"Skycloud Sect, huh?"
Deep within the heart of the Leonhart estate, Leo stood alone in the quiet courtyard.
The early morning wind stirred the leaves. Sunlight filtered through the trees, dappling the stone path with golden flecks.
He had spent the last two weeks continuing his training after rebuilding his foundation with the War Codex. Though his cultivation remained at the Transcendent Stage, Level 4, his strength had increased drastically.
At this point, he was confident he could go head-to-head with warriors at the peak of the Transcendent Stage. Even those rare elite prodigies who stood at the ninth level—he could fight them evenly.
And that was just the result of a single month of training.
"Give me a few more months… I might be able to take on a Soul Stage cultivator," he murmured.
There was no arrogance in his tone—only a calm assessment of reality.
He had seen what true power looked like. He knew where he stood.
That was why the looming threat of the Skycloud Sect didn't intimidate him. Nor did the Drake Clan or the Storm Clan.
"If anything," he said, eyes narrowing, "they'll make decent sharpening stones."
His gaze shifted toward the inner halls of the estate—specifically toward the clan leader, Wallace Leonhart, and the few senior elders who were one step away from breaking into the Core Break Stage.
Leo hadn't bothered to hide his own breakthrough from them.
There was no point. His physical appearance alone made it obvious.
Once riddled with age, he now looked like a man in his mid-twenties. That kind of rejuvenation only happened when someone advanced into a higher realm. Anyone with basic cultivation knowledge would figure it out immediately.
Besides, he had a reason.
Letting the inner circle know about his progress gave the clan the courage they needed. It gave them hope—and it gave them pressure.
"I've already invested in them," Leo thought. "Resources, techniques, breakthrough pills—all from the system store."
"Upgrading their techniques, improving their talent, and giving them the means to step into the Core Break Stage only cost me around fifty thousand Fate Points."
"Once they succeed, they'll return that investment a hundred times over."
He paused, thinking of the bigger picture.
"If they can crush the Drakes and the Storms, the entire city will fall under our control. And that... is worth far more than a few Fate Points."
Still, he knew brute force alone wouldn't cut it.
Right now, he was the only Transcendent powerhouse in the Leonhart Clan.
Taking over the city with just one pillar of strength would be like balancing a kingdom on a single sword—it could be done, but it would be a constant risk.
That's why Leo had no intention of doing everything himself.
Instead, he left the task to Wallace and the other senior elders, all of whom had already reached the peak of the Body Cleansing Stage.
"I've given you the tools. If you still fail... then you're not fit to lead."
And if they did fail? Leo had no plans to argue.
He'd simply strip them of authority, let them retire as idle elders, and find someone else capable of rising to the challenge.
He had time. The Leonhart Clan was no longer in danger of collapse—not with him here.
"Let's see what they can do with three months," he muttered, disappearing in a blink.
Within the main strategy chamber, Wallace Leonhart and the elders were in heated discussion when Leo's voice echoed in their minds.
"You have until the enemy confirms my death to prepare. That gives you three months. This is your chance. Don't disappoint me."
The room fell silent.
The clan leader and elders looked at one another. Even without saying a word, they all understood the weight of what had just been said.
Leo wasn't one for idle threats. If he gave them a test, it meant something real was coming.
And if they failed… they would be replaced.
They could still recall the feeling of standing before Leo just days ago. He hadn't shown off his strength, but he hadn't needed to.
His very presence made their bones tremble.
"His strength is terrifying…" one elder finally muttered.
"And that's good for us," another added. "It means the clan has a future. But if we want to be part of it... we have to prove ourselves."
"Easier said than done. Even if the Drakes and Storms don't attack right away, we only have a few months."
"True," Wallace said. "But they won't move until they confirm Ancestor Leo's death. That buys us time."
"Then we focus everything on breaking through. The rest can wait."
Everyone nodded.
They had already digested the cultivation pills Leo had provided and memorized the new martial arts manuals. All that was left was to act.
The Leonhart Clan was still small. Their total number barely reached five hundred members, which meant managing logistics was relatively simple.
After a short planning session, Wallace and the elders retreated into the underground training hall that Leo had personally enhanced.
As soon as they entered, a wave of dense spiritual energy washed over them.
"By the heavens... this place is overflowing with energy."
"I'd say at least five times more dense than the surface."
"This must be what training in a real sect feels like…"
They took their places on meditation mats, each one marked with runes Leo had carved himself.
With pills in hand and minds focused, they began to cultivate.
Soon, the entire chamber was filled with faint glowing mist. Their silhouettes blurred behind waves of power as they pushed toward the Core Break Stage.
While the elders trained, Leo roamed the estate quietly.
He kept his presence hidden, walking like a shadow through the halls and courtyards. Every now and then, he would stop, gaze into someone's soul, and move on.
The Eye of Fate spun within his vision like a golden ring, pulling apart the layers of every clan member he passed.
He was searching.
Looking for raw talent.
But no matter how long he searched, disappointment followed.
Most of the younger generation had only average potential. A few were slightly above average, but none stood out.
Not a single one had top-tier talent—the kind of potential that could one day stand alongside him.
"Is there really no one?" Leo sighed under his breath. "Not even one gem in the dirt?"
The problem wasn't just disappointment—it was cost.
Improving someone's talent took resources. A massive amount of Fate Points.
And Leo was running low.
Of the 100,000 points he had received from the New User Pack, he'd already spent:
30,000 on healing and power-ups for himself
50,000+ on Wallace and the elders
Leaving him with… less than 10,000
"I'm rich in power, but poor in points."
Unless he earned more soon, he wouldn't be able to raise new talents or support future clan expansion.
And raising a clan was a long game.
He stared at the younger disciples training in the courtyard—some swinging swords, others meditating. Their expressions were serious, but he saw through the surface.
Effort was important. But effort without talent hit a wall.
"In a perfect world, I'd have three or four top-grade geniuses by now."
"But I don't. So I'll have to make do... or create one."
He turned, cloak fluttering in the breeze, and disappeared down the corridor.
The Leonhart Clan was preparing.
Silently.
Efficiently.
And under Leo's quiet watch, the seeds of transformation were already growing.
What others saw as a fading clan was, in truth, a blade being sharpened.