"~Greetings, my child. My name is Sabdo Palon. I have been waiting for you for a long time~"

Sabdo Palon waited for an answer, but all he got was Moku frozen in place, his mouth and eyes wide open.

Moku wanted desperately to respond to the greeting, but his body felt rigid. A powerful urge within him demanded he kneel before this being.

In fact, if his concentration wavered even slightly, he feared he might collapse at Sabdo Palon’s feet—or worse, grovel.

But Moku held onto a principle his master had instilled in him: one should bow their head only to their elders or the divine.

So rather than resist the overwhelming compulsion, Moku chose silence, lowering his head in a quiet act of defiance that kept his dignity intact.

Fortunately, Sabdo Palon didn’t seem offended. Instead, he lightly tapped his forehead, as if realizing a silly mistake.

"Ah, what was I thinking? I forgot to suppress my aura! Hahaha, forgive me, young one. It’s been far too long since I’ve had someone climb to the peak of Hargo Dumilah and reach the Spiritual Realm. I guess I got a little overexcited. Hahaha~"

His laughter echoed like the toll of a massive bell, shaking the fabric of space and time. Moku’s heart pounded faster, as though every cell in his body vibrated from the sound.

Yet, instead of relief, suspicion grew within him.

"Damn it! If you really feel bad, suppress your aura already! I can barely stand!" he cursed inwardly.

As much as he wanted to slice off the head of the irritating figure before him, Moku knew he was no match for Sabdo Palon.

Just like when he faced Garuda, he could sense the immense danger radiating from this being. Since opening the Evolution Gate, Moku’s intuition had sharpened, and this newfound clarity made the feeling even more intense.

Sabdo Palon was like an unshakable pillar holding the heavens aloft, preventing them from collapsing onto the earth.

When Moku’s face began to pale and his knees trembled violently, the oppressive aura vanished.

The sudden disappearance of the pressure almost sent him sprawling, but he quickly gripped his knees to steady himself.

His breaths came in sharp gasps, his chest rising and falling rapidly, while cold sweat dripped onto the immaculate white floor beneath him.

"Huff... Huff... Huff... W-who are you, really?" he asked in a halting voice, struggling to regain his composure.

Sabdo Palon raised an eyebrow, his expression that of a puzzled elder. "Hmm? Didn’t I already introduce myself earlier? Did you not hear me? Oh, my apologies. Shall I repeat it?"

His tone shifted. Where it had once rung like a bell that shook the soul, it now softened, sounding more like a grandfather speaking gently to a favored grandchild.

But instead of calming Moku, this change only stoked his irritation.

"Don’t play games with me! Who are you really?!" Moku snapped, his voice growing steadier despite the simmering anger.

Sabdo Palon smiled, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Hmm? So you truly didn’t hear? Very well, I’ll repeat myself. My name is Sabdo Pal—"

"YOU!" Moku growled, his voice trembling as his teeth clenched audibly with restrained fury.

If he hadn’t known this being could obliterate him with a mere breath, his Dawnshadow Blade would already be aimed at Sabdo Palon’s neck.

Seeing Moku’s rising anger, Sabdo Palon waved his hand dismissively. "Ah, ah, ah, don’t get angry.

Anger isn’t good for your health, you know? You might wrinkle faster! Patience, patience. Everything can be resolved with words. No need to get physical. Auuu... your face looks so scary right now."

He raised his hands to his chest, pretending to tremble as if genuinely afraid. Yet the playful grin on his face betrayed the act entirely.

Moku seethed inwardly. This being wasn’t just powerful—it was downright insufferable. And that, more than anything, made his frustration burn even hotter.

In moments like this, Moku genuinely missed Garuda. Despite Garuda being an immensely powerful being with arrogance so immense it seemed his nose scraped the heavens, at least he never minced words. Garuda was straightforward, never wasting time the way Sabdo Palon was now.

Unlike Sabdo Palon, interactions with Garuda were simpler, though often stiff. With Garuda, Moku knew where the boundaries lay. But the being before him kept toying with him, like an adult having fun at the expense of a child, pushing Moku’s emotions to the brink of explosion.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before finally speaking.

"I heard your introduction earlier. Your name is Sabdo Palon. But that’s not what I’m asking. You know what I mean," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his chest.

Sabdo Palon dropped his act of feigned fear. His eyes regarded Moku with sharp interest, though the mischievous smile on his face remained. His gaze narrowed, revealing the satisfaction of someone not yet done with their amusement.

"In that case, wouldn’t it be more polite to respond to an introduction with one of your own? Didn’t Datuak Sri Maharajo and Datuak nan Sabatang ever teach you that?"

Hearing the names of his two masters, Moku nearly lost his composure. It was clear this being knew everything about him. He even knew the names of Moku’s masters—names Moku had never mentioned to anyone in his life.

But Moku knew he had no choice. With a clenched jaw and grinding teeth, he replied, "My name is Moku, O wise Sabdo Palon."

He recalled his master’s teaching: "Where you are planted, there you grow; where your feet tread, there you uphold the sky." The lesson emphasized the importance of adapting to any circumstance.

Right now, Sabdo Palon was a figure far more powerful than him. Sabdo Palon’s words were law. So, even though rage boiled in his chest, Moku swallowed his emotions and inclined his head slightly, despite the weight of the gesture.

When he finally managed to bow, he realized something—how arrogant he had become.

Moku had spent too long at the top. Surrounded by those who idolized or revered him, he had almost forgotten who he truly was.

"Above the sky, there is still another sky," he reminded himself, recalling his master’s old adage. "The fuller the rice stalk, the lower it bows."

Sabdo Palon’s words reminded him of values he had nearly forgotten. Here, he was no longer a king, no longer the figure holding the fates of hundreds of thousands of monsters.

All those titles and responsibilities were meaningless in the Spiritual Realm. At this moment, he was merely an asura who had just breached the Gate of Evolution.

When he raised his head again, his body felt lighter. The anger that had burned within him moments before had subsided. Moku looked at Sabdo Palon with calm composure and respect, devoid of any trace of his earlier fury.

Sabdo Palon nodded approvingly, the playful grin on his face growing even wider.

"Oh~ How impressive," he said, his tone cheerful. "It seems you’re not entirely a disappointment for someone who’s climbed the ladder of evolution after so long. Hehehe..."

Moku could only lower his head once more.

"Thank you for your warning and guidance, O wise Sabdo Palon," he said, his tone laden with respect.

Sabdo Palon burst out laughing, the sound echoing as if it shook the entire realm.

The air around them vibrated, sending shivers down Moku’s spine. But just as suddenly as the laughter had erupted, it stopped, and the atmosphere shifted drastically.

The playful vibe surrounding Sabdo Palon vanished, replaced by a chilling coldness that pierced the air. Moku’s soul trembled, a deep unease gnawing at him.

Yet before his anxiety could take root, the mischievous smile returned to Sabdo Palon’s face, as if the gravity of the moment had been nothing more than an illusion.

"Heh... The Minangkabau people never cease to fascinate me," Sabdo Palon remarked, his tone dripping with mockery.

"They adapt so quickly to their surroundings. They’re so proud of their own culture, feeling as if it stands above the laws of the world. But observe them when they migrate. That pride seems to vanish, replaced by their uncanny ability to take root in foreign lands—like a silent plague spreading unnoticed. In no time, they’re everywhere. And once they’ve established themselves, that arrogance resurfaces. Hahaha... What’s their phrase for it? Oh, right! ’Trapped, they want to be free; pressed, they want to rise.’"

Moku remained silent, his gaze fixed on Sabdo Palon without a trace of emotion.

There was no anger on his face, only composure.

He recalled his master’s teaching: "Even if the head sinks, let the horns stay above water."

There was no point in contesting Sabdo Palon’s taunts. What mattered most to him now was securing his footing in the Spiritual Realm, and the being before him was the greatest obstacle he had to face.

Sabdo Palon studied Moku with keen interest.

"Heh... Even after living in a new world, building a family, a culture, and leading a different species, you still cling to your old teachings. Fufufu... Just like Minangkabau wanderers. They might learn new languages, but their tongues still stumble over the letter ’E.’ Hahaha..."

Moku gave no response. He continued to watch Sabdo Palon calmly, and his silence eventually prompted the latter to stop laughing. Yet, while Sabdo Palon’s mischievous grin remained, his eyes now gleamed with seriousness.

"Very well, then. Welcome to the Spiritual Realm." His voice shifted to a more formal tone.

"I assume you’ve heard a little about this place from Garuda, but allow me to elaborate. The Spiritual Realm is where all souls who have ever lived come to rest until the time of judgment arrives. When the Supreme Creator made living beings, He breathed life into clay figurines. That breath is eternal, while their bodies are transient."

Moku furrowed his brow, trying to grasp the explanation. Before he could ask, Sabdo Palon continued.

"Every being’s existence was predetermined even before creation. Their soul is the first form to emerge, long before they have thoughts or a sense of self. Only afterward are they given physical bodies. The process of ascending the evolutionary ladder isn’t a transformation—it’s a return to their original form of creation. The purest form, the one closest to the Supreme Creator."

Moku swallowed hard, the weight of the explanation settling over him, causing his body to tremble.

"Just as Garuda embodies the Mind Realm, I embody the Spiritual Realm," Sabdo Palon went on.

"However, unlike Garuda, who has dominion over all within the Mind Realm, my power is limited to the regulation of this domain. I am merely its administrator. I have no control over the beings within, nor do I have the right to govern them."

Moku listened intently, each word from Sabdo Palon heavy with meaning.

"At this moment, you have become half a being of the Spiritual Realm. Though I have the power to bar your entry here, it seems..."

Sabdo Palon paused, his gaze shifting to something behind Moku. Instinctively, Moku turned around, but there was nothing there. Before he could investigate further, Sabdo Palon’s voice broke the silence.

"It seems that would be... inconvenient. Therefore, I will let you roam freely in this realm. Once again, welcome."

And without giving Moku a chance to ask any questions, Sabdo Palon vanished into thin air.