Chapter 1

I took in my junior sister as an orphan, raised her, and cleansed her mana core to help her grow strong. Yet she stole my bonded spirit partner.

She did it simply because my partner was Kieran, an ancient Fire Phoenix of royal bloodline.

In my past life, I fed Kieran my own heart’s blood to help him take human form. But to help Rachel ascend, he threw me into a furnace and refined me into an elixir.

Only at the moment of my death did I realize he had fallen for her long ago.

When I opened my eyes again, I picked up the discarded Shadow Beetle Bracelet that Rachel had trampled into the mud.

Rachel sneered at me. “Senior Sister, a bug spirit is nothing but trash. It suits a useless cripple like you perfectly.”

What she didn't know was that the ancient bug clan was once the most terrifying divine beast of the primordial realm.

1.

Rachel stood before me with teary eyes, just like in my previous life, begging me to give her my spatial artifact.

Kieran, the artifact spirit, immediately pulled a long face and snapped, “Rachel! I swore an oath of gratitude to Master Arthur, so I can only belong to Hazel! Let go!”

Watching Kieran defend me with such righteous indignation only made me sick to my stomach.

Kieran’s so-called debt of gratitude came from my father.

My father was the Grandmaster of the Suncrest Order. He died defending our sanctuary against an arch-demon, leaving me as his only child.

Because of his sacrifice, everyone in the Order treated me with utmost love and respect.

Years ago, my father found the Phoenix Realm Bracelet in an ancient dungeon. At that time, Kieran was nearly obliterated by a lightning tribulation.

My father exhausted half of his life’s mana to save Kieran.

It was precisely because of that lost power that my father was fatally wounded when the demon attacked.

On my father’s deathbed, Kieran swore an oath to become my bonded partner and protect me across every lifetime.

Yet in my past life, he betrayed that vow without a second thought.

Rachel looked at Kieran with a wronged expression. “Kieran, it’s almost impossible for a spatial mage to find a compatible spirit partner. I can feel a deep bond between us. Besides, Senior Sister was born with a zero-mana body. She can’t cultivate at all, so how could she ever be worthy of a Phoenix spirit? You might as well choose me…”

A zero-mana body meant that no matter how much mana I absorbed, my channels couldn't store a single drop. In this world, I was just a useless cripple.

My sect members never brought it up because they feared hurting my feelings. Only Rachel made sure to remind me of it every single day.

“Shut up, Rachel!” Kieran barked, sounding entirely resolute. “I’m only binding myself to Hazel. If you try to force me, I’d rather self-destruct!”

He put on a brilliant act of despising her.

Yet only I knew that deep down, he was head over heels in love with her.

Tears rolled down Rachel’s cheeks. “No! You told me yourself that only I deserve the Phoenix Bracelet, and that only I deserve you! That filthy bug bracelet in the corner isn't worthy of me!”

In the corner of the courtyard, an ugly, pitch-black cuff lay abandoned in a puddle of mud.

These two were the only spatial artifacts in our entire Order. Our Elder Uncle originally thought Rachel had the highest talent, so he intended to give her the beetle cuff.

But she despised it, believing an insect spirit was the lowest form of trash.

Rachel pointed at me, her voice full of resentment. “She can’t even cast a basic spell! Giving her something so precious is a complete waste!”

“Rachel, be silent!” Kieran held his head high. “I am not an ungrateful beast. I must take Hazel as my master!”

He stepped toward me, his gaze softening into a tender look. “Hazel, from now on, you are my master, and my bonded partner.”

Before I could speak, Rachel grabbed my arm and looked at me with puppy-dog eyes. “Senior Sister, I know you love me most. Please, just let me have Kieran, okay?”

I stared at Rachel in silence as memories of my past life flashed before my eyes.

It was the exact same scene back then. Rachel begged me to give Kieran to her, and I agreed.

I had found her when she was just a starving orphan on the streets.

I raised her like a younger sister, taught her spells, and poured countless rare elixirs into her to cleanse her mana channels.

I gave her my whole heart, only to raise a venomous viper.

She had secretly hooked up with Kieran behind my back. While convincing me to hand over the Phoenix Bracelet, she had Kieran pretend to care for me so they could bleed me dry of my father’s inheritance.

She manipulated me into using my own heart’s blood to forge Kieran a physical body. She even tricked me into entering the Blazing Chasm to hunt for the Flame Lotus that triggered his rebirth.

And when that wasn't enough, Kieran tricked me into an ancient ruin, threw me into a furnace, and refined my pure mana body into a divine pill just so Rachel could ascend to godhood.

The excruciating agony of being burned alive by Phoenix Fire was etched into my soul. This time, I was going to make them pay tenfold.

A cold smile curved on my lips. “Sure. Since you like him so much, he’s yours.”

Rachel beamed instantly. “I knew you loved me the most, Senior Sister!”

She turned around and gazed at Kieran lovingly. “Kieran, Senior Sister agreed. Please don't reject me anymore.”

Kieran’s face twisted in feigned reluctance before he let out a heavy sigh.

“Hazel, since you insist, I will respect your wish and inform the Elders.”

They put on this elaborate show just so the Order would believe I willingly gave Kieran away, hiding their dirty secret.

After all, the entire Order adored me. If they openly crossed me, they would have been expelled immediately.

I walked over to the corner, bent down, and picked up the muddy black beetle cuff.

“Our Order is the only spatial mage sanctuary in the land, and we always respect an artifact spirit’s choice,” I said calmly. “Since the Phoenix has chosen its master, I won't force it. I’m just a cripple anyway. This bug bracelet suits me just fine.”

Rachel smirked smugly. “Senior Sister is right. A useless girl and a trash insect spirit―you two are truly made for each other.”

With that, Rachel took Kieran’s hand and strutted away.

By the next morning, the entire Order heard about the exchange. My Elder Uncle stormed into my room, fuming with anger.

“Hazel! That was your father’s legacy! How could you just give it away to her?”

“I know you spoil Rachel, but you usually give her your magic stones and potions! That Phoenix Bracelet was meant to save your life! What are you going to do without it?”

I smiled gently to calm him down. “Don't be angry, Uncle. What good is a powerful spirit if his heart looks down on me?”

Seeing that I seemed genuinely unbothered, my uncle let out a long sigh and left.