Liam''s Perspective


    Tension filled the air as Mariana Valerius stood on the steps of the Celestial Apothecary Guild. Her small frame somehowmanded the entire courtyard. Facing her were ten figures in ck, their faces hidden behind borate masks.


    I couldn''t see this confrontation from the sealed warehouse, butter, disciples would describe it to me in hushed, reverent tones.


    The leader of the masked assassins stepped forward. His hawk-nosed mask gleamed in the moonlight.


    "Pavilion Master Valerius," he said, his voice carrying across the silent courtyard. "The Umbral Covenant demands the surrender of Liam Knight."


    Mariana didn''t flinch. "And I refuse. What now?"


    Murmurs rippled through the assembled disciples. No one spoke to the Umbral Covenant this way.


    Hawk Mask tilted his head slightly. "You understand what this means?"


    "Perfectly," Mariana replied. "Ten half-step Martial Marquises against one Martial Saint. Hardly seems fair... for you."


    The assassin''sughter was cold. "Your confidence is misced. We''ve killed Martial Saints before."


    "In groups of fifty, perhaps," she countered. "Not ten."


    Her casual dismissal of their threat sent a chill through the courtyard. Several of the masked figures shifted uneasily.


    "Make no mistake," Mariana continued. "If you attack, some of you might survive. But those who do will wish they hadn''t."


    Even from behind his mask, the leader''s frustration was evident. "The Ascendant Saints Order has paid for his head. We will collect."


    Mariana smiled thinly. "Let me propose an alternative. A deal, if you will."


    The assassin crossed his arms. "We''re listening."


    "Liam Knight will leave the Guild in one month," she said clearly. "You can have him then."


    Shocked whispers erupted from the watching disciples. Was their Pavilion Master truly betraying me?


    "And if he doesn''t?" Hawk Mask asked suspiciously.


    Mariana''s voice was steel. "Then you deal with me instead."


    The courtyard fell silent. No one dared breathe.


    "You would risk yourself for this... nobody?" The assassin sounded genuinely confused.


    "I protect what''s mine," she answered simply. "Do we have a deal?"


    The assassins conferred briefly, their voices too low to hear.


    Finally, Hawk Mask turned back to her. "One month. Not a day more."


    With that, the ten assassins vanished into the night, leaving behind only a whisper of cold air.


    ---


    Inside the spiritual warehouse, I was oblivious to these negotiations. The energy density here was staggering. Each breath filled my lungs with more spiritual qi than I''d normally absorb in a day of meditation.


    "This can''t be natural," I muttered, running my hand along a shelf stocked with spirit herbs.


    The spiritual concentration was beyond anything I''d experienced. Even the richest spirit veins in Riverbend Town couldn''tpare. Something else was at work here.


    I circled the vast chamber, my cultivator''s senses tingling. The energy seemed to pulse from somewhere deeper in the room.


    Behind a tall rack of jade bottles, I discovered a small door. It was unlocked.


    The space beyond was smaller, more intimate. At its center stood a strange sight: three ancient trees growing in a triangle formation, their branches intertwined.


    Their bark glowed faintly with spiritual light. The trees weren''t particrlyrge, but their presence dominated the room.


    "The Three Pure Ancient Tree," I whispered, recognizing it from ancient texts.


    This legendary nt was said to have roots stretching into the deepest spiritual veins of the world. One such tree was a treasure beyond price. Three growing together was unheard of.


    No wonder the warehouse overflowed with spiritual energy. These trees were pumping it into the room like a spiritual heart.


    I settled myself between the three trees, crossing my legs into a meditation position.


    "One month," I reminded myself. "I need to reach half-step Martial Marquis in one month."


    The task seemed impossible. Most cultivators spent years, even decades reaching that level. But I had no choice. Whatever deal Mariana had struck, I needed to be ready.


    I activated the Celestial Dragon Cultivation Technique. Immediately, I felt the trees respond. Spiritual energy flowed toward me like water finding its natural course.


    My meridians widened, epting the flood of power. My dantian spun faster, processing the energy with unprecedented efficiency.


    Hours passed like minutes. The boundary between my consciousness and the flow of energy blurred. I lost myself in cultivation.


    ---


    Three dayster, Elder Foster limped into the grand hall of the Ascendant Saints Order. His injuries had barely healed, and humiliation burned in his gut.


    "She made a fool of you," Grand Elder Maxwell observed coldly.


    Foster kept his gaze on the floor. "The Pavilion Master''s strength exceeded expectations."


    "Excuses," Maxwell dismissed. "And now the Umbral Covenant has agreed to wait? Uneptable."


    "They negotiated a dy," Foster admitted. "One month before they take Liam Knight."


    Maxwell''s eyes narrowed. "She''s buying time. Your failure may cost us everything."


    Foster bowed deeply. "I ept any punishment."


    "Your punishment is to watch and wait," Maxwell replied. "The Umbral Covenant will handle this matter. You''re dismissed."


    Foster retreated quickly, grateful to escape with his life. As he hurried down the corridor, a voice called out.


    "Elder Foster! A moment, please!"


    He turned to see Dudley Lowell approaching. The young man looked terrible. His cultivation had stagnated, and dark circles ringed his eyes.


    "What is it, Dudley?" Foster asked impatiently.


    "Any news of Liam Knight?" Dudley''s voice cracked with desperation. "Has he been killed?"


    Foster eyed him with distaste. "The Umbral Covenant will handle him in a month."


    "A month?" Dudley''s face contorted. "I can''t wait that long! Every day he lives is torture! He took everything from me!"


    "Control yourself," Foster snapped. "Your obsession is bing unseemly."


    Dudley grabbed Foster''s sleeve. "Please! There must be something you can do!"


    Foster shook him off roughly. "Focus on your cultivation instead of revenge. You''re falling behind your peers."


    With that parting insult, Foster strode away, leaving Dudley trembling in the hallway.


    "Falling behind?" Dudley whispered. "I''ve tried everything. Nothing works!"


    His cultivation had indeed stagnated. No matter how many resources he consumed, his progress remained blocked. Every technique he attempted ended in failure.


    "It''s all his fault," Dudley muttered, stumbling back to his quarters. "Liam Knight ruined me."


    Inside his room, Dudley copsed onto his bed. Tears of frustration leaked from his eyes.


    "I just need power," he whispered. "Enough power to kill him myself."


    "Perhaps I can help with that."


    Dudley bolted upright. The voice hade from everywhere and nowhere. <b ss="in-imprint-a">This is a sample from My Virtual Library Empire. Read the rest on *.</b>


    "Who''s there?" he demanded, scanning the empty room.


    "A friend," the voice rasped. "Someone who understands your pain."


    "Show yourself!"


    A chuckle echoed in his mind. "I cannot. Not yet. But I can offer what you desire most."


    Dudley''s heart raced. "Power? You can give me power?"


    "More than you can imagine," the voice promised. "Enough to crush Liam Knight like an insect."


    Hope and suspicion warred within Dudley. "What''s the price? There''s always a price."


    "Smart boy," the voice approved. "It''s simple... just give your body to me, and you''ll be able to kill him..."


    Dudley''s breath caught in his throat. The room suddenly felt colder, darker. Yet the promise of revenge burned brighter than his fear.


    "Give my body?" he whispered. "What does that mean?"


    The voice didn''t answer immediately. When it spoke again, it seemed closer, more real.


    "It means power beyond your wildest dreams. It means watching Liam Knight die by your hand. It means victory."


    Dudley''s fingers dug into his palms until they bled. One month seemed an eternity to wait.


    "Tell me more," he said finally. "Tell me everything."