Chapter 2: Master of Neutralizing Force

Whether it was rejecting the Lawrence family or being rejected, the result was the same, which had saved a lot of trouble. However, the Lawrence family's attitude had been excessively arrogant, which irked Astyre.
"Mrs. Lawrence, what did you want me to do?" he asked.
A smile had played at the corner of Jane's lips. "Back when old Mr. Lawrence had a bit too much to drink and wrote that marriage contract, it had been nothing more than a drunken jest. Of course, I had understood that just letting you go like this would leave you unsatisfied and make our Lawrence family appear quite uncouth. How about this: you keep the marriage contract, and I'll give you two million. That should be enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life."
Jane had gestured, and Alfred had brought out a box, placing it on the coffee table and opening it to reveal neatly stacked banknotes.
Astyre hadn't been particularly angry initially, but when Jane mentioned two million, he had become irate. He had come all this way, only for two million?
The entire cultivation world would have laughed at him if he had agreed that day. A disciple of the prestigious Mount Skyward, one of the Ten Immortal Clan, had been worth two million.
"Two million, haha..." Astyre had lightly patted the chair's armrest beneath him, worth over twenty million, "The Lawrence family sure is wealthy!"
Thinking he had found the offer too low, Jane had sneered, "We don't have much cash at home. If you find it insufficient, I can write you a check for three million more, totaling five million. How about that?"
Astyre remained unmoved.
Jane frowned and said, "What about ten million?"
Astyre remained silent.
Alfred couldn't contain his anger. "Kid, don't be ungrateful! A greedy heart has no end. Be careful not to squander your life."
Astyre hadn't even bothered looking at Alfred and had instead said to Jane, "Is this an attempt to threaten me?"
"Consider it as such," Jane replied casually, affirming Alfred's words.
"Mrs. Lawrence, you'll regret this," he warned.
"Regret?" Jane laughed and said, "Haha! I'd like to see how you make me regret it."
Astyre had stood up, removed the yellowed paper from his pocket, and spread it on the table.
Jane's eyes lit up. "That's it. It would be best if you youngsters had a sense of propriety, to distinguish between the important and the trivial. Some things are just not meant to be yours, but money is a tangible way to change your destiny."
She was about to reach for it, but Astyre's hand pressed firmly on the paper.
"Do you know why I came here today, Madam?" he asked.
"I've always believed that one's destiny should be in their own hands and not controlled by others, even my grandfather can't dictate my marriage. So, originally, I came here to break off this engagement."
Jane raised an eyebrow and then gave a disdainful smile. Young people valued their pride, seeking a way out of a situation, and she could understand that.
Astyre neatly folded the paper back up, his movements gentle and deliberate, and returned it to his pocket.
"But now, I've changed my mind," he continued.
Jane and Alfred's expressions suddenly darkened. "Astyre, do you know what you're doing?"
However, Astyre paid them no further attention. He turned and walked away without looking back.
As she watched Astyre's retreating figure, Jane angrily trembled. She had a growing sense that she might have made a big mistake.
"Madam, should we stop him?" Alfred asked.
Jane waved her hand. "Don't cause a scene in the mansion. old Mr. Lawrence shouldn't find out about this."
"Will old Mr. Lawrence approve of this marriage?"
"He values his reputation even more than his life. If he finds out Astyre came, he'll force Michelle to marry him. I won't allow my daughter to marry a destitute cultivator!" Jane clenched her teeth.
"Madam, should we...?" Alfred made a gesture, implying a more aggressive approach. "Should I have someone deal with this young man?"
Jane remained silent for a moment, then said, "Don't take his life. Please give him a lesson and drive him out of Heartvale City. Most importantly, get that marriage contract old Mr. Lawrence wrote back."
With a hint of weariness, she stood and walked toward the stairs but turned back. "Oh, by the way, give him the two million. I promised it to him. We can't have people saying the Lawrence family is stingy. Tell him never to set foot in Heartvale City again."
"Don't worry, Madam. I'll take care of it," Alfred said, gazing at the box of banknotes on the table, a touch of greed in his eyes. He muttered, "He won't ever appear in Heartvale City again..."
…
Astyre left the Lawrence family villa and headed straight to Lingshan Lake on the western outskirts. His grandfather's grave was located there.
He had grown up with his grandfather, living in an old dilapidated house on the western outskirts, making a living by collecting garbage. When he was seven, his grandfather suddenly passed away. Unable to afford a proper burial site, he had secretly buried his grandfather's remains on the desolate shore of Lingshan Lake. This place was unattended, and no one would ask for money.
Upon returning to Heartvale City, he didn't immediately visit his grandfather's grave. He wanted to resolve the matter with the Lawrence family first, considering it was a commitment made by his grandfather.
Lingshan Lake was vast, its shores stretching beyond the horizon. Astyre arrived at the quiet beach where he had buried his grandfather. From this vantage point, the lake's surface seemed veiled in mist, and the spiritual energy permeated the surroundings, creating an almost otherworldly atmosphere.
Amidst the reeds on the quiet shore, there was a man fishing. His fishing line was cast far into the lake, with hardly a float visible.
As Astyre passed by the man, he immediately sensed that this wasn't an ordinary person, nor was he genuinely fishing.
This man circulated his energy, and hot power emanated from his body. Simultaneously, the spiritual power of the lake and mountains converged toward him.
He was a skilled martial artist, at least at the Neutralizing Force stage. However, he suffered from severe internal injuries, which he was trying to heal by harnessing the spiritual energy of the lake and mountains.
Astyre hadn't expected to encounter a Neutralizing Force expert so soon after arriving in Heartvale City. It was rare for someone to reach this level in the mortal realm. Of course, it wasn't particularly remarkable in the eyes of Mount Skyward disciples. After Neutralizing Force came to Grandmaster, and beyond that, one could attempt to tread the path to the Etherworld. However, few had the privilege of ascending Mount Skyward.
Mount Skyward was the ancestral home of the Ten Immortal Clan and the most prestigious place in the cultivation world. During the ancient battle between immortals and demons, a hundred thousand sword immortals had established the Ten Immortal Sword Array on Mount Skyward to defend against the extramundane monsters and protect peace in the mortal realm.
This place dominated the world and was not somewhere just anyone could visit.
Yet Astyre had set foot on Mount Skyward at the age of seven.
He didn't pay much attention to the angler by the lake and hurriedly walked on until he reached his grandfather's grave. He knelt in front of it.
It had been over a decade since his grandfather's passing, and memories of his childhood flooded back. His grandfather's kind face appeared before him. Overwhelmed by emotions, Astyre couldn't help but lament, "Grandfather, your unfilial grandson has come to visit you!"
His sorrowful voice carried through the wind, echoing through the reed marshes and wavering over the vast lake.
He knelt by the grave for a while, silently recounting his experiences practicing with Delron at Mount Skyward. Finally, he mentioned the Lawrence family's marriage contract, seeking his grandfather's forgiveness.
"The Lawrence family is too arrogant, and they need a lesson. But don't worry, Grandfather, I know there must be a connection between you and old Mr. Lawrence, or else that marriage contract wouldn't exist. Regardless of the outcome, I will repay this favor."
Five suspicious figures emerged on the desolate shore, swiftly approaching Astyre.
One of the burly men pointed at Astyre and asked, "Is that him?"
Another person said, "Yes, Sir. I've been keeping an eye on him since he left the Lawrence family."
The burly man approached the solitary grave and carefully examined Astyre, "The ragged little Daoist, it should be him. Hey, be careful! Mr. Lowe said to get rid of this kid, and each of us gets a hundred grand."
Astyre knew he was being followed, but he did not mind it. In his eyes, these were nothing more than insignificant insects.
When he heard the mention of "Mr. Lowe," he furrowed his brow. After bowing three times at the grave, he stood up and turned to face the newcomers.
"You've chosen quite the spot, kid. After we kill you, we'll bury you right here. Saves us the trouble of disposing of your body."
"Don't blame us. We're just doing a job, taking money from people and solving their problems. If you've got a problem, blame your own bad luck for offending the wrong person."
As they spoke, the group of men each brandished their weapons, forming an encirclement and closing in on him.
Astyre had no intention of running. To him, these people were no different from the walking dead, and the closer they got, the more they were walking into their graves.
But he needed to confirm whether the "Mr. Lowe" they mentioned was the same person he had in mind.