Hailey Clarkson froze, her eyes widening in disbelief at the bizarre scene unfolding before her.
It wasn’t just Hailey. Everyone present stared in shock as they witnessed the unthinkable-Tiger Clarkson, a grown man, rising into the air, defying gravity itself.
“What about Newton’s law of universal gravitation?” someone murmured inwardly. “How can a person just float in the air?”
Tiger Clarkson had always been capable of impressive feats, like leaping to heights most could only dream of. But to hover in midair? That was something else entirely. It looked as though an invisible force was pulling his body upward.
The sight was beyond strange, almost otherworldly.
“Dad! Dad!” Hailey shouted anxiously, her voice trembling as she looked up at her father. Her face turned pale as she turned to Kayden, snarling, “What did you do to my father? What was in that thing you gave him?”
Her voice cracked with fear as if she was terrified that her father might vanish into thin air.
Kayden calmly pointed at Tiger Clarkson, saying, “Watch closely. Your father’s strength will increase soon.”
Hailey’s expression was a mix of doubt and fury. She glared at Kayden and snarled, “If anything happens to my dad, I’ll kill every single one of you here. I’ll hunt down your entire family and bury them with my father!”
In her panic, she seemed to have forgotten the sharp sting still lingering from the slap she’d received earlier.
Kayden ignored her threats, his focus entirely on Tiger Clarkson, who was now suspended in the air.
Suddenly, Tiger’s body began to twist grotesquely, his limbs jerking unnaturally. He stretched out his arms, his face tilted skyward, and for a moment, he looked as though he might burst forth into the heavens.
A bloodcurdling scream tore through the silence. A blinding light erupted from Tiger’s body, illuminating the area in a radiant glow.
“Master is glowing!” someone in the crowd exclaimed.
Indeed, Tiger Clarkson’s body was emitting an intense white light, bright and glaring like a floodlight.
Then, with a sudden, violent cough, Tiger spat out a mouthful of blood, his body descending slowly back to the ground.
When he landed, his legs buckled, and he fell to one knee.
“Dad!” Hailey cried out, rushing to his side. Her voice was filled with anguish as she saw the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. “Are you okay?”
Tiger didn’t answer. His chest heaved as he took deep, labored breaths. He raised a hand, signaling Hailey to stop talking.
“You monster!” Hailey turned to Kayden, her voice shrill with rage. “What the hell did you do to my father? Do you want to die?”
Before Kayden could respond, Tiger Clarkson spoke, his voice hoarse but steady. “Hailey, I’m fine. I’m fine.”
With that, he pushed himself to his feet, standing tall once more. Clenching his fists, he channeled every ounce of his strength.
A sudden burst of energy radiated outward, and with a loud bang, the force collided with a wheelchair nearby, reducing it to shards and splinters.
Tiger stared at his hands in disbelief, his face shifting from confusion to exhilaration.
“Ha… ha ha ha! HAHAHAHA!” He threw his head back and laughed maniacally. “Grand Level! GRAND LEVEL! I’ve broken through! I’ve finally reached Grand Level! I’m no longer just a cultivator-I’m a Hermit now!”
For twenty long years, Tiger Clarkson had been trapped at the same level, unable to break through the barrier that held him back. But now, at last, he had overcome it.
“Congratulations, Dad! You’ve reached Grand Level!” Hailey’s tone shifted instantly, filled with admiration and excitement. “With this breakthrough, the Golden Threshold Society will undoubtedly recognize your strength. You’ll have a prominent place among its leaders!”
Tiger laughed again, his voice booming and triumphant. Reaching Grand Level was a monumental achievement for any cultivator, a milestone that elevated him above ordinary mortals. He was now someone to be revered, a master to be feared.
In stark contrast, Kade Vincent and Logan exchanged uneasy glances. Kade swallowed hard, his throat dry. He couldn’t understand why Kayden had given Tiger Clarkson the means to reach this level.
“Why not just kill him while he was weak?” Kade thought bitterly. “Now that he’s stronger, he’ll only become more dangerous.”
Both Kade and Logan wanted to question Kayden’s motives. But their positions didn’t allow them to speak out directly.
Hailey, still brimming with newfound confidence, pointed at Kayden and shouted, “Dad, now that you’re a Grand Level master, let’s kill this bastard who dared to hit your daughter!”
Tiger Clarkson’s expression grew solemn. He turned his gaze to Kayden, his eyes blazing with a newfound sense of superiority. To him, the world had changed. He had changed.
“Impressive,” Tiger said, his tone dripping with mockery. “Your methods are extraordinary, young man. That pill you gave me-it’s remarkable.”
His lips curled into a sinister smile.
“Do you have more of it? If you hand it over, I might consider sparing your life.”
Kayden remained calm. “Mr. Clarkson, that’s not what you said earlier. You offered to make me your right-hand man, didn’t you?”
Tiger let out a cold laugh. “Right-hand man? You slapped my daughter, and you think I’d let you live, let alone work with me? Don’t be naive. You’re not qualified to make deals with me. I could crush you like an ant if I wanted to. Now, hand over the pills. Maybe I’ll let you live. Refuse, and your death will be unimaginably painful.”
Kayden’s lips curved into a slight smile. “And what if I say no?”
Tiger’s eyes gleamed with malice. “Then I’ll use you to test my newfound strength. Let’s see how powerful I’ve really become.”
He was brimming with arrogance, completely dismissing Kayden as a threat. He never stopped to question why Kayden had allowed him to ascend to Grand Level in the first place.
Kayden tilted his head slightly, his eyes calm and calculating. “Very well,” he said softly. “Are you ready?”
Tiger’s smile faltered. “Ready for what?”
Kayden extended his hand, and from within his clothing, a rusty, jagged blade flew into his grasp.
Gripping the weapon tightly, Kayden’s voice dropped.
“Ready to face death.”