In the hall, all the "dignitaries" like Anna Patterson and Allan Long watched Ethan and Maxwell with odd expressions, clearly sensing their malicious intent. Yet no one had expected someone to actually crash the Baker family's joyous occasion.For rivals like Anna Patterson, nothing would be better than ruining the Baker family's big day, or even causing their total downfall. So for the moment, all was silent as they waited to see what would unfold.An eerie quiet. Joseph closed his eyes regretfully. He knew of the feelings between his daughter and Ethan, and rather approved of the boy. But his arrival was just too late, and the timing was wrong...After over seven years, Ethan's appearance had changed somewhat, but Charles still recognized him and kept signaling urgently for Ethan to leave quickly.Ethan ignored him completely, back ramrod straight, eyes empty of emotion as he scanned the Baker crowd.Beside him, Maxwell loomed tall and bulky, standing out in the crowd like a crane
"Ethan, do you really think you can bully the Baker family so easily?" Juan Baker's face was ashen, utterly humiliated in front of all the major families of Mistwood County. Having his future son-in-law killed and his guest official beheaded right in front of everyone, how could the Baker family continue to hold their standing in Mistwood County if they did not regain some face?Ethan's expression was impassive as his gaze swept over the core members of the Baker family present in the grand hall. Of them all, only four gave him slight pause.Including Juan Baker and his third son Ralph Baker, there were just five Bone Sacrifice practitioners. And now, only four remained after Ethan's handiwork. Such a force was inferior even compared to the Martin family of Hampshire County. Ethan had no patience for idle chatter. He immediately unleashed the Eight Mystical Metamorphoses, his original form and his clone charging at Juan Baker in unison.Speed was paramount. Ethan was currently only a
Juan Baker flipped his right hand and a pitch-black spear appeared.Ethan's gaze had been fixed on Juan Baker and his son the entire time. The instant Juan moved, Ethan realized his intent."You despicable old codger! Don't you dare!" Ethan was so shocked he nearly jumped out of his skin. If Juan Baker had targeted Ethan himself, he wouldn't have batted an eyelid no matter how powerful his opponent was. After all, Ethan's mental resilience was beyond ordinary and with the ancient Azure Dragon's restorative abilities, conventional attacks posed no threat.But for Juan Baker to make a move against Lily was going too far! And it just so happened to be Ethan's Achilles heel!Juan Baker gave a cold smile. Without hesitation, he whipped his right hand down to hurl the spear!At the same time, Ethan sped towards Lily as swiftly as he could.Originally two hundred yards separated Ethan and Lily, but in this life-or-death moment, he seemed even faster than usual. Incredibly, he managed to rus
"Grandfather, farewell!" Tears streamed down Ethan Storm's cheeks as he gazed hollowly at the dark coffin about to be sealed.Reflected in a bronze mirror before the coffin stood Ethan Storm: a boy of eleven or twelve, his frail frame draped in white garments, his face pale, and his once spirited black eyes now devoid of luster.Outside the spirit chamber, the cacophony of firecrackers, suona horns, footsteps, laughter, and conversation melded together, as the dragon dance troupe hired from the town performed with zeal.For millions of years, the dragon has been a symbol of faith in the Continent of Chaos. Legend has it that the continent was forged by a colossal ancestral dragon, which then transformed into myriad forms, sacrificing itself in the process. However, these stories were but myths, and rumors about dragons were scarce nowadays, with only a few fragmented records found in ancient texts.It was a custom in Stone Town to invite dragon dancers to perform whenever a townsperso
The gazes of over a hundred onlookers quickly converged on Ethan. Pale as paper, scrawny yet standing tall, his chin slightly raised, seemingly unfazed by the blood streaming down his forehead, his dark eyes appeared calm but with a hint of madness, like a wounded lone wolf in the night, proud, bloodthirsty, and ruthless. "This child has a mature and resolute nature, and great courage. He is destined for greatness!" Many shared the same thought, and for a moment, the crowd fell silent. Catherine wanted to scold Ethan but was taken aback by his fierce expression, and she too remained silent. "You insolent brat! Today's gathering includes village elders and clan leaders, and we will not tolerate your unruly behavior!" Robert couldn't bear being scolded by a twelve-year-old and spoke out. Ethan ignored Robert's reprimand, only pressing his ear closer to the black coffin— "Thud." Ethan thought he heard a faint knocking sound from the coffin and quickly moved even closer, lying flat
Under the astonished gaze of the crowd, Edward, who had been dead, suddenly sat up in his coffin. It was as if a stretched spring had suddenly recoiled, eerie and without warning.Clothed in black, with black lips, a black hat, and black eyes—Everyone, except for Ethan, was horrified, their faces changing color. Even Olivia and Sophia were pale and retreated in fear."A ghost!"The crowd scattered like frightened birds, especially the timid girls and boys, who hid behind their elders, crying hysterically.Ethan's eyelids twitched and his palms were sweaty, but his deep bond with his grandfather from a decade of companionship kept him standing by the coffin."Grandpa, are you alright?" Ethan asked cautiously.Under Ethan's watchful gaze, his grandfather's eyes seemed to regain some vitality, and his rigid face broke into a faint smile. He weakly raised his right hand from within the coffin, pointing at Ethan and then at his own mouth.What did that mean? Did his grandfather have somet
Excitement flickered in Ethan's eyes as he licked his dry lips. He removed the Stone Bead from his neck and hung it in an open space about thirty feet from the gravesite before returning to his original meditation spot. As expected, the absorption speed of the spiritual energy slowed down significantly, now comparable to his usual cultivation rate. Ethan was overjoyed, and his grief over his grandfather's death seemed to fade somewhat. He eagerly retrieved the Stone Bead and treasured it, hanging it back around his neck. "With this extraordinary bead, how can I not avenge my deep-seated grudge?" Ethan murmured. "However, purchasing the remaining eight levels of the Azure Ox Method would likely cost nearly three thousand taels. Even with my apprentice wages from the blacksmith's shop, I'm afraid I couldn't afford it in a hundred years!" After a long silence, Ethan rose and returned to his straw hut. He fumbled behind a straw mat for a while before finally pulling out a small cloth
Ethan carefully poured a small pot of molten bronze and iron mixture into the mold, forming a soon-to-be-finished plow. The people of Stone Town mainly earned their livelihoods through agriculture and animal husbandry, so iron plows were a common tool. The plows would inevitably wear and tear, and those of lesser quality would deteriorate quickly. Consequently, the demand for plows in town was high. Casting an iron plow required less cooling time compared to weapons like swords, knives, and axes. After a short while, Ethan gently tapped the mold encasing the plow with a small hammer, freeing the newly forged tool. Only the final step of tempering remained. "Ding!" Ethan flicked the plow with his index finger, producing a deep, crisp sound. "Hmm, this plow should be quite good!" A sense of joy filled Ethan's eyes. "Huh?" Not far away, Henry had been observing everyone and quickly approached Ethan, examining the iron plow with interest. It was a furrow plow, measuring two feet se