"You assimilated the celestial essence yourself—you must have realized it by now, haven't you?" Aji asked, looking over at Gayatri. This time, he offered her a warm, genuine smile.A sudden blush crept up Gayatri's cheeks. "You're changing the subject, Aji," she murmured, well aware that his smile was merely a clever distraction to prevent her from probing any further.Aji chuckled softly. "There really is no fooling you, Gayatri. Fine! I neutralized the volatile attributes of the artifact."Saying this with a relaxed demeanor, Aji casually raised both arms behind his head, stretching out his shoulders."How on earth did you accomplish such a feat?" Gayatri pressed, her sharp eyes searching his face."Why ask what you already know?" Aji countered smoothly. "I spent over a month isolated inside Dompai specifically to purge the Heart Dragon. Day by day, bit by bit, I cleansed its core.""But Aji...""Leave it be, Gayatri," Aji cut in gently, his gaze turning distant. "Our clash against

Gayatri and Lao were thrilled by Grandmaster Jinho's presence at the assembly. Before entering the hall, Jinho had offered a formal greeting to Advisor Silvi—an old friend from his past. Jinho claimed he had stopped by simply upon hearing that his two beloved pupils had returned to the Frost Line continent.In truth, his appearance was entirely due to the quiet persuasion of a youth named Aji, who had convinced the veteran master to step out of hiding and join the Sky Squad's cause."Do you still brew warm tea every morning, Master?" Gayatri asked, offering a warm smile of concern. Whenever they lived together, Gayatri had made it a point to brew fresh tea for Jinho every morning. Having raised Lao and Gayatri since they were ten years old, Jinho was the only father figure they had ever known."Even with you and your brother away, I take good care of myself, Gayatri," Jinho replied with a gentle smile, putting Lao and Gayatri's minds at ease.Following the formal banquet, the Sky Squa

Veiling his presence with stealth magic, Aji observed a sizable camp set up by a gathering of martial artists. The emblem embroidered across their robes identified them as members of the Gale Force Academy—the largest and most prestigious school on the Frost Line continent. Aji recalled their reputation; they, too, had mobilized to claim the Moon Flower.This will become an endless war inside the Tulisma Forest, Aji thought. Word of the celestial artifact's arrival had spread at an alarming speed. He could only hope that when these orthodox sects crossed paths, they would choose cooperation over bloodshed.Their true enemy was the dark army—a fact every cultivator needed to recognize. If they remained blinded by greed, driven to hoard the Moon Flower's divine power for themselves, their ranks would fracture. The threat of Lord Demon Shura was real, yet the greed of human hearts posed an equally dangerous hurdle.Internal division and blind ambition would inevitably lead to their self-

"So... you were the one who killed Gultron?" Denta's eyes flared with crimson fury, a suffocating aura of dark magic enveloping his frame. "Who are you really, arrogant brat?!"Aji offered a serene, unbothered smile. "We are the Sky Squad. That is the only name you need to remember."Unable to contain his rage any longer, Denta lunged forward, dense dark wings erupting from his back. Propelled by the sudden burst of momentum, he accelerated to blinding speeds, bringing his dark scimitars down directly onto Aji. Aji spun his wooden staff, interposing the shaft to block the dark general's strike.BOOOOOOM!A localized shockwave exploded mid-air, displacing atmospheric currents and sending a crushing wave of kinetic pressure across the clearing.Down on the forest floor, Saga charged forward, wielding a barbed chain attached to razor-sharp sickles at both ends. He swung the weapon in wide, violent arcs; whenever the whirring chain brushed against massive ancient trees, the trunks were sl

Astro observed that the regular military task force pinned down by the dark horde was a split division operating under the direct command of Master Gonan—his own former mentor. Master Gonan was cutting down numerous dark operatives with fierce resolve, yet his troops were rapidly becoming overwhelmed, prompting the veteran master to bark out orders to tighten their defensive ranks."Master Jinho, we need to relieve the defense force! They're struggling against the dark army's onslaught!"Astro was eager to reinforce the military division, but standing directly in their path was one of the Five Gates. Zagar had no intention of allowing the young vanguard to merge forces with the struggling military task force.Yet the seven Sky Squad members showed no trace of fear before a dark general. Having pushed their cultivation parameters to an absolute peak during their hellish conditioning, they drew their armaments without hesitation. Watching the seven young warriors face a member of the Fi