Alix and the others bowed deeply, their trembling foreheads nearly touching the floor.

"Thank you, little friend Ethan, for your kindness. Please accept my respect."

Their hanging hearts finally settled, dread lifting like a suffocating fog.

Ethan merely nodded, his expression unreadable as he shifted his gaze toward Seraphina.

The moment her eyes met his, Seraphina felt her scalp tingle and her limbs stiffen.

Ethan's gaze was like a blade—cold, sharp, and utterly indifferent. She suddenly felt like she wasn't even standing before a human, but an unmovable force of heaven that would crush her with a thought.

In front of Ethan now… she was nothing.

Whether she lived or died was no more than a passing thought in his mind.

Even if her master stood here today, even she might not be able to withstand one move from the current Ethan.

Things had changed—utterly, irreversibly.

She had underestimated him back then, her willfulness and arrogance blinding her. But the past could not be undone.

"Ethan," Seraphina said slowly, raising her chin and exposing her pale neck, "I admit it was my fault back then. I will not beg for forgiveness. Kill me or cut me down as you please."

She closed her eyes, accepting whatever fate he dealt.

"Hahaha."

Ethan sneered.

"You want to die? That's too easy."

A flick of his fingers.

A thread of force struck her meridians, and her cultivation was instantly sealed. She staggered, powerless as a mortal.

"Uncle Edwin, you and Ashira will take Seraphina back to Azure Origin Dao Sect," Ethan ordered calmly.

He turned to Ashira. "Keep this puppet. If you're in danger, use it."

He handed her the Silver Guardian. With the puppet and the scythe talisman he had previously given her, Ashira and Edwin would be safe—even if hunted.

"Understood. Then Ashira and I will leave tomorrow," Edwin said with a bow.

Ethan dismissed him with a nod.

Edwin's gaze drifted to Seraphina, coldness flickering across his eyes.

If he were Ethan, he would not forgive easily either. After this return, Azure Origin Dao Sect would experience great upheaval—Edwin already foresaw it.

Ethan said nothing more and walked upstairs without looking back, not sparing Seraphina another glance.

But he would not let her go. Not now. Not ever.

People must pay for what they've done.

Seraphina watched his back disappear up the stairs. Her heart felt heavy, cold.

She wasn't even an ant to him now—at least an ant might be crushed deliberately. She wasn't worth even the stomp.

"So he means to take me back… to judge me before the sect…"

She sighed internally. Her fate was sealed. All she could do was accept it.

.....

Back in his room, Ethan sat cross-legged.

Instead of cultivating, his hand slipped into his storage ring, retrieving the Nine-Colored Soul-Living Bottle. The jade surface shimmered with nine flowing colors.

Inside the bottle, Iris and Grey looked utterly wretched.

Grey trembled with fury and fear.

Iris grit her teeth, unable to accept her failure.

Even after using all her trump cards, she had still fallen into Ethan's hands.

"Ethan," Grey barked desperately,

"if you dare kill me and Aunt Iris, our Ice Spirit Clan will sense it immediately! They will level your Oceanreach Continent!"

His voice was shaking, desperation dripping from every word.

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"Level the Oceanreach Continent?"

He smiled lightly.

"Good. I look forward to your Ice Spirit Clan's arrival."

"Arrogant brat!" Grey roared.

"I've given you a chance to live. Do you really think you can survive the wrath of the Ice Spirit Clan—"

"Bla bla bla," Ethan interrupted with a sigh of impatience.

A wisp of Profound Purifying Flame danced onto his palm.

White flames surged into the bottle.

The world inside instantly plunged into apocalyptic ruin—white fire raining from the sky, burning all.

"Aaaaahh—! It hurts! IT HURTS!"

Grey's soul barely touched a strand of the flame before sizzling violently, agony twisting his voice.

"Young master! This is the original spiritual flame!" Iris cried as she shielded him.

"It can burn the soul—!"

She wouldn't last long.

"Ethan! You will regret this!" Iris screamed.

Ethan ignored her and sealed the bottle away, letting the Profound Purifying Flame slowly soften them for harvest. Their storage rings alone were worth far more than their lives.

And indeed, he had gained much—holy-grade techniques, secret techniques, treasures… and two holy-grade spiritual weapons.

The corpse of the Demon Supreme could help Solara grow into a tenth-level spiritual beast.

Thousand Faces' body could be refined into another Supreme Heart.

But Ethan no longer needed Supreme Hearts.

Better to save it for his master.

Once his master emerged from seclusion, he would likely step into the eighth or even ninth turn Mahayana.

As for Elias… Ethan smiled faintly. The kid still had time before he reached the Nirvana Realm. When that day came, Ethan would prepare accordingly.

He then pulled out the Compass of Heaven and Earth, erasing the mental imprint with a flick before claiming ownership.

[Compass of Heaven and Earth]

[Divine Weapon]

[Controls powerful seals and Original Dao texts. Can deduce heavenly secrets, locate objects and people.]

"Not bad."

He lifted a small vial and injected black liquid into the compass.

The needle spun wildly before stopping—pointing northwest.

Toward the Demon Realm.

"The direction is correct."

He flicked the compass playfully. So Iris used this to locate the Incomplete stone tablet.

He retrieved the incomplete stone tablet and joined his fragment with it. Even together, it was still missing a lot.

"Let's see again."

He activated the tablet, allowing its aura to seep into the compass.

The needle spun once more—

And pointed to the exact same location.

"Hm?"

"So all the remaining fragments are on Thousand Faces?"

A slow smile curve his lips.

"That saves me the trouble of searching across the world."

He put everything away and closed his eyes, beginning to restore his strength.

After finishing matters with Asher, he would head to Heavenly Lake— and begin cultivating the Nine Emperors Dao Body in seclusion.

He hoped to achieve a true breakthrough.

A/N:

Extra chapters

100 power stones - 1 Extra chapters

200 power stones - 2 Extra chapters

Massage Chair - 1 Extra chapters

Luxury Car - 2 Extra Chapters

Dragon - 5 Extra Chapters

Magic Castle - 15 Extra Chapters

...

Thanks for the Magic Castle: @DaoistKryQyc

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