By the looks of it, Firey was making the breakthrough much earlier than he had expected. At this speed, she would only need another day to finish this process.

To do so, she had to keep a steady pace.

She was fighting against the poisonous mad dog’s last resistance. If she won, she could absorb its energy and make a successful breakthrough.

If she failed, the dog’s energy would dissipate, and Firey’s cultivation would go awry.

However, with Himmel Soan keeping watch, that wasn’t going to happen.

The following day, Firey’s energy gradually calmed down. She had reached the Mahayana stage.

“Mahayana only?”

The dog was a sacred beast. After absorbing its energy, Firey should be able to reach the Emperor stage.

The two stages didn’t make much difference to Himmel Soan. As long as Firey was alright, he could accept any outcome.

Firey slowly opened her eyes. “I think I made a breakthrough.”

She felt like she had had a dream. When she woke up, she had advanced a level. Of course, she was elated.

When she was strong enough, she could help Himmel Soan.

The breakthrough was great news.

“Congratulations!” Himmel Soan acknowledged her improvement.

Although it wasn’t what he had expected, it was still good news. At least there were no accidents.

“I feel different from before,” Firey said in surprise after examining herself.

“How? What’s the difference?” Himmel Soan asked.

“I feel like a real human!”

A real human?

Himmel Soan didn’t understand this until he examined Firey with his mental force.

He finally saw what she meant. It was as Firey said: she was a real human now.

Before, other people would recognize Firey being the essence of nature when she exerted her power.

Being the essence of nature wasn’t a good thing for Firey. Many people saw her as a treasure instead of a person.

But now, they had to admit she was a person. She was a human being by all standards. No one would see her as a treasure anymore.

“Yes, it’s good news!

“You’re a big girl now. If you want to leave, all you need is to talk to me.”

Himmel Soan was amazed.

So many things had happened since he met Firey on Earth. Time flew by so fast.

Firey had grown up in the blink of an eye. She wasn’t a kid anymore. One day, she would leave him to travel the world on her own.

Himmel Soan sighed with emotions.

“No! I’ll never leave you!” Firey clenched her fists, looking determined.

Himmel Soan nodded without saying a word. He closed his eyes to recover his strength.

…

Somewhere else in the forest, Ciger learned of Lumi’s death and found the three-eyed cat.

“Why are you not dead?” The cat was surprised and alarmed.

She had betrayed the tiger and almost directly caused his death. How did he come back from death?

“I know why you’re surprised. You don’t need to be scared. I won’t kill you, at least not before Yagon is dead.

“Didn’t you make a choice back then? I’ll give you a choice now.

“Will you report to Yagon or help me to get rid of Phoe?” Ciger asked.

He gave the three-eyed cat another chance.

“Where’s your other head?” The cat was perplexed.

She turned on the tiger earlier because she was worried that the tiger would attack her.

Where was the tiger’s other head?

The cat realized her question was too impertinent, but she didn’t think much of it.

She was also a sacred beast. She might not be as capable as Ciger, but she was much better at hiding and escaping.

“I said I won’t do anything to you, and I’ll keep that promise. If I wanted to kill you, you’ll stand no chance at all!”

Ciger activated his energy. The power he demonstrated was as impressive as Yagon’s, if not stronger.

The three-eyed cat was so shocked that she wanted to flee. The tiger was too powerful; it was impossible for her to defeat him.

He could easily crush her.

Could she even escape?

Still, she wouldn’t give up. As long as she was alive, anything was possible.

“It’s like I said. I’ll give you some time to make up your mind. If you want to leave, I won’t attack or try to stop you.

“I have something to tell you.

“Lumi and the poisonous mad dog are dead, while Yagon and Phoe are weakened.

“Which side will you choose?”

Ciger told the cat about the current situation.

He wasn’t worried that the cat would help Yagon because he had demonstrated his power. He would be the strongest one no matter what.

However, the cat would have to pay for what she had done.

If she hadn’t betrayed him, Yagon would have been dead by now, and things wouldn’t have turned out this way.

However, her betrayal was the reason that he only had one head now.

Everything was linked. Ciger didn’t hate the cat that much. It would only help his cause if he could win her to his side to fight against Phoe.

A friend was always better than an enemy.

He waited for the cat’s choice.

“What about that mysterious young man, the one that came with Phoe? He’s extraordinary. How is he now?” the cat asked.

Yagon and Phoe both respected that man, so there must be something special about him.