Yun Che slowly opened his eyes.
The golden light of the Nexus had vanished.
He was once again inside Mu Che's hidden laboratory.
The familiar scent of old paper, steel and dust filled the room.
"...We're back."
Jasmine was already sitting comfortably on his shoulder, swinging her legs.
She folded her arms and pouted.
"...It wasn't nearly as epic as Huan Xuyi's."
Yun Che chuckled.
"Well..."
"It came from someone who actually knew how to use the Apple."
"He wasn't trying to show off."
"He simply wanted to leave behind everything he knew."
Jasmine tilted her head.
"I suppose."
"Besides..."
"His life was already well documented."
"The Nexus didn't need to reconstruct an entire forgotten civilization."
Yun Che stretched his shoulders.
"Still..."
"Gaining three Pieces of Eden..."
He looked at the Apple, Sword and Staff resting peacefully before him.
"...isn't exactly a small reward."
Jasmine nodded.
"They're empty now."
"Their previous owner is gone."
"But..."
"They're still among the strongest Isu relics."
Yun Che scratched his cheek.
"I'll admit..."
"I was expecting something more dramatic."
Jasmine blinked.
"...Like what?"
"I don't know."
"Three surviving Isu appearing out of nowhere."
"A boss battle."
"Some world-ending security system."
Jasmine stared at him.
"...You were actually hoping for trouble?"
Yun Che grinned shamelessly.
"For the experience points."
Jasmine let out a long sigh.
"...You're hopeless."
"Can't help it."
"Leveling up is addictive."
Only then did Yun Che notice the figure beside him.
Mulan.
She was still kneeling where she had entered the hidden chamber.
Her eyes were swollen from crying.
Yet there was a strange calmness on her face.
Yun Che crouched beside her.
"...Hey."
"You okay?"
She slowly nodded.
"...Yes."
There was a long silence.
"...To think..."
"I finally learned his fate."
She lowered her head.
"...I'm sorry."
Yun Che blinked.
"For what?"
"I kept mistaking you for him."
"I kept trying to see Che'er whenever I looked at you."
A bitter smile appeared on Yun Che's face.
"I kept telling you."
"I know."
She smiled sadly.
"...Now I know."
Fresh tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.
"...He's really gone."
Yun Che didn't interrupt.
He simply waited.
"I spent years..."
"...chasing a ghost."
He gently shook his head.
"No."
"You weren't."
She looked up.
"You found him."
"You heard his final thoughts."
"You heard his final wish."
"You finally got your goodbye."
He looked toward the sealed room.
"And now..."
"...all that's left..."
"...is his body."
Silence settled between them.
Mulan closed her eyes.
"...He was alone."
"All this time..."
"...he was alone."
Her hands slowly clenched.
"...Sister Retsu was right."
A tear fell onto the dusty floor.
"...I really was unfaithful."
Yun Che's expression immediately hardened.
"...That's enough."
She looked at him in surprise.
"He didn't send you here so you could keep punishing yourself."
"He didn't spend his final moments telling you to live..."
"...just so you could continue blaming yourself."
His voice remained calm.
"But I..."
Yun Che interrupted.
"The only question that matters now is this."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"Are you going to learn from your mistakes?"
"...Or..."
"Are you going to spend the rest of your life wondering about 'what if'?"
Mulan fell silent.
The words struck far deeper than any accusation.
Yun Che continued.
"Life moves forward, Mulan."
"It doesn't wait."
"You can remember him."
"You can grieve."
"You can even cry."
"But..."
"Learn from your mistakes."
"Don't make the same ones again."
Mulan remained quiet for a long while.
Then...
She slowly drew in a deep breath.
Held it.
And released it.
"...You're much stricter than he was."
Yun Che laughed softly.
"Of course I am."
"I'm not him."
He tapped his own chest.
"We happen to share the same face."
"But..."
"...not the same heart."
"...not the same resolve."
He looked toward the Apple of Eden resting quietly nearby.
"Although..."
"I did inherit his will."
"And everything he left behind."
He smiled gently.
"So..."
"Let's stop looking behind us."
He extended a hand toward her.
"...Let's look toward the future."
"Okay?"
"You can miss him."
"No one is asking you to forget."
"But..."
"Don't forget what he wished for."
His smile carried none of Mu Che's melancholy.
It belonged entirely to Yun Che.
"...Live well."
For the first time since entering the laboratory...
Mulan managed a faint smile.
Small.
Fragile.
Still stained with tears.
But genuine.
She slowly reached out...
...and accepted his hand.
The hidden laboratory's stone door slowly slid open.
Footsteps echoed through the underground chamber.
Retsu entered first, followed by Mio, Cang Yue, Nemu, Qingyue, Little Fairy, Chu Yueli, Xue Yin, Xue Ling and Lin Yueru.
Perched lazily upon Lin Yueru's shoulder, Kon glanced around with narrowed eyes.
"Heh.. this is quite a simple room." Kon commented as he jumped from Lin Yueru's shoulder.
"Ah."
Retsu folded her arms.
"There you two are."
Yun Che looked up.
"Yeah."
"We found Mu Che's room."
He paused before quietly adding,
"...And we found Mu Che."
"His room?"
Mio looked past Yun Che.
"Wait..."
Her words caught in her throat.
"...Is that..."
The room fell silent.
Against the stone wall rested a lone human skeleton.
Ripped clothing.
No flesh.
Only clean white bones lying where their owner had spent his final moments.
"Kyaaa!!!" Kon shouted seeing the skeleton.
Everyone froze.
They had imagined this meeting countless times.
Nemu had prepared dozens of scientific questions she wanted to ask the legendary inventor.
Xue Yin wished to kneel and thank the man who had saved her life back then.
Xue Ling wanted to finally meet the genius who had quietly changed the fate of Jin Province.
Even Retsu...
Though she would never admit it aloud...
Had planned to scold him for leaving Yuuki to clean up such an impossible inheritance.
Mio, too, had wanted to punch him for manipulating events from beyond the grave.
After all...
If Mu Che truly resembled Yun Che...
Seeing the two standing together would have been surreal.
Instead...
Only silence greeted them.
Only bones.
"...Yes."
Mulan's quiet voice broke the stillness.
"...That's him."
Without waiting for anyone else, she walked toward the remains.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
She slowly knelt beside the skeleton.
Her trembling fingers reached toward the weathered bones.
There was no smell.
No trace of decay.
Only dryness.
Almost unnaturally clean.
Yun Che quietly observed the remains.
The Apple. It wasn't preserving him, it was sustaining him. The moment Mu Che died, the Apple stopped supporting his body. It had been forcing his dying body to function, consuming itself to keep him alive. Once its power was gone, there was nothing left to maintain the tissue.
The remaining flesh simply disintegrated.
He knelt beside the skeleton, careful not to disturb Mulan.
He looked at the bones with quiet understanding.
He lowered her eyes.
"...He really was living on borrowed time."
No one spoke after that.
Mulan gently lifted the skull into both hands.
As though afraid she might hurt him.
"...Che'er..."
Her voice was barely a whisper.
"I'm taking you home."
One by one...
She gathered every bone herself.
Each finger.
Each rib.
Each vertebra.
She handled every piece with the same care one would use for a sleeping child.
Several of the women instinctively stepped forward.
"I'll help—"
Xue Yin stopped when Yun Che quietly raised a hand.
"...Let her."
Everyone looked at him.
"It was his last wish."
He watched Mulan continue gathering the remains.
"He wanted her..."
"...to take care of him one last time."
No one objected.
They simply stood in respectful silence.
A short while later...
Mulan carried the wrapped remains to the underground spring hidden within the laboratory.
The water flowed crystal clear over ancient stone.
She carefully laid the bones upon a smooth rock.
Then...
Without speaking...
She began washing them.
The spring water flowed gently over white bone.
She used both hands.
Patiently.
Carefully.
Removing years of dust.
Not because they needed cleaning.
But because this was the last thing she could still do for him.
The laboratory remained completely silent.
No one dared interrupt.
Mulan's movements were slow.
Reverent.
Almost ceremonial.
As tears continued falling into the water.
Years ago...
She had regretted never truly serving Mu Che as his wife.
She had spent those years believing she would someday have another chance.
Now...
There would never be another tomorrow.
Only this final farewell.
Retsu quietly watched from a distance.
Her expression was unreadable.
The words she had once spoken to Mulan had been harsh.
Brutal even.
But...
They had also been true.
Mulan had failed Mu Che while he was alive.
Not out of cruelty.
Not out of hatred.
But because she had never understood what he truly meant to her until he was gone.
Today...
She was no longer running from that truth.
She accepted it.
Without excuses.
Without blaming anyone else.
She simply accepted it.
As the last bone was washed clean, Mulan carefully dried each one with a fresh white cloth before wrapping them in white linen exactly as Mu Che had requested.
Every movement was gentle.
Every fold deliberate.
This...
Was her final duty as his wife.
When she finished, she rested both hands atop the neatly wrapped remains.
Her tears had not stopped.
But there was no longer despair in them.
Only mourning.
Only love.
Only gratitude.
Inside her heart, she quietly made a promise.
Che'er...
I cannot undo my mistakes.
I cannot return the years we lost.
But I can honour the life you gave me.
She slowly looked toward Yun Che.
The man who now carried Mu Che's memories.
His knowledge.
His unfinished dreams.
His will.
Mu Che had entrusted her to Yun Che.
She would respect that wish.
But she also understood something now.
Yun Che would never accept someone who remained trapped by guilt.
Nor would he ever want to become a substitute for the dead.
If she were to walk beside him in the future...
It could not be because of regret.
It had to be because she had finally learned to live again.
She gently rested a hand upon the white cloth.
A faint, bittersweet smile appeared through her tears.
"...I'll prove it."
"I'll become someone..."
"...who can finally face the future."
"And when that day comes..."
"I'll thank you properly."
"For teaching me..."
"...how to love."
The underground spring continued its quiet song, carrying away the last dust from Mu Che's bones, while, at long last, Mulan began carrying something else away as well—
The weight of the past she had held onto for far too many years.
=================
No one interrupted Mulan.
No one offered advice.
No one tried to ease her grief.
Some farewells had to be carried out by the one left behind.
After wrapping Mu Che's bones in clean white linen, Mulan held them against her chest one last time.
Then she looked around the hidden laboratory.
This place...
It was where he had spent his final days.
Where he had built countless inventions.
Where he had died alone, protecting everyone above.
A gentle breeze drifted through the underground spring.
Mulan slowly smiled through her tears.
"...You'll stay here."
She whispered softly.
"You liked this place."
"It was your sanctuary."
She carried the wrapped remains to a quiet spot not far from the spring.
The earth there was soft.
Without asking for help, she knelt and began digging.
One handful of soil after another.
Her fingers became stained with dirt.
Her nails cracked.
Still...
She continued.
The others stood several paces behind her.
Watching silently.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
This was not their farewell.
It belonged solely to Mulan.
After a long while, the grave was finally deep enough.
Mulan carefully lowered the white-wrapped remains into the earth.
Her hands lingered on the cloth.
"...Che'er."
A single tear landed upon the white fabric.
"...Rest."
"You don't have to protect anyone anymore."
"I'll be alright."
Her fingers slowly let go.
She covered the grave herself.
One handful of earth at a time.
Until the white cloth disappeared beneath the soil forever.
When it was finished, she gathered several smooth stones from the spring and carefully arranged them into a simple grave marker.
No grand monument.
No elaborate inscription.
Just a quiet resting place.
Exactly the sort of thing Mu Che would have preferred.
Mulan knelt before the grave.
She pressed both palms together.
Then bowed deeply.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
This...
Was the last act she could perform as Mu Che's wife.
Not because anyone demanded it.
Not because tradition required it.
But because her heart wished to.
When she finally stood, tears still lingered in her eyes.
Yet the unbearable weight crushing her chest had eased ever so slightly.
The chapter she had spent years desperately trying to reopen...
Had finally reached its ending.
She would always miss him.
She would always remember him.
But now...
She could finally make peace with him.
And with herself.
Behind her, Xue Yin quietly watched the newly made grave.
Her usually composed expression had softened.
"...Mu Che..."
She whispered.
"...To think you suffered such a fate."
She lowered her gaze.
"I always believed..."
"...that no one had lived through greater suffering than I had."
"But..."
"...I was wrong."
Beside her, Xue Ling looked at her sister in surprise.
"...Elder Sister..."
"You knew him?"
Xue Yin smiled faintly.
"I did."
Her eyes remained fixed upon the simple grave.
"When I first met him..."
"I was already dying."
"My meridians..."
"My profound core..."
"My body..."
"They were all destroying me from within."
She laughed quietly.
"I had accepted my fate."
"I thought I would spend the rest of my life enduring that pain."
"But then..."
"...he appeared."
Xue Ling listened attentively.
"He never asked for anything."
"He simply examined me."
"Studied my condition."
"And somehow..."
"...he relieved my pain."
Her hand unconsciously rested over her abdomen, remembering those years.
"It wasn't a complete cure."
"But..."
"He gave me several years without agony."
"Several years..."
"...where I could simply live."
She smiled sadly.
"I owe that man more than I could ever repay."
Her gaze shifted toward Yun Che.
"...Now I finally understand."
"Why you respected him so much."
Yun Che looked at the simple grave before answering.
"...He never considered himself a hero."
"He just kept helping whoever stood in front of him."
Xue Yin nodded.
"...That was exactly the Mu Che I knew."
The underground laboratory became quiet once more.
The spring continued to flow beside the newly raised grave.
Gentle.
Unchanging.
As if keeping eternal watch over the man who had once transformed this forgotten sanctuary into a place of hope.
And for the first time in many years...
Mu Che was no longer alone.
========================
After everyone paid their silent respects, Yun Che walked back toward the stone pedestal in the center of the laboratory.
Resting upon it was a small metallic sphere no larger than a golf ball.
Unlike Huan Xuyi's Apple of Eden, this one was noticeably smaller.
Its polished golden surface reflected the laboratory lights as faint streams of golden energy slowly circled around it.
Yun Che reached out.
The moment his fingers touched it, the sphere responded.
Golden lines pulsed softly before settling back into dormancy.
Its authority had already been transferred.
It no longer resisted him.
Qingyue quietly walked beside him.
Her eyes remained fixed on the small sphere.
"...What is this?"
Yun Che smiled.
"Oh."
"You've never seen one before."
Nemu stepped closer.
Her eyes immediately lit up.
"...Yuu-sama."
"Is this..."
"...another Apple of Eden?"
Yun Che nodded.
"Yes."
Retsu raised an eyebrow.
"Another one?"
"Like the one you recovered from Huan Xuyi's tomb?"
She looked at the sphere in Yun Che's hand.
"But..."
"This one is much smaller."
"That's because it isn't one of the original nine Pieces of Eden that reached this world."
He gently rolled the sphere between his fingers.
"This one belonged to Mu Che."
"It came with him from Earth."
Several of the women blinked.
"...Piece of Eden?"
Qingyue repeated.
The term was completely foreign to her.
Little Fairy, Chu Yueli, Lin Yueru, Xue Yin and Xue Ling were equally puzzled.
Only Retsu, Mio and Cang Yue had previously heard Yun Che explain Isu relics.
Yun Che smiled.
"It comes from an advanced civilization."
"One whose technology surpassed anything our world has ever achieved."
He reached into his inventory.
A larger golden sphere appeared in his other hand.
Huan Xuyi's Apple of Eden.
Compared to Mu Che's smaller version, it was almost twice the size.
Golden light lazily flowed across its surface.
Yun Che handed it to Qingyue.
"Here."
"You can hold it."
She accepted it carefully.
"...It's warm."
Then he placed Mu Che's smaller Apple into Nemu's hands.
"Don't worry."
"The ownership has already transferred to me."
"They won't react against you."
Nemu carefully rotated the smaller Apple.
Qingyue eyes the larger Apple.
"...Amazing..."
"There aren't any seams."
"No forging marks."
"No joints."
She frowned.
"...What kind of material is this made from?"
Qingyue was equally fascinated.
She lightly tapped the larger Apple.
It produced a clear metallic tone unlike any metal she had ever heard.
Then she looked toward the smaller one.
"They're similar..."
"...but not identical."
Little Fairy tilted her head.
"So..."
"...how exactly does this thing work?"
Yun Che smiled.
"Since I trust all of you..."
"...I might as well show you."
He closed his fingers around Mu Che's Apple.
Golden light immediately erupted from the small sphere.
The entire room became bathed in warm golden radiance.
Only Retsu, Nemu and Mio remained calm.
They had witnessed this before.
Even Cang Yue widened her eyes.
"So beautiful..."
The golden light condensed.
Particles gathered together.
Moments later...
A translucent human figure appeared in front of everyone.
Exactly as he had looked inside the Nexus.
Mu Che.
Standing calmly with his hands behind his back.
"...This..."
Mulan whispered.
Yun Che nodded.
"...Yes."
"This is Mu Che."
The women stared speechlessly.
Xue Ling gasped.
"...He..."
"...really looks exactly like you."
Little Fairy slowly walked around the projection.
She reached out.
Her hand passed straight through it.
"...Incredible..."
"You can create people?"
Yun Che shook his head.
"Not people."
"Think of it as projecting information."
"My thoughts."
"My memories."
He concentrated again.
The projection shifted.
Mu Che disappeared.
In his place appeared Little Fairy herself.
She blinked in surprise.
"...Me?"
The projection copied every movement she made.
Then it changed again.
Qingyue.
Then Xue Yin.
Then Kon.
"Kyaa!"
Kon almost fell over.
"There's two of me!"
Everyone laughed softly.
Yun Che dismissed the projection.
The golden figure dissolved into countless sparks.
"This..."
"...is only one function."
He looked at the Apple thoughtfully.
"It possesses far greater abilities."
Little Fairy tilted her head.
"...Like what?"
Yun Che's expression became more serious.
"Great knowledge, invisibility and...."
"...Mind control."
Silence filled the room.
Chu Yueli frowned.
"...Mind control?"
"How can a tiny object control someone's mind?"
Yun Che scratched his cheek.
"...I'll explain it as simply as I can."
He picked up a small stone from the floor.
"Imagine your mind..."
"...as the person sitting inside a carriage."
He pointed toward his own head.
"Your eyes."
"Your ears."
"Your nose."
"Your sense of touch."
"Taste."
"And even your thoughts..."
"They're simply information entering your mind."
He gently tossed the stone into the air before catching it again.
"The Apple can interfere with every one of those signals."
"It can make you see things that aren't there."
"Hear voices."
"Smell smoke."
"Taste food."
"Feel pain."
"Or convince you that something impossible is completely real."
Little Fairy blinked.
"So..."
"...an illusion?"
"In a sense."
"But far more complete."
He nodded.
"It doesn't merely fool your eyes."
"It fools your entire consciousness."
He searched for words everyone could understand.
"...Imagine being trapped inside a dream."
"A dream so convincing..."
"...that you cannot distinguish it from reality."
Chu Yueli frowned.
"...Dream?"
"...You're speaking nonsense."
Yun Che laughed awkwardly.
"I know."
"I don't really have words in this world to explain it."
"So..."
"Think of it as a perfectly crafted false world."
"It traps your mind inside that illusion."
He tapped lightly against his temple.
"While your consciousness is occupied inside that false world..."
"...your body is left without anyone making conscious decisions."
The women listened carefully.
"So what happens then?"
Asked Qingyue.
"The brain still functions."
"The heart still beats."
"The body still moves."
"But..."
"...it becomes incredibly receptive to outside commands."
He pointed toward the Apple.
"If the controller says..."
"'Walk.'"
"You walk."
"'Sleep.'"
"You sleep."
"'Attack your friend.'"
"Your body obeys."
Little Fairy's face paled.
"...That's terrifying."
Yun Che nodded slowly.
"It doesn't replace your soul."
"It simply distracts it."
"Your consciousness becomes trapped elsewhere."
"Leaving your body vulnerable."
He looked at everyone gathered in the laboratory.
"So when you hear stories of profound arts capable of controlling another person..."
"...the Apple achieves something very similar."
"But..."
He glanced at the small golden sphere in his hand.
"...on an entirely different level."
Yun Che looked toward the Little Fairy.
"...Little Fairy."
She turned her attention to him.
"Yes?"
"Did Xuanyuan Yufeng tell you about her circumstances?"
The Little Fairy nodded slowly.
"...She did."
Chu Yueli frowned.
"What circumstances?"
She looked between the two of them.
"And why are you suddenly mentioning the Villa Mistress?"
Yun Che glanced around the room.
"I assumed all of you already knew about the Eternal Love Potion."
The moment those words left his mouth—
Chu Yueli's eyes widened.
"...The Eternal Love Potion?"
"How do you know about our Asgard's taboo potion?"
Qingyue blinked.
"...This is the first time I've heard of it."
Xue Yin and Xue Ling exchanged confused looks before nodding.
"We've never heard of it either."
Lin Yueru tilted her head.
"...What exactly is the Eternal Love Potion?"
Chu Yueli then explained, her expression turning cold.
"...It is a forbidden potion barred from our Asgard."
"It was originally used by men to ensnare Asgardian women, twisting their emotions into obsessive devotion."
"Because of that, we seal any affected individuals within Eternal Ice until we can find a way to break the effect."
Yun Che sighs before continuing.
"Like Yueli said..."
"It binds a person's will—man or woman—into eternal servitude to whoever infuses their essence into the potion."
"In essence..."
"...it turns them into a mindless slave."
Everyone looked toward Yun Che.
He slowly exhaled.
"...Villa Master Ling Yuefeng originally intended to use it on the Little Fairy."
The Little Fairy's expression darkened.
"...That's true."
"I sensed something was wrong."
"My Haki warned me."
"So I slapped the medicine away..."
"...and blasted Ling Yuefeng before he could force it on me."
Everyone stared.
Even Chu Yueli looked shocked.
Yun Che continued.
"But..."
"That wasn't the first time Ling Yuefeng used it."
Silence.
"He had already used it..."
"...on his own wife."
"...Xuanyuan Yufeng."
"...Impossible..."
Chu Yueli whispered.
Yun Che slowly shook his head.
"Unlike the Apple of Eden..."
"The potion doesn't create a perfect illusion."
"It doesn't completely rewrite your perception."
"It traps your consciousness."
He tapped lightly against his temple.
"Imagine your real self falling into a deep sleep."
"Your body continues living."
"Speaking."
"Making decisions."
"But..."
"...the person inside can no longer control any of it."
Qingyue slowly understood.
"...Like being trapped inside your own mind?"
"Exactly."
Yun Che nodded.
"The commands implanted into the potion become the dominant personality."
"The original consciousness..."
"...is trapped in the dark unaware of what is happening. Some trapped until their death."
Everyone fell silent.
Yun Che continued.
"When Xuanyuan Yufeng finally broke free..."
"...the consciousness that awakened..."
"...was still that of an eighteen-year-old girl."
Cang Yue gasped.
"...Eighteen..."
Yun Che nodded.
"But physically..."
"...she was nearly forty."
The room became deathly quiet.
"Imagine waking up one day..."
"...discovering you've married someone you never loved."
"You've given birth to two children."
"And the world knows you as..."
"...the cruel Villa Mistress."
"...A woman who murdered servants out of jealousy."
Cang Yue covered her mouth.
"...That's..."
"...That's cruel."
Yun Che shook his head.
"No."
"It wasn't her fault."
Everyone looked at him.
"The potion forced her emotions."
"It compelled her to obsess over Ling Yuefeng."
"That obsessive love eventually twisted into paranoia."
He looked toward Little Fairy.
"She believed Little Fairy was stealing her husband."
Then his gaze shifted to Qingyue.
"And later..."
"...she viewed Qingyue as another threat."
Qingyue froze.
"...Me?"
Yun Che nodded.
"When your veil fell..."
"...Ling Yun developed feelings for you."
Qingyue immediately frowned.
"But I rejected him."
"I know."
"You did."
"But Xuanyuan Yufeng never saw that."
"To her..."
"...you were simply another woman taking away someone precious."
He paused.
"If she had never recovered..."
"...she would've used every resource the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region possessed."
"She would've destroyed you."
He looked at Little Fairy.
"And you."
Finally, his gaze shifted toward Chu Yueli.
"...Including Frozen Cloud Asgard."
Everyone's expressions changed.
Qingyue whispered,
"...Why would she go that far?"
"Because..."
Yun Che answered quietly.
"...her own mind was no longer making those decisions."
The laboratory became silent once again.
Chu Yueli finally found her voice.
"...When..."
"When did all of this happen?"
Yun Che shrugged lightly.
"...The exact timing isn't important."
"What matters..."
"...is that she eventually played a role in preventing an even greater disaster."
Chu Yueli slowly nodded.
"...Then..."
"...how did she recover?"
Everyone looked at Yun Che.
For a brief moment...
His hand instinctively moved toward his eye.
The Sharingan...
He stopped himself.
There were some secrets better left hidden.
Instead...
He lifted Xuyi's Apple of Eden.
The small sphere shimmered with golden light.
"I used this."
Everyone stared.
"The Apple."
"I broke the illusion imprisoning her consciousness."
"I reached the girl trapped inside."
"And..."
"...woke her up."
The Little Fairy quietly lowered her head.
"...She cried when she confined herself to me."
Yun Che nodded.
"For hours."
"Not because she remembered what she had done."
"But because..."
"...she had lost over twenty years of her life."
Silence returned.
Then Yun Che looked at the Apple resting in his hand.
"This..."
"...is why I told all of you."
"The Apple is dangerous."
"Not merely because it can control minds."
"But because..."
"...it can also give them back."
The room fell into thoughtful silence.
The implications of the Apple of Eden weighed heavily on everyone present.
It was no longer merely a mysterious relic.
It was something capable of restoring lives that had been stolen.
The Little Fairy was the first to break the silence.
She looked toward Chu Yueli.
"...Then..."
She slowly turned back to Yun Che.
"We can save the other trapped Asgardians?"
Yun Che nodded.
"...Yes."
He didn't hesitate.
"One day."
"I'm certain of it."
He looked at the Apple resting in his palm.
"But..."
"...right now..."
"...I'm the only one who can safely use it."
The Little Fairy quietly nodded.
Beside her, Chu Yueli folded her arms.
"...We may need to convince Mother to allow them into our care someday."
She glanced at her elder sister.
"...Nee-san."
The Little Fairy smiled helplessly.
"...I doubt Mother will be thrilled."
Everyone chuckled.
The image of the Frozen Cloud Palace Mistress willingly accepting an unknown ancient relic was difficult to imagine.
Yun Che closed his hand around the Apple.
"Besides..."
"This Apple is one of our greatest secrets."
His expression became serious.
"I trust everyone standing in this room."
"But..."
"I don't want anyone else learning about it."
He slowly looked around.
"The power it possesses..."
"...would tempt even the Sacred Grounds."
Everyone silently agreed.
Retsu suddenly raised a hand.
"Ling Yun actually tried something similar method like that Ling Yuefeng tried to control sister Yuechan."
Everyone turned toward her.
"He attempted to use the potion on me."
She proudly puffed out her chest.
"I destroyed it."
Yun Che laughed.
"Smart girl."
He reached over and gently patted her head.
Retsu smiled happily beneath his hand.
"Ehehe."
"What did he think I was?"
She crossed her arms proudly.
"I'm Yuu-kun's fiancée."
"...Not some cheap woman who'd fall for tricks like that."
Mio smiled knowingly.
"That's our Retsu."
"Ah, no wonder you suddenly use Kekkai that day." Cang Yue commented.
Yun Che nodded.
"So..."
"The Eternal Love Potion is a good example of mind control in this world."
"The Apple simply accomplishes something far more sophisticated."
Lin Yueru narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"...You won't use it on us..."
"...will you?"
Yun Che blinked.
"...No?"
"Why on earth would I do that?"
Lin Yueru folded her arms.
"You must have all sorts of perverted thoughts about us."
Without missing a beat, Yun Che shrugged.
"...You barely interest me."
Lin Yueru's eye twitched.
"...You!!"
She pointed an accusing finger at him.
"What was that supposed to mean?!"
Several people burst into laughter.
Yun Che waved dismissively.
"I have absolutely no reason to control any of you."
He pointed toward the laboratory surrounding them.
"It's harmless now."
"It won't randomly attack people."
"You could practically play catch with it."
He casually tossed the Apple into the air.
Several of the women instinctively gasped.
Nemu nearly lunged forward.
"Y-Yuu-sama!"
He caught it again with a grin.
"...Relax."
Then his tone became more thoughtful.
"What interests me..."
"...isn't its ability to control people."
"It's the knowledge stored inside."
He gestured around the laboratory.
"Everything you see here..."
"...Mu Che built."
"The missile designs."
"The engineering blueprints."
"The Booster Gauntlets."
"The hidden laboratory."
"The Apple helped preserve all of that knowledge."
Nemu's eyes sparkled.
"...An archive..."
Yun Che nodded.
"Exactly."
"But..."
He tapped the side of his head.
"The information inside is overwhelming."
"If someone's mind isn't strong enough..."
"...they could lose themselves."
"Or simply go mad trying to process it."
Everyone looked at the small golden sphere with renewed respect.
Yun Che casually spun the Apple upon his index finger before flicking it toward Nemu.
She instinctively caught it with both hands.
"...Anyone other than me..."
"...can basically think of it as a harmless golden metal ball."
Nemu carefully cradled it.
"...I'll still be careful."
"Good."
Yun Che nodded.
Then a mischievous grin slowly spread across his face.
"Besides..."
"I don't need an Apple to control people."
Lin Yueru immediately frowned.
"...What?"
He casually brushed a hand through his hair.
"I can manage that with my natural charm."
Lin Yueru's cheeks immediately flushed crimson.
"W-Who would ever—"
Before she could finish—
Pinch.
"Ow!"
Yun Che jumped.
He turned toward Qingyue, who was calmly pinching his side.
"Eek!"
"You little missy!"
"What did I do?"
Qingyue withdrew her fingers without changing her expression.
"...Do remember."
She looked at him with a perfectly calm smile.
"...You already have a wife."
The laboratory fell silent for exactly one heartbeat.
Then—
"Hahaha!"
Retsu doubled over laughing.
Even Chu Yueli's lips curled upward.
Cang Yue giggled behind her sleeve.
Mio shook her head with an amused sigh.
Lin Yueru, meanwhile, looked away with a bright red face, pretending she had not been flustered a moment ago.
Yun Che rubbed his aching side dramatically.
"...Traitor."
Qingyue simply smiled.
"I merely reminded you of the truth."
The heavy atmosphere that had lingered since Mu Che's farewell finally began to lift, replaced by quiet laughter echoing through the ancient laboratory.
It was exactly the sort of scene Mu Che would likely have smiled at seeing.
============
As the laughter gradually subsided, Mulan quietly walked over.
She stopped beside Yun Che.
Her gaze drifted toward the simple grave resting beside the underground spring.
"...Are you alright?"
Yun Che asked softly.
Mulan took a slow breath.
"...Yes."
She smiled faintly.
"...It's still difficult."
"...Letting go like this."
Yun Che followed her gaze.
"He passed away years ago."
He looked toward the stone grave.
"At least..."
"...this place is now his resting place."
"We recovered his will."
"His legacy."
"And everything he wanted to leave behind."
Mulan remained silent for a moment.
Then she shook her head.
"...Will we tell my parents?"
Yun Che looked at her.
"...No."
Her answer came before he could speak.
"It is enough..."
"...that I already know the truth."
She smiled sadly.
"They already see you as the saviour of the Jin Family."
"Let it remain that way."
She looked once more toward Mu Che's grave.
"Mu Che is long gone."
"If Father and Mother learn the truth now..."
"...with war approaching..."
"...it will only bring them unnecessary sorrow."
Yun Che quietly nodded.
"...Mulan..."
She smiled gently.
"It is better this way."
"I've accepted it."
"I've accepted..."
"...that he is truly gone."
"My search for a ghost..."
"...has finally come to an end."
Her gaze slowly shifted toward Yun Che.
"His memories."
"His knowledge."
"His legacy."
"They now live within you."
She bowed her head slightly.
"I intend to honour the promise he entrusted to me."
"...Once I've healed."
"Not before."
Yun Che smiled.
"Take all the time you need."
"No one is rushing you."
Mulan nodded gratefully.
Then her eyes fell upon the small golden sphere resting in Nemu's hands.
"...So..."
"...this is the treasure he carried from his previous life."
Yun Che nodded.
"Yes."
He looked at the Apple thoughtfully.
"It was both his greatest strength..."
"...and his greatest weakness."
Everyone quietly listened.
"This Apple continuously consumed his life force."
"It granted him abilities beyond anything this world could produce."
"But..."
"...his body was simply too weak."
He gently folded his arms.
"Even if Tian Heng had never found him..."
"He probably only had days..."
"...perhaps weeks..."
"...left to live."
The room fell silent.
"He couldn't risk returning to the Jin Family after using the Apple."
"The Wu Clan."
"Tian Heng."
"If they had discovered where he lived..."
"...the Jin Family would've been dragged into the conflict."
Yun Che looked toward Mu Che's grave.
"The fact that neither Tian Heng nor the Wu Clan ever mentioned the Apple..."
"...means he concealed its existence until the very end."
Nemu quietly lowered her head.
"He protected everyone..."
"...without anyone even knowing."
Yun Che nodded.
"...Exactly."
His attention suddenly shifted back toward the stone pedestal.
"...Hmm?"
He stepped closer.
His fingers brushed across its polished surface.
"There should be..."
"...something else."
He circled around it.
Hidden behind the pedestal...
Another metallic keypad was embedded into the stone wall.
Retsu blinked.
"Another password?"
Yun Che smiled.
"It wouldn't surprise me."
He entered the same sequence Mu Che had left behind.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
A soft mechanical click echoed throughout the laboratory.
Then—
Rumble...
Part of the stone wall slowly slid aside.
Another hidden compartment revealed itself.
Everyone instinctively stepped closer.
Inside...
Resting upon a black metallic stand...
Was a sword unlike anything they had ever seen.
Its blade was perfectly straight.
Double-edged.
Forged from a silvery-white metal that reflected the room with mirror-like clarity.
Ancient glowing lines of Isu script flowed along its length like veins of living light.
Its crossguard possessed no resemblance to any weapon crafted by mortal blacksmiths.
Instead, its elegant geometric form looked as though it had been carved by mathematics itself.
At the centre of the pommel rested a perfectly spherical housing.
Empty.
The place where its Heart once resided.
The golf-ball-sized Apple of Eden now resting safely in Nemu's hands.
For a long moment...
No one spoke.
Then—
"...Wow..."
Lin Yueru breathed.
"...That sword..."
"...is beautiful."
Several of the women unconsciously nodded.
Even Chu Yueli, an accomplished sword cultivator, could not hide the admiration in her eyes.
"I've never seen craftsmanship like this..."
Qingyue whispered.
"It doesn't even look forged."
"It almost looks..."
"...grown."
Nemu stared at the intricate patterns.
"...The machining precision..."
"...It's impossible."
"There isn't a single imperfection."
Retsu whistled softly.
"So that's..."
"...Mu Che's second treasure."
Yun Che carefully reached into the compartment.
The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt...
The Sword of Eden felt impossibly balanced.
As though it weighed almost nothing.
A faint white radiance still travelled along the engraved lines despite the empty pommel.
Without its Heart...
Its true power remained dormant.
Yet even in this incomplete state...
The blade possessed an undeniable majesty.
It felt less like a weapon...
...and more like a symbol of an ancient civilization's mastery.
Yun Che slowly drew it from its resting place.
The blade sang with a clear metallic chime.
A sound that echoed throughout the underground laboratory.
Beautiful.
Pure.
Timeless.
He looked at the empty socket in the pommel before glancing toward the Apple in Nemu's hands.
"...The Heart."
He smiled faintly.
"So that's how it works."
"The Apple isn't merely another Piece of Eden..."
"...it's also the Sword's power source."
He lowered the gleaming blade, carefully examining every glowing inscription carved upon its surface.
Mu Che's second inheritance...
...was finally in his hands.
Xue Yin quietly watched the gleaming blade in Yun Che's hand.
"...This sword..."
Yun Che smiled faintly.
"Yeah."
He gently turned the weapon, allowing the glowing inscriptions to catch the light.
"The Sword of Eden."
"Mu Che's second treasure."
Everyone's eyes remained fixed upon the beautiful weapon.
"It certainly doesn't look ordinary."
Chu Yueli observed.
"It isn't."
Yun Che agreed.
"But appearances can be deceiving."
He lightly tapped the empty pommel where the Apple had originally rested.
"Without me..."
"...or rather..."
"...without its rightful authority and power source..."
"This is basically just a very well-crafted sword."
He shrugged.
"It looks impressive."
"But no one else can unlock its true functions."
He glanced toward the women.
"Honestly..."
"The weapons I've made for all of you are already better."
Several pairs of eyes widened.
"Really?"
Lin Yueru asked.
Yun Che nodded.
"Even if this Sword of Eden were fully operational..."
"It mainly enhances strikes and releases concentrated energy blasts."
"It doesn't automatically make its wielder stronger."
He smiled at Qingyue.
"In terms of pure swordsmanship..."
"...Qingyue's Snowflower Sword is actually the superior weapon."
Qingyue blinked.
"...Mine?"
"Of course."
Yun Che nodded.
"Your sword has already been refined with materials from this world."
"It complements your cultivation."
"It resonates with your profound energy."
"The Sword of Eden doesn't."
Retsu let out an exaggerated sigh.
"...Ara..."
"So it's basically a sword that fires energy beams..."
"...while we're already throwing sword waves around."
Yun Che laughed.
"Pretty much."
"It all depends on who's holding it."
"If an ordinary person picked this up..."
"...they wouldn't suddenly become invincible."
He looked at the blade again.
"Still..."
"I have to admit."
"It looks really good."
Nemu stepped forward.
"...Yuu-sama."
"The Heart?"
Yun Che nodded.
"Go ahead."
Holding the small Apple of Eden carefully in both hands, Nemu approached the sword.
She slowly aligned the metallic sphere with the empty socket in the pommel.
Click.
The Apple settled perfectly into place.
For a brief moment...
Nothing happened.
Then—
Golden lines surged across the entire sword.
The ancient Isu inscriptions illuminated brilliantly.
The white blade emitted a soft, ethereal glow.
The entire laboratory seemed brighter.
"...Beautiful..."
Cang Yue whispered.
"It feels..."
"...alive."
Qingyue murmured.
Even Chu Yueli couldn't look away.
The weapon radiated an ancient elegance unlike any profound weapon she had ever encountered.
Yun Che, however, merely smiled.
He made no attempt to activate it.
Instead...
He lifted the completed Sword of Eden...
Examined it for another moment...
Then casually handed it back to Nemu.
"...Here."
Nemu blinked.
"...Eh?"
"You should hold it."
She accepted it carefully with both hands.
Despite the radiant appearance...
The sword remained perfectly calm.
No energy surged.
No devastating power erupted.
Without Yun Che issuing commands through the Apple...
It remained dormant.
One after another, the others took turns examining it.
Little Fairy held it first.
"...It's surprisingly light."
She remarked.
Chu Yueli accepted it next.
She gave the blade an experimental swing.
The motion was smooth.
Perfectly balanced.
Yet...
She slowly shook her head.
"...It's elegant."
"But..."
"...I don't feel any increase in my sword intent."
Qingyue smiled as she held it.
"...It's a beautiful work of craftsmanship."
"...But I still prefer Snowflower."
Lin Yueru examined every inch of the blade before reluctantly handing it back.
"I have to admit..."
"...this is probably the prettiest sword I've ever seen."
Retsu accepted it last.
She gave it a playful swing before shrugging.
"Ehehe."
"It really is just a fancy-looking sword for us."
Yun Che nodded.
"That's because the Sword of Eden wasn't designed around profound energy."
"It was designed around Isu technology."
He looked toward the glowing Apple seated within the pommel.
"The Heart supplies its power."
"But..."
"...its full capabilities can only be accessed by someone recognised by the Apple."
He gently took the sword back.
"In this world..."
"Against Emperor, Tyrant, or Sovereign-ranked profound weapons..."
"...the Sword of Eden isn't particularly remarkable as a weapon."
He smiled faintly.
"It was never meant to compete with cultivation."
"It was created by an entirely different civilization."
He slowly slid the gleaming blade back behind him.
"So rather than treating it as my strongest weapon..."
"...I'll treat it as something far more valuable."
Everyone looked at him curiously.
"What is that?"
Mio asked.
Yun Che rested a hand on the hilt.
"...A piece of history."
"And..."
"...Mu Che's second inheritance."
Yun Che continued examining the Sword of Eden, his thumb tracing the glowing lines engraved into the blade.
"...Besides."
He smiled thoughtfully.
"With a few upgrades..."
"...and some modifications..."
"This could become a genuinely powerful weapon."
Nemu looked up.
"...You're going to improve an Isu weapon?"
"I don't see why not."
Yun Che shrugged casually.
"Technology exists to be improved."
He lightly tapped the glowing pommel.
"I could replace certain components."
"Add a few new upgrades."
"Increase the output."
"Improve its durability."
He smiled.
"Honestly..."
"...I could probably build something inspired by this for all of you in the future."
Several pairs of eyes lit up.
"...Really?"
Cang Yue folded her arms before sighing.
"Pfft..."
"Only men become this excited over flashy swords."
She glanced at the glowing blade.
"I'll admit..."
"...it does look rather handsome."
"But it's far too flashy."
"The glow alone would announce your position to everyone."
Yun Che laughed.
"Exactly."
"If someone walked into a city carrying this..."
"...everyone would immediately think they had discovered some heavenly treasure."
"And then..."
"...they'd spend the rest of the day fighting off greedy cultivators."
He pointed toward the glowing inscriptions.
"And it literally glows."
"A little too much style."
Retsu giggled.
"I wouldn't mind borrowing it sometimes."
She mimed swinging the blade.
"Fighting with the Sword of Eden sounds fun."
Yun Che chuckled.
"Go ahead."
"Once I've finished studying it."
She grinned happily.
Then her eyes brightened.
"...Wait."
He looked at everyone.
"I'm actually thinking of making something similar."
Retsu tilted her head.
"...Rascal..."
"...you're planning to create our own Sword of Eden?"
Yun Che shook his head.
"Not exactly."
He smiled.
"I'm thinking..."
"...the Blazing Sword."
Everyone blinked.
"The same concept."
"But powered by our own technology."
He looked toward Nemu.
"We harvested an enormous number of high-capacity power batteries during the profound lightning storm over the Imperial City."
Nemu nodded enthusiastically.
"We stored all of them safely."
"They're still fully charged."
Yun Che's grin widened.
"Imagine channeling all of that stored profound lightning..."
"...through a sword."
He made a simple thrusting motion.
"And instead of ordinary sword energy..."
"...it fires concentrated bolts of profound lightning."
Even Chu Yueli's normally calm eyes widened.
"...That..."
"...would certainly be interesting."
Cang Yue laughed.
"We'll leave that to you."
She folded her arms confidently.
"If anyone can build something ridiculous like that..."
"...it's you."
The others nodded in agreement.
None of them seemed particularly interested in claiming Mu Che's relic.
The idea of receiving a weapon designed specifically for them was far more appealing.
Standing slightly behind the group...
Xue Yin quietly watched the conversation.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened around her sleeve.
She noticed something she hadn't paid much attention to before.
Xue Ling carried a finely crafted katana.
Retsu had her own.
Mio.
Qingyue.
Little Fairy.
Chu Yueli.
Even Lin Yueru possessed a custom-made bow.
Cang Yue carried her three-katana style.
Mulan now wielded the custom polearm Yun Che had forged for her.
Everyone...
Had something uniquely their own.
Xue Yin lowered her gaze.
She had only recently begun travelling with them.
Asking Yun Che to forge a weapon specifically for her...
Somehow felt...
Embarrassing.
Almost presumptuous.
She quietly pushed the thought aside.
Yun Che suddenly looked down at the Sword of Eden again.
"...You really don't mind me taking this?"
He glanced toward Mu Che's simple grave.
"This belonged to him."
Mulan gently shook her head.
"He entrusted it to you."
"Not to me."
She smiled softly.
"If..."
"If you truly wish to give me something in return someday..."
"...then don't give me his belongings."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"...Create something."
"Something born from your own hands."
"And give me that instead."
Yun Che smiled warmly.
"...Yeah."
"I will."
Retsu immediately raised her hand.
"Ooh!"
"I've already decided."
She grinned from ear to ear.
"I still prefer a katana."
She looked at the Sword of Eden with sparkling eyes.
"...Though..."
"...a Sword of Eden-inspired katana would also be really nice."
Nemu immediately began thinking aloud.
"...If we redesign the energy channels..."
"And replace the straight blade with a curved profile..."
"It should theoretically be possible."
Yun Che laughed.
"See?"
"I haven't even started designing it..."
"...and you've already begun planning Version Two."
Yun Che chuckled.
"Well..."
"That is Nemu."
"If she gets even the slightest opportunity..."
"...she'll start designing stronger and stronger weapons for everyone."
Nemu straightened proudly.
"Hai."
She gave a small nod.
"I'll begin once I finish improving my Tesla Coils."
"After that..."
"...I'll start researching the Blazing Sword."
Retsu laughed.
"As expected."
"My little inventor sister never rests."
While everyone continued discussing future designs...
Yun Che's gaze quietly drifted toward Xue Yin.
Unlike everyone else...
She stood silently.
Listening.
Smiling.
But saying nothing.
His eyes naturally fell to her waist.
Empty.
No katana.
No personal weapon.
He remembered seeing Xue Ling carrying Yubashiri.
Retsu had hers.
Mio.
Qingyue.
Little Fairy.
Chu Yueli.
Lin Yueru's bow.
Even Mulan now carried her own custom polearm.
Xue Yin alone had nothing.
Yun Che smiled to himself.
Without saying a word...
He reached into his inventory.
A sheathed katana appeared in his hands.
The instant it emerged...
Everyone's attention shifted toward it.
The sword possessed a quiet elegance.
Its glossy black lacquered saya reflected the laboratory lights like a calm midnight lake, faint indigo streaks flowing beneath the lacquer as though moonlight had been trapped beneath the surface.
Yun Che slowly drew the blade.
A soft metallic whisper echoed through the laboratory.
The blade itself seemed forged from charcoal-black steel that drank in the surrounding light.
Only its impossibly sharp edge shone with a cold silver brilliance.
A graceful midare hamon flowed along the edge like drifting crescent moons hidden among clouds.
Tiny silver flecks scattered throughout the steel resembled stars across a moonless sky.
Its blackened iron tsuba resembled a partially eclipsed moon.
The midnight-blue hilt wrapping concealed silver crescent moon ornaments and a pair of howling wolf menuki beneath the braid.
When fully unsheathed...
The dark blade shimmered beneath the light like the night sky itself.
Lin Yueru stared in admiration.
"...Beautiful..."
"It almost feels alive."
Yun Che turned toward Xue Yin.
"...Sis Yin."
He extended the sword toward her.
"You might as well have this."
Xue Yin blinked.
"...This is..."
Yun Che smiled.
"A Ryō Wazamono."
He gently rested the sheathed katana across both of her hands.
"...Tsukihami."
"...The Moon Devourer."
He glanced toward Xue Ling.
"It's the same grade as Yubashiri."
Xue Ling smiled proudly.
"...Another Ryō Wazamono."
Yun Che nodded.
"I originally forged it during my spare time."
"It never found an owner."
His gaze returned to Xue Yin.
"You don't have a sword of your own."
"And now..."
"...you're one of Little Yue's guardians."
"So..."
"...consider it a gift."
"For your new duty."
Xue Yin looked down at the elegant blade resting in her trembling hands.
Her fingers gently traced the lacquered scabbard.
She was speechless.
Before she could respond...
Nemu suddenly stepped forward.
"...Then..."
"I have something as well."
She reached into her storage device.
A pair of beautifully engineered mechanical wings appeared alongside a matching sword.
Elegant.
Lightweight.
Built with the same advanced craftsmanship as the equipment worn by Cang Yue's personal companions.
"...The Wings of Companionship."
Nemu said with a gentle smile.
"They're reserved for those who protect Princess Cang Yue."
Xue Yin's eyes widened.
"...These..."
"...I..."
She looked between the wings...
The sword...
And the katana in her hands.
Unable to speak.
Xue Ling gently nudged her sister's shoulder.
"Go on."
"Take them."
She smiled warmly.
"They're a token of your new role as Yue'er's guardian."
Nemu nodded.
"Elder Sister."
"You're Sister Yue's guardian now."
"It's only natural that you receive your own wings."
Xue Yin slowly accepted the equipment.
For a long moment...
She simply stood there.
Unable to hide the moisture gathering in her eyes.
"...Thank you..."
She looked toward Nemu.
"...Thank you..."
"...Nemuri."
Then she turned toward Yun Che.
Holding Tsukihami close against her chest.
"...And thank you..."
"...for this sword."
She bowed deeply.
"I promise..."
"...I will uphold the duty entrusted to me."
"I will protect Yue'er with everything I have."
Yun Che smiled.
"That's all I ask."
He folded his arms comfortably.
"You watch her back..."
"...and we'll watch yours."
He looked around at everyone gathered in the laboratory.
"We all protect each other."
His eyes returned to Xue Yin.
"You're a Monarch."
"Just like Mio."
"And now..."
A warm smile crossed his face.
"...you're officially part of our odd little group."
A quiet laugh spread throughout the laboratory.
Xue Yin looked around at the people surrounding her.
Not sect members.
Not nobles.
Not allies bound by obligation.
But companions.
People who had welcomed her without hesitation.
She gently held Tsukihami at her side while the folded Wings of Companionship rested in her arms.
She truly felt...
...that she belonged.
===================
As everyone admired Xue Yin's new equipment, Yun Che suddenly paused.
"...Actually."
He looked back toward the laboratory.
"I don't think we've claimed Mu Che's final inheritance yet."
Several heads turned toward him.
"...Last?"
Qingyue asked curiously.
Yun Che nodded.
"He mentioned one more item."
He slowly scanned the room.
"...A golden staff."
"A staff?"
Lin Yueru blinked.
"Yeah."
Yun Che nodded thoughtfully.
"He said he hid it somewhere in this room."
"...Hidden in plain sight."
Everyone instinctively began searching.
The underground laboratory suddenly became much livelier as drawers were opened, shelves inspected, and tables examined.
A few moments later—
"...Is it this?"
The Little Fairy's voice echoed from beneath one of the worktables.
Everyone looked over.
She was holding a beautifully crafted golden shaft roughly the length of her forearm.
The metallic surface gleamed softly beneath the laboratory lights.
Just like the Apple of Eden.
Yun Che smiled.
"Oh."
"You found the first piece."
The Little Fairy handed it over.
"I noticed it was made from the same material as your Apple."
"So..."
"...I figured it had to be important."
Yun Che accepted it.
"Good eye."
He examined the piece before looking around again.
"If Mu Che really hid it in plain sight..."
"...there should be more."
The search resumed.
Only a minute later—
"...Found it!"
Retsu cheerfully called out.
She triumphantly raised another golden section from inside an empty storage rack.
"This must be the second piece."
Yun Che laughed.
"Nice."
He accepted it and placed it beside the first.
Then—
"...I found another."
Qingyue's calm voice came from the opposite side of the room.
She carefully carried the final section over.
Unlike the other two pieces, this one formed the upper portion of the staff.
"...Looks like this completes it."
Yun Che smiled.
"So that's what he meant..."
"...by hiding it in plain sight."
He looked at the three disconnected sections.
"He simply separated it into pieces..."
"...and left them lying around the laboratory."
No secret vault.
No elaborate mechanism.
Just ordinary-looking objects that no one would think to assemble.
He carefully aligned the sections together.
Click.
Click.
Ancient internal mechanisms locked seamlessly into place.
The three fragments became one.
A complete golden staff.
Its design was unlike any profound weapon.
Elegant.
Almost alien.
Smooth golden surfaces intertwined with geometric engravings of glowing Isu script.
Its proportions were unusual compared to staffs known in this world.
Clearly designed by a civilization with entirely different artistic sensibilities.
Yun Che quietly stared at it.
...So this is it.
The Staff of Eden.
The staff Mu Che stole from Abstergo back in the twenty-first century...
...and brought into this world.
Mu Che's third inheritance.
At that very moment—
=================
[Ding... Obtained three new Pieces of Eden.]
1. Mu Che's Apple of Eden
2. Sword of Eden
3. Staff of Eden
=================
Yun Che silently acknowledged the notification before dismissing it.
To everyone else...
Nothing had happened.
Cang Yue slowly circled around the assembled staff.
"...That..."
She tilted her head.
"...is one rather odd-looking staff."
Mio nodded in agreement.
"That's right..."
"It doesn't resemble any weapon I've ever seen."
"It almost looks..."
"...decorative."
Lin Yueru gently tapped its golden surface.
"...No gemstones."
"No carvings of dragons."
"No profound inscriptions."
"It feels..."
"...surprisingly simple."
Nemu leaned closer, fascinated by the flawless construction.
"There aren't any visible joints."
"Even after assembling it..."
"...I can't see where the three pieces connect."
She carefully traced a finger across the surface.
"...The machining precision is unbelievable."
Retsu folded her arms.
"Ara."
"Mu Che certainly had strange taste."
Yun Che smiled as he looked at the completed staff resting in his hands.
"It may look strange to us..."
"But to the civilization that created it..."
"...this was probably perfectly ordinary."
The third and final inheritance had finally been recovered.
Every treasure Mu Che had left behind...
Now rested in Yun Che's hands.
Qingyue tilted her head as she studied the completed golden staff.
"...Does it do anything?"
Yun Che balanced it in one hand.
"It does."
"It shares many functions with the Apple."
He lightly rotated the staff.
"Illusions."
"Projections."
"Information storage."
"It was designed to work alongside the other Pieces of Eden."
Xue Ling blinked.
"...That's all?"
She looked somewhat unconvinced.
"...It doesn't sound particularly impressive."
"We already possess profound arts capable of creating illusions."
She shrugged.
"There are even treasures owned by the great sects that can conjure false images."
Chu Yueli nodded in agreement.
"...Compared to the techniques of our world..."
"...those abilities aren't especially unique."
Yun Che smiled knowingly.
"You're looking at it from the perspective of the Profound Sky Continent."
He gently rested the base of the staff upon the floor.
"To the people of Mu Che's original world..."
"...this thing would've been considered a miraculous artifact."
"A treasure beyond imagination."
He laughed softly.
"But here..."
"...it's basically an over-glorified projector."
Several of the girls laughed.
"Still..."
He glanced at the elegant staff.
"...I have to admit."
"It does look good."
He gently brushed a hand across the polished golden surface.
"The only reason people on this continent desperately sought these relics..."
"...was because of their ability to control minds."
His eyes shifted toward the larger Apple resting safely in Qingyue's hands.
"The Moon Empress..."
"...the woman who guarded the Apple you're holding..."
"...suffered for thousands of years because of that single ability."
Silence settled over the laboratory.
Yun Che continued.
"That being said..."
"...the Staff isn't completely harmless."
"There are capabilities even this world would consider extraordinary."
Retsu tilted her head.
"...Like what?"
Yun Che looked thoughtfully at the staff.
"If supplied with enough Radiant Energy..."
"...the Staff and the Apples can manifest illusions so convincingly..."
"...that physical objects become real."
Everyone stared.
Lin Yueru blinked.
"...Real?"
Yun Che nodded.
"Not living creatures."
"It cannot truly create life."
"But objects..."
"Weapons."
"Structures."
"Tools."
"Those can even become real objects. Remember when we used it to create the palace for Cang Yue's faction back in the Imperial City?"
"You created that using the Apple?" Qingyue asked.
"Yes, but it wasn't easy..." Yun Che exhaled lightly. "I have a limited amount of Radiant Energy. Even now, it's still exhausting to use."
"So if the people of this continent knew about it..." Little Fairy murmured, her expression turning serious, "...they would try to exploit you endlessly for their own benefit."
Even Nemu's eyes widened.
"...Agreed."
"...Yuu-sama."
She looked at the staff with renewed fascination.
"...Radiant Energy..."
Qingyue repeated.
"...What's that?"
Yun Che gently tapped the staff.
"The energy source these relics consume."
"The fuel required to operate them."
He became noticeably more serious.
"If they don't receive sufficient Radiant Energy..."
"...they'll seek another source."
Everyone quietly listened.
"...Life force."
He looked toward Mu Che's grave.
"They'll drain the user instead."
"They'll keep draining..."
"...until nothing remains."
His voice softened.
"Yes... that's why I need to become stronger."
He glanced at the Staff of Eden in his hand.
"Plus, I can increase my Radiant Energy capacity as I grow. Right now, I have about 7,000 Radiant points since it syncs with my level."
He paused briefly.
"From what I understand, it's also a built-in security countermeasure created by their original creators."
"Only their race naturally possesses Radiant Energy. Humans don't."
"So the Pieces of Eden were designed to reject human users... by default."
His gaze darkened slightly.
"It forces the relics to draw from the user's life force instead."
"And worse..."
"It amplifies human greed and desire, pushing them to rely on the power until they can no longer let go. Making them causing chaos among humans."
Xue Yin exhaled softly.
"...These Pieces of Eden really are troublesome."
Yun Che gave a faint nod.
"That's exactly what happened to Mu Che."
"He kept relying on the Apple."
"And eventually..."
"...his weakened body couldn't bear the cost anymore. Since he used them once every couple of weeks, the pieces of Eden didn't make him insane."
"He was reduced to nothing more than a skeleton upon death."
The room became deathly silent.
Almost instinctively...
Several of the women took a small step away from the Staff.
The beautiful golden relic suddenly seemed far less inviting.
Lin Yueru quietly folded her arms.
"...Then..."
"...it's safer if you keep them."
Cang Yue nodded.
"I wouldn't risk becoming a skeleton just to use a treasure."
Little Fairy smiled wryly.
"...Perhaps Mu Che entrusted them to you for precisely that reason."
Chu Yueli slowly nodded.
"If he deliberately left everything behind..."
"...then perhaps he believed only you could safely inherit them."
Xue Yin gently looked toward Mu Che's grave.
"...He must have known..."
"...that anyone else would eventually follow the same path he did."
Yun Che quietly held the Staff of Eden.
He didn't answer.
Instead...
His thoughts drifted elsewhere.
Xueli...
The little guardian within Huan Xuyi's sanctuary who is still waiting to be awakened.
She possessed Radiant Energy.
Not merely a small amount...
But enough to wield the Pieces of Eden properly.
Perhaps...
...once she's ready...
I can teach her how to use these relics.
The thought lingered briefly before he tucked it away for another day.
For now...
The three Pieces of Eden would remain exactly where Mu Che had intended them to be.
In Yun Che's care.