The BMW reappeared on the horizon, deliberately slowing down on the highway. I could see them watching us in their rearview mirror, waiting.


    "They''re really going to cause trouble," Eamon muttered, gripping the steering wheel tighter.


    I leaned back in my seat. "Just drive normally. If they want to act like children, let them."


    But as we approached, the BMW swerved across bothnes, forcing Eamon to slow to a crawl. This continued for several minutes – whenever Eamon tried to pass, they would block our path.


    "These spoiled brats," Eamon hissed. "Should I call the highway patrol?"


    I shook my head. After my humiliation from Dashiell, I wasn''t in the mood for these petty games. "Pull over. I''ll handle this."


    Eamon shot me a concerned nce but guided the car to the shoulder. The BMW immediately followed suit, stopping about twenty feet ahead of us.


    "Let me do the talking," I said, stepping out of the car.


    The warm afternoon air hit my face as I walked toward the BMW. Both young men exited their vehicle, smirking as if they''d won some important victory.


    "Well, well," said Jax, adjusting his designer sunsses. "Look who decided to stop and chat."


    His friend snickered. "Must have realized who he''s dealing with."


    I stopped a few paces from them, keeping my expression neutral. "You''re blocking the highway. Move your car."


    Jax''s smirk widened. "Or what? You''ll call the police?"


    "I don''t need the police to deal with children ying with daddy''s toys."


    His face flushed red. "Do you know who I am?"


    "A waste of my time," I replied tly.


    His friend stepped forward. "This is Jax Stone. His father owns half themercial properties in White City."


    "And this," Jax said, pointing at me with a mocking grin, "is supposedly Liam Knight. The so-called ''King of Eldoria'' I''ve been hearing about."


    So that was it. They recognized me from somewhere – probably social media or local news.


    "You can''t be him," Jax continued. "The King of Eldoria wouldn''t be driving around in a pathetic Audi."


    I raised an eyebrow. "You stopped us on a highway to verify my identity?"


    "The real Liam Knight supposedly took down the entire Sterling family. He wouldn''t look like... this." He gestured dismissively at me.


    My patience, already thin from the encounter with Dashiell, snappedpletely.


    "I don''t care what you believe," I said, taking a step closer. "Move your car now, or I''ll move it for you."


    Jax''s friend grabbed his arm. "Dude, what if it is him?"


    Jax shook him off. "No way. This guy''s a nobody pretending to be somebody."


    He stepped forward until we were face to face. "If you''re really the King of Eldoria, prove it. Do something amazing."


    I sighed deeply. "Last chance. Move your car."


    "Or what?" He pushed my shoulder. "You''ll—"


    My hand moved before he could finish, delivering a sharp p across his face. The sound cracked like a whip in the still afternoon air.


    Jax stumbled backward, his sunsses flying off. His friend''s jaw dropped open.


    "Holy shit," the friend whispered. "It really is him."


    Jax held his reddening cheek, shock written across his face. "You... you hit me!"


    "I pped you," I corrected. "If I hit you, you''d be picking your teeth up from the asphalt."


    The fear in their eyes was immediate and genuine. This wasn''t the reaction of someone facing an ordinary man – this was the look reserved for someone truly dangerous.


    "We... we were just messing around," Jax stammered, all his previous bravado evaporated. "No need to get violent."


    I pointed to their car. "Move. Now."


    They scrambled back to the BMW, starting the engine with trembling hands. As they pulled away, I returned to Eamon''s Audi.


    "That was quick," Eamonmented as I got in.


    "Some problems don''t requireplicated solutions," I replied, watching the BMW disappear down the highway.


    Eamon chuckled. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."


    We continued our journey to White City in rtive peace. Byte afternoon, we reached the vi I''d purchased months earlier – a modest butfortable residence in one of the quieter neighborhoods.


    "Home sweet home," Eamon said as we carried our bags inside.


    I surveyed the spacious living room. "It''ll do for now."


    Over the next few hours, I set up a spiritual energy gathering formation in the basement. The intricate array of symbols and channels would help umte energy for my cultivation practice. It wasn''t as powerful as what I''d established at Jade Moon Vi, but it would serve my immediate needs.


    That night, I sat cross-legged in the center of the formation, trying once again to break through to Foundation Building Stage 7. Hours passed as I circted my energy, pushing against the invisible barrier that had been blocking my progress for weeks. <q ss="story-note-vis">If yоu''rе nоt оn М*VLЕМ*РYR, yоu''rе viеwing а соpy.</q>


    Sweat beaded on my forehead. My muscles tensed. I could feel the energy within me surging, reaching for that next level...


    And failing.


    With a frustrated sigh, I opened my eyes. The spiritual energy I had gathered dissipated, leaving me with nothing but disappointment.


    "Still stuck?" Eamon asked from the doorway.


    I nodded, wiping the sweat from my brow. "Something''s missing. I''m doing everything right, but it''s like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it."


    "Maybe you need a different approach," he suggested. "When was thest time you tried something new with your cultivation?"


    His words struck a chord. I''d been so focused on brute-forcing my way through this barrier that I hadn''t considered alternative methods.


    "You might be right," I admitted. "Maybe what I need isn''t more power but a different kind of experience."


    The next morning, I woke with new determination. If I couldn''t break through with my current resources, I would create new ones.


    I spent the day examining the vi''s spacious backyard, measuring dimensions and checking soil quality. By evening, I had drawn up ns for an extensive herb garden.


    "You''re going to grow herbs?" Eamon asked when I showed him the designs.


    "Not just any herbs. Medicinal herbs with high spiritual properties," I exined. "They''ll supplement my cultivation and provide ingredients for advanced pills."


    Over the following days, I threw myself into creating the garden. I dug irrigation channels, prepared the soil with special nutrients, and set up protective formations to shield the future nts from harsh weather and pests.


    The physicalbor was therapeutic. Each shovelful of earth felt like I was digging toward a solution to my stalled progress. Sweat soaked through my clothes, but I weed the burn in my muscles – it was better than the frustration of failed cultivation attempts.


    On the fifth day, as I was installing a small pond for water-loving herbs, my phone rang. Roman Volkov''s name shed on the screen.


    "Roman," I answered, wiping dirt from my hands. "What news?"


    "Liam, I''ve been trying to reach you for days," Roman''s voice came through, tinged with excitement. "I''ve found something – or rather, someone – you might be very interested in."


    I straightened up. "I''m listening."


    "Remember Caldwell? The information broker who helped us locate the Nine Peaks Mountain artifacts?"


    "Of course. What about him?"


    "I finally discovered who his partner is – the one supplying those rare herbs we''ve been trying to track down."


    This caught my full attention. Caldwell had been selling some of the rarest medicinal herbs in the region, but had always refused to reveal his supplier.


    "Who is it?" I asked.


    "Caleb Thorne," Roman said with a note of triumph.


    The name hit me like a physical force. "The King of Medicine? That Caleb Thorne?"


    "The very same. Apparently, he''s been collecting herbs throughout the continent for decades. His personal stores are said to rival those of the Celestial Apothecary Guild itself."


    My mind raced with possibilities. Caleb Thorne was legendary in medical circles – a reclusive master herbalist who appeared only rarely, usually to acquire or trade exceptionally rare specimens. If I could get ess to his collection...


    "Where is he?" I asked urgently. "How do I reach him?"


    Roman''sugh came through the phone. "That''s the best part. He''s currently in our region – something about seasonal herbs that only grow in Eldoria''s climate."


    "I need to meet him," I said immediately.


    "Already arranged," Roman replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "We''re old acquaintances. I''ve set up a meeting for you tomorrow afternoon in White City."


    I nearly dropped the phone. "Tomorrow? At what time? Where?"


    "The Golden Leaf Tea House, four o''clock. Don''t bete – Caleb values punctuality above almost everything else."


    As I ended the call, excitement coursed through me. Caleb Thorne, with his vast knowledge and collection of rare herbs, might be exactly what I needed to ovee my cultivation barrier.


    For the first time since my humiliating defeat by Dashiell, I felt a genuine spark of hope. Tomorrow couldn''te fast enough.