The Sun Within the Soul Palace
Kai Dawnsworn stared at his hand, still tingling from the force of that last strike. The sheer power behind his punch left him stunned—his arm felt like it could tear through the heavens themselves. A grin flickered across his lips, but before he could even revel in the moment, something stirred within him.
His expression shifted. He closed his eyes, sinking deep into the stillness of his War Soul Palace.
The vast, endless landscape opened before his inner sight once more. Beneath the towering World Tree, Kai's spirit form stood bathed in an ethereal glow. The tree's jade-green leaves shimmered faintly, their edges licked with soft, flickering flames that danced like whispers of sunlight.
But what truly stole his breath was what hung above.
A radiant sphere—a miniature sun—floated in the sky of his inner world, exuding a fierce, breathtaking flame. Though far gentler than the real sun, it pulsed with divine energy, flooding the entire realm with warmth and light.
Kai's heart thundered. A sun... in my War Soul Palace?
Every true cultivator's inner world contained a symbol—some bore rivers, others mountains. But he... had a sun.
He could feel its power. It wasn't just light—it was hunger, absorption, creation. The blazing orb drew in the very essence of the universe. Mana gathered and poured into it ceaselessly, flowing through his constellations and down into the roots of the World Tree below.
Flames rippled across the ancient bark. The tree flared brighter, alive with renewed force, and the sun's glow grew more intense in response.
The heat began to consume him.
"Oh… this scorching power…" Kai gasped softly. It felt as if his entire body were cast into the heart of that sun. His bones crackled, his muscles trembled, his veins felt as though molten fire ran through them—yet amid the agony was ecstasy. His flesh was being reforged, each joint and tendon tempered by that celestial blaze.
My spirit… it lies within my War Soul Palace.
The realization struck him like lightning. His lips moved unconsciously, whispering the truth aloud. He focused his mind, drawing his awareness tighter around the radiant sphere.
The sun responded.
Brilliant light burst from his forehead, flooding the room around him. His face became almost divine, illuminated by the same golden fire that blazed within.
Boomer, who had been standing quietly nearby, stepped forward in awe. "Your War Soul… is it a sun?"
Kai's eyes snapped open. The glow vanished as quickly as it had come, replaced by his usual calm gold gaze.
"I think…" he murmured, a faint smile forming, "I might be able to create War Souls within the palace."
Boomer's jaw nearly hit the ground. "Wait—you can create them? You mean, you can form actual War Souls at will?"
Kai chuckled under his breath, scratching his temple. "It seems that way."
Boomer's face lit up with excitement. "Then—create one for me!"
Kai blinked at him. "What?"
"You heard me," Boomer said, grinning. "Just one. I'll take good care of it."
Kai stared at him blankly. "…Keep an eye on your imagination, buddy."
He turned on his heel.
"Where are you going now?" Boomer asked, still half in disbelief.
"Training," Kai said, his grin widening. "We're going to observe some demonic beasts."
He couldn't help but feel restless—the surge of power within him was intoxicating. The flames of his inner sun had propelled him through planes so quickly that the Unstoppable Plane felt just within reach. Once there, he could unite his mind, body, and War Soul—where every movement, every strike, would resonate with the force of creation itself.
And he was determined to get there.
The slopes of Skyfire Mountain stretched endlessly before them, wild and brimming with life. Even near the border, demonic beasts prowled among the mist-shrouded pines.
Before long, Kai and Boomer crossed paths with one—a sleek, level-four Swift Demon Panther. Its fur gleamed like polished obsidian, and its eyes glowed with sharp, golden menace.
"Boomer," Kai said, his tone steady but his eyes bright, "cut her off at the flank. I'll chase her from behind."
"Got it."
Boomer moved like a fired arrow, his heavy frame somehow fast and fluid. The ground shuddered under his steps, echoing like thunder. The Panther hissed, sensing danger, and bolted in a blur of motion.
Kai's lips moved. His voice was a low murmur, almost chant-like.
"Soul generates mind… mind guides strength… Creator of the universe, break your limit—unleash all power."
The world slowed.
As he ran, the Panther's every move echoed in his consciousness—the flex of its muscles, the rhythm of its stride, the ripple of wind at its back. He could see the pattern of its movement playing within his mind as if time itself had slowed.
Instinctively, his own body mirrored it. His legs bent, his muscles coiled and released like the Panther's. When he leapt, his right leg tucked in just enough to explode into the next stride.
His speed surged. His form blurred.
For an instant, he was the Panther—fierce, graceful, unstoppable.
But his mastery was still incomplete; the Panther remained faster. Just as it neared the edge of escape, Boomer appeared ahead, blocking the path like a living mountain.
Kai's mind sharpened. It's not just its strength—it's the wind.
He felt it now—the Panther didn't just run through the air, it merged with it. The wind-element Mana rippled around it, wrapping its body like a cloak.
The air stirred around Kai. His hair fluttered. His movements lightened. Gradually, the world's resistance faded until he was gliding forward, every step a whisper.
Half an hour later, Kai came to a stop. The Panther crouched low, panting, its eyes wide.
"Boomer," Kai said, raising a hand, "let her go. I'm done."
Boomer released the beast immediately. "You're unbelievable," he said with genuine admiration. "You copied her movements in half an hour."
Kai exhaled, his lips curving upward. "I've gained a sense for the wind-element's rhythm. If I train enough, I'll match her speed soon." His golden eyes glimmered with quiet fire. "Looks like you'll be helping me test that."
Boomer chuckled. "Wouldn't have it any other way."
Days passed.
Kai trained in the heart of Skyfire Mountain, his eyes sharp and observant. He studied the flowing motion of monkeys, the raw power of tigers, the regal bearing of lions, and the effortless grace of birds in flight. Each movement he absorbed, refined, and blended into his own growing form of combat.
Every dawn saw him stronger. Every dusk, faster.
By the tenth day, he had stepped into the Unstoppable Plane. His spirit burned steady and bright.
That morning, as he and Boomer ventured deeper into the forest, the ground trembled faintly beneath their feet. Trees shook. The air vibrated with a guttural roar that echoed through the mountain range.
The two exchanged a glance—half caution, half curiosity—and pressed forward.
The shaking grew violent. Branches snapped. Rocks rolled down the slopes.
And then they saw it.
A colossal figure towered ahead, more than five meters tall—an Ape the Furious, a level-nine demonic beast, its black fur bristling with fury, eyes glowing with murderous rage.
Boomer's breath caught. "That's a level-nine beast…" His fists clenched, excitement and tension mingling in his voice. "A real threat."
But what drew their eyes even more was the figure standing before the beast.
A girl.
She wore pure white, her long black hair swaying like silk in the wind. Her skirt flowed lightly around her legs, untouched by the chaos. Her face—delicate, perfect, yet calm even before the monster—radiated a quiet, captivating beauty.
Boomer blinked. "…Is she… human?"
Kai didn't answer. His golden eyes narrowed, glinting with curiosity and a hint of awe.
Because that girl—standing unflinching before a raging beast—looked less like prey, and more like a goddess who had descended to tame it.