No. 3 wanted to speak, to hurl one last threat that might give Kael pause—but in the next instant, flames erupted across his body, devouring him in an endless inferno.
It was one of Kael's signature fire spells.
No. 3's mouth gaped soundlessly as the fire consumed him. Even in death, he likely couldn't believe how ruthlessly decisive Kael had been—daring to kill him without the slightest hesitation!
A cold glint flickered in Kael's eyes. He understood perfectly—since he had already crossed blades with these black-armored men, there was no point in holding back.
With No. 3 dead, only a spatial ring and a staff remained on the ground.
Kael collected both, along with the spatial rings previously taken from No. 1 and No. 4. As for No. 5, that unfortunate soul sacrificed by the Abyssal Demon, nothing remained of him at all.
After securing his spoils, Kael used fire magic to erase the traces of the fierce battle. Then, his gaze swept over the surrounding onlookers.
His eyes moved from one person to another, sharp and assessing. He knew that among them, many still harbored greedy thoughts—some undoubtedly still coveting the Water Dragon's Legacy, unwilling to give up.
But as Kael's gaze fell upon them, the cultivators instinctively lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes. After witnessing the earlier battle, they all feared him deeply—especially the eerie, overwhelming power of his Flame-Thunder Eyes, which had been seared into their minds.
They dreaded the possibility of Kael unleashing that spell again—a technique so devastating that even Ninth-Rank experts couldn't withstand a single strike!
"Had your fill of the show?" Kael said coolly.
The crowd trembled in silence. Some swallowed hard, realizing that with Kael's terrifying strength, staying here was unwise. They began to slip away quietly.
Once a few left, others followed. Soon, more and more dispersed.
In the blink of an eye, only about a dozen remained—and most of them were already considering leaving as well.
Kael exhaled inwardly in relief. Truthfully, after consecutive battles, his energy reserves were nearly depleted. The Flame-Thunder Eyes, in particular, had drained him severely—even his vast mana couldn't sustain such expenditure indefinitely.
"Fortunately, they were all intimidated by my earlier display and didn't dare act recklessly—otherwise, I might not have been able to hold them off…" Kael's eyes flickered as he mused silently.
Still, he was thoroughly satisfied with his performance. This was the Flame-Thunder Eyes' first real combat test, and its power had exceeded expectations—instantly annihilating a Ninth-Rank early-stage expert!
"With the Flame-Thunder Eyes, I could already challenge Ninth-Rank opponents at the Eighth Rank. Now, at the early Ninth Rank, I can even contend with peak Ninth-Rank powerhouses!" Kael inwardly marveled. His substantial progress exhilarated him.
The Flame-Thunder Eyes were his ultimate trump card. The Water Dragon's personal guidance in the Illusory Realm had taught him the true application of variant magic, allowing him to forge an entirely unique path. If he could maximize this power, his potential would become unrivaled!
As the last of the onlookers dispersed, Kael finally caught his breath—though he remained vigilant. Retrieving a mana potion from his spatial ring, he downed it in one gulp.
As a Grandmaster Alchemist, mana potions were never in short supply. The replenishing warmth steadied him, his reserves gradually refilling.
"Brother Idris…" Arjun stepped closer, his voice tinged with awe. "Are you alright?" He was still reeling from witnessing Kael single-handedly slaughter four Ninth-Rank experts—a feat almost too staggering to process.
"I'm fine," Kael chuckled. Aside from severe mana depletion, he hadn't sustained a single injury.
Arjun exhaled in relief, then couldn't resist asking, "Idris… did you really obtain the Water Dragon's Legacy?" Everything had happened so abruptly; he could barely keep up.
"Of course," Kael smiled.
To be precise, the legacy was the emerald power seed now within him. Having broken through to the Ninth Rank, he was eager to study it thoroughly.
Arjun circled Kael twice, scrutinizing him as if searching for visible changes. Finding none, he finally gave up, clicking his tongue in amazement.
"Let's get out of here. This place isn't safe to linger..." Kael said. Even within the Water Dragon's Secret Realm, true safety remained elusive.
Arjun nodded in solemn agreement. The secret realm was teeming with powerful figures, and if more enemies emerged now, it would spell trouble. As things stood, traveling with Kael had already made Arjun a liability.
"Those black-armored men were from the Tower of Malevolence—a formidable Darkwing Mage faction. You'll need to stay vigilant, Brother Idris... And that Lucian... I suspect he's scheming something too..." Arjun mused, his concern genuine.
Kael gave a slight nod. Lucian was trouble. The man had been poised to strike the moment Kael obtained the Water Dragon's Legacy, but after witnessing Kael annihilate the black-armored warriors, he'd wisely retreated without making a move.
Compared to the overt threat of the Tower's forces, Lucian was a hidden viper—far more insidious.
With Soaring Flight Art, Kael carried Arjun through the air, swiftly putting distance between them and the battleground.
Upon exiting the space, they arrived at the former site of the Puppet Legion. The area lay in ruins, littered with the wreckage of countless puppet soldiers—casualties of the cultivators' earlier clashes. None remained functional.
Suddenly, the very fabric of space trembled.
"What's happening?!" Arjun blurted out.
"Stay calm. It's likely the Mystic Tortoise. Now that the legacy trial is over, it's expelling us," Kael reasoned coolly.
An immense repulsive force surged from the void. Gusts of energy swirled around them, lifting Kael and Arjun off their feet. As the currents intensified, their vision whited out—
—and when sight returned, they stood once more in the colossal city where their journey had begun.
Kael exhaled deeply. Beside him, Arjun shuddered. "Did the Mystic Tortoise just... spitus out of its belly? That ancient direbeast is downright savage..."
No sooner had Arjun spoken than a thunderous boom shook the earth. A gargantuan head blotted out the sky, its amber reptilian eyes locking onto them with predatory focus.
The Mystic Tortoise—the legendary apex predator—had taken notice.
Arjun's skin crawled under the amber reptilian gaze, a chill creeping down his spine as he involuntarily retreated two steps. "Damn it all," he muttered, "could my luck get any worse? I just muttered a couple complaints about this beast, and it actually heard me? This monstrosity isn't... going to eat me, is it?" He swallowed hard, acutely aware that his scrawny frame wouldn't even qualify as a toothpick snack for the Mystic Tortoise.
Yet the tortoise's gaze swept past Arjun without pause, locking onto Kael instead. "Young one," its voice rumbled like distant thunder, "you have obtained the Water Dragon's Legacy?"
The Mystic Tortoise had come for Kael!
As the Water Dragon's contracted beast, the tortoise shared a profound bond with its master—enough to sense the legacy now residing within Kael.
"Yes," Kael nodded. "The Water Dragon entrusted his legacy to me." A realization struck him: No wonder those Tenth-Rank experts fled the moment I secured the inheritance. They feared provoking the tortoise's wrath.
Anyone reckless enough to seize the legacy by force, defying the Water Dragon's will, would have faced the tortoise's merciless retaliation.
"Then may you honor the Water Dragon's final wishes..." A flicker of sorrow passed through the colossal creature's eyes, its words resonating like a storm.
Kael dipped his head in silent acknowledgment.
"Go now," the tortoise declared. With earth-shaking steps, its mountainous form began to withdraw.
Kael watched its departure, an unnameable weight settling in his chest.
"So, Brother Idris," Arjun ventured, "what's next for you?"
Shaking off his pensiveness, Kael smiled. "I've just broken through to the Ninth Rank. I need to find a quiet place to consolidate my gains."
This breakthrough held monumental significance. He had to meditate on its implications immediately—the Water Dragon's Power Seed might prove pivotal. Moreover, he'd sensed unusual stirrings from The Book of Immortality!
This wasn't just progress; it was a revolution. And Kael could hardly wait to explore it.