I waited anxiously, watching myself on the bed—already drooling in my sleep, even snoring rather loudly. I glanced awkwardly at the room next door; that noise must be audible.
"Wake up already."
I muttered, but the me on the bed didn’t budge, sleeping like the dead. I stared oddly at my own cheek—do I usually sleep this deeply? And my sleeping posture is a mess.
Helpless, I sat beside myself, quietly gazing at the me on the bed. I had no idea how much time had passed, but finally, the me on the bed stirred. After more than ten hours of sleep, at last, when I opened my eyes, I was staring at the ceiling. The sudden shift left me deeply unsettled.
After getting up, I stared incredulously at my own hands—it felt like I’d just appeared here, and my memories were perfectly intact, vivid, nothing like the vague emptiness of a dream. I stood up and nearly fainted from dizziness; my stomach was already starving, but immediately I caught the scent of food.
I spent the whole day resting, then soaked in the hot spring again that night. The fatigue in my body faded away; I felt ready to start tomorrow. Yet Past Ethan Justice still insisted I keep resting.
Afterward, I rested for five days straight—just eating, drinking, sleeping, with a bit of exercise. I started to think I’d put on some weight.
Finally, it was time to awaken the Yin aspect within my body. Lady Meng opened the garden world once more; with a creak, the door to the room opened, and I stepped inside.
"So what exactly do I need to do?"
I asked, and Past Ethan Justice replied.
"It's simple—just take out the Starshard Radiance. Once the Yin energy within the Starshard Radiance reaches a certain threshold, your body should respond. From here on, it's up to you, Rachel. If anything dangerous happens, we'll intervene ahead of time."
I gave a quiet nod and stepped through the door. None of them followed. Lady Meng said this world, blooming like a sea of flowers, was the True Realm. Here, it should be easier to awaken the dead Yin aspect within me.
The well I'd seen before was gone; now there were only orderly, crisscrossing stone paths. Some places had round plazas. I reached one of the larger ones and sat down. With a thought, I found the Starshard Radiance—its black luster gleaming—in my hand. Instantly, a chill seeped into me, not on my skin but deep in my heart. I glanced around, then set the Starshard Radiance before me, sitting cross-legged to wait in silence.
The dark power was like ash drifting from a burning flame, scattering aimlessly. The flowers around me seemed unaffected. Gradually, the Starshard Radiance appeared to ignite, its surface darkness flickering restlessly. I felt nauseous, dizzy, unsure of what was happening.
"Use your own strength."
A newborn voice echoed in my mind. I quickly adjusted my body, and the nausea and dizziness vanished. Relieved, I watched the black flames on the Starshard Radiance grow denser. Now, the surrounding flowers began to wither. I stood, ready to leave the Starshard Radiance, but on second thought, I stayed seated.
Gradually, I felt my strength draining rapidly. Without the Yin aspect in my body, this power was harmful to me—the darkness trying to invade my flesh.
I struggled desperately to resist. Slowly, I sensed the power entering my body, but strangely, I felt no pain. The newborn voice sounded again.
"Don't worry. Coexistence is already turning this power into a part of your body. I'm working on it too—just keep holding that state."
I gave a quiet "Mm." The Starshard Radiance kept releasing energy, and what puzzled me was how the stone seemed almost sentient—its power grew steadily, not erupting all at once as I'd expected. But I couldn't worry about that now; I just had to keep resisting.
At that moment, I felt an itch deep within my body. I jumped in shock, scratching at my arms and temples. Somehow, this prickling sensation came from inside, gradually spreading throughout my entire body. The urge to scratch made me feel both amused and helpless.
Slowly, the sensation morphed into a numbing tingle. I involuntarily bowed my head, unable to contain a cry.
It felt as if something inside me was breaking through the earth, accompanied by these black, shadowy forces entering my body. Gradually, I began to feel a stabbing pain. Instantly, I shot to my feet, clutching my arms, as a wave of coldness swept over me.
This time, the chill wasn't just on my skin—it seeped into my very bones, and my whole body began to freeze.
The coldness dulled my senses, slowly fading away. I had no idea what to do, desperately asking Newborn and Coexistence for help, but neither of them answered.
"What am I supposed to do?"
I muttered, feeling my connection to my own power suddenly sever. My body went limp, collapsing to the floor. But soon, my eyes widened—though the sensation was unbearable, it was still preferable to death. For me, it was almost a relief.
I managed a faint smile. The cold was nearly enough to make me pass out; my consciousness was slipping away.
The Starshard Radiance now floated in midair, unrestrained, releasing waves of darkness. The sea of flowers all around had withered en masse. I stared quietly at the scene before me—the sky, once blue, had turned utterly black.
"What is happening..."