There is a universal truth across every frontier under the heavens: no matter how clear, sharp, or terrifying a warning is, there will always be those whose absolute greed completely blinds them to their own impending doom. This afternoon was no exception.

The moment Ethan’s boots cleared the threshold of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion’s outer perimeter, several shadows detached themselves from the dark alleys and broken rooftops. A massive, predatory network had rapidly materialized through the backstreets.

The Grey Shadow Syndicate, the Night Marauders, and the Cat’s Eye Bandits—three mercenary groups with notoriously vile reputations—had quickly formed a loose, unholy alliance. Over a hundred heavily armed thugs, cutthroats, and rogue cultivators systematically fell into formation behind the duo. They deliberately bided their time, holding their breath until Ethan and Mary stepped out of the Pavilion’s immediate jurisdiction and entered the twisting, lawless labyrinth of the outer residential slums, ensuring they wouldn’t openly offend the sect enforcers.

As they reached a deserted, rubble-strewn alleyway bordered by crumbling clay walls, Ethan suddenly came to a halt. His posture remained incredibly relaxed, his hands resting loosely at his sides.

"It seems a pack of filthy street rats has decided to tail us," Ethan said, his voice echoing smoothly through the quiet alleyway, entirely devoid of fear. He didn’t even bother to turn around as he raised his tone slightly. "Why don’t you miserable worms just step out into the open? Do you truly believe your pathetic, clumsy tracking skills could ever be hidden from my eyes?"

A collective, mocking laugh rippled through the shadows.

From the corners of the broken buildings and the ends of the alley, over a hundred mercenaries advanced, completely trapping the duo in a suffocating bottleneck. The air grew heavy with the stench of cheap liquor, stale sweat, and unrefined spiritual energy. Stepping to the forefront of the horde were the three syndicate leaders, their high-grade steel weapons gleaming with malicious intent.

"Smart mouth for a dead man," the leader of the Grey Shadow Syndicate sneered, stepping forward as he pointed a notched broadsword at Ethan’s chest. "Drop the two silk bags, hand over every single stone you just extracted, and get the hell out of our sight. I’m feeling exceptionally generous today."

Before Ethan could respond, the leader of the Night Marauders—a massive, bald brute covered in crude tribal tattoos—stepped up beside him, his eyes locking onto Mary’s mature, trembling figure with a sickening, predatory gleam.

"Hold on a minute, Grey," the brute chuckled, his voice a disgusting, wet rumble as he licked his cracked lips. "Why let them walk so easily? I say the brat leaves the stones and crawls away. But the widow stays. First, that ripe little bitch is going to get down on her knees and give me a proper blowjob right here in the dirt. Then, every single one of my boys is going to take their turn riding her until she’s completely broken and overflowing with our milk. Once we’re entirely done enjoying her, we’ll throw her back to the kid so he can have our leftovers. But we go first."

The massive horde of a hundred men exploded into a wave of raucous, depraved laughter, their eyes devouring Mary like a piece of raw meat.

Hearing the horrific, graphic degradation, Mary’s entire world shattered. Her face turned a ghostly, translucent white, and her breath choked in her throat as a wave of paralyzing terror gripped her heart. She looked at Ethan, waiting for him to unleash that terrifying sword intent from the forest—but instead, Ethan merely let out a soft chuckle and shook his head.

With a fluid, casual movement, Ethan reached down to his belt. He unlinked the two massive silk bags containing the thousand medium-grade spirit stones and carelessly tossed them directly into the dirt at the leaders’ feet.

THUD. CLINK.

Mary’s heart plummeted into an abyss of pure despair. A suffocating sense of betrayal washed over her. He’s giving up, her mind screamed. He’s selling me out to save his own skin!

She felt as if she had jumped straight out of the frying pan and directly into a raging inferno. Just a few hours ago, the prospect of being sold to a managed local brothel to pay off the usurer had felt like the worst possible fate. But now, looking at the hundred filthy, slavering brutes surrounding her in this lawless alley, she realized that being gang-raped and systematically abused to death by a hundred ruthless mercenaries was an absolute, horrific death sentence. Tears of absolute helplessness spilled from her wide, terrified eyes as she backed against the clay wall, her legs turning to jelly.

The leader of the Night Marauders let out a booming laugh, thoroughly satisfied by the youth’s apparent cowardice. "Good! Excellent! You’re a smart kid, brat. A boy who knows exactly when to bow his head and surrender will live a long life. Now, turn around and start running before I change my mind about letting you keep your legs."

The massive brute took a step forward, completely dismissive of the youth, viewing him as nothing more than a terrified stray dog who had finally realized his place.

But Ethan didn’t move an inch. His amethyst eyes darkened into a freezing, abyssal violet as he looked at the massive leader, his gaze entirely devoid of human warmth. His lips curled into that same slow, predatory smile.

"You wanted the stones, didn’t you?" Ethan purred, his voice dropping into a terrifyingly calm, smooth whisper that instantly cut through the mercenaries’ laughter. "There they are, lying right in the dirt. Come on... step forward and take them."

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From this moment forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.

Note: These are only the ranks mentioned so far to avoid spoilers.

Body Refinement Realm

Skin Refinement / Bone Refinement / Organ Refinement

Spiritual Gathering Realm

Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation

Spiritual Core Realm

Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core) 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Spiritual Soul Realm

Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion

Golden Core Realm

Prime Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction

Spiritual Sea Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Dao Manifestation Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Spiritual Transcendence

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??