Suddenly, the glowing stone in the commanderâs hand turned a violent, jagged shade of purple. It began to vibrate so intensely that it burned his palm.
"What... what is this?" the commander stammered, shaking the stone. "The readings... theyâre off the charts! It says something is right here! Right above us!"
The Young Masterâs bored expression vanished in an instant. He looked up, his silk robes snapping in a wind that hadnât been there a second ago.
High above them, silhouetted against the dying sun, a figure was descending. He didnât use a ship, and he didnât use clunky spiritual flight. He drifted down like a god returning to his throne, his amethyst eyes glowing with a light that made the Crimson Sectâs armor look like dull lead.
"Youâre right about one thing," Ethanâs voice drifted down, cool and terrifyingly calm. "The Deacon was a coward. But he wasnât lying about the danger. He just didnât have the words to describe what was coming for you."
Ethan landed softly on the jagged rocks, the impact sending a silent shockwave that cracked the ground for a hundred meters. He looked at the Young Master, a dark, predatory smile tugging at his lips.
"I am the Master of this âdusty room,â" Ethan said, his aura beginning to unfurl like a suffocating shroud of violet smoke. "And I donât recall inviting any trash to my house."
The commander gripped his spiritual stone, his knuckles white as the light within it flickered erratically. "Itâs... itâs malfunctioning!" he shouted, his voice cracking. "One second it registers him at the Spiritual Core level, and the next, he shows as a common mortal with zero energy! This is impossible!"
The guards didnât wait for a clear reading. They unsheathed their jade-hued sabers and raised their spears, circling Ethan with the practiced precision of predators. Whether he was a master or a fluke, they were trained to eliminate any variable.
The young man in silk robes stepped forward, his eyes scanning Ethan with the clinical detachment one might use to inspect a strange insect. "My name is Su Ni," he declared, his voice carrying the weight of a thousand years of entitlement. "I am of the Crimson Sect, hailing from the glorious Northern Peaks. Kneel now, pledge your eternal loyalty to our Sect, and we shall grant you benefits unimaginable to a wretched ant such as yourself."
Su Niâs authority was absolute. As the grandson of the Great Sect Leader, his word was law across the continent. In the Northern Peaks, a mere accidental glance in his direction could result in the execution of eighteen generations of the offenderâs family. He was a "Silk Pants" in the truest senseâa pampered prince who expected the world to bow simply because he existed.
Ethan remained perfectly still, his expression unreadable. "And what benefits would those be, your Excellency?"
Su Niâs brow twitched. He was surprised the local didnât instantly collapse in a heap of grateful tears, but he dismissed it as the ignorance of a barbarian who simply didnât know the vastness of the heavens.
"I will grant you a status within the Sect," Su Ni said, flicking an invisible speck of dust from his sleeve. "I shall make you an instructorâthe highest honor a creature of your station could dream of. You would stand above guards like these. I will name you the King of this tiny island-world, and you shall rule as the supreme authority representing my will."
A female guard, a striking redhead with a finely sculpted face and a cold, piercing gaze, stepped forward. Her armor emphasized a lithe, athletic frame, but her voice was sharp with vitriol. "What are you waiting for? Kneel and thank the Young Master! Are you an idiot, or just eager for a grave?"
"Gratitude is a requirement, not an option!" another soldier barked, the tip of his spear glowing with crimson energy.
Ethan looked at the woman. She was undeniably beautifulâporcelain skin, a firm, rounded figure, and features without a single blemish. In any other circumstance, she would be a prize. But to Ethan, her voice was a grating reminder of the "Old World" hierarchy he had already burned to the ground.
Nobody gave orders to the King.
Ethan turned his gaze back to Su Ni, a faint, mocking glint in his violet eyes. "Honorable Su Ni, itâs an intriguing offer. Truly. I could certainly consider it... on one condition."
Su Ni tilted his head. "A condition? An insect bargains?"
"What if you give me this bitch first?" Ethan said, nodding toward the redhead. "Iâll break her in, part her legs until she remembers who her real master is, and then we can sit down and talk about my surrender. What do you think?"
The air went dead silent.
The womanâs face turned a violent shade of scarlet. "You filthy, low-born animal! I will tear your tongue out and feed it to the void-hounds!" she shrieked, her spiritual pressure erupting.
Su Niâs calm face finally cracked, his eyes narrowing into slits of pure, cold malice. "You think you can negotiate with us, insect? I offered you a toast of friendship, and you chose to spit in the cup. You have rejected the toast only to be forced to drink the forfeit."
He turned his back on Ethan, his voice dropping to a whisper of death. "Kill him. We have no use for a disobedient bug. Leave his head for the crows."
Ethan let out a low, guttural laugh that seemed to vibrate the very foundations of the mountain. As he did, his aura erupted, a pillar of amethyst light shooting toward the bruised heavens, momentarily parting the thick clouds of the invasion.
The dozens of soldiers who had lunged forward with jade sabers and spears suddenly froze in mid-air. Their faces were twisted in mid-shout, their weapons inches from Ethanâs skin, but they were held fast by an invisible, crushing grip.
[Spatial Control]
--------------------
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 Core)
Spiritual Soul Realm
Spiritual Soul Awakening / [Locked] / [Locked]