Rise of The Abandoned Husband

I didn't move a muscle as Kenneth lunged toward me, his dagger gleaming in the dim light of the cultivation chamber. His face was contorted with rage, eyes wild with desperation—the look of a man who believed he was fighting for his freedom.

"You've made a grave miscalculation," I said calmly.

Just before the dagger could pierce my chest, I caught his wrist with one hand. The herbs and formations around me continued pulsing undisturbed. Kenneth's eyes widened in shock.

"But... your breakthrough..." he stammered, struggling against my grip.

I tightened my hold until I heard the small bones in his wrist crack. The dagger clattered to the ground as he howled in pain.

"Did you really think I'd leave myself vulnerable?" I asked, rising to my feet while maintaining my hold on him. "I haven't even begun the actual breakthrough yet. This was merely preparation."

Fear replaced the hatred in his eyes. "Master Knight, please—I was manipulated! The Umbral Covenant—"

"Save your excuses," I cut him off, my voice ice-cold. "I knew you were a traitor the moment we met."

His face paled. "Then why—"

"Why did I bring you here? Why did I let you think I trusted you?" I smiled without warmth. "Because I wanted to see who would approach you. I wanted to know which of my enemies would try to exploit this opportunity."

With a swift movement, I slammed him against the wall, my hand now around his throat.

"Who did you report to?" I demanded.

"No one!" he choked out. "I swear it!"

I pressed harder. "Don't insult me with lies. The Umbral Covenant doesn't act without orders."

His eyes bulged as he struggled for air. "Master... Fairlight," he finally gasped. "Marc Fairlight of the Veridia City Martial Guild!"

I loosened my grip slightly, allowing him to breathe. "What were your instructions?"

"To watch you," Kenneth wheezed. "Report your weaknesses. When you entered seclusion... kill you and take your head as proof."

I nodded. Just as I'd suspected. The Veridia City Martial Guild was still my primary enemy, and they were getting desperate.

"There's something else you should know, Kenneth," I said conversationally, as if we weren't in the middle of an assassination attempt. "I never placed any mental imprint on you."

Confusion crossed his features. "But I felt it—"

"What you felt was guilt," I explained. "The knowledge that you were betraying someone who appeared to trust you. Your mind created the sensation of an imprint to justify your actions."

His face crumpled. "No... that's not possible..."

"It's a common psychological defense among traitors," I continued. "They need to believe they were forced or manipulated. The alternative—that they chose betrayal freely—is too difficult to accept."

I released his throat and stepped back. For a moment, Kenneth looked relieved. Then he saw my hand begin to glow with golden energy.

"Wait!" he pleaded. "I can still be useful to you! I know Guild secrets—"

"I already know everything I need," I replied. "And I have no use for traitors."

Before he could speak again, I thrust my hand forward, driving my energy directly into his chest. There was no blood, no external wound—just a blinding flash of gold as my power tore through his meridians and shattered his golden core.

Kenneth's mouth opened in a silent scream. His body convulsed once, then went limp, sliding down the wall to crumple on the floor.

I knelt beside his corpse, placing my palm on his chest. With a technique I'd learned from an ancient text in the Celestial Apothecary Guild's forbidden section, I extracted his golden core—damaged but still valuable.

The small, glowing orb pulsed weakly in my palm. A mid-stage Celestial Realm cultivator's core—not particularly powerful, but useful nonetheless. I placed it in a special containment box from my spatial ring.

A soft knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. "Master Knight?" Clarissa Johnson's voice called tentatively. "Is everything alright? I sensed a disturbance."

"Enter," I commanded.

Clarissa stepped in, her eyes immediately falling to Kenneth's body. To her credit, she didn't flinch.

"It seems we had a traitor in our midst," I said, rising to my feet. "Dispose of this. Make it look like he left the city."

She bowed. "Yes, Master Knight. Immediately."

As she moved to drag the body away, I added, "Clarissa."

She paused. "Yes?"

"Kenneth made his choice," I said, my gaze boring into hers. "Don't make the same mistake."

Her face paled slightly, but she nodded firmly. "I understand, Master Knight. My loyalty is absolute."

"Good. Because now I will truly begin my seclusion. No interruptions, no exceptions."

After Clarissa removed Kenneth's body, I resealed the chamber and rearranged the formation. This time, I added layers of protection—deadly traps for anyone foolish enough to disturb me again.

With everything secured, I returned to the center of the formation. The herbs—the Bleeding Heart and Cloud Root—floated in midair, pulsing with ancient energy. Between them, I placed the Dark Heart crystal, its black energy intertwining with the herbs' power.

I sat cross-legged in the center of this formation and closed my eyes. This time, the breakthrough would begin in earnest.

---

In a lavishly appointed chamber deep within the Veridia City Martial Guild headquarters, Marc Fairlight paced anxiously. The large windows offered a panoramic view of the city below, but he took no pleasure in the sight tonight.

"He should have reported by now," Marc muttered, glancing at the silent communication talisman on his desk. "Kenneth is usually punctual with his updates."

A soft knock at the door interrupted his brooding. "Enter," he called out.

Three elderly men in ornate robes entered the room. Though they appeared frail, the pressure of their combined auras made the air heavy. These were the Elders Longevity—the true power behind the Guild's throne.

"Elders," Marc bowed deeply. "Thank you for coming at this late hour."

The tallest of the three spoke first. "We sense your agitation, Master Fairlight. Has something gone wrong with the Knight situation?"

Marc hesitated, then nodded. "My agent hasn't reported in. I fear Liam Knight may have discovered our spy."

The second elder, a gaunt man with piercing eyes, scoffed. "One failed agent is hardly cause for concern. We have other ways to deal with Knight."

"With all due respect, Elder," Marc replied carefully, "Knight's power continues to grow at an alarming rate. The reports from the Mystic Realm... if they're true..."

"They are true," the third elder confirmed. His voice was soft but carried immense authority. "Our sources confirm that Knight humiliated two Martial Saints without using spiritual energy. He's mastered both light and dark energies to a degree we've never seen."

Marc paled. "Then we must act quickly! His temporary Saint-level power will fade soon. This may be our last opportunity to eliminate him before he achieves a permanent breakthrough!"

The first elder raised his hand, silencing Marc's outburst. "Your eagerness betrays your fear, Master Fairlight. Acting rashly against Knight has proven disastrous before."

"But Elder, the Ashworth girl—"

"Isabelle Ashworth remains our primary objective," the gaunt elder agreed. "Her bloodline is essential for our plans."

The third elder stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Knight is currently our greatest obstacle to acquiring her. But perhaps we need not confront him directly."

Marc looked up. "What do you mean, Elder?"

"Knight has made many enemies," the elder explained. "The Westwood family seeks vengeance. The Umbral Covenant desires his power. Several ancient sects covet his techniques."

The first elder smiled coldly. "I see where you're going with this. Instead of attacking Knight ourselves..."

"We let others do it for us," the gaunt elder finished. "We spread word of his location and his temporary vulnerability during breakthrough."

Marc's eyes widened with understanding. "We create a situation where multiple forces converge on him at once. Even if he's as powerful as reported, he can't fight everyone simultaneously."

"Precisely," the third elder nodded. "And in the chaos that follows, we can secure the Ashworth girl and withdraw. By the time Knight realizes what's happened..."

"It will be too late," Marc finished, a smile spreading across his face.

The first elder rose to his feet. "Begin immediately. Use your network to spread the word. Make sure each faction believes they alone have this information."

"What about the Exchange Meeting?" Marc asked. "Knight is scheduled to attend in three days."

The gaunt elder's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Even better. Let him believe he's safe until then. The Exchange Meeting will be the perfect trap—dozens of powerful cultivators in attendance, many with grievances against him."

"And Knight himself delivered us the perfect bait," the third elder added. "His public announcement that he'll be entering seclusion to attempt breakthrough. No one will question when we reveal his true location."

Marc bowed deeply. "I'll begin preparations immediately. The girl will be ours before the week is out."

After the elders departed, Marc summoned his most trusted lieutenants. "I need information on every faction with a grudge against Liam Knight," he ordered. "And find out everything you can about the Exchange Meeting—location, attendees, security measures."

His lieutenants scattered to carry out his commands. Marc turned to the window, gazing out at the city lights.

"Soon, Knight," he murmured. "Your protection of Isabelle Ashworth ends soon."

---

Within his secluded chamber, I was entirely focused on my breakthrough, unaware of the storm gathering beyond my walls. The dual energies of light and dark swirled around me, gradually merging with my core as the ancient herbs released their power.

The process was excruciatingly painful—like being torn apart and reconstituted molecule by molecule. But pain was merely a sensation to be observed and endured. What mattered was the power building within me, the transformation of my very essence.

With each passing hour, I felt myself inching closer to the Saint realm—a breakthrough that would change everything. My enemies believed they were closing in on me at my most vulnerable moment.

They had no idea what awaited them when I emerged.