"Now," Aladdin said, his voice calm but laced with unshakable dominance, "will you leave on your own, or do I have to make you?"
He didn't raise his voice, yet it cut through the air like steel drawn in silence. There was no bravado in his tone—only certainty, the kind that came from someone who had seen death, danced with danger, and emerged stronger every time.
The disciples of the Blackscale Thunder Sect, battered and humiliated, glared at him with burning resentment. Rage flared in their eyes, but fear held them still. The crushing weight of defeat—physical and mental—ground down whatever pride they had left.
Long Tianyu, the strongest among them, seethed with clenched fists, his knuckles pale and trembling. The veins on his neck bulged as he tried to will away the shame burning in his chest.
"Let's go," he finally muttered to his fellow disciples.
It took effort for the group to rise. Some staggered to their feet, wincing, others leaned on their comrades for support. Duan Wuji, whose pride had been second only to Tianyu's, had to be half-carried—his legs unable to hold his weight after Aladdin's merciless blows.
Blood trickled from busted lips and bruised brows. Their robes, once pristine with the black-and-gold colors of the Blackscale Thunder Sect, were torn and dirtied. No one spoke a word. Their shame was too loud to allow it.
As they limped away, their figures retreating like broken shadows into the dense green veil of Arkania Valley, Long Tianyu suddenly stopped. He turned halfway, his eyes locking onto Aladdin with poisonous hatred.
"You're arrogant now," he said, his voice low and cold. "But remember this—we won't forget today. And if you ever step into Dragon Gate City… you won't even know how you died."
Then he turned away again, disappearing into the trees with slow, limping steps.
Aladdin didn't move. Didn't flinch. Didn't even blink. He simply stared after them until their footsteps vanished into silence.
Empty words, he thought. The kind defeated people cling to, like rags to cover their shame.
The tension that had strangled the air began to lift.
Behind him, Wei Rongxian and Sui Meiran were still frozen in place. Their expressions were a storm of disbelief and awe. What they had just witnessed defied everything they thought they knew.
In their generation, only one person could deliver a one-sided beating to Blackscale Thunder Sect disciples like that—and that was their senior sister, Xiao Mei. She was known for her fierce power and cold discipline. But this boy… this stranger in black… he wasn't Xiao Mei. He wasn't even a sect disciple. He was their age. And he was, as far as their senses could tell, still at the peak of Martial Adept level.
Yet five disciples had fled from him—broken, bloodied, and without even the courage to try again.
Sui Meiran finally found her voice.
"If you hadn't shown up…" she said softly, emotion heavy in her words, "I don't even want to think about it—losing our hard-earned harvest like that… Thank you so much for helping us. Really."
"Yes… yes, thank you for stepping in, young hero," Wei Rongxian added, bowing slightly in respect.
Aladdin turned to face them. His eyes, clear and sharp, no longer carried the edge they held during the fight. He looked composed, even gentle, now that the threat was gone.
"No need to thank me," he replied calmly. "It was just a matter of convenience. I couldn't stand by and watch someone forcefully take what isn't theirs."
His words were spoken with no trace of arrogance. He meant them. It wasn't about heroism or glory—he had just acted according to what felt right.
"Y-Yes, but still… thank you," Sui Meiran said, bowing again, this time more deeply. "We were about to return to the sect with nothing. Thanks to you, we'll go back with something."
Aladdin offered a faint smile. "Alright then… I'll accept your gratitude."
Wei Rongxian narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at him more closely. Something didn't add up. He noticed now that Aladdin didn't wear any kind of uniform—no emblems, no colors, no sign of sect affiliation.
"You're not wearing a uniform," he said slowly. "You're not a sect disciple, are you?"
It was a fair question.
Normally, no lone cultivator would dare step foot into Arkania Valley. The place was dangerous, riddled with fierce spirit beasts and hidden rival sects. This deep into the Kunlun Mountain range, only trained disciples dared to tread. Those who came alone were either fools or monsters.
But Aladdin wasn't either of those.
The truth was, with the magic lamp in his possession, Aladdin didn't walk blindly like others did. The lamp, or rather the power within it, enhanced his spiritual perception far beyond what most cultivators could achieve. It was like having an unseen map of danger constantly updating around him—showing him which path to take, which presence to avoid, which creature to confront or ignore. Where others feared, he walked with clarity.
"No, I'm not a disciple of any sect," he replied politely. "I'm just a loose cultivator. I came here alone on my own business."
Wei Rongxian and Sui Meiran exchanged a look of surprise. To have come all this way alone—and still survive, no, dominate a group of Blackscale disciples—that was no small feat. Their earlier assumptions about him being a rogue martial artist now seemed childish. He wasn't just lucky. He was skilled. And dangerous.
Sui Meiran tilted her head slightly, a thoughtful look in her eyes. "Have you ever thought about joining a sect?"
Her tone was casual, almost playful, but her intent was sharp. Someone like Aladdin could elevate the Azure Spirit Sect's strength significantly. The elders would fight to recruit him if given the chance.
Aladdin, of course, saw through it. But he didn't mind.
"No, I don't want to join any sect—at least not for now," he answered with a gentle smile. "I just want to travel around the Xuanlan Continent."
Wei Rongxian suddenly straightened, as if realizing something. "Oh, we forgot our manners! My name is Wei Rongxian, and this is my junior sister, Sui Meiran. May we have the honor of knowing your esteemed name, young hero?"
"Aladdin Ibn Mustafa," he replied.
Both of them blinked, caught off guard. "What? Ala—what?" they said in perfect unison.
Aladdin chuckled. He expected that reaction. In a land like Xuanlan, even his name was foreign.
"You can just call me Aladdin," he said with amusement.
"That's such a strange name… you don't look like someone from Xuanlan Continent," Sui Meiran said with open curiosity. "Where are you from, Aladdin?"
"Agrabah," he said, smiling knowingly. He braced himself for the next response.
"Ag—what? Argh—what?" they repeated, just as he predicted.
"Forget about that too," he said, waving a hand lightly. "You can just say I'm from Kunlun Mountain."
"You live in Kunlun Mountain?" Wei Rongxian asked, eyes wide in disbelief.
Kunlun mountain isn't somewhere people stay. They only come for training or trials, then leave. Living here means constant danger!
"Not for long," Aladdin replied simply. "I'll be leaving the mountain soon."
Sui Meiran blinked. "So you live here?"
"Yes," he said.
"This is unbelievable… no wonder you're so strong, even though you're just a peak Martial Adept," she murmured.
Aladdin looked toward the sky. The mist was slowly thickening again, as if the mountain were trying to swallow him back into its mystery.
"Alright, brother and sister," he said. "I need to go now."
"Oh, no, please wait!" Sui Meiran said quickly, stepping forward. "Our senior sister Xiao Mei will return soon. At least stay until she comes back so she can thank you."
"I'm afraid that's not possible. I need to head back now," Aladdin said gently. "If fate allows, I'll meet your senior sister another day."
"Oh… that's a pity. Senior sister Xiao Mei would have definitely wanted to meet you," Wei Rongxian said, sighing.
"Don't worry," Aladdin said. "If it's fated, I believe we'll meet again."
"Then promise you'll visit Azure Spirit Sect if you ever come to Dragon Gate City," Sui Meiran asked with a hopeful look.
Aladdin hesitated. He never liked making promises—especially not to strangers. But this one seemed harmless enough.
"Alright," he said. "I promise I'll visit the Azure Spirit Sect if I ever come to Dragon Gate City."
"Good! That's enough," Sui Meiran said with a bright smile. In her heart, she hoped the elders would do the rest.
"I'm glad I met you both, Wei Rongxian and Sui Meiran," Aladdin said sincerely. "I'll take my leave now."
"We wish you a safe journey back," they said together.
With that, Aladdin turned around and began walking away—his silhouette slowly fading into the dense mist of Kunlun Mountain, on his way back to Old Bao.