Days stretched into weeks.
And just like that, almost a month had passed.
The dungeon had closed long before that. All the major powers had already left the area. The battlefield was empty now—only the new generation who had entered the sect gates remained, still immersed in their training.
What was a month outside had become more than five months inside those gates.
Far from that place, a large beast flew across the sky, carrying the core members of the Knight Soul Academy. Among them were Juvika, Helmen, and several other sect executives. The beast soared smoothly, cutting through the clouds. Its wings stretched wide, casting a massive shadow over the land beneath.
They had already entered a region under the Knight Soul Academy's influence and protection.
Two days before, Kiana had left. No one truly knew who she was. Only Juvika had a guess—but she didn't speak of it. She kept her thoughts to herself. To everyone else, Kiana was simply a very high-ranking official of the Knight Soul Sect. Her real identity remained a mystery.
Now that the Heaven Class Sect was reappearing again, Juvika knew the next selection would be far more interesting than usual. She glanced at Helmen.
Her voice was calm, but there was a hint of intrigue in it.
"This time, the Ice Palace and the Flame Galion Sects will also send their geniuses."
Helmen raised an eyebrow at that. His curiosity was obvious.
"And if the rumors I've heard are true," Juvika continued, "a Heaven Class Sect will also join the selection."
Helmen leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing.
"Which one?" he asked.
Juvika smiled faintly, as if she already expected the question.
"There is only one Heaven Class Sect close to our academy," she said softly. "Star Sanctuary."
As they spoke, inside a room above the beast, a faint light shimmered.
A figure appeared in the room, materializing from that light. Juvika turned her head and smiled.
It was Johan—her direct student.
One by one, the rest appeared. Elisa, Humera, Kashant, Morlen, Luzi, and Niharika. Each of them arrived quietly, standing in the room after completing the expedition.
In the end, judging by Niharika's performance, and with recommendations from Shuna and Kiana, Juvika had also accepted Niharika as a participant for the Knight Soul Academy.
All of them had progressed.
Their levels had risen drastically.
The weakest among them was Luzi, now at Saint Level 2. But considering her age, and the fact that she had started from Half-Saint, her progress was still remarkable.
The strongest was Johan, who had reached Saint Level 6 Pinnacle.
Right behind him was Elisa, at Saint Level 5 Pinnacle.
As everyone knew, the higher one progressed through the Saint Levels, the harder it became. Cultivation technique, energy purity, and talent all played critical roles. Every step forward was a hundred times more difficult than the last.
Juvika examined everyone, her eyes scanning each of them with a calm but sharp gaze.
Then she spoke clearly, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"Your training begins tomorrow."
No one responded. They only nodded, silently accepting her words.
At that moment, the beast beneath them let out a long, echoing roar.
As they descended from the clouds, a massive city came into view.
It wasn't just a city—it was more like an empire.
And in the very center of it stood a colossal academy.
The Knight Soul Academy awaited them.
---
Far, far away from the rest of the world, in an unknown folding space, a boy moved.
He dodged two attacks in quick succession. An icy gray-scaled dragon roared, releasing a violent burst of energy toward him. He shifted to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack.
Then, a puppet extended a majestic blue sword, thrusting it at him with precision. The boy countered swiftly, his black sword clashing with the blue blade. Sparks erupted in the air as sword lights flashed, illuminating that strange space with their fierce collisions.
Explosions echoed across the landscape. Blades clashed. Power rippled.
And then, slowly, they stopped.
Sheo sat down on the ground, breathing steadily.
He wasn't exhausted. In fact, he was far from his limit—but this was a good way of training, and he knew it. The flow of time here was much faster. Almost eight months had passed since he came to this place.
His cultivation had now reached Saint Level 8. That seemed to be his current limit, so he had focused all his energy on refining his techniques.
But after completing that, he realized he still lacked something—experience.
That's when he decided to fight his own pet, who had now reached the pinnacle of Emperor Level 2. Even after several fights, Sheo slowly managed to defeat his Arctic Dragon.
But that wasn't enough for him.
He decided to face both his pet and his puppet at the same time.
That was a real challenge.
Both his pet and puppet were capable of making their own decisions. They could move unpredictably, and even though both were Emperor Level 2 beings, they still couldn't defeat him in the end.
Sheo let out a quiet sigh and checked the cocoon nearby.
It was shining now—a brilliant silver light surrounding it.
He smiled slightly and murmured, "It won't be long before you wake up."
A few yards away, a floating symbol caught his attention. It was still soaking in energy like there was no tomorrow.
It was his Death Emblem, now healed. But even in that state, it continued to absorb energy to reach its peak condition.
At his current level, he could only use one-hundredth of its true power.
But even that was a lot.
These eight months had changed Sheo.
He had become extraordinarily calm. He had explored this space thoroughly, uncovering fragments of history, secret pieces of information. But more than anything, he had learned about his own body.
Now that his soul and energy cultivation had reached Saint Level 8, he could see each cell of his body with incredible clarity.
Through this, he discovered many things—like the true nature of his Heavens Battle Body.
In these months, he also tried to train that form.
At his current level, he could extend that state for twenty seconds.
In that form, everything became perfect. Every technique was boosted. And most importantly, he could circulate and use his purple energy at will.
He reached a conclusion after long research:
His body was too weak to handle the purple energy directly.
But when he entered that perfect form, his body became capable of using it.
There was something else he found.
When he was training his soul outside of his body, he discovered a state where his body could move purely on instinct. At that level, a different power formed near his eyes.
At first, he didn't understand what it was.
But after research and asking Nisach, he got a rough idea.
In this world, there existed something called Gene Passing. It wasn't just the genetic inheritance of ancestors—it depended heavily on training methods, techniques, environment, and energy practice.
Sometimes, this phenomenon created an extremely rare power called Visual Formation.
Visual Formations had different types.
In many large families, these abilities were passed down through generations. But it was also possible to develop a completely new one.
When Nisach observed Sheo multiple times, he was so shocked that he couldn't speak for hours.
That day, Nisach stared at the green-blue hue in Sheo's eyes for more than six hours.
Finally, he sighed and whispered, "No matter how I look at it, I only get one result."
His voice trembled slightly.
"It really is that legendary Visual Formation… the one lost in the folds of time."
He called it The Eyes of All Paths—a Visual Formation that had only appeared once in the entire history of this world.
It was owned by just one person.
Her name was Yamini Zen, the first descendant of the Creator.
Nisach's thoughts were filled with disbelief.
"What are you…?" he muttered, his voice low, almost to himself. "How did that bitch—" (referring to the Destroyer) "find someone like you?"
At this point, nothing surprised him anymore.
Sheo kept walking, remembering everything he had learned these past months.
Eventually, he came across a large palace. It was the last place he hadn't explored yet.
A large sign stood at the entrance:
Memory Haul.
Sheo took a deep breath and entered.
As he stepped inside, the space around him changed.
A scene unfolded before his eyes—it was a war.
People were killing and dying for their land. Shadows surrounded the battlefield. The large sign of the Nezhic Pavilion Sect was shattered and crumbling.
Many elders gave their lives to protect the new generation and the children.
Only three people still stood on that destroyed plain.
It was the sect leader, Akhari Jung, and the two grand elders.
Akhari smiled, looking at his sect.
In his usual playful tone, he said,
"Don't worry, kiddos. This will end soon. How about you go on an adventure with the elders?"
He used telepathy to speak to his grand elders.
"Activate the teleport formation and get out of here."
The grand elders didn't want to leave. Their faces showed clear reluctance. But they knew they had no choice.
The sect's new generation weren't children anymore, but their eyes filled with tears.
They knew at this rate, their leader would die.
The grand elders moved. They started activating the sect's teleportation formation.
Meanwhile, the group of shadows continued their assault.
A shadow that seemed to be their leader laughed and said,
"You bastards think you can run away?"
A wave of demonic energy rushed toward them.
But then, a lone figure moved and neutralized the energy.
"If you want to stop them, you'll have to kill me first."
That shadow laughed again.
"So be it."
A fight broke out.
Akhari, alone, fought the shadows. He was gravely injured, but so were they.
Then, as they were about to attack again, a new shadow appeared.
His presence changed the air.
He spoke with calm authority.
"Why are you taking so long to destroy this place?"
Seeing him, the five shadows immediately bowed.
"Welcome, Monarch Sakih."
Akhari knew there was no way he could stand against a monarch.
But he wasn't planning to.
He changed his hand seals.
"If I die today, then all of you will die with me."
With all his power, he unleashed a devastating sequence of techniques, summoning five beasts in unison.
A roar shook the area—the roar of a predator.
All the beasts rushed toward the shadows.
In an instant, the five shadows were destroyed, their bodies bursting apart.
Sakih stepped back, watching the attack approach.
With amusement in his voice, he said,
"Burning your life to create a force like this… truly magnificent."
He roared, bringing out an unimaginable amount of energy. He managed to destroy four of the beasts—but the last one, the dragon, struck him directly.
The energy pressure was overwhelming.
Akhari's body broke.
His soul shimmered weakly. His energy was gone. Death stood right at his door.
He turned to see his family one last time.
His daughter's eyes were filled with tears. She tried to run toward him, but the elders held her back.
The teleportation formation was almost complete.
Then a voice pierced the air.
"What a beautiful attack… but did you really think it could kill a monarch like me?"
The mist moved with the wind, revealing Sakih.
His right hand was completely destroyed. Blood dripped freely.
Akhari's heart sank.
Thousands of new shadows appeared—more than the ones that had attacked earlier.
Sakih's attack approached the sect.
Akhari's heart grew heavier. Regret. Sadness. Helplessness.
"If only I could've completed my technique…"
He closed his eyes, ready for the end.
But then—
The attack vanished.
The space that contained it disappeared, erased as if it had never existed.
An imposing voice shattered the silence.
"You shadows think you can do whatever you want?"
The sky filled with lightning.
The pressure of that presence was so strong that nature itself seemed unable to contain it.
From the gaps of space, a person appeared before Akhari.
At that moment, the teleportation formation completed.
The people of the Nezhic Pavilion escaped—but not before they saw something.
On the back of that man's robe, a single word was written.
Its sheer power was overwhelming.
EMBLEM.
Akhari stared in awe.
The man looked at him.
"You're the leader of this sect?"
Akhari nodded, his voice respectful.
"Yes."
The man spoke again.
"What's your name?"
"Akhari Jung."
The man smiled faintly.
"I'll remember that name. You did well stopping them. Now rest—I'll handle this situation."
Then his body floated into the air.
His gaze landed on Sakih.
Sakih's heart pounded.
Through gritted teeth, he said,
"I didn't expect an Avatar of the Emblem of Pride to be here."
The man's voice was cold.
"Ninth Monarch of Hell Belver—you sure have guts to show yourself in the open."
Sakih laughed bitterly.
"So what if you're the Avatar of the Emblem of Pride? If I want to escape, not even you could stop me."
And with that, the fragment of memory ended.
Sheo found himself standing in a place that looked like a graveyard.
He sighed, letting all of that sink in.
He murmured to himself,
"Leader Akhari Jung… you really were amazing."
With determination, he stood before a large grave and bowed.
"Don't worry. I'll complete your technique."
He created a flower with his energy and placed it over the grave.
Then he left the Memory Haul, his mind still thinking about that powerful man who had come to save the sect.
His curiosity about the Emblems had grown even more.
He was about to ask Nisach when he heard an explosion near the lake.
Within seconds, the sky filled with dark clouds, fire, and flames.
Sheo smiled.
"A ritual… so she has finally awakened."
Without wasting any time, he moved.
When Sheo reached near the lake, the sight that greeted him shocked him to his core.
It was completely different from what he had expected.
In his mind, he thought he would see his little cute fox, perhaps struggling against the ritual of awakening. But what he saw was something far more majestic.
A large white phoenix stood above the lake, its body covered in divine white fur. Its eyes were a radiant blue, glowing like ancient crystals. The phoenix rose gracefully, facing nature's retaliation head-on.
Sheo stood there, watching the scene with awe.
Before he could form any new theory about what he was witnessing, Nisach spoke in a calm voice.
"You only saw her mother," Nisach said. His tone was steady but carried a sense of depth. "Judging by the species of the Shining Silver Fox, they should have no retaliation after giving birth. But the fox you found was almost dead. That only means one thing—her father must be someone extremely powerful, and now her true genes are coming into play."
Sheo nodded, his gaze still fixed on the phoenix. His mind was agreeing silently with Nisach's explanation.
Hours passed.
The retaliation from the heavens continued, intense and merciless, but finally, it reached its climax.
A roar spread through the sky.
The large phoenix spread its wings wide. Its feathers shimmered, each one like a thread of divine light. Then, her gaze shifted toward Sheo.
For a brief moment, there was nothing but silence.
Then, in an instant, the phoenix rushed toward Sheo at full speed.
Before he could react, she came right in front of him, shining in a brilliant white light, and then transformed back into a little fox. She landed straight on Sheo's face, licking him affectionately.
Sheo smiled, happiness filling his heart.
This was his first ever pet, and now she had awakened completely.
He glanced at his gene tablet.
A notification appeared:
Pet: Dreamy has successfully refined the essence of Void Dragon.
Sheo checked her level and a smile spread across his face.
She was now at Emperor Level 3.
But there was something else he noticed.
In this form, she no longer had that radiant fur like before. Her fur was now a little greyish dark, and her intent carried traces of both a dragon and a phoenix. She also looked a little more mature.
Sheo sighed softly, watching as she climbed back to her usual spot on his shoulders.
He gently patted her head, then shifted his focus back to the question that had been bothering him.
"Nisach," Sheo asked, "you said the Pillars and Emblems can't enter this plane. Then how did the Emblem of Pride come here?"
Nisach took a deep breath before answering.
"This world is majorly divided into three plains and many folding dimensions," Nisach began slowly, his tone instructional. "The plane we are in right now is the lowest plane.
Above this is another plane where cultivators who have crossed the Emperor Level reside.
And above that is the Origin Plain, also called Heaven. Only a very few people can enter that place.
The major powers and powerful organizations are all in the second plain, and the Pillars and Emblems are set there as well.
Anyone who hasn't crossed Emperor Level isn't allowed in the second plain. But it's not that there's any seal preventing them. Technically, anyone is free to enter, but the sheer pressure of space would destroy them instantly.
The people in the second plain use a special technique to create an avatar, which can enter the lower plains.
That's all you need to know for now."**
Sheo sighed, letting the information settle in his mind. He understood the reasoning now.
Then he did his final preparations to leave this place.
He had one last thing to do.
Sheo sat down at the center of the lake. With a single thought, a symbol appeared above his head.
Using his Death Emblem, he began soaking energy at ten times the normal speed.
He focused all his energy into his flame core.
For an entire week, he trained continuously.
The temperature of the plain started to rise. The water of the lake began to evaporate. Then, with a massive burst, his flame core exploded, exiting his body.
A large blue flame erupted like a volcano, taking the shape of a dragon that floated in the sky.
Then, in an instant, that flame dragon entered his body again, syncing with his energy in perfect harmony. It integrated itself fully.
With this, Sheo could now use this flame at will. It was at Emperor Level 3, and he knew it could evolve further.
He stood up and stretched his body, feeling the newfound power flow through his veins.
To test it, he waved his hand.
A nearby rock turned to ashes instantly.
Sheo smiled softly, then retrieved his Death Emblem.
He started to map out his path.
First stop: Galion City Adventurers Guild, one of the most renowned.
Sheo thought for a moment and said to himself,
"Considering all the treasures I have, if I want to use them freely, it's best to operate under a different identity."
With that decision, he took out a black robe. He pulled up the hood and wore a white mask.
At his current level, he could mask his presence and appearance. Even without a mask, no one could identify him as Sheo.
He hid his energy easily. With his level of energy purity, even someone like Juvika wouldn't be able to tell his true cultivation.
He modified his Sword Mind, which was now at High Santara Level.
Then he took out his False Star Sword and used a baldric, strapping it securely.
After confirming that nothing could give away his identity, he stood at the center of a formation.
He set the rough coordinates of Galion City.
With one last glance at the place he was leaving behind, he disappeared.
After a few minutes of space change, he appeared atop a large mountain.
He allowed the change to settle in his body, breathing calmly.
When he looked around, he saw it clearly.
A large city, standing a few miles away. It was at least five times bigger than Pulkinā.
A smile appeared on his face.
Then, from his shadow, a figure emerged.
It was the Green Flame Falcon, the beast he had refined into a shadow puppet.
Sheo mounted the falcon and headed straight toward the city.
As he reached the outer borders of the city, he saw several young cultivators hunting in the wild. Some elders were searching for something—it seemed like some kind of event.
Sheo was about to enter that area when three people rushed toward him.
They spoke politely but with caution.
"Friend, there's a hunt going on in this area. It's better if you consider taking a different route."
All three were Emperor Level 2 cultivators, but they still felt a hint of fear.
After all, Sheo was riding a beast at Emperor Level 3.
Sheo simply nodded, deciding not to cause trouble. He prepared to change his route.
But then an elder spoke.
"Friend, what's your name? And would you like to join us for the hunt?"
Sheo looked at the elder.
In a casual tone, without thinking too much, he answered.
"My name is…"
He paused, then instinctively said,
"Shinren."
He added quickly, "And sorry, I'm not interested in any hunt."
With that, he disappeared, heading toward a different route.
The elders watched as the beast disappeared into the nearby mountains.
Then, another elder approached them. This one was dressed in royal attire, his expression strict.
"Stop slouching around," he commanded sharply. "Get back to searching. If we can't locate that treasure, the leader will have no choice but to reveal it to the public."
With that, all three elders disappeared, scattering in different directions.
On the other hand, after taking a detour, Sheo landed near the south gate of Galion City.
This city was well known for its Adventurers Guild. It carried a reputation throughout the land of Tizen, as this land had produced seven S-Class adventurers—the highest possible rank for adventurers in the first plain.
Sheo walked into the large city, observing the massive buildings, the bustling markets, and the numerous pedestrians that filled the streets.
As he passed through the crowded paths, he overheard people talking about an auction that was apparently a hot topic in the city.
While walking, his eyes fell upon a girl standing alone beside a tall man, who clearly looked like a bodyguard.
Sheo approached her politely.
"Miss, can you help me with the directions to the Adventurers Guild?" he asked calmly.
The girl looked at him and replied with a smile.
"Oh! Are you here to see Lady Olive and Sir Noshera's test?"
Sheo didn't reply. He just stood there quietly.
But the girl continued, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
"I'm here for it too! How about we walk together?"
Sheo just nodded. He agreed silently, though he noticed that her bodyguard was giving him weird looks.
Sheo sighed inwardly but walked beside her anyway.
All along the way, she talked about all kinds of things. Her words flowed nonstop, bouncing between topics. She told him she was from one of the three big families of Galion City. Her name was Rukia.
She spoke of Olive and Noshera, explaining that they were considered the geniuses of this city.
Eventually, they reached a large building.
Above its gate, hanging high, was a beautiful sign written in calligraphy. The letters gleamed under the sunlight.
It said:
Adventurers Association
A crowd had already gathered near two people, trying to get their attention.
Rukia also joined the group supporting Olive, cheering along with the others. She even asked Sheo to join the crowd.
But Sheo just nodded softly, politely refusing.
He thanked her for her help, then moved far away from the crowd.
As he left, Rukia suddenly realized something—
She hadn't even asked for his name.
Sheo then walked toward the reception desk of the Adventurers Association.
He asked the lady at the counter about the registration process.
Even the receptionist was distracted at first, her eyes frequently darting toward Noshera. But then she composed herself and focused on Sheo.
"You have to take a selection test to determine your appropriate rank," she explained.
Sheo nodded and requested to register as a candidate.
The receptionist looked at him carefully and asked again.
"Sir, are you sure you want to give the test today?"
Her gaze shifted toward the two stars, meaning Olive and Noshera, whose tests were also scheduled.
But Sheo insisted.
"Register me."
The receptionist sighed and began the process.
After a few minutes of questioning, she reached the point where she needed his name.
Without thinking much, Sheo replied instinctively.
"Shinren."
The receptionist nodded and activated a formation. The process looked complex and glowed with brilliant light.
After a few moments, a small card materialized in front of her. It was as big as a playing card, blank with nothing engraved on it yet.
She handed the card to Sheo.
"Take this card and register it as yours," she instructed. "Do you want to register directly with Galion City's Adventurers Guild?"
Sheo took the card and refused.
The receptionist was surprised at first, but then she smiled.
"Thank you for coming."
Sheo gave her 2000 Stargems, choosing the premium version of the registration.
Then, he booked a private room, paying an additional 100 Stargems.
Inside the private room, he cut his finger slightly and let a drop of blood fall onto the card.
The card soaked it instantly.
After that, Sheo injected his energy into the card, officially making it his own.
This card wasn't just a pass—it was like a virtual device, something comparable to a phone in modern terms.
It was called a Steric Token.
A Steric Token could store Stargems, track one's adventurer rank, and function like an identity tool. Every organization had its own version—Martial Steric Token, Formation Steric Token, Medical Steric Token, and so on.
Sheo inspected his Steric Token carefully. It was his first time seeing one in person.
The display read:
Name – Shinren
Origin – Not Registered
Race – Not Registered
Rank – Not Acquired
Sheo smiled softly, satisfied, and kept it in his storage ring.
He exited the room.
Outside, he saw that the test was about to begin.
He had already read the rules through his Steric Token, so he knew exactly what to expect.
Without wasting time, Sheo entered the test room first, avoiding the crowd that would surely gather around those two so-called celebrities.
When he stepped into the test room, he found himself inside a large chamber.
At the center of the room stood a giant sphere, planted firmly into the ground.
The entire room was white, reflecting a soft glow across its walls and floor.
Sheo used his Steric Token to complete the entry process and quietly stood in a corner, observing the place.
After half an hour, two other people entered the room. They were sweating, possibly from nervousness or from rushing to arrive.
A few minutes later, a beautiful woman with long black hair, dressed in royal attire, entered the room.
Following her was a tall man, also dressed in royal robes.
Sheo remained at his spot in the corner, watching everything silently.
Then, another gate across the room opened.
A middle-aged man entered, wearing blue-black attire—the uniform specifically worn by the Adventurers Guild officials.
Sheo heard a whisper.
"No way… Lord Fang will take our test?"
When Sheo's eyes met the gaze of this Lord Fang, he noticed something.
Despite the crowd in the room, Lord Fang was looking directly at him.
Then, in a calm voice, Lord Fang spoke.
"Evening, candidates. Today's test will be taken under my supervision."
His voice was firm yet collected.
"I am the second general of Galion City's Adventurers Guild."
The room fell into a quiet stillness as his words settled in the air.