Breakthrough Late at night, the warmth of the banquet had not yet faded. The endless stream of delicacies kept the guests lingering, and the chefs in both the inner and outer kitchens were busy preparing extra courses.
However, Sang Ye and Lin Changli had already slipped away from the banquet hall, quietly climbing onto the roof of the Imperial Palace. A small Parasol Tree grew upon the eaves, reaching the height of a person. The Little Phoenix sat beneath it with squinted eyes, looking as if it were about to drift off to sleep again.
"He’s been so lethargic lately," Sang Ye whispered to Lin Changli.
Lin Changli glanced at the Phoenix. "I have a New Year's gift for you." He pulled a document from his spatial button and handed it to her.
The document was encased in a deep blue velvet cover, tied with a matching silk ribbon. Sang Ye pulled it open and saw the bold title: Ownership Transfer Agreement for Planet Black Tower.
Sang Ye froze and looked up at Lin Changli. His golden eyes reflected the silver moonlight, filled with an extraordinary tenderness. He motioned for her to keep reading.
The terms were clear: All Black Crystal mineral resources remained the property of the Imperial family; sovereignty remained with the Empire; and the military reserved the right to manage the stationing. These were all as Sang Ye expected—until she reached the transfer price:
914 Credits.
Sang Ye blinked, not understanding the significance of the number. She knew Lin Changli had been secretive about the price because he was planning something big, but she didn't grasp the meaning of this specific figure.
Facing his expectant gaze, Sang Ye racked her brain to remember what day it was. As his gaze grew more meaningful, she buried her head lower. Finally, he sighed like a neglected husband. "You actually forgot."
"I have so much to do every day! I'm busy!" Sang Ye protested stubbornly. "So... what day is it?"
Lin Changli took a deep breath. "It was this time last year that we first met."
"Ah—" Sang Ye realized, sheepishly lowering her head under his glare.
"Sign it, and the planet is yours. I wanted to remove the extra clauses, but the legal team fought me to the end. They said even though the planet was a gift from my mother and the profits are mine, they would never allow Black Crystal mining rights to belong to an individual."
Sang Ye didn't care about the crystals; she cared about the planet itself. "914 credits? For real? I'm signing it!" She leaned in, eyes sparkling. "Once I sign, it's mine?"
Lin Changli watched her long lashes flutter and turned away. "You have to compensate me. It won't be that easy now."
Sang Ye whipped out a pen and scribbled her name. "Fine, I'll owe you. Remember to collect." She tucked the contract back into the velvet sleeve and handed it back to him.
They sat at the highest point of the palace, gazing out at the prosperity of the Capital.
"I wasn't born here," Lin Changli said softly. "My mother met my father in a fief far from the political vortex. My grandmother, the previous Empress, had a White-Fronted Spider spiritual form—a creature that can hatch multiple embryos at once. My mother wasn't the seventh child; she and her sisters hatched together. They were all the Eldest Daughter."
Essentially, they all held an equal claim to the throne. The previous Empress chose the strongest to lead.
"On the New Year's night the war was won, my mother and I sat here, just like this," Lin Changli paused. "But she was called away soon after. The throne is glory, but it is also responsibility. I stayed on this roof alone for a long time."
Sang Ye leaned her head against his shoulder. The Little Phoenix and the Little Parasol Tree shifted closer as well.
"You said you’d compensate me," Lin Changli murmured. "I want to collect now."
He leaned in, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Spend every New Year from now on with me."
…
The next morning, Sang Ye woke up and rubbed her aching back. Hah, "every New Year"? Next year he can spend it by himself! The "price" she paid for the planet was far too high.
Lin Changli’s chambers were unique—a high tower with an open vaulted ceiling showing the stars. As she was getting dressed, the Parasol Tree in her mind suddenly cried out: "Sangsang! Do you feel that?" Sang Ye paused. Following the tree's guidance, she pushed her mental energy upward. Far out in the space surrounding the Capital Star, a colossal force of mental energy was swirling, expanding like molten lava.
The moment Sang Ye’s spirit touched it, the energy exploded like a tsunami, sweeping across the planet. The palace bells began to toll a high-alert warning.
"Did I do something I shouldn't have?" Sang Ye asked.
"Doesn't this energy feel familiar?" the tree replied.
"Lin Changli? Why is his energy so hot? Is he rioting again?" Sang Ye frowned. Suddenly, a piercing phoenix cry drowned out the alarms. A fiery shadow streaked toward the tower, turning the sky red.
Empress Lin Shuangxu and Lin Yangchuan burst into the room, followed by the Chamberlain and Wu Jinyue. They were prepared for a disaster.
"Lin Changli!" the Empress roared. "If you dare cause destruction on New Year's Day, I'll bind your wings and throw you into deep space!"
She stopped abruptly. Sang Ye stood awkwardly by the bed. "He... he's not here. But he's coming back."
A massive shadow loomed over the tower. A giant head peeked through the opening in the vaulted ceiling. "Hm? Why is everyone here?"
Under his mother's glare, the Phoenix instantly shrank in size. Lin Changli jumped down from the roof, looking radiant. His hair had grown to his waist, now heavily streaked with shimmering gold and red.
"I'm fine, everyone," he smiled. "I just... had a breakthrough."
The Phoenix puffed its chest out behind him. "I'm impressive, right? I slept for three months for this! I was dying of boredom!"
The commotion had simply been the Phoenix releasing its pent-up energy in a fit of excitement. Lin Shuangxu scolded the bird until it hid behind Sang Ye, but her eyes were filled with joy. Lin Changli was now the only SSS-rank Sentinel in the Empire—and more importantly, he was completely free of mental instability.
"Thank you, Sang Ye," the Empress whispered, embracing her. "Truly, thank you."
Sang Ye felt a pang of envy. Why can he jump to SSS while I'm still stuck at A-rank? Who’s the 'growth type' here? The Parasol Tree huffed in her mind: "Slow and steady wins the race! Don't be jealous; I'm already excellent!" Lin Changli approached Sang Ye with a large bouquet of "feather flowers"—the Phoenix's most beautiful tail feathers, glowing with warm mental energy.
"When he grew larger during the breakthrough, I took the chance to pluck these for you," Lin Changli said.
The feathers didn't smell like birds; they radiated a faint, celestial fragrance. The Parasol Tree urged Sang Ye to bring them into the dimension. It was time for the Phoenix to finally contribute something to the forest.
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