Alm and Bruno carefully examined Ruri’s body. Her skin was dry and lifeless, as if she had aged rapidly in just a few moments. This was a consequence of internal damage to her meridians and core, indicating a struggle to the limit. It seemed evident that she had dedicated herself completely, regardless of the consequences.
Internally, her condition was even more concerning. Her life force was practically depleted, giving her at most a year to live. Her soul was in such a weakened state that it barely sustained itself to avoid immediate death. Although her mind was active, a common cultivator would have fallen into a deep coma. However, due to her mental cultivation, this was only a temporary situation.
They then reflected and analyzed Rehvka; she was a bit better off. Her life force was sufficient to live for five or ten years. With advancements in cultivation realms, this vitality would be increased. Therefore, if she continues actively cultivating to elevate her realms, this won’t be a problem. For others, the idea of having to cultivate forcefully to live would be despairing. However, Alm and Bruno would simply be obliged to keep her close so she could continue to ascend. After all, the responsibility for her being in this situation lay with them.
Rehvka’s soul was quite damaged, but it could still be resolved with Soul Link. Then, they had an idea and retrieved the android from the inventory. She was in terrible condition, with only her head and torso intact. Her soul gem was located on her forehead; from the beginning, she lacked life force, only possessing soul power. This resulted in a much more damaged soul than Rehvka’s.
’They seem to have a good relationship. Both can recover together with the Soul Link,’ Bruno concluded.
Soon, he used his soul to connect the souls of the two with the technique they created. Rehvka was added to the array without hesitation. Finally, they withdrew and poured a third of the soul power contained in the electric tribulation beasts they had endured. With this, they would recover together in no time.
Then, they turned their serious attention to Ruri. The most difficult case was saved for last. Alm spoke dryly: ’Her cultivation is at the elementary level of the Body Destruction Realm. She must have achieved this under pressure when they were already trapped in the desert. Her first reconstruction was very poorly done and full of flaws.’
Alm and Bruno looked into the inventory and calculated carefully. There was an infinite sea of electric runes, celestial power, and the remaining soul power of the beasts, all stolen from their tribulation.
’Let’s use all the celestial power. We’ll rebuild her body, and with this celestial power, the body will be so pure that the consumption of life force will decrease; thus, we’ll gain time for her to break through realms. Then, we’ll do the same with the Soul Link to recover her soul.’
With only the remaining soul power they had stored, it wouldn’t be enough to restore a soul at the level of a divine cultivator like Ruri’s, nor the damaged soul of Alm. But they could easily recover both with the Soul Link. This technique had the strange power to unite souls, recover them, and increase their power. The soul power of the beasts served only to accelerate the process.
Celestial power was exactly what cultivators used in their tribulations to refine and purify their bodies. Alm and Bruno received a large amount of this power as a gift from the heavens. It was several times more than any divine-level tribulation of an ordinary cultivator. With all this combined with their expertise, Ruri would undergo an intense transformation.
They focused and consumed a large portion of the electric runes, converting them into Qi with their tattoos. All this Qi was directed into Ruri’s body. She quickly advanced to the first level of the Body Destruction Realm.
Next, the whale created an earth barrier around them. Countless electric runes appeared within the barrier, Ruri’s clothes were torn, and her body began to be destroyed and rebuilt slowly. Alm and Bruno even used their souls to prevent her from waking up and feeling any pain.
After a few hours, Bruno spoke thoughtfully: ’Hmm... I think they were still growing. Why not increase it a bit?’
’Stop it, idiot. She’s already perfect, as I remember. Even the hairs are aligned,’ Alm retorted.
Bruno looked doubtful. ’Hm? Did you use your soul even to notice that? I didn’t know about this side of you... You even changed that part down there...’
’SHUT UP!’ Alm said dryly, turning away to something else.
***
Two days passed, and everyone in the city was completely rested, immersed in a collective euphoria. There were no disturbances, no lingering fears or anxieties. Small green trees and bushes already covered the entire city, and an intense natural energy permeated every corner. It was as if they were in a dream and had not yet woken up.
It was on this day that Almin received a message and brought Corin to the castle.
Inside the castle, in the room, two round eyes finally opened slowly. The first thing Ruri saw was the gentle eyes of the whale looking at her. Suddenly, her face twisted and trembled.
"It’s all right now..." the whale began, but was interrupted when Ruri jumped on them. Instinctively, they tried to dodge, remembering the moments when she was a teenager and would try to lunge at them. However, she simply hugged their neck and held on tightly.
Time passed slowly, and she said nothing. They could only feel her heart beating and her strong grip. Only after minutes did she slowly let go and stood still, looking at their face up close.
"You held things together well, I’m proud," the whale said, sighing.
A smile bloomed on Ruri’s lips as she continued to stare at them without blinking. A weight filled her chest; she seemed a bit melancholic about something. They noticed it but waited for her to open up. Then, with a murmur, she spoke softly, "Master... please don’t leave me alone again... I..."
"Don’t worry. I can’t guarantee that unexpected things won’t happen, but for now, I have to take care of the three disciples together," they replied, turning their gaze in one direction.
Ruri followed the gaze and found the beautiful woman lying down and sleeping. She was stunningly beautiful and dressed in a black outfit unlike anything Ruri had ever seen, yet still enchanting. In her hand, something metallic resembling a head was tightly gripped.
"The sister," Ruri spoke, surprised, then her aura sank strangely, as if her strength was being sucked away by something.
"Yes, I had to help her and brought her along," the whale replied, feeling Ruri’s body tremble... and saw two mounds raised and exposed, trembling gently together. "Cough Cough... had to rebuild her body and improve it; for now, put something on."
Ruri heard that as if an electric current had passed through her, then she looked at herself in surprise. Soon, her heart pounded like two drums; she put her hand on her face, feeling her smooth appearance and skin. Her eyes immediately welled up, she was back to being 17 when her master left.
Her greatest pain was having traded her youth and beauty to be able to fight. With her life force being consumed, it was as if she had aged severely very quickly. Now that her master had returned, and she saw Rehka here with them, she felt instinctive pain in her chest. A desperate depression hit her.
Ruri turned to the whale, her face radiant, she analyzed herself slowly without caring that he was there. She turned her hips, looking carefully at the back with a joyful sigh, all of this attentive to their reaction in front of her. Then cheerfully said. "Master made it a little prettier..."
"GO GET DRESSED!" Alm roared before Bruno could say anything.
Ruri smiled cheerfully, there was no more of that worn-out and depressive presence; she returned body and soul to her cheerful and lively past. She picked up a spatial ring. Inside, a white and lush dress appeared, the same one she received at 16.
Alm and Bruno snorted, knowing it; surely, she kept the dress as a treasure and didn’t want to damage the last gift they gave her. She put it on right there, slowly in front of them.
’She’s completely lost any barrier... well, doesn’t matter, we’ve seen and even tinkered with everything we could,’ Bruno said lightly.
’You’re fooling who, you bastard? I can feel your soul trying to stay calm,’ Alm retorted dryly.
Bruno responded immediately. ’I’m a sacred soul of pure Yang. I am life and energy, that’s part of my nature, don’t be an idiot. Not to mention, she’s a woman now, you can’t call me a lolicon, or find that strange. She’s over a century old, alright?’
’She knows that perfectly well, too. Just don’t lose your head and get seduced,’ Alm spat, but felt strange internally. Well, Ruri was already an adult, physically and mentally. She wouldn’t force anything again... the problem is precisely that. Her childish acts in the past were what kept them apart, preventing them from thinking of anything weird. Now, things have changed and seem to have gotten even more complicated.
After she got dressed, a knock on the door sounded. Almin and Corin entered calmly after the whale responded.
The two saw Ruri and paused their steps for a moment, stunned. She was back to being that stunning fairy from before. Nostalgic memories flooded both of them. But soon after, they saw another figure lying very close to the whale... that woman... wasn’t below Ruri.
"Corin, this is my third disciple, the undead I believe Ruri already mentioned before. She’ll be with us now, unlike how it was with Ruri. Try to be a respectful first disciple and help her," the whale spoke gently.
Meanwhile, Ruri laughed cheerfully as she hadn’t in decades and said, "Him? Just don’t be—"
She stopped in the middle of her words when she felt the woman lying down trembling softly. Then her eyes opened calmly. Corin and Ruri rushed to her side; she finally woke up.
The first thing Rehvka saw was two young people staring at her intently. A man with a strange look, strange hair, strange aura... and a young woman who made her heart skip a beat.
She didn’t sense any ill intent from them, just extreme curiosity. She sat up slowly, taking in everything around her. She felt something heavy in her hand and saw Thea’s robotic parts. She held it gently in her lap and observed the other people in the room.
"The android, we have someone good who will help her," the whale’s voice sounded. Rehvka turned to him immediately. She stared at them unblinkingly for seconds, then felt it in her eyes and had no doubt, her face contorted and a happiness that seemed to overflow from her emerged.
"M... masters?" She murmured bewildered, seeing that strange round figure not wanting to believe.
The whale sighed, their body was indeed very striking and different...
"Masters?" Ruri’s voice sounded, making Alm and Bruno jump.
Rehvka turned to Ruri. "Yes, they are my masters; and you?" She spoke gently, looking at Ruri and measuring her slowly.
’Damn it... we forgot she saw both of us after we killed the elf. We told her everything back then,’ Alm spoke a bit awkwardly. (Chapter 80)
The whale snorted, Corin, Almin, and Ruri were completely strange looking at Rehvka. She, in turn, turned to the whale, and a dark tattoo pulsed secretly in her hand.
Before the eyes of the three, the woman completely disappeared, leaving only a black shadow. Ruri jumped, that didn’t seem to be spatial laws. It was something strange... she couldn’t sense any flow of Qi... then she turned around and saw the woman next to the whale, staring at them.
The whale turned to her with a sigh. "Stupid brat. These are my others..." Alm stopped in the middle, startled, he and everyone suddenly saw a sadistic and happy smile bloom on that delicate face of hers.
Alm got extremely annoyed, remembering her strange personality. ’Idiot, control your anger!’ Bruno roared, but it was too late.
Rehvka’s face started to glow and show extreme ecstasy. ’Master is always so cool... and sinister...’ She spoke, contorting.
Everyone’s eyes widened, and Ruri immediately clenched her fists... Well, for no reason, really. Rehvka didn’t think about the whale like Ruri did, not to mention she knew they weren’t only one, but two. The whale simply sighed... there was nothing to be done... if they fought or got worked up, it would only make things worse...
’God...’ Bruno couldn’t help but think, bewildered.
Alm took a deep breath, trying to fix things. "Rehvka, introduce yourself to them. You’re my third disciple, they’re Corin, the first, and Ruri, the second."
Rehvka jumped, surprised. "Yes, sir!"
But she didn’t move away from them, which made Ruri internally annoyed. "I’m Rehvka. Let’s get along. Please, be as cruel as master..."
She stopped, feeling a heavy and irritated hand on her shoulder. She turned to the whale with shining eyes, while Alm tried to ignore, but it made the whole room tense. They saw Ruri clenching her fists tightly, making them crack.
’Does it look like we’re happy about this?’ Bruno couldn’t help but be stunned. This introduction was a disaster.
"Ruri, you’re not a child, control yourself!" Alm spoke dryly, and she stopped, looking at the whale’s eyes, stunned.
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Rehvka noticed the exchange of looks and immediately felt the atmosphere. She smiled as she looked at Ruri’s beautiful face. "Well... no need to worry... My body is dead inside, I can never bear a child..."
"WHAT!?" Ruri roared and turned to the whale. "You... master..."
Alm and Bruno turned and stared at Rehvka coldly, but in the next moment, they suppressed it. She was laughing cheerfully and happily, not in a strange way. How could she lose this change to cause trouble?
Alm huffed. "Don’t toy with her like that."
"Hehe... she’s so cute, I envy master." Rehvka replied, turning to Ruri with a light gaze. Everyone felt something in that look.
At that moment, everyone understood... except Ruri, who was extremely confused. The whale just sighed. "You should worry about yourself, not about me. Rehvka is much more interested in you."
He spoke softly about the obvious there. Rehvka’s relationship with Thea had made it very clear to them from the very beginning. But... Ruri still couldn’t understand, from the strangeness in everyone’s eyes, she just remained silent.
Seeing that nothing would change, Corin asked the key question. "Why did you say ’masters’?"
Rehvka turned to the whale, confused. He, in turn, huffed and closed his eyes.
In the next second, all three who were looking intently at the whale jumped. They clearly saw... two souls leaving the whale’s body!