Chapter 817: Chapter 817: The Strongest Cultivator in the 2nd Mystic Realm

Ethan Smith returned to the Divine Alchemist Pavilion that day.

The death of Ms. Hayward made Ethan feel a bit uncomfortable.

Although Ethan had become accustomed to killing, seeing the deep love between mother and child still touched him.

“Ms. Hayward is dead. I wonder if Emerson Holmes can officially take her place.” On his way back, Ethan couldn’t help but ponder.

If Emerson could take over Ms. Hayward’s position, Ethan’s actions would naturally become much easier.

When he returned to the Divine Alchemist Pavilion, everyone already knew about the death of Ms. Hayward.

“Did you kill her?” Jackson Harris asked with some doubt.

Ethan shook his head and said, “No, it was the people from the Capital City Martial Arts Association.”

Jackson was speechless, he sighed softly and said, “For them, anyone can become a pawn.”

Ethan had the same feeling – these senior officials were like chess players, never showing their faces but controlling the entire game.

“All the people I’ve met so far are probably not their core members.” Ethan said solemnly.

The real core members might be just those senior officials.

However, no one had ever seen their true faces, not even Ms. Hayward, who had devoted her entire life to the Capital City Martial Arts Association.

“Oh, right.” At this point, Ethan seemed to have thought of something.

He looked at the Pavilion Master and Jackson and asked, “Do you think the Spirit binding technique might be recorded in the Scripture Pavilion of the Capital City Martial Arts Association?”

The two looked at each other and said solemnly, “It’s hard to say, but even if it is recorded in the Scripture Pavilion, you won’t have a chance to go in.”

“Besides, you took Emily Taylor away. The Capital City Martial Arts Association is looking for you. You dare to go back?”

Ethan sneered, “Several days have passed, and they still haven’t taken any action. That means they won’t do anything for now.”

“Or they don’t have the ability to do anything to me for the time being.”

The Pavilion Master said solemnly, “They’re waiting for your Power of Martial Saint to disappear.”

“That’s right.” Ethan nodded.

“With the Power of Martial Saint, I may not be able to compete with real Martial Saints, but I don’t fear anyone below that level.”

“Since the Capital City Martial Arts Association can’t send a Martial Saint, then I’m safe.”

Jackson was somewhat puzzled, “What about when your Martial Saint power disappears? How will you deal with it?”

“The Capital City Martial Arts Association indeed cannot send a Martial Saint right now, but Half-step Martial Sages are not difficult for them.”

Ethan nodded slightly, “That’s right, I’m already prepared.”

“Either I escape before the power of Martial Saint disappears, or I step into the realm of Half-step Martial Sage before that.”@@novelbin@@

“Entering the Half-step Martial Sage?” Both Jackson and the Pavilion Master showed a touch of surprise on their faces.

In the current era, even Half-step Martial Sages had not appeared for a long time.

“Anyway, I’m prepared for both, and I’ll take it one step at a time.” Ethan stood up and said.

“Oh, Lord Pavilion Master, which room is the girl I brought back from the Second Secret Realm in?” Ethan asked.

The Pavilion Master replied, “In the west wing room.”

Ethan uttered an acknowledgment and then turned and walked out.

After Ethan left, the Pavilion Master looked at Jackson and asked, “Mr. Harris, when do you plan to pass the Nine Secrets technique to Ethan Smith?”

Jackson was speechless and somewhat reluctantly said, “To be honest, I’m a bit reluctant to let go of it…”

The Pavilion Master smiled and said, “Techniques are not brought into the world with birth, nor taken away by death. Besides, the Nine Secrets might play a more significant role in Ethan’s hands than in yours.”

…

West wing room.

The girl had been crying for days, looking incredibly weak.

No one could imagine that a Martial Marquis who could dominate the world would be in such a delicate and vulnerable state.

At this time, Ethan pushed the door open and strode in.

Upon seeing Ethan, a flash of panic crossed the girl’s face.

“Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you.” Ethan said with a faint smile.

He sat down beside the girl and said with a smile, “I just want to ask you a few questions. You have to answer them truthfully.”

The girl hurriedly nodded, her big eyes full of fear.

“What’s your name?” Ethan asked.

The girl said softly, “My name is Lulu….”

“Lulu…” Ethan nodded slightly.

“I’ll ask you, how many martial artists are in the Second Secret Realm? Who is the strongest one? What is their cultivation level? And… what kind of role do characters like you play in the Second Secret Realm?” Ethan threw several questions at once.

Lulu opened her mouth, thought for a moment, and then began to recount.

“I don’t know how many martial artists are in the Second Secret Realm, but the strongest one is a Peak Form of Martial Saint. We’ve never seen her.” Lulu said softly.

“Peak Form of Martial Saint…” Ethan’s brow furrowed slightly.

“As for me… I’m just an ordinary person.” Lulu said with a trembling voice.

After Lulu’s simple description, Ethan had a general understanding of the Second Secret Realm.

The Second Secret Realm had existed for many years, and the person who created it was not from the Capital City Martial Arts Association.

At first, this Second Secret Realm was also an ownerless Mystic Realm, but it fell into the hands of the Capital City Martial Arts Association.

After years of development, the Second Secret Realm had become a very stable small world with its own population.

“It seems the Peak Form of Martial Saint must be a senior member of the Capital City Martial Arts Association.” Ethan thought to himself.

At this point, Ethan suddenly had a thought.

Perhaps the Second Secret Realm wasn’t its original name at all, but one given by the Capital City Martial Arts Association.

If that’s the case, wouldn’t there be a Paramount Mystic Realm?

“Do you know about the Paramount Mystic Realm?” Ethan looked at Lulu and asked.

Lulu shook her head, indicating that she knew nothing about it.

Ethan’s face didn’t look so good.

If his guess was indeed true, then the Capital City Martial Arts Association might be even more terrifying than he had imagined.

Ethan hurried to fetch a piece of paper and a brush, and slowly drew a portrait on it.

The person in the portrait was the old man he had seen at Ms. Hayward’s house.

“Lulu, is this the strongest person in the Second Secret Realm you spoke of?” Ethan handed her the portrait.

After taking the portrait, Lulu exclaimed in a lost voice, “Mr. Fraley, it’s Mr. Fraley…”

“Mr. Fraley?” Ethan frowned.

Lulu explained, “He is indeed the strongest person in the Second Secret Realm. His name is Luke Fraley, the owner of the Second Secret Realm. We usually call him Mr. Fraley…”

Ethan nodded.

He put away the portrait, muttering to himself, “It seems the existence of the Paramount Mystic Realm is true.”

Luke Fraley had admitted that he wasn’t a senior member of the Capital City Martial Arts Association but simply worked for the Second Association.

And Luke Fraley was also the strongest in the Second Secret Realm, which was enough to prove that the eight senior officials of the Capital City Martial Arts Association were not in the Second Secret Realm at all!