“Sect Master” he began, his voice cutting through the noise, “I believe I know who that person might be.”

  It was Ren. Even though he was still in disbelief over Hope’s strength and couldn’t comprehend how someone younger than him could be so powerful, he decided to share his opinion with the higher-ups in the sect.

  The Sect Master arched an eyebrow. He hadn’t expected a Legacy disciple to know the identity of the boy, much less the newest appointed one. Calmly, he said, “Continue.”

  Ren nodded and took a deep breath. Standing before the sect’s most powerful figures, he could feel the immense pressure weighing on him. He knew that if he told them a foolish story, he would lose their respect forever. With that in mind, he began to speak clearly, “That boy is most likely named Hope. He took the exam trials with me. His strength was already incredible back then, but I never imagined he was hiding so much.”

  Releasing a deep breath as he finished, Ren waited for their reaction.

  Hushed discussions echoed through the hall. How could they not have known about this? Such a young genius, yet no one had noticed his existence—still just an outer disciple.

  The Sect Master pondered the name. He recalled a conversation with Cedric about the Ember Empire exam trials, where two geniuses stood out: Ren and Hope. Back then, he had placed his bet on Ren after hearing Cedric’s opinion, believing there wasn’t a significant gap between the two and that Ren was the more dependable choice.

  ‘Did I misjudge?’ the Sect Master thought, his brow furrowing. ‘This isn’t a “small” gap in strength; it’s an ocean. Ren isn’t weak—he’s at the peak of Spirit Awakening and could probably fight an early Will Refinement cultivator, but killing one? That’s unlikely. Meanwhile, that boy managed to fight a peak Will Refinement cultivator—and a city lord at that.’

  A headache began to creep in as the Sect Master considered the implications. Slowly, he said, “We need to ensure he doesn’t die. Don’t forget that in six years, we’ll be fighting for the Crimson Phoenix Empire throne. We need every talented individual we can gather.” His gaze swept across the room, meeting the eyes of every elder, grand elder, and Legacy disciple present.

  The elders nodded in agreement, but the Legacy disciples were less enthusiastic. Discontent brewed among them, their thoughts unspoken but clear.

  ‘Just a country bumpkin’ some of them thought. ‘His strength must be exaggerated. He probably got lucky against that city lord—who was likely one of the weakest in the empire.’

  The Sect Master, sensing the unease but choosing to ignore it, continued, “Report to me the moment anyone finds him and escort him back to the sect. Everyone is dismissed.”

  With a final glance at the gathered figures, the Sect Master turned and left the hall.

  One by one, the others followed, their murmurs fading as the room emptied. Soon, silence fell, leaving the hall utterly deserted.

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  A Week Later

  Hope’s left leg had fully healed, and though his left arm still bore minor injuries, they were little more than superficial now. His recovery was almost complete—90% of his strength had returned, and he had even seen noticeable improvements in his cultivation. His body, having broken and regenerated, came back stronger than before. Even at 90% of his strength, he was now as powerful as he had been at full strength during his fight with Julian, the city lord.

  He had spent the past week trying to grasp the elusive concept that seemed to hover just out of reach. Yet it remained hidden, as if silently telling him, "Now is not the time." Despite his frustration, Hope knew he couldn’t force it. Instead, he chose to focus on his cultivation, allowing his body to heal the last traces of injury.

  The little one had been faithfully guarding him this entire time, never leaving his side. This warmed Hope’s heart, and he etched the memory deeply into his mind. He would never forget such loyalty.

  As he sat cross-legged, circulating his Qi and immersing himself in cultivation, the days seemed to pass quickly.

  Today, however, was different. Hope felt truly refreshed—finally free from the lingering effects of that harrowing fight. Yet, thinking back to it still sent chills down his spine. He knew how close he had come to death. If he had been even a fraction slower in protecting his vitals, he wouldn’t have survived. The battle taught him a valuable lesson: never underestimate an enemy, no matter how weak they seemed. Everyone had trump cards, and if he ever faced someone with a stronger one, wielded at the right moment, it could cost him his life.

  With this realization, Hope’s will grew stronger. His mentality shifted, his path clearer than ever before, as though a veil had been lifted from his eyes.

  Rising to his feet, Hope made his way toward the little one, who stood some distance away, ever vigilant. The moment it saw him walking normally, its excitement was palpable. Its companion was finally healed, and it knew their time in this place was coming to an end.

  Hope picked up the little one, who couldn’t stop licking his tattered uniform in joy. Stroking its head, Hope muttered to himself, “I’ve rested enough. It’s time to keep moving north.”

  He had already decided to avoid cities from now on. There was no telling whether a bounty had been placed on him after what he did in Serene Sun City, and he couldn’t afford to be delayed by fools. His priority was completing the sect’s mission so he could improve as quickly as possible.

  As he made his way north, a group of bandits foolishly decided to cross his path. Hope couldn’t help but think, ‘Everyone seems intent on delaying me.’ Without hesitation, he mercilessly slaughtered them all. He didn’t even bother waiting to hear what they had to say. To him, it didn’t matter. They were strangers, and neither owed the other anything.

  Hope continued his journey north, traveling through forests and along winding roads. The days passed uneventfully, aside from the occasional bandits foolish enough to try and ambush him.

  He allowed the little one to handle the weakest of these threats. The little panther needed to train, after all. Hope didn’t want it growing reliant on him—it should learn to fend for itself and hunt its own food.

  As he sped toward the north, his mind lingered on the sect mission he had accepted. The thought of facing a Flame Wyvern—a rank 5 beast—filled him with uncertainty. After barely escaping Julian, a peak Will Refinement cultivator, Hope questioned whether he was truly ready for such a challenge.

  ‘I will not leave the forest until I secure the wyvern’s core’ he silently vowed to himself. ‘It doesn’t matter how long it takes.’

  And soon, Hope could see a towering mountain ahead of him, its jagged, dragon-like silhouette dominating the northern horizon of the Crimson Phoenix Empire. The peak was wreathed in smoke and ash, with fiery veins of molten lava snaking down its dark, rugged slopes, casting an eerie crimson glow. Surrounding its base was a dense, dark forest, the trees appearing almost blackened, their twisted branches reaching skyward as if trying to escape the oppressive heat radiating from the mountain.

  ‘The Flamedragon Mountain…I’m finally here’ Hope stopped in place to admire it and thought to himself, the little one was looking at this enormous mountain too, its eyes glinting.

  Then Hope took a step forward.

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