Rise of The Abandoned Husband (Liam Knight) novel Chapter 158

158 Chapter 158 – Spiritual Fire and Sabotaged Herbs

I stared at my reflection in the mirror of the preparation room, assessing my condition with unflinching honesty. My body had recovered significantly after the fight with Killian, but I still felt off–perhaps only at thirty percent of my true strength. The golden energy from my Saintly Body Skill had helped accelerate my healing, but there was only so much it could do in such a short time.

Elder Harding approached from behind, his weathered face etched with concern. “How are you feeling, Liam?”

I straightened my posture, not wanting to show weakness. “Well enough to compete.”

“You don’t need to put on a brave face with me,” he said, his voice lowered. “This competition is important, but your health-”

“I’ll be fine,” I interrupted, more sharply than intended. After taking a breath, I added, “I appreciate your concern, but I’ve faced worse odds.”

Elder Harding nodded slowly. “I believe you have. Just remember, these alchemy competitions are as much about politics as they are about skill. Desmond has stacked the deck against you.”

“Let him try,” I said, my confidence more genuine this time. “I’ve never been one to follow conventional methods anyway.”

As we walked toward the competition hall, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of doubt. Not about my abilities, but about the fairness of what lay ahead. Desmond Davenport wouldn’t take his public humiliation lying down. He would strike back, and soon.

The selection rounds passed quickly. As expected, Desmond’s disciple Elias Ainsworth breezed through the preliminaries, his technique polished if uninspired. Three other alchemists also advanced–a stern–faced woman with calculating eyes, an elderly man whose hands moved with surprising dexterity, and a young, nervous–looking apprentice who seemed shocked by his own success.

And then there was me.

During the lunch break before the finals, I watched from across the hall as Desmond

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158 Chapter 158 Spiritual Fire and Sabotaged Horbs

clapped Ellas on the shoulder, his voice carrying across the room.

“You’ve done magnificently so far, Desmond boasted loudly enough for nearby competitors to hear. “The finals will be a mere formality.”

Elias nodded with practiced humility, though the smirk playing at his lips betrayed his true feelings. When the crowd around them dispersed, I noticed him lean in close to Desmond, speaking in hushed tones that I couldn’t hear from my position.

“I haven’t told you everything, Master,” Elias whispered to Desmond. “I’ve been saving at surprise for the finals.”

Desmond raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And what might that be?”

Elias glanced around before continuing, “I’ve awakened my spiritual fire.”

Desmond’s eyes widened with genuine shock. “That’s… when did this happen?”

“Three months ago. I’ve been practicing in secret, wanting to perfect it before revealing it to you. Elias couldn’t keep the pride from his voice. “It’s still developing, but it’s more than enough to crush the competition today.”

Desmond stared at his disciple with new eyes. Spiritual fire was rare–a gift that marked truly exceptional alchemists. With proper cultivation, it could elevate Elias to heights even Desmond hadn’t reached.

“This changes everything.” Desmond murmured, a calculating gleam in his eye. “Knight won’t know what hit him.”

When the finals began, the hall had filled with spectators–nobles, officials, and representatives from prominent families and organizations. Connections made here. could change careers, and everyone knew it.

I took my assigned station, noticing immediately that Elias had been placed beside me. Not a coincidence, I was sure.

“Heard you had quite the adventure yesterday,” Elias remarked casually. “Taking on a Grandmaster–impressive, But alchemy requires finesse, not brute force.”

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158 Chapter 158–Spiritual Fire and Sabotaged Herbs

I ignored him, focusing instead on the materials provided for the competition. My stomach dropped as 1 inspected them. The herbs looked fine at first glance-

high–quality specimens of all the required ingredients. But when I touched them, I knew immediately.

The qi was almost completely drained from them. These herbs were essentially hollow shells, useless for creating anything of value. I glanced at the herbs at other stations- all vibrant with energy. This was blatant sabotage.

Desmond stood with the judges, watching me with barely concealed satisfaction. Our eyes met briefly, and he offered a small, mocking bow.

The head judge stepped forward. “Competitors, your task is to create a Vitality Restoration Pill within the hour. You may begin now.”

Around me, the other alchemists immediately set to work crushing, mixing, and heating their ingredients with practiced motions. Elias worked with particular confidence, occasionally glancing my way with a smirk.

I stared at my sabotaged herbs, considering my options. Traditional methods would be useless with ingredients like these. I could protest, but without proof beyond my word against Desmond’s, it would only make me look weak.

The crowd started murmuring as they noticed my inaction. Ten minutes had passed, and I hadn’t even started preparing my materials.

Suddenly, I made my decision. I gathered all my herbs and unceremoniously dumped them into my vessel at once, earning gasps from the spectators. This violated the most basic principles of alchemy, where ingredients needed to be added in precise order and amounts.

“Has he lost his mind?” someone whispered loudly.

I ignored the comments and began a strange boiling method, stirring the mixture in patterns that seemed random to observers but followed an ancient technique I’d recalled from my awakened memories.

Elias laughed openly now. “Given up already, Knight? Your slop won’t even qualify as a failed attempt.

I looked at him calmly. “You know, Elias, true mastery isn’t about following rules. It’s about understanding when to break them.

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