"Are you threatening me?"


    As Ethan observed, Austin gazed yfully at the ckwood''s AI Bionic Robot, his voiceced with mockery.


    "Or do you truly believe those in the imperial capital hold any real significance to us?"


    With a casual flick of his wrist, Austin shattered the robot, its metallic body crumbling into dust.


    He then picked up his bird teasing stick, prodding at Edward, who was frantically beating against the bars of his cage.


    A cruel smile spread across his lips.


    "Congrattions, ckwoods. You''ve proven to be far more entertaining than any of my previous adversaries."


    Seeing Austin''s nonchnt demeanor and Edward''s unharmed state, Ethan let out a sigh of relief and vanished from the courtyard.


    ...


    Within the Forebearer space, the ckwoods gathered, their expressions grim.


    Ethan ryed Austin''s dismissive attitude, his words hanging heavy in the air.


    Olivia''s eyes lit up with understanding.


    "Forebearer, I think I''ve figured it out. The Heavenly Path''s avatars... they have a weakness."


    "A weakness?"


    The ckwoods leaned forward, their attention rapt.


    "Each of the Heavenly Path''s avatars possesses its own consciousness," Olivia exined.


    "They are both a collective and individual entities. They obey themands of the main consciousness, but when one dies, its power is distributed among the remaining avatars. This means they would benefit from each other''s demise, inheriting their strength!"


    "However," she continued, "they seem to be bound by some rule that prevents them from harming each other. Otherwise, they would have already resorted to eliminating their rivals to enhance their own power."


    "That''s why Austin, the one in the Kunlun Mountains, doesn''t care about the fate of his imperial avatars. In fact, he might even prefer it if we wiped them out!"


    As Olivia revealed her insights into the Heavenly Path Venerable''s avatars, Joseph''s eyes narrowed.


    "Furthermore, Forebearer," he added, "you noticed how those avatars at Cedar Ridge immediately fled once they realized it was a trap."


    "This means that beyond following the main consciousness''s orders, each avatar desires to survive, to be thest one standing."


    "He''s cultivating them like gu worms, pitting them against each other!"


    "And the Heavenly Path Psychic Sanctuary..."


    A chilling realization dawned upon them.


    Jessica drew a sharp breath.


    "If this is how the Heavenly Path operates, then the Heavenly Path Psychic Sanctuary is likely another gu cultivation ground! Thest one standing... will be possessed by the main consciousness! Venerable Phil said the sanctuary is an extension of the Heavenly Path Venerable himself. Uncle Ethan obtained the Heavenly Path Tear, an artifact of immense importance...


    The sanctuary must hold the key to the Heavenly Path Venerable''s greatest secrets."


    As the ckwoods pieced together the puzzle, their eyes gleamed with newfound hope.


    The Heavenly Path Venerable wasn''t invincible. He had weaknesses.


    And the more they learned about him, the greater their chances of victory, however slim they might be.


    "Let''s see what our captive has to say," Ethan said, his eyes narrowed.


    "I want to know if the Heavenly Path Venerable''s avatars share their memories."


    ...


    Ethan reappeared in the small vige, where the ckwoods and the Azure Cloud contingent had surrounded ke.


    ke looked up at Donna, his expression a mixture of confusion and feigned innocence.


    "Aunt Donna, are you testing me again? This is a rather borate joke."


    The others exchanged uneasy nces.


    After Donna''s previous deception, they assumed this was another test.


    After all, ke, the one who had rallied them to find the ckwoods, was an obvious suspect.


    But Donna''s expression remained cold, her gaze unwavering.


    The other ckwoods mirrored her demeanor.


    "Unfortunately, this is no joke," Donna said, her voice devoid of warmth.


    With a gesture, she immobilized ke, sealing his senses.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "This ce is no longer safe. We need to relocate. And while we do, we''ll extract some information from our guest. I need volunteers with... persuasive skills."


    The others hesitated, but seeing Donna''s unwavering resolve, theyplied.


    As they moved to a new location, ke''s screams echoed through the night.


    Chuck flew to Donna''s side, his brow furrowed with concern.


    "Donna, why are you so certain ke is a Heavenly Path avatar? What if you''re wrong?"


    "Master," Donna whispered, "ke is a distant rtive. He knows us better than most. How do you think the Heavenly Path managed to catch us off guard? Someone betrayed us. Think about it. The Moores were decimated.


    Even Matthew perished. Yet, a small fraction survived. It was a diversion. And then there''s the fact that he gathered all of you..."


    "I see," Chuck murmured, his blood running cold as he grasped the true extent of the Heavenly Path Venerable''s reach.


    He now suspected that there might be more avatars hidden among them.


    But Donna hadn''t revealed everything.


    She nced at the others before turning back to Chuck.


    "Master, I need to leave. We''ve exposed the Heavenly Path''s presence in the imperial capital, but the danger hasn''t passed. We need to scatter, to make ourselves harder to target."


    "I have things to do," she added, her voice hardening.


    "I need to make the Heavenly Path Venerable''s avatars... afraid."


    ...


    "Aaaaagh!"


    Within avish estate in the imperial capital, Brody, the third-ranked Pinnacle Apprentice, the "Invincible Dragon Spear," roared in agony.


    He wasn''t alone.


    Every avatar of the Heavenly Path Venerable felt it: a searing pain emanating from their very souls, a shared agony originating from ke''s tortured form.


    They shared their senses, their memories, their power.


    But they also shared their pain.


    Your journey continues on empire


    "Damn it! Damn it all!" Brody raged, his voiceced with fear and desperation.


    "Five hundred years! It took me five hundred years to reach this point! Imand a thousand mercenaries! I''m the third-ranked Pinnacle Apprentice! I''m on the verge of bing a Basic Mastery expert! I have ambitions, ns!


    I will be a true power within the imperial capital! This is the path to true godhood! We will be ancient gods!"


    "Heavenly Path! The ckwoods know! They''re torturing me! Send someone! Send someone to save me!"


    "I should be your true vessel! I was simply born toote! Otherwise, I would have already reached Basic Mastery! I wouldn''t have to bow to those weaklings in Sunshine Mansion!"


    Brody''s screams echoed through the empty estate.


    He didn''t notice the pair of eyes watching him from the shadows.