"Where is my granddaughter?"
The voice echoed like thunder, shaking the very trees and stones around. Every head turned toward the sky where a streak of flame descended and transformed into a tall man with flowing white and orange hair. His aura was terrifying, fierce, and overwhelming. Dressed in robes embroidered with flame patterns, he radiated the pressure of someone standing at the peak of this realm. This was the ancestor of the Fire Clan—the father of Sect Leader Su Ling Long, and the grandfather of Spirit Fairy.
Landing heavily on the ground, his fiery presence silenced even the wind. His stern gaze scanned the one Present there before it landed squarely on his son.
"Su Ling Long, where is my granddaughter? And who the hell is he?" The old man's finger jabbed toward Little Water. "What is that sphere of water behind you?!"
Su Ling Long stepped forward cautiously, sweat beading on his brow. "Father... the man before you is the savior of your granddaughter, and the one who ensured her future safety."
The old man narrowed his eyes. "Future what? I didn't hear it. Say it again."
Su Ling Long hesitated. His lips moved, but no sound came.
"Say it loud!"
Before Su Ling Long could reply again, Little Water intervened calmly, "Senior, the Sect Leader is saying I am the savior of his daughter... and the one who has ensured her future husband."
The old man's eyes widened with rage. He unleashed his aura without restraint. A violent gust burst forth, forcing Su Ling Long onto both knees with a grunt. The pressure extended to Little Water as well, but instead of falling, he merely bent slightly under the force.
"What is this sphere behind you?" the old man barked. "Why can I—at Perfect Soul Creation Late Stage—not see or hear anything from inside it?"
Little Water straightened himself and, instead of answering directly, offered a slight smile. "I was hoping to meet someone with knowledge of the higher realms. It seems you are just the person I was seeking. Senior, let us exchange our understanding of cultivation."
The old man's eyes twitched. "It's been decades since anyone dared to discuss the Dao with me. How do you want to do this?"
Little Water raised his hand, and a chessboard made entirely of water aura materialized between them. The pieces gleamed with a faint shimmer, swirling gently.
"We'll speak through a game, senior. You may begin. Use your fire aura; I will use my water aura."
The old man chuckled and nodded, taking a seat across from Little Water. As their game began, ripples of intent flickered through the board. Su Ling Long stepped forward silently to watch, wiping away the sweat still on his brow.
Little Water's first question: "Senior, you are at the Perfect Soul Creation Late Stage. What lies beyond this realm? I've met many cultivators, but none beyond this point. Are there others?"
The old man moved a piece forward before answering, "After this realm, one must discard dependence on elemental laws and begin comprehending the Heaven Laws. It's a different dimension of cultivation altogether. One must create their own unique law—what we call the Realm of Heavenly Enlightenment."
Little Water nodded, moved his piece, and said, "So it's like crafting one's personal domain through enlightenment. Now it's your turn to ask."
The old man stared intently at the board. "What is that sphere? Why can't I peer into it with my consciousness?"
"Because it exists between two worlds," Little Water said, his voice even. "It's severed from this reality—neither fully here nor completely beyond."
The old man's eyes widened briefly.
"Continue your turn, senior," Little Water urged.
"If one succeeds in creating their Heavenly Enlightenment Domain," the old man continued, "they must ascend to the God Realm. Every powerful clan in this realm—the middle world—has at least one cultivator at the peak of Perfect Soul Creation. But only a handful ever reach that next stage. Now, boy... my turn. What is your cultivation level, and why can't I see through you?"
Little Water smiled. "I am at Split Soul Middle Stage. The reason you can't see through me is due to a technique I cultivated."
"My question then," Little Water added, eyes glinting, "tell me about the Heaven Enlightenment Domain you've cultivated."
The old man recoiled slightly, his eyes narrowing. "You little brat... how do you know I have cultivated it? What is your identity?"
Little Water simply replied, "You only need to know this: I don't harm those who don't harm me."
The old man's patience snapped. He roared and sent a massive Fire Palm toward Little Water—an attack capable of shattering a sect gate.
Little Water dodged with a simple shift of his body. "Senior, please calm down."
"You dare provoke me?" The old man screamed. He stepped forward, a violent surge of fire igniting the earth beneath him. Lava oozed from the ground, the air shimmered with unbearable heat, and insects and droplets evaporated into steam.
With a thunderous voice, the old man declared, "Art of Heavenly Enlightenment: Domain of Blazing Fire!"
A fiery ring erupted around the battlefield. It was a majestic and terrifying sight—a true representation of a cultivator who had mastered his own law.
Lava flowed like rivers, and the very air seemed to ignite as a dome of pure flame rose over the mountain. Even Sect leader backed away in terror.
Little Water calmly stood his ground and looked around as the world inside the domain changed.
He smiled faintly. "So... this is the Enlightenment Domain."
---[To Be Continued]----