Chương 288: Book 3 Epilogue

"Ke Yin!" The sound of my name pierced through a haze of confusion and darkness. I felt strong hands gripping my shoulders, supporting my weight as consciousness slowly returned. My eyes struggled to focus, taking in the concerned faces of Liu Chang and Su Yue hovering over me.

"Senior Brother Liu?" I managed between desperate gasps for air. My lungs burned as if I'd been underwater far too long.

"Senior Sister Su? What... why are you in my room?" Liu Chang's expression shifted from alarm to visible relief, though concern still lingered in his eyes.

"We came to check on you. You've been isolated in your alcove all day, and with our departure window approaching..." His voice trailed off as he studied me intently.

"You weren't responding to our calls. When we entered, you appeared..." Su Yue hesitated, exchanging a glance with Liu Chang.

"You appeared deceased, Junior Brother. No heartbeat, no qi circulation, no spiritual activity." My mind raced as I processed her words. I'd been dead? Memories flooded back: Elder Thorn, the binding spell, the horrific "Devour" technique consuming my flesh piece by piece, and finally, that terrible "Soul Severance" character aimed at my very essence. I needed a plausible explanation, and quickly.

"Ah," I said, forcing a sheepish smile while my mind spun through possibilities.

"My deepest apologies for alarming you both. I was experimenting with an advanced meditation technique; one that simulates death to achieve deeper spiritual insights." Liu Chang's eyebrows rose slightly.

"A death simulation technique? That's... unusual for your cultivation level." I nodded, grateful that my body had recovered enough that I could sit upright without their support.

"It's something I stumbled upon in the World Tree Sutra. The technique temporarily suspends life signs to concentrate all energy inward." I rubbed the back of my neck, affecting embarrassment.

"I clearly underestimated its effects. I didn't mean to cause concern." Su Yue frowned slightly, clearly dissecting my explanation, looking for inconsistencies.

"Such techniques are typically forbidden to cultivators below the Life Realm due to their inherent dangers."

"Which is precisely why I shouldn't have done that," I admitted, hanging my head in a show of regret.

"Clearly, I was overconfident in my abilities." Liu Chang studied me for another long moment before his expression softened.

"We're simply relieved you're unharmed. However, Junior Brother Ke, I must insist that you refrain from such risky practices in the future, at least until you've reached an appropriate cultivation level."

"Of course, Senior Brother Liu," I agreed.

"I've learned my lesson." Su Yue still looked skeptical, but she didn't press further.

"We need to leave within the hour if we're to enter the valley at the optimal time," she said, returning to practical matters.

"The spatial thinning has begun, and other sects are already positioning themselves for entry." The valley? For a moment, confusion clouded my thoughts. What valley was she talking about?

"The Black Mist Valley," Azure whispered in my mind, sensing my disorientation.

"For the Moonlit Dew Flower mission." Of course! The memories aligned themselves properly; we were meant to retrieve a rare bloom from a spatially unstable location. Clarity washed over me as my mind reconnected with this timeline's recent events.

"Yes, the valley expedition," I said, smiling with what I hoped was appropriate enthusiasm.

"I'll be ready to depart on schedule." I managed to stand, though my body felt unusually heavy and my head throbbed painfully with each movement. Liu Chang nodded, apparently satisfied.

"We'll prepare the final supplies while you gather yourself. Join us in the main room when you're ready." He turned to leave, then paused.

"And Junior Brother Ke? That replica flower you created is truly remarkable work. It should serve our purposes excellently." The unexpected praise caught me off guard.

"Thank you, Senior Brother." After they departed, I quickly reestablished the privacy formation, this time with a simpler design that wouldn't raise suspicions. Once I was certain we couldn't be overheard, I collapsed back onto the meditation cushion with a heavy sigh of relief.

"Azure," I murmured inwardly, massaging my temples to ease the pounding headache.

"How are we still alive? The elder used a soul termination technique on us. I felt my entire being coming apart thread by thread." Azure's familiar presence materialized in my inner world, his tone thoughtful.

"I have several theories, though we can't be certain which is correct without more information."

"I'm all ears," I replied, closing my eyes to better focus on our conversation.

"First possibility," Azure began.

"Your soul originates from a different world altogether. Soul techniques from the Two Suns World may not affect you in the same way they would affect native souls." I nodded. That made a certain amount of sense. My soul wasn't indigenous to the Two Suns reality, nor this one for that matter.

"Second," Azure continued, "the Genesis Seed likely provided protection. We channeled everything into it as the technique struck, and its Beyond Heaven Rank properties might have shielded your soul from complete dissolution."

"And the third theory?" I asked, already guessing what he might say. Azure's tone turned wry.

"We might have been entirely wrong about soul techniques causing damage that persists through loops. Perhaps they're like any other form of death, painful and traumatic in the moment, but ultimately just another reset point." I couldn't help but smile at that, shaking my head slightly.

"If that's the case, I'd rather not test the theory again anytime soon." The smile faded as another wave of pain washed through my skull.

"Though I clearly didn't escape unscathed. I feel terrible."

"Let me scan your condition," Azure replied, his presence expanding throughout my inner world. I waited patiently as he assessed my spiritual state. The simple act of breathing felt unusually laborious, and a bone-deep exhaustion permeated my entire being. This was different from the typical disorientation I experienced after returning from a loop.

"Your soul essence has decreased significantly more than with a standard death," Azure finally reported.

"You're at approximately 65% of your normal capacity. That's what's causing these symptoms: the headache, fatigue, and general weakness."

"Will it recover?" I asked, unable to keep a note of concern from my voice.

"Yes, with the Tri-Harmony technique and proper rest, you should return to normal within a few days," Azure reassured me.

"But this confirms my suspicion that soul attacks are particularly dangerous for us, even if they don't cause permanent death." If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. I released a long, slow breath, relief washing through me.

"At least there's no lasting damage. Still, I'll need to be much more careful in the next loop." I shook my head ruefully.

"Why do Lightweavers have to specialize in soul attacks? Couldn't they be like their Skybound counterparts and just give me an agonizing physical death? At least those are cleaner."

"Speaking of loops," Azure said, his tone shifting slightly, "I've noticed something odd about our return timeframe."

"What do you mean?"

"Usually, our two months in the Two Suns World translates to roughly two hours in this timeline," he explained.

"But this time, we spent only about five weeks there, yet almost twelve hours passed here." That caught my attention.

"That's a significant discrepancy. Is it due to the soul attack?" Azure's presence pulsed in affirmation.

"That's my working theory. It seems the journey back to this world takes longer when your soul has been damaged. The temporal translation isn't as efficient." I nodded slowly, processing this new information.

"Another reason to avoid soul attacks, then. Time efficiency is crucial for our overall mission." Despite the discomfort and close call, a sense of accomplishment began to build within me.

"Even though that was a devastating way to end the loop, I got what I went there for." I closed my eyes, mentally cataloging the valuable information I'd obtained. The loop had been more productive than I'd initially expected. I never harbored illusions about being able to annex the Two Suns World or save it from its impending invasion in a single visit, that would have been absurdly ambitious. But the intelligence gathered was invaluable.

"I now know that both Kal and Elder Thorn could potentially be convinced to work with us instead of against us," I mused.

"They're both fighting to prevent their world's destruction, just from different angles. If I could help them see that their goals align..." There was also the fascinating discovery about the Genesis Seed's apparent compatibility with the Elder Tree.

"The seed formed a connection with the Elder Tree, whether for annexation or something else entirely, I don't know yet. But it represents progress." The most significant achievement, however, was exactly what I'd set out to accomplish.

"Most importantly, I learned how to utilize blue sun energy," I said, feeling a surge of satisfaction despite my physical discomfort.

"I can now apply those cultivation techniques here to develop my inner world and increase my spiritual cultivation, which is embarrassingly falling behind." A thought suddenly struck me as I recalled the blood statue of Ke Jun standing in my inner world. The memory of the calligraphy techniques I'd learned from the Lightweavers floated to the surface of my mind.

"I wonder if..."

"You should probably start preparing for the mission," Azure interrupted gently.

"Liu Chang and Su Yue are waiting, and we have a narrow window for valley entry." He was right, of course. I could explore these new possibilities after completing our immediate obligations.

"Yeah," I conceded, pulling myself to my feet despite the protesting ache in every muscle.

"One thing at a time." A faint rustling sound caught my attention as a thin green tendril emerged from beneath my sleeve, slowly extending until it hovered near my face. Yggy had manifested, his vine-like form trembling slightly with what I recognized as concern. He waved his tendril in a questioning pattern before me.

"I'm okay, buddy," I whispered, managing a weak smile as Yggy's tendril brushed against my cheek. Yggy's main body emerged further, several tendrils now weaving complex patterns in the air, conveying clear worry and confusion. Of course, in the Two Suns World, Yggy had been with Elder Molric during my... final moments. He hadn't witnessed what Elder Thorn had done to me.

"I had a bit of a rough ending in the other world," I explained softly, watching as Yggy's tendrils froze mid-pattern.

"Nothing permanent, as you can see. Just tired." Yggy's vines twisted into a new formation, one that I'd come to recognize as skepticism. He could sense my depleted state, my drained soul essence that I was trying to downplay.

"It's a long story, involving an elder and some rather unpleasant soul techniques," I said, patting Yggy's tendril reassuringly.

"I'll tell you the details later, but right now, we need to prepare for our mission." I smiled more genuinely this time.

"It is good to see you again, though." Yggy's form shifted, vines braiding together to create a more compact shape that settled comfortably on my shoulder, his way of saying he wasn't going anywhere. The familiar weight was strangely comforting.

As I began gathering my equipment, checking my storage ring for the necessary supplies, I couldn't help but reflect on how after we retrieved the Moonlit Dew Flower, I would finally have the opportunity to investigate the greater mystery that had been nagging at me, what exactly was the Azure Peak Sect hiding? What secret could be so momentous that it could drive lower-ranked cultivators insane? The thought sent a small thrill of anticipation through me, momentarily eclipsing my physical discomfort.

Whatever it was, I was determined to uncover it. I secured my formation toolkit to my belt and adjusted my outer disciple robes, ensuring I appeared composed and prepared despite my weakened state. The headache still pounded relentlessly behind my eyes, but I forced myself to breathe steadily through the pain.

"Are you sure you're up for this mission in your current condition?" Azure asked, concern evident in his voice.

"I don't have much choice," I replied, checking the special container I'd prepared for the Moonlit Dew Flower.

"Backing out now would raise too many questions. Besides, only by completing this mission will Madam Butterfly tell me the truth."

"Just be cautious," Azure advised.

"You're operating at reduced capacity, and Black Mist Valley is notoriously dangerous even for cultivators at full strength."

"Of course," I smiled wryly.

"I don't want to die again anytime soon." With a final deep breath, I told Yggy to return to my inner world as I dismantled the privacy formation and prepared to join my seniors in the main room. As I walked toward the door, I couldn't help but think that retrieving a rare flower from a spatially unstable valley seemed almost mundane compared to what I'd just experienced in the Two Suns World. Yet I knew better than to underestimate any challenge in this cultivation world.

Complacency was a luxury I couldn't afford, especially not now.