Silence blanketed the square. Even the most enthusiastic hecklers had fallen quiet. The projection screens had been removed by the Artificers.

  The contestants who remained gazed upward with admiration and hope in their eyes, not understanding what was happening.

  The prodigies of this generation—Zhanyu, Sigrid, Adrian—had all been taken back by their respective elders for protection.

  Lachlan's military forces had also been dispatched to monitor the situation. Though they could intervene immediately, they needed to wait for Duke Kael Voss to summon them rather than interfere. The chain of command remained absolute, not to be violated.

  Even Darkan found himself speechless in the current situation.

  Among those cold-eyed figures looking down, there was a Tier 7, just one step away from being equal to the Emperor himself. His face was hidden behind a mysterious mist. To ordinary people, his features would appear to shift from one moment to the next, never settling into a recognizable form.

  Now, he was the one who spoke.

  "Child, get aside and let us do the work," his voice sang through the air like a familiar melody. Everyone felt an irresistible urge to obey.

  Everyone except Darkan. The muscles in his body automatically shifted to neutralize the influence.

  "Child?" Darkan threw his head back and laughed loudly. "It's been a long time since someone called me that. Considering our ages, I might be old enough to be your father. Don't be so condescending."

  The Tier 7 wasn't offended, merely chuckling softly before responding amicably.

  "Perhaps that was my mistake? But calling a Tier 4 'child' is already showing respect. Or should I call you by what you truly are? Insect? Maggot, as you said? Or not even worth a single cell?"

  "Don't make me laugh," Darkan growled. "Unless you want all of Maelivar destroyed today."

  "By you alone?"

  "You're welcome to try me."

  There was no answer, only pressure descending from above.

  Nathan, standing behind Darkan, winced as his legs trembled violently. Zeryn beside him wasn't faring much better, gritting his teeth and summoning his Sword Intent to its maximum just to remain standing.

  Both understood that without Darkan's protection, they would have been crushed to bone and flesh, no exaggeration.

  The contestants from The Shifting Trials and everyone in the square felt dizzy and disoriented. Those without protection collapsed, their minds thrown into chaos.

  "Sir," Duke Kael wiped sweat from his brow as he bowed, pleading, "please show restraint."

  A soft laugh sounded, and the Tier 7's power became more controlled, focusing only on Darkan's area.

  "My fault," he said, though his tone suggested otherwise.

  Nathan looked up at his master. Darkan's image seemed much larger than before. Unlike everyone else, he maintained his characteristic confidence. Even the other Tier 6 cultivators showed caution.

  Darkan and the Tier 7 locked eyes. Then, in an instant, hell seemed to descend upon Maelivar.

  More than a hundred meters above the square, an explosion triggered shockwaves that continued relentlessly. The noise forced everyone to cover their ears. All bowed their heads as the residual force reached them. Though far away, the power was still enough to make buildings sway.

  The protective mana layers of cultivators flickered and faltered as the collision seemed to never end.

  A full minute passed before the chaos subsided, leaving bewildered expressions on the faces of the weaker individuals—those who formed the largest segment of the population pyramid. Though they had heard tales of the destructive power of apex predators known as Tier 7 and Tier 8, this was their first true experience of it.

  They had always been taught that their safety existed only through the mutual agreement among high-Tier cultivators not to massacre indiscriminately. But should one go rogue, few could stop them.

  This was precisely why the exchange between Darkan and the Tier 7 occurred in the air rather than on the ground among Maelivar's ordinary citizens. The attack they'd just witnessed would have been enough to reduce the entire city to fine dust.

  Running or evacuation? That was a pipe dream.

  Whoosh!

  Nathan could only blink in awe at the magnificent figure of his master. Though the exchange had happened in the blink of an eye, Darkan had immediately returned to his disciple's side. Always focused on one thing—ensuring Nathan's safety.

  The Tier 7 waved his hand, and the air twisted, pulling away whatever obstructed his view. The mist concealing his face contorted, shuddering with each wave.

  "Don't tell me," the mysterious voice had grown urgent, "you are The Silent Juggernaut, the one who stirred up The Middle Realm?"

  "That's a foul-sounding name," Darkan snorted. "Don't associate me with such ugly titles and individuals."

  The Tier 7 seemed startled, his misty shroud fluttering.

  The Tier 6 cultivators now trembled with fear. Though Darkan had clearly demonstrated he wasn't simply a Tier 4 as he appeared, they had maintained a condescending view, doubting he was powerful enough to dismiss everyone present. But what they had just witnessed changed their minds completely.

  The exchange had been enough to put Tier 6 in bed for hundreds of years, not as simple as it appeared.

  "Can we talk now?" Darkan asked coldly, his limbs itching with restrained power.

  "What do you want?" Duke Kael Voss hastily stepped forward as mediator. This was his city; he couldn't watch it be destroyed today. He still had plans for the future.

  "Leave. All of you. Stop targeting my disciple."

  Gasps rose from the crowd, especially from the young contestants of The Shifting Trials. Only now did they realize that this apocalyptic scenario was because of the chef. They immediately turned to PsiLink to understand what was happening.

  The discussions all pointed to Nathan's transformation video—the three-meter-tall figure covered in black stone. The majesty and destructive power displayed left everyone speechless.

  If Nathan hadn't transformed at the volcano to fight the Lava Drake, but saved it instead, could anyone have defeated him?

  All eyes turned to Adrian, who was studying Nathan's clip with fascination. His gaze revealed admiration along with anticipation, tinged with regret.

  Emrys Merinor and Ruby Voss grew wary. They had overlooked one of the most formidable existences among the gathering of prodigies.

  Zhanyu narrowed his eyes, finding his defeat more palatable now. Even with a partial transformation of just his arm, Nathan had been nearly impossible to shake off. It was difficult to imagine what a full transformation would be like.

  The Verdant Spire Sect disciples were stunned, unsure whether to feel proud or ashamed before such an existence.

  Zahra watched everything with excitement, though only she knew why. Xander's face darkened, feeling he had fallen far behind.

  Amidst these reactions, some still rejoiced in others' misfortune. Notably Reza, unable to contain a malicious smile, believing Nathan wouldn't leave unscathed.

  Zeryn skimmed through the discussions before looking at his best friend. This must have been what Nathan wanted to tell him in the pocket dimension. Had he known, like Evelyn, he could have guessed Nathan's origins. That transformed arm had only made him think Nathan was connected to the Dragonoid clans. Even in his wildest dreams, Zeryn hadn't imagined Nathan carried this bloodline.

  A forbidden bloodline. Extinct. Yet paradoxically coveted by all.

  "What do you think my answer will be, Darkan?" the Tier 7 asked contemptuously.

  "You dare violate the Cultivators Convention and the laws set by The Divine Tower?"

  "Hmph," the Tier 7 waved his hand dismissively, "you don't need to remind me of those. The Emperor will stand trial for this matter."

  Nathan was both terrified and awestruck. He felt like he was hearing secrets and the order of the world. But as the central figure, the cause of everything happening, he had no desire to learn. He only understood that the situation was truly serious, with no escape for someone as weak as him.

  For the first time, he commanded his neck to move, blue veins bulging against his skin. His teeth clenched, defying the oppression. His eyes stung with sweat mixed with traces of defiant blood. His shoulders fought against the greatest weight they had ever borne.

  He raised his head, looking at those who coveted him, those who cared nothing for his thoughts or feelings, or whether any injustice existed. Only interests gleamed in their eyes.

  He scanned each Tier 6 before stopping at the central Tier 7. Though he couldn't remember the man's face, he would still look. This was the smallest resistance he could offer.

  "Maggot," the Tier 7 snapped. "Who gave you permission?"

  Darkness instantly enveloped Nathan. A second later, pain shot through his brain from his eye sockets.

  "Argghhhh!" he screamed in agony.

  What little rationality remained warned him not to open his eyes, even as his body began to heal.

  He couldn't let a single drop of blood leave his body.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  His eye sockets burned with his own internal flow, wrapped in indignation and refusal to submit.

  "Bastards," Darkan roared. "Attacking a child like that."

  A powerful gust erupted around Darkan.

  "Don't blame me for retaliating."

  The ground beneath his feet cracked. A moment later, he had once again struck toward the Tier 7. A protective barrier of mana immediately formed, created by the nearby Tier 6 cultivators.

  This impact was absorbed by the shield, then redirected straight into the sky.

  Before everyone's eyes, the clouds were punctured with a massive hole. The thunderous boom echoed all the way to villages far from Maelivar.

  "Insolent," the Tier 7 hissed.

  Following his rebuke came a tremor beneath everyone's feet, as if Maelivar would be flipped upside down.

  "Sir," Duke Kael Voss desperately shouted, "please stop!"

  "Hmph!" The Tier 7 exhaled sharply.

  The impending catastrophe halted. Instead, brown pillars formed, creating a cage that trapped Darkan inside. The surface of the pillars glowed with golden light, absorbing the prisoner's strength.

  The Verdant Spire Sect elder smirked, his hand trembling at a certain frequency. The earth pillars began to destabilize with the vibration. The brittle cracking of stone preceded another attack from Darkan.

  The surrounding Tier 6 cultivators cursed and swore, once again erecting a protective barrier to prevent destruction. The leaders of the four great houses and Duke Kael Voss took responsibility for the second layer of protection, attempting to safeguard not just people but the city's architecture.

  The damage would have reached Nathan, but Darkan always returned just in time to prevent it.

  They would even kill him to take his blood. Despite not being certain if it contained what they sought.

  The Tier 7 was irritated at being restrained. If he could freely use his power, Darkan would be no problem, just a nail to be pulled. But the slightest move would cost lives. He silently cursed the weak who stood in his way, damning Darkan's ancestors for binding his hands by using people as shields. He ordered the Tier 6 cultivators to join the attack.

  In response to his call, none dared refuse. A small attack squad converged on Darkan.

  Darkan's physical strength allowed him to control his output, directing it away from areas that would affect civilians. Still, he couldn't prevent the fiery collisions from the other cultivators' attacks.

  One punch that couldn't be defended tore through the southwestern part of the city. Farmland in this area was upturned. Soil, grass, and medicinal herbs rained upward toward the sky. Watchtowers collapsed with sounds of earthquake.

  Seeing this, the cultivators intensified their assault. The light of various aspects blinded everyone. There was the heat from mighty flames. The coldness and heaviness from flowing water. The unstable spatial distortions made all of Maelivar flicker and darken as if the sun had been swallowed.

  Citizens had long since fled in panic, evacuated under the coordination of guards and leaders. Flying vehicles rose, hoping to leave the city but ultimately stopping. Stray shots from high-Tier cultivators could hit them at any moment. The wisest choice now was to stay put so these indifferent reapers of death would know where not to swing their scythes.

  Nathan was shrouded in darkness, only his ears still receiving information about his surroundings. His skin had been ice-cold from the start, with no further changes possible.

  His eyes gradually calmed as his bloodline and physical cultivation did their best work. Healing.

  Darkan stood like a pillar holding up the sky, never faltering under the pressure he bore. The damage landing on his body was neutralized in ways that left everyone puzzled. The most effective attacks were those targeting his mind, slowing him down, preventing him from counterattacking as he wished. Still, Darkan proved himself a veteran fighter, always leaving enough space to rush over and beat away anyone who approached Nathan.

  Knowing a weakness but failing to address it would have meant Darkan wouldn't have survived until today. Unless these Tier 6 and Tier 7 cultivators unleashed their full power, he wouldn't face difficulties. Their current restraint was far from threatening.

  Though they outwardly dismissed the Cultivators Convention and Divine Tower, deep down everyone was cautious. Facing Divine Tower's judgment, even the Emperor had to bow, let alone these lesser figures.

  Darkan knew this because he had experienced it. That was partly why he chose to maintain his position. If this stalemate continued, both sides would be forced to separate, sit down, talk, and negotiate. Just holding out until then would ensure Nathan's safety. That cursed secret about bloodline would be delayed until a solution could be found.

  But rarely did the world unfold according to one person's plans.

  The four pillars that created the Portal still stood firmly, neither shaken nor cracked in the slightest.

  The hooded figures sent to assist with opening the pocket dimension had been watching everything unfold from the sidelines. They had been waiting for orders from above. Not from Caelindor's king, but from the Emperor.

  In truth, no one here fully understood what Nathan's bloodline could do. They only wanted to assist the Emperor. This extinct bloodline, gone for hundreds of thousands or millions of years, wasn't something everyone could know about. Only those connected to the most ancient powers knew even a fragment.

  And the Emperor of Ehyrian was one such individual. The order just given was to absolutely verify the young man's bloodline. No matter the cost.

  The four dispatched individuals drifted toward the battlefield.

  Darkan immediately sensed their presence and inwardly cursed. It wasn't that he didn't want to destroy those four pillars still standing there, but that he couldn't. Despite possessing destructive power unmatched by anyone here, he remained powerless against them.

  Because they were artifacts made from spatial material, treasures for Space Aspect cultivators.

  The four chosen individuals from among the twelve nations of the empire were precisely those who possessed this Aspect.

  Darkan feared no one—except them. He had thought news of this wouldn't reach the Emperor immediately. A Tier 8 had many matters to attend to. Focusing attention on a mere 24-year-old was unlikely.

  Yet, it had happened.

  Darkan couldn't spare himself to deal with those four.

  They raised their hands, each chanting to a pillar.

  The symbols on the pillars illuminated just as they had when opening the gateway a week ago.

  However, this time they didn't shoot toward the center to open a path into the pocket dimension, but aimed directly at Nathan's pillar of support.

  Darkan had no choice but to intercept the four beams himself, as his vulnerable disciple stood behind him. Moreover, if these rays hit Nathan, he would be teleported straight into enemy hands.

  The Space Aspect surged through Darkan. He didn't immediately teleport away; instead, his image distorted in place.

  This made the four hooded figures tremble with surprise at what was happening. Even the Tier 7 couldn't hide his shock, standing motionless with his mist no longer churning. The surrounding Tier 6 and Tier 5 cultivators stared in disbelief.

  A person was resisting the power of the Space Aspect in front of them. The energy beams from the pillars had no effect other than forcing a person to relocate from their spatial coordinates.

  Yet Darkan seemed locked in place, anchoring himself against spatial disruption. His flesh revealed layers of cuts like technical drawings. Bones, muscles, and blood vessels were clearly exposed before everyone. The features of his face resembled a child's messy scribbles, becoming indistinct.

  His groans reached Nathan's ears like the static he'd heard on the radio when leaving his homeland with his mother.

  He opened his eyes, staring in horror at the mangled figure before him. His master could have simply allowed the Space Aspect to affect him and avoided this suffering. The torment came from resistance. This agony was being sustained by the miracle of Physical Cultivation. Darkan was showing his disciple the terrifying nature of this path. Not even space and time could force him to give up.

  "What else are you waiting for? Act now," the Tier 7 commanded. His hand swept upward, increasing the pressure on Darkan.

  The others, hearing this, snapped out of their stupor at Darkan's display.

  Darkan, within the spatial distortion, looked at Nathan. His eyes glowed like amber, urging him to run. He only needed a few seconds to escape. But a few seconds would already be too late.

  Nathan felt time slow down, his mind racing at full capacity. He understood what Darkan wanted to shout. Yet what could he do in this situation?

  He saw a person disappear before his eyes, only to reappear a split second later, having closed half the distance.

  He looked at his system notification screen that had never disappeared. A sense of immeasurable regret welled up inside him.

  [Titan's Descendant] had carried him so far, to become one of the top 64 most talented youths. [Martial Arts Mastery], though an Ultra Rare skill, was limited by his abilities and couldn't match [Titan's Descendant]. Moreover, it had helped his Physical Cultivation path.

  Without this powerful bloodline, he would be nobody, still struggling at Verdant Spire Sect despite possessing an Ultra Rare Skill. He wouldn't have defeated Roran, let alone Qingfeng or Xander. Darkan would never have noticed him. He would have remained just a lowly inner sect disciple. He would have had no basis to enter The Shifting Trials.

  And Argentius, his irritable companion.

  Everything that made him feel strong came from [Titan's Descendant].

  The high-Tier cultivator flickered, now only a short distance from him.

  He wondered why everything had come to this. Was it Fortune Flow? Or simply its indifference, with him merely being swept along? Or was this the price for his smooth sailing over the past four months? A confirmation that he wasn't heaven's chosen one, receiving the favor like characters he'd read about in novels? Nothing would be easy for him, even with a special system.

  The person's hand reached toward him as bitterness rose within. Everything happened this way because he was too weak, a toy to be tossed around by others at their whim. Who would care what an ant thought when crushing it?

  Beside him, Zeryn was held back by an invisible force when he dared swing his sword at the high-Tier cultivator.

  If even a sword genius had to submit, what more could he, Nathan, ask for?

  He had considered the consequences. If they discovered what they wanted in him, his future would be nothing but darkness.

  Goodbye! he thought silently.

  His mind made the choice.

  Just as he gave the command to his system, his hand throbbed once.

  Darkan broke free, throwing a punch into the air. The vibration made Nathan's ears bleed, and he collapsed.

  The high-Tier cultivator had been teleported back to his ranks. From this side, Nathan and Darkan could see him handing a tube containing red liquid to one of the hooded figures. A light flashed, and the tube vanished.

  Darkan roared in fury, throwing frenzied punches into the air.

  "Enough!" the Tier 7 thundered, deflecting the air bombs away from the impact area. "Stop being stubborn. It's over. The boy's blood has been taken."

  Darkan suddenly hunched down, returning to his world-weary appearance. He looked at his disciple, his eyes filled with guilt and helplessness. He had told his disciple to show off, to let everyone see the fearsome nature of the Berserker path. And in doing so, he had placed the young man in the clutches of monsters who cared nothing for anyone's life.

  Nathan didn't even have the mind to notice those around him. Zeryn's calls were muffled by his wounds and shattered mind. Someone had cut away a part of him and taken it. When the [Titan's Descendant] skill became grayed out in his system interface, not only did his emotions plummet, but his body also bore a similar burden.

  He felt immensely tired, like a child with a high fever, wanting only to bury himself under blankets and sleep for a long time. To wake up and know this was a dream, that he had never lost a part of himself.

  Satisfied laughter rose from the crowd. For them, this was just a completed mission. The Titan bloodline was only a legend. They had suspicions because of Nathan's transformation but nothing certain. Whatever consequences followed would be borne by others.

  The Tier 7 concealed his hand behind the mist, fingers clenched tightly. He had noticed the Emperor's involvement, further confirming his beliefs. He hid a contemptuous smile for the other Tier 7s in the crowd. Cowards who dared not act. What the Titan bloodline was, he didn't care. He only needed the reward that would be bestowed upon him. With such favor, perhaps even the Tier 8 barrier wouldn't be as insurmountable as everyone thought.

  Evelyn abandoned her struggle to help Nathan. Her face hid the chaotic emotions within. Somehow, seeing Nathan so lifeless bothered her tremendously.

  Zahra covered her mouth, breathing rapidly, still in disbelief. Not from fear, but because the pleasant scent that had emanated from Nathan was gone. But she dared not speak. This was not her place to interfere.

  Xander and the other young people felt chilled to the bone. Reality had slapped them mercilessly in the face. This was how high-Tier cultivators treated those beneath them, even one who had just proven himself among the most promising youths, overcoming all obstacles to stand here. They wondered if their own fates were equally fragile, if talent was a double-edged sword or something worth pursuing. Nothing seemed certain anymore.

  Lachlan shook his head vigorously, revealing some disappointment. Nathan's future seemed decided. Earlier promises had vanished like sea foam.

  A genius destroyed in an instant, under another's decision without possibility of resistance.

  Silence once again blanketed Maelivar's central square. One side desperate, the other brimming with anticipation.

  Nathan knelt on the ground, listless. He closed his eyes, trying to regain composure. He had been in worse situations. He was now a Tier 2 Spirit Cultivator; he still had a chance. Though he reminded himself of this, his emotions remained a tangled mess.

  Only when red exclamation marks jumped up on his system screen did he become distracted.

  On the other side, the person who had taken Nathan's blood for analysis had just received information through PsiLink. His entire body stiffened after reading the results.

  Error! Error! Error!

  [Titan's Descendant] is denying to be deleted.

  External Intervention by mysterious beings...

  Error breaking the skill...

  Seeking for compromises...

  The system proposed higher chance of bringing back [Titan's Descendant] in the future...

  Waiting for contemplation...

  External Intervention has stopped!

  [Titan's Descendant] deleted!

  The hooded figure announced for all to hear.

  "Nathan Reed shows anomalous signs after blood analysis," his voice trembled as expectant eyes turned to him. "He carries no trace of any bloodline. Completely human, the only one in Ehyrian Empire unmixed with any other species!"