System S.E.X. (Seduction, Expansion, eXecution)

Chapter 692: Chapter 692: Traces in the Dust

The boarding ramp of the flagship hissed open, and the four of them descended smoothly toward the barren, rock-strewn terrain of the forward outpost. Behind them marched a dense formation of hundreds of elite sect cultivators, their armor clinking in perfect synchronization. Not a single person in this vanguard fell below the Golden Core Realm—a stark, undeniable manifestation of just how seriously the upper echelon was treating the rising border crisis.

The air was heavy, carrying a distinct, freezing chill that smelled faintly of ozone and old blood. The outpost itself was a sprawling complex of reinforced stone fortresses and runic towers intact, yet eerily silent.

The Vice Sect Leader stopped near the center of the primary courtyard, his sharp eyes sweeping over the undisturbed structures. ”General, this is the exact location you found vacated?”

”Precisely, Vice Leader,” the General replied, his hand resting firmly on the hilt of his heavy blade. ”When our forward scouts arrived, they uncovered no signs of a struggle. Every single member of the local garrison was simply gone, as if they had vanished into thin air.”

Ethan didn’t waste a single millisecond. He stepped away from the main group, his face a mask of deep concentration as he walked toward a cluster of shattered defensive pillars.

Crul, execute a full-spectrum sweep of this entire coordinate immediately,* Ethan commanded internally, his eyes narrowing. Search for any structural anomalies or hidden biological baselines.

[System scan initializing... Analyzing localized energy signatures and residual DNA traces... Alert. Biological indicators detected. There are active survival signals localized beneath the primary structural matrix. Survivors are present.]

Receiving the precise coordinates Ethan began his performance. He moved slowly across the stones, bending down to lift heavy fragments of rubble and carefully examining the dust as if tracking an invisible trail. To make the act thoroughly convincing, he retrieved a pair of glass vials containing a specialized Tiger Storm potion from his spatial ring. He uncorked them and poured the thick fluid directly onto the cracked earth.

The moment the solution interacted with the soil, a thin, bubbling cloud of deep purple smoke hissed into the air, swirling around his boots. Ethan remained focused, waving his hand through the vapor while muttering pseudo calculations under his breath.

Watching the young doctor dive so fearlessly into the potentially contaminated zone, the General’s respect for him instantly surged. He quickly threw out a hand, delivering a silent martial signal to the surrounding elite disciples, who immediately rushed forward to construct a defensive perimeter around Ethan.

The Vice Sect Leader stepped closer, his interest thoroughly piqued by the purple reaction, while Heidy stayed half a step behind them. Her cold, piercing gaze scanned the high ridges and broken towers, her Sea Spirit senses stretched to their limits, searching for any hidden trap or indicator of what had truly transpired in this silent graveyard.

Ethan suddenly dashed toward the eastern wing of the compound, his boots kicking up gravel as the elite guards scrambled to keep pace with his sudden movement. He uncorked another vial, splashing the thick liquid across a collapsed archway. A massive, dense plume of purple smoke erupted instantly, obscuring the stones.

He sprinted in a wide, calculated circle around the perimeter, splashing the solution onto various pillars to maintain the theatrical display before abruptly halting. He furrowed his brows, masterfully acting as though the energetic trail had suddenly gone cold, panting slightly as he searched the immediate area. After a few moments of deliberate hesitation, he slowly walked straight into the center of a wide hollow stone chamber.

Although Ethan possessed zero native context regarding what this specific room used to be, the Vice Sect Leader’s eyes violently narrowed the moment he crossed the threshold. The old master knew this structure perfectly; having personally overseen the construction of multiple frontier bases over his centuries of service, he instantly recognized this exact architectural layout as the central node of the defensive array.

As Ethan continued to scan the floorplates, acting absorbed in his tracking, the Vice Leader leaned closer to the General, his voice dropping into a tense whisper. ”This specific chamber is the core of the array matrix... How on earth did the young doctor track it down so accurately using mere medical solutions?”

Ethan abruptly stopped, turning his head toward them as if he had barely caught their low whispers over the humming wind.

”I can intensely feel that there are living human pulses locked directly beneath this floor,” Ethan announced, his gravelly voice filled with an clinical certainty. ”According to my senses, there must be a hidden hatch or a sealed gateway located right beneath this central nexus.”

The General stepped forward, his expression turning deeply grim as he looked down at the seamless, reinforced stones. ”Master Ethan, your tracking capabilities are truly miraculous. This room is indeed the central command node of the local formation. However, if the garrison sealed themselves inside the subterranean core to escape an ambush, opening the main vault from the outside without a high-tier Rune Master present will be impossible.”

”There is no need to worry,” Ethan said, a calm, deeply confident smile spreading across his face as he waved his hand dismissively. ”I happen to know a fair bit about runic engineering. Step back and leave the analysis entirely to me.”

The General and the Vice Sect Leader exchanged a look of pure astonishment. A divine physician who could seamlessly track biological traces was already a terrifying asset, but if he also possessed high-tier runic capabilities, his value to the sect would transcend normal limits.

Ethan, however, was in no rush to finish the task. He needed to make this breakthrough look exceptionally complex to maximize his prestige and fully cement the old master’s trust.

With a smooth flick of his wrist, he opened his high-tier spatial ring and began pulling out an array of bizarre, highly specialized tools that had nothing to do with standard runic dissection. He lined up silver clinical clamps, heavy brass calipers, an intricate mechanical magnifying lens, and even a set of glass stirring rods onto a smooth stone slab, perfectly setting the stage for another grand, deceptive spectacle.

-------------------

From this moment forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.

Note: These are only the ranks mentioned so far to avoid spoilers.

Body Refinement Realm

Skin Refinement / Bone Refinement / Organ Refinement

Spiritual Gathering Realm

Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation

Spiritual Core Realm

Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core)

Spiritual Soul Realm

Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion

Golden Core Realm

Prime Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction

Spiritual Sea Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Dao Manifestation Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Spiritual Transcendence

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

------

Sword mastery levels

Sword Intent.

Sword Aura.