First thing, I decided to check who was currently guarding my future Soul Seed. If a Warlord was there, I'd wait until I reached a higher level of development and only then go claim him. But if it was a Supreme Commander, options were possible.
If the Supreme Commander wasn't at peak rank, I'd just kill him on the spot and calmly claim the Seed. But if it was a peak Supreme Commander, I'd have to wait until I subjugated the new stars in my two Elements that appeared after the breakthrough, and strengthened them with souls, so I could release higher-tier magic.
Then, with fusion magic, I'd be able to take down such a Mastodon. Well, or I could just raise Pikachu and Bul to the appropriate level, but that would take longer.
After activating my armor beforehand, I cautiously teleported to the cave where I'd previously harvested the Spiritual Seed. I already had three enhanced "Ice Chains" spells prepared just in case, and they were needed the second after arrival.
As soon as I sensed something off, all three spells materialized and formed into ice shields that held back the monster attacking me for just a second—but that was enough time to cancel the teleport and return to my world.
Appearing back in the Three-Step Tower, I let out a long sigh. On one hand, I got lucky—no need to fight a Warlord. On the other, it wasn't just any Supreme Commander sitting there, but a peak one, and I knew him well.
It was that same Vilyuk who'd wounded me on my first trip for a Spiritual Seed, when I'd been careless. Well, not the exact same Vilyuk, since I'd shifted to another world, and plenty of years had passed between those two time points. Still, it takes a Soul Seed many years to reach its peak. Apparently, Vilyuk had bulked up on that free power in the meantime, becoming a peak Supreme Commander.
Ugh, then I'd have to wait a month or two until I took control of all the new stars in my two Elements and strengthened them with souls. Sure, I could fight my old offender in a death match, clawing out victory with my teeth and finishing him off while bleeding from every orifice. But why? I'll leave such adventures to the main hero—I'm fine waiting a bit; it's not urgent.
Hm, so what does that mean—I've got nothing to do right now? Besides experiments, of course. I'll raise my body enhancement Technique to the next level once Pikachu settles into his power and controls it with finesse. Soul Seeds for the pets should really be sought later too, since I plan to rip them from mages who've already absorbed them, to avoid spiritual duels with the Seeds' spirits that would only slow my summons' progress.
And such mages who can afford Soul Seeds with built-in domains could actively resist me at my current power level, which is totally not an option for the quick takedowns I love so much.
Right! I still need to subjugate the new stars in my two breakthrough Elements. With the star control pendant and my current development, it'll take me one and a half to two weeks. Depends on how much time per day I devote to it. At least the next five days, I'll fully dedicate to it.
While I sat meditating, I periodically sensed magical waves from the girls' failed breakthroughs. Jiao Jiao failed her first attempt as predicted, but pulled herself together and succeeded on the second galactic vein. But TuTu...
She'd already spent three galactic veins on the breakthrough and failed every try. Right now, she was absorbing magic from the fourth with the most serious face I'd ever seen on her. Well, I can only wish her luck and support her with extra galactic veins if needed. We had a couple days of accelerated Cultivation left; I think she'll manage.
Slapping my forehead, I spent a couple minutes searching online, then teleported to my old acquaintances from the lightning Element Clan, took it from one of them, and jumped to another world.
Wenyan Magic Elementary School in Suwan City greeted me with the noise of novice mages arguing over what Element they'd awaken. I stealthily approached one of the classes and waited.
When a cute black-haired girl stepped up to the awakening stone and placed her hand on it, I slammed the whole class with a spiritual strike, knocking everyone out, including the girl. Approaching her and taking her Poison Element, replacing it with the lightning Element, was no trouble. After my experiments separating souls from stars, such work felt as easy as lifting a feather.
And my conscience didn't bother me, because her own parents would have strangled her the next day—they were too deep into Holy City ideology. Well, the Poison Element falls under dark magic, and awakening it as the first Element shows extraordinary talent... In short, they only recently stopped burning shadow mages at the stake, so I wasn't surprised.
I can't say the Holy City ideology is fundamentally wrong—I'd witnessed firsthand what the creator of most dark magic Elements wants to pull off. But if you avoid the dark blessing and stick to, say, just dark substance, the Dark King won't have too much access to the mage's soul, and they can live quite normally. Sure, they couldn't harm the creator of their Elements with them, but hell, no human can even scratch that God of the Dark Dimension anyway—no great loss.
Transplanting the Poison Element to myself went smoothly. I didn't transplant it with the stars, just the unique "spark." After implanting it into my Inner World, my own full Poison Element awakened. Honing control on souls hadn't been for nothing. Though I don't know what benefit this brings—if you Cultivate a transplanted Element from scratch, there are no control drops, and it won't differ from a native one.
But who knows, maybe it affects breakthroughs through the Curse? I'll have to pull the Summon Element from TuTu and reawaken it with the new method. I can put her Cultivation back no problem, but it'll put my mind at ease. Better safe than sorry.
Returning to the Three-Step Tower, I continued meditating, subjugating the ice Element stars. I figured I'd finish with it by the end of this Cultivation session, leaving only full subjugation of the Summon after leaving.
On our last day here, as I subjugated the final ice Element starlet, powerful magical waves finally emanated from TuTu, stronger than her failed breakthroughs. She'd finally succeeded in breaking through to High level.
Literally an hour later, her eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her beautiful golden eyes, glowing with overflowing happiness. Finally, the line separating her from family approval was crossed, and she'd joined the ranks of the world's powerhouses, leaving most mages in the dust. And most importantly, the stone weighing on her soul—her inferiority complex—finally fell away.
"Congratulations, bunny." I approached and hugged her, and a second later Jiao Jiao joined me. TuTu happily rubbed her face against us both.
"I congratulate you too! Hehe, now we don't need to take the exam for the Main Campus of the University. We can use that day for a great observation spot and look down on those who have to take it!" she said with malicious glee in her eyes.
"Don't talk nonsense. Don't stoop to the level of those ignoramuses who underestimated you before. You're above that." Jiao Jiao gave her a light chop to the head.
"I agree with TuTu's plan; I think it'll be fun." I voiced my opinion, planning to oversee the event. But the girls, not getting it, gave me strange looks. They must've thought I wanted to mock people too.
Honestly, I'd expected Black Church members to jump me back in Kowloon City. It would've been a perfect chance for them to take me out without witnesses and grab my Holy Spring. Well, either they had other plans or shitty intel, but they didn't show. At least I'll keep an eye on the event where they were supposed to attack per canon. Who knows, maybe their plans didn't change?
"Alright, let's head home, and there I'll give you the promised gift. But first, you'll have to earn it, hehe." I gave them a lustful look, and they rolled their eyes but obediently pressed against my body.
It was time to give the girls the talent for improved control. Otherwise, TuTu with her innate talent and transplanted Cultivation would take a couple years to subjugate new stars.