Chapter 33: A New World

Battle formations were regional arrays refined and constructed by specialized Battle Formation Masters.

Depending on how they were constructed, they were generally divided into two major categories: Inscribed-Type and Portable-Type.

Inscribed-Type Battle Formations were usually created by engraving countless intricate inscriptions directly onto walls, floors, or other fixed structures.

Once the inscriptions were connected, they formed a complete array.

These formations were extremely time-consuming and complicated to construct, but their power was equally impressive. They could possess a wide variety of functions and unleash tremendous strength.

Their greatest drawback was also obvious.

Once established, they were essentially immovable.

Portable-Type Battle Formations, on the other hand, were designed for mobility.

They generally consisted of an Array Disc and an Array Base. The Battle Formation Master would inscribe the necessary formation textures onto them beforehand. Once the two components were combined, they would interact and activate the formation’s effects.

Portable formations were small, easy to carry, and could be deployed quickly.

Unlike Inscribed-Type formations, they also didn’t require the user to possess any particular level of strength.

In terms of power, Battle Formations were divided into four major ranks:

Profound Tier, Spirit Rank, Earth Rank, and Heaven Rank.

Each major rank was further divided into four grades:

Low Grade, Medium Grade, High Grade, and Top Grade.

As for their functions, Battle Formations could be divided into numerous types, including Attack, Defense, Offense-Defense, Trap, Illusion, Concealment, Support, and various other specialized formations.

If Ryan hadn’t spent years diligently studying at the Bloodline Institute, he probably wouldn’t have recognized the complicated defensive inscriptions covering the walls of Winters Manor.

His gaze swept across the massive formation.

Then his expression subtly changed.

There were guards patrolling along the perimeter of the formation wall.

All of them wore spotless white robes.

From time to time, Ryan even saw them approach suspicious individuals lingering nearby and drive them away.

Clearly, the Winters Family didn’t allow strangers to loiter around the estate.

Ryan’s sharp eyes quickly noticed something else.

Every one of those white-robed guards was an Awakened One.

And the weakest among them appeared to have reached at least the Third Stage of the Origin Sea Convergence Realm.

That alone was astonishing.

But there were several guards whose auras were significantly stronger.

Much stronger.

Ryan narrowed his eyes.

He couldn’t see through them.

After awakening a Bloodline, a person’s physical body and senses underwent a dramatic transformation.

Their perception of Origin Energy also became far sharper than that of ordinary people.

When facing someone around the same level, determining their approximate strength wasn’t particularly difficult.

By sensing the fluctuations of Origin Energy within the other person’s body and comparing them with his own, Ryan could roughly judge the size and strength of their Origin Sea.

If the opponent was significantly weaker than him, he could see through their cultivation almost immediately.

But if the opponent was much stronger...

The situation was completely different.

The greater the gap between their realms, the more difficult it became to accurately sense the other person’s true strength.

And judging by the auras of several white-robed guards...

Ryan suspected that some of them were far beyond his current level.

He quietly withdrew his perception.

Winters Manor was far more formidable than he had initially expected.

Winters Manor actually employed a large number of Awakened Ones as ordinary guards.

The sheer extravagance of it left Ryan speechless.

He really didn’t understand the world of the wealthy.

But one thing was obvious. Winters Manor’s security was extraordinary.

Its privacy and protection were precisely the kind of things wealthy Bloodline families valued when choosing a residence.

No wonder Ryan had often heard people say that Winters Manor was the first choice for Bloodline powerhouses looking to purchase a home in Ashfall City.

As Ryan and his family approached the entrance, however, their path was suddenly blocked by a stern voice.

"Stop!" A white-robed guard stepped forward.

"There are five people ahead. This is a commercial and residential estate owned by the Winters Family. Unauthorized personnel are not permitted to approach. Please leave immediately."

The guard’s eyes swept over Ryan and his family.

Their worn clothes and exhausted appearances immediately stood out against the luxurious surroundings.

To him, they looked completely out of place.

Ryan’s parents and Ethan immediately became nervous.

They had never been anywhere like this before.

The moment they were confronted by an Awakened guard, they instinctively wanted to turn around and leave.

Ryan noticed their uneasiness and subtly gestured for them to remain calm.

Then he stepped forward. He didn’t bother explaining. A flash of white light emerged from his spatial ring.

A moment later, a dark waist token appeared in his hand; The Winters Token.

The instant the guard saw it, his expression changed. Surprise flashed across his face. Then his attitude underwent a complete transformation.

He immediately bowed. "So you’re an honored guest of the Winters Family!"

His previous sternness vanished without a trace. "My apologies for failing to recognize you earlier. This humble one’s name is Gerald Finch. May I ask your name, sir? And how may I assist you?"

His voice had even taken on a faintly flattering tone.

He had never expected a group that looked like impoverished commoners to possess a Winters Token.

That was an extremely valuable item. Fortunately, he had only issued a routine warning earlier.

If he had gone too far and offended the token holder, he might have lost his position.

"An honored guest?"

Ryan’s family exchanged stunned looks. The guard’s attitude had changed so dramatically that it felt like he had become an entirely different person.

Only moments ago, he had been ordering them to leave.

Now he was practically treating Ryan like a distinguished noble.

They had no idea what the Winters Token represented.

Naturally, they couldn’t help looking at Ryan with bewilderment.

For a moment, it felt as though they were seeing him in a completely different light.

Ryan ignored their reactions. "You’re Gerald Finch, right?"

He smiled faintly. "My name is Ryan."

He didn’t bother correcting the guard’s misunderstanding.

Instead, he got straight to the point. "We’re looking to purchase a residence in Winters Manor. Can you arrange that for us?"

Ryan himself hadn’t expected the Winters Token to carry so much weight.

A single token had caused an Awakened Bloodline Fighter to completely change his attitude.

He couldn’t help feeling satisfied. "Of course, Sir Ryan!"

Gerald immediately nodded. "Please, follow me."

He didn’t dare show the slightest trace of negligence.

Gerald stepped toward the defensive formation and activated a section of it.

The seemingly solid formation wall rippled. A passage opened and Gerald respectfully stepped aside and gestured for Ryan and his family to enter.

The white-robed guards of Winters Manor were paid extremely well.

Their monthly salary reached ten Low-Grade Origin Stones, making the position highly coveted among ordinary Awakened Ones. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

Gerald had no intention of losing such a lucrative job because of a careless mistake.

Of course, the salary wasn’t given for guarding alone.

The Winters Family trained its guards to become what they called all-around housekeepers.

An all-around housekeeper needed more than combat ability.

They had to possess the awareness and service skills of a professional butler while maintaining the vigilance of a trained guard.

Whenever a guest had a request, they had to switch roles immediately.

One moment, they were guards. The next, they were butlers.

At this moment, Gerald personally led the way.

Ryan followed behind him without hesitation. His parents and Ethan were still trying to process what had just happened.

They clearly had countless questions. But with outsiders around, none of them dared ask.

Instead, they silently followed Ryan.

Before long, the group passed completely through the enormous defensive formation surrounding Winters Manor.

The moment they entered Winters Manor, Ryan and his family finally understood what it meant to live in a world of its own.

Ryan looked into the distance.

The estate stretched across an enormous expanse of fertile land, so vast that the horizon seemed to disappear into the darkness. It was almost impossible to believe that such a place existed within Ashfall City.

Even though night had already fallen, the broad roads throughout the estate remained brightly illuminated.

Soft lights lined the streets, illuminating the surrounding scenery.

Mountains and rivers dotted the landscape.

Dense forests stretched across the land, while fruit trees grew in abundance. Birds called from the treetops, and colorful flowers bloomed along the roadsides.

The scenery was breathtaking.

But what surprised Ryan most was the Origin Energy.

The Origin Energy naturally dispersed throughout the air was noticeably denser than what existed outside Winters Manor.

Cultivating here would undoubtedly be far more efficient.

Farther ahead, countless magnificent mansions were scattered throughout the estate.

Some were nestled beside forests.

Others stood near lakes or against the slopes of mountains.

From a distance, the entire estate seemed to rise and fall like a vast sea of luxurious residences.

Ryan’s sharp eyes soon noticed something else.

Many of the mansions had their own defensive formations.

Some were surrounded by dazzling barriers that radiated astonishing energy.

Others seemed to disappear and reappear beneath the shifting light, concealed by mysterious formations.

Every mansion seemed to possess its own unique characteristics.

Ryan was secretly amazed. There was already an enormous defensive formation protecting the entire perimeter of Winters Manor.

He hadn’t expected the individual residences inside to have another layer of protection as well.

From a purely defensive standpoint, Winters Manor was practically armed to the teeth.

It was something Ryan had never imagined before.

After all, the homes of ordinary commoners were little more than fragile shacks.

For many of them, simply surviving from one day to the next was already a luxury.

But here? The residences were protected by powerful defensive formations, surrounded by countless resources, and equipped with everything their owners could possibly need.

The difference between the two worlds was almost absurd.

Ryan continued looking around. Besides the countless luxurious mansions, the estate also contained a wide variety of facilities.

Numerous branches of Winters Family businesses had been established throughout the area.

There were shops selling alchemical products, artifacts, clothing, food, and all kinds of cultivation resources.

There was even a private Bloodline Institute.

Winters Institute. Unlike the public Welfare Institutes attended by ordinary citizens, Winters Institute offered exceptional facilities, extremely high salaries for its instructors, and a faculty composed of powerful Bloodline professionals.

It was one of the institutions most favored by wealthy families.

The entire estate was practically a self-contained city. Alchemy. Artifacts. Cultivation resources. Education. Food. Clothing. Transportation. Entertainment. Everything was available.

Mansion owners and their families moved through the streets at all hours, shopping, dining, socializing, and enjoying the luxurious lifestyle provided by the estate.

For a moment, Ryan felt as though he had stepped into another world entirely.

"There are thousands of luxurious residences throughout Winters Manor," Gerald Finch explained as he led them forward.

"We also have countless businesses and facilities surrounding the residential areas. Everything a mansion owner might need is available here, and our staff provides round-the-clock service."

A proud smile appeared on Gerald’s face. "Calling this place a small world of its own isn’t an exaggeration."

He paused. "And the monthly management fee is only fifty Low-Grade Origin Stones."

"Only?" Ryan’s mouth twitched slightly.

Gerald continued as though the amount were insignificant. "With everything Winters Manor provides, it’s considered one of the best places in Ashfall City for powerful Bloodline Fighters to establish a residence."

"Indeed..." Ryan nodded.

He had to admit that Winters Manor had earned the right to be proud.

The environment was excellent. The security was terrifying. The Origin Energy was denser. The facilities were comprehensive. And the service was clearly designed for wealthy Bloodline Fighters.

But fifty Low-Grade Origin Stones every month was still an enormous expense.

If Ryan hadn’t awakened his Bloodline and obtained the Boundless Creation Furnace, he wouldn’t have even considered living somewhere like this.

Meanwhile, his parents and Ethan were completely speechless.

Fifty Low-Grade Origin Stones... That amount was enough to support their family for decades if they lived frugally.

Yet here, it was merely the monthly management fee for a residence.

The wealth gap was staggering. Ryan and his family continued walking while Gerald explained various aspects of Winters Manor.

Before long, they reached the central courtyard. Beside it stood an imposing building with a large sign:

Mansion Lord Reception Area. White-robed guards moved constantly in and out of the building.

Gerald explained that the reception area had been established beside the central courtyard primarily for the convenience of the guards.

When their shifts ended, they could quickly return here and switch from their guard duties to their butler roles.

That way, whenever a Mansion Lord needed assistance, someone could respond immediately.

"We’re here.".Gerald finally stopped beside a massive jade wall.

He gestured toward it. "Sir Ryan, what kind of residence are you looking for? And approximately how much are you willing to spend?"

Ryan’s attention shifted to the jade wall. A miniature map of Winters Manor had been carved into its surface.

Countless small dots were scattered across the map, each representing a mansion.

Gerald pointed toward them. "These large dots represent the available residences."

"If a dot has a brightly glowing Perpetual Light Stone embedded in it, that mansion has already been purchased."

"If the stone isn’t glowing, the residence is still available."

"You can choose whichever one you like." Ryan nodded slowly.

Perpetual Light Stones were relatively common magical stones.

They only needed about an hour of direct sunlight to store enough energy to glow continuously for seven or eight days.

Because of their convenience, they were commonly used for lighting and marking locations.

Ryan’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the miniature map. "A map of all the mansions..."

His parents and Ethan also became curious. All four of them turned their attention toward the enormous jade wall.

For the first time, they were about to see just how expensive the homes in Winters Manor truly were.