Though Demontae had gathered a pack of so-called "experts," Eldric didn't flinch. The weakling he once was had been forged into something new—a monster in human skin. After breaking through to Qi Refining Level 1, his body hummed with raw power. Strength coursed through him like lightning through storm clouds. He'd tested it—one punch could shatter boulders. That's how he'd launched Demontae like a sack of potatoes with a single kick. Demontae was no pushover. A mountain of muscle with years of combat training—normally a formidable opponent. Yet now? Eldric could swat him aside like a gnat. That's how terrifying his power had become. This was the truth: Eldric had ascended. And he knew it in his bones. With this power came unshakable certainty. Demontae might as well have been dust

