Chapter 110: The Breaking Point...

Inside the City Lord’s Mansion, Ashfall City.

The banquet hall was spacious and luxurious, furnished with intricately carved tables, chairs, and side tables adorned with dragons and flowers. Their antique designs lent the hall an air of elegance and grandeur.

Sandalwood incense burned in several corners. Within small, antique gilded furnaces carved into the shapes of mythical beasts, eight tiny openings released wisps of fragrant smoke that drifted lazily through the air.

"You’re Ryan Cole?"

At the head of the hall sat City Lord Lucian Crowe, his feet resting on an extravagant animal-skin rug.

He casually propped his right hand against his slightly tilted head, regarding the newcomer with interest. His tone carried a hint of languid confidence and mild curiosity, as though Ryan’s arrival were nothing more than a momentary diversion.

A black mask concealed the lower half of his face, leaving only his bright, piercing eyes visible. He wore a black night suit, and his slender figure seemed somewhat unassuming at first glance.

Yet those eyes betrayed an extraordinary sharpness.

More importantly, a powerful aura radiated subtly from his body, spreading throughout the hall like an invisible tide. Though he made no deliberate attempt to intimidate anyone, the sheer weight of his presence inspired an instinctive sense of submission.

Standing at the lower end of the hall after being escorted inside by the guards, Ryan immediately felt that oppressive aura descend upon him.

His breathing hitched, and his heart trembled involuntarily.

What a terrifying aura! This City Lord seems even stronger than Mortimer and Silent Lowell!

Could he be a Tier 4 expert, someone who has already surpassed the peak of Tier 3?

Although a storm raged within him, Ryan dared not reveal the slightest trace of fear.

He forcibly steadied his breathing, composed his expression, and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"That is indeed me. May I ask why someone of my humble background has received such favor from the City Lord, to the point of being granted a city lord token?"

As he spoke, Ryan flipped his palm and retrieved the cyan city lord token from his spatial ring, presenting it before Lucian.

Despite the shock caused by the man’s overwhelming presence, he knew he couldn’t afford to show weakness.

Ordinarily, renowned experts had little reason to deliberately conceal their strength. They possessed enough power to command respect without resorting to deception.

At such close proximity, Ryan had to be especially careful. Even the slightest sign of weakness could invite scrutiny and place him at a disadvantage.

Although he had Gray Light Shield to conceal his strength, he wasn’t certain whether it would work against someone as powerful as Lucian.

Caution was his best option.

"Heh heh. Ryan, I’ve heard that you awakened a Double Bloodline at such a young age. You’re quite impressive. I have a high opinion of you."

Lucian observed Ryan’s composed demeanor. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes when he realized the young man had remained calm under his oppressive aura, but it vanished almost immediately.

He smiled faintly before continuing.

"The reason I granted you the city lord token is simple. I want to recruit you as a City Watch Captain. What do you say?"

Lucian was confident that the offer would be extremely tempting to a Bloodline Fighter of humble origins who had only recently awakened his Bloodline.

To such a person, the opportunity was practically a fortune falling from the heavens.

It was common knowledge that joining the City Lord’s faction was equivalent to securing a stable and lucrative position.

The faction offered some of the highest salaries and most generous benefits in Ashfall City. Countless Bloodline Fighters without the backing of powerful clans or sects competed fiercely for a place within its ranks.

Even an ordinary guard received fifty Low-Grade Origin Stones each month.

A captain, meanwhile, earned a hundred Low-Grade Origin Stones monthly.

That was no small sum. Such an income could rival the monthly earnings of a small or medium-sized mercenary group operating beyond the city walls.

Yet unlike mercenaries, members of the City Lord’s faction didn’t need to venture into the wilderness every day, risking their lives against dangerous beasts and hostile forces.

Their work was considerably safer and more comfortable.

Those who accumulated sufficient merit and attained higher merit-star ratings could receive substantial additional rewards each month. Advancement to higher positions brought even greater benefits, including generous cultivation resources and, in some cases, a share of the city’s assets.

Compared with the dangers and uncertainties of independent cultivation, joining the City Lord’s faction offered a remarkably attractive path to advancement.

It was little wonder that so many Bloodline Fighters desperately sought admission.

"The City Lord flatters me. I’m merely an ordinary man with little experience. How could I possibly shoulder such an important responsibility?"

Ryan’s expression tightened slightly before he offered a polite smile and declined.

"I’m afraid I’ll only end up ruining your important affairs and making a fool of myself."

He had never considered joining another faction.

With the mysterious Boundless Creation Furnace in his possession, he could obtain low-tier cultivation resources through his own efforts. Given sufficient time to develop, and assuming no unforeseen disasters befell him, his strength would rise rapidly.

With such a treasure at his disposal, why would he willingly surrender his freedom and place himself under someone else’s authority?

Besides, once his strength reached a sufficient level, he intended to establish a faction of his own.

After all, many high-tier resources were monopolized by powerful clans and sects, leaving ordinary Bloodline Fighters with severely limited opportunities.

His previous dealings with Silent Lowell had already demonstrated this reality.

If Ryan hadn’t possessed the Black Flame Leopard, he wouldn’t have had anything valuable enough to exchange for the Spirit Rank treasure in Lowell’s possession. Even then, the highest-grade treasure he could obtain through that transaction was only Spirit Rank Low Grade.

Those backed by major powers rarely revealed their superior treasures to outsiders, much less allowed them to circulate freely.

Even the Treasure Pavilion seldom sold such items directly. And even when they did appear, purchasing one wasn’t necessarily possible simply because a buyer had enough money.

Even the lowest-grade Spirit Rank treasures were available only in limited quantities, with many reserved for bidding at the Treasure Pavilion.

The extent to which major powers controlled valuable resources was evident.

For someone like Ryan, who intended to climb to the very peak, remaining independent was far more advantageous than becoming entangled in another faction’s affairs.

"Heh heh. If I say you’re capable of doing the job, then you’re capable of doing it. Who would dare utter even a single word of ridicule?"

Lucian didn’t appear angry at the polite refusal. Instead, he abruptly straightened his body, abandoning his previous languid posture.

An unusual gleam flashed in his eyes as he fixed his gaze on Ryan.

"Ryan, stop beating around the bush. I’ll double your monthly salary. Just give me one answer: will you become a City Watch Captain or not?"

Although his voice remained relatively calm, the threat beneath his words was unmistakable.

The powerful aura surrounding him grew increasingly turbulent, resembling a volcano on the verge of eruption.

The air that had previously flowed smoothly through the hall seemed to freeze, becoming heavy and oppressive.

It felt as though the slightest unsatisfactory response would be enough to provoke an immediate attack.

Lucian had never expected Ryan to refuse his offer.

He had assumed the young man considered the initial salary insufficient, so he had immediately doubled it.

Countless Bloodline Fighters fought desperately for the opportunity to join his faction, yet Ryan, who appeared to have neither a powerful background nor any significant backing, had rejected him without the slightest hesitation.

The response was not only unexpected but deeply frustrating.

Feeling the oppressive aura surge toward him like a tsunami, Ryan’s heart sank.

This is bad.

Cold sweat trickled down his back.

He silently prepared to activate both Scarlet Flame Blood Burning Technique and Devouring World Art, ready to unleash everything he had if Lucian attacked.

Nevertheless, he forced himself to remain composed and answered respectfully.

"City Lord Crowe, I sincerely appreciate your kindness. However, I’m accustomed to living freely, and for the time being, I have no intention of joining any faction. I hope you’ll forgive me."

No matter how attractive the offer became, Ryan had no intention of accepting.

He couldn’t afford to have someone constantly monitoring his movements, much less surrender the freedom he needed to cultivate independently.

The greatest reason was the Boundless Creation Furnace.

If powerful experts were always watching him, using the furnace would become exceedingly difficult. Any careless mistake could expose his greatest secret and bring unimaginable consequences.

He had no choice but to remain vigilant.

Even if protecting that secret required him to endure hardship or pay a terrible price, he would do whatever was necessary to prevent its exposure.

Under no circumstances would he willingly place himself beneath another’s control.

"Heh heh, Ryan... You’re very good!"

After being rejected repeatedly, Lucian suddenly laughed instead of expressing his anger outright.

However, there was no warmth in that laughter.

He slowly raised his right hand and flicked his finger.

"Profound Rank Middle Grade Combat Skill—Hurricane Slash!"

WHOOSH!

A bluish-white spiral of energy shot from his fingertip, streaking toward Ryan like a spinning arrow.

The attack moved at terrifying speed, cutting through the air with a piercing whistle.

In the blink of an eye, it had closed the distance between them.

Before Ryan could react, the spiraling light was already less than half a meter away.

"What?!"

Ryan’s expression changed drastically.

He’s actually attacking me!

"Hmph! Just because I awakened a Double Bloodline doesn’t mean you can push me around!"

The attack had come too suddenly, and its speed was far beyond what he had anticipated. At such close range, evading it was practically impossible.

Ryan had no time to consider his options.

With a surge of anger, he immediately activated his Overlord Body Bloodline.

In an instant, thick yellow Origin Energy enveloped his right palm, condensing into a powerful layer of energy as he thrust his hand forward with all his might, meeting the incoming bluish-white spiral head-on.