Chapter 923: Peter’s Cautiousness

“Then, Brother Max, please take care of yourself,” Blake said softly. Lucy and Jordan nodded in agreement before quickly running after Peter, their figures disappearing into the distance.

Unexpectedly, just as they caught up, Peter’s cold voice could be heard clearly. “Blake, from now on, the three of you should stay away from Max.”

Blake immediately stopped in his tracks, spinning toward him with anger written on his face. “Why?” he demanded, his tone rising.

“Yes, it was Max who helped us just now!” Jordan added, confusion in his voice.

Lucy didn’t say anything, but the look in his eyes carried the same question, silently demanding an explanation.

“Helped us? Did he help us? He’s causing trouble for us!” Peter snapped angrily, his tone sharp and filled with accusation. His eyes swept over Blake, Lucy, and Jordan as though they were naïve children. “Don’t you know who he is? Max isn’t just some random person. He’s the target of three major forces inside this secret domain. Thunder Monarch Hall is looking for him, the Void Soul Tower is after him because he killed one of their own, and even Mountain Gods Valley wants him dead. What do you think will happen if those people find out you’re close to him? They won’t hesitate to attack you too. You’ll be dragged down into his mess without a chance to escape.”

Peter, who had remained calm until now, stepped in with an earnest expression, his voice carrying a tone that pretended to be for their benefit but still felt cold. “And now he’s offended the Obsidian Order as well. On top of that, Luna—the daughter of the mysterious master of the Obsidian Order—has openly said she wants to deal with him. If you stay with him, you’ll be painting a target on your own backs. I’m doing this for your own good, brothers. Keep your distance if you value your lives.”

Blake frowned deeply, his heart conflicted, and muttered, “But…”

Peter immediately cut him off, his face hardening. “No. There’s nothing more to say. You must do as I say. If you have a problem with it, go speak to Senior Brother Coby yourself. If he agrees, then I won’t object—but until then, this is final.”

Blake, Lucy, and Jordan all exchanged glances. Their expressions were heavy with guilt and hesitation, their shoulders sinking slightly as if a great weight had settled on them. They couldn’t refute Peter’s words, and yet the bitterness in their eyes showed they didn’t agree either.

Max had saved them, risked himself for them, and now they were being told to abandon him. It felt wrong, but none of them dared to argue further.

Max, floating silently a short distance away, heard everything with ease. His Three Dimensional Body allowed him to perceive even the faintest sounds in the area, so their conversation was as clear to him as if they had been standing right beside him.

Yet, his expression didn’t change. He didn’t feel anger or disappointment—only calm indifference. ‘I saved them because Princess Lyra asked me to,’ he thought, shaking his head slightly. ‘Their choices have nothing to do with me.’

Without saying a word, Max turned and flew into the distance, his figure becoming a streak of light against the sky.

Soon, the towering mountains of the secret domain gave way to a colossal valley—the Falling Dust Valley. Nestled deep within the most inaccessible part of the secret domain, it was a place known for its sheer size, stretching over a hundred miles from end to end.

Towering stone cliffs framed the valley, while lush, vibrant vegetation grew wildly within, covering the ground in green and gold. Ancient trees twisted toward the heavens, and jagged rocks jutted out like fangs from the earth. The air here was heavy with spiritual energy so dense it seemed to hum faintly, giving the valley an almost sacred atmosphere.

Falling Dust Valley was famed for another reason—it was rich with spiritual herbs and medicinal plants that grew in abundance thanks to the valley’s unique environment. Max moved quietly through the underbrush, his senses scanning carefully.

Within a short period, he found no fewer than ten fifth-grade spiritual medicines, each radiating a powerful medicinal fragrance. Among them, his sharp eyes caught sight of a single sixth-grade spiritual herb, its petals glowing faintly with an ethereal blue light.

He collected them all, carefully storing them away. These herbs would fetch a fortune in the Middle Domain, their rarity making them highly sought after by alchemists and experts alike. For Max, however, they were more than just valuable resources—they were stepping stones. His current goal was to raise his strength as fast as possible, pushing toward the Divine Rank, and these herbs were crucial to that advancement.

Of course, such an undertaking wouldn’t be possible without Little Rat. The small companion’s extraordinary sense for herbs and treasures had already saved Max countless hours, guiding him effortlessly to the most valuable finds in the valley.

“Boom!”

A deafening sound echoed through the valley as Max stopped in his tracks. From deep within the Falling Dust Valley, a surge of cold smoke erupted, spreading like a wave and blanketing the surrounding area.

The temperature plummeted instantly, frost rapidly forming on rocks, grass, and even the air itself as a biting chill swept outward like an invisible storm.

Max’s eyes sharpened, a glint flashing within them. ‘Such a strong ice attribute power…’ he thought, feeling the sheer density of elemental energy carried within the smoke. He immediately suppressed his aura, careful not to alert whatever was causing this phenomenon, and moved forward with quiet, deliberate steps, blending into the environment like a shadow.

Following the icy trail, Max eventually reached the source—a towering mountain, nearly a hundred feet high, its surface enshrouded in a thick veil of chilling mist. The entire mountainside exuded an unnatural cold, far beyond what the season or the region could produce naturally.

The closer he got, the sharper the temperature drop became, each breath of air feeling like inhaling ice shards. The once-green flora that covered the slopes was now encased in crystalline frost, the weight of ice bending branches until they cracked and fell soundlessly.

Even the ground crunched beneath his boots, hardened and frozen as if winter had claimed this place alone.

Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!