Looking up at the dark clouds gathering in the sky, I hurriedly turned to Spike Viktor.


    "Can this Mystic Realm handle a heavenly tribtion?" I asked, worry creeping into my voice.


    Spike answered, "Usually, yes, but this Mystic Realm has a crack that could create problems."


    "Problems? What kind?" I pressed.


    Spike rified, "Worst case? The crack gets bigger."


    "The crack gets bigger..." I whispered.


    A bigger crack meant more chance of being found out.


    "Any way to stop it?" I asked.


    Spike shook his head. "Like I told you before, only someone at the Mighty Realm could fix the crack. Otherwise, forget it."


    I decided to drop it.


    Right now, all I could do was roll with whatever came next.


    The dark clouds above kept growing—this heavenly tribtion was going to be massive.


    Usually, the sooner a heavenly tribtion hits, the more talented you are.


    Plenty of people never see one even when they hit Grandmaster level.


    And the bigger the tribtion, the higher your talent.


    "This one''s probably as big as mine was," I thought.


    The thought made me look over at Mabel Sean with growing worry.


    Mabel had only been cultivating for three months and hadn''t even learned any techniques yet.


    Could she survive something this intense?


    "Crack!"


    While I was thinking, the First Heavenly Tribtion came down!


    The lightning mmed into Mabel, leaving red marks on her perfect skin!


    My face changed the second I saw it.


    "Crack!"


    Another bolt hit. Way stronger than the first—it cut through Mabel''s skin, showing white bone underneath!


    But even with all that, Mabel''s face stayed nk.


    "Miss Sean''s toughness seems beyond what you expected," Spike said, clearly impressed.


    I had to nod.


    When I first faced a heavenly tribtion, the pain had me wincing and clenching my teeth.


    Mabel''s strength was incrediblepared to that.


    "Compared to the ritual where her Bloodline got drained, maybe this tribtion''s pain doesn''t matter much," Spike pointed out.


    My face went dark hearing that.


    Mabel had been through way worse than this tribtion.


    "Bang!"


    A huge boom echoed as another lightning bolt struck, almost turning the ground to dust!


    This was thest one—when it ended, Mabel''s energy started settling down.


    Her body healed fast; in seconds, her skin was back, smoother and softer than before—true "skin like cream."


    Mabel slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze, like sparkling autumn water, found me.


    Already graceful and uniquely beautiful, Mabel now had an even more otherworldly appeal.


    She looked like a lotus flower—something too pure to even touch.


    "Mabel, how do you feel?" I asked.


    Mabel checked herself and smiled, "Pretty good."


    Hearing this, Shania Raymond rxed.


    Over the next few days, I kept meditating.


    I worked on absorbing both the Dark Heart and spiritual energy, trying to boost my power.


    But something was off—I couldn''t focus.


    This made my progress crawl.


    "What''s wrong?" Mabel seemed to pick up on my restlessness.


    I said seriously, "I''ve been stuck in this Mystic Realm for three months now; I can''t shake the feeling something''s gone wrong outside."


    "You want to leave?" Mabel asked.


    I nodded, then shook my head. "Yeah, but it''s just a thought."


    "Tsk. Tsk." Right then, Spike shot me a look.


    "In this state, more cultivation won''t help much. How about this? I''ll go out and check things for you," Spike offered.


    I raised an eyebrow, surprised as I stared at Spike.


    "You''ll go out?" Doubt crossed my face.


    Not bothered by my expression, Spike went on, "I''m a Mystic Realm Master, so it''s rtively safer for me."


    "Even if they spot me, they won''t be able to prove anything."


    I rubbed my chin and nodded, "Makes sense."


    "But I''ve got one condition," Spike suddenly added.


    I nodded right away, "Name it. If I can do it, I''ll handle it even if it kills me."


    A sh of hatred appeared in Spike''s eyes.


    He stared at me and said coldly, "I want you to kill my Master and take his Key Treasure Vault!"


    I was stunned.


    "Kill your Master? Happy Ferguson?" I frowned.


    "That''s right," Spike snorted coldly.


    My expression got more confused.


    Killing your Master was serious betrayal. Spike didn''t seem like someone that ruthless.


    Spike clearly caught my doubts, sneering, "Don''t let Happy Ferguson''s act fool you—he''s a backstabbing, sneaky bastard! I''d tear him apart and drink his blood if I could!"


    Spike continued darkly, "He stuck me here to watch you, ready to sell you out whenever. What, feeling sorry for him?"


    I immediately waved my hands, saying, "Sorry for him? You''ve got me wrong. I''m just curious. I agree with everything you said."


    Spike said nothing more but warned, "If I''m not back in three days, it means they caught me. I''ll have to pull back and look for another chance to return."


    "Got it, thanks," I said, cupping my hands toward Spike.


    Without waiting, Spike opened the exit and left.


    ——


    Meanwhile, what Spike feared most had happened.


    The crack in the Mystic Realm had indeed gotten bigger under the heavenly tribtion''s impact.