Chapter 521: Chapter 521: The Silver Facade

Ethan met the Captain in the main courtyard, where the morning sun glinted off the polished obsidian tiles. The Captain didn’t say a word about Ethan’s renewed aura, though his sharp eyes lingered for a second on the boy’s steady hands and the crystalline depth of his amethyst eyes.

"You look... refreshed," the Captain remarked dryly, before reaching into his cloak. He pulled out a sleek, silver mask etched with intricate gold filigree. "Put this on. From this moment until we return, you do not have a face."

Ethan took the cold metal, turning it over in his hands. "Is this really necessary?"

"The Princess has already moved the pieces," the Captain replied, signaling the squad to mount up. "She took a decoy with her this morning—a body double under heavy illusion charms. Right now, the spies in the city believe the ’Hero of the White Rhino’ is halfway to the Southern Seas. If you walk into the capital with your face bare, you ruin the play. In the shadows, you are a ghost. In the light, you are a myth. Keep it that way."

Ethan pressed the mask to his face. It adhered to his skin with a faint magical hum, leaving only his glowing amethyst eyes visible through the narrow slits.

They stepped into the manor’s private teleportation chamber. The air grew heavy with the scent of ancient mana. "Brace yourself," the Captain warned. "Capital transit isn’t for the weak of stomach."

A flash of blinding white light consumed them.

When Ethan’s vision cleared, he wasn’t in the quiet hills anymore. He was standing on a massive marble plaza. The air was thick with the sound of thousands of voices, the clattering of carriage wheels, and the distant, melodic chime of clock towers.

"Welcome to the Heart of the Dragon," the Captain said, gesturing toward the horizon.

Rising above the sprawling city like a mountain of white stone and gold leaf was the Royal Castle—the same place where Ethan had stood before the King. Its spires pierced the clouds, and even from this distance, Ethan could feel the oppressive weight of the protective arrays guarding the throne.

"That way lies the law," the Captain pointed toward the castle, "but we are heading toward the soul of the city: The Grand Auction House of Valerius."

As they walked, the Captain acted as a grim tour guide. "See those towers with the blue flames? Those are the Mana Siphons. They keep the city lit and the poor in check. And that district to the west—the one with the red banners—that belongs to the Merchant Guilds. Don’t go there alone unless you want to lose your shirt and your skin."

"It’s a lot noisier than the frontline," Ethan muttered, his voice echoing slightly behind the silver mask.

"War is honest, Ethan. The capital is a lie," the Captain countered.

As they approached the Auction House—a colossal domed structure built of grey granite—the crowds parted like the Red Sea. The sight of a full squad of White Unicorns, led by a masked figure, sent a ripple of cold fear through the merchants and nobles.

"Make way for the Princess’s Envoy!" a guard barked.

The ushers at the grand entrance bowed so low their foreheads nearly touched the floor. "Honored Captain! Master Envoy! Please, your private box is prepared. The Grand Master of the House extends his humblest apologies for not greeting you at the door; he is finalizing the security for the main stage."

"Just take us to our seats," the Captain grunted.

They were led through corridors lined with velvet and gold, past rooms filled with artifacts that hummed with untapped power. They finally entered a luxurious private box overlooking the massive circular stage below.

Ethan sat in the plush leather chair, looking down at the hundreds of wealthy bidders below. They looked like ants from this height—ants with too much money and not enough sense.

"Remember," the Captain whispered, leaning in as the lights began to dim. "We aren’t here for the shiny toys. We are looking for something old, something heavy, and something that looks like it has no business being in a sword sect. Keep your eyes on the spiritual resonance, not the price tag."

Ethan gripped the armrest, his new Core Awakening power buzzing in his chest.

The atmosphere in the grand hall shifted from a hum of anticipation to a suffocating tension. The heavy double doors at the base of the VIP tier swung open, and a herald’s voice rang out, trembling with a mixture of pride and terror.

"Make way for the Princes of the Realm! His Highness, Prince Charles von Dragonia! His Highness, Prince Alaric von Dragonia! And His Highness, Prince Valerius von Dragonia!"

Ethan sat frozen in the shadows of his box, his eyes narrowing behind the silver mask. Walking at the head of the procession was Charles von Dragonia. He was tall, his features sharp and arrogant, wearing a cloak of crimson silk that seemed to bleed into the floor. This was the man who had discarded Bessie like trash, the man who saw life only as a resource to be consumed. Following him were his brothers: Alaric, a man with a frame as sturdy as a siege engine, and Valerius, the youngest, whose eyes darted around the room with a calculating, predatory hunger.

"The Dragonia brothers," the Captain whispered, his voice barely audible. "The vultures have landed. They smell blood in the water."

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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

Spiritual Sea Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Dao Manifestation Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Spiritual Transcendence

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??