Kaal staggered out of the hall, bloodied and disoriented. He sprinted toward a group of people and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Ass... Assassin! There are assassins!"
With that, he collapsed to the ground, blood soaking through his robes.
Seeing the bloodied young man fall, everyone froze.
A breath later, a man in heavy armor shouted, "YOUNG MASTER!" recognizing the injured figure.
Black smoke began to billow from the direction of the hall. The armored man's expression darkened, and he shouted with a voice infused with Qi:
"YOUNG MASTER HAS BEEN ATTACKED! GENERAL RUKE!"
He rushed to Kaal's side, quickly channeling Qi to suppress the bleeding from his wounds.
Later...
In a quiet chamber, a man in green scholar's robes knelt on the floor, reading from a report in a steady tone.
"Young Master's condition is stabilizing, thanks to the Blossom Pill provided by the doctor and the healing ability of a Rank 3 warrior. He should regain consciousness within a day. However, the assassin escaped. No traces were found—none of the shadow guards survived. Even their ashes were gone. Elder Alvin's grandson, Raven, also perished in the attack..."
Across from him stood a broad-shouldered man with fiery red hair, a deep scar running across his face. Dressed in armor, a massive sword strapped to his back, the room seemed to tense under his presence.
General Ruke Gregor, the military commander of the Kingdom of Denem, radiated raw power and suppressed rage.
After a long silence, he spoke, his voice low and deadly:
"Use every soldier we have. I want these attackers found. If I don't have answers by morning... your head will be the first to roll."
The pressure of General Ruke's aura was suffocating. The scholar trembled under the weight and quickly bowed.
"Y-Yes, General!" he stammered before fleeing the room.
Ruke turned his attention to the shattered remains of a marble block. It transformed into a scroll.
He injected his Qi into it, writing a report in a coded language. Once finished, the scroll folded into the shape of a bird and took flight through the window.
Ruke muttered darkly to himself:
"Who dares to target the Kilvish Clan's young master? When Charles Kilvish hears of this, the heavens themselves may tremble..."
[The World]
The world was divided into four continents, each ruled by a dominant race, separated by the Death Forest, an unpassable region teeming with deadly beasts and ancient spirits:
Azure Sky Continent — ruled by Humans
White Cloud Continent — ruled by Beasts
Phoenix Rain Continent — ruled by Elves
Heaven Mountain Continent — ruled by Spirit Beasts
In the Azure Sky Continent, power was held by Five Great Clans and Four Supreme Sects—each with a Divine Realm cultivator at the helm. The Kilvish Clan, led by Charles Kilvish, was one such power. Charles himself was a 5th Stage Sea Realm cultivator.
The Death Forest bordered all four continents and remained one of the most dangerous zones in the world—even Sea Realm cultivators tread with caution.
The Kingdom of Denem lay close to the Death Forest. The Mist Valley, where the incident occurred, was a crucial defense point against spirit beast invasions.
"Damn Emperor sent me to this hellhole just to lick the Kilvish Clan's boots..." Ruke muttered, scowling.
Fifteen days earlier, he had received word that the young master of the Kilvish Clan, Kaal Kilvish, would be visiting with two companions: Raven Kilvish, grandson of Elder Alvin, and Lauren Kilvish, grandson of Elder George. They came for "real-world combat training." Who could have expected this disaster?
Inside a spacious, tranquil room, a teen boy with black hair and a handsome face slowly opened his eyes. His gaze scanned the ceiling, then the room. Two female attendants stood nearby—one with a cute youthful appearance, the other more mature and composed.
"Young Master!" the younger attendant gasped, seeing him stir.
"Please don't move, Young Master!" the older one urged.
Kaal blinked, adjusting his body with effort. "Mia...? Jane...? Where... where am I?"
"You were gravely injured, Young Master," Jane said, helping him drink water. "General Ruke brought you to his personal quarters. This room has a Soul-Calming Formation—it aids in your recovery."
Kaal remained silent for a moment, then whispered with a trembling voice:
"So they're dead...? It's my fault... If only I were stronger... this wouldn't have happened..."
Tears welled in his eyes.
"No, Young Master. Don't blame yourself," Mia said gently.
Jane nodded, her voice soft. "You survived. That's what matters."
Kaal gave a weak nod. "I want to be alone..."
With worried expressions, Mia and Jane quietly exited the room.
The moment the door shut, Kaal's expression changed—from grief to calm, cold focus.
'The Kilvish Clan... one of the Nine Giants. Renowned for their shadow and darkness talents, known for their deadly sword techniques. In the Blessing Realm, most Kilvish awaken darkness or shadow-based soul abilities—our clan's 'Blessing.'" Kaal thought, adjusting his pillow.
"The clan has three main factions:
Dark Legion — led by Grand Elder William
Shadow Sword — my father's faction, led by the Clan Leader himself
Shadow Elite — Elder Alvin's faction, now weakened after Raven's death."
"But now... a new faction is rising—Resource Hall, led by my grandfather, Elder George. They manage the clan's supply lines, but lack political power. So they struck at the weakest faction: Shadow Elite..."
Kaal's eyes flicked toward the door.
"No need to hide. You can come in, Lauren..."
Silence.
Feigning sorrow, Kaal deliberately sighed, gazing at the space near the door.
"Raven couldn't believe it... that you, of all people—his best friend—would betray him. Poison him."
His voice grew colder, darker.
"If Raven were alive... he would have reduced you to dust, scattered your ashes in the gutter."
He stared at the door with piercing eyes.
"Are you ready to show your face now?"