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The appearance of the golden Curio filled Li Sushang with fierce determination. She raised her chin, closed her eyes, and stood tall where she was.
Hmph, who said my brain doesn't work? Just watch me slap every one of those people who ever said that—turn their faces into pig heads!
Li Sushang bounced on one foot, tapping the ground excitedly as she waited for the golden glow to fade so she could be the first to examine the top-tier Curio she had obtained.
But what she failed to notice was that the golden light didn't disperse into the air as usual. Instead, it broke apart into countless shimmering motes that gathered onto her body.
And at the same moment, the world outside the small shop had already been thrown into turmoil.
Under the originally bright midday sky, dense clouds of deep crimson suddenly converged from who-knew-where, forming into a blazing storm directly above the small shop.
"What is that?!"
The citizens outside stared at the massive sword-shaped shadow faintly outlined within the red clouds, panic spreading through them.
"Cloud Knight, please save us!"
"I don't even know who I'm supposed to beg for help!"
Some stood frozen, some ran home in terror, while others rushed toward the patrolling Cloud Knights, pleading for protection.
This anomaly caused by a single trash can truly sparked no small amount of fear.
Inside the Seat of Divine Foresight, Jing Yuan held brush and ink in hand, buried beneath stacks of reports taller than he was, utterly vexed.
Research on Conceptual Power was, indeed, not the slightest bit easy. Even though they were all reports of failed experiments, he still had to review them one by one before deciding the next course of action.
"Hm?" Jing Yuan suddenly looked up, his gaze piercing through the high walls and heavy roof of the Seat of Divine Foresight. Gazing toward the distant Exalting Sanctum, he couldn't help but praise, "What magnificent sword aura."
Even separated by such distance, he could still feel the intensity of that cloud sea formed entirely from sword aura—fiery, overwhelming. It might even surpass the time his master once swung their sword to subdue Huohuo's ancestor, Lightning-Lord!
At this very moment, Exalting Sanctum must be in utter chaos, right?
With just that fleeting thought, Jing Yuan lowered his head again into the mountain of documents. Though such a powerful individual had appeared so suddenly, he wasn't worried at all.
He simply spoke to the strategist beside him: "Qingzu, tell the Realm-Keeping Commission—do not panic. Keep everything as usual. Pretend this never happened. Then…"
He smiled. "Reserve a banquet. We should celebrate and offer congratulations for the birth of a top-tier powerhouse in the Luofu."
"Yes." Qingzu asked no further and left to carry out the order.
Naturally, Jing Yuan wasn't the only one startled by the phenomenon.
Feixiao stood atop a high tower, overlooking the bustling life of the Luofu below in its entirety.
Suddenly, her fox ears twitched. She lifted a hand above her eyes and watched the distant sky with amused curiosity. "Ohh~ now that's interesting. I should find her for a bout when I'm free—spar a little."
After watching for a while, she leapt from the tower and landed beside a white-haired little girl.
Facing the tiny Jingliu—whose head only reached Feixiao's upper thigh, yet whose long hair nearly brushed the ground—Feixiao smiled and asked, "Well? When it comes to the sword, you're a little better than me. How does it compare to you back then?"
The small, jade-carved girl stood with elegance far beyond her age. Her round cheeks still held a trace of baby fat, but her expression lacked any hint of childlike innocence.
Her light-red eyes gazed into the distance as she spoke in a cold yet youthful voice: "At most, no stronger than the peak of the second cycle."
"The second?"
Hearing this, Feixiao felt genuine surprise.
After taking the [Samsara Elixir], Jingliu had to undergo nine total cycles of reincarnation, each one doubling her previous power.
And to this day, Jingliu had only just begun her second cycle.
Which meant…
Feixiao folded her arms, frowning slightly. "So that person already has three times their former strength? And for now, she's even stronger than you?"
"…" Jingliu said nothing. She turned slowly, and in her frosty tone told Feixiao, "I need to return to the Curio Trash Can Shop."
"Oh? Going to visit the benefactor who untied your heart knot?" Feixiao teased lightly.
If that were truly the case, she would welcome it with both hands. She didn't want to see Jingliu turn into a revenge-driven killing machine.
Whether it was because of Sylvester or simple competitiveness, Jingliu had started regaining her humanity—and that was nothing but a good thing.
In the next moment, Feixiao regained her serious expression, turning toward the direction of the small shop. "Perfect. I want to go again myself."
…
Topaz stepped out of The Shackling Prison and rejoined Jade and Aventurine waiting outside.
"How did it go?" Aventurine asked first.
"Roughly." Topaz replied with mild irritation. "Xueyi and Hanya had no intention of compromising. Even handing the mechs over to us for temporary safekeeping—they only said they'd 'consider it.' It seems it'll take quite some effort to reclaim the Genius Society's research results."
"Little Jelena, don't be discouraged." Jade wasn't the least bit shaken by this failed attempt. She smiled. "The Martial Exhibition is approaching. The Luofu is filled with unrest and tension—naturally they're cautious. Once things settle down, they'll be begging the Corporation to take those massive containers back."
"Because they take up too much space?" Aventurine intentionally twisted Jade's meaning, trying to lighten the mood. "If Professor Ratio heard that, he'd probably blow up on the spot and throw one at you—"
A sudden shift in clouds and wind cut Aventurine off mid-sentence. Not just him—Topaz and Jade's expressions changed instantly.
After a long moment, Jade said with difficulty, "Although the Luofu's strength has nothing to do with the Corporation… thinking about how we missed our chance to seize the advantage—honestly, it's truly envy-inducing."
The Luofu was simply too lucky, as though blessed by the goddess of fate.
After all, the Corporation had so far only obtained a single purple Curio.
And now she was watching with her own eyes the birth of at least a golden Curio!
Jade wasn't an Emanator, but the Foundation's power was nothing to scoff at. How could she not see that the storm in the distance had fully reached Emanator-level strength?!
With such an overwhelming disparity, she couldn't help but feel jealous.
But jealousy was useless. The Interastral Peace Corporation had failed to grasp the opportunity, and now all she could do was watch others feast while they were left sipping leftover broth.
Still, she refused to accept it.
Company performance didn't matter to her nearly as much. But being forced into such a humiliating inferiority? That was something she would never swallow!
As the owner of Bonajade Exchange, she asked, "Aventurine, when do you plan to reclaim your pride?"
Aventurine smiled slightly. "Heh, anytime."
…
"This is… Taixu Sword Aura?!"
Li Sushang quietly felt the unusual power pouring endlessly into her.
The power was both familiar and foreign, but relying on her training in Taixu Form Intent, she still managed to identify it.
It was her own family's Taixu Sword Aura—no mistake about it!
And its might was leagues beyond the 'Intent' realm that was only slightly above her current level.
It might even reach the level of the 'Soul' realm!
Upon realizing this, all childish thoughts of reclaiming her pride evaporated completely.
In her mind echoed her mother's earnest teachings; in her chest surged the generations-old grand ambition of the Li family; and in her eyes blazed the undying dream that had carried her through every hardship on her cultivation path.
To master all five Taixu Forms—and become the greatest under heaven!