101 Points of Innate Inner Spiritual Power!

Long Xuanye put extra emphasis on the word "little sister."

At his words, Saint Cai'er raised her head and looked at him with her clear, purple eyes.

After a moment, she gave a small nod.

"Mm."

Long Xuanye let out a long breath of relief.

Thank goodness. There was still hope.

But he had clearly relaxed too soon.

Saint Cai'er set down the stone bowl, her gaze settling on the tattered clothes soaked through with blood and mud.

She furrowed her brow.

"Your clothes are dirty. You need to change."

As she spoke, she reached out, apparently intending to do it herself.

"Wait!"

Long Xuanye recoiled in alarm. The sudden movement tugged at his wound, making him grimace in pain.

"I can do it myself!"

We're different sexes, little sis! Sure, you're a little girl and I'm a boy, but my soul belongs to an adult!

Saint Cai'er's hand stopped in midair, a hint of confusion crossing her face.

She didn't seem to understand why he'd reacted so strongly.

Wasn't it only natural to care for an injured person, clean him up, and help him change into fresh clothes?

Seeing how Long Xuanye resisted, Saint Cai'er looked unsure of what to do.

She searched through her shattered memories, trying to find a way to handle this situation.

Those blurry images from before she was three...

It seemed someone had once treated her with the same tenderness.

She imitated what she remembered. Her expression remained impassive, but her voice grew gentler, taking on a coaxing tone.

"Be good, baby... don't fuss."

Long Xuanye's expression crumbled completely.

His mental state collapsed.

In a shadowy corner of the cave,

a White-Robed Assassin stood silently, taking it all in.

His brow furrowed.

Something about this felt... off.

He had been ordered to protect Saint Cai'er and observe the boy who could resonate with her.

The higher-ups were happy to see the Saintess and the boy form a deep bond. It would benefit their plans for a counterattack in the future.

But... wasn't the way that bond was forming a little strange?

Still, he could see that Long Xuanye's joke had started it, and Saint Cai'er had simply taken him at his word.

The Saintess had made the first move, and the boy hadn't done anything inappropriate.

He considered it, but ultimately had no grounds to intervene.

Never mind. As long as things turned out well, that was enough.

It looked like the boy had mostly recovered.

It was time.

The assassin stepped out of the shadows, his footsteps unusually clear in the quiet cave.

"Your Highness, it's almost time."

His flat voice instantly shattered the cave's strange tenderness.

The atmosphere abruptly tightened.

The moment she heard him, Saint Cai'er spun around like a mother leopard startled while guarding her cub. She spread her arms and shielded Long Xuanye behind her.

Her petite frame stood in front of the bed of dry grass, her purple eyes fixed on the uninvited guest.

Her stance made her meaning clear: If you want to touch him, you'll have to get past me first.

The White-Robed Assassin wasn't surprised.

"Your Highness, you should know you can't stop me."

His voice held no emotion.

"This is the Trial of Reincarnation, and it's your destiny."

Just then, a hand gently rested on Saint Cai'er's shoulder.

Long Xuanye struggled to his feet, stepped forward, and stood beside her.

The White-Robed Assassin looked at Long Xuanye, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.

He knew he was outmatched, yet he still dared to step forward.

The boy certainly had courage.

But so what?

Against absolute strength, courage was worthless.

He was just a mortal boy who hadn't even awakened his Innate Inner Spiritual Power.

Feeling the enormous pressure radiating from the man before him, Long Xuanye's mind was perfectly clear.

He knew there was no avoiding a fight.

He had planned to save this trump card for a more crucial moment.

But now, to protect the girl beside him, he had no other choice.

There were precedents in this world of powerful individuals directly awakening their Inner Spiritual Power. If he awakened now, it wouldn't seem too unusual.

Long Xuanye's gaze grew resolute.

In his mind, he issued a command to the dormant system.

"System, I choose to awaken my Innate Inner Spiritual Power."

Inside the cave, the air was taut as a bowstring.

Ninety-nine points of Innate Inner Spiritual Power definitely wouldn't be enough to deal with the White-Robed Assassin before him.

But it was his only choice.

Besides...

The White-Robed figure was from the Assassin's Sanctuary. He wouldn't really do anything to Cai'er or me, right?

I just have to take a chance!

The instant he made up his mind, a mechanical voice abruptly sounded in his mind.

[ Ding! The God-Tier Choice System has been triggered! ]

[ The Host faces a major decision. Generating options... ]

[ Option 1: Submit. Allow the White-Robed Assassin to take Saint Cai'er away and maintain the status quo. Reward: Inner Spiritual Power +20. ]

[ Option 2: Resist. Stop the White-Robed Assassin at any cost. Reward: Special growth-type Spirit Furnace—Chaos Spirit Furnace. ]

Long Xuanye's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

The Chaos Spirit Furnace! Along with its name, a surge of information flooded into his mind.

Its ability was called "Chaos." It could command and control every force of light and darkness in the world!

It was... practically made for him!

Long Xuanye knew better than anyone that the forbidden Demon God Emperor Bloodline flowed through his body. The Chaos Spirit Furnace was a peerless treasure perfectly suited to him!

A flicker of excitement passed through his heart.

Cai'er really was his lucky star, the perfect way to earn massive rewards.

The White-Robed Assassin was far stronger than he was, but would never actually kill him. How generous a reward could resistance under this kind of pressure bring?

It was a shame that Innate Inner Spiritual Power was the foundation before awakening. Once it awakened, its value was set.

It seemed he'd have to awaken with only ninety-nine points of Inner Spiritual Power after all.

Never mind. Nothing in the world could be perfect. He could do without it!

Long Xuanye's thoughts raced to a decision in an instant.

He lifted his head and met the White-Robed Assassin's gaze. His resolve was absolute.

"I choose option two."

The instant his will was set,

Bzz—!

A brilliant ring of golden light burst outward from Long Xuanye's body!

The light wasn't dazzling, but it carried the majesty and weight of life at its very beginning.

The White-Robed Assassin froze.

He watched the boy enveloped in golden light, unmistakable astonishment appearing in his eyes for the first time.

Awakening of his own accord!

Under such immense pressure, the boy had actually used his own will to force open the path to awakening!

Such resolve! Such talent!

His estimation of Long Xuanye rose by more than one level in an instant.

"Long Xuanye..."

Saint Cai'er stared blankly at the boy shining beside her, tears quickly welling in her purple eyes.

Though her memories were incomplete, the basics of cultivation were as instinctive to her as breathing.

She knew the sheer strength of will it took to force this kind of awakening by drawing on one's potential—and the immense risks it entailed.

He... he must be doing this for me!

He was risking everything to protect me!

Crystalline tears slid down her fair cheeks and fell into the dust.

But Long Xuanye, at the very center of the storm, was completely stunned.

Because the system's announcement rang through his mind once more.

[ Congratulations, Host! You have successfully awakened with 101 points of Innate Inner Spiritual Power! ]