Inside the Tian Clan's grand court, Rien sat calmly on his chair, his posture relaxed yet authoritative.
Miss Yin cleared her throat.
Rien immediately straightened, giving her his full attention.
"Right now," Miss Yin said seriously, "our priority must be strengthening our power."
Shuan Master nodded, then turned toward Tian Master.
"According to our information, they have at least seventeen Xu Di cultivators. Each of them has been cultivating for years just to break through their limits."
Tian Master rubbed his chin, his expression thoughtful.
"Currently, four clans stand with us. We must also approach the Xiya Clan. Their hidden techniques are extremely powerful. If they join, they will be a major asset in the war."
Rien rose from his seat without a word and walked toward the training battlefield, where Kuto and Lan Xia were sparring intensely.
"Having fun?" Rien asked, stepping onto the field with a faint smile.
Both Kuto and Lan Xia were exhausted, breathing heavily after their brutal session.
"You two look completely drained," Rien said, glancing down at them.
Kuto nodded before collapsing onto the ground.
"We pushed ourselves to the limit," he said between breaths.
Lan Xia dropped beside him, equally exhausted.
"He's right… we've been fighting since morning."
Rien smiled softly.
"And yet, both of you can still break your limits. The thing is—there are different kinds of limits."
Lan Xia rolled her eyes.
"I'm really not in the mood for a lecture right now."
Rien chuckled, then grabbed both of them by the collars and forced them to sit upright.
"It becomes interesting once you start seeing the logic behind it."
He continued calmly,
"There are four types of limits. The first is the Cognitive Limit—and it's the most flexible one. Your brain creates artificial boundaries to protect you. Feelings like fatigue or being 'stuck' are often just safety mechanisms. If you reframe them as warnings instead of stop signs, you can access energy you didn't even know you had."
Kuto rolled his eyes.
"Is this really necessary? Everyone knows they have limits."
Lan Xia sighed.
"What he's saying is that when you're in danger, your mind stops you from using your full power—even if your body still can."
Rien nodded approvingly.
"Exactly."
He continued,
"The second type is Physical and Biological Limits. These are harder limits, governed by chemistry and physics."
Kuto suddenly shot up, excited.
"Sir! I have a question!"
Rien pointed at him with a wide grin.
"Ask, kiddo."
Kuto scratched his head.
"What exactly are chemistry and physics?"
Lan Xia shot him a deadly glare.
"Did you never go to school?"
Rien sighed.
"Don't worry about that for now."
He continued,
"Let's talk about the Metabolic Ceiling. This is a biological limit—the maximum energy your body can process daily. Roughly two and a half times your resting metabolic rate. You can think past pain, but you can't think past the point where your cells run out of fuel."
Lan Xia raised her hand, curious.
"Can that two-and-a-half limit be increased?"
Rien smiled.
"That's the Alimentary Limit. The problem isn't your muscles or heart—it's your gut. Your body simply can't digest and process nutrients fast enough to sustain more than that for long periods."
Lan Xia nodded, impressed.
"That's… actually amazing."
Rien continued,
"But with cosmic energy enhancement, we can push beyond this. We have methods to enhance both intelligence and physical strength."
He then said,
"The third type is Mathematical Limits. These are absolute—defined by how the universe works. In calculus, a limit is a value you approach but never truly reach. You can get infinitely close, but never touch it. This proves that growth has no final endpoint."
Lan Xia frowned slightly.
"That sounds complicated."
Rien smiled.
"It is—but the key is approach. You don't break it by reaching it. You break it by endlessly moving closer."
Kuto let out a long sigh.
"My brain is officially full."
Rien laughed lightly.
"The last type is Philosophical and Epistemic Limits—the limits of what you believe is knowable. These can be broken simply by changing your perspective. Most limits exist because of bias."
Kuto collapsed flat on the ground.
"That's way too big for me."
Suddenly—
An arrow tore through the air, flying straight toward Lan Xia.
Before anyone could react, Rien caught it mid-flight with two fingers.
"See?" Rien said calmly.
"That's the example. Even if existence itself tries to move faster, your mind shuts down before you even attempt it."
He turned to the woman holding the bow.
"I'm teaching a lesson. Could you do your training somewhere else?"
The woman stared at the arrow in his hand, then looked up at him.
"You're the one who defeated the lower-ranked Soul Tower commanders."
Kuto groaned.
"So… who are you?"
She smiled.
"I am Zie Lian, commander of the First Four Soul Towers."
Rien stretched lazily.
"Let's test your limits."
Zie Lian released the soul of the Beast Warlord, her cosmic energy twisting reality around her.
"I'm ready," she said.
Rien simply thought—and her cosmic energy vanished.
"You can't fight here," Rien said coldly.
"Innocent people would die."
Zie Lian smiled and withdrew her power.
"I didn't come to fight. I came to warn you."
She stepped back.
"The Soul Organization is ready for war. They can attack at any moment. Stay alert."
She vanished instantly.
Kuto sighed.
"She just came here to scare us."
The next day, everyone gathered in the Tian Clan hall.
Rien looked at Tian Master.
"How many clans stand with us? After the Soul Organization falls, chaos will follow unless we unite cultivators."
Tian Master nodded.
"Seven clans are on our side. Two of them are among the strongest. But the Han-Huo Empire still has many neutral clans."
Rien smiled calmly.
"That's enough."
He continued,
"Once the Soul Organization is destroyed, the rest will fall in line. We will rule the Han-Huo Empire—and we will represent the Xia Clan. Anyone who disagrees is free to stand against me."
He left the court without another word.
Tian Master laughed softly.
"No objections here. It seems the Xia Clan is destined to rule—especially with Miss Yin's powerful boy."
Yin Xia blushed slightly and looked away.
"Thank you… all of you."
She left the hall quietly.
Kuto turned to Lan Xia, grinning dreamily.
"You're going to be the Empress."
He shook her excitedly.
Lan Xia rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Of course I am."