1RomanceEB Chapter 662: The First Verdict of the Cross
Chapter 662: The First Verdict of the Cross
A massive, suffocating ocean of people completely filled the entire commercial plaza, spilling deep into the surrounding transit avenues. It was an absolute, unprecedented multitude. Thousands of low-tier outer disciples were tightly packed together, desperately gripping their copper queue numbers like lifelines. Standing alongside them were wealthy independent merchants, local branch elders, and high-ranking military enforcers from the Discipline Hall who had strategically come to witness the turning of the political tides.
But what truly caused a tense, heavy silence to ripple through the crowd was a select group of figures stationed on a raised pavilion across the square.
Dressed in luxurious, high-grade spiritual robes intricately embroidered with the supreme celestial crest, these individuals sat with an unyielding, majestic posture. They were high-ranking Elders from the Central Sect Headquarters. Word of a mysterious, unlicenced medical prodigy who could effortlessly clear ruined meridians—and who was actively backed by untouchable forces like Driz and Ash—had quickly transformed into highly interesting, dangerous rumors that had reached the absolute peak of the main sect. They had personally descended to this frontier branch to see if this "Immortal Doctor" was a fraudulent scammer or a terrifying dragon waiting to ascend to the capital.
Ethan stood at the top of the marble stairs, his amethyst eyes calmly sweeping over the vast, roaring ocean of cultivators. A dark smile slowly formed on his lips.
The morning sun officially crested the central summit, spilling brilliant gold light across the sprawling commercial plaza and illuminating the sea of faces staring up at the grand terrace. The silence that had temporarily gripped the multitude broke into a deafening roar of whispers, murmurs, and frantic speculation.
"Look at those robes... crimson? They dare to use a color that aggressive right in front of the Alchemical Pavilion’s territory?"
"And that symbol on their backs... a cross with a coiled serpent. What kind of unholy martial lineage is that?"
However, beneath the general awe of the grand structure, a deep, volatile wave of resentment and hostility was rapidly bubbling through the male contingent of the crowd. Over the past week, as the pavilion’s administrative rules had slowly leaked out, a massive controversy had ignited across the mountain: the Immortal Doctor’s Pavilion had an absolute, unshakeable policy—it exclusively accepted and treated female patients.
Because of this restriction, a massive faction of male inner disciples, wealthy merchants, and local refiners fiercely hated Ethan. They viewed the policy as a direct, insulting slap to their pride, and today, a large group of them had specifically gathered in the vanguard of the crowd with the sole, malicious intent of thoroughly sabotaging the grand opening.
Ethan stood completely unbothered by the suffocating weight of thousands of gazes and the palpable waves of hatred rolling off the male cultivators. His massive frame remained perfectly still, his hands loosely tucked into his wide crimson sleeves as his amethyst eyes locked onto the distant pavilion where the Central Sect Headquarters Elders sat. He could feel their sharp, analytical divine senses sweeping across his body, trying to pierce through his cultivation base. Yet, his Primordial Void Body acted as an absolute, bottomless abyss, smoothly swallowing their spiritual probes without leaving a single trace for them to analyze.
Maeve took a disciplined step forward, her voice amplified by a specialized sound-transmitting spiritual tool as she addressed the roaring crowd.
"Disciples, elders, and esteemed guests of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion!" Maeve’s voice echoed flawlessly across the plaza, cutting through the noise with absolute clarity. "Today marks the official, permanent grand opening of the Immortal Doctor’s Pavilion! Under the absolute medical authority of Master Ethan Brightsword, we do not peddle contaminated, mass-produced pills that bloat your veins with toxic alchemical back-draft. We treat the core. We restore the broken. If your meridians are shattered, or if your cultivation has stagnated for decades... step forward. Registration is officially open for all female disciples!"
"This is absolute garbage!" a loud, booming voice violently interrupted from the front lines of the crowd.
A tall, fiercely built male inner disciple stepped forward, his face contorted into a mask of pure, aggressive arrogance. He was flanked by several dozen male cultivators, all releasing their volatile Foundation Establishment auras to intimidate the reception staff.
"What kind of pathetic, fraudulent scam are you running here, Brightsword?!" the male disciple roared, pointing an accusing finger directly at Ethan. "You operate a massive medical facility within sect territory, yet you dare refuse entry to the true elite warriors of this mountain just to fill your lobby with women? You are nothing more than a perverted fraud using medicine as a cheap shield! We demand that you open these doors to everyone right now, or we will personally tear down your flashy banners and show these Central Sect Elders what a fake you truly are!"
The group of saboteurs fiercely moved up the marble steps, intentionally trying to trigger a massive, violent brawl to ruin the pavilion’s public prestige on its very first day.
Ethan slowly pulled his right hand out of his crimson sleeve. With a fluid, incredibly casual motion, he flipped his wrist, and a single, gleaming needle made of pure Spiritual Gold appeared seamlessly between his thick fingers, humming with a faint, terrifyingly dense vibration.
"Your childish jealousy is remarkably loud for someone who possesses such a bottom-tier, fragile constitution," Ethan said, his deep baritone carrying a cold, thoroughly mocking amusement that echoed across the silent square as he looked down at the saboteurs. "My rules are absolute. I have no interest in wasting my divine medical energy on loud-mouthed trash like you. Step back, or I will personally use these needles to permanently seal every single meridian in your bodies before the sun fully rises."
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From this moment forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.
Note: These are only the ranks mentioned so far to avoid spoilers.
Body Refinement Realm
Skin Refinement / Bone Refinement / Organ Refinement
Spiritual Gathering Realm
Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation
Spiritual Core Realm
Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core)
Spiritual Soul Realm
Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion
Golden Core Realm
Prime Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction
Spiritual Sea Realm
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
Dao Manifestation Realm
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
Spiritual Transcendence
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
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Sword mastery levels
Sword Intent.
Sword Aura.