Kael opened Seraphina's spatial ring.
Instantly, its contents lay bare before him. The ring was packed with rare materials—proof that Seraphina had thoroughly plundered the Water Dragon's Secret Realm. A smirk tugged at Kael's lips.
"Thousand-Year Astral Seed… Dragon's Heartblood… White Comet Leaf…" His eyes gleamed as he identified the haul. Many were precisely what he needed, including ingredients for brewing the legendary Elixir of Life.
With these, he could craft the elixir immediately.
Beyond that, the ring held dozens of magical beast cores—mostly from eighth-rank creatures. Likely trophies from Seraphina's hunts. Each was priceless.
"She was practically swimming in wealth. How many people did she rob to amass this?" Kael mused, almost pitying the effort Seraphina had wasted—only for him to reap the rewards. But sentimentality vanished as quickly as it came.
The Water Dragon's Secret Realm operated on the law of the jungle. Compassion here was a fast track to an early grave.
Arjun chuckled beside him. "Brother Idris, let's scram. The way these folks are staring at you is… unsettling. Bad vibes."
Kael nodded, scanning the area. True to Arjun's words, dozens of eyes flicked away the moment his gaze met theirs.
They were terrified.
None had ever seen an eighth-rank mage wield such monstrous power.
How could the gap between peers be this vast?
"Let's go." Kael frowned, acutely aware of the lingering gazes. He had no interest in drawing attention.
But in the Water Dragon's Secret Realm, news traveled faster than lightning. Staying under the radar? Impossible.
"Damn, brother—you're famous now. How are we supposed to ambush anyone like this?" Arjun groaned, his face the picture of despair.
Kael was equally frustrated. His recent "roadside acquisitions" had netted him a fortune—millions of gold coins, not to mention priceless materials.
"Guess we'll just have to rob people openly now," Arjun shrugged. "With your power boost, as long as we avoid ninth-rank experts, we're unstoppable!"
He wasn't wrong. At the peak of the eighth rank, Kael was virtually invincible among his peers. But ninth-rank? That was another story. The gap between the tiers was a chasm no talent could bridge.
And in this realm, ninth-rank powerhouses like Lucian were far from rare.
Worse yet, tenth-rank or higher beings might appear.
If such monsters joined the fray, Kael wouldn't stand a chance.
Suddenly—a violent surge of mana rippled through the air.
Kael stiffened. Even Arjun paled, muttering, "What the hell? That pulse came from deeper in the realm. Did someone stumble onto a treasure?!"
The mana fluctuation was so intense that everyone nearby felt it. Heads turned in unison, eyes alight with greed and speculation.
Something extraordinary had awakened in the depths.
Almost instantly, the crowd surged toward the epicenter. No one had come here for sightseeing—the Water Dragon's legacy was the prize. And now? The hunt was on.
"Damn it, we need to move faster!" Arjun's brow furrowed under the pressure. If someone else got their hands on the treasure first, it would be a devastating loss.
"Relax." Kael gave a faint smile before surging forward, using Levitation to carry Arjun toward the epicenter of the mana pulse.
"Thank the gods you've got Levitation…" Arjun muttered, equal parts envy and relief. With this ability, Kael was practically untouchable—coming and going as he pleased.
Kael didn't mind Arjun's chatter. The man was not only strong but also fiercely loyal—a useful ally to have.
But then—Kael's expression darkened as his gaze fixed ahead.
"We're here."
"This is…" Arjun's breath hitched, his face twitching in disbelief.
Before them loomed a colossal city.
Its scale was unimaginable—spanning tens of thousands of meters, its architecture steeped in ancient grandeur. Palaces sprawled in majestic disarray, interspersed with exotic flora that shimmered with unnatural vitality.
The city was a trove of treasures, every corner whispering of the Water Dragon'sopulence. As one of the supreme powers of the Era of Legends three millennia ago, his relics were nothing short of extraordinary. The gathered cultivators' eyes burned with greed—they'd strip this place bare if they could.
"Holy hell… The Water Dragon really knew how to live. He built an entire city inside his pocket dimension?!" Arjun was utterly floored.
Kael shared the sentiment. Even among legendary twelfth-rank beings—capable of forging their own worlds—this was a display of unparalleled extravagance.
And after three thousand years, the city stood untouched and undiminished—a testament to the Water Dragon's might.
In this world, the Water Dragon was the true sovereign—his status surpassing even the emperors of the Three Continents in majesty.
Within the city, chaos reigned. Treasures lay scattered everywhere, igniting frenzied battles among the cultivators.
Kael swiftly descended from the sky, avoiding unwanted attention.
The moment they landed, the cacophony of clashing weapons and shouting voices grated on Kael's nerves.
"These people are stripping the place bare. Disgusting." Arjun wiped sweat from his brow, watching the madness unfold. The Water Dragon's treasures were plentiful, but the competition was fiercer—too many mouths, too little food.
Then—
"An armory! I've found the armory!"
A voice, thick with excitement, cut through the noise. Both Kael and Arjun snapped toward the sound.
An armory.
Likely the most valuable spot in the entire city. Inside, there could be countless artifacts—perhaps even weapons once wielded by the Water Dragon himself!
For cultivators, weapons were lifeblood. Arjun had always lacked a proper staff—until Kael gifted him one, instantly boosting his power.
And that was just a mid-to-high-tier staff. Imagine an ultimate-grade weapon, or even a legendary divine artifact…
Even without staves, other treasures surely awaited…
The crowd erupted, surging toward the source of the voice.
Arjun trembled with excitement. "Idris, let's go! Now, now!" He was practically drooling, visions of godly loot dancing in his head.
This was the Water Dragon's trove. A single relic from his armory could change their fortunes forever.
True, divine artifacts existed across the Three Continents—but they were vanishingly rare, and almost always claimed by the powerful.
Kael nodded. Together, they pushed forward. As peak eighth-rank experts, they bulldozed through the weaker crowd, quickly reaching the front.
"It really is the armory!" Arjun's eyes blazed with greed the moment he saw it.