Chapter 909: A thousand pieces?
Amidst a misty, pale-blue lake, a colossal Gate hovered silently—its surface etched with bizarre, ancient runes that shimmered faintly in the fog. The surrounding air was thick and damp, carrying a silence so deep it felt sacred. The Gate, looming like a relic from another era, marked the entrance to the fabled Layer of the Three Ancients.
From behind a moss-covered rock on the lakeshore, Kyle squinted toward the large, floating structure. He sat beside Cassian and the others, the pale-blue mist curling around their forms like ghostly tendrils.
"Just like the last time I came here a year ago... I can’t feel any of the energies within my body, let alone natural energy. It’s like I’ve turned into an ordinary mortal again."
Kyle muttered, his voice low.
Cassian grabbed his shoulder and then quickly pushed him aside, speechless.
They all already knew that this stretch of land—where the lake shimmered and the Gate floated—had been severed from the rest of the Celestial Realm. To enter, one had to cross the deep, collapsed terrain around it, with no solid ground in sight.
Maybe this misty lake and floating Gate didn’t even belong to the Celestial Realm.
After all, it had suddenly emerged when a part of the earth split open, infused with a weird force that nullified the use of energy for all those below the 7th-stage Celestial.
Kyle hissed and Cassian glared at him.
"I told you to scout how many Rulers are lurking near the floating golden gate—not whisper loud enough to draw them in."
His words cut off the angry retort forming on Kyle’s tongue, and Kyle let out a scoff.
"My eyesight’s better than yours! You think just because I can’t use energy here, I have lost the power of my Celestial physique?"
Cassian’s eyebrow twitched. Of course he knew. Even if they all couldn’t harness any type of energy here—not even the natural kind—their physiques, heightened senses, and soul power remained unaffected.
Yet, he said nothing.
Something was definitely off with Kyle.
Why was this cold bastard suddenly so talkative? And why was he behaving so differently from before? Thanks to him, even Cassian found himself acting very childishly and talking more than usual.
How freaking annoying.
Behind the bickering duo, Owin, Jolie, and Tai watched the show in silence, munching on melon seeds. They were useless in this situation anyway. Not to mention, both Kyle and Cassian were treating them like air. So let the big shots handle things—they’d just sit back and enjoy than get dragged into it.
Cassian’s gaze drifted toward the distant, floating figures as he counted. Fortunately, due to the unspoken rule against spreading one’s senses, no one was probing the area.
As a result, the weaker Celestials who had managed to enter this place and were now hiding, quietly waiting for a chance to enter the floating Gate, remained undetected.
"Nine Rulers. If nine are stationed outside, just how many have entered the Gate? And why are these ones lingering out here?"
Kyle offered his theory without hesitation.
"Maybe those Rulers who first found this place drew lots—deciding that half would go in first while the rest stood guard. Then they’d switch, with the first group coming back to keep watch while the rest went in."
Cassian almost applauded, if not for the fact that they shouldn’t make noise—vein throbbing at his temple. Instead, Cassian gritted out through clenched teeth.
"Fabulous. What a brilliant insight!"
Kyle rubbed his nose.
"Thanks."
And Cassian facepalmed.
"Will you please just shut up?"
But the moment the words left his mouth, he noticed—Kyle was no longer there. The spot where the man had been sitting was completely empty, filled with swirling mist.
"Where did he go now?"
Almost immediately, Owin, Jolie, and Tai pointed toward the lake, their expressions horrified. Cassian followed their gaze—only to see Kyle standing in the water, pinching his nose with his fingers, even though, as a Celestial, he could breathe underwater for many eternities, before diving straight in.
Cassian’s face went blank.
"I regret..."
Owin couldn’t help but ask.
"What?"
Only to flinch when Cassian shot them a sharp glare, his deep crimson eyes dark.
"I regret bringing that jerk along!"
He covered the lower half of his face.
"Does he really think that just because the Rulers aren’t expanding their senses, they won’t see his eye-catching frame sneaking through the water toward the Gate?"
"They’re not blind!"
That was what Cassian exclaimed as he watched Kyle swimming through the water. He let out a low chuckle, grabbed a handful of melon seeds from Tai, and crossed his legs—an ominous smile tugging at his lips.
"I suppose we are about to witness a live demonstration of how a body gets hacked into many little pieces. After all, we may not be able to use our energies here, but those Rulers at their peak sure can. So, tell me..."
He turned to the trio beside him.
"How many pieces do you think Kyle’s body will be chopped into? Whoever guesses right gets a thousand natural crystals."
Owin, Jolie, and Tai exchanged glances, shocked that Cassian had no intention of dragging Kyle back. Instead... he seemed content to watch him die. But rather than trying to talk sense into him or ask him to bring Kyle back, Jolie spoke up softly.
"A thousand pieces?"
Seeing her make a guess, the others didn’t hesitate either and began tossing out their own numbers. After all, a thousand natural crystals were no small prize. Anyway, Kyle had beaten them up before; a little revenge felt justified. Besides, they were confident their leader would save Kyle’s soul if that man did end up getting hacked to pieces.
Cassian had a powerful artifact—
one they found a year ago. With that, he could easily save Kyle if he wanted.
However, what they witnessed next made them question their own eyes. In the end, Cassian blankly changed his own words.
"The Rulers are blind."
The others: "...."
Now what about their natural crystals?