The morning air hummed with the promise of adventure as I readied myself to step beyond the city walls. Xiao Ning'er would be my companion ~ though she longed to fight at my side, I had made her a promise: any foe beneath her realm would be hers to face.
But for stronger enemies, for slipping past unseen, for swift retreats when necessary or for moments when I simply didn't want her exposed ~ she would wait safely within my world, yeah a pocket dimension within I had crafted precisely for such occasions.
She knew about the small world's existence, but not its true scope. Better that way, for now. Inside, I'd constructed a modest house within, a week's effort. Surrounded by exotic plants ~ beautiful but harmless, unlike the treasures that would literally explode lesser cultivators who dared consume them.
Well you see the flora and fauna in presence of heavenly energy undergo there own transformation. Their essence is stronger. They are more powerful than the most powerful drug in mortal world outside. The place where the previous soul was present is like a dimension made for the sole purpose of restraining and draining his power. So an absolute power connected to the owner of the ring is there forming a boundary.
Powerful arrays ringed the ten-kilometer boundary, keeping out the possibly deity-level beasts that prowled beyond. They are sentient and intelligent demon beasts, yet they live inside someone else storage ring, maybe this is a rich person joke or something from previous owner.
After merging with the void phantom's power, I took her in and slipped past the city walls undetected.
One hundred kilometers out, I released Xiao Ning. Her excitement was infectious ~ this was her first time venturing so far from home. My destination: Tian Yuan Plateau, though the plan brewing in my mind carried risks.
If I bring Yu Yan out, the plateau will collapse when those two legendary beasts beneath the cliff awaken. But my flawless inscription can mimic her presence for over two months. I don't plan to send her into my ring world. The real question is ~ how do I convince the plateau's people to follow me without protagonist aura? And that demon beast horde attacking Glory City in a week...
Wait. I was overthinking this. Power solved most problems, and I had plenty now. Nie Li had killed two of these beasts at Black Gold rank using law energy and Yu Yan's help. I could do the same. Why fear, in worst case phenomenon use creation energy in part of the attack. It will be soon over.
The journey wasn't however where we gone first. Given our speed there were plenty of time to spare. Ning spared with two gold rank beasts with her cultivation. Well cooking technique from LoHP and the items bought from the markets granted wondrous meals often. In the first few days it was mainly of Silver Gorillas. Who would eat them? We had to adjust with foods I brought. Well I just wanted to have a wild life cooking experience. It happened as we entered forest region far from the snow lands near glory city.
Besides eating demon beast in their own natural habitat is a flex right? Here humans are hunted and live in fear, yeah I am doing this for human race.
At Heavenly Fate Plateau, I shifted to female form while Xiao Ning'er applied cloud mud and illusion inscriptions to her clothes. Well as expected it was a manly poker face and not quite fitting her rest. In the end, I took over, reshaping her features with practiced hands… until, unconsciously, they began to resemble hers.
That girl. The one I'd foolishly adored in my past life when I was quite young, the one who'd mocked me and took my money as a trophy before walking away. A bitter taste rose in my throat.
Having library of heavens means you would remember every single instance of memory and add to that gnawing tendency of demanding correction to reach whatever you had in subconscious mind . Fine. Play the part now. But one day, when I return as a god, I'll rewrite your past just for my amusement. For now, this petty revenge would have to suffice.
Privacy from Nie Li was essential ~ our actions here needed to remain hidden if he were to come here in the meantime or the ones here go back.
Ning'er had been acting strange lately. Maybe she has seen my face looking at her in a weird way earlier. Every request I made, she treated like an order. The dynamic between us had shifted from companions to something resembling master and subordinate. I'd have to fix that later. Well I also wished that earlier upon seeing the face of her, but now I just think I am being silly. This girl worked as if she read my mind.
Our arrival among the plateau's people went smoothly. We brought rice and clothing materials, explained Glory City's location, showed them safe routes. No dramatic displays ~ simply dropping from the sky with legendary rank aura was enough to confirm their suspicions about our power.
"A demon beast horde will attack in the coming days," I warned them. "But you'll have two months to reach Glory City safely. The people there would dealt with them by then.
Moving away from the settlement, in a secluded zone I wanted to have a small cultivation session for any advantage in upcoming battle situations. I arranged soul spirit herbs and starfall fruit essence, diluted a thousand times from my ring's stores. Ning'er diluted it further ~ tenfold ~ before we both consumed the mixture.
My arrays drew in spiritual energy, enhancing our soul forces. Through half a day's cultivation, Xiao Ning'er advanced to Black Gold Rank 4, while I jumped from Legend Rank 2 to Legend Rank 4.
The robbers chose poorly, attacking during our vulnerable breakthrough moments. I'd sensed them coming ~ when their weapons struck me, I didn't budge. Their leader died quickly. The rest fled. I don't even know what goes on in their mind. Does my face being younger subconsciously lower their guards thinking it is some fake legendary rank?
I inscribed defensive formations around Ning'er before departing alone. My legend rank allowed flight, and the immunity herb I'd consumed earlier made me impervious to poisons. Perfect conditions for exploring Black Spring. Well should I not have consumed them? I mean I have adaptation. I never really tried to poison myself. Maybe sometime later.
Flying down the cliff, I reached the platform exactly as memory dictated. The runes covering the entrance were complex ~ offensive and defensive combinations that demanded caution. I used Law of Heavenly Path to safely decipher them.
Inside, I claimed the legendary rank wind spirit armor from a spatial ring. But when I attempted to crack the black spring's runes, sudden bright light and fire erupted. The goddess's soul materialized.
"Your identity?" she asked, though her expression suggested she already knew.
"I can sense law energy coursing through you young girl" Yu Yan continued after I'd introduced myself. "But spiritual gods are different ~ demigod experts who've merged with law. Their physical bodies become law itself. Other demigods master law, but true power requires merging with it. The process changes a person fundamentally. Emotions fade. They become pure rational creatures ~ indestructible and immortal."
I shared my discovery about this world's runic nature of laws, mentioning the possibility of helping her. "There's also Nie Li ~ a reincarnated expert among humans, currently helping us fight demon beasts."
I deliberately sold Nie Li out. She was beginning to classify me as some arrangement by the space-time spiritual god, and I wanted no part of being labeled destiny's chosen savior.
After promising to arrange a meeting with him, I entered Black Spring. The laws recognized my understanding, helping me cultivate to Legend Rank 5. The sacred vine in my soul realm expanded, forming branches that connected to newly discovered laws ~ metal, lightning, snow, wind ~ through inscription recombination.
I was now a demigod expert. At Legend Rank 5 peak, I'd reach this world's pinnacle.
"Since you're the spiritual goddess of humans and willing to share this treasure for law cultivation, I'll help you," I told Yu Yan.
My real incentive was examining whether her body differed from those spiritual humans in the ring's memories. She'd been sent here as a baby ~ what changes might my adaptive body undergo by gathering her genetic information? It is possibly my first time using that aspect of physical ability I requested as my wishes.
I thought she would try to stop me, but she didn't. Maybe my mastery of more laws convinced her, or that I am in a female form. My flawless runes accelerated her divine spark in body's reconstruction. She regained physical form efficiently while enough fire law remained in black spring for her to cultivate to legend rank peak, which she did over half a day. I supplemented her recovery with soul spirit herb elixir.
Meanwhile, my adaptable body underwent changes after collecting her physique information. New meridian structures formed in my female body in tune with her, condensing into bead-shaped items that gathered life force. They glowed with accumulated energy, more connected to the astral body and soul force.
If I hadn't got an adaptable body God knows how the internals will shift when I return to my usual self. This life force pools is also a backup system ~ even if my body collapsed and cultivation vanished, it would slowly regenerate using available life energy connected to the soul.
I shared her memories through a small illusion manipulation, revealing her origins and the possibility of higher-level worlds like Draconic Ruins Land.
"Since demon beast spiritual gods are your real enemies, moving freely isn't wise," I advised. "Those pinnacle legend rank beasts below the cliff are likely lackeys of the real boss. They won't be an issue. Until you reach your pinnacle power in the heavenly fate realm, stay close to my body. I can shield you with darkness runes."
I assured her no law power fluctuations came from those cliff beasts during my entry ~ they were merely legendary rank.
My perfect runes and higher cultivation rank let me mobilize law power to a high degree constantly. She didn't need to stay pressed against me ~ flying nearby worked fine, especially with my shield active. The darkness runes were just insurance.
We flew outside and descended near the cliff. Feeling our deliberate fluctuations, the two legend rank beasts stirred.
I immediately flew and guided them away from Tian Yuan Plateau, using a technique ~ the people there would die in our fight. After five minutes of flight, we reached grassland near forest edges, 150 kilometers from the plateau.
"Why stop running, human?" one beast snarled. "Yu Yan, your divine body isn't supposed to gather this quickly. Instead of hiding and integrating your divine spark, you came to fight us directly. Haha...What recklessness."
"Since you're no longer hiding, we'll violate you thoroughly, bitch," the other added.
"Lü Qiansha, Lü Qianmo," Yu Yan's voice carried centuries of hatred. "You pursued me from ancient battlefield to black spring. I'll kill you both even if I must sacrifice my life force."
She transmitted mentally: Crimson shark and Demon Lizard. Chiyue, take the smaller one first. Well Chíyuè was the name I gave her of mine. Slightly weird when someone call me that but she can't really read my mind either.
The lizard dragon locked eyes with me, striking with pure physical power. I withstood the blow without vector control and energy enhancement ~ just testing physical strength. Pain shot through my chest, but I held firm taking a step back.
Seeing physical attacks failed, he drew his sword.
I unsheathed my thunder god meteorite copy. Our blades crossed repeatedly, but he stepped back with each collision. My flexibility and reaction time surpassed his. When he sprayed venom at close range, I dodged in air ~ peak legend rank demon beast venom wouldn't poison me, but it would burn skin.
Sensing Yu Yan's struggle, I appeared to stop ~ at least in his eyes. Confusion flickered across his features before his eyes widened and his head separated from his shoulders.
Evolutionary advantage was no joke. Enhanced nervous system conductivity coupled with soul force amplification at each life level increment made my reaction time incredible.
Using quick movement technique, I circled behind the crimson shark unnoticed and sent a merging law energy beam containing eight different laws. His supposedly indestructible body vaporized.
Yu Yan looked impressed by my display of heavenly fate realm-level kinda power. No need for praises, I am usually pretty reserved.
I collected the green poison pearl and his legend-ranked sword ~ it was quality work that just needed runic enhancement. The lizard dragon's scales and full body remained intact. Perhaps I'd gift them to Nie Li for armor crafting.
Returning to find Xiao Ning'er searching for me, I caught her in my arms and kissed her on impulse. After initial surprise, she responded actively knowing who it was.
Back at the plateau, the people had sensed our battle with the demonic beasts and were terrified. Seeing us alive, they expressed willingness to come to Glory City. We bid farewell and returned to the city.
I didn't know the hidden entrance to the nether realm, and time was running short. By now, Nie Li had probably returned from Abyss Prison Realm, and Dark Guild might have organized their million-beast-scale attack on Glory City.
After explaining recent encounters to Ning'er, she wanted to stay, but I made excuses and promises to convince her otherwise.
I gave Yu Yan a choice: follow me or the person space-time god arranged as savior. Grateful, she chose to accompany me atleast to the human realm.
We explained our situations ~ my comprehension ability, heaven's will, fate, Nie Li's plight in the original timeline, Draconic Ruins Realms. She'd seen my transformed looks and minor world when I'd retrieved Xiao Ning'er, though only the safer regions. Well Ning was the one who put cat out of the bag at first. Her punishment is due but I followed along explaining just what is necessary.
Her curious nature made her ask direct questions about things people usually kept hidden. Pure trust toward anyone showing kindness, combined with her spiritual spark's rational nature, made her refreshingly straightforward.
She was happy to have another backup option.
Now a true demigod as both fighter and spiritualist, I decided to test my limits with maximum speed movement technique.The return journey took half a day ~ what normally required two months on foot.
I had a feeling of the spark of demigods in tiny world. Since the original comprehension is now more than them, I could in theory become one if I wanted to. I slipped into my house within the City Lord's premises undetected, releasing the other two. Yu Yan stayed close, invisible under illusion arrangements.
Outside, just as we try to figure out the surroundings, we encountered Nie Li running from Huyan Lanruo as if his life depended on it.
The goddess was flabbergasted to see an ancient expert in such a state after I pointed out the person.