Death... and me

There, he saw an old man smiling directly at him. The old man's smile didn't comfort Fikin, though.  Instead, Fikin's face had become even paler than it was before.

"Impossible! You can't be here!" Fikin exclaimed in fear.

That man was none other than the 'deceased' Hafel Clan ancestor, Duran Hafel!

Duran then laughed in response after hearing that. "Hahaha! Why? It was the two of us who found these ruins," the old man commented as he rubbed the old construction. "Naturally, I also know of it."

Fikin was already panicking, not believing his eyes. "But you're dead! DEAD! I killed you!

The old man shook his head as he replied, "No, but you definitely got close." Suddenly, the old man disappeared before appearing right in front of Fikin and grabbing his neck. His smile was now gone as he reminisced over some past memories.

In normal circumstances, Fikin wouldn't have fallen so easily under Duran's hand. After all, he was considered the strongest Transition Realm Zasfin of the Soul Rulers. Unfortunately for him, he didn't have Soul Power anymore. Not to mention the severe injuries all over his body and his depleted Spiritual Energy reserves. At this moment, maybe even Rean and Roan would succeed in killing him, let alone another Transition Realm cultivator.

"Do you remember? We both found that secret chamber. We couldn't believe our eyes when that happened. There were a huge amount of cultivation resources, cultivation techniques that were way above anything we had in the Soul Rulers organization. And, above all, the remnants of that senior from the Realm of Gods."

"But then, what did you do? You attacked me from the back! Me, who was your friend for several centuries, was betrayed, just like that! Do you know what the first thing I thought when we saw that? I thought that we were BOTH destined to do great things in the Soul Rulers organization. Yes! Both! How naive was I to believe that centuries of friendship had meant something to you."

As Duran kept talking, his mood became worse and worse.

"No. For you, it had never even been worth shit at all! It was as important as the fucking dirt on the ground!"

Fikin couldn't talk because of the hand on his neck, so he could only use Spiritual Sense to communicate. 'Both of us? Indeed, you were naive! I couldn't risk letting this information escape outside. You had always been the loyal type, and you would definitely tell your clan about this place. For what? Our higher-ups at that time would reward us with some crumbs before taking everything else for themselves!'

'How could I let that happen?' Fikin didn't show the least bit of regret. 'If I didn't kill you, how would I become the strongest member of the organization and eventually its leader? Today, even though I left the leading position for someone else, I'm still the one who holds the greatest authority in the organization. I've realized all my dreams! If achieving that meant I had to kill someone, then so be it.'

Fikin then snorted at Duran as he continued, 'However, are you sure you want to kill me? If I die, the Soul Rulers will crumble under the hand of the demon beasts. Are you really willing to let the Soul Rulers organization disappear, together with your beloved Hafel Clan?'

"Hahaha!" Suddenly, Duran began to laugh out loud again as he said, "Oh Fikin, Fikin...how could you be so blind? Look at me. Not only did I avoid death, am I not at the peak of the same cultivation realm as you? You've obtained all the resources and cultivation techniques for yourself, but I still reached this level. It's just that I took longer than you. After all, you did have all the resources here."

Indeed, that was something Fikin couldn't understand. It wasn't as if Duran had an outstanding talent or anything, nor did he have the Soul Rulers' help since everyone thought he was dead. With that, how did he reach that level? No, there was one thing that puzzled Fikin even more. 'How did you survive? I remember very well! When we entered the chamber, the defense formation left behind by the senior of the Realm of Gods activated. It opened a spatial rift that destroyed literally everything that fell inside. I saw your body turning into dust once I kicked you there!'

Duran shook his head after hearing that as he replied, "That's where you're wrong. Then again, I can't blame you for that. After all, what do guys at our meager level know about Spatial Laws, right? We can't control it at all, unlike the people of the Realm of Gods."

Duran then explained, "What you saw happening inside that spatial rift did look like destruction. However, that was only an effect of the space laws inside. Don't get me wrong, I really felt like my body was being ripped apart, but that was only a side effect of the spatial distortions inside the rift. I only came to understand that because I had been inside."

Duran couldn't help but shiver a little as he remembered that event as he continued, "Still, if I had stayed there for too long, I would have definitely been dead. I guess I have to thank the senior from the Realm of Gods, who left that formation behind. His formation made the spatial rift very, very stable, so I could still resist the distortion. If it was just a bit worse, even someone at our actual level would have been wiped out in a second."

"However, through luck, I didn't die. Instead, that formation broke down while I was inside. Well, you definitely know it since you were there. The formation's destruction caused another rift to open. I didn't know where I would end up, but I didn't have much choice, so I threw myself inside."

"Surprisingly, I was brought back into the real world. It's just that I had lost most of my cultivation and could barely move due to my injuries. Nevertheless, I was alive. From that point onwards, I had only one objective in mind, revenge! When the white-haired boy came to talk with my Hafel Clan about the demon beasts' plans, I couldn't help but think, it was destiny! I immediately accepted forming an alliance with the demon beasts at that moment. Now, lo and behold, here we are."

Fikin was alarmed when he heard that. The demon beasts and the Hafel Clan! They were at it together!