Not the peaceful kind of quiet.
The kind that made the air feel heavier with every step.
Dago walked slowly through the thick forest path while Manki floated beside him.
“Stay alert,” Manki muttered. “Something about this place feels… wrong.”
Dago frowned.
“I thought you said this route leads to the Beast Valley.”
“It does,” Manki replied. “But we’re not there yet.”
A few moments later, Dago stopped walking.
In front of them stood a ruined temple, half buried in vines and broken stone.
Ancient pillars leaned sideways.
The roof had collapsed in several places.
Yet something about it still felt… powerful.
Manki narrowed his eyes.
“This temple shouldn’t be here.”
“What do you mean?” Dago asked.
“I’ve traveled through this region many times. This place never existed.”
Dago looked at the entrance.
“Then maybe it wants to be found.”
Manki sighed.
“You’re starting to sound like those reckless cultivators who die young.”
Dago smirked.
“Good thing I’m not planning to die.”
He walked inside.
The moment they stepped inside, the smell hit them.
Rot.
Death.
Bodies were scattered across the floor.
Dozens of them.
Some were skeletons.
Some still had rotting flesh.
Broken weapons lay beside them.
Dago slowly looked around.
“So… people came here looking for something.”
“And died trying to get it,” Manki replied.
Dago crouched beside one of the corpses.
The man’s fingers were still clawing toward a stone door.
“Greed killed them.”
Manki crossed his arms.
“Greed kills most cultivators.”
Dago stood up.
“Well… let’s see what they died for.”
He pushed the stone door open.
The room behind it glowed faintly with ancient inscriptions carved into the walls.
Stone shelves filled the chamber.
And on them…
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Scrolls.
Dozens of them.
Manki’s eyes widened.
“…Impossible.”
Dago picked up one scroll.
Ancient characters burned into the surface.
Dago and Manki examined the scrolls.
They discovered several cultivation arts:
- Heavenly Technique — Finger of the Old Demon
A forbidden technique said to originate from the Nine Realms War.
- Phantom Step Art
Movement technique that creates afterimages, allowing the user to move unpredictably in battle.
- Crimson Soul Slash
Sword technique that burns spiritual energy within the blade, allowing it to cut through beast hide and spiritual armor.
- Refining Breath
A breathing method that allows faster energy absorption from beast cores and pills.
Dago stared at the scroll of Finger of the Old Demon.
“This one…”
Manki looked concerned.
“That technique feels wrong.”
Dago raised an eyebrow.
“Wrong how?”
“Like it was created by something that hated the world.”
Dago smiled slightly.
“Sounds useful.”
He sat down and began cultivating.
Hours passed.
Energy swirled around Dago as he absorbed the knowledge.
Suddenly—
Images flashed through his mind.
Flames.
Battlefields.
And a massive army.
In the distance stood a towering man with burning eyes.
Rajock.
His father.
Around him stood several powerful rulers.
One of them spoke coldly.
“You cannot win this war, Rajock.”
Rajock laughed.
A deep, fearless laugh.
“I don’t need to win.”
Another ruler stepped forward.
“You have already lost everything.”
Rajock raised his weapon.
“No.”
His voice echoed across the battlefield.
“I only need to make sure you lose more.”
The battlefield erupted into chaos.
Then—
The vision shattered.
Dago opened his eyes.
Sweat ran down his face.
“…What was that?”
Manki stared at him carefully.
“You saw something, didn’t you?”
“Just fragments,” Dago replied.
He looked at his hand.
“And I learned the technique.”
Far away.
Inside a massive golden palace floating above the clouds.
Several armored generals knelt before a throne.
One of them spoke.
“The guards sent to the lower realm have been killed.”
Silence filled the hall.
Another general frowned.
“Their cultivation cores were also taken.”
A tall man sitting on the throne slowly opened his eyes.
“So the boy survived.”
Another general asked quietly.
“Should we send more guards?”
The ruler shook his head.
“No.”
His voice became colder.
“Send an Elite Hunter of the Royal Realm.”
The generals bowed.
“This time…”
The ruler whispered.
“Do not return without his head.”
Back in the lower world.
Manki stood on a cliff overlooking a massive valley.
Below them, enormous beasts roamed freely.
Dago stared down.
“…You brought me here to die?”
Manki smirked.
“No.”
“To test you.”
Dago cracked his neck.
“Good.”
A roar suddenly echoed.
A massive Iron Fang Beast burst from the forest.
Its body was covered in armored scales.
Its claws tore through stone.
Manki floated backward.
“Don’t hold back.”
The beast charged.
Dago drew his sword.
The ground exploded as they collided.
Claws slashed.
Steel clashed.
Dago dodged and used Phantom Step, leaving afterimages.
The beast smashed the ground where he stood.
Dago appeared above it.
“Crimson Soul Slash!”
His sword burned red and carved across the beast’s back.
The creature roared and threw him into a tree.
Dago coughed.
“Okay…”
He stood up slowly.
“That hurt.”
The beast charged again.
Dago raised one finger.
Energy gathered.
Darkness swirled around his hand.
Manki’s eyes widened.
“You’re using it already?!”
Dago whispered the chant.
“The darkness of the void…
Twin Lords of the abyss…
Nine Realms Heavenly Technique…”
The sky darkened slightly.
Dago pointed his finger at the beast.
His voice became cold.
“Finger of the Old Demon.”
Suddenly a Giant Figure appeared a finger so big that it could crush anything
Smoke filled the valley.
Manki looked toward the explosion.
“…Kid.”
Dago slowly lowered his hand.
“That technique…”
Manki narrowed his eyes.
“…might be far more dangerous than you think.”
Dago smirked slightly.
“Good.”
They didn’t notice a far greater Beast was already lying deeper in the cave that has opened it’s eyes.