The protagonist’s halo is just that domineering and unreasonable—if it wants to crush you, the cannon fodder, it will crush you, and it can come up with a hundred and eighty different ways to do it.

“This Ethan the Protagonist’s cheat—what could it be? A super secret manual from before the Great Cataclysm? Or some supreme artifact? Or maybe he’s got an old grandpa tagging along? Reincarnated?”

Eric Dawson’s smile turned a bit strange as he waved his hand: “Ignore him.”

The big man scratched his head. “Yes, young master.”

Although it seems like the script in front of me has gone off track, I’ve got my own cheat too...

Because of the break in history caused by the Great Cataclysm, even though the two eras are connected, there are still some differences in the martial cultivation systems before and after, and the conditions of the two bodies are not the same. This means Eric Dawson needs to adjust and adapt, to study and improve the many martial arts manuals in his mind. Otherwise, with his current cultivation, he’d already be advancing by leaps and bounds.

After coming to this world, aside from carefully adapting to the new environment and identity, most of Eric Dawson’s energy has been spent on combining the current situation with the vast knowledge in his memory.

Now, the results are remarkable, and a breakthrough is just around the corner.

Given that, whether in his previous life or this one, Eric Dawson’s own cultivation level is still limited, most of his improvements are aimed at his current and nearby realms.

After all, you have to eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time.

But as his cultivation steadily increases, theory and practice combine, and a broader world is already unfolding before him.

At the same time, aside from martial arts, various artifact forging methods, alchemy recipes, and so on will also stir up a storm in this era.

The Liyan True Flame seed he previously instructed his subordinates to investigate is related to this.

If the experiment succeeds, it will undoubtedly bring huge rewards to Eric Dawson.

Eric Dawson curled his lips. “Dragon versus dragon, king meets king—let’s see who the real dragon is.”

“Maybe this Ethan Clark isn’t a protagonist at all, and I’m just being paranoid and overthinking it? I’ll observe for now.”

But how to deal with the girl eaten by the body’s original owner is giving Eric Dawson a bit of a headache.

For his current self, whether in terms of status or strength, improving himself comes first.

As for beauties, he doesn’t have the time to pursue them deliberately right now, but he won’t refuse if they come to him on their own.

It’s just that this historical leftover problem from the body’s original owner is really a pain.

Though he complains out loud, he doesn’t actually care much in his heart. Eric Dawson smiled and shook his head, finished up his tasks, then returned to his residence to rest, meditated and cultivated his qi, and by the next day, headed to the sect’s Hall of Affairs.

The disciples heading to Zhenlong Abyss had already gathered in a side hall.

When Eric Dawson entered, everyone’s eyes lit up and their gazes converged on him.

Eric Dawson remained calm, sweeping his gaze around, and saw a tall, stunningly beautiful young girl walking toward him.

She looked only sixteen or seventeen, but her beauty was already peerless, even surpassing that Lin girl, as if she was blessed by heaven itself, ethereal and untouched by the mundane world. Only her rare ice-blue eyes gave her a slightly cold aura.

Alice Warren, another rising star of the younger generation of Guangcheng Mountain. Though young, she had already made a name for herself, her extraordinary talent second only to Eric Dawson, and she was hailed as another youthful prodigy of Guangcheng Mountain, earning the attention of many elders early on.

Seeing her, Eric Dawson once again felt the urge to roll his eyes.

As far as he knew, after being dumped by the Lin girl, Ethan Clark met this Alice Warren. Before he even joined Guangcheng Mountain, the two had, by some chance, formed a good friendship.

For now, they were still just pure friends, but according to certain scripts—deep background, high talent, stunning beauty, cold to everyone else but treats one seemingly ordinary person differently...

This beauty, who in every way outshines the Lin girl, is very likely to become the main consort under Ethan Clark’s protagonist halo as time goes on.

Next to Alice Warren stood a slender young man, his gaze fixed intently on Eric Dawson.

This slender youth was, of course, Ethan Clark.

Eric Dawson could clearly see in his eyes a fire that had been suppressed for a long time, ready to burst out at any moment.

Chapter 3: The Show Begins

Alice Warren looked at Eric Dawson with a hint of scrutiny in her gaze.

In the public’s eyes, going to a dangerous place like Zhenlong Abyss, if Eric Dawson, as the leader, made things difficult for Ethan Clark, it would be hard for Ethan Clark to survive.

Others looked at Eric Dawson with much simpler thoughts—some were delighted to have such a powerful senior brother leading them on this training, while others looked at Eric Dawson with burning eyes, eager to befriend him.

A few who knew the inside story glanced at Ethan Clark with a look of anticipation, as if waiting for a good show.

Ethan Clark, on the other hand, frowned deeply. After joining the sect, he had learned a lot.

The young man before him, who didn’t look much older than himself, not only had high cultivation and great strength, but also possessed extremely deep connections within the sect.