2026-05-19 10:25:11"So we'll just leave him be?" Heber asked, an helpless feeling brewing up in his heart, his useless son had suddenly become the host of a cultivator from an higher realm, his value had increased by several times overnight.
"Even if we call the ancestors over who knows his backing in the higher realm? It's better to make a friend than making an additional enemy. Besides, the challenge between Alumera and Sitrus will hold in a months time, I'll be giving them a huge surprise." Herlous said with a smirk. "You intend to have him participate?" Heber asked, his face filled with surprise. "Your son is not up to 30 years old is he?" "No he's not, he's not even up to 20 years old." Heber replied. "Perfect." Herlous said, his face filled with joy. --- Bennett slowly opened his eyes, the last strike from Yan Ming had dealt a great blow on him. His Qi circulation was in total disarray, his aura fluctuating with every passing moment. "You lose." Yan Ming's words came to his ear, it felt like a heavy hammer hitting at his chest but he couldn't deny it. He had lost, miserably at that. "I lose." Bennett said, his face still filled with disbelief, he couldn't belief he was defeated by a teenager in the spiritual awakening realm--- "Who are you? You're not the fifth son of the Frostmoon family, there's no inheritance they could possibly have that could do this, if their ancestor's physique was really this powerful they would be the ruler of Nexus prime." Bennett said with a cold gaze, his eyes filled with suspicion. "You don't have to bother about that, I'm just passing by, I'll leave soon." he gave a perfunctory answer, not interested in divulging secrets to Bennett. "Yo--" "Don't tell me you want us to continue the duel? I might actually kill you this time." Yan Ming said, his words laced with a hidden hint of threat. "Besides, you owe me three wishes now, it's time for you to fulfill them." "Three wishes?" Bennett asked, his face filled with confusion. "Don't tell me you forgot the conditions you agreed to before agreeing to the duel." he asked with raised eyebrows. Bennett didn't pay attention to it at first, he never actually considered the possibility of him losing but now that he actually lost the reality dawned on him, he had to fulfill any three wishes Yan Ming asked of him. "As long as it's within my bounds." "I need an energy source, I'll prefer it if it's related to fire but considering your poor vaults I doubt that would be possible so just bring anyone you have." "Second, I'm leaving the capital, since you are so insistent on taking in a student accept my sister and teach her properly before I'm back." "Third, get me a map with full detail of the planet and coverage over everything." he said with eyes closed. "That's all?" "Yes, did you expect more? There's nothing useful you can offer me." Bennett couldn't refute Yan Ming's words, there really wasn't much he could do to help, even if he vowed to give his life to him he would end up being a burden. After all, Yan Ming could already match up with him despite being at the first layer of the soul manifestation realm. One could only imagine what sort of menace he would become after attaining the ember core realm. Bennett let out a sigh, he had already decided to let go of this "student" he tried to recruit, he had lost fair and square, especially after that last strike. "Okay, I'll give you the map and a divine treasure related to fire, your sister will be well taken care of, you can rest assured." He walked towards his partially wrecked villa, vanishing out of sight for a few minutes then re-appearing with a slightly embarrassed look on his face. "Go back to your courtyard and wait for a while, the map here is destroyed, I'll get a new one for you and exchange for a treasure from the imperial vault." Yan Ming raised his eyebrows, staring at Bennett with a suspicious look "The head of imperial guards has to exchange for treasures to get one?" "I never really needed them, this should be my first time exchanging for one." "However you get it, just give me a fire based energy source." he said then turned around and returned to his courtyard, preparing to leave the capital the moment he got the map regardless of their opinions, they couldn't keep him locked down if he really wished to leave. Bennett flew towards the imperial palace, the emperor and his cohorts were still in the courtroom, silently waiting for Bennett. "Your imperial majesty." Bennett said with a bow, a respectful and ashamed look on his face, he knew the court members all saw the duel that occured, he felt he had lost all his dignity by losing so miserably. "You did your best, fighting against cultivators from the higher realms wasn't fair from the beginning." Herlous said with a light tap on his armrest. "But still, fighting across two realms..." "It's nothing, just foundational difference that's all, don't let your heart suffer a hit because of this, cultivate to the peak and ascend to the higher realm then you'll be able to stand side by side with them." Bennett fell silent, he had indeed taken a hit because of it, the sheer fact he was beaten by someone two full realms below him felt unbelievable, even if he was told by a prophet he'd probably just shrug it off. "He requested for an energy based fire source, I request to exchange for one in the imperial vault." "An energy based fire source? Give him the high grade flame core." Herlous said, stirring a wave of shock in the courtroom. Even Bennett was shocked by Herlous sudden generosity, a flame core was rarely seen, even more so was an high grade flame core, an high grade flame core would only appear once in a thousand years and it was partially considered as the empire's national treasure, their heart would bleed to part with it. "Why do you all look so shocked, this is an attempt to befriend a cultivator from the higher realm. In comparison an high grade flame core is nothing." Herlous explained perfunctorily then ordered for the flame core to be delivered to Bennett. 'That's right, gaining the friendship of a cultivator from the higher realm is way more useful, the flame core isn't that important in comparison.' Bennett thought with resignation.
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What Remains: End Of Book One
A year later, the coalition that had once formed purely from desperate necessity had settled into something considerably more permanent — a genuine, lasting alliance between eleven territories that continued cooperating on trade, mutual defense, and the ongoing work of ensuring the Concord's dissolved structures never again coalesced into anything resembling their former, coercive unity. Tian Shen, now formally recognized as the alliance's primary coordinating voice, had proven himself as capable a peacetime leader as he'd been a wartime commander, the Tian clan's territory flourishing under his continued, thoughtful governance. Long Xue had settled into a role as the alliance's primary liaison to the void dragon clan's reforming leadership, her own journey from grief-driven hunter to genuine, trusted ally now complete in ways that had transformed her entirely from the cold, calculating figure who'd once ambushed Yan Ming at the Withering Garden's threshold. She vi
A Quiet Return
Nearly six months after the convergence's collapse, with the coalition's rebuilding efforts finally settling into sustainable, ongoing rhythm rather than urgent, demanding crisis, Yan Ming and Qing Chun found themselves, for the first time since their tournament victory so long ago, with genuine, unhurried time to simply exist together without the weight of imminent catastrophe pressing against every decision. "Do you remember," Qing Chun said, as they walked together through the same tournament city where their journey had first properly begun, its streets considerably more peaceful now than the chaotic, celebration-filled days following Yan Ming's unexpected victory, "when you told me jade necklaces were useless, and then bought me one anyway?" "I remember," he said, managing a genuine, warm smile at the memory's simplicity, so distant now from everything they'd since endured together. "You still have it?" "Always." She touched the necklace at her throat, the s
Rebuilding
The weeks that followed brought the considerable, demanding work of transitioning from war back toward peace, the coalition's eleven territories gradually shifting their focus from coordinated military preparation toward the equally challenging task of helping the Concord's absorbed sects and territories reestablish independent governance, free from the coercive unity Feng Lie Zun's ambition had once imposed upon them. Tian Shen took a leading role in this transition, his diplomatic skill proving as valuable in peace as it had been in building the original alliance, carefully navigating the complicated process of restoring trust and autonomy to territories that had spent years under the Concord's controlling influence. "It's slower work than the battle itself, in some ways," he admitted to Yan Ming, during one of their regular strategy sessions turned peace-building consultations. "Fighting has a clear beginning and end. Rebuilding trust, restoring genuine inde
The Warden's Confirmation
Three days after the battle's conclusion, as the coalition's forces settled into the considerable work of managing the Concord's dissolved territory and beginning the delicate process of reintegrating absorbed sects back into independent governance, Yan Ming found himself once more drawn toward quiet solitude, old habit of reflection reasserting itself amid the aftermath's demanding, ongoing activity. He found Qing Chun and Long Xue already waiting near the makeshift camp's quiet edge when a familiar, layered voice broke the evening's stillness. "You've accomplished something remarkable," the Warden said, materializing with the same unhurried, patient grace that had marked his previous appearances, grey robes settling around him as though he'd simply always been present, watching quietly from just beyond ordinary perception. "I confess, even I hadn't fully anticipated this particular resolution." "You knew about Feng Lie Zun's manipulation?" Yan Ming asked, old
The Battle
They emerged from the spire's shattered entrance to a scene of considerable, ongoing chaos, the coalition's massive diversionary force still locked in fierce engagement with the Concord's outer defenses, though the battle's character had visibly shifted in the time they'd spent within the spire's confines. Concord soldiers, no longer receiving coordinated command from whatever central authority had directed their earlier, disciplined resistance, fought now with the scattered, uncertain desperation of an army that sensed something fundamental had changed. "The convergence's collapse must be affecting them," Yan Ming observed, studying the battlefield's shifted dynamics with old, tactical assessment despite his considerable exhaustion. "Whatever loyalty bound them to Feng Lie Zun's cause, it's clearly tied at least partially to the array's continued function." "Then let's make sure that collapse continues," Long Xue said, already moving toward the nearest cluster
What Remains Between Brothers
They rested amid the chamber's settling wreckage for a long while, exhaustion from the confrontation's staggering demands finally, fully catching up to all four of them. Qing Chun leaned heavily against Yan Ming, her cultivation reserves depleted almost entirely by the containment technique's considerable exertion, though her eyes remained open, alert despite the fatigue. "You're alright?" Yan Ming asked, old concern evident despite his own considerable exhaustion. "I will be," she said, managing a tired but genuine smile. "Tianyi says the depletion is significant but not dangerous. Just needs time to properly recover." Long Xue settled nearby, void-attribute qi finally quieting after the confrontation's demanding exertion, her gaze drifting toward Feng Lie Zun's kneeling, exhausted form with old, complicated wariness that hadn't entirely faded despite his genuine cooperation. "What happens to you now?" Feng Lie Zun looked up slowly, old weariness and somethi
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