Six Months Later — Shank Empire
The Shank Empire's capital breathed
like a living beast.
Steam rose from teacups, oil lamps flickered,
and Evolvers filled the inn with hushed
excitement.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
"Have you heard?"
"Sect Leader Brork has broken through."
"He's now a Half-Step Mortal-God."
A sharp intake of breath followed.
"Impossible…"
"From Peak Duke Evolver to Half-Step
Mortal-God in only forty years?"
"What kind of monster achieves that?"
A group of men leaned closer together,
voices trembling between awe and fear.
"An unprecedented genius…"
"The Storm Blade Sect will dominate the era."
At a shadowed corner table, a man sat silently.
His presence was restrained—but heavy.
"El-Mond…"
Before him stood another man—Eldred.
No longer the fragile follower of the past.
Six feet tall.
Muscles hardened by survival.
Red hair cropped short like a flame tamed by discipline.
A long black robe concealed his powerful
frame, revealing only his head and hands.
"Master," Eldred asked quietly,
"what are we doing here?"
El-Mond raised a single hand.
"Shh."
His voice was calm, cold, and absolute.
"Be useful. Enquire about the Storm Blade
Sect.
I need to think."
Eldred bowed and disappeared into the inn's noise.
El-Mond sat there quietly thinking.
"This time… I nearly died"
His fingers tightened around his cup.
"Fortunately, the Devourer Core evolved"
The memory burned vividly.
"Ethereal Devourer"
"A skill beyond common laws"
"No more soul-strengthening pills"
"No treasures"
"Only devouring"
A faint, dangerous smile touched his lips.
"Master."
Eldred returned swiftly, sitting slightly close.
"I learned everything."
El-Mond's eyes lifted.
"The Storm Blade Sect… recently," Eldred continued, "their leader Brork broke through
to the Mortal-God Realm."
Silence fell.
"Not only him," Eldred said gravely.
"Many Ninth-Level Emperors within the sect shattered their bottlenecks and ascended
to Half-Step Mortal-Gods."
El-Mond's hand clenched.
"Mortal-God…?"
His voice trembled—not with fear, but fury.
"How?"
"That bastard… achieved the Legendary
Realm?"
Eldred hesitated.
"Master… it's not only the Storm Blade Sect."
El-Mond's gaze sharpened.
"The Ascenders have Mortal-Gods."
"So does the Phoenix Sect."
"Even… rogue cultivators."
El-Mond nearly laughed.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Has the Legendary Realm become cabbages lying on the ground?"
Shock rippled through him.
Eldred nodded slowly.
"I also found it strange. This level hasn't
appeared for thousands of years."
He swallowed.
"The people I spoke to said… it all started six months ago."
Six months.
El-Mond froze.
"They said everyone suddenly felt a
restriction lift," Eldred continued.
"As if the world loosened its grip."
"If they had enough energy and soul power…"
"They broke through."
Six months ago… What happened…?
El-Mond's pupils dilated.
Then—
Realization struck like thunder.
Six months ago.
That day.
When he took on that Night Form.
For a fraction of a zeptosecond—
He remembered it now.
He had seen himself outside Yanxi World.
The entire planet—
Tiny.
Fragile.
Cradled in his palm.
About to be crushed.
But instead—
His power shattered something else.
A vast runic circle surrounding the world.
A seal.
And then—
Darkness.
He awoke inside the dead colossal octopus.
It's Ethereal Energy Drained!
And him Reborn.
Transformed into.
A perfect human specimen.
White flowing hair.
Piercing blue eyes.
Six-foot-tall youthful body.
Fair skin.
Beautifully shredded,
like divine craftsmanship.
"…So it was me."
El-Mond whispered.
"I am the cause."
His expression darkened.
"This form… unconsciously freed Yanxi World."
"So I wouldn't be trapped at Emperor Level…"
A bitter chuckle escaped him.
"In saving myself…"
"I helped my enemies."
He exhaled slowly.
"Unpleasant."
But then—
A smile.
"Also… fortunate."
"I just need to grow stronger."
His gaze drifted to Eldred.
"I need more creatures… to devour."
"M-Master…?"
Eldred leaned back nervously,
sensing danger coil in the air.
El-Mond sighed internally.
"I already merged him with it…
Endless regeneration"
He'll be useful when I face those bastards.
But his thoughts darkened again.
"What should I do?"
"Energy stones no longer work"
"Humans have no energy cores"
"And hunting humans…"
"Never!"
His jaw tightened.
"That leaves beast territories…"
"Which the sects control."
"If I hunt there… I'll meet them."
"And if they discover Eldred's colossal beast body…"
His heart sank.
"Forget revenge."
"I'd be lucky to survive Yanxi World."
As El-Mond agonized silently—
The inn's door creaked open.
Two cloaked figures entered.
Their steps were calm.
Their aura… alien.
They passed El-Mond's table and ascended
the stairs into a private room.
El-Mond and Eldred exchanged a sharp glance.
They both smelled it.
Orca.
El-Mond closed his eyes.
His hearing sharpened.
Sound-proof barriers became meaningless.
"It's done," a voice said.
"The Orca Kingdom and Whale Kingdom will attack the Dàxīyáng Kingdom in three days."
A pause.
"I hope your people are ready."
Another voice laughed softly. Female.
"Don't worry."
"Everything is ready."
El-Mond's eyes opened.
A grin spread across his face—
cold and hungry.
He turned to Eldred.
"We're going to the Dàxīyáng Kingdom."
To Be Continued.