“And who might you be, another so-called Great Emperor?” Cassian asked bluntly.
He didn’t know who this inmate from the fourth cage was, but it was obvious-he wanted something.
“Emperor?
Just a title.
No more than a label like ‘ant’-it means nothing,” the man inside replied with a calm grin.
“Call me Ravager.”
“Ravager?
That name rings a bell…” Bloodfiend muttered to himself, trying to grasp a memory that stayed just out of reach.
“You…
you’re that Battle Emperor from the Mid-Chaos Epoch?” Crimsonlotus asked, a flicker of recognition in his voice.
“Didn’t think anyone still remembered me.” Ravager responded with a bitter smile, shaking his head.
“But that was lifetimes ago.
Now?
I’m just a convict.
Most of my memory’s been stripped away.
I’m no different from the rest of you, locked away for who-knows-how-long.”
There was no pride in his tone, no hint that he clung to his legendary past.
Only indifferent acceptance.
Cassian, hearing them, finally realized something: these inmates hardly knew each other.
But they all had something in common-they’d lost parts of their memories.
Maybe what they forgot were the very sins that got them caged.
But Cassian didn’t dwell on it.
To him, the past didn’t matter.
These people were inmates.
What counted now was power.
Only strength could keep him safe…
and keep this prison intact.
With hands clasped behind his back, he strolled casually up to Ravager’s cage.
“Sun’s about to rise out there.
I’ve got a marriage interview to rush to.
Say what you want, and make it quick.”
“Ah, I like straight talkers like you,” Ravager chuckled.
“I see you’ve stepped into the spiritcore realm.
Mind showing me your best martial technique?”
Coming straight out the gate asking for cultivation methods?
Was he angling for a trade?
Cassian raised an eyebrow, but replied honestly, “The Faraday clan’s martial arts are mostly low-tier.
Whether I show them or not doesn’t make much difference.”
The Faradays were known as a cultivation family, sure.
But they’d always leaned more toward trade.
Their martial heritage was weak-most techniques low-tier.
The better ones?
Reserved for the clan head.
“Then how about channeling your full spiritforce?
Let me see your aura,” Ravager asked, smiling gently.
Cassian’s patience thinned.
“Can you stop beating around the bush?
If you’ve got some technique or want something, just say so and let’s deal.
I’ve got less than an hour.
That marriage meeting affects the whole clan’s future.”
“No rush,” Ravager said with a grin.
“We’ll have plenty of time for trade.
I just want to assess your constitution and talents first.
Helps me pick a technique that suits you.”
Pick one?
Thinking about it…
sounded like Ravager was holding on to more than a couple good methods.
“Fine.”
Cassian didn’t overthink it.
He simply surged his spiritcore realm first-tier cultivation.
Instantly, a blinding silver blaze flared across his body.
With his full strength drawn, he felt his muscles overflowing with explosive power.
Even a casual punch now carried frightening force-easily enough to split stone and crack a mountain.
Ravager frowned at the sight, shaking his head slightly.
“Potential’s sealed.
No soul gift awakened.
Your body…
not looking too great.”
“Potential?
Soul gift?
What’re you babbling about?” Cassian narrowed his eyes, feeling a bit mocked.
“You do know I’m one of the Faraday clan’s three prodigies.
They called me a genius since I was a kid.
What problem could my body possibly have?”
“Genius?” Ravager let out a laugh, dismissive and rough.
“Alright then, if you say so.
Just don’t expect much from me with this weak foundation you’re working with.”
Cassian immediately felt the jab.
What, now he was beneath teaching?
Gritting his teeth, he muttered, “What’s this potential and soul gift you keep harping on?”
Ravager didn’t bother sugarcoating it.
“You think I’m mocking you, huh?
Kid, if I wanted to mock someone, I’d at least wait for them to have some worth.
But right now?
You’re not even worth that.”
Cassian scowled.
“Seems like you just enjoy looking down on people.”
“I’m just stating facts.
You probably don’t even know what either of those terms mean, do you?” Ravager chuckled and started breaking it down for him.
“Potential, or bodyforged sanctum, is strength buried deep within your body-natural might from hidden sanctums.
There’re six sanctums in total.
Every one you open doubles your current physical strength.
If you open all six, you get a sixfold boost.
Even without spirit arts or primal force, you’d be a walking disaster.”
“And soul gift?
It’s not some treasure you pick up.
That’s an innate attribute from your soul core.
It determines your affinity-metal, wood, water, fire, earth…
or even links to creatures like beasts, birds, sacred animals, relics.
Everyone’s got their own.
Some are born with thunder, some with fire, others with unique traits.”
“The stronger your potential and soul gift, the higher your ceiling.
A true genius must have both.”
Cassian’s face hardened.
“So what-you’re saying I’m trash?”
Ravager didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he kept his tone relaxed.
“Not trash.
But your path’s too off-track.
You’re on a rogue cultivator’s road-quick, but not lasting.
Flashy, not solid.”
He stood up slowly, calm confidence in every move.
“If you’re willing to listen, I’ll show you what the real road to greatness looks like.
Take my advice, and you might just turn that ‘genius’ dream real.”