Facing the strike from Chloe, one soaked in regret and fury, Julian, already broken in mind, unleashes a fierce, primal will to survive.
"No, you can't kill me." He lets out a beastly roar. And at the location of his heart, a dazzling burst of golden light erupts.
It's the last thread of his faded fortune, remaining from his death in his previous life. The greatest asset of his rebirth. Now, to save his own life, he burns it entirely without a moment's hesitation.
Boom. A vast, overwhelming wave of energy erupts outward from him. Chloe's blade, fragile as a blade of grass before the surge, is instantly deflected, and she herself is thrown backward, crashing hard onto the ground.
Julian's body, wrapped in that golden light, transforms into a streak of light, fleeing toward the Azure Sun Sect at an unimaginable speed, escaping in a mad rush.
"Ethan, you wait for me. My fate is mine to control, not heaven's. I'm the protagonist of this world. You can't take everything from me. Once I fuse with a sect fortune and master an unmatched technique, I'll make you all pay dearly."
This venomous, hate-filled curse echoes down from the sky, distant and fading. The escape technique, fuelled by burning his faded fortune, moves so fast it exceeds even the Core Formation Realm's limits. In the blink of an eye, his figure vanishes into the sky.
Seeing this, the Reed clansmen are all struck with alarm.
"We can't let him escape. This man's heart is poisonous. If he makes it back to the Azure Sun Sect, it'll cause endless trouble." Marcus is sweating with worry, shouting anxiously.
Every eye turns to you. Yet you simply stand there in silence, not even showing the slightest intent to give chase.
You gaze toward the direction Julian disappeared, the corner of your mouth curling into a barely visible smirk. A broken body and a rebirth. Nothing more than a slightly bigger joke.
"He won't get away," you say flatly.
Those four simple words carry an undeniable confidence and dominance, instantly calming every anxious heart among the Reed clan. After all, you casually erased the sect master's spiritual projection itself. So what could a Julian, who's burned his fortune and now runs like a hunted dog, possibly amount to?
You give the clown no more thought. You turn and walk over to Chloe.
Right now, she sits collapsed on the ground, dazed and hollowed, murmuring to herself, "It's my fault. I hurt you. I hurt the whole Reed family."
She's fully consumed by endless self-blame and regret, her mental state right at the edge of collapse.
You look at her, brow furrowing slightly. You don't offer comfort. Don't reach out to help her up. You simply extend a finger, tapping it against her forehead.
A cool, pure stream of chaos energy flows into Chloe's mind, and her mental state, right on the verge of collapse, steadies instantly, the chaos in her thoughts clearing into focus.
"Ethan." Chloe slowly lifts her head, looking at this face both familiar and strange, her voice breaking, tears bursting free once more. This time, calling you Ethan carries none of the old distance and pretence, but comes straight from her heart, weighted with endless guilt.
"Blind once is enough." You retract your finger, your tone still flat. "The supreme bone in you has become your inner demon. If it isn't removed, your cultivation will never advance again in this life."
Hearing this, Chloe's body jolts. Before, she would have assumed you wanted to take it for yourself. But now, there isn't a shred of doubt left in her heart. She smiles bitterly, nodding. "I understand. It was never really mine to begin with. It's time it returned to its rightful owner."
She's already made peace with it. Better to give it back and find peace of mind than to live under the torment of a demon she has no right to carry.
You look at her deeply for a moment and say nothing more. You turn instead toward Damian.
"Father, I'm heading out."
Damian watches you approach, lips trembling, unsure how to even address the young man before him now. Is he still the failure Damian could once discipline at will? No. He's a god. A god capable of deciding the fate of the entire Reed family, even the whole of Bluestone City.
"From today on, I have the final say in the Reed family." You cut straight to the point, making the declaration.
"Yes. Yes. The entire Reed family is entirely at your command." Damian doesn't even hesitate, bowing instantly, his posture even lower than it was before.
Elder Thorne — that was no joke. This is someone who wouldn't even blink at defying the Azure Sun Sect's very leader. Never mind stepping down as family head. Even if you asked him to die right now, he wouldn't dare utter a word of complaint.
"Good, good, wonderful. The Reed family finally has a true dragon." Grand Elder Marcus is even more overcome, tears of joy streaming down his aged face, while the rest of the Reed clan drop to their knees one after another, their expressions fervent.
The strong prey on the weak. The powerful reign supreme. This is the world's eternal, unshakable truth. And the power you've displayed has completely conquered every one of them.
Just then, outside the Reed estate, the heads of several other great families in Bluestone City wait anxiously at the gate, bearing lavish gifts, not even daring to breathe too loudly. They've all come to beg forgiveness.
You glance briefly outside, unbothered, and instruct Damian. "Seize every one of Julian's properties in Bluestone City. Anyone in the city who's had dealings with him, settle it one by one. As for those people outside, let them wait at the gate."
With that, you turn back toward your own courtyard, as if this news, one that could turn the entire city of Bluestone upside down, is nothing more than a trivial matter from your lips.
"My son. No, my lord." Damian hurriedly calls out to you. "The Azure Sun Sect—"
Everyone's heart leaps into their throat. This is the true sword hanging over the Reed family, the sharpest blade of all. You've killed one of their elders, destroyed the sect master's spiritual projection. The Azure Sun Sect's retaliation is bound to be swift and devastating.
Your footsteps pause for a moment. You don't turn around, only leaving behind a calm statement. One that makes the entire city of Bluestone tremble.
"Tomorrow I'll pay the Azure Sun Sect a visit."
Nothing more that night.
The next day, before dawn even breaks, all of Bluestone City is blanketed by an unprecedented sense of dread. Every cultivator in the city stops cultivating on their own, stepping out into the streets, gazing toward the Azure Sun Mountains, every face heavy with tension and unease. Everyone knows today will decide the fate of Bluestone City for the next hundred years. A battle with the Azure Sun Sect is inevitable.
Inside the Reed estate, the mood is sombre to the extreme. Damian gathers every elite guard the family has, activating the family's protective formation, standing ready. Though they all know that in the face of true power, these preparations are nothing but a drop in the bucket. But it's the only thing they can do.
Chloe changes into plain white clothing, standing quietly outside your courtyard, having not slept a wink all night. Though her face still looks worn, her eyes have already returned to clarity and resolve. She's waiting. Waiting for her brother to put an end to all of this.
The sun climbs high.
They arrive.