Power alone is enough to defy numbers… if one possesses enough of it.
Sogen's lips curved into a faint smile as his gaze drifted toward Siana.
She stood frozen among the crowd—shock flickering across her face, followed by a trace of embarrassment she couldn't conceal. Around her, the others were no different. Silence lingered, heavy and suffocating.
No one understood what had just happened.
Three elites… defeated in a single strike?
Sogen's mind replayed the moment.
Malric, Varek, and Yufeng had charged together, their confidence blazing. Dense qi surged from their bodies as both Malric and Varek unleashed White Grade techniques without hesitation. Yufeng followed—yet midway through his advance, his aura shifted.
His speed spiked.
His power surged.
It was his talent, Sogen concluded.
They were fast. Precise. Overwhelming enough to crush an ordinary opponent instantly.
But Sogen… was not ordinary.
The instant their attacks closed in, he moved.
Heavenly Mirage Footwork.
A faint distortion rippled through space as an afterimage was left behind—so real, so convincing, that even seasoned fighters failed to discern the truth. Their techniques tore through the illusion.
And in that fleeting moment of false victory.
Sogen appeared behind them.
Schimitar Bear Fire ignite.
Flames coiled along its curved edge, merging seamlessly with his technique.
Solar Swordsmanship—Ninth Form: Eternal Sunfall.
A blinding radiance erupted.
It wasn't merely light—it was heat, pressure, and annihilation compressed into a single descending strike. The battlefield was consumed by a burst of white brilliance.
Then—
Impact.
The three were sent flying, their bodies thrown back like leaves caught in a storm, their techniques shattered as if they had never existed.
Sogen lowered his blade.
The flames faded.
He had held back.
Every strike had been precise—overwhelming, yet controlled. Fatal blows had been deliberately avoided.
All of it… had occurred in less than a breath.
By the time the light faded, only the result remained.
And the crowd…
…could only stare in stunned silence.
Now in present.
The magistrate's voice trembled slightly as he declared the outcome.
Felix had won.
The Crimson Dust Tree pulsed, releasing its first wave of fine crimson particles.
But before the celebration could begin—
Yufeng stepped forward again.
He sheathed his sword.
Then bowed slightly toward Sogen.
"May I know your name?"
There was no anger in his eyes.
No resentment.
Only respect.
Sogen studied him briefly.
He had expected hostility.
Instead, he found composure.
Such men were rare in this world.
"Sogen."
Yufeng nodded once.
"I will remember it."
Then he turned and walked back to Letinca's side without further words.
Rhaziel's expression had hardened.
But he did not protest.
The outcome was undeniable.
Behind Sogen, Felix stood in stunned silence.
Siana looked at him differently now.
Not doubt.
Not pride.
But respect.
A wave of cheers erupted, breaking the stunned silence that had gripped the battlefield.
"Sogen!"
The name spread like wildfire through the crowd, filled with awe and disbelief. What he had done… was something no one had even dared to imagine.
Sogen stood amidst the noise, calm as ever, his expression unchanged—as if defeating three opponents in a single exchange was nothing worth mentioning.
Khamas stepped forward, his usual composure replaced with genuine gratitude. He clasped his fists and bowed slightly.
"If it weren't for you, we would have lost this opportunity."
Sogen gave a faint nod, neither accepting nor rejecting the praise.
On the other side, the members of the Letinca Mercenary Group wore grim expressions. Without a word, they gathered and withdrew, their earlier arrogance completely shattered.
No one tried to stop them.
They no longer mattered.
As silence gradually returned, something subtle began to change in the air.
A faint, crimson glow shimmered from the ancient tree at the center.
Its branches trembled lightly, as though awakening, and clusters of deep red fruits began to ripen at a visible pace. Soon, a rich and soothing fragrance spread outward—gentle, yet invigorating.
Even those standing far away could feel it.
A single breath was enough to clear the mind.
Two breaths, and the fatigue of battle seemed to melt away.
The crowd instinctively stepped back, creating a wide path.
Not out of fear—
…but respect.
All eyes turned toward three figures.
Sogen. Siana. Gale.
"Go."
Khamas spoke softly.
The three exchanged brief glances before stepping forward.
Each step felt heavier than the last—not from pressure, but from the sheer anticipation in the air.
They reached the base of the tree.
Up close, its presence was overwhelming.
The crimson aura drifted like fine dust, flowing down from the branches in slow, shimmering streams—pure, concentrated qi in its most refined form.
Without hesitation, the three sat down beneath the tree.
Cross-legged.
The moment Sogen closed his eyes, the world faded.
Crimson dust qi entered his body with every breath, warm and dense, yet incredibly gentle. It flowed through his meridians like a calm river, nourishing every inch of his being.
His cultivation… began to rise.
Beside him, Siana and Gale were immersed in the same transformation, their auras gradually strengthening as the hours passed.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
Half a day later—
A subtle tremor ran through the air.
Sogen's eyes snapped open.
A deep, refined aura surged outward from his body before quickly stabilizing.
He had broken through.
Earth Realm… next stage.
Almost simultaneously, Siana and Gale awakened as well, their expressions filled with disbelief and joy as they sensed the same change within themselves.
All three… had advanced.
Around them, the crowd fell silent once more.
But this time—
…it wasn't shock.
It was reverence.