Kael stood alone in the silent forest.
Mei was gone.
But her words remained in his mind.
“So it has begun.”
Kael looked at his palm.
The golden mark had returned to normal.
He clenched his fist.
“Who is she?”
He didn't know.
And he wasn't going to chase her.
Not now.
He had a more important goal.
Ruined Moon Sect.
Kael turned and continued through the forest.
After several hours, the trees finally began to thin.
Kael climbed a small hill.
Then he stopped.
A massive mountain range appeared in front of him.
At the center stood an enormous stone gate.
Half of it had already collapsed.
The words carved above it were barely visible.
RUINED MOON SECT.
Kael stared at the gate.
“So this is it.”
The legendary sect where his father had once trained.
It didn't look legendary anymore.
Broken buildings covered the mountainside.
Old statues had fallen into the grass.
The training grounds were covered with weeds.
There were no disciples.
No guards.
No sounds.
The sect was practically dead.
Kael slowly walked through the gate.
The moment he crossed it—
BOOM!
A powerful pressure crashed down on him.
Kael dropped to one knee.
“What—”
Golden light appeared on his palm.
The pressure suddenly weakened.
Kael looked around.
Something was controlling the formation around the sect.
Then he noticed a stone tablet near the entrance.
There was a single sentence carved into it.
Only those carrying the Moon Mark may enter.
Kael frowned.
“Moon Mark?”
He looked at his palm.
His golden mark began glowing.
A faint silver line appeared around it.
Kael's eyes widened.
“The Moon Mark…”
Before he could think further—
A voice came from behind him.
“You shouldn't be here.”
Kael turned.
A young man stood on the broken stairs.
He wore a dark blue robe and carried a sword.
Unlike the Black Lotus cultivators, he wasn't wearing a mask.
His eyes were cold.
“Who are you?” Kael asked.
The young man pointed his sword at him.
“Leave.”
Kael looked around.
“This sect is abandoned.”
The young man's expression hardened.
“That's why you should leave.”
Kael didn't move.
“I came here looking for someone.”
“Who?”
“Ren Hao.”
The moment Kael said the name—
The young man's eyes changed.
“You know that name?”
“He was my father.”
Silence.
The young man slowly lowered his sword.
“Your father…”
He studied Kael's face.
“You're Kael.”
Kael's heart skipped.
“How do you know my name?”
The young man didn't answer.
Instead, he looked toward the mountains.
“You came too late.”
Kael stepped forward.
“Too late for what?”
The young man looked back at him.
“Your father left something here.”
Kael's breathing stopped.
“What?”
“A message.”
“Where is it?”
The young man pointed toward the highest mountain.
“The Moon Hall.”
Kael looked up.
At the top of the mountain stood a massive ruined building.
“But there's a problem.”
“What?”
The young man pointed toward the mountain path.
Kael saw several enormous footprints in the dirt.
“Something has been living there.”
Kael frowned.
“What?”
The young man answered quietly.
“A Bloodfang Beast.”
Kael's expression became serious.
“What cultivation?”
“Third Layer Qi Gathering.”
Kael's heart sank.
He was only at the Second Layer Body Tempering.
The young man looked at him.
“You can't defeat it.”
Kael tightened his fist.
“Maybe not.”
He started walking toward the mountain.
“But I'm still going.”
The young man stared at him.
“Why?”
Kael stopped.
Because he wanted answers.
Because Black Lotus was hunting him.
Because his father had disappeared.
Because seven lives were buried inside his memories.
But he only said one thing.
“Because I'm tired of running.”
The young man's eyes narrowed.
Then he smiled slightly.
“Interesting.”
Kael looked back.
“What?”
“My name is Luo Chen.”
He stepped aside.
“Let's see how far you can climb.”
Kael began climbing.
The higher he went, the stronger the pressure became.
His body slowly became heavier.
But his cultivation continued circulating.
Body Tempering — Second Layer.
One step.
Then another.
By sunset, Kael reached the middle of the mountain.
He stopped.
A low growl came from the trees.
Kael slowly turned.
Two red eyes appeared in the darkness.
A massive creature stepped into the moonlight.
Its body was covered in dark scales.
Blood-red claws dug into the ground.
The Bloodfang Beast.
Kael's heart pounded.
The beast roared.
ROOOOAR!
Kael lowered his stance.
Golden energy gathered around his fist.
The beast charged.
Kael jumped aside.
BOOM!
The creature smashed into the ground.
Kael counterattacked.
His fist struck its side.
The beast barely moved.
Kael's expression changed.
Too hard.
The beast turned.
Its claws came toward him.
Kael raised both arms.
BANG!
He was thrown backward.
He crashed into a tree.
Pain spread through his body.
The beast charged again.
Kael stood.
His breathing became heavier.
He couldn't overpower it.
So he needed another way.
His eyes focused on the beast.
Then—
A strange feeling entered his mind.
A memory.
A battle.
A beast.
A man standing in front of it.
And a voice—
“Don't fight strength with strength.”
Kael's eyes sharpened.
He waited.
The beast charged.
At the last moment—
Kael moved.
Not backward.
Forward.
He slid beneath its claws.
His golden fist struck the same place twice.
BOOM!
The beast stumbled.
Kael jumped onto its back.
He raised his fist.
Golden light gathered around it.
“This is for my father.”
BOOM!
The beast collapsed.
Kael landed heavily.
He dropped to one knee.
His arms were shaking.
But he was smiling.
He had won.
Then he noticed something strange.
The Bloodfang Beast wasn't dead.
A faint silver glow was coming from beneath its scales.
Kael slowly reached toward it.
The moment his fingers touched the beast—
A voice echoed inside his mind.
“Kael…”
He froze.
That voice.
He knew it.
It was his father's voice.
“If you're hearing this…”
The world around Kael became silent.
“…then you've already begun remembering.”
Kael's eyes widened.
The message continued.
“Whatever you do…”
A pause.
Then—
“Do not trust the man who raised you.”
Kael stopped breathing.
Master Jian.
The message disappeared.
Kael stood completely still.
For the first time...
He wondered if the person he trusted most in the world had been lying to him.