One day later.

The Heavenly Demon knelt beside Cipher's body. She had been like this for a while now, motionless, her eyes closed in deep concentration.

Finally, she opened them.

Thanks to that, her soul and consciousness had finally settled onto the vessel perfectly. She was finally able to stabilize her thoughts.

She placed her hands on Cipher's body. Mana began spreading from her palms, flowing across his skin. She slowly cleansed his body, clearing away all the dried blood and dirt that clung to him.

Then she injected the mana deeper, stimulating his flesh to regenerate. The wounds began closing slowly - the hole in his chest knitting together, the torn muscles mending, the broken bones realigning.

After that, she left some of her mana inside him. About twenty percent.

Although it felt like a waste when she couldn't recover her own mana, she was still sure Cipher had some sort of plan. So she left it there, circulating gently, ensuring that the body wouldn't decay.

She looked down with a sigh.

Tap. Tap.

Liquid droplets fell to the floor.

She looked up at the roof. "That's weird. It isn't even raining?"

Then she felt the wetness in her eyes.

She slowly cleared it with her fingers.

"Maybe I'm not completely used to the new body," she said quietly.

She looked at Cipher's face. Peaceful. Still. As if he were merely sleeping.

"You didn't even tell me anything," she whispered.

Her voice cracked.

"Stupid."

She stared at him.

"What should I do now?"

Silence answered her.

"Stupid," she repeated.

Her hands curled into fists against her thighs.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."

Her shoulders began to tremble.

"You're so stupid..."

The tears came faster now, streaming down her cheeks despite her attempts to wipe them away. Her breathing grew ragged. Her chest heaved.

And finally, the Heavenly Demon broke.

She collapsed onto his chest, her body wracked with sobs. Her fingers clutched at his robes as if holding on would somehow bring him back. The sounds that escaped her lips were raw and ugly - not at all fitting the image of someone as sophisticated as the heavenly demon - they were cries of someone who had forgotten how to grieve.

She wept until exhaustion claimed her.

…

The following day.

She opened her eyes slowly, her cheek pressed against his chest. For a moment, she forgot where she was. Then the memories came flooding back.

She rose from him and sat up.

She cleansed herself with mana, removing the tear stains and the disheveled appearance. Then she did the same for Cipher, ensuring he remained pristine.

"Looks like losing my mind realm has made me susceptible to normal human emotions," she thought.

When was the last time the Heavenly Demon had cried?

She had practically forgotten she had such capability.

She looked at Cipher's face.

To dare to make the Heavenly Demon cry...

She shook her head with a sigh.

What was she even doing?

She slowly got to her feet.

"Stay here," she said to the motionless body. "I'll go gather some information."

She paused at the door.

"Let's just hope it doesn't end up like last time we went to gather information," she muttered.

But as she said that, she felt the chances were indeed high that something bad would happen.

If she died... then what would happen to Cipher?

No. What about her Heavenly Demonic Cult in the Murim world?

She exhaled slowly.

Since that was the case, she had no choice but to go to one place.

She left the shack and closed the door behind her.

She placed her palm against the wooden surface and enhanced it with qi, reinforcing the structure. Then she used even more of her qi to cover the surrounding area, creating a subtle barrier that would discourage anything from approaching.

Although this area was close to the portal and thus didn't have any people or monsters nearby, it was still best to be safe.

Now she only had about half her initial qi left.

She needed to spend it more sparingly.

She floated upward, rising above the treeline. The forest stretched endlessly in every direction, broken only by distant mountains and rivers.

She scanned the horizon, searching for familiar landmarks.

"I think that was the way," she thought.

Then she flew away, disappearing into the clouds.

…

Azure Cloud Peak, two days ago.

Maya sat cross-legged on the meditation platform, her breathing steady and rhythmic. Mana flowed through her meridians in gentle waves, circulating according to the techniques Jiang Qing had taught her.

The Sect Master stood nearby, observing her disciple with a satisfied expression.

Truly a talented seedling.

Her progress in just a few days had been remarkable. At this rate, she would master the foundational techniques within the month.

Suddenly, Maya's body trembled.

Jiang Qing's eyes narrowed. Signs of instability were appearing in her mana circulation. The energy that had been flowing smoothly was now churning erratically.

Was she about to enter qi deviation?

This was dangerous. She needed to stabilize her quickly.

Jiang Qing stepped forward, her hands already glowing with calming energy…

…

Inside Maya's consciousness, darkness swirled.

And then she saw it.

A demon with crimson hair and a single horn. His foot pressed against Cipher's chest. His finger raised, red aura coalescing at the tip.

The aura pierced downward.

Into Cipher's heart.

His eyes went blank.

His body went still.

"No..."

Maya's mana went rogue.

It exploded outward from her body in a violent shockwave, tearing through the meditation platform like a hurricane. Stone cracked. Trees bent. The very air screamed.

Jiang Qing, who had been about to step in to help, was thrown backward. She tumbled through the air before catching herself, her robes whipping wildly around her.

"What the hell?" she wondered aloud.

She had lived for centuries. She had seen countless disciples struggle with cultivation. She had witnessed qi deviations, mana explosions, and spiritual backlashes of every kind.

But she had never seen anything like this.

The energy pouring from Maya wasn't chaotic. It was... overwhelming. Pure. Absolute.

As if reality itself was bending around her.

Maya's closed eyes began leaking blood. Crimson tears streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto her robes.

Then, slowly, her body began to rise.

She floated upward, suspended in the air by the sheer force of the power emanating from within her. Her hair drifted around her like she was submerged in water.

She opened her eyes.

They were golden.

Not the gold of coins or sunlight. This was a different kind of gold. Something much more…divine.

[Congratulations! Class: Archmage has evolved into Class: Saintess]

[Congratulations! Timeless (Unique) has advanced to Lord Of Time (Transcendent)]

[Congratulations! Species: Human has evolved into Species: Demi-God]

The notifications appeared before her, one after another.

She didn't even glance at them.

"Cipher..." she murmured.

Then she shot forward.

Her body became a blur, flying at maximum speed toward the edge of the peak. The wind screamed in her wake. The clouds parted before her.

But Jiang Qing was faster.

The Sect Master intercepted her in an instant, appearing directly in Maya's path.

"What are you doing?" she demanded. "Calm down!"

Maya turned to look at her.

Jiang Qing froze.

It was almost like staring straight into the abyss.

Those golden eyes held no emotion. No recognition. Only an endless, infinite depth that seemed to swallow everything.

"Maya..." Jiang Qing called out softly.

She extended her hand toward her disciple.

But something was wrong.

Her arm moved slowly. Too slowly. As if she were pushing through a thick liquid.

The colors around her began to fade. The vibrant greens of the forest, the blue of the sky, the white of the clouds - all of it drained away, leaving only shades of gray.

Motion slowed.

The leaves that had been rustling in the wind hung suspended in the air.

A bird mid-flight was frozen in place.

Even her own thoughts began to crawl.

What... is... happening...

Her consciousness stretched thin, each moment lasting an eternity.

And then…

She snapped out of it.

Color returned. Sound returned. Time resumed.

Jiang Qing gasped, stumbling forward as if released from invisible chains.

She looked around frantically.

Maya was gone.

...

A/N: New MC, we're so back

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