Kaal chuckled at his father's reaction. Watching Charles freak out at the mere mention of his mother's name was always amusing—there was never a dull moment with his dad.
"Answer me, Kaal! Why do you want to see Bella?" Charles demanded, his tone strict. "You know that the Jade Ice Sect is always closed to outsiders. Even your mother wasn't exempt from their rules when she was the Holy Maiden."
"I know," Kaal replied firmly. "But when I was on an assassination mission, I realized how little actual combat experience I have..."
"Sigh... You're just as stubborn as Bella," Charles muttered, exhaling deeply. His son's determination left him no room to argue. Even as a father, Charles knew that once Kaal decided on something, it was nearly impossible to change his mind.
'Well, it's true... When it comes to combat experience, no one can compare to Bella. And by sect rules, the Holy Maiden is granted six months to spend with family. Sending Kaal to her may help her emotionally too...' Charles thought to himself.
"Dad, I want to ask you something," Kaal's voice pulled Charles from his thoughts.
"What is it?" Charles asked, sitting at the round table and tapping the chair next to him, inviting Kaal to sit.
"I want to know everything about the Cursed Soul Orb—where you found it, and what it's used for," Kaal said as he took the seat beside his father.
Kaal had his reasons. During the soul-reading ritual with Raven, he'd used the Cursed Soul Orb to connect their souls and view Raven's memories. But afterward, he noticed an unusual change in himself—his emotional control was slipping. Whether it was blushing at Lauren's teasing or that strange flutter of affection for Jane, he was not his usual stoic self.
And Kaal wasn't someone prone to emotional outbursts. The only logical explanation he could think of was a side effect from using the Cursed Soul Orb.
"Huh… that's a weird question, considering what we were just talking about. But fine," Charles said, nodding slightly. "The Cursed Soul Orb was obtained from an ancient rune by my father—your grandfather. It's used to read a soul's memories using the Ancient Kapal Language. That's all I know about it."
Sea Realm cultivators like Charles had far faster thought processes and stronger memory than regular Rank 3 warriors due to opening their Sea of Consciousness.
"That's enough, Dad. Thanks…" Kaal said, already deep in thought.
'Maybe it's because of the Origin Core... It was responsible for bringing the Earthling soul to this dimension. Normally, Soul Treasures like that should be destroyed upon the user's death. So it should have perished with Raven... but instead, it manifested inside me. The only explanation is—when our souls linked during the ritual using the Cursed Soul Orb, the Origin Core mistakenly thought my soul was the same as Raven's and transferred to me.'
Kaal was confident that this was the truth. By sheer luck, through the Cursed Soul Orb, he'd inherited the Origin Core—along with its powerful talents: Myriad of a Thousand Demon Body, Mind Eye, and more.
The father and son continued chatting until a knock at the door interrupted them.
"Come in," Charles called out.
Mia entered and politely informed them about the beginning of Raven's funeral. After giving the message, she left the hall.
Hearing the news, Charles stood, placing a hand on Kaal's shoulder. "In the face of death, Raven fought bravely. He said, 'Let my brother live.' His courage will be honored. His name will be carved on the Ancestor Stone."
"Yes… Raven deserves that respect," Kaal said solemnly, though inwardly, he smirked.
*******************************
Later…
Many members of the Kilvish Clan had gathered before a massive Stone Monument, wearing cyan-colored robes to mourn the dead. The monument—known as the Honor Stone—bore the names of those who had perished in service to the clan.
Among the crowd stood Elder Alvin, Elder George, Grand Elder William, Clan Leader Charles Kilvish, and nearly 500 other clan members.
In a nearby group of teen boys stood a 19-year-old with sharp yellow hair, black eyes, and an aura of quiet dominance. His gaze lingered on Kaal for a few seconds, a competitive gleam flashing through his eyes before returning to the stone.
This was Samrat Kilvish, son of Grand Elder William Kilvish, and one of the Twin Shadows of the Kilvish Clan, alongside Kaal.
Close to the stone stood Divya, Raven's younger sister. She was a short girl with peaceful features—blue hair and green eyes like her brother and grandfather. Her eyes were swollen from tears, and in her hands was a single white Davlock Flower, a symbol in legend believed to guide a soul safely to the heavens.
Seeing her sad expression was like a dagger to Kaal's chest. He wiped sweat from his forehead as that strange emotional surge returned.
'Ugh… This feeling is making me sick. It's like I've lost control over my own emotions,' he thought.
"Raven was a true member of the Kilvish Clan," Charles declared, his voice loud and proud. "He never turned his back on the enemy. His bravery will not be forgotten in our history—he was a true hero."
As he finished, the clan members channeled their Qi together into a stream that shot toward the Honor Stone. Moments later, Raven's name was etched into its surface, immortalized in stone.