In this Celestial Tournament, the mountain's inscription wasn't Darian's only gain. During his fights, he practiced using mental power, spiritual power, and life energy. To use them, he relied only on techniques and celestial power that came from his own cultivation.
For Darian, celestial power was still something foreign—uncharted territory within himself. He knew that to truly master that energy, he needed the baptism of battle against at least somewhat competent opponents. Only then could he understand its true nature.
Now… the moment had come.
He felt that he would finally reach what he had planned. Under the command of his will, all the celestial power in his body roared, splitting into three distinct currents. Each one plunged into one of Darian's cores with absolute precision. At the same instant, his Bloodline awakened, moving like a dormant beast to complete the final piece of the puzzle.
Mental Power, Spiritual Power, Life Energy… and a terrifying Bloodline.
It was the four energies he was supposed to get in a trade with his wife, which would give him the nine absolute powers; with them, he'd reach The Ninth Zenith.
**BUZZZ!**
The laws of the universe didn't just tremble—they groaned under the pressure. Space-time shook, and a primordial chill ran down the spine of every living being. It felt like the very existence of the universe was facing its imminent end.
Across every corner of the universe, lifeforms of all levels froze, plunged into a catatonic state of pure terror. Never before in history had something so overwhelming manifested in that reality.
Darian opened his eyes.
Deep within his pupils, a nine-pointed star shone with an ancient light.
At the same time, his Primordial Physique erupted, scorching the air around him. Multicolored light wrapped around him, manifesting as divine flames dancing across his skin. Then… reality itself began to change.
The aura of the Primordial Physique condensed, transforming into thousands of small, pulsating stars that orbited Darian like satellites around a god. Those multicolored points floated with deadly elegance, giving him a majestic and unmatched presence.
An unprecedented power overflowed from his body, distorting reality. That was the Zenith state—the supreme technique, now perfectly fused with his Primordial Physique.
But…
'I managed to use it alone… but it's not even 50% of what it should be. I really need Niara for it to be complete. Still, this is more than enough,' he thought casually.
All the cultivators on the planet were frozen, staring at that figure in the sky.
Darian slowly shifted his gaze in one direction.
*Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang…*
All nine Elders, who had been full of confidence just moments ago, slammed violently into the ground like puppets with their strings cut. They trembled and writhed like crushed insects.
".... Urgh… Wu… Wu…"
Shaky groans slipped uncontrollably from their lips. It wasn't something they wanted—it was the result of the sheer terror their souls were experiencing.
The world around them suddenly became terrifyingly silent. It was like a hand had grabbed their souls and was slowly crushing them.
All the light in the world had vanished, and they could no longer perceive anything around them. The incredible power they had borrowed—power above the immortal level, the very thing that made them believe they could rule the world—now felt pathetically small and insignificant.
Darian snorted. The truth was, they were like newborns trying to wield a colossal war hammer. They didn't even begin to understand how to use it. Meanwhile, in the Zenith state, he could control all energies with ease. Power like that—power with no true owner—was nothing.
Seymuh and the nine Elders, already curled up like worms, twisted even more, writhing as if on the verge of death.
"Ah… Ah… Aaaaahhhhhh…"
Their eyes were empty and unfocused, and they were incapable of making any sound beyond those groans coming from the depths of their souls.
Darian simply looked at them, activating his domain and forcing the very power they had been using to turn back on them brutally.
"Pathetic." At that moment, Darian finally spoke and moved his hand, waving it lightly. "Disappear."
*AAAAAH!*
A scream of indescribable pain echoed from them. But it lasted only three seconds—then violent explosions rang out in unison.
Everything fell silent.
All nine Elders… and the great leader of the fifth largest sect in the universe, Seymuh…
…were simply erased from existence, as if they were less than flies.
Darian let out a faint snort, then turned toward the gray sphere. He waved his hand again, activating his domain.
*CRACK*
The entire sphere shattered with a sharp, piercing sound. Then it began dissolving into the air.
In just a few seconds, all the figures inside became visible—every single one of them pale, their eyes filled with fear.
From inside, they had no idea what was happening outside. They had only heard Seymuh's words, telling them to wait while he handled something.
Everyone there had already decided to fight to the end. It was better to die with honor than bow to a madman like that. But…
Suddenly, everything opened, and they were freed.
Then… their senses were immediately drawn upward.
There, they saw that figure—radiating a pressure capable of shaking the world, along with a brilliance far beyond anything their imaginations could comprehend.
"What…!?"
Remira's voice cut off in the middle of her shout.
She was panting, her aura still wild and unstable. From the moment she had been sealed, she hadn't stopped attacking for even a second, completely desperate. In her mind, there was only one image—Darian facing that terrifying enemy and being killed.
She blamed herself for being an arrogant fool, thinking she could handle anything. Because of her stupidity, Darian had been in extreme danger. But…
Her blue eyes met his.
Both of them fell silent for several seconds.
Then, Darian gave a faint smile.
"It's been a while… You haven't changed much."
Remira's eyes were wide open. Her expression shifted slightly when she heard those words.
"You…" her lips moved, barely above a whisper.
"Yeah, I remember exactly who I am," Darian nodded. "We went through a lot together. And it's really good… finally seeing a familiar face again."
Darian's voice grew a bit emotional at the end. But as he looked at Remira, he saw a trace of sadness being slowly sealed away by her.
Darian sighed, understanding a bit of what she was feeling. It seemed that even after all this time, she still saw him as more than just a friend.
'Damn… after all this time, why didn't my father and Uncle Corin introduce her to someone decent? I never did anything except be myself. I even kept a proper distance, never giving her any hope… is it really that hard to move on?'
Darian muttered inwardly, a bit stunned. But…
At that moment, he saw a faint smile appear on Remira's face.
"You always do things most shockingly, huh? Looks like even after dying, nothing about you changed," she said, her voice carrying genuine joy.
Darian let out a relieved breath. Apparently, these thousands of years had really changed her. She had learned to value the friendship they built more than any personal desire. She was truly happy that Darian had been reborn, recovered his memories… and was now displaying such shocking strength so quickly.
At that moment, Darian closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, all his light had completely vanished.
The people watching from afar were even more shocked. It was like everything they had just witnessed had been a dream—one that completely faded the moment they woke up.
In the sky, there was now only a young human, with a cultivation so low that they couldn't feel even the slightest bit of fear from him.
That sent a chill down their spines. This shift—this deception—was downright sinister. Darian was like a wolf in sheep's clothing, ready to devour the entire flock.
Darian took a deep breath, looking at those nine leaders of the major organizations.
"I guess the Celestial Tournament isn't continuing, right?"
All the cultivators across the planet fell silent.
'Tournament? Is he messing with us?' Almost everyone thought the same thing in sync.
