Floating Island - Triple S Talent

Those with Nascent Soul-level power remained in the air, maintaining a safe distance but staying close enough to witness what would happen. Meanwhile, those below the Nascent Soul level had long fled, fearing being caught in the deadly waves of energy.

Inside the shop, the staff remained in place. Strangely, even though they were the closest to the source of the threat, none of them felt the aura of the Demon King. They exchanged glances, ensuring they weren't hallucinating.

"Do you also feel... nothing?" whispered one staff member, his voice barely audible.

The others nodded, confirming the same feeling. Fear began to give way to curiosity.

"Watch closely," said a female supervisor in a red robe with a steady voice. "Your eyes will be opened to the elder's power."

The elder, who had been standing still until now, finally moved. With a smooth yet authoritative motion, he raised his hand. The spatial ring on his finger glowed faintly before a golden sword appeared in his grip.

"What a waste," he murmured softly. The words were spoken casually, but to the man in the black robe, they sounded like a mixture of mockery and deep pity.

The old man paused for a moment, narrowing his eyes. The fiery anger he had felt moments ago was replaced by a creeping sense of fear.

But he steeled his resolve. "I came here for revenge!" he thought, staring at the demon king figure that now stood fully formed behind him. The dark aura enveloped his body, making every breath around the shop feel heavy.

"Stop showing off…" the man in the black robe said, his tone full of scorn and hatred. Without wasting time, he raised his hand high and made a quick slicing motion as if cutting through the air in front of him.

"Spatial Slash," he muttered softly. Star-shaped cracks appeared at his fingertips, spreading at lightning speed in all directions. In an instant, the cracks shot straight toward the elder.

As the attack reached the elder's body, something unexpected happened. The slash produced no effect, as if cutting through empty air. The cracks simply vanished without a trace.

"Vanished?" thought the old man, holding his breath. His eyes widened in shock. It was one of his ultimate techniques, but now it meant nothing before his opponent.

"Attack him!" he shouted in frustration.

The demon king figure standing behind the old man immediately moved. Its large, winged form shot quickly toward the elder, the black sword in its hand creating a sharp shadow that slashed directly at its opponent's neck. But the result was the same. The slash merely passed through the elder's body as if cutting through water. No blood, no wound—only emptiness.

"What is this?" the old man whispered in a trembling voice. His body began to feel cold. A sense of dread crept up from his feet to his head.

"Demonic Sword Dance!" he shouted loudly, his voice echoing throughout the room.

Darkness suddenly engulfed the seed shop. From 12 corners of the room, shadow swords began to emerge one by one. The dark energy radiating from the swords made the surrounding air feel suffocating. Some observers standing far above the shop exchanged glances.

"What incredibly strong demonic energy," muttered a middle-aged man in luxurious clothing.

"Yes, this is one of the 12 ultimate techniques of the Demon King Sect's followers," explained an old man with a bamboo cane. His voice was calm, but his gaze was filled with vigilance.

"I wonder if the elder can withstand it this time," he added, his tone filled with curiosity.

In the middle of the shop, the 12 shadow swords rotating on their axis began to move. With extraordinary speed, the swords shot straight toward the elder from various angles, targeting the vital points of his body.

"Swish…"

The sound of swords slicing through the air was loud, followed by the sharp sound of energy splitting space. But, as before, the swords merely passed through the elder's body without causing any effect.

The expression of the man in the black robe grew increasingly grim. "Impossible…" he muttered under his breath, his eyes beginning to redden.

Yet, the swords didn't stop. They continued to attack from different angles, slashing relentlessly, trying to break through what seemed to be an impenetrable defense.

While the man in the black robe watched in horror as his sword dance continued its relentless but futile assault, the seed shop elder stood firm, his body unmoving. The attacks, which should have cut through anything in their path, simply passed through as though slicing through empty air, disappearing without leaving a trace.

"Thank you, Young Master Lein," the elder said sincerely, his voice calm yet laden with respect.

Most of the problems in this place would usually be resolved directly by him. However, in certain situations where the threat was significant and its impact could spread, Lein's clone, observing from afar, would step in to ensure everything remained under control.

High above the seed shop, two figures of Lein were seen sitting across from each other at a small table. The table appeared simple, made of polished black wood, yet surrounded by a mystical aura that marked its extraordinary power.

"Hey, no cheating… Make the proper move," one clone said, lifting a knight piece from the chessboard and returning it to its original position, his eyes narrowing with firm determination.

"A knight moves in an L-shape," he remarked, glancing at the other clone in front of him with a thin, mocking smile.

"What? I know the rules!" retorted the second clone, his tone indignant, his fists clenched as if restraining himself from arguing further.

The first clone, appearing calmer, picked up a small artifact shaped like an hourglass that glowed softly. The white light surrounding the artifact resembled morning dew moving slowly, creating the illusion that time around it was slowing down.

(Temporal Hourglass )

A small hourglass made of clear glass, framed by polished silver. The silver sand inside defies gravity, floating like tiny stars in an endless dance. When activated, the sand spins backward, granting the owner the power to reverse time and correct fatal mistakes.

- Type: Active Artifact

- Grade: Heaven Grade

- Essence: 182,000

- Temporal Rewind (Active): Rewinds time by 30 seconds, resetting all events within that timeframe. This ability grants the user a second chance to correct mistakes, evade deadly attacks, or make different decisions. Can be activated once every 24 hours, but beware—careless use may result in temporary disorientation for the user. Use with caution to turn the tide in critical moments!

"Let's rewind time," said the first clone confidently, his voice sounding like someone who knew he would undoubtedly win.

The second clone glared at him, then replied, "Go ahead, I'm not afraid."

The hourglass floated between them, spinning slowly. The first clone activated the Temporal Rewind skill. Instantly, the world around them shifted as if being pulled back through a time corridor. The scene on the upper floor of the shop reappeared, showing the moment when the second clone had moved the knight incorrectly.

With a confident gesture, the first clone restored the knight's position. "See that?" he exclaimed triumphantly.
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He then playfully tapped the second clone's head, who only chuckled lightly without retaliating.

"Let's continue," said the second clone, seemingly indifferent to his defeat.

The two Lein clones, each inheriting 80% of his power as a king, continued to watch from afar. They were not only overseers of the seed shop but also shadow protectors for everything under Lein's domain.