Derek was furious.
No—he was enraged.
He felt as if Ethan was deliberately making fun of him, humiliating him in public by dodging every attack and letting his punches hit nothing but empty air.
"You damn fucking bastard!" Derek roared.
Derek was an impulsive person. Since childhood, everything he desired had been placed in front of him without delay. The word patience had never existed in his dictionary.
However, he was not completely brainless—at least not when it came to people like Young Master Robin. He knew his limits. He would never do anything that could cause his grandfather to lose his position. His grandfather had drilled this lesson into him countless times:
The moment I lose my position, everyone we have wronged will crawl back for revenge.
That was precisely why Derek never dared provoke people like Young Master Robin. It was also why he had stayed completely silent while Robin purchased the Grade-1 fruits earlier.
But Ethan?
Derek was certain Ethan had no background.
If Ethan truly had any backing, he would never have set up such a pitiful stall.
Cultivators valued pride above all else. Even those with no background would try to make their stalls look grand and imposing. This was a common business tactic—even in the cultivation world.
Yet Ethan's stall was worse than ordinary.
It was plain. Small. Almost laughable.
That alone convinced Derek that Ethan had no backing whatsoever.
As for the Grade-1 fruits? Derek believed Ethan had simply gotten lucky. Nothing more.
This was the reasoning that fueled Derek's arrogance.
He wanted to use Ethan as a stepping stone—to announce his newly elevated authority to the entire city.
He wanted everyone to understand that he was no longer the same Derek as before.
He wanted people to fear him.
To respect him.
To address him as Young Master Derek, just as they did Young Master Robin.
To achieve this, he needed to make an example.
And Ethan was perfect.
If I cripple him, Derek thought, everyone will understand a single truth—
Even if I cripple someone inside the city, the Punishment Department will never touch me.
That message alone would terrify the masses.
For a cultivator, having their cultivation crippled was a fate far worse than death.
As for Young Master Robin interfering?
Derek dismissed the thought entirely.
In his eyes, Robin would never step in for someone he had just met—especially someone who had already profited greatly from selling him fruits.
And even if Robin did interfere?
So what?
Yes, Robin's father was a Deputy Patriarch.
But Derek's grandfather controlled the Punishment Department.
The final report always came from that department.
Even a Deputy Patriarch had to respect it.
And if this antagonized one Deputy Patriarch?
There were three.
All competing for the position of Patriarch.
All Derek needed to do was align himself with one of the other two, and he would remain safe.
But for this plan to succeed, there was one requirement:
Ethan had to be crippled—quickly and decisively.
Yet the reality before him made Derek feel like he was going insane.
Ethan wasn't fighting back.
He was only dodging.
Not even attempting to counterattack.
Not even removing his hands from his pockets.
It was infuriating.
Derek felt as if he was being toyed with—like a clown performing for an audience.
That realization struck directly at his sore spot.
With a furious roar, Derek rushed forward again and unleashed a barrage of punches.
He no longer cared where he hit.
He just wanted to land one blow.
One hit.
Anything.
Ethan, meanwhile, smiled inwardly.
This is far easier than I expected.
Using his enhanced stamina and agility, Ethan effortlessly dodged every strike. His movements were smooth, precise, and unhurried.
Five minutes passed in the blink of an eye.
The spectators stared in stunned silence.
For five full minutes, Derek had attacked relentlessly—pouring all his strength, rage, and Inner Energy into his punches.
And for five full minutes, Ethan had dodged every single one.
Not a single hit landed.
The flexibility of Ethan's body left everyone speechless.
Even more baffling—
Despite the countless openings Derek exposed, Ethan never counterattacked.
From the beginning of the fight until now, Ethan hadn't thrown a single punch.
He hadn't even taken his hands out of his pockets.
Confusion spread through the crowd.
Everyone shared the same question, growing heavier with each passing second:
What exactly is Ethan trying to accomplish by doing nothing but dodging Derek's attacks?