Chapter 64: For His Brother

The things Ryan sold to her were practical, highly sought-after resources that Winters Tower frequently struggled to keep in stock.

In a city like Ashfall, these items were considered second-tier premium resources.

First-tier premium resources were on an entirely different level.

Third-Tier pills.

Spirit-Rank combat artifacts.

C-Grade Bloodline Essences.

Items like those were extraordinarily rare and expensive.

Even the major families maintained only a small amount of such merchandise, and much of it was little more than display stock. True top-quality items were even harder to obtain.

Most of the time, such treasures went directly to auction houses.

Whenever one appeared, the core members of the major factions would compete fiercely for it, driving the price to staggering levels.

Unless someone possessed an enormous fortune—or belonged to one of the major families—it was nearly impossible to compete.

That was why many of those treasures existed in an unusual state.

They had a price.

But finding one for sale was another matter entirely.

Ryan’s goods weren’t quite at that level, but they were only a step below it.

They were exactly the kind of high-end resources that wealthy Bloodline Fighters wanted.

And with Winters Tower’s enormous customer base, most of these items would probably be sold almost immediately.

For Winters Tower, earning thirty percent on goods like these was practically effortless.

Still, Elena couldn’t help being impressed by something else.

Ryan had somehow acquired all of this in only a few days.

For an Origin Sea Convergence Realm Bloodline Fighter, earning around one hundred Low-Grade Origin Stones a month was already considered a comfortable income.

Yet the goods Ryan had just sold were worth six thousand.

That was comparable to roughly half a year’s income for a ten-man mercenary group.

And those mercenaries had to spend their days fighting monsters, exploring dangerous regions, and risking their lives to earn it.

Ryan had managed to gather the equivalent fortune in only a few days.

His ability to make money was astonishing.

More importantly, the condition and quality of these treasures seemed to indicate that they had been produced recently.

That only strengthened Elena’s earlier conclusion.

If Ryan didn’t have a powerful family backing him, then there was almost certainly a mysterious master behind him.

And that master wasn’t merely a skilled alchemist.

Judging from the variety of treasures Ryan had brought in, the man was most likely a master craftsman as well.

Pills. Artifacts. Bloodline-related resources.

The mysterious expert seemed capable of producing all of them—and doing so at an extraordinary level.

’Just who exactly is Ryan’s master?’ Elena’s curiosity deepened.

Ryan, meanwhile, was completely unaware of her thoughts.

He opened the brocade pouch and sent a trace of Origin Energy inside.

A vast collection of Origin Stones immediately appeared within his perception.

He counted them carefully.

’Six thousand. Not one short.’

Satisfied, Ryan transferred them into his spatial ring.

A grin appeared on his face. "Exactly six thousand. Thank you."

Six thousand Low-Grade Origin Stones. Just thinking about the number made Ryan’s heart race.

He’d had only fourteen left from before. Now, his total fortune stood at 6,014 Low-Grade Origin Stones.

That was enough to purchase quite a few things he desperately needed.

"You’re welcome." Elena smiled. She idly twirled a strand of hair around one finger. "Just remember me the next time you get your hands on anything good."

"I will." Ryan readily agreed.

Their second transaction had gone even more smoothly than the first.

Not only had they gotten along well, but their business relationship had also become considerably closer.

For Elena, that was exactly what she wanted.

Ryan suddenly remembered something. "Actually, there’s one more thing."

He looked at her. "Does Winters Manor have any residences available for rent?"

Elena blinked. "Rent?"

"I have something urgent to deal with. I need another residence for temporary use."

Ryan had suddenly remembered Jake.

Jake had been dragged into his conflict with the Sterling Family and had indirectly offended them because of him.

If Ryan managed to rescue him, Jake and his family would need somewhere safe to stay.

Leaving them where they were would only invite more trouble.

Ryan could afford a residence now, technically.

But spending a large amount of Origin Stones on another property wasn’t wise.

He had already spent heavily on his current residence, and he still owed three thousand Low-Grade Origin Stones from the advance he’d received.

His current supply of Origin Stones might look impressive, but he had plenty of uses for it.

He couldn’t afford to waste them. Renting made far more sense.

"Unfortunately, we don’t have any available for rent."

Elena thought for a moment. "Winters Manor primarily sells residences. We rarely rent them out."

Ryan’s expression fell slightly.

Then Elena smiled. "However..."

She reached into her spatial ring.

"There is one residence that has been reserved but hasn’t been delivered yet."

She pulled out a small iron plate engraved with the Winters family’s insignia.

"I can let you use it for three months."

She held it out to him. "Consider it a housewarming gift."

Ryan stared at the doorplate. Then at Elena.

"Really?"

"Of course." Elena smiled.

She had known Ryan had moved into Winters Manor, but she’d never found a natural reason to approach him.

Especially since Ryan had specifically instructed the guards not to disturb him unnecessarily.

She’d received the report herself. Showing up at his residence without a reason would have been inappropriate.

But now he’d practically handed her one. Ryan needed a residence.

She could provide one. And framing it as a gift made the arrangement far more natural.

It would strengthen their relationship without making him feel as though she were deliberately trying to get closer to him.

At least, that was how she justified it to herself.

Ryan, meanwhile, had already accepted the doorplate.

"Thank you." He stored it inside his spatial ring. "I really appreciate this. You just solved a major problem for me."

His smile widened. "And if I get my hands on anything good, I’ll make sure you get first pick."

Elena smiled. "Then I’ll be looking forward to it."

Ryan hadn’t expected to receive such a useful gift.

Three months of free use of a residence was nothing to sneeze at.

There was no reason to refuse. His impression of Elena improved another notch.

She wasn’t just good at business. She was generous when it mattered.

"Alright." Elena nodded, clearly pleased by his reaction.

She hadn’t expected him to like the gift quite so much.

Maybe sincerity really is the best kind of gift.

Ryan suddenly remembered something else. "There’s one more thing."

Elena raised an eyebrow. "Another request?"

Ryan’s expression became serious. "Does the Winters Family have any Ultimate-Grade Origin Realm Limb Restoration Pills?"

Elena’s expression changed.

"I want to buy one."

He’d nearly forgotten to ask.

Ethan. His younger brother’s legs had been crippled for years.

If there was even a chance of restoring them, Ryan couldn’t let it slip away.

Elena frowned slightly and thought.

After a few seconds, she shook her head.

"Unfortunately, no."

Ryan’s heart sank.

"We do have a Second-Tier Top-Grade Bone-Setting Liquid with similar effects, but the Ultimate-Grade Origin Realm Limb Restoration Pill is extremely popular."

She sighed.

"All of our major branches have been out of stock for months."

Ryan’s expression darkened.

Even Winters Tower didn’t have one. That was a problem. Elena managed Winters Tower’s inventory personally, so if she couldn’t find one here, the chances of finding one in a smaller shop were even worse.

"Even Winters Tower is out?" Ryan frowned. "The Second-Tier Top-Grade Bone-Setting Liquid probably won’t be enough."

He had hoped this trip would solve Ethan’s problem.

Instead, he’d hit another dead end.

"Believe me, if we had one, I wouldn’t keep it from you." Elena sighed.

Then she suddenly paused.

A thought seemed to cross her mind. Her eyes brightened. "There might be another option."

Ryan immediately looked up. "Another option?"

Elena nodded. But the confidence that had appeared in her eyes a moment ago faded slightly, replaced by hesitation.

"Perhaps..." She seemed to weigh whether she should say it.

Ryan noticed immediately. "Miss Elena."

His voice became serious. "Whatever it is, just tell me."

He didn’t care how difficult it was. He had to save Ethan’s legs.

Ethan wasn’t simply his younger brother. He was family.

And Ryan had already lost too much in his life to stand by and watch someone he loved suffer when there was even the slightest chance of changing his fate.

He would cross mountains..He would face monsters.

He would walk straight into danger. If that was what it took to give Ethan a chance to stand again, Ryan wouldn’t hesitate.

’If I can’t even protect my own family...’ His fingers slowly tightened. ’Then what was the point of becoming stronger in the first place?’

...

A/N:

What do you guys think of the story so far? If you’re enjoying nthe story please gift me golden tickets and powerstones they can go a long way in motivating me... Thanks for following Ryan on this journey...