The winds howled through the shattered stronghold, carrying the echoes of Kael Varian's declaration. The remaining disciples of the Serpent's Fang Sect trembled, fear gripping their hearts. Word had already spread Kael Varian was a monster, an unstoppable force that not even their strongest disciples or enforcers could subdue.
Inside the sect's grand hall, Sect Master Luo Yuantang sat upon his throne, gripping the armrests so tightly that the wood cracked beneath his strength. His once proud sect, which had dominated the region for decades, was now reduced to a crumbling wreck. His trusted enforcers were slain, his inner disciples massacred, and now his enemies were at his doorstep.
The elders stood before him, their faces pale. "Sect Master, we cannot continue like this. The enemy strikes from the shadows, turning our people against one another. We need reinforcements—"
"Reinforcements?" Luo Yuantang spat, his aura surging. "Who would come to our aid when our own men doubt us? This isn't war. This is slaughter!"
A heavy silence fell upon the room. The sect master's words were undeniable. In all his years of cultivation, he had never encountered such a ruthless tactician. Kael Varian didn't just fight; he eroded. His attacks weren't just aimed at their defenses; they struck their morale, their unity, their very foundation.
Then, the doors to the grand hall slammed open.
A figure clad in dark robes entered, unbothered by the killing intent that surged toward him. Jin Mu stepped forward first, his gaze sweeping across the assembled elders with contempt. Behind him, Kael followed, his hands behind his back, his expression carrying an arrogant calmness that sent shivers down the spines of even the strongest cultivators present.
"You talk of reinforcements," Kael said lazily, his voice carrying through the chamber like a death knell. "But your fate was sealed the moment you crossed paths with me."
Luo Yuantang's eyes burned with fury. "Kael Varian," he growled. "You may have crippled my sect, but do not mistake yourself for an immortal. I will burn you to ashes!"
The sect master's cultivation erupted, golden Qi coiling around him like a celestial storm. A Core Formation expert at his peak, he was still a force to be reckoned with. The elders, emboldened by their leader's presence, activated their own Qi, filling the hall with oppressive energy.
Kael merely smiled. Finally, a challenge.
Jin Mu took a step back, sweat forming on his brow. "Kael… this isn't like before. Luo Yuantang—"
"I know," Kael interrupted. "He's the strongest I've faced yet." He tilted his head, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Let's see if he's worth my time."
With that, he stepped forward, and the battle began.
The grand hall trembled as the battle reached its fevered pitch. Luo Yuantang, the imperious sect master, unleashed the full might of his Peak early nascent soul cultivation, his Qi swirling into a tempest that darkened the very air. Golden auras exploded around him as he roared, "For the honor of the Serpent's Fang Sect—DIE!!!"
A blinding surge of Qi erupted from his outstretched palms, a force so massive that it shattered the silence, aiming to crush Kael Varian and all remnants of defiance. For an instant, it seemed as if the weight of the heavens itself would descend upon the shattered stronghold.
Kael's eyes narrowed. In that moment, the six absolute talents bestowed upon him—gifts from an ancient power amused by his audacity—awakened as if called upon by fate. A cold, confident smile curled on his lips.
With a single motion, his Qi flared to life, creating a barrier that intercepted the torrent of energy. The impact reverberated like a thunderclap, yet the barrier held firm, neutralizing Luo Yuantang's ferocious assault. The force of the collision scattered shards of broken Qi into the air, each fragment a testament to the raw power unleashed.
Luo Yuantang's eyes widened in shock. Never had he encountered a force capable of such nullification. Enraged, he staggered back, and with a guttural roar, he charged again—this time, enveloping himself in a blazing aura and began chanting ancient sectal incantations while weaving hand seals
Kael seized the opening. His movements were a blur, honed by his Unrivaled Combat Mastery. As the sect master lunged forward, Kael's fingers flexed, and his Unreasonable Comprehension Talent activated, allowing him to analyze the attack instantly. With a single, precise motion, Kael's fist became a comet of raw power, piercing through Luo Yuantang's swirling barrier.
The impact was cataclysmic. A shockwave rippled outward, scattering the elders and sending tremors through the very foundation of the hall. Luo Yuantang's face contorted in pain as cracks spread along his Qi shield, and for a brief, vulnerable moment, the pride of the Serpent's Fang Sect wavered.
But the battle was far from over. The venerable sect master, though staggered, summoned the last vestiges of his power. With eyes burning like embers, he activated a desperate technique, pouring his remaining Qi into a concentrated sphere of lethal intent. It glowed with an ominous light—a final bid to turn the tide.
In response, Kael's gaze hardened. The thrill of combat surged through him as he tapped into his Unmatched Body Cultivation Talent. With this power, he extended his influence into his own physical form, enhancing his strength and agility to their peak. In that moment, time seemed to slow for Kael, his mind mapping every nuance of his opponent's Qi flow.
Kael moved with precise, calculated grace, his movements a blur as he intercepted the desperate Qi sphere with his bare hands. The energy within the sphere buckled under his grip, and with a decisive twist, Kael redirected the attack, sending it hurtling back toward its creator.
The sphere's momentum was turned against its creator, hurtling back with a force that shook the core of the hall. Gasps echoed among the remaining disciples as the sphere collided with Luo Yuantang, who barely managed to brace himself against the catastrophic backlash.
Pain lanced through his body as his cultivation faltered. Yet even in this dire moment, the sect master's arrogance did not waver. With a final, defiant cry, he unleashed one last surge of power in a bid for survival.
But Kael was already prepared. He focused his will into a single, decisive counterattack a move that shattered the very environment around his enemy. As the remnants of Luo Yuantang's Qi splintered into countless fragments, the sect master's form began to dissolve, his final defenses no match for Kael's unyielding might.
Jin Mu, watching in a mix of awe and terror, could only gape at the relentless display. The hall, once the bastion of a proud sect, now lay in ruin—a testament to Kael Varian's supremacy.
For a long, suspended moment, silence reigned. Then Kael spoke, his voice calm yet carrying an iron edge: "The era of the Serpent's Fang is over." His words echoed like a decree, sealing the fate of those who once dared defy him.
The moment the words left his mouth, a loyal elder, in a bid to avenge his fallen comrades and sect master, let out an anguished cry, ignited his dantian and rushed towards Kael, hoping to take him down with him. Unfortunately, such tactics could never work on a master of Qi like Kael. He simply waved his hand in a deliberate but slow motion, and the elder was encapsulated in a ball of Qi along with the surviving members of the Serpent's Fang Sect, unable to extricate themselves. They struggled to break out, but it was futile.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
He exploded to their deaths, taking out the surviving members with him. In his attempt to go out in glory by killing Kael and avenging his sect, he had instead erased all remnants of the sect from existence.
As the dust from the explosion settled, a ripple of energy surged through the remnants of the stronghold, a harbinger of forces beyond mortal ken stirring in the distance. The heavens themselves seemed to shudder, as if in acknowledgment of Kael's rising might.
And somewhere in the distance, unseen eyes watched, their interest piqued by this new champion whose power eclipsed even the legends of old.