Immortal Ice Empress: Path to Vengeance

As Eden and Seraphina continued administering the Celestial Nectar, Dominique's condition improved at a rapid pace. The poison plaguing her body was completely flushed out, rejuvenating and strengthening her.

During this remarkable process, a dense concentration of Qi enveloped Dominique, seeping through her pores and coursing vigorously through her meridians. This energy revitalized her entire being, reinforcing her bones, meridians, blood vessels, organs, muscles, and every other aspect of her body, even her brain.

The astounding transformation granted her unprecedented strength and vitality that should be almost impossible for someone at her cultivation.

However, what truly surprised them was the fact that Dominique's cultivation didn't increase despite the large amounts of Qi entering her body. It was as if the energy was filling in the gaps of Dominique's base foundation that she didn't even know she lacked.

Over time, her body subtly expanded to accommodate this newfound energy, and her appearance began to transform. Her bones creaked as they grew, and her muscles tore and regenerated, adjusting to her developing physique.

Hana, Eden, and Seraphina watched in awe as Dominique evolved from a cute child into a breathtakingly beautiful adolescent right before their eyes.

Her ocean-blue hair gained an additional sheen, her skin became immaculate, and the outlines of well-defined muscles emerged beneath its surface. Her facial features grew more angular, bestowing her a captivatingly sharp countenance.

Underneath her eyelids, Dominique's eyes, previously dulled by the effects of the poison, now gleamed with a newfound brilliance. She had transformed into an awe-inspiring figure, her aura continuously rising.

However, that wasn't the end of Dominique's transformation.

After the Celestial Nectar removed all the poison and impurities from Dominique's body, bringing her to her full potential, Qi circulated through her meridians again. Except for this time, her cultivation experienced a remarkable increase!

She shot through the Qi Condensation Realm and reached the peak in one go as if the sub-stages didn't exist.

Yet, that still wasn't the end.

Her meridian began to integrate with her body further, allowing her Qi to flow more smoothly throughout her body. This process happened quickly, as if it were the most natural thing.

Normally, this would require intensive focus from the cultivator and would be a very personal thing, but Dominique didn't seem to need that. The Celestial Nectar flowing through her body had soaked its way deep into her existence, allowing for a smooth, natural breakthrough.

More and more Qi gathered around Dominique and soaked into every fiber of her being, causing her body to bloat. Once Dominique had reached her limit, the Celestial Nectar wrapped itself around the Qi, absorbing it, removing any impurities, and then pumped out highly condensed Qi into her body!

*BOOM!*

A muffled explosion happened inside Dominique's body, signifying that she had successfully broken through to the Foundation Realm.

However, her seemingly endless breakthroughs weren't over yet!

Qi continuously poured into her body, increasing her cultivation and strength, all while Dominique absorbed the rest of the Celestial Nectar Eden had brought with her.

*BOOM!*

*BOOM!*

*BOOM!*

In the span of just a few minutes, she broke through another few times before things finally settled down. By the end of it all, she was now at the Peak of the Houtian Stage in the Foundation Realm, ready to break through into the Xiantian Stage at any moment.

Unfortunately, she couldn't go any further as this half of the Foundation Realm was more delicate and personal than the Houtian Stages.

Hana, Eden, and Seraphina stared in shock at the young woman before them. The transformation Dominique had undergone was nothing short of a miracle. Not only had her appearance changed, but her cultivation had skyrocketed, reaching a level far beyond what they could have anticipated.

Rather, they didn't even expect her cultivation to increase! They just thought that the Celestial Nectar would cure her of the poison, and maybe she'd reap some benefits from this disaster if she was lucky.

But this... this...

As Dominique's breathing finally stabilized, Eden turned to Seraphina, her eyes wide with amazement. "I knew the Celestial Nectar was amazing, but this... this is beyond anything I've ever seen."

Seraphina nodded in agreement, her own disbelief evident on her face. "It didn't just cure her but dispelled all impurities from her body, practically giving her a perfect physique for cultivating! It's not wrong to say she went from a slightly above-average kid to a prodigy!"

Hana was at a loss for words. She had hoped and prayed for Dominique's recovery, but she could never have imagined such a result. Her heart swelled with gratitude and joy, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes as she looked upon her transformed friend.

"Thank you," she whispered once more, looking at Eden and Seraphina with immense gratitude. "I don't know how to repay you for what you've done."

Eden smiled gently, feeling a sense of fulfillment. "There's no need to repay us. We're just glad that we could help."

Seraphina nodded in agreement. "As long as Dominique is safe and healthy, that's all that matters. If there's anyone you should thank, it should be Mira. We're just the messengers, really."

Hana nodded, agreeing that she should do something to thank Mira. Still, she couldn't discredit Eden and Seraphina's efforts.

Grabbing their hands, she looked at them with pitiful eyes full of gratitude, "I know, but still, Mira isn't here right now. If it weren't for you two, who knows what might've happened to her!"

Eden and Seraphina felt a bit burdened by Hana's gaze, as they really hadn't done that much. If anything, they felt they were more of a burden on their journey into the Forbidden Forest than anything else.

Though, given that Mira was stuck in the forest with a mythical beast watching her every move, they understood that if she went alone, then her journey would've been for naught.

What good is receiving a treasure if she can't even bring it back to the person who needs it most?

"W-Well... I-If you want to express your thanks that badly, you could always put in a good word for us with Mira. Maybe even ask her if she has any leftover Celestial Nectar." Seraphina scratched the back of her head awkwardly and said.

"Seraphina!" Eden scolded, embarrassed that her friend would even ask a little girl to do something like that.

"What?" Seraphina shrugged, "Don't tell me you also don't want a vial of it after seeing that? It's not like I want to strong-arm or blackmail Mira into giving me some! I just want the leftovers! Even a drop would be fine!"

Eden face-palmed at Seraphina's shamelessness, but she couldn't rebuke her. She'd be lying if she said she didn't want a sample of Celestial Nectar after having witnessed Dominique's transformation.

Any item that could rid the body of impurities was a treasure in the cultivation world, especially one as effective as the Celestial Nectar.

While it might not be useful to people who already have no impurities, it's nothing short of a godsend for those who do.

Neither Eden nor Seraphina thought it would increase their cultivation as it did for Dominique, but if it could deepen their foundation, it was more than worth it.

"...Sure, I can do that," Hana said with a slightly uncomfortable expression. "However, whether or not she'll listen to me is a different story."

Seraphina was more than satisfied with that answer, while Eden just hung her head low, too embarrassed with this situation.

With the crisis resolved, the atmosphere in the room lightened considerably. Hana's previous anxiety dissipated, replaced with a warm, grateful smile that never left her face.

A few minutes later, Dominique's eyelids fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. The brilliant blue orbs, now filled with an indescribable depth, scanned the room, taking in her surroundings. Her gaze finally landed on Hana, who was watching her with tears in her eyes.

"Hana...?" Dominique whispered, her voice soft and melodious, like a beautiful song.

Hana nodded, choked with emotion. "Yes, Dominique. It's me."

Dominique's eyes widened in surprise as she looked down at her own body, feeling the incredible power coursing through her veins. "What... what happened to me?"

"It's a long story," Seraphina finally said, giving Dominique a gentle smile. "But the important thing is that you're healed now. The poison is gone, and your body has been completely transformed."

Dominique looked over, and upon seeing the unfamiliar woman, she unconsciously backed up in a defensive position, but she ended up using too much power and broke part of the bed.

"...What?" Dominique looked at her fists in shock and confusion, wondering when she got so strong.

Suddenly, she felt a small, gentle hand rest upon hers.

"It's alright, Dominique." Hana said, trying to calm her friend down, "These two are acquaintances of Mira and are the ones who healed you! They're not enemies!"

"...Mother?" Dominique said, causing Eden and Seraphina to unknowingly tense up.

'What the hell?! Mother?! I thought she was just Mira's disciple!' They both screamed internally, shocked but also secretly glad that nothing had gone wrong.

'No wonder Mira was so hell-bent on saving Dominique. So, she was her child!'

Dominique looked around the room, looking for Mira, but frowned when she didn't see her.

Turning back to Hana and 'Mira's acquaintances, she asked, "...Where's Mother?