Chapter 241: Sophie’s True Strength
Morning light filtered through the runic windows of Kael’s bedroom. Sophie lay beside him, her head resting on his chest, tracing idle patterns on his skin with her fingertip.
Kael broke the comfortable silence. "Your ability. Truth and Judgement."
Sophie’s finger paused. "What about it?"
"Could you explain it to me?"
She was quiet for a moment, then pushed herself up against the headboard. The sheets pooled around her waist, exposing the bite marks he’d left on her skin the night before.
"Truth is simple," she said. "I can sense deception. Lies, half-truths, omissions—anything that deviates from what a person genuinely believes to be true. It’s passive, always active. I can’t turn it off." A small, bitter smile. "You have no idea how exhausting it is to live in a family where everyone lies constantly."
"And Judgement?"
Sophie’s expression grew more serious. "Judgement has different functions depending on the target. When I activate it, I see the true nature of a person—their sins, their crimes, the weight of their actions. Then I pass judgement based on what I see."
"The worse the sin?"
"The worse the judgement." She held up her hand and began counting on her fingers. "It can strip cultivation entirely. Reduce a person’s cultivation base by one or more ranks. Restrict their access to mana temporarily or permanently. Seal specific abilities. Cause physical pain proportional to their sins. And those are just the applications I’ve discovered." She lowered her hand. "I haven’t fully explored the possibilities because I hardly engage in combat. The family never saw me as a fighter."
Kael processed this information. An ability that scaled with the target’s moral weight—which meant it could be devastating against the right opponents and nearly useless against the innocent.
"Rank 7 Spirit Soul realm," he said. "In your early thirties."
Sophie’s cheeks flushed. "You didn’t know?"
"I never knew. That means you were even more talented than Cassandra, who only broke through to Origin realm at age fifty-one."
Sophie looked away, suddenly shy. "My talent is... high tier purple grade. That’s why I can progress faster. Cassandra has a low tier purple grade talent."
Kael stared at her.
Talent grades were divided into tiers. Low, mid, high.
His own purple grade talent was also high tier. The System had never mentioned the sub-tiering.
No wonder the Family Head married her, he thought. A high tier purple grade talent wasn’t just valuable—it was a strategic asset. Marrying Sophie wasn’t about politics or alliances. It was about securing her bloodline’s potential for future generations.
"Kael?" Sophie’s voice pulled him back.
He smiled. "Just realizing how much I underestimated you."
Sophie’s blush deepened.
An hour later, Kael was dressed and preparing to leave.
"I need to submit my report to the estate," he said.
Sophie nodded. "I’ll visit Elena and Nora while you’re gone."
They departed Starfall City through the transfer gate, emerging in the capital—Vornspire—the seat of Vorn power on World Thirteen.
Sophie parted ways at the inner gates, heading toward the residential wings. Kael continued to the Shadow reporting center, where Vyra waited with a thin file.
"Cassius Draven," she said, handing it over. "As requested."
Kael opened it and read.
CONFIDENTIAL PROFILE: CASSIUS DRAVEN
Status: Eighth Child of Draven Clan Family Head
Age: 34
Talent: Blue Grade (Mid Tier)
Realm: Late Mana Heart Realm (Rank 8)
Primary Ability: Force Manipulation — Can generate, shape, and amplify physical force for offensive and defensive applications.
Combat Style: Aggressive, direct, relies on overwhelming force and speed. Weakness: limited range options, becomes predictable in extended engagements. Known weakness against opponents who can absorb or redirect force-based attacks.
Personality Assessment: Arrogant, prideful, views non-Draven cultivators as inferior. Obsession with the soul path has made him dismissive of conventional mana techniques. Holds grudges intensely. Expected to pursue revenge against Kael Vorn regardless of clan orders.
Soul Path Progression: Soul Core Mid Stage (estimated). Source of knowledge unknown.
Threat Level: High. Draven main family will likely allocate resources for his recovery and advancement. Expect significant power increase within six to twelve months.
Kael closed the file.
"Lira. Garrett." His voice carried through the room. "I want a full intelligence report on Draven clan movements, resource allocations, and any communication with their main family. Have it ready when I return."
Both acknowledged without question.
The central audience chamber was exactly as Kael remembered—black marble pillars, mirror-polished floors, the oppressive weight of Vorn authority pressing down on everyone who entered.
Branch elders lined the lower seats. Felix sat with his usual diplomatic smile, hands folded. Lady Clara Fitzgerald occupied the front throne—the Second Lady, mother of Victor, her presence commanding despite her seated position. Several other children were present, including Diana, who watched Kael with detached curiosity.
Kael stopped at the appropriate distance and inclined his head.
"Kael Cassian Vorn of the main family greets the Second Lady, the branch elders, and his esteemed siblings."
Clara’s gaze swept over him.
"Shadow 14," Clara said, her voice neutral. "You return earlier than expected."
"The mission concluded ahead of schedule, my lady."
Murmurs rippled through the elders. Shadow 14 had only been assigned to the mission of the Gra-Khazul tribe two months ago. Early returns usually meant failure—or death.
Kael let the murmurs fade before speaking again.
"What I am about to share is not what the estate already knows. It is what they do not know."
The chamber fell silent.
"The Patriarch of the Gra-Khazul tribe—Zorath—is already at Rank 8 Spirit Soul realm. His soul power has reached the Soul Condensation stage, the fifth stage of the soul path. This makes him significantly more dangerous than any previous intelligence suggested."
Elders exchanged glances. Rank 8 Spirit Soul was serious. Soul Condensation was nearly unprecedented in the current era.
"The tribe consists of eight clans. Each clan head possesses soul power at the Soul Manifestation stage, with varying levels of strength. Together, they represent a concentrated force of soul cultivators that the outside world has severely underestimated."
Clara’s expression remained unchanged, but her eyes sharpened.
"Finally," Kael continued, "the reason the tribe severed all contact with the outside world. Their inheritance ground will open within two to three years. The Patriarch wanted to hide this timeline—to prevent external powers from learning the pattern and claiming the rewards for themselves. They cut connections to monopolize whatever lies within."
The chamber was utterly silent now.
Clara nodded slowly. The elders followed suit—some with approval, others with barely concealed concern at the implications.
An inheritance ground. Soul cultivators.
The political calculus in the room shifted visibly as every mind present began calculating the same thing Kael had calculated weeks ago.
Opportunity.