Five minutes was very little time, and although it took a while to narrate the events of the fierce battle, the allotted time had already slipped away.

The mysterious will of the secret realm descended upon the crowd once again, its voice resounding through the air with a thunderous echo that seemed to shake the very platform beneath their feet.

This time, unlike before, there was a strange pause in its tone, as though even this unfathomable entity was taken aback by the sheer carnage and devastation that lay before it.

In Kranos's previous life, when the trial had reached this point, thousands still stood alive despite the chaos. But now, the platform felt unnervingly empty, the silence broken only by the faint hum of the formation beneath their feet and the distant rustle of wind.

On one side stood the nine individuals who had successfully obtained the relics. On the other side were the ten God Realm experts from the Scarlet Moon Organization, their expressions unreadable.

Only Luka's and Kevin's groups still had other surviving cultivators. The rest had fallen.

The mysterious will lingered in silence for a moment before speaking again, its voice threading directly into the minds of all present.

"Congratulations to the nineteen who passed the trial, obtained the relics, and were able to advance to the true inheritance ground."

The words carried a strange power, like the whisper of an ancient incantation. Kranos felt it sweep through his body, and an ethereal sensation of weightlessness wrapped around him.

The next instant, the world shifted. All nineteen were swallowed by light and reappeared in a different place entirely.

Kranos opened his eyes, still dazed, his heart trembling at the experience.

Was this the power of a divine cultivator? The teleportation had happened so suddenly he had no time to react.

He turned his head, seeing the other eighteen figures regaining their bearings as well. The air here felt different, richer, more vibrant.

They stood within what seemed to be a miniature space resembling a lush rainforest. Ancient trees towered overhead, their leaves glistening as though each drop of moisture contained pure mana. The trunks radiated a profound aura, and the ground was carpeted with soft moss that gave off a faint fragrance of life.

The air was thick with mana—so thick it was almost tangible. Breathing it in was like swallowing threads of liquid light, and it felt nearly as potent as the mana surrounding the World Tree of the Elven World.

Kranos stood frozen for a few moments, taking in the verdant scenery until a movement beside him snapped him back to reality.

The ten from the Scarlet Moon Organization were examining everything with sharp, searching eyes. Their mana circulated quietly, their bodies tense, as though ready for whatever would come next. This was the place where the true battle for fortune would unfold.

All eyes were eventually drawn toward the center of the clearing. There, resting on a low pedestal of stone, was a large, ornate box covered in glowing inscriptions and ancient, cryptic runes. The intricate carvings pulsed faintly, as though alive, and a faint hum filled the air around it.

It was impossible to mistake—it was the life treasure of the divine cultivator whose inheritance they had come for.

Even Kathryn's eyes gleamed with a momentary flash of greed. She thought of her starship, battered and in need of repairs. With the right resources from that box, she could bypass the first three calamities swiftly approaching her future.

Kranos's gaze burned with intensity as well. He wanted to feel what it was like to hold the treasure of a divine expert in his own hands. But this time, unlike before, he restrained his impulses. He would move carefully, quietly weaving his schemes from the shadows and striking only when the time was perfect, taking the greatest share for himself.

"The treasure is right there. Take it."

The same thunderous voice boomed across the space, then faded into silence.

Everyone's eyes sharpened, measuring the others around them.

The two God Realm experts exchanged a silent communication through their divine senses before one stepped forward.

"We are unwilling to harm anyone. It would be best for you to leave the treasure here and go on your way. You have already come this far; there is no need to throw away your lives."

They spoke firmly, and their eyes shifted to an unremarkable young man in the crowd.

Noticing the faint flicker of fear on his face, they sought to push him into retreat, reducing the number of contenders.

But no one here was willing to simply abandon such a prize.

The air was thick with tension.

Then, without warning, a strangled cry ripped through the clearing.

Every head turned sharply toward the sound.

The unremarkable young man now stood holding a still-beating heart in his palm. Slowly, deliberately, he raised it to his lips.

Crunch.

His eyes lit with a strange ecstasy as the rich blood spilled over his tongue.

"The taste of a genius… It has been far too long since I savored such richness."

His voice was hoarse but disturbingly calm, and a faint smile curved his lips. The fear from earlier had vanished entirely, replaced by a cold, commanding presence.

The cultivator whose heart had been stolen collapsed instantly, his breath faltering before his gaze turned lifeless.

Gasps erupted.

The victim was one of the God Realm cultivators who had just been speaking.

No one had seen the young man move. Even the God Realm expert standing right beside the victim had noticed nothing.

A creeping dread slithered through the gathering.

"What… what is going on?" The remaining God Realm cultivator's voice shook, his expression pale with disbelief.

The young man turned his gaze toward him, sneering faintly.

"Did you truly think you could take my treasures?"

Shock rippled through the group.

My treasures?

The pieces began to fall into place. His unmatched control over the rare gravity element. His earlier indifference to fighting for the relic.

If he was the true master of the inheritance ground… then everything aligned.

The young man's eyes curved in faint amusement.

"In my previous life, I walked the heavenly path. I poured my entire being into cultivation, yet I could not transcend the limits of the divine realm to reach the realm beyond."

"In this life, I will walk the heavenly path again. But this time, I will do so as a demon. I will ascend beyond the divine realm and seize what was once denied to me."

As his voice rose into a roar, the skies darkened instantly. Clouds churned overhead, lightning flashing wildly.

A torrent of rain poured down, drenching everyone to the bone. The chill crept into their skin, and a crushing pressure settled over their chests.

Only a divine cultivator could speak such words without fear. Only one of such stature could dare challenge the heavens themselves.

Even Kranos felt his heart quake. His breathing turned uneven.

Something was wrong. These were not the same words the divine cultivator had spoken in his previous life.

Had his plans gone astray? Had he overlooked something critical in his strategy?

He forced his face into a mask of calm, burying the turmoil deep inside.

A faint, amused chuckle cut through the tension, followed by Kathryn's voice.

There was no longer any need for her to hide her identity. Everyone was here. Her fear was gone.

The next step was simple—kill the others, send Luka away, and make Kranos her piece on the board.

Even though the divine cultivator's speech differed from her expectations, she was utterly confident in her strength.

"You speak of walking the heavenly path as a demon," Kathryn said, stepping forward with a slow, graceful gait. Her curves were accentuated with every movement, and a mysterious, ethereal aura spread from her. "If an angel could not succeed, what makes you believe being a demon will let you ascend that realm?"

Her eyes glowed a brilliant emerald, and the air around her thickened with an intoxicating pressure that made hearts beat faster.

The divine cultivator's gaze lingered on her for a moment, his expression unreadable.

What could this little girl possibly know about the heavenly path? About the true weight of cultivation?

"Little girl… how dare you?" His tone turned cold.

He swept his eyes across the group. "All of you were gifted by the heavens, blessed with talent and fortune. I was given NOTHING."

"The heavens stripped me bare, granting neither talent nor luck. I clawed for every shred of power with my own hands."

Lightning ripped through the clouds as he roared, his voice carrying the weight of centuries of bitterness.

"What do you know? How dare you question my choice to become a demon? Give me ten more lives, and I will choose the same every single time."

"No one can stop me. If becoming a demon is the only path to the pinnacle of cultivation, then I will embrace it without hesitation."

"How dare the heavens cut off my path…HOW DARE THEY?"

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