I reached Green Moon Vi, hauling Garcia Coleman behind me like a lifeless corpse.


    When Ximena Santos spotted Garcia Coleman sprawled on the ground, shock washed over her face.


    "Who''s that?" Ximena Santos gasped.


    I waved her off casually. "Some moron, don''t worry about him."


    After that, I dumped Garcia Coleman to one side and headed alone toward the Spiritual Spring area.


    "What''s the status? Making any headway?" I asked.


    Spike Viktor nced up at me, raising three fingers. "Need about three more days."


    I nodded approvingly. "Thanks for the hard work."


    Three days—faster than I''d hoped for.


    And three days was exactly what I''d told Jensen Coleman he had.


    "Long as no Martial Saint shows up, I should stay safe for now," I thought to myself.


    Right now, I wasn''t scared of anyone below Martial Saint level, not even Paul Randall or Ignacio Richard.


    For the next stretch, I stuck close to Garcia Coleman, waiting quietly for word from Jensen Coleman.


    ——


    Meanwhile, deep in the Second Secret Realm, Jensen Coleman''s face was twisted with rage.


    Fury consumed him, his entire frame trembling.


    "Damn it! Damn it!!" Jensen Coleman bellowed over and over!


    What he''d dreaded most had finallye to pass.


    "Master, he demands the method to break the spirit binding technique, and he''s only giving us three days..." Barret''s voice shook as he delivered the message.


    Jensen Coleman clenched his jaw, snarling, "What gives him the right to make demands? What right does he have! I should go there myself and end him now!"


    "Master, please keep your cool!" Barret pleaded desperately.


    "In a week at most, someone will reach the Martial Saint Realm. We can strike then!"


    "Plus, the young master is still his prisoner!"


    Even with those words, Jensen Coleman''s rage barely cooled.


    "Fine, I''ll put up with this for a few more days!" Jensen Coleman inhaled deeply, forcing his anger down.


    "What about the spirit binding technique?" Barret asked carefully.


    "Tomorrow, take the spirit binding technique and arrange the trade," Jensen Coleman ordered quietly.


    "Yes, Master." Barret nodded quickly.


    ——


    Out in the world, almost everyone was talking about what happened.


    The fact that I hadunched Garcia Coleman with one punch was absolutely stunning.


    People were getting more confused about just how strong I really was.


    The most rattled were the well-dressed young men from Capital City''s elite families.


    "Mason Raymond actually beat Garcia Coleman with one punch—incredible," Pearson Bowman said in amazement.


    Wayne Ran chimed in: "Yeah, has Mason Raymond already reached the Half-step Martial Sages Realm?"


    "No, he''s still just a Great Completeness Military Marquis."


    "If he did break through to Half-step Martial Sages Realm, just how strong would he be?"


    Saumel Baton stood quietly nearby, his expression growing icier.


    Coming from the Mystic Realm himself, he had some sense of Garcia Coleman''s power.


    The Second Secret Realm was way stronger than the Baton Family''s Mystic Realm and packed with better resources!


    If Garcia Coleman got knocked out with one hit, Saumel probably wouldn''t do much better.


    "Good thing we''ll be rid of him soon," Saumel Baton thought smugly.


    Once someone broke through to Martial Saint Realm, both the Baton and Avalynn Families would likely move against Mason Raymond.


    "I should think about going into seclusion too," Wayne Ran sighed.


    "Alberto Sean''s been in retreat for days now, wonder what he''s aplished."


    "Man, word''s getting around that the whole environment''s shifting, and the martial arts world''s structure with it. The easy days are probably over for good."


    "Bet young nobles like Connor Baton who''ve been hiding in the Mystic Realm will start showing up."


    Saumel Baton gave a slight nod, not arguing with that.


    Once someone hits Martial Saint Realm, everything would change.


    Breaking through to Martial Saint inside the Mystic Realm was incredibly risky because of the massive heavenly tribtion that could destroy the whole Secret Realm.


    Right now, these young men were starting to feel theing storm.


    ——


    I sat in Green Moon Vi, quietly waiting for the Coleman family to show.


    "Mason Raymond... you bastard... you made me look like a fool..." Garcia Coleman muttered aftering to, ring daggers at me.


    He''d been the first to leave the Mystic Realm, only to get ttened with one punch. How could he stand that kind of shame?


    I looked over at him and snorted. "Whose problem is it that you''re weak?"


    "You bastard... you sucker-punched me," Garcia Coleman argued.


    I kicked him and smirked. "Quit whining. Even if we went again, you''d still lose."


    Garcia Coleman said darkly, "Mason Raymond, don''t get cocky. There''s still time, and the humiliation I took today, I''ll pay back a thousand times over!"


    "Sure, I''ll be waiting." I half-closed my eyes and ignored Garciapletely.


    Suddenly, I sensed several powerful auras getting closer!


    I snapped my eyes open and looked toward the entrance.


    Barret walked into Green Moon Vi leading eight people.


    Four of those eight were Half-step Martial Sages, and I couldn''t read the strength of the other four.


    "Martial saints?!" My face went pale!


    Had Jensen Coleman lost his mind? Sending Martial Saints now?


    "Mason Raymond! I brought what you wanted!" Just as I started panicking, Barret shouted harshly.


    I quickly grabbed Garcia and pressed my palm against his dantian, ready to kill him instantly if needed.


    Walking out to the courtyard, I saw Barret holding a document.


    "Mason Raymond, this is how you break the Spirit binding technique." Barret suddenly tossed the document.


    I didn''t move to catch it. I watched the men in front of me carefully and said coldly, "Four Martial Saints? nning to attack?"


    "Haha, rx, we''re not that dumb. Only a few days left, why rush?" Barretughed carelessly.


    "These four didn''t juste to get the young master—they came to get a good look at you, so we don''t grab the wrong guy in a few days."


    The threat in Barret''s words was crystal clear. I frowned hearing it.


    The Second Secret Realm really was powerful, just like I''d thought.


    "Alright, hand him over." Barret said coldly.


    I released my grip and shoved Garcia aside.


    Barret rushed forward to catch Garcia.


    "Young Master, are you hurt?" Barret asked worriedly.


    Garcia ignored him, spat on the ground, and red at me. "Mason Raymond, remember this. I''m not just going to kill you—I''m going to torture everyone you care about right in front of you!"


    "You want to protect Mabel Sean, right? I''ll drain her blood while you watch!"


    "Enjoy what time you have left!"


    After dropping those cold words, Garcia walked away with a vicious grin.


    I took a deep breath, picked up the document from the ground and tore it open.


    "Yeah, it''s the method to break the Spirit binding technique." I held back my excitement and whispered to myself.