Kazel took a step forward, the smirk on his face never wavering. The crowd around them moved like a lazy river, the merchants shouting their deals, the scent of roasted meat and fresh herbs lingering in the air—but none of it reached them.
For Salma, there was only Kazel. The ghost of a boy she once knew, standing before her in flesh and blood.
"You have changed," Kazel said, his voice smooth, his expression unreadable.
Salma straightened her posture. "And so have you."
Kazel's gaze trailed over her. "You look a lot stronger than our last encounter."
She crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. "And you don't look sick at all."
At this, Kazel chuckled softly. "I know what you did, Salma." His voice was cold, like steel hidden beneath velvet, but his eyes... his eyes were warm, playful even. A contradiction that made her uneasy.
Salma felt a chill run down her spine, but she schooled her features into indifference. She raised a brow, parting her lips as if to speak, but then simply took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter whether you know or not."
Kazel's smirk deepened. "Oh, it will soon."
Salma tilted her head slightly, watching him. ( He's toying with me… but why? ) Then, with a quiet scoff, she crossed her arms. "Whatever it is you're planning, Kazel, it will harm you more than it helps."
Kazel hummed, rubbing his chin in feigned thought. "Hmm, I wonder."
Salma shook her head, her voice lowering just slightly. "This is going to be my final goodbye." She met his gaze with a cool, detached stare. "Go live a normal life. That is my advice to you. We were never compatible to begin with."
Kazel merely smiled, unfazed. "You were after the heritage of the Immortal Sect, am I wrong?"
Salma didn't hesitate. She nodded coldly. "That was the sole reason I agreed to the arranged marriage."
"Indeed." Kazel's voice dripped with amusement. "And now you're after Yuanggai. Poor fella."
At that, Salma fell silent.
Her lips pressed into a thin line, but her fingers twitched.
Kazel chuckled again, leaning just a fraction closer. "Let me guess… he doesn't know, does he?"
Still, Salma said nothing.
Kazel tilted his head. "Silent now? That's rare."
Salma exhaled through her nose, regaining her composure. "It doesn't matter what you think you know, Kazel. You have no place in this anymore."
Kazel gave a slow, knowing nod. "Oh, I disagree."
There was something in his tone—something that made her stomach churn.
And for the first time in a long while, Salma felt… uncertain.
Kazel's brow twitched, his smirk never leaving. He could feel the tension in the air thickening, suffocating even, but to him, it was nothing more than a stage for his amusement.
"Get back, Salma!"
Elder Faiz's voice boomed through the market, his figure lunging forward like a predator striking its prey. His clawed hand aimed straight for Kazel's chest, gleaming with an intent to rip flesh from bone.
Kazel didn't flinch. His eyes locked onto Faiz's, and just as the attack neared, he moved. A simple sidestep, precise and effortless, like he had rehearsed it a thousand times before.
Then— crack!
Kazel's shin buried itself into Faiz's stomach.
The elder's eyes bulged as his body folded into a grotesque letter 'C', blood spewing from his mouth before he was launched backward like a discarded ragdoll. His body slammed against the dirt, rolling violently across the ground, sending nearby merchants scrambling to avoid the spectacle.
The once-busy market fell into stunned silence.
Salma's breath hitched. She had known Kazel was no longer the sickly boy from before, but this? This wasn't just improvement—this was mastery. His reaction to an ambush, his flawless execution, the way he countered without an ounce of hesitation… it was as if battle was second nature to him, as if he had been prepared for a fight from the very moment he stepped outside.
Elder Faiz groaned, clutching his stomach. His teeth ground against each other, blood slipping through the gaps as he glared up at Kazel's condescending stare.
"I remember you," Kazel mused, his tone relaxed, almost playful. "The yapping dog of the Rising Stone Sect."
Faiz's veins bulged at his temple. "You! You dare—?!"
Kazel crossed his arms, tilting his head slightly. "I dare what? Why don't you concern yourself with your missing disciples?"
Faiz's pupils shrank to pinpoints. ( How did he—?! )
The market, already on edge, erupted into hushed murmurs.
"Missing disciples?""The Rising Stone Sect… they tightened their gates recently, didn't they?""Could it be…?"
Kazel smirked, watching the realization dawn on the elder's face. He could see the subtle twitch in Faiz's fingers, the sudden rigidity in his shoulders, the way his breath hitched— fear.
"Isn't that why your sect suddenly closed itself off?" Kazel continued, his voice dripping with amusement. "Losing men left and right must be hard to explain, huh?"
Faiz's lips parted, but no words came out. His thoughts were spiraling. ( How much does he know? How did he even find out? )
Salma's expression mirrored the growing murmur of the market—shock, confusion, and disbelief. She hadn't heard anything about missing disciples.
Elder Faiz, still on all fours, gritted his teeth, scrambling to salvage what little authority he had left. "They were under direct orders from our patriarch on a mission," he declared, voice strained but loud enough for the crowd to hear.
But it was too late.
The market was a neutral ground, and its people—merchants, travelers, and passersby—thrived on whispers and speculation. No one truly believed the words of a flustered elder, not when the seeds of doubt had already been sown. The damage had been done.
Kazel smirked, a predator watching its prey squirm.
"Suit yourself." His voice was relaxed, taunting, as if he was merely indulging in idle chatter. Then, with a casual turn of his back, he added, "This is just the appetizer, Faiz. Live long enough for the main course, will you?"
Faiz stiffened, his breath catching in his throat.
But Kazel wasn't done.
"Oh, and Salma—"
Salma flinched slightly as he turned his head over his shoulder, his crimson eyes gleaming with amusement.
"See you later."
Then, he winked.
With a lighthearted chuckle, Kazel waved over his shoulder and strolled away, laughter echoing through the market as if he had merely finished an entertaining conversation rather than publicly humiliating a Rising Stone Sect elder.
The crowd was stunned at first. Then, like wildfire, the market buzzed with excitement.
"Did you see that?!""That was Kazel! He sent Elder Faiz flying with a single kick!""The Soul Rot boy? No way—he's a monster!""He humiliated the Rising Stone Sect… in broad daylight!"
His name passed from merchant to merchant, from buyers to curious onlookers. Each retelling made the story wilder, the legend grander. And just like that—
Kazel's name became a hot topic in the mouths of every soul in the marketplace.
Amidst the chattering crowd, two figures stood out—one grinning like a mischievous fox, the other frozen in sheer disbelief.
Old Pao, hidden beneath his ragged cloak, stroked his scruffy beard, eyes twinkling with amusement as he watched Kazel's retreating figure. "Heh… what an interesting brat," he muttered, his grin stretching from ear to ear.
Beside him, Arhatam, the alchemist Kazel had visited before, stood stiff as a board. His hands trembled slightly as the weight of realization hit him. His lips parted, struggling to process everything he'd just witnessed. Then, as if struck by lightning, he jolted upright, his face twisted in a mix of shock and fury.
"W-Wait! That guy still owes me money!"