Slifer soundlessly materialized behind the bandit.

The bandit, previously leering at a woman with a disgusting grin, froze in place. His eyes widened in terror, but before he could even register the danger, his head separated from his body, landing on the ground with a soft thud.

Ding! Successfully Killed A Demonic Foundation Establishment Cultivator Reward: 5 Karmic Credits Breakthrough Requirements: 1/3

Slifer smoothly sheathed his sword, turning to face his disciples. A smirk played on his lips. "Flawless victory," he whispered more to himself than to anyone in particular.

However, his satisfaction was short-lived. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a pair of bandits turning his way, fury evident in their eyes for having killed their comrade. One of them, with tattoos snaking up his arms and a face twisted in anger, barked, "Old man, you'll pay for that!"

Insight!

Name N/A Realm Late Foundation Establishment Known Techniques N/A Known Affiliations Shadow Veil Bandits Disposition N/A

Late Foundation Establishment? I might have bitten off more than I can chew. Without missing a beat, he coughed lightly, directing his disciples' attention to the hostile bandits. "Well, what are you waiting for? It's your turn now."

Caelum and Fenlock exchanged glances before nodding in unison. Conscious of Slifer's earlier lesson, they suppressed their cultivation to match their opponents.

With a fierce battle cry, Caelum lunged at his opponent, blade singing as it cut through the air. The bandit parried the blow, but the sheer force behind the strike pushed him several steps back, the ground beneath his feet cracking. Regaining his balance, the bandit looked Caelum up and down, a lewd grin spreading across his face. "I'll have fun with a pretty boy like you."

Caelum simply shook his head, retorting sharply, "You should worry less about my looks and more about keeping your head attached."

Meanwhile, the bandit charged at Fenlock with a maniacal glint in his eyes. But instead of drawing a weapon, Fenlock raised his flute to his lips. The resulting melody was grating and harsh, far from harmonious tone you would expect.

The bandit suddenly stumbled, clutching his head in agony. "What... what is this sound?! Stop it!" he shrieked.

Yet, it wasn’t just the noise that was tormenting the bandit. The sound qi from Fenlock's flute was insidiously seeping into the bandit's body, tearing apart his insides.

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Having ensured his disciples were occupied, Slifer subtly withdrew to a quieter corner, eager to try his luck at the gacha-like system.

Ding! Received: Critical Block Card Description: Protects User From A Critical strike

Yes!" Slifer whispered, his face lighting up, "A Critical Block card." Having lost his previous ones, Slifer had felt naked without them.

Ding! Received: Critical Block Card Description: Protects User From A Critical strike

With a delighted grin, Slifer exclaimed, "Another one? My luck's been on fire lately!" He felt like he could never have too many of them. However, his joy was short-lived. The next card turned out to be a dud.

Ding! Received: Whimsical Wind Card Description: When activated, makes the user's hair blow dramatically even in the absence of wind

Slifer cocked an eyebrow, staring at the card in disbelief. What in the heavens...? He couldn’t help but shake his head in exasperation. "When would this ever be of use?" he muttered.

Determined to get something more valuable, he continued his card buying spree. After a few repeated failures, he finally won something interesting.

Ding! Received: Mirror Wave Card Description: Allows the user to redirect any incoming attack back to its origin

Slifer's eyes widened in excitement, but as he read the fine print, his enthusiasm dwindled. Only effective against attacks below the Nascent Soul realm? he pondered. Heaving a sigh, he commented, "Well, it's still better than that ridiculous Whimsical Wind Card."

Despite the mixed results, the thrill of gambling spurred him on. But after several more fruitless attempts, Slifer decided it was time to rejoin the battle, after all, he still had 2 Foundation Establishment cultivators left to kill.

His gaze settled on Caelum's fight, and a frown formed on his face. Instead of the swift, decisive moves he expected from his disciple, Caelum seemed to be drawing out the fight, toying with his opponent like a cat with a mouse. He danced around, evading blows effortlessly and countering with teasing strikes, never landing a finishing blow.

"That's not the Caelum I remember," Slifer commented. "He's usually so…serious."

As he looked at Caelum's opponent, the System chimed in, startling him slightly.

Ding! Appropriate Target Detected Would You Like To Initiate A Challenge?

Slifer blinked in surprise. "How? He's already in battle." But a thought occurred to him. Caelum hadn't actually inflicted any damage. Is that the reason? Or is the System just being unusually generous today?

Regardless of the reasons, Slifer wasn't one to decline an advantage. He chuckled, "I'll take whatever I can get."

“Challenge!”

Challenge Initiated Fight!

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Slifer closed his eyes briefly, activating the Sunrise Slash. In the blink of an eye, he materialized behind Caelum’s opponent. The man’s eyes widened in shock and just as he tried to utter the word "coward," he began coughing violently. He grasped at his throat, only for his head to drop off moments later.

Ding! Successfully Killed A Demonic Foundation Establishment Cultivator Reward: 5 Karmic Credits Breakthrough Requirements: 2/3

Slifer turned his gaze to Caelum, who looked taken aback by the sudden intervention. "A sword cultivator must aim for efficiency," Slifer commented crisply.

Has Hughie's influence made Caelum toy with opponents? Slifer pondered.

Bowing his head slightly, Caelum responded, "Thank you, Master."

Fenlock soon joined the duo, an air of satisfaction around him. His opponent’s scoffing remarks about him being 'soft' as a sound cultivator had cost him his life.

A sudden System notification interrupted their brief respite.

Ding! Alert: The Village Is Under Attack! Task: Save The Villagers Reward: Based On Number Of Villagers Saved

I was wondering when this would show up, Slifer thought. Turning to his disciples, he stated with a firm voice, "We've had our fun. Now, it's time to get serious and protect these people. Leave any Early Foundation Establishment cultivators alive."

Caelum and Fenlock exchanged puzzled glances but nodded. They weren’t sure why they should spare those cultivators, but they trusted their master’s judgment. With a shimmer, they unleashed their Core Formation aura and jumped back into the fray.

Good, they understand, Slifer thought, nodding in approval. Now, I just need to locate one more Foundation Establishment bandit, then I can make my exit.

As if on cue, a voice rang out, "Old man!" Slifer turned to find a young bandit confronting him. The youth was striking with sharp features, clear skin, and a cocky glint in his eyes.

Laughing mockingly, the bandit sneered, "What's a useless Qi Refining cultivator like you doing here?"

Slifer raised an eyebrow. This fool could have taken me by surprise. Granted, not in one hit, thanks to my Critical Block cards. But still...

Shaking his head, Slifer responded with a smirk, "You might want to reconsider your strategy if you plan on surviving long in this world, young man."

The young bandit’s laughter echoed, rich with disdain. "You’re already one foot in the grave. Let me help you take that last step."

Slifer cocked an eyebrow, "Didn't your parents teach you to respect your elders?"

The bandit's face darkened. "My parents are dead, killed by Black Rose Sect scum."

Slifer sighed inwardly. When will I face someone without a vendetta against me or my sect?

With a smirk, the young bandit taunted, "Prepare to join them, elder."

Matching his humor, Slifer retorted, "I should be saying that to you, boy."

Without further ado, he activated his Sunrise Slash once more, reappearing behind his opponent. Swinging his sword downward, he fully expected to take the bandit's head. Yet, his eyes went wide with shock as the bandit managed to turn in time, their swords clashing with a resounding ring.

With a sneer, the young fighter jeered, "Did you really think I would fall for that?"

Oh, shit. As Slifer hastily leapt backward, he was painfully aware of his limitations. Lacking proper sword techniques and martial arts knowledge, he felt like a fish out of water.

His thoughts darted to the new card in his possession. Guess I have to rely on you now. With only one such card available, he needed to ensure its optimal use. He had to provoke the bandit enough for him to unleash a devastating attack; then, with the card's power, Slifer would redirect it and finish the fight.

Slifer racked his brain. Now how do I rile up a hot-headed teenager? Several ideas sprung to mind but as he pondered, a chuckle escaped his lips. Wait a minute. If teenagers here are anything like they were back home, practically anything will set them off.

Slifer decided to go with a time-tested tactic: the insult aimed at one's family. With a playful smirk, he remarked, "Such fiery anger. Is it inherited from your parents, or did they leave you too early to pass it on?"

The young bandit's face went from pale to deep crimson. Veins popped out on his neck as he screamed, "Blazing Fire Dragon Strike!"

That's it, Slifer thought, preparing to use the card at the right moment. Come at me with all you've got.

From the bandit’s sword, a gigantic, roaring fire dragon emerged, its infernal heat causing the very air around it to shimmer. It lunged straight for Slifer, the intensity of its flames threatening to incinerate anything in its path.

What an idiot. With a mental command, Slifer activated the card.

Mirror Wave Card Activated

Immediately, an invisible barrier sprung up before him.

The fire dragon collided with the barrier, attempting to pierce through with its fiery fangs and claws. However, instead of breaking through, the dragon began to be pulled in, swirling and spiraling as if being sucked into a vortex. Within moments, it vanished completely, leaving behind an eerie silence.

The bandit paused, confusion painting his features. But before he could comprehend what had happened, a thunderous roar echoed. From behind the barrier, the very same fire dragon reappeared, this time facing its original master. Its eyes glowed brighter, and its flames seemed even more intense as it surged forward.

The bandit's eyes shot open in pure terror, realizing the danger he was in. He raised his arms in a feeble attempt to shield himself, but the sheer surprise of seeing his own technique turned against him made him too slow to react effectively. The fire dragon slammed into him with a fury, wrapping its burning body around him and drowning him in an ocean of flames.

When the inferno subsided, only the charred remains of the once-arrogant bandit were left, smoke still rising from the scorched earth.

Slifer sighed, And that's why you never underestimate an old man.

Ding! Successfully Killed A Demonic Foundation Establishment Cultivator Reward: 5 Karmic Credits Breakthrough Requirements: 3/3 Enter Close Door Cultivation To Initiate Breakthrough

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Ziven groggily regained consciousness, his head throbbing from the impact. As awareness returned, the distant sounds of battle echoed in his ears. Pushing himself to his feet, he stumbled out of the house, his vision blurry. When it cleared, the sight that met him was both terrifying and infuriating. A massive fire dragon was consuming a young bandit, and standing a short distance away was the old demonic cultivator, Slifer.

"No... it can't be..." Ziven's eyes widened in shock. Grief and anger clouded his vision as he recognized the young bandit. "Xander!"

With a bellow of fury, he launched himself at Slifer, executing the "Windblade Vortex", a swirling tornado of sharp wind blades aimed directly at the old man.

Catching the movement in his peripheral vision, Slifer's eyes widened just a fraction. What the hell is he attacking me for? Before the attack could land, Critical Block activated, repelling the young man's assault.

Ziven, momentarily disoriented, pushed himself up and, fueled by rage, roared, launching himself at the elder once more.

I don't have the time for this, Slifer gritted his teeth. If only the system allowed for mid-battle advancements. Is this brat really going to make me use one of my precious Peak Slifer cards?

Yet, as Ziven drew near, a familiar figure appeared between them, parrying Ziven's onslaught with practiced ease.

The village leader's voice boomed, "Ziven! Stop this madness!"

But Ziven's eyes, clouded with grief, glared past him. "Move! He killed Xander! I promised I'd bring him back!"

Slifer, observing from the side, couldn't help but think, Did that hit on the head earlier make him even more of an idiot?

The village leader tried to soothe the anguished young man. "Ziven, Xander had turned. He was with the bandits. It's heartbreaking, but we have to face the truth."

Tears streamed down Ziven's face, raw emotion choking his voice, "H-He was my best friend. I swore I'd save him."

Slifer just stared, an incredulous expression forming. Is this some Naruto-Sasuke situation playing out in front of me?

Ding! Warning: You Are Now The Target Of A Son Of Heaven's Wrath Your Luck Stat Has Been Appropriately Adjusted

W-What?!