All the patrol soldiers froze, unable to process what had just happened. But within two seconds, a furious gust of wind surged, scattering rocks everywhere.
The disheveled figure emerged from the rubble, practically spitting fire. The slap hadn’t caused any actual damage; it had just thrown her away with incredible speed—enough to send her crashing into one of the weaker buildings nearby. Clearly, Ruri had aimed to make her hit that spot, fully aware of what would happen.
Ruri had used a non-lethal technique beyond the Divine level. She really liked it and used it whenever she could. Bruno deeply regretted ever allowing Alm to teach her that technique in the past. Alm, of course, was secretly nodding with pride.
"HOW DARE YOU?! ARREST THEM!" the woman roared, snapping the others out of their stupor.
Ruri smirked, and Alm followed suit. The soldiers took an awkward step forward—then the earth shook.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
The ground split open, and it was as if pillars of earth punched every single one of them in the chin. It happened so quickly and so far outside their senses that they couldn’t even react.
"Are they idiots? They have wings and advanced cultivation, yet they came running?" Ruri murmured sarcastically.
Everyone was still dazed, not thinking too much about it. But the main reason for their misstep was that they’d never imagined anyone would be crazy enough to defy them or fight back. These soldiers had likely never faced real resistance before.
All of them were sent flying almost twenty meters into the air. Thousands of soldiers hit at once—it was quite the spectacle. Everyone nearby in the city watched with wide eyes.
Then they fell to the ground in unison.
"BASTARDS, USE EVERYTHING!" the woman shouted furiously, but…
*Slap!*
This only made Ruri’s hand itch for another slap. She delivered it—a magical movement, like a ghost appearing out of thin air.
It was unstoppable and inevitable, truly deserving to be called a technique beyond the Divine level. Unfortunately, it didn’t deal physical damage… but the psychological damage? That was massive. Whoever invented this technique was clearly a connoisseur of theatrical flair.
This time, the woman went flying in the direction of the soldiers who were trying to get back on their feet. She crashed into them, sending everyone scattering in a chaotic and almost comical scene.
"Nice aim," Alm murmured, and Ruri grinned, clearly enjoying her wild antics.
But now, things got serious. The soldiers hadn’t suffered any real damage, and after being humiliated like that, they finally started using their brains. They activated their cultivation and drew their weapons. A wave of power erupted in the middle of the city’s capital.
Carod and the entire legion had been frozen in place the whole time, unsure whether to run or cry in despair. These two were insane!
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But… in the next second, against everyone’s expectations, two figures appeared in the sky. The enraged soldiers immediately swallowed hard, their faces paling. They looked up, recognized the newcomers, and instantly withdrew their power.
Carod looked upward and turned pale, his eyes hollow. "High Elders…" he murmured.
Those were figures of extreme renown within the empire, members of the Charming Eyes Race at the Divine level. There were five High Elders of this level in the Empire, in addition to the Emperor. The rest were a few dozen young individuals trained by the continent with all its resources, hoping to earn a chance to remain in the Crown Continent.
This particular pair was a couple, always seen together. The older-looking man spoke softly, "The judgment hasn’t taken place yet. We saw everything. They’re already inside the city, and the guard wouldn’t allow them to leave. You know that even if they tried, they couldn’t escape anymore. So, you came here just to cause trouble?"
"N-no…" the woman stammered, unsure of what to say.
The female High Elder snorted. "I see, you were sent by other Elders. Doesn’t matter. Leave now and stop making a mess."
Those on the ground felt like they had been saved from the abyss. They quickly nodded in gratitude and turned to leave as fast as they could without looking back.
The pair of High Elders turned their gaze to the couple for a few seconds. Then they nodded, and the man spoke, "The judgment will take place in a few minutes at the central castle." With that, the two vanished.
While everyone else stood frozen, the golem couple simply stepped forward and kept walking as if nothing had happened. But they stopped when they realized Carod and the legion weren’t moving. Turning back, they stared at them.
"What’s wrong?" Ruri said quickly. "Come on, we don’t know the fastest way there. Let’s go see something fun—do you want to be late?"
Carod snapped out of his stupor, still pale, and moved forward. The others followed, practically stumbling over themselves.
Five minutes into the walk, everyone had calmed down a bit, and Carod let out a long, heavy sigh. He looked at the couple’s backs, his now-clear mind reflecting on everything, making him feel incredibly inferior.
The other legion commanders had the support of important figures like High Elders. But he? He had always tried his best to gain their help and worked hard to avoid causing trouble for the empire.
His goal since the day he became a commander was to gain support… but he never even got to exchange a few words with any of them. The High Elders clearly had no interest in him and ignored him. Even the regular Elders didn’t care much about him.
Now, these two showed up immediately to help. Clearly, they came because of the couple who hadn’t even completed the entrance test yet. That alone showed their interest—otherwise, why would they bother? To "do the right thing"? He was sure that wasn’t the case, judging by how they looked at the couple.
"Carod, haven’t you figured it out yet?" Bruno’s voice came softly, making Carod turn to him.
"I think I understand. I’m not a capable commander," Carod replied lightly.
Bruno turned to him with a serious expression. "Really? Then why are there so many people standing behind you? When I arrived, they were already loyal to you—not me."
Carod grew serious and confused. Then voices rose around him:
"Commander, I’d rather fight alongside someone willing to die at my side."
"Commander, I couldn’t bring myself to bow my head to someone I don’t admire."
"Commander, we were just nobodies! Don’t take those shortsighted Elders seriously."
Other similar voices echoed. Carod stopped, speechless, and turned to face them.
"See? You’re not lacking in charisma or leadership. Everyone loves you as their commander—you’re already more successful than many above you. The real problem is that you lack support, and that’s because of your attitude," Bruno said calmly, making Carod look at him intently, eager to know more.
"In the cultivation world—or anywhere there’s competition—being passive is a recipe for self-destruction. Being good and doing the right thing isn’t the same as being passive. Remember how you almost died before? You tried to help those idiots a second time, and they used it as an opportunity to take you out."
"The world is a jungle, and you can’t count on others to return your kindness. If you help them, do it knowing you might never get anything back. Don’t trust someone just because you helped them—your actions don’t purify others. In fact, some people will see you as an easy mark and keep pushing to take more and more."
Carod swallowed hard, reflecting on these words. Bruno continued:
"As for why the Elders don’t support you—you’re not less talented than Pouzek. The problem is you’re a useless piece to them. Why would they support someone passive who doesn’t stir the waters?"
"In the cultivation world, resources are scarce—they can’t be shared with everyone. You must always fight for them. When you gain, someone else loses. Put yourself in their shoes: would you want to give resources to a soldier who doesn’t take risks to earn them? I’m not saying to kill or plot against others. But if you tried, you’d find endless opportunities to pluck the weeds. There’s no shortage of idiots and scoundrels, and taking from them actually helps others more than trying to avoid making waves."
The eyes of Carod—and everyone in the legion listening—sparkled with newfound understanding.
Ruri let out a heavy sigh. Carod was too kind, and that was a sin in this cruel world the queen had created. There must be countless people like him, being killed and brutally crushed everywhere. Then she glanced at the figure beside her, filled with joy. At least he was there to guide and lead these people.
Power? He could handle that. Resources? He’d just take them from those who didn’t deserve them. While other missionaries focused only on themselves, he did the opposite and was certainly the only one who could change the world even a little.
He wouldn’t save anyone or had any intention of rebuilding the cultivation world. But just by setting an example and uniting good people, he could make a big difference. It would inspire others to unite, knowing there was a way beyond being destroyed.
The walk was calm, and the city was vast. They passed dozens of statues of the queen, similar to the one before. Beneath them, familiar figures to Carod were "cultivating." Everyone who joined the empire received techniques to absorb the sacred power emanating from the statues, greatly enhancing their cultivation abilities.
The Charming Eyes Race’s natural power gave them an even greater advantage, putting them several levels above anyone else. That’s why they were the elite of the empire; no mutant or non-native descendant could compare.
In about half an hour, they arrived at the central building. There, they were greeted by countless Elders with cold stares. Without much being said, they were escorted to a large hall.
Inside, hundreds of eyes focused on the newcomers. Elders filled the room, and at the back were five figures, including the couple from earlier. Their positions clearly marked them as High Elders.
But two other figures near the High Elders caught their attention: Pouzek, and beside him, the woman who commanded the eighth legion. Alm and Ruri almost let out wicked grins upon seeing them. Bruno, however, studied the woman closely, narrowing his eyes as he sensed the difference in her aura—something only those with a divine or superior soul could feel.
At the center of it all, on an elevated platform, stood an old-looking figure radiating an aura fitting his age. He was clearly in the last years of his life, and his appearance reflected it.
"Now that you’re here, the judgment will begin," the old man said, his voice booming like thunder despite his age.
"Hmm? Of course, of course. But first... there’s something to settle," Bruno said calmly, causing everyone to narrow their eyes. This brat dared to speak without permission?
The old figure looked at him, puzzled, but gestured for him to continue. Bruno smiled darkly.
*Whoosh!*
Suddenly, a spray of blood filled the air.
Everyone stared, stunned, unable to believe what had just happened.
The round golem was holding a blood-stained blade. Then, the sound of a head hitting the ground echoed in the silence.
"NO!"
"You entertained me a bit, so you were honored to die easily," Bruno said, holding a trembling soul in front of everyone’s shocked gazes.
*Crack!*
The sound of something breaking echoed as he shattered the soul just enough not to prevent reincarnation. With a flick, he let it go, and the laws immediately took it away.
In one second, Pouzek’s life was destroyed. In the next, his soul was gone.
"YOU!"
Too late, the powerful figures in the hall snapped out of their shock. No one could have imagined something like this would happen—they’d been completely caught off guard. Even if they had reacted faster, it was hard to say if they could’ve stopped it in time.
Then, a wave of overwhelming power shook the building.