After crossing the familiar slopes of Sword Heart Peak, he soon reached the teleportation formation and activated it. A brief flash of light enveloped him—and a moment later, he arrived at the Cultivation Manor he shared with the girls.
But the instant he materialized, his ears were greeted by something wholly unexpected: a soft, captivating melody.
It was the sound of a harp—gentle and fluid, its serene notes dancing through the air with an almost ethereal grace. Mikael paused at the threshold of the main hall, momentarily closing his eyes as he allowed the calming harmony to wash over him.
'Ahh… hearing Kiara's beautiful melody is certainly refreshing. Compared to the horror that was Master's chant, this is paradise for my ears…'
A faint smile touched his lips as he followed the sound, letting it guide him deeper into the manor. Eventually, he stepped into a warmly lit room where Kiara sat by the window, bathed in the amber glow of the setting sun. Her posture was graceful—back straight, legs crossed—and her slender fingers moved fluidly over the strings of a crystalline harp.
Her dark blue hair draped elegantly over one shoulder, catching golden streaks of light, and her expression was calm—serene, almost meditative.
Noticing his presence, Kiara gradually slowed the rhythm, allowing the final note to linger in the air like a soft breeze, gently fading into silence.
She rose with graceful ease and closed the distance between them, her steps light and quiet. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around him. Mikael returned the embrace, but after several seconds passed, she still hadn't let go. Her face rested softly against his chest as she drew in quiet breaths, savoring his scent, while her fingers lightly gripped the fabric of his robe.
Mikael raised an eyebrow. "Is this a sign that your knife-poking tendencies are resurfacing?"
A muffled laugh vibrated against his chest before Kiara pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, mischief dancing in her dark blue eyes. "If they were, you wouldn't be standing right now."
"So I've been spared, then?"
"For now," she replied with a smirk. "Though I did have a moment just now… I saw you walk in and thought, 'If anyone else had hugged him first, I might've accidentally rearranged a few organs.'"
Mikael stared at her with a flat expression. "That's reassuring."
She chuckled, her grip loosening until it became something casual—warm, affectionate, without tension. "Relax. It was just a thought. I haven't acted on one of those in years."
He gave her a knowing look. "Growth, huh?"
Kiara stepped back fully and leaned against the window frame, folding her arms. "Surprising, right? Three whole years of restraint. I deserve a medal. Or at least a massage."
"You can ask Lyra. She gives great massages."
"Don't tempt me," she said with a playful pout. Then, her eyes lit up with excitement as she moved to pick up her harp once more. "Actually, I made some progress in the Music Dao recently. Want to hear it?"
Mikael, naturally, gave a nod of approval.
Kiara smiled and began to gently pluck at the crystalline strings. A new melody filled the room—graceful and flowing—but this time, it was different. Though still beautiful, it carried something deeper… a weight that hadn't been present before.
'What?' thought Mikael, his eyes narrowing slightly in disbelief as the music began to affect him. But it wasn't negative. On the contrary, it felt harmonizing. He found himself growing more attuned to his surroundings, his senses subtly sharpening.
And then, out of nowhere, insights related to the Moonpiercer Sword Art flickered into his mind.
He let himself slip into a meditative state, silently absorbing the music as more flashes of understanding surfaced. The insights were small—fragmentary—and didn't offer any major breakthroughs, but the fact that Kiara's music could produce even that level of effect was nothing short of shocking.
Mikael remained in this trance-like state for an undetermined stretch of time until the melody finally came to a gentle end. As the last note faded, he slowly drifted back to awareness. Only then did he realize that his eyes had closed at some point during the performance. When he opened them, the first thing he saw was Kiara beaming at him, her expression radiant with pride.
"How was it?" she asked, her voice bubbling with satisfaction.
For a brief moment, even Mikael found himself at a loss for words. His calm exterior cracked just enough to reveal genuine admiration as he stared at her.
"It's incredible… When did you learn something like that?"
Kiara clearly relished his reaction. She soaked in his praise for a few seconds before answering, her tone tinged with excitement.
"This is Threading the Veil, a Musical Cultivation Technique. It's not meant for combat—it doesn't harm or defend. But it does weaken the boundary between worldly perception and the Dao. It lets people grasp things more easily—boosts their comprehension as long as they keep listening."
She twirled a strand of her hair around her finger, eyes glowing with fervor. "Over the past ten weeks, I've been focusing on mastering this technique. I've made great progress, and now I can use it proficiently enough to finally support you, Darling~"
Mikael's gaze drifted from the harp—still glowing faintly with residual energy—to the proud woman standing before him. A soft smile touched his lips. She hadn't said it outright, but the reason behind her dedication was clear. She hadn't done this for herself.
Without a word, he reached out and gently caressed her cheek. Kiara leaned into his hand with a quiet hum, eyes fluttering shut as she savored the touch.
"…Thank you," he murmured at last, his voice low but sincere as his green eyes lingered on her.
The look in his eyes sent a visible shiver down Kiara's spine. Her breath caught, and her voice wavered. "N-no worries. I just l-like helping you, Darling~" she stammered, cheeks tinged with red. But after a brief pause, she gathered herself and tilted her head with a suggestive smirk. "Still… don't you think I deserve a reward~?"
Mikael didn't answer with words. He simply closed the distance and lifted her into his arms without effort. Kiara let out a delighted squeal, wrapping herself around him with an eager grin. Moments later, the bedroom door slid shut—leaving only muffled moans and whispered pleas to echo for hours.
***
After spending several intimate hours together, followed by quiet pillow talk, Kiara learned more about Mikael's intentions. Upon hearing that he planned to watch and study the Core Disciples Ranking Trial using a Recording Artefact, she quickly decided to accompany him. Both hoped that by observing the battles, they could deepen their understanding of various Cultivation Arts.
The Recording Artefact activated, projecting a large holographic screen that displayed the beginning of the Ranking Trial. An announcer's voice rang out, explaining the competition's structure and the rules of engagement. Alongside the commentary, the presence of a roaring crowd gave the event a vibrant, almost festival-like atmosphere.
But Mikael, indifferent to the preliminaries and general introductions, skipped past them. With a simple command, the feed jumped to a direct confrontation between two Core Disciples, locked in fierce battle on a reinforced dueling stage.
As the two swordsmen clashed, the Recording Artefact fully showcased its capabilities. Not only could Mikael and Kiara see and hear everything with the clarity of firsthand spectators, but they could also feel the pressure, energy, and residual effects of each Cultivation Technique as if they stood right beside the stage.
This unique feature allowed them to study the duel with remarkable clarity—granting them insights far beyond what any real-life audience member could hope to glean.
By leveraging this immersive perspective, both of them gradually improved their understanding of Cultivation Arts, particularly Cultivation Techniques. They even brought out their own recently acquired Cultivation Art manuals, comparing what they read with the visual and sensory feedback from the recorded duels. This dual-layered approach enabled them to comprehend their manuals at a pace far exceeding anything they could have achieved alone.
In this way, five productive days quietly passed. By the end, both had made significant progress in grasping the essence of their Cultivation Methods and Techniques.
Although neither of them managed to reach the level of Entry in any of the techniques or methods studied, that was hardly surprising. After all, what they had focused on was primarily theoretical understanding—and true Entry required a solid blend of theory and hands-on practice.
Even so, their efforts were far from wasted. It was undeniable that the knowledge and experience they had accumulated over those five days would serve them well, greatly accelerating their mastery of their chosen Cultivation Arts in the future.
Content with their progress and eager for a change of pace, the two decided to attend the upcoming Core Disciples Hebdomary Meeting to unwind a little.
***
"This Core Disciples Ranking Trial was really exciting, don't you think so?"
Another Senior Brother gave a nod of agreement. "Yeah, especially when Zhao Biren, who barely made it to the 85th rank among Core Disciples, suddenly challenged our Brother Li here." He gestured with a slight tilt of his head toward Li Shunyi, whose expression instantly darkened with gloomy resignation.
"At that moment, everyone expected him to lose. I mean, an 85th-ranked disciple going up against someone in the 43rd position? That should've ended in a one-sided defeat for Zhao Biren." He paused for dramatic effect. "But, somehow, it was Brother Li who got thoroughly beaten instead."
He shook his head slowly before continuing with a grin tugging at his lips. "Honestly, watching Brother Li get stomped by Zhao Biren was unexpectedly hilarious."
A round of light-hearted chuckles echoed around the table in response to the jab, the mood playful and relaxed—at least until Li Shunyi released a dramatic sigh and slumped slightly in his seat.
"You know," he muttered, rubbing his temples, "I can still hear the ringing in my ears whenever I close my eyes." He scowled. "And that bastard Biren even had the gall to tell me 'good effort' before strutting off like some righteous hero."
That did it. This time, the laughter was louder, full of amusement at the dramatic retelling.
Someone reached over to pat his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, Brother Li. You didn't lose in vain. You brought joy to the entire sect."
"Oh, wonderful," Li Shunyi replied dryly. "So glad to know my cracked ribs were a worthy public service."
Another Senior Brother raised his cup with a smirk. "To Brother Li—the hero we never deserved, but the entertainment we truly needed."
Li Shunyi grumbled something under his breath, too faint to catch, but even he couldn't help letting a reluctant smile creep onto his face.
Then Su Qingya spoke, shifting the conversation, "While mocking Brother Li's buffoonery is certainly entertaining, what truly stole the spotlight in this Ranking Trial was without a doubt Senior Brother Renjiro's performance."
A wave of agreement followed, murmurs rising in support of her statement—until another Senior Sister interjected, her voice brimming with excitement and admiration.
"Sister Su is completely right! Senior Brother Renjiro was absolutely incredible this time. With just one slash, he overwhelmed all the other Core Disciples, regardless of their rank. Even the Final went the same way!" Her cheeks flushed slightly. "And the way he did it—so calm, so dashing, with that cold and handsome face of his! He looked like a true immortal!"
Most of the Senior Sisters around the room nodded enthusiastically, their eyes sparkling with shared admiration. The Senior Brothers nodded as well—though far less enthusiastically, for reasons that didn't need to be said.
Meanwhile, Mikael sat quietly, listening to the various conversations unfolding around him. Kiara was seated beside him, her presence as calm as ever. What surprised him wasn't the lighthearted mood, but rather the content of their discussion. 'Senior Brother is that strong? I knew he was considered the strongest Core Disciple, but to think his Sword Dao is refined enough to defeat all the others with a single slash… that's genuinely impressive.'
Despite having spent the past five days studying the Core Disciples Ranking Trial, Mikael couldn't help but feel a touch of vague surprise. It was somewhat ironic, given how much time he'd invested into analyzing the competition.
In truth, though, most of that time had been devoted to deepening his understanding of various Cultivation Arts. The outcome of the fights themselves hadn't particularly interested him, so he ended up knowing far less about the competition than he should have.
Take Renjiro's battles, for example. Mikael hadn't paid them much mind. Every time Renjiro stepped onto the stage, the fight ended in a single slash. That offered very little in terms of insight. From Mikael's perspective, longer matches revealed far more about a fighter's style and intentions. And since he was already fighting Renjiro once each night, watching the man finish others off instantly felt redundant.
And so, the Core Disciples meeting continued. Occasionally, Mikael or Kiara would exchange a few words with a nearby Senior Brother or Sister, but for the most part, they remained silent, simply enjoying the relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.
Author Note:
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