That night…
The sect punished Arjun.
Not openly.
Because the elders feared something.
They feared the shattered Heavenly Root Stone.
They feared the strange energy explosion.
They feared the fact that Arjun's spirit root reading didn't happen.
Meaning—
They didn't know what he truly was.
So instead of killing him immediately…
They gave him a "fair" punishment.
A punishment that was actually a death sentence.
📌 Punishment: Sent to Bone Grave Valley for 30 days.
Bone Grave Valley was the place where disciples were thrown when they were meant to die quietly.
A valley full of poisonous fog, corpse beasts, and roaming mad cultivators.
Almost nobody returned.
The next morning.
Arjun was chained.
His cultivation sealed temporarily.
A group of disciples escorted him.
Even the guards looked scared of him.
On the way, Arjun calmly asked:
"What happened to Karan's body?"
A guard hesitated.
Then answered:
"His family paid to retrieve it."
Arjun nodded.
Then he said softly:
"Good."
The guard blinked.
"Good…?"
Arjun's eyes were calm.
"If they retrieve him…" he whispered, "…then they will also retrieve my message."
The guard felt a chill.
Arjun continued walking.
Like a man going to collect his reward.
Not to die.
The escort stopped at the edge of a dead valley.
Mist rolled like ghosts crawling on the ground.
Human bones were scattered everywhere.
Half-buried skulls stared at the sky.
A sign was planted in the dirt:
☠️ BONE GRAVE VALLEY — ENTER AND YOU DIE ☠️
The leader of the guards threw Arjun inside and removed the sealing talisman.
"Enjoy your punishment," he said with a cruel smile.
Arjun stumbled forward.
The moment the talisman released—
His body surged with strength again.
The guard leader's smile faded.
Arjun turned around.
His gaze made the guards step back.
He said quietly:
"Tell the elders…"
"…I'm coming back."
The guards locked the gate instantly and ran.
Arjun turned to the valley again.
And a new system screen appeared.
🔊 [Zone Detected: Bone Grave Valley]
📌 Difficulty: EXTREME
✅ Special Bonus: Kills grant double points.
Arjun's lips curled slightly.
"Double points?"
The mist moved.
A low growl came from the darkness.
Something crawled out.
A corpse beast.
Its skin was torn, its teeth black, its eyes empty.
Then another.
And another.
More than ten.
Arjun cracked his neck.
His eyes became murderous.
"Come."
He stepped forward.
💥 IRON BONE FIST!
The first corpse beast's head exploded.
Blood and bone sprayed everywhere.
🔊 +20 Points
Arjun didn't stop.
He moved like a demon in fog.
His fists turned into hammers.
Each strike took a life.
Each death fed his system.
🔊 +20
🔊 +20
🔊 +20
And then the system flashed red.
🔊 [WARNING: Host killing intent exceeds limit.]
🔊 System synchronization rising…
Arjun's eyes widened slightly.
His heart beat once.
Then a new ability appeared.
🎁 Unlocked: BLOOD SENSE (Passive)✅ You can detect living beings within 30 meters.
Arjun stopped.
He turned his head.
There was something else alive nearby.
A person.
And they were bleeding.
Arjun moved silently through the fog.
A girl lay on the ground, half-dead.
She wore inner disciple clothing.
Her arm was almost torn off.
She stared at Arjun with weak eyes.
"Please…" she whispered. "Help…"
Arjun stared at her.
His expression didn't change.
He didn't care who she was.
Or if she was innocent.
The system didn't care either.
Only points mattered.
But then—
She whispered something that made Arjun pause.
"Karan's brother…"
"…he ordered them to kill you…"
Arjun's pupils shrank.
"Karan… has a brother?"
The girl nodded weakly.
Arjun's lips slowly turned upward.
A smile full of darkness.
A smile that promised a river of blood.
"Good."
He looked down at her.
And said:
"Live."
The girl blinked.
Arjun threw her one recovery pill.
"Because you're my messenger."
Then he turned back into the fog.
And his voice echoed like death itself:
"Tell Karan's brother…"
"…I'm going to take everything."