Three days passed after the duel with Aric Stormblade.
Starfall City grew increasingly crowded.
Every day, powerful geniuses arrived from different sects, clans, and sanctuaries.
The Northern Convergence was approaching.
And the entire cultivation world was watching.
⸻
Kael stood within a training courtyard inside Azure Star Sanctuary.
His eyes remained closed.
Golden energy flowed calmly through his body.
Unlike before—
He wasn't focusing on increasing power.
He was focusing on understanding.
The First Legacy had taught him something important.
Origin wasn't about force.
It was about comprehension.
⸻
The Origin Core rotated steadily.
Then suddenly—
A familiar voice echoed inside his mind.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Host has fully stabilized:
Origin Awakening Stage 2
Origin Energy Control:
78%
Origin Art Mastery:
• Origin Step — Beginner
• Origin Severance — Beginner
Current Assessment:
Host has exceeded expected growth rate.
Recommendation:
Continue accumulating combat experience.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
⸻
Kael slowly opened his eyes.
A faint smile appeared.
The system had remained mostly silent recently.
But whenever it spoke—
The information was always useful.
⸻
Suddenly—
Footsteps approached.
⸻
Lyra entered the courtyard.
⸻
"You've been invited."
⸻
Kael looked up.
⸻
"Invited where?"
⸻
"A gathering."
⸻
She tossed him a golden invitation.
⸻
"The younger generation's gathering."
⸻
Kael raised an eyebrow.
⸻
"Sounds troublesome."
⸻
Lyra actually laughed.
⸻
"It is."
⸻
"Most of the North's geniuses will be there."
⸻
Kael immediately understood.
This wasn't a gathering.
It was a competition disguised as a social event.
⸻
That evening—
Kael arrived at Starfall Pavilion.
One of the largest buildings within Starfall City.
⸻
The pavilion overlooked the entire city.
Countless young cultivators gathered inside.
The atmosphere was lively.
Yet beneath the smiles—
Competition simmered.
⸻
Everyone was evaluating everyone else.
⸻
The moment Kael entered—
Conversations paused.
⸻
Then resumed quietly.
⸻
"The Origin Bearer."
⸻
"Kael."
⸻
"The one who fought Aric."
⸻
"He looks ordinary."
⸻
Kael ignored them.
⸻
Then—
A cold sensation spread through the room.
⸻
The crowd parted automatically.
⸻
A young woman entered.
White hair.
Blue eyes.
A calm expression.
⸻
The temperature seemed to drop around her.
⸻
Someone whispered immediately.
⸻
"Selene Frostheart."
⸻
"The Frozen Moon Palace genius."
⸻
Kael observed quietly.
She felt strong.
Very strong.
⸻
Even stronger than Aric in some aspects.
⸻
Selene briefly glanced toward Kael.
Their eyes met.
⸻
Then she simply nodded.
⸻
A warrior's acknowledgment.
Nothing more.
⸻
Moments later—
Another figure arrived.
⸻
A young woman wearing azure robes.
Golden eyes.
Confident smile.
⸻
The entire pavilion brightened.
⸻
"Mira Starborn."
⸻
"Azure Star Sanctuary's top genius."
⸻
Even Lyra's name was mentioned less frequently than Mira's among the younger generation.
⸻
Mira immediately noticed Kael.
⸻
Then walked straight toward him.
⸻
The pavilion became silent again.
⸻
Mira stopped before him.
⸻
"So."
⸻
Her golden eyes sparkled.
⸻
"You're the famous Kael."
⸻
Kael sighed internally.
⸻
Here we go.
⸻
Before he could answer—
A sudden vibration spread through his body.
⸻
The Origin Core pulsed.
⸻
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
⸻
His expression changed instantly.
⸻
Something was wrong.
⸻
Very wrong.
⸻
Then—
The system appeared again.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
SYSTEM WARNING
Ancient Origin Resonance Detected.
Location:
Starfall City
Distance:
Unknown
Threat Level:
Unknown
Recommendation:
Investigate immediately.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
⸻
Kael's eyes narrowed.
⸻
Ancient Origin Resonance?
⸻
The Ancient Star Vault?
⸻
No.
The feeling was different.
Closer.
Much closer.
⸻
The Origin Core pulsed again.
⸻
And this time—
Kael noticed someone.
⸻
A servant.
⸻
Standing quietly near the edge of the pavilion.
⸻
Ordinary.
Forgettable.
Invisible.
⸻
Except—
The servant's eyes glowed faint violet.
⸻
Void.
⸻
The servant immediately turned away.
⸻
And vanished into the crowd.
⸻
Kael stood instantly.
⸻
Mira blinked.
⸻
"What happened?"
⸻
Kael didn't answer.
⸻
Because at that exact moment—
The system appeared once more.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION
Void Presence Confirmed.
Hidden Operative Identified.
Secondary Alert:
Ancient Origin Signature has awakened.
Possible Legacy Holder detected.
Quest Generated:
The Second Legacy
Objective:
Locate the Ancient Origin Signature.
Reward:
Unknown
Failure:
Unknown
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
⸻
Kael's heart shook.
⸻
Second Legacy?
⸻
Another Origin inheritance existed?
⸻
Somewhere inside Starfall City?
⸻
And Void had discovered it too.
⸻
Without another word—
Kael rushed from the pavilion.
⸻
Because instinct told him something.
⸻
Tonight—
Everything was about to change again.
⸻
Host: Kael Veyron
Realm:
Origin Awakening Stage 2
Abilities:
• Origin Sense
• Origin Flash
• Origin Pulse
• Origin Perception
• Origin Resonance
• Origin Step
• Origin Severance
Equipment:
• Ring of the First Pulse
• Azure Star Token
Active Quest:
The Second Legacy
Status:
In Progress
Current Threat:
Hidden Void Operatives in Starfall City