*****Still inside the modest room… a space that now felt strangely warm, with not even the faintest trace of the suffocating yin energy that had once dominated it, the atmosphere had fallen into complete stillness.At this moment, every single person present, except Lyria, who remained asleep in Sage Myron’s arms with tear-stained lashes resting softly against her cheeks, appeared utterly dumbfounded.Their eyes were locked on Xavier, no one blinking, moving, or even breathing properly.Yes… all of them had anticipated that Xavier might offer some kind of solution for Paul’s predicament, but this?Not a single person present… not even for a fleeting second, had seen it coming.‘Sixth personal disciple.’The words echoed over and over again in their minds like a hammer striking metal, leaving them dazed and unable to regain their senses for what felt like an eternity.Then reactions finally surfaced.Sage Myron’s pupils shrank violently.Paul’s breathing hitched, his chest r

*****“I thought… the highest rank of cultivation is A-rank.”The moment these words left Cassandra’s mouth, it was as though a massive weight slid off her shoulders.She didn’t say anything else, but she didn’t need to.Everyone immediately grasped the implication of her words, and at that very instant, their brows furrowed again… this time far more deeply than before, their mouths dropping open.In the following second, their eyes became filled with dawning realization, and then, almost in unison, they turned back toward Xavier.‘Yes… that’s right.’‘If A-rank is already the peak… what unimaginable height is left?’‘Was that… a contradiction?’Confusion spread through the room in an instant like wildfire, their eyes squinting tightly, brimming with questions.None of them had considered this fact before… they had all been too overwhelmed by everything that had happened.But now that Cassandra had pointed it out, the inconsistency became impossible to ignore.Yes, none of

*****Paul’s forehead slammed against the ground with a crisp, decisive sound that echoed throughout the silent room.The movement was so sudden that several people flinched.When they looked at him, they saw something that made their hearts skip slightly… pure, unrestrained joy.At this moment, Paul’s expression radiated sincerity and excitement, his eyes shining so brightly that they almost seemed wet.“Paul Myron pays his respect to the master,” he said with deep devotion, his voice steady but filled with emotion.Hearing those words, the others blinked rapidly, complicated expressions surfacing across a few faces… bitterness intertwined with excitement, and envy tangled with pride.They felt bitter because Paul had just stepped into an opportunity they might never encounter, even if they lived ten lifetimes.But they also felt excited… because Paul was one of their own.It was an indescribably conflicting sensation.Meanwhile, Xavier watched Paul accept him as his master

*****Sky Group.For several consecutive days now, this place has been nothing short of a marketplace disguised as a corporate headquarters.From the moment dawn broke until late into the night, the entire premises… inside and out, remained packed to suffocation.Representatives from countless companies had always flooded in, each of them desperate to secure a partnership opportunity tied to Project Echelon.Even clients had poured through the gates in waves, all of them eager to associate themselves with Sky Group’s rapidly rising prestige and influence.The atmosphere had been electric… phones ringing nonstop, assistants running, executives negotiating, and security struggling to maintain order.Every corner had pulsed with ambition and opportunity.But now…It was the complete opposite.Inside the building at this moment, an eerie silence dominated everythingThe absence of human presence felt almost unnatural… like stepping into a place that had been abandoned overnight after some

*****“Join Oriens Group today!” one man shouted through a loudspeaker, his voice amplified across the street. “Generous signing bonuses will become yours! Higher salaries! Priority partnership access! And Immediate project allocation!”Another representative waved contracts in the air like lottery tickets.“Why stay with a sinking ship when you can board a luxury cruise?!” he yelled theatrically, drawing laughter from the crowd of defectors.And the most disgusting part?The very people who had just cut ties with Sky Group minutes earlier were now eagerly lining up… smiling, laughing, and signing the Oriens Group’s contracts with enthusiasm that looked almost celebratory.But it didn’t end there.Once those deserters… former colleagues, former partners, and former clients finished signing;They turned around together with the Oriens representatives and began trying to poach the remaining Sky Group members.The shamelessness was breathtaking.And that…That was the source o