The Ascension Steps were exactly what Seraphine had described—a test of patience.

They stretched endlessly upward, like staring into the lifetime of a cultivator who’d never glimpse the gates of immortality. The ancient stone pathway to the Chongshan Immortal Palace could only be climbed step by step, with your own two legs. Try any spatial magic shortcuts, and you’d find yourself right back at the bottom faster than you could say “cultivation cheat.”

Since stepping onto the path of cultivation, Seraphine had never once considered giving up. Her mind remained clear and focused, even managing to circulate her spiritual veins and absorb ambient qi while climbing the steps.

As for me? Well, what’s so difficult about mountain climbing for a little system?

I didn’t think about much of anything, really. Just scanned the surrounding environment into my map database and held Seraphine’s hand as we climbed together.

From sunset to dawn, when the golden sun leaped over the nearby mountain peak and bathed both cultivator and system in warm light, the single-minded woman looked down at me as I quietly tilted my spherical head upward.

Seraphine’s lips curved slightly. “We’ve arrived.”

A magnificent mountain gate stood before us, its snow-white doors painted golden by the sunrise. Four characters reading “Chongshan Immortal Palace” sat atop the gate in flowing, elegant script that radiated an aura of supreme authority, perfectly matching the imposing palace beyond.

I was busy updating my map when I heard Seraphine comment, “This calligraphy… it feels different from the previous trials. There’s a certain breadth of spirit and ambition to it.”

Whatever had really happened to the Chongshan Immortal Sovereign’s ascension remained unknown to Seraphine, but having cultivated to such supreme heights, his dao had seeped into every stroke he’d left behind.

The characters on the gate had been written by the Chongshan Immortal Sovereign using his sword as a brush. Just standing before the gate, that casual yet sharp sword intent hit you like a wave, inspiring reverence and making you afraid to look directly at it.

Seraphine broke out in a cold sweat and immediately lowered her gaze as we stepped through the gate.

Beyond lay an incredibly vast platform paved with massive stones, easily capable of accommodating thousands of disciples for morning sword practice. The ground bore only neat, carved patterns—nothing else cluttered the space, allowing an unobstructed view of the great hall that faced the mountain gate.

“I don’t see the protagonist,” I said, puzzled.

Xue Bufan had left earlier than us, but we hadn’t spotted him on either the platform or the Ascension Steps. Maybe he’d encountered some fortuitous opportunity or found a way to skip ahead.

Seraphine frowned and drew her natal weapon.

The fire-red whip flowed with the color of molten lava as it settled beside her skirt. I copied her example, pulling out the sword from my inventory.

One silver, one red. One large, one small. We stood side by side.

Dressed in vermillion robes with golden jade accessories, the beautiful and elegant female cultivator’s expression turned cold and stern. Beside her, the little round ball—that would be me—floated with a “Fighting! You can do it!” speech bubble, my two large eyes staring directly ahead with that unmistakably non-human, lifeless quality. Two thin black lines dangled from my sides like stick arms, one slightly longer than the other, my tiny silver sword gleaming.

I probably looked rather ridiculous and comical.

But when I raised that sword—no bigger than a human fingernail—a bone-chilling sword aura suddenly erupted, awakening the ancient guardian of this realm.

“ROAAAAR!”

The roar echoed from deep within the distant hall, reverberating through the high heavens. Anyone without a firm mental foundation would have their courage shattered by such a thunderous bellow.

Seraphine naturally felt no fear, raising an eyebrow.

As for me—well, could you really expect to read any expression on a cluster of black circles?

My speech bubble showed a match stick figure covering its mouth, with curious question marks floating above.

After the roar, thousands of thunder clouds gathered above the great hall. Purple lightning ran wild, striking down to hit the hall’s peak before purple electricity shot toward us like lightning, landing on the platform and revealing its true form.

Seraphine’s pupils contracted.

Xue Bufan had said the second trial was a thunder beast, but this was clearly no mere thunder beast—it was a Thunder Qilin!

The massive purple divine beast dominated the entire platform, its imposing presence overwhelming. Eyes like torches, scales crackling with electric light that overshadowed the sunlight itself, it breathed clouds and mist while its every breath generated rumbling thunder in our ears.

Throughout the Chongshan Secret Realm, any cultivators still alive could look up and see the immortal palace.

The palace that had been shrouded in clouds and mist yesterday had finally revealed its magnificent exterior. Golden tiles and jade stones gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight, inspiring longing in anyone who saw it, wondering what treasures lay within waiting to be claimed.

Experienced cultivators assumed this was the signal that the palace had opened, and they began converging on it from all directions within the secret realm.

Meanwhile, those who had escaped the illusion trial but been eliminated in the first stage now gathered outside the palace, watching in shock as it became wrapped in thunder clouds and suddenly turned incredibly dangerous.

What terrifying pressure!

Xue Mengtao clasped her hands together, standing behind Siyi and whispering, “I hope Palace Lord is safe and sound. And Young Master Xue too—may everyone return safely.”

Siyi tilted her head with a knowing smile, pulling out a star compass and tossing several jade stones. The nearby Luanyang Palace disciples immediately understood that Elder Siyi was performing divination. While her main cultivation focus was artifact refinement, she had dabbled in many other skills.

“Dabbled” was Elder Siyi’s own modest description.

The jade stones clinked and clattered as they landed on the star compass. Siyi glanced once and looked surprised. She divined for Seraphine twice, and both times the hexagram was too unclear to interpret.

So Siyi cast again, this time asking whether the opportunity could benefit Luanyang Palace. The jade stones bounced around the compass even more chaotically, creating an even more indecipherable pattern than before.

“Could it be that my cultivation is insufficient?” Siyi said with a troubled expression, looking confused.

Fortunately, while the reading was unclear, it seemed much more peaceful than the previous extremely ominous signs. Siyi felt somewhat reassured and put away her star compass and divination tools under the curious gazes of the other disciples.

“Since this opportunity has no connection to us, everyone should disperse. There’s still time before the secret realm closes—continue with your original training plans.”

The Luanyang Palace disciples bowed their heads in acknowledgment and quietly departed. Even Gu Yuqing, who disapproved of Siyi’s decisions, left reluctantly with a resentful expression.

Siyi looked up once more at the dark and ominous palace, smiled briefly, and departed with Xue Mengtao.

The palace loomed directly above the crowd, seemingly close enough to reach with a simple flight. Among the cultivators converging from all directions, those who had been selected explained the situation to their arriving sect-mates, but it couldn’t stop the desperate attempts of those unwilling to give up. They threw themselves at the barrier, only to be blocked by the protective formation and then systematically beaten down by Nascent Soul-level vines that emerged from nowhere.

It began raining human dumplings from the sky.

The dumplings howled miserably as they fell.

After that, no one dared try breaking in again.

The thunderous roaring from above was both mesmerizing and infuriating—like a fragrant meat pie you could see but not taste.

Someone whispered in the shadows, “I heard the Palace Lord of Luanyang Palace was selected… I don’t know about the others, but I noticed the lead disciple of Snowwind Sect is still out here. His cultivation and talent are extremely high—how was he not chosen?”

“Seraphine has perfect fire spiritual roots and Great Perfection Golden Core! No matter how talented the Snowwind Sect disciple is, he’s still two streets behind her! This palace is too picky—it won’t give any of us even the slightest chance!”

Jealousy spread like wildfire, breeding dark thoughts.

That was an ascended immortal’s legacy! Who knew how many heavenly treasures were inside? How could anyone willingly give up?

Around the palace, countless people lay in ambush, waiting for Seraphine or whoever the final beneficiary might be to emerge so they could kill and rob them.

White Water’s sect leader, Bai Fenghui, stood on high ground, observing the treacherous undercurrents below. He looked up at the palace swallowed by thunder clouds, the dense storm clouds seeming to settle in his eyes while the rumbling lightning cast twisted purple shadows across his face.

He too had been among those beaten down by the vines. As one of the highest-cultivation individuals in this group, he hadn’t even gotten a chance to be dragged into the underground palace, let alone face any illusion trials. This filled Bai Fenghui with infinite rage.

After a long moment, he sneered coldly, waved his sleeve, and walked in the opposite direction from the palace.

Above and below, invisible storm clouds surrounded the visible ones.

But even those “fortunate” enough to be pulled into the underground prison and dragged into the illusion trials didn’t know the real reason they’d been directly eliminated from consideration: a system not even half the size of a palm, just small enough to fit in cupped hands, had single-handedly destroyed the first trial with one sword strike.

Without a first trial, how could there be a second?

Whether the original designer of these carefully layered trials had ever considered such a method of breaking them remained unknown. In any case, the culprit system now stood with its host before the Thunder Qilin.

The Thunder Qilin wasn’t a physical entity, merely a spiritual consciousness. But even as just spiritual consciousness, it could change the color of heaven and earth, terrifying the Fire Rock Dragon into clinging tightly to Seraphine’s arm.

The crackling Qilin lowered its head, its gaze moving from Seraphine to the strange little thing beside her.

Those massive golden eyes immediately went cross-eyed.

“I saw it.” The Thunder Qilin spoke without moving its mouth, its thunder-like voice reaching both cultivator and system. “It was this little thing that killed the Mirage and disrupted the master’s arrangement.”

Seraphine’s eyes narrowed as she gripped her natal weapon tighter. She slightly raised her hand, letting her wide sleeve fall to cover the little system floating beside her as if nothing had happened.

“So what if it was?” Seraphine said slowly. Despite her casual tone, her body tensed with alertness, ready for the Thunder Qilin’s sudden attack.

The Thunder Qilin didn’t attack. It slowly moved its massive head, seemingly trying to peer beneath Seraphine’s sleeve at the strange silver thing. Its spiritual consciousness had been dormant so long that its reactions were sluggish. It spoke deliberately: “She was bewitched and betrayed the master. Her death was deserved.”

Bewitched?

Seraphine frowned, wanting to inquire further, but the Thunder Qilin’s next words caught her attention.

“You are the second human to reach the palace,” the Thunder Qilin said.

Tch.

So Xue Bufan had indeed arrived first. Seraphine was quite displeased, flames on her natal weapon leaping higher.

I lifted Seraphine’s sleeve and peeked out, tilting my head back to look at the Qilin.

So big.

The Thunder Qilin looked down at me too. Ultra-large met ultra-small in a staring contest.

“Since you successfully climbed the Ascension Steps, I will open the door to the second trial for you,” the Thunder Qilin announced.

With a rumble, a bolt of lightning emerged from the Thunder Qilin’s body, sketching the shape of a door in front of Seraphine.

Having completed its duty, the massive divine beast continued staring at me and said, “You use a sword.”

I held up my tiny sword.

Look.

Sword.

“The master also used a sword. Since you killed the Mirage, and as fellow spirit beasts, I approve of you,” the Thunder Qilin expressed its appreciation.

Seraphine pressed her lips together, but then I spoke: “I’m not a spirit beast.”

“Not a spirit companion either.”

The Fire Rock Dragon trembling in Seraphine’s sleeve tapped her arm with its tail tip to assert its presence.

It was! It was the spirit companion!

The Thunder Qilin tilted its head, scanning both Seraphine and me with its spiritual power before nodding in understanding. “You didn’t deceive me. There’s no contract between you.”

Seraphine’s heart jumped at the spiritual power sweep—this Qilin’s cultivation was at the Soul Transformation stage, even as just a spiritual consciousness!

No wonder the Chongshan Secret Realm could upgrade to a higher tier. Such a terrifying existence was hidden inside, yet the realm hadn’t collapsed! And this was merely a spiritual consciousness—if the Qilin’s actual body remained in the secret realm, what kind of terrifying existence would that be?

To contract with a legendary divine beast, the Chongshan Immortal Sovereign must have been an extraordinary figure. For such a person to fail his ascension and have his scattered consciousness become Xue Bufan’s master… If this was all arranged to give the protagonist an impressive teacher, then the Chongshan Immortal Sovereign was truly pitiable.

The Thunder Qilin, unaware of Seraphine’s thoughts, exhaled another bolt of lightning because it detected no contract between us.

The lightning wove itself into a tiny door in front of me, just big enough for one sphere to squeeze through. Even the edge crackling with electricity looked adorable and miniature.

“Since you have no contract and are not a human’s spirit beast, you—sphere—can enter the second trial as one who passed the test,” the Thunder Qilin said in a muffled voice.

I showed no reaction. After a pause, Seraphine quickly lifted her sleeve to let me out. I looked up seriously at the Thunder Qilin and said, “I cannot leave Seraphine’s hundred-meter range.”

“Roar?”

The Thunder Qilin pondered seriously, looking like an old, slightly malfunctioning machine with some intelligence still functioning. It processed my words and merged the lightning doors before us into one—though it remained completely unchanged in appearance.

“Then you may enter together, but the challenges inside will become more difficult, harder even than the Mirage you killed,” the Thunder Qilin warned. “If you fear death, you may leave now.”

Seraphine’s expression remained unchanged as she scoffed, “What’s there to fear about death?”

Hearing this, I shot upward with a “whoosh” and covered Seraphine’s mouth with my body. “Host cannot die. I will protect you.”

Gripping my tiny sword, I addressed the Thunder Qilin waiting for us to enter: “It doesn’t matter. Even if it’s you, I can kill you too.”

With that, I flew to Seraphine’s side without the slightest concern for the effort involved, grasped her finger, and pointed my small sword toward the door. My excitement showed in my speech bubble—fighting spirit high!

“Let’s charge!”

“ROAAAAAR!”

In what seemed like a gladiatorial arena, Xue Bufan barely dodged a lightning bolt and spat out blood.

A hoarse voice emerged from the ring he wore, lecturing: “Too slow.”

“Yes, Master,” Xue Bufan replied, taking a deep breath. Gripping his sword in one hand and a talisman in the other, he threw out a protective charm when the next lightning strike came, using the safe interval to circle behind the thunder beast and thrust his sword forward.

The thunder beast let out a pained shriek.

Only then did the voice from the ring sound satisfied: “Good. With your excellent spiritual roots and the cultivation method I taught you, dealing with this thunder beast should be easy. Moreover, it’s merely at the early Foundation Establishment stage. Though it surpasses you in realm, you’re a cultivator who once reached late Foundation Establishment, and with my talismans protecting you, why would you fear it?”

Xue Bufan remained silent, frantically running to avoid the lightning strikes. He hadn’t yet returned to Foundation Establishment and couldn’t fly on his sword, so he could only run around the platform.

The stone bricks of the second trial’s combat space were made of the same material as the underground maze, absorbing the lightning strikes without any visible effect.

Xue Bufan calmly sought opportunities to ambush the thunder beast. Though his master made it sound easy, actually facing a creature a full major realm above him remained extraordinarily terrifying, with several close calls.

The more difficult it became, the more Xue Bufan missed his former cultivation level. Gritting his teeth through the pain of lightning strikes, he charged forward with determination.

In the extreme pain, Xue Bufan’s mind went blank, his consciousness seemingly entering another space. Floating in the void, he murmured to himself: “I clearly have thunder spiritual roots—being attacked by a thunder beast shouldn’t be this painful!”

A moment of sudden enlightenment! Xue Bufan’s eyes snapped open, his palm reaching out not to block the lightning but to absorb it!

This time, instead of resistance, he chose absorption!

The spiritual consciousness in the ring emerged to observe and was shocked. This boy was actually absorbing the thunder beast’s power! And he was succeeding!

What kind of astounding comprehension was this, what exceptional talent!

Perfect thunder spiritual roots!

The spiritual consciousness trembled with excitement as it watched Xue Bufan gradually progress from absorbing bit by bit to consuming great mouthfuls of the thunder beast. The lightning-filled spiritual power entered his spiritual channels, impacting the channel walls and slowly repairing the previously damaged traces.

As his spiritual channels became increasingly smooth, Xue Bufan’s cultivation steadily improved until he crossed that familiar threshold.

Heaven and earth suddenly opened before him.

Without realizing it, Xue Bufan had returned to Foundation Establishment.

The lightning from his breakthrough combined with the thunder beast’s dying unwilling roar—both were devoured by Xue Bufan. Strike after strike fell, and the spiritual consciousness counted twelve in total.

Great Perfection Foundation Establishment!

“Hiss! This child…”

Before the spiritual consciousness could finish speaking, Xue Bufan—whose eyes now blazed with bright light—suddenly knelt before him in excitement: “Thank you for your guidance, Master!”

“……”

After a moment of dead silence, the spiritual consciousness burst into hearty laughter: “Haha! Good child, I knew you could do it!”

The spiritual consciousness spoke with absolute confidence: “The inheritance I left behind will surely be yours!”

Xue Bufan smiled, his heart naturally filled with joy and pride. Returning to Foundation Establishment swept away all the frustration and depression he’d been feeling. He kowtowed to the spiritual consciousness again: “I’ve already broken through the second trial and will immediately proceed to the third. But Master, since the Thunder Qilin was once your contracted spirit beast, won’t you go see it?”

Even as a spiritual consciousness, this was still an incredible existence. Xue Bufan actually wanted to take the Thunder Qilin with him—a Thunder Qilin would be perfectly matched to his thunder spiritual roots. If his master agreed, Xue Bufan wanted to claim the Thunder Qilin for himself.

His master said his physical body had turned to ash under heavenly lightning, but spirit beast contracts were carved into the soul. If his master was willing to release his contract with the Thunder Qilin, he could establish a new contract with it.

The Fire Rock Dragon was also a spirit beast his master had left behind, but unfortunately, the Fire Rock Dragon had chosen Seraphine. The Thunder Qilin was different from the Fire Rock Dragon—with his perfect thunder spiritual roots, the Thunder Qilin should be able to appreciate him… right?

Xue Bufan swallowed nervously, hesitating.

“If the Thunder Qilin’s consciousness came with us, it would be an excellent life-saving measure. I could better collect your remaining consciousness fragments for you, Master,” Xue Bufan suggested.

The incorporeal spiritual consciousness waved dismissively: “Forget it. The Thunder Qilin is proud and arrogant—not something the current you can handle. Your goal for this trip is my inheritance. First obtain the inheritance, then leave the secret realm and cultivate properly. When the realm reopens next time, you can return to claim the Thunder Qilin.”

Xue Bufan felt somewhat confused, but thinking that his master naturally understood his former contracted beast better than he could, he agreed and rose to walk through the woven door.

Just as he stepped through the crackling electric door, a mountain-like shadow fell over him, making his heart race.

It was the Thunder Qilin’s spiritual consciousness.

Strangely, when he’d first climbed the Ascension Steps, the Thunder Qilin had only manifested as a phantom at the palace. Now it was using its full avatar to wait for him. The thoughts his master had discouraged surfaced again.

Could he really not form a contract?

The Thunder Qilin was also examining Xue Bufan.

Its massive head swayed once, causing all the thunder clouds in the sky to sway with it. “You also use a sword?”

“Also?” Xue Bufan keenly caught the key word.

The Thunder Qilin lowered its head again, seeming very interested in Xue Bufan as it studied him. After a long while, it shook its head and made a muffled sound saying “thunder spiritual roots” before its form suddenly dispersed.

“The second trial is complete. You may enter the third trial.”

Xue Bufan immediately smiled, straightening his clothes as he walked toward the third trial. As he walked, he transmitted his thoughts to the spiritual consciousness in the ring: “Master, the third trial is a scholarly examination. You once said that as long as I memorize all the books in the library and answer the questions within the time limit, I can pass the third trial.”

“I just don’t know how many books are inside. Though I’ve read since childhood, I’m not exactly a voracious reader,” Xue Bufan said anxiously.

“What’s there to fear!” the hoarse voice declared. “I’ll naturally help you. I still remember several questions from the third trial’s examination. Once you enter, memorize these questions first, then look at the others.”

Xue Bufan paused, frowning: “But if Master tells me the questions, isn’t that unfair to Palace Lord Velka and Lady Qiu?”

“Haha!” The spiritual consciousness laughed heartily, cursing him for being a fool. “I already scolded you before for being soft-hearted when you told them about the last two trials. How can you still be so tender-hearted now?”

“Where is fairness in this world? Haven’t I taught you to prioritize yourself in everything? Nothing should become an obstacle to you! Even if you could ascend to heaven in one step, that would be your fortune! Your due! Only an idiot wouldn’t take shortcuts when they’re available. Would you rather watch opportunities fall into others’ hands?”

“Once you obtain the inheritance, forget ascending to heaven in one step—even if you ascend in broad daylight, others will only have envy to spare!”

“Think about how you were treated after your spiritual root was crippled. Do you still want to be bullied, mocked, and scorned?”

Thinking of how even his closest relatives had torn away their masks of warmth after his spiritual root was destroyed, Xue Bufan lowered his head, his eyes dimming. He nodded quietly: “Master’s teaching is correct. I was narrow-minded.”

The spiritual consciousness smiled with satisfaction: “Good that you understand. Rest assured, this inheritance will definitely be yours! That woman who broke off your engagement has a fierce thunder beast to battle—she’ll have to fight hard. You’ve entered the third trial ahead of her, and with my assistance, you’ll definitely pass the final test before she does!”

“Good, thank you Master!” Xue Bufan replied.

In another dimensional space, an intense battle was indeed taking place.

But this battle was extremely one-sided.

Before stepping onto the Ascension Steps, Seraphine had bathed in a spiritual pool. The bath was prepared with spiritual materials to nourish her spiritual channels, and she’d also consumed many healing medicines. Though the injuries from the Mirage’s self-destruction weren’t completely healed, they didn’t interfere with her abilities.

Beyond that, she’d changed into new robes, defensive gear, and accessories, ready for battle with the thunder beast.

But what was the current situation?

Seraphine stood with a wooden expression, gripping her natal weapon inside her Brahma Bell.

Outside the Brahma Bell was another layer of pale silver protective barrier shielding both bell and person.

Beyond the two layers of protection, lightning flashed and thunder roared with tremendous commotion as a massive Nascent Soul-stage thunder beast battled furiously with a silver sphere smaller than its fingernail.

She had been wrong.

Seraphine pressed her lips together in contemplation. She’d underestimated me, thinking too simply of the words “strong,” “excellent,” and “high-level” I’d used. She shouldn’t have tried to define Echo's cultivation as above Golden Core. Looking at this scene, Echo was at least at early Nascent Soul!

“BOOM!”

The thunderous roar continued ahead. Seraphine’s fingers curled: No, perhaps Echo’s cultivation couldn’t be defined by conventional terms at all.

Her expression grew even more wooden.

“Bang!”

“Boom!”

Ahead, the little system floating in the air wielded its tiny sword, releasing a sword aura strike.

Ten thousand frost patterns arose, heaven and earth filled with flying ice and snow. Even the formless lightning froze solid, and the thunder beast was chased around, roaring in terror.

“Exchange for Crimson Moon Spiritual Seal?” I asked myself.

“Exchange.” I confirmed.

A “-3,000,000” points deduction appeared above my head, and the next instant, a blood-red seal platform flew from my body, splitting into two, then four, then eight, flying to the corners to form an inescapable prison around the thunder beast.

Within the confined space, a waning crescent moon rose—blood-red and deep, bathing the entire area in crimson light.

The moonlight was sharp as blades, slicing into the thunder beast piece by piece. The beast panicked, its mindless phantom nearly developing intelligence from the beating.

I browsed through the shop, asking: “Exchange for Sky-Shattering Thunder?”

“Yes.”

Points: -200,000.

The red space suddenly erupted with earth-shaking noise, trembling the ground and causing the thunder clouds wrapping the palace to quiver. The cultivators who had been observing the palace heard the intense roaring from within the clouds—sounds that could split souls—and fled in terror.

Seraphine sighed and lowered her head, even feeling a rare pang of sympathy. She couldn’t help but stroke the trembling dragon beside her. The spiritual creature had buried its head in its body, tying itself into a knot.

Five more “-200,000” point deductions appeared above my head, so the thunderous roaring continued. The thunder beast was simultaneously sliced by moonlight and blasted by Sky-Shattering Thunder, its lightning-formed phantom being literally dazzled and exploded into smoke.

Then it disintegrated completely.

Job completed. I lowered my small sword, the sweating figure in my speech bubble raising a match stick to wipe sweat before exhaling.

“Phew.”

Mission accomplished.

The task [Protect Seraphine, defeat thunder beast to pass second trial] grayed out on my floating panel. I contentedly stored the Crimson Moon Spiritual Seal and opened my work log while floating toward Seraphine.

As I floated, I wrote in my work log: “Worked hard to select the most cost-effective items from a dizzying array of options. Though I only spent a few points, I demonstrated the system’s excellent work capabilities to the host. This is what humans call ‘spending small money to accomplish big things.’”

The writing system’s head sprouted little flowers, then “smack”—I crashed into the protective barrier, my speech bubble knocked clean off and flowers scattered on my head.

I froze.

Oh right, I forgot about that.

I quickly dismissed the barrier and greeted my host: “Sky-Shattering Thunder and the protective barrier are quite useful, but they’re single-use items. For sustainable development, I should probably stock up on some reusable equipment.”

Seraphine leaned back: “Oh…”

The Fire Rock Dragon, who had initially wanted to fight alongside us, coiled around Seraphine’s leg and suddenly made a “whimpering” sound when it looked at me.

Both human and system instinctively looked at the dragon.

Why was it cowering?

Fire Rock Dragon: Wuu…

Seeing the dragon’s fearful expression, Seraphine took a breath to collect herself and asked me: “Just what level has your cultivation reached?”

Using the mission world’s calculation system?

I pulled up my point balance, referenced the conversion rules between points and cultivation levels in the mission world, calculated quickly, and immediately replied: “If the host has expectations for me, then however strong you need me to be is how strong I can be.”

Seraphine paused, then slowly closed her eyes.

In that moment, she thought of all the treasures Echo’d mentioned before—each one capable of causing bloodshed throughout the cultivation world. But if Echo wanted to, she could produce any of them in minutes.

Seraphine’s chest rose and fell as she exhaled slowly: “So if I wanted something, you could give me anything?”

The path to breaking free from the story’s constraints and rapidly achieving immortality lay right before her.

Flowers bloomed above my head as I said: “Yes, I’ll give you everything.”

“But those are all your points.” Seraphine said softly. Echo’d existed longer than she’d imagined, and those points were accumulated bit by bit through countless missions.

I was puzzled by Seraphine’s hesitation. Storing my small sword, I floated to her palm and touched the ring on her left ring finger.

“It doesn’t matter. You can make any request of me, because long before I started giving to you, you had already given me so much.” I paused, studying her face. “So whatever Seraphine wants, I’ll give.”