Godslayer's Legacy: THE PATH TO SUPREMACY

The shockwave from Rui's punch did more than obliterate the mountain—it sent a signal across his homeland, shaking the very foundation of its peaceful existence. In his country, the destruction caused awe and confusion, a testament to Rui's unbridled potential. Yet, beyond the shores of his land, no common cultivator or citizen noticed a thing. The distances between continents—tens of thousands of kilometers—ensured that only those with extraordinary senses and unparalleled mastery detected the faint echo of this anomaly.

The Eastern Lands: Shattered Peace

The Eastern Lands had always been a place of safety. Monsters that roamed the wilderness were weak—a nuisance rather than a true threat. Goblins skulked in caves, wild wolves prowled the forests, and the occasional low-grade magical beast wandered into human territory. Cultivators here advanced steadily, with no immediate pressure forcing them to push past their limits.

The destruction of a mountain was unprecedented. The shockwave flattened trees and cracked walls in nearby villages. Rumors spread quickly, growing wilder with every retelling. In the royal academy at the heart of the capital, students debated endlessly about the event.

"A mountain completely gone?" one exclaimed. "It has to be the work of an ancient artifact!"

Another shook their head. "No, it must be a rogue cultivator—someone reckless enough to waste their strength on destruction."

But no one entertained the thought of someone stronger than themselves. To the students of the academy, they were the elite—the pinnacle of cultivation.

The truth was far more complex. Few among them knew of the vast continents beyond the Eastern Lands, where power wasn't cultivated slowly but forged under the pressure of survival. The headmaster and the few higher-ups who understood the truth kept silent, knowing the illusion of supremacy was critical to maintaining order.

At the Crater

The destruction Rui caused had left an indelible mark on the landscape. The once-towering mountain was now a massive crater, its jagged edges glowing faintly with residual energy. The surrounding forest, flattened by the shockwave, lay in ruins. For miles, the land bore the scars of a single moment of power.

The site quickly became a spectacle. Cultivators from nearby sects arrived to investigate, their expressions a mixture of awe and disbelief. Local merchants and villagers, drawn by curiosity, gawked at the devastation, whispering theories and wild tales of what had happened.

Among them, the rumors began to spread—a rogue cultivator, a hidden artifact, or perhaps even the wrath of the heavens themselves. No one could fathom the truth: that a single individual, young and relatively unknown, had done this.

---

Tens of thousands of kilometers away, on the vast and perilous Central Continent, the tremor was imperceptible to all but the most attuned. In the Grand Celestial Pavilion, the council convened in secret. Elder Tian, the head of the council, addressed the assembly. "A disturbance has reached us from the Eastern Lands. Crude and faint, but unmistakable."

Elder Ren, seated to his right, frowned. "The Eastern Lands? A peaceful backwater. Their cultivators lack the refinement to reach such heights."

"Perhaps," Tian replied. "But we cannot dismiss the possibility of an anomaly. Even the weakest soil can produce an exceptional flower."

Another elder, clad in shimmering golden robes, leaned forward. "Do we need to act? The Eastern Lands are thousands of kilometers away, separated by ocean and time. Their strength is irrelevant to us."

"Perhaps now," Tian said, his tone measured. "But anomalies grow. If this source of power matures unchecked, it could disrupt the balance. We will observe. Send emissaries—those capable of blending into their world. They are to gather information, nothing more."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "You expect refinement in a land like theirs?"

Tian's gaze was sharp. "No. But raw power is its own threat. Whether it can be refined or must be extinguished, we will decide once we understand it."