The auras lessened by a third as Ely successfully reached the Spirit Transformation realm. She could feel the clear difference in her strength and senses now that she had broken through to a higher realm.
Her 2 millennia-long cultivation didn't amount to nothing. Tears started forming in her eyes as she got emotional. She released her divine sense and noticed Ning sitting next to the pond at the center of the island.
Without hesitation, she flew up to him.
Ning was focused on cultivating to gather his energy once more. He was so giddy with happiness after realizing how fast he would get his long-awaited purchases, that he didn't even realize Ely coming to him until she was right next to him.
"Oh, you're here? You should have stayed there a bit longer to finalize your brea—"
Ely hugged him without saying a single word.
"Wha—"
"Thank you. Thank you so much for everything you do for me," she said with a voice that was choking on her own tears.
Ning stopped speaking and smiled. "I do that for everyone I care about," he said. "And you are someone special to me. So, if I had to, I would do it all over again, as many times as I need to."
He gently caressed her back until she stopped crying. Ning made Ely sit down and consolidate her cultivation base again
Hyesi was done too, but he decided to stay where he was to consolidate his own cultivation base.
Now, only Anya was remaining. Her aura grew more and more as time went on and slowly reached the climax as everyone's did.
Ning's cap refreshed once more in the time and he gathered the required energy. Anya was done with breakthrough as well and was now consolidating.
Hyesi was done with his and flew over to him. His head full of gray hair couldn't be turned back to black despite adding another 5-10 thousand years to his lifespan, but he did recover his vigor.
Even without doing anything, he could easily live double of how long he had lived until now.
"Inikaka, I can't believe it. I really broke through. I do not know how I could ever do anything that would make it up to you," Hyesi said.
"You know you never have to. I never want anything back from you," Ning said.
"I know, but… I want to do something, anything to help you out. I have all this power and strength, and yet I still get help from you. I want to return the favor too, Inikaka. Please tell me if there is something I can do. I don't know if I will be able to, but I will gladly do it," Hyesi said.
"It's the sentiment that matters. Thank you," Ning said.
Hyesi tried to come up with something to say, but Ning had completely shut down his argument. "If you say so," he said with a dejected face. He really wanted to help Ning, but there was nothing he could do, that Ning couldn't do himself.
"Wait, what about those beasts, Inikaka? Can't I help you out with them? I can go gather them for you while you enjoy your daily life," Hyesi said.
"I've got that covered, don't worry about that," Ning said. "Besides, you couldn't find them without the technique that I was gifted."
"I know you're trying to help me but I really don't want anything in return Hyesi. Just go live your life without the worry of paying me back," Ning said.
Hyesi heard, but he wasn't sure if he could do that. If it was only him who got the help from Ning, he would be okay with Ning not wanting anything back, but with all of his people getting help from him for over 2 millennia, a sense of guilt was budding inside Hyesi the entire time that he couldn't get rid of.
Ning on the other hand couldn't understand that guilt. He never really had anyone help him like the way he helped others. The closest person would be the Creator, but Ning didn't even know if that was a person or just another energy.
Hyesi did help remind him of something, however. 'I should probably go find some more of those beasts. It has been a while since I did that,' Ning thought.
Anya was done consolidating her cultivation base and she returned too.
"Master," she said with a child-like smile on her face. "Master, this is so good. I-I feel so strong. Do you guys feel it too?" she asked.
They all nodded.
"It's been so long since I broke through that I nearly forgot how to do it," she said. She couldn't keep away her smile and was starting to lose a bit of the grace that she got with age.
"You are getting way too excited, Anya," Ely said. "Although, I do understand the feeling. And you got to the late stage even earlier than me, so it must be very awkward for you."
"Hahaha, talking about awkwardness, it really was very awkward. I guess that's what happens when you wait for 2 millennia to go from 9th Nascent Soul realm to 1st Spirit Transformation realm," Hyesi said. He was the oldest of the bunch and had thus waited for the longest.
"Oh yeah, that reminds me. What should we do about reaching the 2nd Spirit Transformation realm? You said that time moved differently here, and we can't stay here forever, right?" Hyesi asked.
"Yeah, you can't. Since time moved differently here, you would die in about 500 years despite getting upwards of 8000 years. So staying here isn't good for anyone besides me," Ning said.
"Well, that sucks. We'll see about getting breakthroughs later then," Anya said.
"We can't cultivate outside, so we will have to ask him to take us back here once in a while," Ely said.
"Well, enough about that," Ning said. "I will think about that later on. For now, you guys can return back home.. As for your family, tell them to get ready, I will come by in a month to get them."