Chapter 535: Chapter 535: The True Face Behind the Dirt

They arrived at a humble, single-story residence situated on the outer edge of the residential district. The house was constructed entirely from dark, weathered wooden planks that looked deceptively simple. However, as Ethan placed his palm against the doorframe to steady himself, his eyes narrowed. Even with his advanced Core Awakening strength, a passive touch revealed a dense, reinforcing cellular structure within the grain. It felt less like timber and more like cold iron.

"Crul, what kind of wood is this?" Ethan inquired silently.

["This material is harvested from the Azure Mist Trees, Master. While the tree is alive, the wood is soft, porous, and exceptionally easy to harvest. However, once cut and properly dried, the sap crystallizes, causing the timber to harden beyond the density of standard steel. It is the primary building material for lower-class citizens in this region due to its defensive properties."]

Ethan was genuinely impressed by the resourcefulness of the local mortal infrastructure. He followed Mary and Louisa through the threshold into a small, neatly kept living area. Turning to the mother, he offered an apologetic smile. "Sister Mary, would it be alright if I used your washing area to clean up? I feel absolutely filthy."

He wasn’t exaggerating. His tattered clothes were heavily encrusted with dark, dried blood—and none of it belonged to the Silver-Horned Boar. To ensure his cover story was flawless, the White Unicorn command had deployed him directly from a brutal, high-intensity training regimen. He had been sent across the border with actual, fresh lacerations and bruises to ensure he perfectly mirrored a traumatized refugee who had barely escaped the jaws of death. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Of course, right this way," Mary said kindly, leading him down a short hallway and gesturing toward a modest washroom and a small, adjacent guest bedroom. "This room will be yours, Ethan."

Ethan reached into his tunic and pulled out a glittering medium-grade Spirit Stone, holding it out to her. "Please take this, Sister Mary. Consider it payment for the room and the trouble."

Mary immediately stepped back, waving her hands in a firm refusal. "Absolutely not! You saved our lives today and split the bounty evenly when you could have taken it all. Put that away, Ethan. You need those stones to rebuild your life."

"Thank you, Sister Mary," Ethan murmured, lowering his head in a display of meek gratitude as she turned to head back to the kitchen.

The moment her back was turned, however, the innocent, vulnerable look completely vanished from Ethan’s features. His amethyst eyes darkened with a sudden, predatory hunger as his gaze swept over the tight, full curves of her hips and the heavy, mature outline of her figure.

The hellish, uninterrupted training camps of the kingdom had kept him entirely isolated for days, and his youthful, raw physical drives were pushed to an absolute brink. He was incredibly aroused. Yet, his cold logic immediately reasserted control. He could not afford to blow his cover over basic lust; he had to maintain the image of a naive, inexperienced young refugee at all costs.

He shut the door, stripped off the blood-stained rags, and stepped into the washroom. Using the cool, refreshing water, he scrubbed away the layers of fake soot, mud, and dried blood.

While he was washing, his passive spiritual perception suddenly picked up a commotion at the front door. The heavy wood slammed open, followed by the sound of staggering, uneven footsteps. It was Roy.

The boy’s spiritual rhythm was completely chaotic, his breathing ragged and broken. He had returned completely empty-handed—no meat, no pouch of stones—and his body was covered in fresh, violent contusions.

Mary’s voice instantly escalated into a frantic, panicked interrogation, but the boy remained stubbornly silent, choking back tears of shame.

Inside the washroom, Ethan quietly turned off the water. A cold, calculating smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "An external conflict on day one. Perfect."

He stepped into the guest room, completely discarding the tattered rags of his refugee persona. From his hidden spatial ring, he pulled out a specialized wardrobe prepared by Princess Isabella’s elite tailors.

He donned a pristine, snow-white practitioner’s tunic stitched with subtle, elegant gold filigree along the collar and cuffs. He tied a silk sash around his waist and secured the blackened, twine-wrapped iron rod vertically across his back.

With the grime washed away, his damp, pitch-black hair fell perfectly around his sharp, aristocratic jawline and flawless complexion. The transformation was absolute. The ragged, pathetic beggar had completely vanished, replaced by a devastatingly handsome, commanding youth who radiated the undeniable aura of a high-born young master.

Ethan threw open the bedroom door, deliberately stepping into the main living area with a bright, carefree expression. "Ah! That feels incredible! I desperately needed that wash!"

The moment Ethan stepped into the light, Mary and Louisa froze, their breaths catching in their throats. The contrast was so absolute that it completely derailed their panic. The ragged, pathetic beggar who had dragged a three-ton monster down the mountain had completely vanished. Standing before them was a young man of striking, aristocratic beauty, his presence carrying a natural weight that his white and gold tunic only amplified.

Mary stared at him, her heart thumping against her ribs. Any lingering doubts she had about his origin story evaporated instantly. Looking at his flawless complexion and the innate dignity in his posture, she realized he couldn’t possibly be a common laborer. He must have been the young master of a powerful local clan, she thought, a wave of profound sympathy washing over her. A noble lineage pushed to the brink of extinction by that mountain beast disaster.

Ethan looked past her, his gaze settling on the bruised, bleeding teenager slouching on the wooden stool. "What happened, Roy?"

Mary wiped a tear from her cheek, her voice trembling. "He won’t speak, Ethan. He came back like this, with nothing. No meat, no money... nothing."

Ethan walked over, his pristine white boots tapping softly against the dense wood floor. He looked down at the boy, then turned to Mary with a calm, reassuring smile. "Don’t worry about it, Sister Mary. This is a matter between men. Let us handle it."

Without waiting for a response, Ethan placed a firm, heavy hand on Roy’s trembling shoulder, gently but unyieldingly guiding the boy toward the front door.

"Wait! You can’t just—" Louisa took a step forward, her face flushed with worry, intending to follow them into the dark street.

"Louisa, stop," Mary commanded, reaching out to grab her daughter’s arm. Her eyes were wide, fixed entirely on Ethan’s retreating figure. "Let them go. Ethan is right. Your brother needs to face this like a man."

For a fleeting, bittersweet second, Mary didn’t see a mysterious refugee youth walking out of her house. Her mind flashed back to the memory of her late husband.

If he were still alive, he would have done the exact same thing—he would have gripped Roy by the shoulder, walked him straight into the conflict, and forced him to resolve it with his head held high. He had been a direct, unyielding man who never back down from a fight.

Looking at the broad, steady set of Ethan’s shoulders as the door clicked shut behind him, Mary felt a sensation she hadn’t experienced in years.

For a brief moment, that young man’s back looked like an immovable mountain—a solid, unbreakable structure she could finally lean on.

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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 ??