By the next morning, news of Kael's victories in the tournament had spread through the sect like wildfire.
Whispers of his power filled every hallway, drawing the attention of both admirers and skeptics.
Yet Kael did not linger in the spotlight.
His mind remained focused on the relic and the visions it had shown him.
It was then that a group of cloaked figures arrived at the sect gates.
Their appearance immediately drew attention.
They moved with precision, and a faint, unnatural aura clung to them like a shadow.
Elder Taron approached Kael privately.
"These are envoys from a neighboring sect," he said quietly, voice tense.
"They claim to come in peace, but I sense no ordinary goodwill.
Their presence is unusual… calculated."
Kael's instincts, sharpened by the Origin Pulse, flared.
He could feel subtle energy fluctuations in each of the cloaked figures.
They were powerful but restrained.
They're testing the waters, Kael realized.
As the envoys entered the main hall, the tallest among them stepped forward, lowering his hood.
He was a man of medium build, sharp eyes, and an air of confidence that bordered on arrogance.
"I am Lorian Veyros," he announced.
His voice carried authority and a hidden edge of threat.
"We have come to observe the one they call Kael Veyron.
It seems your sect has produced… an extraordinary disciple."
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly. "Observation or provocation?" he asked calmly.
His pulse, tuned by the relic, could sense tension in every word, every breath of the envoy.
Lorian smiled faintly.
"Perhaps a bit of both.
There are forces in this world that will want to test your strength, Kael Veyron.
The Origin Pulse… it has drawn attention far beyond these mountains."
The room fell silent.
Even the elders exchanged uneasy glances.
Kael felt the gravity of the statement.
His journey was no longer confined to tournaments or the Iron Flame Sect.
The wider world and dangerous powers far beyond anything he had encountered had begun to take notice.
Kael's golden eyes gleamed as he stepped forward.
"Then I suppose… I will have to meet them."