Chapter 714

“I think you were a bit too harsh on Naomi, Cale,” Lydia said as she sat beside him.

He removed his glasses slowly. The faint smile that followed was meant only for her, his hand reaching out, drawing her closer. “She should understand the kind of man she’s dealing with.”

“Even so.” Lydia let out a soft breath and leaned comfortably against his shoulder. “Tomorrow, we should try a gentler

approach.”

Cale smiled faintly and pressed a light kiss to the top of her head. “You handle it. I think she listens to you more.”

Lydia laughed. “I feel like a mediator between two siblings arguing.”

“Call it whatever you want.”

In the next second, Cale pulled her into his arms. Lydia let out a startled sound, then laughed, letting him do as he pleased. The warmth of the moment softened everything until, eventually, they drifted off to sleep. The exhaustion weighing on Cale pulled him under quickly, his consciousness slipping without resistance. And as it did, something long buried began to surface.

He was standing in a wide, open courtyard.

The air was warm, carrying the scent of freshly cut grass and the soft whisper of wind brushing through it. The place felt unfamiliar, yet strangely intimate. As if he had once spent a long time here, only to forget it somewhere along the way.

Sunlight fell gently around him, bathing everything in a quiet, peaceful glow. Cale narrowed his eyes against the brightness. Then, not far ahead, a little girl appeared.

She couldn’t have been more than five or six years old. Her hair was black, smooth, neatly tied back. Her cheeks were round, puffing slightly as she smiled. But what stood out the most were her eyes. Clear. Pure. And yet not entirely empty. There was something in them, something that made Cale feel as though he was being watched, studied more deeply than a simple glance.

He frowned slightly. “Who are you?” he asked.

The little girl didn’t answer. She simply walked toward him, her steps light, almost soundless. When her hand touched his fingers, the warmth felt undeniably real.

“You’re late, Kai,” she said softly.

Cale looked at her, confused. “Late for what?”

she didn’t explain. Instead, she lifted her face, meeting his gaze directly. “You’ll protect me, won’t you?”

The question came without context, yet something in him responded without hesitation.

‘Of course.”

The answer felt natural, as if it had always been his duty.

And then the world around him shifted.

The light dimmed. The warmth in the air thickened, turning heavy. The gentle whisper of wind twisted into something sharper, almost like a scream.

Cale jolted.

His body felt different now. Heavier. Pressed down by something unseen. His breathing turned ragged, uneven. And when he looked at his hands, there was blood.

Not just smeared across his skin.

It was dripping.

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Chapter 74

+25 Bonus

And then the little girl vanished, leaving Cale standing alone in the middle of chaos he couldn’t understand.

When he looked around, the horror became unmistakable.

Bodies were collapsing all around him. The clash of metal, the sharp ring of weapons striking, the sound of hurried footsteps filled the air. The smell of blood was overwhelming, thick enough to sting his senses and tighten his chest. Behind him,

someone stood.

“Don’t come closer, Kai. Step back. Save yourself.”

The voice was firm. Familiar. So familiar it made him tremble, disbelief rising in his chest at hearing it again. He turned

immediately.

“Master Chen.” He stepped forward without hesitation.

XuanMing Chen stood there, a katana in his hand, drenched in blood. Not just the blade, but his shoulder and temple as well. The sight nearly tore a cry from Cale’s throat. The man he respected above all others, standing in such a state.

But there was no time to think.

Another attack came.

Instinct took over. Cale grabbed the katana from Chen’s hand. His body moved before his mind could catch up, blocking, striking back, cutting down anyone who came too close. Every motion was rough, fueled by force, but beneath it all was exhaustion, creeping in with every swing.

He wasn’t fighting to win.

He was fighting to protect the figure behind him.

And just as the blade cut through something real, everything vanished.

Too fast. Too sudden.

Now Cale stood in the middle of a shattered hall.

Cracked walls. Pillars scarred with impact. The floor soaked in blood that hadn’t yet dried, pooling into dark shapes beneath the dim light. Bodies lay scattered in silence, forming a scene that felt almost unreal.

But the metallic scent of blood lingered.

Real.

At the far end of the hall, an old man leaned against a pillar. His body was weak, his breath barely holding on.

XuanMing Chen.

Cale moved toward him without hesitation. Each step felt heavy, as if the floor itself resisted him, but he refused to slow down.

“Master…” His voice was low, almost lost.

The old man lifted his head slowly. His eyes were still sharp, even as his strength faded. “You finally came,” he said softly.