Clayne remained standing there for several long seconds.

The sharpened metal rod was still tightly held in his hand while his eyes stayed fixed on the broken window where the mutated zombie had fled earlier.

"...What was that?"

The creature had been completely insane just moments ago.

It forced itself through shattered glass.

Cracked its own bones.

Ignored pain.

Ignored injuries.

Yet suddenly...

It ran away.

Not cautiously or carefully.

It fled like something in the smell terrified it.

Clayne slowly lowered the weapon in his hand.

Then a strange thought surfaced inside his head.

His face immediately became awkward.

"...No way."

Slowly...

Very slowly...

He lifted one arm.

Then smelled his armpit.

The moment the odor hit him, his entire face twisted.

"Oh my god..."

The smell was horrible.

Not just horrible.

It felt lethal.

Clayne nearly recoiled from himself.

Then realization slowly appeared on his face.

"...Did that undead run from my smell?"

He stared blankly at the air.

Honestly...

The idea sounded completely absurd.

But then again...

Everything happening today was absurd.

Zombies.

Cultivation.

Tiny immortal worlds.

Soul stealing cultivators trapped in rings.

Compared to all that...

Scaring undead away with terrible body odor somehow no longer sounded impossible.

Clayne sighed deeply.

"...Fine."

At this point, he stopped trying to understand everything logically.

Instead, he simply accepted it. Then suddenly, another idea appeared in his mind.

Without hesitation, he removed one of his socks.

The moment it came off, even Clayne himself almost regretted existing.

"...Jesus Christ."

Still, he walked toward the broken window.

Carefully, he hooked the sock onto one of the remaining sharp glass edges near the shattered opening.

The sock dangled there like some cursed warning sign.

Clayne stepped back afterward and nodded slowly.

"...Perfect."

If the smell truly scared mutated zombies away, then this might actually help.

Still...

He really wanted to wash himself.

The disgusting black impurities covering him earlier had dried slightly, but the smell still clung stubbornly to his clothes and skin.

Even breathing around himself felt difficult now.

Then suddenly, Clayne turned back toward the Tiny Forest.

Zi Yue was kneeling there respectfully again.

The thunder tribulation above her had already disappeared.

The dark clouds were gone.

The spiritual pressure filling the valley had calmed completely.

Clayne leaned closer slightly.

"How’s your tribulation and poison?"

The moment he spoke, Zi Yue immediately lowered herself deeply.

"This junior thanks Senior Deity for granting divine spiritual water!"

Her voice was filled with excitement and gratitude.

"If not for Senior’s divine blessing, this junior would have already died from the poison earlier!"

She slowly lifted her head, her beautiful face no longer pale and weak like before.

Instead, her aura had transformed completely.

Spiritual Qi flowed around her far more steadily now.

Even the pressure around her felt stronger compared to earlier.

"This junior was able to suppress the Spirit Rot Venom completely and break through into the Core Formation Realm thanks entirely to Senior!"

Her eyes shone brightly while speaking.

"Senior’s divine water cleansed the poison from my meridians, stabilized my spiritual Qi, strengthened my dantian, and even allowed my bottleneck to collapse naturally!"

Her voice trembled slightly from excitement.

"Breaking through into Core Formation is normally an extremely dangerous process. Many cultivators fail even after years of preparation. Some die beneath heavenly tribulation. Some destroy their own foundations permanently."

She lowered her head again respectfully.

"But because of Senior’s divine blessing, this junior succeeded smoothly!"

Zi Yue continued thanking him nonstop.

"The spiritual essence within the divine water was simply unimaginable. Even after suppressing the poison and completing the breakthrough, there is still spiritual energy remaining inside my body."

She looked toward the tiny jade bottle carefully.

"Even a single drop from Senior was enough to change my fate entirely."

Inside the classroom, Clayne became speechless.

"...It’s just normal water."

He scratched his cheek awkwardly.

"So don’t sweat it."

But Zi Yue immediately shook her head firmly.

"How could ordinary water contain such heavenly spiritual essence?"

She looked completely serious.

"To cultivators, spiritual treasures are divided into countless grades. Even high ranking sects fight endlessly over spiritual springs and spiritual rivers. Yet Senior casually gifted divine water capable of suppressing poison and helping this junior break through."

Her eyes lowered respectfully again.

"This kindness is something this junior will never forget."

Clayne sighed.

"It’s fine, it’s fine."

Still...

Zi Yue continued thanking him repeatedly.

Eventually, she slowly stood up.

"Senior..."

Her expression became hesitant.

"This junior needs to leave again."

She looked toward the distant valley quietly.

"Now that I have broken through into Core Formation, I must find a safer place to stabilize my cultivation and remove the remaining poison completely."

Then she quickly lowered her head again.

"But if Senior does not wish this junior to leave, then I will remain here."

Clayne paused.

Honestly...

He did not really know what to say.

His eyes slowly drifted toward the water bottle nearby.

Only a little remained now.

Very little.

Not enough to continue cultivating recklessly.

He was just about to let Zi Yue leave when suddenly—

His gaze landed on the broken metal rods scattered across the classroom floor.

The sharpened chair legs he used earlier against the mutated zombie.

Then suddenly...

An idea appeared.

"Wait."

Zi Yue immediately stopped moving.

"Before you leave..."

Clayne looked toward her.

"Can you teach me how you make your sword fly?"

Zi Yue blinked once.

But she did not question him at all.

To her, the Senior Deity was simply curious about immortal cultivation methods.

After all, beings beyond comprehension often behaved strangely.

"Yes, Senior."

She nodded respectfully.

"I can teach Senior."

Clayne immediately became interested.

"Really?"

Zi Yue thought briefly before answering.

"This junior can place a wisp of spirit thought inside an object."

Clayne frowned slightly.

"What do you mean?"

Zi Yue immediately began explaining carefully.

"When cultivators reach the Core Formation Realm, their spiritual sense becomes much stronger than before. At this stage, it becomes possible to imprint one’s thoughts, memories, and experiences into objects temporarily."

She slowly took out a tiny sword while speaking.

"For example, this junior can place my understanding of sword control techniques into this sword. Then, once Senior breaks it, the experiences and thoughts contained inside will naturally reveal themselves to Senior."

Clayne’s eyes widened slightly.

"...Like downloading memories?"

Zi Yue tilted her head slightly, not understanding the comparison fully, but still nodded.

"This Junior lacks knowledge but maybe it was."

She continued explaining in great detail.

"Normally, only powerful sects use such methods because placing spiritual thoughts into objects consumes spiritual energy and damages the cultivator’s mind slightly if done carelessly."

Her expression became calmer.

"However, after breaking through into Core Formation, this junior will surely accomplish it."

Then she lowered her head respectfully again.

"And all of this was only possible because Senior helped this junior break through."

Clayne immediately became excited.

"Alright!"

"Yes, yes, do that."

Honestly, he felt genuinely happy now.

If he learned how to control objects using spiritual Qi...

Then he could fight zombies from a distance without touching them directly.

That would be incredibly useful.

Soon, Zi Yue sat down cross legged once more.

The tiny sword floated gently before her.

Then slowly...

She raised one finger.

Spiritual Qi emerged from her body.

The energy flowed outward like pale mist before gathering around the sword itself.

The tiny blade trembled softly.

Zi Yue closed her eyes while focusing entirely.

More spiritual energy flowed outward continuously.

The sword gradually began glowing faintly.

Then the energy surrounding it became denser.

Tiny streams of spiritual Qi wrapped around the blade repeatedly while strange symbols slowly appeared across its surface.

The air around her distorted faintly from spiritual pressure.

Zi Yue’s expression became serious now.

She slowly pressed two fingers against her forehead.

Then—

A tiny strand of pale light emerged from between her brows.

The strand drifted toward the sword slowly-very slowly.

The moment it touched the blade, the sword vibrated violently.

Spiritual energy surged outward.

The surrounding trees bent slightly under the pressure.

Even the river nearby rippled endlessly.

Zi Yue’s face immediately became paler afterward.

Clearly, the process consumed much more energy than expected.

Still...

She continued.

The strand of spirit thought slowly merged completely into the sword.

Then the blade stabilized.

The glowing symbols faded little by little.

Finally...

Zi Yue opened her eyes weakly.

"...Done."

Clayne watched everything carefully.

Honestly, he still did not fully understand what she just did.

But he roughly understood the result.

Zi Yue slowly pushed the sword forward respectfully.

"Senior."

"All you need to do is break this sword."

Clayne nodded immediately.

"Alright."

Then he suddenly remembered something.

"...Step back first."

Zi Yue immediately obeyed and retreated several steps.

Only then did Clayne carefully reach toward the tiny sword.

Then—

Crack.

The blade snapped apart easily beneath his fingers.

And immediately—

Everything changed.

A flood of images exploded into Clayne’s mind.

Zi Yue appeared before him.

Not the tiny weak version kneeling respectfully earlier. But another Zi Yue.

One dressed in flowing robes while standing beneath moonlight with a sword in her hand.

Then she moved.

The sword danced.

Fast.

Smooth.

Elegant.

The blade flew through the air like flowing water.

Every movement connected perfectly into the next.

Zi Yue’s body twisted gracefully while her spiritual Qi guided the sword continuously around her.

The flying sword circled endlessly.

Sometimes above her.

Sometimes behind her.

Sometimes shooting forward like lightning.

Then returning instantly.

The images continued rapidly.

Different sword movements appeared one after another.

Control techniques.

Spiritual guidance.

Mental focus.

The connection between sword and spiritual sense.

Clayne could somehow understand everything naturally.

He could feel how spiritual Qi flowed.

How thoughts guided the sword.

How intent moved the blade.

Then suddenly, the scenery changed again.

Zi Yue stood before enemies.

Her flying sword pierced through the air repeatedly while cutting down opponents from afar.

The sword moved faster than arrows.

Sharper than bullets.

Every motion contained precision and deadly intent.

The memories continued pouring into him endlessly.

Then slowly...

Everything faded.

Clayne suddenly opened his eyes again.

He was back in the classroom again.

The broken sword remained crushed in his fingers.

And inside the Tiny Forest...

Zi Yue was gone.

Clayne stared quietly for a moment.

Then slowly...

A satisfied smile appeared on his face.