Kaal stepped out to calm Elder Alvin's anger. Upon seeing him, Elder Alvin withdrew his overwhelming aura, and with that, the surrounding atmosphere returned to normal.
General Ruke and his soldiers let out a sigh of relief. Elder Alvin's pressure had brought them to their knees—some had nearly passed out from the sheer weight of it.
"Elder Alvin, I understand your anger, but this isn't the place for a discussion," Kaal said, giving the elder a subtle eye signal.
Turning to General Ruke, Kaal spoke in a commanding tone, "Except for you, I don't want anyone else following us."
General Ruke nodded in agreement. Elder Alvin also caught on to the hidden meaning in Kaal's glance.
Lauren, Mia, and Jane quietly returned to their rooms—they didn't want to go near the furious Elder Alvin.
(In Kaal's Room)
The spacious chamber was decorated with elegant pots and intricate paintings. A teen with jet-black hair and deep black eyes, dressed in black robes, sat on a sofa across from a middle-aged man with green hair, a beard, and sharp blue eyes. Kneeling nearby was a red-haired man with a large scar across his face—General Ruke.
"Elder Alvin, I apologize for bringing you here, but I didn't want our conversation to be overheard," Kaal said seriously. Continuing in the same tone, he added,
"You need to know this—our journey to the Mist Valley was leaked to the Jeral Clan. That can only mean one thing... There is a traitor within our clan."
After pausing briefly, Kaal recounted the story he had prepared—about how they were ambushed, and how Raven had detonated the Flaming Pearl just to save him.
As Kaal spoke, a mix of emotions crossed Elder Alvin's face—rage, sorrow... and eventually, a tear rolled down his cheek.
"General Ruke, report to Elder Alvin what you discovered," Kaal said, his voice hoarse, holding back his own grief as he recounted Raven's sacrifice.
"Yes, Young Master!" General Ruke replied, still kneeling. "My soldiers found traces of martial techniques belonging to the Jeral Clan."
Elder Alvin closed his eyes, processing the information. The Mist Valley trip had been a secret—even Kaal hadn't brought anyone above the Warrior Rank, to avoid drawing attention from enemy clans or Samrat Kilvish's faction.
And yet... not only had the enemy discovered their plan, they had nearly succeeded in assassinating one of the Twin Shadows of the Kilvish Clan.
Opening his eyes, Elder Alvin growled, "So you're saying that a few Warrior Rank cultivators and one Foundation Realm expert snuck into the Mist Valley right under the nose of an Opening Realm expert...?"
Suddenly, the crushing pressure of a Sea Realm cultivator erupted, focused directly on General Ruke.
It felt as though tons of heavy hammers smashed down on him. Blood spurted from his mouth as he buckled under the weight.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" Elder Alvin demanded, voice full of wrath.
"N-Nothing... it's m-my fault this happened on my w-watch... I'm ready to d-die for it..." General Ruke stammered, barely remaining conscious.
Kaal was impressed. Few men showed such courage in the face of death. Originally, he had intended to let Ruke die—but now, his assessment of the man had changed.
"Oh? How brave of you," Elder Alvin sneered. "Is it loyalty to your pitiful king that gives you this courage? Or is it arrogance for having reached the Opening Realm in such a small kingdom? Regardless, the price for your negligence is your life. You'll have time to apologize to my grandson—in the afterlife."
The pressure intensified. General Ruke screamed as the oxygen was sucked from the room. His eyes turned bloodshot, his face red from suffocation.
"Elder Alvin, don't kill him yet," Kaal said, his cold voice slicing through the tension. "He still has a task to complete before you grant him death."
Reluctantly, Elder Alvin withdrew his aura. Gasping, General Ruke collapsed, sucking in desperate breaths.
"There are two spies," Kaal continued. "One from our Kilvish Clan who leaked our destination—and another among the General's soldiers who guided the attackers through the hall unnoticed."
He stepped forward, approaching General Ruke.
"We can find the spy in our clan eventually. But the one among the General's soldiers? We know nothing about him. Killing all of them would be excessive—and inefficient. That's why we need you, General Ruke. Only you know your men well enough to find the rat hiding in the hole."
With that, Kaal stepped on Ruke's face.
Elder Alvin, though still seething, recognized the logic. But his fury needed an outlet. After a few breaths, he made a decision.
"I won't take your pitiful life today," he said. "But you will pay the price for your negligence."
With a slashing motion of his fingers, a flash of spiritual energy flew out—and in an instant, General Ruke's left arm was severed. Blood sprayed across the floor.
"AAAHHH!" General Ruke screamed, writhing in pain.
Kaal watched without changing expression.
In this world, only the strong make the rules. That is the ultimate truth, he thought. And that is why I must gain absolute power—power that can even bring death to its knees.