The moment she set foot inside the bedroom, it was like entering a whole new place. Zhi Rui looked back at the entrance, it was definitely there, but around the doorframe was a huge library, nothing like the one she was in before.

To the side, there were Ingredients for alchemy and weapons material and some enchanted items.

Three whole rooms, each double the size of the library itself.

Her whole body changed, Zhi Rui could feel the formation that kept it all together. It was something, she had never aw before.

Feeling no presence whatsoever. Zhi Rui sighed with fatigue, she closed the door and walked towards the bed,

The dimension kept it whole and free of dust. She never felt more comfortable. Her eyes almost close right away.

Her body had changed so much it was foreign to her. Not only her strength multiplied from the second level, but she also managed to assimilate the golden energy of Tianzy, it mutated her body into the barbarian heritage.

now besides ethereal, she was extremely apt to physical cultivation.

She remembered the rare cultivation method the sibling talked about, she had no reason to take it as true, but inside such place, she knew that Tianzy kept everything to himself, and only gave some slightly above average things for those with the purest bloodline. And the one pure enough to receive the slightly higher quality in centuries were the siblings.

She smiling thinking of everything he might've hoarded.

'If I train with the best suitable cultivation method available from Tianzy's mind. No one under the fourth level will be my match, and I'll be able to fight off against any level fourth, expert or newbie.' Zhi Rui thought. 'If I can't kill an expert, then I can escape.'

(Wrong, girl.) Tianzy's voice echoed on her mind.

Zhi Rui frowned, "Can you read yo read my thoughts?"

( I don't need to. When somebody has that complacent expression usually means they slightly lost touch with reality.)

"With this body of mine, and my ability to walk wherever terrain, coupled with the best body cultivation method for me. I qualify to fight a cultivator of the fourth level." Zhi Rui stated her thoughts.

(As I said, you're wrong. The cultivation world is not a consistent place where everything follows a single logic. it has guidelines but people above the norm is common, you'll face more of those kinds of as you struggle upwards in this world. Never take anything at face value. There' people at low levels that could be your antithesis and destroy you with minimum effort.)

Zhi Rui smiled. "Are you giving me instructions old man? even though I'm not of your precious lineage?"

(I depend on your health to live, and while I'll do everything I can, I doubt I'll ever manage to leave here, might as well be a pleasant stay)

Squinting Zhi Rui said, "I thought you were a follower of Pride, how come you just put yours aside?"

(My ancestors followed pride. I followed my people, while I do have pride, I'll not give up my life for it.)

Zhi Rui sighed feeling the mental fatigue "I'm going to rest. study my physic and abilities and prepare a fitting body Method for me."

( I thought that you were a daughter of lust. And would only want the best, how come it became to most "fitting?")

"It' common sense old man, my skills are all ethereal there's nothing that resonates for body cultivation. I have to balance body cultivation with spiritual."

Zhi Rui said and shut off communication from inside.

The brightness of the room bothered her eyes. She willed it and it turned dark in a second.

'I have around four months until the underworld gate opens... It's been more than a millennium since it was sealed off, It must be a wildland there.'

Numerous scenarios blossomed on her mind, 'The uncountable number of cultivators that'll venture inside, the sects and cults that'll insert themselves and fight for the best locations. turf wars. A no man's land, filled with creatures that hadn't been seen since that time...'

Suddenly a thought occurred to her, Zhi Rui' eyes snapped open "Old man, do you have knowledge from the underworld that disappeared a thousand years ago?" she asked.

(He, look at the size of my library girl, one of the Pride biggest achievements throughout time, is the hoarding of knowledge. I was told in my prime that my ancestors built an empire that while small, it overshadowed any other, in any aspect.

They had the most talented youth, the most cultured peasants, and the noblest wealthy, Pride had always sought excellence, how could they have excellence and sovereignty without knowledge? this small piece of land is the little that was left after the lesser races of the church persecuted them. Most of the knowledge here is forbidden by the church of today. You have my traits now. You just have state your wishes in this place and what you want will come for you.)

Zhi Rui was floored, she asked a simple question and suddenly got to know that pride managed to build a kingdom some millenniums ago. Now that she thought about it, every other sin has left some kind of historical marks even though the church covers most of it. there' still mentions of them around the world. As for lust... Lust is known for being the first of the seven sin to die.

Zhi Rui contemplated. 'Why? What was written in that encyclopedia stated that lust is usually the wildest and the most unrestrained in nature, and will eventually lose themselves for their own urges and stick out like sore thump waiting for the church to kill them.'

She lay down on her side and thought 'But in some ways, all sins are unrestrained and indulgent, why is lust, always the first one to be identified and killed? Then.'

In the dark room, she pondered. She wanted to test what Tinazy just said and see the books and understand her blessing more, but fatigue took the best of her, and her mind fell in slumber.

----

----

----

"A disciple of Zhi Rui appeared on the barbarian lands." Said a distraught Aurelio.

Xunhue the one that survived the pagoda with Zhi Rui, and betrayed her benefactors will. Halted her training and perked up her ear.

"She had just been crowned their chief alpha, She's strong and is known to all." He said the last word and burned the piece of paper in his hand.

He looked at Xunhue with a wry smile.

"I have most of the people on the sect on my side, even if she comes back she'll have to conquer them all back, and that's without mentioning the geniuses, I already have a connection through their stewards/ess."

Aurelio shook is head. "don't grow complacent, the masses matter but not as much as you think, and their mind can be changed easily. As for your 'connection' with the geniuses, that's merely for benefits, the moment Zhi Rui shows more value they'll drop you."

Xunhue, frowned "I'm stronger now."

Aurelio smiled and nodded. "Yes, you can be considered a prodigy."

He said it o calmly, and with warmth. But all Xunhue could see in his eyes was: "At least you have that."

She frowned, form the moment Zhi Rui went on her expedition, She did nothing but evolve. she's now a consecrated level three, one of the few to do it in such a short time. She was known to all, but even now a remote mention of Zhi Rui's name is enough to stir the sect enough to make Elder Aurelio worry.

She clenched her fist.

'You're evil, Zhi Rui. and I'll grow enough to crush you!'

----

----

----

"Your Sister only brings me problems." General Cheng said to a mounted Zheng Li.

He ate a hearty piece of meat and let grease all over his mustache.

Zheng Li watched him in silence.

"But I got to hand it to her, to have someone as strong as that pose as her disciple and conquer the barbarian lands. that's no easy feat."

Zheng Li heard his voice, and let his eyes grow stern, he didn't bother with the old man anymore.

Chan Feng opened his mouth again, but the sound of horse trotting made him look up, only to see Zheng Li's retreating back.

His eyes clouded He wanted to scream that he hasn't finished talking. But he looked a the soldiers beside him. If he said anything, it'd only damage his reputation further.

Instead, He shook his head and muttered under his breath "So, he still angry, kids will always be kids."

He observed the soldiers minute expression, neither moved.

He leaned back on his chair. With a calm and relaxed mood, He raised his hands and combed his hair.

He got up, patted his belly form the armor and burped like a satisfied pig.

He chuckled and walked back to his personal tent.

As soon as he passed through the soundproof barrier only his destroyed furniture remained in place.

The only thing intact was the map of the terrain.

"That slut! That fucking bitch! " He remembered her words of needing his resources and how she would raise the family status together with her own strength and gnashed his teeth in anger. He couldn't ever imagine her evolving this fast.

His veins bulged he couldn't stand the feeling of being played by that nasty thing "After all the bullshit I took! After everything, I struggled through!

The emperor is weak, if you had the mind to it we would already be reigning over this land, you dumb bitch!"

He yelled and cursed, sometimes making no sense of his own words throwing the already broken thing around.

He gasped and breathed in. He hated her but what he hated more, was that he knew, what comes next. He knew she was coming for him. A disciple of hers becoming a level fourth, Zheng Li's shown of disdain. That' the alarming bells.

He didn't know how, but he had to defend himself.