The p echoed through the market like a thunderp, silencing nearby conversations. ric''s head snapped to the side from the force of Nora''s blow, yet his expression remained impassive, though a red handprint began forming on his cheek.


    "You dare stand there and do nothing?" Nora shrieked, her face contorted with rage. "Ronan!"


    A mountain of a man stepped forward from behind her. Easily six and a half feet tall with muscles that strained against his tailored suit, Ronan Russell was the kind of bodyguard meant to intimidate by mere presence.


    "Teach this disrespectful dog some manners," Noramanded, pointing at ric.


    I stepped forward, cing myself between ric and Ronan. "That''s enough."


    Nora''s eyes widened, as if she couldn''t believe someone would dare intervene. "This doesn''t concern you. Step aside before you get hurt too."


    "The man was simply doing his job," I said calmly. "There''s no need for violence."


    "No need?" Noraughed, the sound shrill and unpleasant. "He disrespected me, and now you''re disrespecting me. In my city!" She turned to her bodyguard again. "Ronan, deal with him first, then the other one."


    The giant man cracked his knuckles, a smirk crossing his face. "With pleasure, Miss Donovan."


    I sighed. Always the hard way with these entitled types.


    Ronan charged forward with surprising speed for his size. A direct punch aimed straight at my face—straightforward and predictable. I shifted slightly, letting his fist sail past my ear. The momentum carried him forward, off-bnce.


    One quick sweep of my leg and he crashed face-first into the dirt.


    The crowd gasped. Ronan scrambled to his feet, face red with embarrassment and rage.


    "Lucky dodge," he growled, circling me now.


    This time he came in more carefully, feinting left before throwing a powerful right hook. I caught his wrist mid-swing, applying pressure to a precise point that sent pain shooting up his arm. A simple twist redirected his strength against him, and I guided him gently but firmly to his knees.


    "Stay down," I said quietly. "This doesn''t need to continue."


    "Enough!" Nora screeched. "Let him go!"


    I released Ronan''s wrist and stepped back. The giant bodyguard cradled his arm, looking up at me with a mixture of pain and newfound respect.


    Nora''s face had turned an rming shade of red. "You... you... nobody humiliates me like this!" She lunged forward, nails extended like ws, aiming for my face.


    I caught her wrist easily, careful not to hurt her despite her best efforts to harm me. "Miss Donovan, please control yourself."


    "Let go of me!" she screamed, struggling in my grip. When I released her, she stumbled back, pointing a trembling finger at me. "You''ll regret this. My father will destroy you! Do you hear me? Destroy you!"


    The market had gonepletely silent, everyone watching the spectacle unfold. Some vendors had wisely started packing up their goods, sensing that this situation could escte further.


    "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice quivering with fury.


    "My name is Liam Knight."


    "Remember that name, Ronan," she spat. "My father will want to know exactly who to crush." She turned on her heel, her expensive dress swirling around her legs. "Come, Ronan. We''re leaving."


    Ronan got to his feet, wincing slightly. He gave me onest measuring look before following his mistress through the parting crowd.


    "That was... impressive, sir," ric said quietly. "But concerning. The Donovans aren''t people you want as enemies."


    I examined the Angelica dahurica in my hand, relieved it hadn''t been damaged in themotion. "Some things are worth the risk."


    ---


    Back at my amodation, I carefully prepared the herb for processing. The withered root may have looked unremarkable to others, but I could sense its potency. With proper refinement, it could produce pills far more effective than I''d initially hoped.


    I worked methodically, grinding the herb into powder beforebining it with other ingredients ording to the ancient knowledge that flowed through my mind. Hours passed as I monitored the delicate process, adjusting the me beneath my portable alchemy furnace with precision.


    When I finally opened the furnace, two pills glowed with soft golden light. I couldn''t help but smile. These weren''t just ordinary Qi Gathering Pills—they were of exceptional quality, perhaps the best I''d created yet. Each contained enough energy to dramatically boost a cultivator''s progress.


    As I carefully stored the pills, Roman knocked on my door.


    "Mr. Knight, are you alright? Word of your confrontation with the Donovan girl has spread through half the city already."


    I nodded. "I''m fine. The encounter was unfortunate but unavoidable."


    "Unavoidable or not, you''ve made an enemy of one of the most powerful families in Havenwood," he warned. "Den Donovan isn''t known for his forgiveness."


    "We''ll deal with that when the timees," I replied, sealing the pill container. "For now, I have what I needed."


    ---


    Across the city, in the luxurious Donovan family mansion, Nora stormed into her father''s study without knocking.


    "Daddy! I need you to destroy someone for me!"


    Den Donovan barely looked up from the documents spread across his massive desk. At fifty-three, he remained an imposing figure—tall and broad-shouldered, with silver streaking his dark hair and hard lines etched into his face from years of fighting his way to the top. <mark ss="ref-aaf186">Find the source of this chapter at *.</mark>


    "Not now, Nora," he said, his voice deep and distracted. "I''m dealing with important matters."


    "This IS important!" she insisted, mming her hands on his desk. "Some nobody humiliated me at the market today! He humiliated Ronan too!"


    This caught Den''s attention. He looked up, eyes narrowing. "What do you mean, he humiliated Ronan?"


    "He defeated Ronan like it was nothing," she said, her voice rising hysterically. "Right in front of everyone! And he took an herb I wanted!"


    Den''s eyes drifted to the doorway where Ronan stood, looking ufortable. "Is this true?"


    The bodyguard shifted his weight. "Yes, sir. He moved... differently. Precisely. Controlled. I''ve never encountered someone with his level of skill."


    Den leaned back in his chair, tension visible in his shoulders. "A skilled fighter, here in Havenwood? Did you get his name?"


    "Liam Knight," Nora spat. "Some nobody."


    Den''s brow furrowed. "Knight... I don''t recognize the name." He rubbed his temples, the stress evident in his posture. "This couldn''te at a worse time. The martial arts schoolpetition against the Valerius Family is in two weeks, and my best fighter broke his arm during training yesterday. The Valerius Family has that new helper who''s apparently extraordinary."


    "What does that have to do with punishing the man who disrespected me?" Nora demanded.


    "Everything has consequences, Nora," Den snapped, his patience wearing thin. "I can''t just ''destroy'' people on a whim because they upset you. Not without understanding who they are first."


    "But Daddy—"


    "Enough!" His fist came down hard on the desk. "You''re twenty years old, Nora, not two. I''ve indulged your tantrums for too long."


    Nora''s face crumpled, tears immediately welling in her eyes—a tactic that usually worked wonders with her father. "You never take my side anymore."


    Den''s expression softened slightly. Ever since his wife''s death fifteen years ago, he''d struggled to deny his daughter anything,pensating for her loss with material goods and leniency. A mistake, he now realized.


    "Wait," Nora suddenly said, wiping away her tears. "ric knew him."


    "ric? Roman''s subordinate?" Den asked, interest piqued.


    "Yes. They were together at the market."


    Den turned to Ronan. "Bring ric here. Immediately."


    As Ronan left, a calcted look crossed Den''s face. A skilled fighter with no known background in Havenwood... just when he desperately needed someone to represent his martial arts school in the uingpetition.


    Perhaps this Liam Knight could be useful. Very useful indeed.


    When Nora opened her mouth to continueining, Den raised his hand to silence her. His mind was already piecing together a n.


    "It seems the heavens are helping our family! Hurry, call ric!" Den eximed, sudden hope filling his voice. This Liam Knight, far from being a problem to eliminate, might be exactly the solution he needed.