Rise of The Abandoned Husband

I stared at the golden core pulsing in my palm, still warm from Barrett Hill's body. The energy within it radiated power—decades of cultivation, knowledge, and spiritual strength condensed into a single shimmering sphere. My victory felt hollow as pain radiated through my body. The wounds from the Devouring Shadow still burned, dark tendrils of corrupted energy trying to burrow deeper into my meridians.

"Worth the trouble," I muttered, carefully storing Barrett's golden core in a jade box. This acquisition would significantly boost my cultivation once I properly absorbed it.

I glanced down at Barrett's corpse, his face frozen in a mask of horror and disbelief. The mighty Sage of the Umbral Covenant, reduced to nothing more than a cautionary tale. I wrapped his body in a spirit-sealing cloth. Evidence of my victory would be necessary.

The journey back to the Celestial Apothecary Guild was agonizing. Each step sent waves of pain through my body as the dark energy from Barrett's weapon continued its assault on my spiritual foundation. I'd won the battle, but not without cost.

Dawn was breaking over Veridia City when I finally stumbled through the Guild's entrance. Several disciples gasped at my bloodied appearance.

"Get the Pavilion Master," I ordered, my voice raspy from exhaustion.

Minutes later, Mariana Valerius swept into the hall, her usual composed demeanor cracking at the sight of me.

"Liam!" She rushed forward, supporting me as my legs threatened to give out. "What happened?"

I dropped Barrett's wrapped corpse onto the floor with a heavy thud. "The Umbral Covenant won't be bothering us anymore."

Mariana's eyes widened as she recognized what—or rather who—I'd brought. "Is that..."

"Barrett Hill. Former Sage of the Umbral Covenant." I winced as a particularly sharp pain lanced through my chest. "He tried to force me to join them. It didn't end well for him."

She quickly barked orders at nearby disciples. "Prepare the Purifying Chamber! And bring my personal medicine chest!"

Two senior disciples carefully took Barrett's body away while others helped me to a private healing room. Mariana's hands glowed with spiritual energy as she examined my wounds.

"The weapon he used," I explained through gritted teeth. "The Devouring Shadow. It leaves a residue."

"I can see that." Her brow furrowed in concentration. "This dark energy is trying to corrupt your meridians. We need to purge it immediately."

She worked methodically, extracting the malicious energy from my wounds. Each extraction felt like having molten metal pulled through my veins. I bit down hard enough to draw blood from my lip, refusing to scream.

"You took an enormous risk confronting him alone," Mariana said, her tone a mixture of admiration and reproach. "He was a half-step Martial Sage."

I managed a pained smile. "I had to send a message. The Covenant needs to understand that I'm not someone they can intimidate."

"Message received, I'd say." She applied a cooling salve to my worst wound. "But your victory creates new problems. Word will spread quickly."

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. "Isabelle. If Barrett's death becomes known..."

"Others will come looking for you," Mariana finished. "And they'll discover her presence here."

Fresh urgency pushed through my pain. "I need to see her. Now."

Despite Mariana's protests, I forced myself to stand. My legs felt like jelly, but determination drove me forward. We made our way to the secure chamber where Isabelle had been recovering.

The sight of her floating in the luminous medicinal bath brought both relief and renewed anxiety. Her face was peaceful, unaware of the danger circling ever closer.

"Her condition?" I asked, placing my palm against the transparent barrier of the medicine bath.

"Stable," Mariana replied. "The spiritual damage to her body is healing, but slowly. She's still far too weak to move."

I stared at Isabelle's serene face, memorizing every detail. "We can't keep her here. It's too exposed. Every power player in Veridia City will be watching the Guild now."

"What do you propose?"

I hesitated, weighing our limited options. "The Mystic Realm in Gyeon City. It's remote, protected, and virtually unknown."

"The one controlled by the Immortal Bane Sect?" Mariana raised an eyebrow. "That's hardly safer."

"They're gone now. Massacred years ago, according to The Man with the Mustache. The place is abandoned but still intact." I turned to face her. "We've been setting up defensive formations there. It's perfect."

Mariana considered this, her fingers absently tracing patterns in the air. "Moving her in her current state is risky."

"Keeping her here is riskier." I gazed back at Isabelle. "I won't let anyone use her again. Not the Guild, not the Covenant, no one."

After a long silence, Mariana nodded. "I'll prepare a specialized transport formation. But we still need to know how to properly access the Mystic Realm."

"I know who has that information." My expression hardened. "It's time I had another chat with our prisoner."

The Celestial Apothecary Guild's detention level was several floors below ground, heavily warded against escape. Kenneth Minnx sat in a spirit-suppressing cell, his once-arrogant demeanor replaced by sullen resignation.

He looked up when I entered, momentarily surprised by my battered appearance before masking it with a sneer. "Come to gloat?"

I tossed Barrett's severed identification token onto the floor between us. Kenneth's eyes widened in recognition.

"Barrett Hill is dead," I stated flatly. "I killed him and took his golden core."

Kenneth's face drained of color. "You're lying."

"His body is currently being examined by the Guild's forensic specialists. Would you like to see it? I made sure to keep the face recognizable."

Kenneth slumped against the wall, the implications hitting him all at once. "You killed a Sage of the Umbral Covenant."

"I did. And now I'm back for the information you promised." I stepped closer to his cell. "How do we properly access the Mystic Realm in Gyeon City?"

He laughed bitterly. "You think I'll help you now? The Covenant will hunt you to the ends of the earth for this. Me too, if I assist you."

"The difference between us," I replied calmly, "is that I'm free to run. You're in a cell. When the Covenant comes looking, where do you think they'll find you?"

Kenneth's eyes darted around the cell as if seeking an escape that didn't exist.

"I'm your only protection now," I continued. "Help me access the Mystic Realm properly, and I'll ensure you're relocated somewhere the Covenant won't find you."

"And if I refuse?"

I shrugged. "Then I'll leave Barrett's token in your cell when I go. Let the Covenant draw their own conclusions when they eventually find you."

The color drained from Kenneth's face. "You wouldn't."

"Try me." My voice was ice. "You have one day to decide. Tomorrow I return for your answer—or to plant evidence of your betrayal."

I turned to leave, but Kenneth's voice stopped me.

"Wait." He swallowed hard. "I'll need paper and ink. The access method requires specific formations."

I nodded. "You'll have what you need by morning. Make the right choice, Kenneth."

Back in my quarters, I finally allowed myself to collapse onto the bed. Every muscle screamed in protest, the aftereffects of battle finally catching up with me. Despite Mariana's treatment, I could still feel traces of the Devouring Shadow's energy lingering in my system.

My thoughts drifted to Isabelle. So close, yet still unreachable in her suspended healing state. I longed to hear her voice, to see recognition in her eyes instead of the vacant peacefulness of her current condition.

"Soon," I promised the empty room. "Soon we'll be somewhere safe, where I can protect you properly."

I closed my eyes, intending only to rest briefly before returning to Isabelle's chamber. The momentary respite was interrupted by the urgent ringing of my communication talisman.

Groaning, I activated it. "What now?"

"Liam!" The Man with the Mustache's voice burst through, uncharacteristically tense. "We've completed the outer defensive formation at the Mystic Realm site as you requested."

"That's... good news," I replied cautiously, sensing there was more to his call.

"It is." He paused, and I could practically see him nervously twirling his mustache. "But the Immortal Bane Sect has undergone a change, and it's completely different from what we saw last time."

I sat up straight, pain forgotten. "What kind of change?"

"You need to come see for yourself," he replied, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Immediately."