"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
Half an hour later. "An excellent eight-foot rake! It's also top-quality!" Henry looked dubiously at the iron rake in his hands. This was already the fourth piece! Each one was of superior quality! Had the boy taken some sort of drug? Had he transformed his grief from his grandfather's death into power? An hour later. "Top-quality spear!" "Top-quality hidden sleeve sword!" "Top-quality hoe!" Henry's expression changed again and again, from initial astonishment to delight, to doubt, and finally to utter shock! When had top-quality items become so common? Something was definitely off! This was already the seventh piece! Not a single one was mediocre – all top-quality, crafted from ordinary materials! The success rate was 100%! This casting mastery alone had already surpassed Henry! Henry had completely stopped working, pulling up a chair and sitting leisurely next to Ethan, watching him with a strange expression as he busied himself, sweat dripping from his forehead. Not just
Upon entering the second level of the Strong Blood Realm, Ethan could feel not only a significant increase in strength but also a substantial improvement in his vision. By the light of the candle, he could clearly see leaves more than twenty yards away. "Rustle" The bush containing the animal trap quivered. Ethan tiptoed forward, cautiously taking two steps. Suddenly— "Whoosh" "Crack" A branch as thick as a child's arm was snapped in two! Delicate scales reflected a faint, eerie sheen in the night. "Damn! A snake?" Ethan was taken aback. In the past, Ethan had caught wolves, porcupines, and pheasants using his traps, but this was the first time he had caught such a large snake. "Gulp" Ethan swallowed nervously, his eyes fixed on the snake ten yards away. It was evident that the snake had been caught by the trap. The snake struggled ceaselessly. Surrounding bushes roiled and broke. "Crack" "Snap" Snake blood continued to flow from the undergrowth. Ethan mustered his cour
Ethan fetched a bowl of clean water and, with a puzzled expression, dropped the Dark Token into it.With a soft "ding," the token slipped into the bowl, and the clear water immediately turned black at a visible rate, as if a piece of graphite had been thrown in. In the blink of an eye, the water in the bowl transformed into a pool of ink.Startled, Ethan's face paled, and he quickly retreated several steps before returning with another bowl filled with water.He used a stick to carefully hold the Dark Token and dipped it into the fresh water, repeating the process dozens of times until the water in the bowl finally became clear.The Dark Token was a pure black wooden plaque about the size of a child's palm and half a finger thick. On its surface were faint traces of dark red, a residue of coagulated blood, and numerous tiny silver-white points that appeared to have been etched into it."These silver dots are quite peculiar!" Ethan muttered, his face close to the surface of the water 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
"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
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
"You...you..." Joseph was nearing eighty. Such provocation was too much for him and his face flushed crimson as he gasped for breath."Father!" Charles hurriedly supported Joseph, gently patting his back to help him calm down. "Grandfather!" Lily's hair was disheveled, tears instantly filling her eyes....The eighth day of the twelfth lunar month was an auspicious date, at least for the millions of ordinary folk in Mistwood County.Everyone knew this was the joyous wedding day of the Baker family's third young master. Though he already had two wives and concubines, how eminent was the Baker family? The undisputed overlord of Mistwood County, even lording over nearby counties--their might was undisputed.The Baker family was worthy of being called the overlords of Mistwood County. Their extravagant welcoming convoy stretched over fifteen miles, handing out large festive cash gifts to all they met--not just any gifts either, but ten taels of silver per person!Many eyed the money cove
"Two celestial beings..." Lily's lovely face paled and she instinctively drew closer to the ice sculpture.The loud commotion also woke the just-risen Charles, Joseph and the rest. Soon--The main hall doors opened and the Joseph family streamed out, from Charles and Joseph down to the servants, staring curiously at the Baker entourage and the glittering array of treasures before them.Many had never seen such wealth in their lives! Just the gold ingots alone filled three huge chests. That was not even counting the obviously expensive jewelry and other gifts.Filling chests with gold ingots--how rich did one have to be?Likely enough...to buy half the streets in Stone Town!Joseph's brows twitched slightly. "Young Master Baker, what is the meaning of this?"It was normal to offer betrothal gifts, but gifts of such extravagance were no ordinary matter. Despite his advanced years, Joseph's eyesight remained sharp. He knew well the sheer quantity of gold, silver and jewels laid out befor
Lily gazed at the ice sculpture, lost in thought, barely registering her father's words.Charles stepped forward and sat down cross-legged beside his daughter. "Speaking of that Ethan boy, he really is pitiable. Losing his parents early, and his only grandfather murdered too. Seven years ago he finally avenged his grandfather by killing Caleb, but then got taken away by some mysterious youth. No word since--such a shame."He sighed regretfully. The image of that teenager chopping wood behind their hill seven or eight years ago was still vivid in his mind. Charles had liked Ethan quite a bit. At the time, many talented local youths had been vying for Lily's affection, yet he had favored Ethan, even hoping to match him with his daughter. But unexpectedly..."Father, enough." Lily turned her head slightly, revealing a face that could bring kingdoms to ruin. But looking closely, her beautiful eyes held a deep weariness.Seven years--how many such spans are granted in a mortal lifetime? Se
An hour later. The rain grew heavier, coming down in sheets. The dark sky heralded an early nightfall in this gloomy downpour. The Inn of No Worries had long since closed, and the main street was now sparsely populated, with only a few swaying lanterns barely clinging to their poles in the wind and rain.Under the torrential rain's dilution, the traces of the Fountain of Time's poison had completely faded away. As Ethan strode through the ankle-deep water on the street, it splashed out around his steps.A hundred or so yards across from the Inn of No Worries, a bulky figure stood under the eaves of a dilapidated house, hands hanging loosely at his sides. Drenched by the raging storm, he seemed unfazed, standing motionless as the rainwater streamed down his face through gaps in the broken roof tiles."Maxwell? Your hands...they're healed?" From afar, Ethan immediately recognized Maxwell and grinned, hurriedly splashing through the standing water toward him.Maxwell's lips trembled and
The assassin in purple robes stepped forward to flip over Ethan's "corpse", intending to seize Ethan's Azure Myst.But at that moment--Suddenly! Ethan's eyes shot open as the Azure Dragon shard materialized in his hand, stabbing into the assassin's left and right thighs in rapid succession!"Pfft!""Pfft!"Blood gushed wildly as holes appeared in both of the assassin's legs. His expression changed dramatically as he was jolted awake. Ethan pounced forward, gripping the assassin's thighs tightly, stabbing the Azure Dragon shard again and again into his legs! Ethan knew clearly that a Beyond Heaven core assassin of this caliber likely had some kind of spiritual armor for protection. A direct stab to the heart might not take him down in one blow. In an instant, the assassin's legs were pierced four or five times. The extreme sharpness of the Azure Dragon shard rendered his legs basically useless. The assassin's face was sinisterly dark. He did indeed have spiritual armor--a mid-gra
"I must make him come down," Ethan's icy gaze swept over the water pooling on the ground. The rainwater mixed with a drop of Fountain of Time. Although constantly being washed and diluted by the rain, it had not yet fully dispersed and was still extremely toxic!Because of the Fountain of Time, Ethan's movable space was very limited right now. While the purple-robe could float freely in the void, under such circumstances this battle was unwinnable!Ethan flung an initial stage spear towards the purple-robe in the void. He still had tens of thousands of such spears in reserve in his Azure Myst. For offensive means, as a peak Meridian Training expert Ethan could only do this much against Bone Sacrifice Realm and above enemies.Weakened over thousands of yards of space, the spear's power had greatly diminished. The purple-robe casually waved his hand, deflecting the spear aside. It could not harm him whatsoever.Ethan flipped his hand, taking out a night pot emanating a faint azure glow