Meanwhile, within Azure Mist's camp, Emily was shaking her head as she looked at Vanessa. "Vanessa, stop looking. We're mere ants in the eyes of Dustin. We're worlds apart."Her eyes followed the path Dustin had taken, and she let out a deep sigh."As the chosen one, he's a force capable of overwhelming the grandmasters. We can never hope to reach his level in our lifetime."She shared the same admiration toward Dustin, who was a young grandmaster. But she was well aware that they were not in the same league. It would be best to only admire him from afar. Getting closer would only lead to nothing but frustration. "If only he wasn't so remarkable," Vanessa muttered. She looked conflicted.She had finally found someone she liked. But he was so outstanding that she felt inferior. Perhaps it was better to part ways and forget each other in the martial world. Perhaps this was the best outcome they could hope for. Yet, why was she reluctant to see him go? Could she genuinely
Linden sighed, "Right now, only the Shadowbloom and Phoenixwort can save her. "If Mr. Rhys can bring back those herbs in time, there is a greater chance for survival. But if he takes too long, I'm afraid that glimmer of hope would die out.""Oh, Dustin! Where have you gone? Why aren't you back yet?" Ruth was crying as she muttered to herself. She hadn't told her parents about Natasha yet. She was afraid they wouldn't be able to handle the shock. Suddenly, the door burst open with a loud bang.Following that, a bloodied Dustin staggered in with quick steps. He appeared quite disheveled. "Dr. Watkins! I found it! I found the herb!"Dustin lifted his shirt and carefully took out a black flower that was emitting a strange glow. "You found it?"Linden took a closer look and grew elated. "It really is the Shadowbloom! Excellent … This is wonderful!""Dr. Watkins, Natasha can now be saved with this Shadowbloom, right?" Dustin looked hopeful. He had traded this precious herb
After some time, Dustin woke up groggily, only to find himself lying on the bed. The sunlight that shone through the windows was slightly glaring to his eyes. "Dustin! You're finally awake!" Ruth, who had been keeping vigil by his bedside, immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "How long have I been unconscious?" Dustin asked. He just woke up and was still feeling slightly disoriented."You were out for three days. Luckily, Dr. Watkins said you were fine. Or, we would have prepared for your funeral," Ruth said. "Three days? That long?" After a momentary daze, he finally remembered something."Oh, how about your sister? How is she? Is she awake yet?""My sister?" Ruth was dejected after she heard him. Lowering her head, she was choked with sobs. "Natasha … she's gone …" "What? She's dead?" Those words hit Dustin like lightning, leaving him stunned. His already pale face turned whiter. It was as if his soul had left his body. "How can that be? I-Impossible! "I fou
He could only hold on to her tightly, feeling her warmth and savoring her scent. It was only at that moment that his anxious heart finally calmed down. "I'm happy you're alive," Dustin whispered softly after a long pause. "Alright, stop hugging me. I'm starting to run out of breath," Natasha smiled knowingly. She patted Dustin gently on the back. Although she enjoyed the moment, he was hugging her a bit too tightly."Ahem … I'm sorry, I was out of line." Dustin snapped back to reality and released her immediately.He had let his emotions take over earlier. He didn't even realize what he had done."I'm happy you did that. At least it shows that you care about me," Natasha smiled sweetly. She was happy. They had gone through life and death together. It was an experience that placed her way beyond what he had with Dahlia. So what if they'd been married before? They'd even risked their lives for each other!"Dear, rest up. I'll go check if your medicine is ready."Natasha ti
"My dear, it's time to take your medicine." While Dustin was chatting with Cornelius, a melodious female voice rang out. They saw Natasha walk in gracefully with a steaming bowl in her hands.She had an enchanting smile and a rosy complexion. She carefully brought the medicinal soup to Dustin's lips. "Come on, my dear, drink up."Dustin's eyes twitched. Why did this scene seem so familiar?"My dear, what's the matter? Drink up," Natasha said with a charming smile. Her eyes carried a hint of playfulness. "Umm, can I not drink it?" Dustin was reluctant."Of course not. I personally prepared it for you."Natasha raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter? You don't think I poisoned it, do you?"Dustin sighed. "Well, it will be worth it if I die by your hand." He then lifted the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.Seeing his face all puckered up, Natasha burst out in laughter. "Alright, alright, no more teasing. Let's go have dinner. I have all your favorite dishes prepared toda
"What bullshit!""Mrs. Lansky glared at her. "How can you compare that little bastard to my precious son? A strand of hair on his body is worth more than her life! "I'm warning you, grovel on your feet and apologize now! Or you won't like what's going to happen to you!" "Mrs. Lansky! Can you be reasonable? It's clearly your son's fault. Why should we be the ones to apologize?" Cecilia said with a frown. Without hesitation, Mrs. Lansky delivered a harsh slap across Cecilia's face. She yelled, "I told you to apologize, so just apologize! What's all this nonsense? If you challenge me again, I'll tear your mouth apart!""You—" Cecilia clenched her teeth, seething in anger. She didn't expect Mrs. Lansky to be so unreasonable. Not only did they refuse to apologize for their mistake, they even resorted to violence.They were being too much!"Don't hit my mum!" Haley stood in front of her mother with outstretched hands. She looked angry. "You're a bad person! An old witch! I'm
The unexpected scene shocked everyone present. Nobody could have predicted that someone would actually hit Mrs. Lansky's son.Everyone knew that Mrs. Lansky was infamous for being a tyrant in this area. Nobody dared to offend her. "Oh my God! My son!" After a momentary shock, Mrs. Lansky screamed. She rushed forward clumsily and wrapped the disoriented, chubby kid in her arms.The little kid now had a crooked nose and busted lips. His mouth was also covered in blood, with two front teeth missing. Half of his face was extremely red and swollen. "Son! Don't scare me like this! Wake up!" Mrs. Lansky was panicking and pinched his nose repeatedly to wake him up. It was only after he woke up that she calmed down slightly. However, very soon, her expression turned hideous. She screamed, "Who was it that hit my son? Who was it? Reveal yourself!" She turned around, looking like she was about to commit murder."It was me!" Dustin stepped forward with a dark expression. His gaze tu
The crowd pointed and whispered, astonished at Dustin's outrageous behavior. A simple apology would have resolved this matter. But now, it had escalated into a major issue. With Mrs. Lansky beaten up so badly, Dustin would probably end up with broken limbs. Worse still, he could be buried alive!Dustin delivered another slap that knocked Mrs. Lansky to the ground. He demanded, "Tell me, who exactly are you?"Mrs. Lansky's face was beaten up so badly that she felt dizzy and disoriented. She couldn't even tell left from right. "Stop it!" Right then, the kindergarten's headmistress pushed through the crowd in a frantic rush. Seeing Mrs. Lansky's swollen face, she was shocked and quickly helped her onto a chair. "Oh my, Mrs. Lansky! What happened to you? Who did this to you?"Mrs. Lansky's arm shook as she pointed at Dustin."How dare you!" The headmistress turned around and roared, "Who are you? How dare you lay your hands on Mrs. Lansky? Do you have any idea of the troub
After a night of chaos, some of the Red Legion's members were killed, others were captured, and the entire force had been wiped out.But the fallout didn't stop there. The Prescott estate was also raided. All embezzled wealth was confiscated, and those found guilty were thrown into prison.Anyone connected to the Prescotts was placed under house arrest and subjected to rigorous investigation.And the man behind it—Warrick—had become the kingdom's most wanted fugitive.Until he was captured, Celestria remained under lockdown. Major roads were sealed off, and patrol teams scoured every corner to ensure Warrick had no way out.Austin's crackdown sparked outrage among senior officials who didn't know the full story. They voiced their dissatisfaction, with some even gathering outside the castle gates in protest. They stomped their feet in outrage, just short of openly cursing him.To them, Warrick had made great contributions to the nation. Even if he had committed crimes, he didn't d
Austin's words were calm and almost casual. Yet, they struck like thunder and echoed in the hearts of the three assistant generals of the Red Legion.If they answered Austin's questions, there might still be a slim chance of survival. But if they refused, death was the only outcome.After all, who would willingly choose death when they had worked so hard to achieve their wealth and status? Yet, pride and dignity held them back. They didn't want to be branded as traitors.Now, they were caught in a dilemma. Which was more important—their honor or their lives? It was an impossible choice."You have ten seconds left. If you don't speak, you'll lose your chance." Austin's voice was utterly devoid of emotion.His words seemed to pierce their souls, and the three Red Legion assistant generals broke into a cold sweat.As the countdown neared its end, Auron finally couldn't hold back. "Your Highness! I'll talk—I'll tell you everything."Dropping to his knees, he scrambled forward and wa
Axel swallowed hard, shock written all over his face. He had always known the Draken Guardians were formidable, but he had never expected them to be this lethal.He had pushed himself to his limit just to hold his own against Connor and Dave, only to end up seriously wounded. Yet, when the Draken Guardians arrived, they wiped them out—along with several dozen Red Legion soldiers—without losing a single man.If Axel hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that the Red Legion, a force renowned for its elite soldiers, could be so easily crushed. Or perhaps it wasn't that the Red Legion was weak, but that the Draken Guardians were far stronger than anyone had imagined.Even their most ordinary members were strong enough to become a mighty general. As for those at the level of captain, their strength was far beyond Axel's. The lethality of a team made up of such skilled experts had reached the point of being an overwhelming force."Mr. Cruz, please arrange some
"Damn it! This punk's tougher than I thought. We're in real trouble if this keeps up," Connor said, swinging his twin blades relentlessly. Every strike was aimed at Axel's vital points.But Axel was quick. He weaved in and out of reach and avoided direct confrontation. It was obvious he was just stalling for time."Sir Prescott should be far enough by now. There's no point dragging this out. Let's fall back."Sensing the futility of their efforts, Dave considered retreating. He didn't fear death, but he wasn't about to waste his life for nothing.Since Warrick had escaped, their interception mission was also completed."You guys hold him off. The rest of you, fall back with me."Connor was decisive. Realizing they weren't making any progress, he quickly ordered a retreat and left a few decoys behind to buy time.They had barely run a hundred yards when a wave of soldiers suddenly appeared at the alley's entrance. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, filled the narrow space and comple
"This punk's a real pain in the ass!"Connor glanced over his shoulder and noticed Axel was still hot on their trail.The squad he had sent to intercept Axel was completely outmaneuvered, and they couldn't get anywhere near him.To Connor's dismay, Axel kept shooting off signal flares as he pursued them. Each flare gave away their position. At this rate, it didn't matter which direction they ran—they were bound to be intercepted."Connor! Dave! Make a move and swat that damn fly," Warrick ordered decisively."If we leave, who's going to protect you?" Connor hesitated.Warrick was in bad shape. Without them guarding him, a single attack from an expert could be fatal."If you don't take out that fly, I'll be in even more danger. Get moving now!" Warrick snapped."Yes, sir!"Connor and Dave exchanged a glance before splitting up with their squads to surround Axel.They both knew what was at stake. If they didn't take Axel down quickly, their entire force would be stranded and do
"Kill them all!"At Warrick's command, the Red Legion charged without hesitation. Blades flashed as they stormed toward the elite enforcement unit.This time, nearly a thousand Red Legion soldiers arrived. With their sheer numbers, they launched a pincer attack from both flanks, leaving the enemy with no way to fend it off."Form the Shield Formation!" Axel shouted upon seeing the dire situation. His men immediately sheathed their blades and raised their shields to form a defensive line. Their pursuit had cut them off from the main force. Since they were up against an enemy ten times their size, forming a defensive line was their best option.If they could stall for even a moment, reinforcements from the castle would arrive, and the tide would turn in their favor. Once that happened, the thousand-strong Red Legion would be the ones on the defensive.After a brief charge, the two forces collided.Warrick had personally trained the Red Legion. He selected only the most loyal and
Axel had no time to hesitate. He lunged forward and grabbed the overturned Dragon-Binding Net. Then, he used every ounce of his strength to pin Warrick down again."Get over here! We have to keep him restrained."As the net strained under Warrick's sheer power, Axel let out a roar and pushed his cultivation to the limit. His veins bulged and blood pounded in his ears. He threw every last bit of strength into holding Warrick down.For now, he managed to pin Warrick down, but the elite enforcement unit on the other side wasn't faring well. Warrick thrashed wildly, sending more than a dozen men swinging through the air. Some slammed into trees, while others crashed into walls. Within moments, the Dragon-Binding Net flipped over again.Several elite enforcement units tried to rush in and help, but they barely got close before getting hit by their own airborne comrades and sent flying.Against Warrick's Divine Strength, they were utterly outmatched. The regular guards didn't stand a
If Warrick had been at his peak, Axel might have been more cautious. But with Tranqurin coursing through his vein, Warrick had barely a fraction of his usual strength left. His power was still fading, and Axel wasn't about to waste the opportunity. He had to capture Warrick while he had the chance."Get the hell out of my way!"As the enforcers closed in, Warrick let out a furious roar and slammed his massive fist into the floor.With a loud explosion, the earth shook violently. The ground within dozens of yards cracked and caved in, splitting apart like a spiderweb. A powerful shockwave tore through the air, sending dirt flying and walls shattering. The entire meeting room collapsed into ruins.The elite enforcers, caught in the blast, were flung backward like ragdolls. They crashed to the ground, disoriented and battered. Even Axel was thrown back more than ten yards.Warrick panted heavily, his face pale and drenched in sweat. Forcing his internal energy into action had only
Austin's words were strong and commanding, each one landing like a thunderclap.Warrick felt the weight of his presence. His brow furrowed for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. He glanced at the so-called evidence on the floor, showing no sign of panic or guilt. Instead, he said indifferently, "Your Highness, these dead men were nothing more than ants. Is this really worth making such a fuss over? I doubt you haven't killed anyone before."As the old saying went, the higher one climbed, the heavier one's purse. Warrick had clawed his way up, risking his life at every step for the sake of rising above the masses. Everyone had their own desires—some sought fame, others fortune. Some were greedy for money, some for power, and others reveled in the adoration of the masses. To achieve those things, one inevitably had to engage in shady dealings. It was an unspoken rule among officials, and Warrick saw nothing wrong with it."Ants?" Austin sneered. "Without these 'ant