Author Note: Sorry for the delay, dears. The scheduling failed.
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In a room deep inside the Astral Sky clan, a tall woman was cultivating.
Because it was her personal cultivation room, she was wearing just a tank top and short pants, revealing her perfectly muscular and agile body.
Her curly hair was gathered in a ponytail, and she had her eyes closed with a frown.
'Hm. This Body Cultivation Method is complicated…'
Andrea opened her eyes and took a look at the scroll of the [Immortal Sun Obliterating Body].
Unlike Spiritual Cultivation, body cultivation tempered the body. For example, to enter the first level of the Spiritual Path, one had to learn to absorb and feel the energy around them. They had to know how to breathe in the surrounding energy and transform it into something usable.
The Spirit Path cultivation technique helped with sutras, chants, and texts that resonated with heaven and earth, allowing the cultivator to make that initial connection.
However, Body Cultivation was different.
To enter the first realm it was a matter of changing the body.
With the help of the Body Cultivation technique, the person needed to unlock the body's innate energy, meaning they didn't learn to absorb energy in their surroundings first.
They learned how to use the energy within them first.
Once in this first realm, a Body Cultivator had to eat or exercise and move the body to recuperate the energy consumed.
Hence, Body Cultivation techniques weren't about reading sutras and breathing but about moving the body according to the method and awakening the innate energy.
Later, similar to a Spiritual Cultivator, Body Cultivators developed meridians and a dantian.
Andrea had already developed a whole net of meridians and was already in the fifth level of the Unification Realm, meaning her connection with the soul was deep.
Hence, doing the set of exercises to unlock the innate energy of the body was not really effective.
Andrea frowned. 'Is it impossible if I'm already advanced? Luna has managed to learn both because she has learned them simultaneously…'
She floated the [Immortal Sun Obliterating Body] scroll in front of her and looked at the postures to unlock it.
She had already done this for months, so she was extremely familiar. Even then, her eyes were locked on the technique.
She moved a leg forward, followed by lowering her waist and making a slow horizontal motion with her arm.
Her other leg moved, and her body elegantly moved and danced.
Even if the set of movements was supposed to look basic, Andrea's talent in combat made her actions look elegant.
Andrea closed her eyes and focused on the movement of her muscles. Her Spiritual Sense observed the movement of every fiber as she moved, making sure the set of exercises was perfect.
However, she didn't see the spark that was supposed to appear.
Andrea didn't stop moving while she pondered. 'Why can this be? Maybe I don't have a talent for body cultivation? After all, I'm not that special. If Yasenia didn't appear, I would probably still be in the Mental Nourishing Realm…'
Andrea stopped thinking like that. 'If Yasenia learns about those thoughts, I'll be spanked…'
Andrea chuckled a bit at that embarrassing moment.
However, there was another more special moment that came to her mind.
It was about two or three months after she began practicing the [Immortal Sun Obliterating Body] technique without results.
Andrea said to Yasenia at that time. "Love, if I can't enter in the first months, aren't I not suitable?"
Andrea clearly remembered Yasenia's eyes looking a bit sad, and she didn't understand why she looked like that then.
"Darling. Only two months have gone by. You are a super-talented cultivator. I know you think you are mediocre. However, darling, you are the most talented in my eyes. Without any strange bloodline, constitution, or anything else, you are keeping up with our cultivation speed."
Andrea smiled as she remembered her dragoness hugging her into the soft bosom, placing her head right in between and allowing her to hear her heartbeat. "Darling. You know my love for you won't disappear even if you someday become a mortal. It really won't. I love you dearly. That's why… Don't give up. Never give up. My darling is bound to become someone that one day will make everyone tremble with just a look. You are my knight, and I am your princess. What will the princess do in a dangerous situation without her knight? What will a wife do in that same situation without her partner? You are my knight and partner, so I need you, and my trust in you is endless. I know you can do it, and once you do it…"
Andrea stopped reminiscing that moment, and her movements slowed down, her nose sour. She laughed softly. "That silly girl."
Andrea stood still, looking at the Sun slowly lowering toward the horizon and hiding behind the clouds.
"[Immortal Sun Obliterating Body]… It is a technique that only works on Sun attributed people. It is a technique that uses the Sun energy to temper the body. A technique that will allow the cultivator to harness the power of the stars in the future…"
Andrea looked at her hand. The callouses had disappeared thanks to Yasenia's constant nourishment, and her hands looked slender and beautiful. Even her light brown skin felt smooth.
Her face turned, and she looked in the mirror. The woman in the mirror was very tall, with perfect muscles, a bountiful chest, wide hips, long legs, and an exotic and heroic face with sharp angles.
The light green eyes complimented her beauty tremendously, creating a lovely contrast.
Andrea waved her hand and took off all her clothes, leaving herself nude.
Her eyes wandered over her body with scrutiny. 'What do I lack? It's not like I haven't trained my body, so body cultivation should be even more suitable for me than Spiritual Cultivation. But… why can't I learn?'
Andrea half turned, looking at the beautifully marked back muscles and the soft and feminine large behind.
Then, she slowly began moving.
Instead of using energy, spiritual sense, and everything else to sense her movements, she sealed all her energy.
Andrea could feel the power that coursed in her body slowly dissipating.
As she looked at the mirror and moved, she observed how the muscles tensed and moved. Thanks to her aesthetic body, seeing the movement of muscles was easy.
A leg moved, and Andrea saw and felt every fiber move from the tip of her toes to the gluteus.
She stepped forward, twirled, punched, and kicked.
The movements were fluid, and at that moment, when most of the energy in her body dissipated, Andrea felt a spark.
Her eyes sharpened, and her face became solemn. Her concentration peaked, and she resisted the urge to use her spiritual sense to feel it, continuing with her instincts.
Her eyes closed, but her movements remained as perfect as before.
Then, when the Sun was beginning to touch the horizon, Andrea finally felt it.
An almost imperceptible current crossed her muscles.
Usually, this event was described as if lightning hit the body. However, the feeling was almost unnoticeable because of Andrea's high cultivation.
Then, a cloud manifested in the sky.
Andrea felt it.
She felt the heavenly pressure coming from the sky and wanted to move toward the center of the room. However, the pressure from above locked her in place, making Andrea's eyebrow lift. 'Locked in place by pressure? Why?'
The thundercloud created a loud rumble, and a single lightning bolt fell with quite a bit of strength.
It phased through everything. [Heavenly Lightning] ignored most things. Even if you were in the center of a star, it would still hit you.
BANG!
A loud sound was created when the lightning hit Andrea's body.
The tall woman closed her eyes as the heavenly forces coursed her body and nourished her.
There wasn't any pain, even when she didn't resist, because her cultivation was too high.
The clouds above dispersed after the single lightning, and Andrea stopped feeling that pressure, allowing her to move.
She quickly summoned her usual clothes. 'Probably she will be here soon.'
BAM!
Andrea saw the hinges of the door suffering and almost laughed. 'As predicted...' Andrea opened her arms, and a soft and fragrant body fell between her arms. Two arms went around her neck, and a sweet and long reptilian tongue invaded her mouth.
Andrea's eyes were soft and filled with love as the delighted dragoness clung to her and devoured her lips. "Darling! You did it!"
Andrea laughed softly and looked at the gorgeous face before her. "Yes. I did it, love."
Yasenia laughed happily, her tail wagging as she hung on her darling. Andrea couldn't help it and blurted. "I love you."
The dragoness blinked adorably and smiled sweetly, making Andrea's heart hurt at her cuteness. "I love you too, darling!"
Yasenia asked concerned. "Also, I don't smell any injuries on you, but are you okay? Heavenly lightning just struck you, right?"
Andrea shook her head and looked at the door. "No worries. Also, welcome everybody else."
Angel giggled and ran forward. The tall woman felt Yasenia placing her feet on the ground again as she created a small spot in the middle. A spot where Angel directly dove into. "Andrea, Andrea, how does it feel? Are you stronger? Was it difficult?"
The tall woman couldn't help laughing at the petite woman between them. Her face barely reached her breast level, making her look like a doll. Then, she answered in order. "I feel fantastic. I don't feel much stronger. And yes, it was difficult comprehending it."
The heroic woman saw a red-eyed beauty appear at her side and ask. "Give me your wrist."
Andrea presented her hand without protesting and then felt a pulse of energy going across her body. She saw Tatyana's eyebrows lift. "Ho, ho~. So, it works like this? Humu, no wonder you couldn't comprehend it for so long with your aptitude…"
Andrea asked. "What's wrong?"
Tatyana smiled. "Well, your use of energy probably hid the small reactions of your body's clues that you could enter the Body Cultivation path. It's like… Imagine you are looking for a star in the sky. When you have your energy, it's like searching during the day, and the more energy left your body, the darker that sky becomes. Do you understand?"
Andrea nodded. "I see. So, it was like that."
Yasenia chuckled, capturing Andrea's attention again. Yasenia smiled and spoke. "Once you did it, I told you that I would say this: I told you could do it. My darling is the best!"
Andrea felt her heart melting in a puddle and swept down to kiss Yasenia again. "Thank you, love."
Yasenia smiled happily after being kissed by her darling. "No need to say thank you~. It's normal to help my family!"
Andrea and the rest looked at Yasenia and softly chuckled. Andrea kissed her nose and nodded.
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Kali: You did it, Andrea.
Andrea: Hahaha, it is all thanks to- Omph. Love, don't jump on me so suddenly.
Yasenia: No thanks! It's all because of your hard work!
Author: Hahaha, let's summon today's dear. I summon you!
WPOmega: Here I am!
Author: You became quite inspired again, eh… The list of questions has become quite large again.
WPOmega: Hehe~. Any problem?
Author: None! I love it when you all abuse these things~. They are your privilege, after all, for being supportive~.
WPOmega: Well, this time, I want to ask Irina.
Author: Oh? Let me summon her.
Elder Irina: Hm? Where am I? I was in my blacksmithing shop…
Tatyana: Oh? Did you summon Andrea's master from the Academy?
WPOmega: Yes!
Elder Irina: Headmistress! What is going on? Where are we?
Tatyana: Don't worry, this place is not dangerous.
Elder Irina: …
Elder Irina: Just to clarify, is it not dangerous for you or for me?
Tatyana: *Rolls eyes* For you. Look here.
Elder Irina: Hm? Oh! Little Yasenia is here.
Yasenia: Hello, Aunt Rina!"
WPOmega: Well, Elder Irina, I have a question. I'm curious. Smithing isn't generally something you can see that someone has a talent for without evidence. What was it that made you decide to take in Andrea as your Student?
Elder Irina: We have a few things to measure talents in forging and such. However, what convinced me was… Her perseverance and hard work.
WPOmega: Oh?
Elder Irina: I remember when she just entered the Academy, I was looking at the new disciples to see if there was someone worth it, and I was disappointed.
Elder Irina: However, there was one child that, even when everybody else went away, kept hammering without stopping until their hands were trembling.
Elder Irina: Her talent wasn't the best, but if others spent an hour, she spent three. If others worked for four hours, she was there for twelve hours.
WPOmega: Very Andrea-like, hahaha.
Elder Irina: Yes, hahaha. Then, I took her in when she became an inner disciple. I put her to work, and it turned out that her talent was not that bad. It was the tools, teacher, and resources she had.
Elder Irina: Her talent bloomed later, thanks to her hard work.
WPOmega: Very inspiring.
Elder Irina: By the way, Andrea.
Andrea: Yes, master?
Elder Irina: What's your best treasure?
Andrea: This one, called [Knight's Vow].
Elder Irina: Oh? Very good. A Quasi-Transcendence Ranked item. That's definitively a breakthrough. Do you want me to increase it to the Transcendence Realm? I can do it in a few minutes.
Andrea: No need, Master. It doesn't matter if you repair it here. I won't be able to use it.
Elder Irina: I see.
Author: And well, this is all. I hope you liked the chapter! Bye-bye!