WHAT! I Have To Kill Heaven's Son To Live!

In another part of the Secret Realm—

"Damn it... damn it... damn it.. so fucking damn it...!"

A faint, broken soul cursed endlessly, its voice soaked in extreme fury and disbelief.

It looked aged beyond measure—thin, cracked, brittle, almost translucent, withering as if a single breeze could scatter it into dust.

It was none other than Xiao Yan.

"Where the hell… did another goddamn Legendary-Lineage Beast come from?! And a Thunderous White Tiger no less?!"

"The strongest among Legendary Beasts in offensive power right after awakening their bloodline… and fucking experts at sensing souls?!"

His voice cracked in desperation.

"Shit… shit...! Am I really this unlucky?! I was supposed to be reborn to rule this era!"

"And that bastard... he had not one... but two Legendary Beasts?! That's something no Beast Tamer in the entire history of the Mortal World has ever achieved!"

A faint, transparent barrier pulsed around him—a powerful defense cast by his Bound Dao Artifact.

It preserved his soul from fading from the mortal world and concealed its presence so completely that even Nira's soul-sensing ability couldn't detect it.

"If not for my Bound Dao Artifact activating... at the last moment… I would've been erased entirely...!"

"And now I've even lost my greatest power—the Celestial Elemental Heart!"

"I didn't lose it… not even when I fought that old geezer, a Saint of the Azura Dragon Sect in my past life—even when he shattered my soul."

"Damn it..."

Xiao Yan drifted weakly in the air, searching, desperate for a body that could host his soul.

His bloodshot, spectral eyes finally landed on the corpse of a recently deceased outer disciple—still in good condition.

"Perfect…"

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, he dove into the corpse.

Moments later, fingers twitched.

Then—

He sat up.

His expression twisted into hatred.

"Xue Taiyang… you fucking bastard…"

""Just you wait… I'll fucking kill you... I'll tear you to shreds… with my own hands."

"And then I'll take back everything—my Elemental heart, your beasts, your life… your destiny."

...

Meanwhile, at the site where the battle had unfolded—

High above the enormous crater carved by Nira's attack, two elders hovered in the sky, robes fluttering in the breeze.

Though flying on a sword was forbidden within the secret realm, using sheer cultivation power to fly wasn't.

They were Elder Nin Wing of Sky Sword Peak and Elder Quin Xulin of the Mystic Saber Peak.

They stared below, speechless at the devastation left behind.

It was Elder Nin Wing who broke the silence, voice laced with disbelief.

"…Hey, Xulin. Don't you think this reeks of a Core Disciple getting involved in the Inner Disciple Selection Ceremony?"

Elder Quin Xulin clicked his tongue.

"Hey, don't speak to me like we're close. We're rivals—in both strength and… love."

"…But yes, I agree. Judging by the scale of this destruction, it seems someone ranked among the top fifty of the Core Sect must have snuck in."

Elder Nin chuckled.

"Oh, come on. We've known each other for over forty years. Can't we at least be a little friendly when it's just the two of us?"

"No chance," Quin Xulin replied flatly.

Nin Wing sighed dramatically.

"You're so cold. It's not like our rivalry's ever been settled. We tied in our last duel, and neither of us got accepted by Li Qin."

He looked down again, expression growing serious.

"Anyway… what do we do about this mess?"

Quin Xulin closed his eyes briefly, extending his Spiritual Sense to survey the surroundings.

"No trace of any active Recording Arrays her... But there might be some nearby. We should check all surrounding formations."

"If we can find any trace or residual presence, we might be able to catch whoever did this."

"And if it really was a Core Disciple…" his voice darkened slightly, "they'll face serious consequences."

Nin Wing nodded.

"Alright. Let's move."

...

Beneath the sprawling canopy of a massive tree—

Cloudia's body shimmered faintly as the glow of the Four Elemental Energies slowly dimmed.

Her eyelids fluttered open, heavy with lingering pain from the brutal wounds she had miraculously regenerated.

"Ugh…" she groaned softly, rubbing her aching eyes.

"Master… are you alright?" she murmured weakly.

But then—

She pushed herself upright, eyes searching anxiously.

"Master?!"

Before her, Reon and Nira sat close by, their gazes fixed eagerly on her.

"I'm fine, Cloudia. Don't worry about me," Reon said gently, pulling her into a warm embrace.

Tears welled unbidden in her eyes.

"I'm sorry… really sorry... I couldn't protect you."

Reon held her tighter, voice steady and reassuring.

"It's alright, Cloudia. I'm perfectly fine. You did your best—the opponent was just too strong."

Relief washed over her features, and a soft smile broke through.

"I'm glad… truly glad you're safe, Master."

Reon's hand stroked her head affectionately as he glanced toward Nira.

"We all made it through. Thanks to Little Tiger here."

Cloudia's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really? Little Tiger awakened her Bloodline?"

Nira stepped forward respectfully, bowing slightly.

"Senior Sister, you've worked hard. Thank you for always protecting Master and watching over me. From now on, I'll do my best too."

A gentle smile blossomed on Cloudia's face at Nira's words.

"You've really grown, Little Tiger. Let's keep working together to protect Master."

"Definitely," Nira replied confidently.

Then, leaning close to Cloudia's ear, Nira whispered playfully.

"By the way, you did that with Master, right, Senior Sister?"

Cloudia's face flushed crimson, her voice faltering.

"W-W-What do you mean…?"

Nira smirked knowingly.

"I knew all along, just pretended I didn't. You're selfish, Senior Sister—getting so intimate with Master and leaving me out."

Cloudia stammered, cheeks burning brighter.

"B-B-But… you were still in your original form… you hadn't even taken human form yet."

Nira teased, "Oh really? Sounds like an excuse to me. You just couldn't wait."

"N-No, that's not true!" Cloudia protested nervously.

Her mind raced, thoughts swirling in confusion.

'Why am I so flustered? Isn't Master supposed to be my lover?'

'B-But… she's also Master's Companion Beast and has every right to be by his side. Could she have feelings for him as well?'

Just then—

"Ahem!"

Reon cleared his throat loudly, drawing their attention back.

"Anyway, Cloudia, it seems the Celestial Elemental Heart has chosen you."

"What?!" Cloudia's eyes sparkled with shock.

"Yes, it's true."

"But… wasn't it Little Tiger who defeated Xiao Yan? Shouldn't she be the one worthy of it?" Cloudia asked, puzzled.

Reon shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Perhaps it sensed that you're the more fitting host, so it chose you."

"B-But—"

"Cloudia, a Heavenly Innate Treasure never errs in choosing its host. Cultivate it well. Don't let this chance slip away," Reon advised firmly.

"Understood, Master," Cloudia replied with resolve.

'It must be that Cloudia's Destiny and Heavenly Luck are the strongest among us—that's why the Celestial Elemental Heart selected her,' Reon thought quietly.

Then—

Ding!

A familiar chime echoed in Reon's mind, signaling another system notification.