Morning sunlight streamed through the vi windows as I considered ra''s advice fromst night. She was right - approaching Guy Noble directly about the Ten-thousand-year-old Medicinal Materials would be risky, but potentially less dangerous than sneaking behind his back in his own territory.


    I was preparing to message Guy when a sharp knock at the door interrupted my thoughts.


    "I''ll get it," ra called, skipping toward the entrance.


    "Wait," I said, grabbing her shoulder gently. Something felt off. We weren''t expecting visitors.


    I approached the door cautiously, extending my divine sense beyond the walls. Three people stood outside - two with substantial cultivation levels and one with power that made my skin prickle. A Military Marquis, at minimum.


    "Who is it?" I called, keeping my tone neutral.


    "Representatives from the Umbral Covenant," a smooth voice replied. "Here to assist Mr. Knight on behalf of Master Osborne."


    Rex Osborne? I frowned. I hadn''t requested assistance from the Covenant. Still, I opened the door, maintaining a defensive posture.


    Three men stood before me. The one in front had a thin face and calcting eyes - Lowell Pauley, one of Rex''s deputies I''d met briefly. Beside him stood a muscr man with a perpetual scowl - Preston Elliott, a notorious enforcer. The third man, standing slightly apart, wore the distinctive ck uniform of the Covenant''s elite guard.


    "Mr. Knight," Lowell offered a thin smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "Master Osborne sends his regards."


    "I don''t recall requesting assistance," I replied coolly, blocking their entry.


    Lowell''s smile tightened. "May wee in? These matters are better discussed privately."


    I hesitated, then stepped aside. Better to hear them out than create a scene. The Man with the Mustache emerged from his room, eyes narrowing at our visitors.


    "What''s this about?" I asked once they were seated in our living room.


    "Master Osborne received intelligence about your quest for the Ten-thousand-year-old Celestial Grass," Lowell exined. "Given our alliance, he felt it prudent to provide... support."


    The word "alliance" stretched thin between us. I recalled rissa Johnson''s warning about the Covenant''s true intentions.


    "What kind of support?" I asked cautiously.


    "Guidance," Lowell said. "Protection. And naturally, assistance with extraction and transportation of the materials."


    Preston leaned forward, muscles rippling beneath his tailored suit. "We have connections in Downton City. The Noble family respects our organization."


    "And in return?" I prompted, already knowing there would be conditions.


    Lowell smiled again, cold and calcting. "Nothing onerous. Master Osborne simply expects yourplete cooperation with Covenant directives during this operation. Ourpanion here" - he gestured to the silent guard - "is Military Marquis Loren Wells. He''ll be overseeing the mission."


    The guard nodded slightly, his eyes assessing me like I was a resource to be harvested.


    "I''m handling this matter personally," I said firmly. "I appreciate Master Osborne''s concern, but—"


    "This isn''t optional, Knight," Preston cut in. "The Covenant has invested significant resources in you. It''s time to show appropriate gratitude."


    The temperature in the room seemed to drop. ra moved closer to me, her small hand slipping into mine.


    "I wasn''t aware my association with the Covenant came with strings," I said carefully.


    Lowell''s facade of friendliness evaporated. "Everythinges with strings, Knight. Master Osborne has been patient with your independent streak, but patience has limits. The Celestial Grass is too valuable to leave in inexperienced hands."


    "My hands are quite capable," I replied, my voice hardening.


    "Are they?" Preston sneered. "We''ve heard about your cozy lunch with Guy Noble. Gettingfortable with our enemies now?"


    So they were having me watched. Interesting.


    "I gather information where I can," I said. "As any prudent person would."


    Lowell stood, pacing the room with deliberate steps. "Here''s how this will proceed. You will continue your pleasant association with Noble, using that connection to locate the Celestial Grass. When the timees, Marquis Wells will handle the extraction. You will defer to our expertise."


    His tone left no room for negotiation. I felt my anger rising but kept it carefully controlled.


    "And if I prefer to handle this my own way?" I asked.


    Prestonughed, a harsh sound. "Then perhaps the Covenant will reconsider its protection of your interests in Veridia City. I hear the Ashworth family still has quite the bounty on your head."


    The threat hung in the air like poison. I took a slow breath, evaluating my options. Direct confrontation with three powerful Covenant members wasn''t ideal, especially on Noble family territory.


    "I need to consider your... proposal," I said finally.


    Lowell''s eyes narrowed. "There''s nothing to consider. These are your orders."


    Orders. Not requests. I felt something snap inside me.


    "I don''t take orders from you," I said quietly. "My arrangement with Rex Osborne was an alliance of equals, not servitude."


    "You misunderstand your position," Preston growled, stepping forward. "You''re a useful asset, Knight, but ultimately receable. Your continued freedom exists at our pleasure."


    The Military Marquis finally spoke, his voice unexpectedly soft. "You''re wasting time with threats, Preston. Mr. Knight clearly requires a demonstration."


    Before I could react, Preston lunged forward with surprising speed, his fist crackling with dense energy. Had I been the same man I was months ago, it would have been a devastating blow.


    But I wasn''t that man anymore.


    I sidestepped smoothly, letting his momentum carry him past me. As he turned, I struck precisely at his cultivation center with a technique Jackson Harding had taught me. Preston''s eyes widened in shock as his energy pathways temporarily copsed. <code ss="phantom-imprint">For charac!t%e-r% s+heet#s$ and glo.s*sar@ies, vi!s-i.t@ *&.</code>


    "What the—" he gasped, dropping to one knee.


    The Military Marquis moved to intervene, but stopped when ra stepped between us, the mask in her hands pulsing with an eerie dark light.


    "I wouldn''t," she said, her voice eerily adult. "Not unless you want to witness something truly unpleasant."


    Lowell raised his hands catingly. "There''s no need for further hostilities. Clearly, we''ve misjudged the situation."


    Preston struggled to his feet, face contorted with rage and pain. "You''ll regret this, Knight. No one humiliates the Covenant."


    "You did that yourself," I replied coldly. "Now leave."


    The Military Marquis studied me with renewed interest. "You''ve hidden your true strength well. Perhaps Master Osborne was right about your potential."


    "Or perhaps he underestimated it," came a familiar voice from behind me. The Man with the Mustache had emerged from the shadows, a rare serious expression on his face. "Mr. Knight doesn''t stand alone."


    Lowell assessed the changed dynamics, his calcting mind visibly recalibrating. "We appear to have approached this incorrectly. My apologies for my colleague''s impetuousness."


    "Save your apologies," I said. "And tell Rex if he wants to discuss my activities, he can contact me directly instead of sending enforcers."


    Lowell''s smile returned, thin and dangerous. "Of course. Though I wonder how sessful you''ll be navigating Downton City without our connections. The Noble family may seem weing now, but they protect their treasures jealously."


    "I''ll take my chances," I replied.


    As they moved toward the door, Lowell paused. "One final thought, Mr. Knight. When thepetition for the medicinal materials begins in earnest, remember that we offered alliance first. The battlefield bes... chaotic when multiple powers converge."


    I met his gaze steadily. "Is that a threat?"


    "Merely an observation," he replied smoothly. "Good day."


    The door closed behind them, and I immediately activated protective formations around the vi.


    "Well," the Man with the Mustache exhaled dramatically, "that was bracing."


    "They were never here to help," ra said, the mask still glowing faintly in her hands.


    "No," I agreed. "They were here to establish control. Rex must have learned about the Celestial Grass and decided it was too valuable to leave in my hands."


    The Man with the Mustache peered through the window, watching our visitors board a sleek boat at the dock. "Do you think they''ll back off?"


    "Hardly," I said. "They''ll just change tactics."


    Outside on the deck of their departing boat, Lowell turned to Preston, who was still struggling to restore his energy pathways.


    "That didn''t go as nned," Preston growled, wincing as he massaged his chest.


    "On the contrary," Lowell replied quietly. "We confirmed Knight''s abilities and his defiance. Both facts will interest certain parties."


    "He humiliated me," Preston snarled. "I want him dead."


    Lowell smiled thinly. "And so he shall be. But not by our hand. Why waste Covenant resources when others can do the work for us?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Downton City will soon be flooded with powerful cultivatorspeting for those materials," Lowell exined. "Including several foreign powers who owe me favors. One anonymous tip about Knight''s intentions, and they''ll eliminate him for us."


    "And if they fail?"


    "Then we maintain deniability while assessing his true capabilities," Lowell said pragmatically. "Either way, the Covenant benefits."


    Preston''s anger slowly transformed into cruel anticipation. "I hope I''m there to see his face when he realizes he''s surrounded by enemies."


    Back at the vi, I was exining my suspicions to mypanions when another disturbance interrupted us - the sound of a boat approaching at high speed.


    "More visitors?" the Man with the Mustache groaned, peering through the window. "Wait, that''s—"


    The front door burst open before he could finish. Guy Noble stood in the doorway, face flushed with anger as he surveyed the damage from my brief altercation with Preston - a cracked wall, overturned furniture, and scorched floorboards.


    "Damn it," he bellowed, "who messed up my vi like this?"