One Last System

"It's done," I said, dispersing all of my external formations and standing up.

"Congratulations, brother," Levi was the first one to step forward and pay his respects. "To think that you would reach the ascendance realm in such a short time," he muttered, lowering his head and then shaking it in disbelief. "Even though I knew you were special since the moment you constructed your first arcane weapon..." Levi took a short pause and breathed out. He then raised his head and looked me straight in the face. "I never knew it would be to this degree."

We measured each other with our eyes for but a moment. Neither of us spoke a single spare word.

Then, Levi simply nodded his head again before reaching out and giving me a single pat on the shoulder. Then, he took a step to the side...

Only for Mia to leap right into my arms, hanging herself off my neck.

"Congratulations!" she cheered right from the bottom of her heart with an overjoyed look on her face.

"Wait, huh?" I twitched, unprepared neither for this kind of cheerfulness from Mia's end nor for a complete lack of sourness on her face.

"What's wrong?" Mia asked, staring right into my eyes.

"I mean..." I hesitated for a second. Then, I gulped down my saliva as I averted my eyes for but an instant. 'Wait, no, there is no reason to look away,' I realized, turning my eyes back to the girl's delicate face. "Didn't I promise not to advance before you catch up a little bit more?" I asked, bringing back the one topic that pulled my mood down the most.

"What are you even talking about?" Mia raised her eyes, unable to contain her surprise. "Didn't we already agree to suspend this promise?" she asked, leaning her head to the side while still keeping her arms locked behind my neck.

Having her hung down my shoulders like that and looking all merry and happy... It was a precious experience all on its own, but when coupled with her innocent happiness that brimmed from every fiber of her being, it was more than my poor heart could handle.

'I wonder how many heart attacks I would have if not for my cultivation already,' I thought to myself, amazed at just how resilient could become just by absorbing the world's energy.

"But what if we won't be able to be intimate for quite a while now?" I then asked, both genuinely curious about Mia's reaction but also worried that she didn't think about it in advance.

"Don't worry about it," Mia chuckled. "I will either need to hold it in for a short while or simply advance a single stage as you did," she retorted with a big smile.

"Actually..." Levi came in right in time to save me from breaking the bad news to my wife. "We are not talking about a single stage, young miss," he said.

"Huh?" Mia turned her head to my former mentor, her expression perfectly still as she ended up taking her time to digest the news.

"If there is a difference between early stages of cultivation, a gap between middling stages and a chasm between the higher stages... Then starting from the enlightened stages, this chasm turns into an abyss," Levi revealed while avoiding Mia's inquisitive eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked in a sudden cold voice.

"If one can become twice, thrice or even five times stronger by advancing a single stage of cultivation in the middling to higher levels..." Levi hesitated before finally throwing me a look, indicating he did enough.

"The difference between how I was before I cultivated and how I am is... well..." I picked the topic up only to end up stuck when it came to breaking the news to Mia.

"However big the difference is if we can come up with some materials, then with your formations I will be able to advance with ease, won't I?" Mia read into the mood and let go of my neck... only to bring her hands to my cheeks and force my head in a position where I couldn't avoid her eyes.

"Well, yeah, but a single stage might not be..."

"Then I will advance, two, three, or however many I will need to be with you again," Mia said with a fully serious expression. "Understood?" she asked, looking straight into my eyes.

"Y-yes ma'am," I replied in with a slightly trembling voice.

This kind of intensity in both her voice and her eyes... Well, I would have to lie if I were to claim it didn't catch me off-guard... but also if I were to say it didn't excite me a little.

"Then, so that carelessness won't put an unfortunate end to our time together," Mia muttered, this time taking her turn to avert her eyes, "I think we will have to enjoy just cuddles alone..." she muttered as if she was asking for something impossible.

"..." I simply looked at Mia's uneasy face, unable to find the right words to reply.

And then, rather than wasting my breath on uttering pointless sentences, I simply brought my arms around her shoulders before bringing her into a tight embrace.

"Why are you saying it in a way that would make others think it's a problem?" I whispered right into Mia's ear. "Even if I would have to abstain from your warmth for a year or a hundred years, having you by my side, safe and sound, is far more important than carnal pleasure!"

In one way, my words were empty. No matter how much I would like to valiantly deny it, intimacy was an important part of my relationship with Mia. Yet, holding her in my arms, feeling her gentle warmth oozing out of her delicate frame...

I was no longer the virgin I was when I first appeared in this world. And if I were to seriously choose between a year of celibacy and years upon years of peace with Mia, then I wouldn't need even a split second to make a decision.

"Let's hope it won't take years, then," Mia muttered, latching onto the side of my neck with her lips only to suck on it with all her might.

Yet, to the girl's dismay, the current difference in our cultivation made the gap between her strength and the resilience of my body too great for her to be able to leave me with a hickey.

And as I looked down at her face, I noticed the very first sign of displeasure. Yet, as soon as Mia noticed my look, her cheeks turned red and she turned her eyes away.

"That's unfair..." she muttered, clearly dissatisfied with the result of her small ploy.

And seeing her react like that... I couldn't help but chuckle and bring her right back into my embrace.

"Worry not, dear," I whispered, closing my eyes and immersing my entire mind in her softness. "I will make sure you will advance soon."