"...I don’t feel good about this," Eli-1 sprawled on the triangular stone table, cocky as a stray cat basking in sun.

Eli-2, face dark as a brewing storm, shot Eli-1 a look. "Stop grinning, One. If we keep tangling like weeds, when do we reach the Sacred Rank?"

"Heh. Then how about we throw hands?" Eli-1 leaned in, eyes like flint, taunting Eli-2.

"You think I’m scared of you?" Eli-2 slammed the table like thunder cracking a cliff and surged to his feet.

Still smiling like a lantern in drizzle, Eli-3 hurried between them. "Brothers, talk it out—words first, fists later. No fighting, no fighting. Jin Kelala’s got benefits—whoever nails them—"

"Shut it, Three. Not the time for clowning."

"Hey now, Three, you’ve inherited my finest blood like spring sap in old roots. How about we team up?"

"Uh… uh…"

Above them, the true Eli watched the three bicker like sparrows in winter, and his head throbbed like drums in fog.

Damn it. Ever since I shut myself away to break through, they’ve kept squawking on the same topic, and it’s grinding like sand in teeth.

Keep this up, and how the hell do I step into the Sacred Rank? Damn!

"Hey, true body," Eli-1 looked up, smile sharp as a crescent blade, "come judge us. Which part of us is your most vital heart?"

Eli-2 lifted his gaze too, voice low as deep water. "Mr. Ostoll, be objective. I am the temperament you crave most, the iron you wish you had."

Eli-3 raised her eyes—silent, yet desire pooled there like stars caught in a lake, making her mind plain as dawn.

Just as Eli’s patience snapped like a frayed string, a white ring bloomed in the darkness, round as a cold moon.

Eli blinked, brows knotted like twigs. "What… is that?"

He reached out on reflex. Familiarity surged up like warm tide through stone.

"Does breaking into the Sacred Rank… come with this?" Eli whispered, puzzled as mist over marsh.

The white light drifted through him like snowfall, then floated to the stations of his id, ego, and superego. It spun like a windmill and settled at their center, three faces stunned like deer in torchlight.

The ring sank fully into the triangular stone table. Eli-1’s eyes flashed like sparks; he reached first, palm on the glowing stone. The other two, late as shadows after sunset, pressed their hands down too.

As three palms met stone, the darkness peeled back like night before sunrise, white light pouring out from them like spring flood.

The true Eli felt a comfort deep as earth-soak after rain. He closed his eyes and let that strange gift wash him like a river over smooth stones.

At the very end, Eli-1 smiled, no more brash fire, no more swagger—only the ease of a burden lifted like pack off shoulders. "Of course. It had to be me."

Outside, Eli’s hidden heavenward giant tree stirred, growing thicker and more alive, its bark drinking light, its boughs shedding power like pollen.

Not far off, Li Gongxuan shouldered a purple-haired girl, passing by, and caught the ripple—his brow arched like a drawn bow, battle intent blooming through him like wildfire.

This power—only the first step into the Sacred Rank—yet the life-force roared like a spring thaw.

More shocking, it dwarfed the grandeur from when he himself crossed into the Sacred Rank—vast and radiant like noon sky.

In a heartbeat, the whole Snow Imperial Capital turned its gaze like a flock turning mid-flight, every named powerhouse casting senses toward that surge.

Eli flew out from the ancient tree, gold radiance streaming from him like dawn spilling over peaks.

His eyes snapped open. Trees and weeds nearby shot up like bamboo after rain, as if fed by some rare nectar.

Mm…

Mention Jin Kelala and I’ll cut you.

As if tugged by a thread, Eli’s first look fell on Li Gongxuan, not far away, a hawk’s gaze meeting a rising sun.

Li Gongxuan smiled toward Eli’s direction, battle intent flaring like banners in wind.

He dropped the purple-haired girl onto the ground. His scabbard became a white rope, hard as forged steel, binding her like a cocoon.

Under her startled, accusatory stare, he drew his sword—its edge a cold river—pointing at Eli floating in the air.

Eli watched him and smiled light as drifting snow. He raised his right hand and grasped the sky; a sword of outline alone formed in his grip, bare of pattern or known steel, like a sketch cut from fog.

Li Gongxuan laughed. "Friend or foe? Let’s find out with steel."

"Heh," Eli chuckled, soft as wind in grass.

"Myriad Spirit Locking Array!" Eli slashed with the outline blade.

No circle formed in the air; instead, chains crowded with runes and arcana flew from Eli’s body, one after another like a storm of serpents, lunging to bind Li Gongxuan tight.

Li Gongxuan drew the Green-Edge Sword and cut across, cleaving some chains like reeds. Then he turned and slashed into empty space behind him.

Eli jerked back a step like a leaf in sudden gust.

Li flashed to Eli’s prior spot, posture held like sculpture, and cut back toward Eli’s old position, timing exact as a pendulum.

"A novice of the Sacred Rank with this sense—good," Li said, brow tilted like a ridge.

Eli smiled. "Thanks for the praise."

"Watch the blade!" Li burst forward, a wolf charging, steel first.

Eli stepped back thrice. A giant magic circle unfolded overhead like a full moon. "Arcane: Fourfold Polar Thunder!"

Thunder like sky-pillars roared out of the circle, spearing toward Li. He frowned; his sword glowed green like young leaves, and with a side-flash he slipped past one bolt’s bite.

Eli smirked, mouth crooked like a hook, and steered four thunderbolts at Li like hunting hawks.

Li stood at their crossing, calm as a stone in surf. He raised his sword, murmured a spell like rain on eaves, then sprang with his blade straight into the storm.

Eli laughed. "Brother, you’re begging for bruises."

At the heart of the thunder, Li set a strange stance like a crane. Before the bolts struck, his sword vanished; white light flashed like lightning in a glass, severing the circle and the bolts with one clean cut.

"What?" Eli stared, shocked, eyes wide as moons.

Li lifted his sword, edge across his own neck like frost. "Instant Kill."

In a blink too thin to name, blade and man slid past Eli like wind through grass, carving a long red line across his chest.

They stood apart. Eli looked at the cut and slashed fabric, then gave a wry smile like dusk light. "You’re fierce."

Li turned his head, glanced at his sword arm. A bloodline ran down it like a scratch on marble, stark under his gaze.

"You’re not bad," he said, voice flat as winter plain.

First one at the Sacred Rank to catch my lethal window, blunt the kill, and send me back a cut—he’s a rare stone.

Eli shook his head. "You hit like a mountain. I thought I had it, but you still opened me up."

Li frowned. "How did you block my attack?"

"Heh. Beat me, and I’ll tell you." Eli’s smile was clean as river breeze.

"You said it." Li vanished again, gone like a candle snuffed.

Eli raised the outline sword, caution tight as a drum.

Truth is, he’s got mage miles. Toss him a sword, and he’s foggy as a path in rain.

"Hey, kid, you’re this strong. You shouldn’t be swinging without purpose, right?" Eli asked the empty air like talking to wind.

Li’s voice came from all sides like echoes in a canyon. "I’m just looking for someone."

"Oh? Found them yet?" Eli shrugged, shoulders loose like willow.

Looking for someone?

Not an imperial prince’s hire, then? With that gear, he’s not of the Snow Empire.

"Not yet," Li’s voice flowed back, cool as a stream.

Eli wheeled his sword forward.

Clang.

Their blades crashed like antlers. Eli took two steps back; a circle flared underfoot like dawn, and he began to fade, while invisible space rang with steel and scattered sparks like fireflies.

"Who are you looking for?" Eli dropped toward the ground, skimming past Li’s cut like a swallow.

Li frowned. "Are you fighting on the chatterbox style?"

Eli scratched his head, sheepish as a dog in spilled grain. "Ahem. Of course not. I’m just curious. Not allowed?"

His answer was a slash driven by Battle Aura, carving mountains into a canyon like a giant plow. "If it’s not chatterbox style, shut up."

Eli glanced back at the ravine yawning like an open jaw and twitched his mouth. Damn, this guy’s temper is flint.

"Alright, fine. Tell me who you’re looking for, and I’ll tell you how I dodged your ace. Deal?" Eli clashed with Li again, sparks roaming like shooting stars.

Li slipped past Eli’s blade, brow creasing like folded paper. That outline sword—fast as a hidden edge in space—was costing him blood; without it, this maniac would’ve been minced thrice over.

"Less talk. Everything after the fight." He flung a palm at Eli, force like a wave.

Eli failed to dodge and took it full on. "Damn—he used his hand! Cheap!"

Li Gongxuan: …Damn. Is this idiot for real? Did he brute-force the Sacred Rank? (Eli rolled his eyes and spat at him.) Hell! What a fool!