The journey continued for several days.
William had expected the road ahead to become quieter after leaving the city.
Instead, the opposite happened.
The farther they traveled, the more frequently they encountered cultivators moving in the same direction.
Some carried weapons.
Others traveled in groups.
A few wore the insignias of established powers.
Yet none of them appeared to be heading toward a battlefield.
They were all moving toward the same region.
Mira eventually noticed it.
"Have you realized that?"
William nodded.
"Yes."
"Do you know why?"
"Not yet."
Adrian looked at the road ahead.
"Then we're probably about to find out."
They continued without asking anyone.
William had learned that when too many people moved toward the same destination, there was usually a reason.
By the afternoon, they reached a large settlement built around an enormous stone platform.
A board stood at the entrance.
Several announcements had been placed on it.
Mira approached first.
Her expression changed as she read them.
"What is it?"
William walked over.
The announcement was simple.
A major resource had been discovered in the region.
Several powers had already begun competing for access to it.
No one had yet claimed ownership.
Instead, the surrounding powers had agreed to allow independent cultivators to participate in determining who would control the area.
William read the announcement twice.
"This is unusual."
Adrian nodded.
"Very."
Mira looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because powerful organizations don't usually allow ordinary cultivators to decide who gets access to valuable resources."
William looked toward the crowd.
"Unless they have a reason."
Mira asked:
"What reason?"
William didn't answer immediately.
He watched the people around them.
Some looked excited.
Others looked suspicious.
A few were already arguing.
Then he noticed something.
The three strongest groups present were not competing with each other.
They were observing.
Waiting.
William's eyes narrowed.
"They aren't here to compete."
"Then why are they here?"
"To see who emerges."
They entered the settlement.
The atmosphere was tense.
Independent cultivators had gathered from different regions, each hoping to gain access to the newly discovered resource.
William and his companions found a quiet place near the edge of the settlement.
Mira looked at the crowd.
"There are many people here."
"Yes."
"Do you think this has anything to do with us?"
William looked at her.
"Why would it?"
She hesitated.
"After everything that happened..."
William understood her concern.
"It might."
Adrian pointed toward a nearby building.
"Look."
A group of cultivators had gathered there.
One of them was holding a document.
Another was speaking loudly.
William couldn't hear the entire conversation, but he caught a few words.
"...the northern forces..."
"...William..."
"...the Free Territories..."
William's expression became serious.
"They know we're here."
Mira looked at him.
"Should we leave?"
William shook his head.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because leaving every time someone mentions my name would make it impossible to travel."
Adrian laughed.
"That's true."
William sat down.
"We'll stay."
That evening, an unexpected invitation arrived.
A young cultivator approached their table.
"Are you William?"
"Yes."
"I've been asked to invite you to a meeting."
"By whom?"
The young man gave him a name.
William recognized it.
One of the powers that had previously investigated him.
"What do they want?"
"I wasn't told."
William looked at Adrian.
Then Mira.
"Where?"
"The eastern hall."
William stood.
"I'll come."
Mira immediately rose.
"So will I."
The young messenger looked uncomfortable.
"I was instructed to invite only William."
William looked at him.
"Then tell them that if they want to speak with me, they can speak with the people who travel with me."
The young man hesitated.
Then nodded.
"I'll tell them."
He left.
Adrian smiled.
"You're becoming predictable."
"How?"
"You refuse to go anywhere alone."
William shook his head.
"No."
He looked at Mira.
"I simply refuse to hide the people who chose to walk with me."
Mira smiled.
The eastern hall was heavily guarded.
When William arrived, several powerful cultivators were waiting.
Among them was a familiar face.
Darius.
William's expression didn't change.
"You came."
Darius smiled.
"You accepted the invitation."
"I was curious."
Darius gestured toward the seats.
"Sit."
William sat.
Mira and Adrian remained behind him.
Darius looked at them.
"So these are the people who have begun following you."
Mira frowned.
William noticed.
"They're not following me."
Darius raised an eyebrow.
"What would you call it?"
"They're walking with me."
A few people in the room smiled.
Darius nodded.
"Very well."
He looked at William.
"Do you know why you're here?"
"Not exactly."
"We wanted to warn you."
"About what?"
Darius's expression became serious.
"The resource announced today is not what it appears to be."
William listened.
"Continue."
"The resource itself is real. But the competition surrounding it was arranged."
"By whom?"
"We don't know."
William frowned.
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I wouldn't if I were you."
Darius leaned forward.
"But we've confirmed that several groups received the same information at almost the same time."
William thought about it.
"Someone wanted everyone here."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Darius looked toward Mira and Adrian.
"Perhaps because they want to see who comes."
William understood.
"You're saying this is another test."
"We believe so."
"Of me?"
"Perhaps."
William remained silent.
Darius continued.
"But there's another possibility."
"What?"
"Someone is using your reputation as bait."
William's expression became colder.
Darius placed a document on the table.
"Read it."
William took it.
It contained a list of names.
Dozens of independent cultivators.
Some had already gathered in the settlement.
William looked at the bottom.
There was another list.
Potential recruits.
Mira saw it.
Her expression changed.
"They've been gathering information on everyone here."
William nodded.
"And not just me."
Darius looked at him.
"Exactly."
William placed the document down.
"So what do you want me to do?"
"Leave."
Mira immediately looked at William.
Darius continued.
"If you leave, the attention surrounding this place will decrease."
William stared at him.
"You want me to run."
"I want you to avoid walking into another trap."
"Why?"
Darius was silent.
William narrowed his eyes.
"You said you weren't my enemy."
"I'm not."
"Then prove it."
Darius looked at him.
"How?"
"Tell me everything you know."
Darius sighed.
"We don't know who arranged the gathering."
"That's not enough."
"William—"
"Who benefits?"
Darius looked at him.
"Several powers."
"Which ones?"
Darius named them.
William memorized the names.
"Any connections between them?"
"Some."
"What kind?"
"Trade. Information. Old alliances."
William nodded.
"And the people here?"
Darius hesitated.
"They're the real objective."
William's expression changed.
"Explain."
"They're looking for people who are dissatisfied with their current organizations."
William understood immediately.
Someone wasn't trying to attract him.
They were trying to attract the same people he wanted.
The competition wasn't merely about the resource.
It was a recruitment ground.
William left the hall.
Mira walked beside him.
"What do you think?"
"I think Darius told us the truth."
Adrian looked surprised.
"You trust him?"
"No."
"Then why believe him?"
"Because someone can tell the truth without being trustworthy."
Mira nodded.
William continued.
"And that's what makes this difficult."
They returned to their room.
William sat quietly.
Mira watched him.
"What will you do?"
"Nothing."
She frowned.
"Nothing?"
"Not yet."
He looked toward the window.
"If someone has created this situation to attract independent cultivators, then interfering immediately could benefit them."
Adrian nodded.
"Then what?"
"We observe."
The next day, the competition began.
The first stage was simple.
Independent cultivators were asked to enter a large formation.
Those who could withstand it for the longest time would gain access to the next stage.
William didn't participate.
He simply watched.
Mira stood beside him.
"You aren't joining?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I'm more interested in the people participating."
She looked at the crowd.
William began identifying them.
Some were strong.
Some were weak.
But several stood out.
Not because of their power.
Because of their behavior.
One young man repeatedly helped injured competitors.
A woman refused to abandon her group even after losing her chance to advance.
Another cultivator deliberately withdrew after realizing that his opponent had been injured.
William watched them carefully.
Mira noticed.
"You like them."
"I respect them."
"What's the difference?"
"Respect doesn't mean I want them to join me."
She smiled.
"You really are careful."
"I have to be."
By the end of the first stage, several people had distinguished themselves.
The young man who helped the injured.
The woman who protected her group.
The cultivator who withdrew rather than exploit an injury.
William memorized their faces.
But then something unexpected happened.
One of the participants suddenly collapsed.
The crowd became chaotic.
William immediately moved.
He reached the man before anyone else.
The cultivator was unconscious.
William examined him.
"No external injury."
Mira crouched beside him.
"What happened?"
William's expression became serious.
"His mind."
Adrian looked around.
"Someone attacked his consciousness?"
"Yes."
William stood.
His gaze swept across the crowd.
Someone was watching.
He could feel it.
A faint presence.
Then it disappeared.
William's eyes narrowed.
The attacker hadn't targeted the strongest participant.
They had targeted someone who had shown compassion.
Someone who might become valuable to a group like his.
Mira looked at William.
"Was this another test?"
William shook his head.
"No."
"Then what?"
William looked toward the crowd.
"I think someone has started removing the people they don't want me to meet."
That evening, William stood outside the settlement.
He looked at the people gathered around the competition grounds.
He had come here expecting to find potential allies.
Instead, he had discovered something more dangerous.
Someone else was searching for the same people.
And unlike William...
They weren't interested in letting those people choose.
Adrian approached.
"What are you thinking?"
William answered quietly.
"That I need to stop waiting."
"Meaning?"
William looked toward the competition grounds.
"If someone is going to decide who gets a chance to choose their own future..."
His expression hardened.
"...then I intend to make sure they don't get to make that decision for them."
Mira joined them.
"Then what do we do?"
William looked at both of them.
"For the first time..."
He paused.
"...we act."
But before they could move, a message arrived.
A single sentence.
If you interfere again, one of the people beside you will pay the price.
Mira read it.
Adrian's expression became cold.
William remained completely still.
He folded the message.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then William looked toward the darkness.
The enemy had finally stopped testing his principles from a distance.
They had chosen a target.
And this time...
The target was someone standing beside him.