I stared at my hand in the morning light streaming through the window, flexing my fingers with a sense of wonder. The golden glow had faded hours ago, but my skin still retained a subtle luster that wasn't there before. My breakthrough had been more than just advancing to the second level of Foundation Establishnt—sothing fundantal had changed in my body.
"Let's test this," I muttered to myself, reaching for a small knife on the bedside table.
Without hesitation, I pressed the blade against my palm and applied pressure. The knife should have cut easily through my flesh, but instead, it rely slid across my skin, unable to penetrate. The blade's edge actually dulled against my palm.
"Incredible," I whispered.
I set the knife down and got dressed, eager to explore the full extent of my transformation. My muscles felt dense and responsive, each movent effortless yet powerful. Even my senses seed sharper—I could hear conversations from down the hallway with perfect clarity.
Needing space to truly test my limits, I slipped out of Alistair's residence and made my way to a secluded corner of a nearby park. Early morning mist still hung between the trees, and few people were about.
Standing before a thick-trunked oak that must have been at least a hundred years old, I took a deep breath and threw a light, exploratory punch.
CRACK! Broughttoyoubythefolksat*.
The sound was deafening. The entire tree shook violently, and a massive split appeared in the trunk. Before I could react, the ancient oak groaned and toppled sideways, crashing to the ground with enough force to shake the earth beneath my feet.
"Shit!" I hissed, quickly looking around to see if anyone had witnessed what happened. Thankfully, this section of the park remained deserted.
I stared at my fist in shock. That had been barely more than a tap—not even twenty percent of my strength. If I'd punched with full force...
A mixture of exhilaration and concern washed over . This power was extraordinary, but it would require careful control. I couldn't go around accidentally destroying things—or worse, hurting people unintentionally.
Despite my excitent, sothing nagged at . Eight Foundation Establishnt Pills should have pushed further along my cultivation path than this. My physical strength had increased dramatically, but my energy cultivation had advanced less than expected. My Chaotic Body clearly demanded far more resources than a normal cultivator would need.
As I walked back toward Alistair's residence, my thoughts drifted to Isabelle. None of this would have been possible without her. From that first eting when she delivered the token to , to her unwavering support through my darkest monts—she had changed everything. I touched the jade pendant hanging around my neck, feeling its comforting weight.
"I'll beco strong enough to protect you properly," I promised silently.
My phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. I didn't recognize the number.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Knight?" A hesitant male voice ca through. "This is William Vance."
I stopped walking. William Vance—the man who had once dismissed as nothing more than a worthless live-in son-in-law at that disastrous Sterling family gathering.
"Mr. Vance," I replied neutrally. "What can I do for you?"
"I... I need your help," he said, his voice strained. "It's about my daughter."
Sothing in his tone made pause. Whatever animosity existed between us, he sounded genuinely worried.
"What's wrong with her?"
"She's been having terrible nightmares for about a month now. She hardly sleeps, barely eats. We've taken her to several doctors, but no one can figure out what's wrong." He hesitated. "And I... I wanted to apologize for my behavior toward you before. I was wrong about you, Mr. Knight."
I remained silent for a mont, weighing his words.
"Would you be willing to co see her? Tonight, perhaps?" Vance pressed when I didn't imdiately respond.
"I'll co this evening," I finally agreed. "Send your address."
"Thank you," he breathed, relief evident in his voice. "Thank you."
After ending the call, I wondered what could be affecting Vance's daughter that conventional doctors couldn't diagnose. If it was so rare dical condition, I might be able to help with my knowledge. If it was sothing else—sothing connected to energy imbalances or spiritual disturbances—my newly enhanced senses might detect what others couldn't.
---
The Vance residence was located in an upscale neighborhood on the north side of the city. As my taxi pulled up to the iron gates, I spotted William Vance himself waiting anxiously in the driveway of the large colonial-style ho.
Sothing felt off the mont I stepped onto the property. The gardens were immaculately maintained, the architecture elegant and welcoming, but a heaviness hung in the air—a suffocating, lifeless quality that seed to press against my skin.
"Mr. Knight," Vance hurried forward to shake my hand. "Thank you for coming."
Up close, he looked haggard. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and worry lines had deepened across his forehead.
"How long has your daughter been ill?" I asked as he led inside.
"The nightmares started about a month ago," he explained, guiding through a spacious foyer. "At first, we thought it was just a phase, but they've gotten worse. She wakes up screaming most nights, says she sees terrible things. She's lost weight, doesn't want to play anymore..."
The interior of the house was tastefully decorated, but that sa oppressive feeling intensified as we moved deeper inside. My enhanced senses detected sothing elusive—a faint current of cold energy that seed to perate the walls themselves.
"I've prepared dinner," Vance offered. "My daughter is resting now. Perhaps we could eat first, and you could see her afterward?"
Over a al of roast chicken and vegetables, Vance continued to apologize for his past behavior.
"I judged you based on rumors and superficial appearances," he admitted. "But what you've accomplished recently... it's extraordinary. Everyone's talking about how you saved Isabelle Ashworth from that forced engagent."
"Miss Ashworth saved herself," I corrected. "I rely helped."
Vance smiled slightly. "Modest too. No wonder she's so taken with you."
I raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"
"The way she looks at you. I saw it at the Phoenix Group eting. That's the look of a woman who's found soone she believes in completely." He sighed, pushing food around his plate. "I hope my daughter finds soone like that soday. If she recovers..."
"She will," I said firmly, though I had yet to even see the girl.
Vance nodded gratefully. "You know, you and Miss Ashworth make quite the power couple. The ace alchemist and the brilliant businesswoman. People are saying you two could reshape the entire—"
A small voice interrupted from the doorway. "Are you the Liam Knight who is dating Isabelle?"
We both turned to see a pale girl of about eight standing there, her thin fra swallowed by an oversized nightgown. Dark circles rimd her eyes, contrasting sharply with her sickly white complexion. But what truly caught my attention was the way the cold energy I'd been sensing seed to swirl around her like an invisible shroud.
"Clara!" Vance stood quickly. "You should be resting."
But the girl's eyes remained fixed on , waiting for an answer to her unexpected and strangely direct question.
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