The world was nothing but pain and golden light. I''d lost count somewhere after the three-hundredth body tempering. My consciousness drifted in and out, like a small boat on violent seas.


    "Four hundred and seventy-one," Eamon''s hoarse voice reached me through the haze.


    Each reconstruction tore me apart and reformed me stronger than before. My skin split open only to heal instantly, my bones shattered and fused again with increasing density. The garden around me pulsed with disced energy, nts bending away as if cowering from a storm.


    "Five hundred..." Eamon''s voice cracked with disbelief.


    I couldn''t respond. Speech, thought, existence itself had been distilled to a single purpose: endurance.


    "Five hundred and thirty..."


    The energy inside me reached a critical point. My meridians, once narrow channels, had expanded into vast rivers of power. My bones no longer felt like bone—they had be something else entirely.


    "Five hundred and thirty-three," Eamon whispered.


    Something broke inside me. Not my body this time, but a barrier I hadn''t known existed. The umted energy exploded outward in a blinding sh that knocked Eamon t on his back ten feet away.


    Then, silence.


    The pain vanished so suddenly I gasped, gulping air into lungs that felt new and unfamiliar. I opened my eyes to see my skin faintly shimmering with golden light. When I moved my hand, it left a brief trail in the air.


    "It''s... over?" I managed to ask, my voice surprisingly strong.


    Eamon staggered to his feet, eyes wide with shock. "Master Knight, you justpleted five hundred and thirty-three body temperings. Five hundred and thirty-three."


    I stood up, expecting my legs to buckle, but I felt light as air. The ground beneath my feet seemed fragile, as if I might identally break through it with a careless step. <em ss="ref-b9d065">My Virtual Library Empire (*) hosts the original.</em>


    "Five hundred and thirty-three," I repeated, testing the words. "That''s..."


    "Impossible," Eamon finished. "The historical record was one hundred and thirty. You''ve quadrupled it."


    I flexed my fingers, marveling at how different they felt. Through my skin, I could see my bones—no longer white but bearing a distinct jade-like quality.


    "Hit me," I said suddenly.


    Eamon blinked. "What?"


    "Hit me. I want to test something."


    He hesitated, then nodded. Drawing back his fist, he struck me directly in the chest with all his might.


    A sickening crack filled the air—but it wasn''t my body. Eamon howled in pain, cradling his shattered hand against his chest.


    "Your bones..." he gasped through clenched teeth. "They''re like metal."


    I frowned, genuinely sorry for his pain. "Let me see."


    As I treated his injury with a quick burst of healing energy, my mind raced. The Nine Transformation Pill had exceeded all expectations. My body had beenpletely rebuilt, transformed into something beyond ordinary flesh and blood.


    "We need a better test," I said after healing Eamon''s hand.


    He looked at me nervously. "What do you have in mind?"


    I walked to the weapon rack in the corner of the garden and selected a bronze sword—heavy, sharp, and strong enough to cleave through stone.


    "Try to cut me," I said, handing it to him.


    Eamon took the sword reluctantly. "Master Knight, are you certain?"


    "Completely."


    He gripped the hilt with both hands, took a deep breath, and swung the de at my outstretched arm with all his strength.


    The sword struck my skin with a metallic ng—and bounced off. Not a scratch, not even a red mark remained on my flesh. But the sword''s edge was notched, and Eamon winced as the impact jarred his wrists.


    "Incredible," he whispered. "Your skin is harder than bronze."


    I took the sword from him, examining the damaged edge. "This changes everything."


    "The Divine Medicine—"


    "Will be mine," I finished confidently. "No one else stands a chance now."


    Eamon shook his head in amazement. "Caleb Thorne is a fool for rejecting this method."


    I smiled. "His loss is my gain. And gain I have."


    I stretched my arms above my head, feeling power coursing through every cell. For three years, I''d endured humiliation as the worthless live-in son-inw. For months, I''d fought uphill battles against enemies with far greater resources. Now, finally, the tables had turned.


    "Master Knight!" A servant burst into the garden, out of breath. "Conrad Thornton has arrived. He says it''s urgent."


    Eamon and I exchanged nces. Conrad Thornton, one of the most powerful figures in White City, rarely made personal visits.


    "Show him in," I said, quickly straightening my robes to hide the evidence of my transformation. Some advantages were best kept secret.


    Conrad strode into the garden momentster, his usual arrogance muted by what appeared to be nervousness.


    "Liam Knight," he said, giving me a perfunctory bow. "I apologize for the intrusion, but matters of great importance have arisen."


    I nodded coolly. "What kind of matters?"


    Conrad nced at Eamon, clearly wanting privacy.


    "Eamon stays," I said firmly. "What is it?"


    Conrad cleared his throat. "The other regional powers have arrived in White City. Burton Griffin from Griffin Valley and Dirk Buchanan from Stonewater City."


    My interest piqued. These were major yers, controlling vast territories in the River North Region.


    "And this concerns me how?" I asked, though I could guess.


    Conrad''s expression tightened. "I approached them about forming an alliance for obtaining the Divine Medicine. They were... unreceptive to my proposal."


    I raised an eyebrow. "They rejected the great Conrad Thornton? How shocking."


    His face flushed at my sarcasm. "They mocked Eldoria''s martial prowess. Said we were backwater cultivators unworthy of the Divine Medicine."


    "Again, why are you here?" I pressed.


    Conrad''s pride visibly wrestled with his desperation. "Because they said there was one person from Eldoria they might consider working with."


    "Me," I said, not a question.


    He nodded stiffly. "Griffin called you ''the only interesting variable in this provincial wastnd.'' His words, not mine."


    I couldn''t help but smile. "So now you need me."


    Conrad''s jaw tightened. "I thought you might want to meet them. An opportunity to represent Eldoria''s interests."


    "You mean your interests," I corrected.


    He didn''t deny it. "The Divine Medicine benefits us all. Without an alliance, we stand little chance against thebined forces of the other regions."


    I considered his words carefully. Alliances were temporary in the cultivation world,sting only until they no longer served their purpose. Yet having powerful backers could make obtaining the Divine Medicine considerably easier.


    "Where are they now?" I asked.


    "The Blue Star Inn. They''ve taken the entire top floor."


    I nodded slowly. "Very well. I''ll meet them."


    Relief washed over Conrad''s face. "Excellent. They''re expecting us soon."


    As we left the garden, I felt Eamon''s concerned gaze following me. He understood, as I did, that I was walking into a nest of vipers. But with my newly transformed body, I feared no bite.


    The Blue Star Inn loomed before us, its elegant architecture a stark contrast to most of White City''s buildings. Inside, servants bowed deeply as Conrad led me up the stairs.


    At the top floor, two imposing guards blocked our path. They examined us coldly before one opened the door.


    The room beyond wasvishly furnished. Two men sat at a tableden with exotic fruits and wine. One was older, with streaks of gray in his beard and calcting eyes. The other was younger, powerfully built, with a perpetual sneer.


    "Conrad," the older man said without rising. "You''ve brought him."


    Conrad bowed. "Master Griffin, Master Buchanan, may I present Liam Knight."


    Burton Griffin, the older man, studied me intently. "So you''re the famous King of Eldoria. You don''t look like much."


    Dirk Buchanan chuckled. "Supposedly he defeated Caleb Thorne. Hard to believe, isn''t it?"


    I met their gaze steadily. "Believe what you wish. I''m here because Conrad said you wanted to meet me."


    Griffin gestured to an empty chair. "Sit. We have business to discuss."


    I remained standing. "I prefer to know who I''m doing business with first."


    Buchanan''s eyes narrowed dangerously. "You dare—"


    Griffin held up a hand, silencing him. "Smart. Cautious. I like that." He leaned forward. "We''re not cooperating with Conrad. We''re cooperating with the King of Eldoria and Liam Knight—if he proves worthy."


    Conrad''s face lit up. "I''ll call Liam right away! He''ll—" He stopped, suddenly realizing I was already there. His eagerness to please these men was embarrassingly transparent.


    I studied both men carefully, weighing my options. A conditional alliance with these arrogant but powerful figures could be exactly what I needed to secure the Divine Medicine—or it could be walking straight into a trap.