The sound of footsteps echoed heavily across the silent courtyard. A freezing aura spread out from the figure approaching, so intense that several disciples collapsed to their knees, unable to withstand the crushing pressure.“This is… far stronger than before…” Kirana thought anxiously, her heart pounding in her chest.When Arga finally emerged from the shadows, every eye turned to him—none dared to blink. Before them stood a being half-human, half-demon. His transformation was far more complete than the one they had witnessed during his battle in the arena days earlier. His once-dark eyes now glowed an eerie blue, his right horn blazing with the same ghostly light.“Be careful! He’s reached the Immortal Realm!” shouted Rekso Atmoko, his voice laced with disbelief.He couldn’t accept it—how could Arga reach such a stage in such a short time? It was impossible. The only explanation was that Arga was forcing his body beyond its limits, drawing upon his demonic energy to temporarily bre

Rekso Atmoko struggled to crawl forward, his body growing weaker with each passing moment. Pain wracked him, his breaths shallow and ragged. Unbeknownst to him, Arga had already approached from behind, silent and relentless.“Where do you think you’re going, cockroach?” Arga’s voice was sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade.Before Rekso could even react, Arga thrust his sword into Rekso’s left leg. The blade pierced deep, embedding itself firmly into the ground.Rekso screamed, a raw, agonized sound. His body froze, immobilized by the sword that held him fast. His legs were trapped, unable to move, as the pain spread like fire through his limbs.There was nothing he could do. He writhed helplessly, groaning endlessly. His left leg had begun to turn a deep shade of blue. Arga, undeterred, drew two twin maces and approached him again.“I have one question for you. Answer truthfully, and I won’t torture you,” Arga said calmly, though his eyes glimmered with cold fury.“What… w

After poring over the teachings within the Book of Immortality and drinking the tonic that strengthened his body—an elixir he had received from the Red Frog Sect—Arga’s power surged with startling speed. In a matter of days he had leapt up two cultivation grades at once; just one more step and he would stand at the threshold of the Mystical Fist realm.“This is incredible,” Arga breathed, chest heaving, the aftertaste of exertion in his mouth as he completed another set of breathing and energy exercises. “In such a short time I’ve risen two levels... one more and I’ll reach the Mystical Fist.” A bright, reckless joy lit his features; the sensation of his qi tightening and expanding within him felt like a new limb awakening.That night he trained until the first pale fingers of dawn slipped across the sky. When the sun finally climbed, he packed his few belongings and left the inn he had been staying at. Before he departed, he placed ten gold tails into Lastri’s hands.“You can buy thi

That night, Arga rented a small room at an inn not far from the Golden Step Sect. Rumor had it that tomorrow, an auction for ancient relics and rare artifacts would be held in the nearby town — an event that drew martial artists and collectors from every corner of the realm.Unbeknownst to him, a woman dressed entirely in white had been observing him from the moment he arrived. By coincidence—or perhaps fate—she had also taken a room next to his.Inside his room, Arga sat cross-legged, unrolling the ancient Scroll of Immortality. The dim lamplight flickered softly across the parchment as he read and rehearsed the intricate martial formulas within. He had made up his mind — by dawn, he must at least reach the realm known as Mystic Strike.He had learned from whispers among the martial world that several elders of the Black Serpent Sect had already stepped into the early stages of the Immortal Realm, while others remained in the final phase of Mystic Strike. Even that level alone would

Arga and Arimbi sat quietly on the second floor of the wooden building, overlooking the bustling crowd below. The main hall was filled with people—merchants, nobles, and wanderers—all gathered to witness the grand monthly auction. A few influential figures occupied the seats on the upper floor, their lavish robes and jeweled ornaments marking them as people of power and wealth in the region.From where they sat, Arimbi could feel the hungry gazes of some of those nobles upon her. Their lecherous eyes followed her every movement, stripping her dignity with their looks. Arga noticed it too, though he said nothing. If not for the fact that they were in a public place, Arimbi would have gladly gouged out the eyes of anyone who dared to stare at her like that.Below, the noise of the crowd swelled with anticipation as the first item of the day was about to be revealed.A beautiful woman stepped gracefully from behind the small stage. Her movements were practiced, every step calculated to d