It took them three full days to finish sorting through everything.

The underground cave had become a temporary stronghold packed with resources. They had accumulated quite a lot — far more than either of them had ever possessed before. Five small but functional spaceships were stored safely in high-grade rings, ready for future travel. Enough food and purified water to last several months. Sets of sturdy, high-quality clothes taken from a wealthy merchant’s ring, along with comprehensive survival equipment: portable shelters, water purifiers, navigation tools, basic medical kits, and emergency beacons. Weapons of various grades filled multiple rings — blades, blasters, and defensive artifacts. Cultivation books and records provided new techniques and knowledge. Pills and elixirs of different effects were neatly organized by grade and function. New gadgets, communication devices, and countless miscellaneous treasures completed their growing arsenal. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Lian was seated in the center of the cave, legs crossed, eyes closed.

Elara sat opposite him in the same position. Both were floating two feet off the ground, surrounded by massive mountains of Qi crystals that glowed and shimmered with pure energy. The crystals pulsed softly as they absorbed them at an accelerated rate, following the methods they had discovered in one of the advanced cultivation records. The technique helped strengthen their Star Forge Core and push their cultivation forward more efficiently than normal meditation.

Elara was the first to finish.

She opened her eyes slowly, the last of the crystals around her losing their glow and turning into dull, ordinary rocks. She looked across at Lian. He was still deeply focused, absorbing at a much higher rate. His mountain of crystals was significantly larger than hers had been. She remembered the warning in the book: absorbing too many crystals in one go could strain the core and meridians. But Lian seemed to be handling it well.

He is still on it, she thought. Well, he has more crystals than me. It did mention in the book that you can’t absorb so much in one go.

She floated down gently to the ground and stood up, stretching her alloy limbs. She felt refreshed, stronger, her Core Condensation Middle Stage foundation noticeably firmer.

I should train, she decided. Now I have time on my hands.

She moved further away from Lian, careful not to disturb his concentration. The cave had enough space deeper in for her to practice. She drew her blade, the familiar weight comforting in her hand. She assumed her usual stance — balanced, centered, blade held at the ready.

Then she began moving.

Her forms were precise and fluid, a dance of steel and silence. Each swing cut through the air with a soft whistle. She flowed from one stance to another — defensive blocks, rapid slashes, spinning counters, and thrusting strikes. Her alloy body moved with perfect control, the cybernetic enhancements allowing for sharper, faster movements than a normal human. Sweat soon beaded on her forehead as she pushed herself harder, repeating sequences over and over, refining every motion.

The sound of her blade cutting the air echoed softly through the cave. She lost herself in the rhythm, using the training to clear her mind and strengthen her connection to her Qi. Every strike, every step reinforced her resolve. She would not be weak. She would stand beside Lian as an equal, not a burden.

Lian remained floating in meditation behind her, completely absorbed in his own cultivation. The mountain of crystals around him continued to dim as he drew their energy deep into his core.

Power Scale / Cultivation Realms (Quick Reminder)

Foundation Realm (Layers 1–9): Body forging, no external Qi.

Circuit Awakening Realm (Early–Peak): First Qi loop, internal bursts.

Core Condensation Realm (Early–Peak): External Qi release, short flight.

Stellar Circuit Realm (1–9 Stars): True flight, Qi armor, energy projection.

Nebula Dominion Realm and higher: Domain control, galaxy-level power, etc

Power Scale Reminder

Lian Yu: Stellar Circuit Star 1.

Elara Voss: Core Condensation Middle

Keep it as reminders