Chat group, become my wings!

Every member of the chat group now held three thousand points. It wasn't a fortune, but it wasn't a small sum either. For someone like Izumi, who wasn't particularly powerful to begin with, these three thousand points were enough to give her a noticeable boost.

After using the points to enhance her internal energy, Izumi's cultivation instantly advanced as though she had trained for three years.

Three years' worth of internal energy might not sound impressive, but for someone like Izumi, it was a remarkable leap. More importantly, she discovered that the internal energy gained through the points was incredibly pure far purer than what she had previously cultivated on her own.

The only downside was that this sudden increase caused her to feel slightly unfamiliar with her own power. She would need time to adjust and fully master it.

Still, when Mother Serene Grace, Mother Silent Mercy, and Izumi's parents witnessed this rapid advancement, their eyes lit up with unspoken excitement.

In the world of Swords of Honor, swordsmanship reigned supreme. Whether it was the Five Mountain Sword Alliance's techniques, the Sunflower Manual, or the famed Nine Swords of Solitude, swordplay took precedence. In the original story, even when Laurence Proudpeak lost all his internal energy, he still defeated thirteen experts in a single strike, blinding all of them simultaneously. That was the sheer elegance of swordsmanship.

But such feats were also a reflection of how internal energy had declined.

Back in the Southern Song Dynasty, the leader of the Beggar Clan, Laurence Proudpeak, could strike with such force that his palm conjured dragons. In Swords of Honor, the art of projecting internal energy had all but vanished. No techniques, no "special effects." It was a sign of decay.

Was it due to environmental changes? Or the loss of ancient knowledge? No one could say for sure. What was clear was that the internal arts of this world had faded into obscurity.

So for Izumi to suddenly gain three years' worth of pure internal energy it was no small miracle.

And this was only the beginning. She had only recently joined the chat group, yet she was already reaping such tremendous rewards. In time, Izumi might not only become the top master of the Five Mountain Sword Alliance, but perhaps the strongest fighter in the entire martial world just like the legendary Invincible East, the undisputed number one.

The eyes of the three nuns from Mount Serenity sparkled with fervor. In their hearts, they had already made the decision: Izumi was to be the next leader of their sect.

But then Mother Serene Grace suddenly remembered though Izumi had not yet formally left the monastic life, she was now, in name at least, the woman of that unfathomable chat group leader. To have the partner of such a mysterious and powerful man continue living as a nun...

She sighed.

If only it weren't Izumi. If only someone else had gained such a miraculous opportunity well, then it wouldn't have been Izumi, and Izumi wouldn't have been blessed with such power. A true dilemma.

Still, it pained them to simply let go of someone who might become the strongest in the martial world. If Izumi rose to the top, then the Mount Serenity Sect could rival even the Shaolin Temple, perhaps even surpass it becoming the foremost power in all of Jianghu.

But when they realized that such thoughts had begun to form in their hearts, the three abbesses turned pale.

They recalled reading Swords of Honor and how they had never quite understood why Laurence Proudpeak, head of the Mount Hua Sect, had transformed from a cautious leader striving to protect his sect, into a ruthless man willing to assassinate other sect leaders just to dominate the Five Mountain Alliance.

Now they understood.

It wasn't just the Sunflower Manual's side effects. It was power. The overwhelming temptation of absolute power. Even the three of them, abbesses dedicated to compassion and virtue, had felt their hearts waver simply because Izumi might become the number one master of Jianghu.

No wonder Proudpeak had lost himself.

"Amitābha. I need a month of secluded meditation to recite scripture and calm my heart," said Mother Silent Mercy, hands joined in prayer.

"I need seclusion too," said Mother Serene Grace.

"I… fine. I'll wait until you've both finished, then I'll go as well," Mother Tranquil added with a sigh.

Master Unbound and Granny Whisper exchanged a look of bewilderment. They didn't understand the sudden solemnity of the three nuns, but their own thoughts were much simpler. They were happy. Their daughter had received a great blessing, and that was all that mattered.

As for the fact that their daughter now belonged to a man they had never even met?

To them, it wasn't a bad thing at all. The group leader of the chat was clearly someone powerful beyond imagination. Becoming the woman of such a being was a good thing. Izumi had once been a nun she might've spent her whole life in quiet devotion. Now she had a powerful partner, and with his help, she was already benefiting. Three years of internal energy just like that.

Who knew? Maybe in the future, she'd gain thirty years, three hundred years... maybe even immortality.

And if she became immortal, as her parents, maybe they could bask in her light. Maybe they too could live longer, maybe even become immortal themselves.

That was what Master Unbound and Granny Whisper were thinking. Their thoughts may have seemed shallow to outsiders, but they were crystal clear in their reasoning.

Was this sacrificing Izumi?

Of course not.

She was the one gaining the most. Eternal youth, unparalleled power, even godhood this was the kind of blessing people spent lifetimes dreaming of.

It was like a couple learning that their daughter had fallen in love with and was about to marry the richest man in the world who also happened to be handsome, young, and madly in love with her. Who in their right mind would try to stop that?

Meanwhile, Kevin Cross, having distributed his points, began reaping the rewards of his generosity.

He didn't have to attend school. He didn't have to work. And he certainly didn't have to spend his days saving the world. Kevin had an abundance of free time. So after allocating the points, he started hopping between different worlds Naruto, Highschool of the Dead, and Demon Slayer.

When he returned from these three worlds, his strength had increased again, though not dramatically. From the Naruto world, for example, he gained a slight increase in chakra, but no new jutsu, bloodline limits, or secret techniques.

Still, this outcome was expected.

He had divided the points equally among the group. Naturally, everyone would gain a small power boost, and the feedback he received in return was also modest.

____________________

NEXT CHAPTER : Gwen Takes the Initiative

(Gwen pays another visit to Kevin Cross again and this time, she's not hiding her intentions. From cleaning his place to offering to cook lemon sea bass, she's playing the long game… but still stuck in the "pretty good friends" zone. What she doesn't realize? Kevin already has a secret harem from another world. If only she knew the truth or just confessed outright things might already be very different. Will Gwen finally take the leap… or keep circling around the man who seems just out of reach?)

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