Several days had passed since Yun Yi successfully entered the Early Qi Condensation realm. Her cultivation had stabilized, her aura calm and refined. But she knew this was only the beginning.
Sitting beneath the twilight sky by the cliffside, Yun Yi let her thoughts wander—quietly calculating her next steps.
"If my current pace holds… I could reach Foundation Establishment within two years," she murmured, eyes still closed in meditation. "But nothing in cultivation is ever that smooth."
She opened her eyes slowly. Though her expression remained serene, her thoughts turned toward another matter—one far more practical.
"A Storage Ring… That's what I need next."
In her original world, such tools were commonplace—essential, even—for every cultivator. But here, in the current era of the Xianzhou, things were different.
"No… they do have spatial storage technology," she corrected herself. "But it's crude compared to what I'm used to."
Still, she wasn't discouraged. "If I can find spatial materials… I should be able to craft a basic Storage Ring. Even a mid-grade one won't be too hard."
Without wasting time, she connected to the online market and searched for materials with spatial properties. Several options came up, but only one caught her interest.
"Spatial Rock. Low-to-mid grade, nothing too rare. But it'll do." Her fingers danced over the screen. "The seller is from a different galaxy, but the delivery fee is reasonable. I'll take it."
Transaction complete.
Now, all she could do was wait. With no pressing tasks, she returned to her meditative state.
---
Elsewhere...
In a secure chamber surrounded by flickering holographic screens, a group of people stood around a central display. One of them—pink-haired, with golden eyes and a gem embedded in her forehead—broke the silence.
"General, this is the one I told you about. I've verified it after extensive checks."
Across from her stood a tall man clad in dignified military attire, his expression calm but sharp.
"Are you certain this time, Master Diviner? This is your third report," the man asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm sure," she replied, her tone firmer than before. "She's… different."
He turned to the screen, reviewing the file. "Yun Yi… short-lived species. Age 17. Not even a Pathstrider," he read aloud, unconvinced. "And yet, you claim she interfered with your divination?"
Master Diviner hesitated. "It's not just a claim. I attempted to divine her presence. The backlash was immediate. Just from a single glance, I suffered internal damage. I haven't dared try again since."
Jing Yuan studied her carefully. "Then don't divine. Invite her instead."
"Invite her?" she echoed.
"If you believe she's that significant, then confirm it directly. You won't learn anything from shadows and speculation."
The diviner narrowed her eyes. "He says it so casually... but still, he's the General. If he's not worried, then maybe I shouldn't be either."
She gave a small nod. "I'll arrange a meeting."
---
Back with Yun Yi...
She sat with a cup of tea beside her, browsing through digital archives and news feeds. Her mind raced through the data, sorting, analyzing, noting inconsistencies.
"No mention of the Antimatter Legion attacking the Herta Space Station yet. As expected, the story hasn't started."
The Astral Express came up in several feeds. "Still active… but no new members," she noted. "That confirms it. This world is still in the prelude stage."
Yun Yi leaned back, eyes narrowing.
"This era feels… stagnant. Nothing's moving yet. But once the story begins, everything will change."
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"Cultivators are anomalies by nature. Once things start shifting, I'll be the variable no one accounted for."
---
Two Years Later...
Time passed, quietly at first—but then more rapidly, as if the universe itself had decided to fast-forward.
In the blink of an eye, two years flowed by.
The stars remained unchanged. But somewhere deep within the cosmic fabric, something stirred. The stage was finally set.