Just as Avinash was about to take his leave, his eyes suddenly narrowed. A strange fluctuation passed through the air, almost imperceptible to others. But his Celestial Reincarnation Eyes glowed faintly, catching a glimpse of something... or someone.
His expression turned serious as he subtly lowered his head.
'How did this woman get suspicious of me…? No… Could it be she saw through the big fat duck disguise?'
At that moment, the familiar mechanical voice of the system echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Daughter of Destiny detected.]
Avinash's gaze turned sharper. 'System… Is it the same woman you detected back in Norway City?'
[Ding! Affirmative, Host.]
'What's her cultivation realm?' he asked, his heartbeat subtly increasing.
[Ding! Deity Realm.]
A cold shiver ran down his spine. Deity Realm!
'Buy a cultivation sealing seal. Now.'
[Ding! 100,000 Destiny Points deducted. Cultivation Sealing Seal successfully purchased.]
'Son of a— This system is daylight robbery!' he cursed inwardly, but didn't voice it aloud. Any unnecessary movement could expose him. That woman... she was already on his trail.
Without delay, he activated the spatial power of the Celestial Reincarnation Eyes. Space twisted and wrapped around him silently, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished without a trace.
The surroundings remained silent for a long time, as though nothing had happened. But then, a thin crack split open in the air.
From that rift stepped out a woman whose very presence distorted reality.
Nine ethereal tails swayed behind her like a celestial fox spirit, each movement carrying an indescribable grace. Her body was the epitome of perfection—her waist, her thighs, her curves—each one sculpted as though the heavens themselves had carved her to tempt even the gods. And her charm… it wasn't mere beauty; it was a force that could topple sects.
Even though Avinash was hiding deep within the folds of space, his heart skipped a beat. For a moment, even he was stunned by her celestial allure.
'This… this is the Divine Saintess of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan?!'
But he quickly activated Reality Watch, forcibly suppressing his thoughts and stabilising his will.
The woman's enchanting eyes swept the area, her brows furrowed.
"Did he… see me? No, that's impossible. He's only at the Foundation Building stage. How could he possibly perceive me?"
Her voice was soft yet carried an imperial tone.
"I didn't expect to encounter the bearer of the Chaos Qilin Bloodline here... And now, I've lost him. But how did he disappear so suddenly?"
A rare frown appeared on her flawless face. She was confused—genuinely confused. And before she could process further—
Bang!
A powerful strike landed squarely on her back. Despite her speed and cultivation, she had no time to react. Her body staggered forward, eyes wide in disbelief.
She spun around—but there was no one there.
Suddenly, a wave of weakness spread through her body. Her cultivation—gone.
"What—!?"
Another sharp blow struck her head. Her vision darkened.
Thud!
The Divine Saintess collapsed to the ground, her tails vanishing into motes of light.
Avinash appeared beside her, breathing heavily, his expression solemn.
"I didn't think I'd ever encounter the famed Divine Saintess of the Nine-Tailed Divine Clan like this... Dammit, even if I deactivated Reality Watch for a second, I would've fallen under her charm and become her puppet."
He looked at her unconscious figure. Her aura alone was terrifying—one of the most dangerous existences in the world.
'Is her target Ye Chen? Is she trying to pair someone from her clan with him so they can manipulate him? That's plausible… The Fox Clan always had their ways. Still, this woman is too dangerous to leave unchecked.'
He extended his hand, forming a complex seal.
"Let's seal her first."
With a wave of his will, the timeless dimension opened. Carefully, Avinash lifted her unconscious body with a strand of spiritual force and sealed her inside.
Without lingering another moment, he himself vanished into the dimension—leaving nothing behind but the quiet hum of disrupted space.
When she woke up again, her eyes shimmered faintly in the soft radiance of the timeless realm.
She still couldn't move. Her cultivation was sealed. Her divine charm, suppressed. And yet, her voice—soft and silvery—echoed in the vast silence.
Stillness.
Utter, absolute stillness.
It was a space devoid of wind, sound, or time itself. A realm where nothing aged, nothing moved—except her thoughts.
She tried to shift her body, but—
Nothing.
Her limbs refused to respond. Even her divine energy had been sealed, her celestial bloodline suppressed to a terrifying degree.
'W-What is this place…?'
Just as panic began to bloom in her heart, a realization struck her like thunder.
—She was completely immobilised. Not by injury, not by technique, but because time itself was not flowing around her body.
Her lips parted instinctively, but no voice came out.
Then, as though responding to her silent scream, an invisible force unlocked only one thing—her ability to speak.
"Hey..."
Avinash appeared nearby, meditating cross-legged with his eyes half-closed. But at her voice, he opened them lazily, as if expecting her.
She blinked slowly, her tone gentle and innocent this time.
"What's this place, really? There's no time… no change... it's weird. Like I'm floating inside a painting that never moves."
Avinash gave a slight nod, not bothering to explain. He didn't need to.
She pouted slightly. "Are you always this quiet? Aren't you bored? You're holding a woman like me prisoner, and you won't even talk?"
"…You're not a guest. You're a prisoner."
"Oh? Then as your prisoner, don't I have the right to ask questions?" she said, her tone teasing but not seductive this time—strangely childlike.
Avinash narrowed his eyes but didn't respond.
She tried to tilt her head but couldn't.
"…Your eyes," she murmured. "They're not divine-grade. Not from any known clan or beast lineage. What are they?"
Avinash let out a breath. "A forbidden physique."
She blinked. "They actually exist?"
"Of course," he said simply.
Her lips parted.
"…That sounds terrifying."
"It is."
"And yet, you're alive." Her gaze sharpened slightly. "Most with such physiques are either hunted down or consumed by their own power."
Avinash look at her but said nothing.
"…You've died before, haven't you?"
That shut the air still for a moment.
He didn't confirm it. But she knew.
She tilted her eyes toward him again. "You're like a walking paradox. A mortal… with a divine secret."
He raised an eyebrow. "And you're a saintess who manipulates through charm. You're no less of a paradox."
She giggled. "Fair enough. But I'm not trying to destroy the world."
"Neither am I."
She leaned slightly, her voice curious. "Your bloodline… it smelled ancient. Beastly. Chaotic. Is it the Chaos Qilin?"
"…Yeah."
She sucked in a sharp breath.
"You… you really are collecting forbidden powers like toys, aren't you?"
Avinash didn't reply.
She stared at him for a while, then whispered softly, "You're interesting."
Avinash stood up slowly, brushing off his robes. His eyes turned cold again.
"Now, tell me. Why would someone like you come down to a lower realm?"
She smiled mischievously. "Who knows? Maybe I was searching for my prince charming," she said while slowly trailing her gaze from his head to his toes.
He didn't reply.
"Fine, fine. I was sent to find the bearer of the Beast Emperor Physique. Someone from our clan was supposed to form a cultivation pair with him… so we could tie his destiny to ours."
"…Oh."
Avinash responded lazily, but his mind was already calculating.
"Now it's my turn," she said with a curious gleam. "Which clan are you from?"
"None."
Her eyes widened. "Then how do you know so much? About my clan, my identity… even about my realm's politics? A Foundation Building cultivator shouldn't have access to such knowledge. And that sealing treasure… even in the upper realm, it's considered rare! You—!"
Just as she was about to continue, Avinash raised a finger to his lips.
"Shhh."
She paused, caught off guard.
He smiled faintly. "You shouldn't ask those questions. And besides—"
His tone turned mocking.
"—if the rest of the world knew that one of the most beautiful women in existence was acting like a curious child, asking questions with sparkles in her eyes… what would they think?"
She froze.
Then… she laughed. Genuinely.
"You're wicked," she whispered. "But I like it."
"Shut up," then he disappeared.