For over a decade, Rowan Miles had puzzled over one question: Why did the entire Miles family shun him? Even the servants bullied him at will.
He considered himself decent-looking—not handsome, but tidy and with a good temperament. So why this treatment?
Could it really be just because he was a waste who couldn't cultivate?
Fine, Rowan admitted, he was indeed one of the rare wastes in this world, unable to harness martial energy.
This thought flickered through his mind but didn't slow his actions. As Ian Miles charged with murderous intent, Rowan smirked coldly and met the punch with a fierce counterstrike.
Ian wielded twenty dragons' force. Though at the same level as Rowan, his power was no match for Rowan's sixty dragons' force, which crushed it outright.
Crack!
Ian shrieked as his fist shattered under the overwhelming force. A brutal energy surged from his broken hand up his arm.
Crack… crack…
The sound of snapping bones echoed as his right arm twisted like a mangled rope—all its bones shattered.
Propelled by the impact, Ian screamed and flew backward. Rowan stepped forward, delivering a vicious slap that sent Ian spinning through the air.
Thud!
Ian crashed to the ground, spitting a mouthful of blood mixed with teeth. His eyes rolled back, and he slumped unconscious.
Gasp…
The onlookers snapped out of their shock, staring at Rowan in disbelief. When had he gained such power? Ian was an Acquired fifth-level martial artist!
"Young Master Ian is out cold! Damn you, waste, you attacked him—you're dead!" Ian's two lackeys glared with venom, cursing Rowan.
"You injured Young Master Ian! You're finished! Young Master Ethan will kill you!"
Rowan narrowed his eyes at the two sycophants, who'd tormented him before. No half-measures now…
He lunged forward, hands striking like thunder.
Bang! Bang!
Simultaneous cries rang out as the two lackeys were sent soaring, crashing into a wall with sickening crunches. Blood streamed from their heads, bones broken—they likely wouldn't survive.
"Tell Ethan to haul this waste away, or his death's not my concern," Rowan said, brushing his hands and strolling into the library as the crowd gaped.
Ethan Miles, nineteen, was the Miles family's top genius, wielding Acquired ninth-level strength. At seventeen, he'd reached this peak, and rumors suggested he'd stepped into the Innate Realm after two years at the ninth level's summit.
A nineteen-year-old Innate cultivator! Even in the Dawn Empire or the broader Hua Xia world, he was a peerless talent.
At that moment, Ethan was finishing his meditation when a figure burst into his room.
Fury ignited in Ethan—he despised uninvited intruders, especially a servant.
He raised a hand to discipline the fool when the servant dropped to his knees.
"Young Master Ethan, Young Master Ian's in trouble—save him!"
Ethan's face darkened. With a gesture, he yanked the servant into the air, growling, "What did you say? Ian's in danger?"
"Yes, Young Master Ian was beaten by Rowan. He's barely alive," the servant stammered.
Ethan's rage exploded. He flung the servant aside and vanished, racing toward the library at top speed.
Soon, he arrived to find a crowd gathered. Even those inside the library had spilled out upon hearing the news.
"Ian!"
Seeing Ian unconscious, his right arm a bloody mess, Ethan's eyes blazed with fury as he rushed forward.
He pulled out a pill, feeding it to Ian, then assessed the damage. Ian's face was swollen, teeth gone, but the real horror was his pulverized right arm—permanently crippled unless a cultivation realm expert or rare elixir intervened.
Such immortals, far above the Miles, wouldn't care for their plight. Even if the family had such a remedy, they wouldn't waste it on Ian.
Confirming Ian would live, Ethan's gaze burned as he stared at the ruined arm.
"Rowan, get out here!" he roared, his killing intent surging.
"When did that waste Rowan get so strong? He crippled Ian?" a Miles youth muttered, puzzled.
"You haven't heard? Ten days ago, he returned and suddenly gained power. He beat a servant to a pulp and nearly killed Harold, the Stables Yard overseer," another whispered.
"Wow, when did that waste get so bold? Crippling Ian after gaining strength? Offending Ethan, he won't last long," someone scoffed.
"Rumor is Ethan's already Innate. Rowan's a dead man walking—especially with Ethan's Innate father backing him."
"Let's see how Rowan dies," the crowd sneered. Shocked by his rise, they felt no sympathy, certain of his doom.
"Rowan, come out and face your death!"
Ethan stood at the library entrance, shouting but not entering. Fighting inside was forbidden by Miles rules—even he, the top genius, wouldn't break them.
Inside, Rowan browsed for combat techniques, ignoring Ethan's roars until curiosity drew him to the door.
"Who's this mad dog barking? Treating the library like a kennel?" His voice carried before he appeared.
Roar…
The crowd outside burst into laughter. Calling Ethan, the first genius, a mad dog? Unprecedented!
Ethan's fury peaked. He swept a cold glare over the onlookers, silencing their mirth with a shiver.
Who dared offend him? Even Miles kin could be crushed by him.
"Hm? It's you? I thought some stray dog wandered in. Why summon me?" Rowan stepped out, smiling faintly as he faced Ethan.
Ethan's eyes glinted with murder. "You hurt Ian?"
"A dog? Yes, I did. So what?" Rowan shrugged.
"You dare touch my brother? You're dead!" Ethan snarled, lunging with a claw-like hand toward Rowan's throat.
Rowan chuckled, sidestepping into the library. "Ethan, you dare strike in here?"
Ethan halted, his killing intent undimmed. "Waste, step out and fight!"
"So that's it. I thought he was tough, but he's hiding behind the library. Typical waste—thinks he can cower forever?"
"Maybe that's his plan."
The Miles youths jeered as Rowan stayed inside.
"Waste? If I, a waste, crippled your brother, isn't he worse than me? If I'm trash, you're the king of it. And you—what are you? The waste's big brother or the waste of wastes?" Rowan retorted.
He continued, "A mighty Acquired ninth-level peak challenging a non-cultivating waste? You're a rare breed of trash."
Ethan's rage boiled under Rowan's taunts, especially with Ian's fate fueling him. He couldn't strike in the library, but his mind churned with plans to kill Rowan.