The Hidden Monster of House Vale

Natey and Lucien walked toward the cave entrance. Outside, the moon hung low and swollen, casting silver light through a veil of rain. It was the hour when Realm Masters typically retreated to their bases—when the forest grew quiet and the monsters grew bold.

Lucien raised his hand and tore open a Void Tear.

They stepped through and emerged on the battlefield.

Bodies lay scattered across the muddy ground—over fifty of them, their blood mixing with rainwater, their armor dented and broken. The war between the two great families had paused for the night, but the evidence of its fury remained fresh.

Not too long since they died, Lucien thought. Their souls are still here.

He activated Soul Void.

At Level 3, he did not need to touch them. He simply stood at the center of the carnage and pulled. Shadows writhed around him. Invisible tendrils stretched across the battlefield, latching onto the fallen, drawing their essences into his core.

Natey watched, dumbfounded.

She knew this was not normal cultivation. Normal cultivators did not harvest souls. Normal cultivators did not stand among the dead like a farmer reaping wheat.

Master uses demonic techniques, she realized. Soul-related magic. Forbidden arts.

She should have been horrified.

Instead, she smiled.

This world is becoming interesting. Serving him will be fun.

The extraction took hours. Natey stood guard, her eyes scanning the darkness, ready to warn him if anyone approached.

A few Realm Masters wandered too close.

Lucien did not even look at them. He simply extended his will—and Soul Piercing Veins shot from the ground, impaling them before they could scream. Men. Women. Old. Young. It did not matter. He could not afford witnesses.

Not now. Not when Sarric Mordric was hunting him with three Spirit Forge retainers and an uncle in the Peak Spirit Forge Realm.

After the humiliation at the Astral Academy Arena, they see me as a threat, Lucien thought. They want to erase their shame by erasing me.

He opened his system interface.

Soul Points: 93,600

Enough.

He began to upgrade.

Lucien poured Soul Points into his skills.

World Cleaver – upgraded.

Abyssal Soulburn – upgraded.

Primordial Soul Seeds – consumed, strengthening his soul.

Astral Marrow Pills – consumed, strengthening his body.

But he could feel it—a limit approaching. No matter how many seeds or pills he consumed, his body would eventually reach its ceiling. To go further, he would need something more. Something ancient. A body capable of containing greater power.

That is a problem for another day.

He turned his attention to new skills.

[Thousand Petal Burial]

One swing. Crimson petals explode outward like a storm. Each petal is an invisible microscopic blade that shreds flesh and soul simultaneously. Victims often do not realize they have been cut until blood blooms across their bodies.

[Horizon Splitter]

A colossal sword slash capable of cleaving mountains, armies, or ships in half.

He upgraded his World Root Spear into something new.

[World Root Executioner Halberd]

All spear skills transferred and enhanced.

[Emperor's Execution]

Point the halberd at a target like a judge passing sentence. Golden chains appear around the enemy, locking onto a single target. Damage amplifies based on the enemy's fear or hesitation.

[Black Sun Annihilation]

A dark sphere forms at the halberd's tip, swallowing nearby light and energy. It explodes into destructive gravity waves that crush enemies and distort space.

He combined every skill into the halberd. The weapon hummed with contained power.

Now, he thought. Breakthrough.

This would be the last time he could advance using Primordial Soul Seeds and Astral Marrow Pills. The method he was attempting was called Soul Evolution—the soul must evolve before the body can rise. It was why so many Realm Masters failed to reach the Fourth Realm, the Abyss Core Realm. They could not find bodies powerful enough to contain their cultivations.

And beyond the Fourth Realm lay the Trial of Heavenly Tribulation.

One step at a time.

Lucien closed his eyes and pushed.

[Peak Spirit Forge Realm]

The breakthrough was agony.

His soul cracked—then reformed, denser, sharper, more alive. His body followed, muscles tightening, bones densifying, organs hardening. He felt himself rising, climbing, transcending.

Then the surge came.

Energy erupted from him like a pillar of light, stabbing into the sky. The pressure was immense—felt by every Realm Master in the Ancient Breach, no matter how far away. Heads turned. Eyes widened. Whispers spread.

Someone has reached the Peak Spirit Forge Realm.

In Delian's base, she was discussing future plans with Hellyn and Torwin when the pressure washed over her. She stopped mid-sentence and smiled.

He did it.

Hellyn felt it too. Her eyes flickered, searching for the source. "Who…?"

Delian did not answer.

In another part of the forest, Sarric Mordric froze. Celbeth, Rendon, and Heldon stood beside him, their faces turning toward the distant light.

Celbeth's lips curled into a sinister smile.

Finally, she thought. A worthy opponent.

Lucien opened his eyes.

His irises glowed light gold—bright as a winter sun, calm as still water. His long golden hair, long enough to reach his neck, moved gently in an unfelt breeze. His black noble coat with its dark red border made him look elegant, almost gentle. His face was kind. His smile was calm.

Natey knelt before him.

She had guarded this cave for two days, watching over his ascension, killing anything that came too close. Now she looked up at him—at his glowing eyes, at his impossible presence—and felt her heart pound.

Lucien reached down and grabbed her chin, tilting her face upward.

"Did anyone come to disturb me?"

Natey met his gaze. She could not lie to those eyes.

"No, Master." She smiled. "There were a few bunnies, but I took care of them."

She's referring to humans as bunnies, Lucien thought. Interesting.

"And how many days have passed?"

"Two days since your ascension."

Lucien released her chin and stood.

"It's time."

His smile was no longer calm. It was sinister.

Delian walked out of her cave base, Hellyn at her side, Torwin and the other retainers following. The rain had stopped, but the ground was still wet, reflecting the moonlight like shattered glass.

They did not make it far.

Realm Masters emerged from the shadows—dozens of them, surrounding Delian and her retainers on all sides. Armor gleamed. Weapons glittered. Astral energy crackled in the damp air.

Hellyn drew her Astral Energy Bow, white light coalescing into a razor-sharp arrow.

Delian raised her mace—her signature weapon from Valtheria, the one that had earned her the title Iron Countess.

"We don't need to fight, Lady Delian," Sarric Mordric stepped forward, smiling. "Just tell us the whereabouts of Lucien Vale, and we will let you go."

Delian's expression did not change. "Even if I knew, I'm not in the mood to tell."

"Oh, come on, Lady Delian." A familiar voice, twisted and bitter. "Just tell him. We might let you go."

Keldan stepped out from behind Sarric.

His face was half-disfigured—the curse Delian had placed on him still visible, still ugly. His cultivation was gone. His power was gone. All that remained was hatred.

"Keldan." Hellyn's voice was ice. "You bastard. You joined hands with Sarric?"

"Yes." Keldan's remaining eye burned. "Because you betrayed me. Because she betrayed me." He pointed at Delian. "I loved her. I still love her. But don't worry—I'll ask Sarric's uncle to seal her cultivation. Then I can have fun with her."

"Watch your mouth!" Hellyn raised her bow.

A spear pierced her back.

She gasped. Blood dripped from her lips. She looked down at the blade protruding from her chest—then turned to see Torwin's smiling face.

"Take that, bitch," Torwin said. "How dare you insult Keldan? He's like a brother to me."

He twisted the spear.

"You betrayed him. You supported Lucien. You always talked down to me." His voice grew louder. "I'll put you in your place. I've always wanted to have fun with you."

Other retainers stepped forward, turning their weapons on Delian. The betrayal spread like fire.

Delian caught Hellyn before she fell, supporting her with one arm while keeping her mace raised with the other.

"Don't try to fight, Lady Delian." Sarric spread his arms. "There are no rules here. No laws. My uncle is in the Peak Spirit Forge Realm. No one can touch me. Not even your precious Lucien Vale."

It was true. A Peak Stage cultivator was in a league of his own. Sarric's three retainers were all in the Late Spirit Forge Realm—matching Delian's level. The rest were in the Vein Opening Realm. The odds were impossible.

Celbeth stepped forward.

She was a secret guardian of the Mordric family. And she was bored.

"I've never seen him," she said, almost to herself. "But I want to fight him. See if he lives up to the name."

Torwin laughed. "Why don't we wait here and take turns with Lady Delian and Hellyn? I'll start with Hellyn. This bitch is too arrogant."

Celbeth's eyes slid toward him.

"You're pathetic," she said. "Forcing yourself on women because you can't get laid properly. You and Keldan are the biggest losers I've ever seen."

Torwin's face reddened. "What did you say, bitch? Aren't you on our side?"

"I'm on your side." Celbeth's voice was flat. "But pathetic is pathetic. I don't care about either of them. Do what you want. I just want to fight Lucien Vale."

"Then don't bother us, bitch."

Celbeth vanished.

She reappeared behind Torwin, a dagger pressed against his throat.

"Say bitch one more time," she whispered, "and I'll cut off your head." The blade pressed deeper. "Or maybe your dick."

Torwin trembled. "I'm sorry."

Celbeth released him and turned away, waiting.

Torwin lunged for Hellyn.

Delian snapped.

Astral energy exploded from her—a shockwave that sent Torwin staggering. She raised her mace and charged, blocking strikes from three directions at once, her weapon a blur of steel and light. She reached Hellyn, shoved a healing tonic into her hands, and raised a shield of astral energy to cover them both.

Hellyn notched an arrow and fired. Then another. Then another.

Delian threw Spirit Bombs—distractions, nothing more—buying them seconds.

But the plan was not to win.

The plan was to survive.

A finger touched her shoulder.

Delian spun—too late. A middle-aged man in a dark hood stood before her, a giant sword strapped to his back. He had not drawn it. He had not needed to.

One finger.

That was all it took.

The impact sent Delian crashing to the ground. Hellyn caught her, but barely. They both fell.

Marson Mordric removed his hood. His beard was white, his eyes cold, his face carved from the same stone as his nephew's—but harder. Older. More dangerous.

"It is not wise to go against me," he said.

Delian pushed herself up, blood dripping from her lip. She stood with pride.

"If it isn't Marson Mordric." She smiled through the blood. "The man who wanted to marry me. You were so pathetic that I chose a mortal over you."

Marson's expression did not change.

Realm Masters were ruled by emotion. Lose control, lose the fight.

"Say what you want, Delian. It was all in the past. I am here to protect my nephew." He looked down at her. "And look at you now. You chose a mortal. And now mortals queue up to humiliate you." His voice dropped. "You deserve this. I will enjoy every moment."

Delian's smile did not waver.

"Maybe. Or maybe not." She met his eyes. "No matter what happens today, there is one person who will never let you go. One person who will make your death as painful as possible."

Marson's eyes narrowed. "Lucien?"

He almost laughed.

"Isn't he just in the Peak Body Tempering Realm? At most, the Peak Vein Opening Realm." He shook his head. "No one can defeat me in Valtheria. There are few in the Peak Spirit Forge Realm. But Lucien? He is common fodder compared to me."

Lightning struck the sky.

Not from clouds—from nothing. A rift tore open in the air, crackling with power, and a figure stepped through.

Golden hair. Black coat. Dark red border.

Glowing eyes.

"How kind of you all to gather in one place," Lucien said, smiling.

"Saves me time."

Author Note:

If you'd like to support the novel and read ahead, my Patreon is linked below. Thank you for reading!

/cw/thenoctvale