Under the cover of shadows, Archie confidently believes that his foolproof plan will go unnoticed. Little does he know, someone has already created a countermeasure to his plot.
As they stand before the grand entrance of the garden, Archie eagerly reveals his plan to Kian. The latter is taken aback but reluctantly agrees to go along with it. It's a simple plan - Archie has procured an untraceable beetle that he plans to release once they enter the garden.
Their goal is for the beetle to poison all the food, and with Kian's power, kill it before it can be traced back to them. Only those in the king's realm would have the ability to trace such a creature, but with Archie's assistance, Kian should be able to pinpoint its location and eliminate it.
However, just as they are about to make their move towards the garden, a hulking figure suddenly appears and commands the attention of all the attendees. Their hearts sink as they realize that their plans may have been thwarted before even getting started.
As they approached the entrance, Archie and Kian caught a glimpse of a large man making his way inside. His broad shoulders and imposing presence drew their attention immediately.
"Who was that?" Kian asked, feeling a sense of unease wash over him as the man's gaze briefly fell upon them.
Archie swallowed hard, "I believe that was the last member of the Kentt family's team. His name is Kayden."
Kian was surprised to find that he couldn't sense Kayden's aura. It could only mean one of two things - either Kayden was a mortal, or he belonged to a higher realm than Kian. The first option seemed highly unlikely, considering that Kayden would be participating in the upcoming event. As Kian pondered this, he felt a tingling sensation in his chest.
"I can't see through him," he stated, feeling frustrated by this unexpected obstacle.
"He must have some special tool or ability that conceals his aura," Archie surmised. "But rest assured, he's just another weakling."
Kian could only hope that Archie was right. If not, their plan would be easily exposed and there would be no hope for saving themselves.
"This is our last chance before their wedding," Archie reminded him, his voice filled with urgency.
As they made their way inside, they were greeted by Juniper who exclaimed, "Kayden! You made it! I wasn't sure if you'd still be recovering in bed."
Kayden chuckled, "It would be rude of me to miss my friend's wedding."
Bobby joined in on the laughter as they all walked towards the festivities.
As Kayden entered the grand hall, his eyes immediately fell upon Tyler, who gave him a swift nod before returning to his conversation with a group of beauties. Not wanting to interrupt, Kayden stepped back and found another seat. To his surprise, it was already occupied by an old man and a young lady with a veil covering her face. Despite the concealment, Kayden could sense the woman's beauty radiating from beneath the fabric. She held a mature aura that captivated him, even comparing her to Evelyn, the most beautiful woman he had ever met.
The young woman also seemed to sense Kayden's presence, as she smiled and lifted her hands in greeting. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr...?" Her words trailed off, leaving room for Kayden to introduce himself.
The old man beside her was shocked by her boldness. Among the esteemed elders of their family and the eldest young masters of the three aristocratic families present, this was the first time he had heard his sister ask for a commoner's name. He eyed Kayden suspiciously but found no special characteristics other than his handsome appearance. Even more surprising was that he couldn't determine Kayden's cultivation level, causing him to question this seemingly average young man.
Kayden simply replied with a nod and shook the woman's hand. "Kayden."
"Ah, so you are the person my little sister has been talking about," the young lady exclaimed with a giggle. "She can't stop gushing about how handsome you are over the phone."
Kayden coughed awkwardly. "Young lady, I am only a friend."
But the young lady continued to giggle, clearly amused by Kayden's modesty.
Meanwhile, Juniper, who was acting as the hostess for the evening's event, noticed Kayden sitting beside her sister and felt her mood turn gloomy. She excused herself from her conversation with a guest and approached the pair. "Bobby, I need to use the restroom," she said, signaling for her personal assistant to follow.
Bobby quickly caught onto the situation and nodded. "Of course, sister."
As Juniper walked away, her eyes lingered on Kayden and her sister before disappearing into the crowd.
As soon as Kayden caught a glimpse of the woman's face, he knew who she was. She looked like a more mature version of Juniper, with the same striking features and fair complexion. "Kayden, this is my sister, or as people call her, the Porcelain Fairy," Juniper introduced her with pride. But before she could say anything else, the woman spoke up. "Hello, I'm Courtney Stein." Her voice was smooth and elegant, and her posture exuded confidence and poise. Kayden greeted her politely, but it seemed like he wasn't very interested in interacting with her. This bothered Courtney slightly, but she brushed it off and replied graciously, "The pleasure is all mine."
Courtney then turned to Juniper with a smile. "Shouldn't you go back to your post? Your husband must be anxiously waiting for you," she teased her younger sister playfully. Juniper blushed before quickly excusing herself.
The surrounding audience finally took notice of the elder sitting with Kayden and the young girl. After connecting some dots, they started walking towards Kayden's table. "Isn't that an Elder of the Stein family?" one of them exclaimed in hushed tones. "And the young lady beside him must be the Porcelain Fairy!" The group murmured in awe.
Meanwhile, Kian, who was making his way towards the entrance, also noticed the commotion around Kayden's table. "Damn it," he cursed under his breath. "We can't do anything now, especially with that Elder here." He knew that meddling with an important figure like Courtney would only bring trouble for their family.
The Elder mentioned was none other than Courtney's own father, the second oldest among the 8 Elders of the Stein family and only second to the family head and ancestor in terms of power and influence. Though he preferred not to get involved in day-to-day affairs, when needed, his formidable power was what made the Stein family one of the top aristocrat families in the country.
The old man's piercing eyes narrowed as he noticed the swarm of people approaching. "Move back or I won't spare a single one of you," he warned in a deep, gravelly voice that carried authority and power.
As the crowd hesitated, the old man's aura surged and pushed them all back with an unseen force. The people stumbled and fell, quickly retreating to their seats with looks of fear and awe on their faces.
"Not bad for an old man," Kayden said with a low whistle. "A low (emperor)."
"How did you know?!" the old man exclaimed, his eyes narrowing even further as he looked at Kayden.
Courtney's eyes flickered with danger as she watched the exchange between the two men.
"It's nothing in my eyes," Kayden replied coolly, but inside he was brimming with excitement. He released a small amount of his own aura, feeling it mix and clash with the old man's powerful energy.
As soon as he felt it, Courtney's eyes widened in surprise. "How old is he? How could he reach such a realm at such a young age?" she whispered to Kayden.
But Kayden remained silent, his attention focused on the old man who seemed unfazed by their display of power. "With such strength attending the gathering, you might even make it into the top 20," the old man declared.
"Only the top 20?" Kayden scoffed. "You must be underestimating me." With a flick of his wrist, he released another burst of aura that surpassed even the grand elder of their family. "I've already reached my peak."
The old man's laughter echoed through the room, filling it with a sense of warmth and familiarity. "I must say, you are quite impressive to have reached such a high level at your age," he said, his voice filled with admiration and respect. "It took us old generations years to achieve what you have accomplished. If you were to join any of the influential families below the aristocrats, you would soar even higher and perhaps even become an aristocrat family yourself."
Kayden's eyebrows raised in surprise as he listened, still adjusting to this new world he had just arrived in.
Courtney joined in, her eyes sparkling with memories. "The gathering 5 years ago was both fruitful and terrifying. I was lucky enough to reach the top 10 at that time."
The old man nodded in agreement. "Yes, but do not underestimate the strength of the other aristocrat families. Have you not heard of the winner from the last gathering?"
Kayden shook his head, indicating that he had not.
Courtney leaned closer, her voice lowering to a whisper. "The young lady who won was a veteran at her peak during the competition. Considering your current realm, it would be insignificant. Now we can only hope to reach the top 50."
Kayden couldn't help but feel impressed by Courtney's dedication and hard work. "You must have been working hard all these years," he remarked.
Courtney chuckled, giving him a playful smile. "I must admit, Mr Kayden knows how to charm a lady." She then added with a hint of pride, "After 5 years of training and cultivation, I have finally broken through to the King realm. Just a little more and I will reach the coveted Emperor realm."
The old man's voice trembled with a mix of awe and fear as he spoke. "So who is this winner?" The question hung in the air, heavy with anticipation.
"Five years ago," the old man began, his wrinkled hands shaking slightly, "the Zamora family's eldest young master was favored to win. After all, he had managed to defeat all of his opponents and gain a clean sweep at the young age of 19. At that time, he had a cultivation level of lord(mid), an impressive feat for someone so young."
But then, at the final round, everything changed. A new challenger appeared - the Lee Prince. Kayden's eyes widened in surprise at the mention of this name.
"The Lee Prince?" he exclaimed.
The old man nodded solemnly. "Yes. The match didn't last long. Henry Zamora, the favored winner, was easily blasted and defeated by the Lee Prince. He tried to block the raw punch but suffered major damage. His sword was broken in two and his body was blasted against the walls, leaving behind a bloody figure."
Kayden could feel his heart racing as he listened intently to every word. He couldn't believe that such a feat was possible. "We were all there that day," the old man continued in a hushed tone. "I was a king back then, but even I couldn't gauge the kid's aura. It was like nothing I had ever encountered before."
"So you're saying..." Kayden trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.
The old man nodded gravely. "That boy from five years ago has undoubtedly reached at least king(peak) level by now, if not even higher."
A chill ran down Kayden's spine at the thought of facing such a powerful opponent. He had never imagined that someone like that could exist in his time. If this monster were to join the gathering, he wasn't sure he could defeat him without gouging out his own aura. The mere idea was enough to leave him speechless.