Chapter 123 - 123 - The Scorned Offer and the Springs Epiphany_Rise of The Abandoned Husband

I stared at Ellis Mitchell across the gleaming table of the Golden Phoenix, his offer of discipleship hanging in the air like a bad joke. The restaurant''s ambient music seemed to fade away as all eyes turned to me, awaiting my reaction to what they surely perceived as an honor.

 "An Inner Strength Master?" I repeated, my voice deliberately calm. A small smile tugged at my lips. "That''s your offer?"

 Ellis nodded with the self-assurance of someone unustomed to rejection. "Under my guidance, you could achieve that level within a year. Perhaps less, with dedicated practice."

 Ming Chen leaned forward. "Ellis rarely takes disciples, Mr. Knight. This is quite an opportunity."

 "Absolutely," Jonathan Drake chimed in. "Inner Strength Mastersmand tremendous respect in martial circles."

 Caesar Nn watched me carefully, his fingers lightly drumming against his wine ss. I could see the calction behind his eyes—this alliance was important to him.

 I took a slow sip of tea, setting the cup down with deliberate precision.

 "Mr. Mitchell, how long have you practiced martial arts?" I asked.

 His chest puffed slightly. "Over thirty years of dedicated study. I achieved Inner Strength Mastery at twenty-six—the youngest in South City''s recorded history."

 "Impressive," I acknowledged. Then I dropped the bomb. "I''ve practiced for less than a month."

 The silence that followed was absolute. Ellis''s expression shifted from confidence to confusion to outright disbelief.

 "That''s impossible," he finally sputtered. "The techniques you disyed against Lane''s men—"

 "Were basic applications," I finished for him. "Nothing special."

 Caesar''s eyebrows shot up. "You''re iming to have learned martial arts only recently?"

 "I''m not iming anything. I''m stating a fact." I looked directly at Ellis. "As for bing an Inner Strength Master... I appreciate the offer, but I''m afraid it would be a step backward for me."

 Ellis''s face flushed dark red. "A step backward? Do you have any idea—"

 "I do," I interrupted calmly. "Inner Strength Masters focus on internal energy maniption at a fundamental level. It''s respectable, but ultimately limited."

 The restaurant seemed to grow quieter, as if the other patrons could sense the mounting tension at our table. Ellis''s hands had balled into fists.

 "You arrogant—" He caught himself, visibly struggling forposure. "You can''t possibly understand what you''re rejecting. The techniques I could teach you have been refined over generations."

 I nodded. "And they served their purpose in their time. But the world has moved beyond them."

 "Knight," Caesar interjected, his voice low with warning. "Perhaps you''re being hasty. Ellis is highly respected—"

 "I mean no disrespect," I said, though we all knew that wasn''t entirely true. "But I didn''te to South City to learn outdated methods. I came for specific resources."

 Ellis pushed back his chair abruptly, standing. "Caesar, I cannot remain at a table where such ignorance is disyed. This young man clearly doesn''t understand the martial world at all."

 I remained seated, unfazed by his disy. "The martial world is changing, Mr. Mitchell. Those who can''t adapt will be left behind."

 His eyes narrowed to slits. "You''ll regret this arrogance, Knight. When you find yourself hitting the limits of whatever crude methods you''re practicing, don''te crawling back."

 With that, he stormed away, leaving an ufortable silence in his wake.

 Caesar sighed deeply. "That could have gone better."

 I shrugged. "Better to be honest than to waste everyone''s time with false humility."

 "Ellis is a valuable ally," Ming noted, her tone neutral but her eyes sharp. "And you''ve made an enemy with remarkable efficiency."

 "I seem to have a talent for it," I admitted.

 To my surprise, Caesarughed. "That you do, Knight. That you do." He gestured to a waiter for the check. "I still believe we have potential for cooperation, despite tonight''s... excitement. Think about my offer."

 I rose from my seat. "I will. And I appreciate the dinner. But I have other matters to attend to tonight."

 "The Water Dragon Cave, perhaps?" Caesar asked casually.

 I didn''t bother hiding my surprise. "You''re well-informed."

 He smiled enigmatically. "South City thrives on information, remember? The hot springs there are quite popr this time of year."

 I nodded, filing away this confirmation of his surveince capabilities. "Good night, Mr. Nn. Ms. Chen. Mr. Drake." <dfn ss="frag-0006b2">CheckMyVirtualLibraryEmpire(*)forthe</itestupdates.</dfn>

 "One moment," Caesar said, reaching into his pocket. He handed me a small card with an address. "My private number. Should you reconsider our discussion."

 I epted it with a slight bow and took my leave, feeling their eyes follow me out of the restaurant.

 ---

 The next morning, a courier arrived at my hotel room bearing a sleek wooden box. Inside was an exquisite watch—tinum case, hand-finished movement visible through the sapphire crystal back—along with a note.

 "A token of appreciation for an entertaining evening. I look forward to our future dealings. —C.N."

 I slipped the watch into my pocket. Caesar Nn was ying a long game, and while I didn''t fully trust his motives, having someone with his connections as an ally could prove useful.

 Two hourster, I stood at the entrance to the Water Dragon Cave with Eamon Greene. The carved stone archway was worn smooth by centuries of touch, ancient characters barely visible along its edge.

 "You''re certain this is the ce?" Eamon asked, adjusting his sses nervously. "It looks rather... touristy."

 He wasn''t wrong. A small ticket booth stood to the side, where a middle-aged woman drowsily collected entrance fees from the trickle of visitors heading inside. Most carried towels and swimming gear, eager to experience the famous hot springs.

 "The ancients weren''t fools," I replied. "They built their cultivation sites near natural energy sources. That modern people visit for recreation doesn''t diminish its power."

 Eamon nodded, though I could tell he remained skeptical. "And you believe there''s something specific about this cave? Beyond the nominal qi concentration of any hot spring?"

 "The texts mention a ''dragon''s breath rising from still waters.'' This is the only location that matches the description."

 We paid our entrance fee and followed the path into the cavern. The air grew warmer and more humid as we descended, the tunnels illuminated by modern lighting that detracted from what should have been a sacred atmosphere.

 The main chamber opened into a breathtaking sight—a vast undergroundke of steaming water, surrounded by smaller pools carved into the rock. Tourists lounged in the heated waters, chatting and rxing,pletely unaware of the site''s true significance.

 "I need to inspect the water directly," I told Eamon. "Keep watch. If anyone official looks too interested in what I''m doing, create a distraction."

 "What kind of distraction?" he asked nervously.

 "Use your imagination. Just give me time to work."

 I changed into swimming attire in one of the provided facilities, then slipped into the main pool. The warmth enveloped me instantly, and I could feel the mineral-rich water tingling against my skin. Closing my eyes, I extended my senses, searching for anomalies in the qi patterns flowing through the cave.

 Nothing unusual presented itself immediately. I dove deeper, swimming toward the center where bubbles rose continuously from some underground source. The water was clearer than I expected, allowing me to see the strange rock formations below.

 For over an hour, I explored every corner of the undergroundke, asionally surfacing for air before diving again. I examined crevices, monitored energy fluctuations, and even collected small samples of the mineral deposits along the bottom. Yet nothing matched what I was looking for—no special concentration of qi, no hidden passages, no unusual formations that might exin the references in the ancient texts.

 Finally, I pulled myself from the water, frustration evident in my movements. Eamon looked up from the book he''d been pretending to read.

 "Nothing?" he asked quietly.

 I shook my head, wrapping a towel around my shoulders. "It doesn''t make sense. The description was specific. This should be the ce."

 We moved to a stone bench overlooking the main pool, watching as tourists enjoyed their leisurely soak.

 "Perhaps the text was metaphorical?" Eamon suggested. "Or maybe the energy signature has weakened over the centuries?"

 I didn''t respond immediately, my eyes tracking the movement of the water, the rise of steam, the pattern of visitors entering and exiting the pools. Something was nagging at me—a detail I was missing.

 An older couple eased themselves into one of the smaller pools, sighing with pleasure as the hot water enveloped their aging bodies. A young family sshed yfully in the shallows. A middle-aged man closed his eyes in meditation, floating peacefully in the steaming water.

 And then it hit me.

 "I got it!" I eximed, standing abruptly.

 Eamon startled. "What? What did you see?"

 My mind was racing, connections forming rapidly as pieces fell into ce. "It''s not about what''s in the water—it''s about what the water does to the body."

 "I don''t follow."

 I grinned at him, feeling the thrill of discovery. "The dragon''s breath isn''t a physical phenomenon—it''s the reaction that urs when these specific minerals interact with the human energy system. The ancients weren''t looking for something in the cave; they were using the cave to transform themselves."

 Understanding dawned on Eamon''s face. "So the special properties only manifest when..."

 "When you know how to circte your qi in harmony with the mineralposition," I finished. "Which exins why ordinary visitors feel rxed but nothing more. Theyck the knowledge to activate the true potential."

 I gazed back at the steaming pools with new appreciation. "We''ll need to return tonight, after the tourists have gone. I need to test a theory."

 As we left the cave, I could barely contain my excitement. If I was right, this discovery could elerate my cultivation significantly—and provide exactly the edge I needed for what wasing.

 The Water Dragon''s secret wasn''t hidden in some obscure corner. It had been hiding in in sight all along, used daily by hundreds of people who never suspected its true power. I just needed to see it through different eyes.

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Chapter 123 - 123 - The Scorned Offer and the Springs Epiphany