Su Ning stepped into her bathroom and closed the door softly behind her, the faint click echoing in the quiet villa.
The residual heat from her breakthrough still lingered in her body, her skin faintly warm, her veins humming with an unfamiliar, exhilarating lightness.
She turned the faucet, letting cold water cascade into the tub, steamless and clear, a sharp contrast to the blazing intensity she had just endured inside her space.
When she lowered herself into the bath, a soft sigh slipped past her lips, her shoulders finally loosening as the chill seeped into her muscles and calmed the restless Qi still circulating within her.
The water embraced her like a soothing cocoon, washing away dried sweat, exhaustion, and the lingering tension from hours of cultivation.
She leaned back, closing her eyes as her breathing slowed into an even, peaceful rhythm.
For the first time since breaking through, she allowed herself to simply exist in the moment.
Her thoughts drifted lazily.
She had spent three days inside the space. But an hour and some minutes had passed here.
The realization made her lips curve upward in quiet amazement. The cheat-like nature of her space never failed to leave her slightly dazed, no matter how many times she experienced it. So much had changed in what felt like a blink, and yet the outside world had barely moved forward at all.
When she finally stood up and wrapped herself in a soft towel, her body felt light, refreshed, and strangely buoyant, as if she could glide instead of walk.
She slipped into a short, fluffy grey gown that brushed her mid-thigh, the fabric light and soft against her skin, then walked back into her bedroom, still savoring the calm after the storm.
She had just sat down at the edge of her bed when a familiar mechanical voice resonated in her mind.
'Ding.'
'Mission Completed: Breakthrough to Level Two.
Rewards issued: 350 million yuan
Private Island Ownership Deed Legendary-Grade Cultivation Manual — Art of Puppet Control.'
Her phone vibrated on the nightstand.
She didn't bother checking it as she knew it was the bank notification.
A faint glow materialized in front of her.
A thick, elegant document appeared in her hands, its surface embossed with intricate golden lettering and a regal crest.
She stared at it for a long moment before carefully opening it.
Ownership Deed: Avalon Crescent Island, London Coastline.
Her brows lifted slowly.
"Nice" she whispered, her voice tinged with amusement.
Her fingers brushed over the crisp pages as her eyes skimmed the details. The location was exquisite, tucked along the outskirts of London's coastal waters, secluded yet accessible, surrounded by deep blue seas and natural cliffs. The name alone sounded like something ripped from a fairy tale.
Her heart thumped wildly in her chest.
"I really am playing life on easy mode now, aren't I…" she muttered, half laughing, half dazed.
Then, without warning, a powerful stream of information surged into her consciousness.
Her body stiffened.
Her eyes widened.
Countless images, diagrams, and flowing lines of golden script flashed through her mind, layering themselves into a complete, instinctive understanding.
She saw paper folding into humanoid forms, Qi threads weaving through wooden limbs, invisible seals anchoring consciousness into constructed bodies. She felt the method, the rhythm, the intent behind every step of the Art of Puppet Control as if she had spent decades mastering it.
Her breath hitched, and she pressed a hand to her chest as the last wave of knowledge settled into place.
She understood it.
Completely.
Her entire body trembled and could barely contain her excitement. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her gown as a shiver ran through her spine, her heart pounding hard against her ribs.
The urge to immediately try it, to test the boundaries of this new found power, burned hot and impatient inside her.
She forced herself to exhale slowly as she calmed down.
Before that, there was something else she needed to do.
She closed her eyes briefly, grounding herself, when a sudden thought struck her like a spark.
Something's missing.
Her brows furrowed in concentration for a split second before her expression brightened in realization.
Right.
The mystical pearls.
In a blink, she entered her space.
She went directly to her bedroom and pulled open the drawer where she had stored the small, ornate box. Her fingers lingered on the lid for a moment before she lifted it open.
Inside, dozens of pill-sized pearls gleamed softly, each one transparent and crystalline, refracting light like tiny diamonds. They looked almost too beautiful to be medicine, too perfect to be something meant to be consumed.
Her gaze softened, reverent.
There was no way she wasn't trying it herself first.
She reached in, selected a single pearl, and lifted it to her lips.
It melted on her tongue like ice.
The sensation was immediate and startling. A refreshing chill spread through her mouth, followed by a wave of warmth that surged downward into her throat and chest.
Her heartbeat quickened as a deep, internal heat bloomed from her core, radiating outward into her limbs.
Her brows knit together as her skin began to tingle.
Her pores opened all at once, and a thick, black, sticky substance began oozing out across her skin. The smell was faintly metallic and earthy, and her eyes widened in shock as she looked down at her arms, watching the impurities seep out like something pulled from the deepest layers of her body.
"Oh—nope. Absolutely not," she muttered, half-gagging.
She bolted for the bathroom.
The second shower was frantic at first, her hands scrubbing at her skin with her body wash as the dark residue washed away in slow, swirling streams down the drain. As the water continued to pour over her, the sticky sensation gradually faded, replaced by an almost surreal softness beneath her fingertips.
Minutes later, she stepped out and changed into a sleek black soft cropped camisole paired with high-waisted lounge pants that hugged her curves comfortably. She toweled her hair dry, then paused.
Something felt… different.
She walked toward the mirror.
Her breath caught.
For a long moment, she just stood there, staring because she could barely recognize herself.
Her jet-black hair had grown dramatically longer, now cascading all the way down to her butt in a glossy, silky curtain. It was darker, richer, and impossibly smooth.
Her porcelain skin looked more brighter, flawless and luminous, so soft it almost glowed under the light. Every pore had vanished. Not minimized. Gone.
Her face had subtly changed, refined into something devastatingly beautiful. Her lashes were longer and thicker, framing her eyes like natural extensions. Her brown irises were slightly larger now, glassy and mesmerizing, shimmering with a depth that made her own reflection feel unreal. Her lips were fuller, naturally red, perfectly shaped.
Her hands trembled as she traced her waist.
Her tummy, which had once held a faint hint of baby fat, was now completely flat, sculpted into gentle, defined abs. Her hips curved more smoothly into a rounder, shapelier butt. Even her nails were different, bare yet glossy, perfectly formed as if she had just stepped out of a high-end salon.
She turned slowly, examining herself from every angle, her heart racing faster with every second.
"This is… insane," she whispered, half in awe, half in disbelief.
Her beauty was no longer just striking.
It was overwhelming.
Devastating.
She stared at her reflection, a faint crease forming between her brows as a new concern surfaced.
"If anyone sees me like this, they're going to think I had plastic surgery," she muttered, biting her lower lip.
"Another scandal is literally waiting to happen." She laughed.
She couldn't care what anyone thought. She decided launching MELANIN soon would be perfect as her looks would be the perfect promotion strategy.
Her gaze drifted back to the box of pearls sitting open on the counter.
These things were heaven-defying.
Her mind raced with possibilities.
She thought of giving sone to Chen Anya and her mom but quickly decided against it.
"No," she murmured firmly. "If they suddenly turn into supermodels overnight, they'll think I've joined a cult or something."
She closed the box gently.
Her skincare products would be available in a month, then she would have them try it.
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
She also couldn't help but wonder if the pearls worked on men too. It would be nice if it worked for both gender as it would widen the range of the consumers.
She placed the box back into her drawer and slid it shut. Then she carefully folded the ownership document for her private island and placed it into another drawer where she kept her important papers, her fingers lingering on it for a brief moment as the reality of her new assets sank in once more.
With a deep breath, she exited her space.