Chapter 154 : Waking up
Location : Angel Corps Headquarters
Qian Renxue's eyelids fluttered open. She found herself lying beneath a canopy bed, embroidered curtains drawn halfway, the scent of sandalwood with the faint scent of incense lingered in the air, along with the soft crackling of a candle flame.
'This isn't my room… I am still within Angel Corps Headquarters,' she realized, her gaze sweeping the intricate carvings on the ceiling.
She sat up slowly, her golden hair spilling over her shoulders like a waterfall. For a moment she just stared at her hands, flexing her fingers, grounding herself.
A wry smile tugged at her lips.
'So that's it. The dream of a normal life—dull job, lazy Sundays with a friend. That's what I long for, after living in this supernatural world.'
Just then, a familiar voice echoed in her mind, light but worried.
"Hey, Renxue, are you alright?" Tianmeng Silkworm's tone carried forced cheer, but the worry beneath was obvious.
Without hesitation, she willed herself into her Spirit Sea.
The silver expanse unfolded around her, rippling like a calm ocean under starlight. Tianmeng hovered there, while Electrolux stood a little farther, robes fluttering in a wind that did not exist, his silver-grey eyes as deep as eternity.
Renxue's expression turned serious. "How long was I out?"
Tianmeng twisted his body uncomfortably. "Not for long. Just… the entire three days."
"Three days?" The words escaped her lips like a hiss. Her chest tightened.
'Three days unconscious… I hope the news hasn't reached Grandfather.'
Taking a slow breath, she steadied herself and asked the question gnawing at her since she woke. "Did either of you notice anything… strange about this breakthrough?"
Tianmeng immediately wiggled his antennae. "The murmurs were annoying, but otherwise not much different from your previous absorption. I was more shocked when you suddenly collapsed---"
Electrolux raised his hand, cutting him off. His calm voice reverberated.
"It wasn't fainting. It was sleep. A deep, forced dream-sleep."
Electrolux finally added, "But beyond that, the whispers we sensed were no different than your previous advances."
His silver-grey eyes reflected neither judgment nor reassurance, only clarity.
She gave a small nod, though her expression turned thoughtful.
Tianmeng broke the silence, floating closer with. "Alright, alright, enough with the mystery. What abilities did you get this time? Don't keep me guessing."
A sly smile curved Renxue's lips. "Why don't you keep guessing?"
"Eh?" Tianmeng groaned, his body squirming in frustration. "Why must you always tease me? I've already drained all my reserves boosting your soul rings."
She only tilted her head, her smile unreadable.
As his complaints echoed around the Spirit Sea, Renxue's figure began to blur. Her parting words drifted like a whisper, brushing past Tianmeng's ears.
"I know."
Then she vanished from the Spirit Sea, leaving behind a sulking silkworm.
Qian Renxue's eyes opened slowly as she returned to the real world. comprehension.
She closed her eyes again, probing inward. Just moments ago in her Spirit Sea, she had clearly felt it, her consciousness brushing against the boundary of a higher state.
She was already at the peak of Spirit Abyss Realm, any further will lead to a breakthrough to the next realm.
---
[(Author's Notes)
• Spirit Origin Realm — ordinary humans.
• Spirit Connection Realm — Soul Elders (Level 30+).
• Spirit Sea Realm — Soul Sages (Level 70+).
• Spirit Abyss Realm — Titled Douluos (Level 90+).
• Spirit Domain Realm — Ultimate Douluos (Level 99).
• Divine Origin Realm — Gods.]
---
Her lips curved slightly.
'So close. My Spiritual power has grown so much that stepping into the Spirit Domain Realm is only a matter of time. When that moment comes… I will need to form my Spiritual Core.'
Her awareness sank into her dantian. The vortex of energy that once spun wildly there now pulsed in rhythmic silence, condensed and stable, like the embryo of a star waiting to be born.
She drew in a sharp breath.
'The remaining extra soul energy of Tianmeng while upgrading the soul ring has been emptied to make this possible. It's not without cost, my soul power cultivation has jumped to Level 54, but whether my speed of cultivation will suffer because of this… that's yet to be seen.'
Standing gracefully, she summoned her martial soul.
The Angel Martial Soul manifested behind her.
This time, the twelve-winged figure was different.
The mist that once cloaked its form had thinned. The silhouette of a woman emerged in crystalline clarity, slender, divine, her every curve radiating beauty that could suffocate hearts. Only the area above the neck remained blurred, concealed by a shroud of divine light.
But above that holy figure's head floated five concentric golden rings, each pulsing with overwhelming majesty.
Qian Renxue gazed at them, her purple eyes reflecting their glow.
She inhaled deeply and examined her new soul ring abilities one by one, her lips curving into a faint smile.
Sleepy Aura — an invisible tide that could lull everything around her into drowsiness, spreading like a domain.
Dream Heal — an ability that could restore not only flesh and spirit but even the fragile essence of the soul itself.
"A domain-type ability and a healing skill on the level of the soul…," she murmured, though her sharp intuition warned her there would be harsh restrictions tied to the use of soul-healing.
Then her attention shifted inward, toward the subtle transformations within her body. The abilities of Sequence 5 — Dreamwalker, had taken root within her. And with it came abilities far more insidious than raw might: