Free Web NovelChapter 690: Chapter 690: The Weights of Command
"Welcome, Master Ethan, Elder Heidy," said the Vice Sect Leader, turning away from the main viewing deck with a warm, open smile. "Please, step forward. I hope the flight accommodations have met your standards."
Ethan offered a polite, measured bow, though his mind was cataloging every detail of the bridge. "The vessel is a masterpiece of logistics, Vice Leader. I must admit, I am somewhat surprised to be invited directly onto the command deck before we have even cleared the border."
"You are the peak asset of our medicine line, Ethan. There is no need for unnecessary walls between us," the Vice Leader replied smoothly, though his sharp eyes briefly flicked toward Heidy.
In reality, the old man’s hospitality was a deeply political maneuver. During the breakthrough on the ridge, he had felt the sheer, suffocating mass of Heidy’s killing intent when she moved to shield Ethan. It wasn’t a standard protective reflex—it was the fierce devotion of a guardian who would gladly slaughter the world before letting a single hair on the doctor’s head be touched.
The Vice Leader knew Heidy’s history perfectly. In her days of glory, the young princess had been infamously capricious, unyielding, and utterly indomitable. Although her sudden fall from grace and subsequent decline had seemingly tempered her fiery character, he had zero desire to press her buttons and test whether that untamable princess was still hiding beneath her newly forged Sea Spirit Realm aura. If he treated Ethan like a mere subordinate or ordered him to the front lines like a common refiner, Heidy would likely instigate an immediate internal rebellion.
Pressing the young doctor directly, however, seemed like an infinitely safer and more logical tactical route.
"Look out across the terminal," said the Vice Leader, gesturing toward the massive quartz viewing array that displayed the three silver Invictus dreadnoughts maintaining their flawless triangular formation. "A magnificent sight, is it not? Tell me, Master Ethan, how do you find the engineering of this Impenetrable-class vessel?"
"It is an exceptional fortress," Ethan replied, his gravelly voice calm and entirely unreadable. "The structural and defensive plating are highly impressive."
"I am glad it pleases your eyes," the Vice Leader chuckled, rubbing his chin. "If you truly find yourself fond of this design, I can personally introduce you to our primary procurement contact within the Black Army Merchant guild once we arrive at the central headquarters. I am fully confident that the future financial utilities and medical breakthroughs generated by your sovereign mountain peak will vastly surpass the revenue of our other regional sectors. Because of that weight, the supreme command will gladly grant you the administrative clearance to purchase as many of these warships as your treasury can sustain."
"That is an exceptionally generous offer," Ethan said, a slow, amused smile playing on his lips as he maintained his posture. "A private fleet of flying fortresses would certainly ensure our logistical distribution lines remain entirely secure."
"Exactly! You understand the grand board perfectly," the Vice Leader stated, leaning in slightly, his tone becoming more conversational. "In the capital, power is not merely measured by the depth of one’s cultivation, but by the physical weight one can project across the provinces. With Elder Heidy securing your perimeter and a specialized fleet under your banner, your pavilion will become an untouchable pillar of the sect."
Heidy remained entirely silent behind Ethan, her face a mask of cold, regal indifference. Her hand rested loosely near her side, but the faint, rhythmic pulse of her Sea Spirit energy kept the surrounding air tightly pressurized—a silent, permanent reminder that while the old men talked politics, the authority in the room still belonged to the tiger at Ethan’s back.
"However, since we are speaking of security and projecting weight across the provinces," the Vice Leader continued, his voice dropping into a low, confidential register as he stepped closer to the primary terminal. "There is a pressing operational matter currently developing in the northwest quadrant that requires our immediate attention."
"The Thunderdragon Sect?" Ethan asked, his tone entirely level, recalling the General’s earlier words.
"Precisely," the Vice Leader replied, nodding slowly. "Our intelligence arrays indicate they are attempting to filter high-tier scouting cells through the northern mountain passes. They believe our current deployment is stretched thin. Therefore, the General and I intend to execute a swift counter-infiltration to thoroughly purge those forward cells before they can establish a permanent line."
The old man paused, offering a deeply respectful, polite martial salute toward Ethan.
"Given the sudden, volatile nature of this theater, I would humbly request that your pavilion joins us in this operation," the Vice Leader stated, his words meticulously wrapped in political courtesy. "An asset of your caliber deserves the highest level of battlefield validation to solidify your standing among the central factions. If your pavilion lends its supreme strength to this northern purge, the merit recorded under your name will be unmatched."
Ethan stood unbothered, his amethyst eyes narrowing slightly as a cold, sharp understanding ran through his mind. The political performance was painfully transparent.
The Vice Leader didn’t want his help on a dangerous, blood-slicked battlefield; a divine physician was far too valuable to risk in a muddy trench, and Ethan’s newly formed Golden Core was practically useless in a high-tier skirmish against the Thunderdragon Sect. The old fox was aggressively targeting Heidy’s newly consolidated Sea Spirit Realm power. But because he knew Heidy would unhesitatingly slaughter anyone who tried to command her directly, he was playing a diplomatic angle—asking Ethan for permission so that his fiercely loyal guardian would be forced to deploy alongside the vanguard.
"Your strategy possesses a very sound logical baseline, Vice Leader," said Ethan, a slow, predatory smile playing on his lips as he glanced back at Heidy, who remained as cold and motionless as an ice sculpture. "Validating our pavilion’s structural weight upon arrival is indeed a necessary step for our long-term capital network. If a swift purge is what the sect requires to secure the northern line, my pavilion will certainly not withhold its hand."
The Vice Leader’s eyes flashed with an intense, triumphant relief, entirely unaware that Ethan was already calculating exactly how to turn this tactical deployment into his own personal chessboard.
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From this moment forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.
Note: These are only the ranks mentioned so far to avoid spoilers.
Body Refinement Realm
Skin Refinement / Bone Refinement / Organ Refinement
Spiritual Gathering Realm
Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation
Spiritual Core Realm
Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core)
Spiritual Soul Realm
Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion
Golden Core Realm
Prime Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction freewebnovel.cσ๓
Spiritual Sea Realm
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
Dao Manifestation Realm freeweɓnøvel.com
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
Spiritual Transcendence
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
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Sword mastery levels
Sword Intent.
Sword Aura.
