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The dagger quickly materialized into a solid form, its presence undeniable. The handle and blade were etched with ancient marks, the meaning of the markings lost to time.

Near the base of the handle, a small gem-like rock glowed faintly. It seemed to resemble a face, but not quite—a strange, ethereal semblance. The gem pulsed with a soft light.

System Notifications

Ding!

Name: SOUL SLASHER

Class: Legendary

Power: 10%

Note: The dagger's power will increase as the host's cultivation level rises.

Usages: The host Can slash enemy souls, inducing fear.

Effect: Freezes target for 1-10 seconds, depending on the enemy's level. (Effective against all levels.)

Kent gripped the dagger in his hands, his thoughts racing. This... This is amazing. It can freeze any enemy, no matter their level. The stronger they are, the less time they'll be frozen. It's perfect for me. I will never go and poke a Level B opponent anyway, "At least not yet." This will be a great trump card in battle.

He infused some spiritual power into the Soul Slasher, trying to mimic the moves of the old man Xian Yu with his own brand of flair.

Haiyya!!!... Woosh!!!

Cut!! ..... Cut!!

Something fell to the ground. Kent could sense the dagger's resistance. It's almost like it has a consciousness of its own. "He says, Is it trying to fight me? Maybe it's because I don't know any sword techniques."

From the kitchen, Nima heard the strange sounds Kent was making.

"What's wrong with you, Kent? Are you playing with the dishes? Are you a little kid who plays with the dish soup bubbles?"

Kent didn't pay attention to her. He was lost in thought. "I need to learn sword skills. This dagger won't obey me unless I can use sword aura properly."

"Maybe I should ask the old man next door? But that grumpy old fart..." He swung the dagger again, this time more confidently.

Nima, growing irritated, jumped onto Kent's back. "Hey! Answer me! What are you doing? Where did you get that funny-looking knife?"

Kent sighed, finally acknowledging her. "Nima, this is my superpower. I got this knife as part of it. Now get off me. You're getting heavy. Maybe you need a diet plan."

💢 +77 SP copied from Nima. (Anger)

Just then, both siblings—Kent and Nima heard a noise from the roof. Kent quickly whispered, "Shh... Someone's up there."

Three figures in long black jackets dropped from Kent's roof and then landed in Aunty Zhou's house. Two of them bowed respectfully to the third. "The person we're looking for lives here," the leader said.

Kent and Nima peeked from the window, trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on.

Xian Yu comes out of the house. The old man settled into a chair in the yard. He looked at the three men with a raised eyebrow. "What are you kids looking for?"

The leader signalled to the others. "Don't do anything without my order." With that, he approached Xian Yu, releasing a wave of spiritual energy.

Kent frowned, thinking, What's happening here? This guy is strong... Is there going to be a fight?

"What should I do?" Kent muttered. Nima nudged him. "Move, I can't see."

Kent whispered to himself, "I'll go save Aunty Zhou if a fight breaks out."

The leader, noticing Kent's curious eyes from the window, locked onto him. Kent quickly ducked down, hiding.

Damn, he saw me. He's really strong. Now that he saw me, I can't secretly go and save Aunty Zhou.

The leader spoke up. "I am Logan, a student of the late Charles." For character sheets and glossaries, visit MV|LEMPYR.

"I am here to meet you, Mr. Xian Yu."

Kent's thoughts raced with wild imagination. So the old man is hiding from his enemies... That's why he lives out here in the countryside. He must've killed that Charles guy. What will happen—now that they've found him?

Xian Yu remained calm, sipping his tea. "Sorry to meet you outside, respected Nexus Logan. This is my wife's home. It's not a place for uninvited guests."

Hearing the name 'Nexus,' Kent recalled what Teacher Elena had told him. "So, he's the one... The leader of the government forces."

"Logan, Is it? I'll keep that in mind. Just now, You've really scared me. I'll hold a grudge for this."

Logan nodded to Xian Yu's comment with a hint of recognition in his eyes.

Kent's thoughts swirled. So, is the old man part of Nexus?

The two began to converse. Logan spoke first, his voice firm. "Your fountain physique was destroyed before the return of spiritual energy. You can't fight without risking your life. Every time you use your power, you shorten your lifespan. If only there were a way to restore your physique."

Xian Yu, with a thoughtful look, poured more tea into his cup. "Let's not discuss about that. It's my fate, and I've accepted it."

"I don't have much time left anyway. The only way to prolong my life is to break into Level A, but with my broken physique, that's impossible." Xian Yu's tone softened.

Logan says, "Thanks to you, many of the world's problems were solved ten years ago. At that time, you and Chen Li were the only Level B cultivators in the world."

"Hey, your master was also Level B," Xian Yu added. "But he died in that incident eighteen years ago... that was a time when my foundation was damaged. We all suffer from that battle." Now look at you and his kid. Both Level B cultivators, protecting the country." He paused, then asked, "So, why have you come here, kid?

Logan stood up, his expression serious. "I'm here to invite you to the Nexus ranks. Join us as the 5th Nexus. Now that spiritual energy is returning faster than ever before, the time to act is now."

Kent and Nima struggled to listen in. Nima whispered, "I can't hear anything. Let's go outside."

Kent shook his head. "We can't. They will beat us for being naughty kids." Both of them knew the two men were far too strong for them to handle.

Outside, the conversation continued. "Join us as the 5th Nexus," Logan insisted.

Xian Yu spat out his tea in shock. "What...?"

"Cough!! Cough!!" He quickly recovered, apologizing.

"Sorry, Nexus Logan. Right now, I'm just an old man. As you just saw, I can barely handle my tea. I don't want to fight beside you, young people."

Logan stood up from the chair, his tone softer now. "Perhaps I went a little too far. But you're the only Level B cultivator who doesn't belong to any organization." I know your clan doesn't want to side with anyone, Logan continued, "but if you change your mind, the 5th Nexus position is yours.

Soon, many new opportunities will open up. If we find anything that could help your broken physique, we'll offer it to you, whether you join or not."

Logan added, "I hope that one day your clan won't be our enemy over the ruins and the pocket dimension. All I want is to protect my homeland."

Xian Yu, holding his teacup, smiled faintly. "I feel the same way. For peace, love, and our country."

Logan and his followers bid farewell and left, leaping effortlessly across the rooftops.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Moments later, Aunty Zhou appeared at the door, asking, "Are you okay? What were they saying? I couldn't hear a thing."

Xian Yu replied, "They must have used a spiritual tool to block the hearing. That... Nexus Logan. Quite the character." They went inside, continuing their conversation.

Kent and Nima, frustrated at not being able to overhear more, Kent sighed. "Go to bed, Nima," Kent said.

Once she left, Kent decided to check the system for any new upgrades brought on by the recent level-up.