Yun Che lay sprawled on the ground, yet another bright red handprint throbbing on his cheek. He had expected it—hell, he practically invited it—but Jasmine's fury was on another level. Her entire small frame quivered with outrage. Her eyes were cold enough to freeze oceans, her killing intent sharp enough to flay skin. For a girl raised in the reverence of gods, being smacked around was nothing. Being touched, teased, and mocked by a "good-for-nothing mortal"? That was unforgivable.
And yet… Yun Che stood.
Unbothered.
He brushed dust from his shoulder, completely unfazed by the force of her slap. "Well," he said casually, "I agreed to all three conditions. You said you'd grant me a new set of Profound Veins. Isn't it about time for that to happen?"
Inside, he smirked. Just wait, Jasmine. One day I'm smacking your little butt until you beg for round two.
Her tiny hands balled into fists. "Forget what you said just now!" she snapped, face twisted with cold, adorable malice. The contrast between her murderous aura and her petite, doll-like appearance was almost comical. Even if she scowled ten times harder, she'd still look more like an angry kitten than a threat.
"I didn't say anything," Yun Che replied with a straight face—though internally he added, Mhm… flat as a runway.
(Good thing she didn't know what an airport was.)
Her fury simmered, but she managed to regain a sliver of composure. "Hmph. To become this princess's disciple is the greatest fortune you will have in this lifetime. From now on, you must address this princess as—your master."
"Nope."
Jasmine's eyebrow arched in disbelief. "You're… refusing?"
"Of course not," Yun Che said with a shrug. "Unless you want your arms fried again. If so, go ahead. I'll grab popcorn."
Popcorn she did not understand—but the threat of electrocution she absolutely did.
She froze, remembering the earlier shock that stripped away all her dignity. With the System guarding him, she couldn't even punish this insolent brat. The humiliation clawed at her insides.
He sat down cross-legged, as relaxed as a man sunbathing. Then he met her eyes.
"How about I call you Jasmine? Take it or leave it."
There was no room for negotiation.
Just the illusion of one.
There was no way for Jasmine to refuse—not with the System watching her every breath like an unblinking god. She clenched her tiny jaw, swallowed her pride, and finally spoke, each word dipped in reluctant fury.
"You may… call me Jasmine." Her crimson eyes narrowed sharply. "But in your heart, you must never forget that I am your master! And you must never forget your duty—or your place—as my disciple!"
"As long as you don't treat me like your personal errand boy, sure." Yun Che replied without batting an eye.
Seeing he wasn't joking anymore, Jasmine steadied her breathing. The boy was insufferable, yes. Insolent, absolutely. But he also carried the Sky Poison Pearl—the only thing in existence capable of purifying the poison ravaging her soul. She had no choice but to work with him.
"So—jokes aside." Yun Che's expression hardened, excitement simmering beneath the surface. "When do we begin?"
Jasmine looked at him quietly for a moment, then asked, "Do you know why I was chased… and why I was infected with this terrifying poison afterward?"
He knew the answer down to the footnotes of the ancient era, but he feigned ignorance. "No idea. But judging from the blood on you? Must've been something big."
Jasmine slowly raised her delicate right hand. Her fingertip glowed faintly, and from it rose a dark-red drop—viscous, ominous, radiating an ancient, chilling aura. A bead of blood unlike anything in this realm.
"Because of… this drop of blood."
It floated above her fingertip, shrouded in a shimmering crimson haze. In this world, no mortal could even stare at such a thing without trembling.
Yun Che stared at it with a serious expression."This is… the drop of blood from the Heretic Celestial."
Jasmine froze.
Her lips parted slightly.
"How did you—"
Yun Che simply lifted his hand and pointed a thumb over his shoulder at the massive white System Core hanging above them like a silent moon.
Jasmine followed his gesture upward, then back to him, her expression shifting into disbelief.
That thing… that presence… it must be from the Primordial Era.
Nothing else could possibly explain its knowledge, its authority, its power.
"So," she said slowly, testing him, "you know the history behind this blood?"
"Yup." Yun Che shrugged casually. "The moment you showed it, the System dumped all the information straight into my head. So yeah—whole story, start to finish."
Jasmine stared at him, utterly speechless.
This… System of his.
It knew everything.
Could bind a divine soul.
Could dissect the Sky Poison Pearl.
Could suppress godly power.
Could pour primordial-history-level knowledge directly into a mortal's mind—
And yet… it left him crippled?
Why?
Was it waiting for her?
Did it know this drop of blood would eventually find him?
Countless questions churned through Jasmine's mind like a storm-torn sea, but she swallowed them all. There would be a time to unravel the mysteries of that floating white orb… and the infuriating, impossible boy standing before her.
Yun Che exhaled lightly. "No wonder they chased you to the ends of the realm. Who wouldn't crave that kind of power?"
"Hmph!" Jasmine's voice sharpened like a blade. "To dare snatch my possession—they were courting death!" Her eyes glimmered with that fierce divine pride. "But when I obtained the Heretic God's blood, I discovered something shocking. There's no devastating power sealed inside it at all."
She lifted the bead of crimson, its glow dancing across her delicate fingers.
"If one injects it into themselves, it doesn't grant strength. It changes the structure and attributes of the Profound Veins—forcefully erases everything built up before it. Everything. One must start their cultivation from zero and rebuild their strength piece by piece."
Yun Che nodded along, his heart throbbing with excitement. Start from scratch? Grinding levels? Fighting bosses? Looting skills?
To Jasmine it was a crippling flaw.
To a gamer like him?
He was practically trembling with joy.
Seeing his expression, Jasmine continued, "I cannot afford to lose all my accumulated power. But you? With your Profound Veins shattered, with nothing to lose… using this droplet on you is perfect."
The bead of blood floated toward his chest, humming softly.
"Once it merges with you," she said, "your Profound Veins will be reborn as the Profound Veins of the Heretic. They may even carry some remnant ability of the Heretic God himself."
She raised her finger—
But Yun Che suddenly thrust his palm out, stopping her mid-gesture.
"Wait."
Jasmine's brows tightened. "What now?"
"There's something I need to tell you first." Yun Che looked directly into her eyes—steady, serious, almost solemn.
Jasmine hesitated. What secret could possibly matter right now?
Then she saw the faint, suspiciously smug smile forming on his lips.
He took a breath.
Leaning forward ever so slightly.
And with absolute, cheeky confidence—
"I," he declared, "am a shinigami."