Azurehold, the Yale family. "Eight hundred?" A boy of sixteen or seventeen faced Beau Zorn, the Eldergem Spire manager in charge. His voice stayed level, but the tension in his shoulders gave him away. "Manager Beau. Young Lord Tony Yare drew up the 'New City' demolition plan. The Yale family is willing to cooperate. But going by the market around here, our ancestral land is worth at least fifty thousand Spirit Crystals. You're offering eight hundred…" He paused, then continued, each word sharpened by restraint. "Manager Beau, back then the Zorn family nearly got wiped out by the Qin family. It was the Yale family that stepped in and kept you alive. And you're going to pretend none of that ever happened? Don't you think that's a little too much?" Beau smiled. "Taylor Yale, I'll be blunt. I heard you got a special admission quota to Arcavis Academy. The Zorn family wants it too. How about it? Help us one more time." Behind him, four Eldergem Spire guards rested hands on their hilts, grinning as they watched Taylor like he was already cornered. Taylor met Beau's gaze. "Manager Beau, this is crossing a line." Beau lounged back in his chair and looked at him sideways. "Then do something about it. Go on. I'm begging you. Do something." He was clearly trying to provoke him. Eldergem Spire. One of the two superpowers of the Arcavis Universe, and the legitimate arm of the authorities. In Azurehold, a civilian raising a hand against an official was a grave crime. When Taylor fell silent, Beau abruptly stood, planted both hands on the table, and leaned over him. "What, you don't dare?" He laughed and patted the uniform on his chest with lazy pride. "Of course you don't. I'm not just an Eldergem Spire manager anymore. I represent the authorities. And our Zorn family's genius, Roy Zorn, joined Azurehold Arcavis Academy. Oh, right. Did you know? Roy has already been taken in as a personal disciple by a powerful elder from the inner court. He-" Suddenly. Taylor shot to his feet. Before Beau could even register the movement, a sword punched into his throat. Slash! Blood burst out like a spring. Bang! The hall doors flew open. Dozens of Yale family experts stormed in and rushed the four Eldergem Spire guards. In a few breaths, the guards were hacked down under a frenzy of blades. Beau, not quite dead yet, clutched his neck. His eyes bulged as he stared at Taylor. "You… you're in the True Law Realm. The Yale family is rebelling!" Taylor yanked his sword free, then drove it into Beau's abdomen and twisted hard, grinding steel through flesh. "Bastard," he snarled, face close, voice shaking with rage. "Didn't you beg me to do something? I'll do you to death!" A young man walked in. He looked about seventeen, upright and handsome. Isaac Yale, the Yale family's heir, and Taylor's older brother. Isaac said nothing. He swung once and took Beau's head clean off, then calmly collected the Storage Rings from the dead with practiced ease. Isaac turned to a blood-eyed youth nearby. "Kobe Yale. Take them away. Grind them into powder with a millstone, then go out at midnight and scatter it into the Zorn family's well." He added, almost politely, "Remember, no poison. The Yale family is a benevolent and righteous household. We don't do vile things like that." Kobe split into a grin and clenched his fists. "Big Brother, we don't need a millstone. I like using my fists. Let me pound them into meat paste…" He hoisted five corpses with giddy excitement and ran out. The rest of the Yale family moved like they had done this a hundred times. Some carried away tables. Others wiped the floor. They cleaned the mess with efficient familiarity. Isaac tossed the Storage Rings to Taylor. "The Zorn family won't let this go. They'll retaliate. Especially Roy Zorn. This public abuse of power was done on his orders. You passed the Arcavis Academy special admission selection before. He doesn't want you entering the Academy." After the Zorn family took revenge on the Qin family, only the Yale family and the Zorn family remained in this area. Two tigers could not share one mountain. Taylor nodded. "I know." Isaac asked, "What's your plan?" Taylor narrowed his eyes. "I'm going to Arcavis Academy… and I'm going to kill Roy Zorn." Isaac stared at him. "Kill Roy Zorn?" Taylor nodded. "The Zorn family dares to bully the Yale family so openly for one reason. Roy entered Arcavis Academy and became an elder's personal disciple. That's why the Eldergem Spire managers back them too. So…" A cold glint flashed in his eyes. "If you cut the grass, you pull the roots. Kill his whole family. End the trouble for good." Isaac asked, "You confident?" Taylor nodded. "No. But I'll do it first and talk about confidence later." Isaac, "…" After a moment, Isaac asked, "When are you leaving?" "Tomorrow." Isaac gave a slight nod. "The Ades family sent someone earlier. They want you to go over." Taylor sheathed his sword. "I'll go." "Taylor!" Isaac stopped him. "Your business with Summer Ades… I've never interfered. But there's something you need to understand. You did save her, and she owes you. Still, the Yale family and the Ades family are worlds apart. A great favor can become a great grudge. Don't forget that." In the Arcavis Universe, Aristocratic Family Sects were ranked from first to ninth. Summer Ades was Taylor's childhood sweetheart. Her branch of the Ades family belonged under the Martial God Family, the Ades family, a top first-rank power in Azurehold. Even as a branch, they were still a Fourth-Rank Family, far beyond the Yale family. The Yale family belonged to an Inferior Family, the lowest of the low, not even worthy of a rank. Taylor smiled. "Same old story. The people on top look down on the people below. If they really don't want me, they can take their trash and dump it." He turned and left. After he departed the Yale family grounds, he passed a bookstore and abruptly stopped. He looked up. Several yards above his head, a strand of golden mist floated in the air. Taylor froze, then joy flickered across his face. Prime Fortune! A day earlier, Young Lord Tony Yare had been welcomed back to the Arcavis Universe. Moved by the hardship of all living beings, he had scattered tens of thousands of strands of Prime Fortune across Myriadhold. Anyone under twenty could obtain one if fate allowed. One strand of Prime Fortune could, at minimum, push an ordinary person into the Saint Realm. More than that, it could grant a slot to the Main Academy of Arcavis Academy. When that strand sensed Taylor, it reacted like it had found a priceless treasure. It eagerly drifted down toward him, but when it came within a foot or two, it hit an invisible barrier and could not draw any closer. Taylor had not expected to run into one at all. Without thinking, he reached out to grab it. He could not. No matter how he tried, his fingers passed through empty air. The Prime Fortune also strained to approach him, trembling and pressing forward, yet neither could touch the other. After several attempts, Taylor finally stopped. He stared at the golden strand for a long moment. Then he turned and walked away at a quick pace, refusing to force it. If he got it, it was fortune. If he missed it, it was fate. Inside the bookstore, a Robe Man reeking of alcohol had watched everything. He took a long swig and murmured, "As expected of the Arcavis Universe's second-ever Innate Mortal Body. This tiny strand of Prime Fortune doesn't even qualify to get close." In a corner outside the bookstore stood a girl of sixteen or seventeen, slender and poised, with brows and eyes like a painting. Beautiful enough to make people forget to breathe. It was Summer Ades. She watched Taylor vanish into the distance. When she recalled how he could not grasp the Prime Fortune no matter what, something complicated flickered in her eyes. She sighed softly. "Too weak to bear great fortune. A man without blessings… you and I were always from different worlds." The complexity in her gaze hardened into decision. She turned and left quickly, disappearing down the street. When it was time to cut, you cut. If he could not even bear Prime Fortune, what use was he? A woman had to be realistic. She could not live her life dragging someone out of poverty. … After Taylor entered the Ades Residence, a butler led him into the main hall. He served a cup of spirit tea and withdrew. Taylor did not touch it. He waited about fifteen minutes before Maxton Ades finally arrived. Taylor rose and bowed. "Uncle Maxton." Maxton looked warm and kindly. "No need to be stiff. You're friends with Summer and Roland. Treat this place like your own home." Taylor understood it was courtesy, and he let it pass. Once they sat, Maxton produced a box and set it before Taylor. He opened it. Inside lay three precious Lunar Energy Pills. Each was worth a thousand Spirit Crystals. Taylor's brows tightened in confusion. Maxton smiled. "Back then, you saved Summer. I never properly thanked you. Before long, we'll be heading to the Arcavis Realm. I figured we should repay this debt. From today onward, Summer won't owe you anything." Taylor was not surprised. He turned his head toward the screen on the right. Through it, he could vaguely make out a graceful figure. He stared at that familiar silhouette without blinking. After a moment, Summer's voice came from behind the screen. "Brother Taylor, you're a good person, but we're not right for each other." Taylor stood at once. "Miss Ades, don't worry. If anyone asks when I'm out, I'll say I don't know you at all." He turned and left. He did not look back. Behind the screen, Summer watched him stride out of the courtyard through the window. Complexity and reluctance surfaced in her eyes, but little by little, they cooled into firmness and indifference. If you could not cut cleanly, you would suffer for it. He had no future. Why cling to him and let both of them hurt later? As that thought settled, a powerful aura surged from her. Realm of Myriad Laws! She blinked in shock. She had not expected that severing this attachment would push her straight into a breakthrough. If she had known, she would have cut it long ago. She turned away, with not a trace of longing left in her eyes. In this life, Summer Ades pursued only the Dao. An Inferior Family and a man with no future could never help her future in any way. If a woman had strength and excellence, what kind of man could she not have? Seeing Summer break through, Maxton was overjoyed. "Good, good, good! I never imagined cutting this karma would bring such a gain. Double happiness at our door. No, triple happiness, since the Norvin family has already agreed to Summer's marriage with Carlos Norvin." A smile spread across his face. Their Ades family was only a remote branch, barely a Fourth-Rank Family. The Negas family, however, was a Second-Rank Aristocratic Family Sect. And back then, the Negas family had even shared a thread of incense fate with the Arcavis Sword Master. For them, this was their ancestors blessing them from the grave. They had stumbled into heaven-sent luck. "Dad, Sis, I think this is wrong." In a corner, a boy who had been reading spoke up. His name was Roland Ades, Summer's younger brother. Maxton looked at him. Roland slowly rose and said seriously, "Taylor and Sis grew up together. He even saved her. I'm not saying Sis had to repay him with her body or anything like that, but she should at least remember it and never forget. Instead, because we're afraid the Negas family might misunderstand, we called him here and forced him to draw a line with Sis. That's not decent." Maxton's face darkened. "Do you even understand? Your sister is already engaged to the Negas family. If the Negas family learns she had a childhood sweetheart, or if Taylor runs his mouth outside and it affects her reputation-" Roland shook his head and cut him off. "Dad, that way of thinking is still wrong. Why does our family have to please the Negas family? Those top clans won't respect us just because we flatter them. It's the opposite. The more you grovel, the more they despise you. We're not in the same circle. There's no need to force our way in." He paused, then continued, "Besides, Sis and Taylor were completely innocent. If Carlos Norvin feels threatened just because they were childhood sweethearts, then Sis is marrying a narrow-minded man. Will she be happy?" Maxton's expression turned ugly. Roland closed the ancient book in his hands and lifted his gaze toward the hall entrance. His eyes grew deeper, heavier. "I grew up with Taylor. I know what kind of person he is. His talent is monstrous, rare in this world. He's both scholarly and martial, and he strikes without hesitation when it's time. Our family treated him like this today. In the future, it could bring disaster." His voice stayed calm, but the meaning was chilling. "So, Dad, if you're choosing to be the villain, then do it properly. Kill him outright. Don't leave a hidden threat behind."