While Feicui Long was sleeping, he was transported into a dream, a special dream… a memory that had been lost to time a very long time ago…
He was walking inside the Sacred Palace of the Stellar Sky through beautiful and magnificent corridors. He did so until he reached a door. Feicui Long knew this door; this door was the door to his master's office.
He pushed the door, entering the office, and he could see his master, who was distracted, looking at a journal while drawing something on a scroll. After a few seconds, she stopped and looked at Feicui Long, asking: "Well then, my disciple, are you going to tell me why you came today?"
Feicui Long smiled and said: "Can't I just come to see my beautiful master?"
Selene also smiled and said: "Of course you can, but you always like to visit me at strange moments like this. Come, let's eat on the balcony."
The two of them walked to the balcony behind the office. They talked about various things, about their siblings, about the universe, calmly. That was until Selene asked him a question: "Long'er, what is it that you truly desire? I'm not talking about coming here, I'm talking about what you desire in life, for yourself. Nothing about wanting to help me or protect the universe. What is it that you want?"
Feicui Long looked at her with an ironic smile and said: "Master, I've already told you. Perhaps the only thing this Feicui Long desires for himself… is you. Master, I would like you to be my woman…"
Feicui Long knew this was forbidden. The love between master and disciple, especially in one who had been raised by his master, was not something accepted by many, but even so… even so, he had fallen in love with his master…
Selene, who had already heard this many times, just sighed. It wasn't that she didn't understand her disciple's heart, it's just that… she didn't want him to anchor himself to her, to a past that she herself hadn't let go of since that day… so she spoke: "Long'er, I understand how you feel, but I don't think you should desire only this… I'm sorry for what I'm going to say, but you don't know what love is in the sense of a relationship. You don't know how to love a person, because you haven't truly experienced it…"
Selene stood up with a glass of wine and, looking from the balcony at the garden, said to him: "How about this, you go and learn what love is, whether in this life or another. You meet the person who is destined for you, and if you still love me, I will become your woman. What do you think about that?"
Feicui Long nodded as a sign of acceptance. Shortly after finishing his meal, he had to leave the palace because he had to attend to his work… not knowing that this would be the last time he would see his master, as shortly afterward the vision would arrive and the war would begin…
…
Feicui Long finally wakes up from his dream, with a very tired Isabella sleeping on his arm. He looks at her, delighting in the sight of this beautiful woman. Many may say that she lacks too much or that she is too small, but he doesn't care. Then he looks at Isabella's magnificent face. While looking at her, from the corner of his eye, he notices that Isabella's hair has changed from golden to platinum, a symbol that her bloodline has awakened.
Isabella also wakes up shortly after. This flirty girl, as soon as she opens her eyes and sees him watching her, the first thing she does is kiss him on the mouth for several minutes, almost igniting his libido.
But in the end, she stops because she knows it's not the right moment. The two dress quickly and leave the stellar chamber. Isabella's ancestress is waiting for them. She more or less guesses what two lonely lovers were doing alone in a room, so she doesn't ask.
They are going to explore the inner temple and the true temple, visiting both libraries. These don't contain cultivation or combat techniques, but there are several recipe books and other useful things. So when they arrive at the first one, Feicui Long starts picking the ones that seem most useful to him.
On the way, Isabella asks her ancestress something: "Hey, ancestress, the 21 Supreme Ancestors, they are called that because they were the only ones who passed the trial with the highest score, but there's something I don't understand. How come the others who also reached 100% didn't obtain it?"
Kristina, touching her chin, answers: "To begin with, we weren't the only ones. When the founder entered the temple, the Supreme God of Beasts told him he could keep the temple and protect it, and also use it for his descendants, but in exchange, we had to let other mortals or members of the beast clan enter, and also make sure not to let in hostile people."
Kristina then adds and sighs as she herself starts picking out some books that interest her and placing them into a spatial bag that Feicui Long had given her. She adds: "As for the other thing, honestly I don't know. I would think it has to do with the stairs in the sixth trial, but the pressure is so intense that I couldn't even climb one. But at the same time, I still achieved the maximum score, so I really don't know what connection it has."
Feicui Long, who is pulling out a bunch of books and stacking them to the side while organizing them, says: "The stairs have nothing to do with it. They were only meant to select an heir. Fernando wanted to make something with a certain meaning. He wanted his heir to have the same talent as him, and so to climb the stairs with the names. Originally it was going to go up to his name, but Fernando asked me to put the same number of steps as there are Supreme Divine Authorities, so I did."
Feicui Long pauses while storing all the books, scrolls, and other things he pulled out, along with some low-level objects or artifacts with purely academic uses or certain utility that wasn't meant for combat, cultivation, or anything else, and then adds: "The difference is actually in the fight against the copy. You don't have to defeat the copy, really. Just holding out a minimum amount of time or ending in a draw is enough. If you surrender at that point, you'll get 100%. If you defeat it, the maximum score."
Isabella and Kristina, confused, ask: "You could surrender?"
Feicui Long looks at them in astonishment: "Didn't you read the message that appeared after the instructions?"
Just seeing their faces saying 'what message' makes him sigh, and he says: "Fernando isn't that cruel. Even though the trial is very difficult, Fernando didn't think like the rest of the beast clan who believe the strongest must lead or be superior. He believed the clan could be much better and stronger if it was united. But the circumstances of the enemy made it so he had to look for an heir with at least his level of talent or higher to carry on his wish."
Isabella asks another question: "What was that wish?"
Feicui Long looks ahead: "That the beast clan would finally have peace and grow in power. That's why he created the sanctuary of all beasts. I believe, since you're a worshiper of Fernando, you already know it's a sanctuary of beasts and why he chose that name. The reason he did this was a step toward that. Shortly before the war, he almost achieved it after so long…"
Feicui Long sighs with nostalgia and says: "The beast clan is the fourth most numerous clan behind the origin clan, the fungus clan, and the plant clan. But unlike the others, which depend on many mortal beings, like the origin clan and all bacteria and protists, in other words, unicellular beings, the same applies to the others. The beast clan also has many mortal beings among animals, but its number of intelligent energy beings is much, much greater than the others. For example, the plant and fungus clans have many energy beings, but many of them still haven't awakened their soul, making their number much lower. To visualize it, it would be more or less 33.33% for mortals, non-intelligent energy beings, and intelligent ones. The plant clan would be about 50/50."
Isabella waits for Feicui Long to continue, but he signals them to go to the next library. After he and Kristina do the same there, that's when Feicui Long resumes what he was saying: "In short, if we're talking about intelligent and energy beings, the beast clan is the largest clan of all. But this true power can't be used because of the way the beast clan is. He never liked that way, so he tried to change it, and as I said, he almost succeeded. That's why many beasts still worship him, because he gave them the chance to survive and reach a much higher level than they could ever dream of. On top of that, he led the beast clan to compete with the most powerful clans."
After finishing this, Feicui Long makes them stop in the great forest, where he has them collect energy medicinal plants with him, and says something: "Do you remember I told you I was going to explain what each of those four artifacts was? Well, the first artifact, the armor of the empress scorpion of the desolate ice of limbo, was made precisely from a leader-type beast of emperor level in the absolute palace realm. She was a woman and a terrifying opponent who challenged my brother, since she hated his way of seeing things."
Feicui Long then adds: "Besides wielding the ice element, she possessed the attribute of desolation, an attribute that descends from the destruction attribute. She also possessed the limbo attribute, also called the balance between heaven and hell. Therefore, she is resistant and weak at the same time to Fernando's celestial element, and both effective and ineffective against him. It was a very hard battle that, if it weren't for the powerful force I helped him cultivate that made him the fourth strongest in this universe, he would have died. So that armor carries part of the empress's capabilities."
Isabella is a bit amazed but continues collecting herbs and other materials. Kristina, on the other hand, is a bit curious and asks: "Were there more challenges to my lord?"
Feicui Long says: "Hmm, that was the last one, but yes, there were more before. The blood of the infernal fire phoenix and the special soul came from another challenger who was in the universal realm. Just like the last one, she challenged him long ago and died. Before that, it was the green divine dragon you also have. That was when Fernando was in the celestial divine realm. There were others, but those aren't very relevant now."
Feicui Long then joins in collecting, until the spatial bags are completely full and even his crown is nearly full, just like the Skylion ring that Isabella gave him. He's not satisfied. They aren't very rare or powerful herbs, but the large amount is very useful for creating potions in large quantities. Although it will probably take him a long time to use them all, he begins to think he'll need another assistant besides the twins and Mariane, maybe even someone entirely dedicated to alchemy to help him.
Feicui Long then, while they rest and eat, continues with the explanation of the objects: "The second object is a support-type weapon/artifact made by me. I gave it to him on his birthday when he was still a child. Since Fernando possesses the planetary attribute, I thought it suited him. Besides, it suited me as well, since the universe, stellar, lunar, planetary attributes, among others, all descend from the space attribute, my domain. It has the ability to perform certain actions such as attacks, defense, support, among others."
Isabella's heart then beats faster, confirming what he had said in the stellar hall. They are destined to be together no matter what happens, since even an artifact made by him had already chosen her as its master and she was destined for the artifact.
Feicui Long then puts on a serious face and says: "The last one is… jewels from an energy being turned into artifacts. You know the three gems I have or that Carlotta possessed, right? Leaving aside the fact that they're on our head because we possess a title, just like Fernando, normally these gems are found on any part of any living being, not just beasts or dragons, with the exception of the mortal clan, of course."
Feicui Long then asks for the crown, and pointing to the gems, says to her: "These gems are a condensation of the powers, energies, and laws of that living being. Not everyone has them, and they aren't necessarily weaker or stronger for having them, since it depends on the species and, in some cases, even on the individual. But they are useful to grow in power quickly, as they improve affinity with your attributes, laws, and energy, in addition to saving energy, purifying, and increasing the speed of abilities or related techniques."
Isabella then asks him: "Did my lord kill ten titled beasts who challenged him?"
Feicui Long shakes his head: "No, it wasn't Fernando. You see, the full name is very long. Normally they're known as the ten jewels of the sovereign of devouring or the ten ruling beasts, but the full name is the ten jewels of the devouring sovereign of ruling beasts…"
Feicui Long then adds: "This devouring sovereign was from a species of the monsters clan called monster of eternal devouring, which possessed the devouring attribute. It is an extremely rare attribute, and very few species have it. Basically, it allows you to become stronger by devouring others. In some cases, it allows you to gain their abilities, in others their power, and other things that vary depending on the species or on the technique or ability that might have the attribute. This sovereign only became stronger by devouring."
Isabella, trying to guess, says: "She was the one who killed them, right? The ten ruling beasts."
Feicui Long nods and says: "Yes, she killed them. But that wasn't all. This sovereign became obsessed with devouring beasts, regardless of whether they were cubs or not. She ravaged entire worlds, until she committed the greatest sin: targeting all the supreme sovereigns of each major, minor, or even medium beast clan. These 10 jewels are precisely what remained of those 10 Supreme Sovereigns, and she integrated them into her body after turning them into artifacts. Fernando obviously didn't stay still, but…"
Feicui Long looks at them before speaking again: "She was already too powerful at that point. I had to help him, but even I found it difficult to face her. The power combined with the abilities given by the jewels was terribly strong. After a fierce battle, Fernando and I were able to kill her."
After eating and talking, they head to the outer temple. Here were the techniques he had mentioned to Isabella. They are very basic. Most of them fall between the earthly palace realm and the great mortal realm and its sub-realms: elemental, mystical, and ascendant. But there were some quite valuable ones that led to higher realms, among them the earthly master or even the spiritual palace realm. The techniques numbered in the few thousands, which is understandable given the colossal size of the outer library. Feicui Long doesn't want to take any, but Isabella insists that they split them half and half.
Of course, they also loot the library for more useful things. Everything contained there is truly useful. With this, his library will definitely be full and will truly look like one, and it will also be easier for him to teach the girls things.
Feicui Long, after they finish collecting resources, explains the crown to Isabella and says: "This crown is made of dragon jewels. In this case, they are gems produced by my western form. I gave 15 of these jewels to Fernando so he could use them in five artifacts: one for his wife, the others for his daughter, and the last 3 for himself. But apparently, he made a crown. It has my three attributes, and you can use them up to a certain level, but they are not really that high, so don't get overconfident."
Isabella becomes happy upon hearing it is made with something so valuable produced by Feicui Long. Even if anyone had doubts that they were destined, this crown is practically the existing proof of it.
Feicui Long then interrupts Isabella's thoughts, saying: "When we return to our home, I'll have to create a body refinement technique for you based on mine so you can withstand the body cultivation technique of the 35 apex beasts that Fernando gave you. Because even though you have the special general constitution, your current body wouldn't even be able to use it, since it is actually a mixed cultivation technique. Also so that the pressure of the bloodlines doesn't destroy it."
Lastly, Feicui Long adds: "I'll also help you refine the bloodlines, integrate the special souls, and I will give you my blood of course. This technique is difficult to cultivate, so you'll have to be patient with it, especially now that you'll be using three cultivation techniques. The human genius who created it challenged Fernando and gave him a good fight, even forcing him to use his strongest attack. A shame he would die to him... maybe if he had lived, the war would have taken a different path."
Feicui Long then carries her in both arms like a princess. Kristina, for her part, turns into a sword and enters Isabella's personal space, showing a tattoo of a vivid sword on her right arm. Isabella, for her part, hugs Feicui Long tightly, behaving very playfully and even kissing him on the neck while he carries her to the exit...