The eyes of the group immediately widened, excitement and relief blossoming in their hearts. Even though only a few days had passed in the real world, a whole month had already gone by inside Emi's Realm, and they were already counting the days until the return of their husband.
Yiren giggled at their reaction and ordered her beast to halt beside them. "I knew you wouldn't want to miss anything, so I came to pick you up. Hop on, my new pet is the fastest serpent you have ever seen. He will take us back to the camp in no time."
The serpent let out a piercing cry, its pearl and baby-blue scales shimmering with displeasure. He released a gust of wind in an attempt to blow the girls away, but he quickly ceased his actions when he sensed a sudden threat from above.
"Shiny!" Yiren shouted, her eyes glinting with gold. The serpent trembled, instantly lowering his sharp fins to allow more people onto his back. Although he had once been the emperor of the skies, ruling this realm for hundreds of years, he was now forced to serve the true alpha whose mere gaze made him shiver.
"I'm sorry about him. I only caught him yesterday, and I have yet to discipline him," Yiren apologized, her eyes returning to normal as she patted Shiny's side. "I will make sure to provide him with proper training later."
Upon seeing that Shiny didn't react to Yiren's words, the girls merely giggled in sympathy as they sat behind her. "Thank you for taking the time to come for us. I'm sure you wanted to stay with everyone," Wuying acknowledged, hugging Yiren from behind. "How long ago did Xuefeng come back?"
"About thirty minutes ago, but don't worry, we didn't make much progress. As soon as Xuefeng addressed some issues, the situation became quite heated. I'm not a fan of violence, so I took the opportunity to sneak away," Yiren explained with a sigh. "The situation is quite complicated, so it's best if you hear about it from Xuefeng. Hold on tight, we're about to set off."
The girls pondered what could possibly cause a fight between their peaceful group, but their thoughts scattered away as soon as Shiny launched forward. Yiren had said he was really fast, but that statement was a clear understatement of his abilities. They were barely able to hold on as he accelerated beyond the speed of their wings."
"He is so much faster than my Lulu," Xiao Wen commented, impressed. "What level has he reached? My Lulu broke through to level seven just two days ago."
"Whoa, wasn't she at level one just a month ago? Her cultivation speed is truly impressive," Yiren praised cheerfully. "Shiny is at level nine, but that doesn't mean much. Even though he is fast, his battle capabilities are subpar. He couldn't even leave a scratch on my level five bats, let alone their leader. I plan to help him open his first Gate soon, but unless he can compete with others, I will just use him as my ride."
"My Lulu is quite the opposite. Winged Tigers are slow flyers, but when it comes to their power, only the top Bloodlines can compete with them. We should organize a spar between Lulu and your pack at some point," Xiao Wen suggested. "She claimed she is unbeatable under level seven, but I don't really believe her."
"Oh, trust me, she isn't lying to you. I saw her in action the other day while I was searching for new beasts to tame. She was facing a dozen opponents simultaneously," Yiren informed. "I'm sure she will become a powerhouse once she begins to open her Gates."
Yi remained silent during the discussion of Beast Taming, but her interest was piqued after the mention of Gates. "I wonder, what does the process of opening Gates entail? You mentioned that you'll assist Shiny, so you must have some knowledge."
"Right, I was also curious. I thought we had to wait for Emi to return with Wu and ask her for advice," Wuying added.
Although everyone knew that opening the Gates was the next step after reaching level nine in both Ancient Soul and Body, they hadn't really discussed anything beyond that.
"I intended to reveal this in front of everyone, but it's actually the power of my second Fate Ability. It's theoretical, as I haven't tested it yet," Yiren replied innocently. "This is the main reason why Shiny lowered himself to be my pet. He has been stuck at level nine for hundreds of years, and I'm his only chance to advance."
Shiny confirmed this with a shake of his body as if to remind Yiren to uphold her end of the bargain. She might be the alpha, but she wouldn't be able to stop him if he chose to flee her influence.
"From what my Fate Spirit told me, the Ancient Celestial is the peak cultivation rank that any Bloodline can achieve. The only way to progress further is to be acknowledged by one of the Constellations living Beyond the Heavens and receive their blessing. This blessing will grant you a portion of their power and leave their mark on you, granting you access to all the Realms under their rule," Yiren explained slowly, still getting to grips with the concept herself. "To open a Gate is a simple way of saying you have received a Celestial Blessing. The more gates you open, the more famous and powerful you can become."
"How can one become acknowledged by a Constellation? Do they sense your power and attempt to scout you?" Yi asked, curiosity etched on her face.
"I don't know the exact process of selection, but whenever you reach the peak cultivation rank of your Bloodline, you have the chance to attract Constellations. If they're interested in you, they will contact you through their Avatar and present you with their blessing. Of course, if an individual has high potential, they will receive better offers as the Constellations will vie for them," Yiren explained without looking back. "Constellations are quite prideful, so most of them will retract their offers after you settle on one."
"What happens if you reach the peak but no Constellation appears to grant you a blessing?" Yi asked, her face turning pale.
"Well, that's what happened with Shiny and many other Beasts who have already maxed the potential of their Bloodline. Usually they will be stuck at the peak unless they do something to attract a Constellation. As I said, I can help open the Gate because my Fate Ability is similar to Ling's. Instead of increasing someone's talent, I can improve their Bloodline Potential which allows them to grow beyond their peak," Yiren answered as she finally looked behind. She was smiling at first, but her expression faltered when her gaze fell on Yi.
"Wait, what happened? Why are you crying?"
Tears were already rolling down Yi's cheeks, the silvery traces glittering under the moonlight. Her eyes looked desolate, her emotions finally surfacing after months of suppression. "I've... reached my peak..." she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
Startled, everyone immediately turned their attention towards her. Yi was always considered one of the most powerful in the group due to her unique Star Shaper ability. The revelation that she had reached her limit came as a shock.
"So you are worried no Constellation is interested in you?" Wuying guessed, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Isn't your Star Shaper ability incredibly powerful? How can anyone pass on that?"
Yi gave a bitter smile. She reached out, materializing a sharp blade of stardust in her hand. Without a word, she brought the blade down on her arm. The edge passed seamlessly through her body, but the cut immediately sealed itself and her arm was as good as new in a matter of seconds. There was no blood, just a shimmer of stardust where the wound had been.
"I don't even bleed anymore," Yi explained, her voice filled with despair. "My ability turned my body and Soul into stardust. I can't cultivate the traditional way, as I don't have a Bloodline anymore. The only way for me to advance is to absorb more Fate Qi. But… I've reached the peak of how much I can absorb."
Everyone was stunned. In silence, they all grappled with the gravity of the situation. The implications were clear: Yi was, essentially, trapped. Even though her Fate Ability was one of the top ten in power, she has reached her maximum potential. No amount of blessings from Constellations would have an effect on her strength.
"Don't worry, there must be a way to save you," Xiao Wen assured after a few moments. "Doesn't Xuefeng plan to defeat the ruler of Fate Kingdom and take over? He will find a solution, he always does."
Wuying nodded in agreement, patting Yi's shoulder sympathetically. "Xiao Wen's right. You might be stuck now, but that doesn't mean you'll be stuck forever. I'm sure there's a way forward for you."
"And even if nothing works, you can always give up on being a Fate Holder and start from the very beginning. With Xuefeng as the ruler of Fate Kingdom, you won't need to worry about dying from your Fate Spirit. He will also provide you with enough resources to boost you all the way back to the peak," Yiren cheered up from afar. "Trust me, he would rather die than leave anyone behind."
The comforting words eased the mood and Yi even showed a hopeful smile, but deep down, she'd already resigned herself to this fate. Just like Xuefeng, she would rather die than become a burden to him.