The aftermath of the Black Reef Island battle was like a boulder hurled into a still lake, sending titanic waves crashing through Blue Star's cultivation world. And there I was, sunk into the living couch at home, listening to River rattle on to Jade Lin about Ultraman card lore, the fragrance of soy-glazed eggplant drifting in from the kitchen.

"Daddy, look! Look at my Zapelio Ray!" River shoved the card under my nose, eyes glittering like stars. "Mommy said you can 'shoot laser beams' too — even stronger than Diga!"

I couldn't help laughing, and flicked his little nose. "Daddy uses sword qi, kiddo. Totally different from Diga's lasers."

Jade Lin came out of the kitchen carrying a fresh plate of braised pork, shot me a sideways glance, and said, "Always showing off to the kid. Go wash your hands — dinner's ready."

Watching my wife and son bicker and laugh, the shadow cast by Victor Jin's dying words on Black Reef Island — Nine Abyssal Demon Palace — seemed to dissolve a little in all that warmth and noise. I'd barely lifted my chopsticks when the System Elder's voice detonated inside my head:

"Rookie, you're trending! No wait — the Xuanmen Forum has exploded!"

"Huh?" I nearly dropped my chopsticks on the floor. "The Xuanmen Forum has trending topics?"

"What did you think?" The System Elder's holographic projection bobbed in front of my eyes, a bowl of Kang Shuafu pickled-cabbage instant noodles cradled in his hands. "You're officially Blue Star cultivation world's top influencer right now! Take a look — every single thread is about you!"

I sent a mental pulse and pulled up the Xuanmen Forum's virtual interface. Holy hell. Nine out of ten posts on the front page — and then some — were all about me:

SHOCKING! Foundation-Building Late-Stage Cultivator Slays Core Formation Peak-Stage Evil Cultivator — Just Who IS Ethan Lu?

Exposing the Xuanmen Security Bureau's New Deputy Director Ethan Lu: His Past and Present — From Unemployed Middle-Aged Man to Cultivation Overlord, the Ultimate Underdog Arc

EXCLUSIVE SCOOP: Black Reef Island Battle Reconstructed — Ethan Lu's One Move "Ten Thousand Evils Into Silence" Shatters the Myriad-Sha Soul-Devouring Formation!

Technical Deep-Dive: The Fusion Mechanics of Ethan Lu's Tidal Sword Inscription and the Dao Ancestor's Sword Intent, With Animated Diagram Breakdown

On the Relationship Between Spirit-Flavoured Grilled Fish and Cultivation Realm — A Seasoned Foodie's Guide to Ethan Lu's Hidden Power

That last title made the corner of my mouth twitch.

I tapped open the Spirit-Flavoured Grilled Fish thread. Inside, someone was writing with the utmost seriousness: "During Ethan Lu's street-stall period at the market, his seemingly ordinary spirit-flavoured grilled fish in fact contained profound Dao principles. The heat control for each fish subtly matched the circulation of spiritual energy through a full heavenly cycle; and the seasoning blend further incorporated the generative cycle of the Five Elements……"

"Pfft—"

I nearly spat soup across the table. "What on earth — I just diluted some Qi-Gathering Pellets and poured it on!"

"What do you know," the System Elder slurped his noodles. "That's called all things can cultivate, you hear me? The entire Blue Star cultivation world is now trying to figure out your background. Going from Qi-Refining stage and tanking Foundation-Building attacks, to Foundation-Building stage going toe-to-toe with Core Formation, on top of that walking away with a fragment of the Dao Ancestor's Immortal Sword — tell me that doesn't sound like someone playing on cheat codes."

Jade Lin watched me grinning at thin air and asked, curious, "What are you and that old System geezer gossiping about? You've got the look of a fox that just raided the henhouse."

"Nothing much," I quickly closed the forum interface and stuffed a chunk of braised pork into my mouth. "Just some funny business over on the Xuanmen side."

River scooted over, blinking his big eyes. "Daddy, people are saying you're a 'Living Immortal' — is it true?"

"Living Immortal is a stretch," I ruffled his hair. "But Daddy will work hard. One day I'll protect you and Mommy."

Just then, the doorbell rang. I opened the door to find Elder Zhang standing outside leaning on his walking stick, with Elder Kai and a few other familiar faces from the Xuanmen Security Bureau behind him — every single one of them wearing a smile that practically glowed.

End of Chapter 84: The Ripples of Black Reef Island