Morning came, soft and quiet.
Light filtered through the wooden shutters, painting warm lines across the dusty floor of Kaelith's dorm room. He stirred slowly, eyes still crusted with sleep. The ache from the fight the day before was the first thing he expected to feel—But it didn't come.
He sat up,no sharp pain in his ribs. No stiffness in his shoulder. His arm, which had been half-useless after that final counter, moved freely.
He looked down at himself,the bruises were gone.
No swelling. No dried blood. His skin was smooth, pale where the sunlight touched it. His body felt… fine. Better than fine. Refreshed.
Kaelith blinked, heart suddenly racing.
He stood and stretched.but he felt no soreness whatsoever.
Observing his body properly he gasped, "7th level vital ember stage!!!,how in God's name"
His first thought was:"This doesn't make sense".
Yesterday, he could barely walk. His spiritual energy had been completely drained, his body punished beyond reason.and now he woke up,not just fully healed,but his cultivation had increased by a realm.
Healing pills couldn't do this overnight—not for someone of his cultivation. And he hadn't taken any. He couldn't afford them.
He examined his forearm, where a gash had been."the scars are gone also",he was surprised.
"Did someone heal me? But who would bother?"
Kaelith paced a little, testing his limbs like a man unsure if he was dreaming. His mind kept circling back to the fight, to how much damage he took, to the blood. He didn't have the kind of constitution that just healed overnight. He was sure of it.
And yet… here he was,Whole and Clean.
It bothered him. Like an itch at the back of his skull.
But the more he thought about it, the more it made his head spin. He had no answers. Just questions that led to more questions.
So eventually, he did what he always did when something didn't make sense…He buried it.
"If it's some sort of blessing… fine,If it's a trick or illusion… I'll find out later.
Right now, I need food."
…..
The food halls for the outer court were more like open courtyards—with plain stone seats under slanted roofs.
disciples stood in long lines and waited for simple, practical meals served by mortal staff or low-tier service cultivators.
Kaelith joined the line like always. No one greeted him. He didn't expect anyone to. Conversations buzzed around him, none involving him.
That suited him fine.
When it was his turn, he took a plate—mashed potatoes, caramel-glazed mushrooms, and a bit of spice broth. Basic, but filling.
He was about to walk to a corner when the murmurs started.
The crowd shifted. Quiet gasps. A few sudden silences. That subtle tension that comes when people instinctively make room without realizing it,Kaelith turned his head.
Five figures approached. Robes trimmed with silver. Matching jade pendants swinging at their waists. Eyes like knives. Confident. Dangerous.
The King Cobra Triad!!!
A known name in the outer court. Infamous for their strength, unity, and ruthless pursuit of resources and respect. They weren't just a group—they were a force. Most gave them wide berth. Others tried to join them. Few succeeded.
And at the center of the group—Renn Tal,older brother of the very man Kaelith had beaten yesterday.
Kaelith's stomach tightened. His first instinct: They're here to retaliate.
He stayed still.
Renn stepped forward, face unreadable. Clean robes. But his eyes locked onto Kaelith's like steel.
Then he did something no one expected.
He smiled,and offered his hand.
"You fight like a feral beast," Renn said, loud enough for the others nearby to hear. "But I respect it. That fight was the first time in a long while my brother felt like he could lose."
Kaelith didn't take his hand. He just stared at it, unsure if this was a trap or a test.
"You've successfully made him put his focus back into cultivation,he was getting lazy because I,his brother was holding the heavens for him",
Kaelith just muttered an emotionless "you're welcome".
"We came to offer you a place," Renn said, withdrawing his hand and crossing his arms. "You've got something raw. Ugly, maybe,But real. Join the King Cobra Triad. We'll sharpen that rage into something useful."
The food hall fell into stunned silence.
Kaelith blinked. "…You want me to join you?"
"We don't ask twice," one of the other triad members added, a tall woman with cold eyes. "This isn't normal for us."
"Don't scare him Julie,be polite to our new recruit",
Renn was confident no one would reject this kind of offer..
Whispers rose up behind Kaelith.
"Am I running crazy?"
"They're recruiting him?"
"Why him? He's not even top 100."
"Heck he's not even in top 1000"
"Must've impressed them yesterday."
Kaelith looked at the group, then at the food in his hand, then back to them.
For a brief moment, a small part of him considered it.
Allies. Strength. Resources. Safety.
But the rest of him remembered the silence in his room. The tears he hadn't meant to cry. The weight of that promise.
"I appreciate the offer," he said slowly, voice steady, "but… I'm not looking to be part of any group."
More silence,This time, heavier.
"You sure about that?" Renn asked, raising an eyebrow. "You'll make enemies by saying no."
Kaelith looked him in the eye.
"I already have enemies," he said. "What's a few more?"
Renn stared for a moment,
Then he smiled again. This time, it felt… genuine.
"I like you," he said. "You've got guts. That's rare."
He turned and waved his hand casually. "We'll give you a week to decide. No pressure. Just don't take too long—opportunities like this don't come often and remember….the enemies you've got are nothing compared to the king cobra triad,so think with your head and not your ass"
With that, the King Cobra Triad walked off, leaving a trail of murmurs behind them like ripples in water.
"Is he stupid,why would he reject thier offer???,the triad has an imperial blood supporting them from the inner sect,that equals resources,protection and powerful allies,arghhhh,why don't they come find me"
"Pehh,take a look at yourself,are you in anyway as impressive as kaelith,he defeated Renn's brother yesterday,you do the same"
"You guys shut up,I think we should become friends with kaelith,this might be our chance to soar"
Different discussion were taking place,all surrounding kaelith.
He stood alone, tray still in hand.
The crowd around him shifted but didn't return to normal. Eyes lingered. Conversations resumed in hushed voices. Some disciples looked at him like he had grown a second head. Others like he was insane.
He ignored them,As always then he took his food back to his room.
The moment he sat down, the quiet wrapped around him again. Familiar. Comforting.
He ate slowly, savoring the caramel-glazed mushrooms more than he usually would. It had been a long time since a meal had tasted like anything. Maybe the healing—or whatever it was—had cleared something inside him.
Once the plate was clean, he set it aside and sat on the floor. Cross-legged. Eyes closed.
His breathing slowed,He let the stillness take over.
Then he began to cultivate.
His energy moved more freely than before. Just slightly. But enough for him to notice. The channels inside him didn't feel as sluggish. His core didn't feel as tight.
Something really did change overnight,
But what?
He didn't know. And for now, it didn't matter,
Because whatever it was… it brought him one step closer.he could feel his cultivated speed increase considerably.
One step closer to the strength he needed, to the revenge he still burned for.
And so, with the brightness of the morning behind him and a strange new path quietly unfolding before him, Kaelith trained—alone, silent and steady.
Because even if he didn't understand what was happening to him…
He wasn't going to waste it.