Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat!

It's often said that one shouldn't be too arrogant.

Seamus Zane, who had schemed and plotted for over a decade—outmaneuvering even the seasoned manipulator Lachlan Silverwood—was just about to gloat. But before he could finish his sentence, his heart was ripped out… simply because his laughter was too grating.

"That's him…" someone muttered, while the rest stood frozen in shock.

Gregory Hargrove had returned. No one even noticed when.

Atop the back of the monstrous creature he had summoned lay a fainted Melody and Grandmaster Quinn. Its claw clutched Samuel Wynn's leg.

Gregory skillfully steered the flying salamander, landing it beside Melinda and the others.

It turned out he hadn't escaped the Combat Arena before the barrier came down. Upon his return, he'd managed to catch the three who had been blasted off the high platform.

Matriarch Whitmore no longer contended with Lachlan Silverwood. She descended from the top of the statue.

Melinda, meanwhile, was struggling to maintain the shield conjured by her Dragon Soul, holding back the relentless erosion of the blood-red formation. With the matriarch's return, she finally felt a measure of relief.

Whitmore's golden dragon coiled around the outer perimeter of Melinda's shield, forming a new, protective layer.

"What exactly is going on?" the matriarch asked, eyes wary as she stared at the black shadow looming in the sky. She was, of course, directing the question to Gregory Hargrove.

"Iris and I, after leaving here, were heading for the exit of the Hidden Territory. But when we reached it, we found it had been sealed—by the Silverwood family."

"Just as I was about to turn back… I ran into it."

There was no need to say more. His missing arm and the summoned beast spoke volumes.

At this point, Ethan suddenly asked, "How did you escape?"

Markham glanced at Maria, then nudged her lightly with his chin. "My sister… actually has twin Dragon Souls. It's always been a secret. Her silver dragon can pierce all illusions—and teleport short distances!"

Ethan was stunned and turned to look at the quiet, gentle Maria. He now understood why the Whitmore family had insisted he enter the competition in her place. They didn't want anyone discovering the secret of her mutated Dragon Soul.

"Where's that snake Lachlan?" Ethan asked, his voice low and filled with resentment.

Markham shook his head. A lingering fear surfaced on his face. "When we left, within the entire formation, besides us, only that old guy and Sylvan Wynn were left."

"Everyone else… was completely… gone… refined by that blood formation."

Ethan was shocked. Thousands of people—just gone?

That old man Lachlan Silverwood had played with fire.

He'd orchestrated the deaths of the previous generation's head of the family and Donovan Silverwood.

And in the end, he was almost killed by Seamus Zane.

Seamus Zane barely had a moment to gloat before an unknown entity ripped out his heart.

Lachlan Silverwood had vanished. The mysterious entity had also disappeared. And now, Donovan Silverwood and Lyla were still missing.

Where had they gone?

Ethan couldn't help but worry.

The Silverwood family's Hidden Territory had been sealed, and its members had vanished. They weren't within the Array's range, so where had they disappeared to?

He lowered his head, deep in thought. A wave of irritation surged within him.

"Hey, heal me."

A cold, arrogant voice cut through the silence. Someone had stepped in front of him.

Ethan frowned and looked up. It was Bobby's older brother—Bryan.

"Do I know you?" Ethan, already irritated, was further irked by the man's haughty tone and smug demeanor.

If he weren't Bobby's brother, Ethan might've slapped him on the spot. Suppressing the urge, he looked away and ignored him.

"You—" Bryan's brows shot up.

"You what? Get lost," Markham snapped from the side.

Bryan hadn't expected to be dismissed so bluntly.

He turned away without another word—but his eyes turned cold, and killing intent seeped into the air.

Within Ethan's Senses, every movement Bryan made was crystal clear. But Ethan didn't care. If this guy wanted to act up, he didn't care who's brother he was.

Still, he wouldn't stay silent when someone so casually pointed killing intent at him.

"If you dare show me even a hint of killing intent again, I won't mind swatting you dead right here and now."

Ethan's calm voice reverberated through the hall.

Markham's earlier outburst had already drawn a few glances, but many brushed it off as youthful posturing.

Now, though, Ethan's icy tone sent chills down the spines of the elders present.

"Such powerful Soul Sense!"

Their hearts skipped a beat.

Just now, when Ethan spoke, he had used the technique taught to him by Morzan.

His Soul Sense had locked directly onto Bryan—despite the latter having his back turned.

Morzan's teachings hadn't just included storage method but also detailed applications of Soul Sense: object manipulation, soul-locking, voice transmission, and more.

Though Ethan was still far from mastery, the power he leaked was immediately detected by the elders.

He locked on to Bryan for only a moment—then withdrew. Yet in that moment, Bryan was drenched in cold sweat.

He didn't dare show further dissatisfaction and quietly retreated to the side. But after fading from view, his eyes flickered, and no one knew what he was thinking.

Ethan let out a low, sinister chuckle.

"It's no good for us to just sit here and wait for death."

"Since this incident is related to the Silverwood family's Energy Core, let's go and take a look."

Matriarch Whitmore stood as she spoke. Everyone heard her words, found them reasonable, and rose to follow.

Ethan and the others naturally followed suit.

Once outside, the silence was even more palpable. Not even the chirping of insects or singing of birds could be heard.

They arrived at the edge of the Combat Arena. The red barrier still cloaked the entire area.

Matriarch Whitmore leaned on her staff and led them onward, skirting the arena. After a winding path, they reached the edge of a cliff shrouded in thick mist. Nothing could be seen beyond.

With a wave of her hand—

Roar…

Her golden Dragon Soul emerged.

Up close, its head was the size of a truck, and its body stretched dozens of yards. With a powerful sway, it lay horizontally across the cliff's edge.

The old matriarch stepped onto its back and beckoned to everyone.

Was this… riding a dragon? Ethan's heart pounded with excitement.

Dragons were the stuff he'd only heard of in legends, and movies. That the Whitmore family could control a Dragon Soul—it was beyond incredible.

He was the last to step aboard.

The surface of the Dragon Soul's back was soft, almost sponge-like, and surprisingly comfortable.

Whoosh—

The giant dragon suddenly dove headfirst off the cliff, carrying everyone with it.

Ethan gasped, thinking he might be thrown off. But in that instant, gravity seemed to shift. It held them fast against the dragon's back.

They plunged into the depths, the wind howling in their ears.