As the crude vital energy flooded into his physical vessels, a deep heat spread throughout Ethan’s body. He closed his eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath. He felt slightly fuller, yet an underlying, ravenous hunger remained completely locked deep within his marrow. It was a persistent, terrifying sensation.

His legendary physical constitution—the Great Amethyst Devourer of the Nine Yin Bodies—possessed two distinct, volatile traits that he had only recently begun to fully comprehend under the restrictive laws of this lower plane.

The first issue was purely carnal. After spending several consecutive days without sexual intercourse, his body would enter a state of permanent, aggressive heat. His shaft remained completely rock-hard almost twenty-four hours a day, filling his mind with an overwhelming, primitive urge to simply conquer, breed, and possess women relentlessly.

But the second issue was infinitely more dangerous. The void side of his lineage didn’t just demand refined spiritual energy anymore; it explicitly demanded raw blood and fresh flesh.

Yesterday, when he had dragged the Silver-Horned Boar down the mountain, he had felt a sudden, intensely violent attraction urging him to rip the beast open and devour it raw. He had successfully managed to restrain himself back then, attributing the sensation to standard physical hunger since he hadn’t eaten proper meals during his intense training with the White Unicorn Corps.

But today, standing in the presence of so much spilled blood, the truth became undeniable. He hadn’t been able to resist. He was starving—not just for abstract power, but for the literal flesh, marrow, and iron-rich blood of living prey. His constitution was morphing his primal desires, turning him into a terrifying, apex predator akin to a cosmic vampire, requiring the very life-force of living creatures to keep the volatile black hole inside him fully satisfied.

Wiping his lips as the last of the bones vanished into the void, leaving the clearing completely empty and devoid of any evidence, Ethan let out a dark, satisfied sigh. His eyes flashed a vibrant amethyst hue before his human camouflage snapped back into place. Turning on his heel, he glided back through the fog toward the ridge where Mary was waiting.

Ethan glided through the fading azure mist, appearing beside the ridge marker where Mary stood waiting. A carefree, gentle smile was already fixed back onto his handsome face. "Alright, Sister Mary," he called out smoothly, tapping the heavy leather pouch at his waist. "I found it. We have everything we need, let’s head back to town."

Mary let out a long breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, her shoulders relaxing instantly. "Thank goodness. Let’s move quickly then; the fog is beginning to lift, and the trails will become busier."

As they fell into a steady pace down the winding dirt path, the tension of the forest began to dissipate. Mary glanced sideways at Ethan, her eyes lingering on his flawless profile and the unmistakable air of calm confidence that surrounded him. After a long moment of silence, she decided to speak her mind.

"Ethan," Mary began openly, her voice soft but curious. "If you don’t mind me asking... are you here in the frontier town to recruit into the Heavenly Sword Pavilion?"

Ethan tilted his head slightly, a flicker of genuine surprise crossing his purple eyes. "As a matter of fact, I am. But tell me, Sister Mary, how did you figure that out so easily?"

Mary let out a soft, knowing chuckle. "It’s mostly because of the timing. The Pavilion’s grand outer disciple recruitment examination is scheduled to begin in just a couple of weeks. It’s a massive event. Almost every independent young cultivator who arrives around this time is here for that exact reason. In just a few days, people from all corners of the region will start flooding into the town."

Her expression then turned solemn, a shadow of worry crossing her mature features. "Once the crowds arrive, the town will become incredibly crowded, highly competitive, and extremely dangerous. These next few days are truly the last chance for local hunters like us to hunt freely without trouble. To be completely honest with you... if I hadn’t crossed paths with you yesterday, today would have been my absolute last hunt of the season, regardless of how much game I managed to catch. Winter is fast approaching, and during the exam period, the streets become overrun with arrogant nobles, pampered heirs of powerful aristocratic clans, and even direct descendants of high-ranking Heavenly Sword elders or royalty from the Soaring Dragon Kingdom. For common locals like us, it becomes far too dangerous to even step outside."

Hearing her words, Ethan’s interest was thoroughly piqued. He caught the specific detail she dropped and seized the opportunity to dig deeper into the geopolitical landscape of this new region. "I can understand why normal aristocratic families would send their children here to seek greater fortunes," Ethan noted smoothly. "But why would descendants from the Soaring Dragon Kingdom itself come all the way to a frontier branch? Doesn’t the kingdom already possess all the resources, techniques, and power a young cultivator could ever dream of?"

Mary nodded understandingly, adjusting the strap of her hunting bow. "It’s not about the lack of resources, Ethan. It’s about escaping the golden clutches of the kingdom itself. You see, while the Soaring Dragon Kingdom will readily grant you all the cultivation resources and pills you need to grow, it comes with a terrifyingly heavy price. The moment you accept their backing, you are legally bound to join the royal military. You must serve on the front lines and dedicate your entire life to the crown. Not everyone is willing to become a tool for war."

She paused, navigating around a massive, exposed root before continuing. "However, if a young noble can demonstrate high-grade talent and get successfully recruited as an inner disciple of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion, they are legally exempt from the kingdom’s mandatory military service. Inner disciples answer only to the sect, not the crown. Unless an absolute apocalyptic total war breaks out against a rival kingdom, the Pavilion’s disciples can live, cultivate, and pursue the peak of martial arts in complete peace and freedom. It’s the ultimate sanctuary."

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

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 ??