# Chapter 331: The Final Step of the Ritual

"Mm, since that's the case, let's go with this one."

Seeing that Yeye had made her choice, Lu Yuan smiled and nodded, collecting the light orbs containing the other two Transcendent Genes.

Yeye drew a deep breath. A solemn expression settled over her delicate features, and she absorbed the Shadow Sacred Domain Transcendent Gene directly into her body.

The instant it entered her, vicious cracks split across Yeye's skin, her entire body looking as though it might burst apart at any moment.

This was far worse than when Rebecca had inscribed her Sovereign Grade gene.

Lu Yuan had prepared well in advance. The moment Yeye began absorbing the Transcendent Gene, he'd already enveloped her in the power of life.

Almost the instant the wounds appeared, life energy took effect, and Yeye's injuries healed rapidly — though even so, the bathtub was stained with a shocking amount of blood.

But the moment her wounds closed, they tore open again, the same as before — she seemed perpetually on the verge of collapse.

Perhaps from the sheer agony, Yeye let out a scream of pain, her whole body convulsing as she slumped in the bathtub.

Lu Yuan didn't dare let his guard down, maintaining a constant stream of life energy to ensure nothing went wrong.

Yeye's Gene Inscription proceeded slowly under these conditions.

Outside Yeye's room.

The moment Lu Yuan had entered, four heads poked out from around the corner — Amy, Wang Lingling, Li Qinghe, and Shuangyue — all staring at the closed door.

Amy blinked. "Did that big liar just spot us?"

Shuangyue rolled her eyes. "Obviously. He's ridiculously powerful — there's no way we could hide from his senses. Only Qinghe was confident enough to think she could pull it off."

A flush of embarrassment crept across Li Qinghe's face. She was, after all, the one who'd used a concealment Combat Technique to hide all four of them.

She gave a small cough and offered a defense: "Little Yuan is a Battle Saint now. It's perfectly normal that I can't fool his perception."

Amy spoke up, curiosity overtaking her: "Now's not really the time for that, is it? More importantly — is Yeye really going to... do *that* afterward?"

A faint blush colored Amy's cheeks. Wang Lingling had been filling her ears with *that kind of talk* for a while now.

Wang Lingling pursed her lips, a gentle smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "With Small White in there, it's guaranteed to happen. Besides, Yuan isn't exactly the restrained type — how do you think Tingxue and Rebecca ended up getting 'devoured'?"

Li Qinghe's lips twitched at that, jealousy flashing across her features. "Hmph! Little Yuan is nothing but a wolf."

"Th-then... are we going to e-eavesdrop?" Amy's face burned even redder, her words stumbling over one another.

She couldn't shake the feeling they were doing something they really shouldn't be.

"...Isn't this a bit much? Even Tingyu refused to come with us."

Just as Amy spoke, the door opened again and Small White walked out wearing the expression of someone who had lost all will to live. She quietly shut the door behind her.

At the sight of her, Wang Lingling and the others froze, confusion written across their faces.

They hadn't expected Small White to come out. It was too late to hide now.

Small White naturally noticed Li Qinghe and the others in the corner. She blinked, then her expression turned serious, her gaze sweeping over the four of them.

"Qinghe, what are the four of you doing here?"

Faced with Small White's earnest look, Li Qinghe felt a twinge of guilt. She averted her eyes. "...We were just passing through."

Small White dismantled the excuse without mercy: "This is a dead-end hallway. The stairs and the recreation room are both the other way — how could you be 'passing through'? Unless... the four of you came to spy on Master Lu Yuan and the Princess's progress?"

Her gaze slid to Wang Lingling, a hint of derision curling her lip. "This was your idea, wasn't it, Miss Wang Lingling? Only you would do something like this. Too bad — a loser in love is always a loser."

Wang Lingling narrowed her eyes, her smile never faltering. "Is that so? And why is Miss Small White stepping out at a time like this? Don't tell me Yeye kicked you out?"

Small White's smirk froze solid. The corner of her mouth twitched violently, and she couldn't find a single word to fire back.

Seeing the reaction, Wang Lingling's smile grew even sweeter. "It seems I guessed right. To think that Miss Small White, the Princess's own personal attendant, is also a loser in love. Isn't that even more pitiful than us?"

"Uuu..."

Small White trembled, on the verge of tears.

*Could my life get any worse?*

Off to the side, Li Qinghe and Shuangyue exchanged a glance, both looking slightly unnerved by the exchange.

Shuangyue secretly whispered to Li Qinghe through a voice transmission: "Are young girls these days always this terrifying?"

Li Qinghe's mouth twitched. "Best not to provoke them..."

But before long, faint screams of pain drifted through the door, and Small White's expression shifted instantly. She forgot all about her spat with Wang Lingling, worry flooding her face as she stared toward the room.

"Princess..."

Li Qinghe and the others exchanged uneasy glances.

Amy asked, puzzled, "What grade of gene is Yeye inscribing? Why does it hurt so much?"

Wang Lingling narrowed her eyes, surprise flickering across her face. "With Yeye's strength, inscribing a Sovereign Grade gene shouldn't be this painful even without Yuan's help — let alone with him there. Is she inscribing a Saint Grade gene?"

Li Qinghe and Shuangyue looked at each other, shock evident in their expressions.

Shuangyue couldn't help herself. "Saint Grade? She'll be all right, won't she?"

Li Qinghe shook her head. "Knowing Little Yuan, he would never let Yeye inscribe a gene at that level unless he was absolutely certain of success. Don't worry."

Hearing this, Small White also let out a breath of relief. From what she knew of Lu Yuan, that was exactly right.

Shuangyue's smile turned complicated. "That girl just broke through to Battle Sovereign and she's already inscribing a Saint Grade gene. That's beyond impressive."

Li Qinghe nodded. "Makes me feel old, honestly."

Shuangyue's eyes lit up with anticipation. "Once I break through to Battle Emperor, I'm getting Yuan to inscribe a Saint Grade gene for me too!"

Li Qinghe's smile stiffened, and she gave Shuangyue a sidelong look. "You sure it's not for *something else*?"

A worldly grin spread across Shuangyue's face. "What 'something else' could you possibly mean? I have no idea what you're talking about. Please, elaborate."

Li Qinghe rolled her eyes and refused to take the bait.

"Looks like Yeye's already started the inscription. It'll take some time — let's wait here."

Everyone nodded.

Inside the bathroom, Lu Yuan watched Yeye's skin turn ashen, her small face contorted with pain, and felt a pang in his chest.

But this was the price of power, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Yeye was hardly alone in this — even he, with the Evolution Cube to evolve his Transcendent Genes, had endured excruciating agony during the process.

All Lu Yuan could do was ensure Yeye completed the Gene Inscription safely.

Time passed. Gradually, the rate at which wounds appeared on Yeye's body slowed, and her screams faded to silence.

Lu Yuan could now heal her injuries with ease, without the earlier pattern of wounds splitting open again the moment they closed.

A while later, her cries stopped entirely. No new wounds appeared, and the aura fluctuating around her body began taking on something profound and mysterious.

Lu Yuan understood — Yeye had completed the first half of the Gene Inscription. What remained was slaying the Saint Grade Aberration Feral Beast within.

On that front, he had confidence in her. Yeye already possessed four Saint-grade artifacts, and combined with her formidable base attributes, defeating a beast of the same tier — even one with a Saint Grade bloodline — shouldn't pose too great a challenge.

Before long, Yeye's aura settled completely.

She slowly opened her eyes. Within her dark, cat-like pupils, black mist seemed to swirl, her presence becoming enigmatic and unfathomable.

Soon the mist dissipated, and a smile of surprised delight broke across her usually composed features.

She gazed at Lu Yuan, then gently wrapped her arms around him, her calm voice carrying unmistakable joy:

"Yuan, I did it."

Though Yeye was still covered in dried blood, Lu Yuan didn't mind in the slightest. He smiled and patted her back gently. "That was incredible. Inscribing a Saint Grade gene is agonizing — the fact that you held on shows real strength."

Yeye gave a small nod. "Mm. I thought I wasn't going to make it."

Lu Yuan chuckled and ruffled her hair, then reached up to stroke her soft, black, furry ears.

Yeye's body jolted in his arms, and a faint, involuntary sound — almost like a cat's mew — escaped her lips.

Lu Yuan paused. "?"

Yeye looked up at him, cheeks flushed pink, her dark eyes hazy and half-lidded. "It's time for the final step of the ritual."

As she spoke, she tilted her face up toward his.

Outside the room.

Si Tingyu, Si Tingxue, and Rebecca had been drawn over by Yeye's screams. They now waited anxiously for the result, worry plain on their faces.

After all, Yeye had been with Si Tingxue and the others ever since they entered the Upper Layer of the Land of Origin. By Origin-time reckoning, it had been several years of training and fighting side by side. The bonds ran deep — none of them wanted anything to happen to her.

Soon, as Yeye's cries of pain steadily faded, worry gave way to relief, then to excited smiles.

"Looks like Yeye's nearly finished with the inscription."

Li Qinghe was beaming.

Si Tingyu smiled. "I can't believe Yeye actually pulled it off — inscribing a Saint Grade gene at Battle Sovereign level. That's incredible. She's almost catching up to Yuan."

They all knew that Lu Yuan had apparently inscribed several Saint Grade genes while still at Battle Sovereign himself — though his had been evolved through the Evolution Cube, which was a different matter entirely.

Once the screams had completely subsided, a stretch of silence passed — and then a different kind of sound began drifting through the door.

Si Tingxue's expression froze the instant she recognized it, and she pointedly looked away. Rebecca ducked her head, her face blazing scarlet.

Everyone else's expressions turned... complicated.

After a beat of heavy silence, Li Qinghe muttered irritably:

"I knew it. That rotten little brother is bullying Yeye!"

Amy's eyes went wide with shock — as though all the theoretical knowledge she'd recently acquired was suddenly being demonstrated in practice. Her mind went completely blank.

Wang Lingling glanced from a quietly delighted Small White to the dazed Amy and sighed inwardly.

*These teammates are hopeless, Coach. I'd like to request a transfer.*

Shuangyue grinned at the group, then let out a mischievous laugh. "Well, I'm off to train! The sooner I break through, the sooner I get my gene inscription. And when I do — it's going to be Saint Grade!"

Si Tingyu was quiet for a moment, then spoke. "Let's celebrate for Yeye today. We can talk about the rest tomorrow."

Rebecca raised her hand timidly and said in a small voice, "Um... the two of them probably won't be coming out tonight."

Li Qinghe and the others: "???"

Several pairs of eyes swiveled to Rebecca, then to Si Tingxue.

Considering this was advice from someone who'd been through it, Li Qinghe turned and headed for the exit. "Let's go train."

Everyone except Small White filed out immediately.

Small White stood rooted to the spot, conflict warring across her face.

Then, clinging to one last shred of hope, she knocked softly on the door.

"Princess... may Small White come in?"

The sounds that had been making her heart ache suddenly went silent.

Small White: "????"

She ran to the Training Hall in tears.

The next day, around noon, Lu Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

He glanced at Yeye curled up against him like a black cat and felt a soft smile spread across his face.

*Mm... Yeye really does feel different from the others.*

Apart from the puzzling interlude of Small White trying to come in last night, the first time had been quite wonderful for Yeye — of that much, he was confident.

He just couldn't figure out why Small White had suddenly wanted to enter.

Then it occurred to him that he'd forgotten — *again* — to set up any kind of soundproofing.

He'd only remembered after Small White knocked.

His thoughts drifted to Li Qinghe and the others who'd been lurking around the corner, and his expression turned awkward.

At first, he'd assumed they were simply curious about Yeye's Transcendent Gene inscription.

Now, in hindsight... that might not have been the only reason.

*Hmm...*

Even with Lu Yuan's thick skin, he felt a twinge of embarrassment.

While he was lost in thought, Yeye stirred slightly and mumbled in her half-dream:

"...Can't eat any more... too much..."

Lu Yuan couldn't help but laugh. *Is she dreaming about food even now?*

Then Yeye murmured again, barely above a whisper:

"Yuan... no! I've already eaten too much..."

Lu Yuan: "???"

He gave her a strange look. *What exactly is she dreaming about eating?*

*And am I the one feeding her?*

Before long, Yeye's eyes drifted open. Seeing Lu Yuan, something flickered in her dark pupils, and a faint smile graced her lips.

"Yuan. Morning."