The chaos was at its peak. The air was a jagged mess of clashing auras, Alchemical Fire, and mechanical steam. Swords were drawn, and the first drop of blood was moments from hitting the marble floor.

Then, it happened.

Ahem...

A single, dry throat-clearance echoed through the colossal hall. It wasn’t loud. It didn’t rumble like thunder or scream like a gale. It was a simple, human sound—but the effect was instantaneous and terrifying.

Across the arena, the masters of the Spiritual Sea Realm —the General Manager of the Fleet, the Guild Masters, and the Royal Elders—suddenly gasped for air. It felt as if an invisible, titan-sized hand had reached into their chests and squeezed their very souls. Their vast spiritual seas, which moments ago were churning with power, were suddenly flattened, suppressed into absolute stillness by the sheer weight of that single sound.

The silence that followed was deafening. No one moved. No one breathed.

Ethan felt it too. It was as if a cold scythe had been pressed against the nape of his neck. Behind his silver mask, his eyes widened. He looked at the Captain, but even the leader of the White Unicorns was frozen, his face pale, his hand trembling on the hilt of his blade. The message was silent but absolute: One more movement, and you die.

High on the stage, Seraphina Valerius was the only one who didn’t look like she was facing execution. She smoothed her red dress, her eyes gleaming with a knowing, dark amusement.

"It seems," Seraphina said, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife through silk, "that we are returning to the path of civility. The best bidder shall win, as is the way of the House."

She looked around the room. The masters were slowly regaining the ability to breathe, but their arrogance had been utterly extinguished. They sat back down, their heads bowed, looking like chastened children. Whoever had made that sound was a being that existed far beyond the petty squabbles of kings and merchants.

"The final bid," Seraphina continued, "stands at two billion, five hundred thousand high-grade Spirit Stones from His Highness, Prince Charles von Dragonia. Does anyone else wish to bid? Anyone at all?"

She waited. The silence stretched. The General Manager of the Black Army Fleet stared at his boots, his mechanical eye flickering erratically. The Alchemists and Blacksmiths remained motionless. None of them had the capital to bury the treasury of an entire kingdom, and after that display of power, none of them had the courage to try.

The Dragon-Heart Core had a price, and that price was the total wealth of the Dragonia lineage.

"Going once... going twice..."

*Crack.*

"Sold to the Royal House of Dragonia!"

Prince Charles didn’t cheer. He didn’t gloat. He sat back in his chair, his face slick with cold sweat. He had won, but he knew the truth: he was merely a glorified courier. The King had ordered the stone brought home at any cost, and Charles was the hand that signed the debt.

Ethan watched as the crimson crystal was placed into a specialized containment chest by Seraphina herself. The tension in the room began to drain, replaced by a hollow, lingering dread.

"Captain," Ethan whispered, his voice finally returning. "Who was that? Who made that sound?"

The Captain wiped the sweat from his brow, his eyes darting toward the highest, darkest rafters of the dome. "There is only one being in this kingdom capable of silencing a Spiritual Sea with a cough, Ethan. The one the Princess warned you about. The monster in human form."

Ethan looked up, but he saw nothing but shadows. The auction was over, the "greatest" treasure was gone, and now, it was time for them to collect their rusted piece of destiny and disappear before the monster decided to clear its throat again.

The White Unicorn Corps did not linger; they moved to the loading area to claim their "prize."

The heavy crate containing the blackened, rusted pile of scrap was handed over with a look of pity from the warehouse clerks. To them, the Princess’s elite guard had spent a fortune on a box of cemetery railings.

As they made their way toward the exit, the air suddenly grew cold. Standing in their path was Prince Charles, flanked by his personal guard. The Dragon-Heart Core was already secured in a reinforced vault behind him, but his victory had not softened his malice.

"Captain," Charles called out, his voice smooth and venomous. "Leaving so soon? I trust my sister’s ’treasure’ is everything she hoped for. Do be a dear and send her my warmest regards. Tell her I look forward to seeing her at the next royal gala... assuming she still has a budget for a dress."

The Captain paused, his posture stiff, his hand instinctively tightening on the strap of the crate. Behind his silver mask, Ethan’s jaw clenched. They were at the peak of their power within the kingdom’s ranks, but to the Dragonia bloodline, they were nothing more than high-grade property. If Charles decided to execute them here for a perceived slight, Isabella would have no legal recourse to avenge them—she would simply lose her favorite tools.

The Captain turned, forcing his lips into a sharp, practiced smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "Of course, Your Highness. I will be sure to deliver your greetings to the Princess personally. I’m certain she will be fascinated to hear how much the crown spent tonight."

Charles’s eyes flashed with a flicker of rage at the subtle jab, but the Captain didn’t give him time to respond. With a curt nod, he signaled the squad to move out.

"Keep walking, Ethan," the Captain whispered as they stepped out into the cool night air of the capital. "Keep that smile on your face until we’re past the gates." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

They walked through the crowded streets, the "trash" crate rattling between them. To the onlookers, they were a proud escort of the royal guard. Inside, the fury burned white-hot. They were the most elite warriors in the realm, yet they had to bow to a man who saw them as disposable chess pieces.

As they reached the teleportation plaza, Ethan looked back at the glowing spires of the palace. The new power in his core thrummed in sync with the rusted blade in the box. One day, he wouldn’t need a mask, and he wouldn’t need to smile at princes. But for now, the silence was his only weapon.

-------------------

From this moment forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.

Note: These are only the ranks mentioned so far to avoid spoilers.

Body Refinement Realm

Skin Refinement / Bone Refinement / Organ Refinement

Spiritual Gathering Realm

Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation

Spiritual Core Realm

Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core)

Spiritual Soul Realm

Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion

Golden Core Realm

Prime Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction

Spiritual Sea Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Dao Manifestation Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Spiritual Transcendence

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??