Since the Wok City annual tournament, Long Zhen had met the others numerous times but they didn't change as much as the person before him. He remembered Silver as the pipsqueak with a very comfortable and lively attitude. However, not much had changed from his attitude but definitely his appearance was a true makeover. Silver was even taller and undeniably more toned than him.

If the other three were here, they would probably agree Silver was quite handsome now.

Besides the main point, Long Zhen felt Silver's strength exceeded all four of them together. An envious feeling grew within his heart followed by admirable respect, when he realized this. The trouble he had against the vulture was like night and day when Silver sliced the vulture's right wing like butter.

"Yes, don't I look cool in these clothing? Truly mysterious, huh?" chuckled Silver, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere.

With another wide swing of his halberd, many of the bird beasts were ripped and sliced to pieces with just the air pressure alone. All of the exhausted looking disciples, including Long Zhen, stared in shock at the scene they just witnessed. A few of them fell on their butts, unable to register the physical prowess exuded by Silver.

It was hard to imagine someone around their age was stronger than Long Zhen. However, they were glad this person seem to know and was well associated with their senior brother.

"Help me out, we'll do this in one move. I'll attack the bird brain's head and Long Zhen, you'll aim for the heart. Everyone else who has enough star qi to do one last attack, distract the vulture for us! Let's charge!" commanded Silver in a very spirited tone.

Those that could fight gripped their weapons, unleashing the techniques at the vulture feeling their morale returning. With such an expert on their side, they felt their blood boiling, attacking the vulture in every direction and angle. It was as if Silver charismatic words were natural, someone born to command and lead an army.

"En, I'll trust you since we're fellow villagers," nodded Long Zhen.

Gripping his scarlet red spear tightly, Long Zhen activated his skill Roar of the Azure Dragon. While surrounded by a luminous azure glow, he charged towards the heart of the vulture, stabbing into it with precision.

**Puchi

** Boom

Silver charged in at the same time as Long Zhen did. Using his full strength, combined with the weight of the twelve ton halberd, a devastating sound reverberated as the blunt side of the halberd smashed against the vultures head. During its slight confusion, Long Zhen's spear pierced into its heart.

The blue-feathered vulture, filled with anger and regrets, died at the hands of both Silver and Long Zhen.

"Everyone, please take care of your unconscious disciples. Heal and rest up," announced Silver.

Walking around the battlefield, grabbing thick and small branches alike, Silver began making a huge roast pit.

"Long Zhen, slice the vulture up. Let's roast it up and eat together!"

Furrowing his eyebrows, Long Zhen reluctantly accepted his task, slicing up the vulture and bringing it to the campfire. He had already known Silver was a true foodie back then too. The rest of the disciples who had light injuries went around and gave healing pills on those were severely injured. While the others were given medicinal paste since they didn't have life threatening injuries.

A few even spread out to gather the most edible bird beasts, that wasn't ripped to shreds by Silver, to roast over the fire.

Hours went by, everyone was finally healed from their injuries, had gathered around the roasting pit to eat roasted bird meat. Long Zhen stood up and walked to Silver, who was seasoning his vulture meat, and bowed to him. Everyone seeing Long Zhen's action, followed suit, bowing to Silver too.

"Stop, stop. There's no need to bow like that. Let us all swear brotherhood!" exclaimed Silver, taking a few wine cups out, pouring wine into them. He then handing them out to the Drifting Leaves Sect disciples.

"It doesn't matter if you're born female, male, creature or some humanoid beings, we will always be sworn brothers no matter what and who you are!"

Tears formed at the corner of every single disciples eyes, taking the wine cup, they gulped down the strong medicinal wine. Once they drank the wine, realizing it wasn't just an ordinary wine, they felt power welling inside them. All of them quickly sat down in a lotus position, breaking through to their next realm or gain a boost in strength with their star mark.

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Within their hearts, this small group swore allegiance to Silver. No one would waste their precious treasure, but Silver did without any ulterior motives. This small group of the Drifting Leaves Sect will definitely give him a helping hand if he ever came into trouble.

To them, loyalty, respect and power was what their sect preaches the most. In which, this small act of kindness, Silver gained a powerful ally.

Long Zhen stared at the carefree brother of his, smiling in his heart. Without Silver help, he truly wouldn't know if he could survive against an Elemental King Blue-Feathered Vulture. Curling both of his hands into a tight grip, he silently swore to help his fellow brother through thick and thin.

A legendary oath that will shake the universe!

"Thank you for helping us recover, but we must head back to the sect," informed Long Zhen, feeling reluctant to leave Silver.

"En. Don't thank me, we're now brothers! Here's the king vulture's core, I'm sure it's what you came here for," replied Silver, handing them a lustrous, smooth and round demonic core.

"It's not useful for me, so don't think about denying my gesture."

"En. Thank you!" accepted Zhen, a strong sense of gratitude spread into his heart. He grabbed the demonic core and placed it into his spatial ring in one quick motion.

"Come to the North Star Imperial City next year, they're having a ranking tournament and I wish to battle you at least once. You'll even meet the other three from our village there!"

"Hmm. If we're fated to meet there, then I wouldn't mind," chuckled Silver, waving farewell to them.

"I truly hope so," mumbled Long Zhen, staring at the back of his brother. Silver finally disappeared behind the leaves and shadows of the forest.

"Everyone, let's return to the sect!"

Weeks flown by for Silver, who was cultivating earnestly. During his lonesome adventure, he focused on his halberd techniques while waiting for Aeon from his 'quick' trip. Thrusting his halberd for the nth time, a small spark grew into a brilliant light within his mind. Without knowing it, enlightenment took its course as he became one with his halberd.

The sounds of chopping, thrusting, slicing, swinging, stabbing, and slashing filled the air. With each foot work befitting the next move, gusts of air thundered along each move. Soon, Silver was encased in vortex of swirling wind while the trees, leaves and the earth around him became riddled with holes and slice marks.

Floating afar from Silver, a devilishly handsome young man appeared under the shadow of the trees. Observing him with deep abyss-like black eyes, a faint smile emerged on his face. On his right shoulder, a black cat licking its left paw was perched on it.

'The amount pain would awaken any individuals yet he could suffer through without breaking the midst of his enlightenment. I found a worthy first disciple to groom indeed,' thought Aeon watching in awe. He never imagined that his first disciple had limitless potential.

Silver was constantly breaking through many stages in his halberd techniques and external body art.

If one rogue traveler heard such loud sounds and seeing a giant tornado appearing out of nowhere, they would think there was a huge battle happening. Even so, a few curious beasts such as the king of the area would of came to investigate such a weird occurrence. Oddly enough, none of them approached the still tornado as if some life-threatening intent filled the surrounding area. Their beast-like instincts warned them that they'll die without a second thought if they were to approach it.

Soon, Silver gradually woke up from his enlightenment as tornado died down. An exhilarating feeling coursed through his body as an enormous amount of blood energy supplied him with limitless strength. It seemed he had broken into a new realm of body cultivation. Immediately, Silver trained for a couple of hours more to ensure complete control his strength.

'If I was attacked by the great flood dragon again, even the elemental king blue-feather vulture, its claw wouldn't even make a scratch on his skin much less budge me…' thought Silver, doing a final check up on his body.

Never would he know that his current external body strength was even stronger than those practiced by the Spirit Gourd Sect. None of them, including geniuses of geniuses, could climb to his level in less than 2 years. Even if there were those who could, they either had a powerful body arts and an abundant of heaven-grade resources.

This included that these individual must have a strong mental fortitude since each time the improved their body, an unfathomable pain would usually accompany each breakthrough.

"Good job," congratulated Aeon, walking out from the shadows of the trees.

"Disciple greets master," beamed Silver, bowing towards Aeon in a respectful manner.

"Thank you."

"Good, good. You are definitely a one of a kind, it's time for us to go. Follow me," ordered Aeon in a relaxed tone. With a wave of his right hand, he created a dimensional rift and walked into it.

Silver, quickly nodding, followed his teacher through the dimensional rift. As they walked through, hundreds of sceneries constantly change like a strip of film. Soon, vibrant and colorful lights illuminated the rift as they exited.

Silver blinked a few times, adjusting to the brand new world, as he stood in front of an opened gate.

. . .

Within the void, a small symbol shone brightly on a silky black and violet cocoon, slowly transforming.

As this symbol finished its transformation, its reverberating power shook across the Desolate Tundra and the other 8 continents around. Powerful waves of unknown qi aroused the slumbering ancient in the deep ocean abyss, the burning hell of magma and those tucked within their own folded-dimensional space.

All of them attempted to locate this mysterious power, but to no avail.

"A new sovereign will appear, will it plunge us into further chaos or rebirth our sleeping world?" muttered Starfinder.

He stood in the center of his courtyard, staring up at the star filled night sky as a mysterious violet star appeared. Soon, the whole world was illuminated in a majestic violet light, gaining every being's attention.

"But who is this mysterious ruler?"