Luna cupped her hands respectfully, descended from the stone platform, and approached the head of the Stormjade family. Her complexion was pale, her arms still trembling faintly. She needed rest.

The crowd erupted into murmurs. Shock and disbelief rippled through their ranks as cultivators exchanged wide-eyed glances.

"Wasn't that… too easy?"

"It's unbelievable. He didn't even use a wisp of spiritual energy."

"Did anyone else notice? He's purely a physical cultivator. His strength alone shattered Luna's Heavenly-rank techniques. Truly terrifying."

The tone beneath their astonishment carried something else—caution.

Ethan had stepped off the platform without hurry, each of his movements measured and unhurried. Wherever he passed, space opened. On instinct, people stepped away, parting a path for him as though bowing to an unseen authority.

Who would dare provoke someone who had just bested Luna Stormjade—a peak Tribulation Transcendence realm expert—with only raw physique and a single punch?

Even though he was a newcomer, even though his bone age was under fifty, Aether's very presence radiated an unspoken warning.

Seraphina watched quietly from her seat, her expression unusually grave.

"Another physical cultivator… like Ethan," she murmured.

As the thought settled, her eyes flickered with surprise. "Aether, Ethan… could there be a connection?"

She dismissed the thought just as swiftly, shaking her head. "No, that's impossible."

The world was vast. The number of cultivators walked beyond counting. Her master often said that heaven's path never left the world barren of geniuses—there was always one stronger, one more brilliant.

In this vast Skyreach Territory, Ethan was not the only pure physical cultivator.

Still, her gaze lingered on the masked figure. The silent composure, the restrained dominance—everything about him reminded her of that familiar arrogance hidden under calm gentility.

"Uncle Edwin," Seraphina said softly, "between this Aether and Ethan… who do you think is stronger?"

Edwin took his time to answer, his hands clasped behind his back.

"This man held his ground against a Tribulation Transcendence peak cultivator without showing the slightest hint of desperation," he said thoughtfully. "His strength is not surface-level. He's concealing much more than he shows." He paused.

"But… even so, I doubt he surpasses Ethan."

Edwin's tone was calm, certain. Ethan's cultivation speed, his comprehension, his monstrous foundation—no other genius he'd seen could compare.

Ethan had broken every convention, rewriting how the world perceived physical cultivation.

Seraphina looked away, concealing the bloom of fighting spirit in her eyes. "Not stronger than Ethan…" she murmured, her heart beating faster. "Then perhaps I can test my strength against him."

In the depths of her calm eyes, a spark of longing burned bright. She believed her potential was no worse—only her experience lagged behind. She hadn't fought many physical cultivators, didn't understand the rhythm of their power, the uniqueness of their control.

If she could challenge this Aether, she would learn. She would adapt. She would grow.

And when the time came, perhaps she could stand against—Ethan once more.

Nearby, Gale Reed's voice carried low through the hum of the stands.

"This kid reminds me of Ethan," he said, teeth gritting with frustration. "That bastard still carries the sect's inheritance with him!"

Seraphina's expression didn't change. "Ethan must be preparing for the Treasure Appraisal Conference," she said quietly.

"There, heavenly materials and earthly treasures gather—all necessary to refine his body to higher realms. Physical cultivation consumes far more than spiritual cultivation."

Gale Reed remained silent. Even he couldn't deny that such an event would be vital to Ethan's progress.

Across the arena, Luke's sharp eyes narrowed, the contempt in them gone. His earlier mockery dissolved into wary respect.

Aether's power was unlike any he had seen. Pure physical cultivation—refined to such an extreme at such an age—was something only possible with ancient inheritance or impossible resolve.

"So he's also a body cultivator, huh," Luke muttered to himself. "Interesting. Someone worth taking seriously after all."

But Oswin sat silently, still troubled. His brow furrowed, the faint traces of suspicion coiling at the back of his mind like smoke.

He hadn't been able to read Aether's aura at all. It wasn't merely concealed—it was as though a veil of absolute silence separated the man from the world's perception.

"What kind of secret technique, or artifact, could isolate a cultivator's presence completely?" he thought grimly.

"Even my senses were cut off. Could it be an immortal-grade weapon?"

His heart sank slightly. Whoever this Aether truly was, he wasn't someone ordinary.

Meanwhile, Ethan himself stood not far from the platform, beneath the shadow of a tree. The crowd naturally avoided the area around him. Even the air near him seemed calmer, untouched by noise.

He glanced lightly toward Luna, his gaze devoid of emotion. Then, in the faintest whisper, he said a single word—

"Explode."

On the stage, Luna, still catching her breath, suddenly stiffened. Shock flashed across her eyes a moment before a violent shudder coursed through her body.

Bang!

Two invisible forces roared inside her, exploding simultaneously. Her spiritual energy went into chaos, veins trembling as blood rushed to her throat. She spat out a mouthful of scarlet mist and almost collapsed.

Her family rushed to her side instantly.

"Luna! What happened?" Adam Stormjade rose sharply, his expression darkening.

Luna breathed unevenly but managed to wipe her lips, eyes flashing with reluctant admiration. "It's nothing. That boy's punch carried hidden energy. It lingered… then exploded just now."

She exhaled slowly. "Luckily, it wasn't strong enough to cripple me."

Adam's frown deepened. "It's just a competition. He's too ruthless." But his gaze shifted toward Ethan, the faint anger in his eyes fading into grudging awe.

"This person…" he murmured. "If only he were one of ours."

For a brief moment, he allowed himself to imagine what it would mean—Ethan's power under the Stormjade banner, dominating Sun Moon City without contest.

Then a thought struck him. His gaze flicked toward Eunice.

"Eunice," he said quietly.

"Yes, Father?"

"Go. Invite Aether to our estate."

Her eyes widened slightly. "Father… you mean to win him over?"

Adam nodded. "If we can earn his goodwill, even better. If not…"

Eunice smiled faintly, understanding before he even finished. "I understand."

The gleam in her eyes said the rest.

She was intelligent—enough to read between her father's words. Her beauty, her youth, her charm—these were tools no less powerful than cultivation.

She knew what her father wanted: to use herself as a bridge, a lure to pull Aether, and possibly his mysterious strength, into the Stormjade family's orbit.

But she wasn't opposed.

What girl didn't long for strength? For a man who could break mountains and shatter heavens with a single strike?

Even masked, Aether exuded an aura that made hearts tremble without reason.

Yes, beneath that mask, she was sure, must be a face worthy of such power.

And if fate aligned, she thought quietly, letting a faint glow touch her cheeks, she wouldn't mind marrying such a man.

Of course, she was thinking beyond that—beyond beauty, beyond fascination.

She was the daughter of the Stormjade family, but her lineage alone wouldn't secure her future. Her talent was decent, not exceptional.

Once the years passed, her influence within the family would naturally fade.

But a man like Aether…

If they were bound together, his future brilliance would illuminate hers forever.

If she could become his Tao companion, her fate would no longer be confined to the walls of the Stormjade family.

His power would shield her, his prestige would elevate her, and his rise… would become her own.

A/N:

Hello guys, Author here, I will be reducing prices for Privilege prices next month, so please do not buy it this month.

Extra chapters

100 power stones - 1 Extra chapters

200 power stones - 2 Extra chapters

Capsule - 1 Extra chapters

Massage Chair - 3 Extra chapters

Luxury Car - 5 Extra Chapters

Magic Castle - 15 Extra Chapters

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