Chapter 326: Common Reaction
Failed.
Adrian noticed.
"Don’t."
Rose blinked innocently.
"I didn’t say anything."
"You didn’t have to."
Shen Tian looked toward the inheritance spirit.
"What do you offer?"
The warrior raised one hand.
Ancient symbols formed in the air.
Desert King Combat Scripture
Grade: Ancient Earth Sovereign Art
Primary abilities:
Battlefield Awareness
Killing Intent Amplification
Heat Resistance
Sand Domain Formation
War Body Tempering
Army Command Resonance
Shen Tian stared.
Then...
Xu Ning whispered.
[Host.]
"What?"
[You don’t need it.]
"I know."
Adrian’s eyebrow twitched.
Of course he didn’t.
The thing Adrian had crossed a warzone to obtain...
Shen Tian didn’t even need.
The inheritance spirit continued.
Secondary inheritance artifact detected.
A stone platform rose from beneath the sarcophagus.
On top...
A ring.
Dark gold.
Ancient.
Xu Ning’s expression changed.
[That wasn’t in the Fate description.]
Shen Tian smiled.
"Interesting."
Adrian’s system immediately reacted.
Hidden Opportunity Detected
Artifact: Sun King’s Command Ring
Original discovery probability by Host: 4%
Adrian froze.
Four percent?
Meaning...
Even if Shen Tian hadn’t arrived...
He probably wouldn’t have found it.
The system continued.
Function: Increases authority over contract bound forces.
Function: Strengthens battlefield formations.
Function: Allows limited command imprint between wielder and willing
subordinates.
Special compatibility: Sovereign type cultivators.
Silence.
Adrian slowly looked at Shen Tian.
Of course.
Of fucking course.
A hidden artifact with special compatibility...
For Shen Tian.
Shen Tian picked up the ring.
Immediately...
Golden light entered his hand.
The ring resized.
Then...
Settled around his finger.
A system notification appeared.
Sun King’s Command Ring acquired.
Compatibility with Battlefield Sovereign Inheritance: 96%
Compatibility with Imperial Heart: 100%
Compatibility with Heaven Manifestation authority: 100%
New effect unlocked: Sovereign Command Mark
Host may establish noncompulsory command resonance with willing
recognized subordinates.
No mind control.
No forced obedience.
Benefits include enhanced coordination, communication, morale, and
battlefield Qi synchronization.
Shen Tian’s eyebrow rose.
"Useful."
Ghost heard.
"What does it do?"
Shen Tian looked toward him.
"Team coordination."
Bear grinned.
"Magic radio?"
"Better."
Bear immediately looked interested.
Rose stared at the ring.
Then...
At Shen Tian.
"You’re not putting anything weird in my head."
Shen Tian smiled.
"Requires consent."
Rose paused.
Then...
"Oh."
Her expression relaxed.
"Fine."
Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.
"That fast?"
She looked toward him.
"I trust you."
Silence.
Again.
Simple.
Direct.
Shen Tian stared for a second.
Rose realized what she’d said.
Her cheeks became faintly pink.
Then...
She crossed her arms.
"Don’t make it weird."
Shen Tian smiled.
"Too late."
Her face warmed more.
Adrian watched.
Then...
He looked toward Elena.
She looked back.
Adrian immediately looked away.
Not the same situation.
Absolutely not.
His system suddenly flashed.
Major Fate route collapse imminent.
Adrian’s expression changed.
Right.
The scripture.
He looked toward Shen Tian.
"You said you don’t need it."
"Correct."
Adrian’s eyes sharpened.
"Then leave it."
Shen Tian smiled.
"No."
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
"Why?"
"Because you want it."
Silence.
Adrian stared.
Then...
He laughed once.
Dry.
"That’s really how you operate?"
"Sometimes."
"Petty."
"Very."
Adrian looked toward the inheritance spirit.
Then...
The system.
Then...
Shen Tian.
He had a choice.
Fight.
Impossible.
Run.
He could.
Let Shen Tian take it.
Lose Fate.
Preserve his life.
Then find another route.
Adrian exhaled.
Fine.
This was what smart villains did.
Live.
Adapt.
Grow.
He stepped back again.
"Take it."
Shen Tian’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Adrian continued.
"But remember something."
"What?"
"This isn’t Lu Chen."
Shen Tian smiled.
"I know."
"I’m not going to chase you across the planet because you stole from
me."
"Good."
"I’m not going to threaten your family."
"Better."
"I’m not going to touch your women."
Rose’s eyebrow rose.
Shen Tian’s expression cooled slightly.
Adrian immediately raised a hand.
"You know what I mean."
"I do."
Adrian continued.
"But..."
His eyes hardened.
"I’m also not going to keep stepping aside forever."
Shen Tian stared.
Adrian’s voice lowered.
"Eventually..."
"I will be strong enough to take something from you."
Silence.
Shen Tian smiled.
Not mocking.
Not amused.
Almost approving.
"Then get stronger."
Adrian froze.
Shen Tian turned toward the inheritance spirit.
"Until then..."
His green eyes flashed.
"...this is mine."
The spirit bowed.
Then...
Its entire body dissolved into golden sand.
The sand spiraled.
Collapsed.
Then...
Entered Shen Tian’s palm.
Xu Ning immediately intercepted it.
Desert King Combat Scripture acquired.
Host compatibility: 41%
Recommendation: Do not cultivate directly.
Alternative use available: Merge with Battlefield Sovereign Inheritance.
Shen Tian smiled.
"Do it."
Adrian’s eyes widened.
"What?"
Xu Ning froze too.
[Now?]
"Yes."
[Host, this could alter your inheritance structure.]
"Better?"
[Potentially.]
"Worse?"
[Unlikely.]
"Do it."
Xu Ning stared.
Then...
[Fine.]
The system activated.
Merging Desert King Combat Scripture with Battlefield Sovereign
Inheritance.
Extracting compatible principles.
Rejecting inferior body tempering sections.
Rejecting conflicting command structures.
Preserving Battlefield Awareness.
Preserving Sand Domain adaptation.
Preserving Heat Resistance.
Preserving War Intent refinement.
Integration complete.
Battlefield Sovereign Inheritance integration increased: 31% → 38%
Shen Tian’s eyes sharpened.
Interesting.
Seven percent from one inheritance.
Not bad.
Then...
His aura shifted.
For one second...
Everyone saw it.
An endless battlefield.
Black banners.
Golden sky.
Sandstorms.
Millions kneeling.
A spear piercing heaven.
Then...
Gone.
Elena’s face became pale.
Ghost stared.
Bear slowly whispered...
"That’s fucking cool."
Rose couldn’t disagree.
Adrian’s system screamed.
MAJOR FATE ROUTE LOST
Desert King Combat Scripture seized by Shen Tian
Hidden Artifact seized by Shen Tian
Inheritance permanently merged into hostile sovereign path
Recovery route unavailable
Fate Loss: 37,000
Adrian closed his eyes.
There it was.
Pain.
Not physical.
Something deeper.
Like the world itself had moved slightly farther away.
His Fate dropped.
Current Fate Value: 74,000
Then...
Shen Tian’s system activated.
Supreme Villain Authority Plunder Bonus Applied
Base Fate harvested: 37,000
Bonus: 7,400
Total Fate harvested: 44,400
Xu Ning smiled.
[Forty-four thousand four hundred.]
Shen Tian looked toward Adrian.
Adrian opened his eyes.
His face was pale.
But...
He was standing.
Still calm.
Mostly.
Shen Tian’s expression became slightly more interested.
Adrian noticed.
"Don’t look at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like I passed some test."
Shen Tian smiled.
"You did."
Adrian stared.
"I hate you."
"Common reaction."
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(Author’s Note: IMPORTANT!)
SEND POWESTONES!!!
ALL SUPER GIFTS (Magic Castle, Space Ship, Golden Gachapon) = MORE ChapterS!