Hearing the name of the most prestigious establishment in the commercial district, Mary’s breath hitched in her throat, her hands flying to her mouth in sheer horror. "The—The Golden Pavilion?!" she stammered, her mature heart hammering against her ribs. "Ethan, no... this is far too much! An executive suite in a place like this costs an absolute fortune in medium-grade stones! We cannot possibly afford to stay here, we should find a cheaper alley—"

"Do not worry about the currency, Sister Mary," Ethan interrupted, his lips curling into a smooth, thoroughly relaxed smile that radiated effortless wealth. "The rooms are already fully paid for. Your only duty tonight is to rest, heal, and leave the outside world to me."

He stepped back slightly, gesturing toward the open connecting door. "Your suite is right through there. It is entirely private, and the beds are lined with high-grade silk. You will be comfortable."

But instead of turning back toward their room, both Mary and Louisa froze. They looked at the dark windows, then at each other, the horrific memory of the thugs’ crude hands and raw, naked violence flashing through their minds. A suffocating wave of residual terror locked their muscles in place.

"Please... Ethan," Louisa whispered, tears welling up in her eyes as she took a desperate step forward, clutching the sleeve of his inner shirt. "Don’t make us go back in there alone. We’re... we’re terrified."

Mary looked down, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson from the sheer embarrassment of begging a younger man, yet her trembling hands reached out to grip his other arm with white-knuckled desperation. "She’s right, Ethan... please," the mature widow pleaded in a soft, broken whisper. "Just for tonight... let us stay in here with you. We won’t survive the dark alone."

The door of the washroom creaked open, and a thick cloud of warm steam drifted into the luxurious suite. Roy stepped out, towel drying his damp hair, completely refreshed but still carrying the physical stiffness of his earlier injuries.

The moment his eyes registered the scene in the center of the room, he froze. His mother and sister were still tightly clinging to Ethan’s arms, their faces buried against his broad chest like frightened children seeking shelter from a raging storm. Hearing them plead to stay, Roy’s initial confusion quickly melted into deep understanding. It made absolute sense. After witnessing their own home turned into a literal slaughterhouse and barely escaping an unspeakable fate, the dark, quiet isolation of an adjoining room would feel like an absolute nightmare. Only Ethan’s powerful, unyielding presence could provide them with a shred of true psychological peace.

Roy glanced around the lavish suite. "Well," the boy muttered, a weary, self-deprecating smile crossing his face as he looked at the single massive king-sized bed and the velvet sofa. "Considering there is only one bed and a sofa here, I guess it’s my turn to take the floor tonight."

GROWL~

A sudden, remarkably loud rumble echoed from Louisa’s midsection, shattering the heavy tension in the room. The young girl gasped, her face instantly exploding into a deep, burning crimson as she instinctively hid her face behind Ethan’s shoulder.

"I—I am so sorry!" Louisa stammered hysterically, her voice muffled against his shirt. "It’s just... we were right in the middle of preparing the evening stew when those monsters smashed through the kitchen window..."

Ethan let out a low, deeply amused chuckle, the vibration rumbled reassuringly against the women’s hands. "There is absolutely no need to apologize, Sister Louisa," Ethan said smoothly, his amethyst eyes gleaming with an affectionate, relaxed warmth. "Survival is hungry work. Do not worry; I will go downstairs and order a proper feast for this room."

Gently untangling himself from their grip, Ethan turned and walked out of the suite, descending the grand staircase to the inn’s kitchen. A few minutes later, he returned to the third floor, effortlessly balancing three heavy silver platters laden with roasted spiritual poultry, seasoned beast meat, and bowls of fragrant, high-grade cultivation rice.

When he stepped back into the room, however, he noticed the space was significantly emptier. Mary and Louisa were sitting on the edge of the large bed, but Roy was nowhere to be seen.

"Where did the boy go?" Ethan asked, setting two of the steaming trays down onto the polished mahogany table.

Mary looked up, her expression a mix of maternal gratitude and lingering exhaustion. "Roy decided to move into the adjoining suite, Ethan. He realized there wouldn’t be enough comfortable space for him to sleep in here without taking the floor. I told him to go ahead and utilize the other bed so he could truly rest. Tomorrow will undoubtedly be a very long, difficult day for all of us."

"I see," Ethan replied, offering a slight, approving nod. "Eat while the food is hot and get some sleep. I will go deliver this final tray to him."

Taking the remaining silver platter, Ethan stepped back out into the hallway and approached the adjoining door. He raised his hand, delivering a couple of firm, rhythmic knocks against the reinforced wood.

The door quickly swung open, revealing Roy. The boy looked surprised, his eyes blinking in confusion as he looked at the massive mountain of steaming, rich food resting in Ethan’s hands.

"Take this and eat properly before you close your eyes, Roy," Ethan commanded softly, thrusting the heavy silver tray into the boy’s hands. "Your body needs the spiritual nutrients from the beast meat to fully lock in the effects of that healing potion."

Roy swallowed hard, the rich, savory aroma of the roasted poultry instantly making his mouth water. "Thank you, Brother Ethan... for everything."

"Do not mention it," Ethan said, his voice dropping into a calm, authoritative cadence as he leaned his shoulder against the doorframe. "Eat, then go straight to sleep. The protective arrays of this inn are top-tier; this entire perimeter is absolutely secure, so you do not need to waste your mental energy worrying about ambushers tonight. And one more thing, Roy..."

Ethan’s amethyst eyes narrowed slightly, locking onto the boy’s gaze with absolute seriousness. "Do not even think about sneaking out to practice your sword forms tonight. True rest is just as vital a component of cultivation as physical conditioning. If your muscles do not recover, your blade will always be slow. Understand?"

Roy looked at the magnificent youth, feeling a deep wave of reverence wash over him. He lowered his head respectfully. "Understood, Brother Ethan. I will rest."

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

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 ??