...
{3rd Pov}
Xyra and Qin Yu'er reappeared within a place that did not resemble anything modern in the slightest.
The atmosphere itself felt ancient and suffocating, as if they had stepped directly into a location preserved from a forgotten era.
The stone walls surrounding them were covered in unfamiliar symbols and runic markings that pulsed faintly, hinting at a function beyond mere decoration.
Every surface in the chamber looked weathered and old, yet astonishingly intact, as though thousands of years had passed without erasing its existence.
The stone floor beneath their feet felt cold to the touch, and each step echoed through the enormous hall, carrying an oppressive sense of history.
In front of them stood a raised stone platform several meters high, functioning almost like a ceremonial altar.
Upon that platform rested a grand and imposing throne, carved from a material that resembled obsidian mixed with star-metal, giving off a faint glimmer under the ambient light.
Seated on that throne was a figure entirely encased in armour from head to toe.
Not a single inch of flesh was visible, and the armour itself radiated authority, power, and a certain indifference that made it impossible for Qin Yu'er to approach casually.
The way the figure sat—relaxed but commanding—made it clear that he was the master of this domain and that his mere presence dominated the entire chamber.
"Xyra, it seems you have fulfilled your job as expected," the figure spoke.
The voice was hoarse, metallic, and loud enough to reverberate through the hall.
It sounded as if the armour itself was alive and speaking—cold, confident, and in complete control.
"Yes, My Lord," Xyra replied immediately with absolute respect.
"I even took the courtesy of bringing her palms alongside us, so she can be healed much more easily."
After saying so, she performed a formal court bow, her tone conveying both pride and devotion.
Meanwhile, Qin Yu'er, who had been frozen in shock and disbelief since the moment they teleported, finally snapped out of her stupor.
She quickly understood who the figure seated upon the grand throne was.
The armour, the overwhelming aura, and the throne itself made it impossible for her to mistake him for anyone else.
The realization struck her harder than the earlier betrayals, and her breath hitched.
Instantly, memories of her childhood studies and various Chinese history books surfaced in her mind—especially the ones regarding ancient imperial etiquette and how one should greet an Emperor.
Without hesitation, she lowered herself, pressing her body against the cold stone floor. S
he kowtowed directly, lowering her head and placing what remained of her hands in front of her despite the absence of palms.
Even in her condition she tried to follow the gesture as accurately as possible.
"Qin Yu'er greets the Emperor," she announced loudly, her voice trembling with a mixture of reverence, relief, and lingering fear.
She did not dare raise her head or look directly at him, treating him as a figure far above her status or imagination.
Astreo nodded once, neither surprised nor impressed by her greeting.
In his eyes, such a gesture was expected and natural considering the circumstances and the position he portrayed.
His voice echoed through the chamber as he said, "It is time to get your hands fixed… I don't want my servant to be unable to lend a hand when needed."
The statement sounded casual, almost indifferent, yet Qin Yu'er—who was already nervous and overwhelmed—did not even notice the underlying humor in his words.
Her mind interpreted it strictly as a command and nothing more, not daring to catch any hint of sarcasm.
Astreo nodded inwardly to himself as if confirming something.
He could sense the emotions fluctuating within Qin Yu'er—fear, loyalty, tension, and a sense of obligation.
It served as a quick test for him, allowing him to evaluate how far her trust in him had developed after the chaos in Venice.
More importantly, it showed how she currently viewed him: not as a mere ally or powerful figure, but as an Emperor whose authority she did not dare question.
Astreo did not even bother lifting his hands for dramatic effect.
Without warning, Qin Yu'er found herself enclosed within a compact spatial box.
Before she could process what was happening, an unknown healing elixir suddenly poured over her from all directions.
The first sensation she registered was the liquid's weight and temperature saturating her entire body.
Surprise quickly flooded her expression as the dense elixir filled the confined space, reaching up to her nose and submerging her completely.
She instinctively struggled, attempting to breathe only to find herself at risk of choking on the thick substance.
Her heartbeat accelerated at the terrifying thought that she might drown inside some strange magical liquid.
However, amidst the panic, she noticed something that shocked her into stillness.
Her severed palms, which had been floating separately near her arms, suddenly gravitated toward her wounds.
In mere moments, they reattached themselves seamlessly.
The process lacked any dramatic light or ceremonial flare; it was simply instantaneous and clinical.
Flesh, bone, nerves, and skin all fused together without hesitation, and not a drop of blood spilled afterward.
Within seconds, the rest of her injuries—burns, tears, cuts, and internal damage—mended completely.
It was the first time in her life she had witnessed healing so absolute and efficient.
Even the top medical institutions and advanced healer units of the world could not repair such damage instantly, only the legendary Goddess from Parthenon might be comparable to such level of healing.
When the spatial box dissolved, she collapsed forward and sucked in deep breaths of air, coughing and gasping in confusion and lingering fear.
Her mind was still overwhelmed by the sensation of nearly drowning and the suffocating nature of the elixir.
Only after stabilizing her breath did she cautiously raise her recently restored hands.
Seeing her palms intact and functional, realization dawned on her that what she experienced was some form of healing ritual or treatment method.
What kind of healing method it was, she honestly did not want to find out or think about too deeply.
'Is this how ancient people healed themselves before healing element existed?' she wondered silently, analyzing the situation through her own limited understanding.
It made a certain kind of sense to her logical brain.
If Astreo truly was an Emperor-level being from some unknown ancient era, then his understanding of healing, medicine, or restoration would naturally differ from what she considered normal.
She concluded that perhaps his "common sense" simply did not match that of the current era and that what she experienced may have been the standard healing approach in his time—terrifying or not.
She had to admit—whatever method he used was extremely effective.
Not only had her injuries healed instantly, but her entire stamina and vitality had returned as well.
Even more astonishing was the state of her Ice Constellation; the mana within it was overflowing to the point of feeling as if it were packed to the very limit, something she had never experienced before in her life.
"Qin Yu'er expresses her deepest gratitude for the Emperor's benevolence," she declared without hesitation.
She immediately bowed again, lowering her head until it touched the floor in a formal kowtow, displaying the utmost sincerity and respect.
Astreo quietly watched her perform the gesture, his expression outwardly neutral while internally he felt quite amused by the situation.
'No wonder the ancient Chinese Emperors adored this tradition,' Astreo thought to himself. 'Imagine it—everyone from the lowliest peasants to the highest officials, even the most beautiful women and the celebrated heroes of the empire, all kneeling and bowing before them. Honestly, just observing it now makes me feel pretty giddy.'
Naturally, he did not voice any of those thoughts aloud.
Instead, he quickly shifted into a more solemn and dignified demeanor, adopting the posture one would expect from a ruler of his supposed status.
His voice held gravity as he spoke:
"Qin Yu'er, you are aware of the reason you are here."
Qin Yu'er remained silent for several seconds out of respect, lowering her gaze before finally responding.
"Qin Yu'er understands," she said seriously, her tone steady.
"And as Qin Yu'er has promised before, she is willing to become the Emperor's servant."
"Being my servant means being bound to me for eternity. Remember that," Astreo stated in a calm yet absolute tone.
It was not a threat, nor was it stated dramatically; it was simply a factual declaration.
However, anyone with a functioning mind would understand there was no room for negotiation in those words.
One could even argue that, after rescuing Qin Yu'er from certain death and from the humiliation she suffered, she no longer had a genuine option left to refuse him.
If she dared to do so, it was almost certain she would not be walking out alive—or walking out at all.
"Qin Yu'er understands… and is willing to serve the Emperor," she responded, before kneeling down onto the ground once more.
Her posture was rigid, showing the highest form of obedience she could demonstrate.
To her, kneeling did not come lightly.
It was something she had done mere minutes ago in front of the Holy Judicators, displaying sincerity, vulnerability, and surrender—yet they responded with cruelty.
Instead of mercy or fairness, they had attacked her despite the fact she had not harmed a single person.
They were ready to butcher her, ready to slice off her limbs, ready to label her as a monster and destroy her—solely because she was a Calamity bearer.
The term "Calamity bearer" itself was created by them, by the ruling forces, so the public would instinctively fear individuals like her.
Their fear, disgust, and hostility were manufactured tools used by the higher-ups to maintain control over society.
She had finally witnessed what mankind truly thought of her.
She had seen how the supposed "higher-ups" and protectors of humanity viewed her existence as a threat to their authority.
They would rather eliminate her than allow someone with her power to inevitably grow strong enough to challenge the system they benefited from.
To describe her feelings as merely "hurt" would be an enormous understatement.
She had been devastated, shattered, stripped of dignity, and finally—betrayed by humanity itself.
In the end she was left with no real choice except to call for the Star Emperor's help, and now she was completely at his mercy.
Her options were brutally simple: live as his servant or die while preserving her so-called freedom.
As much as she respected freedom and valued her independence, she did not wish to die—especially not for the sake of people who had betrayed her without hesitation and treated her like a monster from the moment her identity was exposed.
"Good," Astreo said, and at his word a contract formed out of thin air.
It hovered in front of her, its surface etched with countless runic symbols and glowing lines of text.
"The terms and conditions are listed within this contract. Read them and sign it with a drop of your blood. The contract will directly affect your spirit," he explained, laying everything out clearly without any hidden ambiguity.
It was not a trick, nor was it a deceptive offer disguised behind flowery speech.
It was direct, honest, and absolute.
Qin Yu'er nodded and slowly rose to her feet.
She glanced at the contract for a brief second, as if considering whether she should examine the contents, but immediately decided there was no point.
Instead, she froze her own nail using her Ice Element and sliced her other finger with it, letting a small drop of blood fall onto the contract.
Yes—she did not even attempt to read it.
Qin Yu'er knew that whether she read it or not didn't change anything.
She was going to sign it regardless, because she had already accepted her fate.
Moreover, by signing it instantly without hesitation she was also expressing respect and loyalty toward the Star Emperor, showing him that she had no intention of going back on her word or trying to negotiate better terms.
To her, signing immediately was the only logical way to demonstrate sincerity and submission.
Qin Yu'er did not know what her life was going to become from this moment onward, but for someone who had never truly experienced light in the first place, darkness was not something to fear.
She had already lost her previous purpose in life long before today.
Her goal of proving to humanity that Calamity bearers could be protectors had been shattered in one single moment, the very moment humanity—her people—chose betrayal over understanding.
Now, having no direction left, she simply decided that serving the Lord Star Emperor would become her new purpose.
Not only because he had saved her life, but because he had given her a chance that her own people had denied without hesitation or remorse.
Once the contract finished forming in front of her, Qin Yu'er felt something stir within her spiritual body.
Invisible chains, impossible to describe through words and even harder to mentally comprehend, clamped around her spirit.
They wrapped around her very existence, and the next instant her spiritual sea screamed violently as something invaded it.
The pain wasn't physical, but rather the kind of pain only the soul could recognize—deep, sharp, and unquestionable.
Despite that, she did not resist even slightly.
Qin Yu'er simply endured, choosing to trust the Star Emperor fully.
In her mind a single rational question made everything clear: why would an Emperor-level existence bother lying to an 'ant' like her, when he could have killed her effortlessly at any moment without consequences or moral burden?
There was nothing she could offer that would make deception worth his time.
And Xyra herself—an Emperor being and servant of Lord Astreo—was proof that he had no need for deceit.
If a being like her willingly submitted to him, then what reason did she have to doubt?
With the contract's final lines searing into her spirit, Qin Yu'er was now shackled both in mind and soul.
The bond was absolute, the connection irreversible, and her new fate was sealed.
"Servant greets the Emperor," Qin Yu'er said again, lowering herself to her knees and bowing deeply.
Her posture reflected proper respect, the exact etiquette she had learned from the history books she read as a child.
This was not a casual bow but a full display of reverence to a higher being.
Astreo nodded lightly, accepting her greeting as if it were the most natural thing again for what it felt like umpteenth time.
"As a reward for joining me, I will grant you ten days of access to the Holy Cultivation Ground I have personally constructed, along with the resources required to break through to Super Tier."
"L-Lord Emperor…" Qin Yu'er nearly lost her composure hearing such an outrageous reward.
The resources required to break into Super Tier were priceless—so expensive and rare that even clans, military forces, and major families would shed blood over acquiring them.
And then there was something even more unimaginable: a Holy Cultivation Ground.
The term alone made her head spin.
Cultivation grounds specifically tailored for magic advancement were nearly impossible to come by in modern times, even only big forces or education institutes had them and even she had gotten only a limited quota in Imperial Academy.
But main thing was they were for Intermediate Mage! A cultivation ground for breaking through Super Tier was basically a national treasure!
"To clarify," Astreo continued in a calm yet commanding tone, "as a High-Tier mage, you do not qualify for any tasks I have. Do you believe you could be of proper use to me at that level? High-Tier does not interest me. And once you break through to Super Tier—combined with the fact that you are Blessed by the Ice Element—your battle prowess will skyrocket beyond the norm. I have no desire to keep weak servants by my side."
His armour concealed any facial expression he might have had, but the tone alone made it clear that he spoke only in absolutes.
To him, strength was not merely a luxury but a requirement.
Tears began falling down Qin Yu'er's eyes as she heard those words.
Resources for higher cultivation were considered the most precious treasures in the world—so precious that even vast amounts of money could not buy them.
These were the kind of resources that made people betray their own blood relatives, assassinate their closest friends, and sacrifice their morals, all for the chance to advance a single step further.
Yet Lord Star Emperor, despite the fact that she had once refused him, despite her insolence and hesitation, and despite the reality that she had only just become his servant, immediately bestowed upon her cultivation resources that even major clans, government institutions, and military families would never grant without conditions.
In fact, if they learned the truth of what she was, they would not give her anything—if they chose not to kill her outright, that alone would already be considered a miracle.
But Lord Star Emperor treated her, a mere servant, better than aristocratic families treated their own Young Masters and Young Mistresses.
Qin Yu'er was well aware that for an Emperor-tier being like him—someone standing at the pinnacle of the world, someone who even had a True Dragon Emperor like Xyra as his servant—these resources might be nothing more than trivial leftovers, the equivalent of scraps to him.
However, to her they were priceless.
This was a kindness and a level of generosity she could only repay with her life and with eternal servitude.
To Qin Yu'er, there was no shame in that reality—only gratitude that could never be balanced, no matter what she did in the future.
"Servant thanks His Majesty for his benevolence," Qin Yu'er said in a trembling yet earnest voice, lowering her head again.
Astreo's eyebrows twitched beneath his helmet as a thought passed through his mind, 'Don't tell me she is going to repeat these lines every single time she speaks to me?'
For the time being Astreo chose not to comment on Qin Yu'er's exaggerated formalities.
His immediate priority was different.
He intended to provide Qin Yu'er with the necessary resources as quickly as possible so that her loyalty would solidify and so that he could begin putting her to use.
From his perspective, having a hidden powerhouse embedded within the human world would be extremely useful.
Astreo's long-term plan involved expanding his own faction by recruiting capable individuals from the human race, with Qin Yu'er being the first such example.
As for the monster races, he had already decided to concentrate on the Dragon Clans that inhabited the Summoning Plane—the same plane from which Xyra originated.
Now that Xyra had evolved into a True Emperor, she had been formally invited into the Council of Elder Dragons, the gathering where all Dragon Emperors met to establish rules, enforce hierarchy, and govern the Dragon Valley as a unified force.
Astreo had no intention of biting off more than he could chew.
He understood perfectly well that he needed to reach Forbidden Tier himself first.
Only after achieving that and mastering fusion magic would he have the qualifications to initiate large-scale actions within the Main Plane.
Everything required a proper sequence, and Astreo did not believe in acting impulsively regarding matters that involved the balance of power between races and factions.
After giving Qin Yu'er a lengthy list of instructions—such as how to make proper use of his special castle, how to operate the facilities, how to obtain food, and how to handle basic necessities without needing assistance—he teleported her to the designated cultivation holy ground.
Once she had been transported there, Astreo summoned and arranged the resources required for her breakthrough into that isolated and fortified location.
Now the entire arrangement existed only because Astreo had full control over his System's Dimensional Cultivation Plane and could shape it however he wanted.
He had divided the plane into three major sections, and the Ancient-looking Castle where Qin Yu'er had first arrived was merely one of those sections.
The so-called Holy Cultivation Ground was simply another specialized function of the System, designed and disguised in an elaborate manner to appear mystical and prestigious.
In reality, it was nothing more than localized manipulation of mana density done artificially and efficiently, copying the real cultivation grounds, that Astreo used for cultivation every time.
After all, if an Emperor-level existence lacked his own private domain, his own special territory or cultivation grounds, wouldn't that immediately raise suspicion among anyone with half a brain?
To prevent such doubts, Astreo deliberately designed the environment to look ancient, mysterious, and prestigious—exactly the kind of place where an Emperor would reside and train his servants.
Furthermore, Astreo had already assigned several customized operational commands to the System.
For example, if any individual inside the Castle requested food, the System would automatically summon any dish they desired, within certain limitations.
There was also a fixed quota that determined how many dishes or how many resources could be requested before the System locked that function.
This created the illusion that multiple people could use the System freely.
This system operation did not mean the System was sharing permission with anyone else.
In fact, the System strictly did not possess the capability to transfer or duplicate usage privileges.
Astreo remained the only authorized user.
What he had implemented was simply a clever set of command-based shortcuts that gave the impression that servants or guests could access minor functions.
Additionally, if anyone attempted to exceed the quota and demanded an excessive amount of food, resources, or special materials, the System would instantly notify Astreo while forcibly shutting down the request.
Beyond that, the System would never act autonomously, never punish, reward, or modify actions on its own—because by design it only executed what Astreo programmed into it and nothing more.
After that, Astreo held a discussion with Xyra in one of the other divided dimensions.
Since the System's cultivation plane had been partitioned into multiple isolated dimensional sectors, no individual could cross from one sector to another unless Astreo explicitly allowed it.
This was no longer a matter of permission systems or access rights.
It was an absolute rule dictated by Astreo's will.
Without his intent, even attempting to move between the divided spaces was pointless.
In fact, forcibly breaking through the dimensional barriers would require power on the level of a Plane-Dominating existence, an entity capable of dismantling and reconstructing laws and spatial structures at their foundation.
Such power far exceeded anything present in the current world's hierarchy.
This meant that no matter the person, no matter their talent or status—betrayal, spying, manipulation, or hidden tricks were simply not possible in this environment.
Astreo had already decided that very few individuals would ever gain access to this dimension.
Only those he regarded as potential pillars of his future force, or candidates for high-ranking positions within his envisioned faction, would be allowed to step foot here.
The only reason Qin Yu'er had been granted access now was due to the immediate need for combat strength and resources.
In the future, even individuals considered pillars—or direct subordinates such as Lisa—would be required to accomplish significant achievements before being permitted entry into such a privileged resource pool.
With this matter settled, Astreo completed the primary objective of contracting Qin Yu'er and securing her loyalty.
By doing so, he had acquired one of the most promising future assets, a stock with the potential for explosive growth.
Given time and nurturing, Qin Yu'er's abilities and status would rise drastically, which in turn would benefit Astreo's plans immensely.
Astreo then wondered whether he should establish contact with Ding Yumian as well.
She was another Calamity bearer, a Psychic Calamity no less, and the more he thought about it the more logical the idea became.
If he moved early, while she was still a child, her loyalty could be shaped and instilled far more efficiently.
Cultivating loyalty at an early stage would guarantee a far more stable subordinate later.
Of course, the key would be to wait until her lowest moment for the maximum psychological effect.
Astreo had already seen the result of timing with Qin Yu'er.
A girl once willing to dedicate her life for humanity had now become unwaveringly loyal to him after being abandoned and betrayed by the very people she wished to protect.
'No wonder those Chinese protagonists swooned jade beauties so easily,' Astreo mused internally, recalling countless cultivation novels.
'They practically picked them up when they were at rock bottom… Before that stage? They can only be called simps.'
Both Young Masters and so-called Protagonists simped after beautiful women, but only one category actually succeeded—why?
The answer was simple.
One type chose to invade a woman's vulnerability and insert themselves into her emotional dependence, while the other believed that constantly causing mental stress, humiliation, and unnecessary drama was somehow the superior path to affection.
'And don't forget, rape is a battle tactic,' he thought with an inappropriate level of amusement, acknowledging the twisted logic behind many fictional cultivation worlds and even certain real historical precedents where force was treated as a method of courtship or dominance.
In the end, the successful ones were simply those who understood timing, vulnerability, and leverage, rather than those who relied solely on arrogance or self-inflated protagonist delusion.
Just like that, Aster secured yet another potential powerhouse to add to the growing roster of his forces, slowly building an organization that would one day reshape the balance of power between humanity, monsters, and Emperors alike.
To be continued...
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