spacious za, one situated near a tall clock tower. ''''Shall we settle down?'''' ''''Alright.'''' Now sitting on the fountain''s ledge, Kierra and Mie Xieren rxed their bodies, their red eyes wandering around the area. The capital of the Lilienthal Empire never had a dull moment, they said, and it was hardly a false statement. Since it was approaching noon, restaurants and coffee shops were crowded, and the number of people who decided to eat outside wasn''t small. Mie Xieren nced to the side. Her Kierra was looking forward with a stiff gaze, simmering her consciousness in the sea of thoughts. ''Maybe not.'' It seemed she wasn''t hungry. If Kierra wasn''t hungry, the abbess wasn''t, too. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' Whenever she saw this fox-like woman, she would find herself unable to do anything against her will. Moreover, she would want to please this woman. In a way, it was unadulterated, almost obsessive affection. Romantically, a devoted lover, practically, a desperate partner. Whichever it was, Mie Xieren wouldn''t want to abandon her ways anytime soon. After all, Kierra was the one who pulled her out of that monotone life in the first ce. If not for her, the current Mie Xieren wouldn''t exist. If she had one wish... ''''Hm... do you want to sit on that tower? It''s breezy up there.'''' ''''Ah, alright.'''' Suddenly, they were climbing stairs. Taken by Kierra''s hand, Mie Xieren steadily ascended the clock tower, eyes glued onto her lover''s silhouette. Step by step, she saw that glossy ck hair dance under the flickering light, those legs straining themselves to get the archwizard up, and perhaps the vivid scene of intertwined fingers. ''''Hahah... still as beautiful as I remember.'''' ''''...'''' Without a care in the world, Kierra flopped down, poking her legs out of the edge. The abbess followed suit. Her gaze also followed the archwizard''s, pinning to the sky. The sky, now a clear blue with faint patterns of clouds, appeared infinitely tall. Hearing rustling noises, she turned her head again. There, Kierra was, jotting down in her notebook words Mie Xieren hardly knew while posing a passionate smile. For whatever reason, she feltpelled to interrupt that process, running her hand underneath the small notebook and seizing her lover''s hand. Only when she felt the familiar warmth did she smile in contentment. ''''Xieren. What''s wrong?'''' ''''Nothing.'''' ''''Fufu. So childish.'''' ''''Is that not okay?'''' ''''No. Not at all.'''' ''''Then... can you hear my wish, too?'''' ''''Hm? Sure.'''' ''''I wish that even after all tragedies that may be upon us, after all the tribtions we may sacrifice our lives for, all the good times we''ve had...'''' ck! With a gentle click, the bell began to ring. ''''...I hope you won''t forget me.'''' Case 111: Lily’s future. Case 111: Lilys future. ''''Hm...'''' ''''My, are you perhaps bothered by something?'''' Kierra was, indeed, bothered by something. She had been mulling over the problem of a breakthrough for a few days, but nothing had really clicked. She thought she might be able to realize it after a few ''refreshing'' nights, but it seemed there would need to be more than that. Yesterday, her partner was Mie Xieren, and today, it was Bai Qing. Sitting side by side on a roadside bench amidst the busy streams of people, the archwizard pondered her recent time. She didn''t particrly choose a schedule or anything of the sort. It just turned out to be this way for thest several days. Every time, she would meet one of them at random, and they would somehow be alone. Even the inseparable duo of Bai Qing and Kang Shuren was mysteriously split today. Not that sheined, anyway. More opportunities to intimately interact with her loved ones were always wee. ''''So you need inspiration for a breakthrough?'''' ''''Yes.'''' ''''Um... I''m sorry. I probably won''t be useful, then.'''' Before the self-deprecating words could be further uttered, Kierra quickly put a stop to them. ''''I''m not seeking yourpany for that, so don''t think much about it.'''' ''''I see...'''' ''''...'''' ''''...Now that I think about it, there haven''t been many times that we are alone, has it?'''' Bai Qing smiled bitterly, fidgeting with her fingers. ''''Usually, you''re with the others... and Ie with Kang Shuren, right? Heheh...'''' When something is awkward, it is awkward, no matter how unusual it might seem. Bai Qing didn''t have much time alone with Kierra, and it was hard to adjust when she had to carry out half of the conversation on her own. Knowing this, Kierra didn''t hesitate to be more talkative. Words weren''t something she struggled to get out. If she could ease her lover up like this, she wouldn''t care much about anything else. In a way, it certainly was bothersome. One might think an older, more mature lover would match the archwizard better. Still, Kierra found charms in such a model of young feminity like Bai Qing. She reminded the archwizard of her own early yearsvery much so. Perhaps it was nostalgia. Perhaps it wasn''t entirely love, but its sprout. For now, it would remain this way until either of their hearts changed. At least, that was what Kierra believed. For Bai Qing, it was more than just a matter of age. She feared her inexperience might push her out of the conversation entirely, that her lover wouldn''t even pay much attention to her, an insignificant woman. This was inevitable since the age gap between the two wasn''t small, and it got worse once the harem part came. ''''Well, now you seem more troubled than I am.'''' Kierra sighed lightly before rising to her feet. After stretching out her arms a little, she extended a hand to the dejected Bai Qing. ''''Sitting around all day is boring. Let''s go somewhere.'''' ''''Ah... yes.'''' And so, it became a date... again. This time, Kierra had a perfect objectivethe Lilienthal Academy. It was where talents from all over the country, nay, the continent, would be cultivated, be it wizards or knights. In reality, the students from there would often be scouted by guilds or organizations like the Crimson Tower. Contrary to popr belief, neither Kierra nor August yed an important role in its development despite being honored everywhere within the institution. They just established it... and that''s all. Nevertheless, the academy would be a fantastic choice for a trip with Bai Qing. The disciple of Qinling Peak was right about the age for admission, so Kierra thought she might be interested in its curriculum. In addition, she wanted to monitor the efforts that were being made to censor Eon''s cult. The Lilienthal Academy was a diverse public institution, after all. So, wearing their disguise, Kierra and Bai Qing headed to the ce. ''''This is... impressive.'''' ''''I know.'''' At first, Bai Qing couldn''t help but gasp at how grand and borate the buildings were. On top of that, the sheer ''power'' radiating from each and every student or professor passing by couldn''t be underestimated. If it were the old Bai Qing, she would have been ashamed of herself for being so weak. ''''Don''t just stand there. Let''s go.'''' Following Kierra, hand in hand, Bai Qing was introduced to many ces. She visited the cafeteria, where she got to taste a popr dessert with glee. The library, containing books on not only magic but swordsmanship and other arts, was also explored. She also stopped by the main hall where statues of Kierra and August stood. ''''Woah... they look just like the real ones.'''' ''''Pffthahah...'''' ''''K-Kierra?'''' ''''No, it''s just... you remind me of my own reaction when I first saw these ones. Actually, both Au and I were stunned. It was a very talented sculptor who made these, after all. I seriously thought this could rece me as the tower master once in a while so that I can y somewhere else... wait.'''' ''''Kierra?'''' ''''...No, it''s nothing. Is there anywhere else you want to visit?'''' ''''Um... how about the training grounds? Am I allowed to observe?'''' ''''Should be no problem. Follow me.'''' The training grounds for the students of Lilienthal Academy were extensive. It made sense, considering the colossal amount of funds pouring into the institution itself. Here, one could find students practicing with hologram targets or engaging in duels almost every hour of the day. Kierra, more than seeing the novices, was more interested in Bai Qing and her colorful expressions. ''''It''s amazing... so these students can endure for that long under constant pain... it must be tough.'''' ''''True. I believe they, the children of Lilienthal, are resilient. They value efforts and hard work the most, you see.'''' ''''...'''' ''''Even if they have talents, it won''t push them to bezy. After all, what use is a talent when you don''t develop it?'''' For a moment, the two''s eyes met. As Kierra''s turned mellow, Bai Qing''s widened. She had never seen this expression of the archwizard before. ''''My old magic teacher used to say this, ''You''ll never get anywhere if you never start to run.'' He was not really good at magic, often having me teaching him, but his philosophy was quite decent.'''' It was a solemn quote. Clearly, this person was someone Kierra valued. And it got Bai Qing stunned. Suddenly, she realized that she was convincing herself to give up before even starting. Truthfully, she might have be like this due to dumb luck. That day, if she hadn''t randomly encountered Kierra and got rescued by her, she would perhaps have never be a wizard. ''No.'' It wasn''t luck. If Bai Qing had been talentless, she wouldn''t have been chosen. But shewastalentlesspared to the women Kierra had. ''No.'' Was it truly? She was hundreds of years younger than them. Surely, she could get to their level one day. But was it just meaningless stubbornness? Was she only being foolish about her own inadequacy? ''No.'' But Bai Qing chose to deny all of it. She had a chancethat was what she chose to believe in. ''''I''ll get there. Eventually.'''' She uttered. For a while, the two smiled at each other. It wasn''t certain either one of them misunderstood the other, but it didn''t matter. In the end, the tour of the academysted until sunset. Amidst the waves of students returning to their homes and dorms, Kierra and Bai Qing stood in a shaded corner, watching all of it unfold. ''''You know, Kierra.'''' ''''...'''' ''''I think I want to go here someday in the future.'''' ''''Is that so?'''' ''''Um. It might be fun. Who knows?'''' Kierra nced at the obsidian-like eyes that were glued to the sky for a moment. Then, a gentle smile broke out. ''''Of course. You can visit wherever you want in the future. I''ll make it possible. For you.'''' The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Case 112: Carnation’s path. Case 112: Carnations path. Cloning was a branch of golem arts that struggled to be popr. In the age of efficiency and convenience, it was akin to a fizzled-out dream of some old peeps, unable to take off even after centuries. This could be attributed to many reasons, namely the sheer difficulty of creating and operating a clone. Not only was crafting a body convincing enough a tall task, but making it seem alive was an even taller task. At that point, people wouldfortably choose alternatives over cloning. Of course, some did perfect the art, but their number was no greater than ten. Kierra had never really shown interest in it. If she did, it would be for in-bed activities purposes, and she didn''t care enough to pursue it anyway. The reason she started looking into it deeply now was because of its potential to upset Eon''s ns. Undoubtedly, the god''s greatest weapon against Kierra was divine power. With that, he could erase Kierra''s ability to use magic altogether, resulting in an immediate and overwhelming loss for the wizard. But what if she could create clones to mitigate that? What if she could make the clones mana-independent so that Eon couldn''t ''imprison'' all of her at the same time? This idea required the absolute istion of mana, meaning the standard method of connecting oneself to the clones using mana threads wouldn''t be possible anymore. And so far... Kierra has been sessful at it. Utilizing some space magic techniques, she was able to iste her clonespletely. The evidence? Well, ''Kierra'' was able to write all of the theories down and exercise someplex magic forms on the side as well. ''Kierra'' took a satisfied look at her work before closing her eyes. ''With this, I''ll be able to...'' Somewhere far away. Kierra was boarding a magic train that flew in the air. Her crimson eyes absentmindedly gazed out the window, admiring the beauty of nature. ''''We''re almost there.'''' She said softly. ''''Mghm...'''' In her arms, a sleepy woman purred, not quite rubbing her eyes since she was still wearing her blindfold. Unceremoniously, she pulled the blindfold up and rubbed her eyes anyway. It was early morning. Kierra and Kang Shuren had been traveling since the night before. ''''You promised that you would take me around the continent!'''' It wasn''t quite that dramatic, but Kang Shuren indeed broke into Kierra''s bedroom right around the time she was bedding Bai Qing. Fortunately, the trains ran all day, so they were able to catch ate one. Their destination? [Next stop: Leviathan''s Tomb. Next stop: Leviathan''s Tomb.] [Please use the red door to exit.] Leviathan''s Tomba city built around the ancient remains of the underwater giant who dominated old civilizations. It was brought down and onto shore by a group of warriors whose names remain engraved in history books nowadays. The people who settled there were the ones who suffered from the monster the most. They build houses attached to the beast''s giant rib bones, hanging tforms under its spines, and ced the headquarters right inside its skull. Thousands of years had passed, and now, the city was thriving. ''''Woah...'''' Standing before the exit door, Kierra briefly told Kang Shuren the history of Leviathan''s Tomb. Seeing the woman bobbing up and down excitedly, the archwizard couldn''t help but chuckle, ''''Save that enthusiasm forter. You haven''t seen anything.'''' True to that statement, the moment Kang Shuren set her foot on the ground, her mouth couldn''t even be closed. The train stopped right on top of a hill, and when peered through the few trees that were in the way, one could spot the sparkling, blissfully blue ocean. The waves gently tapped in, washing the luminescent foam into shore. Not far to the right, a colossal, seemingly endless set of skeletons sat, bearing thousands of structures on its frame. ''''Let''s go.'''' Kierra held Kang Shuren''s hand, dragging her on the road toward the city. Even as the feet moved, the eyes couldn''t leave. The sun hadn''t fully emerged yet. Along the flickering street lights, the two quietly walked. ''''...'''' Finally recovering from the shock, Kang Shuren fixed her gaze forward. Beyond the piece of cloth, she saw Kierra''s back. Somehow, it was dreamy, with each step she took light and almost floating. Ever since she was a child, Kang Shuren had been obsessed with heroes'' tales. The main character went on adventures, traveling the world as they defeated evil and grew to be the best version of themselves so that, in the end, a perfect, happy ending could be achieved. She thought the figure of the heroes was dazzling. Perhaps because of that, she wanted valor, fame, and spotlights. She wanted to travel the world just like the heroes did... but it was all too difficult. Being the precious daughter of a reputable sect, she wasn''t allowed to go on risky endeavorsnot without a powerful cultivation base. Perhaps that was the only reason she cultivated. But at that point, it was all too monotone anyway. In addition to the boring meditations and martial arts lessons, she also had to study politics and history. One could say she was dragged back to reality. She thought her dreams would eventually fizzle outuntil Kierra appeared. She, who brought a fresh breath into her life. She, who stood morously above anything else. And she, who extended her hand to the dreaming woman. ''''Hoh... what do you think?'''' Without her, she wouldn''t have been able to witness this sight. Her eyes scanned the towering pirs of bones, ones that rose past even the clouds. Beyond that, thousands of lightmagical light as if a sea of fireflies resided. Then, her attention was brought to a b of quartz sitting not far away. [Here to honor the heroes who brought the monster of terror to its rest] ''''...'''' Without her, she wouldn''t have been able to witness this story. This story, and many more. ''Calm down, heart.'' Unimaginable excitement. ''''Hm... shall we visit the museum first? They have many reenactments of these feats, I remember.'''' As if reading Kang Shuren''s mood, Kierra suggested. ''''Um!'''' Ascending on one of many esctors, Kang Shuren gripped her lover''s hand tightly. Walking around the floating tform, her head turned wantonly, observing the city''s early morning activities intently as though engraving on her heart. This excitement continued and was amplified during their trip to the museum, where she learned vivid moments of the warriors'' journey. Kang Shuren''s heart beat like it was going to explode. An intense urgea burning desire stemmed deep within her. A desire to sprint out and set to the sea, finding treasures and fighting monsters, helping the weak, create bonds of friendship... like these heroes. Fortunately, holding hands with Kierra helped to calm it down. Nevertheless, she couldn''tpletely stop the enthusiasm. Even as she toured the sky city and met with the localsno, perhaps it made her even more eager. ''''Kierra... I think I know what I want to do now.'''' ''''Tell me.'''' The wind gently blew. Despite the scenery changing, their hands never separated. The sunset''s light soaked the ocean, reflecting warm rays. ''''I want to go on an adventure. I want to explore the continent, meet people, hear stories, legends, and... I want to craft my own tales.'''' In the end, she turned to the archwizard, who shot back a reassuring look. ''''Sure.'''' She replied. ''''I''ll be there with you.'''' ''''Thanks.'''' A smile. Another reason to protect this beautiful world had appeared. Case 113: Marigold’s melody. Case 113: Marigolds melody. ''''Hm... hm...'''' Amidst the bright, ring lights reflected from all directions, a woman''s gentle hums resonated. Her steps, as light as feathers, took her across the vastnd. Today, the crystal forest was dazzling, too. As dazzling as it was, it also bore a shade of sorrow. The morous yet hardly alive shells of each tree, each nt, each piece of rock, each breath of cold air... It used to be warm. The forest used to be just another foresta forest of the phoenixes. A ce of infinite lives. A ce of the esteemed phoenixes. Today, every remaining individual of the race could recall the day that cmity struck. That day, an entity that threatened the whole continent''s survival woke up from its slumber, and coincidentally, the forest stood right in its first step. Even so, many didn''t correctly evaluate the cmity, leading to most of the continent''s forces leaving the phoenixes to fend off by themselves. It didn''t help that the residents of the forest, known for their haughtiness around the world, had few allies. It was solely because of her close rtionship with Kierra that the phoenixes weren''t being turned into crystals like the forest itself. ''Thinking back, I was really stupid back then, huh...'' A young, inspired princess of a proud race. She flew across the continent, searching for opponents to have bouts with. She was hardly stoppable. But that was only until she met Kierra, who was undoubtedly the most sensational wizard of that era. The archwizard, who held little regard for anyone other than herself and her lover, burned Diamante together with her me to ashes. Confused, sure, yet the more she interacted with the cocky wizard, the more she was drawn in. It took a while for Diamante to realize her feelings, but it took even longer for an opportunity to arise. Right after news of the most powerful couple''s breakup reached her ears, she got to work. Even then, the seduction methods the clumsy princess used were embarrassing. One would not expect her, a proud fighter at the time, to try so hard to fake silly idents to create skinship. But now... they became good memories. ''''Hah...'''' These days, Kierra was on a streak, changing women day by day. Maybe thanks to that, Diamante felt a bit lonely. But it was alright. Now, she knew Kierra would be here at some point, making these strolls filled with longing much better than the years she spent roaming around aimlessly, knowing her lover wouldn''t be here. Nevertheless, she couldn''t help but dream. For a time when Kierra would be sitting on that old rock that she used to sit on, absorbed in a book. And when Diamante approached her, she would gently close the pages and say with a smile... ''''Dia.'''' ''''...Huh?'''' ''''What are you doing there? Come here.'''' Although confused about Kierra''s unexpected appearance, Diamante quickly trotted over, throwing herself into the archwizard''s embrace. Almost immediately, she could tell that this was the real Kierra. After all, there was other women''s scent on her. (`䡪) ''''Idiot Kierra.'''' ''''Hm?'''' For a while, Kierra had to endure the adorable protest that came in the form of kissing, licking, and sniffing. ''She really is simr to a dog, huh...'' Especially when her hair wasthis fluffy, none could resist making corrtions between the two. Afterward, the duo spent a good chunk of time idling on the rock, intertwining their warmth. ''''It''s been a long time since I''vee here.'''' Kierra mused. ''''It really didn''t change at all.'''' ''''Mhm... by the way, is the work in Lilienthal going well?'''' ''''Yes. From what I can see, the cult''s influence is dropping rapidly. Goes to show the power of propaganda, I suppose.'''' ''''That''s good. If you need me to go on television and push the message, I can do it. My influence is still massive, you know.'''' At this point, Kierra deliberately scratched her chin, appearing to be deep in thought. ''''Maybe not. The war is imminent. There are no real benefits to doing that at this stage.'''' She replied. ''''The tower masters are all preparing to bring troops to the other side, too, so we need to be vignt as our forces are reduced.'''' ''''Mmmkay.'''' ''''You seem bored.'''' ''''Mhm...'''' Chuckling, Kierra stood up and held her little lover''s hand. With a mellow expression, she said, ''''Shall we go on a walk?''''
The Crystal Forest was full of trees made from crystals, but it wasn''t entirely like that. Every now and then, there would bendmarks built by the phoenixes, be it parks, gardens, or other structures. Some of them were built after cmity struck, so they remained un-crystalized. Much like this pond, which the two reached after exploring other areas of the forest. ''''Hu... this is nice.'''' There needed not overly romantic times for a day to be considered fulfilling for a couple. For some, it was the quiet, cuddly time that became their favorite. Kierra could enjoy any, but the fluffy pink one in her arms certainly seemed to like the stillness. It looked as though she would fall asleep at any moment. In an almost instinctual response, the archwizard''s hand moved to caress the woman''s back, earning some purrs in the process. Bit by bit, she also became ustomed to the scene, her eyes absentmindedly staring at the rainbow frogs jumping atop the lilypads in the distance. ''''...'''' Maybe it was this tranquil mood that she had missed. Her heart was beating calmly, but it resonated with a frequency of happiness. Slowly, she rxed herself on the bench, closing her eyes... and still. When she opened them again, the lights reflected by the crystal trees were bearing a different huean orange sunset. ''...Did I fall asleep?'' Looking below, the little phoenix was also deep in her dreand, heaving little steady breaths on her chest. For whatever reason, her second heart decided to adjust to that breathing, beating at the same pace as that. Kierra once again closed her eyelids, choosing to drown in this peace for a bit longer... just before another cmity descended. thump! thump! The synchronized heartbeats spread a soft aura to the surroundings, attracting many small animals to enjoy the almost musical-like notes. Amidst all of that, the couple sat still. ''''Hm~ hm~'''' At some point, the unconscious Diamante also joined in, chirping soothing notes to the world. Notes so peaceful they mesmerized even the once-thought-to-be hardened trees, making their leaves rattle. Notes so powerful they provoked ripples on the pond''s water, starling the frogs. And notes so hopeful they rang across the face of time into the future. They were, by any definition, the desires of the little phoenix princess to pursue a future in which she could be with her beloved, all poured into a breathtaking melody. Case 114: Her eternity. Case 114: Her eternity. ''''...'''' Imperial Pce, nighttime. In the dimly lit office, only steady, quiet scribble noises could be heard. Hugging her head, August tried to refocus her thoughts on the piles of text in the documentone of many. However, even as she squinted her eyes, the words only slipped away. It was clear that the fatigue had caught up to her. Heaving out a tired sigh, she dropped the pen, leaned back into the chair, and pressed the inconspicuous button below the table instead. [An annual audit of the Department of Treasury, year 946, submitted by Martin Fallon.] As the Sword Empress closed her eyes, she slowly took in the clear, sultry female voice that was reading the report out loud for her. ''As expected, her voice is still the best.'' It was Kierra''s voice, mimicked using wind spirits'' power. In fact, August had been switching between reading with her eyes and listening for a while now. A few days, to be exact. Unsurprisingly, after a few years of her absence, work piled up quite a bit. Of course, her subordinates were allpetent, so this amount of paperwork was actually not too heavy, considering the empire''s size. Still, she had to deal with the cult first and foremost, and that took away almost half of her stamina already. More than anything, ''Argh... where the hell are you, my love?'' Kierra deficiency. Now that August had tasted what it was like to be loved by Kierra again, she could hardly endure this period. It seemed like it was just yesterday that she tightly hugged the archwizard to bed, caressing her spotless skin whilst sharing a passionate kiss with her. ''...What am I thinking? I haven''t been able to catch a wink of sleep ever sinceing back here.'' Somehow, it was depressing. "Hah..." (''- `) [Temperament like the orchid''s never-changing fragrance, Heart like the orchid''s never-moving core.] ''...? Who the hell is putting a poem in an audit?'' The moment August opened her eyes, it felt as though spring had blossomed in her heart. With her back warmly lit by the night light, a woman sat squarely on the table, directly facing the Sword Empress. Red eyes met golden eyes. She gracefully leaned forward, dangling her lustrous hair. "Hi." Kierra grinned, her slender fingers tracing August''s chin. "Am I troubling you?" ''''...'''' Faced with the absolute destructive power, August couldn''t even let out a sound. Instead, she immediately fell forward, nting her face directly between Kierra''s thighs. "Are you tired?" "Mhm..." This time, as she buried herself in Kierra''s embrace, the fatigue that had umted for thest week really caught up to her. Although she had many things to say and many things to do, her eyelids wouldn''t stay apart for long. Under her lover''s gentle caress, August fell asleep. When she opened her eyes again, the sunlight was already pouring in from outside. Her eyes fixed on the ceiling for a moment. ''''...'''' ''It''s my bedroom.'' As soon as she got up, a mouth-watering fragrance wafted over. Someone was using her kitchen. And... it wasn''t hard to guess who. August knew what it was like to live with Kierra as a couple. Although the archwizard was spiky like a hedgehog and fickle like a fox these days, she used to be a model wife. No, she was still a model wife. Just, a bit more rebellious at times. Evidence? Well, she would still cook for August whenever she got the chance, like now. She would oftenfort the Sword Empress, too, when she got tired. Besides those, she also offered wisdom, humor, and physical pleasure. ''Isn''t it too unfair?'' In truth, August had once thought about moving on from her broken partnership with Kierra. She thought that maybe... just maybe, if she got a new lover, things would get better. But it all felt too repulsive. August wouldn''t want to give herself to anyone other than Kierra, and it made sense, knowing just how good of a partner she was. "You''re already awake? Eat something, then." ''''...'''' Even now, Kierra was acting nonchntly, putting a variety of dishes that the empress loved on the table. It was as if her actions were only natural. ''How am I going to make up for all of these, really?'' August smiled bitterly. As Kierra put her apron away, her arm was pulled over. "Oh." "Nn..." "Heheh, you''re clingy." Now, she sat right inside August''s embrace. As ofte, she hadn''t been hugged from behind too many times, so it was refreshing. Moreover, few in her harem actually wanted to pete'' in that regard, so they wouldn''t try to kiss her neck like this. "Here, open your mouth." "Ah..." Still, despite the bold and brass personality, August felt like a big cat at times. "How is the progress with the cult, by the way?" "Mgn... it''s pretty good. We have control over the media, after all." "I see. Any sign of them taking aggressive approaches?" "Yes, actually. It seems they''re trying to push instead of hide. I was about to tell you that... yesterday." "So an early war is unavoidable, huh..." It seemed that the end was nigh. Soon, the continent of Linoel would have to face its most formidable opponent yeta god. With that, the fate of the whole world would be determined. Perhaps noticing Kierra''s inner turmoil, August spoke up, "Should we call back the tower masters?" "Maybe not." The archwizard replied. "They won''t be able to do anything against that thing, anyway. If there''s anyone who can face them... it would be either us, Dia, or Cosmos." "The four of us will, then." "No." ''''...?'''' Kierra''s eyes as she faced August''s puzzling look were bitter. "You and Dia... I want you two to be in the Central Divine Realm." "Are you crazy? That''s absolutely not" "Shh. I know what I''m doing. It''s just a juvenile god. Cosmos and I can handle it. Besides... if the tower masters are pulling troops to the other side, it means the situation there isn''t great either." ''''...'''' "In the case of those two remaining entities invading, I want you two to help protect that world. At least... until I finish the business here." August''s lips parted, but no words came out. Kierra''s pleading face was somehow full of determination as if she wouldn''t take a no for an answer. Unfortunately, August was the absolute weakest when it came to facing this side of Kierraa fragile, genuine side behind the haughty facade she wore. Of course, she would disobey whatever Kierra demanded if she knew it risked her lover''s life, but frustratingly enough, everything she said was probably true. Kierra had now surpassed every single existing standard, steadily climbing toward the realm of gods, even if it wasn''t literally. If she and Cosmos joined hands... a newborn god wouldn''t be a struggle. But being her lover, August still had her worries. Now, she had to choose between going against or along with her partner''s wish, all to risk her love''s safety or secure it. ''''...'''' ''''...'''' When things were tense like that, Kierra gently turned around, hugging August into her bosom. "Don''t worry too much, Au." She whispered. "I promised you, no? That I would give you what you had given me." "Kierra." "Last time, you pledged me your eternity, so this time, I will pledge mine. For millennia toe, I shall be with you each moment. This I swear on my heart." An undying pledge. A pledge of eternity in front of cmity. This time, for certain "I won''t break my promise." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Case 115: Meanwhile, in Central Divine Realm. Case 115: Meanwhile, in Central Divine Realm. Soon enough, the little vacation in Linoel had toe to an end, prompting the crew to return to the Central Divine Realm. It was mainly because August had finished her work, freeing any responsibility left in the continent. No matter what, the situation in the cultivation realm needed attention, and Kierra was not one to abandon her lovers to fend off themselves. But, of course, she also had other intentionsones important enough to make her leave the equally endangered continent of Linoel. ''It''s probably fine. Cosmos can handle it.'' And so, she passed through the portal to arrive at the realm above, where the Immortals lived. ''''Wee back.'''' Immediately, they were greeted by the Heavenly Shura, who bore a grim expression. Although the physical atmosphere here hadn''t changed, with people flying in and out of her mansion, bearing the same grim expression as hers, things wouldn''t look too promising. ''''Come in. My house has rooms you all can use, and if you want to leave, I have someone to create the passage to the realm below as well.'''' Because it had only been a month since the crew left White Lotus, there wasn''t actually a need for a revisit just yet. Cultivators spent their time surprisingly peacefully, thanks to their tendency to pour time into training. Moreover, the people of the Central Divine Realm, except for some folks, weren''t at all informed of the crisis the Immortals were facing. A part of it was to avoid panic, but the main logic was simpleif even the pinnacles of cultivation couldn''t do it, then the more ordinary surely couldn''t. The crew decided to stay in Wen Zhuwei''s mansion for the moment. The building, although not as grand as a pce, was spacious enough to host many guests, and in times such as now, it acted as a headquarters of sorts, bing a meeting ce for personnel of the allies. This meant that even the wizards belonging to the towers were also present. Immediately after settling down, Kierra grabbed a wizard in a white robe for a quick question. ''''Hey. Who acts as amander-in-chief here?'''' ''''Hthe Crimson Wizard...?! Ah, um... thatdy called the Heavenly Shura is themander of this war, ma''am...!'''' ''''Do you guys properly report your locations and movements to her?'''' ''''Y-Yes! I don''t know about other towers, but our master told us to regard cooperation andmunication highly.'''' ''''Good.'''' No wonder Wen Zhuwei seemed so busy. Kierra would have grabbed the Heavenly Shura instead of this wizard anyway if only she hadn''t left right after showing the crew their room. The archwizard patted the young wizard''s shoulder before heading upstairs, walking toward the presence of Wen Zhuwei. At the end of the corridor, a noticeablyrger door was situated. ''''I''ve been expecting you, Kierra.'''' Sitting at the end of the floor table was the person herselfstill as a frame. Judging from the leftover teacups on the table, it was clear that she just had a talk with a group of people. Without saying anything, Kierra closed the door and sat opposite her. ''''Tell me the whole situation.'''' She said, minding the fact that there was no time for pleasantries. ''''Of course.'''' Wen Zhuwei replied. ''''Take a look at this.'''' With a sigh, she snapped her fingers, pulling her qi onto the table to create an approximate map of the realm above. In reality, the realm itself was described as ''boundless,'' but since people tended to live close together,bined with the humble number of Immortals, they only upied a fraction of it. And the invaders targeted precisely that area. ''''Right after you left, the other side became more aggressive as time went on.'''' Wen Zhuwei exined. ''''We''ve seen stronger abominations appearing near the frontline these few days. I was actually considering calling for your help... until they arrived.'''' ''''Are the wizards doing their jobs?'''' ''''Yes, thankfully so.'''' ''''Looks like they''re not too useless, after all.'''' Wen Zhuwei smiled bitterly at Kierra''s remark. She was perhaps the only one who could say that about thepetent wizards who, with great strategic minds and efficient techniques, were able to help repel the invaders. Unlike most Immortals, who were often too proud of their lifelong achievements and chose brute force as their number one solution, the wizards were a calctive and nerdy bunch, always thinking of ways to destroy their enemies with the least effort. Even if they couldn''t match the overpowered fiends in raw strength, they had... well, the Immortals to use. The situation was a bit strange, but it was akin to ''muscles'' finally reunited with ''brains.'' ''''But still, the frontline is struggling a bit. That is why we haven''t been able to push it deeper.'''' Wen Zhuwei pointed at the overarching line that circled the allies''s territory on the map. ''''We aren''t ones without fatigue, and when theye in from all directions relentlessly like this...'''' ''''Are all of the Heavenly Emperors and Empresses participating?'''' ''''Yes, along with the tower masters, they are actively positioning themselves at the border.'''' ''''I''m d they took a liking to cultivation...'''' She muttered afterward. ''''They better be.'''' If the haughty tower masters evenmitted troops here, it meant that the existence of ''qi'' and cultivation greatly moved them. In other words, the bait was utterly destroyed, not just ''taken'' anymore. After sufficiently briefing the archwizard on the war, Wen Zhuwei switched to another topic. ''''I heard from that child. Are there troubles in your homnd?'''' ''''Hm...? I guess you can call it that.'''' A few days prior, Kierra had actually sent Yan Shi back to the cultivation realm. Part of it was to roughly report what had happened in Linoel, which was the only reason Wen Zhuwei knew of it. Rising to her feet, the archwizard lightly stretched out her arms before turning to the door. ''''I may not be able to help you directly when the remaining corrupt gods strike.'''' She said softly. ''''What?!'''' The Heavenly Shura''s voice was sharp, as if she couldn''t believe it. Perhaps it was reasonable, seeing that she had considered Kierra to be a key to winning this battle. But before she could ask the reason, the crimson eyes gazed back at her again, ''''Rx. If luck is on our side, that scenario might not happen, and even if it was... you just need to hold out until I arrive. You, together with Au and Dia.'''' ''''...So there''s another threat on the other side.'''' ''''Yes.'''' ''''This can''t be a coincidence, can it?'''' ''''I suppose. In any case, good luck... to both of us.'''' Leaving behind Wen Zhuwei, Kierra exited the room. This time, as she stood at the end of the corridor, she could see a familiar figure standing still, looking over the wooden fence. ''''Wee back, master.'''' With a simple turning movement, her elegant red robe dragged on the ground a bit. Her cyan eyes, reflecting the afternoon''s warm light, shone in a mellow shade. ''''Yan Shi.'''' ''''Yes, master.'''' ''''I assume you have found them?'''' ''''That much is only obvious, isn''t it?'''' ''''Hah, I guess so. Let''s go, then.'''' To where the secret weapon was. Case 116: A survey of the battlefield. Case 116: A survey of the battlefield. In the end, it appeared that Kierra still had many things to take care of, so the women in the crew promptly returned to their respective sects after a while. Both White Lotus, Lighting Tiger, and Emei were peaceful without much ripples. Broadly speaking, the Central Divine Realm was enjoying a period of flourishment thanks to the eradication of the unorthodox sects. Birds were singing, flowers were blooming, and the warm sunlight seemed to reach every corner of the world. Despite that, only the people who knew the truth felt a sense of unease. They looked at the peaceful scenes with eyes full of reluctance and seething... fear. At the moment, their only hope was that at the end of all of this... things would somehow turn out alright. Meanwhile. Diamante and August, of course, chose to follow their beloved wherever she might go. The phoenix princess had nothing better to do, and the Sword Empress, now having proper permission from Violet, had light steps. As for Kierra herself, after obtaining the things she needed, she opted to perform a survey of the frontline. ''Are those wizards doing their job properly...?'' It urred to her just like that. Of course, Kierra''s distrust for the ''scoundrels'' and the ''fools'' who always drooled over her magic was well-known. In reality, all of the tower masters present executed their roles excellently, leaving almost no room forints. In addition to cing defensive structures and repelling the invaders, they had also diligently documented their enemies'' characteristics to formte effective countermeasures, which could be used by the Immortals as well. One might ask about their unnatural interest in this job, but as wizards and schrs, research in pursuit of knowledge was always their number one priority, and most of all, this subject of ''qi'' was a brand-new one, meaning they could be the trailzers for all toeterfame and recognition. ''''What''s this? I thought you were going to bring the cultivator wives of yours. Tch.'''' ''''This rascal...'''' But perhaps because they focused on knowledge and fame too much, their manners were a bit... rude. The White Tower''s master, who prepared a nice reception for Kierra, now sounded grumpy because he had expected a conversation with one of the archwizard''s cultivator girlfriends. ''''So? What are you guys even here for?'''' Against that high-and-mighty tone, Kierra could only sigh, ''''Well, I guess I''ll have to notpublish the method to achieve the eleventh circle.'''' ''''...!!!'''' ''''Hm?'''' ''''N-No, of course, Miss Kierra is highly weed! You needn''t worry about being mistreated anywhere that has the g of the white tower!'''' ''''Hah. Sure.'''' Kierra scoffed. ''''Now then, can I have the data on those fiends? I mighte up with something.'''' The tower master with his bald head could only tremble in embarrassment as both August and Diamante wereughing at himmockingly. Despite that, he was forced to take out the documents anyway. For a while, the archwizard inspected the texts quite seriously. After all, it was her harem''s business, not anyone else. If she could help them in any way, that would be a win. Fortunately, the wizards had already categorized the creatures and studied their characteristics intensely, so there was little to be pondered about. ''''How much can I trust these words?'''' She casually asked. ''''Eighty percent, give or take.'''' ''''Alright.'''' That was indeed an impressive number, considering that the bulk of these wizards only came here a little while ago. Did their efficiency increase while Kierra wasn''t noticing? Nevertheless, the archwizard gave her input to the White Tower''s master before wandering across the border, doing the very same thing to the other tower masters. ''I''ll better do as much as I can for now.'' Time was limited. While the newborn god back in Linoel hadn''t run rampant, she needed to finish as much work as possible. ''''Dia, Au. Can you two help me for a second?'''' ''''Sure!'''' ''''Of course.'''' ''''I need you two to plunge a bit deeper into enemy territories. Don''t just st the monsters away. Observe and record their behaviors a bit. It would be a bonus if you could determine their weaknesses, but you could just kill them if it got too dangerous.'''' Needless to say, this would benefit their side as a whole and on the individual level, too. Diamante and August were set to battle the Heavenly Veneratesthe gods, the final bossesso if the others could take care of the small fries in the meanwhile, it would be a blessing. The two nodded like chickens, brimming with enthusiasm. ''''Thanks a lot.'''' Kierra smiled, gave them each a kiss, and sent them off. Her smile faded slowly as she gazed at their shrinking backs. Then, with a renewed determination, she dashed off to another direction. Once focused, her mana circles began to spin, fueling her body with vitality. In half a moment, she took off into the sky. Since she had already remembered all the types of monsters there were, she was able to discern which one was recorded and which one was not. For the known, instant death, and for the unknown, immediate confinement in a pocket dimension. Just like that, she was able to crank her speed upfortably, zing into the cursednd like an arrow. No matter how crooked and bizarre their abilities were for others, against someone like Kierra, who had transcended the mortal realm, they were as good as fodders. Unlike before, she could now control each strand of mana radiating from her body so precisely that they could be made into ribbon-like weapons, slicing through the monsters with exceptional ease. ''Not enough.'' She felt as though she could do something more to elerate the process. Multi-tasking. This was where clones came into the picture. Although it took a bit to activate, Kierra spawned a dozen of her clones inside the dimensions that she had put the captured monsters in. Although this slowed down the original Kierra''s speed a bit, she could still manage if she activated her second heart. The runsted for approximately two hours. It wasn''t that Kierra had run out of mana, but at some point, new monsters had stopped appearing altogether. She''d figured that she would need to plunge even deeper into thend, but at that point, she might trigger the Heavenly Venerates. So, reluctantly, she flew back andnded right before the White Tower''s fortress. ''''Good work.'''' Kierra lightly said as she passed by the guards. Holding full clearance, she headed straight toward HQ, in which many working wizards could be spotted. ''''H-Hey, it''s the Crimson Wizard...!'''' ''''What?! Why is she here again??'''' ''''Hey, did someone mess things up again?!'''' With an audible flop even among the murmurs, Kierra pped the file onto the table. ''''Duplicate these and send them to the others.'''' Without even casting a second nce, Kierra turned away and left. Now, it was time to wait for the other two and replenish her mana. Although she hadn''t specified where to reunite, she''d figured it would be best to wait here. Besides, they woulde to her naturally, anyway. ''''Hah...'''' Kierra flopped on a bench, gazing at the receding sun. Ignoring the walking abominations in the distance for a moment, it was truly a peaceful scene. ''I wonder...'' But then, she received contact. It was from Angelica, who stayed in Linoel. Case 117: Call for rule, fight for freedom. Case 117: Call for rule, fight for freedom. The continent of Linoel was suddenly enveloped in darkness. In a heartbeat, the sun was nketed by something hardly describable. People of all ages and upations, regardless of what they were doing, poured out to the street to witness the anomaly. Widespread panic. At such a time, the governments of all countries who had received information from August von Lilienthal beforehand released their own pieces of prepared announcements, settling their citizens down. ''''Whew...'''' On a certain balcony belonging to the Imperial Pce of Lilienthal, one could see glimpses of flowing violet hair. Valentine, who had be the temporarymander-in-chief of the empire, quickly shook off her nervousness and steeled her mind. After a deep breath, she took one final nce at the sea of lighting from the capital before turning around. At one moment, the sky-piercing tower that emitted crimson light came into her view. ''Please don''t die on us, Crimson Archwizard.'' A tangible, viscous sense of difort was detected in the air. Meanwhile, at one of the top floors of the Crimson Tower, three women stood by each other, gazing beyond the sky. ''''I''m honestly surprised it took you only this much to get here, Master. I thought those women would hold you back for a while.'''' ''''I know. A few kisses worked wonder.'''' ''''Ah... so it''s like that.'''' ''''You''ll understand when you get a mate. Sexual acts are like drugs, dulling people''s minds.'''' ''''...You made me not want to try at all by describing it that way, master.'''' Although the content of the conversation was light-hearted, their faces were visibly tense. It was routine for the duo of master-disciple to try and lighten the atmosphere whenever they were about to confront a formidable adversary. ''It''s been... what, a hundred and a half years since thest major battle?'' ''''Are you ready, Cosmos?'''' ''''Nn.'''' Kierra smiled bitterly at the scene of Cosmos, now in the shape of a woman, nodding with enthusiasm. As dangerous as this fight might get, it was, in every sense, the very thing she and the archwizard wanteda challenge. Wouldn''t it be exciting to spar against an opponent who you weren''t certain you could win? But this time, the whole continent was on the line, so they needed to go all out from the beginning. ''''It''sing.'''' Slowly, as ifing from beyond the''s atmosphere, a spec of light descended from above. With time, the dot rapidly erged and erged, nailing down into the continent of Linoel like a falling anvil. The world was lit again, but not by the sun. Now, sitting somewhere beyond the ocean of Linoel was a colossal bnce scale of morous gold. It stood as tall as the sky itself, radiating a palpable sense of oppression. It felt as though their body was pressed down by a giant. As a matter of course, what followed was even more panic. Yet, the people''s screams were obstructed by a constant ringing noise that seemed to paralyze their thoughts. ''''Cosmos, let us go.'''' ''''Alright, my friend.'''' The atmosphere of the three was solemn. Kierra, with her eyes intently glued on the city below, which had just hastily deployed its defensive system, opened several of her pocket dimensions with a snap. As she took out all kinds of itemselixirs, enhancement potions, armor, and most importantly, her staff, Cosmos and Angelica quietly left the ce, each going in their own direction. It was a routine she hadn''t had to execute for well over a century, but here she was, chugging down potions after potions in perfect order and absorbing their effects with immense efficiency. They were mostly to clear her head and made her able to hyper-focus on casting spells, as well as heightening her senses. Finally, Kierra grabbed the staff that was as tall as her and took off to the sky, heading toward the scale in the distance. Bursting through the clouds, she cast a gaze to the scene below. It seemed Eon had decided to go all-out, releasing all of its soldiers to confront humanity. ''Restore the order... my ass.'' The archwizard clenched her teeth, frowning at the sight of fanatics in priest robes wielding borrowed divine power to threaten the ordinary folks, not hesitating to deal killing blows to ones that were notplying. Fortunately, Imperial Guards had already been ced appropriately beforehand. At least they could stall for a bit. Still, the fastest way to eliminate all of those lunatics was to defeat Eon, who was likely waiting somewhere on that bnce scale, smuggling by itself. ''''Whew...'''' Kierra took a deep breath. ''''Come to me, my loyal servants.'''' !! !! Heeding the archwizard''s call, enormous beasts of mythical origin emerged from distant realms, pouring out from her behind. Lord dragons of the elements swimming through the air with spirits of the ocean, ones taking the shapes of great blue whales and orcas. Below, the high spirit of forests took on the form of a wolf, trailing golden animals of life as it skipped on the surface of the sea. ''''Ovi.'''' Two vengeful sprouts of red burst out of the deer skull that Kierra held beside her using telekinesis, and before long, a formless, void-dark body had formed. Without needing a specificmand, Ovi of the death brought forth another sea of undead. Some skeleton mages froze a path of ice for others to walk on. Some rode the backs of the lord dragons and their subordinates. Seemingly creatures of opposing nature, yet they only advanced in only one directionall for the sake of fulfilling their master''s will. One might ask a questionif someone used their power to rule a civilization forcibly, would they be more qualified as a deity than someone like the mortal wizard Kierra, who had managed to unify death and life? It was a question of morality. But neither Kierra nor Eon had paid any attention to it. Ultimately, it was a matter of who was more powerfulno more, no less. ''I''ming, you bastard.'' Soon, Kierra''s army had reached the bnce scale. Up close, it was even more towering than it was before. In addition, the oppressive aura felt from here was much denser than usual. In a sense, it was a domain. Maybe it really was. It wouldn''t matter much. Kierra was prepared to fight in its domain in the first ce, but before that, there appeared to be a horde of minions guarding the ce. ''Are they... humans?'' Somehow, they seemed humanoid butcked features that made them individualslike a bunch of puppets. ''''Ovi. Stay behind and clear up these guys for me. Takemand of the others.'''' [Understood] Clenching her staff, the archwizard released a burst of mana, propelling her upward to the very top of the scale, where her enemy surely was. As she punched through the air, the mantle that was made of her trickling mana got wider and longer, parallelling her output. thump! Her hearts throbbed. With a mind clearer than ever, Kierra began to chant. Case 118: In the wake of gods. Case 118: In the wake of gods. Somewhere above the clouds. [...] Atop the scale that dwarfed even the most magnificent mountain, a lone entity sat, gleefully watching over the world with much interest. It was its world to rule. Even though its conception was rather an identa result of chains of unlikely possibilities connecting to one anotherit wasn''t going to let its life remain a coincidence. Born as the universe''s sole divinity, Eon was neither arrogant nor delusional. For it, gaining absolute control over these creatures called ''humans'' was only natural. It was instinct. Instinct existed in every living organism, and most acted ordingly. Yet, humans and some other animals could suppress their instinct for other gains, be it an immediate advantage or a future one. In other words, rationality. Eon couldn''t be called a ''rational'' being. It was crude, narcissistic, frustratingly naive, yet somehow, like a child, bore a strong curiosity. Curious about mankind''s strive for freedom, about mankind''s resilience, their affectionate nature, and their own hypocrisy. Curious about man''s rationality. Eon''s me flickered in the dark, burning the star-filled canvas with its bleach-white color. Even if the darkness of the universe were vast, its me would someday cover every corner of this realm. At that time, an all-powerful ruler would be born, but for now, Eon would have to continue that dream another day. Because the sun had risen again. [So we meet once more, human.] Tall, tall in the tallest sky, there was a colossal, glowing ball of fire. It burned so intensely and shone brighter than anything, reminding one of the almighty sun. Slightly beneath that, a lone woman''s silhouette could be spotted. The distance between the two was significant. However, Eon could still tell her expressiondisgust. Without a change on her face, Kierra pointed her finger downward, triggering the sun''s descent. Once in motion, the sphere of pure energy rolled down an invisible path, gaining momentum as it traveled.

[Cruel Sun10] For the ordinary, the scene must be simr to how an extinction event would look like. Yet when the sky was sted with such heat that the ocean beneath them began to boil, only Eon''s flickering me remained unburdened. Meanwhile, in the Central Divine Realm. ''''Whew...'''' Tapping her fingers against the armrests, August heaved a sigh. It had been a long, long while since she had felt this kind of nervousness. Was it back when Kierra came up to her with empty eyes? August shook off those thoughts. It wasn''t time for reminiscing or revisiting traumas. At this crucial moment, she, along with the women currently in the room, was responsible for preventing the destruction of a world. Everybody was tense. Tense enough that not even a word was uttered, even after a long time. Each clutched their sword of staff; eyes dutifully closed in a brief window of respite, and before long !! A rumble that seemed to shake the entire world''s foundation urred. Furniture fumbled, people''s exmations could be heard, and the worst possibility... had arrived. A brief silence fell amidst the chaos. Perhaps there was a certain expectation of it despite the sheer magnitude. The women, one by one, stood up and steadied themselves, some taking longer to stabilize than the others. They were awaiting the newsing from the frontline. [Green Camp reports; an estimate of thirty thousand enemies spotted. One anomalous entity suspected to be a ''Heavenly Venerate'' is among them. Requesting support.] [ck Camp reports~! Eh... we got a ton of enemies here! But I think we can handle them!] [Red Camp reports; upward of a hundred thousand enemies spotted. Requesting support.] [White Camp reports! The Heavenly Venerate has appeared! Oh, god... it looks like a mythical giant...! Requesting support!] Some gulped, hearing the continuous messages sent through themunication device. ''''Let''s go.'''' August gently cracked her neck. ''''Phoenix. Don''t ever let them through.'''' ''''I know, know.'''' Diamante nonchntly replied. ''''You, too, don''t underestimate their power and let them win.'''' It was decided that in the likely scenario of both Heavenly Venerates appearing at the same time and at different locations, August and Diamante would each lead a part of the crew and confront them, stalling for Kierra''s return. The Sword Empress would have the master-disciple duo of Tian Yun and Yu Chen apanying her, while the phoenix princess would take Mie Xieren, Bai Qing, and Kang Shuren. The remaining member, Yan Shi, was entrusted to Wen Zhuwei, the Heavenly Shura. ''''I''ll go to the north.'''' Diamante sighed. ''''We can probably leave the small fries to the peeps here... and the wizards, I suppose.'''' ''''I agree. We''ll head south, then.'''' ''''...'''' ''''...'''' For a moment, there was something that held them from immediately departing. Although being enemies fighting over a woman, they had spent many years around each other, and that had certainly created a bondhowever twisted that might be. ''''...Really, don''t die.'''' ''''I know. Kierra would be sad.'''' ''''Heh, I guess that''s true.'''' Finally, they took off into the sky, heading in opposite directions. Behind them, there were the reinforcementbatants of the Immortals, with Wen Zhuwei standing ahead of them all. Yan Shi was somewhere among the bulk of people, trying to calm down her nervous heart. Soon after, they would also depart, knowing that it would be the onlyst battle to determine the oue of this whole war. At the same time, somewhere not of this world. ''''M-Master, are you sure this is the correct way...?'''' ''''I d-don''t know...! But we''ll have to trust...'''' ''''Trust who?! We''re alone here!'''' ''''Uuu...'''' Along the path where green mes were devouring nts and lost souls roamed, a lone little girl and her pet fox treaded. The girl had healthy, pinkish-orange hair with a pair of curious orange eyes. If one were of the continent Linoel, they would immediately recognize her simrities to a certain celebrity phoenix who was adored by the Crimson Wizard, Diamante de Soleil. It was a bit of an understatement to call her ''timid,'' but the little fox perching on her shoulder appeared even smaller, seemingly terrified of the littered human bones and skulls across the street. The Underworld. A ce of absolute principles, where not even Kierra was able to bypass the installed rulespletely. It was where the King of Underworld lived, where the dead would be able to find their eternal rest with his aid. A century or so ago, Kierra unexpectedly crossed the border and entered this ce. Startled, the king himself tried to confront this living entity... tried. He was quickly convinced that it wasn''t worth it in the slightest to battle the archwizard. Yet, as Kierra woulde to find out, the Underworld was something different from what she had imagined. Although stillrgely mythical in nature, it was established by somebodysomeone not even the king knewand had served its purpose for millennia. It changed Kierra''s perspective on life and death. She used to think it was ''nature,'' something only the mighty gods would have permission to intervene, but it turned out to bepletely opposite of that. What she learned was that death itself could be treated, and the forces of the Underworld would be the same as the forces of the usual world. And that was why Shen and Lan were hereto gain the support of the Underworld. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!