Today, no matter what the world threw at her, she would forge a transcendental-grade foundation—a foundation that would shake the destiny of this realm.

In her previous life, even as an alchemist coveted by Upper Realm titans, she had ultimately been shackled by a grave flaw: her foundation was only mid-grade. That single flaw had suffocated her path, hindering her every advancement. The fact she clawed her way to the Eternal Emperor Realm despite such a crude base was proof of her monstrous perseverance.

But this time would not be the same.

This time she had experience. She had the Nine-Petaled Soul Calming Flame. She had a master who tilted fate around him.

This time she would surpass everything she once was.

Li Mei exhaled softly and closed her eyes. Nostalgia faded. Doubts faded. The world narrowed until only her heartbeat remained.

It's pointless to dwell on the past. This life—this moment—is what matters.

Her determination crystallized.

The qi within her meridians suddenly surged like a rising tidal wave.

A cold aura burst outward from her body, erupting in a sweeping ring of frost. The ground beneath her froze into crystalline ice. Dewdrops solidified midair. Even the air seemed to crackle as the temperature plummeted.

Every cultivator watching felt their breath hitch.

The breakthrough had begun.

Thunder roared above the dojo as the heavens responded to her provocation.

And Li Mei—sitting alone beneath a tribulation meant to crush Golden Core experts—did not tremble even once.

....

Fang Family Residence

Night draped the Fang estate in a heavy stillness. Lightning crawled across the sky in jagged streaks, momentarily illuminating the courtyard pavilion where Fang Biyu sat with her head bowed. The luxurious garden around her—ornamental lanterns, spirit-fed flowers, carved jade benches—felt suffocating rather than beautiful.

Beside her, Fang Zhirou wore the same defeated expression. The moment their family learned they had gone out to practice martial arts at the Phoenix and Dragon Dojo, the order was swift and merciless: house arrest, no exceptions.

A soft rumble echoed above the clouds. Fang Zhirou looked up at the sky, her voice barely a whisper.

"It appears Senior Li Mei has started her breakthrough…"

Lightning danced again, this time brighter, louder—almost celebratory. Somewhere far beyond their gilded prison, someone their age was advancing boldly toward her dreams.

Fang Biyu's eyes trembled. The glow in her pupils deepened with a storm of emotions she could no longer hold down. Her fists clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms.

I also… want to be like Senior Li Mei. Someone with strength. Someone who can carve her own destiny…

Suddenly, Fang Biyu rose from her seat. Her movements were steady, decisive—too decisive.

Fang Zhirou's heart jerked in alarm. She shot up and grabbed her sister's sleeve.

"Big sister, don't! You know how angry Father was. If he sees you heading out again, this time he might really punish you!"

The words barely left her lips when—

Snort.

A cold, disdainful sound reverberated through the garden.

In the next instant, a middle-aged man appeared behind them without warning. His steps were silent, but his presence was suffocating. His dignified robes fluttered slightly in the wind; his eyes were sharp, heavy with authority.

Family Head Fang.

Fang Zhirou's entire body stiffened. The blood drained from her face. Fear rooted her to the spot like nails hammered through her feet.

The man's gaze slowly turned toward her, lingering just long enough to make her knees weaken. Then, a meaningful smile tugged at his lips.

"Tell me, Zhirou," he said quietly, each word dipped in coldness,

"why would I ever punish my obedient elder daughter?"

The underlying threat in his tone coiled through the air like a venomous serpent.

Fang Biyu had barely taken another step when her entire body locked in place. Her breath hitched, her face draining of color. The crushing weight of her father's presence wrapped around her like invisible chains. But then—biting down hard enough to taste iron—she forced herself to turn and meet Family Head Fang's gaze head-on.

"Lord Father," she said, voice trembling yet unyielding, "I don't want to sacrifice my life for the sake of the family. I won't marry the young master of the Yun family… no matter what."

The words dropped like thunder in the courtyard.

Family Head Fang's expression instantly darkened. His usually composed features hardened into a cold mask of authority. Although he cared for his daughter, the Fang family's interests were absolute. His gaze sharpened, and a suffocating spiritual pressure descended without warning.

Fang Biyu staggered under the weight. Her shoulders quivered, her knees threatening to buckle, but she refused to bow her head again.

"Lord Father, you…" Fang Zhirou's voice shook uncontrollably. Her eyes were wide with disbelief—she had never seen her father exert force against them, not even once in their childhood.

But Family Head Fang paid no attention to her panic. His gaze remained locked on Fang Biyu as he spoke, each syllable colder than winter steel.

"Let me make one thing clear to you, Fang Biyu: whether you like it or not, you will marry the young master of the Yun family."

The declaration carved itself across the garden like an execution order.

Fang Biyu shuddered, the tremble running clear from her spine to her fingertips. His words hurt more than any physical blow. She knew the family had invested enormous resources into her over the years, but that did not mean they owned her destiny. Her fists clenched harder, fingernails drawing blood from her palms.

Family Head Fang didn't spare another glance at the pair of trembling sisters. His gaze instead drifted upward, toward the Phoenix and Dragon Dojo in the distance. A faint crease formed between his brows.

"Hm. Another disturbance from that dojo… That Song Po is hiding in the family estate, unable to show his face, and there's still no sign of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect envoy. Just what is happening lately?"

Nothing aligned. Every piece of information contradicted the next. The situation was spiraling beyond the understanding of even a seasoned clan head.

…

High above the rooftops, All-Seeing Immortal observed the city with an expression carved from curiosity and calculation. From his vantage point, he watched the spiritual clouds churning over the Phoenix and Dragon Dojo.

He recognized this phenomenon immediately—a breakthrough. But the scale of the disturbance made even his eyebrows rise.

If he recalled correctly, the last time he visited, both of Wang Chen's disciples were only in the Qi Refining Realm.

"It must be that girl breaking through," he murmured. "She was the only one at the peak of Qi Refining."

A knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"It appears Wang Chen is far more mysterious than he looks. Not only is he drenched in treasures, but every one of his disciples is a monstrous talent… intriguing."

…

Rumble!

The heavens roared.

Sky and earth quaked as if the world itself was fracturing. A column of pure lightning, thick as a grown man's arm, tore down from the clouds and smashed into the pavilion roof above Li Mei. Wood and jade shattered instantly, scattering into dust and drifting ash.

Through the collapsing ruin, Li Mei rose.

Her body floated upward, hair whipping like a banner in the storm winds. The cross-shaped mark in her eyes spun rapidly, each rotation intensifying the pressure radiating from her body. Her cultivation surged like a rising tide, unstoppable and fiercely alive.

And then—

Another bolt of lightning descended.

This one was twice the size, twice the violence, tearing the sky apart as it swallowed the heavens.

It hung over Li Mei like the judgment of the world itself.

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