"Have you heard the news?"
"The Walker Clan has a nascent soul powerhouse in their ranks now, and they're demanding a 70 percent tax on all city businesses!"
"That's nothing. I have even more shocking news!"
"The nascent soul powerhouse you're talking about is actually the so-called 'trash' son of the Walker Patriarch!"
"I heard he stumbled upon a huge fortuitous encounter, which is why he suddenly went from a trash cultivator to a nascent soul powerhouse."
"A fortuitous encounter? It's probably no less than the inheritance of an immortal emperor, in my opinion."
"Shh! Do you want to get yourself killed? Didn't you hear about the Galleon Patriarch? I heard that man was..." And so, rumors began to spread about our op mc and his legendary cruel deeds. Most already labeled him as a merciless individual who takes offense at the slightest slight.
Just one day had passed, and several news stories had already spread far and wide throughout Flying Cloud City and the surrounding region.
Still, our op mc cared nothing for his reputation, knowing that it only served to further his cause in the end. Three days later, someone important in our mc's life decided to visit him as well.
"I warn you, Elizabeth, our son Damian is not the same as he was before. It seems that having too much power has changed him significantly," Daniel said to his wife.
"What do you mean? Does he no longer see you as his father? Does my Damian disrespect our family, our clan, and our people?" Elizabeth asked in response.
"No, but…"
"No buts, Daniel. I won't let you cloud my vision of our son." Elizabeth cut the conversation short and walked off to visit Damian.
Despite his newfound status, our op mc had chosen not to relocate to the more luxurious accommodations within the clan, so it took his mother just two minutes to find him.
She found him alone with his maidservant, drinking from a jug of liquor and reading a book.
"Leave us, Lilian," Elizabeth ordered immediately.
"Of course, my lady." Lilian, the maidservant, quickly ran off. Elizabeth took this moment to observe the changes in her son.
He now wore golden cultivator's robes, and with just a glance, she could tell that they were both exquisite and mysterious, as a gentle hum of power seemed to resonate from their soft, imperial surface.
"Mother, you're back! How was your trip to the Crystal Phoenix Sect? Are Jasmine and Marcus doing okay there?" Our op mc, Damian, stood and smiled at his mother.
Marcus had been in the sect for ten years, while Jasmine had only just begun her journey toward power a few days ago.
Elizabeth, his mother, had ensured Jasmine's safe arrival by personally delivering her to the sect.
"They're both fine, Damian," Elizabeth replied, returning the smile as she walked closer to her son. She hugged him and kissed both of his cheeks, then gently guided him back to his seat.
"Now, tell me about what happened to you," Elizabeth said, her tone shifting to one of curiosity as she began to interrogate her handsome son.
It took him an hour to answer all her questions.
"It's good that you punished the patriarch of the Galleon Clan. He deserved a fate far worse. But you should know, son, that it's rumored the Galleon Clan has strong connections with the Dark Abyss Sect. They might investigate what happened here and potentially retaliate against our family," Elizabeth warned.
"Don't worry, Mother. Before this day is done, the Dark Abyss Sect will no longer exist among us," Damian promised.
"Do you mean that…? You shouldn't be rash in your decision, Damian. The Dark Abyss Sect has thousands of cultivators, and their sect master is already in the Nascent Soul Realm." Elizabeth reached out to hold her son's arm. Damian responded with a reassuring smile.
"Rest assured, Mother. I am aware of my limits. Wait for the good news come the morrow," Damian reassured her.
He then stood up, kissed her on the forehead, and, after bidding her goodbye, set off on his mission to eliminate one of the scourges of these lands.
* * *
The morning after came.
"The Dark Abyss Sect is no more!"
"I hear all of those evil people have been slaughtered down to the last disciple!"
"I wonder who delivered this hand of justice? Is it the Crystal Phoenix Sect or the War God Temple?"
"I don't know. Nobody has taken credit yet or explained why."
The city buzzed with ecstatic chatter over the great news. The Dark Abyss Sect, a notorious evil force that had plagued the region for years, was now gone.
The people felt a sense of relief, knowing that a major threat had been eradicated. While everyone speculated, only one person knew the truth.
"To be able to vanquish the Dark Abyss Sect in one night—could my son already be in the Soul Transformation Realm? Or perhaps higher than that… even a Spirit Severing Realm powerhouse?!" Elizabeth's mind raced with silent musings.
The strongest influences in the region were the major sects, with their top cultivators only reaching the Nascent Soul Realm.
The realization that her son could easily destroy them all at his whim made Elizabeth shiver with awe and excitement.
With this newfound power, she and her clan could navigate the land with unprecedented freedom and authority.
"My son has truly grown up. The rise of our Walker Clan is finally here," Elizabeth murmured as she began making plans.
She summoned some of her trusted servants, and by the end of the day, a significant piece of news emerged from a reliable source in the city.
"The one responsible for slaughtering the Dark Abyss Sect was none other than the Walker Clan!"
"It was Senior Damian Walker who did it! He should be our modern example of a perfect hero of justice!"
In just one day, this news had spread far and wide across the region. As a result, representatives from both righteous and evil sects flocked to Flying Cloud City to verify the validity of the claims.