The moment Kael said it—
"Try."
The air froze.
For a split second, the entire street went silent.
Then—
The arrogant youth's expression darkened.
The smirk on his face twisted into something colder.
Dangerous.
"You've got courage," he said slowly.
His aura flared.
A sharp wave of pressure spread outward, forcing nearby cultivators to step back instinctively.
Even among the crowd, people could tell—
This wasn't someone ordinary.
He had long surpassed the level of a basic cultivator.
Lin Yue stood to the side, watching closely.
Her eyes flickered with interest.
Let's see… what you can really do, she thought.
The youth stepped forward.
"You don't seem to understand where you are."
Kael didn't move.
Didn't speak.
He simply stood there, his gaze steady.
That calmness—
It irritated the youth even more.
"Fine."
He raised his hand.
Energy gathered around his palm, forming a dense, visible aura.
"Then I'll make you understand."
Without warning—
He attacked.
A straight palm strike shot forward, fast and heavy, carrying enough force to seriously injure anyone below his level.
The crowd gasped.
Too fast.
Too sudden.
But—
Kael moved.
Not away.
Forward.
His body blurred as Origin Flash activated.
To the spectators, it looked like he vanished.
Then reappeared—
Right in front of the attack.
The youth's eyes widened.
What—?
Kael raised his hand calmly.
Golden energy condensed silently.
No wasted movement.
No unnecessary power.
Just control.
Their palms collided.
BOOM!
A shockwave exploded outward.
Dust rose from the ground.
The surrounding crowd was forced to step back even further.
When the dust cleared—
Both were still standing.
But—
The youth had taken a step back.
A single step.
His expression changed instantly.
Shock.
"How…?"
Kael lowered his hand slowly.
His golden eyes remained calm.
Unmoved.
Unimpressed.
"You're weaker than you think," Kael said quietly.
The words hit harder than the strike.
The youth's face twisted with anger.
"You—!"
His aura exploded outward again, this time far more violently.
"Don't get arrogant!"
He lunged forward again, this time with greater speed and power.
His attacks came in rapid succession—
Strikes, kicks, bursts of energy.
Each one aimed to overwhelm.
But Kael…
Didn't rush.
Didn't panic.
He moved smoothly, his body flowing through the attacks with minimal effort.
Origin Perception guided every motion.
Every strike was predicted.
Every movement anticipated.
To the crowd, it looked surreal.
The youth attacked relentlessly—
Yet couldn't land a single clean hit.
Lin Yue's eyes widened slightly.
He's reading him completely…
Kael stepped to the side, narrowly avoiding another strike.
Then—
He countered.
A single movement.
Faster than before.
His palm shot forward.
Golden energy condensed tightly.
Origin Pulse.
BOOM!
The impact sent the youth flying backward across the street.
He crashed into a wooden stall, shattering it completely before rolling to a stop.
Silence fell.
The crowd stared.
No one spoke.
Because what they just saw—
Didn't make sense.
A newcomer…
Defeating someone clearly stronger than average…
So easily?
The youth groaned as he pushed himself up.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
His eyes were filled with disbelief.
"You… who are you…?"
Kael didn't answer.
He simply turned away.
The fight—
Was already over.
And in his eyes—
It wasn't even worth continuing.
That…
Was the greatest humiliation.
The youth clenched his fists, but he didn't move again.
Something deep inside him—
Told him not to.
Lin Yue walked up beside Kael, her expression no longer casual.
Now—
It was serious.
"You're not just a newcomer," she said.
Kael glanced at her briefly.
"…No."
She smiled faintly.
"I figured."
Behind them, whispers began spreading through the crowd.
"Did you see that…?"
"He defeated him in one move…"
"Who is that guy?"
"A new genius…?"
The name hadn't spread yet.
But the impression—
Had already been made.
Kael Veyron had taken his first step into the Azure Continent.
And already—
People were starting to notice.