Chapter 61: A Blood Red Notice

When you’re completely focused, time has a way of slipping by unnoticed.

Ryan slowly opened his eyes, still half-dazed.

It was already the second day, somewhere between five and seven in the morning. Outside, the darkness was giving way to the pale light of dawn, painting the sky in soft shades of yellow and white.

A cool breeze drifted through the open window.

Ryan shivered, instantly becoming more alert.

He slowly rose from the bed and stretched. A series of satisfying cracks echoed through the room as his joints loosened.

The night before, Ryan had meditated until midnight, completely refining the Exquisite Origin Power Pill and successfully breaking through to the sixth stage of the Origin Sea Convergence Realm.

The pill’s effects had lived up to its reputation. No wonder it was so highly sought after.

Thrilled by his breakthrough, Ryan had intended to continue cultivating while his momentum was strong.

Unfortunately, a crushing wave of sleepiness had hit him without warning.

He had fallen asleep before he even realized it.

He hadn’t expected to wake up to a completely new day.

"Hoo~~~"

Ryan yawned and shook the remaining grogginess from his head before walking into the bathroom connected to the training room.

He quickly took a cold shower, changed into a fresh black outfit, and slipped on his Ultimate-grade Origin Realm Godly Travel Boots.

When he stepped back outside, he felt completely refreshed.

Ryan clenched his fists.

An immense surge of Origin Energy immediately gathered within him, flowing smoothly through his body.

Its presence was subtle, yet powerful.

Like a lion crouched in the shadows, his strength remained concealed, but anyone sensitive enough could still feel the danger lurking beneath the surface.

After reaching the sixth stage of the Origin Sea Convergence Realm, Ryan’s Mental Awareness had improved slightly, while his physical strength and five senses had received another significant boost.

A steady, balanced power coursed through his body.

For the first time, Ryan found himself genuinely intoxicated by his own strength.

This continent worshiped martial power, and its hierarchy was brutally clear.

From childhood, Ryan had been physically weak and lived at the very bottom of society. He had suffered countless injustices and endured more than his fair share of bullying.

Back then, survival alone had been a struggle.

He had no choice but to endure everything thrown at him.

He could only lower his head while others trampled over him.

But things were different now.

He finally had the strength to protect his dignity.

More importantly, he finally had the power to make his own choices.

Only now did Ryan truly feel that he was beginning to take control of his own destiny.

"I have to become strong."

Ryan’s gaze hardened.

"So I never have to suffer humiliation or bullying again."

With that thought, he suddenly leaped from the window and landed lightly in the front yard.

The moment he activated the Ultimate-grade Origin Realm Godly Travel Boots, his body became noticeably lighter. Even his movements had become faster and more agile.

Ryan had plenty to accomplish today.

First, he needed to find Elena and sell a large batch of his accumulated goods. He also needed to establish new sources for scrap materials.

The garbage disposal site had already been compromised.

Going back there for the time being would be too risky.

But scrap materials were extremely important. They directly determined how many cultivation resources Ryan could obtain, which meant he couldn’t afford to abandon that supply chain.

He needed to find another source.

Second, he wanted to investigate the whereabouts of a second-tier Top-Grade Limb Restoration Pill.

He had already obtained numerous Top-Grade pills, yet the one he needed most had never appeared through the Boundless Creation Furnace.

The Furnace’s creations were random and completely beyond his control.

That fact frustrated him to no end.

Ethan’s legs still hadn’t recovered.

And as Ryan continued traveling and adventuring outside the city, leaving his family without adequate protection remained a serious concern.

Their parents were already older. Expecting them to awaken their Bloodlines through Low-Grade pills would be extremely difficult.

Ethan, on the other hand, was only fifteen.

Despite spending years battling illness and being confined to a wheelchair, he had developed a calm and resilient personality.

Now that Ryan had accumulated some wealth and possessed so many valuable items, he could potentially obtain a large number of Origin Stones once everything was sold.

He had to help his brother as soon as possible.

First, he needed to find a Limb Restoration Pill and heal Ethan’s legs.

After that, he would find a way to obtain some Top-Grade Burning Blood Pills.

With enough high-quality pills, Ryan believed Ethan had a real chance of awakening his Bloodline.

If the Cole Family gained another Bloodline Fighter, their ability to protect the family’s younger and older members would increase significantly.

Then Ryan could finally leave without constantly worrying about what might happen to them.

He could travel.

He could explore.

He could pursue the path of becoming a true powerhouse.

Lost in thought, Ryan walked out of Winters Manor.

By then, the streets were already crowded.

Small vendors and adventurers were among the earliest risers in Ashfall City. Both groups had plenty of reasons to get an early start.

Ryan casually observed the steady stream of people around him.

He walked for a while before preparing to hail a Wind Wolf Express.

Then he suddenly noticed a dense crowd gathered farther ahead.

Hundreds of people appeared to be surrounding a massive public notice board, pointing at it and discussing something excitedly.

Ryan’s eyes narrowed.

These public notice boards were enormous, roughly fifteen meters across.

Constructed from meteorite-gold composite materials, they were built to withstand wind, rain, and prolonged exposure to the elements. They were managed by the City Lord’s Mansion and were commonly used for important announcements, wanted notices, and other official information.

Large merchant groups could also rent sections for advertisements.

It wasn’t unusual to see crowds gathered around them.

What was unusual was what Ryan was hearing.

Every now and then, he distinctly caught a familiar name.

"Ryan."

Ryan stopped.

What’s going on?

He immediately abandoned his plans to hail a Wind Wolf Express and cautiously approached the crowd.

After breaking through to the sixth stage of the Origin Sea Convergence Realm, his five senses had become significantly sharper.

Even amid the noise of a busy street, he could pick out conversations from a considerable distance.

That made the situation even stranger.

Ryan had once been nothing more than a poor young man from the slums.

He wasn’t famous.

He wasn’t important.

Ashfall City had an enormous permanent population, not to mention the countless travelers, merchants, and adventurers constantly coming and going.

There shouldn’t have been many people who even knew his name.

Aside from the people who had lived around him in the slums, his old reputation as a good-for-nothing had hardly spread beyond that neighborhood.

So why were strangers suddenly talking about him?

Ryan’s vigilance immediately rose.

A moment later, he pushed closer to the crowd.

The voices around him gradually became clearer.

"What’s the deal? Did this Ryan guy and someone named Jake offend the Sterling Family? Why else would they put up a notice like this?"

"Isn’t it obvious? If there weren’t some serious grudge between them, why would the Sterling Family go this far?"

"Tsk, tsk. Owen Sterling really doesn’t care about money. A prime location like this costs at least a hundred Low-Grade Origin Stones per day to rent! And he’s using the entire board for a notice that’s barely got any details."

"Exactly! But who the hell is this Ryan? How did he even manage to offend the Sterling Family, one of the Five Great Houses? That’s basically an ant challenging a tree."

"Hehe, this should be interesting. Anyone want to sneak out and watch the fight in Ashfall Forest?"

"You idiot! If you want to die, go ahead. It’s already evening, and all kinds of dangerous beasts start appearing around this time. If you don’t have enough strength to protect yourself and still insist on staying outside the city, you’re practically begging to get killed!"

...

Ryan’s expression darkened.

He had already caught several important details.

The Sterling Family.

Owen Sterling.

Jake.

And apparently, something was about to happen in Ashfall Forest.

Ryan immediately pushed his way through the crowd.

A few annoyed voices rose behind him, but he ignored them.

When he finally reached the front, he looked up at the enormous notice board.

Because of its sheer size, finding the relevant notice wasn’t easy.

His eyes quickly swept across the countless advertisements and announcements plastered across the board.

One after another, they flashed past his vision.

Hollis’s Miscellaneous Shop: Grand opening the day after tomorrow! Massive opening-day discounts! Countless high-quality treasures at affordable prices! Enjoy 12% off everything during our first three days! Located on the main road in eastern Ashfall City, Shop No. 079. We look forward to serving you!

Guest Cloud Tower: Tomorrow marks our 380th anniversary celebration! Enjoy an incredible selection of dishes prepared by a renowned Fire-Element celebrity chef! All meals 20% off for the entire day! Located less than three hundred meters south of the City Lord’s Mansion. Free beast-cart parking available. We look forward to welcoming you!

Velvet Garden: Tired from fighting in the wilderness? Exhausted from your daily grind? Come to Velvet Garden in northern Ashfall City and enjoy a night of relaxation in a man’s private sanctuary. Let us wash away your fatigue and ease your mind...

Ryan’s expression remained indifferent.

He continued scanning.

Missing Person Notice: My daughter disappeared in Ashfall Forest the evening before last. A portrait is attached below. Anyone with information is asked to report to Heaven Room Three at the Lakeside Inn in western Ashfall City. A generous reward will be provided for any useful information.

Iron Blood Mercenary Group: Due to expansion, we are recruiting new core members. Minimum requirement: peak ninth-stage Origin Sea Convergence Realm or higher. Minimum Bloodline requirement: D-Rank Excellent or higher. Wilderness survival experience preferred. Transparent reward system and excellent benefits. Our headquarters is located in eastern Ashfall City. Those with ability and ambition are welcome to join us.

...

Ryan’s gaze moved rapidly across the board, filtering through the mountain of advertisements and notices.

Most of them were irrelevant.

He continued searching.

Finally, in the exact center of the enormous public notice board, Ryan’s eyes stopped.

A massive blood-red notice immediately caught his attention.