"Life Soul Grass?" Max blinked in surprise, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
This rare herb was a treasure even to powerhouses. From what he remembered, it could elevate oneâs cultivation by a small level instantly upon consumption, but it had a strict conditionâit could only be used once in a lifetime, and had no effect thereafter. Even so, such a treasure was priceless, especially in a dire moment. Maxâs fingers gently closed around it as he tucked it away carefully.
Just as Max was carefully putting away the Life Soul Grass and preparing to descend the fiery slope, his Three Dimensional Body suddenly flared with alertness. It was subtleâlike a ripple in the air behind himâbut to Maxâs heightened perception, it might as well have been a scream.
He turned his head slowly, only to hear the sound of slow, mocking applause echoing through the volcanic haze.
"Pah, pah. Not bad. Not bad at all," a lazy, amused voice rang out. "A mere ninth-level Master Rank trash able to kill not one, but two second-level Legend Rank experts? Youâve really opened my eyes today."
From the woods ahead, a figure emerged, stepping through the fiery red mist like a phantom woven from shadow and steel. He was a young man, draped in a black robe that swayed slightly with each step. His features were refined and handsomeâsharp cheekbones, pale skin that gleamed faintly in the light, and eyes like pools of dark ink.
His presence was striking, almost blinding, like a sheathed sword barely containing its bloodlust. His long black hair fell loosely around his shoulders, giving him the aura of a wild and untamed genius.
Standing calmly, he looked at Max with a smirk, his arms loosely behind his back, and spoke again. "It seems youâve either stumbled upon some grand opportunity or use a secret technique to increase your strength to Legend Rank level. Which is it, I wonder?"
Maxâs eyes narrowed. He didnât underestimate anyoneâespecially not someone who could remain completely hidden from his senses until now. "Who are you?" he asked, his tone cautious.
The young man chuckled, slow and confident, then continued walking forward with an easy grace. "Me? Well, let me introduce myself properly." He gave a casual nod, his smile growing wider. "My name is Glen."
Maxâs heart sank a little. That name... it wasnât unfamiliar. His expression turned heavy. "Glen... youâre the three-star genius known as Crazy Sword from the Absolute Sword Palace?"
Glen chuckled again and spread his arms theatrically, like an actor basking in applause. "Thatâs right. Iâm flattered that my reputation reached even you."
Maxâs gaze instinctively shifted to gauge Glenâs strengthâseventh level of Legend Rank. It was the highest cultivation Max had seen so far in the secret domain. Not just that, the pressure Glen gave off wasnât merely powerfulâit was refined, honed like a weapon forged under extreme pressure, like a killing machine in human skin.
But Glen didnât immediately move to kill him. Instead, he tilted his head slightly and said with what seemed like genuine curiosity, "Iâm not some bloodthirsty lunatic, you know. Iâm reasonable. So how about thisâtell me how youâve grown so strong while still at the Master Rank. The technique. The secret. The inheritance. Whatever it is, just tell me... and Iâll let you walk away."
Max didnât answer right away. His thoughts churned. This was not a man to be provoked without reasonâbut neither could he allow himself to show weakness. He looked Glen dead in the eye and said, voice level, "I can tell you. But I have a condition."
A spark of amusement flickered across Glenâs face. "Condition?" he repeated as if Max had just told a joke. "Do you really think youâre in a position to negotiate with me?"
His voice dropped a pitch as he casually pointed at the groundâat the broken, blood-soaked corpse of Josh, still smoldering on the fiery earth.
"You killed a disciple of Thunder Monarch Hall," Glen said, his tone now colder, quieter. "Tell me, what do you think will happen to you once they find out about that? Or better yetâwhat do you think theyâll do once they find out I know about it?"
His smile returned, but it wasnât warm anymoreâit was sharp. Predatory.
Maxâs face darkened as Glenâs smug words settled in the air. "Are you threatening me?" he asked coldly, his tone coated in anger and disbelief.
But Glen simply smiled and shook his head, eyes gleaming with amusement. "No," he said calmly, flicking his hand through the air as if brushing away dust. "Iâm not threatening you, Max. Iâm just stating a simple truth. If youâre smart, you wonât play any tricks. Because by the time this ends, if you make the wrong choice, you wonât just lose that pretty little herb youâre hidingâyouâll lose your life."
Max narrowed his eyes and responded with a sharp edge in his voice, "And what if I refuse?"
As he spoke, he deliberately tucked the Life Soul Grass back into his storage ring, never taking his eyes off Glen.
Glen chuckled, slow and mocking, and shook his head with exaggerated disappointment. "You really donât know how to choose, do you? I canât even decide whether to admire your guts or call you a complete idiot."
He let out a sigh, almost as if he truly pitied Max. "Well, I guess Iâll have to waste a bit of time taking your life. But maybe Arnold will owe me a favor after this, so it wonât be for nothing."
That name made Max blink. "You know who I am?" he asked cautiously, the gears in his mind turning faster now.
"Of course," Glen replied, his tone almost cheerful. "Youâre Maxâthe monster who killed a three-star member of the Thunder Monarch Hall and that Heaven-grade genius from the Void Soul Tower. How could I not know?"
Max tilted his head, voice quiet and testing, "Then arenât you afraid Iâll kill you too?"