novelapdf Chapter 645: The Alchemists’ Grievance
Chapter 645: The Alchemists’ Grievance
Ethan quietly made his way back toward his secluded dirt hut on the lower fringes of the outer peak. For the moment, it appeared that the explosive details regarding Great Elder Hestia’s miraculous Golden Core ascension had not yet leaked down to the lower echelons; the common disciples passing by were entirely oblivious to the monumental shift in the high-tier hierarchy.
However, his brief moment of tranquility did not last long.
As he stepped into the small dirt clearing outside his residence, his sharp eyes immediately locked onto a pair of arrogant figures waiting for him. They wore the loud, unmistakable bright orange silk robes of the Alchemical Pavilion—the wealthy, highly protected caste of pill-refiners who held a strict monopoly over the medical economy of the mountain. Their expressions were tight, dripping with an aggressive, hostile malice as they watched the towering rookie approach.
The rapid rise of Ethan’s professional reputation had finally struck a devastating nerve.
Maeve, Mirah, Cardis, and Clare had been executing their marketing directives with absolute, flawless efficiency. Across the entire outer zone, everyone was fully aware that these four girls had been prime candidates to ascend to the prestigious inner courtyard for years, trapped only by their warped, unresolvable meridian blocks. But a few hours ago, the news of their sudden, magnificent breakthrough into the stable Spiritual Core Realm had spread through the slums like a raging wildfire. The whispered rumors of the "Hands of the Immortal Doctor’s Pavilion" were threatening to completely dismantle the Alchemical Pavilion’s historical dominance.
For decades, the Alchemical Pavilion had been the sole, unchallenged establishment capable of treating severe cultivation blockages on this frontier. Exploiting their absolute monopoly, the greedy senior alchemists had systematically inflated their pill prices dozens of times over, squeezing the desperate outer disciples dry for massive, unholy commercial profits.
Now, the sudden threat of an independent, highly effective competitor had caused immediate, violent panic among the senior refiners.
"So, you are the arrogant brat who thinks he can practice medicine without a license from our bureau," hissed the lead disciple in orange, his hand aggressively resting on his jade storage pouch.
Unbeknownst to these low-level troublemakers, the Chief Master of the Alchemical Pavilion had already been heavily alerted by his subordinates. Burning with rage over the sudden loss of his financial leverage, the ancient alchemist was currently marching directly toward the Grand Estate bureau alongside the Branch Leader himself to demand Ethan’s immediate arrest. Because the Chief Master had completely missed Ethan’s private demonstration in Hestia’s warded chamber, he had zero idea that the permanent commercial lease had already been officially signed and sealed. He was charging forward with the sole, furious intention of ruthlessly expelling this renegade troublemaker from the Heavenly Sword Pavilion.
Ethan stopped at the edge of the dirt clearing, his massive frame completely eclipsing the late afternoon sun as he looked down at the two orange-robed disciples. His handsome face was entirely devoid of fear; instead, his piercing amethyst eyes held a cold, mocking amusement.
"May I inquire as to what exactly you two are doing inside my private courtyard?" said Ethan, his deep voice carrying a slow, heavy resonance that seemed to vibrate the very dirt beneath their boots. "Has the Alchemical Pavilion failed to thoroughly educate you on the sacred bylaws of this sect? Trespassing into another disciple’s residential perimeter without an official administrative warrant is a severe violation. Under the rules of engagement, I am fully within my legal rights to take immediate, lethal reprisals against you."
The two orange-robed disciples stared at Ethan’s clothes for a split second before bursting into a loud, mocking fit of laughter. To their arrogant eyes, Ethan was still wearing the standard, plain indigo uniform of a bottom-tier outer rookie.
Before his encounter with Great Elder Hestia, Ethan had deliberately suppressed his presence to appear completely ordinary. Even though he had just ascended to the terrifying Spiritual Soul Realm, Crul’s ancient Dragon Seal was currently filtering his outward aura to perfectly mirror a standard, newly formed Spiritual Core. To the common masses, achieving the Spiritual Core meant Ethan was now a prime, elite candidate to immediately test into the inner courtyard—but these two short-sighted alchemists were completely blind to the change, assuming he was still the weak, penniless frontier peasant from the slums.
"Reprisals? From a dirty borderland rat like you?" the lead alchemist sneered, taking an aggressive step forward, his chest puffed out with intense disdain. "Listen closely, rookie! You have been running a fraudulent, illegal medical scam across our transit nodes, spreading filthy lies to damage the pristine reputation of the Alchemical Pavilion! Our masters have already moved to have you thoroughly executed for treason! If you know what’s good for your pathetic skin, you will fall to your knees, slap your own face a hundred times, and hand over every single medical formula you stole from the frontier!"
Ethan didn’t move an inch. He simply stood there, watching their animated threats as if he were enjoying a cheap, amusing comedy routine at a frontier theater. He let out a soft, low chuckle that made the two alchemists’ veins violently bulge with anger. To Ethan, these highly protected, arrogant pill-refiners were nothing more than a pathetic joke.
Meanwhile, inside the small, dark dirt hut, two pairs of terrified eyes were watching the entire confrontation through a small crack in the window.
Mary and Louisa were tightly clutching each other’s trembling hands, their faces completely pale with a suffocating fear. For the past four days, Ethan had kept them safely locked inside his residence, providing them with absolute, uninterrupted peace and security away from the brutal, predatory environment of the slums. They had finally tasted a fraction of safety—but this afternoon, these two wealthy alchemists had shattered that peace, arriving at the clearing with loud, aggressive shouts that forced the two women to hide in absolute terror.
They hadn’t dared to step outside, knowing their fragile status as mere commoners would only make the situation infinitely worse. But now, seeing the wealthy, powerful orange robes of the Alchemical Pavilion backing Ethan into a corner, Louisa’s heart violently pounded against her ribs. Her mind immediately flashed to her husband, who was still out there somewhere, completely helpless. If Ethan—their sole protector and the powerful master who had promised them salvation—was thoroughly crushed and expelled by the alchemists today, her husband would undoubtedly face a brutal, agonizing death, and she and Mary would be thrown right back into the living hell of the outer peak slums.
"Master Ethan..." Louisa whispered, her eyes filling with desperate tears as she watched the towering youth remain perfectly still before the two furious swordsmen.
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From this moment forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.
Note: These are only the ranks mentioned so far to avoid spoilers.
Body Refinement Realm
Skin Refinement / Bone Refinement / Organ Refinement
Spiritual Gathering Realm
Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation
Spiritual Core Realm
Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core)
Spiritual Soul Realm
Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion
Golden Core Realm
Prime Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction
Spiritual Sea Realm
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
Dao Manifestation Realm
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
Spiritual Transcendence
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
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Sword mastery levels
Sword Intent.
Sword Aura.