Chapter 15: Beyond Raw Strength: A Looming Prophecy

“Who’s there?”

Bai Li swiftly turned her head, her internal alarm for the voice’s owner rising to its absolute peak.

Though she had just been chatting with Lin Xi and felt secure in their safe location, the ability to approach her so closely and speak indicated that the other party was no ordinary individual.

In terms of strength, they were at least more powerful than Lin Xi, conservatively estimated to be at least D-rank Upper.

“There’s no need for such vigilance.”

A woman, clad in white Daoist robes and resembling a celestial fairy, raised a hand to soothe Bai Li.

Lin Xi, too, recognized the identity of the woman standing before them.

“Division Chief Yu Menghua? What brings you here?”

“Oh, nothing much, just dropping by to see what our magical girl, the star of tomorrow, is up to.”

This woman was Yu Menghua, the Division Chief of the Weichangzhe Organization’s Tiangong City branch, known by her moniker, ‘Dream Blossom’.

Within Tiangong City, she was a renowned figure; a C-rank Upper-tier ability user, a cultivator with formidable spellcasting prowess.

Coupled with her exquisite swordsmanship, she could make opponents feel as if they were wandering through a dreamlike flower garden, only to wither away in an instant.

With such power, it was little wonder she had become the Division Chief—at least, that was what the mutated beasts had told Bai Li.

The fact that even the mutated beasts, having witnessed Bai Li’s strength, held Yu Menghua in such high regard, spoke volumes about her undisputed power.

“Uh… I’m still far from that…”

Blushing at Yu Menghua’s praise, Lin Xi responded with genuine humility.

“I’ve only just reached D-rank; compared to the other seniors in the division, I’m simply not worthy.”

“Not at all. Your talent and diligence both surpass others. To possess such strength at such a young age, I imagine you’ll soon catch up to me, and then I can gracefully step aside.”

“Please don’t say that…”

Yu Menghua did not hold back her praise due to Lin Xi’s modesty, extolling her so effusively that Lin Xi nearly buried her head in embarrassment.

Yet, Bai Li, on the other hand, nodded in agreement with these compliments.

She shared Yu Menghua’s sentiment; Lin Xi was a truly perfect being, humble, talented, and incredibly diligent, making these praises merely the most basic acknowledgment.

“You two…!? Never mind. Division Chief Yu Menghua, what did you mean earlier when you said ‘just like this isn’t enough’?”

Lin Xi opted to change the subject, referring back to the remark Yu Menghua had made upon her appearance.

“Precisely what it sounds like. While you, and our new acquaintance, both possess commendable talent and strength, that alone is insufficient.”

Yu Menghua swiftly returned to her serious demeanor, explaining the deeper meaning of her words.

“Regarding your earlier concern about not being strong enough to avoid affecting the city, I believe that line of thought is incorrect.”

With that, Yu Menghua unclipped a small ornament from her waist, no longer than a single finger.

“What kind of power do you think this ornament could unleash if I wielded it with the ability level of merely an F-rank power user?”

Yu Menghua held a tiny sword-shaped charm in her hand; it seemed incapable of even slicing vegetables, let alone harming a person.

At present, it appeared suitable only for picking teeth, and judging by its luster, it wasn’t even made of metal.

“Um… perhaps cut a piece of paper?”

Given it was just an ordinary small ornament, Lin Xi truly couldn’t envision it being used to kill anyone.

Bai Li, however, seemed to have noticed something, offering a different answer.

“It could probably shatter a brick, couldn’t it?”

“Well, why don’t we find out?”

Yu Menghua suddenly produced a red brick and tossed it into the air.

A cold, sharp flash of sword light streaked by, and when the brick fell back into her hand, it had already disintegrated into fine dust, vanishing completely.

“This… is this truly F-rank strength?”

Lin Xi’s gaze was fixed on the pulverized brick, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“This is precisely what I wanted to convey to you. Even powers of the same caliber can exhibit such a vast disparity in destructive force, simply due to variations in technique.”

“Naturally, the prerequisite is that the skill level itself must also reach a certain threshold.”

With a casual wave of Yu Menghua’s hand, the brick, now reduced to dust, completely vanished, leaving no trace in the air.

“Your earlier mention of avoiding collateral damage to the city fundamentally boils down to energy control—effectively utilizing as much energy as possible to maximize both destructive power and efficiency.”

“This, then, will be your future endeavor.”

“I see…”

Having listened to Yu Menghua’s explanation, Lin Xi’s face lit up with a look of sudden realization.

Opportunities for direct instruction from a high-ranking ability user were rare, and both Lin Xi and Bai Li felt they had gained immeasurably.

“…But, according to what you’re saying, these techniques are typically more useful once one’s strength has advanced, aren’t they? Is it truly alright to teach us now?”

Bai Li’s intuition told her that Yu Menghua’s tone carried an urgency, as if she wished to accelerate their growth.

Furthermore, from Yu Menghua’s own words, it was apparent that such intricate techniques usually yielded significant results only at higher ranks, with direct enhancement of raw power taking precedence before then.

The only explanation Bai Li could conceive for this approach was Yu Menghua’s desperate need for them to grow stronger.

“…As expected of Lin Xi’s friend; your intuition is remarkably sharp.”

Yu Menghua chose not to conceal the truth any longer, instead laying all her cards on the table.

“I do indeed wish for you both to grow stronger, more quickly. To be frank, besides spellcraft and swordsmanship, I also have a slight grasp of divination.

After discussing with my friends, we believe there’s a possibility of another catastrophe emerging in the future, one that could threaten humanity.

Therefore, before that time comes, we must prepare.

We aim to nurture talented new generations like yourselves, to ensure you can survive and contend with that potential disaster.”

“This… I never imagined it would be like this…”

Learning this truth, Lin Xi couldn’t help but reveal a worried expression.

“Ah! You needn’t be so anxious. Divination has always served merely as a reference; the disaster might not even come, or perhaps our current combat capabilities will suffice.”

“Rather than having you children sacrifice your futures, we would much prefer for you to live good lives.”

With the “last lines of defense for humanity” having vanished, high-ranking ability users like Yu Menghua were the ones who bore these responsibilities.

The peaceful lives of humanity behind them were what they needed to protect, and that included Lin Xi and her companions.

“Understood. Thank you, Division Chief.”

As Lin Xi spoke, she bowed respectfully to Yu Menghua.

Beside her, Bai Li mirrored the gesture, while silently contemplating, ‘An unknown disaster, huh? I’ll have those mutated beasts investigate it when I have the chance.’