Elysian’s eyes widened as a wave of realization washed over him, flooding his mind with clarity. At that moment, it was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing a truth that had been obscured from his mind.

‘Psion is closely related to the mind, but the known Upper Dantian’s effect is the enhancement of the mental defense. I think this is one of the reasons why I managed to survive this place. And the other reason?

Hmm…

Well, I don’t know. With our cultivation differences, even my past self wouldn’t have been able to survive. But this is not in Creation, though. Not the material realm, but her realm, which seems to be a mental plane.

I haven’t ventured to another realm in my previous life. I’ve heard stories, though, about other realms, like the elemental realms, for example. Well, there are many of them in stories and legends. One person I know even managed to go there. That crazy b*stard. Sigh.

As for me? I’m not interested in going there. I just don’t see the point.

This place doesn’t seem to match what I’ve heard. A blood realm, maybe? No, this is likely BloodShade’s realm. But shouldn’t realms be something like the domain of the gods or higher beings? And I’m sure that woman isn’t.

Hmm… So, a realm, but not a true realm. Do all living weapons have realms, and will they have different rules? I don’t know; I’m not really an expert on these things.

Hmm…

Wait, the Eye of Sacraeon might have something to do with my survival. If I recall correctly, it did mention that it boosted my mental defenses or something like that. If my mind were indeed boosted by Eye, I believe it would be a considerable boost. Not to mention that BloodShade wasn’t in optimal condition; the dagger was rusted and full of holes. Also, my will was already strong from the very beginning. So, this might likely be the real reason why I managed to survive this wretched place.

Surviving is one thing; healing is a different matter altogether. I should know because I was able to use one thanks to a specialized merchant class before.

If I had to guess, this is likely a hidden effect of Psion. While Qi improves healing regeneration and Mana increases energy regeneration, the effects of Psion are less understood. It’s generally accepted that it enhances mental defenses and energy control, but compared to the other dantians, knowledge about it is limited. This is expected since Psion is relatively unpopular.

Well, I’ll think more about it later. For now, I’ll just gladly accept this lucky boon.’

As Elysian reveled in the recent turn of events, his jubilation quickly soured into a frown upon realizing that his dantian generated only a small amount of energy. Initially unconcerned, he had assumed it would improve over time as his dantian became more active, perhaps going into overdrive to convert his energy. Now, it was clear that this was not the case. Upon inspecting his dantian, he observed the energy slowly trickling down, akin to squeezing the last drops of juice from a dried fruit.

‘Damn it! My situation is bad.

It seems the amount of energy I receive is proportional to the size of the hole in her realm.

Not only is she significantly stronger than me now, but her cultivation surpasses even that of my past life by a considerable margin. Additionally, I find myself in her realm, a domain where she wields control akin to that of a god. Starting with a disadvantage, it is now compounded by the meager amount of energy I can generate. Isn’t this totally unfair? The situation I am in now is too depressing. Sh*t!

What can I even do with this limited aura?

Sigh.

Just when I thought everything was going fine, this happened. This is really messed up.

What do I do now?’

Elysian stared ahead, his mind racing as he searched for an answer.

‘Can a powerless mortal truly hope to contend against a godlike figure like her?’

As despair threatened to consume the boy, his gaze fell once more upon the mad woman. She continued to laugh and scream, bent in her futile attempt to attack the colossal eye.

‘Well, at least I’m not the only one in deep sh*t. It’s comforting to have company. But the longer I watch her, the more irritated I become. Isn’t she tired? Also, throwing all your energy at Eye is just a waste of resources. It’s better if she…

Wait… Wait. Even though she’s extremely strong, isn’t she still a cultivator? That means she has the same limitations as all cultivators, doesn’t it?

Energy.’

Elysian’s eyes widened upon his discovery as he silently watched BloodShade on her endless rampage. His lips slowly curled up into a wide grin when he noticed that the lake of blood was lower than before. Well, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal since she was using the blood as her spears, after all. However, when he glanced at the obsidian pillars, he could see cracks visibly forming. Even the branches and heads attached to it were withered to the point that a few would crumble with just a puff of wind.

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‘This is a common mistake that cultivators make. Even with her seemingly endless supply of energy, it wouldn’t be enough considering the level of ability she is using, coupled with her relentless attack. At the rate she was going, she’d use up all her energy in no time.

Well, this only happened because she completely lost her mind. If she hadn’t, I doubt this would have happened.

It seems I’m lucky this time, and I truly deserved it after all the sh*t I’ve experienced tonight. And in life. Isn’t it time for fate to finally be on my side?’

This new revelation instantly filled him with giddy delight. How could he not be? He was nearly healed now; his two legs were as good as brand new. Not only that, he could simply stay there without lifting a finger and wait for everything to resolve itself. And so he waited. Just as he expected, the woman gradually began to breathe hard, exhausted. Despite her worsening condition, her maniacal attack never wavered. It continued relentlessly, pursuing justice against an enemy she alone could see.

‘She’s lucky that Eye sees her as anything but an insect beneath its notice. And it considered me as one too. Sigh.

It's insulting, but I’m grateful in this situation.’

As BloodShade’s rampage continued, all the branches that extended from the pillars lay on the ground, brittle and breaking down into dust. Even the screaming heads were now mere skulls, lacking the horror they once emanated, a husk of their past selves. The two obsidian pillars that once radiated power were now falling, crumbling to the ground like ruins, drained of all their resilience and vigor. Even the boundless lake of blood, the hallmark of her realm, was nearly depleted in her rage-filled assault.

Just as Elysian was feeling smug about it, his wide grin slowly faded into a frown.

‘Wait, if she continues like this, wouldn’t her realm eventually collapse?

Sh*t.

Didn’t I just save her realm from collapsing? And now she’s destroying it herself? You’ve got to be kidding me. This isn’t happening, right?

Damn it, not again.’

When the truth of his situation hit him, Elysian’s mouth hung open, beads of sweat dotting his forehead.

‘Me and my big mouth. Fate on my side? When was she ever on my side? She always raises my hopes before slamming them to the ground.

This is f*cked up.’

“Hey, you b*tch! Are you trying to kill yourself? Stop this already!” Elysian screamed at the top of his lungs. No matter how loud he yelled, BloodShade just ignored him and continued her dance of folly.

‘I have no choice but to break free from my restraints, or else I might truly die here. This sucks.’

With gritted teeth, the young noble focused his aura into his arm, pulling with all his strength. Oblivious to the tree’s weakened state due to BloodShade’s actions, he yanked fiercely, causing the branches to snap, sending him hurtling into the lake of blood. Despite its reduced volume, the lake still contained enough blood for him to swallow several gulps upon impact.

‘Yecch!’

The foul taste and sensation were so overwhelming that Elysian’s throat convulsed as he desperately attempted to expel the blood he’d accidentally swallowed. He gagged, feeling his stomach lurch with the effort to rid itself of the crimson liquid that had invaded his mouth and throat.

‘Why is this happening to me? All I wanted was to celebrate tonight, and here I am, trapped in some nightmarish realm, drinking blood. This situation is beyond messed up.

Sigh.

Why am I even bothering to question why this is happening? It’s my own fault for getting tangled up in the first place. If only I hadn’t…

Sigh.

It’s already done. And it’s my fault, as usual. I need to face the consequences of my decisions and actions.’

Elysian steeled his mind and turned his attention back to the woman. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that BloodShade wasn’t paying attention to him, even with all the noise that he made.

‘Lucky, she’s so focused on her attacks that she didn’t notice me.’

Standing up, Elysian slowly maneuvered behind the woman. When he was certain that she was still focused on her assault on Eye, the boy channeled all her aura into her legs and sprinted forward. Before he could come any closer, a smaller version of her spear lanced towards him. Fortunately, his reflexes were quick enough to evade it, and his experience taught him not to lower his guard regardless of the circumstances. He swiftly retreated and prepared himself for any potential counterattack from the creature.

‘Sh*t. That was close.’

Elysian waited tensely, his breaths shallow and his senses heightened, but no counterattack came from her. Instead, she remained oblivious to his presence, consumed by her single-minded frenzy as she relentlessly assaulted the colossal eye.

‘What the hell is she doing? Is she just messing with me?

No, that can’t be it.

Hmm…

This is odd.’

Unsure of his next move, Elysian meticulously observed her actions, searching for any hint of a trap. Finding no obvious signs of deception, he reluctantly decided to launch another attack, conscious of the urgency of the situation. However, he was extremely cautious this time, knowing an attack might be coming and, worse, this might just be a ploy from her.

As predicted, a spear of blood materialized suddenly, hurtling toward him. Already expecting the attack, he reacted swiftly, sidestepping it with ease. Instead of retreating, he went forward and continued with his attack. Yet, the closer he got to her, the more spears appeared with increasing velocity, posing a serious threat. Though he couldn’t die from the attack, it would be a big waste of time, which he couldn’t afford.

With little choice left, Elysian decided to retreat for now, realizing the necessity of evaluating his strategy in the face of escalating danger.

‘It seems those spears are merely a passive defensive mechanism that protects her. Hmm…

Sigh.

This is going to be difficult. With my limited aura, my options are severely restricted. If I proceed halfheartedly, I’ll only end up wasting my energy and time. Now, my only option is to risk everything on my next attack. I must get her back to her senses or, preferably, disable her.

I loathe finding myself in this kind of situation again.’

Drawing in a deep breath, Elysian tried to be calm; however, the creases on his forehead betrayed his frustration. His gaze bore into the woman, intense and unyielding. Each beat of silence was thick with an unspoken weight of tension, as his next move would determine if he could finally get out of this situation. If he failed, he would be in much deeper trouble.

“Hebimichi Kamae,” the boy whispered.