The Celestial Springs Resort was a place that remained open regardless of war, blizzards, or any other reason.
In fact, the staff would fight to work these shifts as they were paid multiple times more based on the threat they were facing. Safety was almost guaranteed as long as they stayed within the confines of the resort, all they needed to do was tend to the customers as usual.
However, that's what made these shifts great. There were hardly any customers, and the ones they did have almost never caused trouble.
Maria and Celaine floated not far away from the Resort and couldn't help but be surprised by the scale of it.
"This whole place is the resort? The entire mountain range? What the hell?" Celaine muttered. Although the Crystal Spire said it was big, they didn't mention this!
"Alright, enough gawking. Let's see if Mira's inside!" Maria exclaimed as she descended to the ground and walked toward the main entrance.
"...You know she's not going to be. It's impossible for that woman not to cause trouble. She's definitely out there in the blizzard somewhere."
Maria slowly nodded, but her eyes remained firm. "...Still, it doesn't hurt to check."
Celaine shrugged and walked next to her friend as they entered the building.
"Hello~! Welcome to the Celestial Springs Resort~! My name is Cherrele, how may I help you today~?" A cute, bubbly girl at the front desk exclaimed with a professional smile.
Maria smiled as well, causing a faint blush to creep up on the girl's face, "Hi~! I'm actually here to look for someone. Her name is-"
Before she could say another word, Cherrele shook her head, her ponytail swaying. "I apologize, but one of our policies is not to give out our customer's information. However, if there's anything else you need, I'm happy to help."
"Oh, come on~ I'm sure you know her. Her name's Mira, she looks like a fox woman with multicolored tails."
Cherrele's eyes shook for a moment as she knew this woman more than she'd care to admit. She was always in the mountains, hammering away, shaking the place! When they tried to stop her, she just threw out Spirit Stones and rare herbs, telling them to 'Shut up and leave her alone'.
There were even a few rumors that some of the customers who complained too much disappeared... but that was never confirmed.
Maria's smile widened, but she didn't call her out. She raised her hand, showing off her ring, and said, "You see, she's actually my fiancee~ I heard she was causing trouble and came to drag her back home~ Haaa... That woman, always making a mess."
All the staff members looked over with wide eyes, staring at Maria as if she was their savior. It wasn't just Mira that was a problem, but everyone in that group. Hana was caught sneaking in and out of places she wasn't supposed to be, spying on people. Coralia threatened all their neighbors. Rhydian seemed to destroy everything she touched, even spotted sleeping in restricted areas.
Dominique always carried a bloody aura, and Elenei's mere presence scared anyone who neared her.
They received constant complaints about them, but the higher-ups wouldn't make a move, probably because of the rare herbs she handed out. However, for the staff, this was a nightmare.
"R-Really?" Cherrele asked with a shaky voice. "You're going to take them away?"
"Of course~!" Maria then gave a smile that didn't reach the eyes. "It's about time she comes home, after all."
"R-R... Right this way!"
"...I was going to take us to a battle arena that, for some reason, only opens during the Decennial Storm, but considering I have no idea where we are, I say we just head east until we run into something."
'Then, what are we waiting for?'
Mira, in her small fox form, led the way, her crimson eyes cutting through the blizzard like beacons. Hana followed closely behind, not wanting to get lost.
During this time, Mira swept a part of her consciousness throughout her mind, soul, and body, inspecting the changes that breaking through to the 3rd Stage of the Soul Transformation Realm brought.
Breaking through the stages in the Soul Transformation Realm was not merely an increase in power; it was a fundamental development of her entire existence. Mira felt the beginnings of a fusion between her soul and physical body. Not some mere connection brought about by a unique technique but something much deeper.
'Like, at some point, my body will be my soul and vice versa.' She didn't quite understand it but instinctively understood she was heading in the right direction.
Her Dao also manifested more overtly in her physical form. Each movement, each breath carried the weight of her spiritual insights, making her connection to the elements around her more intimate.
"What're you doing, Mira?" Hana asked, noticing the fox's contemplative pause. Despite the howling wind and the snow that danced around them like wraiths, there was a serene aura surrounding Mira.
'I'm exploring the changes my breakthrough brought,' Mira explained, her consciousness still examining the changes within her.
Her Absolute Essence Core had become more robust, pulsating with over twice as much Qi as before. Her physical body had grown stronger, every muscle and bone infused with the power of her Dao.
But the most striking change was her connection to her Nascent Soul. Although there was always a link there, it felt more profound now. She understood that her Nascent Soul was just a manifestation of her inner will, but there were subtle differences between the two. Now, it wouldn't be wrong to say they were the same person, just in different bodies–similar to identical twins.
However, with the direction things were going, she wondered if-
'...there might be no more Nascent Soul once I reach the peak of the Realm,' Mira thought aloud.
"What does that mean for you?" Hana inquired, her curiosity piqued.
'It means that the journey of cultivation is one of constant evolution and unity. My soul, my body, my essence—they're all becoming one. It's a path towards becoming a true expression of the Dao,' Mira replied, speaking more to herself than Hana.
As they continued eastward, Mira tested her enhanced capabilities. With a mere thought, she manipulated the snow around them, creating a protective bubble that shielded them from the worst of the blizzard's fury.
Suddenly, a roar pierced the silence of the blizzard. From the whiteout, a massive creature of ice and snow emerged. Hana tensed, but Mira stepped forward.
'This will be a good test,' Mira stated, smirking.
As the creature charged, Mira's form blurred. She called upon her Dao, and pure Yin Flames danced around her. With a swift motion, she struck, her paw emitting a burst of chilling fire that collided with the creature.
The impact was devastating. The creature howled in agony as it was consumed by the flames, melting away to nothingness in moments.
Hana nodded, skipping over to Mira. "So, you're still powerful even in this form!"
Mira just rolled her eyes and carried along like nothing happened, not bothering to pick up the beast core that dropped.