An hour later, two esteemed figures entered the old patriarch cultivation room. Pradeep, the empire’s foremost Aura Reader, and So Mu, a renowned spiritual scholar.
The old patriarch asked them to verify the chance of Kent being his grandson Kaban.
Pradeep stepped forward, his gaze sharp as a blade. “I shall begin the reading.”
Kent remained silent as Pradeep’s fingers danced in the air, weaving spiritual sigils around him. A golden light enveloped Kent, swirling and shimmering with ancient patterns.
So Mu observed closely. “The aura signature… it’s identical. The fate lines of your grandson are matching with this person.”
Kumar King’s voice broke through the tension. “Is this truly Kaban’s aura?”
Pradeep nodded slowly. “Without a doubt. His aura matches perfectly.”
So Mu, however, hesitated. “There’s something else… a strange fluctuation within his spirit. As if… he’s both the same person and someone entirely new.”
The old patriarch’s expression darkened. He turned to Kent. “If you are truly Kaban, answer this: What gift did I give you on your thousandth birthday?”
Kent chuckled, stepping forward confidently. His eyes locked with Kumar King’s as he moved toward the ancient sword embedded in the rocky floor.
“You gave me your sword to wield,” Kent said, placing a hand on the blade’s hilt. “But I failed to lift it, remember? It was supposed to motivate me.”
Kumar King’s eyes narrowed.
Kent’s smirk deepened. “But I’m not that old Kaban anymore. I’m Kent King now. Stronger. More capable. Let me show you, Grandfather.”
With a sudden surge of energy, Kent gripped the sword’s handle and lifted it effortlessly from the ground.
Gasps filled the chamber.
So Mu’s voice cracked with disbelief. “Impossible… Only the old patriarch himself could lift that sword. It’s bound by the aura of a prideful fire dragon!”
Kumar King stared, his mouth slightly agape. “Even I struggled with that blade’s pride. How could… how could he lift it so easily?”
Kent twirled the sword with ease, its blue energy wrapping around his form. “Like I said, I’m not the same Kaban anymore.”
The tension in the room remained thick. Daku, overwhelmed by emotion, finally broke the silence. “Father… if this isn’t a sign of his return, what is?”
Kumar King remained silent, eyes locked on Kent. “You wield my sword with ease, but power alone doesn’t prove loyalty. The Kaban I knew was reckless, arrogant, and ultimately… weak. Are you different now?”
Kent raised the sword. “Different enough to forge my own path. As our meeting gift, i’m keeping this sword.”
The room fell silent again, the old man’s gaze steady. “You can keep it as long as you defend the honor of our family like my true grandson. I won’t care about your private life with women. But if you lose in anyone’s hands with my sword, I will personally beat you like a dog.”
Kent smirked. “Don’t worry…. I’ll do more than defend it. I’ll make the King family the strongest force in the Immortal World.”
The fire in his eyes reflected on the blade’s shimmering surface.
And for the first time, Kumar King felt both pride… and fear.
Kent stood before Daku King, his father’s eyes filled with a rare mixture of pride and uncertainty. In his hands, Daku held a glowing treasure—a million-year-old lotus, pulsing with divine energy so pure that the surrounding air vibrated with spiritual pressure.
“This is the Million-Year Divine Lotus. It has been raised and guarded by our family for generations. Today, I offer it to you, my son.” Daku King spoke with solemn reverence.
Kent’s gaze remained steady as he took the lotus in his hands. The radiant petals glowed against his skin, sending waves of energy into his very soul. A faint smirk crept onto his lips.
“I won’t let this go to waste,” Kent said. “I’ll use this power and rise higher than anyone could imagine.”
Without another word, Kent turned and headed straight into seclusion. His footsteps echoed in the silent hall, a signal to all present that he had no intention of wasting time on unnecessary formalities. He came for treasures, and he got them.
As Kent disappeared into the depths of the family’s cultivation chambers, So Mu, the spiritual scholar, approached Old Patriarch Kumar King.
“Patriarch Kumar,” So Mu began, bowing respectfully, “I have a proposal of great importance.”
The old man raised an eyebrow. “Speak.”
“I wish to propose a marriage alliance between my granddaughter, Juli Mu, and your grandson, Kent King.”
Kumar King’s expression darkened. “You’re aware of Kaban’s… history, are you not? The boy has committed countless atrocities, especially against women. Why tie your family’s honor to someone like him?”
So Mu remained composed. “I am aware of the rumors, but times have changed. This Kent King is not the same reckless Kaban of old. His aura now carries an Immortal resonance—one that suggests he might ascend to the Heavenly Immortal World in the future.”
Kumar King’s eyes narrowed in surprise. “You’re certain of this?”
“I am,” So Mu replied confidently. “My granddaughter, Juli Mu, is both talented and beautiful. Together, they could form a bond that would elevate both of our families.”
After a long silence, Kumar King nodded. “Very well. If Juli Mu accepts, I see no reason to refuse. But I have heard whispers… does she not already have affections for the 7th Royal Prince, Min Kai?”
So Mu’s expression briefly faltered before he quickly composed himself. “Love is fleeting, Patriarch. Power and destiny—those are eternal. Also, the 7th prince has no fate to become an emperor.”
Old patriarch Kumar King smiled and agreed to So Mu’s request.
–
A few days later, So Mu summoned his granddaughter, Juli Mu. She arrived gracefully, her long silver robes flowing behind her like a river of moonlight.
“Grandfather, you called for me?”
So Mu nodded. “I have arranged your marriage to Kent King.”
Juli’s face froze. “What? No. I won’t marry him. I love Min Kai.”
“The 7th Royal Prince may be your affection now,” So Mu replied, his voice hardening. “But his future is uncertain. Kent King possesses a power beyond imagination. He could ascend to the Heavenly Immortal World.”
“And Min Kai will become Emperor,” Juli snapped back. “My future lies with him.”
So Mu’s face darkened. “You will obey, Juli. This is not just about love—it’s about our family’s future.”
Juli’s heart burned with frustration, but she knew better than to argue further. Her grandfather’s will was iron-clad. She decided to deal with this matter directly.
–
Later that evening, Juli Mu met with Min Kai in secret beneath the moonlit pavilions of the imperial garden.
“They want to marry me off to Kent King,” Juli whispered, her voice trembling.
Min Kai’s eyes blazed with anger. “Kaban King? That disgraceful worm?”
“He’s not the same as before,” Juli murmured. “My grandfather says he’s stronger… that he could ascend.”
Min Kai laughed and clenched his fists. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll challenge him publicly, humiliate him before the entire empire. Let everyone know that Kent King is the same old, weak Kaban, who cries like a baby with a single punch.”
Juli grasped his arm. “Be careful, Min. My grandfather really praised Kent King.”
Min Kai’s expression hardened. “I don’t care even if he’s the strongest man in the Immortal World. No one steals you from me.”
–
*Days are passing like money going through counting-machine.