C11 Change

"Sister, I was wrong!"

Yeh Yulin admitted defeat in an instant, nearly kneeling in submission.

With his head hung low before Mu Ruoxi, who appeared genuinely ready to follow any command, he murmured, "I just want power, sister. Don't you know what I've been through to survive?"

Mu Ruoxi's smile stiffened. Despite Yeh Yulin's efforts to hide his struggles from her, she was well aware of them. She sighed and cautioned, "Even so, that Pill is still far too dangerous, Young Master."

"I must vindicate my mother!" Yeh Yulin declared resolutely, "I want those who insulted her to rue their words!"

Mu Ruoxi gazed intently at Yeh Yulin and spoke gravely, "Do you realize the magnitude of this challenge? Even the Madam and 'he' were powerless back then."

"One must act to harbor hope; inaction breeds none," Yeh Yulin replied with conviction. "Now, my hope is even greater."

Confronted with the young man's metaphorical measure of hope, Mu Ruoxi could only offer a wry smile.

"This must not happen again!"

"Thank you, Sister Mu Ruoxi!"

Relieved, Yeh Yulin quickly stood up to assess the changes within himself.

"But Young Master…" Mu Ruoxi suddenly approached with a teasing smile, her eyes locking with his and her eyebrows arching playfully, "Asking me to sleep with you just now… Surely that wasn't your first time considering it?"

Yeh Yulin blinked, feigning innocence, "Sister Mu, what are you talking about? I was merely trying to lighten the mood, honestly!"

"Hmph!" Mu Ruoxi snorted softly, giving Yeh Yulin a playful glare. Without further ado, she instructed, "Check your body. I'm going to make some food."

With a deep exhale, Yeh Yulin watched Mu Ruoxi walk away, his forehead beaded with sweat.

She wasn't wrong; it wasn't his first time entertaining the thought.

Typically, his days were marred by bullying, the indignities only fueling his inner rage and impetuousness. Considering Mu Ruoxi's stunning beauty and her alluring figure, not to mention her constant proximity as the girl next door, it would be odd for a sixteen-year-old in the throes of adolescence not to entertain certain thoughts about her.

Moreover, it felt as though Mu Rou had seen right through him!

Yeh Yulin vigorously shook his head, repeating to himself, familiarize with the power, familiarize with the power, familiarize with the power...

Only after quelling the bizarre thoughts swirling in his mind did he start to acquaint himself with his newfound abilities.

His first order of business was to locate the ancient horn. The inexplicable presence of this object within his body demanded his attention—if he ignored it, he would be fooling himself.

The horn wasn't concealed; it rested quietly near his heart, its appearance plain yet rustic, exuding an aura of ancient times. Clearly, it was an artifact weathered by the ages. Beyond that, he couldn't discern anything else about it.

The mysterious item could absorb his Spiritual Force, no matter the amount he funneled into it, but that was the extent of its known properties.

Yet, Yeh Yulin was aware that this very horn was the key to unlocking his latent abilities, and it might even be linked to his earlier achievement of the Intent Transforming Stage.

What was this object? And how had it found its way inside him?

Yeh Yulin was riddled with questions.

He decided to consult Twilight later.

With this decision made, Yeh Yulin eagerly examined the transformation of his Spiritual Force.

To his delight, he discovered that his Spiritual Force had ascended to the second level, with two of the ten Spirit Flames within the circle blazing intensely.

"Level two Battle Soldier, I've become a level two Battle Soldier!" Yeh Yulin whispered to himself in excitement.

Thirteen years had passed since he began his cultivation at the tender age of three. It had taken him all this time to reach the pinnacle of a level one Battle Soldier, and now he had finally achieved the peak of a level two Battle Soldier. His excitement was beyond measure.

The cultivation practices of the human race were modeled after the former rulers, the Devil Clan and the Beast Clan, with ten Spiritual Force points within the body. During cultivation, one would use mental energy to control these points, causing them to rotate and draw in the Spiritual Force from the surrounding environment. Upon reaching a certain threshold, the points would ignite into burning Spirit Flames, signifying progression.

Typically, the Spiritual Force Yeh Yulin absorbed was mostly taken up by his physical body, strengthening it, while a portion would mysteriously convert into his vitality. Only a minuscule fraction served as the catalyst for igniting the Spiritual Force points.

The Holy Body is naturally endowed with a robust physique and vigorous life force, making it exceedingly challenging to enhance one's Spiritual Force.

However, things have changed.

He had successfully unlocked his potential.

Yeh Yulin excitedly continued his examination, only to be shocked to discover two intertwining streams of Spiritual Force within his body, nearly twisting into one. The Spiritual Force points were split into two halves, forming two circles: a golden Spiritual Force point on the left and a purple one on the right.

This meant he had twenty Spiritual Force points!

Yeh Yulin's eyes flew open as he muttered in disbelief, "What's happening? Did my attempt to unlock my potential backfire and harm me instead?"

"No, you've indeed unlocked your potential!" Mu's voice rang out as she approached with a bowl of rice, offering a gentle smile. "Eat first, and I'll explain everything afterward."

"I'm not hungry. I need to know now!" Yeh Yulin, gripped by urgency, seized Mu's hand. "Sister, please tell me now!"

His cultivation journey was already fraught with difficulty, and now he faced the prospect of managing twice as many Spiritual Force points...

He was on the brink of despair!

Mu observed Yeh Yulin's agitation and chose not to push him, speaking softly, "There's no question that your potential has been fully unlocked."

"But why...?"

"You are a Holy Body!" Mu declared solemnly, "You've always cultivated primarily as a Holy Body, but remember, you also carry the bloodline of the lady. Surely you haven't forgotten her identity?"

"The Devil Clan?" Yeh Yulin blurted out in surprise.

"Exactly!" Mu confirmed, "You've not only awakened the bloodline power of the Holy Body but also the Devil Body unique to the Devil Clan. This means you possess the qualities of both the Holy and Devil Bodies."

"How do I progress and cultivate now?" Yeh Yulin asked, his voice tinged with urgency.

"Stay calm!" Mu chided, "Even when all hope seems lost, maintaining your composure is essential for survival in the face of danger."

Yeh Yulin settled down, though his eyes remained earnest.

Understanding the young man's plight, Mu knew that his shattered hopes were more agonizing than death itself, so she spared him further admonishment. She cut to the chase, "Look at your Holy Body side. The Spiritual Force is flowing three times faster than before. This means your cultivation speed is now more than triple what it was!"

"Huh!" Hearing those words, Yeh Yulin breathed a long sigh of relief.

That was close!

Twilight watched Yeh Yulin's reaction, hesitated slightly, then bit down on her silver teeth and said, "It's not just that. The greatest advantage—and also the greatest disadvantage—you've gained is actually the Devil Body."

"What's wrong with the Devil Body?" Yeh Yulin asked, looking at Twilight with confusion.

"If you channel the Devil Body during your cultivation, your speed will increase to more than ten times what it is now!" Twilight said gravely.

"Really!?" Yeh Yulin exclaimed, leaping up excitedly.

"But..." Twilight's gaze was intense as she continued, "The two streams of Spiritual Force within you are nearly fused. If you channel the Holy Body, you'll absorb Spiritual Force more than three times faster than before, and the Devil Body will grow at that rate as well. Conversely, if you channel the Devil Body, the Holy Body will grow at the same accelerated pace."

"However, the Holy Body can only handle absorbing Spiritual Force at three times the normal rate. Do you understand? If you channel the Devil Body, the Holy Body will be overtaxed. During cultivation, you'll once again endure the agony of your meridians bursting."

"Just pain?" Yeh Yulin keenly picked up on the unfinished part of Twilight's statement.

Twilight hesitated before responding, "Yes, because you possess a Holy Body, which has incredible defensive and regenerative powers. Your potential has been awakened, making your recovery even more remarkable. Even if your meridians are torn, you'll be able to heal in a very short time. But the pain involved..."

"As long as I can recover, that's what matters!" Yeh Yulin said, looking at his hands and murmuring, "More than tenfold... That means the first Spirit Flame that took thirteen years to ignite could now be lit in just over a year. Advancing one level a year, haha, I'd be considered a top-tier genius even in the Empire."

Twilight looked at Yeh Yulin, unable to resist saying, "Young Master..."

"Sis, I'm hungry!" Yeh Yulin said with a smile, cutting off Twilight's words.

Sister...

Sister...

Just a single word's difference, yet it brought a mix of relief and loss to Twilight's face.

The child has grown up!