Jing was the only person left on the stairs. Everyone else either failed behind her or made it up top and passed. All of their eyes were on her while tears ran down her face. Unconsciously her feet started moving up the stairs, increasing their pace every second. Murmurs began to arise from the crowd.

“Took her long enough to get started moving. She was on that first step the entire time!”

“I thought she would die of old age before she moved again.”

“Damn it! Fine Doulin, take my money. I thought she would fail for sure for how long she was taking.”

“Hehehe! Didn’t you see how much focus the elders were giving her? You need to be more observant man. She’s going to become a big character. Just watch how many spirit stones I get betting on her throughout this tournament.”

  As Jing glided up the large staircase without any issues, memories flashed across her mind. These memories didn’t solidify until she saw all of their faces once more. Hu Tao, Wan Qing, Ying, Li Li, Jie, Runt, Bing, and Lei Zhi. Out of all her lives, none of them became notable figures and because she had no memory of them, she never got involved with any of them. Even during the last stretch of her lives, she didn’t recognize them.

“I missed you all...” Jing softly spoke.

  She realized that all of them had any potential future at all thanks to her. No wait, that’s not true... It was only thanks to the system at all that their lives have changed for the better. Jing’s effect on them was minimal if she thought about it. Their relationship with her was all built on the system. That was why she never got involved with them during her ten thousand lives as closely as she did in this life.

  It was all luck that they were her closest companions right now. Unlike the allies, she’s made over several lifetimes. Their relationship wasn’t built upon through their character but a give and take. Jing gave them enticing rewards that fed directly into the curse that every cultivator suffers from, Endless Greed. With their curse satiated, it invoked positive emotions within them to continue their relationship with Jing. Her personality wasn’t any of their concern. But her overwhelming strength, cutthroat attitude, and boundless gifts hypnotized them into being close with her and each other.

  With her access to the system temporarily revoked because of the update, she was somewhat normal right now. However, there was not much of a difference now just because she couldn’t use the system. In fact, with the knowledge and experience of all her lives weaving and mixing through her refined brain, Jing would say she didn’t even need the system anymore. There were so many treasures littered throughout the Evergreen continent that no one knew about right now and much more that would reveal themselves in the future at certain times.

  But just because she doesn’t need the system anymore, didn’t mean that she wouldn’t use it to its maximum efficiency. Jing hated being wasteful after all.

“You missed us?” Bing repeated her words as if he had trouble comprehending them.

‘Mom!’ Li Li flew into Jing’s arms and rubbed himself on her. Jing gently petted him as she did miss him.

“What the hell took you so long?” Hu Tao was conflicted.

  His instincts were telling him that this wasn’t the same Jing he talked to before the test started. And that agitated him greatly. That smile, those tears, the way she carried herself. It was like she suddenly turned into an entirely different person! If he wasn’t watching her the entire time, Hu Tao would be certain that this was a whole nother woman in front of him!

“And what the hell happened to you...?” He asked soon after.

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“What do you mean what happened to her? She probably just went through some past traumatic experiences.” Wan Qing was interested in knowing why it took her so long as well.

“No, she’s different...” Hu Tao didn’t know how to explain it.

“What the hell are you talking about, idiot?” Ying questioned. Jing looked no different in her eyes.

“Hu Tao is not wrong. Something about Jing is indeed different.” Lei Zhi smiled.

  Lei Zhi has always been aware of Jing’s unique and abnormal body compared to the other humans. It was rather impossible for him not to be with his auxiliary martial art, Blind Man Can See. The technique improved all of his other senses by destroying his sense of sight. He could recognize people from their heartbeat, smell, sound, physical shape, etc. The Jing in front of him wasn’t the same Jing that gave him this coat.

  The difference was minute and incredibly difficult to spot but Lei Zhi could tell. He was impressed that Tao was able to notice it as well. But he wasn’t really surprised, Tao was known for doing incredible things. What he did want to know was how the boy figured out Jing was different. Was it just his instincts alone or a martial art that Lei wasn’t aware of?

  Runt silently took a picture of Jing to figure out what everyone was talking about. This action did not escape Jing’s notice. However, she did not try to avoid the picture because she knew exactly what she wanted to do at this moment. Jing calmly closed the distance between her and the others by walking forward.

  She was finally back in the real world. No longer would she have to go through life knowing that everything around her was nothing but a sequence of events being repeated over and over and over again. Everything that was to come in the future would mostly be a surprise. With the introduction of the system, this world has already changed very much compared to the world from the ten thousand lifetimes she went through.

  There was a deep fear in the smallest crevice of her heart that this world that she believed was real was also a fake. If she died with the system, would she just restart all over in the forest again? Jing’s fear of death already waned itself out around life 800. But a fear of death was different from a fear of being trapped in a fake world for eternity. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as if she could test this thought out. If it was real, she would’ve killed herself for no reason. If it was fake, then what could she do?

  As water extended from Jing’s arms and pulled everyone in her group towards her, she realized that her only way of finding out would be to reach the final cultivation stage: One With All. Everyone was confused and completely embarrassed by the group hug that Jing forced them into in front of the entire sect. Did she not realize that this was an evil sect!? The only hugging done here is done in the privacy of one’s home between a man and a woman! Or a man and a man. Or a woman and a man! But nothing like this!

  While Runt was being crushed in between Bing and Ying during the group hug, he was startled when he looked at the photo. In the photo, Jing was plastered with a gentle smile on her face that was quite different from all the other smiles he’s seen her have. On both sides of her Heaven’s Angels were alongside her. Behind her were hundreds of faces that he didn’t recognize at all! They were either smiling along with Jing or doing her own thing. He didn’t understand anything at all...

“Who are you and where have you taken the love of my life!?” Hu Tao shouted as he tried escaping the hug.

“Lei Zhi. Hu Tao. You both were right. I did change somewhat after facing my heart demons.” Jing calmly said.

“I hope you all won’t treat me too differently after you start noticing the differences.” She gave a soft laugh.

“Can we be let go now?” Ying’s face was flushed red as the side of her face was forced against Bing’s face.

“I’m never going to find a wife after this...” Bing muttered sadly. What woman would like a man that has group hugs with his friends?

“I don’t think you have to worry about something like that.” Wan Qing giggled, giving Ying a playful look.

  Ying glared at her to keep her mouth shut. Qing didn’t mind the group hug but she was certainly confused about it. Well, she did mind that she was next to the flailing Hu Tao but since Jing was in front of her, it wasn’t bad. The real question that she wanted to know was the hug for them or was it for Jing? Qing hoped that whatever she went through she could help her through it.

“Ow! Hu Tao you just hit me! Quit acting like a kid!” Jie shouted while covering her eye with her hand.

“This is quite an unusual scene but I hope you all don’t mind if I speak.” The Supreme Commander directed his voice over to them. Laughter began to ring out after all the focus was brought on them.

  Everyone but Jing and Li Li was embarrassed.

“You can speak.” Jing spoke up for the rest of them but she didn’t release them from her hug.

  Ten thousand lives! She needed this. Only an idiot would be embarrassed to express their feelings in front of strangers.