Next morning, within the Ginsenbark Guild...“Mmh... It seems you have finally returned. I knew that distinct aura signature belonged to you, Darius,” a booming voice echoed across the courtyard.One of the high-ranking Elders of the guild walked slowly through his private garden within the expansive compound. He was inspecting the exotic, mana-infused fruits ripening on the small, twisted trees lining the stone pathways, keeping his hands loosely clasped behind his back.Darius Korin stepped forward, his eyes lifting toward the upper balcony where the figure landed with a soft rustle of robes. The newcomer was none other than Elder Harrick Veylan.“I fully expected you to visit my courtyard the very moment you returned, Darius,” Harrick said, eyeing his colleague.Darius appeared noticeably quieter and far more subdued than usual as his lean frame moved slowly through the garden greenery.“Mmh... It seems it's you, Harrick,” Darius replied softly, his voice low, measured, and unchara

Hearing what Yuri had just said, everyone froze and tensed in that second, not merely because of the staggering severity of the decree itself, but because of where the divine mandate originated from: Lunaris, under the direct authority of Sect Master Conri Bluemoon.Chaotic murmurs erupted instantly, both among the hundreds of guild members hovering inside the barrier and far across the riverbank toward the bustling trading town of Thistleford below.“Lunaris has finally made a decisive move against these arrogant bullies!” a mercenary within the town square shouted, looking up toward the distant ridge of the Ginsenbark Guild. He watched the tiny, dotted figures hovering near the massive gates and grinned. “It seems we won't be forced to endure their condescending smirks for half a century!”“They thoroughly deserve every bit of it!” another local merchant muttered, gesturing in agreement.More excited whispers rippled through the town in overwhelming support of the declaration. Yet,

Within an inn in the trading town...As the violent energy waves and suffocating suppression of the Peak Enlightened cultivators clashed high above the mountain ridge, someone sat quietly inside one of the town's local inn, utterly carefree and unbound by the atmospheric disturbances raging outside. Dressed in impeccably tailored, elegant robes, the figure sat sipping warm tea across from a young disciple, a small child who, by physical appearance, looked no older than Delvan or Vesta.“Master, what is happening up there?” the young disciple asked, looking up at his elder with wide, curious eyes. “Why are the clouds suddenly tumbling across the sky, and who are those people speaking with such thunderous voices out there?”As the chaotic commotion unfolded across the town, the two of them were the only individuals remaining inside the inn. Every other patron, merchant, and traveler had long since scrambled onto the exterior wooden balconies or poured out into the cobblestone streets,

“Indeed... Elder Yuri is vastly stronger now than when I fought him back then,” Zane thought to himself, his crimson eyes reflecting the blazing sea of crimson fire raging across the heavens above.The temperature surrounding the mountain ridge surged higher and higher, turning the atmosphere into a roaring furnace. Zane looked down at his own open palm for a quiet second, his mind wrestling with the lingering mysteries surrounding the scythe-wielder.“I truly still don't get it... Why on earth would such a terrifyingly powerful man actively seek to die under my hands? Especially when he has a younger sister?” Zane reflected, his brow furrowing slightly as he watched Yuri hover effortlessly amidst the flames. “Yuri Tsurugi... Did I actually make a good decision by bringing this man into Lunaris?”Zane’s analytical mind delved deeper as he evaluated everything he had witnessed since their departure from Eastern sea. “I know he was previously a member of the Starfall Consortium, a guild

Then as Veydran stood amputated as he was, he took a deep sigh in that moment, as he wove a single-handed seal with his remaining left hand.Dark green death magical energy erupted once more at that moment, surging with a strange, unnatural vitality.“Mmh...” Yuri muttered softly as he watched the phenomenon unfold, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly in interest.“You said you were the greatest in the Enlightened Realm, didn't you? And that the rest of us are nothing but helpless insects lingering under your absolute shadow?” Veydran said at that moment, his voice echoing across the open sky. “I have to admit... you showed me truly amazing technique just now, and you even managed to sever my arm. That indeed proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are extraordinarily strong.”Veydran shook his head slowly, a cold, mocking glint returning to his eyes. “But the strongest in the Enlightened Realm? Not when I haven't even tapped into my full, unbridled strength.”He locked his gaze ont