The Legendary Man

Chapter 1240 Competing With Others
The man said nothing further and made no move to punish Jonathan and Stellario for the death of the prison guard. After giving
them one last glance, he swiftly turned on his heels and departed from the scene.
Over ten minutes later, Stellario got to his feet, his face pale.
He took out two Spirit Rejuvenating Pills from his storage ring and swiftly consumed them. With the pills in his system, he
activated the cultivation method passed down in the Mallory family, extracting the meager amount of spiritual energy contained
within the pills before the prison's formation could get to it.
“Jon, there is something strange about that man. He didn't use any spiritual energy but managed to seal my elixir field and
energy field.”
Jonathan glanced at Marmount's body in the prison cell across from them and let out a soft sigh.
“That man just now could be using pure physical strength, so be careful.”
“Pure physical strength?”
Stellario's expression tensed up briefly before he shook his head.
“Don't joke around. If he could suppress me using only his physical strength, why didn't he kill us earlier?”
“Why would he kill us?” Jonathan furrowed his brows, fixing his gaze on Stellario.
Stellario cast a quick glance at the scattered bones outside the prison cell. “Hey, have you forgotten already? We just killed one
of the prison guards here.”
“Yes, we did kill a prison guard.” Jonathan still sounded confused. “Even so, why would he kill us over the death of a mere prison
guard?”
Stellario gaped at Jonathan incredulously.
“Isn't that enough reason? We killed his subordinate!”
“Are you talking about an Outer City envoy?” Jonathan responded calmly. “Did you forget how they come about?”

Stellario stared at Jonathan, obviously dumbfounded.
Previously, Jonathan had shared all the information with him, including details about the envoys in Yannopolis.
These so-called envoys were actually selected from the villagers of Village 108. They were given the opportunity to advance into
the God Realm. After that, the cultivators from the southern region and northern region would swap places at Yannopolis' Outer
City.
It meant that every villager of the small world could become a Yannopolis envoy if they were lucky enough.
“Do you understand now?” Jonathan asked Stellario, who looked dazed.
“A prison guard holds the lowest position regardless of where we are. This is especially true in the small world, where human
lives are of little value. As long as we are deemed more valuable than the prison guard, the one in charge wouldn't take our
lives.”
“Are you suggesting that...” Stellario's voice trailed off, his eyes searching Jonathan's face with uncertainty. “You had already
deduced all of this before we made our move?”
In response, Jonathan merely flashed a smile.
“That's not a deduction. I'm just going along with the flow.”
Seeing how calm Jonathan looked, Stellario turned around and approached Merilyn, who was still unconscious.
Despite knowing Jonathan meant well, Stellario couldn't shake the feeling that he was being used as a mere pawn in Jonathan's
plans.
Sensing Stellario's displeasure, Jonathan made no move to explain himself.
Their partnership was solely based on necessity, and it was not like they were in a romantic relationship. Jonathan believed he
didn't owe Stellario an explanation for every detail of his plans.
Stellario gently combed Merilyn's disheveled hair.
He chuckled softly and muttered, “I have concerns about whether the eight respectable families can truly rival the power of
Asura's Office. Luckily, people like you are few and far between. Once we get out of here, regardless of the intentions of the
other families, the Mallory family will surely make a move against Asura's Office.”

Stellario appeared to be murmuring quietly, but both Jonathan and Stellario were well aware that he didn't mean it.
The Mallory family was not alone in their intentions. Had it not been for the sudden emergence of the small world, diverting the
attention of the eight respectable families, they would have united forces after the River Onxy battle to confront both Asura's
Office and the Yaleview Army.
Their collective goal was to seize control of Chanaea's military power and bring about a significant shift in the balance of power.
However, the small world introduced a new variable into the already complex situation in Chanaea.
Jonathan was not the only ordinary cultivator being suppressed in this realm. The eight respectable families exerted their
dominance over the cultivation resources in Chanaea, effectively monopolizing them. They also held a firm grip on various
hidden sects.
In the recent few hundred years, cultivation resources were getting scarce, causing the hidden sects to scramble to survive.
The hidden sects, once possessing imperishable inheritances that could rival the power of the eight respectable families
thousands of years ago, had been compelled to submit to the control of the families due to their non-confrontational method.
Take, for example, the Fantasy Sword Sect, where Lauryn was a cultivator.
Once renowned for their imperishable inheritance, they had now become a private training institution under the control of the
eight respectable families.
Their primary objective was to ingratiate themselves with the families and secure meager cultivation resources.
Nearly all sects had to grovel and compromise in order to ensure the continuation of their inheritances within the complex web of
feuds among the eight respectable families.
Of course, there were sects who refused to give in like Phoebus Sect from Summerbank.
In the end, the once prestigious sect that had stood for over two thousand years met its downfall.
The highest-ranked cultivator of the entire sect was merely a Grandmaster.
Though a Grandmaster was capable of establishing their own sect, Jonathan had dealt a severe blow by destroying the core
inheritance of the sect.

In Chanaea's current cultivation environment, such sects could never make a comeback.
However, the emergence of this small world gave them hope.
Indeed, while the small world presented its own dangers, it also held boundless opportunities within its vast expanse.
It was a realm brimming with valuable treasures waiting to be discovered.
If one could gain a head start within the small world, even if it was merely a single rare opportunity, one would have the potential
to shift the balance of power in Chanaea.
Too many people had entered the small world.
However, everyone who was here was focused on their own objectives and lacked a comprehensive view of the entire situation.
Even Jonathan, renowned for his strategic thinking and foresight, was only able to grasp a fraction of the larger picture due to the
constraints of limited information.
Leaning against the cold wall, Jonathan recalled what Stellario told him earlier.
Did he say people like me are few and far between? He's wrong, though. Contrary to what he believes, there are indeed others
like me. Joshua possesses remarkable strategic skills, and being in the ancestral land of the Whitley family grants him a
significant advantage. Then there's Wilbur, who should have already left Yaleview when the small world opened. It's been days
since I arrived here, so he should have received news about it. Furthermore, I can't ignore the fact that the Divine Realm
cultivators from the eight respectable families will undoubtedly plot against me.
As Jonathan thought back to the various formidable cultivators he had encountered, a sense of pressure and self-doubt began to
weigh on him.
He acknowledged that while he possessed some unique abilities and perspectives, he was still far behind the exceptionally
talented cultivators he would encounter.
In this treacherous small world, merely surviving would be considered a stroke of luck, let alone competing with others.