Reborn As A Ghost: Time To Build My Undead Army!-Chapter 1763: Celebrations

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"Whew, your Soul Realm has grown so large now, Maria!" Alma said, gazing through the window connected to it. "It’s amazing!"

"Did you say the time dilation is even longer now?" Emeraldine asked. "That will come in handy."

"I agree. I feel like I need to refine my strength just a bit more before we confront the Celestial Palace," Arthur said.

Thanks to her Soul Realm expanding so vastly, Maria’s control over the dimension within her soul had increased dramatically. She could now adjust the time dilation to a much greater degree, more than doubling its previous efficiency. This meant that two weeks inside now equated to roughly twenty-two hours outside, compared to forty-eight hours before.

"There’s something different about you now, Maria," Lucifer observed. "It’s like you’re glowing, but not quite. It’s strange. There’s a white, cloud-like aura surrounding you, though it’s invisible to ordinary eyes."

"Is that so? It must be this new Stat I gained—or rather, this new type of energy," Maria said.

"What is it called, Mama?" Nyx asked, biting into a large fried shrimp drizzled with sweet soy sauce.

"Celestial Power!" Maria announced, raising her hand as bright light surged from her palms. "It’s quite fascinating! It’s tied to the Heavenly Dao and the Heavenly Ki of the Three Heavens in Murim—a substance similar to Nightmare Power, almost alive, like an organism in its own right."

"Huh? Wait, it’s alive?!" Arthur exclaimed. "But weren’t the Heavens rejecting you?"

"Yeah, but they were forced to merge with me anyway," Maria giggled. "You see, my dear brother, Immortals grow stronger by refining and absorbing a fragment of Heaven itself. That’s how they gain such immense abilities and become Celestial Immortals! Since I absorbed the Celestial Immortal Realms from three of those beings—even though I didn’t directly consume their power—I inherited this energy regardless, whether the Heavens liked it or not."

"Hahaha! That’s hilarious!" Partner laughed, sipping wine and tearing into a large piece of roasted Sunflare Boar meat, a specialty of the Sunlight Mountain Sect. "Does that mean you’re like them now, Master?"

"Eh, not exactly. It’s just a power I have now, and I need to figure out how to use it properly," Maria explained. "But from what I can sense, it enhances my ability to manipulate and refine Ki, making it stronger, higher in quality, and far more potent. It also boosts the power and effects of all Martial Arts, Spells, Techniques, and Skills that rely on Ki. Pretty cool, right?"

"I wish I had that," Arthur muttered, sipping soup after finishing his large bowl of noodles. "Hmm, maybe I could perform the ritual and try ascending to Celestial Immortal myself."

"Perhaps, but I’m against it for now, brother," Maria said. "We don’t want to alert the Heavenly Emperor yet. Let’s lay low during these twenty-two hours outside. Ah, I also gained quite a few items."

Maria had accumulated piles of Sanguine Relics and Immortal Artifacts, along with a couple of broken Dharma Treasures that she had already merged into the Pagoda. These weapons and items weren’t particularly impressive in her own hands, so she decided to distribute several of them to her family and closest disciples.

"It’s a pity we couldn’t find the souls of my people," Wu Lieng sighed.

"It’ll be okay, Master. We will find them," Kim Hua reassured him.

"Mereow!" Little Black purred, rubbing against his master to cheer him up.

He had fully evolved into a unique "Dream Ghost" with remarkable powers. His death had been tragic, but Maria’s abilities—and her "Soul Insurance," as she called it—had softened the blow, ensuring everyone who died always had a second chance.

"Wait, what? Really?" Alma asked in surprise. "The souls... weren’t there?"

"You searched everywhere, right, Maria?" Emeraldine pressed.

"Yes, I did," Maria sighed. "Unfortunately, the Soul Orb containing the souls of the Blood Demon Sect members wasn’t among the many treasures Archduchess Veloria possessed. After interrogating the souls of all her subordinates, I learned she had left it in the Vampire Sect building, where her father—the Head of the Lucarion Family—is currently residing. Ugh."

"Yeah, I was there during the interrogations," Jonathan said. "Apparently, it was meant as a soul offering to the Crimson Emperor. The Family Head plans to send it next week when he returns to Umbralheim."

"A week? We still have plenty of time, then!" Emeraldine said brightly.

"Yes, please cheer up, Grandpa Wu Lieng!" Alma added with a nod.

"Haah... thank you," Wu Lieng said, managing a small smile. "I know we still have a chance. We can’t waste it. But Maria, about that Family Head..."

"I’ll take care of him," Maria replied firmly. "Or rather, we’ll take care of him together, right?"

"But just how strong is he?" Lucifer asked.

"Very strong—so strong that even the Heavenly Emperor is wary of him," Maria said. "And that’s not even considering the Golden Dragon Emperor. I don’t know where that monster is right now. I’ll interrogate the three Heavenly Saints later to find out."

"Hmmm, we should do that tomorrow morning," Wu Lieng agreed. "Well then, until tomorrow, I’ll return to my chambers. My body is aching. An old man like me shouldn’t have gone through all that, hohoho."

"Goodnight!" Nyx waved cheerfully. "Um? Wait, where are the Dhampir siblings?"

"They were exhausted and went to sleep," Lin Ming said, sipping green tea and closing his eyes with a sigh. "They’ve been through a lot. They need rest."

"Yep, they’re good kids," Maria said warmly. "And you—the assassin my husband converted, right? Huhuh, do you like my husband or something? Are you in love with him?"

"W-What?!" Lin Ming gasped, spitting out his tea. "There are no such feelings in my heart! It is solely admiration!"

"Hahaha, Maria, don’t tease him like that," Jonathan giggled. "Would you let him join the sect?"

"Sure, why not? He seems nicer than I expected. I think he’ll be compatible with our Martial Arts. You’ve suffered a great deal, haven’t you?" Maria asked.

"I... have," he admitted. "But why does that matter?"

"It’s the most basic requirement to learn these Martial Arts," Maria explained. "It’s a power that only those who have endured the greatest suffering can truly master. Those who lived privileged lives without hardship are simply incompatible."

"I see. What an intriguing Martial Art," Lin Ming said with a nod. "I’ll be grateful for your teachings, Lady Maria."

"You’re a good boy," Maria said, patting his head gently with her fan. "Anyway, let’s drink more! Bring it in! Bring all the wine! Let’s dance too! Come on, assassin—this is your first assignment in my sect. Show us some good moves! Hahaha!"

"H-Huh?!"

Maria raised her bottles high, and the party continued deep into the night. The three Heavenly Saints watched in quiet awe as these powerful beings celebrated with pure joy, laughing and reveling like ordinary mortals. A stark and touching contrast to their ferocity on the battlefield.

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