Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory
Chapter 380: Plane World

Chapter 380: Plane World

"Brutal? Yeah, it is. But that’s just how the world works," Ethan said calmly, shaking his head. "If you want to break through the higher-level barriers and monopolies, there’s always going to be sacrifice and pain. That’s just the price of progress—there’s no way around it."

Truth be told, Ethan was one of the lucky ones. He started off with an advantage most people could only dream of.

But that was it—just a head start.

In the end, the lucky few are still just that: few.

For the vast majority of people trying to make a name for themselves in the world of Glory Lords X, there’s no shortcut. They’ve got to grind through the pain and the harsh reality. That’s the truth—and it’s not optional.

Ethan wasn’t some saint or savior.

As long as he could take care of himself and the people close to him, that was enough.

Everyone else? Let fate take its course.

It wasn’t really his concern.

"Whew..." Nathaniel let out a long breath, then shook his head and looked at Ethan with a mix of gratitude and awe. "I’ve learned a lot. Thank you, Mr. Ethan. I really appreciate your advice."

"Since we’re already on the topic, let me give you one more piece of advice... General Grant, if you get the chance, do everything you can to become an Independent Lord. That’s the only way to truly have control over your own fate. Otherwise, you’re just asking for trouble down the line."

"Independent Lord? What’s that?"

"You’ll understand if you ever come across the opportunity. If not, there’s no point in me explaining it now."

"Got it. I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you again, Mr. Ethan."

"No need to thank me. Just think it over. If you make up your mind, let my sister Emily know. Also, I’ll be heading to the Griffonhold Duchy soon to handle some business. If you’ve made your decision before then, let me know as soon as possible."

"Understood. Thank you, Mr. Ethan." Nathaniel stood up and gave a respectful bow before taking his leave. "In that case, I won’t take up any more of your time. Goodbye."

"General Grant, take care," Ethan said with a casual wave.

Once Nathaniel was gone, Emily couldn’t help but speak up. "Ethan... you’re really not going to help them any further? Why not just bring them into your territory? At least that way you could keep an eye on them."

"I’m not their babysitter," Ethan replied, shaking his head. His eyes flickered with a sharp glint. "I’ve already done more than enough for them—more than most would."

"And as for letting them into my territory? That’s not happening."

"Why not?" Emily asked, clearly surprised.

"They’re not like you or Isabella. You’re my sister. Isabella’s my girlfriend. You two are the people I trust the most. I’d put my life in your hands without hesitation. But them? No."

"And I don’t want my territory getting complicated," Ethan added, his gaze turning distant.

To be honest, Emerald Castle was in a near-perfect state right now—pure, unified. Everyone there saw him as a symbol, a leader they respected and admired, almost to the point of reverence. He valued that. He cherished it.

But if he started bringing people from Earth into his domain...

That would all fall apart.

That purity, that simplicity—it would be gone.

All the baggage of human society—jealousy, greed, manipulation, betrayal, fake smiles, backstabbing politics—it would all come pouring in like garbage dumped on a pristine lawn.

And that was something Ethan absolutely couldn’t accept.

So he had to say no.

"...Alright," Emily finally said, giving up when she saw how firm Ethan was.

Ethan stayed on Earth for another two or three days, resting and recharging. Once he was fully recovered, he logged back into the world of Glory Lords X, returning to Emerald Castle in the heart of Sylvanwood.

"Master, you’re back at the perfect time. The search of Sylvanwood is officially complete!"

The moment Ethan arrived, Elynn was there to greet him with a report.

"Oh?" Ethan perked up instantly, his interest clearly piqued. "Elynn, what did you find?"

"Master," Elynn began, her tone crisp and efficient, "after completing the full sweep of Sylvanwood, we’ve discovered over a thousand sites—including gold veins, the six basic resource nodes, and Creature Dwellings ranging from Tier 1 to Tier 10."

She paused for a breath, then continued with growing excitement, "In addition to that, we’ve also located nearly fifty high-tier strategic resource sites. These include Special Resource veins and Creature Dwellings of Tier 11, 12, and even 13! Among them are: one Medium-sized Level 5 Special Resource—Prismatic Dragonblood Crystal vein; two Colossal-sized Level 4 Storm Magnetite veins; two Medium and one Large Sacred Withered Earthwood veins; two Grand Ragecore Crystal veins..."

She rattled off the list like a well-oiled machine, her voice gaining momentum.

"...three Large Level 3 Dragonblood Crystal veins, five Medium Dragonblood Crystal veins, two Grand and two Medium Lesser Arcane Mithril veins, five Small Lesser Arcane Mithril veins, one Grand Luminite Crystal vein, six Large Luminite Crystal veins, and—this is the big one—five Colossal Gem veins, ten Grand Gem veins, and twenty-two Large Gem veins..."

Ethan blinked, stunned. "That many Gem veins?"

"Yes!" Elynn nodded quickly, her face lighting up with excitement. "Master, in the northern outskirts, near a region called the Ravine of Ruin, we found a massive concentration of Gem, Bronzesteel, Gold, and Dark Iron veins. The resource density there is so high, it qualifies as a major resource zone!"

She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping with significance. "And more importantly, deep within the Ravine of Ruin... we discovered a Dimensional Gate."

Ethan’s pupils contracted sharply. "A Dimensional Gate? Are you serious? How big is it? What kind of defenses are around it? Have we scouted inside? What kind of Plane World is it? Has anyone claimed it yet, or is it still unclaimed and unknown?!"

He fired off the questions in rapid succession, his voice rising with excitement.

And honestly, who could blame him?

Because a Plane World... that was no small thing.

To put it simply, Earth itself was a type of Plane World. The Ashan realm they were currently in? Also a Plane World. Even the core worlds of the major factions—those too were considered Plane Worlds.

That’s how important they were.

In fact, the Ashan world, where they currently stood, was the original primary plane of the entire Glory Lords X universe. It was the very first Plane World created by the Order Dragon, Asha—the primordial god of creation in this world. That alone gave it immense significance.

But over time, as the Glory Lords X universe expanded and evolved, countless other Plane Worlds emerged—some vast, some tiny, some rich, some barren.

Some were completely empty, offering nothing of value. But even then, the allure of a Plane World was undeniable—for any lord, any rising power, they were the ultimate prize.

Because if you could conquer a Plane World?

That was it. You were a king in your own right.

The sheer sense of achievement, the power, the resources—it was overwhelming.

And if the Plane World was unclaimed and unknown?

Then it was a goldmine. Literally.

A whole world’s worth of untapped resources, hidden treasures, and ancient secrets. Even the most desolate Plane World would still be enough to make any lord drool.

But for someone like Ethan—a newly risen lord still building his foundation—an unclaimed Plane World offered something even more valuable:

A place to hide his trump cards. A secret stronghold. A fallback plan no one else knew about.

...