Eklavya rushed deeper toward the eastern side of the valley, moving in the direction from which the thunderous noise had echoed moments earlier. His instincts sharpened with every step he took across the uneven terrain.

  Although he had not yet crossed the boundary of the valley itself, he had already travelled nearly twenty-five kilometres away from its central region. The further he moved, the more clearly he could feel the changes that had taken place within his body after the previous battles and successive breakthroughs.

  His ki flowed more smoothly through his widened channels. His muscles responded with explosive precision, and his overall speed had nearly doubled compared to before. He now found himself running at an astonishing pace of one kilometre per minute without even pushing himself to the limit.

  Another violent blast echoed from the east—louder and more forceful than before—shaking the ground beneath his feet and sending ripples through the surrounding trees as flocks of birds scattered into the night sky. Realising that the clash ahead was escalating rapidly.

  Eklavya reinforced the ki circulating through his legs. He focused deeply as he compressed energy into his muscles and tendons, and within moments his speed surged dramatically, multiplying nearly fivefold as he accelerated to an extraordinary velocity of five kilometres per minute.

  The wind roared past him as he dashed through the valley. Branches snapped and leaves scattered in his wake, while the distant sounds of impact and energy collisions became sharper, clearer, and far more frequent with every passing second.

  Within only four minutes, he had covered the remaining twenty kilometres and came to an abrupt halt roughly five kilometres away from the edge where the valley opened into the deeper forest. The air vibrated with power, and the sky above flickered with bursts of energy that illuminated the dark terrain below.

  Raising his head, Eklavya saw two brilliant streaks of light clashing against one another in midair. One glowed with a vibrant green aura that radiated sharp, cutting energy, while the other burned with an intense blue brilliance that pulsed like a storm contained within a single body.

  Each collision created shockwaves that rippled across the sky, accompanied by explosive bursts of spiritual pressure that forced the surrounding trees to bend violently under the impact.

  Without hesitation, Eklavya activated his Supreme Eyes. His vision sharpened instantly as layers of energy and cultivation realms revealed themselves before him. The moment he focused on the two figures, a flicker of astonishment crossed his hidden expression, for both combatants were Grandmaster Warriors.

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  One of them was a middle-aged man with a short beard near his chin, dressed in a light green robe that flowed like leaves in the wind. A small jade tab carved with a falling leaf insignia hung near his waist, unmistakably marking him as a member of the Falling Leaf Sect. His aura burned fiercely, dense with years of cultivation, and the fluctuations of his ki revealed that he had reached an extraordinarily high level among Grandmasters.

  Eklavya’s expression darkened with anger the moment he realised that the middle-aged man was a member of the Falling Leaf Sect.

  Facing him was a young man who appeared barely at the end of his teens, likely around nineteen years old, with sharp black hair and deep brown eyes. He wore a finely designed black robe layered over an elegant inner garment whose intricate patterns and quality alone hinted at immense wealth or a powerful background.

  What shocked Eklavya even more was his cultivation level; he, too, was a Grandmaster Warrior, an achievement almost unheard of at such a young age.

  Magha’s voice echoed inside Eklavya’s mind, filled with interest as he analysed the combatants.

  “The green-robed one is an Eight-Star Grandmaster Warrior of the Falling Leaf Sect. Judging from his aura and insignia, he is likely one of their elders. As for the other one… he is only a Four-Star Grandmaster, yet he is standing against an Eight-Star without retreating. That boy got some guts.”

  Eklavya remained silent, his eyes fixed on the battle unfolding above him as waves of spiritual pressure continued to collide in the air. He felt a deep sense of awe at the sheer scale of power being displayed, for the gap between Five-Star Warrior and Sixth-Star Grandmaster ranks was not something ordinary cultivators could easily bridge.

  To become a Grandmaster Warrior, one had to awaken the Rune Chakra within their body, and each additional star represented an enormous leap in strength.

  It required exponentially more time, resources, and comprehension of one’s rune chakra to advance.

  The difference between a Fifth-Star and a Sixth-Star Grandmaster alone was said to be like the difference between standing on land and soaring through the sky.

  Yet here was a young cultivator at merely the Fourth Star, confronting an Eight-Star elder whose experience and cultivation far surpassed his own.

  Shockwaves continued to ripple through the sky as green and blue energies clashed again, illuminating the valley with flashes of blinding light. Eklavya clenched his fists slightly as he observed the young man’s movements, analysing every technique and shift in momentum.

  Despite the enormous disparity in cultivation, the youth showed no sign of fear or hesitation. His movements were precise and calculated, his attacks sharp and relentless.

  A thought crossed Eklavya’s mind as he watched the exchange unfold.

  ‘Anshvi gained the upper hand against stronger opponents because of her overwhelming speed,’ he reflected quietly, remembering past battles and lessons learned through experience. ‘But this boy… he doesn’t seem to rely on speed alone, and yet he is still holding his ground against someone far stronger than him.’

  The battlefield above continued to roar with violent collisions as both figures exchanged devastating blows. Each impact sent ripples through the sky while the valley below trembled under the pressure of their clash.