The concentrated aura channeled through Aji's right hand connected like hair-thin tendrils of light, binding the glowing form of the Moon Flower. The threads forged an unbreakable seal around the celestial artifact's outer shell.

Watching from below, Dasatama looked on with deep intrigue. Aji's energy penetrated the celestial artifact's natural rejection field effortlessly without triggering an explosive counter-pulse. It was as if his aura completely bypassed the artifact's defensive perimeter.

The energetic link between Aji and the celestial artifact surged in density. Is he going to absorb its divine essence directly into his core? Dasatama wondered. How could such a feat be possible? To any rational cultivator, absorbing an unrefined celestial artifact on the spot defied all martial logic. Meanwhile, the surrounding field of martial artists remained completely paralyzed, frozen in their stances like stone statues.

Slowly, the Moon Flower began to rise. The artifact—roughly the size of an adult's fist—floated upward, ascending past Aji's head. It was a display of telekinetic control propelled by the energy threads that had pierced the artifact's rejection field.

Hovering seven meters above the bluff directly over Aji, the artifact radiated a blinding glare of celestial light. Dasatama stared at the shimmering sphere, captivated by its divine beauty, completely uncertain of what Aji intended to do next.

Raising both palms toward the heavens, Aji channeled a fresh torrent of high-density aura directly at the Moon Flower. Suddenly, a violent energetic rejection flared from the artifact, resisting Aji's incoming stream. The opposing forces collided mid-air, locking in a high-pressure kinetic stalemate.

Dasatama frowned, realizing his initial assumption had been wrong. Aji was not attempting to absorb or refine the Moon Flower. The youth likely understood that forcefully absorbing such a massive volume of raw divine energy would trigger severe internal backlash, if not vaporize his vessel entirely.

Yet as Dasatama watched, Aji continued driving his aura forward, actively pressuring the celestial artifact. The Moon Flower pushed back with equal force, its natural rejection field fighting to repel the invasion of external mana.

Drawing atmospheric mana from the surrounding earth, Aji channeled the environmental energy into his vessel, amplifying his output to drive his aura deeper into the artifact's defensive barrier. Is this some ancient method of cleansing or taming a celestial artifact? Dasatama pondered, searching for a logical explanation.

Aji's aura surged with overwhelming force. The Moon Flower's defensive parameter wavered under the relentless pressure, beginning to fracture. Aji's energy pressed inward until it stood mere inches from the physical surface of the celestial artifact. Pushing his internal core to its limit, the youth continued driving his output into the hovering sphere.

Dasatama suddenly recalled Aji's final words before he had launched himself toward the summit: The source of their temptation must be removed.

Is that his true objective?!

Dasatama's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. Is he trying to destroy a celestial artifact with raw human strength?! That's insane!

Aji's high-density aura pressed against the final layer of the artifact's barrier. Overcoming the rejection field, his energy pierced straight into the physical structure of the Moon Flower.

The influx of high-volume aura flooded the celestial artifact, pouring into its core like water filling a vessel. As the incoming energy exceeded the artifact's containment capacity, the Moon Flower reached its absolute volumetric threshold.

BLAAAAAM! BOOM!

A massive detonation erupted above the bluff. The explosive shockwave swept across the coastal plain like a localized tempest, whipping up gale-force winds that rattled the terrain.

Following the initial blast, Aji unleashed a secondary wave of destructive magic—an intense, high-thermal fire spellwork reminiscent of a peak grandmaster spellcaster, radiating heat capable of incinerating anything in its path.

The blinding flash illuminated the sky, forcing anyone looking toward the summit to shield their eyes. Aji channeled the total yield of the fire spellwork, detonating it directly inside the compromised core of the Moon Flower.

BOOOOOOM!

Dasatama stood frozen in absolute shock. The youth had no intention of claiming or refining the celestial artifact—he had set out to annihilate it completely! Aji harbored not a shred of desire for divine power.

He simply wished to erase the source of corrupting greed, exactly as he had declared before taking flight. To protect the future of the righteous alliance, he chose to destroy the very prize that had turned brother against brother.

The catastrophic explosion above the bluff shattered the localized freezing array saturating the field. The paralyzing voltage dissipated entirely, and the glowing network of lightning threads running through the soil faded into nonexistence.

As the freezing effect vanished, the paralyzed cultivators regained control of their bodies. A wave of disorientation swept through the crowd; to them, it felt as though they had suffered a momentary lapse of consciousness lasting only a few seconds.

What just happened?

Bewildered, the martial artists blinked, trying to piece together their surroundings. They recalled engaging in a frantic brawl against their fellow cultivators, yet the underlying reason felt suddenly distant. As their minds re-synchronized, realization dawned upon them.

They had been fighting one another over the ultimate prize: the Moon Flower, the celestial artifact that promised absolute power and global renown!

Dropping into combat stances, the cultivators began drawing upon their internal cores, preparing to resume the clash. Yet within a split second, every warrior on the field froze in their tracks.

Turning their eyes toward the summit where the artifact had hovered, their expressions turned to unfeigned shock.

The Moon Flower was gone.

The entire battlefield fell completely still. One by one, the cultivators lowered their weapons and suppressed their internal cores. Fighting was pointless if the celestial artifact no longer existed. The critical question now echoed through every mind: Who took it?

Mutters broke out across the clearing as rival sects questioned one another, asking if anyone had witnessed the retrieval of the Moon Flower. The very factions that had been trying to cut each other down moments prior were now engaged in urgent discussions, trying to solve the mystery of the missing artifact.

Dasatama offered a faint, subtle smile, marveling at the sharp mind of the youth named Aji. In that vast gathering, Dasatama was the sole individual who understood what had truly transpired. Even his own brother, Warrior Jiro, had been caught in the freezing array, losing consciousness for those crucial moments.

Aji had deliberately spared Dasatama from the full mental suppression of the freeze, allowing him to remain aware as a silent witness.

What kind of unfathomable power does that boy possess? Dasatama thought. With strength like that, he could have effortlessly crushed every cultivator on this field. Having him on the side of righteousness is an absolute blessing for this world.

Despite the lull, suspicion lingered among the crowd. Several cultivators speculated that someone had stolen the Moon Flower under the cover of a high-tier illusion, momentarily blinding the field to make a clean escape.

Accusations began to fly once again as sects pointed fingers at rival academies.

"Commander Dasatama!"

Dasatama jumped at the soft voice speaking directly behind his shoulder. Aji! Turning swiftly, Dasatama took a startled step back. He had not detected the youth's approach at all—not a single trace of aura had alerted his senses. A truly terrifying young man...

Aji offered a quiet, weary smile. "Commander of the Martial Alliance, my energy is spent. It is time for you to step forward and restore order. I must focus on recovering my internal reserves—destroying a celestial artifact takes quite a toll."

Dasatama processed the youth's words instantly. Indeed, even for a warrior commanding divine parameters, destroying a celestial artifact required an immense expenditure of internal aura.

He clearly needed time to meditate and restore his pathways. In a matter of seconds, Aji had defused a riot that neither the martial alliance nor military defense command could have halted without heavy casualties.

Now, the youth was entrusting the remaining political duty to the supreme leader of the continental alliance—a task vastly simpler than obliterating a celestial artifact.

Nodding in quiet understanding, Dasatama accepted his mandate. His duty was to unite the righteous sects under a single banner, a task far easier now that the source of their greed had been removed.

Arguments were still breaking out across the plain as cultivators debated the artifact's disappearance. Seizing the moment, Dasatama—the God of War and supreme leader of the continental martial alliance—vaulted into the air, hovering above the crowd.

Draw his custom broadsword, Dasatama channeled a pillar of incandescent aura into the sky, drawing atmospheric lightning down into his steel.

The brilliant display drew every eye on the field. Even Elder Moura paused, turning his gaze toward the supreme warrior respected across all five continents.

"Hear me, every warrior gathered here!" Dasatama's voice boomed across the plain, backed by absolute authority. "I speak to you as the Leader of the Continental Martial Alliance! To preserve the unity and honor of the righteous sects, and to safeguard peace across our five continents, I have personally destroyed the Moon Flower with my blade!

"I resolved to obliterate the artifact because I will not permit any entity—celestial or otherwise—to sow discord among our ranks! I, Dasatama, will not tolerate it! Though it was a sacred artifact of heaven, I have reduced it to dust!

"If you doubt my words, expand your sensory domains and search for the celestial aura of the Moon Flower. You will find nothing—because it no longer exists in this world!"

Silence fell over the coastal plain.

Several grandmasters with heightened sensory perception immediately expanded their aura domains, scanning the area for the distinct, high-density signature of a celestial artifact. They picked up nothing. Had Dasatama simply concealed the artifact on his person, its massive aura would still be detectable to high-tier masters.

The cultivators stood in subdued silence. Coming from Dasatama, the explanation carried absolute weight. Who else commanded the parameters required to destroy a celestial artifact?

The Sky Squad members let out quiet sighs of relief, seeing the crowd accept the outcome, even if a few ambitious individuals harbored quiet disappointment.

Dasatama's reasoning was flawless: preserving the alliance's unity was the single most vital factor in halting the dark army's impending invasion.

With the Moon Flower destroyed, the disciples and academy elders lost all motivation to fight. There was no longer a prize to claim. As their greed cooled, reason returned, and many began offering formal apologies to the rival cultivators they had engaged moments earlier.

The stark reality of the threat confronted them: the dark army had already infiltrated the Tulisma Forest, demonstrating that open war was at hand. The Moon Flower no longer mattered—they needed to unite their ranks to survive.

Dasatama offered a warm smile as the crowd accepted his directive. Looking up at the open sky, he felt a deep sense of reverence for the unknown youth who had resolved a global crisis from the shadows, seeking no fame or glory in return.

Warriors who shunned renown were rare in the martial world. Dasatama considered himself fortunate to have witnessed Aji's true greatness.