Right now, because her Employees had slain those Black Mist Monsters, Bai Cheng had reaped a sizeable chunk of experience.

Already raised to Peak Guardian Rank, she was only one step away from King Rank.

Seizing the moment, she began her breakthrough the instant the experience poured in.

Bai Cheng obviously had no attention to spare for what was happening on the Platform.

Her consciousness had sunk into the surging torrent of energy inside her.

The roar of battle and the shock of power outside the carriage seemed separated by an invisible film, distant and faint.

All her focus was locked deep in her dantian; the once lake-calm spiritual vortex was now spinning wildly, devouring the incoming experience energy.

Every strand that merged in felt like ice crystals flung into molten rock, provoking fierce spiritual ebullition.

The breakthrough had begun.

First came the scorching pain along her meridians.

It was as if countless fine electric arcs crawled through her blood; wherever they passed, cells tore and rebuilt in endless cycles.

Bai Cheng clenched her teeth, cold sweat beading at her temples, nails digging deep into her palms.

This advancement was utterly unlike any before—perhaps the threshold of King Rank was simply far more perilous.

The energy no longer flowed gently; it turned into raging waves battering every acupoint.

She curled up on the bed in the train lounge, body trembling from the pain.

Pale-gold patterns surfaced on her skin—signs of elemental oversaturation.

Each breath scorched her throat; her clothes were soaked and clung to her taut spine.

The side-effects arrived as expected.

Alongside the climb in power came an overload of ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ the senses that drilled into her marrow.

Her hearing sharpened unnaturally: she could catch the shrieks of Black Mist dissipating outside, the low thrum of thunder domains, even the infrasound of distant Platform beams warping—sounds no ordinary ear could perceive.

Streams of colour flowed across her sight; her nostrils filled with the stench of blood, burnt ozone, and the rot seeping from the depths of the void.

This full-spectrum sensory explosion stretched her nerves like wire drawn to snapping point.

Worse still was the torment of both spirit and flesh.

Elements rampaged wildly within her.

When she tried to suppress them, the agitation only grew fiercer.

Yet to avoid any anomaly she endured with all her might.

A stifled gasp slipped from Bai Cheng's throat.

She knew she had to guide this runaway energy or her meridians could be permanently damaged.

Forcing her mind to focus, she used will alone to channel the rampaging spiritual power toward the core vortex in her dantian.

The violent friction of energies produced a suffocating, tormenting surge.

At the crest of the torrent she clenched the fabric beneath her, fingertips bloodless.

A vast, newborn force scoured every pathway, the strain peaking along with it.

At last the long barrage subsided; the wild tide ebbed into a calm, deep flow.

A repressed exhalation escaped her lips, her body snapping taut.

The fragile balance broke; one hand propped her up while the other instinctively pressed over her dantian, as if to steady the core quaking beneath the flood, anchoring herself against the searing torrent.

Her spiritual core had undergone a fierce implosion and rebirth; a boundary shattered once and for all.

Bai Cheng loosened her grip, collapsing like a marionette with its strings cut, sprawled across the rumpled bed.

She panted, chest heaving, the golden halos in her eyes slowly dimming.

The violent breakthrough had stretched her body to its limit; every muscle now felt limp while her nerves still tingled with residual overload.

Without looking down, she simply closed her eyes and let the lingering tears and sweat slide into her hair.

Outside the carriage, the oppressive aura of the mutating Platform seeped through the walls.

Yet within her a new, star-sea vast King Rank power was quietly awakening.

This time, breaking into King Rank, she could feel every one of her attributes surge massively.

Coupled with the 66 points awarded by the Ten Thousand Frequency Hegemony Tournament, her three dimensions must have reached a terrifying level.

Bai Cheng struggled upright; post-breakthrough exhaustion still weighed on her limbs like a tide.

First she brought up the screen to check the changes in her abilities.

【train Conductor: Bai Cheng】

【Level: King Rank】

【Faith Power: 0】

【Note: Promotion beyond King Rank requires Faith Power and recognition by a certain Will.】

【Strength: 201】

【Physique: 211】

【Spirit: 305】

【Talent: cheng book (Stage Two): You can now raise items up to Immortal Level!】

‘So after King Rank you need Faith Power to advance?' she murmured at the display.

Her attributes were indeed as absurd as she'd expected after the breakthrough.

‘Wait—what?' She suddenly noticed the last line. ‘My talent upgraded?!'

Joy flashed across her face and she summoned the cheng book at once.

‘If every item can be raised to Immortal Level...'

She could hardly imagine how broken her talent would become!

But when she inspected the details she realised she'd been over-optimistic.

The cheng book had advanced, yes—but to push an item to Immortal Level she could only do so once per day.

And the item had to be Legendary Level to begin with.

‘That's still pretty restrictive,' she muttered, pursing her lips.

She'd hoped for a game-changer, not this.

The usual limits on upgrading items to Legendary still applied as well.

‘Fine, the boost isn't huge, but it's something,' she sighed.

After all, she had officially entered King Rank; she was no small fry now. Even within the Infinite Realm she could count herself a powerhouse.

Only then did she glance down and notice her dishevelled, sweat-soaked state.

First priority: wash up.

‘No way—I need a shower!'

But as she rose shakily and stumbled toward the door, it slid open with a hiss.

Yu Nian stood outside, calm as ever, though an almost imperceptible urgency flickered in her eyes.