"Senior, please wait."
Blake turned around and saw Ivan standing behind him.
"Senior, I beg you—please spare my big brother's life."
Ivan's voice trembled as he dropped to his knees, his forehead slamming into the ground as he begged.
"...Why should I spare him? Or even you?" Blake replied coldly. "You were the ones who attacked me first."
He paused briefly before continuing, his tone calm yet heavy with threat.
"You both attacked me without any reason and now you want to stop and spare his life ?"
Blake glanced at Slake.
With my current cultivation, I might not be able to kill you immediately. But the one behind me ,he's already exhausted his mana and physical strength. Right now, he's no different from an ordinary man.
Blake turned, clearly intending to finish Slake off.
Suddenly, Ivan hastily summoned something into his hands.
"Senior! I know we were at fault!" Ivan shouted desperately. "Please forgive us! We're willing to compensate you—anything you want—just spare our lives!"
He raised the item high.
"Please accept this Golden Flaming Sword as a token of apology. And if this isn't enough, I swear I'll give you anything you desire!"
Damn it…
Ivan cursed inwardly.
Who wouldn't attack a stranger wearing so sort of ancient armour all over his body trespassing inside their own territory?
Tears streamed down his face, mixed with snot, as he repeatedly slammed his head against the ground.
"…Ugh. Disgusting."
"Enough. Stop."
Blake raised his hand, cutting Ivan off.
"I don't want your lousy sword. Weak weapons don't interest me."
His eyes sharpened.
"What I want is knowledge."
Ivan stiffened.
"Hand over all your sutras. And show me everything else you possess."
Blake's voice dropped.
"If I find that you're hiding anything… I'll kill you first."
Blake maintained the posture of a senior expert, his pressure suffocating, expertly squeezing Ivan for value.
"Y-Yes! Of course, Senior!" Ivan replied hastily. "I would never dare deceive you!"
Panic was etched deeply across his face.
One by one, Ivan brought out his possessions—sutras of various grades, along with numerous rare and exotic treasures accumulated throughout his life.
In moments, a small pile resembling a miniature mountain formed before Blake.
Blake was stunned.
There were countless treasures, along with at least eight or nine sutras.
Ivan stared at the pile with pain in his eyes. He knew he was losing nearly everything he owned.
Blake ignored the treasures for now and focused on the sutras.
Fire King Sutra
Flaming Leopard Sutra
Fierce Mountain Gorilla Sutra
Blazing Fire Knight Sutra
…
Most were fire-element sutras, with a few warrior-path techniques mixed in.
Most were 2nd or 3rd rank—except two.
The Fire King Sutra, a 4th-rank peak-grade fire sutra.
And the Fierce Mountain Gorilla Sutra, a 4th-rank high-grade warrior sutra.
"Is this everything?" Blake asked, his gaze sharp and suspicious.
"O-Of course, Senior! I wouldn't dare deceive you!" Ivan cried, collapsing to his knees again.
...
Blake stared silently at the sobbing old man, tears and snot streaming down his face.
"…Enough already," Blake said flatly. "Stop crying like a child."
Ivan immediately shut his mouth, remaining kneeling.
Blake ignored him and began memorizing the contents of the sutras.
Having already cultivated numerous techniques, the process was far easier than it would have been for others.
After an hour, Blake had memorized all eight sutras:
Fire King Sutra
Flaming Leopard Sutra
Fierce Mountain Gorilla Sutra
Blazing Fire Knight Sutra
Blue Inferno Sutra
Crimson Volcanic Sutra
Fire Serpent Sutra
White Flaming Lotus Sutra
Blake opened his system panel.
A massive list appeared before him.
It was the result of all the rewards he had accumulated over the past twenty-five days.
Most of them were consumables—treasures that had pushed his warrior cultivation to 2nd-rank high grade and his mage path all the way to peak grade.
"System… this panel is too cluttered," Blake muttered. "Can't it be simplified?"
The panel flickered.
Only sutras and items above the 3rd rank remained visible.
"Oh~h. That's convenient."
Blake glanced at the streamlined panel, then looked back at Ivan—still kneeling, staring at him with watery eyes.
Goosebumps ran across Blake's skin.
The man looked like an old man desperately trying to make a baby face.
"Alright. You may stand," Blake said indifferently. "As for these treasures—keep them. I don't need them."
Damn it…
If only the system could store outside items… I'd definitely take everything.
But Blake knew better.
If any of these treasures carried tracking methods and were found near him, his quiet life would be over.
"Thank you, Senior! Thank you very much!"
Ivan's eyes lit up as he immediately began kowtowing again, smashing his forehead into the ground.
...
Does this man have a fetish for banging his head?
Blake ignored him and turned around.
"Now then…"
He glanced back slowly.
"…What shall we do with you?"