People are in the magic card, instigating rebellion against the world.

Chapter 138 Zhi Shi Breaks Through to Foundation Establishment! Why isn't she struck by lightning? Fine, from now on, just call me Ye Huijun~
"Hey! I got it, thanks, Yoko~" Tomoyo nodded in agreement.

She now unconditionally trusts all of Ye Hui's arrangements.

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +18】

"By the way, should we tell Sakura about this?" Tomoyo asked again.

She was thinking that if Sakura knew she was about to break through her cultivation level, she would definitely be happy for her.

However, since it was Ye Hui who was helping her break through, there couldn't be anyone else around. If he told Xiaoying but didn't take her along, Xiaoying would definitely be very disappointed.

Therefore, it would be better to wait until after the breakthrough to tell Sakura the good news, so as to avoid her worrying about me.

"Of course we need her. How can we leave out such an important event?" Ye Hui replied with a smile.

With Sakura around, maybe we can even get another wave of emotional damage!
"Is that alright? That's good." Tomoyo smiled.

hang up the phone.

Ye Hui also sat down cross-legged and began to cultivate.

However, he couldn't help but imagine future scenes in his mind.

After Zhi Shi successfully established her foundation, she looked at him with her bright purple eyes, full of admiration.

Attitude points also skyrocketed...

As he thought about it, he couldn't stop smiling.

Hey hey hey ~

Forget about how he got hooked up with a primary school student; just imagine anyone else doing that, looking at Tomoyo-chan's cute, beautiful, and captivating big eyes.

Especially when the other person is looking at you with such admiration, who wouldn't be completely charmed?
……

Early the next morning.

Ye Hui arrived at school feeling refreshed.

He had just sat down in his seat.

Sakura rushed over, bracing herself on his desk with her hands, her face beaming with barely concealed excitement, though she still kept her voice down.

"Ye Zi! I heard from Zhi Shi yesterday that you've refined the Foundation Establishment Pill that can help Zhi Shi increase her magical power?"

As for Sakura, she didn't know anything about improving her cultivation level, nor did she cultivate immortality.

Learning magic seems to have no concept of any particular level or realm.

But that just means an increase in magic power!
So she was very happy for Tomoyo.

Ye Hui looked up at her and nodded: "Yes, I just finished refining them last night. I refined three in one go, enough for Zhi Shi to break through."

"Wow! Sugoi! Sugoi! Yoko, you're amazing!" Sakura's eyes lit up like two little stars, and she clasped her hands together in front of her chest. "Then will Tomoyo soon become the Foundation Establishment stage expert you all talked about? Then we can fight the mischievous Clow Cards together and protect everyone!"

[Kinomoto Sakura's emotional value +12]

Hmm. Let's go all out?
Sakura-chan, where did you learn that little phrase?
Ye Hui paused for a moment, then nodded with a smile: "That's about right."

Zhi Shi had been watching all along, and breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage was a natural outcome.

"Hehe, I also think Tomoyo will definitely succeed! She's so smart and works so hard. I've seen her practice controlling her spiritual power more than once. She'll definitely succeed this time!" Sakura clenched her little fist, her tone confident, showing great faith in her good friend.

Finally, the school bell rang.

Sakura was almost the first to rush out of the classroom, then grabbed Ye Hui and Tomoyo's hands and ran towards the school gate, her steps as fast as the wind.

Seeing that she was even more anxious than the person involved, Ye Hui and Zhi Shi exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh.

Kero peeked out from Sakura's backpack, rubbed his head which was still spinning, and asked in confusion, "Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Ye Hui replied with a smile, without stopping.

Soon, the three people and one beast arrived at Ye Hui's villa.

I easily made my way through the living room to the backyard.

Ye Hui's mind moved.

A pale blue portal suddenly appeared before us, and behind it, we could vaguely see the lush green scenery of the secret realm.

"What?!" Xiao Ke stared with her beady eyes.

[Kerberos's Mood Value +12]

"Wow...this place looks even prettier than the last time I came!"

As soon as she stepped into the secret realm, Sakura couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

The original grass was covered with a layer of soft moss, and many plants with small white flowers had appeared by the stream in the distance.

As soon as Xiao Ke entered, she flapped her little wings and flew around non-stop, looking shocked: "You can actually pass through the spatial barrier?!"

"Ye, did you upgrade this place again?" Zhi Shi looked at the completely renovated environment in front of her, somewhat surprised.

She raised her hand and gently brushed the leaves beside her, and the spiritual energy contained within them seemed to become even more concentrated.

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +4】

"After all, it's our exclusive training base, so of course we need to maintain and update it regularly to make the environment more suitable for cultivation."

Ye Hui explained with a smile, then looked at Xiao Ke, who was still looking around, and teased, "I'm not some mascot who can only eat; I do have this much ability."

[Kerberos's Mood Value +13]

"Who are you calling a mascot!" Xiao Ke glared angrily, flapping its wings in frustration, but didn't dare to actually rush forward.

It was indeed astonished by Ye Hui's ability to traverse spatial barriers.

What abilities does this thing have that it doesn't know about?

[Kerberos's Mood Value +14]

Ye Hui stopped teasing it and instead led Sakura and Tomoyo through the secret realm to a wide open space in front of the Tower of Trials.

The terrain here is flat and there are no obstructions on all sides, making it ideal for a breakthrough.

"Alright, Tomoyo, let's begin here."

Ye Hui's expression turned serious, and his tone became earnest, "There will be spiritual energy fluctuations during the breakthrough. I will set up an array, so you can rest assured."

"Yes!" Tomoyo took a deep breath and nodded vigorously.

Her fingers curled slightly, and her face showed a hint of tension that was barely perceptible, but more than that, determination.

She wanted to catch up with Ye Hui as soon as possible!
Instead of only being able to use low-level spells!

Speaking of which, when Ye Zi was in the Qi Refining stage, she seemed to be able to use many supernatural powers and spells. She also tried to learn them, but she couldn't use them at all.

So, is Ye really the genius of cultivation?

She's still too stupid.

Ye Hui did not activate the "enlightenment" ability, nor did he know what Zhi Shi was thinking.

He took out a bunch of array flags covered with patterns from his system backpack, raised his hand and threw them out, planting them one by one around the open space.

As he set it up, he explained to the two girls, "This is a spirit-gathering array, which can gather the surrounding spiritual energy to provide sufficient energy for Zhi Shi's breakthrough. The other sides are defensive arrays, which will help you withstand some of the impact when you break through and trigger the tribulation lightning, reducing the burden."

Although Ye Hui didn't know whether it was only him who would be struck by lightning after breaking through a realm, or whether Zhi Shi would also be struck by lightning after breaking through a realm.

It's always good to be prepared in advance.

Once the tribulation lightning truly arrives, he will be unable to help Zhi Shi.

Sakura stood to the side, her little face full of seriousness, watching Ye Hui set up the formation.

Although she couldn't understand the pattern of the array flags, she felt that every step was full of intricacies, which made her admire Ye Hui even more.

Yezi is so amazing!
[Kinomoto Sakura's emotional value +10]

The formation was quickly set up.

The battle flags also glowed with a faint golden light.

At the same time, the surrounding spiritual energy began to slowly converge towards the center of the open space.

Ye Hui walked up to Zhi Shi, took out a jade bottle containing Foundation Establishment Pills from his pocket, and gently handed it to her: "There are three Foundation Establishment Pills in here. Take one first."

"If you feel you don't have enough spiritual energy during the breakthrough process, take a second one. But with your talent, I think one should be enough."

Tomoyo accepted the jade bottle with both hands. Her fingers touched the cool bottle, but her heart felt warm.

She opened the bottle and poured out a pure white Foundation Building Pill. The pill had a warm luster on its surface and emitted a faint medicinal fragrance.

She looked down at the pill in her hand, then looked up at Ye Hui and Xiao Ying beside her, who were encouraging her. The tension in her heart gradually dissipated.

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +13】

Without further hesitation, Zhi Shi tilted his head back and swallowed the Foundation Establishment Pill.

The pill melted instantly upon entering the mouth, and a gentle yet profound spiritual energy slid down the throat and into the body, beginning to flow through the meridians.

"Hmm..." She couldn't help but let out a soft moan, subconsciously closing her eyes and beginning to guide the flow of spiritual energy within her body.

Wait a moment, then suddenly!
A powerful surge of spiritual energy instantly spread throughout Zhi Shi's body!

However, due to its overwhelming force, it briefly clashed with her own spiritual power.

She pursed her lips, her delicate brows furrowed tightly, and her face instantly paled.

"Tomoyo!" Sakura's heart clenched when she saw Tomoyo suddenly appear in pain. She cried out in alarm and instinctively rushed over.

"Don't go over there!" Ye Hui reacted quickly, grabbing her wrist and speaking in an unusually serious tone, "This is a crucial moment for her spiritual energy fusion. Any interference could cause her to suffer a qi deviation! We can't disturb her."

"But... Tomoyo looks so uncomfortable..." Sakura hesitated, her eyes fixed on Tomoyo with great concern.

“Cultivating immortality is going against the heavens, and breaking through realms inevitably involves enduring the pain of spiritual energy being washed away. This is a test she must go through.”

Ye Hui's voice softened a bit, "You have to believe in Zhi Shi. Besides, didn't you say before that she's working so hard? She'll definitely pull through. Even if she doesn't, I'm here for you. Don't worry."

Even so, Ye Hui was actually quite nervous.

After all, it wasn't him who broke through, but Tomoyo herself who broke through her own realm.

His gaze was fixed on Zhi Shi, who was sitting cross-legged in the center of the Spirit Gathering Array. His divine sense constantly enveloped the surroundings, ready to deal with any unexpected events that might occur.

[Tomoyo Daidouji is enduring the pain of Foundation Establishment! Seeing her suffering, you feel a pang of pity. But you know this is a necessary trial on her path to immortality; a flower in a greenhouse cannot survive in the cruel world of cultivation! You also want her to understand that following the so-called protagonist of the Heavenly Dao offers no advantage! It's better for her to join forces with you and attack Sakura Kinomoto!]

Therefore, you decide to watch closely from the sidelines and only step in to help if she truly can't hold on any longer. After all, the hero-saves-the-damsel-in-distress scenario is the most touching!

Ye Hui: “…”

Suddenly, Tomoyo's body trembled violently, and her spiritual energy became chaotic. A trace of bright red blood spilled from the corner of her mouth, ran down her chin, and dripped onto her clothes.

"Tomoyo!" Sakura's heart leaped into her throat, but she dared not shout, afraid of disturbing the other person.

Ye Hui frowned slightly, then flashed behind Zhi Shi, placing his palms on her back and gently and steadily channeling spiritual energy into her body.

"Don't be afraid. Do you remember the cultivation technique we used together? I can help you regulate your spiritual energy. Don't worry."

"Ye... classmate..." Tomoyo felt the warmth coming from behind her and weakly opened her eyes.

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +16】

"Don't get distracted! Concentrate and follow my spiritual power, guiding the power of the Foundation Establishment Pill to merge with your own spiritual power." Ye Hui's voice was calm and powerful, like a reassuring pill, gradually calming Zhi Shi's somewhat flustered heart.

Zhi Shi nodded gently, closed her eyes again, and tried to concentrate her mind, following the rhythm of the spiritual energy Ye Hui inputted, gradually sorting out the disordered energy in her body and guiding the two forces to converge towards her dantian.

[You finally couldn't resist and intervened! Seeing the frail and trembling state of the guardian deity Daidouji Tomoyo, your protective instincts surged, and you decided to use your immense power to help her overcome this difficult time!]

[Your spiritual energy merges with hers once more, becoming one with her. You sense her dependence and trust in you, filling your heart with an unprecedented sense of satisfaction! If you successfully turn the protector of the Heavenly Path protagonist against his will, Kinomoto Sakura will suffer a devastating blow!]

Ye Hui completely ignored the system's nonsense and focused all his attention on Zhi Shi's spiritual energy changes.

He precisely controlled the intensity of the spiritual energy input.

Sometimes guiding, sometimes comforting.

Only after sensing that the spiritual energy within Zhi Shi's body had completely stabilized, and that a spiritual energy vortex unique to the Foundation Establishment stage had faintly formed in his dantian, did he slowly withdraw his hand.

Tomoyo slowly opened her eyes, feeling the unprecedented abundance of power within her body, as well as the stable spiritual energy circulating in her dantian, and a smile appeared on her face.

"I succeeded?"

"Yes, you succeeded."

Looking at the light in her eyes, Ye Hui smiled and said, "Congratulations, Zhi Shi. From today onwards, you are a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +14】

It seems that only he himself gets struck by lightning when he breaks through a realm, while Zhi Shi doesn't. He only needs to successfully transform the spiritual energy in his body and expand his dantian.

This is quite similar to the breakthroughs of cultivators in novels.

So, why does he have to be struck by lightning during his Foundation Establishment stage? This is such a stupid cultivation game!
Despite his complaints, Ye Hui also noticed that the breakthrough he achieved after being struck by lightning seemed to be stronger than the breakthrough achieved by Zhi Shi, who had progressed more steadily.

This can be seen simply from the comparison of their spiritual power.

"That's great, Tomoyo! I knew you could do it!"

Seeing that Tomoyo was alright and had even successfully broken through her barrier, Sakura could no longer contain her excitement. She rushed forward and hugged Tomoyo tightly.

"I was really worried when I saw blood coming from the corner of your mouth."

"Sakura..."

Tomoyo reached out and hugged her best friend tightly, feeling the warmth of her embrace, and smiled slightly.

Thank you for worrying about me.

"There's no need to thank me!" Sakura pouted.

Tomoyo's lips curled into a smile. After releasing Sakura, she turned and walked to Ye Hui, saying gratefully, "Ye-kun, thank you. If it weren't for the pills you refined and your protection throughout the entire process, I..."

"Alright, aren't we good friends? No need to be so polite." Ye Hui interrupted her with a smile. "I'm also very happy to see you break through."

Zhi Shi raised her head and looked into Ye Hui's smiling eyes. Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves of the secret realm, falling on his face and outlining his handsome features.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded gently: "Yes, we are friends."

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +30】

"System, please check Zhi Shi's current attitude points."

Seeing this, Ye Hui silently recited in his heart.

[Querying...]

[Tomoyo Daidouji's current attitude: 60]

Sixty o'clock!
Ye Hui was delighted.

Just as he predicted, this breakthrough completely maxed out his attitude points!

[Detection indicates that Tomoyo Daidouji's attitude towards you has reached 60 points, marking a new stage in your Daoist bond!]

Her trust and reliance on you have transcended the boundaries of ordinary friendship. In your presence, she's willing to shed most of her pretense and show her true self. She will consider you one of the most important people in her life!

Congratulations! You have received a "Dao Yuan Gift Pack" x1!

[Do you wish to activate the "Daoist Affinity Gift Pack"?]

"Start!" Ye Hui said without hesitation.

[Congratulations on obtaining the Nascent Soul stage cultivation manual – "Nine Revolutions Rejuvenation Nascent Soul Technique"!]

As expected, this time there were no surprises; it was a cultivation technique for the Nascent Soul stage.

Ye Hui couldn't quite say whether he was somewhat disappointed...

"Tomoyo, how are you feeling now? Is anything bothering you?" Sakura held Tomoyo's hand, looking her up and down. "I saw you bled when you broke through earlier. Do you want to eat something to nourish yourself? Ye-kun should have a lot of spiritual food and pills."

"I'm fine, Sakura." Tomoyo smiled and shook her head. "I feel better than ever before, like I have inexhaustible energy."

As she spoke, she extended her fair right hand, and a wisp of water-based spiritual energy gathered at her fingertips.

Soon, a shimmering water sphere appeared in her palm, and under her control, it slowly changed shape.

First, it transformed into Sakura with twin tails, and then it became the outline of Ye Hui.

The details are clear and lifelike.

"Look, my control over water-based spiritual energy is much stronger than before."

"It seems to be working quite well. Let me test your abilities."

Ye Hui made the suggestion with a smile.

He raised his hand and conjured a water blade, thin and sharp, gleaming with a faint blue light.

Of course, he deliberately controlled his strength.

The power of this water blade was only equivalent to a full-force attack from someone in the early stages of Foundation Establishment, and it wouldn't seriously injure Zhi Shi. With a flick of his finger, the water blade shot steadily toward Zhi Shi.

Tomoyo remained completely calm, simply raising her other hand and facing the incoming water blade with her palm.

In an instant, a shield made of water materialized in front of her, its surface smooth and shimmering with a faint spiritual light.

"Bang!" The water blade collided with the water shield, but instead of making a loud impact, it slowly merged into one, like water droplets merging into the surface of a lake, and finally turned into droplets of water that dissipated in the air.

A hint of approval flashed in Ye Hui's eyes, and he smiled slightly: "You reacted very quickly and are also very skilled in using spiritual power. It seems that you have already mastered the power of the Foundation Establishment stage, and you are adapting better and faster than I expected."

"It's all thanks to Ye-kun's help~" Tomoyo revealed her pearly white teeth with a gentle smile.

Ye Hui paused upon hearing this.

I never thought much of it before.

But for some reason today.

Ye Hui always felt that the title "Classmate Ye" sounded particularly unpleasant.

Perhaps he would prefer to hear some different way of addressing him.

Seeing that Tomoyo was still being polite, Ye Hui deliberately frowned and said with feigned disappointment, "Tomoyo, why don't you call me Ye Hui-kun from now on? We've known each other for so long, but Tomoyo still calls me 'classmate, classmate,' which always sounds so distant. It's really hurtful."

Sigh, Tomoyo-chan is just too polite and distant.

Even when speaking to Sakura, I often use honorifics; I need to gradually put her at ease.

Upon hearing this, Tomoyo paused slightly, then realized what she meant. A faint blush rose on her fair cheeks, and she slowly curved her purple eyes, speaking softly.

"Okay... Ye Huijun"

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +18】

"Eh? Then I have to change how I address you too! I can't be the only one left with points! Humph! From now on I'll call Ye Zi classmate Ye Hui-jun too!" Sakura immediately raised her hand and announced.

[Kinomoto Sakura's emotional value +12]

"Of course." Ye Hui smiled. "Then I'll call you Tomoyo-chan and Sakura-chan~"

“Okay!” Sakura waved her hand.

Ye Hui's smile never faded. He suggested, "Now that Zhi Shi has successfully broken through, why don't we have a celebration banquet today and celebrate properly?"

"Yay! A feast!" Sakura was the first to cheer. Her earlier nervousness about Tomoyo was instantly replaced by her anticipation of the delicious food.

Xiao Ke flew over from the side, flapping its wings, and approached Ye Hui, shouting, "I want takoyaki! And a super-sized strawberry cake!"

"You glutton, all you ever do is eat. I didn't see you helping at all just now." Ye Hui rolled his eyes at it, but still nodded. "Okay, you'll get your share."

"Huh? Didn't you just say we couldn't disturb Tomoyo, or we'd go berserk? I didn't move!" Kero glared. "That's slander against me!"

[Kerberos's Mood Value +3]

Ye Hui ignored it.

Afterwards, he led Sakura and Tomoyo back to the villa through the portal.

As soon as he entered the house, he rolled up his sleeves and headed to the kitchen, laughing, "Today I'm going to cook you a spiritual feast to celebrate the addition of another Foundation Establishment stage expert to our Sakura Demon Thieves!"

"Yay! Yay!" Xiao Ke circled around the kitchen doorway, rubbing his hands together excitedly, his claws practically sparking.

[Kerberos's Mood Value +7]

Ye Hui's movements were very skillful.

Before long, one dish after another, exuding an enticing aroma, was served.

The chicken soup made with spiritual herbs, shimmering with a spiritual glow; the grilled spiritual fish, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside; and the spiritual rice balls adorned with fresh fruit...

Each dish was visually appealing, and its aroma filled the entire living room.

"I'm starting!" Ye Hui, Xiao Ying, and Zhi Shi said in unison, picking up their chopsticks and beginning to eat.

Sakura took a bite of the spirit fish, her eyes immediately lighting up. With her mouth full of food, she mumbled, "It's so delicious! Ye Hui-jun's cooking is even more fragrant than the grilled fish we had last time!"

Tomoyo sipped the chicken soup, the warm broth sliding down her throat, carrying a faint spiritual energy that made her feel warm all over, a hint of satisfaction flashing in her eyes.

[Looking at the naive and unsophisticated expressions of the Heavenly Spirit Root disciples and the protector, you felt a surge of disdain. A mere few dishes of spiritual food had caused them such a commotion! It seems this protector is indeed quite easy to seduce!]

Ye Hui pursed his lips.

This heartwarming moment was completely ignored, thanks to the rambling of a certain mentally challenged presbyopia system.

Xiao Ke ate heartily until her belly was round and full, then collapsed on the table, too lazy to even move her wings, muttering, "Strawberry cake... I want another slice..."

"Ye Hui-jun, your cooking is so delicious!" Sakura patted her round little belly and exclaimed happily, "Every time I finish eating your food, I feel like I can't eat anything else! I wish I could eat your cooking forever~"

"And every time I eat my fill, I can't eat anything more."

[Kinomoto Sakura's emotional value +8]

Ye Hui couldn't help but tease, "Sakura, lying isn't right. Aside from Xiao Ke, at every gathering, you're always the one who enjoys the meal the most, and you even fight with Xiao Ke for the last piece of dessert."

"Ye Hui-jun! Stop talking!" Xiao Ying blushed slightly and shyly reached out to push Ye Hui's arm away.

[Kinomoto Sakura's emotional value +6]

Zhi Shi picked up a napkin, gently wiped her mouth, and looked at Ye Hui: "Ye Hui-kun, thank you so much for today. Not only did you help me break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, but you also prepared such a sumptuous celebration banquet for us. I am very happy."

Ye Hui waved his hand, his smile relaxed, "Seeing you all enjoying your meal makes me very happy too."

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +7】

After resting for about half an hour, Ye Hui watched as the two girls gradually regained their energy and said, "Now that we've had the celebration banquet, it's time for us to get down to business."

"Get down to business? What else do we have to do?" Sakura looked at him blankly, the aroma of the delicious food still lingering in her mind, and she didn't react at all.

Ye Hui patiently explained, "Zhi Shi has just broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage and is not yet familiar with the new power. This is a good opportunity for her to go to the Tower of Trials to get used to it. Besides, Sakura, you've also collected quite a few new Clow Cards recently, haven't you?"

"We can take this opportunity to test your teamwork skills, so that you'll be more confident in dealing with danger in the future, even without me by your side."

"Are we going to climb the tower? Yay!" Sakura perked up immediately at the mention of an adventure. Her earlier drowsy state, which had been a result of her full meal, vanished instantly, replaced by great anticipation.

[Kinomoto Sakura's emotional value +5]

Tomoyo nodded slightly, a hint of eagerness flashing in her eyes.

She also wanted to see how much of her strength she could unleash after her breakthrough!

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +4】

Xiao Ke climbed up from the table, patted her stomach, and said, "Count me in! I can help keep watch too!"

Ye Hui smiled and stood up: "Then let's set off now and try to get through one level today."

With that, he walked to the backyard first and opened the spatial portal again.

Sakura and Tomoyo followed closely behind, and even Kero, unusually, abandoned his laziness, flapped his wings, and caught up.

"Let's hurry!" Sakura took the lead, and the group quickly arrived at the entrance of the Tower of Trials.

The tower is made entirely of dark gray, black rock, with intricate carvings on the entrance, exuding a heavy sense of oppression.

"This Trial Tower has nine floors, and each floor has a guardian that I have set up. Their strength will increase with each floor."

Ye Hui repeated his prepared statement, his gaze sweeping over Sakura and Tomoyo, "We'll start the challenge from the first floor. Are you ready?"

"Ready!" Sakura gripped her wand tightly, her eyes resolute.

Zhi Shi nodded slightly, her hands hanging naturally at her sides, ready to mobilize her spiritual power at any time.

Ye Hui stepped forward, braced his hands against the heavy stone door, and pushed it open with a little force.

Suddenly, a gust of wind carrying the smell of dust rushed out from inside the tower.

"Go in." He stepped aside to make way for the two people and the beast as they entered the tower.

The interior of the tower was much more spacious than I had imagined, with a smooth stone floor.

In the center stood a puppet nearly three meters tall, made entirely of bronze, with its joints gleaming coldly. It held a huge stone hammer in its hands, and its mere presence exuded a powerful sense of intimidation.

"This is the guardian puppet of the first level. Its strength is equivalent to the early stage of Foundation Establishment. It has extremely strong defense and great strength."

Ye Hui followed behind and explained, "It's perfect for you to practice. I won't interfere this time, and I won't give any instructions. It's all up to you to cooperate."

This puppet was actually simulated by him using his access to the secret realm, based on the defensive power of the Rock Armored Boar and the power data of the Crystal Puppet he had encountered before.

The intensity was just right, allowing both players to unleash their full potential without posing any significant danger.

"Yes, sir!" Sakura and Tomoyo responded in unison, slowly approaching the puppet.

"Roar!"

The puppet instantly sensed the intruder, letting out a deep roar. Heavy footsteps echoed within the tower as it charged towards Sakura, who was closest to it, gripping its stone hammer.

Sakura reacted quickly, waving her wand and shouting, "Wind!"

The pale green chains instantly wrapped around the puppet's legs, binding it tightly.

The puppet's movements suddenly slowed down, the stone hammer missed its target, and it smashed into the ground, sending up a spray of gravel.

"Now!" Zhi Shi seized the opportunity to step forward, gathering spiritual power in her hands. Two thick water whips appeared out of thin air, lashing the puppet's knee joints with a whooshing sound.

"Bang!" The moment the water whip struck, the puppet's body visibly swayed, and even tiny cracks appeared on the bronze shell at its knees.

It staggered back two steps and almost fell to the ground.

"Well done! Keep it up!" Ye Hui stood not far away and nodded in satisfaction.

Even without his direction, Sakura and Tomoyo were able to quickly find their rhythm and work together independently.

The progress was faster than he had anticipated.

In the ensuing battle, the two had a clear division of labor.

Tomoyo was responsible for direct confrontation, using water magic to continuously attack the puppet's weak points. She used water shields and water arrows alternately, which could both defend against the puppet's counterattacks and continuously wear it down.

It's not that she doesn't know other spells; it's just that she has a water elemental root, so she's more adept at using water-attribute spells.

Therefore, when it comes to fighting, one should naturally choose the force one is most familiar with.

Sakura provides support from the side, sometimes restricting the puppet's movements, sometimes using her sword to slash at the puppet's joints, and occasionally using her shield to block Shiki's attacks for Tomoyo.

With the two working in perfect harmony, the puppet's movements became increasingly sluggish, and cracks appeared all over its bronze shell.

Finally, Tomoyo conjured a sharp water blade.

Sakura simultaneously launched an attack using her sword.

The two attacks struck the puppet's chest simultaneously.

There was a "clang" sound!
The puppet's massive body collapsed with a crash, turning into a pile of scattered bronze fragments.

"We won!" Sakura put away her wand and jumped up excitedly.

Tomoyo breathed a sigh of relief, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

Ye Hui stepped forward and praised with a smile: "Very impressive, your teamwork is getting better and better, especially Zhi Shi, who is much more proficient in using water magic than before her breakthrough."

Seeing the overjoyed expression on the face of the Dharma Protector Daidoji Tomoyo, you felt a surge of satisfaction. As expected of someone you personally trained—she's incredibly capable! Once you successfully turn her against you, the protagonist of the Heavenly Path will lose a powerful ally!

"Alright, let's go home!" Ye Hui waved his hand.

the following few days.

Every day after school, Ye Hui and his friends would arrive at the secret realm on time to take on the tower-climbing challenge.

During this time, Sakura's use of magic became more and more skillful.

From initially needing to think about tactics, to later being able to act on instinct and cooperate with Tomoyo.

Tomoyo's control over her growing spiritual power has become increasingly proficient.

In particular, the power and accuracy of various water-based spells have been significantly improved.

The two overcame numerous obstacles and successfully reached the third level of the Trial Tower in just three days.

Friday finally arrived, the weekend that fourth-grade students had been looking forward to the most.

During lunch break, after finishing her meal, Sakura lay on her desk, lost in thought.

After a while, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she stood up and suggested to Tomoyo, "Tomorrow is the weekend! Let's go to the amusement park! I've been catching Clow Cards and training lately, and I haven't had a proper chance to relax in ages!"

"An amusement park? Great!" Tomoyo put down her notebook, smiled, and nodded. "It'll be a good opportunity for us to relax and rejuvenate."

Sakura immediately turned around and looked at Ye Hui, who was reading a book behind her, her eyes full of anticipation: "Ye Hui-kun, come along too! The Ferris wheel and carousel at the amusement park are super fun!"

Ye Hui closed the book, blinked, and then nodded with a smile: "Of course, no problem. It's a good opportunity to relax."

Just as the three of them were discussing which rides to go on the first day, whether to bring lunch, or eat at the amusement park.

Tomoyo's expression suddenly turned somewhat strange.

She subconsciously raised her hands, stared at her palms, and frowned slightly.

While she was speaking, she clearly felt a faint fluctuation of power in her hand, but it wasn't something she actively activated.

"Zhi Shi, what's wrong?" Ye Hui noticed her unusual behavior and asked with concern.

“I don’t know either…” Tomoyo shook her head, her face showing obvious confusion, her fingers twitching slightly. “I always feel like… my hands are a little out of control, and there’s a strange power flowing through them.”

As she spoke, she subconsciously reached for the water glass on the corner of the table and tried to control this strange feeling.

But just as her fingers touched the water glass, a faint white light flashed.

The next second, Tomoyo's right hand switched places with the water glass.

Where I used to hold a water glass, now I have a smooth glass cup.

The water glass on the table, however, had transformed into the shape of her right hand, still in a bent position.

"Huh?!" Sakura's eyes widened, her mouth gaped open enough to fit an egg, and she froze completely. "Tomoyo's hand... turned into a water glass?"

"Huh?" Tomoyo looked at the transparent glass below her wrist, blinked, and seemed not to have fully realized what was happening.

It wasn't until the cold touch made them realize what was happening that they showed a surprised expression.

"Tomoyo!" Sakura quickly grabbed Tomoyo's unchanging left hand. "What... what happened?"

Because of your repeated assistance, Kinomoto Sakura, a disciple of the Heavenly Spirit Root, considers you a close friend! However, you believe this is all a facade, that she's just using you as cannon fodder! This strengthens your resolve to turn the Guardian Daidouji Tomoyo against you!

Later, Sakura Kinomoto and Tomoyo Daidouji invited you to the Wanfa Immortal Sect's celebration. You outwardly agreed, but secretly became wary!

[Before setting out, Daidouji Tomoyo was attacked by a substitute demon beast and severely injured! You are burning with rage—Daidouji Tomoyo was your designated backstabber protector, specifically designed to betray the protagonist of the Heavenly Path! How could you allow someone else to harm her!]

[You have refreshed the Bonding Side Quest – "Before the Festival"!]

"Thank you, system. I hadn't even remembered which Clow Card this was." Ye Hui rolled his eyes inwardly, then secretly rejoiced.

Although system logs often contain wildly inaccurate information, they do occasionally reveal some clues.

"Ye Huijun, is this the work of the Clow Cards?" Sakura quickly realized what was going on and looked at him nervously. After all, she had encountered many strange things before, and they were all caused by the Clow Cards.

Ye Hui nodded: "That's right, it should be a card swap. Its ability is to exchange the positions of two objects. Just now, Zhi Shi must have triggered its magic unconsciously."

"Swap the card?" Sakura quickly searched her memory for anything related to the card, her brow furrowing slightly. "I think I heard Kero mention... could it also swap bodies and minds?"

“Yes, but this time it only swapped objects.” Ye Hui said, circulating his spiritual energy to sense his surroundings, and quickly detected a faint magical fluctuation. “It’s nearby, probably attracted by our conversation just now.”

He pointed to the corner.

There lay an ordinary-looking broom, its wooden handle still covered in dust.

"It possessed that broom."

"A broom?" Sakura and Tomoyo looked in the direction he was pointing.

The broom leaned quietly against the corner of the wall, looking like an ordinary cleaning tool.

But just as they were wondering what was going on, the broom suddenly moved!

With the wooden handle tilted slightly, the broom head lightly touched the ground and, as if it had grown legs, hopped and skipped towards the stairwell at a surprisingly fast pace.

"It ran away!" Sakura exclaimed, instinctively trying to chase after it.

"No need to chase after it." Ye Hui reached out to stop her and said calmly, "It's lunch break now, and there are other students at school. If we chase after a broom here, it will definitely cause a commotion."

He paused, then added, "But don't worry too much. Even if we cause a commotion, we still have the 'wipe card' to erase memories."

Sakura quickly shook her head: "Let's forget it. Memories are such precious things, we can't just erase them like that."

"This is just a backup plan we have, and don't worry, it won't get far." Ye Hui said calmly. He had already marked the broom with his spiritual power so that he could pinpoint its location no matter where it went. "We'll settle the score with it after school. Let's deal with Zhi Shi's problem first."

"Without that Clow Card, can Tomoyo's hand still change back?"

Sakura looked worriedly at Tomoyo's right hand, which was still shaped like a water cup. "We can't let her go to class with a water cup hand on her arm, can we? The teachers and classmates will definitely be shocked!"

(End of this chapter)