Chapter 43

  { The Lotus Flower }

  The Second Level

  Cultivation, in general, is the accumulation of energy

  Starting from Level 0, where the trainee accumulates energy until breaking through to the First Level

  Reaching the First Level means opening the energy vessel within the body

  The vessel is located in the heart—externally it occupies the space of a single point, but internally it is an entire world

  Energy is placed within the vessel, then it expands with each step and reaches the body through the blood, until the cultivator reaches the Ninth Step

  At that point, the breakthrough to the Second Level begins

  Here, the process is no longer about accumulating energy, but about constructing energy pillars—a form of crystallization that grants the cultivator an immense boost in power exceeding tenfold, And not ten times the First Level, First Step—but ten times the First Level, Ninth Step

  So imagine the difference compared to the First Step, Otherwise, why did Ian suffer so much against that power?!

  Until Yassin arrived

  Honestly, if it weren’t for the ambush at the time, the legendary skills, and the Wolf King that greatly reduced the pressure and injured her, they would have died at her hands

  But the situation had changed now

  “Let me show you the power of my General’s Sword,” Chris shouted

  He hasn’t learned anything else, Ian thought calmly

  The sword shot out again as a dazzling flash

  The leader frowned and stared at Chris, then extended her hand

  “Tsk… just a foolish general, You’ll understand now the difference between you and the daughter of a lord,” she said coldly, as ten electric serpents shot from her hand toward Chris

  They were like missiles, racing toward him at a terrifying speed

  The dark flash collided with the lightning serpents

  BOOOOM

  The sword shattered, and the serpents surged toward Chris—He was sent flying once again

  “To build pillars at such a low stage… you really are impressive, but… not enough,” the woman sneered “The gap is vast, you fool ”

  Chris gripped his sword and stood up with difficulty

  His armor was caved inward at the points of impact

  His face was pale

  Blood appeared at the corner of his mouth

  Tory and Bali wanted to intervene, along with the rest of the main forces, but Ian stopped them “Leave him…”

  <<<<<<<<<<<

  On the other side—

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  The bandits were completely overwhelmed

  The tiger alone wreaked terrifying devastation among them, not to mention the rest of the forces—their coordination, the level of their members, their skills, the warhorses, and the crucial main forces that allowed no room for mistakes

  The soldiers didn’t suffer even the slightest injuries, thanks to the cavalry corps that paved the way at the front

  They drew the enemies’ attacks toward themselves, becoming the primary targets—and since they were fully covered in armor from head to toe, they didn’t receive a single scratch

  Meanwhile, the warriors advanced behind them, destroying whatever slipped past, and then arrows rained down from above to annihilate the clustered forces and prevent any enemy formation from taking shape

  This was the value of having people like Yassin and Chris in command

  Together, the two of them created this army—small in size, yet possessing strength equal to an army several times larger

  “Forgive me, my lord… I’ll return shortly,” Yassin bowed

  Ian nodded without objection

  Yassin’s departure drew the leader’s eyes, making her feel a momentary sense of danger, but she didn’t dwell on it I’m already dead anyway—what does it matter?

  She stopped caring and moved closer to Chris

  Another battle erupted between them

  Boom

  Chris was crushed once more

  Boom

  Chris was crushed again

  BOOOOM

  This time, Chris was no longer able to stand

  “I want… I want to fight… I want to fight” Chris screamed in his heart

  She looked at him—his eyes said everything about him

  She felt her heart tremble, this courage… were you like this back then too?! The leader thought, an image flashing in her mind—someone shining—yet blurry and absent

  That was because she had died not long ago, If she remained here any longer, she would forget everything

  “You are brave, but… this is the end,” she said coldly, with a faint trace of respect

  Chris looked up at her bravely and smiled, blood seeping from between his teeth “K… ki… ll… me ”

  The woman extended her hand

  “A moment of glory—”A terrifying flash of spear energy appeared, forcing her to defend and retreat

  “You… wait, that skill—” the leader was shocked and tried to remember, but nothing came to her mind “How are you interfering?”

  Ian smiled, walked toward her, and stood in front of his General “You fighting my General in a fair battle is a good thing, I wouldn’t interfere under normal circumstances, But you trying to kill him—that’s your dream… and your foolish dream as well!” Ian released his aura and stood there in a relaxed posture

  “M… my lord,” Chris said with difficulty

  “Rest… you did wonderfully,” Ian said with a smile as he looked at him

  “I… I… fai… led… you,” Chris said, then closed his eyes

  Ian smiled, took out a pill, and placed it in his mouth, Then he turned toward her “Now…”

  He said “now,” and the tiger roared as it, along with the rest of the soldiers, surrounded her—220 soldiers encircled her from every direction

  The leader was startled as lightning swirled around her

  “Now,” Ian continued, “how do you like death?”

  Then he took a step toward her

  “Torn apart!”

  Raaaaaar!

  The tiger and the wolves roared

  “Cut to pieces!!”

  The soldiers slammed their swords together

  “Burned!!!”

  Flames appeared around his fists

  “Or… tortured for eternity!!!!!!!!” Ian reached right in front of her

  Only a hair’s breadth separated them—their gazes locked

  “I do not fear death,” she replied coldly

  “I know, How could the dead fear death? But I promise you—no matter the price… you will be tortured forever, forever… every day… every single day… I will come there and torture you… drink your blood, shatter your bones, mutilate your body, and torment your soul…”

  Then his voice thundered into the sky like the roar of beasts

  “The crime of touching one of my followers will never be forgiven!!!”

  Hearts trembled at these words and at Ian’s sincerity, and their loyalty soared to the heavens

  “Prove your worth,” she said firmly

  “How about working for you, my lord?” Yassin laughed as he appeared from afar on his donkey, holding a white lotus with three petals and a golden seed

  “That thing—” Ian was shocked

  “How did you get it?” the leader exclaimed in disbelief

  She knew the importance of that item and desperately wanted it—but guarding it was extremely difficult and restrictive

  There were ten Second Level monsters there, each possessing terrifying strength, More importantly, even if she somehow reached the flower, she couldn’t touch it—because it was something meant for the living

  Or rather, something that existed between life and death Even so, she still couldn’t touch it

  Yet it was something she desired with all her might

  Why???

  Because it was a path back to life

  “I killed them,” Yassin smiled, He touched the cloth on the donkey’s back, and hundreds of death coins and dozens of weapons appeared—there were even rare weapons in abundance, more than anywhere else

  At that moment, she was certain—this strange man on the donkey was far stronger than she could ever have imagined

  “Offer your loyalty,” Ian said coldly

  “I do not bow to the weak,” she replied forcefully, ignoring their situation

  “Hell Grasp ”

  At once, Ian unleashed a towering grasp

  “Lightning Armor!” A shield of lightning serpents wrapped around her, but—

  “Death Accumulation… 25 ”

  Ian released two skills in rapid succession—each one stronger than the last

  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

  As I promised