Blood spattered across the marble floor as another body hit the ground. I stood amidst the carnage, my chest rising and falling steadily, surrounded by fallen Grandmasters.


    Some groaned in pain. Othersy deathly still.


    The survivors huddled together, their earlier confidence shattered. Terror had reced their arrogance, and desperation their swagger.


    I''d never felt such raw power coursing through my body. The Heaven Swallowing Skill hummed beneath my skin, the absorbed energy from Burton Griffin fueling my strength to unprecedented heights.


    "Please, Master Knight!" One of the Grandmasters fell to his knees, hands trembling. "We surrender! We''ll leave the Divine Medicine to you!"


    I stared at him coldly. His face was vaguely familiar—one of the men who''d demanded I kneel before Corvus ckthorne when they first attacked.


    "You want mercy now?" I asked, my voice deadly quiet. "After you tried to kill me?"


    Another Grandmaster stepped forward, sweat beading on his forehead. "We were wrong! We acknowledge your superiority!"


    "Toote." I raised my hand, erecting an invisible barrier around the perimeter of the destroyed hall. "None of you are leaving alive."


    Panic swept through their ranks. Several tried to flee, only to m against my spiritual barrier and bounce back like insects hitting ss.


    "You can''t do this!" someone wailed. "This is murder!"


    Myugh was bitter and sharp. "And what were you attempting earlier? A friendly sparring match?"


    Conrad Thornton stood at the edge of the room, observing with those calcting eyes of his. He made no move to intervene.


    I advanced toward the trapped Grandmasters, golden energy swirling around my fists. "You wanted me to kneel before Corvus ckthorne. You threatened to cripple me. Did you expect me to forget these insults when the tables turned?"


    "Master Knight," another voice called out. This one carried more authority.


    A white-haired man stepped forward from the group. His robes, though torn and bloodied, still carried the insignia of a prominent sect.


    "I am Isai Whitlock, Elder of the Jade Harmony Sect," he dered with forced steadiness. "My master is Adrian Whitlock, whom I believe you''ve heard of."


    I noticed Conrad stiffen at the mention of that name. Interesting.


    "And?" I asked, unimpressed.


    Isai straightened his spine. "This conflict can end now. Let us go, and I will owe you a personal favor. In our world, such debts are valuable."


    I studied him for a moment. "Where was this desire for peace when yourpanions attacked me? When they demanded I surrender the Divine Medicine that I rightfully earned?"


    That struck home. Isai''s face twitched with embarrassment.


    "You stood by and watched," I continued, my voice rising. "You thought they would win. Only now, when defeat stares you in the face, do you speak of peace." <code ss="in-imprint-a">The most up?to?date version is on *.</code>


    "You don''t understand what you''re doing!" Isai''s voice took on an edge of desperation. "I am an Elder! My master—"


    "Your master isn''t here," I cut him off. "And I don''t care who you are. I''ve already offended the ckthorne family of Veridia City. Do you think I give your Jade Harmony Sect any more face?"


    Murmurs rippled through the remaining cultivators. Even Conrad looked surprised by my boldness.


    Isai''s expression darkened. "Then you leave me no choice."


    He stepped back and made a series ofplex hand signs. "Brothers, lend me your strength! The Tai Chi Seal!"


    The remaining Grandmasters quickly formed a circle around Isai. They extended their hands toward him, streams of colored energy flowing from their palms into his body.


    "Conrad," I called out without taking my eyes off Isai. "What is this technique?"


    Conrad moved closer, his voice low. "The Tai Chi Seal. It''s one of the Jade Harmony Sect''s ultimate techniques. It allows a cultivator to temporarily absorb and utilize the Inner Strength of allies."


    I raised an eyebrow. "Should I be worried?"


    "It''s known for defeating opponents of higher cultivation," Conrad admitted. "Thebined power of multiple Grandmasters channeled through a single vessel..."


    As we spoke, Isai''s body began to glow with multicolored light. The air around him distorted, heavy with concentrated spiritual energy. His white hair fluttered as if caught in an invisible breeze.


    "Last chance, young man," Isai called out, his voice now resonating with unusual power. "Will you reconsider? Even your impressive strength cannot withstand thebined might of seven Grandmasters."


    The remaining cultivators backed away, hope rekindling in their eyes. They believed Isai could turn the tide.


    I felt the pressure of his technique pushing against me—a formidable force, indeed. For a brief moment, I considered the rational choice: negotiate, back down, live to fight another day.


    But the memory of their arrogance burned too brightly.


    "You want to see real power?" I asked, summoning the full extent of my cultivation.


    Golden light erupted from my body, brilliant and blinding. The floor beneath my feet cracked from the pressure. My wounds sealed themselvespletely as the Heaven Swallowing Skill converted more energy into raw power.


    "Then watch carefully."


    Isai''s eyes widened as hepleted the final seal. The multicolored energy condensed around his hands, forming a spinning disc of devastating power.


    "The Tai Chi Seal has never failed against a single opponent!" he dered, pushing the technique forward.


    I clenched my right fist, concentrating all my golden energy into it. The air shimmered around my arm, distorting with heat and power.


    "There''s a first time for everything," I replied calmly.


    The cultivators watched in horrified fascination. Conrad took several more steps back, sensing the imminent collision of forces.


    Isai thrust both palms forward,unching the spinning disc of energy directly at me. It hummed with destructive potential, carving a path through the air.


    I didn''t dodge. I didn''t retreat.


    Instead, I raised my glowing fist and roared: "I''ll break your precious technique with one punch!"


    The deration echoed through the hall as my golden fist surged forward to meet the multicolored disc, our powers colliding in a blinding sh of light.