The Azure Vein Sect was still shrouded in the early morning mist, the sunlight faint and diffused as Kael stood atop the western terrace. His senses were stretched taut; the faint ripple in the world's essence that the system had flagged earlier now pulsed steadily, confirming his suspicion—he was being watched.
Kael's mind raced. The signal wasn't weak; it was controlled, deliberate. A faction with power and experience was testing him, likely sending scouts to gauge his strength. Most sect disciples would panic or retreat, but Kael had no intention of hiding. He had spent countless hours preparing, perfecting his soul sea, and mastering his runes. Today, he would prove that a mortal without a dantian could still be a formidable force.
The system panel flickered:
Potential Threats Nearby: Unknown Faction — Strength Level: Intermediate Elite
Soul Sea Capacity: 3/4 → 3/4
Runes Mastered: Ice Bullet, Barrier, Ice Bind, Frost Spear
Life Span: 28 years, 7 months
Kael exhaled, feeling the weight of the challenge settle onto his shoulders. He focused, channeling essence into the soul sea. It glowed faintly, the power within him ready to erupt at a moment's notice.
Moments later, the first scouts appeared, slipping silently through the mist. Three figures, clad in black cloaks that shimmered faintly with spiritual energy, moved with deadly precision toward the outer perimeter of the sect. Their presence alone exuded a silent threat—each one capable of taking down multiple disciples simultaneously.
Kael's eyes narrowed. He would not wait for them to strike. With a swift gesture, he summoned his first runes.
"Grade 1 Rune: Ice Bullet!"
A shard of compressed ice shot forward, striking the lead scout in the shoulder. The impact sent the figure staggering, surprised. Before the others could react, Kael activated Ice Bind, chains of frost spiraling out to entangle two more scouts simultaneously. Their movement slowed, essence struggling against the icy constraint.
The leader of the group raised his hand, summoning a wave of energy. Kael anticipated this, chanting:
"Grade 1 Rune: Barrier!"
A translucent wall of force formed instantly, absorbing the energy and preventing the attack from reaching him. The system panel displayed the cooldown in real-time: 1 minute. Every second counted, and Kael had to manage both offense and defense with precision.
The Frost Spear pulsed in his soul sea. He could feel its power demanding release. Closing his eyes, Kael visualized the spear forming in his hands, sharp and lethal, its energy aligned with the rhythm of his essence. He launched it forward, piercing the ground behind the scouts and forcing them to scatter. The spear exploded in a shockwave of frost, knocking them off balance.
This is just the beginning, Kael thought. I need to force them to reveal their true strength.
The scouts recovered quickly, faster than expected. Essence surged from their bodies, indicating cultivation far beyond ordinary disciples. They had underestimated Kael, and now they intended to correct that mistake.
One of the scouts—clearly the strongest—lunged forward, a dagger-like runic formation coalescing around his hand. Kael's mind raced, chaining the next sequence: Ice Bullet → Ice Bind → Frost Spear, weaving the runes seamlessly. The soul sea trembled under the strain, pain flaring in his temples as he maintained control. The sequence struck true, halting the attack mid-flight, but the scout was resilient. He pulled free, now fully aware of Kael's potential.
Kael adjusted his stance, activating the system's guidance. A panel highlighted the scouts' strength, noting weaknesses in their coordination. He had learned quickly from previous training: combat wasn't about raw power alone—it was about exploiting timing, predictability, and the limitations of the enemy's movement.
"Grade 1 Rune: Ice Bind!" Kael chanted again, targeting the leader. The chains struck with precision, forcing him to stumble. The other scouts hesitated, reassessing.
Kael smiled faintly. They were skilled, but they lacked the adaptability that came with true mastery of runes. Every movement, every attack was a calculation; his soul sea allowed him to visualize outcomes, weaving runes into a fluid strategy.
The battle raged across the courtyard, a dance of frost, force, and essence. Ice Bullets flew, Barriers absorbed energy, Ice Binds restricted movement, and Frost Spears exploded in controlled bursts. Kael's body ached, and his soul sea quivered under the pressure, but he maintained focus, mending minor cracks with sheer willpower and essence.
Finally, the leader called a retreat. The scouts vanished into the mist as quickly as they had arrived, leaving behind faint traces of their presence. Kael's chest heaved, sweat dripping down his face, yet the satisfaction of victory burned brighter than exhaustion.
He surveyed the courtyard, the system panel updating in real-time:
Soul Sea Capacity: 2/4 → 3/4 (Recovered via essence absorption)
Runic Combinations Executed: 5
Threat Neutralized: 3 scouts, Intermediate Elite level
Kael knew this was only the first test. The faction behind the scouts would not ignore him. They would return, likely in greater numbers and with stronger operatives. Yet, Kael had proven something to himself today: mastery of runes, precision in combat, and the ability to wield his soul sea as a weapon, even against formidable enemies.
As the morning sun broke fully through the mist, Kael began gathering his scrolls and preparations. The battle was over, but the war for knowledge, power, and survival had just begun. Every victory, every rune mastered, every strategy tested brought him closer to the ultimate goal: transcending mortal limits and carving a path in a world that had once counted him as powerless.