The stroll toward his room took forever - yet, outta nowhere, Kaelen moved forward like he finally mattered.
Beyond him, the Grand Arena erupted in disorder. Shouts from Elder Boran rang out, furious, calling for Kaelen to be taken. Yet amid the noise came Lord Magnus - his dad - cutting through, shutting the old man down.
"Darius lost," Magnus had said, his voice cold and final. "In our world, the winner takes everything, and the loser eats dust. Darius is now a cripple. Kaelen is the Heir. If you touch him, you defy the clan."
Kaelen grinned. Practical guy, really. Doesn't matter to him who I am - just that I've become the top runner in his barn right now.
Kaelen reached his yard. Nestled in the far edge of the property, it looked worn out - chipped paint, wild grass poking up between broken boards. This wasn't some noble's chamber; just a worker's hovel, really.
"This dump," Kaelen kicked the rotting wooden door open. "I'll have to move into the Heir's Pavilion tomorrow. But for now, this privacy is perfect."
He sat with legs crossed on the thin mattress, the rush from the clash ebbing away, swapped out by a dull throb pulsing through his body. It hadn't lasted long, yet pushing the Dragon Body to max tore into his energy hard.
"System," Kaelen whispered. "It's Christmas. Give me my presents."
[Processing Rewards...]
[Reward 1: Level Up.] [Current Cultivation: Body Tempering Stage 5 (Peak) -> Body Tempering Stage 6 (Early).]
A cozy warmth moved into his belly center - not wild like that Blood Fruit, just calm yet firm. His skin pulled tight while his frame grew heavier. Bones packed tighter as the heat settled in without rush.
In the Body Tempering Realm, levels one to three worked on skin, four through six focused on muscle instead, while seven to nine targeted bones along with internal organs. Hitting stage six made his muscles nearly as hard as dried hide - regular blades couldn't slice his skin at all.
[Reward 2: 500 System Points.] [Current Balance: 510 Points.]
"510 points," Kaelen mused. "System, what can I buy with this?"
[Shop Function: Locked (Requires Cultivation: Spirit Gathering Realm).] [Current Use: Points can be used to upgrade existing skills.]
Hold onto these for the time being," Kaelen figured. Since he was curious about what the top reward looked like.
[Reward 3: Strange Gun Crate (Level: ???).] [Feel like unlocking it?]
"Open it."
A dark, carved chest popped up on the bed right before his eyes. Glowing crimson links wrapped around it, throbbing like living threads. Cold fear poured out from inside, so strong the air turned icy. The whole space felt heavier, darker - like something evil had just woken.
Kaelen gulped. Not your everyday weapon this.
He grabbed it, then popped the latch open.
HISSSSSS.
Fog-like steam spilled out when the case cracked open - inside, lying on dark soft fabric, a blade waited.
A longsword, thin and sharp on both sides, made from metal darker than empty space. Along its middle streaked a rough red mark - like raw blood still bleeding. Its grip came covered in shark hide, while the end formed a howling skull's shape.
Kaelen grabbed toward the knob.
The second his hand touched the handle, something spoke inside his mind - no machine tone this time, just a dry, old murmur.
"Blood... I need... blood..."
Kaelen yanked his hand away without thinking. "What in the world just happened?"
[System check done.] [Found weapon: Bloodshade – a cursed sword.] [Rank: Growing type (now High-Mortal level).] [Bonus trait: Bloodthirst. Hits living enemies 20% harder. Each death it causes helps it grow stronger over time.] [Dark side effect: Go seven days without killing, and it starts draining your own lifeblood instead.]
"A cursed sword," Kaelen muttered, staring at the black metal. "It grows stronger by killing, but if I stop killing, it kills me."
He smiled. That felt just right.
Don't stress it," Kaelen muttered, hand tightening on the sword's grip now. Inside his head, that quiet laugh curled around, full of dark glee. "My plan? Making sure you're always stuffed."
He lifted the sword. Yet nothing cracked or hissed. Cutting fast, it missed every speck drifting in the sunbeam. Then he tried it on the bed's oak leg. Without effort, the steel glided inside - like heat through wax. So clean, the piece stayed up till Kaelen nudged it.
"Powerful," Kaelen noted. "With this, I could have cut Darius in half without even activating my Qi."
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A quick knock at the doorway broke his focus.
Kaelen shoved the Bloodshade blade straight into his pack. Who's out there?
A visitor, said a calm, polished tone.
Kaelen rose, moving toward the door. There, a guy in his fifties waited, draped in a violet robe stitched with golden patterns. His beard was short and tidy, his gaze heavy - like he'd lived through ages. A pair followed behind him, silent; their energy alone gave off danger - both deep into Level 8.
Kaelen knew it was him right away - those images from the past just clicked.
"City Governor Bax," Kaelen said, narrowing his eyes. He didn't bow. "To what do I owe the honor? Did you come to arrest me for crippling the Vance family genius?"
Governor Bax grinned. Not mean, yet not warm either - more like someone eyeing a gem they rarely see. His look held curiosity, sharp but quiet, like a trader spotting something valuable by accident.
"Arrest you? No," Bax chuckled, stepping into the shabby room without asking. He looked around the dirty shack with amusement. "The laws of the Life and Death Duel are absolute. You did nothing wrong, legally speaking."
"Then why are you here?"
"I was watching the fight," Bax said, turning to face Kaelen. "Your physical strength... it is unnatural. You don't use Qi like a normal cultivator. You use it to enhance your body directly. It reminds me of the lost 'Titan Sect' techniques."
Kaelen kept quiet. Yet he had no plan to share details about the System or the Dragon Art.
"I like talent, Kaelen," Bax continued. "And this city is too small for you. Darius was a big fish in a small pond. But you... you are a shark."
Bax grabbed a shiny coin from inside his sleeve - then chucked it toward Kaelen.
Kaelen grabbed it - felt weighty, carved with a rising bird blazing mid-air.
"What is this?"
"An invitation," Bax said. "In one month, the Seven Great Sects will hold their disciple selection tournament in the Imperial Capital. It is the only way to leave this backwater city and enter the true world of cultivation."
Kaelen stared at the small object. These seven big sects ran everything here. Not even the Emperor pushed back against their leaders. To get what he'd need for the Divine Realm, he had no choice but to link up with one.
"Why give this to me?" Kaelen asked. "Usually, the Vance family only gets one token. And it was meant for Darius."
"Darius is finished," Bax waved his hand dismissively. "And I don't think your Uncle Boran will let you take the family token without a fight. So, I am giving you mine. Consider it an investment."
Bax leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "But be warned, boy. Elder Boran is a vengeful man. He has connections with the Black Viper Assassin Guild. I wouldn't sleep too soundly if I were you."
Kaelen's grip tightened on the golden token. "Let him send them. My sword is thirsty."
Bax laughed loudly, clapping Kaelen on the shoulder. "Good! That is the spirit! I look forward to seeing you at the tournament. Don't die before then."
With a flick of his purple cloak, the Governor stepped outside while his guards trailed behind without a sound.
Kaelen stayed by the door, eyes on their backs as they walked away. Light from the sinking sun stretched dark shapes across the yard.
He got named next in line. A blade with bad luck stuck to his side. That pass opened doors to the top tier. Yet everyone was already gunning for him.
Kaelen rolled the words around in his head - "Black Viper Assassin Guild.".
He took out the Bloodshade sword from his bag. Its red streak flickered like it was ready for action.
"System," Kaelen said. "Set a reminder."
[Reminder Set.]
"The next time someone tries to kill me," Kaelen said, his eyes glowing gold, "leave no bodies."