Chapter 453: Travelling One month passed like a silent storm. In that short span of time, Ethan’s name rose to a height equal to the Emperor himself. What had once been a modest smithshop tucked inside a crowded street was now replaced by a towering ten story structure that dominated the capital skyline. The building shimmered with arrays and protective formations, its walls embedded with spirit stones that pulsed faintly like a living organism. Merchants, nobles, sect representatives, and even royal envoys lined up daily to commission weapons. The signboard carried a simple name, yet throughout the continent it had become synonymous with perfection. Ethan’s strength had also advanced at a terrifying speed. In raw combat power, he was now comparable to a top level Martial Emperor. After finishing a long creation session in his underground forging hall, Ethan wiped the sweat from his brow and ascended to his office on the highest floor. The creation he had just completed was a mid tier Saint artifact, something that would have shaken kingdoms a month ago. Now it was merely part of his daily routine. He pushed open the office door. The moment he stepped inside, his instincts screamed. Someone was sitting in his chair. The man leaned back casually, long legs resting on Ethan’s desk as if he owned the place. His aura was restrained, but the pressure in the air was suffocating. It was the kind of presence that did not belong to the mortal world. Ethan’s gaze sharpened. Without hesitation, he activated Appraisal. [Name: Ye Qin Title: Saint Weapon Master Rank: Comparable to Tier 7 Being Weapon: Cursed Spear Devil Contract: Viscount Level Devil] Ethan’s eyes narrowed slightly. A Tier 7 being. A Saint level existence. The Appraisal confirmed something even more alarming. The man in front of him was a Universe tier entity. Someone of this level should have already ascended to the Immortal Realm. He had no reason to linger here. "Who are you?" Ethan asked calmly. The man tilted his head, amused. "Oh? You are not afraid? I entered your territory without permission. I could kill you before anyone notices." Ethan did not respond to the provocation. Instead, he walked forward and sat on the chair opposite him. His composure was flawless. "What do you want from me?" he asked directly. Ye Qin chuckled. "Straight to the point. Good. Come and create weapons for us. If you perform well, I will name you my heir. When my lifespan ends, you will inherit my Cursed Spear. With my legacy, you could dominate this realm." Ethan remained silent for a few seconds. During the past month, he had done extensive research with Yumiko regarding Soul Weapons and devil contracts. The devils originated from the God Realm. They descended fragments of their will to form contracts with mortals, using them as conduits to harvest divinity. Mortal worship, fear, and slaughter all generated divine essence. The devils were investors. Mortals were assets. According to Yumiko, the beings of this world were constantly trying to break their shackles. They suspect there might be a vast world outside. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶 "So that is how it is," Ethan said quietly. "Let me ask you something. Why are you fighting? Is it truly for power and authority?" He asked the question with perfect calm. There was no fear in his voice. He had no reason to fear. Recently, he had unlocked the ability to draw upon the Third Protocol of the system, the Tyrant of the Fourth Dimension. During the previous activation, he had not exhausted its full duration. He still had roughly thirty seconds remaining. In this world, a Fourth Dimensional being stood at the absolute peak of the God Realm. Even devils at the Viscount level were insignificant in comparison. For now, he was untouchable. Ye Qin did not answer immediately. He turned his gaze toward the window, looking at the distant city. "You believe you understand the world," Ye Qin said slowly. "But the world we think is everything is nothing more than a grain of rice in an endless desert. Beyond this realm, there are countless terrifying existences. If we mortals who lack innate ability to cultivate wish to survive in that grand scheme, what choice do we have?" Ethan leaned back slightly. "The devils you contract with. How can you trust them? What if they decide to consume you? What if they strip your power in the middle of battle?" Ye Qin’s eyes flashed with surprise. "You even know that?" Ethan did not answer. "I do not trust the devil," Ye Qin admitted. "I know he is using me. But he allows me free will. As long as our interests align, we coexist. If one day he decides to reclaim everything, then so be it. I will have no regrets." Ethan studied him carefully. "Is that so?" he said calmly. "Then how about this. Become my subordinate. Within ten years, there will be no more conflicts in this world. Mortals will live freely. I can guarantee it." For a moment, silence filled the room. Then Ye Qin burst into laughter. "Hahaha. For a weakling, your tone is quite grand. I was indulging in a little nostalgia with you, and you start dreaming about ruling the world?" Ethan did not react to the ridicule. He simply smiled and stood up. He needed subordinates. Mortal subordinates were especially valuable. For every loyal follower he gained, the system rewarded him with ten strands of divine energy. If that was the case, why limit himself? Why not make the entire world his subordinate? There were other God Children scattered across the realms. Within ten years, they would mature and begin their own campaigns. Ethan had no intention of playing slowly. He would crush the game before anyone realized it had even started. He closed his eyes briefly. "Activate the Third Protocol." Boom. The space inside the office shattered under invisible pressure. The air twisted violently. The formation arrays embedded in the walls flickered and then dimmed as if overwhelmed by something far beyond their comprehension. Hell descended into the room. Ethan’s aura erupted outward like a collapsing star reversing into expansion. It was vast. Endless. Oppressive. It carried a dimensionally distorted quality that did not belong to this reality. The devil’s power sealed inside the Cursed Spear trembled. Ye Qin’s pupils contracted violently. In that instant, he felt as though he was staring at an entity from a higher plane of existence. Not a Saint. Not a God. Something above the structure of this world. His knees buckled. He fell to the floor. Ethan’s aura did not merely suppress him. It surpassed the aura of the God level devil Ye Qin had contracted. The Viscount devil’s will shrank into silence, unwilling to provoke the presence before it. For several seconds, time itself seemed to stagnate. Then Ethan deactivated the Protocol. The hellish pressure vanished instantly, leaving behind a suffocating stillness. Ye Qin remained kneeling. "Ye Qin," Ethan said calmly, as if nothing extraordinary had just occurred. "I want all mortals to become my loyal followers. Establish a sect. Only mortals may join. No noble bloodlines. No devil contracts. Pure mortals." Ye Qin’s heart pounded violently. The image of that overwhelming aura was burned into his mind. He understood now. The being before him was not someone he could measure with conventional standards. "My lord," Ye Qin said hoarsely, lowering his head. "I will carry out your command." He stood up slowly, suppressed his trembling, and left the office. A notification appeared in Ethan’s vision. [You have gained a loyal subordinate. Reward: 10 strands of Divine Energy.] Ethan allowed himself a faint smile. A perpetual machine of divine energy was beginning to take shape. "Do you think the Divine Fruit has not yet been revealed?" Ethan asked inwardly. [It is very likely, Master.] Ethan walked toward the window, overlooking the vast capital. "Then we will tour the world. Search every corner. I need to grow stronger faster." He tapped his fingers lightly on the desk. "I will challenge powerful Spirit Masters. I will defeat them and absorb their power. Provide me with a complete list. From Emperor rank to the highest level in this realm." [Compiling data.] However, before embarking on that journey, Ethan understood something crucial. His company needed stability. He could not abandon the market entirely. If his production ceased, chaos would erupt in supply chains across multiple kingdoms. Nobles would panic. Sects would turn hostile. That instability could hinder his long term strategy. "I will first create enough weapons and artifacts to sustain one year of sales," Ethan murmured.