I stepped out of the isolation chamber of Mount Hua Sect, stretching my arms as the lingering energy from my refinement still coursed through my veins. The air felt sharper, crisper, and my mana flowed smoother than ever. Every step I took felt lighter, more precise, like my body had finally caught up to the power I had been forcing it to endure.
Mo was already waiting for me. His eyes scanned me carefully before he nodded. "You succeeded, then."
I nodded in return. "You should do it too, Mo. The pills aren't just for me."
Mo exhaled, rubbing his chin. "I will. Just been… hesitant."
"You don't have to worry about Sun anymore," I said, covering a yawn.
Mo's gaze sharpened slightly. "You're going to fight him like this?"
I smirked. "I have a plan."
Mo gave me a look. "Arthur, I agree with the plan, but don't crush him."
I turned my back to him, walking past. "I'll hold back," I said. "But it's up to him if he can take it."
Mo let out a long sigh before finally relenting. "Alright."
Mount Hua Sect had surpassed the Kagu family in influence within the Eastern Continent. The reason was simple: they now had two Radiant-rankers. That alone had cemented their standing as the strongest sect in the East.
But power unchecked was dangerous.
And Sun Zenith's ego was becoming a problem.
He had always been talented, and his growth rate reflected that, but talent without control could be just as dangerous as stagnation. His strength, while impressive, had made him arrogant.
This was an aggressive move on my part, I wouldn't deny that. But it had to be done.
Seraphina was still growing, still learning to master her newfound power, but in time, she would surpass him. Until that day, Sun needed to be put in his place.
Because if left unchecked, he wouldn't just be a problem for Seraphina.
He would be a problem for me.
Sun Zenith was already at low Radiant-rank, but his potential wasn't far behind the greatest geniuses of our era.
'His talent sits at the same level as the Martial King,' I thought. 'By the time he turns thirty, he could reach mid Radiant-rank as well.'
Which meant if I didn't curb his arrogance now, he would only grow into a larger threat later.
It was time to teach him the lesson he had never learned.
"You were always so arrogant, Sun," I said, releasing my mana in a storm, the sheer pressure shaking the sect grounds. Gasps erupted around us as the air twisted and warped, the force of my presence forcing weaker disciples to stumble back.
Sun's head snapped toward me, his brows furrowing.
"You said you'd crush me if I tried to protect Seraphina, right?" My voice was calm, but the challenge in it was unmistakable. "Now, try to crush me."
Sun's expression tightened. He didn't answer, but his stance shifted, his mana starting to rise in response.
"What?" I tilted my head. "Are you hesitating now because you know the gap between us?"
His eyes widened.
And then—the space between us collapsed.
Radiant-rankers bend space naturally, distorting the world just by existing. It wasn't on the level of demigods or gods, but it allowed them to move freely through short distances, erasing gaps in a fraction of a second.
In that instant, Sun and I moved at the same time, our figures blurring into motion.
'I feel closer to Radiant-rank than ever,' I thought, my body reacting with no delay, no strain. That slight hesitation I used to feel when warping space was gone.
I could almost grasp it.
The perfection of my strength.
"You've gotten so arrogant, Nightingale," Sun growled, his voice thick with restrained frustration. "I am a Prince of the East and one of the ten Radiant-rankers!"
"So what?" I smiled wider, eyes gleaming. "Do you think that means you're on my level?"
BOOM.
Our mana clashed, the impact shattering the air, sending powerful shockwaves through the sky. Despite Sun being half a mana level above me, my presence didn't lose out.
"Are you under the illusion we're even?" I asked as I grabbed him by the collar, his eyes narrowing in shock.
His jaw tightened. "I don't care anymore," he muttered. "Even if you're Rank 1 or a Marquis."
His fist shot forward, aiming for my ribs.
I caught it mid-swing, stopping it with one hand, the force of his blow barely shifting me. Then, with a simple flick of my wrist, I pushed him back with wind magic, sending him skidding across the air.
"Come on," I said casually, cracking my neck. "You don't want Mount Hua to turn to rubble, right?"
Sun didn't reply. Instead, he warped space, following my lead as we moved to a desolate, empty region far from the sect.
The moment we landed, he pointed his sword at me. His mana crackled around him, the sheer intensity causing the ground beneath us to fracture.
I let my fingers graze my spatial ring, considering Nyxthar for a brief moment. Infinite edges would make this fight brutally one-sided—but that wasn't the point.
Instead, I summoned the Eclipse Blade.
It had been a while since I last used it, but my connection to it was still strong. Ancient-grade artifacts were not as powerful as Legendary-grade ones, but in my hands, even this sword could outmatch most weapons on Earth.
Sun's grip on his own weapon tightened. His blade was also Ancient-grade. Not bad. But not enough.
"You sure you're ready for this?" I asked, spinning Eclipse Blade once in my grip.
Sun's golden eyes burned. "Try me."
And then he charged.
I felt his Sword Domain press against me, a sharp, imposing presence that tried to dictate the flow of battle.
I could respond with my own Sword Domain or even use my True Domain, but that wasn't necessary.
There was something better.
Unity.
His Sword Domain was strong, his technique refined, but Sword Unity was the true foundation of his power. And now, I would show him something beyond it.
Unlike a True Domain, which imposed my will upon the world, my Unity transformed my very being. I didn't just extend my influence outward. I became the absolute. The culmination of everything I was, strengthened to its peak.
My Harmony of Three Gifts—Lucent Harmony, Soul Resonance, and Mythweaver—merged into Unity.
A power that no one else could replicate.
A power that was mine alone.
The golden radiance of my astral energy flared, and with it, I spread my Wings of Seraphim.
Sun's eyes sharpened, his own Sword Unity flaring to its maximum output. He coated his blade with refined astral energy, the air around it distorting under the sheer force of his control.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then, simultaneously—we struck.
Violet plum blossoms bloomed from the tips of both our swords.
The first movement of the Grade 6 art, Violet Divine Mist Art.
Violet Sunset: Genesis.
Sun's grip on his sword remained steady, his expression sharp with focus. The sheer force of our clash had left cracks splintering across the ground beneath us, violet petals swirling in the aftermath of our strikes.
Then, his eyes narrowed.
"How are you using Mount Hua's art?!" he demanded, his voice cutting through the air.
I tilted my head slightly. "Because I learned it?"
His jaw tightened, his fingers clenching around his hilt.
This wasn't just a spar. This wasn't just about showing my strength.
I was going to crush Sun Zenith using nothing but his own sect's art.