Then an idea came to Kerus's mind, "Can I use that power at my command?"
The room was then quiet. Kerus sat upright on the bed, his back supported by the headboard. His breathing was calm now, unlike before. The pain in his body had then faded to a tolerable level. Only a faint soreness remained, reminding him of the battle that had nearly taken his life. His gaze slowly shifted.
Sunlight entered through the open window and fell gently upon the wooden table placed in front of the bed. Dust particles floated in the air, moving slowly, peacefully. Everything looked ordinary.
On the table in front of him sat a simple ceramic cup. It was plain. White. Slightly chipped at the rim. The kind of cup found in every hall of the academy.
And yet, Kerus stared at it for a long time.
Then another thought surfaced in his mind.
A dangerous one this time.
"What if…" he murmured softly. "I try to do the same thing with the cup before me?" Kerus clenched his fingers slightly. His eyes clearly show that he wanted to know if he really could do it.
He wanted to know if that power had truly come from him. Or if it was something else entirely. As a Martial Sovereign in his previous life, Kerus knew very well what a body at his current level could and could not do. Even at the peak of Qi Gathering, even with six stars, such an effect was impossible.
No technique. No qi art. No physical force. None of them could do that.
Unless…
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'll try once," he said quietly.
Just once.
If it failed, then he would stop.
Kerus focused his gaze on the cup. He raised his right hand slowly.
There was no qi surge. No visible aura. No violent fluctuation. He did not want to alert anyone outside. This place was the Medicine Hall, after all.
He closed his eyes. And he remembered...
The moment time froze.
The mask.
The silver light.
The crushing sensation that did not move, but weighed upon existence itself.
He tried to recall that feeling. Not the scene. But the sensation.
Heavy.
Absolute.
Unavoidable.
His breathing slowed.
And then, deep in his mind, he thought of that word again.
"Gravity."
Boom!
The sound was not loud, but it was terrifying.
The wooden table trembled violently.
The ceramic cup did not fall or break.
Instead...
It was pressed downward. And the table cracked instantly.
In a breath, the cup shattered, not outward, but inward, crushed into fine dust as if squeezed by an invisible hand. And with that, the wooden table also collapsed, turning into a flat, thin layer against the floor. Cracks spread across the stone tiles beneath it.
In the blink of an eye...
Everything lost its form, reduced to dust under absolute pressure, unable to withstand it.
Only a flattened layer of shattered wood remained.
Kerus's eyes widened seeing that.
His heart skipped a beat.
He instinctively withdrew his intent, afraid that even a slight mistake could bring the entire hall down.
"…What did I just do?" he whispered.
Cold ran down his spine.
This was not imagination. Not a coincidence. Not an illusion.
He had done this.
Slowly, he lowered his hand. His fingers were trembling slightly.
"Is this…" he murmured, "…the power of that mask?"
His breathing grew uneven.
"If this power belongs to the mask," he continued quietly, "then I understand now."
A bitter smile tugged at his lips.
"I understand why those old bastards chased me like mad dogs back then."
Memories surfaced. Greedy eyes. Blood-soaked battles. Countless experts were hunting him across realms, all because of that ancient relic.
"But…" Kerus frowned.
"Didn't I break that mask?"
He clearly remembered it.
The final clash.
The shattering sound.
The explosion of light.
Several thoughts crossed his mind, overlapping and colliding.
But then, one thing became clear.
"It doesn't matter now," he said calmly.
What mattered was not where the power came from.
What mattered was that it existed.
And it was now inside him.
"If others find out about this power…" Kerus muttered, "…then I might have to face numerous battles again."
A faint, almost amused smile appeared on his face.
Battle again!
From sects.
From empires.
From monsters wearing human faces.
The thought did not frighten him as much as it once would have.
Then another thought surfaced.
A dangerous one.
"Does this power grow stronger with my cultivation?"
Kerus's eyes gleamed faintly.
"If that's the case…"
He chuckled softly.
"Then let's see for real."
A slightly wicked smile appeared on his face.
Kerus pushed himself off the bed.
His movements were steady this time, and he also felt the lightness of his body, more stable with a solid foundation.
He looked beside the bed, and there lay a neatly folded set of academy robes. Clean and new. Beneath it was his old robe... torn, stained with blood, barely holding together.
He ignored the old one. And put on the new robe slowly.
The fabric was soft but firm. The insignia of the academy rested over his chest. When he finished, he walked toward the mirror placed opposite the window.
Sunlight poured in from behind him.
For a moment, he froze. The reflection staring back at him looked familiar.
Kerus!
He stared at the mirror, and for a moment, he saw his younger self.
But this time, the road ahead was different.
A new life and a new path.
He straightened his robe and nodded slightly.
"Good," he murmured.
Then he turned and walked toward the door.
His hand reached for the handle.
And he opened it.
The moment the door swung open, Kerus froze.
Just outside the door stood Mei Ling.
She was holding a wooden tray with a bowl of steaming food and a small pot of soup. The smell was warm and comforting.
"Rick!" she said in surprise. "Where are you going? I brought food for you."
Kerus blinked.
"Oh," he said, slightly awkward. "You're here."
"I was just leaving the Medicine Hall."
Mei Ling frowned instantly.
"But your wounds?" she asked, worry filling her eyes.
"They've healed," Kerus replied calmly. "Don't worry. I want to go to the Pill Hall."
She looked at him for a moment, as if trying to judge whether he was lying.
Then she sighed.
"Okay," she said. "I'll take you there."
She paused.
"But before that, please eat this."
She held up the tray insistently.
Kerus looked at her.
At her tired eyes.
The way she stood firmly in front of him, blocking the way without even realizing it.
He sighed lightly.
"…Alright," he said.
A small smile appeared on her face.
They went back inside.
Kerus sat at the wooden table with Mei Ling across from him. She placed the tray down carefully and handed him the bowl.
The food was simple.
Rice.
Vegetables.
Light meat soup.
But it was warm.
Kerus ate quietly. Mei Ling watched him closely, only relaxing when she saw him actually finish most of it.
After a while, he put the bowl down.
"That was good," he said.
She smiled.
"Good."
Kerus stood up.
"Then let's go," he said. "Please guide me to the Pill Hall."
Mei Ling nodded.
"I will."
Kerus followed her.
He did not know where the Pill Hall was, and he did not ask. He simply walked behind her as they left the Medicine Hall together.
The academy grounds stretched out before them.
Stone paths.
Training yards.
Tall buildings with curved roofs.
Disciples moved about, some training, some talking, some resting. A few glanced at Kerus with curiosity. News traveled fast in places like this.
Mei Ling led the way.
And as Kerus walked forward...
Time passed and before them stood the Pill Hall's Gate...