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Yesterday’s dinner was filled with ughter, amusement, and surprises from my mother and sister. I brought them inside my Inner Realm for a trip, where they met the Inner World that my Immortal Core had cultivated i was around as big as the p Mars by now, I would assume. It tained a lot of Immortal and Primordial Treasures that kept growing everywhere as I cultivated them for further extra of their materials. They meet some of the creatures that guarded the area, and well, nothing else.
The whole trip by itself was incredible for them. I do not keep mortals inside my Inner Realm as sves, unlike many other Immortals. So my Inner Realm was empty of any person; maybe I should have brought some in my journey here now that I think about it, but that ot be undone now.
I cooked them a full course made with the best ingredients I could offer them, all part of my master pn to help them awaken as cultivators. Each meal they ate tained rge quantities of Ki, which they ed slowly. Their bodies, ht, should have begun to ge as their mortal bodies finally evolved into cultivators.
In Murim, there were several Ranks that Mortals, Immortals, and Primordial had to gh. Although a fancier name could be Realms instead of Ranks. Mortals, ohey finally reach Rank 2, must learn aal Teique which will bee their artial Arts and element. These two will shape how they grow from now on.
And they were:
Rank 1: Initial Ki Assimition Realm.
Rank 2: Ki Core Formation Realm.
Rank 3: Physique F Realm.
Rank 4: Martial Soul Realm.
Rank 5: Martial Aura Realm.
Ohey reach Rank 5, they must biheir Soul and Aura together to acquire an Immortal Spark within the core of their souls. Ohat is dohey asd into Rank 6 Immortals.
Rank 6: Immortal Soul Refi Realm.
Rank 7: Immortal Physique Creation Realm.
Rank 8: Immortal Aura I Realm.
Rank 9: Immortal Core Formation Realm.
Rank 10: Immortal Soul Realm.
Ohey reach Rank 10, they must assimite the Essence of the Primordial Energies of the Nine Heavens, discarding their physique and body aroying it in the process to obtain a new one.
When the Primordial Physique is attaihey bee Primordial and must fe Primordial Teiques to further asd, while awakening their Souls and Bodies to the Enlighte of the Dao, which should be born of all the time they spent cultivating their Core Element and Martial Art.
Rank 11 to 14: Elemental Primordial Realm.
Rank 15 to 18: Divine Primordial Realm.
Rank 19 to 20: Primordial Venerable Realm. There were only ten people in all of Murim’s history to reach this Realm, they became the absolute gods of the world in their respective Eras. When I destroyed Fate, they were unbound by their lifespan and began to revive oer another. I had to kill them as I asded to an even higher realm, using their bodies as materials for my growth. These were the st two thousand years in Murim, and perhaps the hardest of my entire life.
Rank 21: This is the Realm I achieved; it was called the Primordial Immemorial Venerable Realm; it was above all the old geezers that were never able to reach it. I became the pinnacle of the pinnacle, unparalleled.
Rank 22: And this was the theorized Immemorial Void Realm, which was supposed to allow me to bee oh the Void and the os, f a body capable of withstanding it all. I failed, but I will tio aim for it.
And that’s about it! Right now, my sister and my mother should already be at Rank 1 and should soon reach Rank 2 ohey fe a Core and choose a and martial arts as their core. I didn’t ask their permission, but I am sure they won’t mind. Ruby said she wished she had awakened so she wouldn’t be looked down on in a society full of awakened people. So this should help her.
Judging Nichos' power as a base, my mother should be able to bee as strong as an S-Rank Hunter once she reaches Rank 3, without a doubt. She’s already a Rank D hunter, after all. She could probably bee a World-Css Hunter once she bees Rank 5, though I still o judge their full power.
I will make my family the stro, so nobody ever messes with us. Only staying strong myself won’t do. I hem to be powerful too, or they will bring disgrace to the family. I might be ag a bit harsh right now. I love them, but if I am ever away from them for something I o do and they get attacked... I don’t want to think about it.
For now, I left the Seven Layered Rainbow Prote Ward on their bodies while they slept peacefully; that should be able to protect them from at least a hundred lethal attacks! And it regee by draining my own energy. This Ward is also perfect against creeps. If anybody attempts to touch them with bad iions, the Ward will immediately electrocute them with high trations of Photon Energy.
“Ah, the sun is rising.” I smiled, looking through the window of my old room. I had slept for a few hours. I had never slept so peacefully before. Knowing this world’s people are so weak made me feel at ease. In Murim, I always had to sleep with an eye open. But here, I fully immerse myself in my sleep. “A new m—ht, this thing.”
My mother had given me a new pho was the old one she was using before, and she said she’d buy me a new ohere was a message already in there. Somehow, Nichos has gotten the hang of my number already. Perhaps through espionage using teological devices? Anyhow, he was tellio meet him in the association building at ten in the m.
“And it is… 9:45! Ah, I must hurry then.” I swiftly went to take a warm bath ihroom while listening to the music of this world. Some Green Days, Coldpy, and then eveallica at the end. These songs and singers brought bauostalgia. I remember my many i years before I nded in Murim, when I was just anirl oh.
“Mother, I must go to the association for a fereh the Heavenly Court of the Uates. I will e ba a few hours. Should I bring something to eat?” I asked her while she was half asleep.
“Hmm? Bring anything, honey." She groaned, quickly going back to sleep. It was the weekend, so she usually slept until te. “Good luck, please… behave, okay? No more buildiru.”
“I will try.” I wi her, quickly leaping out of the window.
“D-Don’t leap off the window! KATHERINE!” She screamed as I flew away.
I quite literally walked over the skies, quickly nding over the Association Building and then telep ihe entrance. I was greeted by Nichos, who quickly led me inside a rge hall, where many people were located. There weren’t as many old geezers as I imagihere were also many handsome men aiful women. I especially eyed the dies; there were maies.
However, none of them was quite what I liked either. Too weak as well, and arrogant, tant. None of them looked at me with hoy; everyone here just held immense greed within themselves. They are probably looking to use me as their on. The first world-css hunter in America’s Uates is indeed a big deal after all.
“So you must be Bing Xue.” A blonde man with sharp and dull-looking blue eyes gred at me. “I am Mister Franklin, the Prime Minister of the Uates. I’ve been called here to meet someone who, yesterday, mao defeat the S-Rank Hunter and Chairman, Mister Nichos. You were not only able to defeat him, but you did so effortlessly and could have easily killed him at any time. Yet you showed incredible mercy by healing him and all your attackers and even repairing the building? Is this thing right?” He stopped reading the paper in front of him.
“Yes, it is right, Prime Minister; I testify for her.” Nodded Nichos.
“Alright then…” The blonde man sighed. “Bing Xue, you know that even though you did that in self-defense, you still attacked an i man and caused tremendous disaster? We will let you off the hook for now, but you owe a favor to the try now. You could easily get arrested and stay in prison for twenty years for what you did.”
“I’ve lived eleven thousand years, son. I don’t think that is mue. But well, I doubt that would ever happen. If someone ever tried to imprisohey would drop into a pile of bones and flesh before they could ever know what happeo them.” I smiled gently. “The strength I possess will always be used to protect my own life. Do you uand, son?”
“What did you say?!” The Prime Minister muttered. “Is this a THREAT?!”
“Prime Minister, please calm down!”
“She’s just being ho, I mean… It’s not like we imprison someone as strong as her even in a million years, though.”
“Let us not be delusional here; we have to cooperate with her; don’t try to intimidate her with your words, Prime Minister.”
“As a Hunter, I pletely rete to her about this too. Sometimes you really think you have a lot of power over us, huh?”
“What… Shut up already.” Sighed the Prime Minister, ing the sweat from his forehead.
It seems I was wrong; the gover actually doesn’t have as much political power as the huhemselves. What an iing society has been shaped out of this apocalypse! Yet this fool was still trying to trick me into believing I owed them something so they could trol me and turo their on. What an adorable attempt—certainly not as good as the schemes of the Venerables, though.
“Now, now, I didn’t e here to waste my time. Nichos, you promised me this would be quick. Am I an S-Rank, a World Css, or whatever? I have a life, you know? I won’t stay here for more than an hour.” I said, as I quickly broke off the discussion.
“Well, yes. That’s why I came here, you woman.” The Prime Minister said it with a pissed-off face. “Let’s move to the other room then. That’s a specially desigest room modified by the White Void to be able to withstand world-css-level skills and spells. There’ll be a simution of a powerful S-Rank boss mohat once appeared in France; you will o fight it and win. Based on how you hahat thing, we’ll see how powerful you are.”
“Excellent! Let’s begin right away then!” I smiled.
As I walked ihe room, the rest of the people gathered around the seats, with curiosity and i. The Prime Minister was rather aill; I could tell that he was wishing I could fail or something.
The entire white space suddenly trembled as something appeared within it. A gigantitity materialized out of pure densed Mana. It took the form of a majestid monstrous European Dragon. With red and bck scales. It was as big as a hundred meters. With three heads, eae with sharp horns and many eyes.
It spread its gigantigs as it roared back at me. It emanated a mighty aura. This Illusion Level was immense. No, this was a "simution." To somehow pletely imitate a living being’s power and appearance of at least 90% accuracy is incredible. Not many Primordial could do this in Murim. I definitely o learn this teique or skill!
“ROOOAAR!”
As the Dragon roared, the Prime Minister spoke.
“The test will begin now, Bing Xue… Or should I say Katherine? Please defeat the monster. Let us see how much power you’ve amassed in these eleven years you were gohe missing girl.” He spoke with a slightly threatening attitude.
So they researched me to su extent that it was impressive. I guess that was within my expectations, and it is not like I care either. The Venerable of Deep Dreams was able to predict the future through her Dream Domain and even read minds with a single gnce.
As the Dragoowards me, I analyzed its power. It was detly strong, yes. Very big. Maybe I should show off a bit before these people? Just to show them that I mean business, as they say.
“Okay, I’ll go a bit more serious.” I smiled, my body overflowing with an Aura of Rainbow Light. I uhed my Yin and Yang Sword, eling its {Aura of Eternal Harmony}, darkness, and light, enpassing and fusing with my Aura of Rainbow Light.
I disappeared from where I was a sed before the dragon’s cw impacted the floor, leaving a huge explosion of bck fmes behind. I appeared right above the creature, eling Immortal Energy into my sword as I swung it carelessly against its back. It was very slow.
SLAAASH!
A single ssh cut through its wings. Its powerful scales mao resist a deeper cut, but they were already vaporized. The monster dropped to the floor, blood and rainbow fmes c its back as it groaned in agony.
“RAAAAH!”
With a mighty roar, it greeted me with a powerful breath attack, unleashing an endless storm of bck fmes. This time I decided to test their power, receiving the attack head-on. The bck fmes were pure mana—amazing. They had the power of Curses and Darkness arying to i my body with deadly curses to weake obviously didn’t work.
“These fmes… I think I could copy them, yes. Like this?” I wohe bck fmes spun around my hands as they swirled into masses of bck fire. I quickly imbued Mana and Immortal Esseo them, making them grow into a gigantic bck sun. “Take it back.”
The bck sun impacted the dragon, and the beast, uo escape with its wings and its wounded back, succumbed to an explosion that pletely vaporized it. Oh well, that was quite dull! It couldn’t even take more than two hits.
BOOOM!
The dragon was gone, but I happily absorbed the leftover Mana in the enviro, st it inside my own body, and then slowly refining it into more Primordial Essence. More of these golden dew drops appeared within my Inner Realm. I would say this was a bountiful harvest; I farmed three whole dew drops of Primordial Esseh the dragon’s mana alone!
[You have showcased great talent with the sword; you learhe [Basianship (C): Lv1] Cssless Skill!]
[You have absorbed a rge quantity of Mana and maniputed it with tremendous dexterity and mastery, to the point you steal the spells of foes and use them against them. You learhe lesser version of this Spell, the [Cursed Fmes (B): Lv1] Magic Skill!]
[Several Skills have Leveled Up.]
[You have sin the proje of a powerful S Rank Monster. Even if you ot earn EXP out of it, you still earn 11.000 Credits.]
“I’m quite satisfied! Now… Huh? Why are you all paralyzed?” I wondered, looking around me.
“S-She…”
“She killed it so fast?”
“Is this a new record?”
“Ihay seds, are you seriously?!”
“Two hits… It took two hits."
“She stole the dragon’s bck fmes?!”
“What is that sword she’s wielding?”
The Prime Minister was left speechless; he wasn’t even talking anymore, opening his mouth wide open. But I could notice greed quickly taking over his eyes more than ever before. He smiled back at me with a slightly ical smile.
“E-Excellent, perfect, magnifit! You’re… you’re America’s Pride, Bing Xue- No, let us simply call you Katherihat is your true Ameriame after all!” Laughed the Prime Minister. “With you by our side, we do anything, ANYTHING! Maybe even… even invading- I mean, ahem! No, well done. Yes. You are without a doubt a World Css Hunter.”
“I won’t do anything for you,” I said to him. “I won’t invade nds for you either, and I will not be your America’s proud on, Prime Minister.” I appeared behind him. “I heard everything you said, and I also read your thoughts by merely looking at your face.
“Uagh! D-Did you teleport behind me?!” He cried. “And what are you talking about, woman?! I never said anything—EEP!”
I grabbed him by the ned lifted him off the floor, staring him into the eyes. My energies quickly enpassed him pletely.
“If you ever dare mess with my family, I will kill you aroy this entire try." I answered with a simple threat. “Make sure to treat me very well from now on. And don’t touch my family. I know people like you will do it. And I am fervently resisting the urge to kill yht now because that would upset my mother.”
“E-Eek! Someone! Help me! I…!”
“Did you hear me?”
“…!”
His eyes suddenly started to widen as I stared into his very psyche. He started trembling, pissing himself like a pathetic rat.
“Y-Yes, I uand… I-I will do anything to protect you and your family- I will tell them not to mess with you… or them. P-Please don’t kill me. Please…” He started to cry. I felt the presence of a few S-Rank Hunters approag me, but they were uo even break my barrier.
“Let’s make an oath then.” I touched and grasped his soul with my hands. “Done.”
FLASH!
“AARGH! W-What did you do to me?!” He cried.
“If you ever break that promise, you will die an agonizih,” I said. “Of course, it won’t work on others, but I hope you vihem to not it suicide by going against me.”
“Ugh… Y-Yes, I will… I WILL!” His greed was gohe oio was the innate instinct of survival—to do anything to live. Good, that is the purest form that a feeble little animal like him must feel at all times.
I let him go gently, and as he fell to his knees and tinued g, he was left traumatized. How amusing… I resisted my impulse to ugh. My barrier slowly dissipated as the Prime Miopped the Hunters from approag me.
“L-Let her go… She did nothing… wrong. Ugh…” He groaned. A wave of golden light enpassed him, as he felt much better. I extended my hand toward him.
“e, stand up, son. It is fine; you’ve learned your lesson.” I smiled. “Protect the try and work hard for your people from now on, alright? I’ve decided tive your evil iions. You must see this as a new opportunity to ge and bee a better person.”
“A-Ah…” He started g in front of me. “I’m sorry… I… I’ve been so foolish my entire life… It all started when my wife left me, and my son said he hated me… I am such a patheti…”
“There, there. It’s alright. Let it all out.” I patted his shoulders. An aura of light and healing enpasses everyoheir minds felt at ease. “There is no need fe or battle, everyone. Let us finish this day well. I don’t want to take any lives.” The hunters slowly stepped bad retrieved their ons, leaving them in disbelief about how everythi.
As I walked outside once I was given the reition of a world-css Css Hunter and a inum-colored Lise, Nichos was talking with everyone else.
“She did the same with me. She teaches you a lesson and then heals you. It was an incredible, spiritual feeling I’ve never had before. Bing Xue is a wonderful woman, not someone we should hate, someone we must admire and look up to.” He expio the people were still in doubt.
“Hmph, he sure is a good bootlicker.” I ughed to myself. “Oh?”
However, blog my path were two hunters who were not afraid of me. A short-haired blonde woman with sharp silver eyes, and what seemed to be her bodyguard, a tall, bulky man with messy red hair, holding a giant great sword.
“You must be Bing Xue; I came rushihe moment I heard you were taking the Prime Minister hostage. It looks like everything ended fihough.” She spoke with a Russian at. “What exactly are you?”
“Oh my! Just the person I wao meet! You must be the White Void, Yanisse, isn’t it?” I greeted her. “And yes! I am a human; don’t worry.”
“She’s not lying.” The man whispered to her. Maybe he had a lie-dete skill? “She is truly… a humaatus says she is, at least.”
“Hmph…” The Russian girl, probably not older than her mid-twenties, looked up to me again. “You’re overwhelmingly powerful, and you know it, and you’re not afraid of anything… You’re perhaps the first person I've ever met who is capable of all these things. Yet instead of using this power to further destroy our world, you seem to be dedicated to healing it and helping us instead. Even when you threaten us, you heal us afterward. You’re odd—very odd. Strange, even. But… I like you.”
“Hm?” I muttered in fusion as she walked towards me and looked up at me, directly into my eyes. “I know it's early in the m, but want to go for a drink, Bing Xue?”
“Oh my…” I giggled. “Well, gdly.”
I have to definitely not mess this up; she’s a beauty I am too ied in to lose this opportunity. I must create a strong e with her at all costs!
“Tch…” However, that burly guy only gred at me with anger.
So annoying; why ’t he leave? It’s not like the World-Css Hunter even needs a bodyguard.
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Pach