A frigid chill hung around Kaelen. Someone less experienced might have even thought he was an Ice Mancer rather than a Dark Mancer.

"Who is this? Why is he in the Core Sect?" Kaelen asked coldly.

Lyra frowned. "This is our new junior brother. He was brought here by a Peak Elder and has already been officially instated."

Kaelen frowned in return when he heard this.

"A Silver Mancer? Is that a joke?"

"What are you trying to say, Kaelen? That I'm sitting here and lying to you? For what purpose?"

Kaelen paused, not really having a response to this. It really didn't make much sense.

His eyes glanced down toward the way Lyra's arm looped through Theron's, but honestly, seeing the youth on Theron's face, he couldn't take it seriously. So jealousy wasn't the emotion he felt right now, it was just… absurdity.

Had their Sect really fallen so far that they were allowing Silver Mancers in? That didn't make any sense. Even if they were declining, it hadn't even been a month. Plus, there was still a chance to turn things around.

So long as they could perform well enough at the gathering, the resources they gained could tide things over. It wouldn't fix everything, and it certainly wouldn't allow them to ascend to a new level like they had hoped, but it would at least level everything out.

What Kaelen was most worried about was having the resources he needed to break into the Cloud Realm. Whatever happened after that, he didn't really give a damn. So this coming time was extremely important to him.

However…

The last time the Sect brought such a weak cultivator into the Core Sect, it was a little girl known as Sadie. And she had eaten up a great number of resources, just to go off and die.

Usually, the resources of a Silver Mancer and a Gold Mancer wouldn't step on one another's toes. But Sadie had found a way.

Seeing Theron now, although he was too old to be a genius like Sadie logically, there was definitely something wrong here.

The Sect wouldn't be so desperate—not yet, not when there were any number of Gold Mancers still scratching and clawing for a chance at becoming a Core Disciple in the Sect right this moment.

This meant that there was something special about Theron, which also meant that there were good odds that Theron might become another Sadie.

With the gathering looming overhead, and such a precedent having already been set, Kaelen had already decided that he didn't like Theron at all. The fact Lyra was so close to him was only a cherry on top.

"How did you make it into the Sect? Who recommended you?" Kaelen asked coldly, ignoring Lyra and looking right at Theron.

"Luck," Theron replied perfunctorily.

Kaelen's eyes became a deeper hue of frigid, a darkness hanging around him.

"Do—."

"Who are you trying to scare with that glaring? Don't you have anything better to do?" Theron asked.

Lyra's lip twitched and she began to subtly pull on Theron's arm, trying to get him to calm down.

Kaelen had always been mostly a recluse, but he also had a side of madness to him that could appear at any time.

To her surprise, though, Kaelen ignored the provocation in Theron's words.

"Not long ago, there was a commotion at the bottom of the mountain. Were you related to that?"

"Would it be related to you if it was?"

Kaelen took a step forward. "No matter how talented you are, the Sect only has room to make one more bet. The gathering after this one is too far away, and pouring resources into a worthless Silver Mancer—no matter how talented—will be just as worthless. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Theron grinned, a flicker of darkness pervading his own eyes. He pulled his arm away from Lyra, who was halfway between exasperated and pleading.

"No, I don't understand what you're saying." Theron took a step to meet Kaelen, the two practically nose to nose. "Why don't you spell it out for me?"

Kaelen's pupils constricted. He hadn't deliberately used his aura to suppress Theron yet, but he was still a high-tier Gold Mancer. Even meeting his eyes should have been difficult for a mere Silver Mancer, Quasi Gold or not.

The gap was too large.

However, this only confirmed things all the more for Kaelen. Theron was, indeed, a talent. And the more talented he was, the more resources he would take away.

"You said a Peak Elder brought him here?" Kaelen asked, staring down at Theron though his words were aimed at Lyra.

Lyra hesitated to answer, but Kaelen didn't need her to.

"That probably means you haven't formally taken a master yet. The Matriarch is too distraught over a recent loss to take on a new disciple so suddenly, and the other elders probably still haven't decided which of them will take you under their charge.

"Meaning… if I cripple you now, there'll be punishment, but there'll be no one angry enough to take my head. Now isn't that the case?"

Theron's grin only grew wider.

"That's a fascinating series of deductions you've got there. It's no wonder senior sister's nose wrinkled the moment she saw you. At first I thought it was because you stink to high heaven. But who would have thought that in addition to having such poor hygiene, you'd be such a small man too."

Kaelen's expression didn't change from the very same ice-cold expression.

Suddenly, and without warning, he struck out a palm.

"Kaelen!" Lyra screamed.

However, the result was out of both their expectations.

Theron struck out with a palm of his own.

BANG.

The two retreated, Theron leaping up and landing atop his Immortal Cave while Kaelen left deep foot imprints in the wide path.

Kaelen looked down at his palm while Theron loosened up his wrist in cool calculation.

Theron stood from his crouch.

"Senior sister, do you have a spear I can borrow? I lost my spatial ring on the way here, unfortunately. I have to teach an arrogant guy a lesson."

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