Cultivating in Honkai!

We talked for two days, slept for two days, and the entire Chiyou fiasco took an entire day.

Five days have passed since I came out of the Sea of Quanta.

I froze.

"Wait a minute. I have to settle something."

"Um. Go."

I stood in place. The familiar dark landscape greeted my sight. The golden orb stood amidst.

The draws become shorter as my qi cultivation realm goes up. I can do a random pull once every five days now.

Soon, the draw results came out. It turned out to be an irregular-sized ore fifty meters tall. Its radius is more than ten meters.

My [Encompassing Eyes] formed a detailed assessment.

Spiritual ore. Middle third grade, approaching late stage. Thunder attributes. Possesses the thunder of thunder tribulations. Can be smelted into weapons, pills, clothing…

Thunder…

This is my second third grade spiritual ore. The other one is flame-attributed.

I don't know if this is the case, but ores grow increasingly bigger the higher the realm.

Naturally, I thought of my jian. It is still at the early second stage, lagging far behind my current realm.

There is also the Xuanyuan Sword. I tested its toughness and sharpness. It is amazing. It can easily handle honkai energy with ease and turn it into an attributed attack—similar to Parvati's fake authority.

Only if I can use my [Two Phase Art] and convert it into a spiritual sword...

Sadly, I need to reach the [Small Accomplishment] mastery for that... and I have no idea how. It is the vaguest technique I ever received.

My thoughts flew over in a flash. I got out of the golden orb space. Only half a minute passed in reality.

"It's done."

"Was it the girls from before?" She asked.

I looked at Kiana. I can't see anything unusual from her. The way she acts makes me feel so, however.

"It's something else. They're still resting."

I took out the small jade piece hidden in my pockets. Turning smaller is one of its functions.

The ancestral tablet needs spiritual qi to work, something I am constantly supplying. I can also leave them in a spiritual qi rich environment, but I chose to watch over them for now.

"Anyways… Someone's waiting for us."

Kiana looked at the direction I pointed at. Someone stood in front of the orphanage's gate.

Seele.

*****

Seele saw the world through the duo's lenses.

Three rows of computers could be used in the orphanage's study room. That was how she and Bronya chatted with them every night.

Only, Seele felt something unusual when "Shi Tian" chatted.

It does not feel like him at all.

That suspicion remained small in her heart. It became stronger when Kiana visited them alone. Seele expected Shi Tian's visit at that time. She wanted to show off her progress.

'Sister Kiana… was more serious at that time.'

Kiana is hiding something from them.

The notion of that thought was incredulous. Yet, without evidence, she chose not to tell Bronya.

The days passed by normally. "Shi Tian" chatted with them every night. Seele committed a few mistakes as a Foundation Establishment here and there. Her sense of time was warped.

If not for Bronya taking care of her, she might have unintentionally revealed their secrets to Cocolia.

Her days remained simple. That was until a month ago.

Cocolia gave them several tests. It is related to the manipulation of honkai energy.

Due to their Foundation Establishment physical body, their honkai adaptability is leagues ahead of the rest. Their original honkai adaptability plus the recovery of spiritual qi made them perform extremely well on the test.

Cocolia then revealed the X-10 Project.

Turns out, the kids in this orphanage are all suffering from honkai corruption, an incurable disease. In exchange for being able to manipulate honkai energy, they have to suffer varying degrees of physical damage. Death is their ending.

The care they received and Cocolia's words persuaded them to go with it. Seele and Bronya saw her sincerity even with their spiritual consciousness. Moreover, they believed more in their practice's results. Immortal cultivation made them stronger.

Finally, on the day of the experiment, Kiana intercepted them. Cocolia was arrested by Anti-Entropy. All of her existing underground laboratories are seized. The X-10 Project was cancelled.

A lot of changes occurred to the orphanage. It is a tiring week.

'He's really here!'

Seele was liberated from her hidden worries the moment she saw Shi Tian. He grew taller and more mature, yes, but that will not prevent her from recognizing him.

Her sharp eyes enabled her to see further.

Inevitably, she saw how Kiana held his pinky finger.

'That shouldn't be the case…'

An ominous sense of foreboding came to her. It was so evident her "other self" went online.

{"Oh? The two of them acting as close as that? Your worries are not groundless."}

'I have a feeling it wasn't him… that it is Sister Kiana who chatted with us using his account.'

{"You don't have to think much. Go confirm whether or not that's the case later."}

Seele's other self answered eloquently. She was vented enough to the point she learned how to deal with situations like this.

It showed how her other self cares for Seele.

{"But, I have to point it out. Your Sister Kiana is not the same as before. She is ready… for a fight."}

'...Got it.'

Her internal turmoil remained unnoticed under the duo's gaze.

"It's been a long time."

"Yes. It is nice seeing you again."

"Me too."

Just when things were going smoothly, Kiana spoke up.

"Where is Bronya?"

"Sister Bronya… She went to visit Cocolia Matushka."

Bronya came with the Anti-Entropy staff who returned to the Salt Lake Base. Seele and Sin Mal are left to manage the orphanage.

"The kids are still processing the change of staff. Sin Mal and I… we are helping them adapt."

The three talked about serious matters along the way.

"I secretly tried to heal others with my spells… and it worked."

"That's why you agreed?" Shi Tian asked.

"Yes. I am hoping we can produce results. I am sorry if it goes beyond…"

"No need to."

He stopped her first.

"I agreed with it before."

Shi Tian gave Kiana a look. The latter's face lit up several degrees.

In his absence, Kiana chatted with the two using his account. She helped them decide on some things. Seele using her spells to treat others is agreed by Kiana. The video he left entrusted her with making decisions regarding it.

It did not take long before they entered the orphanage. It is not as lively as before.

When the kids saw their appearance, however, they rushed straight to Shi Tian.

"You didn't come with Sister Kiana. We thought you did not want…"

"Sorry. I got caught up with something… like this."

Like a magician, a box of pastries appeared in his hands. It swiftly took the kids' attention. What came next is Shi Tian performing miniature spells to entertain the kids.

Kiana and Seele were separated from him.

"We are planning to teach the kids how to practice."

"Ah?!"

Kiana's revelation startled Seele.

"With his Master's permission, of course!"

"Um. Um…"

Just then, her other self's voice spoke.

{"You really need to make your move."}

'T-today!?'

{"You are already a year behind. Don't wait until it is too late."}

Seele's other self left something out.

{'His eyes… it changed a lot.'}

Momentarily, she grasped Shi Tian's unspoken changes.