Zain stood quietly, his eyes locked on the group of robed fighters before him.
He watched every movent they made, every technique they used.
Each of them moved like the cultivators from his old world.
They had perfect posture, smooth footwork, and sharp strikes.
Their hands ford signs before casting techniques, and their swords moved in patterns that clearly followed ancient martial arts styles.
It was real martial arts.
Zain narrowed his eyes slightly.
"They’re not just using weapons or energy blasts," he muttered. "They’re using cultivation techniques."
He felt sothing stir inside him.
He had long believed this new world was ruled by ether-based systems.
Heroes used ether to power tech skills, and the Beastkin Brood fused ether with mutation.
And he himself had fused ether with qi to create [Heavenly Demon Ether].
But these people...
They didn’t look like they belonged to any forces that he knew in this supre island.
They were not from Beastkin Brood or Hero Association.
They weren’t even fake martial artists who just copied movents for show.
They were the real deal.
Their fighting spirit, their formation, and the flow of their energy reminded him of the high-level sects from his past life.
Zain crossed his arms slowly and took a step forward, still watching.
"I didn’t think it was possible," he thought. "But they’re using martial arts... without qi."
He paused.
"Or maybe... they’ve replaced qi with ether."
The idea shocked him more than the fight itself.
"Ether cultivation," he whispered to himself. "They’re cultivating... with ether?"
That thought alone made his heart beat faster.
His eyes glowed faintly as he stared at them.
"How? Did they co from another world, too?"
"Or did soone in this world discover a way to walk the path of cultivation using a new energy?"
He looked down at his own hands.
He had done sothing similar.
Using his system, he had hacked and reshaped his path, combining qi and ether to make a new form of energy.
But what if others had done it a different way?
What if this world were evolving without him realizing it?
The thought made him smile.
"I need to learn more."
Behind him, Velra stepped closer. "You’re quiet. What are you thinking, Master?"
Zain didn’t look back. "Sothing unexpected... sothing interesting."
Savra tilted her head. "You an those robe people?"
Zelia stood beside him. "They fight like cultivators."
Zain nodded slowly. "Exactly. Real martial arts. Real techniques. But powered by ether."
He paused again. "I want to know where they co from. I want to know who taught them."
A piece of his old world had just appeared inside this strange, futuristic place filled with heroes and monsters.
And now, Zain needed to know if this was a coincidence... Or fate.
Just as that thought settled in his mind, one of the robed fighters on the battlefield turned his head sharply toward the ridge where Zain and the girls were standing.
"I know you’re there," the man called out, his voice calm but firm. "Co out now, or we’ll treat you as enemies."
Zain raised an eyebrow. "Looks like they noticed us."
Velra sighed lightly. "Guess hiding ti is over."
Savra smiled. "Well, we weren’t exactly subtle."
Zelia nodded. "Let’s not waste ti."
Together, the four of them stepped out from behind the rocks and walked toward the cultivator group, who were now standing in a relaxed stance, but still alert.
The robed fighters looked surprised when they saw the group approaching.
Their eyes scanned Zain and then looked at the three won around him.
One of them whispered sothing to his teammate.
It was unusual to see a group like this in the Devil Nest.
A single young man who was accompanied by three powerful won.
Zain, however, didn’t seem bothered by their surprise.
He stepped forward, brought both hands together in front of his chest, and gave a respectful nod.
It was an old-style martial greeting.
"Greetings, sir," Zain said with a calm voice.
"My na is Zain, and these are my companions, Zelia, Velra, and Savra."
He gestured to each of the girls as he spoke.
"We’re just another group traveling through the Inner Zone. I apologize if our presence bothered you."
He paused, then smiled a little.
"I was simply curious. The way you and your team fought..."
"It’s very different from the styles we usually see around here. It reminded of sothing... familiar."
The leader of the robed group, a man with long dark hair tied back and a jade emblem on his robe, stepped forward with a calm smile.
"I see," he said. "Well t, Sir Zain. I am Liang Yuntian, sword elder of the Cloudflow Path."
He bowed slightly.
"Don’t worry about watching us. We understand. This place is full of danger."
"We only reacted that way because we thought you might be more devils hiding in the mist."
Zain gave a small chuckle. "I understand. But rest assured, we’re not devils."
He looked at Liang Yuntian again, his eyes filled with curiosity.
"Still... I can’t help but wonder about your abilities. The movents, the sword energy, the formations..."
"They’re like sothing from the cultivation world I once knew."
Liang Yuntian’s smile didn’t fade. "You’re quite sharp, Sir Zain."
"Yes, our thods are... different. We follow a path that is not common in this world. But it works for us."
Zain’s interest grew. "I’d love to know more."
Liang Yuntian glanced at the sky.
The red mist had started to calm, and the strange sun above was fading slowly, turning the sky into a deeper shade of red.
"It’s nearly night," he said. "The devils seem quiet for now. Why don’t we sit and talk for a while?"
Zain nodded. "Gladly."
He looked at the girls, and they nodded too.
So, the two groups moved to a nearby flat area, quiet and safe for the mont.
They didn’t raise weapons.
Instead, they sat together.
And for the first ti in this world, Zain was about to speak face-to-face with soone who walked a path that felt like ho.
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