Arthur stopped a few meters away from the fallen eagle, his footsteps coming to a halt as the faint crackle of residual lightning still lingered in the air around them. The battlefield bore the marks of their clash, scorched earth, shattered trees, and a wide crater where the final strike had landed.
The eagle struggled weakly, its massive frame trembling as it tried to rise, only to fail as exhaustion and injuries weighed it down. Its once overwhelming presence had been reduced to something fragile, barely holding on.
Arthur's gaze remained steady as he looked at it, his expression calm but not without a trace of coldness. "You were the one who attacked me first," he said evenly, his voice carrying no emotion. "And now you want mercy?"
The eagle let out a strained breath, its chest rising unevenly as it forced itself to stay conscious. Its golden eyes, once filled with dominance and pride, now carried something closer to desperation. "I… I mistook you for someone else," it replied, its voice was weak but still clear. "A group of humans invaded my territory… they were hunting me. I fled from them and that's when I saw you… and I thought you were with them." It paused, its body trembling slightly before continuing, "So I attacked first. That… was my mistake. Please spare me."
Arthur watched it silently for a moment, his mind weighing its words while his senses instinctively checked for any trace of deception. There was none that he could detect, but that alone didn't make him trust it. This world had already shown him that survival often came down to instinct and self-interest, and mercy was rarely given without consequence.
"You want me to believe…"
He didn't get to finish his sentence when a sharp spike of danger tore through his perception, and his body reacted before the attack could land where he was. He vanished from his position, reappearing several tens of meters away just as…
BOOM!
The ground where he had stood exploded violently, a concentrated attack tearing through the space with terrifying precision. Dust and debris surged upward, the shockwave spreading outward and creating another hole in the crater. The attack wasn't random… it was deliberate, calculated to kill the eagle.
Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked above, his gaze shifting toward the source of the attack even before the dust began to settle. Three presences entered his perception, approaching without any attempt to conceal themselves.
"Hahaha! Brother Lu, we finally got the lightning beast!" one of them exclaimed, his tone filled with excitement. "Its lightning core alone will fetch a fortune, let alone its body parts!"
As the dust cleared, the scene became visible. The eagle lay motionless, its head cleanly severed, the cut so precise it left no doubt about the attacker's skill. A sword was embedded into the ground beside its body, still faintly vibrating with residual energy. The beast hadn't even had a chance to react due to its weakened state, it had been killed instantly.
Arthur's gaze lingered on the corpse for a moment before shifting toward the three men who now stood around it. Their auras were strong and stable, their expression carried the arrogance like people who were accustomed to taking what they wanted.
The one standing at the front named Lu, held himself with clear authority, Arthur could sense his cultivation was at the peak of the Great Unity Immortal realm, while the other two hovered just below him in strength at the late stage of Great Unity Immortal realm.
Their attention shifted toward Arthur after they finished checking the corpse of the lightning beast.
"Are you the one who defeated this beast?" Lu asked, his tone carrying mild curiosity.
But he didn't wait for an answer. "We were pursuing this beast earlier," he continued casually, as if stating an obvious fact. "So the spoils should rightfully belong to us."
The two men beside him stepped forward without hesitation, already moving to claim the corpse.
Arthur's expression didn't change as he finally replied. "Who said you could take it?"
The words were simple, but the effect was immediate as an invisible force descended upon the two.
The two men froze mid-step as their bodies were locked in place, their movements halted completely as if something had wrapped around them and refused to let go. Their expressions twisted into shock and panic as they struggled, spiritual energy flaring around them in an attempt to break free.
"Argh…! W-What is this?!" one of them shouted, his voice strained as his body refused to respond.
Lu's expression darkened instantly as he looked at his companions, then back at Arthur. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, his tone sharpening. "Do you even know who you're messing with?"
Arthur tilted his head slightly, his gaze indifferent, almost bored. "Did I ask?"
The response landed like a slap on Lu's face. His face twisted with anger as his aura flared slightly. "You better release my men if you don't want to die," he said coldly. "We are from the Crimson Hall, one of the top fifty organizations in the Immortal Realm."
Arthur remained silent.
Lu took a step forward, his voice growing heavier as he continued, trying to assert dominance through the name of their organisation. "It looks like you are not aware that this entire planet is under our jurisdiction. You should think carefully before acting recklessly, and show us your identity and affiliation."
Arthur shook his head in exasperation, as if the entire exchange had become tiresome. "…You talk too much."
The next moment, a sword formed in his hand. It wasn't forged from metal, in fact he created it entirely out of light elemental energy.
The moment it appeared, the atmosphere shifted. Lu's gaze stiffened at the sight and he started trembling, his arrogance vanished from his face instantly, replaced by something far more genuine, fear.
"Y… You…" his voice trembled slightly, his eyes locked onto the blade. "You are from the Celestial Sect?"
Arthur, who was getting ready to fight, was confused at what was happening, as he was hearing the name 'Celestial Sect' for the first time.
Lu immediately dropped to one knee, his head bowing deeply in submission. "P… Please forgive my transgression!" he said hurriedly. "We failed to recognize a member of the Celestial Sect!"
The two men who had been struggling felt the pressure vanish instantly. They collapsed briefly before scrambling to kneel as well, their heads lowered, not daring to look up.
Arthur stood there, watching them in silence. Even though he was confused, he didn't let it show on his face. 'Did they confuse me for a member of this Celestial Sect because I used the Light element?'
He didn't correct them, there was no benefit in doing so.
Instead, he turned and walked toward the eagle's corpse, storing it without hesitation. The three men remained kneeling, completely still, as if even breathing too loudly might provoke him.
Arthur gave them a brief glance, just enough to confirm they wouldn't act again, before disappearing from the spot entirely.
…
Lu remained kneeling long after Arthur left, his body was tense as he waited, making absolutely sure the presence had truly vanished. Only when he was certain did he finally exhale, his shoulders dropping slightly as he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"…That was too close," he muttered under his breath.
One of his companions hesitated before speaking, his voice still unsteady. "B-Brother Lu… what was a member of the Celestial Sect doing here? Isn't this planet under Crimson Hall?"
Lu's expression hardened instantly as he shot him a sharp glare. "Don't ask unnecessary questions," he said coldly. "And don't you dare speak about what happened here to anyone."
The man immediately lowered his head. "Y-Yes…"
Lu stood up slowly, his mind still racing, even he was confused as to what a member of a Celestial Sect was doing on this lesser world. Celestial Sect was one of the top three sects of the immortal realm and some rumors claim they are even stronger than the other two at the top three combined, so it could be considered they are the strongest organisation in the immortal realm.
This sect was extremely mysterious and it was very rare to encounter a disciple or member from this sect, and the only way to identify them was their affinity to the Light element.
And yet… "…Why would someone like that come here?" he muttered quietly.
His gaze shifted toward the direction Arthur had left. Then something clicked on his mind. "…The Violet Heaven Secret Realm."
The realization settled in his mind. "Did he come here for that?" he murmured, his expression turning serious. "But that realm shouldn't be important enough…"
A brief silence followed as the thought deepened. "…Unless there's something in that realm that we are not aware of yet."
He turned away sharply. "Let's leave."
The three of them didn't stay there any longer, retreating from the forest far more cautiously than they had entered it.
…
Arthur reappeared just outside the city a few moments later, his expression was calm as he walked through the gates without drawing attention. To anyone watching, he looked like just another cultivator returning from the forest, but his mind was already processing everything that had just happened.
'Celestial Sect… top three in the Immortal Realm.'
The name alone carried weight. And more importantly, 'They use the Light element, it might create a problem if someone sees me use it.' Though he thought he could use this information for his advantage.
Without slowing down, he made his way through the city streets and headed straight toward the Artifact Refiners Union. The building stood tall as always, its presence dominating the area as cultivators moved in and out with purpose.
Arthur stepped inside, his gaze sweeping briefly across the interior before approaching the counter. The receptionist noticed him immediately and bowed respectfully, recognizing the token he placed down without hesitation.
"Welcome, Master Liu," she said politely. "How may we assist you today?"
Arthur rested his hand lightly on the counter, his tone was calm but direct. "I want to sell something," he said. "And I also have something I need to buy."
The receptionist nodded immediately, her expression professional as she gestured toward the inner section of the building. "Please follow me."
Arthur followed her without another word, but his thoughts were still lingering on the encounter in the forest.
***
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