"However," the old man's voice softened slightly, "while it's possible for the weak to overcome the strong, it's rare. It takes a perfect storm of conditions to pull it off. Most rank 3 Disciples will never fall to someone beneath their rank. But the fact that it can happen… that should be enough to remind you never to be overconfident."
Silas nodded, feeling both awe and a sliver of fear crawling down his spine.
The old man gave a small, knowing smile. "Remember this, Silas. Once you step into the rank 3 Disciple realm, you will be playing a different game. That's why they say only when you reach Revolving Core will you truly be on the path of an immortal. Never underestimate anyone because even the strongest among us can fall if they aren't careful."
"You, of course, are a genius, but even a genius can fall, and a dead genius is no longer a genius," the old man said.
"Just look at your two senior apprentice brothers. They were both talented enough to become inheritors of this estate, but where are they now? They fell to the countless tribulations each cultivator must face…"
"I know you have killed an early Revolving Core before and likely have the confidence to kill him now, but don't forget that those inside this inheritance realm are much weaker than those outside in the wider world, so don't ever get overconfident. Like our late master preached, arrogance will quickly lead to your downfall."
"Yes, Senior. Thank you for your guidance," Silas said with a small bow. He had been stuck inside this weak inheritance zone for his entire life as a cultivator, and he had let his talent get to his head. Just because he was a divine beast, just because there was no one more talented than him in this small realm, didn't mean that he couldn't be defeated, especially by those like this golem who were of a higher rank.
"Yes, now go…" the old man said, motioning toward the golem.
As Silas walked forward, he took a steady breath, his scythe gleaming in the dim light. The rank 3 golem stood across from him, its expression calm but radiating an aura of overwhelming power. This golem wasn't a brute like the others; it would rely on its qi cultivation, using magic treasures and techniques to keep him at bay. Silas knew he'd have to close the distance quickly if he wanted to win.
The golem raised its hand, and several magic treasures materialized around it, hovering in the air like floating weapons of death. Silas instantly recognized the dangerous aura radiating from them—these were powerful Spiritual-grade weapons designed to strike from a distance. One was a long, jade-colored spear, the second a spinning disc, and the third a set of flying blades that orbited the golem like silent sentinels.
Without a word, the golem made its first move.
"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" The jade spear shot forward like a bolt of lightning, its tip glowing with a deadly green light. At the same moment, the spinning disc whizzed toward Silas, aiming to slice through him from the side. The flying blades hung back, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Silas's body reacted instinctively.
"Bang!" He swung his scythe, deflecting the spear just as it was about to pierce his chest. The impact rattled his arms, but he held firm.
"Shing!—" The spinning disc, however, was too fast. It slashed across his side, drawing blood, but Silas's fiendgod body quickly healed the damage.
"Damn…" Silas said through gritted teeth. He had lost the first exchange.
Ignoring the pain, Silas charged forward. He had to close the gap. His body cultivation gave him the edge in close combat, but the golem was quick, already retreating. It flicked its fingers, sending the jade spear hurtling toward Silas again, this time faster and more erratic, like a serpent striking.
"Bang!"
Silas ducked and rolled to the side, but the flying blades shot toward him, forcing him to twist mid-movement.
"Shing!—" One blade grazed his shoulder, leaving a deep cut. He gritted his teeth, feeling the burn of qi-infused metal biting into his flesh.
"Come on!" he growled, pushing through the pain.
"Whoosh!" His divine will flared, and his four sickles shot forward, aiming for the golem's chest. Two were infused with the dao of rot, the other two with the dao of crumbling, and all four with the dao of cleaving.
They moved in erratic patterns, weaving through the air in an attempt to overwhelm the golem's defenses. But the golem was prepared. It waved its hand, and the spinning disc reversed course, intercepting the sickles mid-flight.
"Bang!" "Bang!" Sparks flew as the sickles clashed with the disc, their sharp edges grinding against each other.
Silas growled, frustration building. If he couldn't close in, he was at a severe disadvantage. Its magic treasures were too fast, too precise. But he wasn't about to back down.
He roared, invoking his [Heavenly Transformation], his body growing to 18 meters in height. With his increased size and strength, he closed the distance in three quick steps, swinging his scythe with devastating force. "Bang!" His strike aimed to cleave through the magic treasures and force the golem to fight up close.
But the golem wasn't finished. It stepped back with inhuman speed, forming a seal with its hands. Instantly, a shield of qi burst into existence, blocking Silas's scythe just as it descended. "Bang!" The force of the impact was tremendous, but the shield held, though small cracks formed across its surface where Silas's dao of cleaving left its mark.
The flying blades shot forward again, aiming for Silas's legs this time, hoping to cripple his movement. Silas leaped back, dodging two of the blades, "Shing!—" but the third struck his thigh, causing him to stumble for just a moment.
The golem pressed the advantage.
"Whoosh!" Its jade spear shot forward again, this time glowing even brighter, having been infused with even more qi and a hint of the golem's dao. The spinning disc followed close behind, its sharp edges gleaming with deadly intent.
"Bang!" "Shing!—" Silas gritted his teeth and swung his scythe, batting away the spear, but the disc caught him in the side again, ripping through flesh and armor. He staggered, blood dripping onto the cold stone floor.
He was losing ground. The golem's relentless pressure was keeping him at a distance, where he was weaker. He couldn't allow that to continue.
With a burst of willpower, Silas activated his dao of crumbling. A faint aura of destruction radiated from his body, and his four sickles began to glow with a dark, decaying energy. He sent them flying again, but this time, instead of aiming directly for the golem, he targeted its magic treasures.
"Whoosh!" "Bang!" "Bang!"
The sickles struck the jade spear first, clashing against it with a sickening crunch. The spear was solid and sharp, but the infused qi and dao in the weapon were quickly overpowered under the influence of Silas's minor completion level dao of crumbling. The spinning disc was next—it clashed with one of Silas's sickles, and the decaying energy spread across its surface, dulling its sharp edges.
The golem's eyes flickered with the first signs of surprise. It hadn't expected Silas's daos to affect its treasures so quickly. Silas seized the opportunity and charged again, his scythe raised high. The golem waved its hand, summoning the remaining flying blades to intercept, but it was too late. Silas was already upon it.
"Cleave!"
With a roar, Silas brought his scythe down, the blade glowing with the power of his lesser dao of cleaving. The golem raised its hands, summoning a qi shield again, but this time, Silas was ready. His scythe cleaved through the shield like it was made of paper, the dao of cleaving amplifying the force of his strike.
"Bang!" "Shing!"
The blade bit into the golem's shoulder, cutting deep. Blood sprayed across the ground, and the golem staggered back, its calm expression breaking for the first time.
Silas, panting heavily, didn't let up. He pressed the attack, swinging his scythe in wide arcs, forcing the golem to stay on the defensive. His sickles darted in and out, harassing the golem from all angles, their decaying energy weakening the magic treasures still in play.
"Shing!" "Bang!"
But the golem wasn't done yet. With a flick of its wrist, it sent the last flying blade directly at Silas's heart, moving faster than before. Silas barely had time to react. He twisted his body, but the blade still found its mark, stabbing deep into his side. "Shing!—"
"Ugh!" Silas gasped, staggering from the pain.
The golem, despite its injuries, summoned the jade spear again. It was once defeated, but it still pulsed with deadly energy. The golem raised it high, aiming for Silas's head.
Silas knew he only had one chance left. With a final surge of will, he activated his dao of cleaving to its fullest extent. His scythe glowed brighter than ever, its blade pulsing with destructive energy. He swung it in a wide arc, putting everything he had into the strike.
"BOOOM!"
The scythe met the jade spear in mid-air. For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Then, with a deafening crack, the spear shattered, its fragments scattering across the chamber.
Silas's scythe continued its arc, carving into the golem's chest with brutal force. The blade cut deep; if the golem was a body refiner, it might survive this strike, but being just a qi refiner, the life quickly left its eyes.
Silas stood over the fallen golem. He had won, but just barely. His tough body no longer screamed with pain, but he could tell by the amount of divine power he had left alone that this fight had been much closer than he would have hoped for.
The old man's voice echoed through the chamber, soft but approving. "Well fought, Silas. You've earned this victory. But remember… there are far greater challenges ahead."