Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Unparalleled Talent
Vahn’s eyes narrowed in confusion. "Who are you? Do you know me?"
The ancient voice, deep and resonant, answered calmly:
< Perhaps. You closely resemble a person I met once. Perhaps it is Fate that has led us here. And I have something that person left behind, saying there would be a day when a worthy one would arrive, and I would part ways with it >
"RUMBLE!"
As the voice finished, a powerful, dark-colored Scroll materialized with a deafening rumble in the sky above the Floor Zero.
"Oh heavens! Just what is that thing? A Heaven Grade Treasure?"
"No. It must be something beyond Heaven Grade. Heavenly Treasures aren’t like this."
"Something beyond Heaven Grade exists?"
"Of course. I heard there is also Divine Grade. It must be one of those treasures."
"Divine Grade? Oh, my! If only I could obtain one, I could become the strongest in my Sect."
The eyes of some people were already clouded with greed. Some already thought of plans to steal or rob the treasure from Vahn’s hand.
However, the faces of others turned pale, their eyes widening in horror due to the ominous, vast dark energy radiating from the Scroll. It was powerful, yes, but terrifying at the same time. It warned the keen-eyed people that this thing was not made for them.
Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the Scroll began to shrink, compressing its terrifying aura until it was small enough to fit neatly inside the Commoner boy’s palm.
Vahn held the miniature scroll and became stunned. The symbols and words etched on the outer casing felt impossibly ancient, but somehow, he could read them clearly:
[ Void Refining Manual: Refine Heaven and Earth ]
"Refine Heaven and Earth." The title was utterly domineering.
The dark scroll then dissolved into Vahn’s palm, instantly merging with his body. In the next breath, the entirety of the Cultivation Manual’s secret knowledge was engraved directly into his mind.
A fundamental question echoed in his mind: Is it truly possible to refine everything?
The manual provided a resounding yes. But this supreme power was reserved only for its bearer; the one who possessed the Forbidden Manual and the Special Physique required to wield it.
However, this revelation immediately raised countless questions in Vahn’s mind. Who was the mysterious person who left this Manual here? How did they know he would arrive at this exact spot?
The ancient voice answered again:
< If you truly wish to know the answers, climb up the tower. I will tell you everything >
Vahn didn’t respond to the voice. Instead, he simply began walking back down the steps.
He felt a genuine trace of fear. The entity could read his mind, and that fact alone would terrify anyone who harbored secrets.
It was fortunate that this consciousness, or whatever it was, seemed to have no intention of harming him.
His mind eased slightly. He had obtained exactly what he came for, so naturally, he decided to return to White Lotus as soon as possible.
But not everything goes as planned.
As soon as Vahn descended from the platform, the frozen silence of the onlookers shattered. The massive gathering of cultivators who had been moments ago watching in scorn were now lunging forward in a desperate, chaotic rush.
"Hold! Stop there!" a powerfully built elder from a major sect roared, his figure flashing as he flew toward the staircase.
"Young man, state your name! Which Sect are you from?"
"Silence! This prodigy is clearly destined for a Holy Land!" shouted a beautiful woman, her eyes gleaming with avarice.
"Come with me, young genius! I guarantee you resources beyond your wildest dreams!"
Vahn’s path was instantly blocked by a wall of high-ranking figures who had abandoned all sense of dignity. They were scrambling, trying to get close enough to speak to him, to touch him, to claim him.
Prince Helix and Princess Camila looked utterly defeated, unable to move from their spots. The Holy Son Rudra remained collapsed on the forty-first step, his defeat a visible, agonizing reality for all to see.
Vahn, seeing the desperate crowd, felt a headache coming on. He just wanted to leave quietly. He didn’t want to deal with the inevitable political storm that followed the discovery of a peerless talent.
He pushed forward, attempting to squeeze through the frantic crowd.
"Please move aside," he requested in his firm tone.
"Move aside? Absurd! We are offering you a path to true power!"
"Boy, do you know who we are?"
"Hmph!" Suddenly, a massive, oppressive aura descended from the sky, freezing every single person. That included the high-level elders as well. It was the crushing power of a true, undisputed powerhouse, far superior to anyone present.
A figure descended with the speed of a falling meteor, landing directly in front of Vahn. He was a man of immense presence, cloaked in robes of deep violet, his eyes holding the wisdom of centuries.
"The youth will come with me."
His voice, heavy with authority and ancient power, boomed across the entire floor.
This was not a sect recruiter; this was a Patriarch, a powerful Clan leader of this region.
"I am the Violet Sun Patriarch," the man declared, his gaze locking onto Vahn. "No one here can offer you the future I can. You are leaving this place only with me."
Vahn stopped, trapped between the stunned, frozen crowd and this terrifying, unmovable Patriarch. He took a deep breath, realizing his quiet departure had been impossible from the moment he touched the statue.
So, he quickly cooked a crafty plan to escape.
"I appreciate the offer, Patriarch," Vahn said, meeting the man’s powerful gaze. "But I already belong to a Sect."
The Patriarch raised a curious, skeptical eyebrow.
"And which Sect, pray tell, has managed to hide such a dazzling star until today?"
"The Darkness Creed," Vahn stated plainly.
"What!"
The crowd stirred violently at the name. Even the powerful man’s aura of supremacy dissolved into shocked confusion.
"The Darkness Creed? But why am I not aware of this? Even Holy Son Rudra seemed not to know you."
At the mention of the name, the onlookers saw Rudra ascending the last few steps after collecting his own, less spectacular reward.
Rudra, Prince Helix, and Princess Camila stared at Vahn with deeply furrowed brows.
"You claim you come from my Holy Land?" Rudra uttered, his expression suspicious.
"Yes." Vahn continued to lie without a flinch.
Rudra’s dark eyes squinted, trying to recognize him. But in the end, he shook his head.
"No, you’re lying. I know every talented member of my Holy Land, and you are certainly not one of them."
He looked very confident in his claim.
But Vahn wasn’t panicked. He smiled and replied, "Holy Son, until now, I was merely an ordinary outer disciple. How would you know such an insignificant disciple like me?"
Vahn’s smile widened, offering a challenge: "Anyway, why don’t I prove it to you by following you back to the Darkness Creed? That should solve all your doubts, shouldn’t it?"