Einar's Challenge, Flame Mutation!

Kael emerged from the Void Tower, his face slightly pale—even more drained than Einar had appeared. Yet no one in the crowd dared to mock or laugh at him.

There was only one reason: ​his name on the Void Ranking.

Kael's name shimmered in pale gold, now occupying the fourth spot on the Void Ranking!

"Heavens… Fourth on the Void Ranking! Tied with Orlando, the Elven King, and Blazing Flame!" Gasps of astonishment rippled through the crowd. Their eyes widened in disbelief, struggling to process what they were seeing.

"A pale gold name… By the gods, Emerald City is about to witness a seismic shift. This is monstrous talent—far more terrifying than even Einar's. It's almost impossible to believe…"

"I still can't accept that this is real…"

Fourth on the Void Ranking!

This didn't mean Kael's talent was inferior to Orlando and the others—only that they had entered the ranking before him. ​At the very least, Kael's aptitude was on par with legends like Orlando!

Kael's steps were unsteady. The final floor of the Void Tower had been brutal, draining him of nearly all his strength.

He quickly retrieved a ​mana potion from his spatial ring, replenishing his energy before letting out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Fourth on the Void Ranking…" Sha Sha's expression twisted with conflicted emotions. The words stuck in her throat, choking her. The result was too staggering. Faced with such an overwhelming achievement, her face flushed with shock—and shame, remembering how she had once mocked him. She wished she could vanish into the ground.

Solmer, too, had never imagined Kael would achieve something so terrifying. All she could do was shake her head with a bitter smile.

Einar stood at a distance, his expression complicated as he took in Kael's result. But soon, his gaze hardened again.

So what if Kael had greater talent? Talent wasn't everything. True strength came from perseverance and willpower. ​Besides, his own aptitude wasn't that far behind Kael's.

"Kael!"

In a flash, Einar appeared before Kael, barely ten meters away. A cold intensity radiated from him.

The crowd perked up, eyes gleaming with anticipation. ​Was Einar about to challenge Kael?

All attention locked onto the two.

"What's wrong?" Kael said calmly.

Einar stared at Kael, his crimson hair dancing wildly in the wind, giving him a roguish and untamed appearance. His expression was cold as he spoke: ​**"Kael, three months from now, we duel at Vermilion Mountain in Jade City. Do you dare?"**

A challenge!

The crowd let out a low, collective gasp before their eyes lit up with excitement. Kael and Einar were the two most prominent figures among the younger generation, and their strength even surpassed that of many seasoned veterans. A duel between these two was bound to be spectacular.

"Fine." Kael agreed without hesitation.

Kael could tell that Einar had grown significantly stronger recently—almost catching up to him. A battle with Einar would undoubtedly be beneficial for Kael as well.

"Good! Three months from now, at Vermilion Mountain!" Einar let out a long laugh before his figure flickered, vanishing into the horizon in an instant. The reason Einar didn't challenge Kael immediately was simple—he wasn't confident of victory yet. But in three months, he was certain he'd stand a chance.

As Einar departed, Kael slowly rose from where he stood. Einar truly was a worthy opponent.

By now, Kael's magic power had mostly recovered, and his once-pale complexion had regained its healthy flush.

Noticing the lingering crowd, Kael frowned. He turned to ​Somore and said, ​**"Senior Sister Somore, let's go."** After clearing ten floors in the ​Void Tower, though exhausted, Kael had gained invaluable insights. He could feel his cultivation on the verge of another breakthrough and needed a quiet place to meditate.

Somore nodded, and even ​Shasha remained uncharacteristically silent this time.

The three of them soon left as well, but the crowd continued buzzing with excitement, eagerly anticipating the duel between Kael and Einar.

Far away, the five ​Half-Step Legendary experts watched as Kael and Einar departed. Among them, the gloomy-faced middle-aged man ​Karl had an especially unsettled glint in his eyes. The terrifying talent of both Einar and Kael had become a genuine threat to him. These five had once dominated the ​Wind and Cloud Rankings, standing at the pinnacle as Half-Step Legendary experts, revered and feared. But the rise of Kael and Einar had stirred unease among these seasoned powerhouses.

"These youngsters are advancing far too quickly!"

Among the five, the elder named ​Ross seemed the most amiable. He chuckled heartily and said, ​**"Heh, it seems the future truly belongs to them. The top ten of the Void Rankings… just thinking about it sends chills down one's spine."**

…

Back at ​Qilin's estate, both Kael and ​Ethan were staying there temporarily.

Kael gradually noticed that there was something unusual about the relationship between old Ethan and Qilin. ​Grandmaster Qilin seemed particularly fond of Ethan, treating him with a special attitude that took Kael by surprise.

"Master, it looks like Grandmaster Qilin has taken a liking to you…" Kael blinked mischievously, grinning.

Ethan's wrinkled face flushed slightly, and he coughed awkwardly before puffing up his chest and declaring, ​**"Of course! Back in my youth, I was a dashing and peerless genius—countless beauties across the continent secretly admired me. Even compared to your current reputation, I was no less impressive!"**

He snorted, though his ears remained faintly red, clearly embarrassed at having his thoughts exposed.

Kael smirked. So, there really was a little something between Ethan and Grandmaster Qilin. He teased, ​**"Master, looks like an old tree is sprouting new blossoms! Congratulations!"**

"Brat, is that any way to talk to your teacher?!" Ethan scolded half-heartedly, though his tone carried no real anger. The kid was getting bolder by the day.

After chatting for a while, Kael returned to his room.

"This time, I feel another breakthrough coming. And with the ​Stellar Violet Flame** I obtained from the last auction, maybe I can try absorbing its mysteries to evolve my fire element once more!"** Kael mused to himself. Mutated magic was one of his greatest trump cards, but as his strength grew, the power of his ​Frostflame had started to feel insufficient.

The ​Stellar Violet Flame might just be the key!

Kael took out the Stellar Violet Flame—a cluster of starfire glowing faintly purple in his palm, its power far surpassing that of his Frostflame.

"The mysteries of the Stellar Violet Flame are boundless. I must seize this chance!"Kael opened all his mana channels, and magic surged forth, intertwining with his fire element. The flame seemed to resonate with him naturally, a benefit of his fire affinity. He could already sense the Stellar Violet Flame's affinity with the fire energy within his body.

More importantly, Kael had experienced two prior magic mutations—Frostflame and ​Lightning Magic—and with ​Water Dragon's guidance, his understanding of mutated magic far surpassed that of ordinary mages. He had unique insights into the Stellar Violet Flame's secrets.

As Kael channeled wisps of mana into the flame, it offered no resistance, filling him with excitement.

"Thankfully, fire was the first element I fused with—otherwise, comprehending the mysteries of the Stellar Violet Flame would've been nearly impossible!" Kael could feel the overwhelming power contained within the flame. Though just a small cluster, its energy was enough to reduce the entire house to ashes in an instant. The sheer force of it was staggering.

Kael channeled his mana deeper into the Stellar Violet Flame, and with each passing moment, he sensed his own power growing stronger.

Suddenly, the flame ​erupted—its profound violet hue rapidly spreading across Kael's entire body. Yet, he remained utterly calm, for he could gradually feel the Stellar Violet Flame ​merging with him!

Whoosh!

Mana-infused flames surged around Kael's body, their color now a startling ​deep violet…