After the resurrection of the Time Dragon King Thyrsos, his son Nova, the Space Dragon King Tsukito, his daughter Akari, and Tomoe—all pledged their unwavering allegiance to Zhongli.
Sometime later, Zhongli, accompanied by Di Tian and Chen Xin, ventured deep into the ancient cave where the fearsome soul beast, Mio—the Black Spider of Calamity, had long been sealed.
As they stepped into the gloom, the ominous black sphere at the cave's heart began to tremble and crack. A low, guttural roar echoed through the vast chamber, shaking the walls with its sheer ferocity.
While Di Tian and Zhongli stood their ground with calm expressions, the sheer pressure forced Chen Xin to take a step back.
Zhongli glanced over and raised a hand. A translucent blue spherical barrier enveloped Chen Xin, shielding him from the oppressive aura. He spoke calmly, "Chen Xin, watch closely. What you're about to see are some of the techniques I'll be teaching you."
Eyes wide with anticipation, Chen Xin nodded eagerly, focused on every detail.
From within the crumbling cocoon emerged the Black Spider of Calamity—a massive, purple-black arachnid radiating sinister energy. Her eight thick, armored legs were like spears, capable of shattering concrete and tearing through metal. Eight piercing yellow eyes, the central two largest and most menacing, glared at the intruders. Her grotesque four-jawed mouth twitched, concealing jagged teeth dripping with venom.
With a shriek, Mio lunged at Zhongli, aiming to pierce him with her fangs.
Zhongli didn't flinch. He calmly held out one hand. "Observe this—Armament Haki."
In an instant, his arm was coated in a sleek black metallic layer, faintly reflective.
Mio's jaws clamped down, but her fangs couldn't pierce the hardened surface.
"This technique," Zhongli explained, his tone instructional yet firm, "allows the user to channel their spiritual energy into a concentrated, invisible armor. This grants both defensive resilience and offensive force. The basic form is called Hardening, where the targeted body part is covered in this black coating—though as mastery improves, it begins to show hues of other colors."
Chen Xin's eyes shimmered with fascination as he nodded in understanding.
"There are four stages," Zhongli continued.
"Stage One: A solid metallic black layer, like what you see now."
"Stage Two: It gains a light metallic blue hue, signifying improved flow and density."
"Stage Three: A deep, dark purple metallic sheen, where spiritual energy becomes more refined and destructive."
"Final Stage: A radiant crimson tint overlays the coating—at this level, the user's strikes can tear through nearly any defense."
Zhongli then pulled his arm free from Mio's grip and, without warning, delivered a powerful punch to her abdomen. The massive spider was sent flying into the cavern wall, crashing with a thunderous boom.
"An advanced user," Zhongli went on, "can imbue their weapons with Armament Haki as well. By infusing spiritual energy into an object, its offensive capabilities are significantly enhanced—transforming an ordinary blade into a devastating force."
Chen Xin stared at Zhongli with wide-eyed reverence, his excitement growing. Every movement, every explanation, planted the seeds of future mastery in his heart.
The Black Spider of Calamity slammed into the cavern wall but quickly skittered upright. With a shriek, she reared back and coated her two front legs in dark, flame-like energy, which pulsed with chaotic aggression. She lunged again, aiming to pierce Zhongli's chest with her blazing limbs.
But Zhongli remained still, then calmly said,
"Now, the second discipline—Movement Techniques."
As the spider's legs came crashing down, Zhongli's body blurred and vanished.
Her strike landed—but pierced only air.
No, not air. An afterimage.
Another Zhongli stood to the left, then to the right, then one directly ahead—all fading slightly but appearing almost indistinguishable from the real one.
Zhongli's voice echoed from somewhere behind the spider:"Star God's Broken Shadow."
When utilized, the practitioner's speed explosively surges, moving so swiftly that even their own afterimages linger. These illusions are so real, so precise, that they seem like clones. The technique overwhelms perception—not even spiritual senses can easily tell the real one apart.
The Black Spider screeched in confusion, stabbing again and again at the flickering figures—each one vanishing into mist.
Zhongli elaborated, his tone instructional:
"With each stage of this technique, a new afterimage is created."
First Stage – One afterimage
Second Stage – Two
Third Stage – Three
Fourth Stage – Four
Fifth Stage – Five
Sixth Stage – Six
Seventh Stage – Seven
Eighth Stage – Eight perfect copies
"If mastered," he added, "even opponents several levels stronger will find it near impossible to land a hit."
Chen Xin's eyes gleamed with ambition. This… this was what true mastery looked like.
Standing behind, Di Tian narrowed his eyes in deep thought.
"The afterimages… they're just about indistinguishable from the original. No... even my divine perception cannot easily find the real one."
Just then, the Black Spider lunged again, slashing wildly at the illusions.
Before she could even retract her limbs, Zhongli vanished once more—this time using a different movement technique.
Zhongli's voice came again, calm and composed:
"Observe now. This is the second movement technique—Moon Splitting Cascade."
The spider paused mid-attack, glancing in every direction. Afterimages surrounded her again—but this time, the aura they gave off was equally convincing. The air itself pulsed with distorted energy, making it impossible to tell if Zhongli was near… or gone.
Di Tian narrowed his golden eyes. "No... these afterimages feel real. I can't even tell if he's still here or already behind us..."
Chen Xin, from within his blue barrier, stood dumbstruck. How do you fight something you can't even sense?
Then Zhongli reappeared—behind the spider.
"Moon Splitting Cascade's foundation," he spoke, "is profound and cryptic, containing tens of thousands of subtle variations. The energy flow patterns are complex, and the cultivation method is exponentially harder than Star God's Broken Shadow."
He raised his hand, palm glowing faint gold. A crushing aura radiated outward as gravity suddenly multiplied, and the Black Spider screamed in rage as her body was pinned to the floor, her limbs struggling to move.
Zhongli continued:"Moon Splitting Cascade sacrifices range for stealth. Unlike Star God's Broken Shadow, which excels in high-speed movement across the battlefield, this technique specializes in concealment and disorientation. Each afterimage not only mimics the user's appearance, but also their aura."
"Upon moving, the original aura lingers—tricking the enemy. When cultivated to perfection, the user can erase their presence entirely. Even divine perception will fail. They may as well be... invisible."
Chen Xin nodded with focus, determination etched across his face. His eyes were wide, absorbing every word, every movement. The blue barrier surrounding him shimmered quietly as he watched the battle.
As Zhongli released the crushing gravity, the Black Spider of Calamity let out a feral scream and rushed forward in a berserk frenzy—legs aflame with dark, chaotic energy, venom dripping from her jaws.
But Zhongli remained utterly composed.
He raised his hand again and spoke with calm authority:
"Now comes—Three Thousand Lightning Movement. This is not normal movement technique, it is very good advantage compared to the other two."
The moment the words left his lips, his body vanished—a sharp, resounding crack! of thunder echoing through the cave. A flash of bluish-white lightning tore through the air, and he appeared behind the Black Spider in a blink.
Lightning still danced across his silhouette.
"After mastering it," Zhongli continued, "one's entire being becomes like a bolt of divine lightning, moving with speed that borders on instantaneous. It's not just fast—it's terrifying."
The Black Spider turned, only to be met with multiple lightning flashes, darting through the air at impossible angles.
Zhongli's voice echoed again—each word precise:"Once the technique is mastered, you may step into the realm of the divine: the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body."
Suddenly, multiple Zhonglis appeared, surrounding the Black Spider from all sides. Each one crackled with arcs of electricity, their forms pulsing with the same oppressive aura.
"These are not mere afterimages," he said.
"Each one is a Lightning Illusionary Body—a near-perfect clone. Each holds strength comparable to the original body. So long as the true self lives, the illusions cannot be destroyed."
The air snapped with static, thunder echoing through the cave like divine drums.
Before the Black Spider could react, the clones struck in unison, each moving at blinding speed. One darted low, severing a front leg with a clean swipe. Another zipped above and slashed downward, splitting a hind leg with surgical precision. A third landed a blow to her side, sending crackling bursts of electricity along her exoskeleton.
The Black Spider shrieked in agony, staggering—confused, overwhelmed, and unable to identify the real Zhongli amidst the electrified phantoms.
From within the barrier, Chen Xin's heart thundered. He clenched his fists, face lit by the flashes of lightning.
"These aren't techniques. They're… laws. Divine movement itself."
Even Di Tian, watching from the side, muttered under his breath,
"He has turned speed into a weapon… no—into an art form."
Zhongli's real body stepped forward, lightning fading from his frame as the illusions dissolved into crackling arcs of light. The Black Spider of Calamity let out another shrill screech, but was once again pinned to the ground by a crushing gravitational field that pressed against her corrupted spirit and body.
His voice, calm yet heavy with power:"Chen Xin.Star God's Broken Shadow… Moon Splitting Cascade… and Three Thousand Lightning Movement.
Each walks a different path.
The first: speed and pressure.
The second: concealment and misdirection.
The last: divine acceleration and overwhelming force."
Zhongli turned his gaze toward the young swordsman. His golden eyes glowed faintly, residual lightning still flickering across his shoulders and fingertips."Now choose two. Which path will you take as your foundation?"
Chen Xin's heart pounded.
He could still feel the residual pressure of the techniques:
—The blinding speed of the Star God's shadows…
—The deceptive phantoms of the Moon Cascade…
—And the overwhelming storm of clones and lightning from Three Thousand.
All three held immense power. All three were terrifying in their own right.
But deep down, his sword instinct—his very soul—called out.
He looked up and declared:
"I choose… Star God's Broken Shadow and Three Thousand Lightning Movement."
A short silence followed. Then…
Zhongli smiled.
A proud, calm, and approving smile.
"A wise choice. The sword must strike swiftly… and leave nothing behind."
He turned slowly to face the Black Spider, who had regenerated her lost legs.whose enraged shrieks can still be heard.
Zhongli raised his hand again, and this time, no violence.
A thin stream of water—clear, pure, and radiant—began to flow from his palm. It spun around the spider like a gentle serpent, forming a luminous spiral that tightened and shimmered with light.
As the stream completed its circuit, it began to glow softly, slowly purifying the foul aura enshrouding the spider. The dark, malevolent miasma was burned away, replaced by a gentle golden light.
The Black Spider's shrieks faded, replaced by silence. Her legs trembled, no longer in fury, but in clarity—as if waking from a long nightmare.
As the golden glow faded, the massive, fearsome spider was gone.
In her place stood a woman—elegant, poised, and ethereal.
She had long jet-black hair, cascading down like obsidian silk, bound near the crown with a red headband knot, styled like a blooming flower. Her arms were adorned with black lace gloves, delicate yet dignified. She wore a luxurious black and crimson yukata, its fabric flowing like moonlight over deep waters, adorned with subtle floral embroidery and white frilled edges trailing along the hem and sleeves like mist over a blood-stained battlefield.
Her eyes—eight once monstrous—had softened into two deep crimson irises, glowing faintly with lingering sorrow. She blinked, disoriented, her voice gentle yet confused:
"What… happened, Di Tian?"
Di Tian, who had remained stoic through the entire battle, now exhaled deeply—a sigh heavy with time, memory, and regret. His dark gold eyes regarded Mio with complex emotion: part relief, part grief.
He stepped forward slowly explained everything.
Mio's gaze slowly shifted from Di Tian to her hands—once claws capable of destroying steel, now soft and trembling. The red headband fluttered gently, but her shoulders sagged beneath the weight of realization.
"I… hurt so many, didn't I?" she whispered.
"All that pain. All that destruction. Was that me?"
Di Tian stepped closer, his voice slightly gentler."It was not your will. But yes… many suffered. We could not reach you then."
Mio closed her eyes, her jaw tightening—not out of anger, but of remorse.
The cave was quiet now. Even the stones seemed to mourn.
"Nothing can undo what I've done," she said softly, her voice barely above the wind.
"But… I will not run from it. Not anymore."
Zhongli approached, his presence like steady stone—firm yet understanding.
Mio bowed deeply to Zhongli, her tone humble but clear:"Then allow me… to serve. To repay what was lost. Let me follow the one who gave me back my name."
Zhongli nodded solemnly.