CHAPTER 43: CHAPTER 43: NOT HAVE TO PRETEND

Betty rose from the pool, droplets sliding from her skin as the once-agonizing water now felt calm and weightless against her body.

She lowered her gaze toward the reflection rippling on the surface. Crimson eyes stared back at her; no trace of the old Betty’s frail image remained. Her lips twitched slightly before she let out a long, relieved sigh.

"Anyway... the Thomson family won’t recognize me now. Even if I tell the world I’m a girl, my face no longer belongs to the thin, pitiful Betty they once knew."

Stepping out, her wet footprints marked the stone floor as water trickled down the rocks behind her.

"In their eyes, the fake daughter can’t speak... another reason they won’t suspect me."

She pressed a hand to her throat, coughing as she tried to force her voice lower. After several failed attempts, she exhaled in defeat.

"Sigh... I can’t even pretend to be male anymore. My voice has gone back to normal."

---

Calista, dangling upside down, flapped her wings furiously against the vines binding her. Her gaze was locked on the faint glow from the cave.

"Hey, little demon, release me. Your mommy has awoken."

Sophia froze mid-doodle, the stick dropping from her hand. Her eyes lit up.

"Where? Where is she? I miss her so so much!"

Calista gave her a deadpan stare as the little girl bounced in excitement, spreading her hand to show how much.

"You know, you’ll have to untie me first. Or should I free myself and go meet your mom without you?"

Sophia puffed her cheeks, glaring."You wouldn’t dare. If you do, I’ll tie you up and leave you hanging for two whole hours!"

Still, even as she bluffed, her little hands worked quickly to undo the vines.

The moment Calista was free, she smirked, snatched Sophia up by the collar with her claws, and beat her wings."Hold tight, brat."

With a rush of wind, they soared toward the cave.

"Ahhhhh Hehehe."

---

Betty turned her head toward the cave entrance, faint laughter drifting in.

She shook her head, flicking her wet hair so droplets scattered like tiny crystals. Stepping out, she caught sight of Calista swooping in wide circles, clutching Sophia by the collar.

The little girl’s giggles rang out, bright and unrestrained, as if she were enjoying the ride of her life.

Calista landed lightly, setting Sophia down.

Before Betty could even think, her hand moved on its own. A surge of white energy rippled from her palm, wrapping around Sophia and lifting her gently into the air.

The little girl squealed in delight as the energy carried her forward, settling her safely into Betty’s arms.

Betty froze, staring at her hand in disbelief. She had no idea how she’d done it.

Shaking her head to push away the confusion, she pulled Sophia close, wrapping her arms around her daughter with trembling gentleness.

Sophia giggled, burying her small face against Betty’s chest."Mommy, I missed you so much! You were sitting in that pool for one whole month!"

Betty’s soft smile wavered. Her body stiffened."H-how many days...?" she stammered, her voice trembling. "I thought I was inside for only half an hour."

Calista shook her head with a knowing look."No, Master. You really were inside for one month. You didn’t feel it because you were cultivating. Time always slips away when one is immersed in cultivation."

Betty frowned, her brows knitting together."Then what am I supposed to tell people outside? That I vanished for a whole month?"

Calista fluttered up and perched lightly on Betty’s shoulder. She tapped her beak playfully against the lines on Betty’s forehead.

"Don’t be so tense. Don’t worry, the space has reached level two; space and time bend differently. The ratio becomes one to two. That means only fifteen days passed outside while you were inside.

This way, you can cultivate longer without truly disappearing from the world."

Betty blinked, her expression softening a little, though unease lingered in her eyes.

"...Fifteen days still feels like too much."

Betty crossed the little bridge with Sophia snug in her arms, heading toward the cabin.

"Mommy," Sophia whispered, peering up at her. "Your eyes look different... and your face, it’s even more beautiful."

Betty raised a brow at that, glancing down. Sophia blinked innocently, waiting for her reaction.

A mischievous smirk curled Betty’s lips."Oh? Was I not beautiful before, dear?" she asked, pretending to look wounded.

Sophia’s eyes went wide. She shook her head so hard her hair swayed."N-no! I didn’t mean that, Mommy!"

Betty’s lashes fluttered as Sophia cupped her chin with both tiny hands, staring at her with utter seriousness."You’re the most beautiful Mommy."

Betty’s grin widened, touched by the earnest little face. "Wooo~ my daughter is so adorable!"

She suddenly showered Sophia with kisses on her cheeks and forehead.

"Ahhh! Mommy, stop!" Sophia squealed, giggling helplessly. "Hehehe—st-stop!"

Betty only laughed harder, hugging her tighter."Too late. You’re mine, little one, I will eat you up, RAWR!"

Calista floated along behind them, her little cheeks puffed in a pout. With a tiny huff, and looked away.

"Childish grandma..." she muttered under her breath.

The moment the words slipped out, her eyes flew wide. She slapped both hands over her mouth, horrified.’Grandma?! What in the world did I just say?!’

Betty paused mid-step, turning with a puzzled frown."What did you just say, Calista?"

"N-nothing!" Calista shook her head furiously, waving her hands as if to erase the words. "Absolutely nothing at all!"

Betty squinted at her suspiciously while Sophia tilted her head in confusion.

Calista forced a bright, innocent smile, though her tiny wings fluttered nervously.

Betty only shrugged at Calista’s flustered reaction, deciding not to press further.

Stepping inside the cabin, she gently laid Sophia down on the bed, tucking the blanket around her small frame.

The girl yawned and rubbed her eyes, already half-asleep.

With a soft smile, Betty turned away, crossing to the old wooden cupboard.

She pulled out a clean set of clothes, the fabric smelling faintly of cedar, then walked behind the ancient paper screen.

The faint creak of wood echoed as she set her boots aside. Behind the faded divider, the sound of fabric rustling could be heard as she slowly began to change.

Betty turned to the side, catching her reflection in the small bronze mirror hanging on the wall. She gave a quick spin, the black shirt and blue jeans hugging her figure more tightly than she would’ve liked.

She let out a long sigh, her eyes narrowing at the obvious swell of her chest. Her gaze dropped lower, falling on the dirtied bandages she had used to bind herself for so long.

Her lips curled in annoyance.’Ugh, forget it. If they notice, then so what? It’s not like I care.’

Her thoughts darkened as one name floated to the surface.

’And if that Lilian dares figure out that I’m Betty... tch, let her try. I won’t smile kindly like some saint. I’ll break her nose the moment she acts funny.’

She tugged the shirt straight, smirking coldly at her own reflection,

Calista dangled lazily from the ceiling, tilting her head."Hey, Master... do you want to reveal it now? That you’re female, not male?"

Betty let her eyes linger on the mirror for a moment before turning away, nodding with a shrug.

"Yeah. It’s not like I care if they know. I only kept up the male act because I was still weak back then; one bullet could’ve seriously injured me."

She clenched her hand into a fist, feeling the steady surge of power flowing through her veins. A faint smirk tugged at her lips.

"But now... even at just grade two, I can feel it. Bullets won’t pierce me anymore. They’ll shatter before they reach my skin."

"Of course, duh. You’re already at the sixth stage of body refining—your skin’s as tough as iron,"

Calista said matter-of-factly, still swinging her tiny legs from the ceiling beam.

Betty paused, eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at her."Hm. Calista, you know I’m not even using spiritual energy to cultivate, and yet I’ve reached this level of strength.

Then... those who do use spiritual energy, just how much stronger would they be compared to me?"

Calista’s expression softened as she shook her head."Master, every world has its own laws. You’re this strong here only because this world is the weakest among all realms.

Its foundation is shallow. Now that the world has begun to evolve, the power level is slowly rising... but even so, compared to the higher worlds, this one still sits at the very bottom,

which means if someone on the foundation establishment with spiritual energy comes down, he will have power like an immortal,"

Betty nodded, looking up at her.

"Yeah, you do have many knowledge, didn’t you say before that you didn’t have any knowledge of the outside world?"

"Tch, master, this is basic knowledge my mother had told me. I don’t know many things, but I know what my mom had told me."