## Liam''s Perspective


    Pain flooded through me as I regained consciousness. The saltwater stung every wound on my broken body. Blood clouded the water around me as I sank deeper into the endless blue.


    Death seemed certain. My lungs burned for air. My vision dimmed at the edges.


    Then I felt it—the Venerable Fifth Mountain''s energy stirring within me. Golden light pulsed from my core, spreading through my limbs like liquid fire.


    "Not today," I thought grimly.


    The mountain''s power wrapped around me like a cocoon, slowing my descent. My wounds still bled, but the immediate danger of drowning receded.


    I needed to act fast. Reaching into my spatial ring, I pulled out a Water Repelling Charm. The small blue talisman activated with a pulse of energy, creating a bubble of air around my head.


    I gasped, drawing precious oxygen into my damaged lungs. Each breath brought stabbing pain. Internal injuries—severe ones.


    Above me, I could make out small shapes disturbing the water''s surface. Dudley''s divers.


    "Looking for my corpse," I realized with grim satisfaction.


    I forced myself to focus. The stab wound in my chest was the most pressing concern. Blood continued to flow freely, turning the water around me crimson.


    My hand trembled as I extracted my alchemy kit from the spatial ring. Inside were the herbs I''d need.


    "This is going to hurt," I muttered.


    Working quickly, I ground three different herbs together. Red Frostleaf for blood clotting. Mountain Ginseng for vitality. Thunder Root for rapid absorption. The mixture glowed faintly as my divine sense infused it with energy.


    I pressed the mixture directly into my wound. Fire erupted across my chest. I bit down hard to keep from screaming and giving away my position.


    The herbs hissed as they made contact with my blood, sending tendrils of medicinal energy through my body. The bleeding slowed, then stopped.


    I repeated the process for my other major wounds. Each application was agony, but necessary for survival.


    When I finished, I was left with significantly fewer herbs in my spatial ring. A heavy price, but worth it.


    "Alive," I thought bitterly, "but hardly victorious."


    As my immediate danger passed, I became aware of something else—a weight on my wrist. The bracelet still clung to me, its surface now dull and inert. I tugged at it. It wouldn''t budge.


    "So they can''t control me anymore, but I can''t remove their leash either."


    I examined it more closely. Complex runes covered its surface—Guild magic, no doubt. They''d nned this all along.


    "Dudley Lowell," I whispered his name like a promise. "You''ll pay for this. All of you will."


    The bracelet would have to wait. Its effect must be temporary, or Julian would have used it to finish me offpletely. For now, I had other concerns.


    I allowed myself to sink deeper, away from the searching divers. The ocean grew darker around me, but my enhanced senses could still prate the gloom.


    Above, I sensed several powerful auras—Martial Marquis, at least. Julian''s party, still on that massive floating ind.


    The ind itself puzzled me. It was colossal, yet somehow suspended in the water rather than resting on the seabed. How was that possible?


    Curiosity overcame caution. I swam closer, my partially healed body protesting with every movement.


    The underside of the ind came into view. It wasn''t t as I''d expected. Instead, it curved inward like a massive bowl. But what caught my attention wasn''t the shape—it was what covered its surface.


    Thousands—no, millions—of small, glowing objects were embedded in the rock. They pulsed with faint energy, creating patterns of light that danced across the seabed.


    I swam closer, ignoring the pain coursing through my body. When I was near enough to touch one of the objects, I froze in disbelief.


    "Inner cores," I whispered.


    Not just any inner cores. These were perfect specimens, untainted by time or extraction. Each one represented the crystallized essence of a powerful beast.


    I plucked one from its setting. It came free easily, warm and vibrant in my palm. The energy within it responded to my touch, resonating with my own power.


    This single core would fetch a fortune at any market. And there were millions covering the underside of the ind.


    My mind raced with possibilities. Inner cores were the currency of power. Martial artists consumed them to advance their cultivation. Alchemists used them to create powerful medicines. Weapon smiths incorporated them into legendary armaments. <dfn ss="phantom-imprint">The mo^st& u*p*-#t+o+-$d*a@t+e vers%i@on. is on *%.</dfn>


    I looked up at the vast expanse above me. The entire underside of the ind was covered with these treasures. No wonder Julian was so concerned about confirming my death.


    He knew what was here. This was what he''d been searching for all along.


    I swam around the perimeter, taking in the scale of this discovery. The ind must have been formed over centuries, perhaps millennia, as beast cores naturally gathered and fused with the rock.


    Or perhaps it was artificial—a creation of some ancient power who harvested millions of beasts for their cores.


    Either way, it represented wealth beyond imagination.


    I began collecting cores methodically, storing them in my spatial ring. Each one pulsed with unique energy, representing different beasts and different power levels.


    Some were as small as pearls, others asrge as my fist. The variety was staggering.


    As I worked, a n formed in my mind. With these resources, I could heal my injuriespletely. I could strengthen my cultivation base. I could create medicines and weapons that would give me an edge against the Guild.


    I could finally rescue Isabelle.


    The thought of her gave me renewed purpose. I worked faster, ignoring my body''s protests as I harvested core after core.


    Hours passed. My spatial ring grew heavy with treasure.


    Above me, I sensed movement. Julian''s party was preparing to leave. They had no idea that their greatest prize was being imed right beneath them.


    I smiled despite my pain. Sometimes defeat could be the beginning of victory.


    With onest look at the vast treasure trove, I allowed myself a moment of pure, unbridled joy.


    "Rich..." I whispered into my air bubble, eyes wide with tion. "I''m rich!"