「"Tell me! What did you just do to me?!"」Liu Yue demanded, her gaze cold as ice.
She was absolutely livid. The humiliation of calling a brat like you "dad" was almost too much to bear.
If it had been anyone else, she would've silenced them permanently on the spot.
But you were different—your identity was too special. She couldn't kill you, couldn't even curse you properly. All she could do was clench her teeth and beat you black and blue.
Still, anger aside, she'd finally snapped out of it and realized something was terribly off.
As a Fifth-Order Heavenly Being, her divine sense should've been impervious to outside meddling. Yet just now, some unknown force had clearly interfered with her mind.
How could a measly Fourth-Rank Divine Power cultivator like you manage to affect her—an Eighth-Rank Heavenly Being? It was utterly inconceivable.
「"That's not important. I really do have something crucial to talk to you about."」You rubbed your sore chest, grimacing in pain.
That enraged tigress had really gone all out—thrashing and nipping at you like a wild animal. Lucky for you, she'd held back most of her strength; otherwise, you'd be a goner.
You'd tried using your Smooth Talker talent mid-beating to make her stop, but it had been completely useless.
Evidently, this talent worked best on higher-realm opponents the first time around. Once they were on guard, its effects diminished drastically.
Even so, it was more than worthy of being a Green-grade talent.
「"I want to talk to the person behind you."」You said, your expression turning dead serious, finally revealing your true motive.
In this simulation run, you planned to dig up dirt on the power backing Liu Yue.
At your words, Liu Yue's brows furrowed tightly. She fell silent, then shook her head, her expression turning frigid—a flat-out refusal, no room for negotiation.
Clearly, this was a line she wouldn't cross. She'd never agree to it.
You weren't surprised by this outcome. It was obvious the force behind Liu Yue wasn't willing to reveal itself or get directly involved.
After all, too many lives were at stake. One wrong move, and the bloodshed would be catastrophic.
Reading the refusal on Liu Yue's face, you knew that despite all the extraordinary feats you'd shown her, you still hadn't convinced her to take the risk. So you switched gears, settling for the next best thing.
「"I know what you're after. I can give it to you, and I'll keep your secret. But I have one condition."」
「"What condition?!"」This time, Liu Yue didn't stay silent. She spoke up immediately, her curiosity piqued.
「"Stay by my side and fight for me three times. After that, I'll hand over everything you want—no strings attached."」You stated your final demand.
Your goal? To rope a Fifth-Order Heavenly Being into being your temporary bodyguard, someone to shield you from the worst of the coming dangers.
At your words, Liu Yue hesitated, clearly weighing the pros and cons in her mind.
She had no choice but to play along. She was too afraid of your mysterious master and your shadowy background to make a move against you, let alone force you to comply. She could only wait for you to cave in voluntarily.
The thought made her seethe with anger. Here she was—a stunning beauty, and you treated her like she was invisible, bargaining with her like she was some hired thug...
「"Fine. I agree."」
In the end, she caved, agreeing to become your temporary personal bodyguard.
「"Come on. Let's go somewhere."」
A surge of joy rose in your chest. You'd gambled correctly. Without wasting another second, you led Liu Yue straight for the Modu harbor.
The secret realm wasn't supposed to open for another two days—but you remembered something crucial from your second simulation run. Back then, Liu Yue had taken you, your cultivation completely crippled, back into the realm, where you'd hidden for half a year.
That meant there had to be another entrance—one that allowed you to get in early.
Of course, such a hidden entrance would undoubtedly have steep requirements. Most likely, only a Heavenly Being could force it open.
「"There's a hidden secret realm around here. I need you to help me find the entrance and break us in early."」You explained your plan.
「"A secret realm?!"」Liu Yue looked stunned. She turned her gaze to the calm sea stretching out before her, then unleashed her terrifying Heavenly Being aura in full force, scanning every inch of the area meticulously.
Standing beside her, you felt the full weight of her pressure bearing down on you—and it was even more terrifying than you'd imagined.
「"Holy shit... There is a secret realm here!"」
It didn't take long. Soon enough, Liu Yue pinpointed an extremely well-concealed spatial rift—and struck without hesitation.
Boom!
The rift was violently torn open, just wide enough for two people to slip through.
「"Hurry! Even at full power, I can only keep this rift open for a few seconds. It'll seal shut any minute!"」Liu Yue shouted urgently.
The two of you darted through the gap just before the spatial tear closed behind you, sealing itself completely.
Your guess had been spot-on.
「"The spiritual energy here is insane! This must be some kind of ancient secret realm!"」Liu Yue gasped, shocked by the sheer density of the spiritual energy filling the air. She shot you a curious glance, clearly wondering how you'd known about this place.
In that moment, your aura of mystery skyrocketed in her eyes.
You didn't answer her question, choosing to keep your cards close to your chest and deepen her intrigue. Instead, you led her straight toward the Ruins of the Ancients.
The two of you cut down a few clueless eerie alien beasts that tried to block your path, then reached the ruins without further incident.
But the moment you stepped foot inside, Liu Yue let out a startled cry as she felt her spiritual energy and cultivation base rapidly draining away.
「"What the hell kind of place is this?!"」
Thanks to your Supreme Imperial Bone, you remained completely unaffected.
「"Shut up!"」
You snapped at her, grabbing her arm roughly. Your Supreme Imperial Bone unleashed a surge of overwhelming power, instantly dispelling the strange energy sapping her strength.
Liu Yue stared at you in shock, stunned by yet another one of your mysterious abilities. The enraged tigress in her vanished in an instant, replaced by an obedient little wife who trailed silently behind you, not daring to utter another word.
「"Found it!"」
Before long, you reached the deepest part of the ruins, where a broken stone statue stood. Floating above it was the sheepskin scroll that contained the complete Heaven-Stepping Nine Steps.
This time, Ye Fan hadn't beaten you to the punch.
You stepped forward, reached out, and took the scroll. As you began to read its contents, the parchment dissolved into a shower of golden light, which streamed straight into your mind.
You'd obtained the complete Heaven-Stepping Nine Steps.
「"Finally—got the last two steps."」You were ecstatic, but you didn't start cultivating right away. Instead, you pulled out an Object Simulation Talisman and created a perfect replica of the scroll, placing it back where the original had been.
With that done, you grabbed Liu Yue's hand and dragged her into hiding nearby.
You suspected the reason Ye Fan had always gotten his hands on the Heaven-Stepping Nine Steps before you in previous simulations was because the old man's residual soul in his body had guided him to the secret realm early.
But this time, you weren't here just for the final two steps of the technique.
You'd brought a Fifth-Order Heavenly Being with you for a reason—to lay an ambush for the Child of Destiny, Ye Fan, and seize the old man's soul fragment, his most prized cheat!
「"With the complete Heaven-Stepping Nine Steps in my grasp, plus a Fifth-Order Heavenly Being like Liu Yue as backup, taking down Ye Fan—a measly Fourth-Rank Divine Power cultivator—will be easier than breathing."」
「"This time, the advantage is all mine."」