“Thank you, Senior Brother. I’ll definitely study hard.”

  She didn’t have much time—barely six months left.

  Tarot smiled faintly, then gnced at the longsword in her hand. “That sword is the Gintama Sword. Master wouldn’t have given it to you if he didn’t value you highly. It has a sister sword, the Ice Soul Sword. That belonged to our senior brother… but it’s been lost for many years.”

  It was rare to hear Tarot mention their fellow disciples. Lauren seized the chance. “Senior Brother, how many disciples has Master taken before us? And what number disciple are you?”

  Tarot shook his head. “I don’t know. And don’t ask. We don’t use numbers anymore—we just say Senior Brother or Junior Sister. Master has lived for over ten thousand years. He’s seen too much life and death. If we were to count by seniority, it would only remind him of how many disciples have already died. It would sadden him.”

  The weight of those words hit her, and Lauren quickly nodded, deciding not to pry further.

  Talismans came first. Lauren already had a solid foundation, so she picked them up quickly. According to Tarot, someone of her status didn’t really need to make talismans—she only had to know how to use them and recognize their effects. That was the bare minimum.

  When her lessons ended, Tarot handed her a storage bag brimming with talismans: stacks of first through third grade, and only three of fourth grade.

  “It’s not that I don’t want to give you more,” he expined. “But with your current cultivation, one fourth-grade talisman would drain your core dry. I wouldn’t dare give you extras.”

  Elixirs were next, though Tarot didn’t expect her to become an alchemist in six months. Instead, he drilled her on uses and dosages. Too little, and they’d be worthless. Too much, and—boom. Explosive consequences. Memorizing precise dosages was critical.

  Fortunately, Lauren had already absorbed the Alchemy Sect’s inheritance, so she grasped everything at frightening speed. Tarot was stunned. Watching her fly through it made him quietly question his own life choices.

  Afterward, she received another storage bag—this one packed with elixirs.

  Formations, however, slowed her down. Fgs and ptes were trickier to grasp, and she struggled more here. Tarot was oddly relieved. At least she’s human after all, he thought.

  Then came a survey of the major sects. When Tarot reached the final section, his face grew serious.

  “You must remember what I’m about to say.”

  Lauren immediately straightened.

  “Our Thunder Sect is one of the three great righteous sects. If you go to the Hall of Justice, the elders will preach about benevolence, morality, virtue—upholding the righteous path. But what I’m about to tell you is… different.”

  Lauren felt a prickle of nerves.

  “The Demonic Cult has a saying: ‘If a man does not work for his own benefit, heaven and earth will punish him.’ Sometimes, there’s truth in it.”

  “If you find something in a secret realm that barely catches your interest, offer it generously to the younger ones. For you, it’s nothing. For them, it could be a rare treasure. That earns you respect as an elder and loyalty from your peers. You’ll walk away with both fame and gratitude.”

  “If you come across something you want, but don’t urgently need—yet someone in your sect desperately does—then give it to them. They’ll remember that kindness for life, and again, you’ll gain both fame and fortune.”

  “But if you find something truly great, then remember this: even if I, your senior brother, stand before you, seize it. If necessary, silence anyone who knows. Kill if you must.”

  His lips curled into a faint, unsettling smile. In that moment, he didn’t look like a disciple of a righteous sect at all.

  “If you have questions,” he said, “ask.”

  Lauren raised her hand slightly. “What if I can’t win?”

  “…” Tarot blinked, then sighed. “Act within your limits. Be smart. Whatever happens, your safety comes first.”

  Lauren broke into a small smile. “I understand, Senior Brother. I understand perfectly.”

  She’d read enough cultivation novels in her past life to know the truth. In this world, no one’s hands stayed clean. It wasn’t a society ruled by ws—it was survival of the fittest.

  At the beginning, Drake’s words during her initiation had worried her. She’d thought if she ever strayed from the righteous path, he would crush her without hesitation.

  But after hearing Tarot’s lesson, she finally understood.

  Drake’s words were nothing more than slogans for public dispy.

  Lauren had been studying under Tarot for three months when, one morning, he said to her, “That’s as much as I can teach you. No amount of theory will ever compare to your own experience. Once you go down the mountain, reflect on everything for yourself.”

  He studied her expression before continuing. “As Master’s apprentice, you carry pride on your shoulders. You should stand tall enough that everyone looks up to you—but don’t make the mistake Timothy did. Arrogance will ruin you. Even within the three righteous sects, not everyone is truly righteous. Some will praise you to your face, then stab you in the back when you turn away.”

  His words made Lauren’s stomach tighten. She wasn’t afraid of enemies she could see coming, but with her strange existence—constantly under the gaze of that vast, cold eye in the sky—betrayal from behind was her greatest fear.

  Tarot noticed the tension flicker across her features and chuckled softly. “Don’t be so afraid. Be cautious, yes, but not fearful. Anyone who dares y a hand on you had better think twice. They’d be going against Master himself.”

  Lauren nodded and bowed. “Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother.”

  He inclined his head. “I’ll be leaving now. Spend the rest of your time mastering the sword manual. Bring the Ice Sword Technique to the level your cultivation allows.”

  “Yes, Senior Brother.”

  Tarot lingered for a moment, watching her. So obedient, so careful. Sensible in a way that almost hurt to look at. With a sigh, he turned and left.

  ......

  He went straight to report to Drake.

  “She picked it up in three months,” Tarot said. “She’s frighteningly clever.”

  Drake gave a faint nod.

  “Her perception is sharp, her memory is excellent—she learns faster than I thought possible,” Tarot went on. “But…” He hesitated. “She’s timid. Always carrying this quiet fear. Even when I told her no one would dare touch her with you as her master, she didn’t believe it. She keeps her burdens to herself.”

  For a man whose face had remained unchanged for millennia, Drake’s expression was unreadable. He stayed silent for a long while, then dismissed Tarot with a wave.

  Alone, Drake stepped to the temple gate and lifted his gaze.

  The sky was clear today—endless, dazzling blue, stretched wide like a vast curtain. Under its canopy, the entire earth y exposed.

  His brows drew together. With a flick of his sleeve, a wisp of white mist gathered, twisting and condensing until it became a drifting cloud above him.

  …

  Meanwhile, Lauren continued training in the Mysterious Ice Technique. Her cultivation rose steadily, and soon she broke through to the third level.

  Once she reached that stage, her sword practice surged forward as well. Within a little over a month, her Ice Sword Technique had climbed to the third level, the bde in her hands beginning to echo with the same cold brilliance running through her veins.