A few moments later, Nerith, Isolde, Nyx, and Selvariel emerged from the building, their overall presence completely transformed along with their demeanor.

They appeared far more confident with their newfound strength and power, a stark contrast to how they had been before.

After cultivating for more than three days without rest, Nerith broke through to the peak of the Spirit Warrior realm, aided by the dense spiritual energy within the secret realm.

The scars that once covered her body had nearly vanished, though faint marks still remained—visible, yet no longer as harsh as before.

Even she was shocked by the changes in her body. Her horns had grown longer—almost two inches more than before.

Now, a pair of dark wings extended from her back, matching the tone of her black skin. With her long demon horns and newly formed wings, she exuded a dangerous and captivating aura.

Yuan couldn’t help but widen his eyes at her transformation—her appearance had changed completely.

’She looks so damn sexy with this new appearance...’ Yuan swallowed nervously, clearly mesmerized by her presence.

His gaze then shifted to Isolde. Her appearance had also changed, though compared to Nerith, the transformation was more subtle—her skin had become even paler, and her lips carried a darker hue.

Aside from that, her overall appearance remained mostly the same. What had changed more significantly was her aura—it had become more noble, colder, and almost untouchable.

Her talent for cultivation was equally astonishing, as she had also reached the peak of the Spirit Warrior realm, marking her as a true genius.

As for Nyx, her appearance had changed noticeably after becoming a cultivator. Hard scales had formed along her face—near her ears and forehead—and her ears had become slightly pointed.

Her hair had grown longer, appearing silkier and fuller, while her pupils had shifted from green to a striking golden hue.

She also seemed slightly taller than before, and her overall appearance had become more refined. As for her cultivation, she too had reached the peak of the Spirit Warrior realm.

Lastly, there was Selvariel. Her physical appearance hadn’t changed much, similar to Isolde, though she appeared even more beautiful than before.

What had changed drastically was her aura—it had become entirely different, giving her the presence of a goddess with a cold and detached demeanor.

Her wings had undergone the most dramatic transformation, growing significantly larger and turning even whiter, radiating a majestic brilliance.

If any ordinary human were to see her, they would be completely mesmerized, perhaps even compelled to kneel before her beauty.

Suddenly, Yuan’s playful voice echoed, drawing their attention as they turned toward him.

"How does it feel to become a cultivator?"

All of them smiled and walked toward him with graceful steps, their movements enhancing their already divine beauty.

"I don’t know how to describe it... but it feels incredible," Nerith said with an awkward smile, pausing briefly.

She then continued, "There’s this urge inside me... it makes me want to fight. I want to test just how much stronger I’ve become."

"Not just that, I feel like I could fight for days without getting tired. It’s as if I could punch through a massive wall without even using half of my strength."

"I understand how you feel, since you’ve always craved battle... but you’re right. You can fight much longer without exhaustion now," Yuan nodded with a soft smile, fully understanding Nerith’s nature.

Given her personality—which aligned closely with Valeria and Vrasha—it was only natural for her to think about fighting. For Yuan and the others, it wasn’t surprising at all.

"So, how long were we cultivating? I’m very confused about how much time has passed." Selvariel asked with a curious expression, her sense of time completely disoriented.

She felt as though only a few hours had passed since she began cultivating, yet in reality, she had lost all awareness of time.

"More than three days have passed since you all started cultivating. By now, the allied forces are likely already fighting the undead army at the border," Yuan replied calmly, as if the situation was not something to panic over.

"..." A stunned silence fell over Nyx, Selvariel, Nerith, and Isolde. Their mouths opened slightly, but no words came out.

"T-Three days have passed?! Is that even possible?!?!" Nerith nearly shouted in disbelief, her eyes wide and her jaw nearly dropping.

Yuan chuckled awkwardly and said, "Unfortunately, it’s true. When we cultivate, we often lose track of time. What feels like an hour can turn into days... sometimes even months or years pass without us noticing."

"Well, we should leave now and join the battle. Without our help, I don’t think your brother and the others can hold the undead back for long." Yuan’s expression turned serious as he spoke, his gaze sharpening as it fell on Nerith.

—

After exiting the Secret Realm, Yuan and the others encountered Empress Varia, catching her completely off guard.

Since Nerith had been missing for days, Empress Varia gave her a stern lecture for leaving the palace without informing anyone and choosing to train in seclusion during such a critical time.

Nerith could only stand there and listen with an embarrassed expression. After all, she was being scolded in front of her husband and her new family.

She felt as though she wanted to dig a hole and hide herself inside it, just to escape the humiliation.

Once the lecture ended, Yuan and the others immediately set off toward the border without wasting a moment.

They traveled at incredible speed, everything around them blurring into indistinct shapes.

It was now evening—the crimson sun dipped below the horizon as darkness slowly began to spread.

From a distance, Yuan and the others could already see thick smoke rising into the sky, and the scent of blood lingered heavily in the air.

"The war has already begun... but I’m not sure whether Rhex and the others are facing the Undead King himself or just his forces," Yuan muttered, his eyes fixed on the distant smoke visible from miles away.

Nerith and Isolde felt their hearts tighten, concern clearly visible on their faces as they thought about the situation at the border.

From the scent of blood alone, they could tell that many soldiers had already fallen, while countless others were wounded by the undead.

—

The border was engulfed in a sea of flames as the vampires from Isolde’s forces unleashed fire upon the undead soldiers, reducing them to ash.

Meanwhile, the rest of the allied soldiers defended the wall against any undead that managed to push through the inferno.

Even the flames had their limits, as the number of undead continued to rise. Moreover, this was not even the main force of the enemy.

Battle cries echoed across the battlefield, accompanied by the relentless clash of metal ringing through the air.

King Evander led the vampires from the front, though most of them fought on the ground against the undead hordes.

Only the vampires from Countess Isolde’s elite forces attacked from above, raining down flames upon the enemy.

"Keep using your flames! Burn those wretched creatures to ashes!" King Evander shouted as he fought fiercely on the battlefield. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

The intelligent undead proved difficult to eliminate—ordinary attacks were ineffective against their speed and their ability to adapt and react.

Even so, King Evander continued to slaughter them with his massive sword, a weapon forged from his own blood, transformed into a deadly blade.

Even decapitating them wouldn’t kill them—this was the greatest problem for many low-ranking warriors fighting against the undead, as they struggled to bring them down.

Their cores were incredibly hard, making it extremely difficult for ordinary warriors to destroy them with a single strike. It often took multiple hits just to break one.

"Don’t lose focus! If you can’t kill them in one strike, cut off their arms and legs first!" King Evander’s voice echoed across the battlefield.

Just then, multiple intelligent undead attacked King Evander from different directions, making it extremely difficult for him to evade their assaults.

"Damn it!" He cursed in frustration as he assumed a defensive stance, protecting his vital areas.

"You’ve grown quite clumsy after not fighting for so many years, Evander."

Suddenly, a soft yet mocking voice echoed from behind as Lilith entered the battlefield, her bat-like wings spread wide and her long tail swaying like a whip.

A powerful force erupted from her body, sending the surrounding undead flying as their bodies shattered upon impact.

"Unfortunately, I’ve grown a bit rusty after spending so much of my life in comfort... I won’t deny that," King Evander replied with an awkward smile.

"You’ve become useless after turning into a slave to your wife—that much is obvious," Lilith said with a smug grin before charging into battle.

Her long tail was far from decorative—it functioned as a deadly weapon, its sharp tip capable of shattering an undead’s core with ease.

With her tail alone, she killed more than fifty intelligent undead in a matter of moments, leaving many stunned by her overwhelming strength.

’It seems this woman has been quietly building her strength all this time... and not just her—her subordinates are powerful as well.’ Emperor Rhex thought, his eyes sharp as he observed the battlefield from the wall.

Bang! Bang!

Suddenly, a powerful shockwave rippled through the border, shaking the entire area as though something was moving through the sky at an unimaginable speed.

All eyes turned upward, where several figures approached at terrifying velocity, appearing as nothing more than blurs.

Then, a calm yet disappointed voice echoed across the battlefield, sending chills down everyone’s spine.

"So, the main force of the undead still hasn’t arrived yet... it seems we came a bit early."