“How…? How come you are fine?”

Although Kairos is holding a blade underneath Lee’s chin, he is covered from head to toe by needles – many of them poisoned, no less.

It was a foolish question for Lee Hei to ask since martial techniques are most effective when others could not comprehend how it works.

If they cannot understand it, they cannot counter it.

However, Kairos smiled and answered, “This technique is rather strange… I’ll try to explain it simply. By locking the position of my body in place, unless the needles can overpower the fixture I set, it’s impossible to penetrate my skin.”

This is the true usage of the defensive skill called Eternal Empyrean. The ‘Burst’ mode which Kairos more frequently use, take advantage of the technique’s incredible muscle control to give him instant acceleration like a cannonball. But, its original intent was to allow him to fortify his exterior to prevent getting damaged – fixing it in place similar to a hardening process and the parts of his body that were attacked to become as hard as steel for an instant. The difference between it and the common exterior hardening martial arts lies in the effort required.

If a hardening martial art is akin to tighten one’s muscles until it is dense enough to deflect strikes, then the Eternal Empyrean is alike becoming an immovable mountain. The rock is relaxed until it was struck.

Thanks to the strength behind the needles were dispersed, Kairos could easily block them off using the Eternal Empyrean to cover his entire body.

This physical martial technique doesn’t work well against elements, but it has an undeniable advantage over physical attacks.

When Kairos explained his martial art, the entire stadium was shocked.

Such a powerful technique, they couldn’t even comprehend it fully, much less find a counter.

No, it should be said that the way the Eternal Empyrean works is incredibly simple, but at the same time it is precisely because of that, there wasn’t any actual weakness for others to exploit.

And, though it is easy in its theory, no one could replicate it even if they know what was done. At least, not without reading Kairos’ martial art manuscript.

Seeing his opponent’s jaws drop – and most of the spectators for that matter – Kairos asked with a smile, “Want to learn? I’ll teach you.”

*Ping Ping Ping*

The needles that were still hovering dropped all at once.

And without hesitation, Lee Hei knelt down swiftly, ignoring the accidental cut he received on his neck when he ignored Kairos’ Swallow.

Then with a great voice, he cried out, “Disciple Lee pays respect to master!”

What happened can only be described as unexpected. But, while the crowd went quiet with shock, a few people rushed over.

Lucas Flare, clan head of the Purple Turtle, Gigas Sermont, clan head of the Pink Chicken, and Watts Yournae, Commander of the Green Dog guards and Young Lord of the Green Dog clan, came running when they saw.

They quickly knelt beside Lee, and as one they spoke, “We humbly ask Lord Kairos to accept us as disciples along our brother!”

When Kairos saw the four of them, he was reminded of his own friendship with Tommy, Jim, Edward, and Alan, and he couldn’t help but give his consent with a smile on his face.

Seeing his nod of approval, the three new additions shouted with their foreheads flat on the ground, “Your disciples pay respect to the respected teacher!”

Kairos smiled and then spoke softly to them.

With his superb control of Ki over his voice, he could let the all the people in the amphitheatre hear him as though he is next to them, or just as easily prevent others from listening in.

“I plan to challenge all the top ten seniors and finish the combat tournament today. Afterwards, I will prepare the discipleship gifts for you, and then, I will bring you to meet your senior brothers and sisters.”

The four was shocked that their new teacher – at his age – already have disciples other than them but knowing the degree of skill he has, they were not surprised for long. In the cultivator world, the strong will always have followers regardless of age.

To acknowledge a teacher who guides them along the path of Martial Way and Martial Arts is a huge thing with their reputation at stake. Saint Empire places heavy importance on discipleship, no less than the relationship between parent and child.

If the teacher is weak, they will be ridiculed. If they betray the teacher, they will be rejected by society. And, if they left their teacher, none will take them in.

Of course, if their teacher is powerful, even if the disciples are weak, few will dare to look down on them.

It’s different from the professors of the academy who gives them supplementary lessons and are considered subsidiaries unbounded by the usual teacher-disciple etiquettes. It is a once-in-a-lifetime decision for them to follow after Kairos at the age of sixteen and many felt they were rash.

The spectators couldn’t understand what had transpired.

Students do not normally seek an apprenticeship with another student of their cohort, much less a junior. No, they are much too proud when they are all elites in their own rights.

Moreover, these four are successors and clan heads with unlimited potential. What Lee and the rest uphold are not only their personal pride but the reputation of the powers they represent.

The crowd went into an uproar. Discussions flood the arena with many shaking their heads.

A few argued in favour of Kairos' brilliance, but they numbered in the few.

"Ridiculous, those boys are too rash."

"Why not? That lad Kairos might be young, but he had already done things that none others achieve. Those who attain the higher level first are seniors."

There is a famous saying that age doesn't matter in the face of ability. In a world where there are cultivators over a thousand years old, it isn't strange to find such ancient people being the disciple of someone much younger.

"Well, that... It's just that Kairos himself is at the age of looking for teachers to guide him. How could he help others?"

Being an achiever doesn't make one a good teacher naturally, and while Kairos is the prior, he might not be the latter. The future of these four very talented youths could well be destroyed in his hands if he wasn't careful.

More people shook their heads. Yet, as spectators didn't understand that this unfolded because breaking all traditions, Kairos had openly offered to teach his technique to his rival.

Having faced their teacher personally, Watts, Lucas, Gigas, and Lee are very certain of their choice.

The gleam in their eyes is filled with both astonishment and respect.

The martial art that was placed on the table was something beyond Titan ranked, Heaven grade. The techniques in the Origin Manuscript would not be simple.

To be able to learn it, they jumped at the chance. And, they couldn't help but be impressed by Kairos' generosity. Not many could freely impart such a technique to another, after all.

In Saint Empire, the Three Great Nobles only have a single Heaven Titan grade martial technique each, whereas those from the Hundred Nobles or Ten Great Clans from the free factions have one or two pseudo-Heaven Grade manuals kept as their utmost prized possessions.

The way each martial art manual or cultivation manual is categorised is the same as equipment and pills:

Starting with the weakest, Man, Beast, Titan, Immortal, Silver Immortal, Gold Immortal, Demonic, Divine, and finally Asura.

Each tier is further separated into four different grades: Huang, Xuan, Earth, and Heaven.

For Man tier martial techniques, it is the strength a non-cultivator could have. Huang Grade would be a normal adult, albeit a healthy one who exercises regularly. At Xuan Grade, it would be those endowed with great physical talents and natural warriors. Earth Grade is around the power that a leader among man would have, in ancient times before cultivation was a thing, the generals of great kingdoms are people at this level. The final Heaven Grade is the realm of human limits.

Having skills of this grade would make a person strong but far from an actual cultivator. At most, they could only be called pugilists instead of practitioners of Dao.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Likewise, the classification for the Beast tier is what a matured spirit beast could attain. Of course, it is also according to their natural strength as beasts could also cultivate and practice beast arts.

Therefore, it isn’t surprising that Titan tier is the pre-cultivation power within the royal blood of the Orckins, the High Orcs. Those proud beings that once stood paramount on Gaia until the downfall of their race.

The ranks above them belong to the higher realms, thus making the Titan rank to be a ceiling of sorts on Gaia.

Holding a Titan ranked Heaven grade manual would be enough cause for a noble clan to be wiped out. For such a thing happening in the Saint Empire in the past would be rare with the emperor around, but now that the Devilheart took the position of regent the possibility is great.

Of course, this isn’t because of the Devilhearts are weak, and people dared to climb over their heads, now that the hidden dragon had reared its ugly head.

It is because everyone knew how little interest the regent has in anything other than self-benefits. The caretaker of the great Saint Empire welcomes chaos, knowing that opportunities come hand-in-hand, even if the nation is weakened in the process and stroke the flames of war; because at that time, they will reveal their connection with the Silent Lambs under the guise of an alliance.

In fact, if anything, they hoped that the Great Khan or the mage countries would take action to present them with the world stage they had been waiting. This will greatly solidify their position in the hearts of the people, and perchance, they could reign as true lords.

A future where the current head of the Devilheart family, Calculate Devilheart, believes to be set in stone rather than a mere possibility.

At the same time, if a manual beyond the Heaven grade is found, even wars to the point of destroying an entire empire would be understandable. Those things are from the upper realms and usually national treasures. A country can only turn into a recognised empire by having one or two of those illustrious manuals.

Fortunately, it is difficult to tell what level the Eternal Empyrean technique is at from the words Kairos said. Even he himself and those he taught the martial art to, failed to confirm the exact grade of this godly art.

With the Heaven Grade manuals being too rare for those to lay hands on, few could make the comparison.

Kairos gestured for them to get up. The discipleship ceremony is a grand ritual, but he is not a stickler for traditions to finish the three kneels, nine kowtows and one tea.

The boys, understanding his temperament, got up immediately and made one last bow before exiting the arena.

Though this is their first contact, having fought with him before, they could easily tell that their master is one of free-spirit. After all, the fist speaks clearer than words.

A few people in the audience started clapping as they left. It was a congratulatory message for the new bond formed before their eyes.

More follow suit and applauded despite the fact that they felt pity for what transpired. Lucas, Gigas, Lee, and Watts, looked up at those trying to encourage them and they felt a little sick in their stomachs at the thick air of presumption. They could tell what the others were thinking.

The four of them didn't say a word and exited.

"If they know what we knew...," Lee began, but he did not complete his sentence.

His three buddies smiled at him wryly in agreement.

The clapping did not last long and the audience turned quiet again in anticipation.

As everyone expected, as soon as the four stepped off the arena, Kairos shouted for the next ranked duellist.

At the edge where the rest of the top ten fighters were gathered, the number five fighter was panicking openly.

“I… I… What should I do?”

Sihala advised immediately, “Did you see how he broke through Lee Hei’s shield with a single strike?”

The fifth-ranked duellist bobbed his head up and down, hoping to hear words that could save him.

“Can you imagine what will happen if that blade touches your flesh?”

The boy paled. What the Blessed Son had said is true. There’s no way anyone could take a hit from Kairos and walk off unscathed! At least, not from his understanding.

“Therefore,” continued Sihala, “Go out and attack! Do you understand? You have a powerful ultimate move as well, use that to blow him away before he could even do a thing!”

“B…b… but my technique takes time.”

“He needs to cross the length of the arena to get to you! Most people will wait it out till you exhaust yourself, but trust me, this junior of ours is ambitious. He will not shrink from facing anything you throw at him, head-on! Now go!”

“I… I understand,” the fifth-ranked fighter shivered one last time and stepped off into the arena.

As he slowly took his position, his heart started getting braver.

“I can’t beat him any other way… Might as well give it a try,” he shook his head, “And, Sihala is right, that Kairos is trying to show his might so he might really run right into my attack.”

Despite his lack of confidence, he climbed to rank five by his own strength. He had exceeding talents for two particular techniques, the Seal Art: Binding Way, and the Reverse Seal Art: Grand Energy Release.

Most binding techniques had a weakness against practitioners with a strong physique that could fight even with their Inner Energy locked up. However, he designed his own technique by mixing metal, wood, and earth elements, creating a physical chain that could also strengthen the Ki binding effects.

By this technique alone, he had shown terrifying talent.

But fewer still could learn and master the energy release reverse seals. One needs to subdue a powerful raw elemental energy and wrap it up with seals to be unleashed later on in combat. For most sealing art practitioners, the stronger the energy they bind, the more they have to risk their lives to succeed.

Though it sounds like some kind of bomb, in actuality, regular explosives couldn’t be compared to its strength.

A sudden, bursting release of elemental energy causes more than a staggering repercussion. The Fire elements could turn fertile land into a scorching desert, water can make the place into a sea, and metal – one of the worst form of element meltdown – could turn a plain into a gigantic wasteland with poison and rust seeping into the soil.

Granted that changes of such a grand scale are rare, and only users at the grandmaster-level might accomplish it, he is one of the few deemed to be a possible future grandmaster!

Even the Devilheart’s family head is cordial towards him although he is only a descendant of the branch family.

“Huuu, no problem, even the Grand Elders have praised me for my Sealing Arts. I’ve even heard them discuss behind my back that if not for young master Calculus, I will be prized as a once-in-a-century prodigy.”

His confidence shot up when he thought of that, and a smile slowly crept onto his face, “That junior is nothing. Didn’t he fight Calculus to a draw? This means that despite how he overwhelmed the others, he isn’t that invincible. It must be a show to cover up his weakness, and I will expose it,” he mumbled to himself at first, then suddenly shouted to his opponent, “Isn’t that right, Lord Kairos?”

“Who knows?” Kairos answered with a shrug.

At their level, it wouldn’t be odd to be able to read the lips of someone at this distance, and he did not miss his opponent’s monologue.

The moment the announcer began their fight, the fifth-ranked fighter started chanting. His trump card is not a simple Grand Energy Release, but one that he had made into his Secret Art.

When a technique reaches such a high-level that it alters the very surrounding in its casting, it acquires an unbelievable force. Yet, this martial art is uniquely his, because the incantation that made it possible is made from the culmination of one’s confidence.

His Grand Energy Release technique is far stronger than the usual, at least doubled in strength, and at the same time, it acquired a hidden effect that is only his own.

.

.

.

Two seconds later.

A half-dead corpse-like body was carried off the arena, his face swollen from creating a ditch after testing the arena’s ground integrity.

The fight had ended with a single punch.

Sihala, furious at the ineffectiveness of his advice, turned to the next fighter – the fourth-ranked duellist, and shouted, “You! Dodge his blows, you understand? Wait for your chance and counterattack. You are from the assassin clan, isn’t it? Let him underestimate you, toy with you, become arrogant with his moves, then bring him down!”

The guy smiled, then left without a word. As a shadow who brings death, he is used to taking instructions, as long as at the end of the day he is still breathing, and his target isn’t. Being underestimated by his victim suits him just fine.

.

.

.

A few breaths after, another body hit the floor, at a speed faster than his predecessors. Unfortunately for him, under the observation of Soul Perception, dodging blows was a terrible strategy.

This time as well, Kairos did not need to use a technique. With his flesh that could measure up to immortals, he was a force to be reckoned with even without Ki.

Of course, the Immortal physical rank is named that way because of those who practice external martial cultivation and transcended, becoming immortals.

Kairos who is a stage below at Titan rank, only had flesh equalled to immortals who cultivate internal strength after breaking through Peak SSS. Still, it is not at the level that practitioners of Gaia could receive a blow and walk off unharmed.

Now that those left from the top ten fighters had a better understanding of his capacities, their faces turned grimmer than before.

Although, there are only three of them left.

“You there!” Sihala shouted once again, “Don’t even engage him! Just RUN. You understand?”

The girl gritted her teeth but nodded.

His advice had changed from attacking to defending, from defending to dodging, and now instead of waiting for a chance, she was told to flee the moment the match starts…

Against a junior… using such a strategy was shameful. However, she had confidence in her speed. Not even Sihala is a match. Of all martial techniques, only speed has no counter. Only speed cannot be defeated.

If she could let Kairos tire out from chasing after her, or better yet, from missing his blows, she could easily turn the tables on this upstart.

After an hour’s chase, even if Kairos has not run out of Ki, the young lord would start making mistakes and the slightest opening is all she needs, because of her trump card – Gale Hammer.

An ancient artefact that allows her to transfer her kinetic force to a target. Coupled with her speed, she could easily tear her opponent apart by placing her palm on an appendage and watch it fly off the body.

It was terrifying, yet effective.

Unfortunately, this time, she found herself beaten at her own game.

Her top speed was slower than a snail in Kairos’ eyes. Whatever movement technique she uses, it pales in comparison when compared to the Lightning Flicker Body, and Kairos’ self-made variation technique, the Eternal Empyrean – Burst. Both of those movement techniques belong to the upper tiers of the Celestial Realm and incomparable to whatever the things offered here on the mortal planes.

Sadly, even if she is at Peak S rank and dedicated her cultivation purely for speed, agility, and stamina, she was far too outmatched.

Coupled with Kairos' Ice Walk ability that created the hallucinatory effect of going the opposite direction, it almost broke her Dao Heart.

While she thought she was winning, he is, in fact, closing the gap yet giving her a false sense of hope.

At first, she only found cold sweat down her back when she realised he was keeping pace no matter what. As time went on, her fear turned into despair. Before the sense of unease turns into a heart demon of self-doubt, she surrendered.

At least now, she could still convince herself that she had only bumped into a monster. If she persisted, this hopelessness will become permanent and stop her in her path of cultivation.

The announcer declared her loss as she lost herself observing his expression.

The monster seems to glare at her with a wide grin on his face, causing her to shudder and almost bolt out from the place with fright.

She didn't know that Kairos was reminiscing his master, Enki the mad godling. The battle had provoked fond memories when he was taught the move.

"WAHAHAHAA!! Surprised? Good good! This is how you walk backwards while walking forward. Enki invented this! ...”

“Master Teacher...," Kairos smiled then shook his thoughts away.

Finally, only two are left.

Sihala turned his face to the second-ranked fighter, but before he could speak, the latter held up a hand and gestured for him to wait, “Sihala, it’s okay, you don’t have to give me advice… I know what will happen if I face Kairos… I… I forfeit!”

And then, there was only one.