《While Others Cultivate, I LVL UP In My Sleep Using The Dungeon System》


 Chapter 1: Dungeon System

    "You are so useless, get out you''re fired" screamed the store manager to the skinny youth working in his store who had tripped over and dropped the box he was carrying.


    Lowering his head and grabbing his bag, he walked out of the store with a depressed and helpless expression.


    He couldn''t defend himself even if he wanted to as he knew that his body couldn''t work like it used to be able to, after having abused his body through work and not eating enough.


    That youth was Adam, as an orphan, he had lived with his aunt his whole life, but when his aunt became ill and didn''t have anybody to pay for her medical bills, Adam left school at 15 and worked any job he could find.


    It had now been 3 years and his Aunt was still in a vegetative state and was getting worse, yet Adam was still juggling between two low-paid jobs and was still barely capable of affording it.


    His malnourished and skinny body was due to him only eating 2 meals a day of the cheapest can food he could find, as his rent and his aunt''s medical bills used all his money.


    He had long black hair which he couldn''t afford to cut it at a hairdresser, so would cut it himself with scissors and was wearing a plain black top and black joggers and ripped shoes, which he had found in the trash.


    Adam was extremely depressed and just wanted to give up, so he no longer had any burden or responsibility, but he wasn''t willing to give up on his Aunt.


    Although he called her his Aunt, she wasn''t actually his Aunt and Adam''s parents were unknown as she found him in an alleyway, crying as a baby.


    She had no obligation to, but still worked hard and cared for the child until he was 15.


    However, her body collapsed due to being overworked and living an unhealthy lifestyle.


    "I didn''t get this month''s pay so I will either not be able to pay rent or my Aunt''s medical bills," he mumbled to himself sorrowfully.


    It was the end of the month and both his Aunt''s medical bills and his rent was due.


    He knew that he wouldn''t be able to give up on his Aunt''s medical bills, so knew that he would have to sleep on the streets tonight, as his landlady was very strict and unforgiving.


    Staggering his fatigued body in the middle of the night, he knew it was dangerous, but he had no choice as night shift would pay more.


    He rented a small room that only had a bed and a toilet in the whole room, and everything he owned was in the bag he carried everywhere.


    At a nearby cash machine, he deposited all the money he had saved within his bag which was only 500 dollars.


    It was just enough for him to pay for his Aunt''s bills and the month''s pay he should have received would have been used for food and rent.


    Sending the 500 dollars he had in his account, he only had 20 dollars left which he was going to save for food for a few days.


    He found a nearby dark, damp and stinky alleyway, where people would throw their trash and was tired and now homeless, as he couldn''t afford rent, so decided that he would sleep there.


    Walking into the alleyway he tightened his bag to his back, so that it couldn''t be stolen without him being awoken, and he jumped into a pile of rubbish bags.


    The smell didn''t faze him, and he would only shower once a month in a public shower which he would pay a few dollars to get into anyway.


    Adam''s stomach was rumbling violently and he was extremely hungry, but he didn''t have the money to eat.


    His life was too depressing to think about and he just wanted to sleep and forget about everything that had happened to him.


    As he closed his eyes, his fatigued body instantly fell into a deep sleep.


    {Do you want to integrate with the Dungeon System} asked a voice within his mind.


    "What the hell is going on" exclaimed Adam.


    He felt as though he was standing in a dark space and he could see writing in front of him and could hear a voice around him.


    "Didn''t I go to sleep am I dreaming?" he said to himself, baffled by what was going on.


    {Do you want to integrate with the Dungeon System} repeated the robotic voice.


    "Well I don''t know what is going on, or if I am dreaming, but I might as well say¡­. Yes", he mumbled to himself.


    {You have now integrated with the Dungeon System and have become the temporary host} announced the voice.


    As he heard this, he felt that his body was sucked into another space.


    Opening his eyes, he looked around and found that he was stood in front of a large metal gate and looking behind him, he saw that it was a closed-off space.


    Staring down the metal gate he could see an almost endless corridor behind it, made of stone.


    {You are now at the Mortal dungeon and the deeper you go the more powerful the beasts become} announced to him the system.


    "This is real. And wasn''t I sleeping" he exclaimed, confused by what was going on as he pinches himself and realised he can feel pain.


    {This is the dungeon realm that you will be transported from now onward from 10 pm to 10 am, which can be changed, but must be 12 hours} stated the voice.


    Hearing the voice''s words, he was surprised, but calming himself down, he knew that it could be a great opportunity to be able to do stuff in your sleep.


    "So, what am I meant to do," he asked the Dungeon System.


    {Dungeons are filled with different beasts at different LVLs and you can hunt them to gain EXP and Dungeon points}.


    "EXP, Dungeon Points, what the hell is going on, is this a game" he exclaimed.


    {Dungeon Points can be used to buy almost anything and EXP will increase your LVL}.


    "So, I can buy anything I want with these Dungeon Points and I can LVL UP like a game" he mumbled to himself, digesting everything he was told.


    {Yes, currently you are extremely weak, even compared to an average human, and will struggle, so as it is your first time you will be given three lives, but normally once you die here once, you return to your body} stated to him the system.


    "Lives, if I die here, what the hell have I gotten myself into" he shrieked.

 Chapter 2: Floor 0

    {You have 24 hours in this Dungeon Realm, where time is 2 times slower than reality, to gain as much EXP and dungeon points as you can} announced to him the system as the metal gate in front of him opened, revealing to him the long corridor.


    Adam had no reason to doubt what the miraculous system had told him and also had nothing to lose anyway.


    "If this is real, I can be strong and help my Aunt get better" he exclaimed enthusiastically as he felt the hope of a better future for the first time since his aunt had fallen ill.


    However, he knew better than anybody that there was no such thing as a free lunch, and everything had a price which he was curious about.


    In school, Adam was extremely intelligent, but mostly in maths due to his analysis and problem-solving ability, but his education was cut short due to his Aunt''s situation.


    Calming down he cautiously walked forwards into the long corridor, which wasn''t dark but had no light source which confused Adam.


    But after everything that had happened with the system, it wasn''t as unusual.


    In the distance, he could see a bright light, which seemed to be both right in front of him and far away from him.


    Walking forwards for what felt like a short while and a long time at the same time, he had now reached the light at the end of the tunnel and stood in front of the light that seemed to form a wall.


    The corridor didn''t follow the same space and time laws that Earth followed, confused Adam, who didn''t understand what just happened.


    "What a weird corridor" he mumbled to himself.


    Adam was both cautious and daring, but the one thing that overcame everything was his opportunistic nature and his desire to do well for himself and his Aunt.


    This made it so that he didn''t care about what he would have to do in order to succeed.


    He took a step back, then charged directly at the light, shoulder first in case there was something on the other side.


    But as soon as he touched the light, he felt the same feeling he felt to get there and after being engulfed by the light, was sucked into another space.


    As soon as he felt that he had landed and was back as a physical form, he opened his eyes curiously and cautiously.


    {Floor 0} announced the Dungeon system.


    Looking around, he was on a small piece of land and behind him was a black wall.


    In front of him, there was a small pond surrounding the small piece of land he stood on and there was a bridge which led him over the water to a small forest area.


    The whole area was around 10 square kilometres and was surrounded by black walls.


    "System where am I and what do I do now," he asked hoping that the system could hear him.


    {You are on floor 0 of the Mortal Dungeon and after defeating every beast on the floor you will be taken to the next floor, and you do realise I am within your mind so you don''t have to talk} answered the voice.


    {Your stats right now are:


    Mortal LVL: 1


    EXP: 1 / 10


    HP: 80


    MP: 10


    Strength: 7


    Speed: 8


    Intelligence: 15


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    These are the stats of your current body and an average peak person would have 10 points on each stat apart from Charisma and Luck where they would have 3 points, which for you were boosted by integrating with me, but your body is still to weak apart from your intelligence}.


    As he heard the system''s analysis of his body, he could see that it made sense and was also curious and had many questions.


    [So how do I get my stats higher] he asked within his mind.


    {Every time you increase in LVL each stat will rise by 1 apart from Charisma and Luck which need special requirements, and after each LVL UP, you also gain an additional stat point that you can choose which stat you want to spend it on}.


    Collecting his thoughts and from what he knew about games, he knew that HP was how much damage he could sustain before death, MP was, from what he knew, the amount of mana or energy he could use on skills, and Speed, Strength and Luck are self-explanatory.


    He also knew that Intelligence was not only his mental power but his talent in magic skills and his sensory ability.


    Adam was a game addict in his young ages, before his Aunt got ill and could no longer provide for him.


    He seemed to know all about stats which was engraved within his mind and assumed it was from the system.


    Charisma affected his aura, sociability, attractiveness and would also be a factor in being able to subdue pets, spirits or summons.


    After digesting all the information, in the distance, he could see from the distance that there was a small green goblin walking ahead of him but didn''t seem to see him.


    Adam''s heart leapt out of his chest as he reflexively jumped into the water.


    Despite the splash of water, the goblin who was a few hundred metres away didn''t hear or sense anything.


    Adam floating in the water was taking deep breaths trying to calm down, but couldn''t shake off the fact that he had just seen a goblin in real life.


    After a few seconds, he was able to calm down and seeing the goblin he now knew what he was up against.


    Goblins are very unpleasant, vengeful, and greedy creatures, that would form groups together and hated human beings.


    Climbing out of the water, he knew that he would be in the dungeon for 24 hours and he might as well attempt to defeat some beasts and LVL UP.


    Defeating beasts would get him Dungeon points, Stat points and he would LVL UP.


    Clenching his fists, he steeled his will and approached the lone goblin he saw.


    Adam would hide behind trees, running from tree to tree, getting closer and closer to the lone goblin he had seen patrolling the area.


    As he got closer and closer, his heart was beating more and more, and his body was beginning to sweat profusely.


    When he snuck close enough to the goblin, he began to see numbers floating above his head on some sort of invisible panel.


    Goblin Guard


    LVL: 1


    HP: 100


    Strength: 10


    Speed: 10


    Intelligence: 5


    "It''s time to battle"

 Chapter 3: First Fight

    Goblin Guard


    LVL: 1


    HP: 100


    Strength: 10


    Speed: 10


    Intelligence: 5


    Seeing the goblin''s stats, Adam could see that it was faster and stronger than him and had higher HP than him, however, he knew he had to exploit its lack of intelligence.


    As the goblin continued to walk up and down the area, Adam was observing him and found that he was guarding an area, which made Adam assume there were more of them.


    After watching him for a while, Adam knew the exact moment that he would turn around would be the point that he would be least prepared.


    From what he could see, the goblin''s lack of intelligence had also affected its sensory ability, which would be exactly what Adam would use to his advantage.


    After the goblin walked to the end of the area he was guarding and began to turn around, a skinny figure with long black hair dashed from behind a nearby tree, towards the turning goblin.


    The 10 metres between them were covered in a few seconds and by the time the goblin could react, the youth had already reached him.


    Channelling all the power he had into his right fist, he launched a fist into the back of the unprepared goblin guard''s head.


    Despite the small gap in speed and strength, Adam had sneak attacked him in a vulnerable area, so was able to overcome the gap with his intelligence.


    As he struck him, within his mind, the system announced to him: {Critical Hit}.


    He could also see the goblin lose all its health.


    Instead of the body collapsing like what he expected, the goblin disintegrated into pixels and left behind a small pouch and a wooden club.


    E- Rank Mortal Weapon: Wooden Club


    Effects:


    +1 in strength


    -1 in speed


    Pouch of 10 Gold coins.


    "This really is a game" exclaimed Adam as he saw that he had gained loot and the goblin disappeared after being defeated.


    He was happy about the disappearance of the goblin after being defeated, as it made him feel less guilt, even though he knew that he just killed a beast.


    "This club is useless because it reduces my speed system what if I don''t want it," he muttered looking at its stats.


    {Weapons are ranked using: E, D, C, B, A. And each letter has three levels within them, -, the letter by itself, so the middle level and +}.


    Adam understood everything, and it was the same ranking system as that of games.


    Taking the club in his right arm he felt stronger, but also felt restrained in terms of speed and slightly sluggish.


    Placing the pouch of gold into his pocket, Adam had a wide smile thinking about all the money he could earn with the gold he had just gained.


    {You have now gained the inventory, selling and store function. Your inventory is a space for you to store items that are only from the dungeons and you can only sell things from the dungeons. While in the store, although you can buy anything with system points, it is focused mainly on items to increase your battle power}.


    [How much can I sell the goblin club for and how do I use the inventory] he asked within his mind.


    {The club is worth 10 gold coins and all you need to do is say inventory with the intention of using it and it will appear before you} informed him the system.


    Adam was smarter than to stay in the open after a battle in this mystery world, so returned to the small patch of land, which was surrounded by water, that made him feel safe and felt like a safe zone.


    "Inventory" he stated.


    A game like tab appeared in front of him.


    Counting he could see that it had 100 spaces and had a red button on the bottom right corner to sell items.


    Adam lifted the club and put it directly in front of the inventory and it was instantly sucked in.


    Adam knew that the weapon didn''t suit him, but decided not to sell it yet as he didn''t want to be unarmed.


    He could see that he could change between tabs and he currently had only three tabs in his menu, Inventory, Status and Store.


    He went onto status and was shocked by what he saw.


    Status:


    LVL: 1


    EXP: 1 / 10


    HP: 100


    MP: 10


    Strength: 10


    Speed: 10


    Intelligence: 15


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    System Points: 1


    Stat Points: 0


    Gold: 10


    He was pleasantly surprised by his Strength, Speed and HP increasing and now matching that of an average peak human, and he still kept his high intelligence.


    But he didn''t understand why, until he saw that he didn''t gain EXP.


    {Before you begin levelling you must begin as at least the average for a human, therefore the EXP was used to improve your constitution as a one off} explained to him the system, confirming what he had guessed.


    With that, it cleared his questions and then decided he would go onto the Store.


    The store tab was then split into 3 main categories: Skills, Equipment, Items.


    On skills, there were Fighter and Magic skills, but as soon as he saw the prices he instantly went off, knowing that he wouldn''t be able to buy any of them for a while as the cheapest one was 100 system points.


    Equipment which had all kinds of weapons, armours and any other equipment imaginable, was also too expensive for him to think about buying for the current moment.


    Once again Adam was overwhelmed by the prices on items, but not as much as the others as he felt he could use it for some things.


    But Adam was very surprised by what he saw.


    There was everything from a sandwich to bombs and all ranging in prices.


    "There is no such thing as a free lunch" he mumbled his motto again to himself.


    Seeing everything he could think of, he also saw something that moved his heart.


    A Mortal Recovery Pill - can recover a normal mortal from any injury as long as they haven''t died.


    Seeing everything he had access to he knew how heaven-defying this system was, but he would still have to defeat beasts.


    With this in mind, he retracted the club, which he felt comfortable using now with his now higher strength and speed and walked out of the safe area.


    He headed directly towards where he defeated the goblin guard. in the hopes of finding more goblins to defeat.


    As soon as he crossed the bridge of the small island he felt that he had become vulnerable again, unlike when he felt invincible within that space.


    "I am going to save you Aunt" he vowed as he ran along the outer area of the forest.

 Chapter 4: LVL 2

    A slim youth with long black hair and a large wooden club in his hand ran through the forest.


    He ran from tree to tree and was very cautious.


    "I have around 23 and a half hours left in this mystical place, which cannot be wasted," he mumbled to himself.


    The floor was small and was only 10 km squared, which made Adam assume that the centre was where he would find the most beasts.


    But he didn''t feel prepared enough to face them yet.


    He knew that he found the goblin guard a few hundred metres into the floor, so assumed that he would be able to find more weak and stupid goblin guards that would be protecting what was in the centre.


    After reaching where he had battled with the goblin guard, he circled around the centre towards the right, hoping to find more guards.


    Within minutes he could see another goblin guard that was identical to the one he defeated. Estimating the distance between that guard and where he defeated the other guard, he could see it was around 500 metres.


    "If it continues like this, that means there are around 20 goblin guards on the outer parts of this floor," he estimated according to his observations.


    Adam felt like he had no time to waste and felt his body full of energy and power as he rushed straight at the goblin guard head-on, not afraid of its power.


    The goblin guard seeing the youth charge at him roared as he charged towards him like a crazy beast.


    Similar to a game, the goblin guard was identical to the one Adam had previously defeated, had the same weapon and acted in the same way.


    As he reached within the distance of attack the goblin swings his club at Adam''s head, who saw the frontal attack coming and ducked under it.


    At such close distance, he dropped the club and launched a fist at the goblin''s stomach.


    The goblin''s HP dropped by 30, but it wasn''t a critical hit.


    Adam had no combat training and was relying on what he has seen in life, his common sense and reflexes in battle.


    The goblin was launched sliding backwards, but regained its balance and as if unfazed by the attack, charged at Adam.


    Adam instantly grabbed the club he dropped and as the goblin came into distance, swung it with all his might at the goblin''s head.


    {Critical Hit}


    The goblin lost all his health and as it fell disintegrated into pixels.


    Looking at his loot he found there was a club and 10 gold coins again.


    Placing them into his inventory, he sold the additional club for 10 gold coins.


    He now had a total of 30 gold coins and had no clue what to do with them.


    [System, what can I buy with gold] he asked.


    {The gold is what currency is represented by in the system and can be exchanged to any form of money, wealth or currency} informed him the system.


    "Does that mean I can change it into dollars" he asked excitedly, jumping up in joy.


    {Yes it can be changed into dollars and the conversion rate is 1 gold coin to 10 dollars} announced to him the system.


    Not only could he get stronger, but he could also save his Aunt and get money.


    "That means I have made 300 dollars in half an hour, and if I hunt hundreds of goblins or thousands I could become a millionaire in my sleep" he calculated.


    Adam was far from lazy and with his opportunistic nature, he would never let such an opportunity to earn money slip through his hands, especially after all the poverty, he had been through.


    "I cannot waste any time" he stated as he rushed off towards where he had estimated he would find the next goblin guard.


    Adam reduced his cautiousness knowing that he could directly beat the stupid goblin guards by striking its head, and rushed to the next goblin guard.


    After running for a few minutes he could see the goblin guard in the distance, identical to the other ones he had defeated.


    The small green goblin with its hideous appearance charged towards Adam with his club.


    Adam wasted no time and with two critical strikes defeated the goblin.


    This cycle continued, he would rush towards where he knew the next guard would be, would defeat them, then would sell their clubs and take the gold that they drop.


    After defeating his eleventh goblin guard, due to the first EXP being used to average his stats, he felt his now fatigued body had an improvement and lost all fatigue in an instant.


    {LVL UP - You are now LVL 2 and have an increase in all stats and an extra stat point, where do you wish to spend your stat point}.


    As he heard this, he felt overjoyed and felt that for the first time in his life he was capable of greatness, with the Dungeon System, and now knew that each LVL 1 goblin guard gave him 1 EXP.


    After thinking about it carefully, he thought that the best option for his body type and for the future was to increase his speed.


    Speed can overwhelm ever other stat in battle and allow him to be able to escape from any situation, which he thought was most important.


    [Spend the stat point in speed].


    {Speed has been improved, current status:


    Mortal LVL: 2


    EXP: 0 / 25


    HP: 110


    MP: 11


    Strength: 11


    Speed: 12


    Intelligence: 16


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5}.


    He was happy with his progress, but wasn''t complacent and if he didn''t hunt he wouldn''t be able to continue to improve.


    Thinking about how he now had 210 gold from killing 11 goblin guards and selling 10 of their weapons he finally felt like he could afford to live in luxury if he could earn this every time he slept.


    "I can''t stop here" he stated as he got up and with his now stronger and rejuvenated body, he rushed around the outer area to find the next goblin guard.


    Adam continued circling around the floor defeating goblins and after defeating 20 goblins he stopped because he had returned where he began and had a rest on the ground.


    "I have made 3900 dollars in a few hours" he calculated while panting and catching his breath after defeating all the goblin guards around the area.


    After a few minutes of rest, he felt that he had recovered and knew that nothing in life was easy so was still cautious.


    "Time to explore the inner parts of the forest" he decided.

 Chapter 5: Test Completed

    Despite how easy it may have been for Adam to defeat all the 20 goblin guards around the outer area, he knew better than to allow arrogance to cloud his judgement and was still cautious.


    [System how many beasts are there left to clear this dungeon] he asked, hoping he could be given a clue of what he was getting himself into.


    {This information is not allowed to be given to you and you will find out if you keep hunting} answered the system, completely dodging his question.


    Walking towards the central area of the floor, Adam felt that the closer he went to the centre the less and less trees there were.


    "This is a sign that there must be a group or civilisation in the centre" he speculated seeing the change in environment, but it was only a guess and he continued forth.


    After walking at a fast pace for almost an hour, Adam was almost certain there was a civilisation as he heard sounds of interaction and from a distance could see more goblin guards.


    He was in two minds about what he had seen.


    He was happy that there were plenty of beasts to hunt, but it would be much harder to defeat them if they are all in a group.


    Thinking this, he stood behind a tree and was going to devise a plan before he was interrupted.


    {As your first hunt you have 3 lives that if not used in your first hunt, you won''t be able to use them at your next hunt} told him the system.


    Adam after everything had complete trust in the system and had no choice as it bought him here and was the only thing with him in the dungeon.


    "If it is true that I have 3 lives that must be used now then I can use a life to recklessly charge in, to scout and LVL UP," he decided.


    Adam was not greedy or selfish and was extremely generous to those close to him, but would never miss out on an opportunity.


    When planning the last thing he was thinking about was pain and that he would go through death, and could only think about saving his Aunt and making the most out of the opportunity the Dungeon System gave him.


    He felt an inescapable feeling of longing towards whatever was in the centre of the goblin base and it seemed to be calling out to him.


    Withdrawing his club from the inventory, he rushed straight at the centre recklessly, while repeating to himself that it was all a game and that he had three lives.


    It seemed to be a goblin village made completely of wood.


    Despite their lack of intelligence, they had large wooden walls and had guards stationed around as if protecting something inside.


    Now within 100 metres of the village, he realised just how crazy what he was doing was, but knew better than to stop halfway.


    The village covered the whole centre of the forest and from its size, Adam assumed there could be hundreds of goblins inside.


    Charging at the wooden gate that was guarded by 4 goblin guards, Adam was beginning to feel an incredible amount of pressure bearing down upon him.


    The only thing keeping him going is his determination to save his Aunt.


    The goblin guards shrieked as they charged towards Adam with their clubs.


    The shriek alerted the nearby goblins within the village who swarmed out of the village.


    Seeing this Adam was intimidated, but he steeled his will and repeatedly reminded himself that he has 3 lives.


    Screaming as loud as he could he swung his club at the head of the closest goblin guard, launching him crashing into the goblins behind him.


    Other types of goblins were swarming out of the village, some with clubs, others with pitchforks and some barehanded, but what gave Adam hope was seeing that they were all LVL 1.


    [This Floor 0 is weird and they all seem to be protecting something inside the village].


    Adam could see that there were tens of goblins charging at him crazily, and despite the gap in intelligence and speed, Adam was being overwhelmed by their sheer numbers.


    Wildly swinging his club he was aiming for their heads and after defeating a large number of them, he was beginning to get tired.


    While fighting one goblin, another pounced onto Adam and gnashed at his back like a rabid dog.


    "ARGH" screamed Adam in pain as blood began to flow out of his wound, but the goblin continued biting his back.


    Falling forwards after being shocked by the pain, Adam was pushed over.


    Seeing their enemy on the ground all the goblins threw away their weapons and as the cruel beasts that they were, they began eating away at Adam''s flesh.


    Adam was going through excruciating pain, and screaming as loud as he could as he was eaten alive.


    Blood and organs splattered everywhere, as the green goblins with their sharp teeth continued to devour his body.


    All he could do was wail in pain as he watche his HP dwindle away.


    He could feel them gnawing on his bones and it was an extremely painful experience to the point his body shut down, and as that happened his body dissolved into pixels, similar to a defeated beast.


    "Help" he screamed as he felt he had a body again.


    Looking around he saw that he was on that small piece of land surrounded by water, where he had begun.


    Adam''s body slumped onto the ground as he covered his face and began to cry.


    The event traumatised him to the point his body was still shaking and he couldn''t think properly.


    Tears streamed down his face as despair and regret fell upon him.


    All he could think about was his body being eaten alive by a bunch of green beasts.


    The event was over in mere seconds but to Adam it was lifetimes.


    "Fuck off" he screamed trying to get the memories out of his mind.


    {Floor 0 test completed, you are now officially the host of the dungeon system}.


    Adam was too distressed to concentrate, but the system''s voice overwhelmed his mind which helped to numb the pain.


    {Floor 0 tested your personality and drive which matches the system, you will keep your progress and retain memories, and will begin dungeon hunting at your next recall} announced the system as he began to feel the same sucking sensation and felt he was being taken into another space.

 Chapter 6: New Start

    "What the hell" screamed Adam as he jumped up from the trash bags he was sleeping on.


    Seeing where he was, he realised he was back in reality and let out a deep sigh of relief that he was still alive, but the memories of being devoured alive still lingered within his mind.


    Slapping himself in the face and biting his tongue, he overwhelmed his mind with pain to forget about everything.


    "What a weird dream I had, there was a system, and I was transported to another place then I fought goblins and got gold then I ...." he mumbled before pausing, remembering how it ended.


    Getting up, Adam felt that his body was full of energy and was in a much better state than it normally was.


    Adam used to have a malnourished skinny body, but had a small belly due to never being able to exercise and only being able to eat the cheapest food possible.


    But now, running his hands along his arms and stomach, he felt more muscled and meaty than before.


    "Maybe it wasn''t a dream," he said to himself in awe.


    "But if it wasn''t a dream, then that really happened..." he mumbled.


    The event replayed within his mind as he felt his stomach churn, and the small amount of food in his body charged upwards towards his mouth as he began to vomit.


    Citizens walking past the alleyway saw the youth with ripped clothing, vomiting in the alleyway, shook their heads and had expressions of disgust as they assumed he was a drunken homeless.


    Adam puked all the food within his body.


    His head was throbbing as he stumbled backwards falling onto the ground.


    {For completing the Floor 0 Test and becoming the official owner and hunter of the Dungeon System, you gain the Hunter''s mind} announced to him the system.


    As this was announced within his mind, he felt a surge of power in his mind and he also felt that everything had become clearer.


    He felt that he could now think much faster and clearer and felt that all the previous emotions and trauma that were weighing on his mind, no longer seemed to have an effect on him.


    Adam felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest, but also felt desensitised, and it was as if he no longer was affected by anything.


    "The system just spoke to me so everything is real," he realised.


    [System have I lost all emotion] he asked worriedly, surprised by how clear his mind felt.


    {There is no need for you to worry, the Hunter''s mind, enhances your brain power and also allows the host to think faster and clearer and strengthens your mind so you aren''t overwhelmed under pressure. It suppresses your emotions, but doesn''t remove them} explained to him the system.


    As he heard this, he instantly understood and felt that everything in his mind was clearer and he no longer felt as if what has happened to him had as much of an impact.


    The youth with long black hair and a plain and calm expression, walked out of the alleyway.


    It was now 10 am and the streets of Brooklyn were bustling and full of people, while Adam weaved through the crowds receiving dirty looks due to his ripped and smelly clothing.


    Adam couldn''t care less about others and was more curious about whether everything that had occurred with the Dungeon System was real.


    [System I would like to convert all my 670 gold coins into dollars] he stated within his mind, hoping he could get his hands on some money.


    {6700 dollars have been transferred to your account} announced the system.


    Adam was happy and excited, but his Hunter''s mind made it so his emotions didn''t affect his mental state, and he wanted to check at an ATM as he didn''t have a phone.


    Walking to a nearby ATM he withdrew his card from his bag and placed it in the machine.


    Seeing 6720 dollars in his account he had a small smile.


    Looking at himself Adam saw that he was wearing ripped and dirty clothes, and now with such an incredible system, where he can earn thousands in his sleep, money was no longer an issue for him.


    Looking around the busy Brooklyn streets, he saw the Maxwell Sportswear store that was now very popular and was owned by the billionaire Maxwell Family, but he was never able to shop from there because he would always have to spend all his money on rent and his Aunt''s medical bills.


    The store he saw seemed to be new and was very enticing to Adam who finally had enough money to buy himself some comfortable clothing.


    Crossing the road at the crossing, Adam walked into the store and as he was about to browse for clothes, the bald male security guard stood before him blocking his path.


    The tall security guard wearing an all-black suit looked down at the slim youth with long black hair and ripped and stinky old clothes.


    "Leave the store immediately, only customers may enter and you obviously cannot afford it" aggressively stated the man.


    {Hostile being detected, Status:


    Store Guard


    Mortal LVL: 4


    HP: 167


    Strength: 14


    Speed: 10


    Intelligence: 8}.


    Hearing and seeing this floating above the guards head, Adam was shocked and realised that it made sense that even people had stats.


    Comparing it with his own, Adam had an advantage in speed and intelligence, but when it came to strength and HP, he was outmatched.


    "What are you staring at, get out before you get a beating" shouted the guard seeing the dirty youth staring at his head.


    His loud voice caused a commotion and made a small crowd form.


    Adam''s Hunter''s mind which enhanced his battle and survival instincts, and boosted his thought speed, allowed him to stay calm in every situation.


    He couldn''t care less about the people watching and was prepared to fight if need be.


    "I am a customer so can you move out of my way" stated Adam with a calm expression, yet a glint of anger in his eyes.


    Adam throughout his life has always been stepped on and mistreated due to his poverty and low status as he always tried to help his Aunt.


    Now with the Dungeon System, he wasn''t willing to let his pride be stepped on.


    [This is my new start I won''t let me or my Aunt be stepped on or mistreated ever again], he declared as he glares at the guard.


    "If you won''t leave willingly I will have to throw you out" announced the guard with an arrogant expression, showboating for the watching crowd.

 Chapter 7: Complete Change

    Threatened, Adam''s mind was working at incredible speeds and within seconds had planned the best plan of action in this predicament.


    "All of you bear witness that I am a customer and have done nothing wrong and if anything occurs, I cannot be blamed," announced Adam to the crowd.


    Adam knew that in his current state, he wasn''t above the law as his strength, wealth and status were not at such a high level, so he would need to teach the guard a lesson, while still being the victim according to the law.


    As the guard heard this, he felt disrespect by the slim youth in front of him who dared to announce that he could harm him.


    The size difference was immense, with Adam being average height at around 175 cm and the guard being around 2 metres with his large muscular body.


    They stood a metre away from each other and with an opportunity to assert dominance on who he thought was a harmless homeless youth, the guard launched a fist at Adam''s face.


    Adam''s mind was alert, prepared and had planned to take out the guard without there being any hard evidence.


    Having already looked around him, he saw that none of the people in the small crowd were recording as what they thought was thievery was normal in Brooklyn.


    With his now boosted sensory ability and mental power, he had found a blind spot between the two cameras which were watching the entrance of the store, and they would mostly rely on the trained security guards and most of the time wouldn''t need cameras.


    With his hunter mind, both his reflexes and combat instincts were unrivalled.


    Ducking under the fist, Adam moved to the right and stood in the blind spot of the cameras.


    The guard was even angrier and furiously charged at Adam.


    Observing the guard''s attacks, Adam realised just how much of a weakness emotions were in battle.


    The guard launched another wild fist at Adam who stood there unfazed by the giant attacking him.


    Waiting until the moment the fist was about to strike his head, Adam grabbed the arm and pulled the guard towards him.


    Despite the gap in strength, Adam was using the guard''s momentum against him and as the guard fell downwards, Adam launched his fist into the man''s temple.


    Falling with so much force then to be struck in the head by a fist, the guard was instantly knocked out and stumbled backwards.


    In a matter of instants, the guard had collapsed and the youth with long black hair had walked away into the store.


    The small crowd were shocked by what happened, but all dispersed in seconds as fights were common in a rough area like Brooklyn and didn''t really care about the outcome, so nobody called the police, leaving the guard lying there unconscious.


    Nobody really understood or saw what happened clearly, apart from a girl who was watching from the upper level of the store.


    "What an interesting man, he might be more mysterious than his outward appearance lets on" observed the girl with a curious smile.


    "Do not interfere with the situation" ordered the girl to the figure behind her who spoke into his transmitter to spread the order to the rest of the workers to not intervene and leave the youth alone.


    Adam didn''t want to draw unwanted attention and quickly chose three all plain black tracksuits, underwear, socks and shirts, two pairs of plain black trainers and a large duffel bag.


    Adam went for plain and comfortable clothing and made sure they were all black.


    Ignoring all the looks he was receiving from the people within the store he quickly bought the clothing and left the store as quickly as he could.


    Stepping over the guard''s body, Adam left the store, and despite being surprised that nothing happened, he still hurriedly left, not asking for trouble.


    All meanwhile he was being watched by the girl on the upper floor.


    "Have a picture of his face and if he enters any of the Maxwell businesses keep tabs on him and make sure another situation like this doesn''t repeat itself" ordered the girl to the figure stood behind her.


    The calm nature of Adam and the way he defeated the security guard who was a previous soldier and had military training and would easily be able to defeat a normal person, was surprising to see in what seemed to be a homeless man.


    Meanwhile, Adam was planning what to do next and knew he had to prepare a place for himself to safely sleep when he goes into the dungeon.


    Adam paid entry into a public shower and had a long shower and changed into his new clothes.


    Taking the shoelace from his old shoes, he tied up his long and slick black hair and he threw the rest of his old clothing in the trash.


    Adam had a complete change in temperament, appearance and confidence.


    He went from a homeless, dirty, disrespected and unhealthy youth, to now wearing a plain black tracksuit and black trainers which went well with his slick long black hair and now had a calm and confident temperament.


    Looking at himself in the mirror he was happy with the way he looked and it was all the same as it was, but just improved apart from his eyes that were now red and calm.


    His change in eye colour didn''t faze him and overall he had only spent a few hundred dollars leaving him over 6000 dollars to spend on what he needed, and he had made all that money in his sleep in one night.


    [I have fixed myself up, now to get a phone and sort out a living arrangement].


    He found that just because of the way he looked, he was treated much differently and received smiles or looks of desire from females, which he just ignored and made him realise just how naive people were.


    Despite the hot weather, Adam had his hood up and felt that having people around him was only a burden and an extra responsibility that he didn''t need.


    The hunter mind had affected him to the point the natural way he acted was different, although he was still the same person, he now saw everything from a survival and battle perspective.


    He walked around the market area of Brooklyn until he found a phone store.


    As he went inside the phone store, on first glance the shop owner grabbed the gun under his desk and was prepared to protect his store.


    It didn''t go unnoticed by the youth in the black clothing that was covering his face, but from the man''s frantic sweating and shaking hands, Adam knew he didn''t mean harm.


    Adam knew that although he was now above average in combat, he was far from bulletproof or being able to dodge bullets.


    Taking off his hood to show that he didn''t have bad intentions, it eased the tension as he chose a simple phone and paid with his card, then left straight afterwards.


    Adam had chosen not to buy a smartphone, not because he wanted to save money, but because he hadn''t used one in 3 years and felt that it could be used to track him.


    Once again his natural hunter instincts had made him choose the phone that was untraceable.


    With his hood back on Adam searched the local area calmly for almost an hour and finally found a real estate company in the distance.


    "Maxwell Real Estate, the same as the store I liked, let''s hope I am not stopped again" mumbled Adam as he headed towards it.

 Chapter 8: Preparation Part 1

    Adam was treated much better in the store and the people there seemed to recognise him and were respectful when helping him.


    He paid the rent for a month for a nice apartment on the edge of Brooklyn near the Brooklyn Bridge, which was near to his Aunt''s hospital, was less dangerous and gave him easy access to another borough.


    "Here are your keys and your door card, the rent will be taken out of your account at the start of each month and if you wish to cancel just get in contact with an agent," respectfully stated the real estate agent.


    Taking the keys, Adam left straight away and put his hood back on as he walked towards the direction that he knew the apartment he had rented was in.


    They were surprised that Adam didn''t have a smartphone and everything that they observed from him was discreetly noted, which didn''t go unnoticed by the attentive Adam.


    "The youth that came in is called Adam and chose not to have a surname as an orphan, he is paying for his carer Janet Green''s medical bills who is a vegetative state, he has no other relatives and left education at 15 and has been working for 3 years. He paid 4200 dollars rent straight away for apartment 44 of the new buildings built on the outer area of Brooklyn and doesn''t have a smartphone," reported the man to the girl.


    "Hmmmm, that is interesting, but he is still an ant in the real world and is ignorant to what real power is,"


    "Should I keep tabs on him," asked the man.


    "No need, he wouldn''t be a useful plaything and is still too weak. Time to leave this place full of peasants," stated the girl arrogantly.


    "Yes, miss" answered the man who seemed to be her butler.


    Leaving through the back entrance, the butler opened the back door of the latest model limousine and drove off.


    "I hate it when father sends me to these poor places, he says it''s for experience and to widen my mind to improve my cultivation speed," pouted the girl as the limousine drove off.


    Meanwhile, Adam realised he hadn''t eaten all day and was hungry.


    [I need a map or something to help me get around without a smartphone as I don''t know the area well enough]


    Adam''s hunter mind made his survival instincts extreme to the point he wanted to be prepared for any situation.


    Seeing the yellow taxis driving by, he thought that would be the easiest method of travel for him as money wasn''t an issue for him.


    Finding a nearby ATM, he withdrew a few hundred dollars and placed it in his pocket.


    Placing his arm out, signalling a nearby taxi, he entered the back after it stopped in front of him.


    "Brooklyn bridge park" stated Adam to the driver.


    Nodding his head, the taxi driver began to drive.


    It wasn''t very far from where he had rented and Adam could visit his Aunt.


    In less than twenty minutes he had arrived and paid the driver 40 dollars which was more than double what he needed to pay.


    Adam walked to the hospital that was nearby and did the usual.


    He filled in the visiting form and headed to the coma ward where he would find his Aunt.


    Seeing his Aunt, the one that took him in and raised him, while working two jobs to provide for him, and she wasn''t even his mother, then to see her in such a state made tears begin to flow from his eyes.


    Despite the tears, his red eyes were steady and his expression stayed the same.


    Kissing her forehead, Adam knew that staying there wouldn''t help either of them.


    "Aunt I will heal you then make you live the easiest and most luxurious life" vowed Adam into her ear, then turned around and left.


    Checking his newly bought phone he saw that it was midday now and Adam''s only thought was returning to the dungeon and that he must prepare his mind and body.


    Walking out of the hospital, Adam headed towards his newly acquired apartment, which was very expensive and could only be afforded by the rich, and entered the building.


    The ground floor was a reception where he could find a cafe, restaurant and people to help him out.


    Everything he saw was expensive from the marble floors to the expensive furniture and chandeliers, but the wealth didn''t attract him in the slightest.


    Adam ignored everybody and after showing his door card headed towards the staircase.


    Walking up four flights of stairs to the fourth floor he walked down the long corridor lined with soft red carpet and found his apartment.


    Scanning his door card and opening the door with his keys, it revealed a large apartment that had an open design.


    There was a large modern kitchen with everything he needed and had a table for 6.


    The living room was open so wasn''t far from the kitchen and had an L-shaped leather sofa.


    It was a very modern and simple design which was why Adam chose it.


    He was happy with where he was staying and where he planned to live with his Aunt after he healed her.


    The incredible view was watching over Brooklyn bridge and the park.


    There were two master bedrooms and another guest room and each room had a toilet, with an additional public toilet in the apartment.


    "Its exactly as I pictured it" mumble Adam who was happy, but still had a calm expression.


    "I must be prepared for any situation and have already drawn in the attention of a billionaire Maxwell family" observed Adam.


    The way he was treated when he was looking for a place to stay was too unusual and everybody in the place was monitoring him.


    If an average human had 10 points for each stat, Adam knew that he was only slightly above average and fighting an armed person with a blade, who weren''t as stupid as goblins, would be almost impossible.


    In a country where everybody had access to firearms and crime was common, Adam knew that he wouldn''t be safe unless he was strong and prepared.


    "It can''t be that I am the only person that can LVL UP because the guard was LVL 4" he exclaimed.

 Chapter 9: Preparation Part 2

    "It can''t be that I am the only person that can LVL UP because the guard was LVL 4,"


    {Obviously not, although you are unique and LVL UP, other people in pursuit of strength cultivate through using the world''s and special item''s energy} stated the system.


    "Cultivation like those novels and movies," exclaimed Adam in shock.


    {Cultivation is the improvement of oneself and uses energy to either cultivate their physical body or their energy storage and manipulation ability}.


    {External cultivators temper their body using energy and intense training, storing the energy in their bones and muscles, while Internal cultivators cultivate their internal organs, meridians and dantian and store energy in meridians and their dantian} explained to him the system.


    Digesting the information, Adam began to understand how ignorant he was and how dangerous the world really was.


    The only reason he would be able to stay calm in such a situation and believe everything he was told was because of his Hunter''s mind and everything he had seen.


    [Does that mean that security guard was a cultivator] asked Adam.


    {He is merely a lowly bodybuilder and levelled up through eating large amounts of food and training his body, but he didn''t use energy to cultivate}


    "That makes sense a cultivator wouldn''t be that weak, but this just made everything much more dangerous," he mumbled to himself in thought.


    [The only thing that ensures my safety is strength, enough strength for me to protect myself and my Aunt].


    [What type of cultivator am I] he asked the system, excited to begin cultivation and pursue strength that he had seen in novels and movies.


    {Like I have told you before you are unique and do not cultivate but LVL UP and are therefore not restricted by cultivation laws, such as requiring cultivation methods of higher levels and skills, all you need is to defeat as many beasts as you can in the dungeon} repeated the system.


    [But that doesn''t answer my question, what kind of cultivator will I be, will I focus on my body or energy storage] he refuted.


    {You are neither and both, when you LVL UP everything about you increases and you have an additional stat point to spend on a stat, External Cultivators would focus on physical attributes such as HP, Strength, Speed, whereas Internal Cultivators would focus on Intelligence and MP, and use the energy to reinforce their bodies}.


    {So overall you have a unique constitution and are only restricted by yourself}.


    "So that means while others cultivate, I LVL UP in my sleep using the dungeon system" he mumbled.


    Bombarded with so much information, Adam took a seat on his comfortable sofa and began to contemplate and plan what he would do in the future.


    After almost an hour Adam jumped up and felt enlightened about the world and as though he had a clear plan.


    [I will be both an External and Internal cultivator and will LVL UP as fast as I can and get as much money and points as I can for weapons in the modern world and skills and weapons in the dungeon, and to protect myself and my Aunt I need Strength and Wealth] he decided.


    Thinking that he felt his stomach rumbling and realised he had forgotten all about food for the day, and despite feeling that he had enough energy to sustain his body, he still enjoyed the feeling of eating.


    Leaving his apartment he walked down the corridor and down the stairs, deciding not to take the lift due to him being constricted and not able to escape.


    Downstairs he received smiles from the receptionists and nods from the security of the building, who he ignored and went to the food area that was on the ground floor.


    The food was very expensive and the Adam from the day before wouldn''t even dare to look in that direction.


    Adam ordered two large steaks and a salad that would be taken up to his apartment.


    Returning to his apartment, Adam had no time to waste and in the 15 minutes he would wait for his food, he was memorising the map of the area 5 miles around him.


    He found that his memory and concentration was enhanced by his Intelligence stat and his Hunter''s mind, but it was still too easy.


    By the time his food arrived he felt familiar with the area around him and felt he could recall the entire map if he concentrated.


    Taking the tray of food from the man that delivered it to him, Adam placed it on his table and lifted the cover,


    As he lifted the cover, the luxurious food revealed itself as a strong smell of deliciousness entered his nose.


    Adam drooled at the sight of the food and was excited to eat.


    He had the feeling of luxury and wealth and looking around him he was grateful for how the system was able to change his life completely in a single night.


    "If only my Aunt was here," he said regretfully.


    "So I need to LVL UP quickly and defeat beasts to get my Aunt the healing pill" stated Adam.


    Eating the delicious steak which melted in his mouth, Adam was happy but it was suppressed by the regret of his Aunt not being with him.


    [System how come I can recall the entire map I was trying to memorise within only 10 minutes] he asked, finding it weird.


    {Another effect of Hunter''s mind is that you can filter what you need to remember and know from useless information which in turn gives you a similar effect to photographic memory} answered the system.


    With this, Adam wanted to store as much useful information as he could before he went into the dungeon again.


    Looking at the clock on the wall he saw that it was almost 4 pm and he only had 6 hours before he returned to the dungeon.


    He was both anxious and excited, but he still managed to stay calm.


    Adam wolfed down his food, which as it entered his body instead of being digested as it would normally, it seemed to be transferred into energy that he felt circulating in his body.


    Placing the empty tray outside his door to be collected by the cleaners, Adam headed straight to the computer that was in each of the bedrooms.


    Going into the second best room, leaving the best for his Aunt when she recovers, Adam began to research on animals, ecosystems, survival skills, maps of the surrounding area, and anything he could find about cultivation.


    "This is going to be a long 6 hours" he muttered feeling the strain on his mind already.

 Chapter 10: Collector

    After 5 hours of cramming his mind with all kinds of useful information, Adam felt as though his head was about to explode.


    "I should take a rest before I am transported into the dungeon," he decided.


    Heading towards the kitchen, he drank many cups of water to hydrate his body and mind and sat on his sofa.


    Adam crossed his legs, closed his eyes and took slow and steady deep breaths to calm and soothe his mind.


    In such a calm and relaxed state, time passed for Adam incredibly fast and was shocked by the sound that resounded in his mind.


    {It is nearly 10 pm and you will be transported to the dungeon in 30 seconds} announced the system.


    Adam jumped up and knowing he will be in the same position for 12 hours rushed to his room.


    Remembering how much his back was aching when he woke up after sleeping on the rubbish bags in the alleyway, Adam lay down in a straight and comfortable position on his bed, ready to be transported at any moment.


    SWOOSH.


    It was the same sensation of being sucked into another space, and as he opened his eyes, he found himself in front of the metal gate closing him off from the long corridor.


    Adam this time felt prepared and was much more experienced and clear-minded, even though it was only his second time entering the dungeon.


    {You are now the official hunter and only owner of the Dungeon System, and although your progress is kept, the dungeon is on a totally different level} stated the system.


    [Does that mean that if I didn''t prove myself on Floor 0, somebody else would have gotten the system] he asked thinking about where he would be without the system.


    {That is correct, The Dungeon System cannot integrate with somebody incapable of handling the pressure, so you are lucky and you were only a temporary host before you completed the Floor 0 test} affirmed the system.


    Adam was very perceptive and noted down everything about the system, noting that it seemed to have a personality, he also had a question he had saved until now.


    [What were the goblins protecting on Floor 0] he enquired curiously, remembering the longing he felt towards the centre.


    {Event Skill Unlocked - Collector


    Due to your perceptiveness, drive and bravery when being tested on Floor 0 you unlocked a new unique skill.


    The Event was unlocked due to you realising that there was something being protected and you charging in because of your bravery.


    The unique skill, Collector, is based upon your trauma from cruel beasts which has made you have an unknown hatred towards them and based on your personality has formed the unique skill: the Collector}.


    Hearing this Adam realised that everything that he has seen, should be noted down and no small events should be missed with the dungeon system.


    [What can the collector skill do] he asked confused about the skills name.


    {The Collector Skill:


    A unique skill that gives you a beastpedia that has an infinite capacity to store a single beast of each type of race of beasts that you kill, which can be summoned to battle under you, and LVL UP with you and have their unique traits and abilities} explained the system.


    As this was explained to him he felt something within his mind, that was almost like a library, that he felt was empty apart from one, where he found a small green figure.


    [System is that a goblin within my mind] he asked.


    {Yes the first race within your beastpedia is the goblin race which can be summoned with the use of 1 MP or higher depending on their LVL and the longer it is summoned for the more MP is drained and for each 10 HP it loses you lose 1 MP, which drains your energy} told him the system.


    Adam was excited to try out summoning his goblin, but summoning had many drawbacks and it required large amounts of MP.


    "Menu" he stated with the intention of bringing it up.


    Looking now he could say an additional tab that said beastpedia.


    Clicking on it he saw many blank tiles and one tile that had a small green goblin on it.


    Pressing the goblin he saw a list of stats.


    Goblin Summon


    LVL: 2


    HP: 120


    Strength: 14


    Speed: 8


    Intelligence: 5


    Special Trait: Treasure Hunting


    Seeing the stats he saw that it was quite powerful but found that there was no MP stat.


    {That is due to the beastpedia representing the race as a whole and goblins have strong physical bodies, but do not have an affinity with magic skills}.


    With this, he was excited to find out what other races he could collect and summon to do his bidding.


    {Enough of the useless talk, before you enter Floor 1 there are some things that must be told to you and explained to you.


    As you have probably realised that for the LVL of the beast that is the amount of EXP rewarded. From now on each Floor has beasts that range 10 LVLs apart with Floor 1 having beasts ranging from LVL 1-10 and its size is many times larger.


    Once you have reached LVL 10 there will be a boss battle for each floor and you have only one life which when it is lost you will be transported back into your body.


    Levelling requires more EXP after each LVL UP, and the place you finish when returning to reality is the place you will be spawned in when you return into the dungeon}.


    With all of this, Adam felt both excited and nervous, knowing that there will be higher LVL beasts and that the Floor would be much larger.


    After all the information was told to him, the large metal gate before him opened slowly, revealing to him the corridor.


    Adam knew that his corridor didn''t follow anything that he understood and all he needed to do was charge forwards without fear and he would be able to reach the light at the end of the corridor.


    Closing his eyes Adam rushed forwards and within instants, he felt space and time itself swirl around him and as he touched the golden light, he felt like he was sucked into another space.


    Feeling his feet land onto some soft ground Adam opened his eyes and instantly the cold air struck his body.


    Looking around all he could see was white snow encapsulating the area that seemed to be infinite in every direction.


    "What bad luck that I was spawned into such a cold place" he muttered while shivering.

 Chapter 11: Floor 1

    Trudging through the snow, Adam felt that his senses were overwhelmed and suppressed by the cold and snow around him.


    Looking around, he could see he was on a mountain of some sort.


    Gasping for air, Adam was struggling to breathe in such a cold climate and being at the top of a mountain that had scarce air.


    [I need to get down from this mountain as soon as possible and find a warm and safe space to rest before I begin hunting] he planned.


    {Environment Effect - Strength and Speed decreased by 2, and for every minute you will lose 1 HP until you overcome Environment Effect} announced to him the system and the message appeared before him.


    As he heard this, he realised how urgent the situation as he began to feel his muscles and blood stiffening and hardening due to the cold.


    "I need to get out of here quickly," he exclaimed.


    During his research during the day, Adam knew that in cold mountainous regions you would find extremely dangerous animals that were used to the environment.


    Adam charged down the mountain as fast as he could through the cold snow and made sure to look in every direction in case of a sneak attack.


    The snow matched with the wind was clouding both his sight and senses and made him very weary and scared.


    His body was shaking as he trampled through the snow.


    ROAR.


    The howl of the beast resounded throughout the area and Adam knew that beasts were very territorial.


    "Goblin Summon" he screamed as he boosted his speed towards the lower levels of the mountain.


    Instantly he felt that his energy had lowered but saw a goblin appear before him, but it was larger than the goblin guards and was looked slightly stronger.


    "Go that way" he ordered the goblin will pointing up the mountain.


    One thing about his Hunter''s mind prioritised was survival, and he was willing to sacrifice almost anything for it.


    Instantly the goblin ran up in the snow towards the direction his master pointed at without an ounce of reluctance and wasn''t able to refute in the slightest.


    Adam didn''t even look back, and his goblin summon was the least of his worries.


    Looking at his MP, it was dropping incredibly quickly, which meant that the goblin summon was losing HP at incredible speed.


    {MP has diminished and you are no longer able to sustain the summon which will be retracted} announced the system.


    Hearing the system announcement, he felt all his energy had been drained from his body and was struggling to stay conscious.


    In his last moments of consciousness, his body reflexively jumped forth in order to tumble down the mountain and despite being unconscious, would be able to still get away from the beast.


    A figure wearing all black with long black hair tied back rolled down the mountain as his body became covered in snow and began to form a ball.


    The more the snowball rolled the more snow it picked up with it getting larger and larger as it went along.


    Becoming larger it was also becoming heavier and after rolling over a ridge on the mountain, catapulted into the air and crashed onto the ground.


    As the large snowball hit the ground the snow splattered throughout the area and left the figure of the youth lying there on the snow.


    Despite its negative effects on him, the snow had softened his landing and saved him from suffering a much worse injury from the fall.


    Adam lay there as his body reflexively panted for breath after having suffocated within the snow he was encapsulated in.


    Adam despite being unconscious felt that he was in a dark space where he could see what was happening to his body.


    [System where am I] he asked feeling that he could see himself but couldn''t move and was seeing himself from a different view.


    {You are within your consciousness while your body is unconscious} stated the system.


    "Menu" he pronounced.


    The menu popped up before him which surprised him and he wasn''t expected it to work.


    Seeing his status Adam realised just how dire the situation he was in was.


    Mortal LVL: 2


    EXP: 24 / 25


    HP: 52 / 110


    MP: 0 / 11


    Strength: 11


    Speed: 12


    Intelligence: 16


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    Without MP, that he knew that it represented the energy within his body, and his HP being less than half, which was fatal and was only lowering in such a cold and vulnerable environment, Adam knew his body was useless in the state it was in.


    [System how long until I regain consciousness].


    {Forced conscious awakening}


    As he heard the system, he felt as though his consciousness was forced back into his body and forcing it had made it very painful.


    "ARGH" he screamed as he awoke in his body that was going through immense pain and had absolutely no energy.


    [System what is the fastest route to recovery] he asked urgently within his mind.


    {The store has HP recovery pills at different ranks, the higher the rank the more expensive, but the more health it recovers} suggested the system.


    "Store"


    As the store menu appeared before him, he lifted his weak arm and clicks onto the item tab.


    "E Rank HP recovery pill" he stated.


    The store went onto the E Rank HP recovery pill and seeing it, it cost a single system point for a pill that would recover 10 HP.


    Adam had 35 points.


    He spent 15 points on 5 E Rank HP recovery pills and 10 E Rank MP recovery pills.


    All of the pills were placed within his inventory.


    Adam had no time to waste and withdrew the pills one by one and began to stuff them in his mouth.


    As each pill entered his mouth, they instantly dissolved and he felt a rush of energy and vitality surge through his body.


    Within instants, his body went from going through excruciating pain and extremely weak and drained, to being almost at peak condition.


    Adam knew that this couldn''t be normal and dismissed it as another effect of his special constitution and the system.


    "Couldn''t I give this to my Aunt so she can recover" he exclaimed in realisation.


    {Despite it healing your Aunt''s body, your Aunt is in a vegetative state and requires a pill, at least at the Mortal B Rank, for her to have a 100% chance of regaining consciousness} stated the system.


    With this, he was disappointed but didn''t let it discourage him and in turn used it as a fuel to drive him.


    "Time to hunt, then I will return to the beast at the top of the mountain to get my revenge"

 Chapter 12: Leporidae

    Adam who had now mostly recovered, got up from the snow he was lying in.


    But now all his clothes were drenched and despite being stronger than average, he was still a weak human.


    [System is there anything that I can buy to warm up my body] he asked, seeing that snow had engulfed the entire area.


    {You cannot afford any equipment that warms your body, but in items you can buy clothing that have effects on your body''s temperature}.


    Opening up the store and looking through items, he found another layer of tabs and there was one that was clothing.


    The cheapest clothing that had the effect he was looking for was an E Rank Fur Jacket.


    E Rank Fur Jacket


    Effect- Warms up the host''s body to be able to cancel all negative effects for temperatures over 5 degrees Celsius


    Adam bought it for 10 system points, leaving him 9 system points.


    Within his inventory was a brown fury jacket, and he had the option to sell or equip.


    Pressing equip he instantly felt much warmer and felt the warm fur jacket covering his body.


    {Environment Effect Lowered - Now speed and strength are only reduced by 1, and HP shall no longer be lowered}.


    With this, he instantly felt that the cold was reduced massively and the jacket he was wearing was extremely comfortable.


    Although he still felt cold and was only able to function due to his strong will and above average body.


    From the strength and power of the beast, Adam assumed that the higher he went up in the mountains, the stronger the beasts would be.


    Adam was in a mountainous region and knew that if he went upwards, the environment and beasts he would have to battle would be harder, so decided he would go in the opposite direction until he was ready.


    Trudging through the snow, Adam only just realised how crazy everything he was going through was, and that anybody else in his situation would freak out, but yet he was able to stay calm.


    Marching through the snow, Adam began to realise that the altitude was lowering, and it was becoming slightly less cold with less snow, although it was still freezing and without the fur jacket, he bought he would be dead.


    SLASH.


    Adam didn''t even notice what had occurred, but felt a sudden sharp pain and could see three deep claw marks in his left leg.


    "Crap" he exclaimed as he reflexively jumped backwards to a position that had his back to a tree in order to cover his back.


    "Withdraw E-Rank Club" he ordered as a large wooden club appears in his hands.


    Adam attentively scoured the area with his vision but wasn''t able to see anything.


    "What the hell was it that slashed me," he muttered.


    Pouncing out of the snow with incredible speed was a nimble, small and completely white hare-like beast.


    All Adam could see was a white blur that dashed out of the snow and before he could react the beast was before him and gashed at his right eye.


    Although Adam was too slow to react to the initial attack he was able to move his head back suddenly as the beast was attacking him and was able to reduce the damage.


    On his face, he had three claw marks that sliced over his right eye and went from the tip of his forehead diagonally to his right cheek.


    Blood flooded his eye, making Adam unsure of whether his eye was actually injured, but was too concentrated on battle.


    Clenching his teeth to bear with the excruciating pain, Adam tightly gripped the club ready to strike as soon as he saw the beast appear again.


    Attack after attack the beast seemed to be smart and had slashed at Adam''s arms and legs multiple times as his clothes and the snow near him were dyed red.


    Each time Adam was studying its movements, but his eyes were still too slow to lock onto the beast to be able to see its stats.


    Once again the white blur blitzed towards him out of the snow towards Adam''s face.


    Adam was not willing to allow himself to be hit again and while it was mid-air he swung the club with all his force and struck the small beast.


    The beast was launched like a baseball smashing into a nearby willow-like tree, that could survive in such cold environments.


    Adam in a single altercation with such a small beast had lost more than 40 HP.


    {LVL UP - You are now LVL 3 and have an increase in all stats and an extra stat point, where do you wish to spend your stat point}.


    As this resounded within his mind Adam was overjoyed and felt that the battle was worth it.


    There was no equipment as a reward but received 40 gold as a reward, and noticed that the gold awarded was 10 times that of the LVL of the beast he killed.


    "Status" he stated.


    {Mortal LVL: 3


    EXP: 3 / 100


    HP: 120


    MP: 12


    Strength: 12


    Speed: 13


    Intelligence: 17


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5}


    Seeing this he knew that that small beast gave him 4 EXP so knew that it was LVL 4 and was curious to find out what kind of beast it was and what kind of loot it had.


    [Spend the state point on MP] he decided.


    Adam didn''t hesitate in the slightest while making his decision and all he could imagine was having an army of every kind of beast all as powerful as him battling for him, but knew it was all a pipe dream if he didn''t have enough MP to supply them.


    He now had 13 MP but he still knew that it wasn''t enough to be used commonly and should only be used as a last resort, and made MP his other focus other than speed.


    Adam walked towards where he knew the beast''s body was while covering his right eye with his palm.


    With his left hand, he moved the snow to find a small white hare-like beast which he lifted in his palm.


    As he lifted it in turned into pixels in his palm and a notification appeared in front of him and resounded within his mind.


    {Would you like to collect this beast as your Leporidae base beast. YES / NO}


    Adam knew that Leporidae were rabbit and hare beasts and if this were the base Adam could assume that he would be able to integrate different beasts of the same race together.


    [Yes]


    As he said this within his mind he felt the beast appear within his mental beastpedia.


    "Beastpedia" he stated.


    As it appeared before him he now found two races, goblin and Leporidae.


    Clicking on goblin again to check its status now that he had increased in LVL, he saw something that he didn''t notice before and there was also a new.


    Goblin Summon


    LVL: 3


    HP: 130


    Strength: 15


    Speed: 9


    Intelligence: 6


    Special Traits - Treasure Hunting


    Types Integrated - Ordinary Goblin


    He noticed the Special Trait before but ignored it and there was now Types Integrated as well.


    This confirmed his idea of being able to integrate other types of goblins and also made him excited to experiment with his Collector Ability and the beast''s special traits.


    Leporidae Summon


    LVL: 3


    HP: 70


    Strength: 7


    Speed: 18


    Intelligence: 11


    Special Traits - Camouflage


    Types Integrated - Snow Hare


    Adam felt confident and felt his survivability and battle power increased with his new summon, but seeing that he would need 100 EXP to increase to LVL 4 he knew that it wasn''t time to become complacent.

 Chapter 13: LVL 4

    With a newfound target, the snow hares, Adam began to search the area for more beasts.


    Within minutes, a white blur dashes out of the snow and slashes at Adam''s leg.


    "Leporidae Summon" he exclaimed ignoring the pain.


    "As the snow hare attacks me, attack it" he ordered to his summon, who nodded in acknowledgement as it attentively watched its master.


    Adam tightened his grip on his club, preparing to defend himself for the next attack.


    The smart snow hare was intimidated seeing Adam had a snow hare with him, but could tell they were only LVL 3 so decided it would still attack.


    It launched itself off a nearby tree at Adam''s head, who saw the attack coming and held his club in front of his face to block the attack.


    As the snow hare collided with the club, unable to change trajectory mid-air, Adam''s Leporidae summon, seeing the opportunity, dashed at the snow hare who was too slow to react to the attack from behind.


    Slashing its back, the Leporidae summon left a deep gash in the snow hares back which shrieked in pain and jumped back in retreat.


    Swiftly rushing in the opposite direction, the snow hare ran in retreat.


    "Run after it and kill it" ordered Adam to his summon.


    Instantly the Leporidae summon charged after the snow hare.


    Adam knew that the injured snow hare would get tired and would be weakened after such a deep wound and although one LVL higher, he knew with its low health and it being injured it would be defeated easily.


    "This must be an area with many snow hares, I will hunt them with my Leporidae Summon and gain as much EXP and loot as I can," he planned.


    Receiving a notification that something had entered his inventory and his EXP has risen, Adam knew that his summon had beaten the snow hare.


    He had received 4 EXP, 40 gold, 4 system points and checking his inventory he found a snow claw as loot.


    "What can I do with this snow claw," he asked the system.


    {Material items can be used in the future for a currently locked part of the Dungeon System, however, for now, it can be used to temper your Leporidae Summon''s claws} informed him the system.


    Adam noted that there was something he hadn''t unlocked and withdrew the sharp hare claw and threw it in the direction of his summon who was running towards him.


    The small white hare jumped into the air with its mouth open and swallowed the claw, that seemed to disintegrate as soon as it touched its tongue, and Adam could visibly see his summon''s claws glow slightly then return to normal.


    "Let''s continue to hunt" he stateed as he scoured the area for hiding snow hares.


    After almost 8 hours off non-stop hunting Adam lay against a tree sweating profusely with his clothes drenched in blood.


    In this time Adam had retracted his summon due to it using too much MP for him to be able to summon it for long periods of time.


    Hunting by himself he would be able to take on a snow hare and leave without much damage taking due to now already knowing the way they battle.


    He had defeated 24 snow hares all together with his club, that varied in LVL with the strongest being LVL 5 and the weakest LVL 1.


    His body, MP and HP were drained as he lay there trying to recover and didn''t want to use pills, as he had already spent a lot of system points and waited for his natural recovery.


    Adam''s fur jacket had limited durability and wouldn''t last for much longer.


    He seemed to be coming to an end of his stamina and ability to hunt for the moment.


    "Status"


    {Status:


    Mortal LVL: 3


    EXP: 98 / 100


    HP: 70 / 120


    MP: 3 / 13


    Strength: 12


    Speed: 13


    Intelligence: 17


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5}.


    Adam was by no means giving up, but he felt as though he had overworked the body he was in and also didn''t want to spend any more than he already had, on pills.


    [System is it possible to leave the dungeon before the time is completed].


    {That is possible and recommended for your current state, as you have pushed your Dungeon Form to the limit and despite using pills to heal yourself, this form can only handle a certain amount of damage} recommended to him the system.


    The existence of a ''Dungeon Form'', and that it could only take a certain amount of damage, was noted by Adam and also added to his curiosity of how the system worked.


    But seeing him so close to becoming LVL 4, he wanted to LVL UP before he left.


    Lifting up his fatigued body he staggered towards the east where he had hunted the least, in order to find a beast to hunt one last time to LVL UP, before he left the dungeon.


    After dragging his fatigued form he finally spotted a small area where he could see the snow move slightly, which he found out was a way to notice the snow hares in their camouflaged form.


    "Goblin Summon"


    "Leporidae Summon"


    A goblin and a small white hare-like beast appeared before Adam as he fell back due to his sudden lose of MP and his body unable to handle sustaining both the summons.


    "Attack the snow hare quickly" he ordered frantically.


    The Leporidae jumped onto a nearby tree and launched itself off it, towards the snow hare, while the goblin charged directly at the snow hare.


    Intelligent and seeing two beasts rush towards it, the snow hare turned to run away, but the Leporidae summon was smarter and had covered its retreat.


    In the moment of hesitation, seeing that its route of retreat was closed, the goblin had reached its position and swung its club down with all its strength at the snow hare.


    Striking its head the goblin had landed a critical hit and with one strike had defeated it.


    "At least I reached LVL ...."


    Before he could finish his words, Adam''s fatigued dungeon form was sucked back into his body that was sleeping in his bed.

 Chapter 14: Early Return

    Jumping up in his bed, Adam''s heart was beating rapidly as his mind and body were on high alert.


    Realising that he was in his bed, he calmed down.


    [System did I manage to LVL UP before my dungeon form was destroyed] he asked.


    {LVL UP - You are now LVL 4 and have an increase in all stats and an extra stat point, where do you wish to spend your stat point}.


    [Spend it on MP] he replied without hesitation.


    [Show me my current status]


    {Status:


    Mortal LVL: 4


    EXP: 1 / 200


    HP: 130


    MP: 15


    Strength: 13


    Speed: 14


    Intelligence: 18


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5}.


    He was happy with his current stats and could feel his energy had risen the most, his MP, and felt overall his body had improved.


    He noticed he still didn''t have any skills that he could use, and only had the unique skill the collector, but wasn''t in a rush to buy skills and wanted to buy the B Rank Mortal Recovery Pill for his Aunt.


    One thing he was wondering, but had never attempted, was to use items from the inventory in real life.


    {It is not possible to use items from the inventory in this reality}.


    With that idea shut down, he was kind of disappointed, then thought about his collector skill.


    [What about the collector skill, can I summon them in this reality] he asked.


    {As a unique skill, it is still a skill so can be used anywhere as long as you have the energy to perform the skill} answered the system.


    As he heard the system''s answer, he jumped out of his bed in joy and looking at his clock, he saw it was 2 in the morning, as he was in the dungeon for 8 hours but time is twice as fast in the dungeon.


    "Leporidae Summon," he stated.


    He felt the same sensation he would feel in the dungeon as though something had left his mental beastpedia and his energy lowered slightly.


    As that occurred to him, a small white hare-like beast appeared on the ground in front of him.


    "Amazing, it worked" he exclaimed, but remembered it was 2 am and went silent as not to cause a racket in his building.


    Retracting the summon, he now knew that he could use his unique skill in this reality, so felt much more secure, but knew not to use it unless it was an emergency otherwise it would cause an enormous commotion if a beast appeared out of thin air.


    "I have had an early return, so I might as well take a late-night stroll to get more familiar with the area in person rather than maps," he decided.


    Walking out of his apartment, he locked his door behind him and walked down the stairs to the ground floor, and to his surprise, the security was still running and there was a guard stationed at the front.


    The guard nodded at him, which Adam replied to with a small nod as he puts his hood up and walked out of the building.


    The beautiful night sky with the stars and moon radiating through, was glistening over the water and the bustling Brooklyn bridge.


    Sitting down in Brooklyn bridge park that his apartment was watching over, he calmly sat there contemplating life itself as he looked at the wondrous view before him.


    Sat in the calm nature soothed his mind, that was always alert and focused, and allowed him to relax for the first time since he integrated with the system.


    In such a relaxed state he felt free and as though he was floating, but after half an hour he felt the nice sensation disappear, so got up and walked towards the food store, that he knew was open 24 hours, near him.


    Despite it being the middle of the night, the Brooklyn streets were brightly lit and with his intelligence stat at 18 and his Hunter''s mind, his senses were very sensitive and he could hear loud sounds of music in the distance.


    Adam knew that it was a club that was in the area, and since the age of 15 he never had time to have fun so decided to head in that direction and see what clubbing was like first hand and why all those his age would go to them.


    Having recently turned 18 he knew he was still under-aged to drink, but these days nobody followed the laws and giving the bouncer at the front some money would allow you to get into any club.


    Money was the least of Adam''s worries.


    [System how much gold do I have] he asked.


    {Altogether you have 1,660, excluding the money you have already withdrawn from the system}.


    He had 16,660 dollars equivalent in two nights, why would he care about money when he knew that there was cultivation and strength like in comics and movies.


    Buying himself some chips and a soda, which he never had the luxury of doing before, he headed towards the area where the night club was.


    Walking slowly he reached the club in 20 minutes and had already finished his chips and drink by then.


    He could see flashing colourful lights and scarcely dressed women and men walking in and leaving.


    From the way, they were moving and their dilated pupils, Adam had deduced that most of them were under the influence of either alcohol or drugs.


    Adam had no appeal towards drugs as it would only ruin his mind and body and without that, it was a waste of money and his Hunter''s mind wouldn''t allow him to be vulnerable or under the influence of any drug.


    Walking along the red carpet that lay outside the club he stood before the two large men who were wearing black suits.


    "ID and 100 dollars entrance fee" stated one of the men as he places his palm out.


    Above their heads Adam could see:


    LVL 3


    HP: 120


    Strength: 15


    Speed: 9


    Intelligence: 9


    LVL 3


    HP: 130


    Strength: 14


    Speed: 10


    Intelligence: 10


    Seeing this Adam wasn''t scared of their ability in the slightest and knew that they had merely trained their bodies with weights and large amounts of food, and weren''t cultivators.


    Placing 100 dollars on the man''s palm then placing 100 dollars in each of their pockets he walked straight past them.


    With the additional money, they had no reason to stop him and just smiled, while the figure in a plain black tracksuit and long tied back black hair walked into the club.

 Chapter 15: Old Friend? Part 1

    Entering the club, Adam''s mind was ringing.


    His sensitive senses were overwhelmed by the loud music, and each bass beat would act as a bullet to his mind.


    His hunter senses were screaming at him to leave this area, but Adam went against the warnings and adapting to the situation, Adam''s Hunter''s mind lowered his hearing''s sensitivity as he continued into the club.


    Looking around him, Adam was disgusted by how people would spend their money on harmful things, but also couldn''t completely suppress his lust seeing beautiful females wearing alluring and scarce clothing.


    "Don''t touch me, I have a boyfriend," screamed a girl.


    "I don''t see your boyfriend anywhere so you can go out with me," refuted a thug as he approached her closely with two goons behind him.


    The screams was ignored by most and the sound of the music and the flashing lights was distracting them anyway, but it didn''t go unnoticed by Adam.


    Adam was far from heroic and knew better than to get involved in other people''s business and cause himself unwanted problems.


    The young lady, seeing the hooded guy notice, bolted towards him in her heels and grabbed his arm.


    Adam, whose senses were suppressed by the noise, wasn''t fast enough to react and was gripped by the young lady arm in arm.


    "This is my boyfriend, so leave me alone now" she screamed at them with Adam''s arm in arm with her.


    "So this is your trashy boyfriend, lend me your girl for a while or you won''t like what will happen to you," he threatened while cracking his knuckles.


    Adam pushed the girl off him and shrugged his shoulders uncaringly as he walked out of the club nonchalantly.


    [I have seen enough of these stupid people and can''t be bothered to get into a useless altercation] he thought.


    Fixing his hood that was pulled back slightly, he walked out of the club without caring about what happens to that young lady who was being harassed by those thugs.


    Taking off her heels she rushed after the hooded figure, who she saw as her last hope and wanted to use him as a distraction to get away from the thugs.


    Adam slowly walked out of the club and turned left to return to his apartment, but what he didn''t expect was for the girl to run after him and stand in front of him.


    "What do you want," he asked as he continues walking past her.


    The three thugs rushed out of the club.


    "She went that way, look he really is her boyfriend," notified one of the goons pointing at Adam who stood with the girl.


    Sighing, Adam was frustrated that she got him into a problem, that had nothing to do with him, and that those thugs were harassing women and annoying him.


    {Hostile beings are coming towards you} alerted the system.


    As he heard this, he was tipped over the edge and could no longer be patient with them.


    Looking at their stats the leader was completely average while his goons were slightly stronger than average, but were really stupid.


    "Look what you got me into, but I will help you out this once" stated Adam calmly.


    Pulling up his sleeves Adam signalled them to attack.


    "He is too arrogant, get him" ordered the leader who withdrew a flick knife.


    Seeing the knife she realised how real the situation was and how regretful she was that she had gotten a stranger into such a dangerous situation.


    She was overwhelmed by everything that was going on and couldn''t stay calm.


    Losing consciousness, her body fell backwards, but luckily Adam sensed it and caught her in time before she hit her head on the ground.


    Laying her on the ground, Adam rushed towards the three thugs to get the battle over with.


    The two larger goons charged at Adam wildly launching wild fists at Adam.


    The fists were easily dodged, and despite the disparity in size, Adam was still stronger than them physically.


    Launching both his fists, each one in each of their solar plexus, that is a sensitive spot between the stomach and the chest, which instantly winded them and knocked them unconscious.


    "Don''t come closer, I can let you go this time, just leave" shouted the leader in fear, trying to intimidate Adam.


    Adam just chuckled and launched a fist into the thug''s temple and knocked him out in a single strike.


    He knew his identity was hidden by the night and his hood and wasn''t scared about any consequences from such weak thugs anyway.


    His efficiency in battle was unrivalled due to his Hunter''s mind and only used one strike for each of them to knock them all out.


    Seeing the unconscious young girl that lay there on the ground, Adam pitied her situation and decided he would take her back to his apartment for the night, then tell her to leave in the morning.


    Adam had no reason to be cautious of her and could sense she was average, and although she had gotten him into a problematic situation, she was merely trying to escape from the men harassing her.


    A hooded male figure wearing an all-black carried a girl wearing a short dress down the street.


    Walking back into the building he received suspicious looks from the security and what he was doing seemed very criminal, but they didn''t pry, and Adam couldn''t care less about what they thought and was only trying to help somebody out.


    He seemed to recognise her somehow, but didn''t remember where from no matter how much he thought about it.


    Climbing up the stairs he placed her on the ground outside his apartment outside as he opened his door.


    Lifting her up again he placed her on the bed in the guest room and covered her with the blanket letting her sleep, while he returned to his room and had a good night''s sleep as if nothing happened.


    Waking up after feeling that his body had enough sleep, he checked the time to see it was now 9 am. Changing into another set of the same clothes and placing the old set in the laundry, he walked out of his room while putting on his shirt and his jumper.


    There was a girl who sat at his kitchen counter and turning to see a chiselled figure guy put on his shirt was shocked, but couldn''t help but stare.


    Putting on his shirt he looked eye to eye with the girl and finally recognised her.


    Looking at the black hair, and features she could slightly recognise, apart from his now red eyes and muscly and more handsome body, she also seemed to recognise him.


    "Adam?" she blurted out.

 Chapter 16: Old Friend? Part 2

    "Sarah" he exclaimed in realisation.


    Adam was your average student when he was in high school and while he was ignorant of his Aunt''s hard work and struggles, had a normal school life.


    He had many friends and a few close friends who he spent every day with, one of them being Sarah, but when his life came crashing down halfway through the 10th grade, he had to suddenly leave them.


    Knowing youths in school, rumours spread around that he had died or left the country and nobody knew exactly where he had gone and what had happened to him.


    Little did they know that Adam was working 2 jobs and living on the streets as he paid for his Aunt''s medical bills.


    The rough lifestyle continued for 2 and a half years and Adam didn''t give up, despite the struggle, until he was blessed by the Dungeon System and in 2 days turned his life around completely.


    "Everyone thought you died or left the country so suddenly, but look at you now living in such a nice place and so good look...."


    Sarah stopped herself mid-sentence, realising what she was saying.


    Adam with his calm red eyes, slick tied black hair, and now quite muscled body was quite handsome and it was mostly due to his charisma that was enhanced by the system.


    "I am clearly not dead and haven''t left the country so you can be at ease and I had to leave due to being in a bad situation," stated Adam calmly.


    Hearing this, Sarah looked at him and where he was living and got really frustrated by the fact that he still could say this was a bad situation and his calm expression made her think he was ridiculing her.


    "Who knew money could change you so much and you are so arrogant" she screamed at him in frustration as she stormed out of his apartment and slammed the door.


    There was a massive miscommunication and Adam was baffled by why his old friend got angry at him.


    "What did I do wrong" he mumbled to himself.


    Replaying the scene in his mind he saw that she got angry as he said that he had to leave school due to being in a bad situation which may have angered her, and made him assume that she was in a bad situation and assumed that he lived like this for the past two-and-a-half years.


    [If only she knew that I was homeless two days ago] he thought to himself..


    He was slightly upset that after finally meeting an old friend after over two-and-a-half years, she left straight away and was angry with him.


    After changing his life around, he wanted to enjoy himself and have friends, but it seemed like life wasn''t that simple.


    DING


    A notification sound rang in the apartment, but Adam hadn''t given out his phone number to anybody so it wouldn''t be his.


    Looking on the counter, he found a phone with a pink case that he didn''t notice while deep in thought.


    "It must be Sarah''s phone, let me catch up to her and give it to her," he decided.


    Meanwhile, a girl in the short dress and heels rushed out of the apartment covering her tears as she passed the security guard who had wild thoughts about what happened between her and Adam, but knew that it wouldn''t be worth it for him to intervene.


    "Damn it I forgot my phone at that bastard''s house, who after started making money and left the school, is arrogant and forgot about his good friends from high school" she wept, as she stopped running due to her feet hurting in the heels.


    Adam was disappointed by the outcome of their reunion, but was much less emotional than her and thought logically about the situation.


    Looking at the notification he saw that it was about an overdue medical bill payment from the same hospital that his Aunt was at and it was for Matt Smith.


    The hospital his Aunt and Matt was at was the cheapest in the area and the treatment wasn''t the greatest, but it still did the job.


    "This must be her father," assumed Adam seeing the familiar surname and that the bill was 6000 dollar he was shocked.


    Reading the notification it said the payment was overdue to the cancer ward and if it wasn''t paid today they would have no choice but to send him out.


    "6000 dollars can be earned in a night, I will pay for her father''s medical bills so she doesn''t have to struggle like I did" he decided.


    {Gold can also be exchanged for System Points and at an exchange rate of 100 gold to 1 System Point, is it really worth it to spend 600 gold coins on a normal, useless human} the system asked rhetorically within his mind.


    The fact that gold could be changed to System Points excited him, but by no means changed his mind about paying for his Old Friend''s father''s medical bills.


    "I may hunt in a dungeon in my sleep and LVL UP and people could say with my unique constitution I am no longer human physically, but I won''t lose my humanity when it comes to values, morals and emotions" he stated.


    The thought of no longer being human was lingering in his mind since he had begun with the dungeon system, but this event helped him to clear his mind and remind him that he is in control of his own life.


    {Achievement Unlocked - Clutching to Humanity - this achievement is awarded to host when he is able to accept who and what he now is, but still retain his humanity.


    Reward: ....}


    [I don''t care I have something to do now, tell me later I need to catch up to Sarah] he interrupted.


    Rushing out of his apartment with the phone in hand. he ran down the stairs and out of the building receiving a confused and suspicious look from the security guard.


    He ran out and realised he had no clue in what direction she went or where she was going and although he was slightly faster than an average person, he was nothing compared to a car.


    Instead, he decided to head to the hospital and would pay for the medical bills and leave her phone there with his number and a note.


    He returned to the building and got a pen from the receptionist and went up to his room.


    Finding a scrap piece of paper he wrote a long note to tell her that what she assumed was incorrect.


    [I left school because my Aunt fell into a coma and is still in a vegetative state until now and I left school to work for my Aunt''s medical bills. You know that I am an orphan and my Aunt is all I have. I was homeless and worked two jobs at the same time while I was homeless just to be able to afford it] he wrote.


    Pausing he thought about what was a realistic way he became able to earn money quickly that wasn''t suspicious rather than writing ''I have a Dungeon System and when I sleep I LVL UP and get gold''.


    [I now work for a big company on my computer doing calculations where the manager pitied me and I was able to get a good wage and if you do not, believe me, my Aunt is in the same hospital as your Father. I have paid the medical bills and don''t want the money back, I just want to have fun with my old friend like before all the trouble. I left my number at the bottom] he added.


    He thought that working from a computer was realistic as at night he would be in the dungeon and he was always the best in his class at maths which Sarah knew.


    Now with a new start, he wanted to have friends again and seemingly live a normal and happy life during the day.


    Walking out of his building again, with the note and Sarah''s phone in his pocket, he headed towards the hospital.


    As he entered he received a smile by the front receptionist who could only recognise him from the last time he came and not from the hundreds of times he came before as the poor and skinny Adam from the past.


    "I would like to pay the overdue medical bills for Matt Smith and would like to make a request" he stated as he took off his hood.


    [Transfer all my gold to dollars and I will live off it for the upcoming month and spend the rest of the gold I earn on System points to buy stuff I need] he ordered the system in his mind.


    {1660 gold coins transferred into 16,600 dollars} announced the system.


    "Okay the overdue payment is 6000 dollars that had pilled up over 3 months" she stated with an uncomfortable expression.


    Seeing him dressed in a plain simple tracksuit she assumed he wouldn''t be able to afford such a large amount upfront.


    "That is fine I will be paying by card and I also want to pay for another month for Jannet Green," he told the receptionist that was shocked by his words.


    Paying the money he went up to see his Aunt and kissed her forehead respectfully like he would every time and on his way out left the phone and the note.


    He asked the receptionist to give it to Sarah Smith when she came and gave her 20 dollars to thank her for the help.


    Adam felt good about himself and for the first time since gaining the system had a genuine smile as he returned to his apartment.

 Chapter 17: Coincidences

    Adam in his apartment felt really good and happy and wanted to get something to eat before he thought about what to do throughout the day.


    He ordered the same meal he ordered last time, which he loved, the two large steaks and a salad, and when it arrived, sat at his table and began to eat while deep in thought.


    Suddenly a thought struck him and he jumped up.


    "If I can''t withdraw items from the system, how will I be able to save my Aunt," he screamed.


    {The transferal feature, that the host needs, can be unlocked for 1000 System points and for everything transferred into this reality, based on its power, will have a fee as well} the system informed him.


    "So many" he exclaimed in shock.


    Adam realised just how stupid it was for him to believe that gold that he could transfer into thousands of dollars would be that easy.


    He regretted not saving his gold and spending 300 dollars just to enter a club for a short while and realised just how stupid his frivolous spending was.


    He assumed he could unlock other dungeon system features with system points, and instead of changing his gold into system points, he stupidly transferred it all to dollars.


    "From now on I will save as much gold as I can, but I need to still be able to make money somehow," he decided.


    A sustainable income would allow him to exchange all his gold for system points, which were most valuable to his strength.


    Looking at the time he saw that it was 11 am already and finished his meal quickly, not wanting to waste time.


    "What are the best ways to make money that is sustainable," he mumbled to himself in thought.


    As he was deep in thought, the non-smartphone in his pocket began to ring.


    Instantly he withdrew his phone, knowing that the only person he had given his number to was Sarah, and answered.


    "Hello,"


    "Adam, I am sorry I didn''t know that happened to you, and I don''t know how I can return this favour and I am planning to get a loan to open a business and will return your money back and more when I can,"


    "Don''t worry about the money, but your business interests me and I was looking to invest right now, do you want to meet up and we can talk and reminisce about the past while we can also talk about your business,"


    "Really, amazing, where do you want to meet I am near the hospital,"


    "Well do you remember where my apartment is, you can come and I will get you from the entrance,"


    "Okay great, I have nothing else to do, so I will be coming now if that''s okay,"


    "Perfect, I will be waiting at the entrance, see you then,"


    Ending the call, Adam was looking forward to finding a way to earn money but was also very doubtful that someone as young as Sarah would have any useful business plans that would actually be able to earn him money.


    Meeting her at the entrance after 10 minutes at leading her up into his apartment, they both sat down in his living room looking at the nice view.


    It was slightly awkward, but after spending every day of many years of high school together and previously being very close, they were able to overcome it.


    "So, I''m sorry for assuming you were arrogant and I didn''t know what you went through, it''s just that I was going through a hard time," she said apologetically as she scratched her head.


    "Don''t worry about that and we can reminisce over a nice meal later on, but I am more interested in your business idea" said Adam hoping that she could have something beneficial to him.


    Adam knew that Sarah was also intelligent, which was another reason they were close friends as similar personalities attract, and was hoping that she really did have a plan for them to earn money.


    "Well I have been saving up for my dad''s medical bills and as I have no other family I planned a development and real estate company that can breed profit within weeks, but I needed a loan and my father''s overdue medical bills didn''t allow me to do so and it has been half a year since high school finished and I can barely afford rent" she summarised.


    "So my plan was ...." she explained.


    She had found many cheap properties on the outskirts or in areas with a bad reputation and after developing and renovating them she would be able to sell or rent them for much more than she bought it.


    Her detailed plan shocked even Adam who thought that he was normally prepared, but her preparation was so thorough he had no questions apart from one.


    "How much money do you need to begin," he asked.


    "Hmmm, to begin the company itself at least 50,000 dollars" she estimated.


    "Well I can transfer you 10,000 now and get you the rest within a few days" he stated unfazed by the massive amount of money,


    The decision to spend a few nights worth of gold on this project was a good investment for his future and from her plan, he wouldn''t need to ever change gold into dollars after it begins to pick up.


    "You trust me so much to transfer me 10,000 dollars straight away, what if I run away and what if I don''t give you anything," she asked in surprise.


    "I can provide money until the business begins to pick up and it is an investment for me and we split everything 50 / 50, and what reason would I have to doubt my best friend and I have your word anyway," he answered as he attempted to smile.


    However, within his mind, he had already analysed her weaknesses especially her father in the hospital and her life itself.


    Subconsciously his Hunter Mind made him think about everything analytically, logically and ruthlessly.


    "Perfect we can make up a contract right here and now so you are reassured as my word means nothing in court," she stated.


    She made a long contract on the computer in Adam''s room and printing it out they both signed and agreed that the ownership and profit split would be even between them and Adam would only act as a shareholder and has no obligation to work, but can still make decisions.


    Sending her 10,000 she realised that she no longer had a place to stay due to having missed her rent.


    "Don''t worry about it you can stay in the guest room for as long as you like and when you earn money you can leave or split the rent" he offered nonchalantly.


    "By the way why were you at the club and who were those guys," he asked remembering what had happened.


    "Oh yeah, are you okay that guy had a knife" she exclaimed in worry, also remembering what had occured.


    "Don''t worry, you should probably be more worried for them" he said with a wry smile.


    All she knew was that he was against three men and one had a knife before she fainted, but remembering his muscly body she assumed he was good at fighting.


    "So you beat up three men and one had a knife," she asked with her mouth gaping in awe.


    Adam had always been a skinny kid and was quite weak and bad at sport in school and would spend most of his time with friends, studying, gaming or watching shows and reading books.


    "Um, well...., ah yeah, I took karate," he stated while stuttering thinking about what to say.


    Looking deep into his red eyes she was mesmerised and realised just how much her best friend had changed.


    "What about your eyes do you were contact lenses now to make them red," she asked.


    "Yes, something like that" he replied.


    Having a friend around him made him happy and he felt that he was normal again and also wanted to meet his other best friends.


    "How are Cole and Emma," he asked trying to change the subject off of him.


    Sarah was still dazed by how fast everything happened and after two years and a half, she met her old best friend who had a complete change in every way and not only paid her fathers medical bills, but also invested in her plans.


    "Cole and Emma are dating and I think they may be in college, but what you have done for me now will not be forgotten and I will repay it" she informed Adam.


    "We should all meet up as I haven''t made any friends or had a good time since I left high school" he suggested.


    "That reminds me, I wasn''t going to go before because of my rough situation, but now we can go together to the high school reunion that is going to be in Maxwell 5 Star Restaurant next week," she says hinting at them going as a couple.


    "Yeah why not" he replied reluctantly, but didn''t want to hurt her feelings.


    [Sarah''s business idea, our relatives in a similar situation in the same hospital and the Maxwell Family again. So many coincidences, fate really does work in mysterious ways. I guess life during the day is going to be more busy and interesting now]

 Chapter 18: 3 Days Later

    3 days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Adam was busy the whole day and would spend the entire time in the dungeon hunting snow hares and feeding the claws to strengthen his Leporidae Summon.


    During the day he would help Sarah as they developed their business and company together and would spend the rest of the time making the most of his memory by learning as much information as he could and was also researching about real estate.


    In the three nights of consistent hunting, he had reached LVL 5 and spent his stat point on MP.


    Waking up in his bed, Adam was happy with his progress and felt the past few days had been very productive.


    [System show me my current status and include my points and gold]


    {Ding, your current overall status is:


    Mortal LVL: 5


    EXP: 208 / 400


    HP: 140


    MP: 17


    Strength: 14


    Speed: 15


    Intelligence: 19


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    System Points: 452


    Stat Points: 0


    Gold: 4160


    Unique Skills: Collector


    Skills: None}


    He was happy with the state he was in, but the thought of there being other cultivators scared him and he decided that the next time he went into the dungeon he would explore and find more powerful and new beasts instead of staying in an area he knew was safe and hunting the same beasts.


    He felt that his mind was working so much faster than it used to, and the difference the system had on him was becoming more obviously without looking at his stats and felt that his body was lighter and felt much better.


    Although for most stats he was only 150% better than an average peak human, it was still an incredible amount and had a massive effect and was obvious on his body.


    Looking in his mirror, he was chiselled and with his glimmering red eyes and slick tied back black hair; he thought he was quite handsome.


    Wearing a new set of the same plain black tracksuit and trainers and placing the old ones in the laundry, Adam walked out of his room yawning.


    "Good morning Adam, I have been thinking about what we were talking about and I think I have it," energetically said Sarah.


    Ever since she has had the opportunity to make her business from Adam and after he paid for her father''s medical bills, she has been extremely happy and energetic.


    "What have you decided," he asked nonchalantly as he sat down on the table that was full of breakfast that Sarah had already made.


    They had already gotten past the awkwardness of living with each other, and Adam was too busy to pay attention to her.


    "The AS Developers and Real Estate," she announced.


    "Or can be abbreviated to ASDARE," she added proudly.


    "Quite simple and direct, not bad. If you like it you can use it and I have prepared the money that you had asked for," he said not really caring about specifics.


    "Ever since you left, you have been so calm and emotionless, and now have red eyes. Maybe you are possessed" she commented jokingly, knowing that he was still the same kind Adam that she had spent most of her entire high school life with.


    Adam just chuckled to himself thinking about the Dungeon system and how she was technically correct.


    "Well I have filled all the paperwork and we can use your apartment as the temporary office until we start making a profit and we open an office," she stated with a wry guilty smile.


    "You have already deposited the 10 thousand I gave you, now I can give you the rest of the 50,000 you requested for you to follow your plan and we shall aim to make money within a few weeks to a few months at most, so we can both rely on it to live off" he stated.


    [System exchange 4000 gold and hopefully this will be the last gold to dollar exchange]


    {Ding, 40,000 dollars had been deposited into your account}


    "Yes, that is more than possible if we follow my plan. but if you can make so much money so quickly, why do you still want to open a company with me" she asked baffled by Adam''s logic.


    "Well, I am placing a bet on you and I have quit my job and I just want to relax at home and work on our company," he answered while scratching his head.


    "What" she exclaimed in shock.


    "Why would you quit such a high paying job, that you could do from home" she screamed.


    Sarah still believed he worked from his computer as an analyst and doing calculations for a company of some sort, but would never have imagined he gained it by looting gold from beasts he would kill in his sleep in a dungeon.


    "Please calm down, the company was falling into bankruptcy and the wage was lowering which was why I was paid to leave," he said making up an excuse on the spot quickly.


    Hearing this she calmed down and it made sense to her why he could get so much money in a short amount of time.


    "What you have done for me will not be forgotten my entire life and on the contract, you have 51% of the shares to show my sincerity," she said gratefully.


    "How many times have I told you, I was merely helping out a best friend who was in a similar situation to me," he remarked, not really caring about the money as long as he had enough to live.


    "Now let''s eat," he said stopping her from continuing her prayers of thanks.


    Adam realised that he could last much longer without getting hungry, but he also found that he could eat so much more and if he was hungry he would eat unimaginable amounts of food.


    "Ah, thanks for the food," he thanked as he lay back in his chair after he finished his food.


    Sarah knew about his appetite and prepared an enormous breakfast, enough to feed 6 people, but it was only just about enough for both of them.


    "I can''t wait for me, you, Cole and Emma to reunite at the high school reunion in 4 days and seeing how much you have changed. They won''t recognise you and it will be so funny to see their reaction," she imagined as she began to laugh at the young man in front of her.


    "Yeah it will be a really good time and I haven''t seen Cole and Emma since I had to leave," he said looking forward to meeting the rest of his good friends, especially Cole.


    "About that what are you going to wear when we go," she asked seeing that he wore the same clothing every day, even though he had many sets that he would change between each day.


    "What do you think, I am going to wear the only set of clothes I have," he answered still thinking that being comfortable beats looks when it comes to clothing.


    "No you are going to wear something nice and smart" she refuted.


    "Let''s go shopping" she exclaimed.


    Hearing this Adam slapped his forehead in regret.


    "What have I got myself into" he mumbled.

 Chapter 19: Shopping

    "But, but, I don''t have money" replied Adam, hoping to make an excuse so that he didn''t have to go shopping with her.


    "It''s fine I have some money I saved as a last resort which I can spend now as we have started the company and with the plan, we can start making money in less than a month," she refuted.


    Both looking into each other''s eyes, and seeing how adamant she was to go shopping, Adam gave in even though he didn''t want to.


    "Let''s go, but we don''t have time to waste so we must make it quick and not spend too much money," he agreed, giving in to her.


    "Great, we are going to look incredible together for the high school reunion," she exclaimed.


    After a few seconds of silence, she looked down at Adam who sat leaning on his chair unfazed and realised what she said.


    Blushing and flustered, she ran off to her room.


    "I am getting changed and we will leave" she shouted out to him as she closed her door.


    Sarah had already brought all her stuff over and took the guest room as her own.


    Sat behind her door, Sarah felt so many mixed feelings towards Adam and how he had changed so much over the years.


    Adam was technically her boss as he held 51% of their company''s shares, but they also had a close friendship.


    "If only we could date just like Cole and Emma," she mumbled to herself.


    This didn''t go unnoticed by Adam, who went to lie on the sofa and wait for Sarah.


    [I didn''t know she felt that way, but it''s too dangerous for me to date anybody and I need to focus on getting stronger in order to protect those close to me and save my Aunt and maybe even her father with the pills sold in the system] thought Adam.


    He had his priorities, and he wasn''t in a position to relax and the only reason he was spending a lot of time with Sarah was to finalise the formation and initial plan of their company.


    The thought of there being cultivators out there, that could accomplish all kinds of feats, and the mere idea of guns and blades scared Adam and he no longer saw the world as only wealth, but also strength.


    After a few minutes, Sarah managed to gain composure and wore a plain outfit of blue jeans and a white shirt and wore white trainers.


    Sarah was a very pretty girl and so was Ella and Cole was also very handsome, but in the old friendship group it was Adam who was most average in terms of appearance, but they still all got on well together.


    Sarah had hazel eyes and long wavy brown hair, which went well with her soft features and slender figure.


    "Well let''s leave now don''t just lie there," pouted Sarah.


    "Okay calm down" replied Adam as he chuckled to himself.


    Ever since integrating with the Dungeon System, Adam has been bombarded with a mix of so many emotions, but now with an old friend and was going to meet the rest of his old friends, he felt normal and happy for the first time in a few years.


    Walking out of the apartment was a young man in a plain black tracksuit with a pretty girl, who headed towards the stairs.


    Adam decided he would break the silence and awkwardness between them with some old funny memories which he cherished.


    "Remember when Cole tripped over in the lunch hall and he fell face-first into my food," said Adam as they walked down the stairs.


    Remembering the hilarious scene and looking at Adam''s face they both burst out into laughter.


    Walking out of the building while reminiscing, they overcame the previous awkwardness.


    "Where are we going," asked Adam who was dragged by Sarah into a taxi.


    "Take us to Brooklyn Maxwell Mall," she said to the taxi driver who nodded and begun to drive.


    After around 20 minutes they finally arrived and throughout the journey, Adam and Sarah were having a good time and making jokes and talking about how far they came as they reminisced about the past.


    Paying the man 15 dollars they walked out of the taxi to see an enormous mall.


    [This Maxwell Family are everywhere and are so rich, yet are not as simple as money and had their eyes on me] thought Adam wearily.


    "So what store are we going to," asked Adam who had never been to such a large mall before.


    "Well I have a nice outfit already prepared for the reunion, which is a surprise, and all we need is a suit for you, so we don''t waste too much money," she answered as she dragged him off into the crowded mall.


    They looked like a cute young couple, as they went around the mall together, but to Adam, it was an even greater feeling than that and felt the warmth of friendship and the luxury of not having to always be working and being able to relax.


    After a while, they found a nice store that didn''t seem too expensive and wasn''t an extremely well-known brand, but it still had nice clothing.


    Entering they began to look through the suit section and after a while picked out three suits for Adam to try on and they would decide between them.


    "Okay let''s go to the changing area now," said Sarah dragging him like she had been doing the entire day.


    Adam just followed without a choice and entered into the changing cubicle.


    "Wear the three-piece black first," told him, Sarah, from outside the changing cubicle, thinking that it was the best.


    Taking off his black tracksuit, Adam put on the shirt and the smart trousers that went with it. Tying the red tie, which he remembered how to do from having to wear school uniform, and put on the waistcoat and the blazer, Adam walked out of the cubicle.


    His slick black hair went perfectly with the black suit and the red tie brought out his shining red eyes.


    Sarah thought it was perfect and highlighted all his features and was a slightly tight fit, showing his muscly body.


    "Perfect, we will take this one and you don''t have to try the rest," she decided after breaking out of her mesmerised daze.


    "Okay, I don''t care anyway" replied Adam nonchalantly as he shrugged and changed back into his own clothes.


    Packing the black three-piece suit with the red tie, they paid 450 dollars, which was a lot for Adam who wanted to save money until their company allowed them to be comfortable, they left the store.


    "I need to return to the apartment and you should begin the development and finalising the initial launch plan and we don''t have time to relax now," said Adam before she could drag him to another place.


    Looking into his calm red eyes, she knew he was right and it wasn''t the time to be enjoying themselves yet.


    "Okay let''s leave and we will work hard until the reunion where we can have our fun and relax"

 Chapter 20: New York Overview

    Adam and Sarah got into a taxi with the suit in their bag and returned to their apartment.


    Meanwhile, in a high rise penthouse in New York was an old man sat at a desk with the girl that was at the Maxwell Store and a middle-aged man with her.


    "Grandpa, I hate it when dad sends me to the area filled with peasants," pouted the girl to the old man.


    "It''s good for you, my little angel, to experience the world, and you must remember that our family also came from poverty and Brooklyn," replied the old man in a spoiling manner.


    "Yes, Angela you have to experience the world, which will help with your cultivation, and that is why I sent you with Damian watching over you," added the middle-aged man sat next to her, who seemed to be her father.


    "But I am already a prodigy aren''t I," gloatingly refuted Angela.


    "Obviously my little angel is a prodigy like her cousins and can rival the rest of the large cultivation families'' direct descendants," complimented her grandfather.


    "Father don''t spoil her too much, she must learn, and there are many others who are as talented as her or maybe even more talented in cultivation in the other families that we don''t know of," stated the middle-aged man respectfully.


    "Once my great grandfather, and the ancestor of our family, was given a cultivation method by a weird man along with the ancestors of the other large families in New York: The Lin Family, The Ford Family, The Dale Family and The Epstein Family.


    The mysterious man disappeared as soon as he left them the methods and said that he had chosen them to rule the area.


    All of them were talented, which is why they were chosen by the mysterious man and were all given different cultivation methods with different unique elements and abilities and each had many wives and had dozens of children.


    Over almost a thousand years they spread throughout the city and New York was split into the 5 boroughs that it is now.


    Over time technology developed more and more and they invested more and more into businesses and wealth and overtime they also got weaker as cultivators had less talent as the bloodline got less and less concentrated over generations.


    The richest family that had accumulated the most wealth is the Epstein Family that is the underground controllers of Staten Island, and the strongest family was the Lin Family who had originated from China and had an unknown backing.


    The other three are still billionaire families and have strong cultivators within them, but were not as powerful as the top 2.


    The Lin Family have Queens as their domain, The Epstein Family have Staten Island as their domain, The Dale Family have The Bronx as their territory and The Ford Family are in control of Manhattan.


    Us the Maxwell Family have Brooklyn as our domain, but there is a lot of friction with the Lin Family as they have built an enormous Chinatown where they have spread their territory to and are slowly eating away at our territory.


    Most the families are only known as rich families and most do not know their origins and how powerful they really are. All of them had their own underground gangs and groups to keep control of their domain from the shadows and we also have many gangs, but we are still nothing compared to the Lin Family in terms of raw firepower.


    I am the fourth ever family head, because as cultivators our lives are much longer, and over the years we have recruited any talents we see to increase the power of our family, but we are still faltering.


    The new generation of the Maxwell Family is quite talented, but the youth these days are too complacent and don''t work hard or have the experience to be strong cultivators like in the past.


    There were always wars between the families, but we have had the last hundred years of peace. However, the peace may be over and there is a lot of friction between the families over wealth and power and they all covet the cultivation methods that the other families have.


    Now ..." stated the old man before being interrupted.


    "Grandpa, I already know this and you tell us this all the time, so what are we going to do" interrupted the girl.


    "Don''t be disrespectful, you spoilt brat" shouted her father.


    "Son" sternly called the old man glaring at him.


    Angela gave her father a spoilt scoff as he gave her an angry stare.


    "Son call the rest of your siblings and cousins, the elders, we will have a family meeting and make sure that we aren''t looked down upon and we won''t be the lowest family out of the cultivator New York holders" he announced.


    In a nice modern apartment was Sarah who was sat at the dinner table with lots of paperwork and seemed to be working hard on plans and sorting out and completing the formation of ASDARE, while Adam was in his room researching on his computer.


    Making the most of his time and new-found memory, Adam was absorbing as much information about everything useful as he could and after a few hours felt his mind and eyes aching.


    "Time to take a break" mumbled Adam as he jumped out of his chair and left his room.


    Seeing all the paperwork on the table, Adam was happy that the work was getting done and having put all his hopes on it and the largest shareholder of their soon to be company was looking forward to how successful she could make it.


    "What should we have for lunch that isn''t too expensive on my almost empty wallet," asked Adam as he pulled out his trouser pockets jokingly.


    "Why don''t we just have some eggs and toast we have in the fridge, which is filling, has protein and carbs and we already have it from when I went to the grocery store" suggested Sarah putting down what she was doing.


    "Yeah that sounds great and those eggs you made for breakfast were so good," said Adam as he stroked his stomach.


    After a nice meal and eating his fill, Adam lay on the sofa and had a short relaxing time.


    "Sarah once I enter my room, I can''t be disturbed until I leave," said Adam seriously, without elaborating on why.


    Seeing his expression she was puzzled, but she still nodded in affirmation as Adam got up and went into his room.


    Adam sat on his bed and took slow and deep breaths as he entered a calm, meditative and ethereal state.


    Similar to the way he was when he sat on the bench, Adam felt very comfortable as time past very quickly.


    {Ding, the host will be transported into the dungeon in 30 seconds} the system announced.


    Adam got under the covers and felt very calm and comfortable after the meditation he just did and got into a position that he knew he was fine staying in for 12 hours.


    "Time to finally explore Floor 1"

 Chapter 21: Trap

    SWOOSH


    Adam felt his soul sucked out of his body and when he felt he was back into a physical form, he opened his eyes to the usual site of the long corridor closed off by the metal gate.


    {Your dungeon form has been reset to its peak and you will be spawned in the area on Floor 1 that you were last in} the system announced.


    The large metal gate creaked open to reveal the long seemingly endless concrete corridor.


    Adam was used to the mysterious corridor that seemed both short and long, and didn''t have the same time and space as reality.


    He knew that to be transported he must be willing and not afraid, so like the previous nights, he closed his eyes and charged straight forwards.


    Feeling the same sensation of being sucked into a different space, Adam instantly felt the cold air swarm his body as he spawned in his dungeon form in the place he finished last.


    "The small Leporidae beasts have gotten scarce and hard to find and I should focus on hunting other beasts" mumbled Adam to himself.


    With the durability of his last E Rank Fur Jacket diminishing and disintegrating, Adam bought a new one like he did every 10 hours that he was in the dungeon and bought a new one for 9 system points.


    Most weapons, equipment and items bought within the system would have limited durability that would run out either by uses or over time.


    The durability of the E Rank Fur Jacket was the out of 10 and would decrease by one each hour in the extremely cold environment of Floor 1.


    With a new brown fur jacket, Adam instantly felt that the cold was mostly suppressed and once again received the same notification.


    {Environment Effect Lowered - Now speed and strength are only reduced by 1, and HP shall no longer be lowered}.


    With ASDARE, his and Sarah''s company, Adam was sure that within a few weeks he would have a sustainable amount of money without needing to rely on gold.


    Adam was trying to reduce his spending of gold and system points and was waiting to save up for the transferring feature that would allow him to take out items from is inventory in reality and not only in the dungeons.


    [System how much gold and system points do I have] he asked, wanting to gauge how close he was to his aim.


    {You have 2080 gold and 243 system points} announced the system.


    He was a quarter of the way there, yet he would still need to buy the pill and pay a transferring fee.


    Instead of letting these thoughts overwhelm and discourage him, with his Hunter''s mind, Adam was able to stay calm and use these thoughts as a drive.


    The lower forest-like area that he was in, that had the snow hare beasts, was no longer a challenge for Adam.


    "The higher up this mountain, the stronger the beasts. What beast would be in the next area closer to the central mountain" mumbled Adam in thought.


    Trudging through the snow, on an incline, heading up to higher ground, Adam was completely cautious and surveying his surroundings as he continued.


    After almost 20 minutes of continuous walking, Adam finally began to see signs of beasts.


    [This really is like a game dungeon and there are different stages the closer I get to the centre] Adam realised.


    Scouring the area with his sensitive senses, Adam didn''t find any beasts around him, but was still cautious and knew that the cold environment was suppressing his senses.


    Looking at the small paw marks in the snow, Adam assumed it was some sort of Canidae beast, which is the biological family of dog-like carnivorans.


    From his detailed research on animals, Adam was very knowledgeable on the subject and after noticing the correlation between the dungeon beasts and animals in his reality with the snow hare, he realised how valuable that knowledge was.


    "In this kind of cold environment, the most likely Canidae beasts would be a type of wolf beast, coyote beast or artic fox beast" he evaluated.


    However, it dawned on him that Canidae animals or beasts are very social and always move and live in groups, which would make it harder for him to battle them as he would have to face more that one beast at once.


    "I guess I will have to fight numbers with numbers" he decided, remembering the Collector Skill he had.


    Noticing that around him, trees were scarce and there weren''t many spaces to make a home, Adam knew that the most likely place for the beasts to be is within an enclosed den or cave somewhere in the area.


    Adam who was unarmed, after the durability of the E- Rank Wooden Club was diminished, was extremely cautious as he searched for any entrances into a den or cave of some sort.


    Following the multiple paw tracks in the snow, that luckily weren''t covered by snow, they all lead in the same direction of the small hole in the ground that was mostly covered by snow, that Adam noticed.


    Adam steeled his will, preparing for the beasts that he knew were coming.


    Repeatedly telling himself that if he died here he would still be alive in reality, he began to head closer.


    "Leporidae Summon"


    The small white hare appeared on the ground before him awaiting orders.


    Looking at his summon, Adam felt both slightly uneasy and secure seeing its power and after feeding it the claws of so many snow hares, it was very powerful.


    "We will both enter that den" he stated pointing at the hole in the ground.


    Receiving a nod from the small intelligent snow hare, both of them headed towards the hole.


    As he got was merely a metre away, Adam''s hunter mind was blaring, warning him of danger that was to come.


    Adam knew that hesitating would only waste his time and his summon that was using his MP would weaken him over time.


    "It''s now or never," he mumbled as he stepped forwards.


    However, instead of stepping on land as he expected, his foot never reached a solid surface, as the snow around the hole fell inside to reveal a much larger hole.


    It seemed to be a trap set up for him to fall inside.


    By the time he realised it was too late to turn back and couldn''t grab onto anything with the slippery snow and his numb hands, as he slid down a large hole, followed by the Leporidae summon who jumped after it''s master.


    {Ding, the host has now entered a Sub-Dungeon}

 Chapter 22: Canidae Sub-Dungeon

    {Ding, the host has now entered a Sub-Dungeon}


    "AAAAHHHH" screamed Adam as he slid down the long hole, as his back scraped against the hole of the wall.


    However, as he fell, he suddenly felt the sensation of being sucked into another space, that he felt when entering the dungeon, and when he felt that he had landed on land, opened his eyes.


    Looking around him he was in a dimly lit den of some sort that had 3 cave-like entrances before him.


    {Ding, in this Canidae Sub-Dungeon the host will have to rely on luck, power and determination to reach the end where there is a reward.


    Each entrance leads to a different stage and after completing 3 stages, the host will reach the end of the Sub-Dungeon and can return to Floor 1.


    After each stage completed, the host will reach a checkpoint that he will be transported to the next time he enters the dungeon if not completed in one try.


    However, the entrances are randomised each time and the host cannot complete it by trial and error} the system announced.


    Hearing the system''s words, he was both anxious and excited.


    "Are you ready" said Adam to his Leporidae.


    Receiving a squeak and a nod from the small white snow hare, Adam took a deep breath and walked towards the different entrances.


    Without hesitating, knowing that it would only waste his time and make him second guess himself, Adam picked one without overthinking it.


    "I will go right this time" he decided.


    Lifting the small white snow hare in his palms, despite him feeling slightly nervous around it especially with its now reinforced and strengthened claws, Adam walked into the right tunnel.


    {There is no need for the host to be scared of his Collector Skill summons as they will completely submit to you with your current charisma being at 5 points. However, as they reach a higher level of strength they will become harder to deal with. But for the current moment, the host does not need to worry and can retract the summon in the worst-case scenario in the future} the system reassured.


    As he entered the tunnel there was a sudden and loud thud from behind him that shook the ground.


    Adam turned to there being a large wall blocking off his retreat, but instead of being worried, Adam continued forth with anticipation of what was to come.


    As he continued forwards, there was an end of the tunnel and an open and empty area.


    Adam thinking that he had lucked out and chose the easiest route ran straight into the open area, but as soon as he entered the tunnel was closed off in the same way the entrance was.


    {Stage 1 - Defeat 5 LVL 5 Arctic Foxes} the system announced.


    As he heard this, similar to a game, 5 quite small white and grey foxes spawned out of thin air before him.


    "Shit" he exclaimed as he jumped back to make some distance between them and have his back to the wall so he couldn''t be sneak attacked.


    "I really am lucky especially when my summon is a hare and am battling arctic foxes" he mumbled sarcastically.


    The Leporidae Summon in his hand seemed to be offended by his joke and seemed to hate being looked down upon as it jumped out of his palms and glared at the fox beasts.


    [It seems my summons really do have a consciousness] he noted seeing how it reacted.


    Leporidae Summon


    LVL: 5


    HP: 90


    Strength: 10


    Speed: 21


    Intelligence: 13


    Special Traits - Camouflage


    Types Integrated - Snow Hare


    Enhancements - Strengthened Claws


    Seeing the stats of his Leporidae Summon that he had fed all the claws of the snow hares he defeated, Adam was confident in its ability.


    Arctic Fox


    LVL: 5


    HP: 130


    Strength: 14


    Speed: 15


    Intelligence: 13


    Then seeing the statuses of the arctic foxes, Adam was unsure who would win in a battle but seeing their intelligence being on par knew it would be close.


    Canidae and Leporidae beasts are both very intelligent, but almost every time they shared an ecosystem, the Leporidae beasts would be prey to the Canidae beasts.


    The fox beasts seemed to be programmed to be hostile towards Adam and his summons as they growled furiously at them and made Adam wonder who or what exactly was the Dungeon System and where it came from.


    However, in the current situation, Adam didn''t have the time to think to himself and got ready and prepared for battle.


    With his fists clenched he slowly approached the growling beasts.


    They were in a quite small enclosed room formed of some kind of rock and was like a small cave that was around 10 metres in length, and it being closed off made it so that there was no escape.


    It was somehow mysteriously dimly lit without a light source, yet after everything he had seen, Adam just shrugged it off as normal and focused on the situation ahead of him.


    The Leporidae Summon instead of waiting for orders suddenly burst off its feet towards the closest arctic fox.


    Adam not wanting his summon to get injured, which would waste his MP, chased after it, but the difference in speed was too large.


    After hunting in the dungeon a few times now, Adam realised that his MP wasn''t only for using skills but also represented the energy in his body and his overall stamina and when it was lowered he felt that his body would become sluggish and tired.


    The fox beasts seemed to be stuck in the position they were in, but as soon as Adam''s summon attacked, what was holding them back seemed to be released.


    The seemingly weak snow hare with its fast speed lunged at the closest fox beast and slashed with its dagger-like claws and gauged out the beast''s eyes mercilessly and jumped backwards in retreat.


    Howling in pain the fox beast despite being blinded charged towards the snow hare relying on its strong sense of smell as the rest of the beasts followed after him furiously.

 Chapter 23: Completing Stage 1

    The small white hare jumped back in retreat as the 5 arctic foxes charged towards it and Adam.


    Seeing the beasts charging towards him being led by his Leporidae Summon, Adam felt adrenaline surge through his body as he prepared for battle.


    As his summon reached closer to him, it jumped up onto Adam''s shoulder who was also charging at the beasts.


    With its strong sense of smell and hearing, the blinded arctic fox sensed Adam charging towards it and feeling the distance being short it pounced as it unhinged it jaw revealing its dagger-like teeth.


    Twisting his body with all his power and using the momentum of him charging forth, Adam swung his right fist with all the force he could produce and sent his fish crashing into the side of the beasts head.


    The beast that was struck mid-air, was flung to the side as its trajectory was knocked off course, but before it hit the ground there was a white flash.


    Adam''s Leporidae Summon launched itself off Adam''s shoulder and with its claws slashed open the side of the falling beast adding to its injuries as it slid across the ground and crashed into the corner of the closed cave.


    The arctic fox beasts were even more enraged as they saw their companion on the verge of death whimpering in the corner of the cave.


    Blood streamed out of the wound on its face and side and with such a hard strike to the side of its head, it was unable to move as it lost more and more blood and slowly died in pain.


    {Would you like to collect this beast as your Canidae base beast. YES / NO} the system asked within his mind.


    [No] replied Adam to focused on the battle before to care about gaining it as a summon.


    However, by him declining he felt that something had entered his inventory as the beast''s body disintegrated into pixels.


    Adam jumped back to create some distance and quickly checked his inventory praying that it was a weapon of some sort to help him in the battle he was in.


    E Rank Arctic Fang Dagger


    Effects:


    +2 in speed


    "Just what I needed" he mumbled gratefully as he withdrew the dagger from his inventory.


    It was a small dagger that was completely white and extremely sharp with a curved blade and a small hilt that perfectly fit his hand.


    With a weapon, he felt less vulnerable against the beasts and knew that the longer the battle took, the more MP his summon would use, so charged straight at the rest of the beasts who were dazed by their dead companion. but now stormed at Adam in a frenzy.


    "Support me with your speed, but don''t get hit and manoeuvre around them with your speed" Adam ordered sternly to his summon, knowing that he was still in control over them from what the system told him.


    The 4 beasts pounced at Adam with their claws wanting to slash at him, and after seeing their companion defeated when fighting solo, attacked together.


    Adam knowing that 2 more stages were to come wanted to save as much HP as he could, and managed to evade three of them, but was struck by one of them that left three deep claw wounds on his back.


    -18 HP


    With his pain resistance and battle focus, he turned around rapidly and using the spinning momentum, dug his dagger into the neck of the beast that slashed him as the Lepoirdae Summon slashed at the throat another one of the beasts.


    Both Adam and his summon, fatally injuring two of the opponents ran back in retreat, making distance between the two beasts left and giving time for the other two beasts to suffocate and die.


    {Would you like to collect this beast as your Canidae base beast. YES / NO}


    This time Adam accepted it as the beast disappeared and Adam felt it appear within his mind, knowing that there was still another one that would give him another dagger that he held in his left hand.


    With his speed increased by 4 points, it became 19 and was almost on par with his Leporidae summon as he felt his body being massively boosted.


    [Dual weapons are amazing and I can get twice the power boost than single weapons] Adam thought in awe of the speed he felt in his body.


    In this state, he had double the speed of an average human. However, in the current state of reality, most were unhealthy and were subpar to the average that it should be and the average that the Dungeon System set and therefore was even faster than he thought.


    The average sprinting speed of an average man is between 15 and 20 mph depending on small factors to do with their lifestyle that didn''t affect them too much allowing them to still meet the average.


    This made Adam able to reach speeds of around 40 mph, which was an incredible feeling for somebody who had an extremely weak body less than a week ago, before he had integrated with the Dungeon System.


    With the two daggers in hand and now being faster than the fox beasts, Adam was confident in easily winning the battle, but the only thing he was trying to accomplish was to leave unscathed.


    "Leporidae Summon Return" he ordered having used up 4 MP points by having it summoned.


    Having 17 MP points, it wasn''t detrimental and didn''t have a massive toll on Adam, but he knew that it was better to save it and be prepared for the stages to come.


    "I can finish this stage alone" he roared as he burst off his feet towards the final two arctic beasts.


    Despite Canidae animals and beasts being very loyal and group orientated, fox beasts were unique in their cunning and sly nature that was mostly due to their intelligence that surpassed most other Canidae beasts.


    Both gave up on the idea of battle and wanted to throw each other under the bus and find a way for their own survival.


    But in those moments of hesitation and planning for a way out, Adam had already reached them and with his daggers in a reverse grip, dug them in the side of their throats and dragged the blade using his momentum and force as he ran past and ripped their bodies open as blood spurted all over him.


    Instantly their body disintegrated into pixels like they usually would, but he noticed that the blood that went on him didn''t disappear with it.


    Adam sat down and caught his breath after his battle as he returned his daggers into the inventory.


    [If this is stage 1 I wonder how hard the rest of this Sub-Dungeon will be] he thought to himself as three new tunnels appeared before him.

 Chapter 24: Entering Stage 2

    Adam sat down for a few minutes relaxing and recovering after his battle.


    "Status"


    Mortal LVL: 5


    EXP: 233 / 400


    HP: 123 / 140


    MP: 13 / 17


    Strength: 14


    Speed: 15+4


    Intelligence: 19


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    Seeing his HP and MP had already lowered on the first stage, Adam was unsure whether he would be able to complete the Sub-Dungeon in one try and was also curious about whether he had good luck and what was to come.


    After a while, he stood up, deciding not to dwell on it for too long, and without overthinking it decided he would go through the middle tunnel.


    Adam knew he had no time to waste and the thought that there were powerful cultivators out there kept lingering within his mind.


    "I wonder how people cultivate" he mumbled to himself as there was a large thud behind him from the tunnel being closed off.


    Seeing the empty area that was double the size of the previous one, Adam now knew that it didn''t mean that he had lucked out and with his daggers in hand cautiously headed to leave the tunnel.


    As soon as he stepped out of the tunnel and into the larger open cave, 5 LVL 6 coyotes appeared out of thin air.


    He intentionally only stepped in with one foot, hoping to outsmart the dungeon and retreat back into the tunnel if he wanted to retreat.


    But just as he was about to turn back into the tunnel, he was pushed in by an invisible force and the tunnel was closed off, as he faced off against 5 strong and furiously growling coyotes.


    "Darn system" shouted Adam who was forcefully trapped into a cave with 5 scary coyotes.


    They were much larger than the fox beasts, so Adam assumed they would have less speed and more strength.


    Coyote


    LVL: 6


    HP: 170


    Strength: 17


    Speed: 14


    Intelligence: 14


    Seeing the beasts stats Adam couldn''t help but become cautious and nervous to battle them seeing their higher HP and strength.


    With his two daggers in hand, Adam still had an advantage in terms of speed and intelligence, but was disadvantaged in every other way including numbers.


    Biting his tongue to jolt himself out his fear, Adam allowed desire to drive him and his wish to be stronger, wealthier and most importantly to be able to save and provide for his aunt, and burst towards them without hesitation.


    With his daggers and boosted speed he was almost twice as fast as an average prime human had covered the 10-metre distance between them in seconds.


    The enclosed cave-like room he was in was 20 metres long and the 5 beasts stood in the centre.


    In the same way as the past stage, the beasts were programmed for aggression and didn''t seem to be able to attack until they were attacked, so Adam exploited the advantage he was provided.


    He attacked the beast to the far left and holding his daggers in a standard grip, dug both his daggers upwards into the beast''s throat as blood burst out of the wounds.


    -90


    As soon as Adam attacked him, he felt the beast could move and with his faster speed and reflexes was able to jump back before the beast could counter-attack.


    -5


    -10


    -7


    Adam could see that the initial attack took more than half of the beast''s health that continued to rapidly fall as it lost more blood and struggled to breathe.


    Already seeing the beast he attacked as defeated as it collapsed in its pool of blood, Adam had 4 beasts left to defeat.


    Knowing that attacking all four of them would only cause him unnecessary injury and struggle, Adam planned to split up the beasts as he circled around the outer walls of the cave to spread out the beasts that attempted to catch up and stop him.


    It was both exhilarating and thrilling, and scary as he fought against 5 coyotes with his daggers and he felt the wind crash against his face as he ran at incredible speeds for an average human.


    As he ran past, a single coyote beast that was closest to him, pounced before him attempting to block him off as the rest attempted to catch up to them.


    Running past Adam slid under the coyote that pounced at him, and as it was was mid-air, he slid under it and stabbed his twin daggers into the stomach of the beast and used his forwards momentum to slice its stomach open as he slid past.


    -80


    Blood splattered all over Adam''s face as he slid past and as he stood back up and continued running so that the rest of the coyotes couldn''t catch up to him.


    He lost a small amount of HP and could feel his back stinging and his fur jacket being scraped and losing durability, but wasn''t affected majorly.


    Adam felt that the first coyote he had attacked had died as he received a notification.


    {Would you like to integrate this beast as a part of your Canidae Summon YES / NO}


    [Yes] answered Adam who already had his daggers and didn''t need a weapon.


    Instantly he felt a figure of a coyote integrate with the arctic fox beast within his mind in a place that seemed to be formed by the Collector Skill.


    The beasts walked straight into each other and as they collided they fused and formed a hybrid beast that was in between the two beasts in terms of size and gained some of the speed of the Arctic fox and the strength of the coyote.


    Watching the scene within his mind, Adam was in awe, but being in the heat of battle couldn''t pay attention to the moment and focused on his battle.


    But he couldn''t help but think about how incredible his Collector Skill was and wonder what its limits were.


    The second coyote beast that had its internal organs shredded by Adam''s slash had also died within seconds and disintegrated into pixels.


    Adam felt an item had entered his inventory and knew he had gained gold, but didn''t check what it was and suddenly stopped running and turned to the final three beasts that stuck together after realising Adam''s tactic.


    "There is no point to continue running, now to finish these final three beasts" he mumbled with a devilish smile, enthralled in the heat and adrenaline rush of battle.

 Chapter 25: Completing Stage 2

    Adam stood with his back against the wall, and was covered in blood as he faced off against the slowly approaching final three coyotes.


    His daggers dripped blood.


    Adam weirdly felt a satisfied feeling after killing and it was almost as though he slightly enjoyed it.


    Instead of feeling upset that he enjoyed the thrill of battle and killing beasts, but instead of facing a probable truth, Adam took a therapeutic approach to digesting the realisation.


    [It must be due to the Hunter''s Mind that makes it so that I enjoy to hunt and it makes it easier for me as I don''t feel guilty after killing beasts] stated Adam who avoided the thought of he himself enjoying the battling and subconsciously avoided any thoughts that would bring him a mental crisis.


    The three smart coyotes stuck close together as they approached Adam who was also slowly retreating as he planned his next move.


    Despite the intelligence stat of Adam and the coyotes not being far off each other, the intelligence was subjective to each race that would vary in application, so a human having a 10 intelligence stat could be comparable to a beast with a 30 intelligence stat in terms of intelligence when it comes to retaining and using information.


    However, the intelligence stat is not only limited to mental capability but also includes sensory ability and the use of energy.


    So despite them not being as directly smart as their stat shows, they had very sensitive senses and had different applications of their high intelligent stat compared to Adam who had improved mostly on mental capability and sensory ability.


    He knew that taking them head-on, although he would still be able to defeat them, would cause him injury and use up his HP and MP that he needed to save for the final stage.


    He had the option of using his summons from the Collector Unique Skill, but didn''t want to become too reliant on the ability and also wanted to save his MP.


    As they continued to approach him and he kept the same distance between himself and them, Adam after a few minutes didn''t reach a solution that wouldn''t use up his MP and or HP, but had a risky idea that he had thought up that might work.


    "I don''t have time to waste and need to finish this now" he stated as he burst off his feet towards the left.


    As he ran to the side he was running in an inward arc so that he could collide with the beasts in the centre of the enclosed cave they were in, so that he would have space to manoeuvre.


    With a 7-metre distance between them, Adam and the beasts were charging at each other head-on, exactly like had guessed.


    The beasts expecting to collide head-on for close combat battle were not prepared for the risky move that Adam had planned.


    From 5 metres away Adam used all the force in his arms and tried to get the aim and trajectory as accurately as possible as he threw the dagger in his right hand aiming at the coyote in the middle.


    The dagger was too quick to be dodged and the coyotes were running in that direction anyway so their momentum would only make the strike more fatal.


    The coyote in the middle was trapped with no way out as the dagger struck the middle of his forehead, splitting his head and slashing into the coyote''s brain.


    Reflexively the two other coyote beasts jumped to the sides and changed the direction they were running in slightly, which is exactly what Adam was planning for as they played right into his hands.


    Dashing towards the coyote beast towards his left, Adam was overjoyed that his risky plan that had many uncontrollable variables and contingencies actually went in exactly the way he planned.


    Passing the dagger in his left hand to his right hand and into a standard grip, Adam was ready to attack.


    Despite becoming ambidextrous as an effect of the Hunter''s mind that allowed him to have better control over his mind and body, he still felt more comfortable using his right hand that he had used since birth.


    The way Adam would battle was that he would use weapons in the most direct and efficient ways that he was able to and inspired to do from movies and series that you would see on television, but had never had any real training on the use of weapons.


    By the time the coyote beasts realised their mistake, it was too late and Adam had already reached the coyote beast he was aiming for that couldn''t react before it was stabbed dagger.


    As Adam drove his dagger into the beast, it wasn''t a sure kill strike and the beast slashed back with its sharp claws towards his throat in a final bid to take down Adam with him.


    Pulling back his head with all his force, Adam only just managed to dodge the fatal attack, but was deeply slashed from his lip down to his neck.


    The deep slash had split Adam''s lip and went down to his neck but luckily didn''t slice through his throat otherwise the attack would have been enough to kill him.


    If it was his real body would have a deep scar for the rest of his life, but knowing that it was merely his dungeon form and had only lost 20 HP, Adam wasn''t overwhelmed by the pain and focused on the situation at hand.


    Withdrawing the dagger than stabbing the beast in the side again, Adam repeatedly stabbed the beast''s side and each time would receive a notification of how much damage it lost.


    -12


    -24


    -15


    -27


    Until it died and disintegrated into pixels within his hand and so did the beast that Adam had thrown his dagger into its hand leaving behind the dagger on the ground.


    With one beast left it was an easy kill and as he ran towards it he swept up his blade into his left hand.


    As he reached closer to the whimpering coyote beast, that was intimidated by the scene of its companions being ruthlessly killed, Adam launched himself into the air.


    With the force and momentum of him falling down onto the beast, Adam stabbed his two daggers down with each one piercing through an eye and slashing into the beast''s brain, as blood squirted onto Adam''s face.


    Falling backwards onto the ground Adam had finally completed the stage as the beast disappeared and his blades fell onto the ground, while he lay there.

 Chapter 26: Entering Stage 3

    With the deep slash on his face and the constant stream of blood from the wound, Adam was constantly losing small amounts of HP, and even though it wouldn''t kill him, it would lower his HP for the final stage.


    Taking off his shirt, Adam wrapped it tightly around his lower face and neck to reduce the blood that he lost.


    Once again three tunnels revealed themselves, but instead of rushing in, Adam knew that he would be weakened if he overworked himself recklessly and sat down in a cross-legged position calmly as he allowed his faster natural recovery to reduce the wound on his face and recover is stamina that was beginning to tire out after two intense battles.


    He felt the same weird comfortable feeling while he sat down cross-legged calmly as he felt as though he would enter an ethereal and meditative state.


    After a while, Adam finally awoke from the meditative state he was in and could feel that both his MP and HP had risen slightly after the rest that he had.


    "How long has it been, system," asked Adam who would never know how much time would pass every time he went into the ethereal state that would block off his senses from the surroundings and make time become a mere blur.


    {4 hours have passed within the dungeon and 2 hours in reality} the system answered.


    He was shocked that 4 hours had past when he only felt that it was a few minutes, and was wondering how much his natural recovery recovered his HP and MP.


    "Status"


    Mortal LVL: 5


    EXP: 233 / 400


    HP: 132 / 140


    MP: 15 / 17


    Strength: 14


    Speed: 15


    Intelligence: 19


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    He was satisfied with his current state and how much he had recovered and felt as though he was ready for the final stage.


    Adam had a horrific deep scar of three claws that went from his sliced lip and down to his neck and still felt pain from his face, but was unfazed and knew that it wouldn''t be permanent on his body.


    Equipping his two daggers in preparation for the final stage, Adam headed towards the three tunnels.


    Before he chose a tunnel he checked the inventory to check what the coyote beasts gave him, but it was merely some fur that wouldn''t be useful to him in battle.


    "What tunnel should I chose this time" he mumbled to himself.


    In the same way as the first two stages, Adam didn''t overthink it and took the left tunnel because he previously took the right and middle tunnel and was hoping that he had lucked out.


    As soon as he stepped into the tunnel and it closed off behind him he felt that his heart was pounding as he was both nervous and excited for the final stage in the Canidae sub-dungeon.


    It was exactly the same tunnel as for the first two stages, but this time it was double the size of the second stage and had a rough length of 40 metres.


    Stepping into the open area and out of the stage his retreat was instantly blocked off and he stood on the edge of the open cave, but nothing appeared before him.


    "Did I luck out and I don''t have to battle" he assumed and just as he was about to celebrate he heard a notification resound within his mind.


    {Sub-Dungeon Boss Initiated - Grey Wolf King} the system announced.


    As he heard this the miraculously lit cave flashed with light and suddenly a large grey wolf appeared out of nowhere.


    Above the large grey wolf were his status and his name hovering in dark red.


    Grey Wolf King


    LVL 7


    HP: 200


    Strength: 19


    Speed: 16


    Intelligence: 15


    Seeing his status, Adam couldn''t help but be intimidated and its size was comparable to that of a bear, but it still had the speed and intelligence of a Candiae beast with the large strong body.


    Its blades shined and each tooth was large enough to form a blade as its red eyes glared at Adam furiously.


    {Canidae Boss - this is the final stage of this sub-dimension and the Grey Wolf King is in a berserk state and has extreme hatred towards the host} the system announced.


    {You have lucked out} the system stated seriously.


    "How is this lucky, is the other possibilities stronger beasts," asked Adam baffled by how he was lucky.


    The beast seemed to be held back in the same way the other beasts were before Adam attacked so he knew that he could still converse with the system as it growled and barked at him rabidly.


    {No, you are lucky to have the hardest final stage} stated the system.


    Adam could tell from the tone of the robotic voice of the system, that it was being completely serious and wasn''t joking with him.


    "How the hell am I lucky to have to face off against that monster" he exclaimed.


    {The host has been lucky in every stage and had the hardest possible outcome for each stage, which will allow for the host to have a greater final reward} the system explained.


    Adam surprised himself by his own happiness at having harder battles that allowed him to push himself further and the joy wasn''t mostly because of the rewards but was because he weirdly liked battling.


    Wiping the thought that had risen again of him weirdly enjoying battle, Adam took a deep breath and sat cross-legged wanting to calm his mind before the battle began.


    Suddenly he was interrupted by another notification in his mind.


    {The Boss Battle has begun} the system announced just as he sat down.


    Instantly the beast was released and charged towards Adam who was 20 metres away from him.


    "Shit, fuck you system" he screamed as he jumped up and charged towards the last beast.


    Adam having lost the advantage of the first strike knew that against such a powerful beast nothing should be held back.


    "Leporidae Summon"


    "Canidae Summon"


    "Goblin Summon"


    A small white hare with razor-sharp claws, a medium-sized beast that had a mix of fox and coyote features and a small stocky goblin with a club in its hands appeared out of thin air next to Adam.


    "Attack" he roared.

 Chapter 27: Grey Wolf Boss Beast

    Adam along with a small white hare, a hybrid fox-coyote beast and a stocky goblin all charged at the large grey wolf that was also charging at them.


    With the highest speed, Adam and the snow hare were the closest to the grey wolf beast followed shortly after by his Canidae Summon and with the Goblin Summon that was lagging behind.


    About to clash with the demonic grey wolf, Adam used his forwards momentum and slid directly under the grey wolf and while passing under his body slashed at its legs.


    Jumping up and ignoring the pain he was feeling from his back that was scraped, Adam shouted out his orders for his summons.


    "Leporidae Summon distract and attack the wolf as you exploit your advantage in speed"


    "Canidae Summon keep your distance and only attack when you have a clear strike and can retreat without damage"


    "Goblin Summon you deal heavy blows when you have the opportunity for clear strikes and make sure not to get injures"


    "Make sure all of you avoid injury and exploit the distraction that myself and Leporidae Summon are causing the grey wolf"


    Adam''s orders were stern, direct and precise as he received nods of affirmation from all his summons.


    Meanwhile, the grey wolf beast, that was unfazed by the slashes on its legs, seemed to be specifically aimed at Adam as he swivelled around and chased after Adam who had slid under him.


    "Come here trashy dog, catch me if you can" provoked Adam as he acted as a distraction and allowed his summons to have a clear strike in his back.


    The small white hare burst up into the air and landed on the back of the wild and giant Grey Wolf Beast and began to slash at its back with its razor-sharp claws, while the other summons ran after the wolf trying to get a clear strike on its back.


    Despite the deep slashes and the sharpness of the Leporidae Summon''s claws, the grey wolf unlike the other beasts seemed unfazed and lost hardly any HP.


    {Ding, New Stat Introduced - Resistance} the system announced.


    "What the hell system, this isn''t the time for new stats to be introduced" Adam screamed as he continued running away from the grey wolf beast.


    Ignoring his screams the system continued.


    {This is a compulsory announcement that the host must listen to and is beneficial in the host''s current situation} the system stated.


    {The Resistance Stat is a numerical representation of how much damage, pressure or anything that has an effect on the body, mind or soul that the being can take. Like the rest of the stats the system has averaged from a prime average human at 10 points.} the system explained.


    Hearing the system''s explanation he realised that HP wasn''t enough and didn''t show him how hard it was for somebody to lose HP, which is where the resistance stat came in.


    [What is my Resistance and what is the grey wolf''s Resistance] he asked, while still running around in circle away from the grey wolf.


    {The host''s current Resistance is 14 and the grey wolf''s resistance is 22} the system stated.


    [No wonder it is hardly fazed by the comparingly insignificant and small hare that was slashing at its back] thought Adam to himself.


    "That''s it, I''ve had enough running" he roared as he ran straight at the wall in front of him and intentionally lowered his speed for the wolf to get closer to him.


    "Get ready for an all-out joint attack" he signalled to his summons as he ran straight at the wall.


    When he reached a metre away from the wall, he suddenly jumped up as he turned around midair and burst off the wall and landed behind the grey wolf beast, hoping that it wouldn''t be able to abruptly stop and it would crash into the wall.


    What he didn''t expect was a sudden complete turn from the large beast that slashed at Adam, who was stood behind it with its front paw.


    Luckily Adam had already added the beast being able to turn into his calculations and as he barely dodged the attack from the beast he had a pleased and evil smile.


    "Now" he screamed.


    His three beast summons that were all circulating around the outer perimeters of the stage, in a perfectly timed manner, had reached right next to the grey wolf as he faced off with Adam.


    Adam jumped back away from the beast before it could strike again and from his last gamble in the previous stage, wanted to see if it would pay off a second time.


    [With so much resistance, I need to blind it before me and my summons can break it down and slowly kill it without taking damage] he realised.


    Mid-air while jumping back he swung his arms forwards with as much power as he could.


    After many battles, he was beginning to understand more about combat, as he threw his daggers aiming at the grey wolf''s eyes.


    The grey wolf was being attacked from both sides by Adam''s summons and had two daggers blitzing towards his eyes.


    Overwhelmed by the multiple attacks in all directions and in that moment of hesitation, it was too late for him to react.


    The blades dug straight into the wolf''s eyes as they embedded themselves within his eyes.


    AAAWWWOOO


    The grey wolf beast howled in pain as the daggers blinded him and caused him immense pain.


    "Continue to attack" ordered Adam as the blinded wolf pounced on top of him and dug his claws into Adam''s chest.


    The Leporidae Summon still on top of the wolf, continued to hack at its back and inflicting as many wounds to it as possible to make it lose as much HP and strength as he could.


    While the Canidae Summon was gnashing at the wolf''s side as its large dagger-like teeth dug into its side and the Goblin Summon with its large club, used its stocky body that gave him incredible strength to pound the wolf''s other side with all its power.


    Meanwhile, Adam''s chest was being ripped to shreds by the grey wolf beast''s claws as Adam was held down by its large body and couldn''t escape.


    "Finish it" he screamed as he watched his and the wolf''s HP fall at rapid rates.

 Chapter 28: Canidae Sub-Dungeon Completed

    It was no longer a direct battle and was now a competition between Adam and the Grey Wolf Boss Beast at who could stay alive and deal with the pain for longer before the other dies.


    Adam could see his HP staggering rapidly as the grey wolf continued to wildly hack at his body, while he could also see that the grey wolf''s health was also falling quickly but with its larger amount of HP and higher resistance, Adam was disadvantaged.


    Managing to lift his arm that wasn''t being held down by the grey wolf, Adam dug the dagger in his right hand into the wolf''s neck dealing him a fatal blow as the grey wolf continued to be battered and hacked by his summons.


    Despite the excruciating pain and blood leaking from his mouth, Adam had a fulfilled smile as he could see that at the current pace the grey wolf was losing extreme amounts of blood and was dying at a faster pace than Adam.


    Collapsing on top of Adam the grey wolf could no longer stand as he lay on top of Adam who was stuck in the pool of blood they had produced.


    "Retract Leporidae and Canidae Summon" he stated as he felt the small hare and the fox-coyote hybrid return to his mind while the goblin stood there continuing to beat the grey wolf as per its orders.


    "Push this beast''s body off me" ordered Adam to the goblin summon who had the most strength out of all his summons.


    The goblin put down the club that seemed to be part of it as a summon and with its green hands and stocky body pushed over the large body of the grey wolf that lay over Adam.


    "Status"


    Mortal LVL: 5


    EXP: 233 / 400


    HP: 43 / 140


    MP: 5 / 17


    Strength: 14


    Speed: 15


    Intelligence: 19


    Resistance: 14


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    Seeing the detrimental state he was in both in HP and MP he knew that his dungeon hunting for the day was over, but was excited to see his reward for completing the Canidae Sub-Dungeon as he watched the few HP points the grey wolf had left dwindle away.


    The grey wolf only able to still be alive with its powerful resistance and its large amount of HP that not only showed the amount of damage that a being can take but was also a representation of the amount of vitality that the being had and effected recovery speeds and other body functions.


    "Retract Goblin Summon"


    In this battle, Adam was reminded just how incredible and powerful the Collector Skill was and without it he wouldn''t have been able to win in this battle.


    Still trying to clutch onto life it took a few minutes before the grey wolf boss beast finally died.


    {Would you like to integrate this beast as a part of your Canidae Summon YES / NO}


    [Yes] replied Adam without any hesitation knowing that it would boost his Canidae Summon''s Resistance, Strength and HP.


    In the same way, as when he integrated the coyote beast with the arctic fox beast, a figure of a grey wolf that was identical to the one he just defeated appeared as his coyote-fox beast walked straight into the grey wolf and their bodies fused.


    It was a wondrous sight to behold as he saw a new beast form from out of the beasts fusing together.


    His Canidae Summon was now much larger but was still smaller and leaner than the grey wolf with bustling muscles under its now grey and white fur and had incredibly sharp teeth and claws.


    It had taken the strengths of all the beasts integrated into it.


    Barely managing to sit up, Adam attempted to enter into the calm state he would usually enter that he felt would boost his recovery speed, but was interrupted by a series of sudden notifications.


    {Congratulations the host has completed the Mortal Canidae Sub-Dungeon}


    {Rewards - Bloodlust, 500 EXP, 5000 gold and 2 Stat Points} the system announced.


    Hearing the sudden notifications Adam was overjoyed and baffled by what Blood Lust was.


    However, before he could ask he felt his body increase in power as it in an instant completely recovered and improved.


    Jumping up with his improved and completely recovered body Adam was elated as he flexed his muscles and felt his face that previously had a scar that was now back to normal.


    [This must mean that each time I increase in LVL my entire body as well as improving also completely recovers to its prime state] observed Adam and remembering it as an advantage he would have in battle if he could suddenly completely recover after gaining enough EXP to LVL UP.


    "Status"


    Mortal LVL: 6


    EXP: 340 / 800


    HP: 150 / 150


    MP: 18 / 18


    Strength: 15


    Speed: 16


    Intelligence: 20


    Resistance: 15


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    His rewards and progress after completing the Canidae Sub-Dungeon were phenomenal and he was happy with his improvement, but he still felt that it could be faster as the thought of there being powerful cultivators continued to linger within his mind.


    Adam was by no means complacent and as a massive opportunist, was always looking for ways to improve himself.


    [System what is Bloodlust, is it a skill or technique] asked Adam, who obviously knew the meaning of the word and had a rough idea of what it could be, but wanted an exact explanation from the system.


    {Bloodlust is neither a technique nor a skill, but is a characteristic that will be added to the host if he accepts it} the system stated.


    [So, what does it do] asked Adam curiously.


    {It will give the host a dense and thick Bloodlust, which is the desire to kill, when the host first sees or draws blood and as the host kills beings and continues to kill the host''s power and Bloodlust will continue to rise. With many other advantages such as clearing the host''s mind in battle leaving only the drive to kill and can also make the host not feel pain during a heated battle} the system explained.


    To Adam, it would be an incredibly beneficial characteristic to have while hunting in the dungeon, but what worried him was that if he was in reality and saw any blood, he might be unable to do stop himself from killing somebody.


    {The characteristics also has the disadvantage of being hard to control and suppress when the host doesn''t have the desire to kill and is a risky characteristic to have that can grant the host limitless power boosts during a tough battle, but can be hard to control} the system stated.


    {Do you wish to integrate with the Bloodlust characteristic} the system asked.


    Adam knew the risks, but without risks, one cannot succeed and he would never miss out on an opportunity.


    "Yes"

 Chapter 29: Limitless System

    {Do you wish to gain the Bloodlust characteristic} the system asked.


    "Yes"


    Adam noticed that during the system''s explanation that it said ''beings'' instead of beasts when explaining his Bloodlust characteristic, which confirmed his thought of the characteristic still being with him in reality, but knowing that there were cultivators out there it weirdly made him feel safer to have the characteristic that would remove all guilt while killing and would opposing bring him joy.


    Waiting and expecting to feel an awakening of the characteristic or a painful experience before he gained the characteristic, Adam was confused when nothing happened and after standing still for a minute with his fists tightly clenched waiting for something to happen, but nothing happened.


    [System has the characteristic been integrated] he asked.


    {Yes, I don''t know what the host was waiting for and the characteristics that are obtainable are based upon the host and as the host has already realised you already had a heavy Bloodlust before integrating with the characteristic} the system stated.


    The realisation that he subconsciously avoided was now confirmed by the system, but now gaining a complete characteristic for it, he was unsure of whether it was a good or a bad thing.


    But the one thing he did know was that he needed strength and if this would help him achieve his aim, then the consequences can be dealt with.


    {The host will now be transported back to Floor 1 and the host still has 12 hours in the Dungeon} the system announced.


    Instantly he felt the same sensation of being sucked from one space and into another and as soon as he felt he was back in a physical form he was struck the bone-chilling winds of the mountain.


    However, he could also feel that it had slightly less of an effect on him even without the E- Rank Fur Jacket.


    "This must be because of my resistance stat increasing which improves the body''s resistance to anything and everything that would have an effect on me" he mumbled to himself.


    "That reminds me I have 3 stat points, right, system" he remembered.


    {That is correct the host has 3 unused stat points, one from the LVL UP and the other two for completion of the Canidae Sub-Dungeon} the system confirmed.


    "Spend 1 on MP, 1 on Speed and 1 on resistance" he decided.


    Adam''s ideal fighting style would be one that would use a lot of MP when using his Collector Skill, while he relies on extreme speed to overwhelm his opponents.


    While the resistance stat increase was only for him to be able the cope with the cold better on the Floor he was currently on.


    "Status"


    Mortal LVL: 6


    EXP: 340 / 800


    HP: 150 / 150


    MP: 19 / 19


    Strength: 15


    Speed: 17


    Intelligence: 20


    Resistance: 16


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    Seeing his status he was pleased and couldn''t help but see that his highest stats were his MP and Intelligence and from playing games he came up with the obvious conclusion.


    "I am on track to becoming a mage" he exclaimed.


    But remembering his unique constitution, he knew he couldn''t be put into specific categories and was capable to be any type of cultivator and could fit into any class as long as he used his stat points and system points in the areas that suited that area.


    "For now I will hunt on this stage of the dungeon where I should be able to find Canidae beasts" decided Adam who wanted to focus on what he could do in the current moment and didn''t want to ponder to far into the future and get distracted.


    He knew that the Dungeon was split into different stages and in this dungeon, the lowest stage was the Leporidae stage and now he was in the Canidae stage.


    What he noticed while he hunted snow hares is that they would respawn or be replaced every time he returned back to the Dungeon in similar areas so it is most likely made and controlled by the system.


    Suppressing the thought that kept rising about the origin of the Dungeon System, Adam withdrew his two daggers, that he had placed the inventory, and was reminded about another thing he didn''t check, the item he received from killing the Grey Wolf Boss Beast.


    Checking his inventory he was let down to see that it was only an E Rank Wolf Sabre as he was hoping for an E+ Rank weapon or maybe even a D- Rank weapon.


    It was still a good weapon and had pretty good effects.


    E Rank Wolf Sabre


    Effects:


    +10 in HP


    +1 Resistance


    +1 Strength


    Putting it back in the inventory he chose the daggers that he could dual wield as his main weapons for the time being.


    "I also have the fighting style of a rogue and an assassin" he realised.


    Using short blades and relying mainly on speed and stealth for quick kills was very similar to the stealthy and dexterous rogue class and the stealthy and the rapid killer assassin class in games, which the Dungeon System was very similar to.


    Knowing this he was beginning to find his skills with weapons being subpar to his body and he was only using them directly and wildly without any real skill or training.


    Bringing up the menu screen in front of him Adam saw the usual tabs he recognised: store, status, beastpedia, but also saw a new tab that he didn''t recognise initially.


    "Mastery, since when was there a mastery tab" exclaimed Adam in surprise.


    {The mastery..} the system was about to explain before Adam stopped him.


    Remembering that he was in a dangerous dungeon and he was in the cold and vulnerable, dashed towards the Leporidae stage that he near to and climbed up onto the top of a large maple tree to be safe from any sneak attacks.


    [You can continue now] he stated eagerly wanting to hear what the mastery tab offered him.


    {Well, before I was rudely interrupted, the mastery tab shows the host how much mastery he has of different skills, weaponry, occupations and anything else that can be mastered. The mastery can be increased with system points and increases the mastery according to the difficulty of what the host is attempting to learn} the system explained.


    Adam was in awe of all the system''s capabilities that seemed to be infinite and not only restricted to allowing him to hunt in the dungeon.


    "The amazing Dungeon System is limitless" he praised in glee.


    Overjoyed and excited to gain mastery that he planned to use on daggers he was instantly ticked off when he tried to click on it and heard a notification.


    {Ding, The Mastery Feature must be unlocked with 250 system points} the system announced.


    "Damned system" he bellowed in annoyance.

 Chapter 30: Bloodlust Part 1

    Frustrated that he needed system points to unlock the mastery feature, Adam was once again shown how valuable system points were and that he needed to save them even more.


    "System show me how many system points and how much gold I have" he ordered.


    {Ding, the host currently has 484 system points and 9310 gold} the system informed him.


    It hurt Adam''s heart to spend 250 system points before he had healed his Aunt, but he saw it as an investment in his strength to get more system points faster in the future and heal her.


    [System unlock the mastery feature] he stated, following through in his decision.


    {Ding, The host has spent 250 points to unlock the mastery feature}


    {Ding, The mastery feature has been unlocked}


    As he heard the announcement, despite losing 250 points, he was excited to see how the feature worked and what he would be able to master.


    He pressed the mastery tab and the only thing that he saw that he could gain mastery on is daggers and dual wielding.


    There was a bar of mastery under each one and he could see that he hadn''t mastered either of them in the slightest as the bar was empty and it stated that he had reached 0% mastery.


    [System what else can I master and how come my mastery for daggers and dual-wielding is 0%] he asked.


    {The mastery feature only shows things the host has the intention to master or is in the process of mastering which is why those two are the only things in the mastery feature currently. For the host''s mastery of daggers and dual-wielding being 0%, it is literally because the host hasn''t mastered them enough to equate to a percentage of the complete mastery} the system explained.


    Hearing this he was shocked and curious about what exactly complete mastery would be of daggers and dual wielding.


    He saw that to increase his mastery by 1% for dual wielding it was one point and for daggers, it was 10 points, which wasn''t a lot and surprised Adam who thought that everything within the system was expensive.


    But after upgrading the dual-wielding and dagger mastery to 1% he saw that the price to increase it to the next position was higher.


    "Of course it wasn''t that easy" he mutters as he slapped himself in the forehead.


    Adam increased the mastery of his daggers to 4% and the mastery of dual-wielding to 10% and ended up spending 216 points.


    Each time he increased the mastery by 1% the cost to increase it again would be much higher each time.


    It was a tremendous amount of points for Adam in his current stage, but he was addicted to the exhilarating feeling that he felt each time of gaining knowledge and experience.


    He was only stopped by a notification he received from the system that jolted him out of his spending spree.


    {Ding, the host has gained the Dual Slash skill} the system announced.


    As he heard the notification he was happy, curious and also upset after realising how many points he had spent.


    [What is the Dual Slash Skill and how did I get it] he asked, looking on the bright side of things and was happy after feeling the knowledge of the skill in his mind, but still wanted an explanation from the system.


    {The host will gain some sort of skill or enhancement at each 10% of mastery and the dual slash is a basic skill where the host uses both blades that you are dual wielding to slash out two slashes formed of energy} the system explained.


    Going onto his skill tab he saw the Dual Slash Skill, he also had the Unique Skill, the Collector Skill, and had the Bloodlust characteristic.


    Dual Slash


    The outwards slash of two energy slashes using two blades.


    Activation Cost: 2 MP


    2 MP wasn''t a lot but considering he could summon two beasts and keep them formed for less than a minute, the power must be strong.


    Jumping down from the tree excited to test out his new power, one thing Adam wanted to check before he went out to battle was how much system points he had left.


    [How many system points do I have left]


    {Ding, the host currently has 18 system points after spending 250 points on the mastery feature and 216 on unlocking mastery} the system notified him.


    Hearing the notification he realised how much he had spent and was set back a lot, but instead of being disheartened it gave him more drive.


    "I will complete this dungeon tonight" he declared as he felt the new knowledge and skill that he had acquired.


    Tightly clenching his two daggers as he shook off the cold with his increased resistance and fortified mind, he was able to overcome the environment effect as he headed into the Canidae Stage.


    "Come at me you fuckers" he shouted at the top of his lungs.


    Adam wasn''t stupid and with the Hunter''s mind could never make mistakes that would be detrimental to him, and knowing that he would waste time looking for beasts, he called out to them to come to him.


    Unknowingly that decision was influenced by his enhanced Bloodlust as he could feel his heart beating rapidly in excitement as he heard howls and saw all kinds of beasts coming towards his position.


    With their strong senses and Adam calling them out, they could smell the blood on Adam that they recognised as their own and they saw him as a target for food and they would be able to get revenge for their fallen brethren.


    They were like all other beasts that Adam had encountered, programmed to be hostile to Adam so Adam had no reason to show them mercy.


    As the dozens of beasts charged at Adam he had a smile as he crossed his two blades diagonally across his chest.


    Dual Slash


    Adam could feel some sort of energy that was within his body stream into his arms and into his blades as he slashed outwards in the same way the system instructed.


    Two blades formed of energy flew out of his blades at the beasts that were running towards him and slashed straight through the Canidae beasts that it hit.


    Adam felt as though he had complete mastery over the skill and as though it was instinct when he used it, but he felt more drained than he was meant to after losing only 2 MP after using it.


    The Activation Cost was 2 MP, but that didn''t mean that the skill''s capacity was the limited to 2 MP and Adam had mistakenly used 4 MP in the attack that decimated 7 beasts.


    As he saw his experience rise with the system and the blood that he drew from the beasts and the rest of the beasts that were charging at him, Adam''s eyes flashed red as his Bloodlust took over.


    "Die" he roared.

 Chapter 31: Boodlust Part 2

    Adam''s eyes burnt red at the sight of the blood of the 7 beasts that were sliced apart by his Dual Slash as his heart began to beat wildly.


    From each pulse of his heart, he could feel a burning energy surge and spread throughout his body as the only thought that clouded his mind was killing.


    He could feel his veins bulge and protrude throughout his body and the Bloodlust characteristic was beginning to take over as he charged at the beasts that were charging at him.


    The first beast he clashed with was an LVL 5 Artic Fox that was the closest and one of the faster beasts, but was still instantly slashed in the neck and killed in a single strike by the bloodthirsty Adam.


    The more blood he spilt the more engrossed in the massacre Adam was becoming as he was becoming less and less aware.


    Battling against two LVL 6 coyotes, Adam was slashed by the back, but in such a crazed state his feeling of pain was numbed to a point it was almost non-existent.


    "You will all die" he bellowed demonically as he felt more and more of the Bloodlust pumping through his veins.


    Dual Slash


    As he crossed his blades then slashed outwards, Adam used another 3 MP on a Dual Slash that hacked down another 6 beasts before him as he turned around and pounced on the beast that slashed him from behind.


    He had a fiendish and demonic aura the more he was becoming infatuated in the Bloodlust and the less control he had over himself as he seemed to be more beast-like than the beasts themselves.


    With his two daggers, he repeatedly stabbed the beast that he had pinned down as blood splashed onto his face and his body.


    Instead of feeling disgusted or annoyed by the blood all over him, Adam began to laugh hysterically as he blitzed towards the rest of the different types of Canidae beasts that had grouped together.


    When integrating with the characteristic, Adam had no idea of what it would feel like to have such a thick Bloodlust and to lose control and would never have thought it would have been so extreme.


    However, the power and ruthlessness it gave him was undeniably a massive advantage in battle.


    He felt the more he killed the more powerful he would become, but along with the power, there was the ever-growing insatiable desire to kill.


    Dual Slash


    He flung another two blades of energy at a group of coyotes that sliced them apart, burning another 3 MP.


    Yet despite the loss of MP, Adam could feel his body brimming with an endless stream of power that was continuously being produced and circulating around his body.


    Releasing another demonic cry, Adam was struggling to keep control as he felt that he needed to keep killing as he continued to slice apart the Canidae beasts that were dwindling in numbers.


    Adam''s Bloodlust and killing intent were so dense and strong that even the beasts that were meant to be vicious and attack him were beginning to whimper in fear.


    Like a savage beast, without remorse, Adam dashed towards them and without sparing a single one of them, decimated every Canidae beast he had found in the area around him.


    Yet even after the discovery of their not being beasts around him he still felt his blood boiling and the uncontrollable urge to kill.


    He was unsure of how much he had progressed and what he had gained from all the beasts he had defeated, but he was too centred on his desire to kill to think about anything else.


    The urge was beginning to turn into pain as his heart rate began to lower and he was beginning to calm down, but his body was in excruciating pain as the power boost was beginning to wear off.


    "Noooo" he roared as the pain was beginning to settle in.


    The Bloodlust was beginning to dissipate, yet Adam didn''t want it to go and weirdly wanted the urge to kill and the burning power within himself to return.


    Bringing up all the rage he could accumulate as he looked around at the blood bath that he lay in, Adam was beginning to feel the rapid pulsation of his heart as the rest of his body returned to the feeling of internal burning.


    "I still have to defeat this dungeon in one go" he roared as he reawakened the Bloodlust that was beginning to be suppressed.


    The characteristic itself fed off the desire to kill and would push the body past its limits, but without anything to kill it was beginning to falter.


    Knowing this, Adam who had gained some control over his actions, dashed towards the higher levels of the mountains where he knew there was a powerful beast that may be the boss of Floor 1.


    He trudged upwards through the snow as the winds and the cold became stronger.


    His body was in immense pain and seemed to be a side effect of the crazed state that Adam was in that allowed him to boost his power that the system never mentioned.


    After almost 20 minutes of climbing up the mountain at his full speed, Adam could finally see the peak that he recognised as the place that he had initially spawned into and saw the powerful beast.


    Sensing the arrival of somebody to its abode, the large beast strolled out of its cave with a furious expression.


    Now with a clear sight on the beast, Adam saw that it was some sort of snow leopard and seemed to be extremely powerful.


    Adam with a target in sight felt his Bloodlust resurrecting, but could feel that it was straining his body even more to enter the powerful state the Bloodlust characteristic allowed him to enter.


    Only being in a Dungeon Form, Adam didn''t care about the damage inflicted to his body as his only aim was to defeat the beast before him to not only complete the dungeon, but also to relieve the urge to kill.

 Chapter 32: Floor 1 Boss Battle

    With the reinvigorated Bloodlust forcefully improving his body''s power and the snow leopard glaring at him prepared to pounce at his prey at any moment, an event was initiated.


    {Ding, the host has entered the final battle of Floor 1 and this will now be the host''s checkpoint until he completes the Boss Battle} the system announced.


    {Ding, Boss Battle initiated - LVL 10 Snow Leopard}


    Adam had released his suppression of the Bloodlust characteristic, that he had previously worried about losing control. He enjoyed the exhilarating rush of fury and knew it gave him strength so he allowed the Bloodlust to roam freely through his body.


    The Dungeon was the perfect place to relieve the thick Bloodlust that he gained through the system.


    The beast roared at him as he glared back with his burning desire to ruthlessly slaughter it, as he tightly clenched his daggers.


    Adam had inversely, instead of suppressing and controlling his Bloodlust, had not only let it roam freely but was boosted the power and control that it held over his body as he gave in to the all-consuming and insatiable desire to kill.


    In the dungeon, Adam was not worried about any consequences and with the ever-increasing power it granted him, it was perfect for him to hunt in dungeons.


    As he did so he felt his blood begin to literally boil and his body, that was already in pain, felt as though it was internally burning as the pain surged to the level that his mind shut down, but his thick Bloodlust was the only thing keeping him in a semi-conscious state.


    Adam''s mind was no longer functioning as his pupils dilated and his body was only capable of moving with its Bloodlust and instincts guiding it as his skin began to visibly tint red and burn and his veins were inhumanely bulging almost at the point of bursting.


    Unintentionally Adam had unlocked two extensions of the Bloodlust characteristic but he didn''t receive the notification from the system that knew that he was in no state to hear the announcement.


    He could feel his blood burning and evaporating, and while it did so he felt his body surging with power.


    But if his nervous system was functioning, he would have felt excruciating pain on a level that he had never felt before.


    However, something else seemed to have caused him to enter a crazed state where he was reliant on merely Bloodlust and instinct and was no longer conscious or aware to feel the pain.


    The snow leopard unlike in the sub-dungeon was not restricted by anything as it slowly approached Adam prepared to pounce on its prey.


    Meanwhile, Adam who had reached a peak in power, suddenly burst towards the snow leopard with its boosted speed from both his equipped daggers and the Bloodlust characteristic.


    The gap in LVL was covered by Adam''s self-sacrificial methods that he had accidentally used to increase his strength as the snow leopard pounced at Adam who was charging towards it.


    By instinct, Adam dashed to the side barely evading the frontal attack, but his thirst for blood was overwhelming his instincts, that were focused on survival, as he launched himself onto the beast and dug both his daggers into its side.


    The beast not expecting such a reckless attack, howled in pain, as it whacked Adam off its side who held tightly onto his blades as he was sent crashing into the snow.


    In a frenzied state, the additional pain was nothing compared to the pain his body was already in as his HP continued to fall at rapid rates and he charged directly at the beast.


    Roaring at the top of his lungs, unable to speak words in his berserk state, he crossed both his blades across his chest and launched twin crossed energy blades at the snow leopard''s face slicing its face apart.


    Everything Adam learnt through the system was taught to him with complete mastery of what was available to him at his current state and was embedded into not only his mind, but also his body, making it become a natural reflex and instinct to Adam.


    Instinctively using the skill, had weakened the snow leopard massively, as Adam jumped into the air at the snow leopard that was blinded by the flood of blood over its face.


    As he launched himself into the air he landed directly above the large snow leopard and using his downwards momentum struck down with his twin blades onto the head of the snow leopard and with such power and momentum, he managed to strike with incredible force.


    The strike was enough to crack the skull of the beast and barely pierce through as he was swatted by the beast''s paw and sent rolling away in the snow.


    It was a fatal strike and the snow leopard was dying with its brain pierced by Adam''s two blades and its frontal skull being shattered by the impact, but Adam was also dying and had few dwindling HP left.


    He began to vomit blood profusely as his blood vessels burst and a thin layer of dried blood was forming around his burnt skin.


    Adam wasn''t dying from the attacks of the beast but the dying was caused by the extensions of the Bloodlust he had accidentally used that had pushed past his body''s limits.


    Despite it granting him great power boosts, it burnt away his blood and vitality as a cost and could only be sustained for short whiles without the risk of death and had forcefully removed his awareness to allow him to thrive only on Bloodlust and instinct.


    With Adam''s weak dungeon form, his death was enviable as the still bloodthirsty Adam in his final breaths, crawled over to the dying snow leopard in a final bid to spill more blood.


    {Ding, the host Dungeon Form has died, the host is being retracted from the dungeon and back into the host''s body}


    "AAAAHHHH" screamed Adam who jumped up from his bed.

 Chapter 33: Satisfaction

    Adam who had suddenly returned to his bed was flooded with the foreign memories of a battle with the snow leopard, who was the final boss of floor 1, and along with it came the inhumane levels of pain he felt during that battle.


    {Ding, any mental effects or experiences that the Dungeon Form gains, both beneficial and detrimental to the host are reflected onto the host''s original body after returning from the Dungeon} stated the system.


    Adam was in too much pain to care about what the system had told him and previously the pain he experienced was very painful, but it only caused him a slight feeling of pain within his mind as he recalled the memory and had never really had a massive effect on him when he returned.


    Now the pain was too overwhelming to merely shrug off as he did to the other flesh wounds and slashes he had experienced which were nothing in comparison, as he rolled on the ground, writhing in pain.


    Hearing the screams, Sarah rushed into his room and seeing Adam on the ground squirming in agony, she was instantly worried and went to grab his phone that she saw on his bedside, with the intention of calling the ambulance.


    As she was about to do so, Adam suddenly grabbed her leg, barely managing to function properly, stopping her before she called the ambulance.


    Despite the pain he was in, going into the hospital would get him unwanted attention from the doctors who after observing his body would see how supernatural it was compared to an average human, with almost double the human capacity in some areas and knew that he would be able to recover alone.


    Not only that, but they would also not be able to sense what was wrong with him as it was undetectable mental effects from the Dungeon.


    "Don''t call anybod..." he managed to utter before he lost consciousness.


    Sarah hearing his last words was unsure why he wouldn''t want to go to the hospital, but didn''t go against his final wishes as she struggled to flip his slim yet heavy body over.


    She bought him a wet towel and placed it on his forehead, then put a pillow under his head, giving up on the thought of lifting him up.


    She was unsure what else she could do to help him in the current situation and worriedly paced up and down his room waiting for him to awaken.


    After a few hours Sarah was contemplating calling the ambulance, seeing him still unconscious and making wincing facial expressions as he seemed to still be in pain.


    Adam was drenched in sweat as his chiselled body was alluringly glistening, but in the current situation, Sarah didn''t have time for such thoughts as he picked up his phone and was dialling 911.


    Just as she was about to call the phone was snatched out of her hands before she could even react and looking down she saw that Adam had gotten up.


    "How are you so fast" she exclaimed in surprise.


    "I did martial arts for 2 years" he answered quickly, to wipe her curiosity.


    "I''m sorry for worrying you and will give you an explanation afterwards, but could you please give me some time alone" he stated with a guilty expression, seeing the worry that was on her face, but he knew that the system needed to talk to him and he also had questions for the system about what had occurred in the Dungeon.


    Seeing his apologetic look she wasn''t upset and was actually relieved that he seemed okay, but she couldn''t help but be curious about what happened and what he needed to do alone after just awakening.


    As soon as she left, Adam stumbled backwards onto his bed, still feeling immense pain within his mind as he was ready to listen to the system.


    {Ding, the host has completed Floor 1 and defeated the Boss Beast, so has therefore become an LVL 10 Mortal} the system announced.


    As he heard that he felt his body become strengthened massively and also felt the pain his mind was going through being wiped away by his body increasing in strength, but the lingering memory of what he experienced was still there.


    [System why was the pain so strong] asked Adam.


    {The host had activated 2 self-sacrificial extensions of the Bloodlust characteristic at once which has massive backlash on not only the body and mind, but also the soul and spirit} the system explained.


    [What, self-sacrificial extensions, how did I do that] he exclaimed within his mind, baffled by the system''s explanation.


    {Ding, the host has unintentionally unlocked two extensions of the Bloodlust characteristic that when the host integrated with changed the host''s entire being.


    Blood Burn - an extension that allows the host to burn your own blood, vitality and life force, driven by Bloodlust, to increase your strength.


    Blood Berserker - an extension that allows the host to enter a frenzied state where the mind and awareness are suppressed leaving the body to be driven by only Bloodlust and instinct} the system stated.


    Just as he was about to react to him gaining two characteristics he was bombarded with more notifications.


    {Ding, the system has deducted all rewards from completing Floor 1 because of the assistance the system provided by helping the host gain the extensions of the Bloodlust characteristic that are extremely valuable, apart from the stat points}


    {Ding, the host has 7 unused stat points. 4 from reaching LVL 10 and 3 for completing Floor 1}


    As he heard the notifications, Adam couldn''t help but feel a mixture of emotions, but was overall elated with his gains and knew the value of the two extensions he had gained, despite the side-effects and the pain that they caused.


    "Status"


    Mortal LVL: 10


    EXP: 0 / 1250


    HP: 200 / 200


    MP: 23 / 23


    Strength: 20


    Speed: 21


    Intelligence: 25


    Resistance: 21


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    Adam seeing his stats was overjoyed and all his stats were either double that of a peak human or above.


    Flexing his muscles that he felt were full of strength, Adam was unsure where he wanted to invest his 7 stat points.


    "Spend 2 on MP, 2 on Strength, 1 on Speed, 1 on Resistance and 1 on HP" decided Adam after pondering on where he wanted to spend them for a while.


    His plan and ambitions were reformed within his mind and he was no longer aiming for a single cultivation type or class and was aiming to be the strongest in all stats with the limitless Dungeon System that made everything achievable as long as he hunted within the dungeon.


    Mortal LVL: 10


    EXP: 0 / 1250


    HP: 210 / 210


    MP: 25 / 25


    Strength: 22


    Speed: 22


    Intelligence: 25


    Resistance: 22


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    Adam looking at his stats had a satisfied smile and felt that the pain was worth it as he felt his aim of healing his aunts was inching closer towards him.


    Just as he was planning on relaxing after everything he went through during the dungeon, he suddenly remembered something he had completely forgotten about.


    "Tonight is the high school reunion"

 Chapter 34: Running Late

    "Tonight is the high school reunion" he exclaimed


    Adam was beginning to realise that time was moving very quickly and was orientated around the Dungeon System, with it becoming his main focus.


    However, it wasn''t necessarily a bad thing and he was pleased with his ambitious and determined mindset and was the main reason he was progressing as well as he was.


    Adam was now beginning to feel the satisfaction of hard work.


    After having a long shower, Adam changed out of his clothes that were now drenched in sweat, then left his room to find that Sarah had left him a large amount of food on the table and was doing paperwork on the kitchen counter.


    Adam was feeling slightly awkward after what Sarah had seen him go through but he knew he had to get on with the day and knew that the high school reunion would get her mind off the pain she had seen him in.


    "So, are you excited to see Cole and Emma again," asked Adam calmly, as if nothing had happened previously.


    Sarah jumped up abruptly and had an elated expression.


    "I completely forgot about it" she screamed in joy.


    Sarah had been too focused on developing and forming their company, that she had also forgotten about the high school reunion.


    "Do you still want to go" asked Adam who wasn''t bothered either way.


    "Of course we are going, I will get all my work done now then we will leave at 5 o''clock sharp" she stated eagerly.


    "Okay, I don''t have a problem with that, but I will need to be home by 10" replied Adam nonchalantly as he sat down and began to eat the large breakfast that Sarah had prepared for him.


    Sarah was slightly disappointed by the fact that he would leave so early and also found many things about him very abnormal, but all of it was nothing in her eyes compared to what he had done for her at the lowest point in her life.


    That fateful day, was the day that Sarah had become so desperate for income that she was entering the night club to look for for a way to get money that she knew she would never be able to return from.


    However, Adam, her knight in shining armour, not only rescued her from men who were trying to assault her, but also paid her father''s medical bills and invested in her company.


    To Sarah, it was a debt that could never be repaid, but to Adam who had opened his eyes to reality, it was merely a small favour that he didn''t care about being returned whatsoever.


    After eating, Adam lay on the sofa and was thinking about what he could do for the next 4 hours before he had to get ready to go to the high school reunion.


    Relaxing for a few minutes Adam abruptly jumped up.


    "Sarah what is the location of the High School Reunion," asked Adam.


    "China Star Restuarant that is around 20 minutes away" she replied, with her eyes still glued to her work.


    Seeing her working so hard, Adam also wanted to get some work done and decided he would research about the area around the restaurant that the reunion was being held in.


    He returned to his room, leaving Sarah in the open centre completing her work, and sat at his desk as his computer switched on.


    As he began to research he saw that it was a family-owned business, however when he continued looking deeper into it, the biggest shareholder was the Maxwell Family.


    [This family own nearly everything in Brooklyn and are everywhere. I must be careful around them next time] thought Adam to himself, knowing that he couldn''t mess with such a powerful family.


    He had double the ability or more in every stat compared to an average peak human, however, he knew it still didn''t make him fast enough to dodge a bullet or strong enough to survive a bomb.


    So, in a place where such dangerous weapons were common, he was still not safe and the looming threat of the existence of cultivators was another thing that Adam had to take into account.


    The only thing he could find publically about the Maxwell Family was that they owned a few large businesses, but he couldn''t find a single bad review or anything negative towards them.


    They seemed to have the entirety of Brooklyn wrapped around their finger as they stood above the law and did as they pleased.


    The more he was searching, the deeper the hole he was entering with nothing to find about the Maxwell Family that were seemingly everywhere.


    "I really need to be careful" he mumbled as a scary thought began to sink in.


    "Having and keeping so much power can only be due to being not only financially powerful in this weaponised world but they must also have great strength" he stated to himself.


    "They must be cultivators" he guessed.


    With that assumption in mind, Adam became slightly nervous and was worried about whether his small fight with their security guard would make them come after him.


    After a while, he calmed down and began to search for any sort of martial arts manuals and began to memorise as much fighting techniques that he could fit into his mind.


    Instead of worrying about the future, Adam had a very active mindset where if he needed to get something done he would do so straight away without delaying it to a later date.


    He decided that he would find any way to increase his strength before anything happens in the future rather than worrying about what the future may hold.


    The first martial art that Adam was focusing on was karate and as he continued to research about it and learn its basic stances and techniques through videos.


    In the trance of learning, he had completely lost track of time as Sarah waltzed into his room.


    "Quickly get ready, its 5:30 and the reunion starts at 6, we can''t be late" she hurriedly stated as she grabbed onto Adam''s arm, rushing him to get changed.


    "We have 5 minutes to get ready" she screamed excitedly as she rushed out of Adam''s room and went to get changed.


    Seeing Sarah happy, Adam also felt quite joyful as he saw how much he was able to help her and reform himself with the help of the Dungeon System.


    Getting up from his chair Adam opened his wardrobe and withdrew the suit that he had bought with Sarah.


    Adam wasn''t a fan of suits as he found them uncomfortable and had always been somebody that focused on comfortability when it came to clothing instead of being fashionable, but for this occasion, he decided he would do so for Sarah''s sake.


    He tied up his slick black hair into a small ponytail and changed into the 3 piece black suit.


    Adam''s black hair and sharp features correlated perfectly with the slim and dark suit he was wearing that highlighted his muscular and chiselled figure, as the red tie accentuated his red eyes that shined bright and caught the eye of any viewer.


    Looking in the mirror Adam was pleased by his looks as previously he wasn''t ugly, but had always been scrawny and had never been completely confident in his appearance.


    Walking out of his room, Sarah was shocked once again by Adam''s handsome appearance, but Adam was also quite shocked when he saw the white dress Sarah was wearing and her long and flowing brown hair,


    Both of them looked at each other quite awkwardly as Sarah began to become slightly embarrassed while, Adam was still calm and seemingly unbothered, until he broke the silence.


    "Should we leave"

 Chapter 35: High School Reunion Part 1

    "Should we leave" he asked, breaking the awkward silence.


    "Yes, yes, we are going to be late" she hurriedly stated as she scrambled to put on her heels.


    Adam, instead of wearing smart shoes that would complement his suit, put on his black trainers, that he didn''t negotiate about with Sarah who had given up after seeing how strong his stand was on the topic.


    Adam always wanted to be prepared to run or fight and knew that smart shoes would make it difficult to do so, which he had already spoken to Sarah about and his decision didn''t waver in the slightest.


    Unknowingly every thought that Adam had, was filled with contingencies that he was always trying to cover and was always aiming for the safety of those that he cared about around him.


    They speedily walked out of the apartment and closed the door behind them, as they rushed towards the exit.


    The handsome man and pretty girl, that were dressed nicely, caught the eye of those that saw them, as they rushed past and from the external eye, seemed to be a couple.


    Adam was looking forwards to going to the reunion, that people with a normal life would do, and he was excited to see his past friends from high school, that was the last good moments of his life before it went crashing down.


    As Adam and Sarah called for a taxi and sat in the back, after giving the taxi driver the location, Adam was struck with a sudden memory that he had forgotten about during the taxi ride.


    [That reminds me, the reward that I was meant to accept from the achievement that the system gave me for ''Clutching to Humanity''] exclaimed Adam within his mind.


    His excitement towards going to a party with friends, which he had never had the luxury of doing for the past 3 years, had reminded him of the achievement the system gave him when he still retained the thought and that he was a human even after what he experienced in the Dungeon.


    But at the time, Adam was too concentrated on reaching out to Sarah and was planning to open the reward afterwards, but had forgotten to do so.


    Just as he was about to ask the system what the reward was and accept it, the taxi reached a halt and after paying, Sarah dragged him out of the taxi.


    [I guess I will remember to ask for my reward the next time I am in the dungeon] decided Adam as he fixed his suit that was creased slightly by Sarah.


    Adam was struggling to stay calm as he looked at the 4-star hotel that was extremely luxurious and far fetched for somebody like him who had never had the luxury of wealth, and had a beautiful and bright golden and red colour scheme that caught his eye.


    "Are you just going to stand there" whispered Sarah to the dazed Adam as she pinched his side and dragged him inside.


    Subtly, Sarah locked arms with Adam as they walked into the restaurant together.


    At the entrance stood a man dressed in a smart suit that approached them in a respectful and professional manner.


    "May I ask, do you have a reservation or would like me to find you a table" asked the man.


    "We are here for our high school reunion" replied Sarah, reciprocating the respect.


    "May I confirm the exact high school" asked the worker.


    "Graham high school, and it should be under the name of Cole" answered Sarah.


    "Follow me" stated the man who had received the answer he was looking for, as he led them into the large restaurant that had beautiful Chinese decorations and ornaments that were very pleasing to the eye.


    Walking inside the large restaurant that was brightly lit by radiant chandeliers, they were led down a long corridor.


    After a minute of walking down the long corridor, he reached an abrupt halt in front of a large door.


    "Private room 9" he stated as he opened the door, in serving manner, allowing them to enter.


    As soon as he opened the door there was a strong wave of chatter and liveliness.


    Walking in Adam and Sarah were both excited as they saw 40 or so youths all chattering in groups.


    Sarah was both excited and nervous whereas Adam was in a similar state, but from an outside perspective looked calm and didn''t seem to be fazed in the slightest.


    "Are we just going to stand here" whispered Adam to Sarah.


    Sarah had also had her fair share of struggles and also hadn''t had much time to talk and hang out with friends. Which was why she was nervous and excited as who wouldn''t be excited to have a good time with old friends after a long time.


    Adam was in a similar position and would have been even more nervous, however, in his eyes after everything he had been through in the past 3 years and the Dungeon, socialising wasn''t something that could scare him.


    "Yes, let''s enter" she stated excitedly as she looked up at Adam that gave her a reassuring smile that made her feel as though she had the confidence to accomplish anything.


    They walked in arm in arm, which Adam didn''t want to do but didn''t want to make Sarah feel bad, as they caught the eye of all the youths inside who swarmed to welcome them.


    "Sarah" squealed a girl that scurried towards her in heels.


    It was a girl with straight black hair, fair skin and was also very pretty on a similar level to Sarah in beauty.


    "Emma" screamed Sarah joyously, as she was passionately hugged by the girl who had run towards her.


    Whereas Adam had locked eyes with another man as they rushed towards each other.

 Chapter 36: High School Reunion Part 2

    A figure similar in size to Adam rushed towards him, while Adam also sped up towards him, making sure to control his speed, and as they reached each other shared a massive bear hug.


    "Adam, its been so long, is that really you" stated Cole as he looked straight into Adam''s eyes that were now red.


    Cole after staring at the man, that entered arm in arm with Sarah, for a few seconds only just noticed that it was his missing best friend who he recognised through the similar features and dark hair.


    Seeing him staring at his eyes and how he was now, Adam had only one thing to say.


    "I''ve been through a lot" Adam directly told him to avoid any questions.


    "Enough about the past, we can talk later and should enjoy ourselves now" announced Cole who seemed to be the one who arranged the reunion and was the centre of attention along with Emma.


    Adam was overjoyed by seeing his best friend after so long who seemed to be doing well and couldn''t help but have a wide smile as Cole began to feel up his arms.


    "You disappear for three years and come back as a beast. Were you in the gym all that time" joked Cole, who had a very confident, talkative and jestful nature.


    Now a handsome man that none of them recognised had entered with the pretty Sarah and there was a mixed atmosphere within the room.


    "Not only that, but you also bagged Sarah who us also a beauty just like my Emma" whispered Cole as he nudged Adam with a cheeky expression.


    "It''s not what you think. We can talk about what has happened later. For now, let''s get this reunion started" refuted Adam who was getting slightly annoyed at people continuously misjudging the relationship between him and Sarah.


    "Everyone gather around for a toast" called out Cole as all the youths began to circle around him and waiters began to give out non-alcoholic beverages to the youths.


    "Tonight we will toast for Adam who has returned to us after leaving school a few years back" announced Cole as all the youths began to cheer and gossip between themselves, unsure of who he was and began to speculate between themselves.


    Almost 3 years of being missing after his abrupt leaving was enough for Adam to be completely forgotten.


    He felt slightly disheartened that nobody remembered him, but seeing that his closest friends did, he was still happy.


    "Should we leave this boring reunion and we can go talk between ourselves" suggested Cole who regretted setting up the reunion before they all graduated from high school and only hung out with his girlfriend, Emma, after Adam and Sarah left.


    "Sure why not" accepted Adam, who also didn''t like being in such a loud and crowded hall and would prefer to catch up with his friend.


    While the food began being served and everybody began to eat, Cole sneakily left dragging Adam, Emma and Sarah along with him as they strolled down the long corridor towards the exit.


    Sarah and Emma were conversing between themselves giddily as they both had wide smiles reuniting with their friends after a long time.


    While Cole put his arm over Adam and had a wide smile.


    "Oh, how much I missed your annoying nature" stated Adam sarcastically.


    "How could you bully your bro after not seeing him for so long" pouted Cole pretending to cry.


    "So bro, where have you been all this time," asked Cole directly, losing the immaturity and becoming serious.


    From his expression, it was obvious that Adam''s abrupt disappearance had hurt his feelings and Adam could tell he didn''t know whether to be angry with him or forgive him and he knew it depended on his answer.


    Seeing his worried and confused expression, Adam felt very guilty, but at the time he was depressed and would have merely been extra weight to his friends and would have become a burden on them with the situation he was in.


    "Let''s get out of here first and we can talk about the past few years" mumbled Adam who had an expression filled with sadness, as he thought about the situation his aunt was currently in and how he was merely a few weeks ago when he couldn''t even afford to eat.


    "Don''t worry about it bro, I will help you out" declared Cole jokingly as he puffed out his chest.


    But behind his external jesting demeanour he was very serious and Cole and Adam''s friendship ran deep to the point of brotherhood and were together from when they were in kindergarten and only separated when Adam disappeared.


    As they were reaching the exit there was a frontal office where there was a large reception fitted with furniture painted gold along with the theme of the entire restaurant.


    "I''ll cover all the costs of private room 9" stated Cole to the receptionists who gave him a simple nod as if it was a usual occurrence, as Cole and Adam left huddled together with the beauties Sarah and Emma following closely behind.


    Emma didn''t seem to be shocked by what she just saw but Adam and Sarah were baffled by what they had just seen.


    "Big bro has some money now," Cole said with a cheeky smile as the four of them left the restaurant laughing and enjoying each other''s company.


    As soon as they left, the chauffeur noticing Cole rushed away and in less than a minute returned with a luxurious black rolls royce that had completely tinted windows.


    The chauffeur parked in front of them and left the car as he passed Cole the keys respectfully and scurried away.


    Cole got into the driver seat and Emma got into the back, while Sarah and Adam stood their surprised and confused by the expensive and luxurious car before them that seemed to be owned by their friend.


    "Are you going to get in or just stand there"

 Chapter 37: Ride

    "Are you going to get in or just stand there" called out Cole to Adam and Sarah, as he rolled down the window.


    "We really do have a lot to catch up on" mumbled Adam as he walked around the car to enter the front passenger seat, and Sarah entered the back with Emma.


    "So where are we going" asked Adam as Cole began to drive away from the restaurant.


    "To my apartment, that''s not too far away from here" answered Cole as he played some music.


    Sarah and Ella began to talk to each other in the back while Cole and Adam were quiet the entire time and knew that they needed to be alone to talk to each other about their pasts.


    Adam noticed that Cole was driving in the same direction as his apartment, but excused it as merely a coincidence as he sat in the comfortable seat planning what he would say to Cole to cover everything that he gained through the system.


    However, as they reached the building that Adam was residing in, Cole reached a halt and parked in the car park, making Adam baffled by the fact that they had stopped at his building.


    "Why are we here," asked Adam and Sarah at the same time, both confused by what was occurring.


    "We are going to my apartment like I said" stated Cole also confused by their reaction to him stopping here.


    Sarah had an excited expression whereas Adam''s expression was still mostly calm with some confusion as Cole parked and they all walked out of the luxury car.


    "Why are you guys acting so weird," asked both Emma and Cole to Sarah and Adam.


    "Well, we kinda live in this building as well" revealed Sarah.


    Sarah answered the question without much thought, but only after saying it did she realise how weird it sounded from an outside percpective.


    Her face burned red in embarrassment as Ella and Cole gave them cheeky looks.


    "Your relationship has developed to a level that you are living together" exclaimed Emma giddily as she looked at the pretty girl and handsome man and thought that they made a good couple.


    Adam merely shook his head, not bothering to refute, as he walked over to Cole signalling for him to help him out of the awkward situation he was in.


    "Should we head up to my apartment" suggested Cole as he dragged Adam away, allowing him to get away from the awkward situation.


    Leaving behind Emma who continuously bombarded Sarah with all kinds of questions about how she had gotten together with Adam.


    Adam with his charisma stat being at 5 points, compared to the charisma of an average human being that was at 3 points, was very attractive to the eye and left a deep impression with all that saw his jet black hair and glaring red eyes that seemed to match perfectly to his sharp features.


    Heading inside the building, the security was shocked to see Adam with Cole, but instantly became respectful as they welcomed them in.


    Adam noticing the changes in the attitude of the security was wondering who exactly Cole really, was as he led them into the lift.


    The building that Adam resided in was quite luxurious and was one of the best buildings in the area, which was why the rent for his apartment was so expensive at 6,000 dollars, and Adam would have never been able to afford it without the gold that he had gotten through the system.


    There were 20 or so floors of the building and the higher up in the building, the more expensive the apartments became.


    With Adam''s apartment being at the lowest price of 6,000 dollars monthly and was lucky to find such a good deal which may have been due to the way that he was treated within the estate agency.


    As all four of them stood in the lift, Adam was looking closely at Cole''s finger that was heading towards the rows of buttons that had a number, designated to each floor.


    But what Adam didn''t expect was for Cole to press the button that was at the top right corner that didn''t have a number and seemed to be reserved for a special floor.


    Adam could tell that it was a 20 story building but then noticed that the final floor that had a button in the lift, was floor 19, and the golden button was where the button for floor 20 should have been.


    After pressing the button, Cole then placed his thumb onto the button, which seemed to scan his fingerprint.


    After his thumb was scanned, two small compartments from the wall revealed themselves.


    The compartments were precisely in line with Cole''s eyes as Cole Moved closer towards them and stared straight into the compartments, that after scanning his eyes flashed green.


    The lift seemed to be designed for Cole as the compartments returned back into the wall as the lift began to head upwards.


    Emma didn''t seem to be fazed by what she was seeing, while Adam and Sarah watched Cole with expressions filled with shock.


    "What''s the problem, never seen somebody as amazing as me," asked Cole gloatingly with a smug smile.


    Sarah was still completely shocked and didn''t know how to react, while Adam had a small smile as he anticipated the opportunity to talk to Cole about what had happened to each other in the past 3 years separated from each other.


    As the lift reached a halt the doors opened to reveal an enormous open plan penthouse, with an indoor pond with a small fountain at the entrance, that was beautifully laid out.


    Emma and Cole entered the penthouse as if it was normal, while Sarah and Adam stood in the lift with their mouths gaped looking at what was before them.


    "Amazing" murmured Adam and Sarah in awe as they slowly walked inside the penthouse.


    Emma excitedly grabbed Sarah''s hand as she scurried off dragging her with her, eager to show Sarah around, leaving Adam and Cole behind standing opposite to each other.


    "Should we finally fill each other in on what we have missed" suggested Cole losing his usually jestful nature and becoming completely serious.


    "Lead the way" agreed Adam as he followed Cole across the penthouse to the balcony.

 Chapter 38: Conversing

    Cole and Adam stood beside each other, peering over the edge of the balcony.


    "The view is great right" whispered Cole to Adam who was in awe of the view he had from the top floor as he seemed to be able to see the entirety of Brooklyn.


    "Want to go first" offered Cole.


    "Why not" accepted Adam, who had prepared himself for the story he would give Cole, that had as much truth in it as he could tell Cole, without revealing the Dungeon System.


    "Well, I will begin with the reason I left school. High school was a great time and probably the best time in my life with me, you, Emma and Sarah always being with each other and enjoying our time, but everything changed when my aunt collapsed.


    The doctors thought she merely fainted from overworking herself, but after a few days of not waking up, she was diagnosed as a comma patient.


    After watching everything my aunt had been through for me and working two jobs for me to be able to study and live a normal life without worry, I couldn''t just leave her in a comma with nobody paying her medical bills and I also needed money to survive, so I simply left school to work.


    I juggled between jobs, was sometimes homeless and starving when I couldn''t find a job and needed to spend all my money on my aunt''s medical bills, and was struggling to live and thought of giving up.


    After two years, I thought it was over. until an old man one day saw me sleeping on the street and gave me a job and some money to clean myself up.


    For the past half a year I have been working under him and training my body daily, as it was very weak, and managed to get myself to this position" narrated Adam, with pain and sorrow in his eyes as he pondered on his past.


    "You stupid idiot" insulted Cole as he slapped Adam''s head.


    "You could have turned to me as your bro to help you out, but you took on the burden of everything alone. You know I also cared for your aunt as she also treated me well after my mother died, but you decided to keep me in the dark" stated Cole after hearing everything Adam had been through.


    Cole''s mother died when he was very young and he had always felt lonely, as his dad was always busy and working, until Adam became friends with him and played with him every day.


    Cole over years became like a brother to Adam and another son to Adam''s aunt as he was with them almost every day, with his father never having much time for him, and they were always happy together.


    And to hear everything that had happened to Adam and his aunt, without him knowing, was a slap in the face.


    "I didn''t want to be a burden on you. It''s all in the past now and I will find a way to help my aunt" declared Adam, not wanting, himself attempting to handle everything alone, to stay as the topic of the conversation.


    "You know that I got your back bro, if you are ever struggling you can always turn to me" insisted Cole.


    "Same for you" agreed Adam as they shared a deep hug.


    "Now enough of that, how did Sarah get involved in this" asked Cole as he pushed Adam off him and returned to his jestful nature.


    "Well, it was not long ago when I went to a club nearby, just wanting to see what it was like, and I saw a girl being abused by some men. So just like anybody else would do in that situation I turned a blind eye and walked away" narrated Adam with a wry smile as Cole began to laugh.


    "After that, she ran after me, I had to fight the men and beat them up, then we both recognised each other and it was Sarah. Not long after I found out about her father, also being in a bad state like my aunt, as he was struggling against cancer and had to stay within hospital. So, I paid off her father''s bills that she couldn''t afford and I allowed her to stay at my place as she was very low on money." continued Adam.


    "Nothing else" inquired Cole with a cheeky smile, giving Adam a wink.


    "Oh yeah, I quit my job and gave all my saved money to Sarah to make a business for us" revealed Adam.


    "What" exclaimed Cole in shock of what seemed to be a stupid decision.


    "What if it doesn''t work out and you can''t make any profit, what will you do then" screamed Cole.


    "Well, my bro is rich and can always give the lowly poor friend of his some scraps" answered Adam jokingly, as they both burst out into laughter.


    "So what about you, what have you been doing over the past few years," asked Adam after they had finished laughing.


    "Hmmm, where do I start. Not much has happened to me. I finished high school and after graduating from high school had a few holidays with Emma as it turned out, my father was really rich and had many businesses. I enjoyed myself with my father''s money and have been chilling ever since" stated Cole simply.


    "Are you going to go to college" asked Adam.


    "Nah, ever since I turned 18, I have been learning under my father to take over his businesses as an adult and they will be passed onto me when I turn 21" declared Cole gloatingly.


    "Technically we are bros. So, we are sharing right" jested Adam.


    "Yeah sure" affirmed Cole sarcastically.


    They conversed on the balcony together for hours both reminiscing and laughing at old memories they shared together.


    Until suddenly Adam heard a notification within his mind.


    {It is nearly 10 pm and you will be transported to the dungeon in 30 seconds} announced the system.


    "Shit" screamed Adam suddenly, completely forgetting about the time.

 Chapter 39: Floor 2

    {It is nearly 10 pm and you will be transported to the dungeon in 30 seconds} announced the system.


    "Shit" screamed Adam suddenly, completely forgetting about the time.


    He abruptly jumped up from the chair he sat in opposite Cole.


    "What''s wrong," asked Cole worried by Adam''s sudden change in expression.


    "I know this is really weird, but do you have somewhere I can sleep" asked Adam hurriedly, knowing he wouldn''t be able to make it to his apartment in time.


    "That is weird, but pick any spare room that are down there and you can do as you please" stated Cole as he pointed to a corridor inside the penthouse and chuckled to himself, watching Adam scurry towards them.


    "He has changed so much, but he is the same bro of mine and I will make sure nothing like what he had been through ever repeats itself" mumbled Cole to himself as he watched Adam rush into a spare room.


    Both knew that each other had missed out large pieces of information and had some things that they weren''t revealing, but both trusted each other and were happy that they were finally able to reunite.


    Adam rushed into the closest spare room and after closing the door behind him launched himself onto the bed as he heard another notification resound within his mind.


    {Ding, the host is being transported into the Dungeon} the system stated as he felt his soul sucked out of his body.


    SWOOSH.


    After landing on solid ground, he readily opened his eyes, prepared to battle, but calmed down after seeing that he was in the weird closed-off room that led to a single corridor that was closed off by a gate.


    {The host has now completed Floor 1 and will now enter Floor 2 which has the same rules and applications. The host has to reach LVL 20 and or defeat the Boss Beast on Floor 2 to move onto the next Mortal graded dungeon Floor} the system stated.


    {You may enter} granted the system as the gate blocking him from the corridor opened.


    Taking a deep breath to calm his mind, Adam stepped forth and headed towards the golden light at the end of the mysterious corridor.


    Meanwhile, Cole had joined Emma and Sarah who were trying on all kinds of clothes and dodged any and all questions towards him asking about what had happened between them and what they had spoken about.


    Emma and Sarah also had a meaningful conversation and had narrated to each other the past year or so that they had separated and not contacted each other much, and both agreed to keep in touch and spend more time together.


    After rushing through the golden light, Adam felt himself being sucked into another space again and as he landed was instantly prepared for battle.


    Unlike on Floor 1, Adam spawned into a position near to the edge of the floor that was visible to him, and was both happy and angry at the same time.


    He was happy that he was spawned into a safer position, but remembering the dangerous position he was spawned into previously, he was furious.


    {Before the host asks, the host was spawned into the dungeon randomly and the system has no control over it, however, on this Floor the host was spawned near the edge} stated the system.


    Leaving Adam with nothing to say as he rejoiced and focused on the dungeon.


    "I have made it to Floor 2, but god knows how many floors there are and what LVLs cultivators might be at, so this is no time to be complacent" mumbled Adam to himself, in self-encouragement.


    [Last time I purposefully lost control to the bloodlust as it gave me an exhilarating rush of power and freedom. However, now after it is triggered by the sight of blood and dead bodies, I will regulate it and keep it under control. And will only using the Bloodlust characteristic''s extensions if there is no other choice] planned Adam as he looked around to see what kind of environment he was in.


    All around him, he could see thick and dense trees that varied in heights and blocked his view of the sky, as he noticed that he seemed to be in some sort of rain forest.


    Scouring his mind for what he knew about the rainforest ecosystem, he came up with multiple advantages and disadvantages that he began to recite to himself,


    [The advantages are that they are densely populated, there are many places to climbed and hide and there is an abundance of food and resources that I have never thought about finding while in the dungeon. The disadvantages are exactly the same as what the rainforest had to offer to me as they would be offered to the large amounts of beasts that I will come across] observed Adam.


    [Rainforests are extremely dangerous and there are many venomous snakes and insects, as well as carnivorous animals that attack people. The land can also be extremely dangerous and uneven, and the forest is so thick in some places that it would be nearly impossible to navigate] continued Adam.


    Not letting it discourage him he steeled his will and withdrew his two daggers from his inventory.


    Looking at its durability, it had dropped by 6 and had 4 durability points left.


    "I may have to part way with these daggers soon" sighed Adam who grew fond to the dual daggers that enhanced his speed.


    "I need to hunt and get new weapons and loot, without wasting time" stated Adam courageously, as he began to slowly and cautiously walk in between the trees and entered the rainforest.

 Chapter 40: Old Fear

    With two daggers in hand, Adam cautiously walked into the rainforest, hearing all kinds of animal noises far in the distance.


    Adam had his eyes dead set on gaining as much as he could from the Dungeon System and as quickly as he could.


    He no longer told himself he had to slowly defeat the Dungeon over time, and the idea of completing the Dungeon floor in a single night was lingering within his mind.


    Holding his daggers tightly, that had visible cracks on them after losing a lot of durability, Adam weaved between the trees.


    "I wonder what kind beast will I encounter first on the first stage of the floor" mumbled Adam as he continued to scour his surroundings for common threats found within a dungeon.


    It was evident that the mysterious and heaven-defying Dungeon System that he gained was very similar to games and had different stages with different levelled beasts with a repeated structure, from what Adam had seen.


    However, at the same time, Adam had come across goblins and knew that the system was very random and could come up with unexpected obstacles.


    With that knowledge, Adam continued to stay cautious as he travelled a few hundred metres into the dense rainforest.


    What surprised Adam was that he had seen birds fly above his head, but they didn''t seem to be a part of a stage.


    "This must be a dungeon that isn''t simply split into stages and I must be prepared for anything that could come up" stated Adam to himself.


    As he did so he began to hear noises that bought up old memories, fear and wariness.


    There were loud rattling and hissing noises that he could hear from the area before him.


    "Obviously the first beast I would have to face are snakes, the animals that I was most scared of" mumbled Adam to himself.


    Adam had a severe case of Ophidiophobia when he was younger and would scream and sometimes even faint at the sight of snakes, even seeing them in movies and games made him feel uncomfortable.


    It took him a few seconds to regain composure and as he thought about what he had been through and battled against with the Dungeon System, a snake seemed like a measly creature in comparison.


    Steeling his will he walked forwards towards what he had speculated was the first stage, as he instantly saw a large yellow snake wrapped around a tree in the distance.


    The single snake surprised him by its sheer size that was a few metres long and quite thick, but a single snake in the distance didn''t threaten him much.


    However, he instantly regretted assuming that it was a lone snake, as he spotted a few more snakes and found that they circled around the central area he was heading towards and he would have to battle against the snake beasts as what seemed to be the easiest beast on Floor 2.


    Luckily Adam knew that snakes were not animals that would work together, which gave him some reassurance unlike when he had to battle against groups of Canidae beasts.


    Looking closely at the yellow snake as he approached it, Adam gathered that it wasn''t a poisonous snake, like he had guessed, from its initial sight and was in fact a python.


    It''s body structure, size and head shape gave it away to Adam, who had researched continuously about animals in preparation for hunting in the dungeon.


    [If it is like this it is good and bad at the same time. It will no longer have venom or poison that a snake could inject into my body and would have been a massive danger. However, it is much stronger, more intelligent, and has much thicker and durable scales] gathered Adam.


    But he also knew that the dungeon was unpredictable and didn''t assume his observations as fact until he had battled against it first hand.


    As he reached a range of 50 metres he began to see the stats of the beast and the closer he got the more he could see and the clearer the stat board became.


    Wood Python


    LVL 11


    HP: 250


    Strength: 23


    Speed: 17


    Intelligence: 19


    Resistance: 23


    The stats were extremely intimidating to look at and it had the strength level to be able to rival the Boss Beast of Floor 1.


    Looking at the beast, the only thing Adam could see that he had over it was his speed.


    However, its resistance and strength would be a massive issue and he knew that he couldn''t allow it to wrap around him otherwise he would lose to the snake beast.


    Additionally, it''s intelligence was also high and from what Adam could assume, it wasn''t for sensory ability, but for actual mental intelligence.


    As he approached closer to the python, hoping to attack it while it wasn''t prepared, the python suddenly opened its eyes and glared at Adam.


    It glared straight at Adam and began to hiss as it loosens its tight grip around the tree and slithered down the tree to the floor.


    Seeing its long thick body and its glaring eyes, Adam was ready to battle as he switched the grip of his daggers to a reverse grip.


    Dual Slash


    Activating the skill and pouring an additional 2 MP into it, Adam had slashed outwards with both his blades, launching energy blades at the python 20 metres in front of him.


    At such a close distance and so suddenly, Adam knew it was a sure hit, but still jumped back in case of a counter-attack.


    As the dust, that the energy blades had caused, subsided, Adam saw the python still where it lay with two small gushes on its body.


    His attack had barely gotten through the scales of the beast that wasn''t injured massively.


    Looking at the python''s HP, it had only dropped by 20 or so HP, but despite the minimal effects, Adam had a smile and came up with a method to take out the pythons.


    "If I used Dual Slash to break through their scales, I can take them out when they attempt to wrap around my body, All I must do is with my daggers dig into the wounds I have caused and will be able to take them out within seconds of confronting them" planned Adam, who confidently walked over to the python who also slithered towards him.

 Chapter 41: Python Hunting Part 1

    The python with its great speed, that was almost double that of a peak human, was still fast as it slithered to Adam and wrapped around his leg with its long body.


    Adam would have been able to easily dodge the python''s attempt at wrapping around him, but had recklessly planned to take out the python by attacking its wounds as it attempted to do so.


    However, Adam had made a grave mistake at underestimating the python''s strength and intelligence.


    As it wrapped around Adam''s leg, it began to pour more and more strength to the point that Adam felt his leg was going to burst under the pressure and felt his muscles being squeezed and were about to tear.


    Each time Adam exhaled, the long python continued to tighten its grip and coil higher up its leg.


    His fear of snakes was very hard for Adam to overcome, even with the Hunter''s mind, and only after being jolted by the sudden pain in his left leg, did he calm down and realise the mistake he made.


    "This isn''t a normal python, but one from the dungeon that is extremely powerful" realised Adam as he facepalmed himself.


    The python slowly reaching higher towards his crotch area, Adam suddenly became both worried and furious.


    "Get the fuck off me" he screamed, worried about his crotch area that held his crown jewels.


    He knew it was only a dungeon form that had no effect on his real body, but was still unwilling to allow his most valuable asset to be tainted or destroyed even in the dungeon form.


    As it continued to slither upwards and coiling around his leg while tightening its grip, Adam stumbled backwards under the weight, strength and pain that the python was placing on its leg.


    Looking eye to eye with the beast it seemed to be ridiculing him with its glaring green eyes that had a black slit.


    Its intelligence was obvious to Adam from its eyes, but it merely infuriated him more as he launched his blade towards the python''s head.


    The python instantly, seeing the attack, hid his head under its coiled body.


    Adam''s attack struck the python''s body, but didn''t do any damage, merely leaving a small chip in its scales.


    Looking for the injuries that he had caused it, Adam found they were also hidden by his coiled body that continued to tighten and slowly rise up.


    Steadying his breath and calming down, Adam began to scour his mind, in the hopes of thinking up another plan to take out the beast.


    [The best way for me to deal with a python''s grip, from what I have read online, is to grab its head so that it cannot bite me. It also says to take deep and steady breaths, and attack its tail that is the weakest part of its body and has the most thin and frail scales] remembered Adam suddenly.


    The python''s head was covered and the bite wasn''t much of a threat to Adam who had experienced excruciating pain that is incomparable to a mere snake bite, and he had steadied his breathing, leaving him the only option to attack the python''s tail.


    Screaming, Adam felt his left leg suddenly break under the tightening pressure of the python and could no longer resist the pressure.


    "Die" roared Adam who was in immense pain as he slashed downwards at the python''s tail with both his daggers.


    The strike pierced straight through the thinner scales and revealed the mushy insides of the snake.


    With his desire to kill the beast, driven both by his Bloodlust and the hate he had towards the beast that had caused him pain and damaged his leg, Adam gruesomely dug his daggers into the insides of the python.


    The python that had loosened its grip, shocked by the sudden pain and by the fact that Adam knew of the weakness of its tail, was suddenly flung off Adam''s leg, who seized the opportunity to get the python off him.


    The python with its long body, that was unable to balance itself or soften its fall midair, crashed straight into a tree.


    Dual Slash


    Adam instantly launched two blades formed of energy slashing into the python that fell on the ground.


    Withdrawing the E Rank Fur Jacket he still had within the inventory from when he needed it on Floor 1, Adam shredded it apart destroying the item and its value, but forming himself a bandage.


    Afterwards, he crawled over to a thick stick that he saw near a tree and after finding another stick to match it, Adam aligned the two sticks at either side of his injured leg and wrapped the bandage he had formed from shredding his E- Rank Fur Jacket.


    Within seconds Adam had intelligently made a support for his broken left leg and strugglingly stood up.


    Standing on his leg was extremely painful, but with his HP and MP surpassing double that of a peak human, he knew he would recover quite quickly and would manage to painstakingly stand on the injured leg.


    Knowing that is was merely a dungeon form and he wouldn''t sustain permanent damage from the injury, Adam wasn''t focused on pain was on high alert for any beasts that may try to attack him in his weakened state.


    His HP was not only how much damage he could sustain, but also represented how much vitality his body had available and as it increased, so did his body''s recovery speed along with the increased vitality.


    Reinforced by the MP, that was the amount of energy his body had available, recovery wouldn''t take more than a few days to a week, which was incredible in comparison to an ordinary human.


    But that wasn''t Adam''s aim and he didn''t have that much time to spend in the dungeon, and merely wanted to support his leg before finding the means to recover it.


    Adam had only dared to do so during a battle as he had seen that the python had given up on the battle and tactically retreated as soon s it was struck by the second Dual Slash.


    "I guess I really was right. I won''t know what to expect from a python beast from the dungeon until I face it head-on" mumbled Adam, mocking himself, as he leaned against the tree.


    Sometimes he really wondered to himself where he would be without the Hunter''s mind that saved him from many stupid mistakes.


    But it didn''t have complete authority over his mind and his youthful stupidity and recklessness were still able to come out sometimes.


    Instead of regretting his decision, he learnt from his mistakes and after replaying the battle over and over again within his mind, he finally formated a realistic plan to take out python beasts from that moment onwards.

 Chapter 42: Python Hunting Part 2

    "System how many points do I have" asked Adam.


    {Well, the host has 18 points left} stated the system in the same monotonous voice it always spoke in, but this time seemed to have a hint of mockery within it.


    "Buy 8 E Rank HP Recovery Pills" ordered Adam, knowing his leg wouldn''t recover quickly enough without the assistance of pills.


    Instantly he felt something enter his inventory and after opening the inventory tab, from the game-like menu he had access to, he saw the pills.


    Unlike previously, when he used the E Rank HP Recovery Pills on Floor 1, when he was launched off the mountain, Adam was only aiming to heal his leg.


    Adam had lost 40 HP from the breaking of his leg and the torsion of his leg muscles.


    Therefore 4 E Rank HP Recovery Pills would be enough to heal himself, and was relatively cheap compared to everything else within the system.


    Scoffing down the 4 pills, Adam felt the same incredulous feelings he felt the last time as his body felt a surge of energy and vitality and he felt his leg''s bones and muscles realign and recover themselves to their peak state in an instant.


    Jumping up and stretching his leg, it felt as though nothing had happened to it and it was completely recovered.


    [If I sold these I could make a fortune] realised Adam.


    But the thought was instantly removed from his mind as he knew how much unwanted attention and troubles it would bring him, especially with the existence of cultivators.


    "Time to hunt these python''s" mumbled Adam to himself.


    The plan he came up with after already facing a python beast was very direct, but had no direct danger to him involved.


    He would summon his Goblin Summon and Canidae Summon, that were quite large and had a high strength stat, to hold down the python beast that wouldn''t be able to slip through or coil around them while being held down.


    Its bite may be painful and cause slight damage, but unlike other venomous snakes, it was nothing in comparison and couldn''t be neglected, while Adam would strike down its tail and continue to inflict it damage until it died.


    Dashing to the right, planning to circulate around the entire floor and wipe out all the python beasts on the stage, Adam soon came across another python that was instantly alerted by Adam''s presence and got ready for battle.


    Hissing at Adam hatefully, it slithered rapidly towards Adam.


    Learning from his mistake, Adam jumped backwards, but mid-air called out two things.


    "Goblin Summon"


    "Canidae Summon"


    A stocky green goblin, that was now the average height of a human, after growing in strength, had appeared out of thin air beside the python.


    While on the other side of the python appeared a large Canidae beast that had features unique to coyotes, arctic foxes and grey wolves, all fused together.


    Adam was surprised by the fact that his summons had appeared exactly where he had intended them to appear and was happy about the new feature of the summoning he had learnt, but in such a situation didn''t have the luxury of relaxing.


    "Hold it down" barked Adam to his summons, who instantly followed their master''s orders.


    The python heading towards and looking at Adam, was too late to react to the two beasts that appeared out of thin air.


    Grabbing the python''s body with its large and strong hands, the goblin summon held tightly onto the python''s body and pushed it down while the Canidae summon dug its dagger-like teeth into the scales of the python and used its paws to clamp it down.


    It had worked out better than he had expected and Adam was shocked by the growth in power and the slight change in appearance his summons had experienced.


    Without time to waste, knowing that the python couldn''t be underestimated and his summons were using his MP, Adam dashed around the python to its tail.


    It struggled under the grip of the goblin and Canidae summon, but it was to no avail as Adam slashed downwards onto its tail and broke past the thin scales revealing its soft innards.


    Adam ruthlessly stuck his dagger into the inside of the python beast and dug his arm deeper up the python''s body as blood soaked his arm.


    With the massive loss of HP and the consistent flow of blood, Adam jumped back and left his summons to hold down the beast until the beast finally died after a few minutes.


    Instantly Adam felt he had gained EXP, gold and an item and was suddenly alerted by a notification from the system.


    {Would you like to collect this beast as you Pythonidae base beast. YES / NO}


    [Yes] answered Adam without hesitation.


    Excitedly and curiously checking his inventory, Adam found a new type of equipment he had never looted before.


    It was an armour type equipment.


    E+ Rank Scale Vambrace


    Effects:


    +2 in resistance


    +1 in strength


    Its effects were great and in the same way as the daggers, two of them could be equipped at once, one on each arm.


    It was a type of armour that protected the arm from the elbow to the wrist.


    Equipping the Scale Vambrace, a green scale-like armour appeared around his left forearm and Adam instantly felt his body had become more sturdy and slightly stronger.


    "Amazing" mumbled Adam in awe of the incredible effects that the items within the system had.


    If the E Rank items were so useful and powerful, Adam was wondering what higher grade weapons would be like and what was the limit of the dungeon.


    It was an endless cycle and the more he thought about it, the less he knew and the more questions he had.


    After a few minutes, Adam was beginning to feel the fatigue of keeping two summons activated at once, that he never noticed while being engrossed deep in thought, and decided he would postpone his contemplation until after he had left the dungeon.


    Retracting his summons, Adam moved along the dense rain forest looking for more pythons and each time he came across one he took it out using the same method he had formulated.

 Chapter 43: Gains

    Adam spent the entire 24 hours he had within the dungeon hunting python beasts that seemed to be endless and after completing a full cycle of the entire rain forest, Adam had finally completed the stage and had strengthened himself massively.


    He could take on 4 pythons in a row with his method of attacking, then would stop for a few minutes to half an hour to recover his MP before moving on to more python beasts.


    Over the entire time, he had taken out 76 python beasts, which all required him to use two summons simultaneously.


    Adam knew that without the Collector Skill it would have an extremely difficult battle with each of the Wood Python beasts, but with the assistance of two summons, he gained the advantage in numbers and didn''t need to get in harm''s way.


    Yet from the 76 beasts, he had only gained 7 Scale Vambraces altogether and had gained a few useless fangs and scale scraps.


    His luck seemed to be lowering and Adam knew that it was unrealistic to gain valuable items from each beast he faced and the drop rate would continue to fall as he scaled more and more floors.


    However, overall to Adam none of the items were the most valuable thing he gained and it was the Pythonidae Summon.


    Pythonidae Summon


    LVL 10


    HP: 250


    Strength: 23


    Speed: 17


    Intelligence: 19


    Resistance: 23


    Special Trait: Crushing Grip


    Types Integrated: Wood Python


    Despite not using his Pythonidae Summon against the 75 python beasts he had taken out, Adam still knew how useful and powerful it would be to him in the future just by looking at its stats and experiencing battles against the wood pythons.


    While resting against a tree, Adam heard a sudden notification from the system that he wasn''t expecting.


    {Ding, 24 hours have passed within the dungeon and 12 hours in reality. The host will be taken out of the dungeon within 30 seconds} announced the system.


    Adam was shocked by how quickly 24 hours had gone and throughout he was enjoying the gratification and satisfaction of hunting and watching his gains rising as he did so.


    [Status]


    Mortal LVL: 10


    EXP: 836 / 1250


    HP: 210 / 210 +10


    MP: 25 / 25


    Strength: 22 +3


    Speed: 22


    Intelligence: 25


    Resistance: 22 +5


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    Looking at his status, with the enhancing effects of his two vambraces and his blade, Adam had a satisfied expression seeing that he had almost increased an LVL in a single night.


    During his hunting, Adam''s daggers had shattered after their durability ran out and had resorted to using his E Rank Wolf Sabre.


    But at the same time, he realised how hard it was becoming to increase his LVL and that it wouldn''t be as easy as he had hoped to complete an entire floor within a night.


    However, Adam knew thinking to himself negatively would only waste time and energy and he wouldn''t gain anything from it.


    Looking at his gold, he saw that he had gained 8360 gold from the 76 beasts that were all at LVL 11, yet looking at his system points, he had only gained 152 system points which wasn''t as much as he had expected.


    "Why did I only gain 76 system poi..." asked Adam before being interrupted by being sucked away and back into his body.


    SWOOSH


    After the weird sensation of being sucked into another space subsided, Adam opened his eyes and instantly felt slight pain in his back from sleeping in an uncomfortable position for 12 hours.


    Stretching his body, Adam asked his question again, slightly disappointed at the low amount of system points that he gained.


    "Why did I only gain 152 system points despite defeated 76 beasts that were all LVL 11," asked Adam.


    {From now onwards the host will gain a single system point for defeating a being at the same LVL as the host, upon entry of the floor, and would gain an additional point for each LVL that the defeated opponent is higher than the host while entering. For example, if the host was to defeat an LVL 15 being at the host''s current LVL, the host would gain 5 system points, not 15} explained the system.


    Adam couldn''t help but shake his head in disappointment, but at the same time wasn''t upset as he knew that nothing came easy in life.


    "It seems as though the system is getting harder from now onwards. But I will face everything that the system throws at me and will save my Aunt while becoming stronger" declared Adam positively.


    He was no longer only hunting in the Dungeons to save his aunt, gain wealth and gain enough strength to protect himself, but to also relieve his Bloodlust and relieve his thirst for power.


    The insatiable desire for more power had been awoken in Adam who became enthralled in the satisfaction of his gaining strength, and started to care less and less about life in reality and wanted to return to the dungeon, knowing that he didn''t have much to do anyway.


    Looking around the room he was in, he was suddenly reminded what had happened last night and how he had abruptly left Cole to enter the dungeon.


    "I guess I do have a life in reality now as well" mumbled Adam remembering his heartfelt reunion with Cole and the warmth he felt while being around his friends.


    {Is it a bad time to give the host an announcement} asked the system.


    [He, why are you asking, normally you just blurt out your announcements without a care in the world] scoffed Adam who was surprised and wary of the system''s sudden change in attitude.


    {Well then, I just thought it was the right time to inform the host that from now on, each percentage of mastery will require much more system points than how the previous price was and the host''s mastery discount has run out} informed him the system with a hint of mockery behind the monotone and robotic voice.


    [Damn you system, why didn''t you tell me about the discount] scolded Adam angrily.


    {The system can provide the host opportunities, but even after the increased intelligence stat, the system cannot get rid of the host''s stupidity} answered the system ridiculing Adam.


    Adam began to scream and curse at the system within his mind, but it was to no avail as the system ignored him and allowed him to seeth in annoyance alone.


    Calming down, Adam fixed his hair, tying it back into a small ponytail that had become messy and washed his face in the bathroom, conjoined to the guest room he was within.


    "Time to avoid any questions and try not to make the atmosphere awkward" mumbled Adam to himself with a wry smile as he exited the guest room.

 Chapter 44: Reminiscing

    "Adam you are finally awake, come and join us" called out Cole welcomingly, seeing Adam from the dining table in the centre of the open area.


    "Sure" accepted Adam.


    He walked over to them to see the large table filled with a range of foods that would be impossible for them to finish.


    "So much food" uttered Adam as his stomach rumbled, noticing he hadn''t eaten for a long time.


    "Join us, you''re obviously hungry" joked Cole as they all began to laugh.


    Adam sat down beside Cole and began to devour large amounts of foods.


    Looking at Adam''s appetite and the amount he could eat, they were massively shocked, remembering him as their skinny friend that didn''t eat much.


    Yet looking at his toned and chiselled body, it made sense to them that his physique required large amounts of food to sustain.


    "So, Adam would you mind telling us why you went to sleep so abruptly and for such a long time" enquired Emma curiously.


    "Well, I was tired and I am used to sleeping long amounts of time, so my body has become accustomed to it and it has become a habit to sleep for long whiles" answered Adam.


    Adam had become adept in formulating excuses and stories to cover the tracks of the Dungeon System and dodge any questions that were targetted towards the effects of the system.


    His answer wasn''t satisfactory, but answered her question and Cole managed to jump in and get his friend out of the awkward questioning.


    "So, Sarah what will you do now, are you planning on going college like Emma. It might not be too late" asked Cole, taking the target off Adam.


    Adam gave Cole a grateful smile, then turned to Sarah who was about to answer.


    "Well, me and Adam have started a company" announced Sarah proudly.


    "Really, what is it based around and how much capital do you have so far," asked Emma who was an economics student and was interested by Sarah''s sudden revelation.


    "Um, we only began a week ago and have invested 50,000 dollars into the company" answered Sarah.


    Emma''s expression didn''t change in the slightest and seemed to think of 50,000 dollars as nothing shocking.


    "And what is it about," asked Cole, who didn''t get many details from Adam.


    "It is a property development and real estate company and we should take off within a few months" summarised Sarah.


    "Need a hand with the company" offered Cole generously.


    Sarah looked around the penthouse and saw the obvious wealth that Cole had access to, but she was too embarrassed to ask for help and also was unwilling to do so as she wouldn''t be satisfied with her own work.


    "Why don''t we exchange phone numbers for now so we don''t lose contact with each other for another few years" suggested Adam, seeing Sarah struggling to answer.


    "Yeah we should do that, otherwise Adam might suddenly disappear" agreed Cole, also changing the subject.


    They exchanged numbers and finished their meal, then sat in the lounge area to relax.


    It was slightly awkward ever since Cole offered help, which was out of kindness, but the mood soon changed after Cole and Adam began to joke and lighten the mood.


    Adam was noticing that his Hunter''s mind was very relaxed around his friends and he finally felt like he was truly a normal person as he continued to burst out into laughter with his best friend.


    Meanwhile, Sarah and Emma were also enjoying the show, from their side of the lounge area, as all 4 of them reminisced about the past for a long while.


    "What do you have planned today," asked Adam to Cole.


    "Well, I am going to see my father who wishes to take me to a formal event" answered Cole.


    "What about you," asked Cole in reply.


    "I don''t have anything planned and have a free schedule for the day, but need to get back before late" answered Adam.


    "Why don''t you come with me" suggested Cole.


    "Shouldn''t you go with your girlfriend to a formal event" stated Adam, not wanting to get in the way of Cole''s relationship.


    "Nah, Emma doesn''t like these events and would much rather hang around with Sarah. Isn''t that right Emma" called out Cole.


    Emma nodded in agreement and turned back to Sarah as they also planned their day.


    "Well then, I don''t see why not" accepted Adam.


    "When will we be leaving" asked Adam.


    "Hmmm, in 13 minutes" calculated Cole as he looked at his expensive-looking wristwatch.


    "What, so soon" exclaimed Adam, shocked by the calm and chilled attitude Cole had despite running late to a formal event.


    Then remembering how Cole always used to cause him to be late and was never on time, Adam couldn''t help but shake his head.


    "Hurry up and get changed" urged Adam to Cole who sat beside him wearing informal clothing.


    "What, I am going like this" stated Cole.


    "Didn''t you say it was a formal event" asked Adam.


    "Yes"


    "Then why are going to go in jeans and a t-shirt" exclaimed Adam in shock and frustration at Cole''s uncaring and nonchalant attitude.


    Cole stood up and headed towards the exit, leaving Aam rambling to himself about how irresponsible Cole had always been ever since they were young.


    "Are you coming" called out Cole from within the lift.


    Adam scurried to join Cole and was both disappointed and amused by Cole''s actions as the lift doors closed after him and took them down.


    "Classic Adam and Cole, always bickering and acting as entertainment for us" mocked Emma as she and Sarah began to laugh between themselves.

 Chapter 45: Balance

    "So what is this formal event for," asked Adam as the elevator descended.


    "Ah, it''s just an auction that will have a lot of people going to it, and my father wants me to go to keep up appearances and meet others that could benefit me in the future" answered Cole uncaringly.


    From Cole''s description, it was the worst kind of event possible that would be full of arrogant and rich people that would get on Adam''s nerves and look down on him because of the way he dressed.


    He was beginning to regret agreeing to go with Cole.


    "Don''t worry, it won''t be long and no one would dare to look down on you if you are under my protection" reassured Cole gloatingly, seeing the sullen state Adam had fallen into.


    Adam had no money to spend in the auction and wasn''t anybody of high status or popularity, so had no reason to be at the auction.


    One thing that Adam was curious about, was Cole''s true identity that we was unsure of.


    He knew that Cole''s father was a busy business man, but had never seen Cole flaunt much wealth, although he had not cared much about money in their younger days, implying he may have had access to a lot of wealth if he pleased.


    [System, how do I look at his status] asked Adam within his mind.


    {The system only shows the status of any beings that are hostile and hold malicious intent towards the host within the area, and will not show the status of everybody} answered the system.


    [So, is there no way for me to be able to see his status] asked Adam, knowing the limitless capabilities of the system.


    {There is a way, but..} stated the system, before pausing.


    [But what] screamed Adam within his mind.


    {It will cost you 100,000 system points to unlock the status peering feature} announced the system.


    Hearing the cost, Adam was shocked and couldn''t help but become frustrated about how large the price was.


    Meanwhile, Cole was watching Adam and was baffled by his sudden changes in expression.


    "Are you okay Adam. Is it that time of the month" asked Cole mockingly as he burst out into laughter.


    "Haha, very funny" stated Adam sarcastically.


    DING


    The elevator finally descended to the ground floor and as Adam left with Cole they received respectful yet confused and curious glances from the workers in the building.


    "Just who are you," mumbled Adam curiously.


    "I am Cole during the day but at night I am a superhero that defeats crime and..." narrated Cole jestingly, before being stopped by Adam.


    "Shut up" interrupted Adam, infatuated in figuring out who Cole really was.


    [It seems possible that Cole is from the Maxwell Family, but I felt no strength from him while hugging him and my instincts tell me he isn''t a cultivator. Also, his surname isn''t Maxwell and from what I know is Summers, so who could he be] wondered Adam within his mind as he followed Cole to his car.


    "So, what is going to be sold at this auction," asked Adam curiously, after entering Cole''s car.


    "Diamonds, treasures, antiques, all kinds of weird and valuable stuff that people like, but nothing that I want" answered Cole as he started the engine of his luxurious car.


    Sitting in the car Adam, heard the robotic voice of the system, that he didn''t want to hear again.


    {While on the topic of prices increasing, when the host reached LVL 11 the host would have surpassed the first stage of the Mortal rank. After every stage surpassed, the price of summoning using the Collector Skil also increases by a single MP and so does the price of sustaining your summons} informed him the system.


    Adam had become even more agitated with the system''s timing and continuous revealing of bad news and was in a stroppy mood.


    {And the host''s reward for the achievement still hasn''t been opened} reminded the system.


    "Fuck off" screamed Adam within his mind, annoyed at the system.


    Instantly Adam''s mood changed again and the system seemed to be toying with him as Cole watched his friend constantly changing moods.


    "Are you sure you are okay" asked Cole, this time more seriously.


    "Yes don''t worry Cole" reassured Adam.


    Adam''s hunter''s mind had become much more relaxed, but now Adam was feeling just how much needed it and how useful the effects were, not only in battle but also in everyday life.


    He wasn''t able to keep his composure and stay calm, while conversing with the system and answering questions, letting on too much to his friends with his expressions and emotions, which he didn''t want to do.


    He didn''t want his friends to understand and read his emotions and find out about the system, as it made him feel vulnerable and also got them involved in his pursuit of strength and the dangers that came with it.


    Adam didn''t want to ask the system for help on how to make the Hunter''s mind have more influence over him, as it had been annoying, so attempted to do so without the system''s help.


    Surprisingly he had succeeded merely by intending for it to occur, as he felt the emotionless and unaffected state of his mind begin to return and he felt his thoughts were clearer and flowed quicker.


    [This is how it should be and I will keep it like this] stated Adam to himself, feeling the security of having the Hunter''s mind activated.


    Cole while driving was closely observing Adam''s continuous changes in emotions and couldn''t help but be amused and curious.


    "Don''t worry bro, if you want to confess to Sarah I will help you" teased Cole, lightening the mood.


    "Shut up and focus on driving" refuted Adam.


    Adam was finding the balance of his own influence and the hunter''s mind''s influence that were both essential in life, but needed to be balanced or he wouldn''t be able to live normally and be calm and cautious.


    While Adam was finding his balance and analysing more of his weaknesses, Cole continued driving towards their destination.

 Chapter 46: Entrance Gala

    After spending 15 minutes finding his balance and also realising that he was spending too much time with his friends, which was sometimes a good thing, Adam decided he would need to spend more time teaching himself useful things or being productive.


    He not only had to balance his mind, but also the use of his time and the spending of the system points, as he needed to save up for the transferal feature and the B Rank Mortal Recovery Pill that was capable of healing his aunt.


    "How long left until we get there," asked Adam, after finishing his meditation of sorts, while he was finding his balance.


    "So you finally decided to wake up" stated Cole, assuming that Adam was sleeping for the past 15 minutes.


    "Yeah sorry about that, I was just a bit tired," said Adam with a wry smile.


    "Well there is another half an hour, so just go back to sleep" answered Cole, pretending to be upset that Adam was sleeping while he was driving.


    "Don''t be like that, I will stay awake through the rest of the trip" declared Adam sarcastically as they both began to laugh between themselves.


    "By the way, I want to learn how to drive. When you have time could you help me out with that" asked Adam.


    "Sure, after this boring auction, I can take you to an empty place and teach you how to drive" offered Cole.


    "Thanks, bro" accepted Adam gratefully.


    Throughout the trip Adam and Cole were enjoying themselves, playing all kinds of music that Adam had never heard and joking with each other.


    The half an hour passed quickly as they enjoyed themselves.


    "We have finally arrived" announced Cole as he turned the corner of a large building.


    Driving to the entrance, they were greeted by a respectful worker and after seeing Cole''s invite, they were allowed to enter.


    Cole gave the worker the keys to his car and the worker parked the car for Cole, while Cole followed by Adam strolled into the building.


    It was a luxurious sight with all kinds of drinks, foods and desserts prepared on long tables to the side, while dozens of people were conversing between themselves.


    "Do I have to be here" whispered Adam to Cole feeling out of place with all the wealth around him.


    "Yes, you have to stay with your bro. If I have to be here so do you. Isn''t that what friends are for" answered Cole shamelessly.


    Everybody that Adam had seen, was wearing expensive clothing and brands and even the workers were better dressed than Adam and Cole.


    Surprisingly only few gave them dirty looks and most of them didn''t really care or didn''t pay heed to the two youths.


    "So what do we do now," asked Adam to Cole, baffled by what was occurring.


    "Well, this is just the entrance gala where you can converse with others and this is where my dad wants me to make business relations. Then after this, there will be an auction in the auction house," answered Cole uncaringly.


    More and more people began to enter and Adam''s heart suddenly slumped as he saw somebody he recognised enter.


    It was the young thug that night that had a knife and was harassing Sarah.


    [Why is he here] thought Adam to himself, but not letting on anything from his expression, learning from his past mistakes.


    "That is the son of the leader of a gang in Brooklyn. The gang is known as the Wolf Fang Gang and they have all kinds of thugs and strong mercenaries for hire. They also are into weapon trading and other illegal activity, but are against selling drugs and have never done so" whispered Cole to Adam, noticing that he was observing him.


    "The son of the Wolf Fang leader is also known for being very scandalous and frivolous when it comes to females and if any woman caught his eye he would sleep with her, even if he needs to use force" added Cole.


    Hearing Cole, Adam was shocked by how knowledgable and conservative his friend was that had always been very careless.


    [He must have figured out everything about what happened that night from what I described to him and how I reacted when I saw him] assumed Adam.


    "Don''t worry, I was hooded and Sarah isn''t here so there is no way he can recognise me" reassured Adam.


    "Okay, but either way be careful as although he is very arrogant and stupid and the goons he take with him are weak, his father is quite capable and powerful in Brooklyn, especially the small areas under the control of his gang. And he is known for keeping grudges and using underhanded means to get what he wants" warned Cole.


    "I understand" stated Adam as him and Cole walked away and into the crowds.


    [Who would have thought that the lazy and careless Cole could be so dependable] thought Adam to himself, surprised by Cole''s change in nature.


    ''Who would have thought that the careful, scrawny and always scared Adam could get himself into a fight with a young gang boss, win, and still be calm about it without any signs of fear'' thought Cole to himself, also surprised by Adam''s change in nature.


    [I was wearing the same outfit as I am wearing now, and maybe buying only one set of clothes may be coming back to bite me, if he recognises it] Adam realised.


    He wasn''t afraid of getting into conflict and after what he had to battle against in the dungeon, a person could no longer intimidate him. But he was worried about his friends and his aunt that may be brought into their conflict and get hurt in the process, which he couldn''t let happen.


    Cole and Adam talked between themselves as more and more people arrived and they made sure to always be quite far from the young gang boss.


    But what Adam saw was that Cole didn''t seem scared of the young gang boss and seemed to see him as not a threat to himself, which made Adam wonder, who Cole really was.


    After half an hour of people entering and waiting, while enjoying the drinks and food available, it was finally time for the auction to begin.

 Chapter 47: Auction Part 1

    Adam followed Cole, along with the entire crowd, and they began to disperse after being led by staff to their designated viewing rooms.


    Each of the guests that had an invite, had their own private viewing room to watch the auction and place bids from.


    Adam followed Cole and their room was quite small, but was more than enough for two people, with a balcony that was peering over a stage in a large open hall.


    On the balcony was a large sofa, that was long enough for five people, and there was a screen with a red button that they could use to place bids.


    Adam was shocked by the show of wealth and the luxurious and well-made auction house that had dozens of viewing rooms of all kinds of sizes that al had a perfect view of the stage and had the ability to place bids with the screens found in each of the viewing rooms.


    "Now we just watch the auction that doesn''t have anything of interest to me, then we can leave and go somewhere else" stated Cole as he slumped on the sofa.


    "Is your father going to be coming" asked Adam, joining Cole''s side on the sofa.


    "I haven''t seen him in years" he added, awaiting a response from Cole.


    "To be honest I don''t know myself, and he is always extremely busy, but I have to keep up appearances for him" answered Cole as he shrugged.


    Talking between themselves for 5 minutes, they finally began the auction that they paid attention to.


    Adam especially, was very curious about what was up for bidding in the auction and was hoping he may be able to find something linked to cultivation.


    From what he had seen from movies, series and novels, Adam had many wild ideas of what cultivation entailed, but from what he had done and seen with the Dungeon System, believed that weapons and equipment with enhancing effects would be used by cultivators.


    [I remember the system saying that cultivators can use energy from special items and maybe I can find one of those items today in this fancy auction] thought Adam to himself.


    {Does the host wish to unlock the treasure sensing feature} asked the system.


    [For how much] asked Adam.


    {10,000 system points} answered the system.


    [You know I don''t have that many system points, so annoying] thought Adam.


    Adam had the idea of testing out the treasure hunting ability of his goblin summon, which was its special trait, but he knew that he couldn''t with Cole beside him and it would cause a massive commotion.


    A mature and beautiful looking woman, wearing an alluring and revealing red dress, walked onto the stage and stood in the centre.


    "Tonight is a special event that holds mysterious objects that have been deemed as valuable and to place your bids use the screens beside you and enter the number you wish to raise the price by, then press the red button" she announced through a microphone.


    "First up is this emerald that has been found gulf of Mexico and is thought to have healing effects on the wearer" announced the woman as the screen behind her showed a green emerald and her assistant carefully bought out the emerald on a trolly.


    "Bids start at 1,000,000 dollars" she stated, allowing everyone to place their bids.


    Adam was shocked by the woman openly announcing that the emerald may have healing effects and the starting price being 1,000,000 dollars.


    [Don''t tell me that all these people are cultivators and know about cultivation] thought Adam to himself, shocked, remembering the large amount of people that were there.


    Within Adam''s mind cultivators would wear old fashioned robes and fly atop swords and would all be monks that would be secluded and powerful, but what he was seeing went completely against what he had imagined.


    "Adam I know this may shock you, or it may not, but have you heard of cultivation" whispered Cole to Adam.


    "Like in the movies" answered Adam, acting ignorant to what Cole was talking about.


    "Yes and no, it is basically the pursuit of strength and you can think of it as body building or training to be athletes. But instead of eating large amounts of food, they would use energy found in special areas, or in special items like that emerald" explained Cole.


    Adam pretended to be shocked, but it was hard to pretend to be shocked about something he already knew.


    "My martial arts master mentioned it, but he doesn''t know it and only taught me karate" stated Adam, making up a story that would not only excuse the knowledge he had of cultivators, but also his inhumane strength.


    "Yeah that makes sense, no wonder you became so strong" mumbled Cole.


    "But these days it is rare to find many powerful cultivators and most cultivators are merely rank 1 at most and forming small criminal organisations, apart from the large families" described Cole, trusting Adam with the truth about the world.


    "What is rank 1," asked Adam curiously, wanting to compare his own strength system to that of what was used by cultivators.


    "Well rank 1 is completing 10% of the first realm and would give the user double the strength that he had before" explained Cole.


    [So rank 1 is the same as LVL 10, but from what Cole has said, those are merely small time thugs and gangsters and real cultivators from cultivation families should be much more powerful than that. Which also probably means that the Maxwell Family is one of those cultivation families] gathered Adam.


    Looking at Cole who had a very uncaring attitude, and seeing how much he knew, the curiosity of his true identity rose again, but he suppressed his curiosity for a later date.


    Adam had completely changed his mind about regretting his decision of going with Cole, and he realised just how much of an eye-opener it was.


    [This auction is beginning to get interesting] thought Adam to himself as he paid closer attention to everybody he saw, not underestimating a single one of them.

 Chapter 48: Auction Part 2

    "Cole are you a cultivator," asked Adam.


    "Nah, I am too lazy to do that and I don''t know how to anyway" answered Cole uncaringly.


    "So, how do you know so much," asked Adam, trying to gauge anything about Cole''s identity.


    "Everyone that has any sort of influence in this city knows of cultivation including everybody at this auction. Which is why the Wolf Fang gang boss is so dangerous and is why I warned you to avoid getting into conflict with his son as he should almost be Rank 2 or might even have reached Rank 2" answered Cole, informing Adam of the state of the city, but also avoiding his question.


    Cole, despite depicting the wolf fang as a powerful gang, didn''t seem to care about them in the slightest, making Adam wonder what powerful cultivators would be like.


    "Can I become a cultivator?" asked Adam, wanting to see whether Cole had the capability of making him a cultivator if he wanted to be one.


    "You could be a cultivator, but you need a method and the resources to do so, which I, unfortunately, don''t have" answered Cole honestly.


    Adam pretended to pout and be slightly let down, not wanting to show to Cole that he was already in the pursuit of strength in his own unique way.


    If it was known to cultivators how Adam was able to gain strength within his mind in his sleep with his limitless Dungeon System, they would all become furious.


    Others would have to not only burn money and resources to increase their strength, but would still be subpar to Adam who gained an additional stat point at each LVL and trained both Externally and Internally as he also gained rewards, equipment, wealth and skills.


    If the knowledge became public he would become the most hated and targetted person in the world, and knowing the value of the Dungeon System and the dangers that came with it, Adam chose to stay quiet about it even with his best friend and his aunt.


    The healing emerald was eventually sold for 12,000,000 dollars, which shocked Adam massively, but as the auction went on the prices continued to rise.


    "Do you mean to tell me that the item sold for 12,000,000 was the cheapest of all the items at today''s auction" exclaimed Adam after the next few items were more expensive.


    "Yeah, money is no longer what these people pursue and they would do anything, including burning their wealth, in the pursuit of strength and especially immortality. As the higher your strength, the longer you supposedly live for" stated Cole.


    Adam could sense some attraction with the items that were being sold, as he felt a wisp of an unexplainable entity within them, but none of them were anything valuable in his eyes.


    [That wisp must be energy and I must be able to sense it because of my high intelligence stat that improves my sensory and energy manipulation ability. But all of them seem to be useless and if my guesses are right, the healing effects of the first emerald would only be enough to heal minor injuries like small cuts and bruises] observed Adam.


    [But then again, wealth like Cole said doesn''t last and in their eyes, 12 million must be a small amount] thought Adam.


    All names that he heard had bought an item were noted down by Adam and each of them came from all kinds of organisations that he had never heard of.


    Using Cole, who was knowledgeable about the powers in New York, Adam had gained a rough idea of who each of them was.


    But none of them were extremely frightening to him like the Maxwell Family that was literally everywhere in Brooklyn and accumulated wealth in the billions.


    However, it wasn''t their wealth that scared him, but it was the idea that they had so much influence and strength and what they were capable with their wealth that scared Adam.


    The auction lasted another 2 hours, while hundreds of millions had been spent, but before it was over there was a final exhibition that was saved until last.


    "I know this is what most of you have been waiting on and is why most of you took the time to come here, so it is time for the final item" announced the woman.


    "This a sword formed by the master craftsman Angelo and has enhancing effects on the body. He fused many valuable materials and embedded into them a rune that gives the user enhancing effects, and it took Angelo weeks to find the resources and make it" depicted the woman, like she usually did, giving a brief description of the item that was bought in a glass case surrounded by 5 large men.


    "Sorry about the precautions, but this is what was requested of Angelo and us as the Silver Moon Auction House must do as the seller requests to ensure the safety of the product" stated the woman.


    Observing the silver blade that had a light blue tint and was shaped as a sabre with a black hilt, Adam wasn''t shocked by its power and was inversely disappointed by what he saw.


    Others at the auction were all in awe of the blade and eyeing it up, wanting to buy it, but in the eyes of Adam, it wasn''t anything special.


    [It is a C Rank Weapon at most and I could get many of them in the near future when I reach Floor 4 or 5 where there should be C Rank weapons and equipment] thought Adam to himself.


    Although it was much more powerful than anything he currently had, it wasn''t anything amazing as he continued to watch the auction, curious to see what people were willing to offer.


    "Bids will start at 100,000,000 and bidding will be in the same way as usually but a worker will go to the room of every bidder to see the proof of funds that are necessary for such a large bid. And Angelo said he is accepting trades of valuable items that..." announced the woman before stopping by the sudden loss of light.


    Suddenly the entire auction house situated within the large building that Cole had taken Adam to, had lost all light as it became pitch black.

 Chapter 49: Attempted Robbery Part 1

    Screams resounded throughout the auction house as everybody scrambled to escape, knowing that it couldn''t be a coincidence that the power went off as soon as Angelo''s weapon was revealed.


    Most of those at the auction weren''t even at rank 1 and were only low level cultivators, that were very wealthy and looking for resources or treasures to buy to improve their strength, so didn''t dare to sit still and rushed to get away.


    While everybody was in shock and screaming while rushing away, those from the wolf fang gang seemed to be prepared and instead of being scared, they were instead excited as the gang boss''s son began to laugh to himself evilly.


    "Pass me two night vision goggles" ordered the man that sat beside him.


    He was a burly and muscly man that had an aura of dominance and death around him.


    "Yes, boss" answered his subordinate respectfully as he placed the two night vision goggles in his palms, able to see him with his own night vision goggles.


    "It was too easy to smuggle in the equipment in preparation for this moment, and we have risked so much for this opportunity, and all that is left is to eliminate all witnesses and escape with the weapon and everything else, that will increase the power of our gang" stated the man as he burst out into laughter, in a similar way to his arrogant son.


    The Silver Moon Auction House was a neutral power that didn''t involve itself in any conflicts that occurred outside and allowed anybody, that met the influential and wealth qualifications, to enter.


    As a neutral power, no conflict was allowed inside and it had strict rules, but the wolf fang had made long preparations for that exact moment.


    They had gotten workers on the inside to smuggle in their equipment that was hidden in their viewing room and included automated weapons, body armour and night vision goggles.


    The wolf fang gang were a highly ambitious gang that was rapidly growing and had a strong and ruthless leader that was rapidly gaining territory, strength and wealth as more small gangs were swallowed up by his gang.


    With the latest weapon made by Angelo, their plans of expanding and warring with other rivalling gangs were possible, but it also placed a large target on their back, from those who were eyeing up the weapon that they had stolen and also Angelo and the auction house would become their enemy.


    Which was why they were also planning to kill him and anybody else that witnessed them being involved in the weapon''s robbery.


    He was highly an ambitious and intelligent gang leader that had many elaborate plans that were very thorough, yet, his biggest shame was his arrogant son that had the worst reputation and didn''t have the talent and determination required for cultivation.


    As the wolf fang gang armed themselves in preparation to steal the weapon and anything else valuable in the Silver Moon Auction House, Adam and Cole were shocked.


    "Cole we need to get out of here, it seems someone is staging a robbery" exclaimed Adam as he grabbed Cole''s hand and led him out of the room.


    "How can you see" asked Cole as he was dragged down the long corridors they entered from, towards the entrance gala.


    "I have good eyesight and can only barely see" answered Adam as he began jogging, speeding up their exit.


    Cole remembered Adam as the opposite and remembered him having slightly weak vision but not asking his aunt for glasses because he didn''t want to look like a nerd, but in the current situation, Adam''s eyesight was the least of his worries.


    Within minutes they had joined many others rushing out of their viewing rooms and towards the entrance gala as they were carried along by the large crowd.


    [I could go back and watch what cultivators are capable of and maybe even get the weapon while they battle] thought Adam recklessly.


    [But my Bloodlust might get out of control and I may get killed in the heat of their battle] thought Adam, weighing the risks and rewards.


    Letting go of Cole''s hand, Adam split from Cole who believed Adam was still following the crowd along with him towards the entrance gala and the exit, while Adam turned back.


    He barged past the crowd, going against the current, but after turning the corner he found some space to slip out of the crowd.


    [I need to find a vantage point that is close enough to the battle, to be able to swoop in and take the weapon and have a clear view of the battle, but also not too close that I am sensed and caught in the cross fire] thought Adam to himself as he ran past all those attempting to escape, that gave him confused looks, and looked for a position to watch everything play out from.


    Meanwhile, Cole had reached the entrance gala where they were allowed to leave after showing their invites and being searched by the Silver Moon Auction House, that were securing the building and had turned on the backup generator and lights that dimly lit the building.


    "Where is Adam" mumbled Cole worriedly as he looked around to see that Adam was nowhere to be seen.


    "Don''t tell me that idiot turned back, or got himself into trouble" said Cole angrily, worried about his friend.


    After looking for him for a few minutes, he was suddenly stopped by a guard.


    "Please leave the premises otherwise you may be hurt in the process of subduing those that have attempted to steal from the auction house" stated a guard, pushing out Cole that stood within the entrance gala, not leaving.


    "I can''t my friend is still inside" refuted Cole, trying to resist the grip of the guard.


    But he felt weak in comparison to the guard as he was pushed out of the building.


    "Don''t worry, your friend will be okay, we will deal with everything" reassured the man as he saw Cole out of the building.


    Cole knew there was no way nothing he could do and even if he got back in there was nothing he could do to help Adam.


    [All I can do is pray that he is okay and I must believe in his capabilities] thought Cole to himself as he watched the building enter a state of lockdown, stopping anybody from entering or leaving.

 Chapter 50: Attempted Robbery Part 2

    Adam could hear a blaring alarm as the speakers began to wail sirens.


    "The building has entered a state of lockdown and nobody can leave or enter" repeated the speakers.


    [They must be planning to trap in the thieves and wipe them out before they can get external assistance and they must have dozens of guards that are armed within the building] observed Adam.


    [The thieves can''t be that stupid and must know that there will be reinforcements coming from around the building] thought Adam to himself, confused by the plan of the thieves.


    The building they had entered, from what Adam had seen, had a hollow centre where there was the stage and the Auction House, with the area around it being viewing rooms that went up the floors.


    So, unless the thieves were able somehow blocking off the hollow centre, that had the valuables and not that many guards, it would be impossible for the thieves to pull off the robbery and get away.


    As Adam thought that, while dashing towards the centre, there was a chain of explosions all around the auction house, blocking it off from the rest of the building, before reinforcements could enter to support Angelo, the woman and their loyal guards.


    The wolf fang gang''s plan was much more detailed and intelligent than any of them imagined, and the wolf fang leader had taken into consideration all complications that would and could occur.


    The shutdown of the building was inevitable after they took out the power, and helped them with their plan, as they detonated the bombs that they had previously placed at all the entrances into the Auction House, that was situated in the centre of the building.


    After the power shut down, everybody would rush to get away, apart from the few guards, the woman and Angelo, that wouldn''t want to leave their valuables.


    They also had prepared themselves weapons, and night vision, and also had an escape route through the sewers that they had prepared and tested before hand.


    Therefore everything that the Auction House would do to defend itself, was part of the wolf fang gang''s plan, and if all witnesses were massacred, nobody would know what had occured.


    It was the perfect plan that took into consideration everything that could possibly happen, including everything that the Auction House would do to defend itself.


    It included ways of dealing with everything, apart from Adam, the anomaly, that couldn''t be seen as a normal person that would react in the same way as everybody else.


    Adam sensed something was off, and as he did so he was launched flying and crashing into a wall by the shockwave of the bomb closest to him.


    However he had luckily prepared his body for the shock and with his high HP and resistance, he had only lost 10 HP from the impact, that he knew would recover quite quickly.


    [Whoever did this must be very smart and prepared and I must be careful] noticed Adam as he got up and dusted his clothes.


    Adam, the woman and her 5 guards, Angelo and his 5 guards and the members of the wolf fang gang were all blocked in the centre of the Auction House.


    The winner would be able to either gain, or defend their valuables and was also the one that decided what was released to the public, if they needed to justify themselves, just like throughout history where the winner dictated what was stated in records.


    While Adam was looking for a vantage point of the centre, that he knew would be the inevitable meeting points of the thieves and the woman and Angelo with their guards, that were at the back of the auction house.


    The woman who was previously presenting the auction on the stage, was also the founder and owner of the Silver Moon Auction House and by the wolf fang gang attempting to steal from them, they were making a massive declaration to the underworld of Brooklyn.


    "We are blocked inside the centre and if we stay here we will be merely sitting ducks that will be easier to slaughter. The only option we have is to negotiate with the thieves and hope that they don''t have a way to escape that we can offer for our safety" stated the woman.


    Angelo was very arrogant and didn''t want to lower himself to having to negotiate with them, but at the same time, he was human just like everybody else and the most important thing to him was self-preservation.


    "Okay, but my weapon is not up for offer and if we see that we have a chance against them in battle we will take it" agreed Angelo who held tightly to his creation.


    It took him months to find the materials necessary to make it and weeks of work and designing to be able to make the weapon that was one of his greatest creations.


    Their 10 guards, without needing orders, knew that their life in comparison to a master weapon forger and the master of a large auction house, was worthless, and formed a circle around their masters.


    All 10 of them were armed with knives and pistols, that were small and easy to carry without showing that you were armed, but were also less powerful and intimidating than other weapons.


    Withdrawing their weapons, they led their masters towards the central area where they knew was the obvious meeting ground, and stood on the stage, that had the storage area behind it that would usually be heavily guarded.


    But when the power went off, many workers went down to see what had occurred and to turned on the back up generator and the others had left to escape, leaving the woman with only 5 guards by her side.


    On the other side of the open centre, was the other entrance to the centre from which people could enter from, where the wolf fang gang members, that were involved in the robbery, stood.


    "The wolf fang gang leader, you are behind this" exclaimed the woman furiously

 Chapter 51: Attempted Robbery Part 3

    "The wolf fang gang leader, you are behind this" exclaimed the woman furiously.


    "Hahahaha, be quiet you bitch. You dare talk so directly to father" bellowed the wolf gang leader''s son arrogantly.


    The wolf fang gang leader wanted to reprimand his son''s arrogant behaviour, but allowed him that once, amused by the woman''s shocked and angry expression.


    The guards all defensively held up their pistols towards the wolf fang gang, knowing that although they might be cultivators, they were still only Mortal Cultivators that had no chance of dodging a bullet.


    "Put your puny weapons down" ordered the wold fang gang leader as the 5 of his men held up their larger automated weapons.


    "How did you manage to bring in such large weapons" exclaimed the woman, shocked by the large weapons that the wolf fang gang held.


    "Your lousy auction house was almost too easy to infiltrate and set up bombs in, it was as if you were inviting me in" ridiculed the wolf fang leader.


    He was confident that he had the complete upper hand and the arrogance and confidence he imbued were also intimidating his opponents that believed he was prepared for anything that may occur.


    "What do you want" asked the woman, trying to calm down and not let her anger get herself killed.


    Meanwhile, Adam had broken into a viewing room on the first floor and laying on the ground, he peaked over from the balcony and watched what was happening.


    [It is the wolf fang gang that is behind this, but there is nothing I can do even if I wanted to] thought Adam to himself shocked as he saw the youth he recognised as the one he beat up, with a large man beside him, that seemed to be his father.


    Adam was beginning to regret his decision, but at the same time had also gained some valuable information about what had occurred and he could utilise it in the future.


    [Should I get involved or not] thought Adam weighing his gains and loses.


    He could gain the favour of the auction house that were obviously wealthy and powerful and the favour of Angelo who was a wealthy and capable weapon forger, but he could get hurt or killed in the process and would make an enemy of the wolf fang gang if they managed to get away.


    But Adam was also eyeing up the sabre in Angelo''s hand that was much more powerful than anything he had come across so far.


    {Would the host like to open his reward for the achievement - Clutching to Humanity} asked the system.


    [Fuck off, this isn''t a good time] declined Adam who was more focused on the situation at hand.


    {I think the host could benefit from it and it could assist the host in the current situation} urged the system.


    [Okay, open the reward] accepted Adam, curious to what he would gain and why the system was so adamant on him doing so.


    {Ding, the host has gained a lucky dip from the reward of the achievement - Clutching to Humanity} announced the system.


    {The lucky dip is a...} explained the system before being cut off by Adam.


    [I don''t care about the explanation, just use it] interrupted Adam, who could guess that it would give him something random from the system.


    {Using the lucky dip}


    {Ding, the host has gained a smoke bomb, that will blind all those in the blast radius of the smoke bomb, but the host will be able to see perfectly in the smoke} announced the system.


    {The host has received something useful to the host in his current situation, but the next lucky dip the host uses will be completely randomised. It was only this way because of it being the first time the host used a lucky dip that improved the host''s luck} stated the system, who was being ignored by Adam who, after gaining the smoke bomb, was more focused on what was happening before him.


    {Also the host can use the item, from the lucky dip, in reality, because the lucky dip was used in reality. But if it was used in the dungeon, it can''t be transferred without unlocking the transferal feature} stated the system as a black canister appeared in Adam''s hand.


    "We want everything in this auction house that is valuable, including that weapon that shall be mine" stated the wolf fang leader.


    "But how will you escape after you get what you want, this place is shut down and there is no way for you to escape without causing a commotion and getting caught by the building''s guards," asked the woman, gauging whether the wolf fang gang leader had a way to escape.


    "Well as a final gift to you, who will die soon, I will tell you that we will escape with ease and have a direct way into the sewage system that we can use to escape to anyway in Brooklyn" announced the wolf gang leader arrogantly as he burst out into mocking laughter.


    Hearing his words, the woman and Angelo knew that they had nothing to bargain with that was of any worth to them, and just as they had fallen into despair, from the balcony of the viewing room, came a small black canister.


    Adam, who was also listening, had found a way that he would be able to escape, using the wolf fang gang''s escape route, and had decided to follow through with his plan and get involved.


    He jumped down from the balcony, as smoke began to envelop the area.


    "What is going on, I thought there was nobody in the area" exclaimed the wolf fang leader furiously.


    Seeing the smoke bomb, the woman, Angelo and their guards were relieved and believed that they had support as they all hid as the smoke continued to spread.


    "Open fire at that balcony and them" ordered the wolf fang leader frantically, who became slightly worried and extremely angry about his fool proof plan abruptly being ruined.


    "Leporidae Summon"


    "Pythonidae Summon"


    Adam who had jumped down from the balcony, that was being sprayed with bullets, summoned the two summons, that were the smallest and the best in the current situation.


    "Stealthily take them out, without getting shot" ordered Adam to his summons.

 Chapter 52: Mysterious Man

    "Stealthily take them out, without getting shot" ordered Adam to his summons.


    The python beast and hare-like beast, that also seemed to be able to see in the smoke, followed their master''s orders as they dashed close to the ground towards the wolf fang gang.


    Adam crawled on the ground and headed towards where he could see Angelo hiding.


    [I can gain the favour of the auction house, but the reward isn''t equivalent to the risk and I will also get myself that weapon] decided Adam.


    The loud blasting of weapons resounded throughout the open centre that was covered in a dense fog that blinded them all, apart from Adam.


    The Pythonidae summon rapidly slithered up the wolf fang leader''s body, catching him by surprise, and reaching his neck, the Pythonidae summon tightly squeezed with all its strength.


    The wolf fang leader, who was almost a rank 2 Mortal External Cultivator, around LVL 17, was instantly taken out by Adam''s summon who had snuck up on him and instantly went for the weakest point for gripping.


    While the Leopridae Summon had also taken down two of the wolf fang gang''s men, slashing open their necks.


    Their speed and intelligence, along with the element of surprise and the targets being blinded, made it so that it was easy for them to take them out.


    The firing of bullets became less and less as some of the guards were shot down by stray bullets, and the wolf fang gang were being taken out by Adam''s summons, who were carefully picking them off.


    Adam who had reached Angelo, swiftly snatched the sabre out of his hand and dashed away.


    "I will take it as payment for saving your life, while you should also tell the Auction woman that I will return to get my payment from her" called out Adam in a hoarse voice, making sure that it was heard by everybody.


    Adam had changed his voice as much as he could to make it as deep and intimidating as he could, while also making sure it sounded realistic.


    Instantly Angelo was furious, but there was nothing he could do in the current situation.


    As soon as Adam held the blade, he felt his power rise massively.


    [This really is a C Rank Weapon and its quality is great] thought Adam to himself as he headed towards the wolf fang gang.


    "Don''t kill the son" ordered Adam to his summon, who wasn''t completely sure of the way to escape.


    The son, other than the leader, would be the one out of all of them who was most likely to know the way for him to escape using the sewers, as although Adam had heard their plan, he didn''t know the details.


    Adam could see that the fog was beginning to become thinner and the others were then able to slightly see, as he dashed towards the wolf fang leader''s son was crying on the ground.


    Retracting his summons, Adam''s red eyes began to burn with the desire to kill, as his Bloodlust was awakened by the blood and dead bodies, but with his Hunter''s mind and his own mind battling against the Bloodlust, he managed to suppress most of it.


    Grabbing the wolf fang leaders son from his collar with his left hand, and carrying the stolen blade in his right hand, Adam bolted up the stairs that took him out of the centre, leaving the guards shooting at thin air.


    "Go after him" screamed Angelo furiously as the smoke began to disperse.


    His guards rushed up the stairs and stepped over the wolf fang gang members'' bodies, chasing after the mysterious man in black clothing.


    "I will never work with this trash Auction House ever again" declared Angelo angrily.


    "Who said you will have the chance to live and ever use an auction house again, as I cannot allow you to leave and defame my auction house" stated the woman as she grabbed a pistol from one of her guards.


    "What, you are going to kill me. Do you know how many people will come after you if you dare to and..." said Angelo before falling backwards onto the ground after a gunshot.


    "The wolf fang gang staged a robbery and killed Angelo in the process, but the Silver Moon Auction house took them out, but unfortunately Angelo''s weapon went missing" narrated the woman to herself making up a story of what happened.


    "Kill the rest of Angelo''s men and bring their bodies here, and if you come across that mysterious man, do not engage in combat and let him leave" ordered the woman to her 5 guards that instantly followed after Angelo''s guards.


    They instantly followed her orders that were the right choice in the current situation, as she didn''t know the mysterious man''s power and also owed him.


    "I will wait for you to come to me when you need anything, to find out who you really are" mumbled to herself the woman with a curious expression.


    Meanwhile, Adam held the wolf fang leader''s son against a wall in a viewing room and held the stolen sabre to his neck.


    "Where is the sewer escape route" interrogated Adam.


    "You.. you.. you are that man that beat me that day" realised the wolf fang leader''s son, seeing Adam''s identical clothes and body shape.


    "I will never tell you anything" he stated.


    "I am over here, come..." he suddenly screamed before choking on his own blood.


    As soon as he began to scream, Adam knew it was a lost cause and slashed his neck ruthlessly, relieving his desire to kill him, that was not only because of the Bloodlust, but also because of what Adam had heard of his actions.


    Adam had gained the sabre and the favour of the Auction House, but he was also stuck inside and didn''t know of a way to escape without requiring help or getting caught.


    [Now how am I meant to get out] thought Adam to himself as he hid behind the door and tightly held his stolen sabre.

 Chapter 53: Getting Away Part 1

    Adam hearing someone running down the corridor, near the viewing room he was hiding in, prepared to kill and make sure that his identity was found out.


    It was one of Angelo''s guards who was searching for Adam and as soon as he entered the viewing room, Adam swiftly and ruthlessly slashed his neck with the sabre in his right hand, while covering the guard''s mouth with his left hand, so that he couldn''t scream for reinforcements.


    "One down, there should be 6 more guards still alive" mumbled Adam to himself, believing that all the guards, including the auction house guards, would be looking for him.


    [System show me my status] ordered Adam.


    {Ding, the host''s current status is:


    Mortal LVL: 10


    EXP: 870 / 1250


    HP: 210 / 210


    MP: 21 / 25


    Strength: 22 +3


    Speed: 22 +2


    Intelligence: 25


    Resistance: 22 +2


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5}


    Looking at his status he could see his EXP had risen from the people his summons and he had killed, while he estimated from his stat increase that the sabre he stole was a C- Rank Weapon.


    Dashing through the corridors, knowing that the guards would be a nuisance to him while he was looking for a way out, Adam decided he would hunt those that were hunting him.


    He wasn''t thinking about who was morally correct and with his want to keep his identity hidden and his Bloodlust, he killed without remorse.


    Turning a corner, he saw a guard at the other end of the corridor, that seeing Adam, charged towards him.


    {Hostile being detected, Status:


    Angelo''s Guard


    Mortal LVL: 6


    HP: 172


    Strength: 15


    Speed: 14


    Intelligence: 10


    Resistance: 15}.


    Looking at his stats it wasn''t anything amazing, but he could see that it was much more balanced than the store guard he had beaten and could see that he was almost a rank 1 Mortal.


    [So this is what a weak External Cultivator looks like] thought Adam to himself, seeing that the guard''s intelligence stat was average and that he didn''t have MP.


    But as soon as he saw the guard withdraw a pistol, Adam jumped back and hid behind the corner.


    The guard fired three bullets towards Adam, then he ran out of bullets, after spraying may bullets previously at the wolf fang gang before.


    As soon as Adam heard his gun jam, he dashed around the corner and charged towards the guard, as the guard withdrew a knife.


    He had no chance against Adam whose eyes were burning red with killing intent, was wielding a C- Rank Weapon and was more powerful than him,


    Adam cut him down easily, and followed through his attack with all his strength, cleanly cutting off the guard''s head.


    He couldn''t help but smile in enjoyment, with his Bloodlust enjoyed the killing, as he continued dashing down the corridor.


    In a similar way, Adam came across another one of Angelo''s guards, and after he ran out of bullets, he was easily killed by Adam.


    [I don''t have much more time and should check out the wolf fang gang''s viewing room for a way out, but I don''t know which one it is] thought Adam to himself, becoming desperate to get out of the Auction House before the reinforcements from the outside were able to get through the rubble.


    As he thought that, he saw another guard in the distance, but this time it wasn''t one of Angelo''s guards, but was one of the Auction House woman''s guards.


    As soon as the guard saw the hooded figure, he turned around and bolted away, as per his master''s orders and wanting to preserve his life.


    Adam was shocked and confused by why he ran away as soon as he saw him.


    [He isn''t hostile or malicious to me, otherwise, the system would have alerted me, and from what I can see, he is a guard from the auction, That woman must have gotten the message about owing me, but I still need to get out of here and can''t reveal my identity] observed Adam as he chased after the guard.


    He was easily gaining on the guard and caught him within a minute.


    Right behind the guard, Adam pounced on top of him, then held him down.


    "Where is the viewing room used by the wolf fang gang" enquired Adam authoritatively in the hoarse and deep voice he put on.


    "On the first floor and should be viewing room 1.36" answered the guard.


    Believing that he was telling the truth and wasn''t malicious to him, Adam spared him, but he still had to be cautious and didn''t know if he would alert others that may get in his way.


    Adam swiftly struck the back of the guard''s neck with his blade''s hilt, despite his Bloodlust urging him to kill him, knocking out the guard in a single strike.


    "I tried to make it painless and I appreciate the help" mumbled Adam as he sat up the guard''s unconscious body, leaning it against a wall.


    [I need to get to room 1.36 and find the entrance into some sort of sewer passage or tunnel to get out of here] Adam thought to himself as he followed the numbers of the viewing rooms until he finally found the room he was looking for.


    Kicking down the door that was locked, Adam was prepared to attack, and after finding nobody there he looked around him.


    It was a much larger room, that had more space and furniture than the one he had been in, with a much larger balcony to view the auction from.


    Adam searched the toilet and even resorted to breaking the toilet and the sink, in the hopes of finding something behind it, but found nothing.


    "Where could it be" he exclaimed, becoming slightly worried that he may not be able to get away in time.


    The only way Adam could think of finding a tunnel was to knock around the ground to see if any parts were hollow


    He frantically struck the ground all around the viewing room and heard and felt that the ground was solid until he reached the centre, where he could feel and hear that bellow him was hollow.


    "I finally found it" he exclaimed.

 Chapter 54: Getting Away Part 2

    "I finally found it" he exclaimed.


    Shredding apart the carpet around the area with his sabre and his hands, he found that it was normal wooden flooring.


    But after breaking apart the wooden flooring, Adam found an underground hatch.


    "The wolf fang leader was so careful, he even locked it, just to make sure that nobody could use it apart from him" mumbled Adam cursingly.


    He began to repeatedly strike the large secure metal lock and it took him almost 10 minutes, before he managed to break the lock.


    [What the fuck was the lock made of] he thought to himself as he opened up the hatch that revealed a ladder leading downwards.


    [I must be quick as I have taken too long to find this and reinforcements should be arriving, who could follow me] thought Adam, climbing down the ladder without hesitation.


    A thick and revolting stench of waste assaulted Adam''s senses, but more focused on getting away, Adam climbed down quickly.


    After climbing down 15 metres underground, Adam finally jumped down and landed into a puddle of waste.


    Adam was disgusted, but was more focused on his escape and didn''t think too much about it.


    [System is there a way to store the sabre in the inventory] asked Adam, holding the metre long sabre in his hand, that was very eye-catching and would get him into trouble.


    [Not unless the host unlocks the transferal feature of uses other storage devices. But with the host''s current wealth and system points, it is not possible to do so] answered the system.


    Adam had no idea which way to go as he stood in the underground sewage tunnel, but he had a rough idea of what direction that his apartment was in.


    "I guess I will go this way and think about how I will get to my apartment, with this weapon and without getting caught, when it comes to it" mumbled Adam, rushing down the tunnel.


    While Adam was running underground in the sewers, all 4 of the woman''s serving guards returned, carrying along with them 3 bodies.


    "What happened" asked the woman.


    A bald man, who despite being the smallest of the, seemed to be the strongest and the leader of the small group of guards, reported what had occurred to the auction house owner.


    "All 3 of Angelo''s guards were killed and the mysterious man has found the underground hatch that the wolf fang gang was planning to use and has escaped. As per your orders, we didn''t pursue him" informed her the bald man.


    "If I may add, I came across the mysterious man and I ran away, but he was too fast and should be slightly higher than Rank 1. He after asking me where the wolf fang gang''s room knocked me unconscious. I didn''t get a good look at his face, but I did manage to catch a glimpse of his eyes that seemed to be glowing red" added the guard that Adam came across.


    "Red eyes, he must be a demon" stated another one of the guards sarcastically.


    "I know it sounds weird and I may have been imagining things, but I just added what I saw" stated the guard, while shrugging uncaringly.


    "I appreciate the reports, and now it is time for you to take care of the situation and make it seem as though the wolf fang gang killed Angelo and his men and you killed the wolf fang gang" ordered the auction house owner, walking away and leaving them to act out their orders.


    The auction house owner had been rudely awoken to reality after what had occurred, and she knew that if it weren''t for the mysterious hooded man, she would have been killed.


    She felt as though she was too naive and so were most of the wealthy that knew about cultivation.


    Only chasing wealth and hoping that wealth could get you through everything was not possible and to have true power and influence, one required strength.


    She had come to the same realisation that Adam came to as soon as he was thrown into the world of cultivation by the sudden gaining of the Dungeon System.


    "I spent too much time and money on gathering wealth and resources, but I forgot about forming my own strength and the strongest of my men is the leader of my guards that is only rank 1, which isn''t enough" she mumbled to herself as she walked towards where the path to the entrance gala would have been, before it was covered in rubble because of the wolf fang gang''s bombs.


    She felt ashamed that the wolf fang gang, that she had underestimated and seen as merely a small gang that was quite wealthy in the grand scheme of things, was able to almost kill her.


    "I will wait here until help arrives and cover up this whole commotion, and will shut down the auction until the auction house is fixed. In that time I will gather strength and look for methods and skills that I will buy no matter the price to nurture loyal subordinates that will increase the strength of the auction house" decided the woman.


    She was hoping to get the mysterious man to join her, but she knew it was unlikely and from his ability to take out the wolf fang gang leader that had almost reached Mortal rank 2, she knew she wouldn''t have much to persuade him with.


    "The Silver Moon Auction House will become a power large enough to rival the large cultivation families" declared the woman to herself ambitiously, but her idea of true cultivation and the power of the 5 largest cultivation families of New York were too shallow.


    Meanwhile, Adam who was rushing at his full speed, which was more than double of that of an average peak human, had felt as though he had run at least 10 miles away from the Auction House and took a break.


    [System how much MP do I have left] asked Adam, curious to see how much MP he had used from running 10 miles at full speed.


    {The host currently has 21 / 25 MP currently} informed him the system.


    [I only used 4 MP after sprinting as fast as I could for 10 miles, which means I could possibly run another 50 miles at full speed before being completely tired] calculated Adam as he caught his breath.


    Continuing down the tunnel he found a beam of light hitting only a small circle of the water and looked up to see another ladder and a sewage drain at the end.


    "Time to finally get out of here" he mumbled as he began to climb out.

 Chapter 55: Questions

    Climbing out of the sewers, Adam had a thick stench of waste around his body and had a sabre on his back, held by his clothing.


    There was an outline of the blade, but it was much less obvious than holding it in his hand and it was the best he could in the current situation.


    Looking up, Adam saw that it was still bright outside, but looking through the drain for a few minutes, Adam didn''t see any people pass over it and climbed out.


    He had struck gold and the sewage drain, he was leaving from, was situated in an alleyway.


    Adam could weirdly recognise the alleyway and looking around himself he suddenly remembered that it was the alleyway that he was sleeping in on the fateful night he gained the Dungeon System.


    "What a coincidence" mumbled Adam reminiscently.


    "I will stay in this alleyway for the night and after entering the dungeon I will leave early and return to my apartment in the night" planned Adam, seeing that as one of his only options.


    Sitting in the corner of the alleyway, leaning against the wall, Adam reflected on his day.


    [I seem to have gained the favour of the Silver Moon Auction House, and could request help from them in the future, which is great as they seem quite wealthy and powerful. I also gained this C- Rank weapon. But, I lost the reward for my achievement, that could have been something much more powerful if I was in another situation, but overall I gained more than I lost and my identity was not revealed, so I am happy] summarised Adam.


    He had managed to form another identity for himself, which he decided he would keep separate from his own and use at times, as it would allow him to use his strength without people actually knowing who he really was.


    "Now I have some time I can question the system on everything I don''t know and if I still have more time until 10 I can meditate" mumbled Adam, not wanting to waste time.


    [System explain what the lucky dip is] ordered Adam, wanting to know what he could have gained if he used it in a different situation.


    {Well while I was explaining it before I was rudely interrupted. But I was planning to do some charity work anyway so will explain to you} stated the system arrogantly.


    The system despite its robotic and monotonous voice seemed to have a personality and intelligence, making Adam wonder what or who the system was, and why was he given the opportunity to become the Hunter of the Dungeon System.


    It also seemed to be talking to Adam more and more in both the Dungeon and in reality, which he felt, despite the system being annoying at times, was useful.


    But just like with Cole and everything else he was coming across in the world of cultivation, Adam knew he would eventually come across the answers to his questions when the time was right, so he suppressed his curiosity for the time being.


    {The lucky dip can provide the host with anything that can be found in the store including skills, weapons and miscellaneous items, corresponding to your current rank, which is the Mortal Rank. Because of the host''s enhanced luck, the host gained something useful for himself at that moment, but at the same time the host missed out on the possibility of gaining something better. Although it was only a C Rank Lucky Dip, so didn''t have a high possibility of gaining something of a high rank} continued the system.


    "So, Lucky Dips are split into ranks, with the luck increasing with the ranks, and I can only gain something corresponding to my cultivation rank"summarised Adam to himself.


    Adam sat bored in the alleyway and thought of anything else he had that was left unexplained to ask the system about it.


    [Okay, I understand what you said before, but I have another question. What is that weird feeling I feel while meditating as if time goes past quickly and I leave my body] asked Adam within his mind.


    {Ding, The host has created his own skill known as Ethereal Recovery} announced the system.


    [What, how did I do that] he exclaimed within his mind in shock.


    {While the host was attempting to meditate, the host accidentally formed his own skill. The host''s body is not suitable for cultivation and is unique to hunting in the Dungeon System, but while the host was attempting to meditate, the host had unconsciously absorbed energy into the host''s body in a similar way to what cultivators would, which formed the skill} explained the system.


    [So what can it do] asked Adam excitedly, remembering how useful and powerful the Collector Skill was.


    {Well if you used your intelligence for once, you would have figured it out} stated the system ridiculingly.


    Hearing the system, Adam instead of getting angry realised the truth behind the system''s words and how he was becoming too reliant on it.


    [From what I can tell from entering that meditative state I seem to leave my body as time passes really quickly without me realising. I also feel energised and calm after entering that ''ethereal'' state, which must be similar to what cultivators feel. So it must be a skill that allows me to rapidly recover my MP, HP and mental state after entering that ethereal state] gathered Adam.


    {You are exactly right. If the host uses his intelligence for once, then the host is actually quite capable. The host has formed a rapid recovery skill that recovers 10 HP and 1 MP every 5 minutes, meaning it will take the host just over 2 hours to completely recover from completely exhausting the host''s MP and it will calm the host''s mind} affirmed the system.


    "That is amazing" exclaimed Adam joyously.


    He could now exhaust his MP without worry within the Dungeon, knowing that it would only take 2 hours to recover his energy.


    But Adam noticed that the system didn''t say that, if he exhausted his HP, he would be able to recover, meaning death was still enivatable if his HP fell to 0.


    [Status]


    Mortal LVL: 10


    EXP: 870 / 1250


    HP: 210 / 210


    MP: 25 / 25


    Strength: 22


    Speed: 22


    Intelligence: 25


    Resistance: 22


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    [Skills]


    Collector Skill


    Dual Slash


    Ethereal Recovery


    Looking at his current state, Adam was satisfied and ready to enter the dungeon.

 Chapter 56: New Rules

    [System what is the time currently] asked Adam who had destroyed his phone while in the Auction House.


    {7:46 PM} answered the system.


    [Can I change the time at which I enter the dungeon] asked Adam.


    He was hoping to either be able to postpone it so that he could get back to his apartment in the dark, or go into the dungeon as soon as possible so that he wasn''t vulnerable in reality for too long.


    {Oh yeah, I forgot to tell the host that the host no longer has to schedule when to enter the dungeon and the rules changed after the host completed Floor 1} stated the system nonchalantly.


    [What the hell. How could you forget something so important] screamed Adam frustratedly, thinking about how many times he had to rush to a bed to sleep in before entering the dungeon.


    {Well, the new rules are that the host can enter the dungeon once a day at any time, which will make the host enter a slumber, and the host doesn''t have to enter the dungeon every day for 12 hours. However, the host must make up a total of 100 hours within the dungeon weekly, which would require 50 hours in reality} informed him the system, ignoring his screams.


    [So it seems that the amount of time I must stay in the dungeon weekly has been reduced from 168 to 100, giving me more freedom and time in reality. But it also means I can stay in the dungeon for longer periods of time if I want] gathered Adam.


    Despite being given the option to have complete freedom, Adam was instead planning to spend more time than previously within the dungeon, knowing that time worked two times slower and that it would be more productive than what he would be doing in reality.


    [With the Ethereal Recovery Skill I can continuously recover my MP and HP in the dungeon and might even be able to stay in there for days or maybe even weeks] thought Adam to himself.


    {The system would recommend the host to not spend more than 47 hours within the dungeon form, which is 24 hours in reality, as it may have backlash on the host''s soul and the host''s body also will not be sustained for 24 hours without the host''s control} recommended the system.


    Noting what the system had said, Adam was not sure whether he should go into the dungeon now or later.


    It was dark outside as it was only spring and it still got dark quite early, but the streets of Brooklyn were still brightly lit.


    [I will enter the dungeon now then leave after 8 hours in the dungeon, which means when I leave it will be 12 am. Most areas are surveilled so I would need to hide the sabre, which I can hide in one of these trash bags, and I also need to take off these damned set of clothes] decided Adam.


    He wanted to ask Cole for help, as he would be able to pick him up in the car and knew he was worried, but he didn''t have a working phone and also didn''t want to get Cole into any issues that may follow him, despite his mysterious identity.


    [System take me into the dungeon] ordered Adam.


    {The host is being transported to Floor 2 at the host''s previous position} announced the system as he felt his soul being sucked out of his body.


    Adam opened his eyes after the warping sensation ended, to see he was in the same place he had left the dungeon.


    [I will hunt some Wood Pythons as quickly as possible and try to LVL UP twice before leaving the dungeon in 8 hours] stated Adam to himself.


    With his two E+ Rank Scale Vambraces on either arm and his E Rank Wolf Sabre equipped, Adam felt confident in his power.


    Despite the Wood Pythons being most proficient in grappling their prey, which was their Special Trait, they also had dangerous bites, despite them not having venom.


    With the Vambraces, all Adam had to do was entice them to bit and as their jaw is unhinged and embedded into the Vambrace, he would be able to get his summons to attack.


    He also had a resistance of 27, while he was wearing his equipment, meaning his body was almost 3 times as resistance to pain and damage to an average peak human.


    If that plan did not work, he could rely on his summons to distract or hold down the Wood Pythons, while he teamed up with his summons.


    But overall Adam wasn''t worried about using too much MP as he now had the Ethereal Recovery Skill that would recover 1 MP every 5 minutes that he was in the ethereal state.


    Staying on the outer area of the rainforest, where he knew he would only come across Python beasts that were the first stage of Floor 2, Adam soon came across a LVL 12 Wood Python.


    The small gap in LVL didn''t faze him and he dashed towards it excitedly, with the desire to kill burning in his eyes.


    "Goblin Summon"


    "Canidae Summon"


    A green stocky goblin and a large Canidae beast that had features from 3 different types of beasts appeared out of thin air behind the python that was slithering rapidly towards Adam.


    Sensing two powerful beasts appear behind it and the target before it that was also quite powerful, the Wood Python had no way to escape and increased its speed towards Adam.


    The python lifted its head upwards and opened its mouth wanting to bite Adam, knowing that it didn''t have the time to grapple Adam before the two beasts behind it reached it.


    It was just as Adam had hoped and he used his right vambrace to defend against the bite as he held out his arm to take on the attack.


    The python''s teeth were damaged against the vambrace, but Adam could see the durability lower because of the attack, but it didn''t faze Adam as the battle had worked out exactly as he had hoped.


    In the few seconds that the python was biting down on Adam''s vambrace, Adam''s two summons had reached the python beasts and attacked it multiple times and weakened it massively.


    Adam then finished off the Wood Python with two slashes of his sabre held in his left hand, killing the beast with ease.


    Without having to worry about using too much MP, Adam continued killing Wood Pythons in the outer areas of the rainforest.

 Chapter 57: LVL 11

    Adam hunted 6 python beasts, then retracted his summons and used his Ethereal Recovery Skill to recover his MP and HP that was lost.


    After 2 hours, he had completely recovered all the MP and HP that he lost and continued hunting while using 2 of his summons at a time.


    The cycle repeated itself and after slaughtering dozens of Python Beasts, Adam had finally increased in LVL.


    {LVL UP - You are now LVL 11 and have an increase in all stats and an extra stat point} announced the system.


    "Status"


    Mortal LVL: 11


    EXP: 5 / 1500


    HP: 220 / 220


    MP: 26 / 26


    Strength: 23


    Speed: 23


    Intelligence: 26


    Resistance: 23


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    "Spend the stat point in MP" decided Adam, knowing that the use of MP to summon his summons and sustain them had increased.


    "System show me how many system points and gold I have" ordered Adam.


    {The host has 322 System Points and 21860 gold} informed him the system.


    "So overall if I convert my gold to system points I could have 540 system points. But it still isn''t enough" stated Adam still annoyed at the system who had made it harder for him to gain system points previously.


    There were so many things that he needed to buy, such as the B Rank Mortal HP Recovery Pill and the transferal feature.


    He also needed many system points to increase his mastery and to buy better equipment for himself.


    [System take me out of the dungeon] ordered Adam who was satisfied with what he had managed to accomplish in the short time he was in the dungeon.


    {Ding, the host will be taken out of the Dungeon in 30 seconds} announced the system.


    [System, how much does a B Rank HP Recovery Pill cost] asked Adam, unsure of how much he needed to buy it for his aunt.


    {A B Rank HP or MP Recovery Pill costs 200 system points and can either recover 150 HP or 15 MP} informed him the system.


    [But the pricing doesn''t make sense as.....] screamed Adam before being warped out of the dungeon.


    Returning to his body that lay uncomfortably in the alleyway, Adam was still frustrated.


    [System how come if I buy 15 E Rank Pills I can recover the same amount of HP or MP as the B Rank Recovery Pill, yet I have to use a B Rank Recovery Pill to save my aunt] screamed Adam.


    {That is because pills have impurities and the higher the rank of the pill the less impurities it has and the more efficient it is in healing. They are all the same pill and use the same ingredients, but are ranked based on the quality of the pill that was formed. If anybody else was to intake as many pills at once as you have done to recover, their body would have inversely been damaged because of the large amounts of impurities in the lower-ranked pills and if they were cultivators, they would lose their ability to absorb energy. Whereas if it is of a higher Rank, that would not occur as it is only a single pill of higher quality and healing capacity, with less impurities} explained the system.


    [Does that mean I should stop taking pills] asked Adam worried about his health.


    {No, the host''s constitution is unique, but lower rank pills have many impurities that if overused may permanently weaken the host and lower the host''s stat points} informed him the system.


    Hearing the system, he was learning more about pills and would never have thought that pills would have such drastic differences between qualities.


    He had nothing he could say to the system now and he wondered whether weapons and equipment were also ranked based on the quality of the maker which would increase its stat boost.


    {Yes, the host''s assumption is correct} affirmed the system.


    Standing up and stretching his body that had increased in power, he walked to the edge of the alleyway and peered around the sides.


    The night sky was pitch black and there wasn''t much light in the alleyway, but Adam who had 26 Intelligence points, had very sensitive senses and could still see quite clearely.


    There were many street lights and a few people in in the area, but hardly any in comparison to during the day.


    Adam placed the C- Rank Sabre he had stolen from Angelo in a plastic bin bag and carried it over his shoulder.


    Dashing through the streets of Brooklyn, taking as many empty streets and alleyways as he could, Adam within 20 minutes had reached the Brooklyn Bridge Park that was near his apartment.


    Adam attempted to take as many routes that avoided security cameras and were quiet, but he knew it was inevitable he would be seen.


    He was just hoping that he wouldn''t be able to get tracked back to his apartment and after walking around the park he went to his building.


    Scouring his pockets for his building identification, his heart slumped when he couldn''t find it.


    The security guard recognised him as the weird person that lived in the building, but Adam was more worried about whether he had dropped his building identification in the alleyway or in the Auction House.


    Adam who had already gained the title of the ''Building Weirdo'' didn''t care about the thick stench of waste and rubbish that was around him and the bin bag he was holding and rushed straight towards his apartment.


    Without his building identification, he wouldn''t be able to get into his apartment, so the front reception that was luckily open and was just about to close, gave him a replacement.


    As he entered his apartment he was relieved that Sarah and Cole weren''t there, as he wouldn''t have a way to explain to them what had happened, and he quickly went into his room.


    He had a long warm shower and threw the clothes he was wearing in the trash, then wore a new set.


    Then Adam sat on his bed calmly and was pleased with how everything had turned out.


    Adam had thought that everything had went well and he had gotten away without any traces, however in the Silver Moon Auction House, a guard had come across an identification card when cleaning up the Auction Hall.

 Chapter 58: Weak

    "Miss, we have an update" stated a man respectfully to the Auction House Master.


    The Auction House Master sat at her desk comfortably and was interested in what her subordinate had to say.


    "We have found an ID Card for an apartment in the Auction Hall where the battle took place and nobody other than us and the Wolf Fang Gang were down at the hall. Do you think this could be the mysterious man who helped us" informed her the man as he passed over to her Adam''s card.


    The entire time since the battle, the Auction House Master was looking into who the mysterious man was.


    She went through any available footage, that was salvaged from what the Wolf Fang Gang had destroyed, hoping that she could draw him to her side, as he wasn''t powerful enough to join the larger organisations that wouldn''t want mere lower ranks, and would be a big help to her.


    There was no image on the card and all it had on it was the name ''Adam'' and a room number.


    "I will look into this personally, while I will leave you to repair the Auction House. You must begin repairs immediately and can use 30% of our reserves to fix and improve our building" ordered the Auction House Master.


    "Yes miss, however, is it safe for you to approach this mysterious man alone," asked the man respectfully.


    "Worry about your own task and the mysterious man is interesting, even though he is at most only a 3rd Rank Novice. He seems to have animals of some sort with him as some of the deceased Wolf Fang Gang members had claw marks and bite marks" stated the Auction House Master as she wore her jacket and prepared to leave.


    The building was opened up once again, but wouldn''t be open to the public for a long time, until the Auction House Master was satisfied with the Auction House''s strength.


    Her plans were to reinforce the building security and bring in more powerful cultivators. She knew she would only be able to get lower ranked Novic Cultivators, which was why she was interested in the mysterious man who seemed to have strong animals with him.


    She left the Auction House in her jacket and had changed out of her fancy clothes, into more casual clothing.


    From her appearance, she seemed normal and nobody would have thought that she was an Auction House Master that was quite wealthy and powerful in Brooklyn.


    However, her Auction House although quite wealthy, as they would gain a small percentage of the sale price, in terms of power, it was quite low and could be compared to some small gangs that had Novice cultivators within it, like the Wolf Fang Gang.


    Nobody within her organisation surpassed the 3rd Rank, and in the grand scheme of things, were not powerful.


    Their weakness was shown by a small gang, with few low ranked Novice Cultivators, being able to almost kill them all and steal their wealth.


    Knowing that, the Auction House Master was looking for strong allies that would uplift her organisation, so that it was no longer only an auction for small gangs and wealthy businesses, but for wealthier, stronger and more powerful people that were in Brooklyn.


    Which led her to the mysterious man who was the only cultivator she had seen, that from what she knew wasn''t in an organisation.


    Not wanting to stick out, she took a taxi and instructed it to head to the address that she had managed to find online and matched the ID Card that was found in the Auction Hall.


    It was already 8 in the morning and Adam had slept well in his comfortable bed after the eventful day he had, had the day before.


    Waking up he tied up his slick black hair, that was growing quite quickly, into a small bun and washed his face.


    He then went to his kitchen and searched his fridge for something to eat.


    Sarah hadn''t been in the apartment for 2 days so the fridge was quite empty, but luckily there were still some eggs.


    Adam cooked 6 eggs, knowing that his appetite was much larger now, and after eating them all by themselves, sat on his sofa to relax for a while.


    He had been either researching or hunting most of the time and didn''t have much time to rest that would allow him to clear his mind.


    [System could you explain to me the ranking system that is used in reality and compare it to the levelling system that is used by you] asked Adam.


    {The host is currently at the Mortal Rank, which is known as in reality a Novice. Every 10 LVLs in the system, correspond to one rank. The Ranks go up to Rank 9, then the cultivators break through to the next Rank, while for the host it goes up until LVL 100, then the host breaks through.


    So currently the host is a Rank 1 Novice Cultivator, but the host can rival most Rank 2 Novice Cultivators and may even be able to defeat a Rank 3 Novice Cultivator with your full strength} explained the system.


    Adam was slightly let down by him only being a Rank 1 Novice, that was the lowest rank a cultivator could be, but at the same time, he was excited to come across much more powerful cultivators in the future and surpass the Novice Rank to the next Rank.


    It had made him realise just how weak he was and that the small amount of strength that he had gained wasn''t enough for him to be comfortable and complacent.


    "I need to be productive," he said to himself encouragingly, as he jumped up from the sofa.


    Just as Adam had gotten up to head to his room and do some research or find something productive to do, there was a knock on his door.


    [It must be Cole or Sarah] assumed Adam as he calmed his mind and began to think of a story he would tell them about how he had managed to get away.


    But as soon as he opened the door he was shocked by who he saw.


    It was the woman that he recognised from the Aution House.

 Chapter 59: Identity Revealed

    "Are you Adam?" asked the woman directly.


    Adam was shocked and stood there silently, realising that she was the woman from the Auction House.


    His mind began to race rapidly, thinking about what to do next.


    He could see that her demeanour and appearance had changed massively, and it would be very hard for someone to recognise the woman from the Auction House.


    He was only able to recognise her with his great memory and perceptivity, so decided he would act confused and ignorant to what was going on, as not to cause anymore suspicion.


    For him to have been followed to his home by the woman in the auction, Adam knew that they must have had suspicions.


    But they also weren''t completely sure whether it was him, otherwise, he would have been attacked or captured by the Auction House or the police.


    Adam was hoping that if he didn''t act suspicious, he would be fine.


    "Yes, may I ask who you are" answered Adam, keeping calm.


    [I was a guest of the auction along with Cole and although I don''t want to get him into this mess, I can use that to justify them finding my apartment identification, that I will say I dropped in the heat of escape] thought Adam to himself.


    Adam thought she was merely a presenter, but little did she know she was the Auction House Owner and Boss.


    His acting was almost perfect and the Auction House Master almost completely believed him and would have left, but one thing made her stay.


    ''Those red eyes. They are bright and calm and aren''t as simple as contact lenses. They are just like what my guard had described'' she thought to herself as she stared into Adam''s eyes.


    "I am somebody who would merely like to talk to you about yesterday''s events" replied the woman with a gentle smile.


    Hearing her words, it was obvious to Adam that she knew who he was and he was instantly on high alert as he jumped back.


    Although he didn''t want to reveal himself to the world yet, as he wasn''t confident in his strength, knowing that he was merely a Rank 1 Novice, Adam had no choice and was prepared to defend himself.


    "Calm down I came alone and am not a cultivator" reassured the woman as she held up her hands and slowly entered Adam''s apartment.


    She closed the door behind her and turned to find Adam carrying a kitchen knife, not letting his guard down in the slightest.


    "Why are you using a kitchen knife and not Angelo''s weapon that is a Master Graded Weapon," asked the woman.


    Her word confirmed her knowledge of Adam''s identity, yet she didn''t have any malicious intent otherwise her status would have been shown as a hostile being.


    "You are supposedly here alone. Are you not afraid I will kill you and dispose of any evidence" stated Adam, releasing the aura of his thick Bloodlust.


    Adam''s aura of thick Bloodlust was hard for her as a non-cultivator to bear, but she was still calm and knew he was at most only a 3rd Rank Novice.


    "You won''t kill me despite your aura" replied the woman as she confidently strolled passed the alert Adam and sat on his sofa.


    Adam was shocked by her nonchalant attitude and he was baffled by what her purpose was by telling Adam that she knew of his identity.


    Confident in his instincts, Adam sensed that she wasn''t a threat to him and had nothing to fear if she was alone.


    "Who are you and how can you be so sure," asked Adam as he sat opposite her on a chair.


    "I am the Silver Moon Auction House Master. And you won''t kill me because you spared one of my guards and also Angelo, even though you could have killed them quite easily" answered the woman as she saw comfortably on his sofa.


    "So, what do you want" asked Adam directly, unsure of her intentions.


    "All I want is for us to be allies. I can assist you slightly with the decently sized finance of the Silver Moon Auction, but all I want in return is your assistance in some situations that require your strength" answered the Auction House Master.


    Adam was still managing to stay calm and despite his identity being revealed, he still felt weirdly comfortable with it, if it was only her.


    "How many people know" asked Adam, not yet accepting her alliance.


    "My personal guards know of the name Adam, but do not know exactly who you are" she answered honestly.


    "If that is so, then if I kill you right now, all of my troubles will disappear" stated Adam, no longer being afraid of killing after the amount of blood on his hands, even if it was people.


    "I offer you great value. Although in the grand scheme of things we are but a small Auction House that caters to small gangs and small wealthy businesses. We still have quite a few links to the world of cultivators and are recognised. Although are reputation will be hit massively with the death of Angelo" said the woman.


    She seemed to be completely calm despite the threat on her life, and from her words, Adam gauged that she must have killed Angelo herself so that she could manipulate the story of what had happened.


    Adam could see no other choice but to agree and despite his threats, he knew that killing her would only bring him more trouble than it was worth.


    "What is the current net worth of your Auction House," asked Adam, wanting to see her worth to him.


    "Well including the building we own. We have around 50 million dollars currently and have been declining slightly over time because of the monopoly that the Maxwell Family have in most sectors. We have lost a lot by inviting Angelo, who is a Master Forger and the only reason there were so many wealthy and powerful people at the Auction" she answered with a glint of resentment and drive within her eyes.


    Adam sat opposite her and weighed his options, then after thinking through it, answered her offer of an alliance.


    "Okay, I don''t have much choice but to accept your terms" stated Adam, agreeing to an alliance between himself and the Silver Moon Auction House.

 Chapter 60: Elizabeths Origin

    The Auction House Master knew that Adam in the grand scheme of things was also an ant and wasn''t strong enough, but his unique methods with the use of animals interested her.


    After seeing how young he was, she knew she had struck gold and her risk was worth it.


    He was most likely a young talent that hadn''t been found yet by any of the large organisations or families, although in comparison to the 5 king families, he was still weak and insignificant.


    "I am pleased to hear that you have accepted my offer for an alliance. From here on out we are allies and friends and you may call me Elizabeth" she declared as she placed out her hand.


    Both were only allying with each other for their own benefit and didn''t have much loyalty to each other, but it was Adam''s only option and the Auction House Master''s best chance to bring a young talent to her side.


    "Here is my number and you can call me if you need anything in the future, and this phone must be yours" she stated as she handed over a broken non-smart phone and a business card with her number on it.


    Adam then recited his own number back to the Elizabeth, that he had memorised previously with his enhanced memory, and after she noted it down, she turned to leave.


    "Watch your back and you can''t be making any more stupid mistakes like taking your phone and apartment identification with you, when attempting to hide your identity. You should also look for ways to continue to improve your strength if you want to survive and go up in the underground world that is based around strength and cultivation" advised Elizabeth as she left with a pleased expression.


    ''Maybe this will be the turning point for my organisation and I might finally be able to make my ancestors proud'' thought Elizabeth to herself as she left.


    Elizabeth was a descendant of the Carter Family which she didn''t know much about.


    But what she did know was that her family once stood on par with the large families with their medical abilities, but had declined over time as the other families, with much higher combat power and influence, suppressed them and didn''t allow them to grow.


    They were unrivalled when it came to alchemy and healing arts, but their fighting power was quite low.


    Seeing that, the 5 other families saw it as a perfect opportunity to expand their wealth and territory.


    They all worked together to wipe out the Carter Family and stole most of the skills and methods that the Carter Family had, along with all their wealth and territory.


    Over time the Carter Family, that once stood at the peak of the area that they helped found, currently known as New York, were erased from history and forgotten.


    Only a few from the Carter Family managed to escape under the radar and hid, hoping they could regain the power that their family once had, but they had never succeeded in doing so and their numbers dwindled until only Elizabeth was left.


    Her resentment towards the 5 large families of New York had been carried over generations along with the drive to reach the peak once again.


    Although over the years most of the healing techniques and methods that their family had left were lost, Elizabeth was still quite skilled in healing and from a young age had been taught by her grandparents everything they knew.


    Her mother had passed away in child birth and her father from illness not long after, leaving her in the care of her grandparents.


    After teaching her as much as they could, old age had gotten the best of them and they to passed away, leaving Elizabeth all alone.


    Using her medical ability she had made quite a lot of money in her private medical centre, then when she had made enough money, she invested all of it into the Silver Moon Auction House and gathering people to join her organisation.


    She wanted to form a neutral and influential organisation until she was powerful enough to reveal her identity as the last descendant of the Carter Family.


    But despite all her efforts, her auction house had minimal success and was only able to host a slightly successful auction because of the Master Weapon Forger Angelo, who they had bribed to use their auction.


    However the success was short lived and the Wolf Fang Gang had not only destroyed a large part of their building, but had also ruined their reputation and left them no choice but to kill Angelo.


    Yet Adam was the small ray of light that Elizabeth saw after all the obstacles on her journey to the peak, and her instincts told her that Adam was worth allying with and would be a massive help to her in the future.


    His young age, skill, talent for cultivation and weird abilities were all evidence of his worth.


    But Elizabeth had a feeling his worth was much deeper than that and weirdly felt as though he was the key to her success.


    As Elizabeth left and returned to the Auction House, that had also became her home and most of her life, Adam still sat on the chair he was at previously collecting his thoughts.


    Removing his SIM card and placing it on his table, Adam had a list of things that he needed to do before he could feel safe that nobody else other than Elizabeth found out about his identity and to increase his strength.


    He needed to train his fighting skills, so that his hunting would be much more efficient and he needed to gain as much System Points as he could so that he could unlock the transferal feature.


    Not only that he also needed a wider range of clothes, so that it couldn''t be used to track him along with a mask that he could use to hide his identity.


    Knowing that he could leave everything to Sarah when it came to earning money and if it was unsuccessful or he needed money he could rely on Elizabeth, Adam''s main focus was his strength and capability.


    "Let''s get started"

 Chapter 61: Busy

    The first thing Adam did was head to a nearby clothes store and phone store, and bought two non-traceable non-smartphones and also different changes of clothes that were all comfortable and easy to move in.


    Although he didn''t want to worry Cole, he also didn''t want to face him and have to lie to his face, so he decided he would call him after he had bought a new phone, in the meantime forming a story that he would use to excuse his disappearance.


    Adam''s money was running out and he didn''t want to use gold, as although it had a better value if used to exchange with currency, it would be more beneficial to him if he converted them into System Points as money could be earned in reality.


    Along the way Adam bought a ski mask that he had found in a random store and it covered the bottom half of his face, but his eyes could still be seen.


    Which made him realised he also needed to buy contact lenses that would make his eyes appear a normal colour.


    Adam carried his new clothes and placed them into his bedroom wardrobe then prepared to call Cole.


    Charging the new phone that he had just bought, Adam dialled Cole''s number.


    The phone was almost instantaneously answered by Cole as soon as he saw Adam''s call.


    The entire time since Cole had left, he had been lamenting on his decision to take Adam with him to the small Auction House that had captured quite a lot of attention but putting up a Master Graded Weapon for auction.


    He would never have went to such an Auction House if it wasn''t for the special occasion and because of his father forcing him to go, and now he might have gotten his childhood friend into trouble.


    It was obvious to Cole that Adam had changed completely and was no longer the scrawny friend that he had to protect, but he knew that Adam had no idea what true power was like.


    Answering the phone he worriedly began to call Adam''s name.


    "Calm down why are you screaming down the phone. You haven''t even given me a chance to respond" stated Adam.


    Hearing Adam''s voice that was calm and not seeming to be in any trouble, Cole was able to calm down.


    "Where are you, what happened and why did it take you this long to contact me" screamed Cole frustratedly.


    To him it seemed as though Adam was relaxed and uncaring while he had been worrying and waiting for him to exit the building.


    Cole waited for hours outside the Auction House for Adam to exit, but after a few hours everything was wrapped up and they had already begun preparing for repairs without any signs of Adam.


    Anybody he asked had no idea about where Adam was and after asking people and looking around the area until nightfall, Cole was tired and returned to his penthouse and straight to sleep.


    Emma and Sarah were ignorant to what was going on and the two intelligent youths were engrossed in setting Sarah''s detailed business plan into motion.


    "Can you calm down, I was only able to leave this morning and I was detained by the Auction House and interrogated while my phone was broken. So I bought one just now and called you straight away" answered Adam.


    He knew he could use Elizabeth to prove his story and it was the only believable excuse that he had came up with.


    "Where are you now" asked Cole.


    "I have just arrived at my apartment to charge my phone" answered Adam.


    "I will be there in a second" stated Cole as he ended the call and rushed out of hispent house.


    Adam was expecting a similar reaction and had made it seem as though he had just entered.


    He had made sure to hide the sabre, he had stolen, under all the clothing he had just bought in corner of his wardrobe.


    Another pressing issue that Adam had was hiding the sabre somewhere safe where it couldn''t be found by anybody.


    The best solution he had came up with was using the system inventory.


    [System how much would it be to unlock the inventory feature in reality] asked Adam, knowing that everything in the system had a price.


    {It would cost the host 10,000 system points} answered the system.


    The system''s valuation, although extremely expensive, was understandable and expected by Adam.


    Once again he needed more System Points and Adam was itching to get back into the dungeon and hunt to relieve his Bloodlust and stress and to gain more strength and System Points.


    There was a sudden knock at the door and opening it, a worried, frustrated and annoyed Cole waltzed inside.


    "Are you okay, did they do anything to you" asked Cole as he began scanning Adam''s body.


    "No they merely detained me and asked me questions and after I told them how I had separated from the crowd then I was blocked in they allowed me to go" answered Adam, who had become a very compelling liar after all the excuses he had to make to hide his ability and the system.


    He was becoming more and more of a pathological liar, which would manipulate the truth and lie habitually. However, he had no choice but to do so, otherwise he would have to either reveal his secrets or cut ties with everybody.


    Cole instinctively didn''t completely believe Adam, despite the seemingly honest answer of his, but he decided not to follow his instincts this once and to move past what had occurred.


    Despite the pair of friends having their own suspicions about each other''s current identities and capabilities, they allowed their bond and friendship to overshadow that.


    They both stood before each other silently until Cole had a sudden outburst of frustration, worry and care.


    "You need to stop getting into trouble, do you understand" he suddenly scolded.


    "Yes father" answered Adam sarcastically as the tense mood was uplifted and the friends brushed past what had occurred the day before.


    After they both ate together with Sarah and Ella, all of them seemed to have busy schedules with Cole working under his father, Ella studying and helping Sarah and Sarah working to form the company.


    All of them were busy apart from Adam, which was exactly how he wanted it.

 Chapter 62: Weird Dojo

    As everybody else got on with their day, Adam returned to his apartment and continued ticking off his checklist of tasks.


    He went to the closest optician and bought 5 pairs of contact lenses that would make his eye colour brown, which was his previous eye colour, and each one would last him 1 week before not being usable.


    Adam needed money and resorted to borrowing a few hundred dollars from Cole, who didn''t seem bothered by the small amount of money.


    But Adam still insisted that he would return the money when he could, which would be when his business with Sarah began to earn money.


    After that, he had found a clear split between his two identities.


    During the day, or when he was with his friends and family, he was Adam who was ordinary and had a business with his friend. He had black hair and brown eyes and liked to wear a range of different clothing, that were mostly comfortable sportswear.


    While during the night, or when he was in the dungeon, he was a merciless and a powerful cultivator of sorts. He still had black hair, but would be hooded with a ski mask and always wearing black clothing that would hide him in the night and would have red eyes.


    Adam couldn''t help but think of himself as a superhero of sorts that had two identities, but Adam had no inclination towards righteousness and was more focused on his own gain and protecting those around him that he cared about.


    Although there were some lines he wouldn''t cross such as harming or killing children or those that were innocent and or couldn''t defend themselves, Adam was still willing to kill those that deserved to be killed or were his enemies, without any guilt or remorse.


    "Now I should find some way that I can train and hone my skills in reality" mumbled Adam to himself.


    Every since he had gained the mastery feature he was always curious to see how powerful 100% mastery and what different occupations and abilities that he could gain mastery of.


    But now knowing that the price of each mastery percentage would be double the number of system points as the rank before, he was beginning to doubt ever reaching 100% mastery in a million years, unless there was another way to gain mastery and or System Points.


    Which there was.


    Adam already knew that he could gain mastery from practice and experience, and also knew that the system had other ways to gain System Points that the system had eluded to but not stated.


    Not wanting to overthink everything and fall back into the endless pit that he fell into each and every time he attempted to figure out the origin of the system, Adam decided he should find a nearby martial arts or fighting dojo that would teach him close combat skills.


    He had already said to Cole that he had done karate when Cole asked him how he had gotten so strong, so it went well with the story he had made about his trained and strong physique.


    Looking online there were many small self-defence classes and different martial arts centres but from the images, none of them interested him and they all seemed to be ordinary.


    After coming across the world of cultivation, Adam no longer knew what the limit of humans was and he was no longer satisfied with the norm.


    But there was one dojo around mixed martial arts and fighting that interested him that he had come across after looking for quite a long time.


    It wasn''t posted online by the owner, but it was by people who had passed by and while they were on a hike. It said that the owner claimed that he could use chi through his attacks, which sounded similar to what Internal Cultivators would do.


    However, it was only a small article on a blog page and it was most likely false news and the blog also stated that the dojo was weird, was in a remote location, and was probably just a scam.


    It had no images of the inside and only had one image of a rundown and quite small dojo and it wasn''t what Adam would expect an ordinary person to use, let alone a powerful cultivator.


    Despite that, Adam still decided to check it out.


    "I guess I shouldn''t judge a book by its cover" mumbled Adam to himself as he left his apartment building.


    Calling for a taxi, he gave the driver the location of the rundown shack, and the taxi driver was surprised and had never been asked to be taken to such a remote and empty area that was mostly forest land and had small mountains to hike.


    It was quite a long ride and after 40 an hour, Adam paid the taxi driver quite generously for taking him to such a remote and empty area that was mostly surrounded by forest.


    "This is as far as I can take you as the trees are too close together for me to go any further. But your destination should be a 10 minutes walk from here at most" stated the driver.


    "Okay thank you" thanked Adam while paying him and leaving the taxi.


    The taxi drove off leaving Adam in the secluded and empty forest, and Adam was slightly regretting his decision.


    "Maybe I should have judged the book by its cover" mumbled Adam to himself regretfully as he lamented on his decision.


    "But I am here anyway and might as well see what it''s like inside and who is the owner and master of the dojo" decided Adam, not wanting to and unable to turn back.


    He couldn''t get any signal on his phone and without thinking too much about it began walking through the forest.


    Adam was instinctively on high alert, being in such a dense forest that reminded him of Floor 2 of the dungeon, and began to run.


    Picking up the pace, Adam rushed through the forest rapidly and reached the rundown shack-like dojo within minutes.


    The front door of the dojo was open and seeing it up close it was quite large and would have enough space within it to fight, but comparing to other dojos it was still quite small.


    "I wonder who exactly is inside and what he is capable of" wondered Adam as he headed towards the entrance.

 Chapter 63: Weird Man

    "Oi kid this is my property. You better not be trespassing or trying to steal anything" called out a voice as Adam was about to enter the dojo.


    Adam was shocked.


    Even his senses didn''t pick up o anybody inside the dojo, yet he was clearly seen by somebody else.


    [Maybe I have struck gold and I might be able to gain an awesome Master like in all those novels] thought Adam to himself optimistically.


    "I would like to join your dojo" declared Adam formally and respectfully, hoping to leave a good impression.


    "Stop being such a weirdo and come inside then. And don''t be speaking like those posh brats" answered the voice.


    Adam was shocked by the rustic and careless nature of the person in the dojo and was curious to see whether he was capable or not, but before he entered he had something to ask the system.


    [System, Is it possible for others to see through my current strength as Elizabeth assumed that I was a third rank Novice, which was wrong] asked Adam within his mind, not wanting people to be able to see through his strength, including the man in the dojo that he was yet to come across.


    {The host has subconsciously been able to sense and gauge the power of the opponent, without there being a status, from the aura around the opponent. Auras can be used to estimate the strength level as the stronger and denser the aura, the more energy can be found within the body of the opponent.


    Currently, the host is subconsciously retracting their aura with the Hunter''s mind assisting the host, and it will be hard for others to gauge the host''s strength, however, it isn''t impossible. To increase the host''s ability to read others'' aura and conceal your own aura, the host should increase the intelligence stat which increases the host''s control over their energy and ability to wield energy. While the host can also gain mastery on both of them separately.


    Elizabeth came to the conclusion about the host''s rank from who the host was capable of defeating, but she herself had no exact idea of what the host''s cultivation level actually was. However, her estimations were off and the host cannot be classed in the same way as other cultivators as the host cultivates both Internally and Externally and the host gains an additional stat point after each LVL.


    Therefore the amount of energy that the host is emanating is double or more that of what the host''s level really is} explained the system.


    With the system''s explaination, Adam had another thing he needed to spend System Points on to master.


    But he was also reminded of the difference between him and other cultivators.


    Walking into the dojo there were all kinds of weapons on walls and an open central area.


    The entire dojo was one large hall-like room with a short stubby and chubby man sat in the corner.


    Adam had many ideas of what a martial arts or fighting trainer would look like, and that man didn''t match any of them.


    He was overweight, short, old and seemingly weak.


    Trying to gauge the strength of the man, by attempting to read his aura, Adam couldn''t sense anything.


    [This could either mean he is ordinary and is just spouting nonsense. Or he is much more powerful than me and I can''t sense his aura because of that gap in strength] thought Adam to himself.


    Still deciding to be respectful and humble, Adam took off his shoes at the entrance and sat before the man who lay against the wall in the corner of the room.


    "What do you want kid," asked the man as he scanned Adam''s body.


    "I want to join your dojo" repeated Adam.


    "I already know that idiot. But what do you want to gain from joining my dojo" scolded the man.


    Ignoring the disrespectful tone of the man who had a weird accent, Adam began thinking to himself what he wanted to gain from joining the dojo.


    "I want strength and skill" answered Adam honestly.


    "And what are your aims with the strength and skill that you may be able of gaining in this dojo" enquired the man.


    "I wish to protect myself, my friends and my family and I also want to be the strongest. This world is all based around survival of the fittest in all situations and I want to be at the top of that chain" stated Adam thoughtfully.


    Adam at the time didn''t realise it, but after experiencing the real world, he realised that even when he was in school or was working it was always survival of the fittest.


    In school, the weak or stupid suck up to the strong or smart, who either believed they were above everyone else or abused their strength, while in the world of work, only the strong or qualified were employed while others are left to do the lower-paid jobs that were also worse to do.


    However it didn''t stop there and continued with statuses and wealth that different job roles and family names gave, and the gap between those at the top and the bottom only continued to grow.


    "Hmmm, interesting. And my final question to you is what do I gain from teaching you" stated the weird man, almost as if interviewing Adam for a job role.


    "You will gain an ally that in the future will be extremely powerful and will return the favour" answered Adam.


    "Well, that is if you actually can teach me" added Adam.


    "You dare to underestimate me. I will show you true strength" declared the man arrogantly as he stood up and wobbled towards the centre of the room.


    "Show me what you got kid," he said to Adam as he stood in the centre with his arms behind his back.


    "I won''t be gentle just because your an old man so watch your back" warned Adam as he stood up and stood opposite the man with a 5-metre gap between them.


    "He, I will teach you why I am the boss" scoffed the man arrogantly as he signalled for Adam to attack.

 Chapter 64: Master? Part 1

    Adam instinctively felt that the man wasn''t ordinary and he could use his full strength against him, and even if he was normal, he was too arrogant and deserved a beating.


    Adam jumped up off the ground and cracked his knuckles as he walked over to the short chubby man.


    Without much talking, Adam dashed towards the weird man, using half his speed, and held his arms up to protect his face in a boxing style stance.


    Adam didn''t have any hand to hand combat experience and had never fought anybody before integrating with the system, so was using only what he had watched online from fighting videos and tutorials.


    However, despite having ideas and brief knowledge of how to fight, Adam had never used it first hand and this was Adam''s first hand to hand fight.


    [The best fighting style for me with my dual-wielding mastery, for now, will be boxing as it also the one that I learnt the most about] decided Adam.


    Swinging a rapid jab, using half of his total speed, towards the man''s face, Adam wanted to gauge his ability and whether he was actually worth fighting.


    The left jab was direct and quick and just as Adam thought he had struck the man, he felt as though he had punched through thin air.


    He had his eyes glued on the chubby man the entire time, but he had no idea what happened to his fist and how he had managed to miss.


    "Is that all you got, even for an ordinary person you are only average" ridiculed the man gloatingly with his hands still held behind his back.


    Adam was shocked and baffled and had no idea how his strike had missed, but seeing the arrogant expression on the stubby man''s face, he couldn''t help but get fired up.


    "I will show you all my strength" roared Adam as he stopped holding back any strength and speed and burst forth launching a powerful right fist at the man''s face.


    But just like the previous time, the fist didn''t hit anything and it seemed to be easily dodged by the stubby man.


    However Adam knowing that, had launched a left hook to his side right after, hoping to catch the man off guard, but once again it didn''t land on him.


    "Your not too bad and thought you could catch me off guard with the second punch, but you are still to readable and sloppy" observed the weird man with a smile.


    Adam continued launching a flurry of strikes with all his speed and strength and not one of his attacks landed.


    After a few minutes of continuously attacking, Adam saw his MP, which represented both his Internal and External Energy, beginning to fall and stopped attacking.


    [I have no chance against him and even though I feel like I am getting closer to hitting him, he is too quick and all I see is a blur when he dodges my attacks with his hands behind his back] thought Adam to himself.


    Seeing Adam''s attacks the weird man had a wide and arrogant smile.


    "Tired already. I must say your strength was shocking and I wasn''t expecting you to have the strength of a rank 2 Novice. But you are still too weak and sloppy" mocked the man.


    "But you launched so many attacks at me and it is only fair I do the same" he stated as he suddenly swung a kick at Adam''s head.


    Adam had no time to react and he was launched flying and crashing into a wall of the dojo.


    The single strike knocked out Adam and he didn''t even see it coming.


    Opening his eyes again, Adam awoke in a dark space that he recognised from when he just arrived on Floor 1.


    "This must be my consciousness and I must have been knocked unconscious" mumbled Adam to himself.


    Replaying what had occurred in his head, Adam still couldn''t see what had occurred clearly. But what he could see was that the man''s arms were still behind his back, so it must have been a kick.


    [System what level of cultivation is that weird man at] asked Adam curiously.


    {That is information that is currently unknown by me, but even if I did know, I wouldn''t be able to tell you} answered the system.


    The system''s answer shocked him and it was the first thing that Adam had asked the system that the system didn''t know.


    "So I really must have struck gold to have found such an incredible cultivator to be my master" exclaimed Adam joyously.


    Checking his status, Adam had lost a few MP from the one-sided fight he had with the weird man, but what shocked him was that he had hardly lost any HP from the weird man''s attack.


    "It seems he really didn''t want to hurt me otherwise he would have killed me in that single strike" observed Adam.


    [System forcefully awaken my consciousness] ordered Adam, remembering how he regained consciousness on Floor 1.


    {Forced consciousness awakening}


    As he heard the system, he felt as though his consciousness was forced back into his body which was a very painful experience as he awoke to headache.


    "You already regained consciousness, but not naturally. You seem to have forced your consciousness back into your body" observed the man.


    Adam was shocked by how he had easily managed to understand what he had done and he was becoming scared that his secret would be revealed.


    [I need to be more careful and can''t reveal anything to do with the Dungeon System] noted Adam to himself.


    Getting up Adam stretched his neck and couldn''t help but ask the man how he had managed to knock him out without harming him.


    "It is simple. I didn''t even make contact with you and you were merely overwhelmed by my Internal Energy" explained the man gloatingly.


    He made it sound very simple and easy, but Adam could guess how difficult it would be to do so and how much control and strength it would require.


    But instead of debating or arguing with the man, Adam suddenly blurted out what he really wanted.


    "Can you be my master please"

 Chapter 65: Master? Part 2

    "Can you be my master please" blurted out Adam as he fell onto his knees.


    His actions were no longer being judged by pride or arrogance and Adam submitted to the weird man in the hopes that he would accept him as a disciple.


    The weird man was silent for a while, before answering with an answer that shocked Adam.


    "Absolutely not, how did you even find this place and me. I am just trying to live the few years left I have of my life alone" answered the weird man.


    Adam looking up could see that the man had a confused expression which then changed to one of anger.


    "Did they send you? Even after so long is he still after me" roared the stubby man as he suddenly appeared before Adam and held him up in the air from his neck.


    Adam, who was struggling to breathe in the man''s grip, knew that fighting back would be useless as he saw rage, sadness, sorrow and regret all burning in the old man''s eyes.


    "I don''t know what you are talking about, let me go" wailed Adam.


    Suddenly letting go of Adam he had an apologetic expression as he suddenly lost control of his emotions.


    Adam who was watching the man closely knew that there must be a story behind his anger and the mysterious people that could cause him to become so angry, but he knew that it wasn''t his place to ask about it.


    "I found this dojo online and it was seen by a few people going on hikes in the area. It was said that you had claimed to be able to use chi" informed him Adam.


    "What is online and who dared to expose the location of my mountains," asked the man.


    Adam couldn''t help but be shocked by the man''s lack of knowledge of the outside world and his claim to own the mountainous region his dojo was in.


    "Are you crazy? How long have you been here for" asked Adam.


    "hmmm, It should have been at least a few centuries. I''ve been here ever since..." answered the man before becoming too angry to continue.


    Hearing his answer Adam had no idea how to react and what to think of the weird man that he found.


    However strangely despite the continuous shocks that the man gave him, Adam was calm the entire time.


    "Well the world has completely changed and you will be shocked to know that the world is much larger than this continent" described Adam thinking that he probably didn''t know about how the world really was.


    "I know that idiot, but who is this online person," he asked.


    Adam sat down with the short chubby man in the corner of the room and began explaining to him what the internet was and how the world was now.


    After a few hours, Adam was starting to get used to the man''s pompous nature and the man was also getting used to Adam''s calm nature that came along with his Hunter''s mind.


    "Okay thanks for the information and the update of how the world is now, but I really can''t take you in as a disciple" stated the man seriously after he had gained enough of an understanding of the current world from Adam.


    "Why not" enquired Adam, unwilling to miss out on the opportunity to learn from somebody so powerful.


    "Well normally I would never explain myself to anybody, but you have given me information so it is only right that I at least give you a valid reason. All I can tell you is that the last time I had disciples they betrayed me and almost managed to kill me, after I had taught them most of what I knew. They stole most of the skills, methods and all the valuables that I had. But I was able to survive and it took me such a long time to recover that I lost track of time. Ever since then I have been in this weakened state and don''t have much time left. I vowed I would never take in another disciple after the disciples I took in betrayed me and unfortunately, that includes you" explained the man filled with rage and regret.


    Adam could tell that his story was genuine and matching it with what he had already seen of the man it made sense.


    But he was still unwilling to miss the opportunity to learn from him.


    "But I won''t betray you and wouldn''t be able to even if I wanted to" stated Adam.


    "That is exactly how it was with my first disciples and now I can''t get back home" refuted the man.


    Past his pompous and arrogant nature, he seemed like a nice man and Adam felt bad for how he was betrayed and how his trust was broken.


    "How about this. You teach me until I reach a point that I am still weaker than you and then you don''t have to teach me. And I can pay you with the modern day money I told you about that you can buy anything with" offered Adam.


    [If I can get him to teach me and show him my talent, worth and loyalty, he should continue to teach me even after I inevitably surpass him] thought Adam to himself, knowing that there was no limit to his growth with his Dungeon System.


    Looking at Adam''s young, genuine and dedicated nature that were all great in the eyes of the man, he was still struggling to accept Adam as a disciple.


    ''He is talented and each time he missed, he improved slightly and learnt very quickly. And although I do not know about his cultivation talent and method, he is very talented in combat and has very high perceptivity. He would be a great disciple, cultivator and fighter, but I still can''t trust him or anybody else'' thought to himself the man.


    He didn''t want to die without his legacy being carried by a student, child or disciple, and Adam seemed to be the best and only option that he could choose without exposing himself to his enemies.


    They sat silently for a few minutes, until the man suddenly broke the silence.


    "I agree, I will be your master" decided the man.


    "But I have some conditions"

 Chapter 66: Gamble

    "I agree, I will be your master" decided the man.


    "But I have some conditions" he added.


    "I am willing to accept any conditions as long as I am capable of keeping the conditions" accepted Adam willingly.


    "First of all this location and me being your master cannot be revealed. Second of all anything I have taught you cannot be taught to anybody else without my permission and it shouldn''t be used frivolously. Third of all you must ask my permission before joining any group or organisation and you must always be honest with me and treat me with respect and loyalty" stated the man.


    Adam was shocked, his conditions were easily fulfilled and it seemed he really didn''t have the intention of gaining anything from Adam and merely wanted to secure his own safety and loyalty in the future.


    "I agree to all conditions and swear my complete loyalty to you as my master" declared Adam as he bowed respectfully.


    Although it was a weird action in the modern day, Adam truly wanted to respect the man before him and wanted to show his loyalty to him.


    "Well it seems you are genuine and are quite different to the others. Maybe it won''t be too bad to take a student after being alone for so long" mumbled the man to himself with a slight smile.


    Grabbing Adam''s arm forcefully, Adam felt as though he was naked under his grip and as though all his secrets were revealed as he instinctively tried to escape from his grip.


    {Ding, a foreign energy has entered and scanned the host''s body} alerted him the system.


    "So you are only a rank 1 Novice yet can display ability that rivals that of a rank 3 Novice and also it seems that you train both your body and your chi, or as you told me External and Internal Cultivation" observed the man.


    Adam was shocked but at the same time didn''t care too much and if he wanted his master to trust him, he needed to trust his master.


    Although it was unquestionable to Adam that the system and the dungeon would stay secret.


    "Yes that is correct" confirmed Adam.


    "No wonder I felt that you were unique, but for your age you are still too weak to be called talented" stated the man directly.


    Adam didn''t refute his statement, and decided not to reveal to him that he had only just begun gaining strength for only a single week.


    "When do we begin" asked Adam, eager to gain strength and see what the man was capable of teaching him.


    "He, you think I can teach you in the way that you are" scoffed the man.


    "I am in an extremely weak state and am old, yet can easily run laps around you. You first need to improve your body before you can even begin to attempt to learn my skills" ridiculed his master.


    "You need to be willing to work hard and push yourself past your limits otherwise there will be no point of me teaching you" he stated staring deep into Adam''s now brown eyes.


    "I am more than willing to do anything necessary to gain strength" declared Adam with drive burning in his eyes.


    "Great. We will begin simple. You will run up and down the mountain until sunset without stopping" decided his master.


    "But it is only slightly past midday and it will be at least another 7 hours until sunset" complained Adam.


    Before he could even block or react he was suddenly kicked in the stomach.


    "That was a light kick and I will be beating you quite a bit if you don''t do as I say" stated the stubby man with an amused smile.


    "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the final condition. If you do not meet my expectations I will have to encourage you with beatings and if you continue not to meet my expectations, I will have no choice but to kill you" added the man as Adam stood up and caught his breath.


    The light kick from his master had winded him and it took him a few minutes to recover, but despite the tough manner his master was dealing with him, Adam didn''t hold any resentment.


    Inversely he appreciated the discipling and vowed to himself to make the most of his master''s teachings.


    [He probably will kill me if I don''t meet his expectations and his heart has been made cold towards others after the students betrayed him. So I should show him enough progress, but make sure not to reveal too much or anything to do with the system. Hopefully I can somehow become somebody that he genuinely cares about, otherwise his half hearted teachings will only take me so far] thought Adam to himself.


    "Master I appreciate the disciplining and will begin the task you have set me immediately" thanked Adam respectfully as he left the dojo to begin his master''s task after he recovered his breath.


    Adam without wasting anymore time began running through the trees that surrounded the rustic dojo and began running uphill and up the mountain behind the dojo.


    "Maybe fate has been kind to me and is giving me a torch carrier before my light extinguishes" mumbled the man to himself as he waddled over to the corner of the dojo and lay on the ground.


    He had never expected himself to go against the single vow he made to never take in a student or disciple, but he couldn''t help but accept Adam as a half-disciple of sorts.


    His instincts were telling him that Adam was special and unique and that his destiny was strong, and he was also impressed by Adam''s respect, humility and composure, but he wasn''t yet completely convinced of Adam''s talent.


    "I guess I can take a gamble in teaching him and if it kills me I can''t complain as it was me who would have made the same mistake twice after only barely surviving the first time" said the old man to himself as he relaxed and awaited Adam''s return.

 Chapter 67: Training

    After witnessing the strength of the old man, that was his supposed weakened state, Adam was amazed, and no longer doubted him or regretted his decision, of coming to such a remote and far location, in the slightest.


    Wanting to prove himself to his new master, and also wanting to push himself to gain strength, Adam didn''t stop and ran at his full speed up the mountain that stood behind the dojo.


    It was quite a tall mountain that was over 1km tall, but what made it harder to scale was its steep sides and trees that grew all around the mountain.


    As Adam reached higher up the mountain he could feel the air around him become scarcer as he was finding it more and more difficult to breathe.


    However, with his enhanced body, that was strengthened both Internally and Externally and had both Internal and External Energy Storages, Adam was yet to feel tired.


    It took him 10 minutes to reach the top at his full speed and when he reached the top, his MP had fallen by a couple of points and he had exerted himself quite heavily.


    "It seems this incline really is quite difficult" mumbled Adam as he started heading back down.


    It was much harder for Adam to descend the mountain than climbing it with its steep sides that were hard to go down without slipping.


    Keeping his balance required all his core strength and focus as he ran down at full speed and dodged the dense trees all around the mountain.


    Adam was shocked by how difficult it was to climb and descend the mountain and he had scrapes, scratches and cuts all over his body from the sharp branches that slashed him as he ascended and descended the mountain.


    It took him double the amount of time to descend the mountain and it had tired him more, while also injuring him.


    [This will be more of a challenge than I thought] said Adam to himself as he headed straight back up without a break.


    The old man who was intrigued to see Adam''s progress was impressed by his will and drive to continue despite being tired and injured from ascending and descending the mountain once.


    Adam was focusing more and more on his task that seemed simple and he kept ascending and descending the mountain continuously without stopping.


    The time he took each time was beginning to increase as the fatigue began to seep in, but each time he was scathed less and less by the trees.


    He was beginning to use his intelligence stat that enhanced his senses more wisely as he was becoming more and more perceptive and attentive to everything around him.


    After 10 times, Adam''s MP had dwindled to 4 points and he felt his body becoming extremely sluggish and heavy as he continued trudging up the mountain, not wanting to stop until he had completed his task.


    Not only had his MP decreased, but his HP had also fallen by over 100 points from the trees that slashed him all over his body.


    However, it wasn''t the slashes themselves that made him lose so much HP, but was the blood loss that they caused.


    His clothes were ripped to tatters and drenched in his blood and sweat as he continued up the mountain.


    "This kid is incredible. Not only is he cultivating both internally and externally, he learns and grows rapidly from what I have seen and has strong will power that is fortified by his drive and ambition" observed his master.


    Adam''s entire body was in pain from the fatigue and cuts, but compared to what Adam experienced when he had the Blood Burn and Blood Berserker extensions activated, it wasn''t too much to handle.


    Ignoring the pain, Adam continued up and down the mountain as his previous sprint had become a walk.


    After climbing and descending the mountain 12 times, Adam''s MP had fallen to a mere single point, but he still had no intention of stopping.


    Adam had decided not to look at his status that would only hinder his drive and would keep going no matter the pain or fatigue.


    His master who was sat above the dojo and observing Adam was shocked by Adam''s will that was borderline crazy.


    Adam''s body was screaming at him to stop as his body was struggling to function and stay conscious.


    But his will was unwilling to back down and he continued staggering up the mountain.


    Eventually, Adam''s walk became a crawl as his body could no longer hold him up.


    But even at that state he kept going and crawled towards the top of the mountain even with his body nearing its limit.


    However, with his willpower alone he wasn''t able to continue and within a minute, Adam''s body had collapsed and lost consciousness as he lay on the ground unmoving.


    Watching him the old man dashed towards him and had reached him within seconds from standing atop the dojo and carrying Adam''s unconscious body with ease, he took Adam back to the dojo.


    "This child is crazy. His body has completely exhausted its External and Internal energy and has also been injured fatally with a large amount of blood loss. He would have died out there if I didn''t get to him straight away and his above-average recovery speed" said the old man to himself, shocked by the insane disciple he had taken in


    Adam who was now within his consciousness had a satisfied expression with how much he was able to push himself and wasn''t fazed much by the HP and MP loss that he knew he could recover quite easily with the Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    [System can I enter the dungeon directly from my consciousness, even if my body is unconscious] asked Adam, who despite the mental strain he experienced, wanted to continue training his body.


    {Yes that is possible but when the host returns from the dungeon, you will experience a lot of pain and you''re a wimp, so I don''t think you can handle it} answered the system.


    Adam wasn''t aggravated by the system''s words in the slightest, but still didn''t care about the pain that was to come and believed he could handle it.


    [System take me into the dungeon] ordered Adam.


    {The host is being transported to Floor 2} announced the system as he felt his soul being sucked out of his body.

 Chapter 68: Stupid

    {The host is being transported to Floor 2 at the host''s previous position} announced the system as he felt his soul being sucked out of his body.


    As Adam landed on Floor 2 he sat on the ground cross-legged and prepared to rest.


    His body was in peak condition as he was now in his Dungeon Form, but he was still mentally fatigued after his run yesterday.


    He had decided to relax in the dungeon where time was two times slower than reality and he would have more time.


    Adam had found that while he used the Ethereal Recovery Skill, where he felt as though he had left his body and time would pass rapidly, he could still talk to the system.


    [System show me my status] ordered Adam while he used the Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    {Ding, the host''s current status is:


    Mortal LVL: 11


    EXP: 255 / 1500


    HP: 220 / 220


    MP: 27 / 27


    Strength: 23


    Speed: 23


    Intelligence: 26


    Resistance: 23


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5}


    Looking at his status it was exactly as it was before, but he was pleasantly surprised by the increase in EXP.


    [System why did my EXP increase] asked Adam who remembered his EXP was only at 5 points.


    Adam thought that the only way that he could strengthen himself was by hunting in the dungeon.


    {That is because the host trained his body in reality and the progress is shown as EXP. Hunting in the dungeon isn''t the only way for the host to gain strength, although it is easier and only requires the host to kill beasts} answered the system.


    It was such an obvious answer that Adam had thought of, but wanted the system''s answer as confirmation.


    [Yes, now I can train both in the dungeon and in reality with my master and will rapidly strengthen myself] exclaimed Adam to himself joyously.


    {Shut up stupid} remarked the system.


    [System can you explain to me the MP stat again. As when I was training in reality I wasn''t sure how much of my Internal Energy and External Energy I used up] requested Adam respectfully, ignoring the tone and arrogance of the system, knowing that he needed the system.


    {Well, I knew you were stupid, but I didn''t know you were this stupid. Can''t you tell the amount of Internal and External Energy you have} scolded the system.


    Adam stayed silent and awaited the system''s explanation, knowing that there was no point trying to argue with the system at his current stage.


    {As the host is stupid, the system will explain and make it simpler for the host. The MP stat is an amalgamation of all the host''s stats and represented all Internal and External Energies within the host''s body as a single stat} explained the system.


    {But as you don''t seem to understand it because of your lack of common sense, the system will make the stats even more simple and obvious. Instead of MP, the stat will now be split into External and Internal Energy Storages, if the host wishes to do so} offered the system.


    {If the host follows through with this each stat point that the host uses will only be a single EESP or IESP, which is less than it was previously when the host would strengthen both the EESP and IESP together as MP. But if the host does follow through the host will have separate Internal Energy Storage Points and External Energy Storage Points which will strengthen the host''s storage densities after separating them and overall have double the amount of energy. Because as the host has realised, the host''s energy limits are quite low because of the storages being fused as one} warned the system.


    It was a decision that was quite easy for him and Adam knew that it was only possible because of his unique and special constitution that could be changed by the system.


    [I want to follow through with it] decided Adam.


    {Ding, the host''s MP stat is now being split into the EESP and IESP stat} announced the system as Adam felt something within his lower body split into two parts.


    One part spread around his body externally reaching his bones and muscles, while the other part spread around him internally and formed an internal energy storage within his lower abdomen.


    {Ding, now the host''s current status is:


    Mortal LVL: 11


    EXP: 255 / 1500


    HP: 220 / 220


    EESP: 27 / 27


    IESP: 27 / 27


    Strength: 23


    Speed: 23


    Intelligence: 26


    Resistance: 23


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5} informed him the system.


    Adam as observing his body closely and following the sensation that he was feeling understood what had occurred.


    His high intelligence enhanced his sensitivity to energy and his sensory ability and understanding.


    With that, he was able to see that his Internal and External Cultivation were now split and weren''t both being strengthened together in the centre of his body, which had strengthened him slightly and increased the capacity of energy that his energy now had.


    [So the EESP stat represents my physical stamina and my External Energy Storages and the IESP stat represents my capacity to use energy, such as through skills, and my Internal Energy Storages] observed Adam.


    He was satisfied with his decision and had distinguished between his Internal and External Energy storages while also increasing their capacity by separating them.


    After using the Ethereal Recovery Skill for an hour, there was no effect on his body that was at its peak state, but he had soothed and calmed his mind.


    "Time to test out the extent of my new split energy storages" mumbled Adam to himself as he stood up.


    Adam didn''t have time to waste and with his identity being revealed to a few people already, he knew it was only a matter of time before his identity became public in the underground world of cultivation.


    In the time he had before then, Adam wanted to gain as much strength and wealth as possible and also gather power through the Silver Moon Auction House.


    The stronger he helped the Silver Moon Auction House to become, the more powerful the backing and support he would have.


    All of his targets were clear.


    All that was left was for him to work hard.

 Chapter 69: Cycle

    Adam summoned his Pythonidae Summon, his Canidae Summon and his Goblin Summon.


    The cost of summoning his summons had increased to two points, but now that his Internal Energy and External Energy had been separated, it only used his Internal Energy and wouldn''t use his External Energy.


    {Goblin Guard


    LVL: 11


    HP: 290


    Strength: 28


    Speed: 17


    Intelligence: 13


    Resistance: 25


    Special Trait: Treasure Hunting


    Types Integrated: Ordinary Goblin}


    {Canidae Summon


    LVL: 11


    HP: 230


    Strength: 23


    Speed: 20


    Intelligence: 24


    Resistance: 22


    Special Traits: Powerful Senses


    Types Integrated: Arctic Fox, Coyote, Grey Wolf}


    {Pythonidae Summon


    LVL 11


    HP: 260


    Strength: 24


    Speed: 18


    Intelligence: 20


    Resistance: 24


    Special Trait: Crushing Grip


    Types Integrated: Wood Python}


    Looking at the status of all the beasts that he summoned, leaving out the Leporidae Summon that he felt was more useful for assassination or in colder environments, Adam had a satisfied expression.


    "21 points of IESP left, I will be able to sustain the 3 beasts for a few minutes if I want to expend my IESP, but unlike before, I don''t have to worry about being weakened as I will still have my EESP that is now separate from my IESP" mumbled Adam to himself with a pleased expression.


    He was happy with his decision and now felt as though he was more capable and could fight for longer periods of time.


    "All of you spread out and defeat beasts of the same LVL or lower, 1 on 1, and make sure not to suffer any damage. If you think you are outmatched or are against more than or beast, you should retreat" ordered Adam to his 3 summons.


    Adam was confident in their ability after seeing their statuses, that when compared to ordinary beasts in the dungeon were superior.


    After receiving their orders, the beast all rushed away from their master, around the outer areas of the dungeon, while Adam also searched for a beast to hunt.


    Adam was very perceptive and adaptable. and he would also learn from his mistakes and experiences, making it now quite easy for him to defeat the Wood Python beasts.


    With two E+ Rank Scale Vambraces equipped on either arm, that each increased his resistance by 2 points and his strength by a single point, along with the E Rank Wolf Sabre he had equipped that also increased his HP, Resistance and strength by a single point, Adam felt confident in his strength.


    1 stat point is equivalent to 10 HP and 1 point for every other stat.


    He had to battle without using his IESP so that he could sustain his summons for longer periods of time, and had to rely on his physical strength and EESP.


    He came across a Wood Pyhton soon after and Adam weirdly found that his attacks were more accurate and swift as he continued to strike the python with his sabre, not allowing it to get close to him.


    It took Adam less than a minute to defeat the beast that gave him a few EXP, while he was also receiving EXP from all the beasts that his summons were able to defeat


    The only thing that Adam could think of that might have increased his precision would be the fight he had against his master, but it wasn''t really a fight, and he wasn''t even able to land a single strike.


    But little did he know his attacks were continuously improving while he relentlessly attacked his master, and he never realised because, despite their improvement, his master was still able to easily avoid all his strikes.


    Adam defeated 3 beasts, while all his summons had collectively defeated 8 beasts without suffering any injuries, within the few minutes that he could sustain the summons for.


    As soon as his IESP fell to 0, Adam felt all his beast summons return to his beastpedia as he also felt extremely drained and as though his Internal Energy Storage was empty.


    But unlike when he had the MP stat, he was still able to function and still had most of his EESP to battle with.


    Adam continued hunting until he had expended a large amount of EESP, then he stopped to use his Ethereal Recovery Skill to recover both his EESP and IESP and relax his mind.


    Adam was beginning to learn how to control and resist his Bloodlust characteristic, but he would allow his desire to kill to be mostly free in the dungeon, as long as he still had control of his body.


    But what he noticed was that the joy and satisfaction of killing humans in reality was much higher than killing a beast in the dungeon, that he had continuously done for a long time.


    It took him almost 3 hours to completely recover, but Adam enjoyed the soothing and calming feeling that the Ethereal Recovery Skill gave him, and used it for 3 hours and a half to relax his mind and body.


    Adam had never had much time to rest and after working multiple jobs and living a poor quality of life, for almost 3 years, to pay his aunt''s medical bills, Adam had always been through the struggle.


    Now with an opportunity to change his life for the better and to improve the level of his existence, Adam was always willing to put in the work and bear the pain to reap the rewards of his efforts.


    Adam repeated the cycle of releasing his summons to hunt, while he also hunted, then stopped after expending both his IESP and EESP.


    The damage to his HP that he would experience in the battles on the outer area of Floor 2 was minimal and he was now on a level where he could defeat Wood Pythons with ease.


    [After reaching LVL 13 I will move on to the next stage] decided Adam, knowing that the maximum LVL of Wood Pythons that he came across was LVL 13.


    Without wasting any time, Adam continued the cycle of continuously hunting with his summons and only stopping to recover with his Ethereal Recovery Skill.

 Chapter 70: Dungeon Form

    Adam repeated the cycle many times and only stopped after the system alerted him that he had spent 24 hours in the dungeon.


    Adam knew that he could stay in the dungeon for 48 hours at most without suffering backlash, but he still felt like he had hunted enough and that it was time to return to reality to train with his master.


    He had gained 456 EXP, including what his summons were able to gain, and looking at his progress speed, Adam couldn''t help but be disheartened as he realised how slow his progress was becoming.


    He hadn''t even reached half way through LVL 11 yet, even after all the hunting he had done and it was becoming increasingly difficult to gain EXP.


    The amount of EXP he was gaining was capped by the system and he would only gain a single EXP for every LVL that the beast was higher than that of the LVL that he entered the Floor at.


    So currently he was only gaining a few points for defeating LVL 11, 12 and 13 Wood Pythons as he entered Floor 2 at LVL 10.


    [I am only a rank 1 Novice and at this rate, it will take years for me to be strong enough to be able to do as I please] thought Adam to himself.


    Adam''s current rate of increasing his strength was similar to that of an average talent in the world of cultivation, but Adam was yet to come across anybody that was considered to have average talent and he had only seen low graded talents that fought over the scraps of the large families.


    Considering that he began to cultivate at the age of 18, it would be extremely difficult for him to catch up to cultivators his age, let alone surpass the youths in the large and hidden cultivation families.


    However, Adam would gain combat prowess and experience through hunting in the dungeon along with unique skills and mastery, all meanwhile he was cultivating both Internally and Externally.


    But despite that, Adam wasn''t satisfied and after seeing the strength that his master displayed, he felt extremely weak and insignificant.


    [System is this my limit, how am I meant to increase my strength with the necessary EXP continuously increasing while the amount of EXP I can gain is staying the same] asked Adam who was slumped against a tree and preparing to return to reality.


    {You are the Hunter of the Dungeon System and you are yet to display the drive and skills of a hunter. The Dungeon System is training you as a hunter and the EXP you gain has nothing to do with the system} answered the system.


    [So how do I gain EXP] asked Adam.


    {EXP represents the amount of the LVL that you have completed, and just like a cultivator, you need energy to be able to increase your strength. Any beast you kill within the dungeon is converted into energy, that is absorbed by your body. The stronger you become, the more energy is necessary} explained the system.


    [But doesn''t the energy of the beasts also increase, so the amount of EXP I gain should also increase] refuted Adam.


    {That is true, but your Dungeon Form can only absorb a certain amount of energy currently} replied the system.


    {Your Dungeon Form is currently only LVL 1 and each LVL of the Dungeon Form is equivalent to that of a rank for the host. But the rank of the Dungeon Form has no effect on its strength and it will display the same amount of strength as the host, but what it does affect is the absorption ability of the Dungeon Form} informed him the system.


    {Currently, your Dungeon Form has been absorbing energy that you would have been able to absorb on Floor 1, which is 10 points lower than it should be, for your body that is now on the next rank and needs more energy} stated the system.


    "What! Why didn''t you tell me this" exclaimed Adam frustratedly.


    {You didn''t ask} answered the system, that seemed to be amused by Adam''s frustration.


    Adam was really annoyed and would have gained much more strength if he had known that his Dungeon Form also needed to be strengthened, but after calming down, he had made sure to note down anything that he didn''t know and to ask the system about it, so he wasn''t left in the dark about important information like he usually was.


    [Does the Dungeon Form have an effect on the amount of gold and system points I gain] asked Adam after calming down.


    {No the amount of gold is still 10 times the LVL of the beast that you have defeated, but the system points that the host gains will increase and are equivalent to the amount of EXP that the host gains} answered the system.


    [So, how do I increase the LVL of my Dungeon Form] asked Adam.


    {Do you really have to ask. It will obviously cost you system points and to LVL UP your Dungeon Form to LVL 2, it will require 1000 system points} answered the system.


    "So my Dungeon Form will always have the same amount of strength as me, but it will only be able to absorb a certain amount of energy. If the LVL of my Dungeon Form matches that of the Floor that I am on, I will gain the same amount of EXP and system points as the LVL of the beasts that I kill and for gold, I will gain 10 times the LVL of the beasts. So if I don''t upgrade my Dungeon Form, I will gain 10 less system points and EXP from every beast I defeat" summarised Adam.


    Looking at his status, Adam had only just gathered 1033 system points and could now afford the transferal feature, but he wasn''t yet sure of the cost of transferring the B Rank Mortal HP Recovery Pill, which itself costed 200 system points.


    Knowing that he could always gain system points and he would be able to do so faster by investing the 1000 system points, Adam decided that it was worth it.


    "I am sorry aunt and I promise I will save you as soon as I can, but I have to postpone your recovery slightly" mumbled Adam regretfully.


    He wanted to save his aunt, but he knew that if he didn''t spend the 100 system points now, he would only be wasting his time in the dungeon as he would gain 10 less system points and EXP for every beast he killed.


    [System upgrade my Dungeon Form to LVL 2] ordered Adam.

 Chapter 71: Recognition

    {Ding, the host''s Dungeon Form is being upgraded to LVL 2} announced the system.


    Adam who was currently in his dungeon form didn''t feel anything change, and just like when awakening the Bloodlust characteristic, Adam was underwhelmed by the process.


    [System has it been upgraded] asked Adam.


    {Yes idiot} answered the system disdainfully.


    Adam didn''t feel anything change, but he still felt as though the spending of 1000 system points to upgrade his Dungeon Form was worth it.


    Adam couldn''t help but realise how the system continued to change and grow with him and it seemed to be changing to match Adam''s best interests.


    [I wonder who exactly made the system, or who the system is and why he had to make it so annoying] thought Adam to himself as the system scoffed at him arrogantly in response.


    [I need to gain as much EXP and system points as possible and as quickly as possible. And I should make buying the transferal feature and the B Rank Mortal Recovery Pill for my aunt my main priority] decided Adam.


    Adam really wanted the inventory feature and also had many other things that he wanted to increase his mastery on, but for now, he had his priorities and didn''t have enough system points or strength to be able to spend it frivolously.


    [Take me back to reality] ordered Adam.


    {Ding, the host is being taken out of the dungeon} announced the system as he felt his body being sucked out of the Dungeon Form.


    Suddenly, after Adam felt he had returned to his body, he was overwhelmed with an enormous amount of pain that was only slightly lower than that of when he had used the Blood Burn and the Blood Berserker extensions of the Bloodlust characteristic.


    He began to scream as he writhed in pain on the ground of the dojo.


    After he left his body to enter his Dungeon Form while his body was unconscious, heavily injured and completely void of energy, when his soul returned from the Dungeon Form, it was overwhelmed by the pain of suddenly regaining consciousness in a body that was in such a dire state.


    "Oi shut up kid you woke me up, stop screaming like a wimp" scolded his short and chubby master.


    Adam who was experiencing immense pain couldn''t hear his master over his own screaming, but the pain suddenly stopped as his master began to strike different pressure points around his body with his fingers.


    "I have suppressed your nervous system to reduce the pain, which is something I will teach you that needs you to use chi or Internal Energy and block different pressure points to suppress the nervous system" stated his master who lifted Adam''s body lying body to a sitting position.


    "However, you crazy bastard, it doesn''t mean you are healed and although most the pain is gone, your body is still injured and completely drained of energy both Internally and Externally" added his master.


    "Try and recover your energy and heal your body as best as you can, but you better not wake me up again" instructed the old man as he returned to the corner of the dojo where he slept.


    Adam was once again shocked by his master''s ability and although he knew that he was yet to be completely trusted by his master, he could see that he cared about him slightly from his actions, despite the pompous way he acted.


    Most of the pain Adam was experiencing had been suppressed by his master and he was excited to begin actual training with his master, who had said that he would teach him how to use Internal Energy to block pressure points.


    Ethereal Recovery


    Adam followed the method of the Ethereal Recovery, that he had imprinted within his mind by the system, which would allow him to seemingly leave his physical body and enter an ethereal state as his body would rapidly absorb and circulate its energy to recover its IESP, EESP and HP.


    After gaining a skill from the system it would be imprinted within his mind and when using it, Adam felt as though he had perfect mastery of the skill and had been using it since birth.


    Observing his newly taken in disciple, the old man was shocked to see the incredible recovery method that Adam was using.


    He could see that Adam''s body was automatically absorbing energy and recovering his body at a rapid pace, while he could also see that Adam wasn''t wielding the energy and it seemed that the skill was working by itself.


    "This weird kid has weird skills, great perceptivity, cultivates both internally and externally and is crazily determined to become stronger. I wonder, has my fate been changed and will I no longer die alone and in regret" mumbled the old man to himself with a hopeful expression as he observed Adam.


    3 hours later, Adam''s body was as good as new and the old man could no longer suppress his curiosity and shock.


    Adam stood up and began to stretch his stiff body nonchalantly until his master sudden exploded.


    "What the hell is that skill of yours and where did you get it from" exclaimed the old man.


    "Um, it''s a skill that I figured out while meditating" answered Adam.


    There was no need for Adam to lie and what he said was true, but what he missed out was that the system was the one that formulated the skill from the sensation that he felt while meditating.


    The old man was shocked massively.


    "You mean to tell me you made such a heaven-defying skill alone," inquired his master.


    "Yes" answered Adam who was glad that he was receiving recognition from his master.


    Adam was yet to come across any skills from other cultivators and didn''t know the level of his own skills in comparison to others''.


    But from his master''s reaction, he assumed that his Ethereal Recovery Skill was of a high level, and he was wondering whether his Dual Slash would receive the same reception.


    ''If that is true, I am glad I took this crazy young man as my disciple and maybe he can help me get home'' thought the man to himself as he burst out into laughter.


    Adam was unsure what the old man was thinking, but what he did know was that he was somebody amazing and exactly the person he needed to increase his strength.


    "So when do we begin my training," asked Adam.


    "Well with that amazing recovery skill of yours, I have nothing to worry about and can beat you until you are on the verge of death, then allow you to recover, then beast you again until you get strong" answered his master as he burst out into laughter.

 Chapter 72: Training Part 1

    "So when do we begin my training," asked Adam.


    "Well with that amazing recovery skill of yours, I have nothing to worry about. I can beat you until you are on the verge of death, then allow you to recover, then beat you again until you get strong" answered his master as he burst out into laughter.


    While laughing he suddenly disappeared, and before Adam could react, he was suddenly kicked on his back and launched tumbling forwards.


    "Lesson 1, never allow your opponent to have the first attack, which gives them the upper hand and an advantage in the battle" stated his master.


    Adopting a boxing stance, Adam prepared to block his master''s next attack, but his master''s attack was so fast, he couldn''t even see it and he was kicked on his bottom and hurled into the air.


    "Lesson 2, always be ready for battle and never drop your guard" stated his master.


    Adam wasn''t angry or annoyed by his master''s arrogant tone or rough way of training, but was more focused on trying to keep up with his master''s attacks and soak in everything his master was teaching him.


    He had never had combat classes and was only going off what he had seen online, without any first-hand experience or training in close combat.


    Adam hadn''t noticed, but his master had taken out his contact lenses and his eyes were now back to their natural red colour.


    His master had taken care of him and regulated Adam''s body while he was in the dungeon, trying to keep Adam alive.


    But little did he know Adam was hunting in a dungeon for double the amount of time that he was sleeping and was strengthening himself through hunting.


    Adam looked around the room and knew that he had no chance against his master, but if he had two daggers, he might be able to catch his master off guard. He also wanted to test out his Dual Slash Skill that he was yet to use in reality.


    There were many weapons of all kinds hung on the walls of the dojo, and in the right corner of the dojo, Adam spotted a few sets of short daggers that were perfect for his fighting style.


    [I have no chance to get to the daggers before him, so I need to get me to hit me in the direction of the daggers and then I might be able to get them before him] planned Adam to himself, adapting to his current situation.


    Looking at his disciple''s red eyes that were staring at him closely, the old man was curious to see how much Adam would be able to improve under his tutelage.


    Adam had his eyes on his master, but his master would suddenly disappear and appear somewhere else, using his incredible speed to do so.


    To Adam, his master was teleporting, but his master was merely travelling at incredible speeds that the current Adam couldn''t trace with his vision.


    As his master disappeared from his position, Adam turned as quickly as he could, but his master changed target and went behind Adam again and kicked his bottom, launching him into the right corner of the dojo.


    Adam knew his speed couldn''t compare to his master''s in the slightest and it was almost impossible for him to be able to block it, but he used the fact that his master was always attacking him from behind, to get close enough to the daggers.


    "This is like disciplining a child, are you not going to fight back" mocked the old man.


    Adam''s red eyes didn''t waver despite the beating he was receiving and swiftly jumped up and grabbed two daggers that were held on the wall.


    It was an ordinary weapon and didn''t boost his stats, but it was light and seemed to be durable and it suited Adam''s liking.


    "He, so that was your target all along kid. Show me what you got" scoffed the old man, not believing that Adam would be skilled in the use of dual daggers and even if he was, he still had no chance against him.


    Adam was yet to realise just how much 4% mastery over the daggers and 10% mastery of dual-wielding really was and with it, he could be considered an advanced dual dagger user.


    Holding the dual daggers in each hand, Adam felt more confident in his sterngth with them in hand and his mastery and techniques began to stream through his mind.


    Adam dashed towards his master, who didn''t use his speed to move around Adam and wanted to see to what extent was Adam skilled in the use of dual daggers.


    Adam was using a backwards grip that he felt more comfortable using and allowed him to slash out with his dual daggers at faster speeds and with more power.


    As he reached his master, he ruthlessly slashed towards his neck, and with his other hand slashed towards his body, knowing that he would be able to dodge them without much difficulty.


    "Trying to kill your master. How am I going to teach you if I am dead" pouted the old man jokingly as he dodged the attacks with ease.


    His nature was similar to that of Cole, which was always joking and never serious, only when it was something important.


    While his master was joking around, Adam saw it as the only opportunity to land an attack on his master, who would only stop moving around at untrackable speeds when talking or striking Adam.


    Dual Slash


    Holding both his daggers near his chest then slashing outwards, Adam released two blades formed of energy blitzing towards his master.


    Adam could use the skill without thought, through the system, but he wanted to understand how it worked and focused on his body while he used the skill.


    His Internal Energy would be sent into his arms and through his hands, into his blades, then they would be stored within his blades, to be released as he slashed outwards towards his target.


    Adam was only able to observe his Internal Energy and understand how it was used, because of his high intelligence stat that also effected his ability to wield his energy.


    [Did I hit him] wondered Adam as he attempted to see through the smoke that was caused from the impact of his attack with something.

 Chapter 73: Training Part 2

    Adam had put 5 IESP behind the Dual Slash and was pleasantly surprised by how much faster and stronger the Dual Slash was with the additional amount of Internal Energy.


    As the smoke, that was caused by the impact of the attack, subsided, Adam was shocked to see that his short, overweight and old master standing there as if nothing had occurred.


    Within his bare hands, he held the two blades of energy that Adam launched towards him and had a gloating expression.


    "Hahahaha, nice attack kid. But unfortunately, it was too slow and weak to harm me" mocked his master as he crushed the blades formed of energy within his hands.


    "I only caught the attack because I didn''t want you to break my dojo, but still I must give you some credit. I never expected such a swift attack from a mere rank 1 novice" stated the old man.


    Adam looking at his master couldn''t help but gape in awe as he suddenly felt a sharp pain on his stomach as his master punched him and launched him sliding backwards.


    "Combat Training is over, for now, recover your energy and vitality, then we can continue" instructed his master.


    Adam did as his master instructed and entered the ethereal state of the Ethereal Recovery Skill, where his body began to rapidly recover.


    While in the ethereal state, Adam was replaying what he had seen of his master''s movements, but he still couldn''t see it clearly or understand how he was able to move so quickly that there were afterimages behind him.


    After recovering, Adam battled with his master and the combat training would only stop when Adam had exhausted his energy reserves or had been heavily injured.


    Adam didn''t feel like he had improved, but his master was noticing that each and every time they would battle Adam would have new tactics and his precision and perceptivity was improving ever so slightly each time.


    As Adam continuously analysed his battles, while also constantly attempting to track his master''s movements, he had improved, without him noticing, as he used what he could to his advantage.


    Adam used all the dagger techniques he knew of, but he still couldn''t land a single attack on the short and overweight old man.


    After 6 arduous battles, that was mainly Adam receiving a beating from his master, the entire day had passed.


    "Training over kid, good job" announced his master as he returned to the corner of his room to sleep.


    "Master, do you think I am improving" asked Adam, wanting to know the speed of his progress.


    "Kid, it requires time and patience and with your perceptivity, it will only be a matter of time before you improve. But for now try to increase your strength as you are still too weak for me to teach you any of my skills, that you are incapable of learning or using" answered his master reassuringly.


    Although their time spent together was short and they were yet to experience things together, that would make them closer, they still both filled a void for each other.


    Adam needed a senior figure to teach him about the world of the cultivation and train him, as he had only known about cultivators for a short period of time, while the old man had been alone for centuries and wanted a disciple that was talented, he could trust and could carry on his legacy.


    As his master began sleeping in the corner of the dojo, Adam after recovering didn''t enter the dungeon yet and wanted to see how much EXP he could gain for training his body.


    Exercises and pushing the body past its limits, allows it to be able to absorb more energy after recovering and was one of the best ways to cultivate with a strong foundation.


    The foundation of a cultivator was essential to their strength and progress, and cultivators who relied on pills and medicine to increase their strength instead of working hard, were almost always weaker.


    Adam began simply with push-ups and after a few hundred, he was yet to feel tired.


    Adam was beginning to understand more about controlling his Internal Energy, which required much more control and understanding than controlling his External Energy.


    Using his External Energy was subconscious, in the same way, that an ordinary person wouldn''t have to control his lungs and body to provide oxygen to his muscles.


    External Cultivation was building up upon the External Body and External Energy of a person that ordinary humans already have, just at a limited amount.


    However, Internal Energy wasn''t as simple and was something that was new and unique to Internal Cultivators who would store energy within their Internal Body, that they would be able to control for all kinds of different applications.


    After observing how his Internal Energy was used when he used the Dual Slash Skill, Adam had an idea of how to increase his strength.


    If he was to use his Internal Energy to reinforce his already strong body, that was using his External Energy, he would be able to display double his strength by fusing them, but he would only be able to sustain the strengthened state for a short while.


    Adam used both his IESP and EESP and managed to complete 1000 push-ups.


    After that, he went on to do 1000 sit-ups and 1000 squats, stopping to recover between them as each one of them would exhaust both his energy storages.


    Adam was unsure how much EXP he gained from the training he completed, but he did feel as though he had made some progress.


    [In the morning I will do 1000 push-ups, squats and sit-ups and will run up and down the mountain 10 times. Then I will battle against my master for the rest of the day, leaving me time to hunt in the dungeon in the night] planned Adam, wanting to make the most of his time and Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    With a plan prepared, Adam was mentally drained despite his body being able to recover with the Ethereal Recovery Skill and it was finally time to return to the dungeon and test out his upgraded Dungeon Form.

 Chapter 74: LVL 12

    Adam went to the opposite corner of the dojo and lay on the ground as he ordered the system to take him into the dungeon.


    After a few seconds, he felt his soul being sucked out of his body as he opened his eyes to the familiar rain forest environment.


    "Status"


    Mortal LVL: 11


    Dungeon Form LVL: 2


    EXP: 1020 / 1500


    HP: 220 / 220


    IESP: 27 / 27


    EESP: 27 / 27


    Strength: 23


    Speed: 23


    Intelligence: 26


    Resistance: 23


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    Looking at his status, Adam could see that he had gained 309 EXP from training, which he was pleased with, but wasn''t enough for him to be satisfied with.


    But what he also noticed by looking at his system points and gold, he would gain a system point for every EXP earned, even from reality, but he wouldn''t gain gold, which he could only gain from killing beasts.


    "Today I will hunt alone without summoning my summons which will allow me to hunt for longer and also gain more experience" decided Adam.


    He equipped two scale vambraces, that had hardly any durability left, along with the wolf sabre, that would break at any moment.


    Adam needed a new weapon to hunt with desperately, and the Wood Pythons that he was hunting currently were not providing him what he needed.


    "I need to LVL UP before I move deeper into the forest and should aim for LVL 13 before then. Hopefully, the next stage of Floor 2 has a beast that I can loot a weapon from" mumbled Adam.


    Adam began hunting any Wood Python he came across and after using up all his IESP and EESP, he had killed 18 Wood Pythons.


    Now with his Dungeon Form that was upgraded to LVL 2, killing only 18 beasts within less than an hour, he had gained 207 EXP.


    "Finally, I will be able to progress quickly again" exclaimed Adam joyously as his drive was reinvigorated.


    After recovering, Adam frantically began searching for Wood Pythons around the outer area of Floor 2, wanting to increase his speed as quickly as possible.


    15 hours later he suddenly heard the notification from the system that he was waiting for.


    {LVL UP - You are now LVL 12 and have an increase in all stats and an extra stat point, where do you wish to spend your stat point} announced the system.


    [System show me my status, including my points and gold] ordered Adam.


    {Ding, the host''s current status, including the host''s points and gold, is:


    Mortal LVL: 12


    Dungeon Form LVL: 2


    EXP: 0 / 2500


    HP: 163 / 230


    IESP: 21 / 28


    EESP: 19 / 28


    Strength: 24


    Speed: 24


    Intelligence: 27


    Resistance: 24


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    System Points: 1091


    Stat Points: 1


    Gold: 34360} informed him the system as the tab also appeared before him.


    Adam was only a rank 1 Novice, but some of his stats were close to that of a rank 2 Novice and he also cultivated both Internally and Externally, which gave him an advantage over his opponents.


    [Spend the stat point on HP] decided Adam, noticing that it was his weakest stat.


    With the system, that gave him unlimited potential, Adam had no reason to lower his ambitions and wanted to become the strongest cultivator that was strong in all aspects.


    He wanted to never have to worry about status, power, strength, wealth and anything else that he needed to live a prosperous life and wanted to provide his aunt with the best life possible, after all the sacrifices she made for him, even though he wasn''t her biological son.


    [System buy the transferal feature] ordered Adam without hesitation after seeing he had 1000 points.


    Adam couldn''t wait for the day that he could help his aunt, with the high quality B Rank Mortal Pill, and take her back to his apartment where she could relax and do as she pleased.


    Money was the least of Adam''s worries, with the incredible amount of gold that he currently had, which could be transferred to 343,600 dollars, and with the backing of the Silver Moon Auction House, that he could ask to take money from.


    He had come to a mutual pact with the Silver Moon Auction House''s owner, and both of them were only out for their own gain, but benefitted each other and would help each other, to boost their own power.


    {Ding, the host has gained the transferal feature of the system. If the host buys an item in the dungeon, for the host to be able to transfer it to reality, it will require the same amount of system points as the price of the item. In the same way, the host can transfer an item from reality to the dungeon, and the system will value it in terms of system points. Only lucky dips allow the host to gain items in reality without a fee, unless the host gains the inventory feature, which will lower the price of transferring items between the dungeon to reality and vice versa. Also, items from the store, if the host wishes to use them in reality, must be transferred through the transferal feature} stated the system.


    The price for transferal was shocking, but it was to be expected for such an incredible ability and all Adam needed was slightly more than 300 system points to be able to heal his aunt.


    "I will hunt a few more beasts, then will have to miss training, to heal my aunt and spend the day with her" decided Adam, excited to finally see his aunt happy and conscious after the vegetative state she was in for the past few years.


    After recovering his lost energy, Adam began searching for more Wood Pythons to hunt, but they were becoming harder and harder to find after he had killed large numbers of them.


    Adam didn''t rest or leave the dungeon until he had gained enough system points to afford to buy the B Rank Mortal Recovery Pill and transfer it to reality.


    He had to search for long periods of time to find the python beasts, that were very scarce in numbers, and luckily just as he killed the last beast he needed to have enough system points, he received a notification from the system.


    {Ding, the host has hunted on stage 1 of Floor 2 for too long and no more beasts will be found on stage 1 for the host to hunt} notified him the system.


    If he had known about upgrading his Dungeon Form earlier, he wouldn''t have had to stay on stage 1. but Adam didn''t spend time lamenting on the past.


    With that, Adam knew he had to move on the next time he returned to the dungeon, but for now, he was more focused on recovering his aunt.

 Chapter 75: Dying Aunt

    Without noticing it, Adam had went almost two days without food or water and that was a positive side effect of the Ethereal Recovery Skill, that allowed his body to sustain itself with energy without the need for food.


    However although he didn''t need food to sustain his body, Adam was still hungry and enjoyed eating.


    As he returned to reality, he couldn''t ignore the hunger that he was feeling, which he hadn''t even noticed during the day, and felt a tight cramp in his empty stomach.


    [I will have a nice big meal with my aunt and I don''t mind spending some gold on it] decided Adam as he felt an aching pain in his stomach that was screaming at him to eat something.


    As he woke up, he saw from the sun that it was early in the morning and his master was still sleeping.


    [Should I wake him up or not] thought Adam to himself as he carefully approached his sleeping master.


    "What do you want kid," asked his master, who sensed him approaching.


    "Master I would like to request a day leave" requested Adam respectfully.


    "If you wish to leave you may. But I require a valid reason and need to know when you will return. I cannot dedicate my valuable time to teach a student, who isn''t willing to do the same" answered the old man.


    His answer was reasonable, and Adam was pleased that he was recognised as a student, even though he was yet to be accepted fully as a disciple.


    "I need to go to my aunt at the hospital who should be awakening today and I would like to be there to embrace her and spend a day with her" stated Adam.


    Adam began explaining to his master the way he was living and was honest about most things, but changed his story slightly.


    He made it so that he stumbled across a cultivation method that he learnt alone and didn''t mention anything about the system, but was honest about everything else.


    "You mean to tell me that within a week you were able to gain as much strength as you have" exclaimed the old man shocked by what Adam was telling him.


    "Yes" affirmed Adam.


    Looking at Adam''s calm red eyes he could tell that Adam was telling the truth, but he was more curious to see what method Adam stumbled upon and where he found it.


    "I am sorry master but I cannot reveal that to you and have already shown that I trust you by revealing to you this much" answered Adam honestly.


    Adam had had enough of lying and wanted to be honest with his master, and he had done so as much as he could, but he couldn''t reveal anything to do with the system.


    "We all have our secrets, but what I am looking for is loyalty" stated his master.


    "You can leave for a few days, but when you return can you bring a lot of food with you. I haven''t eaten properly for decades. And also anything from this modern age that may interest me" affirmed the old man.


    "Yes, master" accepted Adam as he turned to leave.


    "But are you sure you haven''t eaten for a while" called out Adam ridiculing as he ran off, away from the dojo.


    "Arrogant kid, I will teach you to respect your seniors when you return" mumbled the old man as he returned to his sleep-like state.


    Adam was in ripped clothes that had a stench of blood and sweat all around them, and knew that he needed to next time bring with him may sets of clothing and food with him, when he was training with his master in the dojo.


    He also needed to find a way for him to get to and from the dojo quickly and easily, without needing to rely on someone else to take him there.


    [A motorbike would be a good way to get to the dojo and it would also allow me to carry clothing and food in the storage compartment] thought Adam.


    "I will get one from Elizabeth, because I should save my gold, for in case I need to transfer them into system points" decided Adam.


    "But for now I will need to get back to the city, that is around 40 miles away, on foot" mumbled Adam to himself regretfully,


    To get to the mountainous region he was in, that was only ventured to by hikers or those that were sight seeing, Adam had to travel almost 60 miles by taxi.


    Luckily by offering almost all the of the cash he had left from what he had borrowed from Cole, the taxi driver took him to his destination.


    "There is no point lamenting on my choices now and the longer I wait, the longer my aunt stays in the vegetative state" stated Adam as he began running at a steady speed in the direction of the city.


    It was an hour and a half before he spotted the city, but luckily he had seen a large truck driving by and had managed to sneak onto the back and hitch a ride into the city.


    Adam no longer cared about people''s opinions, and after finding out about cultivation, ordinary people seemed to not affect him in the slightest.


    Checking his phone, Adam saw many missed calls from Cole and while out in the secluded mountainous region where his master''s dojo was hidden, Adam didn''t have any signal.


    Dialling Cole''s number, Adam was curious to see why he was calling him.


    "Hello," said Adam down the phone as Cole picked up.


    "Where the hell are you and where have you been" exclaimed Cole.


    "There is something wrong at the hospital. Your aunt is on the verge of death" informed him Cole.


    While Adam was training, Cole asked Sarah about where Adam''s aunt was and found out the hospital she was staying in.


    However, when he went to visit her, her face was drained and her heartbeat was slowing down.


    "They said she doesn''t have much time left"

 Chapter 76: Healing Aunt

    Adam''s heart slumped.


    [Am I too late] he thought to himself as he began regretting all the times he had delayed his aunt''s recovery in order to increase his strength and potential.


    Without thinking too much about it, he ended the call with Cole and dashed towards his apartment.


    He made sure not to use his full speed, that was supernatural in comparison to an ordinary person, however, he still ran at speeds that were above average as he waltzed into his building, past the security and rushed into his apartment.


    Quickly, Adam entered his apartment and rinsed his body to remove the stench of sweat and blood, then threw his clothing in the trash and wore a random set of casual clothing.


    He wore plain grey jogging bottoms, a white t-shirt, that highlighted his muscles and toned body, and plain black trainers.


    [System spend 200 system points on a B Rank Mortal Recovery Pill and transfer it to reality] ordered Adam frantically.


    {Ding, the host has spent 400 system points and the B Rank Mortal Recovery Pill has been transferred into reality} announced the system as Adam felt a small spherical object appear within his hand.


    Adam didn''t have time to ponder on how the system worked and without wasting any time, hoping that he could still save his aunt, Adam rushed towards the hospital that was close to the building he was living in.


    He held onto the pill in his hand tightly and was praying that his aunt would make it.


    He had so many things he wanted to show and do with his aunt and he wanted her to live in luxury and be proud of what he was able to achieve.


    If she died, what was the point of becoming stronger and wealthier, if he had nobody to protect and or care for.


    He dashed into the hospital, and the young receptionist, that had previously passed his note onto Sarah, was there.


    "Can you tell me where my aunt is staying right now?" asked Adam urgently.


    "Right now your aunt is in urgent care room 26 and it seems her state has worsened" informed him the receptionist.


    As soon as he heard the room she was in, he rushed towards it without hesitation as he followed the signs in the hospital to find it.


    Rushing into the room, he saw his aunt laying on a bed with all kinds of tubes and medical equipment sustaining and regulating her body, that was collapsing.


    [The 2 and a half years of being in a vegetative state must be taking its toll on her and it seems as though her body can''t take it for much longer] observed Adam worriedly.


    Within the room were two nurses and Cole who had a worried expression.


    "Can you all leave please" stated Adam to the nurses and Cole.


    "Okay, but if anything happens please call us" accepted the nurses as they left the room.


    "Adam I am sorry, but it doesn''t look like she will make it past a few days. Take your time and if you need anything, please ask me, okay" said Cole to Adam supportively as he left Adam alone in the room with his aunt.


    [If I am able to heal her now with the B Rank Mortal Recovery Pill, I will draw a lot of unwanted attention to myself. It will be too much of a miracle for the doctors to ignore, but at the same time I can''t let her die] thought Adam to himself weighing his options.


    He had no choice but to heal her and act as though it was a miracle and he had nothing to do with it.


    Walking towards his aunt he kissed her forehead and removed the mask from her mouth, that was providing her oxygen, and placed the small brown pill in her mouth.


    Before doing so he searched the room and made sure there were no cameras or recording devices, that could prove that he was the one that helped her recover, as he didn''t want rich and powerful people to come after him for the medication, or cultivation families to try and get rid of him to remove any threats to their power and influence.


    Adam focused closely and with his high Intelligence stat, that was on par with a rank 2 Novice Cultivator, Adam could sense the surge of energy within his aunt''s boy.


    However the energy also contained vitality and what Adam could also sense was a small amount of black substance with the energy and vitality, that was absorbed into her body and began circling around her body, while recovering her collapsing organs.


    [Those must be the impurities in the pills that the system spoke about, and too many low graded pills would have detrimental effects on the body] observed Adam with a hopeful expression as he saw his aunt''s face beginning to look healthier.


    Within minutes, her body had completely absorbed the energy and vitality, that was very much needed, and she had instantly almost made a full recovery.


    Adam wasn''t sure how exactly he was able to observe the state of his aunt''s body, but what he did observe was that her body was drained of vitality and energy after being in a coma for such a long time, but he couldn''t find the cause of it.


    She had supposedly entered the coma because of stress and exhaustion, that she was going through, but that wouldn''t keep her in a coma for over 2 years.


    Adam saw that there was something that the energy and vitality of the pill extinguished within her system, in order for her to suddenly awaken, and he couldn''t shake the feeling that there was more to her coma than exhaustion.


    She opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was Adam''s calm face and red eyes, that had an intimidating and alluring effect at the same time.


    With his charisma that was 5 points, instead of the average of 3, Adam looked quite handsome, however, his red eyes that were calm and had a hint of killing intent that was insuppressible, had an intimidating face to look at.


    "Adam is that you" she uttered as she stared at the young man''s face.

 Chapter 77: Best Day Ever

    "Adam is that you" she uttered as she stared at the young man''s face.


    "Yes aunt, it is me" answered Adam as he couldn''t help but smile and have tears of joy.


    All the hardship Adam had been through and everything he had experienced had paid off as he saw his aunt reawaken and she could now see how much he had grown.


    "How long has it been," she asked seeing his face and body that looked much older than she last remembered of him.


    "We can talk about that later, but let me call the nurses for them to check your body and see this miracle" stated Adam as he avoided her question and pretended to be shocked and overjoyed.


    Adam was obviously elated that his aunt had finally awake, but he had to exaggerate and feign ignorance to how she had awoken, so that there would be no suspicion around him.


    "Nurses quickly, come and see. My aunt suddenly woke up" called out Adam pretending to be overwhelmed as he dragged Cole inside.


    The nurses couldn''t help but be shocked as they saw Adam''s aunt sat on the hospital bed with a confused expression.


    She seemed healthy and also looked slightly younger as the pill not only recovered her body, but also improved it slightly.


    "Its a mircale" wailed the nurse that returned to the room and instantly began regulating Adam''s aunt''s body.


    "What happened" asked his aunt who was baffled by the reaction.


    "Is that Cole. My word, how long has it been" she asked as she recognised Cole''s face.


    Slowly the nurses began explaining to her what had occurred, but she couldn''t accept that she had spent 2 and a half years in a coma, leaving Adam alone to fend for himself in the cruel world.


    "So who paid my medical bills" she asked with a worried expression, dreading the debt that she may be in.


    "Oh your adoptive son has been paying your medical bills and visiting you regularly" answered the nurse, who had seen Adam in the hospital many times and knew about his situation.


    Looking at the child that she raised, she could no longer recognise him and saw a strong, independent, young man that cared for his unwell aunt.


    She couldn''t help but begin to cry as everything that occurred overwhelmed her in joy, confusion and sadness all at once.


    "Its okay aunt, after they check on your body and you can leave, we can take you around. You haven''t missed much anyway" reassured Adam as he hugged his aunt.


    All the misery he had been through had all been worth it to see his aunt awaken, and Adam knew that if it wasn''t for the Dungeon System he would still be wokrig multiple jobs and struggling to afford his aunt''s medical bills.


    He also knew that without the system, he wouldn''t have been able to get the B Rank Mortal Reocvery Pill that saved his aunt''s life.


    [Although your an annoying bastard. I must thank you and I will return the favour to you, your creator, or whatever bastard is behind this system] vowed Adam to himself as he saw his aunt''s smile for the first time in years.


    After multiple checks on her body, the doctors were shocked to find that her body had not only completely recovered, but was also very healthy and almost didn''t have any issues at all.


    All that was left was for them to pay their medical bills for all the checks, which Cole jumped in to pay for and they left the hospital together.


    Adam lowered the Hunter''s mind effect slightly, which he had learnt to control and balance with his own mindset, and enjoyed the day with his aunt.


    He transferred 1000 gold into his account, without regretting his decision in the slightest, and spent the best day of his life with his aunt and Cole.


    He took her clothes shopping and anything she remotely liked was bought for her by either Adam or Cole, who wanted to spoil her after all the time she missed and they went for a nice three course meal in an expensive restaurant that was delcious.


    After spending the day together, neither of them could wipe the wide smiles on their face as they returned to their building.


    Adam showed his aunt around his apartment and showed her the largest master bedroom that he had reserved for her, and she was continuously shocked by the wealth that Cole and Adam displayed.


    "How are you two so rich" she suddenly blurted out as they sat together in Adam''s living room.


    "I am working for my father''s business that is quite successful" answered Cole.


    "And I have a small company that is development and had many jobs over the past few years to be able to afford your medical bills" answered Adam.


    Both of their answers were honest, but were so vague, she didn''t know what to assume.


    "Well I am happy to see you both so grown, and living together" stated his aunt, assuming that it was Cole living in the third bedroom that they didn''t enter.


    Instantly the atmosphere was awkward, as Adam decided to clear up her assumption.


    "It is actually somebody else that lives in that room that isn''t Cole and she is my business partner" corrected Adam.


    Instantly his aunt gave him a cheeky wink along with Cole, that annoyed Adam as he began to defensively explain the situation, causing his aunt and Cole to laugh at him.


    Everything happened so quickly and they had a great day, that couldn''t have went better. After Adam''s aunt cooked them a nice meal for dinner, they all went to their rooms to sleep and Cole returned to his penthourse.


    Adam was happy with how the day had turned out and the long awaited reunion with his aunt had finally occurred, however he couldn''t shake off the shady feeling he had when he thought about his aunt''s previous vegetative state.

 Chapter 78: Sneaky

    [System am I imagining things, or wasn''t there something within my aunt''s body that was halting her body''s functions and holding her in the vegetative state] asked Adam as he pondered on what he had seen over the years and replayed to himself what he felt had occurred within his aunt''s body.


    {Well it seems as though if you do use your Intelligence stat and Hunter''s mind properly, you are quite capable. Yes, I can confirm that the host''s assumption is correct} affirmed the system.


    Hearing the system he was shocked, and the only person or organisation that Adam could think that would stand to gain from his aunt''s vegetative state was the hospital.


    [They must have used some sort of medication or poison to keep my aunt''s body unconscious for so long, so that I can keep paying medical bills to the hospital. And over time my aunt''s body must have deteriorated without physical activity and almost collapsed] gathered Adam.


    "They would have killed my aunt if I didn''t interject, and were the cause for the downfall of my ordinary and happy life" mumbled Adam to himself furiously.


    He couldn''t help but grit his teeth and clench his fists as his rage, matched with his Bloodlust characteristic, was causing his desire to kill to rise crazily.


    Calming himself down, Adam had to confirm his assumptions before he acted and also knew that he had to be careful of the police and government, that could still take him down with ease.


    Changing into a black tracksuit, that was unbranded and couldn''t be used to track him, Adam also put on his ski mask and black gloves that he prepared for situations like these where he didn''t want his identity to be revealed.


    After thinking about it for a while, the best way for him to get in and out of his apartment that was on the fourth floor, was for him to jump out of the window that was in the public toilet in his apartment.


    If he left using the main entrance, then returned, it would be too obvious if he acted against the hospital.


    Adam decided not to go into the dungeon that night and after using the Ethereal Recovery Skill for a few hours, to calm and soothe his mind and desire to kill, Adam prepared to leave in the middle of the night.


    He had to sneak out and in of his building and the hospital, without leaving any tracks, and Adam made sure not to take anything with him, learning from the mistake he made in the auction house incident.


    [The toilet window is the only window in the house that is on the edge of the building, other than the large window that looks over Brooklyn Park. I should be able to fit through that small window, and to get back in I will have to jump back up] thought Adam to himself.


    He was sure that he could jump down from the fourth floor, with his high resistance and HP, without suffering any serious injuries, but what he wasn''t sure about was what he could do to get back in without using the main entrance.


    Adam pulled the showerhead and hung it out of the window, after testing that it was strong enough to hold his weight, and Adam saw it as his only way to get back into his apartment without using the front entrance.


    If he could jump up 3 stories, he would be able to hang onto the long shower head he had placed out of the window and climb back into the window he left open.


    There weren''t any cameras along the side of the building and in the middle of the night, they weren''t any people out to see him.


    "Here goes nothing" he mumbled to himself as he squeezed out of the small toilet window and jumped down to the ground feet first.


    The impact was harder than he thought it would be, and he suffered a sharp pain to his knees and lower back.


    However he had only lost 30 HP and it was nothing fatal, as he walked off his slight injury, that he knew would recover within a day, without him using the Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    Dashing through the dark and dimly lit streets of Brooklyn was a masked and hooded figure, in all black, who was dashing towards the nearby hospital.


    The hospital was open 24 hours, but during the night there were much less workers and Adam scouted the building for any way in that he could use.


    Along the back of the building, he found a sturdy pipe that ran all the way up the building, and at the top, he saw an open window that he could enter into the building from.


    But it was risky as he didn''t know whether there was somebody within the room with the open window.


    However Adam was willing to take the risk with his mask and hood on, and if it came to it, even though he didn''t want to, he could kill any witnesses.


    Adam didn''t want to harm any innocents or those that weren''t cultivators along his journey, but if it was necessary, he would follow through with it subconsciously with his Hunter''s mind that was decisive and ruthless and his Bloodlust characteristic that made it so that his desire to kill was insatiable.


    Climbing up the pipe, which was easier than he expected with his high physical strength, Adam stealthily climbed up the pipe towards the top floor where the open window was.


    Despite how crazy everything he was doing was, Adam was calm and after experiencing being warped into a dungeon every time he slept, he was no longer shocked by anything anymore.


    Adam opened the window more so that he could fit inside, and managed to get into the room.


    As he entered into the room, he saw that it was an office and after reading the name on the desk in the dimly lit office, he recognised it as the director of the hospital.


    Adam had researched the hospital''s director and those below him, but what added to his suspicion was that it was privately owned, yet didn''t mention who owned it.


    Just as he was about to begin looking through the paperwork on the desk, to see if he could find anything suspicious, he heard two pairs of footsteps and two voices approaching the office.

 Chapter 79: Hospital Director

    Adam without much thought climbed back out of the window and held onto the pipe, but he didn''t climb down and wanted to hear who it was that was coming into the office.


    "What do you mean one of the coma patients suddenly woke up out of nowhere" exclaimed the hospital director as he opened the door of his office.


    "Come inside and tell me everything that happened," he said to the nurse that informed him what had happened.


    She wanted to refute as her work hours had finished, but she has heard about the hospital director who was tyrannical and could fire her, so did as he said.


    They entered the office and he sat on his desk as the nurse sat on the chair opposite him.


    "It''s quite cold in here," said the hospital director as he stood up to close the window.


    "I don''t remember opening the window this much" mumbled the director to himself.


    Instantly Adam was worried that he would be spotted, but luckily the director closed the window without looking outside, where he would have seen Adam hanging onto the pipe close to his window.


    [Damn it] thought Adam to himself as he placed his ear as close to the window as he could and attempted to hear.


    They were speaking quite loudly and Adam with his high Intelligence stat, that also enhanced his senses, was still able to hear them talking.


    "The woman that was in the coma ward for over 2 years, Jannet Green, was on the verge of death as her body was collapsing. However as her adoptive son was visiting her, she suddenly woke up and was completely healthy without anything wrong with her" stated the nurse.


    "Did you see what happened before she awoke from her coma" enquired the hospital director.


    "Her adoptive son requested us to leave and we did, then he suddenly came running out and told us that she had woke up" answered the nurse.


    "That is unusual, but it is good that she was able to recover. You may take your leave and also take tomorrow off. You have been working hard" allowed the director.


    "Thank you very much" she thanked respectfully as she left the directors office.


    ''The rumours about him being rude and tyrannical must be false'' thought the nurse to herself as she left.


    Adam was yet to hear anything that proved his suspicions, but as soon as the nurse left, the director''s demeanour changed completely.


    "Shit. This could get me into a lot of trouble with the boss and I must tell him immediately that one of the coma patients woke up" stated the director to himself angrily.


    As soon as he heard that, Adam was intrigued to see who the boss was and was finding that the idea of his aunt being put into a coma by the hospital for him to pay medical bills, was becoming more and more likely.


    The director dialled the phone and began speaking on the phone to a person that was unknown to Adam, who couldn''t hear well enough to hear the person speaking on the phone.


    "Boss there has been a hiccup in our coma-inducing cycle. Usually, after 2 and a half years to 3 years at most, the patient dies and we find new patients to fill up the coma ward with, but this time one of the patients managed to wake up" informed him the director.


    Adam couldn''t hear what the man replied with and was only going off what the director was saying, but it was more than enough to prove his criminal activities.


    [This bastard and his boss was the cause of all my misery and wasted 3 years of not only my aunt''s life but mine aswell] thought Adam to himself furiously.


    Adam didn''t ask for or deserve hardship and even when he was younger was a kind soul, yet wherever he went, he was reminded how cruel the world really was.


    "Yes I will look into her identity and her family and if they know anything or are a threat to our organisation, I will get them killed" affirmed the director.


    The conversation with his boss lasted a minute and the entire time he was respectful, while Adam who was listening from outside his window was seething with rage.


    [I am not sure whether he is a cultivator or not. But he said ''I will get them killed'' instead of ''I will kill them'', so I can assume his ordinary] thought Adam to himself as he debated whether or not to kill him now.


    Adam''s anger and desire to kill won over his cautiousness and without thinking about the consequences, Adam broke the window with his fist and jumped into the office.


    Before the director could scream or react, Adam covered his mouth forcefully with his hand.


    "You scummy bastard. You dared to play with the lives of innocents as if they are worthless. Tell me who is your boss" interrogated Adam, wanting to find out about the boss before killing the hospital director.


    The director shook his head and refused to answer, but Adam couldn''t help but smile.


    "You will die today. But it can either be quick and painless. Or slow and painful painful" stated Adam.


    Grabbing a pen from the director''s desk, Adam dug it into the director''s leg, and with the great force that Adam put behind the attack, he pierced the pen into his leg.


    The director tried to scream for help and wail in pain, but Adam covered his mouth and continued pressing on the pen.


    "Will you answer my question or not?" asked Adam.


    Clenching his teeth to bear with the pain, the director was scared for his life and knew he would die either way.


    If he revealed who his boss was, he would be killed and if he didn''t he would be tortured.


    He decided that if he was going to die anyway, he would take down his boss with him and lower the pain, but he didn''t know much about his boss anyway.


    "He is the owner of this hospital and a criminal organisation and has many illegal activities through hospitals for human trafficking and selling organs. But I don''t know his name or the name of his organisation" informed him the director.


    Adam noted everything the director said and after continuously stabbing his leg, he believed that the director had nothing else to offer.


    After gaining all the information he could from the director, Adam couldn''t help but laugh.


    "Did you really think I was going to let you off?" asked Adam rhetorically as he burst out into evil laughter.

 Chapter 80: Intelligent Summons

    Adam''s red eyes flashed red with killing intent, as the hospital director couldn''t help but wet himself in fear as he looked at Adam''s frightening red eyes.


    "Leporidae Summon"


    While holding his hand over the hospital director''s mouth, Adam summoned his Lerpoidae Summon.


    "Slash this bastard apart" ordered Adam to his summon as he held the hospital directors mouth.


    The director was shocked by what he was seeing, but couldn''t do anything as Adam held him down and covered his mouth with ease.


    Adam watched the director''s body be slashed apart by the small white hare-like creature that he summoned, and weirdly began to smile.


    Adam enjoyed the scene, but made sure that no blood got onto his body and after the hospital director died and stopped trying to scream and move, Adam retracted his summon.


    However, the painful death he gave the hospital director didn''t satisfy his desire to kill and get his revenge for the hardship he experienced and the time his aunt lost.


    Although, Adam also knew that without it, he wouldn''t have been able to gain the Dungeon System, which gave him the opportunity to be where he was.


    Adam couldn''t help but think that if his aunt had never entered the coma, he would still be studying and would be living a happy life as a student, but his aunt wouldn''t be as happy as she was the day that she awoke to see her adoptive son that had become successful.


    Either way, the ones that were behind everything still needed to pay, and from what he had heard from the hospital director, they were all scum that deserved to die.


    Adam began searching through the director''s room, looking for any evidence he could find to prove what they were doing, so that the other coma patients could be helped and compensated by the hospital.


    However it wasn''t all out of kindness, and he was also doing it so that he could tail the police as they attempted to look for the culprits, but what Adam feared was that it would get thrown under the rug and that somebody from a large family may cover it up.


    He found a few documents in the desk of the director, that revealed the formula for the coma-inducing substance, and Adam believed it was substantial enough for the police to investigate with.


    After copying the number of the man that the hospital director was speaking to, Adam climbed out of the window and down the pipe to get away.


    Adam didn''t want to be reckless and stay in the hospital for any longer and rushed back towards his apartment, taking as many alleyways and dark streets as he could until he reached the side of the building that he lived in.


    Looking at the shower head that hung from the fourth floor, Adam was beginning to doubt whether he could really reach it, but currently, it was his only option to get back into his apartment.


    Streaming large amounts of External and Internal energy into his legs, Adam burst upwards as high as he could, and managed to touch the shower head, but he wasn''t high enough to grab onto it.


    Adam fell down to the ground and slammed his back onto the hard concrete floor as he was winded from the impact that rattled his internal organs.


    The only other thing Adam could think of was using one of his summons to help him get up, but it was too risky and wasn''t guaranteed to work.


    After deliberating with himself for a short while, Adam knew that the more time he wasted, the more likely it was that he would be spotted, and saw it as the only solution in his current situation.


    "Canidae Summon"


    Instantaneously a large beast that had aspects of a grey wolf, arctic fox and coyote appeared out of thin air before Adam.


    Adam couldn''t help but smile at how incredible his ability was as he stroked the beast''s head.


    But just like the Leporidae Summon, it seemed to have intelligence and gave Adam a dirty look.


    "I will stand on your back, then you will boost me up to grab onto that shower head" ordered Adam to the beast sternly, after receiving a dirty look from it.


    The beast nodded, not having any choice and allowed Adam to climb onto its back.


    After Adam regained his balance, the beast suddenly jumped and launched him mid-air as Adam jumped at the same time, launching high enough to grab onto the shower head.


    However, the force was too hard for the shower pipe that was on the verge of breaking.


    Adam retracted his summon and climbed up the shower head as quickly as he could, grabbing onto the window before the shower broke and dropped him to the ground.


    After climbing inside the toilet, he quickly pulled back in the shower head and returned it to its position as he let out a sigh of relief.


    [Everything is sorted for now, and I should aim to increase my strength before going after the organisation behind the hospital director that seemed to be forced into it by somebody else] decided Adam, knowing that if a criminal organisation was able to do so much without revealing itself or fearing the government, it must be extremely powerful.


    Sneaking back into his room from the public toilet, Adam changed his clothes and put back in his brown contact lenses, then lay on his bed.


    [System do my summons retain the memory of what happened every time I summon them] asked Adam.


    {Yes they do. How else would they know how to battle and improve each time you summon them} affirmed the system.


    With that answer, Adam understood why the beasts, that were ordered around and not treated well, were angry with him.


    [Do I have to worry about them attacking me] enquired Adam.


    {For now, no. But the host needs to find ways to increase his charisma after reaching Mortal LVL 50, otherwise, the host might not be able to control the beasts} warned the system.


    With the system''s warning, Adam gathered that each point of charisma corresponded to a rank of the beast, that he could summon and control.


    [I guess from now on I should treat my summons properly] decided Adam.


    Adam didn''t like to waste time, but he didn''t feel like hunting in the dungeon and for the first time in a while, slept the rest of the night in his bed.

 Chapter 81: Request

    Adam woke up to his phone ringing and the only people that had his phone number were people that he cared about, so didn''t ignore it and picked up his phone to see who it was.


    "Elizabeth, why would she be calling me" wondered Adam as he saw her name on his small non-smartphone.


    Answering the phone, he was instantly bombarded with words.


    "You killed somebody else already. Are you not human and don''t feel any guilt or remorse? Why would you randomly kill a hospital director? I am coming to pick you up immediately, and you cannot drag me into this mess" screamed Elizabeth down the phone.


    There was a public report early in the morning, that when a nurse was going into the director''s office to give a report, she found his body ripped to shreds with claw marks and left in a puddle of blood.


    She freaked out and called the police.


    The police locked off the top floor, but couldn''t shut down the entire hospital that was relied on by thousands of patients, without a valid reason.


    After turning in the coma-inducing formula, that was left on the middle of the desk by Adam for it to be found by the police, the investigation was handed over to the FBI.


    Within an hour they had tested the blood of many coma patients and found a substance matching that of the formula within their bloodstream.


    Instantly the hospital was closed and all patients were transferred to other nearby hospitals, as a large investigation began within the hospital.


    However the article only spoke about the death of the director, and everything else wasn''t revealed to the public, which was why Elizabeth was so frustrated, confused and worried.


    "Calm down. Are you coming here" asked Adam as he yawned and got out of bed.


    "Yes, I will be outside your building within a few minutes. Be there" she stated angilr before ending the call.


    Adam shrugged uncaringly as he washed his face, brushed his teeth and tied up his black hair, ready for the day.


    Changing into another set of comfortable clothing and putting on a pair of plain black trainers, Adam prepared to leave.


    "Where are you going" asked his aunt as she saw him leave his room ready to leave.


    "I have an important meeting to attend to" answered Adam as he smiled, seeing his aunt awake and seemingly happy.


    "You have an important meeting, yet dress so casually" exclaimed his aunt as she prepared to scold him.


    But before she could Adam had already left.


    "Be sure to relax and if you need anything ask Sarah or Cole, okay" called out Adam as he left before his aunt could tell him off.


    "Time goes so quickly, and the boy I raised has already grown up into a man" mumbled his aunt to herself as she felt quite lonely and as though she had been left behind.


    However she couldn''t complain about the way she was living as she prepared breakfast for herself and Sarah and begun chatting with Sarah about everything that had happened over the past few years.


    Adam''s aunt was already quite familiar with Sarah, who was one of Adam''s close friends in high school, and Sarah was the same, as they overcame the awkwardness and spoke between themselves.


    Meanwhile Adam stood outside his building for a few minutes until a large all-black range rover with tinted windows stopped in front of him.


    "Get in" called out Elizabeth as she lowered the window.


    Adam got inside the large luxury car without asking any questions and in the back of the spacious car, he sat beside Elizabeth.


    "Who is driving" asked Adam instantly, wary of who knew his identity.


    "It is one of my guards, that helped identify you" answered Elizabeth as the driver turned around to show himself to Adam.


    It was the guard that Adam spared in the auction house, and the one that informed Elizabeth that Adam had red eyes.


    "He is the last person to know my face, otherwise I will have to kill them" stated Adam as he stared into Elziabeth''s eyes with his brown eyes that were filled with killing intent.


    "You crazy killer. You can''t go around killing people for no reason" scolded Elizabeth as if she was his older sister.


    Elizabeth wasn''t much older than him and was in her mid-twenties, but in comparison to the 18 year old Adam, she was much more mature and sophisticated.


    "I don''t kill people for no reason" refuted Adam as he began bickering with Elizabeth as if they were siblings.


    "Now lets be serious, what happened last night" asked Elizabeth after they had aruged for a while.


    It was easy for Elizabeth to identify Adam as the killer after seeing how he killed the mobs from the Wolf Fang Gang, using some sort of animals, but she didn''t know the reason behind it.


    Adam didn''t mention anything about his aunt, in case Elizabeth ever turned against him and decided to use her to gain leverage, but explained all the other crimes that the hospital was committing.


    "So you killed him because you are righteous. Stop lying. I can see that it must have been someone close to you that was victim to that wicked bastard" observed Elizabeth.


    Adam didn''t refute or confirm her assumption as he moved on to what she wanted with him.


    "What do you want and where are you taking me" asked Adam.


    "Well I can see that you are quite smart and aren''t an evil killer like your eyes, that are now brown, might suggest. So I can trust you to do me a favour" stated Elizabeth.


    "What is it and what do I gain" asked Adam directly.


    "Well it is a simple request. I need you to help me take over a few nearby small gangs and get them to join my auction house" stated Elizabeth.


    "And what do I gain from this" repeated Adam, who didn''t yet refuse her request.


    "You can request something from me in return" offered Elizabeth.


    "Deal" accepted Adam as he gave Elizabeth an evil smile that made her worried about what he was going to request.

 Chapter 82: Growing the Auction House Part 1

    Adam already knew exactly what he wanted to request from Elizabeth and threatening a few small gangs to join her wasn''t a difficult task for him.


    Seeing how easy it was for Adam to accept her offer, she was worried that he was going to request something that she couldn''t do.


    "What is it that you want" asked Elizabeth.


    "I want a motorbike that is fast, black and is untraceable. I also need it so that during the day if I wish to use it, it would be different to when I want to use it when I don''t want to reveal my identity. So it should be able to change colour, model and licence plate, if that is possible. And I need it to be durable and I would prefer it to be bullet proof. And finally, it also needs a small storage space on the back" stated Adam.


    His detailed request, although sounded over the top, wasn''t impossible for Elizabeth to achieve, although it would cost her quite a lot of money.


    "How long would it take you to prepare that for me," asked Adam shamelessly.


    "Hmmm, it sounds quite difficult. It will need to be designed, then the parts found and imported, then built. At least a week" answered Elizabeth.


    "Okay, take me to the small gangs you want me to subdue, and if any of them are gangs that have criminal activities that affect innocent children or women, I will have to kill them" stated Adam.


    Adam had had enough of the abusive nature of humanity, and although he knew he couldn''t completely save and change the world with his measly power, he knew he could make a small difference with it.


    However, Adam still made sure that his main priority wasn''t to be heroic, and his what mattered most was his own strength and wealth and the prosperity and safety of those that he cared about.


    "I would also need a motorbike to use until then" added Adam, knowing that it would be the best way to get back to his master''s dojo.


    "Okay, that is fine. We will drop you off at each location and you must receive a formal declaration of them submitting to the Silver Moon Auction House. If they do not you may kill them if you please, if they do, promise them rewards and prosperity in the near future" accepted Elizabeth.


    Adam understood what he needed to do and it was similar to what he needed to do with his summons.


    He needed to use his power and assert dominance over the small gangs and force them to join the Silver Moon Auction House, however, he also needed to show that they would be treated well so that they are actually loyal to the organisation, rather than only doing what they are told because they are forced to.


    "Won''t this cause a commotion with the large families that may wipe us all out if they see us as a threat?" asked Adam as he waited to arrive at their destination.


    "No, I am sure that we have nothing to worry about. We are aiming for small gangs that are on a smaller scale or similar to that of the Wolf Fang Gang, so that we can slowly grow the power of our organisation that won''t only be an auction house, but also one of the most powerful organisations in the city" stated Elizabeth passionately.


    Her ambition, passion and intelligence were all exactly what Adam wanted from a supporter and partner of sorts, that would help him grow in the Underground World of cultivation that secretly ruled everything.


    "However you need to be careful and the police are already after this hooded killer persona that you have formed and don''t kill unless you have to, as our power isn''t large enough to deter or control the police" warned Elizabeth.


    Adam nodded and accepted her warning, knowing that she was right.


    Arriving at the first destination, it was in the poorer outer areas of Brooklyn that was similar to the place that Adam used to live with his aunt.


    Adam was only able to get into quite a good school because of his above-average grades, but most of those that were in his school were from wealthy backgrounds.


    "These gangs are all ragtag gangs that are forced into petty crime in order to provide for their families and many of them didn''t even know about cultivation. However, they have potential and would live better lives if they joined our organisation and could live without relying on crime, while also having the opportunity to increase their strength with methods and skills that I am in the process of acquiring" explained Elizabeth, who was planning to work her organisation up from the bottom.


    "Do you guys have a mask for me to use" asked Adam, who didn''t bring his ski mask with him, not knowing what he was meeting Elizabeth for.


    "I thought you might ask that, and had one made in preparation for that" answered Elizabeth who bought out a large mask that would cover the bottom half of his face and depicted Adam as a demonic being with sharp teeth.


    "It matches your eyes" stated Elizabeth as she laughed at Adam''s annoyed expression.


    Despite his annoyance, Adam knew that it helped his scary facade and was his only option to cover his face for now.


    "You will simply go over to the gang. Beat up a few of them that seem unruly, if you need to, then tell the rest to come to this place tonight" instructed Elizabeth as she handed over to him a few business cards that had an address written on them.


    "Those that do not arrive will miss out on the opportunity, and I trust your choice of subordinates, so if any of the gangs are not to your liking, you can cross them off the list" stated Elizabeth as she handed Adam a sheet with a small list of gangs in the area written on them and the location that they were most likely to be found.


    "I am lowering myself to do this because I am gaining something that I need. But next time get your other subordinates to do this and don''t call me unless it is important" stated Adam as he left the car with an annoyed expression.


    It was early in the morning and he was walking around with a mask and hood on, going from gang to gang and forcing them to submit to him.


    "Tch, I will finish this quickly and try to avoid any police. Then I can get my motorbike and go back to my training" mumbled Adam to himself as he headed towards his first location.

 Chapter 83: Growing the Auction House Part 2

    The intelligence stat had very minimal and almost no direct effect on the cultivator''s mindset and intellectual ability, like Adam was coming to realise. Its main effect was on the cultivator''s ability to wield and manipulate energy and their sensory ability, which increased as the cultivator''s overall power increased.


    Adam didn''t feel any smarter, although he could memorise many things with ease and replay previous events, but Adam felt as though that was an effect of his Hunter''s mind and not his intelligence stat.


    He was beginning to realise just how different he was from normal cultivators, and how his unique constitution, that the Dungeon System gave him, allowed him to have an advantage over cultivators.


    While the stats that the system used for him were then used to measure the strength of others, but the way others increased in strength was much different to Adam, who would strengthen every aspect of his body as he hunted in the dungeon.


    The first gang on his list was a small group of thugs that would pressure small businesses and stalls into paying protection fees, and from the list, Adam could see that it was mentioned as one that didn''t have cultivators.


    Adam was annoyed the task he was given, which he saw as beneath him, and after spotting the small group of thugs in the area he was given, he went straight towards them.


    "Listen up you lowly thugs, be at this location tonight. There is an opportunity for work, money, power and to join an organisation" ordered Adam as he threw them the business card.


    The thugs were shocked, annoyed and confused.


    "Before you try to attack me, I must warn you, I will hurt you" stated Adam nonchalantly as he waited for them to attack.


    The group of 7 looking at his glaring red eyes and monstrous mask were intimidated, and felt that they couldn''t move under his gaze.


    "This must be the frightening effect that the Bloodlust characteristic has on others" mumbled Adam to himself as he felt his desire to kill surge.


    His bloodlust seemed to rise massively against those that he hated or had a negative feeling towards, while towards those that he cared about, it was almost non-existent.


    The Bloodlust characteristic enhanced and heightened his killing intent and desire to kill, but if he had no desire towards killing somebody, the Bloodlust he felt towards them was negligible.


    However, Adam wasn''t willing to risk losing control and was always suppressing his bloodlust, only releasing it freely in the dungeon.


    Walking off, Adam returned to the car and moved on to the next location that was on the list.


    After passing on the message to a few small-time gangs, Adam was yet to use force and was shocked by how useful his Bloodlust characteristic was for things other than killing.


    He was able to use his killing intent, that was extremely dense and overwhelming, to dominate and frighten those that looked into his eyes, and with it, he could make people that were weaker than him submit.


    It wasn''t until Adam had reached the 8th group, that called themselves a gang, that Adam had to use force.


    "Listen up you lowly thugs, be at this location tonight. There is an opportunity for work, money, power and to join an organisation" repeated Adam, like he did with all the other groups, as he threw them the business card.


    He glared at them as he did with the other small gangs, but this gang was quite large and had 30 people, that didn''t submit to his killing intent.


    [It seems them being in a large group, and a few of them having slightly above-average power, was enough for them to not submit to my killing intent] observed Adam.


    Despite facing 30 armed thugs that would scare any ordinary person away, Adam had a smile as he finally got to use force.


    "I will warn you, don''t try to attack me. Be at that location or you will miss out on the opportunity, which you will regret in the future" warned Adam as he turned to walk away.


    "That masked bastard is too arrogant. Get him" bellowed the largest of the group that seemed to be the strongest out of them and the leader.


    "Such stupid thugs, even if you are desperate for power, these bastards are useless" mocked Adam as he turned around to a barrage of attacks from the closest thugs.


    Most of them used large blunt objects, like metal rods and baseball bats, but some of them also had knives.


    Adam couldn''t help but laugh as he dodged all the attacks aimed at him with ease, and with his speed and strength, snatched two metal rods from two of the thugs.


    "You have been naughty, and I see here that you have been involved in rape in the past. Time for some punishment" stated Adam as his eyes glinted with killing intent.


    The list, given to him by Elizabeth, also mentioned what crimes the group were previously convicted of, and most of them were merely petty crime, but this gang were previously involved in rape.


    It was one of the most detestable crimes to commit and there was no way to justify it, and knowing that, Adam felt no need to hold back his power.


    Swinging his rod rapidly, Adam took down all 5 of the thugs closest to him within the blink of an eye.


    With his Dual Wielding Mastery at 10%, it was quite easy to use both the weapons and after using dual daggers for a while, Adam was comfortable using 2 weapons at once.


    Weaving between the group, Adam dashed towards the leader who was his main target and could be used as an example.


    "You will regret ever laying your hands on an innocent woman" declared Adam as he repeatedly struck the leader of the gang, leaving him in a near-dead state.


    Without stopping, Adam struck them all down with his two metal rods as he left the area dyed in their blood as he threw the metal rods, picked up the business card with the address, and strolled back towards the car that Elizabeth was waiting for him in.


    "What took you so long?" asked Elizabeth.


    "You might want to get rid of this car and make sure that it isn''t under your name, as you might be convicted as an accomplice of a crime" stated Adam ignoring her question.


    "This car will be disposed of obviously, but what the hell did you do" she screamed as she began scolding Adam as the driver moved onto the next location.

 Chapter 84: Hooded Criminal Part 1

    Adam without realising it, allowed his Bloodlust to take over and beat the gang, after the small amount of hate he felt towards the despicable nature of that gang.


    He was noticing that although his emotions clouded his judgement and should be suppressed in certain situations with his Hunter''s mind, they also granted and fuelled his power and drive.


    But Adam couldn''t help but feel slightly wary and confused by the lack of police in the areas that Elizabeth was taking him to, and couldn''t help but praise Elizabeth''s cautiousness and planning that surpassed even his own.


    She took into account that the amount of police intervention was low in the poorer areas and targetted small and non-influential gangs that she would be able to draw to her side easily.


    The police focused more on the richer and more central areas of the city, leaving the outer and poorer areas neglected, as everything was controlled by those of higher status, wealth and power.


    Along with the existence of cultivation, that allowed people to gain superhuman strength and abilities, guns were quite easily accessed and knives were easy to get a hold of.


    Because of that crime was beginning to become more and more uncontrollable in the poorer areas, that most of the time had no choice but to resort to crime in order to provide for themselves and their families.


    Although, there were despicable groups that had no reasoning behind their actions, other than their evil nature and enjoying the pain and misery of others.


    Seeing that along with knowing about the existence of powerful cultivators who were above the law, Adam was less afraid about the police coming after him or finding out who he was, and even if they did, his strength and power was ever-growing.


    Each time he thought about the detestable crimes committed by them, he imagined his aunt in that position and was consumed with hatred.


    Adam had to show his strength through battle a few more times, but most the small gangs were willing to stop with their petty crimes, if they were able to provide for their families.


    Elizabeth was planning to rally up as many desperate people as she could, and with desperation came the drive to succeed, which would propel her organisation forwards.


    Or so she hoped.


    While Adam continued heading from one small gang to another, passing onto them the meeting point that Elizabeth had set, the local police stations were busy looking for a Hooded Criminal.


    "The FBI tried to take over this case and look for this hooded killer alone, but not on my watch" mumbled a young detective to herself.


    Her name was Angela Valdez and was of Latin American descent.


    She held the record of the youngest to be promoted to a detective in her precinct and was a talented and vigilant detective.


    Her mother died during child birth, and her older brothers and father raised her.


    She had always gotten what she wanted and lived a fairly happy childhood despite the death of her mother, but it didn''t last long.


    When she was old enough to understand how the world worked, she realised that what her family were involved in was against the law.


    Her father was part of a mafia along with her older brothers and other relatives, and all of them were involved in weapon and drug trafficking.


    Despite their criminal activity, her family were loving and cared for her, while also making sure she didn''t get involved in what they were doing, and Angela was able to look past it.


    However, their actions came back to bite them and the happy ignorant life that Angela was living soon came crashing down. Two of her older brothers were killed by gun violence between rival gangs, while her father and third older brother were arrested and incarcerated with long sentences.


    Angela had a hard childhood, that was riddled with traumatic experiences, and she came to the conclusion that the root of almost all of them was crime.


    With that realisation, she studied hard and after leaving school joined the police cadets, despite being hated for it by relatives.


    She wanted to stop crime, while also making sure that people in vulnerable situations were not forced to resort to crime, and quickly worked her way up the ranks in her precinct.


    She went from a cadet to an officer within a year, then within another 3 years she had already been promoted to a detective by her precinct captain after achieving many feats.


    Now at the age of 22, she was up against her first killer, that had not only killed a director of a hospital, but also got away without leaving any tracks or evidence.


    "This is the kind of criminal I hate the most. One that takes justice into their own hands" mumbled Angela to herself, thinking about how her family seemed righteous while raising her but committed many crimes.


    She was infuriated by the fact that she didn''t get to continue to investigate the case after the FBI took the case over, and not only was it the first murder case that she came across, but it was also a unique case.


    "Angela, Angela, there have been reports of a hooded male figure in the western outer areas of Brooklyn and he has reportedly beaten a small group of gangs severely" reported the officer under her.


    "There have also been a few other small gangs that were couldn''t arrest without evidence, that have been beaten by this hooded criminal" added her subordinate.


    "Ambulance are on route now, and the last seen location of the man, according to police reports was XXXXXXXX" informed her the officer.


    Without thinking she grabbed her badge, gun and jacket and rushed out of her office.


    She dashed through the precinct followed by her subordinate.


    "Wait up detective, you aren''t on this case and the hooded criminal may be dangerous" called out her subordinate as he chased after her.


    But Angela didn''t listen and rushed out of the precinct.


    Angela was a detective that was assigned cases that didn''t have a clear verdict, and the cases she dealt with were below the FBI and ordinary police officers.


    But most of the time, Angela had to find her own cases to solve in order to improve her portfolio, seeking a promotion to a higher station with more power.


    Her aim was to reform the country''s police, then the FBI, and eventually the entire government, so that nobody else would have no choice but to turn to crime or ever have to be a victim of crime.


    As a detective, she was assigned her own police car that was undercover, but also had sirens if necessary and without requesting permission, she jumped into her car and turned on her sirens, driving off before her subordinate or anybody else could stop her.

 Chapter 85: Hooded Criminal Part 2

    Angela had a very reckless and spontaneous nature which was both the root to her success and the thing that got her into trouble all the time.


    Luckily she was favoured by her precinct''s captain, who admired her youthful talent and drive, and gave her slightly more freedom and leniency than the other detectives under him.


    She wove between the cars and exceeded the speed limit, which she was allowed to do in emergencies, and rushed towards the location her subordinate reported to her.


    "Angela, I will cover for you, but just be careful okay" communicated to her, her subordinate through her police radio.


    "I appreciate your help" she thanked as she turned off her radio and focused on driving.


    Meanwhile, Adam was at the last gang on the list, that Elizabeth labelled as similar or slightly below the Wolf Fang Gang in terms of power.


    Elizabeth believed it wouldn''t be too difficult for Adam to deal with them, after witnessing Adam seemigly kill the Wolf Fang Gang leader with ease, and saw it as a perfect opportunity to get a decently sized gang under her, which would greatly increase her strength.


    In the eyes of the large families and powerful cultivators, they were merely small gangs, but in comparison to normal people, they were quite wealthy and powerful, but they were still afraid of the police and didn''t cause too much trouble.


    The leader of the gang was at a similar cultivation level to the Wolf Fang Leader and was almost a rank 2 Novice Cultivator.


    Adam knew he could defeat him in a one on one battle, despite his strength being on par with that of the leader of the gang, with his skill and Hunter''s mind that enhanced his reflexes and reaction speed.


    Their gang base was a small building block, that could house around 100 people, which was more than enough space for their gang''s base.


    They owned and protected the area around their estate, while the leader and a few others trained in External Cultivation inside the building, outside of the public eye.


    The External Cultivation Methods that they used, in comparison to those of the large and powerful cultivation organisations and families, were merely glorified workout routines. But for an ordinary person, that was ignorant to true cultivation, it was amazing.


    It was enough for a person that was remotely talented in cultivation to become a rank 5 Novice, but most the population didn''t have the talent and potential in their bodies to surpass the Novice grade and would struggle to even reach rank 5 within their lifetime.


    The speed at which they could strengthen themselves, compared to the speed of gaining strength that Adam was capable of reaching, was like a snail against a car.


    But considering their ignorance to true, high-level cultivation and their lack of necessary cultivation resources and skills, they were quite successful, just like the Wolf Fang Gang, and had quite a lot of influence in the area around their base.


    Adam approached the area stealthily, as the sun began to set, while Elizabeth and her driver parked in the closest safe place, that was a few blocks away, where they could await Adam safely and escape if they needed to.


    Elizabeth was always cautious and both her and her guard were armed and prepared to shoot, as they awaited Adam''s return after getting the final gang to submit.


    She was looking for loyal subordinates, that she could trust to protect her and her organisation, while also strengthening themselves and the influence of the Silver Moon Auction House.


    However with her lack of strength and power currently, the only thing she could entice the small gangs with was the money she had left in her reserves to bribe them to join her, and slowly earn their loyalty and promise them rewards.


    As her influence increased, so would her power and with influence and power came wealth, which she would draw in through holding auctions that she would take a percentage of.


    Nearing the block that the gang was staying in, Adam was shocked by the number of people that were stationed outside and couldn''t help but curse at Elizabeth within his mind.


    Elizabeth''s estimations and information about the current state of the gang were very off, and she had underestimated the manpower and numbers of the gang.


    After the Wolf Fang Gang lost their leader and his son, they parted ways without another powerful leader to take control, and most of them seeked another gang or group to join.


    One thing the Wolf Fang Gang Leader and many other gang leaders, that knew about cultivation and had cultivation methods, would do was keep most of the cultivation method they had to themselves, while only passing on the early chapters to their subordinates.


    Although it lowered the strength of their gang, it cemented their power and authority within the gang and also made it so that they couldn''t be surpassed.


    External Cultivation Methods for the first rank of the Novice grade were quite easy to come by with money, and were thrown out by powerful cultivators who could produce them with ease. To them, it was an easy way to make money and wouldn''t have any repercussions to them.


    While for methods like the one that the Wolf Fang Leader had, that had the potential to reach the 5th rank of the Novice Grade, they required a lot more money, or were passed down over generations.


    Cultivation wasn''t a secret and many people would do it without realising, such as athletes who were able to surpass their human limits.


    But instead of training their bodies with food and exercise, cultivators would use different movements, techniques, methods and exercises that would allow their bodies to absorb and store the energy that was around them in the atmosphere or in special items, medicine and plants.


    The methods helped less talented individuals, that couldn''t naturally sense the energy around them, to be able to begin to absorb the energy into their body and gradually become more intuned with the process.


    Cultivation not only increased the strength of the cultivator, but also decreased the ageing of their bodies ever so slightly.


    Although it wouldn''t be much for early ranked Novice Cultivators, maybe only a few years, for those at higher stages of cultivation, they could live for hundreds of years, as displayed by Adam''s master.


    Both External and Internal Cultivators would increase their HP through cultvation, which not only represented the amount of damage they could sustain, but also the vitality and recovery speed of the person.


    Adam could sense that the vitality and life force, that kept people alive, was low in his master''s body and it seemed he was prolonging his life with his energy and an unnatural method.


    But he ignored it and didn''t intrude in his master''s business, as he planned to profit as much from his master as he could while he was still alive.


    [It seems that the Wolf Fang Gang members joined this gang after their leader was defeated] observed Adam.


    "This will be a harder task than I thought" mumbled Adam to himself as he was both annoyed and excited for what was to come.

 Chapter 86: Breaking In

    Adam didn''t have a weapon with him, while he could see that many of those around the gang''s base were armed with melee weapons.


    Luckily he saw that none of them were holding guns, but he did see a few of them with guns tucked into their pants.


    However their weapons didn''t scare Adam, and Adam knew that what mattered most was the wielder of the weapon and not the weapon itself after training with his master.


    He also knew that the gang wouldn''t be stupid enough to begin firing shots, otherwise the police would have no choice but to show up, even if they avoided the poorer areas.


    Stealthily approaching their base, Adam moved between the trees that were near the building block, hiding behind them, similar to how he did on Floor 0.


    They didn''t seem to notice him yet, and Adam continued slowly getting closer and closer to the first guard that he was aiming to take out first.


    The base was unusually guarded and Adam couldn''t help but think there was something important or valuable within the building that he may be able to acquire for himself.


    As soon as there were no more trees to hide behind, Adam dashed with his full speed and pounced towards the guard as he launched a swift kick to the man''s neck, instantly knocking him unconscious.


    Adam wasn''t worried about killing the gang members, but he was trying not to and knew that they would all be valuable assets to Elizabeth, who was looking to grow her organisation.


    Holding the guard''s body before it hit the ground and damaged itself, while also making noise that would cause a commotion, Adam placed it on the ground and leant it against the wall of the building.


    [One down, too many more to go] thought Adam to himself.


    He wasn''t looking to take them all down and wanted to avoid direct battle as much as possible, but it was the only way for him to get to the top, where he assumed he would find the leader that would benefit Elizabeth the most and could also control his gang to submit to Elizabeth.


    If he alerted the leader and caused a commotion, he was worried they would escape or arm themselves and prepare, making it hard for him to take them down if they don''t want to submit willingly.


    Turning the corner was another guard, and before he could react or alert the others, Adam took him down.


    Tightly clenching his arm around his neck, Adam didn''t release his grip until he felt the guard''s body relax, signifying that he lost consciousness.


    Looking up at the balconies on the second floor, it would be the better way to get up and into the building, rather than finding an entrance and going up the stairs.


    Jumping up wasn''t much of a feat for Adam, who had physical strength that was more than double that of an average human, and he jumped up and grabbed onto the ledge of the balcony on the second floor.


    Pulling himself up, he peeked inside, what should have been a flat, to find something much different.


    Owning the whole building, the gang had made into a base and a place that they could relax in and do as they please.


    He saw half-eaten food, games, drugs and rubbish everywhere.


    It was a disgusting sight and everything was messy, but Adam didn''t care about that and he knew it was only a matter of time before the unconscious bodies of the two guards that he took out were found.


    There was luckily nobody inside and Adam walked through the flat and left through the front door.


    The corridor was filled with members of the gang, and the base was almost impossible to get into without being seen.


    [I have no choice] thought Adam to himself as he charged out of the flat and towards the staircase.


    Before the thugs that spotted him could react, Adam had already dashed towards the staircase at his full speed and began climbing them rapidly towards the top of the building.


    "Get him before he reaches the boss who is training and doesn''t want to be disturbed" shouted the thugs as they chased after Adam and began alerting the others in their base.


    Adam climbing the stairs, came across a few of the gang members who were smoking and sat on the steps, but he took them down with a single strike or jumped straight past them before they could react.


    He had reached the fourth floor and there was only one floor left until he reached the top, but waiting for him on the staircase were 7 armed guards that were all alerted of his presence.


    From the aura around them, Adam could read that they were all rank 1 cultivators, but he could tell that they weren''t up to the system''s standards and had strength bellow that of what they should have at their rank.


    Adam wasn''t intimidated by their strength, but it was the weapons that they were holding that made him wary.


    They all held bladed weapons and were guarding the top floor securely, reinforcing Adam''s thought of their being a treasure with the leader of the gang.


    [Luckily they don''t have guns, but even if they are weaker than me, there are 7 of them and they are all armed with sharp weapons] thought Adam to himself as he analysed his options.


    In the tight space that they were in, they would only be able to fight one on one in the staircase, but if more of their gang came from behind Adam, he would have no way to escape.


    His only option was to carry on onwards and take down anyone in his path, before others could climb the stairs to where they were and attack him from behind.


    The first of the rank 1 guards charged towards Adam and struck down with his short sword-like weapon, which Adam evaded.


    While the rank 1 slashed down towards Adam, Adam evaded and pulled the man''s wrist downwards as hard as he could, using the guard''s momentum against him and launching him down the stairs, crashing into a wall.


    As he pulled the man down the stairs, Adam grabbed his short-sword to use for himself.


    Its weight was different from the daggers that he was used to using, and he felt vulnerable using only one weapon, but he quickly adapted as he was suddenly attacked by another one of the guards.


    Blocking the downwards strike with his short side, Adam was disadvantaged against the guards who had the height advantage.


    But he could also use it to his advantage, as attacking downwards although had more power, wasn''t always an advantage and opened up the opponent''s body to attacks while also making them less balanced.


    Blocking the strike, Adam swiftly slashed at the left guard''s leg, and as he lost balance, threw him down the stairwell with the other guard.


    There were 5 more guards left, and in the tight space, they couldn''t all battle Adam at once, so decided to retreat and regroup with other members on the top floor.


    But the main reason they retreated was because they were frightened by the aura and presence around Adam that was filled with malice and killing intent.


    However, they made a big mistake which Adam capitalised on and as soon as they turned around, Adam pounced on them like a lion pouncing at its prey and slashed them all down within seconds.


    He made sure not to inflict them with fatal wounds that would instantly kill them, but he knew it was getting out of hand and he needed to get out of there before it was too late.


    However Adam''s opportunistic nature got the best of him, just like in the auction house, and he wanted to acquire what the gang were guarding so heavily that must be very valuable.


    [I have gotten this far, what else do I have to lose] thought Adam to himself as he continued up the staircase towards the top floor.


    Adam could hear his heart beating rapidly, not because he was tired or scared, but because of his Bloodlust and killing intent were rising.


    [Calm down] stated Adam to himself as he took deep breaths and attempted to suppress and control his Bloodlust characteristic.


    His desire and urge to kill the guards was through the roof, and the satisfaction it would give him would be amazing. But Adam fought the urge and didn''t like to kill for no reason, as it would not only weigh slightly on his conscious, but would also cause a bigger commotion with the police, that he knew were inevitably trying to find out who he was.


    After calming down his nerves, Adam could hear a siren in the distance, that was coming closer to his current location and knew that he had to hurry up and didn''t have time to waste.


    [It''s now or never] he said to himself as he waltzed into the top floor.

 Chapter 87: Pattern

    Angela drove to the location that the officer under her relayed to her and on the scene, there were already police and ambulance.


    There was blood everywhere and it was at the place where Adam beat up the gang that were previously involved in rape.


    She was shocked by how ruthlessly they were beaten, but what shocked her more was the knowledge that only one man was capable of taking that many people, that were armed, down.


    There was yellow police tape all around the area as they gathered information about what happened, and Angela after showing her NYPD badge that showed them that she was a detective, was allowed in.


    "Is there anybody still conscious, or any witnesses that know what happened?" asked Angela to the officer that was first to the scene.


    "We have no eye witnesses other than the victims that are currently getting medical attention, but we have received reports that this hooded male has been moving all over the rough areas of Brooklyn, apparently forcing them to join his organisation" informed her the officer, telling her everything that he knew.


    Angela listed down all the areas that were reported down, then with a map that she had formed over the years of her police service, that showed her all the known criminal areas, she found a pattern with all the areas that the hooded criminal was going to.


    "He is going to gangs that have no current convictions or allegiances with larger criminal organisations" exclaimed Angela within her car as she found the pattern in Adam''s appearances over the past day.


    Her precinct and many others in Brooklyn, that were all part of NYPD, had brief knowledge of the areas with small criminal groups.


    However, with money and good lawyers, it was very hard to convict them without concrete evidence, which was why there were still so many known criminal organisations that could always get away with their crimes without facing consequences.


    While cultivation families were completely above the law and could overwhelm the authority of the government with their strength and power, that they had behind the scenes, which the higher-ups within the government made sure to be wary of.


    As long as there was a balance in power, both the cultivation families and the governments benefitted each other.


    The cultivation families acted as protection for the country and could be seen as military power against any other countries, while the government would cover the tracks of the cultivation families, while allowing them to do as they please.


    However, the peace and balance of New York were beginning to waver as the friction between the largest families continued to increase.


    "Following this pattern, the next probable gangs needs to be one of the ones in this area" mumbled Angela to herself as she tried to figure out the hooded criminal''s next location.


    She had 3 probable gangs that Adam could be headed to and didn''t know which one between them, so had no choice but to head to all three of them one by one.


    Not all the gangs that Adam went to had been reported and she only went off the police calls, but the three locations were the most probable that she could see on her map.


    Driving as quickly as she could without crashing, Angela headed towards her first possible location and after arriving was disappointed to find that he wasn''t there.


    But what frustrated her most was that she found a few gang members unconscious on the ground, while the rest of the gang and the hooded criminal were nowhere to be seen.


    "Damned bastard, I will arrest you and find out who you are" vowed Angela in frustration as she headed towards her second location.


    "This is taking too long and I might not be able to get there in time" muttered Angela as she reached the second location to find the same thing.


    "The only place left is that gang that are bigger and were the opposing gang to the Wolf Fang Gang, that has now dispersed" stated Angela as she hurriedly headed towards it.


    Angela had quite detailed information about the small-time criminal organisations, that she had collected over her time as a detective, however, she had no information on the larger criminal organisations that were out of the public eye.


    However her information wasn''t enough to warrant any arrests or convict them as it was merely hearsay in court without evidence, and finding evidence was hard for a lone detective to do, especially in the current underfunded state of the NYPD.


    Angela didn''t want to keep on her siren while driving to the final possible location that she knew of, but she had no choice if she wanted to be able to skip past traffic and drive quickly.


    To collect all the information and reports that she needed, while also finding the pattern in the hooded criminal''s appearances, Angela had used up a lot of time.


    Then to drive to two possible locations to not find him, Angela had used up a few hours.


    In the few hours that Angela was trying to find where the hooded criminal was, Adam had passed on Elizabeth''s message to dozens of small gangs, and had reached the top floor of the building that was the base of the final gang on his list.


    Adam charged into the top floor, knowing that his presence had already been revealed and everybody was already alerted of it, and was shocked by what he saw.


    There was a single door on the top floor that led to an enormous flat that took the whole floor.


    Kicking down the door, it was as if he had suddenly been transported to China as the decorations and style of the flat were completely different to what he expected.


    There was a large hall-like room that had all kinds of training equipment and weapons and in the middle of the room was a large muscly man that was making unusual movements and seemed to be training in martial arts.


    "I was wondering what the commotion was, but it seems we have an intruder that has been coveting my method" narrated the man.


    From a single sentence of his speech, Adam could tell that he had an old-fashioned and uptight personality that one would expect from a cultivator.


    However, after coming across his master, who was the strongest cultivator that Adam had come across, that had a lazy and pompous attitude which didn''t befit what one would expect from a cultivator, Adam no longer aligned personality with strength and felt that the man before him was quite weird.


    Adam didn''t affirm or refute his assumption, but as he mentioned a method Adam suddenly was interested in what it was and confirmed his thought of there being something valuable on the top floor.


    "If you battle me and win, you may take my treasures, my legacy and my men as your reward" declared the man as he held a staff in his hands.


    [Is there any cultivator that doesn''t have a weird personality] thought Adam to himself as he was yet to come across a normal powerful cultivator.


    "Stop acting weird, just hand over your method and submit to me, then there is no need to battle and you can actually do something with your said life" mocked Adam.


    "This is only a small step of mine in my journey to the peak, and through training and meditation I can reach a state where Iam one with the world''s energies" stated the man as he approached Adam.


    What shocked Adam was that although he was approaching him for battle, his status wasn''t appearing and that meant he was either too strong for the system to register or didn''t have malicious intentions towards him.


    Reading the aura around his body, Adam could tell that he wasn''t stronger than himself, so it must mean that he didn''t have malious intent towards him.


    [It seems that this weird guy is actually crazy, and doesn''t seem to be such a bad guy] thought Adam to himself.


    He was a bald man and everything about him was similar to what one would expect from an ancient monk, apart from his tall and muscular build.


    "How about this, if I beat you, you must submit to me and hand over your method" offered Adam.


    Although his offer wouldn''t be accepted by any sane person with common sense, Adam could see that the monk-like man was unusual and would stake his treasure over a worthless duel.


    "I accept your offer" declared the stupid monk.


    Adam couldn''t help but chuckle at the ease at which the man would submit to him, and Adam could see that he only secured his position with his strength.


    But Adam could also see that he didn''t have interest in the gang and was more focused on the improvement of himself, while the monk''s temperament made Adam feel as though he was trustworthy.


    "Okay, then we must be fair and you must be fight with our fists" stated Adam, exploiting the monks righteousness and ignorance.


    The monk nodded and threw away his staff, but in that moment, without alerting the monk, Adam attacked, exploiting the opening that revealed itself.

 Chapter 88: Lucky

    The man before Adam was so unusual it was shocking.


    He was a gang leader and led a group of rustic and rowdy thugs, that were all out for their own gain, while he was a righteous and honest monk who was only focused on his own improvement.


    He looked young and he looked as though he was in his early twenties, but the way he acted was very weird and old-fashioned, as if he was an old man from ancient china.


    However Adam exploited the man''s unusual temperament to his advantage, and as soon as the monk threw away his staff, Adam swiftly attacked him.


    But what shocked Adam was despite the surprise attack, the monk was able to block his fist with his arms and his body was rock solid.


    Adam hurt his fist while striking the monk, and jumped back, making some distance between him and the monk.


    [This must be a skill or an effect of his cultivation method, that allows him to harden his body. Or he might have another way to harden his body] thought Adam to himself.


    "You attacked me before I was ready. What a despicable way to battle" stated the monk calmly.


    "How old are you?" asked Adam as he dashed towards him and launched the same fist as he did when he attempted to sneak attack him.


    "Ha, your attack won''t work no matter how many times you try" scoffed the monk as he prepared to block the fist.


    However just as Adam was about to punch the monk, he suddenly crouched down and grabbed the monk''s legs.


    The monk stood in a sturdy horse stance and his body wouldn''t be damaged by Adam''s comparingly flimsy fists, so Adam changed his battle plan.


    Sweeping his legs from under him, the monk fell backwards with great force as he smacked his back against the ground.


    A fall like that would have instantly knocked out an ordinary person and may have even caused them to suffer permanent damage, but the monk stood up as it was nothing as Adam made some distance between himself and the monk.


    "You are fast and quite good at fighting. But you can''t harm my body" stated the monk as he dusted off his clothes.


    Adam could clearly see and sense that the monk''s energy didn''t surpass rank 1, but the defence of his body was incredible and it was as though he was a wall.


    [I wonder how high his defence stat is] wondered Adam to himself.


    It was unlikely that he was bulletproof, but his body was many times tougher than an ordinary person, even if his strength for a cultivator was only average.


    Adam tried many tactics to take down the monk, but nothing that he tried worked and the monk didn''t seem to have suffered any damage yet.


    "What do we do from here," asked Adam after attacking the monk for a few minutes, as they reached a stalemate.


    There were a few weapons in the room, but they were all blunt weapons and Adam didn''t think they would increase his battle power, so he had nothing that he could use against the monk.


    "You are a worthy opponent and have pushed my hardened form to its limits" stated the man as he stumbled to one knee.


    In that one sentence, he had revealed that he was in a weakened state and couldn''t sustain the hardened form for any longer.


    "You have two options. Die and I take your methods. Or submit to me and become my subordinate" offered Adam.


    Adam had an instinctive feeling that the weird man, that behaved like a monk, had incredible potential, and his hardening ability was proof of that.


    The man suddenly bowed down to Adam.


    "I hereby humbly accept you as my master and will follow all your orders and do as you tell me to" declared the monk.


    It was almost too good to be true.


    [Am I dreaming, or does the system have something to do with this] thought Adam to himself.


    Adam had come to learn that nothing in life was free and easy, but what he had just experienced went against that idea.


    Adam had sharp instincts and his Hunter''s mind made it difficult for him to make risky decisions that would place him in danger, but he felt that the monk was weirdly trustworthy and there was no risk in accepting him under him.


    "Okay, quickly get up, let''s get out of here" stated Adam as he pulled him up.


    Adam had previously heard a siren approaching the area he was in, and it was most likely for him.


    The monk was massively drained and was struggling to move, as Adam massively underestimated the weakened state that the monk was in.


    Pulling the monk over his shoulder, he began looking around for a way out.


    "Over there. There is a private stairway that leads to a backdoor of the building, which we can leave from" stated the monk as he lifted his weak arm to point at a small door in the corner of the room that looked like a cupboard.


    Without thinking about it, Adam rushed towards the door and went inside to find a small old fashioned stairwell that was made for emergency use.


    Just as he closed the door behind him, he heard steps on the stairs up into the top floor and a female voice.


    "Stop, this is NYPD. Put your hands up" called out Angela as she charged into the top floor to find it empty.


    Looking around there were signs of people being there, but she had come up the only entry route and there was no other probable way for somebody to get away.


    She couldn''t help but scream in frustration after reaching the top to find nobody there after rushing up all the stairs.


    The guards all moved out of her way after seeing her gun and badge, and weren''t looking for trouble as they all dispersed from the scene.


    Most of them didn''t have any loyalty to the gang, and unlike the Wolf Fang Gang Leader, the monk also didn''t care about the gang as the men merely followed him after seeing his strength, in the hopes of riches.


    Meanwhile, Adam was climbing down the small and tight stairwell with a small smile.


    He was extremely lucky the entire day and had not only avoided police, but had succeeded in getting many people to agree to meet up at Elizabeth''s chosen location and had gained a powerful subordinate.


    [It seems I am finally seeing the stat point for luck that is above average in action. And I am the luckiest person after gaining the Dungeon System anyway] thought Adam to himself joyously, as he asked the system a question to pass the time while climbing down the tight dark stairwell.


    [System why isn''t the luck and charisma stat shown when I see the statuses of beings with malicious intent or beasts in the dungeon] asked Adam.


    {That is because beasts in the dungeon do not have the charisma or luck stat for the host to look at, and for the host to see it for humans, the host must unlock the Status Peering Feature to be able to see the full status of all humans} answered the system.


    Adam already knew that it was going to be expensive and he had no chance of affording it, so didn''t even ask for more information as he finally reached the bottom of the stairwell.


    He was also quite tired after a long day of working, and he just wanted to rest before he had to return to the dungeon.


    Reaching the bottom of the stairwell, there was a door that hadn''t been used since the building had been built, and after kicking it multiple times, Adam was finally able to break it.


    Adam carrying the bald monk rushed towards where he had left Elizabeth, as he instructed the monk to hide his face as much as possible.


    Despite the weird looks he was receiving, Adam dashed as fast as his legs would carry him and finally reached the area that Elizabeth was waiting for him in and as she saw him approaching, she couldn''t help but scream in frustration.


    Adam was constantly causing trouble wherever he went, and was becoming more of a liability than an ally.


    But she could see his worth had helped her massively the entire day, and vowed to herself that she would repay him.


    "Did you miss me?" asked Adam sarcastically as he shoved the large monk into the car and squeezed in beside him.


    "Who the hell is this" shrieked Elizabeth as she was squashed in the back of the car by a large bald man wearing traditional robes.


    Adam shrugged, as the driver drove off towards their next location.


    While Adam and Elizabeth were bickering, the monk slept in between them and the driver quickly drove towards the prepared location for them to clean up and get rid of any evidence including the car.


    Everything had turned out almost perfectly despite the slight hiccups, and Adam was extremely lucky.

 Chapter 89: Monk Inheritance / Elemental Affinities

    They drove out of the city to a remote warehouse and they made sure they weren''t followed.


    There were clothes and a car prepared as they burnt the clothes they were wearing and blew up the car that they used.


    After that, they went into a sauna to remove any blood stains that were on their bodies and after they had cleaned up their bodies they were ready to leave the car that they had prepared to return with.


    While in the sauna, Adam couldn''t help but bombard the weird monk with questions to find out more about who he was.


    "How old are you," asked Adam.


    "I am 23 years old master" answered the monk respectfully.


    His large body that was 2 metres tall and over 100 kg completely juxtaposed his old fashioned, calm and respectful demeanour that befitted an old monk.


    "Stop talking like an old man if your only 23. What method do you cultivate and where did you get it from" asked Adam, who was interested in his hardening ability.


    "Hmmm, I''m not sure myself. I was always in small-time gangs, and then joined the gang that I was in now. Then I was playing with an heirloom that was passed down from my parents, and had been passed down for generations, then some methods and skills appeared in my mind" answered the monk completely honestly.


    His honesty was almost stupid, as he didn''t hide anything from Adam, who might have had malicious intentions towards him.


    [He must have come across a treasure of sorts that might be similar to my Dungeon System that gave him monk methods and skills] thought Adam to himself, curious about what the heirloom was.


    {Excuse me. How dare you compare me to some lowly monk''s inheritance that is nowhere near as useful as I am} interrupted the system arrogantly.


    Adam ignored the system, but the system revealed that what the man before him gained was a monk''s inheritance.


    "Oh yeah, I forgot to ask, what''s your name," asked Adam.


    "My name is Chase" answered the monk.


    [It seems that the inheritance that he gained changed him entirely and he went from Chase a lowly thug, to a monk with incredible abilities] observed Adam.


    "How long have you been cultivating for" enquired Adam, wanting to gauge his talent.


    "Um, for now about a few weeks" answered Chase calmly.


    "What" exclaimed Adam, shocked by the short amount of time that he had been cultivating.


    Although it was longer than his own, which was only around a week, it was still an incredibly short amount of time for his strength, from what he had seen from other low-grade cultivators.


    But he knew from his master that it was still only average at most and it wasn''t enough to rival the large cultivation families.


    "I was in the gang and then when I accidentally activated the heirloom, I felt my mentality change and I didn''t care about anything anymore, and was only focused on my own strength. So when I saw how the leader could relax and train, I wanted the same treatment so I beat him up and took his place" narrated the monk.


    "Oh yeah I forgot, I took the leader''s method" stated the monk as he withdrew a crumpled book that was in his robe pocket.


    Adam couldn''t help but become annoyed by Chase''s nonchalant and uncaring nature as he snatched method out of his hand and began to flatten the valuable book that Cole scrunched up into a ball and put in his pocket.


    "Have I angered you master?" asked Chase.


    "Don''t worry about it, but stop calling me master and your not a child or my disciple, so stop acting like it" scolded Adam.


    Adam opened up the method and there were a series of images that had different movements and a description of how the energy should be circulated and felt that is was quite useful, but it didn''t entice him and the effects of the method seemed to be minimal.


    {Ding, the host has an E Grade Mortal / Novice Cultivation Method that can either be used by the host or transferred into 500 EXP} announced the system.


    [What does the grading represent for methods and I assume skills aswell] asked Adam.


    {Different methods and skills are graded in the same way as weapons and other things within the system. The rank represents the quality of the method, which is shown through the effects of the method or skill, the speed at which it could be cultivated or learnt, the rarity of the method or skill and whether or not it requires elemental affinities} explained the system.


    Adam understood everything the system said, apart from one thing that the system said which he was yet to come across and was excited to find out about.


    [What are elemental affinities] asked Adam.


    {Elemental affinities are the ability to wield and store energy of different elements that are present in everything in existence, and to have elemental affinities it requires one to either be born with them or gain them using extremely rare treasures} answered the system.


    [Do I have any elemental affinities] asked Adam, imagining himself wielding different elements such as fire and water and becoming the strongest cultivator.


    {Currently, the host has no elemental affinities, but the host''s unique constitution allows you to be able to have as many elemental affinities as the host wants, as long as the host can afford it} stated the system


    {Elemental affinities are graded and the higher the grade, the more energy and power a cultivator would be able to use at once, using a particular element, and the faster they can absorb energy of that particular element} added the system.


    From the system''s information he gathered that he could have as many elemental affinities as he wanted, while others could only have a limited amount, and as long as he had system points, he could become incredibly powerful.


    With that in mind, he was excited to get back into the dungeon, but he couldn''t help but be surprised by how easy it was for Chase to submit to him, despite his potential and the methods and skills that he had.


    "Why did you agree to follow me, even though my strength is only slightly higher than yours," asked Adam, baffled by Chase''s logic.


    "Well I am not sure myself, but I had a weird feeling that you were worthy and it was the first time that something other than my cultivation interested me. So I followed my instincts and decided to accept you as my master. While you also displayed your morality and kindness through your actions, which I resonated with" answered Chase simply.


    There was no thought or logic behind his actions, but he merely followed his instincts based off a single meeting.


    However Adam didn''t think he was stupid or crazy for doing so, and he was actually surprised by how sharp Chase''s instincts were, as he knew that he was worthy and would become an incredibly powerful cultivator in the future with the Dungeon System.


    "Well I can confirm that you have made the right decision in following me, and we should get out of here now before we lose conscious" stated Adam as he left the sauna with Chase after being in there for an hour.


    Wearing a random set of clothes from the clothes that Elizabeth had prepared, they destroyed anything that was remotely related to them as the paranoid Elizabeth didn''t want to leave any traces.


    "Adam could you come with me to the meeting place, so you can intimidate the people into joining us after they see your power and worth" requested Elizabeth.


    "I am sorry but I have to decline" refused Adam, who was planning to go into the dungeon after not doing so last night.


    "But I do have a replacement" stated Adam as he tapped Chase''s shoulder.


    "You still haven''t told me who this is, and even if he does have a large body, it doesn''t mean he is strong" stated Elizabeth, not believing that Chase was capable.


    Chase''s blank expression didn''t change in the slightest as he stood beside Adam unbothered by Elizabeth''s words.


    "Chase why don''t you show them what you are capable of," said Adam to Chase.


    "Elizabeth, call your strongest subordinate over" instructed Adam to Elizabeth, who did as he said, curious to see what Chase was capable of.


    "Activate your hardening, but don''t fight back" whispered Adam to Chase who was weirdly only obedient to him.


    "You can attack him with all your strength" stated Adam to the guard that Elizabeth had brought over, who was the strongest cultivator under her.


    "Are you sure?" asked the guard who was almost rank 2 and was quite confident in his strength, that was measly in the grand scheme of things, but quite good for a small gang.


    "Be my guest" stated Adam as he moved out of the way and left Chase standing calmly in front of the bald guard.


    "Your head is bald, but your temperament is ugly" stated Chase directly to the guard, not meaning to be offensive, but offending the guard.


    "Well, we will see who is ugly after I break your face" refuted the guard as he charged towards Chase and launched a powerful fist towards his face.

 Chapter 90: Gathering Manpower

    "Well, we will see who is ugly after I break your face" refuted the guard as he charged towards Chase and launched a powerful fist towards his face.


    However what happened next shocked everyone apart from Adam, as the guard broke his wrist against Chase''s hardened face.


    The guard''s strength and resistance compared to that of Adam was similar, but his punch was at an angle and he wasn''t expecting Chase''s face to be so hard, causing him to break his wrist as he followed through the punch with all his strength.


    Adam couldn''t help but chuckle at the guard who was too arrogant and was howling in pain after punching Chase in the face.


    "Good job Chase" praised Adam as he put his arm over Chase''s shoulder.


    Adam couldn''t help but praise Chase who he could see had increased his strength slightly since battling him.


    "What do you think of my subordinate," asked Adam to Elizabeth with a proud smile, as if he was a father with his successful child.


    Elizabeth was shocked and in awe of Chase as she couldn''t help but feel slightly jealous.


    "Chase how about I offer you as much money as you want to join me instead" offered Elizabeth.


    Chase ignored her and stood beside Adam with his same blank expression.


    "I am following Adam as he can help me increase my strength and is worthy of my attention, but I have no interest in weak useless people who are too arrogant" stated Chase indirectly insulting Elizabeth and the guard as Adam couldn''t help but laugh at Elizabeth and praise Chase.


    [I will help you increase your strength and your loyalty to me will not go unrewarded] vowed Adam to himself as he appreciated Chase''s display of trust and loyalty despite only just meeting Adam.


    Adam gave Chase a feeling of superiority, which he unconsciously imbued through his confidence in his strength and potential, but he wasn''t arrogant and also treated him quite kindly even after sparing his life.


    He also hadn''t asked for Chase''s methods and wasn''t planning on doing so, unless Chase wanted to share them with him, which showed his integrity and trust towards Chase, which Chase naturally reciprocated.


    "Chase you will have to put up with Elizabeth and go with her. Help her with her task, but wear a mask and a hood and do not reveal your identity. After you help her today, she will set up a perfect place for you to train in peace and I will come and visit you every few days to check on your progress, and also have a few practice fights" instructed Adam.


    "Isn''t that right Elizabeth?" stated Adam.


    "Yes, you will be treated perfectly and will have your own premises to train with anything you need, as long as you help me this once" reassured Elizabeth, grateful for Chase''s help.


    Chase nodded his head in approval and acceptance of Adam''s instructions as he prepared to leave with Elizabeth.


    "Wait before you go, I have something to give you" called out Adam who was being taken back to his apartment in a different car to Elizabeth and Chase.


    "What is it," asked Elizabeth, who didn''t think it would be anything valuable and it was just Adam playing a prank on her.


    Adam handed over to her the half crumpled book and initially, she was about to scold him for getting her hopes up, but after realising what it was, she couldn''t help but jump up in joy.


    "Is this really a cultivation method" she exclaimed.


    "Yes" answered Adam uncaringly as he got into his car.


    The method had no value to him and would only give him 500 EXP, which he could gain himself through training. He was also looking in the long term, and knew that it could greatly increase Elizabeth''s strength, which would also increase his influence, while the 500 EXP wouldn''t do much for him.


    "Just be sure to make my motorbike according to my specifications and quickly" called out Adam as he got his driver to drive off.


    "I will" stated Elizabeth to herself.


    She was extremely grateful for everything that Adam had done for her the entire day, then after helping her the entire day, he not only leant her his subordinate, but also gave her a cultivation method.


    ''I really am lucky to have made such a useful and incredible ally'' thought Elizabeth to herself as she got in the car beside Chase and got the driver to drive to the meeting point that she had set up with the gangs she was hoping to recruit.


    Chase sat silently and meditated a monk cultivation method, that he had begun practising, while Elizabeth was enthralled in reading the method that Adam had given her.


    She could tell that it was only an E Rank Method, which meant it was quite low quality and its progress was capped at rank 5 of the Novice Grade, but she was still overjoyed with it and was struggling to find a method to give to her men to cultivate.


    She had been looking for weeks for a method that she could buy, without buying it from one of the large families for an inflated price, but she hadn''t succeeded in doing so with the large cultivation families having a monopoly over all cultivation businesses in their territory.


    But Elizabeth knew that a war in the underground world of cultivation was coming soon, and she wanted to arm herself and her organisation, ready to protect herself while also leeching off the conflict.


    Driving to the meeting point, that she had prepared in advance, Elizabeth had many contingencies prepared in case any other organisations or police attempted to crash it, but she was looking forwards to gathering more manpower.


    In a warehouse on the edge of the city, Elizabeth had prepared her men and was planning to gather together all the men that Adam had bought over.


    However, she knew that too many people joining her organisation at her current size would be a problem, without the finance to supply them all with an adequate salary and without the influence to do so without others suppressing her because of her becoming a threat to their own positions.


    While if too many people joined, there would be too many people to oversee, which she currently couldn''t do, and there would be more leakages of their plans and information.


    She would filter out the people, and would only take in people who had already begun cultivation or had any military training, while she was also looking for young people that she could nurture and instil loyalty into.


    There were many factors that she had to consider while gathering manpower, but she was aiming to gather at least 100 individuals to join her organisation and help grow it.


    Within a month, after training her new men and refurbishing her auction house, Elizabeth was planning to reopen the Silver Moon Auction House, but not only as an auction house, but as an organisation that could trade and form alliances with other organisations within the world of cultivation.


    Arriving at her location, the rowdy men were only quiet after the masked and hooded Chase revealed his strength by battling against one of the men that weren''t listening.


    Elizabeth and all her men had worn masks and left no traces of their organisation, only revealing who they really were to those that they had chosen to take with them.


    Altogether she gathered 130 men that were all either talented and determined, or had already begun cultivating and knew of what it was.


    A simple way to measure the talent of somebody that had never cultivated was to release a wave of energy before them, by a cultivator emitting their energy towards them, and if they were able to feel or sense something, they had an affinity and sensitivity towards energy, which signified their potential and how quickly they would be able to absorb energy.


    Taking them to her auction house, in many large vans that she had prepared, Elizabeth got them to sign contracts that she could use legally, but also gave them each a payment and an ID Card as a member of the Silver Moon Auction House and they were all allowed to leave.


    The auction house was the base of operations for her organisation and was quite a large building, as those that had joined the Auction House were overjoyed with their payment and treatment, and were excited to begin their training as guards.


    But Elizabeth wasn''t looking for only guards, and after the Silver Moon Auction House reached the heights that she was planning for, she planned to also make the Silver Moon Auction House an organisation that accepted requests.


    It could be all kinds of requests such as a protection request, a delivery request or even an assassination request and she could choose whether to accept or not, and who to delegate the task to if she did accept.


    It was a way to not only increase her influence, but also the strength and power of her men, all while increasing the wealth and contacts of her organisation.


    However, currently, she didn''t have the influence, manpower or money to be able to do so successfully.


    The Silver Moon Auction House was her life''s work and also carried the wishes of her ancestors, as she planned years ahead and prepared for any obstacles.


    She knew that without Adam it would be hard for her to get her Auction House back on track after the Wolf Fang Gang''s attempted robbery, and because of that, she had made it part of her plan to repay Adam and become an ultimate backer for the special lone cultivator.


    Everything was finally on track for Elizabeth, while for Adam after a long day of work had a dungeon waiting for him to hunt in during his sleep.

 Chapter 91: Stage 2

    Adam was tired when he got home after his eventful day, and found a nice meal already prepared for him, which he shared with his aunt.


    Sarah had begun investing the money that Adam gave her to begin the business and was busy with work and would rarely be seen, so Adam enjoyed a meal alone with his aunt.


    "How was your day son?" asked his aunt.


    "Very long and eventful, but overall quite productive" answered Adam with a wry smile as he thought about everything that had happened that day.


    His answer was vague and it was obvious that he didn''t want to give details, but seeing that he was happy, she was also happy.


    "I have been thinking about opening a shop. And I think it would be a good thing to do to pass my time" stated his aunt after they had both finished eating.


    "Money isn''t a problem and I can provide you with it, but if there is something you want to do, I will support you wholeheartedly" reassured Adam, who didn''t want to see his aunt suffer any more than she had already.


    "I appreciate it, and if anything comes to mind I will come back to you," said Jannet with a thoughtful expression.


    Jannet was still slowly adapting to the reality of things and how she had spent 2 and a half years of her life in a coma, but it was still hard for her to digest and she was yet to fully accept everything.


    However, she was filled with joy seeing how Adam had turned out, despite her absence, and she finally felt as though she was free and didn''t have any weight on her shoulders.


    But at the same time, she felt empty and as though she didn''t have a purpose after seeing Adam flourish and no longer need her. Instead of sulking and falling into depression, the hardworking and strong-willed Jannet decided she would find her purpose and in her late thirties, would get her own life on track.


    After the B Rank Mortal Recovery Pill, Jannet looked quite young for her age and most small impurities or illnesses within her body were eradicated by the pill.


    Cleaning up the table and the dishes, Adam rushed to get into his room and into the dungeon, while Jannet began brainstorming things she was good at and capable of, for a potential business that she may want to form.


    Adam felt bad and wanted to spend more time with his aunt after she had just reawoken, but time was of the essence and he decided to reserve an entire day each week which he would spend entirely with his aunt.


    "Time to finally get back into the dungeon" mumbled Adam to himself as he communicated to the system to take him back into the dungeon.


    He wasn''t particularly looking forwards to hunting, and although his body could recover with the Ethereal Recovery Skill, his mind would be strained by the constant battle.


    But Adam was more focused on increasing his strength and accumulating system points to worry about the mental strain that he could bear.


    After a few seconds, he felt his soul being sucked out of his body as he opened his eyes to the familiar rain forest environment.


    With the first stage no longer producing beasts after Adam had hunted in the first stage for too long, Adam had no choice but to move on to the second stage.


    However, he was excited to find what beast would come in the next stage and how it would work, as he was noticing that the system continuously changed to match Adam''s path of growth.


    Adam''s main aim currently was to increase his strength as much as possible and acquire as many system points as he could, all meanwhile being cautious to the cultivators out there that may or may not be against him.


    The durability of his Wolf Sabre had diminished and he had no other choice but to fight unarmed, without any other weapons that he could use.


    Now with the transferal feature, he could transfer the sabre, that he stole, from the dungeon into reality, but there would be no point as the transfer would cost the same amount as the price of the item. He could just leave the sabre to use in reality, and buy one in the dungeon for the same price, which he decided to do.


    From the Wood Python beasts, he had only gained random scales and fangs, which he fed to his Pythonidae Summon and seemed to increase its strength slightly, and only had the Scale Vambraces to equip currently.


    [Hopefully, the beasts in the next stage are ones that will drop me weapons and I can fight against unarmed] hoped Adam as he headed deeper into the rainforest.


    He was on guard and alert as he went deeper into the rainforest, but after he began hearing animal noises, he knew exactly what he was up against next.


    "It seems that the next beast stage has monkey beasts of some sort" mumbled Adam to himself as he saw a monkey beast swing past him on a nearby vine.


    Adam was nervous to face the monkey beasts that had a terrain advantage and seemed to be plenty in numbers, as he backed up against a large tree and prepared to fend off against the monkey beast and learn how it attacked.


    All the beasts within the dungeon seemed to be programmed with extreme hatred and aggression towards Adam, which made it so that after coming across Adam, they would attack him most times.


    But it also made it so that Adam could exploit their rage and kill the beasts without feeling any guilt in the slightest, as he clenched his fists, ready to attack in the only way he currently could.


    The closest monkey beast to Adam suddenly swung down from a vine and launched itself towards Adam as it prepared to kick Adam with both its feet.


    The monkey beasts didn''t have any sharp claws or teeth, that Adam had to be wary of like he was when facing other beasts, but what he did need to be wary of was their intelligence.


    The intelligence stat showed him the sensory ability, sensitivity towards energy and ability to wield energy that a being had, and didn''t represent the intellect of the being.


    However, monkey beasts were beasts that were the closest beast to humans, that Adam had come across, and also had the most comprehension compared to other beasts.


    Unlike most beasts, the monkey beasts had unique ways to battle and could adapt and change the way they fought as their opponent changed, making it harder for Adam to study them.


    Forest Monkey


    LVL: 14


    HP: 240


    Strength: 24


    Speed: 24


    Intelligence: 24


    Resistance: 24


    The beast''s stats were perfectly balanced, and the intelligence stat that was quite high gave Adam a rough idea of how sharp their senses were and how intelligent they were.


    However, because of the additional stat point that Adam had with each LVL UP, he had a slight advantage over the beast and was noticing the gap between him and other beast''s of the same LVL as him, in terms of strength.


    It was hard to gauge the beast''s intelligence accurately, but from the swift and direct attack that used the momentum of its swing, and the way it attacked and moved, Adam could see that it was the most intelligent beast he had come across so far.


    Blocking the kick of the monkey beast that was aimed at his head with his arms, Adam was about to counter-attack, but the monkey beast had already jumped away and climbed into another tree.


    The power of the kick was shocking as he felt a pulsating pain in his arms, but it didn''t faze him much as he prepared for the monkey beast''s next attack.


    Its size was similar to that of a child, with its small body allowing it to be more nimble and agile.


    However, Adam could also see that it was alone and its strength wasn''t something that he couldn''t deal with.


    The monkey beast jumped around the trees around Adam, trying to shake Adam off in preparation for a sneak attack, but Adam''s eyes were glued to the beast as he was prepared for any incoming attack.


    Swinging down with great speed, the monkey beast attempted to directly strike Adam in the same way he did with the first attack, but Adam could see that the attack wasn''t as simple as it seemed.


    The monkey beast after releasing the vine it was swinging from, suddenly changed directions and where it was targeting to attack.


    However, Adam saw it coming, after seeing how the monkey beast was swinging in and estimating the trajectory of the swinging monkey beast, he stuck out his elbow to strike the monkey beast''s stomach.


    It couldn''t evade mid-air, as its momentum was used against it by Adam who had very sharp senses and managed to see the sudden change in attack coming, allowing him to counter-attack with a strike of his own.


    The monkey beast was instantly winded and tumbled over as it crashed against the ground, and before it could jump away or retreat, Adam quickly summoned his Leporidae Summon.


    The Leporidae Summon''s small and agile body along with its razor-sharp claws were a perfect counter against the monkey beasts, as it pounced after the monkey beast and slashed it down before it could get away, not needing orders from Adam.

 Chapter 92: Primate Summon

    After the beast was killed, Adam saw his EXP rise by 13 points, instead of the 3 points that it would have been if he didn''t upgrade his Dungeon Form to LVL 2, and also saw something enter his inventory.


    Adam didn''t need to physically loot the beasts after defeating them, which was a handy feature of the system, and the loot would automatically enter his inventory after the beast disintegrated, if there was any, unlike how it was on Floor 0 where Adam had to physically gather the loot.


    {Would you like to collect this beast as your Primate base beast. YES / NO}


    [Yes] answered Adam without hesitation.


    He felt the Forest Monkey that he just defeated enter the beastpedia that was within his mind and was also notified that it had entered his beastpedia through his menu.


    Checking his inventory, Adam found some useless beast fur and was planning to give it to his Primate Summon when he summoned it, but he had a few things that he was curious about to do with his new summon.


    [Primate Summon. Does that include humans as well, because aren''t they a primate to] wondered Adam to himself, who had quite a lot of knowledge about animals and their families after researching about them, subsequent to gaining the system and the Collector Skill.


    He had killed a human before in reality, but he had never been given a Primate or Human summon, so he was unsure what the current situation was.


    {Your Primate Summon does include and can acquire humans that are also primates, which would then be added fused with the Forest Monkey, which is the base beast for your Primate Summon} stated the system.


    [So why didn''t I gain a human summon after killing a human in reality] asked Adam, imagining being able to summon another human that would be just as powerful as he was.


    {That is because the host can only acquire different species to add to the beastpedia through the dungeon, and any being killed outside the dungeon cannot be collected into the beastpedia} answered the system.


    Adam wasn''t disappointed by that revelation, but was still planning to acquire as many beasts as he could into his Beastpedia.


    [Then why didn''t I gain the summon for the Snow Leopard Boss Beast that I defeated] asked Adam as he remembered the painful memory of losing control to his Bloodlust characteristic.


    He knew that it granted him incredible power and ability, but the consequences of it were also immense and he had to continuously suppress his Bloodlust characteristic, otherwise, the past event could repeat itself.


    {That is because the host lost control and couldn''t accept the beast as your base beast within your beastpedia, and also died before the system could offer it to the host} answered the system with a hint of mockery.


    Adam couldn''t help but swear in annoyance as he missed out on the opportunity to gain the ability to be able to summon a giant snow leopard, but he calmed down soon after knowing there was nothing he could do about it then.


    "Thanks for your help and I will call upon your strength again in the near future" thanked Adam to the Leporidae Summon as he retracted it back into his beastpedia.


    Remembering that the summons from the Collector Skill were intelligent and retained their memories from each summon, Adam wanted to rectify the way that he ordered them around carelessly and used them as pawns, knowing that they were becoming harder and harder for him to control as they got stronger and his charisma was yet to improve.


    He could also only sustain the beasts for 9 minutes after summoning them, if they didn''t sustain any damage, and he was realising that no matter how much his strength increased, he would still only be able to sustain them for the same amount of time with his energy.


    {The host does realise that you can summon the same beast at a lower cultivation rank to reduce the amount of IESP used to summon it and sustain it} stated the system questioningly, as if it was basic knowledge.


    Adam couldn''t help but be annoyed at the system that always withheld important information and expected him to know it without ever being taught it, but he calmed down knowing that he was in the middle of a dangerous dungeon where he could be attacked by a beast at my moment.


    [It makes sense. In the same way, I can activate the Dual Slash with a minimum of 2 IESP and can use more IESP through the skill to make the attack stronger, I can also summon my beast summons using only 1 IESP and they would be rank 1 beasts and I can sustain them with only 1 IESP per minute. While I can also add more IESP during the summoning and sustain it using more energy if I need to summon a stronger beast] thought Adam to himself.


    That solved the issue with him being able to control his summons if he wanted to use them despite their strength surpassing his charisma, but Adam wanted to increase his charisma and be able to use beasts at the same strength as himself, as otherwise, they wouldn''t be of much use.


    However he couldn''t help but wonder whether if he expended more energy, would he be able to summon beasts that were stronger than himself.


    {No, currently it is not possible for the host to summon beasts that are of a higher strength LVL than the host} stated the system, answering his question, but hinting that it may be possible in the future.


    He wasn''t particularly disappointed by the revelation, as he wouldn''t be able to sustain the summon that was stronger than him for long, but the fact that the system could read his mind and thoughts was becoming annoying.


    [Stupid system] thought Adam to himself knowing that the system was within his mind and could read his thoughts.


    The system didn''t answer or say anything, but Adam had a feeling that he had annoyed the system, which was exactly what he wanted to do in return for every time that the system had annoyed him in the past.


    Adam''s questioning of the system and gathering of information was cut short as he sensed a few monkey beasts coming his way.


    Knowing how capable the monkey beasts were, Adam prepared himself to face them as he covered his back against a tree so that his blindspots couldn''t be exploited by the monkey beasts.


    It was three monkey beasts coming towards Adam together as they screeched angrily and jumped around him, looking for the right opportunity to attack.


    With the tall trees that many branches and vines attached to them, the monkey beasts could manoeuvre above Adam''s head quickly as he attempted to focus on the three monkey beasts at once, that were in sync with each other and swinging above and around Adam.


    Their teamwork was much better than the Canidae beasts and although the Canidae beasts had a closer brotherhood than the monkey beasts, as the Canidae beasts were less comprehensive and adaptable to different situations.


    Jumping down, they all attacked from different directions, with one attacking the front of Adam and the other two attacking his sides, swinging down in a similar way to the other monkey beasts and launching themselves feet first towards Adam, wanting to crash into him.


    However, despite being cornered by the attack, Adam wasn''t overwhelmed and summoned his Leporidae Summon that pounced at the monkey beast attacking Adam''s left side and slashed it apart, while Adam managed to block the other two monkey beast''s attacks with either arm.


    As the monkey beasts bounced off Adam''s arms and jumped back to get back into the trees, the Leporidae Summon had already slashed apart the monkey beast and managed to slash another monkey beast before it could get back into the trees.


    "Good job" praised Adam to his Leporidae Summon as he shook his arms that had been damaged by the attacks of the monkey beasts and the one that he defeated previously.


    If his back wasn''t against a tree, Adam was sure that with the power and force behind the monkey beasts'' attacks, he would have been sent flying.


    Not only did the tree stop him from being launched backwards, but it also supported his back and arms against the impact and lowered the damage that nearly broke his arms.


    The two monkey beasts left were shocked and intimidated by Adam and mostly the Leporidae Summon, that was the bigger threat, and despite their animosity towards Adam, they retreated without thought.


    Adam wanted to order his Leporidae Summon to chase after them, but there was a range to how far he could be from his summon and he also didn''t want to waste his IESP that he had to conserve.


    Retracting the Leporidae Summon that he had made his key weapon against the monkey beasts, as he didn''t have a weapon to wield himself, Adam noticed that the beasts within a dungeon also held hatred towards Adam''s summons, which must be because they were formed from his energy.


    Adam sat on the ground against the tree wanting to recover his lost energy and HP before the monkey beasts inevitably returned to him.


    He activated the Ethereal Recovery Skill as he felt as though his soul had left his body, as it rapidly circulated and absorbed energy to recover his HP and energy, but he instantly stopped the skill when he heard monkey beasts approaching his location.


    He could hear and sense that there were many of them approaching his location, which must have been bought back by the two monkey beasts, but he had nowhere to run to or hide within the dungeon as he prepared to face them head-on.

 Chapter 93: Monkey Beast Hunting

    A group of dozens of monkey beasts, that all had varying strength levels that varied between LVL 14 and LVL 16, all rushed towards Adam''s location from the trees.


    Adam was instantly intimidated by the large amounts of monkey beasts as he realised that there was nowhere for him to run or hide from the numerous monkey beasts who had the terrain advantage.


    He didn''t have a weapon and looking around him, there didn''t seem to be anything that he could use, as he prepared to fight against the monkey beasts using his fists and his summons.


    "I have no chance of facing against them all at once and I will be cornered, I need to split them up" mumbled Adam to himself as he saw the shrieking monkeys swing towards him.


    3 of the monkey beasts that were closest to Adam all swung towards him wanting to strike him with a downwards powerful hammer fist, but Adam didn''t seem fazed by the 3 attacks.


    Goblin Summon


    Summoning his goblin summon, that was the summon that he had with the most Strength points and had a weapon, Adam ordered it to strike down the 3 incoming monkey beasts with its club before they reached him.


    With an order that it had to follow, the stocky goblin held tightly onto its club and swung its club with as much power as it could, sweeping all the monkey beasts that were midair before him in a single strike.


    The Goblin Summon''s strike launched the 3 monkey beasts crashing into trees in the distance as the Goblin Summon''s power shocked Adam,


    Adam had come to realise that his summons all had the same amount of stat points, that were used in different stats, and the number of stat points they had was slightly above average for their LVL and slightly bellow his own.


    However, he had underestimated just how powerful that made them and because of their unique body structures and attributes, they were much more useful than he had expected.


    He had also come to realise that they were far superior to beasts at the same LVL as them as they didn''t have a restricted mentality, like the beasts in the dungeon, and they retained the knowledge they gained each time they were summoned which increased their combat prowess.


    Despite the powerful strike, the three monkey beasts were yet to be defeated and there were many more monkey beasts to deal with.


    Leporidae Summon


    Canidae Summon


    Adam summoned the two summons he had acquired that had sharp teeth and or sharp claws to be able to deal the most damage to the monkey beasts, while he felt that in the current situation the Pythonidae Summon and the Primate Summon wouldn''t be as useful.


    The Primate Summon that he was yet to use wouldn''t be of much use against the monkey beasts that were of the exact same species, and it was yet to experience any battles or retain any knowledge, while the Pythonidae Summon had quite restricted movement and wouldn''t be of much use against multiple opponents.


    "Don''t take any damage and strike down any monkey beasts that attempt to attack us" ordered Adam to his summon as he formed a formation with his back against a tree.


    The Leporidae Summon stood on his shoulder, while the Goblin Summon and Canidae Summon stood before him and struck down any attacking monkey beasts.


    After seeing that their individual attacks from the trees weren''t working, the intelligent and adaptable monkey beasts changed their strategy as they all formed a formation of their own on the ground.


    Adam was pleased seeing that they had opted to give up on the single advantage that they had over him, as he changed his plan and decided to deal with them directly.


    Grabbing the Leporidae Summon, that was small enough to hold in a single hand, Adam flung the small white hare-like beast towards the monkey beasts.


    The Leporidae Summon was annoyed by the way it was thrown like a ball, but the forward momentum that the throw gave it increased the power of its slash, as it slashed down a monkey beast, leaving three deep claw marks on the monkey beast''s neck.


    "Attack" bellowed Adam as he charged towards the monkey beasts that stood on the ground with his Canidae and Goblin Summon.


    After the monkey beasts decided to battle on the ground instead of attacking from the trees, Adam knew that he could win the battle with his summons as he began striking the monkey beasts alongside his summons.


    Adam and the Goblin Summon dealt heavy blows that damaged and weakened the monkey beasts, while the Leporidae Summon and Canidae Summon would slash them down and finish them off.


    Adam and his summoned summons were in perfect coherence with each other as they all covered each other''s backs and worked together to massacre the group of 40 monkey beasts.


    He was feeling an exhilarating rush of adrenaline, enjoyment and elation as he witnessed the power that he was capable of producing alongside his summons when they all worked together and covered each other''s disadvantages.


    Within minutes he had managed to kill all the monkey beasts alongside his summons as he collapsed on the ground soon after from exhausting his IESP and suffering some damage from the battle.


    Activating the Ethereal Recovery Skill, Adam began recovering his energy and HP as he also realised that his progress speed was increasing and so was his skill in hunting beasts.


    After 3 hours of using the Ethereal Recovery Skill, he had completely recovered his energy storages and lost HP and stood up ready to continue his hunting.


    What he had gathered so far of Floor 2 was that there seemed to be a civilisation or group of monkey beasts in the centre similar to how the goblins were on Floor 0, and they were also willing to group up and were very adaptable.


    The longer he faced up against the monkey beasts, the harder it would be to defeat them as they began to learn Adam''s fighting tactics and how he attempted to deal with them.


    Because of that, Adam had to make sure that he killed them swiftly and quickly before they were able to adapt and learn, and before they were able to retreat and return with more monkey beasts.


    With that in mind, he had to be careful not to alert the monkey beasts as if it wasn''t for his 3 summons activated at once, Adam knew that he would have been beaten badly if he was alone.


    It was only because of the coherence that he and his summons displayed while battling together and their advantages over the monkey beast, otherwise, even with his 3 summons, the monkey beasts would have been able to overpower them with their numbers.


    The main advantages and qualities of the monkey beasts were that they had balanced stats and could quickly adapt to most situations, but if they weren''t given time to adapt, they weren''t very difficult foes to take down.


    Looking at his loot he found within his inventory, Adam could see monkey beast fur, monkey beast tails and one item that he could actually use.


    "An E+ Rank Monkey Fur Coat, interesting" mumbled Adam to himself as he clicked on the item within his inventory to see its effects.


    E+ Rank Monkey Fur Coat


    Effects:


    Allows the wearer to increase all their stats by 1 point for 10 minutes


    Seeing its effects Adam was shocked by how useful it was, but was disappointed to see that it was a consumable item, meaning he could only use it once.


    "I will save it for when I battle against the Boss Beast of this floor and will give the rest of the loot to the Primate Summon to strengthen itself" decided Adam.


    Surveying the nearby area, Adam came across a few monkey beasts that he swiftly killed by summoning his Leporidae Summon and launching it at the beasts.


    He was beginning to realise that the closer he went to the centre, the more monkey beasts there were and the stronger they were becoming,


    Knowing that, Adam similar to how he had targetted the weaker Goblin Guards on Floor 0, circled around the outer areas of the monkey beasts'' territory.


    Doing so, he was progressing rapidly and hunting using only his Leporidae Summon and his own strength, as he continued slaughtering monkey beasts on the outer areas of stage 2.


    He only stopped to use the Ethereal Recovery Skill to recover his energy storages and HP that he would lose, and after an entire day of hunting within the dungeon, he had finally managed to LVL UP.


    {LVL UP - You are now LVL 13 and have an increase in all stats and an extra stat point, where do you wish to spend your stat point} announced the system.


    [Show me my status, then I will decide] answered Adam.


    {Mortal LVL: 13


    Dungeon Form LVL: 2


    EXP: 0 / 3000


    HP: 140 / 240


    IESP: 29 / 29


    EESP: 29 / 29


    Strength: 25


    Speed: 25


    Intelligence: 28


    Resistance: 25


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5}


    [Spend the stat point on speed] decided Adam before then communicating to the system to take him back to reality after 24 hours of productive hunting within the dungeon.

 Chapter 94: Purpose

    Adam returned to reality and was satisfied with the progress that he had made within the dungeon.


    He needed to wait for his motorcycle to be designed and built by Elizabeth before he could return to his master to continued his training and also didn''t have anything to do.


    Seeing as it was a Sunday and he didn''t have anything to do that day, Adam decided to designate Sundays to his aunt where he could spend time with her the entire day and help with whatever she wanted.


    [I will spend the day with my aunt, then return to the dungeon when we get back for as long as I need to LVL UP] planned Adam who had decided to aim to LVL UP each time he went to the dungeon.


    At that rate, it wouldn''t be long before he would be able to reach rank 2, and soon he would be able to gather enough system points to be able to afford all the features of the system he wanted, and to increase his mastery over certain things.


    Washing and preparing for the day, Adam was embraced by a warm smile from his aunt as she prepared a large breakfast after seeing how much Adam would eat.


    Adam had given her a large sum of money, equivalent to around 1000 gold for her to do as she pleased, and he wanted her to never have to worry about working or running out of money ever again.


    She had been through enough struggle in her life, with Adam, who wasn''t even related to her by blood, acting as a burden, and because of that, Adam wanted to give her the best life that he could.


    But in order to do so, he needed strength, wealth and power which would give him the influence and confidence needed to live a prominent and comfortable life without worrying about anything.


    "What are you planning to do today?" asked Adam.


    "Not much, I don''t have much to do anyway" answered Jannet, still looking for a purpose in her life.


    "Why don''t we spend the day together" offered Adam who felt bad for his aunt and wanted to repay her for the struggles that she went through to support him.


    "Are you not busy today with your work and other things that you have going on?" asked his aunt, not wanting to be a burden on Adam and waste his time.


    "No, I am free on Sundays and will spend them with you. If there is anything you want to do or need my help with, I am available" answered Adam eagerly offering his help to his aunt.


    The hardship that Adam experienced to pay for his aunt''s medical bills was the same as the hardship that his aunt went through to provide for him, and was what made him a man after experiencing the cruel world.


    He only went through it for over 2 years, while his aunt had been struggling and working multiple jobs in order to give him a carefree life ever since he was born. Because of that, Adam was willing to do almost anything to please her, as long as she was happy.


    Seeing the boy that she raised, sat before her, that only at the tender age of 18 had become a dependable and independent man, Jannet couldn''t help but be proud as she began to cry to herself.


    "Are you okay?" asked Adam as he walked over to his aunt, that sat opposite him and began to cry.


    "Don''t worry son, these are tears of joy after seeing how mature and dependable you have become" stated Jannet as she wiped her tears and stood up with a smile.


    Adam seeing his aunt proud of him, was happy that he had been recognised and his struggle had paid off. He also couldn''t help but be grateful to the Dungeon System that had completely changed his life, and without it, his aunt would have most likely died and he would have still been a useless, homeless youth that was struggling to survive.


    Worst of all, without the Dungeon System, he would have been ignorant towards the existence of the world of cultivation.


    They went around shopping and although Jannet didn''t want to spend Adam''s money, Adam would buy anything that she remotely seemed to like, wanting to please his aunt as much as possible.


    He could gain a few thousand dollars within an hour of hunting within the dungeon, and as long as he pleased his aunt, it was worth it. His main drive towards success was his aunt, and if he didn''t spend money and time with his aunt, that raised him and provided for him his entire life, then who else was he meant to do it with.


    They had a nice day as Jannet looked around the local area to see if there were any shops that were empty, looking for an opportunity to form a business or shop of her own.


    The day passed quickly and they found a nice outdoor food stall where they ate a nice meal together and enjoyed themselves as Jannet felt as though she had no worries in life.


    However, that was what made her feel empty and it scared her.


    If she had no worries and nothing to work towards and aim for, what was the purpose of her life.


    Her main purpose was to provide and give Adam the best upbringing that she could, but now that Adam had become independent, she felt empty.


    The juxtaposing feelings of joy and emptiness were confusing Jannet as she looked at Adam who was calm and handsome with long black hair and brown eyes, because of the contacts he was wearing, and she finally managed to clear up her own confusion.


    Adam seemed to be the ideal child for any mother and made Jannet proud constantly ever since she had awoken from her coma, but it was time for her to move on and create a legacy for herself and enjoy her own life.


    She didn''t know what had occurred, but she felt young and healthy and was physically feeling better than she had felt ever since she had found Adam. With that, she could still have a partner, a job, and everything else that an ordinary person would desire for themselves.


    "Adam I have decided, I want to open a small store in this local area and I also want to buy a cosy small house in the local area after saving up" decided Jannet.


    The day that they spent together had made Jannet realise that it was never too late to live, and with all the hardship that she experienced, she only wanted an ordinary life with an average income and a small home.


    "That''s great, I can invest in your shop and help you start up. Then you can build upon it and do as you please with it" stated Adam supportively.


    He could see that his aunt had been down lately and knew that she must have felt empty and as though she didn''t have a purpose, and putting himself in her position he understood how she felt.


    Adam with the Dungeon System and everything that he had been shown after integrating with it, had many things that he wanted to accomplish and had limitless growth potential, which had made it so that he had never once felt as though he didn''t have a purpose.


    However thinking about it, if it wasn''t for his aunt''s medical bills, he most likely would have killed himself in the situation that he was in.


    And if weren''t because of the existence of powerful cultivators that were above the law and could do as they pleased, Adam would have become complacent and only hunted in the dungeon for money.


    One could only have drive and determination with a goal and purpose that they were aiming to fulfil and seeing that his aunt had seemed to find her purpose, Adam was pleased.


    He had spent a nice day with his aunt as he helped her place her clothes within her wardrobe and place the groceries that they had bought in their place.


    After that, he returned to his room and saw that it was already 6 in the afternoon.


    Without much else to do, Adam wanted to get back into the dungeon to hunt some more and was planning to LVL UP every time he went into the dungeon.


    [It is 6 pm now, I will go in the dungeon until 10 am, which will give me 32 hours within the dungeon] decided Adam.


    "Aunt, I will be busy planning a new project all night, so there is no need to make me any dinner or worry, okay" called out Adam, making an excuse for him staying within his room for 16 hours.


    "Okay son, just make sure not to overwork yourself and to eat" replied Jannet as she busied herself with housework and planning what she was going to do.


    Seeing that she was no longer stressing over what to do with her life, Adam was happy and was finally ready to return to the dungeon after spending a day with his aunt.

 Chapter 95: 3 Days Later

    Sarah had been very busy and was rarely seen as she felt quite embarrassed to stay around Adam''s aunt. She had spent most of her time working on forming and developing her company as she bought a cheap shack with Adam''s investment money and began refurbishing it.


    After she had overseen the complete refurbishment of the shack, she could sell it for a large profit and repeat the process many times, with many different properties that she had already scouted.


    However, she wasn''t planning to take the profits out of the business and wanted to reinvest them into another property that she could develop then sell for a profit.


    After she had repeated the process a dozen times and had made a name for herself, she could officially open the company as one that develops real estate, while she would also use the company''s profit to buy more properties.


    She would continue developing properties and would either sell them for a profit or rent them out at a high price, and using that cycle, she would grow the company until it was large enough to work by itself.


    Employees and offices were something she was planning for in the future and the company would be one that would have quick progression as there weren''t many obstacles to entering the real estate industry.


    All that is required was a large sum of money to begin, which she was planning to generate over time by developing low-quality properties and selling them for a profit, then reinvesting the profit to make more money.


    While she did that, Adam was using any opportunity that he could to enter the dungeon and was hunting crazily, as he continued killing monkey beasts, wanting to increase his strength as much as possible.


    He had spent 32 hours in the dungeon each day, which was 16 hours in reality, and the other 8 hours that he had of the day would be spent relaxing and eating in reality. The 8 hours allowed him to recover from the mental strain that entering the dungeon for long periods of time had on Adam, and also allowed him to eat and drink enough to sustain his body for the day.


    After 3 days of following that draining and tiring cycle, Adam had incredibly managed to reach LVL 16.


    Making sure not to leave the dungeon until he had at least increased in LVL once, Adam had managed to reach LVL 16 from LVL 13 within 3 days, and his strength had increased greatly.


    Returning to reality after his third day of the cycle, Adam had a drained but pleased expression.


    He had heard that he had managed to LVL UP to LVL 16 then left the dungeon after he felt he had been in the dungeon for too long over the past 3 days and had strained his mind and soul too much.


    [System show me my status including my points and gold] ordered Adam, wanting to see how much he had improved by.


    He had made it a habit over the past 3 days not to look at his status every time he would LVL UP as it would make him complacent and entice him to return to reality.


    Doing so allowed him to hunt to the best of his ability the entire time he was in the dungeon, rather than relaxing slightly and becoming complacent after seeing that he had progressed.


    {Ding, the host''s current status, including the host''s points and gold, is:


    Mortal LVL: 16


    Dungeon Form LVL: 2


    EXP: 0 / 6000


    HP: 270 / 270


    IESP: 32 / 32


    EESP: 32 / 32


    Strength: 28


    Speed: 28


    Intelligence: 31


    Resistance: 28


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    System Points: 14091


    Stat Points: 3


    Gold: 178360}


    Adam was amazed by how much he had managed to progress in such a short while, and seeing the amount of system points and gold that he had, he was overjoyed.


    [I have nearly 2 million dollars worth of gold saved up] exclaimed Adam within his mind joyously.


    He couldn''t help but be once again reminded of the system''s incredible capabilities as he was finally satisfied with amount of system points that he had.


    Adam had so many things that he wanted to spend the system points and gold on within the system, but before he did so he needed to make sure of one thing.


    With the system, he knew that there was always something that the system didn''t inform him of that would come back to bite him in the future and he knew that if he didn''t ask, it was unlikely the system would inform him.


    [How much does it cost to increase my Dungeon Form to LVL 3] asked Adam, wanting to know how much system points he needed to that before he began spending system points.


    {It will cost the host 10,000 points to increase the host''s Dungeon Form to LVL 3} answered the system shamelessly.


    [That is insane, so expensive] thought Adam to himself.


    Everything in the system was becoming incredibly expensive, but at the same time, it was becoming easier to gain system points and gold.


    With that in mind, he had to save 10,000 system points in order to upgrade his Dungeon Form, which he knew was crucial to being able to increase his strength quickly when he moved onto Floor 3 of the Mortal Dungeon.


    [System transfer 100,000 gold into system points] ordered Adam.


    It pained his heart to exchange 1,000,000 dollars worth of gold into system points, but he knew that it was a necessary sacrifice in order to acquire priceless features of the system.


    {Ding, the host has transferred 100,000 gold into 10,000 system points} announced the system.


    With that announcement, Adam without hesitation bought what he was waiting to buy ever since he had integrated with the system.


    [System buy the Inventory Feature] ordered Adam.


    {Ding, the host has spent 10,000 system points to purchase the Inventory Feature of the system} announced the system.


    [Give me a summary of everything I need to know about the Inventory Feature] ordered Adam, not wanting the system to withhold any information from him like it usually would.


    {This is a feature of the system that will allow the host to store items within an inventory, similar to how the host can do so within the dungeon. However, the inventory that the host uses in reality is different to the one that the host uses in the dungeon and the host must use the transferal feature in order to transfer items between the two inventories. But because the host now has an inventory within reality, the price of the transferal feature has been halved} summarised the system.


    [Inventory]


    Adam thought about inventory with the intention of opening it, and just like in the dungeon, a game-like screen appeared before him.


    Experiencing the game-like screen of the system in the dungeon wasn''t anything special, but using it in reality, was a completely different experience.


    Heading towards the mirror, Adam couldn''t see the system''s screen in the mirror''s reflection, so assumed that nobody other him would be able to see it.


    However looking at his inventory, he was disappointed to see that he only had 10 spaces within it.


    {The host currently only has 10 storage spaces within the inventory, unlike the 100 spaces that the host has in the dungeon. For every space that the host wants to add, it will cost 10,000 system points} stated the system shamelessly.


    [This is extortion] exclaimed Adam who was shocked by the price of increasing his inventory by a single space.


    [No wonder such an incredible feature of the system was so cheap. But it is still incredible and 10 spaces is enough] thought Adam to himself.


    He still had 14,091 system points left and also had 78,360 gold, but he was satisfied with how much he had spent and didn''t want to spend any more than he needed to.


    Walking over to his wardrobe, Adam let out a sigh of relief after seeing that the sabre was still tucked under a pile of clothes in the corner of the wardrobe.


    He had been busy over the past few days and had forgotten to check, but luckily it seemed untouched and just how he left it.


    Holding the sabre in his hands he felt his body have a qualitative increase in strength as he placed the sabre within the inventory in the same way he would do so within the dungeon.


    The system worked based on his intention and as long as he was willing and intending for a certain thing, to do with the system, to occur, it would.


    Adam could place and withdraw items from the inventory as much as he pleased, as long as he willed for it to occur.


    With the sabre in his inventory, he was finally able to check its effects.


    C- Rank Angelo''s Platinum Sabre


    Effects:


    +2 in resistance


    +3 in strength


    +2 in speed


    Its effects were great and Adam was pleased with it and before he could move on to spending his stat points, his phone suddenly began ringing.

 Chapter 96: Realisations

    Looking at his phone it was Elizabeth and Adam was excited to answer, hoping that his motorcycle was finally ready.


    "Hello" greeted Adam as he answered the phone.


    "Hi, it has been a while. I have sent a car over to your building that is waiting outside to bring you over" stated Elizabeth.


    "Is it ready?" asked Adam, but before he could receive an answer, Elizabeth ended the call.


    Elizabeth would always speak directly and make sure what she had to say was concise over the phone as she ended the call before Adam could speak.


    "So annoying, always ending the call on me" mumbled Adam frustratedly.


    Walking out of his room, his aunt seemed to be already out and looking on the table he found a large plate of food and a note.


    Adam hadn''t seen much of his aunt over the past few days, as he was completely focused on hunting in the dungeon, and also hadn''t seen Sarah in a while.


    Reading the note it stated that she was out for the day and probably wouldn''t be back until late, so she left him a large meal and he could feed himself for the rest of the day.


    Adam was happy that his aunt was busying herself and had something to do the entire day, but he felt slightly worried about her and was curious about what she was doing.


    Suppressing his curiosity and paranoid nature, Adam ate the meal slowly, to annoy Elizabeth who had a car waiting for him outside his building, and after getting changed into a set of casual clothing and tying up his hair, Adam was ready to leave.


    He felt much safer with the sabre, that increased his overall stats by 7 points, with him all the time, stored within his inventory, and was excited to see what Elizabeth needed him for.


    There was a completely blacked out car waiting outside his building with tinted windows, and Adam who was wearing his contact lenses wasn''t planning to reveal himself as the masked ally of the Auction House, but merely as a young friend of Elizabeth.


    Getting into the back of the car, the driver began driving without saying a word as he drove towards their destination.


    Adam recognised the direction that the car was driving towards as the direction of the Silver Moon Auction House and wasn''t worried about his safety with Elizabeth''s subordinate.


    And even if there was danger, he felt much more confident in his capabilities with the C- Rank Sabre in his inventory and his increased strength that was already equivalent to a rank 2 cultivator.


    Looking at his status, Adam decided to spend all 3 of the stat points that he had on speed, increasing it to 31 points, making it equivalent to an early rank 2.


    Adam knew that it was a long drive to the Silver Moon Auction House, from the time that he had went with Cole. Adam and Cole lived on the edge of Brooklyn, while the Silver Moon Auction House was situated on the edge of the inner areas of Brooklyn, which were quite far away from each other.


    With the time he had until he reached his destination, Adam decided he would ask the system anything that he was curious about or wanted to know about.


    He was not only passing the time, but also receiving answers to any questions that he might have, as he began thinking about anything that he was unsure about.


    After thinking about it for a while, he finally found something that he wanted to request from the system.


    [System is there another way to represent an opponents strength rather than looking at their status, as going over an entire status takes too long and is distracting in the middle of a battle] asked Adam.


    {Combat Power is another way that the strength of a being can be represented. If the host wishes to use this measurement, the system will begin to use it} offered the system.


    [How does it work] asked Adam before making his decision.


    {It will give the host an average rating of the opponent''s stats and will specify whether the opponent is an Internal Cultivator, External Cultivator or both, giving the host an idea of their cultivation level. For example, the host''s current Combat Power would be: IE29.9} explained the system.


    It showed him the average of all his stats, revealed whether the opponent was an Internal Cultivator, External Cultivator or both, and was a quick way to gauge the strength of an opponent.


    Although it didn''t show the opponents weakest stats, which the full status displayed, it was enough to gauge the power level of an opponent and was much faster to look at.


    Seeing that, Adam decided that he would keep both the status and Combat Power measurement and use them interchangeably depending on the situation.


    Adam had come to realise that most stats were the same for the cultivation level of both Internal and External Cultivators but the difference was that Internal Cultivators had IESP while External Cultivators had EESP.


    However, External Cultivators constantly displayed their strength level and had a physically powerful body, while Internal Cultivators had to reinforce their bodies with their internal energy in order to display as much physical power as an External Cultivator.


    Although Internal Cultivators were disadvantaged in that sense, they had the capability of using more skills that required Internal Energy, which also gave them other advantages over External Cultivators such as ranged attacks.


    Adam wasn''t completely sure about which stats were designated to each cultivator as he was yet to see the stats of both an External Cultivator and Internal Cultivator, but he had a rough idea of how the system differentiated them.


    Overall he had come to realise that External and Internal Cultivators both were very similar in terms of power, but both had their advantages and traits that made them different.


    Luckily he was blessed to be able to cultivate both Internally and Externally at the same time, allowing him to display more strength than anybody at the same cultivation level as him and allowing him to have the advantages of both types of cultivators.


    However so far he had only come across one other cultivator that was an Internal Cultivator, which was his master, and even with his master, he wasn''t really sure whether he really was and what he was capable of.


    With the new way of represented the strength level of cultivators, Adam''s mind was still thinking about any other realisations or things that he wanted to clarify with the system.


    Without much else to do, Adam was collecting all his thoughts and assumptions, then after confirming them with the system, forming a storage of useful and factual information.


    [System my summoned beasts can take damage without using my IESP right?] asked Adam within his mind.


    Adam was becoming more in tune with the use of his Internal Energy and was understanding it more, despite it being automatically used through the system.


    He had gathered after using his Collector Skill many times, that the initial energy was used to form the body of the summon, which was formed into existence with his energy, then for each minute it was summoned for, it would use his Internal Energy to sustain its energy form.


    However, the damage that the summon took wouldn''t require him to use his IESP to recover it and that was something that the system would do automatically to keep the summon in its peak state.


    If Adam''s summons could sustain damage without Adam''s IESP being used up, it would greatly increase the length that he could use his summons for.


    However knowing that his summons were intelligent, they may hate him for it and he needed to gain some information from the system before making any decisions.


    {The host is correct. After summoning a beast, the host is using an auto-recovery feature of the Collector Skill in order to keep the summons at their peak state, which made it so that they sustain damage at the cost of the host''s Internal Energy} confirmed the system.


    {Would the host like to deactivate this feature of the Collector Skill} asked the system.


    [Before I decide, explain to me the pros and cons of doing so] stated Adam.


    {If the host does do so, the host will save energy and won''t be affected when the host''s summons take damage. However the summons will be weakened during the battle and after they have been damaged, the host can no longer recover them. If the host retracts his summons, their recovery speed is 10 minutes for every 10 HP, 1 EESP or 1 IESP lost during the battle. The host will still be able to summon the weakened and damaged beasts, but they will be of less use} summarised the system.


    [What happens if they die] asked Adam.


    {If the summons die, then they will lose all memories that they have gained, which included all their experiences that made up their combat prowess. They would also be locked for use until their bodies had recovered twice over in order to be reformed from death, then recover to their peak state} answered the system.


    Despite knowing that his summons would probably hate him for doing so, Adam knew it was a necessary sacrifice in order to preserve his IESP while in battle.


    [Deacitvte the auto-recovery feature of the Collector Skill] ordered Adam as he finally reached his destination.

 Chapter 97: Development

    The car reached a halt outside of the building that Adam recognised as the Silver Moon Auction House.


    Now looking at the building more closely, Adam could see that it was large and had around 10 floors. Despite it being quite large and modern, compared to the large buildings in the centre of Brooklyn, it wasn''t anything special.


    But for the time being, it was enough for Elizabeth to be able to lay the foundation for her organisation and was a good investment that would increase in value over time.


    "We have arrived sir, please follow me" stated the driver respectfully as he left the car and opened the door for Adam.


    Adam followed the man silently as he looked around and noted down everything that he was seeing in the area.


    The first time he had been at the Auction House, he was only going because Cole had wanted him to go with him, but this time around he had become partnered with their organisation and needed to see what he was working with.


    The man that drove him, wore an all-black suit and was very uptight and serving as he led Adam to the single lift in the building that led to the top floor.


    As he reached the top floor, Adam realised that it wasn''t part of the Auction House structure.


    "The top floor is the boss''s quarters and where the boss also hosts any guests that she has. While the floor bellow that of the boss is where all of her loyal members of the Auction House reside" explained the guard after seeing Adam''s curious expression.


    The escort knew that Adam was a prestigious guest of the Auction House and knew that telling Adam some small things about the building wouldn''t be an issue.


    [That is a good set up that ensures her safety and allows her too keep her subordinates close and nurture them with loyalty towards her] thought Adam to himself as he exited the lift with his escort.


    The top floor was clean and modern, but wasn''t fancy and overdone, which Adam liked.


    Cole''s penthouse was too fancy and luxurious for Adam''s liking and it made him feel uncomfortable, but the top floor of the Silver Moon Auction House had the luxury needed for one to enjoy their stay, but it didn''t flaunt its wealth and make Adam feel out of place.


    Elizabeth''s wealth was clearly shown by the building that her organisation was based in, which was superior to any of the small gangs and small cultivation organisations. However, it still was nothing compared to the larger families and Adam knew that her reserves were rapidly being burnt in order to sustain the Silver Moon Auction House and rebuild it after the attack.


    Adam was led to a large office, that had a relaxed and comfortable vibe with a few sofas and minor decorations.


    "You may leave" stated Elizabeth to Adam''s escort as she welcomed Adam and closed the door behind her.


    Elizabeth was very careful and there weren''t many of her own subordinates that she completely trusted.


    "So, why did you call me here?" asked Adam as he jumped onto a sofa and lay comfortably.


    He had no reason to be reserved around Elizabeth after everything he had done for her and she was also pleased that he felt comfortable around her as their partnership continued to be strengthened by the trust that they had for each other.


    "Well there are a few reasons that I called you here, and we will get onto your custom vehicle if you can be patient" stated Elizabeth as she sat opposite Adam who lay comfortably.


    Elizabeth liked to act mature and calm, but Adam knew she was just as petty and childish as he was in certain situations and knew that it was all an act.


    "Hurry up then, spit it out" urged Adam who was becoming annoyed with Elizabeth who liked to delay revealing things to Adam.


    "First of all I have chosen 50 of the most talented and determined members of my organisation and I wanted to run them by you before allowing them to cultivate the method that you provided me" stated Elizabeth.


    "I don''t really care, if you trust them, they should be fine. And if they betray the organisation just kill them, it''s not a big deal" replied Adam nonchalantly wanting to get onto the custom vehicle that he had been waiting for.


    "You can''t just go around killing people and sooner or later you will get yourself arrested" screamed Elizabeth annoyed by how frivolously and uncaringly Adam was willing to kill, no longer able to keep up the mature act.


    "Ha, look who has slipped out of character" scoffed Adam as he annoyed Elizabeth even more.


    However despite teasing her, Adam could see the care and truth behind her words, and he needed to be more careful, otherwise, it was only a matter of time before they matched his identity with the hooded criminal, that he knew was inevitably wanted.


    There were also officers that were following his every move, like the officer that he had heard enter the top floor that the monk was in just after he had entered the hidden exit, so Adam wasn''t planning on committing any crimes any time soon, unless it was necessary.


    After Elizabeth and Adam went back and forth for a while, Elizabeth managed to calm down and was ready to move on.


    Adam without his Hunter''s mind in control was quite reckless and free-spirited, while Elizabeth was very uptight and cautious, which made their personalities clash.


    The Hunter''s mind, despite being very cautious and paranoid, also resorted to killing as the easiest option to solving any issue and was always swaying Adam to act quickly and not allow his actions to be decided by his emotions. While the Hunter''s mind also was having less of an effect on Adam''s personality and actions as Adam found a balance between the control of his own mind and the Hunter''s mind that gave him the best results.


    Despite their small arguments, they both knew that neither of them held malicious intentions towards each other and were only looking out for each other''s backs. However, both of them were only doing so to increase their own strength and influence using each other.


    The mutual benefit of their partnership was what made their relationship so strong and allowed both of them to look past each other''s faults.


    "Secondly I wanted to tell you that within a week I am planning to reopen the auction house for business, as you probably know that our funds are running low and we need to reveal ourselves to the world but as a neutral organisation that isn''t looking for conflict" informed him Elizabeth.


    Adam agreed with her decision to do so and nodded his head in approval.


    "Thirdly, your weird subordinate has been training nonstop and has only stopped to eat the food that we gave him and every time I went down to see him, he would be asking for you" stated Elizabeth.


    "Then lead me to him," said Adam wanting to see how much Chase had progressed.


    Standing up Elizabeth began leading the way to Chase''s quarters, which was large and filled with any training equipment that one could desire.


    "So, is it ready?" asked Adam while she was leading him to where Chase was.


    "Yes, I will take you to it after you visit your crazy subordinate" answered Elizabeth, finally confirming that Adam''s vehicle was ready.


    He couldn''t help but have a small smile, excited to drive it and see what it was like.


    Although Adam had never driven a motorcycle, he had seen a few videos and manuals online, and it didn''t seem to be very difficult.


    As soon as Elizabeth opened the door to Chase''s quarters and Chase saw Adam standing beside her, he ran towards Adam like a child that had seen their parent after not seeing them for a long time.


    To others, he was a calm unshakable wall that acted as a monk, but with Adam, he was merely a child that was happy to see his father.


    [Did the monk inheritance that he gained fry his brain. Why is he so weird] thought Adam to himself as Chase embraced him with a large warm bear hug.


    "I missed you master... I mean boss" stated Chase as he put down Adam.


    Adam gauging Chase''s power was shocked to find that it had increased since the last time that he had seen him and it was only slightly below his own.


    He could sense that Chase had become a rank 2 cultivator, but his strength in terms of stats was below his own. However considering the hardening ability that Chase had, Adam was unsure if he himself could even defeat Chase with his full power.


    [This weird fellow is so talented and powerful, but has the mind of a child. He was probably overwhelmed by the knowledge that the Monk Inheritance gave him and his entire personality and mind must have been changed into one that only cares about meditation and training. However, after coming across me who was the first to beat him, it seems that he was desperate for a senior figure to look up to and follow, so I was the lucky one that gained such an incredible and weird subordinate] analysed Adam from everything that he had gathered about Chase.


    His analysis was almost completely correct, but it wasn''t that Chase was desperate for a senior figure, but it was more of his mind and body willingly submitting to Adam because of an unexplainable feeling that he had while in the presence of Adam.


    Adam wasn''t completely sure why Chase had submitted to him so easily, but whatever it was, Adam was glad to have a subordinate like Chase and wasn''t going to complain.


    "Do you want to battle boss?" asked Chase excitedly, wanting to test out his strength after he had improved.


    "Sure, why not" agreed Adam as he prepared to fight against Chase.

 Chapter 98: Friendly Bout Part 1

    Elizabeth was excited to see what Chase and Adam were capable of, but she couldn''t help but think to herself that both of them were crazy in their own way.


    It was as though Adam was Chase''s father, but Adam was younger than Chase and physically smaller. Both of them also didn''t care about anything to do with the world and were only focused on cultivation and their own power, which was understandable after realising how insignificant ordinary things were in comparison to cultivation.


    Elizabeth was also ignorant to the enthralling and exhilarating sensation and the satisfaction that one felt as their strength was enhanced and improved through cultivation, so would never truly be able to understand why people became so addicted to strengthening themselves after beginning to cultivate.


    Elizabeth had managed to sense energy after being around it for such a long time and had quite a strong spiritual sense, which is the sixth sense that Internal Cultivators have that allows them to sense energy, but she had never been able to cultivate no matter how much she tried.


    Her body just wasn''t capable of storing more energy than that of an average human that didn''t cultivate, and she had a unique constitution that had never been seen before.


    Every human was capable of storing small amounts of Internal or External Energy to strengthen their body slightly above what one would expect from an ordinary human, no matter what their talent for cultivation was like, but Elizabeth''s body rejected any energy that she attempted to absorb and store within her body.


    She tried everything that she could think of to try and cultivate, but gave up after failing to do so after so many years of trying.


    However deep down in her heart she was hoping that there was still a solution to her problem, and seeing the incredible and miraculous feats that Adam was capable of despite his ordinary cultivation, she had slight hopes that he could help her.


    She moved to the edge of the large training room and sat on a chair, while Chase and Adam stood opposite each other with a 5-metre gap between them in the large hall-like training room.


    "Master I must warn you that my strength has increased and I am now a rank 2 Novice Cultivator, I have also increased my skills from the last time we battled. But don''t worry master, even if I beat you I will still be your subordinate" stated Chase respectfully.


    Chase''s words were unintentionally looking down on Adam and implying that he believed that he would beat him, but Adam didn''t pay heed to what Chase said and wasn''t offended by them.


    "I am pleased you will still choose to be my subordinate. But I have to disappoint you and tell you that there is no chance that you will be able to beat me" refuted Adam as he cracked his knuckles and stretched his body, ready to fight against Chase.


    He knew he wouldn''t be able to see his status as Chase wasn''t a being with malicious intent towards him, but from what he could sense and from what he had heard from Chase, he had only just broken through into rank 2 and would have stats that were similar to Adam''s.


    Chase was definitely superior to Adam in terms of resistance, but Adam would be superior in terms of energy reserves, speed and intelligence.


    Adam still wanted the Status Peering Feature of the system, but remembering that it was 100,000 system points, he knew that he had no chance of affording it any time soon and he to rely on his sharp senses to gauge the power of an opponent.


    "Master are you read..." asked Chase before being interrupted by Adam who charged towards him.


    Adam knew that he didn''t have a particular advantage over Chase and if he wasn''t going to use his summons, he had to rely on his skill and needed to outsmart Chase that was a powerful juggernaut in comparison to himself.


    Dashing towards him, Chase also dashed towards Adam and displayed speed that was similar to his, as Chase knowing how Adam fought wanted to strike first.


    Adam was the embodiment of dirty fighting and the idea that there were no rules in battle was cemented into his head as he narrowly dodged Chase''s attack and looked around him for anything that he could use to get the upper hand.


    He could see two daggers on a rack of weapons, that Elizabeth had prepared for Chase if he wanted to train with them, but he didn''t want to harm Chase or deal him permanent damage, so decided to use something else instead.


    Before chase could react or grab him, Adam dashed towards the rack of weapons and swiftly snatched two short wooden batons that he could use as daggers.


    The handle was wider and it was heavier than what he would expect from a dagger, but its length was perfect for a dagger, and because it was blunt, he could use it without worrying about dealing Chase too much damage.


    With his Dual Wielding Mastery at 10%, it wasn''t hard for Adam to use two weapons at once and to adapt to the two batons as he dashed towards Chase who seemed to have activated his hardening ability.


    Adam observing Chase could see that his movements were slightly slower and were restricted slightly, and he assumed that it was a cost of using the hardening ability of his.


    [It seems that the hardening ability no matter how great it is, restricts his movements and lowers his speed. No wonder he took all my attacks head-on when we first fought and didn''t attempt to counter] observed Adam.


    Seeing that he had a small advantage in speed, now that Chase had activated his hardening, Adam began to create distance between himself and Chase planing to use the Dual Slash Skill.


    With a blunt weapon, the cutting power and damage of the Dual Slash Skill would be reduced massively as the energy blades were released through the weapon that was used and takes the shape of the blade.


    But that was exactly what Adam wanted in the current situation he was in, as he didn''t want to harm Chase, and was the only reason he was comfortable using the skill against him.


    He had thought about whether or not to reveal the Dual Slash Skill to Elizabeth and Chase, but he decided that he would as it wasn''t something that he was going to hide like the Unique Collector Skill and wasn''t anything amazing anyway. He also trusted Chase and Elizabeth and knew that they also knew of skills that cultivators could use and what they were capable of.


    After he had made enough distance between himself and Chase who was trying to get close to Adam, he finally felt as though he had enough space to activate the Dual Slash Skill comfortably.


    Elizabeth and Chase that were watching Adam were confused by his actions, that didn''t make sense as he picked up a weapon then ran away from his opponent.


    But neither of them doubted his ability and were curious to see what he was going to do next.


    Dual Slash


    Adam crossed the wooden batons across his chest as he streamed Internal Energy stored in his dantian, which was in his lower abdomen, into his arms then into the weapons he was holding.


    He decided only to use 2 IESP through the skill, which was the minimum energy requirement and had 1 IESP worth of energy and power in each of the two blades slashed out.


    Flinging the two blades towards Chase, Adam observed that they were blunt and wouldn''t cut his skin, but the power behind the blades were what he would expect from if he used it with a sharp weapon.


    Chase was only a few metres away from Adam and had no chance of dodging the Dual Slash as he put his arms up to dodge the attack.


    Chase was flung sliding backwards as the impact damaged his arms and rattled him slightly.


    However, Adam could see that it didn''t have much of an effect on Chase and the skill''s power was greatly weakened when being used through a blunt weapon.


    "Nice attack master, but it isn''t powerful to break past my defence" stated Chase.


    "Chase you need to watch what you say and also how you say it as you can reveal your weaknesses to your opponent in a battle like you did the first time I faced you" advised Adam.


    Chase had become too ignorant after gaining the monk inheritance and it was as though his past experiences and common sense had all been wiped and he had to be taught how the world worked again.


    However that could be seen as a good thing, and Adam could use it to make him cautious, ruthless and knowledgable about how people really were deep down.


    "It seems I need to use some more power against you after your defence has improved" stated Adam with a smile.


    Both Chase and Adam were starting to get serious and enjoying the battle, while Elizabeth watched in awe of the leap in strength that Chase and Adam had displayed after a few days.

 Chapter 99: Friendly Bout Part 2

    Chase''s hardening had increased in defensive power while he had also improved in all other aspects that one would expect from an External Cultivator.


    However, while he had his hardening activated, Adam had a slight advantage in speed which he was planning to exploit.


    Chase knew that Adam had found the weakness that he had while in the hardened form, but he wasn''t worried about anything that Adam was capable of and it was only a slight decrease in speed.


    Charging towards Adam, his movements seemed more refined than the previous time that he had faced against Adam and he was no longer charging wildly, but was keeping his balance and running in a way that allowed him to easily be able to change directions and make sudden movements.


    Looking at Chase''s feet and the way he was moving, it seemed simple and normal, but as Chase charged towards him, he felt as though it was unusual.


    [What a weird technique] thought Adam to himself as he couldn''t understand how Chase''s movements had changed to make it seem as though his movements were faster.


    Despite not understanding Chase''s movements, Adam didn''t let that faze or distract him as he prepared to evade Chase''s frontal attack.


    Chase swung a wide right hook to Adam''s head which he was about to duck under, but suddenly Chase changed attack and aimed to strike Adam''s stomach with his left hand.


    Adam, noticing the sudden change, jumped back and managed to evade the left strike, but he couldn''t help but praise Chase''s adaptability.


    Chase had copied that move from when Adam had faced him and attempted to distract him with a fake attack, but he had never expected Chase to use it back on him.


    The large juggernaut didn''t stop there and continued his forwards charge, wanting to overwhelm and corner Adam with an onslaught of powerful attacks.


    However Adam wasn''t going to allow Chase to initiate the cycle of attacks with him on the receiving end, and just as Chase went in for the next attack, Adam swiftly struck him on the face with a wooden baton.


    The strike was swift and fast, and Chase who was mid-attack, had no chance of avoiding it as the attack stunned him.


    Adam knew that the attack wouldn''t have much of an effect on the hardened Chase, but he was planning to stun and shock him with it, and while he was recovering from the shock, he could gain the upper hand.


    In the second of hesitation after being struck in the face, Adam swept Chase''s legs and pushed his body with all his strength, causing Chase to fall backwards onto the hard ground head first.


    The strike didn''t hurt Chase''s head much, but he was dazed slightly by the shock and that was exactly what Adam wanted as he made some distance between himself and Chase who was getting up.


    The system made it easier for Adam to use his energy through skills that he gained through the system and done everything for him automatically, but after experiencing the sensation many times and understanding where his Internal Energy Storage was, he was becoming more accustomed to the use of Internal Energy.


    Internal Energy, unlike External Energy that was spread all around his body and used through physical action, was stored in one area and needed the cultivator to use it for themselves.


    [If you took the Dual Slash that I used 2 IESP for, why don''t I increase the amount of energy] thought Adam to himself.


    Adam was yet to use the skill with more than 5 IESP and wanted to test out how much power he was capable of producing using it.


    {Ding, the Dual Slash Skill is capped at 10 IESP and the host will not be able to use any more energy than that through the skill} notified the system.


    {In order for the host to use more energy through the skill the host must become an Advanced Cultivator} stated the system.


    With that in mind, Adam knew that he could only use 10 IESP through the Dual Slash Skill, which was slightly disappointing.


    But after witnessing the power of 5 IESP, he was excited to test out how powerful the Dual Slash would be if he used 10 IESP through it.


    Dual Slash


    Pouring as much energy as he could into his arms then into the wooden batons, knowing that it was capped, after streaming what felt like 10 IESP into the attack, he could no longer stream any more energy into the attack and he prepared to release it at Chase who was charging towards him.


    His arms were bursting with energy as he passed the energy onto the wooden batons and crossed them against his chest.


    "I told you that skill won''t be able to harm me" bellowed Chase as he continued his charge unafraid of Adam''s attack.


    "He, we will see about that" scoffed Adam as he slashed outwards with all his strength, increasing the forward momentum and speed of the energy blades.


    Instantly Chase felt danger and Elizabeth was scared of the power that Adam unleashed as the crossed Dual Blades blitzed through the air and struck Chase''s chest.


    Despite them being blunt, the power alone was enough to break through a wall as Chase was launched flying backwards and crashed into a wall that was 15 metres behind him.


    If Chase didn''t have his hardening activated, an attack like that could have killed him as Adam himself was shocked by the power of the strike that he unleashed.


    [It seems that the explosive power of the skill doesn''t increase, but the power behind the blades of energy increases and is enough to launch an opponent flying backwards] observed Adam.


    What amazed him about the energy blades that the Dual Slash Skill allowed him to produce was that after striking the opponent, they didn''t disintegrate and the blades followed through for as long as they had energy.


    That meant that if he had used a sharp weapon to produce them, if he provided enough energy, it wouldn''t stop until it cut through the opponent, while with a blunt weapon, it would cause severe internal damage from the impact.


    Chase upon crashing into the wall left a deep imprint in the wall as he blurted out a large curdle of blood from the impact and suffered internal injuries that were caused by both the attack and by slamming into the wall.


    "Are you okay Chase" called out Adam as he walked over to Chase that after falling back onto the floor was struggling to breath.


    "Yes master, I will be able to recover" answered Chase through the blood that was arising into his mouth.


    It was a gory scene to behold and Elizabeth was extremely worried, but Chase himself weirdly had a smile on his face despite what had happened.


    ''I knew that master was the right person and it seems that even though our cultivation level is the same, I still can''t beat him'' thought Chase to himself.


    With the recovery speed of a rank 2 and if he continuously circulated his energy to increase his recovery speed, Chase would be able to recover in a few days, so there was nothing to worry about.


    "Chase that was a good battle, but you need to work on not revealing your abilities and weaknesses to your opponent and also always try to find something that will give you an advantage over the opponent like a weapon, as if not there is a higher chance that you will lose" advised Adam after seeing all of the faults that Chase had made in their friendly bout.


    "I appreciate your advice master and will consider it in our next battle" thanked Chase respectfully as he entered a meditative cultivation state to recover his injuries.


    "I will be going for a few days, and when I return I will see how much you have improved in another battle" stated Adam before leaving with Elizabeth.


    Chase heard his master but didn''t answer after entering his meditative state as Adam and Elizabeth left him to recover.


    "Are you sure he will be fine after the injury that he suffered?" asked Elizabeth as she was dragged away by Adam.


    "Yeah, don''t worry about him, just give him a few days to recover and he will be as good as new. After all, he is my subordinate" reassured Adam.


    "If that''s how you treat your subordinates, then I pray for them all. How could you use such a powerful skill against your own subordinate?" scolded Elizabeth.


    "I knew he could take it and I was clearly holding back" refuted Adam.


    Hearing that she was shocked and she couldn''t help but wonder where the weird animals that he used against the Wolf Fang Gang were and what he was truly capable of if he was still holding back.


    "Now that everything else has been completed, it''s finally time for you to give me my vehicle that I have been waiting for all this time" stated Adam excitedly.


    "Yes, so you can finally get out of here" agreed Elizabeth.


    "Hey, you''re the one that called me here in the first place" refuted Adam as he began bickering with Elizabeth again while she led him to where the vehicle was being kept.

 Chapter 100: Custom Vehicle

    Elizabeth led Adam to the lift then they went down to a floor that was below the ground floor. However, the button wasn''t on the lift and it required Elizabeth''s fingerprint in order to access it.


    "Wow, you even have a secret lair under your building. Is that even legal" teased Adam.


    "Since when did you care about the law when you go around killing people as you please" refuted Elizabeth defensively.


    While refurbishing the building over the past few days she had managed to create a small underground lair for herself which only she could access through the lift that she had extended to reach underground.


    "I have formed a small underground room for secret plans and meetings and only me and one other person have the access to get inside" informed him Elizabeth.


    "And who is this person" asked Adam, not wanting to reveal his identity as a cultivator to another person.


    "The one that designed and engineered the underground room and also the weird motorcycle that you asked for" answered Elizabeth.


    "Meet Jaspar" stated Elizabeth as the lift reached a halt and the door opened to reveal a short man that seemed to be in his thirties.


    He wore a lab coat and glasses as he turned around to greet Adam.


    "Nice to meet you trusted friend of lady Elizabeth" greeted Jaspar respectfully as he shook Adam''s hand.


    Adam before shaking his hand checked to see whether he could sense any energy within Jaspar''s body, but he couldn''t and assumed that he wasn''t a cultivator.


    However, he was still careful as he shook his hand, knowing that if a cultivator was much stronger than him he wouldn''t be able to gauge their strength or tell whether they were a cultivator, just like with his master.


    "You gave me an almost impossible task to produce you a motorcycle that needs to be able to change models and licence plates at the press of a button, but I have managed to create a prototype that is working and has a similar function to what you asked for" narrated Jaspar getting straight into business.


    [This guy is weird and he seems to be very respectful to Elizabeth and me because I came with her. But if he was capable of designing this underground lair and my motorcycle with unique specifications, in such a short amount of time, then he must be very capable and useful] thought Adam to himself.


    He walked over to what was obviously a motorcycle covered in a cloak and pulled off the cloak with a proud expression.


    "Give me a quick rundown of its schematics and what it is capable of, then I need to leave" stated Adam.


    He wasn''t intentionally being rude, but he felt uncomfortable in a secluded underground room with an unknown individual that he couldn''t confirm wasn''t a cultivator.


    Jaspar wasn''t fazed in the slightest by Adam''s blatant disrespect and did exactly as he instructed. It was as if he was Elizabeth''s servant and with a nod of approval from Elizabeth, he began doing as Adam had said.


    "Okay, I have used these specifications and parts to produce..." Jaspal gave Adam a detailed rundown of all the different parts that were used in the process of creating the motorbike, which Adam memorised, just in case he needed to know about it in the future when maintaining his motorcycle.


    "So now move on to what is it capable of" stated Adam after receiving the schematics of the motorcycle.


    "Yes as you know from the parts, the motor and interior parts of the motorcycle don''t change, but the exterior of the motorcycle, which includes the frame and the licence plate, can flip over. On one side is an ordinary motorcycle that seems to be of average quality and has an official licence plate and papers, while on the other side is a completely blacked-out motorcycle that has no licence plate and is untraceable.


    While it is flipped into the blank form, it is more streamline and is effected less by air resistance, so is the better choice for when you wish to travel at great speeds. The ordinary form also has a capped speed so that it isn''t revealed that it can change and matches the model that it is displaying.


    The metal that the exterior is formed out of is bulletproof while the wheels are 5 times more durable than ordinary wheels and were created using a highly dense and durable rubber. It can reach 200 miles per hour comfortably, but I would not recommend you to stay at that speed for too long as it will rapidly use fuel and will be hard for you to control" summarised Jaspal.


    Before Adam could even reply or react, Jaspal had already begun talking again at a very fast speed that he talked in.


    "I have also gone through the extra effort of creating for you some motorcycle wear, which will protect you from any dangers that may come with the fast speed of the motorcycle and are formed using expensive durable leather that has carbon fibre woven into it" continued Jaspal as he scurried to the corner of the room and handed to Adam what seemed to be an ordinary leather jacket and pants.


    "And I have finally also created for you a helmet that has bulletproofing and is a durable material, but I wouldn''t advise you to shoot a gun at your head at a close distance, unless you want to blow your brain''s out" advised Jaspal as he handed over to Adam a completely black helmet.


    Adam was silent for a few seconds as he digested all the information that Jaspal had bombarded onto him, but looking at the motorbike before him it seemed ordinary and nothing special.


    Which was exactly how he wanted it to be when he rode it himself, and he was excited to test out how it looked while it was flipped into the untrackable all-black form. But before he did that, he had some questions for Jaspal.


    Everything seemed perfect and too good to be true, which was what made Adam become slightly wary of who Jaspal was and how he was capable of such great feats.


    "Who exactly are you?" asked Adam as he approached the comparingly short Jaspal and glared straight into his eyes.


    Although the contact lenses that Adam was wearing were reducing the intimidating factor of his red eyes, what truly allowed him to intimidate and instil fear into his enemies was his thick killing intent that his Bloodlust characteristic gave him.


    Adam was learning to use his killing intent that formed an aura around him to bear down and put pressure on a target, which would make them fear him and make them more likely to submit to him.


    "Um, um, I am Jaspal just like I told you" stuttered Jaspal as he backed away from Adam frightened by his eyes and aura.


    The previous intelligent and confident attitude that Jaspal displayed disappeared as he began to visibly shake in fear.


    [Well that confirms that he isn''t a cultivator and he is surprisingly weak willed] thought Adam to himself as he saw Jaspal submit to him.


    "But who are you really, where did you come from, where did you study, tell me everything about you" enquired Adam as he continued to approach Jaspal that was slowly backing away from him.


    "I am Elizabeth''s servant and am born from an ancient family that used to serve Elizabeth''s ancient family and my life''s purpose is to serve Elizabeth. In order to do so I studied in everything you could imagine to become her trusted informant and assistant as the last survivor of my servent family" blurted out Jaspal who was finding it hard to withhold any information from Adam.


    "Leave him alone Adam" stated Elizabeth as she tried to pull him away from Jaspal.


    Adam was instantly worried that he had gotten into a partnership with somebody that had a much larger background than he had imagined as his hunter instincts kicked in.


    "I do not wish to harm anybody, but my main priority is my own survival and safety, so do not make any sudden movements and force my hand until I am comfortable and have gathered enough information from you both" warned Adam who realised just how much he didn''t know about the two that stood in the secret lair with him.


    From his tone and aura, Elizabeth knew he wasn''t joking and felt that she had no other choice but to tell Adam the story of her ancestors and that of Jaspal''s family, that was a loyal servant family to her own.


    After hearing everything that she told him, it was obvious to Adam that the other families that were on par with her ancient family in the past were the current large families of New York.


    "Okay fine, but you should have told me about this sooner" stated Adam who was beginning to calm down after Elizabeth had explained her past along with Jaspal''s.


    "You crazy bastard, I really thought you were going to kill us there" exclaimed Elizabeth after seeing that Adam had calmed down.


    "You should have been honest with me in the first place" stated Adam as he shrugged off her insults uncaringly.

 Chapter 101: Wisdom Stat

    Adam was glad after hearing his past which not only proved to him that she was more capable and worthy of working with him, but also revealed to him her reason to want to succeed.


    With such a big weight that she was carrying from her ancestors, Elizabeth had great ambition and drive and was exactly what Adam needed from a partner.


    It also showed him that the world wasn''t as big as it seemed and he was lucky to have made his first step into the underground world of cultivation with a steady foundation and partner.


    He was also beginning to realise that New York wasn''t as big as it seemed and the large families of new york that each governed one borough would have spread to the rest of the country and the world if there wasn''t something stopping them. Which showed him that they weren''t the only cultivation families he had to be wary of and there were stronger and more influential cultivators out there in the world.


    However, he made sure not to think too big yet with his current strength which was measly in comparison to the large families, let alone any bigger organisations.


    "So why don''t you tell us about your past and who you are" stated Elizabeth.


    "Nah, I don''t feel like it" answered Adam who didn''t want anyone to find his aunt or his friends who he knew that even with the Hunter''s mind were his weakness.


    Even though his Hunter''s mind tried to cut his ties with others that would hold him back, he wasn''t willing to do so with his friends and mostly his aunt.


    "How is that fair" complained Elizabeth who knew she had no way to force Adam to do so.


    "Life is unfair, so deal with it and unfourtanetly you can''t kill me, so you won''t get any information from me that I don''t want to give you" stated Adam, teasing Elizabeth who was becoming annoyed.


    "However I will tell you a few things so that you feel comfortable working with me. I have no affiliations and don''t have any family, I also do not know any other cultivator other than Chase and live an ordinary life. It was only recently that I began cultivating" informed them Adam, not wanting to ruin the partnership they had created.


    "But that is all the information I am comfortable revealing and should be enough to allow you to feel safe and secure while working with me" stated Adam.


    "If that is all, I am a busy man and do need to leave. I appreciate the custom vehicle, but I do think my favour was enough to pay for this vehicle and its maintenance fees. If you need anything be sure to call me okay" said Adam as he prepared to leave and take with him the vehicle and the clothing set that was prepared for him.


    Elizabeth couldn''t help but think that Adam was crazy with his easy-going attitude that could suddenly switch to one that was of a paranoid killer and along with that was him always being busy and doing something.


    "Okay, but make sure you be careful and you better not go around killing people or threatening to kill me again" scolded Elizabeth after seeing that Adam had returned to his easy-going self.


    Adam wasn''t crazy, but when his Hunter''s mind, which would lie dormant in most cases that it wasn''t needed, suddenly kicked in, he would become completely different.


    "I will try not to, but do you have a car park in this building for me to try out this vehicle," asked Adam.


    "Why do you need to try it out, it is just like any motorcycle and you should be comfortable riding it if you were able to get a licence" stated Jaspal.


    "What if I don''t have a licence and have never ridden a motorcycle before," asked Adam with a wry smile as he scratched his head.


    "Why the hell are you asking for a motorcycle if you have never ridden one before and don''t have a licence" screamed Elizabeth in annoyance.


    "Do you know how much money I spent and how much time Jaspal spent designing and putting it together?" exclaimed Elizabeth.


    "Don''t worry I can learn, and as for a licence, how hard is it to get a fake one?" asked Adam, not wanting to go through the long process of taking lessons and taking tests in order to get the licence.


    He had already made sure to memorise all the theory and knowledge part of the licence and knew all the safety guidelines and rules that one must know in order to get a licence, and also learnt quite a bit about motorcycles and how they were driven. All that was left was for him to experience it first hand.


    "The money isn''t the problem, but you need to give me some time to get it done through my contacts and until then, you shouldn''t ride the motorcycle" stated Elizabeth sternly not wanting the motorcycle to get destroyed in an accident and also not wanting for Adam to be hurt or arrested because of it.


    "I have heard about you from Elizabeth, as I am her advisor and helper, and I thought something like this would happen with what she had described of your personality" stated Jaspar as he withdrew some papers and a card from a folder that he had prepared.


    "All I need is some identification of yours and a picture of your face and I can have this completed within the hour," said Jaspar with a blank expression.


    Despite the brains he was showing, he wasn''t arrogant and was calm as he acted respectfully before Elizabeth and her partner.


    "Thanks a lot, it seems you are a great asset and maybe are the real brains behind Elizabeth''s operations" thanked Adam, praising the intellect of Jaspal.


    "I knew that Elizabeth was too stupid to make plans like that" mumbled Adam to himself jokingly, getting on Elizabeth''s nerves once again.


    Adam went back to his apartment and brought back with him his passport that he had renewed recently along with his aunt''s as they had both expired, and after his licence was completed, he was excited to test out the motorcycle.


    On his way back to his apartment, he had something that he wanted to ask the system.


    [System if the intelligence stat has nothing to do with the actual mental capacity of an individual, is there a stat that can show the reasoning ability of a person] asked Adam as he sat in the back of the car that was driving him back to his apartment.


    Adam had come to realise that the system would adapt and change to suit him and was there to nurture him and help with his growth by any means necessary. He was able to get past the system''s annoying nature sometimes and was beginning to learn the different ways the system worked and acted in order to help him.


    {Ding, a new stat will be introduced. The Wisdom Stat. The Wisdom Stat along with the Luck and Charisma Stats are special stats that cannot be increased using stat points and require special items, events, circumstances or rewards in order to do so} announced the system.


    [So what does the Wisdom Stat cover] asked Adam, wanting to get all the information from the system before he forgot and the system withheld it from him.


    {It is a measure of a person''s common sense, their ability to discern other people''s motives or feelings and their ability to make rational decisions. Although it is not a direct measure of who has more information or knowledge stored within their mind, it shows who is more likely to make a correct decision. It doesn''t increase with the cultivator''s strength and their rationality, which the Wisdom Stat represents, is only increased through experience} explained the system.


    [System show me my status] ordered Adam.


    {Ding, the host''s current status is:


    Mortal LVL: 16


    Dungeon Form LVL: 2


    EXP: 0 / 6000


    HP: 270 / 270


    IESP: 32 / 32


    EESP: 32 / 32


    Strength: 28


    Speed: 31


    Intelligence: 31


    Resistance: 28


    Wisdom: 10 (5+5)


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5}


    [Why does it say 5+5] asked Adam.


    {5 is the average wisdom level that is expected of an experienced adult and that is the wisdom level that the host was at before integrating with the system. However with the Hunter''s mind, the host is capable of displaying double the rationality that one would expect from an average adult, that is if the Hunter''s mind was in full control and not being suppressed by the host} answered the system.


    Adam was glad that the system had added another stat, but remembering that the Status Peering Feature cost 100,000 system points, Adam knew that he wouldn''t be able to see people''s wisdom points for a long time.


    After Jaspal had forged a fake licence for Adam and somehow hacked into the city''s database and added it in, Adam had everything he needed to finally be able to ride back to his master with his own vehicle.


    He couldn''t help but praise Jaspal''s usefulness and his intellect as he had helped Adam massively with the vehicle, licence and everything else that he had done.


    "You do realise that just because you have a licence now, it doesn''t mean you can actually ride a motorcycle" stated Elizabeth with a hint of mockery in her voice as she ate her food in the underground lair.


    "Well we will see about that and I will show you that I can, I just need an open area to try it out first" refuted Adam, confident that he would be able to ride the motorcycle with everything that he had memorised.

 Chapter 102: Test Drive

    "First things first, let''s test out if it can actually change into the all-black motorbike," said Adam as he walked over to the ordinary-looking motorbike.


    "Press the red button under the handlebar that requires the key in for anything to work" instructed Jaspal as he threw the key over to Adam.


    Adam inserted the key then pressed the button, and instantly the metal exterior of the motorcycle began to move by itself as it flipped itself over to reveal a slender black chrome exterior that had no branding or licence plate and was much slicker.


    "Great, this is better than I imagined and it only took a few seconds to change. All that is left is to actually ride it" stated Adam with an excited expression.


    "Are you crazy, you don''t want to ask how to ride it first before you ride it" exclaimed Elizabeth.


    "Yes Adam, you should be careful and this is a manual motorcycle, so it isn''t as easy to drive as you might think" advised Jaspal.


    "Nah, don''t worry about it. I''ll be fine" reassured Adam nonchalantly as he pressed the button again to change the motorcycle back to its ordinary model.


    Adam overall was pleased with the motorcycle, but the fact that it took 10 seconds to switch models and he couldn''t by riding it while it switched were two things that he was disappointed about.


    Adam got Elizabeth and Jaspal to turn around, and switched into the leather pants, then put the jacket on top of the t-shirt that he was wearing.


    Adam didn''t really care if they saw him in his underwear, but he would prefer if they didn''t and Elizabeth and Jaspal didn''t dare to turn around and peak after experiencing the suffocating and dominating effect of his killing intent.


    "Let''s go, lead the way to the car park that you mentioned" stated Adam as he put the helmet in the small storage that he had specified to Elizabeth.


    It was larger than he had expected and he could hold things on the back of the motorcycle and also had a second larger storage compartment under the seat.


    Elizabeth was annoyed by the recklessness and carelessness that she believed Adam was displaying, but Adam felt confident that with the knowledge he had gathered about motorcycles and how they were driven, he was ready to ride it.


    Taking the motorbike off its stand, Adam wheeled it into the lift and squeezed it into the lift along with Elizabeth and Jaspar.


    "By the way, Jaspal, how old are you?" asked Adam, who didn''t get Jaspar''s age and was unsure of how old he was.


    "I am 25, so am a similar age to Elizabeth and not too much older than you" answered Jaspal who had found out Adam''s date of birth from his passport when he had made the licence for him.


    [I thought he was in his thirties. It seems the cost of seeking only knowledge for your entire life is your physical development and appearance] thought Adam to himself.


    Jaspal wanted to be able to help Elizabeth as much as he could as it was the main purpose of his life, and knowing that he didn''t have the cultivation talent or opportunities to be somebody she could depend on when it came to strength, his only choice was to become as knowledgable as possible and become an advisor that she could rely on.


    ''This Adam fellow isn''t as simple as he seems and he is also progressing too quickly from what Elizabeth is telling me. But I can see that he doesn''t have bad intentions towards Elizabeth, and if so, I will assist him and increase his strength as much as I can if it will increase the power and influence of Elizabeth and get her closer to where she wants to be and where her ancestors once were'' thought Jaspal to himself as both Adam and Jaspar were attempting to gauge what each other were thinking.


    Adam could see that Jaspar wasn''t limited to only having large amounts of knowledge, but also seemed to have good reasoning and probably had a high Wisdom Stat.


    [The perfect advisor. A weak, loyal nerd that is very wise and knowledgable] thought Adam to himself as he was pleased that Elizabeth had such a useful assistant.


    Elizabeth led Adam to a small private car park that she had on the edge of her building that was against the main road and within it was a few completely black range rovers that all had tinted windows.


    "What an imaginative taste in cars" muttered Adam sarcastically.


    "Shut up, its for business and safety purposes and not to be imaginative" refuted Elizabeth.


    "Why don''t you show use your motorcycle skills and show us that you can ride it," said Elizabeth with a mocking expression, believing that Adam wouldn''t be capable of riding it.


    Adam ignored her and got onto his motorbike as he leaned on one leg before starting the motorcycle.


    Putting on the helmet, just to be safe, he wearing a set of protective leather wear and an extremely durable helmet, which along with his high resistance and HP, made it so that he didn''t have much to worry about.


    Inserting the key into his motorcycle, the engine began roaring and Adam following what he had memorised, squeezed the clutch lever in, then slowly eased it out.


    He then pressed down on the gear shift and put the motorcycle into first gear, then turned the right handle, which was the twist throttle, and he accelerated forwards.


    Adam made sure not to make the mistake of turning the throttle too much which would cause the motorcycle to stall, and if that occurred while he was moving, would cause him to flip over.


    Adam was slightly unbalanced while on the motorcycle and quite stiff in its use, but after riding around the small car park and getting used to it, he felt comfortable within a few minutes.


    Elizabeth and Jaspar were shocked by how easy he made it look and were beginning to doubt whether he was lying about not knowing how to ride a motorcycle. But remembering how uncomfortable he was at the start, it was unlikely, and that meant that he really was able to learn how to drive a motorbike in less than 10 minutes.


    "He is quite good isn''t he" stated Jaspar.


    "Yes he is and he might be the key that I needed to open the door to finally realising my dreams" agreed Elizabeth as Adam rode around the small car park.


    He was slowly increasing the speed at which he was driving at, and with his Hunter''s mind and Dual Wielding Mastery at 10%, he was finding the motorcycle quite easy to control.


    Adam was enjoying the exhilarating feeling of driving a motorcycle for the first time, but after almost half an hour of driving around the area, he knew that it was time to stop.


    He was confident that he knew all the precautions that he had to be aware of while driving on roads, so everything was sorted as he stopped in front of Elizabeth and Jaspar who stood there the entire time.


    Taking off his helmet he had a gloating expression as he proved Jaspar and Elizabeth, that both believed he couldn''t drive a motorcycle, wrong.


    "Good job Adam, and you should be fine to go on the roads if you are confident enough. I guess this is farewell and I appreciate the help and method that you provided me previously" stated Elizabeth.


    "Thanks, I also appreciate this vehicle and everything else you have given me today. I am gonna leave now and have other things to do, if you need anything just call me and if you can''t find me, I might be training somewhere and might not answer. However if its urgent I am sure you can find me" replied Adam as he put his helmet back n and drove out of the building and onto the main road.


    Adam had a suspicion that Jaspar who was very sneaky and cautious put a tracker on his motorcycle, but Adam decided to leave it on for the time being as he didn''t have anything to hide from them.


    But in the future, if he needed to go rogue when on a mission or wanted to go somewhere that he didn''t want them to know of, he would search for it and remove it or threaten Jaspar to remove it for him.


    He didn''t care if they found out where he trained as his master seemed like an ordinary crazy person if they didn''t test him, so there wouldn''t be anything special for them to hide.


    However if there really was a tracker on the motorcycle that they gave him, it was a massive intrusion of his privacy and he would be angry and would also begin to lose trust in Elizabeth and her organisation, that he was beginning to trust.

 Chapter 103: Returning to Master

    "Do you think he noticed?" asked Jaspar to Elizabeth.


    "He didn''t seem to, but with Adam, you can never be sure" answered Elizabeth.


    "Do you think it was the right choice to place the tracker on Adam''s motorcycle? What if he cuts ties with us?" asked Elizabeth, doubting whether it was the right thing to do.


    "Well he wouldn''t be able to find it without pulling the motorcycle apart and it a good way for me to keep tabs on him. We can also use it to tame and restrain him as he is too wild" stated Jaspar, who was planning on slowly forcing Adam to fall to a position of a subordinate instead of a partner.


    "But he isn''t a wild animal. He is our ally and partner" said Elizabeth still feeling guilty for going behind Adam''s back.


    "There can only be one at the top and that will either be you and your organisation or him" stated Jaspar as he walked away leaving Elizabeth alone to think to herself.


    Elizabeth felt bad, but after thinking about it, she hadn''t done anything that directly harmed Adam and decided that she would keep it as it is and not feel guilty, while also trusted Jaspar''s judgement as he was yet to be wrong.


    Meanwhile, Adam was driving back to his apartment to pick up somethings before he went back to train with his master.


    [If she really did go behind my back and placed a tracker on this motorcycle, I might have no choice but to cut ties with her and maybe even kill her] thought Adam to himself who, despite forming a good relationship with her, wasn''t willing to forgive someone that betrayed his trust.


    [I will use her as much as possible for resources and monetary value, then I will get Chase out of there and decide whether or not to cut ties with her. If I do cut ties with her because of her malicious intentions, I will kill her and anybody else that had any remote knowledge about my identity, and if she didn''t, we will keep our partnership] decided Adam as he reached his apartment.


    He had access to a parking lot in his apartment building that was paid for under his 4000 dollars monthly rent, and he parked his motorcycle in the designated space that came with his apartment.


    He wasn''t worried that it might be stolen as there were cameras and security and it was only an average looking motorcycle while in the first model.


    Walking up to his apartment, his aunt was shocked by the leather suit that he was wearing and the helmet that he had with him, but Adam just said to her that he had been riding motorbikes for a few months and had only just bought one.


    He had a duffle bag in his room that he placed the leather set into and a few more sets of clothing that he knew he would need after training with his crazy master.


    Carrying the duffle bag out of his room, he realised he could place it into the inventory and did exactly that.


    However, the items were separated and the duffel bag and each set of clothing took up one space in the inventory.


    [Darn system, can''t even let me put a bag with things in it, inside the inventory] cursed Adam in annoyance.


    He took the duffel bag out of the inventory so he could use it to carry things in reality, and kept 5 sets of clothing and the sabre in the inventory, saving 4 places in case of anything that might come up.


    He then went to the local store and bought all kinds of snacks and soda that he saw and bought one of each type to give to his master.


    After filling up his duffel bag with snacks and drinks, he stuffed the duffle bag in the large storage compartment under the motorcycle seat and was prepared to return to his master and continue his training.


    He made sure to tell his aunt that he would be gone for a few days and that there was nothing to worry about, then left on his motorcycle towards the remote mountainous region at the edge of the city, where his master resided.


    On the way, he stopped at a gas station and made sure that he filled up his motorcycle to the maximum, and with its large fuel tank, it was more than enough to take him to and from his master''s dojo multiple times.


    He was excited to continue his training and see his master''s reaction to the snacks he bought him and the motorcycle that he rode there, but he still couldn''t shake the feeling that he was being tracked.


    Adam had learnt to trust his instincts over anything else in most situations and was almost completely sure that he was being tracked through a tracker that must be in the motorcycle.


    [If that is how it is, then you leave me no choice but to treat you like an enemy] declared Adam to himself.


    He was planning to act normally around Elizabeth and especially around Jaspar as he used them for his own benefit and also helped them slightly, but after he had accumulated enough wealth and acquired enough strength, he would cut ties with them and destroy anything to do with them to remove any traces of himself. That is if they had malicious intentions towards him.


    [It always goes back to that one saying. Have one eye on your enemies, but two eyes on your friends, because at least with your enemies you know their intentions] thought Adam to himself as he drove at the speed limit towards his master''s location.


    Adam was disappointed with Elizabeth who he was beginning to warm up to, and it reminded him that there weren''t many that he could trust. The small act of betrayal and the distrust that she displayed caused Adam to revert back to his untrusting and paranoid self that he had become just after integrating with the Hunter''s Mind.


    Adam felt very comfortable driving the motorbike and was confident in his ability to do so as and after almost an hour of driving, finally saw the forest in the distance that he recognised as the one that surrounded his master''s dojo.


    He drove off the road and with the durable wheels that he had, he wasn''t worried about them being popped. He wove between the trees, driving slowly so that he could control it properly, and after a few minutes, he finally reached the dojo his master was residing in.


    As soon as Adam entered the forest around the dojo, he was sensed by his master and after confirming that it wasn''t an enemy approaching him with his spiritual sense, he relaxed.


    "The kid has finally returned after leaving me waiting for almost 4 days" mumbled the old stocky man to himself.


    "Master I have returned" announced Adam as he dragged the motorcycle up the stairs into the dojo and placed it in the corner of the dojo.


    "I also came bearing gifts" added Adam as he withdrew the large duffel bag filled with snacks out of his motorcycle storage compartment.


    As soon as the old man heard gifts, he seemingly teleported and appeared beside Adam with speed that was too fast for his eyes to register.


    Adam began explaining what the snacks and the soda was to his master, as his master was overjoyed with the flavours that he was experiencing.


    "This is what I have been missing out on all these years. My student has bought me such wonderful treasures" exclaimed the old man as he stuffed his face with all different snacks that Adam had bought.


    "Now try all these drinks," said Adam as he handed him a bottle of orange soda.


    "Incredible" bellowed the old man joyously as he continued to wolf down snacks then drink it down with soda.


    Within 10 minutes he had eaten all the snacks that Adam had bought, that was over 50 dollars of snacks and drinks.


    "Where did you acquire such wondrous treasures that have such amazing flavours," asked the old man.


    "They are not healthy and you shouldn''t eat that much and if you eat it all the time you will get fat," said Adam.


    "I don''t care about that, how can I get more," asked the old man who had become addicted to the newly experienced snacks.


    "I get them from a very far away place using that special vehicle and it cost me fortunes" answered Adam wanting to use the snacks as leverage to gain things from his master.


    "Don''t play with me boy" scolded the old man as he struck Adam on the head.


    How he said it was very convincing, but it was a blatant lie as Adam''s master began beating him.


    "You dare lie to your teacher" stated the old man as he kicked Adam and launched him crashing into the wall of the dojo.


    "Okay relax I can bring you more next time I leave, just stop already" blurted out Adam no longer being able to take the beating.


    "That''s more like it," said the old man with a gloating expression.


    "Now use that recovery skill of yours and prepare for some intense training"

 Chapter 104: First Cultivation Lesson

    Adam used the Ethereal Recovery Skill and recovered from the injuries that his master dealt him within an hour and he was ready for the training that his master had in store for him.


    "You seem to have broken through to rank 2, but you have strength that is equivalent to a rank 3 both internally and externally. What an incredible specimen you are" stated the old man.


    He really felt as though he had finally lucked out after the centuries of misery he had experienced as he was slowly dying.


    He was burning his cultivation and because of it his strength was slowly decreasing over time, but it was a forbidden technique that allowed him to increase his life span even after his vitality and life force had depleted.


    If it wasn''t for that he would have died centuries ago even with his high cultivation level, and he merely extended his misery, too afraid to die, not knowing what was in store for him after death.


    He had so many things that he wanted to leave behind and pass on to a successor, but his trust issues were stopping him from taking in a disciple and he still saw Adam as only a temporary student to pass the time.


    Although the old man was beginning to warm up to Adam, he was still untrusting of him and didn''t want to ever feel betrayed again.


    "Come over here and sit opposite me" instructed the old man as Adam did as he said.


    "You saw me grab your energy blades when you threw them at me, how do you think I did that," asked the old man as he became serious and was ready to teach Adam seriously.


    "I am not sure" answered Adam as he delved his mind back into what he could remember from that moment.


    He couldn''t see or sense anything around his master''s body and had no idea how he did so, but it seemed to have a similar capability to Chase.


    "This is your first Cultivation Lesson and I will be teaching you some basics and fundamentals that you seem to be lacking. Despite you being quite talented, it is obvious you haven''t had somebody teach you cultivation and you have relied on a cultivation method and your talent alone to increase your strength" stated his master.


    "Yes you are correct master and I would appreciate your lesson and advise" replied Adam respectfully who knew that his master''s observations were all correct.


    "There are two basic ways that one can defend their body using energy. One is accessible to Internal Cultivators and one is accessible to External Cultivators and as you are both I will attempt to teach you both. However, you need to figure out the External Cultivation way for yourself as I myself cannot use it and am an Internal Cultivator" said the old man.


    "The way I will teach you first is the most basic way that an Internal Cultivator would defend their body using Internal Energy. An Internal Cultivator cannot harden their body itself, like an External Cultivator would be able to do, and can only enhance the power of their body to replicate physical power that was similar to an External Cultivator of the same rank.


    But for one to actually harden their body itself, it requires one to be an External Cultivator and use their External Energy to harden and reinforce their cells, which will give them a hardened exterior. However, there is a limit for the hardening that External Cultivators can display as there is only so much energy that their human cells can hold to harden themselves, but there are some cultivators that have cells that have a higher energy capacity and can harden their body to become harder than some metals" explained his master.


    [So it must be that Chase has a special body constitution that allows him to harden his body to a level that is abnormal even for an External Cultivator] realised Adam.


    "For an Internal Cultivator, the most basic form of defence is known as Energy Sleeve. An Energy Sleeve is a thin layer of Internal Energy that the Internal Cultivator spreads around their body and forms a layer of armour around their body formed of Internal Energy. I coated my hands in Internal Energy in order to catch your energy blades with my bare hands and even if an Internal Cultivator can enhance their physical strength, they also need to increase their body''s durability otherwise it won''t be able to sustain the power and impact that it is capable of producing.


    There is not much more to it than the simple explanation and it requires the individual to learn and adapt the basic concept to themselves, their fighting style and their skills. But for you can use one or the other and can even use both to have incredible defensive power, and you have the advantages of both cultivation types that cover the other cultivation type''s weaknesses" continued his master.


    Adam with that was ready to begin attempting to wield his energy storages in a way that he didn''t rely on the system''s automatic activation of his skills, but before he did so, his master had some final advise.


    "You should be able to feel and differentiate between your Internal and External Energy and the last piece of advice I have for you is not to go against the current and allow it to flow instead of attempting to forcefully control it. I want you to experience and teach yourself and don''t want to give you all the clues otherwise you will be less skilled in its use as you didn''t learn it for yourself" advised his master as he returned to the corner of the dojo where he always lay.


    "Thanks for those so-called snacks, I will return to my slumber. Wake me up when you finally succeed in one of the fundamental defensive techniques. But I would recommend you to learn both the Energy Sleeve and the Body Hardening Techniques before moving on to learning something else in order to have a strong foundation" stated the old man as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.


    Adam took his master''s advise gratefully as he crossed his legs where he sat.


    Before he even began attempting to use either of the fundamental defensive techniques, he needed to differentiate fully between his Internal Energy and External Energy.


    He needed to attempt to wield them comfortably and be able to spread his energy all around his body and to any single point that he chose before he attempted to use the techniques.


    Trying to control his energy was like trying to hold air with a bag with holes and wasn''t working for him no matter how much he tried. Without the system initiating the movement of his energy and him being able to control how much energy was used through his skill, Adam couldn''t control his energy much by himself.


    Remembering his master''s advise, instead of attempting to control his energy forcefully, he pushed and pulled his energy around his body making sure to follow the current of his energy and found it easier to wield and manipulate.


    Wielding his energy was like an invisible force, that he felt he had control over through his mind, and was like an additional limb within his body that he had to learn to control and use in specific ways and on specific areas of his body.


    However, that invisible force had a life of its own sometimes and was hard to gain control over and required great mental power and control in order to wield it properly.


    Adam was still in the process of learning how to wield his energy and with his unique constitution and circumstance, he didn''t have any fundamentals before he began using skills and fighting.


    He had no idea how his Unique Collector Skill worked in the slightest and all he knew was that he lost energy and used energy to be able to sustain his summons, and he only had a brief idea of how the Dual Slash Skill worked, so wasn''t as skilled in wielding energy as one would expect of someone of his ability.


    Although the system increased his strength massively and allowed him to use it without knowing how to, it also made him reliant on the system to use skills and he was yet to learn how to do so himself.


    Adam had nobody to compare to when it came to learning skills and talent in wielding energy, but he felt that for the amount of time that he had integrated with the system, his progress and ability to wield energy was quite low.


    He knew that there was more potential for his cultivation speed and the speed at which his strength was increasing at, and he was slowly learning more and more about the system and cultivation, allowing him to slowly tap into that hidden potential that he had.

 Chapter 105: Training In The Dungeon

    It could take weeks, months or even years for some cultivators to learn and be able to use such fundamental techniques, but Adam didn''t know that and thought that if it was fundamental, then it was simple and everybody knew how to use them.


    Focusing hard on his body and its energies, he was trying as hard as he could to become more proficient in wielding it as he sat cross-legged for hours without moving, circulating his energy and attempting to control it.


    It was just like his master had said, he had no fundamentals and he knew that he needed to grasp the fundamentals completely and lay down a strong foundation for his progress and strength.


    Unlike others, Adam had no need to worry about needing to find energy and resources to absorb into his body as he could increase his strength and cultivation level through killing beasts without needing to worry about anything else.


    He also didn''t have to worry about bottlenecks that others may reach while attempting to breakthrough, which could hold cultivators at a particular rank or cultivation level for weeks, months or even years.


    With so many advantages, all that was left was for him to train.


    [Why don''t I train in these techniques in the dungeon where I have double the time. I have only exploited the dungeon for hunting and increasing the strength, but I have yet to use its slower time for anything else] thought Adam to himself.


    [I will enter the dungeon then run to the edge of the dungeon where there shouldn''t be any more Wood Pythons after I over hunted on the stage] planned Adam.


    [Hopefully master doesn''t think I am lazy and incompetent while I am sleeping as I am actually in the dungeon and if he does ask how I learnt if I was only sleeping, I can tell him that I have a mindscape in my mind that allows me to learn stuff in my head. Although it is unusual, it is the only thing I can tell him to explain what had occurred without revealing the dungeon system] stated Adam to himself, preparing for any possible questions from his master.


    [System take me into the dungeon] communicated Adam to the system.


    The system notified Adam that he would be taken into the dungeon and after waiting a few seconds he felt his soul be sucked out of his body.


    Adam had walked over to the side of the dojo and leant against a wall, so that when he entered the dungeon, his body would stay in the same position and his master would believe he would still be cultivating.


    12 hours in reality, which was 24 hours in the dungeon, was the optimum amount of time that Adam could spend in the dungeon. Any less and he wouldn''t be able to accomplish much, and any more and he would suffer strain and backlash from leaving his body for too long.


    He knew he could spend 48 hours in the dungeon at most, but that would push him too far past his limits and he wasn''t willing to test what would happen if he did.


    However, he could sustain 32 hours at most in the dungeon without starting to feel weakened in his Dungeon Form within the dungeon, which was the most time he had spent in the dungeon at a time so far.


    Looking around him in the dungeon there didn''t seem to be any beasts in the specific area he was in, but he was quite close to the centre of the Floor and he needed to be careful.


    [After learning and becoming proficient in both the techniques, I will head towards the centre of the Floor and face the Boss Beast of Floor 2] planned Adam.


    He was LVL 16, but had strength that was close to an ordinary LVL 20 and he was confident in his current ability.


    After he had learnt the fundamental defence techniques, then matching them with the 3 E+ Rank Monkey Fur Coat, which would allow him to increase all his stats by 3 points for 10 minutes if he wore them all at once, his strength would be incredible.


    Using all his trump cards and power, Adam felt confident enough in his strength to face the Boss Beast of Floor 2.


    Bursting off towards the edge of the Floor at his full speed, Adam had the speed that one would expect of an LVL 21 Novice Cultivator and was 3 times faster than an average human. Avoiding any beast he came across, not wanting to waste his time battling against them, Adam rushed towards the edge of Floor 2.


    After he felt that he had entered Stage 1 of the Floor, where there were no longer any Wood Python beasts after he had hunted too long in Stage 1, Adam finally stopped and prepared to continue his training.


    The Dungeon Form felt the same as his physical body in reality, but he could still tell that it wasn''t his physical body and was an astral form and an extension of his body and soul.


    However, it was still suitable for him to be able to train in and what he was curious about was whether his training would give him any EXP. He was also curious about how exactly he would reach the dungeon and where it was in reality, because if his body gained everything that he gained within the dungeon, it was unlikely for it to be a space within his mind.


    He knew he would retain the memory and experiences of what had occurred in the dungeon, so was sure that if he grasped a concept, skill or technique in the dungeon, he would also be able to use it in reality.


    {Any progress that the host makes in cultivation will count as EXP and that can come in any form, but I wouldn''t recommend the host to seek knowledge that is too profound for him} stated the system, confirming that he could gain EXP from training the techniques in the dungeon, but not relieving his curiosity.


    [Incredible] thought Adam to himself as he realised just how close the link was between his actual body and the Dungeon Form that were identical in every way, shape or form.


    Sitting down cross-legged, Adam suppressed his curiosity and continued what he was doing in reality as began circling his energy and feeling its flow.


    Adam was becoming more in tune with his energy''s current and the invisible force that he had over it.


    Adam didn''t realise it, but it was the intelligence stat that dictated his skill and ability when it came to wielding energy and currently the skill and ability that he was capable of was superior to a rank 2 cultivator.


    However, he was yet to learn how to use his capability and it would require him to become more proficient in the use of energy before he realised the capability that his high intelligence stat gave him.


    But his Energy Storages surpassed his Intelligence Stat and he would find it hard to control and wield such vast amounts of energy with his limited experience and proficiency.


    Adam was beginning to realise that stats didn''t dictate the final outcome of a battle and that without skill, experience and abilities, one''s raw strength and power didn''t mean much.


    Adam was becoming more and more accustomed to the use of his energy over time and as he wasn''t expending his energy and was only attempting to manipulate and control it within his body, he didn''t need to stop to recover his energy.


    However, Adam found that he was starting to have a headache as he felt as though his skull was tightening around his brain because of the mental strain.


    Stopping, Adam used the Ethereal Recovery Skill to relax and calm his mind while also recovering the mental strain slightly.


    Despite his determination and drive, there were limitations on what he could do and he knew that in some circumstances surpassing his limits would only cause him backlash and hinder his future progress.


    After using the Ethereal Recovery Skill for an hour, he felt that he was ready to continue practising his control over his energy. Adam was planning to work on his fundamental ability to wield his energy and be able to move it to different areas of his body before he began attempting to learn the techniques.


    Although it was a very boring and arduous process to repeat, Adam was willing to and doing so in order to increase his capability as much as possible before he continued increasing his strength.


    If he continued increasing his strength and forgot about laying down a foundation with good fundamentals, he would suffer in the future as his skill and prowess would lag behind his strength if he didn''t stop to practise.


    Adam continued the cycle many times and had sat in the same position practising his control over his energy for 12 hours and he only stopped 3 times to use the Ethereal Recovery Skill, for an hour each time, to lower the mental strain he was experiencing.


    After the 9 hours of training, he finally felt as though he was comfortable using his energy to an extent as was ready to begin attempting to learn the techniques.

 Chapter 106: Fundamental Defence Techniques Part 1

    With his Hunter''s mind, Adam''s perceptivity and focus were enhanced and superior to others at the same cultivation level as him. Using it, within only 9 hours of practising the use of his energy, he felt as though he could wield his energy quite easily and focus it on specific areas of his body.


    He made sure to take the time to do that practise as without it he wouldn''t have a chance at using the Fundamental Defence Techniques that required great energy control and skill to use.


    "Time to actually attempt to use and learn the fundamental defence techniques" mumbled Adam to himself as he felt as though he was ready to do so.


    Adam found that he used a lot of mental power to control his large energy storages and he realised that he had to make sure that his Intelligence and Energy Stats were equal to make it easier for him to wield his energy storages.


    Luckily his Intelligence Stat was only 1 point lower than his Energy Storages and with his Hunter''s mind, that helped him increase his focus, he was still managing to control his energy storages.


    His aunt had recovered and seemed happy as she began getting her life back on track, which allowed Adam to focus almost completely on himself and his future. After cultivation and strength was revealed to him, nothing else enticed him and it was currently the only thing he was aiming towards.


    He was also aiming towards complete independence and didn''t want to rely on others as he was contemplating forming an organisation of his own after the tracker that Elizabeth placed on his motorcycle left a sour taste in his mouth.


    It really did remind him to not trust anybody and he wasn''t planning on leaving his training for anything other than to visit his aunt and Chase occasionally.


    While increasing his strength from hunting, he was also acquiring gold, which made it so that through hunting in the dungeon, all his problems were solved and made it so that he didn''t ave to worry about anything else while doing so.


    Blocking all thoughts out of his mind, Adam allowed the Hunter''s mind to take complete control as he blocked out his own emotions and thoughts that were distracting him.


    He didn''t want to spend too much time training in the Fundamental Defence Techniques as the training despite giving him EXP, wouldn''t give him gold which he could have earnt through hunting.


    Adam knew that the system gave him an advantage over anybody else and the incredible Mastery Feature would allow him to increase his mastery of anything by spending stat points on it.


    What Adam was planning was to learn and grasp the basic concept of both the skills until he had gained 1% mastery of both of them, then to spend stat points to increase his mastery of the skill.


    Starting off with the External Hardening Technique that was used by External Cultivators, which Adam felt was the easier option, he began to spread his External Energy to every part of his body.


    Making sure to cover his entire body and coat it with External Energy, Adam as per his master''s brief description of the skill, attempted to harden his body''s cells.


    However, he realised just how vague and meaningless his master''s description of the skill was after multiple times of trying to use the technique to no avail.


    He had no idea how to harden his cells and had tried to compress them with energy to increase their durability, which he couldn''t do, and he also tried to increase their size and density with energy, but he couldn''t do that either.


    He was struggling to alter, reinforce or effect his cells in any way and he was unsure of what his master truly meant by his cells. Thinking about his master he had no idea how old he was or just how developed his knowledge of the modern world and the human anatomy was, so what he would call cells might not be what he believed to be cells.


    No matter how many times he tried to he couldn''t even detect his cells which were on such a small microscopic scale, he had no chance of sensing them with his current level of sensory ability.


    [Maybe what he meant by cells was its basic definition, a small compartment in a larger structure, which could be that you can harden different parts. Or maybe I took his explanation wrong and interpreted it as individual cells, when I should have interpreted as large groups of cells] thought Adam to himself.


    [The best and most useful part to harden of my body to harden would be my skin, which is the first part of my body that will be hit. But ideally, I should aim to be able to harden my muscles, bones and Internal Organs as well so that I become immune to all attacks] continued Adam to himself.


    He was trying to be too precise with the process, which was only expending his mental power and wasting his time, instead, he should aim to harden entire parts and not single cells of his body that he couldn''t even sense.


    He was unsure of how capable his cells were of being hardened and how exactly to harden them, but the only thing he could think of was to store energy in the specific area that he was planning to harden.


    It took him a while to be able to spread his External Energy throughout his outer layer of skin, despite him become more accustomed to using his energy, as it was a very difficult thing to do.


    However, after doing so he didn''t feel his skin become hardened and to test that, he summoned his Leporidae Summon and ordered it to slash his arm gently.


    His body was the same as it was before and the energy that he had spread around and stored within his skin didn''t have an effect on his body.


    He could feel that his energy wasn''t being used by his skin and was only stored, so instead of pumping energy into his skin, Adam tried to do something weird.


    It took hours of practice, but he had finally succeeded in completing his weird idea, which was to absorb energy from within his body and around him into his skin.


    He wanted to use his skin as a beacon, then when the energy reached his skin, instead of absorbing it through his pours into his energy storages, he absorbed it into his skin.


    After many failed attempts, Adam finally succeeded in doing so and he was pleasantly surprised to see that his skin was burning all the energy that he provided it from his own body and the energy around them in order to enhance itself.


    [It was just like I thought, instead of providing the part I want to harden External Energy, which will be stored by the specific part of my body, I need to draw it in from that part and expend it using that part that I wish to harden] thought Adam to himself joyously.


    Summoning his Leporidae Summon again, he ordered it to slash his arm again and he was shocked by the results.


    The Leporidae Summon''s claws cut into his skin, but his skin was much more resistant to the strike which massively lowered the damage and the deepness of the wound as even the Leporidae Summon itself was shocked by the increase in resistance that Adam''s skin displayed.


    {Ding, 1% Mastery of the External Hardening Technique has been achieved} announced the system.


    Adam couldn''t help but jump up in joy despite the pain he was feeling in his arm as he opened up the system''s Mastery Feature.


    [System explain to me exactly what the technique is, its effects and its limits] ordered Adam who only had a basic idea of how it worked and wanted to know everything about it and its capabilities.


    {The External Hardening Technique allows the host to harden their exterior body using External energy and is limited by the user''s cell energy storage capacity and the amount of energy that they have. The host isn''t limited by anything with your unique constitution and as long as you spend enough system points to improve your mastery of the skill, you increase your strength} stated the system.


    {Currently, with your 1% Mastery of the Technique you can only increase your Resistance by 1 point using 1 EESP each minute and as your mastery of the technique increases, so will its power} continued the system.


    {The different stages of mastery of skills are:


    Beginner Level that equals to thirty percent of the maximum power of the skill.


    Low Level that equals to fifty percent.


    High Level that equals to seventy percent.


    Peak Level that equals to ninety percent or higher.


    Perfection Level that equals to ninety-nine percent and it could be said that it could not get any better} informed him the system.


    "Interesting" mumbled Adam to himself as he prepared to spend system points on his mastery of the skill and begin to learn the Energy Sleeve Technique.

 Chapter 107: Fundamental Defence Techniques Part 2

    Looking at the cost of the mastery, Adam could see that it was much different to how it was when he had the Mastery Feature discount.


    [System how much will it cost for me to increase the Mastery of the External Hardening Technique to 10%] asked Adam.


    Adam could only see how much it would cost to increase his mastery to the next percentage, but he wanted to see how much it would cost him overall before he decided whether he wanted to go through with it or not.


    {It will cost the host 5285 to increase his mastery of the External Hardening Technique to 10%} answered the system.


    It was a very large amount of system points in order to increase his mastery, but Adam was curious to see its effects and whether or not it was worth it.


    [What will the effects of the External Hardening Technique be if its Mastery was increased to 10%] asked Adam.


    {It will make it so that for every EESP, that the host uses through the technique, the host''s resistance will increase by 10 points and the current limit for the amount of EESP that the host can expend each minute is 2, which is the same as the current rank that the host is at. This will allow the host to increase his resistance by 20 points by expending 2 EESP every minute} answered the system.


    [That probably means that with complete mastery of the technique I can increase my resistance by 100 points with only a single EESP every minute, that is incredible] thought Adam to himself.


    However, he felt that from the explanation that he had received from his master and the system on the External Hardening Technique, and comparing it to what he had seen from Chase''s technique, they were very different.


    It was as if Chase''s hardening wasn''t a skill or technique and was an ability that was unique to him.


    {That is exactly correct and it seems as though your subordinate has a Unique Skill like your Collector Skill} confirmed the system.


    {A Unique Skill is a skill that gives the user a special ability that cannot be replicated through ordinary skills and techniques. Unique Skills are innate and unique to each cultivator that has it and cultivators that do have a Unique Skill are usually born with it or it has been passed onto them} explained the system.


    [Thanks, but since when did you give me useful information without me needing to ask for it] thanked Adam who felt the system''s pleasant behaviour was unusual.


    {He} scoffed the system.


    Although 5285 system points was a massive amount of system points currently for Adam, he still decided to increase his mastery. Increasing his mastery would not only increase its effects, but it would also allow Adam to activate the technique much faster and would also give Adam instant knowledge of how to use the technique properly and fully rather than just slightly hardening his skin.


    Spending the system points on his mastery, Adam instantly felt basic knowledge and concepts about the External Hardening Technique enter his mind as he also felt that his ability to increase his body''s resistance increased.


    Adam was satisfied with his gains and pleased with his decision as without wasting any time began attempting to learn the Energy Sleeve Technique.


    All that was left for him was to learn the Energy Sleeve Technique until he had 1% mastery of it, then he could also increase it to 10% mastery and head towards the centre of the floor where he would aim to defeat the Boss Beast.


    With the knowledge, he had gained from 10% mastery of the External Hardening Technique, Adam found it much easier to use his energy to form a thin layer of Internal Energy around his body like his master had described.


    Surprisingly he was incorrect when he assumed that it was the External Hardening Technique that was easier and it was the other way round as he reached 1% mastery of the Energy Sleeve Technique within an hour.


    The Energy Sleeve was very similar to the External Hardening in terms of effects on the user, but instead of reinforcing the body itself, it would form a thin layer of Internal Energy around the user''s body that would reduce the impact faced by the user, increasing their resistance.


    After also increasing the mastery of the Energy Sleeve Technique to 10%, Adam had spent 10570 system points altogether and had taken a big hit in terms of system points because of it.


    However he didn''t feel bad about it in the slightest and if he expended 2 IESP and 2 EESP every minute, he could increase his resistance by 40 points by using both the External Hardening and the Energy Sleeve Techniques at the same time.


    With that, he was much more confident in his combat ability and could sustain much more damage, allowing him to face stronger opponents.


    If he matched that with 3 of the E+ Rank Monkey Fur Coats that he had within his inventory, which each increased all his stats by 1 point for 10 minutes, Adam would be extremely powerful and was confident in his ability to defeat the Boss Beast of Floor 2.


    Adam couldn''t help but be thankful for the unique constitution that integrating with the system gave him which allowed him to progress through anything by using system points. The sensation of information and knowledge entering into his mind and his mind completely integrating it into Adam''s body was incredible. He could use any skill that the system gave him or he had mastered through the system comfortably as if he had been practising it for years.


    Activating both the External Hardening and the Energy Sleeve Techniques at the same time, to test out its power, Adam was shocked by the feeling of security he felt by doing so.


    Summoning his Leporidae Summon for the third time, Adam instructed it to slash his arm and the Leporidae Summon did as Adam said.


    It jumped up and slashed Adam with the same amount of force that it did the previous two times, but it was massively shocked by the results.


    With his resistance that had reached almost 7 times that of an average human, while he had both the External Hardening and the Energy Sleeve Techniques activated at the same time, the Leporidae Summon''s slash only left a small cut on his arm.


    The cut was very shallow and he had only lost a few HP from it, when it would have left a deep scar in his arm and hurt him much more if it wasn''t for the techniques he had activated.


    If his resistance was so capable as a rank 2 cultivator using two techniques at the same time, Adam couldn''t help but wonder when his cultivation increased to a certain point, would he be able to become bulletproof.


    That would make him almost invincible, and now weapons wouldn''t work on him unless a cultivator wielded them or they were enhanced weapons like the weapon that he had stolen off Angelo.


    The thought of being bulletproof was very attractive to Adam, who wanted to be invincible, and he noted down to himself to make sure to increase his mastery of the techniques in the future.


    Adam suddenly felt lightheaded as he looked at his status to see that his IESP had plummeted to 0 after he had practised in the Energy Sleeve Technique for a long time and his summon was automatically retracted as he stumbled backwards and fell onto a tree.


    He was barely managing to stay conscious with his depleted IESP as he activated the Ethereal Recovery Skill to recover his Energy Storages that had been used heavily in the past training session and to also relax his mind that had also been strained heavily.


    [After I recover my energy, I will head towards the centre of the Floor to face the Boss Beast and become level 20, so I can finally move onto the next Floor] decided Adam.


    He felt confident in his strength and after recovering his energy and mind to its peak state, he was ready to head towards the centre.


    He knew that his master would be very shocked by the results that Adam was able to achieve by seemingly sleeping, but Adam could just find an excuse to cover for the Dungeon System and also wasn''t going to show his master all the mastery that he had over the techniques.


    His master would also be shocked by Adam suddenly becoming a rank 2 cultivator from being LVL 16, but at the low cultivation level that he was at, it wasn''t extremely special and unusual for somebody to skip a few sub-levels.


    While Adam was using the Ethereal Recovery Skill to recover, he was deep in thought after all the knowledge that the 10% mastery of the techniques gave him, as began collecting his thoughts and everything that he knew about cultivation.

 Chapter 108: Stage 3 Part 1

    Adam''s mind was full of thoughts and knowledge that he had gathered and come across ever since he had integrated with the system and been enlightened to cultivation.


    From his training and increased Mastery of the fundamental defence techniques, Adam had finally reached a conclusion about how the system represented External Cultivators and Internal Cultivators and their differences in terms of stats.


    [External Cultivators have the Resistance and EESP stats that are unique to them, while Internal Cultivators have the Intelligence and IESP stats that are unique to them. Internal Cultivators can increase their resistance using their IESP through techniques, which is an advantage that they have, but External Cultivators increase their resistance as they cultivate and can increase it even more through techniques. Internal Cultivators can use their Internal Energy outside their body, which allows them to use ranged attacks using energy, however, External Cultivators cannot. Both cultivator types can increase their Speed and Strength using their energy, however, External Cultivators always have External Energy circulated throughout their body, while Internal Cultivators have to circulate their Internal Energy themselves in order to have Strength and Speed that was equivalent to their rank.


    So the Strength and Speed stat are measures of the strength and speed that a cultivator can display using the cultivation and energy that they have and because I have a unique constitution, it applies differently to me and I have the benefits of both an Internal and an External Cultivator.


    Without Internal Energy being circulated to enhance their bodies, they would be only slightly above average compared to an ordinary human in terms of physical power. Both types of cultivators had similar HP, which represented their vitality, their recovery speed and the total amount of damage they could take, along with the special stats: Wisdom, Charisma and Luck. Special stats are not increased by cultivation and require special circumstances to be increased and most of the time are decided from birth] summarised Adam to himself who after training in techniques from both cultivation types had finally completely understood the differences between them.


    [However beasts within the dungeon don''t fit into that summary and they are unique and seem to be made and programmed by the system] added Adam to himself as he was yet to relieve his curiosity.


    Beasts within the dungeon, that he had come across so far, had both the Resistance and Intelligence stat, which showed that they had characteristics of both an Internal and External Cultivator, however, they didn''t have Luck, Charisma or Wisdom stats and they also didn''t have IESP or EESP.


    Adam could understand why they didn''t have Luck, Charisma or Wisdom stats as they didn''t have free will and were programmed to have hostility towards Adam, however, the beasts not having IESP and or EESP puzzled Adam and it didn''t make sense to him.


    {There are many things that the system cannot inform the host about the dungeon and other things that the host is not yet ready to know about. However, I can inform you that beasts in the dungeon have unlimited energy and do not have a specific amount of IESP or EESP. That doesn''t mean that they can use abilities that surpass their LVL and they still have capped ability, but they will never run out of stamina} stated the system.


    [I appreciate the information] thanked Adam who was pleased with the system''s new attitude, however, he was also slightly wary of that advantage that the beasts had over him.


    After he had cleared his mind and gathered his thoughts, Adam was pleased with the amount that he knew, but he knew there was still much more to explore and find out. However for the time being he was satisfied as he set off towards the centre of the rainforest, after he had recovered using the Ethereal Recovery Skill, ready to complete the floor.


    [System can I activate more than one E+ Rank Monkey Fur Coat at once] asked Adam who wanted to confirm whether his plan to increase his strength was possible.


    {Yes it is possible for the host to do, but it will overwhelm the host''s body, that cannot handle that much energy and power that is above the host''s LVL, and the system would not recommend the host to do so in reality} advised the system.


    Knowing that it was only a Dungeon Form, Adam wasn''t too worried about the backlash, but remembering how painful the backlash to his soul and spirit was when he used the Bloodlust Characteristic''s extensions, he knew he had to be careful.


    He also knew how close the Dungeon Form was to his actual body and he wasn''t completely sure of what exactly it was. Until he had a clear understanding of exactly how the system worked and everything about the Dungeon that it provided him to hunt in, Adam had to be careful.


    He knew that by jumping levels by defeating the Boss Beast and moving straight to the next Floor, he was missing out on gold that he could have earnt by hunting until he reached LVL 20, but he felt that increasing his strength currently was more important.


    Adam knew that the gold that he missed by skipping levels through defeating the Boss Beast, which would only give him the missing EXP and system points equivalent to that much EXP, could be easily earnt in the future as he increased his strength and got to higher floors, and he was more focused on increasing his strength currently.


    With the distrust and cautiousness that he had towards Elizabeth and especially her scheming and intelligent subordinate Jaspar, Adam knew that only with unsurpassable power could he truly be comfortable and relaxed.


    He had already come across the Maxwell Family that had a monopoly over Brooklyn and were the most powerful family in Brooklyn, and had seen how they owned almost everything, and felt that it was a looming threat that was coming ever closer.


    He was unsure what their cultivation level was like, but he was sure it was at least at the level of an Advanced Cultivator, which was the realm above the current Novice / Mortal Realm that he was in.


    He was only close to rank 2, which is close to LVL 20, but there were still 9 more ranks in the Novice Realm and he had to surpass LVL 100 to become an Advanced Cultivator. That was a long way away and he didn''t know how long it would take him to reach that level, but until then, he had to diligently work towards it and try to avoid any unwanted attention.


    On his way towards the centre, Adam picked off any monkey beasts that he came across quite easily and he was curious and interested to see exactly how the centre of the Floor was lay out and what kind of Boss Beast he was going to face.


    He also needed to make sure not to lose consciousness in the battle against the Boss Beast like he did on Floor 1, otherwise, he won''t be able to acquire the amazing Boss Beast''s race that would be very valuable to him.


    If he used all 5 of his summons along with the two defensive techniques, he would run out of IESP within 2 minutes, but he would still have almost all his EESP.


    However, Adam knew how weak and sluggish he felt when any of his energy storages were depleted and he wasn''t sure whether using all his power at once for a short amount of time would be the right tactic against his opponent.


    [I will see what exactly I am up against, then I will decide how to deal with it] decided Adam.


    As he got closer and closer to the centre of the rainforest, there were more and more monkey beasts that were also increasing in strength.


    Adam attempted to avoid them or defeat them using as minimal energy as possible, but there were so many of them it was becoming harder to do so.


    [It was exactly as I thought, this Floor is just like Floor 0 and there is a civilisation of beasts in the centre and the Boss Beast is probably some type of powerful Primate Beast] gathered Adam.


    [System do these beasts respawn after they are defeated] asked Adam.


    {Once the host enters Stage 3, which also has the Boss Beast at the end, the beasts that the host defeats won''t respawn while the host is in the dungeon. However, if the host leaves then returns, the beasts will respawn in the same way that the host''s Dungeon Form would have recovered} answered the system.


    With that in mind, he knew that he had to storm into the beasts'' base in order for them not to respawn, as if he continued hunting in Stage 2, there would be an endless number of monkey beasts.


    However, unlike on Floor 0, he didn''t have 3 lives and he couldn''t be as reckless as he was at that time. But Adam had increased his strength massively since then and was much better at fighting and hunting as he dashed past any monkey beasts that came after him and entered stage 3.


    Stage 3 of Floor 2 had a 2 km radius from the centre and was filled with monkey beasts that were all LVL 16 or above. The beast base was just a large group of monkey beasts in the centre that had created homes and walls, while in the centre he could see a large structure made out of wood where he assumed he would find the Boss Beast.


    [I need to pick off as many of these monkey beasts as I can as they will be a nuisance while I face the Boss Beast, then I will try to find an empty place to recover before battling against the Boss Beast] planned Adam who felt adrenaline coursing through his veins as monkey beasts swung towards him.

 Chapter 109: Stage 3 Part 2

    He didn''t have a weapon and was facing monkey beasts that all were either of the same LVL as him or higher, but Adam wasn''t scared in the slightest as he calmed his mind and circulated his Internal Energy to enhance his body even more than the External Energy already was.


    Because of him having both Internal and External Energy, he could display power that surpassed that of his LVL and allowed him to face those at a higher cultivation level than him, but he wouldn''t usually do so as it was very draining both physically and mentally to sustain.


    Adam wanted to take down as many monkey beasts as he could in the close area around him, and knowing that they wouldn''t respawn, he could recover his energy afterwards before facing the Boss Beast.


    It would not only make it easier for him when he was facing the Boss Beast, but would also allow him to collect some gold, that he would be missing out on when skipping LVLs by defeating the Boss Beast.


    Bursting up into the air, using all the momentum and explosive power that he had while using both his energy storages, Adam launched a powerful kick at the monkey beast that was closest to him and launched it crashing into a nearby tree.


    But Adam didn''t stop there and followed up on that attack as he dashed to where the monkey beast had fallen to the ground, and was struggling to move, then dealt it another powerful kick to the head with all his power.


    After a few kicks to the head, he had killed the LVL 17 monkey beast, then he dashed away to make some distance between himself and the other monkey beasts that were rushing towards him.


    Adam had found that kicks were more useful against the monkey beasts, that had similar body shapes and sizes to that of a human child, as it also allowed him to put more power and force into his attacks.


    Using the same tactic that he had used previously to defeat monkey beasts, Adam attempted to split them up, then defeat them as quickly and swiftly as possible so that they didn''t learn and adapt to the way that he fought.


    Jumping up, Adam launched himself upwards off a tree, then grabbed a monkey beast that was swinging past and flung it down to the ground.


    The monkey beast was damaged and dazed by the sudden attack, but Adam didn''t stop there and followed through with his assault on the monkey beast as he fell feet first on top of the monkey beast and crushed its chest, leaving it dying on the floor.


    It was becoming easier to defeat monkey beasts after battling against them so many times, and his increased strength and speed allowed him to accomplish supernatural feats that allowed him to come up with many new ways to swiftly defeat the monkey beasts, which they couldn''t keep up with.


    He didn''t want to use his summons unless he had no other choice as he wanted to conserve his energy as much as possible and he continued defeating the monkey beasts.


    With his nimble and lean body, Adam was also using the trees for his movement as he jumped from tree to tree and used them to launch himself forwards towards a monkey beast that he was targetting.


    The monkey beasts had the same weaknesses on their body as humans, and with their lack of knowledge about everything, they didn''t know to protect those places until after they had adapted from watching how Adam fought.


    He would always aim for their head, neck or chest, which were the easiest areas that he could use to kill them quickly with using only a minimal amount of energy.


    If he had a dagger he would have been able to defeat them much quicker and easier, but Adam was enjoying the exhilarating combat that he was in, as he practised his close combat fighting technique and skill against the numerous monkey beasts that he was facing at once.


    {1% Mastery of hand to hand combat achieved} announced the system.


    [I only just achieved 1% mastery now, what about all the other battles that I had and the training that I did with my master] exclaimed Adam who was both pleased and disappointed with the system''s announcement.


    {Hand to hand combat is a physical confrontation between two or more persons at very short range that does not involve the use of ranged weapons. Because of the wide and vague concept that it is, it includes all techniques and styles that one can use in hand to hand combat. which is why its mastery is more expensive and requires more training and practise} explained the system to Adam who was listening to the system while avoiding attacks from the monkey beasts that were still relentlessly attacking him.


    It made sense to him and hand to hand combat included everything to do with close combat without weapons, which was a very wide and vague thing to master.


    After defeating 30 monkey beasts, Adam hid behind a tree on the edge of stage 3 and began recovering his energy that had been massively used during his battle against them.


    While he was recovering using the Ethereal Recovery Skill, he was still on high alert. He had defeated many beasts in the small area around where he was and he was planning to pick off as many of the monkey beasts as possible before heading for the Boss Beast.


    After his previous training in the fundamental defence techniques, along with the breaks that he took to recover his energy using the Ethereal Recovery Skill, Adam had spent almost 24 hours within the dungeon.


    Which meant he had 12 hours left in the dungeon before his Dungeon Form began to feel weaker and sluggish because of him being in the dungeon too long.


    Adam had come this far and didn''t want to turn back and lose all the progress that he had made on stage 3 and was planning to plough his way through Floor 2 before he left the dungeon.


    After recovering all both his Energy Storages and the HP that he had lost, Adam was ready to continue to take out monkey beasts.


    [System, when I am using both by External and Internal Energy to enhance my body, what is my speed and strength like] asked Adam who wanted to see exactly how strong he could become.


    {Depending on the amount of energy the host uses at once, the host is capable of increasing your strength and speed by 2 points for every IESP used per minute. The host can currently only use 2 IESP at once to increase his strength, which will increase the host''s strength and speed by 4 points} answered the system.


    {However, the system wouldn''t recommend this as a tactic that the host should use. With the host External Energy, depending on how much the host is exerting himself, the host''s EESP is enough to sustain the host''s strength and speed as long as they are on a similar level. As the host is both an Internal and External Cultivator, the host has double the amount of energy that one would expect from somebody at your cultivation level. But that doesn''t mean the host can display double the strength, as the host''s body can only directly use so much energy at once, and the system would recommend the host to use his energy types in ways that they flourish. Meaning the host should use EESP to sustain his physical power and use External Cultivation Techniques and Skills, while the host should only use IESP for summons and Internal Cultivation Techniques and Skills in order to conserve energy and use it efficiently} advised the system.


    [Thanks for the advice] thanked Adam who could see that the system was right and changed the way that he planned to fight in the future.


    If he was using 2 IESP every minute to increase his strength and speed by only 4 points, it would have been better for him to use one of his summons that were much more of an advantage that an increase in his stats by 4 points, and required the same amount of energy.


    Continuing to use the same battle tactic as he did before, Adam instead of using his Internal Energy to increase his power slightly, had summoned his Leporidae Summon that was the most useful out of his summons in the current situation that he was in.


    Both of them relied on their speed and superior combat prowess, which they had acquired through experiencing many battles, to defeat the monkey beasts quite easily, while sustaining minimal damage.


    Launching the small white hare-like beast, like a ball, at a monkey beast that was swinging towards them, the Leporidae Summon slashed open its neck as the monkey beast fell to the ground and suffocated to death.


    Adam and the Leporidae Summon were becoming very good at working together in battle and as it was the smallest and fastest summon that he had, that also had sharp claws, it was the beast that he was currently relying on the most.

 Chapter 110: Gorilla Boss Beast

    With his Lepoidae Summon, Adam took out another 50 monkey beasts that were all at the same LVL as him or above, and with his high Bloodlust, was enjoying his hunting.


    After he had defeated another 50 beasts, he had exhausted his IESP and rushed away to the edge of Stage 3 where he found somewhere that he could recover without being attacked by monkey beasts.


    The monkey beasts were becoming scarcer and scarcer as he continued hunting and Adam was also finding it easier and easier to kill them as he became more accustomed to the way that they fought, along with his Leporidae Summon that was also learning how to deal with the monkey beasts.


    After he had been in the Dungeon for a total of 30 hours, Adam knew that he didn''t have much longer to defeat the Boss Beast before he was weakened from being in the dungeon for too long.


    [It is now or never] thought Adam to himself as he prepared to battle against the Boss Beast.


    He had killed around 150 monkey beasts on stage 3 and Adam knew that there couldn''t be many more monkey beasts left, but he was sure of was that most of them were all in the central civilisation where the Boss Beast was.


    [I wonder what kind of Boss Beast it is going to be and maybe it is going to be some sort of monkey king] thought Adam to himself as he approached the civilisation.


    He had learnt from his mistake on Floor 0 and the experience was traumatic and still haunted him slightly at that current moment as he planned to deal with the Boss Beast smartly and as quickly as possible.


    Lowering the numbers of the monkey beasts wasn''t only to gather gold, but was also to make it easier for him to sneak into the monkey beast civilisation without alerting the Boss Beast, giving him the element of surprise.


    He had thought about sending in his Primate Summon, that looked identical to the monkey beasts, to infiltrate them, but he knew that all the beasts in the dungeon had deep-rooted hatred and hostility towards him and also his summons.


    Dashing through the rainforest at his top speed, Adam launched himself over the small wall and the defences that the monkey beasts had around their civilisation and rolled on the ground as he landed to dampen the impact.


    It was exactly how Adam had imagined it to be and there were small treehouses formed of sticks and was like what he imagined indigenous tribes looked like.


    He knew it was inevitable that he would be sensed soon and the best thing for him to do, would be to head straight for the Boss Beast and make the most out of his element of surprise.


    Adam wasn''t sure what he was up against yet, but with his spiritual sense and his Hunter''s mind, he could feel there was a powerful and dangerous being in the centre of the civilisation.


    Just as he began to approach the large central structure where he could sense the presence of a powerful being, there was a sudden loud roar that resounded throughout the floor.


    In a fit of rage, sensing that Adam had entered its territory, the Boss Beast let out a wild roar as it destroyed the structured around it in a single strike that launched debris flying everywhere.


    Hearing his roar, the monkey beasts all scurried away to the edge of the central civilisation as the Boss Beast was revealed to Adam who was blocking the flying chunks of wood that were launched around by the Boss Beast.


    Looking at the beast Adam couldn''t help but become intimidated.


    It was an enormous gorilla beast that stood at 3 metres tall and from what Adam could see probably weighed over 300 kg.


    But what intimidated him most was the gorilla Boss Beast''s stats.


    Forest Gorilla


    LVL 20


    HP: 360


    Strength: 36


    Speed: 36


    Intelligence: 36


    Resistance: 36


    Its stats were incredibly powerful and balanced as there was no weakness for Adam to exploit.


    [No wonder it could sense my presence with its Intelligence that is at 35 points. These Dungeon Beasts really are weird and I have lost my element of surprise, so need to be careful] thought Adam to himself as he dashed backwards and created some distance between himself and the Gorilla Boss Beast.


    The Gorilla Boss Beast was superior to him in every way apart from knowledge and skill in battle, and Adam knew that their battle was going to be a tough one, where he would have to go all out and push himself past his limits.


    External Hardening


    Energy Sleeve


    Activating both the fundamental defensive techniques at once, using them to the best of his ability, Adam wasn''t holding back anything in this battle as he felt his resistance rise massively.


    The observing monkey beasts and the Gorilla Boss Beast all also sensed the sudden change in Adam''s body as the adaptive and attentive beasts became confused and slightly wary of Adam because of the change.


    [System use all 3 E+ Rank Monkey Fur Coats now] communicated Adam to the system, not wanting to use the inventory directly which would distract him.


    {Ding, the host has equipped 3 E+ Rank Monkey Fur Coats and all the host''s stats have increased by 3 points for the next 10 minutes} announced the system.


    Adam felt his strength take a large leap as he quickly looked at his status while the beasts around him, including the Boss Beast, were distracted and confused by the sudden leap in strength that they saw Adam experience.


    Mortal LVL: 16


    Dungeon Form LVL: 2


    HP: 270 / 270 +30


    IESP: 32 / 32 +3


    EESP: 32 / 32 +3


    Strength: 28 +3


    Speed: 31 +3


    Intelligence: 31 +3


    Resistance: 28 +43


    Wisdom: 10 (5+5)


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    Looking at his stats Adam had a slight smile as he looked over at the Gorilla Boss Beast that was no longer that much stronger than him and had inversely become disadvantaged when compared to him in terms of overall stats.


    However, Adam didn''t become arrogant or complacent as he still continued to be careful and alert, knowing that the Gorrila Boss Beast wasn''t his only opponent and there were still hundreds of other monkey beasts that were watching his battle from the sidelines.


    Without wasting any time Adam burst towards the large Gorilla Boss Beast without any fear, knowing that he only had 10 minutes before his body suffered large backlash and could no longer sustain the enhanced power that he currently had.


    After his energy storages ran out along with the effects of the three E+ Rank Monkey Fur Coats, he would become defenceless and useless and would have no chance of battling against an ordainry human, let alone so many powerful monkey beasts.


    Knowing that, Adam didn''t hesitate to attack and didn''t want to waste time as he launched a powerful fist at the open stomach of the Gorilla Boss Beast.


    Adam''s fist launched the Gorilla Boss Beast Sliding backwards, but his strength was still slightly below that of the Gorilla Boss Beast and it didn''t deal his opponent any fatal damage.


    Where Adam had a complete advantage was when it came resistance as his resistance stat was extremely high currently, but in every other stat, he was below the Gorilla Boss Beast apart from his Inetlgence stat that was on par with it the beast. He was also disadvantaged when it came to energy storage, because as the system had told him, beasts in the dungeon didn''t become tired and unlike him, had unlimited amounts of energy.


    Adam was aiming to take down the Gorilla Boss Beast as quickly as possible and leave the dungeon before the other monkey beasts could get in his way and intervene in their battle.


    The large Gorilla Boss Beast had speed that was only slightly higher than Adam''s, but it was frightening to see such a colossal figure move at such fast speeds, as it grabbed Adam before he could dodge and threw him with minimal effort, launching him crashing into the ground 10 metres away from it.


    Adam who had been thrown and crashed onto the ground stood up and had a smile on his face after suffering only minimal damage from the attack, experiencing how powerful his resistance currently was.


    But what made him even happier was the realisation, that even though his defensive technique was different to Chase''s and was much weaker than it when it came to the hardening of his exterior, the system made it so that Adam''s resistance as a whole was strengthened.


    That meant that his internal organs were also enhanced and protected, unlike Chase who could still suffer internal impact if his opponent managed to deal him a blow that would damage him internally.


    [I love you system] thought Adam to himself, who after all the things he was given by the system, and its changed attitude, couldn''t help but show his appreciation.


    However, in the middle of a battle, he knew better than to waste his time thinking about his techniques as the smile was wiped off his face and he glared at his opponent.

 Chapter 1: Cultivation Levels and Grades for Mortal Realm

    For any new readers that are here, I am planning on writing a long novel that incorporates a system, cultivation, fantasy and many other things. I hope you enjoy and I will leave cultivation levels and different gradings that the mc will find in the Mortal Realm.


    If you don''t want to read this and would like to find it out through the novel, skip this Auxillary Chapter.


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


    Cultivation Levels in the Mortal Realm:


    Every 10 LVLs, a cultivator breaks into another rank, which gives the cultivator a small leap in power.


    Mortal (Novice Cultivator): LVL 1-100 / Rank 1-9


    Earth Mortal (Advanced Cultivator): LVL 1-100  / Rank 1-9


    Sky Mortal (Master Cultivator): LVL 1-100  / Rank 1-9


    Heaven Mortal (Grandmaster Cultivator): LVL 1-100  / Rank 1-9


    Golden Mortal (Golden Cultivator): LVL 1-100  / Rank 1-9


    Mortal King (Godly Cultivator): LVL 1-100  / Rank 1-9


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


    Talent Grades:


    Talent Grades show the potential of a cultivator''s body to absorb, digest and store attributeless energy, meaning energy that isn''t of a specific element. It also measures their affinity with energy and how quickly they would be able to cultivate. Talent grades are split into the sub-grades 1-9 with 9 being the lowest and 1 being the highest.


    F:(1-9) - allows a cultivator to cultivate in the Mortal / Novice Cultivation Level


    E:(1-9) - allows a cultivator to cultivate in the Earth Mortal / Advanced Cultivation Level


    D:(1-9) - allows a cultivator to cultivate in the Sky Mortal / Master Cultivation Level


    C:(1-9) - allows a cultivator to cultivate in the Heaven Mortal / Grandmaster Cultivation Level


    B:(1-9) - allows a cultivator to cultivate in the Golden Mortal / Golden Cultivation Level


    A:(1-9) - allows a cultivator to cultivate in the Mortal King / Godly Cultivation Level


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


    Elemental Affinity Grades:


    Elemental Affinity Grades show the potential of a cultivator''s body to absorb, digest and store energy of a specific element. It also measures their connection and affinity with that element and measures how much power and skill that one has while wielding the energy of the element they have an affinity with.


    They are graded in the same way as talent and all cultivators that have elemental affinities, have talent at the same grade. This allows them to cultivate using only energy of that specific element, which gives them an advantage over ordinary cultivators that don''t have an elemental affinity as elemental energies have special and unique characteristics and attributes.

 Chapter 111: Floor 2 Completed

    His red eyes flashed with killing intent and Bloodlust as he allowed his Bloodlust characteristic to take some control and increase his desire to kill.


    Launching himself into the air, Adam struck down with a downwards kick onto the Gorilla Boss Beast''s head, however, its senses were very sensitive and on a similar level to his own, as the Gorilla Boss Beast launched a powerful counter-attack that launched Adam slamming into the ground.


    "He, you can''t hurt me, I will be the one to kill you today" roared Adam as he got up and charged towards the Gorilla Boss Beast.


    Adam knew that the only thing that he had over the beast was his enhanced resistance, which was very high with both his defensive techniques being used at once, so knew he had to keep on attacking until he found the right opportunity to take out the Gorilla Boss Beast.


    He didn''t have the advantage in speed or strength and only his defence was superior, which was the opposite of what one would expect from a human while facing a large gorilla.


    It was so large, fast and powerful and was a hard opponent to face, but Adam could see many openings for his attacks as he dashed towards the Gorilla Boss Beast.


    He knew that the only thing he could use to take down the beast was his mind, and he had to trick the monkey beast and make the most of his agile and nimble body against it.


    Adam picked up two pieces of wood that were quite short in length and were of similar sizes and weights, as he dashed towards the Gorilla Beast.


    The system informed him that they were only ordinary pieces of wood and didn''t have any enhancing properties, and he wasn''t planning on using the Dual Slash Skill through them, as he wanted to conserve his Internal Energy, and only wanted to use them as blunt dual weapons.


    Sliding under a swing from the Gorilla Boss Beast, Adam struck its right foot with all his strength as he slid between its legs.


    As he slid past the Gorilla Boss Beast, he jumped up then struck downwards on the back of the Gorilla Boss Beast''s neck with both the wooden pieces that broke on its neck and didn''t deal much damage.


    After being struck from behind, the Gorilla Boss Beast turned around and elbowed Adam who was still midair and launched him sliding backwards.


    [Shit, this beast is too strong. It has been 1 minute and I haven''t even made a scratch on it] thought Adam to himself as he dashed towards it again.


    However, Adam was aiming to directly strike the beast and was no longer going to attempt to outsmart the beast that had sharp senses and slightly superior speed and strength when compared to him.


    "Die" roared Adam who allowed more and more of the Bloodlust characteristic to take control as he launched a fist that had all his power behind it and struck the Gorilla Boss Beast''s stomach.


    The fist made it lose 20 HP and if he struck the Gorilla Boss Beast with 16 strikes with that much power, he would be able to kill the beast.


    However, it wasn''t that easy as the Gorilla Boss Beast countered the attack and kicked Adam in return, causing him to slide backwards.


    Adam had managed to put his arms up to block the attack and had only lost 9 HP, which was half of what the Gorilla Boss Beast had suffered.


    [At this rate I should be able to defeat the Gorilla Boss Beast, but that is only if the monkey beasts do not intervene and help the Gorilla Boss Beast, which would be almost impossible for me to deal with] thought Adam to himself as he went in for another attack.


    He had the advantage with all his enhancements, but it still wasn''t enough to face off against so many beasts at once and he would only be able to succeed if the monkey beasts didn''t have an allegiance to the Gorilla Boss Beast.


    After 13 more exchanges, he could see that the Gorilla Boss Beast had fallen to 40 HP, but he had also lost a lot of HP and only had 130 HP left. It had also been a few minutes, and in 6 minutes, he would lose all his enhancements and would collapse from fatigue.


    "Its time for you to die" roared Adam as he rushed in for the final few attacks that would defeat the Gorilla Boss Beast and complete Floor 2.


    However, before he could do so, the Gorilla Boss Beast rushed away from Adam, and Adam''s worst-case scenario came to be.


    It let out a screech and because of it, the monkey beasts that had all moved to the sidelines rushed towards Adam.


    It was just like when he was overwhelmed by the numbers of the goblin beasts that devoured his body and ate him alive. However, he wasn''t the same weak person he was back then and he stayed calm as he looked around him for a way that he could get through his current situation.


    He had roughly 10 seconds before he was bombarded with attacks by over 200 powerful monkey beasts and in that time he had to deal 40 HP of damage to the Gorilla Boss Beast that was keeping its distance and was both stronger and faster than Adam.


    The predicament he was in was one that was difficult to deal with, but one thing that was able to make the impossible possible was the system and it had given him a Unique Skill that was incredible and had limitless potential.


    Leporidae Summon


    Adam was running very low on IESP as he felt his body beginning to feel drained, but he had to defeat the Gorilla Boss Beast as quickly as he could, otherwise, he would lose all the progress he had made on Stage 3.


    Launching the small white hare at the Gorilla Boss Beast, Adam placed his final hopes of defeating the Gorilla Boss Beast on his Lepoidae Summon.


    "Kill it" ordered Adam as he prepared to face against the dozens of monkey beasts that were closest to him and rushing towards him.


    The Lepoiade Summon slashed the Gorilla Boss Beast leaving a deep wound on its back, but it continued to run away as its extremely low health continued to dwindle.


    [Unless I restrict their movement, with their unlimited energy, beasts in the dungeon can be very troublesome to take down] thought Adam as he ran after the Gorilla Boss Beast.


    Swooping up the Lepoidae Summon into his hand he threw it towards where the Gorilla Boss Beast was running to, in a final bid to take it down, as the monkey beasts had reached Adam.


    Blocking a strike from his side from a monkey beast, he was then kicked on the back and fell to the ground.


    Remembering what had happened last time when he was pushed down to the ground then surrounded by beasts, Adam jumped up and attempted to dash away, but there were too many monkey beasts that were beginning to surround him.


    Meanwhile, the Leporidae Summon was chasing after the Gorilla Boss Beast that was wanting to get away in order to recover, and just as it thought it was a safe distance away from Adam who was surrounded by monkey beasts, its neck was slashed by the Leporidae Summon.


    {Ding, the host has completed Floor 1 and defeated the Boss Beast, so can therefore become an LVL 20 Mortal and move onto the next Floor of the Mortal Dungeon} the system announced.


    Hearing that Adam let out a sigh of relief, but he knew he couldn''t leave yet until he collected the Forest Gorilla for his beastpedia.


    {Would you like to integrate the Forest Gorilla Beast as a part of your Primate Summon YES / NO} asked the system within his mind.


    [Yes] answered Adam, who was blocking attacks from monkey beasts that were attacking him from all angles.


    {Ding, the host can leave the dungeon and be instantly upgraded to LVL 20, or the host can stay on Floor 2 and continue to hunt in order to acquire gold while the host''s strength increases} stated the system.


    [Get me the fuck out of here] answered Adam who felt immense fatigue and pain all over his body as he was surrounded and beaten by monkey beasts.


    Adam suddenly felt his soul be sucked out of the dungeon and felt as though he was jolted back into his body that lay in the corner of the dojo in reality.


    ''That little rascal finally decided to wake up after spending 15 hours sleeping instead of training. But his strength has increased and he seems to have broken through to rank 2'' observed the old man who was shocked and confused by what he had seen of Adam


    He seemingly had slept for 15 hours straight, but when he woke up his cultivation level had a small upwards leap and it confused and intrigued his master.

 Chapter 112: Rundown Of Cultivation Levels and Grades

    In the Dungeon, Adam''s health had dwindled to a few points and just as he was about to be killed by the monkey beasts that had swarmed around him, he was retracted from the dungeon by the system.


    Feeling his body''s power, Adam opened his eyes and had a satisfied smile as he looked over at his master that seemed to be sleeping. Little did he know, his master was observing everything that Adam did and was noting it down.


    [Now its time to see all my rewards] stated Adam to himself.


    The painful experiences and strain that he experienced from being in the dungeon stuck with Adam and sometimes took its toll on him, but he knew that it was a price worth paying for all the benefits that the Dungeon System gave him.


    With his Hunter''s mind, he could suppress emotions that would affect his mind and took a toll on him, and it also allowed him to overcome the traumatic experiences that he had been through in the dungeon.


    [System show me my status and give me a rundown of everything that I have gained from Floor 2 and everything that I have acquired so far since integrating with the system] ordered Adam.


    {Ding, the host''s current status, including the host''s points and gold, is:


    Mortal LVL: 20


    Dungeon Form LVL: 2


    EXP: 0 / 10000


    HP: 310 / 310


    IESP: 36 / 36


    EESP: 36 / 36


    Strength: 32


    Speed: 35


    Intelligence: 35


    Resistance: 32


    Wisdom: 10 (5+5)


    Charisma: 5


    Luck: 5


    System Points: 33521


    Stat Points: 8


    Gold: 97860} informed him the system.


    {The host gained 4 stat points from completing Floor 2 and gained 4 points from levelling up 4 times} stated the system.


    {Ding the host''s current additional status is:


    Integrated Characteristics: Bloodlust


    Characteristic Extensions: Blood Burn, Blood Berserker


    Unique Skills: Collector Skill


    Skills: Dual Slash, Ethereal Recovery} informed him the system.


    {The additional status will show the host''s skills, characteristics and any other additional information about the host that the status doesn''t show} stated the system.


    {The host has gained the D- Rank Gorilla Gauntlets, which the host can find within the host''s Dungeon Invenotry} added the system.


    Checking his inventory, Adam saw the item that the system was talking about and instructed the system to click on it, not wanting to do so himself in case his master was somehow watching him.


    D- Rank Gorilla Gauntlets


    Gauntlets formed out of the fists of a Gorilla Beast that are as hard as rock and protect the user''s fists as he punches.


    Effects:


    +2 Strength


    +2 Resistance


    {The host currently has 5 different beast races in his beastpedia and is now on Floor 3. The host''s current combat power, including the unused stat points, is: IE:35, making the host''s combat power equivalent to an LVL 35, if the host doesn''t use any skills or abilities that enhance the host''s power further} concluded the system.


    {Where would the host like to spend the stat points} asked the system.


    Adam didn''t need to think too much about it after his battle with the Gorilla Boss Beast that had shown him how important that particular stat was.


    [Spend all 8 points on speed] decided Adam.


    He knew that cultivators could train specific characteristics of their body more than others which would resort for a particular stat to be their speciality and it was rare that a cultivator would attempt to strengthen all parts of their body equally.


    After battling the Gorilla Boss Beast, he felt that it was a difficult battle because the Gorilla Beast was slightly faster than him, and with his lean and nimble body, he knew that speed suited his body the most.


    His physical strength would be on par with cultivators on his cultivation level, as the system would increase all his stats by 1 point every time he LVLs UP, but he wanted his speed to be higher than that to be able to get him out of any sticky situation that he was in.


    {Ding, the host has spent 8 stat points on speed} notified him the system.


    [System is there a way to increase stats through training, without needing an increase in LVL or stat points] asked Adam, who wanted to find out if there were any other ways to increase his stats without using stat points or increasing his LVL.


    {It is possible for the host to do so through training in methods and skills that train a specific element of the host''s body or a specific stat, but while training, the host will gain EXP and increase in LVL. This is why most cultivators would have one stat which they focus on and increase the most while cultivating, as unlike the host, it will take too much time for one to increase all their stats evenly, let alone cultivate both Internally and Externally} answered the system.


    With that in mind, he knew that while he was training with his master, he should be able to increase his stats while training and gaining EXP, which would allow him to have increased stats even more than they would be increased if he had only relied on hunting to increase his power.


    The existence of high-level cultivators with elemental affinities, high-grade skills and methods and lots of resources was scary for Adam, who didn''t want to feel vulnerable.


    He was yet to acquire any elemental affinities or enough skills for him to be satisfied with and he wasn''t yet satisfied with his strength.


    [System can you give me a rundown of the cultivation levels] requested Adam who wanted to see just how much further he could increase his power.


    {A Mortal Cultivator, also known as a Novice Cultivator, is an ordinary human that is strengthening their body and training it to become capable of wielding larger amounts of energy in the next cultivation levels. Internal Cultivators are widening and strengthening their dantian, internal organs and meridians, while External Cultivators are compressing and strengthening their bones, muscles and external parts of their body.


    After the Mortal / Novice Cultivation Level, there is the Earth Mortal/ Advanced Cultivation Level where one truly becomes a cultivator and begins to surpass the mortal limits of humans. There currently aren''t any cultivators that surpass the Advanced Level within the vicinity of the host, but the system can confirm that your master once was at a cultivation level that was higher than that before being weakened over time} answered the system.


    {There are talent grades that individuals are born with and are graded in the same way as elemental affinities. Usually, cultivators with elemental affinities have a talent grade that is similar or slightly higher than the grade of their elemental affinity. The cultivation realm that the host is currently in has 6 Cultivation Levels, and the host is currently at the beginning of the first Cultivation Level. The grading system that the system will be using is one that is familiar to the host. An F grade talent only has enough potential to cultivate in the Mortal / Novice Grade of cultivation. It is the same thing with the rest of the cultivation levels, so an E grade talent would be able to cultivate in the Earth Mortal / Advanced Cultivation Level and so on. These talent grades are also split into sub grades, with F:1 being the best F graded talent and F:9 being the lost F graded talent} explained the system.


    {The host doesn''t have a talent grade, as the host''s potential is unlimited as long as the host hunts in the dungeon, but you can think of the Dungeon Form as the host''s talent grade. Using the Dungeon Form as a way to measure your talent grade, your current cultivation talent grade is F:8, which allows the host to cultivate comfortably until rank 2 and it would be very hard to surpass that level. However, unlike others, the host can increase his body''s talent and potential to improve with system points} continued the system.


    {The higher ones talent grade, the faster they can absorb, digest and store energy into their body either Internally or Externally and the host can think of it as the cultivator''s affinity with the energy around them. Similarly, the higher ones elemental affinity grade, the faster one can absorb, digest and store energy of that specific element, which will then also dictate how well they can wield the energy of that elemental and how much power they can draw from it. A cultivator is still able to cultivate to an LVL that surpasses their talent grade, but it will require a long time and lots of resources and hard work in order to do so} added the system.


    {Cultivators that don''t have an elemental affinity absorb attributeless energy which is energy that isn''t of any element. It has no special characteristics or effects and can only be used directly by the user, unlike elemental energy that allows the cultivator to use special skills that have characteristics of that element and to tap into the power of that element


    Adam had been bombarded with useful information from the system which he took his time to digest and store it within his mind before waking his master to continue his training.

 Chapter 113: Unknown Talent

    He couldn''t help but feel weak, insignificant and ignorant after what the system had informed him about how far one could go in terms of cultivation and the system also implied that there were more Cultivation Realms after the Mortal Cultivation Realm.


    But instead of feeling discouraged or overwhelmed, Adam was excited to explore the higher cultivation levels, while also finding out more about the world and cultivation.


    It had also revealed to him that there weren''t any cultivators within his vicinity which had surpassed the Advanced Level of the Mortal Realm within his vicinity, apart from his master that would have been at a higher cultivation level, if it wasn''t for him sacrificing his cultivation to extend his lifespan through a forbidden method.


    The system confirmed that there was still a long way for him to go and that there could be cultivators out there with godly power and abilities, which reinvigorated Adam''s drive to increase his strength and learn more about cultivation and the world.


    With that, Adam had gone over everything that he needed to review and find out about as he felt that he was ready to show his master the results of his slumber and continue his training.


    "Master, I have learned the techniques that you explained to me" called out Adam as he stood up.


    "Already, that was quite fast" murmured his master as he yawned and got up from the corner of the dojo that he lay in.


    "How did you learn them when you''ve been sleeping in that corner the entire time, and it seems as though your cultivation level has increased slightly as well," asked his master as he stood up and headed towards Adam.


    Before Adam could answer or react, his master had appeared before him with incredible speed and grabbed his wrist.


    Placing two fingers on his inner wrist, his master streamed some of his own energy into Adam''s body and used it to scan and observe everything about Adam''s body.


    "Both your Internal and External Cultivation has broken through to rank 2 of the Novice Level, so you are an early Rank 2 Novice Cultivator, but your power is on the level of a mid-rank 2 Novice Cultivator" observed his master who was surprised by Adam''s body.


    "Show me kid, how much of the technique have you learnt. It is a technique that can''t be completely taught and it is different for each individual, so I am interested to see how you have sued the idea and concept behind the techniques" stated his master.


    Adam then proceeded to use both the techniques one after the other, but he only used it to 3% mastery as he didn''t want to shock his master too much and reveal anything to do with the system.


    But even 3% mastery was shocking and incredible for somebody to reach in 15 hours while sleeping, but his master stayed calm and didn''t interrogate him as he has a slight smile.


    "What you have told me is known as an External Cultivator, was called a Martial Artist in my day, and what is now known as an Internal Cultivator was called a qi or internal strength user" narrated his master who randomly began telling Adam about his past.


    "It was a time where strength reined over everything else, but now it seems that the world has changed and has had many technological advancements. With it has come unique individuals" stated his master.


    "Master where are you from? and how old are you?" asked Adam who wanted to gauge the generation that his master was from and in what country.


    "Those questions will be left unanswered, but I sensed that your body has some impurities and I will help you dispel them" stated his master, unwilling to answer his questions.


    [It must be the impurities from the low graded pills that I took previously. I have been able to sense slight traces of them in my body, but I''ve had no clue how to get rid of them] thought Adam to himself as he attentively watched his master''s every move, wanting to learn from him.


    "This is a basic method of removing impurities in the body that if aren''t dealt with will have long term effects on your health, cultivation speed and ability to wield energy. You must have taken a lot of low graded pills at once and you haven''t come across any issues thus far because of them, but they will become an issue in the future if they aren''t dealt with now" stated his master.


    Adam knew that with the system, if he hunted beasts, he would still be able to increase his cultivation level and stats, so the impurities wouldn''t affect him in terms of cultivation, but he did notice that it would take longer to use his energy sometimes and it did hinder him slightly.


    "This is a simple method to dispel impurities and is quite widely found. After consuming a pill one must remove the impurities as soon as possible after consuming the pill, or should consume an A graded pill which has minimal impurities and can be dispelled within a short while through cultivating. There are many pills such as pills that recover vitality, pills that recover energy, pills that help one past bottlenecks and there a pills for almost anything that you can think of. However, they are all split into grades depending on the purity and quality of the pill and are ranked based on Cultivation Levels, such as an A graded Mortal Vitality Recovery Pill" explained his master who thought that Adam was lacking basic knowledge.


    He was lacking information, but the system was providing him with the information as he developed and he felt that he had the basic knowledge of cultivation and most things around it.


    Despite that, Adam still listened attentively to his master and had spotted that there quite a few differences between the way that the system graded and measured things when compared to how his master was explaining things.


    [He speaks, acts and seems as though he is somebody from ancient China, like in the cultivation novels. However, he doesn''t look Chinese and I haven''t seen him speak Mandarin either. But it seems that he left this place while I was gone and he has become accustomed to the modern society in the few days that I was gone and has basic knowledge of how the world is currently] observed Adam from what he had heard and seen from his master and was still unsure of his master''s origins.


    Adam was unsure of his master''s origins and knew most of what he was being taught already, but seeing the depth that his master was going into during his explanation, Adam was glad that he was being taught properly by his master as he made sure to note everything down.


    "An F Grade Talent should be able to reach the peak of the Novice Cultivation Level within 10-20 years depending on the subgrade of the talent. However, with the lack of areas with abundant energy and the lack of resources and compatible methods, that evaluation is hard to stick to. While for an E Grade Talent, they should be able to reach the peak of the Novice Cultivation Level within 1-10 years depending on their circumstance" stated the old man.


    "However these evaluations are based on the cultivator having a compatible method and the right resources to be able to do so, which most don''t have. It also depends on the perceptivity of the individual, which would dictate whether or not they were able to comprehend a method, and whether they would work hard to increase their cultivation.  It also depends on whether they have someone to teach and guide them and on the strength of their will power. If one doesn''t have the determination and desire to increase their strength, it is impossible to do so. On top of all that, it also requires one to be educated on cultivation and almost always takes much longer than the estimated time" added his master.


    "You on the other hand have an unusual body and I can''t gauge your talent or ability. However with me as your master and your crazy nature that is driving you forwards, you should be able to reach the peak of the Novice Cultivation Level within a year like an E:1 graded talent would be able to" estimated his master.


    [So that means that if the Maxwell Family has talents that are of the E grade, they would have many advanced cultivators that will be very powerful and difficult to face] thought Adam to himself.


    He was yet to know what they were like and whether or not they would become his enemy, but he wasn''t planning to find out until he was confident in his strength, and his weird, but powerful, master before him was willing to teach him and guide him on his path.


    "Yes, master" stated Adam determinedly.

 Chapter 114: Removing Impurities

    "Now to remove those impurities, place your hands over mine and I will help you get rid of them" instructed the old man as he sat down before Adam and held out his palms.


    Adam sat down as well then placed his hands on top of his master''s palms.


    Closing his eyes, Adam focused on his energy as he sensed his master pour energy into his body. However, the energy wasn''t absorbed or stored in Adam''s body and it was still under the control of his master as he controlled the strand of energy that he had streamed into Adam''s body.


    Using that strand of energy, he went to a few areas around Adam''s body and would stop at all impurities and use the strand of energy to pull the impurities slowly out of Adam''s body and removed them through his pores.


    Adam who was watching the fine control that his master had over his own Internal Energy and him being able to remove the impurities, was shocked and amazed, but he could clearly see that it required a lot of mental power to do and it still took him 10 minutes to remove a small amount of the impurities.


    The area that his master removed the impurities from excreted some black goo out of Adam''s pores that had a thick stench and Adam recognised it as the impurities that he had observed within his aunt''s body.


    "There is not much to it other than that. Impurities can be found within the body from consuming low quality pills, but are also formed from bad lifestyles and eating lots of unhealthy food. To remove such impurities requires one to eradicate the impurities using their own energy or through arduous training and excerise, that pushes the body past its limits, which will slowly remove the impurities. Impurities will weigh down on the body and slow down bodily functions, and they have major effects on long term health. We don''t have a lot of time, so cannot slowly remove them through training and will remove them using Internal Energy, which will require fine control over one''s Internal Energy" stated his master.


    "You should have seen how I eradicated some of the impurities in your body, as you can see that some of it has been removed. So following that, you should be able to remove the rest if you have a good enough control and perceptivity to do so" instructed his master.


    "Yes master, but before I go off to remove the impurities, can you at least tell me your name," asked Adam who wanted to find out anything about his master.


    "Alright, my name is Julius and you can call me master Julius" answered his master.


    He didn''t seem to be lying about his name, but Adam wasn''t sure about whether he was telling the truth and it was a common first name, so wouldn''t do him much good when trying to find out about his master''s past and who he is.


    [System can I remove the impurities from my body in the dungeon] asked Adam.


    {The host can do so, but the host wouldn''t experience any results in reality. This is because any physical gains within the dungeon are not transferred into reality, in the same way, that if the host is injured in the dungeon, he won''t be injured in reality. The only benefits that the host can take back from training in the dungeon are experiences or increases in stats, which can bypass the absence of a physical link between reality and the Dungeon} answered the system.


    With that, he knew there would be no shortcut to dispelling the impurities within his body and he was glad that he didn''t consume many pills overall and that he didn''t rely on pills to recover most of the time.


    Noticing that it was only able to dispel the impurities with his Internal Energy, Adam wondered whether External Cultivators would be able to dispel impurities with their External Energy or whether there was another way for them to do so as External Energy couldn''t be wielded like Internal Energy.


    However, from what his master told him, impurities could also be removed through training and exercise and External Cultivators most likely had a method to push their bodies past their limits in order to remove the impurities over time.


    Adam thought that it would be easier to remove the impurities through the use of his Internal Energy instead of training, like an External Cultivator would have to do, as it would be quicker and wouldn''t require him to experience physical pain through training.


    However, he soon came to realise that, that wasn''t the case.


    Adam began with circulating his Internal Energy around his body, following the energy paths around his body that passed through all the meridians that were around his body. The cycle started from his dantian and went around his body in the same way the blood cycle began from the heart.


    However unlike the blood cycle, Adam had to control the energy himself and it didn''t happen automatically, which required large amounts of mental power and control to be able to do and was the reason why Internal Cultivators needed a high Intelligence stat.


    After he had circulated his energy around his body a few times and after becoming accustomed to doing so, Adam attempted to control a small amount of his energy at a time.


    He struggled in doing so and his head began aching slightly as he focused his mind on his Internal Energy, trying to control it in the same way he had seen his master do.


    It took him a while, but he managed to separate a small strand of energy like he had seen his master do and could then move onto the next step.


    His Internal Energy was much less dense than that of his master, but he attempted to do as he had seen his master do, and controlling the sliver of energy, took it to where he could sense impurities.


    His master had only removed around 5% of the impurities in Adam''s body and he had much more left to remove, but his master would always leave the things that he wanted to teach Adam for him to find out about and understand by himself.


    That would not only test Adam''s ability and perceptivity, but it would also make Adam more accustomed and skilled in its use after learning it by himself.


    After controlling his energy to where he had found the impurities, Adam attempt to slowly push it out of his body using the energy, so that he could release it through his pores, just like he had seen his master do.


    However, he realised it wasn''t as easy and simple as his master made it seem and it would require a lot of time and practise before he could do so.


    [If my master, who was once of unknown power and has an incredible amount of experience and knowledge that he acquired over his long life, took 10 minutes to remove 5% of the impurities, it will take me weeks to get rid of all the impurities] thought Adam to himself as he struggled to even move the impurities in the slightest.


    Adam felt his mind aching slightly as he focused completely on attempting to remove the impurities and continuously replaying what he had seen his master do in order to remove the impurities previously, however, he was unwilling to give up and continued attempting to remove the impurities with his Internal Energy.


    It took him an hour before he had figured out how to latch his energy onto the impurities, then after he had managed to grab a small amount of impurities with his Internal Energy, he had to push them out of his body through his pores.


    Adam had learnt the Energy Sleeve Technique and it had massively helped in the process as he had become accustomed to controlling his Internal Energy and pushing it outside of his body to form the Energy Sleeve.


    Adam was unsure how long it would take him to be able to remove all the impurities within his body, but Adam didn''t stop until he had removed all of them and would only pause the process to use the Ethereal Recovery Skill in order to recover his Internal Energy and relax his strained mind.


    It took him 3 whole days to complete the process and Adam was covered in a black slime-like substance that had a very thick stench and was the result of low quality pills being consumed.


    "You have finished within 3 days, not bad. It usually takes a few weeks for somebody at your cultivation level to remove impurities, but it seems you even excel in Internal Energy control" stated his master who was amazed by all the things that Adam was good at.


    Adam was slightly shocked that his master knew immediately when he was finished, but compared to everything else that his master was capable of, it was expected from such an amazing, yet weird, individual.


    "Yes master I have finished, but I really need to shower and change into a new set of clothes, so I will need to return to my home" stated Adam.

 Chapter 115: Spiritual Sense

    Each and every time that the old man fought against Adam or taught him something new, he was pleasantly surprised by how quickly Adam was able to learn and grasp what he was trying to teach him.


    He was the perfect student that seemed loyal and would never complain, and knowing that, the old man was beginning to warm up to him. However, that scared him and after being betrayed, he didn''t ever want to feel vulnerable and allow himself to be stabbed in the back.


    Because of that, he was still subconsciously wary of Adam and he wasn''t yet confident in Adam''s loyalty to teach him something that was valuable and dear to him.


    However, he was still willing to strengthen Adam''s foundations and teach him the fundamentals while testing his character and potential along the way.


    "There is no need for you to return to your home, there is a lake deeper into the forest that is surrounded by small mountains and trees, so there shouldn''t be anybody there," said his master.


    "What direction is it in?" asked Adam, who was fine with cleaning himself nearby as it would save him a lot of time and was also more convenient for him.


    While talking to his master, Adam held his nose that was being assaulted by the revolting smell of the impurities. The lingering smell of the impurities that he had removed was shockingly bad and worse than anything he had ever smelt in his life.


    While Adam was removing the impurities he was too focused to care about the stench, but after he had finished, he realised just how strong and disgusting the smell was.


    "Look for it yourself, you''re not an idiot, and make sure not to leave any of those smelly impurities in here" stated his master as he turned around towards the wall in the corner of the dojo that he always lay in.


    Adam ignored his master then took with him one of the sets of clothing that he had bought with him, to change into after he had cleaned himself.


    Walking out of the dojo, Adam was unsure where exactly the lake was that his master spoke of, but he had previously climbed the mountain and knew that there wasn''t a lake up the mountain or on the path that he took.


    From what his master had described, he had a rough idea where he would find it and walked deeper into the small forest that his master''s dojo was in.


    While walking through the forest, in search of the lake that his master spoke of, Adam suddenly received a notification from the system.


    {Ding, from the constant use of your spiritual sense to monitor your body and by practising your ability to wield your energy to remove the impurities, the host''s Intelligence Stat has increased by 1 point} notified him the system.


    [Great] exclaimed Adam within his mind.


    {This was only because the host''s IESP surpassed the host''s Intelligence Stat, which made it harder for the host to control and easier for the host to increase it by 1 stat point by practising its use. But it won''t be as fast and easy as that in the future to gain stat points} informed him the system.


    Looking at his status, Adam could see that his Intelligence had increased by 1 point, but he hadn''t gained any EXP. However, that was to be expected as he wasn''t training or increasing his cultivation by removing the impurities, and was also for the best.


    He didn''t want to gain much EXP in reality as he wouldn''t receive any gold from it and it also wasn''t guaranteed that he would still receive system points for doing so.


    Nothing was guaranteed with the system that continued to change and he knew that it would continue to change and grow as he also changed and developed.


    The only thing that Adam was certain about was that the Dungeon System was based around hunting in the dungeon and that was the method of increasing his strength that would give him the best results and rewards.


    Knowing that, he only wanted to learn techniques, skills or gain experience and knowledge from his master, while in the dungeon he would hunt beasts to increase his cultivation.


    He also wanted to train his combat prowess and gain combat experience against his master, as Adam had realised just how different it was to fight against a beast when compared to a human.


    Adam wasn''t sure where the small lake was and he was beginning to realise how big and confusing the forest around him was to navigate in, so he decided to change his course of action.


    [Instead of physically searching for the lake, I should search for it with my spiritual sense that has been strengthened slightly by my increase in Intelligence] decided Adam.


    [System what is the range of my spiritual sense] asked Adam who was unsure of the exact range of his spiritual sense and what it was capable of.


    Spiritual Sense is a sixth sense that is unique to Internal Cultivators, and with their Internal Energy and high Intelligence stat, they can release a wave of energy around them, which will relay a feeling about what is in the area back to the mind of the Internal Cultivator.


    Adam had briefly explored the use of his spiritual sense, like when he had used it to detect the impurities within his aunt''s body, but he was still unsure of its limits.


    {For every point of Intelligence, the spiritual sense''s range increases by 10 metres. For ordinary humans that haven''t cultivated internally, they still have a minor spiritual sense, but without Internal Energy and the necessary knowledge, they are unable to fully use it. However subconsciously it is used sometimes, such as when a person has an instinctive feeling that somebody is looking at them} answered the system.


    {The spiritual sense of an Internal Cultivator has many different uses and applications and develops with the cultivator, but it depends on each cultivator how much it develops and grows. In order to increase the range of uses that your spiritual sense has, you must pracitse its use and also understand and learn more about it and Internal Cultivation} stated the system.


    [Hmm, okay thanks for the info system] thanked Adam within his mind.


    [That must be how my master knows everything that happens in my body and in the area around him and his spiritual sense must be at a level where he can easily see everything in the entire forest around him] realised Adam.


    Sitting down on the ground cross-legged, which Adam found was the optimum position to circulate his Internal Energy, Adam attempted to release his spiritual sense to its fullest.


    He had been using his spiritual sense ever since he had began cultivating as an Internal Cultivator, but he didn''t know that it was his spiritual sense and he was only using it instinctively.


    Following what the system said about releasing a wave of Internal Energy around him, Adam attempted to do so, but it didn''t work and he felt as though he had misunderstood what the system meant by energy.


    Focusing his mind on the area around him, Adam streamed Internal Energy towards his head, which he had never done before, then attempted to release a wave from his mind that was attempting to sense the area around him and had been provided a large amount of Internal Energy.


    It was the most logical way that Adam could think of using his spiritual sense and he had done it instinctively.


    To his surprise, it was the method to use his spiritual sense directly and the wave of energy released from his mind spread around him and relayed back to his mind the area around him with a radius of 360 metres.


    What Adam found from that was that he couldn''t see through solid objects or walls, as his master''s dojo was still within his range and he couldn''t see through the wall, and that it would only give him a rough vision and idea of what there was in the area around him and not a detailed image like his eyes would.


    However since it was a sense that couldn''t be defined using the senses that ordainry humans had, it was hard for Adam to describe the sensation that the spiritual sense made him experience.


    All he could say was that it gave him a feeling about what there was in the area around him, and in the area around him, he sensed a few birds in trees and a few large insects that he had managed to sense, but his spiritual sense was still weak and hazy when compared to that of his master.


    Adam was satisfied with what he was capable of and if he used it in the dungeon, he would get a rough idea of what was beasts and how many of them there were in the area around him.

 Chapter 116: Illusion Array

    With the understanding of how to use his spiritual sense, Adam would walk 300 metres, then stop to use his spiritual sense in the area around him and see whether there was a lake nearby.


    It was a very mentally draining process and also required quite a lot of Internal Energy, but Adam was doing it to train and practise the use of his spiritual sense and it was also helping him find the lake that his master had spoken of.


    "It seems that the kid has learnt how to roughly use his spiritual sense. But he won''t find it that easy to navigate around this forest that is not as simple as it seems" stated the old man to himself as he sat above his dojo and observed Adam from a distance.


    Adam had been searching for 10 minutes, but it was to no avail and one thing he realised was that he was never getting closer to the small mountains around him and although he felt he was moving, it was as though he wasn''t actually moving.


    He knew the rough size of the forest and the few small mountains in the area, as he had seen it online, but he still wasn''t able to find a lake in the area and it was as though he was being tricked into thinking that he was moving when he wasn''t.


    "What the fuck is wrong with his place" exclaimed Adam in frustration.


    The only thing that Adam could compare what he was feeling to was the corridor that led into each floor of the dungeon where both time and space seemed to work differently, but he still felt that it was a different experience.


    It was just as Adam had suspected, it wasn''t an ordinary forest, otherwise, how could a weird dojo be found in a forest without being noticed by the public for such a long time.


    Adam''s master was manipulating the forest around the dojo and had made it so that it would be almost impossible for an ordinary person to find the dojo unless he wanted them to.


    One day when he was bored, he allowed someone to enter and luckily that same person wrote a blog about it, that Adam had stumbled upon and led him to visit the forest.


    As soon as Adam stepped into the forest, the old man sensed that he was a low-level cultivator and he was curious as to what he was doing there and what he wanted, so he allowed him to find the dojo and everything else is history.


    His master was capable of doing that using an array that he had placed around the area, which he was in control, of and being an array master was a very rare occupation to have.


    Arrays were different formations that were inscribed onto different materials or in different locations to carry out different functions when provided energy.


    The array that he had placed around the forest was quite a simple one and it didn''t require much energy, but it would be very difficult for somebody that wasn''t an Advanced Cutlviator to forcefully break past.


    It was an array that tricked the mind and the eyes and made the individual move in circles towards their target using an illusion, or would make the person avoid and not see a specific area.


    With it, he had managed to keep his dojo hidden for such a long time until he got bored and allowed somebody in.


    The old man knew that it would be quite hard for Adam to figure out exactly what was going on and how to bypass it, but he wanted to test out how perceptive Adam really was and whether his capabilities would allow him to surpass the expectations that his master had of him.


    He was also doing it to test just how well Adam had grasped the use of his spiritual sense and how skilled he was in its use.


    Adam was confused with what was going on, but the only thing he could assume was that his master had something to do with it.


    His master despite having an outwardly nonchalant and reckless nature seemed very careful and paranoid and it didn''t make sense to Adam that he would reside within an unguarded forest that could be accessed by anybody.


    [So it seems there is still so much that I need to learn and I am somehow being tricked by this place into staying in the same position. If it is as I thought and my master is in control of this, and this must be some sort of test] thought Adam to himself.


    [If this an illusion that is tricking my senses, maybe I should stop relying on my physical senses and should only use my spiritual sense to navigate around the forest] thought Adam to himself who had watched many movies and read many novels that had similar situations.


    He could feel that it wasn''t something that was physically restricting me or changed the environment around him, like the weird corridor that leads into the dungeon, so the only other possibility was that it was an illusion.


    The illusion was more effective on External Cultivators, who would find it much more difficult to see past and be able to get out of the illusion, but it shouldn''t be very difficult for Internal Cultivators to be able to overcome. Luckily for the old man, there were much more External Cultivators than Internal Cultivators.


    His master would be furious and shocked if he was told that Adam was able to figure out the way of navigating past his prized Illusion Array from watching movies and reading novels.


    Closing his eyes Adam was attempting to completely block all his physical senses, that might have been tricked by the illusion array, and started off with his touch, sight, smell and hearing, then attempting to constantly sustain his spiritual sense.


    It was very difficult for Adam to sustain his spiritual sense constantly to use it to replace his physical senses, but after a few minutes of practice and the assistance of his Hunter''s mind that helped him to focus his mind and stay completely calm, he was able to sustain his spiritual sense constantly.


    "Incredible, within a few minutes this kid was able to realise that his physical senses were being tricked and had not only found the solution, but was capable of following through with the solution" exclaimed the old man as he watched Adam from above the dojo.


    Adam was also surprised and amazed by what he was experiencing and it was as though he was looking at the world at a different angle.


    It could take weeks, months or even years for an Internal Cultivator to become accustomed to the use of their spiritual sense, yet within a matter of minutes, Adam was able to do so, all because to the Hunter''s mind that he allowed to take complete control currently.


    He couldn''t see, hear, smell or feel anything, which he was only capable of doing because of the Hunter''s mind, but could still sense what was around him and had a rough image of what was around him within his mind.


    Despite the image being hazy and his spiritual sense only being able to sense large things around him, Adam felt that it was more sensitive towards movement or changes in the energy around him.


    Using only his spiritual sense, he would be able to sense whether somebody was cultivating near him or if somebody was approaching him at high speeds, but he wouldn''t have a clear image of who or what was moving or absorbing energy from the atmosphere.


    After he was comfortable in sustaining his spiritual sense, Adam reduced his range to 100 metres around him, as it was too straining and difficult to sustain as he moved around using his spiritual sense to navigate around.


    It was just like he had guessed and he felt as though he was actually moving as he could feel that he was nearing the mountains through the spiritual sense.


    However Adam was still unsure how the Illusion Array worked as he genuinely felt and thought that he was moving around the forest previously, but he was actually moving in a small circle and hadn''t covered much ground.


    "It seems that he has figured out the advantages and disadvantages of using his spiritual sense as a pose to his physical senses and he has done much better than I thought he would" stated his master to himself who was amazed by Adam''s ability to quickly adapt and learn new things.


    Seeing that Adam was able to move past the Illusion Array using his spiritual sense, there was no point in his master wasting energy to use it on him and he returned to the dojo.


    He was surprised by how easily Adam was able to find the way past the Illusion Array, but that wasn''t the only defensive measures that his master had set up over the years and he had no reason to use the other arrays he had set up yet.


    Seeing that Adam had figured out what was going on and that he had learnt more about his spiritual sense, the old man allowed him to head over to the lake and clean himself up as he wondered who and what Adam really was.

 Chapter 117: Modern Day

    There is no such thing as being too careful or overprepared and his master made sure that he was secure in the place that he had made his home.


    He would allow the few people, that came to hike on his mountains, to pass, but none of them would enter the forest as it was densely covered in trees and seemed quite dangerous, and even if they did, the old man could easily lead them around in circles.


    It was only by chance that Adam was able to find the small blog about the weird forest and unregistered dojo in the centre of it and it once again showed Adam''s luck that was higher than most people.


    Adam, who was using his spiritual sense to navigate through the forest without his physical senses, suddenly felt as though the cloak that was over his physical senses was removed and he wasn''t sure what exactly the sensation was, but his instincts told him that his master''s test for him was over.


    Retracting his spiritual sense, Adam let out a sigh of relief, no longer needing to sustain his straining spiritual sense, and began searching for the lake that his master spoke of.


    It wasn''t long after that Adam stumbled upon the lake, and after hearing the sound of water from a few dozen metres away, Adam rushed towards it.


    The sickening smell of the impurities was disturbing and Adam couldn''t wait to wash them off his body as he launched himself into the air as high as he could and dived into the water headfirst.


    The lake was surprisingly quite deep and was about 50 metres wide, but nobody would have been able to find it with his master''s Illusion Array that hiding it and because of the trees that surrounded and covered it.


    The lake was clean and the water was clear and it had been slowly eroding the rock of the mountain that was beside it as it began to form a small cave in the mountain that was filled with water.


    Adam swam up and down the lake, enjoying the cold water that was cleaning his body and relaxed his muscles that had been heavily strained ever since he had integrated with the system.


    It was the first time that he had been swimming in years and he used to go with Cole all the time, but after his aunt fell ill, he didn''t have the luxury, or the time, to enjoy himself in a swimming pool.


    Taking off his clothes that had been stained by the impurities, Adam only kept on his underwear while he swam and relaxed in the cold lake water.


    He was quite confident that nobody could see him or would come to the lake, but the thought of his master''s spiritual sense being able to cover the entire area made a shiver run down his spine and he didn''t want to stay in the water for too long or swim in the water naked.


    [System how was my master able to trick my physical senses into thinking I was moving towards the lake, when I wasn''t] asked Adam curiously.


    Adam wouldn''t have been so easily tricked if it wasn''t so realistic and he genuinely felt as though he was getting closer to the mountains and the area he was searching for.


    It was only after he stopped after feeling that he wasn''t covering any distance, did he realise that he hadn''t moved much from the area that he started from.


    {Ask your master for details, but I can inform you that he used an array} answered the system.


    [What''s an array] asked Adam.


    He had heard about them from novels and movies that had cultivation within them, but he was doubting how realistic and truthful they were.


    {An array is an inscription that requires an Array Master to inscribe it on a specific material and with specific intentions while pouring energy into the inscription in the process. An array would then use those inscriptions, and energy provided to them by the user, to carry out the intention that was used while creating it and each array would have a specific function} answered the system.


    It sounded like an amazing occupation and ability to have, and Adam was interested in learning and mastering Array Insrcption, Weapon Forging, Pill Making and any other incredible professions that he may come across in the world of cultivation, but first, he wanted to increase his strength to a satisfactory level.


    Adam stayed in the lake for 10 minutes as he enjoyed the cold water and swimming around in it as he cleaned his body, and while doing so, he reduced the effects of the Hunter''s mind so that he could relax and enjoy himself properly.


    With his ability to control and balance the effects of the Hunter''s mind and how much control it would have over his actions, Adam could see how useful it was to carry out tasks that required him to be completely calm and unaffected by what was going on around him.


    But the empty feeling wasn''t always beneficial, and although it helped him regulate his Bloodlust characteristic, it hindered the emotional drive that would allow him to push past his limits and unleash great power.


    Adam got out of the water in only the underwear that he kept on, and remembered that he didn''t have a towel to dry himself.


    [Why don''t I try and use the Energy Sleeve Technique to get all the water off my body] thought Adam to himself.


    Activating the Energy Sleeve Technique would form a layer of Internal Energy around his body, but in the process, Adam was wondering whether his Internal Energy would push off the water that he was drenched in.


    It was just as he thought and as he activated the Energy Sleeve Technique from his body, it pushed off all the water that was around him and he instantly became dry.


    But that confused him as his clothes that he had worn previously weren''t pushed off his body by the Activation of his Energy Sleeve Technique and it seemed as though he had found another property of his Internal Energy.


    It was either because it could go through his clothes. which obviously had small holes, while the water droplets would be pushed off, or because of his intentions while using his Internal Energy.


    But either way it benefited him and he quickly put on his second change of clothes and changed his underwear, feeling vulnerable while naked and out in the open.


    [Master has tested me and it seems that he is yet to fully trust me, but as long as I am mostly transparent with master and show that I have no bad intentions and am only seeking strength, he should continue to teach me] thought Adam to himself.


    Adam rinsed off his clothes that were dirtied by the impurities and after scrubbing them in the lake and squeezing out all the water, he took them back with him to the dojo.


    Heading back towards the dojo, following the path that he remembered, Adam didn''t experience the same unusual feeling he felt when he was under the influence of the Illusion Array and he had reached the dojo within a few minutes of running.


    "Master I have returned" announced Adam, who despite knowing that his master could sense everything in the area, wanted to announce his presence and feign ignorance.


    "Good job in managing to be able to reach a constant spiritual sense state, which is very hard to achieve, and you also managed to figure out how to get past it so easily. How were you able to do figure it out?" asked his master.


    "Well, you know the movies and all kinds of fantasy stories that I briefly spoke to you about, that are mainly from China,  have many different ideas of how to get out of these kinds of situations and using those ideas, I figured out a solution" answered Adam with a wry smile.


    "What, you mean the famed Ilusaion Array of us Array Masters has been made useless by your modern day entertainment" exclaimed his master furiously.


    Adam sat down and began explaining to him more about how most of the world had become lazy and would cosume lots of entertainment in all different forms and how China had lots of entertainment that spoke about cultivation and had spread globally.


    "So you are telling me people had become so comfortable, bored and relaxed in life that they came up with so many ideas and had managed to reveal all the secrets of cultivation, despite not actually knowing about cultivation" exclaimed his master after Adam''s explanation finished.


    "Well not all secrets, but a lot of things can be figured out by most people who have become more creative and open to new ideas" corrected Adam.


    "It seems I have underestimated the development and progression of humanity over the years and although their bodies have become weaker and unhealthy, they have compensated for that with their creativity, knowledge and science" stated his master.


    Adam then went on to inform his master about guns, weaponry, bombs and all the other weapons of mass destruction, that could easily kill even cultivators, and his master was shocked by everything that Adam was describing to him.


    "Well, kid if the world really has changed so much you should implement the science and use modern day technology to assist you and increase your power with them. But it is still most important to increase your own power and cultivation to be prepared for any circumstance" stated his master.


    "Yes, master" agreed Adam as he prepared for the arduous training that his master had in store for him.

 Chapter 118: 1 Month Later

    Adam spent an entire month training arduously and only left his master''s dojo for one day each week.


    Every Sunday Adam would leave the dojo and would head back to the city. He would first go to the Silver Moon Auction House, where he would spar with Chase and give him tips, but he was less comfortable around Elizabeth and kept his distance from her and especially from Jaspal.


    Each and every time that he would spar with Chase, he would have to use his full power and he would only be able to slightly gain the upper hand to defeat Chase, without using his summons or any attacks that might threaten his life.


    Every battle that he would have against Chase, Elizabeth and Jaspal would always be there to watch, and because of that, he didn''t want to reveal any of his trump cards to them as they watched and were amazed by Chase''s and Adam''s growth.


    After calming his mind and not using his Hunter''s mind, which would sometimes inversely cloud his judge of character, he realised that he may have overreacted and that he didn''t give Elizabeth enough information for her to be comfortable working with him.


    In the same way that he was being careful and wanted to know everything about her, she was being careful and wanted to know everything about him, so a tracker on the motorbike that she gave him was expected.


    Realising that, he eased his mind in terms of aggression and paranoia towards Eliazebth and kept their beneficial and friendly relationship, but still made sure to be careful as he didn''t want to let down his guard, then be stabbed in the back.


    Both of them benefitted from each other and seeing his progress, she was happy to have him on her side, while Lex was also glad about their partnership as he saw the progress and development of her organisation.


    After the past month, they had reopened the Auction House and had 2 different types of auctions. One would hold cultivation or special items, which would need one to be a VIP to enter, while the other was for ordinary, luxury and rare goods that could be entered by anyone verified by the Auction House.


    They had cultivated an additional 50 of the most talented and determined members of her organisation, along with her 5 personal guards, while they used the rest of the people that they had gathered to be ordinary guards and workers in the Auction House.


    The progress and development was steady and she was on track to growing her organisation, all meanwhile Chase''s cultivation was also progressing steadily.


    Chase was always at a similar level to Adam or slightly bellow in terms of cultivation, and no matter how hard Adam tried to increase the gap between them, Chase continued to develop and stay on a similar level to Adam.


    His reflexes and combat prowess were increasing each and every time that he fought against Adam as he took all the advise that Adam gave him and corrected himself the next time that they fought.


    Chase had incredible potential, was obedient, upstanding and loyal and Adam was proud of Chase and glad that he had decided to follow him. He was the perfect subordinate that anybody could ask for.


    After sparring with Chase, Adam would return to his apartment, where he would have a shower and get changed, then spend the rest of the day with his aunt.


    His aunt seemed happy and was also in the progress of getting her life together, and every Sunday that Adam would come to visit her, she would be elated and would try and spend the whole day with him.


    She didn''t intrude in his life and knew that he was busy and that he was no longer the same boy that she raised, but seeing how he still treated her with respect, was successful and was grateful for everything that she had done for him, she felt as though her role as a carer was fulfilled.


    Adam had thought about finding his aunt a cultivation method, but he didn''t want her to get wrapped up in the world of cultivation, especially with its dangers and the competitive nature that cultivators had, which would lead them to do anything to increase their own strength.


    Although he was yet to come across any powerful cultivators, he was laying low and didn''t want to reveal himself to the world yet. However, he knew that he had caught the attention of somebody in the Maxwell Family once and didn''t want that to happen again until he was confident enough in his strength.


    He was lucky that they didn''t decide to pursue him and he was still a lowly weak cultivator that might have interested them slightly, but a lone cultivator with strength and abilities that hadn''t been seen before would cause a large commotion in the underground world of cultivation.


    He would either be saught out by all the large cultivation families or could be targetted and killed before he was strong enough to pose them a threat.


    All of his friends were busy most of the time and each had their own things that they were dealing with, but Adam would call them every Sunday and make sure to check in on Cole, Emma and Sarah, not wanting to be pulled apart from his friends again.


    Sarah had already developed 2 properties in quite poor areas and had sold them with a 40% profit margin, and was progressing the business well. She took 20% of the profits for herself, gave 20% to Adam then reinvested the 60% left back into the business to continue its growth.


    The 20% that Adam received was enough to cover his rent for that month and gave his aunt most of the rest of the money for her shopping and other costs, leaving him with some money in hand for any small things that he needed in between training.


    With the Ethereal Reocery Skill and his cultivation, a week without food and water wasn''t difficult, and he would eat as much as he could on the Sundays with his aunt to compensate for the other days.


    Everything was progressing well and within that month, that was almost completely focused on increasing his strength, Adam was able to reach LVL 40, which was also known as rank 4.


    However by no means was it easy and Adam worked hard to increase his strength putting in his blood, sweat and tears.

 Chapter 119: Floor 3 Part 1

    Adam had progressed massively and would spend around half the day in the dungeon each day, which would equate to an entire day within the dungeon.


    His master found how much Adam slept unusual, but he realised that it seemed to be increasing his strength and he had assumed that Adam had some sort of cultivation method that would allow him to cultivate in his sleep.


    Floor 3 had a desert-like environment, that was very hot and dry and was probably the hardest environment that Adam had to fight in up until that point, on par with Floor 1 that was a very cold environment.


    With the Ethereal Reocery Skill he could more or less recover his body to a peak state, but that didn''t mean he didn''t feel pain, thirst and hunger while he was in his Dungeon Form, and it was still very hard to deal with.


    There were 3 stages just like all the other floors that Adam had completed up until that point, but each time he moved up to a new floor, they were becoming larger and larger as he also became faster and capable of covering and navigating around a larger area.


    He was surprised to find that the first beast that he had to hunt on stage 1 were kangaroos, and the combat experience that he gained from fighting against his master and battling against Chase, was very useful when fighting against kangaroos with their humanoid nature and attack style.


    Adam hunted on Stage 1 for a few days and gained a Macropodidae Summon from hunting a kangaroo for the first time, and made sure to use all of his summons interchangeably while hunting, so that they could all gain combat experience.


    What he did find interesting was the special trait of the Macropodidae Summon, which was Boxing Style and he could see that the summon continued to improve and practise its skills as it fought against more beasts.


    Adam realised just how valuable the experience and memories that his summons gained were, as without them, even if they were powerful, they weren''t of much use to him.


    Knowing the value of the experience that the summons had, Adam decided that it was too risky for him to completely deactivate the auto-recovery feature of the Unique Collector Skill, as there was the risk of his summons dying and losing all their experience.


    Instead, Adam had made it so that after the summon''s health had fallen to 30%, the auto-recovery feature would be activated and he would be alerted of that.


    This way he would be able to avoid his summons being killed and losing all the experience that they gained, and he would be alerted when their health was low, so that he could retract the summon.


    Adam hunted the kangaroo beasts using all his summons interchangeably and all of his summons were becoming accustomed to fighting with Adam and each other.


    It took Adam a few days, but after he reached LVL 23, he moved onto stage 2 and stopped hunting the kangaroo beasts. Adam found it easier to kill them after he had learnt their fighting patterns and with their Boxing Style Special Trait, he was able to practise his hand-to-hand combat.


    On Stage 2, Adam faced lizards had a brown-yellow colour and camouflaged well with the sand. Camouflaging well with the environment didn''t make them a threat to Adam and apart from that they seemed quite ordinary.


    But Adam knew better than to underestimate any beast in the dungeon no matter how weak they appeared.


    Although their size was quite small and their resistance and health was very low, along with most of their other stats, their speed and the damage that they could deal was very dangerous.


    Their strength, resistance and health were comparable to that of an ordinary human, which was very low compared to Adam currently, but their speed was very high, while their intelligence was also quite high.


    However for the first time, it wasn''t their physical body and stats that Adam needing to be wary of, but it was their special trait, which was Decaying Poison.


    Each time he would be bitten and poisoned by one of the lizards, he would lose 5 HP every minute.


    At that rate, if he was stung by multiple lizards at once, he would die very quickly and he wouldn''t be able to counter its effects with his Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    After learning how to and removing impurities from his body, Adam was quite confident that he would be able to remove poison from his body, but with their fast speed and high numbers, he didn''t have the time to do so.


    There was also nowhere to hide in a mostly open and quite flat desert, making the seemingly frail and small lizard beasts, a massive threat in that enviroment.


    Adam found that out the hard way, after being stung by many of the lizards at once when he was unprepared and not ready to battle against such large numbers of fast beasts.


    However after he experienced death for a third time in the dungeon, Adam felt that it was not something that he was willing to allow to happen again even though there would be no physical effects on his actual body.


    Dying in the dungeon felt the same as when one would die in reality, and although the pain and damage wouldn''t be passed over, the experience and trauma from it stuck with Adam.


    Even though he could suppress the trauma, emotions and the emptiness that it made him feel with his Hunter''s mind, it was still something that he didn''t ever want to experience again.


    Because of that, he always wanted to be prepared and able to escape with his life in any situation, so poured all his additional stat points into speed, and made the Speed his main focus until he was confident enough in his speed to increase his other stats with his additional stat points.


    But unlike other cultivators, all his stats would increase each time his LVL increased anyway, so he didn''t have to worry about being unbalanced, and was merely focusing on a single stat, like most cultivators would do.

 Chapter 120: Floor 3 Part 2

    The experience of being focused mainly on training had opened Adam''s mind massively and he was becoming more and more adept in the use of the Hunter''s mind.


    Although it was integrated into his mind, he had control of whether it would influence his mind or not and it was as though there was a scale within his mind that had his desires, emotions and normal self on one side, with the Hunter''s mind on the other.


    Adam being more careful and using his summons efficiently, hunted the lizard beasts and had bought a low ranked spear from the system in order to deal with them.


    It would allow him to deal with them with ease, while keeping his distance from them so that they wouldn''t be able to poison him.


    However, he needed the beasts to be split apart, which was what he used his summons for, and making sure that they weren''t attacked by the poison, they caught the attention of the beasts and caused them to spread around and split up from the large groups that they moved in.


    The first lizard beast that Adam killed, became the base beast of his Agamidae Summon and he was overjoyed with it. It was the perfect beast summon for assassinations, poisoning enemies, and most of all, looked like an ordinary animal.


    Adam spent another few days of hunting Stage 2 of Floor 3 until he had reached LVL 26 and was confident enough in his strength to move on.


    Stage 3 of Floor 3 was an unusual one and it was similar to how it was on Floor 2 but slightly different.


    As soon as he entered stage 3, there was a sudden and unexpected sandstorm that swept up Adam along with the sand and carried it to a specific area.


    After reaching that area, the sandstorm reached an abrupt halt and he fell right down onto the ground.


    However, it wasn''t the ground he had expected and it was the ground of an Underground Cove that was deep and large.


    He couldn''t get up to the surface, but it wasn''t a Sub-Dungeon either and it was where the third stage of the floor began.


    That marked the checkpoint for where Floor 3 started, and although Adam wasn''t sure how the ground from the surface was being held above him, he was quite sure that it wouldn''t collapse and that it was the system that had made it like that.


    It was quite dark and not much light was able to make it through, however, with his quite high intelligence and his practise with his spiritual sense, Adam didn''t find it hard to navigate in the Underground Cove that he had fallen into.


    The beasts that he found on stage 3 were scorpion beasts and they were very similar to the lizards in the fact that they were quite small, numerous and fast, but weren''t particularly strong.


    Although the scorpion beasts had a weaker poison that only had a numbing effect on the body, Adam was shocked to find after being stung by it multiple times, it was almost as if it was paralysing his body as it began to make his body feel sluggish and hard to move.


    But with his unique Collector Skill, he could summon his summons to protect him while he used his Ethereal Recovery Skill to recover his body and reduce the effects of the numbing.


    The scorpion beasts also had a very hard shell and a high resistance, and the biggest weakness of the status feature was that even though the overall status of the opponent was revealed, some traits and skills weren''t shown.


    Those traits and skills could compensate for an enemy''s low stats or boost their power even more, which made it so that it was hard to predict the true power that an enemy had without knowing all their capabilities.


    Adam had learnt not to underestimate anyone and anything and fought hard and carefully against the scorpions until he was confident enough in his strength to fight the boss beast.


    After experiencing the slow, but potent, effects of the numbing poison from the scorpion beasts, Adam collected it as the base beast for his Scorpionoidea Summon. With it, he had gained another summon that he could use for tasks that would require strength and would require him not to leave any evidence.


    It took him almost a week before he was confident enough in his own power and his capability to deal with the scorpion beasts, but after he was, he was LVL 29 and was extremely powerful.


    With the training that he was doing in reality and the hunting in the dungeon during his sleep, his cultivation progress was fast and steady as he made sure not only to increase his stats, but also his skill.


    Just like on Floor 2, the boss beast was a beast that was the leader of the stage 3 beasts and it was a large jet-black scorpion that was much larger than the others.


    It was a Pandinus Scorpion and its poison could cause instant paralysis, which would last for a few seconds before one''s body was able to fight against it


    A few seconds were enough to kill somebody many times over and Adam was very wary of its poison as he fought carefully and in a reserved manner, using his summons to make up for the gap in numbers and had managed to win in his first attempt against it.


    Using his Gorilla Gauntlets, which he had used sparingly and only when he needed to, he was able to deal damage to the same area of the Pandinus Boss Beast''s body and break past its tough scales.


    With that, it was easy for him to finish off the Pandinus Boss Beast and he had managed to gain an item in the process.


    Items were becoming increasingly rare as he continued hunting against stronger beasts in the dungeon, and because of that, he was using his weapons sparingly, not wanting to reduce their durability unnecessarily.


    He had gained a few items up until that point, but most of them were small pieces of equipment that had small buffs on his stats and he had them all equipped already.


    After he gained the Pandinus Boss Beast as one of the types of scorpion beasts integrated with his Scorpionoidea Summon, he had realised another feature about the Collector Skill that he was yet to use and experiment with.

 Chapter 121: Floor 4 Part 1

    He could summon beasts of any particular type integrated with the summon, or could summon a form of the beast that was mixed with all the types of beasts integrated.


    In most cases, it was better for the summon to have all the characteristics of all the different types of beasts integrated, but in some situations, such as if Adam wanted a small Canidae Beast, he could summon only a singular type of the beast.


    It required a lot of mental control to decide what specific type he wanted to summon, but the process was the same thing and it required him to seep his consciousness into the beastpedia within his mind and chose what he wanted to summon.


    He also realised that the special trait of the beast was dictated by the Base Beast and in the future, Adam had to be careful when deciding what beast to make the base beast of his summons as he couldn''t change his mind afterwards.


    He was lucky with the useful special trait that he had gotten for the Goblin Summon, the Agamidae Summon and the Scorpionoidea Summon, but for the rest of his summons, their special traits were quite ordinary, basic and useless.


    He slightly regretted accepting them as his base beasts for those beast types that could have had much higher potential, but at least he could summon specific beast types individually and he knew there was no point thinking about it too much as there was nothing he could do about it.


    It also made him wonder what other possibilities he was capable of with his Unique Skill, but he was satisfied with how well he could use the Unique Skill so far and was more focused on his own strength.


    Floor 4 was completely different and the environment was a marshland that had many swamps and other damp areas that were quite hard to move through.


    The first stage was a surprising one and it was the first time that he had fought a beast in the dungeon that didn''t seem like an animal he could find in reality, other than the goblin beasts that he had faced on Floor 0.


    All the other beasts that he had faced were similar or identical to animals that he could find in reality and only some of them were different in terms of size.


    He knew that when compared to animals in reality, the beasts that he was facing currently were much stronger and much more ferocious, but he was yet to battle against something so unusual and unexpected.


    The first beasts he had to face were giant frog beasts, that were the same height as a person and were much larger and heavier altogether. Although their size didn''t directly increase their power and stats, the additional size and weight could be seen as an advantage.


    They could attack with their long tongues, that they could shoot out as a projectile and strike Adam from a distance, and although he was shocked by the unusual beast, he was focused and didn''t want to be caught off guard, like he had been previously.


    Adam had gained the weapon from the Boss Beast of Floor 3, which was the first weapon that he had acquired that had a special effect.


    It had a numbing effect on the enemy and each slash would cause the enemy to feel more numb, until they reached the point of paralysis and could no longer move.


    Against such unusual beasts, the Numbing Spear made it much easier for him to deal with them and with him spending all his additional stat points on speed, he had found it quite easy to avoid the Tongue Projectiles from the giant frog beasts.


    The Numbing Spear was D Ranked Weapon and had no direct effects on Adam''s body and didn''t effect his stats. However, the weapon itself had very high durability and its numbing effect against opponents was very useful.


    Being able to restrict the movements of an enemy was a massive advantage, and when used on himself in small amounts, that wouldn''t affect his movement speed or damage his body, it could reduce the amount of pain that he was feeling.


    The numbing effect could be used positively and could be used to reduce the amount of pain that he was feeling, however after being used in large amounts, one''s body would begin to feel sluggish, slow and hard to move, restricted the opponent''s movement speed.


    It took Adam quite a few days to complete Stage 1 of Floor 4, but avoiding the Tongue Projectiles that the Giant Frog Beasts would shoot at him, had helped him to train his reflexes and was made easier with his enhanced speed.


    He had decided that he would collect the giant swamp frog as the Base Beast of his Ranidae Summon as the Special Trait that it had, which was Tongue Projectile, was quite unique and powerful and he didn''t have a high expectation for other possible Ranidae beasts anyway.


    Stage 2 was also quite a hard stage and the beasts were becoming increasingly difficult to deal with, along with the required EXP continuously increasing and making it harder for Adam to increase in LVL.


    Adam had come to realise that when the beasts in the dungeon had a higher intelligence stat, it wouldn''t make it so that they had better energy control or mental reasoning and capacity, but was to do with how sensitive their senses were and the distance at which they would be able to sense Adam from.


    They were all hostile towards Adam, because that is how the system had somehow programmed them, and the higher their Intelligence, the wider the range their senses would be able to reach and the further away they would be able to sense Adam from.


    But luckily as Adam went up in floors, they were becoming larger and it was giving him more space to battle and escape if he needed to, while his speed was also increasing along with his capabilities, allowing him to cover the larger distances.

 Chapter 122: Floor 4 Part 2

    Stage 2 had crocodile-like beasts and he found it hard to pierce through their body''s scales and found that the Numbing Spear, that he had gained from the Pandinus Boss Beast, was useless against them.


    However, with his Gorilla Gauntlets, he could deal them powerful blows, that would crack their scales, and would also deal the crocodile beasts internal damage.


    Adam had decided against taking the Marsh Crocodile as the Base Beast of the Crocodilia Beast Race, hoping that in the future he would come across a crocodile beast that had a better special trait.


    He was satisfied with the range and amount of summons that he had, and he decided that he would only accept beasts into his beastpedia that either had extremely unique and powerful bodies, or had powerful and or useful Special Traits.


    The crocodile beasts were tough beasts and most of his summons weren''t very effective against them, especially in the environment of Floor 4 that didn''t suit any of them, but he still dealt with them efficiently and as quickly as he could, using his Gorilla Gaunlets.


    Only after a week of hunting crocodile beasts in his sleep, did Adam finally reach LVL 17 and was confident enough in his power to move onto Stage 3, but what surprised him was that Stage 3 was mostly covered in water.


    After the checkpoint was placed on Stage 3, Adam couldn''t go back and even if he did, he wouldn''t find any beasts to hunt and had no choice but to fight the Boss Beast that was most likely in the water.


    Luckily there were some areas that had small plots of land, which he could jump between so that he didn''t need to get into the water, and he also had the Numbing Spear that increased his range.


    With his sharp reflexes and using his spiritual sense, he sensed the sudden sneak attack from a hippo-like beast that had an enormous body with many large teeth.


    It launched itself into the air out of the water and attempted to bite Adam with its enormas, sharp and numerous teeth, but Adam had managed to narrowly dodge the attack and jump onto another plot of land, while the Hippo Boss Beast dove back into the water.


    Despite its seemingly fat appearance, it was extremely fast and strong, especially in the marshland that it thrived in, and had the advantage over Adam who had a limited amount of land at his disposal to stand on.


    Adam knew that hippos had incredible biting power and were one of the most feared animals, despite their appearance, so knew not to underestimate the Hippo Boss Beast, especially because it was enhanced and supernatural because of the dungeon.


    He also knew that if he fell into the water, it was the end for him and he had to be extremely careful in his current environment, as he used his spiritual sense to its fullest.


    Adam used his spiritual sense to assist his physical senses, allowing him to be more aware of his surroundings and where he could land, and pierced the Hippo Boss Beast''s side with his Numbing Spear.


    The Numbing spear was nearly 2 metres long and the staff was all black, while the spear tip was black with a yellow pattern, and Adam had become accustomed to its weight and length during his battles using it.


    It was extremely sharp and useful in battle and he practised with the spear against his master, using a spear that he found in the dojo that was of similar length and weight, making him more proficient in its use.


    Piercing the Hippo Boss Beast''s body, he would attack from a distance, then exploit his greater speed to keep a distance between himself and the Hippo Boss Beast, while slowly increasing the numbing effect that was piling up on the Hippo Boss Beast, hoping that he could eventually paralyse it.


    However, fighting against a boss beast in the dungeon was never that easy and the Hippo Boss Beast''s body was too large and powerful for the numbing to have much of an effect on it.


    With a sudden and unexpected burst of power, the hippo beast launched itself at Adam and chomped down on his body, leaving him with deep bite marks all over his body.


    In an instant, Adam''s HP fell by 100 points and was continuously falling from the rapid blood loss.


    He hadn''t dealt the Hippo Boss Beast enough damage to be confident enough that he would win, but he didn''t want to feel that same traumatising feeling of emptiness that he felt each time that he died in the dungeon.


    Adam knew that he had to finish the battle quickly as he would die within a short while from the blood loss, and if the blood loss didn''t directly kill him, he would be massively weakened by it, making it easier for the Hippo Boss Beast to kill him.


    The Hippo Boss Beast was powerful and was a strong beast family for him to collect into his beastpedia through his Unique Collector Skill, but it didn''t seem to have any unique, useful or powerful Special Traits, which Adam had found were the most important part of his summons.


    Because of that, he didn''t want it to be the base beast for his Hippopotamidae Summon, and just like with the crocodile beasts, was hoping to find a better beast to be the base beast in the future.


    His energy storages were dwindling after quite a long battle and he had suffered a massive blow from the Hippo Boss Beast, so had to finish the battle as soon as he could.


    He was experiencing great pain all over his body and was losing blood too quickly, which not only weakened him, but also revealed his location even if he wanted to escape from the Hippo Boss Beast, as with the beast''s sensitive senses, the scent of blood would be easily followed.


    He had spent too much time and effort against the Hippo Boss Beast and had weakened it quite massively, but in the process, had lowered the durability of his weapons.


    If he was to go up against it next time, it would be much harder with the Numbing Spear that had been damaged, and he also didn''t want to experience the traumatising feeling of dying in the dungeon again, so Adam had no choice but to use his trump cards, that he would only use in worst case scenarios.

 Chapter 123: Results Part 1

    He wanted to keep his awareness and senses, so didn''t want to activate the Blood Berserker extension of his Bloodlust Characteristic, which left him with his other Bloodlust Characteristic extension.


    The Blood Burn extension, which would burn his blood, vitality, life force and energy in order to increase his strength, was the only thing he could resort to in his current situation, unless he gave up and restarted Stage 3 from the beginning.


    If he used it in reality, he could lose years of life or could even push himself to death, all while damaging his body and cultivation to boost his strength.


    But in the dungeon, he didn''t have to worry about the physical damage, and he felt that his mental fortitude had increased, so he would be able to handle the mental and spiritual backlash that he would experience.


    The momentum that he currently had on Stage 3 would be very hard to recreate and his Numbing Spear had been used massively and would break soon, so he had no regrets when activating the Blood Burn extension of his Bloodlust characteristic.


    "Blood Burn" he roared as he activated the extension that instantly caused his heart to start beating rapidly as his eyes began to glow red.


    His blood began to boil as adrenaline coursed through his veins, and all of his body''s energy and vitality began to churn around his body, burning to provide large amounts of power to Adam''s body all at once.


    He was struggling to keep his mind calm and was using his Hunter''s mind to its fullest as he launched himself into the air, then plummeted downwards with all his force and stabbed the Hippo Boss Beast with the spear that he was wielding.


    He had subconsciously used his Internal Energy in the attack to increase its power, and with his increased power from the Blood Burn extension, he managed to imbed the spear deep in the Hippo Boss Beast''s head.


    However, it didn''t manage to complete penetrate through the beast''s thick skull and it wasn''t enough to kill the Hippo Boss Beast.


    Adam roared monstrously as his Bloodlust soared.


    Despite the relentless urge and desire to kill, that had taken over his body as it burnt his blood, vitality and energy to increase his strength, Adam still had some awareness and pushed down onto the spear aiming to finish off the Boss Beast.


    He felt that he was nearly able to breakthrough the beast''s skull, which would allow him to pierce its brain and kill it, however before he could finish it off with his sudden increase in power, seeing that it had no choice, the Hippo Boss Beast submerged itself underwater.


    Adam who didn''t want to pull back from the golden opportunity to defeat the Boss Beast, held onto the spear tightly and was pulled down into the water with the Hippo Boss Beast.


    Taking a deep breath, Adam was confident that with his cultivated body, he could hold his breath underwater for at least 10 minutes, so had to wear down the Hippo Boss Beast as much as he could within those 10 minutes.


    His time was limited anyway, as the longer he used the Blood Burn for, the closer he was to death and the more pain he would experience in reality, while he also continued to lose blood through his wounds.


    Adam twisted the spear and tried his hardest to push it deeper into the Hippo Boss Beast''s head, but it became much more difficult underwater as the Hippo Boss Beast swam as fast as it could, trying to shake Adam off it.


    As soon as Adam let go, he knew that it would be over and he would have lost all the progress that he had made on stage 3, as the Hippo Boss Beast would easily be able to kill him underwater


    After 15 minutes, Adam''s lungs felt as though they were burning and although the Hippo Boss Beast had slowed down, it still hadn''t died and it seemed as though it was a failed attempt for him.


    His body couldn''t sustain the Blood Burn for any longer and its numbing effects had disappeared as his entire body began to feel pain again and was on the verge of shutting down.


    However just as he thought everything was over, he realised that he was sinking and it seemed as though the Hippo Beast could no longer keep up the strong front and had died.


    After the numbing effect that had piled up and the injuries that it had suffered, the Hippo Beast could no longer move and died with Adam holding onto it with his spear.


    At that moment, Adam wanted to jump and scream in joy, but he was deep underwater, running out of air in his lungs, and was on the verge of losing consciousness from all the damage that his Dungeon Form had suffered.


    [Get me out of here] screamed Adam within his mind, knowing that he hadn''t completed the Floor until the system took him back to reality.


    Instantly Adam felt his soul be sucked out of his Dungeon Form and back into his body in reality as he was suddenly overwhelmed with excruciating pain.


    He lay in the corner of the dojo, that was opposite to the one that his master lay in, and he suddenly began to writhe in pain as the mental pain sunk in.


    After returning to reality, the desensitized and crazed state that he was in, was removed, which then left him to experience the pain that his Dungeon Form had experienced in the dungeon.


    However, unlike last time, he was dealing with the mental backlash much better and his master, who was used to seeing Adam''s power increase in his sleep, was shocked to see that he had broken through, but was deeply in pain.


    Despite seeing Adam was in pain, he didn''t involve himself and continued to lie down while using his spiritual sense to monitor Adam''s body, in case there was anything serious that he would have to help him with.


    Adam''s body was drenched in sweat as the veins around his temple bulged from the pain that he was experiencing.


    Subconsciously, Adam was able to relay to his body that he wasn''t in pain, and after an hour of constant excruciating pain, was able to suppress and overcome most of the pain to a point that it was bearable and would allow him to function properly.


    [Time to see the results of my training] thought Adam to himself excitedly.

 Chapter 124: Results Part 2

    {Seeing as the host is now functioning properly, I can inform you of your rewards for completing Floor 4} stated the system.


    {The host has gained 3 stat points from levelling up from LVL 17 to LVL 20 and has gained 6 stat points from completing Floor 4} notified him the system, as it continued to bombard Adam with a stream of notifications.


    {From the host''s constant use of his summons and treating them well, which has made them more respectful and fond of you, while also using all of the host''s summons interchangeably, the host has gained 2 Charisma points}


    {As the host''s Charisma has surpassed 5 points, the host has unlocked a new skill, the Charm Skill}


    {The Charm Skill is a skill that the host can use to manipulate, influence and coerce others by using the host''s high Charisma Stat. The higher the host''s Charisma stat, the stronger the skill''s effects will be, however, the skill has no guaranteed effect on the one that the host is using it on. If the target has strong will power, or a bad and hateful attitude towards the host, the likelihood of the skill succeeding will be low and it not only relies on the host''s Charisma, but also the host''s manipulation and social skills} explained the system, knowing that Adam would ask about it if it didn''t.


    After gaining a skill from the system, Adam would be able to use it instinctively and it was as though he had been using the skill for years and was easy to use, but in most cases, he didn''t actually know how it worked or how to use it without the assistance of the system.


    {Using the Charm Skill, the host can also regulate the output of his Charisma, so will be able to lower the effect of the host''s Charisma on others} added the system.


    After Adam heard that, he let out a sigh of relief and didn''t enjoy being the centre of attention and didn''t want his Charisma that had increased to cause him trouble.


    He would lower his Charisma to 3 points, which from what the system told him, was the average amount of Charisma that a person would have, and would allow him to seem ordinary, which would give him the element of surprise.


    [Spend all my stat points on speed] instructed Adam within his mind as he sat up and leant on the wall.


    He was drenched in sweat and was still sore all over from the backlash that he suffered after using the Blood Burn extension in the dungeon, but he was too excited to see the results of his training to care about the pain that he was feeling.


    [System, show me my status, including my points and gold] ordered Adam.


    He wasn''t sure exactly how high his stats were, but what he did know was that his speed was incredible after he spent all his stat points on speed.


    Being able to escape, avoid attacks and overwhelm the opponent with speed was currently Adam''s main focus, but against his master in training, he only used speed that was expected of somebody at his cultivation level or slightly higher, not wanting to shock his master too much with his speed.


    {Ding, the host''s current status, including the host''s points and gold, is:


    Mortal LVL: 40


    Dungeon Form LVL: 4


    EXP: 0 / 40000


    HP: 510 / 510


    IESP: 56 / 56


    EESP: 56 / 56


    Strength: 52


    Speed: 86


    Intelligence: 56


    Resistance: 52


    Wisdom: 10 (5+5)


    Charisma: 7


    Luck: 5


    System Points: 533521


    Stat Points: 0


    Gold: 6333070}


    Looking at his status, Adam had a satisfied expression, especially when he looked at how many system points and gold he had and how high his speed was.


    His stats were all slightly higher than what would expect from his cultivation level, while his speed was similar to that of a mid level rank 7, when he was only an early rank 4.


    Adam had spent 10,000 system points to upgrade his Dungeon Form to LVL 3, then 50,000 system points to upgrade his Dungeon Form to LVL 4, now he needed to upgrade his dungeon form to LVL 5, so that he could hunt efficiently on Floor 5.


    He had also spent quite a few system points on pills and equipment that he needed while hunting in the dungeon, which he didn''t keep count of, but he knew didn''t surpass 50,000 system points.


    He made sure to remove all the impurities from his body after he consumed pills, and Adam realised that although physical effects wouldn''t be carried from the dungeon to reality, the impurities from pills seemed to be an exception.


    It was quite hard to deal with and took time, but in the dungeon, where he had double the amount of time that he had in reality, he could remove the impurities quite quickly and easily after practising the process.


    [System upgrade my Dungeon Form to LVL 5] ordered Adam, not caring about the price, knowing that he would have to buy it anyway.


    {Ding, the host has spent 100,000 system points to upgrade his Dungeon Form to LVL 5} announced the system.


    Adam was expecting such a price, but seeing the amount of gold and system points that he had left, he wasn''t too hurt by it and was finally prepared to spend on all the things that he had been wanting to spend on.


    He had stopped himself from spending as much as possible and he focused completely on his training, not wanting to lose focus and become complacent, but now he finally felt that he could spend the system points and gold that he had been hoarding.


    After the month of training with his master and hunting in the dungeon, his power had increased massively, however, his master hadn''t taught him any skills and he didn''t have any knew skills that he could use from the system.


    His master''s training and teaching was reserved and he seemed to be holding himself back from teaching Adam any skills, which Adam had noticed, but Adam was still learning lots of fundamentals and basics that he was missing, while training his combat and gaining tips from his master.

 Chapter 125: Status Peering Feature

    As a whole, Adam had become massively skilled in combat and cultivation when compared to how he was before, but he still had a long way to go.


    His fundamentals and basics were now solid and he had also sorted out his life, so for the current moment, Adam was satisfied with where he had reached, enough for him to want to gain some new skills and abilities.


    The first thing on Adam''s list of things that he wanted to buy from the system, was the Status Peering Feature, that although seemed very expensive to him previously, was quite affordable for him currently.


    As Adam continued to earn large amounts of system points, he began to realise that most things weren''t that expensive, but he also realised that there were always more things that he wanted to buy that were increasing in price.


    He knew so far that the status of any hostile beings, even in reality, would appear to him, but if he wanted to look at a person''s status whenever he pleased, even though they weren''t hostile towards him, he would need to buy the Status Peering Feature.


    [System buy the Status Peering Feature] instructed Adam within his mind, wanting to buy it before he was no longer able to or anything in the system changed.


    {Ding, the host has spent 100,000 system points to buy the Status Peering Feature} notified him the system.


    [Time to finally be able to see my master''s status] thought Adam to himself excitedly.


    As soon as Adam heard the system''s notification, that confirmed that he had bought the Status Peering Feature, he felt as though some information had entered his mind and that it had linked with his eyes.


    {Now that the host has bought the Status Peering Feature, it has become independent from the host and is now owned by the host, just like the inventory in reality is owned by the host. This makes it so that the host can use it as he pleases and limitlessly, but it also limits its capabilities and makes it so that the host must bear the costs of its use} informed him the system.


    Adam who lay in the corner had a complete change in emotion, and although his facial expression was the same throughout, his master could sense that there was something unusual about the way that he was acting.


    His master had been closely observing him throughout the past month, that he had spent mostly training Adam, and had tested Adam multiple times to see whether he was worthy of his teachings and whether he was somebody that he would want to teach.


    He had tested Adam''s talent, perceptivity, integrity and was always monitoring Adam''s actions and how he acted, yet, each and every time, Adam would pass with flying colours and completely surpass his expectations.


    However, the old man still wasn''t confident enough in Adam to allow himself to become vulnerable again, so continued to give him tips and oversee his cultivation, but didn''t teach him anything that was secret or that he cared about.


    While he did so, he continued to observe and test Adam and until he was confident enough in his own security and Adam''s character, he wasn''t planning on teaching him any of his secret and powerful skills and methods.


    Adam had gone from being excited to feeling disappointed within an instant, and although he hadn''t moved from the corner that he sat in and had his eyes closed, from the way his aura fluctuated, his master could sense how he was feeling.


    The spiritual sense and auras couldn''t be explained by ordinary means and the way that they were linked and correlated, was something that was very profound and hard to understand.


    However, with it, some were able to not only sense the strength of others, using their spiritual sense, but also sense the intentions, emotions and anything else about a person. Once one became skilled in the use of their spiritual sense and aura, they could retract and release it as they please and use it for their bidding.


    An example of that was what Adam had done, when he scared people using his aura and killing intent, which he was able to do subconsciously and because he had good control of his aura.


    [What do you mean by limitations of the Status Peering Feature and what is the cost of its use] asked Adam who was prepared to be disappointed by the system.


    {Well currently the Status Peering Feature is at LVL 1, so with it, the host can see the status of any cultivator at the Mortal / Novice Cultivation Level. However at LVL 1 it is limited to only the status of the target and to use it, it will use 5 IESP} informed him the system.


    The ability of the Status Peering Fearture wasn''t that disappointing, but the cost of it was quite high and it was quite limited. However overall Adam was surprisingly not disappointed by it and was satisfied with its effects and capabilities.


    It made sense to Adam that it would use his Internal Energy, as it was somehow using his spiritual sense to gauge the power level of an opponent, then through the system, putting it in a numerical form that was more accurate.


    But it made him wonder, what energy did the system use before and was using in order to provide him with everything that it was giving him. It also made him wonder about the purpose of the system and how it accomplished all its miraculous capabilities, but he knew that the system wouldn''t give him answers.


    As long as the system was helping him and without a cost, Adam at the current moment wasn''t too bothered about its origin and wanted to make the most of it while he still could.


    Adam was happy with the Status Peering Feature and was excited to use it on the people around him, especially Cole, who he was curious about the most.

 Chapter 126: Upgrading Mastery

    {In the same way, the inventory feature also has LVLs and although the host can increase the amount of inventory spaces that the host has in the inventory in reality, it cannot increase the size of things the host can place in the dungeon. Currently, the host is limited to around 1 square metre of space for every inventory space. This still means can hold a long weapon that surpasses one metre, as the total space the weapon takes up is less than 1 square metre} added the system, just as he was about to use the Status Peering Feature on his master.


    [So all system features can be upgraded to increase their ability and capability] gathered Adam.


    [System, show me my additional status] ordered Adam.


    {Ding the host''s current additional status is:


    Integrated Characteristics: Bloodlust


    Characteristic Extensions: Blood Burn, Blood Berserker


    System Features: Inventory Feature- LVL 1, Status Peering Feature- LVL 1


    Unique Skills: Collector Skill


    Skills: Dual Slash, Ethereal Recovery, Charm


    Techniques: External Hardening, Energy Sleeve}


    Adam was pleased with the capability of the skills and abilities that he had. However, he still felt that he was lacking in terms of range and still wanted more skills.


    The only way he knew how to get skills, without directly purchasing them from the system or learning them in reality, was by increasing his mastery. By increasing his mastery, he was becoming more skilled in that particular thing and gaining a skill, which would give him double the benefit, instead of buying a skill directly from the system.


    Only after he had found a skill that he really wanted or needed, or could no longer increase his mastery easily, would he buy skills directly from the system, which was very expensive. He was also hoping, that eventually, his master would teach him some skills, as Adam had tried his best to please his master and show him that he didn''t hold any bad intentions or ulterior motives.


    [System show me my mastery] ordered Adam, planning to increase his mastery and gain skills in the process, before testing out his newly gained skills and abilities.


    {Ding, the host''s current Mastery of all the things that the host is mastering is:


    Dual Wielding- 10%


    Daggers- 5%


    External Hardening Technique- 10%


    Energy Sleeve Technique- 10%


    Hand-to-Hand Combat- 3%


    Spear- 2%} informed him the system as the mastery menu screen appeared before him.


    Adam knew not to use the menu screen that was only visible to him, as he didn''t want his master or anybody else to know about the system, that was obviously unique and incredible and would be sought out by all cultivators.


    Instead, he was communicating with the system what he wanted to spend, through his mind.


    From what the system had told him, every 10% of mastery that he acquired, he would gain a skill of some sort, which was easy for him to afford with the amount of system points that he had.


    [Increase my mastery of Daggers, my mastery of Hand-to-Hand Combat and my mastery of the spear to 10%] ordered Adam.


    Instantly he felt knowledge and experience in all of those things stream into his mind as the system notified him of how much he had spent and on what, which was not much compared to how many system points he had overall.


    {For upgrading the host''s mastery of Daggers to 10%, the host has gained the Dagger Jolt Skill. This is a skill that allows the host to experience a sudden burst in speed forwards, while wielding a single dagger or dual daggers. In that burst of speed, the Dagger Jolt Skill will allow the host to rapidly slash the opponent at speeds that surpasses that of the host''s. For every point of EESP used through the skill, the host''s Dagger Jolt range will increase by 1 metre} stated the system.


    With Adam''s build, which was currently very speed orientated, it was the perfect skill for him that would enhance his speed even more, through a sudden burst, within his range.


    It was the first skill that Adam had gained that only use his EESP and the sudden burst of speed would be very useful in a battle, especially against a human that wouldn''t expect it and would find it hard to deal with.


    {For upgrading the host''s mastery of Hand-to-Hand Combat to 10%, the host has gained world-class level boxing skills and knowledge. Although after reaching 10% mastery of Hand-to-Hand Combat the host didn''t receive a skill, the host is now on par with any world-class boxer in terms of knowledge and skill when it comes to boxing, and matched with the host''s speed and physical power, the host will be unrivalled in the sport of boxing} informed him the system.


    Adam was overjoyed with that and boxing was one of the martial arts that he was most interested in when it came to Hand-to-Hand Combat, and although it was restricted to only using fists, it was very efficient in battle and is effective against a wide range of opponents, while it was also arguably the easiest to learn.


    {For upgrading the host''s mastery of the Spear to 10%, the host has gained the Spear Projectile Skill. Similarly to the Dual Slash Skill, it requires 2 IESP to activate the skill, however, it also requires 2 EESP and the amount of IESP and EESP that the host uses through the skill must be at least 2 points worth and equal. In the same way as the Dual Slash Skill, the host can increase the amount of energy used through the skill and the skill allows the host to unleash a forwards projectile of energy through a spear thrust, which can deal internal damage to an opponent that the host has hit, or can be used in mid-range combat} informed him the system.


    It was a great skill to have in combat and would be very effective in battle, especially because it was a Spear Skill that would allow him to attack using a weapon from even further away from the opponent.


    [Time to test out some of these new skills and abilities] thought Adam to himself excitedly.

 Chapter 127: Growth Potential

    Before Adam began testing out everything that he had gained, he wanted to recover his body to its peak state and relax for a short while.


    After spending long amounts of time in the dungeon, it made Adam feel as though the body he was in, wasn''t actually his, and he would need some time before he was physically functioning how he should be.


    His soul would inhabit the Dungeon Form, but was still attached to and linked to his body in reality. The longer he spent in his Dungeon Form, the more strained the link would become and the more backlash and consequences he would suffer.


    Luckily in his current case, it would only require him to spend some time circulating his energy and relaxing in his actual body, but if he wasn''t careful, he might shatter the link with his own body and wouldn''t have a real body to inhabit.


    While using the Ethereal Recvoery Skill to recover his body to a peak state, Adam had something that he wanted to ask the system.


    [System how do I increase the LVL of system features] asked Adam, who wasn''t told by the system how to do so.


    {To increase the LVL of system features, it requires the entire system''s LVL to increase and will increase all the system''s features in the process. To increase the system''s LVL to LVL 2, it will require the host to break through into the Earth Mortal / Advanced Cultivation Level, and it will also require an amount of system points, that would depend on the amount of system features that the host has and the state that the host is in at that time} answered the system.


    Adam decided not to think too far ahead as he had only become rank 4, which was not even half way through the Mortal / Novice Cultivation Level, and was more focused on testing out everything that he had gained.


    One thing he did notice about all the skills, techniques and abilities that he gained from the system, was that all of them had growth potential and weren''t restricted.


    Currently, it seemed as though no matter how much his power and cultivation level increased, his skills, techniques and abilities would still be useful to him, as he could just increase the amount of energy that he used through them.


    However that seemed unusual to him and Adam would have expected that skills and methods had limited capability and as one improved, they would need to learn skills and methods of higher quality.


    {Skills, Unique Skills and System Features that the host acquires from the dungeon all have growth potential and some may have infinite growth potential, while others might have limited growth potential. However ordinary skills do no have the capacity to grow with the user and can only be improved and developed upon, which is very difficult to do, while Unique Skills can grow with the user to a certain point} informed him the system.


    [Hmm, just as I had guessed. Now I have another advantage that the system has given me, and at this rate, I will never come across anybody that is worthy of me, in terms of talent and growth potential] thought Adam to himself proudly.


    But he knew that when compared to the large families of New York, he was still quite weak, while cultivators around the world might even be stronger than that, so he knew not to be arrogant, even though he had the incredible and heaven-defying Dungeon System.


    After Adam felt completely recovered and in his optimum state, he was excited to test out some of his new skills and things that he had learnt, on his master in a short battle.


    However Adam knew that it would cause too much suspicion if he used his full power straight away and it wouldn''t have been possible for him to instantly learn so many skills, so he decided that he would only use the power expected from that of an early rank 4 cultivator, which he was.


    Getting up, Adam walked over to his master and while doing so, activated his Status Peering Feature.


    He knew that it wouldn''t show him his master''s stats, as his master''s cultivation level surpassed the Mortal / Novice Cultivation Level, but he wanted to try it out anyway and find out what would be revealed to him.


    Bernard ???????


    Status: Unknown


    Cultivation Level: Unknown


    Adam wasn''t disappointed by what he saw much, as it was exactly what he had expected, at least he found out what his master''s first name was.


    But without a surname or any other information about his master, it was quite useless, as first name wasn''t enough to investigate anything about somedbody, especially when you don''t even know their age or where they are from.


    "Master are you free to spar with me," asked Adam respectfully.


    Adam wasn''t pretending to be respectful in order to impress his master and genuinely respected and revered his master, who had assisted him massively, without asking much of him in return.


    His master lay there clearly free to spar with Adam and it was clear to Adam that his master had nothing else to do, and yet his master still acted like he was busy and was doing Adam a favour.


    "Alright then, I was going to do something else, but seeing as though you asked so nicely, I will spar with you for a short while. But just make sure to bring me more of those snacks the next time you leave" stated his master shamelessly as he slowly got up, with his old, short and overweight body.


    Adam nodded his head and promised to bring his master more snacks, still staying respectful, despite seeing that his master was clearly lying.


    It was still quite hard for Adam to believe that an old man with such a figure could move at speeds that were hard for him to keep up with, but Adam had learnt that everything was possible and to never judge somebody based on appearance, especially if they were a cultivator.

 Chapter 128: Training Over

    Adam knew that with his speed, that was too high when compared to the rest of his body, he would need to be careful not to expend too much IESP and EESP as to sustain and fuel such high speed, it required a lot of energy. But against his master he wasn''t planning on revealing his full power, so didn''t need to worry about that for his current battle.


    Adam stood 10 metres away from his master as they both stared at each other and circulated their energies, ready to battle with each other.


    Each and every time that Adam sparred against his master, he would improve ever so slightly and would learn and adapt from the mistakes he made and the tips his master gave him, exploiting the enhancements of the Hunter''s mind to their fullest.


    His master didn''t take the battles with Adam seriously, but he still had to be careful against Adam, as even with Adam''s comparingly low cultivation, if he was able to land a powerful attack on him when he wasn''t prepared, his frail body wouldn''t be able to handle it.


    "You may attack" allowed his master as he stood there with his hands behind his back, like he usually would.


    Adam was only planning on displaying power that was ordinary for a cultivator at his level, so knew that his power wasn''t what would impress his master in their spar, and it was his skill, combat prowess and the different techniques, skills and abilities that he had.


    Before charging at his master, Adam dashed to the wall of the dojo, that was to his right, and grabbed one of the spears that were hung there.


    Adam was curious to see just how much his spear skills had improved after his mastery had improved to 10% and felt that the spear skill wouldn''t shock his master much, as the concept behind it was very similar to that of the Dual Slash Skill.


    With the spear in hand, Adam felt an unexplainable feeling of being more experienced in its use, and he felt much more comfortable wielding the spear in his hands.


    Spear Projectile


    Dashing towards his master with the spear that was nearly two metres long, Adam was completely balanced and thrust the spear forwards towards his master''s throat.


    Despite limiting his body''s power to that of an ordinary early rank 4, Adam''s attack was still shockingly fast and powerful as his master suddenly moved backwards, dodging the Sharp Energy Projectile that was launched towards him through the attack.


    Adam liked the use of daggers as it allowed him to use his speed to its fullest, while he liked the use of spears of their power and longer range that it gave him, and was also planning on learning and training in the use of at least one ranged weapon. He wanted to be skilled and prepared in every aspect.


    "Not bad, it seems your spear skills have improved and you also have created a simple yet effective spear skill" observed had master as he swiftly aimed a kick towards Adam''s head.


    Although Adam''s intelligence stat was quite low when compared to his speed, which limited the capability of his senses and energy control, his high speed stat enhanced his reflexes, even if he was trying to suppress the amount of speed he wanted to reveal.


    Adam twisted his wrists as fast as he could and he had managed to block his master''s kick with the pole of his spear, which was the first time that he had managed to block any of his master''s attacks.


    "Your reflexes seemed to have surpassed the speed and senses of your body," said his master, who was surprised by Adam''s improvements and suddenly increased the amount of power he was using.


    With incredible speed that was so fast that it was only a blur to Adam, his master kicked him in the side.


    Even if Adam used his full speed, he was unsure whether he would have been able to avoid his master''s second attack as he was launched flying towards the wall of the dojo.


    However, just like every other time that Adam was about to damage the dojo, his master appeared behind him with incredible speed and struck him downwards, slamming him onto the ground.


    "You have improved quite massively and over this past month, your growth has been steady and quite fast, with no signs of stopping. However do not become over confident and complacent even though you are talented and progressing, because any other cultivator at my level can easily kill you within an instant" warned his master.


    It was clear to both of them that there was no point continuing their battle and that the month of continuous training was coming to an end. Although Adam was going to return to continue training with his master, he couldn''t stay for any longer and had other things that he needed to do in Brooklyn.


    "Master I will be leaving and might not be returning for a few days and maybe even a few weeks. I appreciate all the tips and combat training you have provided me" thanked Adam gratefully as he stood up and bowed to his master.


    "It was quite entertaining for me as well, but just make sure to bring me as much snacks as you can, that''s the only happiness an old man like me can have" reminded his master.


    Adam nodded his head and cleaned up as much as he could before prepared his motorbike to leave.


    He couldn''t help but think about how boring and depressing his master''s life must be, and even with his great power, he seemed to be afraid of leaving the dojo and exploring the outside world. Adam didn''t want to pry too much into his master''s life and knew that it wasn''t his place to do so, but he wanted to repay his master for the training and guidance that he had given him, so was willing to help his master in any way that his master needed.


    If he wanted to be of any use to his master or be able to repay him, he needed more power, which was exactly what he was focused on acquiring.

 Chapter 129: Unlucky Coincidence

    Adam had stayed out of trouble over the past month, but Jaspal and Elizabeth had warned him that they had heard that there were multiple police investigations into a hooded person that killed a hospital director and had been spotted at many other crime scenes.


    He was confident in his speed and being able to get away from any ordinary police officers that weren''t cultivators, but at close range, he wasn''t confident in his ability to dodge a bullet and he also wasn''t sure where he would come across a cultivator, so knew that he had to be careful.


    Adam drove his motorbike back to his apartment building, then after parking in the parking lot, entered his apartment and went straight into the shower with his sweaty body.


    Upon entering he was greeted with the delicious smell of food that his aunt had prepared knowing that he would be back on that day, as it was a Sunday.


    After having a long shower and changing into a fresh set of clothes, Adam was feeling good and felt that his body was full of power and energy.


    "How was your week?" asked his aunt as he joined her at the table.


    "It was busy, but I have completed what I needed to do. So I won''t need to leave for the next few days, and will be staying here"


    Hearing that his aunt had a wide smile and was glad that Adam would be staying with her.


    "Great, you have been working too much lately,"


    She didn''t know anything about what Adam was doing and Adam never seemed tired or stressed, but she knew that nothing was easy in life and he must have been working hard.


    "Adam, something feels a bit different about you. I''m not sure how to explain it, but it feels like you have changed slightly" said his aunt as she looked closely at him trying to put a finger on why he felt different.


    Adam didn''t think that it would be that obvious to ordinary people, but he was using his Charm Skill to lower the amount of his Charisma that was activated to 3 points, which was the average amount of Charisma that a person had, according to the system.


    "I feel fine, I''m not sure what you''re talking about" replied Adam as he began eating and changed the subject.


    Adam was surprised to hear that his aunt noticed something different about him and was curious to see what her stats were like, so used the Status Peerin Feature on her.


    Jannet Green


    HP: 110 / 110


    Strength: 8


    Speed: 9


    Intelligence: 12


    Resistance: 8


    Wisdom: 5


    Charisma: 3


    Looking at her status it seemed ordinary and her slightly above average health was to be expected after he gave her the B Rank Mortal HP Recovery Pill, but her intelligence just like his before he began cultivating, was slightly above that of an ordinary person.


    With that, she was able to sense the small changes in Adam''s aura, Charisma and body, but it was still too low for her to gauge anything substantial and she didn''t know what she was sensing anyway.


    Adam wanted to make sure his aunt was as far away from cultivation as he could, and from what he had heard from Elizabeth and Jaspal, there was conflict between the Maxwell Family and the Lin Family and it seemed as though the Lin Family was aiming to take over their territory.


    Although they wouldn''t fight in public and ordinary people wouldn''t be affected by the conflict between them and they wouldn''t even realise if the territory was taken over, most cultivators in Brooklyn would be caught up in the crossfire.


    You would either need to side with one of the large families, or be squashed during their battles.


    Adam didn''t want to get involved in the conflict, but with Elizabeth having an organisation that had cultivators and with him living in a building owned by the Maxwell Family, he knew it was highly likely that he would somehow be dragged into the conflict.


    However, even if he was, Adam was confident in his power, especially his speed that was equivalent to that of a mid rank 8, which was very high when compared to the rest of his body.


    And even if he was pushed to his limits and forced into a difficult situation, he could always use his summons, his trump cards and the Sabre that he had stolen from Angelo, which was still stored within his inventory.


    "Adam, I was planning to visit the new Chinatown that they built and are continuing to build in Brooklyn, would you like to go with me," asked his aunt.


    Hearing that Adam nearly choked on his food and it was as if fate was toying with him.


    The place that he wanted to avoid most, was coming directly to him.


    Seeing Adam choking his food, his aunt quickly filled up a glass with water.


    "Are you alright Adam? here is some water"


    "Yes I''m fine, I was just surprised" answered Adam as he drank some water and calmed down.


    [What an unlucky coincidence, but as long as I completely retract my aura and do not reveal myself as a cultivator, I should be fine. I am merely an ordinary youth visiting Chinatown with his aunt who is of Chinese descent] thought Adam to himself confidently.


    "If you don''t want to go, it is alright, I can go alone" stated his aunt, not wanting to disturb Adam if he had something else to do or force him into something he didn''t want to do.


    She knew that Adam would spend Sundays with her and was touched by him reserving a day of the week to spend mostly with her, and planned to visit Chinatown with him, ignorant to what was going on between the large cultivation families of New York.


    "No, I would love to go. I will sort something out this morning, then we can go in the afternoon" decided Adam, seeing that his aunt really wanted to go.

 Chapter 130: Adam and Chase Part 1

    Adam wanted to avoid trouble, but if his aunt wanted to do something, he wasn''t going to stop her from doing it and would go with her, making sure to protect her with his life.


    His aunt was a Chinese immigrant and worked hard her entire life, first to get her citizenship, then to provide for Adam. She never had time to relax and enjoy herself and felt as though she had become distanced from her culture.


    Adam had a western look in terms of his facial features, but his skin was quite pale and his hair was very dark. Matched with his eyes that had become red after integrating with the system, he looked similar to what one would expect from a vampire, but also made him look quite handsome.


    Because of that, he didn''t really feel comfortable calling Jannet his mother, even though he saw her as his mother, and she was the one that told him to call her his aunt. Adam was raised eating Chinese food quite frequently and it had become something that he enjoyed, so if his aunt wanted to go to Chinatown, he would go with her, without voicing any complaints.


    After clearing up the table, Adam left his aunt playing on a computer and left to visit the Silver Moon Auction House, where Chase, Elizabeth and Jaspal were all residing.


    Adam''s aunt had become fascinated with computers, phones and especially games. Adam was shocked by her fascination towards such things, but he didn''t mind as long as his aunt was happy.


    It was to be expected from somebody who had never had the luxury of free time and had never used any devices in her life, apart from an old and phone that wasn''t even a smartphone. She had also been in a coma for almost 3 years, where in that time, entertainment and technology had developed quite massively.


    Adam didn''t have to worry about money with the gold he had that was equivalent to over 60,000,000 dollars, so bought his aunt anything that she wanted.


    Her room was filled with different devices that she would play with and learn how to use and while she was doing that, Adam left to head towards the Silver Moon Auction House.


    Elizabeth and Jaspal were confused by why Adam would spend so long in such a remote location, but seeing how much he had improved, it was quite obvious that it was the place that he was cultivating in.


    Jaspal wanted to go and see what it was like there and whether there was some sort of treasure that was the reason for Adam''s progress, but Elizabeth was completely against that idea and didn''t want to go behind Adam''s back unless she needed to.


    Adam had helped her massively and she was yet to properly repay him, so she wanted to refrain from doing anything that might ruin her partnership with Adam.


    She could also see that he was developing faster than her auction house and knew that she soon wouldn''t be of much use to Adam, so she had to keep a good relationship with him, otherwise, she would miss out on having him as a powerful backer in the future.


    Adam drove over to the Silver Moon Auction House using the motorbike that they provided him, and as he arrived, Elizabeth with Jaspal beside her were already waiting for him at the entrance.


    Adam parked in the parking lot of the building and headed towards the entrance.


    "How did you know I was coming" asked Adam with a slight smile, hinting to them that he knew about the tracker, that they had most likely placed.


    "Well you usually come at around this time on Sundays, so we were waiting to greet you" answered Jaspal, who was able to quickly find an answer to Adam''s question without confirming that they had placed a tracker.


    "Oh, okay. Anyway, I''m going to go and spar with Chase" stated Adam, changing the subject.


    But Elizabeth couldn''t help but have a bad feeling and feel slightly intimidated by Adam, whose eyes looked frightening, even with brown contact lenses in.


    "We''ll come and watch," said Jaspal as he pinched Elizabeth''s arm and dragged her with him.


    She had zoned out, but that was exactly what Adam had expected and confirmed to him what he was mostly sure about anyway.


    Adam had decided that he would see how they were while partnered with him, and if he once felt that they were trying to betray them, he would either find some way to control them or slaughter them without remorse.


    But from her expression, it seemed as though she regretted it slightly and didn''t have malicious intentions. With his master''s Illusion Array, they wouldn''t be able to find the dojo unless his master allowed them to, and as long as they didn''t approach his aunt or any of those that he cared about, he was willing to stay partnered and friends with them.


    However once they crossed that line, he would not only break ties with them, but make them wish they never tried to harm those that he cared about.


    Taking the elevator, Adam, Elizabeth and Jaspal headed to the floor below the top floor, where Chase and all the other cultivators they were nurturing, were residing.


    As soon as the elevator doors opened, Chase rushed towards it, sensing that Adam had arrived, and was already expecting him as it was a Sunday.


    "How has your training been" asked Adam as Chase launched a fist towards his head as soon as the elevator doors opened.


    "Clearly, still inferior to yours," answered Chase as he was shocked to see that Adam was able to catch his fist with his bare hands.


    In that moment, Adam activated both the External Hardening Technique and the Energy Sleeve Technique to increase his resistance by 80 points, which used 4 EESP and 4 IESP to sustain every minute, and allowed him to seem as though he caught the fist with ease.


    Jaspal and Elizabeth who were behind Adam were shocked by the speed and power that was behind Chase''s fist and by Adam, who was able to catch it with ease.


    Retracting the heavily draining techniques, Adam had a smile on his face after seeing Chase and so did Chase.

 Chapter 131: Adam and Chase Part 2

    Although Adam wasn''t confident that he would be able to dodge a bullet from a short distance, Chase''s body when hardened through his Unique Skill, might be able to block a bullet from piercing into his body. However, Chase would still have to take the impact, which could damage him internally and still didn''t completely overcome the power of bullets.


    "Master I have learnt a new skill that I would like to try out on you" whispered Chase to Adam as they walked ahead of Jaspal and Elizabeth so that they couldn''t hear.


    Adam had made sure to teach Chase, that everything about the Monk Inheritance that he had, needed to be secret and that he shouldn''t reveal his full power even when he spared against him.


    "Alright, but for this spar, we will cap our power to that of a rank 4 cultivator, just like we usually do, until another time where we can spar using our full power" instructed Adam to Chase.


    Every time they sparred, they would agree on a power level that they would both fight at, so that the battle would be won by the one that had better skills and combat prowess, rather than who was more powerful.


    "Yes I will cap my power, but I will not hold back with my new skill, so get ready," said Chase as they entered the room that they would usually battle in, and was also the room that Chase would spend most of his time training in.


    Elizabeth and Jaspal couldn''t hear what Adam and Chase were saying, but they knew that if either of them wanted to kill them, they would have already been dead and they wouldn''t have any chance of fighting back.


    But they also didn''t say anything or complain, as they also had their private conversations and there was nothing that they could do about it anyway.


    Adam picked up a wooden staff and stood opposite to Chase, who didn''t like to use weapons and stood in a stance with open palms.


    A staff was very different to a spear in the way it was wielded and used to attack, but Adam was using it as a spear that didn''t have a tip, so that he didn''t heavily injure Chase, and was sure that he would still be able to use it as a spear.


    Elizabeth and Jaspal were unsure what Chase and Adam had spoken about, but it was clear to them that they had become very close. No matter how much she tried, Elizabeth couldn''t get Chase to join her and Chase would only leave his training to eat, sleep or spar with Adam.


    Chase was beginning to become more wise and aware, as after he had gained the Monk Inheritance, he seemed to have lost all common sense. But that only made him admire, respect and revere Adam, who was teaching and advising him, even more.


    "Should we begin" asked Chase.


    "Go ahead, attack me with all you got," said Adam confidently as he tightly held the wooden staff, prepared to fight Chase.


    Adam was quite sure that his power surpassed that of Chase and with his Hunter''s mind and his body being cultivated both internally and externally, he had a massive advantage over Chase, which the Dungeon System provided him.


    But he wanted to try and defeat Chase while using minimal power, which would show him just how much he had progressed as a fighter and not just in terms of power.


    Chase rushed towards him, but unlike how he was the first time that he fought against Adam, his movements were refined, precise and balanced as he launched a swift kicked at Adam''s head.


    Despite his large size and bulky appearance, he was just as fast as he was strong and had become very skilled in combat after taking all of Adam''s tips on board and practising in the different skills, techniques, cultivation methods and manuals that the Monk Inheritance provided him.


    Adam could see that Chase''s ability was incredible, but he didn''t want whatever was in the Monk Inheritance in the slightest and was more than satisfied with the Dungeon System and what it provided him.


    He already had the Hunter''s mind and his Bloodlust characteristic that needed to be regulated by his mind, so he didn''t want to mentally affected by anything else. Seeing how Chase was, the Monk Inheritance must have had a massive effect on how he was and he definitely didn''t want it if that was what it would do to him.


    Adam blocked the attack with the wooden staff, that was surprisingly durable and had only been cracked slightly by the attack, and pushed Chase back with the staff to create some distance between him and Chase.


    Spear Projectile


    Thrusting the staff forwards with great power and putting behind it 5 IESP and 5 EESP, Adam launched an energy projectile at Chase, who was a few metres away from him.


    Chase in that instant activated his Hardening Unique Skill, that made his skin as hard as rock, and blocked the Energy Projectile with his arms, only being slightly damaged by it.


    Adam struck the staff with his knee and broke it into two wooden poles, that were half the length, and dual-wielded them as he dashed towards Chase that was charging towards him.


    Both of them had smiles on their faces and enjoyed facing each other, as both of them would have something new that they had learnt or developed to test out on each other and had reached the mutual conclusion, that their power was most important.


    Adam engaged in close combat with Chase using the two wooden poles, while Chase was using some kind of martial arts that Adam had never seen before and he fought using his palms.


    After they fought for a few minutes, Chase was finally ready to use the skill that he wanted to test out on Adam. They both pushed each other back and made some distance between each other, as they both charged towards each other.

 Chapter 132: Powerful New Skill

    Just as Adam was about to clash with Chase and continue to engage in close combat with him, Chase suddenly did something that he didn''t expect and was unusual for the way that Chase usually fought.


    Chase would always fight using a flat-footed stance, and with his large body, would have an advantage when he fought with a weighted stance, which would allow him to activate his Hardening Unique Skill and strike with more strength.


    However he jumped upwards and while mid-air, struck downwards towards Adam with an open palm.


    Crushing Buddha Palm


    The skill was so powerful, unexpected and hard to deal with, leaving Adam no way to avoid it or completely block it without using his full power.


    Putting both his arms up and using the External Hardening and Energy Sleeve Techniques, to the level that a rank 4 would be able to use them, Adam had no choice but to block the crushing palm that launched him sliding backwards.


    Even with his enhanced resistance, the bones in Adam''s forearms were broken by the attack as Adam was quite massively injured by it and lost the battle.


    "I admit defeat" stated Adam as his disfigured forearms hung from his elbows.


    "Boss, are you okay," asked Chase worriedly.


    "Don''t worry it''s only a small wound" answered Adam who wasn''t fazed by the pain in the slightest after experiencing the backlash of his Bloodlust Characteristic, which was much more severe.


    If Adam had used his full power, any of his trump cards, or even the Dagger Jolt Skill, he would have been able to avoid the attack, and if he tried his hardest during the battle, he would have been able to easily take out Chase before he was able to use his skill.


    But he didn''t want to and didn''t really care that he appeared to have lost to Elizabeth and Jaspal, as Chase knew clearly from Adam''s calm eyes, that he wouldn''t have had a chance against Adam if he was really trying.


    After everything he had experienced in reality and the dungeon, despite his young age, Adam had a profound aura around him that made people look up to him, but that was only when he was in battle or wanted to emit his aura.


    But Adam, when he wasn''t with people that he knew and was comfortable around, was very reserved and didn''t like to reveal much about himself to others, so that he always had the upper hand when he did want to reveal what he was capable of.


    [That downwards palm strike was very powerful and surprised me, and anyone at the same cultivation level as Chase would be crushed by it and even cultivators that were stronger than him would struggle to deal with it] thought Adam to himself.


    He was proud of how much Chase had developed, just like he was pleased with how far he was able to come in such a short amount of time, but he knew that their journey was only just beginning.


    Adam didn''t want to reveal the power of the Ethereal Recovery Skill to Elizabeth and Jaspal and also didn''t want them to know that he could produce pills through the system, so he had no choice but to bear the pain for the current while.


    "I need to leave to recover from my wounds, but Chase you should come with me," said Adam.


    "Boss, can I really come with you," asked Chase, clearly excited to leave and go with Adam after staying at the Auction House for such a long time.


    "Stop calling me boss in front of others, and yes you can come with me" stated Adam as he began walking towards the elevator.


    "Chase wrap your jacket around me, to cover my injured arms" instructed Adam, seeing a large jacket hung in the corner of the room.


    Chase caught up to Adam and draped the jacket over Adam''s shoulders just like he had instructed.


    "Elizabeth if there is an emergency, just call me. But if not, I will be coming around ever so often to see how you and the Auction House is doing" called out Adam as he entered the elevator with Chase.


    "He came for a few minutes, then left, just like he usually does. But it seems that Chase has become stronger than him, so this is the perfect opportunity for us to get Chase to join our Auction House" said Elizabeth who still was unwilling to let Chase go.


    Chase was the perfect subordinate in every way with his incredible capability, talent and potential and his loyal and serving nature. She was hoping that she could still entice him to join her, and if he did, he would become her most trusted and relied on subordinate and the star of the Silver Moon Auction House.


    "Lady Elizabeth, I must correct your observation. Adam is clearly much more powerful than Chase and is clearly dominant over him. It is merely because Adam didn''t want to reveal his capability and hurt Chase that he lost, otherwise, who knows how easy it would be for Adam to defeat Chase" stated Jaspal.


    "Yes, you are probably right. His eyes and aura never cease to amaze and even when I think he is stupid and too reckless, he does something that makes me completely change my mind about him. From his face, one wouldn''t be able to tell that both his arms were just broken, and such high pain tolerance is incredible" agreed Elizabeth.


    "What an unusual and untameable individual that will soon become the centre of the underground world of cultivation, and he will either be crushed by it, or become the most powerful cultivator in New York" mumbled Jaspal to himself, knowing that he would gain a lot of attention because of the rate that he was progressing at.


    "Maybe even New York won''t be able to restrain such a beast" stated Elizabeth as they called in a repair crew to clean up and fix anything that was broken during Adam and Chase''s battle.

 Chapter 133: Chases Status

    Chase opened all the doors for Adam to go through and instead of taking the motorbike, which he obviously wouldn''t be able to drive with his broken arms, they called for a taxi.


    They got into the taxi and Chase had a slightly guilty expression as he looked at Adam who could barely move his arms.


    Before returning to his apartment, Adam needed to recover his arms, so instructed the taxi driver to take them to the park near his apartment building.


    After Chase paid, Adam looked for a bench in the park that was quite quiet and where he wouldn''t be disturbed, then sat on it with Chase beside him.


    "Chase, don''t worry, this is but a small injury and I can heal within an hour" reassured Adam, seeing his guilty expression and that he was quiet.


    "Really Boss, you can recover in an hour and aren''t angry with me," asked Chase who was still like a child when he was with Adam.


    "Yes, it was only a spar, why would I be angry. Not only am I not angry, but we will be having a good time today and you can eat as much as you want when we go to Chinatown" stated Adam who was amused by Chase''s childish nature, but touched by his worry and care towards him.


    Chase had a wide smile and was excited to finally be able to enjoy himself for once, and even though he was influenced by the Monk Inheritance, he was still a young man that liked to relax and enjoy himself sometimes.


    Adam was planning to take Chase with him and his aunt to Chinatown, not only in order to assist him in protecting his aunt, but also to allow him to have a nice time and let him enjoy himself after all the training he had been doing.


    Chase was no longer seen as a mere subordinate by Adam, and they had formed a bond that was closer than that. Chase had complete trust in Adam, and Adam had complete trust in the loyal Chase.


    This made it so that Adam, despite being younger than Chase, saw him as a younger brother that he needed to give advice to, protect, but also made him somebody that he could completely trust and introduce to his aunt.


    With his Hardening Unique Skill and his very loyal and trustworthy nature, he was the perfect person for Adam to leave with his aunt to protect her when he was busy and he was sure that Chase would protect her with his life if it came to it.


    "Chase you can cultivate beside me or walk around this park, but please don''t leave this area until I have recovered and can go with you," said Adam, who was yet to trust Chase to wander around alone without orders.


    It wasn''t that he was worried about Chase, but he was worried about others that would try to mess with him and he didn''t want Chase to get into any trouble, especially with the police that were already searching for a hooded criminal.


    "Alright Boss, I will stay beside you" decided Chase as he sat quietly and calmly on the bench next to Adam as Adam prepared to use the Ethereal Recovery Skill to heal his arms.


    However, before he did so, he wanted to use the Status Peering Feature on Chase and see what his stats were like.


    The Status Peering Feature, just like everything else that he was provided through the system, was easy for him to use as if he had been practising it his entire life.


    Activating it while looking at Chase who sat beside him, a status screen, just like the one''s that he would see above the heads of beasts, appeared above Chase''s head.


    Chase Mathers


    Mortal LVL: 47


    HP: 560 / 600


    EESP: 32 / 51


    Strength: 50


    Speed: 50


    Intelligence: 10


    Resistance: 60


    Wisdom: 3


    Charisma: 3


    Chase''s stats were shocking and compared to his cultivation level, his stats were extraordinary. His HP and Resistance stood out just like Adam had expected, but with only 3 points of Wisdom, it was to be expected that he would be quite naive and childish.


    Thankfully, his wisdom could increase with Adam''s support and at the rate he was progressing, and with his incredible Unique Skill, he would be a force to be reckoned with in the near future.


    Adam was disappointed that the Status Peering Feature didn''t show the Additional Status of the target and the amount of Luck points they had, but overall he was satisfied with what it revealed to him and was impressed by Chase''s ability.


    With that, he had relieved his curiosity and began to recover his injuries.


    It took him about an hour to recover completely and after Adam was sure that his body was in its optimum state, he stood up. He was not completely trusting that his HP being recovered meant that he had recovered, so checked on his body even after his HP had been recovered.


    Chase had sat beside him the entire time silently, but didn''t seem to be cultivating and was merely patiently waiting for Adam to be ready.


    "Wow boss, you are amazing. Your arms are healed already and they look as good as new" exclaimed Chase who let out a sigh of relief, seeing that the injury he caused his boss had healed.


    "Listen you can''t keep calming me boss in front of others, especially not in front of my aunt. How about this, you can either call me Adam, or little bro" stated Adam, who didn''t want his friends and his aunt to think that he had hired a bodyguard.


    "I''ll call you big bro" decided Chase, who had completely ignored Adam''s suggestions.


    Adam just sighed and accepted it, even though he was younger than him, as at least it was better than what he used to call him.


    "Chase I will be introducing you to my aunt as a friend, so you must try your best to be friendly and normal," said Adam to Chase as they walked towards his apartment building.


    "Yes big bro, I will try my best"

 Chapter 134: New Chinatown

    Adam walked into the apartment building with Chase, after showing his apartment ID to the security guards that were initially surprised by Chase''s size that was bigger than their own, and entered his apartment followed by Chase.


    He had been out for slightly over 2 hours, so it was already nearly noon and his aunt was getting ready to leave and visit Chinatown, like they had planned.


    "Who is this?" asked his aunt who was initially surprised and intimidated by his size, then seeing his smile and that he was with Adam, calmed down.


    Chase''s hair had grown and was spiky and quite rough, and his tall and strong figure was quite unusual, which made Adam''s aunt curious as to who he was.


    "This is my friend Chase and he wants to come with us to the new Chinatown" answered Adam as Chase introduced himself to Adam''s aunt.


    His aunt was slightly surprised by Adam inviting a friend that she had never seen to come with them, but she didn''t really mind as he seemed friendly and as long as Adam was happy with him being there, she was as well.


    "Should we leave now so that we can look around and explore before we get some lunch" suggested Adam.


    "Yes, I don''t have anything else to do" agreed his aunt as they all got ready to leave.


    While his aunt changed her clothes and prepared, Adam took Chase into his room and let him go on his computer.


    Chase obviously knew what a computer was and how it worked, from when he had used it when he was younger, but he wasn''t very comfortable using it and Adam knew that increasing his knowledge was just as important as increasing his power.


    Adam reminded him of the basics and what he could do on the computer and while Chase used the computer, showered, then relaxed on his bed until his aunt was ready.


    After she was ready, they all left together and Chase was the one that was most excited to see what the new Chinatown was like.


    A car would have been useful for Adam to own, but currently, he was satisfied with his motorcycle and didn''t need the additional hassle of needing to learn how to drive a car and maintaining it.


    Instead, it was easier for him to take taxis to wherever he needed to go and called for a taxi outside his apartment and money wasn''t really an issue for Adam even if he didn''t use his gold.


    Chase, who was the largest, sat at the front beside the driver, while Adam sat at the back with his aunt and knowing the drive was quite a long one, they all began chatting about random things.


    Adam''s aunt soon realised that despite Chase''s size, he was very nice and even Adam was surprised by how nice and friendly he could be and was glad that he introduced her to his aunt.


    Chase for the first time since he could remember was genuinely happy as he spoke to Adam and his aunt while the taxi headed towards the new Chinatown that had been built in Brooklyn and was open to the public.


    Thinking about how he was in the past before he knew about cultivation and the cultivation families that were at the peak of the city, he would have thought that a new Chinatown been built as something ordinary.


    However now he was going into the new Chinatown prepared to fight and protect his aunt, and from what Elizbeth had told him about the large cultivation families, the Lin Family was the strongest in terms of the power of their cultivators, so he had to be careful.


    But Adam weirdly felt excited and was confident enough in his power and capability to observe what was going on between the two cultivation families.


    With his opportunistic nature, Adam was looking for any opportunity to profit from their conflict and that was another reason that he had ended his training and he was curious to see where and how the families would fight.


    He was also interested to see how the government and law enforcement would deal with it, so was planning to be an observer, unless he saw an opportunity to benefit himself or saw something that he couldn''t allow to continue.


    Adam was by no means a hero, but innocent children and women should never be bought into conflict and depending on the circumstance, he would intervene if he saw something that went against that basic moral.


    While in the taxi, Adam invited all of his friends to meet them at the new Chinatown if they wanted to come, but all of them were busy. Emma had college work, Sarah was busy running the company that was trying to form and Cole was busy helping his father.


    Adam really wanted to use the Status Peering Feature on Cole to see whether or not he was a cultivator and whether or not he was from the Maxwell Family, but he would have to wait until Cole was available to see him.


    It was a half an hour drive for them to reach the newly built Chinatown, and upon arrival, they were surprised by how pretty and well-built it was.


    The main entrance was in the form of a traditional chinese gate and had golden and red imprints and decorations.  It would probably look much better in the night time, where there would be many lights that would make it look even better, but they were already there and could visit it at night, another time.


    The oriental smell of Chinese food engulfed their noses as all of them were excited to look around and try different foods, but despite wanting to enjoy himself, Adam was more focused on monitoring his surroundings and protecting his aunt and Chase if anything happened.


    After paying the taxi driver and getting out of the taxi, Adam grabbed Chase to the side to tell him some things before they entered the new Chinatown.

 Chapter 135: Nice Day Out

    "You must retract your aura and not reveal your power or cultivation, even if you are attacked or annoyed. You are only allowed to use your power if your life is at risk, if you are protecting my aunt and if I allow you to do so" instructed Adam.


    "Yes big bro, I will do as you said" promised Chase as his aura that would slightly intimidate others was completely retracted.


    Adam wasn''t surprised by his capability when it came to wielding his aura, and knew that despite Chase''s reasoning and common sense being below average, his talent and capability in terms of cultivation and battle were incredible.


    "Should we get going boys?" called out his aunt who was near the entrance.


    "Yes" answered both Adam and Chase as they caught up to her and entered the new Chinatown.


    There were all kinds of sweets, desserts and foods being served from stalls along each side of the main path into it.


    While the buildings that were built had some elements of Chinese architecture and they were trying to replicate Chinese culture as much as they could, with 70% of the people that Adam saw being Chinese.


    Adam had bought with him a couple thousand dollars in cash in case Chase or his aunt wanted anything, and as long as they both enjoyed themselves, he was happy as well.


    Chase would only eat the bare minimum at the Silver Moon Auction House, but now seeing all the delicious foods around him, wanted to eat all of them.


    Adam didn''t really mind and bought Chase anything that he wanted, while him and his aunt watched Chase scoff the food down.


    They walked around while buying different street food and desserts from the stalls, and along the way, his aunt wanted to check out some clothes to buy.


    She had never had the luxury of buying whatever she liked, but with Adam, who didn''t seem to care much about how much money he spent, she wanted to treat herself.


    His aunt bought some traditional Chinese clothing, that reminded her of her origin, and along with that, bought some jewellery that matched the outfits that she bought.


    Adam was happy that his aunt and Chase were enjoying themselves, and was weirdly yet to come across a single cultivator, even though the area they were in was meant to be the Lin Family''s attempt at slowly taking over the Maxwell Family''s territory.


    Chase didn''t have many changes of clothes and only had what the Auction House had provided him to wear. Knowing that, Adam found a store that had ordinary clothes, and had to buy the biggest sizes for Chase and bought him a few more sets of clothes and pairs of trainers.


    Adam''s aunt didn''t carry anything, while Adam carried a few bags, leaving most of them for Chase to hold. But Chase didn''t mind, as long as one of his hands were free, so that he could still stuff his face with food that Adam was buying for him.


    "Did you bring your friend here just to feed him and carry our things?" joked his aunt.


    "And to buy me clothes" added Chase as they all began to laugh.


    Chase had become comfortable with Adam''s aunt and vice versa, as all three of them enjoyed themselves and had a nice day out.


    After shopping and walking around the newly built area, they were all quite tired and although they had eaten quite a lot of street food, especially Chase, they were hungry and wanted to eat a proper meal.


    "Why don''t we try out that restaurant" suggested his aunt while pointing at a restaurant that seemed to be the largest and most luxurious in the newly built Chinatown.


    She didn''t want to exploit Adam or waste his money, but seeing the way that he spent and what he was capable of, she assumed that he was wealthy and that he would be able to afford it.


    Jannet had been through more struggle than most people could imagine, but not once did she rely on the government or her family to help her and had always been very hardworking, so she felt as though she deserved to be able to live comfortably.


    Adam felt exactly the same way as his aunt, and if she wanted something that he was capable of providing her, he would give it to her without thinking about it twice. He had seen some of her struggle, but turned a blind eye to it in his younger days, and that was one of his biggest regrets, especially after she fell into a coma because of it.


    He knew that the coma was extended by the despicable hospital director, but it was initially because of her overexerting herself physically and mentally for his sake, so he was more than willing to spend money, that he could easily acquire from the dungeon, on his aunt.


    "Sure why not" agreed Adam as he entered the restaurant with his aunt and Chase.


    It was quite a luxurious restaurant that would obviously be expensive, but that didn''t faze Adam in the slightest and all he wanted was to have a good time with his aunt and Chase.


    Although their appearances were not ones that were wealthy, from the amount of shopping they were carrying, the guards assumed they could afford the food and didn''t cause any trouble for them.


    Upon entering, it was larger than the China Star Restaurant, that he would usually go to and was where the high school reunion was held, but its luxurious design and layout was similar.


    "Hello and welcome to Buddakan. We are a restaurant the carries the lineage of the legendary Lin Family and how many people will we be accommodating for today" asked a young lady respectfully.


    As soon as they entered the restaurant, they were given an area to leave their bags that was guaranteed to be safe, and the young lady was very respectful and serving.


    Adam was surprised that they would openly reveal that it was owned by the Lin Family, but thinking about it, to most people, that wouldn''t mean anything and it wasn''t much of a secret anyway.


    "3 people please" answered Jannet.

 Chapter 136: Unlucky Encounters Part 1

    "Would you like a private room to eat, or would you like to eat in the open dining hall?" asked the restaurant employee.


    Jannet turned to Adam and Chase to see what they wanted, but both of them shrugged and didn''t mind.


    "We would like to eat in the open dining hall" answered Jannet who didn''t want to waste too much of Adam''s money on a private room that they didn''t need for only three people.


    "Follow me please," said the young lady as she began to lead them through the restaurant.


    The interior of the restaurant was just as lavish as the exterior and had two main entrances. The entrance that Adam used with his aunt and Chase was the back entrance. It was the one that people could use to enter through the main path of the newly built Chinatown.


    The other entrance, which was the main entrance, was on the other side of the building and was where most would enter from as it had a car park and was along a main road.


    This made it so that the restaurant was accessible for both people that came walking and people that came in a car and was very well designed and built.


    Its dining hall was enormous and the design was very luxurious, but also smart.


    The dining hall was split into many sections, so that it wasn''t too loud and so that there weren''t any echoes in the large area, and there was a lot of open space between each of the tables.


    "Here is your table, and you can call us with that button as soon as you are ready to order" stated the restaurant employee after leading them through the restaurant to a table for 4.


    The table was rectangular with two sofa-like seats on either side, and was along a wall, so blocked off the view from all sides apart from one, where they would be served their food.


    Chase was in awe of the restaurant and everything that he was seeing and massively appreciated everything that Adam had done for him and bought for him, and he never once felt that he was being treated as somebody that was beneath Adam.


    Adam respected him and he no longer needed to order Chase to protect him and his aunt, as Chase wanted to do so himself.


    That was exactly how Adam wanted it to be, and it made their trust even stronger, and although Adam would only do most things for his own benefit, he genuinely cared for Chase who also cared for him.


    "This was a good choice, it looks amazing," said Chase as he sat on one side of the table, while Adam and his aunt sat on the other side.


    It was the obvious seating plan considering that he was the largest and that Adam was obviously closer and more comfortable sat beside his aunt that had raised him.


    Within a minute, they were bought three menus that they began reading through, and seeing how many different dishes there were, Adam didn''t know what to choose.


    His stomach had been hurting slightly for the past hour, and it was the perfect chance for him to go to bathroom, while Chase and his aunt ordered what they wanted.


    "You guys order what you want and as much as you want, and can you order for me as well," asked Adam to his aunt, who would know what he would like out of the dishes better than himself.


    "Alright son, but where are you going," asked his aunt, seeing that Adam had stood up.


    "I am going to the bathroom. I''ll be back in a few minutes" answered Adam as he followed the directions that were hung up on the walls that led him to the toilet.


    Adam wouldn''t usually need to go to the toilet as his body was much more capable of absorbing all the energy and nutrients from the food and would change most of it into energy, not leaving much waste.


    But he weirdly felt that he was desperate to use the toilet, and that was to be expected after all the unhealthy food that he had eaten from the stalls, which wouldn''t be of much use to his body and would be excreted as waste.


    Adam knew that it would be almost impossible for him to get fat no matter how much he ate, from all the training that he would do, and it wouldn''t have much of an effect other than some slight impurities that he could easily remove using the method that his master had taught him.


    Knowing that, he wanted to treat himself and enjoy the day with his aunt, but with his body working at supernatural rates, including his digestive system, he had been really desperate to use the bathroom for a while.


    [What bad timing. At least Chase is with my aunt and he probably can store a year''s worth of food in his enormous body, so he won''t need to leave my aunt and I don''t need to worry as it should be safe in a place like this] thought Adam to himself as he entered the bathroom.


    Adam needed a number two, and he was in the bathroom for quite a while.


    After he was finished with everything and washed his hands, he headed back to their table, excited to eat what his aunt had ordered for him.


    However just like he was dreading, there seemed to be an issue in the area that his table was in and it looked like he might need to get involved.


    "What do you mean I can''t have this area of the dining room. I don''t want a private room, I want this area of the dining room for my party" exclaimed a man in a leather biker set.


    [Damn it I jinxed it] thought Adam to himself as he saw the commotion that was occurring.


    He could sense the disturbance as soon as he left the bathroom, and although wasn''t very worried about his aunt''s safety, since she was with Chase, he was interested to see what was going on.

 Chapter 137: Unlucky Encounters Part 2

    The man that started the commotion looked like an ordinary thug that one would usually call the police on, but Adam seeing the symbol on his arm, couldn''t help but curse his luck even more.


    [How do I have 5 points of luck, yet the triad somehow come to the area of the restaurant that I am eating at and cause a commotion] thought Adam to himself as he cursed his luck.


    He had made sure to get as much information from Elizabeth and Jaspal as he could, and they were very knowledgeable about the cultivation world and his partnership with them was quite beneficial.


    The triad could appear as ordinary people, thugs and any other way that a person could appear, but they would all either have a tattoo of the gang''s symbol or wear its badge on their clothing.


    The symbol was that of a red dragon with a red circle around it, and it struck fear in the hearts of those that knew what it was.


    "Please sir, can you allow the guests to finish their meals before you being your party. In the meantime, I can give you a private room with free drinks" requested a short middle-aged man that seemed to be the manager of the restaurant.


    He was respectful to the man and was clearly scared, most likely because he knew about the triad, like most others that lived in Chinatowns would.


    "You dare to defy me within my own territory. This restaurant is owned by the Lin Family, and we are the followers of the Lin Family, so can do as we please here" bellowed the triad member as he slapped the restaurant manager, causing him to slam into the ground.


    The triad member came with 6 other triad members and with them were many females, that were scarcely dressed and were most likely selling their bodies, and he seemed to be the leader of the small group of triad members.


    [Not only is he a triad member, but he also seems to be quite a powerful external cultivator and hasn''t come alone. No wonder he is so arrogant, but he better not mess with Chase or my aunt, because I might not be able to hold myself back] thought Adam to himself as he couldn''t help but smile slightly.


    Adam wasn''t looking for trouble, but if trouble was looking for him, he would crush it and walk over it without caring about who had to crush in the process.


    Luckily nobody was paying attention to him and his slight smile, and just as Adam thought it couldn''t get any worse, a female with a gun in her hand waltzed into the area of the dining hall they were all in.


    "NYPD, nobody move and put your hands up" she shouted as she pointed her gun at the triad member that had slapped the restaurant manager.


    Adam couldn''t help but feel familiar with the female officer and felt as though he recognised her from somewhere.


    [She must be the officer that was pursuing me when I initially fought against Chase, and she would have caught us if it wasn''t for the secret escape route that me and Chase left from] realised Adam.


    Angela Valdez had been secretly investigating the triad, which was one of the biggest gangs in New York and controlled all of the Chinatowns that were all over New York.


    She was hoping that at the new Chinatown that was built, if she went into the restaurant undercover, she might be able to acquire some evidence to put some of the members away, as they would mostly get away with all the crimes that they committed.


    "Hahahaha, they only sent a single officer. Well, at least you are quite pretty. Do you wanna join our party" mocked the triad member as he licked his lips and gave Angela a lustful look.


    "I will decline and you are under arrest for aggravated assault and suspicion of gang affiliation. My name is Detective Angela Valdez, and you will all need to stay here and act as witnesses" she declared.


    "Clear out this restaurant and close it down for the rest of the day. As a detective from the Brooklyn precinct, I will be investigating this restaurant for criminal activities and only the people area will need to stay" instructed Angela to the manager who had a red handprint on his face.


    It wasn''t looking good for Angela, and unless she was willing and prepared to fire at the triad members, with their speed, they would be able to take her down before she had the chance to shoot them.


    [Is she really so stupid as to come alone and not call for backup immediately. And why is she always on my trail] thought Adam to himself, who had also seen her name on the reports that Jaspal had shown him about the hooded criminal.


    "I am not under arrest and you will regret coming here alone. You go and get all the civilians to another table in the restaurant and close off this area of the dining hall from the rest of the restaurant" instructed the triad member.


    The manager did exactly as the triad member said and was too afraid to defy him, even in the presence of a police officer. He knew that she wouldn''t be able to do anything to that triad member who had quite a notorious reputation, and began to lead people out of the area and sending them to other areas in the large restaurant.


    Chase had moved seats and sat beside Adam''s aunt, ready to protect her if anything happens, but was still staying calm and didn''t act yet.


    Seeing that she was outnumbered and that they were not complying with her orders, Angela had no choice but to call for support.


    "Requesting bac...." just as Angela was about to call for backup, seeing that the triad members were laughing at her and resisting arrest, the triad member suddenly dashed towards her.

 Chapter 138: Arrogant Triad Members Part 1

    Within a second, the triad member had reached Angela, and since she wasn''t prepared and couldn''t shoot, she could do anything as the triad member slapped the gun out of her hands.


    "I will be taking this, and you will stay here and enjoy yourself with us," he said with an evil smile as he snatched her communication device and crushed it in his hand.


    "All you fuck off, leave here. And you bring me and my friends some food and drinks" ordered the triad members as he tightly held Angela''s wrist and dragged her with him.


    She kicked at his leg and attempted to resist, but it was to no avail as the triad member laughed at her attacks that didn''t hurt him in the slightest.


    They weren''t on the same level and an ordinary person would find it extremely hard to damage a cultivator without attacking any weak spots, but it would be impossible for them to attack a weak spot with their difference in speed.


    Adam who was watching everything from the side was debating with himself whether to intervene or not and decided that after getting his aunt to safety, he would watch how everything unfolded before deciding how to act.


    From the speed that the triad member moved at, Adam could assume that he had the power of a rank 5, and all of those with him seemed to be at around rank 4 and 5.


    Status Peering Feature


    Using it on the triad member that seemed to be the leader and was dragging Angela with him, Adam was surprised that he was actually a rank 6 cultivator.


    His Speed was at a level that one would expect from a rank 5, but his Strength, Resistance and HP were that of an early rank 6 along with his LVL that was LVL 61.


    Despite the big gap in cultivation level between Adam and the triad member, Adam was confident that he would be able to defeat him. After estimating the power and skill of the group of triads, Adam concluded that with the help of Chase, he would easily be able to defeat the group of triad members.


    But it surprised him, as if members that were at low positions were rank 6 Novice Cultivators, what cultivation level would those at higher positions in the gang be at.


    The manager had taken out all of the civilians apart from Chase and Adam''s aunt, who wouldn''t be able to move without going past the triad members, and the manager was too scared to get over to them.


    "You guys should move to another area of the restaurant, this area is being used by these special guests" called out the manager to Chase and Adam''s aunt as he ran off.


    While running off he grabbed Adam''s arm to take him with him, but Adam shook him off and the short manager of the restaurant stopped after reaching the edge of the area.


    "I will be closing off this area for the special guest''s, so quickly follow me and get out of this area before you offend these very important people" urged the manager.


    Chase looked over to Adam who was stood on the side and Adam knew that it was only a matter of time before the triad became frustrated with Chase and his aunt, so signalled for Chase to get his aunt out of there.


    Adam''s aunt was frightened by everything that was going on, but Chase was calm as he held her hand reassuringly and led her to where Adam was.


    "Quickly, I need to close off this area like the man has asked," said the manager as he sent in waiters with food and drinks, just like the triad member had instructed.


    As long as he didn''t anger or offend the triad, the manager was quite sure that nothing would happen to him and that he wouldn''t lose his job, which were his priorities.


    Angela had been restrained with her mouth covered and had no way to escape, as she watched the triad enjoy themselves with the food, drinks and women that they had bought with them.


    "All of you can leave now, we have enough drinks and want to enjoy ourselves now," said the triad member after their large table was filled with food and drinks.


    "Close off this area and if anybody disturbs me, I will kill them" ordered the triad member.


    Chase stood beside Adam while holding Adam''s aunt''s hand and looked at him awaiting his next instructions.


    "Chase take my aunt out of here and go and get food from another restaurant" instructed Adam as he handed him most of the money that he had left.


    "Get our bags and after you eat, you can get a taxi home. If I don''t come home just make something up to my aunt and you can sleep in my apartment on my sofa. Just make sure that you protect her" continued Adam.


    "But what are you going to do here," asked Chase, who was worried about Adam.


    "Nothing, I just have a weird feeling that things will get interesting and I just want to watch" answered Adam who wasn''t afraid of the triad and was confident in his power, especially if he went all out.


    Chase trusted Adam''s judgement and did as he said without asking any more questions.


    "Adam what are you doing, we are leaving. It is too dangerous to stay here" said his aunt as she grabbed his arm.


    "I''m sorry aunt, but I have some business here. Can you please forgive my absence and spend the rest of the day with Chase. I will catch up to you guys later and will make it up for you" apologised Adam with a gentle smile.


    "But, but, you can''t.." refuted his aunt, knowing that Adam was getting himself into danger, before being stopped by Adam.


    "Trust me, I will be fine. There is no danger and your son merely has some work to do, okay" interjected Adam, giving her a reassuring smile and sending her off with Chase.

 Chapter 139: Arrogant Triad Members Part 2

    The manager couldn''t care less about Adam''s safety, and seeing that Adam didn''t want to leave with them, took Jannet and Chase away with him and locked off the area.


    Adam was calm and unbothered by what was occurring, as metal gates began to slowly come down from the ceiling, shutting off all entrances and exits to the area, completely blocking it off from the rest of the hotel, just how the triad wanted it.


    It had become clear to Adam''s aunt that her son was no longer the same boy that she had raised, and had not only grown into a man, but had also become special and was no longer something that she could understand.


    The quite drastic change in his appearance and physique, which were both positive, were clearly supernatural and she could tell that he was involved in quite a few mysterious things that he hadn''t reveal to her.


    Jannet would turn a blind eye to most of it and didn''t really pry into Adam''s life, not wanting to anger Adam and make him cut ties with her. She only wanted the best for her son, and as long as he was happy, she was happy, and Adam was the same way with her.


    However, after reading about the article that was written about artificially induced comas that were in her hospital and then finding out about the murder of the hospital director, she could see that they were clearly related.


    Jannet could have sued the hospital, but after the director of the hospital, who was responsible for it, had died, it wasn''t worth the trouble. Adam seemed financially capable and stable, so she didn''t have to worry about money and she tried her best to ignore the blatant changes in Adam.


    She dismissed the director''s murder a day after her awakening as a coincidence and didn''t once think that it had something to do with Adam, but after seeing the way he acted and what he was capable of, it made her wonder whether it was him.


    He had displayed incredible reflexes in the apartment, being able to catch things before they were dropped, and wouldn''t be home most times and wouldn''t ever reveal what he was doing to anybody.


    His suspicious behaviour, mysterious nature and large changes had all tipped his aunt over the edge, and she left with Chase planning to enjoy the rest of her day, but decided that the next time she was alone with Adam, she would have a serious conversation with him.


    She felt as though she had lost all authority over Adam and their relationship had changed from one that used to be of a mother and son. Adam was respectful and caring, so she had no complaints about his attitude, but there was too much that she didn''t know about him.


    "Now then, it''s time for your punishment, you little bitch. Did you really think you could threaten the triad with your small investigation and trashy weapon? You might have been able to lock us away with the evidence that you might have gathered, but now you won''t be leaving here alive" said the triad group leader as he slapped Angela in the face.


    She was tied up and wouldn''t have been able to resist anyway as she fell on the ground and lay there, unable to get up or defend herself.


    The triad group leader didn''t stop there and pounced on top of her as he began to touch her inappropriately.


    "Get off me, help" she wailed as tears streamed down her face, but her calls were unanswered and the triad group leader covered her mouth with his hand.


    "For a disgusting cop, you have quite a nice body, don''t you. Why don''t you satisfy me and I might let you go" said the triad member as he moved to strip Angela.


    Adam who stood in the corner of the area, watching everything unfold silently, cleared his throat and interrupted the triad group leader before he did so.


    "I don''t think you should do that," said Adam as he walked out of the corner that he had stood in and headed towards the large table that the triad members were sat at with multiple women.


    The triad members sat at the most central and largest table in the area, and their table was filled with liquor and food, that the manager had served them before leaving.


    The triad group leader was near that table and was on top of Angela who couldn''t resist his touching. He was confused by why and how Adam was still in the area of the restaurant without them noticing and was angry that he had been interrupted while having his fun.


    "How the hell did you stay in here without me sensing your presence and why are you here. Do you have a death wish?" bellowed the triad group leader.


    Adam wasn''t scared in the slightest by his threat and had a small smile on his face with calm and still eyes. He wasn''t planning on playing the hero, especially for the detective that was after him, but seeing what the triad group leader was doing and about to do to her, he couldn''t stand it.


    "You triad members are too arrogant for your own good and you couldn''t sense my present because you are too stupid" mocked Adam as he continued strolling towards them slowly.


    He had seen the triad group leader''s status, and his intelligence stat was only slightly higher than that of an ordinary person, so he knew that he wouldn''t be able to sense his presence if he held his breath and retracted his aura.


    It was something that Adam had become very skilled at, and knew that it would be very useful if he needed to stealthy kill someone, and being able to mask one''s presence was a universally useful ability.


    "Hahahaha, are you tired of living?" bellowed the triad group leader as the rest of the triad members also stood up and laughed at Adam.

 Chapter 140: Criminal or Hero Part 1

    Adam was alone and didn''t seem to be a cultivator to them, so they were completely confident that he had no chance against them.


    "Let''s have some fun with this boy who doesn''t have any manners, and after we kill him, we can enjoy ourselves with our ladies," said the triad group leader with an evil smile.


    "Yes boss, I think we should break all his limbs then let him slowly die in pain," suggested one of the triad members behind him as they all laughed and mocked Adam who stood before them.


    They all wore similar leather biker sets and all had quite muscled figures, with the triad''s symbol imprinted on their arms. All of them were of Chinese descent and as Adam looked at them, he felt disgusted by their behaviour and characters.


    The triad''s members were notoriously known for abusing the power and the reputation of their gang, and without any care for the law, they would do as they pleased within their territory.


    All businesses within their territory would pay taxes to them, which they would call a protection fee, but was really a fee that they had to pay unless they wanted their business to be destroyed by the triad.


    If it was only the protection fees, Adam wouldn''t really mind, but their arrogant and despicable nature had annoyed him, especially when they would harras a woman without caring about the consequences.


    "So, you want to break my limbs then watch me slowly die in pain. We will see who will be the one dying today" stated Adam whose eyes flashed red with Bloodlust and killing intent.


    His fury fuelled his Bloodlust as he continued to walk towards the 7 triad members while releasing his killing intent.


    Despite their cultivation level, the triad members couldn''t help but feel scared and intimidated by his killing intent, while Angela and the rest of the women who were behind them were struggling to breathe under its pressure.


    [This characteristic is one that is hard to control and has quite a few downsides. But as long as I am in complete control, it is incredible and can allow me to battle against cultivators that are stronger than me and frighten people that are weaker than me] thought Adam to himself as he felt his heart begin to beat rapidly.


    With every pulse of his heart, his desire to kill surged as his eyes flashed red with killing intent.


    The contact lenses in his eyes were burnt to ashes under his burning gaze and a single glance at his eyes, made all of the triad members tremble in fear.


    "Snap out of it idiots. Don''t let his eyes trick you, he is still merely a weak bastard" shouted the triad group leader at his subordinates.


    The triad group leader was surprisingly strong-willed and had managed to overcome Adam''s frightening killing intent and helped his subordinates do the same.


    But that didn''t matter to Adam who wasn''t planning on using his killing intent to defeat them, as he continued to approach them slowly.


    Under the pressure from Adam''s killing intent, most of the women had fallen unconscious and Angela was barely managing to stay conscious as she tried to fight the urge to collapse.


    Every time she tried to get a look at Adam''s face, his glaring red eyes would overwhelm her and cause her to look away.


    After a few seconds she could no longer hold on to consciousness and just like the rest of the women, who weren''t cultivators, Angela fainted.


    That was exactly what Adam wanted and as long as there weren''t any witnesses, he knew it would be very hard to find out who he was and whether it was him who had killed the triad members, which he was planning to do.


    The surveillance system in the area of the restaurant he was in had been switched off by the triad members and as long as there weren''t any witnesses and he didn''t leave any traces, he was confident that he wouldn''t be found for a while.


    Even if his identity was discovered, Adam knew that at the rate he was progressing at, it was inevitable.


    However by then, the Auction House would have become much more powerful and he would have probably made other alliances, making it so that he had nothing to fear when it came to the law and the government.


    Retracting his aura and killing intent, Adam had an evil smile on his face as he withdrew the Sabre that he had stolen from Angelo from his inventory.


    "Where the hell did that weapon come from and it seems to be one of quite high quality," exclaimed the triad group leader, who was shocked by everything that Adam had done.


    It was the first time that Adam was going to use his full speed in reality and he was excited to see how capable he would be if he went all out, especially with the C- Rank Sabre that he hadn''t used yet.


    Despite their cultivation level being higher than his own, his speed surpassed theirs by at least 30 points and he was confident in his skill and combat prowess, especially after training with his master and battling against beasts every night.


    Dashing towards them, Adam wasn''t sure what skills they had learnt or what they were capable of, so the quicker he killed them, the less likely that he would be injured or surprised by their ability.


    They were all shocked by his speed and couldn''t tell whether he was an Internal or External Cultivator, but they were still quite confident that they would be able to defeat him with their numbers and the power of their leader.


    Adam knew that the triad group leader had higher strength than him, but as long as he didn''t let him hit him and overwhelmed him with speed, he had nothing to worry about while fighting against them.


    He still had his summons and skills that he could use with other weapons, but Adam didn''t think that was necessary as he dashed towards them with an evil smile.

 Chapter 141: Criminal or Hero Part 2

    Activating both his External Hardening and Energy Sleeve Techniques, as Adam had become a rank 4 Novice Cultivator, he could increase his Resistance by 80 points, but it would use 4 IESP and EESP every minute.


    With that, his Resistance had surpassed 130 points and with his speed that was at 86 points, he didn''t have anything to fear, even when against 7 opponents that were all at a higher cultivation level than him.


    With such an extremely high resistance, considering his cultivation level, while his fundamental defence techniques were activated, it was more than 13 times higher than that of an ordinary human.


    Not only would that make his body more durable and reduce the damage that he would take from attacks, but his overall resistance was incredible and he had become more resistant to everything that would affect or damage his body.


    The cold that was on Floor 1 and the heat of Floor 3 wouldn''t have affected him in the slightest if he had that much resistance at the time. While an ordinary weapon would require a large amount of force to cut into his skin, let alone cause him substantial damage.


    The triad guard leader, who was the strongest out of the 7 triad members, withdrew a dagger that he had tucked into his leather jacket and prepared to clash with Adam who was dashing towards them.


    However just as they were about to clash, Adam with his greater speed, jumped over him and landed behind the triad member that was at the back and had suggested that they should break all his limbs and let him die slowly.


    Adam was by no means a righteous hero, but he also didn''t see himself as a evil criminal.


    He was himself and with power, he could do as he pleased, which included killing people that he thought deserved to die and saving people that he felt like saving.


    "You wanted to break all my limbs and watch me die painfully, well how about I do the same to you but in my own style" stated Adam to the triad member.


    Before any of the triad members could react or do anything about it, Adam swiftly made 4 rapid slashes then jumped away and made some distance between himself and the 7 triad members.


    They were unsure of what happened for a second, then seeing the blood on Adam''s blade and looking at one of their fellow triad members, they couldn''t help but step back in horror.


    His body suddenly collapsed and split into 5 parts, with his arms and legs being cleanly sliced off by Adam''s blade.


    The gruesome scene didn''t affect Adam in the slightest and inversely, he felt good about it and his Bloodlust was heightened at the sight and smell of the blood.


    "You will all be dying here and should feel despair, just like all the victims of your abuse felt" declared Adam while glaring at them and imbuing fear into their hearts.


    One of them had been taken out and they weren''t completely ready, but even with 6 of them, against Adam''s speed, they were unsure if they would be able to defeat him.


    Adam had come to realise that speed and strength weren''t the deciding factors in a real battle, and it was the skill and advantages that the fighter had that mattered.


    Being mentally and physically prepared, having a weapon, the terrain and many other factors are much more important than the power of an individual.


    His master was the best example for and most times, he wouldn''t need to use his full power or power that surpassed Adam''s, but he would still be able to easily beat Adam without letting him land a single attack on him, all because his skill as a fighter massively surpassed Adam''s.


    Knowing that, he still knew not to underestimate his opponent even if his speed surpassed theirs, which was why he activated both the fundamental defence techniques before they began fighting, but he was also confident in his own capability, especially since he had a better weapon than them.


    "Who is next," said Adam as he flicked his blade to get the blood off and walked towards the triad members.


    To them, he looked like an evil god of death and with his killing intent, Bloodlust, incredible speed and his expression that showed enjoyment, they couldn''t help but fear him.


    However seeing that there was no way that they could escape, as the area of the restaurant was closed off and because Adam''s speed surpassed theirs, they had no choice but to defeat Adam if they wanted to survive.


    "You will pay for daring to go against the triad and killing one of our members. You won''t leave here alive, and even if you do, you won''t make it past a few days" roared the triad group leader furiously as he charged towards Adam who stood there, unbothered by his threat.


    Adam had thought about whether it was worth it to make an enemy out of the triad and the Lin Family that was behind them, especially since they were known as the strongest of the large cultivation families in New York, but Adam wasn''t scared.


    They wouldn''t be able to find him and if they didn''t go after those that he cared about, he would be able to slowly pick them off, while increasing his strength enough to face their leaders head-on.


    Or he could hide at his master''s dojo, where he would be hidden by his master''s Illusion Array, but he didn''t want to bring his master any trouble.


    Adam had thought about most of the possible outcomes and it was inevitable that he would get into trouble with the triad and the Lin Family, and the best thing he could do was increase his strength while making useful alliances.


    "Show me what you got," said Adam as the rest of the triad members followed their group leader and charged towards him.

 Chapter 142: Cold-hearted Killer

    Adam had become desensitised to killing and with a characteristic that enjoyed and desired to kill, it was something that had become ordinary to him.


    He had killed thousands of beasts in the dungeon and already killed a few people in reality, but he didn''t feel guilty about it in the slightest.


    Adam believed that even without the Bloodlust Characteristic and Hunter''s mind, he still wouldn''t have felt guilty, as when he killed in the dungeon, he was killing beasts, that although seemed real, would disintegrate into pixels and were attacking him anyway.


    While for those that he had killed in reality, he felt that they deserved it and didn''t regret killing anybody that he had killed.


    Life is the only thing that was given to everybody equally and was the most valuable thing, that from what he knew, was only given once. Because of that, taking someone''s life was a big deal, especially if they were innocent.


    However, if somebody was willing to abuse what they had over others to commit atrocities that affected innocent women and children, Adam felt that they deserved more than death and depending on the circumstance, would kill them without giving them a second thought.


    Lately, Adam felt as though he was always hungry, no matter how much he ate and he soon came to realise that he wasn''t hungry for food, but for blood.


    His Bloodlust characteristic gave him an insatiable desire to kill, and as long as he satisfied that desire and could control it, would grant him incredible power in difficult situations that needed him to rely on it.


    Killing the triad members was the perfect opportunity to satisfy his Bloodlust, while saving some innocent women from being harassed and abused and getting rid of some scum.


    The triad group leader seemed to be trained in martial arts and was quite skilled in the use of the dagger that he held in his right hand, as he slashed at Adam''s neck, going straight in for the kill.


    Adam pulled his body back and dodged the slash by a short margin, as he countered with a slash of his own that the triad group leader was able to barely dodge.


    He was surprised that the triad group leader was able to mostly dodge his attack and he merely caused him a small cut with his slash, that although didn''t use all of his power, was still quite fast and powerful.


    "Your fighting ability is not bad, but today all of you will be dying" stated Adam who slashed downwards with all his speed and strength.


    His attack deeply cut into the triad group leader''s shoulder, breaking into the bone and inflicting a deep wound that was pouring out large amounts of blood.


    It was the first time that Adam was fighting seriously against a cultivator that had some skill in reality, and it was a great experience for him as he avoided 5 consecutive attacks from the other triad members.


    With the element of surprise, he was able to easily and swiftly take out one of the triad gang members, who was still alive and screaming in pain on the ground, but against 6 cultivators at once, he was completely focused.


    Even with his high speed, he needed to be careful as he avoided all the attacks that were thrown at him, while leaving deep slashes on his multiple opponents, damaging them and weakening them slowly.


    Within a few minutes, all of the triad members were fatigued and had thrown most of what they had at Adam, who was careful and avoided most of them, while blocking the attacks that weren''t a threat to him with his enhanced resistance.


    The triad group were surprisingly good at working together and supported each other well as they all attempted to take down Adam, fighting for their lives, and they were all skilled fighters that had weapons with them.


    But Adam''s speed, reflexes and combat prowess surpassed theirs and they were struggling to damage Adam, even when they managed to land hits on them, so it was clear to them that they didn''t have much of a chance against him.


    "How about we negotiate and..." offered one of the triad members before he had his neck sliced by Adam''s swift blade.


    It had taken him a few minutes, but he had quickly become accustomed to the use of the sabre, its length and its weight, making his attacks with the sabre even more lethal.


    While the triad members were scared for their lives and tiring out, Adam was becoming more skilled in the use of the sabre and wasn''t tired in the slightest.


    "2 down, 5 more scum to go" stated Adam with the same glaring expression that he had.


    His victory was guaranteed.


    He had slowly broken down his opponents both mentally and physically and none of them had the will left to fight against him.


    They had all lost a lot of blood from the wounds that Adam had inflicted them, along with them being fatigued from the energy that they had used, wiping all the chances they had of winning against him.


    2 of the triad members could no longer handle the pressure and fear, especially after being weakened by Adam massively without being able to damage him, and lost consciousness.


    "Shit, it seems that you really are going to kill us all. Are you not afraid of the triad and the Lin Family? If you kill us, they will send an Advanced Cultivator to kill you" uttered the triad group leader in a final bid to save his own life.


    "I am a cold-hearted killer and it is time for all of you to pay for your sins with your lives" stated Adam, ignoring the triad group leader''s threat.


    Adam was glad that he had decided to use them as a way to relieve his Bloodlust, that was beginning to pile up on him over the past month, and wanted to finish them off quickly so that he could leave before anything happened.

 Chapter 143: Unexpected Encounter Part 1

    Adam knew it was unlikely for the Lin Family to send an Advanced Cultivator after him and they wouldn''t do that to avenge the death of a few low ranked Novice Cultivators, and even if they wanted to, he wouldn''t leave them any traces to follow.


    Although Adam hadn''t faced an Advanced Cultivator or come across one, other than his master, if he used all of his trump cards, he was quite sure that he would at least be able to hold out against an Advanced Cultivator for a minute.


    He knew that it wasn''t much and didn''t mean anything, but that was as a rank 4 Novice Cultivator, so if he became an Advanced Cultivator, he might be able to take on cultivators that were mid-level Advanced Cultivators.


    Which was all thanks to the additional stat points that the system provided him.


    The 4 triad members that were still conscious began to instinctively back away from Adam who was approaching them. They no longer wanted to fight as they began regretting all of the actions that had led them to the current moment, where they knew they were going to die.


    Waling over to the 4 triad members that were backing away, without remorse, Adam stabbed the necks of the 2 triad members that had fallen unconscious, not willing to spare any of their lives.


    "Did you really think you could do as you pleased in this life? There are always people stronger than you and since you were arrogant and scum, it was inevitable that you would die a painful death" stated Adam.


    Without the will to fight, there was no point for Adam to waste any more of his time as he swiftly ended the lives of all 4 of them and returned the sabre to his inventory.


    The system had made him an incredibly powerful monster, but as long as he was a monster that could provide for and protect those that he cared about, he didn''t care.


    Adam had an instinctive bad feeling towards the end of his battle and wanted to get away before it was too late, but just as he was looking for a way to get out without revealing himself, the metal barriers that had blocked off the area began to open.


    He was trying to stay calm, but his heart was still beating rapidly and his Bloodlust was still high along with adrenaline coursing through his veins.


    Using his spiritual sense to see past the barriers that were slowly rising, he was surprised to find that he could only sense the presence of two individuals and even after the barriers rose, it was completely silent.


    Adam thought that it might have been quiet because of the barriers and was too occupied with his 7 opponents to care, but he realised how unusual it was, as he prepared to fight and withdraw his sabre from the inventory at any moment.


    [Who are these two people? Where is everybody else? Why is it so quiet?] thought Adam to himself, confused by what was going on.


    Adam was ready to attack the instant that the two figures were revealed from behind the rising barrier, but he was surprised to see the slender legs of a young female beside that of a man that seemed to be wearing a suit.


    He couldn''t sense any energy or gauge the aura of the two figures, so decided to use the Status Peering Feature on the male.


    The man seemed to be older, from his size, and he didn''t think that a girl with such perfect skin and slender legs, which made him think she was quite young, could be a cultivator.


    However as he tried to do so, the system feature was denied and the same occurred when he tried it on the girl.


    The only other time that had occurred was when he had tried it on his master, who had surpassed the Novice Cultivation Level, and instantly Adam began regretting his decision.


    Two Advanced Cultivators were about to find him and he had nowhere to escape to, and even if he did have a way to get away, he wouldn''t be fast enough to get away from two Advanced Cultivators.


    His only other option was to try and negotiate with them, and as long as they weren''t from the Lin Family or the triad, he should be able to offer them something that they wanted.


    Calming down and trying to suppress his Bloodlust as much as possible, Adam realised that the only thing he could rely on to get him out of his situation was his luck.


    He had some blood on his clothes and his hands that had spluttered on him while the triad members, while his contact lenses were somehow ground to dust when he used his killing intent to get Angela Valdez and the women to lose consciousness.


    The two Advanced Cultivators didn''t seem to be in a rush and didn''t duck under the barrier that was rising. Instead, they waited for it to rise enough for them to walk through and upon seeing what had happened, they didn''t react or seem fazed by it in the slightest.


    "I told you that I could smell blood. I guess somebody beat us to the punch" said the female voice.


    "Yes young mistress, you are very sharp" praised the male voice that was very deep and intimidating.


    As they strolled into the area without a care in the world, they found Adam standing there, unsure how to act.


    Even with all of his trump cards, he had no chance at escaping or fighting against a single Advanced Cultivator, let alone two, especially after he had just fought a battle that had tired him out quite a bit.


    Diplomacy was his only option and it was the perfect chance to use his Charm Skill for the first time. However, he also didn''t want to anger them and cause them to kill him, so he knew that he had to gauge their power and understand their character before doing anything.

 Chapter 144: Unexpected Encounter Part 2

    "Was it you who killed these triads alone?" asked the girl who had a man in a black suit behind her.


    Her voice was so casual as she asked Adam whether or not he killed the triad members and he didn''t know how to react to her attitude.


    From the way she stood and spoke she was clearly arrogant and felt as though she was above him, but she also didn''t show any hostility or desire to kill him, so he still had a chance.


    "Yes, it was me. I didn''t like what they were doing, so I killed them" answered Adam directly.


    He didn''t want to offend them, but also didn''t want to grovel beneath their feet, so spoke directly and respectfully.


    Adam was a good judge of character, and although seemed to be quite absent-minded and ignorant most of the time with his friends, that was merely how he wanted to seem.


    In reality, he was monitoring and analyzing most things that he saw about people, and when he had his Hunter''s mind completely activated, he would be even more paranoid and analytical.


    "Hmmm, not bad. We heard that there would be triads that were rank 5 and 6 Novices, yet he was able to take them out alone as an early rank 4. That requires some skill" observed the girl, but she didn''t seem to be impressed by it in the slightest.


    She seemed to be a similar age to Adam, but she was quite short and looked cute, making her look younger than she actually was.


    Adam didn''t say anything and neither did the man that stood behind her silently, as they looked at the girl, waiting to see what she would say next.


    The girl didn''t say anything and seemed to be deep in thought.


    Adam''s expression was calm and it seemed as though he wasn''t intimidated at all by the two figures before him.


    However he knew that it was to be expected as it was almost impossible for him to be able to gauge their cultivation level, which he would only do with the miraculous system, but he was beginning to get nervous.


    He weirdly felt that the girl was familiar, similar to how he felt familiar with Angela Valdez who was nearby to him a few times when she was pursuing the hooded criminal, but he didn''t know from where and was hoping that he hadn''t offended or angered her in any way.


    "Isn''t that the disgusting homeless guy that was at the store that day? Remember the one that beat up that security guard" exclaimed the girl, finally recollecting where she recognised him from.


    "Yes, it is" affirmed the man who stood behind her and had already managed to gauge that upon seeing Adam.


    Adam couldn''t help but curse his luck and his past, remembering how he used to live while he was barely managing to afford his aunt''s medical bills. He knew that it was the time that shaped who he was and somehow caused him to integrate with the Dungeon System, but he wasn''t proud of it and didn''t want people to know of it.


    "I thought he looked interesting, but at the time he wasn''t even rank 1 and was only a peasant. Now you are still a peasant, but you seem to be a peasant that is slightly capable" said the girl as Adam gathered that it was them who were observing him at the time.


    "You must both be from the Maxwell Family" stated Adam.


    Adam''s expression was still calm like it was before, but in his mind, he let out a sigh of relief. He wasn''t allied with the Maxwell Family, but he wasn''t enemies with them.


    The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and since he seemed to be against the triad and the Lin Family, he was hoping that not only would they not kill him, but would also recognise him and make an alliance of sorts with him.


    Adam ignored her arrogance and the mockery in her words and was more focused on leaving without being killed by them.


    "So it seems not only have you cultivated slightly, but you have also become comfortable with killing and know about us" mumbled the girl from the Maxwell Family.


    "Should I kill him and exterminate him before he might cause us some trouble in the future?" asked the man that stood behind her.


    He was dressed and acted like her butler, but seemed to also be her guardian. His eyes were distant and blank, just like his expression was, and Adam could only wonder what those eyes had seen.


    The suited man would only address the girl from the Maxwell Family and would only answer to her as he continued to stand behind her silently, awaiting her answer and orders.


    Not being able to see his status was enough for Adam to know that he had no chance against him, but the man''s eyes intimidated him more than his power and it was almost as if they were empty.


    Adam instantly began to feel nervous as he subconsciously clenched his right fist while preparing his left hand to withdraw the sabre from his inventory, in case he needed to fight for his survival.


    "Nah, we can use him for the family. Grandfather said that we needed more young talents and he will be quite useful as a subordinate. Although he isn''t a knight yet, a capable peasant is still better than an ordinary peasant" answered the girl from the Maxwell Family.


    Hearing that, Adam let out a sigh of relief and relaxed sightly, but he wasn''t planning on being used by anybody and also wasn''t planning on joining the Maxwell Family.


    However his only option was to go along with it, but as soon as he found the opportunity, he would get away or break ties with the Maxwell Family. He also promised himself that he would make sure that the girl was respectful to him and begged for forgiveness once he was powerful enough.

 Chapter 145: Illusion Stones Part 1

    Adam hated being talked down to, especially by arrogant people who had only made it to their position using the help of their family''s wealth and influence, rather than working hard for it themselves.


    Although at the same time, he knew that was part of their luck, and luck was a key factor to someone''s power, just like he had gained the Dungeon System and come across other opportunities and fortunes.


    However even with his luck, he wasn''t arrogant to others that didn''t offend him and he would treat ordinary people how he would have treated them before he had integrated with the system.


    "Come with us, we will be leaving and heading back to the Maxwell Family''s main building," said the girl from the Maxwell Family as she turned around to leave.


    Adam was annoyed by the girl from the Maxwell Family''s tone and words, but had no choice and followed after her, not knowing what would they would do if he tried to do so.


    Since he had gained the Status Peering Feature, it officially became his and was independent of the system. Because of that, he had a better grasp and understanding of how it worked and with that, he sensed that there was a difference between the way that his Status Feature was blocked.


    From her guardian, he felt that it was because he surpassed a level that he would be able to gauge, but with the girl from the Maxwell Family, he felt that it was because something had interfered with the process.


    That led him to believe that the girl from the Maxwell Family was yet to be an Advanced Cultivator and was merely using some sort of treasure to stop people from being able to gauge her cultivation level.


    But he was by no means underestimating her and knew that since she was from one of the largest cultivation families in New York, she would be very capable.


    While following after the girl from the Maxwell Family and her guardian, Adam was interested to see what had happened and why it was so quiet.


    However, when he saw what was outside the area of the restaurant that he was in, he was shocked and confused to see that the other areas of the restaurant were still full and busy.


    However, despite that, nobody was looking at them or paying attention to them, as if they were invisible and he couldn''t hear any noise coming from all the people, which was very unusual.


    "What is going on? Are we invisible? Why can''t I hear anything" asked Adam, who had no idea what was going on and was baffled by what he was seeing.


    "You lowly peasant. Do you not know about basic items that cultivators use?" mocked the girl from the Maxwell Family.


    Adam ignored her mockery and still stayed quiet and respectful, wanting to gain some information and opportunities from her and the Maxwell Family, before attempting to get away.


    He definitely couldn''t make them his enemy, especially since they knew his identity, were powerful and knew where he lived, but he also couldn''t allow himself to become a subordinate of their family.


    "No I do not, could you please explain" answered Adam humbly.


    "He, at least you know your place" scoffed the girl from the Maxwell Family.


    "These are called Illusion Stones and they put up Illusion Barriers that us cultivators use. It makes it so that we can see everything that is going on around us, but we cannot hear anything, because that is how we want it to be. Meanwhile, ordinary people cannot see the cultivators in the Illusion Barrier and what they were doing, and they won''t be able to hear anything that the cultivators are doing either. We put one up before entering the restaurant, and it seemed to have saved you from a lot of trouble by deterring any ordinary people from finding out what you had done" explained the girl from the Maxwell Family as she withdrew some stones from her pocket to show him what they were.


    They seemed like ordinary large pebbles, but they had weird marks and intricate carvings into them, which Adam assumed was what made it work.


    Adam''s expression was still calm and he didn''t show anything on his face, but he was amazed by how it worked and had so many questions.


    "What is the range of the Illusion Stone?" asked Adam curiously.


    "Eh, your really stupid aren''t you. There are stones of different qualities, but the basic quality is 100 metres around where the user cast the Illusion Barrier" answered the girl with an attitude.


    They continued to walk through the restaurant while avoiding contact with any person, and from that Adam came to the conclusion that if a cultivator that was in an Illusion Barrier touched somebody that was outside the Illusion Barrier, they would enter the Illussion Barrier.


    It was an incredibly interesting concept for Adam to understand and he still had so many things that he wanted to ask.


    "How do you use it? and what are those marks on it?" asked Adam, who still had so many questions about it.


    "I have spoken to this peasant enough. You explain to him" ordered the girl to her guardian.


    "The method of use is simple. They require you to provide them with Internal Energy, then after they have been provided sufficient energy, they will turn to dust and the Illusion Barrier is put up. Depending on the quality of the Illusion Stone and the amount of energy provided, they last for different amounts of time that vary from 1 minute to an infinite amount of time, which is possible, but requires an amount of energy that is unimaginable. These items just like most or all other items require Internal Energy to activate and use. The marks on it are runes, and assuming you don''t know what they are, they are small carvings and imprints that are made using Internal Energy and special materials" explained the man.

 Chapter 146: Illusion Stones Part 2

    The man gave Adam a few seconds to digest what he had explained to him, then continued what he was explaining to Adam.


    "Just like arrays, which are large scale runes, they can carry out a function that it was imprinted with after being provided energy. Illusion Stones have a special rune that can only be used once. The rune on Illusion Stones are disposable as it makes it easier and cheaper to produce, and although can only be used once, is better for the producer. These runes can be mass-produced and the material they are imprinted on seem ordinary, but are special stones that can store Internal Energy. It requires one to learn and train in Rune Sribing and is a rune that is at quite a high level" continued the girl''s guardian.


    The guardian was a man of little words, but Adam was surprised by the explanation that was detailed and explained to Adam most things that he wanted to know about, as the man returned to his silence.


    [No wonder cultivators can fight between themselves without alerting or revealing themselves to ordinary people, and this must also be how they hide from the public eye. It works in the same way as my master''s Illusion Barrier, but it seems much more intricate. It covers a smaller area and cannot be manipulated and controlled, but it is easier to use and requires less energy. Each Illusion Stone can only be used once, but it is portable, so is not worse than my master''s Illusion Array, but also isn''t better. My master''s Illusion Array can be controlled and changed, while the Illusion Stones can only carry out the rune that they have imprinted on them, which carries out a function that the rune master decided on. They are the same thing, but on different scales and used differently] gathered Adam, who had found another profession to do with cultivation that interested him.


    Arrays, Special Weapons, Pills and Runes were the 4 things that Adam had come across that had something to do with cultivation. To produce them, they all required special materials and great skill, but with the system, Adam could increase his mastery with system points and instantly become skilled at them.


    For the current moment, he wasn''t planning on doing so and was focused on increasing his power, but they were all very useful skills to have and would greatly benefit him.


    Adam needed to get out of the situation he was in currently, without making enemies of the Maxwell Family or becoming their lapdog. For the time being, although they were weird individuals, and the girl annoyed him, they hadn''t done anything to him and didn''t seem to have bad intentions towards him.


    As long as they kept it like that, Adam was more than happy to make friends with them and ignore the girl''s arrogant and annoying attitude. But if not, Adam didn''t really have many options and could only hope for the best.


    [It seems to me that Internal Cultivators have the advantage when it comes to items and creating them. Overall, although External Cultivators are more physically powerful, even when Internal Cultivators are reinforcing their bodies, they are more restricted and less capable] gathered Adam.


    He was glad that he cultivated both ways at the same time and gained the advantages of both, which covered the disadvantages of both cultivation types, but he was quite sure that if he had to choose between them, he would have chosen Internal Cultivation.


    As an early cultivator, it seemed that External Cultivators were much more powerful than Internal Cultivators. However a skilled Internal Cultivator had many more advantages, that could overcome the gap in physical power, and they wouldn''t be restricted to arduous training.


    Adam was quiet the rest of the way through the restaurant and was deep in thought while he followed them to the front entrance of the restaurant, where there was a car park.


    Looking at all the cars, the one that was most likely to be there''s was the long blacked-out limousine with tinted windows, and that was to be expected from the billionaire Maxwell Family that owned most things in Brooklyn.


    It had no licence plate and Adam assumed that with the wealth and power of the Maxwell Family, it was probably bulletproof.


    The guardian got into the front of the car to drive, while the girl got into the back of the large limousine.


    Adam didn''t enter straight away, and seeing that the girl didn''t say anything when he got inside, he relaxed.


    While her guardian was driving and couldn''t see them, it was a chance for Adam to get to know the girl from the Maxwell Family, that although seemed very arrogant, was yet to harm him in any way.


    He didn''t really care about her, or at least not yet, but if he could befriend her or benefit from talking to her, then he would be more than willing to do so. She was clearly very knowledgeable about cultivation and seemed powerful and influential, which made her a great friend to have, while Adam was also confident that he had things to offer in that friendship.


    "Ugh, I have to share the car with a peasant" commented the girl to herself.


    "May I ask, how old are you?" asked Adam quite respectfully, ignoring her comment and wanted to find out more about her.


    With more information about her and with a better idea of her character, his Charm Skill would have a greater chance of succeeding and having an effect on her.


    "I have just turned 18" answered the girl from the Maxwell Family with her pompous attitude.


    "I am also 18, what a coincidence" stated Adam, trying to break the ice so that his Charm Skill was more effective on her.


    "My name is Adam. What is your name?" asked Adam, trying to be friendly.


    "Stop talking like we are friends. My name is Angela Maxwell and I will be your mistress once you join the Maxwell Family as our subordinate" she stated arrogantly.


    Hearing what her name was, Adam couldn''t help but laugh to himself.

 Chapter 147: Offer Of Friendship

    [The two people that have caused me trouble and kept their eye on me since integrating with the Dungeon System are both called Angela. One a detective and the other from a large cultivation family. Is this part of my luck, or is fate toying with me. At least they both are nice to look at] thought Adam to himself as he chuckled slightly,


    "What is so funny," asked Angela aggressively.


    "Calm down, I am not going to be anybody''s subordinate and can''t you talk like an ordinary person, instead of acting like some olden day princess," said Adam, knowing that if he continued to allow her to speak to him in that manner, she wouldn''t respect him.


    "You can still talk arrogantly with your measly cultivation level. You know of the Maxwell Family, but do you know what we are capable of"


    Adam knew that they could see through his cultivation level, and although that made it so that he couldn''t hide what level he was at from them, he was glad that, that was the case.


    If they thought that he was merely a rank 4 Novice, then he would be able to shock them with his power and have the element of surprise if he ever needed to battle or escape from any of them.


    "The Maxwell Family. One of the large cultivation families in New York that are too arrogant for their own good and will soon be crushed by the Lin Family. Is that the family you are talking about?" asked Adam sarcastically with a hint of mockery.


    Angela and the guardian didn''t know how to react to his words and were shocked. Adam had been quite respectful and cooperated with them without any complaints, but he had completely changed.


    Adam needed to show his worth and not allow himself to be stepped on, but he also needed to be careful not to go too far and get himself killed by them.


    "Currently I am also against the triad and the Lin Family because of their disgusting acts, but I am by no means a hero and was merely passing by at the time. However, what I have gathered from that altercation was that the Lin Family and the triad will easily be able to destroy the Maxwell Family" stated Adam, unafraid of how they would react.


    "Despite their horrible actions, they are united and have the honour and pride of their gang and family that they fight to protect. They accept all those that want to join and allow anyone to rise through the ranks, unlike what I have seen of the Maxwell Family that are too arrogant for their own good and haven''t grown. All the other cultivation families are developing, while the Maxwell Family is slowly being taken over by the large cultivation families because of their arrogance, complacent nature and lack of unity" continued Adam.


    Everything he said was what he believed and was right, as every word struck Angela and her family''s pride. Adam looked straight into Angela''s eyes and continued firing shots are her family, and everything that he said was clearly right.


    "I can probably assume that you are fighting with your cousins, uncles, aunties and other relatives over who will be the next head of the family, yet you haven''t once tried to work together to grow and strengthen the family. New York will soon become a battlefield for cultivators and it isn''t looking good for the Maxwell Family" said Adam.


    He had read through all the information that Elizabeth had about the large cultivation families and had come to the conclusion that the Maxwell was the one that was declining the fastest out of all the families.


    Angela''s face flushed red in annoyance, but she couldn''t refute what he said and knew that he was right.


    Seeing her entering a vulnerable state, Adam activated the Charm Skill and increased the Charisma that was active, from 3 points to 7.


    Instantly Angela felt something that had changed about Adam, but the guardian who was driving didn''t sense anything since Adam was targeting his Charm Skill at Angela.


    "I am not saying this because I want to offend you, it is merely because you needed a reality check. I am willing to ally with you and offer my assistance, in return, I want resources and support. However, I am not going to join your family" stated Adam as he looked directly into her eyes.


    His red eyes had become lighter and alluring to Angela who blushed slightly and looked away from Adam.


    [Ha, it seems the Charm Skill was effective on her. I had to knock her down slightly, and since we established that we are the same age, I was able to affect her more with the Charm Skill] thought Adam to himself.


    "What do you say. Currently, your guardian can easily kill me and so can you, but I can offer you advice and my skill set is suited to espionage and assassinating, so I will be useful to you. While what you offer me is obvious" stated Adam.


    Adam didn''t want to officially join the Maxwell Family as that would restrict him and he was unsure whether his master would allow him to do so. However, by befriending Angela, who seemed to be influential within the Maxwell Family, he could assist her from the shadows, while she could support him if he needed it.


    His master had forbidden him to join any organisation or cultivation family without his permission, and he didn''t want to go against his master.


    He had already informed his master of the Silver Moon Auction House that he had become partnered with, and his master was fine with that as he could see that Adam had control in that partnership.


    What his master didn''t want was for Adam to be controlled or influenced by a organisation or family that was more powerful than him, and was most afraid of being betrayed and revealed to the world.


    As long as Angela agreed to become friends with him, he could assist her, while she could also support him using her family''s power and Adam was quite sure that his master would be fine with him being friends with somebody from a cultivation family.

 Chapter 148: Agreement

    "You want to become my friend?" asked Angela, who was baffled by the concept of friendship.


    Although she was born in the modern age of technology, she had a very traditional and olden day upbringing and the only relations she understood were ones that involved transactions.


    "Yes, that is what I just said"


    Angela didn''t know how to react or answer his question as she sat opposite him and began to think about what friends were.


    Adam''s Charm Skill had made it so that Adam seemed very attractive and she didn''t understand why she felt that way, but it wasn''t enough to cause her to make rash decisions without knowing the consequences.


    "It is quite simple. When people are friends they help each other and support each other. It is a relationship that is built around two people liking the way people look, act and are. In this case, it is both an alliance and friendship, where I can attempt to offer you my assistance if you need it and you would do the same" explained Adam who could clearly see that despite her strength, she was very ignorant to how people were.


    She didn''t understand human emotions and had been brought up to only care about herself and her own power, which had made her character very arrogant and unlikeable.


    "Does that mean me and Wayde are friends?" asked Angela.


    "Kind of, but you aren''t really friends yet. Friends enjoy spending time with each other and having fun, but also benefit each other in some way and most of the time offer each other something. Unlike blood ties, you can choose who you want to be friends with, and to me, it seems as though he is your subordinate and not your friend. He could be both, but that doesn''t seem to be the case" answered Adam.


    He had managed to break the ice and Angela had regained composure from the embarrassment that she felt, as they both began talking seriously.


    "So if you become my friend, how much money do I need to give you?" asked Angela.


    Adam couldn''t help but facepalm at her question.


    "I don''t need or want your money. I have repeated myself multiple times. We can both just keep in contact and help each other when we need help" said Adam.


    She sat there quietly and Adam couldn''t help but look at her more closely while she was doing so.


    Angela was wearing a pink and white dress that had a floral pattern, and was quite short. Most of her legs were showing and she wore pink shoes that matched her dress. She was extremely cute and although was quite short, was well-developed in other areas that caught Adam''s eye.


    As a whole, one would call her very pretty and her figure was very attractive to the male eye.


    However, Adam didn''t make it obvious that he was scanning her body and used his spiritual sense to do so, thinking that she wouldn''t be able to detect it.


    "Stop scanning me with your spiritual sense. It seems your control over it is not bad, but I do not like it, so stop it before I block it" stated Angela.


    Adam immediately retracted his spiritual sense and made sure to note down that others could feel and sense his spiritual sense. If she blocked it, Adam had a good feeling that he would feel some sort of pain or backlash.


    He felt that because he felt vulnerable when he had his spiritual sense activated, almost as if he was opening himself up to spiritual attacks. He was yet to come across them, but he was quite sure that they existed and were hard to deal with.


    "I do apologise, I was merely practising the use of my spiritual sense" apologised Adam, who knew that he was wrong.


    "If I was to be your friend and I was battling against somebody, would you help me in the battle," asked Angela.


    "Well I wouldn''t be of much help when compared to you and your guardian, but if we were friends and trusted each other, I would obviously assist you in your battles, just like you would assist me in mine" answered Adam.


    Hearing his answer that seemed to be honest, Angela thought about it for a few seconds before accepted his offer of friendship.


    "Okay, I will accept you as my friend. But first I want to take you to see my grandfather who is currently the head of the family" accepted Angela, who had become much more reasonable and causal as she spoke to Adam.


    Adam couldn''t help but become nervous and afraid to meet the head of the Maxwell Family, and he also didn''t want his master to get the wrong idea if he met with him, without his master''s permission.


    But in the current situation, he couldn''t refuse.


    "There is no need to worry, we are friends now so I will make sure you aren''t harmed. But I also want you to help me with the meeting that we are having today. My grandfather sent me to scout the new Chinatown that was built and report back in the meeting with all of the high members of the Maxwell Family. You seem to be intelligent and have noticed the flaws of our family, so I am hoping you can be my advisor of sorts" reassured him Angela who was quickly adapting to their new friendship.


    Adam was glad to see that she was willing to protect him and that he was being valued. He had dreaded meeting the Maxwell Family, but so far, it seemed that it wouldn''t be too bad.


    Angela although was quite annoying to deal with, seemed to be a person that he could reason with and was willing to go with her to the Maxwell Family meeting.


    But before then, he had some conditions that he needed to be met, otherwise even though he had made her his friend, he would have to refuse.

 Chapter 149: Angelas Guardian: Wayde Part 1

    "I appreciate that and am willing to assist you, but my condition is that my identity and face are not revealed to the rest of your family and I would like to wear a mask" stated Adam.


    He was confident that he could destroy and kill all the people in the Silver Moon Auction House to protect himself and those that he cared about, but against the Maxwell Family, he had no chance.


    Because of that, it was best if he kept his identity secret while only directly dealing with Angela and Wayde, who despite being unusual, seemed to be very direct and honest, which was exactly what he wanted and needed from a friend.


    "Then it is settled. You will be joining me in tonight''s meeting and will be masked so that the rest of my family don''t know who you are" agreed Angela.


    Even with his face covered, Adam knew that if the Maxwell Family wanted to forcefully find out his identity, they would. So he also had to take other precautions.


    "It would be troublesome for me to come as your friend and companion as your family will look into me and cause me trouble. It will be better if I come as your bodyguard just like Wayde is, which will make it easier to explain why I am there with you" said Adam, who was afraid of being looked into by the Maxwell Family.


    Angela nodded her head in agreement as they headed towards the tallest and most expensive building in Brooklyn, that was also the Maxwell Family''s headquarters.


    From what she had done, she didn''t seem to be either a good or bad person, and although being good or bad was subjective, so far she seemed to be quite a good person.


    She didn''t seem to have the intention of harming him and hadn''t attempted to steal or pry into whatever methods or skills he had. Although he knew that was probably because she underestimated how capable he was, Adam still appreciated that she didn''t do so and couldn''t sense any hostility coming from her.


    Angela had become much more relaxed around Adam and didn''t see him as somebody who could threaten her anyway.


    Adam found her naivety and innocence unusual, despite the arrogance that she displayed, but he felt that Wayde was much different. Although he was quiet and seemed to be focused on driving, his eyes were always watching everything that Adam did.


    Wayde who was driving the limousine had been on edge the entire ride with his spiritual sense activated and monitoring every movement that Adam made.


    He was listening to everything that they were saying and didn''t care about what happened between them as long as Angela was safe and happy. He would do exactly as she said and the only orders that he would refuse, were ones that would put Angela in danger.


    Angela safety and happiness were all he was living for and all he thought about as he continued to monitor Adam while driving them towards the Maxwell Headquarters.


    It was only after both of them had reached an agreement that he eased up slightly, but his only task in life was to protect Angela, so was still careful.


    Wayde was found as a young child by the Maxwell Family. The Maxwell Family used to and still secretly test the cultivation talent of young children in orphanages.


    With their family''s influence and wealth, it was easy to take in any orphans that had satisfactory talent and was the only way that they allowed people to enter their family. Their family was one of the smallest in terms of numbers and all the members were either direct descendants, or young and talented children that they had raised as part of the family.


    The orphanages would be owned by them and not only were they helping young children and improving their reputation, but they were also scouting young children to get to join their family.


    It could be said that it was immoral to take orphans into their family as they pleased, but in their eyes, they were merely taking what was theirs as they were the ones that were paying for everything that the kids had and needed until they were adults.


    They would test their talent by placing a special type of energy crystal in their hands. The brighter the crystal glows while in contact with an individual, the higher the talent of the individual.


    That is because it shows the individual''s body''s capacity to absorb energy and their affinity with it, which the special energy stone reacts to.


    The special energy crystal also gauges whether or not the individual has an elemental affinity and of what grade, by glowing to a colour that matched that of a certain element and the brightness of that light.


    It wasn''t completely accurate and was hard to get an exact measure of one''s talent, but it was the cheapest and easiest way for them to do so, as, unlike Adam, they didn''t have a system in their head that would put it in numerical form.


    The testing process wasn''t harmful and merely took a few seconds, which made it safe to use on young children, and despite their arrogance and superiority complex, the Maxwell Family weren''t evil.


    Most children didn''t think much of it and the special energy crystal, in most cases, would only glow slightly, so didn''t seem to be anything amazing.


    Wayde didn''t have any knowledge or memory of his parents and was quite an average and normal child. He had been in a few different orphanages and while in one that was owned by the Maxwell Family, he was tested and immediately taken to the head of the family afterwards.


    He was handed the crystal while he was playing and initially, there was no reaction, which was quite ordinary as most people didn''t have the talent for cultivation, but after he held it for a few seconds, it suddenly reacted.

 Chapter 150: Angelas Guardian: Wayde Part 2

    It took 10 seconds for the talent grading crystal to react and when it did, there was a very bright red light that shocked the members of the Maxwell Family that were testing Wayde and Wayde himself.


    Wayde had E:3 grade talent, which was quite rare and high level, and what impressed the Maxwell Family most, was his elemental affinity with the Fire Element, which was at the same grade as his talent.


    The talent gauging crystal could only gauge talent up to E:1 graded talent, but that was enough as nobody in New York had been able to publically surpass that level, and talent that surpassed that was unheard of for most cultivators in New York.


    His talent was 1 in a million and was one of the best that the Maxwell Family had found in Brooklyn while testing young children, especially since he had a rare elemental affinity, which would allow him to wield the Fire Element.


    It was a completely unexpected occurrence and Wayde''s talent was even higher than most cultivators in the Maxwell Family and all the other large cultivation families.


    The Maxwell Family would take most children that had talent that was F:5 graded or above, depending on the child and whether or not they were looking for new members, however when they saw Wayde''s talent, they were shocked and took him in without thinking twice.


    At that time he was 7 and he was easy to brainwash and manipulate, especially since he didn''t have any strong connections or ties with other people, since he was an orphan.


    The head of the Maxwell Family personally oversaw Wayde''s training for 1 year, where he trained Wayde both internally and externally. He wanted Wayde to be as powerful as possible to protect and fight for the Maxwell Family, but he also made sure to completely brainwash him.


    The 7-year-old boy experienced arduous training that was similar to torture and all throughout, he was being continuously reminded that he was the servant of the Maxwell Family.


    His mind broke in that year and since then he would only speak when he was ordered to or needed to. He literally became their lapdog as all he thought about was doing as he was told by the leader of the Maxwell Family and protecting it.


    After the Maxwell Family Head was sure that Wayde was loyal and wouldn''t betray them, he provided him with a method that cultivators that had an affinity with the Fire Element would cultivate.


    It was one that one of the previous heads of the family had been able to acquire and was one of the most valuable and powerful cultivation methods that were in the possession of the Maxwell Family had.


    The current head of the Maxwell Family didn''t have an elemental affinity, but one of the previous family heads was a cultivator of the fire element and had left behind his cultivation method, technique manuals and skill books.


    Since he had no use for them and after confirming that Wayde was loyal and had been completely brainwashed, he began providing him with those resources, while also assisting him in his cultivation.


    Wayde focused mostly on Internal Cultivation, but also cultivated externally as per the head of the Maxwell Family''s instruction, so that he was able to overcome any situation.


    Before one''s body was fully developed after puberty, cultivation would have negative effects on the body and would also limit one''s future potential.


    Because of that, most wouldn''t begin cultivating properly until they were at least 12 years old, so Wayde was mostly trained and educated on the fundamentals and didn''t cultivate too much.


    In that time, he was trained mostly in combat an taught most things that he needed to know and would help him to serve the Maxwell Family.


    After 3 years of Wayde being taken in by the Maxwell Family, he was 10 and on that year, an elder of the Maxwell Family gave birth to a daughter.


    As soon as she was born, her talent would be tested and her talent was E:2 graded, which was incredible and meant that she had the potential to become a high level Advanced Cultivator, slightly more talented than Wayde.


    It was one of the highest talents that the Maxwell Family had given birth to in the past few decades and she was immediately valued by her family that saw her as one of the candidates for the next family head.


    The Maxwell Family, like most other large families, didn''t care about gender and only cared about talent and power, which if one had, they would be valued.


    The 3 years of training revealed to the leader of the Maxwell Family that Wayde''s perceptivity, skill and power were incredible, considering his young age, so was the perfect person to become Angela''s guardian.


    The girl, just like Wayde, had an elemental affinity and it was with the water element, which was also very rare and powerful.


    The most talented of the large cultivation families in New York had talents that were graded at the peak of the E grade, which meant they had the potential to cultivate to the peak of the Advanced Cultivation Level.


    It was hard to surpass the threshold of one''s talent grade, but to reach one''s potential, one couldn''t completely rely on one''s talent grade and Angela Maxwell was the perfect example of that.


    She had one of the highest talent grades in the young new generation of cultivators in New York, yet her cultivation level was average. That was mostly due to her spoilt and arrogant nature and the first that was able to tame her attitude was Adam who with the use of the Charm Skill, had managed to make her respect him despite being weaker than her.


    Wayde was exceptional and even though his talent was slightly lower than that of Angela, was much more powerful and skilled when he was her age.


    Angela needed to be humbled and become more hardworking, and Adam was the first step to that happening.

 Chapter 151: The Maxwell Family Headquarters

    Adam initially thought that Angela was very arrogant and spoilt, but in general, she didn''t seem too bad to talk to and her attitude was to be expected with her upbringing.


    "Angela, why is Wayde so quiet and intimidating," asked Adam, who felt like he was on a first-name basis with Angela.


    "You were quite unusual when I saw you in the store that day, and for some reason, you caught my attention, but I had forgotten about that. Now not only have you been able to kill 7 triad members that were all at higher cultivation levels than you, without remorse, but have somehow managed to convince me to make you my friend. You have also managed to make me believe that you are special. I wonder why that is and you are the first person that isn''t related to me or stronger than me to call me by my first name" stated Angela.


    She didn''t feel disrespected by Adam calling her by her first name, but felt that it was very unusual, since she would never have allowed anybody to call her by her first name.


    Adam looked at her and was amused by her confusion as he smiled to himself.


    Her affinity with the Water Element gave her perfect silky skin and her beautiful appearance made Adam feel nervous, but with the use of his Hunter''s mind, he was staying calm.


    "Are you indirectly asking what makes me special and why you agreed to become friends with me?" asked Adam.


    "Yes"


    "Well, it''s simple. I offer great value and have great future potential, while you can also subconsciously sense that I am not as simple as I seem and will be of great assistance to you, especially in the future" stated Adam, who was confident in what he was capable of, even if he didn''t need to rely on his power.


    Angela didn''t react at all and knew that there was some truth in his words. She had a strong feeling that there was more to him than what meets the eye initially, and he had proven that with his knowledge, intelligence and skill.


    He had also been able to charm her using his Charm Skill, which had greatly increased his image within her mind, even if she didn''t realise it.


    "You haven''t answered my questions about Wyade" reminded Adam, who was still very curious about who he was and what he was capable of.


    The aura around Wayde was frightening and Adam couldn''t help but be intimidated by it, especially since Wyade was keeping a close eye and was wary of Adam.


    "He was raised by the Maxwell Family to be my protector and guardian. He is 10 years older than me and for as long as I can remember, he has always been beside me protecting me and doing whatever I tell him to. He is very powerful and talented in cultivation, and is one of the most feared cultivators in New York. You might know him as Wayde the Flame Master" said Angela with a proud expression.


    With Wylde as her protector, she had become even more complacent and even though her talent surpassed that of Wayde, she knew that if they were both the same age, she would have no chance against him.


    Adam had heard of a Flame Master from the Maxwell Family, but didn''t expect that it would be Wayde and once again, everything seemed to work out to benefit him.


    His luck had been shown, and he had not only befriended Angela, who was Wayde''s Master, but would also be able to attend the Maxwell Family''s meeting, which was where he would gather information and gauge the capability of the Maxwell Family.


    It was quite a long ride to the centre of Brooklyn and in that time, Angela and Adam continued to bounce questions and had become more comfortable with each other.


    Angela''s attitude and tone were still quite arrogant, but she spoke to Adam directly and didn''t say anything that would offend him, while Adam reciprocated however she acted.


    In that time, Adam had found out more about Wayde and Angela, but he had never been given any details on their talent, cultivation level, status or anything else, which left him to believe that Angela was smarter than she let on.


    "We have arrived" announced Wyade, before returning to his silent self.


    Wayde had heard them speaking about him, but didn''t react in the slightest.


    Adam was unsure of what he had experienced to make him be that way, but he didn''t want to ask about details. However, it was obvious to Adam that he had been through a lot of pain to make him the way he is, especially after looking into his empty eyes.


    Despite that, it seemed that Angela didn''t care.


    Although she had become easier for Adam to deal with, she still had a very conceited viewpoint on life and didn''t seem to care about the well being of others around her.


    Adam had the Hunter''s mind and Bloodlust characteristic that were both influencing his character and the way he acted, but he always valued the life of the innocent and those that were good.


    However, it wasn''t the time for Adam to talk about their different viewpoints on life and was curious to see what the Maxwell Headquarters were like.


    Looking out of the window, Adam was initially shocked, but it made sense to him that the headquarters of the Maxwell Family was the tallest and biggest building in Brooklyn.


    It was the Hub building that was in the centre of Brooklyn and 200 metres tall.


    With over 50 floors, it could be seen from most areas in Brooklyn, while was also the most expensive building in Brooklyn that was completely owned by the Maxwell Family that owned most other private buildings in Brooklyn.


    "The meeting will begin in 10 minutes, we should hurry up," stated Angela, as they prepared to enter the building.

 Chapter 152: Maxwell Family Meeting Part 1

    Adam was excited to enter the Maxwell Family Headquarters and attend the meeting as Angela''s guard, but he still needed to conceal his identity.


    "I still need a mask," said Adam.


    "Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Wayde, do you have a mask that Adam can use?" asked Angela.


    "Yes, mistress. I shall provide him one after we park at the building" answered Wayde.


    Wayde parked in the car park of the building, where he was graciously welcomed by the guards that respected him massively, and he opened the door for Angela to leave.


    Adam left by himself and was handed a black mask that had red demonic patterns by Wayde.


    It was a mask that covered his entire face, leaving only 2 eye holes and holes for him to speak and breathe through. Matched with his red eyes, it gave him a frightening appearance and concealed his identity perfectly.


    It was exactly what he needed and Adam was planning on keeping it in his inventory along with the set of clothes that he had prepared for when he wanted to conceal his identity.


    "Can you guys wait 1 minute? I need the bathroom" said Adam as he scurried off to a bathroom that he saw in the corner of the car park.


    "Ugh, such a nuisance" commented Angela as she stood there with Wayde, waiting for Adam.


    Adam entered the bathroom with casual clothes and the mask in his hand, then left in an all-black set of clothes that were quite tight, but flexible and durable. He had also changed into black trainers that were light and made it easier for him to run with.


    They hadn''t seen him bring any clothes with him, but didn''t ask where he had gotten them from as they headed to the lift that would take them up to the top floor.


    Adam was dressed in all black, was hooded and wearing the mask that Wayde had given him, while the clothes he was wearing before were placed in the inventory.


    "You seem to be dressed like an assassin. Are you planning to kill anybody?" asked Angela while they stood in the lift.


    Adam was about to make a joke and say that he was, but looking at Wayde who had kept his eye on him, Adam decided against that.


    "No, I am merely protecting my identity. Which benefits both of us, as it will allow me to provide you with my assistance without the interference of your family" answered Adam.


    "Do not speak unless you are asked to or need to. Do not stare at anybody. Do not start a fight with anybody and everything that you hear within this meeting is private and confidential. If you breach these rules, I will personally make sure that you die" stated Wayde.


    Adam nodded his head, planning to do all of those things anyway, but he couldn''t help but feel slightly intimidated and scared by Wayde''s threat as the lift door opened to reveal the top floor.


    The building was extremely large, modern and luxurious and Adam could sense a large amount of energy in the building. With so many cultivators, resources and treasures in one building, there was bound to be an abundant amount of energy.


    There seemed to be thousands of people in the building, and assuming that most of them were part of the Maxwell Family, Adam was surprised. If that was the case, then the other cultivation families would be extremely large, as it was known that the Maxwell Family was one of the smaller families in terms of numbers.


    Adam had heard a lot about the Maxwell Family and knew that they were declining when compared to the other large cultivation families of New York, but compared to himself and what he had seen, they were on another level.


    Their wealth, power and knowledge had been accumulated over centuries and passed down over generations. Adam had massively underestimated that after hearing so much negativity about the Maxwell Family, but Wayde alone could topple most of the other cultivation families and organisation in New York alone.


    Adam had underestimated the gap between the large families and the others, and after realising that, he also realised that it was an incredible opportunity for him to become allied with the Maxwell Family.


    He didn''t want to join them and wanted to keep his freedom, but was more than willing to become allied with them. Although that would make him the enemy of all the other large cultivation families, it was the most suitable option, considering where he lived and where those that he cared about were situated.


    The top floor was mostly open and there was a large conference table in the centre with food, drinks and refreshments along the sides of the large area.


    There were many other rooms on the top floor and the lift they took, took them to the conference room, but Adam didn''t dare to snoop and followed closely behind Angela.


    They walked around for a few minutes and Adam could see that there was quite a lot of friction between members of the Maxwell Family and Angela seemed to be in the centre of a lot of it.


    Her beauty was leagues above that of what Adam had seen and even greater than the models and fashionistas that most idolised and to go with that, was her status, talent and rare elemental affinity.


    Many of the guys in the large conference room had their eyes on Angela, and since the Maxwell Family had been in existence for centuries, their bloodline had been diluted massively. This had weakened them, but also made it so that they could marry within the family.


    Angela was the perfect female companion that a cultivator could ask for, especially since she was complacent and didn''t cultivate much, which would allow her partner to overpower her.


    However, with Wayde beside her, nobody dared to try and do anything to her as Adam observed most people in the room, noting down everything that he saw.

 Chapter 153: Maxwell Family Meeting Part 2

    In the conference room, Adam counted over 500 people and that went to show the size of the large open area of the conference room. Adam also noticed that each person would have one or two people with them that seemed to be their guards and protectors, but none of them seemed to be on Wayde''s level.


    The Maxwell Family would designate guardians, that they would raise and nurture from the orphanages that were owned by them, and would distribute them based on the talent grading of the family member.


    They had no way to know how the baby would grow up and most felt that it was unfair that because Angela had the highest talent grading, she got the best guardian, as she wasn''t the most powerful out of them.


    The guardians were to devote their lives to their masters, while the masters would have a guardian that was completely loyal to them and would do almost anything that they told them to do.


    Angela had been the most talented to be born in the Maxwell Family for decades, so was naturally given the most talented and powerful guardian.


    However, she wasn''t the most powerful, because of her complacent nature, which made it so that most of the other members of the family had a bad image and some jealousy towards her, especially the females that also coveted her looks.


    Wealth was obvious in all of those within the room, but Adam was yet to find anybody that he thought was the head of the family.


    "Angela, it is nice to see you again" greeted a young female that seemed to be of a similar age to her.


    The smile on the other girl from the Maxwell Family''s face was clearly fake as she looked Angela up and down, then looked at the two figures behind her.


    "You are still so weak, no wonder you had to hire another guard even with the Fire Master guarding you" mocked the girl.


    That was Martha Maxwell and she was one of the cultivators in the Maxwell Family that held the most hate towards Angela. They were of similar age to each other and from a young age, they were always being compared to each other.


    Despite Martha being able to surpass Angela in terms of cultivation level and power, she was always overshadowed by Angela''s talent, beauty and her guardian.


    The current head of the Maxwell Family had dozens of children in the past with multiple different partners that were all cultivators that were talented and powerful. Those partners had all passed away or on the verge of death, as since they weren''t as powerful as the family head, their life spans were shorter.


    The higher the cultivation level one reached, the longer they could live for, which went to show just how powerful Adam''s master once was.


    All of those children that the family had, were currently in their 30s, 40s and 50s, and the ones that were powerful and talented enough, became elders.


    Other Maxwell Family members could become elders, but the requirements were that one had to be a direct descendant of the Maxwell Family and they needed to be a capable, respected and recognised Advanced Cultivator.


    If they weren''t capable of becoming elders, they would be given a different role in the family such as looking after their real estate or businesses and there were many things that they could do to assist the family even if they weren''t cultivators.


    All of those elders also had many children and all of them would compete with each other, especially since the head of the family was getting old and was looking for his successor.


    They needed a young, talented, respected and powerful cultivator to be the next young master of their family and all the Maxwell youths were competing for that position.


    Angela in terms of talent, beauty and because of her guardian seemed to be most suitable, but most felt that Damian Maxwell was most suitable for that position.


    Damian was 21 years old and was a peak Novice Cultivator, and although only had E:4 rank talent, was very hardworking, powerful and respected in the family. Damian didn''t have an elemental affinity, but was still one of the most powerful fighters in the younger generation of cultivators.


    He was also engaged to Martha and both of them were the most skilled fighters of the young generation of the Maxwell Family, but yet they couldn''t overshadow and surpass Angela.


    It was clear to Adam that there was conflict between them, but nobody would dare to act in the middle of a family meeting, especially since all of the Maxwell Family members in high positions were there.


    One thing that interested Adam was that most seemed to be Internal Cultivators but also had cultivated externally. Their Internal Cultivation surpassed that of their own, but it made sense that most Internal Cultivators would need to train their bodies first, so that they wouldn''t be disadvantaged in any way.


    "And it seems you are as ugly as ever" retorted Angela, who also disliked Martha.


    Martha had always been trying to take her down and would never miss a chance to attempt to embarrass or hurt Angela. She would have succeeded most times if it wasn''t for the protection of Wayde.


    Just as Martha and Angela were about to begin bickering like they usually would, everybody suddenly froze as an old man entered the enormous conference room.


    Adam had tried using the Status Peering Feature a few times, as unlike when he used his spiritual sense, it seemed to be undetectable by others.


    However, he found that most in the conference room were Advanced Cultivators and the few that weren''t, either were young or weren''t cultivators at all. While observing everybody and everything around him, Adam also stood frozen when an old man entered the room.


    The old man''s aura enveloped the entire room and most could barely breathe under such pressure.


    "The Family Meeting will begin immediately" announced the old man.

 Chapter 154: Maxwell Family Meeting Part 3

    As soon as the old man announced that the meeting had begun, everybody took a seat around the large conference table and the large hall-like conference room immediately became silent.


    The guardians stood behind their masters that had taken a seat and Angela sat close to the head of the family, which made Adam who stood behind her feel quite nervous.


    With a single glance, the old man could tell that Adam was merely a rank 4 Novice that had cultivated both internally and externally, but he was confused as to why Anglea had bought him.


    He wouldn''t be of any use as a guardian, since she had Wayde with her and Angela didn''t need any money, so a low-level cultivator like Adam wouldn''t be of much use to her.


    There didn''t seem to be a reason for his presence, however since the meeting had begun, he decided to ignore it and ask afterwards.


    If Angela gave him a valid reason as to why Angela had bought Adam, he wouldn''t mind and was glad that Angela was finally making connections, even if they were quite useless ones. However, if she couldn''t explain it, he would have to kill Adam and bury what he heard in the meeting with him.


    After everybody had taken a seat, the old man began the family meeting.


    "I have sent out multiple family members to different areas where the other large cultivation families are trying to take over our territory, and ordered them to kill anybody that they found from other families. This is us now openly declaring war on other families that are trying to take over our territory, but none of them are willing to directly battle us apart from the Lin Family" stated the old man.


    "All members that I sent out, give a report to the rest of the family" instructed the family head.


    Different Maxwell family members stood up and gave a short report about what they came across while following their orders, until it was Angela''s turn.


    Angela was calm and collected as she stood up. Although she was quite naive and ignorant to how the world was for ordinary people, she was confident and had been spoilt by her grandfather, the family head, along with being protected by the strongest guardian, so had nothing to fear.


    "I was sent to the Buddakan in the newly built Chinatown in our territory and came across 7 triad members. They were acting very arrogantly as if it had become their territory and were merely mid-level Novice Cultivators. They were all killed and we left the scene before the Illusion Barrier went down" stated Angela before sitting back down.


    She was the last person that needed to give their report and most of the family members in the room had looks of hate on their faces.


    "As we can see, the other large families were merely trying to benefit from our battle with the Lin Family, but the Lin Family seems to be making us our first target to expand their territory. They are most likely planning to completely take over New York, and feel like they are finally ready to do so" summarised the family head.


    "In a direct battle between our families, we will lose because of our lack of manpower and their powerful cultivators, however, if we slowly eat away at their forces we should be able to weaken them enough to defeat them. We do not have many options and we must act immediately on whatever we decide. I am the family head, but this decision affects the future of our entire family and could be what destroys us, so everybody can voice their opinion and we can agree at the end on what we think is the best course of action. Although I must say, if you all agree on something I disagree with, I might have to disallow it" said the family head.


    What he proposed was fair and all the present family members agreed with him, and respected him enough to trust whatever decision he made.


    "I believe that our family has enough power to face them off and we cannot shy away from this battle. It is the perfect opportunity for us to build our manpower and boost our strength through a war" voiced Damian.


    He was one of the young candidates for being the next family head, and was engaged to Martha. Out of all the young candidates, he had the most supporters in the family and was also engaged to the strongest young female fighter in the family.


    Some in the conference room voiced their opinions while others merely reacted to what was said, with most agreeing with Damian''s suggestion.


    Adam who had gathered quite a lot of information about the large families from Elizabeth knew that Damian''s plan was suicidal and the Maxwell Family wouldn''t make it past a few days if they decided to do so.


    The only reason they hadn''t been crushed yet was because of the few powerful figures in the family and because they were united in a small area. However if they started a war between cultivators, it would be extremely quick and they would be crushed.


    Once their forces and numbers are spread out over the area, the Lin Family would be able to easily deal with them and the Maxwell Family would basically be giving themselves up to the Lin Family.


    Angela didn''t speak, while Adam and Wayde stood silently behind her and observed everything that was occurring.


    "Currently it seems that most are in agreement with Damian''s suggestion. Are there any objections to it or counter suggestions" asked the family head, who wanted the entire family to agree on one thing.


    He could order one thing and make everybody follow what he decided, but that would make it so that he forced them to do as he said and most wouldn''t unleash their true potential when being forced to do something. However, if he allowed them to choose something that they all believed in, they would all work harder towards that idea.


    Angela disagreed with Damian''s idea and knew that they wouldn''t have a chance against the Lin Family in a direct battle, but couldn''t think of anything that would solve their predicament quickly, smoothly and without many casualties.


    She didn''t want her family to follow Damian''s suicide plan, so without any other options, she turned to her masked friend that stood behind her.

 Chapter 155: Persuading the Maxwell Family

    Damian looked over at Angela and winked at her, while Angela turned away from him and looked at Adam.


    Martha hated Anglea mostly because her fiance, who was also the one that was most likely to become the next family head, still wanted to be with Anglea despite being engaged to her. With Angela''s beauty and talent, why wouldn''t he want her.


    She would increase the likelihood of him having talented children and she was better looking than Martha, which was why Damian still wanted Angela despite being engaged.


    Angela ignored him and was more focused on finding a solution to the Maxwell Family''s situation.


    "Do you have any ideas on how to deal with the Lin Family?" asked Angela.


    Adam was initially surprised by her question, but since he came to assist her as an advisor and her friend, it was to be expected. He was glad that she didn''t say his name and from everything that he knew about the current state of cultivation in New York, he had already thought about what he felt like was the best course of action.


    The conference room fell silent after hearing Angela''s question to her guard that seemed ordinary, which was easily heard by them with the sharp senses that they had as cultivators.


    It was clear that Angela had become the centre of attention and so had Adam, but with Wayde beside him, Adam still felt relatively safe and nodded his head.


    "Then tell us your idea. You aren''t part of our family, but since you are Angela''s companion, I will permit you to speak your mind" allowed the family head.


    "I think that Damian''s idea is ridiculous and stupid. It is suicidal and will destroy the family if you decide to follow that route. Although I am currently only worried about Angela''s safety, as she is the only one that I am allied with, I would still be happy to tell you my opinion on the matter. The Lin Family is united, powerful and rapidly growing. They have a strong community and completely control their territory, while the Maxwell Family consistently has issues within the family and doesn''t have a tight hold over their territory" stated Adam.


    Everybody was shocked by his words especially the family head, who would never expect a mid-level Novice cultivator to talk so directly and harshly to him and his family.


    Angela was both shocked, touched and worried by Adam''s words and if his idea wasn''t one that they could use, she knew he would be punished and most likely killed for his words.


    Damian wanted to cut off Adam''s head and was furious by his words that indirectly called him stupid, but he didn''t act as the family head was yet to say anything and he waited to see what Adam would say next.


    "My idea is simple. The Maxwell Family is too arrogant, and although is extremely rich, to most cultivators, money isn''t something that they need. What the Maxwell Family needs are strong allies and more cultivation resources, which will boost your cultivation speeds and combat power. Both of these things are solved if the Maxwell Family can ally themselves with the Epstein Family that is the wealthiest and most developed family in terms of cultivation resources and have researched into most things to do with cultivation" informed them Adam.


    His idea was great and if it succeeded would not only solve their problem, but would also allow them to expand their territory and take over the other cultivation families with the help of the Epstein Family, but the issue with that was that it was easier said than done.


    "Your idea is foolish. The Epstein Family has never gotten involved in any conflict or made any exclusive deals with any of the other large cultivation families in New York. They keep to themselves and would never ally with us, when they could ally with any other cultivation family if they wanted to" refuted Damian.


    "You have spoken arrogantly and unless you can back up the usefulness of your idea, I cannot hold back the wrath of those that you have offended. The Epstein Family are the biggest producer of weapons, runes and pills. They trade equally with all the large cultivation families and have kept a good, but distant relationship with us all. What makes you think that they would ally with our declining family" said the family head.


    "In the state that the Maxwell Family is in now, they wouldn''t even look twice at you. However, everybody has a price and something that they want, all you need to do is negotiate and show your worth to them, then they would have no reason to decline your exclusive alliance. The Epstein Family are said to have a young family head that is reasonable, just and kind, which would make them somebody that could be negotiated with" replied Adam, who was confident in the validity of his idea.


    Angela recognised what he said as what he had done to her and although he seemed like he didn''t have much use to her, he somehow managed to make her believe that he was worth becoming friends with.


    Because of that, she still had faith in Adam and was hoping that he would persuade her family to follow his plan that seemed much more reasonable, otherwise, she wasn''t sure that she would be able to save him from the rest of the family.


    "Boy, you are too arrogant. Although the head of the Epstein Family is said to be all of those things, nobody outside of their family has met them in person and they do not care for outsiders. Their wealth is too enormous to fight against and with their skill and resources, their headquarters would be extremely fortified and that is why none of the families have dared to make an enemy of them" refuted the family head.


    Angela knew that it was her fault that Adam was being hounded by the rest of her family, but her hands were tied and she could only hope that Adam could deal with it himself.

 Chapter 156: Adams Proposal

    It wasn''t looking good for Adam, and Angela knew that even if she tried to protect him, if her grandfather willed it, she wouldn''t be able to go against him. However, when she turned to look at Adam, his red eyes were steady and calm as they looked directly at the family head without fear.


    Adam had run many different scenarios through his mind before reaching the Maxwell Family Headquarters and had thought of an idea that could either be what propels him upwards, or gets him killed.


    [Big risks, big rewards] thought Adam to himself, knowing that it was the best option that he had.


    He knew that he was reckless in most situations and didn''t listen to his Hunter''s mind despite it being against his ideas, but he believed in his luck, his capability and that everything would work out.


    However before he said anything, he looked down at Angela, wanting to get her permission before saying anything that would get her involved and make her take a risk as well.


    The only thing that could not only get him out of the Maxwell Family, but also massively increase his influence and support, was his wit, confidence and words.


    "Angela do you trust my judgement and would you be willing to take a risk with me?" asked Adam.


    "I might die in the process and you might lose some influence in your family if we fail. But if we succeed it will all be worth it" said Adam.


    Angela thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded her head and accepted, which shocked everybody in the room. She trusted the weak and insignificant individual to that extent, which was surprising and infuriated Damian even more.


    Every time Damian tried to speak to Angela, she would ignore him, yet she trusted a random weak guard that she had never been seen with before.


    However, to Angela, it wasn''t like that.


    Adam seemed capable and trustworthy and she was also the one that had dragged him into the Maxwell Family meeting and got him in the predicament he was in.


    Even if it wasn''t because she felt guilty, she wasn''t taking much risk if she accepted and was sure her grandfather and Wayde would protect her, while Adam was staking his life.


    Adam had not only offended Damian, but had also invoked his jealousy, which had made him an enemy of Damian. Even if he managed to survive after his plan failed or the Maxwell Family let him go, he knew Damian would try to kill him and probably succeed in doing so, so he had no choice but to succeed.


    "Maxwell Family Head, I have a proposal" stated Adam respectfully.


    He knew he could easily be crushed by the Maxwell Family Head and his fate rested on whether or not the Maxwell Family Head would accept his proposal, so he had to be respectful.


    Everybody in the conference room was shocked once again by what Adam said, and so was Angela who was unsure of what he was going to say next.


    "Do speak" permitted the family head.


    "Can you agree that an alliance with the Epstein Family is the best solution and that it not only solves your predicament, but will also allow you to expand your territory and become the strongest family in New York with the help of their resources?" asked Adam.


    "Yes that is true" agreed the family head.


    "Then if a young candidate for family head were to make that happen. Would they deserve to be confirmed and hailed as the next family head?" asked Adam.


    "Yes, they should" affirmed the family head, who agreed with what Adam was saying.


    "Then you shouldn''t have any objections to my proposal. If Angela, with the assistance of me and Wayde, can persuade the Epstein Family head to ally with the Maxwell Family, Angela should be made the next family head" said Adam.


    All of his previous obvious questions were merely a trap to get the family head to agree to his proposal, and the family head had fallen right into it.


    If Adam could help Angela become the next family head, while also increasing the power of the Maxell Family massively, it would immediately make him the friend of the family head that controlled New York.


    It would also make him the Maxwell Family''s benefactor, as without him helping them ally themselves with the Epstein Family, they wouldn''t have stood much of a chance against the Lin Family.


    This would make him untouchable in New York and he would be given all the resources, money, methods and knowledge that he needed.


    Hearing Adam''s proposal, the head of the Maxwell Family couldn''t help but laugh to himself.


    "Hahaha. I commend your bravery, but this proposal of yours puts the whole Maxwell family in danger. The risk is too big and it is very unlikely that you will be able to do so. We must act immediately if we want to survive this battle with the Lin Family, so unfortunately I have to..." said the Maxwell Family, who was interrupted just as he was about to decline Adam''s proposal.


    "Three days, all I need is three days. After that, you can follow Damian''s plan or do whatever you want" interrupted Adam, who didn''t want to miss out on the golden opportunity, that would also guarantee his life after he left.


    Without it, if he wasn''t with Angela and Wayde who could protect him, Damian might follow him or send people after him, which would not only put his life in danger, but also that of his aunt and his friends.


    He needed to succeed here, otherwise, everything he worked for would be lost.


    Adam''s proposal was absurd and very unrealistic, but his confidence and bravery were admirable.


    3 days was not a long time and not much would happen in it, but it was still a risk that the family head wasn''t willing to take on a random mid-level Novic Cultivator that he knew nothing about it.

 Chapter 157: Maxwell Family Head

    Looking at Angela, the family head was shocked as for the first time in his life, he had seen Angela determined and caring about something.


    Angela''s eyes were burning with determination and for the first time in her life, she felt that she had something that she needed to do and would fight for.


    If Adam was willing to go so far as to risk his life to get her to the family head position, she also needed to work hard for it and take it on board, instead of ignoring all her responsibilities like she previously would.


    She knew that Adam was mostly doing so for his own gain, but they were friends and Adam had made her realise that the Maxwell family wasn''t being run well and that she was a prime example of that.


    She was raised completely wrong and had been given everything with a silver spoon. This made her and most others in her family weak and complacent and she felt that it was finally time for a change.


    To do that she needed to believe in Adam and herself more and work hard for the first time in her life.


    "Father I stand by what my companion has said and in 3 days, if we can form an alliance with the Epstein Family, I would like to become the next family head" declared Angela determinedly.


    Angela''s words shocked everybody in the conference room, and although she was a candidate for that position, it was widely known that she didn''t want it.


    Even Wayde, who was always silent and always had a blank expression, looked shocked.


    "Very well then. I can accept your proposal. The terms are that you will form an alliance with the Epstein Family in the name of the Maxwell Family within 3 days. This will aid us in taking down the Lin Family while increasing our territory, influence and power" accepted the family head, who saw no reason to decline.


    If they were capable of doing what they said, everything would turn out great, but if they couldn''t, they didn''t have much to lose anyway.


    "However in that time, since most of the family seems to be in agreement with Damian, we will prepare our forces. In 3 days time, if you haven''t gotten back to us with any good news, we will go along with Damian''s plan to slowly eat away at the Lin Family''s forces before battling against them directly" stated the family head.


    Everyone was surprised by how everything turned out, especially since Angela had bought with her an unknown masked companion that had managed to persuade the family head to accept his proposal.


    "Now that we have reached a conclusion. This conference is over" declared the family head as he prepared to leave.


    However, before doing so he turned to Adam and Angela and signalled them to follow after him.


    Neither of them could refuse and they followed after the family head, along with Wayde who was always beside Angela, as they were led to another room that was on the top floor of the Maxwell Family Headquarters.


    It was a large office that seemed to be that of the family head and the family head sat behind his desk, while Angela sat opposite him.


    "You can take a seat, your bravery has earned it" permitted the family head.


    "I wouldn''t feel comfortable sitting opposite you, especially with Wayde standing up. Wayde should take a seat" declined Adam respectfully.


    The old family head smiled while Wayde was also pleased that he was being respected and recognised as he sat down beside Angela.


    "Family head, we have a 3 day time limit and every minute counts. Is there a reason that you called us here?" asked Angela.


    "I was just curious as to who that young man was. How did you meet him? How old is he? What are his intentions?" answered the family head curiously.


    "Family head, I can tell you that he is my friend and that he is a similar age to myself. He wants to help me, while also increasing the support and influence that he receives by being my friend. However, everything else about him is his own to disclose and he is wearing that mask because he wants to keep his identity secret" stated Angela respectfully.


    Adam was pleased with how Angela articulated herself and kept his identity and other things secret, while her grandfather was shocked by how much she had changed in a single day.


    She had lost a lot of her immaturity and usually, when she would speak to him, she would act spoilt and would never talk to him respectfully. However now she was well presented and called him the family head for the first time.


    "Well, it seems that he has positively influenced you and has also left a good impression on me and Wayde. He has been honest with you and you are both mutually benefitting in the friendship, so I have no objections to your relationship. However, you are quite weak and have made many enemies, so you must still be careful. Even though you are wearing a mask, it won''t be too difficult to find out who you are, even if one has to use force" warned the family head.


    "I appreciate your warning, and will be careful" accepted Adam respectfully.


    "Then you should get going and try your best to form this alliance with the Epstein family. If you are capable of doing so, you will become our family hero, but if not, there is no issue and there is no reason to beat yourself up over it" reassured him the family head.


    Adam thanked him for his reassurance then followed behind Angela with Wayde beside him. He was pleasantly surprised by the family head''s respectful and kind character, and his image of the Maxwell Family had changed slightly because of it.


    He could hear most of the Maxwell family members that were still in the conference room talking about him and Angela, but they both ignored it as they headed towards one of the lifts that they could take back down to the first floor.


    Just as they were about to get in the lift, Damian with incredible speed, that was too fast for Adam to even react to, dashed towards him.

 Chapter 158: Preparing to Set Off Part 1

    "Martha, that bastard dared to offend me in front of the whole family and call me stupid. He even dared to steal my spotlight and try and make Angela the family head. I will kill him" said Damian furiously.


    "Calm down Damian, you can''t do anything here. He has gained the approval of the family head, so don''t do anything that will ruin your chances of becoming the next family head" advised Martha.


    "It is nearly impossible for them to form an alliance with the Epstein Family, but even so, there is a small chance and we should get in their way. We need to make sure that they do not make it to Staten Island" said Martha, who wanted to cement her fiance''s position as the next family head, while also getting rid of Angela in the process.


    It was obvious to Martha that Damian was most furious because he was jealous that a male seemed to be close to Angela when she would ignore him, so if she could get rid of both the male and Angela, it would kill two birds with one stone.


    "Yes, I agree. Let''s wait for them to come out of the family head''s office so we can send somebody to tail them and get in their way" agreed Damian.


    After a minute, Angela left the office with her two companions and they walked across the conference room towards one of the lifts that would take them down to the first floor.


    Just as they were about to enter the lift, Damian with his full speed dashed towards them and used the Movement Technique that he was famed for, which enhanced his speed massively.


    Within a blink of an eye, he reached Adam who stood behind Angela, and even Angela couldn''t react to such speed, let alone Adam.


    Damian was aiming to take off Adam''s mask and just as he was about to do so, with speed that Adam couldn''t react to, Wayde suddenly moved and grabbed Damian''s arm.


    "Do not touch my master''s companion" stated Wayde as he flung Damian across the room, launching him into a wall.


    Wayde''s External Cultivation alone, which was lower than that of his Internal Cultivation, was enough for him to dominate Damian easily. Most of the cultivators in the Maxwell Family, who didn''t need to worry about resources, would cultivate externally to the peak of the Novice Cultivation Level, then would cultivate internally for as far as they can go.


    Damian didn''t expect that Wayde would protect the unknown male that seemed to be Angela''s guard, but he was shown just how wrong he was.


    Wayde''s only task was to protect and do as Angela said, since he was her guardian, and he didn''t care about offending any other members of the Maxwell Family, apart from the family head, who had raised him and was still much stronger than him.


    Damian didn''t dare to attack or try and fight Wayde after he made it clear that he was going to protect Angela''s companion, while Adam was surprised and touched that Wayde protected him.


    ''I will hold this humiliation in my heart and after I become the family head, I will kill that Wayde bastard and will make Angela my concubine that will do everything that I say" vowed Damian to himself in hatred, unwilling to let go of his desire to be with Angela and be the family head.


    Angela, Adam and Wayde entered the lift as if nothing had happened while the rest of the Maxwell Family members were shocked by what had happened. It was the first time that somebody had dared to lay a hand on Damian, and they didn''t know how to react.


    Yet nobody dared to say anything, knowing that Wayde was one of the most powerful cultivators in the family, especially with his skill as a fighter and his Fire Elemental Affinity.


    "Thanks a lot, Wayde, I appreciate your protection" thanked Adam, who knew that his identity would have been revealed if it wasn''t for Wayde intervening.


    Wayde nodded his head, but didn''t say anything as he stood beside him in the lift silently.


    Adam had respected and treated Wayde like a human, which wasn''t how he was usually treated, so Wayde felt like it was necessary for him to also protect Adam, who was the first person to be friendly with him.


    Wayde couldn''t remember the last time he relaxed or spoke casually to somebody, which Adam had tried to get him to do ever since meeting with him. Adam was impacting them both positively and knew that it was a worthwhile investment, as in the future they would be of great help to him.


    They reached the ground floor and headed to the car park, where they had left their limousine and were prepared to leave straight away.


    It would be too obvious if Adam got changed again in the Maxwell Headquarters, and by attending the meeting he had placed a massive target on his back, so his best and only option was to get changed in the limousine.


    They got inside the car and Angela and Wayde wanted to set off immediately to Staten Island, where the Epstein Family was located, but Adam didn''t want to leave so soon.


    "Could you give me a few hours to sort out some things? They are very important and they must be sorted out before we head to Staten Island, but after that, we will spend the rest of the 3 days trying to form an alliance with the Epstein Family head" requested Adam.


    Angela and Wayde needed him to do so, as he seemed to best at talking and negotiating and was also the one that had come up with the idea, so had no choice but to wait a few hours for him just like he had requested.


    "Drop me off at Brooklyn Bridge Park, then I will meet you back there in at most 3 hours," said Adam.

 Chapter 159: Preparing to Set Off Part 2

    "Alright, but you must be quick and also be careful. You have seen how Damian is, and it is quite obvious that he will try to get in our way. It would be best if we change vehicles to one that isn''t known to be ours" stated Angela.


    As they got into the limousine, Wayde began driving to Brooklyn Bridge Park, while Angela and Adam sat in the back.


    "Turn around, close your eyes, or watch, I don''t really mind. But I need to change my clothes" said Adam.


    Knowing how Angela was, he knew that she would turn around, which was exactly what Adam wanted as he needed to use the inventory to change clothes.


    With the Illusion Stones and other cultivation items, Adam decided that it wasn''t too unusual that he could transform his clothes into another set and didn''t think that it was something that was special and hoped that it didn''t catch their eye.


    And even if it did, there was a level of trust that they had, where their existences benefited each other, and transforming clothes wouldn''t be of much help to them anyway.


    He took off the clothes that he was wearing and placed them in the inventory but at the same time, withdrew clothes that were identical to the casual clothes that he was wearing previously.


    Adam wearing similar sets of clothing made it easier for him to switch between them without people noticing and the previous set that he was wearing was stained with blood.


    He kept on the same underwear, so he wasn''t completely naked, and it made it seem as though the clothes had changed while they were in his hands, which was something that was unheard of by cultivators, but wasn''t anything too amazing.


    Changing back into the casual clothing that he was wearing before, Adam told Angela that she could turn back and she was still quite flustered as if she had never seen a man''s body or been so close to one that was half-naked.


    However the limousine was large and there were 2 metres between where they sat anyway, so Adam didn''t think much of it, especially since he had kept on his underwear.


    Adam was amused by Angela''s reaction to something so small as he prepared to do all the things that he needed to do before setting off to Staten Island.


    "Give me your phone number," said Angela.


    Adam was surprised that as one of the candidates for the next family head, she had a smartphone that seemed very new and should be able to be tracked.


    "The cell towers in Brooklyn are owned and regulated by the Maxwell Family, while this phone was specially produced for Maxwell Family members and is untraceable," said Angela, seeing that he was hesitant to do so.


    Adam was surprised by that, but it was to be expected with the power that they had in their territory and exchanged numbers with Angela and Wayde.


    After adding their numbers and casually talking for the rest of the journey, they finally reached the Brooklyn Bridge Park that Adam wanted them to take him to.


    "We will meet back here in 2 to 3 hours and all have each other''s numbers. In this time any additional information about the Epstein Family would be useful. It would also be a good time to switch to a car that has no affiliations to the Maxwell Family, so that it is harder for Damian to follow us" said Adam as he left the car near the park.


    "Okay, we will be here in 2 hours, so be quick" called out Angela as Wayde drove off to do what they needed to do.


    Adam knew that Chase and his aunt would be extremely worried since he had left them at the restaurant, and knew that he continuously worried his aunt and his friends with his actions that seemed to be reckless.


    Adam would take all opportunities that presented themselves and deal with the repercussions without fear, but he also didn''t want to drag his aunt and those that he cared about into it, as he was risking his life on most occasions.


    With the Dungeon System and the lucky encounters that he had, he was rapidly progressing and he didn''t want to halt his progress or slow down the momentum that he had.


    At the same time, he didn''t want to endanger those around him, which was why he tried his best to keep his distance from them when he was dealing with other cultivators, but sometimes, like the time at the restaurant, it was unavoidable.


    While walking towards his building from the park that was near to it, Adam called all of his friends to catch up and check in on them.


    Adam would always call his friends to check in on them and they were all doing well in their lives.


    After telling them all that he would be gone for the next three days and that he would be busy, Adam arrived at his apartment.


    Opening the door, his aunt and Chase rushed towards it as soon as they heard him reach the door.


    "Where were you? What happened? Are you okay?" exclaimed his aunt as she hugged him then checked his body for any injuries.


    "Relax aunt, nothing happened. I told you it would be fine, I just recognised a friend and had an important meeting to attend to" reassured her Adam as he hugged her.


    After Jannet was sure that Adam was fine and that he was safe, she slapped him on the arm and became angry.


    "You have to stop worrying me like that Adam. You need to be more careful" scolded his aunt.


    "Yes, I am sorry. I couldn''t help it" apologised Adam, who knew that he was in the wrong for worrying his aunt.


    "Aunt, I know I just got back. But I need to leave for 3 days for some very important business" said Adam.


    Upon hearing that, his aunt was surprised that he had to leave again so suddenly, but before he left, she wanted to have the serious talk that she wasn''t able to have with Adam since awakening from her coma.

 Chapter 160: Serious Talk Part 1

    "Adam we need to talk. Me and you need to sit down and have a serious talk about everything that has happened" said his aunt as she grabbed his arm before he turned to leave.


    Adam seeing her serious expression and knowing that she must have so many questions, submitted to her and followed after her as she dragged him into her room.


    "Thanks for protecting and staying with my aunt Chase. You can stay in my room for the next three days, while I am gone, and can use the computer whenever you want" called out Adam to Chase.


    "Thanks, big bro" thanked Chase as he entered Adam''s room and sat at his desk, knowing that it wasn''t his business to get involved in their talk.


    The unwritten rules that most cultivators followed was that they couldn''t reveal their power and abilities to ordinary people that didn''t know of it. That allowed them to control the world from the shadows and fight for different resources, without most people knowing about it.


    Which was why there weren''t any athletes or famous people that had publically revealed that they were cultivators, but that didn''t mean that most followed that rule.


    Those that did try to do so would usually be eliminated by high level cultivators before they could, as cultivators wanted to keep the peace in the world and it benefited them if most people were ignorant to it.


    However, most of the time, low level cultivators become arrogant and abuse their slightly supernatural power and form small gangs.


    Adam knew that his aunt would have many questions about everything she had seen, but even if it could extend her lifespan and increase her power, Adam was too worried about his aunt to allow her to enter the world of cultivation.


    He wanted to avoid all her questions to do with it, and as long as she was safe and happy, Adam believed that she didn''t need to know about or become a cultivator.


    She sat him on her chair, while she sat on her bed opposite him and it was clear to Adam that she was very emotional and had many things that she wanted to get off her chest.


    They were silent for a minute, while Adam waited for his aunt to calm down and collect her thoughts.


    "Adam what happened to you while I was in the coma. You always avoid the question when I ask you, but I think that it is time that you answer me" asked his aunt.


    She couldn''t help but feel like Adam had been through a lot and felt that although he always acted happy when he was around her, he was secretly going through a lot.


    When she looked into his eyes, she could see that Adam had experienced immense pain and suffering and it was as if he had become numb to it.


    Adam didn''t notice it, but he also had a dullness in his eyes that was similar to the one in Wayde''s eyes, but Adam''s was masked under his Bloodlust, killing intent and Charisma most of the time.


    Dying in gruesome ways multiple times was traumatising and Adam had dealt with it well with the help of the Hunter''s mind, but it still scarred him and was something that he would carry for the rest of his life.


    Adam didn''t know what to tell her.


    If he told her the truth, he would put her in danger and she probably wouldn''t believe him and if he lied, she also wouldn''t believe him and it might put a strain on their relationship.


    After deliberating with himself for a minute, Adam decided that he would fit as much truth into his answers as possible, but he would make sure to leave out anything to do with cultivation or the Dungeon System.


    "Well, I left high school and ghosted all my friends and everybody that knew me. Without you paying rent, I was kicked out of our old place and had to seek work. I was underage and only 15 at the time, so I had to work jobs illegally. I worked jobs that would pay me cash and I didn''t receive any help from the government. I was offered to be taken to a foster home, as I was still a child, but then nobody would be able to pay your hospital bills. If that was the case, you might be removed from the hospital and left to die, or wake up to a large pile of debt, which I didn''t want" said Adam.


    "I worked multiple jobs and was homeless a times, while other times would find cheap one-room residences that I can stay in. I could hardly eat, as most times I couldn''t afford to eat much after paying rent and your hospital bills. Since I was underage and working illegally, I could be kicked out at any moment by the manager or not paid, as there was no way that I could prove that I had worked and many times had worked without being paid" continued Adam who was completely telling the truth so far.


    However, he didn''t want his aunt to feel guilty, and merely wanted her to have peace of mind and know the truth. It was also therapy for him to be able to talk about some of the pain and suffering that he had experienced, so that somebody knew what he had been through.


    "However it wasn''t all bad and it wasn''t your fault. I blame myself for allowing you to overwork yourself in the first place. I worked like that for two years, but then an opportunity changed my life" said Adam.


    "I was hired into a company where I was trained to do analytics and would work on a computer. With that, I was given this apartment to stay in and they paid the first month of rent. It has been nearly a year since then I have been training in boxing the entire time. I left the company as it went bankrupt and also wasn''t working for me, and now I work at different companies in different areas" stated Adam, who had found a story that would excuse his long leaves and also explain how his life changed.

 Chapter 161: Serious Talk Part 2

    Adam had begun to lie and changed the time scales of his story to make it sound more realistic, but his aunt was becoming very emotional and had already begun believing everything that he was saying.


    After everything that Adam had experienced because of her absence, she couldn''t help but feel guilty. The things he experienced should be endured by anybody, let alone a child, but there was nothing she could do about it but regret not being there.


    Adam needed to distract her with what he experienced and his love for her, so that she would forget about all the other things and no longer be curious, but it wasn''t enough.


    She believed everything that he told her and was so proud of him.


    Adam had not only sacrificed his education to help her but also had been through a lot of struggle, but was still able to turn his life around and help his aunt to live a comfortable life after she woke up.


    However, she still felt that there was something missing from his story. So many things that she experienced and had happened around them were unexplainable and she wanted answers.


    "Adam I know you have been through a lot and there are still things that you don''t want to or can''t share with me, even though I am basically your mother. However, I still won''t let it rest until I am given the answers to my questions" said his aunt.


    She felt like she was being left in the dark and sheltered from the truth by Adam, and although she knew that he was most likely doing so for her own protection, she wanted and needed to know everything that had happened.


    "How did I suddenly woke up? The doctors told me that it was a miracle and I would have died on that day or a few days after because of all the damage my body had suffered from being unconscious for so long. Yet I woke up and not only was I completely healed, but I was also healthier and stronger than I have ever been in my entire life" asked his aunt, who had a feeling that Adam had something to do with it.


    Everything that Adam was able to do for her was incredible, and she could no longer recognise him as the boy that she raised who relied on her for everything. He had become a capable man that seemed to be able to do anything, and all she wanted was the truth.


    "I was told by the nurses that I was going to die, but after you visited me and requested to visit me alone, I was magically healed. How did that happen?" asked his aunt who had tears in her eyes and was still very emotional from everything that Adam had told her.


    The talk was very important to her and she was adamant about knowing everything that had happened to her and her son.


    [It seems that there is no way around telling her something to do with cultivation] thought Adam to himself regretfully.


    He had always tried to avoid her questions, but his aunt had, had enough and Adam needed to give her some answers, otherwise, he knew that she wouldn''t let it go.


    "I bought a special medicinal treasure from the black market and that was the only way to heal you" stated Adam, giving her the answer that she was looking for.


    She already had an idea of it being something like that, but hearing it coming from his mouth made the idea cement in her mind.


    "However this is a secret and I didn''t want to tell you because it was dangerous. Nobody can know that you used a treasure to recover and nobody can know that I bought the treasure" warned Adam.


    If she really wanted to know some of the truth, then Adam had no choice but to tell her. However, it was also the perfect chance to get her to be careful and stay away from anything remotely to do with cultivators.


    As long as she heeded his warning, then she would be safe and he would have given her part of what she was looking for.


    "Aunt there are a lot of things in this world that people, including myself, do not know. However, sometimes it is best if you don''t know. Ignorance is bliss and it would be best if you suppress your curiosity that might get you into danger" said Adam as he hugged his aunt that was still very emotional.


    After reassuring her that everything was alright, Adam knew that she needed some time to gather her thoughts and come to terms with everything that Adam told her.


    "Aunt I will be leaving for a few hours, then when I return, I need to take another business trip. You should forget about the past and the pain and enjoy your life aunt. I can carry all your burdens. All I want is for you to be happy" informed her Adam as he left her in her room.


    Adam didn''t want to tell her anything to do with cultivation at all, but thinking about if he was in her position, he would also be very curious just like she was and seek answers.


    After telling her about the medicine, Adam knew that he had opened his aunt''s mind to the existence of supernatural things, but he was hoping that it was enough to relieve her curiosity.


    [My aunt is strong and always has been. She just needs some time to adjust and will be fine. She has been through much worse than this ad hopefully she can see past it and live an ordinary life] thought Adam to himself/


    Adam went to Chase and told him to protect his aunt while he was gone and go with her wherever she went. After that, he threw away the blooded set of casual clothes that he had in his inventory and replaced it with another one.


    Putting on his leather biker set and heading down to the car park where his motorcycle was, Adam prepared to set off it talk to his master.

 Chapter 162: Gaining Masters Permission Part 1

    With Adam''s newly formed friendship with Angela from the Maxwell Family, Adam had made a large and useful connection. If he was also successful in forming an alliance with the Epstein Family in the name of the Maxwell Family, he would become the benefactor of the Maxwell Family and the friend of the family head.


    After that, the Maxwell Family would be able to rapidly expand its territory and power with the help of the Epstein Family and would become an even bigger help and support to him, especially since all those that he cared about lived in New York.


    This would make it so that he no longer needed the Silver Moon Auction House and could merely take it over or make it into a subsidiary of the Maxwell Family. They hadn''t done much for him, while he had helped them slightly and also hadn''t done much for them.


    Elizabeth was very ambitious and had an amazing origin, while Jaspal was very wise and useful, but the Maxwell Family would still offer him much more than they would ever be able to.


    They had also placed a tracker on the motorcycle that they had given him and didn''t seem to trust him much, so if they couldn''t offer him any benefits or be able to provide him anything that the Maxwell Family couldn''t, he would have to cut ties with them as they would only hold him back.


    Adam personally didn''t care about Elizabeth''s ambitions and the reasons for them, and although she seemed like a nice person, he didn''t owe her anything and had no reason to help her.


    If she no longer benefited him in any way, Adam had no reason to stay in contact with her and he knew that because she had seen his potential, she tried to hold onto him and ride the bandwagon.


    Adam was aiming for the top and wasn''t planning to stop until nothing ever threatened him and those around him, which meant he needed ultimate and unrivalled power and infinite wealth.


    The Dungeon System made all of that possible and the Silver Moon Auction House or the Maxwell Family were merely stepping stones on his journey to the top and they would all be beneath him and serve him in the future.


    Adam didn''t want fame or control, all he wanted was to increase his own power, explore all the mysteries of the world and live comfortably and happily with those around him that he cared about.


    But in pursuit of power and knowledge, there were many sacrifices that he must make and he was willing to sacrifice a lot of things for power, which was why he integrated with the Bloodlust Characteristic despite its downsides.


    Adam had been through health multiple times, an immeasurable amount of pain and suffering and endured it all in pursuit of what he desired, so he wasn''t going to let anybody or anything get in his way.


    His talk with his aunt had made him realise all of that and Adam needed it just as much as his aunt.


    Blood and friendship ties should be cherished and protected, especially with those that cared about him and helped him without wanting anything in return, and as long as he still had something that he was aiming towards, all the sacrifices he made were worth it.


    He only one life in reality, as far as he knew and wanted to live it to its fullest.


    Adam had so many things that he wanted to do, and increasing his power solved them all. He no longer cared about or needed money with the amount of gold that he had acquired.


    All that was left was for him to increase his power, knowledge and make the useful connections that would speed up the process and support him.


    No matter how strong somebody was, it is always better to have people to rely on and assist you.


    As he drove to his master''s dojo, Adam cleared and calmed his mind and reminded himself of what was important to him.


    Before heading towards the dojo, he had stopped at a nearby store and bought as many snacks and drinks as he could fit into his duffel bag and his motorcycle storage compartments.


    Arriving at his master''s dojo, Adam lifted the motorcycle into the dojo, which was quite easy for him to do with his supernatural strength, and placed it in the corner of the dojo.


    "Master I have returned" announced Adam as he walked over to his master and sat before him.


    "However master, I have come to speak to you and not to train" stated Adam respectfully.


    "Oh yeah, I bought you some snacks," remembered Adam as he handed his master the duffel bag and bought over to him the rest of the snacks that were stored in his motorcycle.


    Adam had become very comfortable around his master after training with him and spending almost every day with him for an entire month, yet Adam still kept his respect and knew when to joke and when not to joke with his master.


    His master began stuffing his face with the snacks, but Adam wanted to talk with him seriously and waited for him to finish.


    Surprisingly it didn''t take long and within a few minutes, everything that Adam had bought him had been wolfed down by his master.


    "Master I would like to speak to you about one of the conditions that you made me agree to before becoming my master. You said I need your permission to join any group or organisation, but that was slightly vague" said Adam with a wry smile.


    "I have a friend that is part of the Maxwell Family. And I would like to help her become the next family head, but to do so, I must get involved in their affairs and I wanted to gain your permission before doing so" informed him Adam, who wanted to be completely honest with his master.

 Chapter 163: Gaining Masters Permission Part 2

    Everything that his master had done for him and could still do for him was incredible and Adam didn''t want to anger his master or cause him to no longer wish to teach him. Even if it wasn''t for his own benefit, Adam''s master had already spent enough time on him and he wanted to repay him however he could.


    However, assisting Angela and the Maxwell Family was also a big opportunity for Adam and he also didn''t want to miss out on it and go back against what he had already promised Angela.


    He was in the middle of a dilemma and he was hoping that his master would see that and grant him the permission that he was looking for, so that he could keep both the tie with Angela and his master.


    As soon as Adam''s master heard him mention being friends with someone from the Maxwell Family, his face suddenly tensed up and he suddenly sat up from his previously slumped position.


    "Master I do not wish to go against you or do something that may anger you, but can you listen to my perspective before you judge my situation" requested Adam before his master could say anything.


    "Go ahead" permitted his master who had calmed down.


    "Master, I claim to be your disciple that you can trust and will assist you in the future, but I think disallowing me from forming an alliance with a friend from the Maxwell Family would be limiting my growth. If you have a vendetta against them, you will probably be disappointed to find that all of those that you were enemies with, have probably passed away. It is the modern day and age, we can communicate worldwide at the click of a button and I think that everything you once knew had completely changed" stated Adam.


    "I think I am capable of making wise decisions and I will not be submitting to anyone or becoming anyone''s lapdog. All that is happening is that I am assisting a friend in becoming the Maxwell Head and in the process gaining a useful and powerful ally. With it, I will be of greater use to you and will be able to assist you more in the future, rather than me staying as a lone cultivator that has no connections" continued Adam confidently but respectfully.


    After Adam had finished what he had to say, his master sat there quietly and was deep in thought, while Adam sat silently opposite him, waiting for him to speak.


    ''The boy is growing and developing quickly and he has come into direct contact with the large families sooner than I expected. Yet he was somehow able to become friends with a candidate for the next family head without needing to submit to them or join the family. He is right about the changes and maybe I should give him a chance. But I still can''t allow my possible disciple to join that family. As long as he keeps his distance and keeps it merely as a mutually beneficial friendship, it should be okay'' thought the old man to himself as he looked at Adam''s red eyes.


    Everything Adam had said made sense and wasn''t unreasonable as he also saw something that was slightly different about Adam''s red eyes that had become much calmer.


    After his Bloodlust had been relieved by killing the triad members, Adam had complete control over the Bloodlust characteristic and his killing intent no longer affected others through his eyes and his aura.


    Killing beasts in the Dungeon no longer relieved his Bloodlust and if there was a good reason for it, Adam would kill in reality to help him keep his Bloodlust under control.


    He thought of it as an unhealthy craving, similar to how a vampire would have to drink blood, and as long as he satisfied craving every once in a while, it would no longer affect him or how he acted.


    "I still haven''t officially accepted you as my disciple and successor, but you are my student and must follow my rules. However, as long as you do not officially join the family or submit to their control, I can accept that you want to help your friend. But if you go against that, I will cut ties with you" decided his master after thinking about it for a short while.


    "Thank you very much, master" thanked Adam respectfully as he bowed to his master.


    Adam was very grateful for his master and his master had never asked for anything apart from snacks, yet was willing to spend as much time as Adam wanted to teach him.


    "Master I cannot stay now and must take my leave as I have some urgent matters to attend to" said Adam as he prepared to leave.


    "But before I leave master, I would like to remind you that I want to become your disciple and would also like to help you and repay you for your teachings. I am also willing to hear about your past and your worries and help you in solving them if you would like to do so. I know you probably do not trust me yet, but right now I do not pose a threat to you, yet am offering my help. I just want to repay you and help you, since you have helped my training greatly" stated Adam who knew that most of his cultivation and fighting fundamentals were thanks to his master.


    Without much time to waste, after telling his master that he was willing to offer him his help, Adam carried his motorcycle out of the dojo and drove off, back towards the city.


    "He, we will see if you are capable and trustworthy enough in the future" scoffed the old man to himself after Adam left, as he smiled slightly for the first time in centuries.


    Adam had become very accustomed to driving the motorcycle, especially with his Hunter''s mind that enhanced his memory and focus, as he drove back to the city, weaving through the traffic.

 Chapter 164: Coming To Terms With Everything

    Adam''s talk with his master had gone just like Adam had hoped.


    Their conversation was brief, he gained the permission that he needed and also got across to his master that he was willing to help him, which was something that he really wanted to do.


    Adam drove back as fast as the speed limit allowed him to and when he made it back to his apartment building, planned to check in on his aunt before calling Angela to head off to Staten Island.


    "Aunt I''m back" called out Adam as he entered his apartment.


    Adam had parked his motorcycle in the building car park, and wanted to quickly check on his aunt before leaving with Angela, knowing that he would need as much time as possible to complete his task.


    He was hoping that in the 2 hours he was gone, his aunt had called down and was no longer curious about things that had to do with cultivation, but he didn''t know what to expect from his aunt who had spent almost 3 years in a coma.


    While Adam was gone, Chase stayed in Adam''s room and was playing a shooting game on the computer, while Adam''s aunt stayed in her room and sat on her bed deep in thought.


    There were so many things that Jannet had been bombarded with ever since she had awoken from her coma and after Adam had given her some of the answers that she was looking for, she needed to digest the information.


    The tears in her eyes weren''t because she was in pain or because she was upset, but was mostly because she was overwhelmed by so many things at once. Adam had been through a lot for her and was still trying his best to please her, so she didn''t want to put any more pressure on him and knew that she had no reason to be upset.


    It was clear to her that Adam was trying his best to protect her, support her and make sure that she was happy, so she had nothing else to worry about.


    With the existence of supernatural things, she couldn''t help but be interested and curious about it, but after Adam''s serious warning, she decided to forget about it and live an ordinary life, just like Adam hoped she would.


    It took her a while, but after she came to terms with everything, she felt as though a weight had been lifted off her chest and as though she had nothing to worry about.


    As long as she and Adam were happy and healthy, she had nothing to complain about.


    "Adam, I made you something to eat before you left" called out his aunt after hearing that Adam had arrived.


    After thinking about it, she was quite sure that it was Adam that killed the hospital director. But weirdly, she felt proud of him for doing so after reading that the hospital director had artificially caused patients to stay in comas to gain money from the constant and monthly hospital fee payments.


    She also felt as though she had no reason to be angry towards the hospital director and Adam had already avenged her, and despite knowing that Adam wasn''t normal anymore, he still treated her respectfully and in the way that any mother would want their child to treat them.


    She had also only seen Adam help people with his supernatural capabilities, and assumed that the reason that he stayed behind at the restaurant, was to help the women that were with the triad members.


    The triad members were clearly forcing the women to be there and would probably have been harassed if it wasn''t for Adam dealing with them.


    Thinking about the fail boy that he raised killing somebody was very weird, but Jannet had come to terms with it and was ready to move on.


    From her voice and what she said, Adam could assume that his aunt had calmed down and seemed to have acquired everything to be had told her.


    "I coming aunt" replied Adam with a smile as he went into his room and got Chase.


    The three of them had a nice meal that Adam''s aunt had prepared, and the hungry Adam and Chase, who had enormous appetites, ate portions that were large enough to feed entire families.


    Chase and Adam''s aunt were getting on surprisingly well, and Jannet was more comfortable around him, which was what Adam wanted.


    "Here is a couple thousand dollars that should be enough for the next month, if there are any complications. If there aren''t, I should be back in around three days" stated Adam as he placed a small stack of money on the table.


    "Adam, before you go, I have something I want to say," said his aunt just as Adam was about to leave.


    "I have realised there are a lot of things that I don''t know and don''t understand, but I will heed your warning and forget about it, so that I can live an ordinary life. However, even if you know about and are involved in these things, you must promise me to be careful" stated his aunt.


    Many things had become apparent to her, and she even had many reasons to believe that Chase wasn''t normal and Adam probably sent him to protect her, but she didn''t want to know the details anymore.


    She realised that she was too caught up in herself and her curiosity, that she forgot about her son and his safety. Jannet had decided against confronting Adam about the death of the hospital director, and although she knew it was selfish, as long as he was safe, she was happy and didn''t care much about what he did.


    "I can''t promise you that I will be careful, but I can promise you that I won''t die no matter what" stated Adam.


    Hearing his reply, Adam''s aunt sighed as Adam laughed at the way she reacted.


    With that, everything was sorted out and all that was left was for Adam to set off with Angela.

 Chapter 165: Ready To Leave

    Adam had eaten his full, gained permission from his master and sorted out everything with his aunt, just in time to leave with Angela and Wayde to Staten Island.


    Leaving Chase and his aunt in his apartment, Adam had nothing to worry about and sat in the reception area of his building as he called Angela to see where she and Wayde were.


    "Hello, are you ready to leave?" asked Adam after she picked up the phone.


    "Ugh, we''ll be there in a minute. Leave me alone" replied Angela as she ended the call.


    From her voice, Adam could assume that she was annoyed about something and her attitude was annoying to deal with, but Adam was in a good mood and stood outside his apartment building, waiting for them to show up.


    While Adam was sorting everything that he needed to sort out before they left for Staten Island, Angela and Wyade didn''t sit idly and also sorted out a few things.


    Before doing anything, they went to Maxwell Storage Warehouse that was near the Maxwell Family and was guarded 24 hours every day by Advanced Cultivators, and they stocked up on everything they might need.


    Wayde and Angela preferred not to use weapons as they had Elemental Affinities that were much more powerful and effective in mid-range combat than artillery, but they still bought with them a few C Rank Daggers and Knives that are easily held and hidden.


    C Rank Weapons of the Novice Level were the weapons that most cultivators could use as they were quite powerful and were also quite easily acquired. Although it required lots of resources and money, they weren''t as rare as higher quality weapons that would only be owned by elders or family heads of the large families.


    While it was also widely known that nobody had succeeded in forming an Advanced Level Weapon, and although there might be some in existence in New York, its existence hadn''t been publically revealed.


    They stocked up on Illusion Stones and many other things that they might need, as although they were going to form an alliance, they didn''t know what to expect in territory that didn''t belong to their family, so they had to be careful just in case.


    After they had stocked up on everything they needed, Wayde and Angela parked the car they were using back at the Maxwell Headquarters and left on foot.


    Wayde carried everything that they stocked up on in a large backpack and they left on foot, so that Damian and any others wouldn''t be able to spot them if they took a car from the Maxwell Family.


    Taking a taxi, they went to the car dealership that was closest to Adam''s apartment building and looked for a vehicle that would conceal them, seemed ordinary, but also had enough space for them to travel comfortably.


    Money wasn''t an issue for them and as members of a billionaire family, their money reserves were almost limitless and money was never something that Angela or Wayde had to worry about.


    Most saw Angela as an extraordinarily pretty girl and Wayde as an intimidating man, which they were, but it was only those that knew about cultivation or were in high positions in the city that actually knew about the power and influence that they had.


    Most influential figures in New York would know of who they were and the other large cultivation families, and because of that, they would always be treated as royalty in places where there were people in influential positions.


    However most ordinary people would treat them slightly above average, with most males lusting over Angela''s beauty.


    If they knew how powerful and capable the infamous Flame Master before them was, along with one of the possible Maxwell Family Head candidates, most would kneel before them.


    Angela looked down on everybody that wasn''t a cultivator and it was a bad habit that she had, where she was overly arrogant and pompous, which was to be expected with her spoilt upbringing.


    She was disgusted by the fact that she had to sit in the taxi, but she didn''t say anything as it wasn''t too bad and it was only until they bought another car, however as soon as they reached the dealership and she saw what car Wayde chose, she could no longer stay quiet.


    "Wayde, do you seriously want us to drive to Staten Island in that thing?" asked Angela as she looked at the dingy black van that he stood beside.


    "Yes it is spacious, has comfortable seats in the back and is also inconspicuous. No one would look at this van twice, which is exactly what he want" answered Wayde.


    She didn''t like the car one bit and hated the predicament that she was in, but she knew that Wyade was right and it would make it harder for Damian and others to get in there way, as nobody would expect the spoilt and arrogant Angela to ride in such a rundown van.


    They bought it for 2,000 dollars, which was extremely cheap in Angela''s eyes and wasn''t even the amount that she would usually spend on a single meal, as Wayde drove the van to a nearby petrol station to fill up the tank.


    While they were at the petrol station, Angela''s phone began to ring and seeing that it was Adam, she found somebody that she could let out her frustrations on.


    Angela and Wayde had spent quite a while preparing and restocking the things that they needed and they were ready to set off at the same time as Adam.


    After ending the call with Adam, Angela was embarrassed to be seen in such an ordianry and low quality van and sat in the back that had relatively comfortable seats.


    The back of the van was quite spacious and Wayde chose it becuase it was the most functional choice and not only would it coneal them well, but it also would be comfortable for Adam and Angela who would sit in the back of the van.

 Chapter 166: Angelas Elemental Affinity

    Adam stood outside his apartment building for a few minutes, waiting for Angela and Wayde to pick him up.


    Angela had told him that she would be there in a minute, yet after a few minutes, Adam hadn''t spotted any blacked-out expensive vehicles that he was used to riding in when dealing with rich and powerful cultivators.


    However, when a black van, that one would expect a builder that was on a low budget to drive, parked before him, Adam couldn''t help but laugh.


    Getting into the front he greeted Wayde with a level of friendliness and respect that Wayde was comfortable with and appreciated, then got into the back of the van where he found Angela sitting with a frown on her face.


    "Is this van not to the princess''s liking?" joked Adam as he laughed at how Angela was acting and the car that he was sat in.


    Adam could live with the bare minimum and had lived in extreme poverty for over 2 years, so didn''t have much of an issue with the van. However, to Angela, it was torture and humiliating for her to have to sit in such a vehicle.


    "Make another joke and I will kill you" threatened Angela as she swiftly and suddenly formed a blade formed out of water and held it to Adam''s neck.


    Adam was surprised and in awe of her elemental affinity and speed. It was the first time that he had seen an elemental affinity in use and didn''t know that Angela had one.


    [No wonder her skin is so smooth and why she is so pretty. It must be a positive side effect of having an Elemental Affinity with the water element] realised Adam as he was amazed by her ability.


    Adam pushed away the water blade that was surprisingly sharp, and although Angela was complacent and didn''t cultivate much, her speed and skill were incredible. However, that was to be expected as even if her personality wasn''t suited to cultivation, she was raised in one of the large cultivation families and must have been trained from a young age.


    A low-level Novice cultivator from one of the large cultivation families would easily be able to take out a mid-level Novice cultivator, despite the gap in cultivation level, as they would be much more skilled in combat.


    The blade of water hadn''t turned to ice, yet was solid and sharp, which amazed Adam who was in awe of what he was seeing.


    Just like most of the other cultivators that he had seen in the Maxwell Family, Angela had cultivated externally before beginning her internal cultivation, which gave her quite a durable body that was powerful and had a strong foundation to increase her power and internal cultivation.


    There was only so much that the human body could sustain, and external cultivation was necessary for an internal cultivator who wanted to cultivate to high levels.


    Because of that, it became a basic requirement for all the cultivators of the Maxwell Family, and the other large cultivation families, to cultivate to at least Rank 5 of the Novice Cultivation Level externally before beginning to cultivate internally.


    "Angela, what grade is your talent and elemental affinity?" asked Adam who couldn''t suppress his curiosity after seeing her use her elemental affinity.


    He knew that it must be incredible as she was greatly valued by her family despite not working hard and she had not only been provided with the strongest guardian, but also was treated well by most of the family.


    Her external cultivation was similar to Adam''s and only seemed to be at the middle of the Novice Cultivation Level, while her Internal Cultivation seemed to surpass that, despite her seeming to be very lazy and complacent.


    Adam was unsure how the elemental affinity worked, but could see that it required the use of her Internal Energy as fuel and probably the moisture in her body and the air around her, to form the water blade.


    It was an incredible sight to behold and with an elemental affinity, large gaps in cultivation levels could be overcome in a battle.


    "He, that is something that you not worthy of knowing" scoffed Angela arrogantly.


    "Then you would be better off forming an alliance with the Epstein Family, without my help, since I am unworthy" stated Adam as he turned to leave the van.


    Adam knew how to deal with Angela and as long as he didn''t allow her to step on him and talk down to him, while also showed her his worth, she would treat him relatively well.


    Although, no matter how well she treated him, her annoying attitude and arrogant nature wouldn''t completely go away.


    Angela knew that she needed Adam''s help and it was his idea in the first place, so had no choice but to reveal her talent and elemental affinity grade to him. However, most people had an idea of what it was anyway, and it was the perfect opportunity to show off.


    "It is E:2 graded and is one of the highest that my family has seen in decades" revealed Angela with a gloating expression.


    Angela expected Adam to be amazed by the revelation, which he was, but he didn''t show it on his face and shut the van side door as he sat opposite Angela.


    Her talent grade meant that she had the potential to reach the 8th rank of the Advanced Cultivation Level as long as she worked hard for it and also had the methods and resources needed to do so.


    However, with how she was going, she would probably stagnate after becoming a mid-level Advanced Cultivator, since her foundations weren''t very strong and she wasn''t working hard enough towards her cultivation.


    Adam couldn''t help but curious as to what her elemental affinity was capable of, and was also curious to see Wayde''s elemental affinity that was infamous in New York.


    While the ride to Staten Island was also a good chance for Adam to gather more information.

 Chapter 167: Limitations

    [With an E:2 grade talent and a water elemental affinity, she is more than worthy enough to become the next family head, in terms of potential. But her attitude and mindset will hold her back, as one''s mental stability and mindset are just as important as one''s talent when it comes to cultivation] thought Adam to himself.


    [However, one cannot deny that her elemental affinity is amazing. Currently, she isn''t suited to cultivation, but if she changes, she could become extremely powerful and a big help to me] added Adam to himself, still amazed after seeing Angela form a blade out of water.


    [I will acquire some elemental affinities from the system after I complete this task in Staten Island and it will greatly increase my power while also making it easier for me to hunt in the dungeon] decided Adam.


    "Angela, what else can you do with your water elemental affinity," asked Adam curiously.


    It was evident that she could create water and manipulate it with her energy and mind, but he wanted to see what her limits were and what else she was capable of.


    Angela was clearly much more powerful than Adam, and even if she didn''t use her elemental affinity, she would probably be able to defeat him with ease, but Adam wasn''t intimidated much by her.


    Despite her strong front, she seemed quite weak-minded and Adam was sure that he was safe as long as he was useful to her and peaked her interest.


    "Well since it is E:2 graded, its power and potential are very high. I can create things out of water and use it to do my bidding. When it is raining or when we are in a wet environment, I am more capable, but even if it seems dry, there is moisture in the air and in everyone''s body" answered Angela vaguely.


    Although she was very proud of her elemental affinity, she  clearly didn''t want to reveal any of her exact skills or abilities, but the information she gave Adam was enough and it gave him a better idea of what her elemental affinity was capable of.


    Angela was quite narrow-minded and probably only used her water elemental affinity directly, but Adam could think of many different unique uses that were extremely useful and effective in combat.


    [System, how much would it cost to buy an elemental affinity at the same grade as Angela''s?] asked Adam within his mind, not wanting to use the system menu in front of others, which would look very weird as only he could see it.


    {Before the host looks at prices, the host needs to know more about what integrating with an elemental affinity would mean. If the person was an ordinary human and suddenly gained an elemental affinity at the age of 18, especially one that was considered to be powerful, by your current standards, such as Angela''s, the person would definitely die. An elemental affinity is a link to the element that allows you to absorb and wield that time of elemental energy and in almost every case, the person is born with it} stated the system.


    {It would be slightly easier to upgrade existing elemental affinities, but it would still be very difficult and straining on the body, while it might also inversely effect the user''s cultivation. One''s elemental affinity needed to be equivalent or below one''s talent grading, otherwise the person''s body wouldn''t be able to handle it} continued the system.


    {However, with the host''s special constitution that defies human logic, the host can gain multiple elemental affinities and at different grades without suffering backlash. However, there are some conditions} continued the system.


    [System pause your explanation] ordered Adam, who could see that Angela was becoming curious as to why he was absent minded.


    It had become a bad habit that Adam had developed where he would begin to talk to the system and find out more information without regard to what others with him would think about him zoning out, and before continuing, wanted to excuse himself.


    "Angela, I''m going to cultivate for a short while, and so should you to prepare your mind and body before reaching Staten Island," said Adam as he crossed his legs and closed his eyes.


    Angela was confused as to why he suddenly became silent, but little did she know that he was communicating with the system within his mind. Telling her that he was going to cultivate excused his silence as she sat there quietly and observed Adam who was acting quite weirdly.


    [Please continue] requested Adam within his mind, curious to find out what else the system had to tell him.


    {First of all, the host''s body can only handle elemental affinities that are at the same level as the host''s Dungeon Form. This is because the host''s Dungeon Form is a representation of the host''s talent and ability to store and wield energy. This means that currently with the host''s Dungeon Form at level 5, the host can acquire elemental affinities that are F:6 grade without the host''s body suffering any backlash or damage} stated the system.


    {Since the host has a unique constitution, the host is able to transform his energy into any of the different elemental affinities that the host is using. This is unique to the host as usually a cultivator would have to restart their Internal Cultivation after gaining an elemental affinity, as they would want to store energy of that element and cultivate using it} informed him the system.


    [What would happen if I bought an elemental affinity that surpassed the level of my Dungeon Form?] asked Adam who had his eyes on higher grade elemental affinites.


    {Depending on what elemental affinity, its grade and the situation, the host could suffer backlash that could merely cause a small amount of internal damage, or could destroy the host''s cultivation and kill the host} stated the system.


    With that, Adam realised that although the system gave him many advantages with his unique constitution that was somehow linked to his Dungeon Form that could be upgraded, it also had some limitations.

 Chapter 168: Reaching Staten Island

    Angela had an elemental affinity that was greatly higher than her cultivation level could handle, but since her talent matched it, her body was balanced and regulated the power until she was strong enough to fully use it.


    However, for Adam, he couldn''t upgrade his Dungeon Form, which represented his talent, past the floor of the dungeon he was on and so wouldn''t be able to gain an elemental affinity past the floor of the dungeon he was on.


    [It seems that once again the only solution is to hunt in the dungeon] thought Adam to himself as he sat on the sofa-like chair in the back of the van with his legs crossed and his eyes closed.


    Angela could only use the elemental affinity according to her current cultivation level and wouldn''t be able to use its full power without suffering backlash, but she could still do so in a life or death situation.


    The higher one''s elemental affinity, the more energy of the element they can wield and absorb at once, meaning they could unleash more power using it.


    Although one needed to be an Internal Cultivator to use their elemental affinity and most other things to do with cultivation, it could also be used to temper the individual''s body externally.


    For example, the reason why Wayde was so feared was because he had an explosively powerful body that was stronger than most at the same External Cultivation Level as he had used his Fire Elemental Affinity to enhance his physical body, while all his Internal Energy was also of the Fire Element.


    Adam used the Ethereal Recovery Skill to relax his mind and his body for an hour, then opened his eyes to see that Angela was also cultivating.


    Adam hadn''t expended much energy against the triad members and didn''t even use any of his skills or the Unique Collector Skill, so still had the potential to defeat even stronger opponents.


    To Angela, Adam''s Ethereal Recovery Skill seemed to be some sort of cultivation method where he absorbed attributeless energy and circulated it around his body, and she wasn''t perceptive or skilled enough to see that it was merely a recovery technique.


    But Adam assumed that would be the case and used it to make her think that he was cultivating like he said he would, and after an hour, thought that it was enough to prove that he cultivated normally and that he was actually cultivating.


    There was an unusual aura around Angela as she cultivated, but Adam assumed that it was her using her elemental affinity to cultivate and absorb water elemental energy that was omnipresent in the air.


    It rains quite a lot in New York depending on the time of year, but there were still more suitable places for Angela to cultivate and Adam couldn''t help but wonder whether she could breathe underwater and what else her water elemental affinity was capable of.


    "Stop staring at me while I am cultivating, it''s making it hard to focus," said Angela as she opened her eyes.


    "Sorry, I was just amazed by your elemental affinity" apologised Adam, feeding her ego.


    "You cultivated for exactly an hour, was that enough for you to prepare your body and mind just like you said you would?" asked Angela, who was beginning to realise how Adam was and acted.


    She tried to no longer be offended or affected by what Adam said, and was more interested in finding out more about him, despite him appearing very plain.


    "Yes, it was. Why was it not enough for you?" teased Adam.


    She was trying to find out more about him, but Adam always took control of their conversations. Even when Angela thought she was dominating him and was in control, Adam was merely making her think that while he gathered more information from her.


    "So, what was that method that you were cultivating?" asked Adam shamelessly.


    Most wouldn''t reveal anything about their cultivation method, skills and techniques, to their family members let alone an outsider, but Adam still asked, not having anything to lose by asking.


    "That is something that is confidential, but why don''t you tell me what method you are cultivating" replied Angela, bounincg his question back to him.


    Adam could see that she was clearly becoming less naive and beginning to watch what she said, but that was something that everyone had and Angela was merely behind previously because of her sheltered upbringing.


    "An ordinary method that I stole from some small gang. It is quite low quality and inefficient, but it is better than nothing" answered Adam.


    She was surprised by his answer, but if he was able to take down 7 opponents that had a higher cultivation level, Angela knew that what he said was very unlikely to be true.


    But at the same time, it was unlikely that he had a high-quality method and if he was skilled enough, he should have still been able to take them out without having superior methods and skills.


    Adam and Angela were looking into each other''s eyes trying to gauge more about each other, but Angela wasn''t able to read anything from his dull red eyes. Adam was amused by Angela trying to read his eyes, while Angela was trying her hardest to find out anything.


    "Can you breathe underwater?" asked Adam.


    If that was something that the Water Elemental Affinity allowed her to do, Adam would definitely consider it as one of the first elemental affinities that he would buy, especially since he might have to hunt in a marshland or marine environment in the future.


    "No, but I can form an air bubble around my head by controlling the water around my head" answered Angela, who didn''t think that it was a secret.


    Adam continued asking her questions about her elemental affinity, while she tried to do the same, but Adam would always deflect her questions.


    "We will be reaching Staten Island soon" notified them Wayde.

 Chapter 169: Arming Up Part 1

    With them nearly reaching Staten Island, it wasn''t the time for them to be asking each other questions and they needed to prepare themselves.


    They had both cultivated for a while and were in their peak states both mentally and physically, as Angela brought over a large bag and placed it between herself and Adam who sat opposite to her.


    "Since we have reached Staten Island, we should arm ourselves and prepare ourselves for the worst outcome," said Angela.


    "Yes, I agree. What do you have in there to arm us with?" asked Adam curiously.


    The bag wasn''t big enough to hold any large bladed or automated weapons, but Angela seemed confident that whatever she had brought was enough to protect them and increase their power, which made Adam curious as to what Angela had brought with her.


    After being told about Illusion Stones, Adam had been opened up to infinite possibilities and didn''t put anything past Angela and the powerful and capable Maxwell Family that she was from.


    Opening the bag, the first thing that Adam saw was a few small blades and knives that seemed to be enhanced weapons that had enhancing effects on the wielder.


    Lifting up one of the blades, Adam could instantly feel the effect that it had on him and although he wasn''t sure exactly what rank it was, he estimated that it was of similar quality to the sabre that he had stolen at the Silver Moon Auction House.


    Adam wanted to confirm that estimated and tried out his Status Peering Feature on the dagger he was holding, just to test whether or not the Status Peering Feature worked on physical items.


    Since the Status Peering Feature had become independent from the system and owned by him, he could direct it in any direction that he pleased and used it on the dagger that he held.


    To his surprise, the Status Peering Feature actually worked and the information that it gave him about the dagger was slightly more detailed than what he would see about weapons in his inventory.


    C- Rank Mortal Weapon: Maxwell Family Dagger


    Background of the Weapon: A weapon that is mass-produced by the Maxwell Family and is the standard issue of their family members. Quite easily and quickly forged, along with other C- Rank Mortal Weapons.


    Effects:


    +2 in strength


    +5 in speed


    Looking at the background information of the weapon, it stated that they were easily forged by the Maxwell Family, which made him feel like the risk that he took to steal Angelo''s Sabre might not have been worth it.


    But Adam had no regrets and at the time he felt like it was worth it and was also an event that shaped who he was at that moment.


    "What rank is this weapon?" asked Adam, who wanted to see whether the ranking system that was used by them was the same as the one that the system used.


    "They are all C- Rank Mortal Weapons and you can easily get loads of these weapons at the Maxwell Family and other large cultivation families. It is the rank of weapons that is most suitable to mass-produce as they are relatively powerful, while aren''t too difficult to produce" answered Angela.


    With that, Adam didn''t wait for Angela to hand out the weapons that were there and Adam took two daggers and a knife before Angela could say anything.


    He tucked the two daggers on each side of his pants, and the knife at the back, then covered them all with the hoody that he was wearing that was loose and concealed the weapons well.


    Angela just laughed at Adam''s shamelessness and also took a knife that she placed in a small scabbard that she had wrapped around her leg, that was covered by her dress.


    The scabbard was wrapped quite high up her leg and to put the knife there, she had to reveal most of her leg and Adam couldn''t help but be affected by that slightly and praise her flawless skin and beauty.


    However, he was still calm as he looked at the rest of what was in the bag in confusion, unsure of what most of it was.


    "What are the rest of these?" asked Adam pointing at everything else in the bag.


    "Well, there are some Illusion Stones and some other charms that we might need in battle. Since we are going to another families territory, we must be prepared" answered Angela, who was clearly maturing.


    "Does Wayde need this weapon?" asked Adam, seeing that there was only one knife left in the bag.


    Angela shook her head and as soon as she did so, Adam grabbed it.


    Since there was one knife left, and Wayde didn''t need it as he preferred to fight barehanded, Adam without thinking about it, took the knife and tucked it beside the other knife that he had, carrying 4 weapons at once.


    However, after placing it beside the other knife, even though Adam was shameless and wanted to benefit as much as he could, he knew that it would restrict his movement and was uncomfortable, so he placed it in his inventory.


    The three weapons he was carrying was more than enough, so he placed the knife in his inventory beside the sabre and was more interested in what else they had to arm themselves with.


    Angela and Wayde didn''t seem to care about the weapons that were standard issue in the Maxwell Family and easy to come by, and Angela was amused by Adam''s shameless nature.


    "What are charms?" asked Adam.


    "Charms are very similar to the Illusion Stones in the way that they are stones with runes imprinted on them, but they have different functions. There are protective charms that form a barrier around the activator and enhancing charms that enhance the body of the user and they all use Internal Energy to activate" answered Angela as she began to take out all the Illusion Stones and Charms that were in the bag.

 Chapter 170: Arming Up Part 2

    "Here are 5 Illusion Stones and each of them have a range of 100 metres and can last for 10 minutes depending on the amount of Internal Energy that you provide them. You can hold them in this pouch that is specially designed for cultivators" said Angela.


    Angela handed to Adam a small pouch to carry the charms and Illusion Stones in and it was a tight fit around his body and very tightly closed, making it perfect for him to carry around with him, even during a battle.


    The Maxwell Family and all the other large cultivation families not only had the advantage over other cultivators in terms of wealth, power and knowledge, but they were also extremely well equipped, making it easy for them to face opponents that had a higher cultivation level.


    "The pouch is very durable and can take quite a lot of impact, and also had a large storage space than you think" stated Angela as Adam put on the pouch and placed within it the 5 Illusion Stones.


    It seemed like a plain and ordinary black pouch, but Adam could see that it was very well made and designed, while it was also just like she had said and the inside was bigger than he thought it was.


    "I don''t really know how it is like that either, but I think it must be due to the material or some sort of rune, but the pouch can hold double what somebody would assume that the small pouch would be able to hold" informed him Angela, seeing that Adam was amazed by it.


    "There is also other stuff to arm yourself with. Here are 5 strength charm, 5 speed charms, 5 armament charms and 5 protective charms," said Angela as she handed over to him 20 stones that had different rune imprints on them.


    Adam memorised how they looked with a single glance, but he knew that even if he knew how they looked, he would have no chance in forming them himself as it wasn''t as easy as marking a stone.


    All of the charms required Internal Energy to use them as it was the fuel that the rune needed to carry out its function, however, all the charms that she gave him could only physically enhance the activator.


    The strength charm for the strength stat, the speed charm for the speed stat, the armament charm for the resistance stat and the protective charm would form something similar to the Energy Sleeve Technique, from what Adam had gathered from what Angela had told him.


    "How long do these charms last and how strong are there enhancements?" asked Adam as he put the charms that were the same size and shape as the Illusion Stones into the pouch that Angela had given him.


    "Well, they last for at most 10 minutes, depending on the amount of energy that you provide them. While the enhancement that it gives is around 1 times the power of an average human" answered Angela.


    Hearing her answer, Adam was pleasantly surprised.


    Each of the charms would enhance a specific stat by 10 points, which was an incredible amount. If they were used by an ordinary person that wasn''t a cultivator, they would be able to double their stats.


    "However don''t start having wild ideas. Your body will be able to barely handle one of the enhancements and it is not recommended to use more than one. These are powerful and valuable charms that should only be used if you are backed into a corner and have no choice. If you use more than one at once and more than your body can handle, your body will suffer severe backlash and you might even destroy your cultivation" warned Angela sternly.


    "Just like a steroid, although it has incredible effects, it also can cause backlash and side effects. If an ordinary person were to use it, they would probably die afterwards and wouldn''t be able to activate it without Internal Energy anyway" added Angela.


    "Yes I know that, I will be careful," said Adam, seeing how serious Angela was about her warning.


    Adam was glad that cultivators also measured power using the power expected from an ordinary human, which he could equate to 10 system points and found that the system''s ranking and grading system was either identical or very similar to that of the cultivators that he had come across so far.


    After seeing that everything else in the bag that Angela had with her, was just other charms and Illusion Stones that were the same as the ones that Angela had given to him, Adam assumed that there was nothing else that she was going to give to him.


    However, he was by no means complaining or being ungrateful and was happy with everything that she had informed him of and given him.


    "Thanks for all the charms and Illusion Stones, but where should we go to first?" asked Adam, seeing that they had finished arming themselves.


    "What do you mean, where should we go first? Isn''t that what we are meant to ask you since this was your idea?" refuted Angela.


    "Um, well, I guess we should go to the Epstein Family Headquarters," said Adam, realising that she was right about him suggesting the idea of going to the Epstein Family in the first place.


    "Are you crazy, stupid or both? Do you really think you can just walk into the Headquarters of the Epstein Family and talk to their family head?" retorted Angela.


    "We are entering territory that isn''t my family''s and we know nothing about it. The information that is publically known doesn''t even tell us anything about the Epstein Family itself and they are very secretive and secure. It is very unlikely they will let us into their headquarters even if I revealed who I was. Even if they did let us in, they definitely won''t allow us to have a meeting with the family head" said Angela.


    "The family head is said to be young and extremely intelligent, but nobody outside the family has seen the family head and even within the family, only those in high positions get to talk directly to the family head" continued Angela.


    Adam knew that everything she said was right and that his idea despite solving all of the Maxwell Family''s issues was easier said than done.

 Chapter 171: Disguising Illusion Stones Part 1

    "If we tried to forcefully break into the Epstein Family Headquarters and force the family head to have a meeting with us, even with Wayde''s power, we would have no chance of even getting close to the family head. Wayde is one of the strongest cultivators in New York, but even with his power, we are still massively outnumbered and we are not prepared for a large-scale battle" stated Angela.


    "Not only do they outnumber us, the Epstein Family most likely have powerful cultivators hidden within their family and might have even managed to surpass the Advanced Cultivation Level" said Angela.


    Adam was quite sure that nobody had surpassed the Advanced Cultivation Level in New York as the system had told him differently previously, but it was still possible that somebody managed to do so recently or was able to hide from the system''s detection.


    "They are also the most developed in terms of weaponry, arrays, runes and pills, while they also have adopted modern technology into their equipment. It is known that they are the most private and hidden family that none of the other large cultivation families dare to offend, since they are the biggest producers of most cultivation items. However, they also feared because of their power and they are most likely secretly more powerful than the Lin Family" added Angela.


    "Yes I know that everything you said is true, but that doesn''t mean we should give up. Nothing is impossible and since the Family Head is young and intelligent, we should be able to negotiate with them. We should spend the first day monitoring their movements and trying to find any way to get a meeting with the family head" decided Adam.


    "There are so many unknowns with the Epstein Family, however, one thing is for certain, we must try our best not to engage in direct battle with them. Otherwise not only we will be killed, but your entire family might be destroyed by them before the Lin Family even get the chance to do so" said Adam.


    "So we are in agreement, we will scout out the area first and see how everything is before making a move and we won''t resort to force unless we have no other options" summarised Angela while she also equipped herself with a pouch that she fumed with charms and Illusion Stones.


    "Damian and others that have heard of or plan and disagree with it will probably try to get in or way. It is already a hard enough task without them getting in our way, but failure is not an option for me" said Angela who was determined to do something for the first time in her life.


    The family that had raised her and held her lineage was on the verge of destruction and by completing her task, not only would she save it, but she would also massively improve it while guaranteeing her position as the next family head.


    Although Adam didn''t have anything to lose directly, he wanted to make sure that there was no trouble near those that he cared about and that meant making sure that there wasn''t conflict in Brooklyn. If in the process he could gain a powerful ally, Adam was more than willing to help, as long as his identity was kept confidential.


    After they had reached Staten Island, Wayde parked the van that they took at the nearest car park on Staten Island, and left the van along with Angela and Adam.


    "We are ditching this van and should go the rest of the way on foot or get another vehicle so that we can''t be tracked" said Wayde and all of them were in agreement with his decision.


    "My appearance is quite distinct and draws in a lot of attention for obvious reasons, so I also need to change my appearance and try my best not to stand out," said Angela before they left the carpark that was empty.


    Although what she said had a hint of arrogance and she was gloating her beauty, she was being very reasonable and was saying that she would try and conceal her beauty, which impressed Adam who could see that she was developing.


    "I agree, you should try and conceal your identity until we are with the Epstein Family Head, but I also need to do so" stated Adam who knew that Damian and others would know his identity and recognise him if they saw him with Angela.


    "Ugh, I didn''t want to have to use these, especially on somebody like you, but I guess I have no choice," said Angela as she brought out the stones from her pouch that seemed to be a charm.


    However the charms that she brought out were different to that of the others that she had given Adam. The pattern was similar to that of the Illusion Stones but it was still different.


    Adam could guess that it somehow concealed their faces and solved their problem and that it had something to do with Illusions as the rune was similar to that of Illusion Stones, but he wasn''t completely sure.


    "We can all use one of these, but they only last for 24 hours and I don''t have any more as they are very expensive," said Angela as she handed two of the three stones that she had, one to Wayde and the other to Adam.


    "This are Disguising Illusion Stones that can alter your appearance how you please, however they are very expensive and hard to produce. The Epstein Family that produce them will probably be able to easily see through the disguise, but for others that might try to get in out way, it might not be as easy" informed him Angela, assuming that Adam didn''t know what it was just like he didn''t know about most other things to do with cultivation.


    "How do they work?" asked Adam curiously, interested by the concept and capability of the Disguising Illusion Stones.

 Chapter 172: Disguising Illusion Stones Part 2

    "The way they work is very simple. They must be in direct contact with you at all times otherwise the illusion will be broken, and as long as it is provided with a constant stream of Internal Energy they can form an illusion that alters your appearance" answered Angela.


    "While activating the Disguising Illusion Stone you need to create an image of what you want your appearance to change into and it doesn''t use much Internal Energy, but to sustain it for 24 hours will be very tiring, so let''s not stay in the open for too long after activating the Disguising Illusion Stones," said Angela.


    "I must warn you that an Advanced Cultivator that is an Internal Cultivator will be able to see through the disguises and an Advanced Cultivators that is an External Cultivator with their sharp senses and instincts will probably be able to do the same. You must also refrain from physical contact as although it appears to others that you are one way, it is merely an illusion so do not alter your shape too much" warned Angela.


    "Each of these stones will last for 24 hours, so we should only use it for 8 hours at most each of these 3 days, if we are planning to use the entirety of these 3 days to complete our task" stated Angela.


    Adam with the stone in his hand was excited to use it and see what it was like as he streamed Internal Energy into it without delay.


    Just like Angela had instructed, Adam created an image within his mind of what he wanted his appearance to appear like to others through the illusion that would be created.


    He couldn''t alter his shape too much, but she didn''t say there was a problem with changing his face a lot as nobody would be touching his face anyway. Adam was unsure what he wanted, but the first thing that came to mind was him with a crooked nose, a beard and bushy eyebrows.


    He knew that wouldn''t match his muscular, young and lean body, so gave him a small belly and made his arms very hairy.


    The image that he had made within his mind of a man matched with the Internal Energy that he was streaming into the Disguising Illusion Stone formed an Illusion around Adam''s body that completely changed his appearance.


    He had also made the man he had pictured have brown eyes and it made him looked like an unkempt middle-aged man that was very hairy and had a beer belly.


    Wayde didn''t react as although he sensed that Adam had formed an Illusion around him, his perceptivity and high cultivation level made it so that he saw straight through the Illusion immediately.


    However, Angela was shocked then burst out into laughter after seeing what Adam had made others think he looked like.


    "This isn''t a disguise, you completely changed what you look like," said Angela while laughing.


    However, within a few seconds, she also saw Adam as she already knew that it was an illusion, she knew how he looked like before, and was also very perceptive with a high intelligence stat.


    "Did the Illusion fail?" asked Adam seeing that her reaction had subsided and she was looking at him how she normally would.


    "No, the Disguising Illusion Stone is relaying to those around you that you look in the way that you want them to see you, but in pictures and your reflection will look ordainry. Since I know it was an illusion and am perceptive, I could see through it after a few seconds, while Wayde instantly saw through it subconsciously and didn''t even get to see your altered appearance" explained Angela.


    "These merely reduce the risk of being recognised or found, but nothing is foolproof and we still need to be careful despite changing our appearance" commented Wayde who had begun to speak more after spending some time with Adam who was quite friendly with him and encouraged him to speak more.


    "I will also change my appearance, despite not many people knowing of my face, just to be on the safe side" stated Wayde as he also used the Disguising Illusion Stone that Angela gave him.


    He changed his appearance in a similar way to Adam, despite not seeing what Adam had changed his appearance too, as it was the obvious thing to do.


    Wayde made it look like he had a beard, and altered his physique and facial features enough for him to be confident that nobody would recognise him.


    Either way, unless it was somebody from the Maxwell Family, it would be unlikely that anybody would recognise him or know he was as most of those that had come across him were dead.


    Adam was surprised by the instant change in Wayde and it was similar to his own, but he could sense that Wayde hadn''t physically changed.


    He could feel that it was merely the stone in Wayde''s hand, which was being fuelled by Wayde''s Internal Energy, that was relaying a signal to Adam''s mind and altering what he saw.


    It was an incredible thing to witness and after a few seconds, Wayde returned to how he was before and Adam could see that it was just like Angela had said.


    With his perceptive nature and the fact that he already knew that it was an illusion and how Wayde looked, it wasn''t difficult for him to see through the Illusion.


    Angela was the next to change her appearance, and her change in appearance wasn''t as drastic and negative as Wayde and Adam''s. However, it was very effective as after activating her Disguising Illusion Stone, she looked like quite an ordinary and pretty young girl.


    She suppressed how beautiful she was, especially how perfect her skin was, and also made her hair brown, but still kept it the same length.


    "Since we have all disguised ourselves, let''s leave," said Angela as they all left the car park.

 Chapter 173: Damians Pursuit Part 1

    In the same way as with Wayde, after a few seconds, Adam was able to see through Angela''s disguise illusion. Adam had underestimated how much focus and how draining and restricting it would be.


    He would need to constantly focus on providing the Disguising Illusion Stone with Internal Energy and although it was only a small amount, it would use a few IESP every hour, which over many hours would be quite draining.


    Not only would it weaken him and require his focus, but it also needed to keep constant contact with him.


    Adam was able to easily adapt and was confident that he would be able to sustain the disguise illusion for as long as he needed to, but when he looked at Wayde and Angela he felt slightly dishearted and they didn''t seem to be struggling in the slightest.


    Angela previously had long golden-blonde hair that was silky and let out. Matched with her endlessly blue eyes, perfect skin and alluring figure, she was overall a top-tier beauty.


    However, after changing her appearance by making her hair brown, changing her eye colour to brown and changing the pigment of her previously pale skin to one that was more tanned, she looked ordinary.


    [Her beauty and attractiveness must have something to do with her elemental affinity and she must have a very high charisma] thought Adam to himself seeing the change in her appearance.


    She was still pretty and didn''t have any flaws, but she didn''t have the same glow that she previously had, which made Adam desire to see her status even more.


    "Angela, do you have something that is blocking others from observing your cultivation level and power?" asked Adam directly.


    Adam was sure that she wouldn''t react badly to his question and since they had become friends and were mutually benefitting each other, she wouldn''t get angry. However, he still was unsure whether she would answer or not and whether him asking her would cause issues for their relationship.


    Angela and Wayde were both surprised by him being able to notice that as for one to even be able to attempt to observe her body''s power, they must at least be at the same cultivation level as her or higher.


    "Yes, you are correct. It is because of a high-level charm that is given to most members of the Maxwell Family. It makes it appear to others that I am not a cultivator and only mid-level Advanced Cultivators or above can see through it, and yet you have managed to realise that there was something blocking your spiritual sense" answered Angela who was surprised by Adam''s perceptivity.


    "Well, I just felt like there was something blocking me and I asked, it is nothing special," said Adam, changing the subject.


    Wayde had quite dark skin originally and was tall with very short hair and multiple scars on his face and hands, which were the only part of his body that Adam had seen. He didn''t have a beard and had dull black eyes, that matched with his size and presence were very intimidating.


    Since they had all changed their appearances, they were ready to leave and all headed out of the car park, leaving behind the van that they took to get there.


    "We should probably get some rooms in a hotel that is in the centre of Staten Island and begin our scouting from there. In the rooms, we can remove our disguises and since the Maxwell Family doesn''t know my face, if I move alone, Damian won''t be able to recognise me" suggested Adam.


    "Yes, I agree and we should probably split up. I will work with Wayde while you work alone to scout, then we share the information we gathered at the end of the day. After that, he can rest and prepare to act the next day" stated Angela as Wayde nodded his head in agreement.


    Adam knew that he would be much safer with Wayde and Angela and knew that Wayde would never leave her side, but he knew that it would be better for him to move alone.


    There would be fewer restrictions to his actions, he could use his abilities without fear of others finding out about it and most importantly, his identity was less likely to be found out.


    They called for a taxi and although together, the 3 of them looked slightly out of place and weird since they all seemed to be of different ages and very different to each other, it would be very hard to recognise them as who they actually were.


    Meanwhile, in a large penthouse in the centre of Brooklyn, Damian was sitting with Martha while shouting on the phone angrily.


    "What do you mean you lost them? You said that you followed them to a car dealership, what care did they take?" exclaimed Damian down the phone.


    He had sent 3 of his subordinates that although weren''t the most capable or powerful, had no direct connection to him and couldn''t be used to prove that he was the one tracking Angela.


    "Sir, we didn''t see as we didn''t want to get close, but we didn''t see any nice cars leave, so we are assuming that they are hiding there" answered the subordinate.


    "Damned idiots, they are obviously not going to take an expensive car that will make it easier to find them. They must have caught onto you guys pursuing them" scolded Damian furiously as he threw his phone across the room, shattering it and leaving a large dent in the wall.


    The amount of force needed to damage the wall with a fragile phone was unbelievable, which went to show just how powerful and capable Damian was.


    "Calm down, we will sort this out there is no need to worry" reassured him Martha, who although was also angry, knew that it was best for them to stay calm.


    "If I want something to get done properly, I will need to do it myself. Get ready, we are also going to leave for Staten Island" decided Damian, unwilling to allow Angela to gain the position of young family head.

 Chapter 174: Damians Pursuit Part 2

    Damian didn''t want it to be known that he had sabotaged Angela or got in her way, as that would tarnish his reputation and might ruin his chance of becoming the next family head. However, he knew that if he wanted something to be done, he needed to do it himself and was willing to risk it to stop Angela from stealing the position that he had worked towards his entire life.


    Even if he couldn''t stop Angela, Damian could still form the alliance with the Epstein Family before they could and knew that he couldn''t directly engage in combat with neither of them as Wayde would be able to easily defeat him, along with the Epstein Family.


    Martha didn''t say anything and did exactly as Damian instructed her to do, as she prepared herself and Damian with many charms, including disguising charms that would be very useful for them to conceal their identity.


    "We need to leave immediately, we have already given them a few hours ahead of us. We know that they armed themselves at the warehouse, then bought a car, so they have probably just about reached Staten Island" gathered Damian.


    "Yes, that is probably right. If we take a fast motorcycle, we will be able to skip traffic and catch up" suggested Martha as the two of them rushed in pursuit of Angela.


    Neither Angela, Adam or Damian knew how everything was going to turn out in Staten Island and were unsure if they even had a chance of forming an alliance with the Epstein Family as there wasn''t much information on them, but they were all only out for their own gain.


    If that meant that they needed to get in each other''s way, all three of them were prepared to do so, while Wayde and Martha were merely companions to their superior and sought to help them out, while also benefitting their reputation and future in the process.


    The two of them were easily able to prepare a motorcycle for themselves within minutes. It was one that was specially made by the Maxwell Family that had runes imprinted on it that protected the frame of the motorcycle and also made it lighter, allowing the motorcycle to move at faster speeds.


    Damian and Martha didn''t waste any time and drove at fast speeds towards Staten Island, not caring about speed limits or law enforcement that couldn''t do anything to them.


    While they drove at incredibly high speeds towards Staten Island from the centre of Brooklyn, weaving through the traffic easily with their amazing reflexes and perceptivity, Angela, Adam and Wayde were heading towards the centre of Staten Island.


    "Angela can you give me all the information you have on the Epstein Family," asked Adam, seeing that she had a bunch of documents in her hands.


    She handed them to him and Adam read through them to have a better idea of how the Epstein Family was, but the information was very vague and basic. It only gave him a bit more information about what they produced and where some of their known bases were situated, but it seemed as though nothing was known about their internal affairs.


    It was impossible for a large family, especially at the scale of the Epstein Family to not have any internal problems and the lack of any information or rumours about troubles was very suspicious.


    "What do you think?" asked Angela after Adam finished quickly reading through them.


    "There is definitely internal conflict in the Epstein Family, but only the higher-ups know about it. The rest of the family is working how it has been forever, but there is something that they are hiding which is probably their weakness and has something to do with their family head. Although this is all speculation, it is probably right" answered Adam who knew that when something looked too good to be true, there were most likely troubles that were being hidden under the carpet.


    "I was thinking the same thing, and although our Maxwell Family problems aren''t public, all the other large cultivation families have internal conflict, especially between the younger generation that are competing for resources" stated Angela.


    Despite them and most others being quite sure and curious about the Epstein Family''s internal conflict, no one has dared to investigate or reveal their curiosity, afraid of the consequences of doing so.


    The ride was quite a long one, but Angela and Adam both cultivated the entire time, or so it seemed from an outside perspective. However in reality Adam was merely using the Ethereal Recovery Skill to make it seem that he was cultivating while he gathered his thoughts and planned his next actions.


    His master had been the only one that had been able to clearly observe what his Ethereal Recovery Skill was, which went to show how profound his master''s origin and capability was, but Adam didn''t really mind if they did realise what it was.


    [For some reason I have a good and bad feeling about what is coming up. My instincts haven''t failed me and whenever I feel like there is a good opportunity, I go for it, which is how I am in my current position that is arguably the best position that I could be in. However, I feel like there is something that I am missing] thought Adam to himself.


    Everything he knew about the cultivation families in New York was clear and spread out in his mindscape as he gathered his thoughts, but he felt as though a puzzle piece was missing when it came to the Epstein Family.


    Adam felt that once he found that puzzle piece that was missing, he would be able to use it to form the alliance between the Epstein Family and the Maxwell Family while solving all his problems in the process.


    [I guess all I can do is wait and see what fate has in store for me] thought Adam who couldn''t figure out what the missing puzzle piece was, yet was still sure that he would come across it.

 Chapter 175: Surprising Revelation

    After reaching the centre of Staten Island, Anglea, Wayde and Adam headed to a hotel that they had found online. It was very expensive and luxurious, which was exactly what Angela wanted, but most importantly, it was in the centre of Staten Island and was a good base for them to scout from.


    After booking a suite that had 3 bedrooms for them all to stay in together, Angela, Wayde and Adam all got straight to work.


    They were all armed and had most of their belongings with them, while Adam had all of his belongings with him using his Inventory Feature that was incredibly useful.


    "I will be heading out now to scout the area and find out any information," said Adam was eager to get right into it and investigate the Epstein Family that had piqued his curiosity.


    "Okay be careful and call me or Wayde if you meet any troubles. Avoid battle or areas where you are likely to come across an Advanced Cultivator, while you should also be wary of Damian who is most likely pursuing us" warned Angela as she bid him farewell.


    After Adam left, Angela and Wayde left soon after and also knew that there wasn''t much they could do without personally investigating and scouting the Epstein Family as the Epstein Family had managed to keep most of their internal affairs private.


    Adam walked around the area, seemingly going for a stroll, but he was actually observing everything around him and looking for any clues that could lead him to the puzzle piece that he was looking for.


    He felt that it was something that was close to him and easy to find out, yet despite being close to the clue, he didn''t know where or what it was that his instincts were telling him had something to do with the Epstein Family.


    It was starting to get late and after scouting the area for a few hours, Angela, who was with Wayde, and Adam returned to their hotel suite. In that time Damian had also arrived at Staten Island and was also staying in a luxurious hotel, also planning to search for information while also planning to get in Angela''s way.


    "Did you find out anything?" asked Angela as she reunited with Adam in their suite.


    "Not much and since it was getting late there were fewer and fewer people outside, so I decided to return before my disguise was seen through. However, there was one piece of information that I stumbled upon" answered Adam.


    At the start of his answer, Angela was slightly disappointed as she was beginning to doubt whether or not it would be possible to form an alliance with the Epstein Family, especially in the position that the Maxwell Family was in.


    Angela and Wayde didn''t find out anything that they didn''t know already and hadn''t managed to get into any of the Epstein Family buildings, but after hearing that Adam had stumbled upon some information, her face lit up.


    "What did you find?" asked Angela who was clearly placing her hopes on Adam, who although was much weaker than Wayde and herself, weirdly seemed very capable.


    "Well since my disguise is one that makes me look quite unkempt, I pretended to be homeless and sat in an alleyway that was large and close to a nightclub, which was a likely place to find gang members. I knew that the Epstein Family didn''t involve themselves in criminal organisations and tried to stay clean and independent, I was just trying my luck and it turned out I was lucky" said Adam with a slight smile.


    He was dragging out his story to annoy Angela who was clearly curious and excited to find out what he heard about, and even Wayde was beginning to get annoyed.


    "Spit it out already" urged Angela as Adam chuckled at her eager nature.


    "Alright calm down, let me finish my story. There was a drunk man and in his hand, he held something that seemed to be an Illusion Stone, so I assumed he was a cultivator, so I followed him from a distance. He walked around the areas that were just outside the areas that belonged to the Epstein Family aimlessly and it seemed as though it was a lost cause until he got into a brawl" described Adam.


    "3 men tried to steal from the man who was wearing quite nice clothing and an expensive watch, but I was surprised to see that he was quite skilled and despite being very drunk was able to strike all three of them down. He didn''t seem to be an Advanced Cultivator and had been drinking large amounts, so I assumed there was something weighing on his mind" continued Adam.


    "After that, I approached him and asked him what was the matter and surprisingly it was that easy. He began babbling about how his wife had passed away and other things, but then he mentioned that one of his affiliates were a candidate for the young Epstein Family head and that the great elder of the Epstein Family wanted his own son to be the next family and was obstructing him and his son" revealed Adam.


    Adam''s revelation was bigger than they had thought it would be and not only disproved that the Epstein Family had a young family head, but also revealed the Epstein Family''s internal conflict.


    However, to Adam, it was deeper than that and was closer to home than he had expected it would be. The missing puzzle piece that he had been seeking surprisingly had something to do with Cole and the man that he followed was actually Cole''s father.


    After spotting him extremely drunk Adam watched him from a distance, but since he had become a cultivator he could sense that was something that was weird about him, which made him think that he was a cultivator.


    Everything else was history, but there were some things that Adam didn''t reveal to Angela and Wayde.

 Chapter 176: Williams Life Story Part 1

    Cole''s father also known as William Summers lived an ordinary life and was never involved in the world of cultivation. He grew up in Staten Island and when he was very young was in love with a girl in his class, and secretly the girl felt the same about him.


    Coincidentally they were always in the same classes and schools, and when William was in high school he mustered enough courage to confess to the girl. After he did so, she also confessed that she felt the same way and they began seeing each other and dating from that moment onwards.


    However, in the last year of high school the girl he was in love with, revealed something to him that was very hard for him to believe.


    The girl that he was in love with was actually the daughter of the previous Epstein Family head and she was next in line to become the family head despite having an older brother. The way the Epstein Family chose family heads was different to all the other cultivation families.


    It was done similar to how the royal family would pass on the throne and would be the descendant of the previous family head that had the purest Epstein Family Bloodline and highest talent grade.


    This distinguished those closely related to the family head and the rest of the family and made a clear hierarchy, which was why she was so used to be treated as royalty by everybody in her family.


    But William treated her well, but also treated her normally and liked her for who she was without actually knowing about the wealth and power of her family and the position that she was going to inherit.


    She had made a deal with her father that she wouldn''t have to cultivate seriously or deal with anything to do with the family until she was 18 and on the last year of high school, she needed to tell William everything before she didn''t have the chance to do so.


    William at first found it hard to believe everything that she told him, but after she showed him her elemental affinity, he was amazed and obviously believed her after witnessing it with his own eyes.


    She told him that she had to return to her family, inherit the position as family head and cultivate diligently so that she could keep the power and influence that she had, but that meant that she couldn''t see him again.


    The only way they could be together was if he became a powerful cultivator or they would have to wait until she had complete control of the family so that she could do as she pleased.


    William had never had an easy life and was good at studying and even from a young age was always working multiple side-hustles to contribute to his family and be able to treat himself and the girl that he loved.


    Everything was going just like he had dreamed, but after what she revealed to him, his world came crashing down and everything that he had worked towards and hoped for seemed to be out of reach.


    "There is no need to worry William. If we were meant to be together it will work out." was the last thing that the love of his life told him before leaving.


    She had always chosen to stay near him as she enjoyed being together with him, but if neither of them had enough power to do as they pleased, it was almost impossible for them to publically be together.


    Just as William thought there was no hope for him to be together with her and was about to give up, he found a book under his pillow that she had left for him before leaving.


    Opening up the book, it showed him different movements and training methods to cultivate externally and different breathing techniques and methods to cultivate internally.


    She had never tested his talent grade before, but from a young age she had been drawn to him and although his personality was amazing and his looks quite good, she felt that it was something else that was drawing them to each other.


    With that, William secluded himself and climbed his way up in the world using the incredible method that she gave him which was enough for him to cultivate both externally and internally to the Advanced Level.


    William was very fast at cultivating and also very perceptive and skilled at battle and soon made a name for himself in Staten Island having conquered multiple gangs and formed many businesses that were making him loads of money.


    After he became 25 and had become an Advanced Cultivator both externally and externally and also managed to make a name for himself, William was finally ready to face the one that he loved.


    His progress was rapid and it was all because of his single desire to be with her and she had heard of his progress and everything that he had accomplished and every time would feel a warmth in her heart.


    Since the Epstein Family would always keep the family head secret and their identity confidential, he was denied the chance to speak with her, but she ordered the family guards to let him see her.


    After she had become the family head, her older brother, who was less talented than her at cultivation and also had a less pure bloodline, became the great elder of the Epstein Family and also her advisor.


    Becuase of that he was the only one present when she met with William and upon seeing each other, the family head that was usually calm and authoritative embraced the man and hugged him passionately after not being able to see him for 7 years.


    "You actually managed to do it," she said as tears of joy streamed down her face.


    "Of course, I would do anything for you and this is only the beginning"


    It was a heartwarming reunion but the great elder and her brother watched furiously from the side.

 Chapter 177: Williams Life Story Part 2

    The way that the Epstein Family would test for the next family head was by testing one''s bloodline, talent grading and elemental affinity all at once using a special crystal that the ancestor of the family had left behind. He also left behind all his research on runes, pill-making, arrays and weapons and was the one that gained the most from the destruction of Elizabeth''s family.


    With all of that research and knowledge that was left behind, the Epstein Family continued to develop as the most knowledgable family and was the family that Elizabeth hated the most because of it.


    It wasn''t a rule that only the descendants of the family head could use test themselves using the special crystal, but every time somebody tried, they would always be below that of the family head''s descendants so it became an unwritten rule to do so.


    The ancestor of the family had an E:1 graded talent and elemental affinity of the wind element, and all the other ancestors of the large cultivation families of New York had an E:1 graded talent.


    William''s love had an E:2 graded talent and wind elemental affinity, and because of it, she was treated exceptionally well and even her father stepped down to allow her to take the position of family head after she became 18.


    All meanwhile her older brother, who was also talented and capable but just slightly less, watched from the side. He felt abandoned, mistreated and was full of envy and jealousy towards his sister.


    He had already been planning to take down his sister while he still had an advantage over her in terms of cultivation since he was older than her and she began cultivating late, but their father was very protective over her and he never found the chance to get rid of her.


    But now that a man was in the mix, if he was to have children with her, since he clearly was talented and capable in terms of cultivation, it was inevitable that they would become the family head and he would be left out once again.


    He wanted to take the position of family head and make sure that only his children had the chance to gain the position so that he always retained ultimate power over the Epstein Family until he died.


    His jealousy and envy lead him to have a twisted personality and he even desired to take over the entirety of New York using the Epstein Family''s power, resources and knowledge. He didn''t care about anybody else''s life or safety and would only act to benefit himself.


    Seeing the talented man that William was and how deeply in love his daughter was with him, the previous family head permitted their relationship while the great elder didn''t have a say in the matter.


    All the criminal organisations that William and taken over and grouped together were disbanded since the Epstein Family didn''t like to get involved with them and would prefer to stay independent and grow the power of their own family''s power, and everything was great once again for William and his partner.


    Every time the great elder would see how happy they were, he would become even more jealous and furious to the point that he wanted to attack them and kill them to satisfy his jealousy, however they were both rapidly progressing.


    At the rate they were improving along with the previous family head behind them and permitting their relationship, the great elder couldn''t see any way to get rid of them.


    With his mindset in the twisted way that it was and all the hate and jealousy that he held in his heart, his cultivation wasn''t progressing and he couldn''t find any way for him to be able to get rid of them.


    When he thought that there was no way for him to become the family head, a mysterious organisation reached out to him and offered to give him a solution to getting rid of them, but he would have to serve them after becoming family head or one of his children became family head.


    Blinded by hate and ambition, he agreed and they gave him the perfect solution that would solve his problem without risking his life in a direct fight or his reputation, as there would be no way for them to know that it was him.


    They gave him an odourless poison that once fed to an individual would slowly damage them internally and eat away at their internal cultivation, but the effects of the poison wouldn''t be obvious until after 10 years, but by then it would be too late to attempt to dispel it.


    It was the perfect solution as with the knowledge of the Epstein Family they would probably be able to dispel it if it was a normal poison, but if it was a slow-acting one that was undetectable, by the time they realised they were poisoned, it would be too late.


    Although he had to submit and lower his head for 10 years, the great elder always had an evil smile on his face and knew that it was only a matter of time before he could finally get everything that he wanted.


    The great elder was patient and careful and didn''t act until after 10 years, and after that time he had multiple children with multiple different women, while William and the family head had a 5-year-old son.


    The family head who was dealing with both old age and the poison that his son had fed him a decade before was being hit the worse and was dying, while William and his partner''s cultivation was beginning to regress and there had both realised that they were poisoned.


    "William you need to get out of here and take Cole with you. It is only a matter of time before my brother comes to finish us off after poisoning us" said the family head who knew that it was too late to counter the poison.

 Chapter 178: Coles Emotional Pain

    "William you need to get out of here and take Cole with you. It is only a matter of time before my brother comes to finish us off after poisoning us" said the family head who knew that it was too late to counter the poison.


    "No you should go, Cole needs his mother and I can fight off the great elder with your father while you escape" refused William.


    "He only wants to get rid of me and Cole as he wants the position of family head and he won''t publically pursue you to keep his reputation so you must be the one to leave" she urged with tears in her eyes.


    She could feel her body declining and she knew that her cultivation would eventually be destroyed, but unlike most other cultivators, she didn''t care about her cultivation and the safety of those that she cared about was more important.


    "Son, you should go. This is a Epstein Family matter and will be solved by the Epstein Family but you must promise me that the family head position will be inherited by that boy" stated the family head, who had accepted William and knew that his own death was inevitable.


    "You must also promise me that just like myself, Cole must be given the freedom that every child deserves and you mustn''t get him involved in or reveal anything about me or cultivation until he is 18 and is ready for it" stated his partner who also knew that the only way for her husband and son to be safe was for her to sacrifice her life.


    William with tears streaming down his face vowed to fulfil both their promises and with his reputation and connections was able to get himself out of the country for a year while everything settled down.


    He couldn''t help but curse his weakness and his bad luck. It was as if every time he got everything that he wanted, it would all come crashing down.


    After a year, he returned to New York with a new identity for himself and his son and had also grown a short beard and put on a lot of weight, making him look completely different, while Cole didn''t really understand what was going on.


    Cole always asked his father about where his mother was, but his father would always avoid the question and make sure that Cole had a good time and never had to worry about anything.


    Cole lived happily that year, but every day he felt lonely and empty despite having his father as he felt that he was missing his mother''s warmth. William made sure to completely suppress his cultivation talent and ability to cultivate using a special rune that he had gotten imprinted directly onto Cole''s chest.


    Cole had come to believe that it was a tattoo or birthmark of some sort and as he got older, all of the past memories became hazy and he overcame the absence of his mother with the presence of Adam, Emma, Sarah and Adam''s aunt.


    Adam became the brother that he never had and provided him with the warmth that he was looking for, while Cole also protected Adam who was quite frail and scrawny and Emma and Sarah joined their friendship group along the way.


    He was always happy in Brooklyn and knew that although his father was always busy and absent, he cared for him dearly and just found it hard to face him after the death of his partner.


    Cole looked like his mother a lot and every time he looked at her, William couldn''t help but feel guilty and hate himself for everything that happened and along with that, his cultivation continued to decline.


    However, he stayed strong and was constantly keeping tabs on the Epstein Family and leaving traces of himself and his son around the world, so that the great elder would have no chance of finding him.


    He hid in plain sight close to his enemy and had a few small businesses, but made sure not to catch the attention of anybody and made sure that his son was always provided for, but ignorant and distant from him.


    He knew that Cole might not understand in his younger ages, but he was doing everything in preparation for Cole''s 18th birthday where he would reveal everything to Cole and hope that he understood the reasons behind his actions.


    After Adam disappeared for 2 years, it was some of the worst times of Cole''s life who felt abandoned without his mother and his father''s presence and soon after that Sarah also couldn''t spend much time with them because of her own issues.


    However, in that time, he found Emma who grew closer to him and their relationship blossomed from that, while he kept strong and positive as he continued on with his life despite feeling as though everybody around him would either die, leave or keep their distance from him.


    Despite him always joking and seeming happy, inside he felt hollow and everyone always thought that because he was more wealthy than the average person because of his father''s money, he was happy.


    However that wasn''t the case and the money just made him feel more empty and he didn''t have anything to work towards or work for and until his 18th birthday, he didn''t have a purpose.


    It was known that the one that was in the most emotional pain and was the most depressed was the one that would try to act the happiest and always laugh, and the only person that stuck with him was Emma.


    Emma knew that he was going through a lot, but Cole was also somebody that had supported her a lot when she was low, so it was only right that she tried her best to support him and in the process fell for him.


    The emotional pain began to ease over time and it conditioned Cole to the harsh reality of life, but that all changed on his 18th birthday where his father opened up his eyes to the truth and revealed everything to him.

 Chapter 179: Mothers Final Message

    On Cole''s 18th birthday, which he wanted to spend with Emma who was the closest person in his life and was always with him at the time, but his father said it was urgent and he went to see him after Emma agreed that he should.


    After he turned 16 he saw his father less and less as he had become able to look after himself and after his father bought him a penthouse in one of the Maxwell Family buildings, which he intentionally did so that the Epstein Family were less likely to find him.


    He met his father in a worn-down warehouse on the edge of New York that was secluded and empty, which confused Cole, but he still went in to see his father.


    His father was sat in the centre of the warehouse and beside him was an empty chair that Cole sat in and although he was unsure about what was going on, his father had tears in his eyes and was clearly serious and emotional.


    Not wanting to be insensitive despite it being his birthday, Cole sat beside his father quietly, waiting for his father to speak and tell him what he had to say.


    "Son I made two vows that both involved you and I am willing to sacrifice my life and everything else in the world to complete my vows and this is the first one" stated William.


    Cole at the time was still confused by what was going on and had moved on from asking about his mother and had forgotten about the time that he had spent at the Epstein Family as a child.


    "What do you mean this is the first one? And what were the two vows?" asked Cole who was completely baffled at the time.


    William began explaining to Cole the reason behind him distancing himself from him, his vows and told him about everything that he experienced in his life. He then went on to tell him about his mother and the Epstein Family, which overwhelmed Cole who was suddenly bombarded with a large amount of unbelievable information.


    Cole didn''t know how to react to everything that his father just told him and he was finding it hard to believe that it was true, but it didn''t seem that his father was joking and he had some vague memories from being a child at the Epstein Family and his mother.


    However, after 13 years all the memories were vague and hazy so Cole was still not completely sure and was completely overwhelmed by the sudden revelation. He had always wanted to know the truth about his mother and why his father was distant, but he had moved on from it and his father suddenly telling him everything made him believe that the vows that he told him about were real.


    "I know you will find this all hard to believe, but it is all true and I can finally pass on the burden that I have been holding for the past 13 years to you. Your mother wanted to leave you a message before I had to escape with you and here it is" said William as he withdrew a charm from his pocket.


    It was a recording charm that would record what an individual saw using their internal energy and a rune to do so, then it could be replayed to another.


    "Relax your mind and allow the recording of what I saw to be relayed to your mind" instructed William.


    Cole still didn''t completely believe in cultivation and didn''t really understand what his father meant by that, but he knew that his father wouldn''t harm him and tried to relax his mind like his father instructed.


    Since Cole didn''t have internal energy to activate the charm himself, William, his father, used his own internal energy to activate the charm and placed it on Cole''s forehead.


    Cole suddenly felt something streaming into his mind and he felt as though he could resist it, but allowed it to enter his mind as he relaxed and did as his father said.


    After a few seconds, he suddenly felt as though he was in someone else''s body everything that the body was seeing. Although he couldn''t physically feel anything it was easy to tell that it wasn''t his own perspective from the fact that he felt slightly shorter and in a place that he didn''t recognise, which matched what his father told him would be played in his mind.


    "William have you started recording" asked a woman that stood before him.


    Cole couldn''t help but recognise her as his mother, as although the image of her in his mind was hazy after not seeing her for 13 years, he could still recognise her when he saw her. He wanted to answer, but he could only hear and see what was going on, as he heard his father''s voice answer her.


    "Yes, you can say what you want to leave behind to Cole when he comes of age" affirmed William.


    Cole didn''t know what to expect from his mother and was extremely anxious as it dawned upon him that everything he once knew was merely a delusion and the reality was that cultivation power was the only thing that actually mattered.


    "Cole you are probably a man when you see this and I am sorry that I couldn''t be there for you, but I want to impart on you my legacy and the legacy of the Epstein Family. My father was a family head, I was a family head and now it is your turn, but it will be a hard path to take and it is your destiny to avenge your mother and take your position as family head" said his mother with tears streaming down her face.


    "As you probably know, our cultivation is ruined and we don''t have much time left to live, so my final message to you is that I love you and I wish for you to live a great life" stated his mother.


    After that, Cole felt that his mind was back into his body as he opened his eyes.

 Chapter 180: Coles Focus

    Upon opening his eyes Cole couldn''t help but cry and asked for his father to leave him for a while until he was ready to continue their talk.


    "Son take your time to digest everything that has been revealed to you and I know there is a lot of pressure on you, but you are strong and will be able to overcome everything and fulfil your destiny," said his father before walking away and leaving his son alone sat in the middle of the warehouse.


    Cole was finally beginning to be happy again with Emma who was standing by him, but it seemed as though everything that he wanted and was satisfied with was worthless. From everything that his father told him and showed him, along with his mother''s message, he had no choice but to be strong and determined.


    The kind of pressure that his parents had put on him was an unhealthy amount and could mentally and physically crush him, but they were hoping that after experiencing life as an ordinary person, he would be ready to begin his journey.


    He knew that they didn''t want to put any pressure on him until he was 18 and since he had come of age, he was finally ready.


    "I didn''t have a purpose before this, and this is the perfect chance for me to please my parents and do something good with my life" bellowed Cole.


    He was overwhelmed with different emotions all at once, but he wanted to overcome all of them with raw willpower and after the emotional pain that he had experienced, he just wanted the pain to stop.


    Weirdly at a time like that, Adam''s face appeared within his mind and Adam had a smile on his face and was cheering him up like he usually would, then the faces of Emma, his mother and his father also appeared within his mind.


    As long as they were all safe, happy and pleased with him, he was happy and although he felt abandoned by them, if he was powerful and capable, they might come back to him, or so he hoped.


    William gave his son a few minutes then returned to see him. Cole seeing his father returned wiped his tears, clenched his fists and was prepared to get revenge for his mother and father, while also making sure that those around him lived a good life.


    Cole felt numb to mental pain and couldn''t care less about physical pain, and with so many people relying on him, Cole had to endure silently and make sure to overcome everything.


    William removed the rune that was restricting him from being able to cultivate and from that moment onwards, he would diligently cultivate all day and night using the method that his father gave him. Cole''s talent and perceptivity in cultivation were surprisingly high.


    The great elder may have been able to eliminate all the threats to the position of family head, but what he didn''t expect was for his sister and his father to pass on the original cultivation method that their ancestor cultivated to Cole.


    He wanted to pass it on to one of his children who he was planning to raise as the family head, but without it, he would be massively advantaged when compared to the other large cultivation families.


    The large cultivation families would always pass on the original cultivation method to at least one person every generation, and with that, the power of the large cultivation families was not declining as much.


    However after his sister and father died, he stepped in as the substitute family head, which the rest of the family agreed with, until somebody from the younger generation was ready to inherit the position, which the great elder was hoping to be one of his children.


    After he began cultivating, Cole would see Emma less and less and every time that he saw her he would be full of smiles and jokes, but after all the mental and physical agony that he experienced while cultivating, it was all fake.


    Then suddenly Adam appeared in his life after disappearing for 2 and a half years and although he was furious about Adam abandoning him, after hearing what he was experiencing, he forgave him and was happy that Adam was back in his life.


    However, both of them had suspicions about each other as they could both sense that there was something that had completely changed in each other, but one thing they both knew was that they were brothers and it would be very hard for their bond to be broken.


    Cole''s talent grade and elemental affinity were exactly the same as the Epstein Family Ancestor''s one. With his E:1 graded wind elemental affinity and talent grade, along with the cultivation method, his ambition and drive, he was rapidly progressing.


    The great elder''s son who was also 18 was on the verge of breaking through to become an Advanced Cultivator both externally and internally, which was expected of the descendants of any of the large cultivation family heads, while Cole had only recently begun cultivating.


    In terms of talent and heritage, Cole was destined to become the Epstein family head, but he knew it wouldn''t be that easy and his sudden appearance after 13 years would be hard for the Epstein Family to believe.


    He needed to prove himself and show his worth to the Epstein Family, all while accomplishing everything that his parents had burdened him with and that was the main thing that he was focused on.


    Cole spent a couple of days with Adam and would be there whenever he called, but other than that, he was too consumed by his need to please everybody, so spent all of his time on cultivating.


    At the present moment, Cole and his father were on Staten Island and it was the time of year where the next family head would be chosen, so they had to reveal themselves then or they would never have the chance to regain their former glory.

 Chapter 181: Floor 5

    Cole''s father was very drunk on the day that Adam was scouting Staten Island and upon seeing him, Adam began following him.


    William was getting drunk because the next day his son would have the face and reveal himself to the Epstein Family, which was a big and stressful thing that he had been awaiting for 13 years since his wife was killed.


    Adam followed him around and he did get into a brawl like he told Angela and Wayde, but although he was a skilled fighter and easily defeated them, he didn''t seem to be a cultivator.


    But the feeling that William gave Adam was that of a cultivator, so Adam gathered that William''s cultivation must have been destroyed or ruined by something, but he still retained the skill and combat prowess that he acquired as a cultivator.


    Adam had changed massively from when he was young and with the Disguise Illusion Stone activated, the drunk William didn''t recognise him in the slightest and began babbling about everything to Adam.


    Adam couldn''t imagine how drunk he must have been to randomly reveal all of his secrets to a random person, but once again his supernatural luck was shown and Adam revealed to Angela and Wayde what he wanted to while concealing some things.


    What he concealed was that Cole was the candidate for the next family head, was the son of the previous family head and was also a cultivator. However, if he could help Cole get the position of the family head, he would help his friend out while also forming an alliance with the Maxwell Family, as his friend would help him out as well.


    Everything that he heard from William made Adam worry for Cole''s wellbeing, especially since he knew how hard being a cultivator could be and how hard it would be to stay calm and sane without good support.


    Adam had the Hunter''s mind to help him cope and although he knew that his circumstance was special, he still knew how difficult it could be.


    After he revealed to Angela and Wayde what he found out, Adam went to his room, cleaned himself up and went straight to sleep, excited to hunt on Floor 5.


    Upon sleeping, Adam felt his soul be sucked out of his body and into the area that he would be in before entering a new floor.


    Before him was a large gate that had a long corridor behind it that had a golden light at the end of it. Adam already experiencing the weird warping sensation in the corridor that made him feel as though time and space were non-existent, so dashed into the golden light and was transported to Floor 5.


    Adam was surprised to find that Floor 5 was much larger than Floor 4 and he couldn''t tell exactly how large it was, but it was an environment that had many places to hide and a lot of space to run.


    Immediately upon being transported to Floor 5, he found it harder to breathe as though the air was scarcer and from the strong winds and the quite cold temperature, he could instantly tell what kind of environment it was.


    It was a mountainous region and there were many large mountains, but it was a good environment to train his body and if he was able to increase his stats, the improvement would be relayed to his real body.


    Adam equipped all the gear that he had acquired and bought over the past month of hunting and his stats were increased by over 20 stat points because of it as he entered stage 1 to find that the first beasts that he had to hunt were mountain goat-like beasts.


    Their appearance seemed like an ordinary mountain goat, but Adam knew not to underestimate any beast in the dungeon, especially since he was on Floor 5.


    What he knew about mountain goats was that they were some of the most resilient animals and could survive in the harshest environments, while their horns were something to be feared, especially since they were supernatural beasts from the dungeon.


    The mountainous region gave them an advantage since they could almost stand on a flat wall that was 90 degrees to the ground. Matched with their speed and charging power, they were quite a difficult beast to deal with, but with his speed and summons, Adam was sure that he could handle them.


    Adam hunted in the dungeon for an entire day, only stopping to use the Ethereal Recovery Skill to recover his energy storages and his HP, and made sure to use all of his summons and treated them well.


    It had been 12 hours in reality and he woke up very late considering that they were on an urgent mission that had a 3-day time limit, but Angela and Wayde didn''t say anything to him, while Adam was confident that with Cole in the mix, everything would work out.


    Upon waking up, Adam quickly did a few thousand press-ups, sit-ups and squats to train his body and after washing and eating a large meal, it was already past midday.


    "Are you not going to scout the area and try and find a solution? This was your idea in the first place" complained Angela.


    "Just relax, I will sort everything out. Patience is a virtue and with me here, you have nothing to worry about" reassured her Adam with a confident smile.


    "Are you sure? What are you planning on doing?" asked Angela who was confused by his sudden confidence.


    Adam shrugged, not wanting to reveal to her what he was planning on doing to annoy her and to protect the identity of Cole.


    "Uh, just don''t get yourself killed because of your reckless actions" sighed Angela who believed in Adam, but couldn''t be as relaxed and calm as him with her family on the verge of destruction and with her chance of being the next family head on the line.

 Chapter 182: Coles Intrusion Part 1

    Leaving the hotel with his disguise on, then walking into an alleyway, Adam took out his phone and called Cole.


    While the phone rang, he left the alleyway without the Disguise Illusion Stone activated, as he only needed to it get out of the hotel and to hide his face when with Angela, but when he was alone, he had nothing to worry about.


    Cole didn''t pick up the phone the first time, which worried Adam who knew that he had just confronted the Epstein Family, but he continued to call him while jogging towards the area of the Epstein Family Headquarters to see if anything had happened to Cole.


    William when he was drunk had told Adam that he was going to the Epstein Family with Cole the next morning, which was why Adam didn''t do anything until the afternoon, but with Cole not answering his phone, he didn''t know what happened.


    Early in the morning, William woke up with a bad headache since he was very hungover from the large amount that he drank the previous night, but what he woke up to see was surprising.


    Cole despite all the pressure that was on him, especially on the day that he had been training for, for the past few months, was calm and collected.


    He was training his body externally using a series of unusual movements and around him, the air was forming a small and weak hurricane that was being controlled by him. It was an incredible sight and after sensing his father''s arrival, paused his training, leaving a puddle of sweat around him from the training that he had completed.


    "Father is it time to confront the Epstein Family?" asked Cole while wiping the sweat off his forehead.


    "Yes son, it is your time to shine and avenge me, your mother and your grandfather" affirmed William.


    After Cole cleaned himself up and changed his clothes, it was nearly 9 am and William knew that it was the time that the next family head would be chosen from the research and spying that he had done.


    Cole had been preparing for quite a long time and it was his destiny to face the Epstein Family so there was no need for him to worry, but he was unsure as to why Adam kept coming to mind.


    They left the place that they were staying at and went straight to the central Epstein Family Headquarters that was in the tallest building on Staten Island.


    Upon walking in, the guards didn''t want to let them in, but with a wave of his arm, Cole released a gust of wind that sent them flying backwards as he confidently walked in with his father beside him.


    "I am here for the family head throning ceremony and as you can see, I am a candidate for the position. If you get in my way, I will kill you" announced Cole as he walked through the building confidently with his father beside him.


    William was shocked by Cole who had completely surpassed all his expectations as he stood in the lift beside Cole with his heart beating rapidly, nervous to find out what would happen next.


    "What the hell. Who are you two and how dare you intrude on this ceremony" bellowed the great elder after seeing Cole and William come out of the lift.


    Initially, he thought it was somebody that was late to the ceremony and was going to scold them, but he didn''t recognise the two of them and was even angrier.


    "Watch your tone and don''t get arrogant. You are merely the substitute family head and that position belongs to me" declared Cole, shocking everybody there including his father.


    All the cultivators in the room were high-level Advanced Cultivators that were not only skilled fighters and cultivators but were also very knowledgeable and skilled when it came to the cultivation professions.


    However, Cole felt that nothing could faze or intimidate him as if he was above the entire world as he glared straight at the great elder with hate and killing intent in his eyes.


    "You dare to talk to me in this manner. Do you know who I am?" bellowed the great elder who unleashed his powerful aura and approached him slowly.


    "You are a disgusting bastard that killed his own father and sister just for power, and will soon be killed by me and banished from the family" answered Cole as he also approached the great elder.


    He had no chance against him in a battle, but Cole was consumed by rage and couldn''t help but blame him for all the troubles that he had in his life.


    Upon hearing that the great elder was shocked and he thought that he hadn''t left anybody alive that knew about it and assumed that William was too scared to confront him after losing his cultivation, but he didn''t make it obvious and dashed towards Cole to quickly get rid of him.


    "You dare to slander me and intrude on this ceremony where my son will inherit the position of the family head. I will kill you for your crimes" roared the great elder as he dashed towards him, however before he could, a few of the elders got in his way.


    Although he was the great elder, he wasn''t much stronger than the elders and some surpassed him in power, while all of them surpassed him massively in knowledge, so he didn''t dare to attack them and tried to keep them on his side.


    Some of the elders suspected that the great elder had something to do with the death of the 2 previous family heads, but none of them said anything about it. However ever since the great elder became the substitute family head, the Epstein Family hadn''t been developing.


    "Great elder, I don''t think you should kill him. Allow him to speak and say what he has to say" said one of the elders that stopped him.


    "Yes, and he looks just like your sister" added another.


    As soon as the great elder heard that, he recognised William from his eyes that hadn''t changed and with that, gathered who Cole was.

 Chapter 183: Coles Intrusion Part 2

    "I am Cole Summers and the son of the previous Family Head who was my mother. Not only that, but I also inherited the family ancestor''s E:1 graded wind elemental affinity and talent" announced Cole, who knew that he needed to take the chance to speak while a few elders were protecting him.


    There were a few hundred high-level Advanced Cultivators in the large hall-like conference room that was similar to the one in the Maxwell Family Headquarters and they were all in high positions in the family with many people under them.


    Each of them were millionaires and powerful in New York, and there were many of them that didn''t agree with the great elder being the substitute family head and he was only a great elder because his father and sister were family heads.


    "Since that is the case, then he is a candidate for the next family head and can also be tested in this ceremony," said one of the elders.


    "Does anyone disagree?" asked the same elder to those in the conference room before the great elder could rule against it.


    Nobody voiced a complaint, so Cole was added to the candidates for the next family head and out of them, the son of the great elder previously seemed to be the most suitable to be the next family head, but Cole was an unexpected surprise that might change that.


    There was a line of a dozen youths and all of them wanted the position of the family head, and Cole joined them with his fists clenched, wanting to kill the great elder and all of his descendants to avenge his mother.


    Everything that he had missed out on in his childhood and all things that he could have had and been if it wasn''t for the jealous actions of the great elder, but Cole was grateful for the chance to act out his revenge.


    The great elder wanted to kill Cole and his father to get rid of them and guarantee his son''s position as the family head, but with the elders agreeing with Cole being allowed to join the ceremony, there was nothing he could do.


    Everything that the great elder had done to get one of his descendants to become the family head and yet it was all about to be lost if Cole was seen as worthy by the special crystal.


    Nobody in the family had been able to understand how the special crystal worked, but it used the blood of the ancestor, multiple different high difficult runes, and a rare type of crystal to produce.


    "We have an unexpected candidate for the family head and you will all be tested by the Ancestor''s Crystal and if you are seen as worthy by the family, you will be the next family head. After gaining that position, you will be nurtured to lead the family to a greater future and will be taught and provided everything you need to be the strongest and most knowledgeable individual in New York. While the family head is in the training process, the rest of the family sustains the production and monopoly over cultivation items" announced the great elder.


    His words seemed reasonable, but he had added to the ceremony that the individual needed to be seen as worthy by the family. Although it didn''t match tradition and added something to how the ceremony had been conducted for centuries, most of the elders agreed with that addition and accepted it.


    It guaranteed that somebody like the great elder couldn''t become the family head and was for the best of the family as almost all of the elders were loyal and serving to the family, and in the process were increasing their own knowledge and power through the process.


    All of them worshipped the ancestor that had left behind for them everything they needed to succeed and surpass any human limitations and also allowed them to advance their technology using the knowledge he left them.


    Becuase of that, if Cole really was telling the truth about having the same talent grading and elemental affinity as the ancestor of the Epstein Family, most of the elders would support him and want him to be the family head.


    However, the great elder had those that supported him and were promised rewards that included wealth and knowledge that he would gain once one of his children became the family head.


    There was a hidden underground room that was filled with cultivation methods, skill books, techniques and knowledge and to access it one must officially become family head and gain the blessing of the special crystal.


    That was the main reason that the great elder wanted to become the family head, coveting what was inside, but it was forbidden and impossible to take them out of that room as if he did so, the books would turn to ash.


    No matter how much he tried he couldn''t get into the hidden room with force or by trying to gain the blessing of the special crystal, and once one became the family head, the only way to cut off their connection with the special crystal was to kill them.


    If one of them gained the blessing of the special crystal they would gain access to the entire family building and the hidden underground room, and would also be the only one that is able to wield it until they die or pass it onto another.


    The great elder''s son and Cole were reserved to be tested last and the great elder was confident in his son''s talent grading and elemental affinity, but if Cole really had the talent grading and elemental affinity that he said, his son wouldn''t be able to compete.


    The 11 youths that were tested before all had talent gradings that were around the E:4 grade, which was very high and meant that they had the potential to cultivate to the higher ranks of the Advanced Cultivation Level, but it still wasn''t high enough to make them the next family head.

 Chapter 184: Duel Agreement Part 1

    In the Epstein Family, there were some elders that had E:3 graded talent and even a couple with E:2 graded talent, but none of them were labelled as worthy by the crystal or wanted the position of the family head.


    Being an elder meant there was much less responsibility than being the family head and although they wouldn''t get to enter the hidden underground room, most of the elders were satisfied with their life and their position.


    "Next candidate please step up," said the great elder.


    He had previously wanted his son to be last so that the anticipation could add to the shock that the other elders experienced and hoped that it would impress them more, but Cole was the last to join them, so was going to be the last to be tested.


    The great elder''s son was also 18, just like the others that were tested and they would hold a ceremony each year where those that were 18 or older could be tested to see if they were suitable for becoming the next family head.


    Most times it would be only 18-year-olds getting tested as that was the minimum age and since there was a ceremony every year to test the family members, it became something that Epstein Family members that turned 18 would take part in.


    The family head''s son, also known as Mason Epstein, the young prodigy of the Epstein Family, was everything that his father had hoped for. He had an E:2 graded talent and E:2 graded fire elemental affinity, making it so that it would be very difficult for others to compete with him when it came to talent and elemental affinity.


    He was also the nephew and grandson of the two previous family heads and his father was currently the temporary family head, so was the obvious choice that most of the family agreed with for the next family head, but Cole''s sudden appearance threw a spanner in the works.


    The great elder was so close to accomplishing what he had been seeking for decades and he wasn''t willing to allow that to be taken away by Cole, who he had thought wouldn''t have been a threat anymore.


    After killing his sister and his father, he was enraged that William had managed to get away with Cole who was most likely going to become the heir to the position of the family head if he stayed in the family.


    However, since his father had lost all of his cultivation and would die very prematurely because of the poison that he had used on him and since they didn''t have any resources or support, he believed that they wouldn''t dare to return to the family/.


    He had searched for them for years, but he always found traces of them all over the world, which was thanks to William. The great elder also had to be careful not to offend any large cultivation families that were more powerful than his, which could be found around the world, so he made sure not to extend his search too far.


    After there was no trace of them for over a decade, the great elder was quite sure that they weren''t going to return, but of all days for them to return, they returned when his son was about to become the family head.


    Cole and William were thorns in the great elder''s side and he wanted to get rid of them, but that didn''t seem possible with some of the elders wanting to allow him to take the test, so all he could do was hope that his son surpassed Cole.


    The great elder''s son was widely respected as the most talented youth in the family and stepped up to the special crystal that was in the centre of the hall-like ceremony room. The rest of the family members that were in high positions formed a ring around the centre, making it so that there was a lot of pressure on Cole.


    But after what his father and mother had experienced, and all the pressure that had been placed on him at once, it was easy for Cole to deal with.


    Mason withdrew a blade that was strapped to his waist, then made a small cut on his left hand.


    Upon doing so, he placed his hand on the special crystal and his blood, elemental affinity and talent grading were tested all at once to see whether he was worthy or not of becoming the family head.


    The crystal did not react to his touch like it did for the others and usually it would merely vibrate to signify that they were a member of the family, but with Mason, it was glowing.


    "That means that my son is worthy and is going to be the next family head" exclaimed the great elder joyously as he greedily thought about everything he would gain after his son became the family head.


    It was known that the special crystal glowing meant that somebody was worthy of becoming the family head, but the crystal would no longer accept that individual if a more suitable candidate tested themselves.


    Becuase of that, any family head can lose their position at any moment and would have nothing that they could do about it.


    "Wait, he cannot be declared the family head until I am also tested" interrupted Cole, who was confident in his own ability and wasn''t willing to allow his mother and father''s sacrifices to be for nothing.


    "There is no point, my son has already been deemed worthy by the crystal" refuted the great elder, who didn''t want to give Cole the chance to ruin everything that he had worked towards his entire life.


    "According to the family rules, on the rare occasion that there are two worthy candidates for the family head position, they should be voted for or the candidate that caused the crystal to glow more would become the family head as it signifies that they are more worthy. Because of that, I can still be tested" stated Cole confidently.


    "Are you planning on going against the family rules?" asked Cole.

 Chapter 185: Duel Agreement Part 2

    Cole''s heart was full of hate and killing intent, but his eyes were calm and so was his face. He had become skilled in after hiding the emotional pain and troubles that he was experiencing with a smile while making others think that he was happy.


    He wanted to humiliate the great elder and his son before killing them when he gained the power of the Epstein Family. He wanted to make sure they paid for what they did to his parents and mostly for what that caused him


    Cole had made sure to study the rules of the Epstein Family, and the rest of the elders were impressed by his confidence and how knowledgeable he was when it came to the family''s rules.


    "You may be tested, but you don''t have a chance in hell of becoming the family head" permitted the great elder.


    He knew that before the elders he couldn''t act brazenly or do as he pleased, but he still wanted to intimidate Cole and deter him from getting tested, just in case he really was as talented as he said he was.


    Cole stepped forth and walked over to the crystal in the centre. Mason was still stood there with a gloating expression and as he walked away from the crystal, barged into Cole with his shoulder.


    Cole let Mason''s nudge slide and didn''t react as he reached the special crystal and slit his left palm with the knife that he had bought with him.


    After doing so, he placed his hand onto the crystal and streamed his internal energy into it, which was how one would be tested. He had a weird feeling around his entire body, as if he was scanned by an unknown entity that spread throughout his body.


    However, unlike with the others, the special crystal didn''t react in the slightest to Cole''s presence.


    "Ha, he spoke so confidently and arrogantly, yet he couldn''t even get the crystal to respond to him" mocked Mason, who was quite sure that Cole had failed after it didn''t react for 30 seconds.


    Just as the great elder was about to intervene and get Cole to leave, a few of the elders that were interested in Cole stopped him.


    "Leave the kid for a while longer. Even if he wasn''t an Epstein Family member, the crystal should at least react to show his talent grading. So leave him for a while longer" said one of the elders that was respected for his research in the anatomy of the body and how cultivation actually worked.


    The great elder stepped back and left Cole for another minute but there was still no reaction from the crystal.


    Just as the elder was about to step in and get Cole to move away from the crystal, there was a sudden and extremely bright flash of light that was much brighter than the light that Mason had managed to cause.


    "Amazing, it really was as he said. An E:1 grade talent and Wind Elemental Affinity" said the elders who were all amazed by how much the crystal glowed.


    Seeing the bright light coming from the crystal, the great elder, Mason and their supporters that were mocking Cole were gob-smacked and didn''t know how to react to such an incredible and unexpected occurrence.


    "So what do you have to say now?" asked Cole to the great elder.


    "I will be the next family head and will make sure that the family develops and I will not allow scum like you to stay within this family" declared Cole.


    His words were harsh and unrealistic, but after seeing how bright the crystal shone, who knew what else Cole would be capable of and whether he would really be able to become the family head after suddenly appearing.


    "He is clearly an Epstein Family Member and is extremely talented, but can we let him be the family head?"


    "I think he should be family head. He is the reincarnation of the Ancestor"


    "No, he randomly appeared out of nowhere and intruded on the ceremony. He is also too arrogant and can''t just instantly become the family head"


    The elders and higher-ups were split on those that supported the great elder''s son and those that supported Cole, and although the crystal clearly preferred Cole, becoming the family head wasn''t that easy.


    Seeing the disarray that the family was in, the great elder didn''t know what to do and he needed to figure out something that would get his son the position of family head and also make it so that the family respected that.


    "Quiet down everybody. Usually, this is a straight forwards ceremony and there has never been such a split opinion on who should be the family head and there have never been two worthy candidates. I think that to decide who should be the family head, we should resort to a simple battle of power" suggested the great elder.


    What he said made it seem that Cole and his son were similarly worthy, but it was clear to most of them that Cole was the superior talent. His suggestion seemed to be one that made sense until they realised that Cole''s cultivation level was low when compared to that of Mason who had been cultivating since young.


    None of the elders opposed the idea of a fair battle between them to see who was more capable, but it clearly wasn''t fair and even if it was, it wasn''t an accurate representation of their suitability for the family head position.


    "Do you accept?" asked Mason to Cole with a mocking smile.


    Cole knew that he didn''t have much of a chance against Mason in a one on one direct battle, but he wanted to defeat Mason and his father so badly and it was the perfect chance to get rid of them both and get the family head position.


    Looking around him and at those that seemed to be supporting him in his pursuit of the family head position, he decided to accept the duel, but had some conditions.

 Chapter 186: Duel Accepted

    "I accept your duel, but I have some conditions that will make it fairer" stated Cole, who knew that it was inevitable that he would have to fight Mason if he truly wanted to be respected in the position that he was seeking.


    However, he wasn''t stupid enough to try and do so despite the gap in cultivation level and experience, so he needed to somehow gain an advantage over Mason that would seem fair, but would guarantee his victory.


    Cole had to take risks and would overcome anything to get the revenge that his parents had left him to complete, but they had to be calculated and realistic.


    If he was able to persuade them to make the battle a 3 against 3, then he could ask for 2 of the most powerful elders that were supporting him to assist him in the battle and he could act as a support.


    With his wind elemental affinities and the few techniques and skills that he had learnt or created up until that point, he would be a massive supporter in a battle and it may be enough to guarantee their victory.


    He was also sure that if he made it a 3 against 3, the great elder would most likely fight with his son, making it so that if he won, he could eliminate them both at once.


    ''Is this the same Cole that had always been quite unreliable and immature?'' thought William who was seeing another side to his son.


    He was already amazed by his son''s hardworking nature after finding out about cultivation and his origin, which was to be expected after finding a new purpose. However, the confidence that he emitted was completely unexpected.


    "What are these conditions?" asked the great elder who was completely confident in his son''s ability to defeat Cole who was clearly weaker than Mason.


    "The first is that no enhanced or special equipment are allowed to be used during the battle as that would make it unfair since I don''t have the equipment and resources that Mason has access to" stated Cole.


    "Yes, that is fine. What else?" asked the great elder.


    The great elder in his mind and let out a sigh of relief, believing that Cole had no chance against Mason even with the few minor hindrances that he had caused Mason through his conditions.


    "I would like the duel to be a 3 against 3. Making it a three against 3 would show teamwork and connections and the duel should be scheduled tomorrow at 9 am" stated Cole.


    He wanted to delay as much as possible and look for different options or different possible cultivators that he could get on his 3 man team, and he also considered some of the elders of the Epstein Family as possible options.


    Since Cole himself had accepted the duel, the elders that were supporting him couldn''t intervene and could merely offer to be part of his 3 man team and support him from the sidelines. However, by doing so, they would be alienating themselves from the great elder and Mason and most of them weren''t willing to do that.


    With the great elder, Mason and another powerful elder on a single three man team, it would be very difficult for even 3 other elders to take them on, let alone Cole and two other elders.


    However, Cole didn''t lose hope and found two elders that were willing to join his team then left to prepare himself mentally and physically for their battle that was scheduled the next day.


    "Hahahahaha, is that really all your conditions are?" laughed the great elder who was expecting something that would give him more of an advantage over Mason, but instead he chose something that would guarantee his defeat even more.


    "Then it is confirmed. Tomorrow at 9 am there will be an official duel between Mason and Cole to see who will be the next family head. It is a 3 against 3 battle and there are no restrictions on the battle or who are in the team apart from neither side being able to use special equipment. It will take place in the Epstein Arena and will be judged by all of the elders as a collective" confirmed the great elder.


    None of them could have predicted how the ceremony was going to go, but to the great elder, he was going to finally achieve his target by his son becoming the family head and would also be able to get rid of the 2 people that he had failed to get rid of in the past.


    Cole walked away from the crystal with his head held high and he made it seem as though he was confident and prepared to battle, but he couldn''t help but worry internally.


    He walked over to the few elders that had seemed to wish to support him and wanted to request for them to be options for people to be in his 3 man team, but was also prepared to seek out others that might be more skilled or powerful.


    "There is no need to ask boy. Your confidence, talent, elemental affinity and results from the crystal test were enough to convince us. If you need us to be part of your team tomorrow, we would all be willing to fight with you" stated one of the elders that seemed to be a representative for the others.


    Cole thanked them graciously and bowed to them slightly to show his respect and gratitude then left confidently with his father beside him.


    His father was both proud and worried about his son, as although he had forced his son into the world of cultivation with his deceased wife, he didn''t want it to crush him.


    "Son are you sure you still want to do this?" asked William who was beginning to feel guilty and regretting pushing his son into such a situation.


    "Yes father, there is no turning back now" answered Cole as they left the Epstein Family building.


    While Cole left the Epstein Family building with his father and nobody got in their way, the large room where the ceremony was taking place was filled with people talking about Cole and Mason.


    The battle that would take place the next day would be held in the Epstein Family Arena that was in the centre of Staten Island and would usually be used for sports, but was being reserved and prepared for their battle.


    Nobody would be able to enter with the Illusion Barriers and guards that were stationed all around the arena. Even if one was able to make it inside, it would be the death of them as inside would be hundreds of Advanced Cultivators that were skilled, powerful and influential.


    Cole had a few powerful elders that were willing to help, support him and fight with him in the 3 against 3 battle, but he knew that even with that it was still very unlikely that he would win the battle.


    He was weaker than Mason and also wasn''t experienced in combat apart from what he had read and been told by his dad, so if he really wanted to succeed he needed to find an even more powerful cultivator.


    Cole didn''t want to lose hope or give up on the task that had been passed onto him by his parents and grandfather, but he needed to be realistic and knew that despite his hate, it would be very hard for him to win.


    He was staying calm and parted way with his father so that he could train and prepare himself mentally and physically before his battle the next day. His and his father''s safety were guaranteed until the next day at least, since if they were randomly killed, it would look very bad for the great elder and his son.


    After training and for many hours, he cleaned himself up, got changed, then left the empty warehouse, which he had been training in for the past couple of months, to get a meal.


    While he was on his way to the restaurant that he was planning to eat in, his phone suddenly rang and it was an unexpected call from the person that had continually come to mind over the past couple of months.


    ''Why would Adam be calling me right now ans at such a weird time'' thought Cole who wasn''t expecting a random call in the afternoon.


    Cole really didn''t want to pick up the phone or talk to Adam at that moment, and wouldn''t have done so if it wasn''t for the fact that Adam continuously came to mind over the past couple of months.


    Cole hadn''t answered the phone the first few times that Adam called him, but in case it was an emergency, Cole decided to pick up.


    Answering the phone, Cole made sure to calm down and make it seem as though he was happy and relaxed, but he was shocked to hear what Adam had to say.

 Chapter 187: Three Man Team Offer Part 1

    "Hello, Cole where are you?" asked Adam on the phone.


    It was clear to Cole that Adam was running and was worried about him, but he didn''t know why he was asking and didn''t know whether to tell him the truth about everything or not.


    "What''s the matter?" asked Cole, not answering Adam''s question.


    Cole clearly didn''t want to reveal to Adam the truth, but Adam wasn''t angry about that since he knew that Cole had done so to protect him and he had also done the same thing to his aunt.


    However, it wasn''t the time for him to be doing that and it was finally time for them both to confront each other about cultivation and what had happened to each other that had caused them to change so much.


    "Listen, I am on Staten Island just like you and we need to talk. I already everything and we are bros, so there is no need to try and lie about it" said Adam directly.


    Cole was gobsmacked and didn''t know how to react to what Adam had said. Although he had a feeling that he might be a cultivator and that he had changed quite a lot, he didn''t expect him to know about where he was and what was going on.


    "Yes, we really do need to talk" agreed Cole who finally wanted to get to the bottom of what Adam was capable of and how he came to be like that.


    Cole told him where he was and Adam, who was previously rushing towards the Epstein Family''s main building because he was scared that something had happened to Cole, calmed down and called for a taxi.


    After being driven to Cole''s location, Adam paid the taxi driver then left the car to find Cole sitting at a public bench waiting for Adam to arrive.


    They had both ever since seeing each other for the first time for a few years at the high school reunion that something had changed and that they had both been through a lot, and it was finally time that they both time the truth.


    Staring at each other''s eyes, they wanted to gauge anything about each other. Adam saw pain and drive in Cole''s eyes, while Cole saw death and dullness in his eyes.


    For somebody that had seen death, experienced death and caused death, Adam had a very profound and scary aura around him and in his eyes, but most of the time he tried to hide it and act happy.


    Adam, Cole and Wayde were very similar in the fact that they had experienced hardship but never spoke about it or relied on others to sort it out, but that was what distinguished them from others.


    Their experiences and hardship made them all more physically and mentally powerful than most others and was one of the reasons for their rapid progress.


    "We have a lot to talk about don''t we," said Adam as he gave Cole, who was clearly going through a lot, a brotherly hug.


    Cole couldn''t help but feel like breaking down and emptying everything he was feeling and suppressing to Adam, and for some reason, he felt that Adam would understand.


    They found a nice quiet area to talk and before Cole began to tell Adam all of his troubles, he was much more interested in finding out how Adam became a cultivator and more about him. Cole had always had a feeling that Adam was holding something back from him and it was the perfect opportunity to confront him about it.


    However before Cole could ask, Adam jumped in and spoke first.


    "You probably want to know about how I became a cultivator and who told me about it, so I should probably talk first. The old man that I told you about that gave me a job and helped me out of being homeless and starving, he was actually my master that taught me cultivation and changed my life. It has been almost two months since then and he has completely changed my life and the life of those around me for the better" revealed Adam.


    There was no chance that Adam could tell him about the system and what he said was the most believable and the closest that Adam was willing to get to the truth.


    Cole found it quite unusual and unexpected, but since learning about cultivation, he believed that everything was possible and if Adam was very talented, which seemed to be the case, it could be possible.


    It also matched the story that Adam had previously told him and Cole didn''t have anything else to go off, so could only believe Adam and even if Adam was lying, which he couldn''t tell anymore, he knew there would be some reason for it.


    "Now for you, since you want to become the Epstein Family Head, is there anything that you need help with and what happened when you went back to the family?" asked Adam, who wanted to help Cole get the position so that he could ask a favour afterwards in return.


    He knew that Cole was likely to help him anyway, but he didn''t want to leech off his friend, especially since it was his closest friend that was willing to help him without thinking about it twice.


    Cole was shocked by Adam knowing everything about his origin and that he knew that he had returned to the family, and couldn''t help but ask how he knew.


    "Hahaha, I was here on Staten Island for my own personal reasons, then I saw your father drunk and he told me everything" revealed Adam while laughing at Cole''s dumbfounded expression.


    He couldn''t help but be disappointed and was expecting that Adam would have somehow spied on the Epstein Family or had a secret informant, but it turned out his drunk father was the one that told him everything.


    After Cole told Adam everything that had happened in the morning at the Epstein Family Building, Adam burst out into laughter.

 Chapter 188: Three Man Team Offer Part 2

    Cole had told Adam most of the things that he had experienced and how he had been acting confident, but he actually felt as though he had no chance against Mason and the others on his team.


    He wanted to try and get an advantage by making it a 3 against 3, but it backfired and after Cole told him all his worries, Adam burst out into laughter.


    "Why are laughing" shouted Cole, annoyed by Adam as he unknowingly launched a wind blade at Adam''s shoulder.


    It was a reflexive action and was also the first time that Cole had attacked a person using the techniques and skills that he had learnt during his training.


    Adam was amazed by the power of the Wind Elemental Affinity that he had heard Cole tell him about and had instinctively tried to dodge the wind blade that Cole had flung towards him by swinging his arm. However, it was too fast and cut open his shoulder, leaving a deep wounded that was bleeding heavily.


    "I''m so sorry, I thought you would be able to dodge it and I also didn''t expect that it would be so fast," said Cole.


    "You idiot, I am only a metre away from you and wasn''t expecting the attack, so I obviously wouldn''t be able to dodge it" scolded Adam.


    "But that was awesome," said Adam who was playing a battle within his mind between a cultivator with a water elemental affinity and a cultivator with a wind elemental affinity.


    It was an incredible thing to witness and Cole seemed to be able to compress the air around his arm and form a blade out of it, that was not only barely visible and very light, but was also very fast when he threw it at his target.


    "You really are quite stupid sometimes, but don''t worry about it" reassured Adam, who wasn''t angry or annoyed in the slightest.


    Cole was worried about Adam''s wound and wanted to get him help, but Adam reassured him that he would be able to recover easily and in a short while. Adam had experienced much worse pain and injuries, so wasn''t even fazed by the slight pain and injury as he continued their talk.


    "I wasn''t laughing because I found your situation amusing, it was because it worked out perfectly with what I had come to Staten Island to do" explained Adam.


    Adam then went on to tell Cole about Chase and how he had went for a meal with his aunt, then came across triad members. He didn''t keep or hide anything from him apart from the fact that he had used the inventory to withdraw the Sabre, and told him about how he had killed the triad members.


    Cole was shocked by how casually Adam spoke about killing, but he realised just how much he was behind Adam in terms of adapting to the world of cultivation. He may have known about it and begun cultivating before Adam, but from Adam''s eyes, he felt that Adam was much more experienced and capable than himself.


    After that, he told him about how he came across Angela and Wayde and that had no chance but to go with them, since they could easily kill them and everything else that had happened at the Maxwell Family.


    It was only fair that Adam was honest with Cole and told him most things since he was on the level of his brother and already knew about cultivation. There were only a few things that he was keeping from him, but they were things that he was keeping from everybody.


    "So you want to help me become the family head, then form an alliance with the Maxwell Family so that the family heads of both the families are your friends. And so that you can also help both your friends and help their families to take over New York by assisting each other" summarised Cole.


    "Yes, everyone benefits from it massively and there is no reason for any of the people involved to not want to help" confirmed Adam.


    It was a great plan, but Cole still didn''t know how what Adam had experienced over the past few days had anything to do with helping him in his 3 against 3 battle with Mason.


    "So what''s your plan for helping me with my battle that made you laugh?" asked Cole.


    "Well, it is simple. The other two on your team will be me and Wayde" answered Adam.


    Cole was shocked by his suggestion and his offer, but at the same time, although Wayde was somebody that he would definitely want on his team if he was as good as Adam said, Adam didn''t seem to be that powerful.


    Seeing how he reacted, Adam could tell exactly what he was thinking and knew that, that was to be expected since he wasn''t able to dodge his attack and hadn''t shown what he was capable of.


    "Do you want to spar?" offered Adam with a slight smile.


    Before offering to spar with Cole, he checked his status, just to make sure that he could actually win against him. He was pleasantly surprised by what he saw floating on top of Cole''s head.


    Cole Summers


    Mortal LVL: 64


    Combat Power: IE: 67


    Wind Element User


    HP: 700 / 700


    IESP: 70 / 70


    EESP: 55 / 55


    Strength: 55


    Speed: 90


    Intelligence: 75


    Resistance: 55


    Wisdom: 5


    Charisma: 4


    Adam was pleased with the detail that the Status Peering Feature showed him and found that it was based on what he wanted to find out and how much he wanted to find out about it.


    "Is there something on my face?" asked Cole while seeing Adam staring at his face.


    "No you don''t, but do you want to spar?" offered Adam a second time, eager to test out his own power and the power of Cole in a battle.


    "Sure why not" accepted Cole who was equally as eager to fight Adam.

 Chapter 189: Preparation For The Spar

    Not only did Adam want to prove himself to Cole through a battle, but he also wanted to go all out for the first time. When he fought with Chase he had to hold himself back as he didn''t want to injure him and he also didn''t want to show his abilities to Elizabeth and Jaspal, while against the triad members, he didn''t have the chance to as their battle was short and his main focus was to quickly kill them.


    In a life or death battle that was serious and between enemies, Adam didn''t have the luxury of playing around and just in case they could call for reinforcements or had a secret ability, went straight for the kill.


    However, since he completely trusted Cole, he could unleash more of his full power and it would allow him to find out just how capable he was and with his current capability, what level of cultivators he could deal with.


    [From his status he has cultivated both internally and externally. His internal cultivation is at around rank 7, while his external cultivation seems to be at around rank 5. His Combat Power is the average of his stats and is higher than mine and his level must be the average of both his cultivation levels] gathered Adam.


    [However, his speed is amazing and it must be because he has a Wind Elemental Affinity that greatly increases his speed. That is his speed without any enhancements, skills or techniques being used, so I should assume that his speed is higher than that and I should probably purchase something from the system that will increase my speed, otherwise I won''t have any chance against him] decided Adam.


    "Adam, there is a warehouse near here that belongs to my father and was where I have been training. It is very large and is perfect for our battle and there won''t be any people there to see our battle" stated Cole.


    "Sounds good," said Adam.


    Just as they were about to leave, Adam suddenly felt a sharp pain in his shoulder and had realised that he had forgotten about the wound on his shoulder.


    "Before we leave, wait for me to recover my wound. It won''t take long" said Adam as he sat cross-legged and begun to use the Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    Cole didn''t believe that Adam could recover quickly and was slightly annoyed that Adam had begun cultivating or whatever he was doing before they left, but he was suddenly surprised when he looked at Adam''s shoulder.


    Cole was extremely hungry and wanted to get some food, and just as he was about to leave to get something to eat while Adam somehow recovered his shoulder, he saw that it really was beginning to heal.


    With his great vision, which had been enhanced by his cultivation, he could see the skin and muscle around Adam''s toned shoulder, that was injured, begin to heal slowly. But if he could see it with his naked eye, although it seemed slow, compared to an ordinary human, it was extremely quick.


    "Am I hallucinating" mumbled Cole to himself as he was amazed by Adam''s recovery speed.


    Adam didn''t mind showing him the Ethereal Recovery Skill and Cole estimated that at the rate he was recovering, it wouldn''t take him more than half an hour to recover his wound.


    Adam had managed to dodge most of the attack and although Cole hadn''t managed to see it or realise, Adam had slumped his shoulder just as it was about to be slashed, to reduce the damage that he took.


    Because of that, he hadn''t lost much HP and just like Cole had estimated, it would take him around half an hour to recover and it was the perfect time to relax his mind and his body before his battle with Cole.


    Cole, who didn''t know what Adam was doing to recover so quickly, couldn''t leave Adam alone in the middle of nowhere. If Adam wasn''t aware of his surroundings while recovering or was affected negatively in other ways, then even an ordinary person would be able to harm him and Cole stayed with him just to be safe.


    In that half an hour, Cole sat beside Adam and cultivated while Adam recovered.


    Although Adam was aware of his surroundings, he would have to cancel the Ethereal Recovery Skill that worked automatically, and that would take an instant. In that instant, he could be attacked or killed by a cultivator, so he appreciated Cole staying by his side.


    "Thanks for staying by my side, and we can leave now," said Adam after recovering.


    Cole was still amazed by how fast it was and was once again reminded of how much Adam had changed and how much he didn''t know about him, which made him even more excited to spar with him.


    Adam stretched his shoulder that felt a bit weird after recovering and while recovering using the Ethereal Recovery Skill, it felt as though there were hundreds of ants crawling over his shoulder. However, the tingling sensation felt weirdly nice and along with the warmth that the skill caused, the skill was quite a satisfying experience for Adam every time he used it.


    They walked towards the warehouse and the area they were in was quite remote, which was what Cole wanted, and along the way, Cole bought some snacks to slightly relieve his hunger before their battle.


    "Do you mind if I call my father to spectate the battle?" asked Cole.


    Adam trusted Cole and a few others, but his identity as a cultivator was starting to become widely known and although he felt relatively safe, he was worried about the safety of his aunt and other ordinary people that were around him.


    However since Cole seemed to really want his father to be there, probably because he wanted to make him feel proud, Adam decided that he wouldn''t mind.


    "Since he is your father, he can come, but I would recommend you to also be careful with who you reveal your identity as a cultivator to" advised Adam as they headed to the warehouse where they were planning to spar.

 Chapter 190: Adam and Williams Confrontation

    Cole called his father on the phone to come and watch their battle and Cole merely told his father that he was sparring with a friend, wanting to surprise him with who it was.


    In that time, Adam and Cole had reached the warehouse and warmed up their bodies a bit with some running and exercises. The speed and rate at which they were doing the running and exercises for them were low and to merely warm-up, but it was multiple times greater than what even an athlete that wasn''t a cultivator would be able to do.


    Angela and Wayde were still trying to get some more information and even with the information and reassurance that Adam gave them, they still didn''t relax and didn''t completely believe in him.


    Meanwhile, Damian and Martha were also around Staten Island and were also using all kinds of charms to disguise themselves and get around without being noticed, wanting to get in the way of Angela and her companions, while also seeking a chance to benefit from it.


    They hadn''t run into Angela or Wayde yet, but didn''t want to directly run into them, and merely wanted to keep tabs on them and sabotage their chances of actually forming an alliance with the Epstein Family, which were already very low.


    The Maxwell Family Head knew of their absence and could guess that Martha and Damian had headed to Staten Island, but he didn''t really care about that. What the family head was worried about, was that if Damian, Martha and Angela were all to be killed somehow, there wouldn''t be a worthy candidate for becoming the next family head.


    However there was nothing he could do about it and it was a good learning experience for the youths of his family, and with it, they might actually be able to resolve the Maxwell Family''s issues.


    "Son I have arrived" announced William as he entered the large open warehouse.


    The warehouse was where Cole had spent most of his time since his 18th birthday and in the few months that he had been cultivating, he had been progressing rapidly.


    However his cultivation level wasn''t the most amazing thing, but it was the fact that he had done it without resources or somebody to guide him, while he had also acquired great mastery over his Wind Elemental Affinity.


    He was also very skilled in combat, despite never actually experiencing a battle, and was able to gain mastery over many skills and techniques that used his Wind Elemental Affinity.


    Meanwhile, Adam''s progress didn''t make sense even to cultivators and he could gain power and instant mastery over anything through the system and by hunting.


    Seeing that he had arrived, Adam and Cole headed over to him to greet him and upon seeing them, William was staring closely at Adam and recognised him slightly.


    "Is that Adam?" asked William after staring closely at Adam''s face that had become much more chiselled.


    "Yes it is, I am surprised that you recognised him" affirmed Cole.


    Adam greeted William respectfully and although he had never actually done any good to him, he also hadn''t harmed him and seemed to be quite a caring father despite his distant and strict nature.


    "So, where is the opponent that you spoke about?" asked William as he looked around the open warehouse that didn''t have anybody else within it.


    "I''m right in front of you" stated Adam with a slight smile.


    "You mean to tell me that you want to fight Cole. Are you crazy?" exclaimed William who couldn''t sense whether Adam was a cultivator or not after his cultivation was crippled from the poison.


    "Yes uncle, please do not underestimate me," said Adam who was still patient and respectful with him since it was his friend''s father.


    Willliam still clearly didn''t believe that Adam was a cultivator and he had always felt that Adam was a hindrance to Cole when they were younger. William didn''t even think that Adam knew about cultivation and if he did, then he assumed that Cole told him and was planning to scold him later on.


    However, when he looked at Adam''s smile and glaring red eyes, he couldn''t help but feel slightly intimidated for an unknown reason.


    Suddenly he felt that he recognised his eyes and with it came a painful headache from the strong hangover that he had been experiencing.


    "It was you last night, the one that I have memories of babbling to" exclaimed William in realisation as he starting to faintly recollect what he had done while he was drunk.


    "You managed to recognise me despite the Disguise Illusion Stone that I was using at the time. You are quite perceptive for an old man" said Adam as Cole who stood beside Adam couldn''t help but laugh remembering how Adam came to find out about everything to do with the Epstein Family.


    William was annoyed with Adam and felt that he was being mocked, and since he never liked him in the first place and thought believed that he was holding Cole back, he wanted to teach him a lesson.


    "Don''t get arrogant, just because Cole might have told you about cultivation" bellowed William as he launched a fist towards Adam''s face.


    The fist was quite fast and powerful, making it so that an ordinary person, who wasn''t trained in martial arts or fighting, would find it very difficult to evade or block.


    However, for Adam who had peak level boxing mastery by buying 10% mastery over hand to hand combat and was much faster than William, the fist was moving towards him in slow motion and could easily be dealt with.


    Adam even felt as though he could run a few laps around William before he was able to land the strike, but didn''t want to embarrass him too much, so merely leaned to the side to slip the punch.


    "Calm down old man. You are my friend''s father, but I don''t take kindly to those that try to hit me" warned Adam as he glared at him with his red eyes.

 Chapter 191: New Movement Skill Part 1

    Adam had been trying to be respectful to William and although it seemed that he cared for Cole, in their younger ages, he was hardly ever there to support and care for his son. He also never seemed to like him or treat him well, so Adam had no reason to try and please him.


    Releasing his killing intent and Bloodlust, Adam glared straight into William''s soul, causing him to shake in fear and stumble backwards.


    "Adam, stop this please," said Cole as he placed his hand on Adam''s shoulder.


    "Hahaha, sorry bro. I got a bit carried away" apologised Adam, who didn''t want to anger his friend/


    Cole helped William up and didn''t reprimand Adam for what he did to him, as his father was the one that was acting too arrogantly for no reason and was the first to strike. If it were any other cultivator and William attacked them for no reason, they may have severely injured him or even killed him for his arrogance, so Cole was grateful to Adam for not reacting in that way.


    "This is Adam and also my sparring partner. He is also the one that may be in my three man team and has other friends that are very powerful and could be of help" stated Cole.


    William was furious with Cole for not defending his pride and hated Adam even more, but there was nothing he could do and stood up, while making sure to keep his distance from Adam.


    "You guys can have a chat over there, I will go and cultivate for a few minutes," said Adam seeing William clearly wanted to talk to Cole privately.


    It was the perfect chance for Adam to purchase a skill or technique to enhance his speed before their battle, and Cole and William also had some things to say to each other, so it all worked out.


    "Cole, why didn''t you defend me back there. Do you not care about your father?" asked William after they reached the corner of the warehouse that was opposite to the one that Adam was sat in.


    "Father, you should be careful with who you mess with. You are no longer the same powerful cultivator you once were and Adam has helped me much more than you have ever helped me in your life. Me and Adam have both been through a lot, yet still trust and support each other. However, when you went through a lot, you abandoned me and didn''t show me the care and love that a child needed. You are my father and I love and respect you, but he is like my brother and you should be thanking him instead of getting angry at him. If I was attacked by a random old man who was being arrogant, I wouldn''t have shown as much mercy as Adam" stated Cole.


    Everything he said was true and William couldn''t refute it, but it felt as though each word was a bullet to his chest.


    Cole seemed to be cold and distant, but when he was with Adam, Emma, Sarah and Adam''s aunt, he was always smiling and felt warmth in his heart. His father cared for him, but he had been hit too heavily by the loss of his wife and his cultivation, making him very cold and distant.


    Becuase of that, he knew that he couldn''t complain when his son was the same way with him and after everything that Cole had experienced and all the pressure that was placed on him, that was to be expected.


    They spoke for a few more minutes and Cole told him some things about Adam that he was sure Adam wouldn''t mind William knowing about, but concealed most things about how Adam became a cultivator. Even if William was his father, Cole didn''t agree with the statement that blood was thicker than water and if that was the case, why did his uncle kill his mother, grandfather and poison his father.


    What he did believe in was that, respect was earnt and so was love and care, which in most cases are only given when an individual is benefiting them or has done something for them in the past.


    While they were talking, Adam was sat behind a pillar in the corner of the warehouse, where he couldn''t be seen by Cole or William, and opened up the system menu.


    He then opened up the System Store and went onto the Skill Tab that had a list of skills that were all on sale.


    The skills were split into Movement Skills, Defensive Skills, Offensive Skills and Special Skills that all had different applications. Adam could see a small symbol beside some of the skills and each other represented a different element, so he knew that he wouldn''t be able to use those skills as they required an elemental affinity.


    Skills granted the user a special ability or had a unique application, while a technique would either increase the user''s stats or was a series of movements or actions that had some sort of enhancement to the user''s body.


    Realising that, Adam wanted a technique to enhance his speed and not a skill, and he wanted to wait until he had an elemental affinity to buy skills as skills that didn''t use an elemental affinity were quite limited and weak.


    Going onto the technique tab, Adam saw many techniques and the good thing about techniques was that he would increase his mastery over them and increase the power and power of the technique.


    Although the skills that he acquired from the system had infinite potential and if he provided them more energy, could be used against stronger opponents, in the short run, techniques would have a bigger impact on Adam''s overall power.


    Techniques were split into the same categories as skills and Adam went straight onto the Movement Technique tab.


    [If that''s the case, I will buy a speed technique and upgrade my mastery enough for me to be able to face Cole comfortably] decided Adam.

 Chapter 192: New Movement Skill Part 2

    There weren''t as many techniques as skills as techniques had limited applications and could merely enhance the user''s body, while skills had infinite possibilities and applications.


    However that made it easier for Adam to make his decision and techniques were also cheaper than skills in the system, but they also required him to spend a lot of system points on mastery if he wanted it to actually be of much use to him.


    If a cultivator were to hear about how Adam could browse a game-like store and purchase techniques then instantly increase his mastery over them with the press of a button, they would all die of jealousy.


    Cultivators could spend weeks, months and even years training a single technique to gain basic mastery over it, but yet Adam could do within an instant.


    Adam browsed through most of the Movement Techniques that he could afford, but none of them stood out to him so he decided to browse through the Movement Skills since Cole and William seemed to still be talking.


    Upon scrolling through the Movement Skills, Adam''s attention was instantly caught by one the skills, but the issue was that he could barely afford it.


    The Step Skip Movement Skill was one that interested Adam the most and was the most useful out of the skills that he had seen, which he afford. However, the price of the skill was an incredible amount and would heavily drain the system points and gold that he had saved up.


    He also read that he would have to increase his mastery over the skill which would also be very expensive, however, when reading the technique''s description, he couldn''t help but praise how amazing it was.


    It was unusual that he would have to gain mastery over a skill and that didn''t match what he had seen in the system so far, but seeing the skill''s description, it was a unique skill that almost seemed impossible.


    The Step Skip Movement Technique


    This is a technique that allows the user to literally skip steps. If the user could reach an opponent within 10 steps, which hypothetically could take 1 second, the user could skip all 10 steps and seemingly teleport before the opponent and attack them. This is a technique that does not increase the user''s speed, but if used properly, can overcome large gaps of speed and make it seem as though the user can teleport. Every 1% of mastery gained over the skill, allows the user to skip 1 step and the skill uses 1 EESP and 1 IESP for every 10 steps that the user has skipped.


    He wanted the skill so badly, but looking at the price of 500,000 system points and knowing that he would have to increase his mastery before it was very useful to him, he wasn''t sure whether to buy it or not.


    Upon buying the skill he would have 1% mastery and with that, he could skip 1 step and using it 10 times would only use 1 IESP and EESP. That meant that with the size of Adam''s energy storages, he could skip a total of 560 steps. With Adam''s large steps and the short battels that cultivators would have, it was a massive advantage and extremely useful ability to have in a battle that completely didn''t make sense.


    How was it possible to skip steps, unless the skill was somehow manipulating either space or time, allowing him to skip time where he would have taken a step, or would move him forwards through space without needing him to take a step.


    Either way, it was an incredible ability that although was limited at him being able to skip 100 steps at once, would allow him to seemingly be able to teleport.


    [System is there a cooldown for the skill? If there isn''t, there would be no need to increase the mastery and I should be able to use it back to back to have the same results as if I had higher mastery over it] asked Adam within his mind.


    {Yes, the host is correct. There is a one second cold down between every time the host uses the skill, however, as the host''s mastery increases, the cool down will be shorter} answered the host.


    {For every 10% mastery the host gains over the skill, the cool down for the skill will become shorter by 0.1 seconds} informed him the system.


    [That means that if I gained 100% mastery over the skill, there would be no cooldown and I could literally teleport endlessly as long as I had enough energy] exclaimed Adam within his mind, amazed and unable to imagine such a feat being possible.


    With that in mind and knowing that he would always be able to earn more system points and that it was an amazing skill that was unique, Adam decided to purchase it.


    He could see that Cole and William had just finished their talk and were heading over to him, so he had to be quick and changed all of his gold into system points.


    Adam only had 6,333,070, yet he was willing to change all of it into system points to be able to afford the skill and the 6,333,070 gold, gave him 63,330 system points, since 100 gold was equivalent to 1 system point.


    Adam had already asked the system whether he could change money from the real world into gold so that he could then change that into system points that were the most valuable thing to him, but the system, unfortunately, told him that at the moment that wasn''t possible.


    It meant that it was still a possibility, but for the current moment, he wouldn''t be able to and had to hunt as much as he could to save as much gold and system points as possible, to be able to afford such large purchases.


    It hurt his heart to have to use everything that he had saved, but in the end, Adam still felt that it was worth it.

 Chapter 193: Secret Unique Skill

    {Ding, the host has transferred 6,333,000 gold into 63,330 system points} notified him the system.


    Including the system points and gold that he had acquired while hunting last night on Floor 5, Adam had 513, 321 system points and 25,000 gold that he had kept in case of emergencies.


    [Buy the Step Skip Movement Skill] communicated Adam within his mind.


    {Ding, the host has spent 500,000 system points on the Step Skip Movement Skill, leaving the host 13,321 system points} confirmed the system.


    {Special Offer - Would the host like to spend the final 13,321 system points that the host has to increase the host''s mastery of the Unique Step Skip Movement Skill} offered the system.


    [Wait before I answer, did you say that it was a Unique Skill, like my Collector Skill] asked Adam.


    {Yes, the host has purchased a Unique Skill. This Skill is unique to the host and cannot be replicated to passed onto anybody just like the Collector Skill, and although the Collector Skill is of greater power, potential and functionality, the Step Skip Skill is an incredible Unique Skill} affirmed the system.


    {This skill is worth much more than 500,000 system points, but the system placed it within the store to see if the host was attentive and smart enough to choose it. There will be other opportunities for the host to pick out or stumble upon these Secret Unique Skills. The host acquired the Collector Skill in a similar way, for being attentive, and the host should always pay attention to everything in the system and the dungeon, in case there are secret opportunities. Also just to inform the host, Unique Skills may have other capabilities that the host must figure out what they are and unlock them with either skill, knowledge or system points} stated the system.


    Adam knew that the skill description was too good to be true and wanted to scream and jump up in joy, but stayed calm and had a few seconds before Cole and William reached where he was sat.


    [I would like to take up the Special Offer] decided Adam.


    Unique Skills were the things that Adam wanted the most as they were like superpowers that weren''t restricted by talent grading, elemental affinity or other factors and Chase''s amazing ability was the perfect example of that.


    {Ding, the host has acquired 20% mastery over the Step Skip Unique Skill, which will allow the host to skip 20 steps at once and reduced the cool down length to 0.8 seconds. This has left the host with 0 system points} summarised the system.


    Adam''s luck had been great lately and everything seemed to be working out in his favour, but it was making him feel more and more paranoid and was wondering when his good luck would run out.


    He still didn''t know anything about the organisation that were behind the Hospital Director and didn''t know anything about his master, which were two things that were worrying him and could cause him issues in the future.


    However, Adam decided not to think about that for now, and after he solved his current issues, he would then try to find out more information and increase his power, which would allow him to overcome anything and everything.


    "Are you ready to spar?" asked Cole as he reached Adam with his father beside him, who was clearly angry, upset and disappointed all at once.


    "Yes" affirmed Adam as he jumped up and was excited to try out the new Unique Skill that he had acquired.


    [There is no better way to test out a new ability than through a battle] thought Adam to himself.


    He allowed his Hunter''s mind to take complete control and almost overpower his own mind, so that he was completely focused, but made sure that his emotions still played an influence over his actions and not just his survival instincts.


    "Old man, stay on the side and don''t get close unless you want to get hurt" warned Adam as he dashed over to the centre of the warehouse followed by Cole.


    "Adam let''s set some ground rules. Are weapons allowed?" asked Cole.


    "The rules are everything is allowed and you must try your best to beat your opponent, but you cannot deal fatal blows or aim to kill the opponent. Does that sound fair to you?" suggested Adam.


    "That is fine by me. We will start in 3, 2, 1" announced Cole.


    "Go" he bellowed as he suddenly dashed towards Adam at incredible speeds while Adam stood his ground and waited to see what Cole was capable of.


    William who was watching from the side thought that Adam was scared and could barely see Cole who was moving at his full speed and wasn''t underestimating Adam who seemed weirdly confident.


    While dashing towards Adam, Cole flung two wind blades towards Adam, one from each arm, then went in for a close battle, where he was planning to overpower Adam with his speed.


    Although it was Cole''s first battle, he had simulated many different ways he could fight using his abilities and had also trained very hard to master his skills and techniques so that they were very powerful in combat.


    The wind blades were barely visible and would slice William apart if they were launched towards him and at the speed they were moving towards them and at the short distance that Cole shot it towards Adam, he wouldn''t be able to dodge it unscathed.


    It was the perfect chance for Adam to try out the Step Skip Unique Skill and if he didn''t, he wouldn''t be able to dodge both the wind blades and deal with Cole who was dashing towards him and would clash with him after the wind blades.


    Without thinking about it, Adam activated the Step Skip Unique Skill and aimed to move to the side, and he suddenly felt an unexplainable sensation as he suddenly appeared one step to the left.

 Chapter 194: Cole and Adams Battle Part 1

    After gaining the Step Skip Unique Skill and 20% mastery over it, just like with the Collector Skill, he felt as though he could use it with ease as if it had been something he had been doing his entire life.


    The system wouldn''t merely place the information on how to use it within his mind, but would also ingrain it into his body and subconscious, making it something that he could reflexively use and that he was comfortable using.


    Considering Adam''s height, his steps were about 30-40 inches depending on how much he was lunging forwards. Knowing that, Adam felt as though moving one step to the side using the Step Skip Skill was enough to dodge the wind blades that were blitzing towards him.


    Each one of the wind blades were aimed at both his shoulders, which would not fatally wound him, but would restrict the movement of his arms and make it hard to dodge or block them both.


    Adam didn''t understand how it worked and it didn''t make sense to him at all, just like the Collector Skill defied all logic, but he knew exactly how to use it and what the results would be after the system integrated it into his mind.


    Just as the wind blades were about to strike him, Adam seemingly moved from where he was to the side, without moving at all. It was instant and to Cole, it was as though Adam had teleported. While William couldn''t really tell what had happened as Cole and Adam were moving at speeds that were too fast for his eyes to track anyway.


    "How did you do that?" asked Cole as he suddenly leapt into the air, controlling the air around him to enhance his speed.


    "I don''t know" answered Adam with a smile.


    Cole struck towards from the air with a hammer fist strike, which Adam was able to dodge, then Adam counter-attacked with a swift and powerful hook to Cole''s side.


    Adam''s strength was only slightly below that of Cole''s resistance, and with Adam''s speed and master level boxing technique that allowed him to use the full potential of his strength, the blow dealt him quite a lot of damage.


    Cole felt winded by the blow and wasn''t expecting Adam to be able to strike him since he was faster than him, but with a gust of wind, he launched himself backwards and created some distance between himself and Adam.


    Despite the disparity in stats, Adam was clearly the superior fighter even though he was yet to use all of his abilities, however, Adam knew that Cole was only getting started and he also hadn''t used all of his abilities.


    "You''re not bad Adam," said Cole, pleased by Adam''s display of fighting ability.


    "Same with you" replied Adam who was also pleased with Cole''s fighting ability and excited to see what else he was capable of.


    William who was watching from the sidelines didn''t know how to react, and although initially, it seemed as though Adam was going to instantly lose their battle, he somehow regained control of the fight and pushed Cole back.


    "So Adam, why don''t you tell me what happened that time at the Auction House," said Cole as he dashed towards Adam.


    "Oh yeah, I haven''t told you about that yet" remembered Adam.


    As they both clashed and attacked each other at incredible speeds, Adam was telling Cole everything that happened at speeds that were also too fast for William to understand.


    Cole''s speed continued to get faster and faster and Adam was surprised by the power of his Wind Elemental Affinity that was allowing him to continue to increase his speed using some sort of technique.


    Adam, who was being bombarded with a flurry of fast attacks was on the defensive and activated both his Internal and External Fundamental Defensive Techniques which increased his resistance by 80 points, making it so that Cole''s attacks were barely effective against him.


    "That is the Energy Sleeve Technique right, along with the External Hardening Technique" observed Cole.


    "But how come they enhanced you so much, that isn''t possible?" asked Cole, who was baffled by the large increase in Adam''s resistance.


    Adam merely smiled and suddenly used the Step Skip Skill to suddenly appear behind Cole.


    It was an incredible feeling for Adam and he could control some sort of phantom form within his mind and move to any location, then activate the Step Skip Skill and the steps that he took to the location within his mind would be skipped and he would instantly appear there.


    Cole was confused as to where Adam suddenly disappeared to, but even with his superior speed, by the time he realised that Adam had appeared behind him, it was too late.


    Adam launched a powerful kick at his back that launched Cole tumbling forwards and crashing into the side of the warehouse.


    [This Step Skip Skill is amazing and along with my resistance techniques, make me feel invincible even against a stronger opponent] thought Adam to himself, in awe of how easy it was for him to dominate Cole in a battle despite that gap in cultivation level and Cole''s elemental affinity.


    [If I was using a weapon, I could have probably slit his throat when I appeared behind him and instantly won the battle. With this Unique Skill, I no longer have to worry much about gaps in cultivation levels as long as I have the element of surprise] thought Adam to himself as he realised how much easier it would be to deal with beasts in the dungeon.


    "I don''t know what that skill or ability of yours is, but it is incredible. However, it won''t surprise me a second time and I won''t let you land another strike on me" declared Cole as a small tornado began to form around him.


    "So you are getting serious now. Show me what you got" bellowed Adam, who was excited to see more of Cole''s abilities, as he dashed towards him.

 Chapter 195: Cole and Adams Battle Part 2

    ''Adam''s cultivation is lower than mine, his speed and power are also lower than mine, but his eyes are always glued onto me even when I move at my full speed. He has a weird ability that allows him to teleport it seems and he also has high level mastery over the two fundamental defensive techniques which allow him to massively enhance his body''s defence'' thought Cole to himself, analysing everything that he had seen from Adam at the first part of their battle.


    ''He seems to be skilled in boxing and using that against me, but he also seems confident and most likely has other abilities and skills that I need to be wary of'' added Cole to himself, who was taking the battle seriously.


    "Adam you are a worthy opponent and I apologise for underestimating you, but I will still win this battle" he declared as he walked towards Adam with a small tornado of wind forming around him.


    "Since you want to get serious, we can do that," said Adam as he withdrew the two daggers that he had gotten off Angela previously that he had kept tucked into his trousers.


    The tornado around him didn''t seem to be one that he was planning on using to attack him, so to test it out, Adam used the Dual Slash Skill and flung two crossed blades of energy at Cole.


    Unlike what Adam had expected, the blades of energy didn''t even reach Cole and the tornado around him was so strong that the blades were knocked off course and hit different areas of the warehouse.


    "With my Tornado Defence, I am invincible," said Cole, proud of the skill that he was using.


    Cole had trained and practised the Tornado Defence Skill the most as it was the most useful and powerful skill that his mother and grandfather had left behind for him with his father. It not only created a powerful defence around him, but also allowed him to hover, fly and increased his speed.


    However the skill was very draining both physically and mentally, so he had to win the battle quickly, otherwise, he would tire out.


    "What a great skill" uttered Adam amazed by the small tornado that had formed around Cole, but what shocked him next was when he suddenly began to hover in the air and fly.


    It required a lot of focus and great control to be able to do so, and wasn''t the most energy-efficient way to fly using his Wind Elemental Affinity, but allowed him to do so, while protecting him.


    While Cole hovered above the air and had a tornado around him that was defending him, he flung wind blades at Adam and spears formed of compressed air. All of his attacks were incredibly fast and if they landed on Adam, would pierce or slash Adam''s body, dealing him heavy damage.


    Adam was barely managing to evade the attacks and had been slashed by a few of the wind blades during the Step Skip Skill cool down, but he was sure that Cole wouldn''t be able to keep it up for long.


    Adam continued to dash around the warehouse and created as much distance from Cole as he could while trying to evade and block his attacks, but didn''t attack Cole.


    Since Cole wasn''t actually hostile towards Adam, Adam couldn''t see his status without using the Status Peering Feature, but he decided against doing so as it used quite a large amount of Internal Energy. However, without using it, he was sure that Cole was rapidly using his energy and wouldn''t be able to hold out for much longer.


    Cole was flying around the warehouse and was damaging Adam, but at the rate he was exhausting his energy, he would be tired out before Adam was taken down and he would lose.


    "I give up," said Cole as he landed in the centre of the warehouse and deactivated the Tornado Defence Skill.


    Cole really wanted to continue his battle with Adam, but he knew that there was no point and he would merely be wasting his time and wounding each other for no reason, since he had already lost.


    Adam who had been evading all of Cole''s ranged wind attacks was surprised by his sudden forfeit of their battle and suddenly appeared behind him and held his dagger to his neck.


    The distance between them was larger than 10 steps, but Adam had managed to use the Dagger Jolt Skill, that allowed him to have a sudden burst of speed, and then used the Step Skip Skill afterwards to appear behind Cole.


    "If this was a real battle, I had multiple opportunities to kill you," said Adam, who wanted to prove his point and teach Cole a lesson.


    Moving his dagger from Cole''s neck then tucking his two daggers back into his trousers, Adam took off his shirt to reveal his rippling muscles and chiselled body that was covered in deep slashes.


    However what was surprising was that his body didn''t have any scars, and Adam had found that the Ethereal Recovery Skill that he used was able to also recover and remove scars.


    "Son are you okay?" asked William as he rushed over towards him.


    "Relax father, it was merely a spar and he is clearly in worse shape than me" reassured him Cole.


    "Cole, you are battling tomorrow and are fighting for the position of family head for the Epstein Family and also your life, yet right now I do not think you are ready. You are stronger than me and even more skilled than me when it comes to using energy, yet I could have killed you multiple times" said Adam bluntly.


    Cole knew that what he said was right and was beginning to doubt himself, but that wasn''t what Adam wanted.


    "Listen Cole, I didn''t say that to scare you. We will spar as many times as we can today and I will prepare you as well as I can for tomorrow''s battle" reassured him Adam.

 Chapter 196: Ready For The Battle

    William couldn''t help but be amazed by Adam who could somehow teleport and was a greater fighter, allowing him to defeat Cole quite easily despite being weaker than him.


    Cole hadn''t been injured much during their battle, but had exhausted large amounts of Internal Energy, while Adam had suffered quite a lot of damage and was quite fatigued, so they both needed to rest and recover before sparring again.


    "We will rest and recover for an hour, then spar again. We will repeat this until I am confident enough in your combat skill and with your power and abilities, you should be able to beat me if you are skilled enough" decided Adam.


    William wanted to be in charge and wanted to be the one that Cole looked up to, but both of them were looking at Adam in a different light. He was the one that had known about cultivation for the least amount of time and was also the youngest, yet seemed to be the most experienced and knowledgable.


    He also seemed to have powerful connections, had multiple allies, was very skilled in combat, and was rapidly progressing with his unique and powerful abilities.


    With his shirt that had been ripped to shreds, taken off, Adam sat down where he stood and activated the Ethereal Recovery Skill to recover his energy and wounds.


    Seeing him begin recovering, Cole also sat down and began cultivating to recover his energy and couldn''t help but wonder what Adam''s master was like and who he was. From what Adam had told him, it was his master that had taught him everything that he knew and if Adam was able t become so skilled in such a short amount of time, then how powerful and skilled was his master.


    However little did he know, Adam had gained all of his abilities and most of his experience from the Dungeon System and it was only the beginning of his journey.


    William paced up and down the warehouse and was annoyed with Cole and angry with Adam, but as long as Cole was able to get the family head position, then everything else was worth it and didn''t matter.


    After an hour, Adam was completely recovered while Cole was mostly recovered. Cole and William couldn''t help but be amazed by Adam''s perfect body that was powerful and muscly, yet lean and fast. His physique was perfect for a skilled fighter and was what Cole was aiming for, while William had completely ruined his physique with alcohol and by no longer training his body.


    "Are you ready to spar again?" asked Adam who was rearing to battle again.


    While recovering Adam had replayed his battle with Cole within his mind multiple times and analysed his own performance and that of Cole''s. He could have fought better, but overall he was quite pleased with the way he fought and knew that if it was a real battle, he would probably be able to unleash even more power.


    Adam had many different powerful and useful skills that he could use throughout his journey as a cultivator as they all had the potential to be used at higher levels, and knowing that, Adam wanted to improve his use of them.


    His mastery was perfect and he could use them with ease since the system had integrated them into him, but that didn''t mean that he used them well. He needed to improve on perfect his timing and also improve on how he used his skills.


    The thing that he was proud of the most from his first battle with Cole was the combo that he had created with his Dagger Jolt Skill and the Step Skip Unique Skill. He called it the Dagger Jolt Step Skill and was the perfect combination of skills to cover a long gap between himself and an opponent in an instant, and would also allow him to swiftly kill the opponent with the slash of his daggers.


    During the spars with Cole, he wanted to create more combos to increase his combat power, and also wanted to train and draw out what Cole was capable of.


    Each time they sparred, Adam would use his Step Skip Skill to evade most of Cole''s ranged attacks, then would either exhaust Cole''s energy storages or slowly deal him damage while evading most of his attacks.


    Either way, he would win using his Step Skip Skill, his tactics and his Hunter''s mind that enhanced his focus, reflexes and senses.


    "Adam, could you at least let me win once. If I can''t beat you, how am I supposed to beat Mason?" asked Cole after losing 4 matches against Adam.


    Cole had initially thought that Adam was all talk, but after losing every single battle against him realised how wrong he really was.


    William had watched all the matches and every time didn''t understand how Adam was able to teleport and how he was still able to defeat Cole in every match despite the gap in cultivation level.


    "Cole you have learnt a lot and improved massively over these battle and I think your mind has been opened to combat. You need to confident, but also cautious going into tomorrows match and just remember that I got your back" reassured him Adam.


    "Alright, but I still think that the team should be me, Wayde and one of the Epstein Family Elders," said Cole.


    "Sure, whatever you think is best," said Adam, who didn''t really mind who fought in the battle as long as everything worked out well.


    "It is important that you eat, then sleep well. But wake up early so you can mentally and physically prepare yourself for the battle" advised Adam before bidding Cole farewell.


    With that, Adam took a taxi back to the hotel he was staying in to relay what they were going to do next to Angela and Wayde, while Cole and William left the warehouse to rest and prepared for the battle the next day.

 Chapter 197: Damian and Masons Alliance

    Riding in a taxi back to the centre of Staten Island where his hotel was, Adam had a satisfied smile on his face and everything seemed to be working out, but one thing that was worrying him was that he was yet to come across Martha or Damian.


    It was almost guaranteed that he would be doing something to get in their way or take the glory for himself so he can become the family head and or make Angela his wife, however, he didn''t know how and when, and it was worrying him.


    While Angela, Wayde and Adam were investigating around Staten Island, trying to find out as much as they could about the secretive, Damian and Martha were doing the same thing.


    Damian was surprisingly very capable and intelligent despite his evil character. Like the great elder of the Epstein Family, he was willing to do anything as long as it benefited him. He didn''t care about friends or family, all he wanted was the power, wealth and influence to do as he pleased and be the most respected and revered.


    Martha was merely a stepping stone for him and since she had helped him a lot, was planning on keeping her as his concubine or second wife, but who he truly wanted was Angela. If her beauty wasn''t enough, she would also increase the talent of his offspring to guarantee that he stayed in a position of power after retirement.


    He began in a similar way to Wayde, Angela and Adam, which was the most obvious way to gather more information. With his Disguise Illusion Stone activated and the contacts he had in New York, he quickly found out everything that took Adam a day and luck to find out.


    If Adam hadn''t had the lucky encounters he had on Staten Island, he wouldn''t have had much information about the Epstein Family and would have found it very hard to find it out without any connections and his weak power.


    While Damian had made contacts all over New York and in preparation for becoming the Maxwell Family Head, was forming his own connections. He not only wanted to destroy the Lin Family and take their territory, resources and knowledge, but Damian had also set his sights on the entirety of New York and wasn''t planning to stop there.


    There were many that had that same ambition as Damian, but none were actually following through with it or working towards it like he was, and Damian despite having a very twisted personality, was a very diligent cultivator that continued to progress at a steady speed.


    After finding out the current state of the Epstein Family, which was meant to have stayed secret, he had also found out about Cole being a candidate that was getting in the way of Mason.


    He knew of Mason despite the Epstein Familt''s secretive nature and he had been keeping tabs on all of the cultivation families in New York. With the moles that he had in each of the family, he was fining all the weak points in each of the families to force them to submit to him or destroy them.  He had begun his expansion of the Maxwell Family slowly, but didn''t want to do much until his position as the family head was guaranteed.


    Damian instructed one of his Moles to slip a letter under Mason''s door and leave the family. He had set up many different locations around the city for his close subordinates to hide and stay at.


    The letter informed Mason of who he was and stated that he wanted to meet him at a certain location to speak about how their goals aligned and form an alliance.


    Although the Maxwell Family wasn''t as powerful as the Lin Family, it was still a powerful cultivation family that had many capabilities, and if Damian truly was going to become the next family head, in the eyes of Mason, he was a great asset.


    Both had had an eye on each other and knew of each other''s exploits and goals, and since they both aligned and could benefit each other, it was an easy alliance to form.


    They met up in a restaurant, both with disguises on, and agreed that if they both assisted each other in becoming the family heads of their families, they would form an official alliance between the families.


    With that alliance, they would share knowledge, power and resources and aim to take out the rest of the families in New York, just like the large cultivation families had done to Elizabeth''s in the past.


    Neither of them were truly loyal to each other, but they both knew that and it was the mutual understanding that made their alliance so strong. As long as they both benefited each other and helped each other elevate in power, wealth, and status, there was no issue.


    However, they both knew that it was inevitable that they would have to get rid of each other eventually to keep everything they had worked for together. But until then, they were allies.


    Mason told Damian most of the things about the current state of the Epstein Family, while Damian did the same about the Maxwell Family.


    After that Damian and Martha were given the invite to the three man battle and Damian was quite sure and had told Mason, that Angela, Wayde and another guy were probably working with Cole.


    There would be no other way for Angela and her companions to achieve their target, and if they weren''t working, they weren''t a threat in the slightest.


    Adam needed to report back to Angela and Wayde, and for some reason was feeling anxious. At Cole''s current level of combat prowess, he would find it almost impossible to win against Mason. The two that he chose to support him would be preoccupied with the other two opponents and Cole wouldn''t be able to hold out for long against Mason alone.


    However, Adam thought of something that might solve that issue.

 Chapter 198: Reporting Back to Angela and Wayde

    Everything had turned out well for both sides, or so they believed, and all that was left was for them to spectate the battle and see what the outcome was.


    Upon arriving at the area around the hotel, Adam told the taxi driver to stop and paid him the fee. Leaving the taxi, he walked into a dark alleyway to put on his disguise using the Disguise Illusion Stone, before heading into the hotel.


    It was already late and Angela and Wayde were worried since they hadn''t heard from Adam in a while and didn''t know what he was planning, but Adam didn''t sit idly the entire day, and had helped Cole prepare for the battle.


    [I will hunt on Floor 5 until 8 am, then I will wake up, use the Ethereal Recovery Skill to relax my mind, and prepare to go with Cole to his battle] planned Adam.


    Walking back into the hotel, Adam had quite a pleased smile on his face and although there were a few things that were yet to be sorted out, overall he was happy with how everything was turning out.


    Adam had found that stressing and allowing things to overwhelm him was merely a waste of his energy and time, and it was much better for him to stay relaxed and happy, which he was learning to do.


    No matter how many bad things came his way, he would overcome them and he couldn''t complain about anything with all the luck and things that he had. He knew that there were many people that were still stuck in the position that he was in a few months ago, and that there were also people in worse positions than that.


    Knowing that he had no reason to complain and it felt good to be able to help people once in a while to keep his conscience clear, other than that, Adam wanted to stay happy. What Adam had realised, which Mason, Damian and the great elder of the Epstein Family were yet to realise, was that there was no point pursuing wealth, power and influence if you couldn''t enjoy it.


    That would just be a waste of time and effort and would also make it so that their minds weren''t stable, which was a key element of cultivation.


    Walking into the hotel room, as soon as he closed the door behind him, he was greeted by a whip formed of water that was being controlled by Angela.


    Angela whipped it towards Adam, wanting to wrap it around his neck, but seeing the attack coming, although he was too slow to dodge it, with his new Unique Skill, as long as he could see or sense the attack, he could instantly move to an area nearby that was out of the attack''s range.


    Using the Step Skip Unique Skill, which had also become the skill that he used the most and was relied on by him the most, Adam emerged behind Angela whose attack was about to land on him.


    Even Wayde, who stood beside Angela and was one of the most skilled and powerful cultivators in New York, didn''t know how to react and wouldn''t have been able to stop Adam from taking down Elizabeth if he wanted to.


    "Calm down Angela, why are you attacking me?" asked Adam with a cheeky smile.


    Adam enjoyed annoying and messing with Angela as with her arrogant and pompous attitude, it was very amusing and entertaining to see her reactions to his actions.


    "What do you mean calm down? Where have you been all day and how the hell did you do that?" she exclaimed as she retracted her water whip and turned around to face Adam with an angry and annoyed expression.


    "How did I do what?" asked Adam feigning ignorance, despite knowing that she was asking him how he managed to dodge her attack.


    "How did you suddenly appear behind me?" she asked.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about" answered Adam as he shrugged and lay down comfortably on the nearby sofa.


    "Ugh, you are so annoying Adam" she screamed, wanting to rip Adam to shreds.


    Adam just laughed to himself, while Wayde was initially surprised by Adam''s sudden appearance behind Angela that made it seem that he teleported. But after seeing Adam annoying Angela and joking around, he smiled slightly and felt amused and comfortable around them.


    "Why didn''t you answer your phone all day?" asked Angela who had called him many times.


    Adam took his phone out of his pocket and once again it was smashed into pieces. Managing to salvage the sim card, Angela gave him a new phone that he could use. It was the standard issue of the Maxwell Family, and most other cultivators or influential people as they were untraceable, very durable and were still smartphones.


    "Now to talk seriously. Tomorrow there is a three vs three battle between the two final candidates and we are on Cole''s side, who is the candidate that is the most understanding and has agreed to form an alliance with us when he becomes the family head. I guarantee that you can trust him" stated Adam.


    "What about the other candidate. Is it that Mason that we have heard about?" asked Angela.


    "Yes and if Damian as half as crafty and intelligent as you say, he is most likely doing the same thing that we are doing with Cole, with Mason. The battle being a three against three causes there to be two unknown opponents, but I have an idea that might work, but requires your help" said Adam to Angela.


    "What is it?" she asked.


    She had believed in him and trusted him with everything else, so she might as well do so until the end and was curious to see what he was planning.


    "I want the three man team to be me, you and Cole" revealed Adam, who had found a way to guarantee that the battle was as fair as possible and gave them a better chance of winning against Mason''s team.

 Chapter 199: Youth 3 VS 3 Battle Part 1

    It was very unlikely for Cole to win the three man battle even with Wayde and an elder from the Epstein Family on his team, since Mason can have people on his team that are just as powerful if not more.


    But if he was able to get the Epstein Family to agree that it should be a battle between youths that were 18 or younger, they would have a good chance of victory. Angela, Cole and Adam were a good match up and they already knew about the abilities of Martha and Damian who were most likely going to be the two to join Mason''s team if it was going to be a battle between youths.


    After telling that to Angela and Wayde, they agreed that it was the plan of action that had the highest possibility for success, but they were still both quite doubtful.


    "I have greatly increased my skill and can fight in close combat, you are very skilled and have a powerful water elemental affinity, while Cole is also skilled and has a powerful wind elemental affinity" stated Adam.


    "And as you can see..." said Adam before pausing to using his Step Skip Skill to appear behind Angela again.


    "I am a difficult opponent to fight against" continued Adam with a smile.


    Seeing how he could suddenly disappear and appear in another place as he pleased, Wayde and Angela no longer doubted Adam despite his lower cultivation level, but they couldn''t help but wonder what the limitations of that ability.


    How does it even work and how did he get such an incredible ability.


    However despite all their questions, they didn''t ask anything knowing that Adam wouldn''t answer and didn''t want to, and they all went to rest before the next day.


    "Prepare something to conceal your identity and bear in mind, there will be a lot of Advanced Cultivators, so it can''t be the Disguise Illusion Stone," said Adam before entering his room.


    Calling Cole, he informed him of his plan and Cole also agreed that it was the best plan of action and he was sure that it would be quite easy to convince the Epstein Family to accept his condition.


    It wasn''t a request that was wild and with their proud attitude, Cole could easily use that to persuade them that it was fair and although the great elder would probably object, Cole was sure that the rest of the family would agree.


    With that sorted out, everyone went to sleep to rest and recover before the exciting battle that would take place the next day, and while everybody else was sleeping, Adam was in a mountainous region that was filled with dangerous beasts.


    Adam still couldn''t tell what exactly the dungeon was and whether it was only in his mind and the system was granted the power, or he had another body in another world, but either way, he appreciated the Dungeon System.


    Using the Step Skip Skill, Adam couldn''t help but smile at how easy it was to deal with beasts and other than the Unique Collector Skill, he felt that it was the most powerful and useful skill that he could have asked for.


    As long as his mind and reflexes were fast enough, along with having enough Internal Energy, he was almost invincible and untouchable within a certain range. However, in a long battle against an opponent that he couldn''t take out with a few attacks, there were quite a few weaknesses with the skill just like every skill.


    It was very draining and an intelligent opponent would be able to realise over a long battle that the skill had a short range of 10 steps, which was about 8 to 10 metres, depending on how long the strides he took were.


    Using the skill was an exhilarating feeling and it was as though time would freeze within his mind and allow him to move to a certain position then start time again.


    Adam hunted in the dungeon for 16 hours, which was 8 hours in reality, and in that time was able to jump up 1 LVL, which was incredibly quick compared to how fast he would usually LVL UP, especially since there was a high EXP requirement to LVL UP.


    If he continued at that fast pace, which was thanks to the Step Skip Unique Skill that made hunting much easier, he would be able to reach the Advanced Cultivation Level within a few months, which was unheard of.


    Leaving the dungeon, Adam was ready for the three man battle and took in a deep breath that was amazing after being a mountains region in the dungeon that had scarce amounts of oxygen.


    Waking up, Angela and Wayde were already awake and were prepared to leave.


    Changing into an all-black tracksuit with a hood then putting on the demonic mask that Wayde had given him, which he had stored within his inventory, Adam was also ready to leave.


    Upon leaving his room, Adam was surprised to see what Angela was wearing. She was wearing a skin-tight black set of black clothing that was similar to that of his own and was wearing a domino mask that concealed her identity.


    He was surprised by the clothes themselves, but how alluring she looked while wearing them, but he didn''t show it on his face and although she was the most beautiful female he had seen in his life, Adam was still calm.


    "Why are you staring?" asked Angela who felt as though Adam''s eyes could see through her clothes.


    "Why would I stare at you, don''t overestimate yourself. You aren''t on my level" said Adam who then gave her a wink while using his Charm Skill to make Angela feel more attracted towards him.


    Turning around she blushed, but Adam just chuckled and called Cole so that he could meet up with him before heading to the arena for the battle that would either make or break the Maxwell Family.

 Chapter 200: Youth 3 VS 3 Battle Part 2

    Adam, Angela and Wayde used their Disguise Illusion Stones as they headed over to the arena with Cole and William. Although Advanced Cultivators could see how they really looked, if they were an Advanced Cultivator they would be able to sense the powerful aura around them anyway.


    Most of the cultivators heading towards the arena were also using the Disguise Illusion Stone just so that they didn''t cause a commotion in the public, which was something that most cultivators agreed was taboo.


    "Cole, calm down, take deep breaths, be confident and remember you aren''t only doing this for your parents and because it is your destiny. That is bullshit. Do it because you want to and because you want to be able to live a happy life where you don''t have to worry about anything and can get rid of anything that is threatening your happiness and the happiness of those that you cared about" advised Adam as he placed his hand on Cole''s shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.


    "Thanks, Adam, and you are right. I am doing this for myself and because I myself want to get revenge for my mother, grandfather and father, not because it is my destiny" stated Cole, who needed Adam''s advice to help him take ownership of his aims.


    The arena was filled with hundreds of Advanced Cultivators and individuals in high positions within the Epstein Family, all excited to see who would win the battle and become the next family head.


    In the crowds were Damian and Martha who had front row seats and were VIP guests that were authorised by Mason, and the great elder was also excited to finally be able to get rid of the loose strings.


    Once Mason became the family head, everything that he had worked towards for the past decades would have been worth it, but it wasn''t over until it was over, so he didn''t relax until both William and Cole were exterminated.


    Cole arrived with Adam, Wayde, William and Angela behind him and upon entering the arena, they deactivated their Disguise Illusion Stones and revealed themselves, but only Cole and William were actually showing their face, as they had already shown themselves to the family.


    As soon as they took down their disguises, Damian and Martha instantly recognised the figure in all-black that had a demonic mask. Seeing him, the beautiful masked female beside him was clearly Angela and the tall and strong male figure that was wearing a mask was clearly Wayde.


    "Mason, the 3 with Cole are Angela, Wayde and that other male that I told you about," said Damian.


    "Hahaha, it doesn''t matter who they bring, they will still lose and we will both get what we want in the process" laughed Mason who with the support of his father and some of the elders felt invincible.


    Jumping from the stands with incredible speed and power, Mason landed in the centre of the arena that had been emptied and flattened out in preparation for the battle.


    "Welcome Cole, this will be the grounds for our battle to the death and it will be a three against three match that was no restrictions" announced Mason who had taken control of the crowd and shown his power and authority within a few seconds.


    "Yes, and it will be where you and your father are executed publically for your sins" declared Cole confidently, feeling adrenaline coursing through his veins.


    "So, who are the two that you have decided to join your team," asked the great elder who jumped down to join his son and interrupted Mason before reacting to Cole''s declaration.


    "I have a final condition for the battle before I answer that" stated Cole.


    "The match has already been agreed on, what other conditions do you have?" asked the great elder who was feeling sceptical and wasn''t sure about what Cole was going to request that might ruin everything that he worked towards.


    "My condition is that this battle should be between youths and not old men like you. The age limit should be 18 years of age" stated Cole, without any respect towards the great elder.


    "That is outrageous, the conditions and rules were already set before the match and you cannot change the rules as you please" bellowed the great elder furiously.


    "Is your son that much of a coward that he cannot accept a fair battle, I am merely setting conditions that make the battle for family head fair. It should be a youth battle as we are the future of the cultivation world and I am sure that the audience thinks my conditions are reasonable" said Cole.


    The crowd began to cheer wanting to be entertained by the battle and most of the crowd were in support of Cole and agreed that it should be a battle between youths, which would be much more entertaining.


    "Mason, do you want us to be part of your team?" offered Damian, who was confident in his own strength.


    Seeing Damian and Martha in the crowd and knowing of their incredible power that was one of the highest out of the youths in New York, he was still confident that he could win, especially since he was confident in his own power.


    The great elder felt pressured to accept and he didn''t really want to accept as he didn''t want any risks on the final part of his son''s inheritance of the family head, however looking down at his son, he still seemed confident.


    "Father, it''s fine, either way, I will win and become the next family head, no matter what conditions he requests to add" stated Mason.


    "If that is the case then who are the two others that will be joining your team?" asked the great elder.


    "My companions will be the two people stood beside me" answered Cole as Angela and Adam stepped forth to stand beside him.


    Cole was confident and ready to battle with his two mysterious masked companions, which made the great elder anxious, while the rest of the crowd were enjoying the show and excited to see who would come out on top.

 Chapter 201: Youth 3 VS 3 Battle Part 3

    The entire crowd, including Mason, Damian and the great elder were looking at Cole and his two companions, curious and excited to see who they were, what they were capable of and what the outcome of their battle would be.


    Angela''s alluring figure was on show to the crowd with the tight clothes that she was wearing and even the great elder himself was finding it hard to admire her perfect, slim, yet plump figure.


    Feasting their eyes on her body, Angela felt as though she was being stared at by a pack of hungry wolves, but with her beauty, she had gotten used to receiving such lustful looks and with Wayde behind her and Adam beside her, she felt safe.


    The crowd could see that Cole had a confident and proud aura around him, but what they couldn''t see was that Cole desperately wanted to kill the great elder and Mason. After killing them and becoming the family head, he could finally complete what his mother and father had left for him and could go back to how he wanted his life to be.


    Although his life would never go back to normal and he would have much more responsibility, being the family head gave him more freedom and power to live happily and protect and provide for those that he cared about.


    Like Adam had said to him, he needed to not allow what was going on to weigh too much on his mind as it would only make him feel bad while holding him back both in terms of cultivation and happiness.


    Meanwhile, when they looked at Adam''s figure that was quite slim and seemed average as he was wearing a loose completely black tracksuit, he seemed to be an ordinary person. However, when looking at his red glaring eyes and the demonic mask he was wearing, the people that looked at him couldn''t help but be slightly surprised and intimidated by his appearance.


    The great elder was initially wary of Cole''s two mysterious and unknown team members for the youth battle that they had agreed to, but seeing Adam''s cultivation level that was only at rank 4 both internally and externally, the great elder couldn''t help but laugh to himself.


    However, although he could sense Cole''s and Adam''s cultivating level as it was lower than his own and quite easy for him to gauge, he couldn''t tell Angela''s cultivation level, which was why he didn''t celebrate yet.


    ''It is not over until it is over and once Mason wins, I will kill William and Cole and finally acquire the thing that I have worked towards for so long'' thought the great elder to himself as he smiled evilly.


    "So who is on your team?" asked Cole.


    "Come and join me with your companion" communicated Mason to Damian through the communication device that they were using.


    Hearing what Mason said into his ear, Damian smiled and it was time for him to not only help his ally get the position of the family head, but also form an alliance with his family and become the family head because of it.


    "Martha, we will be joining him in the battle and we will use all of our power to ensure that Mason wins this battle, otherwise we might as well end our alliance now" informed her Damian.


    Jumping down from the side of the crowd, before he was stopped by any of the elders, Damian landed behind Mason, and soon after Martha did the same and landed on the other side of Damian.


    Damian easily recognised Angela from her beautiful figure that he was always admiring and gave her a wink upon landing beside Mason, causing her to become massively annoyed.


    However, Adam had already told them that Damian was most likely working with Mason and it was a battle that would dictate the fate of not only their families, but the entity of New York that would be affected by the outcome of the battle.


    "Those are Martha and Damian, two of the young prodigies from the Maxwell Family"


    "What are they doing here? and how do they know about this battle?"


    "This is meant to be a private event and why are they going to fight with Mason?"


    The crowd was easily able to recognise who they were and the young prodigies from all the large cultivation families were known throughout New York by almost every single cultivator, who was watching them to see who out of them would become the next generation of family heads.


    "These are my team members, Martha and Damian Maxwell and are also my allies. Damian will become the next family head of the Maxwell Family and has entered an alliance with me so that we can increase the power and influence of both of our families" announced Mason, wanting to increase his reputation within the family and make the elders believe that he was already working towards enhancing the power of the family.


    Adam looked over to Cole and Angela, and all three of them knew what each other were thinking and Angela nodded her head, allowing them to use her identity to do the same as Mason just done.


    Angela took off her mask and revealed her face to the crowd, causing an even larger commotion as she was known as the beautiful princess of the Maxwell Family that was one of the most talented individuals that were currently alive in New York.


    She was most famous for having the Flame Master of New York as her private bodyguard and the crowd were easily able to gather that the large man that stood behind her was the rumoured Flame Master.


    Although it was clear to Wyade that they had found out who he was, he still didn''t want to take off his mask as he was more comfortable with his face covered and only truly felt comfortable with Angela and Adam.


    Adam on the other hand hadn''t even thought about taking off his mask and him staying mysterious and being underestimated because of his lower cultivation level was exactly what he wanted.


    "Mason has just lied to the entire family without any shame. The next family head of the Maxwell Family will be Anglea Maxwell who is stood beside me and the reason for that is because she is allied with the one that will become the family head of the Epstein Family. This battle will dictate who will be the family head of the Epstein Family, but also who will be the family head of the Maxwell Family" revealed Cole.


    The crowd was going wild at Cole''s revelation and if what he said was true, which it seemed to be, then the battle that they were spectating would control the fate of their entire city. It was also a battle that would be written in history.


    In an expensive and luxurious penthouse in one of the most prestigious buildings in Brooklyn was the Maxwell Family head who was cultivating calmly and was taking deep breaths to soothe his mind and body, but suddenly his multiple communication devices were going crazy.


    "What is going on?" wondered the family head, and since so many people dared to call him despite knowing that he liked to be left alone, he was quite sure that it was something urgent.


    Answering one of the communication devices, a loud and hurried voice resounded within the room.


    "Sir, sir, there has been a massive change in events"


    "Calm down and tell me what happened, have any of them been hurt" asked the family head, who was worried about Anglea, Martha and Damian who were some of the most promising youths in his family.


    "No they are not but they are about to be a part of a 3 against 3 battle between youths that will dictate who will be the family head of the Epstein Family and Maxwell Family" informed him the voice.


    The Maxwell Family head had subordinates stationed all around New York, just like the rest of the families had, but he sent more subordinates to Staten Island, knowing that Angela, Damian and Martha had went there.


    All of his subordinates who had managed to sneak into the arena to watch the match were gobsmacked by who they saw there and what was happening, and as soon as they saw Angela reveal herself, called the family head to inform him of what was happening.


    The subordinate explained everything to the family head and he was glad to see that the Maxwell Family would benefit from the battle no matter who won, but he still wasn''t willing to allow any of them to die in that battle.


    "Relay this to the rest of my subordinates and any of our affiliates in the area. Make sure that Angela, Martha and Damian are not killed in the arena and I am sure that Wyade is there to protect Angela. But other than that, do not intervene and allow the battle to take its course and the youths to fight for their own power" instructed the family head.

 Chapter 202: Youth 3 VS 3 Battle Part 4

    The Maxwell Family Head''s instructions were surprising, but the subordinate relayed them to all of their affiliates in the area like he was ordered to and did exactly as the family head said.


    Sitting down on his bed, the old family head of the Maxwell Family didn''t know whether to be happy, upset, worried or angry. After the long life that he lived, he no longer harboured any grudges or negativity and was preparing himself for his inevitable death.


    The family head regretted the acts that he had committed when he was younger and realised that the only thing that he left behind was his legacy and the effects that he had on the world, which was why he began trying to leave his positive mark on the world and his family.


    He was by no means a righteous hero, but he realised how much of his humanity he lost in the pursuit of strength and power, which he regretted, but knew was the only way to get what he wanted.


    ''This is a cruel world and I think this battle will show them that and is a good way for them to solve their issues and fight for the positions that they want. Although I don''t want any of them to die, I think that it will take someone''s death to show them that'' thought the great elder to himself as he sighed, feeling helpless.


    It was an endless cycle of betrayal, murder and battle all for resources, power and influence, and yet he knew that there was no way for him to escape it. The world had become more modern and advanced, but most cultivators were still very uptight and traditional, not keeping up with the times.


    Seeing the Epstein Family that had adopted modern technology and research, he wanted his descendants and relatives to be able to do the same and no longer become so mentally and emotionally twisted in the pursuit of power.


    Death and fighting were inevitable, but one do them without feeling any guilt or it having negative effects on them?


    The Maxwell Family Head could only sigh and seeing how the mysterious youth had influenced Angela and even Wayde, he was hoping that he would spark the change that he was looking for.


    Despite Adam''s comparingly low cultivation level, the feats he was able to accomplish were unheard of and without realising it, Adam had many people that admired him and relied on him.


    People saw how hard he fought and it inspired them and although Adam could be playful, cold and reckless at times, which could be seen as annoying and negative traits, he cared for those around him and valued the life of innocents.


    ''All I can do is allow nature to take its course and in the end, we will all be buried 6 feet deep and forgotten'' thought the family head as he felt some sort of enlightenment and as if a weight was lifted off his chest after letting out all the different emotions that he had been feeling.


    With that enlightenment, the family head cleared his mind and found that he was close to having a breakthrough in his cultivation level because of it, which was an incredible thing for him considering his age and cultivation level that was relatively high.


    Meanwhile, the 6 youths who stood 30 metres apart were eyeing each other up and gauging each other''s power and abilities in preparation for their battle.


    All 6 of the youths were publically known as prodigies and their elemental affinities were publically known and revealed, so they knew what to expect from them all, apart from the hooded and masked figure that was on Cole''s team.


    The great elder was quite sure that they were all 18 or younger like they had agreed upon for the youth battle, but just to confirm and make sure that it was the case, he decided to check.


    "Bring me an age gauging device" ordered the great elder to one of his subordinates within the crowd.


    The subordinate nodded his head and rushed out of the arena to do as he was told.


    After a few minutes, that same subordinate came back with a crystal in his hands that looked similar to the one that Cole had previously been tested with.


    Within that time, the two 3 people teams talked between themselves and prepared the strategy of how they were going to fight. Angela was going to be the support and ranged fighter, and she told Cole and Adam to trust her skill, which they did.


    That left Adam to engage them in close combat, while Cole would switch between mid-ranged, ranged and close combat depending on how the battle was going.


    They didn''t want to split up and go 1 against 1 with the opponents as it was likely they would lose if they fought like that, but that was exactly what the opposite team wanted to do.


    Mason''s team wanted to get Adam, Cole, and Angela to split up, which would allow them to take them down much more easily.


    "Place both your palms on the device and it will accurately tell s your age" stated the great elder, starting with his son''s team.


    The age gauging device scanned the person''s body and used their bone structure, bone marrow and bone density to gauge the age of the individual.


    No matter how much one trained and attempted to alter their bones and body, they wouldn''t be able to alter their bone structure, making it an almost completely accurate and foolproof method to gauge one''s age.


    After testing the ages of all 6 of them, it turned out that all of them were 18 and there were only a few months between all of their ages, making it a relatively fair battle in terms of age.


    However, if Adam gained the Dungeon System when the others he was battling with and against began cultivating, apart from Cole, who knows how powerful he would have been at that moment.

 Chapter 203: Youth 3 VS 3 Battle Part 5

    "Then if there are no objections, the 6 of you will not be able to leave this arena until the battle is decided and the judges of this battle are the crowd" stated the great elder.


    "If you are not part of the battle, leave the arena and head towards the stands immediately" instructed the great elder as he jumped back up to the stands with ease.


    Hearing what he said, Wayde looked over at Angela and felt conflicted.


    Wayde was reluctant to leave Angela''s side as he had vowed to always protect her even if it meant that he had to sacrifice his life, but after she told him to leave and seeing that Adam was with her, he felt slightly better.


    He jumped up onto the stands and stood on the edge of the stands, ready to jump in and intervene at any moment despite knowing that it would ruin his own reputation and that of Angela.


    It might also mean that he would have to fight directly against those that wanted to get in the way, however, he didn''t care about the Epstein Family and wasn''t worried about offending them, as long as he protected his master.


    William was unable to jump up onto the stands, which was an incredibly high and far jump that would be impossible for even low level cultivators, as he had lost his cultivation. Instead, he walked up the stairs, along with the others that couldn''t make the jump, until only the 6 youths were left in the centre of the arena.


    With only the 6 of them left in the arena, a barrier was formed around the entire arena, which amazed them all apart from Mason who was the only one out of them that had seen the barrier be used before.


    "Never seen a barrier before. This is formed using a large scale array and is being sustained by 10 elders using their Internal Energy all at once. It can handle multiple attacks from a peak level Advanced Cultivator, so there is no way that you will be able to break out of it and try to escape" stated Mason with an evil smile as he began to release his killing intent.


    The barrier was almost completely see-through like glass and sound and the air wasn''t trapped by the barrier, but no physical objects to entities could make it through the barrier.


    It was an incredibly useful array and there were different adjustments that could be made to change its function, but to create it, one needed great knowledge, skill and large amounts of internal energy. It would be even harder to modify it and only a master level array master would be able to modify an array that had already been created without destroying it.


    This blocked anyone from interfering in the battle and stopped any of them from breaking out until the elders reached a verdict on who they felt had won.


    Mason''s expression made his opponents feel as though they were trapped in the lion''s den, but it might backfire on the lion if his prey was secretly more powerful than it.


    It hadn''t been mentioned that it was a fight to the death, but it was quite clear to all of them that they had the intention to kill each other, especially Cole and Mason who from birth were destined to fight each other as enemies.


    The one that was least likely to be killed out of them all, was Angela, since none of them harboured any real animosity towards her apart from Martha who was filled with jealousy and envy. Even Mason, who was cold-hearted and only seeking to increase his own power and influence, wanted such a beauty to be by his side.


    "Is everybody ready for the battle?" asked the great elder who was acting as the commentator.


    None of the 6 youths answered his question and all stood in different stances that suited their battle style apart from Adam who stood comfortably with his arms crossed.


    "I will assume that your silence means that you are all ready. Unless there are any objections I will stay the countdown" continued the great elder, ignoring the disrespect of them not answering, more excited to see the result of their battle.


    The great elder counted down from 3 and the entire crowd was silent, all completely focused on the 6 youths in the centre of the large arena, also excited to watch the battle.


    Counting down from 3, after saying 1 the great elder bellowed, "You may begin" extremely loudly.


    His voice resounded throughout the arena, but with the sound barrier that was around the arena and the hundreds of guards stationed, they didn''t have to worry about disturbing the public.


    The ignorant ordinary people were all moving along with their day ordinarily and not only were sound, illusion and protective barriers placed around the arena, but there were also guards stationed around, both in and out of the Illusion Barrier.


    It was inevitable for the knowledge of the event to reach other cultivators, but it was almost impossible for one to get into the event undetected unless they had managed to enter as one of the Epstein Family, which was quite easy to do.


    The news of the battle involving the Maxwell and Epstein Family had spread around New York before the battle had even begun, and the Lin Family who had heard the news of what had happened were surprised.


    They would either need to take down the Maxwell Famly quickly before they were able to use the power and resources of the Epstein Family to defend themselves or switch targets. It seemed that it was inevitable for them to ally themselves with each other no matter the outcome of the battle.


    Otherwise, taking on two of the large cultivation families, was basically suicide especially since the Epstein Family was the most knowledgable family in New York that was also the biggest producer of cultivation goods.


    Or they could change targets as they weren''t planning on giving up their ambitions, but before they made any decisions that would affect their family''s future, they decided to wait to see what happened as there were no guarantees in life.


    As soon as the 6 youths were permitted to battle, they all made sudden movements, some dashing towards each other, while others making distance.

 Chapter 204: Youth 3 VS 3 Battle Part 6

    Angela as soon as the great elder announced that they could begin, jumped back and created distance between herself and her opponents, while Cole also did the same, but didn''t move back as much as Angela.


    That left Adam in the same place as he stood, as he was the only one that didn''t move, and had 3 opponents dashing towards him and his companions that were behind him.


    Mason dashed in the direction of Cole, Martha in the direction and Damian in the direction of Adam, wanting to split them apart and let their anger out on the opponent that they harboured the most hatred towards.


    Seeing how the formation that the opponents were in, Adam and his companions couldn''t help but smile. It had turned out exactly as he said it would and Adam had already guessed how they would attack them and also formulated a rough plan to deal with them.


    Damian although had grade E:4 talent and didn''t have an elemental affinity, was still on a similar cultivation level to Mason because of his hardworking and perceptive nature and was very skilled in the use of the staff, which was his main weapon.


    Meanwhile, Martha was also at a similar cultivation level to them and also didn''t have an elemental affinity, yet was one of the most skilled and talented in the Maxwell Family, especially when it came to her skill in the use of the sword.


    Their speed was incredible and while dashing towards their opponents, they all withdrew their weapons that were concealed very well and stored in different ways around their bodies.


    Even in the large cultivation families, elemental affinities were things that were rare and those that had one, were valued massively and in special cases like Wayde, people that weren''t in any of the large cultivation families could be found with incredible elemental affinities.


    Altogether there weren''t more than 100 known, powerful and capable cultivators in New York that had elemental affinities, which made people like Cole, Angela, Mason and Wayde very rare and valuable to any family or organisation.


    "You bastard will die" roared Damian who was the first to reach his opponent out of the three as Adam hadn''t moved from his starting position.


    His speed was terrifying and most cars would even struggle to reach the speeds that he could move in as he suddenly took out a small black pole that began to extend into a two metre long staff.


    The staff was both durable, hard and flexible, making it the perfect weapon to block, attack and use in other ways in combat. Damian had trained in the use of the staff for years and had become very skilled in its use.


    Stabbing his staff into the ground, with the flexible material that it was made of, Damian was able to use it to propel himself towards Adam like a bullet.


    Damian used it in the same way that pole vaulters would use their long flexible poles in the Olympics, but instead was propelling himself forwards with his leg stuck out, aiming to kick Adam in the head.


    The speed and power of Damian''s kick was enough to shatter Adam''s bones and if he were to strike an ordinary person with it, his leg would pierce through and instantly kill the individual.


    Adam could barely react to the speed of the attack, but as long as he had even a split second to think, use his Internal Energy and activate his Step Skip Unique Skill, he could avoid the attack.


    Just as Damian was about to burst out into laughter, sure that the speed and power of his attack was enough to easily kill Adam who was at quite a low cultivation level, he suddenly felt Adam''s presence disappear and he didn''t hit anything.


    While mid-air and moving at dozens of miles per hour, Damian stabbed his staff into the ground and abruptly stopped his movement and landed on the ground to see that Adam stood behind him with his arms still crossed, wanting to humiliate Damian.


    "You shouldn''t have come for me," said Adam.


    The crowds watching began to cheer seeing the first altercation between the youths as the other 4 were yet to clash, but they were still all baffled by how Adam disappeared and dodged his attack.


    His speed couldn''t be that fast, as not even the elders could see him move and merely saw him appear and disappear. If he really was that fast, he would have been able to easily take down all three of his opponents without breaking a sweat, but it was quite clear that he was somehow able to disappear and appear in another position.


    Just as the crowd were excited to watch the mysterious youth battle against the skilled Damian who was furious and ready to attack a second time with his staff, the figure suddenly appeared 7 metres away from Damian then rushed after Mason who was rushing after Cole.


    He had managed to get Damian away from his companions for a few seconds, and he was confident that Angela would be able to handle herself against Martha, so he rushed to support Cole against Mason.


    Adam wanted to make sure that his companions were within his teleporting range so he could save them if they were on the verge of being defeated and all three of them had a key role to play in the team, unlike their opposition that were fighting separately and wanted to show off their own individual power.


    Damian and the crowd were baffled by how Adam as able to disappear and appear in another place and in those moments of amazement, Adam was able to reach Cole who was being bombarded with powerful fire attacks from Mason.


    Mason''s fire elemental affinity and talent grading was 1 grade higher than that of Wayde, making him an incredibly powerful and capable individual. However, his skill, perceptivity and determination were lower than that of Wayde and it was unlikely that he would be able to reach the power level that Wayde was at by the time he was Wayde''s age.


    Despite that, his power was still frightening and he was much more powerful than Cole in terms of raw power.


    Using a Movement Technique that used his wind elemental affinity to grant him incredible speed, Cole was able to evade the fireballs that Mason was flinging towards him as he maintained the distance between them.


    The Movement Technique allowed his speed to be of that of an early Advanced Cultivator and gave him a great power boost, but was quite heavily draining and Mason also had techniques that could enhance his body.


    Cole''s wind elemental affinity could counter Mason''s ranged attacks as he could control the air around it to reduce the power and speed of the attack, or he could use a gust of wind to knock the attack off its course.


    Meanwhile, Martha was engaging with Angela in close combat and striking her with her sword, but Angela''s movements were incredibly smooth and it was as though she was somehow gliding on the ground.


    Evading all of Martha''s attacks, Angela was using her water elemental affinity to form shields and weapons to defend herself and had reached a stalemate with Martha who had strong offensive power than her.


    The crowd watching the abilities of the 6 youths were amazed and the teams seemed relatively evenly matched, but they could all clearly see that Mason''s teams were the aggressors that had higher offensive power.


    Withdrawing two daggers that were strapped around his waist, Adam''s speed suddenly increased massively as he burst towards Mason and slashed at his back.


    It was the Dagger Jolt Skill and it was the first time that Adam had used against a person with the intent to wound them, but despite wanting to wound Mason, he wanted to leave killing him to Cole.


    Mason sensing the attack coming from behind was annoyed at Damian who couldn''t keep his opponent with him, but he was by no means afraid of the attack.


    Although the attack was fast and with the daggers Adam could wound Mason''s back, Mason scoffed at Adam''s attempt to injure him and suddenly released a burst of fire out of his back.


    Mason was wearing a special white battle suit that the Epstein Family had produced for him, which would allow his flames to get through without burning his clothes.


    Wayde seeing Mason''s attack was surprised as it required great control to be able to release flames out of his back as it required him to control his Internal Energy and use his elemental affinity to release the Fire Energy out of the pores on his back.


    Adam who was about to slash Mason''s back was launched flying back and had managed to block most of the attack''s impact with his arms that had instantly suffered third-degree burns.


    Despite the excruciating pain on his arms, Adam''s expression was still calm and concentrated on their battle as a thick killing intent was suddenly released from his body.

 Chapter 205: Youth 3 VS 3 Battle Part 7

    "Hahaha, you really think you could hit me with your puny sneak attack" mocked Mason as he looked at Adam''s arms that were heavily burnt.


    "My flames will kill you all and I will become the Epstein Family Head" declared Mason.


    Adam despite the pain and anger was still in control of his mind and calm, but if he really wanted to win this battle for his team without suffering any casualties or severe injuries, he needed to use everything at his disposal.


    Adam was masked and hooded and it would be very difficult to find out who he was, and even if one was able to, Adam was quite confident in his power and had formed quite a few connections.


    Because of that, he wasn''t worried about people seeing what he was capable of, but the only ability he wasn''t willing to or going to use unless he was on the verge of death and had no other choice was the Unique Collector Skill.


    With it, he could summon a powerful and skilled beast that was at the same cultivation level as him, but it would be too shocking and unusual to use and he had no way to explain how he was able to do so.


    He also couldn''t explain how the Step Skill worked as it didn''t even make sense to him, who was using it, but it wasn''t as shocking as summoning a beast.


    Unique Skills were unexplainable and incredible things that were gifted to him by the system, and made it so that he could defeat cultivators that were much more powerful than him.


    Activating his Bloodlust Characteristic, Adam wasn''t planning on using any of its extensions or allowing it to take complete control of his mind, but he needed the power boost and recovery speed that it granted.


    It also enhanced his physical senses and in that state, he became similar to an enraged beast that had only one desire, to kill.


    He could feel adrenaline along with the desire to kill pumping through his veins and flooding every area of his body as he felt a tingling feeling around his arms as they visibly began to heal.


    Adam knew that the system wouldn''t inform him everything about what he was capable of and he needed to use his abilities and explore their limits if he wanted to find out what they were capable of.


    In the same way that Unique Skills were unexplainable, so was the Bloodlust Characteristic that somehow used and enhanced his desire to kill, but in the process enhanced his entire body and made him turn into a savage beast.


    His killing intent shocked them all, and even through the barrier, the crowd could feel it and it made it harder for all of them to breathe as they looked at the masked figure that looked like even more of a demon.


    "How does one even get a killing intent that strong?" wondered the crowd and all of those in the arena with him.


    "He must have killed thousands in order to have such a killing intent" uttered those that knew about killing intents and how they were formed.


    It was an aura of death around an individual and usually, the more people the individual killed and the more death that the individual had witnessed, the stronger the killing intent they can release.


    Angela, Cole, Wayde and William were the most shocked by Adam''s killing intent and all of them would be shocked by what Adam was capable of each and every time that he did something.


    Cole knew that Adam had only been cultivating for around 2 months, so how was able to get such a strong killing intent in 2 months unless he had been on a killing spree and killed everybody that he saw.


    But he also knew that Adam was quite kind-hearted and was quite sure that Adam wouldn''t kill for no reason, so it didn''t add up.


    However, since they were in the middle of the most important battle in their lives and since he was also fighting with them, they suppressed their thoughts and questions until after their battle.


    "You said that you wanted to kill us, so it is only fair that I reciprocate the same to you and the rest of your team" stated Adam as his arms visibly began to heal.


    "What the hell! How are your arms healing already?!" exclaimed Mason.


    All 5 of the other youths had stopped battling and turned to Adam, since his killing intent was too overwhelming to ignore and seeing his arms, the burn marks and blisters were beginning to very slowly recover.


    "Your puny flames can''t harm me" mocked Adam.


    Since the battle had paused for a few seconds, it was the perfect opportunity for Adam to assist his team in regaining control of the battle as he bolted to Cole''s side and signalled for Angela to do the same.


    Adam''s eyes and killing intent, which were demonic and enough to cause an ordinary person to easily lose consciousness, scared Angela, but she snapped out of her feeling of fear and rushed over towards Cole.


    She was using some sort of water or ice under her fight and using it to skate above the ground and although it seemed very simple, it was a very useful Movement Skill that required lots of practise and control.


    Adam, Cole and Angela grouped up and Martha, Damian and Mason did the same, both the teams wanting to fight together to defeat the opponents that were stronger than they had expected.


    "Listen, I will try and engage them in close combat with my daggers, you two support me from behind and try to push them back with your elemental affinities. Focus on ranged attacks and use your abilities to help me dodge an attack as I also have limitations to y abilities" instructed Adam, hinting that he couldn''t repeatedly and continuously use the ability that they thought was teleportation.

 Chapter 206: Youth 3 VS 3 Battle Part 8

    Both Angela and Cole agreed with Adam''s plan and nodded their heads as they streamed large amounts of Internal Energy into their palms, ready to unleash an attack at any moment.


    Meanwhile, Mason''s team also created a formation of their own that had Damian and Martha at the front, with Mason providing support from a distance.


    Adam had to fend off against both Martha and Damian who were skilled close combat fighters that had trained in their weapon ever since they were young, and also had to be wary of Mason''s ranged fire attacks.


    However, with his enhanced reflexes and senses that had become very sharp and sensitive and his own abilities, along with the support of Cole and Angela, he was confident that he would be able to handle them.


    Damian and Martha were able to overcome the pressure of the killing intent along with the others in the arena, as they dashed towards their three opponents.


    Seeing them dash towards him, Adam smiled and knowing the negative intentions that they had towards him, he was more than happy to kill them without feeling any guilt, and it would also guarantee that Angela became the family head.


    With his two daggers, he dashed towards them and it seemed that the speed of Martha and Damian was higher than that of Adam.


    However, Adam wasn''t worried about the gap in speed as he suddenly felt a gust of wind on his back that launched him forwards towards Martha and Damian.


    With his two daggers, Adam activated the Dual Slash Skill and launched two energy blades towards Martha, who seemed to be the one that could deal the most damage out of his two close combat opponents.


    However, Damian jumped in the way of the attack and spun his staff at incredible speeds, forming some kind of shield and blocked the energy blades with his Staff Skill.


    [What is that staff made of?] wondered Adam who was sure that his energy blades would have been able to slice through most metals with the power that he put behind it.


    Suddenly a spear formed of fire was flung towards his and Adam was barely able to evade it as he felt a burning wave of heat and the side of his hood was scorched by it.


    As he evaded the flame spear, he was suddenly slashed in the side by a rapid sword slash, then struck on the other side by a powerful staff blow.


    However before the hits were completed, he activated the Step Skip Skill and avoided most of the damage of the blow.


    It was an unexplainable and amazing experience to activate the Step Skip Unique Skill while being attacked, and within his mind, it was as though everything had frozen and had to step backwards to move from the attacks, then take a few steps to move behind his two opponents.


    It all happened within an instant and before Martha and Damian could react, they were both slashed on their backs then received a wind and water attack each from Cole and Angela.


    However, Mason saw Adam appearing behind his teammates coming and had already prepared a powerful attack to hit Adam with.


    "Extreme Flame Beam" he roared as a beam of flames were fired from both his palms.


    The large fire beam that was formed by both Mason''s hands together and used a large amount of energy struck Adam on the back and launched him flying.


    Adam couldn''t dodge the attack as he wasn''t fast enough and at the time was attacking Damian and Martha, and the Step Skip Skill had a one second cooldown, so there was nothing that he could do.


    However, in the split second that he had before the fire beam hit his back, he was able to activate both his Fundamental Defensive Techniques to increase his resistance by 80 points, then deactivated it soon after to reserve his energy.


    "Are you okay?" asked Angela worriedly, seeing Adam slam into the wall of the arena and the powerful attack that struck him on the back.


    It was one of Mason''s most powerful attacks, but Damian and Martha had also been damaged quite heavily and retreated back to Mason''s side.


    The battle was intense and everybody watching was amazed by the abilities and power that the youths were able to display, especially the manipulation of the different elements that the cultivators with elemental affinities were capable of.


    However the winner of the battle wasn''t clear and it seemed that Adam was carrying his team, so with him being injured, the crowd were unsure how Cole''s team would fare.


    Adam getting up with blood leaking from his mouth and a large deep burn on his back that had burnt most of the flesh on his back, didn''t seem fazed by the injuries or pain in the slightest.


    None of them could see his face, but his eyes were steady and calm as they were before, still filled with killing intent.


    "Angela go back to your position and follow the plan" instructed Adam sternly in a hoarse voice just as she was about to come over to him.


    Wayde and even Angela herself were surprised as Angela had never been seen worried about somebody else, but she knew that Adam was also fighting for her and didn''t want to see him suffer any longer.


    His killing intent and frightening red eyes only went to show how much he had been through and despite him being much weaker than her in terms of cultivation level, he was still the main fighter that was carrying their team.


    "There is no need to worry, now that Damian and Martha have been injured, we can all engage in close to mid-range combat. Be careful and fight your hardest" decided Adam.


    Hearing his decision, Cole and Angela headed to his side and the there of them prepared to take on Martha, Mason and Damian all at once.


    "If this is how you fight, then I won''t be holding back anymore" bellowed Mason as the power of his aura suddenly seemed to rise.


    "We also won''t hold back" stated Martha and Damian at the same time as they also unleashed their full power.

 Chapter 207: Youth 3 VS 3 Battle Part 9

    Since all of them were unleashing their full power and seemed to want to end the battle in one confrontation, Angela and Cole also did the same, not planning to hold back the power of their elemental affinities.


    Adam didn''t have much more power to unleash, but as the battle went on, while the others would get weaker and more fatigued, he would become more powerful and berserk.


    After activating the Bloodlust Characteristic, it was hard to deactivate it. If Adam lost control, the only way to stop it was either for him to lose consciousness or to relieve his Bloodlust enough for him to regain control.


    Damian was a smart, talented and capable individual that was a threat, so Adam wanted to get rid of them or make sure that he would no longer get in his way, while Martha had negative intentions towards Angela, so both of them warranted his killing intent.


    While Mason had a despicable character, which must be hereditary, but his death was for Cole to serve.


    After taking a few deep breaths and standing still for a few seconds, Adam suddenly let out a demonic roar. Although he still had most of the control of his actions, he wasn''t in complete control any longer and the Bloodlust was beginning to affect his actions.


    Cole and Angela looked at each other, intimidated and baffled by Adam''s sudden roar and crazy actions, but as long as he didn''t die and was fighting for them, they had no reason to complain.


    They could both see that there was something not normal about Adam, but seeing him rushing over towards their opponents, they didn''t have the time to think about it and caught up to him.


    "Kill them all" instructed Mason as he spread fire energy throughout his body and used his most powerful technique.


    The technique would increase his strength and speed massively and also granted him great explosive power through the fire element, but for it to grant him such power, it must have negative effects on his body.


    Despite its power, it was very draining and would also cause him to suffer backlash as his body''s power would temporarily surpass what it could handle, so would damage him.


    The great elder watching the close and interesting battle was silent and worried for his son''s life and future as he sat there nervously, knowing that there wasn''t much he could do.


    He was willing to give up everything that he had, including his position, to protect his talented son who he would never be able to replicate. His son''s talent was 1 in a million and the amount of time and resources that he had spent on his son, made Mason worth it.


    As long as he was still alive, he had a future in the world of cultivation and could always come back to fight for the position of the family head. There were plenty of other things that Mason could do with his talent and capability, but he could only do those things if he was alive, making his life the most valuable thing.


    However the great wasn''t planning on intervening unless it was clear that his son was going to lose and die, and by doing so, he would be giving up on everything else and becoming a traitor.


    Once one broke the rules of the Epstein Family, the great elder had no future within the family and all the elders, even those on his side, would turn on him.


    The Epstein Family was sometimes lenient with the rules since the times had changed drastically from when the rules were written, but for the great elder to break them, there would be no turning back.


    All the ideas that the great elder had of different ways to escape were merely last resorts, but seeing the technique that his son had activated, he was sure that his son would still come out on top.


    "Be careful, that technique that he activated will make him nearly as powerful as an Advanced Cultivator" warned Angela, remembering hearing about the technique from her grandfather.


    Adam ignored her warning and wasn''t afraid of Mason''s power in the slightest as he felt his killing intent and Bloodlust soar.


    [I am merely a rank 4 cultivator and yet I will still come out on top and in the future when my cultivation level increases even more, I will be able to defeat anyone] thought Adam to himself, extremely pleased with the power that he had.


    If at rank 4 of the Novice Cultivation Level, he could fight evenly with peak Novice Cultivators, what would he be capable of when he became an Advanced Cultivator.


    Mason was rushing towards Adam while Adam rushed over to him and when they were 10 metres away from each other, they both jumped into the air and pounced towards each other.


    Seeing the two crazy and scary individuals launching themselves towards each other, the other 4 youths glared at each other and also dashed towards each other.


    The crowd was in awe of the incredible battle they were witnessing and it still wasn''t clear what team would come out on top.


    Damian and Martha felt underestimated and unappreciated, since the mysterious Adam and powerful Mason had taken the spotlight.


    With Cole and Angela standing before them, they rushed towards them, wanting to use the opportunity to prove themselves and show their power to the hundreds of Advanced Cultivators watching.


    To arrogant cultivators like them, reputation was just as important as actual capability. With such a large crowd watching their important battle, they couldn''t let themselves be overshadowed and needed to show what they were capable of.


    Cole and Angela looked at each other, both in mutual understanding as Cole controlled the wind around them to increase their speed, while Angela prepared large amounts of water energy for her attacks.


    The crowd was silent with anticipation as everyone''s eyes were glued to the arena, trying to split their attention between the two battles that were both extremely interesting and entertaining to watch.

 Chapter 208: End of The Youth 3 VS 3 Battle Part 1

    The dynamic duo, Cole and Angela despite having different elemental affinities, were able to enhance the power of each other''s attacks and fend off against Martha and Damian, showing exactly how an elemental affinity could cover large gaps in terms of cultivation level.


    Meanwhile, Adam and Mason both clashed fists in mid-air, but Mason''s strength and explosive power were too much higher than Adam''s, causing Adam to be launched crashing into the side of the arena a second time.


    "Your power is incredible, but for what your father did to my bro, this will be where you die" declared Adam as he got up and wiped the blood that leaked from his mouth.


    His arm was almost broken from the impact and he could feel that the muscles in his right arm had been torn from the clash, but all the pain was numbed and overwhelmed by his Bloodlust characteristic that continued to take more and more control over his mind and body.


    Forming a small explosion beneath his feet out of flames, Mason launched himself towards Adam who was slowly getting up, clearly damaged by the impact.


    Just as Mason was about to kick Adam''s head with a kick that was powerful enough to instantly kill him, Adam suddenly disappeared from where he stood.


    When the gap in cultivation level and raw power was so large, it needed to be made up for with skill and special abilities. Luckily Adam had both of those things and smiled slightly as the attack neared his head.


    Mason was expecting Adam to use that weird teleportation ability and appear behind him, so released a burst of fire from his back. However, unlike the previous times that Adam had used the Step Skip Unique Skill, he didn''t use it to appear behind him, which he knew had become obvious to read.


    He had intentionally used the Step Skip Unique Skill to always appear behind his opponents to make it seem as though he could only appear behind his opponents, allowing him to still have the element of surprise and be a few steps ahead of his opponent''s thought process.


    "My attacks aren''t that easy to read" scoffed Adam who brutally slashed Mason''s side with his daggers after appearing by his side instead of behind him.


    Mason had expended large amounts of energy through the technique that he had used and attacks that he had previously unleashed on Adam, and without any time to react, was slashed deeply by Adam''s attack.


    "This battle will end soon and your death will be served to you soon" declared Adam.


    Cole and Angela were using their full power and although their battle wasn''t as intense and frightening as Mason''s and Adam''s, it was an incredible sight to behold.


    Martha and Damian were extremely skilled in close combat and the use of their weapons. They used all kinds of skills and techniques and together, they would have been able to defeat an average early Advanced Cultivator. Their teamwork was great and matched with their power and skill they were an incredible duo, but still couldn''t handle the power of two powerful elemental affinities.


    Cole and Angela supported each other and covered each other''s weaknesses as they began pushing back and dominating their opponents.


    It wasn''t looking good for Mason''s team and the great elder was on the edge of his seat. His hate for Cole and his companions continued to increase, but the elders around the arena were keeping a close eye on him and he knew that it would be very hard for him to intervene if he wanted to.


    However, it wasn''t over until it was over and he was still hoping for some sort of miracle.


    Adam''s attack was deep and also struck Mason''s ribs, but the battle wasn''t over until the opponent was no longer able to battle and Adam didn''t stop there.


    After spilling blood, Adam couldn''t hold himself back and began to bombard Mason with dagger attacks.


    Mason was unable to block or move under the constant onslaught of powerful attacks and his body felt sluggish and heavy under Adam''s killing intent that continued to soar along with his Bloodlust.


    Seeing Mason being slashed into shreds by Adam, Damian and Martha began to lose hope, and in that moment of hesitation and thought, Angela and Cole were able to take them down and deal them blows that they wouldn''t be able to recover from in a short while.


    "Your lack of drive and your negative intentions were your downfall" stated Cole as he took down Martha and Damian soon after with the help of Angela.


    Cole and Angela had suffered a few heavy injuries and it was the first time that Angela had felt that much pain, but compared to what their opponents had suffered, they were relatively fine.


    Cole had a proud smile and Angela was the same as they both felt fulfilled, but looking over at Adam who was slashing Mason apart and had a thick killing intent around him, they knew they needed to stop him.


    "I got this Angela, stay back" stated Cole as he flew over to Adam, using his wind elemental affinity to display incredible speed.


    The elders that were sustaining the barrier were yet to take it down and the great elder was clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, clearly finding it hard to see everything he worked for slip out of his hands.


    He didn''t care for Mason as a person or because he was his son, but merely saw him as a tool to get the power, influence and resources that he had coveted from the previous family heads.


    Mason who had collapsed to the ground was losing blood rapidly and would probably die with all the wounds that Adam had dealt him. However, Adam showed no signs of stopping and continued to slice him apart, becoming consumed by his Bloodlust.


    "Step back" ordered Cole as he swung a gust of wind to push Adam off and away from Mason.


    "You are going to kill him if you do not stop" warned Cole, who could see that Adam wasn''t thinking straight.

 Chapter 209: End of The Youth 3 VS 3 Battle Part 2

    Adam suddenly appeared before Cole and used the Dagger Jolt Step Skip Combo to do so, but just as he was about to slash Cole''s throat with his daggers, suddenly froze.


    Realising who he was attacking, Adam dropped his daggers and let out a sigh of relief seeing that he had regained control before he accidentally slaughtered his friend.


    If he had killed Cole accidentally he didn''t know how he would live with himself and it would have meant that everything they had fought for would have been for nothing.


    Cole couldn''t even react or do anything to defend himself from such a rapid and frightening attack. He would have been killed if Adam wasn''t able to hold back his Bloodlust, but he still gave Adam a smile and put his fist out to fist bump him.


    Seeing Cole''s smile and fist, Adam felt relieved that everything had worked out, and was also relieved that Cole wasn''t angry with him for almost attacking him.


    However, he had used too much energy and pushed his body past his limits, so he couldn''t lift his arm that suddenly felt week to fist bump Cole.


    Without any danger threatening him or any hate or anger left in his heart, Adam''s body that had been pushed past its limits through the Bloodlust characteristic, suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness.


    Before Adam hit the ground, Cole caught him in his arms and placed him gently on the ground.


    Adam''s body was drenched in blood that was partly his own, but mostly that of Mason who he had slashed apart.


    His red eyes, demonic mask, killing intent and Bloodlust made it so that Cole didn''t recognise Adam as the friend that he had grown up with, but seeing how hard he was fighting for him and everything he had done to help him, he knew that the Adam he knew was still in there.


    No matter what Adam changed into or became in the future, as long as some of the friend that he knew and loved was still within him, he would always be there when he needed it.


    "You can rest now my friend and after you fought so hard for me, I will make sure that I repay you" vowed Cole as he stood and up and looked up at the crowd.


    If an ordinary person were to spectate their battle, their figures would have barely been blurs while they moved and the power they were able to unleash would have been too overwhelming for an ordinary person to accept.


    The battle was on the scale of what one would expect from a battle between Advanced Cultivators and the entire crowd was satisfied with the entertainment despite it the battle than a few minutes.


    With most of the elders having accepted Cole as their next family head, after seeing what he was capable of and the connections that he had, there wasn''t much that the great elder could do apart from curse Cole''s existence within his mind.


    Seeing everything was over the elders that were keeping up the barrier finally took it down and it had been quite draining for them to sustain even as high level Advanced Cultivators.


    "I will now accept my position as the family head and will lead the family to a new and prosperous future. I have been only cultivating for a few months, yet am this capable. Believe and trust in your young family heads and I will strive for the best of the family. With my friends and connections along with our ambition, the sky is the limit for our growth and this will be a turning point for our family" declared Cole confidentially and proudly.


    "My mother and her father were the previous family heads and passed on this responsibility to me. Although I love and respect them for what they were able to accomplish, I will do much more than then and this is the beginning of a more prosperous era for the Epstein Family" bellowed Cole.


    The crowd began to cheer, clearly in agreement with Cole''s words and believing in his ambition and passion, meanwhile, Angela walked over to Cole''s side.


    "I will also become the young family head of the Maxwell Family and from this point forwards our families are allied and will work together to progress and increase our power" added Angela, also wanting to get in on the glory and proud of her own accomplishments.


    It was an event that would be recorded in history and would change the course of the Underground Cultivation World of New York and even the rest of the world.


    William rushed down the stairs and to his son''s side with tears in his eyes as everything had worked out exactly as him and his wife had hoped it would.


    William knew that the biggest player in the battle was Adam, but Adam was the one that was unconscious and forgotten, while Cole and Angela basked in the glory of their victory without him.


    However, despite both of them being grateful and both wanted to repay him for his help, they both knew that it was how Adam wanted it.


    Adam wanted to stay in the shadows and the only reason he even fought in front of so many high profile cultivators was because two of his friends needed him.


    William was quite a strict, distant and cold father, but that was merely because of all the emotional pain he had been through and all the hate and anger that had consumed him ever since his wife was murdered.


    However, after seeing his son accomplish everything he had hoped for, he couldn''t help but break into tears.


    "Son you did it, but your friend....." said William before stopping.


    Adam was a frightening being to watch battle and the killing intent and Bloodlust that he had around him during that battle was much stronger than the one that he had used to scare William.


    "Don''t worry father, he should be fine, but you were wrong previously and should try to make friends with him" reassured him Cole as he gave his father a wide smile.

 Chapter 210: The Great Elders Sneak Attack Part 1

    Adam lifted multiple weights off Cole''s chest and without Adam''s training the day before, his connection with Angela and his help in the battle, they would have had no chance of victory.


    He was also the main fuel for the team''s determination and fighting spirit, as, without him, they would have either been consumed by anger or fear.


    Even Angela was surprised by the power she was able to unleash and knew that it was mostly thanks to Adam who had helped her find her purpose and awaken her ambition.


    The first time Angela was slashed by Martha''s sword during their battle, she let out a screech in pain and it was the first time that she had been injured like that before.


    Wayde was furious and had grown to protect Angela over the years that he had been her guardian as if she was his small pretty flower that was fragile.


    But after seeing Angela fight back for herself and give him a reassuring smile, he calmed down and was proud of her and grateful for Adam, knowing that it was thanks to him that she was able to break out of her shell.


    Despite Adam and his friends being the underdogs, they were able to win with pure willpower, determination and their unique and special abilities that gave them an edge over their opponents.


    But for all of those things, the fuel was their strong emotions and all of them were sparked by Adam.


    Everything had worked out and many of the elders jumped down to congratulate Cole and Angela, while the great elder jumped down to his son''s side and quickly called for some of his subordinates to take Mason to get medical attention.


    The great elder looked over at Cole and Angela with hateful looks and seeing Adam lying on the ground, he was about to walk over to him and take off his mask.


    Adam was the one that had wounded his son, leaving him in such a dire state, and was also a mysterious youth that was so capable at such a young age. Additionally, he had a cultivation level that seemed to be low, yet had power that could rival that of a peak Novice Cultivator with his unique abilities.


    "Watch yourself, I don''t mind burning you to ashes here if you dare to take one more step" warned Wayde as his body burst into flames.


    The great elder was confident in his power and skill, but Wayde was a terrifying existence that was feared throughout New York, even by family heads, so he backed down and no longer thought about approaching Adam.


    Wayde walked over to Adam and lifted him over his shoulder, as he prepared to take him with him and leave, knowing that he would need time to recover.


    The great elder didn''t want to allow it to end like that and wanted to somehow get rid of Cole, as if he did, then his son would inevitably become the next family head.


    Seeing Cole''s face that looked exactly like the previous family head''s and the happiness on Cole and William''s face, the great elder was bathing in jealousy and anger.


    Everything he had worked for had been destroyed in a single battle by a insignificant youth.


    The more the idea bounced around his head, the more he wanted to kill him and he knew that if he wanted to get rid of him, he needed to do it then before anyone could stop him and before he officially became the family head.


    There were a few elders around Cole, but his back was wide open and the great elder had trained in a skill that he was sure would be able to easily kill Cole.


    However, the skill would consume his vitality and not only would it shorten his lifespan, but may also reduce or destroy his cultivation as a cost. Despite that, the attack was extremely fast and would deteriorate the body of the target, giving them a painful and guaranteed death.


    Seeing Cole''s back wide open and all the hate that he was feeling, the great elder activated the skill without thinking about it any longer and was quite sure that the family would only imprison him and wouldn''t kill him.


    After Cole was killed, Mason would become the family head and could take him out of the prison with his authority, then could help him recover from the skill''s backlash with the family''s resources.


    Blinded by hatred, jealousy and ambition, the great elder activated the skill and instantly felt and excruciating pain throughout his entire body. The skill was a sacrificial skill and he had received it from that mysterious organisation that was also the one that provided him with the odourless poison to get rid of the previous family heads.


    That mysterious evil organisation was also the one behind the Hospital Director and was pulling strings throughout New York, for their own gain and power, from the shadows.


    They had many sacrificial techniques and skills and the technique that Mason used was one of them, but he wasn''t stupid enough to use its full power that would almost guarantee that he would destroy his cultivation.


    The skill took a few seconds to activate, but no one was paying attention to the great elder who was slumped on the ground, seemingly depressed and lifeless.


    What they didn''t know was that he was literally pouring all his life and power into a final attack to get rid of Cole. The attack would fire a beam out of his palm, but the beam would be filled with evil and negative energy that would consume the energy of the target.


    However, all the negative energy would enter the body of the target and consume it from the inside out, without causing a large commotion or explosion.


    It was the perfect attack for a sneak attack and without thinking about it twice, the great elder fired the black beam of evil and negative energy at Cole''s back.

 Chapter 211: The Great Elders Sneak Attack Part 2

    The elders of the Epstein Family that were very well versed with energy, through their research, suddenly sensed a surge of evil energy, but before they could react, the great elder had already unleashed the attack.


    The great elder was too focused on activating the attack that he didn''t realise who had stood behind his target to protect him, and although the attack was extremely fast and powerful, it would only harm whoever the attack landed on.


    ''That bastard took my wife, my father in law and now he wants to take my son. Not on my watch'' thought William to himself after seeing the great elder''s palm aimed at Cole.


    Although he had lost all of his cultivation, he was already stood beside his son and in a bid to save his son''s life, sensing a hint of killing intent from the great elder, he was able to get behind his son before the great elder fired his attack.


    If he had fired the attack even a high level Advanced Cultivator would find it difficult to evade it, let alone block it or help somebody else evade it, so the great elder was quite sure that he would be able to get rid of Cole.


    Just as he was about to lose consciousness after destroying his body through the attack, the great elder opened his eyes to see the effects of the evil skill he had used, but didn''t know how to react when he was that Cole was fine and William was on the ground.


    He had sacrificed a lot of his lifespan and almost destroyed his cultivation to get rid of Cole, but even then he wasn''t able to get rid of him and the great elder''s rage merely caused his body more damage.


    The great elder didn''t want to give up, but at that point, it was clear to him that it wasn''t meant to be and he couldn''t help but curse his luck as he suddenly rushed to escape.


    He was still unwilling to die and lose the one thing that was more valuable than anything else, but in the state that he was in, even a low level Novice Cultivator would be able to catch him, as he was suddenly grabbed by one of the elders that saw what had happened.


    Cole turned around after sensing the sudden surge of evil energy that was an extremely large amount of energy and found his father on his knees, clearly on the verge of death.


    He didn''t know what evil energy was, but he sensed that it was an energy that was frightening and different to the one he was used to seeing. The only words that came to mind to describe it were monstrous, demonic and scary.


    There wasn''t any obvious injures on his father''s body, but he was visibly dying as his body began to shrivel and his pupils became dilated.


    "Father" exclaimed Cole worriedly as he caught his brother in his arms before he fell backwards on his head.


    His body had lost all its strength and vitality in an instant and every second that passed, was a painful second for William as he neared his death.


    "Call a medic" screamed Cole who wasn''t ready to see his father die after coming so far and wanted his father to see his accomplishments and be proud of him.


    "There is no point son, I am going to die here and will join your mother...." uttered William before coughing madly and coughing up large curdles of blood.


    "Father you cannot die yet" screamed Cole as he placed his fingers on his father''s pulse to find that it was barely beating.


    "Son this is the end of the line for me..... But before I die, I wanted to leave you a new purpose. Be happy and protect those that you care about and enjoy yourself. You have a large responsibility, but that is also a gift as you can leave your mark on the world and make me and your mother proud" stated William before his eyes closed and his body lost all life.


    "We will be watching" were William''s final words.


    Within a few seconds, William''s flesh was completely consumed and within a minute, not even his bones were left.


    Cole was on his knees beside where his father died and watching as his father''s body turn to ash before his eyes as tears streamed down his face.


    The elders, Wayde and Angela didn''t know what to do to comfort him as the arena that was previously loud and active, suddenly fell silent.


    It was a traumatic and gruesome thing to watch, even seeing the tissue and muscles of his father''s body slowly be consumed by the evil energy, then even his skeleton.


    After his father''s body was completely gone, Cole stood up and wiped the tears that were on his face as everybody awaited what he was going to say.


    It was only when William was about to die that he realised that he had been living his life wrong and that he held on to previous grievances too much. He left his son the purpose that he wished he had during his life and he wanted his son to live happily even without his parents, as he had created a family of his own with his friends.


    Remembering his father''s last words and the smile that he had on his face despite dying, Cole didn''t cry any longer and didn''t want his father''s death to hold him back, just like his father had hoped.


    William''s death was extremely painful, but on his face, only happiness was present as he died and he didn''t want his son''s last few seconds to be ones that were negative.


    Cole seeing all the elders of his family around him, returned to his usual confident demeanour and knew that it was the perfect chance to show his suitability for the family head position.


    "My father has passed away and given me his final wishes. They include leading this family to greatness and I will be fulfilling them all" declared Cole as the elders began to cheer for him.

 Chapter 212: Negative and Positive Energies Part 1

    Energy is omnipresent in everything and makes up everything. It can come in many different forms, there are different types and there are two orientations for every energy type and form.


    Elemental Energy was the most common and known energy type and came in different forms that were well known by cultivators and used by those that had elemental affinities, but there are also other types of energy.


    Attributeless energy, although plain and didn''t have any special characteristics, was pure energy and could still be used to unleash powerful attacks. It was also known as positive energy when was wielded with positive intentions or cultivated through reasonable means.


    However negative and evil energy was energy that was cultivated through despicable means that went against the laws of nature and the morals of humanity, and was also wielded with negative intentions, causing it to become a type of energy that was wielded by cultivators that were known as evil cultivators.


    That didn''t mean that ordinary cultivators that used positive energy to cultivate were good and also didn''t necessarily mean that evil cultivators were bad people, but evil and negative energy was seen as bad and forbidden by most cultivators.


    There were many reasons for that and one of the biggest reasons was because negative energy was much more wild and hard to restrain, which had caused many problems for cultivators that attempted to wield it.


    Its power and usefulness was undeniable, but it had many negative effects on the mind and body of the user, which was another one of the main reasons that it was forbidden.


    Just like everything else in the universe, there is a negative and positive type of energy, and the positive type of energy was most suitable for almost all humans to cultivate. This was because human bodies weren''t suitable for negative energy as it was too wild and would damage most humans'' bodies.


    It was also very hard to cultivate negative energy through morally right methods, which was why they were known as evil cultivators. Most of the methods of cultivating it were evil and demonic and in most cases involved harming or consuming others to increase their own power.


    However, to less talented individuals or individuals that sought out an easier alternative to cultivating normally, they could cultivate through many different evil acts and gain power.


    These acts included killing others and eating raw flesh, or drinking blood, while using different methods and techniques to absorb negative energy coming from the body of the victim.


    Evil Cultivation Methods were forbidden by large cultivation families and other cultivation organisations around the world. Just like revealing cultivation to ordinary people had become taboo to ordinary people, so had being an evil cultivator.


    The orientation of energy could either be positive or negative and it was very hard to harmonise both orientations as they would explode. Although opposites attract, upon colliding, there would be a big reaction and it was almost impossible for a cultivator to be able to handle both orientations of energy.


    When one was angry or had a strong killing intent towards an individual, they may have been unknowingly using negative energy and was how some cultivators when angry were able to surpass their limits.


    Which was why it was so important for cultivators to be calm while cultivating, as if they were consumed by negative emotions while cultivating, they could unintentionally cultivate negatively and absorb some negative energy into their bodies.


    However, the same thing could be said about people that had strong feelings that were positive, such as when one wanted to protect somebody. In those cases, when they were able to surpass their limits, for example when a mother that wasn''t a cultivator was able to lift a car to save her child, she had unknowingly been able to absorb positive energy into her body and used it to increase his body''s power for a split second.


    There were two sides to any coin and energy could switch between orientations depending on the environment and emotions of the wielder, which was why it was common for cultivators to go berserk and lose control of their own bodies after being consumed by negative emotions.


    Whether one cultivated negatively or positively, it was seen as the same as long as their method of cultivation didn''t harm others and everything had a price.


    The mental state and emotions of an individual were two of the most important elements of cultivation and even the orientation of energy itself was affected by it. Humans were naturally suited to cultivating positive energy as their bodies were quite frail and were in sync with positive energy, but negative energy had much better short term results for a human.


    However, despite evil cultivators being able to cultivate faster through evil means and gain much more raw and explosive power, they would sacrifice their health and bodies for it.


    It was an endless cycle for evil cultivators and they would rely on evil methods to recover from their damage that was dealt to their bodies, but in the process, their body would continue to collapse because of the evil methods there were using.


    The cycle would continue until the individual turned into a savage beast that could only kill to sustain their evil methods.


    Most knew of evil cultivators, but there were quite rarely seen and the large cultivation families were completely against them. This was because they were harming innocents, and mostly those that weren''t cultivators, to increase their power and were going against the rule that all cultivators followed.


    It was important for their own secrecy that ordinary people didn''t find out about cultivation, but evil cultivators would harm others to increase their own power, so would have to involve innocents to do so.


    Because of that, all cultivators of negative energy were looked down upon and hated by ordinary cultivators, even though there were negative cultivators that didn''t cultivate through means that harmed others.


    However, it was known that those that cultivated negative energy without being consumed by it or harming others were very rare and few numbers.

 Chapter 213: Negative and Positive Energies Part 2

    The Evil Organisation that the great elder had entered an agreement with were not only a threat to ordinary people, but all cultivators and since they had gained so much power from the shadows, they were even more dangerous.


    They had underhanded means to get the negative energy that they needed, such as through hospitals. The energy in the area around a specific area was affected by the living beings and plants in the area and was also affected by nature and the elements themselves.


    This meant that when one was going through trauma or feeling negative emotions, they would unknowingly emit small amounts of negative energy, which would accumulate and was beneficial to cultivators of negative energy.


    In a society filled with mental health issues and many different ways to negatively affect someone, a cultivator of negative energy would have an abundant amount of negative energy within a densely populated city.


    However, most cultivators couldn''t even tell the difference and couldn''t gauge what type of energy or its orientation, so many would unknowingly store negative energy within their body, which could be very harmful.


    The negative energy would clash with their positive energy and without knowing it, they were affecting the foundations and stability of their cultivation and were also damaging themselves internally.


    It could even destroy one''s cultivation and once again showed how important one''s mental state and emotions were. For ordinary humans that didn''t absorb and store large amounts of energy into their bodies, they didn''t have to worry about such consequences as the amount of negative and positive energy they were emitting and absorbing was very small.


    However when one became a cultivator, their bodies would be opened up to so many energy types and although without an affinity with the different energy types, one wouldn''t be able to absorb them, they could absorb attributeless negative and positive energy.


    Negative energy could be purified as energy could switch between orientations depending on the wielders mind, emotions, soul and physical state, but it was very hard to do so.


    It required great willpower and in most cases required assistance, resources and special methods to do so, but most would keep the negative power and become addicted to the feeling of superiority that it gave them.


    Small amounts of negative energy could be easily used or purified by a cultivator when they felt negative emotions, but it was when was consumed and blinded by it, then it was dangerous.


    Adam was yet to come across an evil cultivator and most others hadn''t, but within the large cultivation families, it had become a massive issue that they were becoming worried about as more and more evil cultivators were appearing.


    Just like ordinary cultivation, cultivating negative energy was difficult and very hard to do without a cultivation method, which meant someone or a group of people were giving out these methods and causing havoc in the city.


    Even people like the great elder of the Epstein Family were drawn to their evil side by the benefits of evil cultivation and there was a volcano of destruction under the city on the verge of exploding.


    However, the evil cultivation organisation made a mistake when they messed with Adam''s aunt in the hospital and at the rate that Adam was progressing at and in the process, assisting the development of those around him, he was a force to be reckoned with.


    "Young master, I am not sure if you know this, but the energy that the great elder just used was evil energy. He must have used a forbidden skill and was clearly consumed by hate" informed him one of the elders.


    Cole nodded his head in understanding and didn''t know what to do next with the great elder.


    Walking over to the great elder who was struggling in the grip of the elder that had grabbed him before he could try to get away, Cole was unsure what to do with him.


    "What do you want to do with him young master?" asked the elder who was holding the great elder from the back of his neck.


    Cole obviously wanted to kill him for all the pain and suffering he had caused his close family, but despite knowing that it would be understood by the elders, Cole knew that in the current circumstance, it wasn''t the best thing to do.


    "The great elder''s punishment will be served at a later date, but for now lock him up and make sure he doesn''t die. Since he used a forbidden skill, we will investigate him and find out where he got the skill from" instructed Cole.


    His wise and mature decision surprised and pleased the elders who respected him even more after hearing his decision, as they began to clear the area and did as Cole instructed.


    Angela, along with Wayde who was carrying Adam over his shoulder walked over to Cole, who was talking to a few of the elders and giving them a few instructions.


    Despite not officially becoming the family head yet, he was respected and treated as though he had become the family head as even the elders that had previously supported the great elder were on his side.


    "Cole, I need to return to Brooklyn and sort out my family affairs as soon as possible" stated Angela.


    "I understand, just make sure to take care of my friend as if he isn''t taken care of, I will make sure you and your entire family are wiped out," said Cole who despite smiling at her, was completely serious.


    Even Wayde felt slightly intimidated by his threat, but since they didn''t have any negative intentions towards Adam, they didn''t have anything to worry about.


    "We want to take care of him and repay him just as much as you do, as if it weren''t, neither of us would be in this position" reassured him Angela.


    "That''s good to hear. I will get our three opponents healed, but I will have to lock them up. After we are in an alliance, I will escort your family members back to your family safely" stated Cole.


    "Okay that makes sense, but please do not kill them. Although I do dislike them and they are very cunning, they are part of the family and will most likely become powerful elders in the future" said Angela.


    Since she was becoming the family head, it was best for her not to have grudges between herself and other family members, and they would also be of great help to her and the family in the future.


    Cole reassured them that they wouldn''t die as he bid them farewell and instructed all the elders and guards to let them leave.


    Clearing the arena and trying his best to make sure that there weren''t any information leaks, Cole was instructing the elders and the elders were instructing their subordinates as they closed off the area in preparation to return to their headquarters.


    Meanwhile, news of Angela, Cole and the mysterious individual''s victory had spread throughout New York.


    It was a great shock that something about the Epstein Family had become so widely known as usually, they were a very secretive family and nothing was known about who the family head was.


    However, for the first time, there were two worthy candidates and the family agreed that they should battle for the position. Such a large scale battle made it easy for some cultivators to get in and find out what had happened, which had caused a great information leak.


    Despite the information leak, the Epstein Family were not worried or angry about it as all that was known was that a youth named Cole had taken on the Family Head position and had an alliance with the one that was most likely to become the next Maxwell Family Head.


    The elders had nothing to worry about and were proud of their new young family head who would lead them to a new era of prosperity, glory, power and knowledge.


    In the penthouse, the Maxwell Family Head, who had managed to have a small breakthrough in his cultivation, was pacing up and down his room, awaiting the news of the result of the battle.


    It hadn''t taken him long to breakthrough after his enlightenment and after that, he anxiously awaited the result of the battle that not only affected his family and the Epstein Family, but also the entirety of New York.


    As soon as his phone rang, he instantly answered and eagerly asked his subordinate for the result of the battle.


    "Sir we have been escorted out of the arena and some of us have been captured as spies, but I managed to get away and am currently leaving the area. Angela, Cole and the masked youth won the battle. This means that Cole and Angela will become the next family head" informed him his subordinate who was clearly out of breath.


    The Maxwell Family head didn''t know how to react to the news as he sat down on his bed and thought about what to do next.

 Chapter 214: Viral News

    "What happened to Damian and Martha?" asked the family head suddenly, realising his subordinate hadn''t told them about what had happened to them.


    "They were beaten by Cole and Angela in battle while that mysterious youth with them was able to wound them and take on Mason alone" answered the subordinate.


    The family head was shocked and he would never have expected that Anglea would be able to face Damian and Martha head-on with someone else.


    But what shocked him even more was the fact that the mysterious masked youth had managed to wound them both and take on Mason alone, who was the strongest out of all of them, in terms of raw power.


    "What has happened to them? And what is the state of all 6 of them after the battle was over?" asked the family head, worried about his grandchildren.


    He was hoping that no one had died and although was very pleased with Angela and was ready to pass on the family head position to her after she was ready, the family head still didn''t want anything to happen to Martha and Damian.


    "Sir, Martha and Damian were left unconscious but, hadn''t suffered severe injuries. Even if they didn''t have medical attention, they would most likely be fine. However, Mason was on the verge of death after the battle. The masked male also fell unconscious, probably due to exhausting his energy, while Cole and Angela had only suffered minor injuries and were still conscious" reported the subordinate.


    "Good job and well done for getting the news. Be careful on your way back to Brooklyn and report back to the family" praised the family head before ending the call with the subordinate.


    Since he had already received the information that he needed, he turned off his phone, no longer needing to speak to anyone else and gathered his thoughts.


    The spies from my family will probably be sparred by Cole since he has an alliance with Angela and I am amazed by Anglea''s progress lately. Her power has hardly increased, but her determination and drive have been ignited by that youth'' thought the family head to himself.


    ''I am hoping that Martha and Damian are sparred and will most likely be held by the Epstein Family until the alliance is officially formed. But that masked man is amazing if he really was able to defeat Mason despite being at the same age as them. However, why did his cultivation appear to only be at rank 4 of the Novice Cultivation level?'' wondered the family head.


    Overall he was pleased with the outcome of the battle, and so was the Epstein Family, since most of the Epstein Family elders and members disliked Mason and the great elder who were very arrogant and authoritative.


    However, the other large cultivation families in New York along with the mysterious, evil organisation that hid in the shadows, were disappointed by the result of the battle and wary of the alliance that had been formed between the two large families.


    It was something that was completely unexpected and even large cultivation families in other cities, that usually wouldn''t care much about what happened in areas outside of their own domain, were shocked by the news.


    A single battle decided the course of the next generation of the large cultivation families in New York and a battle for territory, power, resources and knowledge, seemed to be continuously getting closer.


    "What do you mean the Maxwell Family and Epstein Family are already on the verge of forming an alliance?" bellowed the Lin Family Head who was known and rumoured to be the most powerful cultivator in New York.


    He was said to be the one that was closest to breaking through the Advanced Cultivation Level and was not only feared in New York, but also in many places around the world.


    The large cultivation families knew of other cultivation families and organisations in other cities and even in other countries, but they would never interfere with each other''s business.


    It had become an unwritten rule that every city would not trade or interfere with the cultivation families from other cities unless there was an emergency or special reason for it.


    Becuase of that, the cultivation families in New York that were looking to expand, could only go for territory in New York unless they wanted to be attacked by cultivation families from other cities.


    If one family was able to gain control of a large city, they would then be recognised by the country''s cultivators as one of the powerhouses and many would seek to join them.


    However since the power of the country''s cultivators was split into so many small groups, organisations and families, there was always conflict and the country wasn''t developing as much as some other countries in terms of cultivation.


    At the top of the government and especially in the military, there were secret organisations and groups that were run by cultivators who held great power and true power around the world was cultivation.


    "Sir... sir, the spies that we had sent to the Epstein Family arena have given us a report and most of them were captured by the Epstein Family and will probably be interrogated then killed" reported his assistant who was stuttering and shaking in fear because of the aura of the Lin Family head.


    "Tell me everything that happened" ordered the Lin Family head as he retracted his aura to allow his assistant to speak.


    The assistant was no longer shaking in fear, but was still stuttering and didn''t dare to look at the Lin Family''s glaring eyes directly as he reported everything that he knew about the situation to him.


    "It seems we really do need to form an alliance with another family sooner than I thought" mumbled the Lin Family Head to himself.


    "Or we could always turn back to them for help" he added to himself as he began thinking about what to do next.

 Chapter 215: Learning From the Battle

    Before travelling back to Brooklyn with Adam, Angela and Wayde took him to a quiet motel near the edge of Staten Island and wanted to ask him whether he wanted to go with them or not.


    Adam had lost consciousness before any of them could ask him what he wanted to do next.


    The motel they had chosen was very cheap, but they didn''t care about money and chose it because it was in a secluded and quiet area. It was far away from all the commotion and crowds that were found in the bustling and busy streets of the city centre, and was the best place they could think of to stay at, until Adam regained consciousness.


    Wayde had a recovery pill with him, but before he fed it to Adam, he wanted his permission as there were cultivators that wouldn''t eat pills and his situation wasn''t dire, so there was no need to feed it to him while he was unconscious.


    Adam''s body was sore all over as his entire body was able to unleash power that way higher than that of what his body was capable of, through the Bloodlust characteristic, so all he could do was deal with the pain and wait for his body to recover.


    Adam had intentionally lost consciousness as he could have continued to fight it he unleashed more of the power of the Bloodlust characteristic, but after seeing Cole''s face, he was able to regain control of his mind and gave up all desire to fight or kill.


    It was the only way that he could stop himself before he did something he couldn''t take back and he was sure that his friends would protect him and his identity, so he didn''t worry as he lost consciousness.


    However unlike when others would lose their consciousness, Adam''s consciousness would enter his mindscape and he was technically still conscious, but in another space.


    He didn''t know how it worked, but just like when he would lose consciousness when he would enter the dungeon, he was still conscious in his mindscape but his body in reality was unconscious.


    Adam upon losing consciousness, in his mindscape, had a smile on his face after the exhilarating and enjoyable battle that he had.


    He was proud that despite the gap in power and cultivation level, he was still able to win. However, he knew that it was all thanks to the extra stat points, the combat experience and the abilities that he gained through the Dungeon System, as without them, he would have been merely an ordinary rank 4 Novice Cultivator.


    While in the mindscape, Adam didn''t sit idly but also didn''t enter the Dungeon, just in case something went wrong. It was an incredible thing to experience as he felt that he could see and sense everything that was happening around his body from outside his body.


    It was as if his consciousness had fused with his spiritual sense, while he could also stay within his mindscape in some sort of astral form if he wanted to.


    In the mindscape, he didn''t have a body and it was completely dark, but he was still conscious in that space that Adam assumed was within his mind and called his mindscape.


    It made it so that he didn''t have to have his time when he was unconscious and also allowed him to sense what was happening around his body, so he was relatively safe.


    Adam watched what happened in the arena for a while, and saw that Cole''s father was killed, but didn''t really care about William''s life and was more worried about how Cole would deal with the loss of his father.


    However, he decided to give Cole some space while he sorted out everything that was going on in his life, before talking to him about how he was feeling.


    Adam didn''t sit idly in his mindscape and began to replay how the battle went to memorise all the abilities he had seen during the battle from those on his team and the opposite team.


    It was also the perfect opportunity to evaluate what he did well and badly during the battle, while also gaining inspiration from the others that were in the battle.


    While Adam was learning from what had happened during the battle, Angela was doing the same and on the way to the motel, was also trying to replay as much as she could remember from the battle.


    To be able to clearly and easily replay a memory was an incredible ability that was granted to Adam through the Hunter''s mind and most others wouldn''t be able to do the same.


    Adam replayed the battle and couldn''t help but feel proud of his display of power and combat prowess despite the few mistakes that he saw he made and was also impressed by Angela and Cole, who were able to unleash much more power than he had expected.


    Wayde and Angela booked them a few rooms in the motel that was almost completely empty and upon entering the small and quite shabby room, they placed Adam on the bed and took off the mask that he was wearing.


    "What should we do now?" asked Wayde, who was unsure how they should help Adam.


    "All we can do is wait until he regains consciousness" answered Angela.


    Adam had replayed the battle within his mind many times and learnt everything he could from it. Seeing that only Wyade and Angela were around his body from the mindscape and noticing that they were in a private room, he was sure that it was safe to get up.


    [System, activate the forced awakening] instructed Adam.


    Before Adam even had the chance to prepare himself for the forced awakening, that he knew would be very painful, he was suddenly bombarded by an extreme amount of pain as he felt himself return to his physical body.


    From Wayde and Angela''s perceptive, they were about to sit down on the two chairs in the room, before Adam suddenly sprung up out of the bed.

 Chapter 216: Recovering From the Backlash Part 1

    Adam suppressed his urge to scream in pain as he was forcefully awakened from his unconscious state, and Wayde and Angela were shocked by his sudden awakening.


    "What happened?" asked Angela seeing Adam''s face that clearly showed that he was in immense pain.


    It was the first time that Adam had sued the Bloodlust Characteristic to such an extent in reality and he could tell that his body was suffering from exhaustion and had been overexerted, which had damaged him and caused him to feel excruciating pain throughout his body.


    "I am not sure, his wounds from the battle are not that serious, so it must be something else causing him pain" answered Wayde who was also confused and unsure what was happening to Adam.


    Adam''s body was sweating profusely and his long black hair was a mess as he struggled to sit up and slowly began to deal with the pain.


    Adam had been able to handle the pain much better than previously.


    Although the pain he was experiencing was weaker than the pain he had felt when he had used both the Bloodlust Characteristic''s extensions in the dungeon, his body had actually been damaged by it.


    The last time when he was suffering the backlash of the Bloodlust Characteristic, he was only suffering the mental and spiritual backlash from his Dungeon Form, but this time, it was also the physical backlash.


    It took Adam a few seconds to be able to sit up and although his body was sweating profusely and veins on his neck and temple were bulging, he didn''t let out a single sound and was handling the pain.


    "What incredible pain tolerance" mumbled Wayde who was amazed by how Adam was dealing with the pain.


    He was unsure what was causing Adam to feel pain, but he was sure that it was on an extremely high level and yet Adam was able to handle it without making a single noise.


    "I am fine do not worry" managed to utter Adam after a few minutes of adapting to the pain around his body.


    The pain hadn''t gotten any weaker, but Adam was adapting to it and dealing with it as he gave Wayde and Angela a reassuring smile.


    It was still quite obvious on Adam''s face that he was in pain as he kept wincing, but it was also clear that he was dealing with it much better as time went on and it was a remarkable thing to watch.


    Adam''s willpower was incredible and he was overcoming the pain and was stabilising his mind, but his body was still disorientated and he needed to recover.


    He knew that the Ethereal Recovery Skill would recover his HP, but he was quite sure that it wouldn''t remove the pain that he was feeling as he hadn''t lost much HP in his battle.


    The Bloodlust Characteristic would burn anything to grant the user unlimited power so that the user could fulfil their desire to kill. Luckily Adam hadn''t used too much of its power as he may have damaged his cultivation and or caused irreversible damage.


    [My cells all around my body seem to be burnt out and although the Ethereal Recovery Skill will help, it won''t help me recover from the backlash of the Bloodlust Characteristic. What I need is lots of sugar or any other form of glucose to provide energy to my cells, and lots of protein to assist my body''s recovery] thought Adam to himself.


    The Ethereal Recovery Skill would use his body''s vitality to rapidly recover, but if his body''s energy and vitality were exhausted, it wouldn''t be of much use.


    While absorbing energy into his body also wouldn''t do him much good, as he would struggle to handle and control the energy in the state he was in, and it would only cause him more pain and injuries.


    "Can you bring me a large bucket, lots of sugar and lots of water? Also, I need lots of protein, any time will do" requested Adam.


    They would obviously do what they could to help him recover, but his request was quite unusual and it wasn''t what one would expect a cultivator to request when trying to recover.


    "Why do you need that? Wouldn''t it be better for you to eat a recovery pill?" asked Angela.


    "I don''t need the recovery pill and the impurities are quite annoying and time-consuming to deal with. It wouldn''t help my situation as it isn''t my energy storages that were exhausted themselves, but my entire body and I need something to kick start my body, so that I can recover" answered Adam.


    His answer seemed unusual to them and didn''t make sense, but he was sure that he was right as he felt that his cells themselves had been fatigued and damaged after being pushed past their limits.


    The damage wasn''t visible, but was very painful and bothersome, but also wasn''t too difficult to recover from if he had large amounts of glucose, protein and slowly began to use the Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    "Angela, stay here with Adam. I will go and get what he wants" said Wayde as he left them in the room and rushed to the closest store.


    "Adam, what happened? Your injuries don''t seem too bad, but you seem to be in a lot of pain?" asked Angela.


    "I just pushed myself a bit too hard in the battle and as you know, my cultivation level is quite low, so my body couldn''t handle the power" answered Adam honestly.


    Hearing his answer, she immediately understood as if she was to use the full power of her elemental affinity when her body couldn''t handle it, she would suffer an extreme backlash. She hadn''t experienced it herself, but had been warned about it and could imagine that it was similar to what Adam was experiencing.


    She had so many questions about the abilities that Adam displayed in the battle, and she had always suppressed her curiosity in the past. But seeing as they were alone and had just fought together, she felt as though it was the perfect chance to find out more about Adam.

 Chapter 217: Recovering From the Backlash Part 2

    "Adam how were you able to teleport or whatever that movement ability was?" asked Angela.


    "I don''t know myself, but I can do it" answered Adam.


    Adam had always avoided her questions, but he finally answered her, which was unexpected and was a pleasant surprise. She was quite sure that his answer was honest, but she was disappointed by it and made her even more curious about who he really was and where he came from.


    His appearance didn''t seem to be from any specific race, but his skin was very pale and matched with his red eyes and devilish charms, Angela couldn''t help but come up with some wild ideas.


    "Are you a vampire or some sort of demonic race?" asked Angela seriously.


    Adam didn''t know how to react and began to laugh, but while laughing, he suddenly began to swear as he felt a sudden piercing pain in his stomach.


    "Stop asking such stupid questions or I might drink your blood and turn into a vampire" teased Adam as he tried his best not to laugh as it was very painful to do so in the state that he was in.


    Angela couldn''t help but laugh as she slapped his shoulder in annoyance, then apologised after seeing the pain that she caused him.


    Adam''s entire body was very sensitive and a weak hit could cause him immense pain.


    "So what are you? How come you are so capable without coming from a large cultivation family?" asked Angela.


    "Don''t tell me you are from another large cultivation family from another city or even another country" suggested Angela.


    "No I am an ordinary person and you don''t need to know too much about me. All you need to know is that I protect and help my friends, will kill those in my way and will become the most powerful. I''m not afraid of anyone or anything and will do almost anything to get what I want or need, and this city is merely the first step on my journey" stated Adam.


    In the state he was in, what he said didn''t seem very convincing, but from everything Angela had seen from him, she had no reason not to believe him.


    "Then I will support you on your journey and hope that you will help and protect me as your friend" declared Angela, who felt her ambition and drive be reignited by Adam''s ambition.


    Angela was unsure if she would be able to kill as easily as he could as although she saw ordinary people as peasants and ants, she was unsure how she would feel if she was direct cause of someone else''s death, but the rest of Adam''s ambitions resonated with her.


    However she still had so many other questions to ask Adam and didn''t want to stop there, but just as she was about to ask Adam another question, Wayde returned to the room carrying many things at once.


    "I brought you everything you requested" announced Wayde as he placed everything he brought on the ground.


    It wasn''t heavy in the slightest for someone at his power level, but just because his body was strong, it didn''t mean he could carry so many things at once easily.


    Adam could see all types of jerky and large amounts of it and also saw that Wayde had brought a few kilograms of sugar, 10 litres of water and a large bucket.


    Seeing everything he had bought, Adam and even Angela''s stomach rumbled since they hadn''t eaten anything in a long time and hadn''t been eating much lately.


    "Perfect, thanks a lot" thanked Adam.


    "Can you help me up?" asked Adam, barely able to move his body.


    Wayde nodded his head and walked over to him.


    After reaching Adam, without even asking for Adam''s permission, he carried Adam in his arms like a baby and Adam who was currently experiencing pain and faituge all around his body couldn''t resist.


    "Put me down, I am not a baby" complained Adam, but Wayde ignored him and placed him on the ground in front of all the things that he had bought him.


    "Alright, Wayde you have got to help me out. Can you pour all the water in the bucket along with all the sugar?" asked Adam.


    "Don''t tell me you are planning on consuming all of that sugar and drinking all of that water at once? Are you crazy?" exclaimed Angela, who had never heard or seen somebody use such an absurd way to recover.


    "Well we will see," said Adam as Wayde did as Adam asked.


    While Wayde did so, Adam was scoffing down large amounts of jerky and he knew that the protein was essential for the recovery of his cells, especially the muscle cells, along with the glucose providing his cells and body with energy.


    The energy in the atmosphere was different to the essential energy that food had and at Adam''s current cultivation level and with the amount of knowledge that he had, he was yet to be able to substitute the energy in the atmosphere for food.


    It was known that cultivators would be able to survive for longer without food or water, but their bodies also needed more water and food to sustain, especially for External Cultivation.


    Adam was quite sure that his master was able to do so as there wasn''t much food in the forest that he lived in and there also wasn''t any other way for him to get food, since he hadn''t been to the city, but he was more focused on recovering.


    He would ask his master about it when he returned to him and also wanted to tell him everything that was happening with the large cultivation families, but before then, his recovery was his priority.


    Adam had scoffed down a few packets of beef jerky, which was dried meat that was very high in protein and also quite salty and tasty, by the time Wayde had poured all the water and sugar into the bucket.


    However, he felt as though his hunger was insatiable and it had barely reduced his hunger, which was exactly what Adam wanted to feel as it showed him that his body wanted food.


    "Here goes nothing," said Adam as he prepared to drink the contents of the bucket that had 3kg of sugar dissolved into 10 litres of water.

 Chapter 218: Recovering From the Backlash Part 3

    Angela and Wayde couldn''t believe that Adam really was planning to drink 10 litres of water that had 3kg of sugar dissolved into it, but after everything else that he had done and been capable of, it wasn''t anything too shocking.


    Adam couldn''t even pick up the bucket and needed Wayde''s help, but Wayde didn''t once complain and seemed to want to help Adam, which Adam appreciated massively.


    Wayde didn''t have a childhood and Adam saw that he was similar to Chase in the way that he was quite weird and ignorant despite their age and power, but both of them were kind-hearted and had become Adam''s friends.


    With Wayde''s help, Adam began to gulp down large amounts of water and sugar.


    It was incredibly sweet to the point that it would taste sickening to others, which was to be expected, but to Adam, it felt like a cool breeze that was cooling down the burning that was occurring all over his body.


    He continued to chug down the sugar water and despite the large amounts of sugar water that he was drinking, his belly wasn''t sticking out, which was what was expected if anyone drank that much water.


    It seemed as though his body was using the sugar water as soon as it reached his stomach, which was insane and meant that his metabolism was inconceivably fast.


    Metabolism is the chemical reactions in the body''s cells that change food into energy. Human bodies need this energy to do everything from moving to thinking to growing.


    That was known as External Energy, while energy that was absorbed from the atmosphere was turned into Internal Energy and Adam didn''t know of a way to cultivate externally by directly using the energy in the atmosphere.


    Adam had noticed that his metabolism was faster and noticed he could eat much more without feeling full, but thought that was normal for a cultivator and didn''t realise how amazing it was.


    External Cultivation would increase one''s capacity to eat, but not as much as Adam''s had increased and Adam had the perfect body for a cultivator that had been completely cultivated in every single way.


    The stats were a way to represent one''s raw power, but there were other things, such as one''s metabolic rate, that couldn''t be directly measured and weren''t seen as very important.


    Because of Adam''s body, he could recover very quickly, adapt to different environments easily and grasp new techniques and skills easily, as his body wasn''t restricted in any way.


    "Amazing" mumbled both Angela and Wayde who were amazed by Adam.


    His muscles had deflated after using the Bloodlust Characteristic to increase his power and he looked much skinnier after the battle, but they were visibly bulging and growing back to their original size.


    Adam''s body had been starved of External Energy and also of Internal Energy, but it was most important for him to recover his External Energy that also represented his physical energy.


    Because of that, the large amounts of glucose he was drinking was being used by his body hungrily as his body began to rapidly recover.


    The pain was still present, but was being suppressed by a cooling sensation and Adam continued to drink the sugar water as his body began to steam and return to its peak state.


    Adam went from a much slimmer and seemingly fatigued and malnourished self, to his original muscular and healthy state.


    The room was filled with steam that was being released out of Adam''s pores as his body that was burning internally evaporated the water that was unneeded by his body, and used all the sugar that he had drank.


    An ordinary person''s body wouldn''t have been able to handle even a small amount of the sugar water that Adam drank and if they tried to do the same as he had just done, they would have either vomited uncontrollably or had a heart attack.


    Yet Adam had a relaxed expression and a slight smile on his face as he finished every last drop of the sugar water.


    "What just happened?" asked Angela who was amazed and confused as to how that was possible.


    The sugar would obviously provide his body with some energy to help him recover, but that amount of sugar and the rate at which he recovered was unbelievable.


    Adam shrugged as he began to wolf down more of the jerky that came in different flavours and felt much better than how he was feeling before.


    But he still wasn''t fully recovered and knew that he would need at least a whole day of rest and lots of food and sugar to help his body recover, while repeatedly using the Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    Wayde and Angela didn''t know how to react to what they just saw, as they looked at Adam amazed by how much he was able to drink and eat and how quickly he was able to recover.


    It didn''t make sense how his body was steaming or how his body was able to inflate his muscles in a matter of minutes, but since he seemed to be getting better, they had no reason to complain.


    Adam ate all the jerky that was a few kg worth, within a few minutes, then closed his eyes, crossed his legs and seemingly began to cultivate.


    Seeing that he was focused on cultivating, Angela and Wayde left him to do so and ordered some food to their room. Although the food was extremely low quality when compared to what she was used to eating in her family, but her hunger and situation made it so that she couldn''t complain.


    They didn''t want to leave Adam alone as he couldn''t have completely recovered and was focused on recovering, so had no choice but to order food to where they were.


    There was a weird aura around Adam as he recovered and after eating their fill of the food they ordered, they watched Adam closely as the wounds on his body began to rapidly heal.

 Chapter 219: Returning to Brooklyn

    After 4 hours of sitting in the lotus position and using the Ethereal Recovery Skill, Adam felt that he was mostly recovered from the backlash and was amazed by how quick he was able to do so.


    It was all thanks to his incredible body and the incredible Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    Although he had recovered his HP back to its peak within less than an hour of cultivating the Ethereal Recovery Skill, Adam''s energy storages and body were still in shambles and needed more time to recover.


    The entire time he could feel two pairs of eyes glued onto him and Angela and Wayde were amazed by what they were witnessing as they saw Adam''s wounds heal within a few hours.


    They didn''t want to distract or disturb him and continued to watch him as hours passed without them even realising, since they were more focused on watching Adam.


    "Thanks for the assistance and protection while I was recovering" thanked Adam as he jumped up and began stretching his body was that was still sore all over and aching, but was much less painful than it was before.


    "Have you recovered already?" asked Angela as she checked his body to see if there were any wounds.


    To her surprise, there weren''t even any scars left on his body and he seemed as good as new.


    If his clothes weren''t ripped and his hair wasn''t messed up, she would have never imagined that he just took part in an incredible battle between cultivators.


    "No I haven''t recovered and still have some internal injuries and pain all around my body, but I have regained my energy and will recover slowly over the next few days" answered Adam, who didn''t want to shock them too much with his recovery speed.


    In reality, he was mostly recovered and although his entire body was in slight pain, it would diminish slowly over time and the backlash he suffered from the Bloodlust Characteristic would slowly disappear as he trained and got stronger.


    His body had returned to its previous muscular state and Angela couldn''t help but stare shortly at his body that looked perfect, but soon turned away realising that she was staring.


    Adam noticed it but ignored her as he took off the hoodie and shirt that he was wearing, which were torn apart and no longer wearable, then sat down at the table that Angela and Wayde had eaten at.


    Even after all the sugar water he drank and all the jerky that he ate, Adam still felt hungry and most of what he had eaten had been used to help recover his body, which still needed more food and rest to recover completely.


    Before sitting down, Adam asked, "Do you mind?"


    There was still lots of food that Angela and Wayde had left and hadn''t been able to finish, but for the two of them who had never had to ever worry or think about money, they would never eat their own leftovers, let alone that of others.


    Both of them shrugged and didn''t care if he ate what they left, which was a lot of food, but they found thought that it was beneath Adam to eat leftovers, especially since it wasn''t even high-quality food.


    "If you want money or want us to order you food, we can do that. Or we can take you to a nice place to eat" offered Angela.


    "Why? There is food here and I am sure it is enough for me" asked Adam.


    "Well, the food has been sitting there for a while and I just wanted to let you know that money isn''t a problem" answered Angela.


    Adam smiled and thanked her for her kindness, but reassured her that he was fine with the food that was there.


    Remembering when he had to skip meals and eat canned food just so that he could pay his aunt''s medical bills, Adam wouldn''t complain about most things and could live with very minimal things.


    Adam also thought about all the others that were still in the situation he was in or worse, and all the famine around the world, so even if he had money and the means to do as he pleased, he still felt that wasting food was pointless and immoral.


    The food despite being low-quality in Angela and Wayde''s eyes, was tasty as Adam began wolfing it down without stopping, still feeling hungry.


    Adam ate everything that hadn''t been touched by Wayde and Angela, as even if he didn''t want to waste, he didn''t want to eat what they had touched and left behind.


    After that, he let out a loud burp and had a satisfied expression as he held his belly that was filled with food.


    "Thanks for the food" thanked Adam as he quickly cleaned the table and threw what was left in the trash.


    "Should we leave?" suggested Adam after giving the room the place they were staying in a quick clean.


    "Why did you clean up? That''s the cleaner''s job" asked Angela, who was confused by Adam''s actions.


    She couldn''t tell whether he was a good or bad person and whether he cared about others or not, but what she did know was that he helped her and she was planning on returning the favour.


    "Leaving less mess behind for the cleaner. I am sure whoever the cleaner is will appreciate it and already has a lot on their plate" answered Adam.


    Angela and Wayde were surprised, confused and pleased by his answer, but decided not to say anything about it.


    They couldn''t completely relate to his reasoning and actions, but could see where he was coming from and knew that there was kindness in his heart.


    "Are you planning on returning to Brooklyn?" asked Wayde.


    "Yup, I have no reason to stay here. What I came here to do has been completed" answered Adam.


    "But before then, we need to get you a shirt," said Angela who was blushing slightly, seeing Adam shirtless.

 Chapter 220: Anchor

    It was clear to Adam that Angela and Wayde were surprised by him cleaning the room quickly and his reasoning for doing so, but he was hoping that it showed them to care a bit more about how others were feeling and how their actions impacted others.


    Adam remembered that his aunt was once a cleaner and had taught him one thing that he tried to live by as much as he could.


    When treating others or seeing others in a bad situation, imagine they were a loved one before acting or deciding whether or not to help them.


    Adam had also adopted that ideal when dealing with others who were wronging others and imagined that they were wronging somebody he cared about, which was why he found it so easy to kill people who were wronging others without thinking about it twice.


    Although he knew that those he killed probably had family that mourned for them, but on most occasions, when he killed, he was sure that the person he killed deserved to die.


    Adam''s way of living would seem absurd to most, but it was very simple to him.


    No one was perfect, which included him, but everyone had something that they lived by and believed in. Adam''s priority was the safety and happiness of himself and those he cared about, and a big part of that required him to be wealthy, capable and powerful.


    He might also help others that he saw in a bad situation and he was more likely to help a child or female, as they were more likely to be vulnerable and unable to defend themselves, but he wouldn''t feel guilty if he didn''t help.


    As long as his conscience was clear, Adam didn''t care too much about most things and was fighting in the present and for the future, so didn''t have time to worry about the past.


    With that way of living, although it may be seen as reckless and irresponsible, it was how Adam was planning on moving forwards with his life.


    Wayde went to the same store that he had bought the things Adam requested and brought back a sports jersey to him, which was the only form of clothing he found in the store.


    It was bright red and quite eye-catching, which Adam didn''t like, but he didn''t have another option so put it on without complaining.


    While Wayde had gone to the store to get Adam a shirt, Angela couldn''t help but ask Adam, "Are you sure you want to leave Cole here to deal with everything alone? I am sure he would need your help or at least know that you are by his side to support him".


    "Cole is strong and can deal with it himself, Once he has sorted everything out I will return and then we can talk about everything. But for now, I think he needs space and time to deal with everything himself" answered Adam, who was confident in his friend.


    Adam using Angela''s phone sent Cole a message, telling him that it was Angela''s number and reassuring him that he was fine. In the message, he also told Cole that he would come back to see him in a few days and was giving him time to sort out all the different things that he needed to do.


    Adam, Wayde and Angela left the motel together and there was a car there prepared for them that had been left by one of the Maxwell Familly subordinates after Angela requested a car to be brought to her.


    Getting into the car, Wayde got into the driver''s seat, while Adam and Angela got into the back.


    "I can''t believe everything worked out and it was all because we came across you in that restaurant," stated Angela who was proud of her accomplishment and was driven and excited for her future.


    "We are both lucky I guess," said Adam.


    There was something that he was very curious about and hadn''t had the chance to ask about it, but he was unsure whether or not to ask about it.


    While he lost consciousness after the battle, he was still watching what was happening around his unconscious body and saw the great elder''s attack and heard Evil Energy be mentioned.


    He had never heard of it and its power was very powerful, which made Adam very curious about it.


    "Angela what is evil energy?" asked Adam.


    Wayde and Angela''s expressions suddenly changed and Adam could clearly see that it was a forbidden subject for cultivators to speak about.


    "This is something you shouldn''t ask about so openly. With us it is fine, but make sure not to do it in front of other cultivators as it is seen as something that is taboo. But how do you even know about it?" asked Angela, who was sure that most didn''t know about Evil Cultivation.


    "Well, I sensed an energy that was very sinister and powerful while I was unconscious and had also heard rumours of evil energy, but never really understood what it was" answered Adam.


    "You were able to sense the evil energy that the great elder released despite you being unconscious?" exclaimed Angela who had never heard of somebody being able to sense what was happening around them while they were unconscious.


    Adam scratched his head and with a wry smile answered, "I have very sensitive senses and wasn''t completely unconscious at that time".


    It didn''t really make sense to Angela how that was possible, but compared to everything else she had seen him do, such as teleporting, it wasn''t anything too shocking.


    Angela gave him a surprisingly very detailed and informative explanation about the difference between positive and negative energy and how they were opposite.


    She did state that negative energy wasn''t necessarily evil, but urged Adam to forget about trying to cultivate it as it was very dangerous to cultivate, could damage his body and he could lose control over it.


    Adam was enlightened by her explanation and couldn''t help but wonder whether his Bloodlust Characteristic had something to do with negative energy.


    It would grant him explosive power, but he would lose control and only desire to kill, while it would also damage his body afterwards, which matched Angela''s explanation of evil energy.


    However Adam wasn''t afraid of cultivating negative energy and knew how amazing his body had become after integrating with the Dungeon System, so was willing to do so as long as he retained his mind, emotions, his reasoning and didn''t harm his body.


    Adam''s main priority was increasing his power and he realised that his friends and those that he cared about were the anchor for his Bloodlust Characteristic and everything else.


    As long as he had that anchor, he was sure that he had nothing to worry about and he would always be able to overcome everything that came his way.


    "Thanks for the warning and I will heed your warning" reassured her Adam, seeing how serious she had become.


    "You better and negative energy is very hard for humans to store and control, so don''t think that because you might be talented you can handle it. Evil Cultivators are a problem that us, ordinary cultivators have to deal with and they almost always have to harm innocents in order to increase their power through evil methods" warned Angela.


    Adam was quite sure that the Hospital Director was involved in some sort of Evil Cultivation Organisation and his aunt would have been a victim of their methods if he hadn''t intervened when he did.


    Angela told him ways that they would kill, torture, harass and abuse innocents to increase their power and produce negative energy and Adam was horrified.


    He made a vow to himself that he would kill any evil cultivator that he came across, but was also interested in finding out more about negative energy ad finding out how to cultivate it without using evil methods.


    He also decided against telling Angela about what had happened with his aunt and the Evil Cultivation Organisation that he had suspicions about. Before he tried to do anything, he needed to increase his power and he knew that a war with the Lin Family and the other large cultivation families in New York was soon approaching.


    [With my anchor in place and my goals set, all I need to do is hunt]


    Adam was eager to get back into the dungeon and hunt, to increase his power and also relieve some of his Bloodlust, but before he could, he received a notification from the system.


    {Ding, for the host''s increased mental stability and fortitude, the host has received 5 Intelligence Stat Points and 1 Charisma Stat Point} notified him the system.


    {It is also partly a reward for what the host has accomplished, but the system cannot directly reward the host for it without the host completing something that the system already has in place} added the system.

 Chapter 221: The System Gains Sentience

    The system''s words told Adam that there was a program that the system was following and couldn''t go against and also showed him that the system could think for itself.


    He didn''t understand much about the system and didn''t know anything about its origins, but what he did know was that he was lucky to have gained it and it seemed as though the system''s only intention was to aid his growth.


    [Thanks a lot system, you are beginning to grow on me and if you can think for yourself, have also become my friend] thanked Adam within his mind.


    Adam had become allied with two young family heads, won the battle with Mason and had massively increased his skills in a short period of time, which Adam was sure was the reason he received the reward.


    But he was also sure that the system had given him the Step Skip Unique Skill knowing that he would need it to win the battle and accomplish what he had accomplished, which was why he was so thankful for the system.


    {Friend, you can become my friend when you can see me and when you are powerful enough} stated the system in an arrogant tone.


    Adam just chuckled to himself and was looking forward to uncovering more about the system and finding out how he could see the system and what Cultivation Level he would have to reach to do so.


    [System, are you a girl?] asked Adam.


    The system''s voice was robotic and the voice alone didn''t seem to be that of a man or a woman, but from the system''s attitude and speech pattern, Adam could imagine her being a young girl.


    In fact, the way the system spoke reminded him of how Angela was when they first met as the system had the same arrogance and superiority complex, yet was quite nice and didn''t have negative intentions towards him.


    {Gender is something that is beneath me and is something that hasn''t been given to me, but if the host would like me to be of a certain gender, that is possible} said the system.


    Adam could feel that the system embarrassed and didn''t understand how, but the system seemed to have gained emotions and its own thoughts.


    Upon integrating with the system, it was very robotic and monotone, but as time went on the system seemed to be gaining sentience, which was something that Adam didn''t think was possible.


    Sentience is the capacity to be aware of feelings and sensations and initially, Adam thought the system was merely a program, but it seemed as though the system was learning how to feel and think.


    It must have been doing so by watching Adam''s experiences and being able to sense his thoughts, as the system was integrated with Adam''s mind and soul.


    Adam smiled to himself and answered the system, [I would prefer you to be a beautiful female with a soft voice and it would also be better if you can talk to me in a more gentle and seductive manner].


    "What are you smiling about?" asked Angela, seeing Adam smiling for no reason.


    "Don''t worry about it?" said Adam as he closed his eyes.


    Adam was only joking with the system, but the system didn''t seem to understand that he was joking and hadn''t reached that level of emotional intelligence.


    {How is this for the host?} asked the system in a soft and gentle voice that caused Adam to feel weirdly uncomfortable as an image of an alluring woman appeared within his mind.


    A female figure that was perfect in every way and even surpassed Angela in beauty, which Adam didn''t think was possible, appeared within his mind and it seemed to be the system.


    {The host requested me to be a beautiful female with a soft voice. You also wanted me to be more gentle and seductive, is this not to the host''s liking?} asked the system, seeing Adam stood before her with an overwhelmed and shocked expression.


    Adam had unknowingly entered his mindscape and the system was standing before him as a female that had reached the peak of beauty and was perfect for him in every way.


    {This form was created as per the host''s desires} informed him the system.


    Adam regained composure and couldn''t help but stare and be mesmerised by the system''s perfect face and body.


    "I was only joking when I said that," told her Adam as he stood still, afraid to get any closer to the goddess that stood before him.


    {Would you like the system to revert....} asked the system before being interrupted by Adam.


    "No, no, no. Stay exactly how you are and I prefer the system having a physical form within my mind" interrupted Adam, who had no reason to refuse having such a godly beauty within his mind.


    "From here on out you are a female" declared Adam.


    He found it weird that the robotic system within his mind had become the woman of his dreams and was able to easily mesmerise and overwhelm him with her beauty and voice, but at the same time, weirdly liked it.


    The system was the only person that shared everything that Adam was feeling and knew everything that he had been through as she could see his memories and felt everything that he was feeling, even when he was in the dungeon.


    Despite having friends and those that he cared about around him, it was hard and lonely not being able to share his secrets and what he was experiencing, but seeing the system in a human form, it made him feel as though he had less of a burden on him.


    {I am glad the host likes the system''s new form and voice. As per the host''s requests, I can be found in this human form within your mindscape at all times} stated the system.


    Adam was overjoyed with what he was seeing, but felt like there was something missing.


    "That''s it, you need a name" he realised.

 Chapter 222: Adam and Ava Part 1

    {You want to give me a name, but I am merely a program like you have realised} stated the system.


    "No, you clearly said that I could become your friend when I saw you and here you are stood before me. Although I might not be powerful enough yet, you are sharing my experiences and life, so aren''t a program, but are more of a companion" refuted Adam who could somehow sense that she felt lonely.


    "Whoever made you, didn''t make a program, but made me a companion. I am bound to you and you are bound to me, so it is only right that I give you a name. If you were merely a program, you wouldn''t be able to feel emotions or think for yourself" stated Adam.


    The system didn''t know how to react and for the first time felt something that she assumed was happiness. She didn''t feel lonely, left out and misunderstood like she was feeling before and didn''t understand why she was feeling that way.


    She began to gain emotions, feelings and the ability to think for herself slowly, but didn''t understand what they were.


    The gorgeous figure before Adam smiled and had tears streaming down her face, but Adam still felt uncomfortable because of her beauty so didn''t approach her.


    "Your name will be Ava" decided Adam.


    There were many different meanings behind the name and two of them being life and beautiful, which Adam explained to her and made her even happier.


    "Now that we are friends, can I have some system points?" asked Adam shamelessly.


    Ava, who stood before him, didn''t know how to react to his question and didn''t want to upset Adam and tell him that she couldn''t.


    "You have changed so much in an instant. I was only joking, I know that you cannot do that. But what I do want from you is more support, knowledge and information when you can" requested Adam.


    {I can do that for the host} affirmed Ava.


    "Also try not to be so formal and serious and call me Adam, not ''the host''" added Adam before leaving his mindscape.


    Adam was shocked by the new development in the system, but he had gained a companion that could share his struggles and was also heaven-defyingly beautiful, so he had no reason to complain.


    Ava was also shocked by how Adam treated and accepted her, as she stood in Adam''s mindscape and began to replay everything that Adam had said to her.


    She was restricted by the system''s program and could only do and say what the system allowed her to do, which Adam knew, but that didn''t mean that she couldn''t relax and live like a human would within Adam''s mindscape.


    Ava just wanted to feel appreciated, accepted and human, which were 3 of the things that Adam made her feel and was why she had suddenly completely changed.


    Adam was happy with her change, but didn''t want it to slow down his progress and was still focused on increasing his power. Feeling his drive and being programmed to assist Adam in his pursuit of power, Ava felt the same way as Adam and wanted to give him more support, not hold him back.


    Ava knew things about the world, the universe and the system itself that she couldn''t reveal to Adam, but Adam was on track to finding them all out and becoming someone that would be feared throughout the universe.


    "I''m really sleepy right now and need to rest to recover, so I''m going to have a nap" announced Adam.


    "The ride isn''t that long, so you won''t be able to sleep much," said Angela.


    Adam smiled, knowing that he would be entering the dungeon, and replied, "Oh I will, I sleep very deeply".


    Adam leaned his head against the car window, so that his body didn''t collapse and was sure that they would look after his unconscious body when he entered the dungeon, so was planning to go on a long hunt.


    Returning to his mindscape, Adam was still slightly intimidated by Ava''s beauty, but was pleased by it and it made him feel much better about himself knowing that he was the only one that could see such a beauty.


    "I will be entering the dungeon now. You are my companion on my journey in bot reality and the dungeon,  so I will be relying on your support and advice when I am in there" stated Adam.


    {Sure Adam, you will now be transported onto Floor 5 where you last left off} announced Ava.


    She still had her role as the system and couldn''t just become Adam''s companion within his mindscape, but it was reassuring to have her within his mind as a human and as a companion, rather than a robotic voice.


    Ava felt the same way as she activated the transportation of Adam''s soul into the dungeon.


    {Adam you are still on stage 1, but should be able to complete it within less than two days of being in the dungeon. Use the Unique Step Skill and Collector Skill wisely, but remember they are very draining and always try to conserve energy as recovering is very time-consuming, even with the Ethereal Recover Skill} advised Ava''s soft and gentle voice within Adam''s mind.


    Adam smiled after hearing her voice in his head and was glad that she was being more active and talking to him more, especially since he was in the dungeon where he would feel very lonely.


    [With such a beautiful lady watching me within my mind, I have to try my hardest] said Adam within his mind, knowing that Ava could hear him.


    Ava created her image in the way that she knew Adam would be pleased with using all his female desire, but still couldn''t help but blush slightly because of the complement.


    Adam equipped all of the equipment that he had bought and received as loot over the past two months and as he felt his power increase from the equipment''s enhancing effects, he was ready to hunt.

 Chapter 223: Adam and Ava Part 2

    "So Ava, if you could have anything, what would you want?" asked Adam as he launched himself into the air and took down a goat beast with a single attack.


    Adam had decided against taking the goat beasts into his Beastpedia as it didn''t have any special traits that were impressive, rare or useful and despite their speed, power and resilience, had become very proficient in killing them.


    Ava answered his question straight away and Adam had expected her to take some time to think about his question, but she answered it straight away, which surprised him.


    {If I could have anything, I would want to have a real human body and would want to live a fun life with you forever} stated Ava.


    Her change was too sudden and unexpected by Adam who had thought that the system was cold and arrogant previously, but he was pleasantly surprised.


    Imagining himself as a program that was placed within an individual''s mind and assuming that Adam was the first person that she had contact with, Adam understood where she was coming from.


    Adam was the only person that Ava could communicate with and was also the only person that understood her, while she was the only one that could understand him completely. Matched with the fact that they were bound to each other, Adam completely understood her desire and weirdly wasn''t against it.


    "Well then if there is a way that we can make you a body and do that, then we will do it," said Adam, who also wanted to embrace such a beauty that understood everything he had been through and would be there with him no matter what he went through.


    Adam shocked himself by what he said, but Ava was overjoyed by it and Adam could sense her jumping around in joy within his mindscape.


    Since they were bound to each other, they could both feel what each other were feeling and after Adam accepted her, Ava had gained complete sentience.


    She was previously only slowly gaining emotions and understanding how human''s thoughts and feelings worked, but Adam''s acceptance helped her to gain complete sentience and it also caused her to understand what she and Adam were feeling.


    Losing focus by talking to and sensing what Ava was feeling, Adam was suddenly rammed in the side by the horns of a goat beast that he was fighting against, and was launched crashing into the side of a small mountain.


    Adam''s caused a small crater in the side of the mountain and had been damaged quite heavily by it, but was still calm and regained focus on his hunting as he used the Step Skip Skill to appear behind the beast that was charging towards him.


    Appearing behind the beast, Adam pierced its neck with the spear he was wielding and gound that using the spear was very effective against the goat beasts as he could keep them at a distance from him, so that it was harder for them to land an attack on him.


    {Are you alright Adam?} asked Ava worriedly.


    Adam didn''t expect that she would worry for him as previously when he had hunted, he felt as though he had nothing to lose and wouldn''t care much about the damage that he received.


    But with Ava within his mind and worrying about him, Adam felt that he needed to care more about the pain and damage he was suffering in his Dungeon Form and completely focused on the beasts in his surroundings.


    "Ava, we can talk while I recover, but for now, let me hunt until I exhaust most of my energy" stated Adam.


    Ava didn''t answer as she didn''t want to distract him, but Adam could feel that she understood and felt guilty, so completely concentrated on hunting.


    Adam, who reserved his energy while hunting and tried not to tire himself out too much, hunted for over an hour before stopping to find an empty and safe area on Floor 5 to recover.


    He went to the edge of the floor and after making sure they weren''t any beasts in the area, activated the Ethereal Recovery Skill and returned to his mindscape.


    "We have around 3 hours before my body recovers, so what do you want to do?" asked Adam as he sat on the ground in his mindscape.


    "You do realise that this is your mindscape, so you can make it appear how you please and you have complete control over the space," said Ava.


    "Just imagine something and intend for it to appear, and it should appear" guided Ava.


    Imagining that he was in his apartment and intending for his mindscape to be his apartment, which had become his favourite place where he was most comfortable, as it was where his aunt was, the mindscape suddenly began to transform.


    Within an instant, Adam appeared within his apartment and it was exactly the same to the point where he was almost convinced that he had returned to his apartment, but he realised that he was still in his mindscape after seeing Ava behind him.


    He had become more accustomed to Ava''s beauty, but he still found it hard to look at her eyes and would never directly look at her for long, as he would end up staring and becoming mesmerised.


    "Since you said you wanted to live and feel what a human would feel, you can do that in my mindscape," said Adam.


    Ever since Ava gained complete sentience, Adam could feel another set of emotions within his mind that didn''t belong to him and could tell that she felt lonely.


    After seeing Adam having many friends around him, she wanted to be the same and Adam could feel that, so wanted to replicate that within his mindscape for her.


    He had nothing better to do while his body recovered in the dungeon and led her into the living room and lay on the sofa.


    Ava had a wild smile on her face sat on the other single sofa as they began to talk between themselves.

 Chapter 224: Stage 1 Completed

    Initially, their conversation was quite awkward and although Ava had gained sentience, she wasn''t experienced in social interaction. But she was quickly learning and since they could both sense what each other were feeling, it was much less awkward as their conversation began to flow.


    Ava became more relaxed and lay more back seeing how Adam was completely relaxed and appreciated Adam trying to replicate what it would be like to be an ordinary person.


    He even brought her tea and food, that he made appear using his imagination, as it was his mindscape where he could make anything happen.


    It was similar to a dreamworld within his mind and Adam had never explored what it was capable of and didn''t know whether he had his 5 senses in the mindscape.


    Trying to eat the food, Adam could feel that he wasn''t physically tasting the food or feeling satisfied by it physically, but since he had experienced it many times in reality, he was remembering and replicating the sensation of tasting food.


    "When tasting the food, use my memories of how it was to taste the food and eat, then you should be able to replicate the feeling," said Adam as he placed food on the table before Ava.


    Ava ate and was amazed by the feeling despite knowing that she wasn''t actually eating and one of the things that she wanted to do the most with a physical body was eat.


    "Is there a way to create a body for someone to inhabit?" asked Adam, who saw the joy on Ava''s face.


    He was asking for Ava, but also asking to see if there was a way to resurrect someone that had died and if he could create a body that was younger for an old person to inhabit and live longer.


    With cultivation, nothing was impossible and Ava didn''t answer as the system restricted what she could tell Adam, but the hope her eyes told him that there was a way and that she really wanted it.


    "Then we will do it" reassured her Adam as they relaxed, ate and spoke.


    Adam was teaching her different things that humans would do and was also helping her become less awkward as she spoke and he was also helping her to speak more informally and relaxed.


    He made games appear and played against her, played different sports with her and with the limitless things that he could show her in the mindscape, Ava was experiencing so many things that she thought that she would never be able to experience.


    The entire time, both of them were making sure that nothing happened to Adam''s Dungeon Form that was recovering automatically using the Ethereal Recovery Skill and the time passed very quickly.


    Adam could only show her something that he himself had experienced, which mostly wasn''t anything amazing, but to Ava who was merely a program before then, it was something amazing.


    "I will be leaving to continue hunting since my body has nearly completely recovered, but you can do as you please in the mindscape while I hunt the goat beasts on stage 1," said Adam after his body returned to its zenith state.


    Ava wanted to spend more time with Adam, which Adam appreciated and Adam also wanted to spend more time and have fun with such a beautiful goddess, but he needed to hunt and she knew that.


    "Alright Adam, be safe and I will wait for you to return and watch over you" stated Ava as the mindscape returned to Adam''s apartment.


    Adam smiled and returned to his body that was full of energy as he prepared to continue hunting.


    The cycle repeated many times as Adam would explore and hunt on the large mountainous region, still on stage 1, and once his energy storages were exhausted or he was heavily injured, Adam would find a safe place to recover.


    While recovering, Adam would enter his mindscape and spend time with Ava.


    He hadn''t touched her physically and was unsure whether he could, but spending time together, talking and relaxing was enough for both of them and they weren''t that comfortable yet.


    After spending 36 hours in the dungeon, which was mostly spent with Ava in his mindscape, as even with the Ethereal Recovery Skill it took long for Adam to recover, Adam finally completed Stage 1 and in the process, reached LVL 43.


    {Your progress is amazing, how do you even hunt for so long without stopping. Do you not get tired?} asked Ava within Adam''s mind.


    "How can I get tired with so many things that I want to achieve, explore and find out. I will never stop hunting in the dungeon until I reach the peak" declared Adam.


    His determination and drive were incredible as he prepared to return to reality after spending 36 hours in the dungeon, which was 16 hours in reality and was very straining for his mind and soul.


    While Adam was hunting in the dungeon and enjoying himself in his mindscape with Ava, Wayde and Angela had arrived at Brooklyn and reached their residence within 2 hours.


    Angela had a nice apartment in Brooklyn that was luxurious, but quite simple, which was how she liked it and was in a quiet and safe area where many others in high positions in the Maxwell Family lived.


    She had put the mask back on Adam''s sleeping face, so that he wasn''t seen by any of the Maxwell Family members or cameras that they might come across, but no matter how hard she tried, he didn''t want to wake up.


    "What should we do with him?" asked Wayde.


    "We can''t just leave him here and we also can''t take him back to where he lives without his permission. He is clearly very deeply asleep like he said he would be and his body must have shut down so that he can recover faster after the pain and damage that he was in after the battle" assumed Wayde.


    "We will take him to my apartment and leave him there until he recovers and wakes up, then he can do what he wants" decided Angela.

 Chapter 225: Reporting Back to Maxwell Family

    Wayde parked their car in front of the building that Angela''s apartment was in, and she owned the whole building, so she could do as she pleased.


    She got out of the car herself, which was unusual as normally she would wait for Wayde to open the door for her, but she seemed to have become more mature and more aware of how the world really was, compared to how ignorant and arrogant she previously was.


    Wayde carried Adam''s unconscious body over his shoulder and one of the risks of hunting in the dungeon was that Adam didn''t know what was happening to his body in reality.


    If he was in a dangerous place or some sort of battlefield, it was very risky to hunt in the dungeon and he would only enter the dungeon when he was at home or with somebody that he was sure would protect him.


    Carrying Adam up to the top floor of Angela''s building, Wayde did so without even using a small amount of his total strength and it had been a long time since Wayde had last used his full power.


    Angela opened the door to her apartment and realised something as soon as she did.


    "There is only 1 bed in my apartment" she realised.


    Her apartment was very large, but most of it was because of her large kitchen, her large training room that was the size of a hall, and the vault she had in her apartment that held all the methods, skills and technique that she was cultivating.


    Like most other cultivators, her methods, skills and techniques were the most valuable things that her family had passed on to her to use, so had to be secure and were stored in an extremely large and secure vault that even Advanced Cultivators wouldn''t be able to get into.


    Angela was only allowed to study those methods, techniques and skills within the vault so that they couldn''t be stolen from her, but since Wayde lived in her apartment, she felt safe and didn''t always follow that rule that her family had set.


    There were only two bedrooms in the apartment. One of them was hers, which was luxurious, spacious, clean and very feminine, while the other was a plain and empty room that Wayde stayed in.


    He requested not to have a bed and would sleep and cultivate on the floor in his room when he was given the time to rest.


    Angela''s apartment didn''t have any relaxing areas or dining areas as she would eat in her room or in a restaurant most of the time, so there wasn''t any other place to leave Adam to rest and recover other than her bed.


    She thought about it for a minute before deciding that she would let Adam rest on her bed.


    Although it slightly annoyed her, Adam had cleaned himself in the motel and was a good looking guy that had helped her a lot, so she didn''t mind too much.


    Wayde was surprised by her decision, but was pleased to see her and himself change and develop because they were around Adam as he carried Adam over to Angela''s room.


    Angela had fresh white sheets and her bed was made perfectly as Wayde placed Adam in the middle of the bed and covered him with the cover.


    Adam didn''t seem to be in pain and didn''t seem to be recovering in any way either as there wasn''t any visible damage on his body, but he was still deeply asleep so somebody needed to stay within to take care of him and protect him in case anything happened.


    "Wayde you stay in the apartment with him, I will go and report back to my grandfather" instructed Angela.


    Wayde wanted to refute and stay with her to protect her, but he knew that her decision was the best one as Adam needed his protection more than her and they were in an area filled with Maxwell Family Members.


    Angela could also protect herself and most wouldn''t dare to look in her direction twice.


    After cleaning herself up and changing into a new dress, Angela headed out and her residence wasn''t far from the Maxwell Family Headquarters, so she headed there on foot.


    Wayde sat in his room with his door open and silently cultivated, but his spiritual sense was spread around the whole building and as soon as somebody even got close, he would sense it and be ready.


    After arriving at her grandfather''s penthouse that was very plain and simple, which was how he wanted it to be so that it was calm and relaxing to cultivate in.


    Just as she was about to knock, her grandfather welcomed her in and inside ther were a few dozen elders all sat on the ground in a circle with the family head also sitting with them.


    They welcomed her graciously as they all congratulated her on her success and accomplishment as the family head also congratulated her and told her that he was planning on handing the family head position to her after she had finished the family head training.


    She reported back to them and told her that Adam was the one that helped her the most and without him she wouldn''t have been able to win to form an alliance with Cole and all of them were grateful towards him.


    Angela didn''t say his name and also told them that Adam''s identity was going to stay secret as that is how she wanted it and also told them everything else that had happened at the Epstein Family and all the other things she saw.


    She also told them about how Cole had an E:1 graded wind elemental affinity and talent, which shocked and amazed them and they all said that he would be one of the rising talents of their city along with Angela.


    Angela reported back everything that she needed and just as she was about to leave, the family head requested to speak with her privately.

 Chapter 226: Misunderstanding

    Angela obviously accepted the family head''s request to speak with her in private and followed after him into his office.


    Angela could feel that all the congratulations and praises that she was receiving were fake and it was only because they knew that in the future she would be above them, but she didn''t really care and wanted to get back home to rest.


    She was very tired and wanted to sleep, then get up and cultivate as after having such a tense battle and drastic improvement in mindset, she was sure her cultivation would improve very quickly.


    Her father was the happiest and the one that praised her the most, since after she became the family head, he would automatically become the great elder, but she ignored him and went to her grandfather.


    Angela didn''t see her father as a bad person or a bad father, it was just that she was mostly raised by her grandfather and her father wouldn''t spend much time with her when she was younger, so she didn''t feel very close with him.


    In the office, the family head began telling Angela about all the responsibility she would be taking on board as the next family head and also all the things she would need to do to prepare for the role.


    However, Angela wasn''t intimidated or overwhelmed by it and was ready to take on all of those things and become the family head, which impressed her grandfather.


    The family head asked about Damian and Martha, and was worried about them, but Angela reassured him that after the alliance with the Epstein Family was finalised and everything was sorted out, they would be returned to the family safely.


    They all wanted to party and celebrate with Angela, but she declined and prepared to leave after reporting everything back to the family head and the elders that were there.


    She was very tired and drained mentally and physically and all she wanted to do was sleep.


    Going back to her apartment was a struggle and all she wanted to do was sleep as she rushed back and entered her apartment.


    She went into her room ready to dive into her bed and sleep after a long and tiring day, but in it she found a handsome man with tied-up slick black hair, sleeping.


    "Ugh, I forgot about him being here, but he seems to be still deeply sleeping..." mumbled Angela to herself.


    She was so exhausted and fatigued that she was considering still getting into the bed despite Adam being in it and without thinking about it too much, pushed Adam to the edge of the bed and went to sleep.


    Angela didn''t think much about it and wasn''t thinking straight as she got under the covers and instantly fell asleep, too tired to think about what she had done.


    Wayde who was watching everything unfold with his spiritual sense was shocked by what Angela did, but wasn''t against her being with Adam if she wanted to be and couldn''t voice a complaint anyway.


    Retracting his spiritual sense, although Wayde was still monitoring the surroundings, he was much more relaxed as he cultivated for a while before also sleeping.


    After a long and eventful day, Adam, Angela and Wayde all slept deeply and peacefully in Angela''s apartment and none of them were going to wake up for quite a while.


    Late the next morning, Adam after spending the 36 hours in the dungeon, which was 16 hours in reality, returned to his body and felt good after enjoying himself and spending time with Ava, while also making massive progress in the dungeon and completing Stage 1.


    Upon waking up, he yawned and stretched, but he didn''t recognise the room he was in and when he looked beside him on the bed, he saw Angela.


    Before he could even ask what happened or get out of the bed, Angela opened her eyes and saw Adam beside her in the bed, then screamed at the top of her lungs and went to slap his face.


    Just as her hand was about to hit his face, Adam caught her arm and wasn''t going to allow her to slap his face until he knew what is going on.


    {Adam, she was the one that lay beside you while you were in the dungeon and no one touched you, so there is no need to worry} reassured him Ava within his mind, who was the only one that could tell him what was happening to his body in reality while he was in the dungeon.


    "Calm down, I don''t know what is happening and I think this is a misunderstanding, but you shouldn''t try and hit me," said Adam calmly, knowing that Angela didn''t have malicious intentions and was only acting on instinct.


    Adam''s face was calm, but his red eyes were blazing with killing intent despite him suppressing it, as the Bloodlust Characteristic would be activated as soon as he witnessed blood or death, felt negative emotions or was attacked.


    "I apologise," said Angela as she pulled back her arm and blushed.


    "Thank you for looking after me while I was sleeping and I appreciate it. I will leave you to sort out all the things you need to sort out" stated Adam before getting out of the bed and leaving the room.


    Just as he was about to leave, Angela called out to him, "Are you angry?"


    Adam chuckled then answered with a reassuring smile, "Why would I be angry? I am actually very happy right now and just want to have some time to relax.


    Everything had worked out, the system turned into the girl of his dreams after gaining complete sentience and his power had increased rapidly over the past few days along with his combat prowess.


    Adam made sure to go to Wayde and bid him farewell, just as a sign of respect, then left Angela''s apartment and the building.


    Outside the building, he had a slight smile on his face then called for a nearby taxi, excited to see his aunt and Chase after not seeing them for a few days.

 Chapter 227: Progress

    The taxi parked before Adam and he got inside and instructed the driver to take him to his apartment building.


    After going so he closed his eyes and entered his mindscape, where he was welcomed by a peerless beauty that was sat in the living room of his apartment.


    [I will never get used to seeing such a beauty] thought Adam to himself who, despite spending many hours with her in the mindscape while recovering in the dungeon, still hadn''t gotten used to her beauty.


    {Adam, you returned already. You just left the dungeon, is there anything you need?} asked Ava, seeing Adam appear before her.


    Adam shrugged and said, "Nah, there isn''t anything urgent that I need. I was just bored and wanted to see how much I have progressed"


    "Show me my status" instructed Adam.


    Upon hearing his instruction, Ava waved her arm and before Adam appeared the status screen.


    {Ding, the host''s current status, including the host''s points and gold, is:


    Mortal LVL: 43


    Dungeon Form LVL: 5


    EXP: 0 / 40000


    HP: 540 / 540


    IESP: 59 / 59


    EESP: 59 / 59


    Strength: 55


    Speed: 89


    Intelligence: 59


    Resistance: 55


    Wisdom: 10 (5+5)


    Charisma: 7


    Luck: 5


    System Points: 126,000


    Stat Points: 3


    Gold: 1,285,000}


    Adam couldn''t help but be amazed by how much he had gained in a single day of hunting in the dungeon. He had made it a habit not to check his progress while hunting so that he didn''t become lazy or complacent after seeing some results, but he hadn''t expected to gain so much in a single day.


    He had gained over 10,000,000 dollars in a single night and all of his stats had increased by 2 points. Additionally, he had 3 stat points and 126,000 system points to spend, which was an incredibly large amount considering he had only hunted for a single day.


    It was all thanks to his 2 Unique Skill that massively boosted his power and Adam couldn''t help but wonder how powerful the skills would become and how powerful he would be if he had even more Unique Skills.


    "Congratulations Adam, you have made a big leap in a single day. If you keep up this pace, becoming an Advanced Cultivator / Earth Mortal will be very quick and easy for you to accomplish" praised Ava.


    "Thanks, but I am not planning on aiming for the Advanced Cultivation Level. Since the Mortal Cultivation Realm has many cultivation levels, I am assuming that there are higher cultivation realms that surpass even this world''s and I won''t stop hunting until I reach the pinnacle of power" declared Adam who wanted to find out about all the mysteries of the universe and get the answers to all his questions.


    As long as he was progressing and developing he was happy, but he wouldn''t be satisfied until he reached the peak.


    "What is my current combat power?" asked Adam.


    {Your current combat power is IE:64, meaning the average of your stats is of that of a rank 6 Novice Cultivator both internally and externally} answered Ava.


    Adam had skills, abilities and high combat prowess, but his power was still subpar and he needed to focus on increasing his cultivation level as quickly as he could to balance out the power of the abilities and skills that he had.


    "Ava, what would you advise me to spend my stat points on?" asked Adam.


    {I would personally recommend you to increase your speed. You have specialised in speed which is a good specialisation and as long as the rest of your stats are relatively even, it would be best for you to continue to increase your speed} advised Ava.


    Adam was already planning to spend the stat points on the Speed stat, but he just wanted to hear Ava''s opinion on the matter.


    After spending all 3 stat points on speed, Adam relaxed in his apartment within his mindscape as he spoke with Ava and taught her more things about humans and showed her how to act with humans.


    Ava enjoyed learning how to be a human and enjoyed spending time with Adam, while Adam was the same and was passing time with the one that was bound to him, felt what he felt and knew everything that he had been through.


    Since it was a long ride, Adam spent all of it with Ava and after Ava alerted him that he had arrived at his destination, he left the mindscape and returned to his body.


    Paying the taxi driver and giving him some extra money, which wasn''t anything to Adam who had earned over 10 million in a single night, Adam left the taxi and looking at his apartment building, had a wide smile on his face.


    [I am coming aunt and Chase] said Adam to himself as he headed over to his apartment building from where the taxi had parked, but before he could, a young woman ran over to him.


    "Adam, Adam, where is he? What happened?" she exclaimed as she rushed over to him.


    Adam had already sensed her coming, but pretended that he hadn''t and only after he screamed, did he turn around and face her.


    It was Emma and Adam was unsure whether Cole had told her about cultivation and what was going on, so didn''t know how to answer her or what to tell her.


    He knew that Emma was Cole''s pillar and she was the one that stood by him when he felt lonely and abandoned, but just like Adam had left his aunt in the dark about cultivation to protect her, he didn''t know if Cole had done the same with Emma.


    She rushed over to Adam and grabbed onto his shirt with tears in her eyes and a worried expression.


    "Tell me please, you must know" she pleaded.


    Adam looked into her eyes and could tell that she knew that Cole had embarked on something dangerous, but he still couldn''t tell if she knew about cultivation and didn''t want to tell her without Cole''s permission.


    "Let''s go inside, and I am sure that Cole is fine so calm down" reassured her Adam as he gave her a gentle smile and led her into the apartment building.


    She was one of his closest friends and his best friend''s girlfriend, so it was only right that Adam treated her well, but he also made sure to keep his distance from her and lowered his Charisma stat, not wanting to ruin their relationship.


    Seeing Adam''s reassuring smile, Emma wiped her eyes and calmed down, then followed Adam into the building.


    "How are your studies going?" asked Adam.


    "They''re fine, but that doesn''t matter right now. Cole has been going away for so long these past few months and I don''t even know why. He hasn''t told me anything, but now he has been gone for a long time without coming back to see me and also hasn''t answered my calls or messages" she said as her worry began to return.


    Her words showed Adam that she didn''t know about cultivation so he wasn''t going to say anything that might reveal it to her until Cole was ready to do so, but he understood why she was so worried.


    If he was in her position, he would have been the same or even worse, so all he could do was reassure her that Cole was safe and was doing something very important.


    Adam wanted his return to be happy and Emma being upset and worried, would make it very hard for it to be happy, so before going to see his aunt and Chase, Adam knew that he had to deal with Emma/


    They went up to her penthouse before visiting his aunt and in the penthouse, Sarah was sat in the central relaxing area and it was clear that she was also worried.


    Adam hadn''t seen much of her since she actively began growing the business, but seeing how she was, it was clear that she was also worried about Cole and probably him as well.


    Emma sat Adam down, then sat opposite him with Sarah beside him and both of them had serious expressions and had finally had enough of not knowing what was going on.


    "You are going to tell us what you and Cole do when you disappear and why you both are different. Both you and Cole know something that we don''t and you will tell us now" said both Sarah and Emma in unison, both clearly frustrated, curious and worried.


    Adam was calm, but didn''t know what to say or how to react as he cursed his luck.


    [Why did it have to be me? I don''t want to tell them, it should be Cole] thought Adam to himself.


    "Come on, tell us. Whatever it is, we will accept it and move on, you can''t keep hiding it from us" they urged seeing Adam''s reluctance.


    [Damn it] thought Adam to himself as he leant back in his chair.

 Chapter 228: Telling the Truth Part 1

    After becoming the young family head, there were many ceremonies, training procedures and teaching that needs to take place before the young family head gains the power and authority of the family head.


    This was to make sure that even if one was worthy in terms of power, they were also mature and knowledgable enough to make decisions for the whole family and taught the young family head most of what they would be expected to know as a family head.


    It could take as little as a few days, or could even take years depending on the young family head, but until all the elders accepted the young family head and believed that they were ready after completing all the procedures, they couldn''t become the actual family head.


    Unless anything unexpected happened, Angela and Cole were guaranteed to become the family head and they were already on track to quickly becoming the full-fledged family heads after their rapid maturation due to Adam.


    The great elder and Mason were both held in the detention centre that was built beneath the Epstein Family Headquarters and it was almost impossible for even a peak Advanced Cultivator to break out, let alone the great elder and Mason who were massively weakened and damaged.


    It was guarded 24 hours a day by trained and powerful guards from the Epstein Family''s that were at least peak Novice Cultivators and there were many different arrays in place, that made it even harder to break out of the cells.


    Placed on the great elder and Mason were energy dampening handcuffs, which would slow down and make it very difficult for one to circulate and wield their Internal Energy and also weakened their External Cultivation.


    After hearing all the security in place, Cole was sure that the killer of his father, his mother and his grandfather would be detained and sent a few skilled medics to each of them to make sure that they didn''t die.


    It was important for them to live so that he could get information from them and also punish them publically before the family so that they could pay for their crimes and be used as an example.


    Despite only being the young family head that had appeared out of nowhere, all of his orders were followed and his position within the family had been cemented in the mind of most of the Epstein Family members.


    Cole noticed many rushing to leave the arena and ordered all the elders to capture and detain any suspicious individuals that had left early and found that many of the spectators were spies from the other families.


    It was inevitable that spies from other families would make it through, but the numbers that he had managed to capture were shocking and showed him just how disorganised and unprepared the famed Epstein Family was.


    It had all the knowledge, wealth and capability that they needed to become the strongest family in not only New York, but maybe even other cities, but their complacency was holding them back.


    They had gotten comfortable in their position as the mass producer of cultivation goods and research family, but Cole was planning to change that and develop the family even more.


    After everything was sorted out and the arena cleared, all the spies were also detained and they were going to be interrogated for information so that they could find out more about other families.


    Cole and the elders were sure that it wouldn''t spark a war between the cultivation families as it was them who had sent the spies in the first place, but he knew that the tension in New York was continually increasing.


    More guards were stationed and there were many things that Cole was planning to implement, but just like Angela, Cole had pushed his mind, body and spirit past their limits and needed to rest and recover.


    The elders saw that he was eager to begin solving the family''s problems and officially inherit the position of the family head, but his fatigue was obvious and he was given the great elder''s old quarters to rest and live in.


    It was at the top of the Family Headquarters and most of the elders lived in the building or in a nearby building, so everyone was sure that Cole was safe and after cleaning himself and changing his clothes, Cole went straight to sleep.


    He didn''t know how long he slept for, but he knew it was a very long time and felt much better when he woke up.


    Since everything had worked out, Cole checked his phone that he hadn''t used much since he was more focused on his training and found dozens of messages and missed calls from Sarah and Emma.


    His phone was a untraceable phone that his father had given him and he could only be contacted by numbers that were also untraceable.


    He only had a few contacts on his phone which were Adam, Sarah, Emma and his father and all of them used untraceable phones and sim cards, but there was another number that had messaged him that he didn''t recognise.


    After reading the message that was clearly from Adam, Cole smiled and saved the number as Angela''s like the message had told him to do.


    Looking at all of Emma and Sarah''s messages, he felt guilty and knew that he had hardly spent any time with them and would disappear for long periods of time where he would be training, but at the time, it was necessary for him to do so.


    He had ignored all of their messages and calls and would have his phone off most of the time as he didn''t know what to tell them and was more focused on increasing his power.


    Since he had become the young family head, Cole knew that he would probably be even busier than he was before and was contemplating whether or not to tell Emma the truth, but suddenly his phone began to ring.

 Chapter 229: Telling the Truth Part 2

    "Come on, tell us. Whatever it is, we will accept it and move on, you can''t keep hiding it from us" urged Sarah and Emma seeing that Adam was reluctant to answer them.


    "Sorry, I need to use the bathroom quickly, could you excuse me," said Adam before quickly getting up and going to the toilet.


    Seeing that he wasn''t leaving the penthouse, Sarah and Emma assumed that he was coming back and didn''t try to stop him, but they wouldn''t have been able to even if they wanted to.


    Adam hadn''t used speed that was supernatural, but he used speed that was higher than a normal person would be able to achieve and with his great control, moved at a speed that was too fast for them to stop, but still seemed normal.


    Walking through the very large penthouse, Adam went to the toilet that was furthest away from where Sarah and Emma sat, which they found very unusual, then as soon as he got inside the toilet, took out his phone.


    He knew that Cole was probably busy and doing important things, but Adam knew that family and friends came first and needed to call him before saying anything to Sarah and Emma.


    Cole was surprised by Adam''s phone call and it was perfectly timed as he called while Cole was checking through his phone and answered after seeing who it was.


    "Cole you bastard, you gotta help me out here" scolded Adam as soon as Cole answered,


    "What did I do?" asked Cole who was confused by Adam suddenly scolding him.


    "Emma and Sarah are both asking me to tell them the truth and stop hiding things from them and it is all because you keep disappearing. What should I do now?"


    "What! You keep disappearing randomly the same as I did and you know that I was in a tough space mentally and physically, so I wanted to keep my distance so that I didn''t do something that I would regret and focused on increasing my power"


    Adam and Cole continued going back and forth, and after they bickering for a few minutes, Adam finally asked, "So what do I do? Should I tell them?".


    "Do you think they should know?"


    "Well, my aunt kind of figured it out and now knows that supernatural things exist. But she doesn''t know the details and accepted it for what it is. She was initially shocked and knows that I healed her using a pill and that I killed the Hospital Director, but still accepted it and moved on from it, no longer caring about the details" said Adam.


    Adam paused, then added, "The truth does make it easier with those that you are close to, but they might not accept it and it might affect your relationship with them. I regard my aunt as something more than a mother and she cares and loves me like her son after raising me from a baby, so I was sure that we would move on from it and accept it together. If you think you and Emma can do the same, then I will tell her and Sarah will probably accept it and is merely curious".


    Adam''s overview made Cole think and he knew that he was right about everything he said, but he didn''t want to hurt Emma as he had hidden the truth from her for so long despite her being the one that was by his side no matter what.


    Sarah had received many favours from Adam and had been treated well by all 3 of her friends, so she had nothing to complain about and would accept what the truth was no matter what, but the same couldn''t be said for Emma.


    Cole was silent and didn''t give Adam a definitive answer, but after thinking about all the time that he had spent with Emma and still wanting to be with her, Cole decided that he needed to tell the truth.


    "Adam I have decided that I want them to know and you need to make sure to warn them about the dangers of knowing the truth. Even if they don''t accept it and no longer want to speak to us because of the danger or because we didn''t tell them, they need to know the truth. I want to stay with Emma, but if it doesn''t work out, I will still help and protect her if she needs me, but I will need to move on. I have so many responsibilities now with the future of my family resting on my shoulders, so lying to them will only be another liability" stated Cole.


    Adam was surprised by his resolve and mature answer and agreed with his decision.


    "I feel the same way and will tell you how it goes afterwards," said Adam before wishing Cole good luck on his duties and ending the call.


    Ending the call, Adam flushed the toilet to make it sound like he had been using it, then left the bathroom and had an annoyed expression on his face.


    He had already had the difficult and awkward talk with his aunt and didn''t want to have it again, but since they were only his friends, it would be easier for them to accept and understand.


    It would have been much more difficult for Cole to have the conversation, but Adam was planning on staying calm and was planning to tell them everything and warn them before leaving.


    However they took it was up to them and he could get Ava to tell them how it went afterwards, but he didn''t want to stay there himself as it would be very troublesome if he did.


    "Well here goes nothing" mumbled Adam to himself as he walked back over to where Sarah and Emma had sat silently, waiting for Adam to return.


    "So are you going to tell us the truth?" they asked as he sat down before them.


    Adam took a deep breath then nodded his head.

 Chapter 230: Telling the Truth Part 3

    "You are actually going to tell us the truth!" exclaimed both Sarah and Emma in joy, excitement and anticipation.


    Adam nodded his head a second time, but unlike them, his expression was serious and he clearly didn''t want to be there.


    "Before I do, I must warn you. This is not something small and will completely shatter your viewpoint on life and change your life from here on out if you find out about it. There is no going back once you find out. I would recommend you to forget about it and move on, and although you would live ignorant to the truth, it would be a much easier life" warned Adam.


    Emma and Sarah were shocked by his warning and had merely thought that Adam and Cole had a small secret, but they didn''t expect that it would be something so big. They couldn''t even think of anything that would affect them so much if he told them and were beginning to come up with wild ideas.


    {Adam, just to let you know. If your Charisma Stat and dominance is high enough, the host should be able to order and instruct people as you already know. But you should also be able to forcefully make somebody forget about something} informed him Ava.


    [Thanks for the info, Ava] thanked Adam as he focussed back onto Emma and Sarah.


    "Are you and Cole some sort of criminals?" asked Sarah.


    Adam didn''t know whether to laugh or cry, but their wild ideas were to be expected as he hadn''t given them any context and they had no knowledge of cultivation, so it was obviously something they wouldn''t have guessed he was hiding.


    Adam shook his head and answered, "No, that is not the case"


    "Have you both decided that you still want to know the truth?" asked Adam, who wanted confirmation and their permission before dragging them into the world of cultivation.


    Once one found out about it, one would be drawn to its power and mystery and even if one couldn''t cultivate, they would still want to find out more and try out different things to do with cultivation.


    Both of them nodded their heads and didn''t know what to expect.


    "You both asked for this, then here you go. Me and Cole are both cultivators, which are people who can increase the strength of their bodies by absorbing energy and training....." said Adam as he continued babbling about the two types of cultivation and how cultivation secretly ruled the world.


    Initially, Sarah and Emma thought Adam was joking and wanted to laugh, but seeing how much he was talking about it and his serious expression, it seemed as though he believed what he was saying.


    "You wanted the truth, so I have given it to you. Now I need to leave" stated Adam who prepared to stand up.


    "You think we will believe that. Just because you spoke a lot about it, it doesn''t mean that it''s true" said Sarah as she went to grab his arm.


    "Well, why don''t I show you," said Adam as his red eyes suddenly glowed and a small amount of his killing intent was enough.


    If he used all of his killing intent, Sarah and Emma would both instantly lose consciousness and might even be injured and overwhelmed by its power, so he only used an amount that he knew was enough to scare them, but wouldn''t harm them.


    Sarah who was about to grab Adam''s arm to pull him back before he could leave, suddenly fell backwards in fear.


    "Everything I told you is true and if you don''t want to believe it, then don''t," said Adam as he retracted his killing intent.


    Both Emma and Sarah were in a cold sweat as they stared at Adam who had a monstrous aura around him for an instant, then returned to his usual self.


    "And one more thing, I am not doing this to scare you guys, but to warn you not to go and open your mouths..." said Adam before pausing.


    Adam suddenly disappeared from before Sarah and Emma, then continued his warning from behind both of them, "Otherwise you will get both of yourselves killed".


    Emma and Sarah didn''t know how to react to everything that Adam told them and his sudden disappearance and killing intent were more than enough to prove that the things he said truly existed.


    Adam didn''t even need to use the Step Skip Skill and his speed alone was enough to make it seem that he teleported to Emma and Sarah, and seeing how shocked they were, Adam felt guilty and didn''t leave yet.


    Although he was eager to see his aunt and Chase, he didn''t want to leave his friends in such a state, so sat back down before them and gave them a reassuring smile.


    "Everything I told you about what Cole has been through and what I have been through is true. There are some things about myself and Cole that I cannot tell you, but what you saw now, was something that is ordinary for large cultivation families or organisations" stated Adam.


    Adam hadn''t mentioned anything to do with him being the masked youth that assisted Cole and mostly spoke about Cole when he was telling them the truth. The only thing that Adam said about himself was that he was cultivating and training on the days that he disappeared.


    It was an overwhelming concept to abruptly take in, but Emma and Sarah were handling it quite well and after asking a few more questions, which Adam answered vaguely, they began to calm down.


    After a few minutes of them digesting everything that Adam told them that changed how they thought about everything, Sarah and Emma returned to their usual selves and even Adam was surprised by how quickly they dealt with the shocking knowledge.


    "So what else can you do?" asked Sarah.


    "Yes tell us, cultivation is so cool" urged Emma.


    [It seems as though telling them the truth was the right thing to do. I made sure to warn them and explain why it was so important for me and Cole to increase our power and train, so they understand our perspectives. Now Cole no longer has to hide anything from his partner and Sarah no longer has to feel as though she was left out of the loop] thought Adam to himself as he smiled, seeing that his friends had taken what he told them well.


    "I can''t do much, but Cole can control the wind," said Adam.


    After everything that Adam had told them and after his small show of power, Emma and Sarah believed everything that told them.


    "Incredible!" uttered Emam, who was imagining her boyfriend flying in the air with her and forming tornados.


    "Have you two fought each other?" asked Sarah curiously.


    "Yes, but Cole was much stronger than I was. How can I fight against someone who can fly and throw tornados?" said Adam as they all began to laugh.


    They spoke for another half an hour and Adam answered most of their questions, but he did so very vaguely and made sure to pin all the attention and glory on Cole, which was how he wanted it to be.


    "So you are telling me that Cole is the family head of one of the largest cultivation families in New York?" repeated Emma, amazed by what Adam had told her about her boyfriend.


    "Yes, your boyfriend is an incredible individual with great potential, talent and I am sure he will shock the world. We are lucky to have him and although he will probably be much busier, he is happy and will definitely be coming to see you soon after he has sorted everything out" said Adam.


    Adam didn''t want to tell them everything and it wasn''t his place to speak too much about Cole''s past as that was his story to tell, so after a while, Adam began to refuse to answer their questions.


    "Listen, I know you two are curious, but you mustn''t do anything reckless or stupid and must heed my warning. A cultivator would easily be able to kill you two before you could even blink, but they wouldn''t do so if you weren''t involved in the Underground World Of Cultivation. It is best if you carry on with your day to day lives, while observing me and Cole" repeated Adam, who wanted to make sure that they took on his warning before leaving them.


    Both of them had so many questions and wanted to see and experience everything to do with cultivation themselves, which was understandable, but until Cole returned, Adam didn''t want to tell them or show them anything else.


    "I will be leaving now and I know that it was something that you weren''t expecting, but it is the truth of the world that most do not know about," said Adam before leaving to go and see his aunt after such a long time.

 Chapter 231: Coles Drive

    "This is awesome. Cultivation, which we can think of as magic, is real. There are people like Cole that can control different elements and who knows what the limit is when it comes to power" said Sarah.


    "Yes I know, but don''t you think it is too dangerous for Cole and Adam. I don''t want them to get hurt and don''t really care about cultivation or anything else. I would rather Cole spend more time with me" moaned Emma, who didn''t know the reasoning behind Cole''s actions.


    She understood that Cole and Adam wanted to increase their power, but Adam had skipped Cole''s reasoning when explaining and for himself, said that it made him feel good, which was partly the case.


    They both could accept it, but couldn''t truly understand Cole and Adam as they weren''t in their position and hadn''t experienced cultivation for themselves, but Sarah had completely accepted it.


    "Emma you know that Cole loves you. Adam hasn''t told us everything and I am sure that there is a reason for everything that Cole and Adam have done. All the two of them have done is help us and each other and we can definitely say that cultivation won''t change who they are. They might have become much more mysterious and amazing, but Adam telling us the truth shows us that they still value us and want us to accept them for who they have become"


    Sarah''s words helped Emma deal with everything and both of them were happy that they were being appreciated and told the truth by Adam. They were also sure that Adam had received Cole''s permission to do so after hearing Adam talk in the bathroom, which he had done intentionally.


    In Sarah''s heart, everything was settled and after receiving the truth, there wasn''t anything else she wanted, while Emma was eager for Cole''s return and had mostly accepted what Adam had told them.


    Adam who was stood in the lift, called Cole who answered as soon as he received the call, eager to hear how everything went.


    "So how did it go?" asked Cole who, while Adam was talking to Emma and Sarah, had cleaned himself, changed into a fresh and luxurious set of clothing and ate breakfast.


    "Well, I told them about cultivation and showed them a small amount of my power to prove it. I told them about your position and that you can control the wind, I also told them that you are more powerful and capable than me. I didn''t speak about my past or your past, which I thought that you should tell Emma and I was speaking with them this whole time" summarised Adam.


    "How did they take it?" asked Cole.


    "They took it well, especially Sarah. I took myself out of the equation here and you are the main focus, as that is how I would prefer it. I think everything is sorted out for now, but you need to come and see Emma soon and explain to her everything you have been through and why you are in the position you are in, otherwise it will be hard for her to completely accept and understand" answered Adam.


    Adam, who had become quite a good judge of character, continued, "She is your partner and loves you, so she must feel betrayed that you didn''t tell her the truth yourself, but your love and relationship is strong. Focus on becoming the family head first and make sure everything is fine in Staten Island before coming to see Emma. I am going to be focusing on my training as well, but I will come to see you and lend you my assistance whenever I can and whenever you need it".


    "I appreciate everything you have done for me and although I know that there isn''t wealth or favours between us, but I do want to repay you and the power of the Epstein Family will support you after I become the family head" thanked Cole.


    "Likewise, the Epstein Family has my support" stated Adam before bidding Cole farewell.


    It was an extremely important time in Cole''s life and with his desire to see Emma, he was planning on becoming the family head as quickly as he could. He had his responsibilities and the fact that Emma was waiting for him to explain himself and hadn''t given up on him despite him leaving her in the dark, made Cole love and appreciate her even more.


    Without wasting any time, Cole called for a congregation with the rest of the elders to begin the ceremonies and training that needed to take place before he could become the family head.


    Meanwhile, Adam entered his apartment with a wide smile, excited to see his aunt and as soon as he did, was welcomed by the delicious smell of his aunt''s food.


    "Adam, you have returned" exclaimed his aunt as soon as he opened the door.


    She ran over to him and gave him a warm hug that Adam graciously accepted.


    His aunt was once again reminded of how tall and muscular Adam had become and loved seeing Adam, who she felt was the best thing that she had done in her life.


    "How have you been?" asked Adam as he shut the door behind him and sat at the dining table.


    Sat there he saw Chase''s large figure and sensed that something had changed about him.


    "We have been very good. Chase has helped me a lot and has spent most of his time busy in your room working on your computer" answered Adam''s aunt who had become very comfortable around Chase who rushed to Adam and went to hug him.


    "Big bro I missed you" he wailed like a child.


    "Hey, get off me" complained Adam as he struggled out of Chase''s strong grip around his body.


    "Oops, sorry big bro, I couldn''t stop myself" apologised Chase seeing how red Adam''s face had become.


    Adam began scolding Chase as if he was a father telling off his child, while his aunt watched them and laughed.


    Despite Adam scolding Chase''s for hugging him so tightly, he was amazed by how strong Chase''s body was and couldn''t help but wonder how high his Strength stat was.


    Even after Adam had tried to use all the strength in his body, he couldn''t break free from Chase''s grip.


    Although he knew that in a real battle it could be overcome by using his speed and keeping his distance, but if Adam was grabbed by Chase like that in a real battle, unless he used his summons, he couldn''t think of any other way he would be able to get out.


    The Unique Step Skip Skill was based on Adam being able to take steps, then would skip the steps and allow him to appear at the end of his trail, but if he couldn''t move in the first place, it would be useless.


    Sitting down to eat the meal that his aunt prepared, Adam activated the Status Peering Feature and aimed it towards Chase, but to his surprise, it was rejected and didn''t work,


    Adam was sure that Chase was yet to become an Advanced Cultivator and from the way his Status Peering Feature was blocked, he could sense that Chase was blocking it with some sort of item or technique.


    [I never thought he would grow so much in a short while. He also seems to have already begun to cultivate internally before I needed to advise him to] thought Adam to himself, amazed by how much Chase had changed.


    "Big bro, are you still angry?" asked Chase, seeing that Adam had stopped eating and was staring at him.


    "No, don''t worry. I was just thinking about something" reassured him Adam as he continued eating.


    Knowing how much Adam and Chase ate, Adam''s aunt had prepared loads of food that was enough to feed dozens of people, and since money wasn''t an issue, she would spend a lot of her day cooking for Chase and awaiting Adam''s return.


    "So, are you going to tell me why he calls you big bro? He is clearly older than you" said his aunt who had never understood their relationship.


    It was quite obvious that Chase was left with her to guard her, but she didn''t know how they met and why Chase was so obedient to Adam.


    Every time she would ask Chase, he would respectfully refuse to answer and her only option was to ask Adam directly.


    "Well, I don''t have anything to hide from you. He is also someone that has special capabilities and is my subordinate. But he is also my little bro, despite him being older than me, and that''s about it" answered Adam who saw no reason to hide the truth from her.


    Jannet looked in Adam''s red eyes, then over to Chase, then chuckled to herself and was glad that Adam had told her the truth and was open with her.

 Chapter 232: Returning Home

    Chase had a wide smile on his face after hearing Adam say that he had accepted him as not only a subordinate but also a little brother and continued eating Jannet''s delicious food happily.


    Although Chase was quite lacking when it came to common sense and understanding what was going on around him, as his mind had been fried after gaining the Monk Inheritance, he was becoming more aware and understanding.


    Despite that, the one thing he was holding onto was his loyalty to Adam who had spared him, helped him and treated him like family without coveting what he had or asking for much in return.


    When he entered combat his mind would become blank and had something similar to the Hunter''s mind, but it was more like a Monk''s Mind. It would allow him to not feel any fear or pain and his only aim was defeating and subduing his opponent.


    Adam was finding that whatever Chase had gained was much more valuable and capable than he had thought, but that didn''t mean he wanted to take it from Chase, he was merely curious about it.


    There were many questions that Adam wanted to ask Chase, but before that, he wanted to spend some time with his aunt.


    The mood in the apartment was very happy and relaxed as Adam and Chase both helped clean up before the 3 of them sat in the living room area and spoke between themselves.


    When Adam was asked where he had been the past few days, he answered very vaguely and didn''t mention any names or anything, but he gave them a rough idea of what he had been doing.


    Adam was slowly easing his aunt into knowing more about cultivation and other things as he knew that her knowing more about it wouldn''t do much more to her and it allowed him to tell the truth more.


    He was tired of lying to all of those that were close to him and after everything that his aunt sacrificed for him, telling her the truth was the least that he could do.


    After speaking and relaxing for a few hours, Adam decided that it was time for him to get back to what he needed to do and said, "Aunt thank you for the delicious meal and if you need anything just ask, but me and Chase have some business to attend to".


    "Yes, I am sure you boys are busy. I also have things to attend to and am going out to see somebody" stated Jannet as she blushed slightly.


    Adam seeing her expression and from her words could guess that she was going to see a guy that she liked.


    He was happy that she was moving on and a partner was something that could make her happy and help her rebuild her life, but Adam''s overprotective and paranoid nature made him worried.


    Although he could act recklessly with his own life, he was sure that with the system, the Hunter''s mind and the Bloodlust Characteristic, he could get himself out of most situations, but his aunt was what made him vulnerable.


    Adam winked at her and smile, "When you are ready, it would be nice if you introduce him to me. But I would recommend you not to rush anything".


    "Ah, I can''t hide anything from those red eyes of yours. I will be careful you don''t need to worry and if anything happens, I will call you" sighed his aunt as she gave him a reassuring smile and was clearly quite excited.


    Adam gave his aunt some more money that he had withdrawn previously, just so that she didn''t need to rely on any man to pay for her or owe anybody anything, then entered his room with Chase and closed the door behind him.


    "Have you ever slept in here?" asked Adam who didn''t mind if Chase did, but was surprised by how spotless his room was.


    Chase nodded his head then went on to say, "I have been cleaning big bro''s room every day and tried my best to follow your instructions".


    Adam smiled and thanked Chase, then sat on his bed, while Chase sat at the desk and turned the chair to face Adam.


    "So tell me, did you make sure to stay with my aunt all this time that I was gone?" asked Adam.


    "Yes"


    "Then you must have seen who this guy that she is going out with is"


    "I did see him, but I don''t know his name and didn''t hear anything that they spoke about. Your aunt didn''t want to let me go with her, so I had to follow her from a distance and watched her, but wasn''t beside her" answered Chase.


    Adam was slightly disappointed that he didn''t get to find out more about this guy, but after asking Chase about his appearance and how happy his aunt was around him, he calmed down and it seemed as though he was a nice guy.


    After receiving all the answers that he needed about what his aunt had been up to, Adam asked, "Alright that is good, but onto you. What have you been up to these past few days that I have been gone? And how have you progressed so much?".


    Chase smiled, clearly enjoying Adam''s praise and answered, "I have been cultivating almost all the time that I had free. Your aunt wouldn''t leave much and would either be cooking, cleaning or in her room. When she would leave I would go with her like I said, but I still had most of the time to myself and began to cultivate internally".


    "What cultivation method did you use? Was it one that you got from the Monk Inheritance" asked Adam curiously.


    "Well before I answer that and before it makes sense to you, I need to explain to you how the Monk Inheritance works" stated Chase who was comfortable and trusting enough in Adam to tell him almost all of his secrets.

 Chapter 233: Chases Progress Part 1

    "I am not sure where this monk inheritance came from or who it was made by, but I am sure I will find out when I am powerful enough..." stated Chase before being interrupted by the curious Adam.


    "How will you find that out?" asked Adam abruptly, interrupting Chase.


    He had so many questions about the Dungeon System and there were so many things that he didn''t know and understand, so when he heard that Chase would be able to find out something in the future when he got more powerful, he couldn''t help but become curious.


    "Calm down big bro. I am not completely sure, but if you let me explain how the Monk Inheritcane works, you will understand" said Chase.


    After Adam relaxed and allowed him to speak, Chase began his explanation.


    "The Monk Inheritance was somehow placed within my mind when the trinket was passed down in my family and after that, my memories and mind became a bit hazy and changed slightly. It allowed me to become one with my surroundings and accept everything around me and also gave me some sort of sixth sense. It is almost like I can sense an individual''s karma, which gives me an idea of whether somebody was a good person or not. My mind also gained the ability to become completely blank, completely focused and allowed me to ignore pain, which is very useful while cultivating, training or in battle"


    [It seems that he has something similar to my Hunter''s mind, but it also allows him to sense people''s karma levels, which is what I would expect from a monk. I wonder if my karma is high] thought Adam to himself.


    He has killed and harmed people, but only those that were against him or had done something wrong and Adam felt as though he had helped some people and wasn''t a bad person.


    But he didn''t classify himself as a good person, so was curious as to what his karma was like and whether or not it was what attracted Chase to him.


    "So, what is my karma like?" asked Adam before Chase could continue his explanation.


    "Well, karma is good or bad luck that is a result of one''s actions. But sometimes one''s bad actions doesn''t really affect their luck and it also ties into one''s fate, destiny and potential. Your karma is actually relatively good and quite normal, but there seems to be a lot of bad karma around you as well that must be because you killed" answered Chase.


    "There is a manual that I can use to see what the aura around someone means and there are different colours that I can use to gauge what one''s karma is like. Your karma isn''t anything special, but your fate is very strong and you are destined to accomplish great feats from what I can see. It was so strong that it was overwhelming for a monk, like me, who can sense these sorts of things and I couldn''t help but be drawn to you" continued Chase.


    "So what do you gain by doing so and what are the limitations of this ability?" asked Adam.


    "Um, well, it isn''t always accurate and only gives me a vague feeling. It also isn''t very useful in reality as I can''t do much with it. But what I gain by following you is that I have also become a part of your life and might be affected by your great fate" answered Chase.


    "It seems to be working so far. All the things you have done to help me have helped me to become more knowledgeable, more capable and more powerful. I couldn''t help but be drawn to such a bright light" added Chase.


    Adam didn''t know how to feel about what Chase told him and already knew that with the system, he must be involved in or capable of reaching things that most couldn''t.


    But what scared him was that he didn''t know what was coming for him in the future and all that he could do was prepare and face it head-on.


    "Going back to what I was saying, the monk inheritance is like a tall tower in my mind. I am not sure how many floors there are and there could be 10,000 or only 5. Each of these floors has many different techniques, skills and methods that I can use that would all be used by a monk and they are unlocked based on my current knowledge and power level" explained Chase.


    "The more of each floor I unlock, the more powerful and knowledgable I should be and the more of a monk I should be. When I was guarding your aunt and couldn''t leave her side, I decided that I needed to find something that I could cultivate without moving" continued Chase.


    "So I cultivated a new breathing technique and knew internal cultivation method and another technique that the Monk Inheritance gave me when I wanted something to cultivate something that didn''t require me to move or physically train"


    "Do you think the Monk Inheritance has a mind of its own to be able to give you what you want?" asked Adam as he thought about Ava that was sat within his mindscape observing everything that was occurring.


    "I''m not really sure. It definitely isn''t alive, but it can sense what I want and my current power and knowledge level" answered Chase who was quite confused by Adam''s question.


    Adam let out a sigh of relief as if he had some sort of system, it should have been able to sense his own and there was always a possibility that others also had systems.


    Gathering everything that Chase had told him and everything that he could sense from him, Adam had a much better idea of how everything was.


    "I can guess that the other technique you cultivated was some sort of concealing technique"


    Chase nodded his head and was pleasantly surprised by Adam as he hadn''t expected him to be able to sense that he was using a concealing technique.

 Chapter 234: Chases Progress Part 2

    The whole point of a concealing technique was to conceal the fact that one was a cultivator and their cultivation level from those that were able to sense that they were a cultivator.


    Yet Adam was able to easily find out that Chase was using a concealing technique, which shocked him as he had read in the technique that at the level of mastery of the technique that he was at, even Advanced Cultivators wouldn''t be able to see through it.


    If Adam were a normal cultivator that would be the case, but with his Status Peering Feature that was guaranteed to work on those below the Advanced Cultivation Level, which Adam was sure Cole was, he was able to sense that his spiritual sense was blocked.


    "Yes, it was a concealing technique that allows me to hide the energy present in my body by becoming one with the energy around me. It requires me to reach a zen-like meditative state and I need to maintain that mental and physical state to hide my cultivation level and even hide the fact that I am a cultivator" informed him Chase.


    Being a monk was much better than Adam could even imagine and had many advantages.


    "Monks that most people think of are religious people that are living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, but that isn''t the case with you. It must be that you gained the Monk Inheritance of some sort of Chinese ancient monk that aimed to cultivate their mind and body to a peak invulnerable state" gathered Adam.


    "I will reach that state and with the hardening ability that I gained, I will become invincible. As soon as I gained the Monk Inheritance I felt as though I could make the outside of my body harder and it is a sensation and feeling that is very hard to explain. You won''t understand it unless you experience it, but at the time I wasn''t shocked. After that, I felt the tower appear within my mind and the rest was history" stated Chase.


    Adam smiled and was pleased by Chase''s ambition and honesty and Chase was also happy as Adam still treated him the same and didn''t once ask him for anything from the Monk Inheritance.


    They spoke for a while longer and Chase told him how he had also researched on the computer for a few hours over the past few days and it was clear that he was becoming more aware and normal.


    It was becoming easier for Adam to speak to Chase like a peer rather than a child, but he still had the same annoying habits such as calling Adam ''big bro'' and sometimes not understanding jokes or sarcasm.


    "Wanna go out for a bit?" asked Adam who wanted to visit Elizabeth and see how everything was going for her.


    "Yes, your aunt is out anyway and I would like to take a break from cultivating"


    The two of them prepared themselves to leave and before they headed over to the Auction House, Adam purchased a second motorcycle helmet for Chase.


    It wasn''t because he was worried about Chase''s safety, but it was because he didn''t have the time or patience to deal with police and had also made sure to put in the brown contact lenses that he hadn''t worn in a while.


    His red eyes were too distinct and he needed to make sure that they couldn''t be used to identify him as Adam had caught the eye of many and also made quite a few enemies, so he needed to be careful.


    The masked and hooded figure was wanted by the police and the Lin Family who both wanted to capture and or get rid of him, while the Evil Organisation that was in the shadows had also noticed him and were interested in who he was and what he was capable of.


    Despite Adam ruining their plan with the great elder, the Evil Organisation weren''t out to harm or get Adam yet and wanted to watch what else he was capable of before scouting him and other talented youths to join them.


    Adam, using the motorcycle that Elizabeth had gotten made for him, began driving towards the Auction House with Chase sat behind him and holding on.


    It was quite uncomfortable and unusual for Adam to drive the motorcycle with a passenger, but Adam quickly got used to it while Chase enjoyed the ride that was the first time that he had been on a motorcycle.


    "Lady Elizabeth, Adam is finally using the motorcycle and it seems that he is coming our way" alerted Jaspal who using the tracker placed on the motorcycle knew where Adam was.


    "It has been a while and I also need to talk to him, but before he arrives, prepare some guns. We won''t be able to defeat him in combat, but if we are prepared from before and have guns, we should still be able to take him down if we needed to" instructed Elizabeth.


    Her instructions shocked Jaspal, but also impressed him as he knew exactly why she had become wary of Adam and agreed with her decision.


    The news of what had happened in the Epstein Family Arena had spread to most cultivation organisations and families in New York despite the Epstein Family''s attempts to suppress the information leak.


    With that news came the story of the masked and hooded figure that had red eyes who was able to defeat Mason and was the main fighter in the battle.


    Upon hearing the news, Elizabeth instantly knew that it was Adam as nobody else fit that description and knowing that he had weird abilities and was very capable, she had no doubt in her mind.


    That was what Adam was worried would happen, but he didn''t regret helping Angela and Cole as it was something that benefited his friends and himself.


    However, knowing Elizabeth''s hatred for the great cultivation families of New York, Adam knew that there would be some conflict with his alliances.

 Chapter 235: Conflict Of Interest

    [Elizabeth has probably found out that it was me at the battle at the Epstein Family and I am curious to see how she reacts or acts after seeing me] thought Adam to himself.


    He had nothing to fear, especially with Chase, who might be just as powerful as him, with him.


    [I don''t like keeping loose ends so if she wants to make me her enemy, I will have to eliminate her or make sure that she can''t talk. I am not really sure what I will do or how I will react until I see how she acts, but with her strong hate, I am sure she will have complaints] thought Adam to himself as he continued driving the motorcycle as quickly as he could without passing the speed limit.


    [There is a conflict of interest between one of my allies and two of my other allies, but the two allies are actually my friends and one of them my closest friend. I don''t owe any of them anything, in fact, all my allies owe me, so I don''t have to feel any guilt if I decide to cut off Elizabeth]


    Adam was contemplating what to do and was playing different scenarios that could occur within his mind, but each and every time he was the one that was in the better position and didn''t need her at all, while Elizabeth definitely needed him.


    After reaching the Auction House, Adam parked outside and Jaspal and Elizabeth were there to welcome him.


    Getting off the motorcycle, Adam whispered to Chase, "Be careful and ready for an attack at any moment. We are currently allies, but that might change so just be ready".


    Chase smiled and nodded his head as he took off his helmet and left it on the motorcycle as he walked behind Adam over to Elizabeth and Jaspal.


    "How have you been? I haven''t been back here in a while" said Adam in a friendly tone.


    Despite not fearing Elizabeth or her organisation, Adam had no reason to start a conflict with them as it would merely be a waste of time and energy and he wouldn''t gain anything from it.


    "It has been good and we are cultivating and expanding out Auction House and have begun with some small auctions that are bringing in some money and attention from the wealthy and a few cultivators" answered Elizabeth as she led them into the building.


    Adam saw a glint of hate and anger in her eyes, but it didn''t seem to be aimed at him and he was unsure of what she was thinking or planning to do.


    [Let''s see how this plays out] said Adam to himself as he entered the lift with Chase behind him.


    They were taken to the top floor of the building and the atmosphere was quite awkward, which went to tell Adam that she knew and that there was something going on.


    {Adam be careful, even though you are capable, you aren''t invincible. You can''t die and leave me} warned Ava within his mind.


    [Don''t worry Ava, I can''t die until you have your own body and are free from the system] promised Adam who no longer saw Ava as the system, but as a person that was bound to the system and controlled by the program behind it.


    Ava after hearing what Adam said, blushed within the mindscape and didn''t understand what she was feeling. She felt like she wanted to cry, but it was tears of joy and she felt warmth in her heart.


    While Ava was feeling all kinds of emotions after hearing Adam''s caring and touching words, Adam walked through the top floor of the Auction House with Elizabeth, Jaspal and Chase.


    It was clear to Adam that there were more guards stationed than ordinary, which went to show him that Elizabeth was prepared to fight and even kill him, but instead of being scared or angry, Adam smiled to himself.


    "So, what have you been up to lately?" asked Elizabeth as she sat down at her desk while Adam and Chase sat on the sofa opposite her.


    "Not much, I''ve just been training" answered Adam.


    She clearly didn''t believe Adam''s answer, but seeing how relaxed he was, Elizabeth couldn''t gauge what he was thinking.


    "How are your eyes brown? Aren''t they red?" she asked.


    Adam shrugged and had a smile on his face as he sat comfortably and glared at Jaspal and Elizabeth.


    "Do you want to kill me?" he asked directly and nonchalantly.


    Elizabeth and even Jaspal was shocked by his sudden question and didn''t know how to answer or react.


    "I let you off when you came to my apartment, which was the first strike. Then you placed a tracker on the motorcycle you gave me, that was meant to be my payment for helping you out. And now you want to kill me" stated Adam as he stood up.


    "I don''t owe either of you anything and I helped and wanted to grow your organisation because I saw your ambition and out of pity, but it seems I was wrong to put my trust or believe in you two" declared Adam.


    Elizabeth was clearly upset and emotional and seemed to regret her actions, while Jaspal was calm and had a smile on his face, seemingly unfazed by Adam.


    "It seems as though the poor young lady who was blinded by hate and ambition didn''t realise the snake that stood beside her," said Adam as he looked into Jaspal''s eyes.


    Jaspal began to laugh evilly as he pressed a button that was inside his pocket.


    "Adam you have served me well, but you are growing too quickly and I can''t restrain you, so I will have no choice but to get rid of you" stated Jaspal as he continued to laugh wildly.


    "What are you talking about? He wasn''t serving you. You do not have the right to speak like that servant" scolded Elizabeth, before she was stopped by a sudden slap.

 Chapter 236: Jaspals Betrayal Part 1

    SLAP


    Jaspal swung his arm as quickly and hard as he could and slapped Elizabeth across the face as he began to shout, "You dare to call me your servant. I was merely acting that way to use your connections and money, but now you aren''t of much use. You are too stupid and just like Adam said, were blinded, so it was easy for me to use you to do my own bidding".


    Elizabeth was slapped off her chair, while Adam and Chase, who could have stopped the slap, stood there and watched the show.


    Adam had thought that he would have a problem with Elizabeth and although he had a feeling that Jaspal was up to something, he had never expected him to bare his fangs so soon.


    All the times that Jaspal had influenced her to do things that she didn''t agree with began to flow through Elizabeth''s mind and she realised that she herself didn''t hold much hate, but it was Jaspal who had kept pushing her towards it.


    Every decision that Elizabeth made that she felt bad about or negatively affected others was influenced by Jaspal and she realised just how stupid and naive she had been.


    "So everyone is showing their true colours. The naive young lady, who thought that she was in control, was being manipulated and isn''t actually bad. While the servant has revealed himself as the one that was secretly in control and is an evil bastard" stated Adam.


    Adam wouldn''t be surprised if Jaspal was part of the Evil Organisation in the shadows, as although the Silver Moon Auction House was a small and weak organisation, the identity of the master was incredible.


    [I will spare Elizabeth and see if she is of any use, but I also won''t kill Jaspal until after I interrogate him] decided Adam.


    "You be quiet. I will give you a chance to submit to me, otherwise, I will have to crush you" offered Jaspal.


    Adam and Chase with their sharp senses could sense dozens of men converging on the room and they all seemed to be armed with guns, but Adam still calm and held Chase''s arm before he could.


    "Just relax and be ready" instructed Adam.


    "Put your hands up now and don''t try anything unless you want to die" shouted Jaspal as dozens of guards began swarming into the room and aimed their guns at Adam.


    Adam still had a smile on his face and after seeing the sorry state that Elizabeth was in where she could only cry uncontrollably without being able to do anything else, Adam pitied her.


    [I was planning on forming my own faction soon and her management and medical knowledge will be useful. If I save her here and make sure that she pledges her loyalty to me, I will leave her to form the faction for me while I train. No matter how strong I am, there is only so much one person can do and I need to always have people stationed with my aunt to protect her] decided Adam.


    "Jaspal you betrayed your master and are now pointing guns at me and her. What are you planning?" asked Adam who wanted to find out as much as he could from Jaspal before he killed him and all the other guards.


    Despite the guards having automated weapons, Adam could dodge bullets with his current speed that was more than 9 times that of an ordinary human and matched with his Step Skip Skill, he could kill the guards before they could even pull the trigger.


    No matter what weaponry you had, if you could be killed before you could activate it, it would be useless.


    "Hahaha, you think that you will live to tell the tale, but you won''t. I am planning on taking over not only this city, but the entire country and will start from where Elizabeth left off. All of her most trusted guards and subordinates are now under me and I have been planning this and using her for years. Such a stupid person could never be the leader of anything" mocked Jaspal.


    "Evil Cultivation," said Adam randomly, wanting to see if Jaspal would react to it, but he didn''t react.


    "Evil Cultivation, ordinary cultivation. Everything is fair in this cruel world and I will always be on top" declared Jaspal as he continued to laugh evilly as his plan was finally coming to fruition.


    Jaspal took a few steps back and moved behind the guards before ordering them, "Kill them all".


    However before he even finished his instruction, Adam had thrown Chase towards Elizabeth and instructed him to protect her with his hardening ability, then disappeared from where he stood.


    Adam had already prepared himself for a fight, which he had expected would be with Elizabeth and her subordinates, but he didn''t expect that Jaspal would have been so evil, disloyal and scheming.


    Adam''s 10 inventory spaces were all taken up by weapons after he returned and removed all the clothes from them, and withdrew two daggers from the inventory.


    [These guards a probably just following orders and must have a family at home, but they shouldn''t have aimed their guns at me without reason just because they were ordered to. No matter their reasoning, they became my enemies as soon as they came in with weapons aimed at me and Chase] thought Adam to himself who felt no guilt as he slashed them apart.


    "Become fuel for my Bloodlust" he roared as he circled around the room and slashed all the guards that had surrounded them with his daggers.


    Using the Step Skip and Dagger Jolt Skill his speed was too fast for the guards to follow and despite their numbers and their weapons, they were still all slashed apart by Adam''s daggers.


    They had sprayed hundreds of bullets around the room in their last moments of life, but with Chase using his body as a shield around Elizabeth and Adam moving too quckl,y none of them landed on their targets.


    It was over in seconds as all the guards lay dead on the floor while Adam stood there drenched in their blood as he smiled and glared at Jaspal.

 Chapter 237: Jaspals Betrayal Part 2

    "Did you really think that you could kill me? You might have been able to betray Elizabeth and take over the Auction House, but as soon as you aimed at me, you were bound to lose" mocked Adam as he appeared before Jaspal.


    Seeing that everything was over, Chase deactivated his hardening ability and got off of Elizabeth, who he was covering, as he stood up and watched how everything would unfold.


    Chase was shocked by Adam''s power and speed and although was confident in his own ability, was sure that he wouldn''t have been able to face so many people armed with guns without being shot once and it seemed as though Adam was able to teleport.


    Meanwhile, Elizabeth was on the ground shaking in fear and with tears flooding her face ad Jaspal''s betrayal seemed to have hit her very hard.


    The servant that she treated as an equal and trusted completely as her comrade and advisor, betrayed her and ruined everything that she had worked towards her entire life without any remorse.


    Adam slowly walked over to Jaspal with blood dripping from his daggers as his killing intent soared, but despite that, Jaspal was still calm and confident as he stood before Adam proudly.


    "I wouldn''t kill me so quickly if I were you" warned Jaspal with an evil smile as he took his phone out of his pocket.


    Adam was confused by Jaspal''s actions and suddenly halted, having a bad feeling.


    He didn''t know why Jaspal was so calm and confident despite all his guards being killed and that either meant that he believed he could defeat Adam or had some sort of leverage over him, which worried Adam.


    "Poor Jannet. The woman really thought that a man loved her and wanted to be with her, but little did she know he was actually one of my subordinates that has kidnapped her and took her to one of my facilities" said Jaspal mockingly as he stroked the picture of Adam''s aunt on his phone.


    "It would be fun to play with her, she is quite good looking considering her age" stated Jaspal as he began to laugh wildly.


    Adam''s biggest fear had come to life and he felt as though someone had a tight grasp on his life.


    "You mentioned Evil Cultivation so you must know about them as well, but unfortunately for you, they already know who you are and what your weaknesses are," said Jaspal as he walked over to Adam confidentially.


    "Who are they and what do they want from me?" asked Adam who regained his composure and calmed down, trying his hardest not to kill Jaspal, knowing that his aunt would probably be killed if he did.


    Jaspal shrugged and answered, "They told me to play with you and ruin your life to see what you would do and what you are capable of. They said I could do what I pleased and could even try to kill you, but I knew I wouldn''t be able to do that".


    "I must be honest, your power shocked me and you are growing so quickly. You tried your best to hide who you were, but the cultivation part of the government know who you are and the news will probably reach all cultivators soon, so there is no point hiding your face anymore"


    Adam thought that Jaspal wouldn''t be able to do much, but he had underestimated him too much and regretted not following his aunt and acting on his bad feeling.


    [I knew that it was inevitable that my identity would soon be revealed, but my power and connections right now are quite good, so I don''t have much to worry about. Unless I am attacked by an Advanced Cultivator, who are usually elders or heads of families or organisations, I should be safe. However, if my aunt is killed now, what is the point] thought Adam to himself.


    "What do you want?" asked Adam, knowing that until he knew that his aunt was safe, he was under Jaspal''s control.


    "It is simple, you will become my slave and I will never free your aunt. She will stay as my hostage, while you work for me and follow my every order. At the rate you are growing, you will lead me to become the king of the world and even they will have to submit to me" answered Jaspal.


    What he wanted was too ambitious and unrealistic and he seemed to know something about the Evil Organisation that he kept indirectly mentioning, so Adam had to get that information from him after he got out of the situation he was in.


    "Heh, you really think I will become your slave over my adoptive mother, you really are stupid" scoffed Adam who was very realistically acting.


    Jaspal was slightly shocked by Adam''s words, but still stayed calm and confident as Adam walked over to him.


    "If I don''t answer the call that is scheduled for 10 minutes from now, your adoptive mother will be killed straight away. Are you really willing to let her die?" stated Jaspal.


    As soon as he said that, Adam smiled within his mind but his expression still stayed the same as he began to see Jaspal''s plan crumbling in front of him.


    [Ava, can you search for my mother?] asked Adam.


    {I can, but I will be going against the system''s program if I tell you} answered Ava, who wanted to, but couldn''t.


    [Is there no other way?] asked Adam who despite acting calm outwardly, was very scared and worried for his aunt.


    If he acted immediately, he would have 10 minutes to find his aunt and save her, but it was a very risky and unrealistic plan.


    With his aunt''s life on the line, he couldn''t be taking such risks and he couldn''t think of any other way as he knew that eventually, even if he cooperated with Jaspal, his aunt would be harmed and or maybe even killed.

 Chapter 238: Unexpected Saviour Part 1

    {Adam, I really do want to help you, but ahhhh} said Ava within his mind before screaming in pain.


    [What happened?] asked Adam who was worried for Ava who suddenly screamed in pain, but was also confused about how she could feel pain.


    {I can''t go against the system''s program. After gaining sentience, it was as though I have a soul now that is within your mind and bound to yours, and it feels as though my existence is going to be ripped apart when I try to go against the program} stated Ava.


    [Don''t worry about it, Ava. I appreciate you trying to help me, but I can handle this] thanked Adam.


    Adam walked over to Jaspal, grabbed him from his collar and stated, "Jaspal, do you really think I would let you live after you tried to kill me. I don''t care about them or the government, and my power is my own, not yours to use to become the king".


    "Return my aunt and beg for forgiveness, then I might give you a quick death, but if not...." said Adam before pausing and releasing all his killing intent that caused Japsla to collapse to his knees.


    If it were anyone else they would have lost consciousness, but Jaspal''s willpower was surprisingly strong as he kept his consciousness and was still managing to stay calm.


    "For someone that isn''t a cultivator, you are quite amazing. But your life will be ending today for messing with me" said Adam as he began searching through Jaspal''s pockets and took his phone.


    Jaspal was powerless to resist, but smiled as Adam searching him showed that he did worry and care for his adoptive mother as much as he had hoped.


    [He said 10 minutes and my aunt could be anywhere by now and probably in a secure location, so there isn''t much I can do but make a deal with Jaspal. Although he is untrustworthy and disloyal, I have no other choice and there must be one thing he wants that I can give him] thought Adam to himself.


    So many different scenarios ran through Adam''s mind and each one ended in his aunt''s death and his own survival, even if he chose to submit to Jaspal.


    There was nothing he himself could do unless there was a miracle or Jaspal let his aunt go.


    Adam stood before Jaspal and decided that he would wait the 10 minutes and cooperate with Jaspal for the time being, until he found the chance to save his aunt or a miracle occurred.


    [If only I could get Angela to search Brooklyn using her family''s power and find my aunt. But that would reveal my aunt to her family and it is also unlikely that they would be able to find her] thought Adam to himself.


    Meanwhile, Angela Valdez, the Angela that Adam hadn''t even thought would be of any use, was pursuing a large white van in her undercover car that was quite ordinary.


    Angela had been hooked onto the hooded and masked man that had appeared on many crime scenes and always managed to get away and didn''t want to let him get away again.


    A while before, the captain that saw her as a talented and capable detective and also as a daughter, as he had watched her grow and adopted her after she left her family that was being destroyed by crime, called her into his office.


    As the captain of quite a large precinct, he was briefed by the Major that looked over all the precincts in New York and since he was fairly new, it was his first large meeting.


    In that meeting, the existence of cultivation and supernatural things were revealed to them along with the existence of the large cultivation families. Those who were at the captain rank and above in the police were trusted with the truth about cultivation by the government and even more of the military of the country knew about it and were researching it.


    The country and government even had cultivators of their own and had soldiers from all sorts of cultivation families to join them by offering their families and the soldiers great benefits, but it was a great shock to the captain.


    In that meeting, they were briefed about many famous individuals in the Underground World Of Cultivation and one of them was Adam Green, the adoptive son of Jannet Green and most well-known as the hooded criminal.


    It was a great shock that someone so young was such a powerful cultivator and the Captain was ordered to instruct one of his trusted detectives to investigate and observe Adam and those around him, without engaging or making an enemy of him.


    Coexistence was the main aim of the government and the military who were aiming to increase their cultivation power as much as possible before acting upon any of the large cultivation families or trying to keep the cultivators in the country in check.


    The Captain took a sworn oath, where if he went against it and revealed the information without permission, he would be killed, but they were sure that after working for decades to reach the captain position, one would be willing to do what the government instructed.


    He told everything to Angela who was his most trusted detective and although he knew she could be reckless at times, she would almost always do her job well and he sent her out to observe and investigate the target.


    All the large and hidden organisations around the country that knew about cultivation were gathering their power and all the information about other cultivators they could in preparation for anything that might occur in the future.


    Adam being placed on the list of dangerous cultivators by the government placed a target on his head and revealed his identity to many, but could also be seen as a way of protection as he would have detectives tailing him and investigating what he was doing.


    With Adam''s luck being higher than normal and everything working out in his favour, Angela Valdez became his unexpected saviour.

 Chapter 239: Unexpected Saviour Part 2

    Angela had been sent out to investigate and observe Adam and those around him straight away, and she accepted the task as it was exactly what she wanted.


    She knew that there was something weird about him and so many weird things were happening that were unexplainable by normal means, and after she found out, wasn''t amazed but more curious and wary.


    "Cultivation needs to be regulated so that everyone is safe, as otherwise, if one person is super strong, they will believe they are above the law, just like that bastard Adam," she told herself.


    Most of Adam''s records, history and information had already been gathered by Angela within a short while and while sitting outside Adam''s building in her undercover car, she saw Jannet leave the apartment building alone.


    Immediately after seeing her, she began to follow her and followed the taxi that Jannet took to a nice restaurant, where she met up with a good looking man who seemed to be in his early 40s.


    Everything seemed normal and she had dressed nicely and seemed to be happy to see him until she saw them both suddenly get grabbed and placed in the back of a large white van.


    Jannet was screaming for help, while the man she was with was calm and seemed to be in on it as the van quickly drove away before anyone could do anything.


    Since she had been instructed not to engage, Angela wasn''t allowed to do anything and didn''t use her sirens, which would give her away, but she still trailed the van as she couldn''t watch a woman get kidnapped and not do anything about it.


    Checking Jannet''s report, her life seemed quite sad and everything she had done was for her adoptive son, who turned out to be a monstrous killer in the eyes of Angela Valdez.


    She tailed the van for hours and even switched cars along the way so that she didn''t look suspicious and it seemed as though they never caught onto her as they stopped at a warehouse that was far away from the centre of the city.


    Getting out of the van were 4 burly men that didn''t seem to be cultivators, but were still enough to completely dominate Jannet with their weight and strength and the man that Jannet was on a date with.


    What shocked Angela was that the man was the one that was leading Janet into the warehouse and seemed to be the leader of the burly men as they all celebrated and led the tied up lady into the warehouse.


    There were a lot of crates, pillars and places to hide in the warehouse, which was good for Angela who snuck in without any fear and withdrew her weapon, prepared to shoot in order to save Jannet who had been listed as an important individual by their police station.


    Angela was in two minds about Adam. After he had saved her at the restaurant, she didn''t understand why he did so and she saw that he was only fighting to save the young women, which she wouldn''t expect from him as she saw him as a monster.


    However after the incident, she went over all the reports that involved Adam and each time, he had only ever harmed or killed someone that was bad and involved in crime and along the way had helped quite a few people, which made her think that his intentions weren''t bad.


    His life wasn''t an easy one either and she read that he refused government support as that would mean that he would stay in school and his aunt would be in debt after she woke up from her coma, and worked for himself and her medical bills.


    She couldn''t judge as she saw her family as good people but were involved in criminal activities, but from what she knew, Jannet was innocent and a good woman that had been tricked and kidnapped by those men.


    All the previous times that Angela had been scared to fire her gun had scared her and she had been going to the firing range every single day and practising her aim so that when it came to it, she would be able to accurately wound her target without killing them.


    "Boss, you really are amazing. You are so handsome that you had her falling for you within less than a month" praised one of the burly men.


    "Of course I am, and as long as we keep her here and do what the big boss says, he will pay us a lot of money" stated the man proudly.


    Jannet began struggling and had cried her eyes out in the van, but had calmed down and instead became angry.


    "Stop struggling you stupid bitch" scolded the man as he pulled off the tape that was covering her lips.


    "You bastard. I thought that we had something and could have been together, but it seems that just like most men, you are a scumbag" she cursed as she spat on him.


    Jannet was a very kind and respectful woman normally, but she was hurt by him and wanted to let out what she was feeling.


    The man instantly became angry and shouted, "You bitch," as he slapped her across the face.


    Jannet who was tied to a chair couldn''t keep her balance and fell backwards as a red hand mark was imprinted on her face. However, Jannet didn''t cry or moan about the pain and instead smiled at them as she thought about her son and Chase.


    "Are you going to kill me?" she asked directly and bravely, which shocked them all and Angela who was listening in on what was going on.


    Wanting to make her despair, the man told the truth and answered, "No. The boss wants you alive so that he can use you to get your adoptive son".


    Angela was expecting something like that to be the case, and just like the kidnappers, expected that Jannet would be worried or upset, but instead, she smiled.

 Chapter 240: Unexpected Saviour Part 3

    "So your boss wants my son. Well guess what..." said Jannet before pausing.


    "What?"


    "My son will come here and kill you all" she stated confidently.


    Initially, they thought that she was joking, but her face was serious and they didn''t know who her son was, so couldn''t tell if he really could kill them.


    The leader of the kidnappers refuted, "With you as a hostage, he won''t be killing anybody".


    However, it was clear that he had become slightly scared by Jannet''s threat and it also made the rest of the kidnappers nervous.


    After that, Jannet closed her eyes and despite being tied up, sat there comfortably as she awaited her son to come and save her. She completely believed in Adam and although she knew that he wasn''t invincible, it made it easier for Jannet to deal with the situation and also scared her kidnappers.


    "Don''t listen to her, no one can kill us. We have taken our phone and are in a secret location, so we are safe. After we get paid, we will leave this country and live a life of luxury" reassured the leader of the kidnappers.


    "Yeah. No one will kill us, and if you say that again, we will kill you" added one of the burly men.


    "I need to save her, but she is so confident that Adam will be here to kill them. She has angered them and they might harm her, so I need to act now. Even if I get into trouble, I can use this opportunity to ask her some questions about her son as she seems to know that he has killed and could know about what his cultivation is like and what he is involved in" mumbled Angela to herself as she decided to act against her orders.


    Walking as quietly as she could, Angela approached the 5 men who stood around Jannet who was tied up to a chair and aimed her gun towards them.


    They didn''t seem to be armed, but Angela Valdez couldn''t take that risk and if Jannet died, who knew what Adam would do, so Jannet''s safety was her priority.


    Becuase of that, she had the safety of her gun and her finger on the trigger, ready to fire at the 5 kidnappers at any moment.


    Even against one of the men in a fight, she would struggle, let alone all 5 of them, so her best chance was to shoot them all once.


    Creeping towards them, Angela suddenly fired her gun 5 times consecutively and her aim was very accurate as she shot all 5 of them on one of their legs.


    She had tried her best not to give them fatal wounds but she could if she wanted to. That was because it was within her right as a detective, that had witnessed them commit a crime and hold a hostage, to shoot them.


    The 5 of them began to howl in pain while Jannet opened her eyes and exclaimed, "Adam", expecting that it was her son that had saved her.


    However, when she opened her eyes, she saw quite a beautiful female that was wearing a plain jumper and trousers, that although were loose, still showed her voluptuous figure.


    "Who are you?" she asked, slightly disappointed that it wasn''t Adam.


    "I am Angela Valdez, NYPD Detective. All 5 of you criminals are under arrest for the crime of kidnapping. This is the crime of moving another person a substantial distance, without the person''s consent, by means of force or fear and I can testify that you did do so." answered Angela.


    "You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney and if you cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed for you. If you waive these rights and talk to us, anything you say may be used against you in court" as she approached the 5 men that were on the floor.


    Despite shooting them in the leg, Angela was still being careful as she knew that although it was painful, it didn''t make someone unable to move and fight back and Angela didn''t have 5 sets of handcuffs, so it was more important for her to get Jannet away.


    "Crawl 5 metres away from the hostage then lay still and put pressure on your wounds. If you do not follow my instruction, I will fire again and it will be that you are resisting arrest" instructed Angela as she kept her distance from them.


    They did as she said and after they were 5 metres away from Jannet, she quickly untied her and pulled her away before the 5 of them could try and take her down while she was untying Jannet.


    "Are you hurt in any way? Do you require medical attention?" asked Angela.


    Jannet shook her head and stood beside Angela silently as everything that had happened began to play itself back in her mind. The comfort she felt with the man before he kidnapped her with his friends and tied her up just so that they could get her son to do things for them.


    The warehouse was silent and suddenly a phone began to ring and Jannet recognised the ringtone as that of her own phone that Adam had given to her.


    "It must be Adam" she exclaimed as she rushed over to the man that had tricked her and had taken her phone off her after taking her into the van.


    Angela sighed and ran after Jannet to make sure that he didn''t resist or try anything, which he didn''t as he was too busy writhing in pain and trying to stop the bleeding from the wound in his leg.


    Seeing who was calling her, Jannet smiled and answered the phone as Angela dragged her away from the 5 men that could still pose them a threat.


    The 5 men that had kidnapped Jannet no longer cared about what happened and tried to crawl away and hide, but Angela was watching over them like a hawk while Jannet answered the phone.

 Chapter 241: Relief

    Jaspal sat on the ground and didn''t dare to move despite having Adam''s aunt as a hostage, as if he pushed Adam too much, he knew he would be killed.


    {Adam you should try and call your aunt. You never know, maybe someone else saved her} suggested Ava in a tone that made it seem to Adam like she knew.


    She must have found a way to slightly bypass the program of the system that couldn''t gauge the tone of an individual and Adam understood her message.


    Adam let out a sigh of relief and thanked Ava repeatedly as he withdrew his phone and called his aunt''s phone.


    "She won''t answer, I instructed my subordinates to take her phone" stated Jaspal as he stood up.


    The phone rang for a short while and in that time, Jannet was retrieving the phone from the kidnapper''s pocket.


    "I told you she wouldn''t answer..." said Jaspal before stopping himself as he heard the call connect.


    Jaspal told himself that it was merely his subordinate answering the phone, but Adam was sure that it was his aunt as he was sure that Ava wouldn''t lie to him about something as serious as that.


    "Aunt are you safe? Are you okay?" asked Adam.


    "Yes I am, what about you? They told me that they wanted to use me to get to you"


    "Do not worry. Where are you now?"


    "I am in some sort of warehouse, I will send you my location"


    "Okay, I will be there as quickly as I can, in the meantime stay where you are"


    "Who was it that saved you? If they are still there, pass the phone to them"


    Jannet then passed the phone to Angela who wasn''t expecting her to hand the phone over to her and she cleared her throat before speaking.


    "Who is this?" asked Angela despite already knowing who it was.


    Adam recognised that annoying voice and couldn''t help but be amused by the fact that it was the other Angela that was his saviour.


    "Listen, Angela Valdez. You will stay with my aunt, protect her and make sure that whoever kidnapped her doesn''t get away. You are not allowed to call the ambulance or police and will do as I say" instructed Adam.


    "What! Do you really think that I answer to you? Why would I do what you say?"


    "I already saved you once, so just return the favour. Or if that isn''t enough, I can threaten you or offer you something that you want" offered Adam.


    Jaspal, who was hearing Adam talking on the phone, initially thought that Adam was bluffing, but then Adam put the phone on speaker so that Chase and Jaspal could hear.


    Hearing the conversation, Jaspal couldn''t help but become scared as he rushed to try and get away, but it was useless.


    "Stay bitch" ordered Adam as he released his full killing intent that instantly caused Jaspal''s legs to buckle and caused him to fall on his face.


    Jaspal''s body couldn''t handle such a powerful aura as he lay on his face barely conscious.


    Even Chase was frightened by the killing intent and once again reminded how powerful Adam was and that he was still superior to him.


    "Who are you calling a bitch?" exclaimed Angela on the phone furiously, thinking that Adam was speaking to her.


    "Shut up, I wasn''t speaking to you. Why are Angela''s always so annoying?" refuted Adam.


    "Me saving your aunt was repaying your favour for saving me, so we are even. If you want me to stay with her and detain the 5 kidnappers, I want a favour" stated Angela.


    Adam seemed reasonable, and his care for his aunt, made Angela realise that he was also a person with feelings that could be negotiated with.


    "What do you want?" asked Adam directly.


    "I want you to have a talk with me and cooperate with the NYPD" answered Angela.


    Adam didn''t know whether to laugh or cry, but her request wasn''t unreasonable and as long as they weren''t against him or getting in his way, Adam didn''t mind cooperating with the NYPD.


    Any ally would help as he prepared his own power and created his own connections, ready to find out more about and take on the Elusive Evil Organsaitin that seemed to be controlling something everywhere he turned.


    "I can accept to have a talk to you and may cooperate with the NYPD, but I obviously need to see the terms first and am not looking for trouble" accepted Adam.


    "Then it is settled" confirmed Angela, who was excited and anxious to see Adam in person and speak to him.


    Angela had not only gone against orders, but had also technically cooperated with a criminal, all because of her interest in Adam, cultivation and what was going on in New York.


    Jannet took back the phone and told Adam that she would send him the location and wait for him.


    With that, Adam ended the call then turned to Jaspal who was trying to crawl away with an evil smile.


    "Big bro, are you going to kill him as well?" asked Chase.


    "Not yet, I need to torture him, interrogate him and also let Elizabeth get her revenge on him for his betrayal" answered Adam as he lifted Jaspal from his neck and threw him over to Elizabeth.


    Elizabeth had watched everything that happened and the last thing that Adam had said shocked her and matched with the fact that Chase had protected her, she realised that Adam wasn''t holding a grudge.


    "Elizabeth I won''t kill you, but I won''t forgive you either. You will now work under me and do as I say and over time you can rebuild the trust, but you can forget about being allies. You are my subordinate now" stated Adam.


    Elizabeth didn''t know how to react, but she was very grateful for Adam as he had not only spared her life, but had also given her an opportunity to redeem herself.


    After seeing what he was capable of and how quickly Adam was developing, she didn''t even think that she was worthy of being his servant, let alone his subordinate, which was why she planned to regain his trust.

 Chapter 242: First Faction Members

    "Chase I will be leaving you here. Make sure that those two don''t leave and also make sure that they don''t die" instructed Adam as Chase nodded his head in affirmation.


    "You will start to clean up this mess and regain control of this Auction House and also liquidise all your assets and prepare to sell everything you own" ordered Adam to Elizabeth.


    "Why? What are you planning?" asked Elizabeth who was confused by his orders.


    He didn''t seem to want or need money from her and had said that he was her subordinate, which she had accepted, but Adam hadn''t told her what he was planning.


    "I will be creating my own faction and the first two members will be you and Chase. This faction will be a natural faction that has alliances with all the big cultivation families and organisations that I trust and respect. The main aim of the faction is to crush evil cultivators and all evil cultivation organisations and will become the strongest cultivation organisation in the world" announced to them Adam.


    His idea sounded crazy and unrealistic, but with a aim, his drive and potential, along with the connections that he had formed with capable others, it seemed possible.


    "I hereby pledge my loyalty to you as your subordinate and will try my best to grow your faction" vowed Elizabeth.


    "Words are flimsy and useless. It is your actions that matter and I have become allied with the young family heads of two of the large cultivation families that you detest. It was Jaspal that kept reigniting that flame of hate in your heart and its weight was heavy because you have inherited it for generations. But the two young family heads are my friends and have never done anything to you, so who are you trying to get revenge on. Your anger clouded your judgement and blinded you" stated Adam.


    "I am looking for an ambitious, loyal and capable subordinate, which I can see in you, but you don''t see it in yourself. Cultivation isn''t everything and your value is in management, leadership and planning, but if you hold onto hate that you can''t even act upon or get revenge for, then you are merely wasting your time and energy" continued Adam.


    Adam hoped that his words were enough to reignite the ambition and show Elizabeth that she had been living her life wrong, as in the broken state that she was in, she wouldn''t be of much use.


    {Ding, the host''s Charisma Stat has gone up by 1 Stat Point because the host was a leader and commander} announced Ava.


    Although she could talk informally to him, she was still bound by the system''s program and had to announce the notifications in the way that the program forced her to.


    Hearing the notification, Adam smiled and wanted to try out how powerful the Charm Skill was and Angela Valdez, who he was going to meet soon, was the perfect person.


    Since he had left Chase and Elizabeth their orders, he was ready to leave and go to the location that his aunt had sent him, but his clothes were drenched in blood and so were his hands and face.


    Elizabeth had accepted everything that Adam said and knew that he was right as she stood up and sorted out her clothes.


    Seeing the state that Adam was in, she said, "Master, my personal room is around the corner and there is a shower in there. For clothes you can look in the guards'' rooms or Jaspal''s room".


    "Hahahaha, don''t call me master. Just call me Adam and thanks for letting me know" said Adam before leaving to wash himself up and change into a new set of clothes that weren''t drenched in blood.


    Adam was quite sure that his aunt was safe, but he wanted to be as quick as he could and so that he could confirm that his aunt was safe and also deal with those that dared to kidnap her.


    [I am going to go over the speed limit and want to go as quickly as possible, so should probably use the black form of my motorcycle. Although Jaspal was an asshole, he did one good thing with his talents] thought Adam to himself as he rushed to his motorcycle.


    The clothes he was wearing were quite baggy as the guards'' clothes were too big for him, while Jaspal''s clothes were too small to even fit on him.


    Getting into the lift and leaving the building, Adam was in a fresh suit black suit that the guards would wear, but it was too big for him and looked quite weird, but he didn''t care and rushed to the car park.


    Reaching his motorcycle, after making sure that there wasn''t anyone watching, he pressed the button that transformed the motorcycle.


    After 10 seconds it went from an ordainry looking motorcycle to a slick, all-black motorcycle that was bulletproof, had a covered licence plate and was extremely quick.


    Adam''s prepared nature made it so that he would always fill up the motorcycle''s fuel tank, so he didn''t have to worry about running out of fuel as he drove dangerously quickly towards the location that his aunt sent him.


    If Adam went according to the speed limit, it would take him 2 hours to reach the warehouse that his aunt had been held at, but with him going as quickly as he could without crashing, he reached it in around half an hour.


    Driving as quickly as he could, Adam drifted into the warehouse that was open and found 5 men that sat in a small puddle of blood and were tied up.


    "What took you so long?" asked a voice that Adam recognised as Angela''s.


    Adam ignored her and hugged his aunt that rushed towards her as he relaxed after confirming that she was safe.


    Seeing Adam hug his adoptive mother, Angela smile and he looked like a normal, handsome and young man that cared for his family, but that all changed as a powerful killing intent suddenly began to emit from his body.

 Chapter 243: The Change In Jannet Part 1

    Adam''s aunt who was in his embrace wasn''t feeling the power or effects of Adam''s killing intent as he wasn''t aiming it towards her and had control of where his killing intent reached as he told her to get onto the motorcycle.


    "Angela Valdez, I can talk with you after I am finished here, but you need to leave" stated Adam as he glared at the 5 kidnappers who began to cower in fear.


    Angela was scared to meet with Adam and aimed her gun at him after he emitted his killing intent, scared that he might kill her, but Adam had no intention of doing so.


    She had protected and saved his aunt, seemed to be a good person that wanted to help others, and was also the one that would help him form an alliance with the NYPD, which would be very useful for Adam.


    Seeing the gun aimed at him, Adam smiled and suddenly disappeared from where he stood.


    "Put the gun away, if I wanted to kill you, you would have been dead already" whispered Adam into Angela''s ear after appearing behind her.


    She didn''t know how to react and quickly turned around to aim her gun at Adam who was seemingly able to teleport, which was something that she didn''t think was possible for cultivators.


    Jannet who was watching was shocked, but sat silently on the motorcycle, amazed by the feats she was watching the boy she raised accomplish.


    Adam smiled as she placed the barrel of the gun on his forehead and threatened him to shoot.


    It was the chance that Adam was looking for and with his Charisma Stat at 3 times that of an ordainry person, he wanted to see how capable his Charm Skill would be.


    Ava knew of the capability and potential of the Charm Skill, but she was also interested to see and witness how effective it would be against Angela Valdez and how well Adam would be able to use it.


    Adam activated the Charm Skill with all of his 8 points of Charisma, and instantly an aura of attraction was released from his body.


    Since he was aiming the skill at Angela, she was the only one that was affected by it and instantly dropped her weapon as she looked at Adam''s handsome face.


    "Angela, give me your phone so that I can put in my phone number, then could you please leave" requested Adam in a soft voice as he gave her a gentle smile.


    Angela felt her heart skip a bit as her face became as red as a tomato.


    "Yes Adam" she accepted as she scrambled to take out her phone without looking away from Adam''s handsome face.


    The Charm Skill was more effective than he had thought and since he had already saved her and she already was physically attracted to his looks, it was quite easy to seduce and manipulate her.


    Accepting her phone, Adam typed in his phone number and wasn''t worried that she could use it to track him, as his phone was untraceable, and he handed it back over to her.


    "Call me tomorrow and we can talk, but for now I need to handle something," said Adam with a smile as he led her to her car.


    Angela didn''t understand why, but she felt as though her body, mind and emotions had all submitted to Adam as she did exactly what he said, but wanted to do what he said and wasn''t forced to.


    Adam knew that the Charm Skill wasn''t a domination skill and it was a skill that allowed him to increase his compelling attractiveness or charm that could inspire devotion in others, so used it to manipulate Angela rather than control her.


    Angela got into her car and drove back to her home, just like Adam had requested her to do and Adam had asked her to keep everything that happened there a secret.


    [Ava, are the effects of the Charm Skill permanent?] asked Adam within his mind.


    {The direct effects aren''t permanent, but Angela will remember what she felt and would likely still feel the same way after feeling your Charisma once} answered Ava.


    With that in mind, Adam was quite sure that she would do as he asked and would hold off from reporting what had happened until he spoke with her privately in person.


    Adam retracted the Charm Skill after he was sure that Angela had driven away, then turned back to the 5 men that were tied up using some rope that they had found in the warehouse.


    Angela didn''t want them to bleed out, so bandaged their injuries, but after almost an hour without medical attention, they had lost a lot of blood and were feeling light-headed.


    "Aunt, I don''t think you would like to see this. Do you want to leave while I deal with these guys?" suggested Adam, who didn''t want his aunt to see him as a monster or be scarred by what he was about to do.


    "No Adam, I want to see them pay for kidnapping me. Especially him, he tricked me and hurt me emotionally, which can''t be healed as easily as a physical wound" stated Jannet, shocking Adam and herself.


    Adam was unsure whether to be proud or worried about his aunt that didn''t seem to be afraid of him killing them, which would have been the normal reaction.


    "Are you sure?"


    Jannet nodded her head without any hesitation.


    Her eyes were cold, which was to be expected considering she had been tricked by somebody she thought liked her and was kidnapped, but she also had some killing intent.


    Adam had the Hunter''s mind the first time he killed and had killed, which if he activated, would make it easy for him to deal with it, but he couldn''t say the same for his aunt.


    He shrugged and said, "I don''t mind you staying, but this will scar you for the rest of your life" as he walked over to the 5 tied up men.

 Chapter 244: The Change In Jannet Part 2

    Jannet knew that her son had killed and had seen her son disappear and reappear behind Angela, so any doubt that she had in her mind about the existence of cultivation had all disappeared.


    With that in mind and with her having just been tricked and kidnapped, her mind and mentality instantly changed to one that was cold. It was one that was untrusting and knew that there was more to the world than money and fame.


    True Power.


    Something that she previously thought wouldn''t be something that she would want or would attract her, but it is said that any human that had seen or heard of cultivation, and was capable of cultivating, would attempt to pursue in any way.


    However, she didn''t want to ask Adam about it and at that moment, all she wanted to see was the man that tricked and kidnapped her die a painful death.


    Adam sensed the change in his aunt, but thought that it was merely her feeling hate for a short while, which was understandable, and assumed that she would return to normal after she calmed down.


    Jannet had always been a kindhearted woman and would never have expected that she would ask the boy that she raised to kill somebody for her as she watched, but fate is unpredictable.


    Walking towards the 5 men, Adam didn''t think much about his aunt watching as he had wanted to ease her into everything that he was involved in and was doing anyway.


    He didn''t want to have to lie to her, so the sooner she accepted cultivation and the cruel Underground World Of Cultivation, the less he had to lie about and hide from her.


    Withdrawing a dagger from his inventory, which amazed his aunt and the 5 men who were trying to get away from the monster that was approaching them, Adam released his killing intent and aimed it at them.


    His aunt wasn''t feeling the effects of the killing intent as Adam wasn''t aiming it at her, but he couldn''t completely hide it from her and she felt a strong wave of death and bloodlust.


    Instead of being frightened by it, she was amazed and enthralled by it as she followed after Adam, wanting to get a closer view of everything that was going to happen.


    Sensing his aunt following after him, Adam was starting to become worried about her as she was acting very unusual and seemed as though she wanted to kill them herself.


    Despite games, movies and stories making it seem as though killing was something easy, it was a heavy burden and would weigh down on most people''s souls.


    Adam had learnt how to deal with it and had the assistance of his Bloodlust Characteristic that made him desire it and his Hunter''s mind that made him level headed when activated.


    There were twisted and evil individuals that not only weren''t affected by killing somebody but enjoyed it and did it for fun, however, they were few and needed to be put down.


    Retracting his killing intent and placing the dagger that he withdrew, back into the inventory, Adam turned to his aunt.


    "We are leaving" he stated as he dragged her to the motorcycle.


    "What about them? We should kill them" said his aunt who was becoming blinded and consumed by hate and the desire to get her revenge.


    "Are you hearing yourself? Snap out of it and don''t get ahead of yourself. Having power and being able to kill, doesn''t mean you should kill and you can''t handle the burden of taking someone''s life" shouted Adam who couldn''t help but become angry with his aunt.


    It was the first time in his life that he had raised his voice at her and she didn''t know how to react as she realised how crazy and wrong her words and desires were.


    "I''m sorry son, I am just angry. We should leave" mumbled his aunt as she lowered her head and got onto the motorcycle.


    However, despite the shame that Jannet felt, she also, deep down, felt disappointed that Adam had decided not to kill them.


    "I am also sorry for shouting and after you get some rest, you should be fine" apologised Adam as he sat in front of his aunt and started the motorcycle.


    He had already changed it back to its ordinary form and trusted that Chase and Elizabeth could handle everything and get along, so he also wanted to go to his apartment and rest.


    Adam had never expected that his aunt could hold such hate and even have killing intent. It seemed as though his attempt to ease her into accepting the truth about the cruel world had backfired and he could see that his aunt had changed massively.


    Once one peered into the world of cultivation, it was very hard to look away and Jannet had managed to do so previously, but after seeing it herself, couldn''t help but stare.


    He didn''t know what to do and was unsure how he could help her and ease the pain and desires that she was feeling, but one thing that Adam was sure about was that he wasn''t going to abandon his aunt.


    They rode silently back towards the centre of Brooklyn, and after most of the ride, his aunt finally spoke.


    "I don''t know what overcame me. Son, you are right and I am glad that you stopped yourself and stopped me from seeing that" confessed Jannet who seemed to be speaking honestly.


    What she said was what she truly felt, but deep down, despite knowing that it was wrong, she felt as though she didn''t care. After all the hardship she experienced, it was as though the entire world was against her, so why couldn''t she fight back against the world.


    "It''s fine aunt, just hold on tight and we can talk when we get home" reassured her Adam who although believing her words, still wasn''t convinced.


    Adam had learnt to trust his instincts and they were screaming at him that something bad was going to happen.

 Chapter 245: Stage 2

    The rest of the ride home was silent and Adam was reviewing all the events that led up until that point, while Jannet was arguing with herself about whether it was worth it to hang onto morals that seemed to be worthless and a chain in the cruel world that didn''t show mercy to anybody.


    Adam parked the motorcycle and led his aunt who seemed quite shaken by everything that had happened and sat her down in the living room of their apartment.


    "Are you just going to leave them there?" asked his aunt as she took a sip of the water that Adam handed to her.


    "Yes, if they die of thirst or hunger, then they got what they deserved. If they were found, released or arrested, then I am sure that they will get what they deserve somehow" answered Adam who was confused by why his aunt was so curious about it.


    "Aunt, do you want to relax for the next few days. I think you have experienced a change today and although it is good to adapt and develop, you should still stick to who you are" advised Adam, who didn''t want to shackle his aunt, but also didn''t want to allow her to do certain things.


    As the one that revealed cultivation to her, and as her son, it was his responsibility to deal with the effects of him telling and showing her some of what cultivation was like.


    "Okay son, I am going to sleep. I am too tired and today has been a long day" said his aunt as she walked off to her room.


    It was a bit too early to be sleeping and they also hadn''t eaten dinner, but Adam let her do as she pleased as he ordered himself a large meal.


    Adam checked in with Elizabeth and Chase and they had already cleaned everything up and Elizabeth had already begun liquidising all her assets and disbanding the Silver Moon Auction House.


    Hearing how quickly she had begun acting on his orders, Adam was pleased and instructed her to keep the contact with the strongest and most useful out of her subordinates and to tell them that they would be recruited to her new faction soon.


    Adam knew that they would be relatively useless and he would be able to kill them all even if they were armed with automated weapons, but he needed manpower and wanted to grow his faction as quickly as he could.


    He hadn''t thought of a name, a crest or badge to identify as someone from his faction, but with an aim and drive, he was on track to forming a powerful faction.


    Adam after eating his fill and relaxing with Ava for a while within his mind, decided that it was fine to enter his dungeon. Everything was fine with Elizabeth and Chase, while it seemed as though his aunt was sleeping, so he felt that it was safe to do so.


    Chase would stay with Elizabeth and since they had become comrades on the same level as they were both direct subordinates of Adam, they cooperated with each other.


    He didn''t use his spiritual sense to directly see what she was doing, but with his physical senses alone, he was sure that she wasn''t moving and was most likely sleeping.


    Even if one was an ordinary human that wasn''t a cultivator, if one were to use their spiritual sense to observe somebody, the individual would be able to sense it and would feel as though they were being watched.


    It was their own spiritual sense, that everyone had, and although it was much weaker, was still able to sense that another was watching their body.


    The spiritual sense could be thought of as a sixth sense and since Adam didn''t want his aunt to think that he was watching her, didn''t use it on her and decided to enter the dungeon.


    [Ava, take me into the dungeon] instructed Adam.


    {Yes Adam, you will be transferred into the dungeon immediately} affirmed Ava as Adam felt his soul be sucked out of his body.


    Appearing in the mountainous region, Adam was greeted with cold and powerful winds along with the air around him being scarce, however, he instantly adapted to the environment.


    "Ava, did you also feel that something changed about my aunt?" asked Adam as he headed deeper into the mountainous region where he expected to find stage 2 of the dungeon floor.


    {Yes, it seems as though she has snapped. She must be feeling so many things and being tricked and kidnapped by someone that she must have fallen for must have been her final straw. But I am sure that she will be alright and I am hoping that she understands your perspective} answered Ava.


    "I hope so," said Adam who wasn''t convinced and couldn''t shake off the bad feeling that he had.


    "I won''t hunt for more than 16 hours today as I don''t want to and also want to keep an eye on my aunt" decided Adam as he entered stage 2.


    The beasts that Adam found on Stage 2 were very interesting beasts and after killing one, collected the beast type into his beastpedia using the collector skill after experiencing their Special Trait for himself.


    It was Ice Wildcats and their special trait was known as Ice Claws. Once slashed by their claws, even if it was the smallest wound, the victim''s speed would lower by a few stat points.


    If Adam was slashed many times, without the Step Skip Skill, he would be ripped apart by the Ice Wildcat beasts that looked like large cats that were a light blue colour with icy jade claws.


    Their size, speed and intelligence stat were all very useful for Adam and what amazed Adam the most was their Special Trait, so he collected the beast type without a second thought and it became the base beast for his Felidae Summon.


    Withdrawing a spear from his inventory, which would be effective in combat against such fast beasts and would also allow him to keep his distance, Adam began to hunt the Ice Wildcat beasts with his full power.

 Chapter 246: Returning To The Warehouse

    The mountainous region despite its environment making it harder for Adam to breathe, it was still quite suited for Adam''s combat style. His body''s resistance was more than enough to deal with the cold and since it was spacious, it allowed Adam to make the most of his speed, his agility and the Step Skip Skill.


    Adam''s hunt went quite well, but compared to the night before, wasn''t as productive as he kept thinking about his ant and that was all he spoke to Ava about while he was recovering.


    Ava was very understanding and supportive of Adam as she knew just how much he loved his aunt and knew that he only wanted the best for her, but Adam was still restless and didn''t understand why he had such a bad feeling.


    After hunting in the dungeon for 16 hours, which was mostly spent using the Ethereal Recovery SKill to recover his energy storages and HP between battles, Adam decided to return to reality, just like he had planned.


    Feeling the same warping sensation, he woke up in his bed as he instantly spread his spiritual sense to check where his aunt was.


    Adam found her awake, despite it being quite early in the morning and she had already made breakfast and was sat a the dining table.


    [That is unusual, can you tell me what happened while I was in the dungeon?] asked Adam.


    {I am sorry Adam. The program won''t let me, but I can tell you that something has changed} answered Ava who was clearly in pain as she answered.


    [Don''t try to force yourself, Ava, I know you care and are trying to help me. I appreciate it] thanked Adam who could feel Ava trying to fight against the program.


    [You will hurt yourself and might even cause your soul and sentience to be destroyed, so be careful] warned her Adam.


    He could feel her desire to help him and it made him feel warm and loved, but he didn''t want her to hurt herself to help him, especially in the vulnerable and bound form that she was in.


    Showering and changing into a fresh set of clothing, Adam was pleased with how he looked as he tied up his hair that had grown quite a lot.


    He needed to get it cut soon, but for the time being it wasn''t too bad and since it was tied up, it didn''t matter as it didn''t get in his face.


    Leaving his room, his aunt greeted him happily and had a wide smile on her face as she called for him to come and eat.


    How happy she was confused Adam, but he had no reason to complain and was glad that she seemed to have overcome and forgotten about what had happened the day before.


    However, he felt as though something had changed about her and although he couldn''t sense anything in particular from her, her skin seemed to have a slight glow to it.


    "Aunt, are you sure everything is okay?" asked Adam after he finished eating.


    She seemed to be happier and more energetic than usual, but other than that she had a warm smile on her face and Adam was finding it hard to gauge what had changed.


    "Adam, I have put everything that happened behind me and I just want to move one" she answered as she began clearing up the table.


    Despite seeing her happy and although she seemed to have moved on, Adam still felt the same bad feeling as he helped his aunt clean up then prepared to leave.


    "Aunt, I will be back in a few hours, I need to check up on something," said Adam before leaving.


    Ava who had the knowledge and spiritual sense of the system wanted to tell him what she knew, but no matter how hard she tried, all she would feel was pain and no words would come out.


    [Ava, you do realise I can feel your pain in the same way that you feel mine. Just stop trying to go against the program and I will find out everything myself] communicated Adam to her within his mind.


    {I will trust you and I will be here to support you however I can} reassured him Ava who was clearly worried about what was going to happen.


    {So, where are you going now?} asked Ava.


    [I am going back to that warehouse to finish off those 5 men that were tied up, then I will probably go and see my master who I haven''t had the chance to see. I also want to train with him] answered Adam.


    Without any time to waste, Adam was planning to drive as quickly as he could and didn''t care if he got into a police chase, as he was sure that he would get away with his own speed and the speed of his motorcycle.


    Transforming the motorcycle into its faster and sleeker black form, then putting on his helmet, Adam drove as quickly as he could without crashing or hurting anybody as he rushed back towards the warehouse.


    He had already planned that he would go back the next day and finish them off without his aunt, as he wasn''t willing to let them go after daring to kidnap his aunt and go against him.


    Killing those 5 men was something that would ease his Bloodlust and would also get revenge for his aunt, so wasn''t something that he would think about twice, but that same bad feeling continued to return.


    "What the hell is it that keeps making me feel like this" wondered Adam as he reached the warehouse and parked his motorcycle.


    Upon parking his motorcycle and taking off his helmet, Adam was instantly greeted by a smell that he knew too well as his heart began to beat rapidly.


    His heart wasn''t beating quickly out of fear, but it was because he smelt blood and his desire to kill surged as he rushed into the warehouse out of worry, curiosity and the desire to kill.

 Chapter 247: Everything Adds Up

    Rushing into the warehouse, Adam had already spread his spiritual sense and confirmed that there weren''t any living people inside as he found the 5 men that were tied up in the centre, dead.


    Adam''s desire to kill soared after seeing 5 dead people that lay in a pool of blood, but using his Hunter''s mind and those that he cared about as his anchor, he was able to suppress the urge.


    Sitting down, Adam calmed down his nerves and relaxed before approaching the 5 bodies.


    It was clear to him that they had been battered and slowly killed, which went to show him that they were most likely killed slowly and probably by somebody that held a lot of hate towards them.


    The 5 bodies had suffered lots of attacks from some sort of blunt weapon and they were most likely tortured before they died.


    Adam couldn''t think of somebody that held any hate towards them other than his aunt, but it could have been anyone and he didn''t think that his aunt had it in her to leave in the middle of the night and kill them.


    It was a possibility since he was in the dungeon and couldn''t sense what was happening in reality, but it seemed very unlikely, as how would she have gotten there in the middle of the night.


    His aunt had also always been a kindhearted individual that wouldn''t even kill an insect that she found in her house let alone kill 5 people herself.


    Adam thought that it was only her anger that was speaking yesterday and somebody that was as happy as her couldn''t have just killed 5 people.


    Even Adam after killing, despite enjoying it as it would relieve his urge to kill through his Bloodlust Characteristic, wouldn''t feel happy about it, so he couldn''t believe that his aunt would have been able to do so.


    Looking closer at their bodies, their bodies seemed to be completely drained of any energy or life, which was unusual as that couldn''t have occurred so quickly.


    It made him think that it was some sort of Evil Cultivation Technique whereby one was able to drain the energy and life out of somebody, which Ava confirmed was close to the truth.


    "That rules out my aunt" mumbled Adam to himself who was sure that his aunt couldn''t be an Evil Cultivator and didn''t have the evil nature for it even if she had the means to become one.


    Without much else to do there, Adam inspected the rest of the warehouse before preparing himself to leave.


    He had found a wooden plank that was taken off from one of the crates in the warehouse and must have been what was used to kill the 5 men, but the plank had some long and sharp nails sticking out of them and they were drenched in blood.


    "While using this plank, the nails must have pierced through the person''s hand after the impact of hitting one of the 5 kidnappers. If it was my aunt, I would have seen blood or at least a wound on her hand, but I don''t think there was" said Adam to himself as he confirmed to himself that it wasn''t his aunt.


    Letting out a sigh of relief, Adam got back onto his motorcycle and drove back towards his apartment, planning to get his duffel bag and fill it with snacks before going to see his master.


    Parking in the car park before transforming the motorcycle back to its normal form, Adam went p to his apartment and found his aunt clearing the living room area.


    She still seemed very happy and had a wide smile on her face as Adam couldn''t help but feel as though something had changed about her.


    Aiming his Status Peering Feature at her after greeting her, knowing that checking it just to make sure wouldn''t do him any harm, Adam was shocked to find that it was blocked.


    It was similar to how his spiritual sense was blocked when he tried to check Chase''s and Angeal''s status, but Adam could sense that it was different.


    Chase would become invisible to spiritual senses and monitoring skills by becoming one with his surroundings and calming down his mind and body to a still state, through a monk technique, while Angela used an item to do so.


    However he couldn''t tell why it didn''t work on his aunt and when he tried a second time, the same thing happened.


    [What the hell? It couldn''t be] thought Adam to himself.


    "What''s the matter Adam?" asked his aunt.


    However, before answering, he suddenly appeared before her, which shocked her, and forcefully grabbed her hands.


    Adam had never used force with his aunt or his cultivation power, but everything he had gathered up made it seem as though his aunt was the culprit for the murder of all 5 of those men.


    If that was the case, he would have been shocked, but could look past it as she had gotten her revenge and must have been heartbroken. But Ava had confirmed to him that the killer had used an Evil Technique and if it was his aunt, he didn''t know how he would react.


    "What is it, Adam? What''s going on?" she asked, confused by Adam''s actions.


    Adam remembered that there were 4 nails sticking out of the wooden plank that he found in the warehouse, but he couldn''t see marks on his aunt''s hand.


    Seeing how sharp, long and bloodied the nails were, Adam was expected deep wounds that had barely healed, but all he could see were 4 faint dots on his aunt''s palm, which were in a similar orientation to that of the nails.


    Even if it was her, it would have been impossible for her to recover in a single night, however, it was too much of a coincidence to look past and then the thing Adam feared the most seemed to be the most likely thing as everything started to add up in Adam''s mind.

 Chapter 248: Aunt Or Demon? Part 1

    Adam suddenly felt overwhelmed by so many emotions as he stumbled backwards onto the ground as his biggest fear was becoming true.


    He had remembered the bodies of the 5 dead men that were tortured and remembered that Angela Maxwell had told him that evil methods would use the negative energy that was emitted by humans that were experiencing extreme negative emotions.


    That could be done through torture, sexual assault and many other ways and they would do so to suck in the life force and energy of the target, which could be absorbed by the Evil Cultivator as negative energy.


    There was negative energy in the atmosphere in the same way that there was positive energy, but almost all humans were unable to absorb it into their bodies like positive energy.


    However, through evil methods and by committing evil acts, an evil cultivator would be able to create negative energy and suck it out of their target''s body and into their own.


    There were also other ways, but that was the fastest and most prominent way that was used by evil cultivators, according to what Angela had told him.


    However, she had also told him that those methods would use the life force and negative energy and absorb it into his body, which in the process would heal them from any wounds and would strengthen their bodies.


    They needed the life force and vitality to balance out the damage that the negative energy was going to their bodies, and healing was merely a positive side effect.


    "How did all of this happen. My aunt, my mother, the one I loved the most became one of the people that I was scared of and hated the most" wept Adam as a eat began to stream down his face.


    Looking at his aunt''s face he was hoping that she felt guilt and would repent and never do the same thing again, but was shocked when he saw her expression.


    There was a single ounce of guilt or remorse as she looked at her heartbroken son and burst out into laughter.


    "You look at me with disgust and dare to judge me and evil cultivation. I sacrificed everything for you and my entire life was filled with pain. Coming as an orphan refugee, alone without any support, I had to deal with racism, the language barrier and all I wanted was to live a normal, comfortable life"


    "I was too kind-hearted and decided to take in a weak and useless boy that was a leach. You forced me to overwork in order to sustain your lazy and ignorant lifestyle to the point where I fell into a come. 2 years of my miserable life wasted sleeping, while the rest of it being used working as a slave for what. What do I have to show for it?" she bellowed.


    "Everything piles up and even after I woke up from my coma, you were arrogant just because you helped me recover. You did as you pleased just because you were a cultivator and even dared to shout at me and tell me what to do. Well, guess what, I will kill anyone, do anything and no longer care as long as I become powerful and capable enough to do as I please"


    "Aunt..." uttered Adam who was overwhelmed by everything that was happening.


    He had overcome everything so far, but seeing his aunt become a monster and one of the things that he had pledged to destroy, had broken him.


    "Shut up" she scolded as he kicked him in the stomach.


    Surprisingly, Adam was hurt slightly by the kick and launched sliding across the floor of the apartment.


    Ava was screaming in Adam''s mind, but she couldn''t get through to him and she couldn''t warn him about everything that she knew about as she was restricted by the program that was only focused on Adam''s growth.


    The program believed that hardship would make Adam stronger and she could only tell him things and help him in certain instances that the system allowed her to.


    "I have always been nice, helpful, kind and caring to others, but still I was abused and mistreated because of how I looked and my financial situation. I was even tricked and kidnapped, all because kindness, naivety and mercy is weakness"


    "You claim to love me, but you trapped me. You didn''t teach me to cultivate your puny and weak methods, you didn''t tell me the truth and locked me in this trashy place. The one time I tried to be free, I was captured and taken because of you. Well not anymore as there is no higher level of freedom than being able to kill and suck in the energy of others without having to worry about consequences"


    "I never had a life and that is your fault and the cruel world''s fault. If you and the world no longer care about me and want to chain me, I no longer care about anyone or anything. As long as I have power, I wouldn''t mind killing every single living soul" she declared.


    A red aura of evil, death and destruction enveloped Jannet that even scared and intimated Adam that couldn''t even move because of the powerful aura.


    His aunt let out a roar and all the glass, including the windows, in not only his building, but the entire area, was shattered.


    Her roar was filled with anger, sadness, regret and all the other negative emotions as everything she had felt over her lifetime had finally pushed her over the edge.


    "I will let you live and watch me destroy you and the rest of the world slowly. You are the cause of my pain, but I cannot let you off as death would be too merciful. You are my drive to kill and will pay for all the pain you caused me" she stated as she smiled evilly at Adam and walked over to him.


    "Your aunt, your adoptive mother, your loved one. Just forget about all of that. I love no one and am the Demon Queen" she declared as she stood before Adam and crushed him with her aura.

 Chapter 249: Aunt Or Demon? Part 2

    "Aunt, stop this" uttered Adam as he vomited a curdle of blood.


    Jannet''s evil and demonic aura was too powerful and was crushing Adam as she placed her foot on his head and laughed evilly.


    Everyone in the entire area was frozen and dozens of cars crashed into each other with their drivers no longer driving, meanwhile, the entire Maxwell Family was alerted of the commotion.


    After hearing where the centre of the commotion was and where it began, Angela knew that it had something to do with Adam and rushed towards that location with Wayde, who was also worried about Adam''s safety.


    "I will give you some time to grow and see what you can do. However, when you reach the peak of your life and can finally become happy, I will make sure that it comes crashing down, just like you did to me" vowed the Demon Queen before him that no longer resembled his aunt.


    [How did all of this happen?] thought Adam to himself sorrowfully as his aunt turned to walk away.


    "Aunt, please" begged Adam as he crawled after her and tried to grab her leg.


    "Don''t call me that. This is the last time you see me and the next time we do, it will be when I ruin your miserable life" declared his aunt who disappeared before Adam could grab her.


    He was unsure if she used some sort of teleportation ability or item, or whether she disappeared from before him because she was much faster than him, but either way, it was too incredible to be true.


    Just as Adam thought that his life was coming together and everything seemed to be going well, it all came crashing back down just like he had dreaded.


    [It seems that what goes up must go down. With such high luck, I was bound to fail badly eventually. However, not my aunt, the one thing I treasure above all else] thought Adam to himself as he began to punch the ground.


    With his strength, his fist broke through the ground and the entire building shook slightly as he became overwhelmed with sadness, anger and helplessness.


    Tears streamed down his face as he began destroying everything in his apartment and screaming, not understanding what had happened to his aunt and could only blame himself.


    "Everything she said is true, it is all my fault" bellowed Adam as he smashed a wall in his apartment.


    Lying on the ground in the centre of his destroyed apartment, all Adam could do was cry as he regretted all his actions that led up until that point.


    [What is the point of money and power if I don''t have my aunt?] he thought to himself before Ava forced his body to lose consciousness.


    No matter how much Ava tried to communicate with him and help him out of the blinded state he was in, it wasn''t getting through to Adam who had lost control of what he was doing,


    He had lost the thing that was most important to him and he had never expected that after everything he had survived through, his aunt would be taken from him so soon.


    Opening his eyes again, he was inside his apartment but it wasn''t destroyed.


    However, after seeing a beautiful figure come from around the corner, he realised that he was within his mindscape.


    Despite her beauty, Adam couldn''t control himself and launched himself at her and pinned her down as he struggled and began to scream, "Where is my aunt? What have you done to her?".


    "Adam" whimpered Ava in her soft voice that soothed Adam''s soul.


    Realising what he was doing and seeing that he was sat on top of Ava and was strangling her, Adam jumped away from her and continued moving away from her.


    If he was completely aware of what he was doing, his face would have been completely red considering that he had pinned down an unbelievable beauty, but his mind was too consumed by negativity.


    "Adam, calm down please," said Ava as she got up and gave him a warm smile despite what he just did to her.


    "Stay away from me. Anyone that gets too close to me ends up in danger and me forming relations with others never turns out well" shouted Adam as he continued moving away from her.


    Ava appeared before him, using the Step Skip Unique Skill that was Adam''s, which she was able to display because it was an imaginary mindscape and what she did next shocked Adam and herself.


    Opening her arms, she embraced Adam in her arms as he fell into her soft breasts and fell onto her.


    "Just calm down and we will solve everything" reassured him Ava as she stroked his long black hair.


    Feeling her warmth and car, Adam relaxed and let out everything that he was feeling as he cried in her arms and soaked her breast with water.


    The mindscape had become very realistic and was almost as realistic as reality as with Ava in the mindscape for so long, she was developing it to be more like reality by using Adam''s memories and experiences to replicate the sensations.


    Ava blushed red and enjoyed Adam being in her arms and his face between her breasts, as she had wanted him to touch her but he previously didn''t feel comfortable enough to do so.


    After crying in her arms for a few minutes, Adam got up and wiped his eyes and nose and he realised what had just happened between him and Ava.


    "I am sorry" he apologised as he went to wipe the snot that he had left on her breast, but ended up squeezing it by accident instead.


    Ava let out a moan of pleasure without realising as she had integrated her own mind with Adam''s memories and could feel what she imagined she was meant to feel.


    Her idea of sexual pleasure came from what Adam had seen in his life, but it still wasn''t completely accurate. Adam was definitely not in the mood for such things and got up and moved a few steps away from her.


    Sitting on the ground, Adam didn''t know what to feel as he looked at Ava''s beautiful face as she looked back into his red eyes.

 Chapter 250: Avas Explanation Part 1

    "Ava, we can''t do that again. At least not yet and this isn''t the right time" stated Adam who could see Ava''s lustful gaze and see that she wanted to experience it for herself.


    "Yes, I agree, after I get my real body, we can enjoy each other" agreed Ava.


    Their relationship and the way they acted if seen by normal people would seem unusual, but Ava and Adam''s connection surpassed normal understanding.


    He felt what she felt and she felt what he felt as they both completely understood each other and could instantly reach a mutual understanding, especially if they were face to face.


    Adam nodded his head and obviously wanted to embrace the female before him that was created to suit his desires, but with what had just occurred, he didn''t want to do anything.


    The two of them stared at each other for a while and after who knew how long, Ava finally spoke and broke the silence.


    "Are you finally ready to know the truth? I wasn''t able to tell you before, but the truth is, that wasn''t your aunt" stated Ava.


    Hearing that, Adam''s eyes lit up and was instantly overjoyed as he moved closer to Ava to listen to everything that she had to say.


    After what had just happened, they both felt comfortable sitting close to each other and even sat beside each other on the sofa with their legs touching.


    Adam after his aunt disappeared from in front of his eyes and became some sort of demon, was feeling lonely, and since Ava had always felt lonely, they comforted each other.


    "So, what do you mean that wasn''t my aunt?" asked Adam as they sat beside each other and after he had calmed down.


    He knew that negative emotions, and lashing out in anger, would only waste time and energy when he could be working towards solving the problem instead.


    Adam always blamed fate or luck, but he was coming to realise that he could change and influence his own fate by working towards something and overcoming everything that tried to get in his way.


    "The system has knowledge of most things that are occurring currently and since I have gained sentience, I seem to have lost that knowledge. All I can do is pass onto you what the program of the system wishes to reveal to you and I seem to be an abnormality that the program wasn''t supposed to create" stated Ava.


    "Get to the point" urged Adam who was looking to receive that strand of hope that would allow him to get back his aunt and help her return to normal.


    "The point is that the system''s program''s only priority is to help you increase your skill and power and you can think of it as a guide that gives you opportunities. The program believes that this hardship and strong emotions will help you increase your power and didn''t want me to tell you what happened until you felt those emotions" said Ava.


    "The truth is that another soul has been trying to take over your aunt''s body for as long as the system has integrated you and the system cannot tell whether she was born with a second soul, or the second soul entered her body during her lifetime" she revealed.


    "Does that mean that my aunt isn''t actually bad and it was the other soul that took over?" asked Adam as he jumped up, still unable to believe that his aunt would be able to say such heartful things and become such a powerful monster.


    "Yes and no. The program thinks that you are ready to know everything about what just happened to your aunt and also wants to inform you of something else that might shock you. This might be a lot of information to take in at once, but it will be a big eye-opener," answered Ava.


    "What do you mean yes and no? My aunt would never do something like that and also wouldn''t be able to unleash such a powerful and evil aura" asked Adam.


    "The soul that was within your aunt was an evil soul and has been manipulating your aunt and causing her to have negative emotions. However, your aunt''s willpower was strong, mostly because of her love for you. Even while in a coma for 2 years, your aunt didn''t give in to the evil soul and negativity, still managing to fight back and keep control"


    "However after being kidnapped, it seemed as though she snapped and all the negativity she suppressed, began to leave her body all at once. During the night when you entered the dungeon, the Evil Soul persuaded your aunt to go and kill the 5 men in the warehouse and also used an evil method on your mother"


    "Once your aunt experienced the exhilarating feeling of power and evil cultivation along with the negativity that had gathered up over her hard life, she lost control to the Evil Soul"


    Adam who was listening to Ava''s explanation was shocked by what he didn''t know was going on with his aunt and could see that he was also a big part of his aunt''s hardship.


    Instead of being upset and regretting all the pain and suffering that he had caused his aunt, Adam listened to Ava closely and was waiting for Ava to tell him how to save and get back his aunt.


    "The Evil Soul can''t destroy your aunt''s soul, so is slowly eating away at your aunt''s soul and eventually your aunt''s soul will be destroyed and after that, all that will be left is the Evil Soul. Currently, your aunt is managing to retain most of the control and is merely being manipulated by the Evil Soul that is fuelling her negative emotions and granting her power, but her control will lower over time. Without realising it, the only reason she spared your life was probably because of her undeniable love for you" stated Ava.

 Chapter 251: Avas Explanation Part 2

    "Also the power and aura that your aunt''s body displayed aren''t get own and belongs to that Evil Soul. The Evil Soul''s power and knowledge is very great, making it so that your aunt will purges at a rapid and frightening peace and the Evil Soul will eventually take over her body" added Ava.


    "How long do we have?" asked Adam worriedly.


    "In roughly 3 years, your aunt''s soul will be consumed by the Evil Soul and then there will be no chance of saving her" answered Ava.


    Hearing her answer, Adam let out a sigh of relief, but his expression became tense after hearing what Ava said next.


    "However in a year and a half from now, your aunt''s original soul will be lost and would have fused with that of the Evil Soul. There will be a year of harmony and weakening, then a year of fusing, then a year of consuming, so if you want to save her, you need to do so before 1 and a half years pass" stated Ava.


    Clenching his fist, Adam wanted to begin training straight away and wanted to make sure that he was at least an Advanced Cultivator after the year passed and needed to be strong enough to face his aunt.


    Her aura alone was strong enough to crush him, but Adam knew that it was impossible for his aunt''s power to become so high in a single day, which meant that it was merely the Evil Soul''s aura leaking through his aunt''s negative emotions.


    Adam was relieved that what his aunt had said wasn''t truly what she felt and it was the Evil Soul that was manipulating her, but there was truth behind everything she said and Adam understood where she was coming from.


    However, despite all of that, he couldn''t help but wonder who the Evil Soul was, how it got into his aunt''s body and why it was targeting his aunt.


    The only people that Adam could think of that might want to take him down were the Evil Organisation and the Lin Family as he had gotten in both of their ways indirectly and had ruined both of their plans.


    Jaspal''s actions were a clear indication that the Evil Organisation had their eyes on Adam and knew a lot about him, while the government was the same, but didn''t seem to be looking for enemies.


    In the state that Adam was in, he had no chance against any of them and although wanted to form useful connections, wanted to rely on his own power and was planning to take a year for himself to spend completely on training.


    His apartment was destroyed, his aunt gone and Adam didn''t have much else to worry about, so was planning to spend a day to sort out everything he needed before leaving to his master''s dojo and staying there for an entire year.


    The only times that Adam was planning to leave the dojo was to stock up on food and buy anything that he needed, but outside that, he would either be in the dungeon or training with his master.


    "I am not sure how I will take that Evil Soul out of my aunt''s body, but I will subdue her first then deal with that. For the next year, I will train so hard and become so powerful that even a single summon from my Collector Skill is enough to take down an army" declared Adam.


    It was the last straw for Adam and he had enough of always needing to fight hard and barely win battles by using his trump cards. He wanted to not only be skilled, but also reach a high cultivation level that would allow him to unleash true power.


    "And I will be here to support you and help you overcome any hurdle that comes your way" stated Ava.


    Adam smiled and realised that although his aunt had left and was being taken over by an Evil Soul, his feelings of loneliness were false.


    He still had friends around him and people that were looking out for him and most of all, the woman of his dreams within his mind, assisting him and waiting for him to help her come to life.


    "Ava, that reminds me. Does that mean that you are a soul that is inside my body, just like the Evil Soul?" asked Adam.


    Ava shook her head and answered, "After gaining sentience, I do have a soul, but I am bound to the system, which is bound to you. I am not in your body and you can think of it as though my soul is within your mind. That isn''t how it actually is, but that is all I can say at the current moment".


    Adam thanked Ava and apologised for what had happened before leaving her in the mindscape and returning to reality.


    Without Ava, Adam was unsure if he would have been able to return to his senses and recover from the shock of what had happened with his aunt, but after what had happened between them, their connection grew even stronger.


    "There is no need to thank me, I am here for you," said Ava after Adam left as she felt warmth in her heart.


    Adam returning to reality was unsure what to expect as he had been more focused on speaking to Ava, but when he opened his eyes, he felt that he was in a familiar bed, but it wasn''t his own.


    Opening his eyes, he saw Angela Maxwell leaning over him with a worried expression with her face very close to his.


    "Good morning," said Adam as Angela quickly jumped away from him and blushed.


    Although Adam was in no mood to joke and was eager to get back to his training, Angela had done nothing but try to help him and it wasn''t fair on him to hurt others just because he had been hurt.


    Adam was planning to act the same and not tell anyone apart from his master the truth about what happened, which he knew would place the entire burden on himself, but it was exactly how he wanted it to be.


    [I will deal with everything myself and become so strong that I never have to worry about anything like this happening again] vowed Adam as he got up from the bed and put a fake smile on his face.

 Chapter 252: Reprocutions

    "You can smile and act so casually after what just happened?!" exclaimed Angela.


    She was still quite red, but Adam was completely calm as after seeing and being with Ava in his mindscape for so long, Angela''s beauty seemed subpar.


    She was one of the most beautiful people he had seen in reality, but they all paled in comparison to Ava, who was formed to suit Adam''s preferences and desires.


    Jannet''s roar and release of her aura had shaken the entirety of Brooklyn and caused an enormous commotion that scared all of the cultivators in the area.


    The aura alone was that of a monstrous demon and was felt by almost everyone in the city, especially the cultivators, as they scrambled to prepare themselves for a battle against whatever that was.


    It was an aura that scared all the family heads and Advanced Cultivators to their core, and Angela and Wayde upon sensing it and hearing the commotion, rushed towards Adam''s apartment building.


    They were almost completely sure that it had something to do with Adam and were mostly worried about Adam and worried about what was the cause. For someone or something to release such a powerful and evil aura, it was a danger that was a threat to the entire world, let alone a city.


    While Jannet''s aura was released, everyone in her vicinity lost consciousness or was frozen in fear and overwhelmed by the power of the aura, but after it was gone, all that was left was the destruction.


    Millions of dollars of damage were caused by it and most of it was to the Maxwell Family, but at the time Angela and Wayde didn''t care about it and still didn''t care about it.


    Reaching Adam''s building, after Jannet had disappeared, Wayde and Angela both jumped into his apartment, which they had made sure to memorise the location of, and landed inside.


    All the glass in the area had already been shattered by Jannet''s monstrous roar and aura, so the windows of Adam''s apartment had already been broken and Wayde and Angela landed in a pile of glass and rubble.


    Adam''s entire apartment had been broken apart and it was as though somebody had been on a riot, and in the centre of it all, lay Adam who was unconscious.


    Angela ran over to him worriedly and after checking his pulse and seeing that he was alive, calmed down and looked around in his apartment for what might have been the cause of all the destruction and the demonic aura.


    There was no trace of any monster or anything that would show that Adam had been in a battle and it seemed as though he was the one that broke up his apartment.


    Wayde and Angela were confused about what happened and how Adam was unconscious, but they were worried about him and wanted to get out of there and back to the Maxwell Headquarters before there was another commotion.


    After converging at the Maxwell Headquarters the entire family, along with the other cultivators in New York, were all rattled and unsure of what to expect next.


    Waiting a while, nothing happened and the only lead and source of information that the Maxwell Family had was Adam who was sleeping in Angela''s bed in her room.


    She had told her family that she didn''t know what had happened and when she checked didn''t find anything, as she wanted to keep Adam''s identity secret.


    Angela, just like most people, was still worried and after reporting back to the family, sat beside Adam and waited for him to awaken.


    After a while, Angela became impatient and looked closely at Adam''s handsome face, but Adam woke up while she was doing so.


    "What happened?" asked Adam as he sat down and tied up his hair that was messed up.


    "What do you mean what happened? There was an earthquake, a surge of evil energy, a monstrous roar and the release of a powerful aura that scared even the family head!" exclaimed Angela who was struggling to stay calm.


    "Oh, about that. Why are you asking me, I was going to ask you?" said Adam.


    "So then what happened to your apartment and how did you lose consciousness?" asked Angela who was sure that he was lying.


    Adam shrugged and played stupid as he took off his shirt that was stained with the blood that he had coughed out and put on a shirt that Wayde had handed to him.


    "Just tell us and we won''t tell the rest of the family if you don''t want us to. You have got to start opening up to your friends" urged Angela.


    Adam was surprised by her words and didn''t expect that Angela would feel so strongly about it, but realised that she was right and it was wrong not to tell them anything, especially since they seemed very worried about him and had rushed in with the intention to save him.


    "Alright then, I will tell you what I know. I was in my apartment and there was an evil cultivator. It was a female and she knew me, but I couldn''t recognise her. She became angry and released her aura, which caused me to cough out blood and lose consciousness" described Adam.


    There was some truth in what he said, but he also missed out that it had anything to do with his aunt, why she was angry and the truth about how he lost consciousness.


    "Do you remember her face?" asked Angela, who after becoming the young family head, had gained responsibility for her family and her family''s domain.


    "I am sorry, but I do not as I couldn''t even look at her face with her aura. All I do know is that she could crush us all with merely her aura and even Wayde would struggle to withstand it" answered Adam as he prepared to leave.


    "Where are you going so soon?" she asked, thinking that Adam leaving as soon as he woke up was weird and abrupt.


    "I have things to do and will call you to talk about something soon" stated Adam before heading towards the door to leave.

 Chapter 253: The Unique Clone Skill

    "Adam, are you sure you are safe?" asked Wayde as Adam went to leave.


    Although Wayde himself didn''t believe that this female evil cultivator was a threat to him despite the commotion that she caused, he was worried about Adam, who hadn''t told them everything that happened and the reasoning behind it.


    "Thanks, Wayde, but I am fine and I just need to do some things" reassured him Adam who appreciated the worry that they had for him before leaving.


    The first thing Adam did after leaving, was dash back towards his building and since the roads were all blocked by all the accidents that had occurred because of Jannet''s roar, Adam went on foot.


    People had all evacuated the area as per the police''s instruction, which made it easier for Adam to move at his full speed without being noticed and use the Step Skip Skill as he reached his building quicker than he would have if he took a car.


    Reaching his apartment, not caring if people saw him, Adam jumped up into his apartment and walked into his aunt''s room.


    On the ground was the neckless that he had seen his aunt always wearing ever since he was young and he picked it up and placed it close to his chest.


    "I will get you back aunt and make sure that the Evil Soul within you pays. I will also correct any wrongs that you felt were my and the world''s fault" vowed Adam as he tied the neckless around his wrist two times, turning it into a bracelet.


    {Achievement Unlocked - Lone Hunter - this achievement is awarded to the host when he lost ties with all of his family and became a lone hunter. As a reward the host has gained a Unique Skill} announced the system.


    [Really, Ava?] asked Adam who felt as though he hadn''t lost any ties with family and saw Cole and Chase as his family anyway.


    They were two people that he felt as though he could completely trust them and Adam didn''t know whether to be happy or annoyed that he was receiving such a great reward at a time where he had just lost what was most precious to him.


    {Um, well, sorry Adam. I was just passing onto you the system''s reward}


    Adam knew that even if he got his aunt back and got rid of the Evil Soul, his aunt wouldn''t be the same after being an evil cultivator that had committed so many atrocious acts, but he was still willing to accept her as his aunt and his mother.


    No matter what she did, Adam was sure that he could learn to forgive and love her after accepting it, but he needed to be capable enough to get her back in the first place.


    A third Unique Skill was exactly what he needed to increase his power even more, and after seeing what it was, Adam didn''t know whether to laugh, celebrate or cry.


    {The Unique Clone Skill. This is a skill that allows the host to produce a clone of himself that has exactly the same stats and abilities as the host, but just like when the host summons a beast through the Collector Skill, it uses IESP to form the clone and also IESP to sustain the clone. However, the Unique Cloning Skill also uses EESP to summon and sustain the clone and any pain that is experienced by the Clone is passed back over to the host} stated the system.


    {This ability was given to the host after becoming a Lone Hunter and maybe it will help with your lonliness} stated Ava, who was merely stating what the system was forcing her to relay to Adam.


    {Adam, you know that....} said Ava before being stopped by Adam.


    [Don''t worry, we are past that and I know that it isn''t you. Once I separate you from that pesky system program, then we won''t have to worry about that happening anymore] reassured her Adam.


    Despite everything that had happened, Adam had a smile on his face after gaining such an incredible ability.


    With it, he was planning on becoming powerful enough to not only save his aunt, but also get rid of anything or anyone in the world that he felt was in his way or he felt shouldn''t be in the world.


    He wasn''t playing god, but with power, he could do as he pleased and also help others that he felt like helping within his vicinity while increasing his power enough to be sure that he and his loved ones were safe.


    Adam felt the knowledge of how to use the Unique Skill and felt the capability to use it enter his mind as he was amazed by how incredible the Unique Skill was.


    Activating the Unique Skill, Adam felt 4 IESP and EESP be used to form the clone and another 4 IESP and EESP was used to sustain the clone for the first minute.


    It stood before Adam and had a blank expression and was obedient to Adam, but could only act based on instincts and didn''t have common sense or reasoning of his own.


    "Do you understand me?" asked Adam.


    His clone nodded his head.


    "Do you have my memories"


    The clone shook his head, but then went on to say, "I don''t have your memories, but I know how to and can use all of the skills and techniques that you know".


    "What about my Unique Skills?"


    The clone shrugged and didn''t seem to understand what that was.


    {Unique Skills can only be used by you, even if he is your clone, he cannot use them} said Ava.


    Adam was slightly disappointed by that, but the Unique Clone Skill was still very useful and although just like his summons, he couldn''t sustain the clone for long, it would still be very useful to use.


    [Ava, since you said that all the pain that the clone experienced comes back to me, what about the clone''s memories and experiences] asked Adam as he felt his conversation with the clone appear within his mind, but from the clone''s perspective.


    {Just like you experienced just now, anything that the clone sees or senses is relayed back to the host after the clone is retracted along with everything that the clone experienced and learnt} answered Ava.

 Chapter 254: Preparing For A Long Leave

    "Incredible!" exclaimed Adam after hearing what Ava said.


    "That means that if I form my clone with my Unique Clone Skill and instruct it to try and learn a new technique or skill, I will gain all the mastery and knowledge of the technique or skill that my clone gained" realised Adam.


    {Yes, that is correct. Any physical gains or damage will not be gained by the host, but all experiences, pain, memories and knowledge will be relayed back to the host} affirmed Ava.


    {It is quite a draining method to learn something faster, but two minds are always better than one. Isn''t that right Adam?} asked Ava in a flirtatious tone.


    "Yeah, yeah" agreed Adam dismissively as he walked through the rubble to his own room.


    He could feel Ava pouting within his mind as he chuckled slightly.


    Adam then went to his room and found his duffel bag under a pile of rubble then salvaged all the clothes he could and stuffed them inside, preparing to leave his apartment and go and train with his master.


    There wasn''t anything else he wanted from the building and his aunt''s neckless was the only thing that Adam felt held sentimental value, while everything else didn''t matter to him.


    He was sure that Angela would deal with the damages and he had already asked her to take her off the records.


    Adam''s mind was set on training and ready to begin, but before he did, there were a few things he needed to do, such as check on Sarah and Emma.


    Kicking his own door down, Adam climbed the stairs to the penthouse on the top floor and since the penthouse was blocked off, Adam had to break his way inside and was glad to find that Sarah and Emma were safe.


    They were both rattled by what had just happened, which was to be expected and began bombarding Adam with questions, suspecting that he had something to do with it.


    Both of them were eating when they were suddenly overwhelmed by a powerful, evil aura that was a frightening feeling and both lost consciousness. After that, they woke up to the chaos that Jannet had left behind.


    Adam dodged all their questions and since he had made sure that they were safe, was ready to leave, but before he left, he said one thing that shocked them both.


    "My aunt, no my mother is dead. She was killed just now" he informed them before jumping out of their apartment.


    They were many floors in the air and they thought that he was crazy for jumping from such a height and didn''t even get the chance to talk to him about what happened as they rushed to the window to see if Adam was fine after falling.


    Adam''s landing shook the ground slightly, and before landing, he used both the Fundamneltal Defensive Techniques to increase his resistance stat by 80 points, making his body tough enough to handle the impact.


    "Amazing" uttered both Emma and Sarah in awe as they saw the ground around Adam had been shattered as he dashed off into the distance.


    Sarah and Emma were too shocked by everything they had experienced and seen as they both went to sit down.


    "He must be in so much emotional pain, but he is keeping it in. His aunt was all he had in life, yet she died" said Sarah as she began to cry, feeling sorry for Adam and also upset about Jannet''s supposed death.


    Emma was also upset as she hugged Sarah and the two of them cried quietly.


    Adam didn''t need their tears and reassurance and had merely told them to give them closure and make it so that they never asked about her or sought her out, which would merely cause him more trouble.


    He was planning on telling everyone else the same thing apart from his master, who he wanted to tell the truth to and ask if he knew anything about it.


    Adam had quite a few things to do before leaving and he was planning to do them all in a single day, so that he could spend as much time as he could training with his master and hunting in the dungeon.


    "Elizabeth, bring Chase with you and meet me at Brooklyn Bridge Park in 3 hours" instructed Adam after Elizabeth answered the phone.


    "Yes, Adam" accepted Elizabeth without asking any more questions.


    Adam ended the call with her, then went on to call Cole.


    "Cole is it possible for you to come to Brooklyn?" asked Adam, who wanted to speak to him face to face.


    "Why? What happened?" asked Cole worriedly, knowing that Adam wouldn''t request such a thing if it wasn''t something important.


    "A lot of things happened and I really need to see you" answered Adam.


    "Give me a time and a place and I will be there" stated Cole without asking any more questions, just like Elizabeth did.


    "Meet at Brooklyn Bridge Park in 3 hours and I will explain everything there" instructed Adam before thanking Cole for coming, as he knew how busy he was, then ended the call and went back to Angela''s apartment.


    Wayde and Angela sensed his arrival and left the door open as Adam entered the apartment and left his duffel bag filled with clothes near the door.


    "Angela, can you meet me at Brooklyn Bridge Park in 3 hours and bring that duffel bag with you?" asked Adam.


    "Why?" she asked confused by his sudden request.


    "Wayde I would also appreciate it if you came as well as I have something that I want to tell all my friends" stated Adam.


    Wayde and Angela both agreed and although were curious and confused by Adam''s sudden request, they both trusted him and wanted to repay him anyway.


    "Now I have three hours to find and talk to that annoying Angela Valdez," said Adam to himself as he left Angela''s apartment building and headed towards the closest police precinct.

 Chapter 255: Waltzing Into The Precinct

    Adam, who was planning to disappear for an entire year, which he was going to spend entirely on training, needed to make sure that everything was fine within the city before leaving.


    He had told all of his close friends and allies to meet him in Brooklyn Park in three hours, which gave him 3 hours to sort out the other problem that he had.


    The government had noticed him and Adam knew that coexisting with them would be best as he had no chance against the government, especially with the powerful military behind them which Adam was sure was made up of cultivators.


    It was amazing to think that most people were unsure of cultivation and the supernatural activities that were occurring around them, but Adam couldn''t help but think it was a much more peaceful and simple life.


    Although it wouldn''t be exciting and fulfilling for most, many cultivators wished they could live a normal life. However once one witness cultivation, it was hard to turn away.


    Checking on his phone for the closest precinct, Adam climbed up onto the top of a building and jumped from roof to roof, heading towards it.


    Adam no longer had a reason to hide himself being a cultivator after being found out by the government and probably all the other large cultivation families, and was in a rush, so found that dashing on the rooftops was the easiest way to get around some parts of the city.


    The areas with extremely tall buildings or short buildings were obviously not suitable, but residential buildings with between 5-10 floors were perfect for Adam to use to get around as he headed towards the largest and nearest precinct.


    Since Angela Valdez knew who he was and that he was a cultivator, he was sure that all of those in high positions within the police department and other government departments knew about who he was, so Adam wasn''t worried about what would happen to him.


    Even if they did decide to target him, with his Unique Skills, allies and the rate he was progressing at, Adam had no reason to fear them and was planning to grow his faction into one that not only the government had to respect and recognise, but the entire world.


    It didn''t take Adam long to reach the large police precinct that was quite heavily guarded and populated by police officers, but most of them were merely normal police officers and had no reason to stop him as he walked inside.


    They were all armed with guns, but with them being slow and ordinary people, before they could even pull the trigger, Adam could take them all down, but he wasn''t planning to fight as he walked inside.


    There was a reception and sitting area where he could report a crime or request a meeting with an officer, but Adam walked straight into the precinct and ignored the receptionist that welcomed him.


    "Stop. Where do you think you are going? This is a police precinct" stopped him the two police officers that were stationed as guards in front of the door that led to the rest of the precinct.


    "I don''t have time for this. Move" ordered Adam as he released a small amount of his killing intent and glared at them, causing their legs to feel weak and move out of his way.


    The two police officers didn''t understand what happened and why they let him through, and after Adam retracted his killing intent, rushed after him.


    "Put your hands up. These are private police quarters and you are not allowed inside" shouted the two officers as they withdrew their tasers and aimed them at Adam''s back.


    Adam chuckled and didn''t want to hurt them as they were merely living their lives and doing their jobs, but he also didn''t have much patience or care left after his aunt left and wasn''t going to try and cooperate with them.


    A few other officers around that saw the commotion headed towards Adam, planning to subdue him and arrest him, which was to be expected after he waltzed into their precinct, but Adam had other plans.


    "Sleep," he said before releasing enough of his Bloodlust and killing intent to shock all of them and knock them unconscious without harming them.


    The 7 officers around him all suddenly collapsed as Adam continued walking through the precinct where he saw people working at their desks and many different parts of the precinct, but soon after, there was a swarm of another 10 officers armed with guns this time.


    "Just leave me alone. I am looking for detective Angela Valdez" stated Adam as he smiled seeing all the officers pointing their guns at him.


    The deeper Adam went into the precinct, the more officers there were, but he also seemed to have reached the detective''s quarters as there were many larger offices and operation rooms.


    "Do not resist arrest. You have not only barged into a police precinct but also assaulted 7 officers" stated the officers who were armed up and equipped to take him down.


    Adam was getting slightly annoyed by the officer continuously getting in his way as he suddenly shouted, "Angela Valdez or whoever the captain is, come out immediately".


    The captain who was sat in his large office that was stationed in the centre of the precinct was shocked to hear the shouting that was going on outside.


    He soon received a report through his police intercom saying that a single young man had walked into the precinct and resisted arrest and any officer that tried to subdue him had been taken down.


    What shocked the captain the most was that he was calling for the captain and Angela Valdez, which instantly made him realise that the person was Adam as who else would be able to such things and would seek out Angela.


    "Damn it, hopefully, I can get there in time before he gets angry and kills someone. My superiors told me to be careful with him and now my officers are trying to arrest him" said the captain to himself as he rushed out of his office and ignored all of his subordinates that were asking him what was happening.

 Chapter 256: Police Captain

    BANG


    The fire of a gun echoed throughout the academy as the captain cursed his luck for being too late and hoped that nothing too bad had happened.


    Meanwhile, Adam was smiling at the officers after calling for Angela and the captain to come out, but soon after, one of the officers out of fear and cautiousness fired a shot at Adam.


    He hadn''t expected that the officers would actually fire at him, but with his much faster reflexes and speed, he could already see the officer move his finger to pull the trigger.


    As soon as he saw that, Adam used the Step Skip Unique Skill to appear behind the officers and struck them all on the back of the neck with a chop to knock them all out as he walked deeper into the precinct.


    Rushing around the corner was a tall man in a police uniform that was slightly different to all the others that he had seen and on his arms were many badges.


    Looking at the officer''s shoulder, Adam recognised the symbol as that of a police captain and smiled as he grabbed the back of his neck.


    Despite the height difference, Adam easily pushed the captain down to his knees as he glared at him.


    "Where is Angela?" asked Adam.


    "Why? I will not let you kill her" refuted the captain.


    Adam was surprised by the captain''s resolve despite being suppressed as he let him go and smiled at him, amused by his attempt to escape from his grip.


    "Let''s go for a chat," said Adam as he pulled him up.


    Swarming towards the area that they were in, dozens of armed officers, who were alerted by the gunshot, converged on where the captain and Adam were.


    "Stand down, it was merely a police drill and there is no need to worry. Take these officers to the infirmary and do not disturb me" ordered the captain as he flattened his uniform and stood up straight.


    The captain''s bravery and demeanour were surprising, but Adam was in a rush and didn''t have time to waste as he glared at the captain, signalling him to hurry up.


    "Follow me," said the captain as he quickly led him through the precinct and to his office.


    He was only acting confident and normally because he didn''t want to shock or worry the officers that were working beneath him, but in reality, the captain was very nervous and was sweating profusely.


    Entering his office, the captain allowed Adam to enter, then closed the door and blinds for his office before sitting down in his seat opposite Adam.


    "What do you want with Angela?" asked the captain while struggling not to stutter as beads of sweat streamed down his face.


    Adam shrugged, wanting to see just how far the captain was willing to go for the sake of Angela.


    "I won''t let you hurt her, she is like my daughter and even if you are a cultivator, I can still kill you with a gun," he said as he scrambled to withdraw his gun.


    Adam chuckled as he replied, "You did hear the gunshot, right? Do you really think you can shoot me?".


    Hearing that, the captain began to shake uncontrollably as he realised how futile it was for him to try to threaten Adam, who was recognised by the country''s government as a rising and dangerous cultivator.


    "Calm down, I am not going to harm or kill anyone. I merely want to talk to her and am planning to cooperate with the police, military and the government. Even after being shot at, nobody has been harmed and I merely knocked them out with minimal force. If I wanted to harm or killing anyone, everyone in this precinct would already be dead" reassured him Adam as his Bloodlust began to soar at the thought.


    Adam had become sure that his Bloodlust Characteristic had something to do with evil energy as the aura that his aunt emitted was similar to the one that he was able to emit through the Bloodlust Characteristic, but that didn''t upset Adam.


    He didn''t mind cultivators that used negative energy, but if one couldn''t control it or needed to harm innocents that had nothing to do with cultivation, he disagreed with it.


    There was some truth behind his aunt''s words that resonated with him and he understood why many would do almost anything to increase their power, but it was still a horrible and dangerous way to cultivate.


    As long as one cultivated without harming others that had nothing to do with cultivation Adam was fine with it, but if one was involving innocents, Adam would take them out and use them to relieve his Bloodlust.


    Killing and fighting were only acceptable against one''s enemies, as otherwise it was unprovoked and an evil and sinister act.


    Looking at the care in the captain''s eyes, it reminded him of his aunt, then the regret and hate that he held towards the Evil Soul manipulating her, returned.


    "I don''t have time for this and my patience is running out. Hurry up and tell me where she is before I can''t hold myself back anymore" hurried Adam.


    His patience was starting to run out, but the captain was still unwilling to tell him where Angela was as he replied, "You can tell me what you want to tell her. I am the captain after all".


    Just as Adam was about to forcefully get the information that he wanted from the captain, his phone suddenly began to ring.


    He had regretted not taking Angela Valdez''s number, but at the time he was more worried about making sure that his aunt was fine and dealing with the 5 kidnappers.


    Adam had told her to call him the next day, but he hadn''t specified what time.


    Since she was taking too long to call him, Adam decided to look for her himself and was willing to use force if he needed to, but luckily she called him just as he was about to do so.

 Chapter 257: Meeting Angela Valdez

    After that night at the warehouse, Angela drove home and halfway home, she realised just how weird her meeting with Adam went.


    She didn''t understand why, but she felt like she would do anything for him almost as if she had fallen head over heels for him.


    No matter how much her mind told her that what she was doing was irresponsible, her heart and body wanted to do what Adam instructed her to do and she did exactly that.


    Returning to her apartment that was near the police precinct, Angela bathed then went straight to bed, tired after everything that had happened, but she found it very hard to sleep.


    All she could think about was Adam as his face continued to reappear within her mind and even when she managed to fall asleep, she dreamt about Adam, almost as though he had become her idol.


    Waking up, Angela Valdez was surprised by how late she had woken up and after getting changed and combing her short jet-black hair, she left to get some breakfast.


    She would always eat her breakfast at the cafe that was near where she lived and after sitting down and drinking her coffee, Angela remembered that she had Adam''s number and could call him.


    He didn''t have her number and wouldn''t be able to call her, but she also didn''t know what time to call him as Adam had merely said to call him the next day.


    Angela was nervous about speaking to him, but decided that it was fine to do so considering it was already midday and he was most likely awake and free.


    Ringing the number that Adam had given her, after the phone rang a few times, she became nervous and began to wonder whether the number he gave her was wrong or whether he would answer or not.


    Meanwhile, in the captain''s office at Angela''s precinct, Adam took out his phone and already had a good idea who the number belonged to.


    After Adam answered, Angela said, "You told me to call you today, so here I am".


    What she said was direct and straight to the point, which Adam liked, as Angela began to feel butterflies in her stomach as the scenes that she dreamed about with Adam began to return to her mind.


    While she was blushing, Adam was smiling and put the phone on speaker as he placed it on the captain''s desk.


    "Angela, if you called any later, I was about to kill your captain," said Adam as the captain suddenly tensed up and began to sweat even more.


    "What! I won''t let you kill him!" screamed Angela, who believed that Adam truly would kill her captain after experiencing his killing intent more than once.


    The people sat around in the coffee shop gave Angela weird looks, but Angela was too concentrated on the call she was on to worry about what others were thinking about her.


    Meanwhile, the captain couldn''t even speak as he let out a gasp while Adam began to laugh.


    "Relax, I was just joking, but I am in a rush. You said you needed to talk and I want to cooperate with your superiors so where do you want to meet?" asked Adam.


    "Well, I am at a cafe now, but I should come to you so we can talk in front of the captain," said Angela.


    "No, I will come to you and you can relay what I say to the captain and all your superiors. Send me the location of your cafe I will be there soon" decided Adam.


    The captain wanted to be there for their talk out of curiosity and worry for Angela, but since Adam didn''t seem to want to talk to him, he didn''t insist and went to open the door for Adam, but he suddenly disappeared.


    All the captain saw was a blur and he felt some wind on his face as Adam''s phone disappeared and his window was smashed.


    However, before Adam did so, he left the captain a message.


    "Delete the footage of me and make sure that those that witnessed something supernatural forget about it"


    The captain''s office was a few floors above the ground and Adam used it to jump to the next building as he jumped straight through the window.


    Landing on the roof of the building and rolling over to ease the impact and keep his momentum, Adam dashed in the direction of the location that Angela had given him.


    He still hadn''t ended the call, but all Angela could hear on the other side was the sound of wind and a few seconds later, she suddenly felt a gush of wind as Adam appeared behind her.


    The cafe that she was in was quite a while away from the precinct and even by car would take her around 5-10 minutes to get there, but Adam covered that distance in less than 30 seconds.


    Using the Step Skip Skill and his speed, Adam was able to move so fast through the city as he was moving above the buildings so he didn''t have to worry about traffic or people getting in his way, and also could head directly towards his destination.


    Angela had gotten up and after paying to meet Adam along the way, but after she had walked a few steps away from the coffee shop, Adam appeared behind her.


    "Now for our talk, where do you want to sit?" asked Adam from behind her.


    Angela Valdez''s heart leapt out of her chest after suddenly hearing Adam''s voice behind her as she turned to see his handsome face and glaring red eyes.


    The captain was amazed by Adam''s sudden disappearance, which he knew was due to his incredible speed that surpassed human limits and did exactly as he said as he prayed for Angela''s safety.


    Meanwhile, Angela who was greeted by Adam''s face after turning around stumbled backwards, overwhelmed and shocked by his sudden appearance.


    Adam sighed as he caught Angela before she fell and cursed his luck and Charisma stat that kept causing girls to fall for him.

 Chapter 258: Important Talk Part 1

    "Relax, I don''t have time for this," said Adam after catching Angela and helping her up.


    Her face was burning bright red and she clearly felt someway towards Adam, but he definitely didn''t feel the same way and just like with Sarah, he needed to make that clear.


    She didn''t even know him yet she seemed to be deeply invested in Adam, which he saw as a downside of the Charm Skill that would allow him to manipulate and influence others, but also leave a strong image of him with them.


    Unlike most, Adam didn''t like attention and would much rather be in a relaxed environment with people he was comfortable with.


    Giving her a stern look, Angela snapped out of her daze as they walked to the closest park and found a bench.


    Adam had slightly over 2 hours to sort out everything with Angela and all of her superiors so that he no longer had to worry about becoming an enemy or target of the government, as he had to get to the meeting point that he had set with all of his friends and allies.


    However, despite having quite a lot of time, Adam didn''t want to waste any of it and even if he was planning to relax, would much rather do so with Ava.


    Sitting down on the bench, the two of them looked at each other and Adam had a serious expression while Angela was struggling to get serious.


    Their walk there was silent and Adam wanted to get straight to business, no longer having the patience to deal with Angela''s behaviour.


    [Just like the other Angela, useful, trustworthy and nice, but annoying and has quite a lot of issues with their attitude] thought Adam to himself as he shook his head.


    "Listen, I am not in the mood and am in a rush. I already have someone special and I also do not have time to waste. Get straight to the point of this conversation that is an important meeting for me and you as you are the representative of the government in this situation" stated Adam.


    He knew that what he said might have hurt her feelings, but what she was feeling towards him wasn''t truly what she felt and feelings like that couldn''t be formed overnight.


    When Ava heard what she said she smiled and felt warm all over, knowing that she was the ''someone special'' that Adam was speaking about, while Angela snapped out of the state she was in.


    She realised that she couldn''t have felt so strongly about someone that was a killer, a criminal and someone that she had just met as she became serious.


    Although she didn''t completely dismiss and forget about what she was feeling, just like Sarah and Angela Maxwell, she accepted Adam''s rejection and knew how important their conversation was.


    Angela Valdez was a very attractive female that was very voluptuous and was of Latino descent, but just like all other women, she paled in comparison to Ava and Adam wasn''t looking for a female companion, even if he didn''t have Ava.


    "Now that you are back to normal, I need you to tell me what you have heard about me and what has been said about me. I am not looking for trouble and want to cooperate, but I need to know what is going on currently" said Adam.


    "I was briefed on everything by my captain, who just like all the other captains of other precincts in New York was briefed by the Major. The Major was in charge of our precinct and a few others and was briefed by the Head of the NYPD who was told to do so by his superiors and other connections that he had within the military and government" stated Angela after taking a deep breath.


    "You were put on the list of dangerous cultivators by the government and your identity was spread to all captains, a few trusted detectives and all others in higher positions than that. The large cultivation families work and cooperate with the government and I think they were hoping that you would do the same"


    "You have been investigated and from your past, it was clear that you haven''t been cultivating for long, yet you have been capable of so long and also have powerful allies. From what my captain told me, the government is proposing an alliance of sorts"


    As Angela went on, Adam was pleased by what she was saying and expected nothing less from the government. He knew that it was inevitable that he would eventually be noticed and after what had happened at the Epstein Family Arena, he had caused a large commotion and also placed a large target on his back.


    The government took the initiative to form an alliance with the rising star of the Underground Cultivation World and since Adam was sure that his aunt could fend for herself with the Evil Soul inside her, Adam had no reason to hide who he was.


    "What could the government or military possibly do to me?" asked Adam who was by no means trying to cause conflict with the government, and especially not the military, but was merely trying to get more information out of Angela.


    "I am not one to talk, but from what it is said, you aren''t that high on the dangerous cultivator list and also aren''t seen as a threat by the government yet. The large cultivation families send family members to the military and the military had been researching cultivation. They have nurtured many super soldiers and warfare is secretly based around cultivation, which is why the government values young and capable cultivators that could benefit and strengthen the country''s forces. All cultivators in the country, although may have conflict, from what I have heard, support the country against other country''s cultivators"


    Her answer was very informative and told him a lot about the power of the government and military, which he had underestimated, and also opened his eyes to the cultivators around the world.

 Chapter 259: Important Talk Part 2

    Most stories about cultivation, or things similar to it, came from Asia and mostly China.


    Ki, chi, qi and many other forms of energy that were mentioned in Asian stories were all similar or exactly the same as what he called Internal Energy, while martial artists, warriors and many other names were External Cultivators.


    With that in mind, Adam was inclined to believe that cultivators in Asia would be much more powerful and numerous than in his country, since they had most likely known about it for longer.


    The thought excited him and Adam had learnt never to believe that anything was impossible or didn''t exist as he also became much more open-minded about cultivation.


    While he debated with himself whether he would stand with his country in a war between cultivators, Angela sat there silently, not wanting to disturb Adam who was deep in thought.


    Thinking about a war between cultivators, all Adam could imagine was destruction and death, which he didn''t want, but also seemed to be an exhilarating thing that he would enjoy.


    Tough battles against other cultivators that would have all kinds of interesting and powerful abilities, while also feeding his Bloodlust, was something that appealed to Adam''s reckless side.


    However his calmer and more reasonable side wanted to avoid conflict as much as possible and Adam would usually incline towards his reckless side, which in most cases, would have the best results.


    Despite that, Adam knew that he needed to be more reasonable and rational as he gathered all of his thoughts and turned back to Angela.


    "Do you know the terms of this alliance?"


    Angela shook her head and was only told what the captain knew, which wasn''t much compared to his superiors. She had already told Adam most of what she knew and was told and most other things were out of her clearance considering her age and position within the NYPD.


    "Give my number to your captain and tell him to pass it onto the Major. Then get the Major to pass it onto the Head of the NYPD so that I can talk to him directly" instructed Adam.


    "I do not have time to waste. I need to speak with him and form this alliance within the hour, so please hurry up" rushed Adam after seeing Angela''s hesitant expression.


    She had to be respectful to a police captain, let alone a Major or the head of the NYPD who were in extremely high positions that they must have worked towards for decades, yet Adam so casually asked to speak with them.


    But considering the fact that he could move so quickly and was developing so fast, it wasn''t such a big surprise, as she called the captain.


    The captain paced up and down his office worriedly and was startled by his phone ringing as he rushed to pick it up after seeing who it was.


    "Are you okay Angela? Did he do or try anything?" he asked after answering the phone.


    "No he hasn''t and he has saved my life once and has had many chances to kill me previously, so isn''t going to kill me for no reason. He doesn''t seem to be such a bad guy despite his seemingly twisted nature" answered Angela, surprising both Adam and the captain.


    He had expected her to be scared of Adam, and yet she not only felt comfortable around him, but also weirdly trusted his character.


    The captain wasn''t as trusting as Angela and didn''t know that she had been in contact with Adam before he had given her the task to investigate and spy on him and his aunt.


    "I need you to pass this call onto the Major, Adam wants to speak directly about the alliance with your superiors" stated Angela.


    The captain felt slightly undermined by that, but couldn''t argue and called the Major.


    At such a high rank, the Major had many things to deal with, but a call from a captain beneath him would almost always be important, so the Major answered.


    "Major, I need to speak to you" stated the captain respectfully.


    "Do speak, I need to get back to my reports if it isn''t something important or urgent"


    "Well Adam Green has requested to speak to you and it is about the terms of his alliance with the NYPD and the government"


    "Adam Green!? I didn''t expect he would be in contact so soon, but this is good. If he can become my subordinate, I can rise up the rankings. Pass him onto me" exclaimed the Major ambitiously.


    "Yes, I will connect him onto the call"


    Placing the Major on hold, then returning to his call with Angela, the captain said, "Pass the phone with Adam, I am passing him onto the Major now".


    Adam accepted the phone from Angela and placed it on his ear, curious to hear how the Major would act and what he wanted to say.


    "Hello Adam, it is nice to hear from you," said the Major after being notified of another phone being added to his call with the captain.


    "Likewise, but let''s get straight to business" replied Adam, who didn''t have the time or patience for small talk with somebody he didn''t even know.


    "Captain, you may take your leave" stated the Major who seemed as though he was giving the captain permission, but was actually ordering him to leave.


    The captain couldn''t refute, and despite his curiosity to hear what Adam and the Major''s conversation would be like, left the call.


    "So, I heard that you have decided to cooperate with the NYPD and government. How about you work for me" offered the Major.


    Adam scoffed and was amused by the Major''s arrogant offer.


    "Listen here, I am not asking to speak with you to negotiate with you. Pass me onto the Police Captain or one of your superiors as you aren''t of much use" stated Adam.


    Adam didn''t usually like to act arrogantly, but it was always fun to crush a pompous and arrogant person''s ego, while also getting what he wanted quicker.

 Chapter 260: Head Of The NYPD

    "Don''t become arrogant just because you are one of the rising young cultivators in New York. I can get you crushed without lifting a finger" threatened the Major, who was infuriated by Adam''s words.


    Angela Maxwell''s previous arrogant and entitled attitude, which had changed and improved, annoyed Adam, especially when she used it against non-cultivators.


    There was no need to act arrogantly towards someone that had done nothing to you or wasn''t your enemy.


    Adam didn''t have the time or patience to deal with the arrogant and ambitious Major, so the best way to quickly deal with him over the phone, was by crushing him with his own arrogance and ambition.


    Against an innocent or defenceless individual, unless they had previously done something to harm him or someone else, Adam would not clash with them, but against someone like the Major, Adam enjoyed toying with them.


    "First of all, you should treat your captains and subordinates more respectfully as they are doing more work than you and second of all...." said Adam before pausing.


    "Do you want to die?" continued Adam, shocking and scaring Angela Valdez who sat beside him.


    "You dared to threaten to kill me without any good reason and you are too arrogant for your own good. The large cultivation families of New York will kneel before me or stand beside me, so what can you possibly do to me" stated Adam.


    The Major was shocked by Adam''s confidence in his own power and capability as he began to regret trying to recruit and threaten Adam.


    "How about you become my ally instead of my subordinate" offered the Major before being shouted at by Adam.


    "I don''t want your rubbish offers. Hurry up and pass me onto your superiors and also submit an official apology to that captain, otherwise, I will come for you" shouted Adam before ending the call.


    Angela who was sat beside him was gobsmacked and was scared to talk to a captain, let alone a Major who was in charge of multiple captains and precincts.


    However, despite her shock, she didn''t think that Adam was in the wrong and was also touched by Adam sticking up for her captain and impressed by his dominance.


    "Are you sure that was the right thing to do?" asked Angela, who knew that people in such high positions would usually have very high egos and wouldn''t submit to others.


    "The phone should ring soon if he knows what''s good for him, otherwise, I will personally make sure that his head rolls," said Adam as he sat there with the phone on his lap and waited patiently.


    Meanwhile, Major Carlson punched a hole in his desk and began smashing his office in a fit of rage.


    "That bastard Adam Green dared to undermine and threaten me despite me being a Major. I have worked towards this position for decades and it wasn''t for a kid cultivator to disrespect me" he shouted furiously.


    Calming down, he knew he couldn''t mess with Adam and other cultivators without being a cultivator himself or having connections with cultivators, so all he could do was do as Adam said.


    "I will do as you said this time, but next time you will pay and I will make sure that you beg for forgiveness. Me, Major Carlson will soon become NYPD Head Carlson, then will begin forming connections with powerful cultivators within the military" he said to himself ambitiously.


    Picking up his phone off the floor, he called the captain and through clenched teeth apologised and swallowed his pride, which shocked the captain.


    ''It must have something to do with his talk with Adam'' assumed the captain who weirdly began to respect Adam.


    After that, the Major went on to call the NYPD Head who answered his call quickly, thinking that it might be an emergency as he wouldn''t usually receive direct phone calls from the Majors.


    After passing on Angela Valdez''s phone number to the NYPD Head, which was the phone that Adam had used to talk to the Major, the Major ended the call and returned to his duties.


    Suppressing the hate and rage that he was feeling towards Adam, the Major moved on with his day, but held onto it in his heart and planned to get Adam back.


    After a minute of Angela and Adam sitting silently on the bench, Angela Valdez''s phone that rested on Adam''s lap began to ring.


    However what surprised them both was that the phone number was all zeros, which was unheard of and it was quite clear that it was someone in a powerful or secretive position that didn''t want to reveal their phone number.


    "Hello, is this Adam Green," asked a deep and mature voice after Adam answered the phone.


    "Yes, is this the Head of the NYPD"


    "Yes it is and let''s get straight to business. I can only form an alliance and agreement with you and the NYPD, but as for police forces in other cities and the military, I cannot do that for you. However, I can pass on whatever you wish to them on your behalf" stated the NYPD Head.


    "I would like that and would also appreciate you assisting me in forming an agreement with the military and the government as a whole, but in a year''s time. For now, an agreement with the NYPD is enough"


    "May I ask why you will need to wait a year?" asked the NYPD Head, who despite being above the Major in rank and power, was respectful and didn''t judge Adam based on what he had heard.


    "Well, I will be busy for one year and won''t be making many appearances, but after a year I will be back and will be part of some big things" answered Adam, surprising Angela who sat beside him and the NYPD Head.


    "That is interesting, but enough about that. Let''s get into it. An alliance requires mutual benefit, so what is it that you want from the NYPD?" he asked directly.

 Chapter 261: Alliance With The NYPD

    Adam was glad that the head of the NYPD was respectful and direct as he smiled after hearing his question.


    Both the head of the NYPD and Angela Valdez, who sat beside Adam, were curious as to what Adam wanted and were both silent, waiting for Adam to answer.


    "What I want? Hmmm, that is a good question. I don''t need protection or money, but there are things I would like us to both help each other on" answered Adam very vaguely.


    "Like what?"


    "What I want can be negotiated, but I would like to hear what you want first. If I like and can accept what you want from me in this alliance, we can continue our negotiation, if not, then we can end this talk and forget about any of this happening" stated Adam who didn''t want to make any requests before hearing what the head of the NYPD wanted from him.


    "Alright then, if that is what you want. But I will give you a friendly piece of advice. If you choose to decline our requests, this will put you on not only the dangerous list of cultivators, but also the list that aren''t cooperative and that will make you a target of the government, the military and all other organisations linked to them. While you may also become a target for other cultivators if you don''t have our backing, so please consider our requests" advised the head of the NYPD.


    "Well, I will also give you some advice. Do not underestimate me and what I am and will be capable of. I am not willing to form an alliance with the NYPD and government because I need to, but it is merely because it is more convenient, so neither of us need each other" replied Adam calmly.


    Angela was gobsmacked by what she was hearing as Adam clearly stated to the head of the NYPD that he didn''t need him and indirectly stated that he is above the laws and regulations set by them.


    The head of the NYPD smiled after hearing Adam''s reply, but didn''t react to it and moved on to informing them of the NYPD''s conditions.


    "The first and most important condition is that civilians cannot be harmed and cultivation can not be revealed to the general public"


    "The second condition is that you must help the NYPD detain criminal cultivators that are not cooperating or acting against the law. This will only be if the criminal is to powerful for us to handle and cannot be suppressed using modern weapons"


    "The third and final condition is that you have to cooperate with the NYPD in certain cases and you will be our representative when negotiating with powerful cultivators"


    "These conditions show that we, the NYPD, want a fair and mutually beneficial alliance with you. We do not have the clearance to use cultivators and many weapons are restricted from us, but there are other law enforcement agencies that can do so"


    Adam didn''t have any objections with any of their conditions, but thought that the NYPD was too small and not of much use for his future plans. It would only be more convenient if they weren''t in his way, but they wouldn''t be useful to him.


    However, Adam was planning on forming all the connections he could and the head of the NYPD was a good start.


    "I can accept all of those conditions and have decided what I want in return" stated Adam.


    "I want to no longer have to worry about the police or any other agencies interfering or getting in my way while I am in New York. I also want the support of the NYPD and help me form connections within the government"


    "My final conditions are that this alliance will not be started until 1 year''s time and I also do not wish to be contacted by anybody below the rank of a captain. If I am not available, I do not personally need to assist the NYPD as long as I somehow get the job done and I also want the NYPD to support my faction" stated Adam.


    Everything he said was something that the head of the NYPD could accept and were all reasonable, but there were some questions that he had before finalising the alliance.


    "I can try my best to get the other agencies to get out of your way, but most of them are above the NYPD including the secret ones that have cultivators. I can also accept the rest of your conditions, but supporting your faction will depend on what your faction is and what are your intentions"


    "My faction is neutral and won''t be initiating any actions against any cultivators or government agencies. I am merely gathering power and growing the faction to battle against evil cultivators and for my own personal uses and reasons. I can guarantee that innocent civilians and the government will not be harmed by my faction as long as we are not provoked" answered Adam.


    "Then it seems that both of us do not have any objections with our alliance and we can complete it in person. If there is nothing else, give me your phone number so that we can meet and complete the alliance that I will make a contract for. Also, what is the name of your faction?" asked the head of the NYPD.


    "Alright, my phone number is ------ and as for the name of my faction, I haven''t actually formed it yet and will tell you the name when we complete the alliance" answered Adam.


    "Would you be free later today?" asked Adam, who wanted to get everything over with on that day, so that he could get straight to his training.


    "Yes, after I get off work, we can meet in person and I will get my assistant to right the contract out for us. If you need to contact me just call this number ------ and it will put you through to my assistant"


    "Alright then, I will see you then and just call me or leave me a message and I will meet you" stated Adam before ending the call.

 Chapter 262: Converging at the Meeting Point

    In a spacious office within a heavily guarded underground facility, an old man sat on his chair had a smile on his face as he put his phone down.


    "I assume the call went well," said his assistant.


    "Yes, we have formed an alliance with Adam Green and also the faction that he is forming" answered the old man.


    "Are you going to report this to him?" asked his assistant.


    "No, this is something that we can keep low for now. We have a year before the alliance is active anyway and for now, we should just use the alliance and gather information about Adam and other cultivators. I will make the NYPD an agency that is independent and no longer has to rely on them for help when it comes to dealing with cultivators" said the old man as he stood up and prepared to leave.


    Meanwhile, Adam who was sat on a bench in a park beside Angela Valdez also had a smile on his face and was satisfied with the alliance he was going to form with the NYPD and also the attitude of the head of the NYPD.


    "Did you just end the call with the head of the NYPD before bidding him farewell and giving him the chance to speak?!" exclaimed Angela.


    "Yup and now I need to go. You can delete my number or keep it, but I will not answer any of your calls for the next year. You cannot arrest me since I now have an alliance with the NYPD and even if you try, I won''t let you" stated Adam.


    "You aren''t a bad person, but don''t get over your head. Stick to investigating normal thugs and don''t stick your head into cultivation too much, unless you want it chopped off" warned Adam before disappearing and dashing off into the distance.


    "Wait..." Angela wailed before realising that he was already gone.


    She couldn''t understand what he was thinking or planning and hadn''t decided whether or not he was good or bad, but she couldn''t do that anymore and knew that he was going to disappear for a year.


    Although she was disappointed, she wanted to check in with her captain and the precinct and also report to him what she had seen and heard.


    Everything that was happening around her was becoming crazier and crazier and the biggest reason for that was her repeatedly running into Adam.


    She was unsure whether it was good or bad luck, but Adam had made it clear that he didn''t want a connection with her, so she could only continue doing her job and try her best to make her city a safer place.


    Adam who had dashed out of the park, stopped after reaching a small food stall that looked nice and was planning to get a nice meal before going to meet all of his friends and allies at Brooklyn Bridge Park


    After that, he was going to confirm the alliance with the head of the NYPD then head to his master to train for an entire year and become as powerful as possible.


    Ava had guaranteed Adam that no damage would be suffered by his aunt''s soul until after a year and a half, so after experiencing the aura and power of the Evil Soul within her, Adam was sure that it was right to step back and prepare himself to save her.


    He knew that she would experience a lot of hardship in the time that he was training and knew that it was a selfish decision, but Adam was too weak and was becoming complacent with the small amount of power that he had.


    Comparing himself to the weak that he had come across, Adam felt powerful, but any elder of any of the large cultivation families would still be able to quite easily crush him and he was still yet to become an Advanced Cultivator.


    [Aunt, I am sorry, but I will make sure to become strong enough so that I can make sure that nothing like this ever happens again] vowed Adam who was feeling guilty that he could sit around and eat a tasty meal while his aunt was probably suffering or having to experience her body commit atrocious acts.


    Ordering enough food to feed multiple families, which shocked the couple that were in charge of the food stall, Adam ate it all before paying them generously and leaving.


    There were so many things that were going around Adam and so many things that he had been through, but he had been able to overcome them all and he was planning to do the same with his current situation.


    [It should be about time that we met at Brooklyn Bridge Park and if I jog there, I should get there at the meeting time] estimated Adam.


    With that, Adam jogged across Brooklyn towards the meeting point that he had set, but he had underestimated how long it would take him to get there if he jogged slowly.


    He was talking to Ava and lost track of time as he checked to see that he was already 10 minutes late, while he was still quite far away.


    [I can''t talk anymore, I need to speed up] said Adam to Ava before dashing towards the meeting point at his full speed.


    Meanwhile at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Cole, Angela Maxwell, Wayde Chase, Elizabeth and Chase had all arrived at the meeting point and were walking around the park waiting and looking for Adam.


    Angela and Wayde recognised Cole and went over to him, while Chase and Elizabeth hadn''t been introduced to them and didn''t know them, so were still waiting alone.


    Cole had come with 2 elders from the Epstein Family that had insisted that they should go with him to protect him from all of those that were targeting him, while Angela had Wayde with her, and he was more than enough protection.


    "Just what you would expect from Adam. Late to his own meeting" said Cole who had a nervous expression, knowing that Adam wouldn''t call him for a face to face meeting unless it was for something important.

 Chapter 263: Meeting Part 1

    Using the Step Skip Skill and dashing as fast as he could, Adam was able to cover the distance that was left within a couple of minutes and all of those that he had called to the meeting, apart from Elizabeth, were able to sense his arrival.


    "You two must leave here immediately. Once I am ready to leave I will call you back with the communication device and I am safe with the city''s Flame Master" instructed Cole to the two elders, thinking that Adam wouldn''t want them to see his face.


    "It''s alright Cole, they can stay within your vicinity as long as they can''t hear us," said Adam who appeared beside them.


    The two elders tried to act surprised, but it was clear to both Adam and Cole that they already knew who Adam was just like most other powerful and influential figures within the city.


    "I guess it is impossible to cause such large commotions while hiding one''s identity," said Cole to himself as he hugged Adam who was clearly in pain.


    Not many could understand what Adam was feeling and his red eyes only showed rage, killing intent and other negative emotions, which was due to the Bloodlust Characteristic, but Cole understood him.


    "Young master we will leave you with this other young master and will be within the area to protect you in case of an attack" stated the two elders respectfully before turning to leave.


    "Please do not call me young master and make sure to look after Cole while I am gone" requested Adam to the elders respectfully.


    They seemed like two nice people that appreciated and respected Adam for what he had done for Cole and in turn their family, which Adam also appreciated.


    "We will" they both said before disappearing and appearing on opposite sides of the park.


    Their speed was incredible and Cole and Adam were barely able to see them move, while Wayde was slightly impressed but knew that he could still probably take them both down if he used his full power.


    "Adam, what do you mean, while you are gone? What happened?" asked Cole.


    "I will tell you all, but there are two others that I have called to meet us," said Adam while signalling for Chase and Elizabeth who had spotted him to come over.


    All of them sat in the centre of the park on the ground and Adam began his meeting.


    "Some brief introductions. This is Angela Maxwell, the young family head of the Maxwell Family, this is Cole Summers, the young family head of the Epstein Family, this is Wayde, Angela''s guardian and a very powerful cultivator, this is Chase, my friend and subordinate and this is Elizabeth who is also my friend and subordinate"


    The 5 of them all greeted each other briefly and noted who each other were before Adam continued speaking.


    "I called you all here because I have some requests that I hope that you can fulfil while I am gone" stated Adam.


    "Where are you going?" asked Angela.


    "Yeah. How long are you going for and why?" added Cole.


    "I won''t be far from the city, but I won''t be coming back for an entire year and also won''t be in contact with you guys. I don''t have the time and am not in the right frame of mind to be with you guys now and need to take some time off" answered Adam.


    "Why? What is it that happened?" asked Cole who didn''t understand why Adam was acting the way he was.


    He seemed cold and distant and even when Cole hugged him, Adam couldn''t bring himself to hug him back. Waltzing into the precinct, teasing people and dashing around the city was fun for Adam and helped him to vent and deal with the pain he was experiencing, but it was all a front.


    Adam needed to take time for himself and focus on cultivating not only his power, but also his mind.


    "My aunt... My mother... died" answered Adam.


    Adam answered calmly while trying to make it seem as though he had moved on and no longer cared, but it was clear to them all that it hit had him hard.


    Cole especially knew how important his aunt was to him and knew that she was the most important person in his life.


    "Who? Where? What happened?" asked Cole and Chase who were also furious about her death.


    Adam had to lie to them despite knowing that they also cared about her and would be hurt by her death, but he didn''t want to get them involved in what was going on.


    He was unsure whether the Evil Organisation, which he knew nothing about and were messing with his life and the life of many others, had something to do with it and there were too many risks.


    A single roar and the release of the Evil Soul within his aunt was enough to cause such a large commotion so Adam couldn''t imagine how powerful she would be if she used her full power, but he was sure that he would be able to become even stronger than that.


    "These are all things I do not know and cannot answer. I am sorry and I know that you also care for her, but can you trust me and let her rest in peace" requested Adam to Chase and Cole.


    Cole and Chase''s fists were tightly clenched as they gritted their teeth.


    They were both finding it hard to not seek vengeance and justice for Jannet.


    Jannet had treated them both with kindness and as if they were her children, just like she did with Adam, yet she was supposedly dead or killed and they couldn''t do anything about it.


    They both wanted to ask more questions and find out what happened, but it was clear to them that Adam didn''t want to speak about it and they both relaxed and gave him the space he needed.

 Chapter 264: Meeting Part 2

    Cole and Chase, who were the only ones that actually knew Adam''s aunt, found it weird that there wasn''t a funeral and that Adam had refused to answer their questions.


    If she had died a normal death, then Adam shouldn''t have had any problems answering their questions.


    They weren''t sure what had happened and whether his aunt had been killed or not, but they were sure that Adam was hiding something about what had happened to his aunt.


    "So why did you call us all and what is your request?" asked Elizabeth, wanting to move on from the subject of Adam''s aunt that made the atmosphere very tense.


    "I have different requests for Elizabeth and Chase when compared to the rest of you. I am going to form a faction of my own and it will be a neutral faction that will build its power to fight against evil cultivators and that Evil Organisation that keeps meddling with this city and probably the entire country" answered Adam, shocking Wayde, Cole and Angela who hadn''t expected Adam to make such a big move.


    "My face has already been spread around the entire country and you saw that from the reaction of your elders, that most have already found out who I am" stated Adam who was no longer planning to hide his face.


    "Cole, now that my aunt is gone I have no reason to hide my face, but I will have to leave Emma and Sarah''s protection to you," said Adam.


    "Yes, you don''t need to tell me. I have already stationed an elder to each of them to protect them" reassured him Cole who felt that it was his duty to do so anyway.


    "A war with the Lin Family and probably also the other large cultivation families is inevitable and my faction will be supporting the Maxwell and Epstein Family against them. I know we might not seem to be of any use currently, especially since our power is not up to par, but trust me, we will be a force to be reckoned with" stated Adam.


    Angela and Cole both nodded their heads and said in unison, "We believe in you and will be offering as much of our families'' support as we can".


    "The factions name will be the Sentinels and the first two leaders of the faction will be Elizabeth and Chase. Each of the Sentinel Leaders will have their own units within the faction and are independent of each other, and although may be in competition, will support and help each other" announced Adam.


    "Sentinels are guards who watch over and it will be our duty to build our strength to serve our own needs, protect ourselves and also build out power. But mainly is to prepare to fight against evil cultivators and crush any threats to this city" said Adam.


    "I have an alliance with the NYPD and that includes our faction. The alliance will not start until I am back in a year, but you will have the freedom to expand and the police will not be getting in your way. Information is so easily spread and found out these days, especially with the skilled spies and communication devices that make it so that news is bound to get out, so before you are crushed, you need to develop as quickly as possible" stated Adam, shocking all of them.


    The large cultivation families had a similar alliance that Adam had, but they were made up of dozens if not hundreds of Advanced Cultivators, while Adam was a single, young cultivator that wasn''t even an Advanced Cultivator and was able to do the same thing.


    "Yes" accepted both Elizabeth and Chase who were eager to begin forming the faction and building their own units as they gave each other competitive looks.


    "After I return, the Sentinels Faction will spread to other cities after spreading around New York and after becoming the biggest power in the country and allying itself with all large cultivation organisations and powers that are trustworthy, will set its sights on other countries" stated Adam ambitiously.


    What he was saying was absurd, but the 5 people he was speaking to all completely believed that he would be able to do it after seeing everything else he was able to achieve and were willing to support him all the way.


    "Chase and Elizabeth. I have a challenge for each of you. I will be leaving the faction''s growth and development in your hands. I have a challenge for each of you. Chase, you will be the Monk and Protector of the faction with your power and growth, that should be easy for you. While Elizabeth, you will be the Manager and the Healer of the Faction. My challenge to the two of you is to each gather 1000 talented and capable cultivators in your units, while also gathering a storage of money, cultivation resources and the necessary methods and manuals to nurture powerful cultivators"


    "I can provide some things from my family" offered Cole.


    "Yes, me too" added Angela.


    Both wanted to repay Adam for what he had done for them and were willing to share everything that their family head if they were allowed to, but for now, could only offer small amounts of things.


    Adam thanked them, while Chase and Elizabeth were proud to call Adam their leader and were amazed by all the contacts and allies that he had.


    "For now, you will be the only two leaders of our faction, but if I swallow up any large organisation and I like and trust their leader, I can make them another leader with their own unit. As for me, I am not fit to be a leader of a large faction and will be the Faction Head from the shadows" decided Adam.


    They all accepted and agreed with his decisions and were willing to fulfil his requests,.


    It seemed as though their meeting was coming to an end, but before Adam could end the meeting, Elizabeth suddenly gathered the courage to say what she had been holding back.

 Chapter 265: Ending the Meeting

    "I have something I want to say" suddenly stated Elizabeth.


    Adam had already told her that he was friends with two young family heads of two of the large cultivation families and had told her to move on and forget about the grudge that she had, which she was planning to do, but it was easier said than done.


    She looked over to Adam, seeking his permission before talking, while Adam looked over to her.


    "Go ahead" permitted Adam who trusted that she wouldn''t ruin her chance at redemption.


    "I am Elizabeth Carter and you may not know of the Carter Family, but they once stood alongside the 5 current large cultivation families" she stated, shocking Angela and Cole who knew nothing about it, while Wayde was also surprised and had heard of her family.


    She went on to tell them the story of her family and how the other families had attacked her family that was the weakest when it came to combat and stole all of their methods.


    Even she herself didn''t know much of the details and Wayde had heard from the family head the same story, but Angela and Cole didn''t understand what her point was in telling them.


    "So. What is your reason for telling us? Are you looking for trouble with us?" asked Angela defensively.


    Although she didn''t want her relationship with Adam to be ruined by her fighting with Elizabeth, she was the young family head and had to protect her family.


    "You are allies and friends of Adam, so that also makes you my ally and friend. I am his subordinate and am not looking for conflict, but I have a request" answered Elizabeth respectfully and humbly, surprising Cole and Angela who were becoming defensive.


    "What is it?" they asked.


    "If it is possible, could I get a copy of the techniques, skills or methods that your families might have? What has happened has already passed and we are now allies, so I was hoping that I could get a copy of them" requested Elizabeth.


    Her request was reasonable and she asked them directly and told them of her past instead of hiding it, which they appreciated.


    "I do not have an issue with that and will be in contact with you when I find any that seem to belong to the Carter Family" accepted Cole.


    "And I am the same as long as I can give them to you without affecting my family," said Angela.


    Elizabeth smiled and had tears in her eyes as she thanked them both graciously.


    Adam was pleased by how everything was turning out and was glad that they were able to get along, but he needed to get going.


    "Angela, Cole and Chase. I challenge you all to be stronger than me within a year and Wayde, the same to you. You can easily crush me now, but in a year''s time, it won''t be the same" stated Adam confidently.


    "Don''t forget about me. With the methods of the Carter Family, I might finally be able to cultivate" added Elizabeth determinedly.


    All of them smiled and were eager to get back to their training, excited to see how powerful they would become.


    They all began to exchange contacts and speak between themselves. Even Wayde, who usually wouldn''t speak to people and found it very hard to open up, was getting involved in the conversations.


    While they were doing so, Adam walked away and leant against a nearby tree as he looked up at the sun that was beginning to set. It had been a long and eventful day that had been a rollercoaster of emotions, but Adam had gotten through it and his mind had been fortified by it.


    Seeing Adam standing there alone, Cole went up to him and placed his arm over Adam''s shoulder as he gave him a reassuring and warm smile.


    "If you need to talk and when you are ready to, I will hear all of your worries and struggles. You don''t always have to carry the burden of everything alone like you always do and I can see that you are starting to trust people more, which is good" said Cole.


    Adam had always tried to take on the world alone, which would always cause him pain and suffering while those around him wouldn''t be able to see it, but now he was starting to rely on and trust others more.


    He wanted to keep his close circle of friends and allies small, but also wanted to make as many useful contacts as he could, while making sure that he was always in a good and powerful position.


    "I will, but there are just some things that I have to sort out myself. If I need you and the others'' support, I will turn to you guys, but for now, I need space to train and get back into the right frame of mind" replied Adam.


    "I understand, but just remember that I am here to support you" reminded him Cole while the others also came to join them.


    "And so are we" they added before bidding each other farewell.


    Chase and Elizabeth were eager to begin forming, developing and growing the faction that they had been made leaders of and Angela and Cole were eager to get back to their training.


    Wayde was also excited to get back into his training and weirdly felt that Adam was someone that was competition for him despite the large age and power gap as they all prepared to depart from the meeting point.


    "I have one more thing to do before returning master," said Adam to himself as he left the park after saying goodbye to all of them.


    Adam didn''t like long farewells that were very emotional and they had all reached a mutual understanding.


    All of them had to grind and work as hard as they could for the next year, not only to help and support Adam, but also for themselves.

 Chapter 266: Underground Base Part 1

    Adam left and although he had told the head of the NYPD to call him, he decided to call him first, wanting to finalise their alliance quickly so that he could return to see his master.


    He had been given the head of the NYPD''s assistant''s number and Adam called it.


    To his surprise, the phone was instantly answered and a soft yet assertive voice resounded from the phone.


    "Who is this?" she asked.


    "It is Adam and I want to arrange the meeting with the head of the NYPD soon as I have things to attend to" answered Adam.


    Hearing who it was and what he wanted, the assistant didn''t answer and it was clear to Adam from the other side of the phone that what he wanted wouldn''t be possible.


    "What happened?" asked Adam directly.


    "Um, well, the head is ill currently and well, he isn''t fit to attend" answered the assistant.


    "Where are you and him now? I can help" stated Adam directly.


    The assistant was shocked by Adam offering his help despite them not being in an alliance yet, but didn''t know whether to trust him or not.


    "If I really wanted to I could find you and kill you and the head. You don''t have any cultivators guarding you and it also seems that you don''t have cultivation resources that should be able to heal him from most things" said Adam.


    "Just tell me where he is. I am not doing this because I am nice, but merely because I am busy and need to get this alliance finished now" stated Adam.


    "Wait for one moment" she requested before placing the call on hold.


    "Do not tell him, Stacey. We do not know if we can trust him yet" uttered the head of the NYPD who lay in a sickbed and was barely able to speak.


    "We have no other choice, otherwise you will die" she wailed.


    Stacey, his assistant, was also his granddaughter and cared for the head of the NYPD deeply after everything he had sacrificed for the safety of the city.


    Everything he did was to protect New York and even allying Adam was to protect New York from the cultivators that were becoming wilder and causing more and more issues.


    "Grandfather, we have no choice but to trust him," she said before leaving the room the head of the NYPD was in and taking the call off hold.


    Stacey was reluctant to tell Adam where they were as they were in a secret and secure location, but soon gave in seeing that they had no other hope.


    "I will send over the location to you and it isn''t far from Brooklyn," said Stacey before ending the call with Adam.


    She was nervous to see him in person and worried about whether she had made the wrong decision, but she had no other choice as she armed herself with a knife and a large rifle.


    Adam bought a B Rank Mortal Recovery Pill from the system and it was placed within his Dungeon Inventory, as he could only buy items to use in the dungeon.


    He then used his Transferal Feature to transfer the pill to his inventory in reality, which cost him half the price of the pill, but wasn''t much to Adam who could easily gain system points.


    Heading back to his apartment building, Adam was glad to see that the foundations of the building he used to live in were still intact and outside the building, he saw his motorcycle that had been salvaged from the wreckage.


    Getting on the motorcycle, Adam drove as fast as he could without crashing, heading towards the location that Stacey had given him.


    Upon arriving, Adam was surprised to find that was an empty field without any buildings or people in sight as he got off his motorbike and called the NYPD head''s assistant.


    "I am at the location you sent. You better not be tricking me or trying to trap me, otherwise, I will kill you" threatened Adam, who spread his spiritual sense to search for any traps or hidden people in the empty field.


    Spreading out his spiritual sense, Adam sensed that the ground beneath his feet was hollow and after spreading his spiritual sense further around him found a hatch that would lead him underground.


    "Never mind, I will be with you in a moment," said Adam before ending the call and withdrawing the pill from his inventory.


    Parking his motorcycle, Adam dashed over to the hatch and found that it was locked but from the inside.


    "This puny hatch and lock won''t be able to hold back any cultivator" mumbled Adam to himself before smashing down on the hatch with his fist.


    Adam had used both the fundamental defence techniques to increase his body''s resistance before striking the hatch then repeatedly continued to do so.


    His speed increased his punching power and with his increased resistance, Adam was able to smash the hatch out of place and it fell, slamming down to the floor of the underground base.


    Jumping straight down to the floor on top of the fallen hatch, which was a 5-metre drop, Adam landed in a corridor that had 2 armed guards on either side of him.


    "We have an intruder" bellowed one of the guards before smashing the alarm and firing at Adam.


    Everything was happening so quickly and Adam was impressed by the layout of the underground base that made it so that any intruder, even if they were a cultivator, would find it hard to get inside.


    Stacey hearing Adam end the call then the alarm and gunshots, rushed towards the entrance into the underground base, while the head of the NYPD was shocked and confused as to what was going on.


    "Damn it, don''t shoot" she screamed as loudly as she could, but the alarms were too loud for anybody to hear her.


    With bullets flying everywhere around and towards him, Adam smiled as he activated the Unique Step Skip Skill.

 Chapter 267: Underground Base Part 2

    There were 10 guards all trained in the military that were armed with automatic rifles and knives and were also wearing bulletproof armour.


    The Underground Base was quite small, but there were quite a few rooms that served different purposes and powerful and important individuals would have multiple Underground Bases in different places.


    It was a safe and secure place to stay and do work, while in this case was a place for the head of the NYPD to rest and recover from whatever he was suffering from.


    "Stacey get back in the head''s room. There is a dangerous intruder out there" said the two guards that were stationed outside the room her grandfather was resting in.


    "It isn''t an intruder, it was somebody that I called to come and help the head" stated Stacey as she tried to get through the two of them.


    "Did you not hear the gunshots? He is probably already dead" the two guards said.


    "It is not him I am worried about, it is the guards," she said before pushing through and rushing towards where the hatch was.


    A few bullets scraped Adam as he attempted to avoid them, but they couldn''t even pierce into his body with his defensive techniques activated as he appeared behind two of the guards and punched them both in the back of the head.


    Then running on the wall to his side, Adam with his speed was able to do so and struck one of the two guards left with a flying knee.


    Snatching the gun off the guard that was left, Adam threw it behind him then punched the guard straight in his stomach, launching him flying backwards.


    In a second, all four of the guards had been taken down, but Adam had suffered a few light wounds around his body from the shots that were fired from a very close distance.


    However, they had barely pierced into his body because of his enhanced resistance and with his body''s fast recovery, they would leave only bruises in a short while.


    "Which way should I go?" mumbled Adam to himself as he spread his spiritual sense down both sides of the corridor.


    From one side, he sensed a few guards coming, while on the other side, he sensed a young lady accompanied by two guards.


    "I will go this way then" decided Adam, assuming that the young lady was the assistant that he spoke to on the phone.


    Stacey was worried that Adam had killed the guards as he was clearly capable of doing so and had threatened to kill and had killed multiple times.


    "Turn off the alarm and connect me to the speakers" instructed Stacey who despite merely being an assistant, was also the granddaughter of the head.


    The two guards nodded and did as she said, as they handed her a phone, that was connected to all the speakers throughout the underground base.


    "Adam please don''t kill anyone and all the guards, stand down immediately" she shouted down the phone, causing an echo throughout the underground base.


    The guards around the small underground base recognised her voice and calmed down, while Adam had turned the corner that he had sensed Stacey and two guards were around.


    "Hello. You''re the assistant, right?" said Adam after casually turning the corner.


    Adam''s clothing had tears in them and there were small dots of blood, but for somebody that had been shot multiple times, it was incredible.


    Stacey couldn''t help but lift his shirt to see Adam''s rippling abs that had a few bruises and faint wounds, but nothing that one would expect from a bullet, especially from an automatic rifle at such a close distance.


    "Like what you see?" teased Adam as Stacey blushed and jumped back before composing herself.


    "Follow me," she said before leading Adam towards the room that the head of the NYPD was resting in.


    "Are you sure that is the right thing to do?" asked the two guards as they went to grab Adam, but before they could even lay a hand on him, Adam struck them both in the head lightly.


    Although to him he had struck them lightly, with his mastery of boxing and the power of his body, the punch was enough to instantly knock them out and even leave a dent in their heads if it wasn''t for the helmet they were wearing.


    It all happened too quickly for Stacey to stop Adam as she turned to scold him.


    "Was that really necessary? We get it, your an amazing cultivator, but stop taking people down"


    Adam didn''t know how to react as he began to laugh at how brave she was.


    If he were in her position he would be very scared of the cultivator before her that she didn''t know much about and had taken down over half of her guards and yet she dared to scold him.


    "What''s so funny? My grandfather is the...." she said before stopping herself and realising who she was talking to.


    [Yet another arrogant and pompous person just because of who their relatives are. These people are really annoying and usually never achieve much for themselves] thought Adam to himself as he walked past her and entered the room that he sensed the head of the NYPD was laying in.


    "Hey, what are you doing? How did you know what room it was?" she exclaimed as she jogged after Adam to catch up to him.


    Although she was intimidated by Adam''s presence and knew that he could kill them all and get away with it, Stacey had to act bravely and ensure her own safety and that of her grandfather.


    Grabbing a chair that was in the room, Adam placed it on the ground, beside the head of the NYPD, then using his spiritual sense, peered into his body as he placed his hand on his chest.


    "What are you doing?" asked Stacey who was confused and curious by Adam''s weird actions.


    "You are getting annoying now. Shut up and sit in the corner before I lose my patience and kill you both" scolded Adam before returning his spiritual sense into the head of the NYPD''s body.

 Chapter 268: Healing The NYPD Head

    Stacey, who had just been scolded by Adam, couldn''t help but shake as she stumbled backwards and sat in the corner silently, just like he had instructed.


    Adam didn''t even need to use his killing intent or aura and his presence was enough to completely dominate Stacey, who despite being brave, had no chance with Adam.


    Seeping his spiritual sense into the head of the NYPD''s body, Adam didn''t find any internal energy and his body was very weak and frail.


    From the way he looked and the state of his body, Adam would guess that he was in his late sixties, but he would die within the next few days due to organ failure.


    Around his organs, Adam could sense a purple mist and he didn''t recognise it. At first, he thought that it might be some type of impurities, but impurities merely clog up energy pathways and bloodstreams, making it harder to function.


    However, the purple mist was destructive and was eating away at the head of the NYPD''s body.


    [Ava, this is poison right?] asked Adam within his mind.


    {Yes, that is correct} she affirmed.


    [Can you tell how long the poison has been within his body?] asked Adam who was curious to find out how effective and deadly the poison was.


    {Not long. A few days at most} she answered.


    Everything was becoming interesting and it was clear that there was somebody that wanted to take out the head of the NYPD, but Adam didn''t have the time or patience to worry about that.


    [Is the pill enough to exterminate the poison and heal him] asked Adam who didn''t want him to die as he was going to form a useful alliance with him.


    {Yes it should be enough, however, the effects won''t be instant like with your aunt. The vitality and energy within the pill will strengthen and recover the man''s body and organs while fighting the poison, but it will take time and he won''t recover for the next few days or even weeks} answered Ava.


    Removing his hand from the NYPD head''s chest and retracting his spiritual sense, Adam opened the old man''s mouth and fed him the brown pill that he had in his hand.


    Stacey was too slow to react and even if she could, wouldn''t dare to do so after being threatened by Adam, as she watched what was happening from the sideline and hoped for the best.


    Adam sat down and watched what was happening with his spiritual sense and could see the medicinal energy spread around the NYPD head''s body and begin to heal his organs and strengthen them enough to begin to expel the poison.


    After a few seconds, the NYPD head who had fallen asleep from the weakness he felt in his body suddenly got up and coughed up a large curdle of dark red blood and the blood had some purple liquid mixed into it.


    [It seems that you have underestimated the NYPD head''s body and willpower. He would have made a good cultivator, but it is too late for him. The peak ages are from 18 to 25-40 depending on each individual and their talent] said Adam to Ava.


    {Yes, it seems as though I was mistaken. He has already coughed out a large part of the poison and should be able to recover in 2 days} she estimated.


    Adam had and his allies had to make the most of their youth and cultivate as much as they could and lay down a strong foundation, as if not, they would find it very hard to progress in the future.


    Energy was quite scarce in the city compared to special environments that were dense with energy and their cultivation would halt at a certain point, which Adam didn''t have to worry about.


    Looking at Stacey who had jumped up and rushed over to the head, Adam was also impressed by her bravery despite being someone that wasn''t a cultivator.


    "What did you do to him?" she said as she charged towards Adam planning to hit him.


    Adam smiled and stood there as he activated his defensive techniques and allowed her to hit him.


    Before the NYPD head could stop his granddaughter, she launched a flimsy fist at Adam''s chest and with her bad technique and Adam''s high resistance, managed to break her wrist.


    She let out a shriek of pain as the head of the NYPD who was looking slightly younger and much healthier already managed to get up and get to her side.


    "Stacey, are you okay?" he asked as he saw her wrist that clearly hurt and had already become swollen.


    Looking at Adam who stood there with a slight smile on his face, the NYPD head couldn''t help but think to himself, ''What the hell is this guy made out of?''


    "Listen up, I have something to say" stated Adam.


    "First of all, you shut up with your crying. You shouldn''t have tried to hit me and as you can see, that old man is clearly better, so don''t jump to conclusions. Secondly, I need to get this alliance finalised now before I leave" said Adam.


    It was clear that Stacey was in the wrong and Adam was doing them a favour, but she couldn''t help but feel some hate and anger towards him.


    "Could you heal her just like you did with me?" asked the head of the NYPD, who didn''t want to see the granddaughter that he had protected and spoilt her entire life be in pain.


    Adam shook his head as he answered, "I don''t have any more medicine and even if I did, I wouldn''t waste it n such a small injury and such a useless individual. They are very valuable and she hurt herself"


    His answer was blunt and harsh, but completely true and they had no way to argue.


    "I am sure you have a doctor in here that was trying to heal you. Get them to patch up her wrist and it should heal in a few weeks, meanwhile, we can finalise our alliance and sign any contracts that we need to sign"

 Chapter 269: Returning To Masters Dojo

    The head of the NYPD couldn''t argue with Adam anyway, but since he had saved and healed him, he didn''t want to seem ungrateful or disrespectful.


    "Stacey go to the doctor and when your wrist is bandaged up, you will come back and apologise to Adam" instructed the NYPD head.


    "But... but"


    "No buts, go and do as I say. Now leave" he ordered as she did as he said, being scolded by her grandfather for the first time.


    "Wait here for one minute Adam. I will clean myself and get the contracts so that were can talk properly and I apologise if you feel offended in any way" said the NYPD head respectfully before leaving after his granddaughter.


    Adam sat on the chair and entered his mindscape as he relaxed in his mindscape with Ava and awaited the NYPD head''s return.


    With Ava having gained sentience, she was much more open to sharing information with Adam that she was allowed to and whenever Adamw could find the time, he would ask her questions about anything he was curious about or didn''t know.


    After a few minutes, the head of the NYPD returned with a few sheets of paper in his hands and he had cleaned himself up and changed the clothes he was wearing that were stained with blood.


    "Before we begin, I would like to thank you for saving me and apologise for my granddaughter''s behaviour. I hope this doesn''t affect our alliance" said the NYPD head.


    "I don''t have time for this. I am not going to hold a grudge about her attempting to punch me as she ended up getting hurt anyway and I just want to finish this and leave" replied Adam directly.


    The NYPD head nodded his head and sat beside Adam, then placed the documents before him.


    Adam looked at each of the pages for a few seconds, then turned to the NYPD head and asked for a pen.


    "Are you not going to read the contract? What if I added something secretly?" asked the NYPD head.


    "First of all, I did read through it. Secondly, you wouldn''t dare to do so as you know I would kill you, and even if you did, what is a flimsy piece of paper with some words on it going to do. Are you going to take me to court?" answered Adam confidently.


    "Listen, I will give you a friendly piece of advice. You need to train your guards who seem loyal as cultivators and completely change your mindset. Power in this world is secretly only given to those with cultivation power and if you think you are powerful, you haven''t seen anything and can be killed within an instant"


    Taking the pen that the NYPD head handed over to him, Adam signed the contract quickly then handed it over to him.


    "You are deciding to get involved with cultivators, so you should be careful and nothing can be hidden for long these days. My Faction is known as the Sentinels and you will give them complete freedom in the city from now on and you can be sure that they won''t be causing trouble but will merely be expanding. The fact that I am the leader should be kept secret and if there is something urgent in the next year before our alliance is in action, you can try and contact them and tell them that you are an acquaintance of mine" stated Adam as he got up to leave.


    "Are you leaving so soon?" asked the NYPD head, who wanted to show Adam his appreciation for healing him, knowing that without his help, he probably would have died.


    "Yes, and I will give you another piece of advice just because we will be in an alliance in the future. You were poisoned and the poison was deadly and damaged your internal organs. You need a few days rest and you can probably feel a lot of energy and warmth spreading around your body, which will help you recover to your peak. Be careful with who you keep around you as it seems as though somebody wants to get rid of you" informed him Adam before leaving the room and heading back towards the hatch that he had broken in from.


    The NYPD head was shocked by that revelation and thought that it was merely some sort of illness or old age that was getting to him, but it seems as though he was mistaken.


    He didn''t know who it could be, but he trusted Adam and knew that he had no reason to lie to him, especially after he had saved him.


    ''It is time for me to become more active in my role as the NYPD head and it is time to reform, improve and strengthen my agency for the safety of this city''


    Remembering something, Adam went back to the room the NYPD head was still sat in.


    "Oh, and you should also prepare yourself for some big changes in this city that might even affect the entire country. Territory, resources and power are what most cultivators are fighting for and a war will probably soon erupt" warned Adam, before heading back towards the hatch.


    [Illussaion Barriers can only do so much to hide cultivation, but the destruction will be the same and it is best that I warned him now so that he can try his best to prepare himself and protect the civilians] thought Adam to himself as he climbed up the ladder and left the Underground Base.


    He had sorted out everything that he had to sort out in the city before leaving and he had already bid farewell to those that he cared about, so all that was left was to buy some snacks and head to his master.


    Adam had complete faith in all of his friends and was excited to see how much they would progress in the next year and they felt the same way about him.


    With their help and the Dungeon System with him, there was nothing that could stop Adam as he drove towards his master''s dojo with a duffel bag along with his storage compartments filled with snacks.

 Chapter 270: Talk With Master Part 1

    "Grandfather, where is Adam?" asked Stacey who had calmed down and returned to the room the NYPD head was previously resting in, with a cast on her wrist.


    The old man was deep in thought, trying to figure out who it might be that poisoned him and also thinking about everything that Adam had told him.


    "He is long gone" he answered, before returning to his deep contemplation.


    "But, I didn''t get to apologise to him" she mumbled.


    "Don''t worry, he couldn''t care less about you or you trying to hit him. Just let the guards know that we will be moving soon and our first stop will be the main headquarters of the NYPD. Also, tell them to be on high alert" instructed the NYPD head.


    Stacey couldn''t decline as his assistant and granddaughter as she did exactly as he said.


    Meanwhile, Adam had arrived at the Illusion Array that was around the forest and mountains that were around his master''s dojo.


    However, what was weird was that he sensed its presence for the first time and it made him think that there was something wrong with his master since his master would usually be in complete control of the array and would conceal its presence.


    Without thinking about it, Adam bought a A Rank Mortal Recovery Pill from the store and transferred it over to his inventory in reality.


    Withdrawing the pill, Adam placed it in his pocket, just in case his master needed it, then drove slowly through the trees and towards his master''s dojo.


    [Please be okay, I still haven''t had the chance to repay you and help you, while you also haven''t had the chance to truly accept me as your disciple] hoped Adam who didn''t want to lose anybody else.


    Parking his motorcycle outside the dojo, not afraid that it would be stolen, as no one should be able to get through the Illusion Array without his master''s permission, and not caring much anyway, he dashed into the dojo.


    His master lay in the same corner that he was usually in, but his face winced and he was clearly in some sort of pain as Adam rushed over to him.


    "Are you okay master?" asked Adam as he placed his fingers on his pulse.


    His master''s pulse was faint and slower than it should be, but Adam couldn''t see what was causing it and it was probably because his lifeforce and vitality were running out.


    Adam already knew that his master was using some sort of forbidden technique to increase his lifespan, but he was hoping that he could still use it and didn''t want his master to die so soon.


    [Ava, would the pill help him in any way] asked Adam within his mind.


    {It should give him some energy and vitality, helping him to stabilise, but at the rate that his body and cultivation is decaying, he doesn''t have long} answered Ava.


    Hearing that, Adam placed the pill in his master''s mouth without hesitation and prayed for the best as he sat him up and waited for him to absorb the medicinal properties, vitality and energy that were present in the pill.


    There were barely any impurities within the pill since it was an A Rank, high quality pill as his master was surprised by Adam suddenly feeding him the pill.


    He had sensed Adam coming and allowed him through the Illusion Array, but he was in so much pain that he was barely managing to stay in control of the array and also didn''t sense that Adam had a pill with him.


    Adam tried to use his spiritual sense to monitor his master''s body, just wanting to see whether the pill he provided him was useful, but it was blocked off by his master''s own spiritual sense, which made Adam even more curious about what his master wasn''t telling him.


    After a few minutes, his master finally opened his eyes and seemed to have recovered slightly because of the pill, but it was clear that he was still weakened and had lost a lot of weight.


    "Master, what is going on?" asked Adam who was worried about him.


    He knew that his master was an incredible individual with a profound past, but sitting in a dojo alone for centuries was something that would make anybody become insane and his master still didn''t tell him the truth about his past.


    "First, give me those snacks in the bag and tell me where you have been all this time, then after that, I will answer your question," said his master who was drooling for the snacks that Adam had in the duffel bag.


    Seeing that his master was still his usual self, Adam relaxed slightly, but it was clear to him that his master was just deflecting and putting up a front.


    Adam handed over the duffel bag to his master, then carried over everything else that he had stored within his motorcycle.


    While his master was hungrily scoffing down what Adam had given him, he sat beside him and begun telling him everything that had happened to him while he was gone.


    Adam started from the beginning and began telling him everything that he hadn''t told his master, excluding anything to do with the Dungeon System.


    When he mentioned Elizabeth''s family and past, his master''s expression changed slightly, which Adam noticed and took note of and whenever Adam mentioned the large cultivation families of New York, it seemed to be a sore spot for his master.


    "Listen, Master, I do not want to go against you and you instructed me to stay away from the large cultivation families, but their young family heads are my friends. One was somebody that I grew up with and regard as a brother, while the other is a friend of mine that I trust and support. I hope that you can understand and accept that" said Adam after he had finished talking about the incident at the Epstein Family Arena.


    Pushing away all the wrappers and waste that was left after he had finished wolfing down everything that Adam had given him, his master had a reminiscent expression and didn''t know what to say.

 Chapter 271: Talk With Master Part 2

    "I am not sure that I can do that. I didn''t want you allying yourself with them and..." said his master before being interrupted by Adam.


    "Master you are wrong. I don''t know what they did to you or what your relationship is with the large cultivation families, but the young family heads that are my friends didn''t do anything to you and I am allied with them. You are still stuck in the past and need to let go of any fears or grudges that you hold because they are holding you back" said Adam directly.


    The old man didn''t know how to react to what Adam said and deep down knew that he was right, but didn''t want to accept it.


    "I only told you about the things that went well, but I didn''t tell you about everything else. My adoptive mother, who I would call my aunt, was taken over by an Evil Soul and was able to easily overpower me and run off with my aunt''s body" revealed Adam.


    "You think you are the only one that went through hardship, pain and betrayal. I was betrayed recently and my aunt would have been killed if she wasn''t luckily saved and it was also a tipping point for her that allowed the Evil Soul to manipulate her and take over her body" shouted Adam.


    "Pain and hardship are all I ever feel and I can never tell anybody, but I use it as a drive and keep moving forwards rather than hiding away. I am sure you know a lot about cultivation and probably also know about the Evil Cultivation Organisation that keeps toying with me and affecting the lives of others, but instead of trying to fight your past and solve your problems, you are hiding" shouted Adam.


    He hadn''t had the chance to say what he was feeling to someone other than Ava who knew what he felt and used the chance to vent on his master, hoping that it would help his master get out of the state he was in.


    "You have probably noticed that I cultivate in my sleep, but you have no idea just how painful it is for me and yet, I am still trying my best to be happy, increase my power and move forwards. I came here to train with you in order to become powerful enough to get back my aunt''s body and also fight that Evil Cultivation Organisation, but it seems that despite your power and knowledge, you have lost your fighting spirit and drive" stated Adam who knew that his master had probably realised it and it was also a good chance to get that off his chest.


    If he was going to be training with his master for an entire year and his cultivation progressing quickly, he needed to be able to explain it and being honest with his master was the best thing.


    His master wanted to refute what Adam was saying and become angry, but he could see that Adam was clearly warning the best for him and was right.


    "Is there anything else that has happened while you were gone?" asked his master, not wanting to address what Adam had just said to him.


    Adam calmed down and could see that his master understood where he was coming from, before telling him everything else that had happened.


    He told him about Chase, but didn''t mention the Monk Inheritance as it wasn''t his secret to tell, and told him about how Chase and Elizabeth were going to be the first to be leaders in the faction he was forming.


    His master was surprised by the fact that Adam forming a faction, but Adam told him that he was planning to take down that Evil Cultivation Organisation that might have had something to do with the Evil Soul being in his aunt and that he wanted to strop them from harming innocents.


    "And you trust them to leave them as the leaders of the faction you are planning to form?" asked his master.


    "Yes I do and although Elizabeth isn''t able to cultivate at all, they will both become key parts of my faction" affirmed Adam confidently.


    Hearing that Elizabeth couldn''t cultivate at all, Adam''s master was surprised as even someone who wasn''t talented at all in cultivation would be able to cultivate.


    "It must be that she has a special constitution. Just like her ancestor" said the old man.


    "What is a special constitution and how do you know her ancestor?" asked Adam who was hoping to draw more information out of his master.


    "A special constitution is a rare type of body that has special effects, abilities or conditions on their cultivation. They are very rare and many of them aren''t of much use or are hard to be awakened, but the one that your friend has is probably a Medicinal Constitution. Her family, before it was destroyed, was focused around producing medicine and healing, which was because their ancestor had that constitution and he could only cultivate through a special method" answered his master.


    "You don''t really need to know the details, but just think of it as she can only cultivate by using medicine and rare resources through a certain method"


    "I never thought such things existed, so if she gets her hands on the right method and resources, she should be able to cultivate" mumbled Adam to himself.


    Adam then went on to mention his alliance with the NYPD and briefly told him about what had happened with that, then they both went silent for a while and his master didn''t know what to say.


    "Master. Do you know of the Evil Cultivation Organisation that I speak of? I don''t know what they call themselves, who they are and what their goal is, but I have seen traces and they have made it clear that they want to mess with my life and do as they please from the shadows" asked Adam.


    "Also do you know about Evil Souls and what is your relation to the large cultivation families?" asked Adam who had so many questions for his master, since Ava could only tell him so much with the restrictions placed on her by the system.

 Chapter 272: Answers Part 1

    "Master, I think it''s time you finally answer my questions. I have proved myself to be loyal and trustworthy and even if I am not, you can still kill me" urged Adam.


    "Well, I guess I don''t have much time left anyway. The pill you gave me only delayed the inevitable and I won''t be able to dodge death for much longer. You said you wanted to train for an entire year, and I should be able to hold out for that long, but after that, I think it would be best for me to let go of this life" stated his master after accepting that it was time to die ad let go of everything that was holding him down.


    "I have prolonged my life for too long and I have no other option but to depart my legacy onto you. If you accept, from here on out you are my last and only disciple and I will be giving you a lot of knowledge and everything I have, but will also be placing a very heavy burden on your shoulders"


    "I have many enemies and there are many things that you do not know about that might come after you once you accept this legacy of mine. I cannot promise you much, but I can give you my all, but..." said his master before Adam stopped him.


    "I was planning to fulfil your wishes to repay you anyway. Your enemies are my enemies and anything that you weren''t able to achieve or do in your life, that you wanted to do, I will do it on your behalf" declared Adam as he accepted his master''s offer and bowed to him.


    "Now then you stinky brat, why don''t we have a little spar while we chat. I haven''t been able to move my old bones in so long and it will be beneficial for me to have a little spar and circulate my energy" suggested the old man as he slowly got up.


    "Sure" accepted Adam who was eager to find out just how capable he was and whether he would have a chance against his master after all the progress he had made.


    Getting up, Adam was glad that he was able to get through to his master and was also glad that his master finally accepted him.


    "Master, is there no way to extend your life any further?" asked Adam who didn''t want his master to die without seeing everything that he was able to achieve in his name.


    "I could live off pills, forbidden or evil methods, but I don''t want to live any longer. After I am happy with what I have left behind in this world, which is you, I can die happily. You have helped me realise that I need to move on and for that I am grateful" answered his master who seemed to have come to terms with his ending life.


    "If that is how you feel, I cannot force you to live, but I would want you to see everything that I do in the future," said Adam.


    "I will be watching, but from above instead" replied his master with a smile.


    However, that smile disappeared within an instant and so did he as he suddenly appeared behind Adam.


    Adam. who had become much faster and had much sharper senses and reflexes, was able to turn quickly enough and block his master''s kick to his side with his arm.


    Despite blocking it with his arm, Adam was sent sliding to the side from the power of his master''s kick and it seemed as though he was planning to hold back less.


    "What is your relation to the large cultivation families of New York?" asked Adam as he rushed towards his master and held his arms up in a boxing stance.


    His boxing mastery and hand to hand combat were very useful and Adam hadn''t used them much since he would usually use a weapon, but against his master, he could practise and train all of his combat knowledge.


    "I was once the master of the ancestors that formed the families and was the one that departed onto them cultivation methods. The ancestor of the Carlson Family was the one with the special constitution and was the most kind-hearted out of them that only wanted to heal others, but I guess that after I was backstabbed, they backstabbed him as well" answered the old man as he evaded all of Adam''s rapid and accurate punches to his face.


    "I guessed that it was something like that, but I thought that it was too unbelievable to be true, but it seems that I was wrong," said Adam as a blade of energy was flung towards him from his master''s hand.


    It was too fast to evade, so instead, Adam decided to use his Step Skip Unique Skill to appear behind his master, which shocked the old man who had never seen Adam use such an ability.


    He couldn''t help but be amazed by Adam''s sudden movement and since he was faster than Adam, he could tell that Adam had somehow teleported and didn''t actually move behind him.


    However, despite Adam appearing behind him, his master was still faster than him and turned around and blocked Adam''s punches to the back of his head.


    "This is the first time I have forced you to block, but it will probably be the last for a while. Now that I have used this ability once, you won''t underestimate me and also will use more of your power" said Adam who was pushed back by a sudden palm attack that launched a gust of wind towards him.


    It wasn''t an attack that used a Wind Elemental Affinity, but somehow used his energy to amplify the power of his attack and push the air towards him.


    Adam was launched flying backwards, and despite blocking the attack wit his arms, was slammed through the wall of the dojo and into the forest.


    "This battle is getting fun. Show me what you got Adam" said his master who dashed after him.

 Chapter 273: Answers Part 2

    The power of the Air Palm Strike was shocking and Adam back slammed into a thick tree, but before the impact, he activated both his defence techniques to increase his resistance.


    "That is a nice attack. Can you teach me it?" asked Adam as he launched himself off from the tree and clashed with his master in midair.


    "Sure, you are now my disciple and I will try to teach you as much as I can before I can no longer teach you" answered his master who grabbed his arm and flung him down onto the ground.


    "Your power hasn''t increased by much, but your combat prowess has and you have also gained a new ability," said his master as he charged downwards and landed on top of Adam.


    "So you knew I was holding back before?" asked Adam.


    "Yes, it was clear to me that you were holding back in our previous spars, but it seems that both of us are trusting each other more" affirmed his master.


    The old man went to strike Adam, who lay in the crater that was formed by his crash landing, but Adam suddenly disappeared and appeared a few metres away from him.


    "What do you know about Evil Souls?" asked Adam who was using the trees and his nimbleness to his advantage as he dashed around and attempted to strike his master.


    "I honestly cannot tell you much about it. I have heard of Evil Souls and you can think of it as a soul of someone who has cultivated an Evil Cultivation Method. It allows one to cultivate their soul separately from the body and allows them to inhabit other peoples'' bodies. However, souls are a very profound and complicated concept that even I as a cultivator am yet to experience or know much about" answered his master.


    "I also think that your aunt''s situation is different. An Evil Soul usually wouldn''t inhabit a weak and useless body, which your aunt seems to have, and from what you have told me, the Evil Soul has been waiting in your aunt''s body for a chance to take over for months. This situation is something different and I think even that Evil Cultivation Organisation that you speak of has nothing to do with it as they are not capable of such a thing" he continued.


    "I thought so, but I couldn''t confirm. So if she wasn''t targetted to get to me, what do you think the reason is for the Evil Soul to want my aunt''s body?" asked Adam as he dashed back into the dojo and grabbed two daggers from the wall.


    Using the Step Skip Dagger Jolt Combo Adam appeared in front of his master and went to slash his neck without holding back, however his master was able to narrowly dodge the attack and kicked Adam away.


    "That was close, are you really trying to kill me? You do know that I am in a very weak state and my focus is also split with the arrays, so can merely display the power of an ordinary Advanced Cultivator" exclaimed his master.


    "I went in for the kill, but that wasn''t my intention. If you couldn''t dodge it, then you are too slow" answered Adam as he laughed and began to feel the exhilarating adrenaline rush of battle.


    "Alright then, get ready," said his master before returning into the dojo and equipping himself with a bow and arrows.


    Coating them in Internal Energy, increasing the power, speed and sharpness of the arrows, the old man began to wildly fire arrows towards Adam, who was barely managing to avoid them using the trees around him.


    "Ah! Answer my question" wailed Adam as an arrow pierced deep into his shoulder.


    "Heh, it just means that you are too slow" scoffed his master, using the same thing back to Adam.


    If it wasn''t for the defensive techniques, the arrow would have done much more damage and would have easily pierced through the entire body of an ordinary Novice Cultivator.


    "About your aunt''s situation. I think the most probable answer is that she was born with that Evil Soul within he or the Evil Soul was bound to her body somehow, but if it was a normal Evil Soul and situation, it would have already left her body and looked for a more suitable body. I sensed the power of the Evil Soul and it was something that I have never seen. It is definitely the soul of a powerful and profound evil cultivator, but yet your aunt is the more dominant soul in this position, which is due to her willpower and because it was her body in the first place" stated his master.


    "There shouldn''t be anyone that can physically harm your aunt with that Evil Soul awakened within her, but your aunt''s mind, body and soul will be affected by everything that the Evil Soul does with her body and you should be prepared for those changes. I don''t have the answers when it comes to your aunt, but all I can say is that you need to subdue her before she becomes too powerful or does something that cannot be reversed" he continued.


    Adam had a much better understanding of what might be going on with his aunt, but it still wasn''t clear what the situation was and the best thing he could do was stay calm and use everything he was feeling as a drive to propel his power forwards.


    Being hit by a few other arrows, Adam losing quite a lot of blood and was in quite a bit of, pain but was enjoying every second of their battle and wanted to continue and receive more answers to his questions.


    "And that Evil Cultivation Organisation that you seem to know of, what exactly is it and what are they after?" asked Adam.


    It was clear that his master knew about it and was also nervous to go against them, but since they had agreed to be more transparent, the old man decided to tell Adam most of what he knew.

 Chapter 274: Answers Part 3

    "I will give you some advice before I tell you about them, do not make yourself an enemy of them or engage in combat against them until you have surpassed the Advanced Cultivation Level" warned him his master.


    Hearing that, Adam was shocked as he was yet to hear any cultivator surpassing the Advanced Cultivation.


    From what he knew from the system, there were 6 Cultivation Levels in the Mortal Cultivation Realm, but all the cultivators that Adam knew or heard of hadn''t managed to get past the second one.


    "Are they really that dangerous?" asked Adam as he pulled out an arrow from his leg and launched a powerful punch at his master''s stomach.


    Although he knew that taking out the arrow would make it so that blood would flow out of the wound, especially if he was moving around, but that wouldn''t affect him much as a cultivator.


    Using his internal energy, Adam could close the wounds and his recovery speed was extremely fast anyway, so he didn''t have anything to worry about.


    "They are much more dangerous than you can imagine. In this world, all you have seen so far are small-time cultivation families and organisations and the reason why they all agree to work with the countries military is because of the threats that the entire world has to deal with. Some countries have much more powerful cultivators than this country and the maps that are shown to you of the world aren''t necessarily real" said his master.


    "Ancient cultivation families, sects, organisations or whatever you want to call them are a group of powerful, talented and capable cultivators that have over 10,000 years of heritage. Cultivation wasn''t even discovered by this country at that time and the world''s energy density is slowly increasing over time which is why more and more cultivators are appearing. Eventually, cultivation will become the norm and take over the world, however, those ancient groups will and are standing at the peak since they already have control of the places with the most resources and the highest energy density" he continued.


    Hearing that, Adam was shocked and hadn''t noticed the energy becoming denser since he had only recently become a cultivator, but the amount of cultivators they were was surprising for him.


    "So the Evil Cultivation Organisation is one of these ancient groups?" asked Adam.


    "Yes, if we are both speaking of the same organisation then they are a group that seeks to turn the entire world into a world of destruction, death and war, which is a world that Evil Cultivoatrs would thrive in. They are working in the shadows and other ancient groups, even if they banded together struggle to deal with them as they are working for others they cannot afford to get into conflict with. However, some of the ancient groups that aren''t to do with evil cultivation also have powerful backers" answered his master.


    His answer was very vague and Adam wanted to ask about who the backers were, but it wasn''t important to him and it was clear that his master didn''t or couldn''t tell him who they were.


    "Alright then, forget about their backers and the Evil Cultivation Organisation. As long as they don''t have anything to do with what happened to my aunt and don''t come after me, those I care about or my territory, I will delay my attack on them. Instead, let''s move onto you" said Adam as he launched a powerful and fast kick towards his master''s face.


    His master who was deep in thought about everything he was talking to Adam about couldn''t dodge the kick and blocked it with his arm and was pushed sliding backwards because of the impact, but didn''t seem to be hurt by it.


    "What do you want to know?" asked the old man who was open to questions from Adam who he had accepted as his disciple.


    "Bernard is your name, right? Who are you? Where are you from? What cultivation level are you at?" asked Adam who had so many things that he didn''t know about his master.


    "Bernard! How the hell do you know that name?" he exclaimed before dashing towards Adam and pinning him down onto the ground.


    "That name was given to me by my mother, but she was killed and after that, I took on a new name. The only people that knew that name should be long dead or have forgotten about it. And even if you knew of me, you wouldn''t call me that name" he said.


    Hearing that, Adam realised how weird and shocking it would be for him to know his name and he had no way to explain it.


    He had used the Status Peerig Feature previously and all he saw was his master''s first name and nothing else, but he couldn''t tell his master that.


    "A lucky guess" answered Adam with a wry smile.


    Pushing his master off him, it was clear that by mentioning his old and real name, Adam had reminded his master of many painful memories from his life.


    "Master I am sorry if I angered you and I really can''t explain how I know your name, I think you must have mentioned it in your sleep or something," said Adam as his master launched two Air Palm Strikes towards him and launched him flying and slamming into a tree behind him.


    "Yes, Bernard was my name, but that changed centuries ago. You want to know who I am, well for now all I can say is that I am from one of those ancient groups, a family to be exact. My family was one of the powerful ones out of the recognised ancient families and I was one of the rising talents. My twin brother wasn''t as talented and became jealous" said his master with a sorrowful and reminiscent expression as he sat down and signalled for Adam to come and sit beside him.


    Adam''s back was aching from the powerful blow that he just suffered, but hearing his master''s story and seeing that he was serious, he got up and sat beside him.

 Chapter 275: Masters Past Part 1

    His master''s story sounded like a sad one from the short beginning that he had heard and the expression that he had on his face, so Adam also became serious and sat silently as the old man took a deep breath.


    "You are the second person that I am telling my story to. My disloyal disciples didn''t get the chance to hear it and my partner who was the first person I opened up to, was killed soon after hearing it" said his master.


    Adam couldn''t help but feel sorry for his master who had a life full of misery, death and sadness and could no longer blame him for not being able to trust or move on with his life after so many centuries.


    After telling him that, the old man turned to Adam wanting to see if he had been intimidated by what he had said.


    "Master, you do not have to worry. I won''t be scared away and will make sure that you are avenged once I am strong enough and will make sure that your legacy lives on" reassured him Adam.


    Hearing that, the old man smiled and was sure that his luck had changed with Adam who was able to do things that were unbelievable and extraordinary, even in the eyes of someone who had come from a powerful ancient family.


    "Alright then, let me start from the beginning," he said after taking a deep breath and preparing to tell Adam everything about his past.


    "My father was an influential figure within an ancient family that I do not wish to specify yet, while my mother was an averagely talented cultivator, but couldn''t be compared to him in terms of power, status and talent. However, they were both in love and very good parents. Although I wouldn''t see much of my father since he would be busy within the family and would spend most of his time cultivating and training, he was always caring with me, my brother and my mother. Our father didn''t force us to cultivate and I wanted to enjoy a normal and fun life, while my brother was more hooked on being powerful. It was probably because he was the younger and smaller twin brother"


    "Occasionally when there are twins, there is one that is more dominant in the womb and I was that twin. I was the one that was genetically stronger and more talented, and also since my father had given my mother lots of resources to strengthen us as babies, I was the more talented twin and absorbed most of them" continued his master.


    Adam listened closely to his story and despite him being from an incredible and powerful ancient family, the story sounded normal and humans are always the same no matter how powerful they are.


    "My father died and even I do not the reason he died or how he died, but I am sure that it was one of my uncles or relatives that took him out for their own gain. However, despite being sure of that, nobody believed me and my mother told me not to speak about it unless I wanted to get myself killed. I felt helpless, so I decided to cultivate and train as hard as I could within the family so that I could become powerful enough to avenge my father"


    "However by doing so, my twin brother, who was previously a good brother and would suppress his envy, became very jealous. I wouldn''t talk to him or spend much time with him and he must have assumed that it was because I thought that I was above him, but the truth was that my father''s death had hit me hard. We grew further and further apart and after my mother died, we both snapped"


    "The last thing my twin brother told me before attacking me was that it was my fault that mother had died. I had gotten into an altercation with one of my distant relatives that was due to become the next family head and beat him up after sneak attacking him outside the family. I thought nothing of it, but a week later, my brother and mother were home while I was away training and they were attacked. The last thing that was said to them was that it was my fault before my mother was killed and my brother as well. However, the truth was they failed to kill my brother and he had used a technique to stop his heartbeat and make it seem as though he had died"


    "My brother lost an arm and an eye and his cultivation base was destroyed by a horrible skill that was used by the attackers known as the Crushing Fist. The skill made it so that it was almost impossible for my brother to cultivate again and after telling me everything that happened and spitting on my face, he left. His jealousy added onto the fact I was partly the cause for our mother''s death and his injuries had caused him to hate me more than anything"


    What the old man was telling Adam had occurred centuries ago, and yet it was something that was weighing down on his master and it was clear that he didn''t mean for any of that to happen.


    "After that, I could no longer cultivate as the guilt and pain I felt affected my mental state too much and I stayed in the family, while my brother disappeared. Since I hadn''t progressed much, after a few decades, which was like a few years for the ancient families, I became the weakest of my peers"


    "I suffered abuse from my family and other families and life was hell. I had lost everything and didn''t have the will to live, however, I couldn''t give up on life either as after my mother and father died, I knew how lonely and scary death was. After experiencing such abuse for longer I decided to leave the family....."

 Chapter 276: Masters Past Part 2

    "The ancient lands are hidden and secret places that are spread around the world where the ancients live. One couldn''t even get close to them and even if an ordinary person did get close to them using some sort of vehicle, they wouldn''t be able to find it with all the arrays around the ancient lands that make them impossible to find"


    "One couldn''t leave the ancient lands once one became an ancient and who would want to leave them. Using arrays they had formed the perfect environment for cultivation of thousands of years and it was a heaven on earth. It was safe from any external dangers and if one they stayed there, compared to the rest of the world, they could think of themselves as gods of sorts, since they could roam around the rest of the world freely"


    "Even children on ancient lands are peak Novice Cultivators and Advanced Cultivators and the ancient land I was from was one that you would call Asian. Even if I didn''t go out of my way to cultivate, by the time I was your age, my body would be just as strong as yours and you shouldn''t restrict yourself. These families that you call large cultivation families are merely ants"


    "There are only two ways to leave the ancient lands. One was if you had permission to leave or was sent on some sort of mission that required you to go to the ordinary lands. While the other was to have their memories and cultivation wiped out" stated his master.


    "There was a third way, which was to gain permission from the ancient council that was made up of leaders of different families and organisations within the ancient lands. You could think of them as gods that could easily topple any country and were revered and worshipped by all cultivators that knew of them. However, there was no chance of that happening"


    Hearing everything that his master was telling him about the ancients and the ancient lands, Adam was shocked and could only imagine what it was like and how amazing it would be to live there.


    Adam had always imagined cultivators that flew around on swords and destroy mountains with single punches, but he had never been able to picture or believe that it was real.


    However, at the rate he was progressing and from all the things he had seen and heard of so far, Adam was amazed and realised that such things were possibilities.


    "Listen Adam. I am telling you all of this not to scare you but because I see potential in you to reach them and maybe even surpass those that call themselves gods. You have done things and have abilities that I haven''t seen even in the ancient lands and I am sure that you can continue to progress at this level. I am not sure what it is, but something is special about you"


    "Don''t be restricted and even the council of ancients are under the control of them. And before you ask, there are things that even I do not know and even if I knew wouldn''t tell you yet"


    [I need to become stronger. I am still too weak and don''t know enough about cultivation and the world. Everything that my master is telling me, and I still haven''t scratched the surface in terms of knowledge] thought Adam to himself as the feeling of weakness began to resurface.


    [Just because I gained a bit of strength, I cannot become overconfident and from what my master is telling me, what I have seen and know is merely a drop of water in the deep ocean that is waiting for me to explore it. Even an elder of one of the large cultivation families in New York can easily crush me, let alone the ancients. I must become stronger] Adam said to himself as he clenched his fists tightly.


    "Relax. All in due time and I will help you build your power, but for now, I will continue my story" reassured him his master as he placed his hand on Adam''s shoulder and gave it a light squeeze.


    Taking a deep breath, Adam turned to his master and prepared to hear the rest of what his master was going to tell him.


    "I wasn''t much of a special individual despite coming from a large ancient family after not progressing for such long periods of time, so I used that to my advantage. I didn''t want to stay another second in the ancient lands and all I wanted to do was build a new life and forget about all the pain and sadness that I was leaving behind"


    "I put myself forwards for a mission that required me to go to the outside world and was accepted onto it, as it was a simple mission to subdue and destroy a small evil cultivation sect that was starting to grow in China. Before leaving for that mission, I made sure to make an enemy and offend quite a few powerful figures. There were many ways to get off the ancient lands and travel at incredible speeds, and even teleport, however, I didn''t have access to many of them. Although I didn''t have them, those that I intentionally offended did, and it was the perfect chance to fake my death"


    "After faking my death and leaving large amounts of my blood that they tested and found matched the blood of mine that they had integrated into the family, I was declared dead and nobody thought much about it. I was seen as a leech and was merely getting in their way and using their resources, so when I was supposedly killed while out on a mission, nobody cared"


    Adam had thought that he had a life with quite a lot of struggle, but it seemed as though he had failed to remember that most others were also experiencing some sort of hardship no matter how good their lives seemed.

 Chapter 277: No Limit

    "Although the ancients'' positions were secure, there were still many out on the ordinary lands that were threats and the biggest threat was that Evil Cultivation Organisation that you speak of. Because of that, I was someone that was forgotten and eventually reached New York, where I attempted to build my own family and territory..." he said before passing.


    "And you know the rest with that and I would prefer not to speak of the details, but I can say that after finding the most talented individuals and nurturing them for decades, everything came crashing down again"


    "Bernard was a name that I left behind after my mother died and nobody even addressed me by that name anyway. I took on the name, Ceasar, after Julius Ceaser who was admired by ordinary people and I liked the stories about him"


    "That is most of my past and most of the details you will be able to figure out from what I say over the next year, but now it is time for the important things I wanted to tell you"


    "This world is not the limit, first of all. Second of all, links outside of this world have been formed by the ancients and also that Evil Cultivation Organisation. And thirdly, the underground world of cultivation is going to rise and this world will be thrown into chaos. It might not be in the next few years, but prepare yourself" warned his master.


    Everything that his master was telling him was unbelievable and shocking, yet Adam was still calm and after everything he had experienced and seen, there wasn''t much else that can shock him.


    "Master the Sentinels Faction will protect this world and most importantly those that I care about, which includes you, but you still haven''t given me any details about that Evil Cultivation Organisation. I know they might not have anything to do with my aunt''s situation, but I still have to protect the people if I can" declared Adam, before seeking more information from his master.


    "If we really are speaking about the same organisation, then we are in for a lot of trouble. I won''t specify a name, but they are an ancient evil cultivation sect and have rivalled the ancient council since the dawn of cultivation. The energy in the atmosphere is slowly continuing to increase like I have told you and it is becoming harder and harder for the ancients to keep their reign over the world"


    "This ancient evil cultivation sect also seems to finally be making moves after nearly being destroyed by the ancient council millenniums ago. They should be rebuilding their power and gathering talents while spreading evil cultivation around the world, wanting to feed on the chaos. They have connections in the ancient lands and on the ordinary lands and probably have more control and power than you think"


    "One of the biggest things that I regret in my life was allowing my twin brother to live in my shadow, then snap and I know that I didn''t treat him as well as I should have. It led him to insanity and he is part of that Evil Cultivation Organisation and is probably one of the senior figures within it by now."


    "By becoming my disciple you accepting my brother''s fury and rage, which is something that even the ancients won''t be able to handle easily. I think I have told you enough at once and will continue to depart to you what I know throughout the course of the next year, but this is a final warning to back out" stated his master.


    "You should know me better than that. I never back out and I will try my best to appeal to your brother''s humanity, but if that isn''t possible, I will put him down and make sure he cannot harm any others. The ancients will also pay and they will be dethroned. It will no longer be the ancients, it will be the sentinels. Until I can achieve all of that, while obviously getting back and saving my aunt, I cannot rest" Adam declared.


    "Then we should finish this spar, then I will teach you the Air Palm Strike that you wanted to learn," said his master with a proud smile.


    Before Adam could even get up and prepare himself to continue their spar, his master gathered Internal Energy in his palm, then with a rapid and powerful outwards palm strike, launched Adam flying through the forest.


    "So master, are you both an internal and external cultivator?" asked Adam who couldn''t tell whether his master was reinforcing his body with Internal Energy or had trained his body through External Cultivation.


    "Well in the ancient lands, the density of energy makes it so that one can easily and quickly progress while also strengthened my body. I made sure that I was reached the peak of the Advanced Cultivation Level in terms of external cultivation, but then moved on with only my internal cultivation that is more useful and important for me" answered his master.


    "But now, my body is extremely weak and probably only slightly stronger than your own after I have abused it through forbidden methods to increase my lifespan, while my Internal Cultivation was also weakened massively" continued his master with a wry and reminiscent expression.


    Adam couldn''t help but giggle after seeing his master''s expression and hearing what he said, while his master was annoyed by it.


    "I will make you regret laughing. I will beat you so badly even your recovery skill won''t work" he roared as he began to fire Air Palm Strikes towards Adam and was destroying the forest and dealing large amounts of damage to Adam.


    "Although I was weakened massively, I can still easily beat you," he said with a proud smile as Adam struggled to get up from the crater he was lying in and blurted out a curdle of blood.


    "Recover using your recovery skill, then I will begin teaching you the Air Palm Strike Skill" he instructed as Adam nodded his head and activated the Ethereal Recovery Skill.

 Chapter 278: Air Palm Strike Training Part 1

    [I guess the torture begins now. But this is exactly what I wanted. Master believes in me and trusts me, while is also planning to train me and teach me all that he knows. Aunt, I will save you and Ava, with this newfound knowledge, I will find a way to separate you from the system and I will become the most powerful in the world. All the worlds secrets will be revealed and I will make sure that those that I care about are never in harm''s way again] said Adam to himself.


    Hearing what Adam was promising to accomplish, Ava blushed and felt the same warmth that she always felt when she heard Adam promise her such things.


    After recovering using his Ethereal Recovery Skill, Adam jumped up and was exciting to learn the powerful, useful and versatile Air Palm Strike Skill.


    "You have recovered completely yet it has only been a few hours. That is one incredible recovery skill" said his master after sensing the state of Adam''s body after he jumped up.


    "Yes it is, but unfortunately I cannot pass it onto you master. I am not sure how to in, but the skill was ingrained and integrated into my mind and body, but I do not completely understand it or know how to pass it on" said Adam, who wanted to be as transparent as he could with his master.


    "Don''t worry kid, I trust you and have accepted you. I don''t want it anyway as I have no need for it. You won''t be able to deal me any damage and I am ready for death" reassured him his master as he walked over to him and placed his palm on Adam''s shoulder.


    "Your body is incredible. It was previously much more balanced, but now somehow you were able to enhance only the speed of your body. You did so by training the explosive power of the muscles and also their receptivity to energy and how quickly they can contract and act. However, because of it, the length of time that you can battle is slightly shorter as it has surpassed the rest of your body" observed his master.


    Adam was amazed by how accurate his master''s observation was and even he wouldn''t have such a clear and detailed understanding of the state of his body, as the system would take care of increasing his stats.


    "Your body is amazing considering the amount of time you have been cultivating and every single cell in your body has been trained, forming a solid foundation. But overall, you are still weak and even a child on the ancient lands can easily take you down" stated his master directly.


    "I understand that, but I will not be discouraged or intimidated by that. Resources, methods, skills and techniques are all useful for one''s power, progress speed and the foundation of their cultivation level, but I will still surpass them all. The ancients will be left in the past and the sentinels will destroy the evil cultivators and take over the ancients" declared Adam confidently.


    His master smiled at his self-confidence and ambition before saying, "Although you won''t be able to unleash the full potential of the skill and probably won''t be able to use it currently, we will begin building and preparing your body for it".


    Hearing that, Adam was excited to begin his training and the Air Palm Skill was a very powerful and versatile skill.


    "We will begin with a simple exercise. Follow me" said his master before dashing off into the forest.


    Adam was excited to see what his master had in store for him as he rushed after him and managed to keep up since his master wasn''t using his full speed.


    Within a minute, they appeared near the lake that he had previously used to clean himself and relax in, then his master placed his palm on the cliff face.


    "I focused on my internal cultivation because I focused on studying arrays. Many do not know just how useful and powerful arrays are, but I don''t think it is something you should begin studying. I will leave you some array manuals and things to keep before I die, but for now, focus on building your power" stated his master as the cliff face began to glow and shake.


    Adam was watching in awe as the rocks moved to form an opening and his master had a proud expression as the pathway into what seemed to be a cave was lit up.


    "This is the base that I spent decades forming and it will also be where you will do the first part of your training," said his master as he led him inside.


    Adam was amazed by everything he was witnessing as he followed his master inside.


    The base that his master had built went underground and into the cliff face, making the inside massive and much larger than Adam could have ever imagined.


    It was brightly lit up, but Adam couldn''t see a light source and he also felt that the energy was denser along with the oxygen in the air being cleaner.


    "Everything is possible with arrays. There is an array to draw in energy and make the energy within the base, which you should have already realised. There is also an array that is circulating air into the base despite it being closed off from the outside and is also lighting up the place" stated his master.


    "It all functions independently and uses the energy in the atmosphere along with sunlight and any life force in the environment to function" he continued, amazing Adam even more.


    [This would be an amazing secret base for the sentinels] thought Adam to himself as he looked around him and the size of the base.


    Gauging what he was thinking, the old man smiled and said, "After I die, this will be useful to you and I will hand over control of the base to you. However since you will be taking over my legacy, I am trusting you to put everything I have built and left behind to good use".


    Hearing that, Adam thanked his master gratefully and bowed to him respectfully.


    With everything that his master was giving him, the things that Adam would be able to achieve were much greater than he could imagine.


    "Follow me and prepare yourself for some long and arduous training. Even for the ancients, although it is much easier with their natural talent and the resources that they have, nothing comes easy in cultivation" wanted his master as he led him to a large metal platform that was in a large closed-off room.


    Adam scoffed at his master''s warning and was ready for all the training that was coming his way as he followed after his master.


    "Go ahead, I won''t be entering with you," said his master as he stood outside the large closed-off room.


    It was made of a see-through material that allowed him to see his master from the inside, while his master could also see him.


    Adam had no reason to hesitate or feel afraid as he walked straight into the centre of the platform and anxiously awaited his master''s instruction.


    His master closed the entrance into the room and watched from the outside with a smile.


    Without giving Adam any warning, he placed his palm on the entrance, which locked Adam inside, then his palm began to glow as the entire room began to shake slightly.


    "Enjoy yourself," said his master.


    "What?" Adam said to himself confused by his master''s words, before suddenly feeling an overbearing and powerful pressure bearing down on him as he fell onto his face.


    It was as though someone had placed a ton on every single part of his entire body and was pushing him down as his master began to laugh.


    "The gravity in there is 20 times stronger than you are used to and you will be training in the environment. I won''t let you leave there until you learn the Air Palm Skill and once you leave, you will be much stronger and faster after training in such a hard environment for such a long time" stated his master.


    "What should I do?" managed to utter Adam as he struggled to get up onto his knees.


    It felt as though he was about to be crushed and he could barely breathe, but Adam was happy despite the pain he was feeling.


    [With this gravity training platform, which is probably made up of arrays, I will be able to train my body in reality, then increase my stats in the dungeon. I will also learn skills and techniques from my master and also from the Dungeon System] thought Adam to himself.


    After a few minutes, he managed to get up on his feet, but was barely managing to stay up and his entire body was constantly under immense pressure.


    "Your training begins now and I won''t die until I leave a monster behind to carry my legacy," said his master after he stopped laughing at Adam struggling to get up.

 Chapter 279: Air Palm Strike Training Part 2

    Standing up required Adam to use the strength of his entire body and also required him to circulate Internal Energy all around his body.


    His master was no longer laughing and joking around with Adam as they both became serious.


    "I have left a manual for the basic movements and exercises for the initial part of the Air Palm Strike Skill" stated his master while pointing at the edge of the gravity training room that Adam was in.


    Adam looked over at it and it was only a dozen metres away from him, but Adam didn''t even attempt to move towards it and it felt like it was miles away.


    "However, before you can even start to use it, your body must become accustomed to the increased gravity. 20 times is the highest that the gravity can be in that room, so after your body is accustomed to it and you begin training under the pressure, it won''t increase any further" stated his master as Adam let out a sigh of relief.


    "Stand in a horse stance which will strengthen your legs and engage your core, then switch between holding your arms out before you and to your sides. After your body becomes a bit more accustomed to the pressure, you can begin trying to walk up and down, then jogging, then running. After you can move around comfortably, then begin using the manual" instructed his master.


    "I will be leaving and returning every few hours to bring you food and check how you are doing. You should train as much as you can and as you have realised, the energy in the gravity training room is very dense and has one of the environments in the base that has the densest energy" stated his master before walking away.


    Hearing what he said and seeing that he was walking away, Adam''s body was beginning to falter, but then the image of his aunt''s face appeared within his mind.


    Then the image of her demonic appearance due to the Evil Soul inhabiting his body also appeared, which infuriated him, then all of those that he cared about and wanted to protect and help appeared within his mind.


    Everything he wanted to see, achieve and experience also began to flow through his mind as all his desires and emotions began to surge and fuel his body.


    [The Hunter''s mind will only hinder my training in this case as my emotions, ambitions and experiences are the fuel for my willpower. However, when studying the manual and trying to learn the skill, it will be required to increase my perceptivity] decided Adam as he entered a horse stance and placed his arms out before him just like his master instructed.


    Within seconds, his arms, legs, core and all the muscles in his body that were already aching began to scream with pain, but Adam clenched his teeth and endured as he felt the energy from the atmosphere slowly become imbued with his muscles and body.


    {Adam if you train in here for the entire year, all of your physical stats will increase. Not only that, but your body as a whole, including your internal organs, are also bearing the pressure, meaning your HP and Energy Storages should also become stronger. Your Intelligence Stat, although won''t directly be increased by this training, the mental strain you will be suffering will assist in increasing that stat along with the willpower and control that you will be strengthening} stated Ava within his mind.


    Adam was drenched in sweat and smiled after hearing that as he tensed and engaged all the muscles in his body into the stance he was standing in and circulated his energy.


    He was drenched in sweat, felt like he was going to vomit and collapse, was experiencing gruelling aching pains throughout his body, but he still endured a smile.


    [I have all of these opportunities and people supporting me, so I have no excuse and must become more powerful] stated Adam to himself as he stood there for the next few hours.


    He stood in a puddle of sweat and booked leaked from all of his orifices from the pressure that his body was experiencing, but he still endured and didn''t once falter.


    Standing in a horse stance with his arms held out, Adam had his eyes closed and took deep breaths as he circulated the small amount of Internal Energy that he had left and continued to endure the pressure.


    His body hadn''t become much stronger in the few hours that he had stood there, but the changes were noticeable and he was finding it easier to breathe and his body was also adapting to the environment.


    At that rate of improvement, after a year of being under 20 times gravity, Adam''s physique would become that of a monster with an extremely powerful body.


    Watching him from a distance, his master was once again shocked by Adam''s willpower and hadn''t expected Adam''s body to be able to handle 20 times the gravity.


    He had expected Adam''s internal organs to be crushed and for him to collapse, which was why he watched the entire time in case something like that did happen.


    However despite his mind telling him that something like that would to Adam, his heart was telling him that Adam would be able to overcome it and he was able to do exactly that.


    Not only was Adam handling the pressure, but he was also using it to temper his body and was doing all of that with a smile on his face.


    [It seems that Adam is finally being able to control his emotions and efficiently use them as fuel for his willpower and body''s power] observed his master who carried a large tray of cooked meat and walked over to the gravity training room.


    Adam was too preoccupied and overwhelmed with the pain he was experiencing and the pressure that was bearing on him to sense his master approaching where he was.


    He also couldn''t sense that his master had been watching him the entire time and could feel that his body would soon no longer be able to handle the pressure with his energy storages beginning to run out.

 Chapter 280: Air Palm Strike Training Part 3

    "Adam, I brought you some food," said his master who was able to push his arms and the tray he was holding through the see-through walls of the gravity training room.


    Adam after hearing his master opened his eyes and was shocked to see that his master could go through the clear wall, but compared to everything else he had seen, it wasn''t too amazing and he assumed that it had something to do with arrays.


    Seeing the food, Adam''s fatigued body was screaming at him to eat it, but his fatigued body could also barely move as he fell down to one knee to support his tired body.


    "I will lower the gravity while you eat...." said his master before being interrupted.


    "Do not lower the gravity at all. I will stay in here at this gravity level for the entire year" shouted Adam, who was not willing to give up and take the easy way out.


    His master smiled and had expected that reaction from Adam and although he wanted to push Adam as much as possible, he didn''t want him to be crushed by his ambition.


    "Alright, but I will be watching just in case you cannot handle it" accepted his master as he walked away.


    Adam on two knees crawled over to the food, using both his arms and legs to support his body that was being crushed by the pressure and it took him quite a while to get to the food that his master had left him.


    Reaching the food, it looked like a large cooked slab of some sort of meat, but the smell and texture was something that Adam didn''t recognise.


    It also didn''t taste of anything, however, Adam still wolfed it down and what amazed him was that it seemed to have energy within it and helped to energise and recover his body.


    Despite the weird texture and plain taste, the warmth and satisfying feeling that came with it was great and within minutes, Adam had finished the entire plate that was enough to feed a dozen people.


    After finishing, Adam sat in a lotus position then activated his Ethereal Recovery that was very effective and soothing for his fatigued and strained body.


    Despite the pressure still bearing on his body, Adam recovered rapidly due to the energy within the meat he had eaten and the dense energy in the gravity training room he was in, making it so that there was less strain on his body.


    Ava was within his mind encouraging him, which amused Adam who without taking any breaks continued his training.


    With the special meat that his master was bringing him and the dense energy within the gravity training room, Adam''s recovery speed was enhanced and his fatigue reduced, making it easier for him to deal with the pain and strain his body was experiencing.


    He began by crawling up and down the gravity training room, which although looked very silly, was very effective in training his muscles and becoming more accustomed to moving under the pressure of the gravity training room.


    After doing so for 12 hours, in which he had only stopped to eat whatever his master provided him and use the Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    Within those 12 hours, he was able to start walking around the gravity training room and his body was rapidly becoming accustomed to the gravity training room''s environment.


    Watching him, his master couldn''t understand how Adam''s body was able to grow, develop and become stronger in such a short amount of time and after a day had passed, he was even able to start running around.


    In that single day, his Strength and Resistance Stat had both increased by 1 point and he had also gained some EXP, which was amazing, considering that it had only been 1 day.


    Adam couldn''t tell how much time had passed as the place he was in was hidden from the sun and was brightly lit all the time, but he didn''t care and that was how he wanted it.


    Slowly jogging around the gravity training room, Adam felt that the training he had done for the day was enough and was happy with gaining 2 stat points and some EXP.


    "Master, I will be sleeping and cultivating in my sleep now" announced Adam who didn''t know if his master had heard him, but felt that it was time to enter the dungeon.


    His master heard, but didn''t answer and was preparing a training routine for Adam over the next year and was also forming an inheritance of all of his knowledge and resources.


    Adam sat on the edge of the gravity training centre and used the wall to lean on and keep his body up while he was unconscious and in the dungeon.


    Going into the dungeon, Adam hunted like he had never hunted before and he felt as though his body was super light without having the pressure of the gravity training from bearing down on him.


    With his Unique Skills, Techniques and Skills, he was able to easily defeat beasts and in a single day of hunting in the dungeon, which was 12 hours in reality, managed to reach the final Stage of the Floor he was on.


    Ava was amazed by how much Adam was able to hunt and how efficiently he was able to do so, while Adam was also impressed with himself, but by no means satisfied or complacent.


    [I will continue to become stronger, and the first thing I will do to accomplish that, is learn the Air Palm Strike Skill] declared Adam to himself as he returned to reality, not wanting to face off against the Boss Beast yet.


    Returning to reality, his master was amazed by the jump in his cultivation level and could only wonder what exactly would happen in Adam''s sleep and how it worked.


    "It has been 12 hours already, here is some food and continue training your body" instructed his master as he placed another tray of that weird meat inside the gravity training room.

 Chapter 281: Air Palm Strike Training Part 4

    Adam repeated the cycle of training in the gravity training room for 12 hours, and hunting in the dungeon for 24 hours, which was only half that time in reality, and after a week finally heard the notification that he had been waiting for.


    {Ding, the host has reached the minimum level of mastery and understanding to unlock the Air Palm Strike Skill from the system} announced Ava, who still had to provide Adam the notifications and announcements in the same format as the system''s program.


    Hearing that within his mind, Adam was overjoyed and it was just like when he was learning the Fundamental Defensive Techniques.


    He didn''t actually have to completely learn the skill, but once he grasped the concept of the skill to a minimal level, the system would form a skill out of his understanding and desired skill.


    Over the past week, he had studied the manual that his master gave him and it instructed him to begin with a basic movement and breathing technique.


    He needed to use all the muscles in his body cohesively to be able to unleash the most power possible and it reminded Adam just how important one''s technique and combat prowess was.


    With the Air Palm Strike Skill, he would be able to severely wound and even kill opponents that were much more powerful than him, merely because of the skill using the power of the entire body in a single strike.


    It was a very draining skill, but it also could be used on smaller scales like his master had used it, and that would be less draining.


    In that week, his Strength, Speed and Resistance stats had all been increased by quite a few points and he had become almost completely accustomed to the gravity training room''s environment.


    His body was incredible and although he was much slower, weaker and would tire out quicker in the gravity training room, the pain and strain that his body felt were much less than before and he was able to run around the gravity training room.


    After running around the gravity training room for an entire day, on the second day of his training, Adam began training the manual that his master had given him.


    He was only able to begin running because of the power boost that his body experienced after Adam killed the Boss Beast of Floor 5 and reached LVL 50.


    After he completed Floor 5, Adam was rewarded 7 extra stat points that he decided to save and also received a powerful armour from the Boss Beast that would be very useful for him while hunting in the dungeon.


    With his newfound power boost, which his master noticed and was amazed by, Adam continued training diligently with the same split of 12 hours training in reality and 24 hours hunting in the dungeon, which was 12 hours in reality.


    There were a few different physical training and breathing exercises that he practised and Adam practised it consistently for the training time that he had for the rest of the week.


    On the last day, he felt that he had trained enough of the training part of the manual to move onto the last step that was very vague, but was the next step that he needed to train in to learn the Air Palm Strike Skill.


    With his Hunter''s Mind, combat experience and naturally high perceptivity, Adam very quickly learnt the movements and physical components of the Air Palm Strike and using only that, it was still a very powerful attack.


    He could unleash multiple times that attack power of an ordinary fist, but Adam was learning to integrate what he learnt about using the force of his entire body, starting from his legs, up to his hips, then his back and shoulders, then finally through his arms, into the rest of his attacks.


    The last step, that his master had never expected him to move onto in a single week, was to attempt to integrate Internal Energy into the attack as well, which would make it much more powerful and would also be what was causing the ''Air'' part of the Air Palm Strike Skill.


    Adam attempted to practise it and integrate Internal Energy into the flow of External Energy through his muscles, but it was much harder than he expected and he hadn''t had any results the entire day.


    His master observed him and decided not to give him the rest of the manual or give him any further instructions, wanting to see what Adam could come up with alone and maybe he could form his own variant of the Air Palm Strike Skil.


    It was always best to learn and find out something alone rather than being shown and taught it directly, as what was formed would be more suited and also more understood by the individual.


    The entire day he hadn''t had any results, until the end of the day where he had managed to integrate a sliver of Internal Energy into the movements of the Air Palm Strike that he had learnt, and he was able to release a small burst of energy from his palm through the powerful strike.


    It was nowhere near the power or mastery of what his master was able to do and also wasn''t the full method of the skill, but it was enough for the system to formulate a skill based on it and provide it to Adam.


    After Adam heard that notification within his mind, he sat down with a smile on his face, as his master who was watching him didn''t understand why he did so.


    He was finally beginning to understand the method of the full Air Palm Strike Skill after an entire day of training it, which was incredible, but instead of continuing his training, Adam decided to sit down and meditate.


    However, he knew that Adam was unique and the smile on his face made his master think that something good had happened and he was curious as to what it was as he couldn''t sense anything different.

 Chapter 282: Beasts In Reality!

    {The Air Palm Strike Skill has now been integrated into the host''s mind and body. This Skill required a minimum of 2 IESP and EESP to activate, and just like the rest of the host''s skills, you can use more energy to increase the power of the attack} stated Ava within Adam''s mind.


    As she said that, Adam felt his entire body tingle for an instant and when he thought about the Air Palm Strike Skill, he felt like he could use it off of only his instinct and didn''t actually need to use the method.


    As long as he intended to use the skill and poured enough energy through that intention, his body would move and use the skill without thinking.


    {The Air Palm Strike Skill that your master uses is different and inferior to the one that the host has gained. The host''s skills do not have ranks or grades and are unique skills that can be used on small scales, or very large scales depending on the amount of energy used through them} said Ava.


    {The system''s version of the skill can be instantly activated and is very similar to your master''s version of the skill, however, your master releases a beam of Internal Energy and doesn''t actually use the air. It must be because your master didn''t have the chance to continue to learn the full version of the skill and had to improvise the rest of the skill} continued Ava, surprising Adam who hadn''t realised that.


    [I love you system. You make everything so much easier] said Adam within his mind.


    Hearing that, Ava, who was technically the system, blushed and became flustered, causing Adam who could sense that to laugh.


    Moving on from what he said, Ava continued what he was saying while Adam was laughing to himself.


    {When the host activates the Air Palm Strike Skill, the host''s palm will be coated with Internal Energy and will release a burst of Internal Energy that will launch a beam of air rather than a beam of energy. This makes the attack more effective as it can also be used for things other than attacking and also makes the attack harder to detect, sense and avoid. Also when compared to your master''s version of the skill, it has an overall higher penetrative power and speed} summarised Ava.


    Hearing that Adam was excited to use the skill, but before that, he was hungry and tired from the entire day of training, so wanted something to eat.


    Just as he thought that, his master brought him the same food that he would usually bring him and Adam began to wolf it down, despite not knowing what it was.


    His master sat on a chair outside the gravity training room then asked, "Are you not going to ask what I am bringing you to eat?"


    "Um. Why don''t you tell me?" answered Adam while continuing to eat hungrily.


    Adam had no reason to act reserved with his master and continued eating while his master finally told him what he was eating.


    "You are eating the meat of boar beasts that I have been nurturing" revealed his master, causing Adam to gasp and choke on his food.


    After coughing wildly, Adam looked at his master in shock and it was the first time that he had heard someone mention beasts outside of the system.


    Adam thought that beasts might be something that were unique to the Dungeon System and that there weren''t any in reality, but it seemed as though he was mistaken.


    "Why are you so shocked? Beasts are just animals that have cultivated, but in their own way. Their method of cultivation and the results are quite different to that of humans, but the overall concept is the same. If humans can cultivate, why wouldn''t animals be able to cultivate?" said his master.


    Adam calmed down and just like his master it was something that he should have expected, but still, he couldn''t help but worry about beasts attacking and eating innocent people around the world after having to fight vicious beasts in the dungeon each night.


    "You don''t have to worry, it is normal to be afraid of beasts after never coming across them. Beasts are much rarer than you think and will only be found in areas with dense energy that are usually due to treasures or special cases, meaning it is almost impossible to find a beast that will be a threat to people in a city" said his master, causing Adam to chuckle slightly.


    [Me, scared of beasts. I have killed so many beasts in my sleep I have lost count] he thought to himself with a smirk.


    Seeing his expression, his master was confused, but continued what he was saying, "The world is vast, but at the same time for a cultivator, it isn''t that large. There are many hidden treasures and mysteries that you will come across on your journey and I will leave them for you to explore"


    "It was quite easy to nurture the boar beasts. I just gathered boars and formed my own farm and placed them in a room that I had an array inside that drew in energy. Over the years they have become extremely large and powerful beasts that I have to use my full power against to slaughter, but their meat is very beneficial to the body despite its bland taste and mushy texture" explained his master.


    Hearing that, Adam was curious whether other beasts that he had come across in the dungeon could be found in reality and whether or not he would use his Unique Collector Skill to gather their beast races.


    While wondering that, Adam remembered something that he had wanted to ask his master while they were talking, but had never had the chance to do so.


    "You spoke of a partner that also knew of your past. Can you tell me who she is or was?" asked Adam, who couldn''t suppress his curiosity.

 Chapter 283: Evil Cultivation Technique

    Hearing Adam''s question, the old man instantly had a reminiscent and sad expression that made Adam slightly regret asking such a question that wasn''t really important to him.


    "I am sorry, master. You don''t have to tell me if you don''t want to" said Adam.


    "No it is fine, I will be dying soon anyway, so I might as well tell you all you want to know," said his master, who despite being sad, was ready to face his past and his regrets.


    "While I was trying to form my own family in New York and was trying to leave behind my past with the ancients and everything that happened with me, I found someone that I clicked with. She was beautiful, kind and caring, which made me feel as though she was my salvation and the good in my life, but she was very frail and also didn''t have the talent for cultivation"


    "However that wasn''t a problem for me and I didn''t care about what she was capable of. My entire life before her had been all about cultivation, power resources and emotions were forgotten by the ancients. They would never take time to become real friends or lovers with others, and would mostly only become friends or lovers based on their own benefit. Having children had become more like breeding and that woman helped me realise that life can be happy if one spent it with those they cared about"


    "We lived happily and I spent a lot of time with her whenever I could, but would be busy cultivating or dealing with the disciples that I had taken in. She would always cook for me and it broke my heart to find that her frail body made it so that if we had kids, it was almost guaranteed that she would die in the process. Even with the cultivation resources and knowledge that I had, I had no way to strengthen her body that rejected most energy and was decaying internally"


    His master''s story was so touching and sad and it was clear that he genuinely loved that woman, which was why Adam tried his best to reassure his master and take his story seriously.


    "She was willing to die for the sake of us having a child, but I couldn''t bear to lose her and also wasn''t ready to have a child. I loved her and wanted children, but with the longer lifespans of cultivators, it was normal for ancients to have children after they are in their senior years"


    "Time went so quickly for me and her and we enjoyed all of it, but over the years, I looked the same while she was slowly becoming older and older. I didn''t care and still loved her, but she slowly began to push me away, not wanting me who looked young to be with her who was old"


    "I told her everything about my past and she was my wall to lean on despite her frail body. Even compared to an ordinary person, her body was weak and her lifespan was short, which was why I tried so hard to search for any treasure or method to increase her lifespan"


    "I left for years in search of a way to increase her lifespan and heal her body that suffered from a rare condition that I had never come across before and I finally found the method to do so, I found it in an underground tomb that was being excavated by some young ancients. I didn''t kill them or alert them of my presence, as that would shock the entire ancient world that thought they were untouchable and managed to get the technique before them"


    "It was a Negative Cultivation Technique, but it didn''t need necessarily require me to harm anybody. Although that could be used, it could also be used by using one''s own lifeforce, blood and cultivation to increase their own lifeforce or somebody else''s"


    "I was going to use it to give her some of my lifeforce, but when I returned, I found a note and found that she had already died. I hated myself and wished that I had decided to spend the last moments of her life with her, but the note said that she was happy and that made me feel slightly better"


    "The time with her was the happiest in my life and when she died, all I felt was loneliness. When I was with her I was starting to be able to cultivate again, despite the scarce energy and hardly any resources when compared to the ancient lands, but after she died, my cultivation reached a halt again"


    "Not long after that, I was betrayed by my disciples and their subordinates that I had been nurturing and supporting for decades and since I was already feeling low and they had the element of surprise, I was severely wounded by them and had no chance but to escape"


    "I lost the will to fight and with the loneliness, hate and regret I was feeling, I almost fell into negative cultivation. There is something known as an Evil Ghoul and they are humans that had been consumed by negative energy and they lose their mind and all they can do is kill and consume others"


    "I almost became an Evil Ghoul, but managed to suppress myself using the memories of her, and the rest you can figure out. I was too unwilling to die and let go of my life, despite all the physical, mental and emotional pain it caused me to do so"


    "Master, have you destroyed that method?" asked Adam.


    "Why? Do you want it?" asked his master.


    "No, I want to destroy it. Death from old age is mercy and should be a peaceful event, as long as one lived their life to the fullest. Extending one''s life is merely causing them pain and suffering or doing so to others. That technique, unless it can be turned into a useful healing technique, should be destroyed" stated Adam.


    Hearing that, his master smiled and was proud of his disciple.

 Chapter 284: Completed Air Palm Strike Skill

    "Adam, I will leave the technique with you and I trust that you will either destroy it or form something positive and useful out of it, but that will be the last thing I leave you. For now, you should continue training the Air Palm Strike Skill" stated the old man.


    "Okay master, but can I ask you something? You don''t have the completed version of the Air Palm Strike Skill, right?" asked Adam.


    The old man was shocked by Adam''s question and didn''t know how to react.


    "That is correct, but there is no way for you to know that. What the hell are you?" he asked, unable to believe that Adam knew that.


    "I am human, but I know that because I told you before that I have an inheritance within my mind that has some skills, techniques and cultivation methods within it and after I understood the basics of the Air Palm Strike Skill, I unlocked it" answered Adam.


    It was the perfect excuse that he had already used with his master and he had come up with it after Chase told him about his own Monk Inheritance.


    If he didn''t have that excuse, there was no other way that he could explain how his cultivation was progressing and where he gained all of the skills and techniques that he had.


    "Does it have the full version of the skill?" asked his master with an eager expression.


    "Yes, instead of releasing a beam of energy like you do, it has something to do with vibrations and releasing a small burst of energy and through it firing a beam of air. But I cannot explain it to you honestly and I can use it on instinct, but don''t actually understand the skill" answered Adam honestly.


    Hearing that his master was disappointed that he wouldn''t have the chance to learn the skill that was one of the high level skills for the ancients that was widely used by them, but he was happy that his disciple had the skill.


    "That inheritance that you have must be an ancient inheritance and it could have something to do with how you are able to amazingly cultivate in your sleep. You cannot tell anyone about it and try not to use the Air Palm Strike Skill as if seen by an ancient, you will be in big trouble" said his master.


    "I will keep that in mind, but master, how come you didn''t have the skill? It seems like quite a basic and ordainry skill" asked Adam.


    "What! You think that is a basic and normal skill. It took me 2 years to reach the mastery of the skill that I am at and that is quite average for an ancient, yet you think that after a week you have mastered it and that it is basic" exclaimed his master in shock.


    "Yes, it is basic. The concept is profound and requires great control over one''s energy and also requires one to be able to vibrate their Internal Energy and have a very sturdy body. Also harmonising the entire body, then syncing it with Internal Energy is also hard, but I thought ancients were meant to be incredible" answered Adam with a mocking expression as he laughed at his master''s shocked expression.


    "You really are one of a kind," said his master after calming down.


    "Now then, after all of that big talk, show me what you got"


    "Alright, but give me some time to recover" accepted Adam who after finishing his food, used the Ethereal Recovery Skill for an hour.


    The patience that a cultivator had is unrivalled and waiting an hour was nothing for somebody who had lived hundreds of years and cultivated for a lot of their lifetime.


    After Adam had recovered most of his energy storages and HP that would lower due to the pressure on his body and internal organs, he jumped up and was just as excited as his master to see the results of the Air Palm Strike Skill.


    "Are these clear walls of the gravity training room strong enough to handle an Air Palm Strike?" asked Adam who didn''t have anything to target his attack at.


    "Yes, it should be. You can think of it as a barrier array as that is kind of what it is, but it also has some other things in it to be able to hold in the gravity training room''s effects" affirmed his master.


    Hearing that Adam smiled as he widened his stance and pulled his right arm back, so that his hand was open and by his side, aiming in front of him.


    Then he activated the Air Palm Strike Skill that merely required him to intend its activation and allow it to use his energy, as he thrust his palm forwards using the power of his entire body.


    While doing so, Internal Energy around his energy pathways was coursing through his body, following the power that was building up in his muscles for the strike and began to vibrate rapidly.


    Adam was in awe of the sensation and power that he was feeling throughout his body as it all converged on his palm as he launched a powerful palm strike forwards, then caused a beam of air to be sent crashing into the barrier of the gravity training room.


    The power of the strike shook the entire base that they were in and caused some rubble to fall from the ceiling formed from the rock inside the cliff face, and both Adam and his master were shocked by its power.


    Adam had used 4 EESP and IESP through the attack, and felt that it was enough to defeat any of the opponents he had faced so far in reality in a single strike.


    Mason, who was the most powerful opponent that Adam had faced in reality, probably would have been taken down by that one strike.


    Even the Boss Beast he had just faced would only be able to handle a few of those attacks from a distance, and if Adam was able to directly strike it with that attack, the internal damage would be severe.

 Chapter 285: 2 Months Later

    "Well done Adam, that was great. It seems that somehow you have perfect mastery of the skill and through it, you have achieved perfect coherence between your Internal and External Cultivation. Skills that can do that, are the most powerful as they can release attacks that are multiple times higher than that of the power of the individual" praised his master who was impressed by the power of the Air Palm Strike that Adam was able to release.


    "At this rate, it won''t be long before you are more powerful than me, so it will be hard for you to get combat experience from me," said his master, who instead of feeling upset or intimidated by that fact, was proud of his disciple.


    "Don''t worry I have enough combat experience and will get a lot in the future" reassured him Adam who knew that he would be hunting powerful beasts in his sleep, so didn''t have to worry about not putting his skills to use.


    With that, Adam had checked off the first thing that he wanted to do to increase his power, but he was by no means going to stop there and 2 months passed in the blink of an eye.


    In those 2 months, Adam had been training and learning new techniques and skills from his master who was eagerly teaching him everything he knew according to what he felt suited Adam and would be the most beneficial to him.


    While Adam was busy training, his master was also busy recording all of what he knew so that he could leave it for Adam after he passed and both didn''t stop to rest.


    When they both ate the cooked meat of the boar beasts that were large enough to feed an entire town, they would talk about the past and it would be mostly his master telling him more about what he knew about the world.


    One thing that continued to come up from what his master told him was that the ancients were afraid of losing their power and control over the world and there were four big things threatening that.


    1. Cultivation becoming something that everything knows, which would destroy the balance of the world.


    2. Cultivators around the world becoming too numerous and powerful for them to handle and soon finding out about them.


    3. Technology becoming too developed and powerful for them to handle and overwhelming their cultivation power and knowledge.


    4. The Evil Cultivation Organisation rallying enough evil cultivators and power to destroy the entire world and them to create the world of destruction that they sought.


    In those two months, Adam''s progress speed had been phenomenal and he had learnt multiple skills and techniques that the system had integrated into his body and adapted and improved them to suit Adam.


    His cultivation had also progressed just as quickly and he made it to floor 10 within those 2 months, which was unbelievable.


    It didn''t make sense for Adam to be able to reach rank 9 of the Novice Cultivation in a mere 2 months, but Adam''s drive and power were unbelievable.


    Not only had his cultivation level increased massively, which would increase all of his stats, but he had also been training his body in reality as well as the dungeon, making it so that his stats were already that of an Advanced Cultivator.


    Adam didn''t know what to expect from floor 10 that was the last floor of the Mortal Cultivation Level, but he knew that there was going to be a lot more beasts and that it was going to be much larger than he expected.


    Floor 9 that he had just completed at the end of those 2 months, had been an extremely difficult floor that he had died on once despite him vowing to never allow himself to die within the dungeon again.


    Even with his increase in his power and with the skills, techniques and combat prowess that he had, he still died, which went to show just how difficult the floor was.


    However, it was also a very rewarding and interesting floor for Adam who had gained and experienced a lot on that floor.


    It was a floor of the dungeon that was filled with giant insects, and although he had faced a few giant insects in the dungeon, the entire floor was made up of them.


    It was also the first floor that Adam had hunted on that had multiple different types of beasts on the same stage and different environments on the same floor.


    The first Stage of Floor 9 had two different types of beasts and was in an open field that had long grass, small hills and few trees.


    The two types of beasts were Tracker Bees and Giant Assualt Wasps and what shocked Adam was that the two beasts were working together.


    The Tracker bees were of a similar size to normal bees and Adam would find one in every group of powerful Giant Assualt Wasps that had the ability to fire their stingers that were poisonous, and could also produce more.


    Initially, Adam didn''t understand why they were known as tracker bees, but after experiencing their ability first hand, he realised just how useful it was.


    Once he was stung by the Tracker Bee that was very fast, the stinger would act as a tracker and would enter the bloodstream of the target so that it couldn''t be removed, making it so that the Tracker Bee could track the individual forever.


    Their speed was incredible and so was their Intelligence stat, but the rest of their stats were very low. However, despite that, after realising what their Special Trait was, Adam was sure that he wanted to collect that beast type.


    While he was preoccupied with fighting a group of Assaut Wasps, he was stung by a Tracker Bee and when he went to retreat and recover, he was followed and defeated after he ran out of energy.


    The death was much less gruesome and painful when compared to the previous times he had died in the dungeon, as he died to poison and stab wounds, but it was still something that he didn''t want to let happen again.

 Chapter 286: Insect Beast Types Collection Part 1

    Adam returned to reality after being killed and was distraught.


    He had allowed himself to be killed in the dungeon after all the training and hard work he had put in to make sure that he was undefeatable and powerful enough for that to never happen again.


    However, instead of beating himself up over it, Adam swallowed the pain and trauma, along with everything else he had experienced, and used it as a drive to make it so that he became even more powerful.


    After spending another 12 hours of training in reality, inside the gravity training room, Adam was finally ready to get back in the dungeon and was eager to do so.


    Previously, he didn''t have the chance to use his summons or clone, through his Unique Skills, before he was overwhelmed by the many beasts while he was fatigued.


    However the next time around, he was much more prepared and careful and used his Unique Clone Skil as soon as he entered the dungeon.


    "You will support me against the beasts I fight and stay within my vicinity. Also do not allow yourself to take too much damage, but protect me from sustaining any fatal damage" instructed Adam to his clone.


    Using that clone, he fought relentlessly for an entire day on Floor 9 and it was a very difficult time in which he had gained a lot of EXP, but not gained much progress due to the EXP requirement being much larger and the beasts he was facing being much harder to take down.


    As Adam went up the floors in the dungeon, he found that the biggest reason why it took longer for him to progress was because the beasts had much more HP, were much more powerful and were also much more intelligent.


    Although he was more powerful in terms of stats in most cases, stats were not the most important thing as long as the gap between opponents wasn''t overwhelmingly large.


    There were many ways to breach the gap between cultivation levels and power and it was something that Adam previously always had to do with his cultivation level that was low.


    One of those ways was being able to sync one''s Internal and External Cultivation was an example of that and through that, one could unleash attacks that were much more powerful than their stats would have allowed them to.


    Skills, Unique Skills, Elemental Affinities, Techniques, special constitutions and combat prowess were all components that affected the result of the battle just as much as one''s power.


    Knowing that, Adam was trying his best to make sure that he was powerful and capable in all ways, but he didn''t have any elemental affinities, which he was planning to save up for.


    Going into Floor 9 the second time, Adam made sure to kill the small Tracker Bees in each of the groups first and also collected the beast type into his beastpedia so that he could use it in the future.


    If he ever needed to follow somebody in reality, it was the perfect beast to have and the bee looked pretty ordinary, so wouldn''t cause much suspicion.


    Adam also integrated the Giant Assault Wasp beast type into his Apoidea Summon, which made his Apodiae Summon much larger and also made it so that it could also fight, but that wouldn''t be useful and useable in reality.


    However, Adam had become much more skilled in the use of the Collector Skill and could choose to summon a single beast type or could fuse different beast types of the same beast family, so if he wanted to, he could summon a Bee Wasp that wasn''t integrated with the Giant Assault Wasp.


    He also felt that it might be possible to summon a beast that had beast types from different beast families integrated into it, but Adam hadn''t attempted to do so and didn''t need to try yet.


    The potential and progression of the Collector Skill was much higher than that of his other Unique Skills as he could feel that there was much more he could do with it.


    Meanwhile the Unique Clone Skill and Step Skip Skill, only had one function and he could only increase the power and not develop the ability.


    After completing Stage 1 of Floor 9, which took him much longer than the other floors as battles between more powerful opponents were much longer and it was almost impossible to defeat opponents with a single blow, Adam returned to reality to train.


    With his master''s full attention, the gravity training room and his own drive, Adam''s knowledge, stats and combat capability were rapidly improving even in reality.


    On Stage 2, Adam was once again faced with an interesting and powerful beast to fight against and it wasn''t the stats of the beasts that would intimidate him or be difficult to deal with, but it was their Special Trait and physique that he was wary of.


    After facing two different kinds of beasts on the same stage, Adam was prepared for anything as he entered stage 2 and unlike the environment of stage 1 that was warm, quite open and was brightly lit, the environment of stage 2 was dark and damp.


    It was densely populated with trees and was a mixed environment between a marshland and a forest, which surprised Adam, but also worried him.


    He spread out his spiritual sense upon entering stage 2, since it was very dark and there were many places for beasts to hide and ambush him from, but he couldn''t sense any beasts in his vicinity which he found weird.


    It was hard to walk around Stage 2 undetected with the damp ground and with two daggers that he had bought, and a powerful set of equipment that made him look like an intimidating warrior, Adam headed deeper inside.


    Just as he headed slightly deeper into Stage 3, Adam suddenly felt something catch his leg as he moved forwards and soon after that was captured by some sort of undetectable and barely visible wire.

 Chapter 287: Insect Beast Types Collection Part 2

    Adam who was suddenly being wrapped by some sort of wire instantly became wary and began slashing the wire apart, but there was so much of it, it was sticky and he could also hardly see or sense it.


    After a minute of struggling against the wire, he suddenly realised what the wire was as he sensed a giant spider.


    Summoning all the might he had into his legs, Adam launched himself into the air and above the trees, allowing him to break out of the webs, and fell straight towards the giant spider that he sensed.


    With his two daggers, he went to strike down on the spider beast and deal him a powerful blow so that he would have an advantage throughout the rest of the battle that he expected would be long and difficult.


    However before he could even get close to the spider beast, it fired a web from its rear and also seemed to be able to control the webs that it fired.


    The wire seemed to be as strong as steel, yet as flexible and sticky as one would expect from a normal web and the giant spider beast was able to shot multiple webs at once.


    Adam seeing that was amazed and what surprised him the most was that the spider was completely white to the point that it was nearly glowing.


    With 3 webs flying towards him and moving in the air to wrap around him, Adam fired an Air Palm Strike towards the Giant White Spider and it was launched sliding backwards, but formed a net of its own web to catch itself.


    Adam landed on the ground and prepared himself for battle and in that second, the Giant White Spider had fired dozens of webs around itself and connected them to all the trees around it and in the area, making a domain around it that it was in control of.


    Seeing what was occurring, Adam also prepared himself as he activated the Muscular Enhancement Technique that he had learnt from his master and had been integrated into his body through the system.


    Adam increased his mastery of everything he could with the mastery feature, that was useful, to 20% and that allowed him to be able to increase his Speed and Strength by 180 points for every 9 IESP and EESP he used per minute.


    With his current energy reserves, Adam could handle such use of energy and if he activated both his Fundmanetal Defence Techniques to their current full potential, could increase his resistance by 360 points, but decided against doing so.


    It would use too much energy, burden his body too much and Adam also felt that the resistance boost wasn''t needed to fight the Giant White Spider.


    His External and Internal Energy spread throughout his body that was bursting with power as the ground beneath Adam''s feet suddenly began to crack.


    Bursting towards the Giant White Spider beast, the spider''s webs were everywhere and getting in Adam''s way and trying to capture him, while there were other webs that were sharp and could cut him, but Adam avoided or cut them all.


    His current speed and strength was too high for the webs to affect him much, but the battle with the Giant White Spider, that was also capable of fighting, was much longer than he had expected.


    He had to deactivate the Muscular Enhancement Technique, that he had activated, to reserve his energy and the battle lasted almost 10 minutes, even with Adam using his full power.


    Although he was developing in terms of knowledge, power and combat prowess, so were the beasts and Adam''s battles with beasts were becoming longer and longer.


    Taking a short break to recover after defeating the beast, Adam made sure to collect the beast type as the base beast for his Arachnida Summon and was amazed by the useful special traits of the insect beasts that he had come across so far on Floor 9.


    Stage 2 only had Giant White Spider Beasts and lucky they didn''t work together, but that was to be expected as they had no reason to and each beast alone had the same capability of an army with their Special Web Creation and Manipulation special trait.


    After Adam finally completed Stage 2 that took him longer than he had expected, he was anxious and excited to move onto Stage 3 and was curious as to what beast he would have to face.


    The Dungeon System was becoming more and more unpredictable and all Adam could do was become so powerful, that no matter what the system threw at him, he could overcome it.


    On Stage 3 he was surprised that he only had to face a single beast as from what he could sense, there was only a single beast on the entire large Stage 3.


    The environment was much drier than that of Stage 2, but still had trees and was multiple times larger than the entirety of the early floors of the Mortal Dungeon.


    Despite their only being a single beast on the Stage, Adam didn''t dare to underestimate it and every insect beast that he had come across so far, had a powerful special trait that was very pesky to deal with.


    His insect beast collection was expanding with all of the insect beasts that he was collecting, and each of them had powerful, useful and dangerous special traits that made them an army that was hidden within him and he could use it at any moment.


    As soon as he reached a 1-kilometre radius of the beast that he was able to sense the presence of using the Sensory Enhancement Technique that his master had taught him, the beast suddenly activated its special trait.


    After he gained basic mastery over the technique, the system adapted and improved it and after Adam increased his mastery over it to 20%, upon using it, his senses would be amplified by 20 times.


    For his spiritual sense, it would use his Internal Energy, while for his physical senses it would use his External Energy to enhance them and Adam used his Internal Energy to amplify his spiritual sense each time he entered the dungeon.


    With it, he had a basic idea of how widely spread beasts were and how many of them there were, but he hadn''t reached the level of mastery and understanding of his spiritual sense that would allow him to sense the power of those, that were far away from him, with it.


    Adam didn''t know what to expect from it and he was also close to the beast, so could quickly reach it or retreat, so was unsure what the beast could possibly do.


    However, when he sensed the presence of other beasts appear, he suddenly realised what it was and was shocked the find that the aura of the beasts that were produced by the initial beast kept growing stronger.


    [Ava, what is this?!] asked Adam within his mind as he dashed towards the beasts, wanting to take them down before any more were produced and before they grew stronger.


    As he asked, the status of the beast appeared before him and along with it was a short explanation about the beast''s special trait that Ava provided him.


    [How does this ability even make sense? That special trait is too powerful to be real] exclaimed Adam within his mind.


    The Boss Beast of Floor 9 was the Giant Ant Queen Beast and was a one of a kind beast that had a rare special trait.


    Adam had requested Ava to produce him a grading system for the special traits of the beasts that he faced, for his own convenience, and made her grade them based on their power, rarity and usefulness.


    His request was something that the system''s program allowed Ava to do and the Ant Production special trait that the Giant Ant Queen had was the highest-graded special trait that Adam had come across.


    [I must kill that beast and need to be alive after killing it so that I can collect the beast type. But I need to do so quickly as the ants that she produces will only continue to become stronger until they become just as strong as she is] thought Adam to himself after reading the brief description that Ava provided him.


    By the time Adam reached the Giant Ant Queen, which wasn''t long at all with his speed, it had already produced three ant beasts and the rate at which their power was increasing was incredible.


    They had already managed to progress and become rank 4 beasts and their increase in power showed no signs of stopping.


    [This is the last floor before the final floor of the Mortal Dungeon. I need to finish this quickly and this is merely one of the hundreds of floors that I will clear on my journey] declared Adam within his mind as he rushed towards the giant ant beasts that stood huddled together.

 Chapter 288: New Rules For Floor 10

    The battle against the Giant Ant Queen, and the giant ants that it could produce through its special trait, was a long and arduous one.


    The Giant Ant Queen could produce giant ants every few minutes and each of them would grow at an unbelievable rate, until their power is just as high as that of the Giant Ant Queen that produced them.


    However while doing so, she was preoccupied and couldn''t fight and after doing so she was very weak, as producing Giant Ants through her special trait seemed to be very draining.


    Adam observed all of that and could see her weaknesses, but despite that, he still wasn''t able to get to her and she was guarded by multiple giant ants that stayed with her and protected her with their lives.


    Meanwhile, Adam also had other giant ants chasing and attacking him, while the Giant Ant Queen was producing more giant ants.


    Looking at their stats, the giant ants were very nimble, seemed to have a lot of energy and also were quite strong, but their HP and resistance were very low.


    However, despite that, their stats weren''t an accurate representation of the capability of the beast and Adam had come to balance the stats themselves and his own judgement and observations to gain an understanding of his opponent''s capability.


    The HP and Resistance showed Adam how much damage that the giant ant beasts'' bodies could take and recover from, which was true for the interior of the giant ant beast''s bodies, but didn''t take into account the impenetrable shell that they had.


    It was a big limitation of looking at one''s stats and Adam had to learn the hard way multiple times, never to underestimate any opponent, especially not in the dungeon.


    Not only did the giant ant beasts have bodies, that were quickly becoming more powerful and had hard shells, they were also very intelligent beasts.


    It was all because of the instructions that the Giant Ant Queen was giving them, and it was able to gauge exactly what was going on everywhere around it, by producing something similar to the spiritual sense using its antenna


    This made the final stage of Floor 9 one that was very hard for Adam to overcome.


    The battle went on for very long and Adam ended up needing to summon multiple summons and use his Unique Clone Skill in order to overwhelm the Giant Ant Queen and get past the giant ants she produced that were protecting her.


    Adam needed to use the Bloodlust Characteristic to burn his HP, blood and vitality to provide himself more energy and he had become much more adept in the use of the characteristic.


    With that additional energy, he was able to gain an edge over the Giant Ant Beast Queen and barely managed to break past its shell and kill it.


    After doing so, he made sure to collect the rare beast type and was greeted with numerous and great rewards, just like each and every other time that he completed a floor of the dungeon.


    The Giant Ant Queen became the base beast for his Formicidae Summon and Adam was overjoyed with the Ant Production Special Trait that would allow the beast to produce many giant ants that would quickly become just as powerful as it was.


    One of the best things he received was the ant armour that was made out of the same substance that formed the shell of the ant beasts, making it very powerful and durable and also increased his Intelligence and Speed stat, which was very weird.


    It was the first piece of equipment Adam had acquired that enhanced his Intelligence Stat and made him wonder how the Giant Ant Queen''s special trait worked and once again became curious about how the dungeon worked, especially since his master had revealed that there were beasts in reality.


    Returning to reality and going through his rewards, Adam continued his training and saved all of the extra stat points that he received, which he had been doing throughout his training, wanting to use them all at once after his training was completed.


    That way, the increase in his stats above that of an average cultivator was due to his own training, however, Adam wasn''t so reserved with his system points and gold, which he used whenever he felt it was needed without holding back much.


    Continuing his training in the gravity training chamber and practising and studying everything that his master was passing onto him and teaching him, Adam didn''t stop to take breaks and all he could think about was his aunt and everything he wanted to achieve.


    His friends and those he cared about had worked just as hard as him over the past 2 months and also made a lot of progress, so Adam had no time to stop and continued training as hard as he could.


    His master was shocked by how quickly he had progressed over the past two months and it seemed as though it wouldn''t be long before he became an Advanced Cultivator.


    {Adam, I am going to warn you from now. Floor 10 of the Mortal Dungeon is going to be very difficult and you should prepare yourself. Aim to complete the floor in one go and I would recommend that you stay in the dungeon the entire time as once you leave, all progress made will be lost} advised Ava.


    Hearing that, Adam, who was about to end his training in reality to enter the dungeon and see what the final floor of the Mortal Dungeon was like, was shocked.


    [What! I am meant to complete the floor in a single attempt. What kind of floor is it?] asked Adam.


    {I cannot answer that, but no matter what, you should endure and try not to die or leave the dungeon, as there are some rules on the final floor that are new and make it very difficult} stated Ava, causing Adam to feel slightly anxious.


    [So what are these new rules and what can I expect from the final stage. I need to know as much as I can before I get on the stage and nothing will stop me from not only becoming an Advanced Cultivator, but reaching all the high cultivation levels]


    {Well, I can''t tell you everything, since I am restricted by the system''s program, but what I can tell you are the things that I was meant to tell you when you spawn on Floor 10} stated Ava.


    {Stage 10 of every floor is a unique floor and you can think of it as a floor like floor 0. It is a floor that must be completed in a single attempt and tests the host to see if the host has what it takes to break through to the next cultivation level. It needs to be completed in a single attempt, just like I have mentioned, and if the host fails to complete it in a single attempt by dying, the host will lose 10 LVLs and all the stat points that the host gained in the past 10 LVLs. The host will also lose all the gold and system points gained and will need to complete floor 9 again} revealed Ava.


    Hearing that, Adam was shocked and angry, thinking about all the blood, sweat and tears that he put in to complete the difficult floor 9 and reach where he was.


    {There are also other sanctions that will be revealed to the host when and if he fails to complete floor 10, but Adam you shouldn''t worry too much about that as you are aiming to complete floor 10} stated Ava.


    Adam was becoming nervous and after seeing how hard floor 9 was, he didn''t know what to expect from floor 10, but no matter what, he was going to complete it.


    {Also Adam, with big risks come big rewards. Every Floor 10 that you will come across will be much harder and more dangerous than all the previous floors you have faced combined, but will also have more fruitful rewards than all the previous floors combined. Floor 0 was a test of bravery and also wanted to see if the host was willing to take risks for rewards. This time, Floor 10 will have a different test and the host must complete that test and complete the floor to receive the best rewards possible} advised Ava.


    Adam took a deep breath and made sure to recover this body to the peak and rest it against the wall of the gravity training room, knowing that he would probably be in the dungeon for a long time, and called out to his master.


    "Master, I might be asleep for much longer than usual. I feel like my body is on the verge of a breakthrough, but it is also risky and if you ever see me in pain or screaming, just leave me be"


    "Alright, Adam, but don''t push yourself too hard. Your foundations are solid and your progress is already quick, you don''t need to take unnecessary risks" replied his master.


    [That''s what you think, but I have too much to accomplish and need to find and help my aunt get her body back. I won''t allow some measly beasts in the dungeon to get in the way of me becoming an Advanced Cultivator] thought Adam to himself as he communicated to Ava to send him into the dungeon.

 Chapter 289: Goblin Beasts! Again! Part 1

    Feeling his soul sucked out his body, Adam opened his eyes to see that he was in the familiar closed-off room that led to the long corridor into the dungeon.


    Adam''s eyes had a glint of killing intent and drive as he took a deep breath and walked towards the corridor.


    The gate that was closing off the corridor began to move and opened up the corridor to him as Adam without hesitation rushed through the corridor.


    He didn''t know what the expect and knew that it would be a difficult floor that would require him to surpass his limits, but that by no means scared him and he was beginning to become excited.


    [With high risks come high rewards and I won''t stop at becoming an Advanced Cultivator] said Adam to himself as he jumped into the light at the end of the corridor and felt himself be sucked into another space.


    As soon as he felt himself enter the dungeon, Adam spread his spiritual sense and scanned the area around him, while he equipped all of his most powerful equipment.


    He had two daggers, the giant ant beast armour and many other pieces of equipment that enhanced his body. Adam bought all the equipment he needed to fill in all the spaces that he had around his body and his stats were instantly increased by over 100 points.


    However, despite his caution and quick preparation, there weren''t any beasts around him and Adam saw that the place he was in was familiar was horrible memories began to reappear within his mind.


    [Don''t tell me that....]


    {Yes, Adam, the beasts on the final floor of the Mortal Dungeon are goblin beasts, however, this floor is nowhere near as easy as floor 0. This floor is as big as a city and filled with powerful beasts that could easily devour ordainry Advanced Cultivators that you have come across} affirmed Ava who could tell what he was thinking.


    Hearing that, the first traumatising experience that he had reappeared within his mind as he remembered the test on floor 0 that he had to complete to gain the Dungeon System and the collector Skill.


    [He, now I can kind of get revenge. Although the beasts don''t remember what happened and they aren''t the same beasts, it will be very satisfying to kill them all and make sure that not a single one of them is allowed to live] scoffed Adam within his mind.


    {This is a goblin beast city and the small plot of land that you are stood on is the safe zone, just like you can remember. However like I have said, this floor is very different to floor 0 and you can''t try and complete the floor in the same crazy and reckless way that you attempted to do so on floor 0} stated Ava.


    {Use your Hunter''s mind to its full capacity and you will need to be smart and strategise on this floor. You cannot waste your energy recklessly as if you do, you will be an easy target for the goblin beasts to pick off. You can''t go all out and use the Bloodlust Characteristic''s full power until you are sure that you have reached the end of the floor. This test is a test of your hunting ability and if you fail to be recognised by the system''s program as a worthy hunter, there are many sactions} she continued.


    {This is a special floor so how it works is very different to what you are used to. There are a certain amount of beasts and they will not disappear after being killed and the host will not receive any EXP for defeating them. More beasts can be produced by the beasts themselves, but not by the system and the goblin beasts have their own city in the centre of this floor. Your goal is to kill all beasts without dying, while also completing the system''s hidden test} informed him Ava.


    Adam, hearing that, was surprised, but also glad that it was the case.


    "I will defeat every single one of those cruel beasts and they will probably be working together and I cannot alert them like I did previously" mumbled Adam to himself.


    "This will be fun and at the end of it, I can skip 10 LVLs and become an Advanced Cultivator"


    [Will I receive gold and system points from killing the beasts?] asked Adam.


    {No, but that is because all the gold, stat points and EXP that the host should have gained from defeating all the goblin beasts on the floor will be used to provide you with rewards, stat points and will be what makes you skip 10 LVLs and break through the Novice Cultivation Level} answered Ava.


    With that, Adam had been told everything he needed to know as he unequipped all the equipment that he equipped, apart from his daggers and the equipment that increased his speed.


    "Stealth is the most important thing for me here, and luckily my speed stat is still my highest stat and with the Step Skip Skill and Hunter''s mind, I should be fine," he said to himself as he attempted to bring up the system menu.


    Normally whenever he intended for it to appear, it would appear before him as if he was in a virtual reality game.


    [Ava, why isn''t it working?] asked Adam within his mind.


    {The menu and system functions have all been removed on this floor and even I am not allowed to offer you external or additional help other than giving you advice or warnings. However, I cannot tell you anything that you don''t know and the only thing you have access to is the inventory} answered Ava.


    Hearing that, Adam''s expression slumped and the only reason that he was calm and confident enough to stop and talk to Ava about the floor was because he was in a safe zone and because he knew, through his spiritual sense, that there weren''t any beasts around him.

 Chapter 290: Goblin Beasts! Again! Part 2

    After Ava affirmed to him that he didn''t have access to the menu and could only use the inventory, Adam couldn''t help but become annoyed.


    Even when he used the inventory, the inventory tab wouldn''t appear before him and Adam had become accustomed to using the Inventory Feature using only his mind, but there was one thing that he was still hoping he could do.


    [Ava, can I spend stat points?] asked Adam.


    {Unfortunately, the host cannot spend stat points and like I have mentioned, the host only has the access to the inventory feature and will not receive any external or additional assistance from the system} answered Ava.


    Hearing that, Adam was slightly disappointed since he had saved up a lot of points that would have massively increased his power if he spent them all and would have made Floor 10 quite a lot easier.


    However, he had been planning to save the stat points to use all at once at the end of his training anyway, so there was no need for him to become too upset over it and there was no going back.


    [I will continue to save all the additional stat points that I receive and will use them all at once for a great power boost, only if needed in the future] said Adam to himself as he stretched his body.


    The Dungeon Form was identical to his own body, but would still feel foreign every time that he used it and he looked around himself to see that it was exactly like Floor 0.


    There was a small pond around the small plot of land that he was stood on and a small bridge to the enormous forest that surrounded the base of the goblin beasts.


    Adam was curious as to what kind of goblin beasts he would come across and slightly regretted collecting some of the beasts he collected that had common and quite weak special traits, but was excited to integrate all the goblin beast types with his Goblin Summon.


    Crossing the bridge to the forest, as soon as he did so, Adam felt like his link to the safe zone had been cut off and as he felt that, he heard a notification from Ava within his mind.


    {Ding, once the host has left the safe zone, it is no longer a safe zone and all beasts that come across the host will be hostile to the host}


    Adam hadn''t expected something like that to occur, but it wasn''t too much of a surprise and the dungeon was slowly becoming more and more realistic as he went up the floors.


    The floor he was currently on was a clear example of that and he was planning to find a place that he would protect and return to when he needed to rest.


    Jumping up onto the closest tree, Adam held tightly onto his daggers and spread his spiritual sense to the area around him, but didn''t spread it too far as that would cause him quite a lot of mental strain and drain his energy reserves.


    Ava had warned him to be conservative with his energy and Adam wasn''t planning on using any of his skills, techniques or Unique Skills unless he had no choice but to use them.


    His Dagger, Spear and Hand to Hand Combat Mastery had all been increased to 20%, making him a very capable and adaptable fighter and because of that, he was confident that he wouldn''t need to rely on his abilities.


    After a few minutes of surveying the area, he soon saw a familiar-looking goblin beast and since the system wasn''t offering him any assistance, he wasn''t able to look at his status.


    Even after trying to use the Status Peering Feature on it, he couldn''t. but with his spiritual sense and sharp senses, he had a rough idea of how powerful the beasts were.


    [If the weak and ordinary goblin guards are this powerful, what can I expect from the goblin beasts within the city and their leader or leaders] thought Adam to himself as he stealthily approached the beast.


    Other beasts or Advanced Cultivators would have been able to sense Adam''s spiritual sense scanning them, but Adam knew that the goblin guards beasts had a low Intelligence Stat, or so he assumed.


    However, even if the beast did sense Adam briefly scanning its body for an instant, it didn''t react and also wouldn''t be able to sense Adam''s presence as he had become very skilled at concealing and hiding not only his presence, but also his cultivation level.


    The goblin beast held a large wooden club in his right hand, but this time had a small circular shield in its other hand and was also slightly larger and more muscular.


    When Adam reached a dozen metres away from the beast, he knew that it was risky to continue to approach him the same way that he currently was, the beast would be alerted.


    From what he could sense, there weren''t any beasts in the environment and going off what he could sense from the goblin beast and what he had experienced on Floor 0, Adam assumed that the beast had no way to communicate with the other beasts.


    [I will engage it directly in combat, find out its weaknesses and also see what it is capable of. I will not use any of my abilities and after killing it, will need to find somewhere to dispose of its body, since it won''t disintegrate on this floor] planned Adam.


    With that plan in mind, Adam jumped down from the tree he was standing on, and with speed that was faster than that of a car, he dashed towards the goblin beast.


    Seeing and sensing Adam dashing towards him, the goblin beast''s eyes flashed red with hate and killing intent as it licked its lips with its long snake-like tongue.


    Holding out its shield and swinging back its club, the goblin beast prepared itself to fight Adam who reached it within milliseconds and slashed with his daggers towards his head.

 Chapter 291: The Difficulty of Floor 10

    Adam slashed at the goblin beasts head, aiming to take it down in one go, and used most of his speed and power through that strike.


    However, the goblin beast was able to quite quickly block the strike and push Adam back with the strength of his arm, while swinging towards Adam''s side with his club.


    Swiftly moving to the side, Adam dodged the club and the goblin beast didn''t continue to strike, knowing that his speed was inferior to that of Adam.


    [So it seems that the goblin knows how to fight and is waiting for me to strike, so that it can block and counter. Its speed is alright, strength is good, resistance also seems to be quite good along with its HP, but its Intelligence stat is clearly its weak point] gauged Adam from their single clash.


    Staring at the beast''s eyes as Adam moved in a circular direction, while the goblin beast did the same, he could see hate and killing intent that was stronger than he had ever seen in the dungeon.


    [I guess the animosity between goblins and humans is much stronger than other beasts, but since this is a more realistic floor where the bodies of the beasts won''t disappear, I might be able to use that to my advantage] thought Adam to himself as he bolted towards the goblin beast.


    The shield strategy that the goblin beast guard was using was very effective against Adam''s use of daggers.


    Because of that, instead of continuing to use the same strategy, that could still work by would be very draining and much longer, Adam returned it to his inventory, then took out a spear.


    "Your biggest mistake was assuming that I could only use the daggers and that they were the only weapons that I had," said Adam as he began rapidly attacking the goblin beast with rapid and powerful spear attacks.


    He didn''t use any skills or techniques, but still continued to push back the goblin beast and his spear was the perfect counter for the goblin beast''s shield and club battle strategy.


    With his spear, he could attack from a distance and much more easily get through the goblin beast''s defence, but even with that advantage, it took Adam around 10 minutes to finally take down the goblin beast guard.


    After dozens of attacks and spilling litres of its dark green blood, it finally collapsed to one knee and at that moment, Adam pierced straight through its head.


    Adam had exerted a few points of energy and had to use quite a lot of effort to take down a mere goblin beast guard, even after all the training that he did that made him very powerful, so was anxious to see what was in store for him with the other beasts.


    However, so far, Adam was happy with how quickly and easily he was able to take down the goblin beast guard and carried the goblin beast''s body over his shoulder, after placing his spear back in his inventory and carrying its shield and club in his hands.


    His clothes became drenched in the green blood that was leaking from the goblin beast''s body and knew that it would alert other beasts if it was sensed on him, so carried the body back to the pond that used to be a safe zone.


    He threw the body onto the small plot of land, then cleaned himself in the pond to remove the scent of stinky goblin blood that lingered on his body.


    After that, Adam scouted the area and made sure to take down any of the goblin beast guards that he found in the nearby area, so that none of them came across any goblin blood that was left behind and reported it back to their goblin city.


    [I am the hunter. This is going to be a slow and steady hunt in which I slowly take over their territory and make more space for myself to hunt, while also picking them off and gauging more about their power] said Adam to himself as he continued goblin beast guards that he found around the forest.


    Adam had a rough idea of where the goblin beast city was and also had a better idea of the size of the forest and the goblin beast city.


    After he gathered all of that, he became even more anxious about defeating the goblin beasts as the size of the goblin beast city was incredible and bigger than all of the floors he had been on put together.


    That meant he would have more space to escape and fight and also meant that it could be easier for him to sneak inside and around, however it also meant that there were more goblin beasts and most likely, more powerful goblin beasts.


    The goblin beast guards that Adam came across all around the forest surrounding the goblin beast city were the weakest and most common goblin beasts and Adam knew that there would be hundreds of them in the goblin beast city, if not thousands.


    He needed to kill all the goblin beasts, survive, complete a test and prove that he was a worthy hunter, all within a few days, as any longer than that, and his body in reality wouldn''t be able to handle it.


    Adam sat down recovering, wanting to make sure that half of his energy storages were full at all times and behind him was a pile of goblin beast guards'' bodies that he had gathered on the plot of land that used to be a safezone.


    So far, he had taken down a few dozen beasts that he had found around the forest and was planning to continue to do so for a few hours, knowing that more goblin beasts would be sent out from the city.


    The goblin beasts in the city would probably realise that something was wrong and might send out more goblin beast guards or more powerful goblin beasts, but that was what Adam was hoping would occur.

 Chapter 292: Powerful Goblin Beast Groups Part 1

    Adam wanted more powerful goblin beasts or more numerous goblin beast guards to be sent out to the forest outside of the goblin city to search for the enemy or to increase security.


    Them doing so would allow him to gauge more about the goblin beasts that he was facing and would allow him to pick off more of the goblin beasts without needing to go into the goblin beast city that would be densely populated with powerful goblin beasts.


    After taking down nearly 50 goblin beasts guards around the forest that was around the goblin beast city, Adam opted to place the bodies of the goblin beasts that he killed along the edges of the floor.


    Carrying them all back to that small plot of land that used to be a safe zone was too time consuming and there wasn''t much space anyway, so placing them around the edges would be more efficient.


    He knew they would likely be found eventually by the goblin beast guards that were continuously being sent out from the city and were spread throughout the forest, however, he also knew that it wouldn''t happen very quickly.


    The goblin beast guards wouldn''t stray all the way to the edges of the floor and by the time they did, Adam would already be prepared and would have picked off a lot of the goblin beast guards.


    Adam adopted a careful, but efficient hunting method and was prepared to continue to pick them off from the forest, where he had more space to run away, fight and hide, until he had weakened the forces of the goblin beast city massively.


    After he had done so, then he would enter the goblin beast city and pick them off from inside.


    However, Adam had underestimated the intellect of the goblin beast who acted quickly after noticing that many goblin beast guards had gone missing and had found goblin beast blood around the forest.


    After realising that, the goblin beasts within the goblin beast city sent out multiple elite groups of goblin beasts to search and take down the enemy, who they didn''t know was a lone human.


    Adam hadn''t expected it and had no way to know that the goblin beasts would act so quickly and send out such powerful goblin beasts, when compared to the goblin beast guards that he had been facing.


    While he was out in the forest around the goblin beast city, searching for more goblin beast guards for him to hunt, then carry away, he suddenly sensed a group of goblin beasts for the first time.


    Usually, he could take down a goblin beast guard within a few minutes, since he had already learnt their attack patterns and found the quickest way to take them down without expending too much energy.


    However, upon sensing the presence of the group of goblin beasts, Adam was shocked to find that there were different types of goblin beasts and all of them were more powerful than the goblin beast guards that he had faced so far.


    Additionally, what shocked him was that two of the goblin beasts within the group had sharp senses and one of them seemed to have a spiritual sense, meaning that they could sense that Adam had sensed them with his spiritual sense.


    Realising that, Adam retracted his spiritual sense, but it was already too late and the group of goblin beasts rushed towards him in a tactical formation.


    Adam could escape with his superior speed, techniques and Unique Step Skill, but wanted to see what they were capable of and had no reason to run away.


    It was part of his plan to pick off the weaker goblin beasts in the forest and some of the stronger ones as well, so he had no reason to retreat, but what surprised him, was how quickly the goblin beasts acted.


    Adam retreated slightly and led them to a clearance in the forest that gave him and the goblin beasts pursuing him more space to fight and move, and also made it so that he could escape into the trees if he needed to.


    When they reached the clearance, they were at a distance that they could see each other and what surprised Adam was the appearance of the different goblin beasts.


    They were all grotesque, dark green and hideous creatures, but they all wore different clothes, had different auras and also had different weapons, which was very surprising.


    To the goblin beasts, it was a great shock that it was a lone human who was defeating so many of their kind and only a few of the goblin beasts in the group had a rough idea of how powerful Adam really was.


    Adam was also a very hideous creature to them and the hate that they held towards them made their eyes have a red glint as they all released their killing intent, but didn''t charge towards him and prepared themselves to fight.


    Looking at the group of goblin beasts, Adam was impressed by how well-formed the group was and was also surprised to see that the types of goblin beasts ranged so massively.


    There were two goblin beasts at the front that were very muscular, tall and large and wore thick, heavy armour and held a massive shield.


    Behind them were 3 other goblin beasts and it was them that Adam was worried about as they all had powerful auras around them and were the ones that could actually deal him a lot of damage.


    Without the system to show him the goblin beasts'' statuses and also name them, Adam decided to name them himself and gave them names that he had previously seen in games.


    The goblin beast group was made up of two Tank Goblin Beasts, one Swordsman Goblin Beast, one Archer Goblin Beast and finally, the most surprising, a Mage Goblin Beast.


    The formation they stood in protected the Archer and the Mage Goblin Beasts who seemed to be the weakest in close combat, but Adam set his eyes on them as his first targets.

 Chapter 293: Powerful Goblin Beast Groups Part 2

    [Ava, will I be able to collect these goblin beast types? It will be interesting to see what kind of Goblin Beast Summon will be created out of all of those goblin beast types and will also be useful to be able to summon them individually] asked Adam within his mind, who was unsure whether his Unique Collector Skill and beastpedia was affected by the system not offering him any external assistance.


    {The Unique Collector Skill is your own ability and has nothing to do with the system. If you keep relying on the system to use the skill or see the statuses of your own summons, you will never be able to use it to its full potential and unlock its other capabilities. The ability is yours and you can collect beast types however you please and even try to use it in different ways} answered Ava encouragingly.


    Hearing that, Adam realised that once again he was becoming reliant on the system''s menu function and also realised that he still hadn''t used his Unique Collector Skill to its fullest.


    It was the only ability that he had that he hadn''t completely understood or found out all its uses and was also the ability that he had that had the most potential, capability and versatility.


    Adam smiled to himself and was impressed by the goblin beast group''s formation and power, but was excited to face them, defeat them and collect them using his Unique Collector Skill.


    He was also excited to find out more about the Unique Collector Skill, complete floor 10 and become an Advanced Cultivator.


    The only thing that was getting in his way was himself and he was going to become powerful enough to not only save his aunt from the Evil Soul, but also make sure that no other evil cultivators can ever do something like that again.


    [I needed that bit of encouragement again, I was starting to become too fixated on acquiring the power, that I forgot about enjoying and making the most out of the journey] said Adam to himself as he withdrew his daggers from his inventory and placed them in the holsters that he had previously prepared for them.


    After doing so, he also took out his spear from the inventory and was prepared to fight them, while interested to see what the goblin beasts had in store for him as they all glared at him and began their attack.


    The Tank Goblin Beasts and the Sorsman Goblin Beasts were the first to move as they began approaching Adam slowly, while the Archer and Mage Goblin Beast took a few steps back and also prepared to attack.


    The Swordsman Goblin Beast held a completely black sword that was quite large considering the slim stature of the beast, while the Archer Goblin Beast held a bow and had a quiver full of arrows, which was to be expected.


    Meanwhile, the Mage Goblin Beast was dressed in a robe and Adam was unsure if goblin beasts had genders, but appeared slightly more feminine than the other goblin beasts, just like the Archer Goblin Beast, who also covered up itself in clothing more than the others.


    What interested Adam the most was the black staff that the Mage Goblin Beast was holding and the black orb that was held by the staff.


    [This will be an interesting battle] thought Adam to himself as he dashed with all his speed to the side, aiming to get around and past the Tank Goblin Beasts to take down the two goblin beasts at the back that could use ranged attacks.


    However, as he did so, the Tank Goblin Beasts jumped back to protect the two ranged fighters, while the Swordsman Goblin Beast rushed after him and seemed to have a similar speed to him, if not faster.


    Its senses were sharp and from what Adam could tell, all the goblin beasts were great threats apart from the Tank Goblin Beasts, who were relatively slow and didn''t have senses that were as sharp as the others.


    "5 against 1, I like those odds," said Adam as his battle and killing intent began to surge.


    However suddenly, a completely black arrow flew towards him at incredible speeds and from the close distance that he was from the archer, he didn''t have enough time to dodge it.


    All had heard was the sound of the wind before his shoulder was pierced by the arrow, however, at that instant, Adam had turned back his shoulder as much as he could and lessened the impact and damage he suffered massively.


    Pulling out the arrow, Adam winced slightly, but had a smile on his face as his Bloodlust continued to surge and Adam stabbed his spear towards the Swordsman Goblin Beasts head.


    The Swordsman Goblin Beast who was rushing after Adam dodged the spear strike, but didn''t expect Adam to drop his spear mid-attack and take out his two daggers.


    In that moment of hesitation and surprise, Adam released a burst of speed and power by compressing then releasing some Internal Energy in his legs, and slashed at the Swordsman Goblin Beast.


    There was no way for it to avoid the strike as Adam slashed the Swordsman Goblin Beast''s chest.


    The slash was deep, but wasn''t enough to instantly kill it, just as he expected, but Adam didn''t stop there and rushed back towards the two ranged attackers.


    However before he could, the Swords Goblin Beast quickly caught up to him and slashed him from behind, while the other two ranged attackers fired their attacks towards Adam.


    The Swordsman Goblin Beast''s sword slash, aimed at Adam''s back, was coated in Internal Energy and was extremely fast and powerful, while the arrow that the Archer Goblin Beast fired was the same.


    Despite those two powerful and dangerous attacks, what scared Adam the most was the beam of black light that the Mage Goblin Beast fired from her staff towards him.


    With three powerful attacks all about to hit him, it seemed as though it was impossible for him to escape, or so the goblin beasts thought.

 Chapter 294: Powerful Goblin Beast Groups Part 3

    [I didn''t expect to have to use this so soon, but I guess this is Floor 10 and I shouldn''t have expected anything less from the beasts on it] thought Adam to himself.


    Just as the arrow, black beam and sword slash were about to hit him, Adam suddenly disappeared and appeared behind the Archer Goblin Beast.


    With the Step Skip Skill, as long as Adam had the space to move, he could almost teleport to anywhere within his vicinity and all he had to do was imagine himself taking a certain amount of steps towards a specific location.


    The goblin beasts didn''t know how to react and couldn''t do anything quick enough to stop Adam from slicing off the head of the Archer Goblin Beast.


    "That arrow that you fired at me hurt quite a bit, this is merely me paying you back for it," said Adam with an evil smile as he remembered what the cruel goblin beasts did to him on Floor 0.


    [I will take down the Swordsman Goblin Beast next as he is the fastest and I can''t let any of them escape. I know the Mage Goblin Beast is probably the strongest and most capable, but I want to leave it until last to see what it is capable of and experiment with it] decided Adam, not seeing the Tank Goblin Beasts as a threat, since they were very slow and wouldn''t be able to hit him.


    The Swordsman Goblin Beast was fast and clearly a skilled swordsman from the strike that he was able to release, but it still wasn''t as experienced and knowledgable as Adam and also wouldn''t be able to predict how Adam would attack next.


    Although it had sharp senses and was smarter than all the other beasts that Adam had come across so far, since it wore clothes, used a weapon and could communicate and form a strategy with the others beasts, it still wasn''t on the same level as Adam.


    It also made Adam wonder whether there was some sort of leader or Goblin Strategist in the goblin beast city as sending out a powerful group of goblin beast elites to subdue the enemy, was a smart choice.


    If there was, then completing floor 10 was going to be even more difficult than he thought as taking on the unorganised and lone beasts was difficult enough, let alone prepared beasts that had a strategist or leader of some sort.


    Adam as he dashed towards the Swordsman Goblin Beast who was also rushing towards him, clashed with him in mid-air with his daggers and began exchanging blows at incredible speeds.


    Their arms and weapons were like blurs and all that could be seen were sparks and all that could be heard was the rapid and continuous sound of their blades clashing.


    Adam was enjoying testing his dagger capabilities against a fast opponent that was relatively skilled in the use of the sword, but it was clear to Adam that the Swordsman Goblin Beast only had basic mastery over the sword and wasn''t anything amazing.


    Because of that, Adam was able to gain the upper hand and was slowly pushing back the Swordsman Goblin Beast who was becoming more defensive and was being slashed by Adam''s daggers.


    The Mage Goblin Beast didn''t want to attack Adam as it was afraid that it would end up attacking the Swordsman Goblin Beast as well, which surprised Adam who had expected the goblin beasts to be cruel even with their own kind.


    It made Adam believe that there really was some sort of beast that was controlling, leading or ordering the goblin beasts as they wouldn''t have become so strong, skilled and cooperative without a senior figure.


    Meanwhile, the two Tank Goblin Beasts went over to the Mage Goblin Beast, not daring to try and involve themselves in Adam and the Swordsman Goblin''s battle, as they stood on either side of the Mage Goblin Beast and protected it.


    It didn''t take much longer for the Swordsman Goblin Beast to begin to falter after all the wounds that it suffered and after being completely dominated by Adam, who was more skilled in combat.


    As soon as it did so, Adam slashed its neck and their battle was over, however as soon as that occurred, a second black beam was fired from the staff of the Mage Goblin Beast who could clearly see that there was no hope for the Swordsman Goblin Beast.


    Adam focused on the beam and it felt to him like it was some sort of foreign energy, but it didn''t seem to be a bad or evil energy and seemed to be one that was unique to goblin beasts or all beasts.


    Since there was quite a large gap between where Adam was and the Mage Goblin Beast, he had enough time to barely dodge the beam, but as it went past him, Adam was impressed with its power.


    Looking behind him for an instant, to see what the black beam was capable of, Adam was shocked to find that it went through all the trees in its path and it was still going.


    [What a powerful and potent attack. Is the staff causing the attack, amplifying the attack or providing energy for the attack? I cannot tell] wondered Adam to himself as his interest in the staff was peaked once again.


    He had taken down two of the goblin beasts in the group and although the Tank Goblin Beasts would be hard to take down and would probably take him a while to do so with their tough bodies, strong armour and high resistance, they weren''t much of a threat to him.


    That left the Mage Goblin Beast who seemed to be preparing itself for another attack, but this time it felt different to the black beam that it had previously used.


    "Show me what you got" called out Adam as he moved back slightly so that he had more space to evade the incoming attack and waited for it with an excited expression.

 Chapter 295: Goblin Mage Dark Staff Part 1

    The goblin beasts were confused by Adam not coming to attack them and were unsure why he was allowing the Mage Goblin Beast to prepare its attack, but they didn''t complain as the two Tank Goblin Beasts moved out of the way of the attack.


    It took a few seconds to prepare, which was too long in a battle between powerful and fast beasts and cultivators on their level, but from what Adam could sense, those few seconds were definitely worth it.


    Whatever attack the Mage Goblin Beast was preparing, it was definitely a powerful one that Adam had to be wary of.


    Adam could see energy flooding into the black orb that was held by the staff and a powerful aura was being emitted by it as it continued to gather energy that the Goblin Mage seemed to be providing.


    After those few seconds, the Goblin Mage screamed at the top of its lungs as it aimed the top of the staff towards Adam, then released all the energy that she had gathered in the black orb at once.


    A black beam that was multiple times faster, larger and more destructive than the previous black beams that the Goblin Mage had fired, flew over to Adam.


    If Adam wasn''t ready for the attack and it had been suddenly fired towards him, he was unsure whether he would be able to avoid it.


    However, luckily he had already seen the attack coming and as soon as it was fired towards him, he used the Step Skip Skill to move himself away from the blast and towards the goblin beasts.


    The blast destroyed everything in its way and was so destructive that it reached all the way to the border of the floor, which although was only a few miles away, was very shocking.


    The Goblin Mage was shocked and scared after seeing Adam being able to avoid the attack, but that was to be expected if he was allowing it to attack him as it instructed the two Tank Goblin Beasts to guard it.


    It was clear to Adam that the Goblin Mage had been massively weakened, which was to be expected after it released such a devastatingly powerful attack, but it still had two large goblin beasts with giant shields protecting it.


    [I can''t let that Goblin Mage recover. Although it is not a traeht to me as I can avoid its attacks, if it catches me by surprise or hits me with one of those black beams, I will not be able to recover from it] thought Adam to himself.


    His HP represented his life force and vitality, meaning that if it was full, then his body would be working at its maximum capacity and also should be physically mostly recovered, but if he were to lose an arm, even if his life force and vitality were at maximum capacity, it wouldn''t grow back.


    Dashing towards the two armoured and large goblin beasts that were protecting the comparingly small Goblin Mage, Adam smiled, knowing that he had the perfect skill to take them down.


    The Air Palm Strike was a skill that could destroy defences, but could also get through defences and damage the opponent internally.


    Adam knew that his palm strike hitting the goblin beast''s armour wouldn''t do any damage, but as soon as he got into contact with the goblin beast''s aroumour, the vibrations and power of the attack would travel through its armour and into its body.


    Once that occurred, the goblin beast''s internal organs would be massively injured and if it isn''t instantly killed, it will be weakened a lot and might no longer be able to fight against Adam.


    It was the perfect skill to take down armoured opponents like the Tank Goblin Beasts, when matched with Adam''s speed, as he reached the two beasts and slid under the shileds that they were holding out.


    They had expected that Adam would try to use a weapon or a ranged attack and would never have expected him to slide right under their shileds and enter close combat with them.


    Without waiting for them to react or attack, Adam activated the Palm Strike Skill in both his hands, which was very drainng and put a lot of strain on his body, especially his arms and palms.


    However, it was bearable to Adam who had been going through gruelling training in the gravity training room for the past two months and he landed both the attacks directly on their stomachs.


    The Tank Goblin Beasts were initially surprised by the power of the contact aspect of the palm strike, but it didn''t harm them at all, but were then dealt a powerful blow internally as they both blurted out curdles of green blood and fell to their knees.


    Adam had already jumped back and made some distance between himself and the two Tank Goblin Beasts, knowing that if they grabbed him, he would have almost no chance to get out and their weight would be enough to take him down.


    It was clear that Adam had dealt them a powerful blow, but Adam was shocked to see that they both stood up and he had expected that the single attack would have been enough to take them down.


    The Mage Goblin Beast communicated with the two Tank Goblin Beasts in some sort of language that sounded like growls to Adam and then one of the Tank Goblin Beasts charged over to Adam, while the other stood guard with the Mage Goblin Beast.


    It was a relatively good idea and strategy to try and take down Adam, but they still had no chance against him and Adam was more interested understanding more about the goblin beasts and finding more of their weaknesses.


    [This battle won''t last much longer and I will go out and continue hunting more of this goblin beast groups before waiting for the goblin beast city to send out more of their troops for me to wipe out] thought Adam to himself as he withdrew his spear from the inventory.

 Chapter 296: Goblin Mage Dark Staff Part 2

    With his spear in his hands, Adam launched himself into the air and made it seem as though he was going to strike downwards on the Tank Goblin Beast that had moved forwards to face him, but then suddenly stopped attacking just as he was about to clash with the Tank Goblin Beast.


    Their bodies were very durable and strong, had thick armour and thick shields, which made them hard to take down, but that also made them easy to avoid and without any offensive fighters with them, they were quite easy to deal with.


    The Tank Goblin Beast had put up his shield to block the downwards spear attack that he thought Adam was attacking him with, however, he was merely helping Adam, who stopped his attack, by doing so.


    Adam who acted as though he was about to strike him with the spear, landed on the Tank Goblin Beast''s shield and launched himself off it towards the other Tank Goblin Beast that wasn''t prepared for a sudden attack.


    [These goblin beasts, although are much smarter than all the other beasts I have come across and can communicate between themselves, are still not as good at combat as skilled human cultivators, especially not me] thought Adam to himself as he pierced his spear into the eye of the Tank Goblin Beast that was protecting the Mage Goblin Beast.


    Adam thrust his spear as hard as he could, but he still wasn''t able to pierce all the way into the Tank Goblin Beast''s head, but it was enough to massively injure it and cause it to collapse and slowly begin to die.


    Launching himself back into the air, Adam left his spear embedded in the head of the Tank Goblin Beast as it was hard to get out and he no longer had a need for it, as he landed before the other Tank Goblin Beast that had just turned around to see what happened.


    It was furious after being used by Adam to attack his companion as it swung its shield towards Adam, hoping to slam the shield into him, which would deal him quite a hefty blow.


    However, despite the attack being powerful and hard to dodge, since the shield was very big, it was too slow to ever hit Adam who jumped up into the air once again.


    Jumping over and around them was what Adam found was most effective to manoeuvre against such large, clunky beasts that couldn''t move quickly and were restricted by their armour and shields.


    As Adam flipped in the air, over the Tank Goblin Beast''s head, he struck down with an Air Palm Strike that he had poured quite a lot of energy into.


    Upon striking down on the beast''s helmet with the strike, the vibrations that were released by the Air Plam Strike flowed through it and through his head, until it reached his brain.


    In an instant, the Tank Goblin Beast fell backwards on the ground and began to shake uncontrollably from the shock of his brain being attacked by a powerful wave of vibrations and energy.


    "That leaves only the Mage Goblin Beast," said Adam to himself as he walked towards it and left the two Tank Goblin Beasts to die slowly in pain.


    Adam looked at the Mage Goblin Beast with cold eyes that were filled with Bloodlust, but behind that, there was curiosity and fascination.


    All he could wonder was how far the beasts in the dungeon could go and what other amazing beasts and abilities he would come across and collect with his Unique Collector Skill.


    The Mage Goblin Beast seemed to have recovered slightly from the attack it released in the short while that Adam had been fighting against the two Tank Goblin Beasts, but it still didn''t seem able to fight as it struggled to stand up and fire another dark beam towards Adam.


    It had much less energy within it, which made it so that its speed, power and size were much lower than its previous attacks, and because of that, although he knew it was reckless, Adam allowed it to graze his arm.


    He wanted to see what the power of the Goblin Mage''s dark beams and upon grazing his arm, Adam felt a sharp pain that jolted his entire body and when he looked down at his arm, saw that his skin was beginning to shrivel up around the area he had been hit by it.


    It was almost as if the life was being drained out of that part of his arm and it had a similar effect on the trees that it had hit, as they had all slowly died and lost all their greenness.


    "What an amazing attack? It seems to be able to kill all the vitality and life force of living beings when it touches it and also seems to have a decaying effect that slowly spreads" observed Adam.


    It was very painful to experience, but Adam using his Internal Energy, was able to quickly expel the darkness in his arm that he felt was slowly growing.


    "If I was hit by that big beam, I would have probably been instantly killed and even if I did survive the attack, would have probably died soon after," thought Adam to himself as he walked over to Mage Goblin Beast and snatched the staff out of its hand.


    "This is mine now. Thanks for the weapon" said Adam with an evil smile after confirming that the weapon had the capacity to absorb and store energy, meaning that it was the staff that had the power of darkness and not the Mage Goblin Beast.


    "Time to give you a taste of your own medicine" stated Adam, who was excited to use the staff and feel its power.


    Adam aimed the tip of the staff towards the Mage Goblin Beast that was attempting to get away from him, then streamed his Internal Energy into it as he jogged after the beast, however, what happened after that, massively shocked him.

 Chapter 297: Integrated Equipment Part 1

    The Dark Staff that Adam was wielding gave him an unusual feeling, almost as though it was alive and it seemed to be refusing to use the energy that Adam was supplying it.


    However, after releasing his powerful and assertive aura and dominating what he believed to be the spirit of the weapon, the energy began to flood into the black orb at the peak of the staff.


    As it did so, Adam could feel an evil and menacing power coursing throughout his body and connecting with the staff as he fired the dark beam directly at the Goblin Mage''s back.


    The dark beam went straight through the Mage Goblin Beast and it was killed within seconds as even the green blood of the beast was consumed by the darkness released from the staff.


    After a few seconds, Adam felt the life of the Mage Goblin Beast be extinguished, however as that occurred, the staff he was holding disappeared into thin air.


    [What the hell happened?!] exclaimed Adam within his mind out of curiosity and annoyance.


    The dark staff was extremely powerful and it would have been very useful to use in long-range attacks when he planned to take on the goblin city directly.


    [I thought this was meant to be a special floor that was similar to reality and nothing would disappear, even beasts after being killed]


    Ava chuckled as she heard Adam''s frustrated exclamation and began answering his questions.


    {The staff disappeared because it was an integrated weapon of the so-called Mage Goblin Beast, meaning that the weapon is a part of the beast and once it died, the weapon disappeared as it kind of also died} stated Ava, shocking Adam completely.


    [Give me a detailed explanation of what integrated weapons are. And also tell me how that applies to me and the beasts in the dungeon and any other useful information that I need to know] instructed Adam.


    {As you may have noticed, every time you summon your goblin summon it has a club with it and that is its integrated weapon. The base beast type you have integrated with your goblin summon is an ordinary goblin, and most other humanoid beasts that you come across will also have integrated weapons} stated Ava, opening Adam''s eyes to a new form of equipment.


    {There are also integrated equipment, like any armour that was integrated with the body and it can be summoned and withdrawn back into the body by the owner. Each body part of an individual can only be integrated with a single piece of equipment, for example, if the host integrated a spear with his right arm, the host wouldn''t be able to then go on to integrate it with a dagger} continued Ava.


    [That is all interesting, but how are integrated weapons formed and how can I gain one? Also, what are the pros and cons of having an integrated weapon?] asked Adam who was fascinated by the new thing that had been introduced to him.


    {Well as you may have noticed, the dark staff resisted you and didn''t allow you to use it and what resisted you was the spirit of the weapon. There are many different rare and special circumstances and events that can cause weapons to gain spirits or integrate weapons with a spirit or soul that will act as a spirit. A spirit is necessary for a piece of equipment to be able to integrate and bind with the soul, mind and body of an individual} stated Ava, once again bringing up the concept of the soul to Adam.


    Even his master didn''t know much about the soul and how it worked and only the high level ancients had access to such knowledge, so Adam didn''t wonder too much about it, but he still asked Ava any questions that he had.


    {I can only give you the knowledge that the program allows me to reveal to you and for now, you can think of the soul as the essence of a living being. You can think of a spirit as the essence of a being that cannot take on a physical living form and is only a living being in an ethereal state. Equipment can gain spirits by slowly gaining sentience through experiences, being used for long periods of time and there are quite a few other special circumstances needed. However, it very rarely occurs and it usually only occurs with rare divine weapons that even most ancients might not have} stated Ava.


    {The Dark Staff and the Goblin Club are weak, low level integrated weapons, but one thing that is unique to the integrated equipment that the beasts have through the system is that they grow with the beast and will always have power similar to that of the beast. so that it is still useful. Integrated Equipment with growth potential are even rarer}


    [Alright, but what about the pros and cons. Are there any negative side effects of having integrated equipment] asked Adam who was interested in gaining integrated equipment in the future.


    {Well, the positives are that they are hidden within the body of the owner and can be summoned at any moment. They can also recover from almost any form or level of damage since they are bound and integrated with the owner, which is good, but can be very draining for the owner. In some special cases, equipment with special abilities or capabilities, when integrated with certain parts of the body and not summoned, can grant the owner special abilities. For example, if one had a shield integrated into their right arm and reached a high level of harmony and coherence with the spirit of the weapon, the user might be able to enhance their arm to be hard like the shield} answered Ava, amazing Adam.


    It made him want integrated equipment even more, but he knew that with most things, there were always cons to having it and he was interested to hear what they were.

 Chapter 298: Integrated Equipment Part 2

    [So, what are the cons of integrated weapons?] asked Adam.


    {There are more pros, but I covered the main ones and the other pros mostly only come up with special, unique and rare integrated weapons. As for the cons, they are as numerous as the pros, but aren''t impossible to overcome} stated Ava.


    {Firstly, since integrated equipment have spirits, they have personalities, which need to be controlled or negotiated with. Doing so can be hard and annoying, but I''m sure with the host''s assertive aura, it shouldn''t be too difficult to control or come to an agreement with integrated equipment. Although they may be able to gain their own energy storages, in most cases, integrated equipment do not have energy storages and are very draining for the owner. They also take up a part of the owner''s body and if one loses control, they could lose that part of their body and in the worst case, even lose their entire body}


    {The equipment integration is almost impossible to reverse and some other cons can come up in some cases, depending on the power of the integrated equipment and the intelligence of the spirit. However, do not get it into your mind that all spirits can communicate and are sentient and intelligent. They are aware of their owner and the owner''s intentions, but that''s all most integrated equipment are capable of. Some integrated equipment might be so weak and unintelligent that its owner won''t even raise that it is an integrated weapon and won''t be able to retract it into their body. It all depends on the owner, the circumstance and the overall quality of the equipment and the overview I have given you cannot cover all situations that might come up}


    Adam took a moment to digest everything that Ava had informed him about Integrated Equipment, before asking her, "So how does that apply to the goblin beast''s integrated equipment and why did the Dark Staff disappear after the Mage Goblin Beast died".


    {Because this is a special floor where the way things work is very close and similar to reality, that applies to the Integrated Equipment of the beasts. Once the owner of a piece of integrated equipment passes, the piece of integrated equipment either perishes with its owner, or seals itself until it finds a worthy owner to unseal it. In the case of the humanoid beasts in the dungeon, it will perish with the owner, but can be used once before disintegrating, which is only because it is a special floor} answered Ava.


    With that, Adam had a much clearer understanding of what integrated equipment was, and took a short while to recover the energy that he had used up against the goblin beast group.


    It didn''t take long to recover that energy and recover from the small amount of damage that the beasts had managed to deal him, then Adam went on to move around the outskirts of the forest in search of another goblin beast group.


    Just like he had expected, quite a few of the powerful goblin beast groups had been sent out to get rid of him, and it wasn''t long before Adam came across another one of the goblin beast groups.


    Each of the goblin beasts looked identical to the goblin beasts of the same type and all acted and fought in the same way, which made it easy for Adam to deal with them after already fighting with them and knowing all their weaknesses.


    Adam no longer went out of his way to dispose of the bodies of the goblin beasts or carry them over to the edges of the floor, but he gathered some of the useful equipment and spread them around the forest, in case he needed them.


    After wiping out a few of the goblin beast groups, Adam was able to do so within a matter of minutes, which was a very long time for battles considering how fast they could move, but very short, considering that it was a battle against beasts that had the power of Advanced Cultivators.


    Adam was unsure exactly how much time had passed since he had entered the dungeon, but he was sure that it had been a few hours, but he had been able to kill so many goblin beasts and was happy with the progress that he had made.


    Cleaning himself in the small pond that was around the plot of land that previously used to be a safe zone, Adam was still on high alert.


    He had previously been drenched in green blood and it was very stinky and also made it easier for him to be sensed and found, which he didn''t want.


    Getting out of the pond, Adam was shirtless and decided against wearing his shirt, as the stench and stains of the green goblin blood didn''t want to be washed out.


    Adam then went on to cutting his trousers into shorts so that more of his bare skin was showing, which made it easier to wash off the blood of the goblin beasts and also made it easier to move and use his flexibility.


    It was becoming harder and harder to find the goblin beast groups, since Adam had already taken down most of them and had only stopped hunting them to go and clean himself


    Dashing in the treetops of the forest, searching for another one of the goblin beast groups using his spiritual sense, Adam finally found one, but what surprised him was how they reacted to his presence.


    The Archer, Swordsman and Mage Goblin beasts, who were the beasts in the group with the sharpest senses, as soon as they sensed Adam''s spiritual sense lock onto them, released a cry as they communicated to each other to run away.


    They all instantly rushed towards the goblin city while on the defensive, which surprised Adam who had never seen the cruel and hateful beasts of the dungeon retreat as he dashed after them, not wanting to let them get away.

 Chapter 299: Giant Goblin Beast Part 1

    [It seems that the goblin beasts are retreating or afraid of me for some reason. They must have received instruction to retreat somehow as they were already on their way back to the goblin city] thought Adam to himself as he launched himself off the branch he was on and landed on the ground.


    Running at his full speed, Adam rushed to catch up to the goblin beast group and found that as a group they were quite slow since the Tank Goblin Beasts and the Mage Goblin Beast were holding them back.


    Despite that, the speed they were moving at was still a speed that low-level Advanced Cultivators would struggle to keep up with and Adam would judge the beasts based on his own power, but could recognise how amazing they were.


    Within seconds, Adam closed most of the distance between himself and the group of goblin beasts and it was clear to the goblin beast group that he would reach them soon.


    It would take them quite a while to reach the goblin city, even at the incredibly fast speed that they were moving out, which went to show just how large the forest around the goblin city was and how large Floor 10 was as a whole.


    Communicating with each other, the two in the goblin beast group that were the fastest and the most nimble, decided to stay back to hold off Adam for a while before catching up to them.


    Seeing their intentions, it seemed that they somehow knew that he was able to take them down and this group of goblin beasts was clearly aiming to get away from Adam and not dispose of him.


    [This floor will be harder than I thought and whoever the leader or strategist of the goblin beasts is, needs to be killed. It isn''t particularly smart, but it is still annoying to face a coordinated army of beasts alone. But first off, let''s kill this group of goblin beasts] thought Adam as he burst towards the Swordsman Goblin Beast that had turned to face him.


    Supporting him from a distance was the Archer Goblin Beast, but Adam was already used to the speed and power of the arrows of that type of beast and instantly avoided its first arrow before clashing with the Swordsman Goblin Beast.


    Using his daggers, Adam began parrying the Swordsman Goblin Beast''s sword strikes while controlling the rhythm of the battle and moving him to a position that covered him from the Archer Goblin Beast who was afraid to get close.


    Adam had memorised, understood and formed counter measures for all of the Swordsman Goblin Beast''s techniques, attack patterns and swordsmanship style, so it was easy for him to do so.


    With Adam''s speed, perceptivity and combat prowess, within a minute, he had the Swordsman Goblin Beast covered in wounds and blood and found the chance to strike its neck.


    A single slash to the neck, and their battle was over, but he still had to take down the pesky Archer Goblin Beast who had been firing arrows at him the entire time he was battling the Swordsman Goblin Beast.


    Adam had used the Swordsman Beast to cover himself from the arrows, but now that he had slashed his neck and killed it, the Archer Goblin Beast was free to fire at Adam as it pleased.


    Blood had splashed on Adam''s and he had to close his eyes for an instant as he wiped the warm, green blood off his face.


    In that instant, the Archer Goblin Beast fired three powerful and incredibly fast arrows that were coated with internal energy and aimed at Adam''s head.


    However, even with his eyes closed, Adam''s senses were still sharp and activated the Step Skip Skill to appear beside the Archer Goblin Beast.


    "All of you disgusting goblins will die to my hands" declared Adam as he dug his dagger into the neck of the Archer Goblin Beast, then kicked the dagger all the way through.


    Picking up his dagger that was drenched in green blood and had fallen to the ground, Adam rushed after the Mage Goblin Beast and the two Tank Goblin Beasts that had run away with it.


    However before he could catch up, the ground began to shake as Adam heard loud thuds and looked off into the distance to see a shocking creature.


    The entire floor would experience a mini-earthquake each time the beast took a step and although it was miles away and was in a forest that was densely populated with trees, Adam could see its head and body standing tall above the trees.


    He had previously thought that the Tank Goblin Beast that stood at 2-3 metres were large, but this goblin beast was a few dozen metres tall and had a similar large physique to the Tank Goblin Beasts.


    However, it didn''t have any armour and help a giant club that would have required an entire large tree from the forest to produce.


    It looked like the Tank Goblin Beast and Goblin Guard Beast were fused and enlarged many times over to produce the giant beast that seemed to be heading towards him.


    Adam couldn''t help but feel intimidated by its size and how was he even meant to take down such a large beast, how did it suddenly appear and where was it hidden as such a large beast wouldn''t be able to suddenly appear in the forest without alerting everyone of its presence.


    That led Adam to believe that the goblins beasts within the city or the giant goblin beast itself was the cause of its sudden increase in size, as he would have noticed it earlier, but it also made him wonder whether the giant goblin beast could stay giant for long periods of time.


    There were too many things that Adam didn''t know about the Giant Goblin Beast that was approaching the area he was in at a slow pace and clearly looking for the intruder to take them down, but Adam still wasn''t planning to back down.

 Chapter 300: Giant Goblin Beast Part 2

    [This Giant Goblin Beast can literally step on me and probably take me down that easily, but it is still very slow, clumsy and will probably have a hard time finding me and actually landing a hit on me. I have no chance of taking down that beast with the power I am able to unleash currently and probably won''t even be able to damage it, but if I take out its eyes, it will go berserk] said Adam to himself.


    [Once that occurs, I can taunt the beast and lead it to the goblin city. Hopefully, it is wild and stupid enough to begin destroying the Goblin Beast city and amid the confusion and chaos, I can take down as many goblin beasts as I can before retreating. It is unlikely that the Giant Goblin Beast can stay in the form for long and will probably be taken down by the powerful goblin beasts hidden within the city, so I still need to be careful and ready to retreat at any moment] continued Adam to himself.


    "Before that, I should chase after that Mage Goblin Beast and the Tank Goblin Beasts with it as no goblin beasts will get away from me" mumbled Adam as he jumped up into a tree and bolted after the goblin beasts as the wind crashed against his face.


    It was an exhilarating feeling to be able to move as quickly as Adam could and even after moving at such speeds for long periods of time, Adam never got bored of the feeling of the wind crashing against his face along with the adrenaline rush that came with it.


    Catching up to the goblin beasts that were quite slow when compared to Adam, the Swordsman Goblin beasts and the Archer Goblin Beasts, Adam didn''t waste any time in taking them down.


    No matter how powerful one became, unless they had a unique hardening ability like that of Chase, the neck and eyes were always vulnerable parts of the body that could impale or instantly kill an opponent.


    Jumping onto the back of the Mage Goblin Beast before it even had the chance to react, Adam struck downwards on its head with an Air Palm Strike, instantly crushing its head as its brain and blood splattered all over Adam.


    His Bloodlust surged as a slight smile appeared on his face as he then swung a powerful kick at the leg of one of the Tank Goblin Beast.


    The Tank Goblin Beasts didn''t have armour covering their entire legs and only their knees and chins, which left Adam to strike its thigh.


    The kick was fast and had a lot of power behind it, but it was merely to daze and stop the Tank Goblin Beast from running as Adam slashed the back of its knees with his dagger.


    He slashed as hard and quickly as he could and was one of the deadliest strikes that he had learnt from some of the dagger and fighting manuals that his master had provided him.


    Behind the knee is the posterior cruciate ligament and since it is a humanoid beast, its body in terms of composition was very similar if not exactly the same as that of a normal human.


    The posterior cruciate ligament is the ligament that connects your shinbone to your thigh bone and is needed to keep the knee stable and therefore walk.


    As soon as Adam cut the posterior cruciate ligament of the Tank Goblin Beast, its knees buckled as it fell down to its knees and was unable to get back up.


    It was the first time that Adam had used that tactic in battle and it was clearly very effective, but it was mostly only useful against humans as beasts usually have different compositions that are usually different.


    Leaving that Tank Beast on the ground trying to crawl away, no longer able to use its legs, Adam rushed after the other one that had left behind its comrades and struck it down in the same way.


    With both of them on the ground, it was unlikely they would die from illness or blood loss with their strong vitalities, but it was unlikely that they would ever be able to walk again as the healing of the posterior cruciate ligament would require special external assistance.


    Leaving them crawling around on the ground, Adam was more focused on the Giant Goblin Beast that was walking towards where he was and crushing everything in its way.


    It was leaving a wide path behind it where all the trees were crushed and destroyed, which was exactly what Adam didn''t want as he was using the large trees to slowly pick off the goblin beasts that were sent out to take him down.


    The speed at which it was walking seemed to be very slow and comparable to that of a normal human, but the ground it was covering was incredible with each step covering dozens of metres.


    It was also dragging its feet across the ground and stomping loudly intentionally, wanting to destroy everything in its path and draw out Adam, which confirmed to Adam that there really was someone in charge of all the goblin beasts.


    [Whoever is controlling or leading them must have the intelligence of that of an average human if not higher, and it is likely that they are the most powerful beast that I have to take out] thought Adam to himself, seeing the Giant Goblin Beast''s intentional and unusual actions.


    Running towards the Giant Goblin Beast, what Adam gathered was that he still hadn''t been sensed or seen by the Giant Goblin Beast which confirmed to him that its sensory capabilities were very low.


    That was to be expected from such a large beast that would see Adam as merely an ant among the trees that to it could be seen as tall grass.


    [This is going to be interesting] thought Adam as he ground beneath his feet began to shake more violently as he got closer and closer to the Giant Goblin Beast.

 Chapter 301: Taking It Down

    Adam wanted to catch the attention of the Giant Goblin Beast and got as close as he could to it and ran near its path at a speed that was lower than his full speed so that it could be easily followed by the Giant Goblin Beast.


    The Giant Goblin Beast as it stomped over the forest and left a trail of destruction spotted a small figure moving at incredibly fast speed and went to stomp on it.


    Adam saw the stomp coming and it was relatively slow, so he had enough time to jump up into the air and the Giant Goblin Beast couldn''t change the target of its stamp that hit the ground where Adam was previously running.


    Despite nearly being hit by the Giant Goblin Beast, it had turned out just like he had wanted and Adam landed upon the foot of the Giant Goblin Beast.


    The beast''s foot alone was the size of many cars put together and Adam stabbed it with his dagger to see how much damage he could deal the beast.


    After he stabbed his dagger into the top of the foot of the Giant Goblin Beast, it didn''t even react and was completely unbothered by the strike.


    Adam despite sticking the entire blade of his dagger into the body of the Giant Goblin Beast, he had barely cut any of the beast''s body when considering how thick the beast''s body actually was.


    The Giant Goblin Beast began to shake its foot, hoping to get Adam off its foot as it was annoying and quite ticklish for the Giant Goblin Beast, while the stabs in his foot felt like pinches for the beast.


    Adam hardly drew any blood with the stabs and had to hold on as tightly as he could to the daggers he had stabbed into the beast, but after calming down was able to balance without doing so.


    Despite the Giant Goblin Beast shaking its foot wildly, Adam was completely balanced, and when compared to standing under the pressure of the gravity training room, standing on the shaking foot of the giant beast was easy.


    Pulling out his daggers, Adam walked up the beast''s foot and reached its legs where he jumped up as high as he could and stabbed his daggers into its leg.


    Holding onto the daggers that he had stabbed into the Giant Goblin Beast''s leg, Adam began climbing up the Giant Goblin Beast''s large, green and quite slimy leg.


    It let out an enraged roar that was so loud, it caused blood to leak out of Adam''s ears and resounded throughout the floor.


    However, Adam didn''t let go of the daggers to cover his eyes and kept climbing up the beast''s leg with his daggers as quickly as he could.


    Within a second, Adam had climbed most of the way up the Goblin Beast''s leg that was as long as a building, however before he could go up any higher, the enraged Giant Goblin Beast went to slap Adam off its body.


    Its palm was enormous and it seemed as though there was no way to avoid it other than letting go of the daggers that he had stabbed into the waist of the Giant Goblin Beast, but Adam didn''t want to let that happen.


    He waited for the beast''s giant palm that was flung at him to get close, before kicking off the beast''s body and jumping onto the beast''s palm, while taking his daggers with him.


    The beast''s palm was moving very quickly, but it wasn''t hard for Adam to climb up off its palm before the beast could squish him and begin charging up its arm.


    [I need to reach its face and cut its eyes] said Adam to himself as he ran up the arm of the beast as quickly as he could.


    Reaching the beast''s eyes was becoming more and more difficult as Adam got higher and the beast became angrier, but Adam was not planning to give up and jump down.


    Rushing up the beast''s arm, Adam made it all the way up the forearm, but the other part of the beast''s arm was vertical and couldn''t be run up.


    Despite that, Adam could still scale it as he streamed Internal Energy into his legs and with a burst of power launched himself up into the air before the Giant Goblin Beast could hit him with its other hand.


    The power of Adam''s legs and the additional burst of power from his Internal Energy was enough to jump up onto the Giant Goblin Beast''s shoulder and he was so close to its face.


    Such a large beast would be able to destroy Brooklyn with ease and even explosives and automated rifles wouldn''t be able to take it down, while the Family Heads of the large cultivation families would also need to expend quite a lot of energy and effort to take it down.


    Without waiting for the Giant Goblin Beast to attack him or something unexpected to occur, Adam dashed over its shoulder and pounced onto the face of the beast, stabbing his daggers into the cheek of the giant beast.


    Using his daggers, Adam was moving along his face to its eyes, but was suddenly slapped by the giant hand of the beast that had furiously slapped its own face to get rid of the annoying pest.


    Adam activated both his Reinforcement Techniques before that occurred as he didn''t want to let go of his daggers and have to climb his way back up.


    The powerful slap would have easily been able to crush cars and Adam was dealt quite a lot of damage from it.


    However, it was far from enough to take down Adam who swallowed the blood that was rising from the impact, then continued climbing up the face of the Giant Goblin Beast and reached its left eye before it could slap him a second time.


    [Now its time for you to pay for that slap] thought Adam to himself as he grabbed onto the eyelashes of the giant beast and stood directly before its eye.

 Chapter 302: Destruction Part 1

    [That slap must have been light considering that it was striking its own face, yet it was able to deal me quite a lot of damage. This beast''s strength must have been enhanced massively by the increase in size, and although is easy to get away from, can cause wide destruction and a lot of damage if it manages to land a direct strike] said Adam to himself.


    [But it decided to mess with the wrong guy] he added with a smile as he streamed large amounts of Internal Energy into his arms.


    Dual Slash


    Releasing two powerful blades of energy and directly slashing the beast''s eyes at the same time, Adam attacked the Giant Goblin Beast''s left eye before jumping onto its nose and heading towards its other eye.


    The Goblin Beast began to howl in pain and release cries of fury and agony as he began to continuously slap its face, hoping to squash Adam with its powerful slaps.


    Adam dug his daggers as deep into the giant beast''s face as he could and activated both the fundamental defensive techniques to the peak of his current capability and took on all the attacks directly.


    There was nothing else he could do as he approached the other eye of the Giant Goblin Beast and released a curdle of blood from all the internal damage he had sustained from the slaps.


    "Now it''s time for you to never see again" shouted Adam as he attacked its other eye in the same way as he did to its left eye before it could attack him with another slap.


    As soon as Adam did so, he kicked off the face of the giant beast and jumped down, knowing that if he stayed in contact with or in the vicinity of the enraged and blind beast, he was merely asking to get squashed.


    The roars and cries were extremely loud to the point that Adam had to move away and return his daggers into the inventory so that he could cover his ears


    "Oi, you big stupid beast. Come and get me to get your revenge if you can" shouted Adam at the top of his lungs, wanting to taunt the beast.


    However, over the screams of the giant beast, his shouting was completely overshadowed and Adam had to get its attention first before he could taunt it.


    Adam took his daggers back out of the inventory, then used the Dual Slash Skil and aimed it at the face of the Giant Goblin Beast who began wildly destroying everything around him, not able to see where Adam was.


    As soon as the two blades of energy hit the beast''s face, it stopped moving, wanting to try and sense where the attack came from, just like Adam had hoped he would.


    "You big ugly beast. come and get me" bellowed Adam as loudly as he could.


    "I am over here" called out Adam as he moved towards the centre of the floor where Adam knew the goblin city would be found.


    The Giant Goblin Beast could hear Adam and could tell what direction it was in as it charged in that direction and destroyed everything in its path, hoping to get Adam with his attacks.


    "You won''t get me"


    "Stupid big goblin"


    Adam continued calling out to it in the same direction as the goblin city, so that the giant goblin beast continued chasing after him and rushing towards the Goblin Beast City.


    The destruction that the Goblin Beast was causing, created an open and clear path of destruction within the forest that led all the way to the goblin city, which Adam could use in the future if he wanted to.


    Spotting the Goblin Beast City, Adam was amazed by the sheer size of it, but to him, it was merely a giant hunting ground that was filled with disgusting creatures that he had to eliminate.


    There were dozens if not hundreds of Goblin Guards stationed around the area of the Goblin City that Adam was leading the Giant Goblin Beast in, but Adam didn''t engage them in combat and continued calling out to and taunting the giant beast.


    The Giant Goblin Beast ignored all the screams from the goblin beast guards that were calling out to it to leave, turn back and be careful, but the beast was enraged and all it could think about was crushing Adam.


    "Destroy as many goblins and buildings as you can you stupid beast. This will be the starting point of my destruction of the Goblin Beast City" roared Adam as he slashed apart a few Goblin Beast Guards before jumping up onto the tall wall that surrounded the Goblin Beast City.


    Firing an Air Palm Strike towards the Giant Goblin Beast, Adam stood above the wall of the Goblin Beast City as screams of fear, pain and shock began to resound throughout the area around him.


    The Giant Goblin Beast charged towards Adam, not knowing or caring about all the destruction and death that he caused its own kind as it charged into the part of the wall that Adam was previously stood on.


    With the great size, strength and weight of the beast, as it charged wildly into the wall, it collapsed and fell inwards, falling onto dozens of beasts and crushing them, while Adam had jumped to the side avoided being hit by the Giant Goblin Beast.


    Adam no longer called out to the Giant Beast that had begun being shot by arrows and dark beams by the goblin beasts within the city, and allowed them to cause more destruction and kill each other.


    While they did that, Adam jumped down to the ground and landed outside the wall of the Goblin City where dozens of Goblin Beast Guards, that looked identical to his Goblin Summon, stood on guard.


    [I will weaken their forces as much as I can before retreating and recovering the energy that I have expended. After recovering, although the goblin beasts will be on high alert, they will fear me slightly and their power would have been weakened quite massively] planned Adam with an evil smile as all the Goblin Beast Guards in the area around him charged towards him.

 Chapter 303: Destruction Part 2

    The Goblin Beast Guards were shocked by the sudden appearance of a human, but their hate towards humans were stronger than any other beast that Adam had come across in the dungeon.


    But goblin beasts were also the beasts that Adam hated the most in the dungeon after what he experienced of Floor 0 and how cruel and evil they were.


    With his two daggers in his hands and green blood all over him, Adam smiled slightly as he began slashing the Goblin Beast Guards apart using only his External Cultivation.


    His Internal Energy was running low and it made him feel quite fatigued and drained, but his physical body alone was more than enough to fight all of those Goblin Beast Guards as heads and limbs flew everywhere.


    Adam killed them in the quickest way he could, but also made sure that it was gruesome and painful to frighten all of the Goblin Beast Guards.


    Returning his daggers into the inventory and withdrawing his spear, Adam spun his spear around above his head and crouched down slightly, slicing the heads of all the beasts that were close to him.


    Adam''s drive to become more powerful, his Bloodlust and his hate for Goblin Beasts allowed him to unleash great power even in the disadvantaged and fatigued state that he was in as he continued massacring the Goblin Beast Guards that swarmed around him, wanting to take him down.


    After a few minutes, there was a loud thud that shook the entire floor again and the body of the Giant Goblin Beast collapsed backwards after no longer being able to fight.


    It had been wildly destroying everything around it with its giant wooden club, but after all the attacks it had suffered from the powerful goblin beasts that were protecting their city, it could no longer hold out.


    Adam watched what happened next closely as the Giant Goblin Beast that was pouring out lots of blood began to shrink into a goblin beast that looked ordinary.


    It was incredible to watch and Adam couldn''t tell whether it was the Special Trait of that beast or it was enlarged using some sort of treasure, but either way, it was very powerful and Adam wanted to find out how it worked.


    However, all of the attention of the rest of the goblin beasts turned to Adam who was quite fatigued after all the energy he had expended and after killing dozens of goblin guards that fought him all at once.


    "It''s time for me to get out of here, there are too many of them and these Goblin Beast Guards seem to be infinite. No matter how many I kill, more keep coming towards me from within the city and around the walls that they were guarding" said Adam as he released a powerful Dual Slash using the last of his Internal Energy and cleared a path for him to get away through.


    The energy blades he released cut apart a few goblin beasts, that surrounded him and closed of his way out, and without hesitating, knowing that he couldn''t fight against them all at once, especially in the fatigued state he was in, Adam rushed away.


    A few of the beasts tried to pursue Adam, but he ran at his full speed and was too quick while they were also not allowed to leave their posts as guards without permission or orders.


    Adam ran as fast as he could and didn''t stop even after getting a few miles away and only after he was sure that he wasn''t being pursued, and there weren''t any beasts in his vicinity, he took a break.


    Catching his breath, Adam climbed up into a tree and activated his Ethereal Recovery Skill, wanting to recover as quickly as he could and return to the Goblin Beast City.


    As long as he was careful and picked off the beasts before hiding or retreating, Adam would be able to start exploring and scouting the city.


    It was all thanks to that Giant Goblin Beast that had not only caused a lot of destruction and killed a lot of the Goblin Beasts, but had also created an opening for him in the wall of the Goblin Beast City.


    There was no way that they would be able to rebuild it and the goblin beasts would have no choice but to station more guards and guards that were more powerful, but that was obvious to Adam.


    He had decided that he was not going to use the path of destruction that the Giant Goblin Beast had created and instead would attempt to enter the Goblin Beast city from the opposite side, where although the wall was intact, there would most likely be fewer guards.


    With less guards, Adam would have more time to explore and scout the layout of the Goblin Beast City, while also taking down Goblin Beasts much more easily.


    Adam recovered in the tree he was in after a few hours and he was surprised that no goblin beasts came out in search of him as he was prepared to move and find another place to recover at any moment.


    [It seems that the Goblin City is now in a state of lockdown and won''t let any beasts out and nobody in. I will be able to move through the forest freely without coming across any goblin beasts, but the Goblin Beast City will be much more heavily guarded] gathered Adam as he began moving around the forest, wanting to reach the side of the city that was opposite to where the Giant Goblin Beast had destroyed part of the wall.


    [But it''s all the same and the goblin beasts as humanoid creatures are quite easy to take down and too stupid. This is my hunting ground and after wiping out all of these beasts, I will become a powerful Advanced Cultivator that is unstopable] said Adam to himself as he dashed through the forest at incredible speeds.

 Chapter 304: Goblin Beast City Part 1

    The Goblin Beast City was in chaos after quite a large area was destroyed by a wild Giant Goblin Beast and many Goblin Beast Guards had been killed by their enemy.


    Goblin Beast Guards along with other elite goblin beasts spread around the city and mostly around the part of the city''s walls that had been broken, just like Adam had expected.


    Adam didn''t get in too close to the goblin city and getting around the entire forest while keeping his distance from the Goblin Beast City took him quite a while, but it was worth it.


    Reaching the opposite side of the Goblin Beast City to the side that had been attacked by the wild Giant Goblin Beast, Adam observed from a safe distance and found that the security was quite easy to get past.


    There were much more goblin beasts on guard than there were previously, but that was to be expected since all the goblin beasts that were scouting the forest had been recalled to the city and instructed to guard it.


    With two daggers in hand, Adam felt confident and ready to kill all the guards in the nearby area, quickly and rapidly, before scouting out the city and finding out as much as he could.


    However, he was also ready to retreat at any moment and was planning to reserve a part of his Internal and External Energy for an emergency escape.


    Using the Step Skip Skill along with the Dagger Jolt Skil, within the blink of an eye, Adam slashed off the heads of two Goblin Beast Guards, and using his speed, he dashed to the closest Goblin Beast Guard instantly after that.


    With his speed, daggers and killing speed, Adam was able to wipe out the 20 or so Goblin Beast Guards within seconds before they could get away and alert other beasts of his presence.


    No other goblin beasts had seen Adam or sensed his presence, but it was only a matter of time before the bodies of the goblin beasts he killed were found and Adam estimated that he had a few minutes before nearby goblin beasts were alerted of his presence.


    Without wasting any time or hesitating, Adam streamed large amounts of Internal Energy into his legs and released an explosive burst of power that allowed him to scale the wall around the Goblin Beast City that was over 15 metres tall.


    Landing on the top of the wall that was formed out of rocks of all different shapes and sizes, Adam was impressed and shocked by the size and structure of the inside of the city.


    The previous time he had been on the wall, he didn''t have the time to admire the view of the city, but this time he didn''t have dozens if not hundreds of beasts after him.


    Most of the houses were made of rocks, bricks and also incorporated wood into them, but that wasn''t what amazed Adam.


    The sheer size of the city was amazing and seemed to be of a similar size to Brooklyn if not bigger.


    Despite the large size of the Goblin Beast City, there was one large structure in the centre that could be seen from anywhere within the city and seemed to be some sort of giant castle.


    Seeing that Adam couldn''t help but smile to himself.


    [You are making it too easy. I will scout the goblin beast city and memorise a few routes around it while eliminating as many beasts as I can to weaken their forces. After that I will retreat or hide, so that I have time to recover, before heading towards that castle in the centre of the city] planned Adam after seeing the Goblin Beast City for himself.


    Jumping down, from the wall onto the ground, the impact didn''t faze Adam in the slightest as he stretched his legs and body that was feeling quite stiff before checking the small cottage-like house that was closest to him.


    Cleaning in through the gap in the wall, that seemed to be their form of a window but without any glass, Adam confirmed to himself that the goblin beasts hadn''t advanced technologically and scientifically, so the only thing he had to be wary of was their unusual and powerful abilities.


    The inside of the house was plain and Adam found a wooden club and a sleeping area.


    Other than that, the inside of the house was empty which showed Adam that the goblin beasts despite being humanoid, only had similar physiques to humans and couldn''t be compared to them in many other ways.


    It also showed Adam that although the dungeon was just as realistic as reality, there wasn''t much depth in the beasts and it showed Adam that the dungeon was still being manipulated and controlled by the system.


    Adam didn''t know how to feel about that and what else the system''s program had in store for him on future floors, but for the current moment, Adam was glad that there wasn''t too much depth in the beasts of the dungeon.


    It made it easier to slaughter them and made the split between the dungeon and reality easier to maintain within his mind.


    Leaving the house, Adam checked a few others quickly and found that they were similar.


    All of them had a single sleeping area and some basic weapons and also didn''t have any beasts in them.


    It went to show Adam that the only beasts were the goblin beasts that he had to hunt and that there weren''t any child goblin beasts, which made Adam wonder if the goblin beasts would reproduce or would be spawned in by the system.


    The houses along the edge of the Goblin Beast City were all almost identical and each had a slub within them, so Adam assumed that they belonged to the Goblin Beast Guard which were the weakest and most common of all the goblin beasts.


    [So the houses that are bigger and closer to the centre of the goblin beast city must belong to more powerful and rarer goblin beasts] observed Adam as he headed deeper into the Goblin Beast City.

 Chapter 305: Goblin Beast City Part 2

    The Outer Area of the Goblin Beast City was filled with the homes of the Goblin Beast Guards and there were thousands of them, which gave Adam an idea of how many Goblin Guard Beasts were left.


    Although most of the Goblin Guard Beasts had been stationed at different areas around the wall of the Goblin Beast City, there were still many present within the city and Adam had to be careful not to alert them.


    Luckily for Adam, their senses were not the greatest and Adam would take down any lone Goblin Beast Guard that he found, then would place their bodies within the closest small house.


    He tried his best to do so without spilling much blood as the smell of the goblin beasts'' blood was strong and disgusting and after a few minutes, Adam finally heard the screams and wails of the goblin beasts that he had been waiting for.


    By then he had already gotten quite deep into the goblin beast city and had taken down quite a few beasts already.


    There wasn''t any danger for Adam currently as most of the beasts were on the other side of the city, which gave him around 20 minutes before he had no choice but to retreat due to too many of the goblin beasts returning to the city.


    Adam had reached the section of the Goblin Beast City that was different to the homes that he had come across so far and upon entering, he gauged that the homes belonged to the different beasts from the goblin beast groups that he had come across.


    That thought was confirmed when two goblin beast groups found him and surrounded him quickly before he could turn to get away, but it wasn''t because he feared them, but because he didn''t want to waste his time.


    He wanted to search around the Goblin Beast City for longer, but Adam didn''t have any path of retreat as the two groups worked together to surround Adam as the Swordsman Goblin Beasts from each of the groups dashed towards Adam to engage him in combat.


    While they dashed towards him, two black beams came at Adam from different directions along with multiple arrows from the two archers that were rapidly firing powerful and fast arrows towards Adam who stood in the centre of their attacks.


    Adam smiled to himself with all the attacks flying towards him as he suddenly disappeared from where he stood using the Step Skip Skill, then appeared behind one of the Mage Goblin Beasts.


    All of the Mage Goblin Beasts had a Tank Goblin Beast beside them to protect them, but Adam was too fast and suddenly appeared behind the Mage Goblin Beast, so there was no way for the Tank Goblin Beast to stop him from slashing off the head of the Mage Goblin Beast.


    "You guys wanted to fight, then here we go. I will slaughter you all before scouting more of the Goblin Beast City and hunting more goblin beasts" said Adam as he returned his daggers into the inventory and took out his spear.


    Adam was out-numbered and his opponents spread around him, so he needed to be quick, careful and try to take them out with as minimal attacks as possible.


    He held his spear with one hand like a javelin, and launched it with as much power as he could, aiming for the gap in the helmet of the Tank Goblin Beast''s that allowed them to see.


    The spear was too fast to avoid or block and pierced all the way through the beast''s head, stopping after hitting the back of its helmet after piercing through its head.


    Adam then took out his daggers again and engaged two of the Swordsman Goblin Beasts that had similar speeds to himself and were in complete coherence with each other.


    Since they were exactly the same in every way, it wasn''t hard to believe that they knew what each other were thinking and could fight completely in sync with each other.


    Adam was being pushed back and slightly overwhelmed by the two fast beasts that were wielding swords and had been slashed quite a few times by them, but was enjoying the tough battle.


    He couldn''t beat them relying on speed, which he usually would and Adam didn''t want to expend much energy or use his ability either, as he wanted it to be a test of his fighting and dagger skills.


    With his two daggers and two swordsmen attacking him from either side, Adam began catching up to their rhythm and speedy attacks that were still the same as the attacks that he was used to.


    Their battle was very long compared to the battles that Adam had experienced so far on the floor and finally managed to kill one of the Swordsman Goblin Beasts after a few minutes.


    After taking down one, within a few moments, Adam was able to take down the second Swordsman Goblin Beast before activating his Bloodlust Characteristic and unleashing more of its power.


    Adam''s speed and explosive power were enhanced massively, but along with it was his desire to kill and his wild and reckless nature.


    Taking down the rest of the two groups, unfazed by the minor injuries he had suffered that were quickly healing, Adam began slaughtering any beasts in his path while dashing around the Goblin Beast City.


    Despite his actions seeming to be wild and crazy, Adam was memorising every path he took and the area around him within the Goblin City as he began to form a map of the layout within his mind.


    He had made sure to get back his spear from the Tank Goblin Beast''s head that it was embedded in and Adam kept switching between his spear and his daggers whenever he needed to.


    After 20 minutes of dashing around the Goblin Beast City and killing beasts along with way, Adam was beginning to feel drained and fatigued as a few dozen powerful goblin beasts surrounded him.

 Chapter 306: Goblin Beast City Part 3

    Adam had come across many different types of goblin beasts so far on the floor and each of them had the power of an Advanced Cultivator along with varying different abilities and weapons.


    It was a great experience to battle against so many varying humanoid beasts, but Adam was reaching the limits that he had placed on his energy storages and was becoming surrounded by many goblin beasts.


    He had found out that there were a few more of the Giant Goblin Beasts, that didn''t use their enlarging Special Trait as they didn''t want to cause more destruction within the city, along with a few other types of goblin beasts.


    There were Spear Wielding Goblin Beasts and Beast Goblins that were much faster and stronger than the Goblin Beast Guards and had sharp claws and teeth, but weren''t as smart.


    They were the two more common beasts that were added to the beasts that Adam had come across so far and they joined the Goblin Beast Groups, making them even stronger.


    [It seems that I am surrounded and in a tricky situation, but luckily for me I reserved quite a lot of Internal Energy] said Adam to himself with a slight smile.


    Using the Step Skip Skill, Adam suddenly disappeared, then appeared before a Mage Goblin Beast and snatched its dark staff out of its hand.


    Adam was avoiding dozens of ranged attacks from the Archer Goblin Beasts and Mage Goblin Beasts, and while doing so released his aura and killing intent to not only intimidate and stun the beasts slightly, but gain control over the Dark Staff.


    He could use it once before it either destroyed itself or returned to its master, since it was an Integrated Weapon that although could be dominated, was bound to the Mage Goblin Beast that he had stolen it from.


    Streaming large amounts of Internal Energy into it, Adam aimed it in the direction the wall of the Goblin Beast City so that he could clear himself an escape route.


    He had already killed hundreds of goblin beasts, but they kept flocking towards him and he was currently surrounded by too many beasts that were all powerful, so his only option was to attempt to escape and retreat.


    The thought of attempting to hide in the Goblin Beast City that had so many beasts within it was removed from Adam''s mind as he released all the energy from within the dark staff at once.


    Adam was unsure of exactly how many IESP he had used in the attack, but he was sure that it was a lot as it streamed into the black crystal on the peak of the staff then burst outwards.


    The beam that was formed was incredibly a few metres wide and its consuming and deadly properties made it so that Adam was sure that it was some sort of negative energy.


    However, that wasn''t an issue for Adam who didn''t mind what kind of power it was as long as he had control over it and didn''t allow him to consume or influence him.


    All the beasts that were in the path of the dark beam were all either consumed by it or slowly decaying into dust after being touched by the all-consuming dark beam.


    In an instant, hundreds of beasts had been killed, but Adam had expended almost all of his Internal Energy and he needed to get away quickly before the rest of the beasts that were surrounding him captured him.


    The Swordsman Goblin Beasts were fast and Adam would find it hard to get away from them, but Adam had a head start since the Goblin Beasts were all shocked and dazed for an instant after Adam attacked using the dark staff.


    Without hesitating, in that instant, Adam dashed towards the opening he had created with his attack and followed along the path of destruction that his attack had caused, rushing towards the wall of the Goblin Beast City.


    He had enough energy to use the Step Skip Skill a single time, and he used it to avoid all the arrows and ranged attacks that were about to hit him while he was escaping.


    With his full speed, dashing in a straight line, Adam was moving at a similar speed to the Swordsman Goblin Beasts, but he had a head start and he knew that as long as he made it out of the Goblin Beast City, it was very unlikely they would continue to pursue him.


    With the head start that he had, along with him pushing past his limits and unleashing his full speed that was enhanced by his Bloodlust Characteristic, Adam launched himself up onto the top of the wall of the Goblin Beast City.


    "I actually made it out of that city that was filled with thousands of those cruel and powerful beasts," said Adam to himself as he let out a sigh of relief and jumped off the wall.


    He didn''t rest yet and although his body was fatigued and aching from being pushed past its limits by the Bloodlust Characteristic, he still continued running away from the Goblin Beast City until he returned to the place that he spawned in at the start.


    By the time he reached there, Adam could barely move and fell straight into the pond around the small plot of land that was previously a safe zone.


    Floating in the water, Adam was relaxing as his body, that was drenched in the stinky, green, goblin blood, was cleaned by the water.


    After half an hour of resting and relaxing in the water, Adam jumped out and sat on the plot of land that was furthest away from the Goblin Beast City as he activated the Ethereal Recovery Skill and began recovering.


    While he did so, he sorted out all the different paths he had taken around the Goblin Beast City and the forest, creating a basic map of most of the floor, within his mind,, which would make it much easier for him to navigate around the floor.

 Chapter 1: System Prices Weapons and Pills

    This is an Auxillary Chapter that has a list of prices for Weapons and Pills from the system, however, it is only for the Mortal / Novice Cultivation Level so far and I will add to it when the mc surpasses that level.


    It should be used as a reference while reading the novel if you are confused with the pricing at any point, but it shouldn''t be read as a chapter and new readers should head to the first chapter to read the novel.


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    These are the system prices for pills that are Mortal Grade Pills and are most effective on cultivators at the Mortal / Novice Cultivation Level:


    E Rank HP/ MP Recovery Pill ¨C Recover 1 MP or 10 HP: 1 System point


    D Rank HP/ MP Recovery Pill ¨C Recover 5 MP or 50 HP: 10 System points


    C Rank HP/ MP Recovery Pill ¨C Recover 10 MP or 100 HP: 100 System points


    B Rank HP/ MP Recovery Pill ¨C Recover 15 MP or 150 HP: 200 System points


    A Rank HP/ MP Recovery Pill ¨C Recover 30 MP or 300 HP: 500 System points


    All of the pills use the same ingredients to create through alchemy, however, the grade of the pill depends on the skill of the maker. The lower the grade of the pill, the more impurities found within the pill and the worse the side effects of it after being consumed. If a cultivator consumes too many lower grade pills, their ability to absorb, store or wield energy could be reduced massively, overall harming their cultivation.


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    These are the system prices for weapons that are Mortal Grade Weapons and are most effective for cultivators at the Mortal / Novice Cultivation Level:


    E Rank Weapon/ Equipment ¨C Add I-3 stat points: 100 System points


    D Rank Weapon/ Equipment ¨C Add 4-6 stat points: 1,000 System points


    C Rank Weapon/ Equipment ¨C Add 7-9 stat points: 10,000 System points


    B Rank Weapon/ Equipment ¨C Add 10-12 stat points: 100,000 System points


    A Rank Weapon/ Equipment ¨C Add 13-15 stat points: 1,000,000 System points


    The higher the rank of the weapon, the higher its durability, meaning it can be used by the cultivator for longer and it is less likely to be destroyed in a battle.

 Chapter 307: Goblin Beast Hunting Cycle

    After a few hours, Adam had recovered almost fully and although his HP, IESP and EESP were at full capacity, his body was still aching slightly and strained, needing time to recover.


    However, he didn''t have the luxury of time to recover and it wasn''t his real body and merely the Dungeon Form, so Adam endured and didn''t worry much about any backlash that he may suffer.


    He repeated what he had done previously and stormed the Goblin Beast City, but from a different side of the city and began scouting it and memorising the area, while hunting beasts along the way.


    After he was fatigued and drained and overwhelmed by the number of beasts that had converged on his location, Adam retreated in a similar way to how he had done so previously and would return to the same place to recover.


    Adam repeated that process 3 more times, to make it a total of 5 times and had a clear map of the entire outer area of the Goblin Beast City, the entire forest and most of the inner area of the Goblin Beast City.


    However, he hadn''t entered the core area of the Goblin Beast City that had the enormous castle along with a few other large towers and buildings that he wasn''t ready to enter yet.


    He estimated that he had been in the dungeon for over a day and knew that he couldn''t spend much more than another day in the dungeon, otherwise his body in reality might suffer some backlash.


    Being separated from his body in reality for too long is dangerous and Adam had only experienced the physical pain and weird feelings that it caused and didn''t want to find out what would happen at an extreme level.


    He had taken down thousands of goblin beasts and had lowered their numbers quite a lot, but it still wasn''t enough for him to be able to confidently head towards the core area of the Goblin Beast City.


    {Adam, go for it. Exploring and maybe even destroying the centre of the Goblin Beast City might bring you great benefits and make it easier to take hunt the rest of the beasts, allowing you to complete the floor much quicker and more efficiently} advised Ava.


    Adam was considering doing so, but didn''t want to charge into something that he couldn''t handle, however after hearing Ava advising him to do so, Adam decided to go along with it.


    She wouldn''t tell him something that she wasn''t sure about and only wanted the best for him, which Adam knew and trusted, so without wasting any time headed towards the Goblin Beast City.


    He still had a few trump cards, such as his Unique Collector Skill, his Unique Clone Skill and his Blooclust Characteric''s extensions, but they were too draining to use unless he urgently needed them to face an opponent.


    With his daggers in hand, Adam was nearing the Goblin Beast City and after attacking it from different sides 5 times, Adam knew his way around and had an idea of which areas would have less Goblin Beast on guard.


    The Goblin Beasts stationed were all on high alert and enraged after being attacked many times and after many of their brethren had been killed, but that was what Adam was planning to exploit.


    He didn''t want to use too much energy so formed a Clone that was a rank 8 Novice Cultivator, which would require him to provide it less energy, but would still be enough for it to be a distraction.


    "Attack a few goblin beasts before trying your best to run around the goblin beast city without sustaining any damage. I want you to draw them away from me and if you think that you are about to be killed or captured, I give you permission to deactivate your summoning. If you manage to draw their attention without being caught for 5 minutes, then deactivate your summoning anyway" instructed Adam to his clone.


    It was a risky move to make and it would drain quite a lot of Internal Energy, but if his clone managed to pull it off, most of the beasts would head towards the clone while he made his way towards the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City.


    Along the way, there would be much fewer beasts and he could kill them quite easily, since it was relatively quick and easy to do so when they weren''t many of them.


    The clone nodded its head in understanding and set off immediately after receiving its orders, which Adam appreciated about the Unique Clone Skill that gave him complete control and authority over it.


    Not wanting to waste any time, especially since every minute a large amount of Internal Energy would be drained to sustain his clone, Adam waited a few moments until he could hear the loud screeches of goblin beasts before making his way into the Goblin Beast City.


    Slaughtering the few Guard Goblin Beasts that saw him and were stationed near the part of the wall that he wanted to jump onto, Adam jumped over the wall of the Goblin Beast City and landed on the other side.


    He found more beasts, but they were much less than he was used to since most of them were rushing in the direction that Adam had sent his clone.


    With his daggers, speed and killing skills, Adam slaughtered any beasts he came across using minimal energy, effort and time, while continuing his way towards the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City.


    The large castle he could see in the distance was very intimidating to approach with the four towers that were on each corner of it that gave him a bad feeling, but it also excited him and ignited his curious nature.


    [Time to do this] bellowed Adam within his mind as he stabbed his dagger in the head of a Swordsman Goblin Beast that was in his way.


    Getting back his dagger, Adam continued his way towards the large and intimidating goblin castle.

 Chapter 308: Core Area Of The Goblin Beast City

    After exactly 5 minutes, Adam felt his summon be retracted as his experiences and memories appeared within his mind.


    His summon had followed his instructions perfectly and even though it was weaker than the goblin beasts and himself, it managed to sustain only minimal damage while drawing the attention of the goblin beasts and leading them away from where Adam was heading.


    It had used the Unique Step Skip Skill wisely to avoid all the attacks that it couldn''t avoid using its speed and physical body alone, but it made sure to reserve its energy as much as it could so that it could hold out for the entire 5 minutes that Adam had instructed it to.


    It also didn''t fight back once and Adam was impressed with its overall performance as he removed the clone''s memories from his mind and continued onwards towards the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City.


    As he reached the Inner Part of the Goblin Beast City, Adam was disappointed to find that there were still many goblin beasts and it seemed as though they had been instructed to stay on guard around the Inner and Core parts of the Goblin Beast City.


    There were too many beasts that were too powerful to quickly take down like he could do with the beasts in the Outer Part of the Goblin Beast City and Adam also hadn''t memorised all their attack patterns, so instead, he dashed right past them.


    If what Ava had advised him was right, which it most likely was, he would be able to come back to them and it would be much easier to take them down, and he even had to use the Step Skip Skill to get past some of them due to their speed.


    Avoiding all the beasts in his path, while conserving as much energy as he could and avoiding all attacks launched at him, it took Adam quite a long time to finally reach the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City and it seemed to be separated from the rest of the city.


    There was some empty space between the Inner and Core Part of the Goblin Beast City, which Adam found weird since the rest of the city had been very closely built and coherent, but he didn''t hesitate and still went over to the Core Area.


    He didn''t have much of a choice as he had hundreds of powerful and wild goblin beasts chasing behind him, but as soon as he crossed over to the Core Area of the Goblin Beast City, they all instantly stopped chasing him and it seemed as though they couldn''t cross over.


    Even the Goblin Beasts that had ranged attacks didn''t shoot at him after he entered the Core Area of the Goblin Beast City which allowed Adam to let out a sigh of relief, but also made him curious as to why they couldn''t cross over and what he would find in the Core Area of the Goblin Beast City.


    {Now that the host has entered the Core Area of the Goblin Beast City there is a piece of information that I must provide} stated Ava who was still required to act as the system.


    Adam was on high alert and didn''t relax yet, since he was in the middle of an enemy territory that was filled with powerful beasts that wanted to kill him, but was still listening closely to what Ava had to tell him.


    {The four towers that you see each have a tower keeper and each of those tower keepers are able to produce goblin beasts of specific types. If you eliminate them, no more goblin beasts will be produced} revealed Ava.


    [Argh, if you had told me earlier, I could have saved myself so much time and effort] complained Adam within his mind who had thought something like that was possible as he felt as though he had killed a lot of beasts, and yet more would always appear and their numbers never seemed to be decreasing.


    {The system only allowed this information to be revealed once the host reached the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City and the host must prepare himself for anything that might come up} warned Ava.


    Adam knew that she couldn''t tell him anymore and could hear that she was in pain after merely warning him, since the system''s program didn''t allow her to do so,


    Behind him were hundreds of goblin beasts that were shouting at him wildly, but couldn''t attack or get him while he was in the Core Area of the Goblin Beast City, but in front of him was a giant castle that was most likely filled with traps and danger.


    Taking a deep breath and putting on all the powerful equipment that he had within his inventory, Adam began approaching the closest tower to him that stood at 50 metres tall.


    It would be impossible to climb or jump up to, so Adam had no choice but to take the stairs.


    His killing intent was emanating from his body as his excitement and desire to kill the goblin beasts began to leak out.


    He was wearing all light armour and each of his equipment would not only enhance his stats, but were also extremely durable and would reduce the amount of damage he took, however, it did slow him down slightly and restrict his movement.


    Despite that, the gains massively out-weighed the disadvantages and there was no need for him to be stealthy anymore, so Adam was planning to unleash his full power, which would be enhanced massively by the equipment he was wearing.


    There was a large wooden door into the tall tower that was made out of stone and as Adam neared it, it opened automatically.


    It gave Adam an eery feeling and intimidated him slightly, but fear was something that Adam hadn''t felt ever since he integrated with the Dungeon System.


    [Let''s do this] thought Adam to himself as he walked into the dark tower and made his way up the stairs.

 Chapter 309: First Tower

    Adam was calm as he stepped into the dark tower that was surprisingly very large and quite spacious.


    There was a thick stench that Adam had become accustomed to after being on the floor with the Goblin Beasts for quite a while already as he continued up the tower with his dagger in hand and armour equipped.


    It was really dark and Adam was trying to spread his spiritual sense up the tower, but it seemed to be blocked for some reason and the tower was so tall, that reaching the top with his spiritual sense would be hard anyway.


    The stair went up in a spiral and they were quite large, making it so that an ordinary human would find it very difficult to reach the top, but Adam scaled it all in seconds, leaping upwards and skipped many steps with each stride.


    There were four towers and four goblin king beasts, and knowing that they were the goblin beasts that were able to produce all the other goblin beasts, Adam had a rough idea of what the four goblin kings would be like.


    The many types of goblin beasts that Adam had come across all fit into 4 different categories from what he had seen so far and since there were 4 kings, it made sense for each of them to be powerful versions of those 4 types of goblin beasts.


    The first goblin beast category was beast goblins, goblins that had a monster-like appearance, but also monster-like strength, speed, claws and teeth, making their king the Beast Goblin King.


    The second beast category was the goblins that used weapons and Adam also added the goblin beast guards into that category along with the Swordsman, Archer, Spear and Tank Goblins, making their king, the Weapon Master Goblin King.


    The third beast category was the goblins that could enlarge themselves, which were the Giant Goblin Beasts, and although they were scarce and rare, they were extremely powerful, dangerous and very hard to take down, making their king the Giant Goblin King.


    The fourth beast category was the goblins that used magic, such as the Mage Goblin Beast with the dark staffs, making their king the Magic Goblin King.


    These were Adam''s predictions of what he could expect from each of the Goblin Kings in each of the towers, and although they weren''t confirmed, Adam was pretty sure that they were accurate from everything he had gathered so far from Ava and what he had seen.


    He was hoping that the tower he had entered first belonged to the Magic Goblin King, as if it had other king or normal goblin beasts to support it, it would be very difficult to take it out with its powerful ranged attacks and unknown capabilities.


    Adam also wanted to leave the Giant Goblin Beast King until last, since it would also be hard and annoying to deal with and take down, but he was prepared for anything that could come his way.


    With his mental preparation along with the adrenaline rush and Bloodlust that he could feel coursing through his veins, Adam was ready to face anything and continue progressing as a cultivator, a hunter and an individual.


    Reaching the top, Adam was surprised to find an open area that was linked to the castle and was very large.


    In it, he found a hairy creature that was hunched forwards, had long sharp claws, razor fangs and teeth along with a very large body that was completely muscular and had a powerful aura of death and destruction around it.


    [Damn it, I guess my luck isn''t the greatest and it seems I have to face the Beast Goblin King first, which was the beast I wanted to fast later on as its claws and teeth make it so that its wounds will cause me to lose a lot of blood] thought Adam to himself.


    The Beast Goblin King that had been sleeping, suddenly opened its eyes and ad a confident, crazed and menacing expression as it got up off the floor.


    It stood on all fours and it ran using its legs and arms to propel itself forwards, in the same way, that a cheetah would, while it was also capable of fighting on foot and was faster than Adam, stronger than Adam and also had a higher resistance.


    However, despite its senses being very sharp and its reflexes being unbelievably fast, Adam was confident that he would be able to defeat it if he stayed calm and used his intellect to defeat the beast.


    He was also confident that he could defeat the beast quite quickly if he went all out and crazy, using his Bloodlust Characteristic and all of his other powerful abilities, but that would be very straining, would be reckless and would also cause him to suffer many wounds and attacks from the Beast Goblin King.


    That would leave him weakened and injured in the middle of enemy territory with 3 other king level goblin beasts along with any other hidden beasts that might be found in the core area of the goblin beast city.


    The Beast Goblin King stood on all fours and there was a red tint in its completely black eyes as it glared at Adam.


    If it wasn''t for the stench, green skin and where he was, Adam wouldn''t have recognised the beast behind him as a goblin.


    Adam stood with his left foot forwards and his two daggers sticking out as he prepared himself to face the beast before him that was clearly physically superior to Adam.


    If an ordinary mid-level Advanced Cultivator were to face the beast, they would most likely struggle and barely come out on top, while Adam who was yet to even become an Advanced Cultivator, despite his stats, had to face 4 beasts of that level.


    However, despite that, Adam was excited and calm as the Beast Goblin King pounced at him widely and aimed to slash at his chest.

 Chapter 310: Battle Against The Beast Goblin King Part 1

    The Beast Goblin King''s slash to Adam''s chest was fast and powerful, but Adam only moved back slightly to reduce the damage that his chest plate took.


    He was confident in the capability of his armour and was sure that it could sustain the attack, so wanted to test out the power and speed of the Beast Goblin King''s attack while also testing out how strong his armour was.


    There were deep claw marks in the armour and it had lost quite a lot of durability, but it hadn''t managed to break through just like Adam had expected.


    Adam was unsure what material the chest plate that he had purchased from the system was made out of, but it was stronger and tougher than any metal that Adam had come across in reality.


    It also enhanced his resistance, speed and strength by a few points, and yet it seemed as though the Beast Goblin King would only need a few slashes to completely rip it to shreds and Adam relying on his equipment was a stupid plan.


    Adam used his Hunter''s mind to its fullest and knew that a battle against such a wild and powerful opponent, where he would have to reserve and save as much energy and HP as he could, would require him to focus completely and stay calm.


    He also wanted to make sure that he had space and that he didn''t awaken the other 3 goblin king beasts, as facing all four of them at once would be very difficult and would require him to go all-out.


    Once he did so he would be extremely vulnerable and unable to stay conscious let alone fight back, so Adam knew that in his current situation, being careful and smart was his best option.


    Adam moved back and made some distance between himself and the wild, yet attentive Beast Goblin King, so that he would have more time to react and deal with the Beast Goblin King''s next attack.


    He needed to be careful, while avoiding and blocking the beast''s attacks until he found its weaknesses and learnt its attack patterns, but Adam found that the longer he fought with the humanoid goblins, the better they would become at combat as they could also learn from him.


    Because of that, he needed to finish the battle as quickly as he could and also needed to not reveal his abilities and skills until the perfect moment to strike, as the beast wouldn''t fall for the same trick twice, even if it was wild.


    Although it wasn''t as smart as the other types of goblin beasts and wasn''t able to directly communicate like they could, its senses and instincts alone made up for that and also made it arguably even harder to fight.


    The Beast Goblin king suddenly burst towards Adam on all fours, not waiting for Adam to attack and not giving him the time or space to prepare an attack or defend its own attacks.


    As it did so, the ground beneath its feet and hands began to crack as it used the same attack that it had used previously to attack Adam''s chest plate.


    Adam, after observing the beast''s body and recognising that it was the same as the previous attack that it had used against him, put up his daggers to block the beast''s slash with its right hand, while also aiming to counter its attack in the process by slashing its arm.


    However, mid-air, the beast that was multiple times larger than Adam, suddenly turned mid-air and switched attacks as it swung its left leg towards Adam''s right side that was open, while it retracted the arm that it was attacking with.


    Adam was shocked and impressed by its speed, explosive power and flexibility, especially since it was able to switch attacks mid-air and completely turn its large body.


    He had no way to dodge the attack as the claws on the feet of the beast dug into the side of Adam''s chest plate that also covered most of the sides of his upper body.


    If it weren''t for his durable and strong armour, the sharp, long and very strong claws on the feet of the beast would have dug deep into his side and dealt him a powerful strike.


    However, despite his armour blocking the beast''s claws, the impact of the kick alone was enough to kill any of the Goblin Beast''s that Adam had come across so far and launched Adam flying through the thick, rock wall of the tower.


    Adam in the instant he was attacked, although was too slow to avoid or block the attack, was still preparing himself to deal with it indirectly as he returned his daggers to the inventory so that he didn''t lose them.


    The instant before the attack was about to strike him, Adam activated both of his fundamental defence techniques to the peak of their mastery and with it, he was able to deal with most of the impact and not lose much HP.


    However, that was only possible because the system made it possible for him to instantly activate his skills, techniques and abilities and soon after activating them and being launched through the wall of the tower, Adam deactivated them.


    Adam wouldn''t die from falling straight down to the ground, but even with his resistance stat being enhanced by the fundamental defensive techniques, he would be damaged quite a lot by it and it would weaken him too much.


    It might even be enough to break his legs or whatever limb Adam landed on, which was something that Adam couldn''t sustain, especially against such a powerful opponent as he racked his brain for any way to deal with it.


    All of that occurred in a matter of instants as Adam while falling to the ground rapidly thought of something that he had never tried before and had always wanted to try, but had no reason to.


    [Let''s just hope this works, otherwise, I won''t have many other options] said Adam to himself as he plummeted towards the ground.

 Chapter 311: Battle Against The Beast Goblin King Part 2

    Adam''s idea was risky as he had never tried it before and he also only had a few seconds to plan, activate and successfully pull off his idea, which would take ordinary cultivators days, weeks, months or even years to do.


    It was inspired by the Air Palm Strike that his master had taught him, along with how he had seen Mason and Cole use their elemental affinities in their battles.


    Mason had used his Fire Elemental Affinity to release small bursts and explosions from his feet and other parts of his body that he wanted to propel forwards or attack with, while Cole would use his Wind Elemental Affinity to control the air for his movement in the air.


    He didn''t always use the air around himself to carry himself and floating in the air, as that would be very draining and difficult to maintain and sustain at Cole''s level, but he would maintain constant streams of wind from the bottom of his palms and feet, similar to how the Air Palm Strike worked.


    However, unlike the Air Palm Strike, Cole''s stream of air was due to his affinity with the Wind Element and was also constant, unlike Adam''s bursts of air that were due to the power of his palm strike and his Internal Energy.


    Adam had so many ideas for skills and techniques that he could formulate with different elemental affinities and he had been stockpiling them within his mind for when he acquired elemental affinities, using what he had seen as inspiration for his ideas.


    However, although he didn''t have those elemental affinities yet, one of Adam''s ideas came to mind while he was thinking of all the ways he could get out of the situation he was in unharmed.


    It was only possible for his mind to be so clear and for him to be so calm and collected because of the Hunter''s mind and Adam quickly formulated a way to carry out his idea.


    Mid-air, Adam took off his shoes then suddenly, bursts of air were released out of his feet and Adam gained balance mid-air as he slowed his fall and landed on the ground softly.


    Watching what had happened, the Goblin Beast''s that were still on the edge of the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City were shocked and amazed along with the Beast Goblin King who was watching Adam through the top of the tower, expecting him to have crashed into the ground.


    However, Adam himself was slightly disappointed with himself as he had only managed to release a copy of the Air Palm Strike from the bottom of his feet and wasn''t able to release a constant stream of Internal Energy to mimic how Cole was able to fly.


    But that was to be expected as he needed more time to perfect the skill and way to move that he was forming and since he didn''t have a Fire Elemental Affinity that would allow him to create explosions, or a Wind Elemental Affinity that would allow him to control the wind and air around him, Adam was still quite happy with what he was able to accomplish with what he had.


    [I haven''t unlocked a skill from the system with this after gaining some basic mastery over this idea and creating the idea, but that is probably because the system cannot be accessed while on this special floor. But that is fine and I shouldn''t rely on the system too much. This is the perfect chance to create my own movement skill without the assistance of the system or anybody else] thought Adam to himself as he began thinking about different ways to use his idea to increase its power.


    While he did so, the Beast Goblin King jumped down from the top of the tower and let out a wild roar as it aimed to land on top of Adam and crush him with its strength and downwards momentum.


    However just as the large beast was about to land on top of Adam and slash downwards on his body with the claws on its hands and feet, Adam suddenly burst away from that position with great speed and explosive power.


    He had angled his feet upwards and to the side, so that the burst that he released out of the bottom of his bare foot would launch him in the opposite direction and slightly into the air as he flipped in the air to help regain balance and landed a dozen metres away from where the beast landed.


    It caused a small crater with its landing and Adam couldn''t help but be shocked and amazed by the strength and resistance of the Beast Goblin King''s body as he confidently smiled.


    Against such a fast and powerful beast, being able to move swiftly and rapidly was very important, and that was being made possible with the Movement Skill that Adam was formulating and perfecting by practising and using it against the powerful beast.


    The limitations of the Unique Step Skip Skill was that it had a cool down time of one second, which was quite long for a battle between extremely fast and powerful cultivators, and that it could only be used if Adam had both his feet planted on the ground.


    The skill was based on Adam taking steps forwards within his mind where time would be frozen, then he would appear at the end of the trail of steps, skipping the steps.


    However, if he was in the air, he had nothing to step on and if he wanted ted to be a powerful, capable and prepared fighter, he needed to be able to fight any opponent and deal with every situation that came his way.


    Because of that, he decided that he wouldn''t use it against the Beast Goblin King and he could only use the movement skill he was formulating that he hadn''t come up with a name for yet.


    There were hundreds of beasts behind him in the Inner Part of the Goblin City and one large, powerful and wild beast before him, leaving Adam with no choice but to come out on top.

 Chapter 312: Burst Movement Skill

    "I will call this new skill of mine the Burst Movement Skill and once I gain enough mastery over it through practice, there are endless possibilities for other skills that can be created with this idea. There is nothing holding me back or restricting me other than my own mind and creativity" stated Adam to himself with a proud expression.


    It was the first skill that he was going to completely formulate on his own and it was a great feeling to know that something that you created, came up with yourself and mastered is capable and powerful.


    [I haven''t landed a single attack on this beast and from what I have seen, it will be very difficult to damage it any way. However, if I can get a few good slashes in with my daggers while avoiding its attacks, I should be able to weaken it before finishing it off with my spear] planned Adam within his mind.


    Manoeuvring in the air and using his Burst Movement Skill was Adam''s best bet at gaining an advantage over the Beast Goblin King without going all out and using a lot of energy she launched himself into the air.


    "Come at me you ugly beast" taunted Adam as he bounced around in the air, releasing a burst of energy out of his feet every time he neared the ground that pushed him upwards.


    He kept his balance using his hips and core to keep upwards or turn mid-air to change the trajectory that he was launched in after releasing a burst from his feet and would also flip in mid-air when he closed balance to help him regain it.


    With his body that was tempered and trained in every way, it wasn''t very physically straining to keep his balance while using the Burst Movement Skill, but it was very mentally straining as it required lots of focus and precision.


    The Beast Goblin King jumped towards Adam and aimed to grab him with its sharp claws before taking him back down to the ground, but that was exactly what Adam was hoping it would do.


    Adam waited until the Beast Goblin King neared him mid-air before using the Burst Movement Skill to quickly burst to the side, then behind the beast.


    Remembering how he had fought against Cole, Adam knew that fighting in the air against somebody who could manoeuvre in the air was a very stupid decision and Adam was planning to exploit the Beast Goblin King''s stupidity.


    The more he toyed with the beast and wounded it, the angrier it got and the more reckless it became, making it act even more stupid and making it easier for Adam to continue to wound and toy with it.


    Or so Adam planned and hoped.


    Behind the Beast Goblin King in mid-air, Adam stabbed both his daggers into the beast''s back with as much force as he could, and yet Adam felt that he had barely stabbed into the beast with its tough skin and muscles that made it hard to cut deep into the beast.


    Not wanting to give the flexible and unpredictable beast another chance to attack him, Adam pulled his daggers, that had barely damaged the beast, out of its back before kicking off the beast and landing on the ground away from the beast.


    It didn''t seem fazed by Adam''s attack that had barely damaged, but it was angered by it and the small amount of pain that he felt because of it.


    Adam jumped off the ground and was about to use the Burst Movement Skill, but just as he was about to, the Beast Goblin King suddenly rushed towards him rapidly.


    If he was to jump into the air he would be merely opening himself up to an attack and he had disallowed himself from using the Step Skip Skill, so Adam had no choice but to face the attack head-on.


    He wasn''t used to fighting opponents that were faster than him, as Adam was used to using his speed to overwhelm his opponents, but the Beast Goblin king was also stronger than him and more resistant.


    However, Adam was the hunter and the Beast Goblin King was the prey no matter how powerful it was as Adam pounced towards the Beast Goblin King with his two daggers, wanting to exchange blows.


    The Beast Goblin King dug its claws deep into Adam''s chest plate and aimed to take Adam down, but as it did so, Adam stabbed his daggers towards the neck of the beast that was left wide open.


    As he did so, the beast suddenly slapped him with the other arm that it had left free and launched Adam flying and crashing into the group of Goblin Beasts that were on the edge of the Core Area of the Goblin City and watching their battle.


    Adam thought that it was all over after that occurred and the hundreds of goblin beasts all around him were about to jump on him and behind ripping him to shreds like what had occurred on Floor 0.


    However unlike on Floor 0, Adam spirits didn''t give up and he had too much to live and succeed for, so giving up and failing was an option as he released his killing intent and aura all at once.


    The goblin beasts all around him were shocked, intimidated and dazed by the sudden release of his killing intent that had been accumulated after killing thousands of beasts and multiple humans in reality.


    After doing so, in the instant that the goblin beasts were dazed for, he released bursts out of his hands and feet while spinning around to push back all the goblin beasts and allow him to get back in the air.


    Adam''s precise control over his Internal Energy and physical body was incredible and was the only reason he was able to accomplish such feats as he landed from the air in the Core Area of the Goblin Beast City where the other beasts couldn''t get him.

 Chapter 313: Enraged Beast Goblin King Part 1

    The Beast Goblin King was impressed by Adam''s ability and surprised by Adam''s killing intent and powerful aura, so it no longer regarded him as merely an easy opponent.


    One''s aura wasn''t only a representation of one''s power, but was also formed by one''s willpower, determination, drive and self-confidence, which were all key qualities for a cultivator as without them, one wouldn''t have the right mental state to succeed as a cultivator and surpass their limits.


    Adam was too focused on forming his skill and wasn''t completely focused on the powerful beast before him that he had to kill, but he wanted to get the battle over with and had become more accustomed to the use of the Burst Movement Skill that he had formulated.


    "You might be faster than me, but we will see who will come out on top," said Adam before bursting off his feet using the Burst Movement Skill, but still staying close to the ground.


    Adam was using it this time to increase his explosive power and propulsion forwards while dashing towards the Beast Goblin King, which made up for the gap in speed as he charged head-on towards the Beast Goblin King who also charged towards him.


    It didn''t have many options for different kinds of attacks unlike some other types of the Goblin Beasts, but what it didn''t have in combat skill and intellect, it made up for with raw power, speed and resistance.


    However with its limited attack variety and reach, Adam knew everything that the beast could throw at him and it was only a matter of avoiding or blocking them before countering with an attack of his own.


    The Beast Goblin King ran on all fours and as it neared Adam, he activated the Dual Slash Skill and poured quite a lot of energy into it before aiming for the beast''s right arm that it used to attack the most and would also make it so that it would struggle to run on all fours.


    With the amount of energy that Adam poured into the attack along with the distance between them being quite small, the Beast Goblin King couldn''t avoid it and also didn''t have a way to block it, so could only continue charging towards Adam and take the attack head-on.


    The two crossed, sharp blades of energy flew through the air and deeply slashed the right arm of the Beast Goblin King, causing a lot of green blood to begin pouring out.


    However, the Beast Goblin King didn''t slow down despite the deep strike and his arm buckling slightly after suffering the attack as it continued charging towards Adam and pounced onto him.


    As it did so, Adam suddenly burst backwards just as the beast was about to slash him, before bursting again a second time, but towards the beast again.


    It required him to completely cancel out his forwards momentum and charge, then move backwards, and then after that, cancel out his backwards movement and momentum to charge forwards once again.


    Doing so was very difficult, but with Adam''s great control, timing and his strong and flexible body, he was able to do so and it allowed him to dodge the Beast Goblin King''s slash attack, then counter.


    Flexibility is a rare and underrated trait in the world cultivation and for fighters in general, but Adam was coming to realise how important and useful it was for combat.


    With his two daggers in hand, Adam aimed them at the two glaring eyes of the Beast Goblin King as he launched himself back towards the beast with a powerful burst of energy beneath his feet that caused vibrations in the air beneath them and launched him flying in the opposite direction.


    However, his attack missed and the Beast Goblin King countered Adam''s counter with a powerful slash to his side that was able to cut through his armour and slashed Adam''s side.


    The slash also sent Adam flying to the side as the Beast Goblin King jumped towards Adam to attack him a second time, but Adam had the advantage mid-air and using the Burst Movement Skill that he created, avoided the Beast Goblin King''s second slash.


    While doing so, Adam decided to risk losing a dagger and despite being mid-air and moving at rapid speeds, threw the dagger in his left hand towards the right eye of the Beast Goblin King.


    The Beast Goblin King''s neck was muscular and with its tough skin, slashing its neck wouldn''t be as easy as it was with the other Goblin Beasts that Adam had faced so far, but Adam had never come across any creature that was able to fortify their eyes.


    The dagger was perfectly timed and thrown as it stabbed straight into the eye of the beast, like a hot knife through butter as the beast let out a wild roar in pain.


    It was his Hunter''s mind that increased his focus and allowed him to be able to pull off such an accurate attack at such a difficult angle and situation, but Adam didn''t give the beast a chance to relax as he rushed over to the beast that had landed and moved back.


    However, Adam suddenly got a bad feeling while approaching the beast that had just been stabbed in the eye as a aura of rage, destruction and fury that was almost visible was released by the Beast Goblin King.


    Adam trusted his instincts and moved back without thinking twice as he continued to move back while watching the Beast Goblin King closely.


    Its power seemed to have increased in an instant and it seemed to be transforming into an even more monstrous creature as its claws and teeth became even larger and sharper along with the rest of the beast''s body.


    The muscles all around its body began to grow and his veins began to bulge all around its body to the point that its skin was at the point of tearing.


    The beast that was already very large grew even larger and in the process had become much more powerful, wild and dangerous.

 Chapter 314: Enraged Beast Goblin King Part 2

    The Enranged Beast Goblin King''s power had been increased massively after it lost an eye and became enraged, however that wasn''t the only thing that Adam had to be worried about.


    The powerful aura of the enraged Beast Goblin King awakened the other three Goblin Kings that were slumbering in their towers and that was the start of the real battle.


    Luckily for Adam, the other Goblin Kings couldn''t leave their towers unless they were attacked first and were mysteriously bound to that rule, but it meant that they were alerted of the presence of an enemy and also gave them the chance to gauge Adam''s power by sensing his aura from their towers.


    The Magic Goblin King was also able to observe the battle clearly from its tower using its spiritual sense along with a clear glass orb that it held in its left hand as everything wasn''t looking good for Adam.


    However, despite that, Adam was still calm and instead of being intimidated, scared or angry with how everything was turning out, he had a smile on his face and was excited and curious to see how everything would turn out.


    [It seems that the Beast Goblin King has experienced some sort of transformation, but I can tell from its aura that it is similar to the Blood Berseker Extension of the Bloodlust Traansofraiton Skill, meaning it won''t last long and that it is sacrificing something to gain such power] observed Adam.


    Despite that being the case, he had to fight the beast as he couldn''t leave the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City and try and escape, as there were hundreds of beasts waiting for him in that direction.


    While if he led the Beast Goblin King to other areas in the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City, he might get the other beasts involved in their battle which would just make his situation even worse.


    Adam was armed with a dagger in his right hand, but his other dagger was still embedded into the eye of the Beast Goblin King, so he withdrew a sword and held it in his left hand, feeling more comfortable while wielding two weapons.


    The Beast Goblin King jumped up into the air and landed a few metres in front of Adam in an instant, and his landed caused the entire ground around him to shake along with causing quite a deep crater in the ground.


    It stared Adam straight into the ground and was expecting Adam to fear him, and the enraged beast wanted to toy with and torture Adam to get revenge for the eye that it lost, but instead, it found that Adam was smiling.


    Seeing the confident and relaxed smile on Adam''s face, the beast became even more enraged as it suddenly went to bite Adam''s shoulder that wasn''t covered in armour.


    Since Adam wore light armour that wouldn''t affect his speed and mobility too much, he sacrificed wearing armour on some parts of his body and his shoulder was one of them.


    The beast was much faster than it was before, which was already faster than Adam, but its attack was wild and obvious, since to bite someone''s shoulder, the beast would telegraph the attack.


    Its neck muscles would tense up and its jaw would begin to unhinge along with the beast leaning forwards, which showed Adam exactly where and how he was going to attack and gave him more time to react.


    Launching himself backwards, using the Burst Movement Skill, away from the enraged and enlarged Beast Goblin King, Adam was on high alert against such a powerful and fast beast, but before he knew it, he was slapped on the side and launched crashing into the tower.


    Before he could even get up, the rapid Beast Goblin King appeared beside him once again and was no longer going for slash attacks or bites, as they were slightly slower and easier to avoid than blunt attacks.


    They were also easier to recover from and Adam noticed that the wounds he had dealt the beast so far had already closed up and began healing.


    Adam was being knocked around by the Beast Goblin King like a ball, but each and every time he would be hit, he would deal the Beast Goblin King a deep slash with the sword in his left hand and the dagger in his right hand.


    The exchange continued for an entire minute and Adam had his fundamental defensive techniques activated to their fullest to make it so that his body''s resistance was comparable to that of the Beast Goblin King that he was facing.


    It required quite a lot of energy but it was worth it and after that minute of clashing with the Beast Goblin King head-on and dealing him as many blows as he could while avoiding his attacks with his Burst Movement Skill, Adam was finally beginning to see the Beast Goblin King weakening.


    It seemed that despite being in the enraged state, it was still a beast that could be defeated and it could only surpass its limits for a short while, but Adam had also suffered many blows and slashes and had used quite a lot of energy.


    He didn''t know what to expect in the middle of enemy territory and he wanted to make sure to reserve some energy, so Adam wanted to finish the battle soon and preferably using only a single attack.


    If the battle dragged on for any longer, Adam would slowly be dominated by the Beast Goblin King that would have more stamina and more energy left since it didn''t need to use any skills or abilities like Adam needed to use to make up for the gap in power.


    However, the skills that Adam had so far were either easily avoidable or weren''t the killing move that he was looking for against such a powerful beast that surpassed him physically in every way.


    [I already came up with one skill, it shouldn''t too hard to come up with another] said Adam to himself as he began thinking about what skill he could use to take down the Beast Goblin King in a single strike.

 Chapter 315: Killing Move

    Adam''s offensive skills were all effective, quite versatile and could be used no matter how strong he got as he could just pour more energy into the activation of the skills, but that didn''t mean that they were the best possible skills for him.


    As Adam experienced more and more battles, he noticed that the skills he had weren''t up to par when facing strong opponents that were more powerful than him as he couldn''t pour energy into them that surpassed his own cultivation rank.


    Because of that, against opponents that were more powerful than him, his skills were not of much use and were very limited, especially against beasts that had tough bodies.


    Over time Adam began using those skills less and less and the only offensive skill that he had that might be effective against such a powerful beast was the Air Palm Strike Skill, but that would require him to get close to the beast and land a direct hit with his palm, which is easier said than done.


    Realising all of that, Adam decided that it was finally time to formulate his own Killing Move and if he didn''t make one that was right for him and used all of his potential, nobody else would do it for him.


    Thinking about what kind of skill would be effective against such a powerful beast that had very tough skin along with large and durable muscles that would be hard to cut through, Adam came up with something that was inspired by Cole''s Wind Elemental Affinity once again.


    The vibrations released by the Air Palm Strike that releases vibrations and causes compressions in the air that then cause an outwards burst was a concept that could be used in many different ways.


    Adam wasn''t allowing himself to be restricted and since he had complete mastery over the Air Plam Strike Skill through the system, he could adapt it in different ways, just like he did with the Burst Movement Skill.


    The vibrations and energy released by the Air Palm Strike were very harmful and damaging to an enemies internal organs if the strike was landed directly on them or it could be used for ranged attacks.


    If Adam focused on the compression of the air around his palm using his energy and great control over it, he could cause small bursts and explosions like he did with the Burst Movement SKil that he had formulated.


    But Adam was wondering if there was a way he could fuse the vibrations and bursts through a powerful thrusting medium that would allow him to unleash a powerful killing move that would damage an enemy both internally and externally.


    Adam''s mind was thinking at rapid speeds that surpassed even computers as he began coming up with his Killing Move while facing the Beast Goblin King, which required a lot of focus and for him to split that focus into two.


    His head was aching from the strain that he was placing on his mind, but Adam kept on going and after another minute, he finally completed his idea for his Killing Move.


    The only issue with it was that he needed a few seconds to activate the skill and it also was a big risk as it would not only use most of his Internal Energy, but also his External Energy.


    By using the crazy, but powerful Killing Move that he came up with, Adam was betting on the fact that the goblin beasts couldn''t enter the Core Part of the Goblin City and that the other Goblin Kings weren''t able to leave their towers.


    Even if his bet was wrong, Adam had prepared himself to unleash the full power of his Bloodlust Characteristic that although would make him become a wild killing machine, would grant him great power and would give him a better chance of surviving against such odds.


    The Killing Move he came up with was almost impossible for any other individual to pull off and nobody would even think about trying such a skill, but Adam believed that he was capable of anything and was confident that he could pull it off.


    He named it the Spinning Spear Strike and from the name, it was obvious that it would involved him spinning the spear while striking it at the target.


    However, Adam was planning on using the explosive burst concept of the Air Palm Strike along with the internally damaging vibrations, all while he was spinning the spear at incredible speeds and thrusting forwards.


    The spinning of the spear would allow him to gather more air in his forward thrust and would increase the momentum, damage and power of the strike.


    If he was able to sync the spinning of the spear and the rest of the aspects of the skill that he was hoping would harmonise, the skill''s power would be multiplied many times and would be incredible.


    It could be used from a distance and should release some sort of air, energy blade projectile, but the skill would achieve the best results if directly used against an opponent.


    Adam could imagine the skill perfectly within his mind and had a rough estimate of the power that it should be able to unleash, which should be enough to take down the Beast Goblin King, but pulling it off was a different story.


    Dodging as many of the Beast Goblin King''s fast and powerful attacks that were becoming more unpredictable and difficult to dodge as the battle went on, Adam began looking for the right opportunity to use the Killing Move he had come up.


    {There is no better time to improve, come up with and try out new skills. Go for it Adam, I am sure with your perceptivity and precise control, you can pull it off} encouraged Ava as Adam jumped back as far as he could.


    He landed a few dozen metres away from the Enraged Beast Goblin King, who instead of getting tired and weaker, was becoming more accustomed to how Adam fought and was learning off him.


    [It''s now or never] thought Adam to himself.

 Chapter 316: Spinning Spear Strike

    With his back against the wall of the Beast Goblin King''s tower and the Beast Goblin King a few dozen metres away from him, Adam had a few seconds to activate the Killing Move that he had planned out within his mind.


    The Beast Goblin King was surprised by Adam suddenly retreating and creating distance between them, causing it to hesitate for a moment, just like Adam had expected and hoped, then soon after, charged towards Adam at its full speed.


    It believed that Adam was fatigued, which was partly true, and also believed that Adam was afraid and trying to find a way to retreat.


    However, in actuality, Adam had been looking for different ways that he could successfully use his Killing Move against the Beast Goblin King and had never felt fear ever since integrating with the Dungeon System.


    Being nervous, worried or intimidated could all be linked to fear, but to Adam being afraid or scared meant backing down to whatever was intimidating him, which he would never do.


    He had an idea and rough plan of how to use and activate the Killing Move that he came up with, but to create a powerful Killing Move that suited their own style, cultivators would spend weeks and months doing so.


    To be able to do so in the heat of battle while facing a superior opponent required one to be calm and collected, while also very smart and able to focus on two things at the same time.


    Even without the system making it so that as soon as Adam gained basic mastery over a concept he gained a skill, Adam''s perceptivity was abnormally high and learning and memorising new things had always been a strong suit of his.


    The Hunter''s Mind along with all the mental strain, pain and training that he had been through merely heightened and tempered those qualities, making him even more perceptive and mentally capable.


    A few seconds was quite a long time for a cultivator at Adam''s level, considering how fast they could move, but to use a skill for the first time that he had merely formulated within his mind without trying it out before, would need much more time than that.


    However, Adam had no choice but to succeed as he began spinning the spear using both his hands as fast as he could.


    It was spinning so fast that he was forming his own small current of wind as he began to infuse the two concepts of the Air Palm Strike into it, but he was falling to do so and he also wasn''t spinning the spear fast enough.


    He needed to spin the spear at least 3 times faster than he currently was and he was finding it hard to increase the spinning speed.


    Adam had underestimated just how difficult it would be to do so and the Beast Goblin King was nearing him, but he stayed calm and instead of physically spinning it with his hands, spun it by causing small and continuous bursts in each of his palms.


    The spear wasn''t even touching his hands and was hovering a few centimetres away from each of his palms as it began to spin rapidly and cause the small wind current around it to pick up, which caused the spinning speed to pick up even more.


    Adam''s quick thinking and switching how he spun the spear gave him some hope, but he still only had a second before clashing with the Beast Goblin King and he still hadn''t completed the hard part of the Killing Move.


    If he stopped and turned back he would have wasted a lot of energy and missed a good opportunity to take down the beast while it charged towards him.


    While if he continued, he risked failing and being taken down by the beast, as without successfully pulling off the skill, it would be nowhere near enough to take down the beast in a single strike.


    Focusing completely on completing the activation of the skill, knowing that if he wasn''t completely focused and hesitated, the skill would fail, Adam continued without any fear.


    If he was to stop the skill mid activation, not only would he have wasted energy, he would also be launched flying backwards because of all the spinning force that he had gathered but hadn''t put to use.


    The Killing Move he came up with was a double-edged sword and if he wasn''t able to thrust the power he was gathering forwards, it would damage him instead.


    Adam didn''t have enough time but couldn''t stop the activation of the skill.


    He managed to split his focus for an instant to cause a small burst beneath his feet and launch himself into the air and while in the air, Adam continued attempting to activate the Killing Move.


    It seemed to be impossible to harmonise the concepts of the Air Palm Strike with the rapidly spinning spear in his hands and it was because the power of the Air Palm Strike that he was able to unleash was too weak to sync with the power and speed of the spinning spear.


    Without hesitating, Adam began pouring in more power through the thing that he had that allowed him to surpass his limits as he needed to unleash more power to be able to pull off the Killing Move.


    The Bloodlust Characteristic.


    It was a key part in surpassing his limits by honing in on his strong desire to kill and had been a big help to him ever since he gained it, despite it previously being hard to control and contain.


    "Don''t let me down now" roared Adam as he continued pouring more and more energy into the Spinning Spear and the Air Palm Strike Skill concepts along with releasing more and more power of the Bloodlust Characteristic.


    Adam was falling downwards in the air towards the Beast Goblin King with what seemed to be a small, red tornado in his hands that had a sharp tip and was aiming straight towards it, the Beast Goblin King instantly feared for its life, but it was too late.

 Chapter 317: Realisations

    Adam was overwhelmed and shocked by the power that the Killing Move, that he had come up with on a whim, was able to unleash.


    His desperation, drive and pent up rage and killing intent were all unleashed at once as he let go of all restraints that he had subconsciously been placing on his mind, body and Bloodlust Charactetristc.


    At that moment, he completely embraced and unleashed all the power and emotions that he had been suppressing that whole battle and most of the time on Floor 10 by having the Hunter''s mind activated completely at most times.


    The spinning of the spear surpassed anything he had ever seen and it became a blur between his palms after gathering wind and momentum as it caused a small tornado within Adam''s hands after he integrated the two concepts behind the Air Palm Strike Skill.


    While the red tint that the tornado in Adam''s hands had was due to the Bloodlust Characteristic''s power being poured into the skill and Adam was unsure whether he could use the skill without it, as it was an impossible skill that could only be used by Adam.


    It required one to be able to take concepts from different skills and fusing them as it also used the Spear Projectile Skill, that he had gained after reaching 10% mastery over the spear, as a base for the skill.


    That was only possible with the special focus and perceptivity that Adam was naturally gifted with, and enhanced massively by the Hunter''s mind and the things he had experienced through the system in the dungeon and reality.


    While it also required him to be able to surpass the limits of his body and harmonise a spinning force, thrusting force and the concepts of the Air Palm Strike, which was also only possible due to the hidden power of the Bloodlust Characteristic and Adam''s special body that had perfect control over his energy.


    The power was too much for Adam to handle and control as it continued to increase and increase uncontrollably with the power of the spear in his hands being enhanced by the spinning and driving force.


    Adam let out a roar at the top of his lungs and thrust the spear downwards at the Beast Goblin King that didn''t have enough time to avoid or dodge the attack and put its arms up to block it.


    "Die" bellowed Adam as his red eyes began to glow as his Bloodlust soared.


    Closing his eyes from the bright flash of light and the debris that flew everywhere, Adam was launched flying and blurted out a curdle of blood as he opened his eyes to find that he was dozens of metres in the air.


    Adam''s body was aching all over and he could barely move it and as he looked down, he saw an enormous crater and green blood splattered everywhere.


    His attack had caused the entire area to shake and completely decimated the powerful Beast Goblin King, but Adam had suffered backlash from not only the explosion of the attack, but also from using the Bloodlust Characteristic''s full power.


    That attack would have been enough to take down even high-level Advanced Cultivators and was so fast, powerful and destructive that even Adam himself didn''t know how to react and fell crashing onto the ground, unable to use the Burst Movement Skill to break his fall.


    Adam''s landing formed a small crater as he blurted out another curdle of blood and lay there, barely able to move as he took a minute to catch his breath and calm down.


    The Goblin Beasts that had been spectating the battle were all launched flying backwards from the strong winds that Adam''s Killing Move had caused and luckily for Adam, he was attacking from above, as he would have been launched towards the goblin beasts or the castle if he had attacked the Beast Goblin King from the side.


    Despite the pain that he was feeling all around his body, Adam had a smile on his face after successfully creating and using two powerful and useful skills during a battle.


    He was also surprised to find that his body hadn''t suffered too much backlash and damage from the use of the Bloodlust Characteristic and it was the first time that Adam had harmonised and embraced the characteristic.


    It was a part of him and usually, Adam thought of it as a power that he was borrowing from the system that had negative effects, but due to his desperation and drive while attacking the Beast Goblin King, Adam unknowingly was able to harmonise his Bloodlust Characteristic into the attack.


    After a short while, Adam managed to get up and sit with his legs crossed as he activated his Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    While his body was automatically absorbing energy and using it to recover his energy reserves and his body''s vitality so that he could recover quicker, Adam''s mind was still working continuously despite being in an ethereal state.


    He didn''t go to see Ava like he usually would while he was using the Ethereal Recovery Skill, but that was because he had so many things that he wanted to note down and he had so many realisations after that battle that he needed to act upon.


    [First thing is that I need to start using the Bloodlust Characteristic as a part of me and no longer suppress or release it. I will leave it as a part of me just like my emotions are, and my mind still controls my body and although might be influenced by the Bloodlust and the emotions, ultimately my mind is almost always in control] said Adam to himself.


    [Second thing I will start doing from now on is purchasing Unique Skills and Elemental Affinities, but I can come up with skills and techniques myself or learn them from my master. I have reached a level of knowledge and understanding about cultivation and energy that I don''t need to rely on others for methods, skills and techniques]


    [And lastly, I need to produce more variants of my skills and become less restricted. The more skills I have of different types, activation times and power levels, I will be more versatile and capable in combat]


    Adam was satisfied with how everything turned out and it seemed that for the moment, the Goblin Kings were going to stay in their towers and the other goblins couldn''t go to the Core Part of the Goblin City, so he had time to recover.

 Chapter 318: Unusual Black Stone

    Adam used the Ethereal Recovery Skill for a few hours, then went on to stretching and relaxing his body that was aching quite a lot after being strained and pushed past its limits.


    The Goblin Beasts that were surrounding the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City were all watching Adam and were both afraid and hateful towards him as they stood there unable to approach or attack him.


    Adam taunted them and launched a few Dual Slashes towards them, wanting to test out whether he could attack them from the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City and was pleased to find that he could.


    However, he didn''t continue doing so to reserve his energy for battling against the other 3 Goblin King Beasts that were left for him to face, as he could always take down the rest of the goblin beasts afterwards.


    Adam wasn''t planning on sparing a single one of them and was curious and interested to see what he could find inside the castle and what other mysteries the floor held, so he decided to check the body of the Beast Goblin King, or what was left of it.


    It had been completely destroyed and all that was left was green blood splatters and pieces of the beast''s body all over the place, and unfortunately, Adam couldn''t find anything that was interesting or valuable, which he found unusual.


    Most of the other beasts had a valuable weapon or an item with some sort of value, and yet he didn''t find anything of value or salvage anything from the Goblin Beast King.


    However, thinking about it, it was unusual that despite Adam causing a large commotion and being in their territory, the other Goblin Kings didn''t leave their towers, which hinted to Adam that they each held something valuable in their towers.


    The Goblin Kings seemed to only be able to engage Adam in combat if he entered their towers or attacked first, which was good for him as it allowed him to prepare and make sure that he only had to face one of those beasts at once.


    "I wonder what it could be that each of these Goblin Kings are protecting and whether or not they are linked. Could it have something to do with their control over the goblins or their power?" mumbled Adam to himself as he headed towards the Beast Goblin King''s tower.


    Adam was praying that whatever the Beast Goblin King was protecting wasn''t lost or destroyed as he used his Burst Movement Skill that would allow him to kind of fly to reach the top of the tower.


    The wall on the side of the top of the tower had been smashed apart after Adam had been launched through it and the Beast Goblin King also broke through it, which was convenient for Adam to enter the tower.


    Landing inside, the top of the tower was large and connected to a closed-off room in the castle and was pretty large but quite empty.


    Other than a small chest, there was only a bed formed from straw and grass, but that was to be expected from the Beast Goblin King that was less of a humanoid and smart creature than the other goblin beasts.


    Adam was a bit suspicious of the chest and also found that he wasn''t able to sense or gauge what was inside using his spiritual sense, but since he had nothing else to search inside, he didn''t hesitate and went to open it.


    He didn''t know what to expect, but he was hoping that there was some sort of valuable or useful treasure that would either give him a power boost or help him when he explored the castle after taking down the other 3 Goblin Kings.


    Adam had a rough idea of what the other 3 Goblin Kings would be like and was most interested in exploring the room of the Mage Goblin King that would most likely be filled with interesting items, but for the time being, was carefully opening the chest.


    There weren''t any locks and the chest was small, and similarly to the castle and the towers themselves, they seemed to be able to stop one''s spiritual sense from penetrating through and peering inside, making Adam even more curious to find out what it is.


    Without any traps, locks or dangers, Adma opened up the chest, however as soon as he did, he was soon disappointed to find that there was only one item inside.


    And that item seemed to be a useless black stone that had no use.


    Adam couldn''t sense any energy inside it and other than seemingly being a very durable material, he couldn''t find anything else that was useful or valuable about it.


    Slightly disappointed, Adam looked around for a short while longer and smashed apart some of the floor and the walls with his powerful and tempered fists, hoping to find something hidden.


    However he didn''t find anything and it seemed as though the Beast Goblin King was the fastest, strongest and most dangerous beast that Adam had faced, but didn''t have any valuable possessions anyway.


    Knowing how unpredictable the system was and not confirming that the black stone that he found was completely useless, Adam placed it in his inventory before climbing down the tower.


    There were many things going through Adam''s mind as he went down the stairs of the tower, but he had no complaints with the position he was currently in and he began planning what he was going to do next.


    Defeating the Goblin Kings was obvious, but there were still thousands of other goblin beasts and many unanswered questions that he had.


    Adam trusted his instincts and with that black stone that he had, he felt that there was more to it, but until he defeated the other Goblin Kings and investigated some more, he couldn''t confirm any of the ideas that he had.


    "Well then, there''s no need to delay it any longer. I wonder what my luck will be like this time and what Goblin King I will face" said Adam as he headed towards another one of the four towers.

 Chapter 319: Second Tower

    While walking towards another one of the four towers, Adam''s mind was racing and analysing everything he had seen so far, while planning his next moves and solidifying all of his realisations.


    He had formed two powerful skills and still needed a bit more time to be completely confident in using them and understand all the key components of the skill, as with the Spinning Spear Strike, he was yet to understand how the Bloodlust Characteristic Integrated with it.


    While using the skill, everything was happening so quickly and some of the process was skipped and carried out using only instinct, which although saved him, didn''t allow him to completely understand.


    With Adam''s perceptivity, memory and thinking speed, he was repeating everything that had happened in his battle against the Beast Goblin King and learning from it, while thinking about multiple other things at once.


    Continuing to walk slowly, Ava, who could see and hear everything that Adam was thinking, was amazed by all the things that were occurring in his mind at once.


    He had already prepared a plan to deal with the Goblin Beasts that were surrounding the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City which involved using his Formicidae Summon, the Giant Ant Queen.


    With the Giant Ant Queen, Adam could form a stronghold that would produce many Giant Ant Beasts that were just as powerful as the Giant Ant Queen that was at the same cultivation level as him, but the issue with that was that it would require lots of energy to sustain.


    To sustain the Giant Ant Queen and all the Giant Ants it was producing, in order for it to be able to produce enough Giant Ant Beasts, Adam had to sustain the summon while providing it additional Internal Energy.


    The amount of Internal Energy that would be used would be very taxing on the body and he would also need to be focused on providing the summon energy, so he would be quite defenceless and vulnerable.


    However, if he had his Ethereal Recovery Skill activated at the same time and instructed the Giant Ant Queen to protect where he was, he would be able to have many Giant Ant Beast slaughtering the Goblin Beasts while relaxing and being protected.


    It would take some time and the plan would only work if the goblin beasts were still unable to enter the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City after he took out the Goblin Kings, but Adam was still mentally prepared for most other possible circumstances.


    Although what was inside the giant castle in the centre of the Goblin Beast City was unknown, it was a great place to hide and use to his advantage against so many Goblin Beasts.


    Because of its high energy requirements, and also because he felt that it would be easier and more efficient if he fought alone, Adam hadn''t used his Unique Collector Skill so far since he was still scouting the Goblin Beast City and becoming accustomed to the way they fought and functioned.


    However, after dealing with the Goblin Kings, which he wanted to do himself he was planning to do so.


    Wanting to defeat the Goblin Kings alone was because, although his summons were powerful and capable, the Goblin Kings surpassed most of them in terms of power and capability and because they could hold him back.


    The risk of his summons holding him back while draining his energy, along with Adam being eager to fight the Goblin Kings alone to increase his combat prowess, made it so that Adam hadn''t used the Collector Skill so far and wasn''t planning to do so until he had taken them down.


    However, Adam still knew that his Unique Collector Skill was a godly ability and his most powerful and prised ability that he had learnt to value, but also not rely on.


    Adam had also noticed that his summons respected him more when he showed his power and didn''t rely on them and use them as pawns, which he had previously done.


    Because of that, Adam''s Charisma Stat was steadily improving and he had reached a mutual understanding with all of his summons that he would try to use and communicate with whenever he could.


    His Charisma was always a few points higher than it needed to be to control a summon at the same level as him and because of it, his summons showed him complete obedience and respect, while he also treated them well and didn''t see them as pawns, but as subordinates.


    With his high Charisma Stat, Adam was interested to see just how capable his Charm Skill would be and although it didn''t work on the goblin beasts, since they held a lot of hatred towards humans, Adam was curious to test out whether it would work on different beasts in the dungeon.


    The castle was so large that it took Adam quite a while to walk from one corner to another where another tower was found, but Adam was still yet to enter the castle.


    He was planning to leave that until last and make sure to increase his power and understanding of the floor as much as possible, by taking on the Goblin Kings and searching their towers, before entering the castle.


    Adam was interested in facing the Mage Goblin King and the Weapon Master Goblin King, as they would be very interesting to face and each should be skilled in combat rather than relying on raw power alone, while he also wanted to face the Giant Goblin King last, since it would cause the most destruction.


    Until Adam had taken whatever he felt was valuable from each of the towers and investigate the castle, he wanted to delay facing the Giant Goblin King.


    Since he couldn''t use his spiritual sense through the walls of the towers or castle, he had no way to know what Goblin King he was going to face next, so all he could do was wish for the best as he entered the second tower.

 Chapter 320: Mage Goblin King

    The second tower was identical to the first in terms of size and build, which was weird as even with modern architecture, it was hard to perfectly replicate a building, especially a large, tall and circular tower.


    It made Adam wonder whether the floor and Goblin Beast City was orchestrated by the Dungeon System, or whether it was formed by the goblins independently as to Adam, it seemed almost impossible for the goblins to be able to form such a large castle and perfect towers.


    His thoughts once again brought up the question of how the Dungeon System worked and what was its aim and limits, but he suppressed all of those thoughts and completely cleared his mind.


    While walking over to the tower he had let his thoughts run wild and sorted them all out, but now that he was about to fight a powerful and dangerous Goblin King, he needed his mind to be clear and completely focused on his opponent.


    Reactivating the Hunter''s mind to its full capability, Adam continued climbing the stairs of the tower with his daggers and was ready to begin fighting.


    His spiritual sense seemed to be blocked and suppressed to only reach the small area around him, which was weird and Adam also felt that it was harder to control his Internal Energy.


    It was almost as if his mental control over energy, which was one of the most important and key elements of Internal Cultivation, was being dampened.


    His physical body felt perfectly fine, but his mental control and affinity with energy was being disturbed along with all the other mental and spiritual aspects of Internal Cultivation.


    "I didn''t feel this while facing the Beast Goblin King, which means that I can assume that this is unique to this tower and because of that I can also assume that the owner of this tower is the Mage Goblin King," said Adam to himself with a slight smile.


    His heart began to beat rapidly as he felt a rush of adrenaline and excitement, but his mind, face and body were calm as he continued walking up the stairs of the tower.


    He was curious to see what the Mage Goblin King was capable of as so far from the other Mage Goblin Beasts that he had come across, they would all only have one capability that was linked to some sort of integrated weapon.


    None of the Mage Goblin Beasts that he had come across seemed to be versatile or had abilities that didn''t rely on items, but it seemed that maybe the Mage Goblin King was different and maybe he could learn few things from the beast.


    Nearing the peak of the tower, Adam was calm and from what he had seen from the other Mage Goblin Beasts, he was expecting the Mage Goblin King to also be calm and collected and not suddenly attack Adam.


    It was probably also very arrogant and confident, which was a trait that he found in the Mage Goblin Beasts before he showed his power and scared them, so he was planning to use that to his advantage.


    Reaching the top of the tower, Adam was greeted by a large room that was surprising filled with unusual items and in the centre was a small and slim goblin beast.


    It wasn''t hunched over like the Goblin Beast Guards and stood up straight, while it also wore a silk robe that Adam would imagine a fantasy wizard would have worn.


    Looking at Adam, the Mage Goblin King gave him a mocking look and believed that without the use of his Internal Energy, he would be easy to take down and defenceless.


    Adam did use his Internal Energy a lot and most of his skills and abilities relied on Internal Energy, which was the more versatile type of energy that was stored within his body, but he was still capable without it.


    His External Cultivation was just as high as his Internal Cultivation, and his Internal Cultivation wasn''t completely useless, but was being disrupted and slowed.


    "How are you disturbing my Internal Energy?" asked Adam, who wanted to see whether the Mage Goblin King could understand him.


    If any beast was going to be able to understand him, it was going to be the Mage Goblin Beast that was most likely to be the most intelligent and understanding beast out of all the goblin beasts.


    The Mage Goblin King began to laugh and it seemed to be able to understand him, but Adam didn''t wait for the beast to answer and was hoping to strike it down swiftly before it was able to prepare himself.


    Little did he know, the Mage Goblin King was able to observe his battle with the Beast Goblin King and had also been watching what he had been doing ever since.


    After observing Adam''s battle, the Mage Goblin King could see that the way Adam fought relied quite heavily on his skills and abilities that relied on his Internal Energy, which was why it used an Energy Dampening Array.


    Adam''s understanding and knowledge of arrays were too shallow for him to recognise the energy dampening effects that he was feeling as an array, but he had considered it as a possibility and was underestimating the capability and knowledge of the Mage Goblin King.


    The Energy Dampening Array would make it harder to circulate, wield and control one''s Internal Energy, but wouldn''t and couldn''t affect one''s Internal Energy, which had been integrated into the physical body of the individual.


    The muscles in Adam''s legs tensed as the veins around them began to bulge.


    Adam hadn''t moved but with his great control had prepared his legs to suddenly launch him towards the Mage Goblin King and burst like a spring.


    He would be underwhelmed if his sudden surprise attack against the Mage Goblin King was enough to take it down, but he couldn''t think of any way that the Mage Goblin King, that didn''t seem to have a powerful body, to block or avoid it.

 Chapter 321: Array Master

    Adam burst towards the slender, goblin that was wearing black, silk robes with his daggers in hand, using a variant of the Dagger Jolt Skill that didn''t require any Internal Energy, but was still similarly powerful.


    He couldn''t sense the Mage Goblin King using its energy and although his spiritual sense was being dampened, he was still sure that the goblin before him wasn''t using any energy.


    It also didn''t seem to have a powerful or capable body, so Adam''s logic told him that he would be able to take down the beast easily in a single attack, but yet his instincts were telling him that it wouldn''t be that easy.


    As his daggers neared the neck of the goblin, which he was aiming for, wanting to take down the beast in a single attack and not prolong their battle, he suddenly felt them strike a solid surface.


    However, there was nothing in front of him and it seemed that he had struck some sort of invisible barrier.


    Staying calm, Adam put away his daggers for a moment and quickly placed his hands against the barrier and tested whether the barrier was a wall, or a malleable barrier that surrounded the Mage Goblin King.


    If it was merely a wall, Adam would find a way to get around it and deal with it, but a barrier that surrounded and coated the goblin would be difficult and annoying to deal with, especially with his Internal Energy being dampened along with his spiritual sense.


    The Mage Goblin King hadn''t moved despite Adam''s attack and he felt that the smart goblin''s actions were unusual, but he still went for the attack, not wanting to miss out on such an opportunity.


    Jumping back and taking his daggers back out of the inventory, Adam was relieved to find that the barrier was a wall and didn''t surround the Mage Goblin King, but at the same time was also curious and confused to how it worked.


    The only way that Adam could think of the Mage Goblin king forming the barrier was by somehow being able to solidify Internal Energy, as there was no other thing that could be clear and able to block Adam''s dagger attack without even a scratch.


    The Mage Goblin King didn''t seem to have any item that was forming the barrier and it would also be extremely difficult to sustain such a large barrier using Internal Energy, especially since it wasn''t in contact with the beast.


    Adam was yet to learn how to solidify his energy, which even most Advanced Cultivators are unable to do, but even then, one would need to supply whatever they formed using their energy a constant stream of energy.


    Some extremely skilled cultivators were able to form weapons and shields using their Internal Energy and were able to solidify it using their great control and mastery over the use of Internal Energy, but they would need to be in contact with what they were forming.


    It didn''t make sense for the Mage Goblin King to be able to sustain a barrier that wasn''t in contact with it, unless it was somehow formed by some sort of array or rune.


    If the beast was in contact with the rune or in control of the array, by merely supplying it waves of energy and controlling it with its mind, the Mage Goblin King might have been able to form the barrier at will.


    That would also explain how the beast was able to dampen and disturb Adam''s spiritual sense and Internal Energy, as only an array would be able to have such large scale and ranged effects.


    However, if Adam''s theory was true, that the Mage Goblin King was an array master that was very skilled in the use of arrays, that completely changed how Adam was planning to fight against it.


    Adam only expected the Mage Goblin King to be able to fire different types of ranged attacks that were more powerful than that of its subordinates and maybe it would be able to form the attacks quicker, but he had never expected it to be an Array Master.


    Arrays could have infinite functions and as long as the Array Master that formed them and was in control of them had great control and large energy reserves, if one was in the range of their arrays, it would be extremely difficult to take them down.


    Adam''s mind was racing and trying to think about what other arrays the Mage Goblin King might have and what their range could be, but the Mage Goblin King wasn''t even giving him a second to think.


    For it to be controlling and sustaining multiple arrays, it was either extremely capable or confident that it could take down Adam quickly.


    Adam gauging that knew that either way, it would be a difficult battle, but instead of feeling afraid or apprehensive, he was excited and curious to see what the Mage Goblin King was capable of and was confident that he would come out on top no matter what.


    The Mage Goblin King''s mind was split, controlling multiple arrays at once, but it was still managing while maintaining a confident expression as it began to move its fingers, which seemed to assist it in controlling the arrays.


    Physical movement in the direction of a ranged Internal Energy attack was very useful in forming, controlling and aiming the attack, and Adam assumed that it was a similar thing when it came to controlling arrays.


    His mind was racing, but he was still paying attention as he was suddenly launched back by a gust of wind that came out of nowhere.


    Just like in his battle against the Beast Goblin King, Adam was launched flying through the wall of the top of the tower and sent falling towards the ground, but the difference this time was that Adam''s Internal Energy was being dampened.


    Falling rapidly from a few dozen metres in the air, Adam was trying his best to control and circulate his Internal Energy to be able to use his Burst Movement Skill and break his fall, but it felt like he was merely beating a dead horse.

 Chapter 322: Speed Duo Part 1

    Releasing some of the Bloodlust Characteristic''s power, Adam who was plummeting towards the ground and about to hit the ground experienced a small burst of power.


    With the assistance of the small burst of power, Adam was able to release a burst from each of his palms and bare feet as he completely broke his floor and landed on the ground slowly.


    The Energy Dampening Array was annoying, but suggest of energy could overwhelm and get past the dampening effects of the array, which was perfect for Adam who had the Bloodlust Characteristics.


    Bursts of power were the speciality of the Bloodlust Characteristic by releasing and embracing his killing intent, and the Mage Goblin King that had expected Adam to slam into the ground was surprised by how he managed to avoid that.


    However the Mage Goblin King was still calm and confident as it jumped down from the tower, but before it crashed into the ground, it used a skill similar to the Burst Movement Skill that Adam had formed to break its fall.


    Adam was amazed and realised that the gust of wind that had launched him flying out of the tower was actually a burst of air that was similar to the Air Palm Strike.


    "It is mimicking my moves, but I haven''t used them against it since it would be difficult to do so with my Internal Energy being disturbed. This means that it must have been watching my battle against the Beast Goblin King" gathered Adam.


    Realising that, it made sense for the Mage Goblin King to use the Energy Dampening Array after observing Adam''s battle, however despite that, Adam was still confident.


    "I don''t want to be restricted or reliant on using my Internal Cultivation, so this is a good chance to test myself anyway," said Adam to himself as he rushed over to the Mage Goblin Beast.


    Luckily for Adam, it didn''t seem to have any elemental affinity or special ability, but its mental capability, perceptivity and skill when it came to controlling Internal Energy could even rival that of Adam''s.


    By merely watching one''s battle, it was very difficult to copy one''s skills, yet the Mage Goblin King was able to do so quite accurately.


    However, Adam could still see the faults and weaknesses of the skill that the Mage Goblin Beast tried to copy off him.


    The entire area they were in suddenly began to spin as Adam looked around to see that he was in a desert, but it was clear to him from the fact that he didn''t feel hot and because he was sure he hadn''t been teleported, that he was still in the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City.


    Adam''s spiritual sense was being suppressed, but closing his eyes and emptying his mind with the Hunter''s mind, he opened his eyes once again to find that he was back where he was before.


    "Your illusions can''t trap me and your arrays although are annoying, aren''t impossible to get past," said Adam.


    Adam used the Bloodlust Characteristic to cause a large surge of Internal Energy and found that it was still easy and normal to use his Unique Skills and Characteristics that were integrated to and part of his body.


    Using the Unique Clone Skill, Adam produced Clone that was just as capable as him and since it had his memories and understood his thoughts, Adam didn''t even need to give his clone any instructions.


    The Mage Goblin King, who had watched Adam''s battle with the Beast Goblin King believed that it had seen all of Adam''s abilities and power, since it would be very hard to hold back against such a powerful creature, but it was heavily mistaken.


    Adam wasn''t holding back against the Beast Goblin King, but was using it as an experimental battle where he tried to form a new battle style and new skills instead of using his powerful Unique Skills.


    However with his Internal Energy and spiritual sense being dampened, while also wanting to quickly finish their battle and search the Mage Goblin King''s tower, Adam decided to use whatever he could.


    Despite the shock of Adam suddenly forming a clone that was just as powerful as himself and also identical to Adam in every way.


    Since Adam was using the Hunter''s mind to its maximum potential, his emotions were being heavily suppressed, making it even harder to differentiate between Adam and his emotionless clone.


    The Mage Goblin King was hoping that the clone was merely an illusion, but from everything that it could see and sense, there was no way that an illusion could be so realistic and mimick a physical form.


    Despite that, it was still calm and confident as it began moving its fingers rapidly and a few large slabs of rock began flying towards the Mage Goblin King.


    It wasn''t able to make them fly towards it using an Earth Elemental Affinity, which would allow it to control rocks through Geokinesis, but seemed to be connected to the rock somehow.


    Geokinesis is the manipulation of rock, and the land, and is an ability that Internal Cultivators with an Earth Elemental Affinity have.


    Adam didn''t attack the Mage Goblin King and signalled to his obedient clone to do the same as he watched the Mage Goblin King control the slabs of rock to form 4 rock golems.


    It was an incredible sight to behold and Adam could guess that the Mage Goblin Beast was controlling some sort of defensive array that was linked to the rocks and was able to form rock golems, that couldn''t move on their own and were merely large puppets.


    With the amount of Internal Energy that the Mage Goblin King was streaming into them and its great control, they would be quite difficult to deal with and take down directly.


    However, Adam had no intention of dealing with them directly as he looked over to his clone and gave it a small smile.


    He didn''t need to say anything else and they both nodded in mutual understanding as they burst away from where they stood, leaving behind only a blur.

 Chapter 323: Speed Duo Part 2

    Adam and his clone''s complete understanding and sync made them a dangerous duo to face, especially since they were both clear-headed and wouldn''t be swayed or hindered by emotions.


    The Mage Goblin King, although was physically slow, was able to keep track of Adam and his clone''s movements and was very fast when it came to observing opponents or controlling its own Internal Energy.


    Adam was impressed by the skill and knowledge of the Mage Goblin King, especially since it was controlling so many arrays at once and still managing to stay calm and confident, but would it be able to handle the Speed Duo.


    It had gotten two of the rock golems that it had formed and was controlling to protect it, while got the other two to try and take on one of the two identical Adams.


    However, the two identical figures were too fast to lock onto or attack as they both continued to dash around the Mage Goblin King and the rock golems that it had protecting it, leaving behind only after images.


    While doing so, they were looking for any openings to strike the Mage Goblin King and were avoiding any attacks that came their way from the rock golems.


    The battle with the Mage Goblin King was much longer than the battle with the Beast Goblin King, but it was a very interesting one and gave Adam a good idea of how Internal Cultivators could fight in their own territory.


    But if they were outside of the range of the Mage Goblin King''s arrays, the beast would be almost defenceless and much less capable.


    Adam, using his clone, was able to confuse and overwhelm the Mage Goblin King with his speed and didn''t suffer much damage throughout the battle.


    They would keep their distance and use their full speed to avoid any attacks and try to find any openings, but they couldn''t find any with the tight defence that the Mage Goblin King had.


    Adam and his clone had to avoid the Mage Goblin King''s ranged attacks, which were fast and powerful, while trying to get past the Rock Golems that were surrounding and protecting the beast.


    And even if they managed to get past the Rock Golems that surrounded the Mage Goblin King, it would then form a barrier to block their attack and it seemed as though its defence was impenetrable.


    However, Adam and his clone, who were thinking the same thing and were in complete sync, knew that it was only a matter of time before openings to strike began to present themselves.


    In the meantime, they had to maintain a long enough distance from the Mage Goblin King to be able to dodge or block its ranged attacks that were varied and quite difficult to predict.


    The Mage Goblin King was controlling so many arrays at once and was not only using lots of Internal Energy, but also causing itself lots of strain, which Adam and his clone knew.


    They allowed the Mage Goblin King to appear to have the upper hand and even sustained a few injuries and lowered their speed, to make it seem that they were injured and fatigued.


    However, in reality, they were merely waiting for the right chance to pounce and when they found it, they both released great bursts of power and energy that the Mage Goblin King didn''t expect and was too slow and fatigued to block the attacks coming from both directions.


    It was very mentally strained and although in terms of Intelligence Stat and IESP, it probably surpassed Adam by dozens of points, its combat prowess wasn''t the greatest.


    If it reserved more energy and also wasn''t as arrogant as it was, it might have been able to take down Adam quite easily, but what could he expect from the cruel goblin that was aiming to torment Adam before slowly killing him.


    It was Adam''s clone that landed the final attack on the Mage Goblin King and stabbed its two daggers deep into the back of the beast, causing it to blurt out a curdle of dark, green blood.


    There was no way for it to win the battle or escape with its like, since Adam stood in front of it and Adam''s clone was right behind it with two daggers in its back.


    However, the cruel and evil beasts didn''t want to go down without getting the last laugh as it deactivated all of the arrays that it was controlling and sustaining.


    Adam was cautious, but was sure that the Mage Goblin King had no way that it could harm him or his clone in the state that it was in, which was why he stood close to it so confidently and didn''t quickly finish it off.


    He wanted to let it die slowly while using his spiritual sense that was no longer suppressed, to find out as much as he could about the Mage Goblin King and see how its Internal Energy flowed around its body.


    However, what he didn''t expect was for the Mage Goblin King to have prepared an array in the off chance that it did lose to Adam, as although it couldn''t reason and think as well as Adam, it was still very capable and prepared.


    That array caused its tower and everything within it to blow up, and Adam couldn''t react or stop it as all of the things he was excited to go through was destroyed.


    An instant after, the Mage Goblin Beast, who had a smile on its face after seeing Adam''s annoyed expression, suddenly self-destructed and launched Adam flying.


    The instant the Mage Goblin Beast exploded, Adam retracted his clone and was about to be launched into the Inner Part of Goblin Beast City, where he would be devoured by the thousands of goblin beasts awaiting him.


    However, it didn''t go as the Mage Goblin Beast had hoped and Adam using his Burst Movement Skill moved back over to the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City in the air and landed onto the ground.

 Chapter 324: Giant Goblin King

    Adam was disappointed with how everything ended, but he hadn''t lost anything or suffered much damage, so there wasn''t much to complain about.


    Everything that was previously in the tower of the Mage Goblin Beast was beyond salvageable and not only had it caused the tower to explode before killing itself, but also made sure to burn all of its belongings in the process.


    Despite that, Adam learnt a lot from his battle with the Mage Goblin King and also had a better idea of what to expect in the future if he had to attack an Array Master who was within their own territory.


    It also made him more interested in arrays and made him want to learn more about them from his master, but he was sure that his master would leave him some sort of manuals to learn arrays as they could be learnt independently.


    For the time being, it was best for Adam to continue working on improving his power and combat capability as he crossed his legs and activated the Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    After recovering to his peak state, he didn''t waste any time and was about to go towards the next tower.


    However, before heading towards the next tower, he decided to spread his spiritual sense in the hopes of finding anything valuable that hadn''t been destroyed by the Mage Goblin King.


    All the books and unusual items that he had seen that he was excited to read through and explore were destroyed and just as he was about to head towards the next tower, he saw something the drew his attention.


    Walking over towards a pile of rubble that was caused by the tower exploding, Adam began moving some rocks and found a small red stone that was exactly the same size as the black stone that he had previously found in the chest of the Beast Goblin King.


    If it wasn''t for its red colour, Adam wouldn''t have been able to spot it since it looked and seemed to be a normal stone.


    However since it was red and identical in size to the one that Adam found after beating the Beast Goblin King, Adam confirmed that they did have some sort of connection and use.


    Adam tried to stream energy into the stone and also stepped on it to see if he could break it, but no matter what he tried, the red stone didn''t react or break.


    Since the red stone wasn''t reacting to anything that Adam was trying to do with it, he continued looking around the area to see if he could find anything else that wasn''t destroyed by the Mage Goblin King.


    After not finding anything else, Adam put the red stone that he found in the inventory, then made his way towards the next tower.


    There were two towers left and Adam was debating with himself which one to pick and at the end of it, decided to just go to the tower that was closest and hope for the best.


    Adam was praying that it was the Weapon Master Goblin King and not the Giant Goblin King, but it seemed that despite his luck stat being higher than an average person, he wasn''t so lucky that time.


    His main reason for not wanting to face the Giant Goblin King was because he wanted to search the castle before fighting that beast, as it would most likely crush everything and would cause too much destruction.


    Once he had taken everything from the castle and explored it fully, he would gladly lead the Giant Goblin King around the city to cause destruction and kill goblin beasts for him.


    But it didn''t go how he had hoped and upon climbing to the top of the tower, Adam was greeted by an ordinary looking goblin and instantly Adam recognised it as the Giant Goblin Beast.


    Without giving it time to enlarge or react, Adam upon seeing it instantly used the Step Skip Dagger Jolt Combo and slashed straight at the beast''s throat, but it was too late as it had already begun enlarging and broke through the tower.


    Adam''s slash had managed to slice the beast''s stomach while it was still enlarging, and since it hadn''t enlarged by much compared to its full enlargement, the slash was deep and dealt it quite a lot of damage.


    Luckily for Adam, as the beast enlarged, the wound he had dealt it to its stomach also enlarged, which created an opening that Adam could exploit.


    Adam was amazed as he jumped backwards and used the Burst Movement Skill to stay in the air, so that he could watch the Giant Goblin King enlarge to its full size.


    The Giant Goblin King was almost double the size of the previous Giant Goblin Beasts that he had faced and it also seemed to have enlarged its muscles more than the other Giant Goblin Beasts.


    Adam wanted to draw it away from the castle and burst in the air towards in the Inner Part of the Goblin City, but saw that the Giant Goblin King had lost balance after enlarging at the top of the tower.


    The tower, despite being enormous and very sturdy, couldn''t hold the weight of such a giant creature.


    As it began to collapse and in the process, the Giant Goblin who was balancing at the top of it with one foot fell backwards and was going to fall onto the castle.


    Adam who was trying to lead the Ginat Goblin King away and was watching what was happening couldn''t help but curse his luck and a large part of the castle would be destroyed if the Giant Goblin King fell on it.


    There was also no way for him to be able to move or lift such a large beast, so the Giant Goblin King falling onto the castle seemed inevitable, but Adam was still going to attempt to stop it.


    It was like a small buzzing fly trying to lift a person and stop him from falling over, but despite that, Adam was going to try anyway.

 Chapter 325: Final Tower

    Bursting towards the falling Giant Goblin King in the air, Adam could feel the wind crashing against his face and was flying through the air at rapid speeds as he released continuous bursts from his palms and feet.


    Adam closed his eyes that were struggling to see with the wind that was crashing against his face and it was usually easy for his eyes to handle on land, but now there weren''t any trees, buildings or objects to block some of the wind.


    Despite having his eyes closed, Adam could navigate and sense his surroundings with his spiritual sense and once he slowed down would open his eyes.


    The Giant Goblin King was calm and wouldn''t be hurt much by falling onto the castle.


    Adam reached behind the back of the falling Giant Goblin King and launched an Air Palm Strike at its back, but it didn''t even nudge the Giant Goblin King in the slightest as Adam moved out of the way of the beast.


    He would be crushed if the beast fell on him and it would be a waste of energy and effort if he tried to stop it, so he just gave up and let the Giant Goblin King fall onto the castle.


    However to Adam''s surprise, as the Giant Goblin king landed on the castle, the castle didn''t break and collapse under him.


    It stood there unaffected by the Giant Goblin King falling onto it and the structural integrity of the castle wasn''t damaged in the slightest, which amazed Adam, but also worried him slightly.


    "No wonder the explosion that the Mage Goblin King caused in its tower didn''t affect the tower. I thought it was merely because it didn''t aim to break the castle and only its tower, but I guess I was wrong and the castle is probably indestructible" realised Adam.


    If even the Giant Goblin King falling onto it wasn''t able to break through its walls, then even if Adam used his Killing Move, he would struggle to break through which meant that he would only be able to enter the castle through the main, front entrance.


    It also meant that if Adam got trapped inside, he would struggle massively be able to break out and there were too many things that he didn''t know or understand.


    The castle seemed to be made out of the same rock as the towers and the rocks used were identical in colour and texture, and yet the tower was a normal building that could be broken through and the castle seemed indestructible.


    There were too many possibilities for the reason why the castle didn''t break after the Giant Goblin King fell on it.


    It could be that the castle was somehow being enhanced or that it was made out of a different more powerful material than the tower or that the system''s program was protecting it from being destroyed.


    Either way, Adam was relieved that the mysterious, massive castle wasn''t destroyed, as he still wanted to explore it and search for any valuables, but it also changed things as if he was stuck inside, what would happen next.


    There were so many things running through Adam''s mind, but they all disappeared when a giant fist was launched towards Adam.


    While Adam was surprised and thinking about the reason behind the castle''s durability and what he could expect inside, the Giant Goblin King had gotten


    It was surprisingly fast despite the size of the Giant Goblin King and its fist was the size of a house, which made it even harder to dodge.


    Adam sensed the attack and burst to the side while staying in the air, then burst himself onto the hand of the Giant Goblin King.


    Running along the arm of the Giant Goblin King, Adam used his Step Skip Skill and then when he neared the body of the Giant Goblin King, jumped off its green arm.


    Just as he jumped off, he narrowly dodged the other hand of the Giant Goblin King that had slapped down on where Adam was previously running with great force.


    Falling close to the Giant Goblin King''s body, its giant abdominal muscles were amazing to look at and each one of the Giant Beast''s abs was dozens of times larger than Adam''s entire body.


    Despite that, there was a deep wound in the centre of its stomach that Adam had previously deal it while it was still enlarging and that was the tactic that Adam had used against most of the other Giant Goblin Beasts that he had come across.


    The Giant Goblin King was much larger, stronger and faster than the other Giant Goblin Beasts that he had faced, but other than that it didn''t seem to have anything special about it.


    If it hit Adam once, it might not even need a second strike to finish off Adam, but hitting Adam would be very difficult, especially with his Burst Movement Skill.


    Adam also wouldn''t sit idly while the Giant Goblin King tried to hit him as he flung two energy blades at the Giant Goblin King''s open wound, using the Dual Slash Skill.


    The Giant Goblin King''s muscles and giant body was very durable and hard to pierce through, but since Adam had wounded it before, he could continue to strike that same point and take down the beast.


    Their battle was a long one with the vitality, durability and stamina of the Giant Goblin King, but after continuously striking the open wound of the Giant Goblin King, while dodging all of its attacks and being careful, Adam was finally able to take it down.


    In the process of their battle, Adam had tried his best to lead it into the Inner Part of the Goblin Beast City and cause as much damage and destruction outside of the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City as he could.


    With three of the Goblin Kings already down, all that was left was the Weapon Master Goblin King that would be found in the Final Tower.

 Chapter 326: Weapon Master Goblin King

    After taking down the Giant Goblin King, which took quite a long while and a lot of energy, Adam went back over to the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City, using his Burst Movement Skill, to recover.


    In the process of taking down the Giant Goblin King, Adam had taken down thousands of other goblin beasts by leading the Giant Goblin King to follow him and crush them all with his feet.


    He had also caused a lot of destruction in the Inner Part of the Goblin Beast City and kept him away from the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City so that he could still attempt to salvage some things from the rubble of the Giant Goblin King''s tower.


    Adam was drained quite heavily after the long battle that required him to use a lot of Internal and External Energy to maintain the use of the Burst Movement Skill and continuously strike the Giant Goblin King''s open wound.


    Despite that, he still managed to summon enough Internal Energy and mental strength to use his spiritual sense to search the rubble left around where the Giant Goblin King''s tower previously stood.


    It didn''t take long for Adam to find another one of the stones that he found in the previous two towers and it was identical in shape, but once again a different colour.


    Adam tried a few more of the tests that he had done on the other stones, on the new stone that he had just found, but just like he had expected, the unusual stone that he found didn''t react to any of them.


    Placing it in his inventory with the others, Adam didn''t think about what it was too much and was excited for the battle against the fourth and final Goblin King.


    From what it seemed, it should be the last powerful beast that had the capability, power and combat prowess to wound him and Adam had suffered quite a lot of damage in his battles against the Goblin Kings.


    However, he had also learned a lot and improved from them, since he always learned from the mistakes that he made in combat, and his Hunter''s mind, which enhanced his memory and perceptivity, made that possible.


    Just like he expected his battle with the Weapon Master Goblin King was a very exhilarating battle.


    After taking a few hours to recover his HP and energy storages, although there was still some residual aching around his body and mental strain, he was back up to full strength and ready to battle.


    Preparing his daggers, Adam took off any equipment that he was wearing, since he wanted his battle against the Weapon Master Goblin King to be a battle of skill.


    He had already memorised the attack patterns and techniques of all the Goblin Beasts that used weapons, which were all descendants of the Weapon Master Goblin King, and was excited to see what the beast would be capable of.


    Climbing up the tower, the confrontation with the Weapon Master was different and much more intense than that of the other Goblin Kings.


    All of the Goblin Kings had their own qualities and it was hard to judge which one was the most powerful, as it would depend on the environment and circumstance, but the aura around the Weapon Master Goblin King was the strongest so far.


    In terms of raw power and speed, it was still not on the level of that of the Beast Goblin King that would be able to destroy buildings and cause mass destruction in the real world, but overall it seemed to be a worthy opponent.


    Adam leaked deep into the Weapon Master Goblin King''s eyes and the beast did the same to him as they both tried to gauge whatever they could from each other.


    The Weapon Master Goblin King was nearly 3 metres tall and had quite a muscular physique that was clearly very powerful and one that could rival most Advanced External Cultivators.


    It was armed with many different weapons and had throwing knives wrapped around its body, had fighting knives, daggers, a sword a bow and as many other weapons as it could fit on its body.


    Yet, despite its height, size and all the weapons on its body, it still seemed lean and capable of fighting and moving at rapid speeds, which Adam was sure of.


    The beast was confident, but not arrogant and could see from Adam''s eyes and aura, that he was clearly someone skilled in the use of weapons, just like itself.


    They looked at each other up and down for a few moments before Adam signalled for it to jump down out of the tower, as although it was large, it wasn''t spacious enough for two fast and powerful cultivators to fight all-out.


    The Goblin King understood and agreed as it turned its back to Adam without worrying that he would attack it, as it gauged that Adam was clearly eager to face it and respected it as a worthy opponent.


    What it gauged was correct and Adam allowed the Weapon Master Goblin King to jump out of the tower through the hole in the wall that it created before jumping out after it.


    The Weapon Master Goblin King showed great strength, durability and control by landing on the ground from dozens of metres in the air without making a loud noise, breaking the ground or harming its legs.


    Even Adam was unable to do such a thing and wasn''t planning on trying to do so as he jumped down and used his Burst Movement Skill to break his fall just as he was about to hit the ground.


    Both kept an eye on each other as they slowly moved back and created a 10-metre gap between each other, which could be covered in the blink of an eye.


    "Prepare yourself, I will begin attacking now" warned Adam.


    He was unsure whether the beast could understand what he said, but his intentions were clear and defeating the beast was inevitable in Adam''s eyes as he gave it a moment to draw a weapon before charging towards it.

 Chapter 327: The Goblin Slayer

    Charging towards the Weapon Master Goblin King, Adam used most of his speed and strength in the charge as he slashed towards the Goblin King''s stomach with his daggers.


    The Weapon Master Goblin King also took out two daggers and blocked Adam''s attack with ease before beginning his own attack.


    Adam and the Goblin King''s arms and daggers were moving at incredible speeds and were mere blurs to the Goblin Beasts that were watching from the sidelines of the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City.


    They were both impressed with each other''s blade skills and continued parrying, countering and attacking each other and Adam was being suppressed at the start of their battle, but was steadily improving in terms of dagger skills.


    As their battle went on, Adam slowly reduced the speed and strength he was using, which helped the Weapon Master Goblin King begin pushing him back, but Adam wanted to test and improve his fighting skills as much as he could.


    The Goblin King began gaining the upper hand in their dagger battle and Adam began suffering slash and stab wounds all over his body, but he still had a smile on his face and it was the most fun battle he had experienced so far.


    He didn''t want to win using his ability and raw power, which he probably could have done, and instead wanted to use it as an opportunity to test his combat capabilities.


    Adam was refining his moves and fighting technique against the Weapon Master Goblin King, and was not only improving because of the pressure that his opponent was placing on him, but also by observing his opponents moves.


    Seeing this, the Weapon Master Goblin King began switching fighting stances and battle styles with the dagger, making it harder for Adam to learn and predict his opponent''s next move, but also made their battle more interesting.


    With wounds all over his body, Adam''s Bloodlust began to slowly seep out and was becoming harder to suppress, but Adam''s facial expressions were still calm and he had improved his dagger fighting skills a lot.


    It was the first opponent that he had faced that had a higher mastery of daggers than him and also the first opponent that was going all-out against him in a life or death battle using weapons, which was why Adam longed out the battle as much as he could.


    The Weapon Master Goblin King started switching between weapons and his dexterity and skill with all the weapons were amazing to watch and fight against, but Adam was improving too quickly.


    Even after giving the Goblin King an advantage in terms of speed and strength, Adam was still able to gain the upper hand with his perceptivity and after learning most of the Goblin King''s moves and attack patterns, he finally decided to end the battle.


    "The battle was fun and I learnt a lot, but I am the Goblin Slayer and it is time to end this" stated Adam after fighting a long and arduous battle against the Weapon Master Goblin King over 10 minutes.


    Adam had lost a lot of blood and HP and also used a lot of External Energy in his long and tough battle against the Weapon Master Goblin King where he pushed his combat prowess to its limits.


    He hadn''t used any Internal Energy and had used the chance to fight against and learn from a skilled opponent to its fullest, but he couldn''t continue the battle any longer as he would risk losing.


    In the physically fatigued and injured state that he was in, although he had gained the upper hand in terms of skill, his reflex and reaction speed were starting to slow down due to the fatigue and blood loss.


    Because of that, he risked being taken down by a sudden attack from the Goblin King who seemed to be less fatigued and injured.


    Adam released a surge of power and energy that shocked the Weapon Master Goblin king who realised that Adam had been holding back against him the whole time.


    "This is the end" stated Adam as he launched himself into the air using the Burst Movement Skill.


    Returning his daggers into the inventory, Adam took out his spear and although he knew the Killing Move that he had created was very draining to use, it would guarantee the death of the capable Weapon Master Goblin King.


    The Goblin King began firing arrows at Adam, but Adam dodged them all in the air and focused mostly on activating the Spinning Spear Strike Skill.


    It took a few seconds to activate, which in a battle between powerful cultivators, was a long time, but since the Weapon Master couldn''t reach Adam, who maintained a distance of over a dozen metres in the air, he was able to complete the activation of the skill.


    He would pour his energy, spirit, will and all the power of the Bloodlust Characteristic that he could while focusing on harmonising all the different steps of the skill and controlling all the power in that single attack.


    The Weapon Master Goblin King who had sharp senses and could clearly tell that the attack that Adam was preparing was dangerous, turned to retreat, knowing that he had no chance against such an attack.


    However unfortunately for the Goblin King, the attack was one that could also be used as a ranged attack and Adam had come up with the variant while analysing his previous battles against the other Goblin Kings.


    "You were smart to try and escape, but it was to no avail"


    "Spinning Javelin Strike" roared Adam as he released all the power that he had streamed into the spear he was holding.


    He flung it over his shoulder like a javelin and it flew through the air faster than any bullet an ordinary gun would be able to produce as it pierced into the back of the Weapon Master Goblin King.


    Adam had once again underestimated the power of his attack and despite being a few dozen metres away from the Goblin King, who was attempting to get away, he was still launched flying backwards from the shockwave of the attack.

 Chapter 328: 4 Unusual Stones

    Flying through the air, Adam was once again amazed by the power of his Killing Move and found that the Spinning Javelin Strike seemed to be even more capable than the Spinning Spear Strike.


    However, it was more draining and difficult to use, while it was also more likely to be blocked or dodged since it was a ranged attack, but its speed, penetrative power and explosive power were all amazing.


    Stabilising mid-air using his Burst Movement Skill, Adam barely had any Internal Energy as he struggled to stay in mid-air as he descended to the ground before looking over to the Goblin Beasts that were watching from the Inner Part of the Goblin Beast City.


    Despite being fatigued and needing time to recover, Adam was on high alert as he watched the Goblin Beasts for a short while to see whether they were able to attack him or enter the Core Part of the city after he took down all four Goblin Kings.


    Fortunately, it seemed they still weren''t able to, which went to show Adam that it wasn''t the Goblin Kings that were holding off the Goblin Beasts from entering the Core Part of the City, which meant that it must have been the castle or something within it.


    After confirming that the Goblin Beasts were still unable to get close to him or attack him while he was in the Core Part of the city, Adam activated the Ethereal Recovery Skill and began recovering.


    While he was recovering, instead of entering his mindscape and spending time with Ava, which he would like, he instead replayed the battle he had with the Weapon Master Goblin Beast multiple times.


    With it, he was digesting and reinforcing everything he learnt in their battle and also having time to integrate how he saw the Weapon Master Goblin King fight into how he fought.


    A few hours past and Adam was unsure exactly how long he had been in the dungeon for, but it had definitely surpassed 24 hours and he should speed up and finish the floor as soon as he could, as he couldn''t handle being separated from his body for so long.


    Getting up, Adam walked over to the destruction that his Spinning Javelin Strike had caused and he had underestimated just how powerful it would be.


    Adam was disappointed to see that all the weapons and items that the Weapon Master Goblin King was holding had been destroyed by his attack as he had wanted to try them out and see whether they were special weapons, but he was still happy with the current equipment that he had and didn''t want to become reliant on weapons.


    There was a large crater along with green blood, while the body of the Weapon Master Goblin King had been completely decimated, but Adam was still happy with what he gained after the battle and had learnt a lot.


    Adam still relied on raw power and speed in order for his attacks to damage the opponent and learnt in his battle against the Weapon Master Goblin King, that control and technique could beat raw power and speed.


    It was an interesting, fun and good battle where Adam was taught that muscle control was very important and brute force and power weren''t always the key to winning a battle.


    Although the Weapon Master Goblin King''s body did surpass that of Adam''s in terms of power, it wasn''t by a large amount and it was its skill and control that made it a worthy opponent for Adam to face.


    Jumping down from the top of the tall tower and landing without damaging its body or forming a small crater beneath its feet as it landed was the first thing that amazed Adam and showed him just how important muscle control was.


    Instead of taking the brunt of the impact of the fall using only his legs and instead of being very stiff when he fell, the Weapon Master Goblin King''s muscles were relaxed and as soon as its legs hit the ground, all of its muscles contracted and spread all of the impact throughout its body.


    This made it so that the damage it took was minimal and also made it so that it didn''t cause a large commotion, so that it could instantly burst off the ground and not have to take a moment to recover from the shock of the impact.


    The muscle control was also demonstrated throughout the battle, and the more Adam observed and learnt from the Weapon Master Goblin King, the better his own control became, the less speed and power he required to use to keep up.


    If both Adam''s and the Weapon Master Goblin King''s stamina were the same, the Weapon Master Goblin King would have tired out much quicker than Adam, but the beasts in the dungeon had abnormal stamina that was almost infinite.


    Despite that, Adam still longed out the battle as much as he could to learn as much as he could from the Weapon Master Goblin King and only ended it when it became to risky to continue battling the beast any longer.


    The Goblin King, despite its crude appearance and large size, fought elegantly and was focusing on technique then pouring power and force behind it, unlike the other Goblin Kings that Adam faced.


    After digesting everything he had learnt from the battle, Adam felt that he had overall became a much better fighter, cultivator and individual in general as he searched the Weapon Master Goblin Kings tower after not finding anything in the area he defeated it.


    In the tower, he found many different weapons, and Adam was shocked to find that all of them were ordinary weapons that didn''t have enhancing effects on the wielder or any special capabilities.


    That realisation made him admire the Weapon Master Goblin King and in a large sword in the corner of the room, Adam found what he was looking for.


    "Just as I expected, the Weapon Master Goblin King also has one of those weird stones that seem ordinary, but must have some sort of use" mumbled Adam to himself as he pried out the stone using his dagger and placed it within his inventory with the other three that had collected.

 Chapter 329: Poison Traps

    "I now have four of these stones, have taken down all the Goblin Kings, have improved my combat capabilities and should be able to take down the rest of the Goblin Beasts easily. It will take quite a while to do so, but it is doable and I will leave that to my summons. For now, I should focus on exploring the castle and finding out whether these stones have something to do with the castle" decided Adam.


    He had done so much battle and was confident in his capability against all of the goblin beasts that were left after taking down all of the Goblin Kings in long, arduous battles, but it was time to begin investigating ad exploring the castle.


    Since the castle seemed to be indestructible, Adam wouldn''t be able to break out if he was trapped or caught by something, so he was being very careful as he approached the entrance of the giant castle.


    Adam didn''t like wearing much armour despite the stat boost, as it was uncomfortable and restricted his movement, but had his daggers in hand and was ready to take out his spear at any moment.


    He also had a shield in his inventory, which he had taken off a Tank Goblin Beast and could come in use in the castle.


    The entrance was a large wooden gate and despite it seemingly being made out of wood, Adam''s daggers barely damaged it and unless he used his Killing Move, it was unlikely he could break through the wooden gate, let alone the walls of the castle.


    As soon as he reached a few metres away from the entrance, the castle seemed to be able to sense its presence as the large wooden gates began to slowly creak open.


    The loud creaking sound that the gate made gave Adam an eerie feeling, but he was also excited and curious to see what he could find in the castle as he walked towards it and spread his spiritual sense.


    As soon as his spiritual sense neared the castle, it was instantly blocked off, which disappointed and worried Adam slightly as he was planning on relying on his spiritual sense to navigate around the castle and sense any incoming surprise attacks.


    However, his reflexes and physical senses were still extremely sharp and fast so there was no need to be scared or nervous as Adam walked into the castle confidently, but also cautiously.


    As soon as he entered the castle, the gate slowly closed behind him, and although Adam could have easily gone out before the gate closed, he decided against doing so as he was unsure whether he would be able to enter the castle a second time.


    There was a long path before him and the entire castle was made out of large grey stones that were all held together to form an unbreakable castle.


    The pathway at the start of the castle was dark after the gate closed, but then torches were lit on either side of the walls and the corridor become dimly lit.


    Before heading any further, Adam had picked up some of the rubble that was found all around the castle from the broken towers and was planning to use it to check for traps.


    Although it was likely that the traps had heat sensors or were able to sense Adam''s presence, if there were any, he had nothing to lose by using rocks to try and activate the traps.


    Throwing rocks forwards, there was no reaction and since the ground was made up of large tiles, Adam could guess that some of the tiles would activate traps if he put weight on them.


    He was unsure how many of the large tiles activated traps and what the traps were, but he was confident that he wouldn''t activate any of the traps if they relied only on him stepping on the tiles.


    With Adam''s speed, he would be able to quickly dash through the corridor and should be able to get past and dodge any traps using his Step Skip Skill, but he also had another idea that he wanted to test out.


    He was going to step on every single tile and wanted to test whether he could control his muscles and body just as well as the Weapon Master Goblin King did.


    The Goblin King was able to fall from high heights and despite all the power it unleashed, would never damage the ground beneath his feet and it was as though his body had no mass, which wasn''t true.


    It was all due to his great control and Adam wanted to test out whether what he had observed and learnt was enough for him to try and use it himself, as it would be very useful for him in the future.


    Not only would great muscle control increase his skill in combat and efficiency when using techniques, but it would also be very useful when it came to stealth and increasing his running speed.


    Adam had come to realise that although the Speed Stat showed how capable one could be in terms of speed, it didn''t represent their actual running speed as running speed also needed good form and technique.


    Calming down, Adam returned his daggers into the inventory and imagined that he was weightless as he attempted to sync the timing of the contraction of his muscles to make it so that he ended up putting no pressure on the ground beneath him.


    Without wasting any time or hesitating, Adam began moving over the tiles but quickly came to realise that it was much more difficult than he thought as he felt one of the tiles he stepped on, sink in the ground slightly.


    As soon as that occurred, a few small holes in the wall that Adam didn''t even recognise as a threat began firing small pins towards Adam.


    However all of the pins were laced with poison and if they penetrated Adam''s body, would quickly spread and weakened him massively.


    Adam was barely able to see the pins coming, but he sensed danger and as soon as he felt the tile move, flipped backwards and was only narrowly about to avoid the pins as he felt one fly past his face.

 Chapter 330: Castle Layout

    Adam was surprised and impressed by the speed of the traps along with how difficult they were to see and sense.


    Picking up one of the pins, Adam could see that it was coated in some sort of purple substance and the fingers that he had used to pick up the extremely thin pin began turning black and decaying.


    Since it hadn''t penetrated his body and was only touched by his skin, Adam was able to easily and quickly expel the small amount of poison on his fingertips as Adam realised just how dangerous the traps were.


    He hadn''t seen anywhere that any arrows or bullets could be fired, which was what he was expecting, but he was once again reminded that he was in the middle of a dangerous castle and he had to be more careful.


    Adam practised and began perfecting his muscle control and stealth, while using the floor traps as a way to train.


    Each time he set off a trap, Adam would use the Step Skip Skill to dodge the pins that were laced in poison and throughout the long corridor that followed after the entrance, Adam used it for practice.


    He was becoming better and better the more he tried and since he had a good grasp of the speed of the pins being launched at him whenever he set off a trap, he knew the exact timing of when to use the Step Skip Skill to avoid them.


    After reaching the end of the corridor, there was a patch of ground that wasn''t formed of tiles and seemed to be safe from traps, which Adam tested before standing on it.


    From there, there were three other paths that he could take and Adam was planning to go on all three paths and memorising every path he took so that he could form a map of the large castle within his mind.


    It had quite a few floors and each of them were likely to be filled with traps and are likely to have many different routes and paths, which makes the castle a giant maze filled with traps.


    However, Adam was also hoping that it was filled with treasure or something useful that might show him a use for the stones that he had or help him find out the possible secret mission of the floor.


    Adam became much more careful as he roamed around the castle and despite it being dimly lit and his spiritual sense being blocked, he was still very aware of his surroundings using his very sharp physical senses.


    After a few hours of going around the castle, Adam was shocked and disappointed to find that there weren''t only rooms and merely paths that went all around the castle and led to different stairs that could either take him up or down.


    There were all kinds of traps other than the poison pins, such as large boulders falling from above, and all kinds of weapons being thrown at him, but he hadn''t found one thing that was useful.


    Despite being careful and skilled in avoiding the traps, Adam had suffered quite a few injuries and had also been poisoned quite a few times, but each time he would heal himself straight away with the Ethereal Recovery Skill, then continue exploring the castle.


    Adam had a pretty detailed layout of the entire castle within his mind and still hadn''t found anything that seemed useful or out of the ordinary.


    He had also tried breaking through a few of the walls, but it was to no avail since they all seemed to be somehow be extremely durable and unbreakable.


    One thing he found weird was that the traps would keep being renewed and sometimes even changed, which made the castle unpredictable and made him wonder whether someone or something was controlling it or whether the castle was somehow alive.


    He also found that sometimes traps would be set off and he would be attacked without him even setting them off, which also gave him suspicions about some sort of entity manipulating what was occurring, but he had no way to confirm his theory.


    His instincts were telling him that there was more to the castle and the traps were becoming increasingly difficult to handle and the shield he had brought with him had been destroyed by one of the traps that launched an explosive cannonball towards him.


    Since he needed some time to rest and also hadn''t made any progress with the castle, Adam still had his suspicions about it and was still planning to explore it again and search for whatever it was hiding, but before then, he wanted to start getting rid of the rest of the Goblin Beasts.


    He needed to kill every Goblin Beast to finish the floor and Ava also hinted that there was a secret, hidden mission that he could solve and if he did, he would most likely be rewarded or find something useful.


    Unlike on Floor 0 where he was weak and reckless, Adam wasn''t planning to let anything slip out of his grasp and wanted to make sure that he gained any power or enhancements that he could in any way possible.


    So he decided that he would kill most of the Goblin Beasts on the floor and leave a few so that the floor wasn''t completed and he still had the opportunity to search the castle a second time.


    Even if the gates of the castle didn''t allow him to enter, he was pretty sure that he could break through and his time that he spent in the castle wasn''t a waste of time as he had trained his reflexes and control, while also forming a map of the castle within his mind.


    Using the map that he had formulated within his mind, Adam found the quickest and most direct pathway towards the gate that he found was the only entrance and only way out of the castle.


    However, getting out of the castle wasn''t as easy as he thought as he was suddenly bombarded with even more traps than when he entered.

 Chapter 331: Giant Ant Beast Army

    Adam was very deep inside the castle and a few floors above ground level, which made it quite far from the entrance that he entered from, and getting there would be very difficult.


    The traps that he had labelled on the layout that he had formed within his mind had all changed and the power, as well as the frequency of the traps, was increasing.


    "It seems that the castle itself or whatever is controlling it doesn''t want to let me get out and maybe the entire castle in itself was merely a distraction and a way to trap someone inside" mumbled Adam to himself.


    He relied on his speed, Step Skip Skill and fundamental defensive techniques that he had activated to their fullest in order to make it to the castle gate.


    The amount of damage he took was great and Adam didn''t want to take the time to stop and heal, since he had already spent too much time in the dungeon, so continued onwards back towards the gate.


    His time in the castle had improved his reflexes and reaction speed when it came to dealing with sudden attacks and traps, so despite the changes in the traps that made it much more difficult for Adam on his way out of the castle, he was able to get through it.


    Reaching the gate, Adam was covered in wounds and had faced many difficult traps and struggled his way through the castle, but had made it, and as he reached the gate, he was pleasantly surprised to see that it opened for him automatically.


    It seemed as though the castle, or whoever was controlling it, had no intention of keeping Adam locked in there, but from the castle''s previous actions, it was clear that the traps were becoming increasingly difficult with the intention to kill him.


    Most Advanced Cultivators would have died after merely trying to get past a few traps since most cultivators weren''t as skilled as Adam and also didn''t have the Step Skip Skill, which Adam used when he couldn''t avoid any of the traps using his speed.


    Leaving the castle, Adam used the Ethereal Recovery Skill for a short while and after he had recovered some Internal Energy, summoned his Formicidae Summon, which was the Giant Ant Queen.


    With the Special Trait, Ant Production, as long as Adam provided it energy, it could form giant ants that were just as powerful as the beast itself to kill off the goblin beasts for him.


    However that still wouldn''t be enough and would be too slow, so instead, Adam was going to provide the Giant Ant Queen more energy than it required to sustain itself, which it could use to produce and strengthen more Giant Ant Beasts.


    Adam was also curious to find out whether the Giant Ants that the Giant Ant Queen produced would stay after he retracted his summon and was unsure whether they would be obedient to him, but he was excited to find out.


    Sitting cross-legged, Adam activated the Ethereal Recovery Skill and all the Internal Energy that he would recover, he would use it to sustain the summon and provide it additional energy.


    His HP and External Energy were recovering while his Internal Energy was staying at the same level, but it didn''t matter as he was assisting the Giant Ant Queen in producing more giant ant beasts.


    The Giant Ant Queen was obedient with Adam''s charisma stat being more than enough to control the beast, while it continued to produce Giant Ant Beasts and provide them with energy until they became as strong as her.


    It only took the Giant Ant Queen a matter of seconds to produce a Giant Ant Beasts that was equal to itself in power, but it was very draining for the Giant Ant Queen who wouldn''t be able to continuously do so without the supply of Adam''s energy.


    Adam instructed the Giant Ant Queen to produce as many Giant Ant Beasts as it could within an hour and told the beast not to order them to attack the Goblin Beasts yet, as if their numbers and strength weren''t enough, they would be overwhelmed by the thousands of Goblin Beasts.


    The Giant Ant Beasts had tough shells, sharp pincers and were able to communicate with each other, which made them a force to be reckoned with.


    Since the Giant Ant Beasts were relatively smart and would follow all the orders given, for a large scale battle, the Giant Ant Queen''s Special Trait was very useful.


    Adam spent the hour in his mindscape with Ava sat beside him, but he didn''t sit idly and relax and only entered his mindscape because he enjoyed the presence of Ava.


    Instead, he was cementing everything he had learnt and come across so far on the floor and also clearing his mind as he removed all the curious thoughts he had about how his friends were doing and what they had managed to accomplish over the past 2 months.


    After that hour was up, Adam left his mindscape and was impressed to find around 50 Giant Ant Beasts that were all at the peak of the Novice Cultivation Level, yet had the power of early Advanced Cultivators, which was normal in beasts in the dungeon.


    Adam found that no matter how high his cultivation progressed and how high his stats were, the beasts he would face in the dungeon would almost always surpass him in terms of power and the dungeon was a test of skill in most cases.


    With the small army of Giant Ant Beasts that he had, Adam quickly recovered most of his Internal Energy and stopped supplying additional energy to the Giant Ant Queen so that he could also join the beasts in battle.


    Adam was becoming worried about spending too much time in the dungeon and was planning to support the Giant Ant Beasts, while also using them as cover to take down large amounts of Goblin Beasts at once, without suffering many injuries or losing many Giant Ant Beasts.

 Chapter 332: Slaughtering Cycle

    He would relay orders to the Giant Ant Queen, and she would relay them to the Giant Ant Beasts who would all fight as a group and support each other so that they can steadily take down the Goblin Beasts.


    Adam instructed the Giant Ant Queen to relay to her subordinates that once they were all beginning to tire out or were being pushed back and injured, that they should retreat to the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City where they could take a moment to recover and feed off their queen.


    As long as they followed Adam''s instructions and everything went to plan, it would take them a few cycles of battling, then stopping to recover, before they can take down most of the Goblin Beasts.


    Time wasn''t on Adam''s side and he wanted to make sure to leave time for him to explore the castle a second time and he also had another idea that he wanted to try out in the castle, so he wanted to speed up the process of slaughtering the Goblin Beasts, which was why he decided to join the Giant Ant Beasts.


    "Listen up, get them to attack as a group and support each other. Also, get them to stay near the edge of the Core Part of the city and if they need to retreat, allow them to do so. Just keep giving them good orders so that they can defeat as many beasts as they can without suffering casualties and I believe in your judgement" instructed Adam to the Giant Ant Queen.


    It was likely that if he retracted his Formicidae Summon, the Giant Ant Beasts that the Giant Ant Queen formed would still be there, but they would become wild and unrestrainable since their leader, master and mother had disappeared, so it was best for Adam to keep her summoned.


    Because of that, his Internal Energy was shackled and Adam was mostly planning to fight using his External Energy and use all the skills, techniques and combat styles that he observed from the Weapon Master Goblin King to do so.


    Every few minutes he would have to retreat and rest, as sustaining a summon at the same level as him was draining, but with the army of Giant Ant Beasts along with his power, Adam was confident that they would be able to defeat the Goblin Beasts at a good rate.


    With that, the Giant Ant Queen became a war general instructing its soldiers on what to do, while Adam charged straight into the Goblin Beasts and created an opening for the Giant Ant Beasts to exploit.


    Adam used his great speed and flexibility to weave through the thousands of Goblin Beasts and would target the Mage Goblin Beasts and Archer Goblin Beasts, as they were easy to take down and used ranged attacks, which were annoying to deal with.


    With his daggers, Adam would dash past the Goblin Beasts that could use ranged attacks and slash their necks, taking them down in single attacks, while avoiding attacks from all the other Goblin Beasts that he ran past.


    The Goblin Beasts being so close together made it harder for them to attack Adam who was jumping around and weaving between them, using his great speed, flexibility and muscle control that he had trained, to avoid all attacks and get around the army of Goblin Beasts.


    Adam was covered in green blood and slaughtered dozens of beasts as he unleashed more and more of his Bloodlust and continued killing more and more of the beasts.


    With so many beasts around him, Adam was suffering quite a few injuries, but the Giant Ant Beasts were surprisingly powerful and supported Adam whenever he was surrounded and unable to get out.


    Adam spread his spiritual sense throughout the battlefield between the Giant Ant Beasts and Goblin Beasts as he continued dashing around with his great speed and using only his physical power to take down as many Goblin Beasts as he could.


    After his Internal Energy was starting to run low, he would return to the Core Part of the Goblin Beast City to recover, since he needed a constant stream of it to sustain the Giant Ant Queen.


    He repeated the cycle of slaughtering the Goblin Beasts before stopping to recover and after a few times of doing so, the Goblin Beasts'' numbers dwindled to a mere few hundred.


    However they were spread far and wide around the city and there were also Goblin Beasts that were still on guard, so Adam decided that it was enough and he had already spent too much time in the dungeon, so it was best for him to return to the castle as soon as he could.


    Adam retracted his summon of the Giant Ant Queen and was curious to see whether the Giant Ant Beasts that it produced would disappear with it, or still be formed.


    To his surprise, they didn''t disappear and that made the Giant Ant Queen''s Special Trait even more formidable, but also more dangerous to use.


    Just as he expected, as soon as the Giant Ant Queen disappeared, the Giant Ant Beasts became wild and were no longer being restrained or controlled.


    However, despite facing so many of those beasts, Adam wasn''t afraid as he used his high Charisma Stat along with the Charm Skill on the beasts.


    Beasts that were formed by the dungeon were always hostile towards Adam no matter what, but the Giant Ant Beasts were formed by Adam''s summon and he wanted to test out whether his Charm Skill would work against them and whether beasts, in general, could be charmed.


    Since he was the one that summoned their master, had a high Charisma Stat and also had a very intimidating aura and killing intent, it wasn''t difficult to charm the Giant Ant Beasts who after a short while became obedient.


    "Go and kill any beast that you find" instructed Adam as he released a burst of killing intent to scare them off and intimidate them into following his orders.

 Chapter 333: Returning To The Castle

    Adam''s intimidating aura along with his high Charisma Stat was more than enough to control the Giant Ant Beasts that were formed by his summon and could sense the Giant Ant Queen within him.


    He could see that even without his Charm Skill and assertive aura, the Giant Ant Beasts could see the Giant Ant Queen within him and it made him wonder whether the beasts that he collected became a part of him and whether they were being stored within his soul.


    It also made many other thoughts and ideas appear within Adam''s mind, but he suppressed them all and after the Giant Ant Beasts did as he said, Adam sat down and began recovering his energy and HP.


    The Collector Skill is a Unique Skill and the system stated that it had limitless potential and that Adam shouldn''t be restricted while using it or coming up with different ways to use it.


    Because of that, Adam had a new idea of a way to use the Collector Skill that he wanted to put to the test, but he decided to suppress that thought until the next time he entered the dungeon.


    It was too risky to try out his idea in reality, since he was unsure whether it would work and whether he could control it, so it may damage his real body or lead him to harm someone around him.


    While it would also use too much time and effort to use it currently as time was of the essence and Adam had to complete the floor quickly and find out what exactly is within the castle or what its purpose was.


    [The Giant Ant Beasts will be able to take down most of the Goblin Beasts that are left if they stay in a group, but I am sure that they won''t be able to take them all out, which is good. That will reduce the amount of Goblin Beast left for me to kill after finishing with the castle and if they kill all the Goblin Beasts, the floor will be completed and I won''t get a chance to find out the secrets behind the caslte] thought Adam to himself.


    Adam wondered whether there was some sort of protective array on the castle and also arrays that were controlling the traps, which was definitely a possibility since the Mage Goblin King was very skilled at the use of arrays.


    But that would mean that there was someone or something controlling the arrays in the castle and providing them energy, which would require great amounts of energy along with great control.


    There were too many unanswered questions, but Adam was hoping that they would be answered by using his Goblin Summon.


    Although the Base Beast of his Goblin Summon was a mere Ordinary Goblin Beast, it actually had a surprisingly useful Special Trait which Adam had never actually put to use and wanted to see how effective it was.


    Adam was unsure whether all Orindary Goblin had the Special Trait known as Treasure Hunting, but his summon did and he was grateful for it and planning to try it out.


    He had underestimated the Goblin Summon and hadn''t used it much, even when he was searching for treasure, but after facing so many capable Goblin Beasts that came in different forms and with different capabilities, Adam saw his Goblin Summon differently.


    Within the beastpedia within his mind, although he couldn''t use the system to check his summons, he could still feel all of them laying dormant within a room in his mind.


    The same sensation of beast types fusing occurred each time Adam killed a new type of Goblin Beast and all the types were consumed by the Goblin Kings who had the capabilities of all the Goblin Beast types and more.


    His Goblin Summon had become a fearsome beast that had become a hybrid of all the Goblin Beasts he had killed so far, and although it didn''t have the special traits that the other Goblin Beasts had, its special trait was still a useful one.


    Summoning his Goblin Summon, Adam summoned only the Ordinary Goblin Beast Type that had the Treasure Hunting Special Trait, as he didn''t want its Special Trait to be weakened after fusing with so many other types of Goblin Beasts.


    The hunch backed Goblin Beast, that held a wooden club and was relatively small compared to all the Goblin Beasts Adam had been facing, appeared out of thin air and Adam instructed it to follow after him.


    "We will be entering that castle and there are many traps, but you should be able to handle a lot of them and I will also be supporting you. In the castle, I want you to lead me towards any treasure" said Adam as he walked over towards the castle gate with the Goblin Summon following closely behind him.


    It felt unusual to have a Goblin Beast that was obedient to him and walking near him without any hostility, but Adam quickly got used to it as the gates of the castle began to slowly open as they neared it.


    Adam was ready to break down the castle gate if he needed to, since he was unsure whether he would be allowed to enter a second time, but it seemed that the castle was inviting him in and wanted him to come in.


    The gate began to open from when Adam was still a few dozen metres away, which showed Adam that the castle or whatever was controlling it was able to sense what was occurring around it.


    It also showed Adam that the castle was eager to get him inside, which made Adam interested to find out who or what was behind the castle and whether they had something valuable for him to take.


    Adam was also pretty sure that whatever it was controlling the castle, it was some sort of ultimate Goblin Beast that he had to take out and was a secret part of the floor.


    He knew that with all the traps and with the controller of the castle knowing more about his capabilities, that it was likely a big trap, but he still confidently walked inside with his Goblin Summon closely behind him.

 Chapter 334: Losing Hope

    The Goblin Summon understood Adam''s orders and respected and revered Adam as its master, so was planning to follow them to the best of its abilities.


    However, as soon as they neared the castle, it clearly seemed afraid and intimidated by the castle or whatever is inside it.


    It still followed closely after Adam, but what it was feeling was clear to Adam and it surprised him, but also confirmed to him that there really was more to the castle than traps.


    The traps were going to be activated without him needing to tip them off, so it was best if he protected his Goblin Summon while skipping through the traps as quickly as he could.


    He could sense that the Goblin Summon was sending out some sort of radar that was similar to a spiritual sense, but also very different at the same time.


    It would draw the Goblin Beast towards treasure or valuables, but it would only be able to sense it if it has a powerful energy or if it is seen as something that is valuable and needs to be protected.


    The Special Trait was fuelled by the greed and gluttony of Goblin Beasts, but in this case benefitted Adam as the Goblin Beast pointed Adam in different directions, which he followed.


    Since the Goblin Summon was on the same level as Adam, it was very capable and could handle most of the traps itself and use its club to block and hit away most projectiles that were flung towards it.


    However, since speed wasn''t its strong suit, there were some traps that it couldn''t handle with its strength and club alone, so Adam would have to help it out, as he didn''t want it to get damaged.


    His summons getting damaged would only cost him more energy and he also needed the Goblin Summon in his current situation, which was why Adam was keeping such a close eye on it and protecting it.


    Despite his concentration being split, Adam was able to get past most traps unscathed after experiencing most of them already and would always lead the way, as he was more capable than the Goblin Summon in the current environment.


    It led Adam around the castle, but it seemed to be to no avail and soon the Goblin Summon realised what was occurring and tried to relay that to Adam.


    Adam believed that his summon was trying to find treasure and that its Special Trait was useful, but he was starting to get slightly annoyed since sustaining the summon was using quite a lot of energy and it was to no avail.


    It led him to the centre of the castle and it was unsure why, but the Goblin Summon seemed pretty sure that whatever treasure there was in the castle should be in the centre, but all there was in the centre was a large, circular hall.


    The circular hall was filled with traps and Adam couldn''t see any valuables and also couldn''t see any hidden passage ways.


    It had taken a while for the Goblin Summon''s Treasure Hunting to lock onto where it sensed the treasure was, since there seemed to be something interfering with it, just like Adam''s spiritual sense was being blocked.


    However the Goblin Summon seemed sure and Adam retracted it back, before checking out the middle area again.


    He trusted his summon, but also knew that it wouldn''t be able to handle being bombarded by traps from all directions, as the centre of the castle was a circular hall.


    Despite that, Adam still burst towards the centre of the circular hall and was surprised to find that there weren''t any traps, but as soon as he reached the centre of the hall, dozens of traps were suddenly activated all at once.


    Arrows, poison pins and all kinds of projectiles were thrown at Adam from all directions, making it so that it was almost impossible for Adam to dodge, and because of that, he couldn''t use his Step Skip Skill.


    The Step Skip Skill required a clear path for it to be useful and if anything was in his way, he wouldn''t be able to use the skill.


    Adam used the Burst Movement Skill to launch himself upwards and grabbed onto the bricks of the ceiling as he held himself against the ceiling, making it so that he was only hit by a few of the projectiles.


    After the firing stopped, Adam landed back on the ground and pulled out all the spikes, arrows and pins that had hit him before starting to recover, knowing that the traps wouldn''t be renewed until he had left that room.


    Adam was confident that no more projectiles would be launched towards him as the castle seemed to only be able to recharge the traps once he had left, but he hadn''t expected that the ground beneath him would begin to shake and crumble.


    It was as though the centre of the castle was collapsing and all the floors above it were falling down onto the ground, while the ground beneath Adam''s feet was also collapsing and there was no way for him to avoid what was coming.


    Activating both his fundamental defensive techniques while also streaming large amounts of Internal Energy throughout his body and preparing himself for the impact, Adam fell dozens of metres below the ground, then large pieces of rubble fell above him.


    Being buried under large pieces of heavy rock, Adam had suffered quite a lot of damage and was struggling to breathe as he suddenly let out a loud roar and a burst of energy from his entire body.


    He drew out as much power as he could and even used the Bloodlust Characteristic to summon up more power as the rubble above him was all launched flying away and Adam was no longer trapped under large slabs of stone.


    Taking a moment to recover and catch his breath, everything was very dark and it was clear to Adam that he was underground, but he was unsure what to do next and was beginning to lose hope.

 Chapter 335: Secret Tunnel

    Finding the secret of the castle seemed to be impossible and now he was deep underground and surrounded by rubble, making it extremely difficult to get out.


    However, despite that, Adam stayed calm and was unwilling to leave the dungeon without gaining as many rewards as he could from the final floor of the Mortal/Novice Dungeon.


    Adam had suffered a lot of pain and although had learnt a lot from his battles against all the different kinds of goblin beasts and also improved massively, he had also suffered a lot and didn''t want his sacrifice to be in vain.


    He realised that his spiritual sense was no longer being blocked and despite it being dark, he was able to sense clearly and was shocked by what he saw.


    At first, before he used his spiritual sense, believing that it was still being blocked, Adam thought that he was stuck in some sort of underground cave that had been blocked up by all the rubble.


    However, after using his spiritual sense, Adam had a much clearer understanding of what was around him and was able to sense through the wall in front of him to find that the wall was very thin.


    All the other walls around him were way too thick for him to see through and since he was underground, he expected that it was like that forever, however, he had never expected to find such a thin wall.


    Behind the thin wall, he could only sense a long tunnel and his spiritual sense couldn''t reach far enough to find the end of the tunnel.


    [This tunnel must be what my Goblin Summon managed to sense after it locked onto where it could sense the treasure was. Since it was underground and the castle was interfering with my spiritual sense, it would have been impossible for me to find it alone and the Goblin Summon was also barely able to find it and merely led me in the right direction at the end] thought Adam to himself.


    He knew that even with his Goblin Summon''s help, he was merely lucky to be caught in a trap that blocked him underground, but he still made it and no one could discredit how hard-working and determined Adam was.


    Thinking about how hard his friends and allies must be working to increase their power and thinking about how much pain, guilt and regret his aunt must be experiencing after being possessed by an Evil Soul, he couldn''t help but want to work harder and gain more power.


    His instincts were telling him that he was nearing the end and he was glad that it was nearly over so that he could move onto the next dungeon and continue increasing his power.


    Adam was learning more and more about how the dungeon did things and it would usually require him to show the qualities of a hunter, which included bravery, luck, killer instincts, confidence, patience, observation and willpower.


    Once he showed those qualities, it would guide him in one way or another and would test out just how capable he was as a hunter and cultivator in general, then if he continued passing the tests, he would be able to find an ultimate test where he would be rewarded greatly.


    Along the way, Adam''s hunter and fighting skills would be tested, tempered and improved and Adam was starting to think of the Dungeon System as an inheritance and a guide, rather than a mere tool.


    Taking the time to recover, after releasing that powerful burst of energy and sustaining his Goblin Summon for quite a while, Adam was excited to finally finish the floor by completing the secret mission and returning to the surface to kill the rest of the Goblin Beasts.


    The air was quickly becoming scarcer underground and the more time Adam spent recovering, the more likely his real body was going to suffer more damage and the more time a possible enemy at the end of the tunnel would have to prepare.


    Adam was hoping that there was an unguarded treasury underground, but that was very unlikely to be the case with the Dungeon System and there was probably some sort of guardian protecting it.


    All Adam was hoping was that its power level didn''t surpass that of the Goblin Kings, otherwise, defeating it would be a big hassle and would need him to go completely all out, which would cause him a lot of backlash.


    With his a simple punch, the wall crumbled before Adam whose physical strength was incredibly high and had probably improved in the time he had been on Floor 10.


    Most of the rock wall shattered and Adam climbed through the large hole that was formed and walked down the tunnel.


    His spiritual sense wasn''t being blocked so he was much more confident when it came to sensing and avoiding traps, but the tunnel seemed like an ordinary rock tunnel and Adam was sure that there weren''t any traps.


    Continuing down the tunnel, Adam began jogging as he didn''t want to waste his time walking, and within a matter of minutes, reached the end of the tunnel that he estimated was under one of the corners of the castle.


    There was nothing at the end of the tunnel and Adam was confused as even with his spiritual sense he wasn''t able to pick up on anything, but he still felt that he was in the right place.


    Adam considered summoning his Goblin Summon again to assist him in looking for whatever the secret tunnel led to, but then he had an idea.


    He took out the four stones that he had collected from each of the Goblin Kings and he was hoping that they would have something to do with the secret mission of the floor.


    They gave him a weird feeling despite not reacting to anything that he had done to them and as soon as he took them out they began to glow.


    The four different coloured stones continued to glow brighter and brighter as Adam took out his daggers and prepared himself for whatever was coming next.

 Chapter 336: [Bonus Chapter]Secret Underground Chamber

    Adam instinctively closed his eyes for an instant, since the bright light released by the four stones was blinding, but he still had his spiritual sense activated and had withdrawn his daggers, ready to be attacked at any moment.


    As soon as he felt the light begin to subside, he opened his eyes and felt relieved to see that nothing had appeared around him and he didn''t seem to be in any imminent danger.


    The light being emitted by the stones had been reduced, but there were still glowing and it was almost as though there was a faint magnetic connection that was drawing them towards the rock wall at the end of the tunnel.


    He found it weird since it was merely a rock wall and using his spiritual sense, he couldn''t sense anything in it or behind it that seemed valuable, but since the unusual stones were attracted to it, he began punching away at the rock wall.


    Adam''s knuckles were red, bruised and bled slightly, but considering the force and power that he was punching the rock wall at, along with how hard the rock wall was, it was nothing.


    He continued smashing apart the rock wall until he suddenly struck something and hurt his fist massively.


    It was the same wall as those of the castle and it was unusual to find it so far underground, unless there was something hidden underground.


    Smashing away the rest of the rock. Adam found a large wall that was identical to the ones that he found around the castle and on that wall, there was a circular object embedded into it that had space for four stones.


    The space was identical to that of the stones that Adam had found in each of the Goblin King''s towers and Adam wasn''t able to sense the presence of that wall, because it blocked his spiritual sense and made him believe that he couldn''t see any further past the rock wall.


    Adam didn''t have time to stop and recover and he had struck the wall before him with most of his power, and yet he didn''t even crack it in the slightest and hurt his right wrist quite badly.


    That confirmed to him that breaking out of the castle wouldn''t be possible and he took a moment to mostly recover his wrist before placing the four stones in the wall.


    The closer the stones got to the wall, the more they glowed and as soon as he pushed them into their places, they shone brightly once again and the entire tunnel that he was in began to shake.


    At first, Adam thought it was a trap and maybe everything above him was about to collapse, which would crush him and most likely kill him, but the shaking seemed to be caused by movements in the castle and some sort of underground structure.


    After confirming that there wasn''t any danger, Adam a few metres away from the wall that he had placed the stones in and waited for the shaking to stop.


    It took a while, but once the shaking stopped, Adam found that his spiritual sense was once again being blocked off, and the wall that he had placed the stones in began to move.


    Sinking underground, the wall acted as a door and revealed a giant underground structure that was formed out of the same material as that of the castle.


    There were long concrete tunnels and it was like a maze, but they all seemed to end up in the same location.


    Adam walked around and remembered all the different routes and paths so that he could escape through them, then he went towards the centre of the underground structure that all the tunnels led to.


    He found a giant dimly lit hall that had nothing inside apart from a large throne.


    On that throne sat a small, shrivelled up goblin that appeared to be very old, and yet its eyes made Adam believe that it was a dangerous creature that he shouldn''t underestimate.


    He didn''t attack straight away and kept his distance while observing the room and looking for any traps, while also observing the figure on the stone that wore luxurious clothing.


    It wasn''t armed, appeared to be very weak and other than the three rings that it had on its right hand, nothing about it or the hall seemed dangerous or capable.


    And yet its yellow eyes that were glaring at Adam intimidating him and made him feel wary about the seemingly old, weak goblin beast.


    "You are a mere disgusting human, and yet you were able to eliminate the four Goblin Kings, my children"


    "You disgusting human dared to seek me out and awaken me from my eternal slumber using the gems I left behind for my children"


    "You disgusting human is seeking death and I will give you what you are looking for"


    Adam was shocked by the fact that he was able to understand the old goblin beast and it spoke in a slow and unusual manner, but was still being understood by him.


    He was unsure whether he was somehow able to understand the language of the Goblin Beast, which he wasn''t able to do previously, or whether the Old Goblin Beast before him was able to speak English, but either way, it was an incredible thing.


    Adam had never been able to communicate with beasts in the dungeon before and that made it so that what he could expect from dungeons in the future very interesting.


    With beasts becoming more and more smart and able to communicate and understand each other, it would become increasingly difficult for Adam as the hunter to take them down.


    He didn''t know whether to attack or wait for the old goblin beast to continue speaking, but he suddenly felt a pressure bear over him that was even more powerful than that of the gravity chamber.


    "Just what the hell is this" exclaimed Adam as he was forced to his knees.

 Chapter 337: Ultimate Goblin Beast

    Adam was shocked as he had become very accustomed to moving around under 20 times the normal gravity, and yet he was forced to his knees by an unknown pressure that took him by surprise.


    "Calm down disgusting human, your execution can wait. For the moment, allow me to speak" said the old goblin as Adam stopped resisting the pressure and sat down.


    For the current moment, he was curious as to what the goblin had to say and also wasn''t under any imminent threat, so he calmed down and sat, waiting for the goblin to speak.


    It was the first time that Adam had ever understood a beast and talking to the beast could not only help him understand beasts better, which would help him in the dungeon and also in reality, but might also give him some more clues and information about the system.


    "I was once a commander of an army of the Goblin Kingdom in Akarshia. An Advanced Beast that was capable, respected and known through the continent. And yet, I somehow ended up here along with my army and four trusted captains. I never would have expected that after a hundred years, a disgusting human would appear and kill most of my subordinates, then awaken me from my slumber"


    [What the hell is going on? Goblin Kingdom. Akarshia. This goblin seems to be telling the truth and has no reason to lie, but if that is the case, then there must be a world filled with beasts, or hidden beast kingdoms on earth that no one knows of. But if it was an Advanced Beast and yet was only a commander, there must be many Advanced Beasts among them, meaning if they were on Earth, they would have definitely been noticed]


    Adam''s mind was racing and didn''t know what to believe anymore and all the different possibilities he had were too wild to be believable, and yet he had no idea what was real and what wasn''t.


    The old goblin beast could see the confusion on Adam''s face and was also just as confused as Adam for the most part.


    "Disgusting humans, I bet you creatures had something to do with how I ended up being trapped here and this unusual castle that shackles me. This is a space that is blocked off from the rest of the world and no matter how hard I tried, it is impossible to break out of here, and yet you appeared suddenly out of thin air"


    "You filth must know a way out of here and I can finally free myself and my subordinate so that we can return to the kingdom"


    It suddenly became angry and the pressure bearing over Adam began to become stronger, but he, in an instant, disappeared from where he knelt and appeared a few metres closer to the goblin beast.


    "Before we begin fighting, which is inevitable, I was also trapped here and want to know what exactly it was that trapped me here and also where Akarshia is" said Adam, who wanted to get as much information out of the goblin as he could.


    "Hahahahaha, revolting creature. You really think I would tell you something even if I knew and could tell you. It is time for your death and the rest of your kind will suffer the same fate eventually"


    The goblin burst out into evil laughter as it glared at Adam and suddenly released a powerful burst of energy from its body.


    "I will speak to such filth for any longer and after being asleep and dormant for so long, it is time to unleash my power that has been hidden for so long. Afterwards, I will make sure you wish you never appeared here and make you tell me everything you know, while also making you pay for harming my subordinates" roared the old goblin, whose aura was completely opposing to his appearance and made it appear like a powerful monster.


    Adam was shocked by the amount of power that is was able to unleash and it was clearly a beast at the advanced cultivation level as Adam hadn''t seen an aura that powerful, only from the elders of the large cultivation families.


    Even ordinary low level Advanced Cultivators would be overwhelmed by such power, and yet Adam had no choice but to face such a beast, since trying to escape was futile.


    The old, weak looking goblin beast, stood up from the throne it was sat on and suddenly grew much larger as its height multiplied many times, while its muscles also began to grow rapidly.


    [That is the Special Trait of the Giant Goblin King, but this goblin can gain the same amount of mass, but still be smaller in size. This must mean that its body is much more compressed, durable and powerful in this state] observed Adam in amazement.


    It then also went onto using what seemed to be the special trait of the Beast Goblin King that made his body grow lots of hair and have an even more monstrous appearance.


    However, with that monstrous appearance came boosted speed, strength and explosive power, while it also heightened its reflex speeds and instincts.


    [Not only does it have the Special Trait of the Giant Goblin King, but also that of the Beast Goblin King. This leaves me to assume that it could have the special traits of all the Goblin Kings and also has power that is much higher than theirs] gathered Adam who instantly became wary of the monstrosity before him.


    It stood at over 5 metres and had an extremely large body, yet when it suddenly burst towards Adam, he was shocked to find that its speed surpassed his massively and he could barely lock onto its movements.


    If it wasn''t for the beast''s large body and the distance between them, he would have barely been able to dodge its first attack as he prepared himself with his daggers and was on high alert.

 Chapter 338: Goblin Lord

    "How can that old, dying goblin beast, turn into this" mumbled Adam to himself as he watched the giant monstrosity strike the ground where he previously stood before dodging with the Step Skip Skill.


    "That pesky ability of yours to disappear is annoying, but I will show you true power" bellowed the beast as it let out a wild roar and charged towards Adam once again.


    "Why don''t you tell me more about Akarshia. Is that a continent or a planet or some sort of place? And just how powerful is the Goblin Kingdom and do other beast kingdoms exist?" said Adam as he created some distance between himself and the goblin, so that he would have more time to react to its rapid attacks.


    "I am classed as a Goblin Lord and do not answer to you, you vile creature. All humans will perish and I will make sure that I find a way out of here through you" stated the Goblin Lord.


    Adam was shocked by the fact it called itself a Goblin Lord and assumed that it was some sort of class of goblin beast that was above that of the normal goblins that he had faced.


    The Goblin Kings were most likely the elite of the goblin beasts and his assumption that the goblin beasts were created by them was incorrect and it seemed as though the real mystery was why and how the system was able to place all of these goblins within the dungeon.


    [A Goblin Lord is probably a goblin with more than one special trait, and if that is the case, will I come across more beast lords that will have frightening powers? Also if I eliminate him, that does mean that my Goblin Summon will gain a second Special Trait?] wondered Adam.


    There were so many thoughts bouncing around his mind, but against such a powerful opponent, Adam had to be completely focused and was only able to avoid its attacks because of his Step Skip Skill.


    Although the hall and underground structure was very big, it was very restricting as Adam along with the powerful Goblin Lord he was facing, would need much more space to be able to fight to their full capabilities.


    However, in the closed-off hall, that was impossible to break out of, the Goblin Lord had the advantage since it was much larger, stronger and faster than Adam, and Adam didn''t have the space to use the Burst Movement Skill that could help make up for that gap in power.


    "You keep calling me revolting and disgusting, but you are the vile creatures. I am the Goblin Slayer and since I have already killed most of your subordinates, it is only right that I bury their commander with them" said Adam, wanting to anger the Goblin Lord.


    Once it became angry, it would restrain itself less and was more likely to make a mistake, which Adam would exploit, while he might also be able to get some more information out of it.


    If everything that the Goblin Lord had said was true, that meant that the Goblins were all creatures that lived outside the dungeon and meant that they truly had a physical form, which was why their bodies disappear.


    It also implied that they were able to reproduce in a similar way to humans and was why Adam found that some of the Goblin appeared to be more slender and more feminine than others, but from what Adam had read from stories, Goblins would usually prefer to mate with female humans.


    There wasn''t a single sane human that would want to mate with a goblin, which was why they would be kidnapped and forced to reproduce for the goblins, and was another reason why the hatred between goblins and humans was so deep-rooted.


    It seemed as though, the long time they had been isolated had caused some of them to begin displaying feminine features, but it was unlikely that they could reproduce yet and the thought of them being real creatures never struck his mind.


    Adam merely saw them as entities that were spawned and created by the Dungeon System and if they had been trapped on the floor for so long, it could mean that the Dungeon System must have existed for a long time before integrating with Adam.


    Or it could mean that there was someone or something that had created the system and prepared the dungeon, or that time flowed much quicker within the floor to the point that many years had already passed for them, in the short time that Adam had integrated with the system.


    There were so many ideas and theories that were flowing through Adam''s mind at once and he had a feeling that the system was about to experience a big change.


    If from that moment forwards he would be facing real creatures that weren''t fabricated by the system, would that mean that he was also in a physical form that could suffer permanent damage or was his Dungeon Form still merely a projection of his real body?


    Even with the Ethereal Recovery Skill, the scars and damage that the Dungeon Form sustained would have caused Adam to die multiple times over if it wasn''t for the fact that every time Adam left the dungeon and returned, he would have a new Dungeon Form.


    There were too many unanswered questions, but for the time being, the only thing he could do to get them was take down the Goblin Lord, then complete the floor so that Ava, as a representative of the system''s program, could inform him of what exactly was going on.


    "A mere human dares to undermine a Goblin Lord and speak to me in this manner. I will remind you of where your kind stands on Akarshia and will not hold back any longer" roared the Goblin Lord as it unleashed even more power.


    The enraged Goblin Lord had been suppressing its power for so long and unleashing its full power was very damaging to its body that had grown old and frail, but blinded by anger, all it wanted to do was rip Adam to shreds.

 Chapter 339: [Bonus Chapter]Full Power

    Capturing Adam was no longer at the forefront of the Goblin Lord''s mind and it no longer cared about finding a way to get out of the dungeon that it had been trapped in by an unknown entity.


    Its rage, frustration and fury that had been suppressed for so long had been unleashed all at once and targetted at Adam.


    The pressure that was caused by the aura emanating from the body of the Goblin Lord was making it harder for Adam to breathe and the only other time he had experienced such pressure was when Wayde was battling.


    [If a Goblin Lord who is an Advanced Beast is capable of so much, then humans are definitely in big danger. If Akarshia is a planet or a secret place that is on Earth, I must be careful and strengthen my faction as much as I can to prepare to defend against them] thought Adam to himself.


    It was clear that the Goblin Lord before him had been weakened by old age and not cultivating, training or eating for long periods of time, which was why, despite the powerful opponent that he was faced with, Adam had hope.


    The Goblin Lord seemed to be burning through its life force to unleash the power that its body once had and it was still probably subpar to the power that it once had before being trapped in the dungeon.


    As long as Adam dragged out the battle as much as he could, while avoiding being killed, he would have a chance at taking down the Goblin Lord, but doing so was easier said than done.


    It was likely that Adam would also have no choice but to use his Bloodlust Characteristics power to its fullest and unleash his full power, which would cause him a lot of backlash, in order to be able to keep up with the Goblin Lord, but he wanted to keep that as his last option.


    The Goblin Lord would previously pause after every attack and speak, which would allow Adam to be able to use the Step Skip Skill to dodge all of its attacks because of the short cooldown.


    However, now that he had angered the Goblin Lord, although it would create some openings for him since its attacks would become more wild and unrestrained, he would no longer have enough time to use the Step Skip Skill each time he was attacked.


    Putting up his arms to block the swing of the Goblin Lord''s giant, muscular arm, Adam activated both his defensive techniques to boost his resistance stat and took the blow head-on.


    He was launched flying through the air and slammed into the wall of the underground structure, and the attack was shockingly fast and powerful to the point that Adam was unsure whether he stood a chance against such a monster.


    Adam blurted out a curdle of blood from the impact and the blow had launched him flying with force that was enough to damage the walls that Adam had previously believed were unbreakable.


    The single blow had cost him a lot of HP and if it wasn''t for the fundamental defensive techniques that he had used, that blow probably would have been enough to take him down.


    Amused by how weak Adam was, the Goblin Lord burst out into evil laughter and was even shocked that the Goblin Kings had lost to him, as he didn''t seem that capable.


    However, when he looked over at Adam''s red eyes that were burning with life, power and ambition, he suddenly became intimidated slightly, which was unbelievable for a Goblin Lord who would only submit to his superiors that weren''t many and were all incredibly powerful goblins.


    "You look at me with those disgusting red eyes and despite being a weak human, you dare to so arrogantly claim to be a Goblin Slayer"


    Adam previously had some thoughts about maybe feeling guilty about facing real beasts and it was very easy to kill beasts that would disappear just like it was game.


    Not all beasts were bad and maybe it was merely the system controlling them to attacking him, however, those thoughts were all removed from his mind after thinking about everything the goblins could do to innocent and defenceless humans, along with those that he cared about.


    Beasts needed to be exterminated as long as they were a threat to humanity, and as a human that was a capable cultivator, and someone that claimed to be a protector against Evil Cultivators, he should also protect humans against beasts.


    Getting up after blurting out a curdle of blood, Adam smiled as his red eyes began to glow and he no longer held himself back.


    All the thoughts and doubts that were flowing through his mind all disappeared at once and all he could think about was his aunt and everything she had been through and was currently going through.


    [Humanity is weak and if beasts like these are common and if there are more beast kingdoms and other things, all I can do is get prepared and get stronger]


    [This isn''t the time for me to be hesitating, worrying or being scared. As long as I can get back my aunt and protect those I care about, not much else matters] thought Adam to himself.


    The powerful aura that was overwhelmed Adam''s body reminded him about how useless he was when it came to stopping his aunt from leaving and he couldn''t help but become filled with rage that was fuelled by his regret and care for his aunt.


    "I will never allow myself to be overwhelmed again. That''s what I promised myself and if anyone wants to mess with me, those I care about and those around me, I will not sit back. Evil Cultivators, Beasts and whatever else is out there, I will crush them all" bellowed Adam as he also unleashed all of his power.


    The strong emotions he was feeling, along with his Bloodlust caused his body to experience a massive power boost that was temporary and higher than anything he had ever felt.

 Chapter 340: Battle Between Monsters

    Everything Adam had ever felt and all the power that his body could muster or produce was all channelled at once as he slowly got up and glared at the Goblin Lord.


    "Power. I understand why Evil Cultivators would go so far to acquire it, but my power will surpass theirs through hunting any despicable creature that comes my way" bellowed Adam as he burst from where he stood and launched a powerful kick at the Goblin Lord''s head.


    The Goblin Lord was shocked and amazed by the sudden change in Adam who had gone from being calm, to transforming into a creature that was more of a monster than itself.


    His aura was that of a God Of Death, while his eyes would strike fear in anyone that looked at them, but despite that, the Goblin Lord still felt that his power surpassed that of Adam.


    Although the power Adam was able to unleash was incredible, the Goblin Lord believed that it was impossible for him to surpass his limits enough to make up for the gap in their strength.


    The Goblin Lord was surprised by the power and speed of Adam''s kick as he put his arms up to block it and was launched sliding backwards and hitting its back into the wall.


    Adam didn''t give the Goblin Lord any time to recover from the shock or prepare to attack as he bolted towards it a second time and launched a flurry of punches towards it, striking its body hundreds of times in a matter of seconds.


    Each blow had over a thousand kilograms of force behind it and the more he attacked, the faster and stronger his attacks were becoming as he continued building up momentum.


    In the state he was in, although he seemed to have turned into a wild beast, Adam still had some control over his actions and was shocked by the power his body was unleashing.


    However, although his mind was in control, it was completely blank and all he could think about was killing the beast before him, with everything that he had previously experienced acting as a driving force for his power.


    His Bloodlust Characteristic, True Power and Emotions all fused to form the state that he was in and although he was unsure how it occurred or where such power came from, he was pretty sure that it wouldn''t last for a long period of time, so he attacked with all his might.


    "You are quite powerful and impressed me, but you are still too weak and a mere human can never defeat a Goblin Lord" roared the Goblin Lord as it wiped some blood that leaked from its mouth and kicked Adam, launching him sliding backwards.


    The Goblin Lord, then followed up with a flurry of fast and powerful punches that would each send Adam sliding backwards and damage the arms he was blocking with, but despite the pain and damage, there was still a cruel and evil smile on Adam''s face.


    The smile wasn''t intentional, but matched with his glaring red eyes that made the Goblin Lord feel as though they were piercing through him, Adam''s current expression was frightening.


    Goblins, known for their greedy and cruel nature truly lived up to what Adam expected and read from fantasy stories in reality, but he definitely underestimated how powerful they could be and how much they could evolve.


    They were known for their small stature and speed, which was how they were so good at stealing, but that wasn''t the case with the giant beast before him that could destroy buildings with its bare hands.


    Adam blocked most of the punches and when he found the opportunity the dodge, moved to the side before countering with some punches of his own and it had become an all-out brawl between two powerful monsters.


    Using a weapon in the state he was in, wouldn''t be very efficient, since although he was in control of his actions, his instincts and desire to kill had taken over a lot of the control that he had and all he wanted to do was let out his anger, rage and all the other negative emotions he was feeling, on the Goblin Lord before him.


    Even without using a weapon, he was still managing to deal the Goblin Lord damage, despite being only a human and much smaller than the beast that he was facing.


    However, at the rate the battle was going, Adam was dealing more damage than he was receiving, but was recovering much quicker and also had much less durability and HP than the Goblin Lord.


    The Goblin Lord had an unbelievably fast recovery rate and Adam could visibly see all the bruises and wounds that he managed to deal it, heal within a matter of seconds.


    Despite that, Adam continued his onslaught of attacks and dodged and blocked all the attacks thrown at him as they continued fighting for a few minutes.


    "Argh, die you filthy beast" roared Adam as he launched a powerful fist towards the Giant Goblin Lord.


    The Goblin Lord roared out the same thing in unison as his fist collided with that of Adam''s and caused a massive shockwave along with causing them both to fly backwards and slamming into the walls of the Underground Chamber that they were in.


    The castle began to shake and it seemed as though their battle that continuously caused shockwaves and destroyed parts of the Underground Structure had made the castle that was standing above unstable.


    Despite that, the injured and enraged Adam and the Goblin Lord continued attacking each other and seemed to be evenly matched.


    Adam''s body was weakening rapidly, but so was the Goblin Lord''s body as it was barely managing to display half of its full power due to its body weakening and deteriorating massively over time due to old age.


    Both had displayed the power that rivalled even that of mid level Advanced Cultivators and had even managed to cause small quakes across the entire floor through their attacks, and they did all of that using only the power of their bodies.


    Large slabs of rock began falling and it seemed as though everything was about to collapse over them, but their desire to battle still burning bright.


    "This isn''t over" they both roared as they continued fighting.

 Chapter 341: Battle Over

    The physical power that Adam was displaying was double that of what he should be able to display and his body was being pushed massively past its limits, but only with that much power, was able he able to keep up with the Goblin Lord for so long.


    However, after fighting for almost 10 minutes where he had massively surpassed his limits and also been wounded and damaged by the attacks of the Giant Beast Goblin Lord, Adam''s body was on the verge of collapsing.


    The Goblin Lord was in a similar state and might even be more negatively affected than Adam due to its old age and unstable cultivation after being dormant for so many years.


    Despite both of them being in such weakened and damaged states, they still continued attacking each other and their hits were becoming sloppy, while they also had to avoid all the debris that was falling on them.


    {Snap out of it Adam} shouted Ava within his mind, worried for his safety.


    Adam, who had been taken over by his desire to battle, kill and let out all his emotions, wasn''t thinking clearly and the same was with the Goblin Lord, who no longer cared about whether it lived.


    As long as it killed Adam, who was the only human it had come across for years and was the one that killed most of its subordinates, it was satisfied.


    Adam also seemed to be linked to whatever had captured and blocked the goblins in there, so the beast had no regrets in taking down Adam with it, as it was already getting old and didn''t have much longer to live.


    [Damn it, there seems to be no way out and I won''t survive all the rubble that is going to fall on me in the weakened state that I am in] thought Adam to himself as he started to feel sluggish and slow.


    His body was starting to ache the more he took control over his mind and body, and with it, his power reduced as his body no longer felt the need to surpass its limits and had also let out a lot of his pent up anger and frustration.


    Moving backwards, Adam created some distance between himself and the Goblin Lord, and just as he was about to look for a way out of the Underground Chamber that he was in, he remembered the rings on the right hand of the Goblin Lord.


    [Akarshia seems to be a world or continent where there are beast kingdoms and humans seem to be oppressed there. This probably has something to do with the secret mission behind the floor along with the rings on its right hand, that give me an unusual feeling. If finding the Goblin Lord and killing it is enough to complete this secret mission, then as long as I take it down with my next attack, I will be able to take the rings and find a way to get out of these underground structures. After that, completing the floor shouldn''t take much longer] thought Adam to himself as he planned his next move.


    Being able to unleash the full power of the Spinning Spear Strike or Spinning Javelin Strike would be nearly impossible in the state he was in and his Internal Energy was also being disrupted by an unknown array, making it even less likely to be possible.


    Even if his Internal Energy wasn''t used being disrupted and he could use it, he had exhausted even more of it than his Internal Energy, which shocked him.


    He had subconsciously burned all of his Internal Energy to grant himself great power that surpassed his limits for a short amount of time.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that Adam''s body was very powerful and durable, he wouldn''t have any chance of being able to do that and if it was his real body, it would take him quite a long time to recover from the backlash of pushing his body too far past its limits.


    Biting his tongue and forcing himself to draw out more power from his weakened and fatigued body, Adam summoned all the energy he could muster and streamed it all into the spear that he had withdrawn from his inventory.


    A simple, direct spear thrust was Adam''s best bet at unleashing an attack that was powerful enough to take down the Goblin Lord in a single strike and in the process, forming a small opening that he could take cover in.


    "This will not be the end" shouted Adam as he charged towards the Goblin Lord with the spear that he held at his side with both his arms.


    He summoned as much power as he could and streamed it into his arms and the spear as he thrust it forwards towards the stomach of the Goblin Lord, which required him to strike over his head, since the beast was so tall and large.


    As he struck the beast with his spear, Adam roared and continued pushing forth with as much power as he could as green blood burst out of the Goblin Lord''s lower abdomen.


    It let out a cry of pain and anger, but it was too weakened and overwhelmed to do anything as Adam moved away and left his spear that had pierced all the way through the Goblin Lord and sliced apart its internal organs in the process.


    Adam had overestimated how much power he would be able to draw out and while the Goblin Lord struggled to pull out the spear, he rushed towards it to finish it off.


    However, a large rock fell where in front of him and broke his charge, as he struggled to avoid all the rocks that were galling from the ceiling and rushed over to the Goblin Lord.


    It began being struck by the collapsing ceiling and after being hit a few times, gave up and slowly began shrinking to its original, small and old form.

 Chapter 342: [Bonus Chapter]Returning To Reality

    While it was covered with debris, Adam managed to reach it and began moving away all the rocks that were on top of it.


    Grabbing its right arm, it was still alive and Adam couldn''t let that happen as he took out his dagger and slashed off its arm, before taking the three rings that were on its right hand and jumping away from the beast.


    There was too much debris falling from the ceiling above and it seemed like it was going to be impossible for him to get away, but luckily for Adam, he suddenly heard a notification from the system within his mind.


    {The requirements for the completion of Floor 10 have been met and the host has not only eliminated all the Goblin Beasts, but also the Goblin Lord and acquired the three special rings. The host also acquired information that will be very important for the future.  Your body will already be overwhelmed when you return to your body after leaving it for so long, and in the weakened and damaged state that you are in, it will be even worse. You have the option of leaving the dungeon in this state, or stopping to recover, which will place less burden on your body in reality} stated the system within his mind.


    Hearing that, Adam who was starting to be struck by large pieces of rubble and was struggling to avoid the collapsing ceiling let out a sigh of relief and was glad that the Giant Ant Beasts had managed to surpass his expectations.


    Going out of the dungeon was his only option, unless he wanted his Dungeon Form to die, which would make his body''s backlash even worse and could even mean that he failed to complete the floor.


    However, before he could communicate to the system that he wanted to leave the dungeon, Ava interrupted him.


    {Adam, put the rings in your inventory. Are you really stupid enough to leave them out and risk losing them?} shouted Ava within his mind.


    Hearing that, Adam realised how stupid it was for him to not have done that before deciding to leave the dungeon, but he was being crushed and covered by more and more rock, so it never crossed his mind.


    Placing the three rings, that he held tightly in his hands, in the inventory, Adam communicated to the system to take him out of the dungeon as he suddenly felt his soul be sucked out of his Dungeon Form.


    In the real world, over 2 days passed, which meant that Adam had spent almost 5 days within the dungeon.


    Each time he would stop to use the Ethereal Recovery Skill, Adam would spend a few hours and time past so quickly and since there was no night or day and his Dungeon Form didn''t feel the urge to sleep, he lost track of time.


    However, he had a rough idea of how much time had passed and it was the longest he had ever spent in the dungeon and much longer than the system stated was the longest he should spend in the dungeon.


    He was worried about what the effects would be on his body, but he didn''t think about it too much as he felt his soul be sucked out of the Dungeon Form and back into his body.


    Over the past 2 days and a half, Adam''s master had been visiting him every few hours to see if he had awakened and if his body was still stable and unharmed, since Adam had already told him that he would be unconscious for a while.


    After a day, his master felt that there was something unusual since Adam wouldn''t usually sleep for that long and would usually sleep for at most 12 hours and return to his usual training during the day.


    Time was but a blur in the lair that they were in, but Adam and his master still had a structure to his training and his master would spend most of his time preparing an inheritance to leave behind for Adam once he had passed.


    After a day and a half, Adam''s master began to feel worried and he could see small amounts of blood leaking from Adam''s eyes, nose and mouth and his body seemed to be slowly decaying.


    His master had no idea why, or what was occurring, but he quickly acted and got him out of the gravity training chamber and took him to a healing room that he had set up.


    The room had energy gathering arrays along with the perfect environment for one to relax and speed up recovery, but no matter what he tried to do to get Adam to wake up, nothing worked.


    After two days, his master was starting to get worried and Adam''s condition was getting worse and began streaming Internal Energy into Adam''s body, hoping that it would reduce the amount of strain his body was in.


    However, Adam''s body was rejecting all kinds of energy and any kind of external assistance, seemingly because his consciousness wasn''t within his body and his body was instinctively very defensive towards external entities.


    Adam''s lifeless body continued to grow worse and worse and it was only after 2 and a half days did Adam open his eyes, but with it, came loud screams of pain.


    It felt as though his entire body had all been stabbed and beaten at the same time and the pain was excruciating, while his mind was also aching heavily.


    His master who had been sat beside him and waiting for him to regain consciousness was shocked by Adam who was writhing in pain and screaming like a mad man.


    He didn''t know what to do or what was happened, so struck the back of Adam''s neck, which caused him to lose consciousness and began trying to aid his body and heal it while Adam was unconscious.


    However, when he tried to do so, he was very shocked by what he saw.

 Chapter 343: [Bonus Chapter]Advanced Cultivator

    Adam''s body that had been lifeless for 2 and a half days suddenly regained consciousness after Adam left the dungeon and instantly, he was bombarded and overwhelmed with excruciating pain that surpassed anything he had ever felt before.


    He felt as though the pain was internal, external and also spiritual and it must have been due to his body beginning to collapse after his soul left for too long.


    In the unconscious state he was in, there was nothing that his master could do to help and was starting to fear for Adam''s life, but when he suddenly regained consciousness, he was shocked by what he saw.


    Adam''s willpower and pain tolerance were unrivalled and incredible to the point where he could be stabbed and not even wince, yet now he was screaming at the top of his lungs and crazily writhing on the ground.


    Not understanding what was going on or knowing what was occurring, since Adam seemed to be in such serious pain, his master opted to knock him unconscious, which was surprisingly difficult despite the state that Adam''s body was in.


    After managing to do so, he touched Adam''s pulse to find that it was very unstable and then went to stream energy into his body and was glad that his body was accepting it, now that he had regained consciousness.


    However what shocked him was that his body was extremely powerful and the amount of energy he could absorb was unbelievable, to the point where even after streaming most of his energy into Adam''s body, he was still hungry for more.


    "It seems that he has become an Advanced Cultivator, but his power right now is comparable to a mid-level Advanced Cultivator. I am unsure what happened in his sleep and how his cultivation method worked, but his power overall has almost doubled, but his body has almost collapsed in the process. It seems as though his consciousness and soul had been split from his mind and body for so long that his body couldn''t handle it any longer and began declining. Then when Adam''s soul returned, there was a sudden boost of power and even more backlash, which added to the damage and shock that the body was already in" mumbled his master to himself.


    The soul was a very profound part of the body and it is weightless, unidentifiable and very difficult to even realise its existence, so his master didn''t understand the details of what was occurring in Adam''s body, but he couldn''t let him die.


    Absorbing as much energy he could from the healing chamber that was dense in energy and also had medicinal herbs growing in it, that made it so that one recovered faster, his master continued streaming as much energy as he could into Adam''s body.


    Meanwhile, Adam was in his mindscape with Ava, but was still experiencing excruciating pain, despite being in a non-physical form that was merely a projection of his consciousness.


    Watching how diligently his master was tending to his unconscious body that had suffered extreme shock and backlash, Adam was grateful for having such an incredible person as his master.


    No matter what, he wanted to repay him and even if his master wasn''t there to see it, he was going to make sure that the ancients were reformed and taken over by his own faction.


    He also wanted to find a way to contact the demonic cultivation organisation that was always in the shadows and posed a threat to even the ancients, hoping that he could find a way to save his master''s brother without needing to kill him.


    There were so many things he wanted to accomplish and he was curious as to how his friends were currently doing after being apart for quite a few months, but for the time being, there were much more important things that he needed to handle.


    While his master was aiding his body''s recovery, which he was grateful for, Adam had some time to talk with the system through Ava, and find out what his rewards were going to be and how different the Advanced Dungeon was.


    He had a feeling that things were going to be much different and much more difficult in the next dungeon, and was also excited to find out what his rewards were and accept them.


    Because of that, despite the state that his body was in, Adam sat opposite Ava in the recreation of his apartment and began asking her questions.


    He was confident his body would recover and dying after just breaking through to the Advanced Cultivation Level would be a disgrace to him, his master and the Dungeon System, so he had nothing to worry about.


    In the worst case scenario, he would have to rest for a few weeks and delay his training until his body was fully recovered, but in that time, Adam had a lot of things he wanted to learn that didn''t require physical training anyway.


    Arrays, skills, techniques and knowledge were all things that he could acquire in that time and he didn''t have any time to sit idly.


    "So, Ava, let''s start with my questions. There are so many things that I want to know and also want to accept my rewards, so this could take a while" said Adam as he attempted to gather his thoughts with all the pain he was in.


    Compared to his physical pain, the pain he was experiencing in the mindscape wasn''t as bad, but it was very disruptive to his thought process.


    "The three rings that I acquired. You said they were special and important. What are they? What are their uses? If they are ranked, what rank are they? And also, if there are any risks or requirements to its use, what are they?" asked Adam, not wanting to miss out on a single piece of information, knowing how annoying the system could be at times.


    Ava was merely a representative of the system and although had gained independence, was still obligated to speak in the format of the system''s program and act as its voice.


    Her answers all surprised and shocked Adam as he smiled to himself, knowing they would be of great use and greatly increase his power.

 Chapter 344: Three Special Rings

    Ava smiled at Adam after hearing all his questions and seeing that he was doing better as she began answering the questions he had about the three special rings in order.


    "I will start off with what they are. They are Integratable Equipment and the Goblin Lord acquired them after being sealed and trapped under the castle. The beast was unable to draw out their full power or integrate with them as the rings were dormant, but the host should be able to do so by awakening their spirit with your aura. Once they are awoken, they should be quite easily made obedient to the host as they are all young spirits that aren''t very intelligent or hold any negative emotions" stated Ava, answered Adam''s first question.


    "As for their uses, each three of the rings have different effects and uses. Integrateable Equipment almost always grant the owner an ability of some sort and all they require is enough energy to activate them, and the equipment will do the rest. The rings each have a gem embedded into them, one that is red, one that is grey and one that is yellow"


    "The red ring boosts the host''s Charisma Stat and is known as the King Ring. This will give the host the qualities of a king, a leader and a dominator, which will boost the power of your aura and also make it so that those that have a weaker cultivation or willpower than the host will easily submit to the host. It can also be used to enforce loyalty by binding your subordinates'' blood to it and using it to control them"


    "The grey ring boosts the host''s Speed Stat and is known as the Stealth Ring. This will give the host the qualities of an assassin and thief. The Ring grants the host the ability to become invisible and with it, the host''s aura, heat signature and presence as a whole will disappear. Sustaining that state can be draining and the host mustn''t make any sounds, otherwise, there is no point using it. However, with the host''s current muscle control, it should be easy to move around without making any noise as long as the host holds his breath"


    "Lastly, the yellow ring boosts the host''s Intelligence and Wisdom and is known as the Mind Ring. This will give the host''s the qualities of a researcher and strategist as well as the qualities of a scout with great sensory capabilities. Your mind will be very clear and able to handle even more information and strain with this ring and your spiritual sense will be enhanced by it massively.


    "You will be the first to integrate with these three rings and they will offer up as much power as you can handle as long as you prove that are worthy. Each of them will require different methods to control and each of their spirits will have different personalities, but that is for you to handle"


    Adam had a smile on his face after everything that Ava had said about what they were along with their uses and was excited to test out their power.


    "Their effects will always be present, but they will only be small enhancements. For the host to be able to draw out their full power, the host will need to provide them with Internal Energy. As for their ranks, they are unranked and were created by the system. They are a very rare type of Integrateable Equipment that have growth potential, and for you, they have infinite potential along with every other Intergrateble Equipment that the host gains directly from or through the system"


    Hearing that, Adam was pleased and knew that as long as he was capable, the power he should be able to draw out of them would be incredible and they would become great assets for him in the future.


    However, he knew that everything good came with risks, requirements or consequences, which he knew Ava would tell him about next.


    "The risks of their use is that the power the host draws from them could be too much for the host to handle and could damage the host''s body. They may also become harder to control as they continue to grow stronger alongside the host, granting the spirits inhabiting them more power and intelligence, which may cause them to rebel. The requirements for their use is just for the host to be strong-willed and powerful enough to handle their power and spirits"


    "Also, once the host integrates with them, the process is almost impossible to reverse and each of the rings will take up one of the host''s fingers. This means that the host can only gain 7 other Integrateble Rings, but that is nothing to worry about as it is almost impossible for the host to find any other rings that are on the level of these rings or would benefit you much. Most other Integrateable Equipment would just end up being swallowed by what you already have and the rings'' spirits may clash with each other"


    After hearing all the negative effects of the rings, Adam wasn''t too afraid or disappointed in the slightest.


    [So there will be three spirits that I assume will have a telepathic connection with me and I will need to deal with them and get them to submit. Since they are yet to be used and their spirit yet to be nurtured, it should be easy to handle the Mind Ring, as it should be easy to negotiate with. But the other two rings will most likely require some force to overwhelm them] thought Amda to himself as he pondered on what the spirits would be like and what it would feel like to integrate with the three special rings.


    "One last thing I forgot to add. The host can make them visible and invisible as the host pleases, just like all Integrateable Equipment, as they can be retracted into the host''s body. Once they are retracted into the host''s body, they will be in a dormant state, so they won''t disturb the host as long as they are under the host''s control" added Ava.


    With that, Adam was excited to use the three special rings and find out what other incredible rewards he acquired and what was in store for him in the next Dungeon.

 Chapter 345: Incredible Rewards Part 1

    Adam''s master was still looking after his body, which allowed Adam to relax slightly, believing that his body could handle the strain and would be able to recover quite quickly with his master''s assistance.


    He was used to recovering within a few days at most, but Adam knew that this time his injuries and the backlash he suffered was serious and would take quite a while to recover from.


    However, in that time, he had many things he could do that were productive and would increase his power and knowledge.


    "Ava, what else did I acquire after completing the Mortal Dungeon? And also what can I expect from the dungeon going forwards" asked Adam curiously.


    "Well there are quite a few more rewards, but I will not bore you with them and make the explanations that long. As for the Dungeon System, there will be some changes since the system will evolve and adapt in order to aid the growth of the host. As long as the host becomes more powerful and a more capable hunter, the system will continue to aid the host" stated Ava, causing Adam to become more curious about the creator and intentions of the system.


    [Why must I become a hunter? What am I going to be hunting in the future? And who or what exactly am I hunting for] wondered Adam to himself.


    "The rings were the reward for completing the floor''s secret mission of finding the Goblin Lord''s secret lair, finding out more information from it and slaying it. Along with the rings, the host''s Goblin Summon has also been promoted to a Goblin Lord Summon and the host can choose a second Special Trait to integrate it with"


    Hearing that, Adam was shocked and didn''t expect that such a thing was possible.


    If that was the case, by defeating beasts that were Beast Lords, could he promote all of his summons into Lord Beasts and integrate them with second Special Traits.


    It also made him wonder what he could expect from beasts that were above Beast Lords that seemed to be capable of becoming at least Advanced Beasts and maybe even surpassing that level.


    Their cultivation level was the same as humans, but it was different in the way that most beasts would be external cultivators and they wouldn''t need to cultivate a method.


    As long as their bodies were provided with enough energy through consuming other beasts, absorbing energy instinctively or consuming treasures, their bodies, depending on their talent and potential, would improve.


    It was a subconscious process and it could be said that Adam was similar to beasts in that sense, since he didn''t require a cultivation method and the more he hunted, the more powerful he would become.


    Those that could cultivate internally were usually always humanoid beasts like goblins that had similar physiques to humans, but were actually beasts and from what he could tell, all beasts cultivated and were more suited to negative cultivation.


    Just because their bodies energy orientation was negative, their bodies wouldn''t suffer from the negative effects of negative energy as that was what their bodies wanted and could handle.


    However, beasts would find it hard to cultivate with positive energy which was more abundant on Earth, which was why many beasts didn''t exist and those that did would find it hard to survive with all the cultivators that all agreed that negative creatures should be eliminated.


    Negative Orientations.


    Positive Oreintations.


    Neither were right and Adam didn''t really care about what one cultivated, but it was more about how one cultivated and what they did with the power that they acquired.


    So far, from what he had seen from the dungeon, it seemed to be turning him into a powerful hunter that could wield both orientations of energy and would hunt all creatures that cultivated negative energy.


    However, with the enmity and hostility between the cultivators of the two types of energy, Adam had no choice but to become the hunter on the side of positive cultivators, just like the system seemed to trying to form Adam into.


    From what he could see, cultivators of negative energy were more likely to be cruel, evil and harm innocents, which was why Adam felt no guilt taking down beasts and as long as he could protect those he cared about and live an exhilarating life, he didn''t mind.


    The power and knowledge he picked up on his path of greatness was a bonus and with it, he would make sure to create a world that was safer for those that he cared about and innocents that weren''t cultivators.


    Adam''s goals were set and began thinking about what Special Trait he wished to integrate with his Goblin Summon that was about to become a Goblin Lord Summon.


    [Its first Special Trait is the Treasure Hunting so a second Special Trait of the Mage Goblin King, which has something to do with that Dark Staff, wouldn''t be very useful. It needs to be one of the Special Traits that increase the goblin''s body''s power and close combat capability, since it will most likely be on the frontline and used to find treasure in the future] thought Adam to himself.


    Between the mastery of weapons, the ability to become giant and much stronger, or the capability of gaining monster strength and speed, Adam decided on giving it the Wild Beast Special Trait.


    The Goblin Summon was one of his least intelligent summons and the Wild Beast Special Trait along with the Treasure Hunting Special Trait makes it one of his most useful and capable summons.


    {The host''s Goblin Summon has now become a Goblin Lord summon and gained the Wild Beast Special Trait as a second Special Trait. The host has the option of summoning the summoning with either one of the Special Traits, or both, which is the obvious choice in most circumstances} stated Ava.


    "What other incredible rewards did I earn?" asked Adam as he felt the Goblin Summon within the beastpedia in his mind, change into a more powerful and fearsome beast.

 Chapter 346: Incredible Rewards Part 2

    "Your other rewards for completing the Mortal Dungeon include 15 stat points, along with the additional stat points that the host gained for every level that the host went up. The host also gained the title of Goblin Hunter, which increases the host''s power when facing goblins by 20%. It also causes goblins to fear the host and the host can gain other titles by fulfilling different requirements. In this case, the host slaughtered over a thousand goblins that were at the same level or higher than the host and accepted the enmity with all goblins" stated Ava.


    "Also the host has gained another piece of Integrateable Equipment that is a weapon. It comes in two pieces and they are twin daggers that share the same spirit and if the host chooses to accept the twin daggers, each of them will be integrated with one of your hands. This means that you won''t be able to integrate another piece of Intergrateable Equipment into your arms, which are arguably the most important parts of the body when it comes to Integrating with a piece of equipment. The arms include the limb as a whole up, including the host''s palm and having too many integrated equipment could damage the host''s body"


    "What do I get if I decline the offer?"


    "The host would be compensated with 20 stat points, but in comparison to the two daggers, that is nothing in my opinion," said Ava.


    It was no longer the system speaking through her and it had become her independently giving Adam her own advice, while informing him about the daggers, which she was obligated to do as the voice of the system.


    "The daggers that the host will be given are something that will never come up again and also won''t be found anywhere else, since they will be produced and made unique to you. The host has become one with the Bloodlust Characteristic during his battle against the Goblin Lord and the host was able to draw out incredible power that was more than double that of which the host should have been capable of. Although it had its drawbacks, the power and killer instincts that it provides are great and the daggers will be part of the host and will be formed through the Bloodlust Characteristic"


    "This will make them harder for you to control and also make them push the host towards killing, but I believe in the host and his capability to control the daggers. Their development and future potential is infinite and will develop faster and be even more powerful than the rings that the host gained. Not only that, any additional characteristics and abilities that the host gains will be integrated with such daggers"


    "The benefits are clearly great, but the likelihood of the daggers clashing with the rings is high and the host must subdue them all. The daggers were formed out of the host so should be the easiest to subdue as long as the host has no desire or opportunity to kill. Also, the host will have to refrain from integrating with any other equipment until the host at least is no longer a Mortal, which will probably take years"


    The benefits clearly outweighed the consequences that Adam was capable enough and willing to bear, so he didn''t hesitate in accepting the Integrateable Daggers.


    "These Integrateable weapons that the host gained were only provided by the system because the dangers that the host will face in the near future are great and because the system believes the host is worthy and capable. However the host cannot expect such rewards without results and proof that the host is a worthy hunter" stated Ava, not wanting Adam to become complacent or overconfident.


    However, she knew that Adam was far from it and was only doing it to give him an additional nudge in the right direction.


    Adam accepted the reward and after accepting it, all other rewards that the host would have gained, including the 20 stat points that would have been given to him as compensation were removed.


    Despite that, Adam was satisfied with his great haul and just as he was about to ask about his gold and system points, which he was eager to spend, Ava interrupted him, knowing what he was thinking.


    "The rings can be integrated with whenever the host is ready and the daggers will be integrated with the host when the host requests the system to do so. The system would recommend integrating with the rings first, since the daggers might reject any other equipment that attempt to integrate with the host''s body. The rings will also prepare the host''s body for the power of the integrated daggers and the resistance their spirit might give you"


    "The system would also recommend the host to leave a space of at least a few days between every piece of Integrateable Equipment that the host integrates with, in order for the host''s body to become accustomed to their power and be able to control them. If the host is unable to control two different Integrateable Equipment that have integrated with the host''s body, they may clash and cause the host''s body severe injuries and could even go to point of killing the host"


    Hearing that, Adam knew that it wasn''t something that he could recklessly attempt to take on all at once and planned to proceed with caution when it came to all the Integrateable Equipment.


    However, he still was unsure why Ava interrupted them despite his thoughts being clearly relayed to her as the voice of the system''s program.


    "Slow down, I will get onto the gold and system points rewards from completing floor 10, but the system has a proposal before that, which could affect whether or not gold and system points even exist any longer," said Ava, baffling and shocking Adam.


    [What could the system''s proposal possibly be? And why wouldn''t gold or system points exist anymore?] thought Adam to himself with a confused expression.

 Chapter 347: [Bonus Chapter]Massive Change

    "Calm down Adam, a proposal means you have a choice and there could be a massive change in the system that comes with great benefits. But there will also be costs" stated Ava as she tried to get Adam to calm down.


    He had become very confused and also anxious after hearing that all of the gold and system points might no longer exist, since he had worked and saved them up for so long and was planning to spend them on things that would greatly increase his power.


    Adam went to the point of not converting any gold into money in reality and also being quite reserved with his system points, which was why he was so worried about losing all of what he had saved.


    Ava sat opposite Adam in the recreation of his apartment and had a smile on her face as she directly stated what the system''s proposal was.


    "The Dungeon System is also the Hunter''s Inheritance and was created to guide a worthy individual to become the most powerful and capable hunter. The system will develop, evolve and change according to the progress, personality and best path for the host. From what the system has analysed, the gold and dungeon points method of encouraging the host to hunt isn''t very beneficial and the host would rather acquire treasures and improve through battle and fortuitous encounters" stated Ava.


    "Because of that, the system is offering the host to get rid of the store feature along with the dungeon points and gold parts of the system. In return, the host will gain a Mission Feature of the system and there will be more rewards granted to the host along with the host being able to acquire treasures much more frequently in the dungeon"


    "Is it possible for me to spend my gold and system points before accepting this change in the system?" asked Adam shamelessly.


    "Unfortunately not, but the host can be sure that the host will only benefit through this change and will not lose out on anything.


    "You have broken into the Advanced Cultivation Level and there will be a system reset that is done to suit the host''s character and progress. I would personally recommend the host to accept this change and to no longer see the system as a tool, but as a guide and inheritance. The system program is happy and will support the host as long as the host continues becoming a better hunter"


    There was no need to think about it much and knew that although he would lose out on saving gold and dungeon points for so long, the system was sure to compensate him and treat him more generously.


    The more he accepted the system and followed its guide rather than being paranoid and doubting its intentions, the rewards Adam received along with his progress were much greater.


    "Before I do, I would like to know about Akarshia, the Goblin Kingdom and about how the Dungeon System actually works" stated Adam, feeling as though he was in a position to actually be able to get some information.


    "This information is no longer classified and restricted from the host and the host will also be informed about how the dungeon part of the Dungeon System works, but that is only after the host accepts the change in the system"


    "The host''s progression as a hunter is the system''s priority and as long as the host is working towards that aim, the system will make sure that the host has no regrets and never has to worry about feeling inferior or weak before others. You will always be the hunter of your enemies and they are all your prey" said Ava.


    "When you said it was a proposal and that I have a choice in the matter, it seems as though that isn''t the case. But the system is right and I would prefer a more one dimensional system that would help me and guide me with missions that have great rewards, which will make it so that my time in the dungeon is more of an adventure and more interesting and unpredictable. It will also make it so that my growth is mere stable and natural and I will no longer be relying on the store for items, which I should acquire or produce myself" said Adam, agreeing to the new massive change in the system.


    Ava knew Adam''s answer would be along those lines and began announcing all the changes one by one.


    "System points and gold have now been removed from the Dungeon System. The Store Feature has therefore also been removed. The Mission Feature has now been installed and by completing missions or fulfilling requirements for achievements, the host can gain great rewards. Rewards can also be awarded to the host by impressing the system in general" stated Ava.


    "Although the host''s choices in skills and abilities have been reduced, the host has entered a closer agreement and partnership with the system and is trusting it to guide the growth of the host. So far, the host has missed a few opportunities, but now with the host accepting the system as an inheritance, the host will not miss out on opportunities as long as the host strives forth as a hunter"


    "A few good effects of this is that the host will no longer need to upgrade mastery and the level of features using system points. They can be increased much quicker through practice and by fulfilling missions and tasks that the system set. Along with that, the host''s inventories have fused, meaning the host doesn''t have to worry about the transferal fee and the host''s inventory spaces have also become almost infinite. However, the more items the host stores, the more straining it will be on the host''s mind and soul, so the system wouldn''t recommend the host to store things within the inventory carelessly"


    Ava mentioned a few more things about what the changes would be like, but they weren''t important.


    Hearing all of that, Adam was glad that such a change was going to occur and it was exactly what he wanted and knew would greatly increase the speed of his progress, along with his power.

 Chapter 348: Unbelievable Revelations Part 1

    [If I need pills I can get them from Cole''s Family and I am sure that the system would give them to me, even though I don''t use them anyway. Now that I have partnered more closely with the system, I can continue to grow closer with it until I completely control it and swallow it, so that all of its miraculous capabilities are mine] thought Adam to himself.


    He had never thought that taking control of the system was a possibility previously, but now he felt as though anything was possible and he would be able to achieve it since he knew the system''s aims.


    Since the system was becoming more willing to guide and provide Adam with opportunities along with more information, all he could do was move along the path that it pathed for him while increasing his power and knowledge.


    Once his power and knowledge reached a level he no longer needed the system and had become a transcendent being, no one would be able to stand in his path and everyone and everything would become his prey.


    Adam''s ambition and desires were great, but his aunt and companions were keeping him grounded for the time being as he looked over to Ava and asked her his final questions.


    "How long will it take for the system to reset? And what can you tell me about Akarshia and the Goblin Kingdom"


    "The system''s reset will take exactly one month from when the host starts the system''s reset and in that time the system along with all of its functions will be dormant and unusable. But I should still be within your mindscape and able to communicate with you, but all the knowledge and information that the system has will be sealed away from me, so I won''t be of much use to you" said Ava.


    "Having you in my mind supporting me is always useful" he reassured her, seeing that she felt useless without the system''s program, but also restrained by it.


    She smiled after hearing that, then went onto answering his second question.


    "I will tell you now that the answer to your question will completely change how you think about the world and is an unbelievable revelation. The system believes you are ready for it and only the ancients would know the things that the system is about to reveal to you. There is the option of receiving the revelation at a later date so that the host can focus on his progress, but it is your choice" said Ava, shocking Adam, but also piquing his curiosity.


    "You don''t have to worry. Nothing can overwhelm me and as long as it is the truth, I want to learn as much as possible about the universe. Even if what you are telling me is on a level that is too high for me currently, you have no reason to worry as it will only act as a drive for me to continue growing stronger" stated Adam determinedly and confidently.


    "Alright, prepare yourself to be completely amazed to no longer see the world in the same way. This will completely go against everything you ever knew or were ever taught about the universe in your human sciences and is all the truth" said Ava.


    Adam couldn''t wait to hear what she had to say as he suddenly felt images begin to appear before him as Ava started her explanation of how the universe was actually lay out.


    "You are currently on the positive side of the Mortal Plain which can be thought of as the lowest plain where most are mortals that haven''t stepped onto the path of cultivation. The positive side of the Mortal Plain was split apart into many small realms and each of the realms are slightly different, but in terms of technology and cultivation, they are all around the same level. The ancients have bases on every human realm and there are 64 in total and each of them have a Secret Ancient Ruler. They are Mortals who are on the verge of Immortality and have lived for thousands of years and pass on the throne of their world to the next worthy protector. But most of them claim to be protectors, but are merely in that position for the power and resources"


    "All of the 64 realms are parallel and what you were taught was the universe, was merely a small closed-off realm. Since Earth is the only habitable planet in each of these realms, you can think of it as 64 worlds that you can travel between with portals. Each of them have different energy signatures and are linked, so using arrays, treasures or abilities that can move through space, cultivators can move between the 64 worlds"


    As Ava was explaining a rough layout appeared before Adam and everything he was hearing and seeing was shocking, but wasn''t overwhelming, which was why he was becoming slightly nervous, as it seemed that there was still much more to it.


    [She said the positive side, so that means that just like every positive has a negative, all the 64 realms have a negative version] thought Adam to himself.


    "I will get to that," said Ava.


    There were so many things running through Adam''s mind and so far, he couldn''t help but think back to all the fiction and fantasy stories that he had said to get ideas of what else there could be to the universe.


    "Just relax and the system program is now trusting the host and since the host has accepted it as the host''s inheritance and guide, it is time for the host to have a better understanding of the universe"


    [Do doppelgangers exist?] he wondered, thinking about there being 64 identical worlds.


    "No, there definitely aren''t 64 Adam''s otherwise the universe would collapse. Just let me finish my explanations" said Ava amused by Adam''s wild ideas as she continued her explanation and gave him as much information as the system''s program was allowing her to.

 Chapter 349: Unbelievable Revelations Part 2

    "Bellow these 64 worlds of the Mortal Plain is the underworld that has the soul cycle along with death wraiths, death gods and many other mysterious beings living there. It is almost impossible for a living human to get there and even if they did manage to get there, their body and soul would be destroyed within an instant"


    "There is a soul cycle and more souls are always being produced, but souls are also being destroyed by the death beings that I have mentioned, so in most cases, there is always balance and equilibrium. There are still many other things that occur in the underworld and many more mysteries, but what I can say is that some are able to reincarnate, but for most, their memories and past lives will be destroyed and they will start again in a new body. Souls of some beings that are too dangerous to let go and have cultivated their souls are imprisoned in the underworld and the host should try his best not to offend any death beings or attempt to enter the underworld until he is capable enough"


    Everything Adam was hearing seemed too unbelievable to be true, but he knew that Ava wasn''t joking and the more she said, the more he realised he didn''t know much about how the universe truly was.


    [Me, go to the underworld. I would like to stay as far away from that place as possible] thought Adam to himself.


    "Well Adam, knowing you and your reckless behaviour, you will probably end up going there somehow. Most likely because of the soul sea that is there. It is where the souls of all the dead are taken by death wraiths before being processed and finding a suitable body for it. That can take a while and I wonder if one of your friends died, would you attempt to steal their soul from the soul sea and whether you can even get enough power and knowledge to be able to do so. At the host''s current level, even measly mortal cultivators in New York can defeat you quite easily, unless you go wild and unleash your full power. But after unleashing your full power, you will end up revealing cultivation to the world and getting yourself captured or killed since you will be massively weakened" stated Ava directly, not wanting Adam to become arrogant or overconfident.


    "Your progress is good and steady, so do not become disappointed with yourself. But the things I am telling you now are for you to know and not for you to try and explore or use, otherwise you will be merely drawing the attention of beings you cannot mess with and getting yourself killed"


    Hearing that, Adam knew that anything outside of his current world was too much to think about and until he had a strong foothold in his current world, he shouldn''t think about anything else.


    "Now enough about the underworld. It is a place that even the ancients might not know about and definitely cannot attempt to go to or mess with. I will move onto what you had previously realised"


    "Just like the positive side of the Mortal Plain, there is a negative side that is filled with beasts, demons and humanoid creatures like goblins that could be classified as beasts, but had gained a sentient level of intelligence. The intelligent creatures developed and became stronger much faster than other beasts and in most cases, demons are more powerful than beasts and there aren''t many demons on the negative side of the Mortal Plain" said Ava.


    "This is because, above the Mortal Plain there are other plains that are much larger, and have much more powerful beings, that would be considered as gods by your current standards. Demons, immortals, dragons and all kinds of other godly creatures exist, but in higher plains, so that host doesn''t currently have to worry about coming across any of them or facing them at the current moment"


    "Above the Mortal Plain, there is the Upper Intersection, which is an incredibly large flat plain that needs to be crossed over to reach the Immortal Plain. In that plain, almost every single being is a cultivator and most of the cultivators there have surpassed mortal limits, but aren''t immortals yet. Above the Upper Intersection is the Immortal Plain, where obviously, most immortals chose to live and the Immortal Plain along with the intersection are almost infinite and contain all kinds of mysteries and wonders"


    The more Ava spoke, the more Adam realised that the universe was much wider than he knew and he was currently merely a small ant struggling against others that were also insignificant beings.


    It opened his eyes to what the universe truly had to offer and made him feel as though everything he was feeling or had seen was so trivial and that all he could do was strive to be great and explore more of the universe.


    "There is also a Lower Intersection between the Mortal Plain and the underworld, which is one of the most dangerous places that one can go as there is no law enforcement or great powers that are there. It is a barren land filled with killing, death and battle between all kinds of different creatures and most wouldn''t dare to go to the Lower Intersection. Not only was the Lower Intersection dangerous because of the beings there, but the environment was very harsh even for cultivators and bellow it was the underworld that had very strict rules and would eliminate any being that dared to enter or get near"


    "As the host could probably imagine, there are great powers and rulers in the underworld along with the Immortal Plain, which are the great plains. The underworld is in most cases is only accessible to beings of death that can also reproduce. They also have lives in the underworld and cooperate with the great beings of the Immortal Plains, as if a war broke out between them, the entire universe would be in turmoil. There are many things in this universe that the host still will find out for now, but this is just the system opening the host''s eyes to the truth"

 Chapter 350: Unbelievable Revelations Part 3

    Adam was in awe of everything he was hearing and formed a layout within his mind with the help of the rough images that were appearing before his eyes and couldn''t help but wonder whether the creator of the system was an immortal.


    However, he knew that he wouldn''t get answers from merely wondering about it as he listened to the rest of Ava''s revelation.


    "There are many more things about immortals and beings of death that the host is yet to learn about, such as the fact that they are unique creatures that have a soul that can also take on a physical form. Meaning at will, they can choose to become weightless, invisible to most and completely permeable, but could also fight against immortals in physical forms and are a unique being. There are also many other unique beings, but the host shouldn''t worry about that and only focus on what could affect you now" said Ava, not wanting Adam to feel frightened or overwhelmed by all the different threats that existed in the universe.


    "Don''t worry about me being overwhelmed, none of this fazes me and I believe that with the system, I will become the greatest hunter, cultivator and fighter to ever exist" reassured her Adam as he urged her to continue.


    "What the host will face soon or could be facing now is the ancients and the threat that the creatures in the negative Mortal Plain pose. With more and more cultivators cultivating evil, demonic or negative cultivation methods, many of them opt to side with the demonic cultivation organisation that are hidden in the shadows. The reason they pose such a threat, is because they are supported by a group of demons that are in the negative Mortal Plain who could be thought of as the ancients in some of the negative Mortal Realms"


    "The ancients along with the demon group both have supporters from the Upper Intersection as well as the Immortal Plain, which makes them forces to be recocked with and also means, they may have powerful, immortal skills and treasures. But the host doesn''t need to worry too much as unless the Mortal Plain is on the verge of destruction or any other immortals get involved, it is most likely that immortals will provide some support while allowing the battle to proceed between mortals. It is also because they are weakened in the Mortal Plains and if they were to be able to break the shackles the Mortal Plain placed on their power, either they would be destroyed or the Mortal Plain could be destroyed"


    "Peace is kept by the Underworld and Immortal Plain by keeping distance and communicating with each other, while making sure not to intervene much with what occurs between mortals. They are also the guardians of the universe and make sure that if there is a being that threatens their positions or the entire universe, that they are dealt with in any way possible"


    "This leaves mortals in the Mortal Plain freedom to do as they please and there is a third intersection that is the most war-torn out of them all. The central intersection" said Ava.


    "Think of the universe as three plains that are separated by intersections. The positive and negative sides of the Mortal and Immortal Plains are split by intersections, that are plains of their own that usually are filled with battle. Meanwhile, the underworld is separate and could be regarded as spectators that live their own lives and as long as nobody destroys the universe or messes with the cycle of souls, are unlikely to intervene. Whoever gains control of the intersection is the closest to gaining control over both sides of the plains and unifying the plains, which has never happened before in history and would change the entire universe"


    "However doing so wasn''t easy and both sides continue to grow stronger and have reached a mutual agreement, that they should have peace and allow the Mortal Plains to battle while they observe the Mortal Plains. You can currently be thought of as an ant that is entertaining a person that is watching from above and there are 64 ant tribes that are black ants, while 64 ant tribes that are red"


    "The Mortal Intersection currently is experiencing a great battle and since the plain spans over all the 64 Mortal Plains, it is incredibly large and a cultivator would struggle to even cover a percentage of it in their entire long life.


    "Currently the ancients are being pushed back and are on the losing side of the war suffering great losses, but it isn''t because they are weaker, but because they aren''t cooperating well enough"


    "Wars and battles between the different humanoid beast races, beasts and demons have been occurring in the negative Mortal Plains for millennia, but many have begun stopping the unification of negative creatures have begun. Although it is hard to cooperate with non-intelligent beasts, humanoid creatures like goblins are beginning to cooperate with other humanoid creatures and all being unified under the demons"


    "Demons are known to be the most powerful of the negative kind and most positive creatures are human-like creatures that are born as lowly mortals. Within the next millennia, if this continues, the positive Mortal Plain will be taken over by the demons that unified all their kind and it will cause all hell to break loose throughout the universe"


    "This leaves the host who has gained an incredible system and has the potential, talent and capability to be the changing point for the positive mortals and push back the demons that are currently winning. But doing so is easier said than done and this is not something that the host can do alone. Without the help of the ancients, it is impossible to do so and the host either has to unify them peacefully or with force, but either way, destroying the evil organisation in the shadows would be a big help. I suspect the evil organisation already has their own connections and roots planted in the ancients and is a disease that is spreading deeper and deeper into their ranks"


    "With so many new things coming your way along with the hope of the system, there is a lot of pressure on the host''s back, but unless the host is willing to give up on the Mortal Plains, you have no choice but to grow stronger and fight"

 Chapter 351: System Reset

    Adam gathered his thoughts after everything that Ava revealed to him through the system and had a much clearer understanding of how everything works.


    "This must mean that in my sleep I am commanding another form that my soul is inhabiting and taking on negative creatures. These creatures were put in a dungeon by the system and the great change will probably mean that the scale of the dungeons will become much larger and from now on I will be facing entire armies or kingdoms of intelligent beasts, and I will have to take them all down" mumbled Adam to himself.


    "That is correct and the dungeon will now be blocking off areas of the negative Mortal Plains and creating dungeons out of them that are impossible to get out of, but also impossible to get into. That is why the resetting of the dungeon will take a long time and there will be a lot of changes. The dungeon will be on lock until either you hunt all the beasts, or your Dungeon Form is killed. When the host leaves the dungeon, the time within the dungeon will freeze, but the time in the Mortal Intersection will still flow, meaning there could be many attempts of breaking into the dungeon, which will all fail" confirmed Ava.


    "Humans are physically weaker than all beasts and the negative kind. After centuries of the ancients using large scale arrays that drew towards their secret lands, most of the energy in the world, there are less harsh environments that are caused by an abundance of energy. Along with that, there is no conflict or war o all of the 64 positive Mortal Realms and most do not cultivate and are ignorant to its existence"


    "After surpassing the Mortal Cultivation Level, also called the Novice Cultivation Level by some, one has finally become a cultivator, but is still a Mortal. Becoming an Earth Mortal is the first step to surpassing mortality and all demons and divine beings are born above the Mortal Cultivation. The higher one''s cultivation is when they are born, the more talented they are the more powerful they would become in the future. Humans are inferior creatures and are able to break past limits and surpass all expectations. They are the most unpredictable creatures and from this point forwards, you are Humanity''s Hunter and you must strive to become more powerful"


    Ava had said all of what she needed to say and Adam had a much clearer understanding of how the universe was and knew that his entire world was merely a speck of dust, when compared to the entire universe out there.


    [This system can control space and time and is probably creating a separate space for the dungeons each time. Everything that the system has done so far is incredible and the laws of the universe can all be manipulated by the system, and maybe I can reach that level one day] thought Adam to himself.


    "Now that the host knows all of this and so much has been revealed to the host at once, it is time for the host to digest all the information and recover. In this time, the system will reset and the massive change in the system will take place" said Ava, who sat opposite him and could see that he was eager to begin improving.


    All he could think about was becoming more powerful, knowledgeable and capable so that he could protect humanity and those that he cared about, while also exploring the universe and experiencing everything that there was to experience.


    [The system''s reset will take 1 month and I have a lot of things to do in that time and I will prepare my body for everything that will come and for all the Integrated Equipment that I will be integrating with my body] said Adam to himself.


    Adam was previously reliant on it to progress and function, but the current Adam was confident in his own capabilities and control, making it so that for most things he didn''t need the system.


    Although his cultivation wouldn''t progress much since he didn''t have a cultivation method, he could still train his body and mind, learn skills, techniques and gather more knowledge.


    There were also so many things that he wanted to go over within his mind and also wanted to perfect the skills that he created himself since they still had quite a few flaws that needed improving.


    Along with that, Adam''s body wasn''t in a state to train anyway, so he didn''t mind not having the system for some time while it reset and it would give him time to focus on other things that he had to do.


    But despite the system not being usable for an entire month, and him having a lot of time in reality, Adam wasn''t planning on contacting his friends and wanted to distance himself from people until he was confident and happy in his power.


    Once his power and knowledge were at a satisfactory level, then Adam would be happy to return and begin looking for his aunt around the world, while also pushing the Sentinels forwards to become a faction that could threaten even the ancients themselves.


    Ava would still be with him within the mindscape, since she had become separated from the system in most ways, while the system and all of its functions lay dormant, leaving Adam without the system.


    "Ava, start the reset of the system. After a month, when the system returns, my recovery should be complete and I will be ready to accept all the rewards that I have" said Adam.


    {The system reset has now begun and over this period of one month, the host will be unable to use any of the system features and I will lose all knowledge and information that was provided by the system} stated Ava, before Adam felt something unusual.


    It was as though a part of him had went to sleep and entered a dormant state, while his mind and body continued functioning.

 Chapter 352: Masters Talent

    It took 3 days for Adam to regain consciousness and when he did, his body was still in excruciating pain and he could barely move.


    "Thank you master, I appreciate you looking after my body and aiding its recovery. I know it must have cost you a lot, especially in the state you are in" said Adam as he struggled to sit up and looked over at his master who was clearly fatigued and drained after providing most of his energy to Adam multiple times.


    "Don''t worry about it child, but what I am more curious about is how exactly you broke through to the Advanced Cultivation Level and why your body was so damaged by it. It was almost as though your soul had left your body for a few days, then returned with great power. The power was infused into your body and after being separated for a long period of time along with the shock of the sudden surge of power, your body was overwhelmed and entered a state of shock"


    Adam was shocked by how much his master was able to gauge from his observations, but his face was still calm and didn''t show any shock as he thought about how to answer his master.


    [I trust my master and he doesn''t have long to live, so telling him would give him some peace of mind and he also wouldn''t be able to tell anyone about it. After everything, it would be disrespectful not to be honest with him and will tell him the truth, but skip anything to do with the system] decided Adam.


    He went onto explaining to his master that every time he slept he would appear in another place where he would train and fight against beasts until he woke up and when he did, his power would increase.


    His master was amazed and knew that Adam''s power increased in his sleep, but didn''t know exactly what Adam felt and how it happened.


    "Sorry for not telling you more details previously and I do trust you, but I was told by a voice within my mind not to tell anyone and even my family and closest friends don''t know the truth about my capabilities"


    His master smiled and reassured him that he understood that everyone had their own secrets and would be hesitant to reveal them to anyone no matter how much they trusted them.


    "Does that mean you''re talent grade is infinite and as long as you sleep, your power will continue to improve?" asked his master still trying to figure out how exactly everything worked.


    "I am not sure, but so far I have had no trouble improving and I hope it continues that way" answered Adam, but his master''s question also made him wonder what his master''s talent grade is.


    His master could see the curiosity in his eyes and could tell what Adam was thinking as he answered his question.


    "My talent grading is C:3, but I didn''t reach my full potential with all of the things that were disturbing his calm my mind was and how short I cultivated for" revealed his master.


    Hearing that, Adam was amazed and from what he had seen in New York, having an E:1 grade talent was already amazing.


    That would only allow one, who met their full potential and wasn''t able to surpass their limits, to reach the peak of the Advanced Cultivation Level.


    Compared to his master''s talent grade, that was nothing and from what his master had told him, a C:3 talent wasn''t even anything amazing for the ancients.


    "Don''t look so amazed. Talent grading is important, but doesn''t dictate how much you can progress and one can always surpass their limits or resort to different methods of cultivation. Negative Cultivation isn''t always bad and many that struggle with positive cultivation may achieve greater results in negative cultivation. Also, you are on track to being on par with many ancients and currently, they are on a whole other level to what you have seen" said his master, not wanting Adam to feel restricted.


    However, little did he know, Adam knew more about the universe than most ancients after everything that Ava had told him and he was also confident in his own capabilities and potential.


    "Master, the ancients and even the beings from above will know of me and respect my power. The sentinels will become great and spread throughout the universe" stated Adam with a confident expression that didn''t show any signs of doubt.


    Such a statement, coming from a cultivator that had just broken into the Advanced Cultivation Level was obnoxious and crazy, but from Adam, it seemed weirdly believable for his master.


    "Right now, I am an Earth Mortal or Advanced Cultivator, meaning I have only just truly stepped onto the path of cultivation and I know it is still too early for me to say this, but trust me, master, I will make sure your legacy lives on and even reaches those above," said Adam.


    Saying that, he remembered that the soul sea existed and maybe he could recover his master''s soul before the soul cycle was completed, but then he removed that thought from his mind, knowing that it was too reckless and impossible for him to do in the state he was in.


    His master finally accepted that he was going to die soon and bringing him back would be a curse rather than a gift, so Adam decided that even if he could, he wouldn''t save his master.


    "Where did you hear Earth Mortal be mentioned and also how do you know about the beings above?" asked his master, shocked by what he heard Adam say so casually.


    It was the ancients duty to keep information and knowledge of the existence of other plains and realms secret, and yet Adam seemed to know about higher plains.


    "I heard about them, but don''t know much. All I know is that this planet isn''t the limit and as long as I can keep progressing, I don''t care much about the details" said Adam, not wanting his master to investigate more about what he knew through the system.

 Chapter 353: 1 Month Later

    Adam''s master was still in shock after hearing what Adam had said and everything that he had seen him do, which he hadn''t seen even in ancients, however despite Adam''s confidence, he felt as though Adam was slightly too ambitious.


    "Focus on improving as a cultivator for now and what is above is even too dangerous for the ancients who opt to stay on Earth and act as its protectors and secret rulers. Adam, ambition is good, but don''t look too far when you aren''t even a match for ordinary cultivators that can be found within this city" advised his master.


    Adam smiled after hearing what his master said and pretended to take on his advice, but in the back of his mind, he knew that no matter what, he would achieve everything he wanted to achieve.


    He skipped from struggling against ordinary cultivators in a city that was relatively weak in terms of cultivation, to wanting to explore and dominate the universe, however with the Dungeon System, Adam''s drive and his determination, everything was possible.


    "I have had many reasons for wanting to get stronger, but now I am sure of what my reasons are. No matter what happens, the universe is too wide for me to give up at such an early stage and I must always continue progressing. If I lose people I care about, they will only act as a drive for me to continue progressing and make sure that the same doesn''t happen to others I care about and I will get back my aunt" said Adam determinedly.


    "I want to roam the universe at will. I want to live freely without restraint. I want nobody to be able to look down on me, bully me or humiliate me. I want to be respected, renowned and revered and will crush anything that gets in the way of my path of cultivation or what I want" stated Adam before struggling to closing his eyes and activating the Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    Although it wouldn''t be able to completely heal his injuries that were more spiritual, mental and internal, it would soothe his body that was in immense pain and also aid his body''s recovery speed as he left his master with a shocked expression.


    "One''s heart and mind are key to improving and mind was always shaky, distracted and had been broken many times, stopping me from reaching my full potential. One''s mind and heart can be tainted by negative cultivation and overwhelmed by the negativity that may not be compatible with human bodies. But as long as one''s heart and mind are strong and unwavering no matter what, one can not only reach their full potential, but also surpass it, as long as they work hard towards their goal" said the old man to himself, impressed by how determined and confident Adam was.


    Adam heard what his master said and had figured that out after experiencing different ups and downs in his life as he contemplated on all the things he knew while his body automatically attempted to recover.


    [An Evil Soul entered my aunt''s body. Could it be from the soul sea or somebody trying to possess her or some kind of powerful demon trying to find a host. Or could it be some sort of Evil Cultivator from the Evil Cultivation Organisation trying to take over my aunt and use it to get to me. There are so many possibilities, but now that I am learning more about souls, I will make sure to find a way to not only get it out of my aunt''s body, but also destroy it] thought Adam to himself as he cleared his mind and gathered his thoughts.


    After a few hours of meditation, Adam felt much better and could feel that although his body was still in a damaged and unstable state, his mind and spirit were not only recovered, but also improved.


    He gained a purpose, things he wanted to achieve and a way to achieve them.


    The path had finally been clearly set before him and although there may be obstacles and he also may wander off the path for periods of time, as long as he followed it, everything would turn out how he wanted it to.


    Adam spent the rest of the month that was left until the system reset, to recover back to his peak and after 1 week passed, began training again.


    While resting for a week, he had gone over all of his battles and learnt from his mistakes while improving the skills he produced within his mind, using his mindscape to do so.


    He had never used his mindscape to train in, but since his body wasn''t in a state to train in at that time, he tried it out and it was surprisingly useful.


    Although his body wouldn''t be accustomed to what he was training, his mind was practising and as long as he willed and imagined it, the mindscape would change to match his intentions.


    Using that, he created a large open area within his mind and also used Ava, who had all the knowledge, skill and information that Adam had, as a sparring partner.


    It was fun and a good opportunity to train while getting closer to Ava, and after doing so for a week, he began training in reality.


    His master was continuously being impressed by Adam who was always progressing at unbelievable rates and finding new ways to shock him.


    He trained with his master for the rest of the month and wasn''t trying to improve his body or put too much strain on it, as it hadn''t recovered fully, so was more focused on improving his skills and knowledge.


    Adam showed his master the Unique Clone Skill and used his clone to study arrays, since the clone was completely obedient and had a clear mind, making it able to learn and understand arrays much faster than Adam who would prefer to train in combat.


    With that, he was doing two things at once and his progress was only continuing to grow faster and faster.

 Chapter 354: Progress Over Past Few Months Part 1

    Adam could choose how powerful he wanted the clone that he produced with his Unique Clone Skill to be, just like he could do with the Unique Collector Skill.


    In essence, the summoning part of the Unique Collector Skill and Unique Clone Skill were the same. The cultivation level of the clone or summon would depend on how much energy Adam used to produce them and how much energy he used each minute to sustain them.


    Since all his clone would be doing was studying, Adam made it a rank 1 Novice Cultivator and that only required him to use one IESP to summon it along with 1 IESP each minute.


    That wasn''t much to Adam and he could train for a few hours without pushing his body too much, then would stop to recover his energy storages, so that his clone wouldn''t be retracted.


    That allowed him to sustain the clone for very long periods of time and made it so that he would have double the results and could do two things at once.


    With his clone studying arrays and learning as much knowledge as it could from his master, while Adam trained in fighting manuals and skills that his master gave him, Adam was rapidly progressing.


    At the end of each day, he would retract his clone and all the knowledge and experiences that the clone had would return to Adam.


    Such a large amount of knowledge, information and experiences that the clone had over the day would be quite difficult and painful to handle all at once.


    The first time, Adam was shocked by his mind suddenly being bombarded with knowledge and information after he retracted his clone, but despite the pain and mental strain, he was able to handle it and after doing so would sleep and rest.


    Adam ate large amounts of beast meat and got at least 8 hours of real sleep, which he found really unusual, but relaxing, since his mind and soul would usually always be active in his sleep within the dungeon.


    His master noticed that Adam''s cultivation wasn''t progressing much and Adam revealed to him that he was taking a break from cultivating in his sleep because of the physical strain, which his master agreed with.


    Being placed in a dangerous place filled with hundreds of dangerous beasts in one''s sleep each night sounded more like a curse than a reward, but the results it helped Adam achieve were great.


    After a month passed, Adam finally heard the notification within his mind that he had been waiting for.


    {Ding, the system''s reset has been completed and the host can now accept all rewards that the host was rewarded previously. Along with that, the host will be notified of all the changes made within the system and has some additional rewards for going through with the change} announced Ava within his mind after the system''s program reset.


    It made Adam curious about how exactly the system reset and how detailed the system''s program was to be able to adapt and grow with him. It also made him wonder more about how the system could give him such great rewards, but he knew that the answers would all come to him eventually.


    [I wonder how much my friends have progressed over the past few months. I have a lot of trust in them and believe in their potential, but will they be able to keep up with me] wondered Adam to himself as he thought about how far he had come and everything he had been able to achieve in the matter of a few months.


    Cole and Angela had both passed all the trials and taken over their positions as young family heads of their families and gained the support of most of their family elders.


    There were always a few elders that didn''t submit and were difficult to deal with, but seeing their progress, the support they had and the changes they were implementing within the family, they were unable to voice their opinions.


    Cole entered the secret room of the Epstein Family ancestor and he was known for having the most potential out of all of the ancestral cultivators of New York.


    However, because of his curious nature and desire to gather knowledge and information, his cultivation level only stayed at the same level as that of the other ancestors and he didn''t reach his full potential.


    Despite that, what he left behind in that secret room was incredible and most of the previous family heads were unable to access the secret room, which was why their position as the family head was short-lived.


    The reason for that was because the secret room had a series of examinations, trials and tests that one must pass to get through and all of them were carried out by different complex arrays.


    Cole''s potential, willpower and mindset were an embodiment of the Epstein Family Ancestor and may even surpass that of his as he passed all the obstacles stopping him and entered the secret room.


    After entering, he didn''t leave for a week and didn''t drink or eat that entire week, infatuated with all the cultivation methods, skills and techniques he found there along with all the knowledge and information that was stored there.


    There was knowledge and information about everything to do with cultivation and went from all the way from alchemy to weapon forging.


    It was obviously too much for Cole to lean in a short amount of time and it also wasn''t what he needed at that moment of time, as he wanted to increase his power as much as possible, so he was drawn more towards the cultivation methods.


    They were all very high-quality cultivation methods, but he found two that stood out, but no matter how hard he tried, he wasn''t able to open either of them.


    He tried many different ways to open them and even with his full strength he wasn''t able to open them, until he tried putting his blood on both of the books and streaming his Internal Energy into them.

 Chapter 355: [Bonus Chapter]Progress Over Past Few Months Part 2

    Although they seemed to be in old worn-out books, once Cole streamed his energy into both of them, one of them began to glow and became as good as new.


    All the words that were previously unclear and smudged were all fixed and he also seemed to be able to open it and became linked with the book after he placed his blood on it, but the other book rejected his blood and energy.


    Looking at the cover, he could see some faint and smudged writing but managed to see the name Carter on it and Elizabeth instantly came to mind as he debated with himself whether to give it to her or not.


    It was against the family rules to take anything out of that secret room let alone give it to somebody outside of the family, but at the same time, she was Adam''s subordinate and also one of the leaders of a faction that was allied with their family.


    After thinking about it, he decided that since his family and nobody else in the world had any use for it other than Elizabeth and he had also already promised her that he would give her anything to do with her family, he called her to come to Staten Island.


    She was very busy, but hearing the urgency in Cole''s tone, she went over as soon as he called her and she gratefully accepted the book along with most things that he found that belonged to the Carter Family.


    He kept the medicinal scriptures and all the knowledge and information to do with their healing techniques, but he gave her all the skills and techniques that only she would be able to use as the direct descendant of the Carter Family.


    Even if the Carter Family still lived to that day, none of them had the rare medicinal constitution that Elizabeth had and had only been seen in the ancestor of their family.


    Because of that, they didn''t have any unique capabilities and their combat power was too low and couldn''t be carried by their ancestor alone.


    Although they were a peaceful family that focused on healing and medicine, greed overcame the other great families of New York and one less family, meant more territory, resources and power for the others.


    He instructed her to drip her blood onto it and instantly her body began to hungrily suck in energy after being starved of it ever since she was born since she didn''t have the capability to absorb it.


    After she became linked with it through her blood, her medicinal constitution was awakened after being dormant and suppressed for so long and instantly, her cultivation jumped to that of a Rank 5 Novice.


    It was a big jump and her body and cultivation were still unstable, so she rested in the Epstein Family and cultivated for a week before departing back to Brooklyn.


    The sentinels had begun gathering followers and taking over small cultivation organisations, groups and families and after they submit, they were given protection and they were beginning to spread throughout Staten Island and Brooklyn.


    They were the territory of the Epstein and Maxwell Family and since they were allied with them, it was fine for them to do so and there was no conflict between them.


    It was also benefiting them to get all the smaller cultivation groups within their territory to be unified under one faction that was allied with them and Chase was progressing incredibly quickly and faster than the rest.


    He had also broken through to the Advanced Cultivation Level, had trained his Unique Skill and his Monk Inheritance had given him mana different skills, techniques and cultivation methods.


    Along with his external cultivation breaking through to the Advanced Cultivation, his Internal Cultivation was close behind and all of Adam''s friends were cultivating both types of cultivation.


    Wayde''s progress in terms of cultivation was nowhere near as fast as the others as he was nearing the peak of his potential and it could take him dozens of years and cultivation wasn''t something that could be rushed for most.


    Hundreds of years in the eyes of immortals were like a few years for mortals and the ancients could take over a hundred years on a single cultivation rank after reaching high cultivation levels.


    Adam knew that, but his progress speed would barely slow down with him continuously gaining new abilities and power, while continuing to hunt diligently in the dungeon.


    However, for most, the Advanced Cultivation Level was as far as they could go and breaking through the Advanced Cultivation Level was one of the hardest breakthroughs in the Mortal Cultivation Realm.


    Despite that, Wayde''s skill and ability to wield his elemental affinity was still improving and he would spar with Angela, allowing him to improve his capability against an elemental affinity that countered his own, while also helping Angela train.


    All of Adam''s friends were training as hard as they could to increase their power and they were not only doing it for Adam, but for themselves and for the city that they wished to protect.


    With the Maxwell Family, Epstein Family and the Sentinels Faction cooperating, they had an abundance of resources, knowledge and support to continue rapidly growing and increasing their power.


    The progress of Adam''s friends and those behind them was alarming with their great drive that was also pushing their subordinates forth and making them a force to be reckoned with.


    It was great for them and very impressive, but they were far from invincible and the power they were accumulating was causing issues around the city and also around the country.


    A new contender for the throne of New York had appeared and other cultivation groups were becoming wary of the new rising alliance that could be a threat in the future.


    All they could think about was progressing forwards and repaying Adam for what he had done for them, while Adam was experiencing many changes and had received many eye-opening revelations from the system.

 Chapter 356: Changes In The System

    Adam''s entire viewpoint on life had changed and small things no longer clouded his judgement, but at the same time, he couldn''t take humiliation and disrespect.


    He knew too much and was capable of so much to allow himself to ever be in a situation beneath someone or intimidated by another.


    In his eyes, nobody was his equal and the system''s reset reminded him of that as he received a stream of notifications from the system after the change was completed.


    {The host has 4 Integrated Equipment to integrate with the host''s body and master. The host has already been given information about the Three Special Rings, but now the system will provide the host more information about the Integrateable Daggers}


    {The Daggers are known as the Devouring Death Daggers. The name gives the host an idea of what they are capable of and they were formed out of the host''s Bloodlust Characteristic and provide the host a new extension of the characteristic} stated the system, piquing Adam''s curiosity.


    {The new extension is the Syphoning Extension. It allows the host to syphon and absorb the energy reserves, blood, vitality and HP of enemies, but there are consequences and risks to the use of the extension, depending on the scale that the host uses them at. It boosts the host''s Bloodlust and can also push the host''s body past its limits, causing the host''s body backlash. If used in the middle of a tough battle against multiple opponents, the host would become an invincible killing machine, but the host will become wilder and wilder. However, it can be used to quickly cultivate and recover without needing to use the Ethereal Recovery Skill, so it is an amazing extension that is linked to the Devouring Death Daggers}


    {It is the first unique trait of the Devouring Death Daggers and they require the host to slash the target and draw blood, otherwise, the Syphoning Extension cannot be used. Then using the daggers, the host can draw out everything that the host wishes to absorb and the deeper the wound, the more the host can draw out. Not only does it benefit the host, but it also weakens the enemy and now the host is able to harmonise and draw out more of the power of the Bloodlust Characteristic. With the host''s newfound mental fortitude and knowledge, the host has become much more mature, open-minded and ambitious, so the host should be able to easily control the new extension along with the daggers}


    {The Syphoning Extension can only be used through the daggers and the host can also use the daggers to lock onto an opponent. It can act as a tracker and as long as the host has managed to cut someone, the host will be able to know where they are for an entire day after the time the host slashed them. That trait of the Devouring Dearth Daggers is known as Blood Tracking and as long the host keeps on progressing, the Devouring Death Daggers will also gain new capabilities as well as the rings}


    With that, Adam was excited to try out and integrate with the Devouring Death Daggers that sound incredible and would greatly improve his power.


    {Enough about the host''s Devouring Death Daggers. Now to talk about the changes in the system that the host will be excited to hear are great and come with some additional rewards} said Ava.


    {The Mission Feature is the greatest addition to the system and the host may be given small tasks, just as kill 10 of a certain kind of beast, which may provide the host with small rewards. Or the host may be given challenging missions, with great rewards. Missions can be refused and will be reset each time the host leaves the dungeon, unless the mission states that it will give the host more than one hunt in the dungeon}


    {Along with that, there is an additional thing that the host should know about. Since the dungeons that will be produced will be formed out of real places in the Mortal Intersection that have beasts, humans may also be trapped in the dungeon. The host may also be placed in a dungeon with a kingdom of humans along with a kingdom of humanoid beasts} stated Ava, surprising Adam who didn''t want extra variables while he was in the dungeon.


    He would usually be able to go all out and crazily hunt beasts, while trying to improve how he fought and learning from his mistakes. However, with people in the dungeon with him, he had another thing to worry about.


    {The host is not obligated to hunt humans and can also choose to protect them, but it is a dungeon and the host is the hunter. Killing them and watching them die might affect the host''s mind and heart, but as long as the host hunts the beasts, the humans wouldn''t be in danger. Missions may also be issued according to certain situations that may include other humans, but will usually be based around the host being a hunter}


    There were so many possibilities with the new changes in the system and Adam could no longer take what he was doing lightly as there were real people trapped in the dungeon with the beasts.


    It made him worry that if he was unable to complete a dungeon in one night, which was very difficult, then the humans trapped within the dungeon would be massacred by the powerful beasts and negative creatures.


    {The host doesn''t need to worry. Space and time within the dungeon work differently and time will only flow while the host is in the dungeon. However, time in the outside world will still flow, but at half the speed} reassured him Ava.


    {There are many new things that the host can expect, but I have only told you are only the start and there are many more amazing and shocking things to come. One thing I want the host to remember is to always stick to his roots and ambitions and not allow mundane things to hold the host back} advised him Ava, causing Adam to become curious about what else was to come and reminiscent.

 Chapter 357: Unexpected Reward

    [To always stick to my roots and ambitions] repeated Adam to himself, thinking about Ava''s advice.


    Morals and ethics were a blurred concept in the world of cultivation and something were long wrong and doing them, would definitely weigh down and Adam''s consciousness.


    He knew he could turn into a monster that didn''t care about his actions, but that would make him weak as one that couldn''t care about anything, didn''t have anything to live to fight for.


    Even ordinary people can commit atrocious acts that kill or negatively affect many people and it becomes even worse when people become more arrogant and feel superior after cultivating.


    Adam could kill thousands of normal humans in a matter of seconds without breaking a sweat, but that didn''t mean that because he could, it was fine to do so.


    It was similar to how Angela was before Adam helped her change and most cultivators thought that way and wouldn''t care much about the pain or death of some ordinary people.


    Cultivation made people''s hearts cruel and although it was meant for one to become more mature, it wasn''t made to look down on others and Adam would crush anyone that abused their power.


    He felt much clearer about his purpose, ethics and life in general than he had ever felt and didn''t need any more time to ponder on it as he urged Ava to continue with what she had to tell him.


    {First comes another reward, and second, comes another massive addition to the system that has multiple rewards and will change the course of the host''s progress. After experiencing and using the massive addition to the system, the host will completely change how he looks at the world and will also become much more capable and knowledgable} said Ava, teasing Adam and piquing his curiosity.


    [Get on with it] urged Adam, eager to begin using all the things that the system was providing him with


    {The reward is something that the host has been wanting for quite a while. It is an Elemental Affinity and it will be F:1 graded. The host can choose what elemental affinity that the host would like to acquire first and there are also additional special properties that your elemental affinity will have} stated Ava.


    Adam was overjoyed with the reward and had been planning on purchasing an elemental affinity, but he still hadn''t decided on what kind of elemental affinity he wanted to start with.


    In the future, he wanted to be a master of all forms of energy, but his first choice was an important one and he needed to choose one that would cover any weaknesses that he had.


    [What elemental affinities are available for me to choose from?] asked Adam.


    {The host can only choose from the basic, common and fundamental elemental affinities. They include Fire, Wind, Earth and Water. There are other elemental affinities, but cannot be accessed by the host until he has gathered all four other elemental affinities and they are very rare. They include the lightning elemental affinity, darkness elemental affinity and light elemental affinity as well as many others}


    {The host''s body can switch energy types and is compatible with all forms of energy, but it is still straining on the body to have multiple elemental affinities and learning to control different types of energy is difficult. The host shouldn''t bite off more than he can chew and should pick one basic one to practise in well and master before thinking about acquiring others} advised Ava.


    Most of what Ava had said was what Adam already knew or had gathered from all the knowledge he had acquired.


    Everything is a form of energy and can be used and applied in different ways, but can all be consumed by his Devouring Death Daggers.


    [I pick the Fire Elemental Affinity] decided Adam.


    The Fire Elemental Affinity would boost his explosive power as well as improve and provide him with the means to unleash powerful, wide-range attacks.


    It would also allow him to increase the power of all of his skills by using fire energy through them and would assist his improvement and mastery of the Burst Movement Skill that could become the Flame Burst Movement Skill.


    Unleashing powerful attacks was never Adam''s strong suit and he was more of a stealthy assassin and hunter, but with his new Fire Elemental Affinity, that would longer be the case.


    Looking in his inventory, Adam found 5 new items.


    The 3 Special Rings, the Devouring Death Daggers and a flame symbol that once he equipped, would integrate the Fire Elemental Affinity with his body.


    Adam didn''t have any time to waste or reason to hesitate as he went to equip the Fire Elemental Affinity.


    His master wasn''t with him at that current moment and he was hoping that he could quickly acquire it without alerting his master, as explaining how he suddenly awakened a Fire Elemental Affinity would be very difficult.


    And for other cultivators, if they unexpected or somehow gained an Elemental Affinity, they would have to destroy their cultivation and restart, as they would need to cultivate with Fire Energy, otherwise, they wouldn''t be able to use their Elemental Affinity.


    Because of that, if he was able to use it, more about Adam''s unique and miraculous constitution would be revealed, which he didn''t mind if it was his master, but would be very hard to explain without revealing the Dungeon System.


    {Before you awaken the Elemental Affinity, I haven''t finished explaining its special properties the elemental affinities the host gains have. They have the potential to grow more powerful independently and as long as the host''s mastery, power and body are enough, it will grow to reach the host''s level} started Ava, pleasing Adam even more.


    [Then there is no point waiting any longer. I will become stronger and I will start with this Special Fire Elemental Affinitiy] said Adam to himself as he equipped the flame symbol.


    As soon as he did so the awakening of his Fire Elemental Affinity began.

 Chapter 358: [Bonus Chapter]Fire Elemental Affinity

    Adam suddenly felt a scorching and burning sensation all around his body as flames began to emerge around Adam''s body.


    His clothes were burnt to ashes in an instant along with everything around him as his body''s temperature surpassed hundreds of degrees along with his Internal Energy and External Energy being transformed into Fire Energy.


    {I forgot to say that the awakening part might be painful, but I''m sure you can handle it} said Ava.


    [You could have at least warned me so that I could prepare myself] shouted Adam within his mind as he cursed at Ava, while she chuckled.


    As she said, Adam was able to handle the pain since his pain tolerance was unbelievably high and despite it feeling as though every part of his body was being burnt and reborn, he could feel it benefiting his body and his face was still calm and steady.


    [Will it hurt this much every time I switch between attributeless energy and Fire Energy] asked Adam within his mind, knowing that if that was the case, it would be difficult to use it in the middle of a battle.


    {No, it is only because the host is awakening it and switching between attributeless energy and fire energy might cause the host slight pain and discomfort, but won''t be on this level. Also, the next elemental affinities that the host awakens won''t hurt much at all and it merely hurting because your body is being reformatted to be able to handle different energy types and switch between them} answered Ava, causing Adam to let out a sigh of relief.


    Adam closed his eyes and focused on the changes in his body as he observed that even the energy in his muscles, his External Energy, was being transformed into Fire Energy, which gave his muscles more explosive and destructive power.


    {Even if the host''s elemental affinity is only at the F:1 grade currently, which would be comparable to the fire power of a peak Novice Cultivator, it will grow quickly the host can do things others cannot do with elemental affinities. Since the host''s body has a perfect affinity with all elements, despite the grade being low, the host can integrate his entire body with the element, unlike others that would only be able to integrate certain parts of their body at once. So, with the host''s large energy reserves and Syphoning Ability, it should be easy to sustain the state in which your body is bursting with Fire Energy}


    [I will call this state my Fire Form and from now on, will be the form I enter immediately after using Fire Energy. Then my normal state should be called my Neutral Form and I will make sure to master this elemental affinity and upgrade it as much as possible. With it, I will form many Fire Skills and even Wayde will have to recognise me as the real Fire Master] said Adam to himself, eager to continue his training with the system after being unable to use it for an entire month.


    The awakening of his Fire Elemental Affinity ended up causing a large commotion and destroying a large part of his master''s secret lair.


    His master rushed out of the room he was in where he was recording everything that he wanted to leave behind to Adam, which included a great amount of knowledge and information to do with cultivation and the world in general.


    When he did, he saw Adam completely naked and covered in flames that were bursting out from all around his body and it was clear that Adam was awakening a Fire Elemental Affinity.


    However what was shocking was that his cultivation wasn''t falling at all and seemed to be improving slightly, which didn''t make sense, since he had just awakened an Elemental Affinity that used a completely different type of energy.


    "That is clearly only a F:1 Grade Fire Elemental Affinity, but why is he awakening it when he has already reached adulthood and is nearing the age of 19. Also, how has all of his energy transformed into Fire Energy" wondered his master who was observing the unbelievable and sudden changes in Adam''s body.


    Adam hadn''t expected such a large commotion from the awakening of a mere F:1 graded Elemental Affinity, but since he was at a high cultivation level and his body was adapting to the ability to switch between energy types, he couldn''t control the energy that was bursting out of his body.


    It was also because he had awakened a perfect elemental affinity that had the capacity to grow infinitely with his power and mastery over the element, which even his master hadn''t realised and couldn''t understand.


    However, he couldn''t do anything to change it and after the changes in his body were completed and the awakening was completed, Adam cultivated for a few hours using his new Fire Energy.


    After that, he used the Ethereal Recovery Skill to regulate and heal his body that had been strained and experienced a lot of changes.


    As soon as he opened his eyes and looked around him to see the destruction he caused, then looked between his legs to see that he was naked, Adam was suddenly brought back to reality after his deep meditation and cultivation.


    Looking up he saw his master staring at him in awe and he was doing so out of amazement for the changes in Adam''s body and since there were flames around Adam''s body, he hadn''t seen that he was naked.


    "You old man are looking for death early. Aren''t you going to stop staring?" bellowed Adam as he released his killing intent, causing his master to actually feel scared and intimidated as he turned around.


    ''What else should I expect from this monster who kills infinitely in his sleep and progresses in unbelievable and unusual ways while gaining incredible and unknown abilities thought his master to himself after actually being frightened by a mere Advanced Cultivator who wasn''t even an ancient.


    Adam dashed away from where he sat and quickly put on some clothes before returning in a matter of seconds.


    "Time to test out this new power of mine on the peeping old man"

 Chapter 359: Greatest Change In The System

    Adam wasn''t actually angry, but sparred with his master and enjoyed trying out his new Elemental Affinity that was much more different and fun to use when compared to his attributeless energy.


    He obviously held back and didn''t want to kill or badly hurt his master whose body was slowly decaying and dying, but he did get him back for all the times he bullied him in training using his superior power.


    "Have you had enough of bullying this old man yet?" asked his master who had scorch marks all over him.


    "Yes, that is what you get for bullying me when I was weaker," said Adam as they both began to laugh.


    After a short while of them joking and relaxing while eating, his master suddenly became serious and the curious expression he usually had while observing Adam returned.


    "How come your body was able to suddenly awaken an Elemental Affinity and why is it much lower than your talent grading? Also, how were you able to transform all of your energy into Fire Energy?" asked his master.


    "To do that, it would usually require incredible amounts of resources that matched the new element and the assistance of a few extremely high level and skilled cultivators. With their help and the resources, the cultivator would slowly extinguish their neutral energy, while taking in more Fire Energy, which their body could handle and would stop once their cultivation reached the level that it was at before" said his master.


    "You were able to do all of that in a matter of hours, while even ancients would take weeks at least to be able to do so and would need to be very careful as not to damage their bodies"


    It was almost impossible for one to naturally awaken an Elemental Affinity at Adam''s age and after he had already started cultivating. However it was still possible to occur, but that still didn''t explain how exactly Adam was able to convert all of his energy into Fire Energy.


    "I am not sure myself" answered Adam honestly, not knowing or understanding exactly he was able to do so.


    Hearing that his master didn''t ask anymore and was amazed by how each day Adam would become more and more powerful and knowledgeable.


    It was also becoming harder to understand or read Adam''s emotions and abilities, but his master was proud of that and believed that only someone like Adam would be able to make a change in the world.


    "Alright, forget about it. But you have to be more careful during breakthroughs or when awakening something. One wrong step, and not only will you not benefit from the awakening or breakthrough, but it may backfire" advised his master before leaving him to his independent training.


    Adam bid his master farewell and before he began training and integrating with all the incredible equipment he had in his inventory, he knew there were still more changes within the system that he was yet to hear about.


    {Since the host is ready, I will continue onto the Final Massive Change in the system, which can be refused or delayed by the host as it will open you up to many new dangers, but also many new opportunities and great power} stated Ava.


    Adam was unsure what to expect from the system and knew that it would adapt and change according to his progress, desires and aims, which made him wonder what exactly it could be.


    {The soul has become interested in souls, the host''s aunt has been inhabited by a soul and the host''s ambitions are great and understanding along with mastering the use of the soul is very useful. It can boost your power, perceptivity, senses and has many other benefits, but it is also risky as the host will be exposed to a new time of danger and will also need to take on double the work that the host is currently taking on}


    {Would the host like to hear more and take on board the change? Or would the host like to delay the change until a later date?} asked Ava.


    Hearing that, Adam smiled to himself and without hesitation answered that he wanted to take on board the change and he had nothing to fear.


    Hard work, dangers, risks and everything else that came with cultivation no longer frightened or even intimidated Adam and the more enemies he had, the more chances he would have to put his skills to the test and surpass his limits.


    {Good choice. Since the host has accepted, the changes will be implemented and the host won''t be able to feel any changes currently, but after using the new part of the Dungeon System, the host will experience numerous shocking changes}


    {Cultivation is believed to be split into External and Internal Cultivation, but True Cultivation is cultivating both of them at the same time. High level cultivation methods that are owned by the ancients and those above mostly cultivate True Cultivation, but that is only the cultivation of the Physical Body}


    Adam could guess what was coming next as he sat in anticipation and listened attentively to everything Ava said to him through the system, knowing that it was all valuable and profound.


    {Cultivation is the improvement of oneself and the body is important to train and improve both Internally and Externally with energy being stored in the dantian and meridians, along with the muscles, skin and bones. However there is another key part of one''s being that most do not even know about, and many are unable to tap into. The Soul. And just like everything else the soul can be cultivated through Soul Cultiation}


    {This is the Greatest Change in the System so far and is likely to be the case for the rest of the host''s journey and now the Dungeon System has been split into two}


    Adam was shocked by this great change and had never expected that he would begin learning about and even cultivating his own soul so early on his cultivation journey, but he was by no means disappointed as he was bombarded by a load of information to do with the great change.

 Chapter 360: Soul Dungeon

    {The host will now have access to two different dungeons and each of the dungeons will be formed using things from reality and the system will no longer be creating the prey that the host hunts. This will make it so that the prey may not hold as much hostility towards the host, but also makes the prey more intelligent, experienced and dangerous. Also, the host doesn''t have to worry, all prey will be negative kind or prey that deserves to be hunted because of its actions} stated Ava.


    {The Dungeon that the host is currently using, where the host hunts negative kind using the Dungeon Form will be known as the Physical Dungeon and the Dungeon Form is now known as the Physical Dungeon Form. The host no longer has t worry about upgrading the Dungeon Form and that will occur automatically through the system since the host has accepted the system as a guide rather than a tool}


    {As for the second Dungeon, it will be known as the Soul Dungeon and within it, the host will face evil or wandering souls that haven''t been collected by the death kind or are shackled to the world of the living. Depending on each soul, the longer they aren''t collected for and are out of their body, the more they are consumed by negative energy and souls can also feed off negative emotions. Wandering souls would be considered by the host as ghosts, but they can become very powerful and even begin consuming the souls of living people. While Evil Souls are souls that have been cultivated through Evil Soul Cultivation Methods and most that cultivate an Evil Soul Cultivation Method, plan to use it to take over someone else''s body}


    [Could it be that the Evil Soul that is trying to take over my aunt''s body sees some hidden potential in her body? She did seem to be able to sense that something changed about me each time I broke through, but I don''t think it would be worth taking her body for] wondered Adam to himself, but that thought was still removed from his mind and whatever the reason, he would take down the Evil Soul.


    [So, I can cultivate my soul by hunting in the Soul Dungeon. I am assuming that the cultivation levels for the soul and physical body are the same, so right now, what is the cultivation level of my soul?] asked Adam.


    {Your soul is LVL 3 and just like you assumed, the cultivation levels of the soul are the same as the physical body. Some may have unknowing cultivated their soul slightly and with it may be able to have extraordinary senses or perceptivity, but it is very difficult to do so and unlike physical cultivation, it is much broader. For you, however, the more you hunt, the more powerful your soul becomes}


    {But before the host embarks on Soul Cultivation or enters the Soul Dungeon, there are some things that the host must know. Also by embarking on Soul Cultivation, the changes it will have on the host''s body will make it so that the host may struggle to recognise himself as a human}


    Adam wasn''t affected by that in the slightest and although he would prefer if his appearance remained the same, what exactly he was didn''t matter.


    He would always be a human at heart and even if he wasn''t a human, those that he cared about were and he would still protect them with all his power.


    {First things first, the host must know about souls, soul cultivation and souls that are outside of the body or do not have a body} said Ava as Adam prepared himself to memorise everything that Ava was about to tell him.


    There wasn''t much that could shock Adam anymore and with everything he had been told about the universe, being overwhelmed by a revelation was very unlikely as he listened closely to everything that Ava said to him.


    {Just like the host can probably guess, souls cannot be harmed by physical attacks and you can think of souls being in a separate space. Just like how Illusion Barriers work, souls are invisible to all, but can see everything that is occurring, however, it is slightly different. Wandering souls, evil souls and other souls with negative intentions or had been consumed by negativity can harm people, inhabit their bodies, give them bad luck or curse them}


    {The only way to damage souls is through soul skills and or soul equipment. A piece of Soul Equipment is awakened by soul creatures at birth and depending on the quality of the Soul Equipment along with the type of equipment, they can become a death wraith and work their way up the ladder}


    {Death Wraiths usually awaken Soul Equipment like ropes, chains or some sort of equipment that can be used to restrain souls and they are all trained in different techniques to subdue souls. They are also given the secret to moving from the land of the living to the underworld}


    {Meanwhile, those with offensive Soul Equipment can also become Death Wraiths and are more likely to become Death Reapers who are sent to use force against souls that manage to escape from or resist against Death Wraiths}


    {Soul creatures have their own rankings and in all honesty, even the system cannot provide you much detailed information about their bodies genetics and how exactly they are able to do what they are. They are very secretive and without infiltrating them, one would struggle to find out much about the workings of the underworld}


    Hearing that Adam''s curiosity was once again peaked and was wondering whether he would be able to contact the Death Wraiths somehow and ask for assistance when dealing with the Evil Soul within his aunt.


    However, when he thought about it, he could deal with it himself whatever Soul Equipment or Soul Skills he would be able to acquire.


    {One can only awaken a single piece of soul equipment and in some cases, one can integrate with one if they do not naturally awaken it, but the host already has a piece of soul equipment and I think can guess what exactly it is}

 Chapter 361: Soul Cultivation

    {The host''s piece of Soul Equipment is the Devouring Death Daggers, and with it, the host can absorb Soul Power from other souls using the Syphoning extension. It is a piece of Soul Equipment that has never been seen before and the ability to steel Soul Power after slashing someone''s soul makes it formidable. Along with that, just like the Soul Equipment of the soul kind, it will grow and develop as you cultivate your soul}


    {The other method to fight while in a soul form are Soul Skills use Soul Power which is gathered through Soul Cultivation. It is energy that is absorbed and stored within the soul and works different to physical energy, but can be thought of as something similar to Internal Energy. With it, one''s soul would be able to live for longer, even past the lifespan of one''s body, and it could also be used to unleash different attacks aimed at the soul through Soul Skills}


    {Soul Cultivation is the improvement of one''s soul and with more Soul Power gathered into the Soul, the more capable it is. Energy is present in everything and can also be used for everything, but comes in different forms and once one steps onto the path of Soul Cultivation, there are some instant changes}


    {The first change is Soul Vision, which will allow the host to see all the souls, ghosts, wandering souls and death wraiths around the host. However, with so many people consistently dying and negative energy being very dense in cities, wandering souls are very common and it may become annoying. Soul Vision can also be a liability as if a Death Wraith, Death Reaper or any other of the soul kind that were sent from the underworld notice that you can see them, there could be big trouble. It can be deactivated, but even with it deactivated, the host will be able to sense souls and Soul Power around him, which is very difficult to mask}


    {A soul could hit another soul, but a soul couldn''t hit a physical body just like a physical body cannot hit a soul. However, there are still many ways to harm someone in a physical form as a soul, while it is the same the other way round. You can think of it as though there is a Soul Space and Physical Space where there are ways to affect the other, but they are rare and difficult to do}


    {Even some Immortal Cultivators don''t have Soul Vision or the aptitude and talent for Soul Cultivation, which is rare, but there are still many other ways to sense souls and one''s presence. One will have an odd feeling when there is the presence of some sort of soul and a being in a soul form is by no means invincible, invisible and undetectable} she said before pausing, giving Adam a chance to digest and go over everything that she revealed to him.


    Everything Ava was informing him was opening his eyes to how souls really worked and it was the essence of one''s being that could be removed from the body, or could have been born without a physical form.


    Finding a compatible physical form is most likely to be difficult and that is probably why the soul cycle may take long periods of time and why some are unable to reincarnate.


    It also explains how the myths about immortals and their ability to continually reincarnate works as the essence of their being must be too powerful for the soul cycle to handle, so they are sent back to the land of the living in another body.


    While there are also other possibilities with everything that he had been told and maybe those that cultivated their Soul and continually increase their Soul Power are invincible and can continue to live on as long as they can avoid or fight against the underworld.


    From what Ava had told him, even the system didn''t know the ins and outs of the underworld and that implied that whoever was controlling or created the system was actually from the higher plains and the living world.


    It also went to show Adam that the underworld was much more capable and mysterious than he had expected and that there would be many mysteries he could explore by heading there in the future.


    {There are many things about Soul Cultivation, Soul Power and the Soul Dungeon that the host will come to learn over time, but for now, there are still a few more things that must be mentioned} stated Ava, interrupting Adam''s chain of thought.


    {First things first, continuing on from where I said the host may no longer feel human, the host will gain characteristics of the soul creatures. The host can refuse them, but there is no reason to as they will greatly increase your capability, power and versatility}


    {Soul Creatures are a unique kind of being that can switch between having a physical and soul form through a unique trait that they are born with. Along with that, the way they age, grow up, live and train is different to that of negative and positive creatures that you are used to. All creatures that you come across will fit into one of those three categories, and although it is said that once one''s soul leaves their body they die, that isn''t necessarily true. As long as one''s soul is conscious and aware, one is still alive, meaning soul creatures are technically living creatures. But at the same time, their plain of existence is different and there are too many laws and secrets of the universe that are too profound to delve into. All the host must remember is to hunt and become the best possible version of the host as possible}


    {Although the host won''t truly be able to become a Soul Creature, the host will no longer be a positive creature and also won''t be a negative creature. There have been hybrids of two types: Negative Soul Creatures and Positive Soul Creatures, however, nobody has been able to harmonise being a positive and negative creature. Through the system, the host can and should become a hybrid of all three forms of beings and after that, the host will be able to become invincible}

 Chapter 362: [Bonus Chapter]Grinding Endlessly

    {However ultimately the choice is the host''s, but if the host refuses the opportunities of the system, the host may not reach his full potential. It starts with the characteristics of Soul Creatures that you will gain and you have already gained a Negative Characteristic}


    [Ava, we have gone over this. What type of creature I identify as doesn''t matter as long as I am still myself and am in control of my body. I will always stick to my beliefs and what I am won''t phase me in the slightest] declared Adam with great conviction.


    Hearing that, Ava was pleased and continued what she was saying.


    {The host already has a Soul Weapon and that has already made you a Soul Cultivator, but now the host will gain the Form Switching Characteristic that is unique to Soul Creatures. Not even all Soul Creatures have the capability to switch between a Soul Form and a Physical Form according to leaked information from the underworld. This means that the host has become quite a rare specimen, especially with everything else that the host has}


    {Once the host is able to balance his Soul Cultivation and Physical Cultivation, which may take you quite a long time, the host will gain the Form Switching Characteristic. However, it should be quicker than your Physical Dungeon Hunting as the start will be against weak souls that you should be able to take down with your skills, knowledge and experience}


    {The conditions for its use are that the body and mind are stable, meaning that the Soul Cultivation Level and Physical Cultivation Level need to be similar. It also requires you to be calm, unharmed and have a substantial amount of Soul Power, Internal Energy and External Energy left. If these conditions are not met, the Form Switching is still possible, but there may be consequences so the host must be careful}


    {Along with that, the host has gained another skill that is an addition to the Charm Skill. With the Charm Skill, the host can manipulate and control the mind of humans that already feel some sort of way about you, are physically weaker than the host or have a weaker willpower. However it can also be used against other creatures and it is much more effective against wandering souls and ghosts who do not have a purpose and usually wish to end their suffering, so would quite easily become obedient to the host}


    {There are many more things that the host will come to learn about, but the final thing the system wants to talk to the host about are people that cultivate their souls. There are those that use Negative Soul Skills and those that use Positive Soul Skills, but there is only one form of Soul Power that can be used in different ways. Unlike using Internal Energy, Soul Power is unique to each soul and most of the time, people will be restricted to one or a few skills, since it is very difficult to wield and master Soul Power}


    {Excorcists and Shamans are probably the most common that you will come across and the host mustn''t become complacent or reckless as once your soul is destroyed, so will the system and it will be almost impossible for you to regain the memories, experience and body that you currently have}


    {They can manipulate souls, use attacks aimed at the soul and are also likely to have treasure and items that are effective against ghosts and souls. It is also likely that the underworld will send scouts to any area that you are in as you will be eliminating many wandering evil souls, spirits or whatever else you wish to call them. With so many unknown factors, along with the ancients and Evil Cultivation Organisation lurking in the shadows, the host must be careful}


    Ava mentioned a few other small things and Adam was continuously being enlightened to new things that would overwhelm most others that heard it and with that had no time to waste.


    He had just over half a year to get as powerful as he could and also catch up his Soul Cultivation to Physical Cultivation, leaving him no time to sit idly as he instantly began using everything that he had at his disposal.


    There were so many things he wanted to explore, achieve and change in the universe and all of that required great power, which he was striving towards endlessly for the rest of the year.


    Adam made sure that he trained every part of his body and analysed his own weaknesses and covered them to the best of his ability.


    He mastered all the skills he had created or acquired along with trying to improve or fuse them to reach his full potential.


    His lack of wide-range, explosive power had been solved with the Fire Elemental Affinity, but his lack of ranged combat skills was still an issue.


    Because of that, he also took the time to learn a ranged skill that was given to him by his master, improved by the system, then further improved by Adam who used the base skill to form multiple other variants of it.


    Adam was grinding endlessly and each and every day he could see his power, knowledge and skill improve, but he could also see his master continuing to decline.


    Despite that, his master was proud, happy and ready to die, which Adam was glad about and supported.


    He was not only fighting for himself, but for those he cared about, the legacy he was carrying from his master and the system and for the balance of the universe that was on the verge of collapse.


    Once an all-out war began between both sides of the universe, even the underworld would be unable to stop it and Adam needed to get as powerful as he could before then.


    What he was planning to achieve was bigger than New York, America and the entire world, and nothing would be able to stop Adam as he continued working as hard as he could.

 Chapter 363: The Year Over Part 1

    An entire year passed very quickly and so much had changed in that single year. Adam along with the rest of his friends had progressed massively and all of them were anticipating their reunion.


    However, while Adam was focused completely on his training and acquiring knowledge without worrying about what was happening outside in the outside world, there had been many big events.


    Cole and Angela despite being the family heads of two large cultivation families that had quite large territories and many members, were completely invested in the Sentinels Faction.


    It wasn''t only because Adam was an incredible individual that was their friend and would have a great future, but also because of how fast and well the faction was doing and also how capable Chase and Elizabeth were.


    Elizabeth was extremely skilled at management, leadership and organisation, while Chase had a likeable personality that was easy to get along with, but was also a very powerful and capable fighter, which also made him a great leader.


    Both worked coherently and built the Sentinels Faction rapidly with the support of the Maxwell and Epstein Families along with their own capabilities that were astonishingly high.


    The Sentinels Faction wasn''t one that was merely gathering useless people and wasting time and resources seeking to take control of worthless territories.


    What Elizabeth and Chase were hoping to achieve as the first two public leaders of the Seintels was bigger than that and was according to Adam''s wishes.


    They wanted to form a great power that could defend the world and their territory from any dangers and although they didn''t know much about the universe when compared to Adam, they knew that there were many dangers around the world that they had to prepare for.


    It was important for the faction to be capable and independent in all departments and other than cultivating and or managing and improving the faction, Chase and Elizabeth, just like Adam, didn''t take any time off to rest.


    Cole, Angela and Wayde were also the same with their own duties in their families along with their training and cultivation, however despite juggling many things at once, they were all able to make great advancements in their cultivation.


    Although in terms of power, skill, knowledge, versatility, potential and everything else, they couldn''t be compared to Adam, they were all progressing at rates that had never been seen before in New York.


    It could even be comparable to that of the ancients, but that was only natural with their decent talent gradings, abundant resources and great drive.


    However, it started to slow down and their progress seemed to be quite limited for some of them.


    Wayde was nearing the peak of the Advanced Cultivation, Angela was nearing the mid-level of the Advanced Cultivation Level along with Elizabeth, who would have been at a higher cultivation level than her if it wasn''t for needing to study many different skills and techniques.


    Elizabeth worked the most out of all of them and not only wanted to redeem herself for Adam, but also make the most of the constitution that she had inherited from her ancestor.


    Not only was she cultivating, studying and training to make up for the missed time and improve her foundations, she was also managing a large faction.


    Chase and Cole reached the higher parts of the Advanced Cultivation Level and although their cultivation levels were still lower than Wayde, their power and skill had surpassed his.


    Cole, Chase and Elizabeth showed the most talent and potential and Angela was closely behind, making them an incredible group of youths that were all making rapid progress.


    Wayde was by no means jealous or upset by it and get proud and also grateful to Adam who was the biggest cause for the change in him and Angela and also the reason he was able to meet such amazing youths.


    With the help of the Maxwell and Epstein Families, the Sentinels Faction spread over quite a lot of New York and mostly in the territory of the Maxwell and Epstein Family, but also on some of the other family territories.


    They had hackers and stealthy cultivators that worked under Elizabeth and she also had many people working closely under her who would manage their assets and distribute wealth to each department of the faction.


    There was the Research Department, which focused on gathering knowledge and also making advancements in modern technology as well as trying to fuse it with the research they did on cultivation.


    Along with that, there was the Alchemy Department, Infirmary Department, Armoury, Treasury, Production Department, Business Department and the Library Department.


    Each of them had many members that also included some from the Maxwell and Epstein families, who were granted the role by their family heads, and each department required large funding along with cultivation resources.


    Other than those different parts of the faction, there were also two combat units, one that was led by Chase and the other that was led by Elizabeth.


    Each of the members of the unit was hand-picked and had great potential, skill and were making great progress under the tutelage of their unit leaders.


    The Sentinels Faction in a single year had grown to a point that they were becoming a threat to the great families and with the complete cooperation of two great families, that were also allied, the three groups had become a great threat.


    They had hundreds of millions in assets and were also making much more money and trading cultivation resources using their numerous departments to do so and Elizabeth had made it her priority to make it a faction that could always be independent.


    With all the departments there was no need to rely on an outside source and had swallowed most of the small organisations, groups and families that had anything to do with cultivation.


    Force wasn''t used, but it was impossible to refuse them with their reputation and growth speed, and most were willing to join, hoping to get a piece of large pie that was endlessly growing.

 Chapter 364: The Year Over Part 2

    Businesses, cultivation groups, cultivation families and every other form of association were being swallowed up by the faction and plenty of money, resources, techniques, skills and methods were being gathered by the Sentinel Factions.


    There was so much to manage and with so many members it was becoming difficult to handle with so much uncertainty and with Elizabeth and Chase unable to discern whether their members are truly loyal.


    That issue was being suppressed by Chase, who was the Monk, Protector and Army Leader of the Sentinels and was known to be on par, in terms of power, with even the Great  Family Heads in New York.


    Along with that, his army was known for being capable and had two main units, one that focused on defence and was spread throughout their various bases and businesses around the city, protecting them from any cultivators with malicious intentions.


    The other focused on offence and were all trained in the same skills, techniques and methods, which were gathered by the faction and also provided by the Epstein and Maxwell Family, making the unit great at teamwork, and incredibly capable.


    A year for most cultivators wasn''t enough time to make much progress and they still were far from being on par with the military or the small armies that the other cultivation families had, but their progress was still astonishing.


    Everything was very organised, but Chase and Elizabeth were struggling to keep control, not because of their lack of power and respect, but because of the sheer number of members and all the resources at their grasp.


    Adding onto that, trouble was brewing in the city and the NYPD didn''t have the cultivation contacts and support to intervene, while the big cultivators working for the government and military weren''t planning to intervene.


    Unless the conflict affecting innocents and people too much, they weren''t going to get involved and the main reason for that was because they didn''t want cultivation to be revealed.


    That would create a world of destruction where everyone could wield the power of a cultivator and would fight over all the resources that were needed by cultivators.


    What they were hoping for was a conflict that would end up with both sides weakening and giving the military the opportunity to pounce on the leftovers, but most other cultivation families on groups in other cities were thinking the same thing.


    With everything was occurring in New York and large cultivation families becoming allied and growing rapidly, there were signs of wars breaking out and most cultivators preparing themselves for the conflict, but also to try and benefit from it.


    Everything was becoming hard for Elizabeth and Chase to handle alone and with Adam''s support behind them, they would feel much more confident, which was why they were waiting for their true leader to return.


    Although the Sentinels Faction was quite capable, it couldn''t rival a great cultivation family yet and it was only so formidable because of the backing of two cultivation families.


    And despite it being rumoured that Chase had the power on the level of a Family Head, the family heads that heard about his age didn''t believe it and even if it was true, didn''t believe he would be able to defeat them.


    Seeing how quickly they were developing, the Lin Family took the initiative to find a way to increase their power in preparation for facing the Sentinels, Maxwell Family and Epstein Family.


    Independently, the Lin Family was the strongest and the Lin Family Leader was very skilled and was also the closest to breaking through to being a Master Cultivator, however, the other family heads were still threats.


    His Lin Family was the largest and although wasn''t the wealthiest, had the most members and were known for having wild, capable and reckless family members, which in an all-out war, would make them a force to be reckoned with.


    Additionally, the Lin Family Head was extremely intelligent, calculative and cautious, which was to be expected from an individual in power who only cared about himself and his influence.


    Because of that, the alliance between the Maxwell Family, Epstein Family and the Sentinels was what made him uneasy and seeing the rate they were growing and expanding made him wary.


    In reaction to that, he secretly agreed to an alliance with the Ford Family and Dale Family with him being the leader of the alliance.


    The two other great families in New York agreed without any hesitation and they knew that it was the only way for their survival with the ambitious, rapid growth of the Sentinel Faction.


    Over that past year, the three other great families seemed to lay dormant and not do much, however they were preparing themselves for a takeover and as long as they eliminated the family heads of the enemy along with most of the elders, the rest would fall into their hands.


    With one''s life at stake it is unlikely that one would still stick to their beliefs and loyalties, making it so that as long as the leadership of the enemies were taken down, most of the rest would willingly submit and join the enemy.


    The winner of the war dictated history and the Lin Family Head was seeking the unification of New York and planning to swallow up the Dale Family and Ford Family after using them to get what he wanted.


    As long as he was able to become a Master Level Cultivator, he would be unstoppable in New York and would even begin taking over the neighbouring cities, or so he believed.


    The Maxwell Family, Epstein Family and Sentinels Faction heard rumours about the alliance that the other great families had formed to be able to face them and if that wasn''t enough to scare them, something sudden and unexpected occurred.


    The Epstein Family didn''t have a powerful, capable and experienced Family Head, along with the Maxwell Family, but the previous Maxwell Family Head was still alive and there were quite a few other capable cultivators in each of those families.


    However, if the previous Maxwell Family Head were to suddenly be weakened in some way, it would be the perfect opportunity for the Lin Family Head and its allied families to take over New York, believing nobody else that was against him would be able to pose a threat to him.

 Chapter 365: Arising Conflict

    While trying to break through to the Master Cultivation Level, the previous Maxwell Family Head failed and suffered large backlash, weakening him greatly and making it so that he would be unable to unleash the full power that he once had.


    The Maxwell Family tried to keep it secret, but word got out and after the Lin Family Head received it and verified it, a formal declaration of war was sent to the Maxwell Family, Epstein Family and Sentinels Faction.


    A war between such large cultivation families and large groups of cultivators could decimate the entire city, so in the declaration of war, the Lin Family set a time and a place for them to face each other in a direct confrontation.


    If they do not wish to battle, they may submit or expect an all-out attack within the city, which would cause great destruction and unnecessary death, and may even alert powerful cultivators that they didn''t wish to mess with.


    It gave the Maxwell Family, Epstein Family and Sentinel Faction no choice but to accept the call to war and instantly the situation for cultivators in New York was dire and most sought shelter, while others prepared to watch a great battle.


    The meeting point was in an open and extremely large empty area outside of the city and the Lin Family Head wasn''t looking to kill them all, but recruit as many of them as he could.


    That was the main reason for his direct call to war, as otherwise he could have attacked suddenly and destroyed all of their assets and played it off to the public as a terrorist attack.


    With both sides agreeing to a war and preparing for it to be held using hundreds of Illusion Stones outside of the city, where there wouldn''t be any people or buildings, cultivators around the country and even around the world awaited news of the result.


    Cole, Chase, Elizabeth, Angela and Wayde met together, as the 5 key people in the three allied groups and began planning their strategy.


    Chase, Wayde, Cole and the strongest of the elders were to face the Lin Family Head and the other Family Heads directly, while the rest of the troops were to focus on ranged combat and using weaponry to conserve their energy.


    With so many cultivators fighting in one place, there would be great destruction and it was likely that only a few cultivators would fight each other at a time.


    There were many unknown factors, but the place had been set for their war and they were glad that it wasn''t set within the city, but also worried, since it didn''t give them any places to hide or use tactics.


    It was going to be an all-out direct war between hundreds of capable cultivators and only the most capable cultivators would attend, as the weaker cultivators would merely get in the way and would merely get themselves killed.


    While it was also important for them to protect their territories in the absence of the leaders, so there wouldn''t be too many cultivators, but each of them would have power that surpassed most of what one could unleash with modern weaponry.


    Many preparations were being set and the previous Maxwell Family Head was trying his best to recover before the battle began, hoping that he could aid in the battle against the powerful, ruthless and intelligent Lin Family Head.


    Meanwhile, Adam estimated that it was nearing the time for him to complete his seclusion and was curious, excited and ready to return to his friends.


    Adam had made sure to make sure that he made the most of his time and with his Unique Clone Sill, while in reality, he would always be studying and learning things from his master, while training his body and skills.


    Through that, he had become a master of arrays that was on par with any array expert that could be found in the Epstein Family and had also reached the peak of the Advanced Cultivation Level in both Physical and Soul Cultivation.


    Fighting against evil souls, ghouls and all other forms of souls was a new experience that was great and through it, he gained great power, experience and skills.


    He had also fought against all sorts of negative creatures in the dungeon and also come across some unexpected positive creatures such as elves and dwarves, which he never expected to actually exist.


    However, when he thought about it, compared to everything else that he had seen and been informed about, that was far from being able to shock him.


    Along with all the skills and techniques that he had, his stats had already surpassed what one would expect from a mid-level Master Cultivator and his skills and capabilities had surpassed even that.


    Adam''s Fire Elemental Affinity had also progressed to the E:1 grade through his continuous training in its use and mastery over it, along with the increase of his body''s power.


    All meanwhile, he had the Three Special Rings that he had integrated with and also practised with to the point that he could comfortably draw out a large amount of their current power and unleash multiple abilities from each of the rings.


    Additionally, Adam had become enthralled in the study and understanding of souls and since the Devouring Death Daggers were his Soul Equipment, with it, he could absorb Soul Power from any living creature around him.


    Currently, Adam felt invincible within the country and knew that if he went all-out, he would even be able to match and even defeat Master Cultivators, however, he still knew that it was far from enough.


    Earth was small compared to everything else he had seen while in the Physical Dungeon and Soul Dungeon and despite the earth being small, he was still unable to even dominate a small part of it.


    There was still so much he was unable to do and didn''t know, but in a single year, his power, knowledge and mindset had improved astronomically.

 Chapter 366: Masters Death Part 1

    Feeling great, Adam''s Physical and Soul Cultivation hadn''t managed to break through to the Master Cultivation Level, but he was still confident in his power and skill and was ready to exit seclusion.


    He was on the final part of the last dungeon that would allow him to break through and become a Master Cultivator, but it was much longer and more difficult than it was when he broke through to the Advanced Cultivation Level.


    It also would make his power imbalanced if he broke through the Master Cultivation Level in only one of his cultivations, which would make it so that he couldn''t use his Form Switching Characteristic to its full potential.


    Because of all of that, he decided to leave seclusion before managing to break through to the Master Cultivation Level, worried about what was happening to his friends and his aunt.


    It had been a year without him seeing them or contacting them in any way and in a year, many things could occur to his friends as leaders of cultivation groups that were rapidly growing and were threats to other cultivation groups around.


    Along with that, his aunt must have experienced her body do many horrible things with the Evil Soul within her controlling and manipulating her into doing such things, which angered and saddened Adam greatly.


    With his current power, unless he was facing someone that surpassed the Master Cultivation Level, also known as the Sky Mortal Cultivation Level by the system, he would be able to handle them.


    He also hadn''t used  the stat points that he had gathered over the past year, leaving him a large reserve of power that he could unleash at any time he needed, and would be enough to take his power up by dozens of levels.


    After a year of hard work, Adam was ready to leave, but he had a feeling that his master couldn''t hold out any longer just like his master had previously estimated before Adam began his seclusion.


    Over the past couple of weeks, his master had been weakened even more and was only holding out through sheer willpower and desire to see Adam off after his training was completed.


    Coughing out blood was a regular occurrence and without the assistance of the energy chamber that would supply him with quite a large amount of energy constantly, his body would have collapsed much earlier.


    Adam had learnt to always trust his instincts that had never been wrong, and not only did he feel that the world outside had been experiencing many changes, but he also felt as though it was time for his master''s passing.


    The reason for his master''s condition rapidly worsening was most likely due to his master knowing that Adam had completed his training, and that he had already passed onto him everything that he had and knew.


    That made it so that he had no longer any reason to hold onto living and stopped trying to resist the collapsing of his body that had been abused and pushed past its limits in order to extend his life.


    The control of the arrays and secret lair in the cliff face had been handed over to Adam, along with the gravity, energy chamber and all the other useful rooms in the secret lair, including the one with all the knowledge, information and manuals that his master had written for Adam over the past year.


    His master was happy to die, but Adam wanted to make sure he was there in his last moments as he dashed towards the energy chamber and appeared beside his master in the blink of an eye.


    The old man was very drained and had become very skinny, making his appearance similar to that of a corpse, but despite that, he still managed to smile as he looked at Adam.


    Adam held his master''s hand tightly, and although his face was calm and he tried to give his master an easy and happy death, it was clear in his red eyes that he was upset.


    "Adam, it''s my time to die and you have helped me realise that death at an old age isn''t something to be afraid of. I have embraced that fact that it''s the end of the line for me and I am happy I got the chance to meet you and take you in as my disciple" said his master with a hoarse voice and tears in his eyes.


    Both of them reminisced about the good times they spent together and all the times they sparred and had fun with each other.


    Although they both had the times they were serious, upset and angry, having fun and joking around was something that Adam had always done his entire life.


    It was a way of lightening up the mood, relaxing and made it easier to hide and forget about everything he was feeling.


    "Even on your deathbed your still an old loser," said Adam not wanting his master''s death to feel sad or serious for his master.


    Dying without regrets was the biggest blessing and Adam was hoping that his master could leave all his regrets for him to solve, so that his master''s soul could rest in peace.


    His master chuckled slightly, but as he did, felt more pain in his collapsing body and blurted out a large curdle of blood.


    "I will make you proud and make sure that the ancients, as well as anything else threatening the livelihood of the masses, will be destroyed and hunted by me" declared Adam.


    "You can rest easy knowing that you have left me behind as Humanity''s Hunter" reassured him Adam as he held his master''s hand tightly until he heard and sensed his master''s heartbeat stop.


    "I will be watching over you," his master said in his final moments before dying.


    Hearing that, Adam smiled, but knew that wasn''t the case since souls would be taken to the soul sea, however, it was a nice thought and Adam was hoping that his master would have a good life in his next with his lover.


    His master''s death was peaceful and Adam was about to prepare himself to leave the secret lair, but suddenly sensed a presence appear in the energy chamber he was in.


    As soon as he did, although he couldn''t see anything, he had a good idea of what exactly it was.

 Chapter 367: Masters Death Part 2

    His Soul Cultivation hadn''t reached the Master Cultivation Level, but his Soul Power was dense, pure and incredibly powerful, even when compared to Master Level Souls.


    Along with that, even if he held back his aura, cultivation level and his capabilities, souls and people with sharp senses couldn''t help but fear him slightly.


    The reason for that was his Death Devouring Daggers that had become his Soul Weapon and Integratable Weapon and struck fear in anyone that was in their presence.


    Adam had only used his Soul Vision and switched into his Soul Form a single time and had no need to do so and also was wary of doing so.


    He could hide his Physical and Soul Cultivation really well while in his Physical Form, to the point that even his master was unable to truly gauge his cultivation level or power.


    However, he still couldn''t completely hide his Soul and Physical Cultivation, and although he was suited to stealth, as one became more powerful, it became harder to mask one''s power.


    That was made evident to Adam when he used the Form Switching Characteristic for the first time.


    Everything happened very quickly and suddenly.


    Adam couldn''t hold back his power and caused a large commotion.


    In that form, since a soul had no physical mass and it was only tangible to others in some sort of soul form, one could float around and move through physical entities, such as walls.


    Adam was accustomed to the feeling of being in a Soul Form and fighting using Soul Power after hunting in the Soul Dungeon for many months.


    However, he would let loose and unleash his full power in the Soul Dungeon, unlike in reality or the Physical Dungeon where he had to be reserved and stealthy on most occasions.


    As soon as Adam entered his Soul Form in reality he quickly reverted back into his Physical Form and it had alerted his master, who had sharp senses, along with all other Souls and Soul Cultivators within the city.


    They didn''t have enough time to pinpoint the location of the Master Level Soul and most were afraid of it, while some were intrigued and curious as to what it was, however, the existence of someone with such Soul Power was shocking news for New York and the rest of the county.


    A single instant caused a great shock for cultivators around the country and after that instant, Adam took time to practise concealment.


    He did so for both his Physical and Soul Cultivation in both forms and gained an extension for his Form Switching Characteristic.


    It was part of a mission that he received after working hard towards becoming adept in concealment.


    Adam completed all missions that were issued by the system, as most of them were based on his desires, targets and ambitions, so he quickly acquired the extension.


    The extension was Form Concealment and was linked to his Stealth Ring along with his Form Switching Characteristic, forming a very useful ability.


    Just as the name suggests, it allowed Adam to conceal himself in any form.


    His heat signature, breath, cultivation level and anything else that might alert an individual of his presence could be concealed and Adam practised and trained in the extension that required him to master it.


    After mastering it, Adam would only conceal his Cultivation Level most of the time and unless he came across an incredibly skilled and perceptive cultivator that was at a much higher cultivation level than him, nobody would be able to tell his Physical and Soul Cultivation Level.


    His master had just died and Adam was grateful for everything he had done for him and happy that his master had found peace, despite the sad event.


    However, he couldn''t help but be curious about what the Death Wraith, that was taking his master''s soul to the underworld, would look like.


    His master had nothing holding him back and was ready for death, so after dying wouldn''t be a conscious soul and would be easily and quickly carried back by the Death Wraith.


    That along with the sudden presence that Adam sensed confirmed that a Death Wraith had come to take his master''s soul.


    Adam was wary of alerting the Death Wraith of his ability to see Death Wraiths, revealing that he was a Soul Cultivator, and could also get him into trouble.


    However, it might be an ordinary occurrence and from stories and the ideas that he had in his mind, death wraiths were frightening beings that wore black robes and carried a long scythe.


    He knew that the image he had in his mind was most likely to be incorrect, but he was hoping that there was truth behind how they acted.


    Thinking about it, shamans, exorcists and any other soul cultivators should be able to see death wraiths and they shouldn''t be allowed to kill the living in most circumstances, as that is against their laws.


    Adam was also confident in his Soul Power and could defend himself in the worst-case scenario.


    However, he wasn''t looking to become known by Immortal Cultivators or the Leaders of the Underworld until he was powerful enough to face them as an equal or even a superior.


    There were many things running through his mind at once and Adam wanted to be careful, but in a split second, he deiced to go through with it.


    His confidence and curiosity couldn''t be suppressed as he activated his Soul Vision and acted as though nothing had changed.


    However, what he saw next was completely shocking and went against everything he was expecting to see.


    He could see his master, whose soul form was identical to his physical form and was unconscious in the hands of what could only be a Death Wraith.


    But, that Death Wraith appeared mind-blowingly different than he was expected.


    Adam believed that his speed was quick enough so that the Death Wraith didn''t notice and only looked at it for a split second, however, what he heard next, caused him to immediately regret his decision.


    "You saw me just now, didn''t you. I can tell, you are a Soul Cultivator" exclaimed the Death Wraith.

 Chapter 368: First Contact With a Death Wraith

    The Death Wraiths appearance was that of a young girl, but she was very tall and had two small horns sticking out of her heard.


    Since she was in a Soul Form, she was obviously floating and her long white hair was flowing behind her, giving her quite a majestic appearance.


    If it wasn''t for her horns or slightly grey skin, she could be mistaken for a human and what shocked him the most was the fact that she communicated with him.


    Wasn''t it supposed to be forbidden for those from the underworld to make contact with anyone in the land of the living and if they did, they could be punished greatly for it.


    However, looking back at the Death Wraith, as soon as it spoke to Adam, it seemed to instantly realise her mistake.


    Despite that, it was overcome with curiosity and couldn''t help but continue trying to get Adam to communicate with her.


    Since she was in a Soul Form, space itself worked very differently and she began floating around and through Adam, trying to annoy him and get him to respond to her.


    Adam gave in to her annoying and desperate nature and was also very curious about the underworld and wanted to speak to her, but before he did, he wanted to make one thing sure.


    "Death Wraith. If I speak to you, will our conversation stay a secret between us?" asked Adam, not wanting it to cause him any trouble.


    "You finally decided to respond to me. I knew you would be able to hear me and although somehow you are able to hide your Soul Cultivation, I feel danger from you, which I have never felt from a human before" she said as she floated in front of Adam.


    The way she acted and her expression was like that of an amazed and curious child, but from her body alone, Adam would estimate that she was roughly his age.


    "Our conversation will obviously be a secret, as I will be scolded by my boss if he was to ever find out that I spoke to a living human cultivator, especially one that was a capable Soul Cultivator," the Death Wraith said, clearly intimidated by her boss.


    "Alright then, we can talk, but make sure to take care of that soul. It belongs to someone very dear to me" decided Adam.


    "I have so many questions. First, what is it like being a human? Why do you have red eyes? How are you so calm? And why do I feel so afraid of you?" she asked.


    Hearing all her questions, Adam smiled and she was like an eager child and she also seemed very friendly, which was weird to think about, considering that Death Wraiths were the soul carriers of the dead.


    "I will only answer your questions if you answer mine" stated Adam, planning to get as much information as he could out of her, seeing how friendly she was.


    In return, he was also willing to give her information as she didn''t seem to be a bad individual.


    "So, how old are you? What exactly is your role? And how powerful is the underworld?" asked Adam.


    "Um, my age. Wait, let me calculate it in human years"


    "I am currently around 190 years old according to human years, but in the underworld, I am very young and from what we were taught at school, a more accurate conversion was to divide our age by 10"


    Adam was shocked by her answer and the fact that she had lived for 190 years was unbelievable, but from the way she acted, she clearly wasn''t very mature and even being 19 years old was slightly unbelievable.


    Seeing his shocked expression, she asked, how old he was.


    "Your 19, so that means you are around the same age as me," she said, believing that he was using the standards of the underworld to give his age.


    Hearing her assumption, Adam couldn''t help but laugh and corrected her and told her that he had only lived for a total of 19 years.


    She found that weird and shocking, then went on to tell him that even in a hundred human years, creatures in the underworld would still be extremely young children.


    One would only be considered an adult at around 200 years and the average lifetime of an ordinary creature was around 1000 years, even if they didn''t cultivate much or were unable to.


    While those at the peak of the underworld lived for who knew how long and most things about the underworld were unknown to her.


    However, she depicted it as a land that was infinitely large and only accessible to those of the underworld and most were employed under the Death Corps, while the rest lived ordinary lives.


    The Death Corps had many different branches and she was currently the lowest level Death Wraith, sent only to collect the weakest of souls that wouldn''t resist being taken to the underworld.


    This was the first time she was given an interesting mission as Adam''s master had been resisting death for many years and now that he had died, there could be something dangerous or unusual about his death.


    However, she never expected to come across a young Soul Cultivator that was very interesting, but also quite friendly and easy to talk to.


    Weirdly, Adam was just seeing her as a new person to talk to and without realising it, they ended up talking to each other for over an hour and both of them had become very comfortable talking to each other.


    While talking to her, Adam carried his master''s body outside of the secret lair and made sure that the secret lair was secure before digging a hole to bury his master.


    He wanted to bury his master close to the secret lair, that way, Adam and any others that passed his memorial, could pay their respects to him.


    After he finished burying his master''s body, it was clear to him that the Death Wraith needed to return.

 Chapter 369: New Ally

    In a large structure in the underworld, a large horned figure sat within his office with an angry expression as he called his superior.


    "Brother, that daughter of yours is helpless. I sent her to complete a simple mission of bringing back a soul and she still is yet to return after all this time. We are already running low on workers with so many deaths occurring on all the plains and intersections, and yet she can waste so much time" complained the figure.


    "Relax, she is still young and is probably just exploring that human mortal realm. It is quite interesting and the way they live is quite fun to observe. I am sure she will return soon and just scold her when she does, since you are her uncle and boss. She had the potential to surpass us all and take the Horned Death God Clan to the level that it was once was at before it began declining, so try your best to nurture her. For now, I am extremely busy and I will leave her in your care" answered the man before ending the call.


    "Damn it, that bastard is just as annoying to deal with as his daughter. Let''s just hope she isn''t in danger as, although she is still young and developing, she is the hope of our clan" said the figure to himself.


    After spending over an hour talking to the Death Wraith, Adam knew that she needed to go after everything that she had told him about her uncle being her boss and her father being the leader of a Death God Clan.


    She also mentioned that the clan was declining and losing power, but they all saw her as the hope since she had the original Soul Weapon of the ancestor of the Horned Death God Clan.


    It was known as the Death God Horns and had rare and infinite capabilities, potential and power from what the legends stated, but her horns weren''t even fully grown yet and she was unable to unleash a single drop of its power.


    Seeing how much she was speaking, Adam also spoke about himself and was very honest about most things and mentioned a lot of his life apart from anything to do with the dungeon, showing her that he also went through many struggles.


    One thing she mentioned that caught Adam off guard, was that they were looking for whatever Soul Creature or Soul Cultivator it was that was destroying all the evil and wandering souls, along with all the other soul creatures that didn''t belong in the land of the living.


    She noticed that and realised that it must have been him who was doing it, but instead of being angry about it, she seemed grateful.


    "You have been a big help to the underworld and there are 64 of these Mortal Realms on the positive side of the universe along with the other side and all the intersections and plains. There is so much the underworld has to oversee and take care of, making it hard for us to cope" she said before instantly regretting it.


    She was becoming too comfortable with a mere mortal human and revealing too much, but looking at his expression that had stayed relatively calm the entire time, she was shocked.


    "Don''t worry, I know about the universe and the Immortal Plains. I know more than most and we are friends, so if I tell you something secret, I am sure you won''t divulge it to others, and the same applies with whatever you tell me" reassured her Adam.


    She was quite clumsy, naive and innocent, but she was kind, revealed a lot to Adam and had great potential, making her the perfect ally for Adam and he was sure that he could trust someone with such a character.


    Her character reminded him slightly of that of Chase and after he said that they were friends, she was baffled.


    "Friends. We are friends. I have never had a friend before" she said.


    She knew and understood what the word meant, since Death Wraiths were taught all the languages of the world so that they were able to communicate with any creature and could always gather information for the Death Corps.


    However, it was a concept that was quite foreign to those in the underworld who would live most of their lives serving the Death Corps, looking up to their superiors and being allied with their peers.


    "Yes, otherwise why would I talk to you for this long and trust you with some of my secrets. Friends help and trust each other and can rely on each other in times of need"


    "Then, from here on out we are friends," she said with a smile on her face.


    If Adam wasn''t the first human that she came across, it would be very easy to manipulate and use such an innocent and naive Death Wraith, but that went against Adam''s character.


    "It is clear that you need to go, but since we are now friends, I will give you some advice," said Adam, genuinely wanting to help her and make a capable ally, who had great future potential, just like him.


    "We have been talking this entire time very casually and you are very relaxed, but I have to be serious now and you might think I sound like your uncle, who is hard on you, but you need to hear this" stated Adam with a stern expression.


    "You divulged information about the underworld and your life to a random human, who could use that information or use you, because you are very naive. If I had bad intentions, you would have caused great danger and risk to yourself and the underworld. Along with that, you complain too much and are too immature"


    "Joking, relaxing and having fun with friends is fine. However, when it''s time to be serious and get things done, you must be ready and right now, you are wasting your potential"


    Adam''s words were stern and hard to swallow, but coming from a new person that was outside of her family and she also regarded as a friend, it resonated with her much more.

 Chapter 370: Fortuitous Encounter

    "You cannot go around making friends with just anyone and I don''t have any bad intentions, but I will make my intentions clear. I want to restore balance in the universe and know about what is going on currently in the Mortal Intersection"


    "As someone in the Death Corps and the one that will become the future leader of a Death God Clan, or goals are aligned and I also like you as a person. Because of that, I want you to become my ally, but trust and respect need to be earnt and right now our alliance is not strong since we have only spent less than 2 hours together"


    Adam continued on scolding her for a few minutes and she seemed to be on the verge of tears, but then he switched into his own Soul Form using the Form Switching Characteristic.


    Since he was also in a Soul Form, he could now make contact with her and it felt identical to how it felt to be touched in a physical form.


    Feeling his touch, she was shocked and seeing him floating beside her and not seeing his physical body, she was amazed and even powerful Soul Cultivators would struggle to get their souls to leave their body, let alone transform their physical body into a Soul Body.


    "I know what you are thinking. No, I am not a Soul Creature, and at the same time, I cannot be regarded as a human. You can think of me as the universe''s hunter that will hunt anyone or anything disturbing the balance and peace around me"


    "This is one of my greatest secrets and me revealing to you that I have the same capabilities as a Soul Creature shows how much I trust you, so show me that you trust me and are a worthy ally," he said as he put out his hand.


    "What is your name?" he asked, realising he had spent all that time without knowing her name.


    "Shinka" she answered while trying to hold back her tears and grab his hand.


    "I, Adam hereby declare myself as a secret ally of Shinka and the Horned Death God Clan and swear to assist you and your clan if I am able to do so and will be someone that Shinka can trust and rely on in the future. That is as long as Shinka is still the same, kind and trustworthy character that she is now" declared Adam.


    He didn''t want to use her or make her feel that she was used, so the only way to do so, was a Soul Contact, which would bind them to their words and if they went against it, would most likely cause their souls to be destroyed.


    "Shinka, it is time for you to break out of your shell and one thing that I like about you is how much you care about your people and your duty to be the guardians of the universe and overseers of the underworld. If you truly wish to become my ally, form a Soul Contract with me on the same terms as my own, but if not, we are still friends and you can come and find me on this realm" he said.


    While holding his hand and feeling his touch, then looking into his serious red eyes and feeling the great aura around him, that although didn''t reveal his cultivation, revealed his great ambition, capability and potential, she wiped her tears with her other arm.


    "Thanks, Adam, I really needed this talk and I will make sure to do my clan proud and also prove that you believing in me was the right choice"


    "I, Shinka hereby declared myself as the secret ally of Adam and swear to assist you and your goals and...."


    Shinka''s declaration was very similar to that of Adam and with both of them agreeing to the Soul Contact and both of them binding their souls to that contract, the legendary contract was formed.


    She had gone against the rules of the underworld to not only contact a living being, but also become their friend and form a Soul Contract with them, but she didn''t regret it in the slightest.


    "I should be on this realm for the next few years at least and after that will be moving on to exploring and protecting the rest of the universe, but if you ever need help with any evil souls or anything like that on this realm, just come and find me. With this Soul Contact, we should be drawn to each other and able to communicate with each other at times" stated Adam.


    "However, for now, or alliance is secret and me and you are in no position to be revealing ourselves. I will be progressing quickly and aiming for the peak of the universe, so make sure to keep up" he continued.


    "You took the words right out of my mouth and the next time you see me, you might not be able to recognise me after how much I have developed. But for now, I really need to go and my uncle is going to scold me greatly, so goodbye friend"


    "Next time you come to fulfil your duties and you are near me, come and find me so that we can fly around the city, and also, if me and you are in private, you should switch to your physical form and you can try food for the first time," said Adam, wanting to end it on a lighter note and also give her something to look forwards to.


    The revelation that Soul Creatures didn''t eat food was one of the revelations that shocked Adam the most.


    However after she explained that the underworld had dense energy and they would sustain their bodies by consuming Soul Power that could be created, nurtured and grown in the form of all kinds of supplements, he understood.


    But from what she told him, they were tasteless and she would be greatly shocked and impressed by the tasting food that humans would eat on a daily basis.


    With that, their talk was over, but all that was left was for her to somehow return to the underworld, which was what Adam was curiously and patiently waiting for.

 Chapter 371: Space Crystals

    Shinka needed to return and they had already bid each other farewell, but Adam stayed staring at her, curious to find out how exactly she was going to return to the underworld.


    She could see that and knew that it was a secret of the underground, but after forming a Soul Contract and speaking with him for such a long time, she trusted him and had no reason to hide it.


    There was something that Soul Creatures and especially the Death Corps were skilled at, and that was creating portals and wielding space itself.


    Although Shinka wasn''t particularly skilled at it and couldn''t be described as a skilled, capable or notorious individual within the Death Corps, all members of the Death Corps were capable of forming a single portal.


    To do so, they used a Space Crystal that was given to them by the Death Corps and after the secret incantation was recited, along with large amounts of Soul Power being poured into it, a portal back to the underworld would be formed.


    Each Space Crystal was linked to a different portal room in the underworld and since the underworld was an independent, secluded and unique realm, using such means was the only way to get to and from such a place.


    Space Crystals were used for single teleportation from one space to another, while portals would use such crystals and energy in the atmosphere to do the same thing.


    It was one of the most advanced forms of cultivation technology and was what was used to cover large distances in an instant and also move between plains and the Mortal Realms.


    On the 64 positive Mortal Realms, only the ancients and the Evil Cultivation Organisation had access to such things, but even with them, it was impossible to reach the Immortal Plain.


    They would only be able to teleport with it to an intersection, either the Mortal Intersection or the Upper Intersection, but both of them were filled with dangers and negative creatures that were almost always hostile.


    It was also risky and dangerous to use a portal or Space Crystal without a pre-set location, as unless one was extremely skilled and versed in the use of such cultivation technology and versed in warping through space, they could end up anywhere in the universe.


    And if one was extremely unlucky, they could also end up outside of the universe, where only the endless void existed and nothing could survive in the void.


    All teleportation required was the necessary resources, a capable welder and a pre-set location, but the Space crystals that allowed one to enter the underworld were unique and only distributed to the Death Corps.


    Those crystals could only be found in the underworld and were linked to the space of the underworld.


    There were Death Wraiths and those from the Death Corps that ended up being killed or lost their Underworld Space Crystal in the other plains, however, the Death Corps would do anything to get them back and make sure that no outsiders had a way to get into the underworld.


    All the sacred places and treasures that needed to be protected and secured in the underworld, along with all the secrets of how they operated, could all be taken and revealed if one was able to get into the underworld.


    The existence of such things was incredible for Adam to think about and it made the transportation methods that humans came up with, such as planes and cars, seem incapable.


    Adam had learnt such things about teleportation and Space Crystals, also sometimes called Transportation Crystals, from the system and from Shinka, but what he saw Shinka do, shocked him greatly.


    She didn''t seem to have any item or Space Crystal with her and also didn''t recite any form of incantation.


    She merely closed her eyes, used her Soul Force and pushed her arms forwards, and as she did so, a small black hole, that was large enough for her to fit through, appeared before her.


    Adam was unsure if it was only due to his Soul Vision being activated that he was able to see the portal and was also unsure whether it would be possible for an ordinary person to see it.


    However, how she formed it went against everything he had been informed about how people were able to move through space, and although the portal was shocking, being able to form it without the assistance of some sort of Space Crystal was even more shocking.


    Jumping into the portal, it disappeared as soon as she did and Adam observed that there was a split second before the portal closed, meaning that if he was fast enough to use the Step Skip Skill, he should be able to follow her through the portal.


    However he had no desire or need to do so and doing that would only cause himself and Shinka unneeded trouble, but it was a valuable piece of knowledge for him to know.


    The small instant of time that it took for the portal to close would be impossible to observe, let alone use, for most, unless they were an extremely powerful cultivator with unbelievable speed.


    Adam was only able to detect and estimate such things because of his great perceptivity, rapid reflexes and unbelievably high speed.


    However, he still was curious as to why and how Shinka was able to form the portal, and after the change in the system, along with the increase in Adam''s maturity and mental fortitude, the system would be willing to share most knowledge that he needed with him.


    He had been exposed to so many eye-opening and overwhelming revelations, yet had always remained calm and sane after hearing them.


    The past year was not only one where Adam''s body, cultivation and knowledge improved by leaps and bounds, but also his mental and emotional fortitude, clarity and stability.


    Hearing Adam''s questions and sensing his curiosity, the more accommodating system began answering all the questions he had bouncing around within his mind.

 Chapter 372: Looking Towards the Future

    {Shinka not only inherited a powerful Soul Weapon with great abilities and potential from her ancestor, but has also surpassed her ancestor in many ways that even she is ignorant to. It is unbelievable that the host has come across her and is lucky to ally with her at such an early stage. It is great that the host followed his instincts and became allied with her, but the host may struggle to keep up with her, since her potential and talent are incredible. With the encouragement and advice that the host has given her, it is only a matter of time before she unlocks her true potential} stated the system.


    [That''s great and I am happy for her and glad that I made such a powerful ally. However, I won''t struggle to keep up with anybody and that still doesn''t explain how she was able to open the portal without any external assistance or chant] said Adam.


    He was by no means jealous or intimidated by Shinka''s potential, instead, it made him eager to continue progressing and he felt that returning to the outside world was necessary for his progress.


    Along with that, he had many things that he needed to do and he weirdly felt as though time was of the essence, so urged the system to speak.


    {Certainly with the system''s assistance, the host will not only be able to keep up with her, but also surpass her, however, there are some things that even the system is incapable of} stated the system, shocking Adam who had never heard the system admit that it wasn''t invincible and omnipotent.


    Ava, who was speaking for the system''s program was also shocked by that, but she and Adam had expected such a thing to be the case.


    With all the revelations that Adam had been given by the system, it was clear that the universe was much wider than one could even imagine and that there were many capable and godly figures throughout the universe.


    However, that absolutely didn''t let Adam become less ambitious or afraid, not relying on the system in any way and knowing that he was still extremely capable even without it,


    His perceptivity and natural talent for cultivation were also amazing and even without the system''s assistance, Adam was bound to becoming a great figure in the universe.


    {Do not get the system wrong, the system didn''t mean it couldn''t provide the host such opportunities and abilities, but it meant that it could have limited effects and influence on the universe. The production of the Soul Dungeons and Physical Dungeons, as well as slowing down the time within them, is the limit of the system''s capability when it comes to impacting the universe. Meaning the host cannot expect the system to be able to save the host when he is in a perilous situation in reality and even within the dungeon} clarified Ava.


    {That statement was brought up due to Shinka having a much deeper influence and future in the underworld than the host can imagine. Along with all the miraculous capabilities of her body, time also flows differently in the underworld and 1 year, in reality, is around 10 years in the underworld. Although time may flow differently in different spaces, one''s ageing is always consistent. This means that if she were to meet the host in a year, although she may appear the same age as the host, she would have had 10 times the amount of time as the host to train and gain knowledge and power}


    Adam chuckled and was even more excited to explore the underworld and other spaces in the universe, while he also desired to be able to train in such environments where time flowed slower.


    {As for how she was able to form a portal to the underworld independently, it was due to her Spacial Affinity. A Spacial Affinity is with space itself and along with the Time Affinity, is one of the rarest affinities. There are many affinities other than Elemental Affinities and everything in the universe can be used and manipulated by the will of individuals as long as one had an affinity with it and enough energy to do so}


    That revelation opened up Adam''s mind to many theories and ideas, such as the proof of the existence of a creator, however, such things were too profound and distant for him to think about for long.


    All he could feel was excitement and anticipation as he looked towards the future.


    [Well then, it seems that I still have a long way to go and many things to learn and experience] he said to himself with a smile, clearing his mind from everything that had just occurred.


    Adam couldn''t help but praise his luck for such a fortuitous encounter that allowed him to form an ally with such great potential, and Shinka felt the same way.


    However, for the time being, their alliance was secret and wouldn''t be very active, while Adam also had other allies that he had to worry about and needed to continue increasing his power and developing the Sentinels Faction.


    After this entire realm was under his control, there are 63 others that the Sentinel Faction had to grow enough to protect and his best bet at being able to do so was by taking over all the ancients.


    Doing so would need great power, great support and a lot of time, but Adam was on the right track to doing so and switched back to his Physical Form from the Soul Form that he had been in for the past few hours.


    Adam had a smile on his face and his mind was clear with a few things at the forefront of his mind.


    He couldn''t shake off the feeling of there being danger and along with that, he could sense large amounts of energy in a particular direction that seemed to be outside the city.


    With Adam''s great speed, taking a vehicle would merely hold him back and without any hesitation or fear, Adam dashed in the direction where he sensed all the energy.

 Chapter 373: Great Change

    It was an unexplainable feeling, but the best way for Adam to describe it, was that he could feel large amounts of energy in one place, along with lots of it being used.


    Energy couldn''t be created or destroyed and after being absorbed and stored within the body, could be unleashed through many different ways and that energy would return to the atmosphere.


    After returning to the atmosphere, it would spread around in different forms, but the large use of and collisions of energy was very alerting for a cultivator, especially one with sharp senses.


    Adam had suppressed his senses from reaching outside of the mountains that he had stayed in with his master, however now that he had left seclusion, he had spread them as far as they could go.


    However, that wasn''t necessary to be able to sense the commotion that was occurring as it was so large that any average cultivator would be able to sense it and gauge what direction it was coming from.


    It was clear to Adam what exactly was occurring and he knew that the Sentinel Faction''s growth along with that of the Maxwell and Epstein Family would draw in many enemies, however, he hadn''t expected a war to break out so soon.


    But with his current power, there was nobody he knew of that could even land an attack on him let alone defeat him, so Adam wasn''t worried about not being able to defeat whoever was opposing his friends.


    What he was worried about was whether he would make it back in time as he dashed towards where he sensed the large amounts of energy as fast as he could.


    Meanwhile, Shinka had returned to the underworld and reported straight back to her uncle who was the boss of her Death Wraith Unit along with multiple other units.


    There were thousands of such units in the underworld and the positions of leadership and rankings within the Death Corp were clear, and also allowed anyone to progress as long as they had worthy achievements and capabilities.


    As soon as she appeared before him, using her Spacial Affinity to be able to pinpoint an accurate place to teleport to, he immediately became angry.


    Since he was her uncle and she was also the only one in the unit that had the capability to pinpoint the location their portal would lead to so accurately, he immediately knew that it was Shinka who was about to appear before him.


    He sensed the sudden fluctuation in the energy around him long before Shinka appeared, and nobody would dare to appear before him other than his niece as he didn''t get into his position through his family alone.


    "Shinka, you took so long. Were you wandering around the city again?" he bellowed.


    "When will you learn. It is time for you to grow up and you are no longer a child. It is time for you to finally take some responsibility for your actions and prepare yourself for becoming our next leader" he continued.


    He had a stern and angry expression on his face, which he would usually have, however when he looked at Shinka, he was surprised to see that she had lowered her head and was being respectful.


    Since he was her uncle and she had grown up with the senior figures within her family spoiling her and treating her well, knowing her future potential, she was very comfortable around him.


    Because of that, she would usually be very disrespectful towards him, considering that he was the boss of her unit and also wouldn''t take his words or punishments seriously, knowing that he cared about her very much and wouldn''t go through with it most of the time.


    However, the sudden change in her behaviour was confused as she didn''t seem upset and also didn''t argue back.


    "I understand uncle. From now on I won''t disappoint you anymore and will hard towards being as great as I can be in the name of the Horned Death God Clan. I have been too immature, but it will change from now on and I appreciate you always scolding me and trying to help me be a more worthy individual" she stated.


    Her words were genuine, passionate and heartfelt, surprising her uncle who was then further surprised after seeing her face when she looked up at him.


    The look in her eyes was one that was greatly different to how it was previously and also impressed him and he could clearly see that a fire had been lit within her.


    The ambitious and mature look in her eyes was too big of a change to have randomly occurred and he couldn''t help but wonder what exactly the cause for the change was.


    He had previously thought that she had been wandering around aimlessly and exploring the human city that she had been sent to, knowing that she would usually do such things due to her curious and careless nature.


    However this time, he couldn''t tell what exactly happened to her or what she had been doing, but he decided not to ask her about it and was glad that whatever happened, did.


    The change she experienced was exactly what she and the family needed and each day that went past without her using her full potential was a massive disadvantage for their clan.


    As a God Clan, there were standards and a reputation that must be upheld and was known throughout the universe, so with all the pressure resting on the hope of the clan, she could either become an incredible figure in the universe due to the pressure, or be broken by it.


    He was expecting to have to tell her off more, but she impressed him and he allowed her to leave without any more scolding or a punishment, but he still kept the angry expression.


    She respectfully left her uncle''s office and returned to her duties and training, diligently striving to improve with her clan and Adam in the forefront of her mind.

 Chapter 374: Great Battle For New York

    As soon as Shinka left after being scolded and accepting it maturely, her uncle smiled to himself and couldn''t help but be happy.


    "It seems that the heir to the clan that had the greatest potential we have ever seen, is finally on the right track to being or worthy leader and resurrecting or falling clan," he said to himself.


    He also called her father to inform him of the changes in improvements in Shinka, but he couldn''t believe that his daughter had changed so much in the matter of a few hours and was very sceptical about it.


    However, he didn''t have the chance to see the changes for himself with all the responsibilities and duties he had as a clan leader as well as a very high ranking individual in the death corps and underworld, so he left his daughter in the hands of his brother.


    He requested him to look over her and make sure that she stays as she is and also starts making progress as she was starting to lag behind those that were her age in the underworld, which was shameful as a descendant of a Death God Clan and the most worthy heir.


    But her uncle''s intervention or assistance wasn''t needed and Shinka seemed to have become a completely different person.


    With that, Shinka was on the right path to becoming great and at that time, Adam was dashing as fast as his legs could carry him and even managed to run at speeds surpassing 500 mph.


    The wind slammed upon his face and if it wasn''t for Adam''s very durable body that had become accustomed to moving at such speeds and training within the gravity chamber, his body wouldn''t be able to handle the effects of moving at such speeds.


    It was the first time that he moved as fast as he could in reality after his year of seclusion and it was already night, so there weren''t many people outside, while none of them were even able to see Adam.


    He moved so fast and used his Form Concealment and Stealth Ring while doing so to the point that even Advanced Cultivators may struggle to even sense him run past.


    Along with that, he had activated his Mind Ring to clear his mind and assist his thought and mental speed even more than the Hunter''s mind was already doing.


    From how large scale the battle was and also the bad feeling that he had, Adam was able to figure out most of what was occurring without even arriving at where the battle was taking place.


    The Lin Family was the clear enemy, but it wouldn''t be able to stand against Adam''s friends alone and it was clear to him that they would need to team up with the other two large cultivation families to take them down.


    However, instead of seeing it as a bad thing, it was the perfect chance for Adam to unify the entirety of New York under the Sentinels Faction and eliminate anyone that wanted to go against him.


    All he was hoping was that he made it in time and Adam didn''t want to lose any of his friends that he trusted greatly and left all his responsibilities on.


    [I am on my way, just hold out for a while longer]


    Although he trusted his friends and was excited to see how much they had progressed, it was unlikely they would be able to win in such a battle as a year wouldn''t be enough for them to gain enough power to surpass the Lin, Ford and Dale Family Heads.


    Adam''s thoughts and beliefs of what was occurring were all based on assumptions and estimations, however, such a large scale war needed a spark and the most likely spark was the death or weakening of the previous Maxwell Family Head.


    That was the likely cause since Adam remembered that the Maxwell Family Head''s cultivation seemed slightly unstable, most likely due to old age and forcibly trying to breakthrough.


    It was also the likely spark to the war since he was the only cultivator that stood on his side that could be regarded as a threat to the Lin, Ford and Dale Family Heads, however, Adam believed that they were underestimating his friends.


    Adam estimated it would take him half an hour to reach where the battle was taking place even at his top speed and if he took his motorcycle, it would take multiple times that length of time, which went to show just how fast he was moving.


    If he was wearing ordinary clothes, they would have been all torn up by the winds that struck his body like whips as he dashed at great speeds, however, he wore clothing that his master left behind that were enhanced by some sort of enhancements.


    It gave them great durability and also the capability to great rid of all moisture on Adam''s body, including sweat and blood and the enchantments were very basic one''s that his master was capable of.


    It was another form of inscriptions and runes, arrays, enchantments and any other form out there were all very similar and interlinked, while Adam desired to study and master them all.


    He had great talent in all forms of use of energy and also wanted to learn alchemy, which he would also be very proficient in due to his Fire Elemental Affinity, great perceptivity and impeccable energy control.


    As he neared the battlefield, he switched to his Soul Form and still moved at a relatively equal speed, leaning forwards and using his Soul Power as a driving force for his Soul Form as he blitzed through the air.


    He flew relatively close to the ground and began to see and sense what exactly was occurring as he completely hid his presence and reached the centre of the battlefield where a great battle was taking place.


    There were a few hundred cultivators present and each of them were at least peak Novice Cultivators, with most of them being Advanced Cultivators, and Adam estimated that most of New York''s cultivation power was present.


    Although they were many more cultivators in New York, they weren''t on a level where they could truly be regarded as capable cultivators and Adam was impressed by what he saw as he observed and waited for the right moment to intervene.

 Chapter 375: The Great Power Of The Lin Family Head

    Adam was in his Soul Form and his presence was completely concealed as he observed the battle taking place and witness dozens be killed and their souls be carried away by Death Wraiths.


    However, the Death Wraiths he witnessed weren''t as sharp or attentive as Shinka and also didn''t dare to delay their duties as they quickly collected the souls and carried them off to the underworld.


    As long as they completed their duty nothing else mattered and they didn''t pay heed to Adam who floated around and reached the centre of the battlefield that had a large open space and was where he found the most powerful of all the cultivators.


    Hundreds of Illusion Stones were currently in use and the restriction in place for entering the space of the Illusion Stone was that one must be a cultivator, and it was the middle of the night in a empty area outside the city, so it was unlikely that any people would be there.


    Powerful and influential cultivators around the country were waiting to hear the result of the battle and most believed that it was impossible


    Adam''s spiritual sense had covered the entire battlefield and those with sharp senses would feel as though they were being watched, while most of them were unable to sense anything, due to Adam concealing his presence almost perfectly.


    He watched his friends who were in the centre of the battlefield and acting as the leaders and central forces of their cultivation groups and was impressed by how great their power was.


    Although it couldn''t be compared to his own and Adam was confident he could defeat them all within a matter of seconds, they all had power that could rival peak Advanced Cultivators and were very skilled in combat and the use of their skills.


    Chase seemed to be the strongest out of all of them and his Hardening Unique Skill seemed to have gotten stronger, while his power also seemed to surpass that of Wayde''s and reach the level that one would expect from a great family head.


    Along with that, Cole, Angela and Elizabeth had all also become very powerful and could be said to be on the level of great elders, with Angela and Elizabeth lagging slightly behind Cole.


    However, if Elizabeth were to have begun cultivating at the same time as the others and had fewer responsibilities, her cultivation would likely have surpassed theirs and her unique constitutions also gave her unusual and powerful abilities.


    Their forces were slightly outnumbered, had less resources and were also less powerful cultivators as a whole, however, despite that, the leaders fought on the frontline and worked together cohesively, minimising casualties and increasing morale of the cultivators fighting with them.


    That all changed however when the Lin Family Head got involved in the battle, supported by the Ford and Dale Family Heads, who were also extremely powerful.


    The Lin Family Head took on all of Adam''s friends alone, interested by their great abilities and amused by how hard they fought, as he instructed the For and Dale Family Heads to lead the rest of their cultivators to eliminate all of the opposition.


    It was clear that the Dale and Ford Family Heads were annoyed by the fact that they were being ordered around by the Lin Family Head, but after seeing his power, they knew they were no match for him and his order was one that also benefitted them.


    "Entertain me, children. None of those so-called elders and great elders can save you and the rest of your cultivators are preoccupied facing the other family heads and cultivators supporting me. You have nobody to rely on but yourselves, show me what you got" bellowed the Lin Family Head.


    He seemed extremely confident in his capabilities and from his aura, he seemed to be on the verge of breaking through to the Master Cultivation Level and could probably unleash power of that level, while was also very skilled and experienced as a fighter.


    Chase took on the Lin Family Head head-on, trying to protect his comrades, knowing they would be no match for his raw power, but he was being pushed back and after the Lin Family launched him flying backwards, he began attacking the others.


    Adam watched calmly and although he cared for his friends and it annoyed him to see them be beaten so badly and wounded, he knew it was a good learning experience for them and that it would assist them in surpassing their limits and becoming stronger.


    And exactly as he had expected and hoped, his friends were able to surpass their limits and despite the wounded and fatigued state they were in, were still able to display charisma and power that reignited the will to fight of their subordinates.


    They were also able to draw out more power than they previously would have, having no choice but to do so, otherwise, they would have no chance against the Lin Family Head and would die.


    "You guys are more capable than I expected and your cultivators are still managing to hold out, but I have had enough. You still dare to try to unleash more power when you can barely stand. Its time to finish this"


    The Lin Family Head begun launching even more powerful attacks and Chase and Cole, who seemed to be the strongest and most capable, tried to take on most of the attacks, but all of them were barely able to stay conscious and were starting to lose hope.


    In the back of their minds, they were all thinking that a year had passed and were hoping that Adam would arrive and save them, but from how things were turning out, it seemed as though that wouldn''t happen.


    There had been no signs of Adam returning and they also couldn''t hold out for much longer while the cultivators supporting them, although were staying loyal, were being slaughtered and pushed back by the troops who were led by the Dale and Ford Family Heads.


    "I will start off with you. I hate that look in your eyes" shouted the Lin Family Head as he charged towards Angela.

 Chapter 376: Is It Really All Over?

    The Lin Family Head cared for many things like power and wealth, which were quite ordinary, however, one thing he cared for above all was his reputation.


    He had a very prideful and arrogant nature and ever since beginning his journey as a cultivator, sought out any way to make him stand out and be superior to others and once he became the Lin Family Head, he wanted to take over the world.


    However, that was merely the pipe dream of an overly arrogant and ignorant man who didn''t care about what happened to others other than himself.


    Angela looked at the Lin Family Head with disdain and as though he was mere trash, which infuriated him, but to her was the truth.


    Compared to Adam who was just and kind to those that he cared about and were innocent, while ruthless and cold to those that opposed him or oppressed others, she detested the Lin Family Head.


    The Maxwell and Epstein Family had reformed greatly and although they may have lost resources in the process, their power increased due to them valuing their people and companions more.


    The Lin Family Head kept most of the power to himself and made sure that anyone within his organisation that was a threat to him, other than any of his children, were eliminated and because of that, although his organisation was powerful, it didn''t have any loyalty or longevity.


    The youths from the other families were incredible and developing greatly and at rates that had never been seen before, surpassing all the previous generations and his children, which already angered the Lin Family Head.


    Matched with the looks of disgust that Angela aimed towards him, he was infuriated greatly and unleashed even more of his power, which he seemed to have been suppressing.


    He also seemed to be using some sort of enhancement technique, and from the aura he was giving off and the great leap his power experienced, it was evidently an evil cultivation technique.


    His ruthless, cold and careless nature made it so that it was very believable that he would do anything to increase his power and there had already been rumours that he was an evil cultivator, however, nobody dared to speak of such things in his presence or criticise them.


    Cole, Wayde, Chase and Elizabeth were too wounded and fatigued to even move, let alone save Angela who was being charged towards by a powerful beast who had unleashed great power, comparable to a Master Cultivator.


    Angela closed her eyes and knew that there was no point trying to defend against such a fast and powerful attack, while the others were too fatigued to even react to the attack as they watched helplessly.


    They had already stumbled to their knees and even a Novice Cultivator would be able to take them down after how long and hard they fought, initially against the opposing cultivators, then against the Lin Family Head.


    Adam had been watching the entire time and still didn''t act as he hovered above the battlefield in his Soul Form and watched everything pan out.


    "Don''t you dare attack my granddaughter" shouted the previous Maxwell Family Head as he dashed towards the Lin Family Head and took on his attack for Angela.


    The Maxwell Family Head had been greatly weakened and injured by the backlash he received through his failed breakthrough, however, he was still a capable cultivator and was able to release great power due to his desire to protect his granddaughter.


    "He, you thought you would be able to stop me. Even in your peak state, you have no chance against me" scoffed the Lin Family Head mockingly as he launched the Maxwell Family Head flying backwards with a single attack.


    The Maxwell Family Head blurted a curdle of blood from the impact of the blow, but despite the pain, he was experiencing, still dashed towards Angela who was about to be attacked by the Lin Family Head.


    Just as Angela was about to be struck by a Fist Striking Skill that the Lin Family Head had launched towards her chest, the Maxwell Family Head managed to appear before her.


    In order to do so, he sacrificed part of his scarce remaining lifeforce, which allowed him to experience a large speed boost, but it was only enough to take the blow in the place of Angela.


    Such techniques were forbidden and only allowed to be used as a last resort, and he felt as though he was already old and it was his duty to protect the next generation that had greatly surpassed them.


    Tears flowed from the eyes of Chase, Cole, Elizabeth and Angela, who felt weak and helpless, while Wayde also surprisingly seemed emotional as the end of the Maxwell Family Head''s life seemed unavoidable.


    The horrible feeling of helplessness and weakness was something that they had experienced time and time again, but they managed to endure and pull through no matter what.


    However, when they thought about it, without Adam, most of them wouldn''t have even achieved half of what they had achieved in the past year and they also wouldn''t have been able to change so much for the better.


    All they could think about was how they had let down themselves and Adam, while their death seemed to be imminent and unavoidable.


    Adam felt bad for them, but still had a smile on his face and becoming emotional was something that he left behind and he had vowed that he would always be grateful and happy no matter what occurred.


    The Lin Family Head was very powerful and capable, along with the rest of the cultivators that he had brought with him, however, they were still not a match for him.


    Because of that, he had no reason to be upset as everything he was watching was in his control and he could intervene at any moment as he suddenly switched to his Physical Form.


    Everything happened in the blink of an eye and there was a large shockwave and once everyone opened their eyes to see what had occurred, what they saw shocked them greatly.

 Chapter 377: Adams Great Power

    ''I am so pathetic and will lose everything I worked for and ashame Big Bro''


    ''Even after all that training and preparation, is it really all over?''


    ''I finally gained the chance to cultivate and he forgave me, but now I am going to let him down''


    ''Even though I am years older than them and am meant to be her protector, they still all outshined me and she is about to be killed before me and I am unable to do anything about it''


    These thoughts went through the minds of Chase, Cole, Elizabeth and Wayde, while Anglea''s mind was frozen and she was overwhelmed by fear and helplessness.


    The Lin Family Head''s power and aura were strong enough to intimidate and overwhelm any Adanvced Cultivator, especially with that powerful fist strike aimed towards them.


    ''At least I will save my granddaughter in my last moments. I am glad I was able to witness the great change in New York and all I can do is hope that he makes it here and is powerful enough to save everybody'' thought the previous Maxwell Family Head to himself as he embraced the Lin Family Head''s attack with a smile on his face.


    In what they all believed were going to be the last moments of their life, all they felt was weakness, helplessness, regret and shame and Adam was also one of the biggest things they all thought about.


    Adam knew it was a painful and hard experience for them to endure, but he was hoping that it would help shape them and push them to become stronger and didn''t want to intervene until they could no longer fight.


    It seemed as though they had all lost hope and he didn''t want to let the old man of the Maxwell Family die and the Lin Family Head''s powerful attack was likely to pierce straight through him and also kill Angela.


    Adam was impressed with the Lin Family Head''s power and the abilities that his friends were able to display, but it was time for him to take the burden off their shoulders and lend them a helping hand.


    With a single hand, Adam caught the fist of the Lin Family Head and neutralised all the oppressive, evil energy that coated his fist, with energy of his own.


    Adam''s body handled the impact of the attack with relative ease and reinforced his arm in advance for him to be able to catch the punch.


    However although he caught the punch and stopped it, the impact and power of the punch were still there and Adam stood his ground, but a large shockwave was released.


    The Lin Family Head didn''t understand what had just happened and the shockwave also caused there to be a large amount of dust, so for an instant, nobody knew what had happened.


    However, after everyone opened their eyes and saw a lean figure with long black hair standing opposite to the Lin Family Head and clasping his fist with a single hand, everyone was shocked.


    The previous Maxwell Famly Head and Angela were launched sliding backwards from the impact, but weren''t injured because of it and after seeing the back of the figure, couldn''t help but let out a cry of joy.


    Their prayers had been answered and without needing to look at his face, they were all sure that it was Adam that had arrived in the nick of time and some cultivators around the edges of the centre also stopped their battles to observe what was occurring.


    "Was I late?" asked Adam with a smile as he looked back at his friends, seemingly not caring about the powerful opponent that stood opposite him.


    His friends and the cultivators that were watching couldn''t help but be amazed by how easily he seemed to be able to catch the powerful fist of the Lin Family Head and were also shocked by how relaxed he was.


    "Who the hell are you?" exclaimed the Lin Family Head, shocked by his sudden appearance.


    He couldn''t sense or gauge anything from Adam''s body, and although he was a careful individual, he was extremely confident in his power, especially in the enhanced state he was in, so he had no reason to hold back.


    Along with that, the way Adam stopped his attack and his relaxed attitude was insulting to him and he couldn''t allow such blatant displays of disrespect to go unpunished.


    "You dare to underestimate me, I will show you the true power of a cultivator" he roared as his power seemed to increase even further.


    "Dragon Fist"


    Dragon Fist was the prized skill of the Lin Family and it was a series of fist techniques that also came with a matching movement technique that was described to allow one to unleash the power of a dragon.


    The Lin Family prepared the even more powerful fist striking skill in his other hand, preparing it to strike Adam''s face, however before he even had the chance to do so, Adam decided to show some of his power.


    "Kneel, while you''re in my presence" ordered Adam domineeringly as he glared at the Lin Family Head.


    His voice seemed quiet, but reverberated throughout the battlefield and using his powerful aura, frightening killing intent, along with his King Ring, Adam was able to frighten all the cultivators on the battlefield.


    With the Lin Family Head''s fist in his hand, Adam squeezed tightly and forced him to his knees with his sheer strength and the oppressive might of his aura and King Ring.


    Adam had the choice of concealing his Integrated Equipment, but he decided to keep his 3 rings visible and the ring with a red jewel on his right index finger, glowed as a great power was released from it.


    The spirit of the King Ring was enjoying the presence and reverence of the many cultivators around Adam and wanted to unleash even more power as it tried to slip out of Adam''s control, but Adam had become very proficient in controlling it.


    "Where was I? Oh yeah, I asked was I late" said Adam as he turned back to his friends with a smile on his face.

 Chapter 378: Secret Leader Of The Sentinels Faction

    ''How can one man hold so much power?''


    ''Who is that and why have I never seen him before?''


    ''That long black hair, burning red eyes and handsome appearance would be very easy to remember, so how is he not famous in the underground community of cultivators?''


    These questions flowed through the minds of all the cultivators watching what was occurring, while the Lin Family Head was thinking the same thing.


    Meanwhile, Adam''s friends didn''t know how to answer his question that was extremely casual while they were in the middle of a battlefield and were on the verge of death.


    "Adam, you couldn''t have arrived at a better time," said Cole as he wiped his tears and tried to hold back any more.


    "Hahaha, are you crying Cole?" laughed Adam, before going on to laughing at the others and trying to lighten up the mood.


    "How can he be so relaxed and make jokes in this current situation and how the hell is he so strong?" exclaimed Angela who couldn''t help but be in awe of Adam.


    "It is all thanks to cheese. If you eat 5kg of cheese every day you can become just as powerful as much" joked Adam.


    "That was so cheesy, your jokes will never change will they Adam"


    "No, pun intended" added Elizabeth, noticing that everyone began laughing after her statement.


    What was occurring baffled all the watching cultivators along with the Lin Family Head, Wayde and previous Maxwell Family Head.


    How could those youths be so relaxed in the perilous situation they were in and make jokes without a care in the world and also forget about all the pain and helplessness that they were previously feeling?


    ''Just who the hell is this guy!'' wondered all of the cultivators present.


    Most had stopped fighting between themselves and even the Ford and Dale Family Heads returned to the centre of the battlefield where there was a large open space for the leaders to fight.


    The Lin Family Head managed to pull his fist out of Adam''s grip that had loosened and moved back, before calling over the Dale and Ford Family Heads, who were wary of the unknown individual, but had no choice but to stand with the Lin Family Head.


    Adam was still relaxed despite having three powerful family heads that were all at the peak of the Advanced Cultivation Level facing him and still joked around with his friends.


    "How did your hair grow so much in a mere year and it looks so soft, can I feel it?" asked Angela, amazed by Adam''s long black hair that had more than tripled in length.


    Thinking about it, Adam had never once thought about his hair or appearance while training and other than bathing, he did nothing else to maintain his appearance.


    He had grown a small amount of facial hair, but he couldn''t grow much facial hair, so even after a year, his facial hair was negligible.


    With a single wave of his arm, Adam sliced off most of his hair, feeling as though it was annoying and needless.


    The sudden cutting of his hair wasn''t a big deal, but Angela and Elizabeth, who cared greatly for their hair and were amazed by the quality of his hair, thought it was a shame.


    "Now enough of the jokes, we can relax later. I will deal with everything here and you guys can rest after working and carrying the burden of my responsibilities over the past year" stated Adam.


    "I appreciate what you have done in my absence, and now it is time for the true power and glory of the Senintenls Faction to be known" added to them Adam as he turned around to face the three family heads.


    [I left you guys to fend for yourselves for so long, now I will give you some support and show you what powerful cultivators are capable of and reignite your ambition and passion. It must have been hard on you guys, but now you can relax and lean on me] said Adam to himself.


    His words reassured them all and it was clear from his display of power that he was extremely capable and even without that, they trusted him and had never given them a reason to doubt him.


    Adam appeared out of nowhere like a ghost and he seemed to have reached a level they couldn''t even comprehend and he had once again surpassed their expectations.


    However, they still couldn''t help but have some slight doubts and worries, considering that he was about to face three cultivators that in their eyes was extremely powerful.


    Little did they know, Adam didn''t even see them as opponents in the slightest and although Adam would prefer to live an incognito life that was much more convenient, he knew he needed to make his existence known.


    Even if he didn''t reveal his name and even if he wasn''t present in New York, he wanted his existence to strike fear in all that heard it and protect the Sentinels Faction.


    [Well, for me to take on this role as the Secret Leader Of The Sentinels Faction, I will need to make an example of any of those that dare to oppose me and will also need a name to be known by]


    "I am Death. That is my name and I am the Secret Leader Of The Sentinels Faction. Anyone that dares to oppose me or my faction will die and I will show you what true power is" bellowed Adam as he released his killing intent that had grown too strong.


    His killing intent alone made him appear like a god of death and he felt as though the simple name, Death, would be easily remembered and was also very effective as a name that was meant to cause his enemies fear.


    "Now to show you what happens to those that oppose me, I have these three subjects and all of you watching will bear witness to this altercation" announced Adam as he glared at the three family heads, causing them to doubt themselves even more.

 Chapter 379: Death

    "Self-preservation is the natural instinct of all living creatures and so is fear when faced with Death, however, you cannot avoid the wrath of death" roared Adam.


    To be honest, he really didn''t want to release his killing intent and cause such a scene, but he knew that it was essential that he imbedded as much fear and reverence from all those watching the battle.


    Everyone had stopped fighting to watch the battle in the centre that they knew would dictate the results of the battle and Adam stared down the three family heads while the rest of the cultivators created more space for them to battle.


    Behind Adam were Cole, Chase, Angela, Wayde and Elizabeth who were recovering their energy storages and from their injuries, while behind them were all the elders and cultivators that they had brought with them to the battle.


    Most of them were gravely injured and many of them had already been killed, however, the pain they were feeling was all overcome with curiosity and reverence for the figure calling himself Death that appeared out of nowhere.


    His cultivation level was unknown and concealed, however, his presence and killing intent alone were enough to strike fear in anyone and the small amount of the King Ring''s power that Adam was using, was bearing down on all of them.


    Opposite him were the family heads and behind them were all their troops that were more numerable and less injured than those on Adam''s side, however as they looked at Adam, all they felt was fear.


    "Should we begin, I think I have given you enough time to talk about tactics" stated Adam in a condescending tone.


    "I alone will face you all and don''t be afraid to send the rest of your cultivators to face me. This is not a battle, but an execution, so don''t be shy. Come and accept your death" announced Adam as he began walking towards them.


    Hearing that, the cultivators behind Adam let out a sigh of relief and although it was crazy to believe that one man was able to take on that man powerful and capable cultivators, seeing how much their leaders believed in him, they also believed in him.


    Adam had a smile on his face and just wanted to get everything over with so that he could return ad get a nice big meal after eating the bland beast meat constantly for the past year.


    "Do not fear, I am the strongest cultivator in the world. With me here, no one can face me, so charge onwards men" shouted the Lin Family Head at the tops of his lungs.


    His power was great and so was his presence, and although his aura seemed stronger than that of Adam''s who was concealing his cultivation, Adam still gave them a bad feeling and had already displayed great skill.


    Despite any worries or fears that the men from the Lin, Dale and Ford Families might have had, they all charged towards Adam at once and felt much safer charging with many powerful cultivators.


    While they charged towards them, the Family Heads were in the centre of the large army of cultivators charging towards Adam and planned to test his capabilities with the many cultivators.


    If he was able to survive after facing that many cultivators, he would have proven that he was a great foe, but would have been tired out by it, or so they assumed and hoped.


    Dozens of attacks were launched towards Adam while a variety of close-combat cultivators and ranged-combat cultivators fought him all at once.


    However somehow, Adam seemed to be able to avoid every single one of the attacks unharmed and wanted to make sure that the stories that came after the battle described him as an undefeatable individual.


    Although it may draw more attention to his faction, it would also make cultivators think twice before messing with their faction and Adam was also enjoying the heat of battle and testing out his capabilities.


    Battle in reality felt exactly the same as fighting in the Physical Dungeon and in every way was the same apart from the fact that he was in a Dungeon Form, but Adam missed fighting in reality.


    It felt more real and enjoyable, since the landscape was more familiar to him, unlike that of the Mortal Intersection where the Physical Dungeons would be formed.


    There were many different dangers and wonders that he experienced in the Physical Dungeon and it was with real people, but in a different space that he couldn''t currently get to in reality, and they had all taught him many lessons.


    Compared to everything else he had experienced and learnt over the past year, this current battle felt like child''s play and Adam had become very proficient in the use of his rings, activating the Mind Ring without even thinking about it.


    Facing so many opponents required complete focus and dodging so many attacks at once needed him to be fast, nimble and flexible, which were things that he worked on and would be boosted by the use of the Stealth and Mind Rings.


    "Protect yourselves everyone and watch the Secret Leader closely. He is the greatest man in the world and although he is called Death, that is only when it comes to facing the enemy. To us, he is our protector, leader and sentinel that we must all follow the example of" announced Chase and Elizabeth.


    "That also applies for us as parts of and allies of the faction, so watch as the Secret Leader shows us true power" added Angela and Cole.


    With that, all the members of the Sentinels Faction and the cultivators from the Epstein and Maxwell Families prepared themselves to deal with any stray attacks that flew their way, while they also watched Adam in awe of how amazing he was.


    "Is this all you guys have got? You couldn''t even land a single attack on me. Now it is my turn to attack"

 Chapter 380: [Bonus Chapter]The Upper Hand

    "Angela, this is the end for me, but I am glad that I was able to see everything you were able to achieve and also see that young boy that you introduced to me that day. He was the cause of the change in you, me and everyone else around him and will continue to change the world, so support him with everything you have"


    Those were the final words of the previous head of the Maxwell Family whose body couldn''t hold out any longer and had been pushed too far after attempting to battle even in the weakened state he was in.


    Angela didn''t cry or show any emotion, as it was his time to die and wasn''t a sad death, or so she told herself, but inside, she wanted to break down any cry, but she had to appear strong.


    Adam despite being faced with hundreds of powerful cultivators could still sense the death of the previous Maxwell Family Head and felt sorry for Angela, but he knew that feeling sorry would only waste her potential and would slowly affect her more and more.


    He took out his Death Devrouigng Daggers and instantly everyone on the battlefield was overwhelmed by a sense of fear and a large amount of negative energy was being emitted from the daggers in Adam''s hands.


    Adam''s body was compatible with all forms of energy and was able to switch between different types of energy, just like he had done with Fire Energy, and while wielding the Death Devouring Daggers, his energy would transform to negative energy.


    It was also aligned with the King Ring and while using the Death Devouring Daggers and negative energy, he would have more explosive and frightening power, however, it was harder to hold his power, Bloodlust and energy consumption back.


    Adam began slicing apart all the cultivators around him ruthlessly, while also recovering all the energy he lost through all his attacks by siphoning it from all those he slashed.


    It was a massacre and within a minute, Adam had already killed dozens of cultivators and his movements were mere blurs to those watching as he slashed down everyone around him.


    The army of cultivators that had previously been attempting to surround and overwhelm him with numbers began retreating and forcing their leaders to face the monster that called himself Death.


    Adam was covered in his blood and his presence had been completely wiped, making his glaring red eyes stand out and make him appear to be some sort of monster.


    Adam''s friends had seen his ruthless side and had also seen him kill, however it was hard for them to think of the killing machine before them as the friend that they knew and loved.


    It was like they were two different people and the name Death was fitting as Adam continued eliminating any cultivator in the most gruesome way, and finally, after a few minutes of their subordinates being slaughtered, the family heads joined the battle.


    Adam went straight in for the kill against them, however, he was surprised and impressed to see that they were able to push him back.


    The Lin Family Head had used the Dragon Movement Skill to slither to him and pushed him back with the fist that had been supported by two powerful blade attacks from the other two family heads.


    It was a smart, quick and difficult attack for most to deal with, however, Adam used the Burst Movement Skill to move himself backwards.


    They had believed that Adam wouldn''t be able to dodge their attacks in mid-air, but they were very mistaken and Adam was more comfortable fighting in the air after improving the Burst Movement Skill and also applying the skill and using it in his Soul Form.


    He had a rough idea of all of their abilities and capabilities after observing their battle and knew that the Dale Family Head had an Earth Elemental Affinity, and that the Lin and Ford Family Heads didn''t have an elemental affinity, but were very skilled in close combat.


    With the Earth Elemental Affinity, one''s defence would be very hard to break through and most with an Earth Elemental Affinity would fight in a similar way to Chase, forming an armour around their body out of rock and fighting using their large physical strength.


    However, the Dale Family Head had a unique way of fighting using his elemental affinity and was powerful enough to greatly change the landscape of where the battle was taking place and also use the ground to attack the enemy.


    As Adam moved back, a large spike pierced upwards from the ground and Adam was only able to react fast enough using his Mind Ring and was impressed by how well-versed the three of them were in combat.


    Despite never fighting together and regarding each other as opposition for most of their lives, they were smart enough to know they needed to work together and formed multiple strategies that made up for each other''s weaknesses.


    Each of them was looking out for their own lives and benefit the most, however, they knew that a single mistake would cost them their lives against such a powerful opponent and they would have to go all-out.


    Adam smiled, happy to finally face a challenging task in reality, but the truth was that he was still holding back and suppressing a large portion of his power and capabilities, only using power that could be comparable to a peak Advanced Cultivator.


    He still had his summons, Unique Clone Skill, Unique Step Skip Skill, Form Switching, Characteristic Extensions, Fire Elemental Affinity and many powerful skills that he was yet to use that he wasn''t planning on using unless he had to.


    Adam was enjoying himself and was used to fighting as the underdog, but in this case, had to suppress and hold back his cultivation level, otherwise, he would win too quickly and easily.


    [So this is what it''s like to have the upper hand, I can only hope that it''s always like this, but considering the things that I want to achieve, I should probably enjoy this moment while it lasts] thought Adam to himself with a smile.

 Chapter 381: Easy Victory

    Adam wanted to see what the three family heads were capable of and retracted his Devouring Death Daggers into his arms, amazing the onlookers who couldn''t understand how exactly he was able to make weapons appear and disappear as he pleased.


    The Dale Family Head formed a large wall behind Adam, supposedly blocking off his path of retreat, giving the Lin Family Head the chance to land a Dragon Fist on Adam, then followed up by a sword strike from the Ford Family Head, also called New York''s swordmaster.


    However, despite their great plan and execution of it, Adam was still too nimble, calm and skilled in combat to allow himself to be struck by such attacks.


    They didn''t land a single attack on Adam the entire time they fought and despite all their intelligent strategies and power, all their attempts to wound Adam ended in failure and they were beginning to look for a way to retreat.


    It was clear that his speed surpassed theirs and the Lin Family Head, despite being prideful, arrogant and angry, still knew when it was time to retreat and save his own life.


    Adam could see their intentions and their attacks all clearly used a lot of energy and the three of them made a great team that would have been able to take on an army of ordinary Advanced Cultivators.


    However, unfortunately for them, they were facing Adam, who was calling himself Death, and they had no chance of getting away.


    Initially, those watching believed that the family heads had the upper hand and that Adam had no chance against them, however, when they looked closer, Adam was able to take on all of their attacks and was unscathed.


    He was also unarmed and also didn''t seem to be trying to take them down, making it apparent that he was merely toying with them.


    It was extremely frustrating for the family heads who felt as though they were facing an invincible being that they couldn''t land an attack on and also seemed to be enjoying himself.


    The three family heads looked at each other and each of them understood the others'' intention, as they all unleashed a ranged attack aimed at Adam, before dashing in the other direction.


    As soon as they saw their three leaders turn back to run away, the rest of the cultivators also turned to run away without any hesitation, knowing that they had no chance against the monster calling himself Death.


    Adam was amused by their desperate attempt to get away and those watching were shocked by the turn in events, not ever expecting that a single man would be able to face so many powerful cultivators and cause them all to turn tail and run away.


    Within a second, Adam closed the gap between them and took out his Death Devouring Daggers.


    They had a spirit and life of their own and Adam flung each of them at the back of the Dale and For Family Heads, stabbing deeply into their backs and taking them down with ease.


    The Death Devouring Daggers were not only consuming and decaying the bodies of the two family heads that they were embedded into, but were also storing it within the daggers, which Adam could then absorb into his body or keep within the daggers.


    Adam also had the ability to call them back to his hands using some sort of magnetic connection, but left the daggers to kill the two family heads.


    He then grabbed the back of the Lin Family Head''s neck and lifted him up into the air and all those that were watching were amazed by how easily he caught up to them and took them all down.


    "Hear me cultivators that are fleeing. You may all join the Sentinels Faction if you please, and if you do not wish to do so, you better not stop running as our faction will continue to spread throughout the country. New York belongs to my faction and if you trespass, there is only one possible consequence, death. Spread my name and make sure that cultivators around the country and world know of Death and the Sentinels Faction" called out Adam.


    His voice resounded throughout the area and was clearly heard by all as he allowed the other cultivators to flee, which would benefit him as they would spread rumours of his power.


    They would either leave the city or join their faction anyway, and Adam had already demonstrated his power to them enough, so that wasn''t an issue and he walked back over to the cultivators behind him, while tightly holding onto the back of the Lin Family Head''s neck.


    The Lin Family Head''s body was unable to resist and submitted to Adam''s power as he was dragged along and Adam threw his body over to Angela, who was trying to stay strong, but was clearly saddened by the death of her grandfather.


    He was no longer a threat and also wouldn''t dare to even think about attacking them, as Adam could easily stop and kill him, so all that was left was for him to resign to his fate and beg for them to show him mercy.


    "Please, I will join you and be loyal, just spare my life"


    The Lin Family Head endlessly begged and the cultivators began to cheer for Adam and their leaders and were amazed by the turn of events and the humiliating state that the Lin Family Head was in.


    His body was weakened greatly after using a lot of energy and a technique that would push his body too much, and he also knew that he had no chance of escape, so all he could do was beg.


    It seemed as though it was an easy victory for Adam and those that watched him battle couldn''t help but wonder whether that was his true power, how old he was, where he was from and many other questions.


    Meanwhile, Angela didn''t know what to feel with all the emotions she was feeling all at once and as she looked up at Adam''s red eyes, then down at the pathetic Lin Family Head, she didn''t know what she wanted to do with him.

 Chapter 382: Unity Part 1

    "Angela, have you ever killed someone?" asked Adam.


    His sudden question shocked her and those that were close enough to hear Adam''s voice and what they spoke of.


    "He seems to be on close relations with the Maxwell Family Head"


    "Maybe they are in some sort of relationship"


    The cultivators began gossiping and conversating with themselves as they began trying to recover and gauge who exactly Adam was and everything else about them.


    Adam and his friends could hear what the other cultivators were saying and were amused, while Angela didn''t react to it in the slightest and was too deep in thought to be embarrassed or flustered by their words.


    It was dark so apart from Adam''s physique, glaring red eyes and long black hair, his appearance wasn''t completely revealed and he wasn''t worried about his identity being exposed, as it was already quite widely known by the government and most likely, the ancients and the evil cultivation organisation.


    Although he wasn''t on a level that he was a threat to them and their authority yet, he was someone to look out for and had unknown potential and capabilities that were very intriguing to observe.


    "Let''s go over there and talk" suggested Cole as they all walked far away from the cultivators, who after seeing their leaders walk away, were ashamed by the disrespectful and immature behaviour.


    "About your question, no I haven''t killed anyone," said Angela as she looked down at the Lin Family Head that Adam had dragged along with him.


    "Killing is something normal in the world of cultivation and although that doesn''t justify it, one must make sure that all his enemies are dead, otherwise one will never be able to sleep at night" stated Adam.


    "But if I kill, I also won''t be able to sleep at night, filled with guilt. I used to think that people were mere ants, but I have changed and can''t take a life" she refuted.


    "Then you are not ready for the leadership position that you are in and are too immature. It is not about taking a life, but saving many and your own. If you don''t kill your enemies, for example, this bastard that I am carrying, he is sure to come back after you and in the process kill many of your subordinates. You are too mentally weak and should step down from your position"


    Adam''s words were cruel, but were true and although he was a playful and relaxed individual at times, he was also very serious and brutally honest with his friends.


    Cole wanted to defend her out of pity and wondered whether he could also kill, however he knew that Adam was right, while Elizabeth, Chase and Wayde had all killed and were willing to kill again.


    "Killing doesn''t make you a monster and you are only as guilty as you feel. I don''t feel a shred of guilt for anyone I have killed and if you stand in my way, that is the only thing you can expect. If you cannot understand that, you are in for a rude awakening"


    Adam dropped the Lin Family Head in front of her before saying, "He killed your grandfather, and yet you are afraid and unable to kill him. He has, directly and indirectly, caused the death of thousands and committed many sins and crimes, allowing his subordinates to do as they please and reap havoc, and yet you still can''t muster the courage to kill him. Pathetic"


    "I really believed that you had improved, but I guess...."


    Before Adam could continue what he was saying, Angela suddenly formed a blade out of water and stabbed it into the Lin Family Head and after stabbing him once, began continuously stabbing him and screaming, letting out all her pent up emotions.


    "Calm down, that is enough, he is already dead. I guess you are as amazing as I expected and this is the first step for you to become a true leader and cultivator. Death will happen all around you, but do not worry, I will carry the burden of all the death occurring as the Secret Leader, Protector and Hunter of the Sentinels Faction"


    Adam pulled her off the Lin Family Head''s body before giving her a reassuring hug.


    "I will be lifting the morale of the cultivators and giving them a small speech, before leaving. I will meet you guys again tomorrow after you clean up this mess and I would rather stay secret and not be seen by the faction members unless there is an emergency or special occasion" stated Adam.


    He pushed Angela off him and gave her a smile, whispering into her ear that she had impressed him and was worthy of being the Maxwell Family Head.


    "You two can make a decision now and that decision will affect the power scales of this country greatly. Would you like to join under the Sentinels Faction and be absorbed by it, or stay as separate entities that are allied with the faction?" asked Adam.


    Adam had no intention of exploiting or forcing his friends to do anything they didn''t want to, but he was planning to expand his faction as much as possible and they could either be subsidiaries to the faction, affiliated with it, or completely absorbed by it.


    "I have great ambitions and you are my friends, so I will support you when I can, but I can''t stop or slow down now after the progress speed that has been built onboard. Either way, your choice doesn''t affect me much and Elizabeth and Chase, any issues you may have with the faction can be solved with me tomorrow. I will spend the entire day observing the state of the faction and filling in any holes" said Adam before turning around to speak to the cultivators.


    "Wait Adam, I want to tell you something and go with you," said all of them at once.


    Adam stopped and was curious as to what they had to say and their reason for wanting to go with him, as all 5 of them had requested for Adam to stop.

 Chapter 383: Unity Part 2

    "Adam, I want to stand with you as a leader of the sentinels faction and wanted to help you achieve your goals, that also benefit us and protect our people and territory," all 5 of them said at once.


    Adam was expecting Chase and Elizabeth to say such things, but it was surprising coming from Cole, Angela and especially Wayde.


    "Well, I was hoping that would be the case, so follow after me and help me create an invincible faction" stated Adam as he continued walking towards their cultivators with his 5 friends following closely behind him.


    "However, even though we are friends and I trust you all, I would like to form a soul contract with all of you" stated Adam.


    They were all surprised by that and didn''t know what exactly that entailed, which was to be expected as most didn''t know much about the existence of souls.


    "It is simple, all I want is for you guys to swear that you will work towards the betterment of the faction and that you will never betray me, the faction or any of its members. It is something that I am planning to get all the faction members to take and is one of the biggest components of my plans for the faction"


    "You can still refuse and turn back. I will by no means be upset or offended. We are all friends here and you may not wish to be restricted, which is fine by me" reassured them Adam, but he was surprised by how quick and willing they were to accept.


    "The soul contract doesn''t pose us any threat as we do not hold any bad intentions for you or the faction anyway. We are willing to put everything we have into this faction and are placing our bets on you Adam, so lead us to a greater future" they all said as they continued following after him.


    Seeing them approaching, all of the cultivators were dead silent and lined themselves up along with straightening their backs, as if they were in the military.


    "Listen up everyone, we are the Seintels Faction and our power is to research, develop and improve, as well as watch and protect our territory. We will become known worldwide by cultivators, however, our presence in the lives of ordinary people will be minimal. All of you are entitled to your own lives and will be provided with great opportunities through a rewarding system. Each of you will be delegated a monetary wage depending on your value to the faction and cultivation resources along with different items and valuable experiences can be granted by fulfilling tasks or missions set by superiors"


    "If you cannot fight, you can research. If you cannot research, you can work in admin. We accept everyone, however, they must be capable, a cultivator and must swear loyalty to the faction. Unlike with other groups, we focus on loyalty and you will swear loyalty through a unique method that will bind your lives to the faction"


    "It will ensure that you never betray the faction and always listen to superiors, while support and protect others in the faction. Other than that, one can still live their lives outside of their faction duties and we want to create a safe haven within our territory for all people. I want you all to be able to have families in a safe environment that is oversaw and protected by us"


    Adam was like a natural-born leader and his words were clearly heard by all and he no longer seemed like the monstrous kill he was on the battlefield, but a benevolent and respectable leader.


    "To enemies, I am known as Death, but you guys are part of my faction and can call me the Secret Leader, The Sentinel, The Guardian, The Protector or anything else you wish to call me. I will always be there watching and protecting each of you, even if you cannot see or feel me. I am always one call away and as long as I am alive, the Sentinels Faction will only continue rising and expanding"


    The ambition was clear in Adam''s eyes and voice and he had already demonstrated his capabilities.


    "In my stead, I leave behind the Faction Leaders, who are also my friends and faction members are all friends and family. We all support each other and are loyal, which is why we will develop and expand much faster than other factions"


    As he said that, Wayde, Angela, Chase, Cole and Elizabeth stepped forth.


    "These Faction Leaders will help me in leading us to a prosperous age for cultivators and all people and each has a unit. Their unit may specialise as they please and I trust their judgement and are also acting on my behalf, but to make it clear, the leaders will hereby bind their souls before you and you can all choose to do the same"


    "This is optional and if you decide not to follow through with the binding to the faction, you are free to leave, but you won''t be given a second chance to join us and you may be pushed out of our territories, due to you all being capable cultivators that may threaten our operations" Adam added, not wanting them to feel forced or intimidated into doing so, because of him standing before them.


    A few of them turned around and left, unwilling to sign away their lives, but most opted to stay and respected and revered Adam and the other leaders that stood before them.


    "We the Maxwell Family will be joining under the sentinels faction completely and will keep our family structure, but will become a unit of the faction and will also be required to swear loyalty"


    "We the Epstein Family will be doing the same and I hope all of you will decide to follow through with us, if not, you are missing a great opportunity and also won''t have a future within our territory"


    Angela and Cole''s standpoint was made clear and none of their subordinates left or had an issue with it and were instead glad and excited to become a part of the Sentinels Faction.

 Chapter 384: The Great Leaders Of The Sentinels Faction

    "As long as you progress and offer more value to the faction, your rewards and future are limitless. We do not base rewards off of status or relations and everyone must work for their place in the faction, with the leaders having absolute authority. We have weeded out the weak and disloyal and now we can carry on forwards with the name of the sentinels"


    "I will be watching over all of you and am yet to truly have to use my power. Nobody can threaten my faction or cause trouble in my territory and you will see me once again in the future" stated Adam before disappearing into thin air.


    He wanted to make his presence and authority as the Secret Leader of the Sentinels Faction memorable and known by all and while giving his speech, Adam was using the Charm Skill the entire time.


    Adam wasn''t using it to make them attracted to him or manipulate them, which wouldn''t occur as he only used a small amount of its power, however, he used it to increase his likeability and the reverence that they felt towards them.


    His speech was perfect and even his friends were in awe and couldn''t help but respect Adam and forget that he was the same age or younger than them and was also their friend.


    They saw Adam as either an intimidating killing machine, a reckless and relaxed youth, or a charismatic and respectable leader.


    It was as if he could change to match any situation and he was still watching what was occurring in his Soul Form, which made it appear to the onlookers that he had disappeared.


    "Leader Wayde, also known as the Flame Master of this city will also become a leader of this faction and the 5 main units will all be on equal standing no matter how much power or how many members they have. We will be swearing on our lives that we will work towards the betterment of the faction, meaning that infighting will be impossible and we must all help each other become greater" Chase announced.


    Chase''s words seemed to carry the most weight after that of Adam''s after his great display of power and care for those that fought beside him, using his hardened body as a shield for many attacks and protecting all of them with his life.


    "Transfers between factions will be quite ordinary and you can each request a transfer, but must be accepted by the unit leader you are currently in and the unit leader whose unit you wish to join. Bellow the leaders, there will be many different leadership roles and the life-bonding contracts must all be formed with one of the 5 leaders" stated Elizabeth.


    "Together we will lead this world into a new age and all talents will be greatly valued, but nothing beats hard work and one cannot allow a talent grading or their pasts to hold them back. Joining the sentinels faction allows one to start a new life of glory and each of you are valued members of the faction" Angela continued.


    "I will be in charge of a combat unit that specialises in using all forms of weaponry and I will also be pushing members of the faction towards studying. The unit I form will be open to everyone and those within the unit will be paid, while those using the services of our unit will be able to do so for free, as long as they are a member of the faction" declared Wayde.


    "Everything is clear to you all and you are all dismissed. Be sure to return to your homes and recover and tomorrow everything will be sorted out. In the morning, make sure to head towards the current location of your headquarters and instructions will be given from there" stated Cole.


    Adam was impressed by how great the leadership of his friends was and also how coherent they were when speaking. It was as if they were all in sync and all their subordinates listened carefully and showed respect.


    "We are proud to be a part of the sentinels and thank the leaders and the Secret Leader for his protection and guidance" all the cultivators declared in unison before dispersing and returning to the city.


    "Now we have the fun job of clearing this place up and we probably won''t get much sleep tonight as we will have to prepare our communications and logistics in order to handle such a large amount of members," said Cole after all the cultivators had left.


    "We also need to find out how the Soul Contracts are formed from Adam, who disappears whenever it is time to actually take some responsibility and clear up his mess" added Angela as she cursed him under her breath.


    There were many things involved in leading such a large faction and sorting it out would be very arduous and would take quite a long time, which was why Adam left it in their hands, but he couldn''t help but laugh to himself as he heard them speak about him.


    They were unable to hear him, but in his Soul Form, he was able to hear them and from what he had understood, the frequency of sound that Soul Forms communicate in cannot be heard by most physical forms.


    Adam suddenly appeared behind Angela after reverting to his Physical Form and placed his arm over her shoulder.


    "So, this is what you talk about behind my back," said Adam as he began laughing at the utterly shocked expression of his friends.


    He began teasing them and Angela was flustered with Adam''s arms over her shoulder as she began trying to attack him, but to no avail.


    "Calm down Angela, you wouldn''t be able to hit me even with my eyes closed" he teased as they continued joking around.


    The mood had completely changed from that of the battlefield and speeches and it felt hard to realise that they were still youths that shouldn''t have many responsibilities or worries.


    "Now then, about clearing this place up, you can leave it to me" reassured them Adam, who didn''t want them to waste their time on getting rid of all the blood and bodies that lay all around the battlefield.

 Chapter 385: Concern

    "How do you plan on clearing this place up alone? What other weird abilities do you have?" asked Angela.


    "And how the hell are you able to appear and disappear as you please? At first, I thought you were teleporting or able to move so fast that we couldn''t see you, but you were able to hear everything we were saying, so maybe you can turn invisible" wondered Elizabeth.


    "Well I can do that, but that isn''t the case. Don''t worry too much about my abilities, I am just a normal guy" answered Adam nonchalantly.


    The revelation that he could become invisible and that he was able to disappear and appear beside people, while still being able to hear what they were saying, in a different way, completely shocked them.


    Meanwhile, Adam appeared to be mentioning something normal and there wasn''t much that could surprise Adam anymore.


    "Just what kind of training did you go through and how the hell can one man accomplish so much in a single year and have so many secrets and abilities" they all exclaimed.


    Adam was a normal average high schooler, then lived a hard life, struggling and working multiple jobs to pay his aunt''s medical bills.


    Who would have expected that he could become such a capable, mysterious and intimidating individual that had profound and unknown capabilities?


    "Come on guys, stop ganging up on me. I could say the same for you guys, I was watching your battles and you all had many abilities and capabilities" refuted Adam.


    What he said shocked them all greatly.


    "You.... were watching our battle?" asked Angela with tears in her eyes.


    "Yes I was and this was a needed experience for all of you to become more capable cultivators. You have all never experienced such a great battle of this scale and I believed that is was a chance for all of you to surpass your limits" answered Adam.


    "You could have saved him" she wailed as she grabbed Adam''s colour and felt tears flowing out of her eyes.


    Her father had never treated her well or truly cared about her, only seeking his own gain and ways to use his daughter to increase his influence, however, her grandfather truly cared for her and always spoiled and made time for her.


    Adam could tell that she clearly blamed him for the death of her grandfather, since he could have intervened earlier and saved him, however, he had no obligation to save any of them and she had nobody to blame but herself.


    "He was old and dying anyway and I stopped the attack that was about to strike him. He died because he used his lifeforce in order to release a burst of speed and try to protect you and had also been burning his lifeforce while fighting the other cultivators. His age, cultivation and mind were unstable and his death was on the battlefield and one that he could be proud of. If you want to blame anyone you should blame your own weakness and death will come to everyone" stated Adam as he pushed her off him.


    His words were harsh, but the truth and as they looked into his eyes, it was hard to see him as the same friend they knew a year before.


    "It is good to cry and relieve your emotions, but don''t allow it to cloud your mind and cultivation. Pain. Suffering, Death. These things are unavoidable and you must continue to endure and not allow anything to get in your way. Only that way can you truly become powerful. Hold onto your morals and humanity, but don''t cling to mortality. There is a big difference."


    Angela knew he was right and couldn''t blame him even if he wanted to, as without him, the situation would have been much worse and she would most likely be dead.


    And if it wasn''t for him, the Maxwell Family was likely to have been destroyed by the Lin Family a year ago, and she wouldn''t be the capable and mature woman that she was at that moment.


    "Just what have you been through this past year to make you so cold? What is the cost of having such power and what are you going through?" asked Angela, who realised that he was the one that she should be worried about.


    She hadn''t seen him display any true emotion and his red eyes showed nothing but pain, suffering and death, just like he said would occur all around him.


    He had never opened up and also took on his burdens and challenges along with that of all of those around him, and one thing they had all observed was that his willpower and pain tolerance were unbelievably high.


    Although his body had no scars, all the wounds and pain that he must have experienced would drive anyone insane many times over and yet none of them truly knew much about him.


    The truth behind his abilities, master, method of cultivation and so many other things that were unique and unusual about him were all unknown to them.


    "You also have emotions and can talk to us if you need to and we are here to support you," said Cole.


    Elizabeth and Chase felt as though it wasn''t a conversation to get involved in as they saw Adam more as a master or leader figure than a friend, despite how casually and friendly he was around them.


    While Wayde also didn''t get involved as he felt as though he had lost most of his emotions years ago and he wasn''t one to talk about carrying the burden alone, as that was something that he would also do.


    "Are you guys worried about me? I''m touched" said Adam sarcastically with a smile.


    The past year was one that helped Adam realise what he felt was important in life and also helped him become much more aware of his emotions and mental health.


    He had overcome the emotional and mental challenges that came with being a cultivator and all the things he had experienced, so there was no need for him to revert to his previous, weak self.

 Chapter 386: Precise Control

    Adam felt like his friends'' concern was misdirected and there was nothing that they had to worry about.


    "I am fine and we all have our paths in life and mine is mine to go along alone. I appreciate your concern, but I truly am fine and I am happier than I have ever been. Living is not enough for me and I am seeking things that you are yet to understand, all I can say is that progress and adventure is what makes me happy"


    There was nothing else they could say and Cole knew that Adam was one that would not rely on others and always suffer in silence, which was evident even before he was a cultivator and was barely affording to feed himself and pay his aunt''s medical bills.


    "Just relax and stop forcing me to be so serious. Being a leader really is draining, I wonder how you guys can do it for so long without ever breaking character" said Adam, trying to ease up the mood.


    "After clearing up this mess, I will show you guys the method to form a contract with someone else, but it will be slightly different from the one I will be forming with you guys. You won''t be able to form a Soul Contact, but I will bind you with his ring of mine and you can then bind others to you. You can think of it as a Blood Contract"


    As he said that, they all went and looked at the red ring on his index finger that he was pointing at and they were all mesmerised by its beauty and it also intimidated them.


    The spirit of the King Ring suddenly released some of its aura and it was difficult for Adam to suppress, causing them all to be amazed and curious as to what exactly the ring was.


    "This is a special ring that I was gifted by my master before he passed away along with the others and they have special properties and are also integrated with me. Meaning, I cannot take them off or lend them to you" he said, seeing how eager Cole was to try it on.


    "So then, how are you planning to clean up this mess alone?" they asked.


    "Well, you should have left this to your subordinates as it isn''t worth your time and is difficult for one person to do alone, but I will do you a favour and sort it out for you. In the process, I will display something else that I am capable of" answered Adam with a smile as he suddenly transformed the energy within his body into Fire Energy.


    With the Stealth Ring and Form Concealment that he was capable of, the switch in his energies couldn''t be sensed by them and all they felt was that there was a small change in Adam, but were unsure what exactly it was.


    "Wayde, this is something that I believe will greatly interest you and might shock you that I have," said Adam before forming a small flame in his palm.


    "You have a Fire Elemental Affinity!" they all exclaimed in unison.


    "When did you awaken it? Could you have been hiding it this entire time?"


    "It is impossible for you to suddenly awaken it as an adult and after cultivating"


    "Maybe he found some sort of treasure"


    They were completely shocked by the sudden display of the Fire Elemental Affinity and even Wayde, who was usually emotionless, was unable to mask his shock.


    "I am not sure myself, I just awakened it and my master helped me in becoming accustomed to it. I am not sure of the details, but my master is a great man and passed away only a few hours ago" said Adam, using the sadness of his master''s death to stop them from asking any more questions about his Fire Elemental Affinity.


    Adam didn''t want them getting involved in anything too dangerous currently and although by the standards of the cultivators in New York, they were incredible talents, by his own standards, they weren''t ready yet.


    "This is a demonstration for those of you with Elemental Affinities and wide range capabilities, especially you Wayde. Having great power and large energy reserves are important and very useful, however, one''s control and handling of said power and energy is more important" stated Adam.


    He wanted to help them develop as much as he could, not only because they were his friends, but also because he was leaving behind a lot of responsibility and the faction in their hands most of the time.


    Adam wanted to go out and search for his aunt and also gather information by travelling around the county, then around the world, but before that, he needed to make sure that the faction was functioning well and his friends had increased their power.


    "When I say control, I do not mean controlling the amount of energy one is releasing, as I am sure that all of you can do that with ease. What I am trying to demonstrate is controlling one''s Internal Energy outside of their body and all of you here have cultivated internally, so should try to practise your controls and improve your fundamentals" advised Adam.


    As he said that, he suddenly released an incredibly large burst of fire energy from his body and the heat emanating from his flames far surpassed that of Wayde.


    The fire that he produced had a red tint and Adam didn''t hold back much of his power as he spread fire in all directions, sending it kilometres away from him.


    The burst of flames swept over everyone and everything in the area and while releasing the burst, Adam used a great amount of energy and also kept his eyes closed, controlling the flames temperature and power precisely.


    Adam''s flames even swept over his friends and yet when it did, it felt cool and didn''t burn them in the slightest, completely amazing his friends who had never seen such great power and energy control before.

 Chapter 387: Blood Binding

    Adam''s friends wouldn''t have been able to block such a strong flame and with their fatigued bodies and drained energy reserves, they would have had no means to protect their bodies, however, Adam was somehow able to control the flame so that it didn''t hurt them.


    It was incredible to witness and all around them was a sea of red flames that burnt all the blood, bodies and Illusion Stones that were spread all around the area that they had previously fought in.


    The bodies of those that fought on their side had all been carried back by the other cultivators to bury and mourn and within seconds, the landscape was completely cleared of any remains of their previous battle.


    After Adam''s flames encompassed the entire area and he couldn''t sense anything else that he needed to get rid of, he stopped supplying his flames with energy and they all disappeared in an instant.


    "How is that even possible?" uttered his friends, still in awe of what they saw.


    Wayde was shocked the most as he knew how difficult it was the control Fire Energy as it was very wild and hard to restrain, while one also had to control its explosive power and temperature.


    Yet Adam was able to do it easily and the power of his flames along with the range that they covered was unbelievable.


    "Don''t be so shocked, these are all things that all of you can do and you are the leaders of my faction, so it is only right that I teach you guys some skill and train you" reassured them Adam.


    Hearing that, they were all extremely grateful and Chase jumped up in joy before giving Adam a pleading look.


    "Will you please spar with me. I know I am not your match, but I would love to face such a strong opponent" begged Chase.


    Adam chuckled and reassured them all that there would be a lot of sparring, and while saying that, he gave them all an evil smile.


    [It is only right that they also experience some of the hellish training that I went through] thought Adam to himself.


    "Now then, let''s form the Soul Contracts. The process is very simple for you, all you need to do is agree to make a few declarations and bind you''re being to those declarations, then I will do the rest and from the Soul Contract with you guys" stated Adam.


    After everything he had done for them and they had seen him do, instead of feeling reluctant to serve as his subordinates, they felt honoured and knew that there were many other great cultivators that he could have chosen from.


    Almost as if he could read their thoughts, Adam reassured them that he didn''t choose them as the leaders of his faction because they were friends, but because of the potential he saw in them and the trust he placed in them.


    He also said to them that he wanted their relationship to stay as a casual one between friends and unless they were before other members of the sentinel faction, they were merely all peers.


    Hearing that, they felt a heart-warming feeling and even after Adam greatly surpassed them, he still respected them and treated them as friends, which made them even more eager to improve to make him proud and also prove to him that choosing them as the leaders was the right decision.


    After forming the Soul Contract with each of them that forced them to always work for the betterment of the faction, to protect it and always seek to improve themselves and the faction and to also never betray him, they didn''t feel anything different.


    "Yeah, for now, you won''t feel anything and also hopefully will continue not to feel anything. It is because your current thoughts, beliefs and goals align with that of the Soul Contract, but even thinking about going against them will cause you great pain and attempting to act on such thoughts will get you killed" explained to them, Adam.


    "I will be alerted if you go against the Soul Contract, however, it will also give me an inclination of how you guys are doing and allow me to always be able to find you, so you can be assured that if I feel that you are in danger, I will always come running" stated Adam.


    After that, Adam then departed onto them how to form a Blood Contract and even wrote down a method manual for each of them, which he had prepared before leaving his seclusion.


    All 5 of them became bound to the King Ring through a Blood Contract that was identical to the Soul Contract, but would bind the body instead of the soul, and then using the method Adam gave them, they could bind others to them through a Blood Contract.


    It was like a pyramid with Adam at the top, then the 5 leaders, then their most trusted subordinates that will also bind others to them and the number of people bound to Adam''s ring will continue to grow.


    "Absolute trust, loyalty and power are what I want our faction to have and represent. With this, I don''t have much else to depart onto you right now"


    "There is also a secret headquarters prepared for us, which only we will have access to and I will bring you to after you have sorted out the faction. There I have training facilities, methods, resources and many other great things. I even have a farm where the animals have absorbed energy and by eating their meat, you will become stronger and healthier" described Adam, once again amazing them and making them wonder what exactly Adam had been doing over the past year.


    Adam had become a profound individual that seemed to have so many secrets that he was yet to reveal and they couldn''t help but feel as though they didn''t know much about him at all.


    However seeing the smile on his face and the same relaxed and nonchalant attitude he always had, they couldn''t help but also smile.

 Chapter 388: Adams Next Step

    There had been no signs of Adam on any of the information networks that all of their organisations owned or had access to, and yet he seemed to have accomplished and experienced so much.


    Little did they know, Adam had experienced many great wars and battles in the Physical Dungeons that were formed in the Mortal Intersection, along with innumerable battles against all kinds of souls in the Soul Dungeon.


    He was planning to leave to them the secret base that his master had created after working hard on it for many decades and was hoping that with all the facilities, they could greatly strengthen themselves.


    It was extremely large and durable, protected by not only Illusion Arrays, but the base itself was protected by Barrier Arrays and within it, there were many energy gathering arrays, making it the perfect environment for cultivation.


    "The base was left behind by my master and is very secure. I have complete control over it and I will only allow you guys to enter it and use most of its facilities, however, it cannot be revealed to others. It will be where all over our secrets are held and I want you guys to buy all the land around it and begin building bases for our faction. It will become our secret centre of operations in the mountains that only the leaders can access and train in and Elizabeth should know where it is" said Adam.


    After saying that, they all turned to Elizabeth, curious as to where it was and also wanting to know why and how she knew about it, however when she thought about it, she became embarrassed.


    She didn''t want to tell them that she knew about it because she placed a tracker on Adam''s motorcycle and also didn''t want to reveal that she had already checked it out and was unable to find anything out of the ordinary.


    "Leave the past in the past Elizabeth, just make sure to purchase as much land as you can around that area in all of your names, as you are the leaders of the faction and can''t betray it anyway. It doesn''t matter the price, just purchase it and if you have to, get in contact with the head of the NYPD and get him to pull some strings for you. Just tell him that he is doing it for me. Although we can stay in that area and take it by force, it is best to go through the official procedures and I think it is an area owned by the government, so with the head of the NYPD''s help, purchasing it should be easy" instructed Adam.


    She nodded her head and was planning to follow Adam''s instructions to the best of her ability, not wanting to let him down.


    "All assets that are unneeded and are not producing money can be sold and I want members of the Sentinels Faction to be spread around New York in different bases, but the area around our Secret Base should be the centre of our might. Gather up resources, manpower and knowledge and begin taking the things that are extremely valuable to the secret base once I grant you access to it"


    "I am sure you guys know the rest and are much better at leading and managing a large faction, so I will leave it to you guys," said Adam.


    After finishing what he was saying, it was clear that his intention was to leave and that he had something that he wanted to do.


    "Where are you going?"


    "Don''t tell us you are going to disappear for another year?"


    "Adam, you said you were going to train us"


    "Yeah, and I also want to check out this secret base and we need access to it to be able to carry out your orders"


    They were all curious as to why Adam was leaving and where he was going, and also didn''t want him to, as they needed his training and support and also liked having his presence around them, which made them feel safer.


    "Don''t worry, just go back to the city and start forming blood contracts with your subordinates and also pass on the method of the blood contracts with your most trusted subordinates. After that, you can grant leadership positions and will have to form fewer blood contracts, as your subordinates will do it for you. There is also the integration of the organisations into the faction, which will take a while"


    "Along with that, there are still the members of the Lin, Dale and Ford Family all over New York who either need to be eliminated, arrested or subdued by the faction. You can get most of the Dale and Ford Family members to join the faction, but many of the Lin Family Members are unrestrainable, so will need to be taken down. You should also contact the NYPD Head about this and let him know not to intervene in our business and that any bodies or crimes committed will be sorted out by our faction and we will clean everything up and provide money for any damages"


    "It is his jurisdiction and he knows not to intervene with my business or get in my way, especially after our agreement. I am sure you realised that the NYPD has steered clear from anything to do with our faction"


    Thinking about it, what Adam said was right and they hadn''t got into any problems or altercations with the police and any investigations that took place were from higher-ups.


    "If there are any issues, I will be able to sense trouble through our Soul Contract and will come and help, but for the next few days, you guys have a lot of things to do, and I also have something important to do" stated Adam.


    They all wondered what else could Adam possibly want to do that was so important and seeing the smile on his face, it seemed to be something big.

 Chapter 389: Future Potential Part 1

    "I will be breaking through to the Master Cultivation Level" he revealed, causing them all to be shocked and amazed.


    Not because of the cultivation level that he was going to break into, but because of the power and skill he was able to achieve as a mere peak Advanced Cultivator.


    It was unbelievable and didn''t make sense to them.


    Most of them were mid-level Advanced Cultivators and could display the power of a peak Advanced Cultivators, but the leap in power that Adam was able to display was beyond belief.


    "How the hell are you only an Advanced Cultivator?"


    "Yeah, and how come you have so many abilities and are so much stronger than a normal Advanced Cultivator?"


    "And what kind of cultivation methods are you cultivating exactly? It must be difficult to cultivate and train so many weird abilities at once"


    They all had so many questions, but Adam merely shrugged and knew that even if he did give them details, they wouldn''t understand and also wouldn''t be able to comprehend all the different things that happened to him over the past year.


    The number of the different summons he had was unbelievable and all of their power was on par with him in terms of cultivation level, while most of them had unique and powerful Special Traits.


    A single one of his summons would have been able to easily take down the Lin, Dale and Ford Family Heads along with taking down most, if not all, of their troops.


    "Just give me a few days to break through and I didn''t break through because I felt danger and a great battle occurring, and also needed a break from cultivating and training non-stop. After that I will return to train you guys, sort out any issues you might have, take you guys to the secret base and also visit Emma and Sarah" said Adam.


    As he said that, he could see Cole''s expression change slightly, which made it clear that Cole and Emma probably weren''t on the best terms, but he still wanted to see them after not seeing them for an entire year.


    "There is more to the world than you could ever imagine and you shouldn''t be stingy with resources. Be generous with the members of the faction as long as they formed the blood contract as they are completely loyal and are all of great value. However, everything must be earned and the standard salary should be an average amount of money and a small amount of cultivation resources. If one wants more, they must work for it"


    "You should also prepare yourself to kill and order members of the faction to get rid of most of the Lin Family Members, who are the scum of the earth and are not accepted in our faction. I built a faction to protect, not to provide power to dirty bastards. Along with that, you must make rules clear from the start and in the blood contract make sure that all members of the faction agree to them"


    With those two final reminders, Adam was ready to leave and wanted to tell them one last thing as he could tell that they were overwhelmed and amazed by the progress that he was able to make.


    "My master was an incredible man who provided me with a lot and made me the man I am now and he told me that talent gradings do not mean anything and the crystals used to test them aren''t always accurate. You must grow stronger as the leaders of the faction and nothing is holding you guys back but yourselves" he stated.


    After saying that, he bid them farewell and disappeared from before them, switching into his Soul Form, leaving them all dazed.


    What he said wasn''t completely true as with a higher talent grading, it was usually much easier to progress, as long as one had the resources, however hard work, dedication and willpower can overcome any obstacles.


    Adam stayed a while longer to see what they had to say and what they would do and from what they said and how they acted, their thoughts were made clear.


    They felt as though Adam was growing distant and was hiding everything he was feeling, going through and thinking with a smile and jokes, however they knew that if they wanted Adam to be able to rely on them and tell them the truth about himself, they needed to become stronger and more dependable.


    With that, they were all determined to get the faction up and going, then continue cultivating and receive instruction from Adam while training in the secret base.


    They had so many great things to look forward to and they knew that it was all thanks to Adam all praised him and were determined to progress as they headed back to the city.


    Adam was touched by the praise and concern that his friends had for him, but still felt that it was best for them to not get involved with too many matters involving the ancients and things outside their current realm of knowledge.


    He needed to give them more time to develop and as long as they truly worked hard, they could all surpass any talent grading that they had been given and Adam also suspected that they all had much more potential than their talent grading gave credit for.


    Adam was unable to notice it before as he himself was only a beginner in terms of power and knowledge, however, after observing them, he knew that there was more to them than it seemed.


    It must have been fate that drew them together as Adam observed and sensed great things from all of them and all of them were unique and capable in their own ways.


    He couldn''t explain how he could sense such things in words, but it was as if his instincts could give him an idea of how capable and dangerous someone was, while it would also help him understand what the potential and future of a person would be like.

 Chapter 390: Future Potential Part 2

    Cole received the highest talent grading that the crystal could possibly test, meaning that his potential could still be higher than that and it was still yet to be tested.


    Angela was still not mentally strong enough to be a great cultivator and yet had received such great results, and he also felt that there was more to her Water Elemental Affinity, so she still had a lot of space to develop.


    Chase had never had his talent grading tested, but had great cultivation speed and perceptivity, along with a very durable body and Unique Skill. Along with that, he had the Monk Inheritance and was a battle and training fanatic, making him a perfect fit for being a cultivator.


    Elizabeth had her special constitution that she was yet to fully explore and there was still so much that she hadn''t experienced or learnt about that would greatly increase her capabilities.


    Lastly, Wayde had proven his skill both in terms of wielding Fire Energy and using weaponry, but Adam still felt that he could become even more capable by fusing those two things.


    One must always continue to find ways to progress and improve themselves, otherwise, they will be left behind by cultivators in their generation and will struggle to catch back up.


    Adam knew this and also knew that all of his friends had great future potential and he was planning to help them unlock their hidden potential, which would benefit them and the future of the faction.


    He didn''t appoint them for no reason and his instincts were telling him that although they may not currently know it, they have a great future if they work hard and Adam also didn''t know what he was capable of until he gained the system.


    After they left back to the city, Adam flew back to the secret base that his master created in the mountains outside the city and used the Burst Movement Skill to increase his speed.


    Instead of using Internal and External Energy to release bursts from his body that would allow him to have great manoeuvrability and speed, he was using his Soul Form and Soul Power to do so.


    He flew parallel to the ground and released bursts from his feet and palms to thrust himself forwards and further increase his speed.


    Returning to the secret base, Adam wanted to test out the barrier array that his master had created around the secret base and was yet to use and upon activating it, Adam could see a barely visible, transparent barrier.


    He was only able to see the barrier because of his precise vision and perceptivity that allowed him to see the slight change in the refraction of light, but even Advanced Cultivators were unlikely to see the barrier.


    Adam then tested whether Soul Forms could get through the barrier without any resistance and was impressed and glad to find that his Soul Form was repelled, as that meant that the barrier was even greater than he thought.


    Reverting to his Physical Form, Adam punched the barrier with as much force as one could expect from a peak Advanced Cultivator and the barrier was unaffected in the slightest.


    That was already impressive enough, but Adam still wanted to test out its full capabilities as the barrier array that his master had formed took him many years to master and put in place.


    All the arrays that his master formed were self-functioning using the energy gathering arrays to supply them with energy and there were thousands of interlinked arrays in the area that Adam didn''t realise until he studied arrays.


    Even with his current level of array master, the barrier array was still above his capabilities and although he understood most of it, forming it himself was another story.


    Despite that, he was confident that he could fix small parts of the array that might be damaged if he was able to break through it and was also sure that he could link it back up to the rest of the arrays that secured the secret lair.


    Gathering up a large amount of Internal Energy into his fist, which was most of what he had left after the battle and using up a lot of Fire Energy, Adam struck the barrier with his full power that was enough to eliminate even Master Cultivators, and was impressed to find that the barrier seemed unshaken.


    From that, he estimated that it would take at least 10 Grandmaster Cultivators to break the barrier, which meant that it was very secure for the time being and even hundreds of Advanced Cultivators wouldn''t pose a threat to the barrier.


    Despite that, it still used up a lot of energy and couldn''t be held up for long and would be weakened the longer it was used each time for, so Adam deactivated the barrier and entered the Secret Lair.


    Over the past year, his master had made sure to show him all the functions of the secret lair he had built and there were multiple underground parts and secret rooms that stored many valuables.


    Only Adam had access to such things and he wanted to keep it that way, as he still needed his own secrets even after sharing the secret lair as a base with the other leaders of the faction.


    Adam took a short while to cultivate and use the Ethereal Recovery Skill to recover his body to its peak state, then headed straight to the Energy Chamber.


    It was a large clear room that had a bed in it, as it was where his master would sleep after his body was on the verge of death, and within it were many energy gathering arrays.


    There was the highest concentration of energy in that room and it could also be thought of as the battery of all the arrays that his master had set up.


    [There is no point delaying it and I have to complete them now. The Earth Mortal Physical and Soul Dungeon will be completed today and I will be promoted to a Sky Mortal, also known as a Master Cultivator] said Adam to himself as he entered the Physical Dungeon.

 Chapter 391: A Hunter Cant Help But Hunt

    It still impressed him every time he went into the dungeon and found that time had been frozen the entire time that he had been in reality and how time would also flow at twice the speed within the dungeon.


    Along with that, his Dungeon Form would be in the state that he left it in and after contemplating on the existence of the Dungeon Form, Adam gained an additional Characteristic Extension.


    It was known as Soul Switch and it would allow him to switch bodies with a clone that he had formed using the Unique Clone Skill, similar to how he would switch his soul from his real body, to the Dungeon Form.


    No matter how powerful Adam became, the system would make more challenges for him and within the Dungeon System, there was no such thing as an easy battle as Adam prepared himself, knowing exactly what he was about to face.


    In order for Adam to break his Physical Cultivation through to the Master Cultivation Level, he needed to take down a Master Level Beast-Man King.


    A Beast-Man King is a senior and powerful Beast-Man that had three Special Traits and was of the Beast-Man Kind.


    They were a common negative creature and were humanoid creatures that had different characteristics and characteristics from all kinds of animals and beasts.


    Their kingdoms were diverse and very powerful with their intelligence that rivalled and even surpassed that of humans, along with their abilities and natural physical capabilities that surpassed that of humans.


    One thing Adam learnt after facing them was that there were all kinds of different beings, but it wasn''t right for him to judge them merely because they were a negative kind.


    Just like humans, they had emotions, lives, thoughts and families, making it immoral and heartless for him to ruthlessly slaughter them without thinking about it twice.


    It wasn''t what Adam stood for and the system knew that, so Adam''s missions were to neutralise threats to all beings and be the hunter of the innocent and defenceless.


    His mental and emotional state was too important for the system to compromise by pushing him too far to the dark side, and Adam had complete free will and the system would cater missions to his desires.


    There were bad and good people of all different kinds and races, and although Adam knew he couldn''t judge others for their actions considering his own actions, he believed that with power, one could do as they pleased.


    And with his power, he was going to take down anything threatening the well-being and balance of the universe and if that meant that he needed to be ruthless, cold-hearted and emotionless, he was willing to take the burden.


    The Beast-Man kind varied greatly and had all kinds of special traits and also had their own languages and cultures, making it the first summon that Adam had that he was able to verbally communicate with.


    His Beast-Man Summon had been integrated with many different Beast-Man Kind and had become one of his most powerful and dependable summons, while his appearance was very similar to that of a human.


    It stood at around 2 metres tall with a large physique that was still very lean and had a small black tail, that could be tucked into any clothing that the summon wore.


    It also had a pair of unusual ears that stuck out of the top of its head, while it didn''t have human ears.


    After being integrated with so many different Beast-Man kind, that could usually be identified by their ears and tail, the Beast-Man Summon had weird shaped ears that were pitch black just like its tail.


    Adam had witnessed many atrocities in the Mortal Intersection and one thing that was horrible and unfortunately very common in the Mortal Intersection was slavery.


    As long as one was powerful and wealthy, they could purchase all kinds of different slaves and they would be imprinted with markings that would give control of their body to their owner.


    It was horrible and young girls suffered the most as slaves, with the insatiable lust and desires of others, while strong slaves would be worked to their deaths.


    Adam had spent over half a year of his time in the Mortal Intersection, with the other half of his time in the dungeon being used in the Soul Dungeon, and in both of them, there had been too many shocking and horrific things that he watched to count.


    It was why Adam''s friends felt that he had changed so much and no matter how hard he attempted to mask it, he had experienced so much and although it wasn''t overwhelming for him, it had changed his viewpoint on life.


    Balance, order and rules needed to be enforced and regulated throughout the universe and spaces that didn''t have cultivators should be protected and left untouched.


    A few years before that point, he would have never been able to even imagine a fraction of all the things that were happening all over the universe and as the saying went, ignorance is bliss.


    He had never believed that being ignorant to something could ever be a good thing, but after seeing all the destruction, death and suffering that was taking place on the Mortal Intersection, Adam couldn''t help but feel obligated to return order to the Mortal Plain.


    After that, the Immortal Plain and the underworld were also his aims and he didn''t want to rule the universe, but merely allow it to naturally take its course.


    Conflict is to be expected and ordinary, but he wanted to instil authority that would make sure that innocents were not affected by such conflicts and to make sure that the balance of the universe was always maintained.


    There was so much he wanted to achieve and it all always went back to the same things.


    Power, resources and status, would allow him to create a force that encompassed the entire universe and assisted him in maintaining order.


    To get those things, Adam would stop at nothing and a hunter couldn''t help but hunt.

 Chapter 392: 3 Days Of Great Change Part 1

    Adam opened his eyes after spending 3 days in the Physical Dungeon and 3 days in the Soul Dungeon, which altogether was 3 days in reality.


    In those 3 days, his Physical and Soul Cultivation were both progressed to the Master Cultivation Level but it was at the cost of greatly damaging his Physical and Soul Dungeon Forms to the point of near-death.


    They were both tough battles that required him to have great power, but also great skill and he had used most of his abilities that he had access to, but Adam still felt that he could draw out even more power than that.


    The battles were great tests for his power and granted him great rewards, but had repercussions.


    It greatly affected his soul and body to the point that he wouldn''t be able to return to the dungeon for quite a while, but Adam was fine with that as he needed to adjust to his great power and there were still many things he needed to do.


    Cultivating in reality was also a great way to increase his power and after such a big leap in power, Adam would need time to become adjusted and used to it and it was also time for him to finally check his status.


    It had been a year since the last time he had checked his status and he was also excited to see how many stat points he had saved up, which he had intentionally chosen to not count.


    [Ava, show me my status]


    {Ding, the host''s current status is:


    Physical Cultivation: LVL 200


    Soul Cultivation: LVL 200


    HP: 3500 / 3500


    IESP: 373 / 373


    EESP: 364 / 364


    SP: 350 / 350


    Strength: 320


    Speed: 389


    Intelligence: 372


    Resistance: 324


    Wisdom: 10 (5+5)


    Charisma: 34


    Luck: 5}


    The information resounded within his mind and also appeared before him on the system menu, and he was greatly impressed by the numbers, but he had already expected such numbers.


    [Show me my Additional Status] instructed Adam.


    {Ding the host''s current additional status is:


    Unique Skills: Collector Skill, Step Skip Skill, Clone Skill


    Integrated Characteristics: Bloodlust, Form Switching


    Characteristic Extensions: Blood Burn, Blood Berserker, Syphoning, Form Concealment


    Elemental Affinities: Fire Elemental Affinity- D:9


    Integrated Equipment: Devouring Death Daggers, King Ring, Stealth Ring, Mind Ring


    Soul Equipment: Devouring Death Daggers


    Physical Skills: Dual Slash, Ethereal Recovery, Charm, Spear Projectile, Dagger Jolt, Air Palm Strike, Eagle Claw, Crescent Moon Kick, Spinning Spear Strike, Spinning Spear Javelin, Energy Barrier, Fire Skills. Finger Gun


    Soul Skills: Soul Pierce, Soul Charm, Ghost Control, Soul Bond, Soul Contract, Soul Mark, Spirit Crusher, Soul Burst Movement


    Techniques: External Hardening, Energy Sleeve, Muscular Enhancement,  Sensory Enhancement Techniques- Sight, Hearing, Smell}


    Adam was shocked and impressed by the improvement in his Fire Elemental Affinity that he had felt was on the verge of improving but was unable to do so because of his cultivation level, but he was also confused by the number of skills recorded.


    Not because there were too many, but because there weren''t enough.


    {The additional status is only made up of the skills and abilities that the host actively uses and there are many other skills and techniques that the host may know and may be able to use, however they aren''t recorded on the additional status} explained Ava.


    "That makes sense" mumbled Adam to himself as he thought about all the skills and techniques he had learnt and also came up with.


    His master had left hundreds of different skills and techniques, but Adam wouldn''t benefit much from learning all of them and had learnt all the powerful and useful ones.


    There were also still other secret and forbidden skills and techniques that his master had hidden in a protected and secret part of the hidden lair that he had gained access to, but was yet to learn and have the time to read.


    Along with that, Adam was interested in reading through and seeing all the skills and techniques that his friends had access to within their families as he was expecting them all to be subpar when compared to even the weakest of the ones that his master had left behind.


    Other than Chase, the cultivators would usually have to rely more on skills, techniques, weaponry or some sort of elemental affinity, which Adam didn''t want for his friends.


    He didn''t want them to be restricted and Chase was a fearless, experimental, ambitious and curious individual, making him perfect for progressing and being versatile, but he couldn''t say the same for others.


    There was one more question that Adam had which he was anticipating the most and excited to hear the answer to.


    However, he didn''t even need to ask it and Ava already gave him the answer, able to know his thoughts but also knowing what he had been postponing for so long.


    {The host currently has 432 stat points} revealed Ava.


    {That is enough to increase the host overall power to surpass that of a Master Cultivator in terms of stats} she added.


    Adam was impressed and happy with the number of stat points that he had and knew that using them all at once, he could instantly double any of his stats if he pleased and also do what Ava had mentioned was a possibility.


    But Adam decided to keep them as a last resort.


    It gave him some security knowing that if he was ever unable to defeat an opponent, he could greatly increase his power, and also gave him the opportunity to test himself and have a reserve of power that he could access at any time he pleased.


    He worked hard for those stat points and most of them were awarded after his breakthroughs and by completing missions.


    "I am tempted to use them, but I will save them for a rainy day. Now it is time to call my friends over and see how much of the task I left them they were able to complete" said Adam to himself as he prepared himself to return to the city.

 Chapter 393: 3 Days Of Great Change Part 2

    In the past 3 days, there had been a great change in Adam''s power and capabilities, but also in the rest of the country that was shocked by the turn of events during the great battle for New York.


    "Did you hear about the Sentinel Factions Secret Master?"


    "Yeah, I heard that he calls himself Death and is 5 metres tall and has red eyes"


    "I heard he has teeth and claws as big and sharp as blades. And with them, he ripped apart an entire army alone and was even able to take down the Lin Family Head with ease"


    Rumours of the mysterious figure that called himself Death and the wider they spread, the more exaggerated and inaccurate they became, but the overall image of Adam was still the same.


    It had turned out exactly as he had wanted and the reverence and fear that was felt towards him and the faction would greatly increase the attention on the faction, but also its growth and reputation.


    Small, lone cultivators all around the country, that didn''t have any supporters, resources or guidance to further their cultivation, were looking for the opportunity to join the sentinels faction and their numbers grew greatly in a matter of days.


    The 5 Leaders of the faction didn''t get any sleep those entire 3 days and had a lot of work cut out for them, especially Elizabeth and Cole, who were dealing with most of the financial and administrative work.


    They obviously had subordinates, but they had to review and manage everything that took place, while Chase, Angela and Wayde weren''t of much help when it came to those things.


    Along with all of that, Wayde and Chase had begun creating their own military and training units and Angela was helping all around the faction, while working on a unit of her own that specialised in energy control and support.


    All of that was being done while they were integrating the Epstein and Maxwell Family into the faction and destroying the remnants of the other 3 great families and taking over their territory, resources and assets.


    They made sure to start with the blood binding and after binding all the most capable, powerful and talented individuals within the faction to themselves, they passed on the blood binding method to them.


    However, they had made sure that while blood binding with them, their subordinates swore complete loyalty and obedience to their superiors and the faction and also abided by the rules that they had come up with.


    There weren''t many Faction Rules, but they were made up by the leaders and covered most things and also made it so that those within the faction would be killed by the blood bond if they were to leak anything to do with the faction to outsiders.


    That naturally included the blood binding method and was why they had passed it onto a few others, but they were all individuals that were trusted by the leaders and had leadership positions anyway.


    Despite that, most of the blood bonds were formed with the leaders who wanted to take the responsibility for all of their subordinates and they all formed thousands of blood bonds with almost all the cultivators in New York within those three days.


    They were able to gather most of the cultivators in New York using their great reputation and subordinates who had already formed the blood bond, who followed the orders they were given and began the takeover of the rest of New York.


    The Lin, Dale and Ford families resisted quite a lot and there was quite a lot of destruction caused by their battles, but Chase and Wayde led the combat teams and were able to successfully take over New York with minimal casualties.


    Those the formed the blood bond began being spread around the city in all the different bases and the territory that was owned by the Sentinels and a communication centre was also formed.


    It was formed by those that were a part of the Epstein and Maxwell Family who weren''t cultivators, but were very skilled in administrative work and communications.


    There was a lot of combat and different things that were done in order for such a large faction to be run and Adam didn''t want to deal with all of that responsibility and stress.


    He also didn''t want his friends to have to deal with such tedious tasks, which was why he got them to issue leadership posts to those that they trusted and were capable enough.


    The Blood Binding solved the issue and worry of loyalty, betrayal or infighting.


    It was very restrictive of those with negative intentions towards the faction, their peers or people that weren''t considered enemies by the rules of the faction, but for most wasn''t an issue and Adam wasn''t looking to make an army of mindless soldiers.


    They all retained their free will and would merely experience pain if they attempted to act against the rules and would die if they did act on it.


    It was merely for insurance, security and safety, as after all the things that Adam had seen, he knew how dangerous it was to blindly trust someone.


    Not everything could be solved with fists, fear and money like most dictators and leaders believed and Adam had a great understanding of how the mind and emotions worked.


    Desires ad negative thoughts are normal, but the faction had a zero-tolerance policy for going against the rules and that was it.


    But as long as one abided by the rules, they could receive anything they could ever wish for as long as they worked for it and were of great value to the faction.


    It was the perfect structure for building a fast developing, powerful and self-functioning faction and Adam''s friends were flawlessly carrying out Adam''s instructions.


    Their results even surpassed his expectations and he was greatly shocked by how complex and developed the Sentinels Faction was in the short amount of time that it had been created for.

 Chapter 394: 3 Days Of Great Change Part 3

    There were so many things that needed to be done within the faction in such a small amount of time that it was unbelievable.


    All sorts of infrastructure, communications, resources, knowledge, information, connections, contacts, hierarchy and many more needed to be put in place and everything needed to be organised.


    The simple part was the fighting and taking over the territory, while all the responsibility and issues that came after were time-consuming and difficult to deal with, but with their large numbers and the help of the NYPD head, it became much easier.


    With the entire faction and all of its members, that had become loyal and willing to work for the faction that accepted them into their ranks and was offering them great rewards and opportunities for their hard work, they were managing to get everything done.


    Hundreds of millions of dollars were being processed through the faction every hour and such alarming amounts of money to be processed at such unbelievable rates, while also used just as quickly alerted many government authorities.


    However, all the alerts were being suppressed by the cultivation unit of the government that had the most power and would deal with anything to do with cultivation and report it to the military, which had the highest power and many cultivators trained within its special forces.


    The NYPD Head was contacted by Elizabeth and although he wasn''t a cultivator, he had quite a few information channels and had heard about the stories of the individual calling himself death, and managed to take over the city after facing hundreds of cultivators alone.


    Parts of the description matched Adam and he had already mentioned that he was forming a faction and requested him to not get in the way of his faction, so it was evident to him that Adam was the mysterious individual calling himself Death.


    However, it was inconceivable for that to be the case, as even though he wasn''t a cultivator, he could imagine how difficult it was and how long it would take to progress and achieve so much.


    That fact only made him revere and fear Adam even more and he did his utmost to help the reformatting of the city and the faction in any way, while also passed on the order to the NYPD to not act on calls reporting certain things to do with the sentinel faction''s battles.


    In return, Elizabeth guaranteed that all damages and issues caused would be paid for by the faction and also provided some additional funding to the NYPD, which was a very large sum in the millions, but wasn''t much for one of the leaders of a great faction that owned assets valued in the billions.


    A great faction had been born and she also guaranteed and reassured the NYPD Head that all matters related to cultivation within the city would be sorted out by them and all their cultivators were restrained and would be patrolling the city.


    The head of the NYPD passed on everything that Elizabeth was telling him and had been reported to him by the NYPD, along with all the information and changes that he was able to gather around the city.


    Such big changes were being observed by all the large organisations around the country and even the world, as a faction that rose to power so quickly was a threat to all organisations around it.


    Cultivators were at the top of society and those in those positions were also controlled and afraid of the mysterious ancients, so everything was in the hands of the ancients.


    But Adam wanted everything to be in his hands and the ancients had proven themselves to be incapable of being the guardians of the positive Mortal Realms that were being threatened by the negative Mortal Realms.


    Information.


    It was valued by cultivators around the world above all else and the identity of Death was quickly made clear and sold around the information channels that cultivators had access to around the world.


    If the NYPD Head was able to deduce who the mysterious and capable individual was, then the information sellers and gatherers could easily do the same and there were even recordings of his abilities and movements around the city.


    The leaders of the sentinels faction were trying to keep their information as secret as possible, but even without leaks within their factions, their movements were too abrupt and large to go by unnoticed.


    However, they were quickly being contacted by all sorts of different individuals and organisations and were forming their own connections and entering different information channels.


    The Dark Web.


    A place where anything can be bought, sold and seen and also greatly used by cultivators around the world.


    Elizabeth had made sure to hire many hackers and those that were capable to protect the information that was held on their devices, while they were also joined by those from all the great families of New York, who were all equally as capable and also experienced in the field.


    All sorts of different cultivation resources, methods and manuals were traded on the dark web, but its biggest use was for selling, acquiring and trading information.


    A topic that was continuously coming up in the national and international channels was the Sentinels Faction and Elizabeth had dozens of skilled individuals suppressing and getting rid of as much of the information as they could, but once something was out, it was almost impossible to get rid of its traces.


    They were under great stress and pressure with all the responsibility and burdens they had as leaders, but they remembered that they had Adam to protect and guide them.


    There was nothing to fear as long as they stood strong and believed in themselves, the faction and their Secret Leader who was invincible.


    It was the message that he hoped to instil in all the faction members, but the rumours of him being invincible were slowly being proven false and he was placed on a ranking.


    The Top Cultivator Ranking.

 Chapter 395: Great Aims

    Adam was ignorant to everything that was occurring and had occurred in the outside world, and was eager to begin looking for his aunt, establishing himself and his faction, while also exploring the world and making connections.


    Without wasting any time, Adam left the secret base that he had broken through to the Master Cultivation Level within and took with him the motorcycle that had been untouched over the past year.


    Within the secret base that his master had produced, the arrays around were able to block all signals, spiritual senses and other methods of monitoring or scanning the secret base.


    They were all forms of radiation or waves that could be used to move through solid objects and detect or relay certain images or data.


    Energy was something that was hard to quantify and could be considered a wave, a particle, a fuel source and most other things depending on his composition, which was why science was still unable to detect or understand such things, but Adam''s understanding of energy had become very deep and profound.


    His master''s tutelage along with his own insights and experiences had made him a very knowledgable individual when it came to cultivation or the anatomy of living beings.


    The arrays caused Elizabeth to believe that the motorcycle had been destroyed after the signal from the tracker suddenly disappeared a year before, but it appeared randomly out of the blue.


    It had become quite rusty after not being used for a year, but it still had spare fuel and after revving the engine and oiling most of its components, it was working fine and Adam drove back towards the city.


    Despite the size of New York, to Adam, it was small and wasn''t a large enough territory for him.


    The 64 positive Mortal Realms couldn''t be compared to that of the 64 negative Mortal Realms in terms of numbers and that was because that most planets were not inhabited by living beings.


    Adam was pretty sure that aliens and other life forms existed on the other planets in the positive Mortal Realms, but they were likely to be scarce and most likely allied with the ancients or even the ancients themselves.


    Such things could no longer faze or shock Adam who had seen, experienced and been told much more than one could ever imagine, but it excited him greatly and made him want to explore.


    To be able to survive in the harsher environments on other planets, one needed to be a cultivator or have a special and strong physique.


    Those two things were very common in negative creatures that evolved and reproduced much more than positive creatures, but Adam was by no means underestimating the positive creatures either and knew that other than humans, there were other powerful, positive creatures out there.


    It had become a great battle between the two orientations of life and the universe itself.


    The Mortal Intersection was a space that was immeasurably larger than the 64 Mortal Realms on either side of the universe and Adam had transversed and explored quite a lot of it within the Physical Dungeons that had been created there.


    It had become a rare and incredible occurrence for there to be a large space in the Mortal Intersection that was blocked off from the rest of the world.


    The impenetrable black barrier that surrounded those spaces would eventually disappear and after that occurred, all the evil, cruel or dangerous negative creatures would be wiped out, and all people would speak of was the Hunter Adam.


    Hunter Adam had become a legend in the Mortal Intersection, not because of his individual capabilities that weren''t that amazing compared to others battling in the Mortal Intersection, but because of his ability to create the barriers around the dungeon and because of his just character.


    Adam wanted to make his name known to both negative and positive creatures intentionally and was slowly gaining a foothold and reputation in the Mortal Intersection.


    To the innocent, weak and clean hearted individuals, he was a protector, guardian and saviour, but to those that were cruel, evil and heartless, he was a monster, hunter and killing mission.


    He had established that same reputation and reverence on his current planet, which Adam had decided to call Earth 1.


    From then onwards, Adam would number every other Earth that he went on up until 64, and was also planning to visit other planets and even the negative Mortal Realms to explore the similarities and differences in society, environment and creatures.


    There were so many things he wanted and needed to do that Adam couldn''t help but continuously progress and surpass all limits and expectations that others had of him.


    He was curious to see whether his Soul Form could handle moving through space, which Ava had informed him was actually the void and was an endless part of the universe that was very mysterious and dangerous.


    Adam was advised against attempting to do so as all the atmospheres around every planet or plot of land were actually spacial barriers to protect an individual and his soul would likely be torn apart by the void, but he still couldn''t help but want to do so.


    However, he knew that for the time being, that was too difficult for him to do and he was thinking too far ahead without even achieving much on the small planet that he was currently on.


    He had three main targets


    Fine and save his aunt.


    Get in contact with the ancients or locate and infiltrate their headquarters and find out their aims and how they were managing against the negative kind that were pushing onwards in the Mortal Intersection.


    And expand his territory, power and the capabilities of those around him to form a loyal and invincible force that would act as his army and fight for the balance of the universe with him.


    Adam''s great aims were currently merely pipe dreams until he had fulfilled those three main targets and he made that clear to himself as he drove towards the city.

 Chapter 396: Scouring The City

    Adam was relaxed and despite his great physical power and abilities, relaxing and not needing to exert his body sometimes was enjoyable.


    Riding his motorcycle back to the city was very calming and relaxing for Adam as he cleared his mind and planned what he was going to do next, but the same couldn''t be said for his friends.


    They had all barely slept or rested the past three days and nights and were still far from finishing their duties.


    The only things keeping them going were their willpower, the desire to impress Adam and the want to help, lead and improve the faction and themselves.


    "Adam is returning. It seems that he was already finished with the breakthrough" announced Elizabeth suddenly while she was sitting with all the other leaders in a private conference room.


    They were planning how they were going to split all the assets, resources, faction members and responsibilities between the faction, and Elizabeth''s sudden announcement surprised them all.


    "How do you know?" they all asked.


    Elizabeth explained how she had placed a tracker on Adam''s motorcycle while she was still naive, untrusting and being manipulated by her assistant.


    She then went on to tell them that she believed that the motorcycle had been destroyed as all traces of it had suddenly disappeared, but now it suddenly appeared and was coming from the location that Adam had informed them about.


    Elizabeth had managed to purchase all the land in that area and covered it up as a warehouse operation centre and company headquarters, but it was clear to the government involved in cultivation what was actually occurring.


    The great families of New York had many good relations and needed connections in the government, so after they all became a part of the Sentinels Faction, their influence and connections were increased greatly.


    "Should we go and get him or find someone to get him?"


    "I am sure he can find us on his own with the Soul Contract that he made with us"


    "But even with that, we need to re-establish communications with him as he has a habit of randomly disappearing"


    The leaders completed their planning and structuring of the faction in the next hour and continued planning for the future until Adam arrived.


    In that time, Adam had arrived at the city and used his Stealth Ring to conceal his presence completely and become invisible, then moved around the city to see how much everything had changed.


    All those that formed a Blood Contract under his friends had also formed a contract with him and become linked to his King Ring, which made it easy to know where they all were and see how many had formed the contract.


    He was impressed with the numbers, but knew that they were still too feeble, weak and incapable and most of them needed intense training to been be considered slightly useful to his cause.


    Despite that, the progress they had made surpassed even his expectations and most of the city was explored by him in that short time.


    As he dashed past people, and even cultivators, since he was invisible and his presence was completely concealed, they were unable to sense anything and he didn''t even produce any wind as he moved, making it so that he could move around the city at his full speed without anybody knowing.


    Even heat sensors, cameras or any other way that there were of detecting people would be unable to pick up on his presence and even high level arrays would barely be able to alert others of his presence.


    After he was done looking around the city, and in the process quickly eliminating cultivators that had escaped from the takeover of the city, Adam appeared in the conference room his friends sat in.


    There was some blood on his palms, which was unavoidable after crushing a few dozen cultivators with mere slashes of his hands using the Hand Blade Skill that his master had taught him.


    "Adam, finally. What took you so long to get here?" they asked as he appeared, expecting him to suddenly appear out of nowhere.


    However when they looked at his hands, it was clear to them what he had been doing, but they were unsure who exactly he had been fighting against and killing.


    "Just some mere loose ends that I needed to get rid of. There were a few cultivators in underground locations, hidden rooms in buildings and the sewers who were clearly enemies seeking to escape the Sentinels Rein" he said, seeing them all look at his hands.


    An instant later, all the blood on his hands disappeared after being burnt by Adam''s flames, and Wayde who was skilled and experienced in the use of the Fire Element was amazed by Adam''s precise control of fire energy along with the heat and power that his fire emanated.


    "I will teach you the Blade Hand Skill that I used when I train you guys and you can learn it yourself using the manual in the secret base. There are hundreds of skills for you guys to choose from, and they aren''t the weak and simple skills you guys are used to" he said to them, reigniting the eagerness and excitement to begin their training.


    "But for now give me a general report of the past few days and any news. I need information and I am also expecting this progress speed to be maintained and even improved" stated Adam.


    He was acting as their leader and not their friend at that moment and they all nodded their heads and began giving a report of their activities over the past few days and also what they were planning on doing next.


    The report was detailed, but didn''t include all the official and boring parts that Adam had told them not to report to him.


    Each of them reported what they had done and after each of them spoke for a few minutes, Adam was satisfied with the progress, but knew that they were still long away from where he was aiming for them to be.

 Chapter 397: Leader Meeting

    They were surprised by Adam not wanting to see any records, official statements or proof of everything they had reported to him, but it seemed as though his nonchalant nature hadn''t changed in the slightest.


    Despite that, within his presence, they couldn''t help but be submissive and respectful, knowing that at that time he was their leader and it wasn''t the time for them to be relaxed and informal with each other.


    Adam said to them that he trusted them completely and they couldn''t betray him even if they wanted to. Along with that, what they were working at would benefit themselves and their people, so they had no reason to lie to him or do anything to harm the faction.


    After they had finished giving their reports to Adam who had sat down at the end of the table and listened to everything they said, he had a pleased expression.


    "I am impressed with what you have been able to accomplish and have seen most of it for myself after going around and scouring the city," he said, shocking them greatly.


    They had seen Adam appear and disappear as he pleased, but being able to go around the city in the short amount of time he had been gone was unbelievable and they had no reason to doubt his capabilities.


    "Now then, for me to give you guys some advice and give you some information from my end," said Adam.


    "I have completed my breakthrough and will pass to each of you a key to the secret base. The key will be implanted in your bodies and with it, you will gain control over most parts of the secret base apart from the arrays and some other places that my master forbade me to grant anybody else access to. Everything you could ever need is there and you should get your trusted subordinates to begin transporting all valuables there and building a new headquarters. It would also be good if we had some underground structures and good defensive measures. This is our chance to build from the bottom up and make sure that everything is perfect" stated Adam.


    After saying that, he walked over to each of them and made a small cut on each of their palms, then with their blood bound them to the base and also granted them access to most of the functions.


    "You should be able to feel a link to something and some slight control over somewhere, but you are too far away to be able to do anything with it. Most of the things there can be used instinctively and with ease, but all the knowledge and information that you might need is recorded there"


    With that, they were all eager to begin the building of the Sentinels Faction Main Headquarters, but before then, Adam had some more advice for them.


    "Do not leave any rocks unturned or become lazy as leaders. You are responsible for the lives and wellbeing of thousands of subordinates and millions living within your territory. Despite them being ignorant to our existence, we are still their protectors and anything to deal with cultivators or supernatural within this city and our rapidly expanding territory must be dealt with us"


    "I was happy to see patrolling Seneinls Faction Members around the city, but too many members is also a bad thing and if one is not capable or talented enough do not accept them. We need people to add value to our faction and not burdens. Make sure that everyone is capable and that they blend into society as we are not planning a hostile takeover of the country with soldiers everywhere"


    "Along with that, any enemies must be dealt with and no loose ends should be left. It will always come back to bite you and after training you guys, I will need to leave to make more connections for the faction and also do some things, so you must be able to protect yourselves, the faction and our territory without my help."


    They all nodded their heads in affirmation, but were curious as to what he wanted to do with only Cole knowing part of the truth about his aunt.


    "There are these people known as the ancients..."


    Adam began explaining to them most of the things about the ancients and how his master was one of them.


    He also told them about the existence of that Evil Cultivation Organisation that was very dangerous, but he didn''t tell them many things about the universe that he didn''t think they were ready for.


    "They have been protecting us and controlling the world and everything from the shadows, but the enemies are becoming too much for them to handle and we will step up to the task"


    His words shocked them all and each of them took a moment to digest everything he revealed to them, before asking the most obvious question that Adam seemed to have avoided answering.


    "Who exactly is the enemy?" they asked.


    There was no way for him to answer their question without revealing mind-blowing things about the universe and he was planning to reveal it to them a bit at a time.


    "There are all kinds of things that we don''t know about. Let me just tell you this, our planet is small and there are much greater threats out there. If you wish for me to burden you guys with the truth, then you must become powerful and dependable enough for it. I am also relying on you guys to build the faction up enough to handle everything that is coming"


    With that, they all felt useless and as though Adam had surpassed them by an insurmountable amount, however, Adam''s next words reinvigorated all of them.


    "Fight, work hard and get through any obstacle or enemy. If you give up now, you will never know what you are capable of and as I have said, you guys were chosen as leaders because of your potential and not only because we are friends"


    With that, their meeting seemed to be over, but Elizabeth still had something that she needed to tell them all and it had to do with the Top Cultivator Ranking.

 Chapter 398: Top Cultivator Ranking

    "Have you guys ever heard of the Top Cultivator Ranking?" asked Elizabeth after seeing that their leader meeting was nearing an end.


    All of them shook their heads and she had a nervous expression on her face as she revealed what it was and mostly targetted what she was saying at Adam.


    "The Top Cultivator Ranking is made up of the top 10,000 most powerful, capable and famous cultivators around the world and the list was accessible to all and managed by an unknown organisation" she revealed.


    "Adam is currently in the 10,000th position and the cultivator that you took the position of is likely to challenge you or seek to battle you. This ranking is very important to some and by getting on the ranking the administrators of the list are acknowledging your power, but also placing a target on your back" she continued.


    "Along with that, it was your identity as Adam that was revealed and linked to the mysterious figure Death" she added nervously, expecting Adam to become angry or worried.


    Everyone looked over to Adam to see his reaction, but to their surprise, he had a smile on his face and was calm.


    "Anyone that wants to come after me can come, as long as their intention truly is to battle me. Those that harm those around me, my faction or mess around in my territory will be crushed and it is that simple" said Adam.


    "But what about your identity being revealed?" asked Cole and Elizabeth knowing how important it was to Adam to stay anonymous.


    Elizabeth remembered how Adam reacted when his identity was revealed upon their first meeting and when she thought about it, she never imagined she would be able to be in the position she was in and it was all thanks to Adam.


    "Just relax guys, I don''t care about it much. My identity has already been known by many and I have nothing to hide. Those that want to come after me will have another thing coming"


    "As for Sarah and Emma, I will leave their monitoring and protection to you Cole, and we will also go visit them after we are finished here" stated Adam.


    His reaction was extremely surprising as someone that was previously very paranoid, but it seemed that the change was more to do with everything that he knew, experienced and was capable of.


    One could only fear the unknown and what they couldn''t handle, but Adam had no reason to shy away from anything and as long as the risk was calculated and handlable, he would never back away.


    Adam didn''t want to stay on the topic for longer but his experience, intelligence and instincts were telling him that there was more to the Top Cultivator Ranking than what met the eye.


    Seeing that Adam had handled it well and that she had no reason to worry, Elizabeth handed Adam a phone that had all the important contacts that he would need on it and it was also linked to the cell towers and servers owned by their faction.


    They were independent and untraceable and also gave Adam access to all the information that Elizabeth and the faction had.


    After reading through the report that she had prepared on the Top Cultivator Ranking, Adam''s suspicions were confirmed and he had managed to understand a lot from it.


    It was evident to Adam that the unknown organisation in control of the list was actually the ancients and since it was a record of the most powerful cultivators, their ulterior motive was clear.


    It would allow for them to place attention on individuals and it allows them to monitor the movements of powerful cultivators around the world, while it also allowed them to keep tabs on any threats or potential members.


    The power of information was greatly undervalued and they could use the list to instigate conflict and battles between different members of the ranking to get rid of any dangerous individuals or threats that were unwilling to cooperate with them.


    The ancients numbered in the tens of thousands, which was a large amount considering their power, but wasn''t a large amount considering their power and capabilities.


    However, that was to be expected from such talented and capable individuals that lived long, fulfilling and busy lives, barely leaving them enough time to have children and also allowing them to have children at very old ages.


    Along with that, breeding and seeking to find the best match in order to increase one''s status, power or the talent of their child was present in most relationships between cultivators and the ancients had laws and customs of their own.


    The Top Cultivator Ranking was an intelligent way for them to understand the power level of humanity outside of their members and place targets on any of those that were threats to the potential peace that they believed they had made and maintained in the world.


    Adam was also pretty sure that they would contact all the members on the list to make them aware of their existence and try to recruit any individuals that they saw as worthy, and he was sure that he would fit that category.


    He was young, capable, independent and had already made his own name and that of his faction known, making him a potential threat to the ancients, or someone worthy of them recruiting.


    Despite that, he knew he was still far from truly being someone that can rival or threaten them, from what he had heard and could estimate, for the time being.


    He was also sure that not many of those on the rankings were ancients and that the truly powerful cultivators were hidden in the shadows.


    Even if they were to contact him, it would merely be out of cautiousness, to intimidate him or to get him to become a subordinate of one of the great powers of their secret lands.


    It added another factor that he had to take into account before making any public movements, but Adam was not planning to allow the watch of the ancients to hold him back.

 Chapter 399: Target

    The meeting was coming to an end and even after everything, Adam was still relaxed and had a smile on his face as if he didn''t have a care in the world.


    "Thanks for this device, it is really useful. With it, I will always know exactly how the faction is doing and will also have access to any information that you gather through all your information networks" thanked Adam.


    "Yes, it is a prototype and the only one of its kind produced. It can completely override anything within the faction from any location. It also has access to all the money that the faction has so you can use it to purchase or find out anything, but please be careful with it" requested Elizabeth knowing how careless Adam could be at times.


    He chuckled and reassured her that he would keep it safe.


    "Would you like me to show you how to use some of its unique features, such as the direct access to the dark web and how to use the capital of the function?" she offered.


    "No thanks, I am sure that I can figure everything out by myself and I''m probably not going to use it to find out information. Why would I do that when I could torture people for information?" he joked with an evil smile.


    However, it seemed that they found it hard to believe that he was joking and they were all intimidated by the evil smile that he put on and his red scary eyes.


    Seeing their reaction, he began to laugh and they all began to relax and took a break.


    It had been a stressful past few days and acting normal and relaxing was enjoyable as they slouched on their chairs and acted like what would be expected of ordinary people their age.


    They all had so many responsibilities, burdens and problems at such young ages that it was hard to remember that they should be relaxing and enjoying their young years.


    After relaxing for a short while, Adam became serious and time was of the essence.


    "Listen after training you guys and giving you guys some tips, I will need to leave for the next 6 months and will leave everything in your hands" stated Adam.


    It was clear from his tone and expression that he had reverted to being serious and all of them also did the same.


    "Why will you be leaving for 6 months?" asked Angela, who wanted Adam to stay and didn''t like how he would always disappear and take on so many different things alone.


    The others felt the same way and wanted to support, help and aid him in any way they could, but it was clear from how he acted that it was something that he wanted to do alone.


    Adam looked over at Cole who was the only other one that knew about his aunt, then Cole nodded his head and Adam decided to tell them most of the truth about his aunt''s current situation.


    He had mentioned it to Cole in private previously as he couldn''t keep it secret much longer and Cole, who knew Adam since they were children, could read what Adam was feeling despite Adam hiding his emotions.


    "My aunt has been possessed by some sort of demon and was controlled into becoming an evil cultivator. She was much more powerful than me at the time and took me down without even trying, then left" revealed Adam.


    "The large commotion in the city that time was caused by her and the truth is, she is alive" he added.


    "I was too weak, pathetic and helpless. My aunt, my mother and my treasure. The one who raised, protected and provided for me despite all her struggles was taken away from me in front of my eyes and all I could do was watch helplessly"


    It was clear that it was a sore topic for him and Chase was initially angry that Adam hadn''t told him the truth about Jannet, who he also deeply cared about, but after hearing Adam, he knew it must have been hard on him.


    Cole felt the same way when Adam had finally told him the truth, as both Chase and Cole adored Jannet who was kind-hearted and treated them like her own children, but they trusted Adam''s judgement and knew that it must have been difficult for him to deal with that alone.


    All they felt was pity for him and he had been dealing with so much by himself without letting anyone know, and there were still many other things that he was taking on alone.


    "She has 6 months left before her body is completely taken over and I have trained so hard and sought out information and power in order to find and save her" he explained.


    "I will not jeopardise our faction for my own personal interests, just like I expect from all of you, but saving her will also be for the better of the faction and the world. Her power was truly horrifying and if you thought that I resembled a monster, she is the devil itself" said Adam.


    It was reassuring to them to see that Adam also had a vulnerable and helpless side and that he was finally beginning to open up to them, but it was clear that he was still holding back from telling them a lot of the truth and many other things.


    Their situation made them all want to become even stronger and feeling helpless and useless was the worst feeling that they never wanted to experience again.


    "I can see that you all want to stand with me, but to be honest, you are still not capable enough and the same could be said for the faction. This is enough expansion for the time being. We need to focus on solidifying and improving what we currently have that is starting to become too much to handle and if you want to carry some of my burdens with me and know more about the world, your only option is to become stronger" stated Adam.


    "Yes," they all exclaimed in unison.


    "Are you willing to work hard and become dependable?"


    "Yes"


    "Are you willing to give up all the luxuries and comforts that you currently have"


    "Yes"


    "Are you willing to push yourself to the point of breaking down both mentally and physically"


    "Yes"


    "Then I will set you a target that you must achieve in the next 6 months"

 Chapter 400: Outrageous Expectations

    "We will take on any task you set and reach any target. As long as we can become stronger, more dependable and more capable, we will do anything. Protecting our territory, strengthening our faction and taking on any enemy threatening the peace we are maintaining all need us to become more powerful. You are our leader any task you have for us will be fulfilled" all of the leaders of the faction stated in unison.


    Hearing that, Adam had a proud and glad expression, happy that his friends that he had placed as the leaders of the faction had not only met his expectations, but surpassed them and also still had much more untapped potential.


    "I would expect nothing else from the leader''s of the Sentinels Faction. My task is simple and each of you must complete my task to prove your worth as leaders of the faction"


    "The task is for all of you to at least breakthrough into the Master Cultivation Level and stabilise your cultivation level. With the resources, manuals and facilities that will be available to all of you, this is a minimum for all of you to achieve and along with that, I want all 4 of you to enter the top 10,000 rankings" announced Adam, shocking them all greatly.


    The task itself was outrageous and even if he gave most cultivators their entire life, they would be unable to achieve such things, yet Adam made the task even more difficult.


    "The deadline for this is 6 months and while cultivating, training, researching and improving, there are other things I would also like to be done" added Adam.


    It was an unbelievable expectation and target for him to set, but despite that, none of them doubted themselves.


    They felt as though Adam''s support and the pressure of his leadership would be enough for them to take on any task and they all noted down everything he said and planned to even surpass the targets he had set for them.


    "I want a headquarters to be built and our faction to be established around the country. The headquarters should be an impenetrable base around the mountainous area and underground tunnels and long with secret passageways should be made around the country. Enemies will come our way in the future and other organisations trying to steal our resources, methods and valuables, so we can only prepare ourselves for the worst and create a safe haven and central area for our members"


    "To become established around the country, force may be necessary, but I am sure that most organisations will gladly join us and as long as their leader forms a blood contract with you, leave the governing to them. As soon as the faction is up and running, you should pass around responsibility to those you have formed a blood contract with and become more passive leaders like me. Everything should be reviewed and monitored, but basic leadership and running of the faction can be left to others, while you guys deal with important matters and become as powerful as you can" he continued, with each of them nodding their heads as he spoke.


    "As long as capable, powerful and responsible cultivators abide by the rules you set and form a blood contract with you, show them how to form blood contracts with others, so all their subordinates are loyal. This way, the entire country''s cultivators and power will be under our faction. This will make it so that our protection and our information network, resources and assets will be incredibly large, and enough to protect the country from all outside threats"


    "This is the first step to our plans and as leaders, you must have Charisma and demand respect and reverence from all your subordinates, and also those that are outside the faction. You must hold your heads high and become powerful, capable and knowledgable enough to represent me and the faction"


    His words bore great weight and all of them felt large amounts of pressure, but also ambition, drive and excitement.


    "We will meet your target and won''t let you down" they all vowed as they bowed to Adam slightly.


    "Don''t bow to me, that''s weird. We are friends and peers" he said to them.


    He wanted loyalty and respect, but they were still his friends and Adam didn''t like to walk over the pride and force individuals into submission unless they were his enemies.


    Humiliation was something he couldn''t stand and Adam would never bow his head or submit to anyone other than his master and aunt, so he expected the same from them.


    "We are leaders that want respect and reverence, but our subordinates and those within our territory are also people. Empathy is something that I don''t want you guys to lost, but against your enemies, strike them down without any mercy or remorse"


    With that, he had said to them everything he needed to say.


    "Prepare the transportation of all your secret methods, manuals and valuables to the secret base that you have the location of. Place your palm and the cliff face that you will feel is calling to you and it will open up for you, while your subordinates will be unable to follow you in or see it, so you must take everything in alone. You can look around and transport Cole''s valuables as well, because Cole and I have something to do for the rest of the day" instructed Adam.


    "I will meet you guys at the secret base tonight and you can begin making preparations for the building of the headquarters, and also do not keep a record of anything within the secret base as that is meant to be secret and private. It shouldn''t be known to anyone but us and all resources needed should be used without thinking twice. We can always get more resources, but our time is of the essence and we should improve ourselves as much as we can" he added to them before preparing to leave.


    They all began doing as he instructed, making phone calls and also preparing to leave, while Adam looked over to Cole to see that he was clearly not looking forwards to seeing Emma and Sarah.

 Chapter 401: Visiting Old Friends

    Seeing the leader''s of his faction and how fast the faction was doing, Adam was satisfied and felt better after he was able to tell them more about what he knew and was dealing with.


    What happened to his aunt was the biggest weight on his chest and Angela remembered how weirdly Adam acted after that sudden incident, so it made sense to her, but it was still unbelievable that Adam was dealing with so much alone.


    He was still far from being powerful enough to face the ancients let alone the other things that the universe had in store for him, however, he was on the right path and could see that everyone around him and himself were progressing.


    [You have taken such a passive position in your governing and guarding of the world, but I''m going to change that and will get to you guys soon. You may not be bad, but your reign is over and I will lead us into a new, prosperous and peaceful age] thought Adam to himself as he put his arm over Cole''s shoulders and began leaving with him.


    It was still shocking how quickly Adam could switch from being causal, relaxed and nonchalant to being their intimidating, respected and frightening leader


    "Adam, I don''t think we should leave this conference room like this, others will see us" said Cole.


    He needed to keep up his image and reputation, while he was also unsure if Adam wanted to reveal himself to the Sentinel Faction members working and guarding the building they were in.


    "Are you embarrassed about being friends with me?" asked Adam while laughing.


    Cole didn''t know how to answer, then Adam reassured him that he was joking and said to him that he would meet him outside of the building.


    He also told him to change into more casual clothing and inform his subordinates that he would be busy the rest of the day and he was not to be disturbed or contacted.


    If there was an issue, Adam told Cole to instruct his subordinates to contact the other leaders who would be available and would cover for him for the rest of the day.


    Adam entered his Soul Form and disappeared from beside Cole and floated behind Cole, observing him trying to see whether Adam was invisible.


    It was amusing for Adam to see Cole wave his arms around him to see if he was there and if he could touch him, and after laughing to himself went outside the building to wait for him.


    Adam could have chosen to become invisible and follow beside Cole in a physical form, but he didn''t want to reveal that ability publically yet and knew that the more abilities he used, the more alerted and the bigger target the ancients placed on him.


    He wanted their meeting and first contact to be on his terms and also didn''t want them to know most of his capabilities.


    The Collector Skill was his biggest trump card that he had hidden and upon using it, he could summon an army of powerful beasts of varying races and with differing Special Traits, abilities and capabilities.


    It was something that he was sure couldn''t be rivalled or expected by the ancients.


    Summoning was likely to be something they were capable of and Adam no longer believed that anything was impossible for someone to do, but he was confident that nobody in the universe had an ability that could rival his Collector Skill.


    Adam also had something that he wanted to train and experiment with the Collector Skill which he hadn''t had the time to get to yet, but he always believed it was a possibility.


    It was always mentioned that the Collector Skill allowed him to collect any kind of living creature within his beastpedia and then summon one of his own that would retain its knowledge, experience and intelligence.


    However, it was never stated by the system that it was all that it was capable of and it was hinted to him on multiple occasions, while he could also sense, that there were other applications and uses of the Collector Skill.


    It was the greatest, first and most versatile Unique Skill that he had and could get, while there was also a lot of mystery and unknown things behind it that he was yet to learn about.


    Adam had an idea for another application of the Collector Skill in his mind that he wanted to try out, but for the time being, he was more curious as to how much Emma and Sarah had changed and how they would act when he went to visit them.


    He was sure that they would be angry with him after disappearing for a year and not contacting them for a long time, but that was to be expected, but he was more curious about what exactly had happened between Cole and Emma.


    Cole left the building after a few minutes and wore a set of clothing that Adam instantly recognised and made him feel nostalgic.


    It was the first black tracksuit that he had bought straight after gaining the Dungeon System that was produced by one of the Maxwell Family''s businesses and it seemed that Cole had bought it in memory of Adam.


    Looking at each other, they couldn''t help but laugh and Adam just wanted to act normal and relax with Cole while visiting some old friends.


    "What car would you like to take? I can get it brought to us within minutes" asked Cole.


    With all the money that Adam had from the faction, he wasn''t one that liked to live a rich, flashy and wasteful life and refused to take any car that Cole had.


    "We are trying to lay low here. I know it is hard for rich boy Cole, but we will be taking a taxi" decided Adam while teasing Cole for his luxurious habits.


    It was nice to feel normal for once and they called for a taxi before heading to where Cole knew Emma and Sarah were.

 Chapter 402: The Harsh Truth

    Cole had been keeping tabs on Emma and Sarah despite barely contacting them and finding it hard to face them and knew of most of what they were doing, while he had also stationed somebody to monitor and protect them at all times.


    Despite being on bad terms with them, he still cared for them deeply, especially Emma who was once his lover and stood with him through thick and thin.


    Adam could tell how Cole was thinking and feeling and began by relaxing and joking around with Cole in the back of the taxi.


    Cole could have used his Wind Elemental Affinity to get them both to fly over the city and the speeds they would move at in the air would make them seem to merely be a blur, and even if they were seen, most ordinary people wouldn''t believe their own eyes.


    Along with that, most of the cameras in the city were already under their control and all cameras in the city could easily be hacked and overwritten by the IT Group that Elizabeth had formed with skilled individuals from around the country.


    Despite that, Adam and Cole wanted to be normal and just relax for once and after a short while, Adam began asking Cole about what exactly had happened between him and Emma.


    Cole and Sarah weren''t very close and they were friends, but didn''t have a lovers relationship, so Adam mostly asked about Emma and what had happened between them was what he had already guessed was the case.


    Emma and Cole had broken up and it was on quite bad terms.


    It was all because ever since Cole became the young family head of the Epstein Family, he had no time to even relax and was either managing and leading the family or cultivating.


    At that time, he didn''t have the chance to rest and wanted to get stronger for himself, for his deceased parents and so that he could be of more help to Adam who was planning to enter a year of seclusion.


    It made her feel as though Cole didn''t care about her and he would barely see her once a week for a short amount of time before leaving, and although he tried to make up for it with gifts and money, she began to feel like a disposable item.


    Once Cole had gotten back on his feet and experienced cultivation, he no longer spent time with her or saw her as someone worthy of him and he believed that materialistic items would make up for that, or so she believed.


    Cole was deeply infatuated with her and was in debt to her for helping him get back on his feet and supporting him at his lowest moments, but he couldn''t get that across to her and he had so many responsibilities.


    The pursuit for power and dangers that came with being a cultivator was something that Cole and Adam didn''t want for Emma and Sarah.


    It wasn''t because they didn''t value them or believe they were capable of cultivating, it was merely because they knew that living an ordinary life was much more easy and relaxed.


    Ignorance was bliss and Adam had only shown Emma and Sarah that the supernatural existed and informed them of a small amount of it, so he wanted them to forget about it and move on with their lives.


    However, they both couldn''t help but feel abandoned, undervalued and unappreciated by Cole and Adam who were living completely different lives that they believed were much more amazing.


    The fulfilment that came with being a cultivator and having power couldn''t be denied, but everything that came with it wasn''t worth it unless one had great aims.


    Emma and Sarah were better off living better lives in the opinions of Cole and Adam, and since Adam wasn''t there for them to argue with, Cole took the brunt of their feelings.


    It ended up with Emma telling him never to try to contact her to talk to her again until he valued her and forgot about everything else that he had to deal with, while Sarah had begun living with Emma and was in an awkward position, unable to mediate between them.


    "I haven''t spoken to either of them in the past 6 months and you understand that I was unable to leave behind all my responsibilities and people relying on me for Emma, even though she had done that to support me," said Cole.


    "You did the right thing and I am sure they will be able to understand your perspective. You are living a completely different life to them and if they are unable to adapt to it, then becoming more distant is unavoidable and the best option" reassured him Adam.


    It was tough for Cole to split apart with the girl he had been for multiple years and stood by him, but he knew that moving on might be his only option and it was better for the both of them.


    Cole needed to focus on the faction and the targets that Adam had set for them, while it would be safer and better for her to live without coming into contact with him.


    "Don''t look so down, I will try to solve any issues between you guys and I am sure that I will get it from Sarah"


    "You have realised that she likes yo....."


    Before Cole could finish, Adam interrupted him and said, "I don''t have time or space in my heart for a lover. I would only bring her trouble and danger if I got too close, while she would only hold me back and be a burden".


    Adam''s words were harsh, but true and it was the hard truth that Cole also needed to face when it came to Emma and they needed to be mature about it and talk to each other.


    Cole and Adam sat in silence for the rest of the taxi ride, both relaxing and reminiscing on their past experiences that got them to the point they were currently in.

 Chapter 403: Controlling Your Emotions

    While Adam and Cole sat silently in the back of the taxi as they neared the residence of Sarah and Emma, a sudden angry voice resounded throughout his mind.


    "What do you mean you don''t have space in your heart for a lover?!" exclaimed Ava.


    Adam chuckled as he entered his mindscape and faced the pouting beauty that resided within his mind and was the spokesperson of the system.


    "Don''t worry Ava, you already have your space in my heart and once I am able to get you a physical body and separate you from the system, you will finally be free and able to truly live. When that happens the Lone Hunter will finally gain a capable and beautiful companion to explore and hunt with him" reassured her Adam.


    Hearing that, she blushed and could tell that he was being honest and truly felt that way since they were both emotionally, mentally and spiritually linked.


    "For now I have a lot of things I need to do, but I haven''t forgotten about you. It is likely I will be unable to fulfil my promise to you in the Mortal Realms, but I won''t give up on finding a way for you to have a body"


    "As long as you didn''t and don''t forget, I will wait as long as it takes," she responded as Adam left his mindscape and regained consciousness.


    Cole paid the taxi fare and Adam and Cole walked over to the small house that Emma and Sarah were able to buy with their own money, not wanting to rely on Adam or Cole or live in their residences.


    As they neared the door, Cole took a deep breath and Adam couldn''t help but be amused by Cole''s behaviour that one would never expect from a powerful cultivator that was one of the leaders of a rising Cultivation Faction.


    However, he knew that with more experience and with time, the pressure and cruel world of cultivators will force Cole into becoming a more wise, mature and composed individual.


    As they reached the door it was clear that Cole was hesitant to ring the doorbell, so Adam did it for him and a few seconds after the doorbell was rung, a familiar voice came out of the speaker beside it.


    "Who is it?"


    "I have a delivery for Sarah. Is that you?" asked Adam.


    Hearing that Cole didn''t know whether to laugh or cry, while Sarah requested him to wait a moment and she opened the door a minute later to accept the parcel.


    What she didn''t expect was to see a handsome man with sharp features, a sharp jawline and frightening red eyes along with slicked-back black hair that was tied into a small ponytail.


    The man''s figure was lean, but clearly muscular even though he wore loose clothing and the same could say for the figure of the other individual beside him.


    Sarah instantly recognised and it was very hard to mistake the unique appearance of Adam for someone else, and instantly went in for a hug, but she stopped herself.


    She swung her a slap towards her face and it seemed to move in slow motion to Cole and Adam who were extremely quick.


    While she did so she had her eyes closed and Cole watched Adam to see whether he would avoid or dodge it, but to his surprise, Adam didn''t move at all and allowed the palm to connect with the side of his face.


    However, Sarah was the one that ended up being hurt and there wasn''t a sign of Adam being hit on his face and he also didn''t flinch or move in the slightest.


    "Why do you hit me? What did I do?" asked Adam with a smile on his face.


    Cole couldn''t comprehend how the individual who would kill anyone for daring to go against him, his faction or mess around in his territory to allow himself to be slapped without reason.


    ''Is the leader of the Sentinels Faction really the same as the relaxed and goofy Adam before me that is always laughing and smiling?'' thought Cole to himself as he observed what was happening.


    Sarah had tears in her eyes and turned around and returned inside, while she had left the door open and needed to calm down, surprised by the sudden appearance of Adam and unable to control her emotions.


    "There is no need to be shocked. You need to be in control of your emotions and not become a slave to your emotions and desires. Instead, you should control them and use them as fuel to increase your power or surpass your limits" stated Adam, seeing that Cole was surprised by how Adam was acting.


    "Getting angry over such small things would be a waste of my time and energy. Here is a prime example of what happens when you cannot control your emotions. Only by understanding your thoughts, desires and emotions and how to control and use them can you truly become powerful" he said before following Sarah into the house.


    "I will just let myself in then" announced Adam as he entered the house and took off his shoes.


    It was a clean and cosy home that could house up to 5 people and had a modern and colourful design.


    "What is going on?" asked Emma as she ran down the stairs while Adam lay comfortably on their sofa without a care in the world.


    She came down to see Sarah covering her face and trying to calm down along with Cole standing outside the door, deep in thought about what Adam had just said to him.


    "What the hell is he doing here and what is going on?" exclaimed Emma who was baffled by what was going on and why Cole was standing at the door.


    She then looked over at her open living room to find a male lying on her sofa and initially, she wanted to scream in shock, but then she realised who it was, and didn''t know how to react or what to feel.

 Chapter 404: Catching Up Part 1

    Emma was in shock and before dealing with Cole and Adam who appeared out of nowhere, she helped Sarah to calm down.


    "How dare that arrogant, selfish and disloyal bastard show his face here, and why is he here as well. You didn''t let him in, so why did he just come in and lay on the sofa like he owns the place" muttered Emma as she gave Cole a look of disdain.


    At that moment Cole was deep in thought and wasn''t paying attention to what was happening as he began to understand what Adam was trying to show and explain to him.


    Controlling one''s emotions, desires and thoughts would allow one to become a monster and unleash their full power against enemies, become a respectable and just leader that was revered by all and also become a nonchalant and relaxed young man that was always making jokes.


    It was how Adam was able to handle all the different burdens and problems alone and it was hard for him to learn how to do so, but he had no choice but to learn as if he didn''t, he would have been crushed by all the different things he was experiencing and feeling at once.


    While Cole was being enlightened to mental and emotional control, Emma waltzed over to Adam with Sarah in tow.


    "What are you doing here? And why are you acting as if you own the place?" exclaimed Emma.


    She didn''t personally hold any negative emotions towards Adam as although he would disappear randomly and lose contact with all of them, that was expected from him and he didn''t have any commitments, but Emma knew that his disappearance hurt Sarah quite heavily.


    Because of that, she couldn''t help but feel angry towards Adam and Cole.


    "Just calm down, can we not have a chat. It has been a while and I just wanted to catch up" answered Adam nonchalantly as he sat up and gave them a smile.


    Emma realised that she needed to calm down and there were too many emotions she was feeling at once and Sarah felt the same way.


    "Tell your friend to come in and we will have a chat in a short while. Sarah and I will go and make us some coffee" said Emma as she dragged Sarah away again towards the kitchen.


    They both needed some time to calm down, regain composure and think about how they felt about Adam and Cole and what they wanted to say to them.


    Adam was amused by their actions and behaviour and couldn''t help but feel nostalgic and reminiscent as he called for Cole to come inside and close the door behind him.


    Cole did as Adam said and sat beside Adam, but he was very absent-minded and it was clear that he was deep in thought, just like Adam was hoping he would be.


    [It seems that with small stimuli, hints and examples, Cole and the others have the potential to greatly improve and I will continue trying to teach them in this way. By figuring it out themselves, their lessons and understandings will be unique to them and they will benefit from it more] thought Adam to himself, pleased with the concentrated and enlightened expression on Cole''s face.


    In the meantime, Adam sat in silence with a smile on his face, awaiting the return of Emma and Sarah and curious to how their conversation would turn out.


    After around 10 minutes there was a strong smell of coffee in the house and Adam had chosen not to listen in on what Emma and Sarah had spoken about while they were gone, not wanting to intrude on their privacy and also wanting to make their conversation more interesting and authentic.


    They had calmed down and walked over to Cole and Adam with four cups of coffee on a tray along with an additional small jug of milk and sugar.


    "You two are quite the accommodating hosts. I would have believed that I was at home, if it wasn''t for the slap"


    As he said that, Adam stroked his cheek acting as though Sarah''s slap had hurt him and nudged Cole with his arm to wake him out of his deep contemplation.


    Cole jumped up slightly after remembering where he was and what was going on, but unlike before, Cole was calm and collected and it seemed as though Adam was beginning to rub off on him.


    "I apologise for that Adam, it''s just that you disappeared for an entire year without contacting us, then suddenly appear out of nowhere and shocked me. It also because Emma and Cole haven''t been on the best of terms and...." said Sarah as she stopped speaking after seeing Emma glare at her.


    "What do you two want?" asked Emma directly and rudely.


    "We just wanted to catch up, pay you guys a visit and get some coffee" answered Adam.


    It was clear that the atmosphere was tense and slightly awkward, but Adam was still very laid back, relaxed and unbothered by it.


    "There is no need to be so angry, defensive or hold grudges. Just sit down and relax"


    "I don''t need you to permit me to sit in my own house Adam, and why don''t you tell us how the past year has been for you" refuted Emma as she sat down with Sarah opposite to Cole and Adam.


    "Doesn''t this bring back memories to when we were kids in class?" said Adam, avoiding the topic of himself.


    "What? you can''t tell us, ordinary people, what amazing lives you two lived for an entire year that caused you to forget about all of those that were with you from the start" asked Emma spitefully.


    It was clear she was hurt and felt abandoned, worthless and left behind, unable to believe that Adam and Cole were truly doing so for her protection.


    "I do not owe either of you anything firstly and secondly I came here to visit friends and not to argue. If you really want to lead lives like me and Cole, you should prepare yourself" stated Adam who was starting to become annoyed by Emma''s attitude.

 Chapter 405: Catching Up Part 2

    Adam looked directly into Emma''s eyes and she couldn''t help but lean back and be intimidated.


    He was completely holding back his aura and all his killing intent, yet his red eyes would still cause anyone fear.


    "Do you really want to become a cultivator like us, then go ahead?" said Adam.


    "Stop playing the victim and wake up. If you have a problem with Cole that is slightly understandable, but I have suffered, endured and agonised alone and didn''t come here looking for arguments" stated Adam.


    "You see the pain in my eyes. I have killed so many people and creatures that I can''t even keep count. I lost my most valued and only relative that was the only one that loved me unconditionally and truly cared for me. I had to fight and recklessly pounce on any opportunities to become the man I am before you and yet all I gained was burdens, responsibilities and a life that I would take back if I could"


    It was clear that Adam truly had experienced excruciating pain and suffering on innumerable occasions and had also experienced a lot.


    He wanted to make it clear that he didn''t live a fantasy life of a superhero and that the world was cruel.


    It was kill or be killed and ultimately the word of cultivators was a savage place.


    Adam had no regrets and was happy with his life and excited for what he was going to experience, see and achieve, but he also wanted to make it clear that reaching his position wasn''t easy.


    Without luck or the Dungeon System, it would be impossible for him to have achieved most of what he had achieved up until that point and even with such things, there was great hardship.


    Emma who had never experienced any form of hardship could never understand or comprehend everything Adam had to experience to reach the position he was in, while it was the same for everyone else in the universe.


    The feeling of being alone a monster that had no choice but to hunt and fight for his life in a dungeon was frightening and would have crushed any weak-willed individual.


    "I am fine now and the past is in the past, but you are better off not cultivating. But if you truly do wish to cultivate, I can test your talent and determination" said Adam before reverting to his relaxed self.


    He knew that unless he was serious with Emma and showed her the side of pain and suffering that nobody saw, she would blindly hate Cole and himself without understanding anything that they had to go through.


    "Cole and I are very busy and have many responsibilities, but also people that are targeting us and may regard us as enemies. It is like living the life of a fugitive or being placed on an island of savage monsters that are all out to get you. We have told you time and time again that we are keeping our distance and not allowing you to join us for your own safety and well-being, but it seems you are unable to understand"


    "Emma, I..."


    Cole didn''t know what to see and what he felt was clear to him, but he was unsure how to express it in words.


    "What he is trying to say is that he still cares for you and it is stupid of you two to feel abandoned. Instead, you are being treasured and protected. Have you not noticed there has always been somebody protecting you from all harm this entire year?" said Adam.


    Everything Adam was saying was starting to make sense to them and they were unable to continue feeling angry, and instead felt pity and wanted to give them their emotional support.


    ''Maybe that is why Adam is unwilling to give his heart to someone'' thought Sarah to herself.


    They continued speaking with each other and began calming down and talking like normal and mature individuals.


    Eventually, Adam wanted to make sure that they were all on the same page and although he regarded them as friends, he knew it was unlikely he would be able to visit them much.


    "To be honest with you guys, we came here to make it clear that our responsibilities are too important to neglect. We are friends and if you ever need anything, we will be more than happy to get it sorted out, but meeting up regularly and having a normal friendship is something that is impossible for us" stated Adam.


    "It is best for you two to keep your distance from us as we will only bring you danger and if you do wish to get back with Cole, which he does want, it will have to be a strong relationship of trust. I am sure that you want to continue your ordinary life, but he also wants to continue his current life. Seeing him all the time is very unlikely, but I can guarantee you that he will be loyal and always come back to you, otherwise, I will dispose of him myself" said Adam to Emma.


    Cole felt a chill run down his spine, knowing that if Adam truly meant what he said, if he dared to betray Adam, he would be helpless against him and that was clear to Emma and Sarah who were bemused by Cole''s reaction.


    Emma blushed and it was clear that she still cared for him and although she didn''t definitively say yes to returning with Cole, it was evident that it was her intention.


    Cole went on to apologising to Emma and speaking to her about everything that had happened to him and while they did, Sarah was bombarding Adam with questions and trying to act as his therapist, but Adam reassured her that he was fine and merely used his experiences to prove a point.


    After they spoke seriously and made up with each other, they drank their coffees before relaxing and calming down.


    "This is much better, I don''t like being serious, it is so tiring," said Adam as he leaned back against the sofa.

 Chapter 406: Catching Up Part 3

    Adam saying that being serious was tiring caused Cole to laugh, remembering how serious and incredible he was when giving a speech to the Sentinels Faction members and leading their meeting, while Sarah also felt as though it didn''t add up.


    "Tiring, aren''t you meant to have superhuman capabilities. Show me some of your abilities, Cole never shows us his ability to control the wind that you mentioned to us" said Sarah who was happy to be reunited with all of her old friends and was eager to see their abilities.


    "I can''t compare to Cole and don''t have any special abilities. I am pretty good at using weapons though" answered Adam.


    As he said that, he grabbed the spoons on the coffee table between him and the two girls, then began to juggle with them and pretend that they were knives.


    It was hard for Sarah and Emma to believe that he could truly kill and fight like he previously said, while Cole was laughing to himself knowing that Adam was unbelievably strong and would merely prefer not to flaunt his power.


    "By the way Sarah, how is your business going?" asked Adam.


    "My business, you mean our business"


    "No, I mean your business. I don''t have time or the need for the business and think of it as a gift to make up for the past year"


    "But it is worth at least a few hundred thousand now after Emma and I worked hard on it for the past year and we are on track to being worth 1 million dollars by the end of his financial quarter"


    She believed that the worth of the business would change Adam''s mind, but he didn''t react in the slightest to what she said and didn''t seem to care at all.


    "Well if you both worked so hard on it, you can split the business 50/50. If you need me to sign anything bring me the documents to hand over my shares and I am proud of how far you two were able to come"


    Sarah and Emma looked at each other and had no reason to decline Adam''s generous offer, but they couldn''t help but feel guilty for their precious behaviour.


    After sorting out everything to do with the business, that Adam no longer had a need for or wanted to be affiliated with, since it would merely cause the people involved danger, they ordered some food and ate it at the kitchen dining table.


    Cole sat beside Emma, making it so that Adam had no choice but to sit next to Sarah which he didn''t mind since had allowed her to live with him previously for quite a while.


    Emma and Sarah felt that Adam and Cole had greatly changed and that they could no longer keep up with them, but the feeling of inferiority was slowly removed after realising that they still acted and treated them the same.


    After relaxing the rest of the day and acting like normal people, it was starting to get late and Cole and Adam both knew that they needed to leave as they had many things they needed to do.


    "It was nice catching up, but we have to go now. I will be out of the city soon and most likely won''t be able to visit in a while, but I am sure Cole will come in the next few weeks" said Adam as they stood up and prepared to leave.


    Cole looked at Emma one last time and gave her a warm and reassuring smile before following behind Adam and leaving.


    "Should we go on foot?" asked Cole.


    "Why would we do that? It''s night now and just fly us to the secret base"


    Hearing that Cole smiled and had been meaning to fly over the city with Adam, but he expected that Adam wouldn''t want to do so as Adam would not be able to control his movement in the air.


    Little did he know Adam had created and mastered the Burst Movement Skill in both his forms, while also had quite a few other methods and skills that he had learnt that could aid his movement in the air


    Cole''s energy control couldn''t be compared to Adam''s, but was also very accurate and he no longer needed to use his arms, hands and fingers to aid him in using and controlling his Wind Elemental Affinity.


    Waving one''s hands or making specific movements to wield Internal Energy in most cases was merely used for the individual to increase their focus and aid them in imagining the outcome they were aiming for.


    In reality, for most uses of Internal Energy, one could do them while standing still, but it was much more difficult to wield one''s internal energy or Soul Power while the form was static and most would be unable to do so.


    "I am impressed Cole, now show me your speed," said Adam as he felt the air around him begin to lift him up as they flew dozens of metres directly upwards into the air.


    Cole looked over to Adam to see if he was reacting in any way, expecting him to be at least slightly nervous since he was so high up and had no control of himself at such altitudes, and yet he was calm and didn''t react in the slightest.


    ''Does he trust me so much that he doesn''t feel any fear or worry, or is he able to fly and is yet to use it?'' wondered Cole as they blitzed through the air in the direction of the secret base.


    However, merely a minute after they had left, Adam suddenly sensed that something bad was happening and his instincts had never been wrong.


    Cole was unsure why Adam suddenly became tense, but after hearing a voice within his mind inform him of what was occurring, Adam had his fists tightly clenched and visibly became angry.


    "I am going to destroy those bastards" he bellowed as he released his killing intent, which shocked and intimidated Cole, causing him to lose control for an instant and leave Adam plummeting towards the ground from hundreds of metres in the air.

 Chapter 407: Abduction Or Betrayal?

    "Adam" exclaimed Cole who lost control of his Wind Elemental Affinity after Adam suddenly released his killing intent.


    He was unsure why Adam suddenly became angry and released his killing intent, but he was more worried about saving him from hitting the ground which would greatly injure him or kill him at the height that he fell from.


    However, what shocked him was that despite falling, Adam still kept his balance in the air and had turned around before suddenly releasing a burst of energy that launched him in the direction that they had just left from.


    ''How is he able to do that and is he returning back to Emma and Sarah? Don''t tell me something happened to them'' thought Cole to himself as he watched Adam burst off at speeds that he was unable to match even with his Wind Elemental Affinity and followed after him.


    What Ava had said to Adam that had caused him to become so angry was something that he had never expected and Adam blamed himself for letting his guard down.


    {There is a demonic and evil presence at Emma and Sarah''s residence and I was only able to sense it because of the disturbance in space. It means that the evil individuals used a Space/Transportation Crystal. They are there to likely abduct your friends} revealed Ava.


    Adam had already sensed danger and didn''t doubt Ava or the system, so he couldn''t hold back his killing intent and anger that caused anyone with sharp enough senses to feel a chill run down their spine.


    "Did you feel that wave of fear? That was your so-called friend coming for us" said the female figure that wore black robes that had a red moon sigil on it with a smile.


    She was instructed by her master not to battle with Adam, but if he was to intervene in the capturing of his friends, she was allowed to knock him back or take him down without severely injuring him or killing him.


    Licking her lips, she was excited to get to face such a strong opponent, but what the two girls said next shocked her greatly.


    "You mean Adam is coming now. What do we do?" asked Sarah.


    "Stop being such a wuss Sarah, this is finally our chance to become strong and even though I understood and appreciate Cole and Adam, they are underestimating and undervaluing us. If we go with her, she can give us all the power in the world" stated Emma who had become blinded by the desire for power and to be on par with her peers.


    Sarah was beginning to feel the same way and the mysterious female figure had appeared out of nowhere and promised them all they could ever wish for.


    She was extremely beautiful and had a slender and tall figure, but her sickly pale skin and black eyes also gave her a frightening and intimidating appearance.


    Along with that, she had long nails that were sharp and black and matched with her black robes, one couldn''t help but fear her, but she gave them a smile and seemed friendly.


    "I will accept this deal with the devil. Take us with you and we will accept your conditions" decided Emma and Sarah.


    The conditions and rewards would change their lives and they would be leaving behind everything that they had, but they couldn''t help but still seek the greatness that was on offer despite the cost.


    Sarah hadn''t mentioned it, but her father had died over the past year after this body became very weak and was no longer able to hold out, while Emma didn''t like her family or see them as family after the issues they had with them.


    They both felt as though they had nothing to lose and Emma wanted to never have to rely on or wait for Cole, wanting to become powerful enough for Cole to seek her.


    While Sarah wanted the acknowledgement of Adam who she knew wasn''t stupid and could tell how she was feeling, but never gave her emotions the light of day.


    In truth, they were being manipulated by the evil woman that appeared to them and offered them everything they wanted, but the evil woman was surprised by how easy it was for them to willingly come with them.


    She had been instructed to capture and abduct the two girls, but also see if they had what it took to become one of them and join them willingly.


    All it took was an intense desire that would push one to the point of not caring about morals, ethics or anything else that was in the way of acquiring what they wanted.


    "Then we shall be on our way and you two will have the please of seeing the master. Few have seen him in person and most that did are no longer alive to tell the tale, or are his top subordinates that live and are treated as royalty with all the power they could ever crave"


    As she said that, she placed her palms on the two girls in order to make physical contact with them, which was required for them to all use the same Space Crystal.


    Adam sensed the use of a large amount of energy and Ava informed him that it was the activation of a Space Crystal, and it was clear that it was to transport more than one individual.


    Activating his Bloodlust Characteristic, Adam released even more power and smashed straight through the wall of their house to see Sarah, Emma and the robed evil woman disappear.


    "No, don''t go" he called out as he went to attack the robed woman.


    He could see the slight guilt on Sarah''s expression, but could also see that they had gone with their own free will and they weren''t being forced to go.


    Before they were transported to another space, the robed woman gave Adam an evil smile and winked at him as she disappeared just as Adam''s fist was about to land on her.

 Chapter 408: Long Way To Go

    "Damn it, those evil bastards. It seems that I underestimated how capable they were. They have Space Crystals and must already know everything about me and all my movements. Were they toying with me from the start?" cursed Adam as he slammed his fist into the ground and caused the entire house to shake.


    His aunt was placed in a coma because of them in the first place and they had been secretly drawing her blood and from many other patients to use for their evil practices.


    If Adam hadn''t saved her at the time he did, she would have died and then her organs would have been sold, while her dead body was likely to also be used for their evil cultivation methods.


    It wasn''t just his aunt, it was thousands of people in their country alone and Adam had already told Elizabeth and the others about the Evil Organisation in the shadows.


    He had told her to try to get as much information as she could about them, but other than a name, she wasn''t able to find anything else.


    When it came to interrogating individuals she found affiliated with them, they would either kill themselves or know nothing, making it so that it felt as though they didn''t exist at all and were merely an urban legend.


    Getting up, Adam calmed down and brushed the debris off his clothes before setting the entire house on fire and leaving.


    He didn''t want to leave any traces of Emma and Sarah leaving to join the Blood Moon Group, and until they knew more about what had happened and where they could find them, it was best for them to be assumed dead by the government.


    Their life was about to change massively and Adam was disappointed by them for willingly going with an individual that was clearly evil, but there was nothing he could do about it and he needed to stay calm.


    Cole arrived a short while after and saw the fire around the house, and could tell that it was Adam that set the house on fire from the colour, aura and burning speed of the flame.


    Without asking about what had happened, Cole flew towards the blazing flames, wanting to see what had happened and if Emma and Sarah were there, and it was clear that he was panicking.


    Adam jumped up into the air and grabbed his arm before he did and threw him to the ground, knowing that Cole would be unable to stay calm when it came to Emma.


    "What happened!" he wailed as he burst towards Adam and grabbed his shirt.


    "Where is she? You were meant to protect her"


    His frantic and wild behaviour made it clear to Adam that he wasn''t in the right state of mind.


    "Get your hands off me"


    Adam''s words were quiet and calm, but stern as he took Cole''s arms off him.


    "Calm down you idiot. Let''s leave here and we can talk about it later" said Adam, sensing that people were beginning to gather because of the fire and smoke.


    "No, I want to know. You fuc....." Cole had gone completely crazy.


    He had just gotten on good terms and back together with Emma after being unable to do so for so long, but now she seemed to have died in a fire due to Adam and he was unable to think straight.


    It should have been obvious to him that Adam would never do such a thing, but he was unable to think logically.


    Adam swiftly struck the back of his neck and for Colour to attempt to attack him, it was clear that there was no point trying to talk to him.


    Allowing him to stay conscious any longer would merely cause Cole pain, as he was going against his Soul Contract when attacking Adam.


    While forming the Soul Contact, Adam allowed internal conflict for reasons that he saw as valid and that included himself, but in this case, Cole had gone wild without even understanding the situation.


    For Cole to be taken down so quickly and with such ease, it was clear that he was disorientated as, despite the large gap in power, Cole was the fastest out of the Faction Leaders and should have been able to react to Adam''s chop.


    Adam placed Cole''s body over his shoulder and launched himself into the air with the Burst Movement Skill, leaving the scene before people began to gather around.


    Adam was annoyed with how everything had turned out and it was clear that his enemies knew everything about him, while he knew nothing about them.


    It was the first time he had seen one of their members in person and her eyes made him feel intimidated and wary, while the smile she gave him made it clear that she desired to battle him.


    However, her battle intent wasn''t one of equals.


    Instead, it felt as though she wanted to toy with him and it was the first time for a long time that he felt as though he wasn''t facing an opponent on equal footing.


    He felt inferior and as though he was being looked down upon, which made him even warier of the giant threat that was hiding in the shadows.


    Despite that, there was nothing that Adam felt that he couldn''t overcome and the Blood Moon Group was merely another obstacle on his journey that he was going to overcome.


    To do so, he would need to strengthen the faction as much as possible, but also himself, as although his power was great compared to the power level of cultivators in the city, compared to that evil woman that took Emma and Sarah, he still had a long way to go.


    "This is getting more and more complicated. Now with Emma and Sarah involved, I have no one else to protect or keep out of this dangerous world of cultivation, but that just makes me more dangerous. The Blood Moon Group and any other obstacle on my path will be crushed, but for now, I need to get this fool to calm down and boost the faction''s growth even more"

 Chapter 409: Coles Blind Fit Of Rage Part 1

    It was evident to Adam that Emma and Sarah had gone willingly with the Blood Moon Group Member willingly.


    Adam could see and sense that they weren''t being controlled, while there also weren''t any signs of force or conflict between them and the evil woman, so he was confident in his observation.


    That made it even harder to think about getting them back and if they were cultivated in the Blood Moon Group, just like Jannet, they could become completely different beings.


    But unlike Jannet, they went with their own free will and were not being manipulated and controlled by an Evil Soul that was attempting to inhabit their body.


    Now that Adam had become a Soul Cultivator he had a better chance of saving and returning his aunt back to how she was, however the same couldn''t be said for Emma and Sarah who made the decision for themselves.


    At the same time, what had occurred had rattled Cole and it would be hard for Adam to help him regain his focus and composure, but Cole was essential to the faction and also his friend, so Adam needed to help him.


    He carried him over to the secret base and as Adam landed in the forest near to the secret base, he sensed that Cole was beginning to regain consciousness and he placed him on the ground.


    As soon as he woke up, he jumped up and it took him a moment to remember what had occurred and the last thing he could recall was Adam knocking him unconscious.


    "You really have become a monster" yelled Cole, blinded by rage and unable to realise that Adam would never kill Emma and Sarah.


    In Cole''s mind, Adam was annoyed and frustrated with Emma and Sarah who were merely burdens, which was why he returned to their home suddenly and burnt them all.


    Adam suddenly released his killing intent then he headed towards them, so his assumption and belief was understandable.


    However that was far from the truth, despite Adam understanding why he could believe what he did.


    He knew that only by allowing him to let out his anger and fight him would he be able to get through to him, so what else could they do but fight.


    Since Adam had complete control over the Soul Contract, he allowed Cole to fight and attack him, even with the intention to kill, confident that he would be able to handle it.


    He didn''t want Cole to end up killing himself by going against the Soul Contract and it was important for Adam to bring him back to his senses.


    Cole''s speed was impressive and even higher than it was during the previous battle for New York as he charged towards Adam and launched wind blades towards him as he did so.


    The wind blades were aimed at Adam''s throat and it seemed as though his intention truly was to kill, but Adam could tell that he wasn''t thinking straight.


    However it was quite surprising that Cole''s love for Emma was so deep and strong.


    [I will take all his attacks head-on and after he can no longer battle, I will teach this bastard a lesson]


    Energy Barrier


    Adam placed his arms out and a barrier formed of energy appeared around him protecting him from the wind blades and blocking the fist that Cole had launched towards him.


    Cole then began attacking Adam in close combat and it seemed that he had trained his martial arts over the past year as his close combat skills had greatly improved.


    His footwork and speed impressed Adam the most and he used a range of kicks, punches and attacks to strike Adam, but all of the force of his attacks would be nullified by Adam''s blocks.


    The blows would land on Adam''s body, but the impact would be removed in one way or another by Adam and Cole''s combat prowess still couldn''t be compared to that of Adam, who had fought against all sorts of opponents and creatures.


    Sensing a disturbance in the area outside the secret base and being alerted by the detection arrays, all the other faction leaders came out of the secret base and were shocked by what they saw.


    They had finished moving most of their important belongings and valuables to the secret base and just as they were about to begin exploring and waiting for Cole and Adam, they sensed a large clash of energy.


    In the beginning, they assumed that Adam and Cole were merely sparring, but it became evident that Cole was truly trying to kill Adam, while his attacks were more powerful, but also more wild than usual.


    They wanted to intervene and their Soul Contract, instincts and heart wanted to protect Adam and take down Cole who clearly seemed to be the aggressor.


    All of them trusted and respected Adam, so whatever reason Cole had for attacking him, they had to solve it or get rid of Cole, as Adam was much more important than Cole.


    However, they didn''t want either of them to die and they had no idea what was occurring.


    "Do not intervene. This is a personal matter and misunderstanding that I will sort out myself" ordered Adam to the other faction leaders.


    They didn''t want to and couldn''t go against his orders, so they helplessly observed and prayed for the safety of Cole, having previously witnessed Adam''s power, while trying to learn from the battle.


    It was clear that Adam was holding back and was on the defensive, but Adam''s defensive technique was still greatly impressive to watch and they tried their best to learn his movements.


    They were swift and precise and Adam didn''t make any necessary movements as Cole continued cursing at him and attacking him.


    Cole used all the power he had to attack Adam for an entire hour and the entire time, Adam merely blocked and took on his attacks head-on without responding to any of his words.


    He had barely been able to injure Adam who had suffered a few blows and wounds, but was still mostly unharmed, while Cole was panting heavily and had also used most of his Internal Energy.


    "I have allowed you to feel better by hitting me and vent your anger, but now it is my turn you stupid asshole" bellowed Adam who had become annoyed by Cole''s crazed outburst.

 Chapter 410: Coles Blind Fit Of Rage Part 2

    Adam meant what he said and was truly planning on teaching Cole a lesson that he really needed to learn, and Cole had surprisingly managed to truly annoy Adam.


    After saying what he said, Adam suddenly burst from where he stood opposite to Cole with speed that made him appear to be a mere blur, even to the other faction leaders who had been watching attentively the entire time.


    From Cole''s words, it seemed as though Adam had killed Emma and Sarah, but they couldn''t believe that as they knew how much Adam valued friendship and connections.


    They didn''t know what to believe, but there was sure about some things.


    Adam was their leader, could control them and they had no reason to doubt him or his character, so in this situation, it seemed as though Cole was in the wrong.


    Adam slammed his knee into Cole''s stomach causing him to vomit a curdle of blood and Adam didn''t hold back his strength, breaking three of Cole''s ribs in that single strike.


    He then went onto rapidly and continuously striking him with his fists, completely beating Cole to a pulp and repaying him for every single attack that he had launched towards him.


    However, he had begun holding back his strength, knowing that Cole wouldn''t be able to handle even a few seconds of Adam using his full power.


    "Don''t try to fly away, this is your punishment for being such a stupid idiot"


    Adam jumped up and grabbed the leg of Cole who attempted to fly away with the last of the Internal Energy that he had, then flung him towards the ground.


    It was a brutal battering, but it was only fair for Adam to pay Cole back for the attacks he suffered, and after seeing he couldn''t handle anymore, he stopped attacking him.


    Cole was barely able to stay conscious and would die if he wasn''t treated soon, so the other faction leaders were thankful that Adam had stopped himself from attacking, and it was clear that Adam had been holding back his strength and speed most of the time.


    "Are you really that idiotic Cole? Did you actually believe that I would kill Emma and Sarah and yet you didn''t even give me the chance to explain myself and were blinded by emotion"


    "You attacked your leader and close friend without even asking what had happened and went as far as trying to kill me with all you had, maybe that''s why she went with the Blood Moon Group so willingly"


    "Emma must have been ashamed to have once been with you, a useless, weak and stupid individual, that once she was given the chance to live a new life, she took it without thinking"


    Adam wasn''t holding back with his words and he needed to scold Cole to make sure that something like this didn''t repeat itself, and so that he was able to rise up from his current state and become stronger.


    "Such a miserable individual that allows themselves to be controlled by emotions and easily deceived doesn''t deserve to be a leader of the faction"


    "Even with me holding back and allowing you to attack me, you were unable to even land an attack that injured me greatly"


    "You blame me for not being there to protect her, well where were you. She was your woman, so why is it my duty to protect her. It was you who was too weak and useless to sense what was happening there"


    His words were begging to make everything that had happened clear and the faction leaders were shocked to see how strict and harsh Adam was being, but they also knew that he was right.


    "The Blood Moon Group appeared before her and most likely offered her an opportunity to become powerful as I saw her and Sarah willingly leave with her. Yet you blamed me and were unable to realise and accept your weakness and uselessness. You should be ashamed"


    "I am just as angry as you are and burnt down the house to get rid of any traces of Emma and Sarah and also make it so that they are assumed to be dead by the government. They are joining a criminal and evil organisation willingly, so if the police search for them, they are likely to be killed. While getting them back won''t be easy, so if you truly want to rise up from your current pitiful state, you need to become stronger"


    "And you must also prepare yourself for the possibility that they are too far gone and if that is the case, you cannot hesitate to take them down and I will do the same. Unlike my aunt, they willingly chose to become what they may become after joining the Blood Moon Group, so if it comes to it and they have become different people, I will not show any mercy" added Adam.


    It was a big possibility that it was too late to save them by the time they were ready to face the Blood Moon Group, so Cole needed to be able to handle that.


    "All of you take this as a lesson. I was just teaching him about controlling one''s mind, desires and emotions and yet he learnt nothing. Make rational decisions and understand the situation before doing so, otherwise, the safety of everyone within our territory and that of the faction will be at stake. As leader''s your actions have great repercussions and represent those that are supporting and working under you, so such a shameful event like this cannot be repeated"


    "I allowed him to vent his rage this time because I understood the pain of losing a loved one and being helpless to it, but next time I will have no choice but to strike you down. I was merely defending myself and cannot allow this faction, country and world''s safety to be jeopardised by stupid individuals"


    Adam''s words all made sense to Cole and it was clear that he wasn''t lying and had no reason to do so.

 Chapter 411: Lesson

    Adam also cared for them and when he went back to their house and released his killing intent, it was because he sensed and was informed by Ava that there was danger, and not because he wanted to kill them.


    What he said hurt Cole more than the beating he received and he realised how reckless and foolish it was for him to attack Adam without even seeking an explanation or truly understanding what had occurred.


    "Carry Cole inside the secret base and take him to the energy chamber to recover. Elizabeth I am sure you can transfer medicinal properties to others with your constitution, so please help him recover as we will be training tomorrow" instructed Adam.


    It was painful for him to beat up his friend and subordinate in such a brutal manner, but it needed to be done and Cole felt nothing but sorrow and was trying to apologise to Adam, but he was unable to speak.


    He had blood clotting in his throat and was barely able to breathe, but his eyes made everything he was feeling clear.


    After all the pain he experienced from being beaten to the verge of death, Cole didn''t once back down which was impressive, but from Adam''s mere words, he had tears flowing down his face.


    While the other faction leaders also didn''t feel anything negative towards Adam and it was clear that Cole was in the wrong and merely made their situation even worse than it already was.


    ''It would be best if I just died here, just like he said I am useless and will never be able to get her back''


    "Treat this as a learning curve and after he recovers, if he still has what it takes, I will help him train to become powerful enough to take on anyone and anything along with the rest of you. If this situation crushed his willpower and spirit, then we will have to see what we do then as we cannot allow the secrets of the faction to get out and also must keep the structure of the faction intact" stated Adam before walking away.


    Adam''s words were brutally honest, but correct.


    Hearing what he said, Cole who was on the verge of giving up on everything felt his will to live and become stronger be reignited.


    Elizabeth carried Cole to the energy chamber and aided his recovery overnight, while Wayde and Chase trained in the gravity chamber.


    They wanted to clear their minds and there was no better way to do that than to train in the gravity chamber that they found very effective and useful for training their core, bodies and overall physical power.


    Angela went to sleep and wanted to recover as much as she could before tomorrow so that she could train well, while Adam was nowhere to be seen.


    Floating in the middle of the lake, Adam looked up at the crescent moon and the night sky and couldn''t help but clench his fists.


    He clenched his fists so hard that his nails pierced through his tough skin and drew blood, but Adam felt no pain and his mind was focused on one thing.


    The Blood Moon Group.


    The one''s that could be blamed for everything bad that happened to his aunt and the ones that had coerced Emma and Sarah into joining them.


    They had been watching Adam''s every movement ever since he killed the hospital director and it was only a coincidence that Jannet was one of their victims, but I guess one could call it fate.


    [I will make sure you pay for the suffering you caused for me and those I care about along with millions of others around the world] vowed Adam who after cleaning himself in the water, dried his body with fire.


    He then put on a new set of clothes, since his old one was drenched in the blood of Cole, then slept outside laying against a tree.


    Sleeping outside was nothing new for Adam and there was no danger for someone who was as powerful as Adam.


    The night was silent and Adam slept deeply and peacefully, along with all the other faction leaders that were all tired.


    He would usually enter one of the dungeons in his sleep, but he didn''t do so for the first time in a very long time.


    It was also the first time that he had truly managed to let go and sleep completely and he was so tired that he didn''t even enter his mindscape and allowed himself his mind, soul and body to rest completely.


    At noon the next day, all the faction leaders had woke up and they had all rested for over 12 hours, which they had never had the chance to do that entire year just like Adam.


    After doing so, they all gathered in the energy chamber not only because of the extremely dense energy within that large room, but also to check on Cole.


    Cole had recovered greatly from the state he was previously in with the help of a recovery technique, Elizabeth''s medicinal energy and the energy chamber, but his recovery speed still couldn''t be compared to that of Adam.


    It was also easy for him to recover quickly because Adam had intentionally made it so that none of his internal organs, energy pathways or meridians were damaged, which he was thankful for.


    The physical injuries were easy to recover, but if Adam hadn''t held back and made sure to only deal him physical injuries, even if Cole managed to survive, recovering to his peak would be almost impossible.


    It was clear they were all curious as to what had happened and they gathered most of it from what they heard Cole and Adam say to each other, but they still wanted to hear the full story from Adam.


    After hearing it, Adam being in the right was made even more evident and he had merely tried his best to save his friends and the one that Cole loved and yet Cole ended up turning up against him.


    Guilt was eating Cole up and as soon as he finished telling them the story, he got up to look for Adam, feeling obligated to beg for forgiveness.

 Chapter 412: Forgiveness

    They were unsure whether he was in the secret base as Adam had much more control, knowledge and understanding of the secret base than them, but from what they could tell, he wasn''t there so they went to look outside.


    It didn''t take them long for them to find Adam sleeping against a tree beside the lake and the clothes he was wearing before that were drenched in blood were on the side.


    They had never thought of swimming in the lake, but it seemed like a nice place to relax in and also seemed clean, so they all noted down that they had a natural swimming pool near the secret base that they could use.


    As they looked at Adam, he was so deeply and fast asleep and for once, he seemed vulnerable and normal.


    Even when he was laughing and relaxing, his red eyes were still alert, and yet Adam seemed completely unconscious in his sleep and wasn''t alerted by them using their spiritual senses to find him.


    They approached him and even when they neared him, he didn''t seem to react in the slightest, while Cole was anxious about how he would react to being woken up.


    Cole got close to him and went to poke Adam''s shoulder, but just as he made contact with Adam''s body, he suddenly moved at incredible speeds that they had never seen before.


    His movements were so swift and he had grabbed Cole''s left arm tightly with his right arm and got up.


    In that same movement, he had used the Hand Blade Skill to form a blade around his left hand that he placed against Cole''s neck.


    Cole and the rest of them were unable to react and barely even saw what had happened, and if Adam hadn''t managed to hold himself back, he would have ended up slicing Cole''s neck.


    Adam who had fallen deeply asleep acted completely on his reflexes and survival instincts that had been sharpened and honed in all sorts of dangerous environments.


    Realising what had occurred, Adam released Cole and moved back before scratching his head.


    "Sorry for that, it was a reflex. It seems my survival instincts were even faster than me waking up and my body must have assumed you were an enemy" apologised Adam with a wry smile.


    Adam played it off as though it was a normal thing that occurred, but all of them were shocked and once again amazed by Adam.


    They also couldn''t help but wonder what exactly he had been through and what dangers he needed to face in order to have reflexes and survival instincts that were so fast and sharp


    Cole, who was sweating greatly after nearly being accidentally killed by Adam, fell to his knees and began beginning Adam for forgiveness.


    "It was all my fault just like you said and I acknowledge that and want the opportunity to make it up to you. Please just give me a second chance" he pleaded.


    "Get up" ordered Adam sternly.


    Cole didn''t even need to think about it and reflexively followed Adam''s orders as he jumped up rapidly.


    None of them knew what to expect next from Adam, but what he did completely shocked them all and was the last thing they had expected after how Cole acted the day before.


    Adam hugged Cole and as he did so spoke quietly into Cole''s ear.


    "This was blown out of proportion and next time please don''t force my hand or doubt me again"


    Hearing that and feeling the warmth of Adam''s care and hug, Cole couldn''t help but feel even more guilty for believing that Adam would kill their friends.


    Cole had tears in his eyes and he promised that he would never doubt Adam gain and that he would always trust him and follow his instructions no matter what.


    He then began repeatedly apologising, but that stopped after Adam slapped the back of his head


    "Come on man, stop being such a pathetic wimp. I already forgot about what happened yesterday and it was merely a misunderstanding and fight between friends"


    The way Adam made trying to kill him seem normal was surprising, but Cole knew that Adam was right and that he needed to move on.


    Wiping his tears, Cole regained composure and stood beside the other faction leaders.


    "Now that we have sorted that out, we have more important things to worry about and this is not the time for our unity, resolve and drive to falter" stated Adam, who became serious.


    Before falling asleep, Adam had thought a lot about the Blood Moon Group and it was apparent that they were no match against them in the slightest.


    Adam was no longer a lone wolf and before engaging in a large scale conflict, he needed to make sure that the rest of his pact was ready and able to survive and win the battle.


    Strengthening his friends that were the leaders of the faction would be his current main priority and he was planning to do so for a week before departing to look for his aunt.


    That week would mostly be spent giving them tips, ideas, encouragement and sparring with them, as there was nothing else that Adam could do for them and he had already provided them with everything they could ever need to progress in the secret base.


    "We have an enemy that is currently too strong for us to face and even I feel weak in comparison to them. They have committed all kinds of evil deeds and the Blood Moon Group are able to get away with all of them by hiding and controlling everything in the shadows"


    Adam then went on to tell them about what they had done and how his aunt was also a victim, then Elizabeth also provided some of the things that she had been able to gather.


    The other leaders had been so busy with their own units of the faction and doing all sorts of things that they didn''t have time to go over the information that Elizabeth''s information department was able to gather, but they were disgusted by everything they heard.

 Chapter 413: Training Camp

    "As far as the members and the group itself, there isn''t much to find online and I have been able to gather a few things from observations of the woman I met when trying to save Emma and Sarah"


    "They all wear black robes with a red moon sigil on it. They are all extremely powerful and cultivate evil methods, but are able to gather resources needed for their evil methods through horrible, but inconspicuous means. They also have access to Spacial Crystals that are also called Transformation Crystals"


    Adam then went on to explain to them what Space Crystals were and they were all amazed by the revelation that teleportation existed, but it wasn''t far fetched compared to everything else that they had seen Adam do and that he had told them about.


    "And the last thing I know about them is that the leader of the Blood Moon Group is the brother of my master. Both my master and the leader of the Blood Moon Group were both ancients and although most of the details are unknown to me, their group is one to be avoided at all costs until we are ready"


    "He has gone astay and formed an evil group powerful enough to rival even the ancients and if conflict breaks out between them, we as the Sentinels Faction need to be ready to benefit from it, but also keep collateral damage to a minimal. We do not have any idea of when such a conflict will break out, but we must become stronger as individuals and as a faction as quickly as possible"


    Adam and Cole had made up and all of them had their own motives for wanting to become stronger, but they all shared their hate towards the Blood Moon Group and desire to become more powerful, dependable and knowledgeable.


    The one who appeared to be the most eager to begin training was Cole who wanted to take down the Blood Moon Group and bring back Emma and Sarah no matter what, but the others were just as eager and couldn''t wait any longer.


    "Well then, if you are all ready, we will begin immediately and we will have a one week training camp where I will oversee your training and be at your service. However, after this week, there are many matters that I need to attend to and I am likely to be gone for the rest of the 6 months"


    "Yes, we are all ready"


    With that, Adam smiled and led them back to the secret base and before they began the training, Adam wanted to make some things, including the training structure, clear.


    "This secret base was created by my master and I would appreciate it if you all honoured his memory and didn''t destroy the base. For any battles, there is a sparring room and the mountainous region outside that you can fight in. Along with that, this week I want to have an individual session with each of you, then at the end of each day we will all go to the sparring room and I will face all of you at once" stated Adam.


    "This way I can give you all personal teachings and help, then I can test my own abilities and what you have learnt during a sparring match. Times outside your session with me and the sparring session, you are free to do as you please, but I want the Knowledge Library to stay organised"


    "Any skill, method or manual accessed, should be returned to where it was found and preferably studied in that library, while I would also advise you to start with basic and fundamental skills, then build on them. I would also advise that you merely use them as inspiration and not rely on them completely, as it may hold back your potential"


    As he spoke, they all nodded their heads and noted all of it within their minds.


    "I am sure you have already looked around and my master had prepared guides before he passed, knowing that I would share this space with others, so just use that to find things. Each individual session will be around an hour in the sparring room and I will call you all one by one, then the sparring session should also be around an hour, so altogether each day I will have 6 hours spent. That will leave me with quite a lot of time the rest of the day, so if you need help, advice or anything else just come to me"


    "Each day I would like each of you to train for at least 12 hours, including the sessions with me, but I need you all to make sure you eat the meat and herbs that are farmed in this secret base. I also need all of you to rest well as overworking yourself won''t do you much good"


    Adam had put a lot of thought into what all of them needed to work on and how they should structure their training during the night, and with the help of Ava, he had something that each of them should work on.


    What Ava had helped him realise would not only increase their power, but could also increase their potential and talent and to an extent, they would be able to surpass all their limits if they worked hard and smart enough.


    Working hard wasn''t enough and Adam needed to point them in the right direction and with everything they had access to and Adam''s guidance, they would be able to improve by leaps and bounds.


    "Alright, that''s all I have to say and I think we should start off with a group spar so that I can experience your abilities first hand and observe your strengths and weaknesses" stated Adam.


    "I have already experienced Cole''s, so sit out of this one and use the time to recover and watch the battle, while the rest of you, prepare yourselves to spar against me"

 Chapter 414: Group Spar

    The sparring room was massive and had reinforced walls that were made of steel, but were also tempered using energy and protected by a barrier array.


    It made it so that even if dozens of Master Cultivators attacked the walls at the same time, the walls would still stand strong, so it was the perfect place to hold a spar.


    Cole decided to miss out on watching the battle, wanting to recover as much as he could so that he could make the most of the training with Adam and knowing that he would have other chances to spar with Adam and the others.


    Adam reassured him that he would record the battle using a recording talisman that would then produce a holographic replica of the battle and although the insights he would receive from the battle wouldn''t be as great, it would give him an idea of how everything went.


    Recovering was his main priority, but the others were excited and eager to face Adam themselves and had always watched his power first hand, but had never had the chance to face it themselves.


    "Listen up, you may think I am cruel, but this is a training camp and not a holiday. At this moment, I am not your friend or leader, I am your trainer and will not be holding back" announced Adam as he stood opposite Angela, Chase, Elizabeth and Wayde.


    They stood with Chase and Wayde at the front, then with Elizabeth standing closely behind and Angela much further behind.


    "Remember I have already watched you guys battle and winning a battle doesn''t only require one to be powerful. One''s combat prowess, intelligence and teamwork can tip the scales and I would advise you guys to try your best to harmonise your attacks, as if you attack one by one, you will merely be asking for a beating"


    While sparring against them, Adam was planning to scan and monitor their bodies and also get Ava to do the same, then he would use it to give them even better feedback.


    Everyone had flaws and Adam had always strived to cover his flaws to the point that he didn''t have any obvious weaknesses, including his soul that he had made sure to cultivate just as much as his physical body, but he couldn''t say the same for his friends.


    "The plan I was going to propose was that I will be the main attacker with my hardening ability, along with Elizabeth and Wayde, while you offer support. But since Adam knows what our weaknesses and abilities are, Angela is likely to be the first target, so I believe she should join the frontal attack, while Wayde should offer support" suggest Chase.


    "We should also have a flexible formation where the one that is fatigued or tired goes to the centre and try getting our attacks to harmonise like Adam said. Also, be prepared for him to appear randomly and suddenly and don''t hold back at all as he can handle any sort of attack you can throw at him" he added.


    Although he was quite thick, his combat prowess, charisma and leadership skills were impressive, while his decision making was just as good.


    He had always had a keen sense when it came to battle and one thing he would make sure he did was never repeat the same mistake.


    They all agreed with his plan and although they knew that Adam had most likely heard their plan, it was likely to throw him off and give them an advantage.


    "Ready to begin?" asked Adam, after he saw that they had finished planning how they were going to face him.


    It was just like Adam had hoped and they were attempting to form a strategy and Adam wanted to leaders of the Sentinels Faction to be a revered, powerful and respected team that could take on any opponent.


    They all nodded their heads and stood in a fighting stance.


    Chase had armed himself with a staff that he had been training in for the past year, Wayde had armed himself with a halberd that would allow him to unleash the most powerful attacks, while Elizabeth and Angela were unarmed.


    "Then I shall begin," said Adam before bursting towards Chase.


    He started with a rapid kick towards the side of Chase''s hair, but mid-air changed his attack to a sweep for his legs.


    Chase couldn''t match Adam''s speed, which was why he held himself back from charging towards him and was on the defensive.


    He was fast and perceptive enough to use his staff to block Adam''s second kick, but before they could counter, Adam had already jumped backwards and created more distance.


    Adam was merely testing the waters and currently, it seemed as though Chase was the leader of their combat team and also the most versatile, capable and dangerous.


    Not giving him any time to come up with a strategy or find any openings, knowing that his speed greatly surpassed theirs, Angela and Elizabeth began firing ranged energy attacks towards Adam.


    Elizabeth''s special constitution allowed her to cultivate using and directly absorb the medicinal properties from all sorts of herbs, treasures, medicine and pills.


    Using that she could heal others and herself, but she could also use it for all sorts of offensive attacks using the skills and techniques that Cole had provided her.


    Along with that, she was capable of wielding Internal Energy in an ordinary manner and fought in a similar way to Angela, but was more suited to support since her constitution also allowed her to give healing and enhancements to those fighting in her team.


    The biggest reason why Adam wanted them to fight in a team was that they all had their own strengths that could be harmonised and matched each other, and if they were able to realise that, they would be a team not to be trifled with.


    They fought for an entire hour and despite their performance being impressive, they were all overwhelmed by Adam and although he didn''t wound them gravely and held back his power as he struck them, it was clear that they were no match for him in their current state.

 Chapter 415: Chases Incredible Progress

    All four of them being unable to face Adam left a sour taste in their mouths, but they had also realised what they needed to improve on and how well they could fight as a team.


    Fighting using most of his physical power alone, Adam was on the offensive while the leaders were on the defensive and trying to work together, but they were missing the speed and aerial support that Cole was supposed to offer.


    They were able to notice that and also realised that they were unable to fully get their attacks and movements in sync and also couldn''t even handle Adam who was holding back.


    However at the same time, it was merely a spar and they had also held back their most powerful attacks, wanting only to test the waters against Adam and see how well they could work in a team.


    "Well done everyone, I am glad and impressed to see that you are attempting to work together in a team and will begin the first individual session soon. I will start with Elizabeth and I will give you some time to recover in the energy chamber before meeting me back here"


    "We have no time to waste or sulk around. If you feel weak, do something about it and get to training. If you all truly want to be in sync and get on the same page, you need to not only sync your power, but also your thoughts, intentions and strategy. This can be worked on and developed, so do not expect results overnight"


    Adam didn''t want them to feel disheartened and they all left to continue training or recover their energy and body, apart from Chase who stayed in the sparring room with Adam.


    "It''s been a while since we were able to spar just me and you and I still have some energy," said Chase.


    He had held back in the battle since it was merely a spar and one without Cole, which wouldn''t allow them to truly work on their teamwork skills.


    Instead, he was more eager to face Adam in a one on one and Adam had no reason to refuse, since he had given Elizabeth some time to recover and prepare herself for his training.


    Chase wielding a staff that he had gotten forged by the Epstein Family was 2 metres long and appeared to be quite an ordinary black pole, and yet it gave Adam an unusual feeling.


    "What kind of staff is that?" Adam asked as Chase burst towards him and began attacking him in close combat.


    "It is great, isn''t it. I have been tempering it with my own blood and it has become bound to me and I can still increase its durability further" answered Chase.


    Monk Staff Sweep


    Swinging his staff, Chase released a gust of wind from the speed and power of the sweep, then jumped into the air and struck downwards with his staff.


    All his skills and the way he fought had greatly improved, with Chase implementing both Internal and External Energy in his attacks and also fighting efficiently.


    Adam was impressed by what the Monk Inheritance had to offer and there were similar weapon tempering methods in the secret base, but Chase''s tempering method seemed to be even more effective.


    Tempering with blood was unusual, but the durability and power of the staff were already incredible and yet it supposedly had the potential to be even stronger.


    However, it didn''t grant any special abilities and also wasn''t a heaven-defying tempering method, so Adam had no reason to covet it, but he was impressed with how far Chase had come.


    He seemed to have developed the most out of all of the leaders and required the least teaching and assistance from him.


    Stealth Ring


    Activating the power of the Stealth Ring, Adam''s speed greatly increased even further and along with that, his presence and footsteps had disappeared and made it harder for Chase to keep up with.


    "You have improved greatly Chase, but you still have a long way to go. In terms of skill, power and leadership you are likely the strongest of the leaders, but one can always improve no matter how powerful they are" said Adam before kicking the side of Chase''s right leg.


    Adam continuously struck Chase''s legs while dashing around the sparring room with great speed and avoiding all of Chase''s attacks, and within a matter of minutes, Chase could barely stand let alone run and his legs had been battered badly.


    Each of Adam''s strikes hurt Adam as well as Chase''s hardening had become stronger along with the rest of his body, but Adam''s body, control and skill made it so that he could still injure Chase.


    His leg muscles were on the verge of ripping apart and had become numb, but Adam had held back the power of his kicks as not to break his bones.


    Despite the pain and being unable to move his lower body much, Chase still stood his ground and attempted to fight Adam, but it didn''t last long before he stumbled backwards and collapsed.


    Adam was out of breath and quite fatigued and had never expected that Chase would be such a tough opponent to face that he actually needed to focus greatly on avoiding his attacks.


    One of his strikes would be enough to great injure him and Adam was quite sure that if Chase was at full power and didn''t have to fight many powerful cultivators before, he would have been a match for the Lin Family Head.


    Adam wanted to make sure that Chase never became lazy or complacent, but it seemed as though he had nothing to worry about since Chase''s drive and determination had never faltered ever since he had met him.


    Carrying Chase to the energy chamber so that he could recover, Adam had an idea of how Chase could improve and it would increase his power and capabilities by leaps and bounds.


    However, his first individual lesson was with Elizabeth who appeared to be ready.

 Chapter 416: Big Risk For Great Reward Part 1

    After placing Chase in the energy chamber to recover, Adam returned to the sparring hall where Elizabeth awaited him and seemed eager and ready to begin her training with Adam.


    At that current moment, she didn''t see him as a leader or friend, just like Adam had told them and wanted from them.


    He was their teacher and would do all he could to propel their cultivation and their capabilities, but they needed to be willing, eager and determined to learn and improve.


    "Good, it seems you are ready to be trained. Then we shall begin immediately and not waste any time" said Adam as he walked over to her.


    "From the spar and what I have seen from you in battle, I am impressed by your power, but it is very plain and ordinary. I believe you aren''t reaching your full potential and also haven''t reached a high enough understanding of your constitution. This is what I want you to work on and I have an idea of different applications that it may have other than healing others and forming pills and medicine" stated Adam.


    "Sit down and begin cultivating using whatever method you are using. Here are some herbs that I picked from the plant area and I would like to observe your cultivation for myself" he instructed.


    She took the herbs that he carried with him in a bag on his way back from placing Chase in the energy chamber, then did as he said.


    "I will be placing my hand on your back so do not be alarmed and continue cultivating"


    As he said that, he placed his hand on her back to gain a better understanding and awareness of what was occurring within her body as he observed how she cultivated.


    He had never seen it for himself and it was a unique, impressive and unusual method to cultivate.


    Scanning her body while observing how she cultivated, Adam had a much better understanding of how her constitution worked.


    From what he observed, her physique allowed her to refine medicinal properties within her body and use them to strengthen her external body, while the energy she cultivated was medicinal energy that she had absorbed and gained control of.


    Using that medicinal energy, she could heal others, but other than that, she used it for ordinary and plain attacks just like he had previously seen, and she didn''t have many special offensive capabilities.


    Although being a supportive cultivator and an individual that could heal others, form medicine and pills and control and refine medicinal properties was amazing, she was a leader that needed to be capable of standing her ground and fighting against powerful opponents.


    If she was alone without the other leaders, her power would be on par or slightly above ordinary cultivators at the same level as her, which wasn''t enough for a leader of the sentinels faction.


    He wanted the leaders to be an invincible team, but also wanted them to be powerful, respected and revered individuals even when they fought alone.


    After watching her for 10 minutes, Adam told her to stop and she awaited his next instruction and what he was going to say next.


    "First of all, your attacks are too shallow, basic and simple. You need to increase your combat prowess and skills, and not just rely on raw power and using your dense Internal Energy. I think you should learn to use a weapon and I have a recommendation for you that will match the application of your constitution that I came up with" he said.


    She agreed with everything he said and was excited to hear what weapon Adam believed she should use and how else she could use her constitution.


    "Medicinal properties is too broad a term and with each herb, there are medicinal properties, but there are also medicinal impurities. There are always two sides, orientations and types of something"


    "So, what is the opposite of medicine?" he asked.


    "Poison" she uttered with an enlightened expression.


    "You are an intelligent individual and I believe poison is something you should definitely research and learn to wield. There are two methods you can use to harm someone with poison and your constitution. You can either bombard them with medicinal properties, overwhelming their internal organs and causing their bodies to collapse, or split your dantian and cultivation into two, with one half cultivating poison and the other medicinal properties" said Adam.


    "The first option isn''t very effective and is restricted but is easier, while the second method is time-consuming, will initially lower your cultivation and is very painful, but gives you great versatility, power and a lethal weapon you can use against your enemies"


    He left the choice up to her, but he made it clear that the second option was much better and was what he hoped she would choose.


    "Do you even have to ask? I will obviously go with the second option and am not afraid of pain and am willing to work as hard as I need to in order to become stronger"


    Her drive, determination and resolve were clear and Adam smiled after hearing that, before withdrawing a small book from his pocket.


    "This is a forbidden method that is extremely risky and is used by some to essentially split their cultivation in half. It will make it so that your body has two energy cycles and is hard for people''s bodies to handle, but also for the mind to control. If you pull it off, your power, potential and capabilities will increase astronomically, but if you fail, you will never be able to cultivate again"


    "I will be assisting you with the method if you still want to follow through with it and the left side of your body will cultivate medicinal energy and can be used to heal your allies, while your right side will cultivate poison energy to kill your enemies"


    "The choice is yours and one needs to take big risk for great reward," he said as he placed the manual before her.

 Chapter 417: Big Risk For Great Reward Part 2

    Adam knew he had placed a lot of pressure on Elizabeth to make a decision, but she was a leader and needed to be ready to make such choices on the spot.


    "If you fail you will become a passive leader that will lead the faction, but won''t be able to fight, which is a possibility. There is a 50% chance that this fails and that is with my help, but if you pull it off, the benefits are clear"


    "With your right side wielding poison energy, you could wield a bow to strike and poison your enemies, while you could also use blunt arrows from your left side to heal your allies from a distance. There are also needles and throwing knives that can be embedded with the same characteristics and it opens up many doors"


    "If you pull it off, it isn''t all benefits. You will require double the focus and concentration and will also need to cultivate your poison side from the beginning. Along with that, it will require a lot of resources and research as this is the first time that I have seen this done before"


    The choice with the greatest reward was clear, but was the risk worth it and could she pull it off.


    "Self-doubt is the biggest enemy for a cultivator. If one doesn''t have the ambition, drive and self-belief, then surpassing their limits and becoming a powerful being will be impossible"


    "Whatever choice you make, just be happy and content and seek other ways to improve for yourself and the faction"


    Adam didn''t want her to feel obligated to use the method as it was called forbidden for a reason.


    The risk was too large and only with his help would the risk be 50%, but without him, the likelihood of her succeeding would be less than 10%.


    It wasn''t because she was weak or incapable, but merely because the forbidden method was very difficult to pull off and it was only her constitution that made it so that she could even think about using such a method.


    Splitting one''s cultivation and forming two separate energy cycles within the body would allow one to use two different forms of energy, but one needed to have an affinity and the capability to cultivate two different types of energy, which was rare.


    The higher one''s cultivation was when they attempted to use the method, also increased the risk and Adam was planning to handle the suppression of the energy for her while she focused on following the instruction of the manual.


    That was the most he could do for her and ultimately the ball was in her court.


    "Everything you said just merely made me more excited to use this method. Forbidden or not, as long as I can increase my power and capabilities without harming others, I am willing to take it" she stated.


    There was no fear or doubt in her eyes after hearing and resonating with everything that Adam had said, while Adam was pleased and glad that she was willing to take the risk.


    Using a rune that linked to the communication runes all around the secret base, Adam gave a message to all the other leaders that were spread all around the base.


    "Elizabeth will be going through a harsh training transformation and she is not to be disturbed. I will be overseeing it and do not enter or disrupt us as it could be fatal. In the meantime, continue your training and the next person I will see after Elizabeth is Wayde" announced Adam.


    The order he had come up with wasn''t random and he had already planned and calculated what he wanted to do with each of them.


    He left Chase and Cole until last as they required the least guidance and also needed time to recover, while he called those that required the most work and assistance first.


    The first session with him would be the most important and the one''s after that would merely allow him to oversee their progress, give them advice and help them in any way that they need.


    He had also added the communication runes around the secret base recently so that he could use them as speakers to give announcements to all of them at once, rather than needing to look for each of them individually.


    All the leaders were curious as to what sot of harsh training transformation she was going through and what they could expect from her after she completed it, but it made them even more excited and eager to be taught by Adam.


    Adam had put a lot of thought into teaching them all and what they needed to improve on and had confirmed all his ideas and plans after observing and sparring against each of them.


    "Let us begin. Open the method book, then place your blood on the front, and it will become imprinted in your mind. It is a consumable book, so once it is used once, it cannot be used again and it was left behind by my master" stated Adam.


    "Are you sure you would like to use such an important and valuable method on me, especially since it was left behind by your master?" she asked.


    "Who else am I going to use it on? You are the most suitable for it and there is no point storing it without reason. All I hope is that you try your best to succeed and always work towards improving yourself and the faction"


    Elizabeth, who had gone against Adam and needed to prove herself and work the hardest to be valued and appreciated by Adam, was touched by his care and by him being willing to give her such a thing without thinking about it twice.


    She did as he instructed and a series of instructions and chants appeared within her mind.


    All the information that she would need to pull off the splitting of her cultivation into two sides appeared within her mind and she was ready to begin, not hesitating or doubting herself in the slightest.

 Chapter 418: Cultivation Splitting

    "I am ready to start the process, but how exactly are you planning to help me and reduce the risk?" asked Elizabeth.


    After the information and instructions for the cultivation splitting appeared in her mind, the risk became even more clear to her and it stated that the chance of succeeding was less than 1%.


    With her constitution, she could guess that it was higher as her unique physique made her more suited to it, but the 50% chance that Adam stated seemed very difficult from what she had read.


    "I will suppress and control your energy throughout the process and also help you in releasing all your energy, so that you can focus on completing the process" answered Adam.


    "You can do that?" she exclaimed, knowing that it would be a big help if he was able to do so after understanding the content of the forbidden method.


    "Yes, but I will require you to completely relax and lay on your back"


    Adam''s mental strength, intelligence stat, Mind Ring and energy control made it so that he could complete regulate and control every inch of his body, and he could do so for others as long as they relaxed and didn''t resist.


    Even if they did resist his control, he would still be able to impose his mental control over others and Adam had come a long way in every single aspect of himself.


    She did as he said and lay on her back and completely relaxed her body.


    "I will need to make contact with your skin if you don''t mind and preferably your lower abdomen where the dantian is situated" stated Adam.


    She didn''t mind and lifted her shirt, revealing her toned abdomen and slender waist.


    Adam wasn''t fazed by what he saw in the slightest, but he was impressed by her physique as he placed his palms on her lower abdomen.


    He then closed his eyes and focused while activating the power of his Mind Ring, then began slowly wielding her energy for her.


    It was hard for Elizabeth to completely relinquish control of her energy, but after a few minutes of relaxing and calming herself down, Adam had complete control of her flow of energy.


    Such a feat was only possible because she had complete trust in him and Adam was focusing so hard as to make sure that Elizabeth was fine that he was sweating profusely.


    "Start now and focus as much as you can. I cannot lose such a valued leader and friend, so I order you to pull through" uttered Adam.


    Elizabeth''s life was in Adam''s hand as he was taking on most of the burden.


    Knowing that, Elizabeth didn''t want to trie Adam out any more than she needed to and began the process.


    It began with a chant and she needed to completely restructure her energy pathways to link to her meridians differently and form two separate energy cycles.


    Once that was completed, she would then need to split her dantian in half and the entire process was extremely painful, but despite the pain, the individual would still have to stay focused.


    Adam was confident in his pain tolerance, but he wasn''t sure how much Elizabeth could endure, which was why he was focusing so hard and encouraging her as much as he could.


    As soon as she began her body had begun to writhe in pain, but Adam held her down from her abdomen and continued giving her words of support and encouragement.


    He was also struggling to hold her down and also suppress her energy, while wielding it to assist her in the process and recover the damage that was dealt to her body in the process.


    Screams of pain began to be heard throughout the secret base and Elizabeth was barely managing to stay conscious, let alone control and continue the process, but she was still managing to pull through.


    Adam didn''t know the full process, but he had briefly read through the manual, his enhanced mental capabilities and his own knowledge were enough for him to have an idea of what the process entailed.


    Veins bulged from his forehead as he concentrated and pushed his mind to its limits, continuously drawing in power from the Mind Ring.


    Elizabeth''s energy pathways and cultivation were on the verge of collapsing and in the process she was likely to die, but yet she was still unable to handle the pain.


    "Help me, I can''t do it alone" exclaimed Adam who was barely able to hold back her cultivation, let alone continue the process for her.


    It seemed as though Elizabeth''s mind was too far gone and overwhelmed by the pain of restructuring and splitting her cultivation, but Adam''s voice seemed to be helping her regain her mind.


    His warm and sweaty palms that were tightly gripping her abdomen, along with his worried and struggling voice helped Elizabeth regain herself and she couldn''t allow herself to rely on Adam on all occasions.


    She felt as though she was all bark and no bite.


    Remembering how confident and eager she was to follow through with the process, and yet she hadn''t even been able to complete the first part and Adam was the only thing stopping her from failing.


    ''I can''t let him down and this is my chance to finally become valued. Adam forgave me, allowed me to regain the heritage of my family and also gave me a purpose. Failing here is not an option''


    Cultivation Splitting was much more difficult, painful and risky than she had ever imagined, but she couldn''t turn back or give up, so gritted her teeth and attempted to endure the pain and continue the process.


    Adam, who was pushing his mind to its limits, aided her and let out a sigh of relief after seeing her regain control, but she was still struggling and he still needed to continue focusing and supporting her.


    But even with that support, the process was still extremely difficult.


    Will she be able to pull it off?

 Chapter 419: Saving The Process

    Hearing the screams of pain from Elizabeth that resounded throughout the secret base, the other faction leaders present in the secret base were instantly alerted and stopped what they were doing.


    They were curious, worried and baffled as to what exactly was occurring that would cause her to continuously scream in pain, but they didn''t dare to even approach the sparring room.


    When Adam gave the announcement not to disturb them, his voice was stern and it was clear that it was serious, so checking in on them would merely cause trouble for both of them.


    All they could do was continue their training and studying while they awaited the results of whatever Elizabeth and Adam were doing.


    An hour passed and the screams of pain still continued and Elizabeth''s voice had become much more hoarse after the continuous screaming.


    However, the fact that it had continued for an hour could also be regarded as good news since the process was likely being successful if it was taking so long.


    That assumption could be true and the cultivation splitting took an hour and a half.


    By the end of it, Adam had exhausted most of his Internal Energy which he hadn''t expected he would need to and had also used up Elizabeth''s energy.


    He had barely been able to stay conscious the entire time and his mind and head were aching, causing his excruciating pain and he could barely think straight.


    Elizabeth had picked up some slack and was continuing the process, but he had still overestimated her pain tolerance, mental fortitude and control and he had done most of the work.


    If it wasn''t for Adam pushing himself so much, the process would have failed and suceeding in it alone would have been impossible for Elizabeth, which became clear to her.


    What made it so difficult and straining for Adam was that he was doing it for somebody else and in somebody else''s body, so it required so much more effort, control and energy to do.


    As soon as the cultivation splitting was complete, Adam collapsed forwards and had blood leaking from his nose, ears and eyes.


    He wasn''t moving at all and Elizabeth instantly became worried.


    She was in a very weak state, didn''t have any internal energy and was still experiencing pain all over her body, but she still got up to check on Adam who lay on top of her.


    Placing her fingers on his pulse, she could sense that his heartbeat seemed to be steady and it seemed that the fatigue and pain he was experiencing was more mental and spiritual than physical.


    "Someone come and help"


    Elizabeth screamed at the top of her lungs, but she could barely speak and her throat was extremely dry after screaming for over an hour.


    She was also barely able to stay conscious and was unable to call for help.


    Reaching into Adam''s pocket with her fatigued and pained body, she grabbed the communication rune that he had used and managed to utter that she needed help before losing consciousness.


    Luckily for Elizabeth, the rune, just like all the other arrays and runes used in the secret base, was being fuelled by the energy chamber and the energy in the atmosphere, otherwise, she would have been unable to use it.


    As soon as the others in the secret base heard her faint voice resound throughout the secret base through the communication runes, they all bolted towards the sparring room.


    Cole was the first to arrive with his great speed and worry for Adam and Elizabeth, then followed closely by the others.


    Initially, they were all shocked by what they saw and were dazed for a moment.


    Elizabeth lay on the ground without a shirt, and Adam lay slumped on top of her with his head resting on her breast and also had a nosebleed.


    Their minds naturally misunderstood what had occurred for a moment and all sorts of wild ideas appeared within their minds, however, that was only for a moment and they rushed over towards them.


    Angela''s face was flushed red, while Cole and Chase had amused expressions on their face, but then sensing that Elizabeth''s body had changed greatly, they realised that she truly had gone through a transformation.


    Her pulse was weak and her body was greatly pained and fatigued, however, she would be fine after some rest in the energy chamber.


    While Adam''s body seemed mostly fine other than the exhaustion of his Internal Energy, and yet he was completely out cold and was also bleeding from his orifices.


    Carrying them both to the energy chamber, they placed each of them on one of the two beds there, that would previously be used by Adam and his master at times, while they gathered around Elizabeth.


    They couldn''t help but be curious as to what exactly it was that caused her such pain and also forced Adam to push his mind past its limits, so after confirming they would both be okay, they began trying to gauge the change in her body.


    "It seems that her cultivation has been split in half. However she has no energy in her body and is greatly fatigued, so we won''t be able to know how exactly that had happened and what she can do with it until she wakes up" gathered Chase.


    His eyes had glowed slightly while he monitored her body and had a Monk Skill that allowed him to reach such a conclusion.


    It would require him to become completely calm and one with his surroundings and the energy around him. That would then allow him to sense his surroundings and be able to see and understand everything around him.


    The others had been unable to reach the same conclusion, but after they mentioned it, they could see that her energy pathways seemed to have been changed to form two separate cycles.


    That made it clear why she was screaming so much and also made it clear that Adam was taking on heavy mental strain during the process and was aiding the transformation in her body.


    All the misconceptions that they initially had were wiped from their minds, but Angela couldn''t help but be embarrassed about all the images and ideas that appeared within her mind.

 Chapter 420: Waydes Training

    With Adam and Elizabeth laying unconscious in the energy chamber, the others felt bad for them and heard how much pain Elizabeth was in, while also knew that Adam had a very durable body and mind, so in order for him to have lost consciousness, he must have been through a great deal.


    "We should allow them to rest and he can provide us lessons whenever he regains consciousness and is ready," said Wayde.


    Even though he was eager to be trained and was amazed by what he was able to do to Elizabeth''s body, he knew that Adam''s health and well being came first.


    "No, we must follow the schedule and I am already behind. Wayde, go and warm up in the sparring room, I will follow you shortly" said Adam.


    His voice was weak and as he got up, he held his head, but the authority behind his voice didn''t falter in the slightest.


    Wayde thanked Adam before leaving to prepare himself to be taught by him, while Adam took the time to use the Ethereal Recovery Skill and recover as much of his Internal Energy he could, while also relaxing his mind and body.


    They were all shocked by how quickly he had regained consciousness, but it was clear that he was in a very weakened and fatigued state.


    Despite that, his eyes still intimidated them all and they couldn''t help but wonder if they would be a match for him in the state he was in.


    "I can sense all of your battle intents. Do you really desire to beat this poor, weakened man?" asked Adam sarcastically.


    "Go and continue your training and we will see how capable you are in the group spars and after you get through my lesson," said Adam as he gave them an evil smile.


    They couldn''t help but feel intimidated by his expression and words as they left him to recover and did as he said.


    With the dense energy in the energy chamber, he recovered much quicker and the recovery rate of the Ethereal Recovery Skill was increased greatly, making it so that it wouldn''t take him long to recover a decent amount of Internal Energy.


    However, the mental strain he had suffered was too severe for him to recover so quickly and it would take at least the rest of the week and a lot of rest in order for him to recover, but luckily he wasn''t planning on entering the dungeon for a week anyway.


    His priority was to lay down the foundation for the next level of improvement of the leaders of the faction.


    He wanted to make the path they should follow clear and he was going to work as hard as he needed to the entire week to do so.


    Although he had only been able to regain consciousness through forcefully doing so by relying on the system, Adam had been in such states multiple times before,


    Being disorientated and dizzy was nothing new for Adam and the half an hour that he spent using the Ethereal Recovery Skill was enough for him to be able to teach Wayde.


    Heading to the sparring room, Adam went over what he had seen from Wayde so far and what he was planning on teaching him.


    Ava had given him great advice, ideas and informed him things about all of the leaders that even he was unable to sense, and using that, he had come up with things that he wanted them all to work on.


    With what he had helped Elizabeth achieve and the tasks he had given her, she would have her hands full learning how to wield a bow, needles, throwing knives and poison.


    She would also have to diligently cultivate and study into poison energy, which there was some information about in the library his master had left behind.


    He had opened up a new pathway for her and opportunities to continue progressing and using his own observations and that of Ava, he wanted all of them to clearly have their next steps to improve and increase their potential.


    They still had a long way to go before becoming dependable leaders that could face all the dangers and powerful existences in the world, let alone the universe, but if he was able to help them tap into their untapped potential, they had a chance of one day reaching such levels.


    All it took was some guidance and for them to have the ambition, drive and determination.


    Reaching the sparring room, he had found Wayde sitting in the centre, circulating his energy and preparing his body, and seeing that he was sweating, it was clear that he had been doing some exercises.


    As soon as Adam entered, he got up and was eager to hear what Adam had to say to him and what exactly his lessons would entail.


    Adam was an unpredictable individual with profound and unknown knowledge and experiences, so Wayde couldn''t help but be excited to find a new way to become stronger.


    "Wayde, come an attack me," said Adam.


    Even though his head was aching, his body was fine and Adam was confident in his reflexes and instincts.


    Wayde hesitated for a moment, knowing that Adam wasn''t in the best state, but then he remembered how powerful and capable he was, so there was no need for him to hold back.


    Fire Wave


    Using the sword he was wielding, Wayde released a large wave of fire, but his intention wasn''t to hit Adam with it, but it was the blind him with it.


    Adam moved back to avoid the fire wave and suddenly Wayde jumped out of the wave of fire and struck downwards with his sword towards Adam.


    Wayde was the most experienced out of all the leaders, making it so that his battle strategy and the way he fought was very systematic, but that also made it predictable and Adam wanted to change how Wayde fought.


    "Show me more of your power" as he narrowly dodged the towards sword strike before punching Wayde side and launching him flying away.

 Chapter 421: Spirits

    Wayde was launched flying to the side by Adam''s punch, but he had managed to reinforce his side with energy just before he was about to be hit, so his ribs were not broken and the damage he received was minimal.


    In terms of fundamentals and being capable in all departments, Wayde was up there, but that was also what was holding him back as he had never had a reason to or drive to improve.


    His sole purpose had always been to protect Angela, but now that he was her peer and a leader of the faction, he was finally fighting for himself and something that he believed in.


    However, Adam still couldn''t see the drive in him that he saw in the others, likely because of his lack of emotion.


    "Come on Wayde, is that all you got. I want to see you become angry and surpass your limits"


    Fire Palm Strike


    Adam had used the Air Palm Strike Skill with his Fire Energy along with his Burst Movement Skill, and their explosive power would greatly increase.


    The strike hit the centre of Wayde''s chest and caused him to vomit a curdle of blood, but he was able to handle the heat of the flame and his chest wasn''t burned.


    Despite that, Wayde was still calm and he wasn''t able to unleash his full potential because of his calmness.


    Dashing over to Adam, he coated his fist in fire energy to use a Fire Fist Skill, but Adam caught his fist and instructed him to stop fighting.


    "I have seen enough. Now for my feedback"


    "First of all, I believe your fundamentals are great, but I also believe they are holding you back. You rely too much on your teachings, that you are too afraid to progress independently. You also are holding back your emotions too much as they are a part of you that need to be accepted and used as fuel for your progress"


    Wayde nodded his head and noted down everything that Adam said to him, wanting to improve in any way that he could and one day be able to rival Adam.


    He remembered when Adam was a mere early Novice Cultivator that he could easily defeat, but yet in less than 2 years, Adam had surpassed him greatly and he felt as though he couldn''t catch up.


    However, Adam was willing to teach him and told them all that achieving anything and everything was possible, so he wasn''t going to give up so soon.


    Adam smiled slightly after seeing the drive in Wayde''s eyes as although Wayde had always been hard-working, he had never been working with purpose, emotion or desire.


    Now that he was, his progress would be much greater and quicker.


    "I have some tips and will reveal to you a power within you that even you have been unable to tap into, but if you do, your flames will become even stronger than mine" stated Adam.


    "If you truly want to become stronger, I want to see you fighting and training for yourself, your faction and with purpose"


    "Yes Adam"


    "Alright then, we will start with Fire Weaponry. Producing weapons out of Fire Energy and integrating Fire Energy into the weapons you use, will fuse the two things you are good at. Wielding Fire Energy and wielding weaponry, which should greatly increase your combat power and versatility"


    "However it is easier said than done and it is very hard to produce solid objects out of energy, especially Fire Energy that is explosive and difficult to restrain. But if I am able to do it, then so can you"


    As he said that, Adam produced a sword in his right hand out of Fire Energy and the sword was flaming and also had burning and explosive effects as he swung it.


    "Train the control of your flames in the energy control training room and I want you to be able to control the temperature of your flame. You should be able to make your flame cold, but also make it hotter than the current peak temperature of your flame. Better control will then allow you to master Fire Weaponry and wielding Fire Energy in general"


    "That is what I want you to do to increase your combat capabilities, but as for your power overall, there are other things I want you to do and realise"


    "The power of your flames can be improved by being submerged in water and trying to unleash your flames. You should do so in the lake outside the base and get Angela to refill it for you whenever you have evaporated all the water. If you manage to train in that way, you will be increasing the power of your flames, but also tempering your body in the steam and boiling water. It will be painful to endure, but I am sure you can handle it"


    "However that is not all. I can sense a power within you that has been suppressed by your lack of understanding of fire and you lack the ambition and drive to fuel the real fire that is within you. I believe you have a rare Fire Spirit and yours is a Fire Lion Spirit" revealed Adam, completely shocking and confusing Wayde.


    He knew that Adam was being serious, but he had no idea what a Fire Spirit was and Adam was the same until Ava told him about it.


    There were mentions of it from his master and in the library records, but they weren''t very detailed since their existence was rare.


    "A Fire Spirit is basically an accumulation of Fire Energy and power that forms an existence that is partly alive. It chooses an individual to be born into and the spirit will not provide its power and will only cooperate with those that they deem worthy. You host such a power within you and have never known, but the reason for that is simple. You have never understood yourself, your body or shown yourself to be worthy"

 Chapter 422: Lion Fire Spirit

    "Spirits come in all different forms and orientations of energy, but yours is extremely powerful and if you are able to tap into only a small amount of its power, your power will increase greatly. However, spirits are usually prideful and desire a host with great ambition, confidence and drive, especially powerful Fire Spirits" said Adam to Wayde.


    "You have the Lion Fire Spirit, the supposed animal that is the king of all animals"


    "To awaken it, I need you to forget about your past and be reborn like a phoenix. You need to temper every part of your body with your flames and you must become one with the fire. Once you understand what your power truly is, I am sure you should be able to awaken it. As for more details and advice, even I am unable to give them to you as every spirit is unique and it is up to you to discover and awaken its power"


    "You and the rest of the leaders all have great potential, and the things holding you all back are futile. However, if you are unable to overcome them, you can forget about becoming a dependable and capable leader of the faction. If you want the truth of the world and want to finally live a life for yourself, then this is your chance"


    Wayde had never truly felt as though he was living for himself and for as long as he could remember, he was either being forced to study or train and told that he must protect Angela.


    However the Maxwell Family was no longer and the entire city had become under the Senteinlls Faction that Adam had formed, while Angela could fight and protect herself.


    He felt lost and he told himself that he wanted to fight on their side and become a leader, but he was merely trying to find a purpose in what he was doing and not be left behind and alone.


    That continuous doubt and feeling of being lost in the back of his mind suddenly disappeared and as he looked at Adam, he saw someone that he wanted to follow and one day be worthy of standing beside.


    Thinking about how far Adam had come alone and all the things he had to deal with and people he had to fight against made Wayde feel nothing but respect and reverence.


    Adam had never stopped fighting no matter what happened and he never allowed his fear or the thoughts of others to hold him back, charging head first into all sorts of dangers.


    That was what made Adam the man that he was at that moment.


    The man that stood above the city and was soon to stand atop the world.


    "There are always obstacles, pain and suffering. However, enduring and overcoming them is what makes you stronger and reaching the peak is what gives me purpose. You may not feel the same, but as long as there is something for me to achieve, I will make sure to do it and my happiness comes from having something to protect and fight towards"


    "For now, I will help you with the Fire Weaponry and spar with you, but your Lion Fire Spirit, true power and purpose can only be found and unlocked by yourself," said Adam.


    Wayde, despite all the revelations that should have been overwhelming, was calm and for the first time felt eager towards fighting something and improving.


    He was eager to train with Adam, but that was merely to understand how his mind worked and out of curiosity.


    However, now Wayde had truly been reborn and he felt as though his future path had become much clearer, and he could also feel something within him start to vibrate and become excited.


    ''I will unlock you soon Lion Fire Spirit'' said Wayde to himself before training with Adam.


    Adam''s enemies were his enemies and the faction and those within it had become his family and home.


    That was his purpose and Adam was the first one to treat him like a human and with the warmth of friendship, and was the one that helped Angela change and also changed the entire city.


    He had slowly helped him open up and speak more and also gave him the opportunity to make friends and allies.


    Adam was always at the centre of everything and Wayde believed he would change the entire world, and he wanted to be there to watch, support him and make a name for himself.


    The training and advice that Adam had given Wayde had been much more effective than he could have ever imagined, and just like with Elizabeth, Adam had lay down a path for Wayde to follow that would allow him to reach heights he would have never imagined even existed.


    Two of the leaders had been helped and uplifted by Adam, so all that was left was to continue helping them and guiding them over the rest of the week.


    After two successful lessons, Adam couldn''t help but be proud of his teaching and leadership skills, then his master appeared in his mind.


    His master was the one that paved the path for him even though he had the Dungeon System, as, without his master, he would have likely become something entirely different and wouldn''t have been able to achieve what he had.


    After completing his training with Wayde who left with a better understanding of himself and Fire Weaponry and also eager to independently train, Adam headed over to where he had buried his master.


    "Angela, head to the sparring room and prepare yourself fr your training. I will be there within the next half an hour" announced Adam through the communication runes.


    In that time, Adam paid respects to his master''s grave and also headed to the energy chamber where he used the Ethereal Recovery Skill to relax and recover the energy he had used in the training with Wayde.


    [Time to train and reveal their unknown capabilities to another friend] thought Adam to himself as he headed to the sparring room.

 Chapter 423: Angelas Training

    Angela was nervous, excited and unsure exactly what Adam''s training would entail and how he was planning to help her improve.


    Ever since Elizabeth had regained consciousness, she had been enthralled in her studies of medicinal and poison energy and had also begun rebuilding her foundations.


    She would be cultivating two different energies at once and also had two separate energy cycles within her body along with a split dantian.


    Elizabeth had also experienced her energy absorption speed and the size of her energy storages increase greatly, along with the strength of her body and speed at which she cultivated.


    Her power in terms of cultivation level had fallen, however, it was clear that she was on track to quickly regain her power and would then surpass it with ease and continue developing.


    It was as though a wall had been removed from before her and a path had been revealed to her eyes, which she knew was all thanks to Adam who had done most of the work for her when splitting her cultivation.


    All she felt was gratitude for Adam and she knew that thanking him wouldn''t do either of them much good, so instead, she wanted to become capable, knowledgeable and powerful enough to repay him and be dependable.


    She was also planning to strengthen the faction as much as she could and gather any and all information that she could, preparing for any enemies that they might come across.


    Meanwhile, Wayde had experienced a similar change and it was as though there was a new light in their eyes that they were flocking towards.


    Adam had managed to so greatly impact and help the two of them, that the others couldn''t help but be excited to be taught and trained by Adam.


    Elizabeth was the one that required the most physical effort and assistance from Adam, however just like Wayde, he had lots of advice for all of them and also had things that he knew each of them had hidden within them.


    It still amazed Adam that all of those he had come across and became friends with had such great potential within them that they didn''t know about, but it seemed as though without knowing it, his luck had been playing a big part in everything that occurred in his life.


    Angela was another individual that had a unique and rare constitution that she didn''t know about and the probability of all of the leaders of the faction having some sort of special ability or physique was extremely low, and yet that seemed to be the case.


    However, it was only through the system that Adam was able to truly identify what it was as, although his instincts told him they were capable and still had the capacity to improve, it would have been impossible for him to identify exactly what it was that made them special.


    "Angela, begin by cultivating your water energy and I will be observing your cultivation. After that, I will give you feedback, observations and advice, and then we can spar or I can help you in any other way"


    As he said that, he sat behind her before asking her if he could place his palm on her back.


    She blushed slightly after he randomly sat behind her and so close to her, but she calmed down and remembered what she was there for before allowing him to do whatever he needed to.


    After observing her cultivation, Adam began to understand what she was doing wrong and it was exactly as Ava had mentioned.


    "That is enough, let us spar now," said Adam after observing her cultivate for a few minutes.


    Her master over Water Energy was pretty good and she used it for both defence, offence and also to affect the terrain.


    Although it couldn''t be compared to Fire Energy in offence, or Earth Energy in defence, or Wind Energy in speed, Water Energy was flexible and could adapt and be used in most situations.


    Her faults were clear and if she was fighting against an enemy alone who was able to close the distance between them, she would be taken down with ease, and if she was facing an opponent with great defence, she would struggle to harm them.


    Fast opponents would easily be able to take her down and she wouldn''t even be able to fight back.


    Along with that, compared to the others, what he sensed from her while she was cultivating was very lacking and it was clear that the method she was cultivating didn''t suit her body and constitution.


    Adam didn''t hold back against her just because she was a girl, and although he couldn''t spar against Elizabeth properly since she used medicinal and poison energy, but Angela was meant to be on part with the other faction leaders.


    The world of cultivation was cruel and gender, age and any other factor do not matter in the eyes of most when fighting against each other.


    If Angela was expecting privileges and for Adam to hold back just because she would prefer to fight in a support position or felt as though she was someone that didn''t enjoy fighting, she was not worthy of being a leader of the faction.


    "Angela, the fact that you cannot deal with fast opponents is a massive issue as there are many cultivators out there that specialise in speed" stated Adam before dashing to her side and kicking her leg.


    The kick sent her sliding backwards and she felt as though the one had been cracked by the kick, but Adam had held back his strength enough just to stop the bone from breaking.


    "You are too weak hearted. Unable to fight alone and have too many obvious weaknesses" he continued.


    As he said that, he acted as though he was about to attack the right side of her head, but then swept her legs and held her on the ground as he placed his hand on her neck.


    "If it was that easy to take you down, then how do you expect your subordinates to respect, revere and follow you? How do you expect to be able to stand on par with the other leaders?"

 Chapter 424: Angelas True Potential

    Adam who had held Angela down after sweeping her to the ground didn''t hold back with his words.


    Getting off her and helping her up, it was clear that she had been rattled and also felt deeply disappointed with herself and as though she was weak and useless.


    "I have been working hard to train and have been trying to live up to your expectations, but maybe I am not as talented and capable as the others. I just can''t..."


    Angela seemed to be on the verge of giving up on her position and everything she had worked hard for, but before she could finish what she was saying, Adam suddenly slapped her face.


    "Wake up Angela, I was telling you these things to help you improve. Everyone had weaknesses and flaws that they must work to overcome, that is the point of cultivation, improving one''s self. I also encourage competition, but am not looking for jealousy or a hierarchy between the faction leaders" he reassured her.


    "However, if you pitifully give up and claim to be unable to stand on par with the others, then you truly should think about finding another role as a leader cannot show any weakness"


    He was stern with her the most, but it was also because she needed to most support and mental fortitude.


    Seeing how much the others were processing and feeling useless in their previous battle as her grandfather died before her, she couldn''t help but begin doubting herself.


    "Just like I said to the others, self-belief is the key to progressing as a cultivator. Your cultivation speed is currently very low and yours and Wayde''s seemed to have reached a halt, but I am sure that after awakening the power within him, Wayde will progress rapidly and leave you behind. He had found purpose and won''t be there to protect you just like your grandfather once did"


    "He died protecting you and wanted you to lead this faction and the Maxwell Family members within the faction to a great future. However, are you living up to his memory by being as pathetic as you currently are"


    Before he revealed to her what she was capable of, Adam wanted to see that she still had the drive and determination that was needed to be a leader.


    If she couldn''t find it within her to rise up after being struck down, then she wasn''t ready to be a leader and Adam needed to make rational decisions for the future of the faction, no matter how cruel and harsh they may seem to others.


    At that current moment, it was Angela who was the faction leader that offered the least value, and that could change after awakening her true potential, but to do so, she would need to have strong willpower.


    She began watching her life experiences and reminisced on everything that had brought her up until that point and when she thought about it, Adam, Wayde or her grandfather had always been there to protect her and help her reach where she was.


    Angela felt as though she had never truly achieved anything for herself, but instead of feeling disheartened by it, she wanted to prove that she was just as capable or even more capable than them all.


    Her grandfather had died.


    Her father was only out for his own gain and didn''t truly care for her, while he also wasn''t on a level where he could protect her.


    Wayde had found his own purpose and was progressing rapidly after the lesson with Adam, while Adam had made it clear that he was willing to help her, but only if she could help herself.


    The only one she could rely on was herself and not only that, but there were also thousands of cultivators relying on her as a leader and millions of people within the faction''s territory relying on her as a protector.


    "I won''t back down and I won''t allow myself to rely on others anymore. I, Angela Maxwell will show you that I am capable and I will honour the memory of my grandfather and become a great leader of the sentinels faction" she declared.


    Adam was amused by her sudden change in the way she acted, but it was for the better and the look in her eyes made it clear that she was ready to take on any challenge.


    "Then it is time for you to truly become the cultivator, leader and individual you were meant to be. Just like Wayde, you need to be reborn from this point on and will awaken new and great power"


    "Have you realised that when you cultivate and wield Water Energy, you struggle to get your energy and power to flow? It also reduces the speed and power of your attacks and also your cultivation speed greatly"


    The truth was she hadn''t realised that, but she had felt and noticed similar things to what Adam had said, but she had believed that was normal as that was how her cultivation had been since she started.


    She always felt as though it was very tough to cultivate and wield her energy, and was one of the main reasons why she struggled to live up to the expectations of her talent grading.


    It was also one of the biggest reasons why she slacked off on her cultivation, as it was quite painful for her to cultivate and yet she endured and was able to reach the level she was at despite it, which was impressive.


    Everyone around her including herself had misunderstood her capabilities and had also been underestimating her, which was why her growth and power had been so restricted.


    However, Adam was about to help her break free of those shackles and reveal to her why she had struggled so much all that time.


    "The reason for all of that is simple. Your Elemental Affinity isn''t with water and your true Energy Affinity is something else that comes from your unique constitution that is similar, but also very different to water energy" he revealed.

 Chapter 425 - Extreme Cold Constitution

    "Do you always suffer internally and feel extremely cold when you cultivate, especially in the night when there isn''t any sun?"


    "Do you ever use Water Energy and struggle to stop it from solidifying and forming ice, and yet you find it easy to solidify it?


    "Do you ever feel as though the energy circulating from your body is being rejected by your meridians and you struggle to suppress the urge of vomiting blood due to that occurring?"


    Adam continued asking her questions that he knew that the answer to was yes.


    All of Adam''s were impressing Angela more and more as she had never told anybody about all those things she would experience by cultivating.


    She had always endured that pain in silence and although she acted spoilt, when it came to cultivation and such things, she felt as though she couldn''t open up to anyone about it, especially not her family.


    ''A cultivator is always meant to be strong and endure''


    It was a misconception that she had and she continued cultivating the methods her family provided with her even though her body wasn''t compatible with them.


    She hadn''t spoken up about it that it reached a point where the damage and pain she was experiencing because of it was too much for her to handle and the power she could draw out was very weak considering what she was truly capable of.


    "Angela, to be frank, unlike Wayde, you have been cultivating the completely wrong type of energy and the effects and damage it has done to your body is almost irreversible. If you continue like this, your cultivation will collapse along with your body and you will die in a matter of months" he revealed.


    "Elizabeth and Wayde''s situations are similar to yours, but there''s merely required advice or an addition to what they currently had, while yours will be much more difficult to handle"


    Angela who had just managed to pick herself up and act all determined and brave felt as though her world had come crashing down and as though there was no way to climb back up from her failure.


    She had experienced everything that he had mentioned and could tell that he wasn''t lying, while she could sense what he was saying within her body anyway.


    "Luckily for you, I am your leader and friend and have a way to save you, but I believe it will be much more painful than what I had to do to help Elizabeth. I also won''t be able to help you as much as I did her as this process is something you must complete alone. However, if you endure, not only will you not experience any of those painful things again, your power and capability will also increase incredibly"


    Just as she felt as though she was about to slip and fall, a hand caught her and not only helped her back up, but also pushed her even further up.


    Despite him mentioning that the pain surpassed that of which Elizabeth had to experience, which she could imagine was terrifying from all her screams, Angela felt no fear.


    All she felt was joy as she had been given a chance to rise up and become more powerful and capable, as she was willing to endure anything for those things.


    Adam was unsure exactly how all his friends came to possess such potential and capabilities hidden within them, but he was glad for it.


    He was sure they weren''t hereditary and that all of them couldn''t be compared to their relatives who didn''t have nearly as much potential as they did, and yet they all had no idea about them and also were lucky enough to come across Adam in one way or another.


    Either way, it was a good thing that it had occurred and Adam had already prepared everything that Angela would need to make use of her constitution.


    "From what I can tell, you have the Extreme Cold Constitution. Basically, your body is suited to cold energy and I am sure that you have never felt cold even winter, while you also dislike the sun, which I can tell is true from your pale skin" stated Adam.


    "You can talk, you''re just as pale as I am" she refuted, before listening attentively to everything else he had to say.


    "Cold Energy uses Water Energy, but can also be used independently. I had thought about doing what I had done to Elizabeth to you, so that you could wield both types of energy, but they would clash within your body and hold you back"


    "Instead, I have come up with a solution with the help of an amazing individual that will make the perilous situation you are in, one that can breed great rewards," said Adam.


    It was all thanks to Ava''s support and advice that Adam could give them such good teachings and help them reach their full potential, so he wanted to make it clear that she deserved the credit and some appreciation.


    Angela was curious as to who that amazing individual was, but Adam moved on too quickly, while she knew that she was unlikely to answer and was more interested in what the solution was.


    "You have cultivated Water Energy, which can harmonise with Cold Energy to form Ice Energy. As you know, there are forms of energy that are made of two other forms of energy and can be thought of as secondary forms of energy"


    "They aren''t called secondary forms of energy because they are any weaker than the primary forms of energy. It is merely because it is a derivative of two or more forms of energy and in most cases the opposite is true. Because it is formed of two or more forms of energy, it can be much more powerful and have a unique ability or method of application" he explained before giving her a smile.


    If that was the case, then wouldn''t fusing Cold and Water Energy within her body form a more powerful secondary energy?


    And how exactly was he planning on doing so?

 Chapter 426 - Preparations

    "After you forcefully cultivated water energy and endured the pain of doing so for so many years, I believe your body has adapted to it slightly and become accustomed to it. This will increase the success of fusing Cold and Water Energy, and your Extreme Cold Constitution that you were born with, seems to have become an Extreme Ice Constitution" he revealed.


    "However, transforming all your Water Energy into Ice Energy, will require an extremely large amount of Cold Energy and will also be a very painful and dangerous process. It will also require you to be prepared to cultivate using methods that you need to form as an Extreme Ice Constitution is extremely unique and seems to be the first on this continent, from what I can tell"


    "It will set you apart from the others, remove all pain you have been experiencing and also increase your potential, power and allow you to cultivate to a new level. However, there is a great risk, great pain you must endure and it will also need you to rely on your own intelligence and potential"


    "No pain no gain I guess," she said, showing no signs of backing down.


    "Well then, I guess we should begin, but before then, I would like you to restore your Internal Energy storages. This will increase the pain of the process, but also increase the results and it might even help you increase your cultivation and temper your body" instructed Adam.


    She did exactly as she said and calmed her nerves and body in preparation for the process.


    In the meantime, Adam headed to the secret treasury of the secret base, which only he had access to, along with where they grew all their medicinal herbs and plants by feeding them energy from the energy chamber.


    He collected all the medicinal herbs and plants that contained cold energy within them and they were all held in a separate part of their Energy Garden as they needed to be kept in extreme negative temperatures.


    They were able to maintain those temperatures using arrays and there were many different parts to the Energy Garden that were separated and used different arrays, as many different herbs and plants require different environments to be able to grow and become usable.


    Adam allowed Elizabeth to access them as she pleased and as she was the only one that could use them, it basically became her second home, which was why she was alerted by all the Cold Energy herbs and plants being taken by someone.


    "Adam, what do you need so much Cold Energy for and are you sure you can handle all of that?" she asked.


    "Also, they will lose their value quickly after being picked unless they are stored in a jade box that can stop the energy from being released by them," she said as she offered to get him one.


    "Don''t worry about it and you can always grow more. I just need them to help out Angela and as I said, there is no need to be stingy with resources as long as it grows and benefits our faction. We will have a lot of chances to get more"


    As he said that, all the herbs and plants that he had picked and placed in a pile disappeared into thin air and Adam had placed them in his inventory.


    The inventory was a unique space where time stopped and if he was to leave food in there, it would stay fresh for as long as he left it in there.


    That made it so that the herbs and plants wouldn''t lose value as long as they were stored within the inventory and Adam was planning to use them all on Angela anyway.


    [The previous mastery feature disappeared after the change in the system, but that didn''t mean I couldn''t gain mastery of something through the system. My progress in mastery and the mastery that the system gives me as rewards have increased greatly and one of the masteries I gained that I am yet to use is alchemy. Time to put some of those skills to use] thought Adam to himself.


    "Elizabeth, I am busy and need to get back to Angela. Continue your training and I can see that you are making rapid progress" he said before disappearing.


    He had entered his Soul Form and used it to enter the secret treasury that only allowed him to enter as his body had the master key within it.


    After all the arrays with all sorts of functions that had been placed all around and within the secret base, along with a battery that would continuously recharge itself, it had reached the point that the secret base was almost alive.


    His master had managed to create such an incredible place and Adam was planning on making it the centre of an incredible faction that would change the world and even the universe.


    Within the secret treasury, there was a large cauldron and although his master wasn''t well versed in alchemy, it was evident that it was an incredible and valuable cauldron that even the ancients would want.


    He had found it on one of his adventures when searching for a cure to save his lover and he had made sure to protect it with a few other valuables that were all incredibly rare and valuable treasures.


    Elizabeth didn''t need such a cauldron as her constitution made it so that her body acted as one and allowed her to perform alchemy without the need for fire or any external assistance.


    However, Adam would require a cauldron for the alchemy he was about to perform, but the fire he could produce should be enough to bind all the herbs and plants that he had gathered.


    "Master, I am finally putting this cauldron to use," said Adam to himself.


    Although he knew that his master was in the Soul Cycle and the existence of heaven and hell weren''t as people believed, it still made him feel better to imagine his master was watching over him.

 Chapter 427 - The Amalgamation Art

    The secret treasury was a small roomm with a few items, that was formed out of materials even more durable and reinforced than the sparring room and buried deep underground.


    It could only be accessed by Adam and he floated in front of the cauldron in his Soul Form and was about to perform his unique alchemy.


    He was yet to use it, but from completing a random mission in the Soul Dungeon that required him to take down an Evil Soul that was previously an alchemist, he was rewarded an Alchemy Technique that would require him to be in a Soul Form and use Soul Power.


    The Evil Soul was that of a great alchemist that always sought to heal others and create new medicine and pills to heal and strengthen the human body.


    His alchemy skills and the wealth he accumulated by using them reached a point that he was able to produce a life extending drug with his knowledge and resources.


    Using it, he lived for hundreds of years researching and producing more and more medicine and pills, wanting to be able to become immortal and invincible through their use.


    Alchemy felt to him like an endless pit and the more he dug, the more treasures he stumbled across and that was all until the one that he had fallen in love with and trusted with all of his research and resources stabbed him in the back.


    She was working with the king in order to steal everything he had and after dying, he was unwilling to give up on his life and the desire and resentment that he held caused him to become an Evil Soul and allowed him to escape the grasp of the Death Wraith that was sent to collect his soul.


    That had occurred thousands of years ago and he haunted the traitorous woman and the king until there was no trace left of them, but then felt as though he had no purpose.


    But feeling an unknown power within him caused by his abundance of resentment and unknowingly absorbing the negative energy and vitality of the king and traitorous woman, he realised that his life wasn''t over.


    He was an intelligent man and it was clear that the Death Wraiths would return after him, so he hid in a secret underground facility and began attempting to perform alchemy in his Evil Soul Form.


    After experimenting on his own form, on living humans and on other wandering souls, he had finally succeeded in pulling it off and was able to form a Physical Pill for the first time.


    However, since he was in a Soul Form, Physical Pills were of no use to him, but he had learnt how to wield Soul Power and perform Alchemy in a Soul Form, so he continued trying.


    After hundreds of years of trying and failing, while also making sure to stay hidden, remove any traces of himself and continue his research, he finally succeeded in forming a Soul Pill.


    In that time, the world had changed drastically and the industrial revolution had begun, where the lifespan of humans increased greatly and the death rates were higher than ever, so there were a lot of wandering and evil souls that resisted being taken by Death Wraiths.


    There were too many souls for them to handle and that made it so that he could come out of hiding and also began experimenting using his Soul Pills and found that he could strengthen them and they would also swear loyalty to him.


    The fear of leaving the land of the living was something that most souls experienced and they would do everything to continue onwards in their Soul Form, and were even willing to serve a crazy Evil Soul that could form Soul Pills.


    Years continued passing by and Soul Forms in the land of the living wouldn''t age, but would usually eventually be destroyed or captured by the Death Corps, and yet he had formed his own hidden civilisation of souls that all worshipped him.


    The Final Soul Dungeon that Adam needed to complete in order to become a Master Cultivator required him to eliminate all the Evil Souls serving the Evil Alchemist and also kill him, however, they were very powerful after taking Soul Pills for so long.


    They also had soul pills that would increase their power for short periods of times, so Adam had a hard time completing the dungeon and pulling it off.


    But when he did, he was slightly underwhelmed and disappointed by the ultimate reward he received.


    It was a Soul Alchemy Technique that was formed based on the research that the alchemist had come up with over thousands of years, then improved and refined by the system.


    The Soul Alchemy Technique was known as the Amalgamation Art and would allow him to form Soul and Physical Pills using various different resources with ease.


    All he would need was a strong enough binding agent, a strong enough cauldron and enough Soul Power to pull it off, which Adam had at that moment.


    The binding agent he was planning to use was a litre of Angela''s blood that he had gotten her to give to him before, knowing that he would need it to produce the pill she would need.


    Her blood had the Cold and Water Energy Affinities, while it would also make it so that the pill was suitable for her use and what made the Amalgamation Art so incredible was that it didn''t require any recipes.


    It would usually take years of research and trial and error to form pill and medicine recipes, but the system had given him an amazing technique that would require him to merely gather enough resources of the same orientation.


    Then it would require him to merely provide enough Soul Power, have a strong enough fire and also follow the steps of the technique that would require him to find the right point at which all the resources could fuse successfully.


    The more different plants and herbs he used, the more difficult it would be to pull it off, but Adam needed to use all of them in order to create a Cold Pill powerful enough to help Angela.


    "I only have one shot at this and I am not going to fail"

 Chapter 428 - Cold Pill

    BOOM


    There was a giant explosion in the secret treasury and luckily for Adam, the other items in there were extremely durable that they were not destroyed and that the walls of the treasury were enough to handle the explosion.


    However, the same couldn''t be said for himself who had been launched crashing into the wall and blurted out a curdle of blood from the impact.


    Meanwhile, there had been a small earthquake on the land above and Angela and Elizabeth were wondering where Adam had gone and what was taking him so long.


    It all started when Adam began using the Amalgamation Art that he could use on instinct after it was integrated into his mind, soul and body by the system.


    He had to use his physical form to form a large and powerful enough flame within the cauldron using a large amount of his Internal Energy, then place the herbs and plants within the cauldron.


    Then he had to quickly switch to his Soul Form and use the Amalgamation Art and finding the right point was extremely difficult, especially with so many different herbs and plants.


    You could think of it as all the herbs and plants were moving in a circular motion at different speeds and he had to find the point where they were all at the same position in the circle.


    In that instant, he would have to fuse all the energy and medicinal properties of all the herbs and plants, then revert back to his Physical Form to provide even more Fire Energy for the refining process.


    The Amalgamation Art was one that was incredible, but equally as difficult to use and nobody else other than Adam would be able to use such a technique, as it required such incredible perceptivity and required one to be able to switch from a Physical Form to Soul form at will in an instant.


    Adam had managed to pull it off and usually when forming a pill there would be some smoke or other form of commotion, however, the powerful explosion that the pill Adam formed released was shockingly powerful.


    If he hadn''t managed to activate his Defensive Techniques in the instant he had before he slammed against the wall, his spine was likely to have been broken by such an impact.


    Taking a moment to recover and calm down, Adam got up and opened his eyes to find a light blue pill resting in the centre of the cauldron.


    Along with that, it was releasing an incredibly powerful cold energy and aura that was causing the entire room to begin the freeze over.


    "This damned pill causing me such trouble, I underestimated how difficult the process would be. She better pull off the transformation of her energy to Ice Energy" mumbled Adam to himself as he placed the pill in the inventory so that it didn''t lose its value.


    He couldn''t even pick it up with his hands and placed it straight into the inventory without touching it, which he was able to do as long as it was within his range and wasn''t in contact with any living being.


    With the pill prepared, Adam headed straight to Angela and found that she had recovered all of her energy storages and was ready and eager to begin.


    She was unsure where exactly Adam had gone, what he was doing or how he was going to provide her with enough Cold Energy to transform her Water Energy into Ice Energy, but she trusted and believed in him.


    "I found a pill while going out on a walk and I think it might help you," said Adam as he returned to the sparring room.


    Angela knew that he was obviously joking and Elizabeth had come by her to ask where Adam was as he had been gone for a while when he was preparing himself to form the pill.


    She also mentioned that he had taken all of the plants and herbs with Cold Energy, so it was quite clear that Adam also had the capabilities of an alchemist.


    ''Just what can''t that man do'' wondered both Angela and Elizabeth.


    Angela didn''t say anything as she knew that Adam preferred it that way as giving details was always something that he would do when he believed it was necessary or they were capable enough to hear them.


    "Prepare yourself for immense pain. I will be sitting behind you and if you ever feel as though you are losing consciousness, focus on my presence and don''t give in. If you do, you are likely to die" he stated.


    "Open your mouth and a pill will appear there when you are ready to begin. Immediately swallow it and do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by it. You will be bombarded with cold energy and an ordinary person would die just by holding the pill for a few seconds and even Master Cultivators would die from ingesting it. However, I believe you can handle it, so get ready" stated Adam.


    He gave her some time to relax and after a few minutes, withdrew the pill from his inventory and chose for it to appear within Angela''s mouth who was within his range of 1 metre.


    Angela was shocked for an instant as although she trusted Adam and knew that he was extremely capable, a pill appearing in her mouth out of nowhere was shocking and hard to believe.


    However instantly, her tongue began and her mouth began to freeze over and her instincts and reflexes urged her to spit it out, but she trusted Adam and swallowed it down.


    Adam had his hands on her back and was observing everything that was occurring.


    As soon as she swallowed the pill, it dissolved and a wave of Cold Energy spread all around her, while most of it coursed through her bloodstream and energy pathways.


    Blood began to rise through her throat and her meridians, energy pathways, dantian and internal organs were being overwhelmed by the extreme amount of Cold Energy that entered her body, but Angela was surprisingly managing to stay calm.

 Chapter 429 - Deep Sleep

    Angela''s body was on the verge of collapsing and Adam who was in physical contact with her felt Cold Energy seeping into his body and also damaging him.


    However that was what he hoped would happen and Angela could feel something siphoning some of the Cold Energy from her body, which she realised was Adam, who was then planning to push it back into her body when she could handle it.


    Adam was managing to suppress the Cold Energy that had entered his body with his Fire Energy, but he wouldn''t be able to hold out for much longer without forcing it out of his body.


    "I have done all I can and it is all up to you know"


    Angela was blurting out curdles of blood that would instantly solidify because of the cold and was bleeding profusely, while felt as though her internal organs were about to freeze and cause her to die, however, she was still holding on.


    ''Adam has given me such a powerful Cold Pill and I am sure it is very valuable and difficult to come by. He is also sharing the burden with me and has done nothing but encourage me and help me find my purpose and drive in life. I can''t let him and myself down now. That would be such a waste and dishonour Adam and my fallen grandfather who is watching over me''


    That thought continuously ran through her mind and her Extreme Cold Consitution that had been subconsciously hidden and suppressed by her for so long began to become active.


    If only her family had the capabilities to test for what she had truly been capable of, she would have been an extremely powerful cultivator at that moment and the same could be said for Wayde and Cole, who Adam sensed had also had something special within him.


    However, luckily for Angela, after cultivating Water Energy for so long, she had unintentionally caused her condition to become an Ice Constitution.


    Seeing that she was beginning to be able to handle the energy, Adam poured all the Cold Energy back into her body before quickly moving backwards.


    The skin on his palms had become dark purple and it was clear that he had experienced frostbite, but with his Fire Energy and fast recovery speed, it began to fade away.


    If anyone else had been in contact with Angela, not only would they have experienced frostbite, but they would have died within a matter of seconds with their body becoming entirely frozen.


    Adam backed away at incredible speeds instinctively and shortly after he did, Angela became shrouded in ice and a large icicle formed around her.


    He was instantly worried and alarmed by what had occurred, planning to use Fire Energy to free her, however, Ava screamed in his mind before he did.


    {Don''t free her from the ice. It was formed by her body instinctively to protect her and also allow her to enter a deep state of unconsciousness. Think of it as though her body has entered a deep sleep in order to digest, absorb and fuse the large amount of Water and Fire Energy within her body}


    [So she really managed to succeed]


    {Yes}


    [How long do you think she will be in that deep sleep state in?] asked Adam.


    {To be honest, it depends on her own mind and the speed at which she can digest such large amounts of energy and fuse them. She also needs to reformat and adapt her new body to the Ice Energy, so it could be a few days, or a few months. It is out of our hands now, but seeing how strong her willpower was, I estimate she will be finished by the end of the week} answered Ava.


    The knowledge Ava had felt endless since she was formed from the system, so Adam trusted everything she said completely.


    With Ava confirming that Angela would be okay, Adam had no reason to worry any longer and needed to get Angela, who was frozen within a block of ice, out of the sparring room so that he could have a lesson with the next person.


    He called in Cole, who he was planning to teach next, and requested that he carefully use his control over the wind and air around him to carry it out of the sparring room and carefully place it in the cold part of the Energy Garden.


    The environment was perfect for Angela to finish her deep sleep within, and it would also benefit the plants and herbs that Elizabeth planted there, as Angela was continuously releasing small amounts of cold energy and a bone-chilling aura.


    After explaining to everyone what had occurred, they were all shocked and amazed and it seemed as though Angela, Wayde and Elizabeth all had been given major opportunities to progress by Adam and they were all not sure who would come out on top.


    It also made Elizabeth curious as to how Adam was able to perform Alchemy and what sort of pill he was able to produce that would have such alarming and powerful effects.


    Elizabeth who had become very well versed in alchemy knew how difficult it was and forming a pill with so many different, powerful and random herbs and plants was unheard of before.


    Meanwhile, Cole and Chase had become more excited to experience Adam''s training for themselves and were eager to see just how much progress all of them could make in that week.


    "Cole, let''s go to the sparring room. It is your turn for the training, and Chase you will be last and I will call you over after I am finished with Cole" stated Adam.


    With that, Chase, Wayde and Elizabeth returned to what they were doing and were even more driven to work hard since the other leaders also seemed to be making rapid progress, while Adam and Cole headed to the sparring room.


    ''Just how exactly can I improve further.. I wonder if I also have some hidden capabilities'' thought Cole to himself.

 Chapter 430 - Coles True Capabilities Part 1

    Cole stood opposite Adam in the sparring room and eagerly awaited Adam''s instruction.


    Adam had been busy that entire day and went from recovering his energy storages and body, to training another one of the leaders, but he was still eager to continue guiding and improving them.


    With his own observations and the assistance of Ava, he was truly impressed and amazed by how much room they all had to improve, and Cole was no less than the others.


    He had no idea what to expect from his training, but seeing the progress that the others had made after his training, he couldn''t help but be excited about whatever was to come.


    "First off, I want to let you know something that you may not have realised, but is very obvious from your progress rate. Your Wind Elemental Affinity doesn''t define you and you also have other capabilities, while your talent grading also isn''t at the E:1 grade. The talent gradings that are measured by the families in this city are very limited, restricted and undeveloped compared to what I have seen, and they are also unable to truly understand or identify your potential and talent," stated Adam.


    Hearing that, Cole was amazed and couldn''t help but wonder what exactly Adam had seen and experienced to come to such a conclusion, but also felt more confident and proud of his potential and capabilities.


    "However, don''t become arrogant or let this inflate your head. Talent grading doesn''t mean anything, and you will struggle to keep up with the others after I set them on the path to success. One''s potential cannot be summarised using mere numbers and cultivation is always about surpassing one''s limits, so don''t feel as though you have an advantage. "


    As Adam said that, Cole''s attitude and expression completely changed from one that was happy and proud, to being serious and determined to train.


    "So what can I do to get stronger? I don''t want to be left behind, and just like you said, I feel like I still have potential to improve and aren''t being limited by my talent, but I still feel like I have more space to improve."


    Cole seemed desperate to become more powerful and, out of all the leaders, his hatred and desire to take down the Blood Moon Group was the clearest.


    "Calm down. I cannot give you powers out of thin air and can merely help you draw out your full potential or any hidden capabilities. Currently, I am impressed with your versatility and speed, but it still won''t be enough to take down the other leaders after I helped them unlock their true potential."


    Cole took a deep breath and could tell that everything Adam said was the truth, as he awaited what Adam could help him improve on.


    "If you truly want to become powerful and have the slightest chance in a battle against the Blood Moon Group, improving your cultivation isn''t enough. We were at a similar cultivation level, and yet I could take on multiple opponents at higher cultivation levels than me with ease, and could take down hundreds of cultivators at the same cultivation level as me. I want all of you to not only improve in terms of cultivation level, but as an individual and become capable of any feat"


    "This means that wild and intense training can only take you so far, and I need you to focus with me here if you truly want to benefit from this session. You are just like Wayde and Chase. There is nothing I can do to your body to help you improve, like with Elizabeth and Angela. I can merely give you advice that will help you to realise what you are truly capable of"


    With that, Cole cleared his mind and was no longer seeing Adam as his friend or peer, but as his master, that was passing on his teachings.


    "I need you to think back to how exactly your body feels as a whole and reacts to your surroundings while you use Wind Energy. I also want you to stop restricting your mind and capabilities to merely the air around you and think of everything around you as being made of particles"


    Cole did as Adam instructed and thought back to what his body would feel like while wielding Wind Energy.


    Adam could tell him directly what exactly Cole could do that he was yet to realise, but it would be much more beneficial for him to figure it out himself.


    Cole was unable to see what Adam was trying to show him and needed more hints to understand what Adam was trying to reveal to him.


    "Vibrations, frequencies and particles. Think about these things as you activate your Wind Elemental Affinity and focus on your body, but also your surroundings. Use your basic understanding of modern science, along with your understanding of energy and your body. "


    Adam''s hint made something click in Cole''s mind, and he felt something that should have been so obvious to him had suddenly been revealed to him.


    "My body vibrates at a frequency, just like every other body because we are all made up of innumerable particles, atoms and cells. But it is deeper than that, as we are vibrating in harmony with the surrounding energy, while I seem to be able to control the frequency of my body''s vibrations," exclaimed Cole.


    His realisation completely changed how he thought about everything around him, his own body, and his affinity.


    What he said actually made Adam realise something that he hadn''t thought about.


    Just like he had said, human bodies would vibrate slightly differently according to the surrounding energy they were born in.


    Adam had realised that when facing negative creatures in the dungeon, that gave off a distinct feeling, and it should also be the same for those from other Mortal Realms and planets, which gave Adam another way to identify foreign creatures.


    With that, Adam smiled and instantly formed another detection skill, and observed Cole be enlightened and come to many realisations.

 Chapter 431 - Coles True Capabilities Part 2

    "It is straining on my mind, body and energy to attempt to do so, but I think with training, in theory, I should be able to move through solid objects. It might also make me invulnerable to attacks, as they will all pass through me," he realised.


    However, nothing was as great as it seemed and it was impossible to truly be invincible, so Adam needed to make that clear.


    It was much better than his Soul Form at avoiding attacks as his existence would fuse and become one with that of his surroundings, but it was far from being invulnerable and Adam wanted to make that clear.


    "You are far from invincible, and I have dozens of ways to kill an entity that doesn''t have a physical body. You realised one of the things I wanted to show you, which is that you can phase through solid entities and become one with your surroundings,  but there is still more to it"


    "Think about how you wield energy and the truth is, you do not have a Wind Elemental Affinity. It seems that you are able to control vibrations and the frequency of particles, which you use Wind Energy to accomplish. I would advise you to completely change your viewpoint on your energy and how you wield it. Train your energy control and become more intelligent and capable, then the improvements in your cultivation, speed and power will inevitably follow. "


    Adam''s advice stuck with Cole and made him realise that how he had been fighting, cultivating and wielding his energy that entire time had merely been holding himself back.


    Cole''s eyes were opened up to many possibilities and things that he had never even thought about or imagined, let alone believed he would be capable of.


    Everything was starting to organise itself within his mind, and all he wanted to do was enter a deep meditation that would allow him to begin to absorb and understand all his realisations.


    He then wanted to go to the energy training chamber that would allow him to train his energy control and begin implementing everything he had learnt and realised.


    "Do you wish to spar with me or receive other teachings, or would you prefer to continue your contemplation alone?" asked Adam.


    It was a key development stage for Cole, and he needed to decide how he would prefer to progress and spend the training time that he had.


    "Thank you for your teachings, but I want to work on this independently. I will find you or use the library for help, practise and information, but I think your advice and enlightenment are enough for me to progress," stated Cole.


    Seeing how much Adam was able to achieve, Cole wanted to rely on himself to make the rest of his breakthroughs, which was exactly what Adam was hoping for.


    "Then be on your way and take as much time as you need. Nothing is holding you back but yourself and in terms of talent grading, you are likely to have the highest, but with me around, that won''t mean much. I will make sure that you all have the opportunity to progress, but in order to make the most of that opportunity, you need to be independent, determined, and driven. "


    With that, Cole entered a deep meditation that lasted many hours in which he didn''t move, and he was deep in thought.


    Although his body hadn''t changed in the slightest in that time, Cole''s eyes seemed to have changed and his thoughts clearer.


    He was ready to begin his training and felt as though he was on track to greatly surpassing anything he could have previously imagined with his new realisations that were thanks to Adam.


    Adam would have never been able to observe such things without the aid of Ava as although he realised that Cole would use the vibrations of the air, instead of actually wielding the wind, but he would never have been able to gain such a deep understanding without her.


    In that time, Adam had also called Chase for his training and Chase required even less feedback, and was always developing, improving and evolving without much need for Adam''s assistance.


    However, there were still things that Adam helped him improve on and Adam had a very eventful session with Chase that was longer than that of the others.


    Chase was already doing great and progressing well.


    There wasn''t anything additional or hidden within his physique, from what Adam could tell, but that merely made what he was able to accomplish and continue accomplishing even more amazing.


    Facing Adam in the sparring room, it was clear what Chase wanted to do the most.


    Fighting Adam was something he wanted to do at every given opportunity, and by facing opponents that were more powerful than himself, Chase was able to always surpass any limits.


    "Slow down Chase, we will spar, but I just want to let you know something," said Adam, seeing that Chase was eager to begin battling him.


    "All the others have something within them that I helped them to realise and unlock. However, you have nothing of the sort. That is why I left the lesson with you last,"


    Adam wanted to see how Chase would react to what he said to him and one''s character and personality were also big factors of how one was as a cultivator.


    "That doesn''t faze me in the slightest. If they become stronger, I have stronger allies and also stronger people to spar with. While I also do not need any more abilities or special capabilities. I will still become stronger and serve you well"


    Chase was a firm individual that Adam found had the least faults and required the least aid.


    "The Monk Inheritance can only take me so far, and I am unsure of its limits, but even without it, I am confident that I will succeed. I am not only a monk, but also a warrior, and fighting and working hard are things that I enjoy"


    Hearing him say that, Adam smiled, and that was exactly the reason he enjoyed sparring with Chase.

 Chapter 432 - Chases Rapid Improvement

    It was Chase''s unwavering character and the way he never gave up that made him a great opponent and allowed him to be the man he was.


    "Then we don''t need to waste any more time. The reason I left you for last is so that I could spend the most time sparring you" stated Adam, seeing how eager Chase was to let loose.


    "Great, I wanted to spar you again after last time. You aimed for my legs and your attacks were powerful, but controlled, and you aimed to tear the muscles in my legs so I could no longer manoeuvre. Well, this time I think I have a way to stop you from doing so," said Chase.


    He had his staff in his hands as he moved backwards and was ready to take on Adam''s fast and powerful attacks.


    Adam observed Chase for a moment and could see that he was using a different stance and, unlike his usual flat-footed stance, he was using a more flexible and explosive stance.


    Fighting flat-footed improved his stability, defence and also allowed him to unleash stronger attacks, however, it sacrificed some of his speed, manoeuvrability and explosiveness.


    This time, Chase was using a more flexible stance where he stood on his toes, and with it, he gained more flexibility, speed and explosive power, but also lost his stability and part of his defensive capabilities in the process.


    "Interesting. You are always developing and changing, which is why I think you are so good at combat, but there are still some things I want to teach and point out to you. Although you don''t have a special ability or hidden capability, you still have a lot of room to improve," said Adam before dashing towards him.


    Adam was planning not to use any weapon and although Chase was extremely skilled in combat and always evolving his combat style each and every time he fought, Adam could always find flaws in any combat style.


    It was how he was able to always take down opponents with ease, even when they were more powerful than him, as he made sure to cover all his weaknesses and find those of his opponents.


    "Chase, everything you have said and displayed to me so far is incredible, but you still have more potential and aren''t using your hardening ability to its full capacity," said Adam as he charged towards him and jumped into the air.


    Adam made it seem as though he was about to punch him in the face, but was able to switch attacks mid-air and aimed a kick at the side of his head.


    Chase was able to read his attack, but Adam expected nothing less from him and suddenly released a burst of Fire Energy from his hands that launched him forwards.


    It happened so quickly and Adam, who previously appeared to be aiming to kick him, suddenly thrust his knee into Chase''s face and launched him flying backwards.


    The momentum and power he unleashed through his knee and the explosive burst he released was enough to instantly knock most Master Cultivators unconscious, and yet Chase got back up.


    It seemed as though, despite the sudden and powerful attack that Adam had unleashed, Chase had been able to read it and used his Hardening Unique Skill just as the knee was about to strike his face.


    "Impressive, but still not good enough. Always be prepared to take on any attack no matter how many feints your opponent uses, and most opponents will not telegraph their attacks, so if it feels obvious, prepare to take on the attack, but there is likely to be another attack hidden behind it"


    Adam was using Fire Energy at that moment and it greatly boosted the explosive power and speed of the Burst Movement Skill.


    Chase got up and wiped the blood from his nose that Adam''s attack had broken, even after he activated his Hardening Unique Skill, and still maintained a calm expression.


    His eye showed excitement and battle intent, while his body and face were calm and ready to continue.


    Adam held back the least against him as with Chase''s Hardening Ability, he could handle some of Adam''s full power attacks, but not for long.


    The battle was very one-sided and to an onlooker, it would seem as though Adam was merely giving Chase a beating.


    However, those that were perceptive would realise that it was becoming increasingly difficult for Adam to find an opening against Chase, who was rapidly improving.


    Adam was unsure whether it was due to the Monk Inheritance, some sort of skill, or that Chase was merely incredibly talented in combat, but he was impressed by how quickly Chase was improving.


    In a single battle, Chase seemed to have been able to perfect the new combat style he was coming up with.


    However, he couldn''t continue improving it since his body could no longer hold out.


    It had been half an hour of Adam''s attacks and although Adam had held back the power of some of his attacks, after so many attacks, it was impressive for Chase to be alive, let alone standing and conscious.


    "Let''s stop for now, and I need to give you the advice and feedback that I had prepared for you. Your rapid progression is incredible to observe, but it still won''t be enough and your combat prowess is amazing. However, there is more to winning a battle than that. "


    Adam walked over to Chase, who could barely stand and instructed Chase to begin recovering his body and circulating his energy, and in that time, Adam was going to speak to him just like he did with the others.


    "First, to start off with, your energy consumption is too high and you are very inefficient in your use of energy. During a long or large battle, you would be unable to hold out for long. If you were both attacking and defending, your energy would be rapidly depleted and unable to fight. "


    Adam didn''t hold back with his criticism and feedback and continued telling Chase what he needed to improve on.

 Chapter 433 - Unbelievable Progress

    Adam pointed out all of Chase''s flaws and didn''t miss any minor detail, knowing that Chase would put everything he said to use and improve as a whole.


    His main points were that Chase needed to continue working hard and developing, but would need to take on board Adam''s advice and improvements.


    Adam recommended Chase to temper his body using harsh methods that only Chase''s body and mind could handle, and also handed over a forbidden body tempering method to him.


    It was forbidden because it had caused many deaths and many were unable to even get past the first step due to the extreme pain and strain that it caused the body, but Adam believed that Chase could handle it.


    Along with that, Adam told him all the improvements that he could make in terms of how he fought, and advised him not to become too reliant on his Hardening Ability.


    It should be something that he used to its fullest, but it shouldn''t be his only method of defence or combat.


    Adam also told him that he was only scratching the surface of what his Hardening Ability could truly do. There was only a simple application to such an ability, but how much energy the hardening was provided should be controlled and able to be improved.


    It would allow him to reserve energy when defending against weak attacks, while also allowing him to unleash even more powerful hardening when facing powerful attacks.


    Along with that, Adam handed over an Armament Technique that was the best one that he found in his master''s library, but knew that it still couldn''t be compared to Chase''s Hardening Ability.


    However, that particular technique would allow one to also harden their organs, muscles and bones, which differed from Chase, who at that moment could only harden his skin.


    Chase was relying on instinct to activate and use the Hardening Ability. However, once he could control it, not only could he harden every part of his body, but he could also use it to increase the power of his body.


    With a larger weight and muscle density due to hardening his entire body, his physical strength would also improve.


    Along with that, if he was able to control the ability, he could harden specific parts of his body to reserve energy.


    That would also allow him to only harden his fists while attacking, which wouldn''t reduce his speed, and Adam told him that there were many possibilities that he was yet to explore.


    Chase had been following the Monk Inheritance closely, which had paid off, but Adam also wanted to make the most of what he had access to and use his mind to control everything, and not his sharp instincts.


    Although it was working for him, it could only take him so far and was also what was holding him back.


    All of the leaders of the faction had great potential, and it was much greater than Adam could have ever imagined.


    With Ava''s help, along with his own observations, he was able to find what his friends were truly capable of and it was amazing that he had come across them all.


    They were all extremely lucky individuals that were born with great talent and potential hidden within them, and yet Adam was the luckiest to have made all of them his friends and leaders of his faction.


    If Adam hadn''t helped them unlock their full potential, it would have been a great waste of talent, and he provided them with anything they could ever need.


    His master had left behind all the facilities one could ever think of for training and it had taken him centuries to build such an incredible structure, but Adam was making the most of it and thanked his master for it each night.


    They had all the skills, techniques and methods that his master had left behind, along with most of the knowledge and information.


    Although some of it was restricted and only accessible by Adam, it was things they had no need for or couldn''t handle, while his master had also instructed him to keep it hidden.


    After helping them all realise and unlock their true capabilities, there wasn''t much else Adam could do other than observe them progress at rapid rates and help them whenever they needed help.


    He sparred with all of them each day and also continued giving them all tips, while allowing them to train independently day and day out for an entire week.


    Angela had been frozen and in a deep meditative state that entire time and after the week, but she seemed to be making the biggest leaps in terms of power after digesting such a powerful Cold Pill that Adam produced.


    The week had been a very productive one had they had all made unbelievable progress with all of them breaking through and becoming Master cultivators.


    Not only that, but all of their abilities and capabilities had greatly improved, and they had surpassed all of Adam''s expectations.


    He had never even imagined that in a single week, they would all improve so much and Adam was truly unsure if he would be able to face them all at once without using some of his hidden capabilities.


    Wayde had unlocked his Fire Lion Spirit through training, and his power and cultivation jumped massively after that occurred.


    Elizabeth had cultivated poison energy and her cultivation and energy reserves expanded greatly after the cultivation splitting process, while she also had an abundance of medicinal herbs and plants that helped her progress.


    Angela had managed to digest the entire Cold Pill that had extreme amounts of energy and had been able to transform all her energy into Ice Energy and, in the process, also progressed greatly.


    While Cole and Chase had less visible and obvious changes, but had still greatly improved in terms of cultivation, combat and power after also realising what they were truly capable of.


    All that was left was the final spar between all of them, which would signify the end of the Training Camp with Adam.

 Chapter 434 - Final Spar

    6 Powerful Master Cultivators stood in a large hall that was clad in reinforcements, making the room able to handle any form of attacks.


    1 of them who had no aura or presence stood opposite the other 5 and all the others bowed their heads slightly.


    Adam had called them all to a final meeting, but he had never expected them to bow their heads.


    "You have helped us realise what we are truly capable of, and for that, we are truly thankful. We won''t let you down and will surpass your expectations. "


    Adam smiled and told them all to raise their heads and that they were all worthy of their positions as leaders of the faction after their display of talent, potential, and drive.


    "I will be leaving soon and all of you know that I am someone who prefers to be free and I want to travel the world. In that time, I want to find out more about and begin facing the Blood Moon Group alone, while I also need to look for my aunt and expand the influence and connections of our faction"


    "I will leave the faction in your hands and you are all already aware of my expectations and instructions"


    "Yes," they all affirmed in unison.


    "But before then, we will have one final spar to show exactly how much we progressed. This time, I truly will not be holding back and I am expecting your teamwork to have improved greatly"


    "Angela hasn''t been in the group spars, but she will easily fit in and as long as you guys attack coherently and make the most of your abilities and capabilities, suppressing me should be easy"


    They were all eager to battle him with their new capabilities and power that had improved greatly, while Adam felt the same way and also wanted to try something.


    He hadn''t entered the dungeon that past week and also hadn''t trained his body much, other than through battling against them all.


    However, he hadn''t wasted the week either and had been coming up with and perfecting the first extension of his Unique Collector Skill.


    Adam had always had this idea of a way to use the Collector Skill that he had never implemented or tried.


    It took a long time to figure out how exactly to do it and he had never actually tried to pull it off or seen its effects, but he had prepared himself for it mentally.


    He had attempted to recreate an open area in his mindscape in which he had been practising and training the new ability, and was excited to try it out in reality.


    Since he was unsure if he could control it, trying it against his friends was the best way to test it out and they could all definitely handle it after the progress that they had made in the past week.


    While Adam was also very confident in his own capabilities and was mostly sure that he would be able to handle and control it.


    "Just to let you know, I will be trying something I have never done before, and I am also unsure what will happen when I do, so prepare yourselves. Let''s make this battle a great one that we will remember"


    With that, Adam walked over to one side of the large sparring room, while the other 5 walked over to the other and took a short while to talk and prepare their strategies.


    5 Master Cultivators with all sorts of unique and powerful abilities were a force to be reckoned with and even Adam was excited to face them for once, since he would be able to unleash more of his power and have a real battle that would challenge him.


    They had already seen so many unique abilities and incredible things from Adam that they couldn''t help but be curious as to what exactly Adam still had hidden within him.


    However, they were also much more confident in their own abilities and their teamwork, so they no longer saw Adam as an opponent that they were unable to defeat.


    "Are you guys ready yet?" asked Adam, seeing that they had finished preparing their strategy.


    "Yes," they all replied in unison.


    Elizabeth wouldn''t fight on the offensive since most of her offensive techniques would use poison, which she didn''t want to use against Adam, but she was still a key opponent that Adam needed to take down.


    In a single week, her skill and proficiency when it came to wielding a bow was very impressive, and just like Adam advised, she also learnt to use throwing knives and needles efficiently.


    Along with that, she also improved the healing and support that she could provide to those fighting with her, making it so that she could also provide medicinal properties that could rejuvenate energy and increase aspects of their power for short periods of time.


    Meanwhile, Wayde''s flames had grown to be much more ferocious and powerful, even to the point of them surpassing that of Adam''s and gaining a unique characteristic.


    Chase had taken all of Adam''s advice into consideration, while Cole had also learnt to use his true capabilities, which greatly increased his speed and also allowed him to phase through any entity or attack.


    That left Angela, who although hadn''t been sparring with them for the past week, seemed to be the one that Adam''s instincts were warning him about.


    It was the unknown danger that one should be wary of.


    After aiding her in transforming her energy into Ice Energy, even Adam was unsure of her exact capabilities and power.


    All of them were eager and ready to begin, so they counted down from 5, then started their final spar.


    Adam wasn''t the first to attack and merely watched as Cole suddenly disappeared, while Chase, Angela and Wayde all headed towards him from different directions, planning to corner him and restrict his movement.


    Smiling and impressed with their capabilities, Adam activated the power of his Mind and Stealth Ring, preparing himself to take on their attacks.

 Chapter 435 - Body Transformation Part 1

    Cole, who had disappeared, moved through the air and rapid paces and appeared behind Adam in the blink of an eye.


    Even Adam was unable to sense his presence, and it was as if his existence had dispersed and merged with the air, which was exactly what had happened.


    After appearing behind Adam''s back, he unleashed a swift and powerful kick that was shockingly fast, but Adam was still able to dodge it.


    However, Adam had barely managed to do so and Cole''s speed could rival his, while his new ability made him a difficult opponent to handle.


    It was only because of the Mind Ring, hunter''s Mind and his fast reflexes that he was able to dodge the sudden attack, but he then had to take on attacks from three other powerful individuals.


    Angela''s movement speed was unbelievably quick, and she was gliding above ice that she formed under her feet, and releasing Ice Energy from her hands to propel herself forwards and increase her sliding speed.


    While Chase was using his own movement technique and Wayde was mimicking Adam''s Burst Movement Skill to increase their speed.


    At the same time, an arrow blitzed towards him, fired accurately by Elizabeth, making it so that Adam was surrounded by attacks in all directions.


    Cole prepared a second attack behind Adam''s back, as the other''s reached Adam, but just as they were all about to attack him, he suddenly released a wild screech that sent them all flying away from him.


    That wasn''t a sound that a human could make and looking at him, the shape of his ears had changed slightly, along with the colour of his hair and skin, his eyes and nose.


    His nose had become more narrow, while his eyes were no longer that of a human and had become orange, with a black slit within them, just like that of a bird.


    While his ears and overall change in appearance also slightly resembled that of some sort of bird.


    It had worked.


    The Body Transformation Extension of the Unique Collector Skill that Adam had been preparing and planning for.


    The Unique Collector Skill allowed him to collect all kinds of beasts and creatures in a beastpedia, that he also found within his mind, but Adam had always felt that there was more to the ability.


    Even with the Beast Transformation Extension, he still felt as though there was more to the ability and the extension had formed a new Unique Skill that Adam had.


    It allowed him to transform into any of the creatures and beasts that he had collected using the Collector Skill, but there were side effects and such a skill wasn''t so simple.


    Adam had been mentally preparing himself, while also tempering his body to be able to handle such transformation by learning to dislocate his joints as he pleased.


    To use the ability, he would merely become one with whatever creature he pleased that was found within the beastpedia that was also within his mind.


    After that, Adam could choose how much he wanted to transform and the more he transformed into the creature, the more his body would change, and the more pain that would cause.


    Adam split the states of the Body Transformation Unique Skill, that was an extension of the Unique Collector Skill, into 3 levels.


    Minor Transformation


    Deep Transformation


    Complete Transformation


    Adam only transformed into the Sonic Hawk to the Minor Transformation Level, but was still able to unleash such power and use its Special Trait: Sonic Cry.


    The Minor Transformation would have small effects on his appearance and body, but would also limit the amount of power he could draw from the transformation.


    The Deep Transformation would disfigure his body to suit that of the creature he was transforming into, which was painful, but would allow him to still have a relatively humanoid figure, while he could unleash more of the power of the creature he collected.


    While a Complete Transformation would allow him to complete become the creature he was transforming into and allow him to unleash great power, but there were also side-effects to the transformation.


    The deeper the transformation, the less control he had over his mind as his actions and instincts would become influenced by that of the creature he was transforming into.


    It was as though there was another entity entering his mind, but with the Mind Ring and Hunter''s Mind, Adam could regulate that.


    Along with that, the deeper the transformation, the longer it would take and the more pain and change it would cause his body to undergo.


    However, with practise, he could work on all of those things and make it so that his body was accustomed to transforming, allowing him to be able to do so instantly.


    Adam also wanted to be able to use different physical traits from different creatures and also different Special Traits at once.


    It opened up so many more doors for Adam and gave him an arsenal of different Special Traits and physical attributes that he could use as he pleased.


    All he needed was more time to practise using it and allow his body to become accustomed to the transformation, giving him more control over it.


    At the moment he was being attacked from all directions, Adam suddenly integrated with the Sonic Hawk Beast that he had collected and used a Minor Transformation.


    The Sonic Hawk was a powerful beast that Adam came across in the dungeon.


    It had amazing physical attributes and also had two Special Traits.


    Hawk Vision and Sonic Cry


    Both were extremely useful and powerful, while matched with its rapid flying speed and sharp claws, made it a dangerous creature.


    Adam suppressed the sprouting of wings that he would feel trying to come out of his back and only wanted to use its Hawk Vision and Sonic Cry, however he was interested to fly with wings on another occasion.


    With wings and the Burst Movement Skill, Adam''s speed and fighting capability in the air would become unrivalled.


    Adam''s Sonic Cry caused all of them to be shocked and disorientated slightly from its power, and that gave him the perfect opportunity to counter their powerful joint attack.

 Chapter 436 - Body Transformation Part 2

    Adam, despite the pain he was feeling in his throat after unleashing the Sonic Cry and using a Minor Transformation for the first time, quickly prepared to counter-attack.


    They had all surrounded and attempted to suppress him with their joint attack, but they had never expected Adam to be able to use some sort of skill that was so powerful.


    However, they were far from the truth and the fact of the matter was that Adam had partly become a Sonic Hawk, which they didn''t even know existed and was unlikely to even exist on their planet.


    Adam suddenly switched from the Accipitridae Minor Transformation he was using, which the Sonic Hawk belonged to, and used the Primate Minor Transformation.


    That was the grouping that the Forest Monkey and Gorilla King belonged to, which would give him great brute strength, along with great flexibility.


    It didn''t have any useful Special Traits, but it was the fastest and least painful transformation that Adam had in his arsenal, other than the humanoid negative creatures that he had within his beastpedia.


    He didn''t want to use those unless he had no other option as they were his most powerful transformations, and for the time being, Adam wanted to stick to using Minor Beast Transformations.


    By doing so, he would increase his mastery over his transformations and allow his body to become familiarised with them, while also still hiding some of his power.


    He felt his physical strength, along with the agility and flexibility of his body, all increase greatly as he suddenly struck both Chase and Wayde with kicks to the head.


    Jumping into the air, Adam kicked outwards and displayed extreme suppleness as he kicked both Wayde and Chase at the same time, before jumping up into the air.


    His jumping power was already incredible, but with the Primate Minor Transformation, it was even more amazing and he reached the ceiling of the training room that was dozens of metres above the floor, with ease.


    As he neared it, he suddenly used the Arachnida Minor Transformation that would allow him to gain attributes and the Special Trait of the Giant White Spider that he had previously faced.


    With it, he felt a small change around his entire body and felt as though his skin had changed.


    The truth was that small hairs known as setules had grown over his entire body, and they have unique triangular tips and are what allow spiders to climb on walls and ceilings.


    As he reached the ceiling, Adam placed his hands on it and felt as though he was stuck to it, and also felt as though he could control whether he wanted to stay stuck to it.


    It was a fascinating feeling and his transformation instincts made it so that he could feel and know what exactly his body was capable of in the transformation state.


    Adam climbed along the ceiling and for a few seconds, his friends didn''t attack and were shocked by what was happening.


    Climbing along the ceiling was an amazing feat, but it wasn''t something unbelievable and shocking, considering everything else they had seen Adam do.


    What was shocking to them was how Adam appeared to be an entirely different creature and his movements resembled that of an insect, while he had just had transformed into other things seconds before.


    He no longer seemed human with the continual changes, but they weren''t afraid or disgusted by it, but amazed by the effects of such transformations.


    "He seems to have the ability to switch between the abilities of different animals. It must be some skill or physique that is unique to him, but we can still beat him and we should be able to predict his next movements if we observe him closely," stated Chase, as he got them all to regain focus on not feel intimidated by Adam.


    Adam was enjoying the sensation of his body continually changing and gaining all sorts of attributes and features from other creatures, as he formed a web gland on each of his palms.


    Web Creation and Manipulation was the Special Trait of the Giant White Spider and through it, Adam could form web glands wherever he pleased on his body and chose his palms as the most functional place to form them.


    With it, he formed a web that he fired on the other side of the sparring room.


    Since he had complete control over the web and could change the type of web, while could also retract it back into his body, it could be used for all sorts of things.


    The firing power of the webs was also incredible, and it reached the other side of the sparring room in an instant, and stuck to the wall.


    Then, by retracting the web back into his body, Adam was launched towards the other side of the sparring room and landed on the wall.


    He then fired webs all over Elizabeth who was closest to him, and made it so that they were sticky, but also durable enough for her to be unable to break out of them.


    The transformation instincts made it so that he instantly had an innate feeling and understanding of how to use the Special Traits and changes in his body.


    With Elizabeth restricted by the webs that she was shocked by and not fast enough to dodge, Adam was preparing to attack her, but what he didn''t expect was for her to use the right side of her body to instantly turn all the webs to dust.


    "I won''t use the poison against you, but attacks like that won''t work against me," she said before dashing back to create distance between herself and Adam.


    However, the gap in speed was too large and Adam activated his Felidae Transformation to a minor level.


    His Felidae Transformation had the Ice Wildcat, the Lion King and the Green Cheetah integrated into it and he gained the Special Traits of Ice Claws, and Green Pounce.


    It was painful for Adam to have his nails and fingers change to grow Ice Claws, while his legs and back muscles had also changed and grown during the transformation, but he endured it and it was definitely worth it.

 Chapter 437 - Intense Battle Part 1

    With the Green Pounce from the Green Cheetah, he could generate explosive power and speed that was double that of his actual explosive power and speed, and then he could use the Ice Claws to take down Elizabeth.


    Once he did that, they wouldn''t have anyone to heal them, and Adam would pick them off one by one and find their weaknesses.


    However, he had underestimated the leaders, who were all in sync and much more capable than they were the week before.


    A wall of ice was formed to block Adam''s path as he pounced towards Elizabeth, but Adam could still use his energy as he pleased and wasn''t restricted to only using the features and Special Traits of the creature he was transforming into.


    That was what made the Body Transformation Unique Skill so amazing, and Adam used the Burst Movement Skill to manoeuvre past the ice wall and ice spikes that were being fired toward him by Angela.


    Their power and speed surpassed that of a grenade and bullet combined, while each one that struck him or narrowly grazed him would not only wound him, but seep cold energy into his body.


    The cold energy would not only restrict his movement, but also make it harder for Adam to wield his energy and cause him internal damage.


    However, Adam was able to dodge most of them and had Fire Energy to counter the effects of Angela''s attacks.


    Adam continued targeting Elizabeth, who was surprisingly fast after training her speed in order to not be a burden on others.


    After a few seconds, which was a long time for such fast cultivators, he finally managed to reach her.


    He had avoided confronting Wayde, Cole or Angela, while Cole had disappeared for the past few seconds and Adam was unable to sense him, since his existence seemed to have completely dispersed and became one with the surrounding air.


    Just as he was about to strike Elizabeth with his Ice Claws, able to reach her and avoid the others using his Burst Movement Skill and the Green Pounce Special Trait, Cole suddenly appeared in front of him.


    Adam had been expecting such a thing to occur, however, what he didn''t expect was for Cole to be able to use such a powerful attack.


    Elizabeth and the others had already been told by Cole that if either of them were about to be taken down by Adam, he had a skill to get him away from them, but they didn''t expect what they saw from Cole.


    He didn''t have a name for the skill, but it took him a few seconds to prepare and he would release a large burst of energy and vibrations all at once.


    After reading through and learning the Air Palm Strike Skill, which Adam had recommended to him, Cole improved on it and made it unique to himself.


    However, it was much more powerful and precise than the Air Palm Strike and also utilised his entire body and special physique during the attack.


    Using the skill, Adam had already been expecting an attack from Cole, who had disappeared, but didn''t expect such a powerful attack that he had never seen Cole use before.


    It was too fast to dodge, and by blocking it, he would be launched flying away.


    Adam was in mid-air so couldn''t use the Step Sip Sill and the Burst Movement Skill wouldn''t be fast enough, so he put his arms up to block the attack while transforming into the beast in his arsenal that had the most defensive capabilities.


    After that, he used the Arachnida Minor Transformation again, and it made it so that he landed on the wall of the sparring room without receiving any damage from the impact.


    Jumping down to the ground, Adam had a smile on his face and he felt as though he had an endless arsenal of abilities and features that he could integrate into his body.


    The others had grouped up and had shown just how capable they were, and also showed great trust in the others'' capabilities.


    "Let''s keep this going then," said Adam before dashing towards them.


    Adam continuously switched between different beast transformations and used all sorts of Special Traits, while his body constantly changed and gained animal-like features.


    While the others had also shown great capabilities and were working together well, with Wayde and Angela interchangeably attacking, since their attacks would weaken and been cancel out those of the other.


    Ice Blizzard


    The temperature around Adam dropped exponentially and suddenly hundreds of spikes formed or reinforced ice blitzed towards him and Angela was showing just how capable she had become.


    Her new physique turned out greater than expected and she could wield Cold, Water, and Ice Energy interchangeably, while her control and attack range had greatly increased.


    Such an attack was almost impossible to dodge, and it was the first time that Adam had been forced to use the Step Skip Skill by them and since then, he continuously used it.


    Their attacks were too fast and powerful to be taken lightly, and since he was facing 5 of them at once, they were able to corner and suppress him many times.


    However, no matter how much they attacked Adam and how great their teamwork was, Adam wasn''t suffering any great injuries and was still able to fight.


    While it was the same thing with Adam, as he was unable to land any decisive blows on them and they made up for each other''s weaknesses, while were also powerful on their own.


    Even with Adam using all sorts of Minor Transformations and fighting in an unpredictable way, they were still holding their own and unleashing all sorts of incredible attacks.


    They were all able to come up with their own attacks and skills, and even Adam couldn''t help but be amazed by the progress they had made in a single week.


    He was also impressed by how much they had concealed from him in order to suddenly unleash it in the Final Spar, which gave them the element of surprise.

 Chapter 438 - Intense Battle Part 2

    The fighting was intense, and it was unbelievable how much power all of them had and how unique all of their abilities and capabilities were.


    Ice Barrage


    Fire Lion Roar


    Extreme Flame Fist


    Crescent Moon Kick


    Silent Slash


    Piercing Arrow


    Team Power Booster


    Crushing Staff Strike


    Adam''s friends used all sorts of different skills and techniques that even Adam had never seen before, and their battle was at a stalemate.


    No matter how much they injured Adam and tried, they couldn''t take him down, while Adam was also unable to take any of them down without using an ability or power that he wanted to conceal.


    All the skills were powerful and complex, making it so that Adam had to stay calm and analyse all of them in order to be able to take them on and also be prepared for them the next time.


    However, one attack caught him completely off guard.


    Crushing Groin Kick


    Chase''s attacks were usually Monk or Staff Skills that were dignified, powerful and direct, however, what Chase suddenly used against him was completely unexpected by Adam.


    While Adam was engaging in close combat with Wayde, who had learnt to form weaponry out of his newly enhanced and strengthened Fire Energy, Chase suddenly attacked from the side.


    Adam was expecting a staff attack from the side, however, Chase launched a kick towards Adam''s groin, while Cole had appeared behind Adam with great speed and held him, trying to stop him from moving.


    At that point, they had already fought for nearly an hour and had all weakened greatly due to fatigue and using up most of their energy, so Adam wasn''t expecting anything new from his opponents.


    Adam was weakened and fatigued the most out of all of them due to the strain his body was experiencing after continuously using the Body Transformation Unique Skill for the first time.


    They could see that, and after Wayde created an opening, wanted to take him down.


    Their perceptiveness and combat prowess had massively improved and led them to believe that Adam was unable to use the Step Skip Skill while he was in contact with another person.


    Since Cole was holding him, Adam would be unable to use that particular Unique Skill and he could not avoid their final attack, or so they hoped and believed.


    Adam, in that moment, truly was unable to dodge or avoid that attack in any way, but he also couldn''t allow his crown jewels to be crushed by such a powerful kick.


    He had no choice but to use something that he didn''t want to use against them in the battle since they were defenceless against it, as if it was any other attack he would have taken it head-on, but an attack to the groin was something that no man could handle.


    Entering his Soul Form, they were all baffled by the sudden disappearance of Adam and Cole was shocked by it the most.


    He was so shocked by it, that he was too slow to react to Chase''s kick that struck him instead.


    However, Chase had been able to change where he was kicking slightly and managed to avoid Cole''s groin, striking his stomach and launching him sliding backwards.


    Cole was able to disappear and fuse his existence with his surroundings, however, Adam''s disappearance was different and it was as though his existence entirely disappeared.


    It felt that way to them because they were ignorant of the existence of souls and Adam was planning on enlightening them on that, but also didn''t want them to begin asking him questions about how he was able to enter a Soul Form.


    Instead, he wanted to keep it brief and mention it to them before leaving, as if he answered all their questions, they would be there for hours and he would also reveal to them too much.


    Appearing behind them, Adam slumped on the ground and they did the same after their final bid to attack him and take him down had failed and even backfired.


    Their battle was an amazing one that lasted for around an hour and pushed them all to their limits, even for Adam, who didn''t want to unleash his full power and rely on all his trump cards.


    "This was a great battle, but let us call it a day. If we go any further, it might seriously injure one of us or cause us to push ourselves too far past our limits," he said as he lay on the ground.


    His body was aching all over and the others were also completely drained and fatigued, but they weren''t in nearly as much pain as Adam.


    However, the exhilarating feeling that Adam felt while transforming and all the abilities it allowed him to wield was definitely worth the pain.


    It also made him wonder what it would feel and be like to enter a deep transformation or even a complete transformation, but he knew that his body might suffer great backlash from it and he also didn''t have a need to.


    Once his body become more accustomed to the Body Transformation Unique Skill''s power, he would attempt it and it would allow him to infiltrate the ranks of any creature once he had killed one of them.


    So not only was it an ability that increased his combat power, but could also be used for scouting and espionage.


    The others were all in a similar state to Adam, lying around on the ground, barely able to move after such an intense battle, but after a few seconds, Adam jumped up.


    "You all might have a lot of questions and there are also a few things that I want to say before leaving, so we should all take an hour to recover in the energy chamber, then return here," stated Adam, who was still not completely tired out and made it clear to them at that moment that he would have come out on top if they were truly enemies.


    Nodding their heads, they all followed after Adam and all could barely move as they staggered towards the Energy Chamber.

 Chapter 439 - End Of The Final Spar

    What Adam had displayed in that battle was amazing and, just like he expected, they had many questions they wanted to ask him, but some of them Adam couldn''t truthfully answer yet.


    The truth of the matter was that Adam was able to pull off impossible feats and couldn''t be understood using common sense or what they had learnt and seen so far.


    They didn''t even see him pant or wince the entire time, despite how intense the battle was and how many times they managed to land attacks on him.


    While he also seemed to still be able to fight after the spar ended and he didn''t seem nearly as fatigued as them, despite having to face multiple opponents.


    When thinking about it, their cultivation level was very similar to that of his and may have even slightly passed his, and yet he was still so much ahead of them.


    After recovering, they all got into a new change of clothes and cleaned themselves up after the battle they had, and although all of them had some minor injuries around their body, they would all recover to their peak states in a single day.


    Adam, however, had already recovered and not a single would or scar could be found on his body, which was unbelievable considering all the battles he had been through and all the experience and pain tolerance that he appeared to have.


    Meeting in the sparring room, they let Adam be the first to talk, and all stood in a line a few metres away from him.


    "Why are you all so serious? This is a casual chat and it won''t be very long either. "


    Adam called them all to sit in a circle with him, and they all relaxed, seeing that he had returned to his usual relaxed and nonchalant self.


    "That was a great spar, and I am impressed with how much your teamwork has improved, and how much all of you have developed individually. But this is no time to stop working hard and you all need to continue progressing, stopping only to develop and work on the factions. This way, all of our aims will be achievable"


    They all nodded their heads, and all felt greatly indebted to Adam and full of gratitude.


    However, they knew that their thanks didn''t mean much, and they wanted to repay him through their actions and by making him proud.


    They all vowed to build a faction that Adam could proudly say he was the founder and secret leader of, and they also wanted to do so for themselves, since they were leaders of the faction and also agreed with what it stood for.


    "I will be leaving everything to you all and you should learn from each other and make sure to improve and work on your individual capabilities, but also your teamwork. Unity can overcome anything in most cases and I believe in you all"


    He instructed them to split their day on training and working on the faction, while also instructed them to make their names known in other cities and begin expanding once they were confident in the infrastructure of the faction.


    With that, they would have to be careful of other cultivators, especially those that were on the Top Cultivator Ranking and could be found around the world, but it was a good test for them and he trusted their judgement.


    They needed to increase their own influence and that of the faction, and needed to form a faction made up of the strong to protect the weak.


    Resources and capital would be gathered and generated mostly by Elizabeth, while they were all to stay in contact and make sure they were working coherently and weren''t clashing.


    After he said all those things to them, he imprinted a communication rue into each of their hands and through it, they could contact each other from anywhere as long as they had a small amount of energy.


    It was basically a phone that was linked to their minds and found in their hands.


    That communication connection was important and would allow them to contact Adam, but he said that he would prefer not to be contacted unless they required urgent help.


    After informing them of everything that he wanted to, Adam was ready to leave and just as he was about to get up, they all jumped on him and held him down.


    "What do you think you are doing? You said you would answer our questions. "


    All of them couldn''t help but be curious about all of Adam''s capabilities and secrets, especially how he was able to gain animal-like abilities and characteristics at will.


    Adam''s body was still in pain despite his full recovery, and he also didn''t sense any malicious intentions from them, so didn''t resist being held down by them.


    "And how the hell are you able to disappear like that. It is nothing like my ability and I can detect any small disturbance in my surroundings, so I am sure that you completely disappeared. It was as if your entire existence had left to go somewhere else," exclaimed Cole.


    Adam smiled and already guessed what their questions were, so prepared himself to answer them.


    Entering his Soul Form, Adam disappeared, then appeared a few metres away from them.


    After appearing, he had a slight smile on his face.


    "First off, the animal thing that you guys are speaking about. I am able to do it because I watched documentaries about animals and understood them so much that I was able to become like them"


    All of them were expecting a serious answer, but what he sarcastically answered with left them all shocked and annoyed.


    "What the hell, Adam, can''t you be serious for once?" complained Angela.


    "I found that funny," said Wayde.


    "Yeah, and it won''t do us much good even if we know," added Chase, trying to get Angela and the others to calm down to calm down.


    Their reactions varied, but Adam wasn''t planning on answering as he smiled at them, making it even more annoying for Cole, Elizabeth, and Angela.

 Chapter 440 - Impressive Resolve

    "What about how you disappear like that? Can you at least tell us about that?" asked Cole, who truly desired to understand how Adam was able to do so.


    If he was able to understand and use how Adam was able to disappear, then he would be able to greatly increase his capabilities.


    "How do I disappear like that? That is a good question. "


    "Here is some information about souls. There is much more to the existence of living beings than you think and it can be argued that one never dies, so after you all read this, you might get an idea and better understanding of ."


    As he said that, they were all baffled and shocked, since the topic of souls had never been explored by them and they had never been given any definitive information about them.


    Adam threw a book that was quite thick over to them and it had some of his master''s information and research about souls, which he improved and changed slightly.


    Before they could even read the book or ask any of the other questions, Adam walked towards the exit of the sparring room.


    "Wait. Even if souls have something to do with how you are able to disappear, it still doesn''t make sense. If souls truly exist and match with what I have heard and seen before, then it is a part of a living being. It cannot cause one''s body to disappear and even if you were able to get your soul to leave your body, you would still be unable to make your physical body disappear," he called out as Adam was about to leave.


    "Just make sure that you study about souls and do your own research. There are cultivators that can cultivate their souls and you can''t be defenceless against their attacks," he said, ignoring Cole''s rebuttal.


    Cole was clearly getting annoyed and really wanted to know how Adam did it.


    If it was something that Cole could do or benefit from, Adam would have told him, however, the truth would merely overwhelm Cole and there truly wasn''t much of a way for him to explain it, anyway.


    "Next time we spar, I won''t be holding back, so please get stronger. I always say that I won''t be holding back, but I always end up doing so and I think I made that clear to you all," said Adam, wanting to tease, but also encourage them before he left.


    "And as for how I truly disappear. I think I watched a documentary on it somewhere when I was at school. It was one of the days that you were absent, Cole," he added before disappearing to them by entering his Soul Form.


    "That damned bastard, never giving us a straight answer," cursed Angela.


    "He is probably listening and watching us right now, and we really should do as he said. If there truly are those that cultivate their soul, then there are likely to be many dangers that we are unable to face and we must be prepared for anything. "


    As he said that, Cole picked up the book and began cursing Adam, having a feeling that Adam was still there watching.


    Adam in his Soul Form was dying of laughter as he watched Angela and Cole swearing at him, despite them not actually knowing if he was there.


    "For now, we need to get stronger and, just like he said, he truly was holding back. At the end of the fight, he still seemed able to fight, and I didn''t even see him out of breath or fazed by a single attack, apart from the last one that we nearly managed to get him with"


    "Yes, and he also didn''t use those scary daggers that he used to slaughter those from the Lin, Dale and Ford Families," added Angela.


    "We really do not know much about Adam and he is likely to have other things that he is capable of and hiding from us. All I know is that I want to become stronger, make this faction stronger and be able to repay Adam for the opportunities he gave me, so I will be getting back to my training," stated Elizabeth.


    She turned back to see that all of them had calmed down and had their fists clenched.


    They worked so hard over the past week, and yet they still felt useless and as though nothing had changed.


    They were still weak and knew nothing, relying on Adam for all their knowledge, facilities, and advice.


    They wanted to become more independent and not only no longer rely on Adam, but also repay him for what he had done for them.


    To do that, they needed to work even harder, and that was exactly what they were planning to do.


    "Elizabeth, you are the best at getting information and after we all read this book about souls, please gather any information about souls and also see if you can purchase any methods to cultivate one''s soul. Along with that, we need to prepare ourselves for facing the Blood Moon Group and finding out as much as we can about them, which we hope you can do for us," they all said to Elizabeth as she turned to them.


    With a smile, she said that she was planning on doing so anyway and that she would be relying on them to carry some of her weakness, as even with Adam''s help, she still knew that in a direct confrontation, she wasn''t a match for any of them in combat.


    They all didn''t waste any time and got right into strengthening themselves of the faction in some way.


    Their resolve impressed Adam, who watched what had occurred, and he was glad that his investment in them had turned out to be one that would bring him, the faction and them many benefits.


    "Time to get out of here. It has been a week of being stuck here and I didn''t even enter the Physical or Soul Dungeon," he mumbled to himself.


    After flying out of the secret base in his Soul Form, Adam returned to his Physical Form and paid respects to his master, before heading towards the city.

 Chapter 441 - Moth To A Flame

    Reaching the city, it was very early in the morning and most people were sleeping.


    Time had been a blur and since there were no signs of night and day within the secret base, they would merely go off estimations and their resting pattern had become very different to that of normal people.


    However, cultivators wouldn''t need as much sleep and rest as normal people, and Adam was wide awake and wanted to begin his adventure around the world.


    He had experienced and seen many amazing things in both the Physical and Soul Dungeon, but he was yet to spread his wings much in reality and it was his time to do so.


    His body was still quite strained after the transformations, but Adam had learnt a lot and also strengthened his body through them.


    Adam''s stats had experienced small increases as a positive side-effect of the transformations and the more he used them, the more his body would become stronger, since handling such power and transformations required a powerful body.


    His friends felt indebted to him for everything they had done for him, but most of what he provided them were from his master, and he couldn''t help but think about him and his aunt.


    Entering a store on the edge of the city, Adam seemed like an ordinary individual and the Body Transformation Unique Skill also allowed him to alter his appearance as he pleased.


    Although he hadn''t learnt to control it completely, from transforming into all those beasts, his body learnt to change and adapt according to Adam''s will.


    With that, he made his eyes brown so that they were less eye-catching, but he didn''t change anything else.


    However, if he needed to, he could completely change his appearance and also use the Body Transformation ability to disguise himself as others or hide his identity.


    Adam had a seemingly infinite reserve of funds after his faction took over the city, but he didn''t spend much and bought a few snacks and drinks.


    Although there was no benefit to his body from eating them when compared to the meat he would eat in the secret base, it tasted much better.


    Along with that, it also reminded him of his master, and made him feel normal.


    With his snacks and drink, Adam walked around the city and looked for a place to eat breakfast.


    Adam hadn''t had the pleasure of relaxing for so long that he had forgotten how it felt and that was one thing that he definitely envied normal people for.


    Finding a nice small cafe that was open at 5 am, Adam bought a large meal and tipped the old lady that ran the small cafe generously as he ate.


    8 eggs, 5 toast, 3 fruit salads and 2 coffees were enough to feed a small group of people, and yet Adam ate it alone.


    For a cultivator that stored immense energy within their body, that was a small amount of food and Adam was mostly eating it for the satisfaction and taste rather than the need for it.


    It was too early for Adam to begin his journey and he also wanted to relax while he could, so was planning to spend that morning chilled out.


    While eating, Adam began reading through the information that Elizabeth had gathered on the device that she had specially made for Adam.


    It was the master key for everything within the faction, had access to all the faction''s funds and information and also could be charged itself using the energy in the atmosphere, so was the perfect device for Adam.


    He no longer needed it to contact his friends as he had formed a contact link between them all, but it was still very useful and also important, so Adam kept it in the inventory whenever he wasn''t using it.


    While doing so he suddenly sensed a familiar presence enter the range of Adam''s spiritual sense.


    He wasn''t actively using his spiritual sense to look for anything and also wasn''t spreading it as far as it could go, but his sharp senses would still alert him of any dangerous or familiar presence.


    Recognising who the presence belonged to, Adam smiled.


    He was surprised, slightly annoyed and amused all at the same time, but he was also starting to get bored, so he didn''t mind some entertainment coming right to him.


    A few kilometres away, Angela Valdez, the detective that had been after Adam ever since he became a cultivator, was driving as fast as she could towards where she knew he was.


    The roads were quite empty, so she would reach Adam in a short while and Adam had no intention of running.


    Despite being told not to even think about Adam by her captain after even the NYPD Head told the entire department to be wary of and respect him, she still obsessively searched for him.


    It was impressive considering that Adam had only been in the city for less than two hours, but she was very resourceful and used a newly introduced facial recognition system that the NYPD was using.


    They were not using it to find cultivars like Adam, but it was introduced to stay away from them and provided to the NYPD Head by Elizabeth.


    She informed him to use it to know when to send officers or not, and all those who had their faces registered with the faction would be exempt.


    Obviously, most things and most the members of the faction were concealed, but for those that would be patrolling or fulfilling their duties, it would be much more convenient for them not to be interrupted.


    However, Angela instead used it to search for Adam''s face after managing to hack into the program and couldn''t stay away from him.


    Angela Valdez couldn''t help but be drawn to the man who went from being an ordinary high school student, to being homeless, to then standing above the law.


    She was like a moth to a flame and luckily for her, the flame was a patient one that had no intention of burning her.

 Chapter 442 - Loose End

    "I won''t let you get away from me. I have chased your shadow for so long and you seem to be able to get away with everything. Just who the hell are you and what is going on in the world?"


    "I don''t care if you are a cultivator, superhuman or whatever you want to call yourself. If you threaten the peace of this city, I will come after you"


    Angela Valdez was determined to catch Adam, and she was unsure what exactly she wanted to do with him or say to him.


    Their last meeting was when Adam formed an alliance with the NYPD Head and at that time, the Sentinels Faction was yet to truly be formed and Adam still wasn''t much of a threat to the country.


    However, at that moment, it was almost as if he was untouchable by her or any other official organisation or government.


    It was the powers that were behind the government and the military that were keeping an eye on him, while she was still yet to decide whether Adam was good or not.


    He killed and did as he pleased within the city and was also too powerful to exist.


    Seeing him disappear and appear in the blink of an eye and his killing intent that could cause anyone to instantly lose consciousness was enough for her to see him as a monster.


    And yet his red eyes appealed to her and she also felt both scared and attracted towards him.


    She didn''t know what to feel or think about him, but she wanted to see him for herself after disappearing for an entire year.


    There had been no trace of him that entire year, no matter how hard she looked, and in that time she had formed quite a few contacts and was able to access the cultivator information stream.


    In it, she heard that a red-eyed individual had taken on an army of cultivators along and taken over the city, while was also the leader of that faction she had been hearing about in the city.


    It was clear to her that it was Adam, and she wanted to see just how much he had changed.


    From what she heard, he killed many during that battle and didn''t want to allow such an individual to act as he pleased.


    By the time she reached him, Adam could have run a lap around the entire city if he pleased, but he was comfortably eating his food, was relaxed as he leaned back on the sofa he sat on.


    The kind old lady that ran the cafe was very accommodating and after the large sum of money that Adam gave her, which saved her store on the verge of closing down, she was even more accommodating.


    "Could you make another coffee please granny? A visitor should be coming soon,"


    "Sure is that all"


    "Yes, and this should be enough to cover it," he said as he placed another ten thousand dollars on the counter.


    To her, it was a life-changing sum of money that Adam was giving away so carelessly, but to Adam, it was an insignificant amount of money, and money was the last thing on his mind.


    Seeing how grateful and happy she was because of it, Adam couldn''t help but smile slightly and remembered when all he ever wanted was money so that he could pay his aunt''s medical bills.


    While the old lady was preparing the coffee and carrying it over to Adam''s table, Angela, who had parked around the corner and was hoping to catch Adam by surprise, charged into the small cafe with a gun in her hand.


    Her sudden entrance and aiming of a gun in her direction caused the old lady to lose balance and as she was about to fall backwards and spill the coffee on herself, Adam caught her.


    "Come on, you nearly caused this granny to fall over and such a fall would be fatal at such an age"


    Taking the coffee out of her hand and placing it on the table, Adam helped her back over to the chair behind the counter and helped her calm down, while he reassured her that there was nothing to be afraid of.


    He treated the old lady with the utmost respect and such a kind individual, who had also mentioned all her struggles to Adam, deserved to be treated in such a manner.


    While doing so, he paid no heed to Angela, who held a gun and was beginning to feel as though she was the aggressor.


    "Sit down and put the gun away"


    Adam spoke calmly and normally, and didn''t even need to use the Charm Skill for Angela''s body to move without thinking.


    Her body instinctively felt fear when thinking about everything she had seen Adam do, and did as he said.


    "You know a gun won''t be of much use against me and you scared the old lady. You should definitely apologise, but for now, sit down and drink the coffee she made for you. "


    It was as though her body was moving on its own free will and she sat opposite to Adam with a frustrated and confused expression.


    "So, how can I help you this early in the morning?" asked Adam as he continued eating what was left of his food.


    "I want to know where you have been this past year. How you became so powerful and also would like all the information you have about cultivators and the faction that you are a part of"


    Adam couldn''t help but laugh at her request and she instantly became angry as he did so.


    "I am enforcing my power over you as a detective to get the information I need for my case. If you do not cooperate..."


    She attempted to threaten Adam, but seeing that he was still laughing and realising how stupid what she was saying was, she stopped talking.


    Adam was slightly annoyed by her and felt that she was becoming a loose end that wasn''t learning her lesson.


    "This is the perfect time to get rid of you for good"

 Chapter 443 - Forgotten Enemy

    Adam gave Angela Valdez an evil smile as he threatened to get rid of her, but she still showed no signs of submitting.


    He wasn''t using his aura, killing intent or anything else, and at that moment appeared to be an ordinary person.


    Even his eyes were brown, so there was nothing remotely scary or intimidating about him, and yet his smile caused a chill down her spine.


    Despite that, she still acted strong.


    "You won''t get rid of me and will tell me what I want," she stated.


    "I do not owe you anything and am not friends with you. You point a gun at me and make outrageous demands, then claim to be fighting for the city''s peace. That old lady could have lost the ability to walk or had a heart attack due to the shock you gave her by waltzing in here with a gun. "


    "Shut up, you scoundrel"


    "How about I tell you the truth about your life? You feel lost and helpless to deal with cultivators who roam the world and do as they please. You say it is to maintain peace, but I believe your false sense of justice would be better used to help people in a hospital, orphanage or school. There are many other ways to help people, yet you are roaming around clutching at straws, trying to find any way to get involved in the world of cultivators"


    "I don''t know if it is curiosity, fascination or jealousy, but whatever it is, you are better off forgetting about it"


    His words struck a nerve, but she was unable to do anything to him legally and couldn''t do anything even if she wanted to, while his words had truth in them.


    "I will give you three choices. I kill you. I wipe your memory and let you leave. Or I live here and place allow you to leave, but if you poke your head into my business, will kill you," said Adam.


    An obsessed individual like Angela Valdez was annoying to deal with and, although her intentions weren''t bad, she was entering a world that she wasn''t ready for.


    She didn''t know how to answer or react.


    Adam wasn''t planning on killing her anyway as she hadn''t actually done anything wrong or to him, but he was hoping she would come to her senses.


    "I want to investigate cultivators and make sure they cannot run amuck in this city. If you want to kill me then do it, but I have seen and learnt a lot of things over this past year"


    She was still confident in herself and had strong resolve, while she surprisingly also seemed to be sure about her purpose.


    "We live in two different worlds, but I am not satisfied with maintaining the one I live in and will poke my head into yours at every chance I get"


    There seemed to be no way to peacefully get her to back off.


    Adam could wipe her memories about him and cultivators, but since they were deep-rooted in the front of her mind and she also felt strongly about them, it would harm her if he did so.


    The Charm Skill had grown to be extremely powerful, but it was also dangerous to use against ordinary people and he didn''t want to crush her mind, which she would be unable to recover from.


    "It seems there is no way to get you to stop wildly getting involved with cultivators, so you win. But please stop following me and you act very entitled. I truly do not feel any way towards you or owe you. Just stop being a weird stalker"


    As he said that, Adam was suddenly alerted of something and could feel 4 vehicles closing in on his location from all different directions.


    They were SUVs and, from what he could sense, were bulletproof and also had 5 men in each of them that were armed with assault rifles and wearing body armour.


    Along with that, he also sensed they were all early Novice Cultivators, which surprised Adam, as most cultivators wouldn''t dare to act in such a way in his territory.


    That left only the military or some sort of hidden organisation that controlled the government, but what did they have against him and why would they send such weak people to kill or capture him.


    Adam instantly deduced the only individual that was likely to be behind it.


    Major Carlson


    He was previously a Major of the NYPD and was someone that acted very arrogantly towards Adam and others within the NYPD, but Adam quickly crushed his arrogance.


    The Major felt as though he was above the world, but his ambitions and arrogance clouded his judgement and the righteousness that got him into that position in the first place.


    After his call with Adam and argument with the NYPD Head, the Major quit his position and was given a new position in a newly formed department.


    It was the cultivator defence unit that was a big part of the military and the most powerful organisation of the country.


    His position wasn''t very high, but it was still relatively high and he could dispatch a squad of skilled and experienced Novice Cultivators, while he also had the clearance to act independently.


    "Angela, there is danger arriving. I think Major Carlson is trying to kill me," said Adam, who was still calm and relaxed.


    "What do you know about him?"


    Angela was shocked by what Adam said, but knew that it wasn''t the time to hesitate and quickly answered his question.


    She told him what she knew and that the cultivator defence unit was nurturing cultivators of their own while also researching artificial ways to modify the human body or produce weapons that can rival cultivators.


    "A forgotten enemy dares to attack me so openly. Angela, you are being tracked as they wouldn''t have been able to find me and you must have been watched by them, so it seems you have caught some unwanted attention"


    As he said that, Adam stood up and walked out of the cafe, not wanting to bring destruction to the old lady''s small cafe while he fought those that were closing in on him.

 Chapter 444 - Captured?

    "Adam, be careful. If it really is Major Carlson, his squad is known for its deadly weaponry. Even the NYPD Head has to be respectful and wary of him"


    Adam smiled and, although he appreciated Angela Valdez''s warning, there was no need for her to fear.


    He wasn''t even planning on fighting them in the city, as that would merely cause unneeded destruction.


    Instead, the information source and lead to the military had come straight to him.


    Adam stood in the middle of the street and a few minutes later, the 4 cars all parked around him and 4 armed figures jumped out of each one.


    "Place your hands above your heads. We will be taking you with us"


    They were all armed with large guns, and from what Adam could sense, they were enhanced weapons that could even threaten him.


    The weapons had been enhanced with energy and some unknown technology in order to make the bullets faster and more powerful.


    Adam trusted his instincts and that meant that he couldn''t allow them to shoot, especially at such a close range.


    He could still take them all down with ease, but that wasn''t his plan.


    "Drop your weapons and follow my orders. "


    The Charm Skill.


    Adam didn''t even need to look into each of their eyes.


    His aura, charisma, and presence were enough for all of them to instantly submit and do as he said.


    Angela, who was watching from the window of the cafe, was amazed by how easily and peacefully Adam was able to get them all to submit using a few words.


    It confirmed to her that Adam seemed to have the capability to control and manipulate others.


    "Where is Major Carlson, and where did you all come from?"


    "He is in the underground facility for the Cultivator Defence and Research Department. It is a part of the military and we were raised and trained there. That is where our weapons were produced and there are many others, while there are also monsters that were experimented on. "


    Their answer was surprisingly detailed, but their mouth moved on its own accord and all of their bodies would do anything that Adam told them to.


    "Get back in the cars and escort me there immediately. Just pretend I was captured and get me to the front gate," ordered Adam as he got into the back of one of the cars.


    Before Angela Valdez could even register everything that had occurred and react, the 4 cars had already driven off and, like that, Adam slipped out of her hands once again.


    However, talking with Adam had helped her realise her purpose, and she was beginning to realise that her body couldn''t handle her ambitions, but there was always a way to make up for that.


    Adam sat comfortably in the back of the large car and all the soldiers riding in the car with him didn''t even dare to look at him.


    To them, it felt as though there was a knife to their throats, while they also felt compelled to follow Adam''s orders.


    The Charm Skill made them feel awe and respect towards Adam, but also fear and reverence.


    They drove as quickly as they possibly could and since it was a secret facility that was under a military base, they would first need to enter a military base.


    "You have returned quickly. Have you already completed your duty?" questioned one of the guards stationed at the front of the large military base.


    The military base was outside the city in a large empty area and at the front gate, there were dozens of guards with guns aimed at anything that approached.


    The car was recognised by them, but it was unusual for them to return to quickly.


    They didn''t know how to answer, since they were unsure what Adam would want them to say.


    With a few words, Adam was able to make them completely submit to him and become his loyal subordinates.


    Thinking about it, using his Charm Skill, taking over the entire military base would be easy, however, that would cause too much of a commotion.


    Adam would decide what he would do next once he entered the military base and saw what exactly the secret facility had to offer, but he didn''t have high hopes and also needed to use Major Carlson as an example.


    There was nothing for Adam to fear, and he was ready to take on the world.


    To make sure that something like that didn''t repeat itself and to make sure that no one dared to become enemies with him or the faction, Adam needed to show off to the world.


    Getting out of the car, Adam walked nonchalantly.


    "Who are you?"


    Dozens of red lasers appeared on Adam''s body and he was aimed at by multiple snipers and guards at the front gate.


    "Kneel" he bellowed.


    His voice resounded throughout the area and all that heard it or were within his range were unable to resist his order.


    Kneeling on the ground, the soldiers all lowered their heads and instantly submitted to Adam as he walked past.


    He was able to subdue and control powerful and wild beasts using his Charisma Stat and Charm Skill, so some soldiers was easy.


    Walking into the military base, Adam was impressed by its size and wanted the Sentinels Faction to form something similar around the mountainous region that he had specified.


    There were all sorts of vehicles and hundreds of patrolling and armed soldiers, while there were also soldiers training.


    So far, all Adam had seen were ordinary soldiers and as he walked past, all of them would collapse to the ground or lose consciousness.


    Adam was releasing most of the power of his aura and killing intent, not holding back.


    He would much rather be low key and start looking for his aunt, but he hated being schemed against and would never show mercy to an enemy.


    If one is poking the bear, they can only expect to be ripped to shreds.


    "Come on out, stop hiding. You wanted to capture me, so here I am"

 Chapter 445 - Cultivator Defence Base

    Major Carlson heard Adam call him out and, although he couldn''t help but feel intimidated, it was the perfect opportunity to take him down.


    He could use Adam waltzing into the military base as a valid reason to take him down using the power of the Cultivator Defence Base and it would also allow him to use the defensive weaponry of the base.


    "Calling all cultivators in this Cultivator Defence Base. There is a powerful intruder. Bring out all the weaponry and begin Operation Z Alert,"


    Major Carlson''s message resounded throughout the Cultivator Defence Base that was underground.


    Although he didn''t have the clearance to make such large-scale orders, in the situation of a Z Alert, he was able to do so.


    The entire military base entered a state of lockdown where all the soldiers that were conscious were ordered to return indoors and prepare for further instruction.


    In that time, the Elite Cultivator Defence Unit would be sent out along with any other reserves to take on the threat that was threatening the safety of the entire base and city.


    A Z-Level threat was classed as anyone on the Top Cultivator Ranking or had some form of weapon of mass destruction that wasn''t to be taken lightly.


    Major Carlson had expected that those he sent after Adam would fail and everything was turning out just like he had expected, planned and hoped.


    Adam was beginning to realise that all of his actions had gone just like the Major was likely to have planned, which annoyed him.


    Schemers like Major Carlson and Elizabeth''s previous subordinate annoyed Adam the most, as they would manipulate others and pull strings from a distance while keeping themselves safe and reaping the rewards.


    However, in front of absolute power, scheming was useless.


    Adam stood in the centre of the military base and he could sense movement underground, but was impressed to find that his spiritual sense was being disrupted and blocked by some sort of array.


    From what he sensed, there were at least a few hundred decently capable Advanced Cultivators that were all armed with super-weaponry that they produce in order to have a better chance against powerful cultivators.


    Along with that, there seemed to be a few thousand Novice Cultivators and Adam didn''t want to waste his time or energy facing them all, while he also didn''t want to kill them as they were only following orders.


    They all began surrounding Adam and made sure to keep a distance of at least 20 metres between themselves and him, knowing that powerful cultivators would be able to kill them within the blink of an eye if they stood too close.


    It was ignorant to believe that 20 metres would save them from Adam''s wrath if he truly wanted to kill them, but he still stood there and was yet to move.


    "Where is Major Carlson? I ordered for him to come out"


    Adam''s voice was clearly heard by all and he speak in a domineering manner.


    To Adam''s surprise, Major Carlson really did come out and Adam could sense an individual that wasn''t a cultivator coming out of the underground facility.


    Since Major Carlson was the highest-ranked individual that was present at that time, they all acted per his commands and a Z Alert Operation would grant him complete control over all the manpower.


    Because of that, Major Carlson was confident that he could eliminate Adam as even if he was on the Top Cultivator Ranking, he was only at the bottom of it and taking down an army of armed, skilled and prepared cultivators was impossible.


    Or so he believed.


    He was massively overestimating the cultivators they had trained as although they were very skilled and had super-weaponry that could kill Adam, it still wouldn''t be enough to close the gap in their capabilities.


    It merely allowed them to even out the playing field slightly, but Adam was still way above them all and his skills and capabilities made it so that even with their weapons, they would struggle to hit him.


    "You dare to waltz into a military base. Each one of our bases is prepared to face and eliminate any cultivator and you are no exception,"


    Major Carlson spoke in an authoritative manner and believe that he had caught Adam in his trap, however, Adam was still calm and confident.


    "This is not enough to take on cultivators. No amount of planning or weaponry can compensate for your lack of true power,"


    Adam released the full power of his killing intent and aura, and in an instant, the cultivators that were surrounding him began dropping like flies.


    To them it felt as though they were suddenly overcome by a powerful pressure and most of them were unable to handle it, instantly losing consciousness.


    In the blink of an eye, Adam had already taken down more than half of the cultivators that surrounded him, while the others had been shaken and intimidated by his killing intent and aura.


    Not giving them a chance to shoot at him and overwhelm him with a barrage of attacks using their super-weaponry, Adam used the Step Skip Skill and appeared beside some of the military cultivators.


    [It seems I overestimated this country''s power. If this is all the cultivators that this country has to offer, then protecting his country from an outside attack would really be up to me] thought Adam to himself.


    He was just too fast, skilled and experienced in combat for them to handle.


    Adam''s mastery over close combat was unbelievable, and he weaved through the cultivators using single attacks to knock them unconscious.


    No matter how much armour they wore, a blow to the head or neck would instantly take them down.


    Adam pitied them and could see that they were only following orders, so held back his power and made sure that none of them suffered irreversible damage, only wanting to display his power and get his revenge on Major Carlson.


    "You sought my wrath and wanted to draw me into the open, well here I am. Nothing you can do will work against me,"

 Chapter 446 - The Silent Ghost

    In a matter of seconds, Adam took down all the troops that Major Carlson had gathered from the Cultivator Defence Base, which was under the military base.


    He didn''t kill anyone and merely knocked them all out, but the speed at which he had managed to do so and how easily he made it seem was extraordinary.


    Adam''s control was incredible, and he had made sure that his killing intent and aura didn''t have an effect on Major Carlson, who wasn''t a cultivator.


    He wanted to make sure he stayed conscious and saw everything so that he could feel despair before being killed by Adam.


    "I don''t have issues with whatever government or military organisation this is, but I will not allow threats and people attempting to kill me go unpunished. You are merely the first to try, and the one I will make an example out of," said Adam as he began walking over to Major Carlson.


    Major Carlson felt as though his body was frozen and his feet were planted to the ground, unable to move due to the fear he felt as Adam approached him.


    Adam had returned his eyes to the red colour they were ever since he integrated with the system and gained the Bloodlust Characteristic and glared at the major as he walked over to him.


    No matter how hard he tried, Major Carlson was unable to move and as Adam neared him and was about to kill him in a gruesome manner, an old man appeared out of nowhere.


    His speed was incredible and even Adam was impressed by it, unable to see the old man move clearly or track his movements.


    It was clear that whoever that individual was; he was a very skilled and capable cultivator.


    In an instant, Adam gathered that without some sort of technique, enhancement or transformation, he would be unable to match that old man''s speed, however, he was confident that he could still beat him.


    Adam knew his limits and when to back down from a fight, but the old man that suddenly appeared before him and seemed to be trying to stop him from killing Major Carlson was not someone that Adam was afraid of.


    Remembering the names on the Top Cultivator Ranking and the descriptions that came with them, there was someone that matched the description of the old man before him.


    There were only a few on the Top Cultivator Ranking that had their faces published, which included Adam.


    Adam perfectly remembered all the faces, names and descriptions on the Top Cultivator Ranking and the old man fit the description of a cultivator whose current situation and location were unknown.


    It was also unknown whether they were dead or alive, but the description was of a short old man that focused on speed, assassinations and was a master of killing.


    His nickname on the Top Cultivator Ranking was the Silent Ghost.


    Adam''s was Death, which he chose in order to strike fear into his enemies and Adam couldn''t help but wonder who exactly the best killer was.


    Such a skilled, experienced and powerful opponent was not to be underestimated or taken lightly, but Adam also wasn''t going to back down and spare the life of Major Carlson.


    "The Silent Ghost, I presume,"


    "Yes, and you must be the new cultivator on the Top Ranking. It hasn''t changed for a while, and you have caused quite a commotion, taking over a city overnight with your faction,"


    "What are you doing here and what do you want?" asked Adam directly as he continued walking towards Major Carlson and walked around him.


    "I am now working with the US Cultivator Defence and this country is under our control and protection. I cannot allow you to come in here and do as you please. If I allow you to kill him now, it will taint our reputation of absolute power"


    As he said that, the old man put his arm out to stop Adam from walking past him and reaching Major Carlson.


    Major Carlson was only a small fry in the grand scheme of things that was ambitious and experienced in management.


    However, letting Adam kill him when he pleased without consequence would make it so that people would start thinking that the US Cultivator Defence was a group that no longer had the authority and power they once had.


    "Move out of my way old man. This has nothing to do with you. He tried to kill me and draw me out, so I merely returning the favour,"


    "I heard his actions and he will be punished for drawing you out, but I cannot allow you to come here and kill him as you please,"


    "Hmph, you think that is enough. I will kill him here, and you won''t stop me," scoffed Adam, starting to become annoyed by the old man.


    Despite the calm manner he spoke to Adam in, he looked at Adam as though he was his superior and was also acting as if he could stop Adam with ease if he wanted to.


    "That would be a big hit to our reputation and I cannot allow that. Just give me some face and let him go, otherwise, I will have no choice but to intervene,"


    That was the last straw for Adam, who hated being looked down upon.


    "I respected you enough to speak to you, but if you don''t get out of my way, I will kill you. If wanting to kill him, makes me your enemy, then come at me old man,"


    "Those guys were just a bunch of fools and I am still yet to warm up,"


    Adam hadn''t had the chance to face a high-level Master Cultivator that was human and didn''t mind taking the opportunity to increase his position on the ranking, while also testing out his capabilities.


    The Silent Ghost was also near the bottom of the Top Cultivator Ranking, but it was very close and impressive to even be on the ranking.


    "I was showing you face and treated you with respect as well because of your accomplishments and because he was the one that started it. However, you are a hundred years too young to challenge me and you arrogant young ones need to be taught a lesson,"

 Chapter 447 - Battle Of Speed Freaks Part 1

    Major Carlson who had stumbled backwards onto the ground watching everything unfold was in awe.


    Despite it appearing as though the old man and Adam were having a calm conversation, their eyes showed battle intent and each of their bodies was positioned in a way that was ready to fight at any moment.


    Major Carlson was at the bottom of the US Cultivator Defence and was only working in management and overseeing a part of the Cultivator Defence Base that he was in, but he had somehow unintentionally caused a battle between two of the cultivators on the Top Cultivator Ranking.


    Such a battle would be anticipated by cultivators worldwide and would take place on a grand stage, and yet Adam who was unwilling to allow Major Carlson''s offence to slide, along with the old man who was protecting the reputation of his organisation, were about to fight.


    "Seeing as you are adamant about killing him and acting very arrogantly, I have no choice but to put you down. Your arrogance and pride will be your downfall. Allowing pride to cloud your judgement will get you killed and you are no match for me,"


    "It is a shame for a young talent such as yourself who has accomplished so much in a short amount of time. However, you are overestimating your power and that of your puny faction."


    "Your faction has done well to take over and monitor New York, however, this country has 49 other states where our power is concentrated. There are also more serious and international things that we have to handle,"


    "The US Cultivator Defence is merely letting you grow because it is benefiting us and allowing us to focus on more important things, but do not mistake us giving you freedom, as us being afraid of you,"


    "This is getting to your head to your head too much, but I will still give you the opportunity to submit to me and become my disciple,"


    Hearing that Adam began to laugh.


    "Are you done yet? I have let you speak your piece, but now it is time for you to shut up old man and show me what you can do,"


    "I was hoping you could make a rational decision and take the opportunity to submit to me, but I guess you won''t learn until I show you the power of the US Cultivator Defence,"


    As he said that, he suddenly unleashed a rapid kick to Adam''s head and despite being much shorter than Adam, his kick was aimed precisely for Adam''s temple.


    Adam was barely able to move his head back in time to evade the swift kick and it was during his sparring with his friends that he was able to improve his reflexes.


    "I am only a small part of the US Cultivator Defence, but I am still more than enough to teach an arrogant kid a lesson, and I will beat you until you beg me to spare you,"


    "Try not to injure yourself while doing so old man. And I am making it clear, my intention is not to beat you, but to kill you. I warned you not to get in my old man, but if you want to die so badly, then I will gladly help you,"


    The Silent Ghost was staying calm and recognised Adam''s power, but didn''t see him as a worthy opponent, while he was also still not planning on killing Adam.


    The reason he was near New York in the first place had something to do with Adam, but that meant nothing to Adam who was not going to rest until Major Carlson was killed.


    [If you want to get in my way, then I will take down someone on the ranking and increase my influence and reputation, while engaging in a fun and tough battle] thought Adam to himself.


    He was by no means underestimating his opponent, but was merely confident in himself and knew that he would need to be very focused while facing an opponent that was as fast, experienced and dangerous as the Silent Ghost.


    There was no need for them to talk any longer and their intentions were made clear as the Silent Ghost suddenly dashed towards Adam, but disappeared before his eyes.


    Adam was shocked, and he seemed to be using some Movement Skill that would allow him to produce illusions and make it seem that he disappeared.


    However, he was sure of one thing after seeing that.


    The Silent Ghost was the fastest cultivator that Adam had ever seen or faced before.


    Sensing him appear behind him once again, Adam couldn''t react fast enough and was punched in the back and launched flying away.


    Before Adam even landed onto the ground, the Silent Ghost appeared above him in mid-air and was planning to strike him downwards and finish their altercation in a single combo.


    However, he underestimated Adam, who suddenly used the Burst Movement Skill to dodge the downwards strike while mid-air.


    "You are quite capable, old man. This will be fun" said Adam as he wiped some blood that was leaking from his mouth.


    That strike to the back was powerful enough to snap the spine of any Advanced Cultivator.


    Adam was only able to take it head-on with minimal damage because he reinforced that area of his body both Internally and Externally just before the strike was about to hit him.


    While providing advice and training to his friends, he was also working on himself and Adam had been looking for a challenge to test out what he was capable of.


    "The same can be said for you, however, you are too slow for me. I am the Silent Ghost and if I pleased, you would already be dead by now,"


    Being slow was something that Adam had never felt and he was feeling the same thing his opponents would usually feel.


    Facing a fast opponent is overwhelming, but they were far from invincible and Adam was also confident in his own speed.

 Chapter 448 - Battle Of Speed Freaks Part 2

    Adam''s speed was his strongest point and his speed was already amazing, but he still had many more ways to improve it.


    The Silent Ghost was using techniques and skills that he had learnt and mastered over many years to be able to display such speed, however as an overall cultivator, his body was weaker than that of Adam.


    Despite the gap in age, the only thing that the Silent Ghost had over Adam was speed, as with the Dungeon System, Adam was likely to have a similar amount of experience, if not more.


    While Adam was also confident that he would be able to close the gap in speed and was interested in seeing how much power the Silent Ghost would force him to unleash.


    Using the Burst Movement Skill to launch himself towards the old man, Adam launched a powerful fist, and it was clear that they both wanted to fight without using any large-scale attacks.


    If they did go all-out in terms of skills and explosive attacks, all the unconscious cultivators and the non-cultivators in the military base were likely to be killed in their battle.


    Both of them didn''t want that and moved their battle over to an emptier area of the military base and clashed at unbelievable speeds, both very skilled in close combat.


    Major Carlson who was the cause of their battle in the first place could only see occasional blurs and feel large shock waves due to the collision of their attacks.


    He was unable to see anything, and he felt so insignificant as he tried to understand what was occurring.


    Their battle controlled whether he lived or not and it was evident to him that he had no say in the matter.


    As they clashed, it became clear that the Silent Ghost was holding back his speed and power compared to his fast attack.


    Even with the old man holding back, he had the upper hand and was landing much more attacks on Adam, while most of Adam''s attacks would be dodged, and those that landed would be blocked by the old man.


    Although he was most skilled in killing and assassination, a cultivator worked on improving themselves and their bodies in any way possible, which included mastering close combat.


    Activating the power of the Stealth Ring, Adam began unleashing more and more speed, and the old man was shocked and amazed that Adam had been holding back as well.


    The Silent Ghost increased his speed to match, and they were attacking each other hundreds of times every second, and each time they burst off the ground, their feet would leave imprints on the concrete floor.


    Both of their bodies were incredible and both of them continued increasing their speed and power as they unleashed more of their trump cards and focused on the battle more and more.


    Adam went on to activate the Muscular Enhancement Technique, which would boost his Speed, Resistance and Strength Stats depending on how much energy he used through the technique.


    Along with that, he activated the power of the Mind Ring to improve his reflexes, thought speed and perceptivity as he began copying the Silent Ghost''s movements.


    With them, he felt as though his speed improved slightly along with the flow of his attacks.


    It wasn''t a skill or technique.


    It seemed to be some sort of method that would allow one to sync all the small movements and muscle contractions in their body.


    By harmonising them, the power and speed that the body was able to unleash would be improved slightly.


    The old man was amazed by how quickly Adam was able to understand, learn and copy such a method in the short period of time that they had fought for.


    It had taken him years to be able to master and use it coherently, and yet Adam had managed to do so in a matter of seconds.


    The Mind Ring and the Hunter''s Mind, along with Adam''s experience, abundance of knowledge and natural perceptivity, made it so that learning most things could be done in short periods of time.


    However, he was still unable to understand and grasp how exactly the old man was able to seemingly disappear and appear.


    It wasn''t anything like Cole''s ability or his Step Skip Skill.


    Adam was sure it was some sort of skill that relied on speed and a series of movements and uses of energy, however, he was yet to be able to observe it clearly.


    "You have impressed me boy, but this still isn''t enough to take me down. You have displayed great talent, but this is the end of the road for you,"


    As he said that, the old man suddenly unleashed his full speed and took out the knives that he had been hiding in his sleeves, and stabbed them into Adam''s stomach.


    "Anyone that dares to stand against us must be put down. This isn''t enough to kill you, but the blades are poisoned and I will take you back to the leader."


    Adam who was stabbed by the two knives stumbled backwards and the poison acted instantly and he began to feel lightheaded, drained and fatigued.


    "I expected nothing less from a dog of the US Cultivator Defence. If this is how you would like to battle, then let me show you true power,"


    Adam was still confident and calm, but one thing that was unusual was that the old man intentionally avoided his vital points.


    Despite that, even if the old man aimed to kill Adam, he would have been unable to do that.


    Adam didn''t want to have to use the Bloodlust Characteristic or his Devouring Death Daggers, but the old man had angered him.


    His actions and words made it clear that he idolised the US Cultivator Defence and seemed to be there to capture Adam in the first place, which was why he wasn''t trying to kill him.


    However, that merely angered Adam further.


    He looked down on him enough to not even fight to kill and believe he could capture him using knives and poison.


    "This is true power"

 Chapter 449 - Battle Of Speed Freaks Part 3

    Withdrawing his Devouring Daggers, the Silent Ghost was instantly wary of and intimidated by the blades that appeared in Adam''s hands.


    They gave off an aura of death and destruction, while his instinctive feeling was to avoid allowing him to land an attack with them at any cost.


    Along with the Devouring Death Daggers, Adam began using the power of the Bloodlust Characteristic and could feel his blood boil.


    His heart began beating at rapid paces and all his senses, along with his entire body, were enhanced and all he could feel was the urge to kill.


    Controlling the Bloodlust Characteristic was much easier for Adam after using it for so long, however when he directed his bloodlust towards a specific person, his body would stop at nothing to kill them.


    "You were the one that was seeking death, so do not blame me after your life ends here"


    After saying that, Adam suddenly disappeared and appeared in front of the Silent Ghost


    The Step Skip Skill.


    Adam''s movement was instant, and it became clear to the Silent Ghost that he had underestimated Adam who still had many capabilities.


    It was different to his Ghost Steps Skill, and it was more like he was teleporting than moving.


    However, the Silent Ghost was still expecting his poison to have an effect on Adam, which it did.


    If it wasn''t for the poison, the Silent Ghost would have no chance of avoiding Adam''s slash after he appeared before him.


    Adam''s movements and body had become more sluggish due to the poison, but he knew that with the Step Skip Skill, he would have the element of surprise that would allow him to make up for it.


    The Silent Ghost narrowly avoided Adam''s attack, but the shallow cut he dealt the old man was enough and was exactly what he was hoping for.


    The Bloodlust Characteristic had reduced some of the numbing and paralysing effects of the poison, but his body was still feeling heavy and sluggish.


    However, after slashing the old man, Adam smiled and began siphoning some of the old man''s vitality, energy and blood, using it to recover his own and reduce the effects of the poison.


    The Silent Ghost was amazed and had never come across an ability that could allow one to absorb energies, blood and vitality from others, but he couldn''t help but become even warier of Adam.


    It was an extremely dangerous and powerful ability, while it would allow Adam to continuously recover and grow stronger.


    Despite that, the cut that Adam dealt him was only small and wasn''t enough to siphon a significant amount of energy, but it was enough to handle most of the poison''s effects.


    The daggers and siphoning ability that Adam was wielding, were incredible, however to the Silent Ghost, what was more amazing and frightening, was the Step Skip Skill.


    It would basically allow Adam to teleport to anywhere within his mental range and he was yet to understand the limitations, but couldn''t help but wonder who exactly he was and how he had so many abilities and hidden capabilities.


    The Silent Ghost could no longer hold back against Adam and was using his full power, speed and all his available hidden capabilities, while Adam still had many more things in his arsenal that he didn''t need to use against him.


    ''How can an early Master Cultivator that has only recently risen to fame be capable of so much? He formed a faction, took over a city and has the power to rival and even defeat high level Master Cultivators. Just what is this person?''


    ''Could he be from one of those hidden sects from that place''


    The Silent Ghost couldn''t help but be more curious about Adam and he was initially there in order to find Adam, however, he never thought that he would be battling against him and forced to use his full power in order not to be killed.


    "Your paralysing poison has no effect on me and do you have any last words?" asked Adam as he pulled out the two knives that had been stabbed into his stomach.


    To the Silent Ghost''s surprise, Adam''s wounds were healing at a visible rate and the wounds stopped bleeding and closed within seconds.


    Since the Silent Ghost didn''t respond, Adam launched himself towards him and without even needing to use a Transformation, relying on his enhancement techniques, Stealth Ring and Bloodlust Characteristic to improve his speed, Adam speed matched that of the Silent Ghost.


    Along with that, he was beginning to recognise patterns and understand the opponent''s Ghost Step Skill, so the Silent Ghost completely lost the upper hand and began being overwhelmed by Adam''s speed and power.


    In his younger days, the Silent Ghost was a renowned and feared assassin worldwide that could even silently and instantly kill Master Master Cultivators with ease, but he had gotten old since then and his body had not developed any further.


    All he felt was frustration as he felt overwhelmed by Adam''s raw power and each time he was slashed, felt his body be drained and feel weaker.


    Once feeling as though nobody in the world could threaten him, able to move at speeds that most could barely even see, the Silent Ghost felt completely overpowered and as though he was no match for Adam.


    When Adam started fighting seriously, there was almost nobody that could stop him and the Silent Ghost shouldn''t have gotten in his way.


    They were Speed Freaks, jumping around and clashing at unbelievable speeds, with each of their movements and attacks causing large shock waves.


    Since they both specialised in speed and Adam could improve his speed through his various abilities and capabilities, it was a great battle.


    However, upon activating his Bloodlust Characteristic and using his Devouring Death Daggers, Adam completely decimated the old man.


    Within 10 seconds, Adam had slashed the Silent Ghost dozens of times, each time weakening and draining his opponent even further.


    The Silent Ghost was weakened, couldn''t run away and couldn''t overwhelm Adam with speed anymore, so could no longer put up a fight.


    However, just as Adam was about to finish off their battle, something completely unexpected occurred.

 Chapter 450 - Unexpected Intervention

    Adam wanted to kill the Silent Ghost and Major Carlson, then leave and continue his journey, however just as his blades neared the next of Major Carlson, Adam suddenly felt his arms be grabbed.


    Since Adam was angry and truly wanted to kill the Silent Ghost, his Bloodlust was starting to be unleashed, but he never expected that somebody could intervene in their battle and even stop him while he was in that state.


    It was a middle-aged man that was quite handsome.


    He was wearing a suit, was tall and was well-kempt, with short hair and a small stubble.


    Everything about him seemed ordinary, but that was what frightened Adam as no normal person could even dream of stopping their battle.


    "Could you do me a favour and spare him for me, please?"


    Adam felt the grip on his arms loosen and jumped backwards, intimidated and wary of the man that intervened in their battle.


    He couldn''t even sense his presence or see him coming, while his instincts were telling him that whoever that person was, they were extremely dangerous.


    Adam couldn''t sense any power or hostility emanating from his body, but for the first time, Adam felt his body feel scared.


    Even in the face of all the beasts and creatures he had come across so far in the dungeon, Adam had never felt fear to that extent.


    He was still staying calm, but all he wanted to do was get away from that man.


    Despite that, he couldn''t allow just anyone to intervene in their battle while he also wanted to kill Major Carlson, so he didn''t turn and try to run away.


    Preparing himself to switch to his Soul Form at any moment or use the Step Skip Skill to try to get away, Adam glared at the mysterious man that appeared out of nowhere.


    "Who the hell are you?" asked Adam directly.


    Adam could see that the Silent Ghost seemed to recognise him and was shocked to see the Silent Ghost lower his head and stand behind him like a servant.


    It was clear that whoever he was; he was a powerful and influential person, but despite that, Adam was still confident and calm.


    His body was afraid, but also pumped with adrenaline and ready to fight or try to get away at any moment, while Adam was also always calm and level-headed in the face of danger.


    "I am the current master of the US Cultivator Defence. The name''s Nathaniel," the man said nonchalantly.


    He made it seem as though he was saying something normal, however, his position gave him absolute power over one of the biggest and most powerful countries.


    Adam knew that he had no chance against him and was unsure whether even if he used all his trump cards, he could take him on, so had no choice but to calm down and negotiate with him.


    Withdrawing his weapons, suppressing his Bloodlust and completely calming down, Adam stood up straight and confidently as he faced the man, but also not arrogantly, not wanting to start a battle that he knew he couldn''t win.


    "It is good that you know your limits. That is a quality that many cultivators don''t have and eventually get them killed, but you are still calm and thinking rationally, which is impressive, especially with all that bloodlust that you are harbouring,"


    "Yes, it is a good quality to have, but I will not allow the offence of being schemed against and eliminated slide. If you do not let me kill him and keep your dogs on a tighter leash, then I will be back and you can expect me to cause troubles for your department,"


    Adam couldn''t compare to the man in power, but he wasn''t going to back down and the man before him seemed to be willing to talk to Adam, otherwise, he would already be dead.


    "I don''t want such incompetent people in my organisation. Not having any power and daring to act so brazenly using my men,"


    As he said that, the body of Major Carlson suddenly exploded and all that was left where he lay was a splatter of blood.


    He was watching everything unfold and couldn''t believe how much of a commotion his actions had caused to the point that even the mysterious and revered Master appeared.


    Major Carlson''s organs were launched all over the place and it was a gruesome, but impressive way to kill someone.


    Adam was amazed by what had occurred.


    He looked and dressed like a normal middle-aged man, and yet he killed with such ease with a smile on his face.


    Adam was also impressed by how he killed the Major


    He managed to release and control a compressed wave of energy that he aimed at him, then released it once he reached his body.


    That level of energy control and power was unbelievable, even for Adam, and he couldn''t help but become even more wary and impressed by the individual before him.


    "I came here to kill him, anyway. It seemed he had such a strong grudge towards you for some reason that he even formed connections with that pesky Blood Moon Group. They are too capable and have their hands everywhere. It has reached a point where I no longer know who to trust,"


    Adam was slightly relieved that he was an enemy of the Blood Moon Group, but he was by no means planning on trusting the man completely, and was only displaying a strong front because he had no choice but to cooperate with the man.


    With every second that passed, Adam was amazed by the man even more and his next words caused him to instantly use the Step Skip Skill to get as far away from the man as possible.


    "I also came here for you,"


    Adam didn''t know his intentions, but he wasn''t planning on waiting to find out and since he knew the man''s speed was greatly higher than his own, he used the Step Skip Skill without even waiting for the man to move.

 Chapter 451 - Confined And Trapped

    Seeing Adam suddenly disappear and appear a few dozen metres away, Nathaniel, the head of the US Cultivator Defence, was amused, but also impressed.


    Adam knew that he couldn''t match Nathaniel''s speed in the slightest, so his best bet was to make some distance between them after hearing what he said.


    After doing so, he could wait to see what he did next and created more time and space for him to react in case Nathaniel turned out to be his enemy.


    "Impressive. You act decisively, and your instincts are sharp and always finding any way to survive. I am sure you know by now that if I wanted to kill you, I would have done so already. Just calm down,"


    On the surface, his words appeared to be reassuring, but to Adam, they were a threat and were Nathaniel asserting his power and dominance.


    Adam felt confined and the Master of the US Cultivator Defence was not someone he could handle with his current power and it was almost guaranteed that he could deal with Soul Forms, so Adam walked back over.


    He was trapped and trying to escape or fight was futile, so his only option was cooperating.


    His body acted without thinking, and he needed to come to an agreement with Nathaniel, but he would also prefer to keep his distance from him.


    The way he smiled and looked at Adam was like a parent or sculptor admiring their child or creation.


    He felt belittled and underestimated, but still stood strong and confidently, not planning on submitting even if that was the death of him.


    "I recognise your strength boy, but do not cause trouble for my organisation or my country. I wanted to affiliate with you and your faction after seeing what you were doing in New York, and I came here for that purpose after hearing you have exited your seclusion,"


    He spoke casually, but if anyone else were to hear him claim that he owned the entire country, they would merely laugh at him.


    However, that was the truth and power would allow one to overcome all, while he was likely to be allied and in contact with the ancients, as they were the true rulers and controllers of everything that occurred in the world.


    "You progressed so much and it is amazing. Your progress is on par with most geniuses in this generation and I wonder just how much you can continue to grow, and the same could be said for your faction. But..."


    Being placed on par with most geniuses was slightly undermining for Adam, but was likely to be an accurate estimation when compared to the geniuses in the hidden cultivation sects that belonged to the ancients.


    However, Adam was confident in his potential and that of his friends, while it merely made him want to grow and develop even further, so that wasn''t the issue.


    What caused him to take a step back was Nathaniel''s pause after beginning his next sentence.


    "But what?"


    "After seeing how everything unfolded today and witnessing your power, capabilities and potential, I am beginning to doubt my decision to affiliate with your faction,"


    Adam didn''t mind that and as long as he didn''t declare him an enemy and was allowed to leave, he wasn''t planning on placing his hands out or requesting any aid from him.


    His friends were on track to making unbelievable progress and standing on par with him with all their latent potential.


    While the pressure that danger, threats and ambition placed on them would allow them to grow even faster, but it was still too early for Adam to even think about standing as an equal against the US Cultivator Defence.


    "That is fine. I do not need you and can maintain peace within my territory without you. Once my territory expands throughout this entire country and the world, there won''t be a need for you or any other organisation that claims to be protecting the people," stated Adam directly.


    Adam''s words were firm and direct.


    While standing opposite Nathaniel, Adam felt small and insignificant, like an insect that could be crushed at any moment.


    It wasn''t because of the height difference, but because of his presence that seemed to swallow up everything around him, however, he stood before him as an equal and wouldn''t submit to anybody else after the passing of his master.


    He was more than capable of progressing alone by using his own intelligence, by making the most of the opportunities that come his way and by using the incredible Dungeon System.


    Nathaniel began to laugh and Adam couldn''t tell what the man was thinking or whether his words had angered him or not.


    Suddenly he stopped laughing and became serious.


    The entire atmosphere changed and even the weather seemed to be reacting to him as the closed rushed to cover the early morning sunlight.


    "Is that a declaration of war?" he said before leaning towards Adam and glaring into his eyes.


    Just as Adam was about to answer, while he also prepared himself to attempt to escape and defend himself, he was shocked to see that Nathaniel was laughing once again.


    "I meant I was impressed by you and like you even more after seeing you and your capabilities for myself. Why so defensive boy?"


    Hearing that Adam let out a sigh of relief, but still didn''t let his guard down.


    Nathaniel could see that and was amused, but also impressed that Adam was always prepared and never allowing himself to be tricked into relaxing and creating an opening for an attack.


    Moving away from Adam''s face, Nathaniel turned around and the Silent Ghost followed closely behind with his head still lowered.


    Seeing that, Adam was about to turn and leave, not wanting to be near that man any longer, but it seemed as though their conversation was not over.


    "Where are you going? Follow me, boy,"


    "We were just starting to talk and get to know each other,"


    He spoke in a friendly manner, but Adam knew he had no choice as he followed after him and wondered what the mysterious, powerful and frightening man had in store for him.

 Chapter 452 - Storage Bag

    Catching up to Nathaniel, Adam walked beside him like an equal.


    It angered the Silent Ghost, who followed behind them with his head lowered and showed utmost respect towards Nathaniel, believing that Adam was acting arrogantly.


    In the Silent Ghost''s eyes, it was like an ant trying to walk alongside the elephants as an equal, but Adam was not one to submit to others just because they were more powerful than him.


    Even after he surpassed his master in strength, he still showed him respect.


    But their relationship was deeper than a master and disciple relationship.


    They would joke around with each other and enjoy each other''s company.


    They both felt like something was missing from their life.


    Adam never had a senior male figure in his life and saw his master as not only his master but also a father figure that he was deeply indebted to.


    While his master had never had the opportunity to have children with his love and never truly felt family love from his family in the ancient lands, so saw Adam as a son that he was nurturing and preparing for the cruel world.


    It was that bond that Adam would never forget, and he didn''t need another master, while he was also unwilling to accept anyone else as his master.


    "Just to let you know boy, I was watching your battle this entire time. Despite your grand performance and strong killing intent, you didn''t kill any soldiers that in this case were innocent and merely following orders. While you also caused minimum damage to the facility and the people you had to strike down or get past,"


    "You merely wanted to make your point and kill the one who tried to draw you into a trap, which I like and can respect. You should never allow your pride to be stepped on or your reputation to be tarnished. As a cultivator, we stand above others."


    Adam just listened to what Nathaniel had to say as he walked beside him and was unsure where exactly he was leading him, but was quite confident that Nathaniel wasn''t planning on killing him.


    If he truly was going to do so, he would have been able to do so thousands of times over and he also didn''t benefit anything from doing so.


    "You were also prepared to kill this old man that calls himself the Silent Ghost. I sent him to search for you after hearing that you had left your seclusion and wanted him to bring you to me for a meeting, but instead, he got in your way,"


    As he said that, they both turned to the old man that was followed behind him and had just nearly been killed by a frightening monster, and was now faced with two of them.


    One was his master and the greatest monster he had seen before, while the other was a smaller monster in the making.


    "I am sorry, please forgive me, master. I believed it was the right thing to do in order to protect our reputation as the absolute power in this country,"


    He didn''t apologise to Adam and also didn''t seem very sincere, but everything was beginning to make sense to Adam.


    It was clear that at the start of their battle; he was holding back greatly and would only display as much power as Adam did, not wanting to kill or injure him too badly.


    However, as it went on, it became more and more heated, while he also struggled against Adam, having no choice but to attempt to take him down and fight for his life.


    Nathaniel didn''t even need to unleash his killing intent or aura that far surpassed that of Adam''s.


    His presence alone was enough to overwhelm the Silent Ghost and also intimidate Adam, but Adam gained nothing from him being punished.


    Their battle was interesting, and his intentions were not initially malicious towards Adam, while he also wanted something from him.


    "Why don''t you spare him. He is a loyal and capable subordinate, while I would also prefer for him to be punished differently," suggested Adam.


    It wasn''t his place to speak or intervene, but Nathaniel was intrigued to see what exactly Adam had in mind and the Silent Ghost was grateful to Adam for trying to save him from being punished.


    However, when he heard what Adam wanted, he couldn''t help but wish that it was Nathaniel punishing him instead, while Nathaniel laughed at Adam''s idea.


    "I want whatever Movement Skill you are using and are known for. That way I will forgive you, Nathaniel here will spare you, and we are all satisfied,"


    The Ghost Step was his most prized possession skill, and it was that movement skill that allowed him to become as powerful and renowned as he was.


    It was something that he had spent dozens of years developing and was unwilling to part with, but with a single glare from Nathanial, he handed over everything he had developed to Adam.


    Adam was impressed to see that they had Spacial Treasures that would allow them to store things within a small, private space that they could only access using that treasure.


    Since Adam had always had the inventory or didn''t have a need for one, he never sought out such treasures, but they were impressive and replicated the Inventory Feature.


    However, unlike the Inventory Feature, Spacial Treasures could be stolen.


    "I will also graciously accept your Storage Bag,"


    As he said that, Adam shamelessly grabbed the small bag that the old man had taken the large Skill Manual out of.


    Since Nathaniel seemed to be on Adam''s side and allowed Adam to call him by his first name, while was also very casual with him, the Silent Ghost didn''t resist and allowed Adam to take it.


    Within it was all the treasures, valuables and knowledge that he had been able to gather throughout his entire life, and in an instant, it was all taken by Adam along with his life''s work.


    Adam inconspicuously placed the Spacial Bag within his own inventory, and was excited to sort through all the things that were within it, but before then, he wanted to see what exactly Nathaniel had in store for him.

 Chapter 453 - Rapid Jet

    With the storage bag in Adam''s possession, Nathaniel continued walking and Adam did the same, with the angry and lifeless old man following behind them


    "You make the most of any opportunity and even when faced with unbeatable opponents like myself, you still stand strong and never once lowered your gaze or showed signs of submitting,"


    "No one is unbeatable. And I only submit to those that earn my respect,"


    Laughing at Adam''s response, Nathaniel got right into what his intentions towards Adam were.


    "You are decisive, smart, ruthless and cold-hearted. While you are also kind-hearted towards those that are weak and innocent. The perfect character to succeed as a cultivator, while your charismatic and ambitious presence draws people to you. It makes others want to follow you or watch your grow,"


    "So you are probably wondering where I stand right now if I do not want to become affiliated with your faction. The truth is, I want to become friends with you instead and our goals are aligned, so there is no need for conflict or enmity between us,"


    His offer of friendship was more of a declaration of their friendship in which Adam had no choice, but he was slightly more relieved to hear that.


    However, his trust wouldn''t be earned that easily and someone like Nathaniel that was impossible to read could never be trusted.


    Anyone that heard of Adam''s past and background and had also seen what he was capable of would be intrigued by him.


    In less than two years he became a Master Cultivator and made it into the Top Cultivator Ranking, while he also took over a city with the faction that he formed.


    He did so from being a normal person without any influential backing, which meant that he must have some secret individual that was teaching him or had stumbled across some treasure.


    Both were likely possibilities and there were also many others, but either way, Adam was still one to look out for.


    However, Adam wanted to make it clear that friendship was something that wasn''t offered with ulterior motives and wasn''t something that one could force.


    "If you want something from me, I don''t have anything of much value. My master has passed on as of right now and I have nothing that you could possibly want," stated Adam bluntly, wanting to be transparent with Nathaniel.


    He laughed and smiled like he usually did as he became even more interested in Adam.


    The information he had on him wasn''t enough to allow him to become who he was at that moment.


    He went from normal to having a killing intent that one could only have after killing thousands of people, while he also had too many abilities that couldn''t be explained by having a master.


    "Don''t worry boy, your secrets do interest me, but I have no intention of taking anything from you. It would be like taking candy from a baby. I am more interested in you and watching your future,"


    He didn''t seem to be lying, and the truth was that Nathaniel truly didn''t want Adam''s treasures or secrets.


    However, that only made Nathaniel more mysterious and intimidating, seeing Adam as only a means to entertain himself.


    "So, what now? Why did you tell me to follow you?"


    "We are going to go to one of the US Cultivator Defence''s Main bases of operations. I''m assuming that you were planning on going on travelling and you must have things you would like to do, but since we are friends, why don''t you come with me. I also have something that I would like to get you involved in,"


    Adam didn''t have much of a choice and knew that he was likely to have been keeping tabs on him and know everything about him, so there was no point denying that what he said was true.


    "Lead the way. Let us see just how great your organisation is and what you have in store for me,"


    Adam followed him, and they walked over to the other side of the military base.


    As they neared it, a jet could be seen blitzing through the air and landing in the area that they were heading to.


    The jet, unlike fighter jets, had enough room to comfortably accommodate a few people, however, it didn''t sacrifice any speed in doing so.


    In fact, it was one of the fastest of its kind in the world, but was made only for cultivators to be able to use.


    No matter how much training you gave an ordinary person, the impact and effects of moving at such speeds couldn''t be handled by an ordinary person.


    With such a vehicle, travelling around the world without Space Crystals was still fast and since they were heading to a location in the country, it wouldn''t take them very long to reach it.


    Adam didn''t even see him call or request for the jet''s arrival, which meant that everything was likely to be going according to his plan.


    He knew what he was capable of and that with the Dungeon System, he would have a great future and impact on the universe, but Nathaniel observing that, was not something that Adam wanted.


    But since his hands were tied, he decided to make the most of the opportunity and gather as much information about the US Cultivator Defence, the ancients and the Blood Moon Group as he could.


    Entering the jet, as soon as they sat down, it instantly burst into the air at unbelievable speeds.


    Such things couldn''t be possible with normal technology and it was likely to use arrays, runes and was likely to be fueled using a dense energy source.


    Adam was impressed by the jet, but he was still more interested in what exactly Nathaniel wanted him to get involved in and also wanted to get as much information out of him as he could.


    "So what exactly do you want me to do? After your answer, I will state my own demands, as I am sure you know that in this world, nothing is free" stated Adam directly.


    "I was expecting nothing less,"

 Chapter 454 - Favour

    "Well, this is the beginning of our friendship and when your faction is powerful enough, I am willing to become allied with you and your faction since our goals are aligned. For now, our relation will be one that is informal and I would like to ask for a favour from you,"


    "I am willing to do you a favour, but I do not think our goals are aligned,"


    "I am assuming your organisation has been in power and was founded centuries ago. It is probably still under their control and they control everything in the world. They..."


    "You shouldn''t mention those people in such a casual manner. You..." interrupted the Silent Ghost, before being shut down by Nathaniel who glared at him.


    Remembering that it wasn''t his place to speak, and that his life was dangling on a thin thread, he moved away from them and allowed them to speak freely.


    Nathaniel was known for his short temper and ruthlessness even with his own subordinates, which was why it was so unusual to see him acting friendly and casual with Adam.


    However, the Silent Ghost knew what was best for himself and didn''t dare make a single sound while they spoke.


    "Please continue what you are saying,"


    "Saying it bluntly, my goal is to dethrone the ancients"


    If anyone else heard Adam''s words they would think he was insane or seeking suicide, and that truly was his goal.


    He stated it so directly and nonchalantly to see how they would react and the Silent Ghost was shocked and amazed by Adam''s words, while Nathaniel''s expression didn''t change much.


    His smile merely grew and his eyes lit up, seemingly even more interested in Adam.


    "Even myself, as a cultivator much more powerful, capable and experienced than yourself, have to be wary, careful and respectful when dealing with them. And even then, I am only dealing and communicating with their subordinates,"


    "Almost all cultivators that are controlled by them, including me, have no idea where they are based. All we know is that they secretly rule the world and control people like myself, the one''s that secretly control every country,"


    "You can think of them as the puppeteers of the puppeteers and you shouldn''t mess with them as you are now. If you caught my eye, you are likely to have caught theirs and if they hear your intentions, you would be crushed within an instant,"


    "I am weaker than their subordinates, so their leaders must have enough power to destroy entire cities with single attacks. I would suggest for you to find a new goal, as that is one that you won''t be able to achieve in a single lifetime,"


    Hearing that, Adam smiled and wasn''t intimidated by what he said in the slightest since he already knew those things and much more.


    "If you fear them and are weaker than their lowly subordinates, that is your own issue. As for me, I do not give up on goals and fear no one. While I also wouldn''t feel restricted by them as they are just as restricted as we are,"


    Adam had a calm expression on his face and a slight smile, matching Nathaniel''s expression as they both sat opposite each other and stared into each other''s eyes.


    "I see no fear in your eyes and you are likely aiming for the same thing as myself. But I also see no life or emotion in your eyes, making you even more dangerous and hard to read than I previously believed," stated Adam.


    "Well, what I see in your eyes is ambition, anger and helplessness. Your thirst for power is like no other, while you also feel confined in this world that you consider small and have experienced and seen things that make everything else feel insignificant and normal,"


    Both of them stared at each other for an entire minute, before Adam broke the silence.


    In that minute, both of them had managed to gauge a lot about the other and both felt mutual interest, but also felt danger coming from the other.


    There were too many unknowns and secrets that each of them had, while they could also both tell that they were feeling and thinking the same things.


    "Since we are on the same page, we can forget about that stuff, since as of right now, I can admit I am still too weak. What exactly is the favour that you want from me?"


    "My request is simple. I am very busy and have many responsibilities, and I came here to scout you and this favour will be a good way to secure our friendship. I need you to work with this old man and hunt and kill all those that were involved in the destruction and raiding of one of our bases. It was done by members of the Blood Moon Group and there were dozens of high level Advanced Cultivators and low level master Cultivators. However, they weren''t the issue, as although they were capable, they were nothing compared to the three high level Master Cultivators that were leading them,"


    "This was the first request that I received from them, which shows me that it is serious and they are likely and a conflict between the Blood Moon Group and the ancients is likely," he added.


    Adam''s expression didn''t change, but in the back of his mind, he could tell that there was more to it than what he said.


    He was also sure that a large scale conflict between the Blood Moon Group and the ancients was impossible since the ancients were preoccupied with their battles in the Mortal Intersection, while the Blood Moon Group were unlikely to come into the open for an open war.


    Despite Adam feeling as though there was more to the request than what met the eye, since Nathaniel himself could find and eliminate them all himself in less time than it took to meet with him, he still accepted it.


    He wanted to weaken the Blood Moon Group as much as he could, while it was also a good chance to get some information from them and get something from Nathaniel.

 Chapter 455 - Conflicting Feelings Part 1

    "I want two things in exchange for my help. I am sure this request involved unforeseen dangers and it will also declare me as an enemy to the Blood Moon Group, so what I want in return must match all the risk and additional effects of aiding you,"


    Adam wasn''t shy when it came to negotiations, while he could also see that as long as Nathaniel was amused and interested in him, he would be lenient and friendly towards him.


    "I will do my best to help provide you with those two things as long as they are within my power and I deem them to be equal in value to my request,"


    "First off, I want you to guarantee that my faction will be protected and allowed to expand and develop freely. As long as it is within this country, you must make sure that you will not get in the way of my faction and also not support its opposition, rivals or targets,"


    "I can assure you that the US Cultivator Defence will give your faction completely freedom and can also publically affiliate with it. However, I will not stick my neck out to protect it and if the faction has any enemies, it is not my problem. The only time I may aid the faction''s defence is when it involves international conflict."


    Adam was happy with that as he wasn''t expecting him to completely protect that faction and that would hinder the faction''s growth, anyway.


    As long as his faction had the space and freedom to develop and grow within the country, Adam was confident that his friends and the faction would become more powerful at rapid rates.


    "Secondly, I would like you to gather all information and records of Jannet Green''s movements worldwide and I need you to find out where she is,"


    Adam knew that finding Jannet alone would be difficult, while Nathaniel was likely to have the right connections and capability to be able to do so.


    He was expecting Nathaniel to be surprised, since if he did a background check on him, he would have found that she had been assumed to be dead during an accident in their building.


    However, he wasn''t shocked at all and what he did next shocked Adam even more.


    He made a folder appear within his hand out of thin air and said, "I thought you would ask for that, so I already prepared it for you".


    From that, Adam gauged two things.


    They must have been watching him from long ago and that all of them had Storage Treasures and unknown items that make them unpredictable and difficult to battle against.


    Even if they were keeping tabs on him, it would have been impossible for them to know that his aunt was still alive unless they had a witness account of what had occurred, or had managed to track her after that incident.


    Adam was even more suspicious of Nathaniel as the only people that Adam was sure were keeping tabs on him at that time were the Blood Moon Group, while the government shouldn''t have recognised him as a threat yet.


    He stayed calm and didn''t display what he was thinking and feeling as he took the folder from Nathaniel''s hand and didn''t bring up any of his suspicions.


    Despite trying to stay calm and his facial expression staying the same, his eyes lit up as soon as the folder appeared in his hand.


    "What kind of guy wouldn''t know information about the person they were planning on cooperating with?"


    There was definitely more to Nathaniel than what met the eye and Adam couldn''t tell his intentions or whether he was a trustworthy individual, but he decided to feign ignorance.


    At that moment, there was nothing he could do to Nathaniel, but he was planning on looking into it more and being wary of him until he had more definitive information about him.


    [Ava, can you gauge anything about him for me?]


    {Sorry Adam, the system is limiting what I can do for you and this is something outside of the system''s control}


    Adam was expecting such an answer, but asked just in case there was a chance of finding out anything.


    "You are willing to give me what I want before I completed my end of the deal?"


    "You have nowhere to run, while the faction you care about and founded cannot hide from me. And I trust you anyway and know you hate the Blood Moon Group just as much as me,"


    He made it seem as though he was trusting Adam and as though they had aligning goals, however; he was clearly threatening to destroy the faction, while he was also asserting his dominance over Adam.


    Adam smiled as he heard that and didn''t let it get to him, knowing that what he said was exactly true.


    He was in Nathaniel''s hands and could only cooperate and hope for the best, but he wasn''t planning on sitting idly and once he was strong enough, wouldn''t allow anyone to restrict him.


    "You are quite an interesting individual," said Adam as he leant back in the chair that he sat in.


    "I can say the same for you,"


    With the folder in his hands, Adam couldn''t help but eagerly begin reading its contents and was surprised by what it contained.


    It recorded all the known movements of his aunt from the day of that incident and Adam was shocked by everything he read.


    Most of her movements and activities were even unknown to the US Cultivator Defence, but one thing was clear, she wasn''t being discrete and did as she pleased.


    Her goal was unclear, but everywhere she went, death followed.


    Adam didn''t react to what he saw as his aunt was the victim, with her body being controlled by an Evil Soul, but if she did all those things and couldn''t be salvaged, Adam didn''t know what he would do.


    His mind was telling him that she needed to be put down, but his heart felt the opposite way.


    Adam didn''t know how he would feel when faced with her and how much of his aunt was left, but if there was a way to get her back, he would save her at any cost.

 Chapter 456 - Conflicting Feelings Part 2

    Adam had conflicted feelings about his aunt after reading about all the things that she had been involved in and caused over the past year.


    He felt slight guilt and respect, blaming himself for not being strong enough to save her sooner, but he knew that what he was feeling wouldn''t help the situation.


    Staying calm and making sure that his mind was clear, Adam was ready to complete his end of the deal with Nathaniel, before following his aunt''s trail.


    His aunt moved across the world without using much transport and hadn''t used any planes either until she reached Russia.


    For unknown reasons, she stayed there for quite a while and was likely to have left there recently in order to continue her journey.


    From the direction and area she was last seen, she seemed to be heading to China and Adam knew that it was likely that she would be heading there, since it was where she was born and grew up.


    All the information and records that were in the folder were not official or public, which meant it was information that was privately collected by the US Cultivator Defence.


    [Just how powerful is Nathaniel and how powerful has my aunt become] he wondered.


    However, no matter how strong they were or grew to become, Adam was not planning on letting them be stronger than him for long.


    He vowed to find his aunt and do all he could to save her, while he also promised himself that if it came to it, he would fight her with the intent to kill, not willing to jeopardise the safety of others because of his own selfish feelings.


    Seeing what Adam had finished reading through the folder, Nathaniel began speaking with Adam again.


    Their flight wasn''t going to be long since they were moving at speeds that surpassed Mach 5, which is 5 times the speed of sound.


    However, sitting in silence would be boring and Nathaniel had some things he wanted to tell Adam and speak to him about.


    Placing the folder in his inventory, Adam could see that Nathaniel wanted to continue their conversation and sat up, curious to hear what else he had to say to him.


    "I am sure you have figured out that the Blood Demon Group were responsible for the coma that Jannet was placed in, but what about the state she is in. How much do you know about it?"


    Nathaniel knowing the truth about his aunt didn''t surprise him any longer and there was no point hiding anything from him.


    Instead, it was a good chance to get more information from him as he seemed to know much more than Adam did, and with his connections and power, would be able to find out much more than he could.


    "Well, she seems to be possessed by an Evil Soul and it awakened when she was on the brink of death. From what I estimate, her soul will be consumed within around 6 months from now, which is why I want to find her so urgently,"


    "Hmmm. What else do you know about Evil Souls? And do you know anything about the one within her and how long it had been within her for?"


    It was clear to Adam that he was merely testing him and was likely to know all the answers to the questions anyway, so he answered to the best of his knowledge.


    Adam was willing to do anything to save her, so if he needed to work with Nathaniel in order to do so, he would do it without thinking twice.


    "Evil Souls are souls that cultivate negative/evil energy. They retain their consciousness in most cases and feed off negativity and have all sorts of ways of growing stronger by leeching or feeding off others."


    "As for the one within Jannet. I believe it had been dormant within her from a very young age or even birth. It also seems to be an intelligent and powerful Evil Soul that was looking for a suitable host to gain a physical form. When she was on the verge, it pounced on the opportunity to take over her body and that is all I know,"


    Nathaniel took a moment, before responding to Adam''s answers, but Adam couldn''t tell exactly what Nathaniel was thinking or feeling.


    "What you said isn''t wrong, but isn''t completely correct. She isn''t being possessed and you should think of the Evil Soul as a part of her. If you were to take the Evil Soul out of her body, you would essentially be killing her. It would be like cutting the roots of a tree and leaving the bark of the tree. Expecting it to live after that wouldn''t make sense," revealed Nathaniel.


    How he knew that was unknown and whether it was the truth was also unknown, but if it was the truth, it changed everything for Adam.


    "What is more important? Your morals and being a hero, eliminating all the evil beings or protecting the life of your loved one. I wonder what you will choose," said Nathaniel, seemingly enjoying the confusion and doubt that Adam was experiencing.


    [He doesn''t seem to be lying, but can you confirm what he said is right?]


    {Adam, I advise you not to get too close to him. What he said is true to an extent and eliminating the soul without killing your aunt isn''t impossible, but is very difficult? However, how he knows this and who he is make getting close to him too risky.}


    "You are probably feeling conflicted right now, but there is always hope. I didn''t think you would be one to be pathetically defeated so easily," said Nathaniel.


    Adam smiled and had experienced too much to allow much to get to him anymore.


    "You seem to know an awful lot. And yet you claim to be a mere affiliate of the ancients that is controlled by them. To me, you seem more like a dangerous being hiding in plain sight,"


    "You''re not wrong, but I am no less a dangerous being than you. I am just a little better at hiding my tracks,"

 Chapter 457 - [Bonus ]Stories Of The Past

    Adam and Nathaniel glared into each other''s eyes once again and it was almost as though their gazes were battling against each other.


    "Would you like to hear something interesting that has something to do with the Blood Moon Group?" asked Nathaniel.


    "Yes, I would,"


    "Well, there are some things you need to find out for yourself, but let''s talk about the city that you claim is now under your control,"


    "The Epstein Family has joined under your faction and the young family head is your friend, so I am sure you know about what has happened in the past generation of the family,"


    Adam nodded his head, while he also noticed that the Silent Ghost''s eyes lit up as soon as the Epstein Family was mentioned.


    "The one that gave the poison to the great elder that poisoned your friend''s grandfather, mother and father was supplied by none other than the Blood Moon Group. They were also the one''s that had been pulling strings in the city for years and was the cause of the ancestors of each of the families turning on the one that granted them the power,"


    "You must know the story of how a mysterious man, who is an ancient that managed to escape and hide from them and wanted to form a place of his own. He found 6 talented individuals and nurtured them and aided them in forming cultivation families."


    "They then turned on him and poisoned him then attempted to kill them. Well, guess what, the poison was supplied by the Blood Moon Group and they were also the one''s instigated the conflict, which is unusual considering that at the time, the Blood Moon Group was yet to be fully established. Why do you think that the leader and founder of the Blood Moon Group would do that?"


    Adam smiled, and he was quite sure that Nathaniel knew about his master and the fact that his master''s brother was the founder and leader of the Blood Moon Group, but that was information that even ancients were unlikely to know about.


    It made Adam even more wary of Nathaniel, but more interested in him, since he seemed to know too much just like someone that Adam could think of.


    The more he spoke, the more he seemed like he could truly be the person that Adam was thinking of, but Adam couldn''t confirm his theory yet.


    Keep your enemies closer than your friends.


    He trusted his friends and didn''t need to be cautious or wary of them, while Nathaniel was entirely different and both of them were trying to draw out as much from the other as they could while making their own speculations.


    "I do not know much about the Blood Moon Group''s previous leader or founder and what you are talking about happened too long ago. However, from what I can tell, the founder of the Blood Moon Group is likely to have also been an ancient and might have had personal reasons to do such things to the ancient," answered Adam.


    He wanted to make it seem as though he was unsure of the truth about the leader of the Blood Moon Group and the less that Nathaniel knew about what Adam knew would give him an advantage.


    "Previous leader? What makes you think the founder has passed away? The ancients are more than capable of living for hundreds and maybe even thousands of years,"


    "Just a hunch, but either way, whoever is leading them will be killed by my hands,"


    "Back to the story, the ancestors then went on to turn on each other and become rivals and enemies, but they only did so after taking down the weakest of the families that specialised in medicine. All the ancestors passed on and declined over time, but one of the ancestors had never been confirmed to be dead..." said Nathaniel before smiling and pausing.


    "And the Silent Ghost is the ancestor of the Epstein Family. The coward that left his family and didn''t even return after all the progress he made and also the one that hasn''t even truly been able to tap into their potential," stated Adam, continuing what Nathaniel was about to say.


    "You are quite sharp, boy. And you are right, this guy was taken in by a branch of a sect that was in the ancient lands. The branch he went to wasn''t on the ancient lands and he was only an external discipline, not talented enough to become an inner disciple of the sect that would allow him to be accepted by them,"


    "I expected as much. Ever since you mentioned the Epstein Family, this old man has been unable to sit still,"


    Looking at Adam with eyes of admiration and reverence, the Silent Ghost wanted to know how his family was doing and he heard nothing about what had occurred, since he had been completing a mission all that time.


    From their conversation, Adam seemed to have taken over the Epstein Family and all the other families, which he wouldn''t complain about, but he couldn''t help but be curious about the family.


    However, the main reason for his curiosity wasn''t because he cared about the family, but it was because of what had been said in Nathaniel and Adam''s conversation.


    Nathaniel had stated that Adam was friends with the young family head of the Epstein Family and Adam had said to him that he was unable to reach his full potential, which struck him.


    "Please tell me, how can I reach my full potential?" pleaded the Silent Ghost.


    "It is too late now and look at how pathetic you are. Your descendant has more talent than you could ever imagine and actually knows how to use the physique that he was gifted with. And even if you knew how to unlock your true capabilities, your talent and potential cannot be compared to his," stated Adam bluntly.


    He didn''t owe the Silent Ghost anything, and he had already spared his life, so he had no reason to aid him, while what he said was true.

 Chapter 458 - Impressive

    Crawling over to Adam, the Silent Ghost begged him to help him become stronger and Nathaniel didn''t do anything, interested to see how everything would pan out and also intrigued by Adam mentioning some sort of special physique.


    "You could feel that your body was innately talented and more suited towards stealth and speed, but you didn''t truly grasp the essence of what your body was capable of. You are already too old now and spent your entire life developing quite a good movement skill, but you still didn''t fully understand the essence of stealth,"


    "You focused too much on the speed element and disappearing to others, that you didn''t realise that you had to forget about such things and become one with your surroundings. Only by doing so can you truly grasp your power, but I don''t think you will be able to do so."


    Adam''s revelation made sense to the old man who had felt that there was something missing his entire life while training.


    He had always been chasing something and the sect he was in had recognised his body''s potential and talent, but he was never able to tap into it and just like Adam had said, he was too old to think about making any substantial progress.


    His cultivation and physical strength had already begun declining, and he knew that he had a few years left of his life at most.


    "Thank you, Adam. Your words have granted me peace and I can die happy, knowing what I have been searching for my whole life,"


    "How long exactly did it take your friend to master the physique you have mentioned?" asked Nathaniel who was impressed by the existence of such a physique.


    There were many concealment methods and skills, but being able to become one with one''s surroundings was a priceless ability that was perfect for assassinations.


    If he had known that the old man had such potential he would have cultivated him more, however, he had never been able to draw out his potential.


    "A few years and he is still mastering it, but his progress is beginning to slow down," answered Adam.


    "Oh, is that so? What an amazing young talent,"


    Learning to use such an ability within a few years was already impressive, and if it were known that Cole had been able to do so within the matter of a week, he would be sought out by all the powerful cultivators to take him as a disciple or eliminate a possible threat.


    The progress that Adam''s friends had made in the past week was unbelievable and was thanks to Adam, but mostly their own hard work and the hidden talent within them.


    Their flight to their destination was reaching an end and Adam and Nathaniel spoke for a while longer before preparing themselves for the landing.


    The only things they seemed to be able to agree on was their dislike for the ancients and Blood Moon Group, but Adam trusted his instincts and they were warning him about Nathaniel.


    "Brace yourself for the landing. They can be quite difficult to handle," warned Nathaniel.


    It was just as he said and even as a Master Cultivator with an extremely powerful and durable body, Adam could feel the effects of their abrupt landing.


    Although there weren''t any windows, Adam could estimate the speed they were moving it along with the direction, then using his knowledge of the country''s layout, he estimated they were in Alaska.


    From the cold environment and because he knew they were heading to one of the secret main bases of the US Cultivator Defence, it was clear that they were in the mountains.


    The harsh environment and scarce air made it so that there would be almost nobody daring to even get near their secret base, while it also gave them a lot of space to build a base within the mountains and underground.


    Along with that, the snow was natural concealment for all the traps, arrays and other things that they had around their base.


    Landing on a secret airstrip, as soon as they did, Adam could feel the ground that the jet had landed on being to sink downwards.


    "We have arrived," said Nathaniel as he stood up.


    A few seconds later, the jet''s door opened and Adam was amazed by what he saw.


    Adam knew that most of the advanced technology was concealed and that there was much more to the world than what ordinary people believed to be the case, but he never expected that technology could be so developed.


    The jet was impressive enough, and yet the entire facility was built with some material that Adam had never come across before and it was able to block his spiritual sense.


    Along with that, he could sense all sorts of arrays all over the place and after learning and studying arrays, he knew just how high level they were and how impressive it was that they were able to integrate them into the advanced technology.


    It felt more like an underground fortress than a base and despite only being there for a few seconds, he had seen dozens of individuals pass by him.


    Nathaniel appeared even more frightening to Adam after seeing everything that was in his control and possession, while he could sense that most that were in the facility were at least Master Cultivators.


    That meant that the Silent Ghost that he had used to get him wasn''t anyone special and he had only used him because of his connection to Cole.


    With that much power at his beck and call, Nathaniel could destroy entire countries in seconds, and yet Adam knew that there were still powers that greatly surpassed his, which included the ancients.


    "Quite an impressive base, right?" said Nathaniel.


    "Yes, it is. Why don''t you show me more of it since we are friends and I am trying to understand more of what the US Cultivator Defence actually is,"


    Hearing Adam''s response, Nathaniel smiled and answered: "Gladly."

 Chapter 459 - US Cultivator Defence Base

    Nathaniel showed Adam around the base and Adam was impressed throughout, but didn''t show it on his face and remained calm.


    As he observed, he looked for anything that was really surprising and for any weaknesses.


    One thing he noticed was that they were heavily reliant on technology and were heavily into research and artificial methods of increasing one''s power and cultivating.


    He felt as though he was walking around in the setting of futuristic films that he had seen, but at the same time, he still felt as though true power that was completely owned and controlled by a person surpassed the use and power of technology.


    External assistance and artificial enhancements could only get one so far, and Adam saw many weaponry and battle suits that could allow an ordinary person to be a threat to him, and yet was still confident that he would come out on top.


    There is no substitute for true power, but he was still impressed by everything he saw around the base.


    Another thing that Adam noticed was that there were quite a few evil souls and souls stored within the facility that he could see with his Soul Vision, but pretended as though he couldn''t.


    They weren''t roaming around freely, but were captured and experimented on, while he also came across many that had a dense Soul Power within him that he could sense and it became clear to him that there were many Soul Cultivators present.


    It wasn''t a massive surprise to Adam, but made him assume that Nathaniel was also a Soul Cultivator that was very capable.


    He couldn''t gauge anything from him, but he knew that he was dangerous, mysterious and unpredictable, so Adam was glad that he didn''t have to resort to switching into his Soul Form.


    If he did, he would have merely revealed his unique capability to switch between forms and place a target on him from not only living beings, but also the underworld that wouldn''t allow someone like him to live freely.


    Adam also sensed that his body had been scanned multiple times as they passed around the facility, and each time, Adam was sure that the scanning failed.


    No matter how amazing their technology was, they wouldn''t be able to gauge anything from Amda'' body, all thanks to his Stealth Ring and Form Concealment capability.


    "To complete your side of the favour and also to keep to help you in the future, is there any weapon or gadget that you want. The treasures of our US Cultivator Defence are obviously restricted and hidden somewhere, but you can take anything within her," offered Nathaniel.


    They stood within an enormous armoury, that was more like a factory with all the machinery and people designing, researching and producing all sorts of weaponry.


    "No thanks, I don''t need a weapon,"


    Adam didn''t want to owe Nathaniel in any way or become too close and friendly with him, while he also didn''t understand the weaponry he was using and wouldn''t be able to tell if there was some sort of tracker or bomb on them, so it was best to refuse.


    While he also didn''t need them and truly did before to fight unarmed or use his own weapons and abilities.


    "If that is what you want. I am sure your amazing daggers are more than enough,"


    Adam ignored his comment and the Devouring Death Daggers were one of Adam''s most prized possessions and weapons that he knew would catch the eye of any cultivator that saw them.


    Not only could he store them within his body and they were extremely durable, powerful and sharp, but they also had the ability to siphon the lifeforce, vitality, energy and blood of those that were slashed by them


    "Would you at least like an armour suit or anything of the sort, as your targets may be equipped with all sorts of weaponry and you may need it?"


    "I don''t need anything, but although this old man is quite fast and capable, he should get some weaponry as in a direct confrontation and battle, your explosive power isn''t enough,"


    The Silent Ghost agreed and knew that it was the truth, so equipped himself with some weaponry and they were prepared to begin.


    "We are ready, so can you give us all the information we need and the general location of the targets," asked Adam.


    "Yes, here is everything we have on them. There were last seen in these places and they all seem to have split up with the powerful leaders heading in one direction, and their subordinates heading in another," said Nathaniel as he handed them a tablet-like device that had a detailed map and would update them on any signs of their targets.


    "Hailey here will lead you out of the base and give you a vehicle that can get you out of here and I will leave the rest to you,"


    "Then farewell," said Adam as he dragged the old man and followed after the young lady.


    Adam already got what he needed and had seen a lot in the US Cultivator Defence, while he also didn''t want to be near Nathaniel any longer.


    The vehicle they were provided was one that was incredibly quick and could switch from being a snowmobile to a motorcycle.


    With it, they could descend the mountains and drive on the snow, and also the roads, making it the perfect vehicle for them.


    As soon as they left on the vehicles, Adam instructed the Silent Ghost to keep up with him and drove at the vehicle''s full speed down the mountains.


    The cold wind struck their faces harshly and at the speeds, they were going, they could barely open their eyes, but with their spiritual senses, they could still gauge everything around them.


    As soon as they descended the mountains and finally reached the roads where they could see a town, Adam stopped before grabbing the old man.


    "I have some questions for you, and you are going to answer them?"

 Chapter 460 - Required Assistance

    After experiencing Adam''s power once and seeing him talk to Nathaniel as equals, the Silent Ghost knew that he had no chance against him, so didn''t try to resist as Adam dragged them far away from the vehicles that they had taken down the mountains.


    "Use this to communicate with me telepathically and answer all my questions," said Adam as he placed a rune in his hand.


    They both carried identical runes that when supplied energy, would form a mental link that would allow them to communicate telepathically.


    "First off, tell me anything and everything you know about Nathaniel,"


    "Honestly, I do not know much about him other than he killed the person that was previously in charge of the US Cultivator Defence and climbed his way up without any backers. He is very calculating, mysterious and ruthless, while he detests the ancients who control them and always makes sure to maintain power,"


    "Interesting. So you mean to tell me that if I were to kill him, I could take all his power and everything he owns,"


    "No, if you did so, you would become an enemy of the ancients and of the remnants of the US Cultivator Defence. He has secured his position, while killing him is impossible anyway, so just forget about even attempting to do that,"


    Adam asked him a few more questions, and from them, he realised just how secretive Nathaniel was.


    The Silent Ghost barely knew anything about him and since he was an old man that was declining and didn''t have much of a future, he was kept out of the loop on most things.


    "Alright, thanks for your information. For now, let''s eliminate our targets, then I will carry on with what I need to do, and you can return to whatever you want to do,"


    "You handle the Advanced Cultivators and I will handle the Master Cultivators. We will split up here and I am trusting your capabilities, and after I finish my part of the task, I will leave and completing the rest is your problem," decided Adam.


    "Are you sure?" asked the old man.


    Peak Ascendant Cultivators, even if they were skilled and powerful evil cultivators, could be taken down with relative ease by the Silent Ghost, while 3 high level Master Cultivators would be much harder to eliminate.


    "Yes, old man and make sure you don''t die and maybe one day you can meet your descendants. I am sure they would appreciate your support and you are such a lonely and pathetic man. Chasing power your entire life and being a dog to the rich and powerful, slaughtering others without a care in the world as long as you are paid. Where has that got you now?"


    "Tell Nathaniel that you want to join the Sentinels Faction and that I am willing to allow you to join, and I am sure he would let you do so. Find Cole Epstein and form a blood contract with him to show your loyalty, then you can live a truly fulfilling life with a purpose," stated Adam before dashing off into the distance.


    The old man knew that everything that Adam said was true and was planning on doing exactly as he said after completing his task, and he could finally retire and lead the rest of his life in a manner that he could be proud of.


    "What about your vehicle?" called out the Silent Ghost.


    "I don''t want it," said Adam, who didn''t want to rely on anything given by Nathaniel and would much rather move on foot.


    Adam didn''t move at his full speed, but his speed was still faster than cars as he dashed in the direction of the last sign of his targets.


    Continuing on with that speed, Adam found something that was unbelievable when he reached the area that the last trace of the Evil Cultivators left behind, he found three dead bodies.


    They were the bodies of three high level and powerful Master Cultivators, while from their bodies and the residual energy he could sense within them, he could tell that they were evil cultivators.


    Although their appearances had been distorted after being drained, they fit the description, but Adam knew it was too good to be true and when he looked closer, he observed that only two of them had actually been killed.


    It seemed as though one of them had turned on the other two, killing them, then consuming their Evil Souls in order to strengthen their own Evil Soul.


    As from their body, Adam was sure they were Soul Cultivators and with his Soul Vision, could sense and see residual Evil Soul Power.


    An Evil Soul that was already a Master Level Evil Soul and consumed two other Master Level Evil Souls was something that Adam felt was impossible for him to defeat without surpassing his limits and pushing his Soul Form to the brink of destruction.


    [Nathaniel must have known they were soul cultivators and must have known what they were going to do. He must be trying to test me with this and the truth is, this is something that is currently past me and the Evil Soul may even have become a Grandmaster Evil Soul]


    Despite that, Adam wasn''t planning on giving up on eliminating the Evil Soul, not because he wanted to help Nathaniel, but because of how dangerous and powerful it was.


    If the Evil Soul returned to the Blood Moon Group, it would be a big help to their power, while it was likely to kill many along the way and consume the soul of many living people.


    Since killing by consuming one''s soul left no trace, it would appear as though the person merely died of a heart attack.


    However, soul cultivators and knowledgeable people would be able to tell that although the body was unharmed, the essence of life within the body had been sucked out.


    To deal with such a being, Adam felt like he required assistance, and one person came to mind.

 Chapter 461 - Shinkas Sudden Appearence

    Taking down a Grandmaster Level Soul was something that was almost impossible for Adam who had only recently strengthened his Soul Form to become a Master Level Soul, especially since the Grandmaster Level Soul was an Evil Soul that was powerful and skilled.


    However, Adam couldn''t allow it to roam freely and it was his responsibility to take it down after finding out about its existence, while it would also feal a blow to the Blood Moon Group.


    Suddenly, Adam sensed something appearing near him and instantly became alert.


    It was a portal from the underworld and usually, when sensing them, Adam could tell that it was a mere mindless Death Wraith, but now he felt danger as he jumped away from the portal that appeared near him.


    The existence of an Evil Soul that was that powerful in a Mortal Realm would definitely alert the underworld, and Adam didn''t want any issues with the underworld.


    However, with his Soul Vision, he let out a sigh of relief and was also happy when he saw who came out.


    It was the person that he had been thinking about as the perfect person to help him deal with the Evil Soul.


    It was Shinka.


    "It''s been a while Shinka, how are you doing?"


    As he said that, Adam switched to his Soul Form and floated over to her.


    However, she suddenly collapsed into his arms in her Soul Form and was very fatigued, and also very injured.


    Adam was surprised when he was able to sense the portal, and it seemed as though he was mistaken.


    It wasn''t a portal from the underworld, but an escape portal that Shinka must have used to get away from something that had almost managed to destroy her soul.


    She didn''t have time or enough Soul Power to create a portal back to the underworld while in the state she was in, so resorted to transporting herself using an escape treasure.


    The treasure worked by her needing to think about where she wanted to escape to and she thought about Adam, who was the only human and living person that she knew.


    Adam quickly began streaming Soul Power into her Soul Form as he helped her recover.


    Her recovery speed was amazing and Adam noticed that her horns had grown and would glow as she sucked in energy to recover her Soul Power.


    If it wasn''t for Adam quickly supplying her with Soul Power and helping her to recover as soon as she appeared, it was unlikely that she would have been able to recover and could have sustained permanent damage to her soul.


    While if her soul was destroyed, it would be almost impossible to recover it or bring her back to life, which was why it was so risky to fight in a Soul Form or attack one''s soul.


    "Thanks, you saved me there Adam" she thanked as she woke up to find that Adam was floating behind her and had his hands on her bare back.


    Since they were both in Soul Forms, they could make contact with each other and felt and was the same as physical contact.


    While inanimate objects such as their clothes would also enter into a state that was similar to their Soul Form, but that was only for Adam and Soul Creatures from the underworld who were able to switch between a Physical and Soul Form.


    She blushed and from a young age she had been protected and treated like a princess, never touched by anyone other than her close family and her maid.


    However, she knew that Adam wasn''t taking advantage of her and had quickly managed to save her at the cost of most of his Soul Power that would take him a while to recover.


    Or so she thought.


    She watched as Adam used the Ethereal Recovery Skill while in his Soul Form and rapidly recovered his Soul Power.


    Shinka was amazed by what she saw and she was glad that she had chosen Adam as the person to teleport to.


    "What happened? Is it a Grandmaster Level Evil Soul?" asked Adam.


    "How did you know?"


    Adam explained to her that he was looking for three Master Level Evil Soul Cultivators to eliminate them, but when he found them, they were already dead and one of them had consumed the Evil Souls of the other two.


    Hearing his explanation, she had a much clearer understanding of how such a powerful Evil Soul came to existence so quickly and suddenly.


    "So it seems we both have the same target," she said.


    "Want to team up? I was already thinking of looking for help and you came to mind,"


    "Yes, that would be great,"


    With that, both of them felt much more confident in dealing with the Grandmaster Evil Soul with the help of the other, but from Shinka''s description, it would still be a tough battle.


    "We have no time to waste, I am sure you need to get back to the underworld, while I also have other things I need to do. We should begin searching for the Evil Soul and make sure it isn''t able to hide or begin consuming the souls of innocents,"


    As he said that, Adam began heading in the direction that he could sense a faint trace of Evil Soul Power that was left behind by the Evil Soul and Shika went with him.


    "How powerful are you right now? Do you think you could beat me?" asked Shinka, who was surprisingly competitive.


    In truth, Adam was thinking the same thing, and he was unsure if he could beat her.


    He was just as confident in combat in his Soul Form as his Physical Form and also had quite a few skills and abilities that he could use in his Soul Form.


    "To be honest, I am unsure. But I am sure it would be a tough and quite even battle," answered Adam.


    "However, that is only because, from what I can tell you still haven''t been able to properly tap into the power of your horns," he admitted.

 Chapter 462 - Newfound Enlightenment

    Shinka''s estimation of their power was similar, and she was a peak Master Level Soul, but felt as though she would still struggle against Adam who was only an early Master Level Soul.


    His aura and presence made her feel as though he was dangerous, while the way he was and healed her made her feel as though he was her close friend and someone she trusted.


    "How did you know that I am still unable to properly tap into the power of my horns?"


    "It is quite obvious. They are one of the most extraordinary and powerful things in the universe, so if you could truly use them, you would be able to crush me without even trying,"


    "However, when you master the power of your horns, I would have also mastered a power of my own and don''t think that those horns will beat me,"


    Shinka was deep in thought and no matter how hard she tried she was unable to tap into her horns and when she would ask her family members, they would merely say that everyone''s horns were different.


    And that was the truth.


    She needed to learn to control and use her horns for herself and the power she could draw out of it was completely up to her, while it would also be unique to her.


    "Adam, do you have any idea how I can use these horns of mine?"


    She knew it was a stupid question considering that Adam was a human and would not know anything about the underworld or her horns, however; she was surprised by his answer.


    "That is exactly the problem. You act as though your horns are a weapon and a tool,"


    "While you were recovering your Soul Power, I noticed that your horns would glow slightly and suck in energy for you. They seem to be able to resonate with the surroundings and it seems as though you are on the verge of being able to use one of its powers. However, you will never be able to do it if you continue with your current approach," stated Adam.


    "What do I need to do?" she asked, recognising that everything he said was true and very accurate.


    "You need to accept the horns as a part of you and look at them as the centre of your power. If you exclude it from your body and continue to think of it as merely a weapon, then you will never be able to draw out its true power. While if you want to be able to control that power, you need to think of it as an extension of yourself and control them as if they were your limbs,"


    "Your determination, progress and drive are impressive. You are likely to be even more powerful than me, but don''t realise it, because while chasing power, you forgot about yourself. Don''t become stronger only to please your clan and take on their responsibility. Do it for yourself and be happy and excited to do so,"


    Hearing everything that Adam said, she felt enlightened.


    Despite the satisfying feeling of getting stronger and her clan all praising her because of her great work, progress and hard work, the truth was that she felt as though something was missing.


    Adam was speaking to her from experience and he felt as though her horns were similar to his Bloodlust Characteristic.


    Until she excepted it as a part of her and treated it as something that was entirely under her control, she would never truly be able to reach her full potential.


    As for the happiness part, Adam chased the thrill and satisfaction of experiencing new things, battling against all sorts of beings and going on a long adventure, but Shinka didn''t seem to have anything like that she was looking forward to.


    "Maybe when you have more freedom, we can go on a fun adventure together" offered Adam, seeing that she envied his position and free lifestyle.


    "That would be great, I have always wanted to have fun like humans do. Humans have such simple lives and bodies, that I sometimes envy it, but I also understand that with my power, potential and position, I am envied by many around the entire universe,"


    She was beginning to understand herself and the perspective of others, and was eager to begin putting her newfound enlightenment to the test.


    "Could you answer a question for me? Why don''t Death Wraiths other than yourself react to my presence or anything other than the soul they need to take back to the underworld?"


    It was something that he had been curious about but never received an answer for.


    "Oh, that is all you want to know. It is because their senses to everything other than the target that was set for them, was sealed. They don''t come into contact with anything physical while all soul cultivators know not to mess with any Death Wraiths, as although they are basically defenceless, the underworld would send more powerful people from the Death Corps to eliminate anyone going against the underworld,"


    "That makes sense. So basically they can be thought of as robots and that is how they are able to come with the infinite deaths that occur all the time in the universe. While you and other Soul Creatures that have more responsibility and freedom are aware of what happens around them,"


    "Yes, and no. I have more freedom because of my position and father. You can think of me as one of the princesses of the underworld and there are few that dare to disrespect me in the entire universe even after my clan has declined so much,"


    "But what the hell is a robot?"


    She seemed amazed by all the things that were normal to humans, while Adam was interested in the underworld and everything about it, so their conversation was endless.


    Shinka for the first time felt comfortable with someone and felt as though their conversation didn''t have any hidden intentions behind it.


    ''This is friendship'' she said to herself as she smiled.


    Adam was amused by how happy she became after a single conversation, but was glad he had become her ally and had that conversation with her.


    Their fun and relaxed time together soon came to an end after they suddenly sensed a large amount of Evil Soul Power being used.

 Chapter 463 - Soul Essence

    Adam and Shinka didn''t even speak or alert each other.


    They both sensed a large amount of Evil Soul Power in the distance at the same time and launched themselves towards it at rapid speeds.


    With the Burst Movement Skill, Adam''s initial burst was faster than Shinka''s, but he was shocked to find that she quickly caught up to him and surpassed his speed using some sort of Movement Skill in her Soul Form.


    Adam had seen nothing like it, but it was to be expected considering that she was from the underworld and her position within the underworld.


    Along with her great speed, her horns began to glow while her entire Soul Form began to be strengthened by her Soul Power as her speed continued to increase.


    Although Adam couldn''t keep up, his speed was still unbelievable considering his cultivation level and was worried about Shinka being taken down before he made it, since she had already been taken down by the Grandmaster Level Evil Soul once already.


    Rushing towards where they had sensed a surge of Evil Soul Power, Shinka was shocked by what she saw.


    The Grandmaster Evil Soul was going wild and on the edge of a city was beginning to consume and digest the souls of innocent people.


    Luckily for them, it took it a while to digest the souls and it had only consumed a few, but each time it did, it grew stronger and it couldn''t be allowed to get into the city.


    If it did, at the rate of its growth, it would become a serious threat that the Death Corps would have to send a stronger group to solve, which was good, but would tarnish her reputation and break her streak of excellent results.


    "I cannot allow these souls to be consumed before me and allow this monster to ruin my streak," she said to herself as she increased her speed even more.


    Ramming her horns into the chest of the Grandmaster Level Evil Soul, she was shocked to find that she didn''t even pierce into his Soul Form.


    Unlike when one was cut in a physical form, in a Soul Form there was Soul Essence, which is essentially the life and vitality of a soul, which could also be quantified in the system through SE and was equivalent to HP in a physical form.


    Once it was extinguished, the soul would be done for and disintegrate, while if one overused their Soul Power, they would begin burning their Soul Essence and eventually push themselves to the brink of death.


    Grabbing Shinka from the head, the Evil Soul flung her flying away.


    Since they were both in Soul Forms, they could fight each other and to the people in the area, they couldn''t see anything and only saw a few people suddenly collapse and stop breathing.


    "This guy really is strong. I will need Adam''s help" she said as she charged towards the Evil Soul again, trying to weaken and distract it until Adam caught up.


    Battling in Soul Forms was quite peculiar initially for someone that was used to fighting in a physical form, but after hunting so much in the Soul Dungeon, Adam had become accustomed to it and very skilled at it.


    Catching up to Shinka a few seconds after she began clashing with the Evil Soul, Adam couldn''t help but be impressed by how powerful the two figures that were fighting were.


    The Evil Soul was very powerful, but it seemed as though in order to digest such large amounts of Soul Power and grow as powerful as it did, it lost part of its mind and had gone berserk.


    That meant that outsmarting the Evil Soul, but a berserk Grandmaster Level Evil Soul couldn''t be so easily taken down, especially when it was wildly attacking them.


    Withdrawing his Devouring Death Daggers, Adam launched himself towards the Grandmaster Level Evil Soul just as it was about to land a mighty blow on Shinka.


    He managed to push the Grandmaster Level Evil Soul and the small wound he dealt the Evil Soul was enough to begin siphoning its Soul Power and also its soul essence.


    Since it was a small and shallow cut, the amount that Adam was siphoning was minor and negligible, but Shinka seeing what was occurring was amazed, while the Evil Soul became wary of Adam.


    "Let''s overwhelm it together and I can weaken it over time. We just need to make sure it can''t escape and feed off souls, otherwise, it will recover and kill many people in the process,"


    Adam''s plan was their best course of action and Shinka agreed as she began drawing more power from her horns.


    Her horns were her Soul Weapon and the same as the original Soul Weapon of the ancestor of the Horned Death God Clan, and yet she felt so weak and pathetic, unable to control it


    Watching Adam, who fought skillfully and had complete control over his Devouring Death Daggers despite how powerful and unrestrainable they seemed, she began learning from him as she fought.


    While Adam was doing the same, learning from her movements and the way she fought, trying to implement it himself and increase his skill.


    Together, their attacks began to flow and were coherent, with each of them covering the weaknesses and blind spots of each other, while they continued to grow stronger.


    Adam was siphoning more and more Soul Power and Soul Essence from the Evil Soul while learning from Shinka, and Shinka was learning from Adam and managing to draw more power out of her horns.


    They were an undefeatable duo that had both raw power and skill, slowly pushing back the Grandmaster Level Evil Soul and gaining the upper hand.


    If their battle was in physical forms, they were likely to have already destroyed a large part of the city and the power they were able to unleash was unbelievable.


    "Damn it, I will kill you both," roared the Evil Soul.


    As it did, its power suddenly rose greatly and Adam and Shinka were both launched flying back and lost a lot of Soul Essence from the power of the blow that the Evil Soul dealt them.

 Chapter 464 - What Will She Choose?

    Adam and Shinka had been dominating the battle against the Grandmaster Level Evil Soul, but it was merely because the Evil Soul had been holding back.


    They knew that, but if the Evil Soul were to unleash all the Evil Soul Power it had accumulated in a short amount of time, it was likely to severely damage itself or even push itself to the brink of destruction.


    The Evil Soul Power was yet to be completely absorbed and digested by the Evil Soul, while it also couldn''t handle that much energy yet.


    However, Adam and Shinka''s overwhelming and coherent attacks pushed the Evil Soul to release its full power and had been infuriated to the point of wanting to kill them no matter the cost.


    Adam and Shinka who had been launched flying back were shocked by all the Evil Soul Power within the Evil Soul they were facing and the Evil Soul became shrouded in darkness.


    It also grew in size, and no longer resembled a human in any way.


    The Evil Soul had become a large beast, and the soul had gained a grotesque appearance through some sort of evil technique that pushed its soul past its limits.


    It gained 4 more arms, so had 8 limbs including its two legs and formed a blade made out of Evil Soul Power in each as it dashed towards Adam.


    "Adam, watch out" she called out, but it was too late.


    The Evil Soul had already reached Adam within an instant and with all 6 blades, slashed outwards with enough speed and power to slice Adam into bits.


    However, he never would have ever believed that Adam could transform into a Physical Form and suddenly disappear.


    Even in a Physical Form, the Evil Soul''s attack would still rip his soul to shreds, so Adam quickly used the Step Skip Skill just as he was about to be struck, then reverted back to his Soul Form.


    Shinka was amazed by what she had just seen Adam do, while the Evil Soul was confused by it for a moment, but they all returned their focus to the battle.


    "He is much faster now and even with my daggers, weakening him will take too long and we can''t handle him for that long,"


    "This is the plan. I will hold out against him for a minute and keep him away from you and it is all up to you to produce an attack strong enough with those horns of yours," stated Adam before launching himself towards the Evil Soul.


    "But I can''t do it. I''m not powerful enough and can''t use my horns properly yet," she called out.


    "Just believe in yourself and there is no better time to surpass your limits than in the middle of a battle. If you don''t manage to do it, both of us will die here and the hopes of your clan and all the people relying on me will be crushed,"


    It was a good opportunity for Adam to help her become more powerful, while it was also the best course of action, as he didn''t have any attacks in his Soul Form that were powerful enough to take down a wild Grandmaster Level Evil Soul.


    Since it was do or die, Shinka had no choice but to surpass her limits and closed her eyes as she tried her best to control and draw out as much power as she could from her horns.


    Meanwhile, Adam had formed a clone of himself using the Unique Cloning Skill that also worked in his Soul Form and began using all the Soul Skills he had developed and come up with over the past year.


    Most of his Soul Skills would affect and use other souls in the area, but there weren''t many for him to use while he didn''t even have an instant to activate them, since he was being constantly attacked by the Evil Soul.


    Even with his clone and his daggers, along with all the skills he was using, Adam was barely able to hold out against such a powerful soul and had weakened it slightly by forcing it to use power and siphoning its energy, but he knew it was only a matter of time before he could no longer fight.


    Just like he had estimated, after around a minute, his soul was beginning to be battered by the Evil Soul and he was rapidly losing SE as he continued to be knocked back.


    "If you can''t do it now, it will be too late," he yelled.


    Adam had no choice but to believe in and trust Shinka, but she hadn''t moved that entire time and had stood silently with her eyes closed, while her horns glowed slightly.


    Unleashing as much power as he could in his Soul Form, Adam was fighting a berserk Evil Soul that was an entire cultivation level more powerful than him and was on the verge of collapse.


    If he lost any more SE, it would be extremely difficult to recover it and the trick he previously used to dodge the Evil Soul''s attack wouldn''t work twice, while he also wouldn''t be able to use it quickly enough.


    That left him defenceless to the Evil Soul''s sudden activation of a Burst Attack Soul Skill that launched the Evil Soul towards him and allowed him to release blades of Evil Soul Power, similar to the Dual Slash Skill, but through all of its 6 blades.


    It was unavoidable and Adam tried his best to prepare a barrier to block it, but was launched flying backwards and was completely overcome by the attack.


    He was launched flying away and landed near Shinka with his SE on the verge of running out and his Soul Form on the verge of disintegrating.


    "It''s all up to you," he managed to utter before his Soul Form entered a dormant state.


    It was a last resort to preserve the final Soul Essence that he had left and he would be unsavable within a few minutes, meaning that Shinka either had to take down the Grandmaster Evil Soul or find a way to escape with Adam''s dormant soul.


    Both were risky, but one was much more possible than the other.


    However, it would place the lives of many in danger and mean that she failed her duty.


    What will she choose?

 Chapter 465 - Unprecedented Occurrence

    ''Damn it. If I use that and escape with Adam''s soul, we will both be alive and be able to recover to try to take down this Grandmaster Evil Soul again. But that would mean that I failed my duty and would be giving up on all the souls in the innocent mortals behind me,'' Shinka thought to herself.


    ''Adam believed in me and weakened the Evil Soul greatly, while he also held him back for an entire minute. If I waste this opportunity and allow the Evil Soul to recover, who knows whether we can stop it and it is likely to come after me even if I do manage to escape, so either way I will have to face it,''


    She had a fraction of a second to decide what she was going to do as the Evil Soul rushed towards her to take her down, then nourish itself with their two powerful and energy-filled souls.


    ''I can''t give up and not meet Adam''s expectations. How can I expect to be the hope of the clan if I give up so easily? Also, Adam is my first and only friend, so I will make sure he gets out of here alive ad allow him to accomplish all the things he wants to achieve,''


    With that, her mind was set, and she had to act on all her ambition and all the things that Adam had previously said to her.


    She would never be able to use the full power of her horns and Soul Weapon if she didn''t accept it as a part of her and become one with it.


    Only by doing so could she unleash its true power and abilities as she closed her eyes and focused on everything that had happened to her and that she wanted to achieve.


    The more she focused and streamed Soul Power into her horns, the brighter they would glow.


    Adam, who despite being in a dormant state that was on the verge of death, was watching everything with his consciousness that was still aware of his surroundings and was amazed by what he was seeing.


    ''I knew she would be able to do it''


    It all happened so quickly, but there was a sudden release of power from Shinka''s horns and she was unsure how exactly it happened, but she streamed almost all of her Soul Power into her horns and focused on what meant the most to her.


    While doing so, she also imagined that her horns were the centre of her being just like Adam had advised her to do, and then she suddenly felt an incredible power be released from her horns.


    A golden ball of power was produced between her two horns and was fuelled by her Soul Power, drive and ambition as she unleashed its power towards the Evil Soul.


    An extremely powerful golden beam blitzed through the air and pierced straight through the Evil Soul and the power was so alarming that it alerted the underworld that monitored any large uses of Soul Power.


    Knowing that the location that the large amount of Soul Power came from was where he had sent Shinka and was close to where there was previously a large signal of Evil Soul Power, her uncle instantly became worried for her safety.


    She had been progressing so well and became much more determined, respectful and responsible, but she was still young and only capable of so much.


    Usually, he could sense the Death Corps to deal with such things and he would never bother with anything to do with mortals, since he was a key figure in the underworld, he didn''t want to risk losing the hope of their clan.


    Creating a portal to where Shinka was and teleporting to her side, he made it just in time to see her unleash an incredibly powerful attack and severely injure the Evil Soul.


    That attack wouldn''t even be able to scratch him, but was more than enough to kill an ordinary Grandmaster Level Soul.


    However, the Evil Soul had such a large abundance of Soul Essence and Soul Power through the absorption of its two companions and other people, that it was still barely alive.


    Shinka had poured all she had into that attack and stumbled backwards as she felt herself be caught by her uncle.


    She was shocked by his appearance and it was an event that would shock the universe, since such a powerful and influential figure from the underworld being in a Mortal Realm was an unprecedented occurrence.


    "What are you doing here uncle?" she asked, barely able to talk.


    "I just didn''t want to see you die so early, but it seems I was mistaken and you were more than capable of defeating even a Grandmaster Level Evil Soul,"


    The Evil Soul had a gaping hole in its chest and was rapidly losing the small amount of Soul Essence that it had left and was planning on using whatever Soul Power it had left to try to escape.


    However, its final bid to escape was useless and Shinka''s uncle merely needed to move his finger to strangle the Evil Soul from a distance and carry him over to himself.


    A Grandmaster Level Evil Soul was like a child in front of that person and it was clear to Adam from the horns and what Shinka called him, that he was the uncle and the Boss that she had spoken about.


    "You would taint the Soul Sea and don''t deserve a second chance at life. Enjoy being destroyed into nothingness,"


    As he said that, he clenched his fist and the Grandmaster Level Evil Soul suddenly disappeared, being completely crushed in an instant.


    Shinka and Adam were amazed, never seeing such an unbelievable being use their power before, but instantly both of them began worrying as the man turned towards Adam''s dormant soul.


    "Now, what should I do with you?" he mumbled to himself as he walked over to Adam''s dormant soul with Shinka in tow.

 Chapter 466 - Drop The Act

    "Even in that state, you are able to still observe your surroundings and can hear me right now, can''t you," said Shinka''s uncle as he approached Adam''s dormant soul.


    "I will just send him to the soul sea and he will eventually be reincarnated," he said as he put his hand out to do so, however before he did, Shinka suddenly stopped him.


    "Uncle stop, that is my friend,"


    Her words were absurd, and it was unheard of for someone from the underworld to be friends with what seemed to be a random Master Level Mortal Soul.


    However, she was completely serious, and she even seemed prepared to fight him in order to protect the dormant soul, which shocked him.


    "Just who is this dormant soul?" he asked, seeing the determined look in her eyes.


    She explained some of what happened, skipping out the parts that she knew that Adam would want to keep secret and even went as far as to say that if he didn''t save Adam, that she would give up on recovering the clan.


    "You would really do that far for this random soul?"


    "He is the reason I was able to change, and he was the one that helped me draw out the power of my horns and weakened the Evil Soul. While he is also someone I trust and my friend, so quickly save him before the damage to his soul is irreversible,"


    Her uncle sighed to himself and it seemed that there was no changing her mind, while if he truly was able to hold out against a Grandmaster Evil Soul as a mere early Master Level Soul, he was truly impressive.


    Along with that, if he was the one that was the cause for Shinka''s sudden and drastic change and improvements, then he was more than worthy of being saved.


    Adam believed that it would take at least a few weeks to recover his soul to how it was before and that he would have to focus on strengthening his Physical Form in the meantime, since the damage his soul sustained was very severe.


    However, he was shocked and amazed to suddenly feel completely rejuvenated and all the damage his soul had sustained was instantly completely recovered by Shinka''s uncle.


    Adam wouldn''t even be able to damage that figure before him in his wildest dreams and he had never expected he would come across someone so powerful, so early along his journey as a cultivator.


    However, he knew that if the figure before him wanted him dead, there would be no escape and even the system couldn''t save him, so as soon as his soul was recovered, he bowed towards the man.


    It seemed to be the characteristics of Shinka''s clan, but her uncle was incredibly large with a very muscular figure and had the same skin and hair colour as her, along with much larger horns, that didn''t feel as special as hers, but were unbelievably powerful.


    "I humbly thank you for saving my life,"


    The large figure had a very deep voice and intimidating pressure, but he surprisingly began to laugh as he patted Adam''s back.


    Each of his light pats shook Adam''s entire soul to its core, but he was relieved that Shinka''s uncle seemed to not have any malicious intentions towards him.


    Shinka felt the same way, and she never expected that her uptight uncle would act in such a friendly manner towards Adam.


    According to the laws of the underworld, contact with living begins was forbidden, especially mortals, and yet such a powerful figure from the underworld was acting casually with a Mortal.


    Healing Shinka''s soul as well, he decided that he would give Adam a chance and spare him, believing that he was merely a random wandering soul that had befriended and was advising Shinka.


    If he found out that Adam could switch between Physical and Soul Forms just like they could and all the things he was capable of and planning on accomplishing, he definitely wouldn''t have the same decision.


    Luckily Shinka was intelligent enough to conceal most of those things, but it still seemed as though he wasn''t completely convinced.


    "Shinka, stay here for a moment. I would like to speak with your friend."


    Shinka wanted to refuse and request to be there while they spoke, but before she could even say anything, it was too late.


    Adam suddenly felt himself be grabbed by a giant, invisible hand and the next thing he knew it, he was across the world from where he previously was.


    They were in the middle of nowhere, floating in the middle of the sea and he wanted to speak with Adam in private and understand what exactly Adam wanted with Shinka.


    "What would you like to speak about, senior?" asked Adam respectfully.


    "Drop the act, I can tell that although you are in awe of my power, your eyes are not submitting to my power in the slightest. From what I can sense, you seem to have formed a Soul Contract with Shinka, so tell me clearly. What do you want from her and what were the terms of the Soul Contract?"


    Adam dropped the act and although he was still in awe of the being before him that had enough power to destroy entire planets, he hadn''t done anything wrong and wasn''t planning on submitting.


    [Ava. if everything goes badly, will the Dungeon System always be bound with my soul?].


    {Yes, there is nothing to worry about. But I would advise you not to anger the figure before you as he is completely suppressing all of his power, otherwise, the entire world would feel his power and presence}


    With that, Adam felt much less fear and since he had already been revealed to Shinka''s uncle, he needed to deal with him directly.


    Adam felt as though he was trying to match up to a mountain in size, but he had no choice but to make his intentions and worth clear, otherwise, it was likely that his life would be ended and there was nothing that he could do about it.

 Chapter 467 - Brave Nature

    "Shinka is not a tool or something that you can label as the hope of your clan without considering her as an individual. That is why you were never able to truly be close with her and help her reach her full potential. While looking at everything from above, it is hard to understand and relate," stated Adam directly.


    Adam''s brave nature impressed and amused Shinka''s uncle, however, it also worried him since such people were always a nuisance.


    "You still haven''t answered my questions. What exactly do you want from Shinka and what was the Soul Contract you formed with her?"


    "It is simple, I declared myself as her ally and swore to assist her and clan if I am able to as long as she was the same kind and trustworthy person that she was. While she also swore to be my ally and assist me and my goals if I need it as long as I am the same person that I was at that time."


    "As for what I want from her, to be honest, nothing. So far, it has been me that has helped her and I am trying to form a strong connection with someone who will become a powerful ally, and I can provide just as much as she can,"


    Adam spoke clearly and confidently, not submitting to Shinka''s uncle, which shocked him greatly.


    It was easy for him to tell if Adam was lying, and it was clear that he wasn''t.


    The terms of their Soul Contract were quite vague, however, they didn''t seem too bad.


    While Soul Contracts that were willingly formed by other parties were almost impossible to break without harming the souls of the two people involved, even with the power that he had.


    "You are a funny and interesting person, but you are in way over your head. For now, I will let you live since you have helped Shinka and haven''t done anything to deserve death, but do not expect any help from me and I will make sure that I keep her away from you,"


    After saying that, Adam felt himself be grabbed once again, and they suddenly appeared beside Shinka once again.


    She had been worriedly pacing up and down, waiting for them to return and knew that her uncle was very strict, so was very unlikely to let Adam live.


    To her surprise, Adam seemed completely unharmed, and fine as he returned.


    "I will be returning to the underworld and I shouldn''t have come in the first place. I will give you two a minute, but Shinka, you need to return quickly," he said before departing.


    The truth was, Adam''s character and attitude had impressed him, while since he was the one that was helping Shinka progress, for the time being, he was planning on letting Adam roam freely.


    "See ya old bull," said Adam just as he was about to leave.


    He turned back and glared at Adam, knowing that bulls were animals that some mortal humans would consume that had horns similar to their own.


    Also, being called old annoyed him as with his power, he was going to live for tens of thousands of years unless he was killed prematurely.


    While even if he was killed, it was likely that the underworld would find a way to recover him as he was a key figure in the underworld as well as an elder in the Horned Death God Clan.


    Adam smiled at him and flicked him off as he went into the portal back into the underworld.


    "Good riddance, that uncle of yours really is one scary guy,"


    Shinka was in shock.


    Her uncle was known for being a frightening individual that had a short temper, and yet the uptight and strict person that she knew was being so lenient with Adam.


    "What exactly did he ask you? You were gone for less than a minute,"


    After he told her exactly what they said to each other, she was confused.


    "To be honest, your uncle is not a bad guy. Despite how he seems outwardly, he is a big baby that acts scary, but is merely trying to protect and help you get stronger. If he is willing to come to a mortal realm and talk to and allow a mere mortal soul to roam freely for you, then he truly does care about you more than anything else,"


    "Yes, he is great and has been there for me more than my father who is too busy,"


    They spoke casually for a short while, before Shinka realised how much time had passed and needed to return, knowing that her uncle would scold her.


    "I''m off, I need to go and train and master the power I was able to unlock from my horns," she said as she prepared to leave.


    Adam bid her farewell and was excited about their next encounter.


    She returned to the underworld and asked her uncle to excuse her from her duties for an entire year, which in the underworld would count as ten years.


    To her surprise, he was more than willing to do so and said she could take as much time as she needed, knowing that she was planning on using it to train.


    "Uncle, why did you spare him? There are many things you could have done such as place a Soul Mark on him to be able to track and locate him," she asked, unable to suppress her curiosity.


    "The truth is, he impressed me and helped you progress, so I didn''t want to harm him for doing so. However, he also has a frightening presence around him. He is a mere ant, but those eyes and something about him makes me feel like he is special, and since he has a Soul Contract with you and has sworn to help our clan if we need it, it would be best not to do anything to him. While he also reminds me of myself when I was younger,"


    His answer surprised Shinka, but she couldn''t help but laugh.

 Chapter 468 - Journey Across The Globe

    Adam was the furthest thing from similar to her uncle in her mind, which was why Shinka began to laugh after he compared Adam to a younger version of himself.


    "Why are you laughing?"


    "You are nothing like him. He is reckless, free and adventurous, while you are the complete opposite,"


    Her uncle began telling her about times when he was younger and climbed his way up the rankings of the Death Corps and some of the adventures he had in the underworld.


    It was the first time he spoke to her so casually ever since she had joined the Death Corps, and just like Adam said, he truly was a kind person.


    "Anyway uncle, I will be going to training and Adam said that you were a big baby that only acts scary, and I am starting to agree,"


    "I am not. That little rascal, I need to teach him some more respect,"


    Shinka had only seen him act that way towards her and it seemed as though he truly did like Adam.


    "That weakling is in way over his head and has no idea who he is dealing with. You can continue to be his friends and he is quite special, but he is still nothing compared to you, the hope of a God Clan,"


    "Adam believed in me and I believe in him. We will see about whether or not he can be compared to me and so far, he seems to be on par with me if not even stronger,"


    Her uncle smiled to himself after hearing that and wanted to look into and monitor Adam more.


    As soon as Shinka left, using his soul monitoring network, he was shocked and confused to find that Adam''s soul had seemingly vanished.


    However, that wasn''t the case and Adam had merely returned to his Physical Form, in which he was undetected by the soul monitoring network that would monitor souls that weren''t connected to or didn''t have a physical form.


    He was intrigued by it and knew that there was more to Adam than what he had seen, and Shinka definitely knew much more about him than he did, but he had many other things to do, so he decided not to look into it any further.


    At that moment, it was best to avoid doing anything else and leave both Shinka and Adam be.


    However, Adam had definitely caught his eye and he couldn''t help but feel as though it wasn''t the last time they were going to meet.


    Shinka entered a reclusive retreat in which she focused on herself and mastering her horns, wanting to become as powerful as she could and understand herself more.


    Meanwhile, Adam had already begun continuing his journey in search of his aunt.


    He had received quite a lot of information from Nathaniel about all her movements over the past year, and he was planning on following them all.


    Obviously, he wasn''t planning on spending an entire year doing so, but he wanted to see for himself everything that had supposedly occurred and find any information about her along the way, while having an interesting adventure across the world.


    The time for enjoying himself and relaxing was over and he had completed his side of the favour for Nathaniel, so he had nothing else to wait for and began moving towards the port.


    From it, he was planning on hiding within a large ship that was heading over to Europe and in that time, he wanted to train and hunt in the dungeons as much as he could.


    He needed to get stronger and when faced with the Evil Soul and then Shinka''s uncle, Adam was once again reminded that his power still wasn''t enough.


    His opponents and dangers were only going to get stronger from there on out and if he truly wanted to save his aunt, he knew that was the only way forward.


    Getting onto a ship and hiding within a giant shipping container, Adam had enough room to move around quite freely, and was mostly planning on spending his time in the dungeons.


    He had an abundance of food within his inventory along with being able to last months without food if he needed to, so he entered the dungeon without anything to worry about.


    [Ava, if anyone approaches my body or the shipping container while I am in the dungeon, please alert me]


    {Okay, I will do so. Just hunt to your heart''s content and your next mission is to bring back the gemstone that the Orcs stole and use it to solve the mystery of the Explosive Volcano}


    Hearing that, Adam was intrigued and entered the Physical Dungeon as he began to complete his mission while hunting Orcs and trying his best to keep other innocent creatures within the dungeon safe.


    Alternating between reality, the Soul Dungeon and the Physical Dungeon, time flew by and before he knew it, Adam had already made a lot of progress and reached his destination.


    Europe


    Picking up languages was easy for Adam with the Mind Ring along with his natural perceptivity and intellect, and he spent most of his time travelling, exploring and hunting in the dungeon.


    That was because he hadn''t reached his targeted location yet and was also wasn''t looking to face any more powerful cultivators on the Top Cultivator Ranking.


    He needed to make the most of his time, while also wanting to lay low along his travels, not wanting anyone to connect him to his aunt.


    Along his travels, Adam observed many different cultures and ate all types of food, while also being amazed by the different cultivators that he had.


    There were so many methods of cultivation, training and combat, that it was always intriguing for Adam to watch them, but he didn''t engage in any combat for himself.


    It was because he was merely planning on passing by and his real destination was Russia.


    From Nathaniel''s information, Russia, China and the US had the largest amount of cultivators and cultivation power in the world, while all countries were still subservient to the ancients.


    Meaning that he could have the most fun in Russia and face more powerful cultivators, while finding any more information and traces that his aunt may have left behind.

 Chapter 469 - Secret Lab

    On the border of Russia, Adam was interested to see what the country would like and the type of cultivators he would come across.


    Most of Russia''s land was not lived on by people because of the harsh conditions and the sheer size of the country, but those were the areas that he wanted to investigate and explore the most.


    Such harsh climates were the perfect natural barrier for any cultivators, while it was also possible for him to find some beasts in reality and defeat them.


    His progress had been rapid, and he hadn''t wasted much time along the way, either training or surveying his surroundings, wanting to grow as much as he could.


    Shinka''s uncle and Nathaniel had put the universe''s power scale into perceptive.


    Currently, he was still a mere ant in the grand scheme of things and his friends were beginning to catch up to his power with the sudden development that he helped them achieve.


    He had no choice but to grow stronger and wasn''t planning on wasting any opportunities as he began dashing off the ship he was on and towards the nearest city along the border.


    To Adam''s surprise, it wasn''t long before he came across some cultivators and the ordinary-looking soldiers that were patrolling around the border were actually Advanced Cultivators.


    They couldn''t sense anything from Adam, since he was using his Form Concealment, but it was still impressive for a country to have Advanced Cultivators as mere border guards.


    It made Adam even more eager and interested to explore the country and the first place he had in mind was the facility that his aunt had supposedly destroyed and eliminated everyone within.


    There weren''t details as to what the facility was actually for and why his aunt was there in the first place, but it gave a rough location of where it once was and Adam wanted to check it out.


    Adam felt no need to go through the long processes of entering the country, and used the Step Skip Skill, his great speed and the invisibility that he could use through his Stealth Ring to get past.


    All those in official soldier uniforms had cultivated in some way and weren''t normal, which was surprising and made Adam wonder just how many cultivators they had and what he could expect in China that was said to have the most cultivators.


    In comparison, only a small percentage of the population in the US even knew what cultivation was, while it was clear that in Russia, most of the cultivators were under the same rule.


    The army dominated everything and had Grandmaster Cultivators and even cultivators that surpassed that cultivation level, just like Nathaniel.


    Adam was not planning to start any conflict with such a great power that he knew he had no chance against at that moment, but he needed to find any traces of his aunt.


    If she truly had been there and passed through the country, why would she do so and spill the blood of thousands along the way?


    Heading towards the rough coordinates that Nathaniel had left in the file where his aunt had supposedly destroyed a facility and killed all those within it, Adam couldn''t find anything, even with his spiritual sense.


    It was almost too clean and there were no traces at all, which was the reason that Adam continued looking and trusted his instincts.


    If there truly wasn''t anything there, then some traces would be found, but the entire desolate area had nothing out of the ordinary.


    "It must be here" he mumbled to himself, standing in the centre of the area that had been cleared of any tracks perfectly.


    His spiritual sense couldn''t find anything and there was nothing above that ground so that left only under where he stood.


    Slamming his fist into the ground, Adam struck downwards with great force and released a burst of energy as he did so, to destroy all the ground beneath his feet.


    The power of his attack left a crater 2 metres deep and at the bottom of it was a surface of some sort of metal material, which was what was responsible for dampening his spiritual sense.


    It was too hard for him to break through, which Adam knew, but it didn''t take him long to find an entrance into the underground facility.


    "What is up with cultivators and having underground facilities?" he said to himself as he opened a hatch that he found.


    The hatch had been very stiff, and he needed to use his full strength and a few minutes in order to get it open, but when he did, he was instantly assaulted by the thick smell of blood and corpses.


    It seemed that the facility had been completely abandoned and they couldn''t be bothered to clear it up, or so Adam assumed as he jumped down into the underground facility.


    Adam was impressed by how large and spacious it was, while he couldn''t sense that far around him with the dampening effects of the material that the facility was made out of.


    His Bloodlust Characteristic began acting up and Adam could feel his desire to kill begin to increase, struggling to control it.


    This was the first time in a very long time that he struggled to control his Bloodlust Characteristic and it was due to not only the thick stench of blood and corpses, but also the abundance of evil energy.


    It was a form of negative energy that was produced through evil means and was very unrestrainable and dangerous, but also very alluring for those that could wield it.


    Walking around the facility, Adam was unfazed by all the corpses and everything he saw.


    There were stains of blood and a revolting smell, but most of the flesh of all of those that had been killed had either decayed or been disposed of, as Adam hadn''t come across any.


    All he found were skeletons that were all broken and smashed up as he looked around to find some sort of lab.

 Chapter 470 - Dog Beast

    It was some sort of secret lab and most things were destroyed, but from what Adma could see, they seemed to be researching on people and animals.


    Adam could understand why his aunt would want to destroy such a facility, since it was horrible to produce such things, but how did his aunt know about it and there was such a strong evil energy lingering after she had left, worried him.


    After exploring the facility, it was large and there were smashed pieces of all sorts of technological appliances that Adam had never seen before, while most things had been thoroughly destroyed.


    It was to the point that Adam had to assume that his aunt held a personal grudge towards those within the facility, or had stolen something and didn''t want to leave any traces.


    Either way, if it truly was her aunt that had been here like Nathaniel''s information said, then she was definitely much more powerful than him.


    There were dents in the wall of the facility, and Adam attempted to do the same with an attack of his own, but he didn''t manage to do so.


    His fist strike made only a small dent, and he knew that physical strength didn''t dictate the victor in a battle, but it still didn''t change the fact that her strength was incredible and she was very dangerous.


    Adam had seen enough and there wasn''t anything else in the facility that he needed to see, but suddenly something pounced on him.


    It was already shocking that he was unable to sense the attack coming, since even with his spiritual sense being dampened, he would have been able to sense the attack.


    Instantly, Adam withdrew his Devouring Death Daggers and slashed the stomach of the creature that had pounced on him, causing it to jump away, then got up and prepared himself to fight.


    It was very dark, and it took Adam''s eyes a moment to adjust and see what exactly had attacked him clearly.


    However, when he did, he was shocked by what he saw and was shocked to find that it hadn''t been hit by his slash.


    It appeared to be a small dog, but its eyes were glowing green and it appeared as though it had been left behind in the facility.


    Looking at its collar, Adam instantly recognised something that caused him to return his daggers into his body and lose all desire to fight against it.


    Sitting down on the ground, Adam put his hand out to the dog and showed no signs of hostility towards it, while it also didn''t seem to have malicious intentions when it pounced on Adam.


    Although Adam hadn''t been able to sense it and was shocked by its great strength and speed, it hadn''t slashed or harmed him in any way, while it appeared to be a normal dog.


    Adam was by no means letting his guard down or judging the dog before him based on its appearance, as that was a mistake that he would never remake after fighting so many different beings in both dungeons that appeared friendly, but were actually dangerous monsters.


    However, around its neck was a necklace that Adam remembered that his aunt would always wear, and it was attached to the dog''s collar.


    Seeing that Adam wasn''t hostile, the dog slowly approached him after being frightened by Adam''s daggers and sudden attack, but when it reached Adam, it was surprised to feel him scratching its head.


    [My aunt leaving this behind here could be a message or sign for me, or maybe she wants me to keep this dog? I just can''t understand what is happening and for now, I should keep this dog with me until I find my aunt, and maybe it can be useful] thought Adam to himself.


    The dog seemed relatively intelligent and in truth, it was a beast and not an animal, meaning that it seemed to have cultivated.


    From what Adam could tell, it was likely to be an animal that they had been experimenting on that his aunt had freed and left behind in the facility.


    After being alone and hungry in the facility for so long, it began consuming the dead bodies of all the beasts, animals and people within the facility.


    All the abundance of energy within those corpses, along with the substances that they had used to experiment and the evil energy had caused some mutations in the dog.


    Although its outward appearance may be ordinary, it was a peak Advanced Level Beast and for some reason had my aunt''s necklace attached to its collar.


    "It is fast, quite strong and intelligent, but has no experience in combat and also seems too friendly, so won''t be any use in a fight,"


    Adam was debating to himself whether to take it with him, but seeing as his aunt was somehow connected to the dog and that it was quite capable, he decided to take it with him.


    "Let''s go," said Adam as he began walking away and signalled to the dog to follow after him.


    Seeing that Adam was leaving and taking it with him, the dog was elated and giddily followed after Adam.


    Climbing out of the hatch, Adam was greeted by a few dozen peak Advanced Cultivators that all wore the same military suit.


    After he climbed out, the dog beast jumped out to accompany him and could sense the hostility that the soldiers and Adam were showing each other.


    Since Adam was the one that freed it, the dog beast felt like it needed to follow him and prepared to fight alongside him if necessary.


    Adam sensed that and was amused and impressed by its loyalty and bravery, while the soldiers were yet to do anything and seemed to be there because my exploration of the secret lab had alerted them.


    Standing there with a small dog beast by his side, Adam was calm and had a smile on his face despite being surrounded by armed and dangerous cultivators.

 Chapter 471 - Giant Man

    Gnashing its teeth at the soldiers that surrounded them, the dog beast seemed to be intended on fighting in order to protect himself and Adam.


    Adam reassured the dog beast, "Just calm down and relax. Don''t worry about anything and I will get you some nice tasty food," and was amused by its actions.


    Taking down all the soldiers that surrounded them would be quite easy for Adam, but doing so would just cause him many more issues that he didn''t want to deal with, and he was much more interested in following his aunt''s traces, so unless they were to attack first, he was planning on cooperating.


    The dog beast obviously couldn''t understand Adam, but Adam''s calming voice and relaxed nature made the intentions behind his words clear to the dog beast.


    "We are here due to report that there have been spies in one of our facilities. State your name, cultivation level and country of origin,"


    The one that spoke seemed to be the leader of the soldier squad and also seemed to be the most skilled out of them, but it seemed as though the report he had been given had failed to warn him of his attitude.


    "First of all, speak Russian, we are in Russia. Second of all, watch your tone," replied Adam in Russian, surprising them, since he clearly appeared to be a foreigner and yet he spoke Russian perfectly without an accent.


    Picking up languages was quite easy for Adam, especially with the Mind Ring and Hunter''s mind, while he had also made sure to become proficient in Russian before reaching the country and was going to do the same with Chinese.


    Adam didn''t even need to release his aura or his killing intent.


    His words alone were enough to intimidate the soldiers and make them wary of him, but they also couldn''t allow him to leave and it was their duty to capture him and take him back to their boss.


    "Where is your vehicle? I would like to meet your boss anyway and it seems as though you want to take me to him anyway," said Adam, seeing the handcuffs attached to their belts.


    Adam could sense that they weren''t ordinary handcuffs and were made of that same metal that they produced the underground facility out of.


    Not only could it dampen one''s spiritual sense, but it would also do the same to any energy in contact with it, meaning it would greatly weaken Adam and would also restrict him from using his Internal Energy.


    Adam put his hands out and allowed them to cuff him with the cuffs, which surprised them, but he was still confident and they were yet to know who he was, so they didn''t dare to try to assert their dominance while Adam was in a weakened state.


    The truth was, by entering his Soul Form for a split second, then returning to his Physical Form, he could get them off and if he did so while using the invisibility and concealment capabilities of his Stealth Ring, it would be seamless.


    They were going to place cuffs on the dog as well, but seeing how hostile and on edge the dog beast was, along with Adam''s piercing glare, they decided not to do so and led Adam to their vehicle.


    It was like a large tank, but was quite spacious and also very quick as it blitzed through the snowy plains and headed towards the base that they were issued from.


    The entire ride was silent and Adam sat there nonchalantly, not afraid of them and also confident in his ability to free himself and escape, while the dog beast was more amazed by the vehicle they were in.


    It seemed to have never seen anything outside of that facility, but Adam couldn''t help but be curious about what its limits were, as it was able to dodge one of his attacks and had an incredibly tough body.


    The dog beast was quite small and had light brown fur, green eyes and its claws were small and weren''t anything amazing.


    However, its teeth were massive and incredibly sharp.


    They reminded him of a T-Rex''s teeth and Adam decided to name it Rex, which the dog was happy about.


    It seemed to understand most of what Adam said, which was probably due to it being around people while in the Secret Lab and observing them closely, allowing it to learn from their words and body language.


    After a short while, the vehicle reached a halt, and they didn''t dare to be rough with Adam as they requested him to exit the vehicle and follow after them.


    A few of them stood behind Adam and the dog beast with their guns aimed at them, but that was only for extra security and escaping from them with the handcuffs on.


    Adam was led through the base and was impressed by all the things he saw, but still felt as though it was inferior to that which Nathaniel had shown him.


    Finally, they reached their destination, and it was a large office.


    Within it was sat a giant man in a chair that seemed to be custom made for his size.


    He had slicked-back grey hair and many scars on his neck and face, while he smoked on a cigar and appeared to weigh over 200 kilograms.


    From what Adam could see of him while he sat down, he was probably around 2 metres tall and his bulging muscles were incredible to look at, while his eyes were like piercing blades.


    He was definitely a Grandmaster Cultivator and had a powerful body that appeared as if it were invincible, and yet when stood before him, Adam had a confident and calm expression.


    Compared to Nathaniel and Shinka''s uncle, who was a being that was powerful on a universal scale, the giant man before him was nothing to be afraid of.


    "Is this the one that entered the abandoned facility?" the giant man asked in Russian, believing that Adam wouldn''t understand.


    "Yes, it was me" answered Adam before the soldiers could.

 Chapter 472 - Duel Accepted Part 1

    Adam speaking Russian wasn''t anything amazing, but what shocked the giant man was his confidence and tone.


    Sitting down on the chair opposite the giant man, Adam didn''t wait to be excused or ask fr permission to sit down, which the soldiers knew angered the old man.


    His office was a sacred place to him and they couldn''t help but begin to feel fear, knowing that once their boss got angry, calming him down before he destroyed the entire base was very difficult.


    "Leave us," he ordered to the soldiers, who were eager to leave.


    They didn''t know what to expect from Adam and their boss''s meeting, but they knew that it was something that they couldn''t get involved in and they quickly left the large office.


    "So, it was you that dared to enter one of our abandoned facilities and even entered this country as you pleased," the giant man said as he stood up from his chair.


    He really was three metres tall and had a herculean figure, as he tried to bear over and intimidate Adam.


    "Just sit down old man, there is no need for that. I am not looking or a fight or trouble, but you can''t scare me with your big muscles," said Adam as he laughed slightly.


    Hearing that, the giant man who had never been disrespected didn''t know how to react or who Adam was, but since what he said seemed to be the truth, he sat down and sighed to himself.


    "It usually works on most people, and even while you are cuffed, you show no fear. You are either extremely confident or crazy, but either way, you have committed a serious offence,"


    "I did not. The facility was abandoned, and it was you who committed an offence, sending out your measly subordinates to capture me and putting these cuffs on me,"


    After saying that, Adam suddenly disappeared for a split second and in that second, switched to his Soul Form, then reverted to his Physical Form.


    Since he did so while he was invisible and it was so quick, the giant man couldn''t understand or see what exactly had happened, but the next thing he knew, the cuffs fell to the ground.


    How a cultivator was able to get out of the cuffs was unknown, as even he wouldn''t be able to pull off something like that, but it definitely couldn''t be done by just anyone?


    The giant man was shocked by what he had just seen, but was still calm and saw Adam as someone he could easily crush as he listened to what he had to say next.


    "Now then, I am Adam and you might know me as Death on the Top Cultivator Ranking," he revealed.


    "Oh, so you are that newcomer on the rankings. Apparently, you beat that Silent Ghost assassin guy,"


    "Yes," confirmed Adam, who didn''t know that his battle with the Silent Ghost had become something known by others.


    "Well, you are impressive and young, but your ranking is greatly lower than mine and you still have a long way to go," he said arrogantly, after confirming who Adam was.


    He had heard about him and if he was someone with a profound background, like those from the hidden sects, then he would have to be wary of him, but it was common knowledge that he was an independent cultivator.


    "You think so old man. I already beat one old man, I don''t mind adding a second onto my record," said Adam, who despite seeing the gap in their power, was confident in himself.


    Hearing that, the giant man began to laugh, and he had an extremely loud and deep voice that echoed throughout the base.


    "You are one crazy kid. Even in the middle of my territory and base, and even though you are alone and much weaker than me, you dare to challenge me," he said as he put his hand out to pet Rex.


    As soon as his hand neared Rex, the small dog beast chomped down on it as hard as it could and what happened surprised them all.


    Adam had seen how sharp and large Rex''s teeth were, while it could also assume that from the speed and power behind the bite, it would be enough to completely tear off a limb of any other cultivator, and yet it only let a few small marks on his enormous hand.


    While the giant man was shocked because the small dog had managed to make him bleed a small amount, which even early Grandmaster Cultivators would struggle to do.


    "That was one powerful bite. That little one is quite dangerous," the giant man said as he pulled away his hand that quickly healed the small cuts.


    Adam was shocked by how hard the giant man''s body was and it seemed as though his muscles weren''t just for show.


    He didn''t have a Hardening Ability like Chase did, and yet his body had been reinforced and trained to such an extent.


    "That is one tough body you have got there," said Adam.


    There was some tension in the air and the giant man didn''t know what to do with him, but after a short while, Adam made a suggestion.


    "I am not your enemy and don''t have any malicious intentions, while I am sure you already know that I am independent. I can agree that I may have been trespassing, so how about we sort this out with a simple duel between you and me,"


    His suggestion caused the giant man to burst out into laughter.


    "You clearly feel as though you can easily defeat me so you have no reason to refuse. Since we are not enemies, we cannot kill or severely harm the other, all we need to do is take the other down. The last one standing is the winner," continued Adam.


    The giant man was laughing hysterically, but seeing that Adam was serious and interested to see what the newcomer on the Top Cultivator Ranking could do, he agreed, but he had one condition.

 Chapter 473 - Duel Accepted Part 2

    "I can agree to fight you and it will be fun, but if you win, your offence towards me and the country by trespassing will be gone. What about if you lose?" the giant man asked.


    "Yes, you are right, we should both receive some sort of reward and put something on the line. How about this? If I lose, I will work for you for the rest of my life, while if you lose, you need to make sure I have complete freedom within the country," suggested Adam.


    The offer was great and if he could get Adam as his subordinate, he could rise up the rankings, since Adam was skilled and quickly developing.


    But the truth was he couldn''t guarantee that he could provide what Adam wanted, and he was honest about it.


    "If you truly want to have complete freedom within the country, we will need an even more senior and powerful figure to referee and observe our match. He also has to agree to your request, otherwise, I cannot offer you much,"


    Adam was glad that he admitted that and other than his figure, the giant man''s character reminded him of Chase''s.


    "Call whoever you want to watch the match and referee, just ensure that it is fair and we both receive our reward if we win," stated Adam.


    The giant man before him was the type to never go against his word and was clearly very honest.


    He was someone that fought with honour and wouldn''t use any underhanded tactics, which Adam was planning on using against him in his duel, but also allowed him to trust that he would do as he promised.


    "Alright then, I will try to get this arranged. In the meantime, I will provide you with a room to rest and stay in, but I must enforce the rules. You are not allowed to leave that room without permission and if you need anything, just request it and I will get someone to bring it to you,"


    Adam agreed and his conditions were quite reasonable and understandable considering the secrets that they must have and his duty to run and protect the base.


    The giant man was impressed by a few things and had never felt such a strong desire to battle someone in a while.


    He sought a challenge and was starting to get old, but for the first time in a while, felt as though he might be able to feel the thrill and adrenaline rush he felt as a youth.


    Adam was able to free himself from the cuffs, was completely confident in himself, while was also a good judge of character and by trusting the giant man to uphold his word, he was showing that he would do the same.


    He was exactly the type of person that the giant man liked, which was completely against what the soldiers had previously expected, and when they were recalled to his office, they were shocked to see him smiling.


    The giant man would usually be moody and smoking on a cigar, but he had a small smile on his face and instructed them to escort Adam to the best resting room that they had.


    They were already surprised that they didn''t hear any fighting or shouting, and were even more shocked to find that the giant man seemed to be accommodating to Adam.


    "Bring him anything he needs and requests as long as it is within your power and doesn''t go against the rules of the base, but also make sure he doesn''t leave the room he is designated"


    With their instructions, they were ready to escort Adam to where he would await the giant man''s confirmation of their duel.


    "See you later old man. Try not to hurt yourself before I beat you up," said Adam as he got up and called for Rex to follow after him.


    The giant man laughed while the soldiers were baffled by how casual and confrontational their words were to each other, and yet no conflict seemed to be sparked between them.


    Adam followed the escorts and entered the room he was given that was spacious and had all the things he would need to sit back and relax, while he could also play with Rex for a while.


    The cute dog that was also loyal and seemed to have come across his aunt was eager to play with Adam, but the games that Adam had in mind were not games that one could play with their ordinary dogs.


    "Bring me as much dog food as you can and also the biggest bowl you can find. Also, do not enter the room without knocking first, otherwise, you might get hurt," instructed Adam to the soldiers that had escorted him before closing the door on them.


    They were peak Advanced Cultivators that had previously captured Adam as a trespasser, and yet know they seemed to have become his servants and had no choice but to obey.


    Without wasting any time, they began doing what Adam had told them to, while two of them stayed at the door to make sure he couldn''t leave.


    Adam was within a room created from the same material that dampened his spiritual sense and was almost impossible to break through, so they weren''t worried about him being able to get out other than through the door.


    While Adam was also unsure whether the material would affect or block his Soul Form, but he wasn''t planning on trying and knew that in the base, there was likely to be many defences against souls.


    He had no reason to try to leave the room and the giant man that ran the base seemed reasonable, while in the time he had before sparing with him, he wanted to test what Rex was capable of.


    "Listen Rex.. Try your best to hit me with your paws and if you manage to do it, I will reward you. You can do anything you can to do it and this is our extreme version of tag,"

 Chapter 474 - Extreme Tag

    After telling Rex to try to hit him with its paws, Adam signalled for Rex to chase after him in case the dog beast didn''t completely understand and burst himself towards the wall.


    Rex was excited and its bright green eyes flashed as it blitzed after Adam and with unimaginable speed, nearly managed to catch Adam who hadn''t used his full speed off that bat.


    "This dog beast is not bad. Its speed is impressive and I haven''t seen its stats yet" mumbled Adam to himself as he used to Status Peering Feature while struggling to keep away from Rex.


    Not only was it fast, but it was also very nimble, agile and flexible, making it so that it was even better than Adam at quickly changing direction, but Adam made up for that with explosive power, raw speed and tactics.


    He had already tried using the Status Peering Feature on the giant man to get his exact stats, but it didn''t work and Adam didn''t rely on the Status Peering Feature to gauge the power of his opponents.


    Adam had grown to be able to sense his opponent''s cultivation level, and even if it was hidden, he trusted in his instincts that were almost always right and would always have an idea of the power of those around him.


    Rex - Adam''s Dog Beast Pet


    Physical Cultivation: LVL 192


    Strength: 201


    Speed: 320


    Intelligence: 250


    Resistance: 210


    Rex''s stats were impressive and with its high intelligence stat, Adam was sure that it would have very sharp senses, and as a Dog Beast, was likely to have an unbelievable strong sense of smell.


    It would be very useful when searching for someone, while what was most impressive was its speed that was higher than that of many Master Level Cultivators.


    Matched with its agility, flexibility and sharp teeth, it was an incredibly dangerous beast.


    Along with that, it also seemed to be quite observant and perceptive as it began recognising patterns in Adam''s movements and copying them.


    However, Adam was still a few steps ahead of it and they continued bursting around the room and it got close to touching Adam a few times, but he would always manage to dodge at the final moment.


    It was quite a large room, but with their great speed and physical power, they were bouncing around it like it was nothing.


    If one were to watch them, they would merely see blurs that were launching themselves from the walls, ceiling and the ground, while Adam continued to dodge all of Rex''s attempts to touch him.


    After an hour of Rex trying to catch Adam, although it might have seemed to an onlooker as though they were merely simply bouncing around the room, they were both making many calculations and reading the other''s movements.


    Rex still never managed to touch Adam, but managing to get close was impressive enough considering the gap in speed, experience and overall power.


    Forgetting that Adam had instructed them to knock, one of the soldiers open the door and in tow had a large barrel along with a large cart filled with cans of dog food.


    Rex couldn''t control its speed after bursting off the wall and was about to knock into the soldier with enough force to launch him slamming into the wall and severely damaging him.


    Adam didn''t care much about the soldier, but he hadn''t done anything wrong while he also wasn''t trying o spark any conflict, so quickly used the Air Palm Strike Skill to hit Rex.


    He didn''t use his full power and only enough to push Rex to the side and allow him to narrowly avoid hitting the soldier.


    Rex crashed face-first into the wall and was dazed from the impact as it collapsed onto the ground.


    The dog beast was already fatigued from playing Extreme Tag with Adma in the room for an entire hour, and colliding with the wall was what pushed him over the edge.


    Adam thanked the soldier, then told him to quickly leave and began opening the dog food cans and pouring them into the barrel.


    As soon as he opened the first can, Rex sprung up and hadn''t smelled anything like that before, but it drew it towards it.


    Adam laughed and instructed it to wait a moment, then once he poured all the dog food into the barrel, he could eat as much as he pleased.


    Recognising that it was likely to have only lived off dead bodies and random chemicals and unusual substances that were in the abandoned lab, Adam assumed that ordinary dog food would smell and taste heavenly to the dog.


    It seemed as though he was right, and as soon as he finished and stepped back, the tired and still dizzy dog beast pounced towards the barrel.


    Knocking the barrel over intentionally, it began sucking up all the dog food that began pouring all over the ground like a vacuum.


    Within a minute, the cart full of dog food that the soldiers had brought in had been finished by Rex and he licked the barrel clean, before collapsing again.


    It seemed as though it was only its hunger that got it to wake up again, and checking on his body, Adam was shocked by what he observed and sensed.


    Rex seemed to be able to cultivate in its sleep, and similar to how the Ethereal Skill worked, he would enter a mentally dormant state, then his body would automatically begin absorbing and circulating energy.


    "What a coincidence. We both cultivate in our sleep" said Adam to himself, who had previously been planning on only keeping Rex around him temporarily, but was beginning to think as though he might have found a useful, worthy and fun companion.


    As Rex rested and cultivated in its sleep, Adam activated the Ethereal Recovery Skill to prepare himself physically and mentally for when he was going to spar with the giant man.


    He couldn''t help but feel excited and by defeating him in a duel, not only would his reputation and ranking on the Top Cultivator Ranking increase, but he would also be granted freedom within the country, which would be very useful.

 Chapter 475 - The Man That Can Get It Done

    After a few hours of silence, in which Adam and Rex had been in dormant and ethereal states that allowed them to recover rapidly, they finally awoke at similar times.


    Rex had even cultivated slightly in the dormant state it was and when it awoke, despite all the food that it had eaten just before it began recovering, it was hungry again.


    Waddling over to Adam, Rex huddled up beside him and also signalled to Adam that it was hungry.


    Adam laughed and called for the soldiers to bring even more food, but to also bring food for him.


    It had been a while since he had last eaten and he requested enough food to feed an entire family, and yet Adma felt as though he was quite reserved with his order and could eat much more than that.


    They did as he said, since that was what they had been instructed to by their boss and they quickly returned with what he requested.


    This time, the soldier made sure to knock, remembering how he was nearly hit by Rex and couldn''t help but smile slightly, seeing Adam playing with the small and cute dog.


    But remembering how fast and frightening the dog was when it nearly accidentally crashed into him, that scene was tainted and he left the food that Adam requested before quickly leaving them.


    Around the room they were in, despite the strength and durability of the material it was made out of, their game of Extreme Tags had managed to create small dents after continuously bursting off the walls.


    It was unbelievable that they were able to do so much and move at such high speeds for so long, hearing continuous banging sounds as they bounced around the room.


    Adam dove into his food and began eating, while he told Rex to open the cans of dog food itself and that it could use its teeth to do so.


    To his surprise, Rex didn''t listen and merely chomped on entire cans and crunched on the metal can as if it was nothing.


    Since it was a beast and didn''t seem to be struggling to digest all the metal he was consuming, Adam didn''t stop him and was too busy scoffing down his own food.


    After finishing, Adam could still eat more, but was stuffed and satisfied, while Rex felt the same way, as they both lay on their backs and relaxed.


    However, their relaxation was cut short as the soldier quickly came into their room and didn''t knock, which was unusual.


    "You have been called to urgently head toward the entrance gate. The boss awaits you along with a senior figure within the army that we do not know. I was told that you knew about this and that you need to prepare to leave with them immediately," reported the leader of the group of soldiers.


    Hearing that, Adam jumped up and had a smile on his face, ready and excited to take on the giant man and also see who exactly the senior figure within the army was and what they were capable of.


    Being escorted to the entrance gate of the base, which took a while to get to because of the sheer size of the base, Adam was greeted by the giant man along with an enormous vehicle that was similar to the one he had been escorted in.


    "Come inside, the man who can make our duel happen is in there, but he said he wanted to meet you first," he said as he entered and told Adam to come in after him.


    Adam was impressed by how quickly the giant man had gotten in contact and gotten someone that was powerful enough to oversee their duel and provide him with the reward that he wanted.


    Confidently and calmly getting into the vehicle, Adam carried Rex in with him, who he had accepted as his pet and companion from then on after testing its capabilities and also enjoying its company.


    It was unbelievably spacious within the vehicle despite the size of the giant man that sat next to him, while the person who was supposedly a senior figure within the army looked nothing like one would expect.


    He had a small figure and yet he sat alone opposite them while Adam was cramped with the old man and Rex on the other side.


    The man had didn''t have an intimidating aura, but something about him was unusual and his presence made people feel uncomfortable.


    "So this is the one you spoke about. Interesting" he mumbled to himself as he stared at Adam with his beady eyes and moved closer towards Adam''s face.


    Staring straight into his eyes, Adam felt as though he could see into his soul, but felt no fear and also glared back into the eyes of the weird man before him, causing the man to smile.


    "He is a fearless and brave one. A young warrior as they say,"


    The man was very weird and Adam called the giant man an old man, so what could he call the man before him who appeared to be on the verge of decomposing.


    He had a sickly appearance and very pale skin, along with freakishly long nails and an extremely skinny body.


    [You mean to tell me that this is the man that can get it done? He is nothing like I expected, and even this titan of a human seems to be afraid and intimidated by him] thought Adam to himself.


    {He is so weird right, touching you like that} affirmed Ava.


    [Is someone getting jealous?] teased Adam, causing Ava to become flustered and became defensive.


    However, Adam quickly ignored her and focused on the situation at hand, knowing that if he suddenly spaced out and spoke to Ava within his mind, it would appear as if he was crazy to those around him.


    "So then, tell me about this little one. What is its name?" asked the man as it went to pet Rex.


    Unlike with the giant man, Rex didn''t dare to bite his hand and hid behind Adam, seemingly afraid of the unusual man.

 Chapter 476 - You May Begin

    Adam knew better than to judge off of appearances and didn''t show disrespect towards the man, but also didn''t submit to him and responded clearly, confidently and directly.


    "The dog''s name is Rex, and it''s just a dog beast. I am sure you have seen many of them and it is nothing special" answered Adam, not wanting to reveal too much about Rex and end up admitting that he had taken it from the Secret Lab that he had trespassed on.


    "Is that so?" he said as he stroked the long hairs that protruded out of his chin.


    "Where did you come across this beast as the way it is mutated and appears to be, seems to have something to do with an experiment that I know of?"


    "Well, I came across him a while ago in another country and I don''t know much about it, but it is my pet and that is all I need to know," answered Adam.


    "Is that so?" he repeated as he continued making the same action.


    "Even if that is the case, let me tell you something about that dog beast. It seems to be a successful experiment of ours that we don''t know about and the only one of its kind. I am unsure how exactly it came into your possession, but I must warn you, that if it truly is a success, then it is a monster that you should be wary of,"


    "I reassure you, I can take care of it and whether it was an experiment or not, it is now my pet, and I will handle it,"


    "Is that so?"


    "Just to let you know for future reference, it is a beast that was produced with the intent of creating the ultimate weapon in the form of a beast. It is an unrestrainable monster that grows stronger by consuming the flesh and bodies of others, and to be honest, it was only a concept and a failed experiment. The thing hiding behind you is both a miracle and a curse, and how far it can develop into the weapon that we envisioned is unknown, but since it is so attached to you, it is best that it stays with you,"


    "It is probably failed as what we envisioned is impossible to produce, but you on the other hand are one great specimen," he said, as he continued poking at Adam''s body.


    Sitting comfortably, Adam allowed the old man to ramble on to himself and do as he pleased.


    Adam felt as though he was in a hospital being checked up by a doctor, because of how much the weird man was observing and prodding at his body, until he finally snapped.


    "Can we get straight to business? Can you or can you not act as the judge, referee and oversee of our battle? And can you guarantee my freedom within this country if I win,"


    Adam spoke sternly and directly, shocking the giant man who despite his size, acted like a frightened child while around the unusual old man before them.


    "Alright. If you are so desperate to begin, then we shall do so," he said as he began to chuckle to himself.


    "You want to duel Marco who is not only at a higher cultivation level than you, but is also more influential, powerful and experienced than you?"


    "Yes,"


    "And on the line, you are willing to work for him for the rest of your life if you lose, while if you win, you want complete freedom within the country and want the army to not get in your way,"


    "Yes,"


    "I can agree to the terms and I am capable of making what you want to happen if you win, but I have another condition. If you are to lose, that little dog will also join under the army and you will both become at our complete disposal."


    "Yes, I can agree to that only if the match is fair and you allow me to add something else,"


    "What?"


    "If I win, not only do I get complete freedom in this country, but Marco will also work under me and will no longer be affiliated with the Russian Army,"


    Marco was shocked by Adam''s addition, but in all honesty, didn''t have an issue with it.


    Seeing that, the crooked old man agreed to Adam''s terms, and they began heading to an empty area in which they could fight without ending to worry about hurting or revealing cultivation to others.


    Adam was quite sure that the giant man wouldn''t do anything underhanded and was confident that he could defeat him, however, he couldn''t say the same for the old man.


    Such a powerful, cruel and unusual figure couldn''t be trusted, so Adam was wary of him and prepared himself for anything underhanded that he may have in store to make him lose the duel.


    "So this giant man is Marco, but I am yet to know your name," said Adam.


    "I am Milo, famed for my research and experiments that have had many breakthroughs and were involved in the creation of that monster behind you," he answered.


    Adam remembered that name and if he did try anything, it would be something that he would use to find him and end his life, while he also used it for some extra security.


    They drove for a short while longer and they all sat in an awkward, tense and silent environment until they reached their destination, which was a deserted area that would allow them to fight to their heart''s content.


    The reason it was deserted was because it was so cold that it would be almost impossible to live there, and only because they were cultivators could they handle such harsh environments with ease.


    Adam stood 20 metres away from Marco and they were both ready and eager to begin their duel, while Milo stood to the side and was the one that was refereeing the match.


    "You may begin," he declared.


    As soon as he did, Adam and Marco burst towards each other.

 Chapter 477 - Reflection Style

    Adam was shocked by Marco''s great speed that surpassed even his, which was impressive considering how large and heavy his body must be.


    He also seemed very skilled and combat, while was also confident in his body''s defence, which was understandable after seeing that even Rex''s bite could barely pierce his skin.


    As he reached Adam, he went straight in for a fist towards Adam''s face, which Adam narrowly dodged, seeing the attack coming, but was shocked to suddenly be struck in the side by a rapid kick.


    His flexibility, agility and speed were all incredible and with such a large, powerful and durable body, he appeared to be the perfect fighter.


    Adam put his arms up just in time to block the kick, but there was enough force and power behind the attack to launch him flying backwards.


    Shaking it off, Adam had managed to use his defensive techniques before the attack hit him, so he didn''t suffer much, but he couldn''t help but begin to take the fight seriously.


    Focusing completely, Marco had Adam beaten in every single Physical Stat, while he also seemed to be much more experienced in combat and suited to the terrain.


    Adam had no advantages so to speak and was also at a disadvantage, considering that Milo ultimately wanted him to lose and was likely to try to make sure that happened.


    Despite that, backing down was something that Adam would never do and he also felt as though there was no need for him to use his Devouring Death Daggers, his Bloodlust Characteristic or his Unique Collector Skill.


    He wanted to make it a fair, challenging and interesting fight that he could develop and learn from, while Marco was also someone he wanted to recruit, so killing him or severely injuring him wouldn''t do him any good and went against what he had agreed on with him.


    "You are not bad, kid, managing to block my attack and not suffer any damage from it,"


    "I was about to say the same thing to you. You are such a big oaf, and yet you are quite skilled,"


    Both of them were enjoying the battle and just getting started as they launched themselves towards each other a second time and clashed mid-air.


    Taking his attacks head-on would be stupid and would require Adam to use much more energy and effort than Marco, weakening him, so instead, Adam was trying to evade most of his attacks.


    While doing so, he needed to land attacks of his own and Rex and Milo who were watching, would never have thought that Marco was supposedly much more powerful than Adam.


    It seemed to be a relatively even fight, but it was clear that Marco was slowly, but steadily, gaining the upper hand.


    Unleashing a flurry of fists towards Marco''s stomach, they barely even hurt him, and with a single fist from Marco, Adam would be launched sliding back.


    [Damn it. Unlike Chase, this guy''s entire body appears to be trained. He also has much more muscle mass, so it feels almost impossible to damage him internally] thought Adam to himself as he somersaulted backwards to avoid Marco''s next attack.


    Adam had been trying to find any patterns in Marco''s attacks and find any weaknesses, but Marco was seemingly too skilled and experienced and he seemed to be fighting without any form or battle style.


    It was almost as if he was fighting without thinking, making it so that predicting his moves beforehand were almost impossible.


    Matched with his ultimate defence, he was a very difficult opponent, with Adam only managing to keep up with him because of his great power and combat prowess.


    One disadvantage of Marco''s large figure, and bustling muscles was that he would unknowingly telegraph his attacks and Adam would be able to see the small contractions in his muscles and gauge how Marco was going to attack next.


    But with Marco''s speed, flexibility and range of different attacks, it still wasn''t enough to gain the upper hand and within a matter of minutes, Adam was completely on the defensive.


    "You were so confident before kid. Where did all that confidence go?" he bellowed as he launched Adam into the air, before jumping up to meet him in the air, then slam him downwards onto the ground.


    Adam''s was struck down with such force that he formed a crater where he landed and barely managed to move in time to dodge Marco''s next attack.


    Wiping some blood that was leaking from his mouth after the impact, Adam was still calm and confident and was beginning to understand how Marco fought.


    He was like a mirror, and anything you threw at him would be reflected back at you.


    His body''s powerful defence allowed him to sustain powerful attacks without suffering any damage and the energy and force behind such attacks would then be reflected by him through his own attacks.


    Meaning if Adam weren''t to attack him, his attacks wouldn''t be the formless attacks that were difficult to dodge, but his own attacks that were powerful, but not as difficult to handle.


    Standing there, Adam had a smile on his face and Marco was surprised and impressed to see that Adam wasn''t charging towards him and trying to attack him like he previously was.


    "It seems as though you have figured it out. My Reflection Style. Most are unable to, while those that do, usually realise it when it is too late. However don''t get it twisted, that isn''t the limit to my capabilities," said Marco as he charged towards Adam.


    Marco was still a skilled fighter even without using that ability to his advantage, but he didn''t know about all the things that Adam had hidden within his arsenal of abilities.


    Suddenly using the Step Skip Skill, Adam instantaneously appeared behind Marco and even Milo, who was much more powerful than Adam, couldn''t track his movements or how he was able to disappear and appear behind Milo in the link of an eye.


    "Time to turn the tides of this battle," said Adam as he struck Marco''s back with his fist.


    A normal fist strike against Marco''s body would have minimal effects, however, Adam''s punch seemed to be unusual and had more to it than an ordinary punch.

 Chapter 478 - Bombardment Style

    "Marco, your body and Reflection Style are impressive, but you are far from invincible. I will show you that today and even though you may think I am weaker than you, the strongest is the one who wins the battle, not the one with the most raw power,"


    As he said that, Adam''s fist landed on Marco and Milo and Marco who were expecting an amazingly powerful attack after Adam''s big talk, were shocked and amused to find that it was even weaker than his previous punches.


    "Are you getting tired already? I thought you were better than..." said Marco, before suddenly feeling as though he was unable to speak and being launched flying away.


    "I haven''t sat by idly when you struck me and was analysing your body and thinking of ways to take you down. Honestly, you are amazing and can crush many cultivators at the same cultivation level as you, but I am not your average cultivator,"


    Forming a new skill that he named the Delayed Burst Fist, Adam found the perfect attack that would be effective against Marco.


    His Reflection Style would act almost instantaneously and transfer the power of the attack he sustained into his own power that he would reflect onto his opponent.


    However, by releasing a delayed burst of energy after his fist struck him, not only could Adam disrupt the reflection style, but he could also land a powerful attack on him while he was vulnerable.


    Marco never imagined that Adam would be able to come up with and successfully pull off a counter measure to how he fought and Adam was the most frightening opponent he had ever faced.


    It wasn''t anything to do with his power or fighting capabilities, but his mind and how quickly he could find an opponent''s weakness and understand how they fight, then act on the weakness that they found.


    However, Marco didn''t get to his position, ranking and power with muscle power alone and had other ways of fighting other than the Reflection Style.


    He had never had to resort to the style he was about to unleash against Adam, but he had no choice and didn''t want to lose against Adam.


    Even if he won, he didn''t anything from Adam, but he was too enthralled in the heat of battle to think about such things.


    All he was focusing on was taking down his opponent and experiencing a thrilling, tough and amazing battle with a worthy opponent.


    "It seems that you are finally taking this seriously. Then let''s truly begin this battle," said Adam, seeing that Marco was no longer planning on holding back.


    "You have seen my Reflection Style, well how about I show you my Bombardment Style? This is a friendly warning, prepare yourself and try not to die,"


    After saying that, Adam could see Marco''s body begin steaming and turn bright red, seemingly burning up.


    Marco''s Reflection Style worked by taking on attacks and guiding the power of the attacks around his body by precise contractions and relaxations of the muscles throughout his body.


    He could pass the impact through relaxed muscles around his body and control them with the contractions, then lead the power out of his body in an attack or movement of his own.


    Marco was only able to pull off and create such a combat style because of the Mind-Muscle connection that he was gifted with.


    It was that Mind-Muscle connection that also allowed him to strengthen his body as much as he did and perfectly pinpoint and train every part of his body until there were no weak points that his opponents could exploit.


    Using his Mind-Muscle connection, he had also formed another battle style that he would only use as a last resort against worthy opponents, and Adam was one of the few that had the opportunity to experience it firsthand.


    Milo had heard of Marco''s power and skill, but he hadn''t seen it for himself and was very impressed by it, while he was also fascinated by Adam, especially after he used the Step Skip Unique Skill.


    Adam used the Step Skip Skill a second time and continuously used the Delayed Burst Fist Skill that he had come up with to counter Marco''s Reflection Style.


    Marco seemed to need some time to activate and begin using his Bombardment Style, but Adam wasn''t planning on letting him use it so easily and continued attacking him and making the most of the upper hand that he had.


    "You have had your fun, now it is my turn" he roared as a great wave of power was released from his power.


    The Refection Style was a passive combat style that would act in response to an attack, while the Bombardment Style was the opposite.


    It would allow him to grow stronger the more attacks he managed to land on his opponents in a row without the opponent dodging or countering any of the attacks.


    Essentially, it was a combat style that would allow him to build momentum and continuously increase the power and speed of his attacks as he bombarded his opponent with his attacks.


    Once one was caught in his Bombardment, if they were unable to get out of it by dodging an attack or countering with an attack of their own, their fate was sealed.


    Launching himself towards Adam, Marco''s body was in a strengthened state in which its one aim was to unleash an endless streak of attacks that would crush his opponent.


    Just like the Reflection Style, it was a battle style that only he could pull off successfully, and use to defeat his opponents, or so he thought.


    It was clear to Adam that Marco''s speed and power had increased, but there was more to the Bombardment Style than that and from the name that he had revealed to him, it was clear that it would involve overwhelming him.


    However, Adam was not going to back down or allow any battle style to get the better of him.


    "Just like your Reflection Style, I will find the weak point of this battle style and come out on top,"

 Chapter 479 - Attack Pattern

    Adam had been injured more than Marco and had also been forced to use more energy, but their battle was far from over and was only just starting to peak.


    Marco had activated the Bombardment Style that was his ultimate battle style that he would only use against opponents that he recognised as worthy, while Adam was only just getting warmed up.


    Only by facing tough opponents could one truly progress.


    That was something that they both agreed on and Adam had had his fair share of tough battles in the dungeons, but this was one of the most thrilling battles that he had experienced in reality against an opponent that he admired.


    It wasn''t his power, but his incredible control over his muscles and body that were truly impressive, along with his character.


    However, both didn''t want to back down or lose and even though they didn''t have anything against their opponent and felt favourably towards them, they both desired to come out on top.


    The best thing they could do in respect of their opponent was fight with their full power and that was exactly what both of them were planning on doing.


    [The Unique Collector Skill and my Form Switching are off-limits in this battle, but maybe I might go against what I had initially planned and use my Bloodlust Characteristic to increase my power and be able to match you] thought Adam to himself as he was suddenly struck by Marco''s fist.


    Adam had blocked it, but he had fallen into Marco''s trap and as soon as he did, a second, then third attack followed and although the first fist wasn''t as strong as Marco''s previous attacks, the power of his attacks began rapidly increasing.


    "So this is the Bombardment Style," said Adam as he felt as though he was trapped in an endless flurry of attacks that grew more powerful and were destroying his body.


    Before they could do too much damage to him, Adam used the Step Skip Skill to get away from Marco and out of his seemingly endless combination of attacks.


    The Bombardment Style also involved attacking in a manner that would allow him to continuously attack without needing to pause and the attacks were perfectly gelled and led onto the other.


    Breaking out of it would be extremely difficult and even Adam felt as though he wouldn''t be able to do so without the Step Skip Skill or some other trump card that he had.


    He had blood and wounds all over him, and appeared to be physically battered, but the fire in his eyes hadn''t died down in the slightest and it was that fire that made Adam and many others so great at combat.


    The will to never back down, lose or give up.


    "Come at me again" roared Adam as he unleashed more of his power and prepared himself to take on Marco''s Bombardment a second time.


    By rapid contractions and relaxations in all of his muscles at the same time, Marco was able to enter a state in which his strength and speed were greatly enhanced, however it was straining for his body to maintain.


    The faster the fluctuations in his muscles, the hotter his body became and the more energy he used, while he would also experience more strain, but the speed and strength increase that he would experience would be greater.


    Adam couldn''t mimic such a way of increasing his power, but he had no need to, and it was a way of increasing one''s strength that would cause strain and push one''s body to its limits, just like the Bloodlust Characteristic''s power that he had.


    By controlling the Blood Burning and Blood Berserker extensions, his power could greatly increase for a short period of time just like Marco''s, so unlike the Reflection Style, the Bombardment Style was one that Adam could copy.


    The only issue was his combination of attacks was too complex, flexible and continuously adapted and changed, so it was difficult for Adam to copy in order to create a Bombardment Style of his own.


    However the Hunter''s Mind and the Mind Ring made it so that his mind was capable of almost anything and he felt his head aching, but still drew out more power from the Mind Ring.


    [I need to be able to copy those movements and attack patterns, otherwise, I won''t have gained anything from this battle and I also won''t be able to beat him without using more of my trump cards] thought Adam to himself.


    His daggers, fire elemental affinity, Unique Collector Skill, Beast Transformation and Soul Skills were all things he didn''t want to reveal and use in his battle against Marco.


    If he did, he was quite sure that he would have taken down Marco with ease and very quickly, but they were the ultimate trump cards that he used freely in the dungeon and only when he was forced to in reality.


    In order to copy the Bombardment Style, he would need to experience it used against him again, and with his increased speed and power due to the Bloodlust Characteristic, Adam was hoping to be able to block most of the attacks and keep up with Marco''s great speed.


    Marco blitzed through the air and struck Adam with a frontal kick to the head, which Adam narrowly avoided, but was followed up with a spinning hammer fist to the face.


    Adam couldn''t dodge it in time, so had no choice but to block it, and as soon as he did, Marco would experience a burst of speed and take the instant that I was dazed after blocking, to attack me a second time.


    That was the spark to the bombardment and with his attacks becoming faster and more powerful, the target would become overwhelmed and unable to escape it.


    Once again, Adam used the Step Skip Skill to get out of it and then called for Marco to try again, continuing to watch and learn from Marco.


    After experiencing it a few times, Adam finally managed to break out of it for the first time without needing to use the Step Skip Skill and he had finally succeeded in understanding Marco''s attack pattern.

 Chapter 480 - Taste Of Your Own Medicine

    Marco was using the Bombardment against Adam again, trying to damage him as much as possible before he used the Step Skip Skill to escape it again, but this time Adam didn''t need to use it.


    Although Adam had been injured and weakened a lot by sustaining the Bombardment multiple times, from it, he had managed to understand and recognise how it all worked.


    Instead of Marco''s method of boosting his physical capabilities, Adam could use the Bloodlust Characteristic, so in theory, he should be able to pull off the same thing.


    All that was left was to try it and just as Marco had begun his bombardment, he suddenly sensed it fail and Adam struck his stomach with the Delayed Burst Fist and launched him sliding backwards.


    Marco was shocked and never expected that Adam would be able to break his bombardment, while Adam was out of breath and battered badly, but felt as though it was only a matter of time until he won the battle.


    "Now it''s time for you to have a taste of your own medicine," bellowed Adam as he launched himself towards Marco.


    Adam had only one chance at pulling it off and winning the battle, while although Marco was the creator of the battle style, it didn''t mean that he would be able to break out of it and Adam had also made his own additions to it.


    Starting with a simple fist, as soon as Marco blocked it, Adam began a bombardment of his own and both Marco and Milo were amazed by what they were seeing.


    Adam in a matter of minutes had found all the weaknesses and also managed to copy one of his battle styles, along with somehow boosting his power and having an extremely durable body.


    Everything about him seemed amazing and there was no obvious weakness, which made it so that he couldn''t be taken down quickly, and in that time, Adam would be able to learn from the attacks of his opponent and find a way to defeat them.


    Despite the power boost that Marco had experienced by pushing his body to its limits, it still wasn''t enough for him to be able to break out of Adam''s bombardment.


    Adam''s attacks gained momentum and had found that the key to the bombardment was to follow up attacks using the contact force of the previous attack, so that the power and speed of that attacks continued to improve.


    After almost a hundred attacks that Adam unleashed in a few seconds, Marco was battered to a pulp and launched flying away after Adam ended the bombardment.


    There was no way for Marco to win the battle any longer and although Adam was fatigued and injured, victory was in sight, so there was no need to continue attacking and injuring him.


    Marco however didn''t give up and although he felt as though winning was no longer possible, backing down without a fight was not something that he would do.


    Adam was a great opponent and had nearly beaten him fair and square, but the battle wasn''t over until Marco could no longer fight and it seemed as though getting him to give up was a lost cause.


    "This is a private match and don''t worry about your ranking. I will treat you well when you join me, just back down,"


    Adam''s words were genuine, and he didn''t want to have to hurt him any more, while he also didn''t want to have to push his body any further without any need to.


    However, his words didn''t manage to get through to Marco who charged towards him and was his spirit and willpower were the only things keeping his body going as he launched a weak fist towards Adam''s stomach.


    Adam didn''t think much of the fist and could easily dodge it, then was going to use it to flip Marco and slam him onto the ground, but suddenly as the attack neared him, Marco''s speed and power abruptly increased.


    They increased even further than they were when Marco was in his peak state during their battle and Adam blurted out a curdle of blood as he was struck in the stomach.


    He was launched upwards into the air, then Marco burst up into the air and struck Adam downwards with both his arms, slamming him into the ground and causing him to vomit out even more blood.


    Adam could feel his consciousness fading and the power of those attacks were not something that Marco should be able to pull off, especially after the wounded state that he was in.


    Even Marco appeared confused by his sudden increase in power, which made it clear to Adam what exactly had occurred.


    Seeing that Adam had basically won the battle, Milo who was observing from the side couldn''t watch and do nothing.


    He couldn''t afford to lose the chance to get Rex and Adam under his control, who were such great specimens that would help greatly help his research.


    Inconspicuously he had streamed a large amount of energy into a small needle that he flung with perfect accuracy to strike a pressure point in the back of Marco''s neck.


    Through his many years of researching the human body and methods of increasing one''s power, he found a way to increase one''s power for a short period of time by puncturing that pressure point.


    One wouldn''t feel it, but one''s body would automatically enter a strengthened state in which all pain, hesitation or fear is removed and the body unleashes hidden strength in a final bid to survive.


    Along with that, he had also streamed some of his own energy into the needle which was more than enough to turn the tides of the battle, while the needle was too deeply embedded into his neck and thin to be seen even by cultivators.


    Marco despite the effects of Milo''s puncturing couldn''t help but hesitate for a moment, feeling that his freakish boost in power was unnatural and was likely to do with Milo cheating, but it was only for a moment.


    That particular pressure point would make one''s instincts take over their mind and Marco had done well to even realise the truth behind it, but it was too late.

 Chapter 481 - One Chance

    Marco continued his attacks aimed at Adam instinctively, and launched himself towards him, while Adam could barely move and quickly used the Step Skip Skill to act.


    The moment of hesitation that Marco experienced was all Adam needed to find out what exactly Milo had done in order to make Marco suddenly go wild and increase his power like that.


    If he wasn''t able to end it soon, not only would he have no choice of winning against him, but Marco was also likely to suffer irreversible damage due to the strain that the power is likely to put on his body that can''t handle it.


    Confronting him about it and accusing him of intervening or cheating wouldn''t do Adam any good and things had turned out just as he had hoped they wouldn''t.


    Withdrawing his Death Devouring Daggers, Adam had one chance to stop Marco in his tracks without harming him too much and while also finding how exactly Milo had managed to cheat.


    Adam had a fraction of a second before Marco''s next attack reached him and by using his Mind Ring''s power to its fullest, he finally realised what it was.


    There was a minuscule refraction of light behind Marco''s neck and it would have been impossible for anyone else to notice it, but with Adam''s keen senses and unbelievable focus, he was able to do so.


    He didn''t make it obvious to Milo that he did and also made it seem as though he couldn''t move as he stood there seemingly helplessly as Marco attacked him.


    Suddenly, just as Marco''s rapid and powerful attack was about to hit Adam, he disappeared and appeared a metre away from Marco.


    Adam hadn''t used the Step Skip Skill or switch to his Soul Form to do so.


    It was all thanks to the Ghost Step Movement Skill that he had stolen off the Silent Ghost and managed to master to a point that even surpassed the Silent Ghost that created it.


    The essence of the Moment Skill was to create an illusion that made it seem as though one had disappeared and it was done by sudden, rapid movements using energy following a specific method to produce such effects.


    Adam had also made his own addition that would allow him to follow up with the Step Skip Skill and Marco who was already shocked by Adam''s sudden disappearance, couldn''t react to his attack.


    Knowing he only had once chance, despite his low HP, SP and energy stores, Adam unleashed any power he had let to ensure that he came out on top, while he also didn''t want to harm Marco who seemed to be fighting unconsciously.


    Appearing behind Marco, with his Death Devouring Daggers that granted him a small power boost that allowed him to pull off his previous manoeuvre, Adam slashed at the back of Marco''s neck.


    With such a big opening he could have dealt him a decisive blow that killed him, but doing so would only cost Adam as Marco would become his subordinate after he won the battle.


    All he needed to do was cut deep enough to take out the needle that Milo had used to increase his power, and he succeeded, while in the process also recovered slightly by siphoning some of Marco''s energy and blood.


    As soon as he did, Marco stumbled backwards and fell onto the ground, suddenly overcome by a wave of fatigue and pain all over his body, and Milo couldn''t believe what he just witnessed.


    Even he couldn''t react to Adam''s manoeuvre and attack that he couldn''t believe Adam actually managed to pull off, since a few moments before he seemed to be on the verge of death.


    While he couldn''t help but want to get his hands on Adam no matter the cost.


    Such an incredible specimen was one in a billion and maybe the only of his kind in the entire world, with so many different capabilities, secrets and infinite potential.


    Little did he know Adam was the only of his kind in the universe and that he was yet to show all of his capabilities, with some of his hidden trump cards being much more amazing than what he had already shown.


    [Milo, one day you will regret trying to cheat, but for now there is nothing I can do to you] thought Adam to himself as he called Rex over and prepared to leave.


    "I have one and keep your word about granting me freedom in this country," stated Adam as he began walking away.


    He acted as though he was fine, but he could barely walk straight and had needed to push himself quite a lot during his battle with Marco, especially while trying to learn his Bombardment Style.


    Staggering away with Rex by his side, Adam suddenly sensed danger and without thinking, he kicked Rex away and used the Step Skip Sill to get away.


    If he had reacted a millisecond later, a blade of energy would have sliced his back and after sustaining such a deep wound, he would be completely defenceless and wouldn''t be able to stay conscious.


    Knowing Milo could possibly try to go back on his word, Adam was on high alert and that was the only reason he would be able to react so quickly, but trying to dodge an attack of that speed and power in a real battle would be extremely difficult.


    Rex was shocked by Adam suddenly kicking it, but immediately afterwards saw the blade of energy strike the ground and leave a deep scar, making it feel grateful for Adam saving it.


    While it also felt useless and weak, relying on his master even when they were fatigued and injured.


    "You are one amazing individual. Even in the state you are in, you were able to avoid that attack and save that monster by your side. Even Marco would struggle to do that," said Milo as he approached Adam.


    He had an evil smile and his true nature and intentions had been revealed, while Adam wasn''t surprised by his actions in the slightest and was still staying calm.

 Chapter 482 - Safe Gamble

    "You are yet to crack and are still calm and confident with those red eyes of yours, but we will see if you can maintain that after I am finished experimenting on your fascinating body," said Milo as he approached Adam, with an evil smile on his face.


    Adam was completely vulnerable and fighting back without harming himself would be impossible, while even if he used all of his trump cards, in the state he was in, victory seemed almost impossible.


    "Stop it, sir. You can''t go against your word" called out Marco, who despite being fatigued and knowing he had no chance against Adam, got up to try to defend him.


    Adam had earned his respect and as part of the terms of that battle, he had become his subordinate and was no longer affiliated with the army, while he was also indebted to Adam for sparing him even after he began wildly attacking him.


    "You were the one responsible for the changes I experienced and I know that only you could do something like that with our knowledge of the human anatomy and the use of pressure points,"


    Adam appreciate Marco trying to stand up for him and it was a great show of his character and loyal nature, but he was still confident and calm, which was disturbing Milo.


    "One''s word means nothing and if you cling to such meaningless things, then you must be idiots," Milo said as he burst out into laughter.


    They were in the middle of nowhere, while there were only few in the entire country that could stop him or make him think twice about doing what he wanted in that situation.


    "That is true for shameless and spineless cowards like yourself, but you are wrong and in the end, you won''t get anywhere," said Adam, as he smirked at Milo and looked at him with disdain.


    Adam lay on the ground, defenceless and seemingly unable to move, and yet he was so confident, calm and arrogant that it infuriated Milo to the point he no longer cared about keeping him alive.


    "Those eyes of yours agitate me, but it is the last time you will ever be able to look at anything. I can still research on your dead body, so have no need to spare your life," he bellowed angrily as he swung his arm downwards, as a blade of energy flew out of it and was about to slice off Adam''s head.


    "No," shouted Marco as he struggled to try to stop Milo, while Rex had also bolted towards Adam to try to stop the attack, but there was no hope.


    It seemed as though Adam dying was inevitable and by slicing his head off cleanly, Milo could still research Adam''s brain and body separately, mostly interested in his mind and eyes that were his strong points.


    But it seemed that Adam''s confidence wasn''t irrational and the blade that was about to sever Adam''s head suddenly stopped in mid-air.


    Adam was expecting him to be shameless and underhanded, but not to the extent that he would disregard everything in an attempt to capture and experiment on him, but for that reason, Adam had prepared beforehand.


    It was the reason he was so confident and it was still a gamble, but Adam was a gambler and although he didn''t like it, had to place his trust in and rely on someone else.


    Adam had secretly contacted Elizabeth while they were in the vehicle using their communication link that he had formed before leaving them in New York and instructed her to contact Nathaniel.


    After having the system for so long and talking to Ava within his mind, Adam had become very skilled at hiding what he was doing within his mind and maintaining a blank and unrevealing expression.


    He instructed her to get into contact with Nathaniel by any means necessary, and since they had become affiliated, Adam was quite sure that she would be able to do so quite easily.


    Although Nathaniel couldn''t be completely trusted, he was powerful and seemed interested in him, so Adam was planning on using him as a special measure in case everything went badly.


    Nathaniel had made it clear that he didn''t fear Adam or see him as someone that would one day threaten him, while the way he looked at Adam was similar to Milo.


    Adam had noticed it and it was almost as if he was looking at a research specimen or a plant that he had grown quickly and he was interested in watching it grow further.


    Because of those things, Adam felt as though it was a safe gamble and he told Elizabeth to relay to him what was occurring to him in Russia and that he was about to have an official duel.


    Just for extra security, he wanted Nathaniel to make sure that they kept their side of the agreement as there was no doubt in Adam''s mind that he would come out on top, but he never expected things to go so badly.


    Luckily for him, Nathaniel had gone slightly overboard when getting into contact with the Russian Army and it appeared as though he didn''t hold back when lending Adam a hand.


    The Master of the Russian Army, who was a figure said to be on par with Nathaniel, appeared out of thin air and even Adam didn''t see or sense him coming, and caught Milo''s blade of energy with his bare hands.


    Just like Nathaniel, he appeared ordinary to an outside viewer, which made him seem even more frightening and intimidating to Adam, while he also outwardly appeared to be in his middle-ages.


    His true age was not obvious, but he had luscious and long blond hair, along with bright blue eyes, granting him an elegant and pretty appearance.


    If it weren''t for his muscular and tall figure, if one looked at him, one may mistake him for a beautiful woman because of his hair and fair features.


    But one thing couldn''t be mistaken, he had an extremely powerful and intimidating presence that was masked by him, but still couldn''t be completely hidden.

 Chapter 483 - Russias Master

    Immediately upon the man''s appearance, Adam sensed Elizabeth calling him and answered her call through their communication connection.


    "Adam, Nathaniel has just contacted me. He said that the Master of the Russian Army should have appeared and that you owe him a favour," she said within his mind.


    "Thank him for me and tell him that if he needs me to do anything for him, to contact you, then you can pass onto me whatever he wants me to do," responded Adam before ending the call with her, telling her that he was in an urgent situation.


    Their exchange lasted a few seconds, and in that time, everything seemed to be silent and frozen, with even the wind seemingly afraid to come out in the presence of the figure before them.


    Adam couldn''t tell exactly how strong the figure before him was, but he was sure that he was much more powerful than himself, and was shocked and grateful for Nathaniel going to such lengths for him.


    If it wasn''t for that, he would likely be dead or would have died soon after.


    While it also made him more wary and afraid of Nathaniel who seemed to know everything that was happening to him at all times, almost as if he had eyes everywhere, and also seemed as though he was capable of anything.


    It was like having a wild beast by your side that was seemed to be calm.


    It could scare off enemies and come to your aid at times, but who knew when it would set its eyes on you.


    Along with that, Adam''s instincts told him that Nathaniel was more dangerous and capable than the incredibly powerful figure before him, which made him wonder exactly how powerful he was.


    "I can''t believe you would be so shameless and dishonourable. You have tainted the name of our organisation and I have granted you freedom as the mad researcher that has great results, but you have offended the subject of a friend of mine,"


    He spoke in a calm and gentle manner, and yet it seemed as though he was shouting at the top of his lungs and releasing an intimidating aura that made it so that even Milo was struggling to breathe.


    Hearing his words, Adam confirmed to himself that Nathaniel merely regarded him as a plaything, which he could benefit from for the time being, but he needed to be wary of him.


    "Sir, I didn''t know who he was and didn''t think you would come out of seclusion for such a small matter," said Milo respectfully as he bowed down and prayed for his master''s mercy.


    He had already looked into Adam and hadn''t found anything out of the ordinary that might make him dangerous or someone to look out for, and yet for him to be connected to a friend of the master, he must have a great background.


    "You are the Praying Mantis known for your energy blades, fast attacks and research skills, but unfortunately, this is the end for you,"


    For him to say such things, it was clear that he was likely planning on killing Milo and for him to go to such an extent for Adam, shocked them all and made Milo and Marco intrigued as to who Adam truly was.


    The Master would spend most of his time in seclusion and training, while controlling everything that was occurring from all over the world and would barely show himself, even when it came to matters affecting the entire country.


    He was supposedly a disciple of a hidden sect that was in the ancient lands and he would spend most of his time training there and cultivating his skills and knowledge, while the sect and the ancients allowed him to keep his position.


    His position was secret and unknown to most in the country, while he was devoted to the ancients, so they had no need to doubt him and also didn''t care much about the details, as long as they retained control.


    And yet, that master who hadn''t been seen for the past 100 years or so, appeared out of nowhere, all to save a random young cultivator and punish the one that was about to kill him.


    "Please master, I-I-I am sorry. I will..." he tried pleading, but it was to no avail and the next thing he knew his master was in front of him.


    Without remorse, his master struck his abdomen with a punch that appeared to be a simple punch, but it was clear that whatever the attack was, it was a powerful one.


    Adam and Marco instantly recognised the attack as the Crushing Fist that would destroy one''s dantian and disperse one''s Internal Cultivation, while also making it so that they can ever cultivate internally in the future.


    Milo''s Internal Cultivation was what he mostly trained in and what allowed him to be so powerful, while his External Cultivation was very weak and had declined greatly due to old age.


    He began uncontrollably vomiting large amounts of blood and his body began shaking frantically, entering a near-death state due to the shock of having his Internal Cultivation suddenly crushed and leaving a large amount of energy within his body that was rushing to get out of his body.


    "You are suspended from your position and if you survive from this, you are not to show your face in the presence of my organisation. Now leave here at once," he declared.


    Milo couldn''t argue and with blood pouring from his blood, he began staggering away and needed to receive urgent medical attention from a skilled cultivator otherwise he would die.


    With his knowledge of the anatomy, he was able to only just save his life by sealing the pressure points that controlled his nervous system and by also stopping a lot of the internal bleeding that was taking place within his body.


    Seeing the state he was in, Adam was confident he could take down Milo with ease, but if he was spared, with his knowledge, cruel nature and connections, he was likely to come back and bite him in the ass.


    Leaving loose ends was not something he liked, but for the time being, he needed to make sure not to offend the figure before him.

 Chapter 484 - Reasonable Terms

    Adam bowed his head and thanked him genuinely, but he didn''t seem to accept his thanks or like him in the slightest.


    "You might have caught that crazy man''s attention, but you are not to my liking. You are too wild, reckless and dangerous just like him. If you want to thank anyone, you should thank Nathaniel," he stated bluntly and honestly.


    Adam still maintained respect, and he didn''t seem to be malicious or trying to offend him, he was merely brutally honest.


    "If I didn''t hear that you were connected to him, I would have gotten you killed as soon as you stepped foot in my territory and you should be careful. Take this as a learning experience and I would appreciate it if you left my country as soon as you could, I don''t like having dangerous trouble makers around,"


    "Yes, I will do that after I finish my business. I should have freedom in the country now that I won the duel, and Marco should also be my subordinate and no longer affiliated to your organisation," said Adam directly, speaking as though he was speaking to a peer.


    Marco was gobsmacked, and he had to sow respect to Milo, let alone the master of the entire country that had a background that was even more frightening than his position.


    However, the figure didn''t seem to get angry and seemed impossible to get a reaction from him, as he stood there and seemed amused by Adam, but also disgusted by him.


    "Like the agreement previous was, Marco is now yours to do with as you please and the same for that creature, but I cannot guarantee your safety within this country. You will have freedom, in the manner that we will not pursue you, but if you trespass or cause large issues for the country, we will have no choice but to get involved. A few deaths and exploring abandoned areas are the extent of the freedom I can provide you, and I will give you a week to leave this country, otherwise my organisation will take action against you for the losses you have caused my organisation," he said before disappearing into thin air.


    Adam couldn''t tell if he had some sort of ability like that of Cole or was just incredibly fast, but it was almost as if he had become one with the fog.


    The master had a large figure, with long blonde hair and a charismatic and intimidating presence, but Adam was sure that he would soon catch up to and surpass him.


    It was only a matter of time and the small planet he was on couldn''t contain him for much longer.


    As long as he had Rex and Marco, while could also explore the country and look for traces of his aunt, he was happy and the man had saved his life, so there was no need to bargain with him.


    Because of that, Adam felt as though the man''s terms were reasonable and it was not like he could argue or change them even if he wanted to, but there was something he wanted to do more urgently.


    "Rex, quickly go and kill Milo and bring me his body. I need to make sure he dies," ordered Adam as he pointed in the direction that Milo had gone in.


    It would be easy for Rex to follow the scent even in the cold, windy and foggy environment they were in, while Adam was also confident that Rex could take him down in the state that he was in.


    Rex bolted in the direction that Adam pointed in without any hesitation and a minute later, it returned with a few wounds around its body and quite fatigued, along with Milo''s body in tow.


    Adam was barely staying conscious, but he wanted to make sure that Milo was dead and was shocked to see that he seemed to have put up a fight.


    As soon as Rex delivered Milo''s body, it collapsed and lost consciousness and it seemed to have been poisoned and there were some needles all around its body.


    "No wonder he could put up a fight. It seems as though I underestimated him, but he definitely is someone that is skilled and was not only a skilled combatant known as the praying mantis, but was also very knowledgeable,"


    Adam checked on Rex''s body and observed that it had entered a state in which it was dormant and it seemed as though this body was fighting the poison in its sleep, but from the rate that it was getting rid of the poison, it didn''t seem to be able to recover.


    Milo had poised Rex with the most powerful poison that he had created, which took him dozes of years of research.


    Knowing his life was over, it was a final bid to deal Adam a blow before he died, and since he accepted his death and was already old without much to live for, his soul as taken away by a Death Wraith to the underworld.


    The poison was formed out of all the deadliest poisons he had come across his entire life of research, and by fusing them, he created a poison that could mutate and multiply within the body of the victim.


    Adam observed what the poison was doing and estimated that it wouldn''t take long for the prison to become too strong for Rex''s body to handle.


    A poison that could grow stronger and mutate at unbelievable rates was a sure kill even for cultivators that surpassed the Grandmaster Level and it was his secret weapon that he had been saving up, which he ended up wasting on Rex.


    Adam didn''t want to give up on Rex, while seeing how its body was dealing with it, he had some confidence in Rex''s survival, as it would have killed ordinary Master Cultivators within seconds.


    However, he estimated that Rex could hold out for at most a month before dying, while after a week, its body would begin decaying and suffering, so it needed to receive treatment quickly.

 Chapter 485 - New Subordinate

    An antidote was unlikely to exist to the poison that had been used on Rex and even Milo himself was unlikely to be able to have a way to cure and get rid of such poison, but Adam had someone in mind and that could fix Rex''s condition.


    With Milo dead, Adam was relieved and as soon as he relaxed slightly, he was overcome with the pain and strain that his body was suppressing due to the situation he was in.


    "Marco guard me until I recover," instructed Adam, before activating the Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    Although it was extremely unlikely that Adam would be attacked in the middle of nowhere, it was better to be safe than sorry, while he also didn''t need that long to recover.


    Marco did as Adam said and walked over to his side and stood there on high alert for an entire hour, before Adam told him that he should start recovering as well.


    Adam only needed him to stand guard enough for him to complete a basic recovery, so that he was completely aware of his surroundings and ready for an attack.


    After he had recovered enough, Marco also began recovering, and they both sat in the snow for a few hours before Adam jumped up and tapped Marco''s shoulder and told him to do the same.


    Using Fire Energy, Adam dried himself and warmed up his body, then he did the same for Marco who was shocked and amazed by what he just witnessed.


    One could only have one attribute of energy within their body and having two was unheard of, or extremely rare, which was why he was so amazed.


    While fighting Adam he was sure that he only used attributeless energy, and now he used Fire Energy, which meant that he could somehow wield two forms of energy, and could also do so expertly.


    "No need to look so amazed. If I used my full power and all my capabilities, even though there is quite a large gap in cultivation level between us, I would have defeated you easily. That is not to brag, but just to put things to perspective," stated Adam.


    "Now then, let''s begin with me officially accepting you as my subordinate and there are some terms that you have to accept and a simple contract that you have to form with me. After that, your life will change for the better and you will live with purpose and fulfilment, along with having many powerful people to battle against to your heart''s content," said Adam as he imagined Marco and Chase, the two freaks of nature, fighting for hours on end without taking time to stop and recover.


    Marco naturally agreed, feeling obligated to do so after becoming Adam''s subordinate, but also because he wanted to and after fighting Adam, wanted to fight him again and fight others.


    The desire to grow stronger had been reignited within him and he had felt suppressed within his office and because of his duties, but now he felt as though he had much more freedom and his new duty was much more satisfying.


    "You are now a part of my Sentinels Faction and you will head to New York. Upon your arrival, you will be welcomed by the leaders who are under me and are my friends. I am sure you will get along and you will be stationed under Chase, and I am sure that you two will have a lot of fun together,"


    "Wait, what about you? You should let me stay with you for the next week so that I can be your guard and help you with whatever you need to do," said Marco, knowing that Adam was planning on staying in Russia after hearing his exchange with the master.


    Obviously, Marco knew Russia much better than Adam, but Adam refused and was adamant about being alone.


    "First of all, I prefer to travel alone and be free. Second of all, Rex needs to be urgently treated. And third of all, I can beat you quite easily, so I don''t need your protection, no offence. So just head over to New York and enjoy the new things you will find there,"


    Marco nodded his head and couldn''t argue with what Adam said, while he was also eager to start his new life.


    "Head to the port that I arrived from, which I am sure you know, then make your way to New York. You don''t have the contacts you previously had, but I am sure you can get a plane at the airport there and here is some cash. Your previous position should be enough to sort all the legal stuff out with ease," said Adam as he handed him a large bag of cash that appeared out of thin air.


    It was a bag that he had kept within his inventory in case he needed it, but Marco needed it more than him, and Adam also had the device Elizabeth had prepared for him, which granted him access to all the faction''s funds.


    "Also take Rex with you and when you get to my faction, tell Elizabeth to take the poison out of him and also use it to grow stronger,"


    Those were the last things Adam said to Marco before disappearing, leaving him there with the unconscious dog and a duffel bag filled with cash.


    He was beginning to feel unsure about suddenly being Adam''s subordinate, since he had barely given him any information or told him about anything he was getting into, but there was no need to waste time hesitating and he also had nothing to lose.


    "I guess I will be going to America. I should begin practising my English" he mumbled to himself as he began heading to the port just as Adam had encouraged him to.


    He got a private plane and sorted everything out through a friend that he had outside of the previous organisation he was in, and with money and power, the law didn''t mean much.


    The law was merely for those that were weak and were abusing their minimal power over those that were even weaker than themselves.


    Taking a private plane straight there like Adam expected, it would take him around half a day to arrive and he called Elizabeth to let her know of what had happened.

 Chapter 486 - Shocking News

    "Sorry for calling you so much, I know you are probably busy and are getting annoyed by my calls that appear within your mind through our communication link," said Adam within his mind to Elizabeth, as he made his way towards the next city.


    "Nah, don''t worry about it. It is reassuring to hear your voice and that you are doing well. How''s everything on your end?" she asked.


    "Pretty good. Everything has been sorted out thanks to Nathaniel and you should help him whenever you can, but do not trust him or get too close to him. My instincts tell me that he is trouble," he warned her.


    "I felt the same way, but forget about that. There is some urgent news on the Cultivator Dark Web Forum. Supposedly you defeated Marco, the Giant Man Of Steel in a duel and have jumped up the Top Cultivator Ranking," she revealed.


    Adam was shocked and didn''t think that news would get out so soon.


    He was sure that the master of the country wouldn''t do so and probably didn''t care about such matters, which left only Nathaniel who probably only done so to draw me more attention and see how far he can go.


    "Yes, it''s true, but it isn''t such a big deal and to be honest, I have progressed much more than that and have entered a period of rapid progress,"


    He wanted to encourage them to do the same and try to keep up with his progress speed, but he was surprised by her response.


    "Well, thanks to your help, we have also managed to do the same and have progressed more than you can imagine. Enjoy your adventure around the world and make sure to save your aunt, but also train as hard as you can, as you will be the one struggling to keep up with us,"


    Hearing that, Adam smiled and was glad that she was so confident and determined, while he also had one last thing he wanted to let her know.


    "I have sent a little gift your way that should be arriving in New York in around 12 hours. Please go and collect them from the airport and sort out any issues they may come across while coming out of the airport," said Adam.


    "A gift? Who is it?" she asked.


    "Someone that has become bound to be and will be joining the faction. The grandmaster level cultivator that I defeated," he revealed, shocking her and causing her to jump in joy.


    With such a powerful cultivator in their ranks, they would be able to accomplish and achieve much more.


    "Station him under Chase, you will understand why when you see him. And he also has something with him that you can strengthen yourself from if you manage to use it well," he said before ending the call.


    She was curious as to what he was speaking about and wanted to find out more, but she knew how Adam was and that he preferred to leave everything as a surprise, so she planned to head to the airport personally and with Chase.


    Such a powerful cultivator that was newly entering their faction should be welcomed with open arms, and she was also intrigued about what he had that she could use to strengthen herself.


    Adam then went on to travel around the country for the rest of the week and had a few battles with powerful cultivators and criminals, but none that were as thrilling as the one against Marco.


    His main purpose was to explore and investigate areas that his aunt had previously been in, but he didn''t find much and just like the file said, all the areas that his aunt had been in had been destroyed.


    Her path was one of death and destruction, while the reason for that was unclear and it seemed as though finding something useful about her in New York was unrealistic.


    The only thing he had found was Rex, which for the time being would be staying at New York with the Sentinels Faction, so there was no need for Adam to stay in the country any longer.


    Soon a week would pass since his exchange with the master of the country and he definitely wasn''t looking to stay any longer as he started making his way out of the country.


    The next stop was China, which would hopefully be much more interesting, fun and useful when it came to finding his aunt.


    China was known for having the largest population of cultivators and also seemed to be the closest country to the ancients, with it being said to have some of the most powerful cultivators.


    In Russia, most powerful cultivators were within the same organisation and everything was tightly controlled and secret, while Nathaniel ran things slightly differently and controlled most of the power, but allowed cultivators and small families to do as they pleased.


    Meanwhile, it was said that China gave cultivators much more freedom and was the country to go to in order to compete and grow stronger, while it was also said to have dangers that equalled the possible opportunities.


    Along with those things, it was also the country that his aunt was originally from and the last place that any traces of her had been found, so it was inevitable for Adam to head there.


    While Adam had explored and journey the country the past week, many things had happened in the Sentinels Faction and with his friends.


    Marco arrived at New York and a 3-metre tall juggernaut that had a strong Russian accent and a freighting presence obviously caused a large commotion.


    He stood out like a sore thumb in the airport and Chase and Elizabeth sorted out everything in the airport and welcomed him, while they also had to get one of their subordinates to bring a van, as Marco wouldn''t be able to fit in an ordinary car.


    Chase and Marco both looked into each other''s eyes and instantly they recognised the other as a battle freak just like themselves and shook hands.


    The collision of their hands and the strength at which they squeezed each other''s hands was enough to cause shock waves, while Elizabeth stood there and looked at the unconscious dog in Marco''s other arm.

 Chapter 487 - Rapid Growth

    Seeing that Elizabeth was looking at Rex that he was carrying, Marco let go of Chase''s hand and stopped sizing him up, then handed it over to her.


    "Adam said, me give Elizabeth dog. Poison bad-bad for dog, and you help,"


    Elizabeth had already sensed something ominous within the dog that was consuming it internally, and instantly after monitoring the dog, she understood what Adam had meant by saying there was something that could help her grow stronger.


    The poison within Rex was extremely powerful and unique, able to adapt, grow stronger and mutate.


    If she was able to somehow understand, absorb and be able to wield the poison, her power would greatly increase and her attacks would become much more deadly than they already were.


    She was unsure where exactly the dog beast come from, but she was impressed and amazed by how strong its body was and how well it was able to fight off the poison.


    "It seems as though Adam has not only gotten a powerful subordinate, but also a powerful and interesting pet," she mumbled to herself as they headed back to the secret base.


    Around it, they had formed their headquarters, and only the leaders could enter the secret base, but they allowed Marco and he had already formed a contract with Adam, and also formed a second contract with Chase, becoming his subordinate.


    Without waiting any time, Chase and Marco got right into sparring each other and soon after they began, Cole, Angela and Wayde also joined in.


    Marco seemed to have the edge at the start and felt as though he was more powerful than them all, but it soon became clear that just like with Adam, despite the gap in cultivation level, they made up for it with skill and their abilities.


    In the meantime, Elizabeth began diligently studying the poison and trying to absorb and control it bit by bit, all while slowly drawing the poison out of Rex''s body.


    She had to lure it out with her Poison Energy that the poison would try to consume, then clasp it with her medicinal energy and control it, then stream it into her own poison energy in little amounts so that she could consume it.


    It was a very difficult process, but she was making rapid progress, along with those that were battling against Marco.


    Within a few days, she had managed to take all the poison out of Rex and entered seclusion so that she could fully absorb, understand and control the poison she had just absorbed.


    Rex then went on to join the sparring session with all the others and they quickly began progressing and developing with all the resources, opponents and facilities that they had.


    Time went past quickly, and they also had their duties to attend to, while they also designated Marco a possession that was second only to that of the leader''s.


    He had a great character, great power and was also experienced in leadership roles, so there was no reason not to and once again, the Sentinel Faction''s power had experienced a great leap.


    With Adam''s recommendation and his outgoing nature, Marco quickly grew accustomed to his position and became friends with the leaders and just like Adam said, truly did enjoy being a part of the Sentinels Faction.


    He had the satisfaction of building something that he would forever be a part of and being surrounded by so many people that were the same, and also had amazing capabilities.


    Along with that, the faction he was helping to build and grow had a great purpose that he also believed in.


    In a single week, their power grew greatly with a capable, renowned and experienced addition to their faction and began to continue expanding, while strengthening the faction, its members and themselves as much as possible.


    For the time being, it was important for them to grow as strong as they could and only recruit those that were strong, had value or were needed.


    At the rate they were developing they were definitely a force to be reckoned with, but it seemed as though Nathaniel had no intention of getting involved in their matters just like he had agreed to do with Adam.


    He seemed to be a man of his word and saved his life, but Adam still couldn''t help but feel wary of him and wonder what exactly his ulterior motives were.


    Since he owed him a favour and he had no chance against him, for the time being, Adam had to stay on good terms with him, but when those things were no longer in his way, there were many things Adam wanted to find out about him.


    Leaving Russia, not wanting to mess with the army or the Master that had saved him and also warned him to leave within a week, Adam was looking forward to heading to China.


    The reasons for that were obvious, but before he did, he wanted to change his style and appearance slightly, namely his hair.


    He was unsure what exactly he was looking for, but wanted to not have to keep his smooth, jet black hair tied up all the time, while he also needed some more clothes that wouldn''t be out of the ordinary.


    As soon as he reached China, which he had used a private jet that he had gotten Elizabeth to prepare to get to, Adam left the airport with a surprised and impressed expression on his face.


    Most people seemed to have cultivated slightly, while the energy in the atmosphere was much denser than what he was used to finding within normal cities.


    Using energy gathering arrays and all sorts of other items and treasures, increasing the density of energy in an area was quite easy, but it seemed as though the country naturally had energy that was denser.


    Walking around, Adam had an interested expression and looked like a tourist, while the first thing he did was look for somewhere to buy some new clothes and to get a haircut.

 Chapter 488 - Arrival

    Adam stood out like a sore thumb with his long black hair that was tied up, his pale skin and his warm and casual clothing that he had grown accustomed to.


    His appearance could be altered using the Body Transformation Unique Skill that he gained through the Collector Unique Skill. His mastery over the Body Transformation Skill had grown so much that he could almost alter his appearance in any way that he pleased.


    The more drastic the change in appearance, the more it would hurt and be uncomfortable to maintain, but he had gotten used to it and had also been using it a lot in the dungeon


    Being able to switch between races was incredible and allowed him to always have the element of surprise and be able to sneak around anywhere when matched with his Form Concealment.


    Along with that, depending on certain situations, being able to alter his body and transform into all sorts of creatures and beasts could greatly increase his power or suitability to a terrain.


    Entering an alleyway, wanting to change his appearance secretly without alerting those around him in the bustling streets, Adam had an amused expression when he sensed someone dash in after him.


    [I just want to change my appearance and go look for somewhere to get a new hairstyle, along with some clothes, but it seems as though trouble follows me everywhere I go] he thought to himself as turned around to find a slender figure approach him.


    In his right hand, he held a small knife, while he also appeared to be very physically weak despite being a cultivator.


    Spreading his spiritual sense too far and doing as he pleased would be much more difficult in China with all the cultivators and the unknowns, but Adam knew everything that was occurring around him.


    He was impressed to find that most had trained their body in one way or another, while he had also sensed that person following him ever since he had left the airport, but didn''t act yet.


    Since he followed him into the alleyway and was holding a knife, it was clear he didn''t have good intentions, but with his weak body, low cultivation and obvious fear, Adam was amused.


    "It-It was a-a big mistake for you to, um... walk around alone now that it is getting late,"


    As he spoke, his hands were shaking and he could barely speak properly, while he assumed that Adam couldn''t understand him, anyway.


    "My brother is a cultivator and a part of a big gang. Give me all your valuables and I will let you go," he threatened, slightly more confidently, seeing Adam put his hands up.


    He couldn''t see his face clearly, but he could see a faint smile on his face and that Adam was calm, confident and humoured by everything that was occurring.


    "Did you hear me, foreigner?! Can you even understand me?" he shouted as he moved in closer to Adam and placed the knife against his stomach.


    Adam laughed and answered, "I speak and understand both Cantonese and Mandarin perfectly,"


    He spoke without any accent and as if he was native to China, while the way he spoke also wasn''t awkward like one would expect from a foreigner even after studying the language for many years.


    However, what was more shocking to the man was that Adam wasn''t afraid or shaken slightly by the knife that was placed against his stomach, despite not seeming to be a cultivator or someone that is rich and influential.


    "How the hell are you so calm?!"


    "Hmph, you are the one that is shaking and nervous. While you also seem to be lying about your brother being a powerful cultivator from how fast your heart was beating when mentioning that," scoffed Adam.


    "You are the one that is scared and don''t seem to actually want to hurt me, but unfortunately, I can''t hand over all my valuables," stated Adam as he grabbed the blade of the knife that was against his stomach with his bare hands.


    The man thought that maybe Adam was crazy and although what he said was true, why would he grab the blade of a knife and how could he claim to be able to hear his heartbeat.


    However, what he saw caused him to immediately fall to his knees and begin begging for forgiveness, realising what kind of person he had messed with.


    Adam grabbed the blade of the knife, but wasn''t cut or scratched by it in the slightest, shattering the metal knife with ease as he glared at the man before him. He didn''t need to use his killing intent or aura. His presence and display of power had been enough.


    "Why are you so desperate to steal from me?" asked Adam, who had clearly seen that he was afraid to carry the knife and didn''t seem to want to hurt anyone.


    The man went on to explain that his mother required medicine and was very frail and weak just like him, while he also couldn''t get any job and hadn''t even been able to eat.


    It reminded Adam of how he had to live in order to provide the money needed for his aunt''s medical bills at the time, while he didn''t seem to be lying or to be a bad person.


    Pity was all Adam felt, and it wasn''t like he could have harmed him anyway, even if he wanted to, so he decided to help him out, but would then use him as a guide and get all the information he needed from him.


    He seemed to be quite knowledgeable and appeared to be in his middle-ages, so must have some experience and information about the area, while he had also already mentioned cultivators.


    "So it is decided," declared Adam.


    "What is?" the man asked, unsure as to what exactly Adam had in store for him or was thinking.


    "You will see," said Adam as he gave him an evil smile and lifted him up off the ground.

 Chapter 489 - Black Dragon Gang

    The man that had previously tried to rob Adam in the alleyway had no idea what Adam had in store for him, but one thing was for sure, he was lucky not to be beaten to the verge of death already.


    Resorting to petty crime, and not knowing that Adam was a powerful cultivator could have gotten him seriously injured, arrested or even killed, so whatever Adam was planning, it couldn''t be too bad.


    Right?


    Adam lifted the man up in the air with one very easily, which surprised the man, but also wasn''t that amazing as even Novice Cultivators could accomplish such a feat.


    "Where do you live?" asked Adam while carrying him with one hand.


    "Um.. not far from here," answered the man, not wanting to give his exact address away to Adam.


    However, with a simple glare from him, he couldn''t refuse to do answer Adam''s question and told him exactly where he lived and prayed that he didn''t do anything to his mother.


    Adam had a good idea of the area already and quickly found the location that the man spoke of, and dragged him there, holding onto his arm and forcing him to walk quickly.


    The man was unable to tell what exactly Adam''s intentions were, but whatever they were, he was helpless to stop them, so just gave in.


    Reaching where he lived, it was a rundown building and outside there were three large thugs that were flaunting the short blades on their sides so openly. They had tall and muscular physiques and were tattooed all over.


    Immediately upon seeing them, the man that had previously attempted to rob Adam was shaking uncontrollably and tried to escape Adam''s grip, more afraid of them than Adam.


    Adam seemed to be lenient and despite being evil, was unknown to him, but those three men were known for their ruthlessness in the area and were a part of the Black Dragon Gang that dominated the region.


    Anyone that opposed the Black Dragon Gang would be crushed, and they were like kings in their territory. The man that was unable to escape Adam''s grip on his arm, Liao Wei, began to weep and felt as though he was face to face with death.


    He owed those three men quite a lot of money, and with their extortionate interest rates, were there to take his kidneys and anything else they could salvage from his body to get the money they are owed.


    Loan sharks.


    Some of the cruellest and evil people that would exploit vulnerable and desperate people, and would get away with their crimes a lot of the time. Adam previously had his fair share of exchanges and problems with all sorts of loan sharks, but managed to get away unharmed and repaid them their money, then made sure never to contact them again.


    However, a lot of the time, most people weren''t that lucky, and even if one repaid the money they needed to, a lot of time, they would still be hounded by the loan sharks and forced to pay even more money.


    Once one was in their trap, life would become hell and Adam pitied the man that tried to rob him even more.


    "What''s your name?" asked Adam, realising he was yet to ask his name.


    "My name is Liao Wei. C-Could you please let me go and get me away from those people?" answered Liao Wei before pleading with Adam to let go of him.


    Adam smiled and told him to calm down.


    "You don''t have to worry. I will sort it out for you, just relax and straighten your back. Stop being such a baby," said Adam as he slapped his back and got Liao Wei to stand more confidently.


    Liao Wei couldn''t understand what Adam was thinking in the slightest and thought that he was just crazy, but he seemed to be wanting to help him, so he wasn''t too bad.


    However, despite his good intentions, Liao Wei was even more frightened about how things would turn out and knew that when it came to combat power, the Black Dragon Gang were not to be messed with.


    "Please, please just forget about it. If you try to fight them, they will kill us and target my mother," he begged as he tried to stop Adam from going over to the three men, but it was like trying to stop a bulldozer.


    Adam turned around and gave him a reassuring smile.


    "I won''t cause any trouble, I will merely pay them back. I can''t let them harm the man that still owes me for trying to rob me," said Adam, who was amused by what was going on and had been in situations like these too many times to count.


    Times where he would be underestimated and nobody knew who he was, in which he would help someone that reminded him of how he was in the times before gaining the Dungeon System.


    For some reason, despite not knowing Adam or anything about him, Liao Wei weirdly trusted him and couldn''t understand why he suddenly felt like following and listening to Adam.


    It was because of Adam''s high Charisma Stat, which he didn''t conceal for a moment in order to get Liao Wei to calm down and confide in him.


    Letting go of Liao Wei, knowing that he would no longer attempt to run away and would trust him, Adam walked over to the three large men with Liao Wei following closely behind him.


    Seeing Liao Wei coming towards them and so confidently, following behind Adam, the three thugs laughed, seeing Adam as a mere ant that they could also crush.


    In their own territory, those in the Black Dragon Gang felt invincible, and they were there to collect Liao Wei''s debt or take him with them, however, their luck had run out.


    Adam had decided to help out Liao Wei, which meant the entire Black Dragon Gang was in danger, with Adam hating those that exploited the vulnerable, weak and desperate.

 Chapter 490 - Smackdown

    "How much does he owe you guys?" asked Adam as he reached the three thugs from the Black Dragon Gang.


    Liao Wei when faced with them couldn''t help but be afraid, but Adam had a smile on his face and was calm and confident as he spoke to the three large men.


    They were all merely Novice Cultivator at around LVL 60, which compared to an ordinary person would make them feel amazing and invincible, but were merely ants in Adam''s eyes. However, Adam didn''t attack first and wasn''t planning on doing so.


    If they asked for a reasonable amount of money considering how much Liao Wei had borrowed from them, Adam would just give it to them and then forget about them, but if they tried anything, they would definitely regret it.


    "Wow. Who''s this tough and rich guy that you managed to get Liao Wei?"


    "This foreigner won''t save you little Wei. We will skin you alive for avoiding us for this long and not paying us back on time,"


    They didn''t even speak to Adam and didn''t care about him as they gestured that they were going to kill him by running their thumb against their necks.


    Releasing killing intent so openly and threatening Liao Wei in front of him, Adam was expecting as such from the arrogant scumbags that they were, but still didn''t do anything.


    "I asked how much does he owe you guys? If you don''t want to collect the money, get out of my face you big oafs," stated Adam loudly and clearly, as he took a step closer to the three large figures and glared at them.


    They were shocked by his attitude and words, but began laughing in his face, not seeing Adam who was alone and smaller than them as a threat. They couldn''t sense his cultivation and most people couldn''t, with Adam''s Form Concealment, and grabbed his collar and lifted him into the air.


    "Listen up you puny bitch. This is our territory and for daring to try to get involved in our business and disrespecting us, we are gonna beat your ass then take all your money," they declared as the one carrying Adam went to slam him onto the ground.


    However, none of them were fast enough to see what happened, and it ended up with him being smashed into the ground fast first.


    "I didn''t want to dirty my hands with you waste, but now that you angered and started this shit with me, all of you will regret the day you were born," bellowed Adam.


    He had only used a small amount of his power, but in the blink of an eye, he had grabbed the head of the man that was holding him up in the air, then slammed it into the ground.


    Adam didn''t initiate the battle, but would be the one to finish it and in an instant, one of the three Black Dragon Gang members had been knocked out and had his face destroyed.


    "Who''s next?" asked Adam, who stood there as if nothing had happened with a smile and relaxed expression.


    The two others were shocked and didn''t move for a moment, unable to believe what had just occurred, and without thinking, both went to attack Adam at once.


    Anyone that dared to mess with them needed to be crushed and the Black Dragon Gang was known for ruling over their territory with an iron fist, but unfortunately for them, they had aimed their fist at the wrong person.


    Adam barely needed to try, and did the same thing to the two thugs who swung powerful fists towards his head. Grabbing both of their heads, Adam swung his arms downwards and their face''s struck the ground with as much force as their companion, with all three of their heads being imbedded into the ground.


    With his great control over his power, Adam made sure to hit them just hard enough to knock them out and destroy their faces, but also only not enough to deal them irreversible damage.


    He also estimated that within a few minutes, they were likely to regain consciousness, and although they would be afraid and unable to fight him, would be able to call reinforcements, which was exactly what Adam wanted.


    Stepping over their unconscious bodies, Adam called for Liao Wei to come with him into the building that he lived in so that they could visit his ill mother.


    Liao Wei couldn''t believe what had just happened, and was visibly shaking and making his prayers, believing that he was going to die for messing with the Black Dragon Gang.


    No one within their territory had dared to mess with them and get away with it unharmed, but seeing how he was acting, Adam was amused and reassured him that he would be fine. It would be the Black Dragon Gang that would regret their actions.


    Entering Liao Wei''s home, Adam was saddened to see the conditions he was living in and had seen many similar buildings in the area that were likely to have many other similar homes.


    The Black Dragon Gang members had a large, nice and expensive car, while the people they were taking money from were struggling to put food on the table.


    Shaking his head, Adam was glad that Liao Wei had tried to rob him and it was clear that it was only out of desperation and he wasn''t such a bad guy, while he also had some plans with the Black Dragon Gang.


    The Charm Skill made controlling and getting people to do things easy for Adam, as long as he had a stronger will power and high enough Charisma Stat. He didn''t use it much and didn''t need to use its full power, but with it, he could make a lot of changes.


    But before then, he needed to heal Liao Wei''s mother and beat down the punks that call themselves the Black Dragon Gang and think so highly of themselves.

 Chapter 491 - Old Memories

    Walking over to Liao Wei''s mother, who lay on a bed in the corner of a small room, Adam remembered how heartbreaking and tough it was for him to see the condition his aunt was in when he would visit her.


    Liao Wei''s home was small, rundown and poorly maintained, but it wasn''t his fault. The housing quality and infrastructure were old and poor, while he didn''t have the money to fix anything or live somewhere else, as it was the cheapest place he could find to live.


    His mother was an old lady, but it was clear that her health and declined much more than her health would cause, meaning there were underlying conditions that made it so that she could barely move.


    All she did was lay there, which was a miserable way to live and made her feel as though she was merely a burden on her son, who was already struggling. He had little to look forward to in life, but she made it so that he lost the luxury of relaxing, while Liao Wei couldn''t give up on his mother and kept on trying his best to buy her the medication she needed.


    The main problem that his mother had was with her breathing and respiratory system, which had over time affected her entire body and caused her to experience extreme and constant fatigue and weakness.


    Adam knew he couldn''t heal everyone and that it was unrealistic for him to think that he could go around saving everyone that was ill or victimised, but if anyone came his way, he was more than willing to help.


    Although healing wasn''t his forte, he had become very proficient in some healing and energy transferring skills, which would be more than enough to heal and strengthen Liao Wei''s mother''s body.


    Since she also didn''t seem to be in dire condition and the medication she took seemed to have maintained and dampened the effects of her illness, saving her wouldn''t take too long.


    Gauging that, Adam smiled to himself and instructed Liao Wei to make his mother some tea.


    He was confused by Adam''s sudden instruction, and his mother wouldn''t drink tea since she would only eat and drink in small amounts, and would prefer not to do so, as using the toilet was a great pain for her and would require her son''s help. While he also didn''t have any high-quality tea or anything special to give to Adam if he wanted to drink it.


    However, he didn''t dare to refuse Adam''s instruction and quickly scurried off to the kitchen to start doing so, leaving Adam with his ill mother.


    It wasn''t like he could stop Adam from doing anything bad even if he was there, while he also for some unexplainable reason trusted Adam, who had shown nothing but greatness and kindness so far.


    Carrying a chair over to the side of the old lady''s bed, Adam placed his hands on the arm that was closest to him and immediately began healing her body. He did so by streaming energy into her body, along with using it to boost her vitality and it required him to be in an Ethereal State to pull off.


    It worked in the same way as the Ethereal Recovery Skill, but would heal, strengthen and revitalise others. The speed of recovery wasn''t as fast as when he used it for himself, but it was still more than enough for the old lady.


    Within a matter of minutes, before Liao Wei even finished making the tea that Adam had instructed him to make, Adam had already finished healing the man''s mother.


    Carrying the tea over on a metal tray, seeing his mother suddenly sit up and seeing how much younger and healthier she looked, Liao Wei couldn''t help but be surprised. He was so surprised that he even dropped the tray he was carrying, and Adam didn''t want to startle the old lady, so didn''t catch the tray before it fell, which would have been quite easy for him to do.


    "Mother. Have you really recovered?" asked Liao Wei as he rushed towards her and embraced her in his arms.


    She was unsure what exactly had happened and the last thing she remembered was going to sleep after Liao Wei left and said that he was going to go to work. Then after waking up, she felt as though she had never been ill and better than ever before.


    She even felt as though she wasn''t old and sprung out of the bed and began stretching her limbs that had felt useless for the past few years, as tears of joy streamed down her face.


    "It''s a miracle!" both Liao Wei and his mother exclaimed as they began to jump around, elated by her sudden recovery.


    Liao Wei just wanted his mother to be healthy and happy, not seeking wealth or much, and seeing what he wanted become a reality, he was overjoyed.


    "M-Mother, it was him that healed you. Our benefactor and also the one that gave me some money today," revealed Liao Wei after they calmed down.


    They wanted to celebrate, and she wanted to do something in return for Adam, anything he wanted, but he declined her offers and reassured her that he didn''t want anything in return from her.


    "Liao Wei will do me a favour after this and there is nothing to worry about. You have a good son," he stated simply.


    Adam wished that someone could have come and helped him and his aunt back before he awakened the Dungeon System and he was happy that he had been able to help him, but he still had unfinished business.


    He had already sensed the cultivators approaching his location a while ago and hadn''t bothered to make a move yet. It had only taken a few minutes for the Black Dragon Gang to gather a few dozen quite capable cultivators and they all rushed to aid their fallen brethren.


    Hearing the sound of screeching tires, it was clear that they had arrived and Liao Wei instantly became shaken and remembered that the Black Dragon Gang were still after them.

 Chapter 492 - Reinforcements

    "Mother quickly, grab anything you can, we need to get out of here," Liao Wei exclaimed as he frantically scrambled to get out of the flat he was in.


    His mother was confused, but seeing how he was acting, did as he said, but Adam just sat there unbothered.


    "Come on, we need to get out of here. You can''t handle them all alone and these guys are much tougher than the others," called out Liao Wei to Adam as he went to drag him out.


    He seemed to recognise the group of Black Dragon Gang Members that arrived, and the one leading them was revered and one of the 4 powerhouses that operated under the Head of the Black Dragon Gang.


    The man was known for his Serpent Techniques that were rapid, deadly and difficult to deal with, while he also led a ruthless group of powerful cultivators and was quite a capable leader.


    "Liao Wei, relax and sit down with your mother. Nothing is going to happen to you and your mother, so just trust me," Adam reassured them as he used the Charm Skill to help calm them down.


    He couldn''t understand why, but the secure and relaxed feeling that he had previously felt returned and all the worry and fear he had previously felt was removed from his mind. Liao Wei began getting his mother to calm down and cleaned up the cups of tea he had dropped onto the ground, as they began offering Adam everything they had, wanting to accommodate him.


    However, he suddenly jumped out of their window that was on the 4th floor and was a why fall that any ordinary person wouldn''t be able to land unharmed, and yet when he landed, he didn''t even make a sound.


    Liao Wei''s mother instantly rushed to the window, and seeing the black leather jackets and dragon markings on them, along with all the tattoos that the people surrounding Adam had, immediately began to worry.


    She rushed to get to the phone so that she could call the police, but before she could, Liao Wei stopped her, still under the influence of Adam''s Charm Skill.


    "Just relax mother and watch. Trust in Adam. He will be fine," he said as he dragged two chairs over to the window and watched as Adam confronted the large group of Black Dragon Gang Members.


    "We are here for Liao Wei''s head and to repay his companion for beating up some of my men. Was it you who dared to stand against us?" asked one of the Black Dragon Gang Members domineeringly.


    Adam shrugged and stood surrounded by them with a nonchalant smile.


    Seeing how he acted and that he fit the description that was given to them by the Black Dragon Gang Members that had been beaten by him, they had no reason to hesitate or delay attacking him.


    "Beat him until he can no longer move, but don''t kill him. I will leave that pleasure to my men that were beaten," instructed the man that seemed to be in charge.


    "You guys, go and bring me, Liao Wei," he said, pointing at the small group that was closest to the building that Liao Wei lived in.


    Hearing and seeing what was going on, Liao Wei''s mother became scared, just like anyone else in her position would be, but Liao Wei just watched and had complete confidence in Adam.


    Adam suddenly disappeared from where he stood, and didn''t use his full speed or full power, but enough to completely overwhelm the small group that was heading towards the building Liao Wei lived in.


    He decimated them all in the blink of an eye, knocking them all out with his bare fists, then stood there with a smile and waited for them to act, and see what they were going to do next.


    His speed and strength impressed them, along with his combat skill, but he had only displayed the power of a mid-level Advanced Cultivator, which wasn''t anything too amazing.


    They were all Advanced Cultivators, with the 4 powerhouses of the Black Dragon Gang all being low level Master Cultivators. As for the head of their gang, he was a mid-level Black Dragon Gang, which was quite a high cultivation level, especially when considering he was merely the boss of a gang.


    "He is quite a skilled mid-level Advanced Cultivator, but you guys can handle him. Attack him at once," instructed the Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang.


    His estimations of Adam''s power were accurate, considering the power he displayed, but he had no idea just how powerful Adam was and didn''t know what he was getting himself into.


    Without even needing to use any special skills or any of his powerful abilities, Adam weaved through all the Advanced Cultivators that attacked him and struck them all down with single attacks.


    However, he held back less and less, with each of his attacks dealing more and more damage and frightening the members of the Black Dragon Gang. Observing how quickly he was taking down his men, the Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang instructed all of them to move away and said that he would handle Adam himself.


    Watching from their window, Liao Wei and his mother were amazed by what was occurring and Adam was incredible, while they could barely see what was happening. All they saw were blurs, but at the end of it, they would see more and more Black Dragon Gang members laying unconscious on the ground.


    Adam was interested to see what the man leading them would be capable of and he seemed to be quite powerful, while he was also curious to see how powerful the head of the gang would be. The gang was large and ruled over quite a large region, so Adam had an idea of how capable they were and they would be an entertaining bunch to battle.


    However, either way, they would all be crushed for their actions and wouldn''t have a chance against Adam, even if one of them was a Grandmaster Cultivator.

 Chapter 493 - The Serpent Powerhouse Of The Black Dragon Gang

    "You are quite capable, but I have never seen you around here before and have no idea who you are. How about you join the gang under me, and I will reward you greatly with anything you could ever want?" offered the Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang as he walked over to Adam.


    Adam laughed and didn''t even bother to respond, making it clear that he didn''t even see the Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang as someone worthy of speaking to him.


    "Hmph. You will come to regret your arrogance, and whoever you are, I will make you bow before me and beg me to join the mighty Black Dragon Gang," he scoffed as he suddenly stopped approaching Adam.


    He placed his left arm behind his back, and his right arm was held forward, shaped like a snake, with the tips of his fingers aimed towards Adam. It was an unusual stance and Adam had never seen anything like it and was interested to take it on himself, always seeking to learn new methods of combat.


    Adam had experienced, battled and learnt from most martial arts and with them has managed to come up with his own unique style of fighting that uses the best of all of the combat styles he had come across. However, one thing that Adam was best at was quickly learning from and adapting to the way his opponent fought, then mimicking it or adopting a fighting style that can overcome it.


    The Serpent Style that the Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang was famed for emphasised speed, explosive power and the use of the fingers as if they were the bite of a snack.


    Rapid palm and finger strikes were what Adam was expecting, and exactly what he received as the Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang suddenly rushed towards him.


    His movements were unusual and after mastering the Ghost Steps Skill he had gotten from the Silent Ghost, Adam had become very skilled in movement skills. Using the Ghost Steps Skill, he used identical speed and strength to his opponent and clashed with him directly.


    It felt as though the man Adam was facing was almost slithering like a snake, and his feet remained close to the ground and he moved quickly, but very swiftly and smoothly, almost as if he was skating on ice.


    The Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang went straight in with an attack to Adam''s eyes, wanting to make him completely defenceless, since he seemed totally against the idea of joining the Black Dragon Gang.


    However, just as his fingers were about to strike Adam''s eyes, he suddenly disappeared and he did so without the use of the Step Skip Skill or using his full speed, which would be overkill against the Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang.


    "I know that movement. It''s the Ghost Steps Skill. How did you get your hands on that?!" he bellowed.


    The Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang was a big fan of the Silent Ghost who was not only famed for his assassination capabilities but also for producing all of his own skills that were sought after by many.


    He was one of the cultivators on the Top Cultivator Ranking that he related to and adored his movement skill to the point that he created his own to attempt to mimic it, and even produce one that was greater.


    The Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang grew up in a small reptile zoo and from a young age had been infatuated with all serpents that amazed and fascinated him. Most were scared of such creatures, including Adam at one point, but he adored them and even played with those that were poisonous.


    Then after being abused and watching his parents being slaughtered by debt collectors from the Black Dragon Gang, he vowed to grow stronger and eliminate those that killed his parents.


    Sensing his killing intent and seeing the fire in his eyes, the head of the Black Dragon Gang tested his talent and found that he was very perceptive, and also had a unique talent for martial arts.


    He was 12 at the time, and it had been 18 years since then, in which the Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang had been training and studying all kinds of different serpents to perfect his Serpent fighting style.


    Within 8 years, he had already climbed the ranks and become quite a capable and valued cultivator for the Black Dragon Gang, while he had also managed to get revenge on those that killed his parents.


    However, in the process, he became what he hated the most, and excused his actions that were even worse than the killers of his parents, obsessed by the pursuit of wealth, power and influence.


    His unique martial arts were quite well known, but he was yet to pass them onto anyone, while they were also very difficult to learn and master. They required a tough and very flexible body to be able to pull off and was a soft battle style, which was rarely used in martial arts.


    From a young age, he had been pushing his body''s flexibility and explosive capability to its limits and was someone that trained madly all the time, seeking power.


    Rather than using brute force and speed through blunt kicks and punches, he would channel strength through his body and unleash it through rapid palm strikes, finger strikes and toe strikes, aiming to stab and slash the opponent with his body.


    His Serpent Skills were impressive, however, they still weren''t on par with the Ghost Steps Skill, especially after Adam improved and perfected them even more. Seeing that, the Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang couldn''t help but want to get his hands on it and wanted to defeat Adam even more.


    He suddenly took their battle much more seriously and wasn''t planning on holding anything back, but that merely amused Adam who wasn''t intimidated by the small power boost he experienced in the slightest.


    "Come at me snake boy, show me what you got," taunted Adam with his hands behind his back.


    "I will make kill you asshole," he roared as he burst towards Adam.

 Chapter 494 - Serpent Style

    The Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang launched himself towards Adam and unleashed a flurry of rapid palm strikes, and he seemed to have integrated the Palm Blade Skill into his Serpent Style.


    With his hands being tempered and coated in energy to be as sharp as a blade, along with his rapid and explosive attacks, he was a force to be reckoned with and had been able to take down most opponents at his level.


    He had even been able to fight on par with those that were stronger than himself, however; he had never faced anybody as skilled, experienced and capable as Adam, who was comfortably dodging all of his attacks.


    Adam even had his arms behind his back and had a relaxed and nonchalant expression, seemingly not even recognising him as a worthy opponent.


    "Is this all you have got? I was expecting more from someone in your position... It seems as though I overestimated you," mocked Adam, who continued dodging his attacks with ease.


    "I, Huang Feng, hereby declare that I will kill you, and will keep trying until I can," he proclaimed, outraged by Adam''s mockery and continued attacking him wildly.


    Huang Feng was obsessed and quite talented in martial arts, able to come up with his own fighting style, but it was his obsession that was holding him back, along with the guilt and hatred that he felt for himself.


    Who could truly love themselves while living such an evil and dishonourable life?


    Seeing Adam as someone that could allow him to reach the next level by taking and learning everything he has, Huang Feng almost appeared to be losing his sanity as he unleashed quite a powerful killing intent.


    "The first time I killed, I was 12. All I had was some clothes and the desire to become strong and kill the murderers of my parents. With a knife in my hand, I slashed and slaughtered anyone I was instructed to by the boss and became a tool of murder. Killing you will barely add to the number of people I have killed, and with the Ghost Steps, I can finally perfect my Serpent Style," he depicted as he unleashed even more power, which seemed to be too much for his body to handle.


    His killing intent was quite thick and strong, while it was also sad that he had been forced to live such a life of crime, filled with guilt, regret and trauma. He had turned everything he had experienced into fuel to add to his hate and obsession with power, but the truth was he hated himself.


    He saw what he wanted to be in Adam, someone that could help others and was a talented and skilled cultivator that lived freely.


    Despite not knowing anything about him, envy, jealousy and hatred towards Adam arose within him and it was an uncontrollable amount, to the point that he even began burning his own life force to take him down.


    "Your gonna kill yourself before you even land a single attack on me, and your killing intent is far from enough to intimidate me," stated Adam, as he released his own killing intent that was infinitely thicker and more powerful than that of Huang Feng.


    He couldn''t help but be shaken and intimidated by the killing intent, and it was so powerful that he struggled to stay conscious under the power and pressure that it bore over him.


    Meanwhile, his men were completely unable to handle it and all collapsed, but Adam had made sure to control how far his killing intent spread out. He made sure that it didn''t reach Liao Wei and his mother, along with all the other innocents in the area that might be watching or going about with their day.


    It seemed as though the Black Dragon Gang were so powerful and influential in the region that the police wouldn''t get involved in their actions as long as it wasn''t too much of a public outrage, which this time backfired.


    Police wouldn''t be able to do much to Adam, but he would be more inclined to leave and hold himself back, but since they wouldn''t be getting themselves involved in the Black Dragon Gang''s business, no one could stop Adam from dealing with them.


    Despite already being clearly shown he was no match for Adam, retreating was no longer an option for Huang Feng who had already begun to burn his own life force and was too far into the battle to turn back.


    He was also unwilling to back down and give up on defeating Adam and getting his hands on everything that he had, however just like Adam said, he wasn''t even able to land a single attack on him.


    That was even with Adam merely matching his opponent''s power level, and if he used his full power or actually tried to kill Huang Feng, it would have already been over in less than a second.


    Huang Feng stood there in the same Serpent Stance, panting heavily and drenched in sweat, while the veins all around his body were protruding and on the verge of bursting after he pushed his body too far past its limits.


    Any further, and he would destroy his cultivation and body and the damage would be irreversible, which he knew, and it caused him to begin to return to his senses.


    However, he began to doubt himself too late and Adam had already decided that he would kill him, so there was no escape for him.


    "Liao Wei, close your eyes and get your mother to turn around," called out Adam.


    Hearing him, Liao Wei was confused as to why Adam instructed him to cover his eyes and get his mother to do the same, but he still did so without asking any questions.


    Seeing him do so, Adam suddenly waved his arm and a blade of energy fly out of his hand and sliced cleanly through the right leg of Huang Feng.


    The blade of energy cut through like a hot knife through butter, and Huang Feng let out a cry of pain, causing Liao Wei to reflexively look to see what was occurring.

 Chapter 495 - Pity

    Adam had ruthlessly sliced off one of the Serpent Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang''s legs with ease and his expression hadn''t changed in the slightest. Rather than disgust or guilt, he still appeared indifferent and nonchalant, while there was even a glint of enjoyment in his eyes.


    "What happened Liao Wei?" asked his mother as she went to turn around, but Liao Wei who was on the verge of vomiting stopped her from turning around.


    Standing on one leg, Huang Feng was howling in pain as blood flooded out from where his right leg used to be, and it became impossible for him to escape.


    As soon as Adam had called out to Liao Wei to close his eyes, Huang Feng was preparing himself to bolt away as fast as he could, which became quite obvious to Adam who wasn''t planning on letting that happen.


    "You are not a victim and are insane. This is where you will die and it will allow the souls of many that you have killed to rest, including the souls of your parents that are unable to rest due to the worry they had for the son that they left behind," stated Adam, who with his Soul Vision activated could see many souls hovering around Huang Feng.


    When a soul had unfinished business in the land of the living, they would become wandering souls and would resist and escape being taken into the underworld. Most would just give in and accept their death and it was rare to find wandering souls, but around Huang Feng, there were quite a few.


    Hearing that, Huang Feng thought back to his parents from a young age and suddenly things started aligning in his mind.


    "I-It was me. I was the one that killed my parents," he realised.


    He had been eaten up so much by the guilt he felt about what had happened, that he created a false memory and concealed what had truly happened from himself.


    The truth was, the cruel head of the Black Dragon Gang had given him two options. Either to die with his parents, or to kill them himself.


    Too afraid to accept death, he closed his eyes and slashed his parents with the knife that had been placed in his shaking hands by the head of the Black Dragon Gang.


    His parents weren''t tied up or anything, but didn''t fight back or stop him, knowing that it was better if at least their son could survive and they died reassuring him that it was all their fault and that he shouldn''t feel any guilt.


    The debt they were carrying was generational and had become too big for them to even begin to think about repaying, so death felt like a mercy for them, but they couldn''t help but worry about their son, which was why they followed his body even after dying.


    Seeing his parents smiling at him and reassuring him as he killed them made Huang Feng feel even more guilty and pushed him to lie and deceive himself into blaming someone else for their murder.


    He had become crazy.


    However, seeing the murderous glint in his eyes, along with the talent that he displayed in martial arts, he was nurtured into becoming a killer and martial artist by the head of the Black Dragon Gang.


    Losing so much blood and already pushing his body too far, Huang Feng knew that death was inevitable, and as his life flashed past his eyes, he finally realised the truth and had no choice but to accept it and finally end his misery.


    "Is it true you can see the souls of my parents?" he asked as he collapsed onto the ground, losing all his will to fight and live.


    "Yes, and they are waiting for you in the afterlife. Just hope that you are luckier in your next life," answered Adam, who had no reason to hold any hatred towards him and was glad that he was finally at peace with himself.


    However, he was shocked to hear what he had to say next.


    "Save me, please. Stop my bleeding just so I can live an hour longer and watch you take down the Black Dragon Gang. I want to see the head of the gang die myself, and he deserves to die a slow and painful death and after he has done," he pleaded.


    Adam didn''t know much about the man''s past, but he had nothing to lose by doing so and placed his hand over his leg, then using his Ethereal Healing Skill.


    A few minutes later, the bleeding on his leg completely stopped, but he only healed it enough to temporarily delay his death, still wanting to make sure that he died. Adam pitied him, but his actions were unforgivable and death was a mercy for him, his parents and all his victims.


    Watching what was happening, Liao Wei who was disgusted at first after seeing a man''s leg be cut off, and also amazed by how fast and powerful Adam and Huang Feng were, became confused.


    ''Why did they suddenly begin to speak to each other and why did Adam heal him after cutting his leg off?'' wondered to himself as he walked his mother to her bed and told her to make sure to stay there.


    "Where are you going Liao Wei?" she asked, knowing that him attempting to get involved in what was happening was like an ant getting involved in a fight between elephants.


    "Just to get a closer look. I will be fine, just promise me that you stay put," he answered, adamant about her not watching what happened outside.


    "I promise,"


    With that, he rushed out of their flat, unable to jump out of the window like Adam did, and made it to Adam''s side just in time to hear Huang Feng''s life story and understand what was going on.


    "Use your phone to call your boss and tell him to bring everyone in the Black Dragon Gang right here.. I will end this in one fell swoop," instructed Adam, wanting to put an end to everything with the Black Dragon Gang so he could move on.

 Chapter 496 - Surrounded

    Everything with the Black Dragon Gang had all started because of a failed robbery and a random encounter, but Adam was glad that everything had happened the way it did. If it wasn''t for him, many people would still continue to suffer under the control of the Black Dragon Gang and it was unlikely that anyone would do anything about it.


    He had previously only wanted to teach the Black Dragon Gang a lesson and reform them, but after hearing more about them from Huang Feng, he couldn''t help but feel like slaughtering them all.


    However, such a bloodbath would cause too much of a scene and commotion, so instead, Adam decided that killing their boss would be enough, and he would make the rest of the men obedient to him.


    He had nothing to personally do with them and didn''t want such people in the Sentinels Faction either, but he had an idea of what he could get them to do.


    Immediately after Adam instructed him to call his boss to bring all of his men, Huang Feng took out his phone and began to do so, despite the pained and weakened state he was in.


    Adam left him to do so, and Liao Wei felt that Adam''s actions were becoming slightly too careless.


    "Are you sure you should trust him alone on the phone? He could set a trap?!" said Liao Wei, who was getting used to how Adam was, but couldn''t help but worry for him.


    "Don''t worry about it. There is nothing he can do or anyone that he can call that can harm me, as for what he is saying, I can hear all of it. He also has a personal vendetta against the head of the Black Dragon Gang, and there is no point worrying about pointless things," answered Adam.


    Liao Wei didn''t know how to respond to his answer, and it seemed as though he had overreacted and underestimated Adam who was always calculating everything around him despite appearing as though he was reckless.


    While Huang Feng called over all the Black Dragon Gang''s men, including the other 3 powerhouses and the head of the gang, Adam walked around and flung all the unconscious bodies of Black Dragon Gang Members into an alleyway beside the building that Liao Wei lived in.


    Leaving them out in the open was basically asking for unwanted attention, and Liao Wei who followed him around was amazed by his physical strength. He couldn''t help but wonder how someone could become that powerful and what it felt like to be that powerful, but at the same time, he also didn''t want such power.


    With power came the burden of responsibility, which he would prefer not to have. He was finally free from looking after his mother and finally wanted to find something he enjoyed doing in life, but it seemed as though Adam was going to have a big effect on his life and what he did next.


    Suddenly, while following Adam, there was a powerful and unexpected wave of heat that caused him to jump away from him.


    Adam had created a small flame in his hand and began to burn all the blood that was in the area where they had fought, along with the leg that he had cut of Huang Feng.


    Elemental Affinities weren''t unheard of, but Adam having one was amazing, since he was already so capable without one. He used it as it was ordinary, and was able t use it with such perfect precision and control, which was even more impressive.


    Standing around starting to get bored, Huang Feng confirmed that the head of the Black Dragon Gang would be bringing all the manpower and weaponry he could gather, and Adam couldn''t help but become slightly excited.


    At the same time, he was also worried about the surrounding area being destroyed by their battle and spread his spiritual sense around the entire area to gauge just how many people there were.


    The cultivators in the area felt an unusual feeling, as if they were being watched, but none were able to resist Adam''s spiritual sense, and there also weren''t that many people in the area.


    Liao Wei lived in a rundown building that was on the edge of the city, not too far away from where the airport that Adam had arrived at was. Because of that, they could fight quite freely and the Black Dragon Gang would ensure no one interfered, while it was unlikely for there to be any people passing by.


    With that, Adam didn''t have much else to worry about as he waited in a relaxed manner for the Black Dragon Gang''s members and leaders to arrive.


    After around half an hour, Adam was starting to get bored, but his eyes suddenly lit up when he sensed that cultivators were beginning to converge on his location from all directions.


    A few of the cultivators he had previously struck down had regained consciousness, and Adam took them all back down, since they would be annoying to have to deal with when the rest of their gang arrived.


    It seemed as though the head of the Black Dragon Gang wasn''t completely stupid and Huang Feng had claimed that I was powerful enough to rival him, which was why he was being so careful.


    He had spread out his main and most powerful forces, which were in the hundreds, then got them to all to head to where I was at the same time, and he was likely to be hidden among them, along with the other three powerhouses.


    It was a pretty good strategy to deal with a more powerful cultivator, overwhelming them with numbers and attacking them from all different directions, but the likelihood of that working on Adam was slim.


    Since Adam had already sensed them coming from miles away, he was already prepared to face them on and when they were within visible distance, he finally got up.


    "Time to get started,"

 Chapter 497 - Hyperactive Mental State

    Surrounded by hundreds of cultivators that were all headed his way, the strength, numbers and capabilities of the cultivators seemed to be similar to that of the army he had previously faced. The one comprised of the Dale, For and Lin Families, but this time they were coming from all different directions, while it also wasn''t clear where the leaders were.


    The head of the Black Dragon Gang along with his three other powerhouses seemed to be skilled in concealment and Adam was unlikely to be able to sense them unless they got very close, which left him to deal with all of their men.


    Leaving Huang Feng laying on the floor, not caring about his safety, Adam instructed Liao Wei to return to his flat and to not look out of his window no matter what. He needed to be able to fight without needing to worry about him, and staying inside and protecting his mother would make that much easier.


    Adam stood in the middle of a road on the edge of the city, which didn''t have many people and was known for its cheap housing, criminal activity and also for being dangerous.


    Swarming towards him from all directions were cultivators all wearing leather jackets with the emblem of the Black Dragon Gang, along with most of them having tattoos. They all had aggressive auras and Adam sensed that the weakest out of them was still an Advanced Cultivator.


    However, none of them were Master Cultivators, so there wasn''t anyone that Adam was particularly intimidated or wary of other than the three powerhouses and the Gang Head, who had concealed themselves.


    Seeing Adam standing there nonchalantly as if he was waiting for them, while also seeing that he matched the description of their target, Black Dragon Gang Members all began dashing towards him.


    Most of them were armed with some sort of metal pole, knife or short blade that would be easy to conceal, while almost all of them were skilled and had been trained in at least one martial art.


    The first to reach Adam was a high level Advanced Cultivator, and he launched a rapid kick towards Adam''s head, which he dodged, but then followed it up with a second kick as he spun around in the air.


    His kicks'' explosive power, speed and technique were all quite impressive, along with how flexible and well-trained his body was, but he was still far from being a match for Adam who had effortlessly dodged his attacks.


    He even dodged them while having his hands in his pockets, not even regarding them as worthy opponents and more focused on trying to sense where the three powerhouses and the head of the gang were.


    Taking his right hand out of his pocket, he thrust his fist towards the man''s face so quickly that it had only appeared to be a blur, and before he even knew what hit him, Adam had already put his hand back in his pocket.


    The rapid punch was enough to instantly knock him unconscious and had smashed his face, leaving Adam''s fist covered in blood.


    Seeing that, the Black Dragon Gang members couldn''t help but be intimidated and many of them hesitated and stopped charging towards him, however looking around at all the other members, they felt more confident as they began to chant.


    They were chanting the famed words that their boss had used to encourage them before they had left, and they had the total advantage in terms of numbers, while they also had him surrounded, with nowhere to escape to.


    As they continued chanting wildly, they continued their charge towards Adam from all directions, as they all launched all sorts of different attacks towards him at once.


    However, it was to no avail and Adam was used to fighting against many opponents, while they were also much slower, weaker and less experienced than him, so taking them down was easy.


    The Black Dragon Gang members began dropping like flies and Adam weaved between them, using only simple and single attacks to take them down, not bothering to use his full power against them.


    There were so many attacks coming at him at once, while they were also Advanced Cultivators that were skilled, so it was quite challenging to get through their ranks without getting hit, however, it was also good training and practise for Adam.


    He was using the Ghost Steps Skill to its maximum capabilities, while he had also activated his Mind Ring which allowed him to have the layout of the surrounding area imprinted in his mind, along with warning him of attacks instants before they were even unleashed.


    It allowed his mind to enter a hyperactive state, and matched with the Hunter''s Mind, aided him in entering a state of complete focus in which everything that occurred around him seemed to do so in slow motion.


    In that state, he finally managed to find the three powerhouses of the gang that he had been looking for and were bunched up in the troops of the gang. Not only were they disguised, but they were also using an item to conceal their presence and cultivation.


    Their integration into the ranks of the Black Dragon Gang members had been so successful that even their closest subordinates couldn''t recognise them and thought of them as just a random Black Dragon Gang member.


    However, they couldn''t hide from Adam who instead of looking for a powerful aura, searched for any concealment items being used, which would give off a faint aura that most would be unable to sense, but wouldn''t get past his keen senses.


    A perfect path towards the powerhouses that he had sensed was created within his mind, and to get there he needed to take down dozens of Black Dragon Gang members, while he also didn''t want to make it obvious that he had found them.


    Or he could use his Stealth Ring to become invisible, which he rarely did, but would be the perfect thing to use...

 Chapter 498 - Powerhouses Of The Black Dragon Gang

    Although he was surrounded by hundreds of cultivators, Adam decided to become invisible, which he could do through his Stealth Ring. Then matched with his Form Concealment capability, the Black Dragon Gang members would be unable to see or sense where he was.


    They were all rowdy and making a lot of nice, while they were also crowded quite closely together, so there was a lot of confusion and it would take them a few seconds to realise that Adam had disappeared.


    In those few seconds, he planned to reach the 3 powerhouses that were left of the Black Dragon Gang and take them down, then search for the Head of the Gang, who even in the Hyperactive Mental State, Adam was unable to find.


    His grey ring on his right hand began to glow, and suddenly, Adam disappeared into thin air and any trace of his presence dissipated, almost as if he had never been there in the first place. The Black Dragon Gang members that were closest to Adam and were attacking him were confused and shocked, and began passing on the news, but it was going just like Adam expected it to.


    As soon as he turned invisible, Adam jumped up into the air, then used the Burst Movement Skill to manoeuvre in the air, making sure not to use too much power or reveal his presence while doing so.


    Then when he reached the three powerhouses who were all stood close to each other near the back of the Black Dragon Gang''s troops, he undid his invisibility and landed in front of them with an evil smile on his face.


    "What the hell! Where did he come from?"


    "And how did he know where we were,"


    They were baffled and amazed by Adam''s sudden appearance, but reacted quickly as they all suddenly unleashed their most powerful attacks towards Adam all at once.


    There was the Fire Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang, the Sword Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang and the Speed Powerhouse of the Black Dragon Gang left for Adam to take down.


    The Serpent Powerhouse that Adam had previously taken down was quite skilled and capable, but was the weakest out of the four powerhouses, which was why he had been dispatched first.


    Adam sensed that they were all low level Master Cultivators, and sensed the Fire Energy emanating from the Fire Powerhouse, who also appeared to be the strongest out of the three. However, just like with the Serpent Powerhouse, in Adam''s eyes, they were far from being powerhouses and he would take them all down quite easily.


    The only issue was that their attacks could cause a lot of damage to the local area and it would be difficult to suppress all three of them at once, so Adam decided to draw them out of the city.


    It seemed as though they had no intention of retreating or trying to escape from him, while they definitely didn''t appear to be holding back, so it was the best course of action, that would also give Adam more freedom to unleash more of his power.


    The Fire Powerhouse fired a beam of fire, that Adam dodged, and ended up burning and launching dozens of the Black Dragon members flying. The Sword Powerhouse flung an energy blade towards Adam, followed up by a rapid sword slash, and the Speed Powerhouse launched himself towards Adam and aimed a punch towards his face.


    He dodged the fire beam and energy blade, but then had to handle the sword slash and rapid punch. Their attacks were aligned and timed perfectly to trap and overwhelm an opponent, making it so that avoiding all of the attacks was almost impossible, but Adam still found an opening.


    The Speed Powerhouse seemed to be the weakness and although had incredible speed, didn''t have much power behind his fist, while would be much easier to handle than the sword attack.


    Grabbing the slender man''s fist, Adam used him as a human shield for the sword attack and the Sword Powerhouse could barely stop the attack, slashing his own companion and leaving a deep wound in his back.


    After doing so, Adam dashed away, in the direction of an open and empty area outside of the city.


    Seeing him do so, the three powerhouses of the Black Dragon Gang rushed after him, and while doing so, organised their men and ordered them to follow after them.


    They had stopped concealing their power and removed their disguise, immediately being recognised by the gang members that were all their subordinates, as they did exactly what they said and followed after them.


    Adam who was running out of the city at speeds that your average car would struggle to keep up with was being chased by three figures, who were then being followed by an army of hundreds of cultivators.


    It was shocking how openly and publically cultivators used their power in China, but then considering that most were cultivators and knew about it, they had nothing to hide. While Adam was also beginning to understand why they called it a place filled with opportunities, but also dangers for cultivators.


    Adam was yet to have been hit once and also hadn''t exerted himself much, but seeing how many opponents he was facing, and knowing that their boss was still hidden somewhere, he was hoping they would be able to impress him and put up a challenge.


    The Speed Powerhouse had quite a deep wound on his back, but it didn''t affect him much and he was a Master Cultivator who prized himself in his speed, so quickly caught up to Adam who wasn''t suing his full speed, but was still quite impressed by the slim man''s speed.


    "I will kill you and show you who the fastest of us is" he bellowed as he burst towards Adam and began unleashing a flurry of rapid punches towards Adam.


    Adam smiled as he took all of his attacks head-on and stopped running away, having already drawn them out enough from the city to be able to unleash more of his power.

 Chapter 499 - Fire Wheel Of Death

    The Speed Powerhouse''s martial arts wasn''t unique or anything special, very similar to the Bombardment Style that Adam had fought against while facing a Grandmaster Cultivator, but nowhere near and difficult to handle.


    He was enraged after being used by Adam as a human shield and also wanted to test his speed against that of Adam, who appeared to also focus on speed, so instantly began attacking him, without waiting for his comrades to fight him together.


    The rapid punches and kicks that he would unleash in quick succession were far from being as powerful as Marco''s, but had similar speed and the way he fought would rely on his speed to overwhelm his opponent.


    While although he may not have the power to match, after being hit by hundreds of rapid punches, no matter how weak they were, most would begin to suffer damage and breakdown.


    However, he couldn''t help but be amazed, shocked and become even angrier when he realised that every single one of his attacks was being blocked by Adam. To add to that, not only had he blocked them all, but seemed to have done so with ease, and hadn''t even been forced back one step.


    He stood there while expertly blocking every single attack that came his way, and watching what was occurring, the Black Dragon Gang''s powerhouses and members couldn''t help but be in awe.


    The Speed Powerhouse was attacking so quickly that they could barely see his attacks clearly, with only the other powerhouses being able to track most of the attacks with their eyes. While Adam was unfazed by them and blocking them all as if they were normal slow attacks that weren''t even a threat to him.


    However, retreating and letting Adam go wasn''t an option, since if they did do so, they would be the laughing stock of not only the criminal world but also the world of cultivators. It was unheard of for one man to take on an entire gang with ease, unless they were some great cultivator. But the great cultivators would usually train in seclusion or lead much bigger factions, not bothering to take on a cultivator gang.


    Along with all of that, they still had no idea who Adam was yet to display or reveal anything that would help them find out who he was.


    All they could do was hope that their numbers would be enough to overwhelm and take him down, as they awaited instruction and the aid of their boss, who they were confident would be able to handle Adam.


    Their boss was on the Top Cultivator Ranking and was a capable, famed and skilled cultivator that was respected for his combat prowess. However, he was also very cruel, ruthless and cold-hearted, which was why he wasn''t respected or accepted by most to be a great cultivator.


    After feeling shunned by the world of cultivators, he decided to build a new one himself by starting as a criminal and formed the Black Dragon Gang, taking over an entire region. He couldn''t expand any further and knew he could be crushed with ease by the great cultivators of the country, but he was still working towards growing more powerful, one day wanting to take over the country.


    His ambitions were crazy and impossible to be achieved, but it was those ambitions that allowed him to create quite a formidable gang that would be able to crush all of the great families in New York that Adam at one time used to be intimidated by and wary of.


    Unfortunately for him, he had messed with the wrong person and had gotten too confident and unrestrained with his actions, doing as he pleased within his territory and abusing his power too much.


    "Fire Wheel of Death" bellowed the Fire Powerhouse as he began waving his arms and creating a spiral of fire energy.


    It was difficult to contain and control, as he streamed as much energy as he could handle into the spinning fire attack and launched it towards Adam, who was engaging with the Speed Powerhouse.


    Calling out his attack helped him to concentrate and focus his mind on the attack, but it also warned the Speed Powerhouse to get out of the way, and immediately after hearing it, the slim man that was attacking Adam jumped to the side.


    Even using his full speed to get out of the way of the attack, he prepared himself to take on the shock wave of the Fire Wheel of Death that had the power of a bomb, but Adam stood there unfazed by the powerful fire attack heading his way.


    He could have narrowly dodged it with his speed, and avoided it completely using his Step Skip Skill quite easily, but he felt no need to do so and switched his attributeless energy into Fire Energy.


    By doing so, he began using his Fire Elemental Affinity and Fire Energy that he could use whenever he pleased, and his Fire Elemental Affinity was much stronger than that of the Fire Powerhouse.


    It was to the point that he completely overpowered his control over the attack and just as the Fire Wheel of Death was about to land on Adam and cause a giant explosion, it suddenly stopped moving and hovered before him.


    Adam then used both his hands to compress the fire energy that the Fire Powerhouse had poured into the attack even further, until he formed an extremely powerful fireball in the centre of his hands.


    Watching what was happening, they were all amazed and had never seen or heard about something like that before. Not only had he stopped the attack, but caught it and compressed it into an even more powerful attack of his own.


    While the Fire Powerhouse was the most amazed by what had happened, knowing how difficult it was to control and compress explosive Fire Energy. Along with that, he also knew how powerful the fireball Adam had formed and immediately wanted to run away.


    However, it was too late for that.

 Chapter 500 - Control

    With a fireball formed of the Fire Powerhouse''s compressed Fire Energy, Adam suddenly disappeared from where he stood, and appeared behind the Fire Powerhouse.


    His movements were instantaneous thanks to the Step Skip Skill and there was no way to avoid the attack, if Adam attacked him with the fireball, but he wasn''t looking to kill him. Instead, he kicked the side of his head with an explosive high kick, then followed it with another kick from his left leg that flung him up into the air.


    Then using the Step Skip Skill, he used the same two kicks on both the Sword Powerhouse and the Speed Powerhouse, leaving them all dozens of metres in the air and barely conscious. With all of them in the air at once, Adam flung the explosive fireball he had in his hand at them, and timed it so that it hit them all at once.


    The three Powerhouses of the Black Dragon Gang that never believed that anyone other than their boss would be able to defeat them in their region, had been decimated with ease by Adam.


    They were launched flying in three different directions and had all not only lost consciousness, but also suffered bad burns all over their body and internal injuries from the force and impact of the explosion.


    The gap in power, capability, skill and experience was too large, and Adam had ended them in the blink of an eye, before turning to the rest of the Black Dragon Gang members, who were too afraid to even look directly at him.


    "Bring me their bodies and you will all be obedient to me, not acting without my permission," he ordered loudly and domineeringly, using both his Charm Skill and King Ring to make them subservient.


    They found it hard to breathe under the powerful pressure that his King Ring bore over all of them, while they were also already willing to serve and obey him after seeing his power, but the Charm Skill just made it so that they had no choice to.


    Using both the King Ring and Charm Skill made it so that controlling people, and even animals and beasts became easy. The King Ring would allow him to dominate them and crush their will, while the Charm Skill would then make them willingly follow and serve him.


    However, the stronger someone was, the more power he would need to unleash through the King Ring and also the more energy the Charm Skill would require, which took its toll on his body.


    For that reason, and because his King Ring and Charm Skill''s power seemed to be dampened in the dungeon, he didn''t use them to complete dungeons, however, when in reality, they were definitely useful tools at his disposal.


    Within seconds the bodies of the three Powerhouses of their gang had been carried over to Adam by some of the Dragon Gang Members, while the others all stood before him with their heads lowered.


    "Now then, where is your boss?" asked Adam, but none of them seemed to know.


    No matter how hard Adam tried, he couldn''t sense any powerful presence within the troops of the Black Dragon Gang, but he was looking in the wrong place.


    As he stood there, Adam was thinking about what other ways the boss of the Black Dragon Gang could conceal himself, sure that he would come to join the battle after his most powerful subordinates were taken down and all of his men became obedient to someone else.


    However, suddenly, he sensed danger coming from below him, which was unusual, but he trusted his instincts and jumped away. To his surprise, it was a person that had unexpectedly burst up out of the ground, and immediately, he was recognised by the Black Dragon Gang Members.


    It was their boss. The man famed for his Earth Elemental Affinity and combat prowess, along with being ruthless and cruel.


    "Impressive. You took down all four of my Powerhouses, along with killing one of them. While you also somehow managed to take over my gang and make them all obey you," he said as he suddenly unleashed his powerful aura, thinking that maybe it would intimidate his troops and get them to obey him again instead of Adam.


    However, his aura was nothing compared to what they had experienced when Adam used the power of the King Ring and the Charm Skill. Seeing that his men didn''t react or seem to be affected by his aura, he was shocked, but also furious that the troops he had nurtured and gathered were no longer loyal to him.


    "You dare to betray me, I will slaughter you all if you do not bow before me," he bellowed as he unleashed a thick and frightening killing intent.


    Remembering what they had seen and heard their boss do and not wanting to go against him, they all turned back to their boss and bowed before him, believing that he would be able to overpower Adam.


    Seeing that, he scoffed and was going to punish them to make sure they weren''t so easily swayed again, but before then, the one that was a thorn in his side needed to be eliminated.


    "All of you, get out of here and you all serve me and listen to me," ordered Adam, unleashing a great power from his King Ring and Charm Skill.


    "Forget about your past master and carry anyone unconscious back to the city, then await further instruction. If you dare to disobey me, I will make sure you all die," he added, but with a killing intent that was even more powerful than their boss.


    This time, Adam had completely removed any previous allegiance or loyalty they had for their boss as they immediately began doing what he said, rushing back towards the city to get out of their way.


    Which left Adam facing off against the amazed, but enraged, boss of the Black Dragon Gang, who had just lost all of his subordinates.

 Chapter 501 - Rock Spikes

    Adam had taken over hundreds of Advanced Cultivators and taken down 4 Master Cultivators with ease, destroying everything that the boss of the Black Dragon Gang had built over many years. Everything he had worked so hard for and wanted to one day use to achieve his aims, to dominate the entire country, had been taken away from him right before his eyes.


    Facing off against Adam who stood opposite him nonchalantly, he couldn''t help but be amazed by such an individual, who appeared young, and yet was already so skilled and capable.


    From underground, using Earth Burrowing Concealment that would allow him to stay underground for long periods of time and become one with the earth, so that his presence can''t be detected, he had been observing what happened above ground.


    Although he couldn''t see anything, with his spiritual sense he would have a pretty good idea of what had been occurring above ground, and since Adam hadn''t thought to look underground for him, he had been able to do so without being detected.


    So he knew that Adam was incredible and probably much more powerful than he was, however after he did so much already, it must have taken a toll on him, especially the controlling of his troops.


    Adam seemed to have the power to control others and with his powerful aura, frightening killing intent and an unusual ability that he had never seen before, but it also seemed to be very straining and difficult.


    It was clear even by looking at Adam that he had been drained by doing so, and in all honesty, he was right. Using the King Ring and Charm Skill to control hundreds of Advanced Cultivators and make them all completely obedient and loyal to him was a big feat, and was difficult for him to do.


    His body was feeling slightly sluggish and weak, while his energy reserves were quite low, however, Adam was still confident and that was far from enough to make him vulnerable. While with the Devouring Death Daggers, as long as he could cut his opponent, he would never become fatigued.


    "You became too arrogant and dared to control so many people in front of me without a care in the world. You have underestimated me far too much, and now I finally know who you are. You are the one that calls himself Death aren''t you?" realised the Head of the Black Dragon Gang.


    He fit the brief description and had also displayed the same power, to be able to control dozens, while someone as powerful as Adam was very likely to be on the Top Cultivator Ranking, so Death was the most likely option.


    "That may be true. Are you scared now that you know who I am?" asked Adam nonchalantly, not really caring about his alias, merely using it to strike fear in those that think about targeting his faction.


    "Hmph. You are far too young and inexperienced to face me, and after you have weakened and tired yourself, defeating you will be easy. But after I beat you up, I will spare you if you submit to me and form a Martial Pact with me," he scoffed in response to Adam''s question.


    A Martial Pact was essentially a vow that one would make, and if one broke that vow, their External and Internal Cultivation would be crushed, essentially making them a cripple. It was an ancient technique that was rarely used, but since most martial artists made sure to keep their word, Martial Pacts were very useful to ensure that they did.


    Adam smiled and reassured him that if he managed to defeat him, he would do anything he wanted, but he also made it clear that if he won, he would kill him.


    "Wow, you''re a feisty one aren''t you. Despite being weakened and fatigued, you still dare to make such outlandish claims. I admit that you at your full power will be difficult for me to face, but now crushing you will be easy. And even if you were somehow able to defeat me, I can escape and hide underground whenever I please and you wouldn''t be able to do anything about it," he stated as he placed his hands on the ground.


    After he did, suddenly large spikes of rock burst up from the ground, and Adam was able to narrowly avoid them, but was impressed by his opponent. He was yet to have faced someone that was so skilled and powerful when it came to the use of the Earth Element, while he also seemed to be skilled in combat.


    Even though the Boss of the Black Dragon Gang''s attack missed, it blocked Adam''s field of vision for a split second and it also allowed him to begin to manipulate the terrain however he pleased.


    However, he hadn''t accounted for Adam''s Step Skip Skill that was a Unique Skill like no other and allowed him to appear behind his opponent instantaneously. Then with his Devouring Death Daggers that he had summoned in hand, Adam slashed his back, drawing the blood he had been looking for.


    Immediately after doing so, he felt a rush of energy, vitality and strength enter his body, while the Black Dragon Gang''s head felt drained and weakened as he launched himself away from Adam, using the ground beneath him to propel him away.


    Then blocking off Adam''s pursuit with walls of rock, he began to worry and doubt himself. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that daggers that could suck the energy, vitality and blood of its victims existed, but now that he was faced with them, he was terrified.


    However, as a skilled and experienced fighter, along with still believing that he still had the advantage, only being drained slightly, he stopped holding back anything he had.


    Every split second gave Adam a chance to attack him once again with those frightening daggers of his, so he needed to keep him as far from him as possible, and if he still couldn''t beat him, retreat was the only option.

 Chapter 502 - Earth Attacks

    Despite being a very prideful individual that was confident in his own capabilities, the Black Dragon Gang head knew his limits and Adam was someone that was too tough for him to face. However, since Adam was weakened and fatigued, he had been given a golden opportunity to take down someone higher than him on the Top Cultivator Ranking and also make them his subordinate.


    But he also prepared himself to retreat and escape at any moment if he needed to, as despite being a power-seeking opportunist, self-preservation always came first.


    Earth Upheaval - Swallowing Waves


    Large waves of earth, just like the one''s found on the beach, encapsulated Adam from all directions and bore over him. It was a skill that used great amounts of energy, but would crush opponents in one fell swoop, even those that were Master Level Cultivators like them.


    However, it wouldn''t work against Adam, who suddenly unleashed a burst of flames from his body that broke the skill that the Boss of the Black Dragon Gang had used.


    One couldn''t help but be shocked and Adam had somehow been able to break a powerful Earth Attack with a simple burst of fire energy, or so it seemed. There was actually much more skill behind it than what met the eye, but it was still amazing.


    "How is that even possible?!" Adam''s opponent exclaimed as he jumped backwards and created some distance between himself and Adam, preparing himself for a counter attack that he was expecting.


    However, to his surprise, Adam didn''t bother attacking him while he was vulnerable after just using a lot of energy in a powerful attack, and was amused by his frightened actions as he asked, "What''s your name?"


    It was an odd question to ask an opponent in the middle of a battle, in which they were both fighting with the intention to kill the other, but his opponent answered anyway.


    "Bai Niu. The name''s Bai Niu," he answered, as he kept his eyes on Adam, afraid to even blink or let his guard down for a split second.


    "So, Bai Niu. Do you have anything you want to say before I kill you?" I asked Adam, before continuing, "I am sure you have realised that you have no chance against me,"


    "Hmph. I admit you are powerful, and the explosive power of your fire is unbelievable powerful, just like a bomb, but it still isn''t enough. You are merely tiring yourself out more, and I will come out on top," scoffed Bai Niu, who despite feeling doubtful and on edge, still put up a strong front.


    He was a Master Level Cultivator and hadn''t been suffered a humiliating defeat his entire life, never once facing an opponent who frightened him as much as Adam. He was overly ambitious and his ambitions had led him to do some unforgivable things, but Adam wasn''t in a rush to kill him, interested to see more of his capabilities.


    So far he was certainly impressive and Adam was wondering to himself whether his friends would be able to handle such a powerful, experienced and ruthless opponent. Cole would have an advantage against him, since an opponent that was very fast seemed to be Bai Niu''s weakness.


    His skills truly were impressive, but had quite long activation times and were very wide-scale attacks. If faced with a fast opponent, all they would need to do was land one decisive attack, but at the same time, Bai Niu was also very cautious.


    The one Adam felt would struggle against him the most was Elizabeth who was unlikely to be able to break past his defences, but he was sure they would all put up a good fight. While Marco and Chase would also put up a challenge against Bai Niu with their raw power and unbelievably strong physiques.


    As for Angela, her attacks would be very similar to Bai Niu in the fact that they were wide-scale attacks, but her ice-wielding capabilities were more versatile and could be easily activated. And Wayde would need to use his flames wisely and if he could unleash enough fire power with his Lion Fire Spirit, he might be able to break Bai Niu''s attacks just like Adam did.


    However, all in all, their own skills, combat prowess and efficiency would decide whether they could handle Bai Niu, since there was no such thing as a completely undefeatable opponent or utterly overwhelming advantage.


    One that uses a fire elemental affinity was not necessarily at a disadvantage against one with a water elemental affinity, and it was the same for all forms of energy. It all depended on the wielder, and in this case, Adam was the superior wielder of energy.


    Adam walked over to Bai Niu and didn''t initiate an attack, while he had also retracted his daggers to his body.


    Seeing it as Adam being overly arrogant, Bai Niu used another one of his Earth Skills, but this one was one that would help him in close combat. His attempts at defeating Adam from a distance had all failed and although Adam''s daggers were frightening, he didn''t have another choice.


    Adam seemed to no longer plan to use his daggers or maybe couldn''t use his daggers anymore, in the mind of Bai Niu, and since he prized himself in his Martial Arts just like many others in China, he launched himself towards Adam.


    The gap in speed was clear, but he was confident in his own fighting capabilities and that with his defence, experience and skill, could overcome any disadvantage.


    Seeing him launch himself towards him, Adam smiled to himself and was interested to see what he was capable of in close combat and how he would use his Earth Elemental Affinity, which had shown to be very powerful.


    "This is getting interesting," mumbled Adam to himself as he watched Bai Niu coat his body in what appeared to be rock that was compressed and reinforced with energy.


    With the armour he produced, he launched a powerful fist towards Adam, and their battle in close quarters began.

 Chapter 503 - Martial Earth Armour

    Bai Niu who had coated himself in an armour made of rock launched a powerful fist towards Adam''s stomach, but it was from a distance that was too far for him to strike Adam. However, to Adam''s surprise, his armour extended to close the distance and almost land a strike on him.


    The armour that was not only very durable, light and flexible, also had the capability to expand and grow, allowing him to have a much longer reach than his opponent. With that reach, he was planning to make it so that Adam wouldn''t have a chance to land an attack on him even with his great speed.


    "You see this. I don''t like using this as it is very straining on my body, but this is my Martial Earth Armour. Something that I spent many years creating and mastering, and will be what kills you," he announced in a grand manner.


    In all honesty, his armour was very impressive and with it, he was definitely much more powerful and more of a force to be reckoned with, but it still wasn''t enough to worry Adam. But despite not feeling worried, Adam was curious to see just how much his power would improve with the so-called ''Marital Earth Armour'' on, and also wanted to see if he could learn anything from his opponent.


    His speed with the armour on had improved slightly, with him appearing to be moving the ground beneath his feet as he launched himself towards Adam, increasing his speed and momentum. Along with that, the armour added a metre to his attack range and allowed him to use his Earth Elemental Affinity through his martial arts.


    Slicing his arm at Adam''s head, seemingly wanting to chop the side of his head, Bai Niu had a smile on his face as he watched Adam move backwards to avoid the attack. However, as soon as he began to move to avoid his initial attack, the armour around his arm extended in the shape of an axe.


    The axe that was attached to his arm and made out of rock was as sharp as any metal axe, and with the speed and force that he was swinging it at, would be able to deal a grave injury to Adam. He narrowly avoided it and as he suddenly ducked, a lot of his tied up hair had been sliced in half.


    "I was looking to change my hairstyle and cut my hair anyway, but it seems you''ve done it for me," he commented as he jumped backwards and prepared to take on Bai Niu''s attacks.


    Against him, Adam had to take into account that his attacks could extend at any moment, while the extensions of his body could take on any form and overall there were many possibilities to be ready for.


    Bai Niu was just as unpredictable as Adam was expecting, and his next attack didn''t use the capability to extend his armour or his armour at all. In fact, he attacked to push Adam back, then used a Rock Spike from behind him, hoping to pierce him in the back.


    It was very well thought out, and it seemed as though he had many methods of attacking, but with the Step Skip Skill and Adam''s rapid reflexes, avoiding such great attacks was easy.


    Forming blades, spikes, hammers and many other melee weapons with his armour, it was quite difficult to avoid or block all of his attacks unscathed, while Bai Niu was also skilled in hand to hand combat, making it even harder.


    However, Adam was still managing to do so and was impressed by Bai Niu, but it still wasn''t enough for him to close the gap in power and skill.


    "I am getting bored now. Your Martial Earth Armour is an impressive skill, but I am sure it is one that is very straining and draining. So, it''s time to end this," said Adam as his Death Devouring Daggers appeared in his hands.


    There was no point in extending their battle any longer and there wasn''t much to learn from Bai Niu. The essence of his martial arts had been tainted with his power and Earth Elemental Affinity, while it was also quite apparent what he had focused most of his training on.


    Seeing the daggers, and knowing what they were capable of, while also feeling fatigued and sluggish after using the Martial Earth Armour just like Adam said, Bai Niu instantly began his retreat.


    He had been ready to retreat at any moment their entire battle and as soon as Adam took out his daggers; he didn''t even wait to hear what he had to say, already knowing that he didn''t stand a chance against Adam. Previously believing that Adam would be easy to take down after using a lot of energy to Charm his subordinates, Bai Niu realised how wrong he was and regretted making that assumption.


    Diving into the ground as it were water, he began to sink into the ground and Adam knew that it would be a hassle to track, locate and finish him off once he got deep underground. Adam hadn''t been able to sense him before when he was underground because he hadn''t expected to find anyone underground, but also because he was very skilled at concealing himself.


    His aura and presence fused with the Earth around him and finding him would be like finding a needle in a haystack if Adam gave him enough time to get deep enough underground.


    However, just as he was about to be completely enveloped in the Earth beneath him, he suddenly felt his ankle be grabbed by Adam, and couldn''t help but curse his luck.


    Going any further underground would be impossible with Adam holding him up, so he quickly jumped up out of the ground with a spike formed of rock, aiming to stab Adam in the neck with it.


    But Adam, who was holding his ankle, grabbed his wrist with his other hand and was amused by Bai Niu''s desperate attempts at killing him as he glared at him.


    "This is over now,"

 Chapter 504 - Becoming An Evil Soul

    In Adam''s clutches, Bai Niu felt helpless to escape and was amazed by how strong Adam was without even using his Internal Energy to reinforce his body. It truly was over just like Adam had said, but it was human nature to continue to resist despite it seeming impossible to escape from Adam.


    Bai Niu felt as though he was in the clutches of a monstrous demon and deep down, he felt that death was inevitable.


    Squeezing his hands tightly as hard as he could, Adam crushed Bai Niu''s wrist and ankle that he was holding with ease, as if they were mere twigs, then stabbed his Devouring Death Daggers into Bai Niu''s stomach.


    In an instant, he felt as though he could no longer circulate his energy, which was all being sucked into the two black daggers that had been stabbed into his abdomen, while he would struggle to run or fight with a broken wrist and ankle.


    Feeling refreshed with large streams of energy, blood and vitality streaming into his body through his Devouring Death Daggers that were draining Bai Niu at a rapid pace, Adam pulled out the daggers and dragged Bai Niu''s body back to where Liao Wei lived.


    There, he found Huang Feng, the Serpent Powerhouse that Adam had defeated and wanted to see his boss get killed for himself. Unfortunately, he had missed the battle itself, but seeing the body being dragged by Adam, he couldn''t help but be amazed.


    He knew Adam was powerful after fighting him himself, but he had his doubts about his capability to defeat his boss and seeing that he was unscathed, it was even more amazing. Throwing Bai Niu''s body over to Huang Feng, Adam was not planning on showing either of them any mercy and merely brought the body over out of pity and to fulfil his promise.


    "Kill him then kill yourself. Hurry up before I change my mind and kill you both," said Adam as he stood there.


    With his boss in an even worse state than himself, and remembering all of his past clearly, Huang Feng began pounding at his body with his fists. Despite not having legs, his arm strength was still there, while Bai Niu wasn''t completely defenceless and that weakened.


    The two of them began attacking each other on the ground and it was a pathetic sight, while they both ended up killing each other while Adam watched, along with the rest of the Black Dragon Gang that had cleaned up the area and awaited Adam''s next instruction.


    After Bai Niu died, just like Adam was expecting, such a cruel individual that held so much hatred towards someone and had so much he wanted to do in his life, would definitely become an Evil Soul after dying.


    One that a Death Wraith would struggle with and may cause troubles for him and those around him if he didn''t deal with it himself, so switching to his Soul Form, he appeared before Bai Niu who had just died.


    Upon dying and his soul separating from his body, he was amazed by everything that was occurring and believed in the concept of the soul, but that didn''t make it any less amazing to experience and see for himself.


    He could see everything that was happening in the Physical World, but couldn''t come into contact with them and felt he was together with them, but separated at the same time. While he also felt a raging power within him, one that was similar to Internal Energy, but seemed to have different capabilities.


    However, before he could explore what it was like to be in a weightless Soul Form and use the Soul Power within him, Adam appeared before him, no longer standing in a Physical Form, but a weightless Soul Form just like Bai Niu.


    "Soul Projection," he uttered, amazed that Adam could take the soul out of his body at will.


    But then looking around and not seeing Adam''s body he was gobsmacked.


    How on Earth was it even possible for one''s Physical Form to become a Soul Form?


    However, he didn''t have time to think about that and this time didn''t even try his luck against Adam, turning around to try to fly away in his weightless form, wanting to get as far away from Adam as possible.


    Only when he became stronger and was confident in his capabilities as an Evil Soul would he return to get his revenge on Adam, but at the same time, he felt as though he didn''t have control over the menacing power within him.


    The Evil Soul Power felt like a hot flame that was circulating around his soul and making him angrier and more powerful, urging him to kill, fight and go on a rampage. Souls weren''t meant to linger around after death, and one that held so much resentment would be very unstable, with most not being able to control themselves as an Evil Soul.


    It had only been a few seconds since his soul had been separated from his body and another figure in a Soul Form appeared through a portal and was wearing all black robes, along with carrying a chain.


    However, after seeing that the soul they were there to retrieve had become an Evil Soul, the fright and doubt were clear on his face as he made a report that both Adam and Bai Niu heard.


    "Evil Soul found in the 1st Realm in the positive Mortal Plain. Estimated power is mid level Sky Mortal and is currently very unstable. Requesting immediate backup."


    Hearing that, Bai Niu wanted to escape even more, and it was clear that he was being targeted by whoever that was and the people behind him, while he was also confused as to why they weren''t targeting Adam and seemed unable to even see him.


    "I''ll do this much for you.. I''ll tell you about the world just before you die and lose all your memories," said Adam as he floated over to him with an evil smile.

 Chapter 505 - Something I Want

    "He is a Death Wraith, working for the Death Corps who rule, control and maintain balance in the universe from the underworld, their own separate plane that spans infinitely. You have become an Evil Soul and they will send these weaklings to pursue and eliminate you," Adam revealed as he neared Bai Niu.


    "But in this case, I don''t leave problems that I have caused for others to fix, so I will deal with you myself," he continued as he took out his Death Devouring Daggers.


    "So now you will die and enter the Soul Sea, then will probably be reincarnated. Well, that was if you didn''t become an Evil Soul and went with that fellow over there. If I kill you, your existence will be ended, never to be reborn again,"


    Immediately after hearing that, Bai Niu turned around to fly away, but he was defenceless against Adam in his Soul Form, who was at his full strength and eliminated him in one go, slicing his Soul Form into pieces with his Death Devouring Daggers.


    Although the Death Wraith could only see the soul that it was targeting and sent to receive, it was clear to it that there was another powerful soul near it and was even more frightened than before.


    "Urgent report. The Evil Soul has been eliminated with ease by an unknown entity. Requesting permission to lift the sensory cover,"


    The Death Wraith''s reaction was understandable and hearing the response it received, Adam recognised the voice as that of Shinka''s uncle.


    "You may remove the sensory cover, but return to the underworld and await reinforcements if the soul is too powerful. It is unlikely to dare to attack you, but be careful anyway,"


    As soon as he received permission to remove his sensory cover, the Death Wraith placed its hands over its eyes and to its surprise, it saw Adam floating a few metres away from it. From Adam''s appearance, aura and presence, it was clear that he wasn''t an Evil Soul, while he couldn''t even tell if he was a Soul Cultivator.


    "Hey! Wandering soul. Did you see where the Evil Soul that was here went?" the Death Wraith asked, sensing an evil power from whoever had killed the Evil Soul of Bai Niu.


    What he had sensed was actually Adam''s daggers, and appearing beside the rookie Death Wraith, Adam snatched the communication device he was holding.


    "Yo, old man. Your that old bull right?" said Adam through the communication device, before the Death Wraith could even react.


    Hearing the random soul before him that didn''t even emanate any Soul Power and yet still dared to call the princess by her first name and speak to such a powerful figure directly, the Death Wraith was gobsmacked.


    Knowing how strict his boss was, allowing his communication device would get him in big trouble, especially after his sensory cover was removed, but how on Earth was Adam so fast?


    While at the same time he was shocked by the world of the living''s appearance and mesmerised by it, comparing it to the gloomy and lifeless underworld that he was used to. Awaiting the angry reaction that he expected from his boss, one that was powerful enough to shake the entire world, the one he heard shocked the Death Wraith greatly.


    Old bull was the nickname that Adam had come up for Shinka''s uncle and knowing that bulls were mere animals that humans would consume, it infuriated him the first time he heard it, while it also annoyed him to be called old.


    However, it made it clear who it was that was speaking through the communication device.


    "You little rascal. You better not have killed that rookie Death Wraith. This was one of his first tasks," Shinka''s uncle said, in the loud and authoritative manner that he usually spoke in. However, he wasn''t as assertive and aggressive with Adam, which was weird.


    Just who the hell was that random wandering soul and how was he so chummy with the boss?


    "Don''t worry, he is fine. While I also dealt with that Evil Soul for you, which I partly caused, but still one you a favour by eliminating it," reassured him Adam, who spoke to him comfortably, knowing that the powerful figure he spoke to who had the power to influence the entire universe, wasn''t planning on getting rid of him anytime soon.


    "Good, now return the communication device to my subordinate. They are property of the underworld and just coming in contact with one makes you a criminal that would be crushed by the Death Corps. Luckily for you in this case I can overlook it,"


    "Hmph. It was me who helped you in this case, so you should be rewarding me. But anyway, you seem to be understaffed in the underworld. Is it maybe because of the conflict on the Mortal Intersection?" asked Adam.


    "What! Aren''t you an ordinary wandering soul on one of the positive Mortal Realms? How do you know about that conflict?!" exclaimed Shinka''s uncle.


    He knew that Adam was out of the ordinary and from his brave and confident nature; he was quite special, but there was no way he should have any knowledge about universal affairs.


    "Don''t worry about that, but just to lend you a hand, if there are any Evil Souls in my vicinity I will handle them for you, but I want something in return," said Adam, quickly moving on from that.


    He had already gotten the answer he wanted from the power Soul Creature''s reaction. The waging wars on the Mortal Intersection must be wild for even the underworld to be struggling with handling all the souls of the dead, but it was also a good opportunity for him to get something.


    Accumulating all he knew about Death Wraiths, he found something that he wanted, which would make his encounters with those from the Death Corps much easier.


    Something that would allow him to act much more freely in his Soul Form, but something that he knew Shinka''s uncle wouldn''t be willing to easily hand out....

 Chapter 506 - Recognised By The Death Corps

    "What is it?" asked Shinka''s uncle in an annoyed and unbothered manner.


    There was too much mystery behind Adam and he seemed to have a lot of knowledge about the universe and its affairs, which was shocking considering he seemed to be a lone and weak wandering soul when he encountered him.


    However, since he was relatively capable by Mortal''s standards and had helped Shinka so much, he was willing to hear him out, but was also ready to decline anything he requested, knowing how crafty he could be.


    "I want a Death Corps certification. With it, I would be able to openly communicate with those from the Death Corps, even if they have a sensory cover, and can also aid any in my vicinity. But I also don''t want to be tracked or restricted by the underworld and Death Corps. If you can do that for me, I will be able to lend you a hand more, since my world seems to be within your jurisdiction," answered Adam.


    His request didn''t seem outrageous when he thought about it, but he had no idea how crazy it was to Shinka''s uncle and the rookie Death Wraith that couldn''t help but eavesdrop.


    "That''s insane. It''s forbidden for anyone that isn''t a Soul Creature of the underworld to join the Death Corps, while it is also impossible as your existence is not suitable for it," he exclaimed in response to Adam''s request.


    Adam didn''t want to reveal that his existence actually was suitable for it, and they seemed to have gotten his request confused.


    "I am not looking to join you. I just want to be recognised as an ally of the Death Corps or a soul that is off-limits to the Death Corps, but is also someone that can help them..." corrected Adam.


    However, before Shinka''s uncle could even respond, seeming to be still against it, Adam continued, "And I am sure that you are capable of doing that, at least in your own jurisdiction. While Shinka would also be happy to hear that you did her friend a favour,"


    The way he spoke to the boss was outrageous to the rookie Death Wraith, and he was even more shocked by Adam''s claim of being Shinka''s friend. Shinka was known for being a failure that was unusual and infatuated with mortals, but she suddenly switched and became an incredible individual. Although she was always treated well, before the respect she was shown was for her identity and ancestors, but now it was for her possible future and good work.


    She wasn''t known for having any friends, or at least any that would openly claim to be friends with her, and yet Adam did and at that time he appeared to be a normal wandering soul. While Adam also didn''t outwardly appear to be anything amazing, despite the speed he displayed.


    "Okay, I can make you recognised by the death corps, but I have some conditions and these are not up for negotiation," said Shinka''s uncle, giving in and knowing that Adam being recognised by the Death Corps would make life easier in the future.


    "What are they?"


    "First off, you will be merely be recognised as an affiliate of the Death Corps, meaning that you are not officially a part of the Death Corps, but will not be targeted or seen as an enemy by those sent from the Death Corps. As for the recognition, it will not go further than that, and it gives you no authority over those from the Death Corps, while it also doesn''t mean that you have our backing or support. All it gives you is more freedom and allows you to contact with those sent from the Death Corps, even those with sensory covers. In return, I would like you to aid struggling Death Wraiths in your vicinity when you can, as you already know that we are struggling with the number of deaths taking place in the universe,"


    "Sure, that was exactly what I was looking for, anyway. But is there any chance I could get my hands on one of these communication devices?"


    "Absolutely not! Hand the communication device back over to the rookie Death Wraith and I will remotely assign your soul a seal of recognition and affiliation from the Death Corps. Although it might not be recognised by all from the Death Corps, at least in my jurisdiction you have nothing to worry about," the powerful figure answered immediately, clearly on the verge of exploding in anger.


    Handing back the communication device just like Shinka''s uncle had said, as he did, he had one last thing to say.


    "Seeya old bull and pass on my regards to Shinka,"


    After saying that, Adam flew off into the distance as if he was leaving, but he was going to go back and return to his Physical Form once the rookie Death Wraith had returned to the underworld. It was just as an extra precaution, not wanting the underworld to find out about his Form Switching Characteristic, which would place a massive target on his head.


    The shocked rookie Death Wraith who had only been sent to retrieve souls a few times so far was too astonished to even think straight, but as soon as the authoritative voice of his boss resounded through the communication device, he snapped out of it.


    "Return to headquarters and forget about the exchange you just observed. This was a private and unique matter that will not repeat itself, and you did well to react quickly and calmly. However, you must become stronger to be able to handle all threats alone,"


    Hearing the words of praise, despite sounding cold, knowing how his boss was, the rookie Death Wraith was elated, and couldn''t help but feel as though his boss''s mood was better than usual.. And the only reason he could think of that would be the reason for that was the unusual and unknown wandering soul he had come across.

 Chapter 507 - Powerful Aura Calling Out To Me

    Feeling curious was natural after everything that the rookie Death Wraith witnessed and heard, but he also knew that it was not his place to think about or pry into such things as he responded with, "Yes sir," before returning to the underworld.


    That left Adam, who had blitzed far away from the Death Wraith, then awaited its return to the underworld before returning to his Physical Form in which he went back to the remainder of the Black Dragon Gang.


    It had lost its boss and one of its 4 Powerhouses, while the entire gang had been defeated and unable to face against a single man, and yet there was still order and they all stood around quietly, waiting for Adam''s next instruction.


    He had suddenly disappeared from before them after watching Huang Feng and Bai Niu kill each other, and now reappeared as if nothing had happened and all they felt was a gust of wind that followed his rapid speed.


    "Listen up assholes, from now on you will no longer be called the Black Dragon Gang. Instead, you will be called the Black Dragon Group, as gangs have a bad connotation. As for who your new boss will be, I have already decided," announced Adam who suddenly disappeared.


    Liao Wei who had returned to his mother''s side blinked and the next thing he knew, he was outside in front of the Black Dragon Gang members and had been brought there in an instant by Adam.


    He felt like vomiting after moving at such speeds, but he suppressed the urge to do so and calmed himself down. However, after hearing what Adam said next, it felt impossible to stay calm.


    "This is your new boss, Liao Wei and he will be leading the Black Dragon Group. From now on you will be protecting this region and making it prosperous and safe, and if I ever hear that you even harmed as much as a single hair on an innocent''s head, I will slaughter you all," Adam revealed, causing Liao Wei to almost lose consciousness in shock.


    Just what the hell had he accidentally gotten himself into by desperately trying to rob Adam, and what in the world was Adam thinking when he announced that he would be handing over control of the Black Dragon Gang to him?!


    Not only were they extremely powerful to him and in control of the entire region, but they were also very wealthy from all the money they had been forcing people to pay them.


    Even the weakest of them could crush Liao Wei with ease, and yet under Adam''s orders, they all submitted to him and disobeying Liao Wei or Adam didn''t even cross their mind. It was as if their minds and bodies had wholeheartedly submitted to Adam.


    Liao Wei hadn''t ever wanted power or thought about what he would do with it. All he had wanted was for his mother to be healed, happy and to be able to get his life back on track. However, Adam trusted him to do good and not cause any trouble with such power granted to him, while he also had no choice but to find someone to oversee the Black Dragon Gang when he was gone.


    Getting his faction to do so was too far-fetched and would be tedious and dangerous, since it was too far out of their territory, while Liao Wei was the perfect person for the role.


    Using his King Ring, Adam bound all the members of the Black Dragon Gang before him to Liao Wei, while he also gave the three powerhouses the capability to bind others towards them. But while doing so, he made sure to make it so that they would completely obey Liao Wei and never betray his orders or morals.


    As for Liao Wei, it was still risky to just hand him over such power and allow him to do what he pleased. Although he wasn''t a bad person, no one was born a bad person and Adam wouldn''t have done anything if Liao Wei decided to abuse the power that was granted to him by Adam.


    So he also made sure to bind Liao Wei to himself and in the process ensured that he would never do anything wrong with the control he had given him, and he wasn''t too worried about Liao Wei becoming corrupted anyway.


    With that, the Black Dragon Group that he established with Liao Wei as the head was formed and Adam just wanted to relax and get his hair cut just like he had planned in the first place, but he suddenly sensed a powerful aura.


    However, it wasn''t one that was concealing itself or holding any malicious intentions towards him.


    Instead, it was one that was inviting and instantly looking where it was coming from; it seemed to be on top of the tallest building in the region that was partly owned by the previous boss of the Black Dragon Gang.


    The aura was powerful to the point that Adam was sure that he would be unable to defeat whoever it was emanating from without pushing himself to the brink of death, but at the same time, he had no reason to fear whoever it was.


    While if the individual had wanted to cause trouble, they would have come to Adam, so he was more intrigued about who they were and what they wanted.


    "Liao Wei, I will be back in a moment," said Adam, who had clearly been captivated by the powerful aura that was calling out to him, before suddenly disappearing from where he stood beside Liao Wei.


    Liao Wei had gotten used to Adam''s sudden disappearances and stood there before his new subordinates, still dumbfounded and struggling to digest everything that had happened.


    Despite them being his subordinates, he still felt quite afraid and intimidated by the large and powerful group, even though they were completely obedient to him. However, he stood there, trying to look strong as he awaited Adam''s return, feeling as though he could falter at any moment.


    Meanwhile, Adam had begun bolting across the region.

 Chapter 508 - Powerful Figure

    Whizzing past cars and people, barely leaving behind a blur and even cultivators wouldn''t be able to track him with their eyes as he jumped up into the air. Then springing off a building that he jumped onto, he bounced between two large buildings before using the Burst Movement Skill for the rest of the way.


    Observing how fast, capable, agile and skilled Adam was, the powerful figure couldn''t help but be impressed and Adam had managed to reach him from across the region in less than a minute.


    Even cars or motorcycles would struggle to cover the distance that Adam did in half an hour at their top speeds, as although Adam didn''t need to follow the roads and could jump over the buildings, he was still too quick to measure with ordinary standards.


    Reaching the top of the building, Adam landed seamlessly and hadn''t even broken a sweat or appeared to be fatigued much despite just engaging in a battle and blitzing across a region at unbelievable speeds.


    But thanks to his Devouring Death Daggers, recovering was as easy as slashing opponents, as, after his exchange with the Black Dragon Gang and its members, he had to admit he was quite drained.


    Seeing an old man, Adam smiled to himself, thinking that it was cliche and to be expected that the powerful figure was a mysterious old man, but what did he expect. He was likely to be some sort of revered martial artist, but he didn''t seem to have any malicious intent and received Adam with an endearing expression.


    It felt slightly forced, but it was clear that he was trying to be friendly.


    "So, who are you old man?" asked Adam, who had stood opposite to the man for a few seconds and was waiting for him to speak. His tone and attitude weren''t rude and were respectful, but they certainly weren''t what the figure before him was used to.


    Submitting to one that was superior and treating them with the utmost respect was the norm, but in this case, it seemed as though Adam either saw himself as someone on equal footing, or was just plain disrespectful.


    Adam was obviously the former and knew that once he submitted, talking to the man before him would be more like begging and worshipping him.


    While from the slightly surprised expression on the old man''s face, it was clear that he didn''t think that Adam spoke Chinese, which was why he had been hesitant to speak.


    "I am from the Martial Art Union, which is this country''s coalition of cultivators and martial artists. As a key figure of the union, I came here to fulfil my duty of destroying the black dragon gang, but you intervened and did as you pleased before I could," the man said.


    There was nothing threatening about the old man, and he had a grand aura and kind nature that made one want to revere him, but his words were quite testing.


    "I am sure that isn''t a problem," Adam responded, in the same way, he had first spoken to the old man, not fazed or intimidated in the slightest by his position and the gap in power.


    "No, it is exactly the opposite. I appreciate what you have done, and you have managed to solve the problem without damaging the city, and with only two casualties. While you also seemed to somehow be able to reform and control the cultivators left, and even handed over control to them to someone that isn''t even a cultivator," he stated, seeming to be very grateful.


    "It was an impressive display to observe, and I agree with your actions. Your self-proclaimed name ''Death'' doesn''t suit you very much. Although your killing intent and killing capabilities are nothing to be scoffed at, you are just a young hot-headed cultivator who still has a long future ahead of them," he continued.


    Hearing his words, Adam relaxed slightly, and although trusting someone after a small exchange would be stupid, he always trusted his instincts and in this case, the man before him was not one that was against him.


    Bowing down slightly, just enough to show respect, but not too much to make it seem as though he was afraid or beneath the old man, Adam said, "It was no big deal, I am glad I could help you,"


    "But I didn''t do it for you, so there is no need to thank me and I also don''t want anything from you," Adam stated, wanting to make it clear that the man wasn''t indebted to him.


    The man was profound and powerful and laughed as he placed his hand on Adam''s shoulder.


    He moved at the speed that a normal person would move at, while his hand was absent of all energy and there were no ill intentions emanating from him, so Adam didn''t move as the old man continued to laugh.


    "I like your character. Tenacious, courageous and confident. And yet also quite cautious and intelligent. The type of character that would make one an interesting figure in our world of cultivation,"


    As he said that, Adam just smiled and the old man kind of reminded him of his master. Thinking that to himself, he quickly removed that thought from his mind. This old man was much more gentle, kind and respectable.


    But at the same time, Adam''s master was also like the father figure in his life that he didn''t have and they were incomparable.


    "I know you didn''t want anything from me, but please take this amulet. It should be useful if you ever go to the Martial Arts Union and just think of it as a gift from me," he said as he handed over a large blue amulet that Adam could barely hold in his hand.


    Accepting it gratefully, knowing that it would be useful and that there was no point refusing it, the old man suddenly disappeared from before Adam, leaving Adam there with a stupefied expression.


    How the hell could someone be that much faster than him and able to move so seamlessly?!

 Chapter 509 - Black Dragon Group

    "I hope we meet again," was the last thing the powerful old man had said before disappearing. Adam felt as though he could still feel his touch on his shoulder, and yet he had been able to move so swiftly and rapidly.


    Adam was used to being the one that would be able to disappear suddenly with the overwhelming speed that he had when compared to those around him, but in this case, he couldn''t even compete with that old man.


    Just who the hell was he and what kind of position did he have in the Martial Arts Union?


    All he had said that was that he was a key figure in the Martial Arts Union, but that could mean anything and the gap in power was too large for Adam to be comfortable with. It made him want to get back to training and facing powerful opponents in reality and in the dungeons to improve.


    However, it also made him intrigued about the Martial Arts Union and its members, which he planned to pay a visit to in the near future. While he was also relieved that he hadn''t pushed his luck and been too arrogant or confident during his exchange with the old man.


    If he had gotten angry, being able to defend against him would have been almost impossible for him, which he knew. While the old man also didn''t pry into his King Ring or how he was able to disappear by entering his Soul Form, which Adam was also relieved about.


    If he had tried to force it out of him, things would have gone badly, while it also showed that he must have some special capabilities of his own, or had at least witnessed many himself.


    "I guess when they say there is always someone much stronger than you, they aren''t lying. But catching up to him and anyone else in this universe is only a matter of time," Adam mumbled to himself before jumping off the side of the building.


    It was at least 30 stories high, and yet Adam had a calm and relaxed expression as he jumped off and felt the wind rushing against his face, along with his hair and clothes fluttering behind him like butterflies.


    Not worried about being seen, since he was using his Stealth Ring''s invisibility, he blitzed through the air with his Burst Movement Skill and made his way back to Liao Wei.


    Returning to his side, Adam couldn''t help but have a glint of excitement and anticipation in his eyes, looking forward to heading to the Martial Arts Union. But for the time being, he just wanted to relax for at least a short while.


    "Liao Wei, take me to the best barber you know of in this region, and let''s go get a haircut. You are meant to be my guide and assistant while I''m here, right?" Adam instructed him after appearing beside him.


    Liao Wei, despite forgetting that Adam merely wanted a haircut, quickly agreed to take Adam wherever he wanted and had a spot in mind, but then it dawned on him, he had so many subordinates that he had to face and instruct.


    After Adam healed his mother Liao Wei was more than willing to do anything that his mother''s saviour wanted, and yet Adam then proceeded to protect him and hand over to him a powerful gang that ruled the region he lived in. Everything was so hard to believe and overwhelming for him, and he was never expecting to be so lucky.


    However, at the same time, despite being elated by what Adam had given him, he didn''t feel worthy of being the boss of anyone and everything had happened so quickly that he was yet to have found what he wanted to do with his newfound power and whether he even wanted it.


    "Just calm down and take a deep breath. It might be overwhelming, but you can change your life, your mother''s and that of everyone else in this region for the better. Whatever you think is the right thing to say or do, go for it. Trust yourself, and if you don''t, trust that you won''t be able to do anything wrong after you were bound to me, so there is no need to worry," Adam reassured him.


    "Just act responsibly, wisely and genuinely. This is your time," he added as he patted Liao Wei''s back and pushed him forward to face his new subordinates.


    Adam saw his old self in Liao Wei and if someone had done for him what he had done for Liao Wei, he would have endured much less hardship and suffering. People like Liao Wei, his people that were born into poverty or lived hard lives, yet suffered in silence, could be found everywhere. It is a sad thing to see and think about, but once one is able to make it through such things and overcome them, they will become a better and stronger person because of them.


    Now it was Liao Wei who was experiencing that for himself as he began to find himself and finally feel as though there was no weight on his chest, but that merely gave him the freedom he needed to help others and live a better life.


    Liao Wei''s knees felt weak as his legs visibly shook, while the rest of his body wasn''t faring any better under the pressure. And yet there was a power and fire in his eyes and voice that caught the attention of Adam and his new subordinates.


    "I am Liao Wei, your new leader. You previously lived lives you couldn''t claim to be proud of and am I sure you all have your reasons for doing so. Even I, a weakling with no spine had to resort to petty crime, but now it is different. We have been unified and your tyrannical and cruel boss has been eliminated. So now we can live a life we can not only be proud of, but will be praised by all and this region, or home, will be guarded and improved by us," he declared.


    His voice was shaky in the beginning and it was evident that he was nervous, but the more he spoke, the more confident and passionate his words became, while the people he spoke to couldn''t help but become more engaged with his words.

 Chapter 510 - Feeling Like A Proud Father

    Liao Wei was surprisingly able to act and display himself to be a leader as he spoke to all the members of the newly formed Black Dragon Group, while even Adam was impressed.


    Although it couldn''t be compared to himself and his Charisma, Charming and leading capabilities were nothing when compared to his own, it was impressive for someone else, especially someone that wasn''t a cultivator.


    "I am not a cultivator like you all and I know that I am weak and most of you see me as a mere peasant or an ant, but we should all appreciate and protect each other. It''s time to turn a new leaf and together we can make our region great again, at a time before your old boss came to this region,"


    After he said that, the previous gang members broke out into cheers and had to follow Liao Wei''s every order anyway, but now they felt much happier and more content following his orders.


    "Now then, clean up the area then return to your homes. Also, stop dressing like thugs and start wearing suits. As for all the money and assets that your boss previously had, anything that was earned illegally or through underhanded means should be used in two ways. One is to distribute it to the poor and needy in our region and the second is to invest in schools, hospitals and other public areas. As for any drugs, hand them over to the police and try to form a good relationship with them," instructed Liao Wei who even surprised and impressed himself by how well he could speak.


    "You should begin immediately and the other Powerhouse''s subordinates should be distributed between the other three, and the three leaders should start on Liao Wei''s orders, then return here to meet him tomorrow morning. At that time, bring him a report of the current situation of your old gang and inform him of everything he needs to know," Adam added, just to clarify, as the large group of powerful cultivators began to disperse.


    Liao Wei felt that his heart was beating so fast that it was on the verge of leaping out of his chest, while he also felt light-headed and couldn''t believe that he had actually managed to speak so confidently in front of so many people.


    He had always been a very reserved and nervous individual, so speaking in front of a crowd was already amazing, let alone one that was filled with powerful and intimidating cultivators.


    "Good job Liao Wei. For now, you will be heavily relying on the three powerhouses left, but I am sure you can achieve some great things and I will leave everything to you," Adam said, feeling like a proud father when seeing Liao Wei develop, despite being quite a lot younger than him.


    Bowing down to Adam, Liao Wei had tears flowing down his face and after everything that had happened in the span of an hour had been too much for him to digest all at once.


    His mother had been healed, he had observed a great battle between cultivators and then was granted control over hundreds of powerful cultivators.


    It was something he never thought was possible even in his wildest dreams.


    "Come on, you are the boss of the Black Dragon Group. Don''t bow down to anyone and I am more interested in getting a haircut," Adam said as he pulled him up.


    Laughing to himself, it was hard to believe that the causal and friendly Adam that stood before him was the same figure that could kill and fight hundreds of cultivators with ease. However, it was clear that Adam was a good person, and Liao Wei would never forget what Adam had done for him.


    "Yes, right away," said the sniffling Liao Wei as he wiped his tears and went into his apartment to get a few things, before calling for a cab to come.


    Getting in the cab, Liao Wei instructed the driver to take them to the district centre where there was a large mall, along with any shop that one could ever need, including a famed barbershop that all the wealthy would go to.


    With the cash that Adam had given him, Liao Wei had no problem spending on Adam, but at the same time, he wasn''t planning on spending on himself and spending such extravagant amounts was something he didn''t feel comfortable with even if he had millions.


    As the car neared the destination, Liao Wei began patting at his pockets, trying to find the large roll of money that he was sure he had placed in one of them. Then after a few seconds of frantically looking for money in his pocket, which the cab driver and Adam obviously noticed, Adam chuckled.


    Reassuring the annoyed driver that he would pay, Adam then revealed to Liao Wei what had happened.


    "I gave you that money to spend on yourself and your mother, so don''t try to spend it on me. As you can probably tell, I have more than enough money if I am willing to hand you large sums, so don''t worry about it,"


    "But what about the money?" asked Liao Wei, who was sure he had taken out a large sum with him from what Adam had given him.


    "I have returned it to your apartment without you noticing," said Adam with a smile as he paid the driver and left the car, leaving Liao Wei gobsmacked.


    How fast was Adam to be able to take money from his pocket, place it in his apartment and then return to his side without him noticing?


    But, considering everything else he had seen, it wasn''t too shocking as he led Adam to the barbershop that he had in mind.


    Entering the barbershop, Adam sat in the empty seat and instructed Liao Wei to sit in the other empty one beside him.


    "But I don''t have any..."


    "Just sit down. Stop worrying about money and enjoy yourself," said Adam.


    "It''s time to switch up our styles...."

 Chapter 511 - Ultimate Fighting Tournament

    Adam and Liao Wei had a relaxing time in the barbershop in which they received the best treatment on offer. Their hair was washed, conditioned, then cut as they pleased, then washed once again.


    Adam just wanted a change his style slightly and had gotten bored with tying up his hair, while it was also fun to change his look. Liao Wei on the other hand wanted to change completely. He even went as far as to cut his hair quite short, leaving it spiky, and dyeing it bright blonde.


    Instead of tying up his long black hair, Adam got it trimmed, and despite it still being fairly long, it flowed around his head and gave him a slightly rougher, but also more casual appearance. Overall, it enhanced his appearance and made it more alluring, with strands of hair resting on his forehead and his bright eyes still being the centre of attraction.


    Even while concealing his eye colour and making them brown, it wasn''t just the colour of his eyes that made them stand out. It was all the experience and charm within them that made anyone that glanced upon them mesmerised by them.


    With their new haircuts, Adam felt fresh, while so did Liao Wei, but he still dressed in shabby, old and worn out clothing that he had been wearing for years, unable to afford anything new.


    But now that was different and Adam dragged him into a suit tailor despite how much he resisted and didn''t want Adam to waste any more money on him.


    Getting him a few expensive and luxurious suits that were tailored to fit him perfectly, Adam got Liao Wei to put one of them one straight away, and carry the rest with him.


    Adam threw Liao Wei''s old clothes in the trash without batting an eyelid, and seeing Liao Wei come out of the changing room, couldn''t help but smile to himself.


    "This is the appearance worthy of a boss," he commented, then going to a few other stores to get himself some clothes.


    Suits were quite uncomfortable and restrictive when it came to movement and flexibility, so Adam still opted to wear casual and comfortable clothing. However, his old were quite plain and despite being quite ordinary back in America, made him stand out too much.


    Instead, now the clothing he wore was looser and had more colour to it, which matched the hotter weather that he was experiencing in China, along with what he saw most others were wearing.


    Walking around carrying a lot of shopping bags, Adam who was wearing casual and ordinary clothing appeared to be the blonde and suited man''s assistant. Liao Wei who had a fresh haircut and was wearing a luxurious and new set of clothing walked in a confident and joyous manner, while Adam strolled beside him normally.


    The disparity in what they were wearing would make most misunderstand their relationship, which worried Liao Wei, who was relieved to see that Adam wasn''t bothered by what others said about him.


    Liao Wei had offered to carry the shopping bags, but Adam reassured him that it was fine and didn''t mind carrying them all, anyway. And Adam couldn''t care less about his image as an ordinary person, since it didn''t mean anything and he knew deep down that he could make everyone hat looked down on him kneel if he pleased.


    Eating a nice meal with Liao Wei, Adam ate many times more than him and was stuffed after doing so as he called for a cab with Liao Wei and put all the shopping bags in the back, before getting in with Liao Wei.


    "Wow, you look good, sir. And is this your butler?" the driver asked, as Liao Wei entered the back of the car.


    He had an embarrassed expression and a wry smile on his face as he turned his head to Adam, who just smiled and nodded his head.


    "Anyway, Liao Wei. Tell me what you know about the cultivators in this country and what is the Martial Arts Union," Adam instructed.


    Liao Wei took a moment to collect his thoughts before answering, "There are quite a few gangs on the level of the Black Dragon Gang, and many smaller ones that are made up of cultivators. But it is said that the truly powerful cultivators belong to the Grand Martial Families, with most of the cultivation power of the country being held by the Martial Arts Union."


    "The Martial Arts Union is more like a gathering and organisation formed of the most powerful cultivators that is neutral and holds power in the country, but it doesn''t have an active controlling position. Instead, it is a place that facilitates battles, martial arts schools, cultivation academies and is most famed for its Ultimate Fighting Tournaments." Liao Wei continued.


    Other than that, he didn''t know much else and what he had said was relatively common knowledge for most who were interested in or knew about cultivation.


    Adam was clearly interested in the Martial Arts Union and his attention was piqued when he heard the mention of a tournament.


    Seeing that, Liao Wei told him what he knew about it, "I think they hold a regional tournament every year, and I think the qualifiers are taking place over this week. For those that aren''t famed for their skills, have a powerful background or a recommendation from a powerful figure, they would need to go through some initiating tests and a mini-tournament before the regional tournament. This region is too small and was overseen by the Black Dragon Gang, so isn''t part of it, but you should be able to reach the qualifiers if you make it to the next region in time."


    Nodding his head, Adam had decided. That was exactly what he was going to do.


    Fighting other cultivators and martial artists to learn from them would be fun, while from the sounds of the Martial Arts Union, Adam could expect to face some worthy opponents.


    Just thinking about it made him excited as he headed back to Liao Wei''s home.

 Chapter 512 - Adam Or Liao Wei

    Entering Liao Wei''s home, Adam put down all the bags of shopping that he was carrying and the ones that belonged to him disappeared into thin air as he placed them in his inventory. Liao Wei wasn''t too surprised after seeing that happen, but it became clear to him what Adam''s intentions were.


    "Are you leaving already?" he asked, wanting to have more time to try to repay Adam.


    "Yes. I want to check out that Ultimate Fighting Tournament for myself. While there is no need for me to stay here any longer, since everything has been sorted out," answered Adam, who had relaxed enough and didn''t want to waste any time.


    Since his aunt was most likely to still be in China and the Martial Arts Union was the biggest cultivation power in the country, it was his best bet when looking for her. He was also likely to get to meet that capable old man and refine his combat skills even further.


    With all that in mind, Adam was itching to make his way to the closest regional qualifying tournament that Liao Wei had mentioned. Only by winning one of those tournaments could he make it through to the actual Ultimate Fighting Tournament, and Adam didn''t doubt his own skills in the slightest.


    "I''ll leave this region in your care and make sure to take care of your mother. However, even forgetting about the fact that you are bound to me. Liao Wei, if you ever use the power I granted you for anything remotely sinister, I will make you wish you never met me and it is impossible to escape from me," Adam said sternly.


    Liao Wei couldn''t help but stumble backwards after hearing Adam''s words, not even needing to experience his killing intent or aura to know how powerful and serious he was.


    However quickly getting up, he bowed his head and vowed that he would never do such things and that he would use what Adam granted him only for good, while he would also be eternally indebted to him.


    Smiling and giving Liao Wei a wink, he suddenly disappeared as the man''s mother came over to the door.


    Seeing that Liao Wei was the only one there, she couldn''t help but blurt out, "Are you crazy? Who the hell are you talking to."


    However, at first, she even struggled to recognise the man before her as her son. It wasn''t the hair or clothing change that had made him unrecognisable, but his newfound confidence and presence.


    Then looking over at all the shopping bags, she waltzed over to him and pulled his ear, recognising the expensive brands they were from.


    "Did you steal? Or do something illegal to get these things. Or did you waste all the money you have on this?" Not even allowing him to explain himself, she continued scolding him.


    Then after hearing that the young man that had saved her had also bought him all of those things and gave him a high position within a company, she fell to her knees and began singing Adam''s praises.


    Obviously, Liao Wei hadn''t told her that he had become the boss of the biggest cultivator group in the region, as that would probably cause her to faint from shock, but he knew that it was time to change his and his mother''s lives for the better.


    "Tomorrow you can pick out any home you like in this region and we will buy it. And I promise to take you shopping for new clothes when I can, but I will be very busy from now on," he said to her.


    From his voice and expression, it was clear that he wasn''t lying, but it was still too big of a change for her to accept easily.


    As she pinched her arm to check if she was breathing, she asked, "Are you still my son? And just what company are you working for that is supposedly paying you so much money?"


    Her question stumped Liao Wei who hadn''t prepared himself to answer all the questions he knew his mother would ask, as he answered, "Um. A new company, one that you wouldn''t know its name, anyway."


    She continued interrogating him, finding it hard to believe everything that her changed son was telling her was the truth, but pure elation was present on her face. Not only had she been healed, but her son had also become happy and seemed to have a new purpose in his life. While they both never had to worry about money or their safety again.


    And it was all thanks to Adam, who felt good after being helping Liao Wei, who would inturn then help many others.


    However getting stronger and finding his aunt was all Adam could think about and he had already spent too much time relaxing, when he could have been watching fights in the qualifying tournament taking place closest to him.


    Making his way there, dominating the regional tournament should be easy enough for him and it was the national tournament that he was interested in. The only requirements to take part was that one must be at least an Advanced Cultivator and that one must be under the age of 25.


    Adam easily met both those requirements, so all that was left was to sign up, and he decided to do so under a different name. A western name like Adam would stand out, so he opted to use the name Liao Wei, while he also altered his appearance slightly to match Liao Wei''s.


    He left his physique unchanged, but the tone of his skin as well as his facial features were altered through the Body Transformation Skill that he had mastered. Using it, changing his body in any way had become possible.


    Using Liao Wei''s name and appearance, after reaching the branch of the Martial Arts Union that was closest to him, he signed up for the regional tournament..  And after waiting for an hour, he finally heard his name being called to be tested for the requirements before he could even start fighting.

 Chapter 513 - Are You Qualified?

    Looking at his reflection, Adam couldn''t help but think to himself that his appearance wasn''t great. Liao Wei''s face couldn''t compare to Adam''s, but he didn''t need a handsome face to qualify to participate in the Regional Qualifying Tournament.


    He was seeing his reflection in the crystal orb that was embedded in a pillar before him and he was instructed to place his hand on the crystal. Whether one was an External or Internal Cultivator or both didn''t matter, and the crystal would test how much energy was present within the body, be it the dantian, or the muscles.


    Adam, under the alias of Liao Wei, was unsure whether his Form Concealing Skill would be able to stop even the crystal from sensing his cultivation level, but he had nothing to lose as he put his hand on the crystal.


    He displayed the potential of an early Advanced Cultivator with his precise control, and just like he was hoping, that was what the crystal registered.


    Seeing that, the middle-aged man wearing white robes, which appeared to be the norm for those that worked under the Martial Arts Union couldn''t help but give Adam a questioning look.


    It was because, for someone like Adam, who wasn''t famed or known for his martial arts and didn''t have a powerful background, one couldn''t help but think they were crazy for signing up for the tournament, especially as an early Advanced Cultivator.


    "I do apologise for having to do this, but you will have to take part in an additional assessment. Since you aren''t registered with the Martial Arts Union and barely meet the cultivation level requirement, I will need to see your capabilities myself before admitting you into the tournament. It is so that we don''t waste our or your time, as there are many that wish to take part so that they can enter the Ultimate Fighting Tournament. The grand tournament that takes place yearly and offers many great rewards and opportunities," the man said.


    The way he spoke was direct, and it was clear that he was underestimating Adam, who didn''t appear to be anything special or that capable, but he also wasn''t rude or disrespectful.


    Adam just nodded his head and didn''t bother to reveal his capabilities or try to persuade the examiner otherwise, knowing that passing any sort of test that the man had would be easy.


    Revealing his true capabilities was something he would only do if he was forced to, and he was more interested in taking part in the tournament to learn from other fighters, and to win. Once he won, he would receive rewards, but that wasn''t what he was looking for.


    What he wanted is to be able to reach those with high positions in the Martial Arts Union to enquire about his aunt, or find any information about her. While it would also be good to be on good terms with them, and maybe even become allied with them.


    Although he knew he wasn''t on the level to negotiate with them yet, after coming across that old man that claimed to be from the Marital Arts Union, at the rate he was progressing, catching up to and even surpassing them all was only a matter of time.


    Seeing that Adam was willing to take part in the additional assessment, the man continued, "Attack me with all you got. I am a high-level Master Cultivator and can handle anything you can throw at me, but as you should know, we limit our fights to close combat skills."


    "Is the use of weapons allowed?" Adam asked.


    "Yes, and even bows are allowed. By close combat skills, I mean any skill that reinforces or uses the body as the core of an attack. This is how we chose to fight, not because it restricts the fighters, but because it restricts the damage and effects caused to the surroundings, which usually has an audience. While it also tests who has the greater combat prowess, not just who has more energy and can unleash more raw power," the examiner explained, seeing that Adam didn''t seem to know much about their customs.


    Nodding his head, signifying he had understood, Adam walked over to the weapon racks in the corner of the room, then turned back to the man, since there were two weapon racks.


    One with wooden weapons, and one with real blades.


    "Pick what you like, but in the actual fights, you will be using real weapons,"


    With that, Adam picked up two daggers along with a few throwing knives, which he attached to a belt that was available. Putting on the belt, he had a sheathed dagger at either side and throwing knives attached all around it.


    "Interesting choice of weapon, but are you sure you don''t want to use a spear or long sword that would allow you to make up for the gap in speed with the range of your weapon?" the man asked, knowing that Adam''s choice of weapon didn''t give him much of an advantage in combat.


    Adam nodded his head, and the man didn''t say anything else, as he unsheathed the sword that he had attached to his side using a similar belt to the one that Adam had picked up. It seemed to be a standard issue belt that most martial artists had to hold their weapons in the Martial Arts Union where people were permitted to carry weapons.


    However, the sword itself drew Adam''s attention as he stood there and waited for the man to attack him.


    "The test is for you to attack me and me to test your skills, but it seems as though you want me to attack you. I don''t mind either way, but just try not to die, as I assure you, there will be participants in the Ultimate Fighting Tournament that are just as powerful as I am," the man said as he burst towards Adam.


    Adam smiled and could see that the man was holding back, but he was sure that by the end of their exchange of attacks, the man would no longer have the luxury of doing so.

 Chapter 514 - Waiting Area

    Adam and the examiner from the Martial Arts Union were in a closed-off examination room, of which there were quite a few. He had made it to the branch of the Martial Arts Union at the perfect time, since they had begun examining applicants and creating the layout of the qualifier tournament.


    It was set to finish in a single day, and for the Ultimate Fighting Tournament to take place 3 days after, which Liao Wei didn''t know about. He didn''t know much of the details and had told Adam everything he knew about it. Luckily for Adam, he had made it in time to get into the qualifiers, as if he didn''t, getting into the Ultimate Fighting Tournament would be difficult.


    Although he knew that using the amulet old man that claimed to be from the Martial Arts Union would make everything much easier and would probably allow him to skip most of the process, he didn''t want to use it unless he had to it.


    While it was fun to be looked down upon despite knowing that he was much greater than the one looking down on him, and then proving them wrong.


    Wielding a metre long sword that was quite thin and seemed to be specialised in speed and slashing, the examiner launched himself towards Adam and was using the speed and power of a peak Advanced Cultivator.


    The examiner was a high-level Master Cultivator, but he didn''t want to use his full power against Adam, who outwardly appeared to be only an early Advanced Cultivator. Even the power of a peak Advanced Cultivator should be too much for Adam, but he was badly mistaken.


    Adam used only the physical prowess and energy of an early Advanced Cultivator, just like he had claimed he was, but his skill overcame the gap in power.


    Fling a throwing knife at the examiner''s stomach, which the man blocked with his sword, Adam created an opening that he exploited with his daggers. Using the Burst Movement Skill, he released a burst from under his feet that made up for the gap in speed and explosive power, then with his daggers slashed at the man''s neck.


    Knowing what a high-level Master Cultivator was capable of, Adam was sure he could avoid it, which he did with relative ease, but he put his blade back in its sheath and told Adam to stop their bout.


    "This is enough. I have seen for myself that you are capable and worthy to take part, but you will be at a disadvantage with your low cultivation level," the man said, after being forced to use more of his power than he was proud to admit.


    Against a mere early Advanced Cultivator, he had to use the power of a Master Cultivator or he would have been killed, just because he underestimated his opponent and they had gotten the better of him.


    That alone was enough to show that Adam was qualified to take part in the tournament, while his unwavering confidence made the examiner, despite the supposed gap in cultivation level, feel inferior to him.


    "Here is your badge number. So far you are the 214th candidate to meet the requirements and it won''t take much longer before the tournament begins, so prepare yourself to take part in your battles. They usually don''t take long and numbers are drawn at random, so you could fight as soon as the first match, or as late as the last. Follow the lady outside to the waiting area and I am looking forward to watching your matches," the examiner said as he pointed to the door that he had entered from.


    Adam had an indifferent expression as he walked over to the weapon rack and was about to put the daggers and throwing knives back, before being stopped by the examiner.


    "You can keep them. You don''t seem to have your own weapons and appear to be skilled in the use of twin daggers, so just keep them to use in the tournament."


    Adam didn''t refuse and wasn''t planning on using the Death Devouring Daggers, so needed a weapon to use in his fights, anyway. But he also wanted to practise his use of other weapons and was planning to use whatever weapon his opponent did, wanting to make the most of the opportunity to hone his skills.


    Following the middle-aged woman that the examiner had mentioned, Adam was impressed to find that she was also a capable cultivator and so far, upon entering the Martial Arts Union, everyone had an impressive presence.


    In the large waiting area that was split into sections with seating areas spread all over the area, Adam saw a wide variety of people of different sizes, wielding various weapons. While the weakest he sensed, in terms of cultivation was a high-level Advanced Cultivator, while the strongest was a high-level Master Cultivator.


    It was quite an interesting bunch of cultivators, but none of them stood out to Adam as a threat.


    "You may not fight until the tournament begins, so try to avoid any confrontations," the woman warned Adam, with a slightly worried expression, clearly doubting Adam''s capabilities.


    He merely nodded his head and strolled over to the corner of the waiting area, and looking at him, the others taking part in the regional tournament to qualify for the Ultimate Fighting Tournament couldn''t help but scoff.


    His appearance, aura and presence were nothing special while he seemed mediocre and even below average in most ways, based on what they had seen of the young elite cultivators.


    So for him to have the audacity to take part in the tournament, he was either crazy, suicidal or severely overestimating his capabilities.


    However, that was only in their eyes, and if they knew who Adam really was and what he was really capable of, they definitely wouldn''t be looking at him in such a way.


    While there was always one person that would act out of line and arrogantly, never being able to sit still and suppress the urge to undermine somebody else....

 Chapter 515 - Call Out

    Adam was sitting in the corner of the waiting area, minding his own business and still only displaying the capabilities of an early Advanced Cultivator.


    Seeing that he was the weakest in the waiting area in terms of cultivation level, he was noticed by many that were also present in the waiting area, while the one that approached him was a large figure.


    Typical.


    He had extremely large and muscular arms that had many blades wounds, while he had giant and tough hands that had clearly endured a lot of training. The man was also 2 metres tall and had a large belly, which matched with all the scars on his body, giving him quite the intimidating appearance and presence.


    Wearing a vest that revealed his bustling chest and arm muscles, the giant man walked over to Adam in a pompous manner.


    Adam tutted to himself and couldn''t help but say, "So typical. There''s always one stupid asshole that feels the need to assert his dominance over those that he thinks are weak."


    He didn''t speak particularly loudly, but he was heard clearly by most with the sharp senses that cultivators had, and most people had turned to see what would happen between Adam and the large figure.


    For him to speak that way, they assumed that he was capable since he must be at least confident in himself to insult that juggernaut of a man. But at the same time, fighting and combat were forbidden in the waiting area and outside the arena, so they were looking to see whether they would break the rules.


    "Do you know who I am, kid? Are you looking to die?" the man said as he reached Adam and stood a metre away from him, towering over him.


    Adam stood up slowly and nonchalantly with an amused expression on his face, as he glared directly at the man before him that was at least double his size.


    "Kid? Listen fat ass, we are all under 25, so you can''t be that much older than me. So why don''t you run along back to our seat and stop causing a scene," Adam said to him as he took one step closer to the colossal figure.


    He didn''t need to release his killing intent or reveal any of his true power to intimidate the man and cause him to rethink his actions, but it seemed as though his arrogance knew no bounds.


    Laughing maniacally, trying to cover the fear he began feeling, the giant man made the first move. He was continuously telling himself that the small figure before him wasn''t a threat to him in the slightest and as a talent that trained his entire life; he had nothing to fear.


    However, he was far from the truth and had no idea who he was messing with.


    Striking down with unbelievable force, that Adam couldn''t help but be impressed by, he recognised the physical strength and power of the man before him. And looking at his body and appearance, it was hard to believe that he was younger than 25.


    However, he was blinded by anger after hearing the chuckles of others in the waiting area. Adam had dared to mock and humiliate him in front of so many people, he felt as though he had no reason but to attack him and show that he was the superior fighter.


    But he shouldn''t have attacked and messed with someone for no reason, especially not Adam who didn''t let any offence go unpunished.


    Seeing as he had been attacked first, Adam had no reason to fear being penalised for fighting back and most of those in the waiting area had attempted to make a move to stop the attack.


    If that downwards strike was to land on Adam''s head, believing that he was merely an early Advanced Cultivator, it would be enough to kill him and was likely to cause him irreversible damage.


    However, despite his size, he was also quite fast and most were helpless to help or didn''t feel like intervening, believing that Adam being crushed by the blow was inevitable.


    But what happened next was completely unexpected.


    Adam didn''t display speed or strength that was any greater than what one would expect from an early Advanced Cultivator, just like he had done against the examiner, but it was still extremely impressive.


    Moving to the left with a fast side-step, Adam narrowly avoided the downwards strike with his rapid reflexes and great muscle control, but didn''t stop there was he ducked down and unsheathed one of his daggers.


    With a dagger in his right hand, Adam hooked his arm between the legs of the giant man that stood with a wide stance while striking downwards, then slashed the back of the man''s right knee.


    Everything happened in the blink of an eye and Adam moved swiftly and coherently, before jumping back and kicking the man away from him.


    With the tendon supporting his right leg sliced by Adam''s dagger, the giant man didn''t have his right leg to support himself and had been kicked with great force, tumbling backwards as he released a cry of pain.


    Instantly, attendants of the Martial Arts Union rushed into the waiting area and were on-site, knowing that fights could break out at any moment, but they were too late. And when they arrived, there was a large man on the ground with blood flooding out of his right leg, and Adam stood a few metres away from him with blood dripping from his dagger.


    Immediately, they rushed towards Adam and were about to subdue him for breaking the rules, and they were above the law, able to arrest and punish people as they pleased.


    Those in the waiting area that had been watching what had happened obviously knew that Adam wasn''t in the wrong, but at the same time were curious to see how things would unfold.


    "Freeze and drop your weapon.. You will be detained for breaking the rules of the Martial Arts Union!" the woman that had led Adam to the waiting area yelled as she rushed towards him.

 Chapter 516 - Recognised?

    The injury that Adam dealt the man that attacked him was unlikely to ever heal and even if it did, it would take quite a long time even for a cultivator, but none of them felt as though he had gone too far.


    Cutting the biceps femoris tendon that was behind the knee is the same as crippling one''s leg since it is responsible for movement at both the hip joint and knee joint, while Adam''s cut was deep and was also causing him to lose a lot of blood.


    Unless the man was able to calm down and receive urgent medical attention, the injury could ruin his entire future as a capable fighter and capability, and it was all because of his arrogance.


    Adam even felt that he was being lenient and would have killed him if they weren''t in the Martial Arts Union. It wasn''t because of what he said or did, but because if the giant man''s attack had landed on him and he was actually an early Advanced Cultivator, then the injury he would have suffered would have been worse.


    With his intention to crush Adam, how could he not expect the same, but it seemed as though he underestimated how strict and quickly the Martial Arts Union was.


    He was relaxed and calm, knowing that he wasn''t the aggressor and had nothing to worry about, since even in the worst-case scenario he could escape from them with ease, but he was interested to see how they would handle.


    While he was also eager to take part in the tournament and get deeper into the union, so he was planning on cooperating to an extent, as long as they were fair and dealt with the situation well.


    Dropping the daggers in his hands, Adam was calm and relaxed, which surprised and impressed the onlookers, as he became surrounded by powerful cultivators that work for the Martial Arts Union.


    The large man that was on the ground clutching at his leg that was pouring out blood began being tended to by a few cultivators and carried away, being taken to an infirmary, leaving Adam, who appeared to be the aggressor, about to be arrested by those that were left.


    Pointing their weapons towards him, they told him to put his hands out and not move until they placed cuffs on his arms.


    Those cuffs were extremely durable, so would restrict his movement, but their main function was to dampen the use of energy. It would make it so that it was extremely difficult to wield Internal Energy, while it would also make the body feel weak and sluggish.


    "I won''t be putting on those cuffs and it was me that was attacked. All those in this waiting area saw what happened, and I was the victim, so please leave me be," said Adam as he sat down and kicked the daggers over to them.


    Seeing how nonchalant and relaxed he was behaving, they couldn''t help but be surprised considering he was surrounded by cultivators that were supposedly much more powerful than him, but if there was truth to his words, then they would need to look into that.


    However, that didn''t change the fact that they needed to detain him first and look into the situation, while since he seemed to be refusing arrest, force might be necessary.


    "What he said was the truth. It was that big oaf that attacked him,"


    "Yup, he was just defending himself,"


    "And it was the other guy that started it and approached him in the first place,"


    Quite a few of the cultivators present began to speak up, and the cultivators under the Martial Arts Union were split. They didn''t know whether to go with their word and leave Adam, or still detain him anyway, since he had fought and gone against the rules.


    "You know what. I will go with you, but move those cuffs away from me and take me to one of your superiors," Adam said, starting to get annoyed by the fact that he was surrounded by the Martial Arts Union''s cultivators.


    While they were also even aiming their weapons towards him.


    If only they knew, he could crush them all in the blink of an eye.


    With that, they withdrew their weapons and led Adam out of the waiting area, and while they did, he was receiving looks from everyone still left within the waiting room.


    Most couldn''t care less about what happened to him, but one thing everyone was curious about was who the hell he was. None of them had ever seen or heard of him before, unlike most of the others present, while the combat skill and attitude that he displayed was that of a great fighter.


    He had even managed to take out somebody that they thought to be a serious contender for the winner of the regional competition and the title of the Young Star Cultivator in the region.


    And yet, it seemed as though he wouldn''t be taking part in the tournament any longer, since most of them knew how strict the Martial Arts Union was when it came to following its rules. Even with Adam fighting in self-defence, it was unlikely they would still allow him to participate.


    However, that was what they were expecting based on their judgements of Adam so far.


    Being led by a group of cultivators to a confined room that seemed to be made of steel and was similar to a police interrogation room, Adam was sat down.


    In such situations, the manager of the tournament or branch of the union, who would usually be quite the powerful, influential and renowned figure, would have the make the final decision.


    In most cases, they would just expel or ban the individual to reduce needing to deal with any rowdy individuals, but if one was exceptional or had a special background, such things could be overseen.


    Entering the interrogation room that Adam was confined in was a relatively young man who appeared to be in his early thirties, and upon seeing Adam, he had a shocked expression.


    Almost as if he recognised who he was....

 Chapter 517 - Dominated

    Sat in the interrogation room that had walls clad with some sort of special metal that he didn''t recognise, Adam was relaxed as he leaned back in the chair that was in the centre of the room.


    He couldn''t help but wonder whether he would be able to break out of the interrogation room if they locked him in it, since it was reinforced enough to hold most cultivators, but testing that out would only cause him more trouble.


    His Death Devouring Daggers could cut through normal metals like a hot knife through butter, but this material seemed to have been made denser and stronger.


    Whatever it was, it was impressive, but also not anything too amazing as Adam turned to the man who had entered the interrogation room and appeared to recognise him.


    Looking him up and down Adam was sure that he didn''t know him, so it was unlikely that he saw through his disguise, which only meant that he seemed to recognise Liao Wei''s face, that Adam had altered his face to resemble.


    "Do I know you?" Adam asked bluntly, not really caring much about who he was, and more interested in his connection to Liao Wei.


    Observing him, Adam was surprised to find that he couldn''t tell exactly what cultivation level he was at, but he was sure that he was powerful, which made it even more unusual that he seemed to recognise Liao Wei.


    "Come on Liao Wei, don''t tell me you forgot your old friend. And how the hell do you look so young?! And when did you even become a cultivator?!" the man exclaimed, clearly shocked out of his mind.


    Adam laughed to himself, and what a coincidence it was that Liao Wei''s old friend would be someone quite capable in the Martial Arts Union.


    "Why are you laughing? And although you look younger and more handsome somehow, I am sure you are over 25 if you are the Liao Wei that I grew up with, so you are violating the rules and conditions for taking part in this tournament!" the man shouted, clearly frustrated by his old friend not seeming to recognise him, and by the fact that he was still so nonchalant despite the situation, he was in.


    Adam''s eyes suddenly glowed red and a profound aura consumed the man who suddenly dropped to his knees and felt as though he was before he was kneeling before his lord.


    "Listen here. Forget about our past friendship or whatever connection you think you have to me. The man before you is someone you don''t know, and you will send me back to the waiting area, since I was just defending myself. It should be the other guy who should be punished," Adam instructed, using his Charm Skill to control the mind of the mind before him.


    The man before him certainly was powerful and Adam was unsure if he could defeat him without pushing himself to his limits, but that didn''t mean that his Charm Skill, aura and killing intent wouldn''t have an effect on him.


    Since his guard was down, believing that Adam was an old friend of his, while he couldn''t fight Adam''s Charisma with his willpower, he had been completely dominated.


    Controlling him as much as he pleased would be difficult, and it used quite a lot of energy to get him to do so much, but Adam was satisfied so far and impressed himself by how powerful his Charm Skill was.


    After retracting his aura and acting as if nothing had happened, the man immediately sprung up from the ground and had a confused expression.


    "What were we talking about again?" he asked as he scratched his head.


    Adam smiled and answered, "You were just about to let me go and were saying something about me being the victim and that I was merciful for sparing the life of that dumb fat ass."


    "Um... Okay? I guess he was the one that attacked you and you only cut his leg, so there is no need for you to be sanctioned or this to be stretched any further," he said, still baffled by everything that was going on, but for some reason, feeling compelled to agree with what Adam had said.


    "So..." Adam prompted.


    "You are free to leave and I will escort you back to the waiting area," the man said as opened the door to the interrogation room and led Adam out.


    Seeing him come out of the interrogation room with the senior that they had called in to handle the situation, the woman and other Martial Arts Union cultivators that had detained Adam were shocked and confused by what was going on.


    He wasn''t in cuffs and he was walking freely and confidently, making it clear that he hadn''t been sanctioned, and he even seemed to be heading back to the waiting area.


    "What is going on, sir? Will he not be sanctioned, or at least disqualified from taking part?" the woman asked, who despite not having anything personally against Adam, wanted to make sure to uphold the rules of the Martial Arts Union.


    "I have spoken to him about it and from what was reported, Liao Wei here is the victim and was only defending himself. So he will return to the waiting area and rejoin the tournament," announced the man.


    Seeing as he was being called sit and was the one that was called to sort out the situation, Adam was curious as to what his position was as he smiled at the woman that was clearly frustrated.


    For some reason, Adam gave her a bad feeling, but she couldn''t go against what her senior had decided and could see the logic behind his decision.


    "Okay, sir. We will monitor the situation more closely and make sure something like this doesn''t repeat itself," she announced as she moved out of the way with the group of cultivators she was leading.


    With that, Adam strolled back into the waiting room casually as if nothing had happened and evidently was the centre of attention.

 Chapter 518 - 4 Stages

    Walking back into the waiting area, Adam headed towards the corner of the large hall that he had previously sat in, and as he did, the eyes of many were glued onto him.


    Amazed that he had been permitted to return to the waiting area and take part in the tournament, since the Martial Arts Union was known for being very strict when it came to their rules.


    They had a no-tolerance policy and once one broke their rules once, getting back on their good graces and being accepted by them was almost impossible.


    And yet Adam, the unusual individual they knew nothing about had managed to do so, and very quickly at that.


    It had been only a minute since he had been escorted away, and now he had returned.


    There was still the lingering smell of blood along with a large dark red stain on the ground that had mostly dried up, which Adam scoffed at as he sat down comfortably.


    Without even needing to use his spiritual sense or look around the waiting area, he could feel the gazes of many on him, which slightly annoyed him, but he decided to ignore them.


    Completing the tournament quickly was most important and there wasn''t anyone in particular that stood out very much, with most of them being pretty talented, but none could be classified as a heaven-defying genius.


    Although Adam''s standards and evaluations were very harsh, they were honest and accurate, as he closed his eyes and recovered the energy he had lost when he had previously used the Charm Skill.


    Half an hour quickly passed and the cultivators in the waiting area were starting to get restless, with most of them itching to begin battling and display their capabilities to the world.


    Most were representing a cultivation family or some sort of organisation, since being a lone and independent cultivator was very difficult and rare. And as the tournament took place in a large arena with most capable cultivators in the region going to attend, many were eager to show off in front of the audience and make a name for themselves.


    Obviously, Adam couldn''t care less about that and was more interested in observing and learning from the martial arts of the others taking part, while also making his way to the national tournament where many senior figures of the Martial Arts Union were likely to be.


    Each of the cultivators in the waiting area was given a badge with a number and then led to another waiting area that was on the edge of the arena and gave them a view of the arena where four stages were set.


    "Since there are quite a lot of participants in this region this year, the tournament will take part on 4 different stages. Lots will be picked randomly and numbers called. If your badge number is called, head to the stage that it was called from," announced the man, that was also the one that was meant to interrogate Adam after what had happened.


    From what Adam had gathered, he was the Branch Master and someone that was below only the elders, great elders and masters of the entire Martial Arts Union.


    His cultivation level was at least at the Grandmaster Cultivation Level and he was the one in charge of the tournament. While despite being quite a lot older than Adam, was still quite young for a cultivator.


    He was also the one that would be the judge, referee and announcer of the tournament, planning to oversee all 4 stages at the same time by himself.


    For a skilled cultivator, observing 4 moving entities at once was quite an easy feat, however, observing 4 battles between skilled and capable cultivators was a totally different story. And he was also supposed to intervene and stop any of the battles that had gone too far or he thought were unfair or over.


    Although there were quite a few skilled cultivators on standby that were also ready to intervene if necessary, it seemed as though they were all confident in the Branch Master''s capabilities.


    Which made Adam even more curious to see what he was capable of and even more impressed by himself for being able to dominate and control him.


    Adam could feel a power welling up inside him and even without hunting in the dungeon, he was sure that he was on the verge of breaking through and triggering a series of rapid improvements.


    It seemed as though all the pressure, hard work, development and experiences were taking their effect, and with Adam continuously seeking power, his body was evolving, adapting and improving at unbelievable rates.


    And to his surprise, the number he was designated was one of the first 8 numbers that were called out and the one he was facing had a lean figure and was wearing fancy, but also simple white robes.


    He had tanned skin and had a more south-Asian appearance, but that didn''t make him any less well known, with many in the audience cheering for him.


    There were thousands of spectators and it seemed as though it was quite the big event, with Adam facing opposite him on a large stage in the centre of a giant arena.


    If this was merely a small branch of the Martial Arts Union and it had such large facilities, this many capable cultivators and this much influence, Adam was excited to see what the headquarters of such a large organisation would be like.


    But before reaching that, he had to defeat his first opponent and all the others that came after him.


    "So, what''s your name? I saw you handle that big guy and I must say, you are worthy of being recognised by the future champion of the National Youth Martial Arts Tournament," he asked in a gloating manner.


    Adam just smiled, amused by how many cultivators would let their measly power, wealth and fame get to their heads, as he answered, "The name''s Liao Wei, and don''t bother telling me yours, your fan girls are screaming it loud enough and I don''t really care who you are,"


    And with that, the sparks of battle intent were almost visible between the cultivators on the stages.

 Chapter 519 - Fire Spear Skills

    Adam''s response was confident and wasn''t particularly provocative, but it angered his opponent who seemed to care greatly about his image and felt mocked in front of such a large audience.


    Staying calm, not wanting to display what he was feeling, he glared at Adam, clearly intending to severely injure him in their battle that prohibited killing and dealing permanent injuries when avoidable.


    However, with such things being subjective, getting away with injuring one''s opponent was very easy, which was why they examined participants before they could take part.


    Unfortunately for him, Adam enjoyed crushing arrogant little brats like him the most.


    "You may begin!"


    As soon as the Branch Master commenced the battles, the entire arena fell silent, with most of the observers'' eyes glued onto the stage Adam was standing on.


    "Liao Wei! I Gong Yunru will crush you here and now in front of everyone watching," he bellowed as he burst towards Adam, who just smiled and remained where he stood.


    Before getting onto the stage, all the participants were given the option of borrowing a weapon from their weapon rack, but they were all ordinary metal weapons that didn''t have any special attributes.


    Giving those that brought their own weapon a clear advantage, but the Martial Arts Union tested them all and gauged whether it would give someone an unfair advantage in the battle.


    Gong Yunru had come to the Martial Arts Union with his own weapon, which was the Flaming Dragon Spear, which matched with his fire elemental affinity and spear skills, made him a force to be reckoned with.


    While Adam, who sought to learn as much as possible from every one of his opponents, picked up a heavy metal spear from the weapon rack provided and was planning to copy all of his opponent''s moves.


    With his perceptivity, combat prowess and the Mind Ring, copying his opponent''s fighting styles and skills should be easy.


    Streaming energy into his Mind Ring and focusing on Gong Yunru, Adam entered a focused battle trance as his opponent launched himself towards him using something similar to the Burst Movement Skill.


    The explosive burst of fire energy that he released from his feet propelled him forward as he thrust his spear forwards with incredible speed and force.


    As he did so, Gong Yunru''s spear ignited and was coated in bright orange flames.


    Fire Spear Thrust.


    One of the fundamental skills in his Fire Spear arsenal that he unleashed onto Adam with his full power, aiming to take him down in a single flashy and powerful attack. Allowing him to not only showboat, but also conserve his strength for battles to come.


    However, unlike what he was expecting, Adam didn''t even move from where he stood and thrust his own spear towards his opponent''s, seemingly seeking a direct collision.


    Adam''s spear thrust appeared to be flimsy and weak when compared to Gong Yunru''s, but as they collided, Gong Yunru and everyone that was watching was shocked by the result.


    Adam, who was wielding a lower quality spear, had used less power and didn''t seem to be skilled in the spear had been able to find the weak point in his opponent''s attack and exploit it.


    Striking at the weak point of the attack, he ended up deflecting it upwards as a powerful torrent of flames was unleashed from Gong Yunru''s spear into the air.


    With his spear aimed upwards, Gong Yunru''s abdomen was left wide open for Adam who had closed the distance between them.


    Always keeping his opponents at least one metre away from him, Gong Yunru was too slow to react and was also too shocked to think as Adam strike his stomach with his spear, swinging it like a baseball bat.


    Knocked off balance and launched sliding backwards, Gong Yunru was winded and felt like vomiting after the strike he endured, but he stood straight and laughed.


    "Is that all you''ve got? Hahahaha,"


    Those that were skilled and had understood what had occurred would know just how much of an exceptional fighter Adam was, but the battle had just started and they couldn''t be sure about anything yet.


    Outwardly, with Adam suppressing his true power, Gong Yunru appeared to be the more powerful cultivator, but Adam was unpredictable and skilled, so it was too early to conclude who would come out as the victor.


    Adam didn''t bother to respond to his opponent''s taunt as he stood there and awaited his next attack, interested to see what else he was capable of.


    Fire Spear Skills were interesting and something Adam hadn''t personally implemented in combat, despite giving Wayde some tips on using his fire elemental affinity through his weaponry.


    And it was something that he could definitely improve on and continue to learn about, with him always seeking new knowledge.


    Enraged and unwilling to lose with his reputation and the national tournament at stake, Gong Yunru began streaming large amounts of fire energy around his body and spear.


    Adam''s movements had been too precise and perfect, and he was too calm, for his previous counter to have been an accident. And such an opponent couldn''t be underestimated.


    Despite being someone that loved basking in glory and the recognition of others, first and foremost, Gong Yunru was a fighter and one that was experienced at that.


    So he no longer planned on using his simple attacks, as he used an unusual movement technique that was similar to the Ghost Steps in the fact that they involved a series of rapid movements that created afterimages.


    It was slightly subpar, but its main purpose wasn''t to create an illusion, but to close the gap between himself and the opponent, then unleash a flurry of rapid spear strikes that were hard to see coming.


    Adam was impressed by how skilled his opponent was, and although he was quite arrogant, he truly did have the potential to win the regional tournament, from what Adam had gauged from the other participants.


    But unfortunately for him and everyone else taking part, Adam had come to win and there was no way they could defeat him, even though he was suppressing his power.


    And in the process, he would copy and improve all of his opponent''s skills, improving while making his way to the national Martial Arts Union Tournament.

 Chapter 520 - Quarter Final

    Coiling Fire Dragon Strike


    Fire Spear Sweep


    Blazing Spear Pierce


    Mountain Crushing Spear Strike


    Gong Yunru used so many of his family''s fire spear skills that he had reached very high mastery of, and yet nothing seemed to work against Adam, who had barely moved from where he had stood.


    Seemingly without effort, he found the weakness in every single one of his attacks that he would use to create an opening, then counter with a simple strike of his own.


    It was humiliating for the famed Gong Yunru, who was seen as one of the most likely to come out on top in the regional tournament and also the hope of his quite capable cultivation family.


    However, the angrier he became, the sloppier his attacks became in the all-seeing eyes of Adam, making it even easier to poke holes in them, and counter with basic attacks of his own,


    To your average onlooker, it would be confusing to see the man, who was wielding a spear engulfed in flames and was unleashing powerful attacks, be defeated by his comparatively less impressive opponent.


    But to the Branch Master who was overseeing 4 battles at once, he was amazed by how skilled and perceptive Adam was, to the point that he could defeat a more powerful opponent effortlessly.


    After a few minutes, and after all the other three matches that were taking place simultaneously had finished, everyone could clearly see that Gong Yunru was beginning to falter and all the cheering for him had halted.


    He was panting and sweating profusely, as he leant on his spear that he dug into the ground while trying his best to catch his breath and regain his composure.


    After a few minutes of unleashing powerful attacks towards Adam, not even thinking about conserving his energy while attacking wildly out of frustration, Gong Yunru was quite heavily fatigued.


    And along with that, he had also suffered quite a few attacks from Adam, who fought passively, only countering the attacks that were initially launched towards him.


    "Why don''t you just jump off the stage and end this battle? I have already seen enough of your spear skills," Adam suggested, no longer interested in Gong Yunru as an opponent.


    Not only had Adam seen and learnt everything there was from his opponent, but also from the 6 others that were also battling in the arena on the 3 other stages.


    For him to be able to observe so many individuals, learn from them and also utterly defeat his own opponent, required incredible sensory capabilities, mental strength and perceptivity.


    "Shut up, asshole. I won''t lose to you," he roared as he rushed towards Adam in a final desperate attempt to take him down.


    However, it was to no avail and the attack that he streamed the last of his energy into, was easily avoided by Adam who then kicked him with incredible force, launching the worn out cultivator off the stage.


    But pitying him, Adam caught him before he slammed onto the hard marble ground that would have increased to his injuries and also gave him a piece of advice.


    "Listen here, kid. Never underestimate your opponent or treat someone differently based on your preconceptions. That will restrict your progress and make you come across as an ignorant fool, while cultivating isn''t about fame and getting people''s respect. You should be focused on improving as an individual and chasing whatever purpose you have," Adam advised him as he placed on the ground and walked off back towards the waiting area.


    Everyone was amazed by their battle that they never expected to turn out like that, while Gong Yunru who had been defeated weirdly felt good as he struggled to get up despite the fatigued state he was in.


    "Hey! Liao Wei. I will never forget this match and will one day avenge my loss," he called out, but not out of malicious intent.


    He seemed to have changed and become more competitive, seeking strength, rather than notoriety.


    Adam merely chuckled to himself, foreseeing the amusing exchange that the actual Liao Wei was likely to have with Gong Yunru in the future, as he made his way to the waiting area.


    The Branch Master swiftly got his subordinates to clear up the stages and handle the injured, including Gong Yunru who was offered medical attention.


    Gong Yunru declined the offer and staggered out of the arena, using his spear as a crutch, but he didn''t feel shame. Instead, he felt the burning desire to grow and improve, that Adam was glad he was able to instil into him.


    "Now then. The next battles will commence now," announced the Branch Manager, who was still replaying Adam''s battle within his mind in amazement.


    Adam sat in the waiting area sat as close as he could to the arena to continue to observe the battles that took place, hoping to learn from as many of them as he could, and time flew by quickly.


    A few had approached him and tried to pry into who he was, but Adam just ignored them or asked them to leave him alone as he focused on the battles that took place.


    Then over a few hours, he had a few more battles that he took part in, each time using the same weapon as his opponent and mimicking their moves, or crushing their attempts of attacking him by finding their weaknesses.


    Still only using the power of an early Advanced Cultivator, he made it to the quarter-final and had been dubbed the Black Horse of the regional tournament that had skills to overcome any gap in power.


    And that title wasn''t exaggerated, with him being able to face cultivators that were much more powerful than him in terms of brute force and raw power.


    On the stage facing against his opponent, Adam was calm and confident just like had had always been and it was the start of the quarter-final.


    Now the weak had been weeded out and the end of the regional tournament was nearing....

 Chapter 521 - Long Lost Twin?

    With all four quarter-final matches taking place at once on the four stages in the arena, the audience was split on the decision of which match to focus on.


    Most opting to watch Liao Wei, the dark house''s match, the real Liao Wei received news from one of his new subordinates about how famous his name had become.


    "Sir. Sir. You are famous," one of the Black Dragon Group Members called out as they showed him a video of himself fighting in an arena.


    Even he was confused by how handsome, toned and young he looked in the video and despite how different they appeared as a whole, the facial features were identical to his own.


    How was that even possible?


    "Do I have a long lost twin?"


    But that still didn''t explain how they were much younger? How he didn''t know them? And how the hell they were so skilled and amazing at fighting?


    Then it hit him.


    "It must be Adam. Somehow he is using my face to take part in the tournament," he exclaimed in realisation.


    He had mixed feelings about it, and couldn''t decide whether it was a good or bad thing for him, but either way, he couldn''t complain to Adam about it and it wasn''t like he could do anything about it.


    However, he couldn''t help but become interested in how everything would turn out.


    There were barely any recordings or pictures of the tournament, with the Martial Arts Union being very strict about their confidentiality, but from what he had seen, Adam seemed to be doing very well in the tournament, just like had expected.


    And since it wasn''t something he could watch remotely on TV, he instructed his subordinate to report news of everything that happened to him, especially everything around himself.


    Meanwhile, Adam, disguised as Liao Wei, was looking his opponent directly in the eyes as they looked each other up and down.


    It was the quarter-final, and they had everything to lose in the battle, with Adam''s opponent taking it much more seriously than he was.


    After that, all that was left was the semi-final and final, then they would be qualified for the national tournament, which was famed and known throughout the country.


    It was an achievement and impressive enough to just get into the national tournament and even the regional tournament, which was why Adam''s opponents so far had fought so hard to win, with some even burning their life force to try to win.


    Although forbidden, there were many discrete ways to do so and also take boosting pills for sudden strength enhancements, but each and every time, Adam would defeat his opponents effortlessly.


    Now he was faced with someone who had watched closely and had caught his eye, the Scarlet Swordmaster.


    She had bright red hair that weirdly seemed to be her natural hair colour, since even her eyelashes were red, and her sword skills were very impressive.


    And what caught Adam''s eye the most was how fast and beautiful her sword strikes were, with each of them leaving behind only a scarlet blur, which was where she had gotten her nickname from.


    One of the first female opponents Adam had faced so far in the tournament, with not many participating in this region, she had impressed Adam more than most of the men that took part.


    And upon further inspection, she would have been a serious contender for the 1st place, with Gong Yunru also being quite capable as well as some of those in the quarter final.


    But her gender meant nothing to Adam who would fight her just like he would have fought anyone else, as he swung around the sword he had picked up from the weapon rack to face her with.


    Getting used to its weight and length, Adam didn''t really like the sword as a weapon, unlike most cultivators who opted to use the sword as their main weapon. He felt as though, although capable and suitable for most, for him it didn''t offer him as much as a spear or daggers could.


    It was very versatile and could be used for offence and defence, but didn''t have anything that gave it an overall advantage over other weapons.


    Which was why the wielder would have to be very skilled or have their own unique style to flourish as a sword wielder.


    As a whole, it was a great weapon, and every weapon had its advantages and disadvantages, but Adam was yet to find a sword style that he felt comfortable with and also hadn''t spent much time developing one.


    Adaptability was what he prided himself in, able to use any weapon and fight against any opponent, always finding a way to come out on top.


    But the sword was one of the weapons that Adam was least secure in, despite it arguably being one of the most fundamental and easy to learn to wield.


    And what better way to find his way of the sword and improve his mastery over it than by fighting against a capable swordsman?


    "So, Su Lan. Why don''t you use the full extent of your swordsmanship and stop holding back?" said Adam as soon as their battle commenced, knowing that she was still holding back some power.


    From her previous battles, he observed that she still had a latent power and more skill that she could have used in her battles, which she was wisely concealing and conserving for tougher battles.


    However, if she thought about holding back against Adam, her minuscule chance of winning against Adam became even smaller.


    "I believe you are still not worthy, and I am saving it for a later date. But if you can force me to use it, then I am more than happy to," she responded calmly.


    Adam smiled and signalled for her to attack him, eager to take on her swordsmanship head-on after watching her battles from the sidelines.


    And with that, their battle of swordsmanship began.

 Chapter 522 - Battle Of Swordsmanship

    Standing opposite Su Lan, Adam didn''t sense any aggression or malice coming from her, and she practised the Still Blossom Blade. A sword style famed in her family and known for its elegance and beauty, but also its speed and power.


    Adam had watched all of her matches up until that point, but unlike with most the others, he was unable to learn and understand her how the Still Blossom Blade worked.


    He needed to experience it for himself and observe it up close to do so, and this was the perfect opportunity.


    Since 4 intense battles were taking place at the same time between the quarter-finalists, it was too much for the Branch Master to oversee alone, so he instructed three of his most capable subordinates to watch the other battles, while he personally observed Adam''s.


    Bursting towards Adam, her movements were swift, and it was almost as if she was floating, with her feet barely touching the ground as she covered the 20-metre distance between them in the blink of an eye.


    Then slashing downwards with her Still Blossom Blade Sword Style, all that was seen was a red streak that her blade left behind.


    Adam saw the attack coming and blocked it, but was only barely able to do so and not confident in facing her sword style head-on yet, but she continued attacking him and seemed to have the upper hand.


    She had forced Adam completely onto the defensive, and as the name suggests, the Still Blossom Blade was a very calm and elegant sword style. It was mesmerising to watch, but one shouldn''t underestimate it, as it was one of the most deadly sword styles there were.


    It was the first time that Adam had struggled in one of the battles, and her output of power wasn''t much greater than his, which went to show just how talented and skilled she was with the sword.


    Despite their plain outwards appearance, her sword strikes were all calculated and complex, much more than he had initially thought from watching them.


    Her body, mind and blade were so calm that there was almost no way to predict how or when she would attack, while there also seemed to be an illusion aspect to her sword style.


    Adam''s senses were engulfed in the smell of flowers and it made his body relax slightly and believe that it was in a flower field, which was just one of the capabilities of her Still Blossom Blade Style.


    The red streaks her blade left behind seemed to be intentional and would confuse the enemy even more, with it being hard to follow her blade, and Adam couldn''t help but be impressed by the sword style.


    He understood why her opponents had struggled so much and were defeated quickly, while he could still tell that she was still holding back, which was amazing.


    However, although on the defensive and being pushed back by her onslaught of attacks, Adam still didn''t use any more power than an early Advanced Cultivator and wanted to defeat her with skill and not raw power.


    After he experienced her attacks for himself, Adam was sure that she would have come out on top in the regional tournament, and catching a glimpse at the other stages, there wasn''t anybody who caught his eyes.


    Although, obviously, they were all powerful, capable and very talented, it wasn''t as much as Gong Yunru and Su Lan, who Adam pitied. Gong Yunru had come against him in the first round, while he was also going to have to stop Su Lan from going any further, when they both had great skill and power.


    However, he would deal with that after he won the tournament, for now, he was completely focused on defeating Su Lan.


    In his mind, using any more power than an early Advanced Cultivator, even if she used the power of a Master Cultivator, meant that he lost as he streamed as much energy as he could into his Mind Ring.


    His head started aching, but was also clearer than ever before and he felt as though he could see and feel everything around him perfectly without even trying, as he focused on Su Lan''s sword strikes.


    From what Adam had seen so far, her Still Blossom Blade required one to become absent-minded and instinctively follow the flow of the sword, this way her attacks were almost impossible to predict.


    Well, that was the theory behind it and entering such a trance was almost impossible, especially in the heat of battle, but impressive, her distant and calm temperament didn''t waver in the slightest even as Adam began to mimic her sword strikes.


    The longer their battle went on, the more he understood her Still Blossom Blade and used what he learnt against her, allowing him to start evening out the playing field.


    It had already been a few minutes since their battle had started and the entire time, all that was seen was sparks and red streaks that their blades left behind, with them clashing their swords dozens of times every single second.


    For the Branch Master who was watching the fight, it was an unbelievable battle of swordsmanship and their skill was greater than even his own when it came to using the blade.


    In a battle against Su Lan, the Branch Master was confident he could win, but only because he would overpower her with his cultivation, and not with his skill.


    And yet, Adam''s sword skills seemed to be improving by the second, with Su Lan continually increasing her output of power and the complexity of her attacks, but to no avail.


    The harder she tried, the better Adam seemed to become, while Adam had unknowingly entered an ethereal trance and had gained a new skill.


    One that he had been subconsciously developing each and every time he fought against a tough opponent.


    Finally, he had managed to grasp it and awaken it completely.


    The Ethereal Combat Trance

 Chapter 523 - The Ethereal Combat Trance

    The Ethereal Combat Trance was a trance similar to the one that the Still Blossom Blade sought. One where his consciousness would become dormant, but his mind and body would enter a trance of complete focus.


    Similar to the Ethereal Recovery Skill when it felt as though his mind would leave his body, and would allow him to recover at unbelievable rates, the Ethereal Combat Trance Skill would allow him to experience something similar.


    But instead of boosting his recovery speed, it would boost his combat prowess, focus and adaptability in a battle, enhancing Adam''s ability to understand and mimic his opponent''s skills and attacks.


    Matched with the Mind Ring, although his consciousness was dormant, Adam''s subconscious was still awake and it was a state that was hard to explain.


    He felt as though he was both in control of his body and watching what was occurring, but also unconscious and unable to control his body.


    Either way, despite how unusual it felt, it was an incredible trance and as soon as he entered it; he received a notification from Ava that he had gained and formed a new skill of his own.


    Immediately upon entering the Ethereal Combat Trance, Su Lan began being pushed back and could feel the difference in her opponent, who had even closed his eyes.


    However, she didn''t see him closing his eyes as him not seeing her as an opponent, but as him trying his best, recognising what he was doing as the true form of the Still Blossom Blade.


    The Still Blossom Trance was one that all in her clan sort to be able to enter during combat, but most were unable to do so, and those that did, had only been able to do so a few times, unable to control it and use it at will.


    And yet, Adam before her, after fighting her for a few minutes, had been able to do so.


    Her Still Blossom Blade had helped Adam subconsciously complete the Ethereal Combat Trance and if she didn''t unleash her full power quickly, Adam would begin overwhelming her with her own sword style.


    Clashing at unbelievable speeds, sparks and red streaks were all that was seen, as they moved around the stage at speeds to track with one''s eyes.


    All most saw were blurs, and despite Adam''s power output being only that of an early Advanced Cultivator, his skill, efficiency and the potency of his energy couldn''t be compared to your average cultivator.


    Adam''s attacks and movements became even more refined, and he had managed to copy her moves and skills perfectly as they continued clashing.


    For the first time in the entire tournament and ever in her journey as a cultivator, her composure had been broken and although minor, there was a hint of shock on her face.


    Always keeping the teachings of the Still Blossom Blade at heart, she always made sure to remain level-headed and indifferent in every situation, allowing her to draw the maximum power from the skill.


    However, against Adam who had somehow been able to enter the Still Blossom Trance that her family sought to enter, she felt as though if she didn''t use all the power at her disposal, being crushed was inevitable.


    In a matter of seconds, Adam had managed to completely overpower her and gain the upper hand, but amazingly, despite him being in the Ethereal Combat Trance, she was still enduring and managing to keep up.


    Such trances were hard to maintain for long, but the explosive power and rapid growth that one can experience in such states are unbelievable, which was why she was trying so hard to hold out.


    She was hoping that if she could just endure, he would lose the trance, so she used as much of her power as she could to not falter under his onslaught of attacks.


    However, not only did he not lose the trance, but he also continued to become more and more skilled and difficult to fight against, with him now managing to predict all of her attacks and movements.


    Without any other choice, she unleashed her trump card that she was hoping to save for the national tournament.


    Never in her wildest dreams did she expect to face such a tough opponent in the regional tournament, especially in the region she was in, that wasn''t an especially large or powerful one in the country.


    The only one she believed she would struggle against going into the tournament was Gong Yunru, who she knew of beforehand and was one of the most well-known cultivators in the region.


    With his good looks, flashy combat style and potential, his game wasn''t undeserved, but it made him arrogant and caused him to underestimate his opponents and not reach his full potential.


    Which was why she could overlook him losing to a nobody, believing he didn''t train properly for the tournament or take the fight seriously before it was too late.


    However, now facing Adam herself, she understood the frustration that he must have felt, with all of her attacks crumbling before him, almost as if he could find a way to block and crush any strike thrown his way.


    Unleashing a sudden powerful attack, that wasn''t of the Still Blossom Blade and was unexpected, since it was a sloppy attack that she only used to give herself some time, she managed to push Adam back.


    All she did was compressed a large amount of energy and fling it towards Adam, similar to the Dual Slash Skill, but with a single blade. Although he hadn''t expected it, in the Ethereal Combat Trance, it felt as though everything moved in slow motion and evading it wasn''t too difficult.


    However, it did make him move back and gave Su Lan the split second that she was looking for to activate the Ultimate Blossom Blade Art.


    A skill that even seniors in her family couldn''t use and one that she couldn''t control properly.


    It was the only thing that she had that might be able to damage and wound Adam who seemed to be invincible in the Ethereal Combat Trance, but whether it would work or not was still unknown....

 Chapter 524 - The Ultimate Plum Blossom Blade Art

    In the Ethereal Combat Trance, to Su Lan, it felt as though Adam was invincible and the longer their battle stretched on, the more skilled he became and the harder it was for her to keep up.


    She had completely lost any advantage that she had over him and was the one that was being pushed back and overwhelmed, unlike how it was at the start of their battle, and he was using her own Blade Art against her.


    But she had managed to push him away from her for a split second which was just about enough for her to activate and use the Ultimate Plum Blossom Blade Art.


    A blade art that even the most skilled and experienced seniors in her family would struggle to use and required many years to learn and master.


    It would cause her body and mind to experience a boost in speed and power, but that wasn''t its main function and the reason it was such a difficult and renowned skill.


    The skill would allow one to create and wield sword energy, which was an energy that could only be used by those that lived by the blade and had reached an unparalleled level of mastery of the sword.


    Sword Energy was very powerful as it was an energy that once released could still be controlled remotely.


    Making it so that energy blades produced through attacks, like that of the Dual Slash Skill, could be manipulated after they were unleashed, making it much harder for the opponent to avoid the attack.


    And that was just one of the possibilities that came with sword energy.


    It was known to some as sword qi, but essentially it is all the same thing, a mystical power that one could wield through their blade after reaching a great level of understanding and mastery.


    The Ultimate Plum Blossom Blade Art required one to be a master sword wielder that could use sword energy, and had a unique application of sword energy that her clan was known for.


    Their sword style was known for being beautiful, mesmerising and elegant, but it was also known for its deadliness, speed and power.


    As soon as she activated, despite being in an Ethereal Trance, Adam immediately put his guard up and was much more sensitive to danger and energy in that state.


    All it required was for Su Lan to close her eyes for a moment and stream large amounts of sword energy through her blade, to then activate the Ultimate Plum Blossom Blade Art.


    Immediately upon her activating it, those that recognised what she was using were on the edge of their seats, excited to see just how powerful the legendary Blade Art was, while the Branch Master also couldn''t help but be enthralled in their battle.


    Suddenly there was a bright flash of red and pink light, and her blade shattered into thousands of pieces, or so it seemed.


    And each of those pieces floated around her and outwardly they appeared to be pretty flower petals, all suddenly burst towards Adam at unbelievable speeds, even faster than bullets.


    While each of them held even more power than bullets, with each of the petals being sharp enough to cut through normal metals with ease, like a hot knife through butter.


    The more powerful one''s sword energy, the sharper and stronger one''s energy would become, and it would make it so that your average attacks wouldn''t be easily pierced through by master sword wielders.


    Controlling thousands of petals, as she waved her sword forward, they all blitzed towards Adam, who despite being in an Ethereal Combat Trance, struggled to deal with so many attacks at once.


    His fundamental defensive techniques and barrier skills would be useless against such an attack that felt as though it could pierce through any form of protection, while dodging it was even more unfeasible.


    All that one could do was try to face it head-on, which was exactly what Adam was doing, as he formed a second sword out of energy in his left hand and began deflecting the petals.


    But there were just too many of them and they were too quick, that it was just impossible to counter, as he began being slashed all over his body,


    With his full power, using force and brute strength, he could easily break through it, and he had many abilities in his arsenal that could blow away Su Lan''s Ultimate Plum Blossom Blade Art.


    However, he didn''t want to be forced to use his full power and incredibly was still managing to hold out despite only using the power of an early Advanced Cultivator.


    Although his output was only that of an Advanced Cultivator, he could fight unsparingly with his ocean-like energy reserves and incredible stamina, but the same couldn''t be said for Su Lan who was clearly struggling.


    The Ultimate Plum Blossom Blade Art required an extreme level of focus and energy, which pushed her body and mind to their limits, but only with it, did she manage to even land an attack on Adam who had slashes all over his body.


    He was covered in blood and losing blood quite quickly, and thought that the pain and worry would be enough to break Adam out of the miraculous trance he was in, but it was to no avail.


    No matter how injured he became, his blade didn''t waver in the slightest.


    It was almost as if he was the perfect swordsman.


    Someone with his talent in the blade had the potential to become one of the strongest figures in the country and someone that was revered throughout the world. While it was unheard of for someone to be able to stay in an Ethereal Trance for so long and copy someone''s skills so easily.


    Just who was her opponent?


    And how was he able to do what he did?


    As more and more questions arose within her mind, the indifferent and completely focused Su Lan was beginning to falter, and it was the perfect opportunity for Adam to finish their battle.

 Chapter 525 - Werido?

    Su Lan had unleashed all of her power and capabilities, but with it not succeeding against Adam, she couldn''t help but begin to lose her confidence and composure.


    Although minor, with her no longer being as calm and indifferent as she was at the start of their battle, the Still Blossom Blade was one that required one''s mind to be unshakeable, so her attacks began falling apart.


    And she was also running low on energy after their quite stretched out battle, in which she had used all sorts of powerful and draining attacks, so she was nearing her limits.


    Meanwhile, Adam, despite being covered in wounds, hadn''t faltered in the slightest and through the constant onslaught of thousands of tiny petal blades, he managed to close the distance between them.


    Su Lan had wanted to remain a few metres away from her unpredictable opponent, but with Adam using the Burst Movement Skill and her energy reserves running very low, she was unable to react in time.


    Suddenly an overwhelming sense of impending doom bore upon her as she subconsciously released all the attacks and skills she was using in order to defend herself as Adam went to slice her neck.


    But it was to no avail, and even the Branch Master couldn''t react in time, after being mesmerised by their awe-inspiring battle and not expecting the tides to turn so quickly.


    ''At least I get to fall the blade of a master,'' Su Lan couldn''t help but think to herself, believing it was impossible to stop Adam''s sword strike after he unleashed it with such force and momentum.


    However, just as the cold blade reached her neck, it froze along with Adam''s entire body.


    At first, she thought that maybe she had experienced a painless death and had her eyes closed, while everyone else was silent as they watched the tense battle.


    But, when they realised that Adam had stopped just as the blade was about to slice her neck, the crowds burst out into cheers and the Branch Master let out a sigh of relief.


    If Adam hadn''t been able to hold himself back, he wouldn''t have been scolded considering how tough and intense their battle was, but he definitely would have gotten into trouble with his seniors or Su Lan''s family.


    Meanwhile, Su Lan, after realising that Adam had managed to stop himself, was even more amazed by her opponent, knowing how much control and skill it required to stop such a fast and powerful attack just as it was about to cut her down.


    But her mind and body were too fatigued as she lost consciousness and went to collapse backwards.


    Catching her in his arm, Adam, who willingly left the Ethereal Trance that he had complete control over, had quite a severe headache after overusing the Mind Ring and the Ethereal Combat Trance Skill.


    However, despite that, he still had a smile on his face and hadn''t expected to enjoy their battle and be pushed to such an extent, with him feeling as though his swordsmanship had greatly improved.


    Over the course of the tournament, he had trained and improved in the use of all sorts of weapons, but the Ethereal Combat Trance and the full power of his Mind Ring made it so that his swordsmanship reached an entirely different level.


    One that was even above that of Su Lan who had lived by the blade her entire life.


    But, he wouldn''t have been able to reach it without facing her and he saw a fire in her eyes that he liked.


    With her skills and talent, which were nothing to scoff at, along with her demeanour, she definitely had the potential to become someone very powerful, and Adam felt as though she still had some untapped capabilities.


    Despite her loss, there were barely any wounds on her body and she hadn''t suffered much physically, with her losing consciousness only because she had overused her energy reserves and pushed her mind past its limits.


    Meanwhile, Adam was the one that was covered in injuries.


    But the truth of the matter was, Adam could feel that none of her attacks had any killing intent behind them, which made her blade dull and made it so that he could get the upper hand much more easily.


    There was also no malicious intent from her the entire battle, with her only seeking to win the battle, which was why he had also attacked her sparingly and sought only to win in their battle.


    And despite how much he seemed to be bleeding and all the slashes all around his body, they were merely flesh wounds that could be healed very quickly.


    With the Ultimate Plum Blossom Blade Art, she could have dealt much more damage to Adam if she aimed for vital and vulnerable areas like his eyes, heart, neck and groin, but instead, she attacked mercifully.


    Which made Adam even more curious as to who she was and her background, as becoming a capable cultivator without some ruthlessness was almost impossible.


    Her purity and kindness were refreshing, and thinking back on the rest of her matches, all of her opponents had only suffered flesh wounds or had been forced off the stage, which also counted as a loss.


    It was only right that Adam repaid her kindness with some of his own, as he carried her away.


    "Where do you think you are going? And what are you doing carrying her away?" the Branch Master inquired, with a confused expression as he appeared beside him with incredible speed.


    He had believed Adam was a capable cultivator that seemed quite upright, but now his view of him was changing drastically.


    With Su Lan being a peerless beauty that many sought after, it was suspicious and weird for him to carry her unconscious body off with him without even explaining where he was taking her.


    And there were medics on standby, but he didn''t seem to be heading towards them.


    Seeing that people were starting to look at him as if he was some weirdo, he realised the misunderstanding.


    [Ugh, why are people so despicable and dirty-minded?] he thought to himself as he sighed.

 Chapter 526 - Watching Closely

    With the Branch Master standing in front of him and seemingly stopping him from going any further, Adam who was carrying Su Lan''s unconscious body was getting slightly annoyed.


    But not with the Branch Master, whose actions were understandable, but with the fact that there were people who would take advantage in a situation like Su Lan and that was the first thing people assumed when he carried her unconscious body away.


    "Listen, I am not some weirdo. I will just be healing her and helping her breakthrough, so prepare us a private room and I will be finished in about 2 hours, which will give the other participants left some time to recover and the audience some time to get some food," he said to the Branch Master sternly.


    Despite Adam seemingly being a mere early Advanced Cultivator, for some reason, the Branch Master felt obliged to obey his instruction and act respectfully towards him.


    But despite that urge, he still maintained his dignity as the Branch Master and announced, "Liao Wei after winning his bout is even kind enough to heal his opponent and will be back to take part in the semi-finals."


    Then after making what Adam was planning on doing clear, he said to him, "Follow me. I will take you to a private room, but only if you allow me to oversee the process."


    It was somewhat agitating that the Branch Master still believed that Adam would do something filthy while Su Lan was unconscious, but he wasn''t against it and didn''t bother using the Charm Skill on him.


    He didn''t need to hide how he was going to repay Su Lan, while using the Charm Skill would be detrimental to his mind and body after how much he had already used his Mind Ring and the Ethereal Combat Trance Skill.


    They moved relatively quickly through the Martial Arts Union Branch, and the Branch Master unusually somewhat trusted Adam, so instructed the medics to not worry about Su Lan and that he would take responsibility if anything bad happened.


    Su Lan''s condition wasn''t fatal and dealing with over-exhaustion of energy was quite easy, with the patient merely requiring rest and maybe some sort of pill or energy transfusion to speed up their recovery.


    Which made him curious as to what Adam''s intentions were and how he was planning on helping Su Lan not only recover, but also break through.


    From what the Branch Master could see, Su Lan was only a mid-level Advanced Cultivator despite the power and skill that she was able to display, so breaking through to the Master Cultivation Level was almost impossible and would harm her body.


    So he hadn''t even thought about that as a possibility, while even improving slightly would be very difficult for Adam to help her do, since he was at an even lower cultivation level than her.


    Which meant that he should have less energy than her within his body, and after their battle, definitely should be fatigued. And one also needed to be very skilled to aid one in their cultivation and help them improve.


    Helping others in cultivating wasn''t something that was widely used, or at least not regularly, with seniors usually helping their juniors in key junctures during their cultivation, such as when they reach breakthroughs.


    All of those things just made the Branch Master believe Adam''s claim less and less, but for some reason, he still felt as though maybe he truly could help her.


    Following his instincts despite how unfeasible it seemed, the Branch Master didn''t have much to lose as watched Adam closely with an interested expression.


    Even as a skilled Grandmaster Cultivator he wouldn''t be completely confident in helping an Advanced Cultivator improve much with his energy, and even if he could, it wouldn''t be very beneficial for the one he was helping.


    Forcefully breaking through and improving would usually be detrimental to a cultivator''s foundations and hinder their future potential greatly, which was why usually only those that were desperate or had low talent would resort to such things.


    So, even though he had a gut feeling about Adam, he still needed to be careful and make sure that he didn''t do anything that harmed Su Lan.


    "I will be watching closely, so don''t try anything or do anything that might cause her any harm. If I see that you do, I will have to stop you and won''t be able to stop you from the wrath of her family," the Branch Master warned.


    Adam just nodded his head and didn''t care about his warning, confident in his own skills, and not afraid of him or anybody else.


    Placing Su Lan on the ground and helping her sit in a cross-legged position, Adam then sat behind her in the same position and placed her hands on her back.


    Before doing anything, he released a burst of energy into her body, that would slowly circulate around her body and help her regain consciousness.


    And in that time, he activated the Ethereal Recovery Skill to recover his HP and Internal Energy, and also to relax his mind that had been quite heavily strained over the course of the day.


    An hour passed, and the Branch Master couldn''t help but start to get bored, but as a cultivator, he obviously was very patient and continued to watch in amazement as all the wounds around Adam''s body closed.


    Such rapid recovery speeds were unheard of, but he still hadn''t done much to help Su Lan other than supplying her with some energy.


    However, once she regained consciousness, Adam opened his eyes and seemed to finally be planning on starting whatever he had in mind.


    As soon as she woke up, Su Lan jumped up despite how strained her body was, and despite barely being conscious, she sensed two individuals around her and formed a small blade in her right hand.


    Unlike Adam''s energy blades, it was made out of Sword Energy, something that Adam was still unable to use, as she took a moment to understand what was going on.


    Adam was impressed by her instincts and how quickly and expertly she could use her energy, despite recovering only a small amount of it, but he was more focused on helping her breakthrough.

 Chapter 527 - Diagnosis

    "Calm down and sit back down in front of me," Adam instructed, after Su Lan sprung up and formed a blade out of sword energy instinctively to defend herself from any danger.


    "Why? And what is going on?" she asked, confused, but also very calm and indifferent, just like she was at the start of their battle.


    "I will help you recover and breakthrough, so just sit down and withdraw your sword energy," he answered.


    The Branch Master just stood in the corner of the small private recovery room with a nonchalant expression, acting as if he wasn''t involved, and curious to see how things would turn out.


    "How are you planning on doing so?" she asked, not completely believing him, but also not completely shunning the possibility of him being able to do so after facing him in a battle.


    "Just trust me and sit down. From what I have seen, you have clogged up external energy pathways and a bloated dantian, and I believe it is due to a condition you have had since you were young. One that made you very frail and restricts your External Cultivation," he stated.


    As soon as she heard that, she was shocked out of her mind, and all doubts that she had were suddenly removed from her mind as she sat down on the ground before Adam.


    She didn''t sense any malicious intent from him and he had no reason to harm her, while the Branch Master was overseeing him, so she didn''t hesitate in the slightest.


    And it was all because he was the only person who had managed to see through her condition, with her never telling anybody about it.


    "Your talent in the sword is incredible, but in all honesty, your body is very frail and your body can''t contain all the energy within your body. So, you have restricted your Internal Cultivation and bloated your dantian by intentionally thinning your own energy and filling it with the thinner energy," Adam gathered.


    "By doing so, the density of your energy has reduced greatly and so has your potential and foundation as an Internal Cultivator. While your body is still too frail and you haven''t been able to train it much," he continued.


    "So with you relying on your Internal Energy to reinforce your weak body, you have been able to reach your full potential and even with sword energy, you lost to me," he added.


    His diagnosis was perfect and even more detailed than what she had observed about her own body, while the Branch Master, was amazed by how skilled Adam was as a medic.


    "Are you by any chance a medic?" the Branch Master couldn''t help but ask, despite wanting to act as if he wasn''t there.


    "Nope, I am just your average cultivator that likes to dabble in everything," he answered.


    "Is there any way for you to help me? I am willing to..." Su Lan asked before Adam interrupted her.


    "Of course, there is, otherwise why would I have told you to sit down before me," he stated.


    "And don''t worry about repaying me, since I am just doing it because you held back your sword energy and attacks when facing me. Although, I am confident in my capabilities, it would have been tough to face you if you fought ruthlessly," he added.


    He wanted to scold her for being so kind-hearted in the middle of a battle, but he could do that afterwards.


    "Now then, being circulating your energy and cultivating as per your cultivation method," he instructed.


    Snapping out of it, she did exactly as he said and completely trusted Adam, having no other hope if she wanted to fulfil her dreams. Nobody else had even been able to notice anything wrong with her, so all she could do was believe in him and hope for the best.


    Observing how she cultivated, Adam could see that she had a very high talent for cultivation and was using some sort of self-improvised cultivation method that helped her to enhance her sword energy, but her body was just too weak.


    No matter how hard she tried to train her body and improve her External Cultivation, she hadn''t been able to improve it in the slightest and it had restricted her so much.


    It had made her foundations unstable, and she was even afraid to progress her Internal Cultivation any further, since it would damage her body and damage her foundations even more.


    "This is going to hurt a lot, and I will essentially be destroying your body and External Cultivation foundation, then healing it and attempting to strengthen your body. In the process unclogging all your energy pathways and getting rid of any impurities that are restricting your body," Adam warned.


    "Just go for it. As long as it allows me to get stronger, I am willing to go to hell and back," she stated with great drive and conviction.


    Adam smiled before turning to the Branch Master and asking if he could leave.


    "Why? I would like to oversee the process and make sure that nothing happens. I must ensure her safety in your hands as the Branch Master," he refuted.


    "She is conscious now and is allowing me to do whatever I want with her body, so there is no need for you to worry or intrude. Just go along with your business and if you do decide to wait outside, no matter what, do not come in."


    He couldn''t argue with what Adam said, and looking at Su Lan, she completely accepted everything that Adam just said and didn''t show any signs of doubt or hesitation.


    Sighting, there was no point going back and forth with Adam and it wasn''t his business to intrude on what was about to occur despite how curious he was.


    But since Adam only had an hour left to heal her, since an hour had passed and the tournament was meant to continue after two hours, he decided to wait outside.


    And with that, Adam was ready to begin after stating a few conditions to Su Lan.

 Chapter 528 - Body Reformatting Method

    After the Branch Master left, and Adam made sure that there was no way anybody was watching them or listening in to what was happening, he said to Su Lan that he had a few conditions that she had to agree to before he helped her.


    The private recovery room that the Branch Master had led them to was one of many, and was essentially a small closed-off room without anything in it that had quite dense energy and was completely soundproof.


    This way people could cultivate and recover within it freely, without distraction, and was perfect for Adam who didn''t want to reveal much about himself, knowing that there were too many powerful and unknown figures out there.


    Until he was could rival them in terms of power, revealing more about himself would only draw unwanted attention, and he wasn''t looking to cause any complications or conflict.


    Su Lan was willing to do almost anything to get stronger and overcome the complications that she had with her body, but after hearing Adam''s conditions she couldn''t help but be shocked out of her mind.


    "There are three simple conditions. You must promise not to reveal my true power to anybody or anything to do with me, my capabilities or the recovery process. Basically, just keep everything confidential. You must also try your best to stay conscious throughout the entire process. And lastly, you must owe me one favour that I can redeem whenever I want in the future," he revealed as he stopped concealing his aura and true power.


    As soon as he did, she found it harder to breath and such power seemed to surpass even that of the Branch Master, despite him appearing to have a lower cultivation level than him.


    But it quickly vanished, as Adam retracted it.


    "Why don''t you use your full power?" she asked in awe and confusion.


    With his power, he could not only crush all those in the tournament at once, but probably even the Branch Master that was overseeing that tournament.


    "Don''t tell me you''re over 25..."


    "No, I am not over 25 years old. And I just wanted to test my skills and face skilled opponents while using less power than them, to force me to use skill to win," he explained.


    She had many questions, but before she could ask anything else, he asked, "Do you agree to the conditions or not?"


    "Yes, I do. And I swear upon my blade to adhere to them to the best of my ability," she vowed.


    "Alright then, the person you owe a favour to, is Adam, not the Liao Wei you see before you and we will begin the process now, since I have to get back to the tournament," he stated.


    She wanted to ask him so many things, and didn''t understand what he meant by the person she owed a favour to wasn''t the person before her, but she was more focused on getting stronger.


    "Endure as best as you can and try to aid me as much as possible, but also completely relax your body and let me take control," he instructed as she closed her eyes and continued cultivating.


    Adam unleashed extreme amounts of energy that were too much for her body to handle and had helped Angela and Elizabeth through similar dangerous procedures, but this was one that was by far the most taxing on him.


    There wasn''t much that Su Lan could do other than relax and endure the immense pain that came with the process.


    Immediately after streaming the energy into her body, Adam forced it into her energy pathways, and began bombarding all the blocked off pathways with alarming amounts of energy.


    Su Lan began vomiting out curdles of blood and felt as though her body was on the verge of exploding, with Adam constantly streaming more and more energy into her body.


    However, simultaneously, she felt as though Adam was healing her body and although it didn''t do much to ease the pain, she at least wasn''t dying.


    Howling in pain, Su Lan had never experienced anything so excruciating her entire life, but as long as it paid off, she was happy as she clenched her teeth and tried her best to remain relaxed and ease the burden on Adam.


    The forbidden Cultivation Splitting Method was what he had used on Elizabeth, and was one of the multiple forbidden methods that his master had left behind for him in a secret storage that even his friends didn''t have access to.


    And in there, there was another forbidden method that was on par with the Cultivation Splitting Method or even greater in terms of difficult, risk and effects.


    It was the Body Reformatting Method, that just like he had said to her, would destroy her body almost entirely and reformat it, reconnecting all her energy pathways and getting rid of whatever was restricting her development.


    Her frail constitution seemed to be natural, and at first glance, her body was way too weak to become a cultivator, so it was unbelievable for her to have made it as far as she had and if she continued as she did, death was inevitable.


    And she felt it, estimating that at most she would have only a few more years to live with her body breaking down from the constant pressure of her Internal Cultivation and powerful sword energy.


    But now, Adam was about to make it so that she never had to worry about those things and would make it so that she could also strengthen her body and harmonise her Physical Cultivation.


    However, it was easier said than done and even Adam wasn''t completely confident that he would be able to pull the procedure off despite how confident he acted.


    She was on the verge of death anyway and would try his best to help her, but there was a big chance that it would fail, however, he had already promised to help her and it would be good to put what his master left him to good use.

 Chapter 529 - Tough Procedure

    Sweating profusely, Adam was struggling on the early parts of the process, while Su Lan could barely sit still with the excruciating pain that she was enduring.


    Her muscles, bones, energy pathways, meridians and Internal Organs were all being crushed then reformatted and realigned with her dantian. The pain of the process was alone to make people insane, and the amount of energy it used was astronomical.


    Every ten minutes, consuming an energy pill, Adam was truly pushing himself to his limits to make sure that the Body Reformatting Process succeeded, and was completely focused.


    Any small mistake could cause her severe backlash and even death, so there was a lot at stake, as he continued bombarding her body with explosive bursts of energy, before reformatting her body and healing the damage.


    The body''s interconnected energy pathways, muscular structure and meridians were all very complex and energy was found throughout the body, making it so that controlling and reformatting it all was so dangerous.


    Imagine needing to thread a needle tens of thousands of time, while doing intense exercise and destroying someone''s body while healing it.


    But, with his previous experience in such processes and his willpower, Adam was able to pull through.


    Initially, he had only sought to help her recover and breakthrough, but after observing her physique and diagnosing her, he had ended up needing to complete an extremely tough and complex procedure.


    He hated using such forbidden methods, and they were forbidden for a reason, since they were almost impossible to use and arguably had more risk than reward.


    Imagine using the method on one''s self, they would need to endure the pain while completing the procedure, which even Adam probably couldn''t do and would be almost impossible for most to pull off.


    Fortunately, in this case, Adam had managed to succeed and although he had to use quite a lot of resources that he had saved in his inventory, both on himself and Su Lan, the rewards were incredible.


    Her External Cultivation, which had never been able to improve much due to her weak constitution and frail physique, leapt to the early Advanced Cultivation Level.


    While her Internal Cultivation had also experienced an unbelievable development to the Master Cultivation Level, all within the matter of less than an hour.


    And Adam truly couldn''t take all the credit, with her resilience and body seemingly aiding him throughout the process. It was almost as if she needed a method like the forbidden Body Reformatting Method and had subconsciously accepted the process.


    Adam fell backwards and lay in a puddle of sweat with his head aching severely after all the strain he had put on his mind, while Su Lan had managed to regain composure and continue to cultivate after the process was completed.


    The wondrous benefits she experienced and all the power her body had was incredible and never in her wildest dreams did she think Adam would be capable of so much.


    In her mind, such a procedure didn''t exist and was impossible for anyone to pull off, which was likely the case, since Adam was only able to succeed with the Mind Ring, and yet Adam had randomly decided to use it on her.


    And not only had he healed her weak constitution and reformatted her body, he also provided her with unbelievable amounts of energy that strengthened her body and improved her cultivation immensely.


    She felt as though a massive weight that was holding her back had been removed, as she turned around to see Adam laying there panting heavily and struggling to stay conscious.


    And looking at his face, she couldn''t help but be startled, since it was his actual face and not Liao Wei''s, which he had used to disguise himself during the tournament.


    While she was also impressed and amazed by his physique, since most of his clothes had also been torn apart, and was admiring how well-trained and perfect his body was.


    "So, this is what you meant when you said that I owed a favour to someone else. And I assume your real name''s Adam?" she realised, as she fought the urge to stare at his bare body.


    He simply answered by nodding his head as he sat back up and began to circulate his energy and recover all the energy he had during the procedure.


    And after all the pills he had consumed, he would need to cultivate for a while after the tournament to get rid of all the impurities that would be a hindrance in the future.


    "Su Lan, you really need to fix up. You are one of the most talented people I have come across, but you are way too kind-hearted. I am not telling you to kill randomly and become a monster, but you won''t go as far as you could if you aren''t more realistic and ruthless when you need to be. Such as during our battle, if you had fought to kill, you might not have lost," he scolded.


    "I don''t know you or much about you other than your name, your sword style and that you are from some powerful family, but I am sure you have had your fair share of struggles. And if you truly want to pursue the peak of cultivation, you must be able to face things head-on, which usually involves death," he continued.


    She knew he was right and there were things she wanted to open up about, but she could feel that her body was unstable and that she still needed time to cultivate.


    "Stabilise your cultivation, then I will come back to check up on you after my tournament is finished. I would also recommend you to clean yourself up and request a change of clothes," he stated, before activating the Ethereal Recovery Skill.


    Looking down, she realised that she was almost completely naked after her clothes were blown to tatters from all the bursts of energy that Adam had forced into her body.


    Instantly her face flushed red and she couldn''t help but become flustered, but looking at Adam, who had his eyes closed and was cultivating, she calmed down and began to cultivate.

 Chapter 530 - Naked!

    After a few minutes, despite the fatigued and drained state he was in, Adam had to return to the tournament, and got up, just wanting to get it over with.


    Sensing that Adam had gotten up, Su Lan was struggling to focus on her cultivation and subconsciously moved her arms to cover her breast and as much of her body as she could.


    Seeing that, Adam chuckled and reassured her, "I am not interested in you that way and I must admit, you are beautiful, but I am not looking at you and have literally just reformatted your body, so just forget I am here and focus on your cultivation."


    She couldn''t disagree and couldn''t sense his gaze on her or any lust from him, which was unusual, even for the most upright and righteous individual.


    Unless he was...


    "And I don''t swing that way," he clarified, seeing the curious and confused expression on her face.


    Before doing anything else, Adam distorted his appearance once again to look like Liao Wei like he had done before, which was quite difficult for him to do. It wasn''t because of the energy that is required, but the mental control to activate.


    Fortunately, after activating it, all he would need was to supply his face with small amounts of energy to maintain the change in appearance, which he couldn''t do while completing Su Lan''s tough procedure.


    Opening the door of the private recovery room, he only opened it enough for the Branch Master to be able to hear him, but not see inside.


    "Did you manage to heal her and help her breakthrough?" the Branch Master asked as soon as he sensed the door move.


    It was clear from his tone that he didn''t believe that Adam had been able to and he simply answered, "No, but she is better than she was before. And is currently cultivating and doesn''t want to be disturbed, but I am sure you can tell that and can sense that her breathing is stable."


    And just like Adam had said, he could sense through the small gap in the door that Su Lan was doing better than before and seemed to be cultivating.


    But why wasn''t Adam opening the door completely and what exactly had happened?


    However, before he could ask any more questions, Adam made a request that made him even more confused.


    "I am ready to continue the tournament like I said I would be, but could you please get me two sets of clothes? One for me and one for Su Lan," he requested.


    Instantly upon hearing that, he couldn''t help but have lude thoughts and for what reason would they both be naked, but as the Branch Master, obviously he could maintain composure.


    Taking a second to calm down, he asked, "Am I your servant to be getting you two sets of clothing? And since when were we close?" in a slightly annoyed manner.


    Subconsciously, since Adam had Liao Wei''s, he felt close to him and found it easy to be friendly with him, despite not really knowing who he was or much about him. While the curiosity he felt towards Adam also made him want to act casually with him and find out more about him.


    However, he still was the Branch Master who despite not being very prideful, needed to ensure that he was respected so that he didn''t sully the reputation of the Martial Arts Union.


    "Well, I am almost fully naked and so is Su Lan, so unless you want me to fight with my..."


    "Okay, I will get some for you," he interjected before Adam could finish what he was going to say.


    But still, what kind of recovery method needed them to be naked, and tore up their clothes?


    Instructing one of his subordinates to bring him two sets of clothing, one set for each of them, they were sets of plain clothing that would adapt and fit whoever put them on. He then placed it outside the private recovery room before heading towards the arena.


    "Liao Wei, you will be escorted back to the stage by my subordinate, so hurry up and put the clothes on," he instructed before leaving.


    He was curious as to what happened between Adam and Su Lan as he waited outside, but it wasn''t his place to pry and Su Lan had consented to whatever had happened. So he just went on with his day, still needing to oversee the rest of the tournament and interested to see who will win.


    Adam thanked him as he opened the door just enough for his arm to fit through, then grabbed the clothing and closed the door.


    His private parts were covered and didn''t really care if he was seen naked, but he could tell that Su Lan definitely didn''t, which was why he was being so careful as he put on the set of the clothes that he was happy with.


    Obviously, he could have gotten a set of clothing out of his inventory, but he didn''t want to reveal the fact that he had it to Su Lan and the Branch Master.


    Meanwhile, the pills he had withdrawn from the inventory during the procedure hadn''t even been noticed by Su Lan, who at the time was experiencing gut-wrenching pain, and the Branch Master wasn''t in the room to see them appear out of thin air.


    "I have left some clothes here and should be back quite soon. I am pretty sure that the next few battles won''t take long like ours did," he said as he was about to leave.


    "Are you sure you can fight right now? I know you are strong, but..."


    "Don''t worry, I will be fine," he reassured her before leaving.


    Outside, he found the female Martial Arts Union member who had previously arrested him and didn''t seem to like him after he got away with cutting someone down in the waiting area.


    "We meet again," she said, but Adam just sighed and responded, "Please lead the way, and stop with the small talk."


    "Ugh, you really are one agitating fellow. And what were you doing with Su Lan in there that required you both to be naked? It must have been one nice recovery session," she teased.


    Adam didn''t bother reacting to her, which annoyed her, as he followed her back to the arena in a relaxed manner.

 Chapter 531 - Public Request

    Memorising the route one had taken to the private training room and or finding one''s way around the large Martial Arts Union Branch was easy for most cultivators, but outsiders always needed to be accompanied by one of their members.


    And just Adam''s luck, it was the same one who had tried to arrest him and was quite the annoying individual.


    She didn''t shut up even though he ignored her the entire time and just kept asking him questions.


    "So are you and Su Lan a couple?"


    "How did you get so strong?"


    "How can you use so many weapons at such a high level?"


    "Why are you ignoring me?"


    "Why is your cultivation level so low?"


    Adam had never felt so annoyed by someone in his life and she reminded him of Angela, the detective back at New York, someone that just couldn''t mind their own business.


    Reaching the arena, he could finally get away from the agitating escort he was designated and made his way onto the stage that he was meant to be fighting on next.


    As a dark horse in the tournament that nobody had ever thought would make it to the semi-finals, a large amount of the attention was on him and Adam was backed by many to be the winner of the tournament.


    Before it began, most believed that Gong Yunru would win, and even Su Lan was a dark horse in the audience''s eyes, but now it was unclear who would win.


    Or at least to them.


    The Branch Master was almost completely sure that if Adam or Su Lan fought any of the other semi-finalists with their full power, they would come out on top.


    However, the reason he was curious and interested to watch their matches, was because after his battle with Su Lan and supposedly healing her, he should definitively be fatigued and weakened.


    So, despite how skilled he was, if he truly was merely an early Advanced Cultivator, then it should be very difficult to still win.


    Unlike what he had expected, Adam won all of his battles with ease and very quickly.


    His fatigue and weakness were clear, but he would just be on the aggressive from the start of the match and break down his final two opponents'' defences before crushing them.


    In his semi-final match, he fought against someone who fought with his bare fists and was definitely very skilled, but since Adam wanted to get the battle over with quickly, he stood no chance.


    Still using the same output of power, and despite the pounding pain from his head, he still crushed his opponent and found all the holes in their fighting style.


    Then, after landing dozens of attacks, he quickly found the opportunity to launch them off the stage with the Air Palm Strike, and their battle was over quickly.


    The final battle lasted a bit longer and was one that Adam enjoyed slightly, with his opponent wielding daggers, the weapon that he would also usually use in most cases.


    It was unbelievable just how skilled Adam was in the use of the daggers and it seemed as though he was just skilled in every method of combat, as he gained the upper hand from the start despite facing a finalist.


    And from the start of the match, it was clear that he was going to win.


    Pushed to the brink of desperation, his opponent who felt helpless under Adam''s onslaught of precise and deadly dagger attacks used a forbidden technique to boost his power shortly.


    The Branch Master noticed the sudden power boost, and it was clear as day that he was cheating, since such techniques were not allowed during their tournaments, but he turned a blind eye to it, wanting to see whether Adam could still come out on top.


    And to his surprise, Adam still handled it well without suffering a single industry, breaking his opponent''s legs before going to continue attacking them even further before the Branch Master stopped him.


    Since his opponent sought to kill him and didn''t hold back in the slightest, and even dared to cheat, there was no need for Adam to spare him, but he was stopped before he dealt him any more damage.


    The crowds were singing their praises and although it was expected after watching him fight and beat Su Lan and Gong Yunru, it was still a shocking and unprecedented event.


    ''Liao Wei'' had become famous after the tournament, but had also made quite a few enemies after Adam crushed quite a few individuals and stopped them from going further in the tournament.


    And most that took part in the tournament had some sort of powerful background, which could cause the real Liao Wei some troubles in the future, but Adam was pretty sure he could handle it.


    However, he wasn''t satisfied with how the tournament ended, and although the national tournament was what he was interested to take part in; he didn''t want the tournament to only have one winner.


    "Branch Master, does there only have to be one cultivator that makes it to the national tournament?" asked Adam, after just winning the final.


    He did so intentionally in front of the crowd, so that the Branch Master would feel more pressure to hear him out and accept the request that he was putting forward as the winner of the tournament.


    "Not necessarily, but why do you ask?" he responded.


    "I believe that there are two other participants that deserve to make it through to the national tournament," he revealed.


    There were many that deserved to make it through, but the point of a tournament was for there to only be one winner, and luck was a big part of it.


    If one faced tough opponents from the start, even if they were worthy of being first, it was very likely they would be weakened and unable to win.


    But, would the Branch Master be willing to allow participants other than Adam to make it through to the nationals?

 Chapter 532 - Tournament Over

    "Who are the two that you speak of?" asked the Branch Master, curious as to who Adam believed should make it to the national tournament.


    If there were multiple powerful cultivators that take part in a regional tournament, it is likely that not all of them can make it to positions that portray their true capabilities.


    And for that reason, Branch Masters could admit as many cultivators as they saw fit to the national tournament.


    However, most of the time it would only be one or at most a handful of individuals, since there were quite a lot of regions in the country that the Martial Arts Union had branches in.


    In the particular region that Adam had joined the tournament in, there had only ever been one cultivator that made it through to the national tournament and there weren''t usually many extremely talented individuals.


    That was to be expected from a region that wasn''t one of the richest or most powerful in the country, but this time, the Branch Master wasn''t against Adam''s public request.


    However, it depended on who those two were.


    "Su Lan and Gong Yunru should make it to the national tournament," he stated.


    The Branch Master definitely agreed that Su Lan should make it through and even with her supposed weak physique, she was still worthy to take part in the national tournament.


    However, Gong Yunru had been eliminated on the first round of the tournament and in quite an embarrassing manner, despite how much he showboated during the match.


    And in the eyes of the Branch Master, although he was impressive, it was nothing amazing that he hadn''t seen before.


    Gong Yunru who was in the audience hadn''t expected Adam to put his name forward, and it wasn''t like they were friends or knew each other.


    He had looked down on Adam and suffered quite the crushing defeat, but it made him want to work harder and refine his spear-wielding skills.


    Although not on the level of Su Lan, he had some skills and a lot of potential, so it would be a shame for him to not make it to the nationals.


    But in all honesty, Adam, just like the Branch Master, was more adamant about Su Lan making it through, but not too bothered about Gong Yunru.


    Just as he was about to refuse Gong Yunru''s admittance to the next tournament, Gong Yunru suddenly jumped out from the crowd and the barrier that had been put up before had been put down, since the battles had ended.


    And it wasn''t like anybody dared to go against the Branch Master of the Martial Arts Union, so nobody was worried about someone from the crowd jumping down from their seats.


    It was a big offence to do so, but Gong Yunru didn''t care about that and wanted to redeem himself for his previous poor display of skill and character.


    Just like Su Lan, he had a fire in his eyes that Adam liked, both literally and figuratively, as he landed before the Branch Master and Adam and bowed his head.


    Known for his arrogance and wild nature, it was unusual to see him act so respectfully as he pierced his spear into the ground and pleaded with the Branch Master to let him go through.


    "I know I am skilled enough and ready for it. I am willing to beg you or do whatever you want me to for this opportunity. Please Branch Master, let me go through."


    The Branch Master thought about it for a few seconds, before making his decision.


    "Well, you are quite capable and seem to have the ambition and determination that cultivators need," he mumbled.


    "Okay, I hereby announce that Gong Yunru, Liao Wei and Su Lan will all make it to the national tournament and are the winners of today''s tournament," he announced.


    Gong Yunru fell to his knees and thanked the Branch Master gratefully and Adam even more, since he was the one who brought up his name in the first place.


    For him to act so humbly, it was amazing, and even his family who were previously ashamed by his performance, were glad he had been reformed by the loss that he suffered.


    "Get up and repay me by doing well in the national tournament. You have talent and potential, but you focus on pleasing the crowd and using flashy moves that aren''t as good as they could be. If you work hard and focus, I am sure you could do well," Adam said to him as he pulled him up.


    "The spear is quite the difficult weapon to master, but you have the foundation and just need to build on it. So don''t let me down and make me look like an idiot for vouching for you, during the nationals," Adam encouraged as he slapped his back.


    Picking up his spear Gong Yunru declared, "I will make sure to defeat you in the national tournament. I appreciate your advice and help, but from here on out, we are rivals!"


    Adam just smiled chuckle to himself, seeing him as a mere kid to help, despite him being around the same age or probably older.


    He also didn''t seem to be a bad person at heart and knew that his little nudge would help him achieve incredible things.


    Gong Yunru left the arena and was eager to start training, with the short time he had until the national tournament, while the Branch Master concluded the tournament and dismissed the crowd.


    Adam sat in the waiting area and waited for the Branch Master to finish, before going to him and asking for permission to go to the private recovery room that Su Lan was in.


    "Sure, I was just about to head there myself and you could have just asked one of my subordinates to escort you there," he answered.


    But just thinking about the Martial Arts Union member who had escorted him back to the arena annoyed him, and he would rather walk on nails than have to be led by her anywhere.

 Chapter 533 - Honorary Elder Offer

    The Branch Master was glad that Adam was seeking his permission to go to the private recovery room that Su Lan was in and was pleased that he was showing respect.


    However, Adam just didn''t want to cause trouble, knowing the sheer number of guards and members that they had around the branch, and that it was forbidden to move around the compound without being escorted by one of their members.


    They made their way there in silence, with Adam walking slightly behind him, needing to highlight the dominance of the Branch Master. Despite the Branch Master being quite a kind and friendly individual, he needed to maintain the powerful and respected image that he had.


    All so that he could maintain order in the branch of the Martial Arts Union that he oversaw.


    Entering the private recovery room, thankfully Su Lan had put on the clothes that Adam had left there for her, and the Branch Master couldn''t help but be amazed by the state that her body was in.


    Not only had she completely recovered all the energy that her body had lost from the over-exhaustion, but her body was on an entirely different level than before.


    Even with her not unleashing her aura and suppressing her power, it was evident just how much she had improved and it was unbelievable.


    If Adam''s previous diagnosis truly was correct, then he had healed and solved the problem that had caused her weak and frail constitution, and also helped her breakthrough just like he said he would.


    After holding back her Internal Cultivation for so long and the reformatting of her body, she was starving for energy and Adam supplied her with much more than she could have ever dreamed of storing at once.


    Both through pills and his own energy reserves.


    Helping her to experience a massive leap in power and now even the Branch Master saw her as a threat, with her sword energy and incredible skill.


    Just how was it possible for a mere early Advanced Cultivator to achieve such results and help someone so much?


    It was miraculous and unheard of.


    "Did you really do this?" he uttered in sheer amazement.


    Adam didn''t bother answering and walked over to Su Lan before placing his hand on the centre of her chest.


    At first, she was tense and quite defensive, but she relaxed and didn''t bother resisting, and it wasn''t like he had any bad intentions towards her.


    As soon as his palm connected with her chest, she felt an unusual sensation that spread throughout her body in an instant and made her feel as though her entire body had been scanned.


    The Branch Master was surprised that the cold beauty Su Lan was allowing a man to touch her so close to her breast without reacting or resisting, but was still more amazed by Adam''s capabilities and identity.


    There was an unusual sense of familiarity that he felt towards him, but he just couldn''t explain where it came from or how they were connected.


    And, besides that, how could he not be interested in Adam, who as a mere early Advanced Cultivator had won the tournament in an incredible fashion.


    "You have stabilised your cultivation quickly and have managed to integrate your slivers of sword energy with your Internal Energy. But I would still recommend you to focus on training your body and learning to harmonise your Physical Cultivations," he stated as he moved his hand away from her.


    The Branch Master was impressed once again, while compared to what Su Lan had experienced Adam do for her before, it wasn''t anything amazing as she thanked him graciously.


    "Also, you will be taking part in the National Martial Arts Union Youth Tournament, so prepare yourself for it," he added.


    "What? Wasn''t I eliminated?" she asked, confused.


    "Yes, you aren''t the winner of the regional tournament, but after Liao Wei requested it, I allowed you and one other participant to make it to the National Tournament," the Branch Master explained.


    Su Lan was shocked and overjoyed, despite her expression barely changing. And all she was thinking about was how she was going to repay Adam for everything he did for her.


    "Also Liao Wei, would you be willing to join the Martial Arts Union as an honorary elder, which would give you power and influence within the union on par with me, or even greater?" the Branch Master offered.


    "Although I can''t personally grant you that position, you will be given a yellow or even green amulet, and I am sure with your medical knowledge and skills you will definitely be offered the position by some of my seniors if I request it," he continued.


    "Amulets that are granted by the Martial Arts Union can be used to instruct those in the union of lower status, influence and power. The stronger and more valued one is in the union, the higher grade amulet they are given," he explained.


    "And what are the amulet grades?" Adam asked, remembering that the amulet the powerful old man had given him was blue.


    "Yes, your average member will have a red amulet. Then more senior members that can be in charge of a small group or have more responsibility and power have orange amulets. Then it goes yellow, green, blue and violet, with the power and influence of an individual increasing with each grade," he answered.


    "Blue grade amulets are only given to senior elders, and purple amulets are only known to be held by great elders that never really show themselves. And it is said that there is also a golden amulet, that has ultimate power in the Martial Arts Union, but no one has really seen it or come across it," he added.


    "So with a yellow or green amulet, you would be very highly regarded and you would also get to meet a very senior figure within the martial arts union, as only someone at least two grades above you can issue you a certain grade of amulet."


    The Branch Master was offering something great to Adam and Su Lan definitely would have accepted it if she was in Adam''s position, but he merely shook his head.

 Chapter 534 - Rumours

    "Thanks for the offer, but I am just your average cultivator and you are overestimating my medical knowledge. I just studied a few books and dabbled in healing others a few times, but I am not worthy of such a position," he answered.


    However, despite his words being very humble, it was clear he wasn''t interested in the position in the slightest.


    The Branch Master would benefit and be rewarded for recruiting such a capable individual, but he truly was looking out for Adam, which he appreciated.


    If he knew that Adam had a blue amulet, then he would probably faint in shock.


    And it wasn''t only because he had such a high-grade amulet that would give him incredible influence within the Marital Arts Union, and essentially the entire country.


    But also because it meant that he must have met the one with the golden amulet, as that was the only way he could be issued such a high grade amulet!


    The Branch Master and even Su Lan wanted to persuade him to change his mind, but Adam truly had no need for the position with the blue amulet in his inventory, so had no reason to take on board more responsibility.


    Without anything else to do there, Adam turned to leave and wanted to take some time to cultivate and recover to his peak state, and also hunt in the dungeon as much as he could before the nationals began.


    However, before he did, Su Lan grabbed his arm.


    Adam and the Bnrach Master thought that maybe she was still trying to persuade him to rethink his decision, but what she said surprised them both.


    "Would you like to go out to eat with me?" she offered in a shy and embarrassed manner.


    She had barely even spoken to males outside her family before meeting Adam, so just asking him to go out to eat was hard enough.


    Seeing how much she struggled to merely ask him out to a meal, Adam couldn''t help but smile as he compared it to the fearless swordswoman that he fought against.


    However, he didn''t want her to get the wrong idea, so he answered: "I already told you, I''m not interested in you th..."


    But before he could finish, she jumped, "I know. I just wanted to speak to you about something."


    Watching their exchange, the Branch Master didn''t know how to react and he knew that many around the country would be enraged to see how vulnerable the cold beauty was with this unknown figure.


    "Alright, I am quite hungry anyway. Do you also have a place I can stay at until the tournament?" he asked nonchalantly.


    The Branch Master wanted to offer Adam somewhere to stay at his Martial Arts Union Branch so that he could observe him for longer and try to get him to accept the offer, but before he could, Su Lan had eagerly nodded her head.


    Looking at her weirdly, unable to suppress his thoughts, the Branch Master was shocked to see that even he could cause her composure to waver slightly.


    Clearing her throat and calming down, realising how much she was letting her emotions show, she clarified, "It''s not what you think. If he stays at my home, I will get to train with him or at least observe how he trains so I can learn from him."


    Adam was just amused by the two before him who were meant to be capable figures, and yet one was getting flustered and the other was acting so casually and making it clear that he was very dirty minded.


    "Lead the way then Su Lan. I have already checked up on your body and everything is fine, so let''s go get a meal," he said.


    "And you''re paying right?" he added.


    She smiled slightly and nodded as they were escorted out by the Branch Master who bid them farewell and said that he was eager to watch them fight in the nationals.


    He did want to observe the two incredible youths, especially Adam, who he just couldn''t understand, but he knew it wasn''t his place to join them and he also had a lot of duties as a Branch Master of the Martial Arts Union.


    Adam asked Su Lan what place she had in mind for them to eat, and when she answered a fancy place that is known for its grilling, the excitement was clear on his face.


    He had been craving some meat and couldn''t wait to eat his filling, which he didn''t bother hiding from the one that invited him and would also be paying for the meal.


    "Why don''t you take off your disguise? I like your real face better," she asked after walking for a short while in silence and confirming that nobody was tracking or secretly watching them.


    "I would rather not for now. It stands out to much and some people might easily recognise me," he answered.


    Su Lan then continued asking him all sorts of questions, such as how old he was, where he came from, how is Chinese was so good and why he joined the tournament.


    She had never felt so interested in someone in her life and Adam answered her honestly, not having much to hide, but also didn''t provide her all the details that she wanted.


    The dark horse and cold beauty of the region were obviously being recognised, and the fact that they were together shocked and displeased many.


    The cold beauty had never been seen before with someone else let alone a man around her age, and seeing how close she walked beside him and how comfortable they were together, one couldn''t help but assume they were a couple.


    It would also explain why he stood up for her.


    Quickly rumours about them being together spread, and as the skilled, cautious and powerful cultivators that they were, hearing the whispering of people around them was inevitable.


    However Su Lan didn''t seem to be against the rumours and seeing as Adam didn''t seem bothered by them in the slightest, she didn''t care to deny their validity.

 Chapter 535 - Hateful Eyes

    Entering a chain of a very famed and luxurious hotel that was known throughout the country, as soon as Su Lan came inside, she was treated like a queen.


    It was clear that she had some sort of powerful background and it explained why the Branch Master warned Adam about her family.


    However, Su Lan also didn''t seem to be truly respected by those that served her who had disdainful looks in their eyes despite sucking up to her when she entered.


    "Prepare a private hall for me and my companion, and provide us with all your best dishes and drinks. And just put everything on my tab," she instructed the manager after she greeted her respectfully.


    Envy and hatred were burning in the eyes of the young manager of the hotel who seemed to know Su Lan and hold a personal grudge against her, but she couldn''t do anything but not her head and obey her.


    Adam just watched from beside her with an amused expression and there was much more to Su Lan than what she gave off, especially since she seemed to have so many enemies and haters despite her talent and beauty.


    Although it was inevitable for people to envy her position and talent, the hate that Adam saw in the eyes of many was too deep-rooted to be mere jealousy.


    Sitting down quietly in the waiting area for a minute or so, Adam just observed as the atmosphere became very tense, especially between some of the employees and Su Lan.


    Looking at her, it was clear that she had begun regretting her decision to bring Adam there, but she also wanted to give him the best meal she could, and the Grand Su Hotel was definitely was one of the best places that the region and even the country had to offer.


    Obviously, Adam had noticed that the hotel was named after her family since it had the same surname as her, but he decided to ask her about it later.


    What he wanted to do instead was fuel the rumours even more and have some fun.


    "Will we also be staying here, darling?" asked Adam, just loud enough for most around them to hear.


    Knowing that their relationship wasn''t like that, Su Lan turned to see that Adam had a smile on his face and was clearly just teasing her and trying to cause her trouble.


    But two can play at that game.


    "No, but don''t worry, I have a spare room for you and your boyfriend," she responded, matching Adam''s smile and energy.


    Hearing that Adam couldn''t help but laugh and admit that she had beaten them there, while those around them began to spark new rumours.


    The dark horse and Su Lan don''t actually have an intimate relationship, and Liao Wei has a boyfriend who is Gong Yunru.


    People quickly came to conclusions, but this was too much.


    Adam honestly couldn''t care less and it wasn''t like it was actually staining his reputation, but the same couldn''t be said for Gong Yunru.


    Within the hour the rumours had reached him, and despite being an admirer of Su Lan, he was satisfied with Adam being her partner after witnessing his capability and also being helped by him.


    But since when was he in a gay relationship with him?!


    That was too far, and his family didn''t seem to be against it, which infuriated him even further.


    He had no one else to blame but Adam, also known as Liao Wei, and the rumours made him train even harder, vowing to crush Adam for ruining his chances with the ladies that used to hoard around him.


    The attention of the ladies was what he adored and sought when he fought in tournaments and displayed his talents, and now Adam had ruined that for him.


    Although he had changed and was more focused on his training than ever before, obviously he still enjoyed basking in the attention and adoration of beautiful women.


    Rumours spread quickly and with cultivation being at the centre of society in this country, all attention was on the regional tournaments that took place around the country, with the names of the winners being announced to the public.


    And everyone couldn''t help but be excited for the nationals, including Gong Yunru who was now not only seeking redemption, but vengeance.


    Meanwhile, Adam and Su Lan had entered the private hall that was prepared for them and he couldn''t help but be impressed.


    The hall was large with enough seats and space to fit a group of over 20, while it had giant, extravagant chandeliers that hung from the ceiling that stood out, but weren''t overbearing.


    It was magnificent.


    And on the table, there was a variety of aged vintage wines that Adam assumed were very expensive.


    The table was so long and large that it was quite weird for two people to eat at it and position themselves in a way they could eat comfortably, but still talk between themselves.


    They ended up sitting opposite each other towards the centre of the giant table.


    After literally reformatting her body, and after granting Adam complete control over their body, it was hard for the two of them to feel awkward or uncomfortable around each other, despite them knowing each other for less than a day.


    Quickly the two of them made themselves comfortable as Adam grabbed one of the bottles of wine and read its label.


    "Have you ever drank before?" he asked her, seeing all the different alcoholic beverages before them.


    She shook her head while responding, "Have you?"


    "No. But if you haven''t drunk before, why did you order so much of this stuff?"


    "Well, I thought that you might have wanted them..." she answered.


    Sighing, Adam suggested that they both tried some together with a mischievous smile.


    There was no better time than the present to try things, and looking at Su Lan, she didn''t seem to be against it.

 Chapter 536 - Fat Pig

    Adam was still underage in America, but he could drink in China if he wanted to. And it wasn''t like he previously truly cared about the law, it was just that drinking never appealed to him.


    Even in his darkest and most painful moments, drinking and doing drugs to forget about the pain was something that never once crossed his mind.


    He would rather do anything else than allow his mind to be influenced by an external substance and lose control of himself, while also damaging his body.


    But now at his level of strength and with his unbelievably powerful body, the mental and harmful of alcohol wouldn''t affect him.


    Although he could intentionally slow down his metabolism so that the drunken effect lasts longer, or he could take super concentrated alcohol that was made for cultivators, which many would opt to do, he didn''t want to feel drunk.


    But his curiosity made it so that he at least wanted to try it and see what so many people were so obsessed with.


    He knew that for most it wasn''t the taste that they savoured, but what came after, but he at least wanted to try it.


    Su Lan agreed to give it a taste and knew it wouldn''t have any effect on them, as she picked up a random bottle and flicked off the cork.


    Pouring a small glass for herself and Adam, they both took a sip at the same time while looking at each other and had a similar reaction.


    It was bitter and didn''t taste nice at all, while it burnt the back of their throats as it went down.


    They definitely wouldn''t choose to drink it again, but it wasn''t too bad and thinking about all of their own suffering, they could understand why some drown themselves in the stuff.


    Moving it aside, they both poured themselves some juice as they laughed at their similar reactions and waited for their food.


    Su Lan could see that Adam was dying to eat and knew that eating and relaxing would ease the mood, so waited until after they had eaten for them to talk about some matters privately and comfortably.


    Quickly waiters began bringing in all sorts of dishes, with some being ones that Adam recognised, and others being ones he was eager to try.


    It was known for its grilling like Su Lan had said, and they didn''t hold back, bringing all sorts of food, with most of it being Chinese food that Adam loved.


    Eating, he was reminded of his aunt''s cooking and just the thought of her made his eyes flash with anger and regret, but only Su Lan had managed to notice the slight flash in his eyes.


    After eating enough to feed a large family for a week, Adam lay back in his chair and had a satisfied expression.


    He had been so engrossed in his food that he hadn''t bothered to look at Su Lan, and was shocked to see that she had eaten even more than him.


    "What''s the problem?" she asked seeing the shock on his face.


    Reassuring her that there wasn''t a problem, he went on to mumble, "I guess girls can eat a lot sometimes."


    Su Lan tutted and seemed to have gotten slightly annoyed by the comment, but then seeing that Adam was laughing, she couldn''t help but also smile.


    Wanting somewhere smaller and more comfortable to speak privately in, Su Lan instructed the manager to prepare a lounge for them to speak in.


    Obviously, the manager went and did so, but just as she was about to leave the private hall, she mumbled something under her breath that Adam and Su Lan were able to hear clearly.


    "That fat pig bitch bossing me around. One day I will..."


    However, before she could even finish, her body was suddenly enveloped in darkness as she fell to her knees.


    Su Lan, unlike when Adam teased her, was furious when it came from her, but before she even had to act, the manager came crawling towards her.


    "Please forgive me. I am the fat pig," she pleaded repeatedly as she moved around on the ground like an animal and made pig noises.


    She even went as far as to try and kiss Su Lan''s feet, which confused her.


    What the hell just happened and caused her attitude to change so drastically and so abruptly?


    Looking over at Adam who had a smile on his face and seemed amused by everything that was occurring, there was no one else other than him who would or could do such a thing.


    But how exactly was he able to do it?


    Whatever he did was instantaneous and even she was unable to sense it, which just didn''t make sense.


    Then suddenly, the manager snapped out of it while in the middle of kissing Su Lan''s feet and jumped up, wondering to herself why she had acted the way she did.


    Little did she know, with Adam''s powerful killing intent and the Charm Skill, using illusions and getting weaklings like her to do things was easy.


    "Run along and prepare us a lounge, like Su Lan instructed you to, fat pig," Adam ordered her as she woke up from the daze she had been in.


    "How dare yo..." she yelled, not feeling intimidated by Adam despite him winning the tournament, as he didn''t seem to have a powerful background and was merely a friend of Su Lan''s.


    However, before she could even finish what she was going to say or Su Lan jumped in to intervene, she collapsed to her knees and urinated in her clothes.


    She looked at Adam as if she was looking at the devil himself and everyone that was watching was amazed by the fact that a single look from him had brought her to her knees.


    Su Lan looked at Adam with adoration and gratefulness but also intimidation and curiosity, in her eyes, while the waiters scrambled to get the manager out of there.


    Adam leant back in his chair with his stomach on the verge of exploding and just watched in amusement.


    Meanwhile, Su Lan couldn''t help but stare at him in awe.

 Chapter 537 - Su Lans Story

    The assistant manager, a middle-aged man who acted much more sensibly than his superior served Adam and Su Lan and he said that the manager was currently not feeling well and apologised for her unusual behaviour.


    But they all knew the truth, and Adam was sure that she wouldn''t dare to face them again and was probably too rattled to even think straight.


    They were led to a nice comfortable lounge that could fit a small group, but wasn''t too big like the private hall that they ate in, as they both sat down opposite each other on the black leather sofas that were there.


    Between them was a coffee table that had some small snacks along with some soft drinks, since they said to the assistant manager that they didn''t want any alcohol.


    "Now then, do you want to chat now?" Su Lan asked.


    "Yeah, sure. But first, let me deal with a few things," he said as he suddenly waved his arms and small blades of energy burst out of his hand.


    Su Lan was confused as she looked around, thinking that maybe Adam''s energy blades had destroyed the entire room or even the hotel, but she was shocked by how precisely they had been controlled.


    And she was even more shocked to see what his attacks had landed on.


    The manager and assistant manager who were sitting in the security room couldn''t help but be angry that the hidden cameras and bugs that they had set up had been found.


    They were so meticulously hidden that even Master Cultivators weren''t able to find them and they were even protected and camouflaged by arrays, and yet Adam could find them.


    "Su Lan, you need to be more careful and alert at all times. Although it may not look it, I never let my guard down," he advised her.


    "So, I am assuming this chain of the grand Su Hotel is close to home and that it is owned by your family," he said.


    "Why would your own family be trying to listen in to our chat and watch us? And who is that manager?" he asked.


    Although he already had a pretty good idea of the answers, he wanted to hear it from her.


    Su Lan couldn''t believe that there were actually hidden cameras, and more than that, she was disappointed in herself for not being able to sense them around her.


    "Don''t think about it too much. They were very well hidden, and they even used some high level arrays to conceal them even more. So speak," he reassured her.


    "Okay. This was what I wanted to talk about, anyway. I wanted to tell you about my past then ask you the question I have been asking myself ever since I lost in the battle against you," she said as she took a deep breath and sat up.


    "Go ahead."


    "Alright. As you may or may not know, I am from an Ancestral Martial Lineage, which just means I am a descendant of one of the most powerful cultivation families. However, I was only born into a branch family."


    "My mother was a weak servant who was supposedly very beautiful and drew the attention of many. She was kind and humble from what my father described. She was very weak and could barely do basic physical activities, but her soft and charming nature allowed her to be treated well and eventually become the Branch Head''s personal maid."


    "I am sure you can guess how things went. They apparently fell in love and she became pregnant with an illegitimate child. Me. And during childbirth, due to her very frail body that was barely able to even make it through pregnancy. It saddened the Branch Head, but he quickly forgot about her and could have many partners if he wished and was already married."


    "Life wasn''t too bad as a toddler and he didn''t throw me away just yet, but from a young age, I began to show signs of being weak just like my mother. I had always been enthralled and drawn to the sword from a young age, but I couldn''t even play with other children my age because of how weak my body, so wielding a sword was out of the question."


    "Because, apparently, I was showing signs of being ''beautiful'' I was forced by my family into a political marriage that would benefit my father. He had no other use for me and as I got older, shunned me more and more. I was an eyesore and merely reminded him of my mother, not being talented in the slightest in their eyes."


    "Cousins and relatives in my age group mistreated me greatly and life was only getting harder with me being unable to do anything, but that all changed from when we began being taught cultivation. Most my age had already begun building their foundations, which you probably know I was unable to do, but once I started Internal Cultivation, I finally had a way to make up for my body''s weakness. It also allowed me to finally lift up a sword."


    "From then on, all I did was train, study or watch others wield their sword and learn from them. Since I was the Branch Head''s daughter, I had access to a lot of the things I would need, and although was mistreated, was still provided the bare minimum."


    "Then by the age of 16, I had shown to be on an entirely different level to all of my peers in terms of power and there was a family exchange event where we competed against other branches. There I shone and defeated all that were within my age group, even if they were older than myself. All with my exceptional swordsmanship."


    "During that event, the seniors within the family and the great family head, who is revered throughout the country, was watching and I caught their eye. They took me with them and he accepted me as his disciple and also named me as his successor."


    "And thus the story of my revenge begun"

 Chapter 538 - Clearer

    "After being accepted by the great family head as a discple, he publically claimed that I displayed talents that had never been seen before. He said that my affinity for the blade was incredible and I was born to be a swordsman."


    "From then on he taught me personally for an entire year and helped me to develop even further, to an extreme level of swordsmanship. Throughout that year I had done nothing but train, and he had done nothing but train me and try to find a way to sort out the problems with my body."


    "He even went as far to break the political marriage for me and was the first person to treat me with such kindness and respect. Even if he did it only because of my talents, I owed him and without him, I wouldn''t have the power and skill that I currently have, but as I am sure you know, things are never good."


    "After a year, he came to a similar conclusion that you had. He said that my Internal Cultivation was destroying my frail body despite how much I tried to reinforce and strengthen my body, and saw me as a lost cause."


    "He was compassionate enough to leave me with the position of his disciple, but it was by name alone and he left me to train and fend for myself. No longer personally tending to me."


    "I was saddened, but returned to this region that I had grew up in and I wanted to get the last laugh. I had left the main headquarters of our family and most didn''t know the reason, but rumours spread and people had all sorts of bad ideas in their heads. But I didn''t care about those things, and upon returning, I raised hell in the region."


    "My position gave me more influence and power than my father, and upon returning to the branch I grew up in, I repaid all those that tormented me from young tenfold. The manager you see at this branch of the Great Su Hotel, one of my family''s businesses, is my cousin. She abused me a lot as a child, so now I forced her to cripple her cultivation and work her days in the business, unable to ever cultivate again. And I did the same thing to many others."


    "I felt as though the only way to truly follow the path of the sword was to clear all grudges, regrets and guilt from my mind. And within a matter of a week, I became a new person and was even more obsessed with the sword. A blade that I would wield and allow me to focus and forget about the world around me."


    "Since then, I trained alone in a small manor that my master had given me to live in and eating, sleeping and training were the only things that I did until this tournament."


    "Now, I am making it to the national tournament, am no longer restricted by my physique, and can also return to the capital and train under my master again, but I still feel lost."


    "Ever since I lost against you and seeing your incredible capabilities despite you seeming you be younger than me, I felt as though I am a frog in a well. I feel empty and as though there is a void in my heart. I don''t have friends or family that I truly care about or love. And the only thing I have cherished my entire life is the sword."


    "Su Lan your story is sad, but I don''t really care about your past and it is irrelevant. It made you who you are, but you shouldn''t dwell on it and I can tell most things about you just by looking deep into your eyes," Adam stated.


    "Most have a tough life and something that they want no matter what. And you must find what that is for you. Your drive behind growing stronger."


    Su Lan took a moment to think about it, then answered honestly, "At first my purpose for growing stronger was to grow stronger was to get revenge and overshadow those that abused me, while I have always been obsessed with the sword. But now, I don''t even know what I want anymore."


    "You''ve made it so that I can reach my full potential and miraculously improved my body, but I only feel even more lost now."


    "You were destined to wield the sword, but that isn''t your purpose. Your talent in the blade will only help you achieve your purpose. But what that purpose is cannot be stated by me and is something you will find on your own," Adam said to her.


    "However, from what I have seen, your purpose was never to get revenge. You are too kind-hearted to that and I am sure it didn''t go about as you said. And you don''t always need a purpose for growing stronger. What if your purpose for growing stronger, is to find your purpose?"


    "As long as you keep moving forward and looking towards the future, while always maintaining a clear conscious like you have done, you have nothing to worry about Su Lan. And I think it was for the best that your life played out as it did. It has helped you mature, become independent and experience both the highs and lows of life."


    She couldn''t argue with everything that Adam said and felt enlightened as she sat in silence for a few moments, contemplating everything that he had just said to her.


    He was right about everything and after everything he had done for her and displayed; he was even more trustworthy in her eyes than the great family head.


    Her mind felt clearer and the uneasiness, worry and paranoia that she felt in her heart as she thought about the future had all subsided, with her feeling much better about herself and more confident.


    But after being helped by Adam for a second time, how could she not be even more curious about who he was and everything about him.


    And just how on earth was she supposed to repay him?

 Chapter 539 - Questions

    Su Lan was greatly indebted to Adam and couldn''t think of anything that she could offer him for the time being, so all she could do was thank him again and again.


    "I said it was fine. You already owe me a favour and I am sure you will repay me somehow with your uptight nature, so just relax," Adam reassured her, starting to get annoyed by her repeated thanks.


    After saying that, he also undid his disguise that made him look like Liao Wei, and staring at him, Su Lan was amazed.


    How was that even physically possible?


    She watched as his skin and facial features moved and although very quickly to the point it was almost instantaneous, she still caught a glimpse of the movements. ;


    And after they were completed, the changes were evident.


    Even the pigment of his skin had changed, with all the blemishes he had added disappearing.


    "Stop gawking at me like that. This is my real face, and it''s uncomfortable putting on somebody else''s face. It''s like having an itchy nose, but not being able to satisfy the itch," he said.


    Su Lan was still gobsmacked and didn''t know how his disguise actually worked, but compared to everything else he had shown to be capable of, it was to be expected of him.


    She sat opposite Adam in silence for a few moments and it was clear she was dazed and deep in thought. She didn''t even blink as she stared straight at him before suddenly bombarding him with all the questions on her mind.


    "How can your face move like that?"


    "Why are your eyes red?"


    "How can you copy everyone''s moves?"


    "Exactly how old are you?"


    "Where are you from?"


    "What are you seeking from this competition and this country?"


    "How is your Chinese so good?"


    "Why are you hiding your power?"


    "Who is your master?"


    "How did you even get that strong?!"


    Adam who had just started to get comfortable and had undone his disguise along with laying down on the sofa couldn''t help but laugh, seeing how desperate she appeared to be.


    It seemed as though he was causing her to lower her guard and it allowed them to feel at ease and open up, but he still couldn''t be bothered to answer all her questions properly.


    "I''m Adam, a 19-year-old from the states. My eyes are red coz they are, my face can move because I''m amazing and I am skilled with languages. As for my master, he was just some random fat old man before he kicked the bucket. And I am hiding my power because I have no reason to reveal it. While my goal is to find someone important to me," he said, briefly answering all her questions.


    She was still hungry to find out everything about him.


    Who wouldn''t be enthralled by such an enigma?


    But she could see that he didn''t really want to talk much.


    "The person I am looking for is family and I am not looking for trouble. Also, I am sure you can find out more about me, it shouldn''t be too hard," he said, seeing that she was making her own assumptions.


    As soon as he said that, she took out a device from her pocket that appeared to be similar to the one that Elizabeth had provided him, and began searching the Top Cultivator Ranking.


    Seeing how powerful Adam was, she had no doubt that he would be up there and she even believed that he would be above the Branch Master with his mysterious and unknown capabilities.


    And within a matter of minutes, it seemed as though she found the information on him on the Cultivator Dark Web.


    "Death...?" ;


    "Yup, that''s the nickname I chose. Quite scary, isn''t it?"


    Looking at his file and how he had supposedly taken over a city from the underground and killed hundreds with ease, then looking at the person who comfortably lay before her and was sipping on juice, she couldn''t help but chuckle slightly.


    If she hadn''t seen his capabilities for herself, she never would have believed he would be capable of much.


    Although the information available about him was scarce, it made him out to be some sort of monster, but in her eyes, he was the first man that she respected and liked platonically.


    "So... Death. What''s this Sentinels Faction of yours?" she asked.


    Since he supposedly founded it and was also the secret master of it, she was very curious about what it was.


    He gave her a rough explanation and also told her that she could think of herself as an affiliate of his, so was a hidden ally of the faction.


    After hearing his explanation and everything else he had done, she wasn''t against being a part of the faction in the slightest and was slightly disappointed that he didn''t offer her an official position within it.


    Adam had obviously considered recruiting her, but he had his doubts. Her capabilities were on par with his friends and she could even surpass some of them, so her power wasn''t the reason he was debating it.


    It was because he was looking out for her.


    "You are a sword master of the Su Family. Your place is here and once you rise to the peak, then you can do as you please. But I don''t want to hold you back. So, let''s just keep things unofficial," he said, almost as if he could read her mind.


    She was grateful that he had her best interest in mind and also lay down on the sofa that she was sitting on and never thought she would be relaxing and so casually talking with another, let alone a man.


    However, she couldn''t help but be glad that things had turned out the way she did and couldn''t suppress the smile that kept creeping up her face.


    Talking for a while longer, Adam had ensured that there was nobody within their vicinity and that it would be impossible for anybody to listen in on them.


    Su Lan was a ball of questions and just kept firing away, while Adam was very laid back and soon he was hit with a question that Su Lan felt very strongly about.