Kael strode through the forest, his crimson eyes sharp, his Qi humming in perfect harmony with the world around him. The lingering traces of his battle against the Serpent's Fang disciples had already faded from his mind—none of them had been worthy of his full attention.
He had gained nothing from them. No challenge. No struggle. No true test of his abilities.
I need stronger prey.
He could feel it—the restless energy burning in his veins. His power was growing, but it wasn't enough. Not yet. The beasts had been weak. The cultivators had been weaker.
His hunger for battle had not been sated.
Behind him, Jin Mu followed at a cautious distance, his steps unsteady. The Golden Lotus disciple had yet to fully recover from his injuries, but despite the pain, he moved quickly afraid of being left behind.
Kael had no intention of slowing down.
"You're moving too fast," Jin Mu finally muttered, struggling to match Kael's pace.
Kael didn't glance back. "Then move faster."
Jin Mu grit his teeth.
Moments passed in silence; the tension thick between them.
"…You're not from any sect, are you?" Jin Mu finally asked.
Kael smirked. "What gave it away?"
Jin Mu exhaled sharply. "Your technique. Your power. It's… unnatural." His gaze flickered with something between awe and wariness. "What realm are you in?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. He could already sense Jin Mu's thoughts—the young cultivator had fought against opponents at the Second Realm and lost. Yet, he had just watched Kael effortlessly destroy enemies of the same level.
The implication was clear.
"I've only just begun cultivating," Kael finally said, his voice laced with amusement.
Jin Mu stopped walking.
"…You're lying."
Kael turned; his gaze steady. "Am I?"
Jin Mu's mouth went dry. He felt the power radiating from Kael, the terrifying confidence in his voice. If he had only just begun cultivating, then what did that make the rest of them? Insects?
Kael's smirk widened. "If that's enough to break your mind, you're better off returning to your sect."
Jin Mu snapped out of his daze, shaking his head quickly. "No. I—" He hesitated. "I owe you my life. I won't run."
Kael studied him for a moment before turning away.
"Good."
And then—
A presence emerged.
It was distant at first. Barely noticeable. A ripple in the fabric of the world. But Kael's senses—his Unreasonable Comprehension—locked onto it immediately.
Power.
Deep. Vast. Oppressive.
His entire body tensed. His instincts, honed sharper than any blade, screamed in recognition.
This was not the weak Qi of the Serpent's Fang disciples.
This was something far greater.
Jin Mu's eyes widened as he sensed it too, his body stiffening. "This Qi…"
A moment later, the sky darkened.
A shadow loomed over the treetops, stretching across the forest like an executioner's blade. The ground trembled as a suffocating pressure crashed down upon them. The air itself seemed to thicken, making it hard to breathe.
Jin Mu paled. His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto one knee, sweat beading on his forehead.
Kael, however, stood tall.
His gaze lifted to the sky—just as a massive figure descended from above.
A man.
No—a monster in human skin.
He was garbed in flowing crimson robes, embroidered with gold, his long black hair tied loosely behind him. His features were sharp, refined, exuding the air of one born into nobility. But it was not his appearance that made the world tremble.
It was his Qi.
Overwhelming. Towering. Suffocating.
This was not the aura of a Second or even Third Realm cultivator.
This was something far beyond.
Jin Mu's voice trembled. "He's… he's at the Fourth Realm…" His breath hitched. "No… the Fifth Realm?"
The man descended slowly, his golden eyes cold and piercing as they locked onto Kael.
For a moment, silence reigned.
Then, he spoke.
"You killed my men."
His voice was calm. Too calm.
Jin Mu flinched. Kael, however, merely tilted his head.
"Was that their worth? To die so easily?"
A single sentence, yet it made Jin Mu's heart stop.
A direct provocation.
The man's golden eyes darkened.
"Do you have any idea who I am?"
Kael's smirk was razor-sharp. "Do you?"
The trees shook.
The sky rumbled.
The man exhaled slowly. "I am Luo Qiyan—Eldest Disciple of the Serpent's Fang Sect."
Jin Mu's face drained of color.
The Eldest Disciple of the Serpent's Fang Sect?!
A cultivator at the Fifth Realm—a level far beyond anyone in the region. He wasn't just strong; he was considered untouchable.
Jin Mu turned to Kael, his voice low and desperate.
"Kael… we have to run."
Kael didn't move.
He simply stared at Luo Qiyan.
The man's aura was suffocating. Overpowering. Vast.
To any other cultivator, this was death itself.
But to Kael—
This was exactly what he wanted.
His heart pounded.
Not in fear.
In excitement.
Finally…
Finally, someone worth killing.
Kael's Unparalleled Cultivation Talent flared to life. His Qi roared in response, rising—and for the first time since entering this world, he let his power unfurl.
Jin Mu's eyes widened in shock.
Luo Qiyan's expression finally changed.
Kael's smirk deepened.
"You're strong." His voice was calm, steady. "Good."
He raised a single hand.
"Let's see how fast you break."