The ruined battlefield remained silent beneath the darkened heavens.
Broken mountains smoldered in the distance.
Ash drifted slowly through the air.
And beside the blood-soaked crater—
the white lizard moved again.
Gravity stirred softly around him.
Not violently.
Controlled.
Precise.
The shattered earth trembled lightly.
Then—
from beneath scattered rubble near the corpse's remains—
a golden sphere slowly rose into the air.
The Golden Core.
Even after Elder Han's death and burning of his cultivation, the core still radiated dense spiritual essence. Silver-gold light pulsed faintly within it like a dying star, carrying the accumulated cultivation of an entire Golden Core realm expert.
Beside it—
a jade ring emerged from the debris as well.
Smooth.
Dark green.
Covered in faint spatial inscriptions.
The elder's spatial ring.
Both objects floated toward the lizard under invisible gravitational control.
His golden eyes rested briefly on the Golden Core first.
Then—
without hesitation—
he swallowed it whole.
GULP.
The moment the core descended into his body—
heat erupted instantly.
Dense spiritual essence exploded outward through his meridians like liquid fire.
A powerful warmth spread across every inch of his form.
Refined Golden Core energy.
Pure.
Far more concentrated than flesh or blood alone.
Blue lightning flickered faintly across his scales instinctively as the energy dispersed throughout his body.
The lizard narrowed his eyes slightly.
He could feel it immediately.
The difference.
The nourishment from consuming the core essence of an actual Golden Core surpassed that of a half step golden Core and the corpse by several levels.
Interesting.
The warmth continued spreading through him in heavy waves before gradually stabilizing beneath his scales.
Then—
his body began to shrink once more.
Returning completely to his smaller form.
Tiny.
Silent.
Almost insignificant against the enormous devastation surrounding him.
The jade spatial ring floated closer afterward.
The lizard caught it carefully between his jaws.
His golden gaze shifted briefly across the battlefield one final time.
Fragments of the shattered Cloud-Piercing Spirit Spear remained embedded throughout the ruined terrain.
Fading.
Lifeless.
The remnants of a fallen Golden Core elder.
Thunder rumbled faintly in the far distance.
Then—
the lizard's body began fading.
Not physically dissolving.
Concealment.
Perfectly seamless.
His aura disappeared first.
Then his spiritual presence.
Then even his physical form itself blurred into transparency.
Within moments—
nothing remained standing beside the crater at all.
Only devastation.
Silence.
And the lingering terror of what had happened there.
The sky above the Azure Sky Sect churned with restless clouds.
Spiritual cranes circled the distant mountain peaks while streams of disciples moved between floating bridges and towering halls carved directly into the cliffsides.
Everything appeared peaceful.
Orderly.
Stable.
Until several tattered figures shot across the heavens like collapsing stars.
"Move—!"
The shout echoed across the outer sect grounds as a group of disciples descended rapidly toward the central mountain.
Their robes were torn.
Faces pale.
Bodies covered in scorch marks and lingering spiritual burns.
The guards stationed near the inner gate stiffened immediately.
"…What happened?"
But the returning disciples didn't answer.
They rushed past almost frantically.
Fear still lingered visibly in their eyes.
One nearly stumbled while landing before catching himself with trembling hands.
"Take us to the Sect Grand Hall immediately!"
The urgency in his voice caused nearby disciples to fall silent instantly.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
The group hurried through the sect pathways toward the towering hall at the mountain's center.
The Azure Sky Hall.
Massive jade pillars supported its enormous structure while spiritual mist drifted around the surrounding platforms. Elders and inner disciples gathered throughout the area paused as the injured group arrived.
Murmurs spread quickly.
"A patrol team?"
"Why are they in this condition?"
"Where is Elder Han?"
The returning disciples froze briefly at that final question.
Their expressions darkened immediately.
Then—
the hall doors opened before they could answer.
BOOOOM.
A heavy spiritual pressure rolled outward.
The disciples' faces changed instantly.
Because standing within the hall—
were the sect's upper leadership.
Several Core Elders.
Enforcement Elders.
And seated at the highest position—
the Sect Leader himself.
An older man wearing flowing azure robes embroidered with silver cloud patterns.
His eyes were calm.
Sharp.
Ancient.
Yet currently—
his expression was darker than usual.
The disciples felt their hearts tighten immediately.
Because everyone present already knew something was wrong.
The Sect Leader's gaze swept across the returning group once.
Then stopped.
"…Elder Han did not return with you."
Silence filled the hall instantly.
The disciples' breathing grew heavier.
One of them lowered his head shakily.
"S-Sect Leader…"
Before he could continue—
an elder standing near the hall's side suddenly stiffened.
His expression changed violently.
Then he turned sharply toward the rear of the hall where dozens of soul lamps burned quietly upon an enormous spiritual altar.
One flame—
went out.
FWOOSH.
The hall became deathly silent.
Several elders rose to their feet instantly.
The disciples froze completely.
And the Sect Leader's eyes narrowed for the first time.
Because the extinguished flame belonged to—
Elder Han.
Dead.
The realization crashed across the hall heavily.
One of the younger elders spoke hoarsely.
"…Impossible."
Another elder's face darkened.
"An elder at the Golden Core Realm…"
"…fell?"
The returning disciples trembled harder now.
Because the final thread of denial had vanished.
Elder Han truly had not escaped.
The Sect Leader slowly stood from his seat.
The pressure filling the hall deepened instantly.
Not explosive.
Controlled.
Which somehow made it more terrifying.
"…Report everything," he said calmly.
But beneath that calm—
rage simmered.
The injured disciples exchanged shaken glances.
Then the leading disciple stepped forward with pale trembling lips.
And began speaking.
About the white creature.
About the storm-serpents.
About the flames.
The gravity.
The concealment.
The intelligence.
The battle.
As the report continued—
the expressions throughout the hall gradually changed.
From disbelief.
To shock.
Then slowly—
to something far heavier.
Fear.
Because by the time the disciple finished speaking—
everyone in the Azure Sky Hall understood the same horrifying truth.
A monster had appeared within their region.
And Elder Han—
had only been the beginning.