Lin Luo collapsed onto the ground, clutching his stomach, the pain so intense he was close to passing out, feeling as if his internal organs were about to erupt. He had finally grasped a profound truth: success should never breed arrogance, and failure should never crush the spirit; one must always remain unassuming!

It was precisely because he hadn't been humble enough that he became arrogant after his victory, leading him to harbor an impulse toward Chi-Tomo Sakagami, an impulse he then acted upon. However, he had forgotten that the opponent he defeated was merely the Martial Emperor Bear, and even that was done with its power suppressed. This in no way meant he could defeat the Martial Emperor Bear at full strength, much less the even more formidable Chi-Tomo Sakagami.

Every person harbors a potential for darkness; it’s just that some people rarely reveal it. Lin Luo, after benefiting from the situation, had played innocent, provoking Chi-Tomo Sakagami’s anger. Coupled with the girl's inherent shyness, this dual stimulation transformed her, perhaps not inherently malicious, into someone with a touch of the dark side.

Her seemingly casual light strike was, in truth, delivered with countless subtle variations the moment it was launched. With Lin Luo’s current strength, defending against it was impossible, and catching him off guard meant dodging was also out of the question. Though the force wasn't overwhelming, it was certainly enough to put Lin Luo through considerable agony.

“What’s wrong? Weren’t you just full of life moments ago?” Tomo crouched down, asking with an appearance of concern.

Lin Luo couldn't sense any true concern in her tone; instead, a hint of schadenfreude subtly leaked through. He could only accept his bad luck, or perhaps consider it self-inflicted retribution. “N-nothing, just a sudden stomachache.” “Oh, then I’ll be leaving,” Tomo said, and true to her word, she stood up and turned to leave.

You’re deliberately doing this and then acting so heartlessly—I truly misjudged you! Lin Luo was so frustrated he felt like spitting blood. But just as he thought this, he suddenly felt a hand press onto his shoulder. In the moment he was pulled up, he saw the beautiful face of the girl before him—it was Chi-Tomo Sakagami.

“Alright, that was just a joke,” Tomo said, releasing her hand and standing face-to-face with Lin Luo. Her cheeks, however, suddenly flushed crimson, and her eyes betrayed a flicker of apprehension and nervousness; she dared not meet Lin Luo’s gaze, softly murmuring, “Um, what do we do now?” Tomo’s sudden change of heart somewhat stunned Lin Luo. He had never seen such a shy expression on her before. This instant shift from dominant to bashful left him feeling slightly unaccustomed; after all, a commanding aura was the expected temperament of a Martial Emperor, and it was part of her allure—this was absolutely not a fleeting thought!

Lin Luo had initially wanted to see just how demure she could become, but feeling the lingering ache in his stomach, he had to abandon that tempting notion. Even her sheer dominance () was enough to make life feel worse than death; if dominance and coyness () came together, he would truly need several extra lives.

Thus, Lin Luo forced a calm smile, reached out to grasp the girl’s delicate hands, and said, his face unblushing and his heart steady, “All we need is the K-Four S.” These hands were painful when they were used to strike, but held gently like this, they felt warm and soft, radiating an indescribable comfort.

“VIS?!” Tomo gasped instinctively. It wasn't that she was unaware that signing a contract required some form of intimate contact, but wasn't it supposed to be a breast grab () previously? Why had it suddenly changed to a kiss? If it were just the breast grab, she could at least assume a posture of deep meditation, treating it as a momentary imposition by a pervert, which wouldn't have been too stressful. But switching to a kiss implied that she too had to fully invest in the action. This was her first kiss! She couldn't treat it as casually as drinking water, and naturally, her mind became flustered.

“Yes, after the Divine War stabilized, the Tome of Contracts was updated and revised again, patching in a kiss requirement. I actually feel a Kiss Covenant better represents the purity and adoration in our hearts, don't you think?” Lin Luo spoke with unwavering conviction, though how much purity remained in his own heart was a mystery.

“Alright,” Tomo hesitated for a moment before finally nodding in agreement. She gently closed her eyes, awaiting Lin Luo’s kiss. This outcome was what she had anticipated from the beginning; it had just arrived sooner than expected. Although there was still some resistance, she would not go back on a decision she had made. Moreover, her resistance wasn't born of dislike, but purely of girlish modesty.

Lin Luo saw her eyelashes trembling slightly and knew she must be nervous. He moved his hands up, resting them on her slender waist and shoulders, drawing the girl into an embrace. The instant the girl’s body nestled into his arms, Lin Luo was enveloped by a refreshing fragrance that entered his nostrils.

This was Tomo’s first intimate contact with a man. Feeling the overwhelming masculine presence close to her face, her heart raced once more, yet inexplicably, a trace of reassurance settled within. The tension remained, but it was subtly different from before.

In the next moment, she suddenly felt two warm lips press against hers, and her mind went instantly blank.

“Heart Covenant Activated, Initiating Covenant Mode…” The girl’s lips were soft and sweet, bearing an intoxicating fragrance. Lin Luo savored the taste but did not forget to activate the Heart Covenant.

As the Tome of Contracts recited in its mechanical voice, a violent torrent of air suddenly swept up from the ground. These currents, appearing as fire, ice, and mist, gradually converged in the air, finally condensing into a massive character for 'Martial' (), which exuded an imposing aura that commanded reverence.

“Covenant Complete. Current Covenant Master and Covenant Holder have achieved partnership. Current Covenant Master obtains Proof of Constraint: Martial Arts of Ultimate Insight. Current Covenant Holder obtains Proof of Constraint: Martial Arts of Zenith.”

Covenant Master Lin Luo: Traveler (Level XX) Physical Strength: S Mental Strength: S Overall Strength: Peak Spirit Rank Leveling Notes: Requires one more covenant completion.

Covenant Holder: Chi-Tomo Sakagami Physical Strength: SS Mental Strength: S Overall Strength: Mid Earth Rank Proof of Constraint: Martial Arts of Zenith Seal of Protection: Martial Emperor Bear Heart of the World: Heart of Supreme Martial Arts (No. 10, Form Transcends Limit, Merged Heart)

Although Chi-Tomo Sakagami’s strength level was only Mid Earth Rank, she was separated from High Earth Rank by only a thin membrane; reaching the next stage was merely a matter of time. Furthermore, even without breaking through, as a powerhouse of the Hegemonic Path, she would not be weaker than an average High Earth Rank expert. Just like her form, she could transcend the limits imposed by rank.

“So this is the Heart Covenant. Why do I feel like nothing has changed?” After they separated, the shyness in Tomo’s heart had significantly receded. She examined her body up and down, seeing no difference from before the contract was signed.

Lin Luo smiled at her words. “The VIS Covenant only provides us with a door, and it changes the narrow worldview we currently recognize. But how we grasp that vast worldview, and indeed how we open the door blocking our path, depends entirely on our own efforts.”

“I see,” Tomo blinked, seemingly beginning to understand. “In short, the Heart of the World merely removes the limit on our bodies, drawing out our infinite potential, and turning that potential into true power is up to us?”

“You could understand it that way,” Lin Luo nodded. “Take myself, for example. Although I’m only at Level XX now, as long as I continuously strive and comprehend, I could reach my previous peak state, and even Celestial Rank might not be impossible. However, the excessively low level restricts my worldview, and every breakthrough requires me to explore and shatter limits on my own, which takes a very long time. Conversely, if our level and actual strength were in balance, we could skip many detours.”

Tomo agreed with this point. For instance, in her own world, although she was called freakishly strong, she was ultimately confined within the scope of ordinary humans. But upon entering the Peerless World, her horizons broadened, and soon she broke through the limits of humanity, reaching realms she had never dared to imagine before.

But…

“Yaoyao wasn't a Host or a Traveler, yet she reached Celestial Rank by the age of ten thousand. That’s truly incredible,” Tomo stated this without any envy or jealousy, only profound incomprehension.

“…Well, that one is a monster; don't use her as an example,” Lin Luo felt helpless upon hearing this. Gaia Alaya had existed for countless ages without ever breaking the shackles of its worldview, yet the freakish Yaoyao ascended to Celestial Rank by only ten thousand years—this was more than a miracle; it was a miracle of miracles!

“Oh? Speaking ill of me behind my back? You two are certainly brave,” just then, a faint voice sounded near their ears, startling them both into looking over their shoulders. It could only be the number one Demoness in history.

“Why are you here?” Lin Luo was no longer surprised by this Demoness’s ability to appear and disappear mysteriously, though he was slightly vexed that their rare moment alone had been interrupted.

Yaoyao flashed a toothy grin, her voice brimming with mockery. “Of course, I’m here to congratulate you. Congratulations on tricking another ignorant young girl.”

At Yaoyao’s words, not only did Lin Luo’s face flush red, but Tomo wanted to dig a hole in the ground and hide.

“Um, since you’ve already congratulated us, we’ll be taking our leave now.” Lin Luo couldn't bear her teasing, afraid that Tomo might become enraged by Yaoyao’s joke and take it out on him, so he seized the opportunity to slip away.

Yaoyao didn't stop them, merely watching them leave with a faint smile. Within that smile, no one noticed a trace of faint, almost imperceptible melancholy surface. In an instant, her memory flashed back to a time long, long ago. She remembered when there was once a person who held her hand as they roamed between heaven and earth. Back then, the twelve of them, a single party, were so heroic and vigorous, so invincible within the Nine Heavens, their names resounding beyond the heavens. But…

Time flew by, and now she was the only one left. That person had also perished in the final battle while protecting her. According to the Great Perfection theory of fifty, in the end, she was merely the one pushed aside.

But she would not give up. Though people and circumstances had changed, some things would never alter. Even those who had vanished would inevitably have a day to reappear!