"Why is the Emperor calling me?" Noel asked, frowning.
"I don't know," the City Lord replied, serious. "But the Emperor summoned you. He wants to meet you in three days."
Noel's eyes narrowed. Three days? "It takes at least two days to travel to the Imperial City," he muttered in frustration. "I need to prepare."
The City Lord nodded. "Yes."
Noel sighed. More complications. But before dealing with the Emperor, he had something else to handle.
"Alright, first things first… I need to meet Yunha," he said, shaking his head.
The City Lord waved him off. "Go ahead."
Noel walked away, exhaling sharply. I have to keep up this act. If I slip even a little, they'll suspect something.
He arrived at Yunha's room and froze. Her wet hair dripped onto the floor, and the scent of floral oils filled the air. The dim lighting highlighted the glow of her skin.
Noel blinked, his mind processing the scene. Then Yunha shrieked, her face bright red. "Noel?! W-What are you doing here?" She grabbed her towel tighter.
Noel smirked, leaning against the doorframe. "Relax. It's not like I haven't seen a woman before."
Yunha's blush deepened. "You should knock first!"
Noel sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I didn't expect you to be… like this. Anyway, I have something to talk about."
Yunha rushed to grab a robe. "At least let me get dressed!"
Noel shrugged. "Go ahead. Not like I'm in a hurry."
As Yunha dressed, Noel sat down, his expression neutral. I have to act like I love her, but how can someone be this naïve?
Once she turned back, dressed in a silk robe, she crossed her arms, pouting. "Okay, what's so important that you barged in?"
Noel stood, dusting off his clothes with a smirk. "I think you're not happy seeing me."
Yunha panicked. "N-No! I was just surprised!"
Noel chuckled. "Surprised, huh?" He took a step closer, watching her take a step back. She was easy to fool—so innocent. It almost made him laugh.
He sighed. "Well, if my presence bothers you, I'll leave."
Yunha's eyes widened. "No! That's not it!" She grabbed his sleeve, stopping him.
Noel paused, looking down at her hand. Tch. Too predictable.
He placed his hand over hers, a soft smile on his face. "Do you want me to stay?" His voice was smooth.
Yunha bit her lip, tightening her grip. "Of course. I always want to be with you."
What a foolish girl. Noel kept his smile.
Instead of answering, he pulled her closer, whispering in her ear, "Good. I don't want to leave either."
Yunha's face turned red. She lowered her gaze, unable to handle the closeness.
Noel released her after a few moments and stepped back. "I'm leaving for the Imperial City in two days. The Emperor has summoned me."
Yunha looked up, surprised. "The Emperor? Why?"
Noel shrugged. "No idea. But I'll find out soon."
Yunha hesitated, then softly said, "Be careful."
Noel smiled charmingly. "I will. And when I return, let's spend more time together."
Yunha's eyes sparkled with happiness, unaware of his true thoughts.
As Noel turned to leave, his smirk faded. What a waste of time...
Once outside Yunha's room, Noel's expression turned cold. He wasn't worried about the Emperor. The City Lord would be with him, so nothing extreme would happen.
But before the Emperor, there was something else to settle. His eyes darkened. First, he needed to deal with something important.
He gathered his eight followers—beggars who had sworn loyalty to him. Cheng, the only cultivator among them, stood at the ready. The meeting took place in The Land of Noel—a desolate, abandoned ground. It was silent, surrounded by towering cliffs.
As his followers stood in a loose circle, the cold wind howled through the space.
Noel stepped forward, his voice sharp. "I'm leaving for the Imperial City tomorrow. We'll use the back gate—the mountain path."
Most of them nodded.
Except Ming. He was visibly tense, his fingers twitching, his breath shallow, eyes darting around.
Bao, beside him, noticed and began to panic. Sweat dripped down his forehead.
Noel narrowed his eyes. Suspicious.
Without warning, a terrifying killing intent erupted from him.
The beggars gasped, knees weakening under the pressure. Some clutched their throats, gasping for air.
Cheng's eyes widened. Impossible. Yesterday, Noel was at the Awakened Realm. But this… this was the killing intent of someone at the Strengthened End Realm!
Noel slowly reached for the sword borrowed from the City Lord.
Then—Slash!
Blood sprayed across the ground.
Bao's head flew off, landing with a sickening thud. His lifeless body collapsed.
Silence.
The beggars froze, their faces pale with horror.
"He… He killed him…" someone whispered.
Ming's body shook. If he had been nervous before, now he was petrified. He took an unsteady step back.
Then, he made the worst mistake—he locked eyes with Noel.
A slow, eerie grin spread across Noel's face. His sharp eyes gleamed with twisted amusement.
Ming's breath hitched. His instincts screamed to run, but his legs wouldn't move.
Cheng clenched his fists. When someone kills for the first time, they hesitate. Their hands shake.
But Noel… he looked like he'd done this countless times.
Cheng swallowed hard as Noel began to laugh—a chilling laugh that echoed through the empty ground.....