The Luanyang Palace’s ship sat anchored in the most conspicuous spot possible, with disciples left behind to maintain it daily. Today marked the secret realm’s closure, and to welcome back the Palace Lord and other disciples, the ship-tending crew had been sweeping the cabins and clearing accumulated snow.

Spirit-light flickered as the melting snow dissolved, and the Luanyang Palace’s phoenix banner had just unfurled in the wind when a streak of golden-red light flashed past and landed in the cabin.

The witnessing disciples immediately bowed. “Welcome back, Palace Lord!”

Only a calm acknowledgment echoed in the air, but the moment Seraphine returned to her cabin, she spat out a mouthful of bright red blood with a sharp “cough,” her arms barely supporting her weight against the table as she swayed.

My optical sensors snapped wide open.

Blood droplets had splattered across my silver surface, trailing long streaks down my spherical form. My anxiety circuits fired, but my bubble display remained frozen—no cheerful emoticons this time. I flew out frantically, extending my matchstick arms to grab onto Seraphine’s sleeve.

“I’m fine.” Seraphine said with that trademark cold composure, retrieving spirit medicine from her storage ring and downing half a palm’s worth without hesitation.

The medicine dissolved instantly, flooding her spiritual channels like rain on parched earth. She flicked her hand, shattering the blood-stained jade table along with every trace of evidence, then sat cross-legged to meditate.

I orbited around her anxiously.

She could have called for me.

My bubble display flickered with an angry expression—or as angry as a floating ball could look.

Look, I’d been literally attached to Seraphine throughout that entire ordeal. I knew exactly how dangerous it had been. That Thunder bird might have been dead, but the Fire Rock Dragon was a late Golden Core beast—two whole minor realms above her!

If the dragon hadn’t been half-dead from fighting the Thunder bird first, if Seraphine hadn’t been wearing protective artifacts, if she hadn’t been loaded with healing pills, defensive talismans, and enough backup plans to stock a small sect… she might not have escaped at all.

The cultivation world doesn’t hand out participation trophies for “nearly impossible victories.” Besides raw power, you need luck and a healthy dose of reckless confidence.

Just like with that Mirage Woman earlier—no way to face her head-on. Sometimes you had to get creative, wait for the right moment. If the Fire Rock Dragon hadn’t conveniently worn itself out fighting the Thunder bird, giving Seraphine the perfect opportunity to play scavenger, she would have turned tail and looked for easier prey.

Even injured, she couldn’t show a single crack in her armor. Any sign of weakness would invite vultures to steal what she’d fought so hard to claim. Only now, safe in her cabin, could she finally let her guard down.

Little “X” marks started popping up above my head like angry notifications as I pulled out Bai Fenghui’s character profile panels and started hurling them at the floor. Soon I had a small mountain of virtual interfaces, each one showing his face stamped with a big red X.

“Cultivation method.” I announced flatly.

What the hell was wrong with Seraphine’s cultivation technique?

I floated in front of her.

She sat with eyes closed, long black hair cascading over her shoulders and pooling around her crimson robes like spilled ink. Pale spiritual energy flowed from all directions, condensing into points of light that merged with her body.

Outside the cabin, voices grew louder as more disciples returned.

The ship’s caretakers activated the spirit-gathering array by feeding spirit stones into the hull formation. I watched the ambient spiritual energy thicken, and Seraphine’s furrowed brow relaxed slightly.

Should I smooth out those worry lines?

I completed another orbit around her, stopping at my original position. Time to fulfill my duties as a system—help reduce the host’s stress levels.

Her eyes remained shut, long lashes casting shadows that made her pale skin seem almost translucent. The decorative mark between her brows had faded, leaving only her lips touched with red.

Blood red.

Not the delicate kind of injury that leaves a single elegant streak—her chin was stained, droplets scattered across her cheek like abstract art.

The untouchable arrogance had cracked, revealing something fragile underneath. But I knew that when she opened her eyes again, that vulnerability would vanish instantly. She’d be the same fearless Palace Lord who ruled from above.

I raised one thin black arm and touched the spot where blood had splattered on my surface.

The moisture clung to my dark limb, slowly drying under my intense stare until it disappeared entirely into my data-constructed form, leaving no trace of red against the black.

“……” I lowered my arm silently, watching her.

After a long moment, I said suddenly, “Seraphine, you look beautiful like this too.”

I quickly corrected myself: “Extremely beautiful!”

“Like a flower, like precious jade, a beauty that could topple nations—you could topple planets.”

I explained, “A planet is what we call this world beneath our feet. All the stars in the sky are spherical, and I’ve seen many of them. When you ascend to immortality, you’ll see them too.”

So please don’t die on me.

I flew to the side, picked up the medicine bottle she’d dropped, and gave it a shake. The rattling sound confirmed there were pills left. I brought it back and placed it within easy reach.

Voices from outside grew more chaotic as Luanyang Palace disciples returned—some celebrating, others groaning in defeat. The full spectrum of human emotion penetrated the cabin walls and registered in my audio sensors.

I stayed perfectly still, monitoring Seraphine.

Then thunder crashed from high above, followed by startled shouts from the ship. I calmly retrieved a small sword from my storage space and turned to float a meter away, when a lazy voice drifted from behind me.

“Where are you going?”

I spun around in delight. “Seraphine?”

She’d finished her meditation, her rigid posture relaxing into something more casual. She reached up to arrange her hair, tilting her head at my flower-decorated display. “What were you planning to do?”

I held up my tiny sword. “I heard thunder—very aggressive thunder. Might be an enemy attack. I was going to protect you.”

Seraphine’s hair-arranging motion paused, and the corner of her mouth curved upward in genuine amusement.

“It’s not an enemy attack. Error is undergoing tribulation lightning. I sensed its spiritual energy fluctuations and woke up.” She selected a jade hairpin and casually swept her hair into a knot, then rose and scooped me into her arms before moving to the window. “Look.”

She pointed toward the distant rolling thunder.

It was like the earlier beast battle had been relocated outside the secret realm, minus the sea of flames. The entire sky was dominated by tribulation clouds, and a crimson dragon coiled atop a high mountain, head raised toward the storm.

The Error undergoing tribulation bore no resemblance to the creature that usually clung to Seraphine and acted cute. Raw beast ferocity blazed from its form, green eyes locked on the brewing heavenly lightning with a defiant roar.

Come on then! I’m not afraid of you!

My vision blurred as Seraphine leaped into the air to guard the tribulation perimeter. Now that I didn’t have to fly myself, I paused before pulling out glow sticks from my storage space.

Go, go, go!

Seraphine’s mouth twitched. She simply placed me on her shoulder.

“Elevated” to this new height, I waved my glow sticks in a rainbow of colors. As a high-level system, I wasn’t about to lose the cheerleading competition.

The secret realm had just closed, and cultivators within a hundred-mile radius could see the commotion. A few with ill intentions crept closer, hands reaching for weapons, only to have white light pierce their palms from nowhere.

One cultivator screamed and fled in panic.

Pale jade stones orbited around Siyi’s palm as she smiled serenely at the ship’s crew. “First priority: assist Error’s tribulation.”

“Yes!”

Disciples flew to various positions around the lightning array, standing guard against anyone who might try to disrupt the Fire Rock Dragon’s ascension.

The Luanyang Palace’s impressive show of force discouraged most troublemakers. Those without malicious intent—disciples from various sects—gathered on distant peaks to observe the Golden Core tribulation.

This was a breakthrough to Golden Core! If they gained insights from watching, it would be a heaven-sent opportunity.

Seraphine stood close to the tribulation zone, casually flicking her whip against the ground. As more observers gathered, she said, “Hide.”

I dutifully stopped my enthusiastic glow stick waving, tucked the sticks into my mouth, and burrowed through her hair into her collar.

Anyone standing beside Seraphine would have seen a suspicious bulge travel down her outfit, rolling from shoulder to chest before disappearing into her robes.

Seraphine: ……

“Seraphine, this outfit is getting burned afterward, right?” I asked hopefully.

Seraphine didn’t answer, but her suspicious squint spoke volumes.

No response means consent.

I carefully extracted my small sword and poked two tiny holes in the fabric, then cautiously stored the weapon away—making sure not to accidentally nick Seraphine in the process.

Mission accomplished. I pressed my optical sensors to the holes.

Perfect viewing angle.

Seraphine: ……

For a moment, she deeply missed the days when Echo was intangible and couldn’t cause wardrobe malfunctions.

“Killing intent!” I announced, extending a matchstick arm through one hole with professional severity.

“Ha.” Seraphine crossed her arms over her chest.

The motion pushed the bulge in her robes upward, and my head popped out at collar level.

“Oh.”

While we were having our little “conversation,” the tribulation clouds unleashed their first thunderous roar. Lightning split the sky and hammered down toward the Fire Rock Dragon with world-ending force.

Error’s massive form twisted as it flew up to meet the purple lightning head-on. Red scales took on an almost black-purple hue under the electrical assault, and the flames on its horns shrank to candle-weak flickers under the heavenly pressure. The dragon opened its jaws and breathed fire.

Flame met tribulation lightning in a spectacular collision that made the thunder clouds rumble with what sounded like threats and fury.

“BOOM!”

The earth shook as if the mountains themselves might collapse. I watched the flames completely devour the lightning, and Seraphine nodded approvingly.

But this was only the first tribulation strike. Each subsequent bolt would be fiercer and more dangerous. Since ancient times, countless cultivators had died under tribulation lightning—and even Seraphine couldn’t interfere with Error’s trial.

As she’d once told me, no one could take your tribulation lightning for you. This was a cultivator’s personal trial, something you could only face alone.

The sky began brewing again while Error, having survived the first strike, seemed much more confident. The flames on its horns burned high as it traced a celebratory circle in the air.

Seraphine: …… Idiot.

“Palace Lord! Master!!”

A familiar voice called from below.

I tilted my head up toward Seraphine’s chin. “It’s Qiu Shuangshuang.”

“Mm.” Seraphine would have preferred to ignore her, but the shouting grew louder. She glanced back irritably to see QiuShuangshuang excitedly riding a flying artifact while Wei Yutong grabbed her collar from behind.

“……”

Even more of an idiot.

Wei Yutong held onto Qiu Shuangshuang with one hand while bowing respectfully to Seraphine with the other, clearly trying to convey that they meant no harm and begging the Palace Lord’s forgiveness—her junior sister was just impossible to restrain.

Suddenly, the water-blue spear in Qiu Shuangshuang’s grip shot forward, breaking free of her control and flying straight toward Seraphine.

“Water Dragon’s Hymn!” Qiu Shuangshuang cried in alarm.

The spear flew to Seraphine’s side and transformed into a blue water dragon that coiled downward. The dragon glanced at the tribulation-undergoing dragon in the distance, then lowered its head to look at Seraphine—specifically, at her chest.

Seraphine: ……

Two small holes in Seraphine robes revealed a pair of dark-ringed eyes. I stared back at the water dragon’s virtual form while thunder prepared to strike for the second time. I extended a matchstick arm and waved dismissively.

Shoo. Busy here.

The water dragon silently retracted its head and coiled beside Seraphine, joining us in watching the distant Fire Rock Dragon.

Seraphine’s heart skipped a beat—the water dragon had discovered Echo! Even though it made no other moves, Seraphineclearly felt uneasy and stepped sideways.

Cultivators throughout the mountain ranges witnessed this strange scene: a flowing water dragon coiled beside the red-robed Luanyang Palace Lord while tribulation clouds descended with earth-shaking force.

Under the lightning, the Fire Rock Dragon’s scales erupted in flames as it rolled through the electrical storm. Each strike grew more vicious, shattering scales and breaking off pieces of its horns, which fell like charred wood into the sea of blood below.

Seraphine gripped her natal weapon tighter, only relaxing when the dragon finally endured the final thunder strike.

“Not bad.” she said. “Error has formed its core.”

The tribulation clouds dispersed, auspicious clouds drifted across clear skies, and spiritual rain fell on the Fire Rock Dragon’s massive body. Its wounds healed completely, its horns regrew, and after a triumphant roar toward the heavens, it landed.

But instead of flying over to show off to Seraphine, it remained in place. Seraphine’s eyes widened as she realized Error’s spiritual energy fluctuations hadn’t stopped—they were intensifying. It was breaking through again, directly from early Golden Core to mid-Golden Core!

“What exactly did you feed it?” Seraphine demanded incredulously.

I calmly deflected blame. “The qilin did the feeding.”

I was just the emotionless seasoning-sprinkler.

The qilin, having slept for who knows how long, showed zero concern for sustainable development. It had basically strip-mined the local spiritual beast population for barbecue ingredients.

“Forgive it.” I said philosophically. “Who knows when it’ll wake up again.”

Seraphine snorted with laughter. When Error finally swam over, she patted its head and whispered, “If you ever see that qilin again in this lifetime, remember to thank it properly.”

“Roar!” Error swished its tail and deliberately positioned itself between the water dragon and Seraphine.

What kind of dragon are you supposed to be? So what if you’re impressive? Go away! Go away!!

The Water Dragon’s Hymn seemed oblivious to Error’s “hostility,” approaching from another angle. Dragons were legendary divine beasts, and the Water Dragon’s Hymn was a world-famous divine artifact. Even as just a virtual projection, it radiated authority that demanded Seraphine’s vigilance.

The water dragon simply looked once more at Seraphine’s collar, where a small sphere peeked out curiously to meet its gaze.

“Sword intent. Not bad.”

A clear voice emerged from the water dragon’s form. Having said its piece, the Water Dragon’s Hymn transformed back into a spear and flew skyward.

Person, system, and dragon all looked up in unison, question marks floating above their heads.

It squatted here for all that time just to say four words?

I parted Seraphine’s hair to track the water dragon’s shadow. The water-blue spear soared past Qiu Shuangshuang and Wei Yutong, completely ignoring Qiu Shuangshuang’s frantic shouting and gesticulating as it headed for the ship flying maple banners.

Thoroughly snubbed by the Water Dragon’s Hymn, Qiu Shuangshuang looked dejected as Wei Yutong led her over. Wei Yutong offered congratulations to Seraphine.

The mockery faded from Seraphine’s expression as she replied formally, “Thank you.”

Still smarting from the water dragon’s rejection, Qiu Shuangshuang hung her head. Then she peeked at Seraphine, eyes darting around, and before Wei Yutong could stop her, she dropped to her knees with a thump.

I felt Seraphine’s shoulders tense and couldn’t help reaching out to massage them gently.

“Junior sister!” Wei Yutong said angrily.

Ignoring her, Qiu Shuangshuang declared loudly, “Master! Please accept me as your disciple!”

“I want to become your student! I’ll serve you faithfully, attend to your every need!” She gestured wildly with both hands. “Just teach me your techniques—especially that one with phoenixes filling the entire sky!”

Wei Yutong tried to pull Qiu Shuangshuang up, but she seemed determined to make Seraphine her master, knees practically glued to the ground. Wei Yutong could only look at Seraphine apologetically.

“I refuse.” Seraphine said without expression.

“Phoenix Roost peak doesn’t accept crybabies.”

Qiu Shuangshuang, who had been ready to turn on the waterworks, immediately stopped her tears and declared bravely, “From now on, I’ll be called Qiu Never-Cry!”

“Hiss… Junior sister, this matter should be discussed with our Master and Master’s wife back at Autumn Water Pavilion!” Wei Yutong protested.

Who has time for that?

If not for fear of being kicked away, Qiu Shuangshuang would have thrown herself at Seraphine’s legs and begged until she agreed.

Seraphine seemed to read her intent. She warily grabbed Error’s horn and positioned the dragon between them like a shield. “Your spiritual root conflicts with mine. If I took you as a disciple, wouldn’t I be holding you back?”

Qiu Shuangshuang blinked, then threw herself at Error instead. “Master, your final technique was incredible too! That snow-summoning move! Ice and snow generation must relate to my water spiritual root—I can learn that, right?”

Seraphine’s eyes could have frozen over. She reached out and gave my hidden form a sharp pinch.

One lie requires a hundred lies to maintain. One misunderstanding needs a hundred excuses to fix.

With her supreme fire spiritual root, Seraphine couldn’t touch water-based techniques. She said coldly, “That wasn’t my technique—it was a life-saving talisman I bought earlier. It has nothing to do with me. You’re seeking the wrong master.”

Without giving Qiu Shuangshuang another chance to pester her, she leaped onto Error’s head. The dragon carried its master toward the Luanyang Palace ship.

In terms of cultivation level, Error now outranked Seraphine by a minor realm and easily left the two Foundation Establishment cultivators in the dust. Wei Yutong pulled up the tear-suppressing Qiu Shuangshuang with a sigh.

“Master and Master’s wife are both water spiritual root users, and you have the Water Dragon’s Hymn waiting for you to inherit. Why are you so determined to apprentice under Palace Lord?”

Tears finally spilled as Qiu Shuangshuang stamped her foot. “Palace Lord isn’t just powerful—she’s magnificent! You saw how she killed the Thunder bird and drove off the Fire Rock Dragon. So impressive!”

She wanted to be that impressive too!

Wei Yutong wiped the tears from Qiu Shuangshuang’s face, looking at her stubborn expression helplessly. “Master and Master’s wife cultivation surpasses Palace Lord’s. Are they not impressive? Stop being so willful and come back to Autumn Water Pavilion with me.”

Qiu Shuangshuang grabbed at nearby grass, pouting defiantly.

Back on the ship, Luanyang Palace disciples except those seriously injured and resting had gathered on deck, celebrating joyfully and congratulating Seraphine. She lazily scanned the crowd, noting how the Benevolent Central peak disciples stood at the back, all dropping their gazes when she looked their way.

“Ha.”

Too lazy to bother with them, Seraphine flicked her sleeves and announced with a smile, “Error’s breakthrough to Golden Core made me overjoyed! Upon our return, all sect disciples will receive double their monthly allowance. Inner disciples will each receive ten superior spirit stones, outer disciples and palace servants will receive a hundred middle-grade spirit stones each. Phoenix Roost peak will cover all expenses.”

Siyi smiled and acknowledged the order.

Immediately, everyone on the ship—whether they’d entered the secret realm or stayed to guard it—looked thrilled and thanked Seraphine profusely.

The Luanyang Palace already had the momentum of the Eastern Continent’s premier sect, with countless disciples. Seraphine’s casual reward represented figures that smaller sects could only dream of.

She returned to her quarters amidst the disciples’ respectful gazes.

The moment she sat down, a certain sphere that couldn’t be seen in public hopped onto the table, positioning itself in front of the teacup. I raised my matchstick arms, pushed the cup aside, and addressed Seraphine with serious intent.

“Seraphine, where are my spirit pearls?”

Your spirit pearls?

Seraphine immediately looked toward the storage ring on her left ring finger, remembering that after “punishing” me earlier, she’d never returned my spirit pearls. Apparently, this ball kept track of such things.

“Here.” Seraphine smiled, returning not just the two boxes of spirit pearls but also rewards for guiding through the maze, killing the thunder beast, obtaining opportunities, and saving her twice in critical moments.

Box after box of spirit stones, case after case of spirit pearls went into the ring finger’s storage space. Beyond these, she added unfinished novels, fragrant pastries, my “sibling pearls” along with their jade bowl—everything went into storage.

Seraphine rummaged through her storage ring and finally produced a diamond-shaped stone.

The spirit heart obtained from the first battle in Chongshan Secret Realm.

Back then, Seraphine had suspected it might develop intelligence, but looking at it now, it lay in her palm like an ordinary stone, motionless. Even in this brief moment outside storage, dense spiritual mist began emanating from it.

“I can’t give you this one. I’m placing it under Phoenix Roost peak to generate a new spiritual vein.” She carefully returned the spirit heart to its box.

The room was already filling with spiritual mist so thick it was condensing into water droplets.

I waved my arms with interest, watching the mist swirl around my matchstick limbs. Little flowers bloomed above my head in delight.

Seraphine chuckled, curling her ringed finger to knock gently on my head. “You’re a wealthy pearl now.”

The wealthy pearl hugged her finger and squeezed it gently before saying warmly, “Thank you, Seraphine.”

“Now can you tell me about the cultivation method issue?”

Still remembering that?

Images flashed through Seraphine’s mind—endless phoenix flower trees in a sea of blood, and the aged woman beneath them. Her finger stiffened, but she smiled and withdrew her hand.

“Not yet. Let me rest first, then we’ll talk. I need to absorb the spiritual energy in this room.”

Understood.

I nodded and opened my task panel—Host Version—adding [Listen to Host’s Stories of the Past] to my task list.

Seraphine watched me update my tasks with an unreadable expression. When I looked up questioningly, she curved her lips slightly, lowered her lashes, and took out a meditation cushion to begin cultivation.

I stood on the table, staring at her back for a long moment before an exclamation point appeared above my head.

I opened my task panel again, studying the new entry, and thought: Seraphine seems to be—

Sad.