Reborn as the Last van Ambrose

The sacred grove felt different in the afternoon light.

Grim sat cross-legged on the same rock where Húxiān had helped him contain his dark mana. The fox companion lay beside him, its blue fur gleaming as it watched the divine being with obvious interest.

"You handled the council well," Húxiān observed, settling gracefully onto a moss-covered boulder nearby. "Though I suspect you have questions about what happened during your fight with Xùyán."

"Several," Grim admitted. "Starting with this." He gestured toward the fox, which raised its head at being mentioned. "You called it a manifestation of my own power."

"Because that’s exactly what it is," Húxiān confirmed. "The fox isn’t a separate entity that bonded with you. It’s your own spiritual energy given physical form."

Grim frowned, studying his companion with new understanding. "How is that possible?"

"Your cultivation method is unusual," Húxiān explained. "Most humans develop their mana hearts in isolation, keeping their power contained within their bodies. But your exposure to dark corruption, combined with your natural talent, has caused your spiritual energy to overflow."

"Overflow?"

"Think of it as pressure building in a container," she continued. "When your power exceeded what your body could hold, it began manifesting externally. The fox is the result."

The fox yawned and stretched, seemingly unconcerned by the discussion of its nature.

"So it’s not really alive?" Grim asked.

"It’s as alive as any part of you," Húxiān replied. "It thinks, feels, and acts independently because it’s drawing from your subconscious mind. But its existence depends entirely on your power."