The expected "second round" did not occur.
"We are temporarily letting you go."
Kiana emphasized the word 'temporarily' as she dressed up. Sirin did not say anything, though her gaze wandered frantically between me and her.
I thought of something.
"You don't want others to suck me dry?"
"...Hm."
She mechanically turned her gaze away from me, like a child getting caught stealing candies.
I could not help but laugh at Kiana.
Six months of torture… Well, that's not the right word. "Dominated" is more fitting.
She and Sirin took the "top" position, taking turns in their offensives.
They gave no chances to breathe.
Only now did I appreciate the stockpiled questionable "pills".
"That's right! What's going on with you and my aunt?"
It is my turn to be frozen.
"Well… things happened. She sucked my blood to complete her evolution."
"So it wasn't the bitter gourd juice after all!"
That's what you are asking?
I nodded while holding back my laughter.
"Aunt Theresa developed an addiction to my blood. It's not bad per se. Drinking it increases her realm. It's just that… some things happened in-between those events."
I told her every tense event I had with Theresa.
I don't know how or why it happened, but each bloodsucking session turned suspenseful. I am not dense enough to not notice Theresa's complex emotions during these times.
"...Your Aunt might… no, will join us in the future."
"Pervert."
Kiana pinched me lightly on my waist. It is not hard enough to make me winch. It is more of a show of her tantrums.
Both of us know each other very well. She is not as resistant to that thought than I expected.
I looked at Sirin. Her actions paused as she looked at us with incredulous… and expectant eyes.
"D-don't look at me like that."
Sirin looked away in embarrassment.
"We still have a debt to settle… and we haven't talked until now."
I turned to look at Kiana. She gave me a nod.
There are things that remained the same after four hundred years. We are not forcing Sirin to forgive and forget. It is infinitely times better to have her process everything—on her own terms.
Only then would the burden inside her be freed completely.
"After my breakthrough, we can hold a reunion or something. It's been a long time since everyone got together, no?"
"That's a good idea! My stinky old man hasn't returned in years after joining the Sea of Quanta's Pioneering Squad."
Siegfried did what?
Seeing the confused look in my face, Kiana explained:
"It took Mister Yang more than a hundred years to create something that enables information-based entities to be able to interact with immortal cultivation's three aspects."
Two names popped out of my mind.
"Miss Mobius and Vill-V?"
She nodded.
"They are able to research immortal cultivation's effects into the Sea of Quanta and the Imaginary Tree about three hundred years ago…"
Kiana told me how they achieved technological and scientific breakthroughs one after another. Earth's progress in integrating immortal cultivation with this world's uniqueness grew leaps and bounds.
"There are papers uploaded on jade slips and the network. It's too long to explain it myself."
Knowing Kiana, she preferred slacking off more. I could remember the time she studied to further her capabilities as a formation master. I have a feeling she slacked off during this time.
"Are you talking about their papers? I have seen them."
Sirin suddenly spoke up. Both the Tuna and I looked towards her.
"W-what's wrong?" Sirin asked with a hint of embarrassment.
"Looks like you are the exact opposite as her."
"I can do it too, you know! Reading…" Kiana hastily added, "I haven't seen everything, only the ones related to formations."
That's how it is.
She doesn't feel confident enough to teach me?
How cute.
"You must read them, Tian. Those two are peerless geniuses."
Hearing praise coming from Sirin's mouth caught me off guard.
"Alright."
Three hundred and fifty years of research, all coming from Mobius and Vill-V, the two top geniuses of the Previous Era along with Doctor MEI. Especially Vill-V.
If it wasn't for her personality partition, she would have been Earth's greatest genius, with nobody else topping her.
One Sushang brought Blade Mantra to the 14th edition. I still haven't seen it yet, but I have a feeling it is extremely beneficial to my locked Path authority.
After losing the Nine Lives Burning Samsara Art's enhancements, my Tao Heart fell back to the seventh-level. The Remembrance Path I controlled went back to 60%. I need to break through to the Dao Integration Realm for it to be unrestricted up to 100%.
The three of us finished dressing up.
In a blink, Kiana brought the two of us somewhere in the solar system. Faint white lights flickered as a series of seventh-grade formations were active.
"There are more artificial planets lately. Everyone had to plan and designate a breakthrough spot."
"You set it up with Bronya?" I asked.
"Hm. You caught it quickly."
Sirin gently tapped my shoulders with her fingertip. I turned around and saw a set of items floating in front of her. Pill bottles, spiritual herbs, talismans… she prepared them all in one go.
"A lot do not use the ones meant for the thunder tribulation. The Heart-Protecting Talisman, Void Shattering Pill, Pure Samsara Pill…"
Sirin listed out items one by one. All of them are special breakthrough materials that increase success rates.
While nearly everyone has high-grade spirit roots, its final destination is the Void Refinement Realm.
The Heart Tribulation alone poses huge risks, not to mention the lightning, flames, and wind tribulations. Worse, the process of becoming karma-less has to be done right after going through them. There is still the process of pushing one's realm upward and merging the body, mind, and soul into one.
The difficulty of Void Refinement Realm breakthrough is leagues ahead of other breakthroughs.
As for attaining ultimate-grade spirit roots, it is all up to luck. The only other person who has them is Kiana. The Cocoon's influence towards her helped it level up. In turn, Sirin benefitted from it too. Her spirit roots leveled up too.
"Thanks."
"Mhm…"
They did not say anything else except for a round of "Good luck".
I watched as they disappeared from my vicinity.
The items Sirin gave me floated around me. I looked at the spiritual pills' quality. All perfect-grade.
Eating them does not produce any downsides. Then again, I did not need the pills that helped in the first step.
My mind went towards the inside of the special space. The large cosmic clouds symbolizing my stockpiled Tao Gifts are the greatest tonics I could ask for.
I did consume the pills and talismans with protective measures.
Before, I broke through without treasures. Now that we have these safeguards, it would be a pity to not use them.
As for wasting them, that possibility does not exist. The daily draws from the golden orb freed me from material constraints a long time ago.
I sensed my current condition. More than a dozen of medicinal powers acting in the form of Dao surrounded my entirety. Faint lights protected my body, mind, and soul, turning my already abysmal failure rate into zero percent.
The spiritual qi around me turned chaotic as my sprint towards the Void Refinement Realm began.