"That position should belong to someone worthy," Mariana Valerius continued, her youthful face a stark contrast to the ancient power radiating from her being.


    Every pair of eyes in the hall darted between the Pavilion Master and Third Elder—now just an ordinary alchemist. The man''s face had gone from pale to red with humiliation.


    "Pavilion Master, please reconsider," he pleaded, his voice cracking. "I''ve served the Guild faithfully for decades!"


    She fixed him with a gaze that could freeze fire. "Yet you''ve repeatedly ced personal vendettas above Guild interests. That ends today."


    I kept my expression neutral despite the satisfaction bubbling inside me. This was an unexpected windfall—my enemy stripped of power in one decisive stroke.


    The former Elder bowed stiffly and retreated, shooting me a nce of pure hatred as he passed.


    Mariana turned her attention back to me. "Liam Knight, I''ve heard promising reports about your alchemical talents."


    "Thank you, Pavilion Master," I replied, genuinely surprised by her attention.


    She studied me with those ancient eyes in her young face. "The Guild now has an Elder position to fill. Should you pass our assessment in three days'' time, that position could be yours."


    Gasps erupted throughout the hall. Sofia''s eyes widened in shock beside me.


    Me? An Elder? The offer seemed too good to be true.


    "I''d be honored to attempt the assessment," I said carefully.


    Mariana nodded once. "Good. Fifth Elder will provide the details. This assembly is dismissed."


    As the crowd dispersed in excited whispers, Sofia grabbed my arm.


    "Do you realize what just happened?" she hissed. "No one bes an Elder without decades of service!"


    I nodded slowly, the wheels in my mind turning. "Which means she has her own motives for offering me this position."


    "Aren''t you suspicious?" Sofia asked.


    "Of course," I replied honestly. "But the benefits of bing an Elder are too significant to ignore."


    As an Elder, I''d gain ess to rare cultivation resources, ancient texts, and—most importantly—political protection that even the ckthornes would hesitate to challenge directly.


    Whatever the Pavilion Master''s true agenda, this opportunity aligned perfectly with my own goals.


    ---


    Two dayster, I sat cross-legged in my quarters, reviewing ancient alchemical forms in preparation for the assessment. My phone rang, interrupting my concentration.


    Unknown number. I answered cautiously.


    "Liam Knight speaking."


    "You pathetic, worthless insect." The voice dripped with venom and aristocratic arrogance.


    My body tensed instantly. Dashiell ckthorne, heir to the ckthorne Family of Veridia City.


    "To what do I owe this pleasant conversation?" I asked calmly, reaching for my recorder. This call couldn''t be a coincidence.


    "You crippled my cousin Travis!" he snarled. "Did you think there wouldn''t be consequences?"


    I activated the recorder silently. "Your cousin attacked me first. I merely defended myself."


    "Don''t give me that garbage," Dashiell spat. "Travis told me everything. You deliberately provoked him!"


    I kept my voice level. "Is that what he told you? Interesting version of events."


    "Listen carefully, you lowborn piece of trash," he continued, rage making his voice shake. "Your days are numbered. I''ming to Havenwood personally to deal with you."


    "What about our agreement?" I asked. "The one you signed publicly, promising to leave me and my associates alone."


    Hisugh was cold and dismissive. "That worthless piece of paper? It was just for show, to appease those pathetic followers of yours on The Warrior''s Scroll."


    Perfect. He was incriminating himself beautifully.


    "So you''re saying your public oath means nothing?" I pressed.


    "Of course it means nothing!" he exploded. "Do you think someone of my status is bound by promises made tomoners? The ckthorne name stands above such trivialities!"


    I smiled to myself. "And what about the users of The Warrior''s Scroll? What are your thoughts on them?"


    "Those insignificant ants?" he scoffed. "Just mindless peasants practicing their pitiful martial arts in dirty back alleys. They mean less than dirt beneath my shoe."


    "I see," I said evenly. "Anything else you''d like to share about your true feelings?"


    "Yes—tell your friend Isabelle Ashworth to prepare herself. Once my family finalizes our arrangement with the Ashworths, she''ll learn what it means to be a proper woman to a ckthorne man. And you?" His voice dropped to a menacing whisper. "You''ll be a distant, unpleasant memory she''ll forget as I bed her."


    My knuckles turned white from gripping the phone. Stay calm. This is exactly what you wanted.


    "Thank you for rifying your position," I said, my voice betraying none of my rage. "I''ll be sure to remember this conversation."


    "Remember it from your grave," he snarled before hanging up.


    I immediately dialed another number.


    "Nia? It''s Liam Knight. I have something you''ll want to hear."


    ---


    The next morning, The Warrior''s Scroll''s homepage featured a bombshell headline:


    "BLACKTHORNE HEIR REVEALS TRUE COLORS: ''PROMISES TO COMMONERS MEAN NOTHING''"


    The full recording of Dashiell''s tirade yed beneath the article written by star reporter Nia Langley. His disparagingments about martial artists, his threats, his dismissal of public oaths—all preserved in his own arrogant voice.


    Thements section exploded:


    "Is this how the great ckthorne family keeps their word?"


    "They think we''re ''insignificant ants''? Let''s show them what ants can do when they work together!"


    "Boycott all ckthorne businesses! Hit them where it hurts!"


    By afternoon, the story had jumped to mainstream news sites. The ckthorne PR team issued a desperate statement iming the recording was manipted, but voice analysis experts quickly confirmed its authenticity.


    Cultivation forums across the country buzzed with outrage. Even wealthy practitioners expressed disgust at Dashiell''s naked contempt for his word and the martialmunity.


    I smiled as I scrolled through the fallout. Let Dashielle to Havenwood now—he''d be walking into a city that already despised him.


    --- <small ss="frag-3b41bf">Content<i ss="node-sep"></i>first<i ss="node-sep"></i>released<i ss="node-sep"></i>on<i ss="node-sep"></i>*.</small>


    In Veridia City, Dashiell ckthorne hurled an antique vase against the wall of his private study.


    "Delete it!" he screamed at his assistant. "Pay whatever it takes! Threaten whoever you must! I want that recording gone!"


    "Young Master, it''s already been downloaded thousands of times," the assistant replied nervously. "Even if we take down the original, copies are everywhere."


    "Then find Liam Knight and silence him permanently!" Dashiell roared.


    "But sir, that would only confirm the public''s worst—"


    "I don''t care!" Dashiell swept the contents of his desk onto the floor in a violent crash. "He humiliated me! Me! Do you understand what that means?"


    The assistant backed away as Dashiell continued his rampage.


    "My father will hear about this," Dashiell seethed. "The full might of the ckthorne family will crush this insect. I''ll make him beg for death before I''m finished!"


    A quiet knock interrupted his tirade.


    "WHAT?" he bellowed.


    A steward entered, bowing deeply. "Young Master, the old master wishes to see you immediately."


    Dashiell froze mid-motion. The old master—his grandfather, the true power behind the ckthorne empire.


    "He... he''s heard about this?" Dashiell asked, his voice suddenly small.


    The steward nodded grimly. "Yes, Young Master. He''s waiting in the ancestral hall. He said toe at once."


    All color drained from Dashiell''s face. His grandfather''s wrath was legendary—and now it would be directed at him.