Though Jalen had enjoyed this past year of peace and joy with his family, it was time for him to return to cultivation. Sure, he could be considered one of the strongest in the cultivation world, but he wasn't the strongest. Therefore, he couldn't afford to slack off any longer.
And despite the lack of attacks since the last major battle over two years ago, the threat of the Solar State still loomed—likely waiting for the perfect opportunity to destroy him and the Flare State. He couldn't stand still. He needs to achieve a level of strength that will make his enemies think twice before coming after those he loves.
So after ensuring that all defensive and evacuation measures were solid, exchanging words with Simon and Tomlinson, and bidding farewell to his parents, wife, and children, Jalen left the Flare State via Flash Reversion.
He reappeared in Bellini, the royal capital of one of Rale's ten powerhouse states, near noon. The city shimmered beneath the morning sun, its floating platforms casting shadows over jade streets. Spirit energy thickened the air like incense. Rare herbs and beast crystals perfumed the breeze.
Jalen walked without fanfare. His Sage Realm aura was suppressed, his steps light, and his presence folded into the crowd. He wore a simple cloak, his eyes sharp beneath its hood.
He hoped to explore the sealed territory of Rale, thinking that place might help him advance his cultivation. Although he had some doubts—since the Origin Shard hadn't reacted to the territory the first time around—he still felt it was worth investigating.
Two familiar names came to mind while he was here: Jaya and Walford. They weren't close, but they'd shared a moment—or moments—together, if it could even be labeled as that. He wanted to see how they were doing and was somewhat curious about how the royal competition turned out.
Of course, the easiest way to check on them would've been to head straight to the palace—but that wasn't an option. Jalen's relationship with the royal family was strained at best. And to make matters worse, wanted posters bearing his likeness were plastered across the capital. To avoid unnecessary conflict, he chose not to linger and instead flew to another state—Tellina.
More precisely, he arrived in Telmark, the heart of Tellina. Like Bellini's capital, Telmark was breathtaking: vast, vibrant, and densely populated. According to the records he'd studied, over two billion people lived there—ranging from ordinary mortals to seasoned cultivators. That figure didn't even account for rogue cultivators or ancient monsters hidden away in seclusion.
The state boasted over a hundred sects, but only seven truly mattered. These seven sects held dominion over the region and were all headquartered in the capital. Due to strict regulations, flying over the city without proper authorization was forbidden, forcing Jalen to travel on foot.
He encountered many sights along the way, but nothing that truly held his attention—until he wandered into the Tel Mistveil Forest to rest and meditate. There, he spotted a familiar face he hadn't seen in years. Someone from his extended family he'd never spoken to but remembered from the tournament held at the Hewitt family estate: Weylan Hewitt.
He was engaged in a brawl with two mid-Spirit Fusion Realm experts. And though Weylan was holding his own, he was taking a severe beating from opponents who were a sub-realm above him. He was at the early Spirit Fusion Realm. Despite the disadvantage, he didn't lose. He managed to injure his opponents severely with a combination of wind and spatial qi, forcing them into retreat.
After they left, he fell to his knees, breathless. He'd been fighting for nearly an hour and had burned through a massive amount of qi using strong attack after strong attack.
Then he stopped and looked toward the bushes.
"Who's there?"
Someone very familiar to Jalen stepped out—Tian.
"Weylan, it's me," Tian said, emerging into the open to avoid being attacked or, worst-case scenario, killed by his cousin, who he thought was cut off from the land of the living.
But Weylan looked at him oddly. "Who are you?"
Tian was also puzzled by his question, "Don't tell me you've gotten so strong you don't even remember your cousin."
"Cousin?" Weylan was still at a loss for words. "Are you lying to me right now?"
"You don't recognize me?" Tian starts to wonder if he was being a jerk or if he's suffering from amnesia. "We grew up together in the Hewitt clan. The last time I saw you, you went on a training expedition before the Rouna tournament a couple of years ago. But our uncle returned and said you were dead—eaten by a spirit beast."
Weylan was clueless about what Tian was talking about. No matter how hard he tried to remember, there was nothing but a slight headache. Still, he didn't dismiss the man entirely. Tian seemed genuinely convinced he knew him. And since Weylan—or rather, his new name, Yanon—had lost his memories a few years ago while in his early teens, he was open to someone related to his past helping him recall what he'd forgotten. Besides, even if this man was playing mind games, he was just at the Star Realm. Weylan could kill him if he turned out to be hostile.
At that moment, a woman showed up—beautiful and dressed in white. She seemed to have just finished a battle of her own.
"Master," Weylan said.
"Yanon," the woman rushed to check on him.
"I'm fine, Master Shae. These are just scratches," Weylan laughed lightly.
"Scratches? You're suffering from stab wounds, and your shoulder looks like it was hacked out," Master Shae snorted.
She then looked to Tian and asked, "Who is this?"
"I don't know, Master," Weylan answered. "But he seems to know me."
"Does he now?" Shae glared at Tian, who felt oppressed by her Sage Realm cultivation.
"I am Tian Hewitt, Senior." Tian cupped his hands and bowed respectfully. "I mean no harm. I was just trying to avoid spirit beasts when I stumbled upon a fight between your disciple and those two cultivators. I recognized him as my late cousin Weylan Hewitt, but it seems for some reason he doesn't know me. Did he perhaps suffer from amnesia?"
Shae considered what was said, then ordered Tian to follow them back to the sect. Tian, being too weak to resist, agreed and followed Weylan and Shae.
Jalen, who had been watching from a distance, quietly followed them.