Gideon's face twisted with rage as he stared at in disbelief. The audacity of my demand—that he should kneel and apologize—seed to short-circuit sothing in his brain.
"You pathetic worm," he snarled, his expensive cologne wafting toward as he leaned in. "Do you have any idea who I am?"
"The man who's been sleeping with my wife," I replied calmly, a strange sense of detachnt washing over . "The man who's about to learn a valuable lesson about underestimating others."
Seraphina laughed sharply beside him. "Look at him, Gideon. Playing tough guy now that he's been kicked out. Liam, you were nothing when my family took you in, and you're nothing now."
I felt the energy within responding to my emotions, coiling like a spring ready to release. The knowledge that had flooded my mind overnight told exactly how to channel this power, but I held back, curious to see what would happen next.
Gideon's patience snapped. With a roar, he lunged forward, his fist aid directly at my face. Three years ago—hell, even yesterday—that punch would have sent sprawling. But now...
I sidestepped with ease, the movent feeling like I was gliding through water rather than air. Before Gideon could register what had happened, I delivered an open-handed slap to his face. The crack echoed through the quiet neighborhood as he flew backward, crashing into the side of his car hard enough to dent the door.
"Gideon!" Seraphina shrieked, her eyes wide with shock.
I stared at my hand in montary amazent. The cultivation techniques weren't just knowledge—they worked. They actually worked. And I had barely used any of my new strength.
Gideon struggled to his feet, blood trickling from his split lip. His designer suit was ruined, dirt and grass stains sared across what had probably cost thousands of dollars. The look of disbelief on his face quickly morphed into murderous rage.
"You're dead," he growled, charging toward again.
This ti, I didn't slap him. As he approached, I pivoted and drove my foot into his chest in a perfect front kick. Once again, I restrained my strength, but even so, Gideon sailed through the air before crumpling to the ground several feet away. He lay there, wheezing, unable to rise.
"What... what did you do to him?" Seraphina backed away from , genuine fear in her eyes.
A strange thrill ran through . For three years, I had been the one cowering, the one afraid. Now the tables had turned, and the feeling was intoxicating.
"Nothing compared to what I could do," I said quietly.
I walked over to where Gideon lay sprawled on the pavent, struggling to breathe. Crouching beside him, I spoke softly so only he could hear.
"Listen carefully, Gideon. Things have changed. I've changed. If you or the Sterlings co after again, what happened today will seem like a friendly greeting. Do you understand?"
He managed a weak nod, fear replacing the arrogance in his eyes.
Standing, I turned to Seraphina. "Tell your father our divorce will be finalized soon. I won't be asking for anything—not because I couldn't get it, but because I want nothing that reminds of the past three years."
Without waiting for her response, I walked away, feeling lighter than I had in years. The power thrumming through my veins was real, but I knew it was just the beginning. According to the knowledge in my mind, I was barely scratching the surface of what was possible.
---
Two hours later, I found myself in the dicinal district of Havenwood City, staring disappointedly at the herbs available in the local pharmacies. Everything was low-grade, mass-produced, and woefully inadequate for the cultivation thods I needed to pursue.
"These won't do," I muttered to myself, examining a withered ginseng root that the shopkeeper had proudly presented as his premium stock. The price tag was ridiculous for sothing so clearly inferior.
I checked my wallet again—just three hundred and seventeen dollars to my na. The jade pendant my father had left was priceless in terms of the knowledge it had unlocked, but it wouldn't pay for groceries or rent. The villa Isabelle had provided was a godsend, but I couldn't rely on her charity forever.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Seraphina's na flashed on the screen. I almost declined the call but decided to answer.
"What?" I asked flatly.
"You think you're so clever," she hissed, her voice trembling with rage. "Humiliating Gideon like that? You have no idea what you've done!"
I stepped out of the shop, ignoring the curious glance from the shopkeeper. "I defended myself against soone who attacked . Nothing more."
"He needed to go to the hospital!" she shrieked. "Three cracked ribs! How did you—" She stopped abruptly. "It doesn't matter. You've signed your own death warrant, Liam."
I hung up without responding. Three cracked ribs? I had barely used any strength in that kick. The power flowing through was more potent than I'd realized.
The phone rang again almost imdiately. With a sigh, I answered.
"You don't get to hang up on !" Seraphina's voice was lower now, more controlled, which sohow made her sound more dangerous. "Gideon has already called Roman Volkov. Do you know who that is?"
My blood ran cold. Everyone in Havenwood City knew that na. Roman Volkov, the unofficial king of the city's underworld. Rumors swirled about his brutality, how people who crossed him simply disappeared.
"I'm aware," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Good," she sounded pleased by my reaction. "Then you know what's coming. You can slap Gideon around, but Roman? He'll make you beg for death before he's done with you."
The call ended with Seraphina's triumphant laugh ringing in my ears.
I stood motionless on the sidewalk, processing this new threat. My newfound power had made overconfident. I'd humiliated Gideon without considering the consequences. Yes, I could now shatter stone with my bare hands, but I was still in the first layer of the Qi Refining Stage—a re beginner. According to the knowledge in my mind, there were practitioners out there who could level buildings with a gesture.
Was Roman Volkov one of them? I had no way of knowing, but I couldn't afford to find out the hard way.
I needed to accelerate my training, but without proper resources, my progress would be painfully slow. The herbs in these shops were useless, and my pitiful savings wouldn't get anything better. The canonical source for this content: *.
For the first ti since my awakening, real fear crept back into my heart. I had power now, but I was still vulnerable, still unprepared for the storm that was coming.
---
Across town, in the gleaming headquarters of Ashworth Industries, Isabelle Ashworth sat at her mahogany desk, reviewing docunts with her characteristic precision. Her secretary, Miranda, stood nervously beside her, tablet in hand.
"The guest list for the charity banquet is nearly complete, Miss Ashworth," Miranda said. "We're just awaiting confirmation from the mayor's office and the Steward family."
Isabelle nodded absently, her slender fingers tracing the rim of her coffee cup. "Add another na to the list."
"Of course. Who would you like to include?"
Isabelle looked up, her piercing blue eyes intense. "Liam Knight."
Miranda's pen hovered over her tablet. "I'm not familiar with that na. Which company is he with?"
"He isn't with any company," Isabelle replied, a slight smile playing on her lips. "At least, not yet."
"I see," Miranda said, though her confusion was evident. The Ashworth charity banquet was the social event of the season, with invitations valued like gold among Havenwood City's elite. Adding an unknown na was unprecedented.
"Send the invitation to the villa I've arranged for him in Dragon Rising. And Miranda," Isabelle's voice took on a steel edge that her employees knew well, "make sure he gets VIP treatnt. Seated at my personal table."
Miranda's eyes widened. "Your table? But that's usually reserved for—"
"I know exactly who it's reserved for," Isabelle cut in smoothly. "Things are changing in Havenwood City. I want everyone to know that Liam Knight belongs to , Isabelle Ashworth!"
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