The Awakened Power

Kibito Kai stood frozen in place, his mouth slightly agape, unable to utter a single word.

He stared at Jiang Che—at that young yet resolute face, and the unwavering determination in his eyes. Honestly, he found himself at a complete loss for how to begin.

Was this guy truly confident to an unfathomable degree?

Or had he seen through everything all along?

Time trickled by, like fine sand slipping through fingers.

Three days, four days... in the blink of an eye, only the final day remained of the five-day period promised by Old Supreme Kai.

As dawn broke, the Supreme Kai World was bathed in a faint, violet morning light.

Jiang Che sat as usual on the cliff edge outside Kami's Lookout. The early morning breeze carried a hint of chill, ruffling the stray locks of hair on his forehead.

He sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, focusing his mind.

His breathing was slow and steady.

The aura around his body ebbed and flowed, weaving perfectly into the rosy clouds on the horizon.

Suddenly—

"BOOM!"

A violent surge of energy erupted from within the temple, shaking the entire structure as if a volcano had burst to life.

Countless fissures spiderwebbed across the stone floor, rubble tumbled, and dust swirled chaotically.

The loose stones at the cliff's edge cascaded down into the bottomless abyss.

Jiang Che snapped his eyes open, a sharp glint flashing in his pupils.

He turned his head toward the temple, his gaze piercing through the wide-open doors to see golden light gushing out from within, as if a sun were rising from the center of the hall.

Within that golden radiance, a suffocatingly powerful aura was slowly awakening, like a dragon that had slumbered for ten thousand years suddenly opening its eyes.

"The time has come."

Jiang Che stood up, his movements crisp and efficient.

He brushed the dust from his robes and strode toward the temple.

Every step he took on the cracked stone floor kicked up a fine mist of dust.

In the morning light, his silhouette stretched long, looking for all the world like a sharp blade about to be unsheathed.

The moment he entered the temple, he practically slammed into an invisible wall—a heavy pressure bore down from all directions, as if the entire space were being crushed by some unseen force.

He paused for a brief moment, lifting his eyes to survey the hall—Old Supreme Kai was sitting cross-legged in the center of the altar, his back straight as a rod, hands locked in a seal, his body wreathed in incandescent light.

The light roiled and jumped like boiling fire, occasionally spitting out electric arcs that tore jagged cracks into the air.

The ancient patterns on the floor glowed brightly, and the surrounding candle flames flickered violently, as if they were soldiers struggling to survive in a gale, on the verge of being extinguished.

This entire wave of energy was being emitted by Old Supreme Kai himself.

Beams of light leaked from his closed eyelids, his forehead was slick with sweat, and even his beard stood on end as if stimulated by an electric current.

Kibito Kai stood to the side, his hands pressed tightly against his chest, his eyes never leaving Old Supreme Kai, his knuckles white from the strain.

Seeing Jiang Che enter, he whipped his head around, his voice laced with irrepressible tension: "We are at the final moment! Old Supreme Kai is making the final consolidation!"

"Don't get too close; the residual energy is dangerous. Don't get yourself hurt!"

Jiang Che nodded without a word and stood his ground at the entrance.

He crossed his arms over his chest, watching the altar calmly, his ears catching every ripple in the temple's air.

Each time the white light pulsed, it emitted a low hum, like the breathing of an ancient beast.

The floor shuddered occasionally, and dust rained down from the dome.

Jiang Che adapted to the pressure, steadying his breathing, and tucked his own aura away completely, leaving not a trace.

About half an hour later, the mass of white light was suddenly gripped by an invisible hand, shrinking into a thin thread that poured back into Old Supreme Kai's body.

The hall plunged into darkness for an instant; the candle flames faltered, then flared back to life.

Old Supreme Kai shuddered, exhaling a long, heavy breath that carried golden particles drifting slowly into the air.

He opened his eyes slowly, lingering afterimages still flashing in his pupils. He stared at Jiang Che, his voice raspy yet steady: "Come here. Sit."

Jiang Che walked over, his footsteps crisp against the stone.

He sat down opposite Old Supreme Kai, crossing his legs until he was nearly face-to-face with the elder's hands.

He noticed that Old Supreme Kai's palms were glowing red, as if they had just been scorched by fire, with a faint light circulating beneath the skin.

"The potential development has reached this point. The rest is to transfer this power to you."

Old Supreme Kai extended his hands, palms up, fingers spread wide: "Relax. Do not resist."

"Remember, if you resist, the power will go out of control, and you will be the one to suffer."

Jiang Che took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and cleared his mind of all thoughts, sinking his consciousness deep into his body.

He felt like a feather, floating silently within the sea of his own consciousness.

He could feel Old Supreme Kai's hands drawing closer, a gentle warmth radiating from his palms.

"It's time," Old Supreme Kai barked.

A surge of warm energy poured from his palms into Jiang Che's body.

At first, it was like a trickling stream, but it instantly transformed into a torrential flood, rushing through his meridians and washing over his entire body.

Jiang Che's body suddenly tensed, his muscles trembling uncontrollably as golden patterns—resembling ancient runes—emerged across the surface of his skin.

Wherever this power reached, his cells were awakened, frantically absorbing the energy, tearing apart and rebuilding themselves in the process.

"Ugh..." Jiang Che's face twisted, his brows locked in a deep furrow, veins bulging on his forehead as he gritted his teeth until they creaked.

Stabbing pain surged from the depths of his bone marrow, like countless needles darting about; the frantic growth and strengthening of his cells brought a level of agony that pushed his limits.

His heart hammered against his ribs like a war drum, the sound of blood rushing through his veins almost audible.

A constant clicking sound emanated from his joints, like an old machine being forced into motion.

Yet, he did not resist; instead, he chose to relax completely, allowing that power to wash freely over every single cell.

He could feel his muscles becoming fuller and firmer, his bones growing thicker and more resilient, and even his breathing becoming deeper and more powerful than before.

The meridians within him widened like rivers, with energy surging and roaring through them.

Sweat slid down his cheeks, evaporating the moment it hit the floor, leaving only faint white rings behind.

Time ticked by, and the only sounds left in the hall were Old Supreme Kai's heavy panting and Jiang Che's muffled groans.

Kibito Kai stood there, eyes unblinking, his fingers subconsciously stroking the hilt of his sword.

The wind outside had long since died down, leaving the hall so quiet that only the heartbeats of those inside remained.

It was unclear how much time had passed when the stinging pain gradually faded, replaced by a sense of fulfillment he had never known before, as if his body had been filled with molten iron and cooled into an unbreakable whole.

Jiang Che clearly sensed that the power within him was now ten times stronger than before; it felt as though he could split the void with a mere wave of his hand.

He reined in the radiance within, and the golden patterns on his skin slowly vanished, returning him to normal.

"It is done."

Old Supreme Kai withdrew his hands and swayed, as if every ounce of his strength had been drained away.

He wiped his forehead, his fingertips coming away stained with a faint trace of blood.

It was a sign of overexertion.

He looked up at Jiang Che and said slowly, "Your potential has been excavated to its limit; how far you go from here depends on you."

"Do not forget, the greater the power, the heavier the responsibility."

Jiang Che opened his eyes, his gaze as sharp as a blade.

He slowly clenched his fist, his knuckles popping with a crisp sound, the vast power within him surging like an undertow.

He took a long breath and exhaled a single word: "Thank you."

The voice was not loud, yet it carried such immense pressure that even the candlelight flickered in response.

"Don't thank me yet; the matter is not over."

Old Supreme Kai's expression turned grave as he stared intensely at Jiang Che. "Did you not say you wanted to destroy Baby? Now is the time."