Three figures moved silently with a fast speed through the icy wilderness, heading south from the desolate north toward the human frontier, Winter City. The cold winds howled around them, snow crunching beneath their boots, but none of them seemed bothered.
In the Group, Qian Daoliu sped across the snowy ground with light but steady steps, his aged but powerful arms carrying the small girl who appeared fast asleep in his embrace. Her golden hair fluttered faintly in the wind, her expression serene.
But beneath that tranquil exterior, a discussion was going on.
Within her spiritual realm, Qian Renxue stood atop a platform of light suspended over an endless sea of stars and memory. Beside her, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm curled nervously, while Electrolux stood with arms crossed, gazing into the depths of her soul space.
"You're lucky," Tianmeng muttered, his spiritual body trembling slightly. "Lucky that your mind didn't collapse… I—I thought we were going to die. That was not part of the plan!"
Qian Renxue knelt beside him, gently brushing her fingers across her hair. "Our plan succeeded, didn't it?" she said calmly. "The ring fused, my power advanced… but yes, you're right. There was more to it, the change in my appearance had hidden dangers. Now, I think some of the dangers are mitigated."
Tianmeng shuddered, his spiritual body coiling tighter. "That thing… your martial soul… it's not just mutated. It's like a sealed beast, I don't want to go near it. The whispers felt like they were going to make me crazy. I should not have believed you… this is too dangerous."
She looked at him, her purple eyes glinting with strange clarity. "You've given me more than I asked for, Tianmeng. Thank You. For your help I will help you fullfill your dream."
Tianmeng shuddered again " For my dream to come true, I should stay alive."
Electrolux finally spoke, his voice calm and steady. "And yet, you endured and finally overcame it . The danger may not be gone, but for now, it is dormant."
Qian Renxue nodded slowly. "Yes."
Electrolux sighed, his expression weary. "I'll need to rest for a while. Activating the sealing array repeatedly took a toll on me. If not for the spiritual nourishment you provided by those rare herbs infused with divine energy, I might have faded entirely."
After saying that Electrolux's presence dimmed, sinking into the depths of her spiritual sea like a fading star.
'Now that I'm a Spectator… I need to think about digestion. I think, I need use the acting method to digest it
'Spectators can never take the stage themselves.'
'Like someone who lives in the shadows of others' actions, recording, interpreting, understanding them.'
After accumulating all thoughts Qian Renxue bid farewell to Tianmeng Silkworm. "You can rest too. You've done more than enough."
Qian Renxue slipped back into the real world.
.....
The cold breeze of the northern frontier kissed her cheeks as her eyes fluttered open. The soft creak of Qian Daoliu's boots and the rhythmic motion of travel surrounded her. She blinked, stretched slightly in his arms, and then—
"I don't want to go back to Spirit Hall!" she declared loudly, her voice echoing through the frozen air.
Qian Daoliu blinked, startled.
"I want to play in Winter City!" she pouted, crossing her arms with the perfect balance of stubbornness and innocence.
For a moment, he just stared at her.
Then he laughed, genuinely, while pinching Qian Renxue's cheeks,. "Alright, alright. A few days. I didn't realize you had such a playful side, Renxue."
She smiled sweetly at him, her golden hair shimmering in the sun, but behind her eyes… plans were already forming.
...
Winter City.
Three days later…
While playing around the snowy streets of Winter City, sliding on the icy pavement, watching snowflake sellers sculpt frozen animals with soul power, and dragging Qian Daoliu to every candy stall in sight, Qian Renxue wasn't simply enjoying herself.
She was experimenting.
Each interaction, each conversation, each glance was a carefully chosen stage. She tested different tones of voice, varying expressions, subtle changes in posture, even the way she breathed—adjusting and refining how people responded to her.
To observe the world not just as a participant, but as a director?
But even after days of effort, her digestion speed of the Sequence 9 ability remained painfully slow or could be said as practically non existent.
'Something's missing' she thought, frustration flickering behind her wide violet eyes.
Just as she was beginning to feel discouraged, an overheard whisper caught her ear.
"...annual auction... starts tonight. They say even a piece of Calm Jade will be sold this year…"
Her ears perked up.
An auction?
A smile slowly bloomed on her face.
It was the smile of a predator who had just caught the scent of prey.
Not a childish grin, but something far more calculating.
If there was one place where human greed, ambition, fear, desire, and performance all gathered in a single hall—it was an auction. A perfect stage for a Spectator.
Now, she thought,' the real performance begins.'