Free Web NovelChapter 581: Blackmail Tactics
Third Person’s POV
While smiling, she spoke,
"Alright, I won’t stop you from going wherever you want, young master.
You are right.
You are simply too strong for a poor woman like me to stop from going wherever you wish."
As she said those words, she deliberately adopted a slightly distressed expression.
The change was so natural and seamless that if Ethan had not already realized how clever this woman was, he might have actually believed that she was feeling wronged.
Unfortunately for him, her expression only made her appear even more beautiful and charming.
The faint helplessness on her face softened her already gentle features, while the trace of grievance in her eyes somehow made her seem more approachable and charming rather than pitiful. ƒreewebɳovel.com
For a brief moment, the anger, alarm, and gloom that had been lingering within Ethan’s mind weakened considerably.
The frustration caused by his sealed mana veins and his uncertainty regarding his current situation faded into the background, only to be replaced by the feeling of being captivated by the beauty and elegance that this woman seemed to exude effortlessly.
Even Ethan had to admit that Shixea possessed a very powerful and effortless charm.
It was not merely physical beauty.
Rather, it was the way she carried herself, the way she spoke, and the innate femininity of a woman that seemed woven into her every movement.
The combination was powerful enough to easily affect someone like him, who pretended a lot on the outside but actually had no resistance against beautiful women.
So, even though Ethan wanted to drown in hr beauty, he acted totally different on the outside.
The coldness on his face softened slightly, and a serene expression appeared on his features as he patiently waited for her to finish whatever act she was putting on.
Meanwhile, Shixea observed every subtle change in his expression through her soul sense.
Seeing his reaction caused her to curse inwardly.
’This boy...’
Her beautiful brows twitched ever so slightly.
’Isn’t he supposed to be a young man? How is he so skilled at reading people’s intentions and seeing through what lies beneath their words?’
She had deliberately changed her demeanor several times throughout their conversation.
At times, she had been gentle, sometimes she had been cold, and at times she had acted helpless, yet Ethan never seemed to completely fall for any of it.
He would be affected for a moment, yet he always regained control of himself almost immediately.
It was as though he possessed the experience and caution of someone who had lived far longer than his apparent age.
Even while cursing him inwardly, she could not help but feel impressed.
His intelligence alone was already exceptional.
When combined with his combat instincts, his mysterious background, and the absurd strength he had displayed earlier, despite his young age and weak realm of a mere rank-three mage, he became even more abnormal in her eyes.
What shocked her the most was still his battle prowess.
Even now, she could not fully understand how a young man whose mana veins had been sealed could suppress a genuine Sky Realm mage like Elis.
She wanted to know his secret, especially the one that allowed him to fight despite his mana veins being rendered unusable.
His strength already bordered upon that of an experienced Sky Realm expert despite not even being in that realm.
Such talent was enough to make any powerful faction in the world value him as one of their most talented geniuses.
All those thoughts flashed through her mind within a single second.
Outwardly, however, she maintained her perfect composure and continued her plan as though nothing unusual had happened.
"But remember one thing, Young Master Eryndor."
Her voice remained soft and pleasant.
"The seals inside your mana veins can only be removed by us, and no matter how much you try, you will not be able to remove them yourself."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"Furthermore, because of those seals, your cultivation path has effectively stopped here. You cannot advance your power any further while they remain in place, meaning you would stay like this for the rest of your life." freewebnσvel.cѳm
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"And removing those seals was the original meaning behind my promise of granting you your freedom."
As she finished speaking, the distressed look vanished from her face and was replaced by a gentle smile.
However, unlike before, there was absolutely nothing gentle behind that smile.
Instead, there was a sensation of taking pleasure in someone else’s misfortune and the expression of finally having control over him.
Hearing her words, Ethan maintained the same serene expression on the outside.
However, beneath that calm exterior, the composure he had painstakingly maintained was threatening to crack.
The meaning behind her words was obvious.
It was the tactics of blackmail, simple and dirty.
Immense fury suddenly erupted inside his mind.
The anger spread through him like wildfire, consuming every positive emotion he had felt moments earlier.
The admiration for her, the attraction he had felt since he had laid eyes on her and his fascination towards her began burning away beneath the growing flames of rage.
Ethan had never tolerated blackmail, neither in this life nor in his previous one.
Those who had attempted to threaten him or control him had either ended up dead or had suffered consequences severe enough that they never dared repeat their mistake.
And now this woman had just threatened something he valued more than almost anything else.
His path to power was his path to becoming the hegemon of this world and his dream of doing whatever he wanted.
If he had been a normal person with no knowledge about the truly powerful beings of this world and their methods, and if he had truly believed that nothing could remove those seals, then agreeing to her conditions would have effectively made him their servant.
A servant that could be used like a tool and a living weapon.
